WORST ACCIDENT IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF MALAYSIA

My apologies to those who are reading this entry. It is a very negative title for an entry right? But this is the talk of the town since the "Super Express" belonging to Syarikat Kenderaan Bukit Gantang became a "Super Horror"!!! At first I heard that there were 20 deaths, unfortunately, a few days after the accident one of the seriously injured victims (a three year old child) passed away. That gives a total of 21 deaths and almost ten people injured, I think.

Everything that happened has been fated. Yes, true. But to discover that the "Super Driver" had 13 summonses and two warrants of arrest for traffic offences is beyond human comprehension. Obviously some authorities in my country, Malaysia, which will celebrate its 50th year of independence, are not doing their job :(

Forget about the call for the setting up of a royal commission to investigate accidents involving public transport. Set up a ROYAL COMMISSION (Suruhanjaya Bebas) for this and for that!!! It is a waste of public fund. The public is tired, angry and feel cheated by the so many royal commissions being set up only when the issue is being debated. What happens after a few months???

Today, slightly a week after the tragedy of the “Super Express”, the newspaper / television is still reporting about accidents involving drivers of express buses who have summonses for road offences. I wonder if this is happening only in my country or there are other countries that you can get such ironic and absurd news!

COLMAR, FRANCE

19th-20th May 2007 (Sat-Sun)
Upon arrival at the Frankfurt airport, we drove to Colmar. We rented an Opel Corsa that we travelled in for the next nine days of the holiday. It is a cute, 2-door car. Sufficient for the two of us.
The distance from Frankfurt to Colmar is about 290km. We took more than 3 hours for the journey because we stopped a few times to take pictures. Really can't miss the opportunity to click the camera which was at my disposal since Monsieur A need to have both hands on the stearing wheels! The good thing is that we did not have to pay a single euro for toll!
Colmar is situated in northeastern France. Colmar's attractions are its crooked houses, half-timbered and painted, on crooked lanes – all extremely pretty.
Initially, we did not plan to sleep in Colmar. But both of us were just too exhausted to drive on. I suppose it was the jet lag and the walk around Colmar that made us just want to sleep and rest for the night in Colmar...
The next morning..., imagine a Sunday morning! Of course most people are still in bed... but we had to be up early since it will be another traveling day. But before we left Colmar we were lucky to be able to wave at some adventurous lot who were having fun in a hot-air balloon. We had a fun time waving at them!

MY HOLIDAY

I was away – away as in out of the country from the 18th – 28th May 2007. Monsieur A and I were in Europe. During the 9 ½ days, we were in 4 different countries of Western Europe. The countries that we visited were France, Germany, Austria and Chez Republic.

Although it was a busy period for me at the office, this trip was something that I really looked forward to. Actually, Monsieur A was having a conference in Vienna, Austria for 2 days on the 21st and 22nd May 2007. My friend was teasing me saying that the trip was like a honey-moon for both of us. Another honey-moon after 22 years of married life...

It was just the two of us. We left the children who were in the midst of their mid-year exams. Unfortunately, Monsieur A also left the poster that was meant for the Vienna conference at the KLIA Mc Donald’s. But luck was with him, the organizing committee in Vienna was kind enough to have his poster printed in colour out-put and it was done for frei (frei is ‘free’ in German).



BTW, if you visit Austria, you will not be able to visit Vienna because over there Vienna is referred to as Wien (pronounced Vin).

We really enjoyed ourselves albeit somewhat exhausted because of the non-stop driving from one city to another. Oops…I did not drive at all although the car rental company said that I can drive using the Malaysian Driving Licence. We also walked or ride on the tramp or train in the cities.

I will try to post pictures and write on our holiday experience in my coming entries! Watch out, ok! For now, you can recall your geography knowledge from the maps that I have put up!

TEACHER'S DAY

Every year on the 15th May, I notice that the florists, souvenir shops, super markets, 5 Ringgit Shops or even 2 Ringgit Shops are packed with children and parents! WHY? Because 16th May is TEACHER'S DAY! The children want to buy something for their teachers. I have a friend who lamented at parents who bring their children to the 2 Ringgit Shop to get presents for the teachers. To me the value doesn't matter, it is the thought that counts. Just imagine if one has 4 school going kids and each of them has like 7 teachers, and each kid want to give something to their cikgu (= teacher) on Teacher's Day!

I was a teacher for about 13 years before my present job in Putrajaya. Most of the time I was teaching Additional Mathematics and Mathematics. At one time, I was asked by the school head to teach English. That happened in 1991 when we moved to Alor Star, the little town in the North of Peninsula Malaysia. I told the head that I am not trained to teach English although I can speak fluent English. He said that the school does not have enough English teachers. We exchanged looks. I took up the challenge and I taught English for a year at SMK Seberang Perak, Alor Star. Any of my English students reading this blog?

Back to Teacher's Day, since I left school I get less and less of the 'HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY' messages. Well, my youngest student should by now be 24 years old! They could be teachers themselves, but hang on! I don't think so. I have never met my student who is a teacher. They are either engineers, government officers, managers, doctors, etc.

This year I received only one 'HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY' text message from my student whom I taught in 1997- 1998. Currently, he is working with Petronas as a chemical engineer. A polite boy. Oops...he is a grown up man now. He graduated from the land of many koalas and kangaroos like me and my husband.

I would like to wish everyone 'HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY' - we all have teachers and we are teachers at one point or other in our lives.

HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY AFIQ!

At 7.16pm, 11th May 2007 I received an SMS from Atiqah's number. The message read "Ibu ari ni bpe haribulan". (Mum, what is the date today). I was quite surprised because Atiqah was with me at that time. Suddenly I realised that it must have been Afiq who is using Atiqah's mobile. Instantly, I remembered it is the 11th May - Afiq's birthday!!! Oh, No! I forgot!

After Mahgrib prayers, my husband, Arifah, Afiq and I sent Atiqah for her Taekwando lessons at UKM. We then went to Metro Kajang to get a football for Afiq. That is what he wanted for a birthday present from his Abah (Dad). I got him a birthday cake and Lamb Pie from Secret Recipe.

After all those shopping, it was time to go back to UKM to fetch Atiqah. Can you imagine the aroma when Atiqah entered the car - I mean after a sweaty 2 hours Taekwando activity!!! Both Arifah and Afiq had their noses covered!!! Cheeky brother and big sister teasing the little sister.......

Back to the house, I could see a happy and smiling Afiq - clutching his Nike football and deeply indulged in the Chocolate Indulgence Birthday Cake.