Kak Pepah: Syurga di bawah telapak kaki ibu

Assalamualaikum dan selamat sejahtera semua.

Gembiranya dapat berjumpa lagi. Kak Pepah harap semua pembaca sihat sejahtera. Selamat bersantai dengan keluarga tercinta. Dewasa ini, kehidupan kita makin sibuk dan sesak. Jadi, masa untuk bersama-sama keluarga makin berkurangan. Samalah kita dek non! Kak Pepah pun wanita berkerjaya. Cuma di hujung minggu saja masa untuk berceria dengan keluarga tercinta.

Jika minggu lepas kita bercerita pasal Kiah Propa, minggu ini Kak Pepah nak berkisah tentang keluarga. Kan orang cakap, rumahku syurgaku.

Kak Pepah memang tak suka kalau ada orang yang suka membelakangkan keluarga mereka. Keluarga adalah tiang seri kejayaan seseorang. Betul tak?

Kadang kala bila Kak Pepah baca tentang selebriti itu selebriti ini menjaga cerita yang kurang enak tentang keluarga sendiri, sebak hati ini. Esok lusa kalau mereka sakit atau mati, rasa-rasa siapa yang akan menguruskan mereka? Ya betul, keluarga mereka!

Hari tu tentang pelakon muda yang bergaduh dengan ibu kandung menerusi media massa. Dan baru-baru ini, seorang pelakon senior, sindir menyindir mak mertua sendiri menerusi media sosial. 

Pertamanya, berdosa besar jika seorang anak mengutuk atau menghina ibu kandung sendiri. Period. Dalam Islam taraf mak mertua adalah mahram sepanjang hayat. Dalam kata lain, sekiranya kita bercerai dengan isteri/suami, mertua tetap kekal mahram kita. Dan ada alim ulama yang berpendapat, menjaga hati dan perasaan ibu bapa mertua adalah wajib selagi mana tidak melanggar syariah Allah taala.

Dalam hal ini, Kak Pepah kagum dengan penyanyi remaja, Najwa Latif yang tampak matang berdepan dengan media massa. Biarpun diasak dengan soalan provokasi daripada wartawan yang terkenal dengan sikap mengadu domba, Najwa Latif tetap memberikan jawapan yang bijak lagi terbaik, "Saya tidak mahu komen apa-apa tentang hal keluarga kerana hal ini adalah hal keluarga dan saya tidak mahu orang-orang yang saya sayangi terluka".

Ketika itu Najwa Latif baru habis SPM! Mungkin Afiq Muiz dan Farid Kamil boleh belajar serba sedikit daripada gadis ini tentang kemahiran PR dan adab-adab berkeluarga.

Sehingga kita bertemu lagi...

penulisTamu - Kak Pepah

Assalamualaikum semua.

Apa kabar adik-adik, abang-abang, kakak-kakak sekelian. Harap-harap semua sihat sejahtera.

Nama saya Pepah. Bukan Pipah ya! P.E.P.A.H. Nak panggil Pepah boleh, nak panggil Kak Pepah pun boleh. Tapi janganlah tanya berapa umur saya. Bab-bab umur ni, sensitif tau untuk kaum Hawa. Lagipun, bak kata Orang Putih, apa ada pada nama.

Pertamanya, Kak Pepah nak ucapkan terima kasih kerana dijemput untuk menjadi penulis tamu di graharesidenKu. Insya Allah, Akak akan tulis cerita-cerita yang menarik untuk semua. Harap-harap tulisan Akak bukanlah yang jenis syok sendiri nanti.

Untuk tulisan pertama ini, Akak nak bercerita tentang seorang personaliti TV ni. Dia ni wanita tulen ya, bukan wanita jadian. Orangnya sihat, ceria dan tiada cacat cela, baik paras rupa atau bentuk tubuhnya. Yang Kak Pepah kurang berkenan sikit ialah karektor dia sama ada di kaca TV ataupun di corong radio.

