宝贝女儿，
爹地早上说去出差做工，其实，是到了吉隆坡，参加你在电视看到所谓大堆大堆”坏人”的地方。
一大清早，吻了熟睡的你，妈咪就载了爹地去机场。为什么不驾车？因为听说警察叔叔把吉隆坡给围住了，驾车怕到不了。
妈咪：”万一你被抓了怎么办？”
爹地：”所以你要留下，把我赎出来。”
爹地从来没做过什么大冒险的事，当飞机降落、坐着火车去KL SENTRAL时，心跳可比你偷吃糖糖被我发现的那一刹快得多！
下了火车，爹地朋友也在不久后到，两人就边问边走，搭了轻快铁，比原本下车的地方多坐两个站。爹地多坐两个站，不是要走路做运动减肥（知道啦！爹地有大肚腩），而是警察叔叔不让在上两个站下车！
爹地过后遇到约十个马来同胞，他们也是和爹地一样要到同一个地方！幸好爹地遇到他们，因为完全认不出这就是车水马龙，人来人往的吉隆坡！人呢？不见了！车呢？被警察叔叔BLOCK着进不来！
突然间，爹地突然听到一阵喧哗声，我们到达目的地了！前面就是出名的MASJID JAMEK，然后排着一队凶神恶煞的镇暴队。你或许会问警察不是保护人民的吗？宝贝，这就是爹地要来参加这集会的部分原因。
爹地看很多人往MAYBANK旁的山上跑，也跟了上去，上面往下一看，天哪，该有1万人吧？当震撼还没过去，一阵刺眼的辛辣冲面而来，就好像上个月咱们BBQ时，你被一阵阵浓烟呛到一样，眼泪鼻涕直流。这时，爹地想起妈咪为我准备的小毛巾，赶快用水弄湿，掩着鼻子，情况才好过一些。
这时，警察叔叔冲了过来！大家都急昏了，大大声喊LARI！LARI！虽然急疯了，但是几百人竟然在匆匆忙忙下，穿过只能容纳一人的小门。这时爹地回头一看，我的妈呀！警察叔叔爬上篱笆要跳过来了！
或许你会问：”我爹地做错了什么坏事？警察为什么要抓他？”。女儿，爹地和很多很多叔叔姐姐哥哥在那边，就是聚在那边，警察就冲过来了，见人就抓，抓到就打！
爹地象盲头苍蝇在JLN PUDU旁的小路乱乱钻，因为后面一直有人喊”JANGAN LARI！TANGKAP！，好不容易停下来时，就有人给爹地打招呼，要我赶快往前面走去，认识的吗？爹地不认识，但是，很奇怪，大家都相信他，往同一个方向走去。
这时候冲鼻的辛辣味又来了，催泪弹一颗接一颗打了过来，水炮车也把水撒去那些不肯解散的人们。爹地眼泪鼻涕全流了，呼吸困难，这时，看到一群人蹲在水龙头前，拼命洗脸洗头，看见爹地，还裂开嘴苦笑，还分了些盐给我！我也用自来水洗脸，还喝了大口大口的自来水！爹地从未觉得自来水是如此可口的！大家互望着，突然笑成一团，紧张的气氛刹那间－没了！
天开始下了豆粒般的大雨，越下约大，爹地爬上小山坡，走到了同善医院。医院门口外，坐满了群众，男女老少都有，大家都在这里避雨和避开讨厌的催泪弹。爹地前面站了三个全蒙脸的马来姐姐，一个看来是吸了太多催泪弹，晕晕欲坠，旁边她两个朋友，不停问大家那里可以买到饮用水。这时候，一位华裔从背包里拿了一瓶，递给她们。爹地不觉得她们和他是认识的。女儿，互相帮助，并不只是活在课本里的。
喧哗声越来越响，有人叫正在避雨的我们，下去和大队一起，当大家冒着雨，兴高采烈的走下去时，一阵急促的人群拼命跑进医院的入口，然后大家跑向停车场，爹地跟着大队也慌张的”逃亡”，接着听到有人破口大骂”KEJAMLAH！INI HOSPITAL！”。人群不停往旁边钻，有些人爬上山坡，有些人攀上围墙，也有些人爬上医院的后门铁闸（约6尺半高）。无论华人、马来人、印度人都互相帮助，年轻力壮的，手脚并爬带跳攀上铁闸，闸外一定有一个人帮你安全跃下。一些老弱妇孺，他们也不知从何拿来一个建筑用的木梯，让他们攀爬过去。没有人争先恐后，只有谦让和耐心。看到这一幕，爹地鼻子酸酸，心想，这就是我们的国家与人民－马来西亚。
过后我们大约两三百个人，穿梭在JLN ALOH的小巷间，一路走过去，没有人喊累，没有人埋怨，大家虽然都不认识，但是只有一个目标－BERSIH！BERSIH！
突然前面传来一阵欢呼声，接着是又一阵的掌声！YES！爹地回到了大队了！太兴奋了，大家好像见到久违不见的家人一样，又跳又叫！
“Bersih! Bersih! Hidup Bersih!”
