Demonstran dan Tangerine

Baru saja selesai baca "Catatan Seorang Demonstran" tulisan Soe Hok Gie. Sayang, tidak banyak orang seperti dia sekarang ini. Dia sangat idealis (walaupun dia kemudian mengaku telah menjadi seorang realis), keras kepala, prinsipil, dan berani. Tapi dia juga seorang romantis, pergaulannya luas, terbuka, humanis, pecinta alam dan mandiri. Bila sesuatu salah, dia kritik, tanpa pandang bulu. Kebenaran adalah Tuhan nya. Walaupun mungkin tak semua pendapatnya benar, dia berani bertanggung jawab dan menanggung akibatnya. Dia bukan seorang oportunis dan dia tidak akan menjual prinsipnya demi apapun. Dia juga sadar kalau perubahan hanya bisa didatangkan melalui kekuasaan (dan kekuasaan bukan hanya berarti kekuasaan politis), tetapi kepentingan rakyat tetap harus didahulukan. Kesendirian karena prinsip-prinsip yang dipegangnya pun bukan sesuatu yang asing bagi dirinya. Mungkin benar kata Kings of Convenience, "The loneliest people were the ones who always spoke the truth. The ones who made a difference by withstanding the indifference". Kalau saja bapak-bapak dan ibu-ibu wakil rakyat baca buku ini, mungkin mereka bisa merasa malu dan tahu diri, dan tak mau lagi naik gaji.

Another one I just finished was "Tangerine" by Colin Cheong. He's my favourite Singapore's writer, but I must admit that I prefer "The Stolen Child" than this one. It's basically about a man's journey through Vietnam and how he relates to people around him, local or not, strangers or friends. The first three quarter was pretty much his style like in his any other book, but I didn't really like the last quarter. What I love was hints and indications that Nick in this book might be Wings from his first book! (Wings is one of my favourite fictional character ever). I wouldn't really recommend it, but, hey, I can't just say no to a Colin Cheong's.