Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Denmark House

Ceasefire
Marina and I agreed that Denmark House "has changed" so much, as we looked up the towering building. Not faraway on the right was another towering structure, the KL Tower.
"I remember it to be smaller and quite old," Marina remarked.
"Mmm. Yeah, that's how I remember it," I said, still looking up at the gleaming structure.
The truth is, I had never been anywhere near Wisma Denmark in my life to notice any difference until, of course, January 25 when I joined several others, including journalists and well-known Malaysian bloggers, to give Rocky moral support in his court case (the defamation suit against him by the NSTP and 4 of the company's top executives).
Yesterday (Tuesday, January 30) with Marina, Rocky, Sheih, Stephen, Bernard, Zahrin, Akram et al at Wisma Denmark to give Jeff Ooi (who faces a similar suit by the NSTP and 3 of the individuals) would make it just my third time there.
Hmm, it does look new and so huge, I thought.
I used to past Wisma Denmark whenever I took that stretch of Jalan Ampang. I would not give the building a second look.
The last time I walked past the building was in 2005 when I took the LRT from Bangsar to the Dang Wangi station enroute to the Pakistan High Commission to get my visa (for a media tour of Pakistan).
I had never quite bothered to look at the building which is so named because it is where the Royal Embassy of Denmark is located. The embassy occupies the 22nd floor.
Now, I am getting familiar with the building, one of the oldest landmark in Kuala Lumpur's golden triangle.
It is also where the high courts (hearing civil cases) are.
Over the years as an editor at the NST, the name "Wisma Denmark" was regularly relayed to me as our court reporters would call up to say that they would be covering this or that civil case at Wisma Denmark.
Rosnazura, former NST court reporter who is now working in a GLC, used to call in, usually about 10am to say: "Kak Ena, nothing much is happening at Jalan Raja. Just some cases for mention. I am going to Wisma Denmark. It seems there is a xxxmillion ringgit suit..."
Or, "Kak Ena, I am in Wisma Denmark. There is a civil case...". Wisma denmark this and wisma denmark that.
Now, it looks like I will be calling someone or other to say that, hey, I am in Wisma Denmark, it's Jeff's case, or Rocky's case.
And I'd be here at Wisma Denmark for anybody who is being sued by a newspaper for defamation.
By the way, my next visit will be February 22 for Rocky's hearing and March 6, for Jeff's.

* We were all at the lobby some time after 9am, waiting for the lift to take us upstairs to the courtroom when Jeff's lawyers emerged from one of the lifts.
Jeff, who was delayed by the unusually bad traffic jam (caused by the closure of Jalan Raja Laut for FT Day rehearsals), was with us.
"Is it over?" we all chorused.
"Yes, yes," said Jeff's counsel, Haris Ibrahim,
Wow, that was fast, we all remarked.
"Let's go to the mamak shop for teh tarik!" I think it was Rocky who suggested that.
What a wonderful idea, Rocky. That was everyone's thought.
Actually, the mamak shop seems to be the direction everyone takes as soon as they step out of the lift.
Here is the outcome of Jeff's case -- that all parties not publish any articles, comments or posts regarding the dispute that may be regarded as subjudice or that may prejudice the fair trial of the case.
Rocky says this is a ceasefire. It is.
Anyway, here's a thought, borrowed from Aung San Suu Kyi:

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power
corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who
are subject to it.

16 comments:

Editor said...

Hi, Nuraina.It's me,Rajahram of Rajahram's Journal (http://rajahram.blogspot.com).I like reading your reports from Denmark House.It feels like I am there as well.Hope to see you and the others at the next hearing.Bye.

Jorji said...

me dunno anything about court cases or any law terms,vocab blabla..me dun want to know abt it.me just want them to kalah and bloggers to menang.....(the court case la,cuz we bloggers actually tak kalah apa2 pun)

Anonymous said...

Hi Aina, glad I stumbled into your blog while musing myself at KTemoc's . I'm Down Under & seldom come home. You bloggers are my window to Malaysia...oh Malaysiaku... (apa sudah jadi?):(

zorro said...

