A 1Malaysia Story

INT. BASEMENT PARKING IN A LOW-RISE CONDOMINIUM – EVENING

Ah Lian arrives home after a long and hard day at work. As she pulls into her parking bay, she hears a thunderous roar coming from her neighbour’s black mini Austin with dark tinted windows.

Ahmad, the neighbour, is testing his car’s engine by pressing on the accelerator repeatedly. Since the car’s engine has been modified to resemble a turbo racing monster machine, the noise becomes unbearable for the human ears.

INT. AH LIAN’S APARTMENT – SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING FROM WORK ON THE SAME EVENING

Ah Lian walks into her apartment with a look that could easily make Darth Maul purrs in contentment. She is greeted by her housemate, Meenachi.

MEENACHI

Hey, Ah Lian. Are you ok, ah? Why you look so garang?

AH LIAN

(sighs)

Do you know that fucker who has a mini Austin

parked near our parking bays?

(without waiting for Meenachi to respond)

I swear to God that I’m going to kill him one day.

I mean who the fuck does he think he is?

Making all those God damn noise?

MEENACHI

Sabarlah, Ah Lian. What can you do?

These people have no idea how ridiculous and stupid they are.

No point getting all upset about something you can’t change.

Jom! Kita pergi makan?

In the next few weeks, Ah Lian is greeted by the same annoyingly loud and disturbing noise of the mini Austin. Sometimes, she tries to convey her annoyance to Ahmad by glaring at him menacingly. All Ahmad does is to double up the volume of his engine and smiles at her slyly, as if enjoying every second of her misery.

One day, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

INT. BASEMENT PARKING – ONE MONTH LATER

Ah Lian and Meenachi are seen lurking behind the latter’s grey Perodua MyVi. They look around the basement several times to make sure that nobody else is around.

MEENACHI

(whispers)

Ah Lian, I’m scared. Are you sure you want to do this?

AH LIAN

Yes! Don’t be such a scardy cat, ok?

I’m going in. Please watch my back.

A few hours later that same day.

INT. BASEMENT PARKING

AHMAD

What the fuck?!!

(tears off a picture of a pig with the word “BABI!!” in capital letters written across it from his mini Austin’s window shield)

Ah Lian and Meenachi walk into the parking basement and are confronted by a seething Ahmad.

AHMAD

(points at Ah Lian)

You! It’s you, isn’t it? You did this!

AH LIAN

Excuse me? What are you talking about?

Kenapa marah-marah ni? Gambar babi ini cute what?

AHMAD

Eh, you ni bodohkah? Saya orang Islam, tau?

Apa yang you buat ni berdosa tau? Dahlah kafir,

makan babi,tak cuci buntut, tapi nak kurang ajar!

Tak tau ke apa ertinya respect?

AH LIAN

Ohhh....and you? You know what’s respect?

Does Islam tell you to make your neighbour’s life hell?

Does Islam teach you to attract unwanted attention

by disturbing the peace of your environment?

Does Islam not teach you to be humble and modest?

So tell me, apakah itu respect?