Malaysia’s oldest man, Seliman Bandang, dies at 113

 

Seliman Bandang and his grandson Michael with a Malaysia Book of Records certificate denoting him as the country’s oldest man. (Michael Bandang pic)

PETALING JAYA: Seliman Bandang, regarded as the oldest man in Malaysia, has died in hospital in Sarawak at the age of 113.

His grandson, Michael, said Seliman died at 5am on Saturday, after being admitted to hospital in Saratok on Aug 10 with a fever and a lack of appetite, Astro Awani reported.

Michael said his grandfather’s death was a great loss for the family because he was often one to whom family members came with their complaints as well as for advice.

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“Anything we did before, we would ask for his opinion first before any decision was made. He gave us advice and taught us the meaning of respecting others,” he continued.

Seliman was born on March 21, 1910, while Sarawak was under the rule of James Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, in the same year as Sarawak entered the oil and gas age with the operation of the first oil well, known as the “Old Lady” in Miri on Dec 22 that year.

He will be buried at the Iban community’s Christian cemetery at Rumah Mulok, Klua Krian, Saratok.

Seliman, whose wife died in 1983, is survived by two children, nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. - FMT