Indefinite Suspension

Dearest friends,

My brain could not comprehend few ideas thrown to me. As such, I am launching my protest. No posting, no nothing until I can understand. Thousand apologies. From the bottom of my heart, I love you all.

All my bags are packed
Im ready to go
Im standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin
Its early morn
The taxis waitin
Hes blowin his horn
Already Im so lonesome
I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Theres so many times Ive let you down
So many times Ive played around
I tell you now, they dont mean a thing
Evry place I go, Ill think of you
Evry song I sing, Ill sing for you
When I come back, Ill bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time
Let me kiss you
Then close your eyes
Ill be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I wont have to leave alone
About the times, I wont have to say

Oh, kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

But, Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Moon River & Home

The usual meeting of the bloggers at Cafe 14 today. Normal suspects were there, Rocky, Kak Ena, Zorro, Bigdog, A Voice, Tony & few others. They left early and headed for Ijok the hotspot for the election this week. I was home early after the meeting. Outside heavy rain was mercilessly beating the windows and thunders were roaring in the sky. The whole of Bukit Setiawangsa was grey and solemn. I have always loved the rain. It just calms me down. Must have been the soothing effect of the water.

When I was in MRSM Kuala Terengganu many many years ago, I used to wait up for the rain, especially at night. Then amidst the rain, from my room – Cempaka 54 - I can see a tower from the neighbouring maktab perguruan. I loved that tower in the rain. Sometimes late at night, we could hear the waves crashing onto the shore of Pantai Penarek from Wisma Pelajar. Ah, Kuala Terengganu was indeed a beautiful place. Everything was a lot simpler back then.

My late father dedicated a song to me when I was away in MRSM. He sat by the organ, slotted a cassette (yes, you heard me right, mana ada CD lagi masa tuh!) in his old radio/tape recorder and subsequently recorded himself singing Moon River. Later, he mailed it to me and words could not describe my joy to have received that cassette from him. The song remains my favourite song until today. It goes like this -

Moon River, wider than a mile,
I’m crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you’re going I’m going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There’s such a lot of world to see.
We’re after the same rainbow’s end–
waiting ’round the bend,
my huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.

This song was originally composed for the motion picture Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961 and Ayah sang it beautifully. The last time I heard this song was in one of Sex & the City episodes. Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big were dancing to the song on the eve of Mr. Big leaving New York for California. The scene was ultimately romantic as it is that no lines were needed between the two. The song bespoke a thousand meanings.

As I was thinking about Moon River, a dear friend of mine emailed me a questionable kind of song. Professionally forced to practise medicine in a forgotten land somewhere, she is feeling utterly lonely. In her honour, I will look up for a melody of this song and play it on the keyboard, tonight.

Another summer day
has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
but I wanna go home

Maybe surrounded by
a million people I
still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters
that I wrote to you,
Each one a line or two
I’m fine baby, how are you?
I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane, another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know…
but I wanna go home
I’ve got to go home

Let me go home

I’m just too far
From where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living
someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
when everything was going right
And I know just why you could not come along with me
This was not your dream
but you always believed in me…

Another winter day
Has come and gone away
in either Paris or Rome
and I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
still feel alone
Let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Let me go home

I’ve had my run
baby, I’m done
I’ve gotta go home

Let me go home

It’ll all be alright,
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

Ah, music – it brings the best out of a person and as I said earlier, music is the language of love. Good day folks.

The Reluctant Policitian – Book Review

Venue: Valentine Willie, Jalan Telawi Tiga, Bangsar

Moderator: Rocky Bru

Corum: Ooi Kee Beng, Tawfek, Datuk Ron & Pak Idrus

It rained cats and dogs yesterday evening and I was half an hour late. Fellow bloggers were there, inter alia – Kak Ena, Zorro, Stephen, Sheih, June, BigDog, A Voice, Mat Salo, Husna, Rusdi, Shar101 &  AlliedMaster.

The book review was average. I was actually expecting Dr. Ooi Kee Beng to be more eloquent and spirited about his experience in writing the book. However, Dr. Ooi is a very calm writer; so  I was a tad sleepy. The rain didn’t help the sleepiness though. And I have Stephen sitting beside me, positively longing for his beer.

