Hulu Selangor Political buffet

Variety has spoilt me.

The trend of ever changing design, functions and applications of the uber-generation of mobile phones has kept our desires and excitements in constant alert. It is so difficult nowadays to meet someone with a 2 year old mobile phone. This phenomena is not just an exclusive reserve of the well to do too because even in the lower price spectrum, the turn over of these mobile devices is large enough to prompt most manufacturers to render their year old models obsolete as soon as the color or looks is thought to be outdated.
This trend is normal in the computer universe and most consumers have accepted the fact because more times than not, the replacement models always was better, faster, looks nicer and promised to feature the latest technology.
I must admit here that I too was a sucker for manufacturers and industry insiders promises of a better experience every time.

When it came to mobile phones though, my last Nokia communicator lasted me two scooter accidents, one tantrum spell and almost 3 years of verbal abuse. So when the time came for me to join the millions of well informed and trendy individuals in the blackberry land, it expectedly filled me with a rush of anticipation and anxiety of the forth coming experience of choosing my new much needed communication device.
What follows is a slur of activities which includes constant web browsing, advice seeking, Low Yatt visits, hair pulling and leaning over magazine shelves flipping new mags because the half dozen ones I bought was a month old and so wasn't up to date.

There were so many choices available to me. A cheap one with no functions, an expensive one with too much function, touch screen and a time bomb, a bread n butter model that's plain jane and serves your purpose but tells people that you're so cheap you wont get the best one(kedekut, tahi hidung masin), an older model that's the right price but makes u look untrendy and won't make u attractive to the opposite sex, the list goes on. And on.. And on

It really is a hazardous experience but one that I can truly appreciate because it's such an important decision, that whether you like it or not will not only portray your sexual preferences and style consciousness, but also your ability to stay connected with the world via the various new and legacy communication mediums.

It is totally imperative that you keep up to date with the latest methods of sending your message across and the new available technologies that are bundled in the new phones that will make you look and feel like a proper techno stud.
The variety of choice available is tremendous and befits the consumers' variety of needs and means which dictates ever changing technology and the requisite product replacement.

The same can't be said of the automotive world though because the cars a decade ago don't look or feel much different or, in worse case, drive poorer than the new cars today. In fact if I were to give you 200k today to get yourself new set of wheels, you'll be browsing through motor trader looking for your dream car that was new 6 years ago (which is 3 lifetimes in the mobile phone world). Sometimes, time and experience can be the best judge to tell whether the manufacturer can produce a car that can create a suitable and stress free marriage or not. And other times familiarity breeds content. That's why car buyers can be brand loyal. Trying to charge them a premium for a face-lift for what is essentially the same car is quite difficult though.

So the same rules of constant need for change or upgrading as applied to the world of technology devices doesn't always apply so effectively to everything else as i have shown for the automotive world.

Which brings me to the political buffet we are offered in Malaysia? There seems to be an interesting variety on offer. There are constant promises of change, new trends and radical transformations. Its the first time in a long time we have a proper choice of government.

The latest rounds of promotions and soliciting are gathering like vultures around a dead horse in Hulu Selangor in conjunction with the latest by-election to choose a new member of parliament after the demise of Dato Dr Zainal Ahmad last month.

I was amazed to read the many tweets of various MPs trying their best to report the on goings leading to the naming of the respective candidates of each opposing sides. The funfair surrounding the ceramah was well documented and easily visualized as they explain the hoohahhooray of each party's speakers as they take to the rostrum.

I'm afraid our political leaders are largely missing the point of the by-election, choosing instead to focus on the means and methods of promoting their latest product and offering. But then again, just like choosing your new hand phone, the buying experience is always the best and lasting part for the customers. Like it or not, you still need to choose to make sure you stay connected. Whether the new product is better as promised remains to be seen.

Its about time we took our choice of leadership as seriously as choosing our phones. Product knowledge is important so you can make a decisive and well informed choice.

You'll never know if you've made the right choice or not, or whether your choice will be superseded by something better in the future. Or worse, the other person bet on the right horse and you didn't. Dont fret though, as long as you made a choice, it's good enough, right or wrong, for you to worry about what others have chosen. After all the grass will always look greener on the other side.

So should we treat this leadership buffet as an automotive facelift? or Blackberry's new BoldtourCurve 5 vs iPhonepadpod 3Gss?

Above all, politics is similar to economics. The person (voter) that buy gets what they want, whether they need it or not depends on if its a necessity or a luxury. The product (candidate) must be sold, if not it will expire. The seller (party) is always the one that makes all the money. Everyone can be a winner.

Don't be the loser. Be a smart buyer, not an impulsive one.