I had a dream yesterday, a big and wonderful dream, `` As I alighted from cool Mass Rapid Transit transport, an interchange Singapore & Malaysia modern train services plying Johor Bahru and Singapore, city center, I noted the gleaming JB city's towering buildings. The alleys were clean, no litters or rubbish strewn everywhere. The welcoming sign board greets `` Welcome To The City Of Joy, Johor Bahru; Your Southern Gateway to Scenic Malaysia''.
As I stroll along Jalan Segget, the beautiful flowers planted along the one way road ``smiles'' refreshingly!Yes, I can't see any beggars prodding drivers or passengers of motor vehicles that are stranded in the not so traffic jammed road to depart a meagre portion of their earnings to them. A major change had occurred to JB, I guessed. The pathways are kept clean and no cigar butts are to be seen except in the rightful place. I entered a restaurant for a ``teh-tarik'' branded as ``teh-tarik 2020'' and surprised to see a notice, warning customers that ``Smoking is prohibited in this premise''. Wow! This is really a surprise and was not the only restaurant that have these signs but almost all places of ``eatery'' had displayed one. I was told by one of the coffee shop assistants that Johor Bahru had enforced this rolling to effect banning smoking in public places.
A short walk along the back ways of Jalan Wong Ah Fook where old buildings (pre-war) located highlights another dimension of ever changing attitude of city folks from all walk of life. The buildings were given a fresh paint coating befitting their era outlook. The most surprising changes that were made to city landscape is the transforming of sungai Segget into a `Venice of East''. I couldn't believe my own eyes when the old ``smelly'' Segget river had a crystal clear water view with `gondolas plying, ferrying visitors and passengers around the city. For a moment ,I thought I was in Venice!
Buses and vans loaded with tourist from Japan, Singapore, Middle East, Europe, India, China and Americas countries arrives for sight-seeing and entertain themselves at all major tourist attraction centres around JB city. JB city welcomes tourist from all over the world! JB city had a major face lift, a financial center, cultural pluralism of all races. The daily show of how the diverse ethnic races lives in harmony and the joy they show in being different, yet think as one city folks! Yes! Malaysia, truly Asia, depicted in every action sense by JB folks!
A colorfully decorated rickshaw and the owner who earns handsomely by rickshaw cycling tourist as well as locals around city center, blaring local, foreign & country songs from his latest mini PA system enlightens and brightens up the already colorful town. The location maps are updated and the bus schedule were so accurate that JB transport system said to be on par with that of Japan! The motor vehicles were driven so orderly and speed limits were adhered without fail. So much so, I could identify the culprit who ``rams'' the accelerator paddle exceeding the speed limit easily, from the rest of the pack, a similar condition I had observed in Japan many years ago.
``I must be dreaming, I thought in my dream''. Is this real? But before more exciting colorful event scenes could manifest, then I was rudely woken up by the ``waltz'' music tone, ringing from my hand phone so early in the morning! I got up in daze to find that that caller called
a wrong number and with an apology!!``Aiyah!, I realised I had a dream.....but then, they said if you dream early in the morning, your dream will come true. Is it true?
