Of 'Demi-Gods' and Animal Killers

While Mr Simon Templar deems one MSM is suitable to tapau roti canai, I use them to line my bin. However, I do read The Star Online to read humane articles like this – “Most Security Guards are Sitting Ducks” and “Tiger Rescued from Poacher’s Trap”, which you would never see in other gila-politik MSM.

Let's Not Forsake Our Security Guards

During my formative years to be a ‘good service provider’, I had great experiences handling people and money from the comfy desk to the chilly strong room. For odd reasons, being in the mighty presence of cold-hard cash made me felt ‘suffocated’ (now you should know why some filthy rich people are ironically depressed) plus I hate the smell (really, they do have bloody nasty smell).

One sunny Saturday afternoon, we expected the arrival of one armoured vehicle to stock up for anticipated ‘drawing spree’ by the retired ‘civil servants’ on the following week. Normally, tough-no-nonsense men would guard this delivery but this time around, 2 young chaps, grinning from ear to ear, carried the big duffel bags of cash into the strong room, with batons swinging by their hips. That’s all it took to deliver these millions of cash to one of the busiest spots in KL’s Golden Triangle.

I cried (I know it’s very unprofessional of me) looking at them, who seemed to look very proud carrying out their duties, even with less or no obvious protection provided to them. I salute their spirit – at least, they earned their money in Halal way.

For all the joy the cash they delivered would bring, how could we not feel responsible to ensure their lives are well protected?

How could we compensate their beloved family for the loss of their lives, if any tragedy struck them now our Men in Blue are pretty busy, attending candle light vigils, providing free escort services to you-know-who, manning peaceful crowds at buy-bye-by elections, state assemblies and not forgetting, diverting traffics from some famous Kompleks Mahkamah?

For all their service paid handsomely by many organisations, how could the employers sleep well at night when their men, who put their lives at stakes, are paid very (extremely) lowly? One 60-ish year old uncle once told me how much he earned after deducting his medical bills and no-pay leave – a meagre RM240. I seriously doubt one could survive with that kind of pay.

Is it sensibly justified to say that since these people are not well qualified that we expect them to feel ‘terhutang budi’ to the employers? Please-lah, even some well-educated ones are not qualified to carry their duties with full integrity and accountability. Well, just look at how much 1Failed PKFZ costs had ballooned.

Someone shared me with interesting discussion he had with his sons during recent Hari Raya, which revolved around Prophet Muhammad PBUH, who asked, "Do you love your Creator? Then love your fellow beings first".

Let’s Not Hurt Our Animals

I love animals and to see the cuddly 120-kg male tiger in such painful condition, simply breaks my fragile heart. It is even more devastating because this innocent tiger was trapped in our Royal Belum Forest Reserves. How could these poachers find their way in this pristine, so-called protected area?

Let’s pray for this tiger speedy recovery and that Malacca Zoo would treat it good (because I don’t trust Zoos, which I likened to animal shelters).

How ironic that we, the economically sufficient beings that could afford Astro at home, remain to be the ones that continue to buy exotic animal parts to remain healthy and virile? Hmm, perhaps we watch too much ‘unrealistic’ dramas instead of ‘feeding our compassion’ on Animal Planet, NatGeo and Discovery Channels.

What a mockery that we, believing that we are civilized ones, detest the encroachment of animals into our ‘peaceful’ residential areas when we are the ones ‘trespassing’ into their habitats? Hmm, maybe we are so much ‘engulfed’ with the idea of “Ketuanan” this and that.

Looking at how we treat our Security Guards and Animals, we are definitely losing control of who we are. No wonder we continue electing those 'Demi-gods' and animal killers as our leaders.