MalaysiaWatch

MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 5

2006-08-07T22:07:00.000+08:00

Do You Think Citizens Have the Right to Discuss the MALAYSIAN CONSTITUTION?

Here are the results:

There were 76 respondents as follows:

• 58 or 76% picked “Insist on Organising Peaceful and Open Forums”

• 8 or 11% chose “Write to the Press or Publish Your Views via Blogs”

• 7 or 9% decided to “Let the Government Solve the Problem”

• 2 or 3% wanted to “Demonstrate like Others(with Permit)”

• 1 or 1% decided to “Better Take Up the Matter with our MP”

It is interesting to note that most Malaysians are quite mature and wanted more dialogue and discussion on an important subject via forums and blogs.

About 10% decided that the authorities should handle the problem and another 3% wanted to be more active by demonstrating.

The most unpopular choice was to hope that our MP would be able to do anything.

Just a reminder that August topics are now being written at this site so please go there and give your views on the COLISEUM CINEMA.

I hope this cinema issue will be one that ALL Malaysians can provide good feedback to the government as it definitely one that should transcend racial differences.

Shifting

2006-08-04T09:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Reader
I have a new URL at for Year 2.

Please update your bookmark.

Let it Be

2006-08-04T07:32:00.000+08:00

Who says location, location, location is the main consideration when you buy property?

This story proves that decision for investing is wrong as one can lose your investment after 59 years.

Is it really necessary for the authorities to acquire this building for the National Heritage Center?

The parking around this building is atrocious and the traffic flow is bad if one is thinking of the busloads(?) of tourists that will arrive.

I feel sorry for this gentleman as the government had also acquired his estate to build Putrajaya.

If the authorities want to preserve the building they should designate it as a Heritage Building without buying it. The onus is then on the owner to maintain the building in the original condition with strict conditions on renovations etc.

The cinema looks very well maintained and provides an important social need for residents in KL. I expect the numbers will drop drastically if and when it is converted to a Heritage Center – maybe used for photo shoots?

The money saved could be channeled to making the city a safer place to live. Or have they not heard about those terrible criminals?

Please leave the old man in peace. How do you feel about this?

Photo: the Star

The Good Die Young but We Should Prevent More Deaths

2006-08-03T00:49:00.000+08:00

Burying one’s child must be the worst experience a person can endure especially if that person is on the threshold of young adulthood.

With so much promise and hope for the future, it is gut wrenching to read that people can be so callous that they are prepared to kill you for a few ringgit.

What is worrying is that this is the second incident within 2 weeks and somewhere in Wangsa Maju, the criminals are ready to pounce, as they have not been caught.

While the police may not be able to solve all the criminal acts, they should not discourage victims from making reports as the reports will give a good indication of the crime rate and also the trend. If the trend is upwards then the police request more resources.

One city that really impresses me with their police presence on the ground is Hong Kong where you can find policemen and even officers actually walking on the street. In Malaysia it is a rare sight and most cops above 35 already have a paunch.

Perhaps one way to keep cops fit and also improves residents’ confidence in the police force is to have a 3km beat three times a week for the police force for all ranks below the rank of Captain and below 50 years of age.

This “slash and rob” duo is dangerous and a task force is desperately needed to catch them before their next victim. They are suspected to be drug addicts and therefore more prone to violence.

The following actions are suggested to catch these criminals:

Wangsa Maju and Setapak area:

 Stop and check motorbikes especially those with 2 males for machetes, knives etc.

 Stake out a few likely spots where the next attack may take place

 Use a police decoy if necessary to entice a robbery.

 For high crime areas, camera surveillance may be an important deterrent coupled with a fast response police squad.

For ordinary citizens I would advise:

 Try to travel in pairs or get fellow students to provide “escorts” to and from the transit station near the college.

 Enter your local police number in your phone memory

 If you see someone in trouble try to raise the alarm but make sure you do not become the next victim. If possible get the vehicle registration number and description of the two.

 If you must cross a dark or secluded area don’t linger and be alert. Don’t be distracted with sms or games or iPod while you are walking. Observe what people are doing within a 20-foot radius.

 If you carry a hand-bag and are about to be hacked, it may be better to throw your hand-bag away from you and try to escape in the opposite direction. If they are only after money, this action may save your life.

One promising life has been snuffed out. We must do more to prevent another family from such grief.

Blogging with a Conscience

2006-08-02T09:39:00.000+08:00

Much has been reported about the evil that bloggers do.

Reading some of the comments and insults one can read in various blogs, it could be a sign of intense frustration that some writers feel about the situation that Malaysia is in.

Mature readers should be able to discern fact from fiction but sometimes we know truth can be stranger than fiction. Perhaps if we have a Freedom of Information Act, more of the population will be able to understand government policies better.

Better still, it will help to keep more people honest if they know whatever they deliberated on will be public knowledge in 15 or 20 years time. Nowadays even local council meetings are not open to the public and most contract awards are made in “secret” meetings.

We have been asked to refer to mainstream media like the newspapers and television but the frequent reports of people being “misquoted” on contentious matters indicate that many reporters are poorly trained or the official really does not know what he is talking about.

However this incident indicates that even newspapers sometimes do the wrong thing. Here we have a criminal being exposed before the police are in a position to nab here. Can such an expose show that she was aided by the newspaper to escape?

To me the proper course of action was for the newspaper to disclose to the police first who would give them the scoop on the story. This means that the local police would have contacted the police in India and closed all escape routes before arresting the suspect.

Or does the newspaper also want to boost sales with a series on future revelations in India? We can call it “The Fugitive – Bollywood Bombshell ”.

A Rose by any Other Name.......

2006-08-01T11:41:00.000+08:00

Just when the government is trying to hold parents responsible for their delinquent children we now have the NRD wanting to control names that parents want to use for their children.

It seems life is going to be more boring now with names like Previtriana definitely being frowned as it sounds Russian? I heard the lady is called that as she was born in a situation called “placenta previa”. My son too was born in a similar condition.

Apart from the restriction on names that denote royalty, the NRD should just display the information at their offices and let parents decide. Preferably these posters should be in all common languages and parents can be asked to consult the boards before they submit the names.

To illustrate a point:
Supposing a parent makes a vow to the monkey god of whatever religion that he will name him to honour the god if he has a son.

A son is born and the father may name the son with some connection to “monkey”.

To avoid all the mistakes of the past, a form should be filled and verified by NRD and the parent.
When children mature they can always change their name if they don’t like it.

Let’s not create bureaucratic obstacles and impinge religious sensitivities if it is not really necessary.

Too Much Time on their Hands?

2006-08-01T11:14:00.000+08:00

I find this story rather amusing.

The ACA directs a contractor to do repairs when they cannot prove corruption in the tender exercise.
They should focus their energies in so many prominent than get involved in simple contract rectification works.

Or have they already disposed of all the other cases?

graphics:http://www.graefer.com/clock.gif

Having Children

2006-07-31T11:00:00.000+08:00

I wonder what type of preparation for marriage do Malaysians undergo. For Catholics there is a program where couples who plan to marry must undergo a marriage course that spans a few months.

I don’t know what they teach there for when I got married many years ago there was no such requirement. I would guess the course would cover the sanctity of marriage and how children play a role in enriching a marriage.

It seems that we have many problems of delinquent children and the authorities want to make parents responsible for wayward children and some parents really agonize about their children not practicing the religion they were born into.
It is a problem for many Malaysians, as sometimes the original religion may not appeal to your children.

But I don’t think the government is the best agency to deal with children who do not want to practise your religion.

My opinion is that parents must plan to have the number of children that they, and not the government, are able to nurture and nourish.
Not only in feeding them and clothing them and providing shelter but also to be able to spend time with them and to provide proper guidance.

I suggest a modern family where both husband and wife work, with no family member but the maid at home, two to three children should be sufficient unless you want some children to join the non-graduate work force.

Nothing wrong with that as with too many children and both parents working, you will simply be unable to provide proper child-rearing capabilities or both of you will suffer from burnout. I think the advice to Malaysians to have many children to support the 70m-population target in the 70s was really misguided.

Perhaps this is one reason many Malaysian marriages end in divorce and that puts even more stress on the children as a broken home means more will seek solace and distraction in other activities like drugs and vice and even another religion.

Many cases have also been reported about crimes committed within the family and there is an article here

My wife and I have four children and during the earlier years, my mother stayed with us and provided much support for the children. My youngest is now nineteen and we are happy that he has been accepted into a good university and so should join his graduate siblings in three years.

I write this not to boast about my children – for sure we are not perfect parents nor are they perfect children. It is to advise younger readers to make sure you are able to nurture your children well if you want them to grow into responsible citizens.

Wasting Everyone’s Time

2006-07-31T10:44:00.000+08:00

Is this a comedy of errors?
How can such tangible evidence go missing unless someone screwed up or simply went on a buying spree.

If the ACA’s procedures did not conform to laws it says much about the competency of the agency.

We should be concerned as a matter of principle here.
If evidence like supposedly hard cash can simply disappear it is no wonder that the ACA has made little progress on cases where millions of ringgit are involved.

I suggest we have a system of recovering costs for time wastage. Perhaps the courts should bill RM5000 to the ACA so that such matters do not come up for trial with any proper evidence and non-adherence to laws.

Why Did the Police Offer a Permit for the Demonstrators?

2006-07-29T21:01:00.000+08:00

We seem to be running the country in a strange fashion here when organisers of a planned demonstration are called by the police and offered a permit.

Everyone else had to run the gauntlet of water canon; tear gas and baton charge and face the prospect of getting beaten up during the demonstration.

What was the purpose of the demo?
Looking at the raving crowd it looked like a cheap publicity stunt for some people who would otherwise have been ignored by most people.

It was not really a peaceful gathering and the police were seen having to shove back the mob in order to maintain security.
In Malaysia it appears that a street demo is the preferred means to communicate rather than a peaceful and open forum where people can exchange ideas and foster greater understanding.
I would bet that 95% of those protesting do not even know the history of Hizballah

What if the police cordon had broken and the mob managed to enter the conference area? Most likely they would have had to use their weapons and some people could have even been killed.

I saw some other demos on CNN and in India or Pakistan, it was a peaceful scene. They simply placed an Israeli flagged on the steps of a mosque and those going for prayers just stepped on the flag.

But in KL they had to resort to burning flags and I expect traffic must have been diverted and motorists inconvenienced.

So are the police gearing up to handle more demonstrations? That seems to be the preferred way of voicing emotions.
I am not against demonstrations if they are well organised, peaceful and do not interfere with the rest of the population.
With those conditions, the police should approve permits in most cases and also collect some kind of security deposit as a good behaviour bond.

Maybe we can even turn KL into the Demonstration Capital of the world by having a weekly demo at all the underused stadia in Bukit Jalil.

We can start by offering Singapore a venue for demos for the forthcoming World Bank talks in September 2006. All we need is to arrange live broadcasts to Singapore.

Photo: malaysiakini

MalaysiaWatch Polls 5

2006-07-29T14:21:00.000+08:00

Polls 5 is about whether we should be allowed to discuss the Constitution.
Do take 15 seconds and make a choice. Have a Good Week-end!

MalaysiaWatch Polls 3 and 4

2006-07-29T14:18:00.000+08:00

Poll 3: What Follow-up Action Would You Support for the RM490m Budget?
This poll was a little difficult as people had to make a choice of differing items but 64 readers make a decision and these are the results:

57% or 36 readers felt that action should be taken against the minister as follows:

 28 readers or 44% chose “No Minister Please Resign or Be Sacked”

 8 readers or 13% chose “Ask the ACA to Probe”

11% or 7 readers asked for “Better maintained Playgrounds and Fields”

9% or 6 readers wanted “More Concrete Measures to Reduce Corruption”

8% or 5 readers chose “Boost Public Safety and Security”

8% or 5 readers chose “Improving Racial & Religious Harmony”

5% or 3 readers wanted “Easier Access for Public to Sports Hall and Stadium”

2% or 1 reader asked for “Increase Professionalism of the Police”

2% or 1 reader wanted to just “Let the Minister Carry On”

0% or no one wanted to “Strengthen Independence of Judiciary”.

Poll No 4 was about the Traffic Offences of the Ministers and the choices were easier to decide.

Surprisingly there were fewer respondents to this poll. Perhaps since many readers also have traffic summons they feel sorry for the ministers?

Poll4: “ What Action Would You Like to See the IGP Take for Ministers who Have Not Paid Long Overdue Traffic Fines?”
There were 31 respondents with the following breakdown:

58% or 18 persons chose the strongest option “Issue Warrants of Arrest for Ministers”

29% or 9 readers chose “Discounts Withdrawn and Prepare Court Orders”

10% or 3 readers picked “Give 48hours Grace to Pay Discounted Fines”

3% or 1 reader wanted to “Issue 2 Warrants of Arrests for Ministers with Most Fines”

0% or no one chose “Nothing Let the Matter Die Quietly”

Will Malaysia Be a Hypocrite in the UNHRC?

2006-07-28T17:35:00.000+08:00

This letter shows that there are some Muslims in Malaysia who are capable of a civilised discourse and whose actions are not confined to burning objects and street demonstrations.

As Malaysia is going to be part of the UNHRC in 2007, we should really check out if our practices conform to the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 18 of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

‘Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance’.

Thus it seems that the Malaysian Constitution may need to be revisited in order to be consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It is interesting to note that the UDHR was proclaimed in 1948 and many articles our Constitution appear to be taken from it.

Graphics: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/amnesty.london/images/gusu.gif

School on a Hill?

2006-07-28T00:14:00.000+08:00

I was thinking of the famous Beetles song “Fool on a Hill” but have no inspiration to write any verse to suit a change of theme.

But this sorry school is no laughing matter. Just imagine spending RM48m on a brand new school and within 2 years it has become a dangerous building.

It is also surprising that the consultant decided to use gravity feed for the water supply to a school which houses 300 students.

For the RM48m project it should have included a budget for a proper water pump driven by electric motors rather than the crude gravity system that has proved unreliable.

