While many of us Malaysians have our often intense differences with the prime minister, I am sure the entire nation comes together to wish Abdullah Ahmad Badawi all the happiness and fulfillment on his recent wedding. We offer him our congratulations and wish him a wonderful married life with his lady.

Considering the limitless demands and pressures of his job from a desperate public, a vigilant opposition and delinquents within his own party, it is only fair that he be given some respite and allowed to savour the welcome peace of the bosom of the woman he loves and the bliss of her presence. Perhaps he should not have to be confronted or troubled, at least for a few days, with the lesser problems of the country.

He would, no doubt, be aware that this truce can only be expected to last as long as the honeymoon, then it would be back to the salt mines and the embrace of a leaking Parliament.

Having said that, what I anticipate with great trepidation is the performance of our sycophantic media. They would be falling over themselves trying to create new forms of address and endearment for our new 'First Lady' - 'Kak Jeanne' would be blase and 'Mak Jeanne' may place her on a rather extreme side of maturity.

We already have displays of this obsequiousness with S Samy Vellu sallying forth into congratulatory poetry which would have been more meaningful and sincere had it been all his own work. Shakespeare can rest easy and whatever you do, Samy, don't give up the day job.