I remember meeting Marina the first time, this was after the Permatang Pauh elections and Malaysia-Today had just been banned. It started out at the fishing place, sitting next to RPK, feeling mighty conscious of what I wanted to say, hoping I didn't spur rubbish and make myself look stupid. As the night moved on, and as everyone was mingling, I remember striking up a conversation with Marina and feeling extremely at ease.
Here was a woman I really admired; you could see the care and love she felt for her husband just by the way she talked about him. I guess it was easy considering both of them share the same aspirations and ideals.
The next time I saw her, was in a totally different scenario. No more party and drinks. RPK had been arrested under the ISA. We were at the Bukit Aman vigil. As Marina stepped out of the car to light a candle, I gave her a hug. Words failed me, what could I say to make her feel better? Words like we're here for you and I'm so sorry for what happened ran through my mind, but I did not feel right uttering those words because how do you say you empathize with a woman whose husband has just been arrested under a draconian law when you've never been through it before?
The third time I met her, was during the vigil opposite Amcorp Mall, the 12th of October. I hugged her, and again I didn't know what to say. As she saw me struggling for words, she said 'don't worry, we'll get through this'.I laughed and told her, these words are what I should be saying to you.
Words failed me that night, now I want to say what I should have said: Marina, don't worry we'll get through this. Justice is a long and hard struggle, but the day when justice is done, the struggle makes it ever so much more meaningful and worthwhile. We will never give up or forget RPK, because we can never forget a man who has given up his liberty in fighting for the rakyat. And we will also never forget the strong, resilient woman who has stood silently by his side, urging him to do what is right.
Showing posts with label Vigil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vigil. Show all posts
I AM WITH RPK
delcapo said...
hey Kell... get your gang down on Sunday... esp if they can bring some instuments & play a few numbers =]
!!!PERFOMERS/ENTERTAINERS/POETS -ALL WeLCOME!!! …
Candle-light Vigil in PJ every SUnday 8pm… with special perfomances, music & poetry…. A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE!!!
Venue: Padang in front of Amcorp Mall, next to A&W Restaurant, Petaling Jaya
!!!PERFOMERS/ENTERTAINERS/POETS -ALL WeLCOME!!! …
Contact delCapo
http://delcapo.wordpress.com/
I have a busy week ahead. My Friday, Saturday and Sunday is chock-full of events; classes, events and functions. But no worries, from now on until they abolish the ISA I keep my sunday evenings free just to hold a candle and wave to the honking cars while sprouting my I AM WITH RPK shirt. See you guys there...I hope!
hey Kell... get your gang down on Sunday... esp if they can bring some instuments & play a few numbers =]
!!!PERFOMERS/ENTERTAINERS/POETS -ALL WeLCOME!!! …
Candle-light Vigil in PJ every SUnday 8pm… with special perfomances, music & poetry…. A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE!!!
Venue: Padang in front of Amcorp Mall, next to A&W Restaurant, Petaling Jaya
!!!PERFOMERS/ENTERTAINERS/POETS -ALL WeLCOME!!! …
Contact delCapo
http://delcapo.wordpress.com/
I have a busy week ahead. My Friday, Saturday and Sunday is chock-full of events; classes, events and functions. But no worries, from now on until they abolish the ISA I keep my sunday evenings free just to hold a candle and wave to the honking cars while sprouting my I AM WITH RPK shirt. See you guys there...I hope!
What else can we do to move mountains?
On September 29, 2008 12:32 AM dbctan said...
I'm a resident at Prima Setapak and I can understand what you're getting at. Blogging does invite all sorts of responses - which is what makes it such a 'hot' medium. Cynics scoff when we say we hope to push for change. But that's ok - these are cynical times. Yet writing about your convictions is like lighting a candle. When we were at the candlelight vigil/march saturday 27 sept it became clear that one candle may be nothing; but many candles brightened the night. Perhaps one blog is nothing in the larger scheme of things, but maybe many blogs have the potential to move mountains?
I posted up this comment to remind myself of why we, as individuals need to get involved in the push for change. I am glad to say, I was finally able to bring a friend along to the Anti-ISA movement on Saturday. Thank you "Ginger", for getting involved and being part of the move for change. It is at this crucial time that every lighted candle counts. I've always been among the youngest who have stood up to be counted. Being young is not an excuse to be ignorant or apathetic, so to the youths out there, I urge you to fight for your own future in this country.
