D-Day Roundup.

Just a quick clarification/update before I start: remember the correlation that I made a few post back about lack of banners = lack of funding of non-Aspirasi MPP? Well, this is what I saw today.

He does have one! Again, I will never know when did they put up the banners. In the middle of the night? It was not there yesterday! Banners in USM always appear magically without having the chance of seeing people actually hanged it up.

And apparently all the MPP/SRC Vanity Banners that's up yesterday follows the same design from what I see from this new banner over Padang Kawad Palapes. Again, magically appeared from non-existance yesterday.

In a way, it kind of popped my correlation (I said kind of because I haven't check the missing MPP from PPIK.) about funding and personal ideology but I still wonder where do they get the money (I want to point out the obvious.) to do these kind of banners and how fast does it take to make one. This banner only perform a single function which is to welcome the new student to USM but when MSL ends, it's most likely gonna lie to waste somewhere in the deep corner of storage room collecting dust because little or no use after this.

Now, let's move on to the actual roundup taken from my walkabout in campus around 9:00am til 10:00am. Cahaya Gemilang, Fajar Harapan, Aman Damai, Restu and Saujana had their registration in the morning from 8:30am til 12:30noon while Bakti Permai, Indah Kembara and Tekun had theirs in the evening from 2:30pm til 6:30pm.

Traffic congestion with cars backing up all the way from Sungai Dua gate to the junction leading to Bukit Gambir gate...

Passing Fajar Harapan...

...over the bridge right before School of Pharmacy and right after Aman Damai.

Went passed Aman Damai...

A quick snap of Aman Damai. Situation: tranquil even though it's a gridlock just a few metres down over the main road. Car going to Aman Damai enters at the road right beside Tasik Aman, goes around Aman Damai from behind (hence ample space for parking) and exits over here in the middle section.

It's rare to see Padang Kawad to be even half-filled with anything...except today when it's packed to the brim with cars and people! Since 2009, registration of new student for Restu, Saujana and Tekun has taken place here, the only place which has enough capacity to handle so many people at the same time. Talking about people, I've see people comes with vans and SUVs packed with not just personal belongings of students but as well as the WHOLE FAMILY, some including their grandparents! What use are the grandparents to the student anyway? They're people actually sitting and taking a nap on mats under the shade while waiting. Four years ago, I came with my dad and my cousin (who's driving) and that's it.

Buses coming in from behind over Palapes Bus Stop.

Taken from Palapes Bus Stop with a clear view of the crowd and convoy of USM buses. All USM buses are used to shuttle between RST and DUP. Every time the buses come around after their round in RST, it's immediately sardine packed again.

They're some brave family who decided to make their own exploration by walking across the pedestrian bridge to RST.

We want you! We want you! We want you as a new recruit. Promotional banners for ROTU/PALAPES. The Army and Navy ROTU are stationed in main campus while Air Force ROTU are stationed over Engineering Campus. Any brave men and women ready to volunteer?

Dewan Utama Pelajar with crowds.

Lorries are provided to transport heavy cargo but it's definitely not enough to cope with the crowds demand. Definitely have to make much more round.

Time to head back in campus. Traffic continues to stream in from Sungai Dua Gate...

The tent over Fajar Harapan for parents' briefing. Not much action yet at 9:45am but they're blasting Raya song! Still in festive mood eh?

Decided to check out CG as well. While it's chaotic over the road leading from Sungai Dua to Bukit Gambir gate, it's a totally different situation here over Bakti: devoid of traffic and almost serene like.

Cahaya Gemilang. Equally tranquil. Car goes into the area from junction over International House, went around the back and came down to Cahaya Gemilang office hence lots of parking spaces too.

As time goes to noon and evening though, the weather has gone scorching hot and not too long later, haze has made a come back after limited appearance since last month because of rain. It's unbearable for my liking hence decided to call off covering the evening session over Tekun and IK (because it's going to be the same: congested with worse weather.) except the one over Bakti.

Well, not exactly covering much since I am just snapping pictures from my room as well as sneak peek while I went out for lunch time over Bakti Cafe. Aside from appearance of extra cars and people, it's pretty much tranquil over here.

As the night falls, I was thinking of sneaking up the Bakti crowd and take pictures of them gathering before heading to DTSP for their briefing with TNC but I went out a tadbit too late and all I get saw was them heading off before I managed to take any pictures.

Had to settle for this instead: convoy of USM buses ferrying people from Restu Saujana and Tekun to drop off point at DK foyer. It's basically endless stream of bus for an hour shuttling back and forth as much as they could.

That's all for today I guess. Here's a picture of the street light over Bakti. *ouch mosquito bite and dry, hazy air* And I thought it's going to rain when I saw lightning. What a bummer.

I wonder will I be able to catch the Bakti crowd making their way to Dewan Utama Pelajar tomorrow for student registration in the morning. Don't tell me they will use the bus though. Walking with crowd is a must have experience!