YB Mr Lim's Indian War Dance

Did anyone know that YB Lim Kit Siang can do a mean Red Indian War dance?

I came across a very interesting trivia while reading the late Tan Sri Dr. Tan Chee Koon's autobiography, "From Village Boy to Mr Opposition".

Apparently, during a political meeting held at the library of Dr Tan's house to discuss strategies ahead of the 1969 general elections, the negotations turned acrimonious and Dr Tan had to call off the meeting at one point (probably to diffuse the tension). Dr Tan's decision shocked Dato' SP Seenivasagam who was a party at the meeting but had Lim Kit Siang breaking into a Red Indian War dance!

I don't want to speculate on why our present Mr Opposition did that but it was highly amusing to me to picture him letting loose and jumping around like a Red Indian chief, maybe even shouting a few hoots and thumping his chest?? If anyone had a picture of him that day, it would be priceless, wouldn't it? So, the old man did have a skewed sense of humour and a liking for off-beat dance steps in his younger days? I would like to promise YB Lim all my votes to DAP if he could do the dance again for us in public ... or better still in the Dewan Rakyat. If the Red Indian War Dance is considered not politically correct these days, a Lion Dance also canlah!

He always seems so "serious and all politics", even in his personal blog, he writes in a way that makes me feel like I am on the DAP website. Perhaps he should loosen up a bit, after all it is supposed to be his personal blog and we would like to know the man in a more personal way behind the mask of Mr Politics/Opposition. It would be nice to hear him address his blog readers as if we were all sitting around the table at the mamak stall having a casual discussion about local issues affecting the ordinary rakyat. He could also share with us his sense of humour, which I believe he does have hidden in huge doses. But, coming back to the above story, in the end all parties concerned came to an agreeable compromise and the rest was, well, history.

Lately, we have been seeing a different kind of humour being displayed by a certain political youth party, where we see its leader who is also a minister waving the malay keris and superimposing leaders from the opposition parties against a communist leader's autobiography cover. It sure doesn't seem funny to me which is why I find it strange that such things are actually being displayed in public. Those who have been slandered certainly have the right to be deeply offended but to the Malaysian public, it is really nothing new or shocking coming from those concerned. Haven't we all seen worse cartoons and parodies being put out in newspapers just before each general election? Has anyone been taken to court yet? Whether we laugh at them or not, most right-thinking and fair-minded citizens of Malaysia would not condone such arrogant and childish antics. Are they really that stupid to assume the readers would buy into the rubbish and lies being put out by their spin doctors? Aiyah ... so otak tak centre!

Malaysian politicians are a hilarious lot especially those who likes to talk for the sake of talking and ended up with a big shoe in their mouth! What about those who make hilarious declarations, like the one where one state is being declared a developed state because ostensibly the chief minister woke up one day and decided that it is high time he blow his own trumpet and get himself noticed for the many "good" stuff he had done or caused to be done in the state under his control. Then there are others who sling mud against each other prior to their internal party elections and after all is over, start to give each other pats on the back and apologies hoping that the people would forget what's been said and heard. There are many many more funny antics by those who professed to be our leaders, only thing is we are paying these guys from our tax monies to clown around, which actually is not so funny after all, come to think of it.

The country is mired in all sorts of troubles from unemployment, creeping inflation, greed and corruption, uneven and unfair distribution of wealth, rampant destruction of our forests and natural reserves, disappearing public fields and parks, an education system that is in doldrums, religious extremism, and many many more. The people are being asked again to tighten their belts further that they are finding it harder to breathe. In the meantime, there is much anger on the ground at the way our government still insist on spending precious money on unnecessary projects like sending the first Malaysian astronaut to space. Can pride feed our poor? If our country is already so cash strapped, what kind of a priority is that? Might as well use the money to fix old and run-down schools so that we can avoid the unfortunate incident of the poor teacher who died falling through the termite-infested floorboards of SJK (C) Keat Hwa in Alor Star. Our dear Prime Minister should really tighten the belts of his ministers and officers as well as watch the allocation spending by respective state governments. There are millions to be saved by being prudent and honest in managing our country's wealth. Who in their right mind like to be told to suffer the effects of higher costs of living while those in positions of power continue to fritter away tax-payers' money like there is no tomorrow?