Siblings’ Hari Raya Gift Moves Prime Minister To Return Kindness

KUALA TERENGGANU, April 14 (Bernama) -- The heartfelt gesture of two siblings giving their Hari Raya money to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday moved the national leader, who reciprocated with a gift of his own today.

Aesha Khadeeja Anuar, 10, said she and her younger brother, Uwais AlQorni, 8, never expected their spontaneous gesture of giving their Hari Raya money to the Prime Minister as he was about to board a plane at Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Nerus last night, would be returned today, leaving them with a particularly special memory.

“…my brother, mother (Liza Fazilah Abdul Hamid, 49) and I were on our way home after coming back from Quran lessons. When we reached a traffic light, we saw a police escort with the Prime Minister’s convoy heading towards Kuala Nerus, so I asked my mother to follow them until we reached the airport.

“When we saw the Prime Minister at the airport, we quickly took out our school allowance and gave it to him. I wanted to give him Hari Raya money because it’s Syawal. I gave RM5 and my brother gave RM2,” she said after receiving donations and Hari Raya money from Anwar at their home here today.

The Hari Raya money and tablets donated by Anwar were handed over by the director of the Terengganu Federal Development Department, Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM), Datuk Abdul Kahar Abdul Latif.

Aesha Khadeeja said she and her brother hope to visit Anwar at his Putrajaya office one day and bring him keropok lekor as a gift, adding that the Prime Minister has always been close to her heart, as he shares the same name as her father, Anuar Rashid.

Earlier, Anwar shared a one‑minute 23‑second video on his Facebook page showing Aesha Khadeeja and Uwais AlQorni handing him Hari Raya money packets from outside the airport fence.

In the caption, he said he was deeply moved by the children’s sincerity, calling it a humble and touching gesture.

“I see this as a symbol of unity among the people, regardless of age, supporting one another as we go through the crisis we are in now. Seeing these faces, I feel a deep sense of tenderness and affection; it is our responsibility to ensure every Malaysian child is raised with love, good guidance and equal opportunities.

“May Uwais and Aesha grow up to be knowledgeable, well‑mannered and bring good to their family and to the nation,” he said.

Yesterday, Anwar made a one‑day visit to Terengganu, attending several events, including the launch of the National Quran Recitation and Memorisation Ceremony at the Dewan Arena Indoor Stadium in the State Sports Complex, Gong Badak, Kuala Nerus.

-- BERNAMA