One man's speech is another man's entertainment

I'm still getting used to the idea that Friday has an absurdly long lunch period. Back in my old office, Friday's 1.5 hour of lunch break is possibly the greatest way to end a hectic week. My ex-colleagues and I would actually have time to eat and chat at leisure without constantly looking at our watches and fearing that we'll walk into office a minute past the deadline. And when that lunch period ends, we'll trudge back to the office with a constant mental mantra of 'TGIF!'. The remaining working hours became easier on the nerves as Saturday & Sunday roll by (and pray that clients don't have that sudden desire to meet us over the weekend!) and if we're lucky enough, discover that a public holiday falls on the dreaded Monday.

 

At my new office, that lunch period stretches to 2.5 hours. Obviously, meetings and what-nots may still be arranged during lunch periods (I think this is the perk of being a professional. One doesn't seem to need time to rest or eat. Nothing warms the fuzzies of our hearts, assuming we have one in the first place, than to work as others enjoy some time out) but for today, I actually had the freedom to enjoy those super long 2.5 hours all to myself. Yet, I found myself leaving office at 12.45 p.m. with that uncomfortable feeling that I'm playing hooky (since a normal working lunch on Mon-Thurs starts at 1 p.m.). Others have left promptly at 12.15 p.m. or earlier, considering that the Komtar lifts are very unforgiving in shutting the doors without delay. With 6 lifts plying at least 22 floors of civil servants, trying to enter the lift during peak times is the same as winning lottery. One needs to wait for a long, long, long time. Even then, one may end up disappointed.

 

With my lunch done in matter of minutes (as I've come to realize that my appetite is ravenous these days. Blame it on the overdose of Nasi Kandars), there was at least 1.5 hours at my disposal. Walked around the nearby malls for window shopping and knowing I can't buy anything at the moment, decided to head back to office. A glance at the watch showed I've 30 minutes left. Of all the days, I chose to enter via the state government's main entrance. Made my way and began to hear a man's booming voice through a loudspeaker with supporting chants. Curiosity struck and I inched myself closer to the crowd, trying to figure out the message they intended for us. That was when a colleague stopped me in my track. I was so engrossed in listening to the speaker that I completely did not see him in front of me. He asked that I enter the office via the side entrance. Through him, I got to know that this particular group would assemble themselves in front of the main entrance after every Friday prayers to condemn the Chief Minister and literally everyone who works for him. Policemen stood nearby but made no move to apprehend anyone. Interesting and scary at the same time. Judging by the crowd, I could be mistaken that there was some grand pasar malam sale going on smack in the middle of Komtar.

 

But that got me thinking. It's his right to speak up even if it means him condemning my colleagues and I. Things that he said may not be pleasing to the ears but he's entitled to spew nonsense and provide a form of twisted entertainment to those listening. I do not see any harm in that. After all, I am guilty of ranting about people and I hardly use polite forms of expressions in my remarks. The listener(s) will decide. No matter how persuasive the speaker is, it is no justification to let the brain cells remain idle without weighing the merits and cons of the arguments. To silence anyone that opposes you through curtailment of their basic freedom would naturally mean that our freedom will one day be silenced too. I wouldn't like that.