Selamat Bersara!!

Today is the celebration of my father's service as a principle, a teacher, a father to every single student, ex-student and even his teachers. It was a big celebration in Everly Hotel Putrajaya.

As a daughter I am very proud of him and at the same time touched by the respect given from his old students, friends and teachers. They came from all over the country just to be with him tonight.

My father is my idol, someone I always looked up to since young and he was the one who moulded me the way I am today. Restless, relentless, determined, strong, tough and responsible towards everyone. Though his shoes are too big to be filled by me since he set the standard too high, I am still a much better person for trying.

His words to me since those early age was..

'Mengaji mesti kemaih (hebat)' (You need to study very well)

'Kita mesti buat apa yang orang tak boleh buat. Biaq pi orang dok komplen pi mai pi mai. Orang dah sampai bulan, depa duk tak habis komplen lagi'.( We should do what others fine impossible and when people take too much time to complaints, others have achieved what they thought impossible)

He taught me to find solutions rather than sit and complaints, and in the end I gain nothing.

He said that I should think differently from others.

I should never give up and I am the only one he has. His ambitions are too big for this one child to carry out.

Nobody understands him more than I do and nobody understands me more than he does.

He once said this to my husband secretly which I found out later,' Is tolong-tolong jaga Shipah. Cuba faham dia. Dia mmg macam tu semua dia nak buat macam dia kuat sangat. Susah nak keep up dengan dia'. ( Please look after her. She is someone who thinks that she can do anything and everything as if she is very strong. Nobody is that strong because everyone needs someone as a support)

Little that he knew that he was talking about himself.

One thing for sure, if anyone has a father who is as supportive and at the same time demanding as he is, the nation will be filled with hardworking, determined, self-motivated, kind and responsible people to work towards a much greater nation. Less complaints and more ideas.

Selamat Bersara Ayah. Though I don't think you will stop working since Tengku Nan has offered you a spot in his office. Hmmm,  but maybe you should take that long overdue vacation after more than 35 years in service.

I am forever proud of you.