ARCIP

Assalamualaikum dan Selamat Sejahtera

A Rat Calling Itself POLITIKUS?

Several days ago . . . I was enjoying a roti canai and nasi lemak breakfast with a few friends at a local eatery . . . a Mamak shop to be precise.

We were discussing everyday happenings vis-à-vis safety and security of people and places around us. That kind of an informal discussion will of course include some small talk about the enforcement of laws and regulations by the local authorities, the state authorities/governments, the federal authorities/government and the like.

While the six of us were busy eating and also talking about those good old days . . . one friend in a very matter- of- fact manner made this comment :

He said, “I’m a keen follower of your blog. I noticed you wrote quite a lot about members of your family and friends and the norms and behaviour of our society at large. I love reading them . . . especially when you touched many subjects of interest to individuals and society quite humorously.”

I was still listening to his words when he shot me this question:

“How come you never even once wrote or comment anything about the political scenario of our country. Takutkah?”

Before I could open my mouth to manage a response . . . he (with some sort of a triumphant gesture of the hands) added, “I know . . . you’re ‘orang kerajaan . . . orang pemerintahlah katakan' . . .”

I just kept mum. I thought . . . what has that got to do with my not writing anything politically inclined. I thought what worth would it bring for me to entertain such assumption!

I thought I would rather be ‘positively’ than ‘negatively’ involved with my society. I'd be more willing to write about the better things in life! About matters that will make people happy and not be at feuding  ends all the while with each other. 

I knew politics has never been and will never be my cup of tea . . . though some friends may still remember those days when I was quite politically involved.

To that friend of mine . . . the ‘no answer’ stand was merely to uphold the ‘long time’ friendship I’ve had with him. I could easily have said, “Hey look here kawan . . . you and your political outlook konon! 

Are you really some kind of a political personality fit to be termed ‘full-fledged’ when you’re just ‘half-baked’ or even ‘totally raw’ . . . Just make yourself scarce man ( the equivalent of which in the present generation lingo is ‘Tak bole blah lah dia ni’)

Yes that’s my stand on present day politics . . . and those ‘tunjuk pandai’ kedai mamak and warong kopi politicians (politikus in Malay?)

As the Malays say, “Kalau kail panjang sejengkal , jangan lautan hendak diduga.” And, I’m a MALAY and proud of being a MALAY and a MALAYSIAN . . . even if I’m neither rat nor politikus!

Bamuda

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