Suhaib dah 16 tahun!!!!

Semalam, 24 Nov 2009, umur Suhaib cukup 16 tahun. Pertama kali sejak 7 tahun lalu, dia menymbut hari lahir bersama bapanya.



Hadiah istimewa dari saya dan Abah Suhaib ialah kad ATM dari akaun May bank. Itu sudah cukup membuatkan Suhaib begitu gembia kerana ada kad ATM sendiri. Selama ini segala simpanan hanya dimasukkan di tabung Haji.... jadi tak nampaklah berapa jumlah dan penggunaannya kerana tiada kad ATM untuk menyemak baki akaun tersebut.

"Guna untuk perkara yang penting saja' pesan kami berdua padanya dan disambut dengan sengeh yang berpanjangan. Buat pertama kalinya kami meraikan kelahiran Suhaib di sebuah restoran cake yang agak eksklusif. Moga Allah limpahkan ketaqwaan ,rezki dan kebijaksanaan pada Suhaib. Ameen.

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Lihatlah tamparan wanita....

"Lebih sepuluh tahun PKR diketuai oleh seorang wanita iaitu DS Dr Wan Azizah.." Yb Saari Sungib.

"Peranan wanita terlalu besar dalam PRU 12 yang lalu dan kerja kita memang sangat banyak untuk mengekalkan kemenangan ini" DS Wan Azizah, Presiden PKR.

"Namun, budget Kerajaan beri kurang dari 1 peratus khas untuk wanita dari sejumlah beberapa bilion RM yang dikhaskan untuk rakyat Malaysia.Dimanakah letaknya pengiktirafan terhadap wanita oleh UMNO/BN?" Yb Zuraidah, Parlimen Ampang@Ketua wanita PKR.


" Laila, apa khabar Mat Sah? I think you kena kawal sikit berat badan..." bisik Kak Wan @DSWan Azizah pada saya.


Pertemuan dengan wanita-wanita hebat yang pernah diuji dengan ISA, seperti Kak Aliza dan DS Wan Azizah benar-benar menyuntik semangat yang lebih besar untuk memperjuangkan hak asasi dan kebebasan bersuara rakyat. Kami telah diuji dengan iSA, satu akta yang " meragut dan menghapuskan" semua milik mangsa samada dari sudut spiritual atau material...namun kami berjaya mengharunginya dan melawan semula akta zalim tersebut.

Terimakasih diatas sokongan dan perjuangan semua aktivis dan rakyat Malaysia yang sedar terhadap bahaya ISA dan cintakan keadilan sejagat.

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Kami membakar wanita PKR Penang!!!

Banner Konvensyen Wanita PKR Pulau Pinang.

Bersama wanita-wanita hebat yang menjadi urusetia Konvensyen.

Kak Norsiah sedang mempengerusikan majlis "Talk Show" tersebut.

11.48pm, Taman Keramat, 20 Nov 2009.
Aku menunggu penuh sabar ketibaan kak Aliza@Jije dan suaminya Yb Saari Sungib , untuk bersama-sama meredah malam menuju keUtara .
“Kita akan tidor di Kamunting..” kata kak Jije sambil tersenyum. Aku membulatkan mata Cina ku yang sepet tu. “Its ok…” jawabku lemah.Pak Abu yang kelihatan letih setelah sehari suntuk memenuhi jadual yang agak padat, tenang saja menyusuri lebuhraya DUKE terus ke Jalan Duta. Selepas R&R Rawang, Matrix biru membelok ke sebuah stesen Shell dan berhenti mengejut.”Cikgu boleh drive?” tanya Yb Saari padaku dan dengan segera aku turun dari tempat duduk belakang, terus duduk ke belakang “steering”.


