Sister believes Siti Aishah wants to come home

Hasnah Abdul Wahab holds an old portrait of her younger sister, Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab, during an interview with Agence France-Presse at her house in Jelebu, a district of Negeri Sembilan, outside Kuala Lumpur on November 27, 2013. — AFP picKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Reunited after 30 years apart, Kamar Mahtum Abdul Wahab came away with the belief that long-lost sister and so-called London “slave” Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab desired an eventual homecoming.

Earlier this week, Kamar, a 73-year-old retired teacher, flew to London clinging on to little more than the hope that a 69-year-old Malaysian rescued from a Maoist compound in the British capital would turn out to be her sister, Siti Aishah, who disappeared some three decades ago.

On Thursday night, this hope was realised when they were finally reunited, albeit briefly.

“But then I was contented, I got what I wanted and I can bring home the beautiful memories and I’ve a feeling that she do (sic) want to come home eventually and we will work hard to persuade her,” Kamar was quoted as saying by British daily The Telegraph.

Prior to their meeting, Kamar had reportedly penned a heartfelt letter in her bid to secure a meeting with the one-time student activist.

“I hope the letter and the fact that I came here to London will make my sister realise that she is loved by her family. It is my dream and sincere hope that we will soon be reunited and we can catch up on all the years we have lost,” read an excerpt of the letter reproduced in reports.

But a report today by news portal The Malaysian Insider cited an activist, who accompanied Kamar to London, as claiming that Siti Aishah insisted she had not been held captive and has no desire to return.

According to previous reports, Siti Aishah was currently being treated at an undisclosed London hospital for a recent stroke.

She was one of three women who were “rescued” from a Maoist commune by British police on October 25, after one of them contacted London-based Freedom Charity to say they were being held captive, but recent reports now appear to suggest they may not have been physically prevented from leaving the sect.

The leaders of the Maoist sect, India-born Aravindan Balakrishnan and his Tanzanian-Indian wife Chandra Pattni, were arrested the same day but later freed on bail.

Siti Aishah’s identity was confirmed on Wednesday by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, who also said she has been a student activist who fled to the UK in the 70s to avoid police action for communist links.

- malaymail