Balik Kampung..holiday!!

  What is “balik kampung”? “Balik kampung ” can be defined as going back to one’s hometown during a festival or holidays. It is a unique experience for the most of the Malaysian. Everyone spend most of their time to catch up with family and friends whom they have not seen for some time. From the phase “balik kampung”, it often conjures an image of tranquility and also green pastures. However, this is not always the case because “balik kampung” also brings a host of negative effects.              Doesn’t it bring to mind about the horrendous of traffic jam? Traffic jam is indeed the order of the day. Most people ends getting up early to avoid traffic jam. However, they still get caught in the heavy traffic since everyone also does the same thing. People will definitely get frustrated and angry after a certain period. They may start to vent out their anger by saying swear words and shouting towards others. Thus, several impatient drivers will begin to overtake illegally recklessly by jumping queue. Minor accidents could happen and therefore worsen the traffic jam. Drivers can end up by arguing and drive bumper to bumper. Accidents happen incur expenditure, higher cost is needed to service our car. Besides that, the time taken from KL to Ipoh which is normally 2 ½ hour will be doubled or tripled during festive seasons. Therefore, people at the village will feel anxious and worried as their family members have not arrived at assign time.  

        On the other hand, the environment in the town is seems to be quiet and stand still. Most people have gone back to hometown. Shops are closed, because there are no businesses during the few particular days. Due to that, businessmen will suffer loses. For example, Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman. These two roads are often in heavy traffic during normal day but it is just like a ghost town during the festive season. Hence, “mat rempit” will take the opportunity for illegal racing. During holidays, break-in cases and robberies will also increase.          During festive seasons, many accidents may occur such as fatality, serious injuries, and loss of limbs. Consequently, a joyous and happy occasion will turn into a sorrowful and mourning period. Family members are sad. Instead of spending time together in the house to celebrate, they huddle in hospitals waiting for the news or to receive what is left. Other than that, doctors and nurses are affected. They have to work overtime busy attending victims. Therefore, all of their leaves are put on hold. Instead of having a good time with families, they have to spend most of the time in the hospitals. Besides than that, police officers are also busy controlling and directing traffic on the roads. On the other road such as gravel road and kampung road, which town-dwellers are not used to such roads. They will drive recklessly and carelessly, cars sometimes will go out of control. Consequently, accidents occur.  

This “balik kampung” phenomenon will also affect school. As a result, schools have to replace extra holidays. This consists of a host of negative elements. During the class replacement on weekends, students often play truant. The attendance rate is slow due to high absenteeism. Hence, no lesson is conducted. Students are left on their own agenda and time is wasted. In future, students will not attend other replacement classes anymore. In addition, teachers may not carry out lessons because of the low attendance. So, teachers may not be able to complete the syllabus. They have to rush through the topics on time. Therefore, some students may not understand the topic and achieve badly in exams.  They may have to go for tuitions as to catch up the syllabus. As for parents, they have to settle the transportation arrangement for their children during the replacement classes because mostly school bus’s drivers do not fetch students on weekends. Parents may late for work or have to cancel other appointments as to take their children to school. Sometimes, they’re forced to take leave too.              After enjoying the joyous moments in hometown, this is the time to start all over again. Now, it is “balik KL” time and the history repeats itself.