The ‘pencil box’ lawyer who champions justice and unity

Free Malaysia Today

Ahmad Zaharil Muhaiyar, known for defending a mother caught shoplifting a pencil box for her son in 1998, says fighting for meaningful change is worthwhile.   Written & presented by: Narmatha Raja  Shot by: Moganraj Villavan  Edited by: Adly Shaaban   Watch the full RHB Raya advert here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4fSZWpjcss   Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/04/01/the-pencil-box-lawyer-who-champions-justice-and-unity/   Laporan Lanjut: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2025/04/01/peguam-kotak-pensel-wariskan-legasi-perjuang-keadilan-perpaduan/   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com  Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5  Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM  Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h  Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp  Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX  Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb  Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj  Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Download FMT News App:  Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46  App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ  Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP   #FMTLifestyle #FMTBeraya #PencilBoxLawyer #ChampionOfUnity

Transcript

00:00In 1998, criminal lawyer Ahmad Zahary Muhayyar defended a struggling Malaysian Indian mother

00:07caught shoplifting a pencil box for her son, a simple yet powerful act of justice that

00:14was later immortalized in an RHB Hari Raya advertisement titled Lombaran Baru.

00:30Though he's fondly known as the pencil box lawyer, Zahary's commitment to justice and

00:42unity began long before the case, shaped during his formative years, particularly in late

00:481980s London, where student life revealed both the beauty and fragility of unity.

00:55When I was in London during my tenure as a law student down there, I stayed in the house

01:06where David is there, Francis is there, Simon is there, Ahmad is there, and another one

01:15is Pallaya. During our tenure as a student, we are like brothers, we are very close. During

01:29fasting month, Mat, Mat, Mat, turun. Sao, I sudah basak kari untuk you tau. That is what

01:37happen. Lepas itu, Chinese lawyer, for Simon, come, come, come. I beli dua kuah ayam and

01:48buat rendang for him. So, we are just like brothers. But, you know, but, once we go back,

01:57we touch down at KLIA, there goes our friendship, there goes our brotherhood. I'm still wondering

02:06up until now, why this has happened? Is it so artificial in London? I don't know.

02:15Sadly, the racial and religious issues back home strained the bond between him and his

02:20friends, and Zahariel saw firsthand the need for all Malaysians, citizens and leaders alike,

02:27to advocate for social, economic, and racial progress.

02:31If this kind of thing is instigated every day, I don't think that Malaysians will progress

02:40as per se. We're fighting each other like nobody's business. So, you know, please, find

02:46a solution. Find a solution, how to go about it? You know, we do our part. As a public,

02:55we do our part. As a government, you do your part. You know, you don't just keep silence

03:00and so on. You know, everybody has their own parts to unite the country and the people.

03:11Please.

03:12Zahariel then recounted the day he helped a struggling mother who had promised her son

03:17a pencil box if he became the top student in class. An injustice so great that differences

03:22like race and religion never even crossed his mind. Years later, in a heartwarming twist

03:27of fate, he reunited with her son, now a lawyer himself.

03:52We are very close. We are very close. Of course, every week I will call,

03:56hey, how's your mum? Do you take care of your mum? Or whatever. So, you know. Well, it is

04:03really a goosebump experience, you know. I didn't expect anything. I didn't expect anything.

04:11I'm doing it honestly. She is in trouble. I was happy to be there, and I helped. That's

04:21all. That's all. So, after nearly 25 years, and then, uncle, do you remember me? I said,

04:29sorry to say, what are you doing? I don't know you.

04:37Meanwhile, his daughter, Eva Zarina, is often reminded of how deeply her father's actions

04:42have shaped her own beliefs whenever she's asked about this event.

04:46As a daughter, when I heard it, I feel so proud. It's like a reminder of that kind of

04:52legacy my dad left behind. It really motivates me because I don't just want to be known as

04:58his daughter. I want to create my own impact as well. But, of course, his story will always

05:04be my inspiration. Yeah.

05:07But for Zahariel, unity is more than just about the different races sitting harmoniously

05:12at the same table.

05:13You know, when Malaysian will be Malaysian? Once you fill up a form, races, there's only

05:24one or two box. Malaysian, non-Malaysian. There's no Malay, Chinese, Indian, and others.

05:33At that time, you will see the unity down there. So, you know, we better work for it.

05:40This festive season, let's reflect on Zahariel's aspiration, one undoubtedly shared by many

05:45Malaysians that we must bridge the divides and recognize the importance of fighting for

05:50meaningful change.

05:51Narmada Raja, FMT.

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