Tiada sapi batu di galas.

27.10.2010.

Actually it's Batu Sapi and Galas. And the old Malay proverb goes "tiada beban, batu di galas." It means doing unnecessary work, or more pointedly, carrying out a stupid undertaking. We're talking about the next upcoming bye-elections, of course. One in one end of the country, and the other at the other end. In the peninsula we'd call Galas east. But on the map of Malaysia, Galas is west, and Batu Sapi east. East or west, both sound remote to me. And the undertaking, though not stupid, seems needlessly burdensome.

Needless to say, these were tragic times for the two bereaved families whose losses necessitated the whole thing. The clever reporters have been quick to catch the negative undercurrents in both areas of contest. Ku Li is said to be miffed by some negative remarks by his own candidate. or rather "adoptive" candidate. That could spell trouble later. Teck Lee is already having differences with PKR, with whom there was supposed to be a political deal. So it's a three-cornered affair there, and much vote splitting is certain. In a way bye-elections are  parochial, and Kelantan and Sabah each tends to be more parochial than others. State and local issues will weigh in more than national ones. Candidates' personalities would carry more significance than expected, and the hard work and clever campaigning at the house-to-house level right to the last day, especially counter -  and multiple visits, are going to cause trouble.  Linda and Teck Lee can build up on their past experience, although in the BN's candidate's case it will be the late husband's record. The PKR candidate is said to be a prominent lawyer, but to the general public he would have to start from scratch.

Hak Tam has a rm 5-wager with me. He takes PAS for Galas, and I take BN for Batu Sapi. I think he'll win in Kelantan, but I think I'll win in Sabah. That means it'll be all square. We shall see.

For us the bet is just " tak da kerja, lawan Batu Sapi dan Galas." 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------