manners? what manners?!..

with more scars tissue and bumps on my head and face than the average guy, i look a pretty messed up guy.

so when i appear at my parents' place when they're having visitors, they often tense with trepidation when they first see me. the visitors, i mean..

then they see me bending forward and touching the floor as i walk in front of my parents to introduce myself, give a perfect "salam" in Arabic (or a finely accented "good afternoon") and their faces suddenly relax, and things get warm quickly.

this is the Asian way. that we show respect to our elders. polite decorum.

elders, leaders, are expected to set the example, worthy of such respect.

what i have seen of this country's elders, our leaders, in recent months, beggars belief. and leads me to seriously wonder where their manners have gone. .

"How to Lead" for Dummies i.e. Malaysians

1) when someone clarifies - and on later evidence questions - an multi-million project you suggested, accuse them of blatant idiocy. because you went to school overseas.

2) when 70,000 people take the streets to protest something despite threat of physical force by the police, say "they're just ruffians. i don't listen to ruffians."

despite the fact that research shows that for every one vocal disenchanted, there are 7 more.

3) and when London gets a ferris wheel for the Millenium Celebrations, and Singapore puts one up too and we just HAVE to have one too?!

and you lose millions, pay no heed to feedback, cut down 100 year old trees and disrupt operations in 6 local hospitals, and these citizens later don't want to talk to you anymore, preferring to talk to your boss, call them arrogant.

spend another RM2.5 million to build toilets on an atoll. who cares if 25 percent of Malaysians live under the poverty line in Sabah.

4) when a foreign journalist is critical about Malaysia say "i don't bother about non-Malaysians writing about Malaysia." then when you rant rave and sputter in a Press Conference, say "don't write what i just said! i know where you work. i know your editor."

5) when the public protests and question highway plans and routes, say "you're not an engineer. i'm an engineer. you don't question my plans."

and when an engineer questions? "i have a TEAM of engineers. do you have a team of engineers?"

and when those highways collapse? blame the rain. in fact blame everyone but yourselves!

and when they lose money and few motorists use them?

INCREASE THE TOLL CHARGES BECAUSE IF LOWER FEES DIDN'T WORK, HIGHER ONES WILL.

why? because if you lower tolls and no one uses them, then you'll be proven wrong in the first place, isn't it?!

* * *

as a journalist i remember asking a Minister about the issue, when contaminants in the water made citizens throw up and pass nasty stuff thru their bowels. his reply?

"eh, i know what you want. you want to talk about compensation right? you think what government got money ah?"

i said "actually Sir, i just wanted to ask you what the government intends to do to ensure clean water quality for her people." .. he kept quiet, and his advisers turned away ..

why am i writing this? because i've had enough.

because as the elections slowly approach, after years of giving the benefit of the doubt, i am SERIOUSLY thinking about voting for the non-ruling party, regardless of who's fielded in my constitution. why?

because when i die and the Big Chief White Hair asks "why the Kapuntzel Buttkus didn't you do something?" i wanna be able to say i did.

because when the country is filled with unused roads, we choke on smog and schools are crumbling, oil revenue has disappeared and my kids ask me "what did your generation do with all that money?", i want to be able to look them in the eye and say "i tried".

because even tho Senior Minister Lim says "a vote for DAP (an Opposition party) does not equal a vote against UMNO (he was addressing distress against the ruling party's Big Brother), i feel that hubris, is not the trait i want to see in my leaders.

more so when they claim to be humble leaders guided by values such as the Hadhari etc.

if that was the case i'd rather they bend forward, reach for the ground, and ..

i'd pay good money to see that.

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