8/8/2019 A Tribute to Mahanum

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 A Tribute to Mahanum bt Itam

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Paul 

  By Paul Chong Thursday, 9

 September 2010

 Fro

m a senior civil servant in Malaysia to the status of “  Mother Teresa”.

Ms. Mahanum Binti Itam 63, retired    Director General   , National Housing 

 Department, Malaysia, has had a full & active life serving the Civil Service in various

capacities including Defense Ministry, Health Ministry, University Hospital, Ministry  

of International Trade and Industry and Ministry of Rural Development.

She has seen the world & through dealings internationally, has acquired relevant knowledge, skills, experiences and aspiration that assist in her executing challenging 

tasks while in service.

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 For one who has aspired & retired as a top civil servant in Malaysia, one would be expected to lead a life of ease &  pleasure for the rest of one’s natural life.

 Not in a million years for this unassuming dedicated character Mahanum,

who happened to be a former student of mine from the prestigious Anderson School,

 Ipoh, Malaysia. She was here in Perth visiting some relatives of hers from September 2

-12, 2010.

  It was a rare occasion for teacher & students to bemeeting up again especially after a lapse of two score & three years. I feel both proud & honoured to have this privilege to have been her Form Master in the Class of 1966/67 Sixth Form Arts.

 As a teacher, you often wonder whatever happened to this or that student –

often you never know. Straight after their graduation, each person went his or

her own way in their life pursuits, never really ever to meet again.

It’s always gratifying to hear of your students’ successes, and to know that they 

still remember you.

Before her retirement, she wondered why she was wearing expensive clothings &

having an expensive lifestyle when there are so many poor kids around. Prompted by

this realisation, she sold off all her collection of expensive stuff And landed assets and

 built in 2000 an orphanage on her parents’ land somewhere off Teluk Intan in Perak .

She’s like Malaysia’s own “Mother Teresa” – even more so,

if I may say so, to be running it all by herself only supported by her cousin Janariah bt. Md. Shah who takescare of the tremendous amount of washing. Mahanum’sday begins at 5 am and the comfort of the repose comes

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round only by 10.00 pm. at night. She has at the moment50 kids – all mostly from problem families.

She is single, never got married, still quiet & reserved –and fully dedicated to her ideal of helping poor kids.Friends may find her sometimes to be aloof . . . but she hasa heart of purest gold. I dare say few men can match withher high ideals nor dare to venture like she does. She’s areal quiet selfless achiever.

Malaysia could do with more people like her calibre with a true dedication to serve 

the community. She step out of her comfort zone to personally and sacrificially pursueher worthy ideal. She does personify the alma mater ‘s motto: “To Strive, to Seek, to

 Find & not to Yield”. She does what she does best in her own quiet unspoken way.