swearing in of new PM



suckers for all things grand and historical, my whole family dutifully sat in front of the telly today at 7.50pm to watch the swearing in of our new Prime Minister.

pomp and circumstance aside, i personally feel that nothing captures the moment more accurately than my mother's running commentary during the entire ceremony. Below are (translated) excerpts (including the sound effects and slang, if any), just for the record..

"Ahh! Wah! (she did actually let out a worried yelp) Almost fall down! he's old already lah, that's why" - as Lee Kuan Yew stepped down gingerly from the stage after receiving his scroll for "Minister Mentor" from CJ Yung Pung How.

"Aiyoh, read from the script I also can lah.. If it's me, i'll make it short and sweet. So long and cheong hei..." - as the President read his carefully prepared speech for a good several minutes.

"Aiyah, why the cabinet wives dress until liddat? even the aunties in the market dress better than that..." - commenting on the dressing of the VIP ladies sitting in the first row.

"His eyes shift and shift... must be so nervous.. and see now got double chin, must be having a good life.. i think within two or three months his hair will turn all white from the stress.. haha.." - on the new PM himself.

"eh, how come this one like a hippie.. you know hippie right? people with long hair?" - comment on Lim Swee Say

"how come all so old?" - while the cabinet ministers were being sworn in as a group.

"haha.. i think some are not saying it lah.. not all will say right? i mean, who knows? not like if only one person then you can easily tell, right?" - my mum gleefully suspecting there are free riders amongst the ministers who are swearing in in groups.

"haha.. he smile until liddat.. must be thinking "Finally the wait has ended" (this is a lot funnier in Chinese) - on why the new PM smiles so broadly when he is giving his speech..

and as he said "we have to be grateful for what the elderly generation has given", my mum spontaneously chirped "of course lah! elections coming mah!"

as the camera moved around and paused on Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew, my mum rather boldly called Mr Lee an "ah pek" and said he fidgets a wee bit too much, mimicking his forehead scratching, before she let out two mighty yawns and said the new PM is so "lor sor" (long-winded), "just like his father"..

sigh.. with a running commentary like that from my mum, who needs commentary in the four national languages? :p