Among Dollah Endut’s secrets of staying healthy at the age of one hundred are a good diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Born on October 26, 1916 Dollah has 11 children from his second marriage with his late wife, Zan Idris, who passed away ten years ago at the age of 70.
“My diet consists of leafy greens since young, with ‘kerabu pucuk mengkudu’ (shoots salad) being my favourite. It is high in nutrients and antioxidants. You can also boil the mengkudu fruits and consume the water. It’s healthy.
“Besides that, I pray and read the al-Quran daily. The routine gives me peace of mind,” he shared during his birthday celebration cum family day at Kampung Pulau Pisang, Malim Nawar on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016.
Fondly known as Haji Dollah, he now has 41 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. However, two of his children passed away a few years ago.
Dollah was enlisted as a home guard during the Malayan Emergency (1948 to 1960).
“I experienced firsthand the horrors of the Japanese Occupation (1942 to 1945) and the atrocities committed by the Communist insurgents. My family members and the people at large lived in fear and absolute misery. I still remember how able-bodied men were ordered by the Japanese to build railway tracks in return for a miserly RM1 and a cup of rice per day.
“Today, I am grateful that my great-grandchildren can live in peace and comfort in this bountiful country,” he said with tears welling in his eyes.
According to Dollah’s daughter, Nooraini Dollah, 54, her father has been a traditional medicine practitioner for as long as she can remember.
“Villagers always seek my father’s advice for various ailments. He’s a generous, loving and caring person. His birthday celebration is a meaningful occasion for the whole family. May Allah bless him and, hopefully, he’ll live longer,” she enthused.
Rosli Mansor
