Making memories: Nur Syahira (right) and her family with Tiwali during an outing; (inset) Liya being carried by Tiwali (centre) for a photo with the latter’s family.
KLANG: Nurse Nur Syahira Khalid never had close Malaysian-Indian friends before, but all that changed because of her daughter.
She now regards her daughter’s babysitter as her own mother and is thankful that Tiwali Angamah Rajoo was there when she needed her support the most.
Her daughter Nur Amanda Raisya, or Liya to her loved ones, loves her nanny to the core.
Nur Syahira, 30, who now works at a mental healthcare facility in Singapore, said she had had a hard time looking for someone to care for Liya, her youngest child, when she was working in Penang.
Her other three children aged eight, five and three, stayed with her Tenaga Nasional Bhd technician husband Mohd Hafeez Harun at their home in Manjung, Perak.
“Liya was three months old then and I initially found a Malay babysitter, but because my daughter was always crying, the babysitter told me that she could not take care of her anymore – just a week before I had to go back to work,” said Nur Syahira.
One of her housemates then suggested Nur Syahira ask a Malaysian-Indian neighbour if she could take care of Liya, who is now almost two years old.
“I never had any close Malaysian-Indian friends before and did not know about the community’s lifestyle.
“The housemate told me that they (the Indian family) would take good care of my child and being Hindus, they ate mostly vegetarian food and did not consume food that was not halal for us,” she added.
Liya with Tiwali and her children, daughter and son in law and grandchild.
When Nur Syahira approached Tiwali, the mother of four grown-up children immediately agreed to take care of Liya and told the former that she could pay her any amount as she was not doing it for the money.
Tiwali said it was love at first sight when she saw Liya in her mother’s arms.
“I felt a connection with the baby and wanted to take her in and care for her like my own grandchild,” said the 62-year-old, who has two grandchildren of her own.
The little girl is also very close to all of Tiwali’s adult children and shares a birthday with her son K. Yoganathan.
Liya stays with Tiwali full time and goes back to Manjung when her parents are on a long break.
Otherwise, her parents and siblings will visit her at Tiwali’s place and spend the day there.
“She is loved by all my children and calls me ‘amma’ whilst Liya’s brothers and sister call me ‘patti’ (grandmother),” said Tiwali who also stays in Manjung with Mohd Hafeez’s family when Liya goes back for a break.
She said she regards Nur Syahira as a daughter and loves all her “six grandchildren” equally.
Tiwali also cooks whatever is requested by Nur Syahira when the family visits Liya, adding that her “adopted” daughter’s request is always rasam, her favourite.
“Liya’s patti is like a mother to me and when we go over, we spend the entire day and have our meals there as well,” said Nur Syahira, adding that it is like going back to her mother’s home.
Nur Syahira’s TikTok page ‘All About Liya,’ which features videos of Liya and Tiwali, receives many positive comments.
“This is how it was in the 1980s. I experienced it, (we were) like relatives. It was so much fun during that era,” posted TikTok user Nor Salina Lyn.
There are also videos of Liya sticking by Tiwali’s side and refusing to leave for Manjung with her parents.
Although most of the comments are positive, Nur Syahira also receives negative comments that she rebuts.
Heartwarming tales such as this are promoted and encouraged by the ‘Maaf Zahir Batin Hari Hari’ campaign (#MZB365), which was launched on April 6.
The campaign stands strong with support from major media organisations and civil society organisations.
