Now that the last "khenduri" I'll ever organize is over and done with, I should pat myself on the back for a job well-done, and reflect on my humble fortunes, such as they are.
I met Dato' Hamdan, ex-Speaker DUN Negeri Sembilan, at the Giant, Ampangan, yesterday. We share the same political fate - we were the DUN elected members for the same period and duration - 1995-1999. He lost the Divisional Head's post to Mat Hasan, the current MB, I was dropped by Isa, the MB at that time. Hamdan and I went into political wilderness;
Mat Hasan is riding his steady political career; Isa has been a party heavyweight who enjoys the sustenance of that enviable position. But, as they say, that is another story.
The first thing I said to Hamdan was a friendly rebuke for not coming to my daughter's wedding the night before. His ready excuse was he didn't get my invitation, although he confirmed that he's still at the old address. I went on to say Isa and Mat Hasan also didn't come although invited. I met Mat Hasan personally to hand him my invitation. Only his wife came. He said had to chair the SIGC AGM. When I was the GM where I worked, I would adjust my schedule to suit my itinerary. I guess that's how high he placed my affairs in his scheme of things. That's ok.
As for Isa, Hamdan defended that Isa had his Raya open house Friday. I guess that's how high he placed my affairs in his scheme of things. But that's ok, too.
I told Hamdan to tell Isa, next time he meets him, that I was aware that he was going to drop me in 1999. I had been in the "new" UMNO since 1987 and I could sense these things. I told Hamdan to tell Isa that I had always, politically, supported him, that I took my elected position in the DUN seriously and never spoke without notes, so that I would do justice to my job. Whatever negetive impression he held about me towards the last one to two years of my service in the state are not facts. And, I told Hamdan, I say this with God my witness.
I had a pleasant surprise when my first cousin Dato' Dr. Muhammad Nor Abdul Ghani and Zaiton his wife came. Surprise because after three earlier weddings that he didn't attend, this time he finally came. Pleasant because it certainly was. But very touching was Aman Shah, who had a stroke, and Salomi, who came all the way from Perlis. We go back to old Felda days - 1968 to be exact. Aman sat with Dato' Ishak, and jokingly I told Ishak Aman is PKR !
Old school mates fromTanjong Malim, Kuala Pilah, Port Dickson and Sungai Besi, varsity friends and old housemates, people I worked with through all the years, golfing friends, political acquintances and selected neighbours made up my guests' list, although, as to be expected, some didn't make it. But the dewan was full, and except for a few tables, all seats occupied. Some of these faces I'll probably never see again.
I was happy Datuk Nasir Yusof also made it, together with his old driver. Nasir also came to one of the earlier weddings. He was my erstwhile boss in Felda. We used to have our differences which I didn't always handle with sufficient subservience. I used to tell my friends about some of incidents involving him. But I can tell you there never was disrespect. His demeanour was the Kelantan Malay soft-spoken, polite "orang besar". Outwardly, I've always been obnoxious. But inside my heart is gold.
If I am to be judged by the company that I keep, then I was proud of my guests who came to my daughter's wedding. I said so in my short ( I hope ) speech - that I wish my daughter would eventually gather around her friends who help make her life more pleasant.
I'm going to be 69 this December. My time draws near, and I accept that. My life story won't make any difference to the rest of the world. But I hope my "tulang empat kerat" have made a difference to my "empat" children. I hope I have put them on a steady footing so that they, in turn, can face their lives with confidence and good judgement.
I never leave them out of my prayers, but they don't know that. They don't have to.
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