REMEMBERING KHALIDAH ADIBAH AMIN, DAUGHTER OF IBU ZAIN

I stumbled across an article on Adibah Amin while mooching through a friend's blog. No, it wasn't his article but that of his friend. Ah, how small this world is now! Thanks to Dato Ti and his friend Nuraina A Samad whose article  has made this experience possible!

Adibah Amin
From her Facebook Profile

I did a little search here and there and found her Facebook profile with the following message:

Assalamualaikum, Adibah Amin suffered a stroke in August 2007, and currently not able to write anything. She can walk with assistance, but there are many things that she cannot do now. Your messages will be forwarded to her, InsyaAllah. Thank you.

It hit me like a gush of water at the bottom of the waterfall! Please son, don't ask me if I had been there! You see, my son has this knack of questioning every thing his parents say. Ask me instead Adibah Amin, who, and I'll tell you my story about her. 

It was in the 50s when Adibah Amin became a regular on Radio Malaya dramas. Those days, the radio meant everything! It rested near my head when I was in bed. It was my constant companion......well at least before I went to  College in Damansara, KL in the 60s. There we were not allowed many things in bed!  It was much to our surprise when one day Cikgu Khalidah stepped into our History and Geography classes. Her voice was so familiar, so crystal clear. You see over Radio Malaya, she was always known as Adibah Amin. Now, lessons with her took a completely different approach. Knowing her interest in drama she often made us act out scenes from the various historical eras all of which aided us in remembering them. You bet history class was never boring.  The girls still reminisce over it. By the way, the Wiki has the date of her joining the College all wrong.

As for Geography, we learned that she was not much of an artist alright, but was never lacking in illustrations...I mean...India was a big triangle, China was a huge pot belly, and Malaya of course a diamond. Who else would have made us imagine like that?

We knew of her early attempt at writing. How we  dreamed  of  doing the same. 

She did not reside in the College though. We understand she was married to one Raja Iskandar who occasionally did come on the air of Radio Malaya too. I know nothing more beyond that. She was very pally  with another residential teacher, Cik Siti Maria, our English Language teacher, another teacher we admired equally. Siti Mariah wore her hair in an iconic bun like a true Malay lady. I wonder how she is now?

I recall that Cikgu Khalidah did not follow us when the College moved to Seremban. However we followed her through her columns in the newspapers. When she appeared as Cikgu Bedah in the 1980 movie, Adik Manja in her Baju Kurung and rubber shoes, that reminded us ex-Collegians (by then) how we were at times! We could only leave College  either in Baju Kurung or the school uniform. Either way, the rubber shoes were a must! I do wonder if that portrayal had anything to do with her own experience with us? Cikgu Bedah won her the Best Supporting Actress Award in the 1st Malay Film Festival, 1980.  How timely! Well, I understand she did do two more films, Hati Bukan Kristal (1989) and Mat Som (1990).

Personally I think her best accomplishment was in the literary world where she had won many accolades  as Sri Delima.

I thank Cikgu Khalidah for all the inspiration and hope and pray for her recovery. May Allah bless you.

(Updated: August 7, 2010)