But our lives can indeed be taken from us at any time regardless of how young or healthy we are. And the point is not to huddle in a dark corner fearing it but to make full use of every opportunity to love and appreciate the people around us. So that when they do pass on, we can be comforted by the fact that we have given all the love we had to give. And that the time has come now for someone else to hold the hands of the ones we have lost.
But I wanted this group gathered together in his memory to know that we, his friends wherever we are, also knew him as more than a dedicated professional. We loved a genuinely warm individual-one we will miss greatly.
And let the perpetual light shine upon him
May his SOUL rest in peace… AMEN.
Goodbye to The Star’s veteran adventurer
MIRI: He was an ex-commando, active parachutist and scuba diver but The Star’s senior photographer Rapaee Kawi’s first passion was photojournalism. Despite his love for tough and risky outdoor jobs, Rapaee, who passed away suddenly yesterday, was known for his gentle disposition. He was three weeks shy of his 51st birthday. Rapaee, who was based at the Sarawak bureau in Kuching, hailed from Mukah.
UN troubleshooter: Rapaee posing with his 16mm Bolex camera during his peacekeeping mission with the United Nations in Africa in 1989.
He died of heart failure at noon while he was in the city centre. He leaves behind wife Patricia Grinau, 43, and four children aged between 11 and 23. His death shocked members of the media in Sarawak as he was a well-built and physically healthy person and had not shown any sign of a serious illness. No assignment was too tough for him, no situation was too difficult for him – and he would do it all with a smile.
He had even ventured into high-risk zones, like when he was sent to cover the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping crisis in southern Philippines, apart from having travelled extensively throughout Sarawak and Sabah to capture news and sports events. The Star’s staff correspondent Jack Wong told Rapaee to take a break from work yesterday after he called in the morning to say that he was not feeling well. The news of his death also shocked his colleagues at The Star’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya and at the other bureaus nationwide.
Rapaee, fondly called Apai, which means “father”, ventured into journalism in the early 1990s. He had served as a commando and paratrooper with the Defence Ministry. He was sent on a peacekeeping mission to Africa during the 1980s. He was also an adventurer. He managed to climb to the base camp of Mount Everest during The Star’s expedition there with the first group of Malaysians who scaled the highest peak in the world.
He had covered many assignments, both local and overseas, during his stint as a photographer with Utusan in Johor and after he joined The Star in 1996. He had covered many state and parliamentary elections and also visited the Penans in the interior of Baram in Miri Division, visited the Bakun dam site in the heart of Sarawak and handled a number of helicopter tragedies. His body has been brought back to Dalat in Mukah. His burial will be held tomorrow.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/22/nation/3957641&sec=nation
Thursday, May 21, 2009
RIP, Rapaee Kawi
Posted by: hakimbujang
Sarawak most senior national press photographer Rapaee Kawi passed away at around 11am today while undergoing medical check up at a Polyclinic. Apai Star, his press world name, left behind a wife and 4 children behind, two boys and two girls.
He is the first Malaysia press photographer using DSLR camera, a Canon that cost roughly RM120,000 while covering Malaysia first Everest expedition. Being a Christian Melanau with Malay name, Apai has many comical tale to share of being arrested for eating in public during “Holy Ramadhan”. He is famous for his quote, with or without surname as long you do not trade my “bin” with “anak”. He is the protem chairman of Sarawak Chapter of Sportwriters Association Malaysia. His remains is still at the mortuary at press time (13.30 hours) and will be brought to his residence in Batu Kawah. Toman Mamora, chairman of Sarawak Press Foundation expressed his sadness over Apai demise. “His passing is a great loss to Sarawak press community,” Toman told Sarawak Update.
Source: http://blog.thestar.com.my/permalink.asp?id=23619
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Rapaee Kawi - A Brilliant Pixman
One of the country's top lensmen, Rapaee Kawi of leading English daily The Star has passed away of an illness at the age of 51 in his hometown Kuching, Sarawak.Rapaee, a Melanau whose family hails from Mukah, was best known for covering the 1997 Malaysian expedition to Mount Everest in Nepal and for his involvement in the 1989 United Nations peace-keeping mission in Namibia.He is survived by his wife Patricia Grinau, 43, two sons and two daughters, aged between 11 and 21. His eldest son Andre Oliveiro is a lensman with Bahasa Malaysia daily Utusan Sarawak.
