Cool "J"

Bravo YB Dato Sri James Masing

Notice: Before proceeding please do note that the writings below are just Nadai Nama's simple observation and nimble mind.

While in the office yesterday, I kept getting SMSes from friends who asked me to tune to Al Jazeera channel at night. So I asked them what's up and they would not reveal much. I told them I was on overtime mode and that they can tell me what transpired later. Late at night I was again asked the same question by another pair of buddies who caught me at Birdies Coffeeshop, Sri Aman (though there were no birdies there). I informed them I have not heard about it but I listened to one of them, whom I will call Mr. T, with an open mind. Okay - since you are reading my blog, your point is noted.

This morning I was again invited for breakfast by another group who wants to pick my mind. I told them that I was no Einstien but since many are so persistent on what I thought of the Al Jazeera interview with our State Land Devlopment Misnister, YB Dr. James Jemut Masing. Not wanting to be seen as ignorant on matters related to the State Development I tuned in to You Tube as I know well enough the clips will surface there. Type any Iban Karaoke songs that you want to sing to, you will definitely find it in You Tube. And Walah....the interview was available there.



Okay, my take on this since many of you care to know - How did YB Dato Sri James Jemut Masing do in the interview? My opinion will be based on my view and my experience in preparing responses for VIPs being interviewed by our RTM or National Television. Yeap...in the usual practice, questions are usually sent first so that the VIPs will be able to response with solid facts and figures. Our team had to be three or four steps ahead in anticipating supplementary questions (in this case 'ambush' questions). With an International television like Aljazeera I believe YB Dato Sri had to be as clever as they are. He certainly knows they will not necessay ask you according to the script. It depends on what they have been filming and sometimes our guides who accompany them filming takes notes on what their cameras are pointing at.

I noticed that some questions thrown at YB Dato Sri James Jemut Masing were those 'ambush' questions. Either that or the interview was meant to look dramatic or edited that way - that we won't know, right. But perform he did and I would give him a standing ovation myself. I did not see YB Dato Sri Dr. James Jemut Masing flinch or ruffled, or scramble to look for notes when he responded. In fact he replied in the most gentlemanly manner. He spelled out his ideas clearly minus the many 'umms and ermmss' of President Obama. In Iban we would say 'Enda berkelip mata nyaut' aka he did not blink an eye when giving the answer. Okay, enough of that then you may say - now how about the issues? Yes the issues. I do not see anything significant there, nothing that would drop anyone's jaws to say 'Ooooooo....'. All that except that the questions sidetracked at times, attempting to throw this veteran politician off track. The said 'issues' are a dime and a dozen in the Internet only to be repeated sweetly by the interviewer. I can say those questions were always raised (sometimes shouted out) in the Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislation). But hey, they thought they threw some 'unexpected' questions at a very learned YB Minister who responded coolly as he knows those 'unrelated' questions deserves an 'unrelated' answer. It may be because the 'trivial questions' were designed in a way to extract an answer that fits the mischievious purpose of the program. If questions raised sounded like this "Sarawak's oil and gas supply with which Sarawak only gets 5% royalty depletes in 5 years time. What measures are taken by the Government to ensure that Sarawak remains a competitive State in providing power and energy so that Sarawakian children won't end up working as 'coolies' job seekers outside Sarawak in 5 to 10 years time?" Probably then the sound of 12 dams built to ensure that Sarawak remains significant in clean energy production won't sound harsh, or 10,000 resettled folks for the sake of 2.5 million Sarawakians' future makes some sense. Even now I believe more than 40,000 Sarawakians (or more) are working outside the State now and if opportunities in the 'Clean Energy Sector' or SCORE can bring them back, why not? Its all about how you ask the questions.


