A crow, which was sitting on a tree near my house, flapped its wings and took off upon hearing the cawing of a few of its kind farther down the road. One of them had spotted some food and was alerting and inviting others to join the feast.
It reminded me of another incident years ago when I was shocked by a cacophony of cawing and screeching. Upon investigating, I spotted dozens of crows – more than 50 – flying around or standing near a dead crow on the ground.
I wondered if they were paying their respects, as I watched the scene. None of the crows, however, touched the dead crow. After a while, they flew away.
Years ago, when I was working in Penang, I would sometimes see crows alighting on the ferry in Butterworth and flying off just as the vehicle reached the Penang island pier. They were smart enough to conserve their energy, I thought.
In fact, I wrote about this in the “Penang Perspective” column of the New Straits Times in 1981. “Penang Perspective” was started by the much respected Khor Cheang Kee but after he retired, others took over the writing and continued using the same pseudonym of “Tanjung”. In 1981, G Umakanthan and I were taking turns writing the weekly column.
Coming back to the crows, did you know that they are not indigenous to Malaysia? They were introduced by the British planter Edward John Carey. He had a problem with pests on what subsequently came to be known as Carey Island and so brought in crows from Sri Lanka in the early 1900s. They did a good job of pest control, and they also did a good job of multiplying and spreading all over the country.
Although most people don’t like them, crows are natural waste removers, not just pest controllers. Nobody really knows why crows in a group are often referred to as a “murder of crows”, although many link it to old superstitions about crows and ravens. Bird watchers and scientists, however, use the term “flock of crows”.
Scientists have done experiments that show crows exhibiting practical intelligence. Time and again they have shown that crows are smart. I haven’t heard anyone show or say frogs are intelligent.
As I was watching the crows, I wondered why our politicians were not more like crows and less like the frogs some of them are associated with.
I sometimes wonder if frogs are offended at being compared to party-hopping Malaysian politicians.
Recently, social media has been full of cartoons and comments about “political frogs” leaping or ready to leap to another party for money or other gratification, due largely to the fact that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional-led government is tottering.
Muhyiddin’s fate – and that of his government – rests on proving that he has majority support when Parliament sits from Sept 6 to 30. Latest reports say the confidence vote in Muhyiddin will be taken on Sept 7, a day after Parliament is declared open by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
However, anything can happen between now and Sept 7.
As public discussion heats up and the rumour mill works overtime, speculation about MP buying has reached a crescendo. In fact some MPs have lodged reports claiming they had been offered millions to switch sides. However, we don’t know the truth, we can only speculate.
The latest names bandied about are those of Damansara MP Tony Pua, Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah and Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah. Maria pooh-poohed the claim yesterday evening, and it is unlikely that Pua and Sivarasa will turn their backs on Pakatan Harapan.
And yes, we’ll be hearing more and more rumours about party hopping as Sept 7 draws nearer, provided something doesn’t happen to derail the sitting.
But party hopping is not new, especially not in the last two years. Just as frogs shed their skins regularly as they grow, politicians shed their parties to grow in stature, power or riches.
Party hopping is not legally wrong, although many find it morally despicable. Sometimes, MPs have a change of heart and decide that they can serve better in another party. Often, though, they move to enhance their careers – for every MP would like to be a minister and every minister the prime minister. There’s nothing wrong with that.
A problem only arises if they sell their principles in switching parties or jump on the promise of getting a lucrative post or becoming a multimillionaire.
I said earlier that a group of crows is called a flock or murder of crows. What about frogs? A group of frogs can be called an army, a colony or a knot.
No wonder armies of politicians fan out throughout the nation during elections promising heaven and earth and then, after winning power, act as if the whole country is their colony to exploit and do as they like. In the process, they entangle all of us in seemingly endless knotty problems and crises – as at present.
Tomorrow: Why you shouldn’t kiss a frog
The views expressed as those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.