Kuala Lampur, April 27 -- On April 14, 2025, Malaysia lost not just a former prime minister, but a statesman of rare grace - Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

While many will remember him for his leadership, humility, and unwavering belief in moderation and good governance, I remember him as something even more personal: the kind, fatherly figure who spoke to a 17-year-old girl from a boarding school in Penang with warmth, sincerity, and quiet encouragement that would stay with her for the rest of her life.

It was 1985 - a year forever etched in my memory. I was a Form 5 schoolgirl, preparing for my SPM trial examinations at a time when every paper felt like a mountain to climb.

Amid the pressure of school and expectations, I took part in a n...