Make A Stand

Life, is an enrollment game. I enrol people into my life, my vision everyday. I invite them to come in to my life and I got the opportunity to get to know and to love them. Sometimes, things goes according to what I have hope and plan for. Sometimes, things just get to complicated for us to move forward together. At some point, when I were at the crossroad and need to make a choice and decided to make a stand for myself and the people that I enroll.

Sisters In Islam
As I live my life and experienced it, I become aware of the surrounding and the issues arise. And the most closest issues that has impact to me is the Women's Right. I learned to make a stand for the Women in Malaysia.

It's started when I was working with Sisters In Islam (SIS) in November 2008 after I completed my pupilage at one of the Legal Firms in Kuala Lumpur. Later, from the knowledge and exposed to the issues, I opened up the possiblity of assisting any muslim women that enroll me into their life.

I never knew that I have the passion of want to create a difference to these women until I committed to do it.

Taking Risk and Raising The Bar
I would love to share my experience with a group of women at one of the seminar that SIS conducted, especially for the Telenisa's Client. For me to be around these women is remarkable awesome. They have faced the difficulty in life and things get complecated and they still going on strong wanted to fight and win for them and their children's right. Their hearts is purely beautiful and worth knowing them.

And as one SIS former staff, I do admit that I missed the feeling of contributing to the public. I am still volunteering for SIS as long as they need me and 100% support. Frankly said, my knowledge is not that deep on Syariah Family Law in Malaysia. Only on the surface and I need to do a lot of research and understanding, (trust me, it can be complicated when we studied Malaysian Law). But, I am willing to take the risk by raising my bar in giving them free service of legal advise. Lawyer may use this terms, "Pro Bono" Case.

Mother's Love.
So, I choose Puan Nora (not her real name) to be my first Community Service. Puan Nora is a single mother aged 31 years old and just declared divorcee last May 2011. After living as a wife for more than 3 years and things don't seem to work out between them, Puan Nora request to be divorced and it has definately break the ex-husband's ego and he treaten to take their only son away from her. He is 5 month old now. Therefore, she insist to fight for her right to get the custody of the child at Syariah High Court.

As she explained to me her situation, I experience her courages and her strong will in protecting the son. I can felt the love that she possess and hope that she carry for her son. I stood up and committed to be for her all the way. I explained to her what is possible to happen and what step that she may take in order to accomplish.

Obstacles.
Based on my zero experience in preparing the Litigation work, I seek help with my fellow learned friend, Mr. Loi in advising what should I do in helping this woman. The respect that I have for this man is so high. We studied together in University Malaya and his passion to seek for just and fairness inspired me all the way.

It's not like I don't seek help from other experience Syarie Lawyer out there, but at that particular time, there is none of them has time to help me. So, I never give up. I gave all I can to assist Puan Nora. She did it all, she did her part by typing her affidavit, she's the one that come out the argument that she want to put on her affidavit. She did it all.

At one point she called me and told me her husband coma to disturb their family and treaten her family and she got scared what will happen. And I want her to be brave and it strike me to be even brave and encourage her not to be scare and be clear why she did this in the first place. I treat her as if she is my friend and I ask her never show her fear to her ex-husband.

And when finally she filed the application of custody, she finally got the "Sulh" date. Sulh is a mediation process where the parties, Plaintif and Defenden have a chance to discuss and decide what is the best option, and to take the nessary step for both parties win. It was 28th June 2011. I called her before the "sulh" and discuss on what is possible to happen and encourage her to be whatever it needs to be in order for her to do whatever she needs to do so that she can get what she want to.

Victory
And so, later that evening she text me, "Salam Sufi. Alhamdullilah, akak dapat hadanah. Panjang cerita. Nanti malam kita bual." (Salam Sufi. Praise to God, I got the Custody (of the child). Long story. Shall tell you about it tonight.)

I'm cheering for her and I am so happy to have this win. Wow. This feeling is so overwhelm. I feel like I want to meet her that night and hug her and tell her how proud I am with her. She did it by herself. She gather her strengh and she make stand for her right and her son's right.

what's next?
Another "Pro Bono" case suddenly came. I received a phone call from one of (single mother) participant from the Seminar, last weekend. Requested me to support her. As I listened to her, I found out that this single mother, I called Puan Masyitah (not her real name) has been divorce since last 16 years and living in the house under her ex-husband name. She's been taking care of her four (4) children all this while with not even a single sen from their father.

So sudden, last week she informed that there is a lawyer come to her house to take photo and the Lawyer explained that her ex-husband is going to sell the house and they have a buyer to bought the house and she is preparing the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) to this property. Puan Masyitah are required to leave the house within three (3) months from the date of the SPA.

Black & White, bind!
She inform me as well that the husband shall pay RM60,000-00 out of RM140,000-00 from the price. I asked her to clarify, "Is there any black and white paper to confirm this?" and she said no. I begin to dig for more information and make a conclusion, the words from her ex-husband cannot be rely on based on none a single sen to be given to the family before this.

She came to me a person who seek advise. At that particular of time, I also clueless, don't know how to overcome this situation. But, I never want to just let it be as it is. And so, I asked around. What's possible for Puan Masyitah to do now is to apply for Harta Sepencarian (Matrimonial Property)at Syariah Court and later, she can enter caveat at the relevant Land Office to protect her interest on the abovesaid property until she finally get her RM60,000-00 as what her husband has promise verbally.

What's possible for her now? With that money she can start a new life with the children. However, it may be larger than that and I stand for this family to live together and love each other for the rest of their live.



And I stand for Women's Rights.