整个人龙密密麻麻，见不到首尾,大家士气高昂，占据了空无一物的马路。偶尔经过的车辆，按了长长的响笛，司机打开车镜举起手，升起拇指！大家看到这一幕，又在翻腾了，口哨声掌声还有BERSIH声此起彼落！女儿，这不是原本爹地想象的”示威”，这更像一场嘉年华会！
渐渐的长长的人龙走到了KLCC，把KLCC前的十字路口给霸占了！爹地没办法好好去估计人数有多少，至少一万，可能有两万，或许三万吧？
大家围在一起，坐下休息。大家休息后，然后就有人带头唱国歌！
“Negaraku tanah tumpah….”
爹地从小唱国歌没有五百也有一千遍了吧？但是在这一时的这一刻，国歌怎么那么动听呀！没有伴乐，而且三腔五调什么口音都有兼走调，但是看到左边的PAKCIK，右边的印度AUNTIE和她女儿，心中那份震撼，久久不能平息，眼泪撒满脸……
宝贝女儿，我多么希望这时候你和妈咪可以在我身旁，和我一起分享这一刻对这国家的骄傲和归属感！幕然间，爹地明白为什么那么多PAKCIK和MAKCIK把全家大小都带来，因为这一刻，你永远不会在书本里学会，也不会在你考试10个A后体会到！
爹地在这个国家活了34年，没有一刻，可以象709那样，深深体会到”马来西亚”所代表的意义。不分你我他的互相帮助、互相谦让（逃避水炮催泪弹时、同善医院攀墙时）、互相分享（就算只剩下那一小撮的盐，也全给了大家。）、互相苦笑（喷WATER CANON后大家蹲在水龙喉前，拼命洗脸洗头，拼命喝自来水）、互相安慰（泪流满脸，呼吸困难时，PAKCIK走过来拍拍肩膀：”Relax-relax, rehat kejap tak ada hal punya”)。
虽然爹地不知到他们是谁，也没问名字，但是这就是我们的国家－马来西亚的人民。
若干年后，当你读得明白这封信，爹地所写所经历的这一切，或许都记载在你的历史书里了。
要记得，在这一历史转折点，爹地选择站在这黄色的人群里，不为什么，只为了让你拥有一个更美好的国家！
永远疼你的，
大黄爹地
English Version:
My dear daughter,
Daddy told you this morning I travel to work, in fact, I am traveling to Kuala Lumpur to participate with the piles and piles of so-called “bad” people, that was called by the TV.
Early in the morning, after giving you a kiss while you are sleeping, Mommy took Daddy to the airport. Why not driving? Because I heard that the police uncle has surrounded the Kuala Lumpur, driving may not able to arrive there.
Mommy: “What if you are caught?”
Daddy: “That is why you must stay, to bail me out.”
Daddy had never did any big adventure, when the plane landed, sitting in the train to KL SENTRAL, my heart beat nothing less than yours when the time I caught you stealling eating candy.
After getting out the train, daddy friends also arrive in short while, we were talking and asking why we can not exit the station where we want to exit, but have to exit on the following next two stations. Daddy sat for two more stations, not because Daddy want to exercise to lose weight (you know! Daddy has big bellies), but because the police uncles has stop us from get off the station!
Daddy met about ten Malays, they too are going to the same place Daddy is going. Fortunately, Daddy met them, because Daddy can not recognize if this is the busy, bustling Kuala Lumpur! Where are the people and cars? All are gone! All block by the police uncles!
Suddenly, Daddy heard noisy sound, we arrived at our destination! Ahead is the famous MASJID JAMEK, then we saw a row of vicious FRU. You may ask isn’t the police are suppose to protect the people? Baby, this is exactly part of the reasons why Daddy is coming to attend this gathering.
Daddy see a lot of people running to the hills next to MAYBANK and I follow. View from above the hill, God, there must be around 10,000 people? Before my shock was over, smell of spicy tear gas, flow right into my face. Just like last month when we have our BBQ, you are choked by the smoke, with tears and running nose. At this time, Daddy remember the small towel prepared by Mummy, quickly make it wet with water and cover the nose, it feel better.
At this time, the police uncle rushed toward us! Every one are anxious and panic, we shout loudly LARI!LARI! Although anxious and panic, but hundreds of people hurry through the door that can only accommodate one person. Then Daddy looked back. Police uncles are climbing over the fence to come over!
Perhaps you might ask: “What bad thing has my Daddy done? Why the police want ot arrest my Daddy?” Daughter, Daddy together with many, many other uncles, sister, brothers just gathering here. The police rushed over, arresting and hitting everyone on sight!
