I have been on a busy schedule since nomination day for Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar parliamentary by-elections on June 5. Not that I was assigned to; just being a 'busy body' like many others.
But I don't take 'dedak' from anybody; I do it at my own accord. My interest in local politics started during my first few months as a reporter in the early 1980s, and among the first assignments was to cover the Parliament sittings.
I don't recall how many general elections and by-elections had I covered. My math really sucks but I do remember who had won and lost; who turned political sour grapes; faces of the apple polisher and the 'chicken'.
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Yes, I started a few months before Dr Mahathir became prime minister, and having 'served' him for 22 years made me (and many other journalists like me) an addict to his style of politics, his speeches and the way he handled us.
I looked up at him, idolising him as 'The Best Prime Minister' Malaysia ever had. Even the idea of having successors failed to defeat such a detente.
Latest I listened to his speech was in Sungai Besar yesterday. Unlike thousand other speeches that I had jotted down in my reporter's notebook, this one only chimed in my mind as the gist of it was well expected.
'My idol' is now with Pakatan Harapan, or Amanah. He was with some DAP, PKR and Amanah leaders who were riding on his 'elder statesman' position to woo voters.
His 'Citizen Declaration' makes him very popular. Unseating Prime Minister Najib Razak - being its ultimate objective - only managed to draw a few hundreds people, unlike events attended by Najib and his deputy Zahid Hamidi.
I was looking around - Muhyiddin Yassin, Mukhriz Mahathir and Shafie Apdal were not there with him. Where were they? I thought they would be with him all the way through!
He left Umno, that's alright to me. It was his choice.
However, I was saddened, not because he has joined the opposition but for the fact that he is 'no longer himself'. He was the man whom I and million others had adored and respected many years ago for his vision and strict administration.
If Najib is his main enemy, why punish Barisan Nasional, Umno and the Malays?
As a moderate, I am okay with what he is doing but I can't help but wondered if this is the way he wants Malaysians to remember him? As what? Does he sleep well of late?
I just need to sleep...something which is hard to come by these days.
But I don't take 'dedak' from anybody; I do it at my own accord. My interest in local politics started during my first few months as a reporter in the early 1980s, and among the first assignments was to cover the Parliament sittings.
I don't recall how many general elections and by-elections had I covered. My math really sucks but I do remember who had won and lost; who turned political sour grapes; faces of the apple polisher and the 'chicken'.
Yes, I started a few months before Dr Mahathir became prime minister, and having 'served' him for 22 years made me (and many other journalists like me) an addict to his style of politics, his speeches and the way he handled us.
I looked up at him, idolising him as 'The Best Prime Minister' Malaysia ever had. Even the idea of having successors failed to defeat such a detente.
Latest I listened to his speech was in Sungai Besar yesterday. Unlike thousand other speeches that I had jotted down in my reporter's notebook, this one only chimed in my mind as the gist of it was well expected.
'My idol' is now with Pakatan Harapan, or Amanah. He was with some DAP, PKR and Amanah leaders who were riding on his 'elder statesman' position to woo voters.
His 'Citizen Declaration' makes him very popular. Unseating Prime Minister Najib Razak - being its ultimate objective - only managed to draw a few hundreds people, unlike events attended by Najib and his deputy Zahid Hamidi.
I was looking around - Muhyiddin Yassin, Mukhriz Mahathir and Shafie Apdal were not there with him. Where were they? I thought they would be with him all the way through!
He left Umno, that's alright to me. It was his choice.
However, I was saddened, not because he has joined the opposition but for the fact that he is 'no longer himself'. He was the man whom I and million others had adored and respected many years ago for his vision and strict administration.
If Najib is his main enemy, why punish Barisan Nasional, Umno and the Malays?
As a moderate, I am okay with what he is doing but I can't help but wondered if this is the way he wants Malaysians to remember him? As what? Does he sleep well of late?
I just need to sleep...something which is hard to come by these days.