And so it goes…

The place to begin

FLYING across the spacious skies and looking down at the forests, mountains and rivers below, my best vision of Fair Land Sarawak has always been one of love, peace and forgiveness.

Many still remember singing this beautiful anthem of Sarawak:

Fair Land Sarawak

We will never cease to honour thee

And with our loyal sons

Defend your liberty

From your high forest hills

Down to the open sea

May freedom ever reign

Men live in unity

Proudly our flag flies high

Above our country strong and free

Long may our people live

In peace and harmony

This song reminds us of some of the bleakest moments in our history – the dark period of Japanese occupation during the Second World War and the tumultuous anti-cession struggle for our independence before we became a colony of Britain.

It has also helped us to remember the birth pangs of a new nation, Malaysia, and the journey we have been undertaking since to where and what we are today.

It is a hymn. It is a prayer. It is about hopes and dreams and the sure, undiluted patriotism of the old era.

A week after the shameful and childish acts of stomping on the leader’s photos and the call for the Jalur Gemilang to be changed, I have been able to enjoy a period of heart-warming stories of grace and forgiveness lifting my spirit high.

Ah, that leads to joyous Malaysia Day today.

Widely reported in the Chinese newspapers was the case of former MCA president Tan Koon Swan who graciously accepted the apology from former Singapore prosecutor Glenn Knight after the latter admitted he had wrongly prosecuted Tan in the Pan-El crisis in the mid-1980’s which landed Tan in prison for two years plus a fine.

Tan has set a fine example of “forgive and forget” -- letting bygones be bygones and looking forward to the journey ahead.

He prays that the peace of God be upon Knight and if they do meet again, they will do so as friends.

He said he has no intention to pursue any action of whatever nature against anybody because God in His compassion has healed him and his family of all pain and sorrow, and given them sufficient grace to carry on their lives with dignity and self-respect.

Here is the true essence of forgiveness.

First, it is a promise made to the person who had offended him but has now repented -- and that “he has put the episode aside and they shall be friends if they meet again.”

Secondly, it is a promise not to pass it on to anybody else. When it is forgiven, it is forgotten.

Finally, it is a promise to himself that he will not revisit those years of anguish.

But above all, he gives all glory to God.

Tan could have been seen as a “giant” and as such, he naturally has a “giant” heart to forgive and forget.

But there is this homemaker who also shows her grace and forgiveness. She has described the day she was kidnapped as “the darkest and longest day in her life.”

She was tied, blindfolded and held at knife point and released only until the kidnappers got the amount of money that was satisfactory to them.

Here is an extract of her journey from fear to forgiveness (in her own words) presented to the court last week before the sentencing:

After I was released, I passed many days in deep fear, unable to sleep, jumping up at the slightest sounds, panicking at daybreak, unable to face crowds or put myself in the presence of strangers. Even sitting in the car alone would agitate me.

I woke up many nights with a vivid picture of the perpetrators in my head and trembled in fear.

Then the cruel comments and snide remarks from the public crept in. Unkind remarks such as “stupid woman”, alluding to my gullibility really hurt me and I started to doubt myself. I found it hard to trust others or trust myself in many situations. I had become very wary of friends and those who claimed to help.

Each day, I struggled to live as a normal, average homemaker and a mother of four schooling children. It had also been very difficult going through the court system for my family and me. During the court proceedings, it was a dread to wake up the next morning to read what was being reported.

While I feel these perpetrators should be punished accordingly, I have also come to accept this as a chapter of my life that had provided me personal healing and growth.

I'd like to share a few of these:

The day I was kidnapped, I learned more about family, friendship and kindness and God.

I have also experienced the love of my pastor at Wesley Methodist Church who never ceased to give me personal counselling and prayer support. It was extremely challenging to get to the emotion of my experience. But through prayer support, I learnt to trust God, I was drawn closer to Him and my family closer to me.

While still working hard to make up for the financial losses through this kidnapping as the finances are meant for my children’s education, I am ready to step forward and close this chapter of my life. As time passed, I gradually thought about that horrid day less and less.

I have put all these behind me and my life is getting back to normal again.

I am really thankful to these perpetrators for NOT abusing me while in their confinement, and for NOT ending my life after they had got the money from my friends and family members.

Your Honourable Judge, I fully trust your prudence in sentencing them accordingly. However, I heartily hope that they will be given another chance at life just like me.

May God bless them.

The stories of Tan and the homemaker weave the essence of our past and the promise of our future into a lyric of hope.

And pray that our land is the place where love, peace and forgiveness will be always fostered and cherished to make Malaysian hearts soar.

Happy Malaysia Day.

IT BEGINS HERE: Hope is not a word that means mere possibility or good chance. It speaks of a ringing certainty, based upon our commitment and faith -- Bernama photo