In the United States and Europe, the price of fuel for cars changes almost every day as it is not subsidised. This is something most Malaysians are unfamiliar with as we are, and have been, living on subsidies for almost every essential item, even sugar which is unheard of elsewhere.

The government’s bill for subsidising petrol, diesel and gas has risen from RM8bil to RM18bil a year. Yes, it’s a staggering figure and certainly we can expect the numbers to keep increasing unless there is a drop in crude oil prices.

The government can take the easy way out by keeping the prices of petrol down to remain popular, especially with a general election looming. But that would be bad governance.

If Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim can reduce the price of petrol as he claims, I am sure Obama would be quite keen to hear from him. The Opposition Leader must have a magic wand. He may be able to do it but the long-term effects would be disastrous and could well bleed the nation. To put it bluntly, it could bankrupt Malaysia.

There is a cost to the subsidy – the govern­ment should be channelling the subsidy to the health, education and housing sectors. There are also many infrastructure projects that have already been announced and we wonder how many of these would be affected, even put on hold, if the subsidy bill continues to spiral upwards.

The government could save at least RM103bil over the next five years if it were to slash its subsidy bill now. This, however, can only be done gradually with enough notice served on Malaysians to explain that the govern­ment just cannot continue to bear this burden.

The government has little choice but to explain to the people the rationale behind the subsidy cuts. It’s not an easy task as ordinary Malaysians have bills to pay. And against the backdrop of increasing costs of production, most employers would be hard-pressed to increase the salaries of their workers.

At the same time, we can expect industries to pass their cost to consumers even though the increase in electricity rates is only an average of 7.12%.

The Opposition has been playing the populist card, blaming the government for every price hike and promising to reduce the price of oil, which any rational person would know is not achievable. Surely, every serving government would want to keep prices down to get itself re-elected.

Economists want the government to take a more daring approach to push ahead the subsidy rationalisation exercise. But they are obviously not counting the political costs if this is not done gradually.

Their fear is that if Malaysia continues to bear the high subsidy bill, it would impact on the country’s sovereign ratings as the budget deficit would stand to widen.

In simple language, the country’s debt cannot be allowed to increase if its credit status is to be respected. The bottom line is: provision of subsidies is not a sustainable practice. It has to be removed eventually but at the same time, the government is well aware that any decision should not affect the consumers’ standard of living. Even some government MPs have been cautious about any increase in petrol or food items.

But take the sugar subsidy as an example. When the prices of coarse and fine sugar increased by 20 sen to RM2.30 per kilo, it reduced government subsidy by RM116.6mil from RM400mil per year. The latest increase is the first this year, after last year’s hikes of 20 sen in January, 25 sen in July and 20 sen in December.

It is incredulous that we would fork out so much for sugar while we ask for less of it with our teh tarik. Yet some of us will get bitter when there is a cut in subsidy for sugar.

Look at the statistics: there are 1.4 million adults suffering from diabetes as at 2006, according to a national health and morbidity survey. We can assume that the number has gone up since then, at the rate we consume sugar-laden soft drinks.

Now, according to estimates by the Health Ministry’s disease control division, health promotion, management and treatment of diabetic patients take up about 15% to 17% of the ministry’s total budget of RM13.7bil in 2009. That can’t be sweet news to Malaysians, especially taxpayers. Moreover, that figure does not include diabetics who seek treatment in private hospitals.

But at the same time, we, too, want the government to cut down on excessiveness and wastage and review existing projects that are perceived to bring little economic returns.

We can save but the government must also play its part. It’s a shared responsibility.

Malaysians, like everyone else on this planet, cannot live like they used to.

The days of cheap food will be a thing of the past. We cannot depend on fossil fuel forever. We cannot leave the fan, air-conditioner, lights and television on for no reason and, certainly, our children will pay a heavy price if we waste water as we are doing now.

This seems to be the only immediate answer if we want to sustain the planet.

It’s a simple pleasure in life and certainly most Malaysians would describe our traditional breakfast as heavenly.

I am sure it’s a Malaysian creation. I still do not know why Singapore has not staked a claim on this brilliant culinary work.

Maybe Singapore refuses to be associated with anything that’s regarded as half-measured, half-done or half-boiled. But hey, our national tolerance for mediocrity is higher, so if it tastes good, who are others to tell us otherwise.

I do not know whether our penchant for half-boiled eggs has anything to do with the national psyche but let’s not allow jealous foreigners to divide us. We do not want Perkasa to turn this into a nationalist frenzy over half-boiled eggs and we certainly don’t want Ibrahim Ali to issue “ada telur” dares to imagined foes.

Half-boiled eggs would be frowned upon in Western countries, where most hotel kitchens refuse to accept such orders as the eggs would not be cooked according to the stipulated health requirements.

Westerners, who cannot stomach what we eat, feel they could be exposed to salmonella, the bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. So never bother asking for half-boiled eggs during your holidays overseas.

Besides, what’s half-boiled eggs without kicap?

Older Malaysians have been taught from young that to stay healthy, we should have two half-boiled eggs every morning. I really do not know how, when and why some medical experts suddenly concluded that eating eggs, especially with the yolks – the best part of the eggs – can ruin your health.

One large egg is said to have 213mg of cholesterol, all found in the yolk, and eating too much of it can lead to a high cholesterol level. That’s what was said in one story I googled.

