DO YOU LIKE FIXED SET OF MENU?

菜單, 菜單, 我愛你!?

Many of the so-called fixed sets of ‘menu’ have evolved as byproducts of the previous and recent MCA tremors and crisises. This is nothing sensational. Fixed set of menu has been largely regarded as a legacy not only in any political party in particular but in most of the organizations at large. Looking at the present trend of the AGMs of most of the Chinese-based NGOs, which one does not have fixed sets of menu? So, proposing fixed sets of menu for the coming EGM to be held by MCA is not astonishing at all. I see no reason why there are so much write ups to comment on this and people involved are so scared to admit that they are the ones to fix the menu?

Talking about the fixed set of menu, it reminds me of what happened before the last Chinese New Year (CNY). Let us digress from the fixed set of menu for political parties or NGOs a little moment.

My wife and I planned to have a family dinner in a restaurant during the third day of the CNY. As usual, we can foresee that the restaurant would be full house and there could be scheduled hours for dinning. Any how, we proceeded with the planning and we were told to choose certain fixed sets of menu available. During CNY, the restaurant manager refused to let you choose your own menu! I was not keen in fixed menu as the set might not suit our taste. My children were not as fussy as me, they told me to accept.

On the dinning day, fair enough the restaurant was crowded, but we had to be in a fast pace to take our dinner because the dishes were out one after another before we could enjoy! As I had expected, the dishes were badly cooked, and none of us enjoy the dinner.

Back to a fixed set of menu for the political parties or the NGOs, will it be good?

There are lots of variants and rumours about the fixed sets of ‘menu’ for the next line up of MCA, such as “廖江”配 , “江廖”配, “廖魏”配 etc, but don’t you think all these are too 'raw' in the cabinet and they could be bullied by senior ministers from other parties? Moreover, Liow has not yet performed well as a Minister of Health. The medical officers need his moral support very much! They are waiting for his regular visits to hospitals and clinics and not at the MCA premises!!!However, there is a speculation for the lady as a break through to be the first lady president of MCA! Thus far, no one has ever mentioned Dr. Fong who had been the best Minister of Labour . I certainly support him, as during his time as a Minister of Labour, he had done a lot for the Chinese communities. Similarly, Tan Seri Ong KT who had also contributed a lot when he was the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and as Minister of Housing and Local Government. Hope other ministers and deputy ministers representing MCA now or to come will leave party matters aside and strive for the Chinese community in particular and the beloved nation in general. please leave some legacies in the ministries held by all of you before you step down!

From my little experience in the restaurant, fixed set of menu seems to be bad. In the last year’s MCA AGM, the usual practice of fixed set of Menu by MCA top liners was no more favourable. I was more than delighted and having high hope when the central representatives fully exercised their rights not to choose every ‘dish’ from the fixed set but to choose capable people, consisting of veteran(senior), middle-aged (experienced) and the youngs (full of enthusiasm). The Chinese community at large too was having high hope that there would be a big turnover of MCA to do good work for the Chinese in particular and the nation in general, as the central representatives were so mature and forgiving that Dr. Chua was given a chance again in view of his good services and track records despite his sex scandal and OTK who was named a ‘flow of fresh stream’ single lonely man was also chosen. To many people, the new line up, 翁蔡配, was a sensational break through. The new line up which was chosen out of blue by the central representatives was named “蕹菜”配 by Dr. Wee KS and he praised them sky high after the results were announced! AS SUCH, THE CHOICE OF THE CENTRAL REPRESENTATIVES MUST BE RESPECTED !!!!!

‘Kangkong’ is a kind of green vegetable which is vigorous and can grow very easily at any place. It is full of vitamins and has become one of the most affordable and favourite dishes for the lower income group at large. In fact, it is a cheap and affordable dish to most people especially for those who live from hands to mouths but yet it can be a very delicious dish if the chef knows how to cook, by putting in some garlic to kill germs, a little ikan bilis, chilli and belacian. My wife does not like ‘kangkong’, she blames taking too much ‘kangkong’ will create ‘wind’ in the body. I like ‘kangkong’. I was brought up in a very poor family in a deserted village and my mother passed away when I was five years old. “Kangkong’ became a very regular dish on the dinning table, and I could get it free from the riversides. Consequently, due to emotional feelings and the sourly bitter memories of the younger days, I was praying hard the new line up would be able to refresh MCA and strive for the Chinese community and the nation, but at the end?

The dish 'kangkong’ was not cooked properly and maybe too much ‘belacian’ had been put in and it’s burnt now! Or could it be because the essential ingredient, garlic which can kill germs, was not put in? Bear in mind, ‘kangkong’ can only be by cooked by a good chef, it cannot be a cook itself. So is it the omen causing the downfall of this set of menu chosen by the central representatives?

It comes to a simple saying: A coin has two sides. Taking all the dishes in a Fixed Set of Menu is not advisable and may not suit your taste, choosing different dishes not from a fixed set of menu may end up the ‘dishes’ do not match due to a lot of factors, subsequently disasters follow! However, a decision still has to be made! How? All in all, whether the Chinese who are MCA or non-MCA members, they have only one simple but reasonable request to be fulfilled by all MCA central representatives: Choose leaders who are APPEASING and can serve Chinese community in particualr and the nation in genaral well!

I iterate, especially to the possible new line up:

THE CHOICE OF THE CENTRAL REPRESENTATIVES MUST BE RESPECTED !!!!!