It is the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri today, a day of forgiveness and appreciation for Muslims all around the world, marking the end of a month of fasting.
This should be a day of celebration and festivities, but when I opened THE STAR online this morning, what do I see? Headlines like "Tragedy Robs Family of Raya Joy", "Couple's Saddest Raya","He Never Got to Buy that Carpet" greeted my eyes. Stories of heartbreaking tragedies followed the headlines, and narration of the grief and the pain suffered by parents, siblings, fiances and survivors of the road accidents. Why choose to trade a joyful day for a day of distress and sadness?
The government should be credited for their efforts in making sure all travellers arrive home in one piece to their families. And yet, year in and year out, we read the papers half expecting to see news of road deaths. Mind you, the expectations have not failed us yet. It even exceeded the previous year's statistics! Most of the tragedies were caused by carelessness and recklessness, (ignorance perhaps?) of the drivers. Campaigns and advise given by the government seem to fall on deaf ears. The latest resort was to send out positive messages instead of gory display of mangled vehicles and covered up bodies to the people. Would that really work?
I really do not see the point of spending thousands on Billboards of SPEED KILSS along the expressways when all they do is collect dust.
And neither do I see the point of rushing back to your family, only to arrive home for a memorial service.
And to repeat it every year, without fail; today.
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3 comments:
thinkin of it, they never fail to showcase death and bad news on the frontpage of the newspaper during every raya period. hmm, maybe they should change strategy for a change!
Well, first of all...Thanks to those bus/lorries/trucks etc drivers who thought that they are driving in the Formula One (F1) race. Speeding all the way on the highway, ignoring all small little cars on the road...
Cannot expect too much I guess... Those drivers and riders are either without brain, or they are blind, or they are unable to operate their limbs. The number of accidents is considered 'little' already...
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