My Uncle, the Army Captain

Captain Soaidy Bin Ali in his army uniform - Photo taken in 1960s.

 

The late Captain Soaidy Bin Ali was my uncle. I addressed him as 'Obek' since he was my mother's oldest brother. 'Obek' is a Baweanese word for older uncle. Obek Sairi (the name I used to call him) was good at handling rifles and had won several prizes in air-rifles competitions.

 Some of my uncle's winning plaques during the period of his Army Career -Photo taken in 2001

After his retirement from the army, my uncle became an Imam in one of the Masjid nearby his home. Uncle Soaidy was excellent in reciting the Holy Qur'aan. In fact all of his siblings are able to recite the Qur'aan beautifully. This was due to my grandfather's strict method of upbringing his children. Like any other typical Baweanese in those days, my grandfather was extremely particular in educating his children with Qur'aan knowledge -the ability to recite the Holy Qur'aan correctly and fluently was his priority.

 

My Mom on the right most at the front row. She won a prize for Qur'aan recitation -Photo taken in 1950s.

Unlike any other ordinary Baweanese, my grandfather was a far-sighted person who believed the importance of education. He sent all his children to school and all of them completed their studies. Some of my aunties and uncles made it to tertiary level. Thanks to my grandfather, Uncle Soaidy was an educated man.
 

Uncle Soaidy at the right most with his maternal uncle standing in the middle, and friends -Photo taken in the early 1950s at Johor Bahru

Uncle Soaidy was born in Ipoh, in the state of Perak, Malaysia. He received his early education in Johor Bahru at English College. He married a Baweanese descent lady, living nearby Pondok Kalompang Gubuk. I address his wife as Obek Hatma. They were blessed with five children. My uncle passed away in August 2000 due to old age. He was then 65 years old.
 

My Uncle's wedding photograph -Photo taken in late 1950s

Uncle Soaidy with his wife, sister-in-law (Cikgu Mon from Tun Seri Lanang Secondary School), and my mother -sitting beside him. Photo taken in the 1960s during a wedding held at Pondok Kalompang Gubuk. The front most room at the second floor of the pondok was converted to a wedding hall. During such occasion, all the beds were dismantled and the wardrobes were shifted to the side of the room

At another wedding occasion. I was the little girl sitting beside my younger sister at the front. Behind were my two aunties and relatives. Standing at the rear was Aunt Suaidah and sitting in the middle was Aunt Dalila. Notice the wardrobes being shifted to the side of the room. Photo taken in late 1960s.

Obek Sairi and Obek Hatma as I always remember them -Photo taken in early 1960s.