My first interest in national politic was probably through news coverage about Anwar’s sacking from Deputy Prime Minister post by Mahathir.
I can’t remember the exact year. But it was probably during 1998 or 1999. I was only 10 years old.
No. I din’t read newspaper yet at that time. I only started to read newspaper actively, a day after 9/11 attacks after my brother pointed out to me. My curiosity gets the better of me.
It was from my parents conversation that I knew some major incident had occurred.
They were worried there will be riots and unrest in the country.

My second political enlightenment came during my Form 6 stint in Methodist Boy School.
You see, I had this great teacher who taught us General Knowledge subject.
Ms. Alisson would often chastise our class for our lack of empathy regarding Malaysia justice system.
Inevitably, she will encroach into “1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis” topic – the infamous controversy sacking of Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas.
Prior to that, I must admit my general knowledge was only skin-deep.
Ms. Alisson did not elaborate further but she’d often used this as an example in her lesson. Perhaps, she was trying to bait us into finding out more by ourselves.
From her narration which was done on serious note, I could sense her dislike for Mahathir.
Malaysia’s politic was actually not as dull as some people think.
I must admit this subject was one of the few that I truly enjoy.
That year was 2006.
Two years later, the opposition swept into a stunning win, winning 5 states and denying the ruling coalition 2/3 majority for the first time in 40 years.

My third political enlightenment was during my degree studies where we were forced to study for Malaysian Studies and Moral Studies during semester break.
Moral Studies was just comparably dull as with Moral subject during secondary school. I ended up doing translation works from English to Malay instead for the case study assignment.
It was the former subject that intrigued me. Malaysian Studies was taught by a UPM graduate who was now a lecturer in USM.
In the case of ironic, both universities are national university under the control of present government. But the lecturer was talking more like an opposition. His class resembled an opposition ‘ceramah’.
Anyway, his narration about insider political stories and jokes never failed to amuse me.
The lecturer was purportedly a member of one of the ruling coalition parties but never voted for his own party in his entire voting experience!
He was political aide to one senior leader in ruling coalition who had since stepped down.
That year was 2010. I still vividly remember writing a very long ranting which was 1 full page long or more for my final test for each question.
And I get a B+ for attending his class.

All in all, borrowing a quote from one of my lecturers, politic is a waste of time…and if I may add; politic is a joke. I get daily doses of humors by reading politic.
Sometime, I just wish I never attended Ms. Alisson’s class and be ignorant. Perhaps, I could just use the spare time to strike rich.