Malaysiakini reported that UMNO Deputy President Najib Tun Razak used pantun to tell Dr M to stop his attacks on the current PM. While this is not the first time that pantun is used at the UMNO General Assembly, I can't recall any other high-ranking UMNO leaders using the pantun since Anwar Ibrahim.
Najib Tun Razak's pantun did not adhere strictly to the principles of pantun making. I mean, where's the thematic separation between pembayang and maksud, man? And I'm not exactly thrilled by the content of the pantun either but I guess I won't complain if high-profile usage of pantun such as this helps keep pantun alive and fresh in public consciousness!
Come one, come all - let's make pantun Malaysia's answer to the haiku.
I've appended Najib Tun Razak's pantun below since it's not easily accessible on the net. Please note from me: I do not necessarily endorse or support any part of its content. But I do have violation objections to its structure!
Najib Tun Razak's pantun
Setiap pemimpin ada zamannya,
mereka berjasa kepada rakyat,
Pelbagai dasar telah dicuba,
Menjadikan negara kita hebat.
Bertahun-tahun negara dibina,
Segala bakti kita kenang,
Tidak lupa pesanan lama,
Pucuk pimpinan mesti dijulang.
Kini tiba zaman Pak Lah,
Tiga tahun menabur jasa,
Negara ini semakin berubah,
Memulia agama, membela bangsa.
Pak Lah kita beri sokongan,
Ahli parti mestilah setia
Segala barisan kita kukuhkan,
Demi agama, bangsa dan negara
I too have find unrest in the style and structure of the pantun.
Certainly not a literary treasure.
Posted by: ahmad | March 20, 2009 at 12:19 PM
'I too have find unrest'....wth? i meant 'I too have [reservation and] find unrest....' sorry
Posted by: ahmad | March 20, 2009 at 12:21 PM