Dia ni kiranya wartawan hiburan yang mensensasikan gossip. Pendek cerita, dia akan bergossip pasal artis itu, artis ini. Dah lah bergossip, dia ni suka ketawa terbahak-bahak.

Kak Pepah rasa tak sesuai karektor seperti itu. Mungkin dia cuba menjadi diri sendiri tapi tak pernah lah menyuburkan tabiat mengata dan mengadu domba. Dan satu lagi, awak itu wanita timur tidak perlu lah ketawa terbahak-bahak. Buruk benar.

Kak Pepah rasa pembaca semua tentu tahu siapa yang Kak Pepah maksudkan. Ya, personaliti itu tak lain tak bukan ialah Kiah Propa.

Entahlah, Kak Pepah harap sangat karektor yang bermegah-megah bergossip ni perlu diharamkan terus daripada kaca TV mahupun corong radio.

Kepada Kiah Propa, tone down sikitlah ketawa tu. Jom kita tinggalkan tabiat mengadu domba semoga industri seni tanahair lebih bermaruah dan berilmu. Amin.

Ok semua, hingga ketemu lagi. Assalamualaikum semua.

Mencari Penulis Tamu

Ya, aku sedang mencari penulis tamu untuk blog ini. Hajat di hati ingin adakan satu kolum yang membangkitkan isu-isu muda belia di Malaysia.

Ada sesiapa yang berminat? Mungkin sekali seminggu.

Boleh cerita pasal perkara-perkara yang berlangsung di sekeliling kita, yang melibatkan golongan muda mudi. Konsepnya, yang busuk kita wangi-wangikan, yang wangi kita harum-harumkan.

Tiada syarat untuk menjadi penulis tamu di graharesidenKu. Berminat?

Artikel Tamu: Tak Kiamat Lagi 21 Disember Ini

Another interesting article by Subky Abdul Latif.

Kesimpulannya, tidak akan berlaku kiamat selagi ada umat Islam yang bernafas di dalam dunia yang penuh pancaroba ini.

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Tak kiamat lagi 21 Disember ini

December 12, 2012

10 DIS ― Telah heboh di barat sana membincangkan pendapat nujum dunia akan kiamat pada 12 Disember ini.

Kiamat itu wajib dipercayai kerana ia satu dari rukun iman yang enam. Siapa yang tidak mempercayainya, dia kafir.

Masanya sudah tidak jauh tetapi tidaklah dekat sangat hingga pada 21 Disember ini. Walaupun sudah banyak tanda yang kiamat itu sudah dekat tetapi tidak pada 21 Disember ini.

Masih banyak lagi isyarat kiamat itu belum berlaku. Antaranya Nabi Isa a.s. belum turun dari alam ghaib. Nabi Isa al-Masih datang sekali lagi ke dunia, lepas itu barulah kiamat. Tetapi tidak pula secepat itu kiamat itu. Ada lagi kejadian selepas itu barulah kiamat.

Selagi Nabi Isa a.s. belum turun, kiamat tidak akan berlaku.

Imam Mahadi pun belum turun lagi. Imam Mahadi datang dulu sebelum Nabi Isa. Ada yang mengatakan Imam Mahadi sudah tutun. Ada yang menyangka abuya As-Syaari Muhamad itu Imam Mahadi. Ia sangkaan yang silap. Ada juga yang menyangka Ayatullah Khomeini itu Imam Mahadi. Ia juga sangkaan yang silap.

Lepas ada Imam Mahadi baru datang Nabi Isa yang peranan besarnya adalah untuk membunuh Dajjal. Datang Dajjah dulu yang kerjanya adalah untuk menindas dan menyiksa orang beriman, sesudah barulah turun Nabi Isa untuk menyelamatkan dunia dan manusia dari belenggu kekufuran.

