by Citizen Journalist Chan Lilian
This is for my own personal reflections. Please view the above video and hear what YB Lim shared about his detention under the ISA twice.
So, in my entire life, I never even dream that I will one day sit down, one-to-one, and talk to the man himself. He is like that iconic symbol of the rocket. The white shirt, the shiny hair, square jaw, square shoulder and the glasses. I remember following his ceramahs in the 80s and early 90s but was never impressed because at that time, I was working in a company which DAP used as part of their election campaign. You know lah, I was faithful to my employer and when DAP kept accusing my bosses of things, I surely defend my company, right? Corruption (to me back then) is but a mere ‘kamcheng’ I scratch your balls, you scratch my back kind of ‘friendship’.
Then, the only two times I saw Lim Kit Siang in person was at the Air Putih service centre opening. I was too nervous to even ask to have a photo taken with me. My hubby got impatient holding the camera, with me who whispered, “Aiyerrr..I dare not ask, but I want to take picture with him, how lah…sked….dunno he can scold me or not…..” So, my hubby the impatient man loud loud said, “Go lah…” and LKS heard and turned around so I boh pien had to meekly stood next to him and snap one photo.
Then, the second time was at LKS’s house because my sifu from Mkini asked me to go video. It was urgent. That was one nervous situation because I didn’t even know why I have to go to LKS’s house to cover what story.
For the ISA interview, actually, I was supposed to arrange for one of the CJ in KL to interview LKS. But somehow, he was in Penang so he gave me the green light. I tell you, I was damn nervous. Breakfast also tak lalu already cos tension betul. I got the appointment in the morning and already psyche myself ‘I think I can, I think I can, I think I can’. But lucky CM also gave me the appointment. So, after I went to Komtar, I feel less nervous already. Yet, I skipped lunch because I was still veerrrryyyy kancheong.
But it turned out that inspite of the very strict, very stern and very DAP facade, LKS in person is a very friendly. Phew…..Mrs. Lim is very sweet. She excused herself when I was interviewing YB Lim. We don’t usually see Mrs. Lim in the limelight but YB Lim paid tribute to her that the women are the bravest. Hmmm…one day I must get an exclusive interview with her because she must be one very extraordinary woman to went through so many trials and tribulations being Mrs. Lim and also the mother of the CM.
I am so thankful for the honour and opportunity to meet and talk to the man himself. After the interview, I cabut fast fast after a drink of water. Wuah…then only I realised I am very hungry and went to makan before I go home.
#1 by ekompute on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 3:38 pm
It is hard to determine whether you are friend or foe. But one thing I am sure…. the moment you feel someone criticizes your posts, whether real or imaginary, you will act worst than UMNO. No power yet and I see your arrogance, what if you were given some small government posts?
Anyway, as LKS says, ISA is a good sabbatical, unless he has special treatment inside. Is ISA really that bad once you past 50? And if it is Operation Lalang, so much the better…. you get to make so many friends inside, a holiday camp, so to speak, LOL.
#2 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 7:54 pm
“Anyway, as LKS says, ISA is a good sabbatical, unless he has special treatment inside.” (ekompute)
It is good that LKS can take such big adversary as the ISA solitary confinement as a blessing in disguise. LKS’s strong determination to take up the opportunity to study law in Kamunting Detention Centre was a good example (but a rare one) for the high moral value of endurance, perseverance and persistence.
“Is ISA really that bad once you past 50? And if it is Operation Lalang, so much the better…. you get to make so many friends inside, a holiday camp, so to speak, LOL.” (ekompute)
ekompute, you may be a bit over-optimistic when you think that you are able to make many friends while being kept in the solitary confinement under the ISA. Holiday camp??? I think if the Investigation Officer doesn’t like you, the treatment you receive in the ISA camp may be even much worse than what Teoh Beng Hock got. For your information, I had to wait for two weeks in order to get the medical treatment on my pinkeye disease, which had been passed on to me by lockup mates in the crowded lockup of a police station.
