The Kingmakers

Do you think journalist just report the world as they see it?

Think about that, think hard. Relate it to the whole "Police v. Aminulrasyid" discourse. In the mean time, indulge me a little time to explain my thoughts on that.

Every profession has its purpose. One either provides a service or produce a product. A baker bakes, a singer sings, a tailor sews. A journalist? What about them? What has a journalist got to offer? Well, they manufacture news. Note my choice of word, manufacture.

The bread-and-butter of journalistic career is to run about town (or world, depending on what he or she is covering) chasing for newsworthy items. Once they find something worth reporting, they'll get down to business. The hunt for quotable statements and insider information thus begins.

Malaysian Idle

“In works of labour, or of skill,
I would be busy too;
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.”

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
British hymn writer and minister

The above saying may be of Christian origin, but I reckon there's no harm in me quoting it since the logic makes a great deal of sense. Idleness can indeed be the cause of many great mischief. And Malaysia, the land where everything is Boleh, is renown for its very own brand of idleness - the lepak culture.

It is rather ironic that citizens of Bolehland, who strives for a plethora of feats and records (some bordering absurdity) has a less motivated alter ego, one who loiter aimlessly at shopping malls by day and chat through the night at local mamak place or kopitiam.