Malam gelap pekat.Hujan turun renyai-renyai. Sebaik saja selesai membaca doa, kereta yang ku pandu terus meluncur membelah lebuh raya. Banyaknya lori!!…getus hatiku.Kak Jije disebelahku dan Yb Saari@Pak Abu di tempat duduk belakang, tidur amat lena …. z.z.z.z.z…..
Sejak Abah Suhaib bebas 15 September lalu, inilah kali pertama aku memandu menghala ke Kamunting, sebuah tempat yang amat kerap ku lawati dan sering memberi igauan buruk padaku dan Suhaib sejak 7 tahun yang lalu. Ku tumpukan perhatian sepenuhnya pada pemanduanku.Sekali sekala wajah Abah dan Suhaib melintasi minda, ku ketepikan dulu wajah-wajah itu buat sementara waktu.
Sesekali mataku menjeling kearah papan tanda hijau ditepi lebuhraya. Behrang, Trolak, Cameron Highland……
“Miss you sayang…” bisik Abah Suhaib ketika aku menyalaminya sebelum masuk ke kereta Pak Abu tadi.
“Alah…tujuh tahun boleh sabar, tak kanlah sehari pun rindu sangat…doakan kami selamat ek” kataku sambil mencium tangannya. Kami sama-sama tersenyum……Rintik hujan yang agak lebat mengganggu lamunanku. “Wiper” kereta ku percepatkan.Aku memandu sekitar 100-120km/j dan sesekali terbabas ke 130-140.Ku jeling ke kiri, lena sungguh Kak Jije tidur.Tak pe laju siket.”Pak Abu dan Kak Jije tidur dan tak perasan dengan meter kereta ni” hatiku berbisik sendiri.Namun, pesanan seorang teman tiba-tiba mengganggu konsentrasiku." Mereka yang memandu laju seolah-olah “late for his/her funeral”.Seram gak teringat pesanan tu.Ku perlahankan setakat 110km/j saja.
Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Sg Perak…semua telah ku lalui.Ohh !!!! dah sampai Cangkat Jering! Penahanan Abah lebih 7 tahun menjadikan aku seorang yang “master’ dengan laluan ke Kamunting hingga aku boleh “membaca” jalan mana selekohnya tajam dan jalan mana mendaki atau menuruni bukit…..
Akhirnya aku membelok ke Kamunting, melekapkan kad “Touch & Go” dan terus menuju ke rumah kawan Pak Abu yang terletak berhadapan Jana Golf Resort.


10.10am, 21 Nov 2009,Dewan Perkeso ,Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang.
“Selamat datang ke Pulau Pinang…” kata Ramlah,si gadis manis salah seorang urusetia program Konvensyen kepada kami bertiga. Beberapa saat kemudian, ku dapati diriku dikelilingi para peserta Konvensyen yang semuanya terdiri dari kaum Hawa belaka.
“Amboi…cantek baju na…sama dengan kaler tema kami…” usik beberapa orang wanita yang pernah ku temui sebelum ini.Mereka masih mengingatiku dan ramah tamah semuanya.
“Baju-baju kurung I semuanya dah sendat. Terpaksa pakai jubah ni … Nampak longgar siket kan?” bisikku pada Rin, Timbalan Ketua Wanita PKR Kedah. Terjerit Rin mendengar penjelasanku. Yang lain terkejut dan bila Rin menceritakan semula bisikanku tadi, wanita-wanita yang disekeliling kami ketawa terbahak-bahak. “Suami dah disisi….itu tandanya bahagia…” ujar Kak Salma, Ketua Wanita PKR Kedah.Aku tersenyum saja, namun kedua-dua belah pipiku terasa panas kerana amat malu diusik sedemikian!!!!
“ Talk Show” yang membariskan aku dan Kak Aliza@Jije bermula. Kak Norsiah, bekas calun ADUN Bertam PRU 2008 lalu adalah moderator majlis.Beliau telah bersedia dengan beberapa soalan –soalan panas khas untuk kami berdua .
Antara soalan-soalan tersebut ialah:-
1-Ceritakan pengalaman dalam usaha memperjuangkan hak asasi suami yang telah dirampas oleh ISA.
2-Apakah halangan-halangn yang dihadapi ketika itu.
3-Wanita Berdaya Harapan Negara – pandangan Puan dalam konteks perjuangan anti-ISA.
Masa satu jam setengah terasa terlalu pendek untuk “talk show” tersebut yang diselang seli dengan persembahan video klip aktiviti GMI. Tak sangka, ramai juga yang menitiskan airmata ketika menyaksikan promo buku dunia Tanpa Suami 2, walaupun buku itu lebih setahun lalu berada dipasaran!!!
“Kami rasa tak puas dengan persembahan tadi” kata beberapa orang peserta Konvensyen kepada kami berdua sambil menyuakan buku DTS 2 untuk ditandatangani.”