Whom can we hold responsible for such incompetence?
I wonder what type of foundations were laid and how is the drainage surrounding the school? Maybe there was no fool on the hill but someone who got very wealthy instead.

At this rate, our friends in East Malaysia will think that we are delaying their progress to a modern society.

Building schools seems take on the nature of rocket science only in Malaysia. Maybe we should include in the MGBoR categories for the following:

Schools that:

1. collapsed the fastest after completion

2. deemed unfit soonest after occupancy

3. most expensive per built-up area

4. worst designed layout

Any other category you want to include?

Photo: http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/imagesJPG/images10/stmiciph.jpg ( my Alma Mater is almost 100 years old)

Words that Can Inspire Us

2006-07-27T12:32:00.000+08:00

John Kennedy is my all-time favourite US President.

Maybe I’m biased as I was a Form3 student when the Cuban missile crisis happened and we had a la Salle brother as the form teacher and he kind of told us what was happening.

At the time it seemed that a nuclear confrontation was inevitable with Kruschev testing out the young President by building missile silos in Cuba. There was a naval blockade and the Soviets blinked.
You can even listen to meetings held during that dangerous period here as there is the Freedom of Information Act in the USA.

Kennedy had a fantastic speechwriter in Pierre Salinger
and these are some of the phrases we should ponder.

“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction”

“All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.”
If you like to read more inspiring quotes of John Kennedy please visit this site

photo: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/modern_flight/u2.jpg

Operating a Nuclear Power Station in Malaysia

2006-07-27T09:06:00.000+08:00

Suppose there was a nuclear power plant in Malaysia as the price of oil had shot up to US$150 a barrel and the energy hungry Malaysians had even lodged nation wide protests to persuade the government to build the first privatised power plant. The plant is located somewhere in Pahang as it was a central location. It is called an Independent Nuclear Plant (INP)

The foreign consultants have gone home as the plant has been properly commissioned and the equipment is running smoothly.

Twenty years on, there is some wear and tear on the plant and buildings and the plant management has become a little slack as no incidents have occurred. Or rather the small incidents were never reported and were all quietly hushed up as the procedures for reporting and investigating were tedious and long.

The people in charge of safety and security grew lazy and many security breaches occurred. However the police did manage to catch a thief who wanted to blow up a building with the radioactive material.

The project consultants now return and advise there is a serious problem in the design and operating manual. There is some possibility that a serious mishap will occur if the operating procedure is not corrected and a minor component needs to be recalled for recalibration to enhance safety.

But the plant owners refuse to meet with the consultants and impose a gag order on all those working in the nuclear plant. There is to be no discussion on the safety concerns and no changes will be made to the operating procedures.

What do you think of this scenario? Can you relate this to current events in Malaysia?

photo: USA government. DOE

Sending the Wrong Message

2006-07-26T09:52:00.000+08:00

I am disappointed to read in the Star that it is wrong to discuss Article 11 of the Constitution.

Has any minister or Muslim religious leader even attended a forum before deciding that it was causing any tension?

As for the raising of religious unrest who is more culpable; those who sit down in a peaceful manner to discuss issues or those who demonstrate without a permit in open defiance of the law?

If a legitimate forum to discuss matters that have impacted the live of ordinary Malaysians cannot be held, what does it say about the lack of care and consideration that all Malaysians should have for each other?

I attended the forum in JB and there were a few Muslims present and they gave very constructive feedback. There is a feeling that politicians are making use of the religious issues.

I believe the consensus was that there should be more dialogue between religions so that mutual misgivings and hurts can be discussed and more understanding created for a better Malaysia.

I am sure that most Malaysians are concerned about religious harmony but the authorities must allow all citizens the freedom and space to discuss important issues.

Women of Malaysia, UNITE!

2006-07-26T07:41:00.000+08:00

You have nothing to lose but your unreasonableness.

That seems to be the message of the Pahang MB when he told a gathering of women that it was not time yet for a woman to become a Prime Minister as reported yesterday in malaysiakini.

I suggest to women in Malaysia to form a new independent party to prove that not only can a woman become the Prime Minister but that she will probably be a better PM than the ones we have had since independence.

If you listen to people like the Pahang MB you will forever be subservient to such leaders who do not realise that women power is real.

Women are already working in all careers that men do but the only area that they lag behind is political but don't you women think you can produce a much better candidate rather than listen to such a put-down?

I wonder what was the reaction of the women when they heard such a sexist remark. Was there a collective gasp of shock? I think I would have booed or walked out the door.

What’s wrong with a woman being a Prime Minister?

The list of women leaders is long and growing – at present with Arroyo in the Philippines and the first woman PM I can recall is Golda Meier of Israel, a very democratic nation and most readers will remember Margaret Thatcher of the UK.
You can see a list of pioneer women here.

To me the reason that Malaysia is not ready to have a woman Prime Minister is that the women themselves have not made up their collective minds to get stuck in the muck and mire of politics that is considered a dirty game.

This means that many people in political leadership at present have dirty minds and we need more honest people in government to help Malaysia progress further.

Come on gals, go for it.

Recalcitrant Ministers' Traffic Fines

2006-07-25T12:04:00.000+08:00

Please advise the IGP what action you consider is appropriate to solve the matter via MalaysiaWatch Poll 4

MALAYSIAWATCH POLLS 3

2006-07-25T07:09:00.000+08:00

Here is a brief analysis of the polls that were conducted over the past two weeks.
Only 99 responded to the polls and it only shows how reluctant people are to even express an opinion on matters that will affect them.

I hope Malaysians will take a more active roll in these polls as it does provide a simple feedback to show what we think and care about.

1. “We should spend the money in more critical areas” selected by 33 respondents or 33%

2. “Appears to be a “get rich” scheme for a few” selected by 32 respondents or 32%

3. “Improve local facilities to promote healthy living” selected by 17 respondents or 17%

4. “Cost benefits balance very questionable” selected by 11 respondents or 11%

5. “Proposed without Proper Planning and Consultation” selected by 4 respondents or 4%

6. “But I Support this Complex” selected by 2 respondents or 2%

The first 3 answers account for 82% of the respondents and so the follow-up poll is designed on what action do you think is appropriate based on these 3 categories only.

But you have to select only one answer that you feel strongly about. It is a 5-3-2 format not football but the answer category.

There will be 5 suggestions based on “critical areas”, 3 remedies for a flawed proposal and 2 for improved facilities.

Please consider all the proposals and pick one that you feel strongly about.
If you would like the code to include this code on your site, please drop me a line.

PS. Between the time the poll was coded and this message posted, the respondents had increased to 104 and the “get rich” scheme had become the most popular choice.

We Should be Disappointed with the Johor Menteri Besar

2006-07-24T00:01:00.000+08:00

It was reported in the Star that the Johor MB was disappointed that the forum to discuss Article 11 was held.

We should be equally disappointed when a leader disapproves of a legitimate forum to discuss the Constitution that was conducted in a professional and mature manner.

If citizens cannot discuss in a rational manner matters that impinge and affect all aspects of our lives, are we to entrust this important issue to politicians?

Going by his irresponsible remark it is imperative that more ordinary citizens should get involved is such matters as we really need to take care of our own interests.

It would have been more productive for the MB to have attended the forum to see for himself what the fuss was about. If anything, he should have been present to double check that all the necessary security measures were satisfactory.

It appears he only bothered about the well-being of only a certain portion of Johor residents.
Photo: Anti-Forum posters in front of venue

Forum on Article 11 of the Constitution

2006-07-22T15:40:00.000+08:00

I have just returned from the forum held in Johor Baru and it was good that the police did a professional job of keeping the peace. At first I had some hesitation but decided that as a concerned citizen I should learn more about the Malaysian Constitution that is the supreme law of the nation.

I estimate there were about 120 odd persons in the audience and quite a few more demonstrators that I did not want to get too close although I think they just wanted to make their voices heard.

According to the Star, the police had given its approval for the forum and also advised those protestors not to engage in an illegal assembly. It was a difficult position for the police but they handled it well.

Scores of police separated the two groups so that there was safe passage to the hotel car park, the lifts, the hotel exits and even after the forum was over, the audience were advised to wait a few minutes to ensure safety in leaving the venue.

I guess the law on illegal assembly is being tested nowadays seeing the anti-US protest in Kuala Lumpur led by UMNO Youth or did the police give them a permit?
For a nation like Malaysia that needs FDI , we should grant permits for such large assemblies only in public stadia where traffic is not disrupted and people are not inconvenienced. Perhaps a protest march should be restricted to not more than 100 persons with police approval.

What about the forum?
I learned the following:

 The basic point is that the Constitution is the supreme basis of the law and Islam is a protected religion according the Constitution except that any laws created like Syariah has to fall within the Constitutional framework.

 Judges and political leaders should not allow their religious background to cloud decisions that should be made according to constitutional laws.

 Most Malaysians are still too “tiadapathetic” and have allowed politicians and religious leaders to exploit the situation so that even an educational forum can be opposed with such venom.

 There are many cases where Malaysians cannot find justice as their situation falls between the civil and syariah courts and these Malaysians have to suffer.

 More people realise the need for dialogue so that we can create better understanding for the future of Malaysia.

Photo: Bird-eye view of protestors from the 9th Floor.

So Does the Grass Grow Under Your Feet?

2006-07-21T16:07:00.000+08:00

That's a sure sign of procrastination or putting something off many times instead of taking firm action.

If you Google the word, you will learn that the "P" word actually cost you much more than you know.

I am sure many of you have seen the polls on this site and may have thought about it.
Using the slogan of Nike I urge you to "Just Do It!"

This will help me to write about the findings next week and begin a new poll.

Photo: MBJB's expensive street lamp

The Long and Winding Road....

2006-07-21T10:32:00.000+08:00

I think the PM is handling the criticism of his ex-boss with some grace.
The swiftness with which the course on Ethnic Relations was withdrawn is also commendable but perhaps it would have been better if some oversight had been in place for sensitive issues.

Most people are a little disappointed that he has moved so slowly to solve our major concerns but I believe we should at least let him finish what he set out to do.

The 9MP appears to be more transparent with the promise of open tenders so let us see what happens.

Our previous fiscal policy was to simply spend on mega-projects some of dubious reasoning like the Crooked Bridge and it is now like having to start a healthy diet after being fed many sumptious buffets where much food was wasted and not everyone was invited.

I think a government has to budget like an ordinary household - it needs to have a balanced budget or future generations will suffer.

Of course the USA is a bad example but their day of reckoning is delayed because foreigners buy US currency for various reasons.
But Malaysia? We can become the basket-case of Asean if we are not prudent.
As for not being the first choice, that often happens in real life so there must have been strong resistance to the ex-PM's first choice anyway.

A Touching Story but Why is the System Also Blind?

2006-07-20T22:45:00.000+08:00

It is always heartening to hear of students who struggle hard to gain entrance into universities.

However this story indicates that our university entrance procedure needs to be fine-tuned so that people like Gomathi do not have to undergo the extra hassle to qualify.

Being blind, she must find it hard to cope with normal studies and so penalising her for not having any points for co-curricular activities seems to be rather callous of our university system.

Maybe the authorities are also blind to her difficulties. Let us hope that all certified handicapped students are automatically given the points for their handicap instead of having to earn co-curricular marks. This type of hardship case should not need a report except when the girl enters university or graduates. Thanks to NST for an inspiring story.

Such students can be an inspiration to normal people as it proves with true grit and determination; everyone can achieve success in life.

Congratulations Sumathi! I wish you a fulfilling career when you graduate.

Photo: New Straits Times

Why Malaysia Must Never Use Nuclear Power

2006-07-20T11:08:00.000+08:00

Question: How are government departments similar to some cheap toys?
Answer: They both need to hit a brick wall before they can change direction

Sometime during the past few weeks a minister mentioned that the government had not ruled out the use of nuclear power as the price of oil remains set near the US$70 per barrel mark. I don’t have the exact article but this is related to the topic.

I urge all Malaysians to appeal to the government not to even think about nuclear power unless we can do some mundane things efficiently and effectively.

Just consider a few incidents of the past months where a breakdown in maintenance and safety precautions has caused untold misery to thousands.

 The frequent flooding in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley

 Water contamination in Selangor

It seems we cannot even run simple operations properly let alone a nuclear power plant where a tragedy will last generations as seen in Chernobyl.
Even the most advanced nation almost had a major disaster at Three Mile Island so we have to assume that nuclear energy is a dangerous option.

 There appears to be a lackadaisical attitude in many government departments where top civil servants treat their departments as their personal turf as seen in the Customs special sales of top range cars to privileged clients. Hopefully the measures proposed by the parliamentary committee will eliminate such a dubious scheme.

 The NRD for imposing a disproportionate penalty for a minor offence and also making life difficult for citizens by assuming the religion of clients without proper inquiry.

 University lecturers who write course content and weave a tale of lies and half-truths to create discord among our youth.

 There is a perennial surplus of teachers in towns and a scarcity in rural areas.

 An unauthorised activity in the Dewan Negara cannot be traced, as the cameras do not record “hantus”.

 The RM490m Sports Complex that materialised out of thin air and then disappeared again like a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) when many questioned the rationale for such a mega-project. Never mind that the matter was reported as an item in the Star of 11th July 2006 under the “At the Dewan Rakyat Yesterday”. So are those three reporters incompetent or lying or both?

I don’t want to sound like a broken record but we should say “Tak Nak” to nuclear power until there is enough evidence that we have more competent people in charge.

So far the evidence is solely lacking as we appear to be a nation guided like those cheap toys from China that knock into a wall before it changes direction.

Photo: http://www.timstoys.com/online-store/scstore/graphics/spbo76.jpg

This book is a big damn lie

2006-07-19T10:53:00.000+08:00

Sorry for swearing but telling lies often is the way people in the propaganda business try to convince the readers.

Tell a lie often enough and the people will believe you. Just like somewhere in Iran(?) they are asking for the proof of the Holocaust.

What happened after May13 was that most citizens became traumatised and decided to leave politics to the politicians.
That was our biggest mistake.

The politicians became too powerful and we all just watched and waited while all our freedoms became more restricted like the “frogs in the slow-fire cooking pot”.

