It is officially the Year of the Tiger, so a little roaring should be permitted.
It must have been a month ago I read in a local newspaper that KL's public transport system would be upgraded to serve its customers better. I had to laugh so hard I spilt coffee all over myself. Public transport, what public transport? Before you accuse me of being my usual cynical self, my question to you is: Do you know anyone who relies on the local public transport system??? Mr M and I are the only car-less people I know who have the courage to hop on a public bus. Even my car-less students claim to have never attempted this feat, blissfully unaware of how the "system", for lack of a better word, operates.
The KL public transport system only caters to the dire needs of foreign labourers and the socially disadvantaged - both conspicuously shunned and marginalised by the wealthier locals. Public buses, then, are seen as a means of transport fit for pariahs, not for decent, respectable Malaysians. No-one should be blamed for thinking this way, for the KL public transport system is abominably managed, with no fixed schedules to speak of; buses, usually loaded to the point of implosion, come and go according to the whims of the drivers. Waiting for half an hour or longer for a bus is not at all uncommon, if you know where to wait (most bus-stops are either a single palm tree or a roadside billboard). Honestly, which decent, respectable Malaysian has the time and patience for this kind of nonsense?
So the local government says it will be upgraded (apparently there is an elaborate plan for it). The reality: a workable public transport system in KL is as believable as the Martians coming to Earth for a diplomatic visit. Let me pose another question: Why would a government that subsists on petroleum production and car taxation do something that would rip a hole in its pocket? This is the classic definition of HYPOCRISY. And please do not get me started about Malaysian businesses that pay endless lip service to a greener environment...
A-hem, enough fireworks for one issue.
The phenomenon of LOVE. Some of us have been there, done that. Some of us are only beginning to explore it. Whether you are a wintered cynic (me) or a budding apprentice (fill in your name here: .......................), I am sure you have plenty to say about it! As expected, quite a number of you contributed to this subject (Pratik's piece is enlightening; Afandi's is intriguing; Sheril writes as if she were a wintered cynic like me; Mr Surain [you're missed] graciously shared his inspiring views). There are also a few others who chose to write about something else. Cassie's ruminations on stars remind me of my own youth. I Wonder makes me realise what talented young writers we have here in KDU (thanks Geraldine), though I wish more of them would write! Azlan conducted an eye-opening interview with Mr Paul Kiong, who gave a talk about Communist Malaysia some time ago. An Indian colleague of my Dutch friend was so generous as to contribute a piece about life in The Netherlands. Time and again, I am amazed at our writers' expressiveness and eloquence.
What is happening in March that is worth staying up for? The Oscars. I have seen Invictus (just okay for an Eastwood film, though Matt Damon makes an oddly dishy blond), The Lovely Bones (awful, awful mess), The Road (long and flat), Julie & Julia (more interesting the three mentioned above), Up In The Air (my choice for Best Picture) and The Hurt Locker (intense war drama which will be battling it out with Avatar). You are probably scratching your head as to why you know none of these films apart from Avatar. That is because the national film distributor is culturally anaemic and thinks that you should be watching Percy Jackson and a hundred other Harry Potter rip-offs like it.
Oops, and I thought there would be no more fireworks!
April will be a significant month for us, because we are turning ONE! Yes, we have existed for a whole year without casualties. That is cause for celebration, don't you think?
Edward Ong
Editor-in-Chief
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