But I have also read that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had a strict diet of 28 eggs a week plus steak, salads and her favourite tipple – whisky – each time she campaigned.

That’s according to personal documents published by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust. She is turning 86 this year and we know for sure that this Iron Lady remains one of the best leaders the world has seen so far.

I am pretty sure Tony Blair and Gordon Brown didn’t like eggs. But I am convinced that Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen also eat plenty of eggs. They are sharp and look good. Gutsy, for sure, and they make many men politicians look like wimps.

Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo conti­nues to defy nature. But I’m not sure if it’s half-boiled eggs or tempeh, a popular Javanese soy product.

I do not know why but eggs always seem to fly in the direction of some politicians. Joining the fray over the award of Public Service Depart­ment (PSD) scholarships, maverick minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has finally said the controversy should be discussed by taking into consideration the views of other parties, including the MCA and Gerakan.

He seems to miss the point – no one is saying that all PSD scholars should be sent overseas. What the applicants have complained about is that there have been those with less than 8A+, some allegedly with just 6A+, who have been sent overseas by the Government.

It does not matter what race or religion the applicants are but if you are not a top achiever, what are the possibilities of these scholars entering top schools like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or Imperial College London?

It does not make sense to use taxpayers’ money to admit them into middle or low-level universities.

Our grading system has already been questioned by top foreign universities. The high string of distinctions mean nothing to them now.

Yes, we are all aware the Prime Minister has promised that students who obtained 8A+ and above are eligible for PSD scholarships to study either locally or abroad. It’s a fantastic decision and everyone should be clear about it.

But procedures on scholarships should be clear and open. It really doesn’t make sense when there are mismatches, bad decisions and even questionable moves. It is precisely this resentment that has led to eggs being thrown at the faces of the PSD officials.

All the good intentions of the Government are now being affected because of these half-boiled, or rather half-baked, measures.

My cardiologist has given me a clean bill of health. The thick medical report, following a five-hour examination which cost a bomb, has a prediction by the doctors that the chances of me getting a heart attack over the next 10 years would only be 1%. The caveat is that I must continue to visit them regularly. They are a cunning bunch of doctors, for sure.

Yes, everyone tells me that I would need to accept the fact that the grey hairs would appear. They started appearing a few years ago, actually.

My only consolation is that I need to get a haircut every two to three weeks, which means I am not going bald. The secret, I tell my friends, is to eat lots of eggs.

By the way, can we decide whether it’s called white hair, silver strand or grey hair? It’s all so confusing.

The wrinkles haven’t appeared, I think, although I need to do something about the eye bags. I have decided to spend less time looking at myself in the mirror. That way the vain pot in me can avoid being reminded of the ageing process.

I am told that there are really no magic pills that can stop the receding hairline or wrinkles. I just have to accept them, unless Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is ready to share with me the secrets to staying young. If he refuses, I guess I will just have to consult Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

It has never been easy for Malaysians who have reached the age of 50 and above. It’s bad enough being called uncle by people who are not even related to us but since the sex video appeared, my younger colleagues have been asking me whether it’s true that we develop sagging breasts or need over-sized undies at this age.

These young people really have no manners. Of course not. Only your twin brother, a lookalike or someone in a plastic suit would have that physical problem.

Mentally, I think I am at my peak. The sense of humour is still good. I know my history, unlike Perkasa’s Datuk Ibrahim Ali who thinks there are still communists in our midst. I am not stuck in the Cold War era and I know the commies are now in Zegna suits and holding Blackberry phones, trying to negotiate their next multi-billion renminbi deals.

In the last news report I read, the Red Cadres were slugging each other at a downtown Beijing shopping mall for an iPad 2, not the Little Red Books.

The only time warp I am stuck in is my addiction to 80s Brit music. I can’t seem to break away from A Flock of Sea Gulls or Tears for Fears. Hey, move on, old man!

I am drinking moderately although I get gout, sometimes, when I take too much wine.

But politically I have remained sober. I support the call for moderation. Politics and religion should never be mixed. Worse still if race is included. It can be highly intoxicating.

Religious leaders, whether Muslims or Christians, should not turn their weekly sermons into political ceramah. Please do not abuse the pulpits. Your congregations comprise people of different political affiliations. They want to share their time with God, not politicians or politician wannabes masquerading as religious leaders.

Pray for the King, our leaders and the nation, not for certain politicians and political parties. Worship God, not the politicians.

When you reach 50, you may still buy a floral shirt. That’s the rage in the spring collection.

But you cannot avoid that creepy feeling that you are half buried. That scares the hell out of me and, certainly, finding more time to talk to my Creator is becoming more relevant.

Okay, the memory department is affected in little ways. There’s that sudden block that hits you occasionally where you just cannot remember what you want to do or want to say to someone. You know what I mean. There are no magic pills for this either and I really think that ginkgo crap is a figment of the imagination or a quick-buck scam by the commies.

But the important thing is that I feel good. I sleep and eat well.

I know the health reporters want me to be a rabbit and eat strange organic stuff and more greens. The environment desk wants me to give up sharks fin soup and eat more tofu (haven’t they heard of uric acid?) while the young entertainment reporters joke about me turning Hawaii 5-0 – and their hero is the present wimpy detective.

