‘Some people think I’m bringing my mum’: Malaysian man, 28, unfazed by comments about his wife, 51

Mr Azmirullah Azan proposed to Ms Wan Nazihah Wan Awang just three months after getting to know her on Facebook.

But another number about their relationship draws more attention – the 23-year age gap between them.

Mr Azmirullah is 28, the same age as the 51-year-old Wan Nazihah’s oldest of five children.

The Malaysian man said he has never felt awkward about their age gap. In fact, he often brings his wife with him to attend social events or gatherings.

He admitted that there have been instances when people thought he was bringing his mother with him to the events.

“That is normal and I am not ashamed to say she is my wife because that is the truth,” he told Malay daily Harian Metro. “I love my wife so much that I want to spend all hours of the day with her.”

Ms Wan Nazihah, who was a single mother, said she became open to the idea of remarrying five years after her first husband died in 2014 due to diabetes.

Around the same time she prayed to have a life partner who is a “good man”, Mr Azmirullah reached out to her.

They got to know each other on Facebook in May 2019, when they were 21 and 44 years old, and decided to tie the knot in August that same year.

“We didn’t date for very long. We decided to get married after three months of knowing each other,” he said.

She said: “He started by liking my pictures on Facebook, and from there we got to know each other. Not long after that, he asked me to marry him.”

Ms Wan Nazihah also told Harian Metro that she performed a special prayer to seek guidance from Allah before accepting his proposal.

Both their families accepted their relationship, Mr Azmirullah said.

At that time, Ms Wan Nazihah’s business in the coastal town of Gong Badak in Terengganu, supplying gas cylinders to households and small businesses, was not doing well.

Mr Azmirullah reached out to her, offering his help to manage and revive it.

“My original intention was to help, but it was destined we get married and I accept it as fate,” he said.

The couple appear to be happily married and often post pictures of their lives on their respective social media pages.

That sometimes brings unwanted scrutiny.

There are people who accuse Mr Azmirullah of marrying Ms Wan Nazihah for financial gains, which he flatly denies.

“The truth is I am not sitting around, shaking leg. I am still helping her run the business,” he said.

Ms Wan Nazihah, who describes her husband as mature and responsible, is unfazed by scrutiny over their age gap: “For me, there’s no issue. Many women out there also have younger partners.”