Sunday, October 12, 2008

Aristotle: What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.

SIEW HOON & MERINNE

SIEW HOON was seen every day last week at the Sedition Trial of RPK. As this goes to post Siew Hoon is on her flight back to New Zealand. She came into town because she wanted to attend Pete's trial. Merinne is her eyes during the week of the court-hearing.

Since Monday last, at sharp 7:30 each morning her car is outside Marina's house, ready to give Marina a ride to the PJ Sessions Court. What's with this blind lady. Hasn't she got better things to do than to attend court? I had the opportunity to ask her this on that Thursday when court was adjourned for the prosecution to amend their defective charges against RPK.

Tell me about your sight impairment, I asked Siew Hoon. Before delivery of her child she was faced with a chilling decision. The gyne put it very firmly and honestly to Siew Hoon: You have a choice. You child lives but you have to lose your sight. Siew Hoon gave life to her child and accepted this world of darkness.

So what's with you and Raja Petra? I asked.
Her story: We had all moved in to this new community in Sg. Buloh and the usual petty thefts were regular occurances. Raja Petra organized the Rukun Tetanga for our taman. We lived opposite each other. Raja was always thinking about the welfare of others. One night, a thief had got into my house through the roof. When the alarm was raided Raja Petra chased the thief down the road, giving little thought to his own safety. That was Raja Petra.....others before self. When news broke that he was to be brought to court, the least I could do for this champion of the people would be to lend my support by being there. I am grateful that my friend Merinne is my seeing eyes throught these four days. I thought the trial would be over by tomorrow (Friday) and I had booked my glight back to NZ on Sunday.....but I will be with you in spirit.

A SINGLE SOUL DWELLING IN TWO BODIES

THAT'S FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO ARISTOTLE.

But Siew Hoon left this at Malaysia Today before she departed:


Dear Malaysia Today family,

I am deeply touched and overwhelmed by the words of encouragement and would like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I would like to share with you these convictions which I shared with RPK when I hugged him;

RPK; 'today you and I are in the same world. You are under ISA and I am in my blind world. Though they have blindfolded you, handcuffed you and put you in solitary confinement and denied you basic human rights, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.'

As Marina has said, all those who visit Malaysia Today have become one large family of those under ISA. We all come from different walks of life, race, religion and culture. I assured RPK and Marina that we are now RPK's eyes, ears, mouth and legs and our hearts will carry his love for all Malaysians.

So let us in unity keep the Malaysia truly Asian and Malaysia Boleh Spirit alive!

Siew Hoon
Currently overseas

P.S. this is my first ever posting with the help of my good friend Malgal. Wow RPK's spirit is so powerful that even the Blind is Cyberly alive!



+++++

In the little time we had together Siew Hoon shared with me some of the sayings from Helen Keller, her inspiration:

* Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose

* The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart

* Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.

* Is there anything worse than being blind? Yes, a man with sight and no vision.

*****
Until December then Siew Hoon, you take care.
from all the members of the MT family.


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you Siew Hoon.

Your post reminds me of what Gandhi once said;

"We must be the change that we want to see in this world"

God bless you.

Anonymous said...

Everyone associated with RPK is an inspiration. I cannot make it personally to the trial tomorrow but my husband will be there on our behalf.

Anonymous said...

Why can't our politicians and their party stooges speak like Siew Hoon; talk like Siew Hoon; write like siew Hoon?

Only ONE answer: They are bloody corrupt !!

Corrupted with the sins of personal greed; personal glory; personal gain; selfishiness; no sense of sacrifice; no mercy in their hearts; no principles; not a tiny will to serve before God, King and Nation.

And yet there are equally deceitful souls that are upholding this rape of our times. The mantra is "WHO CARES."

All these must stop.

Looks like it is time to take a lesson or two from our neighbouring nations. No? Why not?

Anonymous said...

Bernard:
I am totally lost for words. We will continue to pray for all these good people.

Anonymous said...

True Grit. Something you do not see much in Malaysian hearts these days. Have we not been too much consumed with our material wealth and catching up with our neighbours with their gleaming Mercs and BMW's? Power, Status, Datuks and Yang Berhomats, fat bank balances are all the order of the days. Nothing else matters. This is the mindset of today's lifestyle. Rich and famous. BTW, who's RPK anyway?
malsia1206

Chicken Feet aka KaKiaYam said...

you and haris should be in the business of making people cry...sigh...

