Today was Nadirah’s last day at the P104 office.
She joined my office first as an intern in late 2015, and after the internship, she became a full time staff. How we met, like all significant events, was most fortuitous.
My former intern Ying Ning (who is mates with Nadirah) had persuaded Nadirah to volunteer for our medical camp in USJ Angsana. Nadirah shone at the event, showing initiative, compassion and energy. Everyone at the medical camp was suitably impressed. On my instructions, my staff and volunteers worked hard to convince Nadirah to put her legal career on hold and join our internship. It was a crazy proposition but 3 weeks later, she relented and joined us.
Highly intelligent, armed with a first class degree in law (and a blackbelt in Taekwondo), possessing great work ethics, good organisation and a “can do all” attitude, she did everything from research, community work, graphic design and admin work including accounts. Her graphic design work on our Star Wars posters is the stuff of legend! During Parliament sessions, she shone and flew the flag for P104. Her research notes were appreciated by many MPs including Kak Wan, Leader of the Opposition.
Together with Abigail and Tania, they brought much joy, fantastic community service, professionalism and organisation to the P104 office. Nadirah was the leader of my three musketeers. For almost two years, she was my chief of staff and the reliable rock in the office.
The running joke in the office is never to let her choose which office photos to post on facebook, for she will always choose pics showing only the back of her head. Camera shy and yet completely fearless when it comes to fighting for what is right, it is not an exaggeration to say that Nadirah represents the very best of her generation.
We will miss her terribly. It has been an emotional last few days for Abigail and I, saying our bits and pieces of farewell to Nadirah. The P104 office, all the staff, volunteers and interns, wish her the very best at University College London. We look forward to her return a year from now to the P104 family and to resume the fight for a better Malaysia.