Thesun 2008-11-10 Page18 Citizen Nades A Friend And Mentor Remembered

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Acting Editor-in-Chief: Chong Cheng Hai Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production), Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting)

A friend and mentor remembered

CitizenNades by R. Nadeswaran

WRITING about friends who have passed on usually takes one down memory lane. I never thought I would have to write Kasem Cha Tong’s obituary. With so much already written about him, what more could I add? Plenty, because over 24 years, we took different paths which had to eventually meet. Besides being such an easy-going and nice bloke, who hardly raised his voice, Kasem had the ability to be nice even to the harshest of people. Once, he stood for a good 15 minutes in the witness box as a counsel's verbal onslaught began. If his counsel, Datuk V. L. Kandan had not intervened and asked that Kasem be accorded the respect as a witness, he would have stood there, smiling, cool as a cucumber. Behind the façade of a “piracy buster” was a good human being, who bore no grudges but made an enemy or two in the course of his work, which he never discussed except with one or two close

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buddies. To me, he was not just another friend – he was mentor, confidant and to a certain extent, “Uncle Kasem” to the family. “To write about copyright, you must first understand the law,” he used to tell me. And so, there were “tuition” classes on the law – in his office and in the pubs, where we spent quite a lot of time. Flashback to 1984 – a period when Malaysians were notorious for being able to reproduce audio discs which had been released in the United States a week earlier. Pirated music accounted for 80% of domestic sales and international record companies were feeling the pinch. In June of that year, the former deputy public prosecutor, Muhammad Shafie Abdullah was doing his LLM in London. As usual, there was a parcel from Malaysia to be delivered to him – some homemade serunding and plenty of Maggi noodles which were conveniently carried in the cricket kit.

“Do you know the new man to fight music piracy in Malaysia?” asked Shafie. “You should meet him … he’s a nice bloke.” A day later, the formal introduction took place, but Kasem was busy – he was working as a salesman in the shoe department at Selfridges to see him through his Bar finals. His wife, Irene, was working in a supermarket and their eldest child Vicharn was in his formative years. But we did meet up for a long chat in Kuala Lumpur at the Plaza Hotel opposite his office in Wisma Thakurdas. One subject led to another but the central point was music piracy. Then came Dec 1, 1987. IFPI regional director Nic Garnett, Kasem and I celebrated after the launch at Canteena’s in Bangsar. Millions of compact discs and audio cassettes were seized; and Kasem pulled off a master-stroke as

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the raids were carried out – he “In KL.” offered amnesty. “Give up, I spent an entire day surrender the pirated products with him, arranged for him in your possession and we to meet his estranged wife won’t proceed.” and children, and he was Many were unhappy with gone as soon as he came. such a stand. They were of Three months later, he was the opinion that with the new on the phone extending his laws, it was time for a “kill”. condolences on the death of Within a week, four owned up, my daughter. All he said was: and I wrote the story which “I am on the other side of made the front page in the the border. I have to sort out NST. the old man’s properties and Over the years, Kasem was business.” to make other stunning After failing to reach decisions, like giving him on the telephone up his job. “I had on several occasions, enough,” that’s he re-appeared what he said on the scene two and opened months ago. “I’m an agency, OK, leading which among a simple life others had the looking after a Motion Picture small rubber Producers estate in Golok of America which the old on board. But man left for Kasem was me…,” he told us. never cut out to That was it. He be a businessman. made an exit a week His love and passion later. No goodbyes, was investigations Kasem ... no hugs. Nothing. At as he had been a Piracy buster midnight on Tuesday policeman and was in London, I got a call: seconded to the Anti“Your buddy Kasem Corruption Agency. Cha Tong was shot dead in Thus the venture did Golok.” To say I was stunned not last long. By December would be an understatement. 1996, he made yet another More than 12 years ago, he decision. He had packed his challenged me: “If you don’t bags leaving his family and start studying law by next headed for where his heart year, you’ll have to drink the took him – London, where he drain water in front of your did consultancy work. We met house.” I have been there, regularly as I was studying done it, Kasem. What can I law there. For two years, say? Thanks for the memories we enjoyed ourselves in the – good and bad. May your soul kitchen – his specialty being rest in peace, dear Siamese. “Hokkien mee” which was a rarity in English kitchens. I returned in 1999 and was in touch with him for R. Nadeswaran dedicates a while before he cut off all this week’s column to his communications. In June 2004, dear friend and mentor who a familiar voice came on the was shot dead in Golok on phone: “Nades! Siamese here, Tuesday. He is editor (special can we meet?” and investigative reporting) at “Are you calling me from theSun and can be reached at: London?” [email protected].

letters

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Zero tolerance for profanity in Parliament ETIQUETTE has been thrown out of the window in Parliament and vulgarity is in. The shameless utterance of the “b ... word” followed by another blast of “bloody b...” in the august house should have been severely punished. The deterrent should have been adequate enough to regain the lost reputation and restore the pride and honour of not only Parliament but also the ruling party and every MP worth his salt. Unfortunately, wisdom flew out of the window as a “tit-for-tat” approach took precedence. The Deputy Speaker laid a

condition for further corrective action. The logic was since one MP had “provoked” by using the word “benci”, it was inevitable to retort with profanity. What kind of justice is this? What kind of lessons are we teaching? Such incidents should not be swept under the carpet. Politics may be dirty but parliamentarians do not have a passport to use dirty words. Please Mr Prime Minister, do something about this soiled fabric. J. D. Lovrenciear Semenyih

Cheaper meals should follow THOSAI and chapati in Indian restaurants used to cost 70 to 80 sen each about five years ago. Later, the price went up gradually until it was RM1 just before the first petrol price increase in June. The petrol price rise was cited by traders for the increase in prices of many essential goods and services including food items. Thus price of thosai and chapati was raised to RM1.20 and some popular restaurants even charged RM1.50 Now, even though the govern-

ment has lowered fuel prices from RM2.70 a litre in June to RM2.30 in October – with more cuts on the cards in November – Indian restaurants and food-stall owners have yet to reduce the prices of thosai and chapati to reflect the significant cut in fuel prices. I urge the authorities to ask the restaurant operators to reduce the prices of food items after the next fuel price reduction in November. S. R. Nathan Petaling Jaya