Mak Pon and her family

After a simple dinner at one of the mamak stall along 'the heritage' row, one of my friend suddenly ask me where was I during May 13, 1969. I was 5+ but still can remember that evening I was walking back with my mom from my late grandmother house. Suddenly we heard the word "kepew, kepew, masuk rumah, kunci rumah". My mom immediately grab my tiny hand (at that time) and all I know we both ended up in my neighbour house known as Mak Jepon or affectionately known as Mak Pon. Tension as no one really know what happened. I don't remember how long we were there but for sure we did not put a nite there.

Suddenly, the vision of Mak Pon and her family came to my mind. Mak Pon, and my family has a similarity - very poor, but at least her late husband, Pak Dorani had a permanent job with Malacca Municipal as a labourer. I am not sure how many childrens she has but at least 7. She became a widow some 22 years ago. Mak Pon with 3 of her unmarried childrens, Sakdiah, Jamal and Jaapau remain in the very same house. One thing for sure, when most family in Jalan Durian Daun improved their living condition (some became rich also) , sadly, Mak Pon and her family still living in poverty. Luckily, she has number of good neighbour including my brother, Rasid, and my uncle, Pakcik Kayah. We help whenever possible - cooked food, canned foods, old clothes, old furnitures, etc. During the last 2006 Raya do, I heard that Mak Pon were bed ridden since early of the year and being taken care by Sakdiah. And come the most interesting part.

The part that shows how mystery, our Creator, The Greatest and Almighthy Allah S.W.T. rule this universe.

Sakdiah passed away suddenly in late December 2006 after a short illness. I was told by Ogy (my sister) that when they carry Sakdiah body to her final resting place, Mak Pon were wailing for her daughter...Sakdiah,..Sakdiah...but she is no longer can answer her. Sakdiah not able to attend to Mak Pon's needs. Sakdiah is gone and never come back. Sad enough but it is still more to come.

Mak Pon is now being nursed by her grand daughter which Sakdiah adopt as her "anak angkat".

I dont know her name but I know she is still in secondary school. Apparently, I was made to understand, she does it willingly. So, she is now - play Sakdiah's role. In early February 2007, Mak Pon follow Sakdiah. She passed away in her sleep at the age of 83. She left this world in the same condition - being poor and living in poverty. I firmly believe Allah S.W.T. loves her more and the same time I know it is good for her. Let her rest in peace. Now left only Jamal and his youngest brother, Jaapau in the house. As for Mak Pon's grand daughter, her duty ends as soon as Mak Pon left the world. She moved out to live with her own parents.

Innalillah and then Subahanallah......,that's all we said when Rasid break the news - Jamal is gone forever. He passed away in March 2007, after being hospitalised for 2 days. Jakpau were devastated. Ogy says he cries more than he does for Sakdiah and Mak Pon, 3 months earlier. In fact everybody in Jalan Durian Daun knows the brothers were very close. They practically do things together. When we hired Jamal to paint our old house, he wants Jakpau also be hired. We obliged, of course.

We wondering and asking who would be next......So silly but that's exactly what came to our mind.

We dont have to wait long.

Jakpau left this mortal world in April 2007. Similar to Jamal, he breathed his last on the 2nd day in Hospital Besar Melaka. Unlike Sakdiah, Mak Pon and Jamal, Jakpau's body were being prepared for burial in the Hospital and never get to come back to his home for the last 42 years in Jalan Durian Daun. His family decided to send him to his final resting place directly from hospital.

Mak Pon old house is now empty. I went to see the house (less than 50 metres from my Jalan Durian Daun's house) during my trip back to Melaka in May 2007. The house look almost the same except is locked and empty. While standing at the corner of the old dilapidated house, I can still see me passing the house when I was young, each time I walk to and from my primary school, each time I walk to my late grandmother's house. Not shy to say, tears rolling down my cheek. In fact, I feel so sad now but I just want to share some of my story, my memory in Jalan Durian Daun. May Arwah Mak Pon, Arwah Sakdiah, Arwah Jamal and Arwah Jakpau dirahmati Allah S.W.T. Al-Fatehah. Amin.

My family and I realised and learned something from it. Arwah Mak Pon for sure lived and died in poverty, but at least she died in her bed, in her own house. When come to money, she had almost none to offer, but she had a filial daughter and grand daughter take care of her during her last 16 months. Everyone knows it is not easy to take care of a sick and bed ridden person. Dirty, smelly and nothing but troublesome. However, one thing for sure, she is lucky compare to some rich people which were sent to retirement home to rot and die by their own children. Their own flesh and blood. Some of this people are rich!!! At least, I know one of my neighbour did that. Later he informed me (happily) his father died there. So disgusting. Luckily, his father did not suffer long in that retirement home.

My doa this ill-practise would not become a trend to us. I would like to remind myself, my friends and those people I know, dont ever do this to our parents. You dump your parents now, your children will dump you later. Take it from me as this happened to one of my first cousin. He dump his mother for his wife some 20 years ago, and last year his daughter and his wife dump him. He is now spending his time, alone, in old folk home in Melaka. What goes around, comes around. Mind you, this is only his "pay back time in this world". He has yet to receive a punishment after the Judgement Day.

As far as I know, there is no reason or excuse to send your old folk to retirement home. It is a sin. Big sin. Infact, one of the biggest sin. Nauzubillah.

My doa always, Allah S.W.T. continue to guide and bless us. Amin.