YB oh YB!

I was having this discussion with my professor a few months ago on the present condition of the political arena in the country. I was throwing a lot of ideas to her about the philosophy of the political landscape. Why do we adore the politicians , YB ( Yang Berkhidmat) so much, treat them like Godlike sometimes, an enigma, out of this world person when they do have the same blood as us, have tears and sweat as stink as us.

I remembered a situation in the rural village sometimes where the village ketua kampong (headman) would organize a feast whenever the YB is coming?. It’s like the Messiah is coming to village to save the village from their sorrow and sufferings. The best cook and dishes will be feast upon the YB and his fellow man. Isn’t the village have enough sufferings and sorrow of their own, spared of their own free time and money just to feast a YB for a few hours. It’s looks like the YB have become the Messiah who have to be treated like Godlike and a person out of this world.

I am not objecting to such occasion, but only the philosophy and the basis of a YB being elected by its people. ‘Wakil rakyat’ are supposed to be the servant of the people (rakyat) and not the other way around. Perhaps the idea of having a YB is just a position to replace the interdependent of the Malay culture towards their kings. It’s a kind of continuity of the past Malay folk who wish to treat the YB as the descendents of the Kings.

My lecturer throwing me a brilliant ideas that why not we replace the dishes to salted fish (ikan kering). Sounds funny but it’s practical. Besides, do we honestly think that the YB eats those village food at his home or work?. Maybe the conversation would sound like this ‘Bon appetite Tuan YB, we have gulai kawah, sayur ulam n acar for tuan YB today, hope that tuan YB can do something on the rocky road to this village, the election is just around the corner, maybe we can make you smile a bit longer this term’. Absolute power corrupts absolutely…=)

YANG BERKHIDMAT