I drove with my headlights on today, to show support for the release of RPK and the abolishment of ISA. Did you do the same? Sadly, I did not see any other cars doing the same on my way to work today. This is an idea I would like to propose to Haris and the rest of the bloggers; we have badges, t-shirts etc etc, what about making car stickers so that other drivers will know why we drive with our headlights on. Maybe it can say something like 'I drive with my lights on to support the abolishment of ISA'.
And to the fisherman's wharf bloggers, Marina, and all the others involved in this push for change, thank you for accepting my thoughts and opinions and thank you also for making me feel counted.
Here is a quote which describes our need involvement, by George H.W. Bush:
"You do not reform a world by ignoring it."
I'm a resident at Prima Setapak and I can understand what you're getting at. Blogging does invite all sorts of responses - which is what makes it such a 'hot' medium. Cynics scoff when we say we hope to push for change. But that's ok - these are cynical times. Yet writing about your convictions is like lighting a candle. When we were at the candlelight vigil/march saturday 27 sept it became clear that one candle may be nothing; but many candles brightened the night. Perhaps one blog is nothing in the larger scheme of things, but maybe many blogs have the potential to move mountains?
I posted up this comment to remind myself of why we, as individuals need to get involved in the push for change. I am glad to say, I was finally able to bring a friend along to the Anti-ISA movement on Saturday. Thank you "Ginger", for getting involved and being part of the move for change. It is at this crucial time that every lighted candle counts. I've always been among the youngest who have stood up to be counted. Being young is not an excuse to be ignorant or apathetic, so to the youths out there, I urge you to fight for your own future in this country.
I drove with my headlights on today, to show support for the release of RPK and the abolishment of ISA. Did you do the same? Sadly, I did not see any other cars doing the same on my way to work today. This is an idea I would like to propose to Haris and the rest of the bloggers; we have badges, t-shirts etc etc, what about making car stickers so that other drivers will know why we drive with our headlights on. Maybe it can say something like 'I drive with my lights on to support the abolishment of ISA'.
And to the fisherman's wharf bloggers, Marina, and all the others involved in this push for change, thank you for accepting my thoughts and opinions and thank you also for making me feel counted.
Here is a quote which describes our need involvement, by George H.W. Bush:
"You do not reform a world by ignoring it."
Why we need to keep the flame burning
I've only had the opportunity to meet RPK once in my life. I wrote about that experience in one of my older posts, here.
He was arrested not too long after. The feelings of anger and sadness were felt among most of the bloggers and people I met. I felt sad and angry too, and a certain kind of emptiness. It was weird, one day you're having dinner, drinking, and puffing away at cigars. Then suddenly, the person sitting next to you just lost his freedom. And this was just from one meeting, imagine his family and friends who've known him for umpteen years, they must feel a deep void within them.
Before, ISA detainees were just names and statistics to me. Now they have histories, lives, family and friends because I finally saw them as human beings, not just a name. I teared when i see their families tear, I feel the same outrage and injustice that their families and friends feel.
We all have this problem as human beings, it's described as limited altruism. This means that we have limited empathy for the plight of others. We say "Oh, pity the poor people" then we go on living our lives like normal. We don't feel until we are affected by it. But when it happens to you, or your family or friends, then it will hurt. Who then, will stand up?
Perhaps the best and simplest way to describe this situation of political apathy and what it leads to is this poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller who described the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
Original
Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.
Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.
Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.
Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.
Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.
Translation
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
So speak out now, before it is too late. Here are the ways you can show support for RPK and the other detainees
He was arrested not too long after. The feelings of anger and sadness were felt among most of the bloggers and people I met. I felt sad and angry too, and a certain kind of emptiness. It was weird, one day you're having dinner, drinking, and puffing away at cigars. Then suddenly, the person sitting next to you just lost his freedom. And this was just from one meeting, imagine his family and friends who've known him for umpteen years, they must feel a deep void within them.
Before, ISA detainees were just names and statistics to me. Now they have histories, lives, family and friends because I finally saw them as human beings, not just a name. I teared when i see their families tear, I feel the same outrage and injustice that their families and friends feel.
