Friday, July 31, 2009
Testimoni
Anak Seorang Tahanan ISA
Suhaib Mat Sah | Jul 29, 2009 09:41:07 am
Nama saya Suhaib. Saya berusia 16 tahun. Ketika bapa saya, Mat Sah Satray ditahan di bawah ISA pada 18 April tahun 2002, saya berusia 8 tahun 5 bulan. Saya masih terlalu kecil dan tidak dapat mengingati semua peristiwa. Ketika itu saya sedang tidur, tetapi terjaga apabila beberapa orang polis masuk ke bilik tidur saya dan dengan kasar menyelak cadar, mengangkat hujung tilam, menarik rak baju, membuka serta menutup almari pakaian hingga mengeluarkan bunyi kuat yang membuatkan saya terjaga. Umi, panggilan saya pada emak, mendukung saya dan diletakkan di sebelah abah yang ketika itu duduk di sofa di ruang tamu. Aku menoleh ke arah Abah dan nampak kedua-dua tangannya bergari. Aku menangis kerana terlalu takut melihat gari itu. Gambaran gari yang melengkar di kedua-dua belah tangan Abah amat sukar untuk hilang dari minda saya......
Agak lama juga polis menggeledah rumah kami. Seorang wanita sibuk menyoal Abah dan Umi bergilir-gilir dan kemudian menulis sesuatu di atas kertas. Manakala lima orang lelaki yang lain, sibuk membuka rak buku Abah, mengeluarkan Quran dan buku-buku agama serta menyelak-nyelak setiap muka surat dengan pantas. Saya tidak tahu, apa yang mereka cari. Tidak lama selepas itu, mereka membawa Abah masuk ke dalam van putih. Umi dukung saya dan kami berdua sempat melambai tangan kepada Abah. Sebaik sahaja van putih hilang dari pandangan, aku menangis lagi sambil memanggil-manggil Abah. Saya baring di riba Umi hingga tertidur...
Saya bagaikan melalui satu mimpi buruk di mana Abah dilarikan dari rumah oleh sekumpulan lelaki. Bila terjaga dari tidur, saya mencari Abah di semua bilik termasuk bilik air tetapi tidak ditemui. Saya mendapatkan Umi yang sedang membancuh minuman untuk bertanya tentang Abah, tetapi saya nampak Umi juga sedang menangis....
Saya asyik teringatkan Abah. Dari pagi saya tunggu Abah, tengah hari, hinggalah cuaca gelap dan masuk waktu maghrib, Abah masih juga belum pulang. Saya mula menangis kerana rindukan Abah... Ketika itu telefon rumah berdering, saya dan Umi berlari ke arah telefon tetapi apabila gagang diangkat, tiada siapa yang bercakap di hujung talian....
7 tahun telah berlalu
Peristiwa buruk itu telah berlalu tujuh tahun yang lalu, namun ianya sukar untuk hilang semuanya dari fikiran saya. Tujuh tahun lalu Abah saya dibawa pergi, hingga kini beliau tidak pernah balik ke rumah kami.
Pada tahun 2009 ini, maknanya hampir separuh usia saya membesar tanpa belaian kasih sayang, bimbingan dan sentuhan Abah walaupun beliau masih hidup. Saya membesar bertemankan barang-barang peribadinya seperti jam tangan, dompet, baju, seluar, kain pelikat dan buku-buku beliau. Saya sekadar mengikuti nasihat dan kata-kata beliau melalui surat-surat kirimannya. Jika rasa terlalu rindu padanya, saya akan pakai baju, seluar dan kain pelikat beliau. Saya letak gambar Abah di dompet duit bersebelahan dengan gambar saya.
Umi akan memastikan kami melawat Abah sekurang-kurangnya dua kali sebulan. Namun waktu lawatan selama 45 minit itu jauh dari mencukupi untuk Abah menghilangkan rindu, memberikan bimbingan, tunjuk ajar serta melepaskan kasih sayangnya kepada saya.
