I have a story to tell, one many of you have heard before. It's about a prophet who was summoned by God to go and cry against the city of Nineveh, a place known for its wickedness.

But this prophet called Jonah refused because he believed that the people would return to the right path and be forgiven.

To escape the divine order, Jonah jumped on a ship. When a huge storm came, he volunteered to be thrown into the raging sea to calm the waves. True enough, the storm died down but Jonah was swallowed by a great big fish, according to God's grand plan. For three long days and three long nights, Jonah remained in the bowels of the fish. On the fourth day, God caused the fish to vomit the prophet onto dry land.

There's more to that story and while it may be the story of Jonah, the prophet, from more than 2,500 years ago, there are some parallels with the story of Jonah that we are confronted with tonight.

The Jonah that we know, a student activist, is an earnest young man who, with his friends, are passionate, brave and creative in their work for a better society.

The Jonah that we know was swallowed by an ugly beast.

And tonight, the Jonah that we know would have spent three long days and three long nights in the belly of the beast.

But this great, grand plan does not come from God; it comes from people who like to play God, people who have the power to decide who gets sent to the belly of the beast and how many days they will stay in the dark place before they get vomited out.

And the time that our Jonah spent in the dark, damp place is not so much a time for reflection but a time for his captors to extract a confession.

Perhaps these lesser gods think that when they keep people like Jonah locked up and hidden away long enough, the fire that they are so afraid of will cease to burn. That people will be afraid to speak up. That the outrage will fade and we will be left with nothing to do but go home.

But the fact that we are gathered here is a reminder to these lesser gods that we know why it is so important for them to lock up the likes of Jonah. The fact that this small group of people stand here with candle in hand is a notice to them that not all of the power is in their hands - some of it also lies in the hands that hold these flames.

And most important of all, that these flames signify the hope that the fire also burns in the belly of the beast.

Author's note: The above was written for the candlelight vigil for student Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin, aka Jonah, at Bukit Aman on Saturday night. It has been five days since Jonah's family and friends last saw him.