Few quotes I managed to jot on my notebook are as follows:-

Pak Idrus noted “instead of reading Hang Tuah they should be reading this in school.”

Datuk Ron claimed “Tun Dr. Ismail is still the greatest leader of our time.”

Me? I have to agree with BigDog- why must Dr. Ooi asserted the paragraph about Tunku Abdul Rahman being a drinker and a gambler? It has no relevancy to the book. As for the history of Malaysia, I am of the view that it gives a clearer picture in so far as the state of emergency is concerned. Other than that, it’s much ado about nothing. A refreshing read nonetheless especially the first chapter about the life of young Dr. Ismail in Australia. 

Clark Gable of Pulau Duyong

Scene: Giant Hypermarket, Setiawangsa

Time: 5 p.m.

Actresses: Me & the usual adek cashier who sits at the first counter of Giant Setiawangsa everyday.

Cashier: “Hmmm, Kakak selalu beli susu & pampers anak akak kat sini kan?”

Me: (a bit stunned but I answered nonetheless) “Aah, sebab senang, dekat dengan rumah.”

Cashier: “Bukan ke Kakak selalu beli susu Enfalac A+ dengan Mami Poko untuk boy?”

Me: (okay, I thought – what’s wrong with this chirpy bird today?) “Ya…”

Cashier: Sekarang Akak dah tukar ke?

I looked down at the counter and I was horribly shocked when I saw 3 boxes of dumex mamigold formula instead of Enfalac A+. I surreptitiously glanced at the diapers, oh my god! I picked Mami Poko for girls! I have a son for crying outloud! I quickly said thank you to the good cashier, dashed out of the que and shamefully walked back to the aisle to exchange the items. The people at the counter gave me a snide look. They must have thought that I am mad.

I knew it. This must happened because today I finally met the elusive Clark Gable of Pulau Duyong at Cafe 14. After spending good two hours with him, I am a tad heady. He is as intoxicating as his writings. I urge fellow lady bloggers to meet this man. I am bereft of words. Still hugely affected seven hours thereafter.

Mr.Clark, I will reread Gone with the Wind tonight in your honour.

*Husband,  if you are reading this (which I doubt), fear not – you are still the best looking man I have ever met*

So long, Farewell Jalan Raja Courts

Lately my postings revolve around the practice of law. Seriously, I can’t help it and today my writing is about court. I endeavour to find a better topic next time around before I bore you to oblivion. As I walked across the death crossing between Royal Selangor Club and Jalan Raja Court Complex this morning, I said to myself that these motorists will never let you cross, they will hit you at the first chance! I noticed the commotions infront of the entrance near the lower court’s registry but I did not heed it as I was late (what’s new?).

Apparently the court’s session finished early today in anticipation of the move to the new court complex in Jalan Duta. “Oh, it’s hapenning already” I muttered to myself. My brain slowly perceived the commotions earlier and the mountains of boxes stacked outside the registry. As I climbed downstairs to head for breakfast, I saw the movers forming a human chain to load the boxes into the awaiting truck near the guard post. This court is really moving! Ah, how sad.

I love Jalan Raja Court and Denmark House for its memories. I was called to the Malaysian Bar before Justice K.C. Vohrah at Denmark House. Back then – as Typhoon Sue  aptly put it “I was as blur as a Sotong“- everybody had their hearings to be admitted as an advocate & solicitor at Denmark House.  I remember the day clearly, mama was beaming from ear to ear, grandma wore her proud face the whole day, the bunch of flowers from my boyfriend (now husband) and me in a black robe sitting nervously beside my Master – Lambert Rasaratnam of Lee Hishammuddin. Ah, I was young then. At that point, everything felt worth it; the pain in law school, the more excruciating pain of pointless CLP and my fight thus far. My only regret is that Ayah was no longer around to watch this fateful day.

Jalan Raja Court and Wisma Denmark housed the lower courts and the high courts for as long as I could remember. I memorise every turns and corners at both buildings. I swear I could get to where I want to be blindfolded. Both places are convenient and accessible via public transports. Colonial Cups serves excellent coffee and continental breakfast. My friends and I will sit here for hours bitching about practice, judges and clients. I would stop at the pathway near magistrate court and chat to the three typists who would type anything for a fee. Would the new court complex has a space for them? I doubt it. I will miss all these dearly.

