Yasmin Ahmad, editors and politicians

Many of my friends are outraged over an article in a Malay tabloid yesterday about the late Yasmin Ahmad, the award-winning director whose works have stirred our consciousness of what it means to be a Malaysian.

I am equally upset that the paper chose to resurrect her past, knowing full well that she was not able to defend herself or clear the air. It was a cheap shot at sensationalism.

But hey, wait a minute. Nobody forced anyone to read the article. In fact, most of the people who bawled at the tabloid's ill-treatment of Yasmin barely flipped through the tabloid on any other days.

The publisher and editors there, it doesn't take a genius to figure, was just trying to sell its paper using the tried and tested formula of cheap sensationalism. Sex sells. Violence sells and let's not even get started with scandals. That's Business 101 for you.

Ok, I am not trying to defend the paper. In fact, if I were the editor there, I would have spiked (journalism slang for "delete") the story immediately. But, I am not and the editors there obviously thought that it was a a topic that appeals to their readers. And considering that the tabloid has been in operation for half a decade, the editors there must have been fairly accurate about what its readers want to read or not. Bottom line is and without referring to any specific examples, sometimes it's the readers who determine what kind of news the editors choose to put out.

I guess in that sense, politicians too are like editors. Their words and deeds are dictated to a large extent by what the populace wants. Although somehow or rather, "populism" has earned a somewhat negative connotation in the media. People use the phrase "so and so is a populist politician" as though it's a bad thing. People also pass remarks like "he / she behaves like a clown in Parliament" forgetting that it was the voters who put him or her there.

We can go on a debate about whether newspapers should shape the minds of the people instead of succumbing to commercial considerations. Or whether wakil rakyat should be leaders, not followers and play to the gallery. But that's another topic for another day.

But for now, everytime I come across a headline that say, reeks of racism, in say, Utusan Malaysia, I remind myself that there are some who can identify with the paper's editorial stance. And when I come across "clowns" in Parliament, I remind myself that others like myself put them there.

RIP, Beng Hock

I do not know Teo Beng Hock. Not until yesterday when he fell to his death.

I read from the papers that he, like me, was also a journo-turned-aide who took up the new challenge after the last general election. Like me, he was in his 30s. And we hail from the same hometown. His boss also happens to be my assemblyman.

Beng Hock and me may work for bosses who are on opposite sides of the political divide. Still, I feel like a member of the Aide Brotherhood has gone. Yes, I am saddened over the demise of an individual I probably haven't met before, let alone know in person. It feels like a journalist reading about one of their own being killed while covering a war. Or how politicians react to news about the public pressure that led ex-South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun to his suicide last May.

I think it's not fair to speculate over how Beng Hock died. But his death has underscored one important point: we aides live a pressure-cooker lifestyle. Well, at least me and my colleagues do.

We often associate stress and pressure with high-profile jobs, with politicians and CEOs being among the first to come to mind. Of course, I cannot compare my work pressure with that of my boss', which is many times worse. But it doesn't take a mechanical engineer to figure out that the parts in a high-performance engine, like the gasket or spark plugs, tend to wear out faster than those in a mediocre one.

I believe aides are like a seafarer, fireman and a surgeon all rolled into one. Sometimes, we need to sail into uncharted, choppy waters. In between, there are intermittent fires to put out. The skillful surgeon could help remove knives on our backs -and that of the boss. Oh, I left out being a good actor and a juggler too, which actually goes without saying.

OK, Beng Hock is gone prematurely, and perhaps unnecessarily. It's time to get to the bottom of this. It will not bring Beng Hock back nor ease the pain for his family and fiance. But it is the only right thing to do.

Rest in peace, Beng Hock...

Being cynical

I was born and grew up in Malacca, once the nerve centre of the Malay Archipelago. The great Malacca Sultanate, according to history books, thrived because of its port, situated at the mouth of Sungai Melaka. Traders from as far as Arab, China and India came to Malacca to trade in anything from spice, gold and silk.

