Segamat.com

Wed, May 26, 2010
New Straits Times
By Sim Bak Heng

IN two months, Ahmad Shuhari A. Hijazi will retire from his job as KTM Berhad's traffic assistant at the Tanjong Pagar station. The 56-year-old joined the railway company on Jan 1, 1980 as a train supervisor before he was promoted to his present position in 1990. In rail language, he is nicknamed the 'signalman'. His job is to signal all incoming and outgoing trains at the station to ensure smooth traffic flow. Without his service, the station would be like a traffic junction with faulty traffic lights.

Monday's news did not come as a surprise to him. 'What surprised me was that the announcement came much earlier than expected. Actually, I am already counting down to my retirement. 'I spent my entire career here. It would be a lie if I said I had no affection for this old station. 'The building itself has a long story behind it. Our staff, together with Malaysian Customs and Immigration officers based at the same station, live together like one big family.' Shuhairi is one of the station's four signalmen, and also the eldest.

He is proud that traditional equipment such as the key token instrument is still used at the stretch between the station and the Johor Baru station. Another stretch where the key token is used is from Bahau in Negri Sembilan to Tumpat in Kelantan. The key token, which is shaped like a giant key, is an important tool in allowing a train to proceed from one station to another. Without it, no train is allowed to inch towards a station as the track will not be opened for the wheels.

Shuhairi, who stays with his wife and daughter at the KTM Tanjong Pagar staff quarters, is from Sri Medan in Batu Pahat. He goes back there once a month. He is one of the 80 KTM staff based in the republic, namely at the Tanjong Pagar station, the Bukit Timah station and the Woodlands station. The Tanjong Pagar station is both the arrival and departure point for passengers. The Bukit Timah station is not meant for passengers while the Woodlands station is for the republic's Customs and Immigration clearance.

Shuhairi's colleague, Mohd Ayob Embong, 48, of Segamat, is one of the station managers. He was transferred to the station five years ago after serving 16 years at the Segamat station and eight years at the Gemas station. 'I will miss all the friends and colleagues here. We bonded through sports activities at the Singapore Railway Recreation Club. 'Whenever I am free, I will play badminton with my friends. With the relocation, we have to bid goodbye to our station, quarters and clubhouse.' The clubhouse has facilities for sepak takraw, volleyball, badminton, darts, pool and karaoke, among others.

Hashim Miyi, 45, the Woodlands station manager who joined the company in 1986 as a traffic assistant, said he liked to come to the Tanjong Pagar station whenever he wanted to play sepak takraw and volleyball as all his playmates were here. 'The clubhouse is like our social club. We meet our colleagues, have a game or two, and chat. No doubt it is an old building, it is where we found our happiness and fellowship.'