Galadriel Returns

Sorry folks. Just realised it has been more than two months since my last post. What with increasing work, work, and more work, and a personal tragedy that left me quite blank for a while.

Still, I am back. Hope you enjoyed your Xmas holidays. Look forward to the next post. My fingers are itching again.

All the Forensics in the World…

…cannot make the court do the right thing in a country where political will dictates, well, everything.

SHAH ALAM: Renowned Thai forensic patho­logist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand told the inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock that it was an 80% probability his death was a homicide.

(Dr Pornthip had been provided postmortem reports prepared by Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim from the Klang Tengku Rahimah Ampuan and Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s Dr Prashant Samberkar as well as pictures of Teoh’s injuries.)

Referring to an anal tear Teoh suffered as a “penetrative injury”, Dr Pornthip said she had never seen this type of injury in cases of a fall.If the injury had indeed been caused by a bone protrusion, she said it would have come from the inside of Teoh’s anus. She said the abrasions on Teoh’s right upper thigh looked like he had been beaten with a piece of wood.

She added that there was a need to cut open the skin to check for internal bleeding to determine whether Teoh had been tortured.(Both the pathologists who had conducted the postmortem on Teoh had not done so.)

Dr Pornthip also said Teoh’s skull fracture was not typical of a transferred injury due to a fall but was more compatible with a blunt force being directly inflicted to the head.

She said the transferred injury to the skull due to the impact of the fall would typically cause a ring fracture at the base of the skull around the spinal column and not a cervical spine fracture as suffered by Teoh.

Dr Porn­thip said Teoh, 30, was probably alive when he hit the ground but might have been unconscious before the fall. She said this was because there was no reaction wounds on his ankles and wrists to show he had instinctively tried to stop himself from hitting the ground.

She said it was possible he was unconscious from manual strangulation or pain from the anal region. She estimated his time of death to have occurred between 6am and 8am on July 16. -The Star Read the rest here.

Now the zeal will be to dispute the credentials and evidence of Dr Porntip Rojanasunand. Not that they can find holes in the credentials of this famed Dr Death. Here’s an interesting chronicle of her exploits in the face of adversity.

Dr Rafick in his blog posed some interesting questions post-Porntip pronounciations. Read it here. Now let’s remember firstly why this inquest took place.

In my opinion, there are way too many questions waiting to be answered that the Najib administration will have no choice but to give up the culprits. Some folks gotta pay for what happened to Teoh Beng Hock. Or it will become another ghostly millstone a la Altantuya Shariibuu and another custodial death superstar A.Kugan, around Najib’s neck.

People would probably close one eye to corruption, especially when it is so endemic in our civil service, corporations and politics, saying same bullshit, different day.

But this suspicious death is very close to looking like torture and subsequent murder. This shocks even the most jaded of us. Not that the government is new to the practice of murdering its own citizens. I mean I’m sure Musa Hitam could regale us with some tales on that score.

MACC is already a suspect organisation. This could be the best excuse to purge it off its borderline criminal elements, but then it has been a useful tool of governmental persecution, hasn’t it? But it has become too good at its job eh?

So yeah, I hope Mr 1Malaysia will also see some sense in 1Justice and 1Justice seen to be done.

My inner self sniggers at my naive hope, but hey, let’s keep the pressure on. I don’t care if Teoh wasn’t an angel. He doesn’t deserve to be murdered.

Keeping Paranoia Politics Alive…

…is among others, Utusan Malaysia’s Firdaus Abdullah.

The issue at contention here is the government’s decision to do away with the “race” column in some government issued forms way back in August. The Star was a bit more cautious with with the story, going on to get it from the DPM’s mouth.

Here’s Muhyiddin’s rationale.

“There is a need for us to look at Malaysians not from the perspective of race,” he said.- The Star.

Of course there are exceptions to this policy. The race thingie will continue to be a category in cases where the special bumiputera privileges are concerned. This too was categorically stated in the Malaysian Insider report.

The public reaction, as far I as I could see, ranged from “Yay! At Last” to “Ye ke ni?” to “cannot be lah. Too good to be true.” I for one was pleasantly surprised to see a policy that might start to address the communal divide in this country.

Maybe it is too early in the day for cynical old me to buy into this 1Malaysia baloney. So far what I’ve seen are just phoney regurgitations. Maybe the PM has some desire to do the right thing, who knows.

It is rare for the government to come up with a policy that will have such wide positive repercussions, that we sit up and take notice. Lots of people have been for this move, including Mukhriz Mahathir.

