My Dad, First Admiral Ramli Samjis, born in 1944 to Javanese immigrant Grandpa Samjis, who was a family man and a hospital clerk. Atuk Samjis passed away when Daddy was 17, leaving his wife and son without a breadwinner. Daddy decided it would be best to drop out of school, before completing form 6. He started looking for a job through the newspaper and came across an ad from the Royal British Navy about recruiting cadet officers for their Far Eastern Fleet to represent Malaya. He made it to the UK. He returned to Malaya in 1964, sent to defend the front from invading Sukarno forces. He found a beautiful Minangkabau wife and became a First Admiral at 39. Later, he became the Chief of Logistics for the Malaysian Armed Forces. Daddy had four sons, including himself, and lived until his 75th birthday. During his peaceful death, he was surrounded by family members and friends he gained during his schooling days. Daddy lived his Navy life with contentment and without regrets, leaving a legacy of service and friendship.
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