If You Think I'm Dumb, Wait Till You Meet My Government

You gotta love living in a police state. Doesn't matter where you are in the world, it seems that once the government closes up, stops allowing a free discussion of (I'm sorry Nessa, I have to use the word) "issues", people's (read: the authorities') brains shrink to the size of mustard seeds.

No, they can't be that dumb.

Huh! Dumb, dumber, dumbest, I don't think they've truly plumbed the dumbness depths here.

Of course, in Malaysia, with more than two decades of "don't ask questions, we know what's best for you...I don't think, therefore I am (patriotic, that is)...we have come to regard these forays into crass stupidity with amusement. Laughter helps temper the inevitable irritation.

Here's the faithful transcription of an exchange between a reporter of a local tabloid and a musician who happened to be at a rock concert. The police raided the concert, on the pretext that it was "black metal" and the reporter in question was trying to find evidence of dark doings.

Reporter: Did you notice any indication of Satan Worship at Paul's Place?

Rafil: No

Reporter: Was there a goat present?

Rafil: Excuse me?

Reporter: A goat.

Rafil: Kambing? (Goat)

Reporter: Ya, kambing. (Yes, goat)

Rafil: Kambing hidup? (A live goat?)

Reporter: Ya, kambing hidup. (Yes, a live goat)

Rafil: Kambing hidup, lari-lari kat venue Paul's Place? (Just to make sure: a live goat running around at Paul's Place?)

Reporter: Ya. (Yes)

Rafil: Kat luar ada kedai mamak, ada kemungikinan besar diorang jual kari kambing. Tapi dalam venue tak nampak. (Outside at the mamak stall, there's a large possibility that they were selling goat curry. I didn't see any goats at Paul's Place though)

Reporter: OK, so takde kambing? (Just to be absolutely clear about this, so, no goat?)

Rafil: Yang lari-lari kat stage, takde. Kalau tapau kari, roti bawak masuk, saya tak pasti. (None running around on stage. But I can't say for sure that no one packed some goat curry from the mamak stall next door, with roti, and brought that in).