New Life of My Lil Bro

It was moment full of emotion. Although I wasn’t there, I could feel it, I knew it. I could feel it because I’ve gone through the experience; left by mak and abah for the first time after registering in the secondary school.

Before I left to Kuantan, I gave this advice to him:

Nanti bila dah masuk sekolah baru nanti jangan menyusahkan mak ngan abah. Ko yang pilih nak masuk sekolah tu. Ko kena sedar dengan pilihan yang ko sendiri buat, dan ko kena bersedia dengan perubahan dalam hidup ko lepas ni. Mula-mula memang rasa lain, tapi lama-lama ko akan biasa. Cuma ambil masa sikit je.

Jangan susahkan mak abah. Jangan jadi macam abang Zaki dulu. Jangan ulang apa yang abang Zaki pernah buat. Abang Zaki rasa bersalah buat mak ngan abah macam tu dulu. Bila masuk sekolah baru ni, duit banyak keluar. Jangan susahkan mak abah minta pindah sekolah lain, macam abang Zaki buat dulu. Cukup-cukup la abang Zaki buat mak ngan abah macam tu. Jangan ulang. Faham?

He nodded.

Yesterday, I called him during his registration to the new school, secondary school to be exact – Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi (SBPI) Gombak, not more than a kilometer from UIA Gombak campus. I asked him, what he felt. He answered, “Gembira, tapi takut.” Then I repeated the same advice. I really hoped he understood what I meant. Now it’ all up to him to execute what I said. I was almost to cry, but I succeed of not to. I didn’t want to demotivate him.

Welcome to new life. Welcome to boarding school life. Welcome to larger and different world. I hope you’ll be patient, be tough Muhammad Zawawi bin Ramli! I pray to Him to guide you to the right way... Amin... Sob sob...


I got this picture from abah by MMS. Looking emak’s face, she doesn’t smile like she always does. I know, she’s fighting with the sadness inside. So do me.