Traffic jams and road congestion have become a common sight outside many schools in Malaysia, with endless rows of cars lining up during pick up hours.
Frustrated by the traffic jam, one Malaysian took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent, questioning why schoolchildren couldn’t simply take the bus or even walk home instead.
“Don’t your kids know how to walk home, take public transport, or the school bus?
“If it’s one kid per car being picked up, of course it’s going to cause a traffic jam all the way to the highway.”
Naturally this post went viral, sparking a debate in the comment section.
Many parents defended the practise, citing safety concerns and rising school bus fares.
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“If they walk home, then if there’s a case of kidnapping or an accident, people will blame the parents. If they take the school bus, the drivers might be predators. If they use Grab, people question how the kid even has a phone. Let the parents deal with the congestion to pick up their kids — as long as their safety is ensured,” commented @13TheUntamed.
“It’s not like the old days anymore, where kids could just walk around on their own. These days, there are too many crazy people out there. Even school buses cost RM100 per child. I’ve got two kids — that’s already RM200. Add on RM160 for pocket money, that’s RM360 gone. So I send them in the morning before work, that’s already sorted. In the afternoon, they hitch a ride with their aunty. When I’m done with work, I pick them up,” shared @phyrdawoosh.
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Meanwhile some took to the comment section to vent about how they would be stuck in traffic jams because of parents who double park or park by the side of the road to pick up their kids after school.
“I swear! Yesterday I was stuck for half an hour just trying to get home because the road was jam-packed with parents picking up their kids from school. The worst part? The school already provided a proper pick-up lane — but parents still parked by the roadside! A three-lane road turned into one lane, ya Allah. And some even parked right next to the traffic light!” shared @calmdiamond.
“Sadly the case in Malaysia. It seems like some people are taught from their school days, with parents parking right by the roadside as close as possible. Then, when they drive their own cars, they have the same habit of triple parking in front of shops and inconveniencing others. Education really does start at home. Dear parents, please be a little more considerate,” said @AkitiAl.
