INDEPENDENT

OH MY...KUALA LUMPUR AND JAWI

- Flew to KL with Malindo right from Penang on 2nd April 2016

- Took ERL to Putrajaya Cyberjaya to attend launching of CERPEN TERBAIK 2015

- ON TIME...we were introduced to readers. Not all are fixi writers. This Anthology is special. My work Bicara Tiga Wanita was listed. Happy surely. All are selected by Wan Nor Azriq a prolific author from Kedah.

- seated next to Lokman Hakim (he confessed about writing a novel in 3 days) Amazing!

- it was fun meeting some of them...especially Uthaya Shankar, very inspiring.

- right after the event i took time to explore Putrajaya...that latest landmark. Glorious

- took ERL to KL Central and monorel to Chow Kit. Another appointment with 6 varsity students

- Checked in a boutique hotel. Thank god it was on offer for 80 ringgit.

- Felix Agustus and friends seek for my approval to record all my statement on LGBT and being a transwoman. Audio and visual I agreed. Talk casually on struggles and aspirations toward  ts community and hopes for tolerance from cisgender society at large.

- Rest for a while...and walk to Kampung Baru. Which is now changed. Busier unlike in the 80s. Real aim was Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa...crowded but i managed to fulfill my craving. True enough, it has some secret recipes. Nothing beats that delicious nasi lemak.

- Bumped into Sazura Sarip. What a small world. Casual chat and i walked back to my hotel to rest

- Renaissance at 10 am. Got there by Monorel only two stations after Maju Junction

- Rehearsal. Thoroughly conducted by Patricia and Erina 

- It;s charity nite. Miss World 2016. New organizer. So we need to be extra careful

- for this work i was offered 3K. Reduce it for the sake of charity to 2.5

- No room given to me. Renaissance is expensive. I am okay with that as long as given a small area to do my makeup and rest. Comfortable. Met so many familiar faces from FB and some old friends. I was planning to spend time longer with them. Seriously i miss them so much especially those from Pink Triangle and Seed.

- The event was planned to finish early. We wanted to break the tradition of TS event ending at 2am. I hate that kind of event seriously. So organizers, Choreographers and me have to pull it off nicely...directing the music tech who is rather blurred but nice to work with.

- Everything went on smoothly. Traditional round, showtime by newcomers, evening wear, and i was really excited to announce top 16...all of them are gorgeous really.

- Immediately when top 16 was completed in no merit orders...i heard a commotion. Sisters were shouting..some were running...obviously it;s JAWI barging into the PRIVATE BALLROOM. It was scary indeed.

- I pulled myself together. Walk slowly to backstage...take all my belongings. ( i do not want to lose my flight ticket, wallets and all those important things). I told myself nah....after so many years of being on stage, this time you have to face it. How am i going to face it? who will be my guarantor in KL? The shouting is still going on outside infront of the stage...it was Siti Kassim and the Religious officers. It was loud and firm of Siti to question them...asking for arrest warrant and demanding for SOP (standard of procedures).

- tonight i told myself i wanted to witness all of it. so i joined some of the girls, reen, eva, sarah etc to see what is going on. Calmly...amazing to see how my sisters managed to stay cool. Photographers taking opportunity, one of them was kicked out of the ballroom. True enough he is from Harian Metro.

- While observing the commotion, i also took a chance to look at those more than 20 officers guarding all exits...blank faces, heartless and one even got a heart to approach me and friends trying to talk about HUKUM. Pity her...she spoke very soft and polite. We just ignore her...not important, what is important now is the courage session of Siti Kassim the lawyer and activist  blurting out all the wrongs committed by JAWI.

- it was truly something that we all in the ballroom learnt. DO NOT PLEAD GUILTY and do not let ourselves be bullied by them.

- Pat and Erina suggested to take me out. The commotion is still going on between them. Siti, Jawi and Organizers. Pat drove me to my hotel and we had supper. Before i bid farewell. I need to see them again soon. 

- one word. i was really UPSET

- knowing that it will be twisted by Media. Cursed by cisgenders who are already homophobic.

- it was still a hot topic in Malaysia the next day. 4/4/16 until 6/4/16. 

- sites reporting the case by FTM, harian on-line, The Star...was laden with curses of the public.

- Sisters who is not in the picture speculating this and that...social media was buzzing with that fresh incident (though it;s nothing new, the newest is this time it;s BUKU BERTEMU RUAS)

- I am praying hard that SUARAM will take this matters to court and let it be something we Malaysian need to learn.

- JAWI is not GOD. They need to stop being a big bully. They need to have SOP. Sisters need to be braver.

So there you go my KL experience for 2 days.... how colorful if i were to look back. i make sure i do not give any comments on social media when anyone ask me about it. I am tired of explaining the whole incident. I would like to extend my gratitude to Siti Kassim, Seed foundation and brave sisters for making all these visible.

POINTS:

1. Charity night

2. it was not a real beauty contest, it was a show

3. private function so please respect. Hotel security? five star? 

4. stop being bullied, fight till the end.

5. experience is important.

6. will i emcee for TS event again? YES i will.....

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