SIGN BOARDS -

Wrongly spell or Changes? : I Do Not Know: that was the question that came to my mind on a day trip from Penang to Arau, Perlis one day in December 08. The question arises out of the familiar and unfamiliar way of writings seen on sign boards. In Penang, I am familiar with the short sweet names that are written on sign boards such as Gurney Drive (Persiaran Gurney), Love Lane, Rope Walk etc. The name are short and to me it seems right, compared to names in Sungai Petani such as Jalan Persiaran Cinta Sayang, (off Jalan Kelab Cinta Sayang). The S. P. name to me should just be Persiaran Cinta Sayang and Jalan Cinta Sayang repectively. Why the need to put the word Jalan preceeding the word Persiaran. It seems redundant.

Further north I came across the sign for a small township (satellite to Alor Star). Its written as ALOR MERAH (means red canal). Never before I came across any township in north Malaya, relating to rivers as Merah ( red). Rivers are normally describe as Hitam (black), Lumpur (muddy), etc but not Merah (red) – red is not a normal colour for rivers in North Malaya. Some OTAI told me its not Alor Merah , but Alor Merah ( where the E is pronounce as in Merak (otai says its called E tanda). Merah (with E tanda), means Milking. The river used to be a milking place where local buyers used to get their supply of milk there – buffalo milk of course!!! Wow, where did the E tanda came from and when does it went away?

Yet further north I came across a billboard relating to holidays in Langkawi. I thought I knew all the names of the famous holiday places in Langkawi. Such as Kuah, Pdg Mat Sirat, etc. But not this – Gunung Macincang. I always thought the place is named after a certain characteristic Man, a certain Mat, and hence Gunung Mat Cincang. May be the said Mat is not a man afterall – but a certain mother to someone. Hence the change to MA ( like Boney M’s Ma Baker or something).

And of course, more interesting thing do exist on sign boards, interesting in the sense that it exist on sign board but not in official documents. I am talking a about signboard in Tunjang (north of Jitra). On entering the small town there is a sign showing the way to Kampung Jeram ( a left turn towards the new mega double-track Raiway Station). The village name in the sign board is nonexistence ( but two villages by the name of Kg Chegar and Kg Tanjung, is referred to as Kg Jeram.) No official document state the existence of such Kg Jeram. The only nearest avail. Official name relating to Jeram is Mukim Jeram.

I think more, and may be humourous, names/spellings or changes could be found if one pay attention to sign boards in Malaysia.