Nope, they have not heard of Jack Lord and they think the current series is the hottest thing from Hawaii since President Barack Obama.

I am glad to read that George Clooney has also reached the halfway mark. So have Eddie Murphy and Meg Ryan. They all look fabulous but we can’t say the same about Boy George. But that’s simply because he could never decide which way he wants to go.

The comedy court started off pretty innocently with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng implying that there was an element of sabotage after the state-run funicular train broke down just eight days after it reopened following a RM73mil upgrade and a 14-month hiatus.

The prime suspect was a dog. The train driver swore he saw a dog trying to cross the high-voltage railway track and that there was a collision with an object. It was never stated what the object was, however.

Penang Hill Corporation general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon was quoted as saying that he has ordered the Penang Municipal Council to round up stray dogs in the area.

Although his boss wasn’t convinced that a dog was responsible, Lee seemed to believe it and we can presume that the council workers have been busy dog hunting since then.

Well, at least Lee was not asked to hunt for stray politicians, bloggers or newsmen.

Lee has also said that “monkeys, wild boars and snakes” may also cause disruption to the service. This must be the most creative excuse Malaysians have heard for a long time. Yes, blame the animals.

Luckily, Lim did not call for a Royal Com­mission of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the fiasco. After all, he is now in government and it is no longer fashionable to issue statements calling for RCI to be set up. That’s the work of opposition politicians.

Still, it may not be as bad as the Malacca monorail episode in October last year.

The RM15.9mil monorail there came to an embarrassing halt just hours after a grand launch by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam to mark Malacca as a developed state, 10 years ahead of the national target of Vision 2020.

A skylift eventually had to be used to rescue 20 passengers stranded in the train. Since then, the monorail has yet to be put back on track but test runs are being conducted.

It was certainly a big blow to the hot air launch, and Malaysians in other states have been trying to figure out what the “developed state status” is about since then.

It was a black eye for Rustam but he did not claim sabotage behind the unfortunate episode. No one blamed a bird or a kancil either.

Back to Penang. We are not sure if Lee did manage to catch any stray dog but prominent blogger Mohamad Zakhir @ BigDog declared war on the Chief Minister and a group of pastors, claiming that they were trying to change the official religion of the federation from Islam to Christianity. The blogger’s post was picked up by Utusan Malaysia and developed as front-page news.

This caused an uproar with police reports being lodged by right-wing Malay groups and counter reports of denials by Christian groups. Leading the herd for the Malay rights’ group was Datuk Ibrahim Ali, whose antics are already well known, while Bigdog doggedly continued to insist that his claim was real.

The conspiracy claim was surely the hottest news last week, so much so that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had to ask everyone to “cool it”.

But just when we thought the dog fight was coming to an end, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim joined towards the tail end of the political silliness by purportedly labelling the Prime Minister a “piglet” in Tamil. Overnight, pandikutti became the most spoken Tamil word in Malaysia.

Anwar has of course denied it despite some pro-Umno bloggers insisting there was video recording to show Anwar uttering the word in connection with Najib.

But we are used to politicians blaming the press for purportedly misquoting them. When confronted with voice or visual recordings, they would then retort that they may have said it but it was not what they meant in the context they had spoken.

Yes, we believe them.

Thank God Parliament is currently not in session, otherwise we can expect our MPs to continue calling each other “animals” during the debates.

It has been a hugely embarrassing week as far as political news is concerned. Malaysians deserve better quality political discourse than the low level of politicking which we have sunk into.

Sadly, we are unable to articulate our political points, even in disagreement, in measured tones. We seem to prefer to shout, threaten, ridicule or run down someone. This, unfortunately, seems to be most prevalent in the social media, especially in comments or twitter postings.

The political divide is so great with supporters adopting almost blind loyalty, ignoring or refusing to believe the weaknesses or shortcomings of their leaders.

The middle-of-the-road political approach seems to be increasingly sidelined. Certainly, this is unhealthy for Malaysia as our political maturity needs to grow. Political ideas are merely state of the mind.

I think it’s fair to say that Malaysians want to look forward to a politically less exciting, or exhaustive, week. The political temperature has to come down.

Most of us have more productive things to do and bigger concerns to worry about. Surely it isn’t too much for us to expect our politicians to do better than to grab newspaper headlines with bird-brained utterances.

Yes, we can blame it on the haze too because some of our politicians seem to have become increasingly hazy in their thoughts and are seemingly unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Let the wind blow it away soon, please.

He delivered 35 out of the 35 seats contested by Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu and convincingly won in his Asajaya stronghold, with his opponents losing their deposits.

The calls for Taib, the longest serving Chief Minister, to step down have since stopped.

Despite the cry for change, nothing has changed. Taib is still the man in charge and he still holds the key to the state’s 29 Barisan Nasional MPs in the safe deposit box.

Painful as it may sound, the reality is that the only change that has occurred is the Chinese voters have committed their representation to the opposition.

The fact is that Taib delivered in the state’s fiercest election, where over 200 candidates contested in 71 seats, and he made sure Barisan won with the two-thirds majority intact by winning 55 seats.

PKR, which contested the largest number of seats for Pakatan Rakyat, was a wash-out, managing to win only three of the 49 seats it went for.

PAS failed so badly, with some of its candidates losing their deposits.

