The Corruption of Dogs

Man's best friend has been a major success in the busting of the pirate video industry that runs into millions of ringgit, if not billions.

Some people may think that dogs are not really some men's best friend as they go about their task with singlemindedness and so far nothing seems to stop them from sniffing out contraband.

There was a news feature the other day about dogs being trained to ferret out hidden mobile phones in prisons as those posed a security threat and enabled gangsters to conduct their operations from behind bars.

Corrupt officials too may not like the dogs as they disrupt cosy arrangements with syndicates that offer rewards for tip-offs and other assistance.

Apart from placing a reward on the heads of the canine crime-busters, I am sure the syndicates are also thinking of ways to corrupt the dogs. Maybe a diet of chappati and curry will dull their senses?

Who knows? Once we have our own units and with the usual lack of proper discipline even dogs may get corrupted.

photo: Thanks to http://www.all-americank-9.com/images/police.jpg

Getting Rid of Thieves and Incompetents will Help Malaysia Progress.

Today’s headline in the newspaper is rather appalling.
Our young citizens have been encouraged not to pay study loans amounting to RM12billion since 1997.

Just imagine that! For the past 10 years they gave out loans totalling RM12 billion and have only managed to collect back RM350million or a mere 2.9%
of the loans provided.

Now if you operate a business with such a record, you will be bankrupt within six months but since Malaysia is busy extracting all our oil reserves post haste RM12billion over 10 years is just peanuts.

The terms of the loan repayments are also very generous and the collection process seems to have been decided by jellyfish who are spineless to lay down strict conditions to enforce collection.

Giving 5 to 30 years is definitely too long and the money repaid is worthless after 30 years. So the repayment period should be cut to the maximum of 10 years.

The 75% rebate is also too generous. This should be restricted to those who obtain First Class Honours only in critical fields and returning to serve the nation after graduation.

It appears that the PSD has no clue on how to recover loans except to “station officers in Britain, the United States, Japan, France, Germany and Australia, where the majority of its students are located.”

It seems to be such a nice posting but with minimal success when “the number of Malaysian scholars who remain abroad has dropped from 117,297 in 2000 to 56,609 in 2005.”

The recent steps to finally tackle defaulters is really “too little, too late” and akin to just giving a little slap to the hand that has stolen thousands.

I think the following plan will yield much better results:

*Sell all the loans to the banks at a discount such as a 25% or RM9billion

*All those who refuse to return will not be allowed to renew their passports overseas but have to return to Malaysia and not allowed to travel unless they make arrangements for loan settlement.

*If they give up Malaysian citizenship we should sue them in their adopted country.

*I would also enact laws so that the estate of loan defaulters will be charged with the loan amount plus the accrued interest at market rates for the period after graduation.

With a comprehensive loan recovery scheme, the government can recall back the scores of PSD officers stationed abroad as borrowers will soon develop greater responsibility.











photo: Thanks to http://g.1asphost.com/mybank4u/ringgit.jpg

An Unnecessary Death

It is rather brave of cops to give chase to criminals but I believe we should give them better training in order to reduce unnecessary deaths as in this sad case.
Any death of a policeman on duty should be mourned as they are actually looking after our security.

This guy was only 21 years old and I wonder what kind of pursuit training he would have received.
The story mentioned that the suspect "kicked his motorcycle" which indicated that the cop had gone too close to the suspect on the open road.

With 2 cops chasing they should have shot to wound the suspect after a warning shot in the air if he had refused to stop. At the time of the incident there would have been little traffic on the roads and the chance of a stray bullet injuring others would be very slight.

No Monkeying About in the Cabinet?

Much has been written about the super-large Malaysian Cabinet which qualifies for a world record of sorts.

However in a Cabinet it is not the quantity of ministers that matters but the quality and so we have come to expect not very much from a mediocre bunch of ministers, most of whom are just there to make up the numbers.


I guess it will take a good 10 minutes just to get through all the pleasantries even before any meeting can start.

The other result is that even the most mundane issue needs Cabinet approval.

Maybe the Cabinet really needs to set up some priorities as to what should require its attention most urgently.

Otherwise they appear to be just monkeying around instead of managing pressing issues like solving those 18 VVIP graft cases.

Lack of evidence and missing witnesses seems a rather lame excuse. I expect some of those witnesses could have died in the years it has taken to identify them. Perhaps the police too have not really used much of their energy to locate witnesses.

