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ALOR STAR: Locals in Kuala Kedah and Pokok Sena were pleasantly surprised when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak turned up unexpectedly at their doorsteps during his one-day visit to Kedah yesterday.
Besides spending his morning tasting authentic Kedah food and exchanging pleasantries with the people, Najib also visited a rubber tapper in Pokok Sena to contribute aid.
Rubber tapper Mansor Salleh, 60, said he was happy when the prime minister showed up at his semi-wooden house in Kampung Belukar, Pokok Sena, at 4.10pm.
Although the visit was brief, he felt honoured that the top leader was willing to take time off his busy schedule to visit his dilapidated house.
Mansor, who has been living at his family home for about 30 years, said his family depended on well water for daily use, including drinking and cooking.
“I was shocked when I learnt from the village development and security committee chairman last week that the prime minister would be visiting my house.
“My wife, six children and a large group of villagers have been waiting excitedly for his arrival since this (yesterday) afternoon,” he said at his house.
Earlier in the morning, Najib received a warm welcome from some 2,000 villagers at Kampung Seberang Kota in Kuala Kedah when he dropped by at the Gulai Ikan Meletup stall for an authentic Kuala Kedah breakfast.
The 48-year-old vendor, Siti Rohani Mohd Nor, served Najib a variety of Kuala Kedah dishes, including gulai ikan temenung (mackerel curry), ulam (herbs), crispy fried squid and sambal belacan.
Siti Rohani topped her offerings with the hard-to-come-by ikan temenung buang tulang goreng (fried boneless mackerel).
She said she was excited and nervous at the same time when she was informed two weeks ago that the prime minister would visit her humble stall.
Siti Rohani and her workers began preparing Najib’s meal at 4am, as well as for around 1,500 people who visited her stall for a glimpse of the prime minister.
“This was originally my mother’s stall.
“I just took over the business about two years ago, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be serving the country’s top leader,” she said.