As Ning and I were lining up to board our flight to Penang on Wednesday afternoon, I spotted a familiar face standing in front of us in the queue. So I whispered to Ning.
Me: Look in front of us. It's Guan Eng.
Ning: Who?
Me: YAB Mr. Lim Guan Eng, the Chief Minister of Penang.
Ning: No lah.
Me: Yes lah! I know how he looks lah. It's the CM lah.
Ning: Takkan CM jalan sorang sorang. If he's the CM, where's the bodyguards and the officers and the rombongan and kaum kerabat?
Me: Tak percaya? Watch and learn.
So I walked up to Yang Amat Berhormat, introduced myself and asked to take a picture. He smiled and obliged.
YAB CM: Hey, I know you! You're Ning Baizura!
Ning: YAB Lim, good afternoon.
YAB CM: Come, come, we take a picture. Vernon, here's my card. Email me the pictures OK.
Me: Definitely, sir.
Ambik kau. CM pun peminat katanya!
Ning and I really felt honoured. But we felt more surprised that the Chief Minister of a state was travelling all by himself like any normal rakyat jelata. But the biggest surprise in store for us was yet to come.
As usual, we sat in First Class. I expected the CM to be seated somewhere in front of us but then I realised he wasn't in First Class. Where did he disappear to???
I popped my head round the curtain that veils First Class and Economy Class and guess who I saw sitting in the front row seat of Economy quietly reading the newspapers?
YAB Mr. Lim, you have my deepest respect. You have made history by being the first Chief Minister in this country to sit in Economy Class whilst in office as Chief Minister. You really mean what you say when you talk about cost-cutting. Sir, you have shown me leadership by example.
Of course I asked permission to take his picture sitting in Economy and he laughed. And I said I'd blogged about it and he laughed some more, and gave permission. Ketua Menteri yang berjiwa rakyat.
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I really salute Lim Guan Eng's attitude.
Hi Faisal
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking my post and sharing it with your readers. Appreciate it very much.
Regards
Vernon
Thanks Vernon for your approval. I love your blog really.
ReplyDeleteHeh, thanks for sharing with the world. Nice2
ReplyDeleteHehe, I read about it through your blog actually but dare not to mention about it. I was afraid it will not just ruin myself but you instead if I put your name in the post. Since famous people is very particular with their post, blog, rule, disclaimer. But I respect them and try not to be unethical for ripping their materials. I asked for permission instead.
ReplyDeleteHope this post can give a good news to us Malaysian.
This is indeed a good post. No wonder Faisal would post it on this blog.
ReplyDeleteHow I hope every ministers can behave like him.
Yes, I wish so too. If all ministers can do so, it will be a different Malaysia for us.
ReplyDeletenice, indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks green apple ;)
ReplyDeletenice one uncle..
ReplyDeletehow about my father? jiwa rakyat alsso...herherher...
he didn't lose but he was not choosen as candidate..
We knew what happen with that incident didn't we? Not only us, but whole Penang I suppose. But thing has passed... Hope this is a good lesson for BN in Sg Ara =)
ReplyDeletehey!..i was actually scrolling down to see that if i clicked the right blog...aaa...sudah tukar template hehe..
ReplyDeleteLeaders, all over the world, the one who is close with the community are the most voted for no matter 'who' the leaders are. Sadly , some leaders just see the 'kaching' as the voting point - which is a short term strategy.
Lol. Yeah I guess since I love colors... black background is the best, suits some other colors.
ReplyDeleteYes I'd agree with your point. Short term strategy seems so-yesterday and people today isn't stupid [I didn't say old folks are stupid either]. So, my points are... be moderate, take care of your peoples and be an example =)
nice template.. hehe.. wah.. mr manager pun ada komen sini.. dasat2.. hehe..
ReplyDeleteOh, I really respect 'our'(I already live Penang for 2 years so, I think it is not a wrong word to use even though only as a student. hehe) CM. Love those humble leader. Oh, and I am fully supporting him on his moves to set up a think tank for Penang development
Hehe thank you...
ReplyDeleteI trust in him. "First I was afraid... I was petrified..." that was the part of a song that I used to sing when Penang was conquered by DAP and YAB Lim Guan Eng as the leader replaced YAB Koh Tsu Koon. Now I got the courage to trust in him =)