©Malay Mail (Used by permission)
Zainal Epi
MANOHARA Odelia Pinot, the 17–year–old model of Indonesia– American descent, made international headlines on June 1 with her dramatic escape in Singapore from her Kelantan–prince husband back to Jakarta.
This is a first–hand account , as told MAlay Mail's ZAINAL EPI, by the Malaysian who made it possible, Datuk Kadar Shah Sulaiman Ninam Shah, Muar Umno branch chief, who is known to both parties. The Singapore Foreign Ministry and American Embassy were involved as well.
This is a first–hand account , as told MAlay Mail's ZAINAL EPI, by the Malaysian who made it possible, Datuk Kadar Shah Sulaiman Ninam Shah, Muar Umno branch chief, who is known to both parties. The Singapore Foreign Ministry and American Embassy were involved as well.
THE NEGOTIATOR: May 21
I was called by the Palace to help solve the Manohara issue as newspapers and television in Indonesia were crying mad. I told them I would help to avoid tension and save the Palace and the State of Kelantan from being tarnished.
I told them I needed to hear both sides of the story before I could help Tengku Temenggong Fakhry and Manohara. So we agreed to meet at one of the royalty's family houses in Kuala Lumpur.
MANOHARA'S NO–SHOW: May 22
Tengku Temenggong Fakhry came to the house. There I listened to Tengku Temenggong Fakhry's side. Then I told him I wanted to meet and listen to Manohara's side of the story. Tengku Temenggong Fakhry agreed.
We set out for Kota Baru on the same day for the meeting scheduled to be held in the night. In Kota Baru, we waited at White House Kopitiam in front of Kota Baru Hospital where the Sultan of Kelantan was admitted for treatment. We waited until 2.30am but Manohara did not turn up.
JAKARTA MEET: May 24
I went to Jakarta to meet Manohara's mother Daisy to cool things there. We held a joint Press conference and I called up Tengku Temenggong Fakhry to allow Daisy to speak to Manohara. Both mother and daughter spoke, witnessed by members of the media present.
They spoke in French. The keyword that explained she was not happy in Kota Baru was "sick". Manohara told her mother in French she was "sick".
After the Press conference, Daisy sought my help to meet her daughter. She told me she had not met or spoken to Manohara for three months. My mind was racing, thinking how to help her. I still had not met nor heard from Manohara herself and how she felt.
THE PLAN, STEP 1: May 25
Tengku Temenggong Fakhry called me in Jakarta saying all of them would be going to Singapore. He said I could meet Manohara there and listen to her side of the story. However, he placed a condition. I should come alone and not bring Manohara's mother or else the deal was off. Her mother insisted on coming but I said no way as this would jeopardise my plans. I found an opportunity here to help Manohara but Tengku Temenggong Fakhry would also be present.
I told Tengku Temenggong Fakhry that he should not go because Manohara had filed a police report against him there and he might be arrested. But alas, Tengku Temenggong Fakhry was not convinced. He checked his status there and found out there was a report lodged against him but no investigation was conducted.
That meant he was free to visit the country. Then I planned that Daisy should communicate with Manohara through a third person to avoid being detected. In this way, we could plan how she could meet Manohara but plans would be changed according to the situation. Daisy agreed and the third person, whom I cannot name, also agreed.
MANOHARA'S SECRET CODE & NOTE: May 28
I met Manohara and Tengku Temenggong Fakhry, together with their entourage at a restaurant in Singapore. There I spoke and listened to Manohara's story. But since her husband was present, she could not expose her intentions. However, she gave a pre–arranged sign that she was not happy by scratching her fingernail on my palm when shaking hands. Imagine the pain I had to bear... my palm was blue–black ... not bleeding. Then she slipped a tissue paper with the note that she wanted my help to bring her back to Jakarta.
THE NEXT DAY: May 29
The entourage went shopping before leaving for Kelantan. Manohara was left alone in the hotel. I just followed the event. Our communication with the third party was going on smoothly.
