Noted Riau figure dies

PEKANBARU, Riau: Sadiah Mustafa Yatim, a noted figure, died from hepatitis at Ibnu Sina General Hospital on Monday at the age of 67.

Sadiah, the founder of the Sempena Riau Foundation and owner of the Melayu Museum, was widely known in the Riau archipelago for her hard work to conserve the Melayu culture, including traditional marriage customs.

"Sadiah has spent a large part of her life developing and conserving the Melayu culture," Taufik Ikram Jamil, another local figure, said after paying his last respects to Sadiah, whose body was laid to rest at her residence on Tuesday.

He said Sadiah was the third noted figure to pass away over the last two months. The others were Radja Hamzah Yunus and Edyruslan Pe Amanriza.

Sadiah received the Upakarti award in 1991 from the government for her books on the Melayu culture and marriage traditions.

Saidah married Mustafa Yatim and had four sons and two grandchildren. --Antara