2/6/09 KUALA LUMPUR....the hidden beauties and rudeness..

I was born in the jungle. Thus, jungle would always be my attraction. Today, on my long haul search, with 48 hours to the H-Hour, I make my mind to have a look at the Kuala Lumpur Butterflies Park. I took a cab from Cititel, which cost me only RM7.10. A great smooth drive with burning hot sun in the rising.

Strolling the Butterflies Park, give me a peace of mind. While searching and appreciating those colored wings insects, sucking all those nutritious honey from all the blooming flowers, make my mind wonder. In fact, in this small paradise, human really appreciate the beauty, tranquility, the details and precise benefits of the green trees, colored flora and fauna, and sprouting waters. The school of those colored Japanese carps make all the ponds and lakes look great and putting the mind to a rest. How beautiful if there are some beds or resting chairs around to get a nap, by the side of those beautiful-cool pools, of course, with token RM of appreciation. It was about 11.00 hrs when I reached the park, and surely not much honey left to be sucked by the butterflies. Most of the butterflies are roaming and flying all over, with not much really keeping still sucking the honey for me to shot on. This actually is not the good timing if you want get good shots of them. Their feeding time is the best from 0700-0900 hrs.

(2) Later, I asked for a cab to get to Masjid Negara. I've not paid my respect to the resting Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak ever since I left KL in 1984. Unfortunately none of cab would take me there. The journey is too short, as told by one of them. The sun is really burning. Nonetheless, a much soft hearted taximan, came and advised me, you just walk to the left, go all the way down the hill, Masjid Negara is just few minutes walking distance. Yeehhh, at least there are some good hearted people around.

(3) To my surprise (ignorance indeed), on the right side of the road is the Bird Park, probably if I push further up, I would be at Lake Garden. Nonetheless, I walked as adviced, just few hundreds of meters a head there is this nice building called International Islamic Art Center (?). A four storeys building, with entrance fee of RM12.00. A great nice collection of Islamic Arts and Crafts are on display. There is a small section selling various Islamic books. Good collection of kids' books are there which are nice to keep for kids early appreciation of Islam and Islamic Way of Life.

(4) As I was paying for the entrance fee, I asked the Counter Person, why are they not providing a Route Sign, for ease of the tourists, and as well as to advertise the Facility, say from the Bird/Butterfly Park as well as from the Masjid Negara or Old Railway Station, indicating the direction and distance of the Facility. I smiled at the answer: Sorry Sir, not our duty! But again I explained to the person, do you know how much to build this building and bring in all those exhibits. Probably tens of Millions and that is why you are hired for, not only to collect the entrance fee, but to generate income, greater income for the good maintenance of the Facility, from thereon more things could be build and more people to gain employment. Well, sir, if you have so much ideas, why not you just write in! Another smile, with broken heart inside me!

(5) I bought Bilal by Craig, H.A.L, Iqbal Poet-Philosopher of Islam, by Munawar, Prof Muhammad, and The Book of Marriage and Divorce by Asique, Moulana Elahi Madni for my long haul reading.

(6) Then I passed by the Islamic Public Library with the two dark nice decorated huge doors symbolizing an elegant nad grand entrance. I try to pushed open the doors, they are closed. But again no sign of Opening Schedule or Close Notice. Again a nice huge Complex symbolizing Islamic Architecture and Civilization but probably not that as 'friendly' as Islamic Culture should be!.

(7) I reached the Masjid Negara, the west wing, at the Makam Pahlawan side. A foreign tourist was there at the entrance. Now is already 1300 hrs, and the sun is really buring. He walked up, opened the small gate, and walked in strolling the Makam Pahlawan. I trailed just behind him, took off my shoes and sit on the floor next to Tun Abdul Razak cemetry, to recite Al Fathihah.

(8) From a distance, I heard a shout, why you used shoes, stupid, get out, kurang ajar! I turned my head to the voice, saw an old man probably aged 60-70 years old, shouting at the tourist. Out-out, no shoes, stupid! Again, and I don't feel good to hear such words in this kind of a place.

(9) As I went out from the Makam Pahlawan back entrance, from where I entered earlier, I look for any notice to advice whoever, entering the place to take-off their shoes. There is none.

(10) I assumed, the old man must have taken for gratnted that everybody knows what are our traditions and custom.

(11) From the Makam, I walked to the Masjid Negara Main Hall and pay respect to Him for a while. Then as I went out, I stopped by at the Guard Room, and met the yelling old man, and try to extend my small advise to him: May be good, if we could have a system to educate people not to be seen as kurang ajar and stupid for not taking their shoes when going up into such places. At least place a notice on all entrances. But, probably due to the hot weather and boiling heart, I got a real good reply: A Kurang Ajar guy like that, and you want to take side for him. How on earth he entered our home with shoes? Well, he is just an old man with an old ignorance thinking! Probably the Masjid Negara authority should go into all the details of the standard procedure in handling all these small matters. Let keep them under control before, some may, one day say.....the staff of Masjid Negara adalah kurang ajar!

(12) For DBKL, I would suggest, let turn the loope from Museum Negara-Lake Garden-Butterflies/Birds Park-Masjid Negara-Old Railway Station as the nice Walking-Cycling-Path. Turn them into lines of green trees to bit the hot weather that we have. Make these routes a real nice walking-cycling routes. Sure, if we could do that, that would make KL a nice and more people friendly place. Surely our people will appreciate that. I believe, these places would be well patronize and slowly able to generate own income for their maintenance. Let make our Public Places more friendly and financially strong.

Kuala Lumpur, 6 July, 2009