Tokens Of Appreciation ( Pt 2 )

Before this holy month of Ramadhan leaves us, Pak Cik should say a few words of thanks to many who have paid compliments in various forms, encouraging words, gestures and personal gifts, to Pak Cik and Mak Cik. For Almanar we have received, voluntarily and unsought for, cash, books and other materials. A local company has for the first time offered each ‘anak yatim’ associated with Almanar a sum of RM100/= as a Hari Raya gift.

As Pak Cik once wrote Tokens Of Appreciation in January 08 of the simple gestures shown by parents. Likewise the two of us, Pak Cik and Mak Cik continue to receive these small gifts,

a small paper bag of duku (in season, costing about two ringgits)

some rambutan ( dari pokok sendiri),

a bunch of bananas,

cempedak (from kebun Tok Ki!),

a packet of keropok, and packets of kurma.

The real value is in the desire to express a deep-seated feeling, no matter what the monitory value of the gift is. They are invaluable tokens of appreciation, humbly and sincerely presented, for which words are never adequate for us to express our thanks.

A real surprise was when a girl handed Pak Cik a neat bag made of cloth, containing two boxes of good quality dates.


“ Pak Cik, ini buah tangan daripada Pengetua sekolah saya.” This came from a new principal of a fairly new secondary school which in the last three PMR examinations did not have a single pupil achieving 8As, mainly for weakness in English and Mathematics. Two months ago Pak Cik offered help for the first group of fifteen Form One pupils to be tutored at Almanar. Apparently the principal is very pleased with the initial feedback. Pak Cik do not promise grade A but I promise to give the children as good a foundation as possible in these subjects.

To all the well wishers please accept Pak Cik’s many thanks. To the Muslim readers Selamat Berpuasa dan Selamat Berhari Raya.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

Tokens of Appreciation

PMR results are known and it is all over until another year. What an added pleasure it was to see signs of appreciation on top of the satisfaction of witnessing good performance. A kain batik for Mak Cik, a pelikat, a sejadah or a towel for Pak Cik, a framed ayat Al-Quran to adorn the wall and such items are all what make you feel good. A visit from parents to express thanks for helping their son or daughter had no monetary value. When a boy was overwhelmed with emotion, crying and haltingly uttered, “ Thank ----- you ---- Pak Cik ---- I could not have -- done it –without Almanar –“ you felt like crying too. What if a pupil came with a small plastic bag containing about half a kilogram of small fish saying, “ Ini ayah beri.”? You began to imagine the harshness of life to earn some fish in the midst of monsoon season, the stormy sea and the risk that went with it.

All such invaluable tokens, material or otherwise, make us ponder and realise how lucky we are.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan