AUGUST 31 ― A colleague is retiring today. What a day to retire, huh? She is past her retirement age but looking at her, age is rightly just a number. But she is retiring.

Come tomorrow, she will have retired. And so goes another woman out of the country’s labour force whose female participation is low compared to other South-east Asian nations.

Although females made up 47.7 per cent or nearly half of the Malaysian population in 2020, their participation in the labour force last year was only 55.5 per cent compared to neighbouring Singapore with 69.7 per cent and Thailand’s 66.8 per cent.

Last week on August 25, the country celebrated the 60th Women's Day. Today it celebrates its 65th Merdeka Day, which is also a special day for the female better half of me. But here and now, I am going to celebrate my female colleague and friend.

As best wishes were extended to her yesterday on her last working day, I recalled the words that were said to me as I reported for my first day at work: "Mr Hafiz, be humble, be respectful and extend common courtesies.”

Thirty years on (I shouldn't be sharing the number of years, should I?) I'm in awe of the three virtues ― humility, respect and courtesy ― in the person of my colleague and friend.

You’ve just got to believe there are humanists out there, I guess. He or she may no longer be at the workplaces, but is your friendly neighbour.

Happy Merdeka my friend. And Happy Merdeka Day to my better half, Keluarga Malay Mail and readers.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.