“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!”
SHAH ALAM, 25 Aug: These are among the lines of the poem “If” by the leading British poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895 as a form of advice of a father to his son.
This poem which has a deep meaning of the norms of life was read with appreciation by Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, almost seeming to reflect the situation faced by him now as a politician.
The top leader of the state seemed to want to tell the audience implicitly about the crisis that has hit his career and him, personally; however he managed to remain calm even though the issue of the Selangor Chief Minister’s hot seat is at its climax.
In front of about 1,000 attendees at the State Government Department Monthly Assembly, Abdul Khalid calmly recited the poem which describes a situation when a fight is for the principles and is important for a leadership.
“The poem describes a situation where the struggle for principles is important for a leadership, that is why I hope that we can share our experiences and continue efforts to improve this beloved state,” he said at the Silver Jubilee Hall today.
The serenity was punctuated by laughter that was heard when the poem was read by Abdul Khalid, making it seem like the attendees understood what Khalid was trying to convey, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that there were in harmony and accord with the former corporate figure.
Line by line the poem was read while the meaning was explained to the audience, among them being “if we can still be stern and stand upright when others blame us, be patient when being scolded and smile despite not being liked anymore, then we become genuine human beings.”
The poem also gave the impression that Abdul Khalid is forgiving and never held a grudge against of anyone who ‘hurt him’.
Abdul Khalid is now the only Independent Assemblyman who allegedly lost the majority support from the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Assemblymen who want him to retreat and make way for the President of PKR, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as the new Chief Minister.
While being pressures by many people, Abdul Khalid remains faithful in serving as the Chief Minister of Selangor after obtaining consent from the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, with the help of four members of the State Executive Council from PAS.
NS
