DatukNameTooLongItIs?
>I suffer from an incurable disease. Its called Datuknametoolongitis.
>
>Datuknametoolongitis is typically characterised by the sufferer's
>inability to remember people's names in full, especially that of the
>Datuks. At best the sufferer can absorb the first three syllables of
the
>name. Anything after that becomes pure gibberish.
>
>
>
>Jalan Datuk what-what-what?
>
>
>Kuching, my hometown, is a city that discriminates victims of
>Datuknametoolongitis, like me. I'm saying that because 70% of the
roads
>here are named after famous people, most of whom are Datuks, some of
>whom have unfortunately very very long names.
>
>
>Many years ago I remember studying at a Chinese Primary School along
>Pineapple Road, not too far from Palm Road. I remember a Jalan
Keretapi
>(Train Road) near Wisma Saberkas. There's even a oddly named Jalan
>Central Barat (Central West Road), which is a strange fusion of Malay
>and English words.
>
>
>
>Jalan Rambutan. One of the few old road that retained its name. No
>there's no Jalan Coconuts.
>
>
>I then travelled to Perth Australia where I stayed for eight years
>growing accustomed to road names like Hay Street where I do my
shopping,
>and James Street where there's good bubble tea, great coffee and
>fantastic pubs at night. The longest road name I've came across is
>probably Sir Charles Court Promenade, which is more of a walkway on
>campus than a road.
>
>
>And then I return to Kuching. And I experienced reverse culture shock.
>
>
>There are some changes with Kuching that I can put up with. Then there
>are some that I cannot.
>
>
>
>One road, two names. One new, one old. Kinda defeats the purpose of
>changing its name isn't it?
>
>
>Gone was Jalan Central Barat, its now Jalan Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui. Gone
>were Palm Road and Jalan Keretapi, its now Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi
Adruce
>.
>
>
>I have nothing against their names. I don't even know who the heck
they
>are. But I'm sure at one point or another probably they did something
so
>magnificient the city council decided to name a road after them. Then
>another. And another. And one more. Then another...
>
>
>As if remembering long and complicated names wasn't difficult enough
for
>sufferers of Datuknametoolongitis like me, I was further punished by
>having to differentiate between two almost similar road names.
>
>
>
>Two roads, similar names. But the difference is day and night.
>
>
>Its not that I didn't try remembering the names. Believe me, I tried.
>Its very difficult to know the names by heart. One trick I find very
>useful is to associate the road name with food.
>
>
>
>
>Doing so helps me remember long road names, but makes me hungry very
>easily.
>
>
>Its too bad some road names are a bit too long for me to use that
trick.
>
>
>
>
>Umm... Jalan Murtabak?
>
>
>Then they start naming the roundabouts after these famous people.
>
>
>
>Try reading them double fast without pausing.
>
>
>How bad can this get? I thought those were the worst, I have no idea.
>
>
>Until I came face to face... with The Mother of All Long Roundabout
>Names.
>
>
>
>Its not true what they said about Sarawakians living on trees you
know.
>That's not what we're famous for.
>
>
>We're famous for giving road directions to tourists.
>
>
>Angmoh tourist: "Excuse me, how do I get to the library?"
>
>
>Local Sarawakian: "Oh that's easy! >From here, go along Jalan Datuk
>Abang Abdul Rahim, turn right at Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman and drive
until
>you reach Bulatan Datuk Temenggong Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip . Do a
3
>o'clock towards Jalan TunKU Abdul Rahman, make a left at Jalan Tun
Ahmad
>Zaidi Adruce and drive until you reach the roundabout at Bulatan Datuk
>Amar Abang Haji Suleiman Bin Haji Taha . Exit at Jalan Tun Abang Haji
>Openg, then turn left at Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho. Soon you'll reach
>Bulatan Datuk Menteri Abang Haji Mohammad Zin Bin Haji Salleh, where
you
>should turn into Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad
Salahuddin
>until you arrive Bulatan Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah Bin Datuk
>Bandar Abang Haji Mohammad Kassim.
>
>
>The library is just on your left. Any questions?"
>
>Angmoh tourist: "Huh?"
Some jokes I've got from forward email ..., Maybe you've read before
Sep 15 2005, 01:06 PM
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