Over the centuries, the river has become heavily silted. I still remember in the 1980s up to mid-1990s, the great Malacca River which brave ancient seafarers from faraway lands had sailed into, was reduced to nothing more than a giant drain. It was a filthy eyesore, to say the least.

In the mid-1990s, the Agriculture Ministry undertook a programme called "Love Our Rivers", aimed at rehabilitating many of the polluted waterways nationwide. The state government also launched its own projects to restore Sungai Melaka to its former glory. It wanted to turn my hometown into "Venice of the East".

Naturally, such announcements were met with the usual reaction that almost always accompanied pronouncements of major projects: deep-rooted cynicism. "Satu lagi projek pembaziran duit rakyat". "Yeah rite, Venice of the East". "Who do you think you are kidding?"

I have no qualms admitting I was one of those cynical Joe Public, although those who knew me from secondary school days know that I have an affinity towards the Cintailah Sungai Kita programme.

Fast forward to 2009 and I hear nothing but praise for the Malacca river. Friends post pictures on Facebook, extolling the beauty of the waterway. Word of mouth about the river spread far and wide. Here are some pictures, sourced (without permission!) from Internet searches:

Here's my point: Malaysians are a cynical lot. I make no apologies that I still am one. But when things do turn out well, we quickly forget our cynicism and beat our chests, hoping that the world takes notice of our achievements.

I still remember how cynical I was to the government's plans to build Putrajaya using the country's oil money. At that time I thought it was a bloody waste of money. But now, whenever friends and relatives pay a visit, I make it a point to take them there because I think the Federal administrative capital is rather awesome (besides, it's quite near to my house). I am especially proud of the buildings near Precinct 3 (the long stretch of road sandwiched by PICC and the PM's Department). In fact, one can see busloads of tourists near the mosque area almost anytime of the day, including at night.

Ok, I do not want to make this posting sound like a propaganda piece. But sometimes when you are now on the Other Side, it is good to remind oneself not to get too distracted by deep-seated public cynicism. I can see where Malaysians' cynicism are coming from and I think this is something politicians need to address.

As for me, I will just try to stay focused on the job. And it absolutely helps that my office is in Putrajaya - the very place that made the cynic in me ate my words.

It's Out!

Yes, the PKFZ report is out. And I am glad. What a relief. Phew!

I think this is one of those things that will come to define boss' leadership. I don't care if you think that's an exaggeration. I don't care if you can summon the winds and the rain or can walk on water. I don't because the Report is out. Woooohooooo!!

But, it's been a cliffhanger over the past few weeks. The drama, the anticipation, the disappointment and finally a few hours ago, the release. All that does not matter now. The release is not the be-all end-all and the boss is in it for the long haul. But still...

Lemme pinch myself again. Ok, I am not dreaming. The Report IS out.

One year on

Today, it has been exactly one year since I left journalism, and about two weeks to a year since I joined the government. It's been a roller-coaster since Day 1.

Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I took up my current posting starting June 1 last year. It was a fairly different ball game from the one I ever knew. Some aspects of the job met my expectations, others fell far short. But what's really troubling now is that I am serving a government, increasingly under siege, not least by developments in Perak.

The idealist in me is upset, the realist in me knows there is only so much that can be done. One part in me wanna shout: dissolve the Perak assembly, play the underdog, cut losses and try to claw back in the next round - if at all. The other part in me says it ain't gonna happen and may not even be a good thing.

Ok, so much for politics. Do I miss journalism? Yes and no. Yes, I miss the adrenaline rush. I miss asking cheeky questions to newsmakers. But most of all, I miss the writing bit. But no, I can do without the crazy-hectic lifestyle which revolves around the political uncertainty post-March 8. No, I do not want to be woken up in the middle of the night only to be informed that Mas Selamat was caught by our more-efficient-than-Singapore authorities. And NO, getting tear-gassed when you already have to walk miles to cover an illegal rally under the scorching heat is not my idea of fun anymore.

Nowadays, I blog to ease my urge to write. And as I told some friends, I am far too tainted to return to journalism now. And even if I do, I have to steer clear of news reporting, much less write about politics - an area I used to focus on in the past. Although I have never been a member of any political parties, I have been thrust far too deep into the political spectrum to come across as a credible political writer for now.

