I was approached by the Dadah Itu Haram committee on collaborating for their yearly anti-narcotics outreach campaign. Dadah Itu Haram is an anti-drug campaign launched in April 2017, by Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin. The campaign unites various grassroots organisations to promote anti-drug message in their respective communities.
I've had a handful of acquaintances who have been charged with the consumption and possession of narcotics. I've listened to many of their stories and these stories have common threads. The rate that an ex-offender falls back into relapse is very high. Stigma towards an ex-offender is more hurtful than the penalty itself, thus there need to have consistent education how society can help the ex-offender. the road to recovery is never easy. Being brave to face the public may be difficult but it is a positive road to recovery. Life may not return to normal for the ex-offender.
Thus I enlisted Muhammad Salihin Sulaiman Jeem, a renown Singapore-based poet, to pen the script.
Here is the video - MONOLOG PENYESALAN
My thoughts during the launch (in Malay)
I've had a handful of acquaintances who have been charged with the consumption and possession of narcotics. I've listened to many of their stories and these stories have common threads. The rate that an ex-offender falls back into relapse is very high. Stigma towards an ex-offender is more hurtful than the penalty itself, thus there need to have consistent education how society can help the ex-offender. the road to recovery is never easy. Being brave to face the public may be difficult but it is a positive road to recovery. Life may not return to normal for the ex-offender.
During conceptualisation, I have wanted to avoid the cliche dramatic narrative, ie, offender gets caught, stays in prison and repents, returns home to family and becomes a changed man. I wanted it to be a rather visceral approach to reproach, repentance and public opinion.
Thus I enlisted Muhammad Salihin Sulaiman Jeem, a renown Singapore-based poet, to pen the script.
MONOLOG PENYESALAN
Penyesalan ini telah lama ku telan.
Tembok batu yang telah menjeratku sekian lama,
membuat aku bertambah benci.
Benci dengan benda haram tu.
Aku pernah tersilap langkah
Kini aku mahu kembali....ke pangkuan masyarakat.
Tapi.. terasa begitu sukar sekali….
Teman-teman semakin menjauh,
Keluarga tidak mesra lagi.
Pekerjaan tidak lagi ku miliki.
Isteri...hmmm tak taulah…
Anak-anak, dilarang untuk aku bertemu.
Dan aku sangat merindui mereka.
“Maafkan ayah sayang….”
Kadangkala, aku dianggap seperti najis!!.
Seperti hampas
ku disamakan dengan benda haram tu lagi…!!
Setiap detik ketika terkandang di sangkar besi
membuat aku ingin berubah
Ia tidak semudah diucapkan.
Aku terpaksa terima padahnya
Aku bertekad.
Aku masih punya perasaan,
Hidup ini semakin terhambat.
Aku masih lagi terikat
Kedamaian sudah hilang,
keceriaan punah terhempas.
Aku kini dalam dunia keperitan..
Bantulah aku teman, jangan biarkan aku tenggelam
Dalam kecelakaan.
Seringkali air matu mengalir
Mengenang kisah-kisah hitam
Yang terlalu pahit untuk ku kenang
Dan entah ke brapa kali aku
Terjerat lagi ke dalam..
Dan terpaksa aku nilai
kisah-kisah yang lampau
Berikan aku semangat baru
Supaya masyarakat menerimaku.
Supaya anak ku masih mengenali diri ini
Lepaskan aku dari belenggu
Bawalah diri ini terbang jauh ……
Jauh dari pemasalahan yang ku alami…
Bebas seperti dulu lagi…
(watch the video below for English subtitles)Event launch was covered by the Malay-language national paper Berita Harian.
Here is the video - MONOLOG PENYESALAN
My thoughts during the launch (in Malay)
No comments:
Post a Comment