The point is that the bulk of the Malay, Melanau and Dayak seats remained with the Barisan.

PKR generated much hype about capturing the state, with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even declaring at mid-point of the campaign that Pakatan was looking beyond denying the Barisan the two-thirds majority.

It was a foregone conclusion even before the nominations that the urban Chinese voters would go to the DAP. And, as predicted, the DAP won 12 seats, almost wiping out SUPP.

It would not be wrong to deduce that Taib had gone to the polls knowing that the Chinese voters had abandoned him and SUPP could not deliver but the bumiputra votes would be solid.

Even in the suburbs of Kuching, where bumiputra voters are fully exposed to issues, they strongly backed the Barisan.

For all their euphoria, PKR and PAS could not deliver the bumiputra seats, and that meant capturing the state was impossible.

Essentially, the Chinese is now in the opposition.

The bottom line is that voting was along racial lines, much as some might wish to gloss over it. Even Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian – who was picked to be the new CM should Pakatan win but ended up as not even the state opposition chief – argued on the ethnic factor, snubbing the Pakatan Shadow Cabinet because he felt it did not have enough bumiputra representation.

Similarly, PAS has always consistently said its role is to push for an Islamic representation. It has always been honest about its goal and agenda.

Racial representation certainly does matter in any government, whether Barisan or Pakatan, as Baru Bian himself has acknowledged. And no matter how we argue, the DAP won in the Chinese areas.

The DAP has said that it makes no difference whether SUPP is in the state government or not. But that remains to be seen and evalua­ted in the next five years.

Now comes the question of the Chinese representation at federal level. Anti-establishment sentiments among the Chinese remain strong with their grouses pertaining to economic opportunities, places in public universities, career opportunities in public services, abuse of the affirmative actions and religious concerns.

The Chinese community has always placed strong emphasis on continued progression. Their migratory patterns to seek better lives have long been recorded. Even in countries that are predominantly Chinese – China, Taiwan and Singapore – the community always wants more.

Any politician who asks Chinese voters to be grateful would only commit political suicide, given the fact that the community makes up one of the largest group of personal income tax contributors in Malaysia.

Development is after all the duty of the government. That’s what politicians are supposed to do.

But it has also been frustrating for the MCA, the largest Chinese partner in the Barisan. It has a record in education which no Chinese-based party in Malaysia can match. Hundreds of thousands have graduated from Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman and now Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

It cannot be denied that even critics of the MCA have benefited in some ways from the party. As an example, many are sending their children to KTAR or Utar, which are heavily subsidised by the party and its supporters. It would be more acceptable to suggest that the MCA need to do more.

At the MCA headquarters, every day there is such a long queue of people seeking help from the party’s officials. It resembles a busy hospital scene.

Certainly, it has been dampening and even heart-wrenching for the party to be asked what it has done for the Chinese. It has now come to a head-on: Should the Chinese vote opposition but turn to the MCA for help?

It is clear that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is not accepting such an arrangement. The party has decided that should it fare worse than in the 2008 polls, the MCA would not accept any government position – not even municipal council, district committee or hospital advisory board posts.

The decision should be regarded not as a threat but as a matter of choice. The wishes of the community must be respected as massive defeats for the MCA in the next polls can only be seen as the wish of the voters to reject Chinese representation in government.

No dignified Chinese leader – whether MCA, Gerakan or SUPP – should accept a senator’s post after publicly pledging he would not accept any government post this time. It would be simply demeaning.

The MCA has readily admitted that it would have little legitimacy to be in government if it is rejected by the community. For sure, it would have little bargaining power if it is regarded as non-representative of the Chinese community.

If it does not perform well, then the MCA should pack up, accept the rejection, stay on the sidelines for the next five years and let its political opponent take up the interests of the Chinese community.

In the next general election, the likelihood is that the DAP has a good chance of retaining Penang. But there can never be a Penang factor elsewhere.

In Kedah, PAS is facing a strong challenge while in Perak, the political scenario has changed drastically with the Barisan regaining much ground.

Of the 222 parliamentary seats, only 40-odd seats are Chinese majority with over 65% Chinese votes. There are about 30-odd racially mixed seats. That means the Chinese political clout is restricted, and it has not helped with the population continuing to decline sharply.

In Selangor, the official statistic is that it is only 29% of the five million population, and in Penang with its more than one million population, the Chinese are reportedly no longer the majority.

In 1957, the Chinese made up 45% of the country’s population. But the projection is that by 2035, it will drop to 18.6% if the decline continues.

With the indication now that Malay and Indian votes have returned to the Barisan, the scenario is moving towards an unhealthy situation where Malays are in government and the Chinese are on the opposition.

PKR and PAS are fully aware of the Malay shift, with PKR re-emphasising its commitment to protecting Malay special rights while the Islamist party is expected to do the same at its general meeting next month in a move to regain the Malay votes.

The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be the king-maker, to be in the government or the opposition, in the next general election.

The wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton has not just been a British event but also a global one with over two billion people worldwide following the telecast.

Outside Westminster Abbey, there were huge numbers of foreigners, many from countries that have long dumped their kings and queens for presidents, and they were cheerfully waving little Union Jacks.