THE DRAMA AT THE LIFT: May 30
This was when we put our plan into action and the escape drama took place. Manohara, her husband and their bodyguards entered the lift to go to the cars. The lift stopped at level three where Royalties have their own access to go to their private carpark. It was at that time 9pm. I was with the mother at level one waiting for her. I had already called the police at this time but since I was not the next–of–kin, it was Manohara's mother that got the police to wait with us.
At level three when the lift stopped, Manohara struggled when the bodyguards tried to pull her out of the lift to the carpark. She then told the bodyguards that the closed–circuit televison camera in the lift was recording whatever was happening.
So the bodyguards released her and at that moment she pressed the alarm button. When the hotel security staff rushed to level three upon hearing the alarm, the police, Manohara's mother and I at level one rushed there as well. Upon opening the lift, we saw Tengku Temenggong Fakhry trying to pull Manohara out.
HOLDING ON TO THEIR PISTOLS
The police, one hand holding the pistols on their waists, told Tengku Temenggong Fakhry to let her go. Tengku Temenggong Fakhry said Manohara was his wife and thus he had the right to pull her out. The police argued that this was Singapore where everyone, regardless of wife or husband, had his or her own right. After much argument, Tengku Temenggong Fakhry released her and the police took Tengku Temenggong Fakhry back to his room while Manohara was placed in another room.
PRESS CHARGES OR RETURN?
All along, I was with the police alongside Manohara, together with the mother. While some of the police officers were questioning Tengku Temenggong Fakhry, I asked Manohara whether she wanted to go back to Jakarta. She said she wanted to press charges against Tengku Temenggong Fakhry.
I then told her that if she wanted to do that, then she could not go back to Jakarta with her mother as she would need to file the charges. And that day being a Saturday, she had to wait until Monday or Tuesday for the court to sit. After much debate, she decided to go back to Jakarta with her mother.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
I quickly took her and her mother down to the waiting car where, escorted by the police, we sped to Changi Airport. That was already around 3.30am on May 31. Once she and her mother were inside the airport waiting for the flight to Jakarta, I took a deep breath of relief. I had completed my mission.
What I had done was to avert problems between Malaysia and Indonesia and save the Kelantan palace of disgrace. Now that Manohara is in Jakarta, I would love to see the couple solve their problems – as husband and wife.
I was called by the Palace to help solve the Manohara issue as newspapers and television in Indonesia were crying mad. I told them I would help to avoid tension and save the Palace and the State of Kelantan from being tarnished.
I told them I needed to hear both sides of the story before I could help Tengku Temenggong Fakhry and Manohara. So we agreed to meet at one of the royalty's family houses in Kuala Lumpur.
MANOHARA'S NO–SHOW: May 22
Tengku Temenggong Fakhry came to the house. There I listened to Tengku Temenggong Fakhry's side. Then I told him I wanted to meet and listen to Manohara's side of the story. Tengku Temenggong Fakhry agreed.
We set out for Kota Baru on the same day for the meeting scheduled to be held in the night. In Kota Baru, we waited at White House Kopitiam in front of Kota Baru Hospital where the Sultan of Kelantan was admitted for treatment. We waited until 2.30am but Manohara did not turn up.
JAKARTA MEET: May 24
I went to Jakarta to meet Manohara's mother Daisy to cool things there. We held a joint Press conference and I called up Tengku Temenggong Fakhry to allow Daisy to speak to Manohara. Both mother and daughter spoke, witnessed by members of the media present.
They spoke in French. The keyword that explained she was not happy in Kota Baru was "sick". Manohara told her mother in French she was "sick".
After the Press conference, Daisy sought my help to meet her daughter. She told me she had not met or spoken to Manohara for three months. My mind was racing, thinking how to help her. I still had not met nor heard from Manohara herself and how she felt.
