THE saying that “A mother’s love lasts forever” rings true as Anita Mohamed Ali, 62, who is battling pancreatic cancer, finds strength and happiness in the success of her daughter, national bowler Natasha Mohamed Roslan, the first Malaysian woman to win a title at the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Cup.
For Anita, nothing gives her more joy than seeing her fourth child, affectionately known as ‘Ata’, end the country’s 53-year drought in the women’s category at the 2025 IBF World Cup.
“As a mother, father, and family, of course, we are very happy. Before she left, her goal was to win, and everyone knows that I’m not in good health but she said she wants to do it for me. Alhamdullilah, she did it and I’m happy for her.
“She called recently and told me to stay strong because she wants to win many more times after this. Insyaalah, my prayers will always be with her,” Anita said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.
Anita, who was overcome with tears upon welcoming her daughter home from Kowloon, Hong Kong, said she introduced Natasha to bowling when she was about seven years old as she recognised her daughter’s talent.
As such, Anita admitted to being a bit strict when watching Natasha compete as a child, wanting her to succeed and reach her full potential.
“Even now, at 28 years old, I still accompany her to practice sometimes because, as long as they’re your children, you’ll always see them as little kids.
“So, when I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022, she didn’t want to compete in tournaments but I told her to go. I had surgery to remove the tumour, but some of it remains, and tomorrow, InsyaAllah, I’ll have another checkup,” she said.
The retired teacher described ‘Ata’ as a sweet child who always seeks her family’s blessings before participating in any tournament, adding that her family is committed to supporting her through everything.
Natasha bagged a gold medal in the women’s event and silver in the women’s team event at the 2025 IBF World Cup.
Meanwhile, Natasha hopes to achieve more success in the future, not only for herself but also for Malaysia.
“Winning titles and making history is important to me because it’s not something easy to do. Creating history is a big win for me, SHAKAM (National Sports Incentive Scheme) is just a bonus,” she said.
