KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19: A journalist with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Siti Radzeah Rahmat, 45, died at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz ,also known as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital early today.
Her older sister, who requested to be known only as Aira, said Siti Radzeah died at 2.44 am due to Stage Four breast cancer, excess fluid in her lung and short of breath.
âShe complained of short of breath yesterday, so we called an ambulance to take her to the hospital. We also rented a ventilator to help with her breathing before the ambulance arrived at about 7 pm.
âActually, she was only discharged from the hospital two days ago, but her condition worsened when she came home to Suasana Lumayan Condominium, Bandar Tasik Permaisuri,â said Aira to Bernama today.
According to her, Siti Radzeah would be 45 this Feb 23.
âIn February last year, she told us (siblings) that there was a lump under her armpit and when she went for a check-up, it was confirmed cancer. She underwent an operation in April, unfortunately, two or three months later, the medicine she took did not kill the cancer cells,â she added.
Siti Radzeahâs remains were brought to the Azzubair Ibnul Awwam Mosque in Taman Tenaga, Cheras, for the funeral prayer, to be performed after the Friday prayer and then would be taken to the Taman Selaseh Muslim Cemetery for the burial.
She left husband Shahrul Nizam Mohamed Rani, 45, and three children – two daughters and a son – aged between nine and 22.
Siti Radzeah joined Bernama as Media Relations and Event Management (MREM) executive on Aug 16, 2010 and was appointed Editorial Officer on June 1, 2015.
Meanwhile, Bernama Senior News Editor Ravichandran D.J Paul recalled Radzeah as a cheerful person and someone with great passion for journalism.
âI knew her since her days as media relations executive with MREM, she showed enthusiasm in writing and asked me if I could help her land a job in the newsroom. I asked her to do some feature write ups and brought them to the attention of the Editor in Chief then Datuk Zakaria Wahab, who subsequently took her in as a reporter.
âAs one of the newsroom editors, I noted that she remained productive at work and hardly rejected any assignments despite her medical condition,â said Ravichandran.
Meanwhile, MREM manager Zaria Mohd Nasri said it saddened her when recalling the moments she shared with Siti Radzeah when they were in the same department.
âOur friendship remained even when she had moved to the Editorial Department. A good friend, she was friendly and always respect others, a strong person who was very dedicated to her work.
âMy condolences to the family of the deceased. I pray that her soul be placed among the faithfuls,â she added.- Bernama
