TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TRIBUTE TO TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
ordinary about him. He can laugh and smile all the time, as
though he has no worries at all. He puts one at ease with his
ready wit and humour. He likes nothing more than to see
others happy and smiling.
In the office until midday, the Tunku attends to correspondence,
calls and to visitors and foreign dignitaries. On
some occasions he is never in the office at all, due to heavy
pressure of work outside.
This great leader, who has had no experience of politics
before he became President of the United Malay National
Organisation about ten years ago, would then return home for
his midday meal.
Some of the readers may now think that he has finally
found time to discuss family problems with his wife. But this
is a poor guess. The Tunku is never alone at his meals.
Somebody was waiting and this was not a coincidence at all.
According to the Residency officials the Prime Minister and his
wife can only get together and discuss their problems when they
are in the car on the way to a function or a ceremony. One
employee said, "They were mostly together before 1955, but the
general elections of 1955 had changed all that.' 1
Then follows the noon prayer and being a true devotee, the
Prime Minister withdraws himself from public life for a short
while to put himself before God, followed by a nap, after
which he again prays at 4.00 p.m.
This is not the usual routine throughout. This could be
adopted on a normal day when there is no Parliament sitting,
no foreign dignitaries to entertain, no receptions, no Cabinet
meetings and no invitations to ceremonies.
Readers can now imagine how occupied he would be if
there was a Royal Guest around on a State visit or when a
strike or revolt is on. There is no doubt that the Tunku can
rise to all these occasions. He has proved this and will continue
to face the challenge.
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