Lovable Veteran Local Actress Aunty Lai Meng Finally Decides To Retire

The 90-year-old veteran made the announcement during a glitzy ceremony on Saturday, according to a report by Chinese daily China Press translated by The Star Online.

The actress, whose real name is Lai Kwai Yoon, has initially announced her retirement during a press conference in December last year, but she made it official during a gala dinner held at the HGH Convention Centre on Saturday.

Speaking at the gala dinner, Aunty Lai Meng (as she is fondly called by her fans) said the decision to retire was "bittersweet".

“I am very happy as I get to see many friends whom I have not seen for a long time. It is bittersweet for me tonight,” she was quoted by China Press as saying.

She added that she has no regrets and thanked her fans for showering her with love and care.

In a career spanning 53 years, Aunty Lai Meng has appeared in countless commercials, TV series, movies and stage plays.

She started her showbiz career back in the 1950s by doing a comedy sketch on radio, but the gig that catapulted her to fame was her role in a TV series called 'Empat Sekawan' that ran for almost two decades.

In 2008, she played the role of a mother suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in Singaporean director Jack Neo’s film 'Money No Enough II'. The role nabbed her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at Taipei’s 45th Golden Horse Awards at the age of 81.

In 2013, Aunty Lai Meng levelled up, as she was awarded a datukship by the Sultan of Pahang.

Then, in 2017, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the first ever Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) ceremony for her contributions to the local film industry.