You're Quite Political, After All!

When I reached my office, my colleague, Cathy said excitedly, "Choo, you're funny. You always say you don't understand politics, but you got quoted in "On Line Citizen...what you say...something like a good politician is one who loves the people in his nation! You're quite political, after all!"

I smiled! I am quite pleased with the growing popularity of my blog.

Cathy continued, "Why don't you write more poems, especially on politics?"

"Got... You didn't read meh? Wrote something about Chiam See Tong during the last election." Sometimes I like to relac and speak Singlish with people I'm familiar with.

Some of my friends and nieces complain that I write faster than they can catch up with my blog. Bo pian mah (Can't be helped.) I'm already 53 years 5 months and 16 days old - don't write now, later konk out (die) how? Don't quickly complete all my 40 projects in toastmasters' club, later konk out how? Time and tide wait for no man lah. I don't have billions of dollars like Nina Wang to leave behind. Hence I can only leave behind billions of characters for my relatives and Singaporeans to read mah.

So for the sake of those who have missed my political poem on Chiam See Tong, I am republishing here. This is about the most political I can get!

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Chiam See Tong (Temporarily Persevere)

After writing about the lang ding dang man, (the travelling singer) I am now inspired to write about my favourite opposition leader, Chiam See Tong.

Coincidentally, his name in Hokkien means "Chiam see - temporarily, tong - persevere)! Since I am a Singaporean, I have included words in English, Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese, Teochew, Malay and Tamil to make it a poem with a truly local flavor. For the understanding of my overseas readers, Chiam See Tong is the longest serving opposition leader. He is now 71 years old and has 5 more years to serve.

CHIAM SEE TONG

Chiam See Tong,
Tak pai teh gong, (Always pretend)
Pun lai si kiang lang, (Actually a clever person)
ker shi ai cho humble lang, (But wants to be a humble person)
PAP $80 million ang chai tau, (PAP $80 million carrot)
Peh seh sui kah kau. (The people calculate carefully)
Lui bo chai tiao chim (But money cannot kiss)
Ah Chiam gau take lang eh sim. (Ah Chiam wins the heart of the people)
Chiam See Tong kah oon, (Chiam See Tong is more stable)
Koh ee beh si pun. (Depend on him, won't lose out)
Upgrading jit lui pun mian chut, (Upgrading, one cent no need to come out)
PAP, ingin, xiu xiu tiok ai chut! (PAP, definitely, a little, must come out)
Lang kong kiang lang chiak gong lang, (People say clever people eat up stupid people)
Gong lang chiak Ti Kong, (Stupid people eat up God)
Nandrei, Chiam See Tong, (Thank you, Chiam See Tong)
Lu si ko ai tua leng gong. (You are a lovable big fool)
Ah Chiam jin zhi tong (Ah Chiam is understanding and tactful)
PAP pak beh toh, (PAP cannot knock you off)
Ah Chiam chin chia ho, (Ah chiam is very good)
Ah Chiam jin tai hong, (Ah Chiam is very generous)
Gong gong chiak Ti Kong! (Stupid, stupid, but eat up God)*

Gan Chau


* In Hokkien , we say stupid people eat up God (in Mandarin it is sha ren yiu sha fu)
it means foolish or less clever people seem to get all the blessings at the end, maybe
because of their purity and faith, or God has a particularly soft spot for the weak and helpless.)

posted by The Oriental Express at 9:12 PM | 1 comments links to this post