We all have this problem as human beings, it's described as limited altruism. This means that we have limited empathy for the plight of others. We say "Oh, pity the poor people" then we go on living our lives like normal. We don't feel until we are affected by it. But when it happens to you, or your family or friends, then it will hurt. Who then, will stand up?
Perhaps the best and simplest way to describe this situation of political apathy and what it leads to is this poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller who described the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
Original
Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.
Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.
Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.
Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.
Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.
Translation
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
So speak out now, before it is too late. Here are the ways you can show support for RPK and the other detainees
Abolish ISA schedules
A) Kuala Lumpur -
Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) will be organizing ” Raya Demand Abolish ISA” on 26th September 2008 at Masjid Jamek.
Date: 26 September 2008
Time: 12noon
Place: Please gather at main entrance of Masjid Jamek (near to Masjid Jamek LRT Station).
Please wear Black and Red coloured clothes to show your solidarity with GMI.
Lets demand for abolishment of ISA and release of all ISA detainees.
For program details please contact Miss Nalini at 019 3758912 or SUARAM office 03 77843525. For direction please call Mr Syed Ibrahim at 013 3682067
Please spread the news to your friends and family and encourage them to come for this event.
B) Penang -
C) Kuala Lumpur -
Venue : Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
Date : Saturday, 27th September, 2008
Time : 7.00pm
Our system has denied justice to 64 ISA detainees.
Are you going to allow them to languish further in Kamunting?
Some of these detainees, like our beloved RPK and the Hindraf 5 spoke out for you and me, spoke up for a better Malaysia, spoke up for our next generation!!
Now is our turn, what can we do for them?
Pick up your candles and join the vigil to repeal the draconian ISA.
JUSTICE FOR RPK, JUSTICE FOR THE HINDRAF 5, JUSTICE FOR ALL ISA DETAINEES.
Suara Rakyat, Makal Shakati!!!
Copied from Shar's Blog. Sorry yah, don't sue me for plagiarism ok?
Speaking from the heart
A while back, a friend of mind commented that my writings were too factual, and never really revealing my emotions. I've been re-reading my older posts, and I realised that I started out with great passion. This passion was ignited by hate and negativity. Hate towards the regime, hate towards life's injustice and hate towards the unfairness in life. This was what drove me to write and condemn the present government ever so often.
This eventually changed after the March 8 elections. The PR government toppling 5 states was symbolic, not only of a new dawn of politics in Malaysia, but symbolic of the passion in all Malaysians alike. It wasn't just a victory for PKR, or PAS or DAP, but a victory for the people, to believe that the choices we make in life lay in our hands.
However, the turn of events after the elections, where there was constant sabotage whether from inside or outside, the continuous manipulation by the mainstream media, the continuous denial by the BN government of our voices led me to write in a humdrum manner. I was sick and bored of seeing the same things over and over again, of how slow things were moving, of constant talks of change but never really changing.
So I tried to extricate emotion from all these happenings, feeling jaded, that perhaps we were fighting a lost cause. I didn't want to be negative, yet I couldn't be positive about what I wrote. So I lost passion for a moment, running out of ideas of how to touch people and reach out to them.
But this past week or so, I have seen things that have made me feel again, and this time hope has returned, however only after tragedy set in. This started with the outrageous arrests of RPK, Teresa and Tan. The feeling of anger and injustice arose yet again. This time I decided, by hook or by crook I will do everything necessary to show my support. So for the past 3 days I have been to all 3 events held to show solidarity for the detainees and the abolishent of ISA. The first was the Bukit Aman vigil,the second being the bloghouse vigil, and finally yesterday the commemoration of Malaysia Day and solidarity to demand for the abolishment of ISA at Kelana Jaya Stadium.
I smsed most of the people listed in my phonebook, but unfortunately, not many showed up among them. Of course they had their reasons, however I couldn't help but feel disappointed that they did not care enough to show up. The past 3 days though, despite not being able to convince any newcomers to come along, has truly ignited my feelings of kinship with other fellow Malaysians. Many of them, from all walks of life, whether they knew the detainees personally, or were regular civilians showed up in solidarity for all 3 events. And 2 of them were on very short notice as well.