Niat yang betul, yakin bahawa tindakan itu akan diredhai Allah, komitment yang tinggi dan konsisten serta banyak bersabar....insyaAllah, tiada apa yang akan menjadi penghalang kejayaan , itulah yang dapat diberikan sebagai menutup persembahan kami.

Semoga luahan kami tadi membakar semangat wanita Penang untuk mempertahankan Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat ya....

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Parliament, not government must decide on ISA - Animah.

From left, Syed Ibrahim, Nalini of SUARAM, me and Kak Animah Ferer.

Me and Kak Animah Ferer of PKR.

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Agreement reached on ISA amendments: Hisham.Home Minister Datuk Hishamuddin Hussein’s recent statements regarding the ISA show very clearly the ruling party’s utter contempt for Parliament. The ISA was enacted by Parliament, and any decision regarding it should be debated and decided by Parliament.



What we have here is another bare-faced attempt to ram a controversial issue through Parliament. It is not the government’s right to decide that the ISA should be amended rather than abolished, but the Home Minister is trying to give the impression that amending is the only alternative, and therefore the government will only entertain views on how it should be amended.Even then, it has limited the scope of discussion to five elements or aspects. Hishamuddin is also misleading us by claiming that the government has consulted a number of NGOs on the matter. This would have been commendable if all interested NGOs had been invited (and their views taken seriously). As it is, major interested parties, such as GMI (a coalition of more than 80 NGOs which all want the ISA abolished) was excluded from the consultation. The fact that the government gained agreement of the NGOs so quickly indicates that only the pliant ones were invited, and their role was simply to give apparent legitimacy to the government’s stand.The ISA was formulated in 1960 to address a specific and concrete threat to national security, that of the Communist insurgency. Since then, not only has that threat long disappeared from the horizon, but the ISA itself has been amended so many times, making it more and more draconian and devoid of checks and balances, that it should have no place on the statute books of any decent nation. It was passed by Parliament, and only Parliament has the right to decide on any change in its status. If, therefore, in view of the rise of more intense terrorist activity in the world in recent times, Malaysians feel there is a need for an emergency law, the entire issue should first of all be exhaustively debated in Parliament, and opinions from any interested individuals or groups should be given a full hearing. If Parliament then agrees there should be such a law, a draft should be prepared by a team of independent and experienced judges/retired judges and law experts, and their proposal again fully debated by Parliament and the general public. We must ensure that any law enacted in this country is consistent with contemporary principles and norms of justice and human rights – which have evolved substantially since 1960.It is widely known that the ruling party has frequently abused the ISA for the purpose of perpetuating its own power, and there are grounds for suspicion that this current move is an attempt to ensure that it will be kept as intact as possible, so that this indispensable tool of repression will remain available.We Malaysians must speak up loud and clear to frustrate this shameful bullying and insist that Parliament is not prevented from doing its job.

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SUARAM is 20 years old this year!!!

SUARAM: 20 YEARS AS DEFENDER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CATALYST OF CHANGE
In 1989, upon the release of the last detainees of Operation Lalang, where 107 individuals were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), several of these detainees formed a human rights NGO called Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) or the Voice of the Malaysian Peoples.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of SUARAM. Through many years of hard work, SUARAM has established itself as a leading human rights organization in Malaysia. Indeed, SUARAM has come a long way since its establishment.