THE PLAN, STEP 1: May 25
Tengku Temenggong Fakhry called me in Jakarta saying all of them would be going to Singapore. He said I could meet Manohara there and listen to her side of the story. However, he placed a condition. I should come alone and not bring Manohara's mother or else the deal was off. Her mother insisted on coming but I said no way as this would jeopardise my plans. I found an opportunity here to help Manohara but Tengku Temenggong Fakhry would also be present.
I told Tengku Temenggong Fakhry that he should not go because Manohara had filed a police report against him there and he might be arrested. But alas, Tengku Temenggong Fakhry was not convinced. He checked his status there and found out there was a report lodged against him but no investigation was conducted.
That meant he was free to visit the country. Then I planned that Daisy should communicate with Manohara through a third person to avoid being detected. In this way, we could plan how she could meet Manohara but plans would be changed according to the situation. Daisy agreed and the third person, whom I cannot name, also agreed.
MANOHARA'S SECRET CODE & NOTE: May 28
I met Manohara and Tengku Temenggong Fakhry, together with their entourage at a restaurant in Singapore. There I spoke and listened to Manohara's story. But since her husband was present, she could not expose her intentions. However, she gave a pre–arranged sign that she was not happy by scratching her fingernail on my palm when shaking hands. Imagine the pain I had to bear... my palm was blue–black ... not bleeding. Then she slipped a tissue paper with the note that she wanted my help to bring her back to Jakarta.
THE NEXT DAY: May 29
The entourage went shopping before leaving for Kelantan. Manohara was left alone in the hotel. I just followed the event. Our communication with the third party was going on smoothly.
THE DRAMA AT THE LIFT: May 30
This was when we put our plan into action and the escape drama took place. Manohara, her husband and their bodyguards entered the lift to go to the cars. The lift stopped at level three where Royalties have their own access to go to their private carpark. It was at that time 9pm. I was with the mother at level one waiting for her. I had already called the police at this time but since I was not the next–of–kin, it was Manohara's mother that got the police to wait with us.
At level three when the lift stopped, Manohara struggled when the bodyguards tried to pull her out of the lift to the carpark. She then told the bodyguards that the closed–circuit televison camera in the lift was recording whatever was happening.
So the bodyguards released her and at that moment she pressed the alarm button. When the hotel security staff rushed to level three upon hearing the alarm, the police, Manohara's mother and I at level one rushed there as well. Upon opening the lift, we saw Tengku Temenggong Fakhry trying to pull Manohara out.
HOLDING ON TO THEIR PISTOLS
The police, one hand holding the pistols on their waists, told Tengku Temenggong Fakhry to let her go. Tengku Temenggong Fakhry said Manohara was his wife and thus he had the right to pull her out. The police argued that this was Singapore where everyone, regardless of wife or husband, had his or her own right. After much argument, Tengku Temenggong Fakhry released her and the police took Tengku Temenggong Fakhry back to his room while Manohara was placed in another room.
PRESS CHARGES OR RETURN?
All along, I was with the police alongside Manohara, together with the mother. While some of the police officers were questioning Tengku Temenggong Fakhry, I asked Manohara whether she wanted to go back to Jakarta. She said she wanted to press charges against Tengku Temenggong Fakhry.
I then told her that if she wanted to do that, then she could not go back to Jakarta with her mother as she would need to file the charges. And that day being a Saturday, she had to wait until Monday or Tuesday for the court to sit. After much debate, she decided to go back to Jakarta with her mother.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
I quickly took her and her mother down to the waiting car where, escorted by the police, we sped to Changi Airport. That was already around 3.30am on May 31. Once she and her mother were inside the airport waiting for the flight to Jakarta, I took a deep breath of relief. I had completed my mission.
What I had done was to avert problems between Malaysia and Indonesia and save the Kelantan palace of disgrace. Now that Manohara is in Jakarta, I would love to see the couple solve their problems – as husband and wife.