Well-deserved: Sultan Ibrahim (second from left) presenting the award to Tong at the celebration in Putrajaya. Also present were Anwar (left) and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar (right). — Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, presented awards at the national-level Maulidur Rasul celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here.
Among those who received the award was Michael Tong Wai Siong, who adopted and took care of three Malay boys.
The 55-year-old businessman, known fondly as “Uncle Mike”, said he loved carrying out welfare activities as a member of his car club.
It was during a visit to a boys’ home in Gombak that he met three orphaned Malay boys whom he later adopted.
“I only wanted to adopt one boy named Rafei Ahmad Fauzi who was 12 then. But his two brothers were sad to be separated, and I decided to adopt all three brothers,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.
Rafei, now 29, and his brothers Rasyid, 28, and Abdul Rahman, 24, have lived with Uncle Mike for nearly 16 years.
Their love for Tong has not diminished despite he is not their real father. His three adopted sons also joined him at the event.
Also named as the recipient of the national-level Anugerah Perdana Maulidur Rasul 2024 award was Sarawak Mufti Datu Kipli Yassin, who was appointed as mufti of Sarawak on March 1, 2010.
The other recipients were Persatuan Persaudaraan Muslimah Malaysia president Datin Aminah Zakaria, Sabah Islamic Religious Council supreme council member Datuk Ab Jamal Sakaran and microbiologist Prof Dr Khatijah Mohamad Yusoff, Bernama reported.
Other recipients of the award are former honorary fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding Prof Emeritus Dr Shaharir Mohamad Zain, Deaf Advocacy and Well-Being National Organisation Malaysia president Sariah Ibrahim.
Separately, Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, extended Happy Malaysia Day greetings to all Malaysians.
Their Majesties conveyed their greetings through a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page.
Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Zarith Sofiah also prayed for Malaysia’s continued protection, blessings and enduring prosperity.
“Tolerance and respect for one another, regardless of religion or race, have always been the backbone of our national unity.
“I consistently emphasise that unity in our multi-racial society is the most meaningful gift to me,” Sultan Ibrahim said.
Malaysia Day is celebrated on Sept 16 to commemorate the formation of Malaysia.
