KUALA LUMPUR: What used to be the house belonging to the late Datuk Sharifah Aini is now only a pile of rubble.
According to HibGlam, the double storey house had been flattened by its new owner, whose plan was to develop a commercial project on the site, which is located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The report also quoted a security personnel hired by the new owner since early this year who said that demolition of the 20,000 square feet (1,858 square metres) house began some time in May.
"I was told that the occupant of this house was a popular singer, and the house was later bought by a property development company. That's all I know," the person was quoted as saying.
A source close to the family also confirmed that, but did not know the name of the company, nor the price offered to Sharifah Aini's sole heir, 42-year-old Aliff Omar Ali.
Another close friend was quoted as saying that all personal items belonged to the late National Songbird (Biduanita Negara), especially those related to her singing career, had already been moved and kept elsewhere.
"As far as I know, all those items had been safely removed from there after three years that the property was up for sale. Perhaps some time in 2020, during the pandemic."
It was also reported that the bigger items such as furniture had also been sold off to friends and family members during that time.
The report said that Aliff decided to sell the house off because it was too large for his family of five, apart from it being too costly to maintain.
He however stayed there for a few years after his mother passed away on July 5, 2014, due to complications of pulmonary fibrosis.
In a short message, Aliff told NST: "Much as I'm sad (to sell off the house), I feel it was the right thing to do.
"The matter is now settled and I hope everyone will understand my decision.
"I thank all who still think of my late mother and have shown concern."
Some reports claimed that the huge house was up for sale for RM8 million four years after Sharifah Aini's passing.
In its glory days, the house was equipped with a library, two kitchens, nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms, event hall, five living rooms, fish pond and a maid's room.
The house also had a walk-in wardrobe which was said to have looked like an exhibition gallery!
