Holding a light

My wife and I were at the vigil on 30th night. It’s a simple and quiet affair – no chanting, shouting, picket boards, etc. Police watching from a distance did not question or harass us.

The late Moorthy incident was simply something I couldn’t brush aside with a ‘not my problem’ attitude. Though a quiet gathering like this may not seem to be achieving much, it certainly makes a statement that as Malaysians we will not let this matter slide like we have many other issues in the past. Honestly, we have ourselves (partly) to blame that our country is where it is and where it is going.

The vigil was off yesterday night to preempt any violence with the onloooking Dataran Merdeka revelers, but they start again tonight at 8pm. It goes on only for half an hour.

Personally, being there, flickering light in hand and standing opposite the ‘Muzium Sejarah Negara’ with Hindhus and Buddhists made me feel like a little part of history. While I mourn deeply the loss and injustice suffered by Kaliammal (the wife) and family, I am thankful for this wake up call for everyone on both sides of the equation.

Let’s continue to pray for the family, for our brave representatives (kudos Rev. Wong KK), and for the government to have the guts to make the necessary changes. If you feel strongly about this issue, and sitting at home makes you feel like just one of the indifferent masses, take a train to Masjid Jamek and make your way to the High Court. You will be given a candle and it will be a half hour of silence and prayer you will enjoy – I assure you your candle won’t be the only thing burning at the end of the night.