Man famed for poem recitals at street protests passes away

Many who have attended street protests in the past may remember seeing Saw Hock Hin, who was well known for reciting poems about saving the country from corruption with great passion.

Unfortunately, there will be no more opportunities to hear his poem recitations anymore, as Saw passed away yesterday morning around 9.30am.

His son, Saw Wen Zee, said his 73-year-old father had been receiving treatment for his cancer when he suffered a heart attack which he eventually succumbed to.

Saw’s love for reciting poems was borne out of his interest in politics, his son said.

“He had a group of very good friends who have the same political views. They used to go out together, have discussions together and create poems and then they went to protests for the sake of the country,” Wen Zee said when contacted by Malaysiakini today.

A hardcore supporter of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Saw was present outside the jail when the PKR leader was released from jail almost 20 years ago in 2004, said his son.

“My father told me this story, he was waiting outside the jail and when Anwar came out, he said he was the first person Anwar saw.

“He managed to shake hands with Anwar and he was very happy about Anwar coming out (of jail),” said Wen Zee.

‘Huge loss for our struggle’

Also present at Saw’s wake service today is Tangam Raju, who said he has known the man for about 22 years, since the days of Otai Reformis 1998.

They first met at Anwar’s house during the height of the Reformasi movement, he recalled.

“From the beginning, he has been very active (in political activism), he was never absent from court for Anwar’s case. Five in the morning, he would be waiting for the line-up.

“His passing is a huge loss for our struggle,” said Tangam, who added that Saw’s poems were a great contribution to the fight.

Saw was not just known for reciting poems at street protests as he was occasionally called to perform his poems onstage during the opposition’s ceramah events.

Tangam said he believes Saw’s performances during those ceramah events were even more attractive to the audience than Anwar’s speeches due to his poems.

“Whenever he goes (to perform), there will be big crowds. We have lost an activist,” he said.

A notice of Saw’s wake service has been circulated on social media since yesterday.

According to the notice, his wake is being held for three days, from yesterday (Nov 9) until Nov 11 at Nirvana 2 in Kuala Lumpur.

Youth voters not clued in, but still eager to vote

Day 6 | Mat Kilau poster calls for 'Malay unity' in Sg Buloh

BN candidate: Harapan's Penang stronghold can be breached

YOURSAY | Sg Buloh voters, one swallow doesn't make a summer

Youth voters grill Anwar at lecture hosted by student unions

We're not Umno, Rafizi and me not at odds: Anwar

GTA candidate opposes Negeri Sembilan MB's PD nomination

Anwar declares net assets of RM11 million

Ismail Sabri: One vote for Harapan is one vote for DAP

Not enough evidence to retract Ramanan's candidacy - Anwar