Persistent Defender of All Human Rights
From its genesis in the Operation Lalang and through numerous other landmark events that shaped the sociopolitical landscape in the country, SUARAM has been steadfast in assisting and highlighting the plight of many victims of state oppression.
While beginning as an organization campaigning solely against the ISA, SUARAM’s work has since expanded to cover other areas of human rights. Today, SUARAM runs campaigns, trainings, and documenting and monitoring human rights violations, amongst others. Today, SUARAM’s name is synonymous with the following but not limited to, the campaign and movement to abolish the ISA; campaign to hold the police and other law enforcement agencies accountable for abuses of power; campaigns for the rights of refugees and the freedoms of expression, assembly, association and information; and monitoring the performance of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).
SUARAM is also the only organization in Malaysia that publishes a human rights report on Malaysia every year without fail since 1998. This report is now widely recognized as the most objective, comprehensive and dependable source of information on the state of human rights in Malaysia.
SUARAM’s expansion can also be seen in the size of its staff and membership as well as geographical presence. From only a one member staff in 1989, today, SUARAM has its headquarters in Petaling Jaya and one branch each in Penang and Johor.
Catalyst of Change
True to its vision “[t]o uphold human rights for a society that is equal, just and democratic” and mission “[t]o build a human rights movement through empowerment, advocacy and solidarity”, SUARAM has facilitated many important initiatives in the larger movement for democratic change in Malaysia. Among others, in 1998, SUARAM played a facilitating and leading role in the landmark Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat which linked NGOs with political parties in an attempt to create an alternative front for democracy and human rights in the country.
A more recent watershed event, the ‘Political Tsunami’ of 2008, can also be attributed to the persistent awareness building campaigns by SUARAM, whether on its own or through its roles in various coalitions. To some extent, the multiethnic united opposition front which challenged the hegemony of the Barisan Nasional during the 2008 General Election owes its existence to the Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat which SUARAM led and helped strengthen in 1998.
Nurturing Leaders in Various Fields
Over the years, SUARAM has also consistently produced numerous committed activists and nurtured leaders in various fields.
In politics, a number of Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons were trained by Suaram. Among them are Sivarasa Rasiah (Founder member and current Member of Parliament), Tian Chua (former staff and secretariat member, current Member of Parliament), Elizabeth Wong (former staff and secretariat member, current Selangor State Assemblyperson and Executive Councillor, Dr. Nasir Hashim (founder member and current Selangor State Assemblyperson), Chang Lih Kang (former staff and current Perak State Assemblyperson), and many others. Their solid human rights knowledge and experiences acquired during their time at SUARAM have proven to be instrumental in their work in the political arena today.
Many other former staff and secretariat members have gone on to establish a name for themselves through their work at other organizations within the larger context of the movement for democracy in Malaysia. These include Premesh Chandran (former secretariat member who is a founder of the pioneering online newspaper MalaysiaKini), Irene Xavier (founding member who now leads the Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor) and Eric Paulsen (former staff who went on to work for UNHCR in numerous countries). Some others have gone on to lead NGOs at the regional level.
A few are also currently serving as Local Councilor at Selangor which include Arutchelvan (former staff and current Director), Cynthia Gabriel (former Executive Director. current secretariat member and Executive Director for CARAM-Asia) and Arumugum K. (current Chairperson).
As SUARAM matures and expands itself, it continues to strive to train many more young activists to become leaders who care about justice, democracy and human rights.
20th Anniversary Bash: Fundraising Dinner, 6 December
The purpose of the dinner, themed “20 Years Defending Human Rights”, is to pay tribute to human rights defenders who have fought and sacrificed for the improvement of human rights in Malaysia, as well as to raise funds for SUARAM to continue its human rights work. It is also an opportunity for us to have fellowship and to thank those who have supported SUARAM in its work these twenty years. The dinner will be held on 6th December 2009 (Sunday) at the Banquet Hall MBPJ, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The programmed features the presentation of the 11th SUARAM Annual Human Rights Award., the launch of SUARAM’s latest publication, the announcement of our T-shirt competition winner, and several performances by renowned performers who are also fervent supporters of the cause of human rights, such as Jerome Kugan, Meor and Azmyl Yunor and a musical theater performance directed by Khairun Azwan Rodzi (Director of Erma Fatima’s Musical Sirah Junjungan, Istana Budaya).
Lastly, SUARAM welcomes and thanks all who have contributed and supported its work throughout the years. With your unwavering support, SUARAM will continue to play its role as a defender of human rights in the country in our mutual quest to build a society that is equal, just and democratic.
For more information, please contact SUARAM at 03-7784 3525.

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Terimakasih semua...

