The Perak Dilemma

I love Perak. I have lived in Perak throughout my formative years. Kuala Kangsar to be exact.

It was in 1985, at the tender age of 13, I've started living on my own. Well not alone, like really all alone actually. There were others, the other 116 brothers of mine. We learned, played, ate, laughed and cried together. For 5 years.

Because of that Kuala Kangsar and Perak are special to me. It has become my 2nd hometown, my 2nd kampung. Every now and then, whenever I have the opportunity, on my way to KL or on the way back, I would make up an excuse just for that detour to KK town, to have lunch at Yut Loy, to have that quick stop at that old Greco-Roman building.

I guess I never really left Kuala Kangsar. "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave", just like the Eagle's "Hotel California"; I keep coming back to KK. Same goes to all of my brethren who had lived the life at that old Greco-Roman building. They'll say to you, "We came hoping to get out, but went crying to stay!" That's how special Kuala Kangsar, Perak to all of us.

But somehow it seems the current Perak is not like the old Perak that I have gotten used to. Laid-back, peaceful and calm, that was the Perak of old. Now, it's becoming more unlike Perak.

There's a sense of uncertainty. There's this uneasy feeling, looseness and something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Read this, Perak MB denies Pangkor 2 Agreement with DAP and this, Barisan not buying over Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen: Tajol Rosli and I think you'll understand.

There's even issue like this, Pelajar hampa gagal tuntut ganjaran RM1,000 diumumkan MB Perak cropping out.

Primitive Politics? Power-broking gone wrong? Could those be it?