'We ate rice with crackers, dad sometimes went into debt to buy milk'

JOHOR BAHRU - The daughter of the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, shared that the hardships faced by her father, became a strong motivation for him in his work as the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister to ensure that people do not starve.

Fatihah Salahuddin, through a Facebook post today (Thursday) shared that the family used to eat only rice with crackers, and that her father had once ran into debt to buy milk at a Chinese store for her younger siblings.

"It is etched in my memory when my father took us five siblings on motorbikes to go to the store to buy us snacks and ice cream. Usually when dad was not at home, we only got 30 cents for snacks from my mother.

"We also used to eat crackers with rice without protein such as meat and chicken. My mother once told us that my father had to borrow milk from the 'apek' shop when we were small.

"Maybe that is what motivated my father to work hard to ensure that the people do not go hungry," she wrote.

Fatihah who is also a lawyer shared that her father once shared that he had wanted to 'go' (pass away) while he was serving the people and his wish had been granted by Alllah.

Salahuddin had died at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) in Alor Setar, Kedah last Sunday while on duty in the state.

"Two months ago, my father had dinner with Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman. By chance, we were talking about why it is difficult for politicians to retire.

"My father spontaneously replied 'politicians cannot retire. If they retire, their brains will be active, they would not know what to think, that's why I always pray that if I go, let it be while I am working to serve the nation.

"Little did I know that came true this soon and too soon, father," she wrote.

Fatihah said that her late father was a gentle man and always approached each of his children to find out about their learning progress and the problems they faced.

"Dad is really gentle. He rarely gets angry at us brothers and sisters. When we were teenagers and adults, my father used the 'slow talk' approach more. Dad always called us to take turns entering the room so he have his 'one to one' talks with us.

"Usually we are a little nervous when this kind of session happens because it usually happens when are in trouble," she reminisce.

Fatihah shared that during these talks with her father, he often shared his advice to her and her siblings.

"Maybe because he is rarely at home and that is the time he uses to advise us not to trouble our mother," she said.

Fatihah said that she felt closest to her late father when he cried for the first time in front of her five years ago.

"Five years ago, my father once called me into the room and he was crying because he had a problem at that time. That was the first time I saw him cry and that was the first time I became his loyal listener.

"There was once a time we both cried because I had told him about my problems.That's my father.

"He is a very good listener and always has advice for his daughter and children.

"My father has softened my heart when others could not soften me. It was my father who taught me a lot to be patient, to control my words, to choose silence when angry," she said.

Fatihah also related her late father and mother also taught her and her siblings to make their own decisions and take full responsibility for the decisions that they have made.

"Father and mother taught us to make our own decisions and take full responsibility for our own decisions. Once I was confused to change and wanted to change my field of study to counseling.

"My father said that if I change my course (course of study) I won't be able to become a lawyer, but think it through and do whatever is good," she shared.

Fatihah explained that the past 15th General Election (GE15) was her first and last to be the campaign manager for her late father.

"No more lecturing on stage like dad during the campaign. No more talks for dad during the election. There is no more tasks to prepare questions for the oral question and answer session for the Johor State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

"There is no more task of managing his candidacy form for the elections.

"There is no place for me to complain no one to listen to my problems and no more advice from him, and no more 'slow-talk' and 'heart to heart' sessions with you ( her father).

"You can rest now. Your task here is done. You were too tired and left us," she wrote