You are the only person whom I have met in so far childishly holds the opinion that ISA detention camp is like a holiday camp! Do you know that when an ISA detainee is instructed to come out from the solitary confinement room, his eyes have to be covered? If the camp guard tries to play him out by giving him a false direction instruction, he will most likely fall into the dirty foul-smelling longkang with some blue black stains on his skins or on his forehead.
In the ISA camp, if the camp guard doesn’t like you, then the rice pack you receive will most likely be added with some sands. And I can assure you that you are bound to meet some racist Malay guards in the ISA detention camp!
#3 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 8:24 pm
“If no, then may I pray for your salvation from the possible devilish attack!” (Onlooker Politics)
“No power yet and I see your arrogance, what if you were given some small government posts?” (ekompute)
ekompute,
This is the first time I have met someone who commented that I acted arrogantly by my suggesting to pray for his salvation!
Sorry, perhaps your religion and my religion simply have a big difference which provides no room for reconciliation between you and I. Anyway, I still wish you good luck if you think that the ISA detention is like attending a holiday camp!
#4 by ekompute on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 9:15 pm
“This is the first time I have met someone who commented that I acted arrogantly by my suggesting to pray for his salvation!”
Yes, because you are acting as if your religion is THE true religion for everyone. I don’t know what religion you are but not everyone believes in Christianity:
US President John Adams said: “I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved — the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!”
And George Carlin says: “I would never want to be a member of a group whose symbol was a guy nailed to two pieces of wood.”
Well, I suggest you pray for your own salvation then. Let’s not act as hypocrites.
#5 by ekompute on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 9:29 pm
Hi Onlooker Politics, I have printed some of your posts so that I can apply for you to come along when I go to Kamunting Holiday Camp, LOL. I hope your own prayers are effective towards your own salvation.
Don’t worry about mine. What I detest most are hyprocrites who think that God is at their beck and call, and that their prayers are effective.
#6 by ekompute on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 9:33 pm
“This is the first time I have met someone who commented that I acted arrogantly by my suggesting to pray for his salvation!”
What do you call a person who thinks that God is at his beck and call? If arrogant is not the right word, please suggest a better word.
#7 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 9:38 pm
“Well, I suggest you pray for your own salvation then. Let’s not act as hypocrites.” (ekompute)
ekompute,
I recommend a good article from a Malay for your reading. Below is the last part of the article titled “Cry my beloved Malay soul”, which was authored by AB Sulaiman on Feb 6, 2009 10:51am.
“Blinded by sentiment
We do not see that things can be seen and interpreted in many alternative ways. We feel we have the monopoly on truth; we therefore think that we are right all the time and other people are wrong all the time. Witness the way we see religion for example.
We think that we as Muslims are right and other people who profess other religions are wrong, all the time.
We need to cry for thinking that we can and have doctored the way the people think and do things. We have been intimidating the people with what they can read or write or think and do.
We seem to be saying “you can think anything, do anything, write anything so long as it does not criticise or condemn the government”.
Soul-searching and resuscitating is not or should not be about pointing accusing fingers at some bogeys. That would be a most negative thing to do. It would be better for us to be open-minded and be able to identify our own strengths and weaknesses.
We improve upon our strengths and dump our weaknesses. Mainly we must be able to develop the awareness that we have both the strengths and weaknesses in the first place.
To illustrate, the NEP has proved many time over as a failed strategy for our socio-economic advancement. Let us be aware of this in the first place and move on seeking other ways with better chance of success.
How about secularizing the Malay mind? It might make for a good start for we can see many of the don’ts, can’ts, musn’ts dissipating into the wind.
In the meantime, here we are in the early days of a new year. We should begin by realising that whatever ‘smart’ moves we had undertaken all this while have not really been that smart after all.
The joke is on us. Everybody says so [UTF-8?]?? the liberated Malays, the non-Malays, our neighbors and the rest of the international community. Only those of us basking in our closed mind and benefiting from the profits of the status quo say it’s alright.
In the meantime, cry my beloved Malay soul.” (By AB Sulaiman)
#8 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 10:11 pm
“What I detest most are hyprocrites who think that God is at their beck and call, and that their prayers are effective.” (ekompute)
ekompute,
I believe that if anyone of us who has faith in God and cares enough to pray hard to God in order to ask for supplication, God will listen. However, whether a person’s prayer is effective or not will all depend on God. It is always my belief that when we ask something from God, then this “something” will be given to us. The most important thing is to ASK. If God agrees that we can have this “something”, then it will be given to us.
