One of the more memorable phonecalls I received was from a 'Datuk' back in 1998.

It came just days after some five hundred Acehnese were forcibly removed from the Semenyih Detention Camp and deported to Sumatra. The international media was in frenzy, filing reports of shootings and beatings in the camp, of badly injured Acehnese dumped into small boats and ferried across the Straits. Three leaders from the Acehnese community group were arrested without trial under the Internal Security Act.

"Is this Suara Rakyat Malaysia?" he bellowed.

"Yes" I said.

"I'm Datuk --------. You are de one spreading lies about our country"

"Mmm. We have photographic evidence of Acehnese looking very dead."

"You know, I'm a Datuk."

"Mmm."

"You know, I have a big construction company."

"Every day, I have these people coming to my office begging for work. You know what I do? I make them kneel down in front of me and I take off my shoes. You know what?

"I make them kiss my feet."

"They cry, kiss my feet and say, 'Thank you, Datuk'."

"You know, these people are very lazy.You know, they #$%@ around and then they come here and #$%@ around with our local women "