KUALA LUMPUR: Following the recent brouhaha on actress Emma Maembong’s decision to cease wearing the hijab, her father artist Ismail Embong has been criticised for failing to raise and guide her well.
The 68-year-old painter took to Facebook to answer accusations thrown at him.
He wrote: “I’ve been getting a lot of criticisms. Ever since my divorce, I’ve been living alone. Children visit me sometimes. It’s not easy to monitor grown up daughters. The task is easier for the mother as there certain things where daughters are able to share with the mother more compared to the father.”
In the same posting, Ismail also shared how he was not very close to his children, and that he never asked about their acting career.
“A mother can keep them company at filming sets, and can lend them an ear when they need to whisper some private matters, those which she can later share with me at home... this is where I have failed. So when haters accused me of not knowing how to control my daughter, I could only swallow the bitter pill,” he wrote.
His postings received various comments.
Halimahtun Solehah wrote: “Semoga Allah permudahakan urusan ayoh, Maembong Ayoh dan anak-anak semua.” (May you be guided by Him in solving your problems and your children’s too.)
“Sabar ye Ayoh..jgn putus asa menegur/didik mereka hgga mnjadi Muslimah sejati..,” commented Adilah Isharudin.
Faizal Zafri Idrakhi pointed out that it’s easy for people to judge and advised him to keep on being patient.
And, many also sympathised with him being alone for a long time and they hoped that he will also find his soul mate soon.