The world is watching us.

The weekend before last was F1 racing in Malaysia. Ever since that Monday, I have broken the routine. For the last two Mondays, no Starbucks KLIA. Anyway that wasn't the point but the Monday before last, I took the 3pm flight instead of the 9 am flight. As usual, quietly sitting at one corner of the taxi, I was watching the lines and lamp posts passing by. As the cab exits the KLIA (Sepang) toll plaza, I noticed the polls were decorated with banners sponsored by Petronas. On the banner, it was written "The World Is Watching Us". Immediately that indicated, Malaysia was at the center of attention for that weekend.

Yesterday (last Monday), Malaysia was once again in the media. Not because of F1, but something much stronger. A 8.2 magnitude earthquake shook under the seabed of Sumatra. As I am watching CNN, somehow their map showing where the quake occured includes Malaysia. However, nothing were mentioned about Malaysia. Fear of tsunami, all those previously affected countries were put on high alert. From the map, I saw how Sumatra has shield us from the dangerous after shocks and thankful of how lucky we were.

Now my point is, news networks are very effective in bringing peoples' attention to specific countries. I wonder if there is anyone in the world who has no idea where to go for holiday, so happen to walk pass a window display of televisions and coincidentally showing the map I just saw indirectly planted the thought, "Hey! What about Malaysia? It's safe at the same time near the epicenter of danger."