PERMAISURI Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah turned 62 yesterday. Her birthday request was for any presents meant for her to be channelled instead towards assisting Covid-19 frontliners, particularly health workers.
Touched by the commitment and tireless efforts of the frontliners, Raja Zarith Sofiah, in a statement posted on the Royal Johor Facebook page, said she would consider any assistance to them "as my very special birthday gift".
Known for her compassion and generosity, Raja Zarith Sofiah and her family have, in the past, given assistance to flood victims and visited the homes of families inflicted by unfortunate and tragic circumstances.
Covid-19, sadly, does not allow even the most passionate and well-meaning volunteer to be anywhere close to the victims, without risking his or her own life.
But Raja Zarith Sofiah, through her Raja Zarith Sofiah Foundation and her family, had ceaselessly provided assistance to those affected by lockdown after lockdown by sending food parcels, as well as tablets for schoolchildren to assist them in home learning.
"I find it hard, not being able to be there physically to talk to them. I've had Zoom chats with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia students for example, but it's not the same. Still, it's better than not being able to talk to them at all.
"We have to accept that these are the new norms, so a lot of work is done through messaging on our phones, and then getting the different teams to work together, " she said.
Raja Zarith Sofiah's caring nature also means that she empathises with and hears the cries of those reaching out for help, no matter the distance.
At the beginning of the pandemic last year, as the United Kingdom went into a delayed lockdown, there was panic buying of essential items.
Toilet rolls, hand sanitisers and face masks were flying off the shelves of supermarkets.
People took to making their own hand sanitisers out of desperation.
During one of our chats at the time, I told the Johor Permaisuri about an elderly woman I met on the Tube who lamented that she couldn't get hand sanitiser, and almost cried when I offered her my bottle of hand sanitiser as she was getting off the Tube.
Raja Zarith Sofiah was instantly concerned and wondered how Malaysian students were coping and whether they had hand sanitisers and face masks.
The welfare of the Malaysian students in the UK has always been a subject close to Her Majesty's heart.
During her yearly visits here, she would invite students for meals and was always interested in their studies and wanted to know how they were coping.
If I remember correctly, I was in the car with Her Majesty when she decided that students who were affected by the exchange rate a few years ago should be recipients of the Raja Zarith Foundation Award.
It was a bursary to extend financial aid to struggling Malay-sians studying in the UK.
Just days after I shared the story about the woman on Tube, I received boxes and boxes of hand sanitisers and face masks that the Johor Permaisuri had ordered via Amazon.
My dining room was transformed into a store room and thus, began a production line of packing and distributing face masks and hand sanitisers to those in need of them.
Education Malaysia and the Malaysian High Commission in London also assisted in distributing them to student communities in the UK.
When universities closed down due to the pandemic, students had to fly home. Worried parents contacted me for face masks for their children who had to travel from other cities to the airport.
Tuanku's generosity didn't stop at face masks and hand sanitisers. She was worried about the Malaysian community, especially the elderly who couldn't go out during the pandemic.
Although I assured her that we looked after each other and helped them with their grocery shopping, not long after, I received packets of foodstuff. These, we later distributed to the Malaysian elderly community, especially to those living alone.
A PhD student who lost her part-time job due to the pandemic also received much-needed financial help.
Tuanku Raja Zarith Sofiah had always helped generously with crowdfunding initiatives for Malaysians stranded in the UK.
In the past, she lent a helping hand to the efforts of a Malaysian couple who cooked food for refugees in the Jungle of Calais in France, to name just one.
Now, she watched as the car park of the government hospital filled up with army tents. "We are running out of space for Covid patients," she said.
Her heart goes out to the frontliners, fighting to keep the patients alive with the knowledge that their lives too, are at risk.
"It is just not the same," she said on how the pandemic has prevented her from going out and helping people.
Philosophically, she added: "It's just like we are all being separated by a glass wall. But it's the only way to protect our health and the health of others."
Happy Birthday, Tuanku and may Allah bless you for all that you have done.