Chapter 4: The Cabinet of Chaos

After the unexpected success of "Durian Diplomacy," Roy felt a newfound sense of confidence or at least, something close to it. Aziz, however, was still on edge. The next task on the agenda was to assemble Roy's cabinet: the team of ministers who would actually run the country.

Unfortunately, Roy's understanding of the word "cabinet" was limited to the wooden thing in his kitchen where he kept instant noodles.

Roy sat in his office, munching on a packet of keropok while Aziz paced in front of him, holding a clipboard.

"Sir, we need to finalize the cabinet appointments today. These are the people who will handle everything from education to defense. It's crucial we pick competent individuals."

Roy nodded. "Got it. Competent people. So… who do we have?"

Aziz handed him a list of names. Roy scanned it for a few seconds before frowning. "Who are these people? Their names sound so… serious. Don't we have anyone more… fun?"

"Fun?" Aziz stared at him, bewildered. "This isn't a karaoke competition, sir. These are government positions!"

Roy shrugged. "Yeah, but if I have to work with these people, I'd rather they have good vibes, you know?"

Aziz pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sir, please take this seriously. Just pick someone from the list."

After several agonizing hours, Roy finally made his decisions but they were far from what Aziz had hoped for.

• Minister of Defense: Roy picked Pak Din, the security guard from his old apartment complex. Why? Because Pak Din once scared off a stray cat with nothing but a slipper, and Roy thought that was impressive.

• Minister of Education: Roy selected Cikgu Suraya, his primary school teacher. He hadn't spoken to her in decades, but he remembered that she used to give him extra fish balls during recess.

• Minister of Finance: Roy's childhood friend, Jamal. Despite having zero financial experience, Jamal was a self-proclaimed "expert" at managing his weekly budget for fried chicken.

• Minister of Agriculture: Mak Siti, the auntie who sold vegetables at the market. Roy thought her green thumb would be an asset.

Aziz was horrified. "Sir, these people have no qualifications!"

Roy waved him off. "Relax, Aziz. Sometimes the best leaders are the ones who aren't tied down by traditional thinking. Plus, they're all nice people."

Aziz threw his clipboard onto the table. "Nice people don't run a country, sir!"

Roy grinned. "Well, maybe they should."

The cabinet members were sworn in the next day, and it was immediately clear that Roy's team was unlike any in Cahaya's history.

Pak Din, the new Minister of Defense, showed up to his first meeting in his old security guard uniform, complete with a plastic whistle. "I'm ready to serve, boss!" he said, saluting Roy.

Cikgu Suraya arrived with a stack of worksheets and pencils. "I've prepared a lesson plan for everyone," she announced cheerfully.

Jamal, the Minister of Finance, spent the entire meeting calculating how many plates of nasi lemak the national budget could buy. "If we cut military spending, we could afford 300 million plates. Think about it, bro—free nasi lemak for everyone!"

Mak Siti, meanwhile, brought a basket of fresh vegetables and handed them out to the other ministers. "We need to focus on organic farming," she said. "None of that pesticide nonsense."

Aziz watched the chaos unfold, his face a perfect picture of despair. "This is a disaster," he muttered under his breath.

Despite the unconventional team, Roy was optimistic. "This is going great!" he told Aziz later that day. "Look how happy everyone is."

Aziz sighed. "Sir, this isn't about happiness. It's about competence. These people have no idea what they're doing!"

Roy shrugged. "Neither do I, and look how far I've come."

"That's… not reassuring," Aziz replied.

The media quickly caught wind of Roy's unusual cabinet appointments. Headlines ranged from "Prime Minister Roy Assembles the Most Bizarre Cabinet in History" to "Vegetable Seller Becomes Agriculture Minister: A Bold Move or National Joke?"

Social media exploded with mixed reactions.

• "Roy K is a genius! He's bringing the government back to the people!"

• "This is what happens when you let memes elect a Prime Minister."

• "I'd vote for Mak Siti over a corporate puppet any day!"

Roy, however, remained unfazed. "Let them talk," he said to Aziz. "At least we're making politics interesting."

By the end of the week, the cabinet had settled into their roles or at least, they tried to.

Pak Din ordered a nationwide inspection of slippers, claiming they were "the first line of defense."

Cikgu Suraya implemented mandatory weekly spelling bees for all government staff.

Jamal proposed a new currency called "RoyCoins," which could only be used to buy fried chicken.

Mak Siti started a community gardening program, planting vegetables in the Prime Minister's office courtyard.

Aziz, meanwhile, was losing hair at an alarming rate.

One evening, as Roy and Aziz sat in the office reviewing the day's events, Aziz let out a deep sigh. "Sir, I'll admit, your cabinet is… unconventional. But I have to ask: do you really believe this will work?"

Roy leaned back in his chair, munching on a carrot Mak Siti had given him. "Aziz, the way I see it, politics is just like cooking. Sometimes, you have to mix weird ingredients to create something amazing. Trust the process."

Aziz stared at him for a long moment. "That's the most nonsensical thing I've ever heard."

Roy grinned. "Exactly. And yet, here we are."

End of Chapter 4