15-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) After a prolonged period of disputes, Malaysian actor-director Syamsul Yusof and his first wife, Puteri Sarah Liyana, have finalized their divorce. The couple appeared before a judge at the Kuala Lumpur Lower Syariah Court on Wednesday (Jun 14) for a closed session, as reported by Malaysian news portal mStar. According to Islamic law, Puteri Sarah has been ordered to observe iddah, a three-month period during which she cannot remarry.
During the divorce proceedings, Syamsul agreed to pay RM6,000 (S$1,740) per month as child support, starting from July. The former couple has two children together: Syaikhul Islam, aged six, and Sumayyah, aged four.
Additional financial obligations for the KL Gangster actor include an insurance amount of RM3,500 and an annual vacation fee of RM5,000 for each child.
As part of the divorce settlement, Syamsul will provide Puteri Sarah with RM15,000 as nafkah iddah, which is a three-month payment a man must provide to his ex-wife following a divorce.
Puteri Sarah has been granted custody of the children, while Syamsul will have visitation rights without any restrictions.
During an interview with the Malaysian press, Syamsul and Puteri Sarah were seen smiling and joking with each other.
Syamsul expressed, “Today’s divorce proceedings went smoothly for the sake of our children. Puteri Sarah and I will still be friends after this. This was just one of life’s challenges. Hopefully, Sarah and I can continue our lives in a positive manner.”
Puteri Sarah added, “Hopefully, there will be no more conflicts after this.”
Syamsul and Puteri Sarah tied the knot in March 2014. In 2022, Puteri Sarah alleged that Syamsul had been involved in a secret relationship with Malaysian actress Ira Kazar since 2019, a claim he denied. However, in January 2023, Syamsul announced his marriage to Ira in Thailand, intensifying the conflict with Puteri Sarah, who subsequently filed for divorce.
Over the following months, the former couple engaged in heated exchanges, addressing various issues such as divorce terms and allegations of infidelity.