Stuff of fairy tales: The kiss that this writer, who was busy trying to write his column, did not witness in real time. — AP

Most are not even from Commonwealth countries, which would have at least explained their affection for the British monarchy.

Along Oxford Street, the shops burst with flags and mugs made by Guangdong Enter­prise. If you were not careful, you might have ended up with mugs with the face of Prince Harry instead of Prince William with Kate Middleton.

At Tottenham Court Road, even the Socialist Workers’ bookshop took advantage of the celebration, albeit with a difference. There, little bags with the words “For You To Throne Out – the Royal Wedding Makes Me Sick” and mugs with “Forget about the Royal Wedding – Remember the Cuts” were the star items.

And in British newspapers and television, there was really nothing much besides huge write-ups and shows about the marriage of a middle class woman, whom they are now touting as the future Queen Catherine, and a Prince.

I am in London but I chose to watch television instead of joining 500,000 people on the streets to try to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. My family members, friends and colleagues were upset with my choice and would probably not talk to me when they read that as the world paused to watch if the newly-weds would kiss each other on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, I was sitting at a Queensway coffee shop trying to write this column. The pubs were not open yet, for the record.

I do not think I am alone. A report in the Daily Mail said that in a poll of over 1,000 people across the UK, 46% said they were neither interested nor excited by the royal wedding. Thirty-seven per cent said they were while 17% were ambivalent.

Either the UK is a nation of liars, as the newspaper’s writer implied, or people were just following the trend set by the media and decision makers.

But I still like to believe that the majority of people liked this little bit of escapism. The royal wedding may seem like an expensive and trivial distraction to a country that has to cut down on subsidies but it has also brought people together.

Except for British anti-monarchy sour grapes and cynics like me, who did not get an invitation, the world loves a story of a beautiful commoner marrying a handsome prince. It’s a great love story and all of us want to feel good and be happy for them. The world already has enough news reports of earthquakes, riots and hunger.

But there’s a lesson for royalty worldwide. The world has changed and they, too, have to change if they want to remain relevant and still be loved.

On the eve of his wedding, Prince William was at The Mall, not far from the palace, to meet well-wishers who had camped there for the celebrations.

And they must be the first British royal couple to let the world know that they have been living together for years before they wed. That would have been entirely unacceptable in the snobbish Victorian age.

We all know how important public perception is for kings, queens, presidents, politicians and celebrities. The hype around them is created by the media but sometimes, some of them end up believing they are immortals.

The public hold them in high esteem but when they are not quite the saviours or role models that they are expected to be, the public’s misty image of them will come crushing down. There’s sometimes shock, denial and disbelief.

Fairy tales sometimes do not have a happy ending, as in the case of Diana, the Princess of Wales. She was probably a bigger figure than Kate but we hope the ending would be a much happier one for the young couple.

The world expects that but William and Kate are also ordinary human beings even if they are not common people.

The latest indication was the victory of DAP in the Sibu parliamentary by-election last year. The SUPP (and Barisan Nasional’s) candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew was defeated by Wong Ho Leng.

But there were earlier warnings that showed the growing discontentment of the Chinese voters whose support was once regarded as solidly for the ruling coalition.

The first indication came in the 2006 state election when DAP won six seats, and most newspapers headlined the wins as shockers. But the strong performance of DAP in the urban seats this time should not surprise anyone, least of all Taib and SUPP president Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who has lost to DAP’s Ling Sie Kiong in Piasau.

The huge crowd at DAP ceramah coupled with the sense of political empowerment was enough to tell Taib of the dark clouds that had been formed.

DAP, with its homegrown leaders, has always been more acceptable than its Pakatan Rakyat counterparts because PKR and PAS have always been regarded as peculiar by the locals.

With their influence confined to the urban areas, Taib has tolerated this urban dissent as he is well aware that the real political “fixed deposits” were locked away in the rural areas. This would be where the Barisan strength has always remained.

DAP had targeted Taib in its campaign, knowing full well that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has an enormously strong appeal among the Chinese. They would openly tell you that they have no argument with Barisan either. They just want Taib to retire.

They were no longer willing to listen to the oft repeated statements by Taib that he was grooming his successors. The last one where he said he had been training someone for the last 20 years only made it worse.

But strangely, despite the anger directed towards Taib, he remains an icon of Sarawak’s pluralism and religious tolerance. He has been accused of overstaying, nepotism, corruption and mismanagement but he gets top marks for open-mindedness, pluralism and religious tolerance.

Still, that was not enough for the urban voters who wanted change. They wanted to voice out loudly through the ballots what they felt was wrong with the state government.

This time, PKR also managed to make some inroads, winning three of the 49 seats they contested.

Certainly, once the analysis has been concluded, it would show that many emotive issues were either taken lightly or handled badly.

Besides over-prized white elephant projects and Barisan leaders who overstayed, there were the 2Ls – Land and Lord. In the former, dissatisfaction among Iban voters over their rights to Native Customary land was a major issue. As for the latter, the badly-handled Bahasa Malaysia Bible issue had significant impact on the people of Sarawak, where 40% of the voters are Christians.

The irony in the Bahasa Malaysia Bible issue is that Taib is probably the churches’ best listener but there were certainly plenty of thinly-veiled prayers suggesting that he and Barisan should be defeated.

