Taat, the Malay word for respect, honour and loyalty.
Khairol Azman stared blankly at the white washed wall. His back against the opposite wall, the narrow hallway he was in had two doors at the end of it. One was where he came in, the other is where he is waiting to enter. The 12-feet long hallway had one small window facing the garden outside. Khairol's hand began to sweat, he anxiousness was starting to overcome him.
"You can come now", the voice came from a shadowy figure behind the door Khairol wanted to go in. He stood up and walked towards the door, his wrinkled hands grasped the cold doorknob and opened the door. He walked in and bowed towards the man sitting in an armchair the middle of the room. "Sit down", the man that was at the door said. Khairol took the other armchair facing the man in the middle of the room.
But before he sat, he knelt down towards the man and kissed his hand. He then took his seat, shifted himself in a slightly more comfortable position. "Raju, offer our friend here a drink, he is our guest" said the man in the armchair to Raju, the man that was behind the door. Immediately Raju, took a teacup and saucer and placed it on the side-table between the two sitting men. He poured some black tea for Khairol. Khairol looked at him and smiled. "Come, drink, you are my guest" said the man in the armchair. With his withered hands, Khairol carefully took the teacup, blew into the hot drink and sipped it slowly; he placed it back, and with a slight sigh he sat back.
"My friend, you asked to see me, what can I do for you? Try to relax, you're in good company now" the man in the armchair calmly said. "Tuan, I'm sorry for coming on such notice, I know it has been such a long time since we met, times these days are harder and harder. I have never been in such a position like this" Khairol's voice suddenly trailed off, he covered his face with his hands. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath and continued, "Tuan, I will lose my ladang if I don't pay my mortgage up. This land belongs to my grandfather, suddenly the bank comes in and issues me a notice, I don't know what to do", again his voice trailed off, and this time it came with tears.
The tuan, sat there slowly nodding his head. He looked at Khairol. "What do you want me to do? Pay it up for you? Lend you the money? Talk to the bank?" asked the tuan. He then stood up, placed his hands on the shoulder of the old man, he then lifted Khairol's chin and said "For years, I have never heard from you, you were once the main provider for rice for this family but after you got richer, which is only a little rich, you forgot about your friends"
"Please tuan, I will do anything, do this on our friendship" pleaded Khairol Azman. The tuan's eye grew large. He went back to his sit. He looked at Khairol, he forwarded his right towards Khairol. The old man knelt before the tuan and kissed his hand; "Remember this day, Khairol, for you are my friend, I am helping you, your loyalty shall always be with your friends especially the ones who help you in most troubling times". Khairol nodded and stood up, he bowed and took one last sip of his drink. "Thank you tuan. Thank you Tun Lionel", he quickly turned his back and went towards the exit, Raju opened the door for him. As soon as Khairol was out the door, Raju closed the door and locked it.
Tun Lionel Rzumi Wong, sat down now looking at Raju, "Tell, Salleh of this, he'll know what to do". Raju nodded and exited the room. The Tun leaned back into his armchair. He took a sip of the golden liquid in his glass. He stood up and walked towards the room's window, it was facing the outside garden.
He was the Tun. People needed him and he needs the people. He isn't a man in office, but is strong enough to own them.