However, there are also times that God may be in the opinion that even though this “something” which we ask may be good to us, it will not be given to us too soon too hastily, lest we do not know how to handle it properly at present because we are still lack of knowledge or capability to resist bad temptation which may be brought about by this “something”! Therefore, God will tell us to WAIT until the time is right. Then only this “something” will be given gracefully to us!
Occasionally, there are also times that we may fail in getting what we want badly from God, no matter how hard we pray! When God thinks that this “something” which we ask is no good to us, then it will not be given to us, lest it will bring more harm than good to us! Sometimes I tend to ask God to give me a visa for migrating to a western country. However, God may think that it is no good for me to live in a western country because I may be tempted to indulge myself in the lifestyle of sexual immorality because of sexual openness in the western country. When this is the case, then most probably God will not create a situation which allows me to get an immigrant visa for migrating to a western country.
Whatever God gives, delays or rejects us, it is all decided on one good reason. It is solely for the well-being of us in the eyes of God with God’s own wisdom, which sometimes surpasses the human understanding!
If you care to ask God for what you want, I believe God will give you what you want if it is good for you to have what you ask for!
#9 by ekompute on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 10:34 pm
Onlooker Politics, I don’t know what you are driving at. Are you trying to tell me:
* not to write so much in this forum;
* not to attack UMNOputras; or
* to write favorably about UMNO?
As far as I know, the safest thing to do is not to participate in this forum, if you really want to play safe.
In 1972, Marcos declared martial law after his Defense Minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, was “ambushed” by terrorists, an incident which was revealed by Enrile himself years later to be faked. The martial law declaration led one high-ranking American official to describe the Philippines as a country composed of “40 million cowards and one son of a bitch”.
#10 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 10:55 pm
“Onlooker Politics, I don’t know what you are driving at. Are you trying to tell me:
* not to write so much in this forum;
* not to attack UMNOputras; or
* to write favorably about UMNO?” (ekompute)
ekompute,
If you believe that what you are trying to articulate here is something which will serve the righteousness and justice of God, then why should you stop doing it?
However, since we live in a fallen world, the jail risk is always real for anyone who attempts to criticize the power-that-be. Nevertheless, I believe that with our prayers, we can rely upon the divine intervention or the divine intercession to get us out of the risky situation.
May God bless you in the course of your continuing e-commenting!
#11 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 - 11:01 pm
‘In 1972, Marcos declared martial law after his Defense Minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, was “ambushed” by terrorists, an incident which was revealed by Enrile himself years later to be faked. The martial law declaration led one high-ranking American official to describe the Philippines as a country composed of “40 million cowards and one son of a bitch”.’ (ekompute)
ekompute,
This is a sad tyrannic story to hear about!
I heard that Najib is a fast learner. I hope he will never read your story, lest he will learn to be a copycat!
#12 by ekompute on Thursday, 27 August 2009 - 3:36 am
Voltaire says: “It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.” You mentioned: “I heard that Najib is a fast learner. I hope he will never read your story, lest he will learn to be a copycat!”
Onlooker Politics, you are insulting Najib’s intelligence. Look at how versatile he has been at handling matters. He has more tricks up his sleeve than anyone can think of. He doesn’t need to learn from Marcos.
As you know, emergency rule was introduced by his dad in 1969, 3 years earlier than Marcos. And the circumstances for the declaration, according to declassified documents at the London Public Offices, were some what similar to Marcos. In other words, Marcos learned from Malaysia. Malaysia has nothing to learn from Philippines, except maybe bomb-blasting all the Opposition leaders dead, if ever they have a rally together.
But that is not the point. I was really confused where you were coming from. I think I feel safer with SpeakUp and monsterballssgoh as they never try to intercede to God for my salvation, LOL.
#13 by ekompute on Thursday, 27 August 2009 - 2:51 pm
See mywebsite: http://malaysian-politics.dummipedia.org/Billi_Lim