So the only way to save Malaysia from another May13 tragedy is to engage the politicians like what many are starting to do now.
Some say just talking is not good enough but talking is part of the process. Enough people must talk before actions can be taken.

The manner in which this guide has been introduced and the way that RM490m Complex has been foisted speaks volumes of the “Work with us” principle.

Graphics: http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/s/seu-smo/sex_lies_and_videotape.jpg

MalaysiaWatch is One Year Old Today

2006-07-19T09:46:00.000+08:00

I guess it marks a milestone of sorts.
I would like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to visit and hope that my blog can contribute a little to making Malaysia a better place for all.

A special thanks to Malaysia Today and malaysiakini and the many fellow bloggers who have put my site on their blog. I am amazed at the speed at which the Internet has made the world a smaller place.

For the older readers writing to newspapers was an old pastime of mine and I remember getting published for criticising the “Marble Arch” that divides Selangor from KL when the FT was created and have had many letters printed by the Malay Malay with letters to SH Tan.

The publish rate was about 10% and so a little discouraging and I stopped writing to newspapers on a frequent basis somewhere in the 80s. I have always used “HJ Angus” as my signature and sometimes my full name, which is just an expansion of the HJ.

I believe somewhere in the archives of the NST and the Star if they keep records of letters received they will find my old letters. I remember being critical of the privatisation schemes of the 80s and coining the word “piratisation” back then.

It is gratifying to see this word in common use now although I do not know if I was the first Malaysian to use such a word to describe the schemes that robbed the poor and benefited the high and mighty.

Maybe I got tired with all the many issues as the press stopped printing letters that were considered too critical. Then I discovered blogging and I hope this avenue will be a useful means to air my views.

I have a Sixth Form magazine of my alma mater, St Michael’s Institution and my entry says, “USS Commentator who should be given a Trumpet!”
I guess someone must have thought I should up more, as I was the quiet one then.

Have a good day and do keep a watch out for Malaysia, will you?
My birthday wish is that you send the poll on the RM490m Sports Complex to 2 other Malaysians.
Photo: http://www.torso.org.uk/images/PlayersPics/steph_play_trumpet.jpg

Another View of Siti’s Marriage

2006-07-18T14:11:00.000+08:00

I think enough has been written in the local media about Siti’s coming marriage.
Apart from the front page, the Star has another 4 pages on the grand occasion.

No doubt Siti is a rare talent. Not only is she beautiful but she can also sing well. Such a combination is the stuff of which Malaysia can be proud.

However to me her star quality has been tarnished as she has caused the breakup of a marriage of at least 19 years and caused a third party to have to leave her four children. Given that the eldest children are closer in age to their future stepmother than her husband, it could result in an unhealthy family environment.

It is simply too convenient to blame all our decisions on fate. If you step in front of an express train you cannot blame fate for your demise.
I hope the authorities will stop using Siti as a role model for our youth as this action shows that she is not the perfect role model for family values.

Now we can claim that Malaysia Boleh in the field of marriage go-rounds is on a level equal to the Hollywood circuit.

So Why Do You Object So Strongly to the RM490m Complex?

2006-07-17T11:08:00.000+08:00

The poll results are not surprising.
Perhaps most readers here tend to be critical of government practices and policies.

I don't intend to have a poll every day; perhaps once a week as it provides very convenient feedback for readers.

So please tell the government what you think.
If you check the readership of this blog, NST and GITN do make regular visits.

What are Your Views?

2006-07-15T14:39:00.000+08:00

Coming so soon after the Crooked Bridge fiasco, there is now a plan to improve Malaysia's standing in the field of sports by building a RM490m Sports Complex near London.

That figure is now being questioned but perhaps you may want to express your views on such a venture.

The poll is set to allow one IP and one computer to one vote. Please let the authorities know what you think.

Lighthearted Advice for the Perak Cycling Association

2006-07-14T12:25:00.000+08:00

How can you depend on the PWD to ensure that your Velodrome is acceptable to the
International Cycling Union (ICU)?

Based on past experience like the MRR2, PWD works best when structures develop cracks and pose a danger to the public.

Besides that word "homogolated" is really confusing. A speed-reader will only catch part of the word and read as “homo” and all its sexual undertones.

It could have been a case of simple misunderstanding. You see PWD approve based only on final appearance, wear and tear is good as it means more maintenance contracts and that is where the gravy is.

You mention some guys ended up with splinters and having to undergo surgery? But the PWD thinks ICU means Intensive Care Unit and no one has ended up there yet so quit complaining.

My final advice? Please check the ICU specs carefully and get a good contractor that can deliver the service with a proper guarantee.

Photo: http://cycling.thenoisies.com/pics/2006-bvc-keirinsprint.jpg

When and Why Did We Unravel Good Systems?

2006-07-14T11:54:00.000+08:00

It is good that the Education Ministry is taking steps to improve the student/teacher ratio in schools.
It must be a real headache for a teacher to manage classes of 40 plus students.
Even private schools should be required to fulfill the minimum ratios.

What is disconcerting is that they are only now going to impose bonds for teachers citing a mismatch between vacancies in states and teacher supply.

I find this rather strange. In the late 70s, teachers were trained mainly in colleges in Pantai and Penang and all those who passed expected to be posted anywhere for a few years. So when was this service requirement abolished?

The other news is the requirement to lodge a police report on the loss of MyKad before you could apply for a new one. I believe the law required you to apply for a temporary IC from the police as soon as you lose this security document. So why did someone approve this short cut of being able to apply for another MyKad without proper screening?

It seems that we have not progressed but regressed. We removed perfectly good procedures and adopted slack administration that has caused a security problem and thousands of teachers who are not going to be happy with rural postings.

The buck stops with the authorities responsible for the departments concerned.

Photo: Unending problems like the flow over Niagara Falls

No More Pussyfooting Please

2006-07-13T14:34:00.000+08:00

It only happens in Bolehland.
Ministers getting away with not settling their traffic offences, some committed even in the last millenium.

Perhaps the old JPJ or police computers are still sorting out problems related to the new millenium. By not settling the fines promptly the police have given them a discount of almost 60%. Are they holding out for more?

Sometime last year, I was leaving JB in my wife’s car that has a Singapore plate. The police stopped me and told me there were 4 summons, all for speeding on the NSH. The total amount was about RM600 and I had to leave the car and come back with the money although the police were kind enough to tell me that they would accept settlement for half the summons. Not a discount but they would accept payment for at least two summons; the balance to be paid later.

Of course I am annoyed that the police have been so kind to discount the summons for ministers. This is a bad example and gives the impression that discounts are the discretion of the police officers. What message does it give? The more you owe and the longer you delay the more the police are prepared to discount your compound fines?

We should seek an explanation why action has been delayed for so long. Not weeks but years have passed for this travesty of justice.

By delaying the action against ministers, the police may have given some the impression that they are immune from the laws of the nation. If police cannot take action for a minor offence, how do they arrest a minister for serious ones?

Other countries are not so forgiving and even prominent people are hauled to court.

I suggest that to be fair to all ordinary citizens, the police should withdraw the discounts and give all these offenders a week to settle their fines or be arrested.

Graphics: http://www.malaysiakini.com/pages/ctf2/

Fine Your Language? Start with the Ministers

2006-07-13T10:20:00.000+08:00

Wonders never cease. Perhaps some ministers feel left out of the limelight; what with the stories on the RM490 London sports complex, the Crooked Bridge saga and the MAS foreign currency minefield.

Maybe it is to provide some light relief to all the heavy drama that has been going on, a contrast so that we can really appreciate the commands of the Prime Minister when he returns.

Just watch any minister on TV even the Malay leaders and you will quickly discover that they cannot speak in one language for a minute and invariably lapse into “Manglish”.

Perhaps the DBP needs to reinvent itself to make Bahasa Malaysia more attractive as younger Malaysians will be using more English in the future.

How about setting up a watchdog on those who appear on TV for a start and spot all those ministers who mix up the languages and fine them RM1 for each deviation?

Just like paying up for traffic offences, our ministers should show a good example don’t you agree?
Oops I forget – many have not paid up for years and even after a discount.

One last idea – if the DBP cannot really craft methods to promote a beautiful language other than this fine method, perhaps we should relegate them to the National Museum and use their budget to train better language teachers who will make the language come to life again.

photo:http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/9/30/budget2006/budget2006abdullahinparl.JPG

The Ghosts from BMF Still Haunt Malaysians

2006-07-12T19:44:00.000+08:00

Currency speculation is best left to those with suicidal tendencies or deep pockets or both. We need to make a distinction between currency speculation or hedging that may be necessary if you have borrowed money in foreign currencies.

For a country, it may be prudent to hedge your loan repayments so that when the time comes to pay, your position has already been covered and there are no surprises.

Let’s take an example of a man who takes all his family’s savings, mortgages his house and then proceeds to take part in a game of shooting craps. Most of you will say, “He must be crazy!”
We all know that gambling is a high-risk adventure and most people who play the stock markets lose their money.

Currency speculation by a central bank should be a capital offence as it means a few people are betting away the nation’s reserves and no one knows about it until it is too late.

Unfortunately Malaysia appears to have been gambling on currency futures for many years and even after having lost billions no one has been arrested for jeopardising our future.

There is a good article on BNM’s forays in currency markets here.

It seems that the BMF scandal in the early 80s did not have any lessons for the Malaysian government and the lack of accountability seems to have only encouraged more reckless activities as mentioned in the MAS blowup.

Here are two interesting articles for those unfamiliar with the BMF scandal that catapulted Malaysia onto the world stage for the wrong reasons.

From the Asian Journal of Public Administration entitled:
“Levels of Corruption in Malaysia”

The second article is more from the human perspective on how Lorrain Osman was jailed in the UK for many years without trial as he fought extradition to HK to face trial over there.

If you are interested in more info, just google “Lorrain Osman”. Please share with us any other interesting details you discover.

Graphics: http://www.mpimages.net/mp/compressed/promotional/Haunted_Mansion-Ghosts.jpg

Sports Center or Holiday Base?

2006-07-12T11:02:00.000+08:00

We all know London is a popular destination for many Malaysians.
We also realise that Malaysia has not fared well in sports events even at Asian games level except for a few sports like bowling, squash and badminton.

In the sixties our hockey team could compete among the best but now we are considered easy meat for the top teams. It seems that sports that require teamwork like soccer and hockey are down as team spirit is lacking.

Perhaps the problem lies not with Malaysian sportsmen but the team managers and coaches who do not instill discipline and the right attitude to training. There is also the patronage and political interference problems in sports bodies, many of which keep on the same officials even though the standards keep deteriorating.

Now we want to make a quantum leap to set up a RM490m sports center near London on land that was granted for Malaysia to do research for the RRI.

At first it seems a good idea to try and make good use of the land but using it for a sports center seems extravagant.
We already have the Bukit Jalil sports schools that have produced some good athletes. What we need are good trainers and you observed that during the World Cup even poorer African countries had foreign coaches.

The cost for a foreign coach to come here is the same as in Europe except you may need to pay extra for airfares and accommodation.
Perhaps the Sports Minister should make a more plausible explanation for the sports center than making use of an existing government asset?
The speed at reaching such a decision seems to be like the Crooked Bridge project.

It seems that Malaysia has not been making full use of this research facility as perhaps most plantation companies prefer to do their own research to gain a competitive edge.
I suggest we would benefit more if some money is invested to enhance the capability of this research facility; especially on palm oil and biodiesel technology and also bio-technology.

Such a facility may attract the thousands of government scholars that are refusing to come home and with this setup it will not be a total loss of our Malaysian talents.

graphics: http://www.utsa.edu/ofpd/1604%20master%20plan%20web%20site/illustrations/large/sports.jpg

When did the NRD Become Negligent?

2006-07-11T16:13:00.000+08:00

About 16 years ago, my wife was a victim of a snatch thief who struck just as we were all getting out of the car. No one was hurt but she had to make a police report before she applied for the replacement IC.

The police were nonchalant and considered the case a really minor one, just “biasa-lah.”
So my wife applied for a replacement IC with the police report.

I was therefore quite surprised to learn today that the practice of making a police report had been discontinued and now the NRD has decided to require a police report again.

It seems that the NRD became complacent or negligent when the MyKad was introduced. Perhaps the vendors of the MK touted the security features too much and included the cost of police reports as one expense that could be reduced.

Now the authorities claim that 1000 MKs are reported missing to the NRD who also believe that many are simply selling the MK and applying for new ones. Syndicates have been able to alter all details on the MK except the chip.

When the MK was launched it was claimed that fake identities would be eliminated but it seems the technology of MK will be obsolete when syndicates are able to overcome the security of the chip. After all it is not worth more than RM20.

If we assume 1000 MKs being sold over 365 days in a year, there will be 365,000 illegal residents with fake identities. Considering the illegals problem in Sabah, it is quite possible for at least 10 state seats to have been padded with such people.

Were any NRD officers involved in this potential for election fraud? Since there is uncertainty about the electoral rolls especially in Sabah, the Elections Committee should recheck their names for fake MyKad holders.

photo: (What negligence can do)http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/images/dispix/gaisal990802_deacanherald.jpg

Of Super-heroes and Human Frailties

2006-07-11T01:38:00.000+08:00

The World Cup has ended and all those who watched the match must be really shocked at the manner in which Zinedene Zidane was sacked for head butting an opponent.

It was a deliberate act, not something done immediately in reaction to a hard tackle but the replay showed the football maestro taking 3 or 4 steps before a strong head butt that floored the victim.

We may never know what transpired between the two men but it will go down as the one of the greatest fall from grace of a football super-hero.

Before the game with Italy that ended in the penalty shoot-out, we could see that the spirit of the French team was good and it was possible for them to win the World Cup for the second time.
Both teams were able to create scoring chances but neither was able to score the winning goal.

Perhaps we elevate our soccer heroes to too high a pedestal. We translate their prodigious talents into multi-million contracts and expect too much of them.

When things go wrong and the team loses, we should accept that football is only a game, albeit the beautiful game.

