The Fairytales,Wife and a Mother

Mariam seronok berbaju kurung


SEOUL: Mariam Johari yang bertemu dua anaknya kelmarin selepas 64 tahun berpisah, semalam menerima dua lagi ‘hadiah’. Beliau menerima sebentuk cincin dan sepasang baju kurung biru lengkap dengan tudung daripada anaknya, Ramlah Sonni dan Jelani pada pertemuan kedua di rumah anak tiri Mariam, di Uijongbu.

Mariam berkata, hadiah itu sangat istimewa kerana sebelum ini beliau tidak terfikir akan menerima buah tangan daripada anak kandungnya yang disangka sudah tidak ada.Pada pertemuan itu, Ramlah menyarungkan cincin suasa bertatah batu hiasan kepunyaannya pada jari ibu dan Mariam terus mencium pipi Ramlah sambil berkata, ‘kamsa hamida’ (terima kasih dalam bahasa Korea) kepada anak sulungnya itu.Membuka bungkusan plastik berisi sepasang baju kurung pemberian Jelani, Mariam tanpa berfikir panjang terus memakainya dan mencium Jelani.

Ramlah dan Jelani berkunjung ke rumah Ji Yong Un, 56, pada jam 1.30 tengah hari (waktu Korea) bagi menemui ibu mereka buat kali kedua.Setibanya di rumah itu, mereka disambut isteri Ji, Shin Sook Hyun dan dipelawa masuk sebelum Mariam memberikan salam kepada mereka.“Assalamualaikum,” kata Mariam sekali gus bertepuk tangan kegembiraan bertemu anaknya yang disangkanya hanya sekali pada pertemuan di studio Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) bagi rakaman program Love in Asia kelmarin.

Mariam berkata, beliau terkejut kerana tidak menyangka anaknya itu datang mengunjunginya di rumah itu.Ramlah berkata, ibunya kelihatan berminat dengan cincin yang dipakainya bagi majlis pertemuan itu, lantas beliau terus memberikannya kepada Mariam.Jelani pula berkata, ketika pertemuan pertama kelmarin, beliau melihat ibunya memakai pakaian tradisional Korea iaitu ‘Hambok’ namun hari ini beliau bangga apabila dapat melihat ibunya memakai pakaian Melayu.“Seperti niat sebelum ini, saya hendak menyerahkannya apabila berjumpa... inilah pemberian tidak seberapa yang dapat saya berikan selain kuih muih termasuk bahulu dan lempuk durian,” katanya.

Ketika mereka sekeluarga berbual mesra dengan Mariam, Jelani menunjukkan beberapa gambar terbaru anggota keluarga kepada ibunya itu sambil bercerita kisah lama sebelum ibunya hilang dan sejak ketiadaan Mariam.“Saya dan kakak berpeluang menyuap semua kuih yang dibawa, memakaikan klip rambutnya dan memeluk mak sepuas-puasnya,” kata Jelani sebelum menikmati makanan Korea yang disediakan Shin.

Penantian Mariam 64 tahun berakhir


MARIAM Johari, dipeluk oleh dua anaknya, Jelani Sonni dan Ramlah (kanan) ketika mereka dipertemukan di studio rakaman Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) di Seoul, Korea Selatan, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 18 Julai – Penantian Mariam Johari, 86, untuk dipertemukan semula dengan tiga orang anaknya selepas terpisah selama 64 tahun berakhir hari ini apabila dua daripadanya hadir di studio rakaman Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), Seoul, Korea Selatan.

Mereka disatukan kembali dalam suasana penuh menyayat hati yang turut merentap jiwa para penonton yang memenuhi studio berkenaan ketika program khas merakam detik-detik bersejarah itu berlangsung.

Mariam atau nama Koreanya, Kim Soon Ae tidak tahu menahu mengenai pertemuan yang diatur oleh pihak KBS dengan kerjasama Pergerakan Puteri UMNO sehinggalah kedua-duanya melangkah masuk ke studio rakaman tersebut.

Wanita kelahiran Plentong, Johor itu kelihatan terkejut dan terketar-ketar kegembiraan apabila melihat Ramlah Sonni, 72, dan Jelani, 70, bergerak ke arahnya.

