The R-Word

No, R don’t make up another type of society level. R is the rest of us. R u sure?

As I browse through the newspaper a few days ago I came across a film advertisement. 

As usual, when a new movie are released ( also applies to going-to-be-release), there will be this small column on the left or bottom of newspaper with the simplified trailer poster. But this film 

advertisement had a rather interesting catch phrase on top of all; Program Merakyatkan Filem.( does it translate into ‘Bringing film close to people programme’? )

Title of the film is ‘Mekanik’ and one of the actress name mentioned that I still can recall is Susan Lankaster. It is not to be shown in couple-seat equipped THX-strapped cinemas. Instead, its being shown somewhere for free-of-charge. On the bottom, there is the Kementerian Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan emblem.

A bit about the poster itself which sits on the lower left quadrant of the news page would be some sort of a illustration poster. With all of its cast being caricarturized, and main actor is seen holding a ridiculously huge spanner with ‘MEKANIK’ written across it. The poster reminds me of an era where Photoshop were still in its infancy level and bell bottom were as cool as hell. Not forgetting, Tun Dr.Mahathir might be a senator at the moment with chin reaching sideburn. Back to the poster, by the looks, it must be a comedy movie.

Nothing much to elaborate. I never intend to watch that free preview and never really understood what kind of approach the Program Merakyatkan Filem is going to be. It might be an Ibanese, a Malay, a Chinese, an Indian, a Siamnese, a Dayak Laut and Dayak Darat being seated side by side in during the preview. Just my two cents.

Yet, the word merakyatkan seems to caught my attention. With the multi paradigm, multi racial with different class, academic and economic status each branching in different idea, outlook and belief in many aspect, how to merakyatkan something? My dad says Alleycats did it once. Alleycats bridged the gap of the carefree poor and taste-concious rich. The bumiputra and the non-bumiputras. The Bahasa speaking and the non-bahasa speaking. Rumours has it that the lead singer never understood a single of Bahasa word. He just sang the whole song just like some of us whom become erraticly obsessed with Korean drama Winter Sonata and could sing the soundtrack verbatim. Without getting a clue what it means.

As I flipped through the daily, then, came across the B. Sathianathans’ somewhat hyperbolic punch line that says ‘M-League is not a football’. I do not know what he personally meant. It can be that he’s trying to tell the rest of us that ‘M-League is not a football, it’s a lawn bowl! ‘, but it just left there. Ironically, it is true, fans of local football is quite frustrated and rather go with Barclays due to the lack of sporting spirit in local football – In short, it is not football. There are powerful figures inside of football that neither has anything to do with football nor lawn bowl.

But why football? Are these powerful figures has got any stake in the young blood that fuel the national theme? Or is it huge amount of money poured into Malaysian football? Or is it prestige of high-ranks? Whatever advantage these people are sapping from national football, they should realize that football can be one of an instrument to unite people. I do come across an article where a coup d’état occurred in Argentina. There have been civil clashes and most of the people were plain mad. But one thing kept them in one piece. Football. At the time, Diego Maradona and his teammates were hustling to help Argentina climb into the final of World Cup. It was the mad Argentinian only reason to hold their fierce breath of fire. Indeed, Argentina made it into finals.

The Malaysian football must go through a process of dirakyatkan.Not to say, that each rakyat must vote through SMS for the nation first eleven. But, to ensure that the first eleven has got the real talent. Let the professional have full rights to pull the string without much obstruction or pre-conditioning. I strongly believe, professionals, without the silver spoon and platter, have gone through failure many times, before they gained their hard earned professional treatment. Yes, we have our sports research and sport science faculties that endlessly brewing on performance enhancing techniques. Do not let football become a lame sport that has no future, but packs lots of glamour. Parents today are hesitating to let their kids venture into the football career, they all clearly voice their concern about this ‘risky and regulated’ path. Effectively, the World Cup 2018 aim remained sketchy. I’am eager to see and totally confident that we will be Asia best, if not the world. All, without importing and giving residential status. But how?

Speaking of dirakyatkan, it is no wider usage apart from entertainment or sports other than politics ( pardon me, if you already had heavy doses of politics these few weeks, then, you may stop reading this entry from here ).

The UMNO defeat in Kuala Terengganu exposes us lots of responses in different frequency and modulation. What more can UMNO say to regain confidence of mainstream thinking Malays other than to trying to deflect allegation thrown at them.

But I am not a political observer that can list down all of that. What I am just plain concern is the ‘elite’ image of UMNO. Like several post which cynically remarks the pompous event related to UMNO and its figures. They were like a bunch of breakfast in London, Lunch in New York folks. Why are they inclined to become this ‘high maintenance select society’? When an individual or organisation becomes spendthrift, how are they trying to turn it around? Remember. UMNO used to have no money with its supporters ride their bicycles braving the sun and curfews to protest against Malayan Union and other interventions. They took trains and busses and slept in friends/relatives homes to attend rallies in major cities. The old UMNO.

Patrons of UMNO consists of people that can live with small pocket money, like teachers; names like Tun Ghafar Baba and Datuk Razali Ismail (former Kuala Terengganu MP) urges fellow teachers and academician to support UMNO and its ability to thrive this small race called Malay. Teachers and academicians, they had have their own circle and talk in a language that they’re familiar amongst themselves. Names mentioned above are the people whom can speak this language and convey it to the upper echelon of UMNO, vice versa.

PAS once had sasterawan negara Shahnon Ahmad working for them in 1999. He contested to become an MP for Sik constituency, Kedah. He lost and did not seek to contest in any election since then. It is not a bad idea after all. He may have the widest bandwidth in terms of articulating his ideas either verbally or written. The writers/sasterawan circle may be the keen listeners and would probably helped PAS candidate elsewhere. PAS won Terengganu in 1999 general election while retaining Kelantan.

UMNO. Somehow, somewhat they have to be an effort to turn this party into a thinking powerhouse that swerve through the ever challenging world of politics with full of pragmatic decision and respectable actions. A thinking powerhouse which ideas bears fruit that benefitted the race they represented. No more a money-making-powerhouse. Leave that contract giveaways to the business chambers etc. If high ranks of UMNO being polarized to a certain profession, it will have a hard time to come out of this current ruckus. Other profession like teachers and doctors also have ability to lead. Most importantly, they are part of rakyat. Lets merakyatkan the party. Or they shall remained a ‘high maintenance select society club’.