Daddy run like a flies beside the small road of JLN PUDU, because behind there are people shouting “JANGAN LARI! TANGKAP!, Finally stopped, some people signal to Daddy, asking Daddy go quickly to front, do Daddy know this person? Daddy do not know this person, but, strangely, we all believe in him and went with him to the same direction.
At this time choking, spicy taste come again, one tear gas follow by the others, water gun pouring water to the people who refused to disband. Daddy nose running and tears flowing, also having difficultiy breathing, then I see a group of people squatted on the faucet washing the face and head, they look at Daddy with a wry smiles, then give Daddy some salt. I also wash with tap water, and drank the tap water! Daddy never though the tap water can be so delicious! We looked at each other, and suddenly laughed together, the tension instantly disappear!
It started to rain heavyly, daddy climbed up a small hill, went to the Tong Sin hospital. Outside the hospital door it is filled with people, men and women, we are here to avoid the nasty rain and tear gas. Daddy stood in front of three fully masked Malay sisters, one seems to suck too much tear gas, reeling want to fall, her two friends kept asking where they can buy drinking water. At this time, a Chinese took a bottle of water from his backpack and handed it to them. Daddy do not think they know each other. Daughter, let me tell you, helping each other, is not only see in the textbooks.
Noisy sound getting louder and louder, there was calls to all of us who are avoiding the rain to join the march. When we are elated to go and join the march, suddenly the rapid burst of desperate people ran into the hospital entrance, and then we ran toward the parking lot, Daddy followed the run trying to “escape” as well, then we heard someone yells “KEJAMLAH! INI HOSPITAL!”. The crowd kept standing aside, some people climb the hill, some people climb on the wall, some people climbed up the back door of the hospital gates (about 6 and half feets high).
Regardless of Chinese, Malays, Indians, we help each other. The strong one, climbing the iron gates and went over, the elderly and infirm, climb over the gate using the constructions ladder no one know where it was from. Either way, there will be some one over the other side of iron gates to help you.
No one rushed, only humility and patience. Seeing this, Daddy has a sour nose, I think, this is our country and the people – Malaysian.
After that, we have about two or three hundred people walking along JLN ALOH, along the way, no one complaints, no one was tired, although we do not know each other, but we all have only one goal-BERSIH! BERSIH!
Came a sudden burst of cheers in front, followed by another burst of applause! YES! Daddy returned to the march! Too excited, everyone is like seeing long-lost family members, we all dancing and shouting!
“Bersih! Bersih! Hidup Bersih!”
There are long stretch of people, can not see where the crowd begin, or where it end. Every one are excited, and occupied the whole empty roads. Vehicle passing by occasionally, drivers pressing long horn, they too open the window, and put out hands and raised thumb! When we see this scene, we are excited again. Sound of whistles and applause, with the voice out of BERSIH! Daughter, this is not the “demonstration” originally Daddy thought of, this is more like a carnival!
The long march gradually come to KLCC, occupied the whole intersection before the KLCC! Daddy can not estimate how many people are there, at least ten thousand, twenty, perhaps thirty thousand people?
We get together, sit down and rest. We take break, then someone take the lead in singing the national anthem!
“Negaraku tanah tumpah ….”
Daddy had sing the national anthem since childhood, at least five hundred may be a thousand times! But this time, at this moment, how come the national anthem sound so sweet? Not accompanied by any music, even there are difference tones, and even wrong tone with weird accent, but when I see the left side PAKCIK, and the right side Indian AUNTIE with her daughter, the shock on my mind and the touch on my heart, I can no longer be calm with the tears sprinkled down my face. ..
My dear daughter, at this moment, I really wish you and Mommy are beside me. Next to me and share this moment of pride and belonging in this country with me! All the sudden, daddy understand why so many PAKCIK and MAKCIK have brought the whole family, because this moment, you never learn in books, nor will you feel it after the exam of 10 A!
Daddy has live in this country for 34 years, there is no moment like the 709, deeply appreciate the meaning of “Malaysia”. Regardless of who we are, we mutual help each other, mutual humility (to escape tear gas, to avoid the water cannon, to the climbing of wall at the hospital), sharing (even if only a handful of salt is all you got). Wry smiles among each other, (After getting the water cannon, squatted on the faucet to wash your face and head, drink tap water), comforting each other (with tears on the face, breathing difficulties, the PAKCIK came patting: “Relax-relax, rehat kejap tak ada hal punya “).
Daddy never know who they are, never ask their name, but this is our country – the people of Malaysia.
Perhaps many years later, when you can read and understand this letter, written by Daddy who has experienced all this. It may have already documented in your history book.
Remember, at this historical moment, Daddy choice to stand with this yellow crowd, not for any other reason, but just to let you have a better country!
Always love you,
Da Huang Daddy
** Thanks Liew for this English translation!!