Anak bongsunya, Jamnah, 65, yang paling disebut-sebut oleh Mariam bagaimanapun tidak hadir kerana masalah kesihatan.

Detik-detik pertemuan penuh dramatik menyebabkan air mata dua beradik berkenaan tumpah berjurai manakala Mariam yang berwajah pilu terkedu apabila dipeluk oleh kedua-dua anaknya itu.

Mariam yang hadir berpakaian kebangsaan Korea dilihat bergenang air matanya tidak mahu melepaskan tangan kedua-dua anaknya sepanjang pertemuan itu.

Suasana syahdu yang semakin menyelubungi studio rakaman tersebut turut dikongsi oleh pengacara program, wartawan dan delegasi Puteri UMNO yang menangis teresak-esak apabila cucu Mariam (anak lelaki Ramlah), Ahmad Onn dan menantu Jamnah, Siti Zainab Noor dibawa masuk menemuinya sejurus selepas itu.

Pertemuan tersebut yang menggunakan perantara jurubahasa Korea selama 55 minit akan disiarkan oleh KBS esok.

Mariam terputus hubungan dengan ketiga-tiganya selepas mengikut seorang lelaki rakyat Korea, Cho Se Won pulang ke negaranya ketika Perang Dunia Kedua pada tahun 1946.

Ramlah dan Jelani masing-masing ketika itu berusia lapan dan enam tahun manakala Jamnah baru dilahirkan.

Ketua Puteri UMNO, Datuk Noraini Ahmad ketika mengulas pertemuan tersebut berkata, rakaman tersebut bermula dengan latar belakang kedatangan Mariam ke negara itu selepas mengikut Se Won.

Menurut Noraini, penonton turut diperlihatkan dengan kesengsaraan Mariam ketika menetap di Korea serta usahanya menemui jalan buntu sebelum meminta bantuan KBS menjejaki anak-anaknya di Johor.

Ujar beliau, kemuncak rakaman itu menyaksikan Mariam menyebut-nyebut nama anak-anaknya sebelum mereka dibawa keluar dari belakang pentas dalam keadaan membelakangkan wanita itu.

Menurut Noraini, Puteri UMNO berpuas hati kerana segala penat lelah untuk menemukan kembali anak-beranak itu beroleh kejayaan.

Saya berasa amat bersalah’


“PERIT rasa hati ini bila mengenangkan terpaksa meninggalkan anak yang masih kecil untuk mengikuti Cho Se Won (teman lelaki) ke Korea berjumpa ibu bapanya meminta restu perhubungan kami. Rasa amat bersalah yang membelenggu diri selama ini sememangnya tidak dapat saya gambarkan dengan kata-kata,” kata Mariam Johari, 86, sebak ketika ditemui di Hospital Perbandaran Dong-Bu, di sini, semalam.

Mariam atau nama Koreanya, Kim Soon Ae, dengan nada suara yang terketar-ketar ketika menyambung perbualannya berkata, perasaan serba salah terhadap anaknya, Ramlah Sonni, 72; Jelani, 70 dan Jamnah, 65, semakin menebal apabila mengetahui mereka masih hidup dan sihat.

Katanya, sehingga ke hari ini beliau sakit hati setiap kali terkenangkan tindakannya itu dan tidak pernah memaafkan perbuatannya.

Mariam berkata demikian dalam temuramah selama 30 minit bersama wartawan Berita Harian, Harian Metro dan New Straits Times (NST) dengan dibantu penterjemah, seorang pelajar Malaysia di Korea Selatan, Yen Mun Wah.

Anak kelahiran Kampung Sungai Tengkorak, Plentong, Johor Bahru itu berkata, ketika itu beliau diberitahu hanya akan ke Hampyong, Korea Selatan, selama sebulan untuk diperkenalkan kepada ibu bapa Cho.

“Kami berkenalan ketika menjadi buruh paksa di Senai. Ketika itu, kehidupan kami memang sukar.

“Selepas tamat peperangan, Cho berkata, beliau ingin membawa saya pulang ke kampungnya di Hampyong, untuk mendapat restu ibu bapanya sebelum kami pulang semula ke Tanah Melayu untuk melangsungkan perkahwinan,“ katanya.

