PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Celebrity chef Datuk Fazley Yaakob says he had always prayed that his mother-in-law, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, will accept him and his wife Datin Azrene Soraya Abdal Aziz as family.
Fazley said he and his wife, Azrene, who is estranged from Rosmah, had never harboured ill feelings towards his mother-in-law, and had always regarded her as their biological mother.
Azrene, 41, is Rosmah's daughter from her previous marriage to Abdul Aziz Nong Chik, before she got married to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Azrene recently wrote in a social media post, which went viral, that her mother had been abusive to her.
Still, Fazley, 40, told mStar Online, The Star's Bahasa Malaysia news portal: "My wife and I have never kept any hatred because as daughter and son-in-law, she is still my mother (in-law) and my wife's biological mother."
"Throughout our 11 years of marriage, we have always prayed for Rosmah to open her heart to our family," Fazley said.
Fazley said his and Azrene's recent disclosure on Instagram about the alleged turmoil they received from Rosmah was to share the true story of their family life to fulfil his father Datuk Yaakob Mohammad's final will.
"For me, it is a responsibility to share. It is not intended to find fault or disgrace any party," he said.
"In my late father's will, he requested me to tell the truth about me, my wife and him at the right time.
"I think this is a good time to share my family's story," Fazley said.
Yaakob passed away at the KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital due to lung complications on Feb 8, 2016.
Fazley and Azrene have four children: Ahmad Fariedz Shah, nine; Ahmad Fieradz Shah, eight; Ahmad Firudz Shah, six; and Alayna Selma who is now seven months old.