Perhaps a stint doing movie reviews may help. Although since I became a dad in 2005, I have been to the cinema less than 5 times, the last show being "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" which I left some 40 minutes into the screening because that's how long my toddler's attention span could take (it was his first movie outing!).

Regrets? Not really. Sure, there were rough patches. Sometimes, you experience certain things which drains the living daylight out of you. Sure, power and greed bring out the best and worst in humanity. Sure,when the chips are down and the stakes are high, you just feel like hanging up your boots and say bye. But it's been one helluva experience so far, one which journalism would never have been able to offer. Yes, I would have gone through it all over again - only this time much wiser than before.

So, there you have it. One year on and life goes on. I wonder what I will blog about this time next year or whether I will still be an aide (my contract is for two years only). But really, I have no time to think about the unknown. There is a job to be done and I need to do it.

PS - Oh yeah, one more thing, I want to wish a dear colleague a happy birthday today. The person's been a great help. Thanks again!

Syok betul!

Hari ini, saya nak blog dalam Bahasa Melayu. Bukanlah BM saya terror sangat, walaupun saya belajar di sekolah Melayu (atau lebih dikenali sebagai Sekolah Kebangsaan). Meskipun saya kerja dengan gomen dan ramai orang Melayu di sana, saya masih tidak boleh berbangga sangat dengan penguasaan Bahasa Kebangsaan saya.

Sesungguhnya, saya menggunakan Bahasa Melayu sekarang kerana sejak kebelakangan ini, saya lebih prihatin akan akhbar-akhbar Bahasa Melayu. Maklumlah, saya ni bekerja dengan seorang pemimpin yang dikatakan mewakili kaum Tionghua dalam kerajaan Persekutuan. Isu-isu yang dibangkitkan dalam akhbar Bahasa Melayu perlu saya halusi dengan lebih teliti.

Kadang-kadang spin di akhbar seperti Utusan Malaysia lain. Isu kekalahan BN di Bukit Gantang, umpamanya. Lepas itu, isu konnonnya parti bos saya mendesak kerajaan untuk jawatan TPM II. Baru-baru ini pula, isu liberalisasi sektor perkhidmatan serta kewangan dimainkan. Isu demam demam babi pun boleh disensasikan (saya masih ingat tidak berapa lama dahulu "khinzir" lebih kerap digunakan dari "babi").

Terpulang kepada siapa yang anda tanya, spin dalam sesetengah artikel itu boleh berbaur perkauman ataupun bersifat "nasionalistik" (eh, ada perkataan Melayu tulen untuk perkataan ini tak?). Takpe, sini bukannya forum untuk membincangkan spin dalam media massa.

Membaca akhbar Bahasa Melayu ada baiknya. Bukan sahaja nak sokong konsep 1Malaysia (eh, takde nada sinis di sini, ok?). Kadang-kadang berita dalam Bahasa Melayu ini cukup sensasi. Saya begitu terkilan mengikuti berita tentang "Chulan Pondan" di Kosmo tempoh hari. Kadang-kadang, selepas overload dengan berita-berita serius, cerita berbentuk tabloid boleh hilangkan stress.

Baru semalam saya sedar perkataan seperti "syok" digunakan juga di akhbar arus perdana seperti Berita Harian . Walaupun - berdasarkan vocab BM saya yang amat terhad - "ghairah" mungkin lebih sesuai, tapi "syok" juga melihat BH gunakan perkataan sedemikian.

Saya pernah terbaca tidak lama dahulu bahawa kolumn yang paling popular dalam setiap akhbar BM ialah Forum Agama dan "Tanya Tuan / Puan". Saya memang setuju dengan pandangan tersebut!

Heard along the corridors... (1)

I plan to start collecting quotable quotes I pick up in the course of my job. They can be awesome, gems of wisdom, sarcastic, or like this one, downright vomit-inducing:

"You cannot offend him. He is one of the richest man in Malaysia."
- Overheard at a place I rather not disclose, uttered by a person whose identity is best left unknown.

I still cringe whenever I think of it now.