Then comes Mr Firdaus Abdullah with this article. Here are the first three paragraphs.

Wajarkah ruang pengenalan “kaum” dalam borang-borang dan dokumen rasmi kerajaan digugurkan? Apakah implikasinya kepada bangsa Melayu?

Bagaimanakah hendak memantau perubahan nasib (kemajuan?) orang Melayu dengan ketiadaan pengenalan kaum itu?

Bagaimanakah langkah-langkah affirmative hendak dirancang dan dilaksanakan untuk membantu orang Melayu yang serba-serbi masih ketinggalan itu jika tidak ada data yang lengkap?

My answer: There is already exception made to forms dealing with these bumiputra privileges. Firdaus either didn’t read that part when researching for his opinion, or he chose to ignore it. Hard data can still be compiled by statisticians even without a clearly stated “Melayu” in those forms.

Adakah pengguguran yang dicadangkan itu benar-benar boleh menyumbang terhadap matlamat gagasan Satu Malaysia? Atau adakah itu, tanpa disedari, hanya akan “mencairkan” jati diri Melayu untuk menjadi lebih “Malaysian” sementara jati diri pihak-pihak lain semakin kental dan menebal dengan sikap perkaumannya yang semakin eksklusif?

Now this is very naughty. I suggest Firdaus goes and reads the 8 values of 1 Malaysia. Those aims are noble, at least on paper. For Firdaus to infer that for my Malay friends will lose their esssential Malay-ness if they were to see themselves as Malaysians, is such a pathetic assertion it ain’t funny.

Now the next part about “pihak pihak lain” will strengthen their racial integrity with greater consequent racist and exclusive behaviour, is a malicious generalisation. Furthermore it won’t be true. Not in this day and age.

Everyone’s culture will get diluted somewhat, especially in a melting pot. What you will get in return, is assimilation of some ways and customs. It is only natural when people of different cultures live together. Now wouldn’t it be a beautiful thing to embrace our diversity? How else do you explain the many pretty Chinese girls I saw at an event last Sunday, looking demure and sweet in their baju kebaya, or the halal Pau stall that’s doing thriving business here. Neither party were coerced to adapt, I’m sure.

“Bagi data yang beribu dan berjuta banyaknya, bagaimanakah ia hendak diproses untuk mengetahui profil atau taburan mengikut kaum dan agama? Tanpa maklumat seperti ini, bagaimanakah hendak menggubal dasar dan program yang berbentuk affirmative action seperti membasmi kemiskinan dan membetulkan ketidakseimbangan ekonomi mengikut kaum, selaras dengan konsep 1Malaysia?

The above quotes Senator Akbar Ali. I think he knows better that where bumiputera equity in the economic pie is concerned, other policies are already in place that clearly states the race status of relevant groups or individuals. As regards poverty eradication, isn’t poverty an issue that transcends race and religion?

Affirmative action was meant to correct an imbalance in distribution of wealth and progress among the various communities. There are a lot of people who are still below poverty line, some living in painfully squalid conditions. They are not just Malays, but also Indians, Chinese, Dayaks, Penans, Ibans, Temuans…in short, Malaysians.

I Malaysia should be about restoring dignity to all Malaysians, and ensuring they get their basic rights as citizens. Properly implemented, it will not compromise Malay rights or bumiputera privileges. As it happens, greed and insecurity has a lot to do with the inequality we see today.

Firdaus chose to look at the negative implications of this very simple proposal, taking his cue from Senator Akbar Ali. But Akbar as a member of the Upper House surely could have had access to the relevant information regarding the abolition of race in government forms. That he chose to raise questions first, points towards the kindling of a pressure group, to pre-empt what he calls “ura ura” but has already come out of the DPM’s own mouth.

Of course, fresh in the wake of the triumphant win in Bagan Pinang, Umno folks can afford to be just a little more cocky in their strut, but then, tomorrow some other dude might die and another by-election might be coming. Utusan’s relentless fear-mongering might just trigger a blacklash then.

It may be a smart thing to think together as Malaysians, to ensure our future survival as a nation in a changing world order. But what can I say, if the opinion shapers choose to peddle fear and stop the citizenry from thinking beyond the “Aku Melayu” premise. What happened to Najib’s “Glokal” Malaysians?

Tu lah, korang ni, dah lah mudah lupa, cepat pulak melatah.

