After 15 days away without driving a car, and in a country where everyone drives on the wrong side of the road too, I took my family to church at 8.20 this morning.
It was a very short 3 km ride from my home to the church but without realising it, I drove through a pedestrian crossing light in front of Mutiara Complex in Jalan Ipoh. Immediately I saw a patrol car on my left view mirror flashing its lights to motion me to pull up.
I used my left trafficator and pulled up. A young cop came over to my side and as I wound down my window handed my driver's license and ID, I apologised and admitted that I made a mistake by slowing down but not stopping at the red light and yes I did see the patrol car, but only after I had ran through the light. The policeman asked me why I was rushing and I politely confessed it was unnecessary yes, and I was on my way to church. He took one look at my two girls at the back and said "pi sembayang kah ?" to which I relied yes. Then he handed me back my license and ID and told me that he'll not summons me but to be more careful the next time.
What I am trying to say is, I teach my children everyday to obey the law and to do the right thing but here I was breaking it all. But in a moment of getting caught, owning up honestly was the right thing to do.
Here was a cop, a regular human being doing his job but allowed his human heart to forgive me for breaking the law and with a light warning told me to be careful the next time.
Perhaps he's got kids of his own and to reprimand me harshly in front of my family would be seen as the wrong thing to do in the eyes of children.
I want to say thank you to the cop whose name I did not see, and thank you for doing your job as a human being.
You have taught me a valuable lesson, sir.
