Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VII (Si Luncai dan Pak Pandir)

Baca Bahagian I, Bahagian II, Bahagian III, Bahagian IV, Bahagian V & Bahagian VI di sini.
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Pak Pandir sedang berehat di rumah akibat dipukul oleh tuan kedai kerana meruntuhkan tandas kedainya. Sambil makan ubat, telinganya hanya mendengar sahaja leteran Mak Andeh yang membebel kerana merosakkan harta benda orang lain. Pak Pandir masih berasa malu kerana ditertawakan oleh semua orang atas kejadian tandas itu.


Dalam perjalanan ke rumah Pak Pandir, Si Luncai berfikir bagaimana hendak mendesak atau memujuk Pak Pandir dalam misi untuk menjatuhkan Lebai Pak Belalang.


Di rumah Pak Pandir, Si Luncai mendesak supaya Pak Pandir bertanding di pilihanraya yang akan datang sebagai orang kanan Lebai Pak Belalang. Si Luncai meyakinkan Pak Pandir yang dia boleh menebus malu dengan semua orang. Jika dia berjaya mentadbir dan membangunkan negeri, semua orang akan mengiktiraf Pak Pandir sebagai cerdik pandai dan akan melupakan tragedi tandas sebelum ini. Pak Pandir bersetuju dengan cadangan tersebut.


Si Luncai berjumpa dengan Lebai Pak Belalang dan berjaya meyakinkan Lebai Pak Belalang supaya mengambil Pak Pandir sebagai orang kanannya. Si Luncai memberi tanggapan kepada Lebai Pak Belalang bahawa Pak Pandir adalah seorang yang mudah dimanipulasi kerana akalnya yang pendek.


Lebai Pak Belalang memang berkehendak orang yang bodoh dan berakal pendek di sekelilingnya. Oleh itu, dia dengan cepat bersetuju dengan cadangan Si Luncai. Baginya ini akan memudahkan dia untuk "membasuh" duit negara di akaunnya sendiri.


Maka Pak Pandir bertanding sebagai orang kanan Lebai Pak Belalang dalam pilihanraya yang diadakan. Walaupun Pak Pandir berakal pendek; dan semua orang nampak dengan terang yang Pak Pandir berakal pendek; Pak Pandir telah menang pilihanraya itu atas karisma "agamawan" dan "ke-lebai-an" Lebai Pak Belalang.


Rakyat jelata berpendapat Lebai Pak Belalang yang alim warak itu boleh memimpin dan membimbing Pak Pandir ke arah jalan yang betul. Tidak perlu cerdik dalam hal-hal pentadbiran dan hal-hal dunia asalkan cukup dalam soal-soal melakukan rukun ibadat. Bagi mereka kalau pemimpin alim warak, semua masalah dunia akan selesai secara automatik atas rahmat Tuhan disebabkan kewarakan pemimpin.


Kealiman dan kewarakan Lebai Pak Belalang boleh menyelesaikan semua masalah walaupun orang-orang di sekelilingnya berakal pendek. Kalau masalah tidak berjaya diselesaikan, maka cukup dengan berbalik kepada ayat "sudah takdir". Ayat "sudah takdir" adalah amat "power" bila keluar dari mulut orang-orang yang ada gelaran "Lebai" seperti Lebai Pak Belalang. Tidak perlu kepada penyelesaian yang konkrit bila keluar ayat "power" ini.


Maka, Pak Pandir telah dilantik memegang jawatan yang penting dalam pentedbiran negeri.


Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VIII bulan hadapan…

"A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim." (Lesson from the Road Runner).

In one of my previous rantings, (Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner: Why does Coyote only fall when he looks down?) I posted a photo showing the rules of the Road Runner show set up by the producers of the show.

The third rule stated a quote from a George Santayana, that "A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim".

This got me thinking on other fanatics in our midst, real life fanatics.
Namely, Islamic terrorists fanatics.

Islamic terrorists say they are Muslims.
They say they believe in Islam.
They believe the word "Islam" means "Peace".

So, they want to propagate Islam because they think that if everyone embrace or live under Islam, the world will be peaceful.

But then, not everyone share their ideals or way of thinking.
They are rejected.

So, they resort to authoritarianism or coercion or war in order to conquer everyone and make sure everyone live under Islam or "Peace".

That is, when they failed with propagation and coercion, they resort to war including suicide bombing, which is antithetical, the very opposite of peace, in order to achieve peace.

They forgot that their original aim was peace, but now it is about winning the war so that people do as what they say, as per their definition of peace, which has now become "everyone should do as they say".

As Santayana said, they become fanatics, "someone who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim". Redoubling and tripling his efforts, from just propagation to coercion to war.

It amazes me that the Road runner & Coyote can teach me the stupidity of Islamic fanatics and terrorists.
But when a cartoon character is right, it is right.

Go figure!

Re-distribution of wealth: Equal opportunities vs equal outcome (Part I).

We in Malaysia have been talking about re-distribution of wealth for decades.
The intent is to achieve equal distribution of wealth for everyone.
If you live in the real world, you do not want this.
You would and should avoid it like the plague.

In real life, there is no equal distribution of wealth.
There will always be rich people, poor people and the majority in between.
Rich and poor depends on how hard you work and how productive you are.
(Yes, some of you will ask, what about those unfortunate enough to be born to poor families. Not their fault they are born poor. More on that later.)

The only system where you get equal distribution of wealth is in communist countries like the former USSR and communist China, before China embraced capitalism.
But even then, the people in those countries were not equally rich; they were equally poor.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to be equally poor.
It is not OK to be poor just because all my neighbours are also poor.
(Misery does not love company.)

And if somehow we can make everyone equally rich, then inflation will rise since everyone can afford everything.
Inflation will continue to rise until we become equally poor again.

What we want, what you should want and should fight for is equality of opportunities.
Everyone should have equal opportunities to become rich.
Equal opportunities to get a job, to start a business, to get a head start in life on equal footing.

This is why free public school for all is a good thing.
So, it does not matter if you are born rich or poor, everyone has equal opportunities, an equal head start from young in terms of education.
Equal opportunities to start businesses with no red tape that favours cronies of politicians.
Equal opportunities to gain employment based on merit with no discrimination or discriminatory policies that favour one group of people.
In the end, whether you succeed or not, whether you become wealthy or remain poor, depends on how hardworking you are.

Yes, rich people can send their kids to better schools and better universities.
This is why we have scholarships (again should be based on merit).
To equalise opportunities by giving scholarships to good students from poor families.
But once they graduate, they are on their own.

It is about equality of opportunities.
Not re-distribution of wealth; certainly NOT equality of outcome.
Not everyone will become rich and wealthy.
Some will stay poor or become somewhat medium rich.
But that's life.

Some will be poor and some will be rich.
Your attitude, your work ethics should be the only determining factor whether you succeed or not.

So, fight for equality of opportunities and let those who persevere wins.
Avoid anybody who propose equality of outcome or equal distribution of wealth like the plague.

Disclaimer: I am not an economist. I do not have any degree in Economics.
This observation and argument are my own based on my own readings and personal research and my own understanding of the theory of economics. Comments are welcome.