Was on the way home at about 8.30 pm, had eaten in the office because there wasn’t much point wading through the jam trying to get home. At the junction in Section 16, I saw this kid, well, teenager, try to cross the street and got sideswiped by a car. He took a tumble, hit his head, but managed to get back on his feet.
The car stopped, but the driver made no attempt to come out and make sure he was all right. The boy was upright and the Merc happily drove off. From across the street, I thought the boy looked dazed. He was pacing and agitated. Well, the lights were red for a long time… I felt sorry for him and offered him a ride. He had hurt himself and I didn’t want him to kill himself trying to get a cab; which I discovered was the reason he didn’t see the car coming in the first place. Dropped him off in PBD, where he said his parents would pick him up. He insisted on getting off at the traffic lights, which was green, and was so kan-cheong crossing to the side that I almost ran over him. Geez! Didn’t anyone tell him not to cross in front of a vehicle??
The drive was a little strange. The kid went to Int school and was surprised I spoke English well. Je parlais Francais aussi, mon ami (voice dripping with sarcasm). He was nervous and acted like I was going to kidnap him or something. Goodness, don’t you know any un-rich people? And why the heck didn’t the car driver offer any assistance? The kid could have had a concussion, for heaven’s sake! What if it happened to someone they loved? This is just one of the things that disturb me sometimes.
A friend once blacked out in a crowded LRT and no one actually took the trouble to ask if she was all right! It’s a sad state of affairs… Malaysians need to move forward in caring for each other, because sometimes I think only our common love for food is holding the country together. Racism is rife, and trust is an alien word. Government campaigns are more often than not ineffective.
So what can we do? How can Malaysia grow into a true nation? I’m no politician, but I do know this, I don’t want it to turn into a place where the selfish take over and hearts are hardened by fear and mistrust. I know that caring Malaysians still exist, so there still is hope. Let’s make caring our way of life, as it was, and always should be…
1 comment:
Dear Oza,
standing ovation to you!!
It's very rare nowadays as Malaysians are *afraid* of the unthinkables. Some stupid ppl even tried to *play* sick...then if there's help from a good samaritan, that stupid ppl will rob him/her off. Taking for granted of how true Malaysian will act at that point of time. I'm still thankful there's still a good samaritan to help me when my borrowed kancil's tyre got punctured. Indeed, ppl like you taught ppl like me to be more considerate and not being selfish. Good for you, Oza.
Post a Comment