PARA ibu adalah benar-benar anugerah Tuhan kepada manusia untuk mempamerkan kasih sayang-Nya terhadap kita.

Ibu saya, P.Indra yang akan berusia 67 tahun pada bulan November ini, telah menjadi kekuatan besar kepada saya dan seluruh keluarga kami. Dia sering memberi dorongan dan bersama saya pada masa yang baik dan juga buruk.

Beliau memberikan semua yang sekadar mampu untuk mendidik, mendorong dan menggalakkan saya selain dua adik lelaki saya yang lain dan juga seorang adik perempuan sehingga kita berjaya dalam perihal tersendiri. 

Dia tidak pernah lesu untuk berkhidmat untuk keluarga kami dan sentiasa mengajar kami untuk menghormati orang lain dan cinta satu sama lain.

Sebagai anak sulung, saya pernah menyaksikan bagaimana ibu saya bersama-sama ayah saya bekerja siang dan malam untuk menyara keluarga kami sehingga kami membesar dan mendapat pekerjaan sendiri. 

Beliau juga pernah melibatkan diri dalam beberapa perniagaan MLM walaupun selepas ayah saya yang sakit meninggal dunia beberapa tahun yang lalu.

Ketika ayah saya menderita dengan penyakit kencing manis dan juga selepas kakinya dipotong, ibu sering menjaga dan merawatnya di rumah tanpa merungut sehinggalah dia meninggal dunia kira-kira tiga tahun kemudian. 

Saya tahu bagaimana ibu saya mengorbankan banyak perkara semata-mata untuk memastikan seisi keluarga kami gembira. Sumbangan beliau kepada seluruh keluarga adalah satu kisah benar yang tidak berkesudahan.

Sempena perayaan Hari Ibu, saya ingin mengambil peluang untuk mengemukakan puisi dari hati kepada ibu tercinta saya dan juga para ibu sedunia.

Cinta Mama

Pabila seorang anak lahir ke bumi
Sembilan bulan penuh kesakitan...hilang dalam sekelip mata;
Hanya air mata membasahi pipinya
Bukan kerana takut tapi kerana gembira yang tak terhingga

Sebaik saja dia melihat bayinya
Berlumuran dalam darah - warna cintanya
Dia menukar ganti penderitaannya dengan kegembiraan,
Syukur menerima sebuah hadiah istimewa dari syurga

Walau beribu persoalan berkeliaran dalam benaknya
Bermacam-macam fikiran tentang masa depan
Tetapi dia bangun dengan kekuatan baru
Setiap kali dia mendengar tangisan anaknya

Dengan penuh berahi
Dia menghulur payudaranya menyuap generasi baru
Menyaksikan benih itu berkembang
Dari kekuatan demi kekuatan
Sehingga ia menjadi pohon yang berbuah

Oh mama, pabila anda tersenyum
Si kecilmu tertawa
Pabila anda berbicara
Ia menyalakan lilin dalam sanubari;
Suara bonda mendewasakan insani
Dan kasih sayangnya bukan palsu

Mama, pabila anda gembira
Segenap rumah bercahaya
Tetapi pabila anda menangis
Tiada siapa tahu mengapa ...
Kehadiran anda penuh dengan wangian
Dan kasih sayang anda seumpama perubatan

Mama, saya cintamu kerana...

Cintamu mendahuluiku dan mempengaruhiku!

Penghormatan yang setinggi-tinggi kepada para ibu termasuk isteri saya, Josephine (ibu kepada tiga anak-anak yang berharga) dan juga kepada semua bakal ibu. Selamat Hari Ibu! Tuhan memberkati anda semua. Salam sejahtera!

Kumarathevan Balakrishnan

Mama’s Love

MOTHERS are truly God’s greatest gift to mankind to showcase His loving kindness, comfort and encouragement towards us.

My mother, P.Indra from Penang who will turn 67 years old this year, has been a great strength to me and our entire family. She was there for me when I needed her most (in good and bad times). 

She gave all she could to educate, motivate and encourage me besides my two other younger brothers and a sister till we are successful in our own rights.  She never tires to serve us and always taught us to respect others and love one another.   

We’ve seen her working day and night to support our family financially alongside my father until we grew up and found our own jobs. She carried on doing several MLM businesses even after my father who was sick passed away few years ago.

When my father was suffering with diabetics and after his legs was amputated, she used to nurse him without murmuring until he passed away about three years later.  I know how she sacrificed a lot of things just to keep all of us happy. Her contributions to the entire family are an unending story. 

I would love to present this poem from the depth of my heart to my beloved mother.

Mama’s Love

When a child is born

Nine months of pain is gone;

Only tears remain,

Running through her cheeks

Not of fear but of everlasting joy

The moment she saw her baby

Soaked in her blood

The colour of love,

She trades her agony

With the bundle of joy,

A gift from above

So many questions

Runs through her mind

But she wakes with a new strength

Each time she hears the cry of her child

With determination, full of passion

She breast-feeds her new generation

As she watch the plant grow

From strength to strength

From birth to such a length

Oh mama, when you smile

The child laughs

When you speak

It moves the heart;

Your voice carries weight

And your love is not fake

Mama, when you are happy

The whole house is brightened up

But when you cry

No one knows why…

Your presence is full of fragrance

And your love is like a medicine

Mama, I love you!

Tribute to all mothers including my dearest wife, Josephine (mother to three precious kids) and also to future mothers. Blessed Mother’s Day! God bless you all abundantly.  Peace be unto you!

Mdm P.Indra with her grandchildren

Kumarathevan Balakrishnan

COLUMNIST

12 March 2012

ENGLISH: Make an effort to use it daily

By Josephine & Kumarathevan Balakrishnan, Gua Musang, Kelantan.  

THE debate on learning English as an important second language with greater emphasis will go on until the government finds an amicable solution. Hopefully, it would be soon before it's too late.

It's sad to see secondary students and even undergraduates struggling to speak proper English. A friend of mine, who is an English teacher at a private institute, said the standard of English -- both written and oral -- among the younger generation has declined.

In fact, the lack of good communication skills in English among graduates has often been cited as one of the reasons for their inability to get good jobs.

In this era of information technology, knowledge is the key towards enhancing our country's economic development and international relations.

This is where a good command of English is crucial.

English is the most important medium through which knowledge is transmitted. Sadly, according to our Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, many students are still unable to master English despite learning the language in school for 13 years. What's going on?

It was reported some time ago that the authorities in Beijing wanted most of its residents to learn English under an initiative to transform the Chinese capital into a "world city". How about us?

If we want to go global, the fastest is through strengthening our English. It's not enough that only some of our ministers, corporate leaders, English writers and those who studied in English-medium schools can speak the language fluently.

We have to immediately rectify this worsening scenario.

We should create opportunities to speak English in school, work- place, during breaktime and by mixing with people who are able to speak the language well. We should also use English when answering phone calls, making orders at restaurants and chatting online.

#Read more: ENGLISH: Make an effort to use it daily - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/english-make-an-effort-to-use-it-daily-