IT'S TOFFEE'S TURN: This Merdeka

Friday, August 30, 2013

This Merdeka

By Howl Pillay

I have never been more fearful than this Merdeka.

The nation celebrates its fifty-sixth birthday and a month ago I celebrated my fifty ninth.

Context: Born - 1954; Kewarganegaraan - Malaysia; Keturunan - India; Agama - Belum diIslamkan.

But to be fair, the authorities have never hauled me up for “Insulting Islam”. Why should I even think of doing it?

Yes, why should I, when legions of salafists, takfiris and the other ‘mightily misguided’ believers in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan insult the faith on a daily basis by inflicting unending violence against innocent fathers, mothers, children and infants. Even in the month of Ramadan, last month.

We should all be thankful we have kept our distance thus far from this unholy crowd for whom even their fellow believers are fair game. But Comrades, be ever vigilant! The road to Cairo, Mogadishu, Baghdad and Damascus passes through the school toilet of SK Pristina. One day they may make even a movie, “Tandas Pristina”.

And though fearful of developments closer to home, I know someone up there is looking out for me. I thank my lucky stars. And my prescience.

Ten years ago, taking heed of a management guru’s line of ‘differentiate or die’, I considered choosing the following email address: pillai04@gmail.com to incorporate the year of my birth.

But something held me back. It was a gut feeling I could not pin down. It did not seem to have the proper effect. Besides in the Cantonese “four” is associated with death. But I wasn’t one to give up easily. As I was born on the 17 July, I toyed with pillai0804@gmail.com. Eventually I chose another email address.

And it was all for the better! Who knows I could have spent this Merdeka in a cold cell, bruised and black-eyed ala Saudara Anwar. What! you say incredulously. Why not? An Indian somehow associated with both the “04 Gang” and the “08 Gang” will surely be beaten up to within an inch of his life.

Yet others may say: “Don’t be ridiculous!”.

But believe me, these days you can never tell what the country or the cops are up to.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Hi I am Toffee

Long long ago (that's how stories began then), an issue of The Sunday Times carried an article titled;
"Have you seen this, 'Boy Toffee' ".
Yes! that boy is this old man today, the same Toffee, a name I carried with me since infancy, and today to my wife Ju I still am Toffee, to my two children- daddy, to my grandchildren Grandpa Toffee, to many young children, my nephews and nieces "Uncle Toffee" and my friends still Toffee, and oh, how I love that name.
As fate would have it I landed up becoming a "Toffee Maker" and I dare say- a very good "Toffee Maker" having set up a plant that would manufacture fudge, caramel, nougat, fondant peanut butter, all to be encased with chocolate - Chocolate enrobed candy bars - are what they are called.
I moved into chocolate enrobed candy bars because of my eleven years experience in candy manufacturing and during those years had the opportunity to experiment on various types of toffee, real hands on experience.
To the surprise of many of my suppliers and even customers who had known me during these days I quit in 1992.

I made a career change, switching career, from Manufacturing to Human Resource Management where I remain to this day albeit since 2011 on my own.

I had the privilege of living the history of my since 1957, I was sin the town padang with my cub (young scout) uniform where I proudly participated in the Parade on 31st August 1957. The Scout District Commissioners were there too and I still the names, Jolly Goh and Goh Thian Hin.

So please avoid telling me post Merdeka History I lived in the thick of it since. In fact I learned to sing the Negara-ku even before Independence and sand it on the day we became Independent.

As For Toffees - I may add a real Toffee recipe or two for all of you who follow my blog, one that would enable you to make Toffee at home.

After all these years out here in this wonderful world I feel it is time for me to share my thoughts, experiences, cares and even frustrations and I have decided to use this blog to do so.

"It's Toffee's Turn" is not something new.
It all began during my days in primary school.
Whenever we sat at table a family of two girls, six boys and there was Mum and Dad there was a lot to talk about.
Being the fourth I always had to fight to have my say, and once I got to it there was no stopping, so most of the time my dad would remind me to keep quiet and give others a chance. I would then have to shut my mouth and wait till mum would intrude and say, "OK, It's Toffee 's Turn."

So now, "It's Toffee's Turn"
To those of you who are new to this space welcome.