Why not publish a reward for tracking down witnesses? I am sure the public are also keen to see justice done.


photo: thanks to http://images.esu11.org/mgrove/gorilla.jpg

Police + Public = Crime-Busting

When members of the public give tips to the police, they can really respond very well as in this case of the two girls who were abducted.

The person who called the police should be commended and I think the security guards at the UKM should be investigated to see if they had complied with procedures on the entry and exit of vehicles.

If a bus routine is only within the campus for six hours, the bus should be boarded by a security guard when it enters and leaves the campus.

Looking at the photo it is quite a big bus with the marking Bas Pekerja - surely not the type of bus authorised to transfer students?

Finally a word of profound thanks to the cops who went beyond their duty by jumping into an effluent pond to get their man. Maybe the police can add more bitepower by making use of trained dogs to pursuit criminals?

Useful Film on Landslides

I just watched on Astro's National Geographic Channel at 10pm a program on Landslides.

You should watch it too if you want to understand a little on how the landslide in Putrajaya occurred, unless you want to be fooled by some of the reports in the newspapers about "a rise in ground water level".

Allow me to share one of the scenarios of how the Putrajaya landslide occurred:

There was heavy rainfall and also the leaking water tank mentioned by the Works Minister but no one wants to acknowledge.

According to the documentary and the geologists, it is possible that there is an impermeable layer below the surface of the hill slope and this causes the water to soak into the soil until it becomes saturated with water above the impermeable layer.

As more water soaks into the slope, the water pressure builds up and the whole slope becomes unstable as the soil particles become separated by the water and will slide.

So it points to that leaking tank that kept the hill slope wet and the final slide occurred when the rains added to the water pressure.

Not forgetting the earth drains that should have taken away some of the excess water if they had been properly maintained.

Non-Muslims and Syariah Courts.....

This is the question to ponder for MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 26 -

"What Do You Think of the Latest Case of Subashini the woman whose husband converted to Islam and who now wants to convert all their children?"

You can help the cause of "Freedom of Religion" for all Malaysians by forwarding this poll to all your friends and relatives.

97% of Voters Think Vision 2057 is Flawed....

32 readers responded to the question on Vision 2057.

The question for MalaysiaWatch Poll 25 was
"What Do You Think of Vision 2057 recently reported in the news?"

16 readers or 50% picked "Pure Balderdash! We must be mad to let them continue for another 50 years".

6 or 19% chose "Seems like a smokescreen to advise that Vision2020 cannot be achieved"

6 or 19% chose "Think you can fool all the people all the time?"

2 or 6% picked "Our rankings in corruption etc show that government policies have really failed to improve Malaysia’s performance in the global economy."

1 or 3% chose "The PM is trying to make people “feel better” before calling for elections."

The only support for the policy came from
1 or 3% who chose "It is good to have such a far-sighted policy"

You could help to make the polls more accurate if you tell us your choice.

When InCompetents are in Charge

We recently witnessed a hill-slope in PutraJaya fail and now we have a cute story that the land-slide occurred as "a rise in ground water level" created a surge in water pressure.

I am sure most Malaysians must be baffled by this new scientific phenomenon. If the ground water level can rise so dramatically one should expect that the area around the flats would have become soggy and perhaps under a few inches of water.

We should report this happening to world scientific journals so that it will make a useful contribution to science.

However the skeptics among us will probably think:

Our Works Minister announced on national TV that a leaking pipe/water tank had been reported to the local authority about a year ago.

The rain had been quite heavy the days before the landslide occurred and probably

No one had maintained the drains that were built years ago and local ponding areas had developed on that slope.

Of course the slope needs to be stabilised. Just don't cook up a cock and bull story. The manager in charge of that slope maintenance also needs to be fired or the next time someone could get killed on account of negligence.

More Lame Excuses...

Just imagine that.

One hundred thousand people affected by a water supply failure and the weak excuse given was that "eight pumps at a water treatment plant in Pelubang, near here, broke down on Saturday."

I guess Malaysians are really forgiving and we accept such poor service with a shrug of "What to do, lah?"

Such a basic failure can only occur if we have incompetents in charge of vital utilities like water supply.

How can we have eight pumps are failing at the same time?
Given our poor attitude to maintenance and with weak supervision I would hazard the following:

*possibly 3 out of the 8 pumps were already out of service as awaiting spares, etc
*the suction pipes to the pumps were so clogged with debris the pumps were starved and therefore burned out the motors
*the supply tank water level was too low and the pumps were run anyway

I don't see how we can boast having first world infrastructure when we cannot operate a simple water treatment plant properly.

