COMMENT | A week of tears
COMMENT | Tears were a-flow last week, hearts and emotions rend, as another government fell and a court case wound down.
What is with our politicians? Every couple of years or months, they feel an irresistible itch to change the seating arrangement in Parliament and assembly halls? Even among themselves, some cannot stomach the leadership that has been foisted on the people (without our having any say in the matter)?
I suppose the infamous Sheraton gathering has started a trend – one general election, three prime ministers. Now Malacca follows Perak and war drums have been pounded in other states.
Can’t wait for...
COMMENT | Tears were a-flow last week, hearts and emotions rend, as another government fell and a court case wound down.
What is with our politicians? Every couple of years or months, they feel an irresistible itch to change the seating arrangement in Parliament and assembly halls? Even among themselves, some cannot stomach the leadership that has been foisted on the people (without our having any say in the matter)?
I suppose the infamous Sheraton gathering has started a trend – one general election, three prime ministers. Now Malacca follows Perak and war drums have been pounded in other states.
Can’t wait for the next general election, which can’t be that far away with state borders now open for travel for the vaccinated?
Pantai Kundor assemblyperson Nor Azman Hassan (above), one of four lawmakers who withdrew support for Malacca chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali, was in tears at the press conference announcing his mea culpa.
“Forgive us. I say this to you sincerely. I’m not merely pretending to cry,” he said.
This triggered a flash of warm memories of my departed friend Azean Irdawaty, famous in the film industry for her ability to turn on the waterworks when the script demanded it and the director called for “Action”.
“I apologise to the people of Malacca. We did this for you. There is no self-interest involved.”
Oh no, using the people again as an alibi to justify their shifty behaviour.
The true character immediately revealed
It may be possible to believe his insistence on there being “no self-interest involved” if he hadn’t gone on to claim impropriety in the Malacca Waterfront Economic Zone (M-Wez), a massive land reclamation project, and he would provide evidence if he becomes chief minister.
“If I govern Malacca, I will expose everything. Do not worry. We have evidence. God willing, the MACC will do their jobs,” he said.
“If I govern Malacca” – sounds like self-interest to me.
Do not worry, he assures. He has the evidence. Wait until he is chief minister. That’s the worrying part. Why wait until you are chief minister to reveal the hanky-panky? What’s wrong with reporting an offence as an outraged citizen and assemblyperson? Hundreds do it every day at a hint of a slight or an insult.
Well, MACC isn’t waiting for that auspicious day. They have started digging into the sand.
Nor Azman also expressed unhappiness that when he was hospitalised for Covid-19, the state government did not offer moral support. That’s so cruel and heartless of the state government. Not even a hamper of biscuits and fruits or a get well card?
Idris Haron (Umno-Sungai Udang), who was with Nor Azman at the press conference, said the Umno leadership never reached out to him and Nor Azman to find out why they were disgruntled. Aww, another case of callous neglect and rejection.
He must be admired for his brave death-defying act of burning bridges when he defended his appearance with Pakatan Harapan lawmakers at a press conference to moot the establishment of a unity government.
“For heaven’s sake, you have to take up the DAP to gain the majority in the future if you want to be in the government. MCA and MIC are of no use.
“To a certain extent, MCA is more chauvinist than the DAP,” said Idris.
Kapow! Welcome the demonic DAP, and dismiss two founding parties of the nation as useless. A bold visionary far ahead of the times, a tongue faster than his brain. Well, the analogy is not so much burning a bridge as committing hara-kiri.
All four are now so-called independents, expelled from their parties, hardly likely to survive the next elections without party support if they were to contest, no matter how much they insist people love them and how much they have done for the constituency.
Ghosts of politics past
Of course, in Malaysia, there is always a possibility that abject grovelling might win a reprieve from exile, or a party may still have a taste for frogs.
Talking of parties, as if we don’t have enough, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s older brother, Kamarazaman Yaakob is setting up a new party - Parti Kuasa Rakyat. And there is talk of believers in a so-called Umno Lama spirit coalescing around Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Curios from the Museum of Malaysian politics brought out from the storeroom, dusted, burnished, polished, hoping to attract a new generation.
On the night of Dec 9, 1974, police, the FRU, and Sarawak Rangers swamped the campuses of Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan and Mara.
Kamarazaman was one of the student activists detained under the ISA then. I was a first-year Masters candidate.
It was nearly 50 years ago. We had long hair shrouding our shoulders, bell-bottoms sweeping the ground, rock as our music and in our heads, if you know what I mean. Much has changed.
Well, best of luck to him. Sounds like an old war horse responding to a martial bugle for one last time.
As for the spirit, or ghost, of Umno Lama, the last time it was evoked by Tengku Razaleigh its semangat (spirit) flagged from lack of appeal. That was nearly four decades ago.
I won’t bother to figure out what an old Umno Lama spirit might be, just note that the generation familiar with it is dying out. I am of that generation, the generation that stood at attention if we were at the last showing of a film at midnight, when the Malayan flag was screened and the national anthem was played (with, of course, always a few who couldn’t be bothered with ritual niceties, heading for the exits).
Selling Umno Lama to Malaysians Baru? Hard sell.
I saved the second of last week’s sob stories for last because it brought tears to my eyes.
At her trial, Rosmah Mansor said: “My marriage to my husband (former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak) would not have lasted 34 years if it is true that I am an ‘overbearing person’ as intimated by the prosecution.”
THOR KAH HOONG is a veteran journalist.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
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