today started out all right, i went to fac, chatted with some friends and made meeting up plans for next week, took back my second PIL assignment (which turned out ok, praise God) and my attachment forms and later lunched with siewwee and harn...
as i was idly surfing the net when i returned, i discovered from Jeff Ooi's blog that MGG Pillai had passed away. read more about it here.
MGG Pillai was in one word: a character. he had style and flair and a real talent for writing. and he was brave, one of the very few who dared to maintain his uncompromising stance against all the faults and failings of the ruling party and Malaysia in general. i used to read his articles on his site and i really enjoyed the alternative viewpoints he presented. i still remember the tort syllabus last year included a defamation case between MGG Pillai and Tan Sri Vincent Tan, and in spite of such legal action which would frighten most of us into submission, he merely carried on. that is something worth thinking about ...
patriotism is not about empty praises and closing your eyes to the truth about your country, it is about daring to speak up and wanting your country to do better, to be a better place to live in because you love your country, your motherland. and i would think MGG Pillai was one who embodied such patriotism with passion, fire and brimstone. he was never one to mince his words with his use of colourful and quiant metaphors and figures of speech - a voice that though not loud, was persistent and piercing ...
i always wanted to link to him, but i procrastinated for far too long. still, he will always remain in my memory as a very courageous and brave man who did the best he could for the country by his pen. and i will miss his writing, miss reading the strident articles laced with biting humour and the super sharp socio-political commentary.
God bless MGG Pillai and let his good work carry on. My deepest condolences also to MGG Pillai's family members, may God be with you as you carry on through this dark time.
i say a requiem for him:
'Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon him
and may he rest in peace.
may the soul of the faithful departed,
through the Mercy of God
rest in peace.
AMEN.'
2 comments:
petrina:
Thanks for your comment over at Desi's Place on MGG.
The was indeed everything you wrote and more.
I count myself lucky and privileged to have befriended him for quarter century.
WEe'll miss him -- and I share your salute and prayer for a GOoD Man.
May his soul rest in peAce. Amen.
yes, may his soul rest in peace...amen to that.
and thank you for dropping by. feel free to come back again, if and when you feel like it.
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