I suggest it is not the pumps that need fixing. The operators need to be fixed first.

Paying More to Ensure Integrity?

Many have written about the need to pay the police more so that members do not succumb to graft that is perceived by many to be a major problem.

Apart from graft there have also been serious allegations about misconduct and even crimes committed by members of the police force; rangeing from sudden deaths in police lock-ups to the famous nude squats of a woman that was widely circulated.

We also know that the political leaders have not had the courage to implement the IPCMC and all types of delaying tactics have been offered. More skeptical members of the public have probably come to the conclusion that the Attorney-General's office is busy translating the legal framework of the Commission into ancient Greek or Sanskrit or both.

But will paying more money to all civil servants eradicate graft?
In an era of consumerism, it is all too easy for anyone to get enticed into a lifestyle that cannot be sustained with one's income.

Even ministers with salaries of RM15000 plus a month can be seduced by the luxuries of the world and worse still if he or she has a spouse who enjoys luxury goods.

So we should not imagine for one second that simply paying more to civil servants is going to curb graft. The authorities must show that it is really serious about combatting corruption.

And so far the AG's office seems rather slow in pursuing the so-called 18 cases involving VIPs. Guess it is all Greek or Sanskrit to them.

Don't Blame the Computer...

The IRB can be considered one of the most efficient government bodies in that it collects more money in taxes each year from citizens very effectively but can take years when they have to refund overpaid taxes.

You usually get a letter stating your tax credit for years ago but the letter also states it does not take into account your existing situation with respect to taxes. So that is why you are not getting any monies back.

It is really unfair. If they can fine you 10% if you are late in paying your tax they should also in all fairness pay you interest at least equal to the current fixed deposit rates for the years they hold on to your monies.

With the computerisation of the IRD I am sure the system should be able to calculate all your past years records up to the current year.

And blaming the upgrade exercise for the recent glitch is really lame. Didn't they pay some expensive consultant to stress test the system before the launch?

photo: Thanks to http://www.lostcircuits.com/motherboard/asus_p5a/p5a.gif

This is How the IDR Can Succeed

This is one way to get IDR to succeed - it should be given up ala HongKong to any investor that wants to administer the place via local elections, election of a governor etc.

So perhaps the first step should be holding a referendum for the people of southern Johor perhaps from Kota Tinggi across to Pontian or some other appropriate town to see if they want to participate in the 99 year project.

It will be a autonomous zone within Malaysia that will still provide security under the control of locally elected officials.

So how would the central authorities gain? Perhaps they could get 20% of all profits earned by the IDR during the period.

Almost a Repeat of Highland Towers

It is simply not safe to live near hill slopes in Malaysia.

The Highland Towers tragedy some years ago was caused by water that had been allowed to seep and undercut the foundations of the building; thereby causing the building to topple. Unfortunately the courts ruled that the municipality was not liable even though they were negligent.

So history almost repeats itself.
According to this article the resident was quoted as saying “The residents reported the leakage to the authorities since a year ago but no action was taken,”

There should be an inquiry as to what action if any was taken after the report was made.

Building so close to a hill is also an invitation to problems. Ten meters is a very short distance to avoid damage when a landslide occurs. Is there not a code of practice to adjust clearance space to height of hill?

I mean if the hill is 100 meters tall and even if you have a 45 degree slope that 10 meter gap will not help much in a landslide.

The IGP May Be a Man of Action and Vision but ....

after 200 years and the accumulation of bad practices among the force that culminated in the Royal Inquiry, Malaysia really needs to implement the IPCMC that proposed changes in which the public would have an avenue to address problems related to the police.

Of course no one likes to be under investigation but if there is any doubt about the integrity of the force, only a body like the IPCMC would be able to address the problem.

For one thing, the IGP's appointment is only a temporary one for about 2 years and I am sure getting the Royal Police to become a world class force will take at least 5 years.

If the public do not change their perception of the police, the whole campaign to combat crime will not succeed.

Let's get the IPCMC going without further delay. It is already two years too late.

Our MPs Should Read This

As we approach our 50th year of independence (for Malaya) it is time we put more responsibility on our MPs to develop a more mature democracy where MPs can exercise some checks on excesses in government or the abuses of power.

