KUALA LUMPUR: "Thank God our prayers have been answered."
This was filmmaker Datuk Yusof Haslam's response as soon as his actor-director son arrived at his house two days ago as a mark of reconciliation following their year-long estrangement.
Yusof said that Syamsul informed his mother, Yusof's wife Datin Patimah Ismail last Monday that he would be paying her a visit soon.
"It was then that I learnt of the good news, and we both agreed that the family have a good meal of spicy beef and chicken, which are our favourites and his too," he said in a Berita Harian report today.
As soon as Syamsul arrived at his parents' house, he embraced Yusof and Patimah at the door.
"He apologised to us, and vice-versa, all of us shed tears of joy in the process," said Yusof, adding that he and Syamsul had not hugged each other for a long time.
Yusof said that it was a blessing that Syamsul "returned home" while his parents were still fit and healthy.
"This was the only thing I expected of him. On his part he promised to visit us more often too."
Syamsul spent two hours with his parents and while they were having dinner together, they did not talk about personal matters and work.
The dinner was also attended by Syamsul's ex-wife Puteri Sarah Liyana, their two children and his younger brother, filmmaker Syafiq Yusof.
"Syamsul looked a lot more cheerful than before. Thank God he was in great spirits," said Yusof.
Yusof added that Syamsul's brief estrangement from his family was a test from God which he and his wife had to face.
"There was a silver lining to what happened between us. It made us realise how much he meant to us and vice-versa," said Yusof.
Patimah had earlier uploaded a brief video of their reunion with Syamsul on her Instagram account.
The video was accompanied by the song Syukran Lillah made popular by Indonesian singer Sabyan.
Syamsul got estranged from his parents after he secretly married Ira Kazar in Thailand early last year.
He previously married Puteri Sarah in 2014, and they were divorced late last year.
Syamsul and Ira were divorced on Sept 5 after 21 months of marriage.