Oi! Don’t Screw With My Country

Us Malaysians are generally a generous lot. Especially when it comes to helping those affected by disaster, war or any other hardship. From individuals to corporates to the government, we do not stint in aid, especially to neighbours.

From Darfur, to Kosovo, to China to Aceh to Sri Lanka, Palestine and God knows where else, we have stepped up to help.

Even at the height of the Indon-media-whipped resentment against Malaysia in the past few months, Malaysian students helped out with relief efforts during the West Jawa quake (early September).

This time around it is Sumatra that is hit, and it is only decent to help one another in the times of humanitarian crisis. That is what Malaysia is doing, in droves.

So why throw stones at us, people of Padang? Isn’t that energy better spent helping the thousands of people who are still trapped beneath the rubble? Why do you bite the very hand that’s coming to help you when your own govt can’t cope with relief efforts?

Our own official response to the stone-throwing has been rather mild, if you read into what the DPM says here. In the meantime, we have the Mercy folks there,with Air Asia flying them in. The Armed Forces medicos are there too.

Here’s what the PM said. Three types of assistance. Hear that?  Search and rescue, medical and humanitarian aid.

In times of critical emergencies like these, you drop whatever hostilities you may have with each other and just help, beacuse there are people’s lives at stake. I think it is big of us to ignore the hostile reaction of a small group of Padang denizens. I think it should not stop us from helping the thousands displaced and victimised by the earthquake.

But do not insult us. We can be patient only for so long.

Opaque Maneuvers at TI M’sia?

Ah! The seat got too hot for Paul Low, President of Transparency International Malaysia. Some rumblings were expected over at this body, especially judging by yesterday’s New Sunday Times report that implied the EGM today would expect outbursts from many of the exco members.

Six of TI Malaysia’s excos threatened to resign apparently. However, today’s shocker is that it was Paul Low himself who had to leave. Read it here.

Quite cryptic, don’t you think? In the absence of some substantive details, I’ll speculate a little.

Paul Low was Ramon Navaratnam’s rather nondescript successor who came from the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers. His term at TI Malaysia was to all intents and purposes to remain a quiet one. I mean who can outtalk little old Ramon Navaratnam, right?

But Low’s troubles began when he was  named chairman of the Port Klang Authority (PKA) ad hoc corporate governance committee that was to investigate the taxpayers’ disaster that was PKFZ.

Mr Opposition, Lim Kit Siang questioned his credibility and rightly so. PKFZ was a scandal that had too many political hidden hands in it, and some of them came from MCA. Paul Low himself is a life member of MCA and that makes even his holding of TI presidency an iffy one.

His troubles only grew worse with the  Malaysian chapter of the Global Corruption Report 2009 that he unveiled last week. The document is available for download here. Paul Low also gave an interview on the matter to The Star.

Not to mention the ferocity with which Bintulu Tiong responded to Low’s statement that in a gist, said PKFZ has Umno politicians’ dirty fingers in it. Guilty people are usually jumpy, but why is Tiong jumping when Low pointed his finger at Umno? Tiong must be an Umno member then…heheh.

This resignation looks like a coup has taken place at TI Malaysia and this dude has been driven out by an irate exco who took exception to the interpretations of the GCR in the case of Malaysia.

Mr Low is discovering that being at the helm of such an organisation as Transparency International requires more than patronage and an old boys’ club connection. It requires serious scrotal gumption and a background that stands the harsh glare of public and media scrutiny.

The Great Nusantara Love-Hate Relationship

Issues of race, religion, territory and national pride are understandably sensitive because many people define themselves by their country, culture, race etc.

Hence the current “I hate Malaysia” refrain heard over the Internet, especially in the social networks, are something I could understand.

Why do the Indonesian man-in-the-street hate Malaysia? After all, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore used to constitute Nusantara, didn’t it? Colonisation and of course the  pace of the respective countries’ economic growth set us apart.

Trust people to have a myopic vision, suspicious nature and herd mentality.

Let’s set the record straight now, shall we? Indonesians call us Malingsia – thieving Malaysians. Because we apparently stole their heritage, ill treated their maids working here, and stole their islands.

We stole their heritage? Let’s remember something, this country’s Malay population largely identifies itself by state or race/tribe affiliations. There, take that (arguably) richest Jawa in Malaysia Khir Toyo. Most other fellas I know, invoke their ancestry liberally. Minang, Acheh, (no one wants to claim he’s a Batak though…hmm) Baweyan, Bugis, Bali, Mendahiling, Jawa, Dayak, Sunda…etc.

