adminHULU KLANG: No mother is ever ready to say goodbye to her own child.
But that was the reality that legendary Malaysian artist Uji Rashid, 73, had to accept when his beloved son, the late Cico Harahap, breathed his last on Sunday, after battling an illness.
Behind the calmness she tried to convey while accompanying her son on his final journey to the grave, lies the deep sadness of a mother who now has to continue her life without the person who was a big part of her world for 48 years.
His passing was not just the loss of a child for Uji, but also left a void that is difficult to express in words.
At an advanced age, the singer who once colored the country’s music industry admitted that he still struggles to accept the fact that the child he had raised since childhood has now returned to God’s mercy.
“It is still difficult for me to accept the fact of his passing,” he said after the burial of the deceased’s remains at the Ukay Perdana Islamic Cemetery, here, yesterday.
In a tearful tone, Uji, or her real name Fuziah Haroun Al Rashid, said that she tried to strengthen her heart by reminding herself that every person present in life is just a loan from Allah SWT.
He said that his family and closest friends gave him many words of encouragement to continue to persevere in facing this very difficult test.
“He is also a loan from Allah. I try to remind myself of that provision and hope that Allah will forgive all sins, protect him and place him in the best place.
“There are relatives and friends who remind me to be content with God’s will,” he said.
In the meantime, Uji hopes that the public will continue to offer good prayers for his son and stop any speculation or assumptions that have been previously associated with the deceased.
“I hope everyone can pray for him and stop making assumptions like before, saying he is like this and that.
“I don’t want things like that to happen again. We will all go one day. When my time comes, I also hope that people will wish me well,” he said.
Recalling Cico’s health before he breathed his last, Uji said that his son had shown positive development in recent times.
However, the situation changed a week ago when the deceased experienced severe dizziness and requested to be taken to the hospital for further treatment.
“There was a period before when his illness was quite serious. But lately his condition has been improving.
“However, since a week ago he started experiencing severe dizziness that made him unable to stand. He then told me he wanted to seek treatment at the hospital.
“He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for three days due to multiple infections before being transferred to a regular ward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the deceased’s daughter, Rindu Nur Fitrah, 18, also shared her last moments with her father, which are now memories that will last a lifetime.
According to him, the day before his father passed away, they had time to shake hands before he left for work.
“Yesterday, before I went to work, Papa held my hand. At that moment, I could feel Papa’s condition as if it hadn’t been long.
“However, I try not to think about it too much,” he said, holding back tears.
Rindu said that her father did not have time to leave any final messages because his health at the time was too weak to speak.
“He didn’t say anything because at that point he really couldn’t talk. He was too sick.
“I hope everyone can pray for Papa. May Papa be placed among the inhabitants of heaven, may he rest in peace there and may all his sins be forgiven,” he said.
The remains of the late Cico, whose real name was Ezzaq Farrouq Harahap Jamaludin, were buried at the Ukay Perdana Islamic Cemetery at about 6.15 pm yesterday.
However, as everyone present left the cemetery that evening, the heaviest sadness was certainly felt by a mother who had to let go of her beloved child forever.
After 48 years of pouring out love and sacrifice, Uji is now only able to accompany Cico with prayers, surrendering all her longing to the Almighty and learning to accept that there are separations that no mother is ever prepared to face, no matter how strong her heart is.
-Agency