We did not do much, except light candles and sing, and listen to speeches. It didn't take a lot of effort. But the feeling of togetherness and unity could not have been any stronger than at those moments in time when all of us, who took the time off our busy schedules to care, felt more strongly united as Malaysians. The common hope and need in all of us for a better Malaysia, brought us together those 3 days, united as a nation, fighting for a single cause; against injustice, inequality and racial divide.
For anyone who feels that they have given up all hope in this nation, I urge you to feel the togetherness at these gatherings. The next time we fight for a cause, be a part of it, make yourself be counted, and you will believe once again in the common goodness of humanity. Though divided we are in language,colour,religion and anything else, at the end of the day you realise that we are all Malaysians, merely seeking to improve ourselves and our surrounding, and that we are really not that different at all.
So for those of you who were not there, I've linked the videos here , here and here . Also, here's a link to a posting on the bloghouse gathering here. To those who were there, thank you for keeping the hope alive in me. I'm truly proud to be a Malaysian because of you.
This eventually changed after the March 8 elections. The PR government toppling 5 states was symbolic, not only of a new dawn of politics in Malaysia, but symbolic of the passion in all Malaysians alike. It wasn't just a victory for PKR, or PAS or DAP, but a victory for the people, to believe that the choices we make in life lay in our hands.
However, the turn of events after the elections, where there was constant sabotage whether from inside or outside, the continuous manipulation by the mainstream media, the continuous denial by the BN government of our voices led me to write in a humdrum manner. I was sick and bored of seeing the same things over and over again, of how slow things were moving, of constant talks of change but never really changing.
So I tried to extricate emotion from all these happenings, feeling jaded, that perhaps we were fighting a lost cause. I didn't want to be negative, yet I couldn't be positive about what I wrote. So I lost passion for a moment, running out of ideas of how to touch people and reach out to them.
But this past week or so, I have seen things that have made me feel again, and this time hope has returned, however only after tragedy set in. This started with the outrageous arrests of RPK, Teresa and Tan. The feeling of anger and injustice arose yet again. This time I decided, by hook or by crook I will do everything necessary to show my support. So for the past 3 days I have been to all 3 events held to show solidarity for the detainees and the abolishent of ISA. The first was the Bukit Aman vigil,the second being the bloghouse vigil, and finally yesterday the commemoration of Malaysia Day and solidarity to demand for the abolishment of ISA at Kelana Jaya Stadium.
I smsed most of the people listed in my phonebook, but unfortunately, not many showed up among them. Of course they had their reasons, however I couldn't help but feel disappointed that they did not care enough to show up. The past 3 days though, despite not being able to convince any newcomers to come along, has truly ignited my feelings of kinship with other fellow Malaysians. Many of them, from all walks of life, whether they knew the detainees personally, or were regular civilians showed up in solidarity for all 3 events. And 2 of them were on very short notice as well.
We did not do much, except light candles and sing, and listen to speeches. It didn't take a lot of effort. But the feeling of togetherness and unity could not have been any stronger than at those moments in time when all of us, who took the time off our busy schedules to care, felt more strongly united as Malaysians. The common hope and need in all of us for a better Malaysia, brought us together those 3 days, united as a nation, fighting for a single cause; against injustice, inequality and racial divide.
For anyone who feels that they have given up all hope in this nation, I urge you to feel the togetherness at these gatherings. The next time we fight for a cause, be a part of it, make yourself be counted, and you will believe once again in the common goodness of humanity. Though divided we are in language,colour,religion and anything else, at the end of the day you realise that we are all Malaysians, merely seeking to improve ourselves and our surrounding, and that we are really not that different at all.
So for those of you who were not there, I've linked the videos here , here and here . Also, here's a link to a posting on the bloghouse gathering here. To those who were there, thank you for keeping the hope alive in me. I'm truly proud to be a Malaysian because of you.
A reminder of tonight.
Monday 15th September 2008.
Venue - Kelana Jaya Stadium.
Time - 8pm.
Note: This gathering at Kelana Jaya stadium has been approved by the authorities.
I'll see u there. Nothing will stop me from being counted.Not at this crucial time.
Candlelight vigil tonight
There will be a candlelight vigil tonight 8.30 pm at Bukit Aman. This is a peaceful event to show protest against the detainment of RPK, Tan and Teresa Kok under the draconian ISA law. I will be there to show support.
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