Mari Main Wayang

They said, to be a good politician, you have to Main Wayang.

Of late, many of them Main Wayang. But the one I can’t stand is the Wayang of Syed Ali Al Habshi. God knows whatever “wayang” he was playing when he blame everyone for the lost of BN except himself. Today he asked Pak Lah to resign from all party posts.

There were days when he mentioned Pak Lah's name, it is as if Pak Lah is his close friend, he can’t wait to tell everyyone he is meeting Pak Lah, he is busy with Pak Lah, he is leaving the country with Pak Lah. Every word he says, will end up with Pak Lah’s name.

He realise his Hari Raya Open House at Cheras was talk of the town, those who came and those who watched seems to say, “ Thank God, the All Mighty has made us in such a way that we are unable to read or hear others think.” I dont think he knew the public said such words.

The Hari Raya Open House must be 5 times bigger than Dato Zulhasnan Open House with 5 star hotel food spread and entertainment. You must see the fireworks display, it is as big as New Years Eve. VVIPs are everywhere for him to show off his close connection with number One man in the Country.

To thank him people all over Cheras voted for the opposition, Dato Zulhasnan survived, by one simple reason, he is not Dato Syed Ali Al Habshi.

Kiss The One That You Love

When I was a young boy, I was fascinated with many stories on mystical of Keris such as keris flying searching for his Master’s enemy, Keris Taming Sari which Hang Tuah used to kill Hang Jebat or someone who actually hide his Keris by keeping it inside his elbow.

As I grow older, I saw only the King or Sultan kiss a Keris. This Keris is known as Keris Kerajaan. I also notice the Malay Keris are very short, except for Taming Sari.

The Portuguese Pirates must have a good laugh when they saw our defence mechanism, a tombak made of bamboo and a keris, which is about 6 inches long. They came and took over Malacca in 3 days. No record of anyone kissing a keris in Hikayat Sejarah Melayu before the battle, not even Hang Tuah.

I am glad finally Dato Hishamuddin apologise for kissing of a keris three years ago. Until today, I wander, why he took a keris and kiss it in public.

Kissing a Keris, to me is sacred, it should only be left to those who know about keris or just leave it to the King and the Sultans to kiss the Keris. It is suffice to say they do it as symbol of power and strength of the Malay or Malaysia, it is their duty and they deserve it.

You, Dato Hishamuddin, don’t deserve it.

So, what do you plan to do with the Keris? UMNO ada museum ka?

Until The Cows Come Home

In 1988, Mr Karpal Singh was detained under the ISA, he must have suffered a lot, his accounts on his owns words, “the cell was infested with insects and mosquitos.” The cell, “ 13 feet by 10 feet.” He was also suffering from severe back pain and kidney complication. Sob….sob.. Okey I sympathise. But if any of you out there remember, Mat Sabu gave a rather humourous account of it when he was with the "Bayi" in Kamunting, that makes me laugh until today.

But then again, a jail is a jail, just learn to stay out of it. Mr Karpal doesn’t seems to learn. He has been more outspoken than he was before to the extend of criticising Tengku Faris of Kelantan on Ketuanan Melayu, he is aware no one will send him to Kamunting while he is on a wheel chair.

He want everyone in Kamunting to be released, which I disagree on a very simple principle and Mr Karpal may have known himself. “Good Guys Stay Out Of Jail, Bad Guys Goes To Jail.”

If Mr Karpal think he or she is wrongfully jail, then it is written for him as much as those who he had free from jail or the gallow on technical grounds. Of course, we can argue over this until the cows come home.

DBKL, Sack Them All

Tanah Perkuburan Ampang is one of those places I visited from time to time. Almost every member of my family were buried at this burial ground. It is one of the oldest cemetery in Kuala Lumpur with more than 13,500 graves. It has all the facilities of a park with walking pavement, street lighting, rubbish bins, public toilet, parking space and a number of DBKL workers. These workers, a part from being the grave diggers, do the maintenance work at this cemetery.

Many prominent names were laid to rest at this place I regard as "Suci" including Tan Sri P Ramlee, Biduanita Saloma, Tan Sri Mubin Shepard, Roseyatimah, M Sharif, Ungku Omar (The Founder of Polytechnic Ungku Omar) and Raja Tan Sri Mohar bin Raja Badiozaman, just to name a few. These are the people, in their life time have contributed so much to the nation, I believe they should be given the same respect as much as when they were with us.

