KUALA LUMPUR: Uncle Hashim’s name may not ring a bell among Malaysians here. But this person is not your ordinary uncle in his home country.
In Australia, Abdul Rahman Hashim can be considered a famous person.
His years of voluntary service to the Canberra Muslim and Malaysian community have not only earned him a place in the hearts of the community but also recognition by the Australian government, which awarded him with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in conjunction with the Australia Day celebration yesterday.
Just three years after migrating to Australia in 1969, Rahman had already initiated the Australian Malaysian Society as an effort to bring Malaysians in Canberra together.
“The idea was to look after them. The major problem was that there was no halal meat. So, with a couple of friends, I initiated a discussion with the federal government and they made it legal for halal slaughtering,” he said in an interview with ABC radio, shared through the Anil Sabah Al Ahmad Masjid YouTube channel.
Throughout his years in Canberra, Rahman had also volunteered in Canberra Hospital as pastoral carer to Muslim patients, especially when his wife was also treated at the hospital for cancer.
Despite his age, the 79-year-old still teaches the Quran on a voluntary basis to the Muslim community as well as conducts Islamic funeral and burial services in Canberra.
“We train people but many are reluctant because you see all sorts of bodies, normal and also deaths caused by accident. So, you need to be able to handle all that,” he said.
According to an article by Australasian Muslim Times, the social activist was recognised for his career with the Australian Public Service. He had also been awarded Rotary’s highest recognition, the “Paul Harris Fellow”, in 1987 during his membership with the Canberra City Rotary Club.
He was also involved in the establishment of various societies, including the Canberra Council for Overseas Students, Malaysian Students Association, Canberra Muslim Students Association and the Australian Malaysian Society during his younger days at the University of Canberra.
His latest effort was the launching of the Australian Muslim Aged and Respite Care, a platform to serve the Muslim community in Canberra and make use of the government-paid welfare services with the objective of providing the Muslim elderly with a comforting, home-like environment with full medical care.
The community newspaper explained that the award was granted by the governor-general of Australia as a recognition of his enthusiasm and passion to provide for the Muslim community in the country. - FMT
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