Perhaps they should read this article about how US lawmakers are demanding that the FBI conducts itself in a more professional manner or its powers would be curbed.

Over there it is common for lawmakers to even sanction their own party leaders who are in government positions when abuse of powers occurs.

In Malaysia many have been detained under EO and the power of the minister is unfettered as the detention cannot be challenged in the courts.

As a progressive nation we should abolish such repressive laws as it is a basic violation against human rights. No one should have the power to detain another human being without a due process.

Trying to Attract Investors for Iskandar Development or Simply Making Profits?

There is an advert in today’s Star about a conference to be organised by the authorities and the Institute of Surveyors Malaysia(info under e-Broadcast section), seemingly to attract investors for the Iskandar Development Project that is a prominent feature of the 9MP.

However the pricing for the 2-day conference where the main speakers are mainly related to government agencies appears to be too expensive if the main purpose is to attract investors for this most important development program that will take place over many years.

It appears that the organisers are mainly interested in making profits from this seminar even before potential investors can be attracted to the region.

There is another conference being organised in a five-star hotel during April in Johor Bahru and the price for that conference is only RM468 which includes all meals for two full days. I am also sure the organisers will not lose money for that event.

Having to pay RM800 for a conference where most of the speakers are from government agencies seems to be more a money-making exercise. If the authorities are really serious about attracting investors, the government should underwrite the conference and then extend free invitations to at least 100 important persons and even arrange travel packages for them at special rates.

A more reasonable fee for the conference would be about RM500 per person and limited to two persons per company unless vacancies are still available two weeks before the event.

Spending Trainloads of Money on Obsolete Systems

Apart from the shady way in which the deal was awarded, it is shocking to discover that instead of getting a modern efficient railway system in the process we are merely spending trainloads of money to duplicate a system that could qualify as one of the most antiquated train systems in the world.

Even today train derailments occur with regular frequency for no apparent reason except that the trains have probably been going too fast for the narrow gauge track that was started shortly after trains were invented.

This is an interesting article about KTM’s recent developments.
You can read more about the history of KTM here.

I am sure that when the project was stopped soon after Bawadi became the PM many thought that the government had come to its senses and was going to curb mega-projects that did not make economic sense.

Now it seems we are going to spend billions more on a project that is really outdated even on the drawing board. At first the idea of a Trans- Asia track was mooted so Asia could boast the equivalent of the European network and trains were supposed to run from Singapore all the way to China.

Already rail is struggling with competition from private cars and budget airlines. How do you suppose a train is going to compete when fares are more expensive and you will need to change trains for China or India destinations?

Let’s face it. Most people prefer not to travel by train. So why waste money on such a dubious project? We are spending monies on a system that should be scrapped or just maintained without further capital inputs.

Even the description of “expediency of government expenditure” to restart the project smacks of gross mismanagement of taxpayers’ funds. It appears that the authorities have no idea on what projects will provide the most bang for our bucks.

But those involved with the project and the political sponsors will definitely receive some enjoyable bangs. Maybe they should convert some of those slow wagons into private sleeping quarters for a ride they will not forget. There will definitely be many empty carriages on the tracks then.

Has anyone seen the financials on how this project is going to provide a reasonable rate of return? How about the projected numbers from the passenger and freight markets?

Instead of building a double track for the whole country with the narrow gauge, the money would be better spent developing a completely new system starting with Rawang-KL-PJ-Klang and then developing other systems once the project proves viable.

It is really not necessary to have a double track system for the whole network but this should be planned as a future development.

Picture: Thanks to http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/hap/show%20display%20%20my%20train/my%20trains/circus%20train.jpg. A picture of things to come?

For Cat Lovers......

I was waiting in the Singapore CIQ for the 170 bus back to Johor Bahru when this cat was spotted.

It was pregnant and was carrying a clear pink plastic bag with a white moulded box of food; just like what humans get when they pack food to go.

Even the cut chillies in a smaller plastic could be seen and I guess it was chicken rice.

The cat knew exactly where it was going and headed through some bars into the immigration offices probably trying to find a spot where it could open the packaging and find out what was for lunch.

No one was in pursuit and I guess the person gave up after the cat entered the security area.

Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me. Some fellow passengers were also amused by the cat's ingenuity at getting a free meal.

I hope the guy or gal who skipped lunch does not feel too unkindly towards that cat.

