By Zaki MS
LUMUT – A new pair of school shoes may seem like a small matter to some, but it carries great significance in the heart of a child.
Seven-year-old Muhammad Nuri Sahin felt embarrassed going to school after being teased by his friends for wearing worn-out and torn shoes.
However, his family’s financial constraints forced them to put off their plans to buy him a new pair.
The family’s financial difficulties made even necessities such as school shoes a burden to provide.
The story of the young boy was shared by Pangkor State Assemblywoman (ADUN) Norhaslinda Zakaria after she visited the family.
She said the boy’s mother, known as Syazwani, had gone to the Pangkor State Service Centre to seek assistance to purchase a new pair of school shoes and a small contribution towards the Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG).
Her husband is expected to start work next month, giving the family some hope as they navigate their current financial difficulties.
Norhaslinda said Sahin’s embarrassment about going to school because of his torn shoes deeply touched her.
She said assistance was provided even though Syazwani was not a voter in the Pangkor constituency, as hardship should not be restricted by political boundaries.
What touched her even more was that Sahin only asked for a pair of shoes and declined other school supplies offered to him, saying, “I already have everything. I only need shoes.”
The young boy’s attitude of asking only for what he truly needed deeply impressed and touched Norhaslinda.
She hoped the new pair of shoes would restore Sahin’s confidence and bring back his joy in returning to school without feeling embarrassed.
“May Sahin grow up to become a successful person in this world and the hereafter, because the best of people are those who are most beneficial to others,” she said.
