We salute you, Muhamad Syukree Hussain
Photo and tribute by Rakyat@work
I was shocked, then sadness engulfed me, and now I feel a sense of regret for not taking the time to get to know him better. I quickly sent a text message to all my friends; they were equally shocked as well. Why?
You see, when we attended the Abolish ISA vigils from the very beginning, everyone was like part of a new family, the Barisan Rakyat. All of us come in different shapes, colours and sizes.
Lighting up for the cause of justice Photos by Rakyat@work
Hope for the future
Rest for weary legs
Rakyat@work reports on the ninth PJ vigil on Sunday, 7 December 2008:
I cannot imagine we are now into our ninth weekly Sunday vigil. It’s something most of us are learning to adjust and get accustomed to it. A friend just called to find out if we are going for the vigil because the weather looks like it’s taking a turn for the worse and we might be better off relaxing indoors than standing in an open car park. But wait! We have braved even the FRU before; how is a little rain gonna stop our cause? Nope, we must continue; after all, it’s not just about ourselves but about others too, right? So come rain, shine, storm, FRU, and what-have-you, here we are again …
Just a handful of us, about 15 so far. Well, it doesn’t matter; the show will go on regardless. It’s a good chance to getting acquainted with familiar faces. Suddenly, groups of people just turn up and within ten minutes, there are about a hundred of us! You begin to lose focus on decent one-to-one conversations as people appear from every direction and greet you. Oh, better get out of here – better start work – journalist ma?
Rakyat@work who was on his way to Ipoh to cover the Sunday vigil there reflects:
As we go into regression over (Sunday) night’s pandemonium, many would have formed new impressions and new experiences and witnessed the new rakyat thinking as we move forward into a new Malaysia.
Change is inevitable; it’s happening right here, right now! Whatever course the rakyat choose to take next will determine if we remain stagnant or progress as one human race.
While my travelling mates and I were covering the Ipoh vigil, our hearts were beating for the PJ vigil as early as 7.30pm. Our handphones were literary filled with breaking news every 5 to 10 mins. SMSes were exchanged at a furious pace, back and forth. (All the 4 Ws were put to use: Who? Where? When? Why? and now trying to anwwer the What? What’s all this about? What is going to come out of it? What was it the police were trying to prove? What is the rakyat all about? We can only answer within ourselves. Something was brewing all right but never in my wildest imagination could I have comprehended what was to follow (which is history now):
“I WILL NOT BE COWED!”
I would just like to share with you these SMSes:
