100,000 Rays Of Hope
At first it all seemed a little ambitious. 100,000 signatures in support of a second chance for Yong Vui Kong. 100,000. That felt like an awful lot. How on earth was it achievable? I’ve since realised that my skepticism was misplaced. And that Malaysia has some truly amazing activists. Over the past few weeks, they’ve...
Together, For Vui Kong
It drizzled all afternoon. The ground was wet and squishy. We thought no one would show up. But we were wrong. Photo by Nicholas Leong As I type this, Yun Leong is visiting Vui Kong in prison. I’m sure they’re talking about our little gathering yesterday, about all you good people who bothered to stand...
The Boy’s Mother
We visit on our third day in Sandakan. She looks surprised to see so many of us. But we’re even more taken aback by the state of her little two-bedroom flat. Vui Fung had told us earlier that she lives alone. We’d half-expected her home to be gloomy and untidy. But the place is immaculately...
The Good Fight
My heart leapt when I saw this status update on Vui Fung’s Facebook page a couple of weeks ago:“I try my best to face all of this… I never wanna try to hide it again…” It was a huge step for her – this shy, awkward girl who hates being in the limelight, hates talking...
A Letter To Yong Vui Kong
Dear Vui Kong, Thanks so much for your letter. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to reply. Your brother Yun Leong tells me you are amazingly strong. That you’re prepared to accept whatever happens next. That you want to live, want so much to live, but are ready to face death. I saw what...
The Maid’s Room
My brother and I spent a recent weekend house hunting with my parents. We had fun poking our noses into other people’s homes, making up stories about their lives, and swapping design ideas. My little nephew especially, has enjoyed the whole exercise. We’ve all loved listening to his suggestions as to where Mah-mah and Yeh-yeh...
Onwards To Rio
This might come as a surprise to some, but when we first learnt about the Homeless World Cup, we found the whole idea kinda, well, ludicrous. Why spend all that money on a bunch of losers? Why not use it so they can find… HOMES instead? But then we went to Hong Kong. And hung...
Problem-solving, MOM-style
It’s an open secret. The global trade in low-level labour is a dirty one. And Singapore is a willing participant. We import tens of thousands of migrant workers each year ostensibly because no other Singaporean will do the jobs they do, for the kind of pay they’re willing to accept. But the truth is that...
