Hana was a young engineer, freshly graduated, full of ambition but sometimes unsure of her direction. In a world where quick success seemed to be the measure of worth, she often felt pressured to “move fast” without always understanding the bigger picture.
But Hana had one hero she quietly admired: Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Not because he was Prime Minister, but because of his habit of reading.
🌱 Seeds of Inspiration
From her teenage years, Hana read about how Mahathir, growing up in Alor Setar, wasn’t born into wealth or privilege. What he had was a library of books, and he consumed everything from history to science, medicine to philosophy. He once said that knowledge is the strength of a nation, and Hana took those words to heart [1].
📚 Learning Like Mahathir
Inspired, Hana made a small but powerful routine—reading one hour every night before sleep. At first, it was hard. Her friends watched dramas, scrolled endlessly on their phones, or slept early. But Hana pushed on.
She started with books on engineering, then biographies of great leaders, and later expanded into philosophy and economics. Slowly, like Mahathir, her thinking sharpened. She could see connections across disciplines—how economics tied into technology, how history explained present struggles, how science shaped policy.
🧠 Reading as Leadership Training
When she became a team leader at her plant, Hana found herself calmer and wiser than her peers. Instead of reacting emotionally, she would pause, reflect, and bring insights from what she had read.
Like Mahathir, she believed leaders must be readers—because decision-making without knowledge is blind.
🌍 Passing It On
One day, a younger colleague asked her, “Kak Hana, why do you always bring a book in your bag?”
She smiled and replied,
💡 “Because Tun Mahathir said, the strength of a people is in their knowledge. I don’t just read for myself—I read so I can lead, and so one day, I can serve.”
And just like her idol, Hana realized her true power wasn’t in her title or salary. It was in the knowledge she carried, page by page, book by book.
📚 Footnotes
1. Mahathir Mohamad emphasized throughout his career that knowledge is the true strength of a people, not numbers or wealth. See: Mahathir Mohamad: Doctor in the House (2011, Memoir).
2. His lifelong habit of reading—encyclopedias, medical texts, political histories, and global literature—was a key influence in his leadership style. Time Magazine – Mahathir’s Views on Knowledge.
3. Quote: “The strength of a people lies not in their numbers or wealth, but in their knowledge.” – Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
#tunm #mahathir #primeminister #blog #blogger #kembarainsan
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