LAST night, on New Year’s eve, (I’m writing this on New Year’s day Jan 1) I brought my family to a Kuala Lumpur hotel for dinner and to join the revellers for the countdown at 12 midnight.

We had a late dinner at 9pm, so it was a three-hour do of good food and good wine before midnight. I haven’t actually joined a crowd on a New Year eve’s party for quite a while, so I thought I should make the most of it last night since I was with my family and I wanted them to have a good time.

But guess what? I don’t know why I find it difficult to get into a mood for celebration these days. Oh yes, the company was nice but the music last night was too loud. At my age, I must honestly say that the spirit is willing but the body is weak.

Sure, I used to enjoy parties, singing and dancing but these days, disco music is a ‘no no’ for me. I must take my hat off to guys my age who are able to enjoy the deafening noise and drink deep into the night. Put me in a nice lounge with a two-piece band — a good pianist and a gorgeous lady at the mike serenading the audience with oldies — and I will enjoy that more.

So I was tired by midnight. Fifteen minutes after joining the hotel diners for the countdown, my family and I quietly excused ourselves and went home.

These days, I like to turn in early. By midnight, I should be in bed. But as this is New Year’s Day, I thought I should stay up a little later and watch a good movie at home. And I did!

I have the latest season of the TV hit drama series ‘24’ which I haven’t had the chance to watch yet. So I did early this morning.

Those familiar with ‘24’ will know that it is an action-packed thriller that tells the story of Special Agent Jack Bauer (played by Keifer Sutherland) of the US Counter-Terrorist Unit. He has to risk his life and that of his wife and daughter in order to protect Senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert in the role) from being assassinated.

In the early seasons of ‘24’, David Palmer is the first African-American to be the Democratic presidential candidate and was on his way to the White House. The TV series started a few years ago, long before we hear of Barack Obama. Now, it’s the real thing! — Obama is the first African-American president of the United States.

I think the producers and writers of ‘24’ are real geniuses — they were working on a fiction for the TV series and their character of an African-American president has come alive!

Seriously, I’m now hoping and praying that Obama’s presidency will not be cut short by a bullet. Hopefully, there will be more special agents in the Secret Service like Jack Bauer in real life, who will do anything to protect their Commander-in-Chief. With the killings going on in several unstable parts of the world today, and almost all linked to acts of terrorism, I can only think that the threat against Obama is real.

Coming home, we will have a new prime minister in 2009 — in three months’ time to be exact. We can expect a smooth transition plan and his successor will be handed the most powerful office in the land on a silver platter. He is lucky that Pak Lah is such a nice man, such a mild-mannered character and more importantly, a God-fearing man. We do not see the political animal in him. A lesser man will think of ways and means to cling on to power.

Oh yes, Pak Lah has been humiliated. His colleagues in Umno could not even wait for two years (till 2010) — the time frame set by him for his retirement. They wanted him to go ASAP. Now, if that is not humiliation, then I don’t know what is!

Honestly, I cannot think of any legacy left behind by Pak Lah. But I will remember him as the first Malaysian prime minister who was shooed out of office by his own people. You can use any other word but that is ‘betrayal’ to me. Et tu Brutus — the immortal words of Caesar rings loud in my ears.

But what of the other national parties in 2009? I am not a feng shui master but I can feel that MIC, Gerakan, MCA and PKR will be facing more setbacks. These are parties with many strong, peculiar, even fickle-minded characters and you will never know what they will do next. MIC will always be the same MIC as long as Datuk Seri Samy Vellu is still the president. Gerakan needs a tougher guy at its helm. MCA will continue with its internal struggle as its Number One and Two are as different as night and day. PKR will also face internal strife as it is rather difficult for a new entity (even for a veteran like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to give everybody what he or she wants. And expectations are high among PKR people, particularly those from minor ethnic groups.

In Sarawak, I do not see the state election in 2009. Why not, you may ask. The trouble is that those clamouring for early polls are opposition politicians, their backers and the unhappy minority who are more politically inclined. The others just couldn’t be bothered — as usual.

If I were the chief minister, I would not call for an election this year. Hey, my term is up to 2011, people. I have more than two years to go. I don’t see much resentment among the people against my government. If there are, they come from the same group of disgruntled politicians — those who cannot wait to be in power.

Look back at the past four state elections — 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 — the chief minister served out his full term. He is a seasoned politician and not someone new to the job as chief minister. A new chief minister may want to test his support and popularity among the populace but the current CM has no need to do that.

Let me end today’s rambling with these predictions of 2009 from a professional feng shui master. According to feng shui consultant Henry Fong, 2009 will bring quietness and a lack of activity due to the yin-based earth elements.

“There will be less earth shattering incidents, but the economy is likely to go on a sideway and downward trend. Education, printing and transportation industries were most likely to face challenges as they were influenced by the wood and water elements.”

He predicted dry weather and drought-like conditions, especially in the northern region because of the large influences of the earth and fire elements. However, he said 2009 would be good for those born in the years of the Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Rooster and Dog, but bad for those born in the years of the Pig, Snake, Ox, Rabbit and Goat.

With that, thanks for reading this rambling of mine on this New Year’s Day. I will go back to continue enjoying my ‘24’ tonight.

Once again, have a joyous and fruitful 2009.

(Comments can reach the writer at paulsir99@hotmail.com)