TIGALANG
by TV Smith
06/03/05
Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang (Excellence, Glory and
Distinction). Prime Minister Pak Lah's catchy clarion call is being upgraded into
a multi-tier motto, according to newspaper
reports. Will Malaysians give this noble and well-intended slogan another
embarrassing embrace?
 | Grading
for heroes?
Graphic
from The Star |
Our
history is littered with abused mantras. Take the farsighted Wawasan 2020 road
map launched in the 80's, as an example. Overnight, thousands of furniture showrooms,
food courts and car wash operators sprung up, invoking the Wawasan or 2020 name.
Fortunately,
there were also mega-infrastructures, giant banners and a monster marquee on top
of the Angkasapuri building to commemorate our glorious march into the First World.
Our infamous road manners and nasty toilet habits would occasionally jolt us back
to Third World reality.
 | | A
new 'over the top soon' sign soon? |
Then
came that rallying battle cry of Malaysia Boleh! Again, unabashed Bolehans rose
to the occasion and cooked up unending hare-brained ideas such as the world's
longest rabbit meat buffet. After years of frivolous grandstanding, the phrase
now carries the opposite connotation, inevitably. The
PM said yesterday that if you are just a jaguh kampung (village champion),
you are nothing. Serving a stadium-sized bowl of Leng Chee Kang is no longer a
world class feat nor datukship deserving. Thank goodness, those silly days are
over. Now, let's get on with the Mars
Mission. ©
2005 TV SMITH
Link to this article: http://www.tvsmith.net.my/duasen/060305_tigalang.html
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