Remaining true to ourselves

Recently, Marina Mahathir and Nurul Izzah  granted an interview to a magazine, Clive, talking about their fathers.

Their fathers were once a team in government when Tun Mahathir was the prime minister and Anwar his deputy. From the best of team to the bitterest of “enemies” in the twists and turns of their fathers’ political careers spanning over three decades, it was quite beyond my comprehension that how the two women can sit side by side comfortably for a joint interview.

One of the best advices their fathers have given them as they were growing up is the same: to remain true to themselves.

Marina said before she was sent to United States after her Form Five to stay with an American family, her father said, “You are going over there, it is a different culture but we are who we are.”

Whereas Anwar said to Nurul, “You must always stay true and appreciate your local culture as well as English literature.” Nurul was then fascinated by English literature.

 I have reservations to whether the two men live up to what they preach, but I would not hesitate to rate them as “A-Star” dads for the upbringing of these two amazing women for who they are today!