Condolences to the family of Corazon Aquino

This photo with Corazon Aquino was taken in April 2000, that was the second year after Wan Azizah and I became MPs. I was asked by Wan Azizah to join her to attend the World Women Leaders Conference. Corazon Aquino gave us a lunch treat. She likened Wan Azizah to her previous days. She gave her lots of encouragement and she asked Wan Azizah to be firm and not to bow to people who bossed around her 🙂

My message in the book of condolences.

DAP extends its deepest condolences to the family of Corazon Aquino on the death of the former Filipino president who was not only loved by the people of The Philippines but also many of us here in Malaysia. We also offer our sincere condolences to the people of the Republic of the Philippines.

Renowned for being this region’s first female president, we will always remember her advocacy for peace, democracy and women’s empowerment.

To those of us in Malaysia who were young enough to not know this extraordinary person, she was the one who was chosen to lead her country after the peaceful People Power revolution that ended the Marcos dictatorship in 1986. While many of the ruling elite scoffed at her during those turbulent years, this brave woman who had no political experience had become the unifying factor in the people’s struggle against oppression, corruption and abuse of power. Cory became the symbol of democracy after her husband Senator Benigno Aquino was assassinated in 1983 by the Marcos regime.

My colleagues Manoharan, Jenice Lee and Lim Lip Eng also recorded their condolences

To us in DAP, Cory will always be one of our greatest heroes of democracy and I hope that all of us in Malaysia will be inspired by her unrelenting spirit in freeing her country from the autocratic rule of a despotic government.

Rest in peace, dearest Maria Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. May your spirit of freedom continue to guide us in our struggle for justice, democracy and equal opportunity.

DAP delegation paid respect to the late President Aquino at the Philippine Embassy at Changkat Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur at 11am today (Tuesday, August 4, 2009).

We have a chat with the ambassador of Philippines, Victoriano M. Lecaros, the man in white shirt. Mr Lecaros said all squabblings have stopped in Philippines now and the whole nation mourned for Cory Aquino, even the military people who have fought against her have praised her openly too.

Group photo of DAP reps and members with the Ambassador of The Philippines.