“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom” :THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: MURDER ON THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS: THE AMIRA I NEVER WOULD HAVE SUSPECTED

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: MURDER ON THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS: THE AMIRA I NEVER WOULD HAVE SUSPECTED

Amira was Bobby Fong Jr.’s girlfriend. A strikingly beautiful Malay women who could drive a car or a yacht like no ones’ business. Despised by Madame Fong. Shunted to the sidelines because of that by Bobby Fong Jr.

Amira was a kind and gentle soul to me. Happy to give me a squeeze and a treat or a cuddle. I liked her.

I was surprised that investigators of Sir Reginald Nicomshire’s murder aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express spent a good deal of time probing Amira.

Investigators summed up their initial findings as such;

• Her passport showed her as a citizen of Singapore
• Charges of sedition and disturbing the peace had been issued by Singaporean police but later dropped for lack of evidence
• She was a member of Malays for Equality in Singapore (MES) rumoured to be heavily funded from an unknown Sunni Muslim organization in Pakistan
• She had written several articles for “Malay Equality Today” one of which lambasted Sir Reginald Nicomshire’s shipping companies for its covert refusal to hire Malays
• The charge for disturbing the peace had been issued as a result of her chaining herself to the office doors of one of Sir Reginald Nicomshire’s shipping company’s offices waving a placard stating, “Stop Mandarin Oppression”.

Malays constitute approximately 15% of Singapore’s population and section 152 of the Singaporean Constitution recognizes the special position of Malays as the indigenous people of Singapore placing responsibility on the Singaporean government “ to protect, safeguard, promote their political, educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests and the Malay language”.

Amira was steamed up after her interrogation and stormed into our State Cabin venturing forth her tales of Malay discrimination in Singapore and the imperative to break its vile chains. She fumed that Malays in Singapore were earning less than those of the Chinese majority, the lack of high ranking political and civil service positions occupied by Malays, under representation in the armed forces and police and the Singaporean government’s general favouritism of ethnic Chinese and the lack of protection and promotion of the Malay language. This was side of Amira new to me. A murderess…indeed not!