So I have said it and I am siding no one - just giving my views objectively as requested. Some will say I am polishing apple. Say what you will. My wise friend, Mr. T say I will realise the answer and the truth will come soon. Wow... heavy stuff boss but I hope I live long enough to know the truth. Let's drink over it some time again at Birdies Cafe. I think most people who saw program and the interview with a clear mind will see where the storyline of the video and interviewer was heading - and where the person who was being interviewed was leading them. One ex Councilor was a bit emotional this morning but I told them to think nothing of it. Just watch it, make up your mind if you are a voter, you decide, and carry on living coz its not the end of the world - yet. The business of government and the governed should not stop just because some foreign TV decided to broadcast some recycled news. Okay, Mr. S tried to corner me with CMS - I responded what about CMS? A Sarawak company that one should be proud of. If they want a Multi National Corporation from outside Sarawak who at an instant would want to close shop the minute the world economy goes into slowdown leaving thousands of Sarawakians jobless ; or some large Malaysian company which suddenly decided to pull out of a joint venture after signing a Memorandum of Understanding leaving her Sarawakian partners in the lurch. Yes business world sucks and it is certainly vicious and we certainly can't have a 'capable company' run by 95% non Sarawakian can we? So I'll put my bet on a proven local Sarawakian company with a Sarawakian heart anytime dude - given that there are rules and regulations to adhere to as mentioned by YB. One that won't be telling Sarawakians..... "ooppsss... we have to leave you now, our Headquarters in Timbuktu or Mars say we have to pull our business operations out of Sarawak. Your 1,500 workers with us can learn how to tap rubber okay?". At least if one gets screwed by CMS you know their addresses.


So that's it I guess. I have to get back to work now and one of it was to attend YB Dato Sri James Masing's function (at Temenggong Micheal Pilo's longhouse near Po Ai area) outside Sri Aman. Along the way, I was waved down by a 'desperate looking lady' who was walking with a young girl. During our conversation she pleaded for me to help her rush her asthmatic daughter to the Sri Aman Hospital for oxygen treatment as she was vomiting. She had been walking for almost one hour from their home, I would estimate that they will have to walk another hour to reach the hospital. Along this stretch and at this time, there is no van or taxi heading towards town as most of the commercial vehicles are heading out of town now. So do I tell them that I am on an urgent mission to talk with YB Dato Sri Dr. James Masing about his shining performance in the interview? If YB Dato Sri knows about it he would never forgive me for abandonding them as the mother had tried to wave down vehicles heading for town earlier but failed. So I turned around to send the them as fast as I could to the hospital's emergency ward as the daugther was starting to have dizzy spells. I got to know that her name was Stefanie and she was studying at Primary Six, Melugu Primary School. She can bet I will drop by her school one of these days. So now then my friends - like the speeding cars that missed the sight of the unfortunate mother and daughter, politics should stop for a while for some of us so that we can focus on our daily job of helping people. By elections may be used to prove a point for the political parties but not an excuse to shirk one's duties because you think that someone 'winning or losing' determines the direction of Sarawak. Leave the politics to the professional politicians while we Government Servants do what is best - to continue assisting people like Stefanie and not get distracted by politics. Cheers. By the way - I think that interviewer (Fauziah is her name?), is cute.

Comments

jingpengboy said…
he's really cool, perhaps too well seasoned to face those cunning reporters. He can't afford to slip even a little. Croniysm occurs everywhere in this world and ONE (a ppl or a party) can never save the country/world except God. I think s'wak is good in preventing the influence from 'outsiders'. we performed far better than our neighbours north of us. One is controlled by an 'outsider' party and immigrants were given citizenship at will.
Uchu Keling said…
Thank you for a well written post. You can write my mind better and we are always thinking about the same thing and you always write it in words better.

Cheers!
Pn Hamidah said…
If the ends benefitted and served the people at large, then the legitimate means are justified.The interview with the learned YB has enlightened us on many issues and I take this post as a real eye-opener and informative to all.TQ sir.
Edited comment from Ikan Sembilang in my Blog:

Bravo for being a Good Samaritan!You should also v... Bravo for being a Good Samaritan!

You should also view.....[deleted]!

BTW, where is the Birdies Coffeeshop in Sri Aman?

Ikan Sembilang: I chose not to publish some parts of your your post as its unrelated at all. The AJ storyline was one sided which meant that your view was influenced by a biased report.

About Birdies Cafe - I will put a balanced reviewed on it when I visit it next time. I am more of a person who prefers to see things from 2 sides of the coin.
Jingpengboy: We should request YB Dato Sri to be one of the judges for a reality show, being interviewed 'Live' like that. Some of those being 'interviewed' in the series was lucky because they were given the chance not to be interviewed 'Live' like YB Dato Sri and they can rehearse their statements ten times over. So once again Bravo YB Dato Sri!

UK: Both of us and the other bloggers can help make our views complete. You see one of the things being neutral is that both sides will not be happy as both wsides wants us to back them up.

Agent Hammy: Sometimes politics tend to stir storms in tea cups but then again - storms are storms :) we provide the lightning.