Folks, don’t let the political climate spoil this Chinese New Year weekend! A lot of things have happened that we are unhappy about. Umno — though a small party rejected by the majority of its voter base — getting unjustifiable help from the government to return to power as evidenced by the “partial pardon” — which benefits no one — given to former prime minister Najib Razak is one of them.

It is the latest of all the other bad news we have been getting in these past four years. But, I’m told that the Year of the Wood Dragon 2024 is supposed to be a good one. The wood element associated with this dragon is expected to add creativity, flexibility and growth to the year.

I’m not into astrology but am always open to positive suggestions that could improve a situation or solve a problem. The notion of creativity that comes with this year of the dragon is, I believe, excellent food for thought.

Even at a personal level, creativity helps us solve problems without compromising our belief systems. Otherwise, we make things worse by justifying bad ways of solving problems by saying “no choice”!

At the political level, I’m hoping that our leaders and MPs learn from the mistakes made and find creative ways of solving national and political issues without compromising the federal constitution.

Finding creative solutions without going against the constitution is a characteristic we do not see in our leaders and MPs. Instead we see this chaotic, ad hoc and panic-prone way of doing things expediently rather than constitutionally which results in more problems than solutions.

So, I’m looking forward to a year of creative solutions!

The Chinese New Year reunion dinner must be over because I can hear as I write fire crackers going off sporadically in the night! No sound of the colourful burst of fireworks, yet. Late last night, a neighbour set off a lovely display of fireworks which I witnessed gleefully through my window!

Close to midnight, I intend to stay by my window and watch the night ignite into a myriad configurations of lights as fire crackers explode continuously all around.

I know I will wish that the exploding crackers would mute — just a little! But then, I know, I would ask, “Hey, what happened to the Chinese?! Why aren’t they frightening the ghosts off before the new year this year?!” I’ll miss the noisy welcome of the Chinese new year!

So, fire away, folks and light up the sky! Gong Xi Fa Cai, all!