Cake and song from media workers, video greetings from old school mates, birthday cards and good wishes from Malaysians.
Members of the press feted Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on his birthday today with a celebration featuring the social distancing that is now the norm because of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
After his daily Covid-19 briefing here this evening, press workers presented him with a cake and sang Happy Birthday to him.
The celebration was held near a display of the birthday cards that Malaysians from all over the country had sent to the doctor who has risen to prominence both here and abroad for leading Malaysia’s campaign against Covid-19.
In a national outpouring of love and gratitude, Malaysians have been wishing Dr Noor Hisham many happy returns of the day on various social media platforms.
The Health director-general, who has been dubbed a “trusted face” by the nation in the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak, turns 57 on Tuesday (April 21).
Dr Noor Hisham, who has a Masters in Surgery and a medical degree from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, joined the civil service as a medical officer in August 1988.
He has been the Health director-general since 2013.
Meanwhile, former students of the Methodist Boys’ Secondary School in Kuala Lumpur came together to wish their old classmate Dr Noor Hisham a happy birthday today.
In a five-minute video, Noor Hisham’s classmates and the school’s principal recorded their birthday wishes for the man who is leading the charge against the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia.
The school’s principal, Brendan Ravi Chandran, said everyone connected to the school from its board of governors to its students looked up to Noor Hisham with respect.