TAKING THE KAMPUNG OUT OF THE KAMPUNG BOY

As part of the news on Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, the STAR ran an opinion piece by D.RAJ titled " Change Can Only Happen when residents shed 'village mentality'". The writer wrote about the lawlessness in Kampung Medan and how they treat the place as a kampung or an estate. In the same breath, the writer wrote that " In kampungs and estates, people watched out for other folk's children."

There are things that should be carried from the village to the city and I do not mean just the budu and the ubi kayu. Looking out for each other is one. Keeping track of each other is another. City folks might find it strange for a villager in Terengganu to ask
"Nak gi kuane tu?" (Where are you going?) or
"Mari duane tu?" (Where are you coming from?)
The "asker" is not being kay-poh or a busybody. It is just good village manners. Chances are later somebody will be inquiring about the person previously interrogated and the information will save a lot of time and maybe a few heartaches. In the city, you have to subscribe to a telco's service to know where someone is provided that he/she has a handphone.

I am sure you know of more good things from the kampung that we should bring to the cities. I am all ears.

Labels: kampung, Sharlinie