I was stunned when I read what she wrote. As a long-time resident of Petaling Jaya (or PJ for short), I don't think she was being very fair in comparing PJ to KL (or Kuala Lumpur). I even think her article smacks of sarcasm.
If you have not read her article, read it here. Then tell me if you agree with her.
It's not that I don't like KL, I do. I fell in love with KL many years ago and I'm loving this wonderful city still. But please don't compare PJ with KL. Why the need to compare?
But since Jacqueline Pereira had so sarcastically denounced PJ and in her obviously flawed opinion thinks that KL is far superior, I, who is a PJ guy at heart, will not sit still and keep silent about this! I shall now give you 10 reasons why PJ is evidently more superior compared to KL.
Ready? Here goes....
1. PJ has less traffic jams
I don't know about you but whenever someone invites me to go KL, I always need to think twice before saying yes. The reason? I have to make sure I don't get stuck in KL's notorious traffic jams. You really have to plan your journey around KL, or else be prepared to spend an hour or two stuck in the jam!
No prize for guessing which is KL road! (Images courtesy of Star Online and The Nut Graph)
2. PJ does not get flooded easily
Besides traffic jams, KL is also famous for floods especially flash floods! That is why I am very fearful of driving to KL whenever there is a heavy downpour. I don't want my car to be trapped in deep waters! Looks to me as if the SMART tunnel is not that smart after all!
And if you park your car in KL, you better make sure your insurance covers car damaged due to floods!
You better pray your car does not end up like this one in KL! (Images courtesy of Urban Reality)
Or like this in Corcorde Hotel's car park just after three hours of rain!
Believe me, this kind of flooding in basement car parks can only happen in cities like KL. It is virtually unheard of in PJ!
A friendly advice to Ms Pereira : Make sure your car insurance covers floods!!
3. PJ has many shortcuts to avoid the jam
I am not saying PJ has no traffic jams, but definitely not in the same level of severity as KL. Even though there are many bottlenecks, you can actually avoid them if you know all the shortcuts. Obviously as a long-time resident, I have learnt some shortcuts around PJ. I really think shortcuts are non-existent in KL. Some high class city that!
4. The best shopping malls are located in PJ
Don't believe me? Let me name a few shopping malls in PJ - 1Utama, The Curve, Sunway Pyramid. These are huge malls and are favourites with residents from all over PJ and KL and some say, Shah Alam.
1Utama - my favourite shopping mall!
What does KL have? Lot 10? Sungei Wang? Come on, these are so outdated I don't even want to go there if they are the last standing malls left on earth!
Oh, OK, you have Suria KLCC and Pavilion - sure they are prestigious but let's face it, who goes there to shop except the filthy rich? Average people like me won't even bother to go there for my shopping needs!
Not to mention of course, the exorbitant parking rates at these malls is enough to deter me from going there regularly! How much is the parking rate in 1Utama? A very affordable RM1 per entry. At Pavilion, it already costs RM5.50 for parking just 2 hours there!
Pavilion parking rates courtesy of All About Shopping!
Actually, I do like Mid Valley Megamall, but I think it can get really jammed up there. Besides, I do think Mid Valley is more like somewhere in the middle, it's neither in PJ nor KL.
A note to Ms Pereira : So where do you normally shop? I hope it's not Sungai Wang Plaza!
5. The world's favourite furniture retailer is in PJ
Yes, and by this I mean IKEA, the world famous furniture retailer. Do you find it in KL? No! It's located where else, but in PJ!
IKEA Mutiara Damansara (image courtesy of IKEA Malaysia)
A note to Ms Pereira : You don't ever go IKEA right, or do you? Now don't let me catch you there!!
6. Great, quality food are found in PJ
Even though PJ does not have as many eateries as in KL, but seriously, I think almost all food you can get in KL can be found in PJ and at a much cheaper price too! Obviously, you won't know that unless you are a long-time resident of PJ.
Besides, going to a restaurant or hawker centre in PJ is so much less hassle compared to braving the traffic and flash flood in KL! Not to mention of course the lack of parking spaces and expensive parking rates in KL!
7. PJ is home to most multi-national companies
Let's be honest now. Where is the main service centre for LG? Or Samsung? Or Electrolux? In KL? You wish! They are all found in PJ! There must be a reason why these multi-national companies base themselves in PJ. Needless to say, PJ is the far superior place, haha!
Oh, the list of companies located in PJ is endless. Go do the research yourself! I pity the KL-lites - they need to drive all the way to PJ just to have their appliances fixed. Boo hoo!
8. PJ is a happening place
You think KL is a more happening place compared to PJ? I beg to differ. What's so happening about driving through horrendous traffic jams and flash flood and then have this urge to curse because you can't find a place to park your car? It's so not cool!
And have you been to The Curve at night? It's definitely a more happening place with large crowds compared to Pavilion KL! Not to mention more beautiful too! And do I even need to mention about the cheaper parking rate? Duh!
9. PJ has more holidays!
Sorry to say this to those living or working in KL but PJ trumps KL by having more holidays! While KL gets ahead with their Federal Territory holiday on 1st February, PJ residents get to take the day off for Nuzul Al-Quran in September and Sultan of Selangor's birthday in December.
You see, living and working in PJ does have its perks. I am afraid I can't say the same for KL.
10. PJ is an exceptionally trendy place
In Ms Pereira's article, she talked about dingy and run-down PJ streets and buildings that need some sprucing up. Has she been to Bandar Utama? Or Mutiara Damansara? Or even Sunway Subang? If the only places she had been to were Paramount Gardens and SS2, no wonder she had this completely wrong and myopic view of PJ!
The fact is, PJ is a very trendy place, even more so than KL. Try comparing Mutiara Damansara with Pudu in KL! Which is more trendy? Or compare BB Plaza with The Curve. Which is more trendy?
You see, you can't really compare this way. It's like comparing Penang with Muar. Or Proton with Mercedez.
My point here is, do you really need to compare? So even though I am giving KL a good thrashing, it's not my intention to do so. For I love both PJ and KL! And both these cities are so near to each other, they actually complement each other!
Anyway, as a response to Ms Pereira's sarcastic article, I now hereby declare I am a PJ person, who will never cross over to KL, ever. And of course I invite debates on this PJ vs KL topic - just don't invite me to KL!
Note: I wonder if Ms Pereira works from The Star office which incidentally is located in PJ. Hmmm.....she must be hating every minute of her job there! : )
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