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Writer's pictureHussein Abdul Hamid

DATELINE: Christmas Day.

DATELINE: 25th December 2023. MONDAY.

9.19 pm.



Melbourne: Christmas day. Another day is almost done. I have no thoughts of Christmas past. Now, I am staring into the abyss. Everything to live for - change, good governance, no corruption, and certainly the hope that in time, all will be well for Malaysia and Malaysians. But I doubt that the future will promise anything more than 'business as usual'.


I was in KL a few months back for almost three months and came back to Melbourne without too much hope of returning to KL anytime soon. The physical KL I left over fourteen years back is no more. In its place confusion and a veritable concrete jungle with no soul, no life, and certainly no promise of anything better to come, for its two million inhabitants. Truly a depressing place to live and work in. How can one live in KL and be happy? True happiness, it seems, lies somewhere else but many of its inhabitants are trapped in a life "kais pagi, makan pagi; kais petang, makan petang....most depressing!

My focus now is to write. Write about the things that matter to me and, I hope, also to you. Mostly politics and current affairs. Sometimes about life. Mine and yours. I would like a dialogue with those who read what I write. Do not second guess what is in my mind. I am writing in the moment. I write about the past and the future and sometimes I write about all things bright and beautiful. I have no agendas except the one I will, from to time, embrace as the spirits move me. In truth, I write because I like to write.


DATELINE will be a commentary on how life is for me. The good and the bad. At 76, I want to cram as much of the good as I can into my life for I am very aware that the future, for me, can be as fleeting as Ismail Sabri's time in office, or, may the lord hear me on this, be Mahathir like, in its longevity.





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6 Comments


Suri Hira
Dec 25, 2023

I have travelled far and wide and I still consider KL and Malaysia home.Mslaysians are sometimes too critical of the country due to it's politics.Minus the politics our cities and infrastructure are one of the best but can surely be improved.

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Mastermind
Mastermind
Dec 25, 2023

Re: 'how can one live in KL and be happy?'


KL is a city of hedonists. Paradise for food lovers because love is blind, they said. An international city for you get Dhaka, Islamabad, Jakarta, Naypyidaw, and Kathmandu all in one place. The excitement is unparalleled for you see real life shooting of Palestinian by the Mossad agent, warfare between Rohingya and Burmese, and often magic shows by the South Americans where the locals got ripped off bare. A place of great opportunities even taxi drivers are not in need of passengers, save to romance with unprepared customers. Who needs a soul when ghouls are around?


It's the best place on earth.

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naidu simon
naidu simon
Dec 25, 2023
Replying to

By your description , KL has become Wild Wild West where

anything goes, I don't think my old dicky ticker can take

this level of excitement.

😂


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Ross Lan
Ross Lan
Dec 25, 2023

Living in KL

My 43rd yr...since moving from Kuantan....when you can still go home for lunch.

Yes, Bro.HH's observation and impressions shared by many,I.am.sure..

And level of depression sinked lower after trips to neighbouring countries....

From.simply unuseable public toilets , unsynchronised traffic lights to seemingly ad hoc alignment.of LRT & MRT.,locations of stations.

Has anyone tried to connect with SBK MRT..at KL Sentral..arriving on other lines?

No walkaters...just the long walk.

Then KLIA 2...seemingly built for Air Asia...what a lost opportunity...to at least offer travellers ,what they cant find at Changi.Airport(wishful thinking!)


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naidu simon
naidu simon
Dec 25, 2023
Replying to

KLIA 2 is not an airport

Multistorey eatery/ shopping centre

😂

Edited
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naidu simon
naidu simon
Dec 25, 2023

To live is the rarest thing in the world

Most people exist , that's all

Oscar Wilde

Me , in latter category

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