BOOK REVIEW | A master storyteller’s recollections – told and untold

 

BOOK REVIEW | He was a lawyer, a judge, an arbitrator and still sings for a good measure when coaxed. But Vadaketh Chacko George, or V George as he is known, has stood out as a raconteur extraordinaire. His portfolio of those he has regaled with his masterpieces include royalty, fellow judges, lawyers, journalists and his friends at the Long Bar of the Royal Selangor Club

George has put amusing anecdotes and incidents in a book which is aptly titled Some Stories I Have Told and Some That I Haven’t – which is neither his memoir nor a collection of his speeches.

It is a narration of his many encounters, spiced with wit and humour. But he has not omitted the serious side and has devoted about 50 pages with photographs that trace his personal journey and family life – from growing up in Klang, a short sojourn as a medical student in Singapore, reading law in London, in private practice, on the judicial bench and finally as an arbitrator before retiring at the ripe old age of 89.

In the preface, George notes: “There is an empty space in bookshop shelves, a space screaming for a book with anecdotes that had been told tongue-in-cheek without malice, and thereafter written down to provide some amusement to the reader, that could raise a chuckle or two, if not a guffaw.”

The cover is Lat’s cartoon from 1988 when the Padang was dug up to make way for Dataran Merdeka complete with an underground car park. It is an indication of the contents of the book and dispels the maxim “don’t judge a book by its cover.” 

It depicts caricatures of three past presidents of the club – Taib Andak, Harun Hashim and George leading Eddie Flannagen from the Sultan Abdul Samad Building along a swinging walk-bridge to the Long Bar.

George made some landmark High Court decisions but when they went against the establishment, the judge incurred the wrath of the powers-that-be. His judgment in Lim Kit Siang vs United Engineers (1998) ran afoul of the establishment and George notes, “...for which the (then) lord president Hamid Omar as well as Dr Mahathir (Mohamed) apparently never forgave me.”

Similarly, he writes, the menteri besar of Pahang never forgave him for his decision in Tan Oon vs Pemungut Hasil Tanah Kuantan (1985).

Interestingly, he writes: “In 1994, I forced myself on the bench of the newly established Court of Appeal (that’s another story in itself but not an amusing one).”

However, the preceding paragraphs provide some hints. That’s where the seriousness ends. The rest of the pages are devoted to 100 light-hearted, rib-tickling stories complete with sideslipping annotations. The “victims”, of course, have taken them in their stride as these narratives had never been personal nor malicious.

The author and former Court of Appeal judge VC George

George notes: “In many of the stories now presented in its written incarnation, I have decided to take the mickey out of one or the other of my closest friends, stories that had been told usually at get-togethers, targeting the host and or the most prominent personality present.”

Often the laugh is at someone’s expense but as many would agree, it’s all in an evening outing with the judge (he is still addressed as “judge” or “VC” despite having stepped down from the bench 15 years ago).

Latin troubles

Most of the stories are tongue-in-cheek but many will be astonished at his memory and his recollection of events that happened decades ago. He was and is still in demand as an after-dinner speaker. This book also contains excerpts of the many speeches he made at functions, events and weddings.

He is well-versed in the history, practices and culture of the Jaffna Tamils, which he had learnt from Latin tuition master VK Arumugam - thus his ability to comment authoritatively on the one-upmanship between the Jaffna Tamils and the Malayalee community, of which George is one.

In one chapter, George notes (in jest) that the bastions of the country were at one time Malayalees – the prime minister, the attorney-general, the MACC chief and the Bar Council president. Except for Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the others – Tommy Thomas, Latheefa Koya and George Varghese have never disputed their Keralan ancestry.

George relates an altercation between a Tamil and a Malayalee on the gin rummy table at the Services Club which ended up in the Kuala Pilah Magistrate’s Court. An amicable settlement was reached but both protagonists refused to shake hands.

But George abhorred Latin and having passed the subject in school, disposed of the book after his examinations in the Klang River, calling out: “Goodbye, sayonara, Latin! Never again.” But that was not the end of the matter.

Three years later, reading law, the first subject he had to get through was Roman law, a study of which required some knowledge of Latin. Eventually, having got credit for Roman law, his copy of Lee’s Roman Law was despatched from the Waterloo Bridge into the depths of the Thames.

George humorously relates how he signed an autograph for a young boy who mistook him for the famous Indian cricketer Vijay Merchant; how he became an instant connoisseur of whisky and despite having little knowledge of horse racing, became a much sought-after tipster.

The book will be launched by the Sultan of Perak today and is an ideal companion for those who love wit, humour and enjoy the masterly way the stories have been told. 

It is available at BookXcess retail stores and online. Proceeds from the sale of the first print will go to the Legal Aid Scheme of the Bar.

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R NADESWARAN and other journalists also get “not so honourable mentions” in the book but it does not distract from the fact that George’s storytelling skills are scarce in this country. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.