Well, that is not surprising considering our history. Malaysia is a veritable melting pot anyway; lots of folks turn up on our shores in search of fortunes, for centuries.

Naturally, those who settled here brought their own traditions and influences and as their roots in Malaysia grew deeper, they developed their own artistic styles, mostly derivatives of the old influences.

Hence, to say that Batik is exclusively Indonesian is somewhat incorrect don’t you think? Neither is Batik totally Malaysian, is it? I mean what about the Batik Siam that the southern Thais produce? Solution? Call it Batik Jawa, Batik Kelantan, Batik Sumatera, whatever…to tell them apart. Easy isn’t it? I mean, they are kind of distinct from each other, aren’t they?

As to the maids, I agree that the ill-treatment of maids (Indonesians or any nationality for that matter) is an abhorrent thing. It is a crime and should be prosecuted as such. Of course our justice system being what it is, prosecution is sporadic and the resulting perception is that Malaysian employers as a whole are sadists. Like all generalisations, it’s crap, if you’ll excuse my French.

Manohara? That has been written about to glory, and even I have blogged it. If the dude really hurt her, well, he should pay.

Tari Pendet? For more than three decades I’ve been living in Malaysia, and this is the first I’ve heard of it. I don’t think Malaysians actually passed it off as a Malaysian heritage. Some clueless guy who did a documentary for Discovery Channel, made that boo boo. You know, that’s not so difficult for Westerner to do. After all, some can’t tell the difference between Iran and Iraq, yet others who think all Chinamen look alike. So, to Bali folks, Tari Pendet is yours and you can keep it.Why blame us Malaysians for something we didn’t do?

Ambalat? That’s a disputed territory and let the international mediators and the respective governments sort it out. I read at a defence forum that the supposed boundary lines are blurred and the respective navy blokes were unclear they were getting into Indonesian waters. I don’t know what to believe, I don’t have the full facts.

But maybe after Sipadan and Ligitan, the anger is understandable. People go to war over land, after all. Just look at Palestine-Israel conflict.

Noordin Md Top. Well, if you guys catch him, shoot him will ya? We don’t condone terrorism. He cost people a lot of lives already.

I also think that Malaysian leaders and diplomats could do with some PR gestures. We are neighbours. Doesn’t cost much to be nice and clear the air. We are neighbours, aren’t we?

To the Indonesians, stop being so thin-skinned. That hate campaign on Facebook is a bit much. Do we really want to re-visit Ganyang Malaysia, especially now that the Indonesian economy is surging? Keep a cool head.

Kita kan serumpun…heheh!

KDN Polls Malaysians on ISA

The Home Ministry is asking us all what we think about the Internal Security Act.  This was the results as of 6.20 pm Malaysian time. Apa cerita, Kerishamudin?

Where is that silent majority that is pro-ISA? they don’t come online to they?

These results were found the the Home Ministry site. Go check it out. Numbers don’t lie, as long as the bent accountants don’t cook it…heheh.

Pada pandangan anda, ISA adalah…
Preventive law		8%	47
Draconian law		88%	492
Tidak Pasti		4%	20
Total: 559 responses

Adakah anda faham dan tahu sepenuhnya mengenai ISA?
Ya, saya tahu dan faham.		89%	494
Saya tidak tahu dan tidak faham		3%	15
Saya keliru		8%	47
Total: 556 responses

Bagaimana anda mengetahui tentang ISA?
Melalui bacaan		89%	480
Mendengar cakap-cakap		3%	17
Tangkap muat		8%	43
Total: 540 responses

Apa yang anda mahu dari ISA?
Dimansuhkan		93%	572
Diteruskan dengan semakan		6%	39
Saya keliru		1%	5
Total: 616 responses
Tahukah anda, Amerika Syarikat dan Britain turut mempunyai undang-undang pencegahan mereka yang dikenali sebagai Anti Terrorism Act dan Patriot Act. ISA (Malaysia) adalah salah satu undang-undang yang dirujuk oleh mereka. Ya saya tahu 49% 265 Saya tidak tahu 4% 21 Tidak memberi apa-apa makna kepada saya 47% 253 Total: 539 responses

Thank You, Mr Yeo

I took this letter, published in The Sun, in its entirety and published it here. Because I feel it should be preserved and propagated throughout blogosphere.

Because I couldn’t have put it better myself. Because those of you who missed the paper should read this.

