We were chatting as we sat on our respective upper bunks - and not surprising, we started talking about local politics. KL was telling me that when it comes to voting, he wasn't really loyal to a particular party - but he was more interested in the candidates themselves.
He started telling me an incident in his family. Years ago, his uncle was robbed. The robbers injured him seriously and KL's aunt brought her husband to the University Hospital. Unfortunately, there was no place left in the Intensive Care Unit. None for 'normal' patients.
You see, they had a bed specially reserved for VIPs. There were no VIPs in the ICU at that point of time. KL's uncle's family was livid! The man was dying. There was an empty bed. Yet, the hospital refused to give it to the dying man! They went all the way to the top but the hospital refused to budge.
So the family turned to the Member of Parliament - from the ruling government. He said he'll look into it. They waited. No news. No action.
Out of desperation, they turned to the opposition politician. She was not the Member of Parliament. But it was worth a try.
I believe it was in the wee hours of the morning. The family did not know this opposition politician personally. Yet, when she received the call, she told them she would be there. And shortly afte that, she arrived. She raised hell and gave the management a piece of her mind. To cut the long story short, KL's uncle was given the place in the ICU and lived to tell the story.
KL said that that incident left such an impression on him - that was what he would want in his MP. That was exactly the kind of person he would vote for. She did not know them at all. She wasn't even the MP at that time. Yet, she came to their aid in some ungodly hour.
Today, that lady is a Member of Parliament. In fact, in the last elections, she won her seat with the BIGGEST majority. No surprise, is it?
Today, she is also locked-up. She has not been charged in court. She has not been allowed to go to court. She has not been allowed to see her lawyer.
What has she done wrong? The authorities have not released an official reason for it - just the vague allegations that she has done something which is "detrimental to the calm, peace and harmony of the country".
There are some speculation as to why she has been detained - it is only as a result of an article published in a local papers, the contents of which has been denied by her and remains unproven. Her supporters maintains her innocence (see here).
Instead of serving her constituency, she is unwell and kept in detention - for around a month. And possibly indefinitely.
In my view, this is wrong. If she has committed a crime, charge her in court for it. If not, let her go and let her do her job and serve the people.
Let us speak out against her detention. Let us call on the government to release her. Let us no remain silent. When you say nothing at all, nothing will change.
If you feel as strongly as i do, then sign this online petition asking not jst for her release but that ISA be abolished.
*The last single from her second album, i really like this song - the lyrics, the 12-stringed acoustic guitar, the gospel feel to it.
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