"Kawan-kawan Suhaib tu ok lah semuanya...." kata Abah Suhaib kepada ku sewaktu sama-sama melihat mereka melakukan kerja khidmat masyarakat dengan mengecat sebuah rumah teres setingkat baru-baru ini.Kebanyakan mereka tidak biasa melakukan kerja-kerja tersebut namun kesungguhan yang ditunjukkan telah menjadikan rumah yang agak kusam itu bertukar menjadi lebih menarik dari sebelumnya.Aku dan Abah memerhatikan perangai Suhaib dan sembilan orang temannya dari jauh.Sesekali kami tersenyum .Kelakar juga perangai budak-budak tu.Gelagat remaja yang suka mengusik sesama mereka, mendengar musik lembut , mencuri aksi teman-teman menggunakan kamera di telefon bimbit dan kemudian ketawa bersama terkekeh-kekeh... adalah satu pemandangan agak asing bagi Abah namun amat mendamaikan perasaan.

Inilah sekilas dari pelbagai klip video kehidupan yang telah "dihilangkan' dari kehidupannya semata-mata kerana memuaskan hati SB dan 3 orang Menteri Dalam Negeri yang telah memerosokkan kehidupannya tujuh tahun tanpa bicara di Kem Kamunting.
Itulah aktiviti pertama yang dialami oleh Abah Suhaib sejak di keluarkan dari Kemta, dua bulan yang lalu. Peluang untuk melihat Suhaib berinteraksi bersama kawan-kawannya adalah satu pengalaman yang amat didambakan olehnya. Abah sentiasa tersenyum memerhatikan gelagat sepuluh remaja yang bertungkus-lumus mengecat dinding , membuang sawang dan membersihkan lantai rumah itu.

Namun, yang paling mahal ialah, beliau dapat melihat sendiri sikap dan akhlak sebahagian kawan-kawan Suhaib selama ini.Beliau menghela nafas lega, bersyukur pada Allah yang maha kuasa.....walaupun tujuh tahun saat-saat remaja Suhaib telah berlalu tanpa kehadiran, kasih sayang dan bimbingan seorang bapa kandung, namun Allah menggantikan semua kekurangan itu dengan kewujudan teman-teman serta persekitaran yang tidak kurang selesa dan selamat untuknya membesar menjadi remaja normal yang berakhlak mulia.

Afifi, Arodhi, Shazwan, Faez, Aiman,Amin, Syukri,Omar, Muhsien dan "Oren".....terimakasih kerana sudi menjadi sebahagian dari teman Suhaib selama ini.

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Pelancaran Perlembagaanku, Bar Council.

Semua tetamu dihadiahkan buku comel Perlembagaanku dan beberapa flyers lain berkenaan hak asasi rakyat Malaysia.

Peguam Hj Sulaiman dan isterinya bekas salah seorang pesuruhjaya SUHAKAM, Mehrun Siraj antara tetamu jemputan yang hadir.

Majlis tu tak lengkap tanpa kehadiran kami dari Gerakan mansuhkan ISA termasuk dua orang peguam dari Legal Aid iaitu Fadiah(pink) dan Tina(coklat).

Seperti biasa, sebaik saja tiba di Auditorium Bar Council, ramai aktivis muda dan veteran dari kalangan peguam dan NGO, yang menyapa serta bertanya khabar terkini tentang diriku.Selesai saja mendaftar, aku melerek tempat duduk dihadapan tetapi nampaknya dah penuh."Full house"!!!.Sambil menunggu ketibaan VVIP iaitu Datuk VK Liew, Timbalan Datuk Nazri Aziz, aku mengambil gambar dan berbual-bual dengan beberapa orang peguam yang pernah melawat Abah Suhaib di Kem Kamunting.Masing-masing meluahkan rasa gembira kerana Mat Sah akhirnya dibebaskan dari kem itu.

Aku sempat mengambil gambar Peguam Hj Sulaiman dan isterinya Mehrun, dimana mereka berdua sering mengeluarkan pandangan serta pendapat yang amat tepat berkenaan hak asasi rakyat Malaysia.

Majlis pelancaran yang sepetutnya bermula jam 3 petang telah bermula hampir sejam lewat dari perancangan asalnya.Aku terpaksa meniggalkan majlis agak awal kerana ada sedikit urusan dirumah.Namun , sebelum aku melangkah keluar dari dewan yang padat itu, terdengar ucapan Pengerusi Perlembagaanku, Sdr Edmund Bon, bahawa program ini adalah satu titik permulaan bagi rakyat Malaysia untuk mengetahui hak mereka untuk meneruskan kehidupan dengan tenang di negara tercinta ini.

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