Read and think, my fellow Malaysians.

Yeo Yang Poh

On the move … a section of anti-ISA protesters near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

WHY march, when the government has said that it will review the Internal Security Act? Why march, when there are other very cosy ways of giving your views and feedback?

One would understand if these were questions posed by nine-year-olds. But they are not. They are questions posed by the prime minister of this nation we call our home. Answer we must. So, why?

Because thousands who died while in detention cannot march or speak any more. That is why others have to do it for them.

Because persons in the corridors of power, persons who have amassed tremendous wealth and live in mansions, and persons who are in the position to right wrongs but won’t, continue to rule our nation with suffocating might. And they certainly would not march. They would prevent others from marching.

Because the have-nots, the sidelined, the oppressed, the discriminated and the persecuted have no effective line to the powerful.

Because the nice ways have been tried ad nauseam for decades, but have fallen on deaf ears.

Because none of the major recommendations of Suhakam (including on peaceful assembly), or of the commissions of inquiry, has been implemented. Because the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is not in sight, while corruption and insecurity live in every neighbourhood; and (despite reasoned views expressed ever so nicely in opposition) Rela (people’s volunteer corps) is being brought in to make matters even worse.

The proponents in “Su Qiu” (remember them?) were not marchers. In fact it is hard to find nicer ways than “su qiu”, because the term means “present and request” or “inform and request”. In terms of putting forward a view or a request, it is the height of politeness. Yet they were labelled “extremists” – they who did not march.

And now you ask, why march?

Because you gave non-marchers a false name! You called them the “silent majority”, who by virtue of their silence (so you proudly argued with twisted logic) were supporters of government policies since they were not vocal in raising objections. You claimed to be protecting the interest of the “silent majority”. Now some of them do not want to be silent anymore, and you are asking why?

Yes, because double standards and hypocrisy cannot be covered up or explained away forever; and incompetence cannot be indefinitely propped up by depleting resources.

Because cronyism can only take care of a few people, and the rest will eventually wake up to realise the repeated lies that things were done in certain ways purportedly “for their benefit”.

Because the race card, cleverly played for such a long time, is beginning to be seen for what it really is – a despicable tool to divide the rakyat for easier political manipulation.

Because it does not take much to figure out that there is no good reason why Malaysia, a country with abundant human resources and rich natural resources, does not have a standard of living many times higher than that of Singapore, an island state with no natural resources and that has to import human resources from Malaysia and elsewhere.

Because, in general, countries that do not persecute marchers are prosperous or are improving from their previous state of affairs, and those that do are declining.

Because Gandhi marched, Mandela marched, Martin Luther King marched, and Tunku Abdul Rahman marched.

Because more and more people realise that peaceful assemblies are no threat at all to the security of the nation, although they are a threat to the security of tenure of the ruling elite.

Because politicians do not mean it when they say with a straight face or a smile that they are the servants and that the people are the masters. No servant would treat his master with tear gas, batons and handcuffs.

Because if the marchers in history had been stopped in their tracks, places like India, Malaysia and many others would still be colonies today, apartheid would still be thriving in South Africa, Nelson Mandela would still be scribbling on the walls of Cell 5, and Obama would probably be a slave somewhere in Mississippi plotting to make his next midnight dash for the river.

And because liberty, freedom and dignity are not free vouchers posted out to each household.

They do not come to those who just sit and wait. They have to be fought for, and gained.

And if you still want to ask: why march; I can go on and on until the last tree is felled. But I shall
obviously not.

I will end with the following lines from one of the songs sung in the 1960s by civil rights marchers in the US, without whom Obama would not be able to even sit with the whites in a bus, let alone reside in the White House:

“It isn’t nice to block the doorway
It isn’t nice to go to jail
There are nicer ways to do it
But the nice ways have all failed
It isn’t nice; it isn’t nice
You’ve told us once, you’ve told us twice
But if that’s freedom’s price
We don’t mind …”

Yeo Yang Poh is a former Bar Council president.

Fruits of a Poisoned Tree

The poisoned tree is Policy. The system put in place to aid and facilitiate governance has to be well-thought out and mapped, with check and balance mechanisms in place to ensure the greater aims of the of policies are achieved with efficacy and at the same time, not make victims of the people it governs.

Last week we Malaysians saw a horrible instance of how ill-thought policy, arbitrary powers without any checks, and unmonitored implementation, can literally cost someone’s life.

