Moved by the recent benevolent gestures of support by King Abdullah for Saudis and non-Saudis alike, an Egyptian expatriate, Syed M. Salem – who works as the branch manager of a supermarket in Al-Khobar – penned an endearing poem praising the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his care and love for his people and expatriates. “The King has a good heart for both Saudis and non-Saudis, and because of this I was inspired to write a poem and send it to him,” said Salem who has been working in the Kingdom for the last 37 years. The theme of Salem's poem is King Abdullah as the “leader of Arab and Muslim countries”. In his poem, Salem said the King speaks less but accomplishes more; supports needy citizens; advocates the freedom of the press and supports journalists; and is a leader who seeks to realize the dream of his people and society. King Abdullah recently sent a message to Salem thanking him for the poem. “I am thankful for the leaders of this country, like King Abdullah, for caring for and hosting foreign workers like me,” said Salem who arrived in the Eastern Province in 1975 when he was just 28 years old to work as civil engineer. He said his first job was with the Royal Commission in Jubail before moving to the Saudi Marketing Company, owner of Farm Supermarket, where he has stayed and worked for 20 years as the branch manager. He has two children, a son and a daughter, who were both born in Saudi Arabia. “My son, who is an engineer, currently works with a Saudi engineering consultancy company.” His daughter, who is also an engineer, works in Egypt. During the more than three decades he has lived in Saudi Arabia, Salem has cultivated a strong connection with Saudis and citizens and expatriates. “I have received many awards and commendations from the government, expatriate community groups, foreign organizations and military establishments, including the various US commands during the Desert Shield and Desert Storms,” Salem said. “I am humbled by these recognitions. “But above all, I am grateful to the leaders of this great country for allowing many expatriate workers like me to avail the opportunities to earn a living for their family. For King Abdullah, I pray that Allah awards him a long life to serve all groups of people in this country.”
