Going his own way since he was 13
JOHOR BARU: At 13, he was supporting himself, washing dishes after school to pay for his books and rented room. Zulhaidi Omar, 29, said he had never been tempted to take the easy way out by dropping out of school or straying into a life of crime. Instead, he worked at restaurants until midnight and washed cars to put himself through secondary school. Zulhaidi: Wanted to taste a life of independenceNow a sales executive with a diploma in Business Administration, Zulhaidi said he was neither abused nor disowned by his family but he wanted to be independent. Unknown to him, he had been swapped at birth during a mix-up at the hospital in Batu Pahat. “By the time I was in primary school, I knew I was different from the rest of my family members as I could tell the difference between their features and my obviously Chinese appearance,” he said at a press conference. After a chance meeting that reunited him with his biological family eight years ago, Zulhaidi now wants to change his name to a Chinese one. Zulhaidi is hoping the authorities would allow him to state his religion as Buddhism on his MyKad. Bandar Baru Tampoi MCA branch chairman Michael Tay said Zulhaidi was never given the chance to choose his own religion because of a mistake made at birth. “Under the Federal Constitution, everybody is allowed the freedom to choose his own religion, but Zulhaidi was never given that chance. “We will try the diplomatic method first through negotiations with state officials and the hospital where he was born. If that fails, then we will have to seek legal recourse,” he said, adding that might even include a suit against the hospital for negligence. State religious officials were unavailable for comment.

Source: TheStar.com.my

Above is the snippet of news of today newspaper published on The Star website regarding a guy who mistakenly swapped his birth certificate 29 years ago. After reunited with his biological parents and now he wish to change his religion from Islam to Buddhist and a Malay name to a Chinese one on his MyKad. Could the government change all that for him? I wonder...

As I do not wish to proceed with this sensitive issue, as I am very amazed with his determination to go on independent by his own at a very young age. 13 years old kid? Earning his own income to support himself throughout his secondary school life? I should said AMAZING.

When I am still at that stage of life, I am still cling myself at home doing my homework with a desk and chair but I still rant about the condition that I am having. After reading this news and I think back, I am ashamed and feel I am really contented for what I am possessing right now.

Somehow I do admire his determination that he possesses. Amazing. No much people do have such a high determination like he do. I think this positive attitude he have definately will have a high impact on his career.

Now I think I should think that I need to plant in myself with this attitude. Determination to make a correct choice in my life cos....

Labels: Thoughts