The search for Siti Aishah - Part 1

Astro AWANI editor, Zan Azlee, reveals that Siti Aishah Abu Wahab, the probable identity of the 69 year old Malaysian woman who was a psychological slave to a Maoist couple in London for more than 30 years, is his aunty.

Well, to be really clear, she is really my mother's first cousin, but still my aunty nonetheless. And I have never met her. She left for the United Kingdom in the 1960s and I was born in the 1970s. So our paths never crossed. But of course, every one in the family knew her story.

A smart and brilliant student who won a scholarship to the UK to be the first Malay woman to study quantity surveying. Siti Aishah was suppose to create history. But somehow, she started getting attracted to leftist ideologies and decided to dedicate her life to it, while severing all contact with her family. And now, most of Malaysia know the story too.

It started on Monday morning when my mother, after reading the news online, noticed that Hishammuddin Rais, the political activist, had declared that the Malaysian woman in the Maoist slave issue could be Siti Aishah Abu Wahab, a left-leaning university student he had met many years ago in the UK.

She called me while I was on my way to work to tell me, and after I made a few calls to other relatives, I manage to confirm the story that a reporter from a British newspaper had indeed contacted an aunty of mine, Kamamahtum Abdul Wahab, the sister of Siti Aishah.

I spoke to Mahtum, who I and the rest of the family affectionately call Mak Mok, and she told me the entire story. She also told me that everything is between me and her and that I should not report this in the news. She knows full well that I am a journalist and have been an ardent fan of my reportage (or so she says).

I respected her and I was glad that my fellow journalists and editors at Astro AWANI also respected my decision not to go with the story. But things developed and later in the day, the British newspaper had published a full story on their website revealing everything. That's when I called up Mak Mok again and asked for her blessing to tell the story.

She told me she was leaving to London that night with the reporter and that if I was to be the one to interview her, than she was willing. She told me to meet her at 7pm at Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. And so the newsroom went on hyper drive and I was soon there with live capabilities to interview Mak Mok for our 7:45pm news.

Unfortunately, she never showed up, but we went ahead with the live crossover anyway in front of the hotel. And in the meantime, the editorial committee at Astro AWANI had decided that I should go to London to follow Mak Mok, and to get the story, of course! By the time I got back to the newsroom, my flight, petty cash and hotel reservation were ready.

I rushed home to pack and then rushed to the airport. While on the way, one of our reporters, Israr Khalid, who was already at the airport informed me that Mak Mok had already arrived and had checked in. She was accompanied by the reporter and Hishammuddin Rais. They denied her from speaking to the members of the press who were there.

Once I arrived at the airport, I rushed straight to the gate (Malaysia Airlines graciously sponsored my flight ticket and had also checked in for me in advance). But Mak Mok and her entourage was no where in sight. I waited for about half an hour when I finally saw Mak Mok. The first thing she did when she saw me was to give me a big hug.

She introduced me to the reporter and to Hishammuddin Rais. And that was when things got a bit confusing. The reporter uttered something about just 'walking away from all of this if something like this is going to happen' (obviously a jab at me being there). Hishammuddin Rais then scowled and said to me "You are not in the picture!". My poor Mak Mok looked stunned.

I asked what was the problem and they refused to have a proper conversation with me and insisted that they speak to Mak Mok privately. I reluctantly agreed and let them leave for a corner at the gate. But I kept an eye on them from a distance. I suddenly felt worried for Mak Mok that she was being used.

I then approached them and sat down to have a conversation with them to find out what was going on. Apparently, they were worried that Siti Aishah might not want to meet with Mak Mok if there was a media circus in town. And the reporter looked at me, the solo-journalist who does reporting on his own without a crew most of the time, and said, "And you are a media circus!".

But Mak Mok had bought into this idea and she is my aunty and I have to respect her. She did, however, say to me that there is no certainty that Siti Aishah will want to meet her (or if it is really Siti Aishah in the first place). And it could be a myriad of reasons why she would not want to meet her. Mak Mok, who is barely five feet tall, is a very feisty lady, but right at that moment, I felt a sense of wanting to protect her.

I smiled and I understood. I decided I would go as Mak Mok's nephew, with no cameras to the meeting, and I might not even join when they actually meet. Let the two sisters do what they need do first. There is only so much a journalist can do to get a story, and disrespect should not be one of it. But after that is done with, then all is fair in love, war and journalism my friend!

While heading from the gate towards the plane during boarding, I walked next to Mak Mok. The reporter and Hishammuddin Rais were somewhere behind. I told her that my mother wanted me to look out for her and make sure she's okay. She just smiled, patted my cheeks and said to me, "Zan, you are a very, very naughty boy!".