SFGEMS said...

Dear Bernard

This comes to mind when I think of you.

Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.
-- Lady Bird Johnson

I think I saw you at Padang Timur but was not sure and didn't say hello, you were surrounded by so many people. Maybe next time, okay.

It was my first time and I was so anxious (I don't know why) but I'll be there again next Sunday.

Estrelita

Unknown said...

SIEW HOON. You are a good woman, as RPK is a good man. Marina is good housewife, when Pak Lah is as good as dumb and Pak Najib is as good as Mule, fat and daft.

Anonymous said...

Zorro,

thanks

Siew Hoon

thanks

u guys make a diffence in a world tat is so indifferent

god bless u both

cheers

sp lim said...

It has been such an honour to have shook her hand and sat beside her in court last Thursday. And I didn't know she was blind. I guess physically she is but not otherwise.

To modify Helen Keller's quote.

Is there anything worse than being blind? Yes, a man with sight but without compassion

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

This is the interview (on Thur. 9th Oct. 2008) I've been waiting for
To show to the whole world 'That's what friends are for!'
When there's a worthy cause to stand (& even die) for
We finally realise, deep within us, what on earth we are here for

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 121008
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 12th Oct. 2008.

Anonymous said...

What a brave and unselfish lady. She is an inspiration for the weak and a champion to those for seek for truth...like RPK!
I am touched by this fine and decent lady. May GOD restore her sight through the advancement of medical technology, one day.
My thoughts and prayers are with her, I shall remember her kind face, giving strength to overcome adversity.
Siew Hoon, it is hard to find another lady you, GOD bless.

Anonymous said...

wow!
both rpk and siewhoon are really inspiring. am glad to be part of this struggle.
bless both rpk, marina and siewhoon, and everyone who fights for the cause of justice. You too Uncle Bernard!

Anonymous said...

This article about Siew Hoon made me teary. She really is an angel.

I took last Friday off so I could be in court but learnt that the trial has been postponed. Will see if I can take time off on Nov 10 - 12.

Bernard, I am sure many singles like me would like to take part in the candle light vigils but have no idea how to get there. Is there a way something can be arranged? I live in Pandan Indah and would like to car pool with anyone from there. Don't mind paying the petrol.

Anonymous said...

We Dream with RPK -- LET FREEDOM RING
Upcoming: Anti-ISA Candle-light Vigil in PJ on Sunday, 19th October, 8pm

http://iwfrpk.blogspot.com/2008/10/we-dream-with-rpk.html

Venue: Padang in front of Amcorp Mall, next to A&W Restaurant, Petaling Jaya (Map)
Time: 8pm
Date: Sunday, 19th October, 2008

Please bring along your own candles & wear your RPK t-shirts; most importantly bring a friend. Let's show our support to RPK & family, and all of the ISA detainees. T-shirts will be available for sale on-site subject to stock availability.

Supporters of RPK & Malaysia-Today
===

I HAVE A DREAM (excerpts)
Martin Luther King Jr., at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (August 28, 1963)

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force ...

... No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive ...

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together ...

This is our hope ... With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day ...

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

---
Distribution statement: Accepted as part of the Douglass Archives of American Public Address (http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu) on May 26, 1999. Prepared by D. Oetting (http://nonce.com/oetting).

Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise redistribute this file, provided this distribution statement is included and appropriate point of origin credit is given to the preparer and Douglass.

Richard Loh said...

Sorry Bernard side track a little.

Freedom Of The Press, the way rockybru sees it.

Anonymous said...

Zorro whats wrong with your fren Rocky la .. why is he making such a statement or a stand, you should taruk him la bro... what kind of man is he to say that he supports Cheras UMNO's call .. Do something la Zorro ...

Salam

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

Chanced to be around when Siew Hoon was being interviewed by Bernard as well
She was indeed a remarkable lady with a calm pleasant smile that looked swell
At great length she was able to share, relate and on Peter's goodness dwell
She spoke with such sweetness and sincerity that everything she said still rings a bell

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 101008
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Fri. 10th Oct. 2008.

Anonymous said...

My contribution on Siew Hoon is here:
Post #13 http://tindakmalaysia.com/tm_forums2008/index.php/topic,12.0.html

She is a brave and remarkable lady. Proud to have met her.