In life you go through many events and episodes. Some you might cherish to remember and others you just want to forget. Whether you want to forget or remember it had already been imprinted in your memory. Life has its ups and downs...one has to accept them both. I met many different and varied people in the process of my life...I went through all kinds of life experiences...the sweet and sour...good and bad but they were my best teacher about living....never felt disappointed though at times frustrated...however there were so many lessons that could be learned...
My career began as soon as I graduated as a legal and judicial officer...I sat on the bench learning to listen and at the end of it dispense justice as I understood it...I met all types of criminals and witnesses... the ordinary and not so ordinary persons. I learned to observe and made assessments and finally passed judgments and meted out sentences appropriately..My decisions might be right or wrong but I prayed they were right so that I really dispensed justice as I should. I learned and read about judges and judgments to comprehend and understand the law and justice...these guided me..I met advocates and solicitors who argued their cases for their clients...again I would say a very colorful set of people. Some honest with integrity whilst others would try to mislead the court in their attempt to convince or influence the court to arrive at decisions in their clients favor...
After a couple of years then I resigned from the service and became a legal officer of BBMB, which had totally disappeared from the banking scene. The xBBMB regretted that such an important and symbolic organisation could be obliterated. My role in the bank changed to an adviser on banking and finance from a púine judge of the court. When I decided I wanted to be a true banker..I moved to banking and finance career. I went through all types of training and exposure until I qualified to be called a banker holding all different positions. I sat on boards of companies..I could say it was challenging and interesting...I never however stopped imparting knowledge through teaching, lecturing or presenting papers at local and international seminars....on a part time basis for free or for payment. This was satisfaction to me..in politics I observed my dad and mother..how they went through trials and tribulations together...
I was a small time politician at the sideline trying to serve the people and never wanted to be on the mainstream of politics...By destiny or fate with the passing of my father I went more and more to the main lane of politics which brought me to be an MP and a Minister of the government at the age of 46 in 1990 to 2013 when I ended up as an ordinary MP when Najib took the helm of the country..This was the beginning of a different exposure for me. I saw power and authority...man showing and practicing greed and intrigues...legitimate and non-legitimate, legal or otherwise....the days of sacrifice and dedication and commitment of my father and his generation had passed and left us...UMNO and BN had changed...Nowadays is the era of the rich and elites...more Machiavelli on the mainstream of politics and life itself those with position and status who thought that bullying and showing off was fun...
In sum, all spices of life was thrown in....I could meet friends and enemies....hypocrites ...backstabbers all rolled in one...it was a jungle out there...that one must learn to survive....I was fortunate I met Kings and Queens, Leaders of States and Governments and Ministers...different shades and styles...dictators and diplomats...I learned about being thankful and bring pragmatic...I met the adventurous, opportunists, the ambitious and those with ambitions... Life was never short of stories...Those who forgot facts or history or even distort both..betrayals and so on and so forth.
Malaysia has changed, politics and people had changed. I met the arrogant and not so arrogant. old and young with positions and status kept showing off their status and positions who declared them loudly so that others would hear or know who they are or were...Interesting also when leaders equate national interest with their personal interests...all in all there were specific and not so specific memories....but one thing I learned quickly...that is, never expect thankfulness or gratitude from fellow human beings because they have short memories ...if anyone remembers you or your services, good. Otherwise, accept it as part and parcel of human nature...
FBSHApost@6 April 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment