The Golden Onion

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There was a country called 'Negri Antah Berantah', located in a far, far away land. Totally detached from the reality of our world, totally unrelated to those who have died and those who are still struggling to survive. The people of this 'Unknown and Never known land' were known as the anti-blossom or withering people, a weird name needed much understanding, of a people that would forage in the morning to eat in the morning, without any surplus, blessed with complacency of watching non-edible beautiful rock and steel buildings, so magnificently standing tall in the mist of chocking exhaust smoke of heartless man chasing time.

One day, the special people that also dwell among the withering people decided that all the mushroom building that looks like unemotional lifeless concrete and steel idols, were looking very old and out-dated. The tall-nosed pure capitalists were getting bored with their old luxurious toys and thinking of buying new ones, more expensive than ever, since the surplus must be spent, if not, it would be counted for rigid taxation and zakah, a continuity of an oppressive system of the once mighty Islamic Empire, to help them feed and grow the people. People like plants, need love and attention too in order for them to grow properly and present others around them with delicious and watery fruits, plentiful for more seasons to come.

But the withering people were more withered than ever. The global world has come to their very doorstep, and with it, hungry capitalists that would not have to forage at all, ever, to eat and feed his stomach for a thousand years to come. If anything tempting happens and they were doomed to fail, the safety net system would work automatically like clock work to pamper them back to their glory. The wasted money, millions and billions of them were not for the millionaires to suffer. It's the job for the mediocre, trapped between the poor and the rich. They would have to suffer the consequences.

The ones that were trusted with the heaviest responsibility of prospering the withering people has become stagnant and hesitant in their BMWs and Mercedes, stuck in the coolness of the double filtration air system that would made them feel like they were already in heaven without having to pass the death zone. Most of the time they dwell in their private heaven on earth, before having to pay a little attention, here and there, when the need arises, usually in 3 to 4 years lapse of time, to address the withering people that although have been withering for a long time, seem to be showing an immunisation to total destruction by modernity.

As the special people, blessed with special relationship and attention, specially of course, just for them, the selected few, have to decide and justify their actions to the withering people, who although have been withering, still are blessed with prosperity in having offspring and thus, the large numbers to intimidate the special people and non-withering people. Every decision must be carefully justified in a just manner, even though it is just to blind them temporarily in awe, so that they would not dare to ask and say, what if. 

At the meeting of the great assembly of the ruling elite and the ruled, the special people presented their case and arguments of why the beautiful buildings of concrete and steel were still not enough for the tall-nosed capitalists to buy all the things of their dreams and how everyone, especially the withering people must help them to achieve their beautiful dreams, so that they would not die, a man with shattered dreams, as have so many, around the withering people. 

Upon hearing this emotional explanation that is backed with solid statistics that would make ordinary withering people more withered in understanding them, the withering people relented for the 100th of time, even though they have reminded everyone to at least think of their withering bones and stomach that could only bear a few days more without basic needs for their inexpensive survival.  

The withering people complained that they had to use expensive imported cooking oil, when their lands were taken away to grow palm oil, as far as the eyes can see. The onion, a very important flavour and ingredients of the ordinary withering people to keep them happy with some goodness in life, has doubled its price as with almost all necessity things that keep them alive and somewhat happy. Upon hearing this, the special people got intimidated and frown, and said, "But we have needs too and it can't be fulfilled with mere cheap local ingenuity and flavours. We need established world renowned luxurious things that the withering people can only wither of, in order to survive the heartless modernity that would spit on those who were not expensive and snobbish!" The withering people withered and back down in disappointment, yet again.

But to win their heart for a more couple of years, the special people made an announcement, "We will start importing and planting golden onion in order to help the withering people deal with the inconveniences of their life". But no cheer ensued as usual from the withering people.

After a long pause, someone said, "Whoever can survive on mere gold? We have plenty on our neck!"