NST Monday August 6, adumberated some 28 ISSUES currently holding the attention of Malaysians, attached to the quote from Raja Nazrin's now famous Keynote address at the First Malaysian Student Leaders Summit 2007. They cover the range from "The Rule of Law and Inviolability of the Constitution.., Economic and Social Justice..." to " Cynicism and Opportunism, Preconceptions, Parochialism dan Chauvinism...Communal interaction," etc.
I'm not sure that all the issues mentioned are raised in the very perceptive and well-worded Keynote address. The list of issues is, I think, concocted by the NST itself to capture the attention of readers.
Reading the list alone, with some imagination on how they can be handled, can cause a headache. I mentioned this to a friend and he just smiled at me.
" Are they real issues or just topics for discussion?" I asked. " What are ISSUES and what are just MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT? As I understand it ISSUES are MATTERS BEING DISUPUTED, ARGUED ABOUT, and becoming so controversial that they are disrupting society. As it is Malaysians are okay, all happy and united. Of course there are arguments here and there, brawls may be...and serious crimes that must be effectively dealt with. As for politicians, they must continue to yek and fight things out for that's their jobs...play to the gallery.... create issues to become a platform to show their oratorial finnesse......." As I rattled on, loosing my own head, my friend's smile became wider cutting his face into a top half and a bottom half, with two gaping holes in the middle.
" Why worry about issues?" he said.
" What do mean by that?" I replied astonished and flabbergasted. " They will tear people apart!"
" I can easily tear and throw all issues down the drain....."
"How?......"
" Put a "t" in front of issues....and they become tissues, right? It's all a matter of perspective!"
I have to agree with him, for now!
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