She was willing to sacrifice her life for her family

I was then still a small girl, still in primary school I am sure, because we were then staying in Parit Buntar. There was one year when my Father got quite sick. He had quite bad diabetis and had to go to the Ipoh General Hosipital, about 2 hours drive away from Parit Buntar to get his regular insulin jabs. Then my Mother learnt from a Thai old lady staying in Parit Buntar about a small plant which can cure diabetis. She learnt to recognize the small plant. She used to walk out of town to harvest the plant, most of the time bringing her children with her.

She painstakingly plucked and washed the leaves, pounded the leaves into a paste and cooked the paste with a whole big piece of meat on low heat for several hours. When it was done, she would take out the meat and serve the paste to my father. But each time, 2 hours before she served my father the paste she would take 2 tablespoons herself first. Why? I asked her. I still remember her reply "if nothing happens to me within 2 hours, then I will give father the paste". Actually, she was never sure whether the plants she plucked were the right ones and she was afraid that Father may be poisoned and die. What if you die? I asked her. Her answer was " it is better for me to die because I do not earn money. Your Father has to live to earn money to bring you all up".

Even though I was still small and could not fully appreciate her courage, I had never forgotten what she said. Also my father was actually cured with the paste.