Now the new court complex at Jalan Duta: the trouble is brewing already. The official starting date is 3rd May 2007 – which is also, ironically, my 32nd birthday – and one can anticipate the chaos it’s going to cause. This massive complex only has 500 hundred parking bays for public and lawyers. I mean, are you devoid of common sense at all? A complex that huge needs 1000 parking bays, at least. It is a catastrope waiting to happen, said Malaysia Kini. I relented, it is beyond my power to educate the current government about their silly planning.

It’s Shah Alam Court all over again. Public and lawyers would have to park their vehicles 2 miles away, walk up the hill and expected to be in court on time. Apparently the government has never heard about the elevated parking system. I once witnessed a pregnant lawyer climbing up the hill of Shah Alam Court with her fat briefcase; it wasn’t a pretty sight. One can only imagine her predicament.  

Be that as it may, the Malaysian Bar  is doing something about this new court building. They have fixed tomorrow the 17th of April 2007 to conduct an “open day” to enable members of the bar to understand structure, layouts and happenings at the new court complex. Torn between the usual mee rebus session of the bloggers and the court’s open day, I have to prioritise. So long, farewell Jalan Raja Court and Denmark House.

Tun Salleh Abas

In my life, I adore many men. My father, who basically formed my way of thinking. I sometimes adore my husband, when he is not pulling acts that challenge my intelligence: love him madly nonetheless. I also adore courageous leaders, talented writers & poets, gifted actors and great sportsmen. However, Tun Salleh Abas (the former Lord President) is one of my favourite heroes. Let us digress from the attacks on bloggers and travel back to the bleak day when justice was greatly undermined.

I was browsing my in-tray earlier and my eyes caught sight of the latest Relevan, a magazine produced by the KL Bar Committee. I flipped through it without conviction until I reached page 14. The acticles titled ‘Down Memory Lane’ brought back fresh memories of the day justice was denied.

Wikipedia has defined the sacking of the Lord President in 1988 as “event that triggered a marked reduction in the independence of the Malaysian Judiciary.” In law school, I have been taught that the doctrine of the separation of powers requires the judiciary to hold itself distinct from the arms of executive and legislative of the country. Well, at least ideally. The same requirement of the independence of Judiciary is also enshrines in the Constitution. My fellow blogger & better lawyer Malik Imptiaz has, in his blog, detailed the difference between judiciary, executive and legislative. Click here. Dry constitutional law I thought, better leave it to Malik.

The sacking of Tun Salleh Abas and the four Supreme Court Judges who granted an order restraining the members of the tribunal appointed by the acting Lord President to give advice to the King pending further order, has besmirched the independence of Malaysian Judiciary forever. The Judiciary, should at all time, be protected from political pressure to ensure its integrity and maintain public trust. Alas, the removal did take place. Prior to his sacking, Tun Salleh was heavily critised by the Executive for being bias in a case involving the tussle within UMNO. If this is true, the Constitution and the independence of Judiciary were fatally compromised.

I was merely 13 years old when Tun Salleh Abas was controversially removed from the bench. Of course, back then I haven’t a clue that one day Tun Salleh’s judgments would be my reference & precedence throughout the course of practice. I was privileged enough to have met Tun Salleh Abas on several occasions due to my friendship with his granddaughter Nadhya.

I remember that rainy evening in 1993 when Nadhya brought me to Bukit Setiawangsa to meet Tun Salleh. He was sitting in his study reading a book. Nadhya sweetly said “Tok, ni kawan Ya, Michele“. He nodded and after the required “bersalam” took place, he went back to his reading. I sat next to him in a total uncomfortable silence. Then, he cheekily handed out the newspaper for me to read. I obligingly read the entire newspaper!

Recently, Tun Salleh was baffled when he tried to introduce new evidence to the 1998 case. Read Ibnu Hakeem of Malaysia Today. I conclude that – from his book of May Day for Justice and his superbly written judgments – Tun Salleh Abas is  a fair judge.  As for me, it’s no longer the matter of who is right and who is wrong, but at least the public deserves to know what actually happened the day the independence of the Judiciary was undermined. I am still waiting.

* I appreciate comments from my fellow bloggers on this issue especially those who were around in 1998. Thank you.