Yet, Taib remains the only Muslim leader who dared to publicly declare that he sat for a Bible examination as a student and did well too.

He has also openly declared that he and his father helped raised funds for church buildings. Certainly, no Malay leader – Barisan or PR – in the peninsula would dare to do so.

At a time when many Muslim politicians seemed to shy away from attending church functions, he attended a church opening during the election campaign.

Sarawak remains the only state to have a museum showcasing the contribution of the Chinese community in the state at a prime spot. Many road signs still carry Chinese characters and in some state ministries, Chinese is widely used in the work place.

He appointed a Chinese mayor, Song Swee Guan from SUPP, for Kuching South in 1988. When SUPP lost the Padungan seat in 2006, a Chinese non-politician took over and still holds the post.

With DAP having doubled their seats from six to 12, and SUPP’s 12 reduced to six, the Chinese community may find its representation in government severely affected. That is the political reality.

The other ethnic groups are surely expected to be rewarded for their loyalty to the ruling coalition and the Cabinet line-up would have to show that.

The urban Chinese appeared to have cast their votes for DAP well aware of the consequences, with some rebutting that even when SUPP was strongly represented in government, the community’s participation in the state economy was not reflected. These were more Chinese symbolism and tokenism than real political and economic returns, they argued.

There was never any doubt from the beginning that the Barisan would retain the state with its two-thirds intact. It would only be SUPP that would be walloped.

SUPP had also never gone on the offensive after losing Sibu. In fact, it was business as usual for them after 2006, even when many were predicting their political misfortune.

Like Taib, Dr Chan should have also retired but he, too, stayed longer than he should, still talking about “unfinished projects” on the eve of election day.

Sarawakians have decided. The politicians, winners and losers, need to take a deep look at themselves.

Stop blaming the voters, the media and everyone else.

I suspect that he, like many expatriates, has also been buying pirated videos. He seems to be able to talk about so many movies and I know he never has enough time to go to the cinemas.

But he seems to have adjusted pretty well.

Like many Malaysians, he has openly denounced piracy and insists that he has never watched a pirated DVD – not even once in his life.

I am worried because hypocrisy seems to be eating into his life rather quickly.

It has eaten into the lives of many Malay­sians and I do not want to see that happen to this once naive American friend from the rural mid-west of the United States.

As expected, he asked whether he could get a copy of the video featuring a man resembling Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He has heard so much about it that he feels he can only make an authoritative judgement after he sees the entire video, he said.

Many of his friends have condemned the video, dismissing it as trash and gutter politics. They are outraged over the sordid political tactics.

But, of course, they would need to see the rest of the 21-minute video to make an educated conclusion.

The one-minute clip on YouTube and blog­spots was insufficient, plus it was a little grainy. Yes, a thorough viewing of the entire video would be required. Of course, it’s pathetic and immoral.

Paul, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of his friends, said that after watching the one-minute clip closely over and over again, their opinions are deeply divided.

Some have sworn that the man looked like Anwar after viewing it for the first few seconds. Others have said the first few seconds were enough to convince them that the actor was an impersonator.

He is also confused why some of his politically vocal friends – those who would usually demand for the setting up of a Royal Com­mission of Inquiry for the flimsiest issues – are angrily shooting down any proposal to set up such a commission, calling it a ridiculous idea.

Paul had another question: what’s this about real eggs and fake eggs? He has heard about pirated videos and there is this on-going debate over whether the sex video is doctored or whether the actor is really Anwar or an impersonator.

But fake eggs? This one really left me with egg on my face.

I told him that as a Penangite, I still get teased by my colleagues over how tight we hold on to our money.

Okay, stingy, if that’s the word that would please all of you who want to pick issues with Penangites.

We are constantly being reminded that we used to bring our own eggs when we buy our char koay teow.

That’s an old story but for some reason, many continue to think that Penangites are still carrying on with such thrifty practices.

I am beginning to suspect that all these people who criticise us have an agenda. A political agenda. An enemy from within.

But a fake egg? No Penangite, I can vouch on this, has ever tried fake eggs. A tray of real eggs costs RM10.50 but a tray of the fake ones costs RM11.

Come on, Penangites would never pay more for something faked – or doctored, in the current video lingo.

I had to confess to Paul that I have never come across a fake egg. I love eggs and I may need to eat these fake ones to ascertain if they are really fakes.

The news reports have said they could be from China. At this point, I had to ask Paul whether Americans, who are ever so jealous of the booming Chinese economy, could be spreading the hoax to discredit the Chinese.

As expected, Paul started to get agitated. National pride was at stake and, to him, the US is not in the business of blaming the Chinese for fake eggs. He demanded an apology.

I was in fact wondering if Paul would next demand for the setting up of a Royal Com­mission of Inquiry to determine if the eggs were fakes, how they were imported, if bribes were taken and which ministries were to be held responsible.

Of course, I would oppose that vehemently. Who is this American or his former ambassador to tell us Malaysians how to run our country?

But this American from the mid-west wasn’t sharp enough. He hasn’t become as politically emotional as many Malaysians. He hasn’t learned the art of being politically biased while pretending to be completely neutral.

Then he told me all his friends are saying they do not go to massage centres or spas now. Definitely a “no” to “rocket massage” or “sexy massage”, he said.

Yes, they need rejuvenation but NO massage. They prefer to go to “health wellness centres”.