And now, no snivelling, justifying, bringing out the race card and calling the indignant masses rabble-rousing politicking asses can bring that Teoh Beng Hock back.

What’s even worse, there is no truth that will appease a Malaysian public that has lost faith in the system. So, Mr Najib, Mr Muhyiddin, Mr Selangor CPO, you do what you guys want, because no one’s gonna believe you guys.

Let he cops investigate the MACC and Teoh’s suspicious death? According to Charles Hector, quoting government statistics, there has been about 3,000 deaths in our prisons and police lock-ups. You trust the pagar to investigate and protect the padi?

There has been allegations by cops themselves saying they have been victimised by higher-ups, just for doing their jobs. Siapa nak percaya?

We have the government-controlled Malay media spinning the salient facts to their advantage, insidiously poisoning the thoughts of their readers with such notions that this current anger against MACC is a threat against the Malay institutions. The guy who wrote the editorial must have had frontal lobotomy recently.

Woi! This is Malaysia. MACC is not Malay Anti Corruption Commission. It stands for MALAYSIAN Anti Corruption Commission. We all share this land. The wrongful death of one Malaysian, regardless of whether its a Wong, Suresh, Ali, Taban anak Lemang, Vicky Rozario, or Amarjit, is a crime against all Malaysian citizens.

A senseless death such as Teoh’s is bound to incite some raw emotions, no doubt, but it conjures all kinds of sinister implications when the political aspects were taken into account.

Najib could have been said to bow to public pressure when he agreed to a Royal Commission inquiry into this mess. It was a populist move no doubt, today it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Because the RCI will be aimed at determining whether Teoh’s rights were violated when he was interrogated in the custody of MACC. An inquest will take care of Teoh’s death questions.

WTF?!!

Isn’t there one man left in the Malaysian cabinet who still has a semblance of honour and integrity, to stand up and demand accountability and truth?

Obviously not.

And speaking of this Royal Commission business, will it translate into actual prosecution by the AG’s chambers?  After, the Correct Correct Correct Lingam Saga, I am frankly doubtful.

You expect Gani Patail and his posse to do the right thing? You expect our compromised judiciary to deliberate over the questions of facts and laws? Irrelevant, says Augustine Paul.

What about making MACC itself answer the obvious questions. Why haven’t they demonstrated any action by investigating

1) the Zakaria family (of the Klang mansion saga). The family seems to have gotten off scot free when the patriarch died.

2) Khir Toyo’s million dollar mansion.

And why is it no one bats an eyelid about the possible cyanide poisoning of water resources in Pahang?

Or the rape of the Penan women and girls in Sarawak?

These are also questions of public interest, aren’t they?

You draw your own conclusions, readers.

Me? I know a neighbour once who torched his mattress because it was so infested with bedbugs. He knew its way past time for a new one. 52 years on, I think its time for a bonfire.

The fire will be YOU coming out and demanding accountability. The question is, do you value your country or the future of your kids enough to do so?

Goodbye Captain

Tribute to the Ancient Mariner.

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act – George Orwell.

I think this is an apt quote to describe a very special man whom I knew for barely two years.

Capt Yusof Ahmad, father, son, retired seaman, husband, friend, a jovial man and a blogger committed almost single-mindedly towards exposing the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, died late last night in his sleep.

The late captain’s mom passed away just last week, and my last contact with him was posting my condolence message on his Facebook. But this witty, intelligent, warm man I used to jokingly call Kepala Lanun (he got a kick outta that) is no more.

He was, according to Tok Mommy, to be buried today after Zohor prayers.

When I started blogging, more than 2 years ago, I met several like-minded individuals that I’ve grown to respect and love. Captain Yusof was one. I remember marching with him during the Bersih rally. He proudly wore the yellow t-shirt, just like me.

That man I was proud to know, has left us, and it is a void we will find very very hard to grieve. He used to be an ubiquitous presence during Mee Rebus at Maria Samad’s place. Always free with a kind word, always quick with a witty, sometimes mildly ribald repartee.

He was called to be with God, and we whom he left behind will mourn his passing, cherish memories with him and remember always the unflagging zeal with which he pursued the blatant injustice that was PKFZ, and bringing it to light.

Malaysian blogosphere has lost a good man, and I have lost my Bugis, Kepala Lanun friend. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

Rest In Peace, Captain! We whom you left, will miss you dearly!

Thank you Elviza and Stephen for letting me know. Blog tributes aggregated at  Rocky’s.