She spends most of her time reading. When she’s not reading a physical book, she is reading from her iPad or smartphone or watching educational videos, especially on cooking.

And if she’s not doing any of this, she’s crocheting or making bracelets with beads for her great grandchildren or tending to the herbs she and daughter Dr Khatijah Ahmed have planted in pots on the balcony of their condominium unit.

This is because time is precious to her and gaining knowledge is paramount, no matter one’s age.

“You must never waste time. The 60 seconds in one minute are precious and you must do something useful with your time,” she said at Khatijah’s house in Bandar Utama Selangor.

The diminutive woman with a winsome smile is currently reading “Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics” by professor M Kamal Hassan. It is not exactly a book that most Malaysians would fancy reading.

Habibah, who’ll celebrate her 100th birthday next February, said she reads non-fiction and news reports to be well informed about what’s going on in the nation and world.

According to daughter Ainol Ahmed, her mother even makes notes as she reads non-fiction books.

“She reads anything she can lay her hands on. Sometimes when I come home from work, she will ask me to read something that she had read in the newspaper or book. She will sit next to me and ask me to read it even if I say I’m tired or have much work to do. So, I’ll skim and speed read and she’ll catch me by asking me to tell what I just read.”

But Habibah, who speaks excellent English, does not just read non-fiction. She’s equally at home reading fiction, especially ghost stories.

Habibah, mother of six, grandmother of 16, great grandmother of 31 and great great grandmother of two children, reads books in English and Tamil, but prefers English.

Understandably she promotes the book-reading habit to family and friends. “It’s the best way to stay informed and to improve oneself constantly,” she said.

Ainol said: “We celebrate her birthday every year with a gathering but she refuses any gifts from family members because she says she has everything she needs. Rather, the tradition is that every birthday my mother gives all of us gifts and she only presents books as gifts.”

This Feb 20, it was no different. Except for those who are overseas, every other family member was at Khatijah’s house to celebrate Habibah’s 99th birthday and get a book.

Usually, Ainol or Khadijah will buy the books based on the ages and interests of the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren for Habibah to present on her birthday.

Granddaughter Tasneem Shahrizal, who is doing medicine in Ireland and is down here for a break, said Habibah reads the latest news on her smartphone and then discusses it with her. “She knows what’s happening in Ukraine and Russia, not just in Malaysia,” she added.

One night, Khatijah woke up suddenly upon hearing some unknown voice only to discover her mother listening to a talk on her iPad. Now if she hears some strange voices at night, she knows it’s only Habibah on the iPad or smartphone.

“She is as bad as a teenager; she’s addicted to the smartphone,” Khatijah teased.

Habibah laughed, then said: “We must always search for knowledge.”

Ainol said just before undergoing open heart surgery in 2001, Habibah checked YouTube videos to watch and learn about the procedure. “She wasn’t scared at all.”

Habibah, who uses a simple walker, responded: “You must know what the doctors are going to do to you. I wasn’t scared of finding out, nor did I worry about it.”

Her daughters say when she was 80, Habibah wanted to do a course at an open university but was told they do not accept anyone that old.

The gutsy woman’s interest in learning goes even further back. Habibah revealed: “After giving birth to our first two children, I told my husband I wanted to study but he refused to let me. However, I made sure all my daughters studied well.”

Habibah doesn’t just look healthy, she is still sharp of mind and sound of memory. She can, for instance, rattle off old Tamil riddles without referring to any printed material to jog her memory.

Born in Taiping, Perak, to Kader Mastan and Fatimah Bee Maidin Pitchay, the girl with six siblings studied at the Lady Treacher’s Girls School (now known as SMK Treacher Methodist) from 1930 to 1938.

This was a period when the Indian Muslim community was ultra conservative and girls were not encouraged to study or be employed. But her mother insisted that she study in an English school, so her father relented.

That is the reason she speaks English so well. She also speaks and writes in Malay and Tamil, although she did not go for formal Malay or Tamil classes.

An Englishwoman, whom she recalled as Mrs Pugh, taught her class Malay – and that too very basic Malay, sans grammar – for a brief period. Pugh, the mother of Miss Olsen, the school headmistress, had taught Malay on a voluntary basis.

Most teachers then were Chinese, with some Indians and Europeans, Habibah recalled.

“Our teachers were very good. They were not fierce and we had high respect for them.”

However, she quit school when she was in Standard 7 (Form 3 today) as her father and uncle felt girls did not need to study too much. In 1943, during the Japanese Occupation, she was married off to petition writer Ahmed Kader Ibrahim.

Ahmed died in 1965, leaving Habibah to bring up their six children. And she has done an excellent job of it.

Eldest son Farouk is a self-made man, having worked as a hospital assistant and teacher before going to the US to study human resources and returning to work at several top firms. He is now the managing director of his own firm, ICC Consultants.

Second son Zainal Abidin started off as a clerk, studied accountancy on his own and retired as the head of tenders and projects at Petronas. He currently sits on the boards of a few listed firms.

Daughter Rozinah got married very early because their father insisted that at least one child marry while he was still alive (as he had had two heart attacks earlier).

“She stopped school and got married at 16 to a wonderful man, Mustafa Kamal. She wanted to study and so, after they had two children, my brother-in-law sent her for Montessori training in India. Upon her return, she opened the first Montessori school in Taiping,” recalled Ainol.

Khatijah went to India in 1967 to study medicine, encouraged by Mustafa. After being in government service for a few years, she started her own clinic in Taiping which was set up for her by Mustafa. After her marriage, husband Dr Shawkat Ali joined her at the clinic.

Habibah’s son Ansari studied medicine in England on a Mara scholarship but switched courses to study microbiology. Upon returning, he joined Universiti Malaya as a lecturer and soon became dean. Professor Dr Ansary was one of the pioneers who started Open University Malaysia and is currently Asia e University founder-president.

Habibah’s last child, Ainol, studied law in London – again encouraged by brother-in-law Mustafa. After a few years in a law firm, she started her own in 2005. In 2009 she stopped practising and followed her husband overseas. Upon returning, she tutored at the Open University Malaysia but is currently doing advocacy work with a non-profit organisation called Muslim Central.

Habibah beams with pride when she mentions her children. She’s grateful they heeded her constant refrain about continuously increasing their knowledge and improving themselves.

That advice was also given to her grandchildren, including Tasneem who said she thinks her grandmother is something else. Tasneem said Habibah’s favourite advice is: “Talk less, say more”.

Habibah explained: “It means whatever you say must benefit others, it should not be empty talk.”