There is a kind of passion that galvanises her whole being when this woman speaks about her perjuangan struggle). At 50, she believes that it is not your social disposition, race or mental capacity that will weigh you down, but it is your attitude, your kesedaran (awareness) that will determine your place in society.

Salasiah binti Man is a makcik with a radical past. She worked with the Women's Crisis Centre (WCC) in Penang from 1996-97. If you had met this woman there, you will find her to be a most perplexing human being.

There are other women in that organisation who can boast of a colourful past, exciting experiences and impressive academic achievements. But it is Salasiah who will most probably capture your attention and earn your admiration.

She hails from Parit Buntar, Perak coming from a very poor family. Her parents were padi farmers who earned a meagre sum just enough to feed the family on a daily basis " Kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang ", recalled Salasiah of her childhood days.

On weekends, while she was still studying, she slogged in a palm oil estate for only RM1.50 per day to make ends meet. When her parents could no longer afford to send her to school, she dropped out when she was in Form Three and worked as a housekeeper.

Then her mother fell sick. She stopped work for six months but had to resume work again in a prawn factory after her mother died. Her father died shortly after that and she was left to fend for herself and her sister alone.

"But it is these sufferings, this poverty that has brought me awareness and helped me help the poor and oppressed, especially workers," she said.

Despite her setbacks, Salasiah is a cheery gal. She has this bellowy, hilarious loud laugh. "But when I cry, I cry alone". This, Salasiah insists every time you mention her late sister's name.

Her sister, who was suffering from mental illness "returned to Allah " three years ago at the most crucial point in Salasiah's life. She found her sister sprawled on the floor of their kampung house in Parit Buntar one evening, blood oozing from her eyes, nose and ears. Because her sister lived alone (Salasiah was in Penang at that time), none of the villagers knew what went wrong.

Change of fate

Other than her sister, she had no one else at that juncture. Salasiah was devastated. Weeks later, without the slightest hint or notice, the inescapable hands of fate decided to clamp down on Salasiah's dignity and her economic status as well.

A sudden change in job designation and later termination as a Shelter Coordinator (for WCC) for an offence she claimed she did not commit - claiming for overtime. Salasiah suspects that the reason she was unfairly treated was that she had questioned the management.

Salasiah has initiated legal action but her case is still pending three years after her dismissal. The Industrial Court will only hear her case at the end of the year.

"But I will not give up. I will fight for my rights," Salasiah said with determination.

"If I can't do this (fight for my rights) for myself, how am I in the future going to help others who are in the same boat," she added.

A lot of what Salasiah says, thinks and does today have to do with her 'radical' past. She left her home at 20 and hit the road for the bright city lights of Georgetown, Pearl of the Orient, with hardly any money in her worn-out purse but with lots of " keyakinan " (faith), she recalls.

Other young maidens like her were lured by better wages and freedom in a far away land but Salasiah headed for the city, " to struggle for the rights of workers to form an electronic workers union".

Knowing that Salasiah comes from a lowly educated background, many could hardly imagine that she would have so much determination and fire in her blood.

Active unionist

Yet this woman helped organise a union at her workplace in Parit Buntar and fought the battle for better wage terms for her colleagues. The metalware factory where she had worked for eight years delayed paying their employees every month. Salasiah contacted the Metal union and told them of the workers' plight. She was advised to form an in-house union.