How do we relate the soccer stars with our own leaders? Our ministers are also human and sometimes we have to bear with their idiosyncrasies provided they take corrective measures when we make useful suggestions.

To Zidane I wish you Adieu and a happy retirement. I hope you will soon forget your moment of madness as you have contributed so much to soccer.

photo:http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/photos/index.html?i=102&d=1

All Roads Lead to Jail

2006-07-10T11:05:00.000+08:00

That seems to be the message of the Home Ministry with the latest bombshell – they want to increase the fine for replacing the MyKad (or MK) from RM10 to RM100 even though the actual cost is RM24.

The words used are not reassuring, “we have to be cruel to be kind” to the hundreds of citizens who lose their MKs via theft and robbery.

Can we also collect RM100 compensation from the police each time we are robbed to defray such losses? After all a crime is a good indicator that the police have failed to protect us.

The present charge is RM30 for a first time replacement and it appears that the authorities just want to make life more difficult for ordinary citizens. Senior citizens and school children that tend to lose their MKs more often are going to bear the brunt of such unthinking officials.

It seems we are facing a double whammy here. First of all we are threatened with a RM3000 fine or jail if we do not carry the MK and now the latest squeeze.

It is a form of taxation that is repugnant just so to make life convenient for the authorities to check on the thousands of illegal residents many of whom have obtained MKs via dubious means.

One just wonders how they check illegals that have been given legitimate MKs by the authorities. Instead of jailing citizens we should be arresting those responsible for the security breach that has occurred through the connivance of NRD officials.
Here is a related story.

There were reports of some people being detained under the ISA but the public has not been informed how serious the matter really is and damage control may have been incomplete.

This type of uncaring enforcement is more disastrous than electricity and fuel price increases as you have little control over the status of the MK.
Prices are simply being increased on the whims and fancy of people that really do not appear to be capable of thinking

The rules being proposed remind me of the great Gandhi who lead India to independence through a non-violent movement with a protest against the British Salt Tax.
If enough people ignore and disobey repugnant rules, the government will have no choice but to change the rules.

The question is, “Do Malaysians believe the Rules are justified?”

Which do you prefer - Customs Syndicate or Private Syndicate?

2006-07-08T18:56:00.000+08:00

Today’s news is quite interesting – some people have been conned into paying deposits for cars that they believe are for auction.

But we now know that the cream of the auction cars is reserved for preferred clients of the Customs department with all kinds of “close one eye” practices.

No wonder some gullible folks have lost their money to con men.

If you visit the Customs website,they do not have any information on cars to be auctioned in the various centers.

Considering the limited lack of information that caused an MP to feel left out of the goodies giveaway, it would be good for all taxpayers to know when and where such auctions are being held.
To reduce costs it is not necessary to give all the details of all the items but just an overall description like:

Johor Baru Customs Auction on (date) at 9am

Seized cars 20
Seized motorbikes 10
Sugar 30 tons
Rice 20 tons
Alcohol 50 cases

Intending bidders are invited to inspect goods daily from 2pm to 4 pm at (location) and also check terms of the auction such as duties to be paid and reserve prices.
Intending bidders must purchase an information package costing RM10 each.
Full descriptions of all items are available on the Customs web-site.

It is really astonishing that even in 2006 we do not proper systems to ensure that the Treasury maximises the returns on good seized.

If the Customs cannot do the necessary, it may be more profitable for the government if all seized goods are managed and auctioned by a private company that is allowed to retain say 15% of the proceeds or RM10m per year whichever is less.

Photo: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/police/operations/BaitCar/images/ParkingLot.jpg

The Law is an Ass or Are We Asses to Make Such Laws?

2006-07-07T12:24:00.000+08:00

So the NRD wants to make headlines by warning Malaysians to carry MyKad.
RM20,000 fine or 3 years jail?

It sounds really harsh for such a minor offence. Perhaps the NRD is working overtime to try and catch all those illegals who were issued Malaysian ICs through various syndicates, possibly even with some inside collusion.

Do ordinary folks have to stomach this type of attitude? Surely the police and Rela have better things to do like catching those gang robbers.

Malaysians should protest against this harsh penalty as it seems excessive. After all we did agree to having ICs unlike the USA and the UK where it is deemed an invasion of privacy though they are considering such a security document now.

Many ICs are lost on account of snatch theft and robbery and the replacement is not free. So many Malaysians keep the IC in a safe place unless they really need to prove their identity.

I would suggest the following would be a more practical arrangement that will be accepted by most law-abiding citizens:

1. You need to carry your IC if travelling outstation or more than 30 km from where it is kept.
2. If you are caught without IC, the police will take you home to get the IC and also charge you RM20 to RM50 for the service.
3. You may be required to wait at the police station until the official transport has the minimum number of passengers.

I always carry the MyKad as it contains only the minimum details. BTW if you have Astro you can check the details in your MyKad.

Graphics: http://www.amren.com/0103issue/PRISONERsml.JPG

Changing the Government

2006-07-06T23:26:00.000+08:00

There had been a General Election and the ruling party lost.

The television footage showed the Prime Minister packing his briefcase and then he waved to the cameras and left his official residence.

Outside all was calm. The stock market had not crashed and no one was rioting in the streets. It was like any normal day and it was “business as usual” for everyone.

I was in the UK as a student in 1970 and it was simply amazing how simple and uncomplicated the process of changing the government had been. Even after 36 years the memory is still vivid.

Changing a government is something the citizens of the country have to decide. And many countries in Asia where parties ruled for decades have changed their governments like Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

Often the voters got fed up with corrupt leaders or the lack of reforms. Of course it is the function of political leaders to remain as long as possible and we cannot deny them that endeavour.

But as responsible voters we need to make sure that our country is managed so that there is a proper accounting of resources and wastage is kept low. Our leaders operate on the basis that we have put our trust in them as a stewardship and they need to show us that our trust has not been misplaced.

For Malaysia to succeed in whatever vision there needs to be proper disclosure and more transparency. Our nation cannot be operated on the basis of private deals and secret agreements. The road to financial ruin is paved with nefarious activities.

Photo: Fremantle Prison – end of the line

Local Councils – Authority without Responsibilities?

2006-07-06T11:23:00.000+08:00

Much has been reported about problems in various city councils from corrupt practices to poor hygiene, from parking problems to billboards, from bad roads to inadequate public transport.

It seems that the public cannot help to improve things in their own cities except to complain to the press or the Public Complaints Bureau.

So it comes as no surprise to learn that councils appear to be some kind of independent body that is not under the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

I remember as a youth in the 60s when Ipoh was considered one of the cleanest cities and it was under the rule of the People’s Progressive Party that was in opposition then.

The abolition of local elections has removed one process of a vibrant democracy as we now have officials who are not beholden to the people they are supposed to serve, i.e. the local ratepayers.

That is the basic reason we continue to read of abuse and only a few corrective measures. It is time to give back ratepayers their basic rights. Let us abolish this scheme of “taxation without representation.”

Having a few towns run by the opposition need not be all bad, as both sides will need to improve their communication skills.

Photo: A road scene in JB soon after leaving the Causeway.

Dalhousie – Hail to the Class of 2006!

2006-07-05T10:18:00.000+08:00

My daughter’s convocation was both simple and dignified. There was also a very human touch as some graduates brought their small children on stage and some had to be carried in arms. There is no excuse not to graduate, even from medical school!

The dean who conferred the degree was Dr Harold Cook, a world famous pediatrician and my daughter said they were really honoured that he was the person to officiate at their graduation.

I have been to two other convocations in Singapore for my daughters but both seemed quite sterile and just efficient. At Dalhousie, each graduate had a brief exchange of less than a minute with the dean and even the children were not left out. He gave them a High Five and even capped a few of them.

In the USA and Canada, students enter medical school only after a first degree unlike the practice in Singapore and Malaysia and so my daughter and her friends from IMU were at least 4 or 5 years younger than the locals.

If you look closely at the photo you will note that the gals outnumber the guys and so the phenomenon of more girls in university also occurs elsewhere.
There were about eight awards for top students and I think six were won by the girls but one was one by a guy who also won the prize for best student overall.

Security was rather lax and there was not even any checking of bags before we could enter the convocation hall – quite unlike the situation in the USA just across the border. However things may change as they arrested some terrorist suspects on the day we left Canada.

The World Cup and Malaysia

2006-07-04T10:25:00.000+08:00

No this is not an article on how Malaysia can enter the World Cup apart from offering to play joint host with Singapore. Not possible for a JV as they do not know to build crooked stadia!

Some say that football should adopt modern technology to check infringements so that the human factor is minimised and the referees’ errors are eliminated. Looking at the football scandal in Italy, it shows that the beautiful game can turn ugly.

Others claim that if we introduce too much technology, the very soul and character of the beautiful game will be lost. Here we have a level playing field with 22 men, some of them earning more than 50,000 pounds a week obeying the direction and orders of the referee who receives no salary except match expenses.

Just observe the theatrics when a player is sent off for fouls or is replaced by the coach. Some of them take it well but others scowl and fume all the way to the dressing room. They cannot take part in the outcome that is left to the remaining players on the field.

Once you leave the action, you can only be a spectator but of course you are free to give your views on how the team is performing.

A good example of the team dynamics is the England team where Eriksson had his successor Maclaren with him for a few months so that a smooth transition was ensured. England did not get into the semi-finals and so Erikkson leaves without fulfilling England’s dream of winning the World Cup.

I think we can use this football analogy to evaluate the problems between the past Prime Minister and the current incumbent. Dr M has left office but is now very critical of his successor who was supposed to follow some undisclosed agreement.

This is a dangerous precedent as it implies that a resigning leader can make a successor beholden to him or her. Malaysia is a sovereign nation with duly elected leaders and based on the rule of law. We must all be vigilant to ensure that power is not concentrated in a handful of citizens who may not have our best interests at heart.

After leaving the field, the replaced coach or player cannot interfere with the play and has to leave the area.

Malaysia can adopt the following practices to ensure that we get the best leaders:

1. Political parties should discourage “no contest” elections for the top spots.
2. Party leaders should be selected from the grassroots and not just designated heads.
3. National leaders should be chosen during the general elections and not just selected from one party.
4. The PM’s post should be limited to two terms or age 65 whichever comes first.

As for the present problem, we should accept it as part of the development process. We have overcome the Emergency and Confrontation – this is really a minor hiccup.

Photo: http://www.thefa.com/NR/rdonlyres/DD723575-599C-483A-9568-C5DD0549BC78/65565/Sven_Belfast_L.jpg

Financing Football in Malaysia

2006-07-03T12:25:00.000+08:00

Football can be a beautiful game but human weakness is apparent as seen in the Portugal-England and Portugal-Holland matches.

In some games, country rivals who belong to the same club displayed great sportsmanship but in other games players simply became too aggressive when their teams played badly.

Could it be that the football-millionaires could not accept losing as their own net worth could be diminished?
The Portugal-Holland match was extremely violent and ugly and a good example of bad sportsmen. It was as if the players were on the battlefield with no quarter asked or given. Maybe some researcher will discover that some of those players had ancestors who fought in Malacca centuries ago?

Back to the football scene in Malaysia. Today’s Star has a report about how MBPJ has a slush or secret fund to finance football but surprisingly the RoS has no record of MBJB Football Club.

What does the FAS have to say about this?

If there are no accounts to be checked on how taxpayers’ monies are utilised, how do we ensure that the money is used properly?

I have a beef about foreign players being allowed to play in Malaysia, as their involvement has not really improved the standard of our local players over the years.

Instead of paying a foreign player say RM10, 000 a month plus bonuses, we should use the money to engage good coaches who can train our youth proper techniques. The millions spent to pay foreign players would be better spent on football academies to train the youth.

Maybe we should also ask Proton how much they pay Portsmouth Football Club for their logo on the club website and jerseys. Apart from getting some season tickets, how many Proton cars have been effectively sold?

Proton is not the only company involved in football.
I attended the Kulim AGM recently and asked why the company donated RM3.15 million to the Johor Football Association in 2005.

In 2004 they donated RM3.025m but in 2003 the amount was RM1.976m
Even after a 50% increase in 2004, they decided to be more generous in 2005.

It was explained that RM3.15m was part of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program but on checking the amount spent on CSR amounting to RM3.3413m, the donation to football was 94% of the funds. Footballers got chicken while the rest got chicken feed!

I guess it is easy to donate other people’s money. Meanwhile a net dividend of RM14.157m was paid to 8492 shareholders.

The RM3.15m donation to JFA benefited perhaps 100 players, staff and officials so it seems being involved in football is more profitable then being a Kulim shareholder as there is no risk of losing money.

If a major shareholder like Johor Corporation wants to promote football, it should donate its own dividend instead of penalising minority shareholders.
The donation is about 22% of the net dividends paid.

Public companies that donate to various causes can adopt a clear policy on how payments are made like:

1. Donation pegged to a max of 10% of net dividends paid to shareholders.
2. Amount is on year to year basis and depends on profits.
3. No increase in donation unless dividends also increased.
4. Report made on how donation is utilised.

Other countries in Asia have made great progress in soccer, notably Japan and South Korea but Malaysians are still waiting for things to happen. But I won’t be holding my breath!

Photo: http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/grant_wahl/06/21/us.ghana/t1_0621_donovan_getty.jpg

Looks like Inflation in Malaysia is about 360%

2006-07-03T11:02:00.000+08:00

Remember the Latin America of the 60s?
In those days inflation was rampant in places like Argentina where a sack of sugar in the morning would double in price if you decided to buy it in the evening.

Malaysians too are experiencing inflation with most uncontrolled items going up by 20% if you go by your plate of chicken rice or fried noodles that has gone up by RM0.50 in the past month from RM3.00.

So what 360% am I complaining about? A few months ago, our famous crooked bridge project was cancelled and it was reported that the compensation was estimated at RM100 million.

However today’s report indicates that the contract may have included an inflation clause based on some commodity like steel prices.

So the Works Minister is upset that the contractor is claiming much more than the contract. Maybe we should ask the minister who approved this contractor for the crooked contract?

