the art of .....

kaki bukit, a predominantly industrial estate.... marathon man has done a numbers round before; seemed like nothing new for him to explore. but not today, when he pushed himself right to the end of kaki bukit where he hit kaki bukit ave 3, 4, 5 and 6 kaki bukit road 4, 5, with his kaki, ah siraj. he saw kampung type of setting in ave 5, new buildings in ave 6, training ground for novice drivers, civilians and also for military personnel(in an enclosed camp, at the end of rd 4). he went by the famous bukit pasir(sand hill) - a man-made big heap of sand reserved by the hdb.

perhaps kaki bukit(foothill) should have a new meaning - at the foot of this sandy hill?

siraj said, "this sandy hill thingie reminds me of a story.... a story about some king who sits on the top of a sandy hill, but unawre of it, less so, that one day his kingdom may just be slipping away under the sand.... by what he did - putting himself higher and higher up with more sand...."

and the story begins.....

meritocracy is the pivotal principle this red-crab kingdom runs its affairs with. that, everybody knows.

one day, the king asks his son, "what is the most important knowledge you have to learn to rule the kingdom?"

"politics?"

"no."

"economics?"

"no."

"how to fix the oppositions?"

"no. it's the art of meritocracy."

"what's that? never heard of such course."

"of course. it's taught only to the king and his successor. since now you have taken over the throne, i would have to pass the knowledge to you also."

"i know meritocracy is what we emphasize in running our kingdom, but what is the art of meritocracy? like science is what the scientist practise, not the art of science!"

"ok.... you know why the senile minister recommended your wife to head dramasick?"

"well, she is the most qualified person!"

"yes, in a sense. if somebody else would have run the group, and made mistakes like what she did during her tenure, that somebody would have long gone..... these people recommended her so that the group can move forward, and nobody gets blamed if something goes wrong."

"you know what she recommended mr good-ear to replace?"

"he's had a pair of good ears - very atuned to the investing atmosphere?"

"no.... we could have nominated one of our ministers who we have always boasted how good they are. but we did not. because if mr good-ear later on failed, then your wife's reputation would have remained intact. but imagine if we recommended people like mobok tan to head dramasick, and he failed..... all ministers' ability would be tarred! now if he succeeded, she would have been praised for chossing a good succesor. but if mr mabok was picked and succeeded, than it have confirmed that she's a jinx!"

"hmmm.... you really think so?"


"ah, why i picked george agogo instead of antoneo tankuku to be my successor when you were not ready yet? not because george is better than tankuku.... if i would have picked tankuku, you would stood less of a chance to become the king later."

"ah.... but you said, tankuku didn't want to be king."

"of course, he must say that. else he would lose face when george was picked. further more he would not want to offend me."

"hmmmm.... you really think so?"

"ok... why you think we put up another presidential candidatealthough ah ong was obviously a choice preffred by the people?"

"he was sick?"

"you were sick also. we did that because he's stepped out of line."

"so, you are saying...."

"what i'm saying is ..... yes we uphold meritocracy as a numble one principle to run the kingdom.... but meroitocracy is not a science.... it's an art. the art is when to know how to appoint the right people to the right posts n teh right time.... and make it look like we are infact following the rule. mr george knows it, mr tankuku knew it, even your wife learnt fast, and should have thot you a thing or two...and of course your father, me is the jedi of the art of meritocracy!"

"but i still think how to fix the oppo is the most important thing to know, in order to rule the kingdom."

"yea.... but you DON"T HAVE TO LET THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW, you dummm.... if not for the practice of the art of meritocracy...." the king shakes his head......

"papa.... don't get angry. i know i'm so so... i'll learn the art of meritocracy from today.... but surely you don't mean you yourself don't deserved what you have achieved?"

"only for the fact that the art of meritocracy is not age-limited, son." after along talk the king feels a bit weak.....