THE POLITICAL FOLKS

Here are the three most political people in the neighbourhood. First up is Uncle Raju, a retired government servant who talks politics to anyone who will listen. He has an opinion on every policy decision made by the government of the day and is never too shy to voice a complaint about taxes. His one quirk is his enthusiasm for the politician's face mask—he wears a new politician’s face mask every day! Then there's Aunty Mei Ling, the local restaurant owner. She's always engaging customers in heated political discussions over her scrumptious curry laksa. She once stood on a turned-over table and made a speech on corruption while ladling out noodles—it was a performance!—and then there is Mr. Wong, the retired professor with a passion for activism. He organises weekly protests on Saturday afternoons against everything from deforestation to rising petrol prices. But it is his fabled sense of humour that is his true trademark—dressed every time at a protest as a different politician, he tells joke after joke that has us in hysterics. These three might be outspoken in politics, but they sure know how to bring laughter to our chat around the village.