AS NAJIB’S RIZA PLUNDERS AWAY & TAJUDDIN’S SON RIOTS AT PARLIAMENT, MARIA’S 3 BOYS GROW ANGRIER BY THE DAY: ‘WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON HER STRUGGLE’
When Maria Chin Abdullah’s father speaks, it is barely above a whisper. But when his daughter’s arrest is mentioned, there is conviction in his tone.
Visibly anguished, the 87-year-old former engineer opened a binder and pointed to a newspaper clipping related to the Bersih chairperson’s arrest.
The article is almost entirely underlined in red ink.
“(All the information) I get from the papers. The police never tell us where she is and how long they will keep her,” he told Malaysiakini when met at Maria’s residence in Petaling Jaya.
Chin Kee Kong said the family is concerned about Maria, who was detained last week under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.
“We just don’t know when she will be released. Every day we pray (for her release),” he added.
However, Chin is hopeful of seeing his daughter soon.
Referring to news reports on several prominent figures speaking out against Maria’s incarceration, he said: “Hopefully these big shots can help her to get the police to accept their explanations and release her.”
Before heading out for a hospital appointment, Chin also dismissed the notion that his daughter was capable of committing acts of terror.
Maria’s younger sister Cynthia previously revealed that their father had not spoken for two days following the arrest, though he managed a smile after receiving news about the support Maria received.
When Malaysiakini visited the double-storey terrace house yesterday, Maria’s Proton car was parked in the porch.
Inside was a hodgepodge of furniture, with not much space to move around. The living room was full of knick-knacks, with bags and boxes filling almost every corner and space.
Plans for long haul
Maria’s three sons requested that no photographs be taken of the exterior of their house, as they did not want people to know the location.
The oldest, Azumin, who had just returned from class, said his parents had emphasised the importance of education.
“And it’s exam season now,” said the 23-year-old, who is pursuing a foundation in arts, adding that despite the current predicament, he still needed to attend college.
Though hoping that their mother would be released soon, the sons are also prepared for the worst-case scenario.
“We have started discussing in the family about long-term plans if she is to be detained for a long period of time,” said Azumin.
He said that one of their plans is for him and his brothers to take on part-time jobs to support themselves, if their mother’s detention dragged on.
For now, the second son, Aziman, said, they are still in the process of coping.
“It was mostly confusion (when we heard our mother was detained under Sosma). Right now, it’s a lot of coping,” said the 22-year-old video game design student.
Chipping in, Azumin said their mother had always prepared them for the possibility of her arrest, but her detention under Sosma and solitary confinement came as a shock.
“She is a 60-year-old mother of three. There is no reason to keep her in solitary confinement,” he added.
Maria’s sons have not had any contact with her since Sunday, and are clueless as to her whereabouts and condition, other than what the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said on Wednesday.
Suhakam visited Maria in detention on Tuesday and revealed that although she is in good health, the Bersih chairperson is held in solitary confinement with only a wooden bed with no mattress to sleep on and has only cold water to wash.
“We read the Suhakam report and it’s kind of nice to know that our mother is strong-willed in there and she has access to her medicine, but then again, we still don’t know what’s happening in there,” Azumin said.
“Not knowing is quite painful for us, the family,” his younger brother Aziman added.
However, there have been some bright moments for the family as Azumin related that the outpouring of concern from their mother’s friends came immediately after she was arrested.
“It really helped a lot knowing that through our parents’ work, they managed to make a lot of good friends who would come in and help them in their time of need,” he said.
Son: Show evidence
Azumin was also grateful for the support from the public, especially for the candlelight vigils held for Maria.
Whereas Aziman said his mother would be proud of the turnout at the vigils.
“She made sure to always congratulate the people for their bravery to stand up and voice out.
“We’re touched that they could take time out of their day to come to Dataran Merdeka and hold the vigil,” he added.
Right now, the brothers’ bedrock of support is their aunt, Cynthia, who has been taking care of them.
The youngest of the three, Azemi, 20, was quiet for most of the interview, but when asked about the claim that the police have sufficient evidence to arrest Maria under Sosma, he was the first to speak out.
“Then we’d like to see the evidence,” he shot back in a tone that did little to conceal his anger.
Aziman, on the other hand, was calmer and questioned why the police had yet to charge their mother in court if there was evidence.
“We hope that all this can be settled fast and she would be released as soon as possible.
“We’ve grown up with our mother, I can firmly say she’s not a security threat,” Azumin said.
MKINI
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Contributer : Malaysia Chronicle http://ift.tt/2gGMli3
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