Asked whether he was being used by Keadilan, Ito replied he was actually the one using Keadilan.
Ito, 48, as everyone in the music
industry knows, is a fading star.
His name doesn't ring a bell to
youngsters brought up in the era of
hip-hop music.
“I'm using them. I need a platform for my work,'' he explained. Still, his decision to join the opposition
party must be music to the ears of the
reformasi movement.
With Ito's participation, Harakah may just decide to be progressive and start a
music review page.
Keadilan's unhappiness seems to be
towards the country's hottest singer,
Siti Nurhaliza, who has been performing
at many gatherings attended by Datuk Seri Dr
Mahathir Mohamad.
Keadilan's information chief Ruslan
Kassim has complained that Siti has
sounded like Dr Mahathir politically,
that is.
Siti has been telling her audiences that they must be patriotic and not be used by foreign elements.
Ruslan shouldn't be too upset. Siti is
certainly not being used. Like Ito, she,
too is using the Barisan Nasional.
After all, she has said she would
perform at gatherings organised
by the opposition if invited. Like
Ito, she is willing to use Keadilan,
too.
Recently, veteran singer D.J. Dave
turned up at a dinner in conjunction with Dr Mahathir's visit to Sabah.
“I am for stability,'' he told guests
who sat with him. Stability is, of
course, the euphemism for supporting
Barisan.
Just a day earlier, KRU and Elite were
performing to a packed crowd at a
gathering organised by Barisan Youth in
Tuaran, Sabah.
Even Chinese entertainers have got into
the act several HVD actors have joined
the MCA. In fact, there is now the
Malaysian Chinese Artistes Association.
It shouldn't be too difficult for our
entertainers to climb their party hierarchies.
Politics demands quite a bit of acting,
actually. And politicians need to sing
or crow about their successes.
If Ronald Reagan and Joseph Estrada can become presidents, why can't Ito or Siti Nurhaliza make it?
In fact, in the US, Warren Beatty, a one-time heart-throb, is reportedly
seriously going for the
presidency.
In one city, Americans voted a wrestler
as mayor.
In India, revered actor MGR used his
silver screen popularity to become chief
minister of Tamil Nadu while Hindustani
action hero Amitabh Bachan became an
assemblyman.
However, it is unlikely to expect
Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik
Aziz Nik Mat to welcome Ito to the
state.
If dikir barat is banned by the PAS
government, there is no chance of Ito
singing the blues away for Nik Aziz and
other PAS leaders.
Besides, blues carries certain
connotatios. It would probably remind them of the Barisan official colour.
Ito can sing all the blues he wants but
you can bet that PAS leaders won't be green
with envy.
Siti, of course, won't get a job in the
Kelantan civil service. She is too
attractive and is considered a
distraction.
KRU and Elite will be at home in
Bangsar which, by the way,
is considered a place for vices,
according to PAS but certainly not in Kelantan.
Our politicians should be worried with the prospects of these artiste joining
their ranks.
For one, they are certainly better attractions and need not resort to extreme ends like chauvinism or bigoted fundamentalists to get public attention.
They will be like ducks taking to water
if they were to address a political rally.
They will definitely not suffer from
cold feet when holding a microphone before a large crowd.
The only difference is that, instead of singing, they will have to talk
which isn't too difficult considering the quality of some of our politicians.
But the essence of the whole thing is
still the same to woo your listeners to whatever you're singing or saying.
In fact, singing a song and delivering a political speech have many things in common.
Performers do not sing different songs
to different crowds. They usually sing
one of their hits at every show they go and only sing different songs when they
have new hits.
Politicians will, at every ceremah, repeat an issue which they feel can attract and keep their listeners
entertained.
In short, singing a hit repeatedly is
akin to a politician's rhetorics.
Politicians are always glad to have a
new issue that they can exploit during ceramah. If they over stretch an issue,
they fear losing their crowd.
Surely, that is something singers
realise. Using a hit song too many
times may make them less in demand.
A new hit on the charts will ensure they remain in the entertainment
circulation.
The moral of the story, for all of us,
including politicians is: Don't sound
like a broken record.