KUALA LUMPUR: Zurini Hasbullah, 44, the ex-wife of singer Cliff Umar, 42, expressed disappointment that her ex-husband rejected all claims for child support because he is unable to afford it, yet still managed to purchase "illegal substances".
Cliff, whose real name is Abdullah Umar Joseph, recently pleaded guilty at the Shah Alam Magistrate's Court to charges of possessing heroin.
He was charged with possessing 0.39 grams of heroin by the roadside along Persiaran Kewajipan in Subang Jaya, Selangor, at 3.30pm on May 26.
When contacted, Zurini said she made a significantly lower claim than she should have because she understood the difficulties faced by Cliff, who is also the winner of the seventh season of Gegar Vaganza.
"My lawyer was shocked. From a claim of over RM500,000, it has now become much lower because I waived other claims considering his situation.
"I only ask for child support, mutaah, and iddah. However, even that Cliff refuses to oblige. The lawyer said this is the simplest negotiation because usually, people claim for everything, but I only asked for the essentials.
"I even offered to accept instalments and payments when he could afford it, not all at once. As usual, he said his work is unpredictable and he can't afford it, but how can he afford to have an expensive drug habit?" she said.
Zurini said she has long moved on from Cliff and is grateful to be working as a supervisor at a prominent hotel in Kuching, Sarawak.
"The children have learned to take care of themselves at home. Even though my salary is only half of what I need to support them, I am grateful because I have a job.
"Since I started working, various opportunities have come my way. I was offered a job elsewhere with a higher position and salary, but I had to think long and hard because moving, relocating requires a lot of money. I have only been working for four months. For me, everything is fine because I like the job," she said.
Zurini, a former flight attendant, married Cliff in 2008 and divorced him in 2019.
They have three children: two boys aged 15 and 12 who has autism, and a nine-year-old girl who shows signs of dyslexia and will undergo further examination on July 2.