My dear friends

When I was very young, I didnt need friends because the number of cousins that I played with were good enough for me not to look for other accompanions. Among my good companions then were my own sister, Norhaini(Nong), my cousin, Sadariah(Eya) and her younger brother Surya(Su), Rosita(Ita),her younger brother Zulkifli(Jul), my brother Munasir(Munas) and Basir(Ating), my young uncle Hasan(Asan), Hashim(Asim), my distance relatives the late Norsiah(Nursa) and the late Roslia Abd Rahman(Lea).

My good friends at early primary school, St. Dominic, whose name I remember were Anita Moris, Rosita Ghani(Ros), Vincenta, Josephine, Deodasdo(Dee),Cristita Abayon(Indai), Lok Cheng Heng(Lok), Chu Li Moi, Runai, Chia Teck Hon, Wong Su Yen and Narajan Singh.

As I moved to Kuala Lumpur attending standard 6 at Methodist Girl School, Brickfields, I found new friends, but forgot their name as the period was too short for me to get closer. The only friend I remember is Saraswathy.

Then at secondary Methodist Girl School, I met another group of good friends. Among the closest to me were Kaluvinder Kaur, Jean Brenda Peter, Lau Hong Kai, Akmaliah and Fawziyah.

Quite recently I met my former classmate, Zilfalela, but I dont remember much about her as we were not very close then. I also got to know that my junior, Sheila, is actually now known as Sheila majid. We were in the same choir group at MGS.

Before attending Form 3,I moved to Sabah College. There, many more interesting friends with colorful characters I met. Living in a boarding school gave me an experience observing and studying different characters of people. I remember, my senior, Rohana (Kak Ron), Aisyah, Rosta, Quin, Marhani and few close friend of mine, Rahimah, Junainah, Suzy, Sophia, Rita, Masjan, Margaret, Hefni Kadri, Adnan Hijo, Rosley Idris (now a drama actor), Jalil. I also remember a few names like Gabriel, Pijon, Dzulkarnain (I am stil in contact with him), Muhamad, Sam Singh, Wahab( I found his facebook recently), Norman Ramli (My house captain), Zainal Abidin Suhaibul, Suin, Aminah Shaw, Hamidah Yusof, Rod and not to forget my first admirer, Tajudin Awang Tengah, and the late Rukiah who passed away during a school holiday. The bad news caused the whole class to tears on the first day of school.

Then during my university days. There were Azlan (Che' Pa), Idrus (Mat Yoh), Razak, Tipton Loo, Karim(Mundo),Haris, Shahadan(Dino), Ibrahim( Imam), Tajudin (Malai), Chu Li Chan Brian Brown, Ezzah Aziz Fawzi (Now with TV3),Sharifah(Sherry), Mohd. Ghouse, Idah (Ghouse's wife),Normah, Datu Kassim(my uncle),Rosli, Jufinah,Sharifah Putih, Jessica, Uzaidi, Hasri Hassan (Say), Shamsul, Awang Tuah, Abang Ahmad (Now Sabah TYT), Azzah (now a journalist known as Wahti Mahidin), Wahid(Paco), Kibin, Lina, Abang Hanan, Christ and her husband, Abang Amir, among others that I am still trying to recall.

And of course not to forget my ex-boyfriend, Zulkifli Rosli, who I only got closer while I was about to leave the univ. upon graduation. No chance for a good date. I married him anyway, and still am.

I purposely putting all the name that I could remember here, as my memory is getting worse that I hardly remember names of my own friend. Putting all those names in one article, I am proud to realized that I dont practise racism. I mingled with all races and genders regardless of religion. I've been encouraging my kids the same practise. Sorry to say, that I sensed racism when I started working in the peninsular. Im not sure who to blame between the parents or the education system as a whole.