Last Saturday morning, I was rushing to attend a niece's funeral in Kepong Baru. I was travelling from Segambut and while on Jalan Bangau, in Kepong Baru, I needed to pass the 'makeshift market' which has been there for years. Believe me, one lane was blocked by vehicles, mainly small lorries used by the market stallholders, and every driver had to pass a single lane on an alternate 'give way' basis. There was a Police patrol car following me and sure enough, it must have been a daily occurrence because even the police were indifferent to the chaotic traffic situation.
There was even a temporary mobile police presence on Jalan Mergastua the night before but I did not take note if they were still there in the morning. Generally, the parking situation was that of 'park anywhere, even double park' and nobody seemed to care. I was under this impression that I thought I was lucky to have found a parking space on Persiaran Mergastua (Jalan 87) I think, in front of a row of shops. It was just past 10 am and the funeral was fixed for 11 am. Where I parked, I still had to walk half a kilometre. The night before I had to reverse all the way out, so it was supposed to have been wiser to park away from the house.
One thing which other races should take note, is the importance Chinese placed on punctuality when it comes to funeral rites. Being youngest, with my surviving older brothers and sister observing Chinese belief that the older generation relatives need not attend a younger generation funeral, I happened to be the oldest present. I was already too late and the last rites were performed and the coffin was to be carried on to the hearse. One thing led to another. After walking behind the procession, my wife and I decided to join the rest in a bus provided, on the journey to the cemetery in Sg. Buloh, which is just next to a huge Ministry of Health project under construction, near the new Sg. Buloh Hospital.
When we got back, it was almost 1 pm, and after a quick lunch at my nephew-in-law's house, we walked back to the car. I did not expect nor take note of a ticket until I was already in Taman Sri Sinar, Segambut. I stopped the car and got hold of the note and sure enough, it was a summon for not displaying a parking ticket! Courtesy of the super efficient DBKL, Kepong Branch. According to the time written, it was minutes after I parked the car! As I have mentioned earlier, many cars were illegally parked and the drivers were not penalised, neither by the police nor the DBKL. It was times like these when I would be tempted to break the law by following herd instinct based on 'when in Rome, do what the Romans do'!
I wish the laws relating to parking are properly observed and enforced. For example, in Singapore, being a 'fine' city, everybody knows what to expect when not observing the laws. In Malaysia, there is a general feeling of lawlessness, especially in the outskirts of a city or town. Outside the parking spaces, chances are better that you will get off scotfree! Isn't it better to join the crowd of lawless people? Isn't that the main reason why people don't seem to care when parking at 'No parking areas' or when they double-park?
Form... but where is the substance in enforcement relating to haphazard parking?
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