For his final question, Paul asked if these are real or fake massages and whether they would bring “health well-being” as advertised. Friends have also asked where they can buy CCTV detectors, he said.

I think Paul will be in Malaysia for a while.

But the cloak-and-dagger operation, with journalists being given last minute instructions on the time and location, the dark glasses and metal scanner plus the mysterious Datuk T, has all come to nought.

Within hours of the first screening at Carcosa Seri Negara, word was leaking out via Twitter about what was taking place. Reporters were alerting each other and, as the organiser himself said, over 20 pressmen were soon clamouring to watch it. The show had to end abruptly.

The next day, the people behind it – Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik, Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and Datuk Shuaib Lazim – were exposed on the Internet as Datuk T. The name which the press had thought was of one person was actually the moniker for the three Datuks. Rahim and Shazryl then held a press conference to declare that they were the men behind the video.

The question now is, of course, whether Eskay had stumbled upon the video recorder or he was the mastermind. The police should be asking him this.

He had signed off the press release as “The Insider” and even said he was on the video – presumably as the person who arranged the tryst between the woman and the man.

Bits of information have surfaced regarding the background of Eskay, who is said to be close to Anwar and was his physiotherapist. If he is Anwar’s friend, as he claimed, why did he turn against the PKR leader?

It would appear now that the plotters had no intention to hide for long. The room in Carcosa was said to have been booked under Rahim’s name, so either he was careless or brazenly brave.

It is learnt that Rahim had scheduled a press conference on Monday afternoon and that it was not a hasty reaction after being exposed by PKR and bloggers.

But the point is there are probably more sceptics than believers. Many are seeing this as an attempt to destroy the Opposition Leader, who is already on trial on a sodomy charge. They are also asking whether he is into women or men. They find it hard to comprehend.

A huge number of Malaysians are inclined to believe that either the video is doctored or the man isn’t Anwar.

This scepticism isn’t just confined to the “Anwar can do no wrong” admirers. Those who just dislike the Government but are not necessarily pro-opposition are also of the same mind. Strangely, even the strongest Umno supporters have their doubts. The sex video caught them off guard, and they called the media to warn them not to fall into Anwar’s trap.

Several Umno supreme council members also expressed reservations over the emergence of the video, saying that it was not necessary and was of no help to them. They added that they are being blamed and that they could do without it.

They claimed it was produced by Anwar’s men to stall the sodomy trial, which has entered a crucial phase, to show that he prefers women and not men. It was reverse psychology, some claimed.

In short, this scandal is both intriguing and bizarre. Not only have people questioned the credibility and integrity of institutions such as the police, even the trio had initially refused to hand over the sex video and an Omega watch that is said to belong to Anwar to the police.

Politicians who are caught having sex on camera are not committing any crime. But, as elected representatives, they have to face the court of the people. If they have been playing the moral card, the price will be heavier. In the case of Muslims, there is the Syariah court to answer to for khalwat or zina.

But as politicians and public figures, they are all expected to live up to certain standards.

It is good that those who produced the video have been hauled up by the police. What they did is not just an intrusion of privacy but a criminal offence too.

In 1992, Karpal Singh walked into parliament and exposed then Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker D.P. Vijandran for being in a sex video. The latter was then the MIC secretary-general.

Back then, Karpal Singh said he had no intention of inflating the pornographic video issue but was doing so “in the public interest” while then MIC chief S. Samy Vellu dismissed the allegations, saying “I myself am calm because I know the truth”.

Samy even boldly remarked that Vijandran would come out of the controversy with “flying colours”. In the end, however, the up-and-coming MIC politician had to quit as the video had already been widely circulated.

In the case of Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, another victim of gutter politics, he had the guts to own up.

He didn’t blame the opposition but instead took full responsibility, quit his various posts, sought forgiveness from his family and went into political rehabilitation. He paid a heavy price then but when he stood for re-election, he was elected as MCA president.

Even Selangor PKR leader Elizabeth Wong was a victim of sordid politics that resulted from, it was said, internal party feuds. In her case, some Barisan Nasional leaders even defended her.

But the video incriminating Anwar has only been shown to a handful of pressmen and politicians. That means judgment has been pronounced based not on facts but on assump­tions. One cannot speak with authority unless one has watched it.

Those who have viewed it, however, are most likely to keep their opinions to themselves or will only talk about it in private. While some have dismissed it, there are others who are totally convinced.

Some have described the room as dark while others said it was bright and the quality of the video was good and sharp.

Some said the man could be a look-alike, an impersonator who has perfected Anwar’s mannerism, while those who are convinced said they would stand by their opinion unless a twin brother shows up.

The date and time are shown on the video but Anwar claims he has an alibi. Eskay, however, maintains that he is in the video with Anwar.

Malaysians want to know the identity of the man who resembles Anwar and whether the video clip was doctored. These are the key concerns.

No one knows what the future plans of the Datuk Trio, who claim they are doing it in the public interest, are. Two men involved in the case were arrested on Thursday and later released on bail, and it looks like they may face court charges.

Is the sex video scandal about to go to court? If so, Act Two could be even more interesting.

The Star has been issued a reprimand letter from the Home Ministry for reporting on the 5,000 impounded Bahasa Malaysia Bibles in a March 9 article. An editor of this newspaper represented me after we were asked to meet the ministry officials in Putrajaya.

