Malaysian couple who went viral for riding motorbike with sick baby on respirator get married

A Malaysian couple who garnered online attention for taking their sick baby son — with a respirator on him — to hospital on a motorcycle, has tied the knot amid criticism regarding their marital status.

They got married on Tuesday (May 28) evening at a mosque in Kedah, reported the New Straits Times (NST).

The husband, Mohd Azlan Ishak, 36, had also filled up marriage documents at the same mosque two days before, according to an earlier report by the newspaper.

After the ceremony, Azlan said: "Let's close the book on this and open a new one... I hope that Malaysians will pray for us and forget about the past."

A picture of the couple riding a motorcycle with their 11-month-old son — who has to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine due to a chronic lung disease — was posted on Facebook on May 19 and circulated across various social media platforms.

Azlan works as a helper at a fishing rig and since the couple cannot afford taxis and do not own a car, they have to take the boy to the hospital on a motorcycle, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The couple's situation also caught the attention of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who took to Facebook to request for more information so he could help them.

While many netizens sent supportive messages and made donations to the couple, who reportedly has another son, through crowdfunding efforts, some questioned their marital status. 

Azlan's 35-year-old wife, Norhidayu Halim, told NST that she was so disturbed by some of the comments on social media that she could not eat for four days.

She added that officers from the welfare department visited her later and counselled her to ensure she did not make any rash decisions.

Online criticism of the couple also prompted a response from Abdul Rahman Osman, an Islamic cleric from Pahang.

He urged the public not to interfere in the matter as it was for the religious department or sharia court to handle, reported SCMP.

The sharia court is a parallel system in Malaysia that deals with family matters such as deaths and marriages for the Malay-Muslim majority.

Despite the negative comments, the couple thanked the public for their support.

"I am grateful to netizens who made us viral, they helped us," said Azlan.

He had initially set aside part of the RM100,000 (S$28,732) they received in donations to buy a used car from a dealer.

However, when the dealer recognised Azlan, he gifted him the vehicle instead.

Norhidayu told NST that all donations received from the public would go entirely to treatment for their son, as well as his daily necessities.

This includes a new breathing apparatus as the current one is faulty, and the installation of air-conditioning in a room for their son.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com