Untold Stories about Guan Eng Untold Story about Guan EngI had written 2 paragraphs about my visit to Guan Eng when he was serving his sentence in Kajang Prison. I made that visit in October 1998 together with Chong Siew Chiang. I had merely written that during that visit in Kajang Prison, Chong Siew Chiang and I had a heart to heart talk with Guan Eng for 1 hr. 45 minutes in respect of his legal case which had cost him his freedom, political office, professional career, pension and much else besides. I had said that it was a sad but eventful meeting. I was economical in my words. There is one aspect of my visit to Guan Eng that day that I did not write about. Actually, I could not write about it, because it was so, so humiliating and sad. I did not write about it because Kit Siang did not want me to see it. But I did see what Kit Siang desperately tried to let me not see it.
Kit Siang was supposed to drive us to Kajang Prison. He was busy that morning and our departure from our HQ was delayed a little. Kit Siang was speeding like nobodys business. When we arrived at the Prison, we checked in at the office. It was at this time that I saw the prisoners walking out in their prison uniform for row calls at the wardens office. They had to squat in rows, every time and every day that they did so, and the prison wardens would call their numbers. As I walked in, I saw the familiar face of a prisoner with an unfamiliar crew hair cut. He was squatting at the front row. Both his hands were placed over the back of his head We had a split second eye contact but I pretended not to see It was very dissimilar to those other cases when I was required to visit the prison as a lawyer. Half an hour later, we met. Kit Siang did not join us. I would not know where he had gone to. Guan Eng started by saying that he wanted me to send a message to Party members and supporters in Sarawak not to despair over his fate. Tell them that they can break my back, but they cannot break my soul. As we discussed his case, I knew that he was not well at all. He was pale and complained of body pain. He also complained that he had not consumed sufficient salt, the food being tasteless. We were worried that his fragile body wont take him through. We were concerned about his safety in there. He assured us that the inmates there had treated him alright, that they all knew that he was wronged. It was unbelievable that even when he was at the pit of his life, he had his heart for the Party members, in our case, the comrades in Sarawak. We told him our view about the legal case. It was clear to us that he was fated to sit behind bars for another 10 months. He knew as much. Royal pardon was out of question. As Kit Siang drove us away from the Kajang Prison, he made sure that we had a taste of the signature food of Kajang town satay. At the coffee shop, Kit Siang greeted the town folks who wished him well and to remain strong, but in his leaner body frame, I saw the pains that he had endured. Political adversaries had long accused him of cronyism and nepotism, and the building of a Lim dynasty. The fate of his son losing everything after standing up for a Malay girl who was raped by a Chief Minister, and having to languish in jail for 18 months, showed the cruelty and venom of those accusations. Siew Chiang was habouring many questions inside his chest and it took a long time for him to break his silence. He asked Kit Siang why he was speeding desperately this morning. Kit Siang then told us. He wanted to make it to the Prison before the row call. If we had made it in time, our meeting could begin, and Guan Eng would not have to take part in the row call. During the row calls, the prisoner had to squat in a row, hands behind the head As the father, Kit Siang did not want us to see his son in that moment of ultimate humiliation. Siew Chiang told Kit Siang that he did not see Guan Eng in the row. I said I did not also. Then Kit Siang told us where Guan Eng was squatted. He sped, because he had not wanted us to see the ultimate humiliation to his son, but I had sinned with my eyes. The signature satay was tasteless to me amidst cries of injustice that innocent people had to suffer. On our way home, there was hardly any communication between us. Our hearts were heavier than lead. In my mind, I saw the flashes of a prisoner, hands behind his head, his face so familiar, squatting in the row like other inmates. I repeatedly asked myself whether Guan Eng deserved this. Why should I see that moment in his life when his father had wanted me not to? But that was what it was, for Guan Eng had endured that humiliation for 365 days. It was after midnight in Kuching not long after Guan Engs release. We had finished our party function and all were hungry for supper. We found a little place in order to replenish our tummies. There was no food left except plain porridge. I ordered some, teasing Guan Eng that the porridge must be better than what he was used to in Kajang. Guan Eng cursed me for reminding him of what he had gone through. That day about 2 weeks ago, when I stood for photograph with YAB Lim Guan Eng behind his Chief Ministers desk in Penang, I recalled what I had seen of this man. From a humiliated prisoner, he had been vindicated by the powers in the peoples hands. Much that YAB Lim had never responded to anything I said about his less than glamorous times behind bars, he will always remember the ultimate humiliation that a person had gone through. He will know the true meaning of justice. In less than 10 years, God has shown YAB Lim Guan Eng the way. May YAB Lim now shower mercy and love to the great people of Penang. 28.3.2008 kent chong <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi MALAYSIAN... it's time for you to voice out. Now our voice being hear in Parliment! Good CHANGED! Post your question to Tony Phua (PJU MP) http://tonypua.blogspot.com/ There are now 82 opposition parliamentarians as opposed to 140 from Barisan Nasional. What is more interesting however, is that there are 67 front benchers (i.e., Ministers & Deputy Ministers), which leaves 73 backbenchers for the Government. That means that excluding the Ministers, who are often absent from Parliament, you may end up with opposition parliamentarians outnumbers those from Barisan Nasional. That should certainly be interesting ;-) The first session of the 12th Parliament will officially commence on the 28th April (Monday) with the swearing in of the new MPs. The session will last for a month til 27th May. The second session will be held over 23 Jun to 15 July, while the 3rd and last session for the year will be held between 18th August til 11 December. My first task at hand is to submit 15 questions (10 for oral replies and 5 for written) to the Parliament secretary for replies by the relevant ministries by the 8th April (next Tuesday). So for those with key questions of national interest which you'd like me to bring up in Parliament during the question and answer sessions. (Note that the questions should be fairly specific and directed at a particular ministry) ;-) This email, including any attachments, is confidential and for use only by intended recipient(s) for the purpose for which it has been sent. Its contents may be privileged and if you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must not use, disseminate, print or copy this email or any part of it or take any action in reliance on it. 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