Having lived abroad for nearly a decade and now am back to live in Malaysia, I sometimes cannot help feeling confused as to whether a government is to serve the people or the people is to serve a government?

My point is this - I listened to our government's call to support local tourism, and so took my family for holiday, locally that is, at the Cameron Highlands. But for the past three days that we have been here, there is no water.

Or to be exact, some strange water rationing is going on. Strange because no one really knows when water is cut and when the flow will be resumed.

Needless to say, our holiday is spoilt and the food that we brought with us are all wasted since we have no water to cook, let alone wash. And in the apartment that we have booked, we dare not even flush the toilets as we fear using up all the water in the storage tanks.

When we spoke to the locals, we are told that this has been going on for many years, and gets especially worse when VIPs come to this highland resort because the waterworks department (JBA) will shut off everybody's taps to ensure that water goes only to the VIPs. Hence, this makes me wonder: is a government to serve the people or the people to serve a government?

The local folks shook their heads sadly as they told me: "You think this [no water] is bad? Wait till June 11 to 14, then you will know the true meaning of frustration because the VIPS (the Pahang Royal Family, accompanied by the Menteri Besar and all the dignitaries) will be here."

No thanks, I say, as I don't intend to be around then. The past few days are enough. As it is, I am taking my family home to Penang today.