Running With Cops

What? Larian Mesra Rakan Cop 2006

Where? Padang Merbok, Kuala Lumpur

When? 16 April 2006, 7:30am

Why? In conjunction with 199th National Police Day celebration and official launch of the Rakan Cop (cops and friends) program by our beloved PM. COP stands for Community Oriented Program. Under the program, the public would act as police lookout and provide info on crime to the police’s Command Central Center through its hotline or SMS.

Top Left and right : Majestic Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Bottom right: Our policemen favourite past time ;)

According to today’s Sunday Star, more than 10,000 were expected for run. Wow!. Where did all these humans come from? Normally, the organizers would be laughing themselves silly if they could get some 2,000 humans to turn up for a run.

I arrived about 6:45am at Dataran Merdeka. Sky was still dark but the Sultan Abdul Samad Building was stunningly lit. I love taking pictures of this building. As I walked to the starting line, I was surprised with the amount of people already in the waiting pen. Not many regular faces around in their drifit vests and skimpy shorts. Mostly crew cut young men wearing the event Tees and long blue track bottoms. Police cadets, I supposed.

So, I inched my way from the back of the pen to the front to get a better view for my shots. I found a spot among a bunch of police cadets. Short hairs. Petite bodies. Smooth complexion. Wait a minute! Smooth complexion? When I looked properly, they were not guys. They were girls. A bunch of tomboys. Yikes!

Half an hour to go. Thank God I brought my Sony MP3 walkman. I was entertained by Roxette from their Baladas En Espanol (Spanish Ballads) CD. All their ballads sung in Spanish – something very familiar but yet so exotic. Nice! By this time many of the police cadets were seen sitting down, chatting incessantly or playing with their mobile phones. These humans will be our future police force? (Insert Hmmmmmmm….here)