Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) - OMG! The things that happen with Pas' Kedah chief minister Sanusi Md Nor are mind-boggling - and the things he utters with nary a thought for his position, his race or country are mind-shattering.
The latest exchange of words between him and Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing - over a packet of fried rice - have caught public attention and created much laughter. Unfortunately for Sanusi, most of it is directed at him and confirming the view that his Pas party 'still lives on trees' and far from suited to lead a modern, fast-paced and progressive nation like Malaysia.
"Seriously, Tiong lied about me asking for extra rice. There was no rice menu at the banquet with the Prime Minister of Thailand. I ate the main menu, which I don't know the name of. For sure, there is no rice in that dish," Sanusi was quoted as saying by Sinar Daily.
Yet to cover himself as liars may be barred entry to heaven, Sanusi quickly adds that suddenly ...'without asking, the hotel staff suddenly put another dish in front of him, which had a packet of fried rice.'
But so what if the rather portly Sanusi likes starchy foods and and must eat rice to feel full. It is after all the staple carbohydrate in Malaysia as well as in Thailand, where a 'civil war' broke out between him and Tiong during a recent trip there with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the invitation of the Thai premier.
No need to feel shy at all but perhaps Sanusi felt embarrassed he got caught being greedy and asking for an extra helping - which is a no-no when it comes to protocol at high-level dinners hosted during bilateral meetings.
The spread and fare offered is usually breathtaking and generous - but gluttony is frowned on, with diplomacy and etching good ties expected to come first and not the stomach and its urges.
DANGEROUS DEGRADATION OF MALAY MINDSETS?
Mind you, Sanusi has given back as good as he got, calling Tiong a "bald, pot-bellied tokong" (statue of Buddha) and with a "face that does not attract tourists at all”.
Obviously, those unwise words - a racial and religious slur even - attracted a storm of condemnation with Tiong shooting back that the Pas leader had "lost his mind". Others including government ministers demanded that he apologize not only to Tiong but to Buddhists in the country as well.
Of course, Sanusi has not done so and this is a real reflection on him, his character, his party and even the value of his own faith to him.
"To dismiss Sanusi as coarse, rude, no knowledge of basic manners, totally unsuited for high office or being PM which he might have secret ambitions to become is not enough," a political analyst told Politics Now!
"Despite his behavior being so obviously unacceptable, his followers and party thinks he's a hero and they laugh at all his antics - perhaps because his target is a Chinese or a non-Muslim. This is an indication of what the norm will be like in the four states governed by Pas. The self-isolation, ignorance and social backwardness will become so high it might be dangerous to the rest of the nation."
"In the past, from the time of Tun Razak, Tun Hussein and even Mahathir, PMs and leaders of the day encouraged the different races to mix, get to know and understand each other's culture, especially during festive times. These days, it's like taboo for a Malay to even want to know a non-Malay, let alone talk socially or get close. And it's unscrupulous politics that's behind this degradation."
I DON'T WANT TO BECOME PM BUT I DON'T MIND?
In typical doublespeak, Sanusi has denied harboring ambitions to become prime minister of Malaysia, a post his apparently more refined colleague Samsuri Mokhtar, the Terengganu chief minister, is reportedly being groomed for by the Pas leadership.
"I don't set any ambition but if I am entrusted by the (party) leadership to go anywhere (hold any position), I will give it a try for the sake of the party, members and the people, but not for myself," Sanusi told a recent press conference.
Can Sanusi change? An image makeover, perhaps? As the saying goes, a leopard can never change its spots. And this is the tragedy for Sanusi, Pas and the Malays whose mindsets they have an iron grip over.
Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
Politics Now!
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