While the reprimand letter is certain to lead to some cautiousness on the part of the print media, it is not going to stop the issue from being brought up on the Internet. This is the Digital Age and old-fashioned Analogue methods will not work as more mediums of information are available.

For that matter, the controversy would be taken up and, worse, exploited in ceramahs. It is, for sure, a hot topic in many places.

Furthermore, the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia can be downloaded in full from the Internet.

So, just take the trouble to listen and don’t worry about the press. It is certainly our responsibility to report on issues. As long as national security is not threatened, we have a duty to take up the views of the people.

The deadlock over the Bahasa Malaysia Bible has dragged on for too long and it has led to some urgency this time because of the impending Sarawak elections.

There is an estimated 40% of Christian voters in Sarawak. Among them are the Ibans and other indigenous groups, many of whom have consistently voted for the ruling party.

They have used Bahasa Malaysia in their worship, sermons and prayers. They are comfortable reading the Malay language Bible and many of their churches use Bahasa Malaysia names. These include the highly respected Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB).

Like it or not, the word “Allah” has long been a norm among Christian worshippers in Sabah and Sarawak to describe God. For that matter, the Peranakan community in Malacca also use that term of reference.

But many Malay Muslims feel that the term “Allah” should only be used exclusively by them. They are suspicious that the word, so closely associated with Islam, could be a ploy to convert Muslims.

In fact, 10 out of the 13 states here banned non-Muslims from using up to 35 Arabic terms including Allah, with Selangor banning the use of 25 words either orally or in writing.

The argument that the word “Allah” is used by Christians in Muslim countries like Egypt, Syria and even Indonesia isn’t likely to change the minds of most Muslims here. For religious and cultural reasons, that is something that has to be considered.

But the issue of the impounded BM Bibles has taken a turn for the worse. A decision to release the Bibles, which were printed in Indonesia, to appease Christians here has resulted in an unexpected reaction, at least for the authorities.

The church has refused to collect them and Christians are infuriated because of the require­ment to stamp the words “For Christians Only” on these Bibles. The move to put serial numbers on the Bibles has also upset many Christians.

By right, these Bibles should have been released in Sarawak without any conditions since the state does not have an enactment prohibiting the use of the word “Allah” among non-Muslims. Muslims in Sarawak are also used to the word being used by churches and it has never been an issue for them.

In short, if it is not an issue in Sabah and Sarawak, why is there a need to complicate the matter?

We do not have to be experts of the Constitution to know that state enactments cannot supersede the Federal Constitution. That is why the PAS-led Kelantan government cannot ban the sale of lottery tickets as it is provided for nationwide under federal law.

Religion may be state matters but the Federal Constitution reigns supreme with the guarantee of freedom to profess and practise one’s religion (Article 11).

There is a need for clearer guidelines. In Selangor, non-Muslims cannot use “Allah” but the word is in the state anthem. The police crest, which is worn by non-Muslims, also has the word “Allah”.

In fact, the decision to stamp the words “For Christians Only” could well be unconstitutional. The Federal Constitution is very clear on the right of Malaysians to religious freedom, even though there are laws that may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among Muslims.

But there is no evidence that these imported Bibles would be used to propagate to Muslims. By putting conditions such as serial numbers and stamping “For Christians Only” on the Bibles, the authorities could well be exceeding their powers and even infringe the Federal Constitution.

If indeed these Bibles have been stamped, then there is a need to cover these words with stickers that say “Christian Publications”.

While there are certain laws that control or restrict the propagation of any religious belief or doctrine among Muslims, there are no such restrictions to people of other faiths or who are free thinkers.

To limit the Bible with a “For Christians Only” chop would deprive these others of access to the Bible. It would mean limiting their constitutional right to profess and practise their religion.

A better way out of this deadlock would be to use the words “Christian Publications”, which was reportedly accepted by all parties in 2005.

It is not clear whether the agreement was in writing, and why the change now, but there has to be a quick and amicable solution too. Religion is highly sensitive and the Home Ministry is right in reminding the media to be cautious. But rational reporting should be accepted and even encouraged. There’s a need to remove the emotive elements in the controversy. While the move to number and stamp the Bible may not be right, to claim that these are moves to “deface” or “desecrate” the Holy Book could be too emotive as well.

Without doubt, feelings have been hurt as this involves a sacred book. However, Bibles are sometimes stamped with the names of donors and, in some cases, they are also personalised to the owner’s style.

But when the stamping is done by the authorities, it takes on a different dimension.

The impasse is best resolved quickly. There is already an appeal to overturn a High Court decision allowing the Catholic Herald to use the word “Allah” in their Christian publications, of which there is no conclusion in sight. If a court challenge is made over the stamping and serial numbering, it would aggravate the situation.

There are no winners when religious disputes go to court. It is better resolved outside but there has to be sincerity from all sides as there cannot be ad hoc decisions and non-compliance to agreements. The church and the authorities have got to move on.

In this season of Lent, as we pray and prepare ourselves for Easter with repentance, fasting, spiritual discipline and moderation, let us remind ourselves that the Bible only comes alive because of our faith. The Bible, in the most perfect condition, will remain useless if it is just left on the shelf, untouched.