Jaguh Reban

By batsman 

The Jaguh Reban is back. Advertisements on Bapa Transformasi milking Tun Razak’s name has been shamelessly ramped up to coincide with his triumphant return. The shamelessness and cockiness of the man!

But something should be said for his style. After looking like a pert schoolboy in the company of world statesmen for more than a week, he is now all bravado upon his return. His whole body language has changed from one that screams cowed strictly chaperoned henpecked husband to macho Don Juan. Oh! What the air of Malaysia does to one’s demeanor. 

He was even moved to turun padang in the nearby kampung. I have never liked the phrase. It implies high and mighty VIPs who deign to go “down” to the level of the people, but it was nevertheless well- orchestrated. The exercise even elicited responses like “He’s the man!” from SWTs and equally enamored sighs from matronly sunburnt women. Nobody has ever said NTR does not have deadly seductive charm. 

Putrajaya’s Cockywood machinery has also certainly done its job. Our Jagun Reban is looking like a seductive potentially genocidal Don Juan compared to the Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde image of DSAI. 

So OK – let’s move on to the next round.