Mind your language:Pass Out or Pass Away?

This was one of the most interesting news that I have ever received. Couple of days ago,I received an update on my Facebook that Yasmin Ahmad have passed away. This was quickly followed by blogs and forums as everyone tried to confirm the news.

I was then verified by TheStar online that she had passed out during a presentation with TV3 and had been rushed to a hospital. She had PASSED OUT, not PASSED AWAY!
It was very interesting to see that people love to spread speculation that is not verified yet. I think, the person who originally broke the initial news probably got confused between “passed out” and “passed away"...:):)

I am not going to mention further on the recent decision of PPSMI, but this clearly shows how poor the English standards in Malaysia . At least, please verify any news before it spreads wider or wait for official confirmation to ensure that the news is accurate before any speculation needs to be made.This also shows that most people will just go with what the initial news and oddly enough, for them bad news is more juicier!

Pass away

Pronunciation : pas u'wey

Synonyms: decease, die (Stop Living), exit, expire, go, pass, perish

Definition: [v] go out of existence; "She hoped that the problem would eventually pass away" [v] pass from physical life and lose all all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life; "She died from cancer"

Pass out

Pronunciation : pas awt

Synonyms : conk, faint, swoon

Definition: [v] pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain [v] lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma(Become Unconscious)

Yasmin Ahmad has died from massive bleeding in the brain at the Damansara Specialist Hospital at 11.25pm on Saturday.She was 51.
Source:hyperdictionary.com and Cambridge dictionary