Tidak pula kiamat serta merta selepas dibunuhnya Dajjah. Lepas itu baginda membersihkan dunia dari babi dulu. Setelah habis babi, dekatlah kiamat itu, tetapi tidaklah ia dekat sangat tetapi tidaklah jauh sangat.

Wafat Nabi Isa dulu. Nabi Isa yang datang semula itu hidup selama 40 tahun lagi. Selepas baginda wafat ada lagi perkembangan yang menunjukkan tanda-tanda kiamat itu kian dekat. Tetapi bukan pada 21 Disember ini.

Kita tidak tahu bila Nabi Isa akan turun. Lepas Nabi Isa turun, ssekurang-kurangnya ada masa 40 tahun lagi sedang 21 Disember itu hanya beberapa hari saja lagi. Maka sahlah tiada kiamat pada 21 Disember ini.

Lambat lagi kiamat itu ialah kerana orang beriman iaitu orang Islam masih ada lagi di dunia. Orang Islam itu bukan pula sedikit. Lebih dari satu bilion. Mungkin kebanyakan orang Islam itu nilainya seperti buih dilaut, tetapi bertambah bilangan orang Islam menghantar anaknya ke kelas menghafaz al-Quran. Bilangan hafiz dan hafizah pun bertambah. Selagi ada orang yang hafaz Quran, maka kiamat tidak berlaku lagi.

Dunia jadi sifar Islam dulu barulah kiamat. Setelah dunia ini sudah tidak ada ulama dan tiada lagi yang hafaz Quran ia diikuti habis orang Islam mati, maka barulah sampai kiamat yang Allah janjikan itu.

Orang Islam tidak sempat untuk menyaksikan dunia ini kiamat. Mereka semua mati dulu. Selepas dunia ini kosong dengan orang Islam, orang kafir ada lagi. Kita tidak tahu berapa lama lagi orang kafir boleh hidup.

Orang kafir dapat merasakan hari kiamat itu. Baki orang kafir itu akan mati semuanya semasa angkakala yang pertama ditiup. Semua cekrawala bersama manusia dan binatang hancur menjadi debu. Apabila sangkakala ditiup kali kedua bagi memulakah alam mahsyar bangun semula sekalian manausia dari alam kubur.

Berapa lama pula antara ssekarang hingga tiupan sangkakala yang pertama tiada siapa tahu. Boleh jadi sekejap dan boleh jadi lama. Tanda awal kiamat itu sudah dekat ialah dengan kelahiran Rasulullah SAW. Tetapi yang dikatakan dekat itu sudah berlalu 15 kurun belum juga kiamat. Adakah kita menunggu 15 kurun lagi? Tiada siapa tahu. Ia tidak lama lagi tetapi tidaklah dekat sangat hingga tinggal beberapa hari saja lagi.

Jewish MP says Israeli soldiers are like NAZIs

by MILES ERWIN - Thursday, January 15, 2009 [first published on Metro.co.uk]

A Jewish MP has compared Israeli troops in Gaza to the Nazis who forced his family to flee Poland.

A boy wounded in Gaza City is taken to hospital
Sir Gerald Kaufman said the Israeli government was 'ruthlessly and cynically' exploiting the guilt over the Holocaust as justification for the assault on Gaza.

'My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town... a German soldier shot her dead in her bed,' he told MPs. 'My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza.'

His comments came as a UN compound filled with refugees was hit by Israeli shells, injuring three workers.

Sir Gerald, who was raised as an orthodox Jew and Zionist, insisted that Hamas was a 'deeply nasty organisation' but said Israel could not just refuse to talk to it.

But Israeli embassy spokesman Lior Ben Dor said: 'Many of the soldiers who are now defending the state of Israel in Gaza also had grandmothers who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

'The soldiers are fighting so when they are grandparents they will not be subjected to cruel enemies like Gerald Kaufman's grandmother was.'

The attack on the UN compound caused a 'massive explosion', set fuel in the compound on fire, destroyed tons of humanitarian supplies and forced hundreds of refugees to flee.

