COMMENT In an earlier article, I had mentioned that the police’s time should be better spent on investigating the increasing number of rape cases in this country than trying to obtain a statement from PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli.

But with an Umno leader as home minister, we will not be surprised that the police may be told to investigate Rafizi ‘Rutherford’; Ernest Rutherford being the physicist whose model of the atom became the basis for the ‘atomic’ or nuclear energy.”

Now, Perak police chief Ab Rahim Hanafi has confirmed that Rafizi ‘Rutherford’ will be investigated for criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code.

Thanks to the police reports made against him, Rafizi’s popularity has shot further up within such a short time as I am sure that Rafizi would not be easily intimidated.

And judging from the comments posted on the article, Barisan Nasional is not going to receive the thumbs-up for such stupidity and madness that is associated with its supporters.

True enough, before the day even ended yesterday, another Umno leader wannabe, Syed Ali Alhabshee known for his fiery brand of Umno-ism, jumped onto the bandwagon with his typical mudslinging.

Most of us, whenever we read a press statement from Cheras Umno division leader, can only shake our heads with disbelief that this is the kind of leaders that the party has produced after nearly 60 years of Independence.

What we want are people with more credibility who can lead the nation to become another developed nation in four years’ time.

‘Bom Dia’

So, my question to the person who originally lodged the police report, Mohamad Halim Mohamad Ali is: “What if I were to say ‘Bom Dia’ to Najib?”

Is that also not allowed? As harmless a man as I am, if I were to say this, would I also be investigated for criminal intimidation?

What if my Portuguese friend were to appear before Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and greet him with “Bom Dia” (Good day)? Would my Portuguese friend be immediately arrested?

This is the illustration that I am trying to draw from. When I was in Mozambique, where everyone spoke Portuguese, we used to have lots of fun saying “Bom Dia” to our Mozambican friends at the hotel.

For one whole year, I was doing it, with the replies from them, “Bom Dia”, then the laughter that we had together. This is because after I explained the meaning in Malay, they, too, understood why it became a common joke.

So, I do not understand how a 37-year-old full-fledged adult could misunderstand Rafizi’s remark and make a mountain out of a molehill, yet no senior person in Umno would put a stop to it. The stupidity, as I can see it, is so shameful for a country that is supposed to achieve First World status by 2020.

If he does not even use the grey matter, I wonder what he would make of Rosmah Mansor’s 'jet' when it lands in Kuala Kangsar later today. Correct me if I am wrong, there is another meaning in Cantonese behind ‘the jet that has landed’.

While some may have a good laugh over this joke and forget about it minutes later, I would not be surprised that some people will try to interpret the headline of the article, ‘Rosmah’s ‘jet’ to land in Kuala Kangsar tomorrow’ and try to politicise it further or even lodge several police reports later.

Our education has indeed failed

Mohamad Halim Mohamad Ali and Syed Ali should be more concerned with the most recent report that 1Malaysia Development Berhad and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF) may have to pay up to US$6.5 billion after a Request for Arbitration (RFA) has been submitted to the London Court of International Arbitration by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and its subsidiary Aabar Investments PJS (Aabar).

They should be concerned over the billions that have gone missing when the money meant for Aabar was transferred to a fake company registered in the British Virgin Islands with the same name as Aabar.

These are the big issues that they may not have the capacity to deal with, but at least, they should learn it from Rafizi and DAP’s Tony Pua and start asking Najib for a full explanation on what he plans to do to handle the issue.

Perhaps, we can see a more exciting debate coming from Professor Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli, himself being a highly successful career person, and I can understand why BN is trying to stop him from stepping into the Parliament.

We already have enough of the ‘jaguh kampong’ in our August House. BN’s Sungai Besar by-election candidate Budiman Mohd Zohdi’s lacklustre performance in the Selangor state assembly is a good indicator of what he will do in Parliament.

For voters in both constituencies, remember this Saturday, you are representing all of us in two key by-elections.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.