THE STAR - Saturday, 5 Nov, 2005 KUALA LUMPUR: It was a day of thousands of salam and handshakes when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Muslim Cabinet ministers spent the first day of Hari Raya greeting visitors who flocked to their joint open house at the Putra World Trade Centre here. The Prime Minister and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak stood for hours to shake hands with well-wishers. Abdullah was his usual friendly self. He even requested the security staff to usher a partially disabled man into the dining area. At one point, he comforted Gan Neng Sim, who cried after conveying her condolence on the passing of Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood on Oct 20. Abdullah later told reporters that Gan used to work with Endon at the Public Services Department. “I am very pleased with the good turnout. There was an estimated 195,000 people of all races,” he said. Businessman Mohammed Idris, 48, and his wife Halijah Ibrahim, 43, brought their eight children aged between three and 18, to meet Abdullah and the ministers. “We hope our PM faces this challenge with all the strength he can muster,” said Mohammed. Student Lee Kah Lin, 20, said she went because she wanted to meet the Prime Minister. “He is a great man to be able to face the public and resume his duties so quickly after his wife’s death,” she said. Amir Ihsan, 35, his wife Sharifah Intan, 32, and their children Adli Amir, aged one, and Adilah Amir, five, came all the way from their hometown in Kota Baru. “I want my children to meet our PM, and we want to show our appreciation for his fantastic leadership,” said Amir. Many people were regulars at the open house, turning up every year. One such person was Nageshrao Buddatisannacy, a 41-year-old driver. Nageshrao said he had been attending the open house for more than seven years now. “I come every year to make sure my children get to meet the Prime Minister and all the ministers,” he said, adding that his 12-year-old son could identify all the ministers. |