TAXI AT KOTA KINABALU

I was in Kota Kinabalu twice to climbed up the highest peak in South East Asia Mount Kinabalu, once to run the Borneo International Full Marathon 42.2km and twice with Allianz. The first, we stayed at the Sutera Harbour and this second trip, we stayed and gathered at the Shangri La, Tanjung Rhu. Although Kota Kinabalu is not a stranger to me but the modus Operandi of the taxi there was.

On a 24 random sampling (including my own experience) done on a population of 240 delegates from Allianz that had taken a cab in Kota Kinabalu, I discovered that none of the taxi uses the meter to charge their passenger. Infact, I can safely say that 70% of the taxi in Kota Kinabalu does not even have any meter to use!!

The balance 30% of the taxi in Kota Kinabalu that was actually installed with a meter, the metered taxi starts at a whopping RM10.00!! The taxi driver claimed that it was the Road Transport Department (JPJ)'s directive and did not have any qualm with me taking a picture of it when he saw me in disbelief. However, even those taxi meter never used the taxi and charge on a flat fee basis ala take it or leave it.

MALAYSIAN AN IMMIGRANTS IN MALAYSIA

Although I have frequently traveled to Kota Kinabalu but I can never comprehend or accept that we, Malaysian have to queue like immigrants or foreigners everytime Malaysian from the Peninsular arrived in East Malaysia. Infact, there is no different between us queuing at the Counter that reads “Malaysian Passport” and the foreigner queuing at the “Foreign Passport” only counter except, we have the option to either use our Identification Card or the passport while the foreigner do not.

The queue at the immigration checkpoint during our arrival was horrendous and equally as bad, was the queue to leave Sabah International airport. Not being happy, bored and had nothing to do, I took out my sexy white iPhone 4s dressed in Yellow cover and happily snapped picture of us Malaysian ‘immigrants’ in East Malaysia on the long queue but was spotted and abruptly called aside by the immigration officer for taking picture at the custom clearance. All the way from the back, three quarter to the last queue from the counter, I was called to the front, infront of all others and was asked to delete the pictures by the fierce and no smiling lady officer at the counter probably on pms. Then, I was asked to go back into the rear-end of the long queue. 

Of course I had the option to either create a scene or make it a blog story. I chose the latter.

From one unresolved heartache of being treated like an immigrant in Sabah, now I have to digest my forever-questioning mind, why is the custom checkpoint a prohibited area for taking picture? Because of terrorists or any other agenda…?