KT- parting shots !

12-1-2009: I left Kuala Terengganu today but not before I decided to take some photos, photos that left me with mixed feelings. I wished I could have spent more time here and show you the stark contrasts of life on both sides of this town where development is inter-twined by both the rich( some super-rich !) and the poor ( some living way below the poverty line !) but remember, I had to remind myself that I was in the second most richest state in Malaysia.

Take this photo below for example.....this is a house, a bare 8ft. x 8ft. called home .....

...and in an alley in chinatown amid a busy road, this beautiful copper-tooling art of past leaders lined the wall......

..a man pushes a wobbly trolley of wares on the streets of chinatown....

....or this old man paddling a decorated trishaw....must be a bad day for business....as he's not got any passengers on board.....

...and as I made my way out of town, the sight of this spanking "crystal mosque" is testimony of the wealth spent by the state government....anyone knows what the costs is ?...

..only just on the other side of the river, the squatter houses sprawl for much of the way as I made my way to Pulau Duyong to see where the "monsoon cup" venue was....care to compare the wealth spent between both sides of the river ?

...and to be greeted by men, who have not gone out to sea because of the rough seas in their little dingy boats which could be hazardous and no match to the high waves......so to pass the time , "dum" is a favorite game played in shacks along the river-mouth( Note: no fishing means no money !).....check-out the guy in deep slumber.....reminds you of a certain someone ???

smack in the middle of this poor village sits this bungalow ! Heard it belongs to a retired water-works chief or something....

...and from the edge of the river bank over-looking the town, shacks conveniently blocked by the high-rise and more modern buildings from the other side.....good for the tourist not to see this, yes ?

...more shacks line the river front away from the popular tourists spots...

and more here too....

a close-up of poverty reflected in these photos above and below

.....and this marina for the rich..... boats lying idle till when maybe the owners decide to go for a spin out to sea to, perhaps have a fishing party ?

...or these millions of dollars worth of fancy boats hoisted-up till it is time to once again go sailing in the "monsoon cup" regatta.....hmmmm....if only those poor fishermen could get their hands on these, to go catch some fish....sigh....!!!

There folks are my parting "shots" of Kuala Terengganu before heading to the airport and home. A lot will be decided in this crucial by-election come this Saturday. The tipping of the scales from abject poverty to a life of comfort is in the hands of the electoral in Kuala Terengganu.

With even when the "wang ehsan" is distributed at a rather timely period, remember folks, this IS your money and yours rightfully, so take the long over-due money, people of Terengganu, do not consider this as a big-hearted and generous gesture by the government ! Your vote is important and if you want change, then so be it. Get out of this rut. I have always maintained, "change is good"..... no matter what !
Godbless and vote wisely, good people of Terengganu !
Cheers !