Katanya, sebagai ibu, beliau sudah berusaha pelbagai cara untuk pulang berjumpa anaknya di kampung halamannya, termasuk pergi ke Kedutaan Malaysia di Seoul pada 1987 tetapi gagal dan berserah pada takdir untuk bertemu semula dengan mereka.

Apabila ditanya apakah perkara pertama yang akan diucapkan jika ditakdirkan berjumpa dengan anaknya, Mariam menjawab: "Saya akan minta maaf pada Ramlah, Jelani dan Jamnah, kerana bukan niat emak (Mariam) untuk tinggalkan kalian sehingga hari ini".

(Sebelum perbualan ini, wartawan Berita Harian dimaklumkan jururawat, Shin Angela bahawa Mariam tidak mengetahui akan berjumpa dengan anaknya esok kerana Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) mahu menjadikan pertemuan itu sebagai satu kejutan serta tidak mahu menjejaskan kesihatannya jika terlalu gembira mengetahui anaknya akan mengunjunginya.)

Katanya, beliau mengakui meninggalkan mereka yang masih kecil kira-kira 64 tahun lalu untuk ke Korea dan berjanji akan pulang selepas semua urusan di negara itu selesai tetapi keadaan yang berlaku ketika itu menyebabkan beliau terkandas di negara itu selama 61 tahun.

Mariam terpisah dengan tiga anaknya sejak 1943 menyebabkan keluarganya di Malaysia menyangka beliau sudah meninggal dunia.

Kisah liku kehidupan Mariam disiarkan akhbar Kumpulan The New Straits Times Press (NSTP) pada 23 Jun lalu dan mendapat respons daripada keluarganya yang menetap di beberapa tempat di Johor Bahru serta Kota Tinggi.

Esok Mariam dan dua anaknya dipertemukan dalam rancangan Cinta di Asia (Love in Asia) melalui program The Way Home di studio KBS.

Antara yang akan turut hadir pada pertemuan itu ialah anak lelaki Ramlah, Ahmad Onn, 41 serta menantu Jamnah, Siti Zainab Noor, 35 yang mewakili mentuanya, selain Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Datuk Ghafar Abdullah dan Ketua Puteri Umno, Datuk Noraini Ahmad.

Mariam yearns for home

(From left) Park Keon Young, Kim Eun Shin and Seo Kyo Won are here looking for Mariam Sahari's children.

JOHOR BARU: The first thing that Mariam Sahari, 86, does on waking up in Seoul is think of the day when she will see Malaysia again.It has been her dream for the past 61 years, ever since she left Malaya with Cho, a Korean, who came here with the Japanese military forces.She yearns to see her three children from her marriage to a man in Plentong, who went missing soon after the birth of her last child, Jamnah, during World War Two.

Jamnah should be 66 years old now while her other two children, Ramlah and Jailani, are either in their late sixties or early seventies.Mariam’s problem lies in the fact that she is stateless, as she cannot prove her Malaysian nationality.Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) television producer Park Keon Young, who is here to find out more about Mariam’s family, told the New Straits Times that after the war, Cho was held in a British camp in Jurong for deportation.

However, he pleaded with the British for permission to take Mariam home with him."Cho asked Mariam to go with him to Hampyong, Jeonnanamdo, and meet his parents and get their blessings. After that, they could return to Malaya," Park said.The couple sailed from Singapore on April 20, 1946, and arrived at the port of Pusan a month later.It took them three years to get married. Cho went off soon after to fight in the Korean war and after he returned home, he married another woman.

Life became difficult for Mariam as she had to live with the second wife, who also had three young children from a previous marriage."Mariam was not only childless but also a foreigner in a small town, which posed problems."Park said the older residents of Hampyong remembered Mariam as a friendly, kind and honest girl.Mariam left for Seoul in 1955 to look for a job, where she became a maid and later a nanny. Stranded in Seoul, she also did not have enough money nor the travel documents to return to Malaya.It became more complicated as South Korea did not have diplomatic relations with Malaya until 1963.Cho, who was unemployed, went to Seoul in 1956 to look for Mariam.