If his own numbers are correct, why does he have to wait for Cabinet approval to release the official findings so that taxpayers are not taken for another expensive ride?

We hope the PAC will have a good look at the contract to ensure we put a stop to spurious claims by anyone.

Is there not a law to deter cheats?

graphics: http://constitucion.redliberal.com/Inflation-70s.gif

It’s Nice to Receive Letters.....

2006-07-02T14:05:00.000+08:00

........Especially if they offer you special deals.

Everyone loves to recive letters provided it is not a demand payment from the credit card company or the IRD.

It seems that the Customs officers have been operating a special deals program for selected people who are able to take part in special offers.

All very nice for the selected few but not good for the government coffers as the seized goods could have fetched more if all Malaysians are invited to participate

We all know the saying ”Less men, more share” and it appears the Customs were guilty of sharing their spoils with preferred clients.

Do you know how to get your name on their mailing list?
Would a proper audit be beneficial on what safeguards are in place to secure the millions of ringgit that is under their control?

If cars can be so easily disposed to their preferred clients, what about more marketable goods like alcohol, cigarettes and drugs?

photo: http://thestranger.com/binary/15/letters.jpg

Is the EPF Competent Enough to Run Banks?

2006-07-01T20:52:00.000+08:00

The EPF as the most strategic fund manager is ill advised to consider taking a controlling stake in a local bank.

Let us not forget the Sime Darby story where one of Malaysia’s leading companies took over a local bank and then found it really caused them massive losses.

Compared to the recent Southern Bank saga where the bank was practically forced onto the merger bed, it seems the authorities have now adopted a "can do" attitude with these two parties.

As a fund manager, the EPF should focus on the deployment of funds and getting the optimum returns for its stakeholders. It should not be operating companies, as I do not think they have the expertise and experience to do so.

I understand that most mutual funds do not invest in more than 10% of any company to reduce risk and it comes as a surprise that the EPF wants to control RHB Bank

The role of EPF in this instance could be to loan funds to other companies that may want to take over this bank.

I am just glad they do not have any more of my money.
But if they still have your money, it would be wise to find out what type of due diligence is done and how the stake is evaluated.

photo: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news_images/2005-7-1-malaysia-stocks.jpg

PS. While searching "banks" this picture turned up so I would like you to share the view.

photo: http://www.myclassiclyrics.com/artist_biographies/Tyra_Banks_Biography.jpg

Food for Thought on Bigfoot

2006-06-30T11:01:00.000+08:00

There is now an expert who claims that Bigfoot is the product of “reverse evolution.”

Considering our government’s policies over the past 25 years with the NEP, this theory sounds possible.

Nowadays we have produced tens of thousands of university graduates who are unemployable and can barely string a sentence in intelligible English.
Be warned - in another 100 years they may start growing profuse body hair like Bigfoot.

We have also created citizens who are forever clamouring for more like Oliver. Maybe the Culture Ministry can do a musical for Malaysia’s version of Oliver?
We could have some multi-millionaire characters living the good life and then heading back to PETRONAS coffers. It would be in time for the next Visit Malaysia 2007.

The Authorities Cannot Protect our Children so Sometimes We Have to Break the Rules

2006-06-30T10:30:00.000+08:00

Bullying seems to be a major problem in schools as children nowadays lack parental supervision given that both parents work in most households and guidance is very minimal.

It would be safe to say that maids spend more time with most children than the parents. Some say it is the development in society that we need more money now to give our children all the creature comforts that they see on TV or which their rich friends flaunt.

Before we condemn the teachers or schools, I would like to add that even in the 50s and 60s we did have teachers who abused their pupils.

I won’t mention names but would like to describe the actions of some of the teachers in the good old days. Did the kids dare to complain? We were too scared and most parents just allowed teachers to mete out the necessary discipline or parents were too ignorant.

1. Teacher 1. In those days in primary school, most boys did not wear underwear and this teacher used to grab and sometimes twist the testicles of the young boys as punishment. I’m not sure if he was racist but he usually gave this treatment to Indians.

2. Teacher 2. In Primary 6 this teacher got cheesed off with a pupil for uttering some swear word and promptly gave him a judo throw followed by a stranglehold to get the boy to apologise. The sound effect was tremendous as we were in a wooden building. Both were Chinese.

Now that we have had two reports of incidents regarding school bullies, the Education Ministry is urged to rethink its views on mobile phones in schools.

With proper guidelines, the phone could save your child’s life and bullies will know that their actions can be easily recorded.

The phone is merely a tool. It is up to us to derive the benefits that intelligent humans are capable of.

Photo: malaysiakini

So Are Malaysians Rude?

2006-06-28T11:20:00.000+08:00

Do you want to get a black eye? So Readers Digest did a casual survey and decided that Malaysia ranks among the bottom three.

Now before we lose any sleep about being rude, we should examine some of the business practices of Readers Digest to decide if they are really qualified to conduct such a survey.

Reader’s Digest could be a Jewish conspiracy to make Malaysia look bad. If you order a product from them on approval basis and then decide not to continue and even return the item, they will still send you reminders to pay up for something you have declined. Now that is being rude.

Back to the survey.
The main items were holding doors open, dropping papers on a busy street and cashiers saying “thank you.”

If you are Malaysian you will realise that the dice is loaded against us.

We have so much snatch theft and abductions that dropping papers can be viewed as a ploy to distract us while we get assaulted etc.

As for cashiers, they are so stressed out making sure they get the correct change, they forget the “thank you.” I suspect the companies never bother to train the staff when you have already parted with the money.

Let’s look at other rude areas.

1. Just read the papers and we are witnessing rude exchanges between the past and present leaders of the country.

2. Have you attended functions where the VIPs arrive more than fifteen minutes after the function is supposed to start?

3. Kongsi Raya gatherings may be a good social activity but have you noticed how people simply pile up their plates and leave lots of food uneaten?

4. Driving on Malaysian roads is another rude topic. Maybe we should blame past policies that encouraged car ownership for the congested roads that tend to create road monsters.

I suspect that our politicians with their race-based politics have caused Malaysians to become rude, as there is a feeling of “every man for himself.”

Before I end I would like to relate two incidents that occurred in the USA that indicate the level of “rudeness” there.

On my first visit to Los Angeles in 1995, I wanted to get to church on Sunday. Since I had no car, I decided to take the public transport. As I had no change I paid US$2.00 for the short ride to the church.
After the service, I took the bus again and the driver recognised me and he told me, “no charge.” Do you think that will happen in Malaysia?

When my wife and I visited New York in 2004, we took the subway and were returning home at about 10pm. The service there runs 24 hours but some sections get locked up after a certain time.
We found ourselves in a locked area and did not know how to make the proper connection. We asked a short elderly lady and she spoke with an Italian accent. She said, “come follow me” without any hesitation and led us to the correct area some 500 meters away.
She was really a wonderful human being.

One other area relating to the USA and Canada is the driving. They have this arrangement of 3-way and 4-way stop junctions. The basic rule is that each car that arrives at the junction crosses in turn; according to the drivers who arrives earliest. Do you think such a scheme will work for Malaysians?

Being rude is a function of how we have been brought up and the society we live in. Unfortunately many Malaysians believe that one has to be “rude” to survive.

Photo: Niagara River, after the Falls. Life is like the rushing waters.

"I Have a Job to Do"

2006-06-27T11:50:00.000+08:00

Suppose you are building a very nice house for your family and the project is going to last 5 years.

Now anyone who has done any project will know that all projects have problems and usually the deadline has to be extended.

The weather could be bad and construction will be halted on rainy days. Then you may have to change the architect as some of the plans were badly drawn up encroaching on the neighbour’s boundary and requiring too much sand that is in short supply.

Then the quantity surveyor makes serious mistakes that allow the contractors to get away with slip-shod work that will endanger those who are going to live in the completed mansion.

You engage an experienced consultant who advises that the contractors must be made to agree to a properly documented contract or they will be dismissed for breaching proper building codes.

A few months later you discover that termites have infected your site and all the woodwork is being chewed up.

Your present dilemma is that the new architect has problems understanding the plans and the contractors are refusing to sign the new contract.
Are you going to just keep on building and also ignore those termites?

I leave you to to infer who or what fits into which description.

photo: Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak

The Abuse of Religion

2006-06-27T10:48:00.000+08:00

Many conflicts are blamed on religious differences but if we examine these conflicts more closely, they are usually caused by politicians who make use of religion for their own ends.

In Malaysia we are fortunate that leaders of the various religions have been able to work closely to care for the fabric of a multi-religious and multicultural society since Merdeka.
In recent years there has been an accelerated drive to make Malaysia an Islamic nation against the basic tenets of the constitution that states that we are a secular nation.

This latest scheme to promote Islam seems to be an insult to the religion as people are being paid incentives to convert the Orang Asli, the real natives of Malaysia to change their religion.
It is similar to the white men who gave whisky to the Red Indians to take over their lands.

This scheme would also be difficult to manage as it involves free accommodation and monthly allowance of RM1000. Instead of creating devout followers of the religion, the preachers may just marry, get the incentives and move on to their next target.

I expect it will also create more broken families and more neglected children as no one is perfect and this scheme of incentives is against freedom of religion of the Orang Asli who may not be properly advised.

Photo: Somewhere in W. Australia.

Tuxedos Not Included

2006-06-25T14:06:00.000+08:00

Remember the power toys that come with the statement “batteries not included”?
Perhaps we have to include this in the job descriptions of public officials who seem to have really creative ways to spend taxpayers’ monies.

The latest adventure in public spending goes to KL where the mayor decided his men needed to boost their esteem by splurging on five-star treatment at hotels so they would know which fork or spoon they should use for the next dish while dining.

Guess this is a good example of letting monkeys to be in charge of the banana plantation. On second thought I think our primate friends will feel insulted. They will perform better with proper training.

Maybe they are following the DPM's advice to change lifestyle in the light of rising costs.

photo: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/nature/penguins/images/wallpaper/penguins_large.jpg?mii=1

A Puzzle for You

2006-06-25T00:22:00.000+08:00

Read these stories.

If both the stories are correct, both were able to eject (no not ejaculate) and also both were trapped in their seats.

I did not know that you can eject safely from a plane that has landed. Anyone care to enlighten me on this interesting procedure?

We have had many mishaps with trainers and helicopters but so far very little info has come out of the inquiries. Is the situation really that bad for maintenance?

I wish both men a speedy recovery.

Photo: the Star

Witness Protection? That’s a Sweet Story.

2006-06-25T00:07:00.000+08:00

It has been proposed that a witness protection act be passed so that those people can report wrongdoing without fear of reprisals.

Such a scheme will require very good coordination between the ACA, the police and the justice department and also a very high level of integrity and good people in charge of these departments.

Unfortunately recent events show that all these departments have been tainted and the public perception is that it is better to have as little as possible to do with them.

Just look at the reluctance of the ACA to take action even when people make public statements about corruption, the much maligned and abused judiciary and the on-going saga of the frozen IPCMC.

So before we even go there, let’s forget about witness protection unless all these departments redeem themselves in the public’s eye.

Let’s solve a much simpler problem. Catch hold of all those hoarding sugar and prove we can get something done effectively. Sugar is a simple object to control.

With a flawed protection program, a witness may get more than he planned. He might just disappear off the face of the earth.

Win-win Situation for the Education Ministry?

2006-06-23T11:17:00.000+08:00

I am quite puzzled that the Education Department has issued no circular to the various schools on the teacher transfer problem. Are we still using carrier pigeons in the age of multi-media and the Internet? Don’t forget that bird flu could have killed some of those carrier pigeons too.

Looking at the various options provided by the ministry, it is not surprising that the graduate teachers are unable to choose.

1. Report for duty in Johor and apply for a transfer back to their home State at the end of the year;

2. Inform the Education Ministry of any vacancies or retirement of English and Tamil teachers in their home State so that priority would be given to them to return there;

3. Take six months unpaid leave and and wait until the next school session to see if there are vacancies in their home State.

Option 1 is really a family break-up for those with children. I would not advise this for young families as the stress on the family would be tremendous.

Option 2 suggests that the MoE does not know the information of schools requirements and vacancies for the next six months. It throws a bad light on the mandarins in the department.

Option 3 offers no salary for six months and still makes life uncertain.

It seems that instead of encouraging more teachers to upgrade their skills with a well-thought out scheme, the MoE is really discouraging dedicated teachers.

I suggest the following for this group of teachers:

Option 4. Teachers will be given the option to retire early with gratuity paid for each year of service.

Option 5. Teachers will be guaranteed a placement in their old schools next year provided they have already served in hardship locations.

It was reported that there is a surplus of teachers in Selangor and a shortage in Johor. Perhaps we should ask the department officials why some of those surplus teachers were not transferred out before these graduate teachers?

photo: British Columbia on a cloudy day. Quite depressing like the teachers' problem.

Sorry for the "Replaced" Photo

2006-06-22T12:29:00.000+08:00

Someone replaced a photo with an obscene one in my last post so I have removed the offending shot.

I am not sure how that occurred and any advice would be appreciated.

Another Pot-shot at the NS Scheme

2006-06-22T10:45:00.000+08:00

What’s all the fuss about shooting some live rounds of ammo?
Could be that some kids have been watching too many violent VCDs and think blasting your enemies off the face of the earth is cool.

I have many reservations about the NS scheme primarily since it was conceived and implemented within six months of the Cabinet’s “inspiration”.

We have had the expected incidents of deaths, rapes and fighting and abusive trainers.
With 85,000 odd youths it is not surprising, as many of them have been living in isolation from their peers for many years created by the segregation caused by the school system.

Now it seems that handling a gun and firing live bullets is going to be part of the character-building exercise. Any psychologist care to explain how learning about a lethal weapon can develop more character?

It appears that too much allocation has been made for the NS scheme and they are now able to look for creative ways to spend the money.
If we take 85,000 trainees each year and only 50,000 opt for the live firing of 20 bullets each at RM0.50 each, that is about RM500,000 that is going up in smoke for cheap thrills.

That money could be better used to start a uniformed group in 100 schools with an annual grant of RM5000 each. Fostering national unity and discipline needs to be done earlier like Tingkat 1.

