I used to be an enthusiastic supporter of the Transnasional express bus service because of their very strict departure time and their attractive price structure. However I cannot accept their staff’s bad attitude, rudeness, indiscipline and lack of conscience in general.
On Dec 25, 2007 for the 1 pm KL Pudu Raya/Johor trip, I ushered my group of visitors from Shanghai - seven of them including myself, to the boarding platform 30 minutes before schedule.
When the bus arrived, it was blocked by another two buses in front which was still waiting for passengers. At that point, we couldn’t board or load our luggages because the entrance of our bus and the luggage compartment were blocked by a huge pillar near the staircase, and moreover, it was dangerous to board as the bus as it was too close to the staircase leaving no room to squeeze ourselves through.
Because of the precarious position of the bus, we waited awhile for the two buses in front of it to leave before we decide to load all our luggage, but that was not the case. Because the moment the two buses in front left at the same time, our Transnasional bus also sped along together in double quick speed!
What surprised me was that wasn’t the driver aware that seven passengers were missing from the bus, and that those seven persons were there in front of him waiting to board the bus? Quickly, without thinking of myself, I sprinted for my life after the bus and banged onto the bus panel repeatedly begging for it to stop amidst bewilderment from the public at such a scene of an old man of 50 chasing at a `runaway` bus.
My visitors was shocked that such `rudeness` and inconsiderate behaviour as earlier I boasted to them how friendly Malaysians are in general and how great a city Malaysia is which was the reason they came to KL with me. How wrong was I?
I realised that I could have been killed while chasing the bus or killed by another bus if I tripped and fell! Or maybe my heart could have stopped suddenly because of the stress. In spite of my vigorous banging, the bus sped even faster until it reached the junction of the main road where it was forced to stop because of heavy traffic.
But woe, no, even with my last breath, as I bashed the bus so hard that even bystanders were shouting for the bus to stop, the driver did not! He was more keen to be arrogant and rude like his other colleagues.
In retrospect, I think the driver could have sold our seven seats (because during this was during the Christmas period when bus seats were oversold, and probably the driver sold our tickets to make some a quick buck).
After this unhappy episode, I swear that I will never board any Transnasional bus again and I urge all Malaysians, Singaporeans and foreigners to avoid such a service. I have also had the experience of their drivers not waiting for even for 15 minutes if passengers are late in clearing Singapore immigration at Johor Baru.
There are many instances when families are separated when some members are delayed at Customs. The drivers were never compassionate when I pleaded for them to wait for these families when I witnessed such incidents from time to time.
I urge the government to take action against these heartless culprits to uphold the image of Malaysia.
No. 48, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar Utama 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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