UN spokesman Chris Gunness said the shells contained prohibited white phosphorus as it was impossible to put out the flames by conventional means.

Israel prime minister Ehud Olmert said troops had come under fire from militants in the compound but that was dismissed by UN official John Ging as 'nonsense'.


p/s: Today is my 8th year with my first and current company.

End the Siege of Gaza - End Israeli Occupation

I strongly condemned the occupation of Gaza Strip by Israel! I call on the Israeli authorities to withdraw immediately from the Palestinian land.
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Rabbi: It breaks my heart to see Israel's stupidity

By: Michael Lenner

JAN 5, - Israel’s attempt to wipe out Hamas is understandable, but stupid.

No country in the world is going to ignore the provocation of rockets being launched from neighbouring territory day after day. If Mexico had a group of anti-imperialists bombing Texas, imagine how long it would take for America to mobilise a counterattack. So, Israel has every right to respond.

But the kind of response matters. Killing 500 Palestinians and wounding 2,000 others (at the time of writing) is disproportionate. Hamas can harass, but it cannot pose any threat to the existence of Israel.

And, just as Hamas’s indiscriminate bombing of population centres is a crime against humanity, so is Israel’s killing of civilians (at least 130 so far in Gaza, not to mention the thousands in the years of the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza).

Hamas had respected the previously negotiated ceasefire except when Israel used it as cover to make assassination raids. Hamas argued that these raids were hardly a manifestation of a ceasefire, and so as symbolic protest it would allow the release of rocket fire (usually hitting no targets).

But when the issue of continuing the ceasefire came up, Hamas wanted a guarantee that these assassination raids would stop.

And it asked for more. With hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing acute malnutrition, Hamas insists that the borders be opened so that food can arrive unimpeded. And in return for the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, it asks for the release of 1,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

Hamas has made it clear that it would accept the terms of the Saudi Arabian peace agreement, though it would never formally recognise Israel.

It would live peacefully in a two-state arrangement, but it would never acknowledge Israel’s “right to exist”. This position is unnecessarily provocative, and is deeply self-destructive for Palestinians who believe it is the only symbolic weapon they have left.

How do we get out of this destructive spiral? The first step is for the world to demand an immediate ceasefire. That ceasefire should be imposed by the United Nations and backed unequivocally by America. Its terms must include the following:

• Hamas stops all firing of missiles, bombs or any other violent action originating from the West Bank or Gaza, and co-operates in actively jailing anyone from any faction that breaks this ceasefire.


• Israel stops all bombing, targeted assassinations or any other violent actions aimed at activists, militants, or suspected terrorists in the West Bank or Gaza, and uses the full force of its army to prevent any further attacks on Palestinians.


• Israel opens the border with Gaza and allows free access to and from Israel, subject only to full search and seizure of any weapons. Israel allows free travel of food, gas, electricity, water and consumer goods and materials including from land, air, and sea, subject only to full search and seizure of any weapons or materials typically used for weapons.


• Israel releases all Palestinians in detention and returns them to the West Bank or Gaza according to the choice of the detainees or prisoners. Hamas releases Gilad Schalit and anyone else being held by Palestinian forces.


• Both sides invite an international force to implement these agreements


• Both sides agree to end teaching and/or advocacy of violence against the other side in and outside mosques, educational institutions, and the media.


• This ceasefire would last for 20 years. Nato, the UN, and the US all agree to enforce this agreement and impose severe sanctions in the event of any violations.

These steps would make a huge difference, isolate the most radical members of each side from the mainstream, and make it possible to then begin negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on a broader and deeper set of issues.

The basic condition for creating peace is to help each side feel “safe”. A first and critical step is to speak in a language that is empathic toward the suffering of each people in a climate of discourse in which both sides’ stories are heard and understood.

