“This kangkung obsession is fast becoming a laughing stalk,” tweeted comedian Kuah Jenhan. “Lettuce get to the root of the problem. We have mushroom for improvement.” That was the conclusion of a BBC commentary on Najib’s kangkung speech, which has been trending on social media.
Thanks to blog visitor Don Anamalai for the video link.
Najib’s remarks reveal how out of touch he (and his spouse) are to the sentiment on the ground in the face of rising food prices, whether at fruit stalls, markets, supermarkets, hawker centres or restaurants.
Check out the commentary on BBC Trending – ‘Be careful what you say about spinach’.
Malaysia’s prime minister is being widely lampooned on social media for a comment he made about the price of kangkung, or water spinach.
Food is a faux pas minefield for politicians, especially when it’s perceived as being used in a get-down-with-the-people kind of way – think of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s pasty moment or Chancellor George Osborne’s “posh burger” tweet. The almost inevitable response seems to be ridicule. That’s where the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak finds himself right now. With the government under fire because of price hikes in basics like fuel and electricity, he choose to push back by highlighting a reduction in the cost of the leafy green vegetable kangkung. Read full article
After his frustrating silence on the Allah controversy, Najib thought he was in safe territory talking about the price of kangkung. Far from it.
Unfortunately, the fuss over kangkung has not gone deeper than the lampooning of Najib’s remarks. There has been no real probe into the real reasons for soaring food prices and the impact of the takeover of agricultural land (for speculative/high-end property development?).
There is also little analysis of the impact of soaring property prices on the prices of other items.
Well, at least Najib has inadventently put the spotlight back on higher food prices (which are burdening the lower-income group and others) and the Barang Naik syndrome – and away from the Allah controversy.
R Vijay Kumar Verma has added the following compilation (from various sources?) to my Facebook page:
… everybody wants a celery increase but it’s like the government doesn’t carrot all, sorry for being grump-pea.
He should just apologise and move on but sawi seems to be the hardest word.
These price increases dont matter to the big shots but to the rakyat it tomato.
There must be a lady finger with a ring behind this.
Dont worry. While the rakyat suffer these cronies become like potatoes and may develop cauliflower-like tumours.
In the meantime let’s enjoy all these jokes and remain cool like cucumber.
Final say goes to Harith Iskandar:
I think the whole 'Kangkung' thing has been a little berat seBELAH.CHANces r, its been taken out of context
— Harith Iskander (@HarithIskander) January 13, 2014
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Anyone else think TURUN should have a Pay-toll-with-Kangkong campaign during this Chinese New Year would be a good idea? Don’t mean to literally pay with Kangkong but hand a stick to all drivers during the drive back and see how far it will reach…
Kangkung, price increases and greed, everywhere in UMNO baru land. Corruption is the lead cause of spiralling inflation in the country. A lackadaisical attitude by a Government who does not care, coupled with lazy officials, officials who want to get things done the easy way, who wants to live and enjoy the good life without lifting a finger. Most price increases in Malaysia are man made. Just look at all the Asian drinks on offer in hypermarkets throughout the country nearing the Chinese New Year. Tetra pack Asian drinks were introduced in Malaysia 23 years ago with the starting price… Read more »
And don`t you think that is even more cruel or not fair when a guy who commmit rape after rape, murder, robbing etc and then said to Jesus Yes I believed in you and was saved and go to heaven while the good guys who has done the most good things say I don`y believed in you and was sent to hell. Come on Kee everything and whatever reasons is subjective.
Najib is real out of touch with reality.
He still thinks (or his advisor must have told him) that Malays prefer Kangkung as their staple vegetable.
Honestly most Malays today have ‘upgraded’ to the more expensive Broccoli.
The BBC report on Najib’s kangkung fiasco is inaccessible, and technical experts are pointing to possible censorship as the cause.
http://beta.malaysiakini.com/news/251908
BBC also got the same treatment as The Heat?
this is what happened to those who deny Allah swt rules of “HUDUD”…they show their stupideness everyday and after..
Dear mohd fuad, Hudud is too harsh. For eg stealing, some people they steal not because they are poor but they have this inner urge to steal not because they want to but they really cant help it. Please allow me to share this story. This young guy he said when he was young he must steal otherwise he could not sleep. So, he had to steal everyday. However, he said after he accepts Jesus and the church prayed for him, he has since been delivered, no more having that urge to steal. Therefore, if a person steals and …… Read more »
Sebat lo
It is not necessary to chop off the hand. Depend on the reason and situtation why is the person stealing. U need to study more about hudud. Hudud is not about chopping hand.
http://bit.ly/JimatKangKung : Eating Kangkung And 11 Other Money-Saving Tips This 2014.
Ya..ya…brilliant,….pay your toll with kangkung, fill your car by kangkung oil, light your house burning kangkung….
Where have you been Andrew?
Been on holiday with Gerakan K. He paid for it. We had boiled kangkung for breakfast, steamed kangkung for lunch and since he always feels generous at dinner time, we had fried kangkung. He said the batter and oil made it more expensive.
He told me that it was his way of losing all the weight he gained from the last GE, thanks to his 1PM.
So I said what about me? He said I can lose more weight with super instant noodles, you know, the packet of five at special price of 3.99.
Somemore I save one sen, thanks to Tesco.
Was the kangkung trend in social media reported by pro BN papers such as Utusan, Berita Harian and the Star?
Small celery increase? No problem, eat more kangkung.
Save your breath. Stop complaining , use less garlic and more kangkung whilst cooking.
Stop pining for apples, eat more kangkung.
Time to tip toe gingerly around the topic of veggie prices.
How many carrots is the ring on her finger ?
Gerakan Kangkung.
Penang Botanic Garden Consultant Steven Henchie (from London royal botanic) may be inspired to create a Kangkung concept garden to remind us if there is no meat, kangkung can still save the hungry stomach !
see his pic here :
http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2014/01/12/114.html
Queen Marie Antoinette (circa 1789): “Let them eat cake”
PM Najib (2014) : “Let us eat kangkung” (?)
What is “whole Kangkung thing”? The fact of the matter is the rakyat is being made to pay FIRST for the failures of UMNO/BN and Najib is at the forefront of those failures. The rakyat has NO ASSURANCE the failures will not continue even after they pay for it. The other way around, the urban and non-Malay voters have turned against UMNO – do you see UMNO saying lets give them more of what they demand?
1Malaysia Open House must now have Kangkung-inspired dishes. Kangkung sotong with sambal belacan you’ll ask for more provided kangkung prices remain affordable (kedai 1Malaysia should offer kangkung regularly with price forever controlled low if not subsidized).
New Lenggang Kangkung Remix ft Najib
Can always count on Don for interesting video links. Keep it up!