Remembering Zulkifli Mohd Nor (1963- 2009)
A pic of Zul and me taken in 1978:
While in school I was never interested to have any "abang/kakak/adik angkat" even though it was quite a trend then.
However when I was in Form 2 (and Zul in form 1), Cikgu Mat Noor, a warden then, asked me to keep an eye on Zul while I was on duty minding his class for night prep. The reason was Zul was diagnosed with "hole-in-the-heart" problem, and was very susceptible to infection.
Despite his illness, Zul was a very chirpy boy. He liked to ask a lot of questions, and eventually we became "adik & kakak angkat". I used to send him some of the food that we cooked during Home Science cooking classes, or even if I went to town, I'd buy some food for him (if I had extra cash, of course).
In 1978, Zul had to go to St Vincent Hospital, Sydney for a heart surgery. He missed classes for a few months. Despite that, he actually managed to score 10 aggregates in in SRP (similar to PMR). That was a great chievement in those days, even for healthy & ordinary students.
We had a page about him (from newspaper cuttings) in our school magazine that year, SEMASA 1978:
I think SEMASA 1979 had my interview with him after he came back and got good grades, but I've lost the magazine :-( .
We eventually lost touch when I left school at the end of 1979. I think I did send him a letter or two while I was in Australia, but we just lost touch. Maybe it was due the fact that boys don't like to write letters, because I don't remembe receiving any reply from him. Later I heard that he went to the States to do his degree.
I remember when I was already back in Malaysia (in the 1980s) I read in the newspaper about his sister (a celebrity then) saying that she was going to the States to visit her brother who was not well, I knew that she meant Zul. I never knew what happened next, but I guessed everything was fine.
Finally, we both managed to trace each other at the end of last year (thanks to Yahoo! e-group), and spoke over the phone. Since it was about Deepavali time, and with X-mas and New Year, we never got to meet. I knew from others and eventually confirmed by him that he was working with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) We were planning to meet up some time this year, but the news I got today of his passing shattered that plan.
My memory of Zul is the young boy I knew. I guess it's going to remain so. I blogged about the school Coop here, with Zul's pic there.
Update: Please visit here for some pix at the cemetery today (12th March 2009).
While in school I was never interested to have any "abang/kakak/adik angkat" even though it was quite a trend then.
However when I was in Form 2 (and Zul in form 1), Cikgu Mat Noor, a warden then, asked me to keep an eye on Zul while I was on duty minding his class for night prep. The reason was Zul was diagnosed with "hole-in-the-heart" problem, and was very susceptible to infection.
Despite his illness, Zul was a very chirpy boy. He liked to ask a lot of questions, and eventually we became "adik & kakak angkat". I used to send him some of the food that we cooked during Home Science cooking classes, or even if I went to town, I'd buy some food for him (if I had extra cash, of course).
In 1978, Zul had to go to St Vincent Hospital, Sydney for a heart surgery. He missed classes for a few months. Despite that, he actually managed to score 10 aggregates in in SRP (similar to PMR). That was a great chievement in those days, even for healthy & ordinary students.
We had a page about him (from newspaper cuttings) in our school magazine that year, SEMASA 1978:
I think SEMASA 1979 had my interview with him after he came back and got good grades, but I've lost the magazine :-( .
We eventually lost touch when I left school at the end of 1979. I think I did send him a letter or two while I was in Australia, but we just lost touch. Maybe it was due the fact that boys don't like to write letters, because I don't remembe receiving any reply from him. Later I heard that he went to the States to do his degree.
I remember when I was already back in Malaysia (in the 1980s) I read in the newspaper about his sister (a celebrity then) saying that she was going to the States to visit her brother who was not well, I knew that she meant Zul. I never knew what happened next, but I guessed everything was fine.
Finally, we both managed to trace each other at the end of last year (thanks to Yahoo! e-group), and spoke over the phone. Since it was about Deepavali time, and with X-mas and New Year, we never got to meet. I knew from others and eventually confirmed by him that he was working with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) We were planning to meet up some time this year, but the news I got today of his passing shattered that plan.
My memory of Zul is the young boy I knew. I guess it's going to remain so. I blogged about the school Coop here, with Zul's pic there.
Update: Please visit here for some pix at the cemetery today (12th March 2009).
posted by busymum100 @ 10:34 PM
5 Comments:
At March 12, 2009 2:57 AM,
CHOMEL CUPCAKES said…
Puan Sab,
my deepest condolence to the family.semoga rohnya dicucuri rahmat oleh Allah SAW.
At March 12, 2009 4:38 AM,
Anonymous said…
Ive being missing him so much as one of my close uncle in family. My visit in April passing shatterred that plan. He is the most coolest and relax uncle that I knew.. Last we met in 2007 during my family visit to Msia.
At March 12, 2009 7:23 AM,
busymum100 said…
Dear Anonymous,
I can imagine the loss that you are feeling now. If you get to see the rest of the family, please tell them of my story, and cinvey my salam. Probably Zul never mentioned me to them.
Zu,
Thank you for dropping by. May he be placed among the solihins.
At March 12, 2009 5:28 PM,
Anonymous said…
kawan kawan,
i am working in tnb, next to his office. we are in the same division, different department. nevertheless, i get to see him everyday, in the corridors, restroom and the canteen.
we chatted a bit, due to me being schooled in smach (sains machang).. it is a way for me polishing my kecek kelate, since i am from taiping..
when a muslim passed away, he will be rewarded only by 3 things: 1. sadakah 2.useful knowledge shared to others 3. doa from anak2 soleh/solehah.
with his 5 kids, insyAllah they will give him doa, sadakah is only known by him and The Creator but i would like to share a useful knowledge that zul thought me. hopefully everyone could learn and practise it, and in return he will be rewarded.
his mom passed away late last year (before raya haji) if i am not mistaken. after he came back from the funeral, i wished him takziah and tell him to be redho with Allah will.
He said, yes, we will also follow the same path one way or another later. He also added, if you still have your mom, or dad, call and talk to them frequently.
for me, i'll cherish his reminder and i do hope all of us could practise this as well.
semoga arwah zulkifli di tempatkan dikalangan org2 beriman. InsyAllah.
At May 26, 2010 12:55 PM,
Saifuddin Sulaiman said…
Innalilahi wainna ilaihiraji'un..I know the late Zul only for six months. I was seconded from Sek Sains Trg for Temporary Form Six b4 pursuing my degree in US. Zul is very fellow..I havent met him since Jun 1981...What a setback.
Musu
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