Yet Israel, as the militarily superior power, ought to take the first steps: implementing a massive Marshall Plan in Gaza and in the West Bank to end poverty and unemployment, rebuild infrastructure and encourage investment; dismantle the settlements or make settlers become citizens of a Palestinian state; accept 30,000 Palestinian refugees annually back into Israel for the next 30 years, apologise for its role in the 1948 expulsions and offer to co-ordinate a worldwide compensation effort for all that Palestinians lost during the Occupation; and recognise a Palestinian state within borders already defined by the Geneva Accord of 2003.

This is the only way Israel will ever achieve security. It is the only way to permanently defeat Hamas and all extremists who wish to see endless war against Israel.

The most significant contribution the new Obama administration could make to Middle East peace would be to embrace a strategy that homeland security is best achieved not by military or economic domination but by generosity and caring for others.

If this new way of thinking could become a serious part of US policy, it would have an immense impact on undermining the fearful consciousness of Israelis who still see the world more through the frame of the Holocaust and previous persecutions than through the frame of their actual present power in the world.

It breaks my heart to see the terrible suffering in Gaza and in Israel. As a religious Jew I find it all the worse, because it confirms to me how easy it is to pervert the loving message of Judaism into a message of hatred and domination.

I remain in mourning for the Jewish people, for Israel and for the world.


p/s: Rabbi Michael Lenner is editor of Tikkun magazine and this article is "copy-and-paste"d from The Malaysian Insider.

To build a nation, first build a school

Believe it or not, I tend to agree with those voices for an integrated national school. To me, a single system school is crucial to develop Bangsa Malaysia - a united Malaysians with the same learning path (not necessarily means the same learning tools!).

While celebrating our diversity, we should all work towards the convergence of our vernacular education systems, which I believe would enable us to optimise the use of scarce resources (both financial and non-financial) to improve the standard of living of all Malaysians. And this would also enable us to nurture the spirit of kekitaan among the young generation.

When I first read the appended article which was first published on The Sun, I know I should share this with my fellow friends.

Lets us put aside our emotions, and read the article with an open mind.

And I personally think the Government should stop providing financial support to vernacular schools and at the same time, enhance the attractiveness and effectiveness of national schools.


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Prof. Khoo Kay Kim
Via email


MANY years ago, Tagore said: "To build a nation, first build a school." He was talking about the need to integrate and socialise the young people who form the citizens of a country. In Malaysia, concern was raised even before World War II, not long after the British had experimented with preserving separatism and found the situation difficult to control. Sir Shenton Thomas (governor and high commissioner), in about 1940, actually thought seriously of adopting a policy to Anglicise the Chinese. But war broke out before he could act.

It is not at all well known that, in the early years of British administration, there was no consciousness of the need to build walls between the ethnic groups. For instance, those appointed to official bodies (such as sanitary boards or state councils) represented industries or commerce. It was only after World War I that the decision was made to appoint ethnic representatives.

The British treated non-Malays as aliens and therefore provided facilities for them to continue to live as citizens of their countries of origin. Hence also, hardened non-Malay criminals were banished, meaning they were sent back to their original countries and could not return.

Malays (as distinct from those of more recent Netherlands East Indies origin) were deemed to be subjects of the Rulers. Those committing serious crimes were exiled, meaning they could return because this was their land of origin. It was to protect their interests, after the first rubber boom of 1910, that the Malay Land Reservation Act was passed in 1913 which also defined, for the first time, who a Malay was. This same definition is preserved in the Federal Constitution.

When plans were laid for the establishment of a nation-state in the course of World War II, the British began to plan seriously the best way to integrate the ethnic groups. The Communities Liaison Committee was formed at the beginning of 1949, chaired by E.E.C.Thuraisingham.

The Barnes Committee, a year later, recommended the integration of the education system. All government schools, as distinct from private schools, would use Malay and English as the main media of instruction but pupils could learn their own ethnic languages. Later, the Razak Report of 1956 stated categorically that "the main objective of Malaya’s educational policy is national unity." Its recommendations were substantially similar to that of the Barnes Report.