One other aspect of NS that is bothers me is that those who complete the training are given points for university entrance. As NS depends on the luck of the draw, this only disadvantages those who were not selected. University selection is one great big mess that appears beyond redemption with the present system.

Photo: http://www.demigod.org/~zak/pictures/rm3g-2003-preview/bad-m16.jpg

Come to JB for the Striptease ......

2006-06-21T17:02:00.000+08:00

...... of the lamp posts.
About two years ago, the MBJB purchased some expensive lamp posts that cost a few thousand ringgit each. I wonder who got the contract?

Today the lamp posts are a sorry sight; some have been stripped bare and they look worse than the old ordinary lamp posts made of spun concrete that are common in poorer areas.

It looks as if newer posts are being installed with fewer components. Maybe the contractor wised up and figured, “if it is going to be stolen, I should just omit this item from the supply.”
The question is, “has the price been adjusted for the material change?”

One other peeve is that some bright spark decided to light up some trees and connected the wires into the gutted lamp post. All we need now is some curious kid to mess around inside the base.

This is the standard of care provided by your local authorities. Does anyone really bother anymore?

This is third class design and construction and don't you believe the crap about first world infrastructure.

Anyone with just a Law Degree Can Become a Magistrate?

2006-06-21T10:50:00.000+08:00

I have nothing against royalty becoming part of the judicial system. We had a very respected Lord President in the present Sultan of Perak.

In fact they should be praised for taking the effort to study law as this is one area that has seen much travails during the past 30 odd years as Malaysian leaders grappled with ruling and controlling a multi-racial country.

For new doctors, you have to go through the dreaded housemanship that really makes your life miserable with the absurd hours and minimal pay.

So it is rather surprising that one can become a magistrate one month after qualifying with a Law degree. There is no need to do articleship and be called to the Bar?

It seems that the courts were even renovated to accommodate the latest employee. That is the first indication that justice has not been served.

In my opinion, she should have worked as a lawyer for perhaps five years before accepting the post as a magistrate as that would have given her a more firm grounding in the practice of law.

Should Doctors be Allowed to Play God?

2006-06-20T11:51:00.000+08:00

It seems that some doctors are governed by only two considerations – technology and money. They are totally devoid of morality.

Now you can go to a nearby laboratory and get a designer baby of your choice – male or female – tests can determine the gender.

In order for this technology to succeed they require to produce many embryos in order to select the appropriate one to meet your specifications.

The rest are frozen or destroyed according to the choice of the parents. When did Malaysia become a nation where people like doctors and parents can become partners in destroying life based on such criteria?

What’s next? Soon tests will be developed that can predict the intelligence potential of your baby and only future geniuses will be allowed to develop.

According to the latest news on the BBC, they can now analyze DNA to discover genetic disorders earlier so those parents can have the choice to terminate the pregnancy.

Instead of giving society the chance to be generous and caring for disabled persons and that is what makes the human character, we are moving towards a society that is selfish and demanding with little care for others.

Soon we will live in a perfect world; somewhat like the movie “The Stepford Wives.” People like this famous scientist would probably have been terminated in the test-tube.

To conclude such technology should only be allowed under very strict guidelines and no embryos should be destroyed. It would be preferable to donate these to other childless couples who cannot afford the treatment.

photo: New Straits Times

No Sex Please, We’re Malaysians

2006-06-19T10:10:00.000+08:00

Sometimes you have to take survey results with more than a pinch of salt.

No I did not take part in the survey but the results put Malaysians way down the list as far as sexual activity is concerned.

At the reported average of 2.6 times a month, we are almost in the same category as some isolated monks! If you accept the concept of “practice makes perfect” I wonder how some can claim they opt for quality instead of quantity.
It would be interesting to discover how their partners rate their “quality” performance.

Such survey reports should be banned by the authorities as many would-be tourists would be put off if they realise that most Malaysians practice abstinence insofar as sex activities are concerned.

Who want to visit a country where the chance of chance encounters is practically zero?
So why do we read so many reports of rapes and incest? That appears to be a growth industry as local authorities try to curb affectionate displays like hugging, kissing and holding hands.

Maybe our fashion gurus are trying to reverse the trend with clothes for the masses designed to display oodles of noodles with our women exposing so much fat in their tummy regions.

Some women are even so bold you can see their colourful panties above their drooping jeans. Of course some law makers want to arrest them for indecent exposure. But some ladies dress as if they do not own a mirror at home.

So guys don’t just enjoy the scene. Make your move but please learn how to woo those ladies properly.

If you carry on at this rate Malaysians could become extinct!

photo: http://usembassymalaysia.org.my/news/tower.jpg

Time for the Education Ministry to work closely with Teachers

2006-06-17T13:40:00.000+08:00

Have we got too many bureaucrats in the Ministry of Education?
It seems that way with this article in today’s New Straits Times that reveals the following:

 Less than 5% of the total number of 320,000 teachers are serving in rural areas.
 Headmasters and the department are giving teachers the runabout when they try to fill vacancies in schools.
 There are indications that some teachers are able to pull strings to get favourable postings.

It seems that not much has changed to solve the serious problems in the teaching profession and perhaps the NUTP should have a more important role to play in the running of the department.

For starters, more men should be encouraged to become teachers as many boys in schools are taught mainly by lady teachers and this may affect their development.

Women are also more reluctant to get involved in physical education and one can observe some teachers conducting PE classes from the shade of the nearest tree!

Perhaps that is the reason why Malaysia is not taking part in the World Cup. Our boys are more like sissies and potato couches.

The Ministry of Education should publish a simple web-site with a list of all schools, the required complement of teachers and the current number assigned to that school with some details of those on maternity and study leave.
This data should be updated every fortnight so that all teachers will know where to apply and headmasters will not be able to refuse willing teachers.

For rural postings, female teachers could be posted in pairs to improve security or the headmaster of the school could assist in searching for suitable accommodation with a family.

If the Ministry of Education is not run efficiently to meet the needs of our young children, we will never become a developed nation by 2020.

It’s Tough Being a Teacher

2006-06-16T10:36:00.000+08:00

Teaching is one of the tough professions, as you really do not have any easy phase in your career given that children and their parents are more demanding nowadays.

I am not a teacher but my eldest brother and his wife were teachers. There were some horror stories of how hopeless cases were redeemed from becoming a scourge to society.
My brother passed away before he retired and what touched me at his funeral were the scores of school children who attended the funeral service. There was an honour guard of an uniformed group (I don’t remember which) but what touched me was one youth who was crying quietly at attention near the casket. Then there were adults who came to the house and shared how he had touched their lives.

Those teachers who took no-pay leave to pursue their degrees should be encouraged to rededicate their lives to the teaching profession. However it seems that the Education Ministry did not fully consider all factors when they simply transferred all the senior teachers to states far away from their families.

I remember during the 70s, I visited a friend who was a teacher posted to Batang Kali and her place was quite rural in those days. Are new teachers required to serve anywhere for at least three years before they can request a transfer?
In the past many teachers could apply for transfers if their civil servant husbands were transferred and that is a good practice to foster healthy families. But why should civil servants be given preference over others?

It appears that the ministry did not plan carefully on how to deal with senior teachers who obtained degrees or this problem should not have occurred.
Are they being transferred out at a higher scale commensurate with the new qualifications?
Perhaps the NUTP should work more closely with the ministry so that a system of equitable transfers can be properly implemented and monitored.

For those teachers who opt to take no pay leave in order to keep their families intact, I suggest teaching at private institutions or even tuition classes. You may be surprised that prospects may be better elsewhere.

photo: http://www.cfbt.com.my/images/teacher.jpg

Driving in Canada (1)

2006-06-15T10:45:00.000+08:00

Motorists from Malaysia and Singapore have a major adjustment to make if they rent a car in the USA or Canada.

Over there they drive on the wrong side of the road that is according to our own practice. I wonder how that came about. Why did the British and the Yanks not agree on driving on the same side of the road? Was it a case of having to be different from the old colonial masters?

Anyway both my wife and I have driven quite large distances especially in the USA but the initial feeling is still the same. When we first enter the car, we make sure we check all the instruments and settings before we move off as we have to concentrate more on the road and making adjustments while driving is a little harrowing.

In Canada motorists also tend to drive quite fast, I estimate everyone except tourists like me drives about 10km/h above the speed limit. On the highways, merging traffic join the main road at the same speed and you have to learn to leave adequate gaps if you drive on the slow lane so that traffic flows smoothly.

Different states have different laws on pedestrian crossings. In Halifax, pedestrians are the kings of the road. You are expected to stop for them every time and there are numerous crossings all over the city that do not have stop signals. The moment a pedestrian approaches a crossing be prepared to stop. I remarked to my wife that if these people came to Malaysia, many of them would be run over.

There is a pedestrian crossing with lights near my house that never fails to attract one offending motorist that will simply ignore the red light each time. I guess that could be one measure of the anarchy on Malaysian roads.

The first vehicle we hired from Avis was a 4wd SUV and we used this to drive on the Cabot Trail, supposedly one of the most beautiful drives in the world. We drove to Baddeck and spent 2 nights there.

On the second day we drove clockwise round the Cabot Trial – it was interesting but not that spectacular in late spring. I guess autumn would be a much more colourful time to visit.

The drive was less scary than anticipated but I did encounter one stretch at the northern section where the road was like a roller coaster. I think driving anti-clockwise round the trail is better for easier access of the lookouts.

One strange quirk of the SUV was that I could never start the engine! Each time I turned the ignition it just refused to start. So my wife had to turn the key whenever I drove. Guess it needed a woman’s touch.

Can You Guess the Length of this Bridge?

2006-06-14T10:31:00.000+08:00

Anyone in the Dungun area care to tell us the length of this bridge?
It will give a good comparison with the RM250m flyover that has been proposed the Crooked Bridge for JB.

Maybe some will call it the crooked flyover as costs have escalated from RM100m to RM250m and now the latest RM470m.

I expect this bridge to be 2 lanes each way and they mention building six piers at 50m so the minimum length of this bridge is at least 400 meters. Looking at the photo and the size of the multi-storey buildings in the distance, I guess the overall length of this bridge is about 800 meters.

Let’s keep it simple and make this a RM60m project for 800 meters. If we increase the length by another 200 meters or 25%, the cost should be about RM75m for a 2-lane bridge.
Now let us make this a 3-lane bridge and assume the cost increases by another 40%. That will make a one kilometer 3-lane bridge cost RM105m.

Some will say that costs of cement and steel have gone up drastically but project costs should not increase the same percentage as raw materials.

Hmmm... did I leave out any other costs?
Anyone in the Dungun area care to enlighten us?

Photo: The Star, Malaysia

Singapore Girl – Still a Great Way to Fly.

2006-06-13T10:39:00.000+08:00

Earlier I wrote that we were offloaded in Changi from a flight that had a transit in the USA. We were able to book a flight on SIA to Vancouver on a special package for two persons travelling together.

This flight is not daily and we had to wait till Monday before we could leave Changi.

The SIA planes are really nice and very clean. Service was efficient and I noted that the stewardesses from Korea are quite friendly and helpful, not merely businesslike. There was on-demand entertainment with video and audio offerings.

The only complaint I have is that the food out of Inchon was not too good. My wife and I tried the rice with beef Korean style and preserved cucumber and we both disliked it instantly.

Then on the return flight they served some steamed fish with rice and my wife also found that unappetising. I had opted for the more mundane roast chicken and that was quite nice.

Our outward flight to Vancouver was eventful in that I left my waist pouch on the plane. While waiting the late evening flight to Toronto, I suddenly realised that the waist pouch was missing.

I had taken it off during the flight and forgotten to put it back on when we reached Vancouver. It contained my mobile phone and some keys. By the time I realised the loss the plane had already turned around and headed back to Singapore.

I approached the “Lost and Found” counter in Vancouver airport but they only dealt with items found in the building. Airlines handled items found on the planes.
There was a lost luggage number to call but when we called, the staff had already gone home.

So I was resigned to approach them on my return to Vancouver about a fortnight later.
When we reached Halifax, my son told me he had an email from SIA asking if he had lost a pouch.

I had my son’s Krisflyer letter in the pouch and so they contacted him. I replied and told them to keep the pouch in Vancouver.

Our ticketing agent had issued the ticket with my name with first name instead of surname and they could not find my contact details from the passenger list. So this is one other detail you must double check to avoid delays.

Even on the way back, the ticketing agent had to spend at least ten minutes before she could issue the boarding pass. We were quite early and so she was not under too much crowd stress.

Singapore Airlines – you have my heartfelt thanks for keeping up your standards and service.

graphics:http://www.plaza.ch/stones/Pictures/SingaporeAirlinesSingapore.jpg

Money Does Grow on Trees

2006-06-13T09:49:00.000+08:00

Older readers will be familiar with this saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”

Our elders used to say this when one wasted anything like food or on unnecessary frivolities.

However nowadays it appears that money does grow on trees. So the PAC is going through the reasons why the overhead highway has ballooned from a RM30m temporary road to RM100m up again to RM250m and now the astronomical sum of RM480m for an eight-lane flyover on account of “related works such as connecting roads and amenities”.

Works ministry officials announced all these numbers to the press during the past months so the question that should be asked is why were all these related works not taken into account before any such numbers were issued? Was the Works Ministry not aware that the CIQ would need connecting roads?

Those connecting roads would have been built into the original contract. The only difference now is that instead of the bridge we have an overhead flyover.

Given my suspicious bent plus the fact that no open tenders were called, it appears that favoured contractors can be given much leeway to massage numbers to accommodate various needs.

The Auditor-General’s office should be tasked to vet the numbers but given the usual non-action after their annual horror reports, we should not hold our collective breath.

graphics: http://www.loans-guidebook.com/loans-and-mortgages.jpg

The Canadian Flying Experience

2006-06-12T14:09:00.000+08:00

When we arrived in Vancouver, we had about one and a half hours to clear immigration, collect our luggage and then check into the Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Toronto.

