With the recent development in the Sosi Disappearance, a lot have been raised about the suspects and some even went to the extent of relating it with racial prejudice. Well this reminds me of something that happened when I was in my first year in university back there in Penang.
During my first semester break, I planned to go back to my hometown Johor Bahru with my buddy Azni. We bought two express bus tickets to JB. On the departure day, it rained heavily, there were flood. We had to take a bus to the ferry terminal, and got stuck in it for a few hours. It was about time for the express bus to take-off from the mainland. We have no time to catch the ferry, but there was another male student who would be taking the same express bus with us to JB. Since he was a lot tougher than us, we asked him to run over quickly to catch the ferry, cross-over to the mainland terminal and get on the express bus that was about to leave. We asked him to tell the driver to wait for us, since we missed the ferry and would be taking the next one.
So we took the next ferry. When we arrived at the mainland bus terminal, our express bus was gone. They did not wait for us, despite the message that we sent through our male friend. We went to the ticket counter to complain, they simply said that we had to buy new tickets, and that they could not help us. We said there were flood and we could not run fast enough to catch the ferry, and we begged to be in the next bus taking-off to JB, since we did not have enough money to buy new tickets. We could not even go back to our campus since we only had less than ten ringgit each. Nobody from the express bus company, cared to help, they kept on asking us to buy new tickets. A few pakciks, makciks, abangs, kakaks and mamats passed by, asked us what was the matter, then walked away. Nobody offered any help.
Suddenly two young Indian guys with helmets in hand, came over and asked us. We told them our problem. Those guys who really looked like mat rempits, offered to help. Of course we were skeptical and scared, but we just tawakal and accepted their help. They gave us fifty ringgit to buy the tickets and also to cover our journey expenses. Then they waited with us for the next scheduled express bus to JB. While waiting for the bus, they brought us to a nearby restaurant and bought us dinner. We actually thought those guys were up to something..but unexpectedly and fortunately they did not do anything funny. We learned that they worked at a factory and both were housemates. We took their house telephone number and promised to pay them back when we come back the next semester. They said we didnt have to worry, they genuinely wanted to help us, and that they were devoted Hindus and must help people in difficulty.
Since we would be departing at night, they accompanied us until the bus took-off. Azni and I were quite shocked with their kindness and also relieved that God helped us in that difficult situation. A month later, we came back to Penang and called them, to meet up and pay back their money. They simply laughed and said it was okay, we did not have to pay them back. They said they were glad they could help and happy that we made it safe. Now, that was genuinely IKHLAS. I could never forget the two Indian guys forever in my life.
There are, actually, some genuinely nice and kindhearted people in this world. So this is a multi-cultural country, this is Malaysia, please preserve the harmony that we have now. Do not even think about initiating a racial tension. Lets compete the healthy way, via education, economy, lifestyle, achievement and many other positive ways. Be 1Malaysia. Stay 1MALAYSIA, forever..InsyaAllah.
