CHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO KAMPUNG SENTOSA

Nestled amidst lush green paddy fields and rows of aging wooden shophouses lies Kampung Sentosa, a small, seemingly peaceful village. But beneath its quiet exterior, the place teems with quirky characters and endless gossip.

The village is famous for one thing: gossip.

"Did you hear? Mak Cik Timah’s stall got fined again because her fried chicken’s as hard as a rock!"

"Uncle Wong? He’s hiding his money in the ground. That’s why he owns so much land."

"Cikgu Halim? I heard he’s got something going on with a penanggal ghost near the paddy fields!"

Here, everyone knows everyone’s business. And it is here that the madness of a small-town election is about to begin, shaking Kampung Sentosa to its very core.

*****

That afternoon, the village’s favourite gossip hub, Mak Cik Timah’s warung, was as lively as ever. Villagers gathered, as usual, for tea and their daily dose of chatter. Suddenly, Encik Ramlan, the village head, walked in, bringing with him a buzz of excitement.

"I have an important announcement!" he declared loudly, silencing even Mak Cik Timah, who was in the middle of pouring a glass of teh tarik.

"We’re going to have a small election to choose a new representative for Kampung Sentosa’s council!"

All eyes turned to Encik Ramlan. An election? This wasn’t something that happened often in a small, sleepy village like theirs.

"What happened to our previous representative, Encik Rosli?" asked Uncle Wong, sipping his kopi o thoughtfully.

"Encik Rosli… he’s moved to Kuala Lumpur. Says he wants to be a businessman," Encik Ramlan replied. Though the truth floating around in whispers was that Encik Rosli had fled after the failure of a botched bridge-building project.

*****

Within an hour of the announcement, the entire Kampung Sentosa was buzzing with excitement. Every stall, shop, and surau turned into a discussion hub: who’s going to run for the election?

At her stall, Mak Cik Timah was already calculating her chances.

"I’m a veteran here. Everyone knows me. If I run, I’ll definitely win!" she said confidently to her loyal customers.

At the kopitiam, Uncle Wong was already strategizing.

"I’ve been wanting to deal with the ghost issue at that old mall. If I become the representative, all the ghosts will be gone!" he declared with conviction.

By the riverbank, a young man named Johan was practicing writing his manifesto on a piece of paper.

"Young people like me deserve a chance! I’m going to bring big changes!" he said to himself, imagining the grand celebration he’d receive after winning.

*****

Not everyone, however, was eager to join the fray. Azri, a young man immersed in his online business, smirked at the news.

"This election is just a contest of who can make the biggest promises. But with technology, I can win without wasting time," he said to his friend.

Meanwhile, Hassan, a quiet and reserved villager, simply shook his head. He had no interest whatsoever.

"What’s the point of running? This village isn’t going to change."

*****

The day after the announcement, the village had already started to transform. Mak Cik Timah’s stall was covered in posters. Uncle Wong had begun printing flyers. Johan was busy recording videos for TikTok. And Azri? He was building a website for his online campaign.

This election wasn’t just a competition. It was about to become a stage for drama, conflict, and comedy that the villagers would remember forever.

Welcome to Kampung Sentosa. And welcome to the madness of small-town politics.