Of Allahyarham En. DPM

To be honest, I don't remember much about Allahyarham Tun Ghafar Baba and much of my earlier memories about him was when he was the DPM years ago after Tan Sri Musa Hitam stepped down from that post (which I have no memory of it whatsoever). He didn't really stand out among his politician peers the way they always do. He didn't come from a powerhouse politicians family nor was he a fiery speaker like. As far as I remember too, he's not the type that engineered nation's maga projects or monuments.

However, one thing that really sticks to my mind when it come to Allahyarham was that he was still En Ghafar Baba when he was the DPM which was quite strange at that time for man of his position. As I read the newspaper about this man, he was the below-the-radar guy for a politician and that would explain alot but it's really hard to find someone who would refuse to accept awards that would make one a Datuk, Datuk Seri, Tan Sri especially in the politics community. Then again, Allahyarham was one of the nation's early politicians. A rare breed compared to the type that we have now and currently at the bottom of the list when it comes to thrustworthy.

I my former office, there was this one plaque where the building was officiated by then the Health Minister in 1970s which happened to be En Health Minister(I can't recall his name). I guess during those days, people doesn't give much thought about having datukship or maybe the title itself was so 'expensive' that even a minister would still be an 'En.'. It can't be more ironic compared to nowadays where almost everyone has some sort of title and nobody would bat an eye to a Datuk (well at least I won't).There're so many things that have changed in the past 30 years but this is one of the things to stay the same as it used to be. Politicians really working for the nations instead of the nation working for the politicians. People see politics as a ticket to some government projects and a waterhole for the ones looking for self gain. Where it used to be a genuine way to help the people, it has become a way to milk the people and country of it's wealth. Will the politician top the trustworthy list? I don't know...