
Siti Zainab
Born
December 31, 1935
Died
August 21, 2014 (78 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Sabak Bernam, Selangor, British Malaya
Siti Zainab binti Kimpal (31 December 1935 – 21 August 2014) was a Malaysian-born Indonesian actress, singer, and dancer. She was born in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, as the eldest daughter and child of the three children of Siti Khadijah and Kimpal. She had a younger sister, Hindun binti Kimpal, a housewife, and a younger brother, Kamaruddin bin Kimpal, a farmer. She completed her education at junior school and religious school, and started to taking a course at cooking school in West Sumatera. She later graduated from Sekolah Kepandaian Putri (SKP).
Zainab started her career by joined Dardanella troupe as an actress, she also joined Bintang Berlian troupe in Palembang, South Sumatra, in 1947 as an actress and dancer. She later joined Sri Budaya troupe in Lubuklinggau and moved to Jambi during Operation Product and joined Dian troupe. She later moved to Singapore and signed a contract with Shaw Brothers Studio, and later made her film debut in Nasib (1949) as a singer and dancer. She later starred in Nilam (1949) as a child actress which also starred P. Ramlee and Siput Sarawak.
Zainab appeared in numerous Singapore production films as a singer and dancer along with several actress such as: Kasma Booty, Siput Sarawak, and etc. She appeared in four more films such as: Rachun Dunia (1950), Bakti (1950), Takdir Ilahi (1950), and Dewi Murni (1950). She returned to Palembang in 1950 along with her parents and later joined Ratu Asia troupe as a dancer and singer before later moved to Jakarta. She released two songs titled "Sayang di Sayang" and "Hari Raya", and later received a positive response from music fans in Jakarta. Zainab then made her Indonesian film debut by starring in Taufan (1952). Apart from dancing, she started to work as a cooking teacher in the early 1950s. Zainab was an active dancer who was known for her role in drama film, such as Timuriana (1953) and Belenggu Masjarakat (1953). She made her last appearance in Asrama Dara (1958) as a dancer and later retired to became a housewife.
Zainab was married to Zakaria bin Muhammad Amin, an ulama, in Bengkalis, Riau, in 1956. They had seven children: Zulkarnain (b. 17 August 1957), a civil servant, Nukman, a civil servant, Rinie Yuslina Fairuz, a civil servant, Gamal Abdul Nasir, a lecturer and writer, Rita Puspa, a civil servant, Nida Suryani, a Biology teacher, and Sri Purnama, an English teacher. Their marriage lasted until Zakaria's death in 2006. She died at her residence in Kelapapati, Bengkalis, on 21 August 2014 at 8.00 WIB (UTC+07:00), due to heart attack at the age of 78, and was buried at Taman Makam Islam Harapan.
Known For
Zakaria: a Hero in Memory
Self (archive footage)
2023

CHIPS Dalam Kejutan
(uncredited)
1983

The Independence Pioneers
(as Zainab)
1980
Hostess Anita
Minor Role
1971

Nasib Si Labu Labi
Dancer (uncredited)
1963

Shadows at Dawn
(credited as Zainab)
1962

Ibu mertuaku
Dancer (uncredited)
1962

Amor dan Humor
Trade Hall Visitor (uncredited)
1961

Girl's Dormitory
Dancer (uncredited)
1958

The Three Maidens
Minor Role (uncredited)
1956
Timuriana
1953
Shackled Society
Dancer (uncredited)
1953

The Planter's Wife
Dancer (uncredited)
1952
Taufan
Village Girl (credited as Zaenab)
1952

Pembalasan
Dancer (uncredited)
1951
Aloha
Dancer (uncredited)
1950

The Will of God
Young Fatimah (uncredited)
1950
Twin Sisters
Dancer (uncredited)
1950

Goddess of Purity
Dancer (uncredited)
1950

Faithfulness
Dancer (uncredited)
1950

Three Came Home
Woman Prisoner (uncredited)
1950

Poison of the World
Girl Playing Badminton (uncredited)
1950

Sapphire
The Child (uncredited)
1949

Fate
Maid
1949

Light of Love
(uncredited)
1949