If you are familiar with important gateways in Canada and the USA, you will know that the queues are always long and it can take hours to gain admission. So there we were with about a hundred people in the queue and about four counters in operation.

I told my wife we would not be able to clear immigration and catch the Air Canada flight. So my wife approached one of those people who try to keep the crowd orderly but she told us that since that it was a domestic flight, we could just catch the next flight and she would only help those with international flights to catch. I just fail to understand her logic.

We had to catch two flights. One to Toronto and then another to Halifax. We should have requested the people in the queue to let us go first but we were just too tired to ask each of the hundred persons in turn.

By the time we cleared immigration we had too little time to catch the Vancouver-Toronto flight. However the immigration officer was quite friendly and after a few questions, we were told to “enjoy your stay.” This is one aspect I think that Malaysian and Singaporean immigration officers can learn to make tourists feel a little more welcomed.

When we got to the Air Canada counter, there was a problem with the ticketing and we were told to go to the ticket office where we learned that our Vancouver-Toronto booking had not been confirmed as there had been some discrepancy.

Luckily we could book a later flight at night that would get us to Toronto in the early morning and then Halifax before noon. The only drawback was that our cheap tickets from Toronto to Halifax had to be replaced with more expensive ones. It cost about C$400 extra for two of us.

I think for a safe margin, you should allow three to four hours to clear immigration at the point of entry to a foreign country before planning to catch the next plane at the same airport.

If you are lucky to clear earlier, you can then try to catch an earlier flight if there are no extra charges. That is definitely wiser than missing the plane and having to pay extra.

graphics: http://www.cnxmarketlink.ca/images/companies/aircanada.jpg

YES! We want ALL Wrongs Set Right

2006-06-12T12:15:00.000+08:00

The people of Malaysia have seen their basic human rights trampled with oppressive laws like the Emergency Ordinance, the ISA, the OSA and a litany of laws that curb our personal freedom and diminish our religious practices.

We have seen our judiciary pummeled and Parliament become an expensive and irrelevant rubber stamp. The police force has become dubious with their refusal of the IPCMC in collusion with some ruling politicians and the wealth of our nation, PETRONAS, has become the private kitty to implement the PM’s favorite priorities.

So we all agree with our ex-PM’s remark that we want wrongs set right.

Let’s start with the public disclosure of the following:

1. The PLUS contract award to an UMNO linked company. That was the beginning of the road to piratisation.

2. The agreements with the IPPs and why the former TNB Chairman was sacked for his refusal to the one-sided agreements.

3. The use of EPF funds to bail out incompetent companies linked to cronies.

4. The accounts of PETRONAS over the years.

5. The reason of the sacking of the High Court judge who alleged corruption in the judiciary and how the investigation was conducted.

You are invited to add to this list any other wrong that should be corrected.

The Departure – Stage 2

2006-06-10T22:02:00.000+08:00

After my son was seen through the departure gate, we went to the Cathay Pacific counter and tried to find a flight out of Singapore to Toronto. They only opened at 6:30am and the counter staff advised us that booking directly with them was rather expensive and furthermore the flights to Toronto were full as the Hongkong-Toronto leg had been taken up by the Hongkong school vacationers.

In the airline wars, don't you think it rather strange that airlines do not encourage last minute travellers? After all, the staff is paid for and if the plane is not going to be full why not just sell the tickets?

The guy advised us to go to a travel agent that operated on Saturdays. In hindsight we should have gone home asp and gone online to book a flight on SIA that had flights out on Changi on Saturdays later in the day.

We had not slept on Friday night as we were busy packing and so we wearily headed home for some shut-eye. At 10am we awoke and my wife found a SIA package for 2 to Vancouver online but we did not book. We went to a travel agent in Chinatown and booked the same promotion but the earliest flight was for Monday.

Next we had to book with Air Canada for Vancouver to Toronto and Halifax.
We were ready to fly again and Sunday was a little more relaxed compared to Friday.

I then sent emails to cancel some hotel bookings as the itinerary had to be changed.
On Moday we left Singapore on SQ18 to Vancouver.

By the way, I found one water dispensing machine not working in Changi!
It was a kind of Amazing Race but we had no hope of catching up with our son in Toronto.

The Brouhaha with the ex-PM

2006-06-10T21:40:00.000+08:00

Much has been written about the criticism of Dr M about the present government. Some claim it may harm Malaysia’s progress.

To me it is a good sign that a former national leader can be given so much space to air his views on a system that he commandeered and lorded over for 22 years. In fact by actively participating in the analysis of the nation’s current problems, he may provide the key to our future progress.

The revelation about PETRONAS’ profits or maybe it should be renamed the PM’s prerogative and how money was splashed in Putrajaya gives little comfort for Malaysians who have to worry about tomorrow’s meal. Yes we have wealth in oil but the wealth is not being used to empower the ordinary citizens to improve their existence.

Thus it is very good of the ex-PM to disclose all the imperfections of the present administration so that the Cabinet can take further actions to win back the trust of the people.

A Royal Commission on the ex-PM may be useful but looking at the way the government is stalling on the IPCMC, it could be a mere manoeuvre and waste of time and money.

All responsible citizens have a role to play in nation building. We simply cannot allow politicians to keep on pulling the wool over our eyes. Not in Washington, not in London and definitely not in Putrajaya.

Don’t Leave Home without it

2006-06-09T20:12:00.000+08:00

We almost didn’t get to Canada for my daughter’s graduation.
On the Friday night before our Saturday morning departure from Changi in the midst of the major packing, we realised that our flight would transit in Detroit USA before heading for Toronto.

That meant that we needed visas to enter the USA. The only problem was that our old passports were in Johor Baru and so I decided to brave the 90 minute jam to get the passports.

We had travelled to the USA both pre and post Sept 11 and figured it should not be a problem. After a frantic search, I found the passports and checked my son’s document and it had about a year left. So I called my wife back in Singapore and told her I had the passports.

After a few minutes, I decided to check our own passports as I knew that our visas were obtained earlier. There was a sinking feeling as I discovered that both our visas had expired by a few weeks.

Anyway we went to the airport but were promptly offloaded by the airline. The security staff advised us to find another way to fly to Canada as it would take a few days to get a transit visa.
After a hasty conference, we decided to send our son as he could still fly. My wife gave him some US and Canadian dollars so he could get to Halifax.

We had already booked Air Canada from Toronto to Halifax with about 4 hours grace to clear Immigration and check into the Air Canada flight.

My son had flown solo a few years before to Australia but this was more complex. He had to transit in the USA and then hop on the next plane to Halifax.

The next 20 hours were anxious ones until we received a phone call from our daughter telling us he had arrived safely.

When he arrived in Toronto, he asked him the reason for the visit and when he gave my daughter’s name and date of birth, they accepted the reason.

Singaporeans do not need a visa to enter the USA. I thought Malaysia also had good relations with the USA but I guess it is only limited to us letting them make use of our facilities.

The moral of the story? Check all travel documents and visa requirements well in advance.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2006-05-18T10:36:00.000+08:00

I'm leaving for Canada on Saturday to attend my daughter's graduation.
The first and last doctor among my four children!

No I don't think she will be back anytime soon. We plan to tour Cape Breton and Niagara Falls so I probably will not post anything for 2 weeks.

It will also give me some time to reflect on this blog.The number of readers is growing very slowly but most you never give feed-back and it is a little discouraging to be just another voice in the Malaysian wilderness.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Donations too! :)

Part of the Da Vinci Code?

2006-05-18T10:28:00.000+08:00

I just wonder how the JPJ could have come up with this puzzle. The registration plate WPA1 was assigned to a minister for RM60,780 and the Transport Minister now has to make a public apology.

Is it really necessary to massage the egos of ministers with special plates when someone out there is willing to pay thousands of ringgit for special plates?

If we just take RM50,000 as a conservative number and there are 1000 desired number plates each year, the JPJ can earn RM50,000,000 each year. So if 100 such official plates are given free each year, it costs taxpayers RM5,000,000.

What happens when the minister retires? Does the plate get transferred or does it remain with the official vehicle?

photo: http://deseretnews.com/photos/0513davi.jpg

Time to Ban These Altogether?

2006-05-17T10:33:00.000+08:00

You see these vehicles at construction sites. Badly kept and without proper safety fittings like bumpers and wheels exposed.

These are the “lorry hantu” that have no road tax and not subject to vehicle inspection. The tyres could be bald, steering faulty and brakes non-existent.

Sometimes they even use public roads when the police “close one eye.”

When this type of vehicle is allowed to operate on an elevated construction site we should be prepared for this kind of incident to occur.

The rules should be changed so that “lorry hantu” can only operate with special permits for specified sites only such as:

 On ground level

 Where mishaps will not endanger others.

We should be thankful that commuters were only inconvenienced. But we should not tempt fate by ignoring all the ample warnings.

photo: The Star

Don’t Run for the Bus

2006-05-17T10:08:00.000+08:00

Some people say that having sex is like running for the bus. If you are not in good condition you will end up panting and gasping for breath, no not heavy breathing but really getting very exhausted.

I guess this guy must have had a heart condition and was trying too hard or he could have been under great stress as he was cheating on his partner.

The report concluded,
“Police do not suspect foul play, and have classified the case as unnatural death”

If it was not foul play it must have been fair play and I just wonder why it is classified as unnatural death? Is having sex with a prostitute unnatural?

photo:http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/caroline.mathews/IOMT78_20Sep05.jpg

If We are Not Prudent Money Will Really Fly

2006-05-16T22:29:00.000+08:00

I hope Bank Negara will provide stringent measures and controls for this scheme or we can surely say goodbye to this fund.

It is suggested that some guidelines like the following be required:

1. Public listed company with profitable track record overseas – for example Top Glove; maximum funding to be provided perhaps RM20 million with loans repaid by pledging 20% of receivables.

2. Public listed company with good track record locally - maximum funding to be provided perhaps RM10 million with loans repaid by pledging 20% of receivables.

I will not permit funding for unqualified companies as BN really does not have the resources to monitor them. Let the other companies work with the approved companies to expand overseas.

It is all too easy to lose money especially if it is obtained easily and we should all learn the expensive Italian business lesson ala MV Augusta.

photo: http://images.animationfactory.com/imagedir/animations/money/misc/money_flying_out_the_window/money_flying_out_the_window_lg_wm.gif

A Makeover for Malaysia

2006-05-16T10:57:00.000+08:00

Looking at all the recent events over the past months like

 AP Scandal

 Proton Investments

 Nude Squat Incidents

 IPCMC Still birth

 Close One Eye MP

 Police abetting unruly mob

It is perhaps time for us to have a new image to show the world. Perhaps the picture is an appropriate one. Can you think of a better image?

Photo: http://ccdf.ca/NewCoach/english/newimages/Module%20C%20Graphics/C28%20Woman%20with%20her%20eyes%20closed.jpg

Tell That to the Police

2006-05-16T10:24:00.000+08:00

Our leaders are ever ready to pontificate that Malaysia is a peaceful nation and yet here we have a case where the police allowed a mob of 500 persons to disrupt a peaceful gathering that was discussing how Malaysians could better understand each other.

It seems that the police have their own agenda. They should have asked the illegal gathering to disperse instead of allowing the approved meeting to be disrupted just like what happened some years ago when participants on East Timor were arrested by the police even though they were meeting in a hotel.

This incident proves that we really need the IPCMC now. The government’s vacillation with our “close one eye” MPs has resulted in a sorry state of affairs. Some of them have adopted the stance of the three monkeys.

When the police operate with favoritism and disregard of our laws, Malaysia becomes a nation where tyranny will flourish.

Let us hope the Minister will back up his words with some ACTION.

photo: http://www.westone-ornaments.co.uk/images/2009monkeys.jpg

Change Bad Attitude? We Need to Change the Driving Test

2006-05-15T21:48:00.000+08:00

People claim that things get better with time but it seems that the fiends on Malaysian roads are getting worse.

Each year we have some sorry official lamenting the high accident rate especially among youths and no one knows the solution.

My son recently passed his driving test but I will not allow him to drive unsupervised until he has at least 3 months of driving under my supervision or my wife’s guidance.

That was the routine we followed for our two daughters after they passed their driving test. Even that did not prevent one from a serious accident after uncontrolled braking but luckily no injury except a smashed front end.

It seems the driving test is designed so that learners are subject to minimum stress. For example:

1. There is no instruction and test on a highway stretch above 80kph.

2. There is no instruction and test on emergency braking. I asked my son what he learned about emergency braking and he said, “It is in the theory section. It mentions you must “pump, release and pump the brake.”

With these two serious defects it is not surprising that more youths are being killed on the roads. I wonder when and why the emergency braking procedure was removed from the driving test.

For new drivers I would advise you to get an experienced driver to demonstrate how to do emergency braking and try it yourself on some deserted road. The proper technique may save your life the first time you actually need to do it.

photo: http://media.apn.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/Cellphone_driving.JPG

To Forgive is Divine

2006-05-15T18:36:00.000+08:00

We often hold grudges for years and do harm to ourselves as the sentiment eats into our very existence like a cancer of the soul. We all need forgiveness and also to forgive.

It was therefore good of UMNO to arrange for the meeting of the two mothers whose sons were involved in a fight that resulted in a death.

In today’s news the DPM was quoted as saying, "I would also like to express my gratitude for the parents’ noble deed as it dispelled any notion that there was a racial element in the tragic incident."

I wonder how many readers were misled by the headscarf into thinking that the second mother was also Malay.

Parents if your child is selected for NS, please advise him or her to avoid getting into fights. Another bit of advice is get him or her to make a few friends in the dorm so that his/her friends will at least go for help in case he/she is in trouble.

Photo: NST

Protecting our Young Trainees

2006-05-15T13:47:00.000+08:00

It seems that the Armed Forces Manual needs to be properly documented if a case like this is not to be repeated.

Surely those affected by the mass hysteria should have been removed to a properly supervised area like a sick bay or a something like a hospital ward. Or are we saying that the naval training base does not have such a facility?

Resting in the trainers’ rooms is simply asking for trouble. Even West Point was affected by scandals involving young cadets who were abused.

