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Not that Malaysians are doing it their own way too much. The electoral result suggested they were happy to do it Mahathir's way.

Don't read too much into it. Sinatra as we all know was a great singer in the US tradition, and also surrounded by crooks and a front man for the Mob. He also had a liking for the not-so-occassional close proximities.

At the same time Malaysia Airlines were launching their new campaign featuring the Sinatra hit. Let's hope that the captain on your next MAS flight does not try to emulate the Boss and reinforce the theme song too much.

We sent off our long suffering KL correspondant to Kelab Twin (well known to those who followed Blanchard's Oriental Travel Journal several years back) tonight, despite the fact it was way past his bedtime. Sure enough, the usual godawful versions of the song were being belted out. He scratched the words on his Kelab Twin serviette and emailed them to the Rat, noting that the accompanying video featured a clown juggling his balls.

With translation errors from the bouncing ball subtitles replete, we offer the following...

Singing along to the first stanza as the aircraft makes its final approach to the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport is NOT recommended.

And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final curtain,
My friend. I'll say it clear,
I'll stay my case of which I'm certain.
I've lived a live that's full.
I travelled each and every highway,
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do,
And saw it thru without exemption.
I planned each chattered course,
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Yes there were times, I'm sure you knew,
When I bit off more than I could chew,
But thru it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up, and spit it out.
I faced it all, and I stood tall,
And did it my way.

To both Mahathir, and Malaysia Airlines passengers, the lyrics are best forgotten.

Best news is that the Chairman of the Board lived on for another couple of decades at least before he finally carked it.

(For a more serious review of the Malaysian elections see yesterday's item and tomorrow's item, as well as the links from the Asian Business Portal's Current Focus Box.)