Safety Net

"Next term I wont go (to contest ). This maybe my last term."

—MIC President Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu [Bernama]

When you hear it all too frequently, it can become amusing, can't it? It is even predictable what these people are going to say each time they're being interviewed.

When politicians talk, their sentences are littered with "safety nets" all over the place. Consider the word "maybe" in the above sentence. Just what exactly does that word mean? It means that there is still room for the good Minister to change his mind later, perhaps because of popular request from his supporters.

He said he will give up his post at an "appropriate time". Trouble is, what is the definition of "appropriate time"? In most cases, it means don't hold your breath. However, it is refreshing to know that the Minister realises that he is not going to live for 100 years; and "everybody's got a time to go."

Look, you don't get very many responsible people like Samy these days. He has no choice but to cling on to his post—it's not even his choice, really! I mean, how could he leave his post?... "If I just leave the party now, the party will go into disarray." See what I mean?

That's why even an army will not stop Samy from running for office again.

Go for it, Samy, you are the man!