By Mei Kuan
The Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) presented a certificate to 109-year-old Annamah Abukutty to acknowledge her as the oldest living woman in Malaysia on Friday, June 19 in a Facebook live broadcast.
Led by MBR Chief Operating Officer Christopher Wong, the ceremony was held at the MBR headquarters in Q Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.
Annamah was actually born on 10 January 1910 in Thachambadi, India. However, her birthdate is recorded as 31 March 1911 on her identity card. At the age of 18, she came to Malaysia with her husband who found a job here. They moved from town to town before settling down in Kinta Valley Estate at Batu Gajah, Perak.
The housewife was well-versed in Indian traditional medicine, midwifery, reflexology and tattoos. Residents of Batu Gajah would consult her whenever they had any medical issue. To date, people are still making appointments with her for medical consultation. As always, Annamah likes to help her neighbours.
She has a total of five children (two of whom are surviving), sixteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Presently, one of her eyes is blinded from cataract but her memory remains strong.
Here’s her secret to her longevity: a healthy body enriched with essential herbal nutrients.
“She takes a lot of traditional herbs. Whenever anyone in the house feels unwell, she knows which natural remedy to prepare on the spot, even in the middle of the night as she has everything ready in the kitchen. She used to fast every Monday without fail. Besides eating in small portions, she drinks a boiled concoction made of garlic which is beneficial for the stomach once every six months. Always cheerful, she shares that it is important to be free from mental torture by not worrying. She is also a religious person,” Subramanian Madackanu, the son of Annamah, explained.
Meanwhile, MBR is an official body that has served as a national record-keeper since 1995. MBR acknowledges and celebrates the extraordinary feats of Malaysians from all walks of life that go above and beyond to break, create and hold records. MBR was created as a nation-building project in line with the government’s call for the private sectors to play its role in building towards a better nation.
