KUALA LUMPUR: It was well worth the wait for eight-year-old Syam Aariz Rayyan Abdullah after spending hours waiting to personally hand over his handwritten letter to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier this month.
Syam Aariz, who is also known as Nanang, was among the residents of remote Pulau Banggi in Sabah who gathered to greet the Prime Minister during his visit to the state on May 9.
Keeping his promise to the boy, Anwar responded with a heartfelt reply to the letter, along with two books to inspire his educational journey.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said his letter was delivered by his team, who visited the boy’s home yesterday.
“I had promised to reply to Nanang’s letter from Pulau Banggi, and today, my team visited him and his family to deliver it in person,” he said.
He described the letter he received from Nanang as deeply meaningful and reflective of the strong determination among the younger generation in rural areas.
Although it was just a simple letter, Anwar said it carried great significance, as behind the boy’s words lay hope, sincerity and dreams for the future.
“Letters like this remind me that no matter how remote the place, our children continue to harbour great ambitions to transform their lives through knowledge and education,” he said, Bernama reported.
Anwar also offered words of advice, urging Nanang not to let any shortcomings become barriers to success.
