High-school 'secret admirer' reunited with his love almost three decades later

When she was 16, Norzalifa sang Casablanca at the MRSM orientation and Kalam fell in love with her then. At the MRSM 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, he accompanies her to sing the very same song. It's the first time she has heard him sing, also the first time he has sung in public.

It all began when Dr Norzalifa Zainal Abidin and Major Kalam Pie were in secondary school at the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in Seremban, Negri Sembilan almost four decades ago.

Kalam would climb up to the roof or water tank at the boarding school just to take photos of his high school crush.

“But she had many admirers and I never thought to approach her, at least, not until many many years later,” he shares.

Today, the couple are both 55 and happily married. They got married to each other in 2011 and have three sons and four daughters, from their previous marriages.

“When we first met in high school, we weren’t sweethearts. We were just schoolmates,” says Kalam.

Kalam was a student at the school since form one while Norzalifa joined when she was in form four.

“We had an orientation for new students and I had to sing. So, I sang the song Casablanca. From then on, I had a lot of secret admirers and Kalam was one of them,” reveals Norzalifa.

When they were in high school decades ago, Kalam would climb up to the roof or water tank at the boarding school just to take photos of his crush, Norzalifa.

“He would appear with his film camera and take pictures of me and then disappear, macam paparazzi (like paparazzi). He had a whole album of me which he only showed me after we got married!” she says.

When all the girls (at the school) go to pray at the surau, Kalam would climb onto a ledge just to take Norzalifa’s picture.

“He would take shots of me everyday for two years. Initially, I was a bit annoyed,” she adds.

Norzalifa also received many letters from her admirers but admits that she didn’t know if Kalam was one of them because they were mostly anonymous.

But Kalam clears her doubts: He didn’t write her any letters, he only took photos of her.

She was too popular and I never approached her. I just took photos and kept them to myself. I was just ‘an admirer’, says Kalam of his then high-school crush, who is now wife.“She was too popular and I never approached her. I just took photos and kept them to myself. I was just ‘an admirer’,” he says.

After high school, the pair parted ways to further their education and chart their own paths.

Norzalifa went on to study architecture in England, while Kalam studied engineering locally and joined the military.

“We never confessed ‘our love’ nor kept in touch. There was no email nor WhatsApp during that time, only snail mail,” the couple reveals.

Romance blossoms

Their love story really only started when Norzalifa had a stroke. And it was thanks to technology that they reconnected.

“I had a total of seven strokes between 2008 and 2010, and when I woke up from a coma, I sent a message to this Yahoo email group of friends (which Kalam was the admin of) and I told everyone in the group what had happened and that I was at Puswari Hospital in KL,” says Norzalifa.

“My friends came to visit me at the hospital and Kalam was one of them,” she says, adding that she was impressed with him because he saw her at her worst but his love for her remained constant.

She was a divorcee and single mother to four daughters at that time.

“I was partially paralysed and had to go for physiotherapy.

"Kalam and the others would visit me. He was very surprised by my condition, and since he’s an Ironman triathlete, he said he would help me improve my health,” she reveals.

Their love story really only started when Norzalifa had a stroke, and it was thanks to technology that they reconnected.True to his word, he taught her how to eat and drink properly, look after her health and he also accompanied her for physiotherapy and brought her out.

Norzalifa started focusing on nature therapy.

“The doctor asked me to go out and get used to the community again so Kalam would bring me out to the forest and river to do nature therapy and reflexology. I had to use a walker whenever I went out.”

Kalam and Norzalifa became a couple in 2011.

“He proposed to me several times. There was one time when I had seven proposals (from different guys) and Kalam was one of them,” reveals Norzalifa.

She jokingly adds that her seventh stroke was because she felt stressed and didn’t know how to answer her seven suitors.

They were all ‘baik’ (good) and wanted an answer immediately, she says.

But Kalam stood out.

Norzalifa remembered how Kalam was with her through the very low period in her life. She also recalls one night when she was craving a drink of teh tarik. He had just finished duty and called to ask if there was anything that she wanted.

“So he came at 3am with the teh tarik,” she says. “It was difficult to get at that time, but he managed to get it and pass it to me even though it wasn’t visiting hours (at the hospital).”

“I would jokingly say I wooed her with just a packet of teh tarik,” laughs Kalam.

Keeping the flame alive

He loved me when I was at my worst, says Norzalifa, of husband, Kalam.For Norzalifa, honesty and trust are important in a relationship.

“I like how he’s always there – all the time. He’s my backbone. And, he’s supportive of my career. He’s not the type that says a lot but he’s genuinely loving through his actions and non-verbal communication,” she says.

“Every day, we’d find some adventure to go on together. In the morning, we’ll usually plan what to do at The Jungle School, our project to help the community,” she adds.

The couple are co-founders of The Jungle School Gombak, a social enterprise set up to empower the Orang Asli to earn a living while sharing their unique culture with others.

Norzalifa says that Kalam is very romantic and shows it in his own quiet way.

“His eyes sparkle and light up whenever he looks at me. Even after 12 years of marriage, he still makes me blush,” she admits.

“I admire his leadership qualities and social intelligence. He makes strangers feel comfortable and can talk to people easily,” she says.

“He’s really good with plants and animals. He’s like an animal whisperer, even a goose that is a very garang (fierce) animal, will lompat (jump) onto his lap and shoulder,” she says, and the couple laugh.

Norzalifa admits that she was a workaholic before, but with Kalam next to her, she has learnt to relax and enjoy each moment in life.

“I’ve learnt how to pause and just enjoy my afternoon tea with him,” she says.

“When we love each other, every thing else falls into place: the people, the jungle, the animals, the community,” says Kalam. “I can’t really explain why I love her, I just do – she’s also sweet, smart and I like how she smiles.”

Though they have different backgrounds – while Norzalifa is more into arts, architecture and creative design, Kalam is more into engineering and the military, “they complete each other”.

And their community project (The Jungle School Gombak) binds them together.

“Every day is an adventure. There is always something new to do and explore each day,” the couple concludes.