In Loving Memory of Mak Timah Bidan of Sungai Pinang.

I have no stomach for politics, never had and I feel sorry for politicians while at the same time admire them for what they have to and are willing to do just to get things go their ways. One has to be a genius, a crook and a shyster all wrapped in one to become a good politician and I have seen enough of them come and go in one life time since I was a child growing up in Georgetown, Penang. Our home located on the junction of Jalan Sungai and Sungai Pinang Road was not too long ago the headquarters for UMNO the predominantly Malay led party that was recently and finally defeated in the last election by an alliance of parties led by the former Prime Minister who ran the country for more than 22 years prior to being elected again to the same seat in the last General election and they say fools never learn. Thanks to my late auntie who was a midwife in her entire life having delivered at least three generations of Malays, Chinese and Indian families, her call was heeded for anyone to run for a seat in UMNO; she was a confidant to Tunku Abdul Rahman, the founding father of this nation. For those who doubt me my claims do some research on this lady whose name alone, Mak Timah Bidan, can make or break you as a politician. And today these ungrateful could not even name a small road after her. 

Jalan Sungai, the road that runs alongside the house that still bears her name, and ends up at the junction of Jalan Sungai Pinang, is simply a translation of its original name in English which was River Road. For all that she has done for the Sungai Pinang and Jelutong community especially during the dark days of the Malays and Chinese going for each other's as in the May 13th 1969 incident, not many knows the truth of how together with the Penghulu of Sungai Pinang, or the Head man known to most young and old as the late Chik Mat Penghulu, the most feared if not respected in the community, my Auntie was instrument in halting a blood bath between the Chinese of Jelutong and Bakau Street and the Malays of the same area. It was said that during the dark days of racil tensions between the Chinese and the Malays in Penang only Mak Timah Bidan was allowed free passage to visit all the different racial communities because of her responsibility as the most sought after Midwife at the time. For those who think I am making this up check your local history while the old folks are still alive to verify.

Why do I hate politicians, especially the Malay ones? Because I may not like any of them but I grew up watching them very closely taking advantage with impunity over whatever and whoever that is advantageous to their agenda. With sweet words and empty promises they walk all over the community after they have attained their goals of ripping off the very same people that had put their trust and elected them. In Sungai Pinang we have once reminded one such a politician by dumping a bucketful of crap in his doorway, that was the Sungai Pinang I grew up in. It is a shame that the names such as Lim Chong Yu and Karpal Singh got merit having Drives and Highways named and them not to mention lesser deserving street names all over the town and the name of someone who had brought into this world three generation of life in all three racial communities is slowly fading into oblivion.