There was a road block and a uniformed policeman boarded the express bus bound for Lumut. The bus was already an hour and a half late and some passengers were heading for Pulau Pangkor and the last ferry to the island was at 8pm. It now was almost 5pm, and we were only in Tanjung Malim.

A Bangladeshi passenger was asked to furnish his travel documents. He was then asked to get off the bus and follow the cop. The bus was made to stop at a nearby coffee shop where a cup of kopi-o cost RM1.50. The wait lasted some 30 minutes.

During that time, the Bangladeshi was seen walking towards the shop from the temporary police tent he had been taken to. He bought half a dozen or more canned drinks and snacks. He shook his head as he walked past the writer and her travel companion.

He walked straight back to the police tent and left the drinks and food. Then he was allowed to get back on the bus to resume the journey.

Initially reluctant to talk, the Bangladeshi claimed the policemen had said his documents were invalid. He asked them to call his employer. A check revealed that the migrant worker was legitimate. He was returning to Perak from Kuala Lumpur, after visiting a friend who was about to leave for Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi admitted to having offered RM20 to the police as a good will gesture. He said he had only RM40. The police graciously refused the money and instead sent him to buy the drinks and snacks.

Earlier, while we were on the bus, the policeman had pointed to the writer and her travel-mate and said, I/C (identity card). The writers friend looked like a Bangladeshi.

Perhaps, the good policeman was concerned that an under-aged delinquent was sneaking-off with a Bangladeshi for a hoola-hoola in exotic Pulau Pangkor. Thhhhhank you for your concern, but no-thanks.

Disgraceful treatment

Earlier in the day the bus to Lumut had been late. The bus broke down but passengers were not told of this. The obligation to find out was ours and not those who took our money — Konsortium bus company in Puduraya.

At 2pm, the ticket counter attendant said the bus was merely caught in the everyday traffic snarl, outside Puduraya, and that it would arrive soon.

At 2.30pm, after having ingested enough exhaust fumes, another check with the attendant revealed that the bus had now broken down and a replacement bus was on its way.

At 3pm, there was still no replacement bus in sight. A passenger went up to the ticket counter — she was told to wait at a different platform. She informed the rest of the passengers who then moved out of platform 12 where they had initially been told to wait.

At 3.20pm, all the passengers were told to move again to another platform where a bus from a different company — Sri Maju — was waiting. We got on.

There was momentary pandemonium as an irate lady passenger had gone upstairs to the ticket counter to complain. One of the passengers went looking for her. Another kept watch of her bag, while the writer stood outside the bus and told the driver to wait for the poor Ah Soh (old lady).

There was no apology from the bus drivers or the ticket counter attendant. Whether the bus is late, breaks down or stuck in traffic — it is no fault of theirs.

What a disgrace to the service. Would we dare treat Mat Sallehs this way — they would have written to the newspapers...or kicked up a deservedly big fuss and demanded their money back.

The Ah Soh finally got on the bus. She had come from Johor Bahru and was going to Pulau Pangkor to attend her mothers funeral.

She was desperately worried that she would miss the 8pm ferry as the driver said we would only reach Lumut between 8pm and 8.30pm. He didnt want to confirm the time of the last ferry.

As we neared Lumut, only the three of us remained on board as the rest of the passengers had alighted at different stops along the way.

The bus driver decided to stop for a refill. It was 7.45pm. Ah So pointed at her watch and said, lambat (Its late). The driver replied, Sekejap sajalah (Not for long).

The bus moved again at 7.55pm. The writer looked at the driver and shook her head complaining to her friend that they would miss the ferry by mere minutes. The Ah So , who by now had panicked, asked if we could help her find a place to stay for the night.

The bus arrived in Lumut at 8pm. A check with a shopkeeper revealed that the ferry hadnt left yet, he pointed in the direction of the terminal and told us cepat!cepat! (to hurry). The writer ran all the way to try and stop the ferry.

The ticket lady yelled out, The ferry is leaving in three minutes, go get your tickets. All the passengers were already waiting in the ferry. The writer bought the ticket and the ferry left as soon as she and her companions got in.

The ticket lady told the Ah So that we were lucky not to have missed the ferry. The Ah So was thankful we got the ferry. She wouldnt have to spend the night in a rumah tumpangan (budget motel).

Disappointing Pangkor

We reached Pangkor Island close to 9pm, eight hours after we arrived at Puduraya. So much for a blessed holiday away from the idiocy of the office. We still had to put up with the idiocy of the Malaysian way.

The waters along Teluk Nipah and around Pulau Giam (popular for snorkelling) were surprisingly clean — but this was by Malaysian standards.

Two female Danish tourists, who were staying in the A-frame hut next to our chalet, werent particularly impressed with the cleanliness. And this was off-peak season.

I went to collect seashells to make a necklace and found none worth collecting. There was just a lot of bottles and plastic around, she said in halting English.

We couldnt answer her. We were embarrassed.

In the morning, the water supply was cut off and the chalet owner didnt inform the guests. We had to fetch pails of water, from an outside tap, to bathe. And surprise, surprise — as the writer bent to scoop the water from the pail, she noticed a strategically located peephole just under the sink.

The writer and her companion packed and left, disappointed with the vivid display of Malaysian hostility rather than hospitality.