MAT REMPIT

Young men (most of the time, anyway) riding on motorbikes performing dangerous acts that endanger other road users – yes, they are known as MAT REMPIT in Malaysia. I wonder whether this phenomenon is unique to Malaysia only. I always wonder also, how this MAT REMPIT terminology came into existence… (Any experts from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka out there???)

Afifah, Atiqah and I went to the Bandar Baru Bangi Post Office this afternoon. I had my car parked under a shady tree in the compound of the post office while I asked Afifah to go into the post office to do some chores. After a while, Atiqah and I saw two MAT REMPITS (sorry for giving the plural form of this noun) doing a dangerous act about 70 m away from where I was. Fortunately that road is not very popular except when they have the Pasar Malam.

In away I was glad that they both fell (ouchhhhh!!!!!) and they looked somewhat hurt. I saw them pushing the motorbike to the side and they were there for maybe 15 minutes. I was sure they hurt themselves quite badly! If Afifah had come out of the post office fast enough, I would definitely go to these two rascals and give them a piece of my mind! Too bad, by the time Afifah got back to the car, the two guys rode away, albeit much slower than they did before the accident (kah…kah…kah…) I pray that they will have some feelings of regret and that there will be lesser MAT REMPITS in Bandar Baru Bangi, well at least lesser by two!

CAN'T WAIT

What is this Emirates Airlines doing here in my blog? Well, this is a form of releasing my excitement… I will be flying on Emirates Airline on the 19th July 2008 from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Paris CDG is the largest airport serving Paris. It is also the second busiest passenger airport in Europe after London Heathrow.

My three weeks leave has been approved by the Human Resource Division, Ministry of Education. In the public service department in Malaysia, one must fill up a special request form to go overseas, even if it means going to Singapore (across Tebrau Strait) or going to Sumatera, Indonesia (across Malacca Strait). Hmm… Government servants as we are called, so I have no choice but to abide by the government rules and regulations. Well, that doesn’t hurt me as long as I get to see my beloved hubby in Nantes, France.

I am really looking forward to this trip. I have never flown Emirates Airlines before but I had no other alternative, since the Malaysian Airlines (MAS) fares are beyond my limits! When I made the ticket reservations in April this year, Emirates Airlines seem to be the only wise choice. I don’t mind the transit in Dubai, yes, during both the to and fro journeys the plane will transit in Dubai – I hope I will be able to do something interesting there. BTW, my journey home will be on the 10th August from Paris CDG Airport back to KLIA.