Anwar Ibrahim, KeADILan/Pakatan Rakyat and Me

Some times some of you wonder why a 69 year old man like me supports and serves Anwar Ibrahim and Parti KeADILanPakatan Rakyat. It is for the satisfaction of getting an occasional e-mail like this one (below) from Dr. Kenny Ho, a fellow Kedahan, from time to time.

Anwar Ibrahim represents that special generation of Malays who can work for his people and yet think of justice and opportunities for all Malaysians. He is an intellectual and strategic thinker who challenges conventional thinking and UMNO’s political control of the Malays.

Today, he is being demonised and branded a pro-Jew, pro-Chinese, pro-Hindraf and whatever else. But most Malays forget that he sacrficed his life and career for their cause while standing up to the rights of all Malaysians under our constitution. I have worked for Anwar Ibrahim closely for nearly a year and I can say with deep sincerity that he challenged me intellectually (he is avid reader of classics, philosophy, history and economics) and I am enjoying every moment of the day, week, and year with him and his colleagues.

Here is Dr. Kenny Ho’ s e-mail. Thanks, Kenny for remembering me. May I say how happy I still am that I was right about you. I like fighters like you who can stare adversity in the face and come out on top.—Din Merican

Dated: August 16, 2008 (received via gmail.com)

“Apa khabar Abang Din,

You may not remember me but I remember you very well.

My name is Kenny and I first met you in 1984 in the 21st floor of Wisma Sime Darby at Jalan Raja Laut Kuala Lumpur. I was there for an interview with the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust team consisting of yourself and many others for the Sime Darby – Cambridge Commonweath Trust Scholarship to Cambridge University.

Before I continue telling you why I remember you very well, please be patient to read the following below:

I came from a working family – my parents were government servants – both teachers in Sungai Petani, Kedah. Now they are retired in SP.nWe were not rich – just able to get along with life. Early on in my life, my parents instilled in me that the only way forward in Malaysia was to excel in studies.

I followed their advice and from early years was always top in my class. As years progressed, I continued to excel but unfortunately, the environment seemed not to encourage pupils based on merit. I did not get to enter Sekolah Menengah Sains, Kedah despite the fact that I was top in my Standard 5 Assessment test and was denied the Sultan of Kedah’s Gold Medal because I was not a bumiputra. It went to my close friend, Osman Yahaya.

In secondary school, I continued to excel in my studies but I realised that I was not offered any Biasiswa Kerajaan Negeri Kedah. Only my Malay friends did and they were supposed to use the money for books, stationery etc but all of them spent their money on jeans and new clothes at Syarikat Per Seong in SP. In Form 3, I was top in my SRP but there was no scholarship. Many of my Malay friends went to Mara and then after Form 5; almost all of them received JPA scholarships to MARA, Matrikulasi etc. I was still stuck in SP in Sek Menengah Ibrahim.

Anyway, I did not despair but came out tops in my STPM with 5A and only 1 of 2 in Malaysia at that time. I had by then given up hope of ever getting a scholarship to study Engineering in the University and my parent had only RM 25,000 to sponsor me in University of Malaya to study Engineering for the whole duration of the course. We did not have any money to go anywhere else.

Then I applied to Sime Darby and surprisingly I was called for an interview. I was very happy but when I saw the interview panel, my heart sank since almost all the interviewers were bumiputras including yourself except for Anthony Yoon (whom we later called Jinjang Joe because of his high heel shoes!). Anyway, I gave it my best and the reason I remember you very well is because you were the most vocal of the whole lot!

We had a fantastic debate, maybe even bordering on having an argument during the interview. We “debated??? on what I thought of the MCA party which was embroiled in a power struggle between Neo Yee Pan and Tan Koon Swan. I also spoke very strongly about why I should be offered the scholarship using merit as the basis of my argument noting at that time that my scholarship opportunity was probably lost due to the composition of the interviewers and I had nothing to lose anyway.

Well surprisingly, I got the scholarship!……….and looking and thinking back; I strongly believe that my “debate??? with you was probably the highlight of your interview sessions and probably the turning point in winning me the scholarship. I may be so wrong but in my mind, I’m sure I am not far off the mark.

And so, I went to Cambridge, graduated 1st Class in Engineering and subsequently I studied for my MBA, DBA and all my professional degrees.

Looking at your activities now, I strongly believe that you are a man of principle, strongly grounded in the spirit of meritocracy that is so missing in our land and that you are the man that changed my life.
In Malaysia, when the oil dries, it is only the human capital which will make the country survive. But good human capital is missing in Malaysia. Most of the good ones are overseas now benefitting other nations instead of our country. What a waste!

I wish you the best in your struggles for a better Malaysia…………..and thank you for being a significant person in my journey of life. One of these days, I hope that we can meet up again.

God bless you. Dr. Kenny Ho.???