Malaysian family grieves for their actress daughter

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Relatives thronged the modest home of Shuba Jaya's parents here Sunday, laughing and crying as they talked about the daughter and her family who died in the crash of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.

Shuba Jaya, 38, was a popular actress and entrepreneur who was ready to give acting a full-time try. She had appeared on TV, on stage and in movies, and she had decided to take acting classes in Sydney next week.

She ran a branding and promotions company and taught tae kwon do at summer camps in the United States. She was big into organic foods and natural cures, said her brother, Sugandran Jaya, 32.

"Once when I was sick, I made the biggest mistake of staying at my sister's place," he said, laughing. "She fed me with everything made out of wheatgrass and it was horrible. I told her that the next time, I'd rather be at a hospital."

Shuba Jaya was also an advocate for breastfeeding and home birthing. Local newspapers reported on the home birth of her daughter Kaela two years ago.

Visiting with relatives Sunday, her mother, Kanniamah Jaya, 63, proudly showed cellphone videos of her granddaughter.

"Kaela spoke four languages: Dutch, English, Malay and Tamil," the grandmother said, tears welling in her eyes. "She loved singing Tamil songs."

The girl called her grandfather, Jeyaratnam Karuppiah, 64, "datuk," a Malay word for grandfather.

The family talked only about good memories -- not a word about the crash.

And they talked about their Dutch son-in-law, Paul Goes, 38, a director of a Dutch company operating in Malaysia.

He made the best coffee and tea, his mother-in-law said. "He will also always ask me if I wanted bread and will make them for me. He was more of a son to me," she said, her voice choking.

The couple met on a vacation in Vietnam. After a few months, she brought him home to meet the family. A gift of roses immediately endeared him to his future mother-in-law.

The couple were married in 2010 in a Hindu ceremony. His parents, who are Catholic, participated in the rituals.

The young family was returning last week from a visit with them in the Netherlands.

In her parents' home, an altar has a large photo of Shuba and Paul flanking their daughter. A traditional lamp is lit. There are flowers everywhere.

Shuba Jaya was the eldest of five children.

"She was just so full of life," said her brother, Rubendran, 37. "She was such a positive person. She got people together.

"She celebrated life."