KARMA
& CHAMELEONS
by
TV Smith
31/05/05
It
was Hari Raya in the year 2000. I was sandwiched between thousands of other rakyat.
We were all waiting in line to wish our Dear Leader, who was encased in a majestic
palace. Yes, I am a closet admirer of the man who proclaimed that there shall
be no censorship of the Internet. As the good doctor smiled affably and greeted
each guest warmly, I was awe-struck by the opulence of his official abode. The
Dear Builder wasn't about to let any pretenders move in unannounced or otherwise.
Unlike those early 007 movies - where a suave intruder blew up Dr No's ostentatious
headquarters and escaped in the nick of time - a Disney ending evolved instead.
In due time, Dr M moved out graciously and our media coated him with oozing saccharin. Too
much artificial sweentening leaves a bad taste, as the Tun found out recently.
Even before those 100-page tribute pullouts turned yellow, some are already humming
the new tune aloud. In the process, they opened up a festering wound for the old
boss to lick. Call it a twisted metaphor or poetic (in)justice if you must. Newspapers
change colours like chameleons - to prey or survive - we are given to understand.
Short-lived
gratitude has a buried and ironic precedent, though. The aging Tunku was also
chastised for his comments and for allegedly interfering in the then new Mahathir
administration. Karma and chameleons, they come and go. ©
2005 TV SMITH
Link to this article: http://www.tvsmith.net.my/duasen/310505_karma.html
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