Sultan and Ah Long

My schedule for yesterday was changed several times as things did not go exactly as planned. So there I was at the KLCC car park swearing what the heck I am doing going round and round looking for a parking space. After more than an hour I found one. At the lift I was sweating like I just got off from the shower. Still cursing and swearing I make a wrong choice of attending the IGEM 2011 today instead of tomorrow.

At the counter, I was told that my name is not registered. Again I am swearing what the heck was wrong today. So I had to fill up the form and wait at a queue. Then a man approached me to step away from the red carpet to allow their visitors through. To my surprise it was Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir - the Sultan of Negeri Sembilan. When Tuanku gave me a big smile, I just had to say hello. The minute Tuanku acknowledge it, my spirit did a somersault and here I am writing about it. That smile was genuine without a tint of hypocrisy unlike some Sultans.

That was the best medicine I had for a very long, long time. And boy do I need one after certain unpleasant event.

My meetings with Ah Longs are never intentional. Most times I am not aware who they are until I am told much later or when it happens by chance I see weapons or face with a situation when a fight is about to begin.

Ah Longs are also known as thugs or gangsters sometimes they do kill if the price is right. The Ah Longs (thugs or gangsters) I know long ago are gentlemen. But the ones I encountered for the past two years are different stock.

Poor people need Ah Longs to put food on the table. Rich people especially the ones with titles are using Ah Longs (thugs or gangsters) to con, steal and threaten others.

Mahathir used Yeoh Tiong Lay to blackmail people, Isa used murderers to get votes, Daim used Ah Long to cheat, steal and grab whatever they want, and Husein used Ah Long to threaten others.

So here I am thinking during the last week of Ramadan, do I or do I not call up old friends.

An old saying kept my faith. If you cheat others, others will cheat you back. If you use money to kill others, money will kill you. And if you use Ah Long (thugs or gangsters) to satisfy your ego and greed then you will die in the hands of the Ah Long (thugs or gangsters.)

This Raya was rather unusual. Every Ramadan I put up the sign Selamat Hari Raya at the shop. This year certain alphabets keep falling down. A, L, Y and H. I told my children something ugly is about to happen to us in the shop. And true enough it happened. My landlord Husein send A, L and Y.

So what is the connection between Tuanku and myself. We were both bullied in similar manner. Yesterday when I saw Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, I knew that things will be okay.

Special thanks to Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.