Sunday, April 17, 2011

Reporting from the 5th ICAAP - Aug 1999

Selamat Datang Ke Kuala Lumpur
by Dr. E. Mohamed Rafique

Dark clouds covered the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) that looked like giant green tents perched out on a large fair ground. At 08.30 A.M. on the morning of the 22nd October 1999, after an overnight flight from Kovai, via Chennai and Singapore, I was doing things more in sleep than wakefulness! "Selamat Pagi, Selamat Datang Ke Malaysia, Good Morning, Welcome to Malaysia". The long drawn chant shook me up. I saw Mohamed Tahir Ismail, a tall well built Malay walk up to me as I approached the counter put up especially for the delegates arriving for the 5th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (5th ICAAP). I handed over my passport and papers. In a moment, he got me through Immigration and Customs and took me to the counter in order to purchase tickets for the coach to my Hotel. Meanwhile he had the lowdown on my role in the Congress.

KLIA is approximately an hour's drive away from the city by a large freeway. I am surprised to see the well drained, dust free, litter free and pot-hole free roads with gentle curves, broad side walks and disciplined traffic. A big and picturesque mosque close to KLIA opens my drooping eyes. Buses from KLIA go to the Hentian Duta Station and again I am impressed by the spotlessly clean and fly-less glass enclosed waiting room.

The wait is hardly five minutes before the smaller vehicles to our respective hotels arrived. At the lobby of the Grand Pacific, one of the receptionists is clad in sari and a few moments later she is talking away animatedly in Tamil on the telephone. A home away from home, I feel. She hands me the room keys after jotting down details from my passport.

After a quick shower I am at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), where like in all conference Registration the delegates, speakers, guests, presenters, performers, patients, reporters et al were slowly being attended to. I report myself at the speaker's room only to find out that Ms. Aananthy Thambinayagam, Corporate Officer of the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) had not yet turned up. She had organized the luncheon symposium at which I was to make a presentation. I go round a part of the venue and then by a 'Texi' to a nearby Pakistani mosque for Friday prayers. I return to be told that I just missed her.

I have lunch and check out my Powerpoint presentation on the big screen. I thank myself for having brought two copies and additional backups for, as always with me, Murphy's Law and a computer virus have had a good time on my floppy!

In the evening, I dine with Mr. Rajan Natarajan and his family at his residence. He is the brother of Brig. R. S. Rajan V.S.M. who is my Chief Medical Officer. Mr. Rajan Natarajan is the Director of Cap Gemini, the Office of which is on the 23rd Level of KL's most prestigious building: the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) twin towers.

After dinner and a long chat into half the night, he takes me for a drive through the important roads of KL before dropping me back at the hotel.

October 23rd 1999 and I walk through the bustling lobby of the PWTC. Running into me, I presume, is none other than Ms. Aananthy Thambinayagam. My guess proves right and she is as relieved as I am. We proceed to the hall that is just beginning to fill. A luncheon for the two hundred guests, mostly CEOs and the Media, is well laid out. I load my presentation onto the hard disk of the computer on stage and give it a final trimming. The session begins on the dot and the big names are all there. Representatives of ten Organizations are called on stage and we all sign, one by one, the declaration to support HIV/AIDS Programs in the Workplace in our respective establishments. I can't help myself smile as I sign the large parchment. After the last signature has been put it is handed over to the Chair of the 5th ICAAP Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir. I also meet Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, who encouraged all of us in stimulating the response against HIV.

There is a brief break for Lunch followed by six presentations, including mine entitled "Workplace Initiatives on HIV/AIDS in Tata Tea, India.



I learn that the name of Tatas is well known all over the world and invariably everyone takes me as representing the House of Tatas. I repeatedly point out the difference but to most, Tata Tea is synonymous with Tatas. Following me are the panel discussions and questionnaire session with the Media.


Before I know, it is all over. I am as carefree as a bird to attend any other session, the next being the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony begins with the heart-rending story of Jack, an HIV+ve. The video shows his positive life on the giant screen above. People next to me are in tears as the short movie ends and on stage is Jack with his mother. They get a standing ovation and this moves them. Then a well-written speech crammed with details of the AIDS scenario in Malaysia is delivered by the Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. He has a distinguished record as a medical specialist and I believe, may be one of the few medical doctors to be heading a successful government for 18 years and winning 6 democratically conducted elections. His wife is also a medical professional. His daughter Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir is the Chair of the 5th ICAAP and has been heading a number of social welfare organizations for many years.

Father and daughter together launch the logo of the 5th ICAAP. There are theme songs, speeches by Dr. Peter Piot, Head of the UNAIDS and other world-renowned figures. Videotaped messages of the Heads of most Asian countries are played. The ceremony over, I troop out of the large Dewan Meredeka (Hall of Independence) to be called up by Ms. Mina Cheah, Head of the Malaysian Business Coalition on AIDS, and we have tea with the VIPs. Queen Ashi Sangay Chhoden Wangchuk, Queen of Bhutan, is also one of the dignitaries. After tea we all troop into the Buses waiting to take us to the Welcome reception at the KLCC Park in the City Center.


KLCC is incidentally the tallest building in the world, its twin towers needling the clouds at 451.9 meters, with 88 stories of offices and a sky bridge between them at the 41st and 42nd levels.


The Congress goes on the next long week. HIV positives, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, grass-root workers, project managers, religious leaders, politicians, etc., have workshops, panel discussions, and all put their minds together, to hunt for the elusive solution to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.


I attend a few of the sessions such as 'Mobility and AIDS','Islam and AIDS', and build my skills in a Workshop on 'IT and AIDS'. I meet many other important people. The days fly fast. It's soon the closing ceremony and time to say : 'Salamat Jalan Ke Kuala Lumpur'
(Good bye to KualaLumpur).


I look forward to hearing from you. Terima Kasih, Yours sincerely,
Dr. E. Mohamed Rafique,General Hospital,Tata Tea Ltd.,Munnar, Kerala, India.

emrafi@gmail.com