Tifatul Sembiring -- The Minister for Hypocrisy & Stupidity...

The litany of stupidity that continues to encircle the Minister for [Mis]Communication and [Lack of] Information is sort of like slowing down to watch a car crash. However, when it comes to Tifatul Sembiring (aka TitS) it is all self-imposed. The man is a hypocrite who has used religion, Islam, to create an image of piety for himself.

Yet, the latest series of events shows the man to be a fraud who is prepared to go to any lengths to cultivate an image. For a man who is supposed to have his finger on the pulse of communication and information, and particularly the technology that supports that, he has been found wanting yet again.

The "event" in question is the shaking of Michelle Obama's hand. The First Lady and the President were going through the formalities of meeting dignitaries, including Indonesian Ministers. Now, in and of itself, there is nothing wrong with men shaking hands with women. However, TitS has cultivated an image that being a pious Muslim he will not under any circumstances touch a woman to whom he is not related to. And, this is where the fun and games begin.

During the formal "meet and greet" TitS shakes hands with Michelle Obama. By my reckoning, the man would have to go a long way back in his family tree to find a familial relationship with the Obamas. Maybe all the way back to Adam and Eve. The handshake immediately piqued the attention of plenty of people who know TitS and his medieval stance on women and their relationship with men. It was hypocrisy of the highest order. It is hypocrisy that must go to the very core of his being as it exposes that his piety was a fraud perpetrated against all those who believed in what he was saying as a member of the PKS (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera).

On realising that the technology that he has been trying to shut down to all intents and purposes had caught him out, he took to social networking, Twitter in particular, to state his innocence. His innocence claim is that he was forced to shake hands with the First Lady. According to TitS, the First Lady thrust her hand out at him and kept on thrusting it towards him. This left the poor man with no option but to lightly touch her hand.

Now, have a look at the video. Too bad it has not gone viral, it should. There is no hesitation on the part of the Minister and this was not some ever-so brief touch of hands. It was a handshake.

I wonder if the Minister immediately scarpered out of the room, washed his hand with acid to get the germs of the imperialist woman of the west from him, and then proceeded to the nearest Mosque to ask for forgiveness of his God for touching a woman he is not related to. The flip side of that coin is that he immediately scarpered, flogged himself stupid and then called his mates to tell them that he had bedded the First Lady.

TitS as the Minister for Banning Porn, even you should know the difference between a good story and a wank!