My usually low-key hometown was abuzz with excitement when I got back last Friday. The atmosphere was almost electric in Ipoh Timur.Dad couldn't find a parking lot within 500 m of Wisma Chin Woo, where the ceramah was held. It was like a 'happening' street party in Bangsar, except that many folks were in singlets, shorts and slippers, riding 'kap cai'. They also don't look like city yuppies, probably hawkers, miners or blue-collar workers.
We can't squeeze into the sardine-canned hall so had to settle for the big screen in front of a field. It was cool and windy after afternoon rain. But the political fervor was undampened.
Rapid-fire speeches were delivered in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, which the speakers themselves translated into English or Bahasa. Every point made was punctuated with obvious practical application...
"Hari Ahad ini, pangkah Roket!"
Some friends who are 'yellow outside, white inside' find the messages incomprehensible. Although a self-confessed 'banana', I find myself laughing and clapping with the crowd. Mom made us blush with her shouting responses to the speakers' rhetorical questions.
I can't help but feel slightly out of place sometimes though. Some issues the people felt strongly about ie Chinese education do not resonate as deeply.
But I was immersed in the meta-narrative that our ancestors worked as 'kuli' (slightly more dignified than slaves) after surviving the seas, and building schools with their hard-earned savings was the first thing on their minds.
No wonder any perceived concession that 'threatens' this legacy would entitle a politician to the label: 'Cultural Sinner'.
Fong Poh Kuan ala Small Chilli spoke about the development projects in Batu Gajah and corruption. Guan Eng gave a funny, parting shot about the now-famous Ipoh regulation against holding hands in public.
Of course, the highlight was Lim Kit Siang, who arrived at 11 pm. A ripple of applause spread thru the crowd as the seasoned politician approached the stage. Heads turned in the direction of his banner-bearer.
I was told that his chances were 50-50, but it seemed like the 'Kinta Swing' was already in motion.
A wind of change is blowing from Kinta valley, he said. Only a clear and sweeping victory for DAP would be a clear reminder that Malaysia is a secular democracy (not an Islamic state ala PAS or ala BN).
I certainly do not agree with the American style of secularism where religious values are excluded off-hand from public policies. Separation of state and religion is to intended protect the freedom of religions FROM the state. It does not mean that various religious perspectives cannot be taken into consideration and dialogue in political issues.
As much as I hoped such qualifying remarks could be included in his high-octane polemics, I think that the so-called '929' issue is important to all Malaysians, as much as development and racial integration are close to our hearts.
As it turned out, the 'Kinta Swing' became a reality on Monday morning. Even as Kota Melaka fell, DAP found a new lease of life in Perak. Unfortunately, the message behind the movement was muffed in the euphoria of BN's brilliant triumph over PAS.
Post-match commentaries explain that the Opposition had no issue to grind, it was sympathy vote for some old political dinosaurs whose absence have been missed.
Now that the smoke has cleared, let's hope that the dinosaurs would not let us down and give a final roar in the Parliament...
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