By: Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari
Photo: Saleha Harun
SERDANG, 24 Mar – A Bintulu-born student, Siti Nur Maisarah Mahli, 21, who is a first-year Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Language with Honours student at the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication (FBMK), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), turned heads when she rode an electric scooter to her class wearing baju kurung.
She chose an electric scooter over the bus to class because she would not have to squeeze and compete with other students in a crowded bus, especially during peak hours.
"If the bus is full, I will have to wait for the next bus to come and it is time-consuming. Therefore, the electric scooter is very helpful for me to go anywhere around the campus, and I can enjoy the beauty of UPM's green campus while riding.”
"Other than that, I can also reduce my carbon footprint at the university compared to driving a car or riding a motorcycle. Before, I had a bicycle, but I am more comfortable with this scooter as I do not have to paddle and become tired. I will, however, take the bus if it rains," she said.
She bought her pre-loved electric scooter for about RM500. She said the main challenge of handling the scooter is that she has to carry the 15-kilogram (KG) vehicle up to her room on the third floor of UPM’s 12th College every day for charging or storage.
"I usually charge the battery at night, and the battery life of this scooter can last up to a week for me to commute from the college to classes, depending on the frequency of use."
"Another challenge is safety. Although UPM has bicycle lanes on campus and the residential college area, there are still some paths that I need to tread carefully, especially on main roads where I have to share the road with cars and motorcycles."
"I am worried about being hit from behind. Therefore, I place great importance on wearing a helmet for safety," said the fifth child of seven siblings.
In the meantime, she also encourages her friends who are able to afford an electric scooter like her to get one as an alternative means of transportation to attend classes or co-curricular activities to help maintain the sustainability of the campus. -UPM
