Of Tengku Zafrul, Zahid and 'Zzz' ...



Rocky Bru started his blog post with these words:

"I don't mean to be rude, my zzz refers to the three Zs: Zahid Hamidi, Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Zambry Kadir. (Rafidah Aziz got the first two Zs but missed out on the third in Why Zahid, Why Zafrul?) in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's newly-formed Cabinet."

Read Anwar's Cabinet: zzz ...

I was attending the Methodist Boys School Sentul (MBSS) Old Boys' Association's 62nd anniversary dinner last night when Anwar named his Cabinet.

The reaction among my former school mates - those who were my classmates and my seniors - were:

"Tengku Zafrul masuk Kabinet?"

"Zahid Hamidi is the deputy prime minister?

"It's a joke. Zzzz ..."

Thank God Tan Sri Azman Hashim, the AmBank big boss who is also a former MBSS student, drowned the conversations as he took the centrestage at the HSH Convention Centre Sentul, in Kuala Lumpur, singing some 10 songs. 

Boy, that man can really sing! Or perhaps he was just drowning his sorrows after looking at the Cabinet list. Well we will never know.

So back to Tengku Zafrul, the man who once served CIMB, loves playing squash, cycles quite a bit and seemed awkward helping people based on the manner in which he threw bread to those trapped during the floods in Shah Alam.

"Tengku Zafrul kable kuat, bro. Kable punya pasal lah, bro. Kalau nak letak kluster kalah, baik letak KJ daripada Zafrul."

Later, a proud Pakatan Harapan member, who campaigned for Fahmi Fazil in Lembah Pantai, said: "Letak Nga tu ibarat bola tanggung, bro. Confirm PN (Perikatan Nasional) akan libas, bro."

I sense he is not a fan of DAP's Nga Kor Ming. 

As this conversation was happening, Batu MP P. Prabakaran walked past us. Oh yes, Prabakaran was at the event to say a few words. He gave RM10,000 to the OBA but us boys were too engrossed with catching up then to hear what the former La Salle Sentul student had to say. (Note that the intense rivalry between MBSS and La Salle remains till this very day).

There were many more comments. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's appointed goes without saying. It was mocked left, right and centre - and it became good ammo for critics of PH to mock the coaliation supporters.

Zambry Abd Kadir being Foreign Affairs Minister? 

"He lost (in GE15). What (expletives) is he doing in the Cabinet?" asked another old friend.

To which I replied: "At least the British (I think) accent will come in handy."

"Well,. his Datuk Seri DiRaja doesn't make him royalty ..."

Hannah Yeoh being named Youth and Sports Minister came as a surprise. Someone texted me saying: "Mati lah." I only realised the message later in the night and didn't bother replying. 

Let's see what she does first, and that too will pretty much depend on how long this government lasts.

And Fahmi as Digital Communications Minister aka the government's mouthpiece - well I truly hope he will NOT emulate Salleh Said Keruak and Abdul Rahman Dahlan who used to bore newsrooms with their "must carry" statements, defending their then beloved boss, Najib Razak. 

It didn't work after all.

Last but not least, many are still trying to decipher what Gobind Sigh Deo, the DAP man who created history by winning the Damansara Parliamentary seat with 142,875 votes in GE15, had meant in his Facebook posting.

He revealed he was offered a Cabinet post by Anwar but said: "However, after considering the matter, I informed him that I was unable to do so and that I would focus on my role as an MP and assist the government in all ways that I can moving ahead."

Unable to do so? Why? Too much of work in the office? Or can't get himself to attending Cabinet meetings with the likes of those who are facing court charges and losers in GE15? 

Had Gobind said yes, would there have been two Indian representatives in the Cabinet instead of just one. Or did Anwar only have one post set aside for the community - often dubbed as the "kingmaker" during elections. Isn't it ironic?

Oh well, I'm not going to let this spoil what's left of my Saturday. To my dear brothers, it was great meeting up with you. 

Ora et Labora!

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