Elderly woman's best birthday gift – greetings from Dr M

Tan with the birthday message she received from Dr Mahathir.

PETALING JAYA: Tan Bee Joo had a wonderful birthday surprise last Saturday (Sept 14) when she received a letter from none other than Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressing his "heartfelt wishes" on her 91st birthday, which fell on Sept 11.

Tan was featured in an article in StarLifestyle, titled Everlasting Friendships on Sept 6, in which the grandmother of two expressed her birthday wish of meeting Dr Mahathir.

StarLifestyle got in touch with Mahathir’s press secretary Endie Shazlie Akbar, who arranged for the Prime Minister to write the birthday message, which was hand-delivered to Tan’s home.

The birthday message, which was signed by Dr Mahathir read: "I would like to extend my heartiest wishes to you and many happy returns on your 91st birthday. May it bring all the good luck, good health and prosperity to you and your family."

Tan says the letter is her best birthday gift.

“Tun M made my 91st birthday feel so special because a letter from him is indeed priceless. Throughout my life, I’ve received many gifts. But this one letter is the best gift of all, ” says Tan, who has four children.

Everlasting Friendships is a story about Tan’s 80-year-old friendship with schoolmates, Foo Mee Keow, 91, and Cheah Phaik Soo, 92. They studied at Penang’s St George’s High School before losing touch after the second world war, only to reconnect 40 years later at a night market in Kelana Jaya in 1985.

Read the story here on Star2.