BADGES

CAR BADGES

It is not uncommon to see all sorts of badges displayed on the grills, number plates, bumpers and windscreens of cars. They mean a lot to the car owners and to some people these attach a lot of meaning. In the 1950s and the 1960s the car badges were collectible items and most of them belong to motoring clubs, for example AAM, RAC. Today the badges displayed on cars can reveal the status of the owners, membership of the various clubs and associations. And this certainly conveys to the general public who the owners are. They maybe Royalty,Yang Berhormats, Yang Berbahagias, officers of Government Departments, state and federal awardees, members of prestigious clubs and associations.

At one time the Sultan of Selangor disallowed the display of badges with the state crest on cars. Certain car owners who feel that they are one above others even added the alphabets VVIP or VIP to their badges. As there is no law to ban the display of badges on cars, it becomes very decorative especially with more badges displayed. But one should not be fooled and be misled by the VVIPs as they are also another member of the rakyat enjoying the same rights and priveledges.

This then, leads to the "dog badges" that is hung from the neck. It tells the name of the person and the organisation he belongs to. While passing by a group of businessmen in lounge suits attending a conference and exhibition in KL, I overheard their conversation which was full of excitement and gusto. Suddenly, there were of cries of the FOUR LETTER words in Hokkien (KKK) and Cantonese (TTT). "Out of curiousity I turned around to catch a look at them. And lo and behold these "genteelmen" were wearing badges showing their names with large letterings VVIP. So I turned to my friend that the 'VVIP' may mean "very very ignorant punks".