The Polite & Courteous "Melakans"

Not too long a time ago, the CURRENT (no pun is intended here!!) YAB Chief Minister of Melaka urged the people of Melaka ("Melakans") to refrain from using the discourteous remarks such as "lahabau" etc which is commonly used in the Melakans daily conversations ... Coincidentally, I am in the midst of reading the English translation of "Hikayat Hang Tuah" by Muhammad Haji Salleh and after reading up to page 105, I found that Melakans - those days at least - were indeed very polite and courteous ... Here are some of the extracts from the "The Epic of Hang Tuah" as a proof: At page 103, when the Sultan of Melaka ordered the Bendahar Paduka Raja to compose epistle to be presented to the Patih Gajah Mada of Majapahit, the Bendahara asked Tun Tuah and his four comrades - ooopsss!!! wrong choice of word!!! - compatriots instead by saying: "Come, gentlemen, please listen to the tenure of this letter and verify these gifts; if they are apposite and suitable please state your agreement, and if not please also speak your mind." On hearing this, both Tun Tuan and Hang Jebat said (please read this ....): " Both of us are but servants to Your Lordship; would it be ever possible to surpass My Lord in wisdom and knowledge, who is coversant with the governance and customs of the "negeri"?" Now if that is not polite and courteous of Tun Tuah and Hang Jebat, please be mindful that even the Sultan of Melaka was also so polite towards his subject, the Bendahara Paduka Raja. When the Bendahara had an audience with the Sultan after completing the epistle, the Bendahara said: " Daulat, Your Majesty, your humble servant has done your bidding. Now I leave it to Your Lordship's judgment. Should Your Majesty disagree, I shall rewrite it, but your servant has listened to it being read." The Sultan of Melaka upon hearing the epistle being read to him thereafter said: " Both the sound and composition of the epistle please us greatly. Now it is time for my revered Bendahara to prepare himself; in seven days we want Patih Kerma Wijaya and Bentara Tun Tuah to sail to Majapahit." No wonder Melaka was such a great empire those days as the Sultan and his subjects were so courteous with each other and "bermuzakarah" in their dealings as illustrated above. So, my dear YAB Chief Minister Sir, not too worry all is not lost ... I believe the Melakans are indeed a polite and courteous lots!!! What say you, Norm? Till we meet again ....