ONCE UPON A TIME IN SIMUNJAN (6)

Hjh Azizah( left ) and Hj Sabri (right) with us in their home.

In 1974 two trained teachers from Semenanjung Malaysia came to Simunjan Secondary School to serve in Sarawak for five years. One of them, Mohd Sabri Hj Ishak stayed together with me in my quarters.

Sabri came from Kedah. Years gone by and we became good friends. While in Simunjan we have gone through a lot of activities together. In 1976 I was transferred back to Kuching. Sabri remained in Simunjan.

In 1979 I was posted to Stampin Secondary School and over there I met Sabri again. After I left Simunjan, Sabri managed to get a transfer to Kuching and served in Stampin Secondary School.

So we met again and started to build our friendship that has stopped for a while. I was married by then and Sabri did not seem to be attached to any girl that time.

In 1980, I think, more teachers from Semenanjung came to Sarawak. One of them, Cik Azizah Rasol, a graduate teacher from Negeri Sembilan was posted to Stampin together with another lady Puan Rohana from Malacca. Azizah, a sweet and nice lady, a teacher with high commitment towards her service and very hardworking.

On her first pay day Azizah came to me and handed over an envelope that contained some cash and said' Encik Pharo, today, my first pay day. Please give this as a token of appreciation to your daughter. Azizah handed over some cash to my daughter, Laila.

One day Sabri brought me along to look for durians along Kuching- Serian Road. Sabri had just bought a car, Fiat 124, yellow in colour and wanted to test drive it. Coming along with us was the late Amir Hamzah, Azizah and Rohana. We managed to buy some durians.

End of 1980 /1981 Sabri was transferred back to Kedah leaving Azizah, his girl friend ( fiancee?)

in Kuching. A year later Azizah managed to get a transfer back to Kulim, Kedah. She was posted to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Badlishah, Kulim. Our friendship ended there. We lost contact from then on.

Some time in 2007 I met a friend, a former teacher, who informed me Sabri did come to Kuching recently and was trying to meet me but in vain. I got hold his hp no and we managed to get in touch.

Last hari Raya, I went to Kedah to celebrate hari raya with my daughters and son in Sungai Petani. I was able to meet Haji Sabri and his wife, Hajah Azizah and also their two sons and a daughter. It was sad to hear that their first child, a daughter, 27 years old, passed away during the first day of Ramadan. I can see the pain in the face of Hj Sabri and Hajah Azizah and I could only say my deepest sympathy to both of them.

In his house Hj Sabri was even more friendly then before . My wife couldn't believe the kindness offerred by this beautiful family. We are able to be in touch again after being seperated for almost 30 years. Friendship that come from our heart with no motive of self interest will last forever. And so our friendship came back after an interval of almost thirty years.

To Sabri and Azizah, Thank you for your hospitality.

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