Posted by cai at 7:43 AM
Source: http://malaysiana1.blogspot.com/2009/05/rapaee-kawi-brilliant-pixman.html
May 21, 2009 22:06 PM
The Star Photographer Dies During Medical Examination
KUCHING, May 21 (Bernama) -- A photographer with local English daily, The Star, Rapaee Kawi, died while undergoing a medical examination at the Jalan Masjid Polyclinic here, at 11am Thursday.Rapaee, known as "Apai Star", was due to celebrate his 51st birthday on June 9.The cheerful and friendly photographer, who covered Malaysia's Everest Expedition in 1997, leaves behind wife, Patricia Grinau, 43, two sons and two daughters, aged between 11 and 21 years.His eldest son, Andre Oliveiro, a photographer with Utusan Sarawak, said his father came down with low-blood pressure and had taken leave to see a doctor."I personally sent him and my mother to the polyclinic this morning as I had a press conference to cover."But then I received a call from her saying that my father died during the medical examination," he told reporters when met at the Sarawak General Hospital morgue.The remains of Rapaee will be brought to his hometown Dalat in Mukah later today for burial.Prior to his appointment as a photographer with the daily, Rapaee was involved in the United Nations' peace mission in Namibia in 1989.-- BERNAMA
Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=412817
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Rapaee Kawi 1958 - 2009
The late Rapaee Kawi was a man of great distinction and achievements.
He passed away yesterday morning at the age of 51. I met him when I was a staff photographer at the Star back in the early 90s. Apai, as he is endearingly known, was under internship with PERHEBAT as a photographer with Berita Harian where he served for a few years.
He was an enlisted man and had a passion for adventure. Later, he moved to the Star and settled down in Sarawak, his hometown. He will be best remembered as a jovial guy who dedicated much effort to his work that earned him numerous awards.
Apai's sudden death was a shock to the journalism fraternity. It was a great loss. May God bless his soul and Apai my friend, travel well with God speed.
Posted by samo at 5/21/2009 06:27:00 PM
Source: http://samosauruschronicles.blogspot.com/2009/05/rapaee-kawi-1958-2009.html
Bekas jurugambar BH meninggal dunia
KUCHING: Bekas jurugambar Berita Harian, Rapaee Kawi (gambar), 51, meninggal dunia akibat tekanan darah turun secara mengejut, ketika sedang menjalani pemeriksaan kesihatan di Poliklinik Kuching, Jalan Masjid di sini, kira-kira jam 11 pagi semalam. Rapaee atau lebih dikenali sebagai Apai yang menyertai Berita Harian pada 1990 sebelum itu berkhidmat bersama Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), termasuk pernah dihantar bertugas bersama pasukan pengaman Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di Namibia antara 1988 sehingga 1989. Beliau yang meninggalkan Berita Harian pada 1995 bagi menyertai The Star pernah terbabit dalam Projek Everest '97 selain aktif bersama Persatuan Penulis Bahagian Kuching (KDJA) termasuk menjadi Pengerusi Persatuan Penulis Penulis Sukan Malaysia Sarawak (SAM Sarawak).
Mendiang meninggalkan isteri, Patricia Grinau, 43, dan empat anak, iaitu Andre Oliveiro, 23; Christine, 16; Gabrila, 14, dan Roland Smith, 11. Mayatnya yang dihantar ke rumah mayat Hospital Umum Sarawak, akan dibawa ke kampung asalnya, di Dalat untuk dikebumikan. Adik mendiang yang juga wartawan Berita Harian cawangan Batu Pahat, Mohd Roji Abdullah, berkata abangnya menghubunginya petang semalam bagi memaklumkan dia sudah memulakan kerja membina rumah di kampung mereka di Dalat dan tidak sabar menunggu rumah itu siap.
"Saya mulanya tidak menyangka perbuatannya yang tiba-tiba menghantar gambar rumah keluarga lama kami dan gambar kubur ibu melalui e-mel semalam sebagai tanda dia akan pergi secara mengejut. "Dengan sikapnya yang suka bergurau, kami sekeluarga tidak menyangka dia menghidap masalah penyakit darah tinggi dan kencing manis yang begitu serius," katanya.
Source: http://www.bharian.com.my/Friday/Nasional/20090522100129/Article/index_html
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