Sometime 2 years ago, DBKL appointed a contractor to do maintenance work of grass cutting surrounding the graveyards. The contractor apparently came twice a month. The work done by them I notice, do not equal to the work previously done by the grave diggers. These grave diggers not only work at the cemetery, they live in the quarters next to the cemetery. Surely their contribution and dedication is like someone who look after their own home.

I know at least 5 of them who have been working at this cemetery for nearly 20 years. They knew who and whose family laid to rest at each and every corner of the cemetery. They knew which grave visited by the left ones and which is not, rain or shine they will always have stories for each and every grave.

Nowadays, for almost two years, when I visited the cemetery, it doesnt has the beauty “Seri” of a park I use to know. The grass, always long, dried leaves everywhere, it doesn’t have the Aura of a place I once knew as “Suci”.

I can never understand DBKL, why do they appoint contractors to do the maintenance work. For many years the grave diggers were doing a good job, why the change? Why change a system that works so well for so many years?

I was wondering, who do you sack in DBKL for making this wrong decision?

DBKL, Sack Them All, Useless People.

At Jalan Jelatek, opposite the Dewan Serbaguna was once a pleasant site of children playground, play pen size park and a lake. It was closed almost a year ago by DBKL to give way for facelifting.

I was passing the playground this evening, I saw the lakes and the once children play ground fenced in blue zinc, the contractor must be BN supporter, I thought to myself.

I was wondering why there are no workers, no machines, materials on site, as if it left abandon by the contractor.

No wonder the public got angry all the time with DBKL, they close the only public park at Dato Keramat, just to have it abandon. What were they thinking, what was in their mind, where are their senses? Nice humble park with children playground, now abandon.

There must be a way to sack all these useless decision makers in DBKL. Why do we allow them grow old in the City Hall with their old way of thinking and working?

HOW CAN YOU FORGET?

I can never forget YB Tian Chua. We first met one Saturday at PJ Magistret Court.

I was assigned by the KL Bar Legal Aid Centre to act on his behalf, just in case he is charge at Court. I can’t remember what it was all about. It was 10 years ago. But I do remember, no one wants to go court on Saturday and I was the idiot worth sending to give Tian Chua a piece of justice he deserved, that is the right to be represented by a solicitor.

After 2 hours of waiting, no charge was read to him, no remand extension application was heard either. He was to be released by Police Bail. I spoke to Tian Chua, “...they are going to release you, don’t do it again.” Something like that.

The journalist, photographers, a number of NGOs including Suaram were at the police station, anxiously waiting for Tian Chua’s release. It was another long wait, the police station ran out of Bail Book. Believe it or not, they actually ran out of Bail Book that hot Saturday afternoon?

I was nearly arrested myself, little that I know that I must obtained visitor’s pass at the police station before gaining entry. Little that I know this hardcore activist who sat in front of Federal Reserve Unit truck will be a Member of Parliament one day.

Like many of them, Tian Chua is no different than any other MPs, except he is an activist turn politician, he makes promises, he gives us hope. After all, we live on hope. I hope YB Tian Chua deliver to the Rakyat all his promises.

Today, this hardcore activist said he is sorry for his failure for not submitting parliamentary questions. He forgot it seems, after all it is his first, it will not happen again, he promised.

YB Tian Chua, you can forget, we rakyat don’t and we won’t.

Barang Yang Lepas Jangan Di Kenang

Last night I went out with an old friend, we were class mate, now practising and an active member of the Sarawak Bar. He was at the dinner when Pak Lah expressed his regret and wrong doing of the Executive. Pak Lah also announced the formation of Judicial Appointment Commission, no apology from the Government to the Lordships, victims of Malaysia's 1988 Judicial Crisis.

"An apology is good for the Country." he said. As you would have expected, I disagree, "..no apology, not from the Government..," I said.

We would have wasted so much time arguing over it. The same goes to whoever think the Government should apologise. Theres no end to it.

Fed up with it, I smile and said "Barang Yang Lepas Jangan Di Kenang."

And I add, "We Malaysian have a way of burying the hatchet, there's no need for us to please anyone in the West to bring confidence to our Judiciary."