BissmetheJournalist : Mother's Day Story

Sunday will be mother's day where everyone in the world will pay special tribute to their moms. Today theSun carries an interview with four celebrities who talks about their mom who shaped them to be who they are today...

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Headline: The Queen of Their Hearts

By Bissme S

This Sunday, May 11, is Mother’s Day, a day dedicated to mothers everywhere. In conjunction with this special day, four celebrities pay special tribute to their own mother and reveal how their mother have inspired them to be better parents to their own children.

Daphne Iking, 35, TV personality and actress, honours her mum, Naili Juliah Ganahong, 60:

“I became a single mum when my daughter Isobel Danniella was barely a year old. It was a tough time for me but my mum held my hand and showered me with love and encouragement.One piece of advice she gave me is to love unconditionally and to not allow hate or bitterness to control my life. My mother is nonjudgmental,always kind, fair and very forgiving.She holds the fort whenever someone in my family falls apart. She will not tell her children when she is not well and when she is unhappy, as she doesn’t want to worry us. I dislike this habit of hers.My mother stays in Sabah so she really misses her grandchildren (Daphne’s daughter Isobel Daniella, six, and Daphne’s son Iman Daniella, two).So when she sees her grandchildren, she really makes the best of the time with them. She is definitely more hands on with her grandchildren than she was with her four children.This is probably because she is now retired from her job as a tutor in nursing and has more time on her hands.”

Daphne: Her mother told her not allow hate and bitterness to control her life

From left : Shalina ( family friend), Mozes Jr ( Daphne's brother), Daphne mum carrying Isobel ( Daphne's eldest child , Michelle Ann ( Daphne's sister) and Michelle husband Kishore Suppiah, Georgianne and Her son Tristan , Daphne and her husband Azmi Abdul Rahman

Fauziah Nawi, 60, actress and theatre director, honours her late mum, Hajjah Salmiah Sidek:

“My mother passed away 20 years ago. But there has never been a day I never think of her. My mother was illiterate but she was smart. My father worked in the optical firm but his income was not enough to sustain the family. To earn extra cash, my mother cooked and sold food items. She never believed in giving up and always wanted a better life for her five children. She was open minded and I could discuss anything with my mother – from love to marriage. I seem to have inherited that trait when it comes to my two children. They can talk to me openly about any topic under the sun.I had modelled one of my characters after her in Sayang Salmah. That role won me the best supporting actress award. One of my dream projects is to direct a movie based on my mother’s life as a tribute to her.”

Fauziah: Her mom always believe in giving better life to her children

Vanidah Imran, 40, actress, honours her mum, Sharifah Bee, 60+:

“All teenagers think their mothers are too strict and I was no different. It is only when I became a mother myself, that I understood my mum better and realised that her intentions

were noble. Whatever rules she imposed was intended to help me grow up into a responsible adult.My mother was a housewife but believe me, being a housewife is not an easy job. Your work never ends! I can never emulate the way my mother had brought me up. Each parent has a set of parental skills. I am more open with my children (son Mikail, 13 and daughter Maryam, 10) compared to my

mother. But one thing I have learnt from my mother is to teach my children to show respect to elders. My mom also made it a point to be there for her children at crucial moments such as sports

day and report card day and I try to do the same for my children.

“My mother was very supportive when I decided to be an actress. She took time to cut out articles that had been written about me and put the articles in a scrap book. She attends every one of my theatre shows and watches every one of my movies.”

Vanidah: Her mom taught her to respect the eldest and she also teaching the same thing to her children

Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman, 55, film producer, honours her mum, Laliah Abdullah, 74:

“What impressed me most about my mum is the way she loved my father. My dad was in the army and had to spend months in the jungle. My mum would wait patiently for his return. When my dad died in 2004 of a heart attack, for months after his death, my mother still went to sleep clutching onto one of his shirts. Mum was very good in her studies and wanted to be a teacher. But in those days, women were not encouraged to have a career, so my grandmother arranged for my mother to get married early.She imbued religious and traditional values in her children and I do the same thing with my three children. My mother loves my children very much. She wanted my children to stay with her and to raise them.But I told her that I wanted to raise my children on my own.

Now, that I am a grandmother of two grandchildren, I do not allow my daughter and my son-in-law to move out. I want my grandchildren to stay with me. In some ways, I have become exactly like my mother.”