[2007 - What a blast!]
There's always looming interest to what I usually write for the SMU newspaper - pro-government, objective, stiff and stuffy. So I try a different style this time learning from the professional writers.

I put this on the Viewpoints page. Alternatively, this is can also be known as "From the Editor-in-Chief". It is controversial and somewhat like a script.

Maybe I should go into theatre. Maybe.

My twin brother barged into the room one day with a copy of freesheet Today in his hands. He pointed to the headlines on the bottom area of the cover.

“Look at this!” he screeched almost like tires against the asphalt road some 50 meters below my block of flats. “They finally realised what they have done,” he came running with hands gesticulating as though it was bull-charging season and I had my face painted red.

“What,” I exclaimed acting innocently (thanks to the tips I picked up from the actors and actresses at MediaCorp). “Now what have they done again,” I murmured to myself.

“It looks like they are really serious this time,” the staunch WP supporter looked at me as though hoping for an off the cuff answer.

I returned a blank stare just like how a politician in denial would react. “Come on, I know nothing about this,” I said.

“So what have they realised now I asked?” That they unknowingly blurted out that they made some calculation error in the nationwide PSLE scores or something? Or something more serious such as the eradication of poor Hougang residents. What could be worse?

“Just look,” he said. “Tharman takes over as Finance Minister from PM tomorrow,” he mouthed.

I thought to myself. I remembered PM talking about buying votes during one of his rally speeches during the elections. I quickly brushed that thought aside. Worse still, I could end up in jail for even thinking.

“It’s just a coincidence,” I acknowledged. Just like how dad met mum and you know how the story goes.

“See, I told you before,” he shot back like an angry dog that’s been just unleashed at the same time ignoring my last sentence.

“How can the Prime Minister be Finance Minister at the same time?

“It’s outright corruption”, he blurted out.

I shook my head. “You don’t know. It’s the transition phase,” I said sheepishly.

“You think countries become democratic overnight,” I proffered. “They don’t.”

“No. But but…” his voice trailed off. “You can’t seem to understand that one cannot become the Chairman and concurrently be the Treasurer of the same organisation right?”

“It’s like the NKF and Durai. Don’t you seem to get it,” he blared again like the sounding of the horn of the start of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon.

“Calm down, I shot back.” What was I to say? It seemed like a conspiracy theory gone wrong. Just like how I used to imagine that Osama was just an imaginary person used by Bush as an excuse for his “war on terrorism”.

Knowing that I couldn’t offer much consolation, I stood up, went to the kitchen and poured him a cup of tea.

I pulled out a chair and offered him a seat in my cosy sofa. “Why don’t you blog about it?” I suggested. We need more excitement online since the closure of Crazy Horse.

I must concede that he thought it was a good idea. Cause days after that argument he started his own blog – complete with his own theories and beliefs.

At least he has found a way to vent his frustrations.

I heaved a sigh of relief and went back to reading “Confessions of an American Media Man” drowning my thoughts in the array of insightful adventures of Tom Plate.

How about that edition of Today? It lies buried among my pile of The Straits Times hoping to get picked up again for a chance to be shoved into the spotlight of the discussion arena.

It is just a few more days to the end of 2007 as I write this.

Here’s to a brand new and honest 2008.