Satu peristiwa yang tidak dapat dilupakan ialah ketika lawatan pertama ke Kem pada 24 Jun 2002. Setelah hampir tiga minggu tidak melihat Abah sejak pertemuan terakhir di Bukit Aman, saya rasa terlalu rindu kepadanya. Kami berbual selama 45 minit dan di akhir pertemuan, Abah dibenarkan keluar dari bilik kurungan untuk bersalaman dengan saya dan Umi. Abah mengangkat, mendukung dan mencium saya berkali-kali. Saya terlalu rindukan Abah dan apabila warden bertugas menyuruh Abah masuk kembali ke bilik kurungan, saya menangis dan tidak mahu melepaskan pegangan pada lengan Abah...
Bagaikan binatang di zoo
Sejak hari pertama penahanan Abah hinggalah di saat ini, saya tidak pernah berpeluang mengerjakan solat dan membaca quran bersama beliau. Saya tidak mengharapkan duit belanja atau keluar membeli belah kerana memahami semua itu tidak mungkin dapat dilakukan bersama. Namun, satu perkara yang lebih memedihkan bermula pada bulan April 2005, kami keluarga tahanan hanya dibenarkan bertemu menggunakan interkom di sebalik dinding kaca lutsinar. Bila sahaja melihat Abah di sebalik cermin kaca, hati saya terasa hancur... Ketika itu, saya teringat binatang di zoo yang diletakkan di dalam kotak kaca. Apakah dosa dan kesalahan Abah diperlakukan sedemikian rupa. Sejak tarikh itu, setiap kali melawat Abah, saya hanya berpeluang bercakap melalui interkom dan duduk di sebalik kaca. Saya hanya dapat melihat wajah Abah, tetapi tidak dapat menyentuhnya...hati ini memang pedih yang teramat sangat.
Tujuh tahun saya dipisahkan dari Abah, namun tiada sebarang tanda beliau akan dibebaskan. Walaupun pada tahun 2009 ini ada dua pembebasan beramai-ramai yang mendapat tempat di dada media, namun nama Abah saya tiada dalam kedua-dua senarai pembebasan tersebut....
Perpisahan dengan Abah benar-benar membuat saya rasa rendah diri dan terpinggir. Saya terlalu ingin menjalani kehidupan harian bersama Abah. Saya ingin makan, berbual, bergurau senda dan melakukan pelbagai aktiviti harian bersamanya. Saya juga punya keinginan mempunyai keluarga yang lengkap, sama seperti orang lain.
Hingga kini saya tidak faham kenapa Abah saya, seorang yang pendiam dan mudah tersenyum, masih juga belum dibebaskan. Saya tidak tahu apakah sebenarnya kesalahan beliau kerana tahanan ISA lain yang ditahan bersama Abah tujuh tahun dulu, hampir semuanya telah pun dibebaskan... namun Abah masih tetap dikurung di Kem. Saya setuju dengan pendapat Umi bahawa Abah sepatutnya dibicarakan di mahkamah. Kalau benar ada bukti menyatakan dia salah, sekurang-kurangnya hakim akan menetapkan, bilakah tarikh akhir dia menjalani kehidupan sebagai banduan. Saya amat sedih mengenangkan kehidupan Abah dalam ketidakpastian selama tujuh tahun dan terus berlarutan.
Saya akan terus berdoa pada Allah supaya Abah segera dibebaskan...
*Testimoni ini ditulis oleh Suhaib Mat Sah, anak kepada tahanan ISA Mat Sah Satray. Mat Sah Satray ditahan sejak tahun 2002, dituduh terlibat dalam aktiviti Jemaah Islamiah, namun tidak pernah dibuktikan di mahkamah.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
DEATH AND QUESTIONS
I’ve been wanting to write about Teoh Beng Hock’s mysterious death for ages but only today I have the strength to do it. It’s too heart wrenching to witness how the whole episode unfolds. I read the detailed report about Teoh’s death the moment I got back from Court on 17 July 2009. 17 July was my birthday. It was a really depressing day for me that I couldn’t stop thinking about it in every passing moment.
There are too many questions that linger around his death. The questions are left unanswered. Some people make cruel comments on Teoh’s death in response to public pressure calling for investigation.
In the midst of the raging tension, some people tend to forget that a life is lost. Some tend to forget that a mother is crying her heart out over her son’s death. Some tend to forget how many sleepless nights his family has to go through thinking about the unanswered questions. Some choose to ignore the issue. Some remain adamant in pursuit of truth.
God bless those who hold steadfast to their conviction in finding the truth. Only the truth will save us. Only when justice is upheld, we can proudly say out loud that we are dignified human beings.