On a medical note, these trainees should be properly evaluated for competence, as it would be really foolhardy to place such people in charge of modern weaponry.

photo: http://www.rhydin.org/uniform/usarmy/CBT99_14.jpg

Something Very Fishy Here

2006-05-13T09:56:00.000+08:00

The usual practice among most reputable companies when they have special offers or competitions is that all staff members are disqualified from participating.

Hence this story about Customs officials owning cars that were confiscated somehow does not sound like good ethics.

First of all contraband and seized goods should be properly auctioned off and the public given adequate notice. In fact someone from the Auditor-General’s office should be present at such auctions so that this type of story is history.

Or are the relevant authorities exercising the “close one eye” syndrome?

photo:http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40924000/jpg/_40924904_brazil.jpg

For Your Week-end Pleasure…

2006-05-12T09:23:00.000+08:00

Sorry folks, we did it again.

That seems to be the pathetic message of the MPSJ when they admit that they have not bothered to maintain the drains in their area as they believe Malaysia is in a desert that has rain only six times a year.

They really needed to spend the council’s funds to travel overseas for ideas on how to do more important projects like beautiful landscape and coloured lights and other useless paraphernalia like beautiful costumes.

But drains and pot holes? No glamour lah! We take care of those when a few hundred homes get flooded or some poor biker gets killed in an accident. We have a quick response team you know. And of course we can offer our humble apoligies.

Why don’t we get voted out? Are you kidding? You did not choose us – we chose you. So please grin and bear it.

photo: the Star

Another Nail in the Coffin of Freedom

2006-05-12T09:09:00.000+08:00

Malaysia takes another two steps backwards with this ruling.
Why impose a complete ban when the products can be easily labelled so consumers can choose?

This is the level of thinking(?) that permeates government bodies. Just take the easy way out and not bother about consequences.

In this case, we can have a ruling that cosmetics must be properly labelled as “Halal” if they qualify. As for the others, I am sure our ordinary Malaysians can use their brains better than some officials.

Sorry about the coffin reference. That grave yesterday needs a body to be filled!

photo:http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/214801/2/Coffin_nail.jpg

INTEGRITY – The Missing Ingredient in Malaysia’s National Recipe

2006-05-11T18:29:00.000+08:00

If one observes all the goings on in government, Parliament and even in society it seems that integrity is a major ingredient that is missing in our lives.

In fact this ingredient is so rare that when a BN MP rose to support an Opposition’s motion to investigate a fellow MP’s improper behaviour it made national headlines and even now the ripples are being felt in the nation’s conscience.

But maybe our nation does not have a conscience. We have marginalised so many of our own citizens with affirmative policies that somehow empower the rich to get richer while the poor just look on in despair.

It is a debate whether an MP has to do the “right thing” by voting with his conscience and upholding his personal integrity or “doing things right” by blindly following the party discipline without even any consideration of the issue.

For those MPs who want to learn about integrity, this is a useful reference.
If MPs cannot debate issues on integrity, how in heaven’s name will they be able to discuss issues of grave importance?

We are at a crossroads of sorts. People need to claim back their rights and our MPs are our means. Otherwise Malaysia as a nation is headed to the grave.

photo:http://www.chapelofthecrossms.org/IMAGES/gravediggerTom.jpg

The Price of Overdevelopment…..

2006-05-11T10:16:00.000+08:00

If one checks the newspaper reports over the past 4 years, it seems that the whole of the Klang Valley has become a flood zone similar to many places in Bengladesh where millions are subject to floods during the annual monsoon.

In Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley though, we created our own disaster zone with the insatiable demand for cars caused by the apathy towards public transport of the authorities and the public.

The ever increasing spread of massive road networks to “park” the millions of cars seems to be a conspiracy of sorts by the authorities, the car makers and the toll collectors.

Apart for the billion ringgit SMART project is there any masterplan to halt the development in an area that is just bursting with too much construction?

I am not against development but it should be at a sustainable level. Perhaps what is needed is a 5-year freeze on approvals of new construction projects until the planners have in place a proper master-plan that enables the citizens to enjoy a flood free existence.

I lived in PJ from 1971 to 1987 and during those years I can count on two hands the number of times I was inconvenienced by flash floods that used to affect only a few places like the Jalan Pantai area.

Photo: the Star

77985 Survey Participants Can’t be Wrong about SEX

2006-05-10T14:49:00.000+08:00

This is an interesting feature
about a survey done about sex and love.
It seems that women have become happier and more aware of what they want and they know how to get it.

As for the guys, they seem to lose interest after a few years when the thrill of the chase wears off.

Communication problems still affect many relationships and you can get some background on this from the book “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” by John Gray. You can read a critique of this book here.

So gals maybe you need to play a little harder to get or play a few more exciting games in the bed-room.

Maybe our DPM Najib can lend you his whip sometime?

photo:http://www.flatcreeksaddle.com/images/full/bullwhips/bw3_whips_saddleacc.jpg

The Emperor is Dead, Long Live the Emperor!

2006-05-09T10:16:00.000+08:00

Of late the name of the great Napoleon Bonaparte has been bandied about to compare government officials who thwart government policies. I used to admire Napoleon during my history classes as he was the one who made France a great empire after the French revolution. He made one great mistake by marching on Moscow and that brought about his downfall. Comparing our mini-officials to the great Napoleon simply shows that our leaders are ignorant about history.

It is quite disappointing to hear Pak Lah’s comments that MPs will not be able to vote according to their conscience even on matters pertaining to morality. It appears that our top leaders are scared of losing the control of their reins. Instead we have the myopic policy that everything that the Opposition proposes is evil.

Let us all tell the BN MPs that if they cannot even get this small concession from their dictatorial leaders, they should simply resign just like what Shahrir had the guts to do.

Our top leaders need to realise that their powers are derived from a mandate given by the people and they are always subject to the will of the people and not the other way round.

Shahrir is right - they all made a mistake. He himself, the Speaker, the Opposition leader and the Chief Whip who should have allowed some time for a debate. We have a Comedy of Errors in Parliament - which would have been more entertaining than Just for Laughs.

Some smart entrepreneur should buy the rights to televise the parliamentary proceedings. With the correct comments between the antics of our MPs “closing one eye” etc it may win some awards.

Not sure if it will be in the drama or comedy category.

Photo: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Kaiser-napoleon-I_2.jpg/180px-Kaiser-napoleon-I_2.jpg

When does a YB become a Tidak Berhormat?

2006-05-08T10:40:00.000+08:00

So a senior UMNO MP has resigned as the President of the BBC, no not the British Broadcasting Corporation but the Back Benchers Club, the group of BN MPs who were not fortunate enough to be included in the oversized Malaysian Cabinet.

It seems that all BN MPs are not allowed any independent thinking but must blindly follow the principle that any motion proposed by the opposition must be opposed.

Never mind that the motion was a call for the MPs to decide if a fellow member had brought the Parliament into disrepute by interfering with the job of the Customs who had seized some illegal logs and were being asked to “close one eye.”

Many MPs were quoted as saying this is the usual role of MPs and their constituents can approach them to get the authorities to “close one eye” if they run foul of the law.

I don’t recall asking my MP in JB to cancel a parking coupon offence that was issued on my wife’s car that had been sold more than 10 years ago.

Asking authorities to “close one eye” is not good enough as it provides the opportunity for the parties involved to exchange favours with the other eye that is open.

Granted that some MPs have to do favours for well connected clients but they should not be allowed to instruct government departments on how to operate like “closing eyes.”

Is this the main reason that MPs are so reluctant for the IPCMC to be created? I mean they will lose a major channel to ask the police to “open and close eyes”.

As for the party whip, they should have lifted the whip and allowed a good debate rather than treat the BN MPs like mere morons. Or are they?

http://www.carrie-underwood.info/photos/fullsize/carrie-underwood-wink.jpg

How Much Would You Pay for a Painted Pole?

2006-05-06T17:12:00.000+08:00

It seems the the Perak state government has excess funds as they paid RM349,000 for a glorified flag pole in their bid to have the highest flag pole in Ipoh.

Granted it is a 50m pole but how can it cost almost RM350k? Is there some gold plating somewhere or perhaps the top has some diamonds encrusted to give off a brilliant sparkle?

If it is a painted pole, it should not have cost more than RM100k and if made of stainless steel perhaps RM250. But RM350?

Maybe some of those diamonds were replaced with zirconium ones and the real rocks now stored in someone’s house now.

What do you think of this project? If you follow their train of thinking(?) Perak will soon have a Petronas like twin towers!

photo:http://www.natashahaslam.com/JournalFiles/Images/8497.jpg

Congratulations to the Immigration Department!

2006-05-04T15:50:00.000+08:00

I have just returned from a trip to get a new international passport from the JB office. The staff there are really working hard to meet the deadline of 31st May 2006 after which the Restricted Passport will be no longer valid for travel to Singapore.

In one of my earlier rants, I complained that holders of international passports should not be penalised for the rebate given for the Restricted Passport.

In fact I went to the department yesterday and my application was about to be processed when the officer asked me if I had a Restricted Passport.

“Yes.” I replied. “But I thought I could not get a rebate according to the newspapers.”

“Now it will be given.” She advised.

“It’s too late now. So I have to return tomorrow.”

“OK. Just come and take another number.”

Luckily I qualify for a little special treatment for those above 55 years of age. The crowd for the general public was really awesome but the officers are really working with great dedication.

I went this morning at about 9:30am and was able to get a new passport at 12:45pm. This is a major improvement compared to about 4 years ago when you could get a new passport after 3 or 4 working days.

I have only a few suggestions to improve their operations.

1. The counter for “borang” is closed during lunch time. Suggest they also get the post offices to sell these forms. The other useful thing is to post a notice advising the public the rebate is being given to ALL. At least the public can go home and not get a queue number that has to be replaced and also waste everyone’s time.

2. The section for the elderly, those with children and pregnant women is really too small and stuffy. I suggest this section be moved upstairs to where the passports are being collected.

3. The collection center should take over the vacated space on the ground floor as usually the collection time is more precise and most people will not wait the 3 hours time for processing. Less space can be allocated for this purpose.

The Passport office has made tremendous strides to improve their service and the officers deserve a word of appreciation.

Photo: http://static.flickr.com/32/57914722_448a869293_m.jpg

Malaysia “gutless”? No but “brainless” sometimes..

2006-05-04T14:07:00.000+08:00

The present leadership has been accused of being “gutless” with the sudden cancellation of the “crooked bridge” project.

One cannot be gutless to cancel a mega-project connected to the rich and powerful. It is more probable that the leadership was “brainless” to embark on an international project before the ink was placed on the bridge agreement.

Without an agreement signed by both countries it was really a no-brainer that the new CIQ should not have been started in the first place.

This is not the first time that we create policies out of thin air and then rescind them after a few days or weeks. Some of the “brainless” events that come to mind:

1. The sudden clampdown on illegal immigrants that created havoc in many local companies. Today one hardly reads about such operations.

2. The hand-phone OK and then outright ban for school children.

3. The refund of the restricted passport was only given to those without international passports. Someone in Immigration got inspired and now everyone gets the rebate.

Do you have other “brainless” acts to add?

Better Policing Needed

2006-05-03T12:54:00.000+08:00

It is quite sad to hear of another fatal shooting incident where a policeman allegedly shot his friend after the revolver under his pillow went off.

Then in today’s papers there is the case of cops being caught for extortion.

Fortunately the police were able to catch the culprits before the crime progressed further.

Studying the two incidents, it seems that better policing methods are needed.

The first incident indicates that some people are not fully aware of how to safeguard their firearms as placing a loaded revolver under one’s pillow is rather foolhardy. The least the guy should have done was to remove the bullets from the weapon and store them separately.

It had been reported that the armoury was closed when the raid was over. Is it the common practice to allow off duty cops to keep their weapons?

One would think having a night safe at the police station for temporary storage would be better than allowing policemen to take home their guns.

If that is the case it surely provides the means for a few rogue cops to smear the name of our police force.

It is time for the government to establish the IPCMC so that the public can be assured that these types of incidents are eliminated.

photo: The Star

Malaysia Needs Leaders with a Stronger Mandate

2006-05-03T10:31:00.000+08:00

As one reads the exchange of views with the past leaders and the current government it seems that we are the victims of a system where leaders do not really earn their spurs but are the recipients of a patronage system.

While this has served the country with a reasonable measure of success it is not without weakness. For example if we study the method by which the Prime Minister is appointed, it appears that perhaps a hundred Malaysians the majority of which come from the UMNO Supreme Council have the most influence on who becomes our PM.

Reading the vitriolic attacks on the present leaders by Dr M, it seems that the latter is offended, as the new leaders did not continue his preferred projects like the “crooked bridge” and Proton.

In a system where the majority of the population chooses the top leaders, such a situation will seldom arise and the people will rally behind the leaders they have selected. The leader also knows that he has the full support of the people and will not feel intimidated by the person who appointed him.

To our Prime Minister I would say in the words of Shakespeare, “Screw your courage to the sticking place and we’ll not fail.”
Create more mechanisms where the people can show more support for your objectives and Malaysia can improve to become a more just and civilised nation.

Another Act of God or Man's Folly?

2006-05-02T10:29:00.000+08:00

The recent lightning strike that caused the explosion in Pasir Gudang is an event that could have caused a major catastrophe.

Even though no one has died from the major fire it is surprising that no public inquiry has been started for what could be the most serious fire to date in Malaysia.

The first report in the newspapers stated that no lightning protection had been installed but a later report stated that such equipment had indeed been installed.

Even if such equipment had been installed a public inquiry will assure the public that the following measures were in place:

1. Was the lightning protection properly installed?

2. Was the equipment adequate for the purpose?

3. Was the equipment properly maintained according to the supplier’s specifications?

4. Were operating procedures for storm conditions properly documented and followed?

5. Were public security measures and response of authorities adequate and properly executed?

This site gives a good insight into the design of lightning protection. It should be noted that even painting over the lightning protection can adversely affect the performance.

Of course it is so easy to say it was “an act of God” but the next time round we may not be so lucky.

photo: The Star