12 Days that Changed Malaysia

I have not been doing as much marking as I planned to do because the news got more exciting by the day and by the hour. It has been 12 days since Pakatan Harapan (Coaliton of Hope) won power in Malaysia. From the swearing in of the 7th Prime Minister on 10th May to the formation of the Cabinet of 12 ministries last night it has been an exciting 12 days. About a third of the new ministers had been jailed by the former government but how the tables have turned. Watching the new Finance Minister giving his first press conference I felt a sense of pride and elation. What a struggle for justice and truth in politics. As a son of the long enduring opposition leader, the new finance minister was an opposition politician for more than 30 years and finally reached his aim of sitting as part of the ruling party in government. With the country’s finances in dire straits with allegedly RM7 billion bailout of the 1MDB fiasco, no doubt there will be much house cleaning and getting the house in order in the next few weeks and next few months.

Home Sweet Home

I arrived in Ranau at 12noon after 3 weeks in Kota Kinabalu. I wasn’t planning coming back here until the new Semester starts but last minute I was called to teach an extension programme on Early Church History. I rushed to prepare 37 PowerPoint slides for a 7 hour long teaching session from 3pm to 10pm tomorrow. I hope the turn out will be good seeing that it took me 2.5 hours to drive back. But at the back of my mind I was thinking perhaps I could join my Students in the InterCollege sports in Lawas, Sarawak next Wednesday.

Forgetting my Father’s House (Genesis 41:51)

It is ironic. Joseph had come to a position of authority and power second only to Pharoah in the world power of the time. Many things were gifted him. As a foreigner and an inmate imprisoned on false charges he came out of prison and became king (Ecclesiastes 4). But more ironic was Joseph’s first born son given the name Manasseh which Joseph interpreted as God made me to forget my toils and all my Father’s house. Joseph had experienced great pains and bitterness in the hands of his brothers. 10 of them ganged up on him out of jealousy and hatred and almost had him killed. For 13 years he suffered as a slave in a foreign land. He had to forget his father’s house to move on in life and it was what he did when he assumed power without bitterness haunting him.

Malaysian Election Aftermath

For the past three days I had about 3 hours sleep each night. I am only a spectator but watch every piece of news from social media or TV. Malaysians have voted for change. 7 States in Peninsular are under the new coaliton Pakatan Harapan led by the former and now the newly appointed Prime Minister of Malaysia. I thought there might be trouble as the day after the election went on but there was no news about the swearing in of the PM-elect. The Election Commision did a lousy job this time round as final results only came in at 4.30am the next day. Apparently there were several recounts but the news were that as BN ruling party was losing badly in many States the results trickled in at snail pace. Tun Mahathir claimed victory before midnight and the losing caretaker Premier did not appear until the next day at 11.30am.

Malaysia's 14th General Election

It was a sight to behold. The power of citizenry. All lining up orderly to cast their votes. The cars lined the streets from one end to the other.  I had to walk 10 minutes to the polling booth and once I got there it was smooth. At most it took about 25 minutes as there were about 20 people in the queue for my polling station. My name was called out with my Identity Card number but I whispered to the Election official how to correctly pronounce my name. My right index finger was inked. When I showed them my right index finger I was asked for my left finger as people assumed that one is right handed.

Itinerant Preaching

I was on a mission. A good friend told me that he had visited a village 15 times in the past year for the sake of campaigning in the general Election. So I don't think my occasional travels for the Lord are any more strenuous than what politicians go through especially when the Election is near. But driving alone almost 4 hours was a test of endurance. I count the kilometres and on my way to Sipitang I only stopped at Beaufort 45kms away. But on my way back I stopped three times in Beaufort, Papar and Kota Kinabalu. I was welcome with the customary Lundayeh hospitality with afternoon tea. I reached there at 5.30pm after having satay at Sipitang Township at 4.30pm. At 6.45pm it was dinner time and the night meeting started at 8pm sharp. They only sang two songs before they handed the pulpit to me and I preached for about 45 minutes on 5 things about grace. So just after 9.10pm we ended our service but supper went for another hour before I excused myself and returned to my room at 10.30pm.

Forward Planning

For me preaching is going through a storm where one navigates all kinds of winds, opposing winds of false doctrines and political winds of the day as we draw near General Election next Wednesday. Last night I received news that I shall be preaching tonight as well as tomorrow’s Sunday service. I wish they told me earlier for better preparations and now I have to prepare mentally to preach twice instead of once. It is not something out of the ordinary but forward planning is not a forte for many people, pastors and leaders included. In class I spoke about the last minute syndrome and looking busy and important in those last hectic hours due to lack of forward planning.