In memory of Dr. Fatimah, Prof Jai & Dr. Nazri

I received Dr. Henry’s (send to all) email on Monday morning. I thot it was just another issue either about bird flu or maybe some pig farming dispute or perhaps another veterinary convention where he is the chairing committee. But I was wrong. Dr. Henry was writing about his friend, (the late) Dr. Fatimah.

I shot an email to all my fellow (vets) classmates yesterday asking for confirmation. Not until today, that I received several confirmation. It is true that my ex-lecturer Dr. Fatimah had passed away last weekend, apparently due to a fall in the bathroom. Innalillalah wa innalillah hirajiun. But emails from my ex-classmates revealed more tragic news. Dr. Fatimah was not the only one who left us this year, both Dr. Nazri and Prof. Jai also passed away early this year. The former whom was a keen sportsman had a heart attack after a game of squash. While Prof. Jai was in a coma in the hospital before he passed away. Since I am out from the veterinary circle so it is not so surprising that I didn’t get the news earlier. Nevertheless, some friends whom are more or less in the similar line but not in the academic circle also confessed that they have no idea either.

I can remember vividly an incident with Prof Jai. It was during a practical where the task was to collect semen sample from a bull. All of us students were squatting down behind and around this huge bull. Everybody acted busy. Preparing gadgets and tools to be use for the sample collection. If you don’t have a task at hand, just pretending you are discussing about the day’s task. Nobody wants to attract attention to themselves. In simple terms, nobody wants Prof Jai to ‘see’ them. Maybe I was in a good mood that day that I smiled too much or maybe I was in a fouled mood that I scowled too much that it showed on my face or maybe I was just plain unlucky…but I heard Prof Jai called out my name to the amusements of my fellow classmates.

My scowl deepened. Prof Jai smiled sweetly and said you can have the honor. Everybody knows that before you can collect the bull semen you need to first stimulate the bull. So there I was squatting down under a bull and massaging its huge penis… to err..arouse it?!? And I’m not kidding okay!! Those were the days…

These former lecturers of mine were very outstanding individuals. No doubt their demise has left a tremendous lost to the veterinary field both local and abroad.

An email from a former coursemate recalled his last encounter with the late Dr. Fatimah, a few weeks ago when they were accompanied by Dr. Aziz to visit another former lecturer Dr. Salam who is suffering from Parkinson. It was a fun and memorable outing according to him. And it was the last time he met Dr. Fatimah.

So morale of the story is 'see, meet up, visit, say hi, call those whom you love and care about more often'. Life is short.

To Dr. Fatimah, Prof. Jai and Dr. Nazri, thank you for your guidance, dedication and invaluable knowledge. May you rest in peace and may Allah bless your souls. Amen.