I know this is my chance to see the other dimension of Malaysia whom self-proclaim to be Malaysia Truly Asia. I cannot wat until the day come. I was assigned to be expose to the Mon Refugee Organization (M.R.O) in Kuala Lumpur (K.L) together with Anglina Albinus. I had contact the leader, Nay Thy Wonna of MRO and we were given their address. On 27th November 2008, the first part of the exposure was taken place at Perch, Batu Arang, Selangor. Reaching there traveling by busses and trains. I learned the house is built up for the marginalized sick people and I can see many of them. I got the chance to know a Myanmar boy name Amon who can plays the guitar very good and we sing some songs for whole evening for everyone. Other than that, the whole salt exposure group was introduced to Rosemary who is the head of the A.C.T.S (A Call To Serve) organization which serve the needy. I stay at the Shelter home with the Myanmar Refugees for a night.
Next morning, Angelina and I travel to KL together with other teams. On the journey, the leader Wonna keep on asking where are we. I felt Nay Thy Wonna really cannot wait to see us and he was worried that we may had got lost. When we reach Pudu, he fetch us. I can immediately feel his friendliness and kindness when he fetch us with eagerness and big smile. The MRO office is situated at 9th Floor, Pudu Plaza, KL. The place was very good, clean and well order. I feel that the community is trying very hard to make a good living there. Then we shared about the life in the MRO, I got the know few people, wonna whom work as a social worker, Jowen the English teacher and more. Most of sharing is about their reason and journey to Malaysia.
One of the best sharing among them was by Kong Chan Khit a young man who was about my age. He is among the well English speaking Mon people and a University of Moulmein student whom did not finished because of the country situation. He came to Malaysia in 2004 because he was force to join the military. He escaped and manage to come to Malaysia through Thailand. Each border crossing, he need to pay the agent a lot sum of money. He was drop at Butterworth, Penang and was force to work without salary for 7 months. At one point of his years in Malaysia, he met a good man named Mr. Kong whom sponsor his education fee in APIIT college K.L. But after some years, the man leave for Taiwan. He had lot of working experience as a refugee in Malaysia and he was among the lucky one because he never got caught or beaten by police, RELA force or the bad citizens. Kong had also share some story about the Mon Dynasty whom once the most feared Kingdom but now no more. Even the Mon people was slowly converted to become Burmese when the Junta order arise. Many of them were killed and run to other country. Kong is now waiting for the UN to send him to the third country. Kong is a very humble man. Although he had his own room, he rather sleep outside at the living room accompanying me for the two nights.
Other than that, I had the chance to go to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur accompanying Wonna and one friend a Mon member name Nay Chek Goon. Sadly he was suspected to have dengue. I hope he get well soon.
On the last day of exposure, I took the chance to take many photos of the good refugee friends even with the kids. I hope to stay longer because they are very nice to me. They also presented me their annual T-shirt, badge, and towel, I also bought myself a “gloit” a tradition cloth like ‘sarong’.I am kind of feeling heavy hearted to leave them, I really wish God bless them with happiness and solve their problems. I hope Myanmar obtained it democracy sooner. I will just pray.
