Time To Clean Up Kuala Lumpur
If you have never been to Kuala Lumpur, you may not be able to see the uglier side of the capital city of Malaysia.
For many outsiders, and perhaps local residents, their deep impression on Kuala Lumpur is the Petronas Twin Towers and other famous buildings. Of course, not forgetting the traffic congestion and countless shopping malls. People in the film and television production industry will tell you that officials will require them to include Malaysia's landmarks, such as Petronas Twin Towers in their productions, even if they have nothing to do with the content. The rationale behind such requirement is to allow local and oversea audiences to understand how prosperous and developed Malaysia is.
However, the Kuala Lumpur outside the camera lens may not be so harmonious. It is sometime offensive and uncomfortable. The people and the things that damage the reputation of Kuala Lumpur are most likely hidden at the back lanes. However, when the authorities do not take any action, their seedy side if exposed. The authorities have side-stepped these problems. They invite the people and the tourists to look upward to the gorgeous sky of Kuala Lumpur and ignore the filth of Kuala Lumpur at the bottom. However, its true face can't be hidden no matter how splendid the publicity is.
| "However, what surprises is they were seeking carnal pleasure at the five-foot way…" |
During my last holiday, I went to bookstores at Chinatown (Jalan Petaling aka Petaling Street). On my way to the bookstore, the people who passed by me were all foreigners. I want to make it clear here- they weren't blonde Caucasians, but they were foreign workers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and elsewhere. It is very normal to have foreign workers shopping around during holidays. However, what surprises is they were seeking carnal pleasure at the five-foot way, where streetwalkers and pimps are looking for “businesses”. I hope I was wrong. However, from their clumsy English conversation, I think I have heard it correctly.
After that, I went to the street with an overhead roof. Besides the stalls located at both sides of the street, there were also a lot of pirated goods stalls in the middle of the road. A variety of pirated digital audio and video attracted not only local customers, but foreigners who are usually respectful of intellectual property rights back home are also interested in buying these I was not interested in buying any CDs but I was curious what they sell. Just when I was about to go, suddenly a sturdy hand pull me and asked me if I want to any CDs. I was frightened. Fortunately, he meant no harm to me.
Chinatown is an important spot in Malaysia’s tourism promotion. Its variety of customs can attract visitors to experience local lifestyle. It is a loved-yet-hate place. We love its cheap goods, but we hate its high prices. The chaos and riot of stalls at the back lanes is a headache for the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. Sometimes its enforcement officers will conduct raids, but everything will remain unchanged afterwards.
The characteristics and historical status of Chinatown must not be changed. All concerned should try to develop it into an ideal Chinatown. I believe if this done, Kuala Lumpur will indeed be a beautiful city. (By CHONG LIP TECK/ Sin Chew Daily)
