My Trip to Putrajaya

Assalamualaikum,

My second son Josef, who is studying medicine in Moscow, Russia has been pestering me to send to him the "NOC" (No Objection Certificate), which he says, is required by his university.

So last Tuesday, 3rd February 2009, I took the Kancil car and drove to Putrajaya, which is the center of the Malaysian Government Departments.

It was at first a decision of whether I should take the Volvo, which was parked at my office in Shah Alam, by taking the LRT/train to Batu 3 first and then walked for 15 minutes to my office to get the car. Or whether to drive directly there with either my wife's Kancil or Persona. I finally decided to go there with the Kancil because it consumed the least amount of petrol and saved me the traveling time in the LRT/train. It would also be easy for me to find a parking space for a Kancil at Putrajaya. I was thinking that the only thing that I was going to miss for not taking the LRT/train and then the Volvo was the exercise from the walking. But I consoled myself that I had been fasting the previous day and also had some walking exercise from my office to the Batu 3 railway station on the same day - all for the sake of controlling my diabetes.

Traveling to Putrajaya and arriving at my destination, which was the Ministry of Education at Parcel E, was easy enough for me because I had been to Putrajaya a couple of times before. The first few times was, of course, a nightmare. There were so many signboards and roads and "Precinct" here and "Precinct" there that I got lost a few times. Nowadays, whenever I have to go to Putrajaya, I'll take the same route and also leave by the same way if I want to avoid getting lost again. If you want to have a non-stop learning activity, going in and out of Putrajaya with your car is the best place to do it and also the best way to know about the roads in Putrajaya.

Whoever did the town-planning for Putrajaya, especially at the "Parcel E" area, probably did not think that the Government employees are going to drive and park their cars there and that visitors going there need to park their cars too. When I arrived there at about 8.30 am, I observe that both sides of all the roads there were occupied with cars if not the red barrier cones. Since it was still early, those cars must belong to the employees. On my first round of the area, I was unsuccessful in locating an empty parking space. Yes, even with my tiny Kancil I couldn't find a space large enough to squeeze it in. I was lucky on the second round of the complex when there was a free parking space for my Kancil. Someone who had parked there must be using a Kancil too because it was just wide enough to accomodate my Kancil.

After parking the Kancil and taking out my notebook from the car(couldn't risk losing it), I made my way to the nearest building to enquire where "Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi" (Higher Education Department) was. I approached a guard, who nicely told me that it was located "further down" at Block E3. So I made my way to the Ministry of Higher Education at Block E3. There I was also nicely informed by the lady to go further down to the second floor of Block E9. After a few minutes of walking I reached Block E9 and after registering with the security guard, I went up to the second floor. I informed the lady at the desk of my intention to get the NOC for my son. She nicely told me to take a seat whilst she arranged to get the certificate for me. I was barely seated for 5 minutes before a gentleman approached me and handed to me my son's NOC.

Even though the parking there needed some improvement, I was happy with the way I was treated by all the staffs, including the "jaga" (guard). They were nice and helpful. Maybe because they took a little pity on this "PakCik" (uncle, old man)

I walked back to the car feeling elated because I got what I came for. I was also happy because the walking uphill towards the Kancil made me sweat a bit. I got the exercise that I thought I was going to miss that day.

After I left Parcel E, I went to Precinct One to go to the Immigration Department to get an application form for a foreign maid. In contrast to Parcel E, there was ample parking space for visitors at the Immigration. The planner for the Immigration Department had done a good job of allocating two open-space areas for car parks. So, it wasn't as difficult as at Parcel E for me to get a parking space for my Kancil.

When I entered the lobby, I was surprised to see two lady Immigration Officers standing there to attend to inquiries from the public. I took advantage of the "service" by asking one of them where to get the application form to apply for a foreign maid. She obligingly told me to go to the second floor on the right. I did as she said and sure enough, I soon found myself queuing up for the application form.

What the Immigration Department was doing by placing its officers at the entrance lobby to answer to queries from the public was a good move and should be applauded. I left the Immigration Department being a happier person because my mission to get the NOC for my son and the application form from the Immigration Department had been accomplished. Thank you to God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and the Most Helpful, without Whose Help my mission will not be accomplished.

I hope the Putrajaya developer can look into resolving the parking woe at Parcel E and similar areas in Putrajaya for the benefit of the Government employees working there and also for visitors like me to find a convenient place to park our cars to accomplish our "urusan" (mission) with the Ministry.