BUKIT MERTAJAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited his former teacher, Ustazah Salmah Abu Bakar, 84, at Cherok Tok Kun Bawah here this morning.
He spent about 20 minutes with Salmah, who is also his Kelas Asas Fardu Ain (KAFA) teacher when he was in primary school at Madrasah Al Itihadiah Al Wataniah.
He studied there for three years.
Accompanied by his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, he also chatted with the other family members and neighbours before he left.
Salmah, when met later, said she was grateful and touched by Anwar's presence after tens of years of not meeting as they had only spoken through the phone before this.
"In my 31 years of teaching, never have I met a student like Anwar. I said to him before that he would one day become a leader.
"I felt moved, shocked and was in disbelief when he called to say that he was coming for a visit.
"Alhamdulillah, when we met just now, I told him that as a leader, he must have three values, honesty, trustworthy and sincerity. InsyaAllah, for as long as I live, I will never forget Anwar.
"He thanked me for the encouragement. I felt good telling him what I had always wanted to say," she said.
Recalling her experience teaching Anwar from Year Four to Year Six before he moved to Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar, Salmah described her student as hardworking and always shared his food with his friends.
"At that time, I was teaching almost every subject, including tauhid, al-Quran, Arab language, sirah, tajwid and fekah, and as such, I am close with all my students and treat them like my own children.
"I used to be strict. Even Anwar was pinched before but when I made a mistake in marking his exam paper, he came to me and pointed it out. I admitted my mistake and his marks were always high," she added.
Salmah, who retired as a KAFA teacher in 1996, is still driving her Perodua Kancil.
It is the mother-of-two's routine to perform subuh prayers at Masjid Jamek Cherok Tok Kun Bawah daily, which Anwar visited earlier for a get-together in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha.