Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Malaysiakini : The other manufactured hero is Ismail Sabri, who returned to an uproarious welcome
when he landed at Subang airport after his visit to America. He was no
battle-scarred warrior returning from having slain several communists.
He was no champion who had returned with a clutch of medals having done
the country proud at a sporting event. Ismail Sabri’s heroic feat was
that he talked with US President Joe Biden in English.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s welcome when he returned from a working trip in the US
Both
men - Ismail Sabri and Najib - are aware that they must remain
politically relevant. Surviving the political jungle is their immediate,
and possibly, only concern. They lust for power and do not mind that
they damage the reputations of other people, the community and the
country.
Najib has been busy currying favour with everyone he meets and has even successfully wormed his way into a few palaces.
Ismail Sabri, as prime minister, can dish out positions and posts when rewarding loyalty. This is where Tajuddin comes in.
Does Tajuddin fulfil the requirements?
Tajuddin is the most unsuitable
and least-qualified candidate to be our man in Jakarta. Ismail Sabri is
aware, but more importantly, the Pasir Salak MP is a powerful Umno-Baru
warlord and ally. The PM needs Tajuddin if he is to stay in power.
Anyone
who contemplates a career in the foreign service or as a diplomat needs
to have good judgement and be of high integrity. They must conduct
themselves well, as they are the “face” of Malaysia. Does Tajuddin
fulfil any of these simple requirements?
Most
recently, Tajuddin misbehaved at the press conference that was held when
two LRT trains crashed in Kuala Lumpur in 2021. He was condescending
towards a foreign reporter, he was insensitive to the victims of the
crash and he joked about the accident despite being told that several
passengers had been injured, some of whom required major surgery.
The
potential diplomat should be skilled in communication and be able to
communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. He should master at
least one foreign language and in his career, may have to learn several
other languages. He should possess strong analytical, leadership and
organisational skills. He must stand firm when representing the
interests of his own country and not be confrontational. Does Tajuddin
possess any of these career requisites?
Tajuddin's track record in Parliament and his shameful performance
during the LRT incident show his lack of control over his emotions. If
he were to behave in a similar fashion when in Jakarta, he may risk the
cordial relations which have taken decades of genuine diplomacy to
nurture.
Ismail Sabri’s cop-out
Indonesia
and Malaysia are important trading partners. We have common borders and
therefore, share many security concerns. There is a healthy student
exchange programme between the two countries and we are heavily
dependent on the supply of Indonesian labour in the construction,
domestic staff, and agricultural sectors.
Although
there are many similarities in religion, language, food and culture, the
Indonesians are more progressive in their thinking. They are willing to
come out of their comfort zone in the pursuit of opportunities, and
more importantly, they have managed to free themselves of their
serf-like mentality. They are not afraid of expressing dissent, unlike
many Malaysians who are timid when it comes to freedom of expression.
When
defending Tajuddin's appointment as ambassador, Ismail Sabri said that
the Pasir Salak MP was a seasoned and experienced politician.
Being
a seasoned and experienced Malay politician does not qualify him to be a
good diplomat. Tajuddin is a pampered Malay/Malaysian politician who is
used to having his own way. Will he understand that he cannot continue
to behave as a “Ketuanan Melayu” politician and risk upsetting the
Indonesians?
When defending Tajuddin, Ismail Sabri
also said that he could not please everybody and that Indonesian
President Joko Widodo had approved the appointment.
When
will Ismail Sabri learn that appointing an ambassador has nothing to do
with pleasing everybody? Moreover, he passed the buck to Jokowi, after
noting our anger with Tajuddin's appointment. In doing so, Ismail
exposed his poor leadership skills and showed us that this ambassadorial
post is all about his political survival.