He found her and promised to find a job and buy her a ticket home but that was the last she heard of him.In 1960, she was employed by a woman dying of cancer who had three children, all attached to Mariam."On her death bed, she begged Mariam not to leave the house after she died. Her youngest son, who was then 7, clung to her feet as she was about to leave the house."Mariam became the common law wife to her employer’s husband, known only as Ji. They remained "married" for 30 years until his death in 1992."Throughout the years, she consulted with the Malaysian and Singapore embassy offices on her nationality but neither office could help her as she did not have proof of birth place.""We are doing what we can to track down her children so we can reunite them."Park, who will be here until Wednesday, said those with information on Mariam’s children can contact KBS researcher Seo Kyu Won at 012-3206527, or the New Straits Times Johor Baru office at 07-2383333.

Kids, family and durian on her mind

Mariam Sahari with her second Korean husband in Seoul. A Korean TV crew is here to look for her family in Plentong, Johor, and obtain proof of her nationality.

Mariam worked as a maid in Seoul in 1956

A 1943 picture of Mariam’s first Korean husband, Cho Se Won, whom she met in Malaya

The Korean Broadcasting System, which has taken a keen interest in her, is arranging the 86-year-old’s return to her place of birth.KBS television producer Park Keon Young Park is here to finalise her travel documents over the next two months for her flight to Kuala Lumpur.But Mariam, who has forgotten most of her Malay and has only faded memories of her younger days, may return as a South Korean citizen.Park said the South Korean government was willing to offer her citizenship as she had been a resident there for six decades."They want to establish that she was born in Malaysia.



Once we determine that through records and documents here, they can give her citizenship which would allow her to visit Malaysia."He said KBS would air a television documentary on Mariam next month."She sacrificed so much, leaving her children, her home, culture and coming to Korea. She has been bearing the guilt of leaving her children for a Korean. The least we can do is look for her family and obtain proof of her nationality."The New Sunday Times yesterday spoke to Mariam, who has been admitted to a health centre for the elderly in Seoul, where she is being prepared for the trip back.KBS has arranged, among others, for Bahasa Malaysia lessons, a special "Malaysian" diet and physiotherapy.



She offered a frail "waalaikum salam" to this reporter after being greeted with "assalamualaikum".The 10-minute phone interview saw Mariam speaking a few words in 1950s Malay with most of her sentiments spoken in Korean.Park and KBS researcher Seo Kyo Won translated questions in English into Korean.Asked what she would do the moment she returned to Malaysia, Mariam said she would love to see her three children."I still have not forgotten what I promised them. I told my youngest daughter Jamnah (who was 5 in 1946) that I would bring home cookies for her," said Mariam, who then cried softly."I will bring a lot of cookies home. I promise."Throughout the interview, Mariam was excited and emotional."I am very happy to speak to you (a Malaysian)," she said, repeatedly referring to Malay-sia as home."I really miss home. I want to come back," she said.She wants to see her hometown of Plentong, her family members and eat mangoes and durian.



"I will eat rice and home-cooked food to my heart’s content," she said.Mariam, who has never flown before, felt that she could brave the trip back to Malaysia."I will do anything to come home and that includes brushing up on my Malay and attending physiotherapy sessions."She said the Malay lessons she was undergoing were difficult but she was "trying my best".Meanwhile, the search for her family members by the KBS crew continues.The NST yesterday highlighted Mariam’s plight of being stranded in Korea without travel documents.Her problem lies in the fact that she is stateless, as she cannot prove her Malaysian nationality.She left the country in 1946 just after World War Two, taken to Korea by the man who she was in love with to seek marriage blessings from his parents.She initially thought that the journey was short and she would be home soon.



Hampered by more unfortunate events, including the Korean War in 1950, she was stranded in Hampyong.After the war, her husband, Cho Se Won, took another wife, which forced her to leave for Seoul to work as a maid.In 1960, she worked for a family where the employer’s wife, a mother of three, had cancer.After the woman died, she married her employer, who died in 1992.She believes her children — Ramlah, Jailani and Jamnah — are still alive.Those with information on Mariam or her children can contact Seo at 012-3206527, or the New Straits Times Johor Baru office at 07-2383333. Park leaves for home on Wednesday.