Some ask does justice have a place in this beloved country of theirs? I understand the frustration and anger. It’s hard, that is one thing for sure. Bad things that happened are no longer a secret. Look at Kugan’s death. Look at Lingam’s case. Look at the cold blooded massacre in Memali. Look at the Federal Court’s decision on the barbaric act and torture inflicted on former ISA detainees. Look at this report. Look all around us. Nobody is held accountable. What have we become? Where is accountability? Where is due process? Who is going to put a stop to all these atrocious things?
There is only one thing for sure about all these things. We are all going to be held responsible for the things that happened right under our nose. Our inaction will hold us responsible and it will speak for itself. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Someone’s life might be lost again, while our conscience is wasting away.
I’ve been wanting to write about Teoh Beng Hock’s mysterious death for ages but only today I have the strength to do it. It’s too heart wrenching to witness how the whole episode unfolds. I read the detailed report about Teoh’s death the moment I got back from Court on 17 July 2009. 17 July was my birthday. It was a really depressing day for me that I couldn’t stop thinking about it in every passing moment.
There are too many questions that linger around his death. The questions are left unanswered. Some people make cruel comments on Teoh’s death in response to public pressure calling for investigation.
In the midst of the raging tension, some people tend to forget that a life is lost. Some tend to forget that a mother is crying her heart out over her son’s death. Some tend to forget how many sleepless nights his family has to go through thinking about the unanswered questions. Some choose to ignore the issue. Some remain adamant in pursuit of truth.
God bless those who hold steadfast to their conviction in finding the truth. Only the truth will save us. Only when justice is upheld, we can proudly say out loud that we are dignified human beings.
Some ask does justice have a place in this beloved country of theirs? I understand the frustration and anger. It’s hard, that is one thing for sure. Bad things that happened are no longer a secret. Look at Kugan’s death. Look at Lingam’s case. Look at the cold blooded massacre in Memali. Look at the Federal Court’s decision on the barbaric act and torture inflicted on former ISA detainees. Look at this report. Look all around us. Nobody is held accountable. What have we become? Where is accountability? Where is due process? Who is going to put a stop to all these atrocious things?
There is only one thing for sure about all these things. We are all going to be held responsible for the things that happened right under our nose. Our inaction will hold us responsible and it will speak for itself. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Someone’s life might be lost again, while our conscience is wasting away.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Is it "fancy" to read law?
I've been down with fever for almost a week now. The doctor said there's nothing to be worried about.
I got two matters in court today. My opponent and I keyed in our attendance at 845am. We were kept waiting for hours and at some point I couldn't stand it any longer. The fact that I was still feeling unwell really aggravated the situation. As I was sitting next to my opponent, I noticed that both of us were exchanging expressions, we asked the same questions to each other and then we gave the same answers. "when is our case gonna be called?" "I don't know..""how long do we have to wait?""i don't know?". Part and parcel of being a litigation lawyer. Every one has to wait. All you gotta have is patience.
Right after we finished our matter, I headed straight to legal aid room on level 5 to have some words with some students who came to pay LAC a visit. They are on their semester break and now they are attached to zaid ibrahim & co. part of the attachment program is to visit LAC and to get to know how it works. While waiting for Edmund to come and share his experience with the students, i was asked to start first. I shared a little bit of my experience with the students. how do i get involved in legal aid, what legal aid is all about and what legal profession is all about.
Right after that, the floor was passed to Edmund. He asked them one simple question : why do they read law. This is the most interesting part of the whole session. Most of them answered the question by saying that they are interested in law. It sounds good. Or rather cool. There was only one person who answered, “I read law because I want to help those who are oppressed”. Edmund continued the session by focusing on the reality or the real work done by lawyers in Malaysia. From human rights cases, public interest cases, taking up legal aid files. A real dose of what this profession is all about.
Before we said goodbye, we took a group photo. Right before I left, the students came to me and asked "can we do attachment at LAC?". (Remember the interesting part of this whole thing? this is it).I told them "yes, of course, we would love to have you with us". They took down LAC contact number and what impressed me was the look on their faces. Revelation kinda thing!
See, in the beginning, reading law was rather a 'fancy' thing for some people, but when they know about the reality and how they can contribute to the society and affect changes, the passion speaks for itself.
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