Scrapbook: 2014

Reason # 1.

The patched up garbage bags you see here are the result of three scavenger attacks occurring within twenty-four hours of having been left next to the garbage bins on the other side of this compound wall, each time resulting in some of their contents being strewn about on the ground after each attack, thus needing re-bagging. They were brought inside where they shall remain until the next time the city council garbage collectors come by which they do thrice a week. Three scavenger attacks and resultant litter-clearing-and-re-bagging exercises are a bit too much for one in the midst of savages to bear.

Reason # 2.

Malaysian Standard Time, as established and maintained by the National Metrology Institute Of Malaysia, http://time.sirim.my/, is not normally followed to the letter in the following instances:

Keeping appointments, reporting for work, etc., etc., etc.

Reason # 3:

Traffic rules. No one adheres to them except when cop presence is detected, generally-speaking. An undisciplined nation, or a significant proportion of it, is detrimental to national development. For every step forward made towards advancement, the undisciplined percentage of the population causes it to slide ten steps backwards. Nevertheless, national development is still possible, make no mistake about it, but it's an uphill climb all the way, an uphill climb up a steep slope. Evidently, only a handful of determined patriots will not, like everyone else, give up at some point and look for something easier to strive for.

Reason # 4:

No garbage collection done on public holidays. In places where garbage collection is done three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, a public holiday falling on a Friday would result in a garbage pile-up beginning from Wednesday, after the morning's collection, until late Sunday night or early Monday morning, a pile-up of garbage over a four-day period, roughly half of it decomposing leftover food and kitchen waste, and in other households, soiled adult or infant diapers or both discarded along with everything else as well, and if the following Monday was an unexpectedly declared public holiday also, my, oh, my, imagine the collective stink reaching up to the heavens if everybody simultaneously opened the lid of his or her already full garbage bin to add in the day's newly accumulated trash.

Reason # 5:

No faulty traffic light signals repaired on public holidays, leading to highway Russian roulette chances everyone on the road will have to risk taking, for example, over a 5-day period such as the one experienced by Jalan Baru, Prai, Penang, road users from 31st August 2017, Independence Day, to 1st September 2017, Eid Al-Adha, to 2nd September 2017, a Saturday affected by public holiday mood intoxication, to 3rd September 2017, a Sunday suffering from the same disease, to 4th September 2017, another public holiday to mark the nation's overwhelming success at the recently concluded SEA Games.

Reason # 6:

Roadside food / drink / fruit / etc. stalls tolerated by local authorities especially along major arteries resulting in traffic congestion or obstacles caused by patrons parking their vehicles, huge trailer trucks included, by the side of the road however briefly it may be.