Nurainah, I felt so proud,walking with Rocky and Jeff, but didnt you notice my steps were more jaunty walking beside you and Marina. Shanghai, one on Nurainah's tab please. Much cheers.

Unknown said...

i just wanna let u know..at ur age u are still looking very attractive with those beautiful smile.

little wonder u are easily touched by that 'nice man' who called u, noq ai na

beautiful woman is always very soft inside.

but their softness can easily being misled, the way dolah easily 'kene tipu'.

are u married lady? just asking tq

Anonymous said...

Hi Nuraina, thanks for the Rocky/Jeff updates. Nice blog site. BTW, yours is an unusual name, is it pronounced Nur-aina or Nura-ina? Bloggers unite!

Anonymous said...

hey, i am sure gonna be there on 22nd feb and 6th march and walk with you guys. you are heroes. if i have kids i'll take them to wisma denmark on those days and walk with you all. this country needs heroes, genuine heroes. we don't get them from our politicians, not the police, and certainly not our artistes. we have some gems in the likes of nicol david and the badminton boys but they often fizzle out before you can say "my hero"!
all of the sudden, you guys emerge!! dont kniow about everybody else, but you are my heroes.

Anonymous said...

Suu kyi:
"It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power
corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who
are subject to it."

Cecil King:
"I see nothing wrong with power as long as I am the fellow who has it.

Margaret Thatcher:
"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."

Otto von Bismarck:
"I have seen three emperors in their nakedness, and the sight was not inspiring."

LOL.
We have all seen one prime minister in his nakedness, and the sight is most uninspiring!

All the best Kak Ena. Dan nasib baik Kak Ena credit Suu Kyi, kalau tak PLAGIAT!

LUBOK MELAYU said...

Nuraina!
Percayalah, kalau kes mereka berlarutan, beribu orang yang tak pernah fikir tentang Wisma Denmark akan menyebut-nyebut nama itu dan beribu lagi akan menapak ke situ bersama Rocky dan Jeff. Ini bukan hal remeh. Kita berdepan dengan suatu cubaan untuk menutup suatu saluran untuk rakyat bersuara, mengeluh, berkongsi ria, dan mengamalkan prinsip demokrasikan yang dijanjikan oleh kerajaan. Kita berdepan dengan suatu cobaan merampas hak kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia. wisma Denmark menjadi saksinya!!

Anonymous said...

Who was it who said, you take down one brave man, 10 will come charging at you.
But if they take down a woman, even dead men will rise to haunt you and hunt you down! Go, Nuraina and Marina! Seize the day and take charge of the fight! Myanmar has Suu Kyi, Filipins had Corazon, we have both of you!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Nuraina,

A Nice Piece of work. For the magnificent bloggers. Bravo!

Husin Lempoyang said...

Dari hanya 20 yang datang semasa kes Rocky, kali ini lebih ramai yang datang.

Biar ia bebola salji ini membesar ...

Anonymous said...

Aku dengaq 22 hb Februari ini lagi besaq!! Ramai orang nak datang!! Tua muda, dari dekat dan dari jauh.

Nasihat aku, jangan lah ramai sangat.. nanti jadi reformasi lak. Kalau kok gitu nanti, depa hantaq jet air, camno?

Kalau hantar jet yang macam Pak Lah beli tu, moleh gak. Berapa hargo dia, RM200 melion?

Mak datok... !!

tokasid said...

Salam to NAS and all.

InsyaALLAH Rocky and Jeff will get all the support needed from their friends and fellow bloggers.
These cases are big and the implication to the state and rakyat is gonna be BIG.

Unknown said...

Wow, I'm inspired man! The group at Wisma Denmark is definitely as Malaysian as it can get...beyond race and religion! Eat your heart out Cobra aka Nasi Kandar King

Unknown said...

Kak Nuraina, i forget to say thanks for the coffe at bsc, nice meeting u there.....