Mention the word ketuanan and many of us immediately think of the brouhaha concerning Ketuanan Melayu... but the thing is, I've realised that it's not just UMNO who upholds this ketuanan thingy. Probably the whole BN subscribes to that and many of those in power. This concept is probably as old as written history.... going back to the time when kings and emperors found legitimacy and authority of lordship by claiming to be gods... or given the mandate.
Back in my hometown, MCA has been holding this Open House thingy in Nan Hwa Secondary School the last couple of CNY. I thought schools are supposed to be apolitical institutions but the gahmen (MCA) thinks it's alright for them to use the school premise for a 'political cum cultural' event. In Kedah, the MB's photo is not even allowed to be hung up! I supposed it's the same also in Perak. But the school premise can be used by a political party for Open House! Hmmmmm....
They'd invite all the people in the constituent to this Open House. This year they even sent out invitation cards it seemed. There'd be this grand entrance by all the VIPs entertained by a lion dance troupe and food all laid out.....or rather you had to line up for your food. LOL! But that's where the meeting of the rakyat and politicians ended.
Tables are prepared in the school hall... but they are not for the
rakyat biasa. You've got to be 'somebody' to be invited to sit there! Segregation by status... the
tuan (master) and the
hamba (slave).
Common folks eat standing outside ... this year they erected tents in anticipation of rain. Turnout was still okay...free food! 8) We're suckers for anything free!!! ROFL!
Politicians too behave like they are
tuan. Why can't they eat with the rakyat?
Sesak-sesak a bit with the rakyat who voted them and mingle with them. But nah! They have to be treated like VIPs. I've come to the conclusion, we not only have Ketuanan Melayu; we have Ketuanan Ahli Politik, Ketuanan MCA, Ketuanan UMNO, Ketuanan MIC.... they come under different guises but basically the same.... cos politics equals to power and kowtows come to those with power! To be elected is to serve? Bah humbug!!!
I thought the Wakil Rakyat(s) are elected to serve the people. At the Open House, it felt like it was the other way round. The Wakil Rakyat is the Tuan and the rakyat the hamba. Will PKR head the same direction in time to come? Only time will tell. Anyway, after seeing this... I think power gets into the head. My two sen today!
3 comments:
well, if there's not enough seats to go around, i guess it's only logical to give the seats to the vip. ;)
but the vips should take the initiative to go around mingling with the crowds.
regarding the ketuanan concept, i always think that you can call yourself whatever you want... heck, we're in a democratic and market-oriented world. but if you don't have the means to be a tuan, the name/title doesn't mean a thing... :)
yeah! it's logical.. the seat thing. But you can always have some other form of practical seating arrangement. No need to have it inside and outside. That's like inviting people to your home and then telling them to eat outside while you eat inside.
I think it takes a 'bigger' person who is a tuan to choose not to act like a tuan. Most would want to act like Tuan(s), given a chance!
But these will just remain ramblings cos after all, even if we look at the different types of personalities, those 'choleric' types make up around 10% (I think). So, there're more followers than leaders... so this Tuan-hamba thing will always exist!
Anyway, don't have to look far for example. Just look at the ant colony. The whole colony exists for the queen... the rest of the ants??? They work to serve the queen. Just my quirky way of relating things.. LOL!
MCA stands for Malaysian chinese assasinators. Most of them if not all, the politician under MCA tickets, are not serving the rakyat. Instead, they are using their every ounce of their energy to keep the 'ketuanan' so that their 7 generations would be able to live like kings in this land.
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