Quiet Aidilfitri for slain Ambank officer's family

For the husband of AmBank officer Norazita Abu Talib whose life ended in a ruthless murder-robbery on Oct 23 last year, celebrating Aidilfitri for the first time without his beloved wife was proving to be an emotional turmoil.

Irwan Kamaruddin, 33, said since the bereavement, the responsibility to prepare for the religious festivity particularly with regard to the couple's children, Nurnisa Nabila Irwan, 13, and Muhammad Hazimi Irwan, 9, rested solely on him.

"I can't deny my mind is constantly in turmoil for Hari Raya this year because this is the first time that I am preparing for the children on my own.

"Sometimes it's chaos because I also have to do the daily chores such as washing their uniforms and shoes, and attending to their studies. My late wife used to manage everything including preparations for the Hari Raya," he shared.

Since then, joy was also lacking in Irwan's life and he found it hard to even smile, but his children gave him the fortitude to move on and ensure that they succeed in life, as what his wife would want.

"They are my strength in all my grief at seeing their situation after losing their mother, more so as Hari Raya approaches," he said when met by Bernama.

He said the occasion would be a quiet affair as the children appeared to have "no mood" to celebrate.

"They did not ask me for new attire for Hari Raya. Nurnisa said she can wear any of the clothes she has," he said.

According to him, Nurnisa Nabila Irwan had not been talking much while her brother would ask about their mother.

"Nurnisa is grown up and probably understands the situation although Hazimi would enquire about when their mother's murderer was going to be hanged," he said.

Norazita, 37, who had been working at the bank for 16 years, was fatally shot in the head while on duty at the AmBank branch in Subang Jaya, with a pump gun, allegedly by a security guard at the same bank in a strong room heist involving about RM450,000 cash.