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DRY OR ALIVE?
by TV Smith
27/12/03

I took this photograph in June this year to illustrate my parody article on Kuala Lumpur's notorious Motor-Pyschos. Whenever it rains, motorcyclists would huddle together under any available overhead shelter, creating a potentially deadly obstruction that spans half the road. Staying dry seems more important than staying alive. Sad but true enough, four motorcyclists seeking shelter under a flyover from the rain were killed and over ten others injured when a tipper truck ploughed into them near Kajang yesterday.

In that incident, the truck driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle. Slippery conditions combined with poor visibility alone would have been cause for concern but the truck driver was the only one blamed. In a newspaper report, the Works Minister expressed regret that such a tragedy could have occurred on a “normal day” rather than during the festive period, when accidents were more prone to occur. You don't need to get into the festive mood to get yourself killed, Mr Minister! This suicidal behaviour is repeated day in, day out throughout the country.

Maybe what we need is not the search for a cosmonaut but for someone in charge who has actually driven a car or bike. With half the motoring population being motorcyclists and our weather constantly wet, no adequate shelters were ever built. Couple this with the prevalent belief among our motorcyclists that they are indestructible and we have an instant recipe for disaster.

Instead of providing better and cheaper public transportation, the government decided to waive the road tax for these cub chais recently. While other third world countries including Bangladesh are banning or phasing out 2-stroke engines due to its toxic emissions, we seem to be encouraging them. Maybe someone figured that with the sizeable motorcycling population, the move might garner some votes. Sorry, but dead people can't vote.

An abridged & re-titled version of this article, appeared as "Matters of Priority" in the Jan 4th issue of The Sunday Star.

© 2003 TV SMITH
Link to this article: http://www.tvsmith.net.my/duasen/271203_dryoralive.html

See also: MOTOR-PYSCHOS | FOR EVERY REACTION THERE'S NO ACTION | A VIEW TO A KILL

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