KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran newscaster Ras Adiba Radzi has tied the knot with an old friend, yet her moment of joy is tinged with sadness.
The 51-year-old ntv7 newscaster and handicapped people’s activist married her former TV3 colleague, businessman Mohamed Azam Ali at Masjid Jamek Al-Khadijah, Pantai Dalam here today.
Sadly, her marriage coincided with the death of a dear friend, 1990s actress Wafa Abdul Kadir, at 1.10am, after a long battle with cancer.
In a Facebook post accompanying a photo of her manicured fingers and lace gloves, Ras Adiba expressed regret that she was unable to attend Wafa’s funeral, yet believed that Wafa would have wanted her to be happy on her wedding day.
Ras Adiba said: “Today is a happy yet very sad day for me. Happy because I’ve tied the knot with an old friend who loves me unconditionally. Sad because I’ve just lost my beloved Kak Long Wafa Abdul Kadir.
“I had hoped to see her attend my wedding ceremony, but alas God loves her more.
“I’m really sorry that I’ve unable to attend her funeral, but I know she had always wanted me to be happy.
“So I’m braving myself to control those tears for my dearest Kak Long. That’s my promise Kak Long, love you always.”
The solemnisation ceremony of Ras Adiba and Mohamed Azam, 57, took place at 2.30pm and was attended by her father Mohd Radzi Abdul Wahab, the mosque’s imam Yahya Mat Husin and Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Fahmi Fadzil.
Ras Adiba received RM300 in mas kahwin and four trays of hantaran from Mohamed Azam.
In return, her family presented Mohamed Azam with five trays of hantaran.
“We have been friends for 34 years, and back then he was TV3’s sports news producer. However, we got to know each other better last year, at a reunion of TV3 staff. We have a lot in common and love to share ideas on many things,” said Ras Adiba, who has been married twice.
Ras Adiba added that she and Mohamed Azam were supposed to be engaged first, but their family members advised them that it was better to get married quickly.
Mohamed Azam is a divorcee with six children, while Ras Adiba has two children.
Meanwhile, Wafa, 52, died at her home in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya and was buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery before Zohor prayers.
The star of Azizah The Legend is the daughter of former Federal Territories Mufti the late Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Talib.
She is survived by her husband from her third marriage, Tajul Faizal Tamimuddin, 53, and four children from her previous marriages.