By the time we reached Esplanade, the Speakers' Corner was in darkness and we were quite puzzled. Then we saw that the crowd had congregated near the sidewalk just in front of the Speakers' Corner as the space had been occupied by folks enjoying the free movie being screened as part of the Heritage Celebrations to commemorate the UNESCO award to Penang.
I looked at my watch and it showed 8.46p.m. We were six minutes late and I was amazed that there was easily a crowd of more than 150 people there. Penangites are known to be quite tardy but not this time. It seemed that most of them had the sense of urgency to show their solidarity for TBH and were dead serious about their commitment to voice their outrage. I half thought the turnout would be poor as many with whom I spoke to were unaware about the vigil.
The atmosphere was solemn and the air was pregnant with grief, anger and a strange silent kind of unity. Tragically, it took the death of an innocent man who died a futile death to bind the hearts of many Malaysians together. It took the sacrifice of ONE MAN to make people see how some disregard the value of life and had no qualms about snuffing out an innocent man's life. For what and why, many still question...
Most of the crowd donned black clothing. Faces were grim and sombre while some were teary-eyed. I stood amongst the crowd, filled with awe that this was one vigil that was a far cry from all the others I had attended. The sense of purpose and urgency could be seen in how some brought one-foot candles (not one, but two) and held them together with posters calling for justice for TBH.
There were citizens from all walks of life from different ethnic backgrounds who stood close together not just in bodies but in their hearts as well. People were not bothered about the hot atmosphere on that starless night. It seemed as though the stars also snuffed out their lights out of sorrow at the memory of Teoh Beng Hock. A young man wearing a turban shouted in a spirited manner "Justice For Teoh Beng Hock" many times and soon the crowd echoed those words in a growing crescendo.
As I stood there listening to the various speakers of the night (Ayer Itam (DAP) assembly person Wong Hon Wai, Seri Delima (DAP) assemblyperson RSN Rayer, Penang Municipal Councillor Ramlah Bee Asiahoo , MP for Tanjung and State Executive Councillor Chow Kon Yeow), a feisty woman in her fifties standing beside me was complaining loudly about the MACC statement which she condemned as too late and too hypocritical. Thereafter, she proclaimed that she was planning to speak up one day at the Speakers' Corner.
The elderly were there, foreign tourists, expatriates, SUARAM members, students and concerned Malaysians from all walks of life - all of whom gathered in solidarity to express their disgust and outrage at the way TBH lost his life. Each speaker lamented the absence of justice and the manner and speed at which the trial was being conducted as compared to other cases.
After the last speaker spoke, the crowd was invited to raise their candles and to cry "Justice for Teoh Beng Hock" at the top of their voices. In the deafening roar, some could be seen crying and ranting away. Such was the anger expressed last night. Then the crowd made their way to place their candle along the pavement. There was no tussle as the candles were arranged in a straight line lighting up the darkness of the night as though symbolically telling the world that their hearts are one and will light the way to seek Justice for Teoh Beng Hock.
A police car came soon after and a policeman asked the crowd to disperse. The other Special Branch members mingled with the crowd. There was no public disorder and many remained after the vigil was over to talk, network and to fellowship.
As I walked to the car, I turned back and looked at that line of candles burning brightly in the distance. Uncannily, despite the breezy night, the candles were not snuffed out and emitted a soft glow as if to tell the world, the memory of Teoh Beng Hock will not be snuffed out at all ....
How can we ever forget?????
a collage of pics I took last night* I amended the above line in response to a comment from an Anonymous reader at 1.04a.m. Thanks to him/her broad vision for Malaysians. I apologize for this omission. God bless us all!
Justice Beng Hock might not be with us, but he will never be forgotten!
Justice for Teoh Beng Hock!