I have been writing since I was a kid. Scraps of manuscript tucked away in a cabinet back home, drafts saved on my desktop computer - unfinished writings for my eyes only, destined perhaps never to see the light of day, some even all but faded from memory.
Occasionally, I write something that makes an interesting read - so I think. And then it gets published - so it's not just me thinking that.
Between 2011 and 2012, I had the opportunity to write for a column in The Star, a national newspaper, called 'Putik Lada' (or 'pepper buds' in English). Not on an exclusive basis - it's a column open to all young lawyers, published fortnightly. I just happened to contribute a modest handful of articles, before I left practice and the column was discontinued.
In many ways, my writings there mirror those here - so if you enjoy what you read here, you will enjoy what I had written back then.
Hence, with a wave of nostalgia dashed with a sprinkle of self-promotion, I hereby present the full title list (with excerpts) of my 'Putik Lada' articles:
"To the overlords, take heed that slowly but surely, all the good young professionals will sail away to leave behind nothing but dead drift wood. Change now, before the Jerusalem bells start ringing and Roman Cavalry choirs start singing. To the underlings, remember that there is salvation to your hunger and anger. The sea will not run out of horizons. The market will not out run of demand for professionals." (17 March 2011)
"Legend has it that Death is a human skeleton clothed in a black hooded robe. He wields a scythe and carries an hourglass. The scythe is the harbinger of death. The hourglass is the measure of a lifetime. Everyone has their own hourglass. Each hourglass holds the Sands of Time. When all but the last precious grains have fallen to the bottom, Death will seek its owner. Like all legends, there is some grain of truth behind it. Time is a valuable, but finite, resource. In a lifetime, we can make money, fulfill our ambitions and do the fun things we enjoy doing." (31 March 2011)
"Like butterflies following their migration flight patterns, we waltz through the Social Network not with reckless abandon, but to our own tune and steps. A relationship, whether casual or intimate, blossoms only when two persons genuinely agree to keep in touch with each other. This is true of all kinds of relationships, whether between friends, family members or lovers. And like any agreement, a relationship is bound by rules. Welcome to the Social Contract." (26 May 2011)
"What history teaches us is that Independence Day is simply the day on which a white knight disposes of a tyrant. Whether after that he becomes a benevolent king sworn to protect his people’s freedoms is a totally different story altogether. A change of regime may be nothing more than a change of jailors. There may be an extra meal or longer visitation hours, but otherwise the people remain in shackles." (19 August 2011)
"Today, Christmas is no longer just a religious or cultural festival celebrated in the West, but a global event transcending race, religions and cultures. After all, how we celebrate Christmas is very much like how we celebrate life.In life, just like during Christmas, we expect to be rewarded for the good things we have done. Life, just like Christmas, is about dreams and desires." (23 December 2011)
"Batman stands for justice. But Batman is also a symbol of privacy. He keeps his thoughts and actions to himself. That’s how he rolls. You can’t kill a symbol with knives, bullets, or toxic gas. But you can destroy a symbol by unmasking the human face behind it and revealing its human flaws bit by bit, until people lose faith in the symbol." (11 May 2012)
"Ingrained in football is the spirit of tribalism. And ingrained in tribalism are colours and chants. Every football team has its distinct colour. Colours symbolise exclusiveness, and strengthens the “us against the world” siege mentality. In Europe, it is a case of football imitating politics. Sadly, in Malaysia, it is more of a case of politics imitating football." (6 July 2012)
"Sometimes, people want much more than a social contract. They yearn for a closer social relationship, with greater social commitments. They are willing to invest all their efforts and emotions on a single relationship. It can revolve around family, friendship, work or even a political, religious or social organisation. Welcome to the Social Company." (5 October 2012)