But throughout the late "forties" and "fifties", various efforts made to integrate the people proved futile. They preferred to remain separate. Hence, ethnic political parties were formed. Socialism and communism tried to use ideology to break down communalism; both failed. I remember a question set for my final year examination (in 1959) by Prof. K.G.Tregonning (an Australian): "Communalism not communism is the real threat in Malaya." Most of the students who answered that question agreed with the statement.

Singapore is very well aware of that and has adopted, from the beginning, an integrative approach towards education. But its requirement that a pupil must study his/her own ethnic language is too hard. If an Indian pupil wants to study Mandarin instead of Tamil, he/she is not allowed to do so.

Our political leaders also could not solve the problem on the eve of independence. They left many issues unresolved hoping that, after independence, reason and not emotion would prevail. But even now there is no sign of it. When I told the reporter of the Chinese paper that the time had come to adopt a "one-system national school" approach, I specifically mentioned Singapore as an example. But she could not understand what I was saying and reported that I had said non-Malays must forget their mother tongues.

"Mother tongue" is another misunderstood term. It should be the language used by members of a particular family, not the language used by a nation. Therefore, Tamil is not the "mother tongue" of every Indian. The Bengalis, Punjabis, Malayalis and Telegus have their own "mother tongues". In Sarawak and Sabah, the indigenous people have numerous "mother tongues".

Like it or not, young Malaysians must make it a point to acquire three languages at least: the national language, an international language (English is the most useful) and each person’s own ethnic language. The schools can provide for the learning of a few of the major ethnic languages: Mandarin, Tamil and Arabic; but it would not be practicable to try to provide more.

When discussing national problems, why must leaders of the nation allow themselves to be overcome by strong ethnic feelings? Their main responsibility is to integrate the nation not separate it. And, by the way, the nation rejected assimilation a long time ago but acknowledged that integration is the right approach. There are still educated Malaysians who do not know this.

I have lived through two serious ethnic riots – one in 1945 and one in 1969. When I plead for a rational approach why should I be accused of not knowing my own people? My research into the history of the Chinese in Malaysia takes into account minute details. But the simple question is, if I choose to be an ethnic champion would I be able to contribute to national unity? Am I to understand that confrontation is the wiser approach? Have we not seen the calamities that have taken place in some countries even in recent times because of ethnic confrontation?

The preservation and practice of ancestral culture is not wrong but when one lives in a complex society, social relations cannot be taken for granted. Certainly accommodation is more likely to lead to greater happiness than stubborn confrontation.

The Commuter-Ride Home

By: Tunku Mariati Tunku Mukhtar


Following Pak Lah’s ride in the LRT many moons ago, one would think there would be some degree of improvement in the public transport system but lo and behold..... On the fateful date of 15 October 2008, I decided to take the commuter train back from the Bank Negara stop to the Bangi stop. It was 5.30 in the evening and the horror began. It was raining cats and dogs and elephants and cows! Wisdom of a friend – she advised me against walking to the station but offered to give me a lift instead. I’m glad I took her advice.

As I rushed down from the ticket counter to the platform below, the usual crowd had already gathered at the platform waiting for the commuter train to arrive. I was appreciative of the new complex, a vast improvement from the straight row of shelter of days gone by. The rain showed no sign of abating. Water from the roof gutter was gushing out from the pipes defying the rule that it was supposed to flow into the drain below but instead hit hard against the wall across the drain and deflecting back onto the platform, flooding the floor immediately after the landing as you step down the stairs from the ground floor. It is a wonder no one actually slipped and fell.

The train to Seremban was scheduled to arrive at 5.44pm as displayed in the electronic board overhead. However, like the act of amateur magician, it was the train to Pelabuhan Klang that showed up. After a delay of about 20 minutes, there were a few announcements indicating that the train to Seremban would be arriving soon, and thankfully it did. However, by then, there was no seats left – just standing space, and stood I did, hoping to grab a seat when a passenger goes off at the next station. Oh, how true the wise words, when all else fails, hope is all you have!!!

