SINGAPORE (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – Malaysia’s Queen, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, expressed her heartfelt desire to adopt two-year-old Missclyen Roland from Sarawak, who has excessive facial and upper body hair and without nostrils.
The encounter took place on September 10 during the Queen’s tour of the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak with the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. Tunku Azizah not only offered her love but also extended financial support, promising to cover the child’s school expenses and medical treatment.
In a letter dated October 10 to Missclyen’s parents, the Queen expressed her hope that this assistance would ease the burden on the child’s father, helping him provide the necessary care and upbringing for his daughter, whom she called ” a child from heaven”.
“I hope that this assistance will alleviate the burden on Missclyen’s father in providing care and raising her,” the Queen wrote in a letter dated October 10 to the girl’s parents.
The letter was shared on Facebook by Missclyen’s 29-year-old mother, Theresa Guntin, who said that the offer was “a big honour”.
She also had a message for her daughter: “You are so lucky. We hope everything will go well.”
Her husband Roland Jimbai, 49, said he cried from happiness when he read the letter.
“I did not expect that our brief meeting that day attracted the attention of Her Majesty to the extent of taking Missclyen as her adopted child,” he told a local daily.
“This means our little Missclyen is a princess, and we will call her Princess Missclyen,” added the father of four.
The girl was diagnosed with congenital generalised hypertrichosis, a rare disease characterised by excessive hair growth all over the body. It is sometimes referred to as werewolf syndrome.
She was also born without nostrils. Roland, who works as a welder, hopes that life will now improve for his youngest child, especially her health and education.
“My family has experienced social stigma in the past because of Missclyen’s looks and condition. However, starting from today and as she grows up, she will always be respected because the Queen is adopting her,” he said.
He also expressed hopes to meet the royal couple again. Roland and his family had waited five hours to meet the King and the Queen, whom they had seen only on television and social media.
Their patience paid off when the royal couple took pictures with Missclyen, and the Queen carried and hugged the child.
