The Mandatory

The car cabin has been among the most fabulous spot to snap a self portrait. Yes, you may get the picture by this moment. Frankly, not a lot of pose can be made inside the crammed cockpit of a vehicle. Neither not much of a catwalk runways on the other three seats ( or five seats for MPVs) , plus, there are limited backgrounds. yet, youngsters do love to self-potrait themselves on these type of situation. Do make a new tab for the social utility profile and browse the list of your friends which may have feature these type of profile pics. I bet, you will instantly find them. If I ‘am lucky, you might be the one I’m telling. And yes, I do it too.

Cars during the pre-independence Kedah were like Ferraris in sub-urbans. In places like Jitra, Kodiang, Sik and Changlun which tarred road were virtually unnecessary for that time, having a four wheeled motor vehicle roaring on the small pathway on the vast flatlands carpeted with paddy field were like being the most privileged and only the rich and royalties could afford such a fancy item. My dad said only district officers who have the chance to put their shoe sole on the pedal.

Allah blesses Malaysia. Over 50 years of independence, we have improved the life quality of the citizens. The once superior mat sallehs were shocked to see little, dark Asian men from Malaysia purchased their heavy weight companies such as Sime Darby, Guthrie and Boustead. Years after that we went on to create motor company like Proton and Perodua. Now vehicles has become somewhat affordable. The image of car as something that can only be owned by the rich has been shed away. Having a car is no more a status index for the society. Kids nowadays ( excluding mat rempits ) used motor vehicles as play items nowadays, with minor non-life-threatening accidents were made as a blog entry with a humor tone accompanied with plenty LOL’s.

Cars has became sort of hobby item nowadays which is being purchase without a long, deep and calculative considerations. Sometimes, a single visit to the car dealer, a purchase was made. Once I read in a newspaper in which a women visits a car showroom with her aunt on some lazy weekend drive around in the city. She saw a Peugeot 206 and fell in love with it, so she immediately booked a piece of it. Later, the aunt couldn’t agree more and placed a book too. Is that a coincidence!? Buying a car has become similar to going to pasar tani.

A plethora of vehicle available here not only varies in colours, litres and options. There are subcategories such as B-Segment, C-Segments and the list goes on. There are 7-Seaters or MPVs like Naza Ria to carry children to school. Compacts for young people ( which is also a great fuel savers and parking swifters ), sedans like the Camry/Accord for medium families, Pick-ups for rough-rider workaholics who think their vehicle looks smarter with the spud, wet-soil spots. SUV for frequent traveler. Most of all, my favourite, is a van; like Proton Juara, a champion in all dimension ( if u start giggling, you should know my intimate affair with Juara ). Each Malaysian family either has either combination of these or two of the same kind. Depends on whichever that could cater their needs best.

If you are living in a housing estate, take a jog around the neighbourhood. It has been a common sight where a house spots multiple vehicle. And, perhaps, you may stumble vehicles that were parked on the side of the road. On the end-lots. Near the communal field, on the field, on the badminton court of the field, near the fire hydrant, under a huge perbandaran-planted trees and so on. Not that the car owners were trying to flaunt their expensive vehicle to the public, but it’s the limited parking space offered by the developers which hinders the car to be parked within the housing compound.

Housing developers nowadays should be generous enough to provide parking space for at least two vehicle. Whichever way, parked side by side or bumper to bumper, the ample space shall give less headache towards the owner. Instead of boasting about having air-conditioner pre-installed or whatever club house facilities provided for a minimal fee whatsoever, the rising number of vehicle in Malaysia should not be taken lightly.

Yet, people still purchase houses with limited parking space due to the scarse availability of homes in town areas. Take a look in PJ, where property appreciation is on high. Any township there thrive like beans on wet towels. And properties were selling like hot cakes or hot rotiboy. Citizens just bought the properties due to accessibility that were provided ( close to highways, close to office and hypermarkets etc. etc. ) and had to settle for single-car parking bay houses.

Developers, perhaps, knew this. The selling factor for their products were the strategically located area. They, tends to outstretch the numbers of houses that could possibly be constructed on a single hectare. The more, the merrier. It all boils down to businesslah. Don’t mind if the parking bay may only fit a single car. Perhaps they might regard a car as a kancil so they can gain more lands and reduce the length.

But sometimes, it all boils down to a small favor of social responsibility in which some developer successfully in doing it. No matter how high the sales may yield, this type of developers seems to understand the situation and decided to include an ample parking space for future-homeowners. They put it in their pamphlets as an attraction which could be a possible sale earner. Or perhaps, they should not boast it after all. It all comes standard to all house models. No matter it’s a low-end model or elite model.

Since multiple car have become some sort of standard to every household in Malaysia, then housing law should make it mandatory for developers to include at least a two car parking bay allowance. By then, although not solely ( as some may argue to this suggestion ), problems such as stolen vehicle, vandalized vehicle, vehicle break-ins and stolen tyres shall be eradicated or reduced. And I shall jog in almost vehicle-free road.