It was a ten stop ride to Bangi and just when you thought there would be some relief at the next stop as the passengers alight, the plot thickens, literally – it certainly got denser as more people kept getting on than getting off. When the train arrived at the Kuala Lumpur station, there was an announcement IN the train leaving non-regulars like me a bit confused. The train WAS going to Seremban, yet the announcement was telling commuters to change trains and board trains for Seremban, Pelabuhan Klang, Rawang, etc at the respective platforms. Did I or did I not have to change trains? On second thoughts, maybe it was a ploy to get some unsuspecting passengers to vacate the train. Stubbornly, I stayed on – wise decision, I thought as did many other passengers. Hardly anyone budged.

Come the Mid Valley station, it was a real horror. As the train slowed down to stop, I could see the train rubbing against the passengers waiting on the platform showing how extremely close they dared be to rush into the train - and rush in they did. It would be an amazing feat to be able to get off at the Mid Valley station at this point!

At one point the door would not close hence an announcement to not lean against the door or press the "open door" button". Again, no response. Door number 9 at my carriage, kept closing and opening a few times indicating something was stopping the door from closing properly. Finally the signature hissing sound as the door ledged close and off we went to the next station.
One would think that at residential stations such as Seputih and Taman Tasik Selatan we could breathe a sigh of relief but unfortunately no one got off while more passengers attempted to board the train. Despite being sardine packed to the brim, at every station, at least one passenger would manage to squeeze in. Each time as the door closes, everyone would take a deep breath to ensure that the door could close tightly.

Many thoughts occupied my head as I stood in the train. Actually being sandwiched so badly, I could just lift both my legs and would be supported by the other bodies around me! Get the picture? I was just happy I hung my hand phone round my neck. My phone rang twice and had it been in my handbag, there was no way I could reach to retrieve it. Given an option to breathe into someone’s freshly washed hair, the smelly armpit across my head and the wall of the train, I opted for the wall. The walls were clean. No graffiti to read just the notice and the emergency door handle in the glass casing. Across the seats along the wall, standing against door number 10, two girls caught my eye. They were hearing impaired but that didn’t stop them from having a lively conversation with each other. It was actually fun trying to interpret what they were saying. Initially it looked as though they were sharing some happy gossip, then their facial expressions changed to indicate mild disapproval and later brushed it off as though it didn’t matter to them. Indeed, action speaks louder than words.

It is an amazing observation that despite the one hour ordeal in the commuter, no one complained, no one was rude and no one retaliated. Reading from the facial expressions one could see the tired, frustrated and exasperated looks on the faces of the passengers, yet everyone held their piece. I suppose, everyone was focused on one goal to reach home, so despite the squeeze (as one appreciates how flexible the human body is), the smell (ranging from fresh shampoo to smelly armpits) and the inconvenience, the goal was so compelling that all these pale in comparison. In fact, I was impressed to see that in a situation like this, some degree of chivalry prevailed as one or two young lads actually stood up to give their seats to the more deserving ones.

After about one hour we reached Serdang. Breathing space at last. Although half the crowd got off there, I was still not lucky enough to grab a seat. My luck came just two stops before Bangi. I was thankful all the same. At least there was no further delay and the air conditioning system WAS working in the train. For those who had experienced being stranded in a commuter and one with the air conditioning not working, this is indeed a blessing. When I arrived in Bangi, it was just raining puppies and kittens. However, the station was jammed with the awaiting cars outside. Not wanting to prolong my relationship with KTM, I just fished out my light weight umbrella (which I recently purchased from Sogo) from my bag and happily walked out of the station to where my daughter was waiting at the main road and headed for home.

What about tomorrow? As evident from the James Bond movie, tomorrow never dies.


p/s: The author is a colleague of mine who, to some extent, coached me in improving my communication skill.