A story on Allahyarhamah Aina Mardiah…
The first time I met her she was just an ordinary teenager. We met at Bukit Aman, whereby both of us were kindly given time to meet our relatives who has been detained under ISA. That was the first and the last time I met that girl.
I met my uncle and Aina met her father. Both of them have been detained about 6 years under ISA. Okay, let’s leave the ill story of the grounds of their detention, as the essence of the intended story is on the death of Aina Mardhiah.
She fell at her house, then unconscious. Doctor revealed that she had blood clot inside her head since she is small. When she fell, the blood clot spread inside the head and caused her to collapse.
Her father, whom I called as uncle Acep, was informed about his offspring’s health status and it required him to see her as soon as possible for a few hours before she was announced dead, she was fully dependent on what me, as a layman call it as life machine.
Police told my aunt that uncle Acep had depart from KEMTA, located in Taiping at 1 noon. However he arrived at 9 pm and his beloved daughter has passed away around 6 pm. If uncle Acep was really departed from KEMTA at 1 noon he supposed to reach hospital at 5 as it only takes 3-4 hours journey from taiping to klang valley. If only uncle Acep was brought earlier to see Aina, he is certainly able to meet her.
Bureaucracy processed caused this delay and this delay is too much. When I was seeing my uncle at bukit aman, I was told by the police that under a new minister, ISA detainee must have official permission from the said minister before he could be brought out from KEMTA.
Something should be done. Let this tragedy become the first and the last one. We shall not compromise with ‘lame’ bureaucracy processes. There are a lot of people who have raise hue and cry on this piece of law. However, it needs political will to change this kind of circumstance. The executive should loose the knot in emergency situations as it is a very torturing situation when you are helpless while facing ‘lame’ bureaucracy processes.
For Aina, may God hold you softly in palm of His hand……