More Feel PM Not to Be Blamed for KLSE Collapse

That is the result of MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 24 that asked the question,

"Stock Market Woes. Is it fair to blame the PM for the market’s recent tumble?"

Here is the breakdown:

A total of 30 votes were cast as follows:

16 or 54% selected NO under the folowing choices -

11 picked "No but the PM must refrain from making remarks like predicting the next high levels."
5 picked "No. People should do some proper research before investing in good companies."

8 or 26% selected YES with the following choices -

7 picked "Yes it was the most horrible time to make such a remark just as the market was about to burst."
1 picked "Yes as the PM was encouraging people to put their money in."

6 or 20% chose "Perhaps as the PM’s remarks carries a lot of influence among the less informed"

So newbies to the KLSE are warned to do proper research before putting your money in the KLSE.
Never listen to rumours unless you know the following:

"How many other persons have heard this rumour?"

"What are their positions in the market?"

I used to tell friends who used to give me tips:
"Even if the Finance Minister were to give me a tip directly, I would want to know his position in the market before that tip is useful to me".

Scoring the Wrong Points

I find these remarks unworthy of the Malaysian PM.

Why mention only the Malays who did well?

He would have shown himself to be the PM for all Malaysians if his speech had been written to include the non-Malays who had also done well.

It would have been a good opportunity to show that if anyone studies hard and is properly motivated, he or she can do well irrespective of race.

The other point that should have been emphasised is that the government encourages everyone to work hard so they can enjoy the fruits of their efforts and not depend on fossilised programs like the NEP.

Then there is the father who falsified scoring a record number of As as he claims he wanted to motivate his son. That's the kind of parent we don't need.

Sorry PM but you have failed those who gave you that huge mandate. As the saying goes, "Fool us once, shame on you; fool us twice.....Naah I don't think so."

Then there is the father who falsified exam results to "score" a record number of As and he said he did it to motivate his son. That is the type of parent we can do without.

The Wrong Approach to National Service

This article shows how some parents think that National Service can undo the damage caused by neglect of parents with respect to poor discipline and bad upbringing.

This writer thinks that allowing trainers to wield the cane on 18 year-olds for 12 months will do more harm than good.

We cannot expect the government to turn out model citizens if parents fail to bring up their children properly from young.

If anything we should start a NS for parents who appear to have no idea on how to discipline children.

One of the factors that contributes to delinquent children is the growing numbers of single parent families and families with too many children for each to receive enough love and attention.

Do you think a military style experience will change that?

What Do You Think of Vision 2057?

That is the subject of MalaysiaWatch Poll 25.

After 50 years of independence it is good to ponder where our nation is headed and also give feedback to our leaders.

BTW the KLSE has also had a major set-back today.

I Agree with the Education Minister

Students should definitely not be encouraged to attempt so many subjects at SPM level as we do not want youths who are only good at cramming for exams.

I agree with the Education Minister that families who pressure their children to create records should be prepared for disappointment when their children cannot cope or even worse succumb to the stress of exams.

I know of a tragic case where a Malaysian who was admitted to a Singapore university had to drop out as she could not cope with the system. She returned home and finally took her life.

It is also strange that the Education Ministry does not want to name the top SPM student this year as "it would be unfair to name one student as the best since all 105 had their strengths and weaknesses".

Last year there was no problem naming the student but this year there is a change of mindset? Unless this is a new policy not to officially name the best student this remark appears to have a racial bearing as the top student is a Chinese whereas last year the champion was a Malay.

It is like not wanting to name the top doubles badminton players of Malaysia solely because the champs are Chinese.

Here is one suggestion for the Ministry to curb the practice of students taking too many papers:

First 8 papers charge exam fees as present rate
next 6 papers charge exam fees double rates
next 6 papers triple rates

If special arrangements have to be made to adjust exam times a fee of RM100 per suject will be charged.

It also appears that some parents should plan for their children to take GCE "O" levels and then "A" levels so their children can fast-track to twinning colleges in Malaysia.

But I am not an expert on education so please check the importance of passing Bahasa Malaysia at SPM level if you want to consider this option.

Just imagine the time you will save on those trips to private lessons on the extra subjects.

National Service – Back to the Drawing Board?

This scheme to improve racial interaction and promote harmony among the youth has been riddled with many problems such as:

• Poor and unhygienic food in some camps

• Deaths of trainees

• Equipment in unusable condition

• Transport glitches

• Fights, rapes and other unacceptable behaviour of trainees and trainers

No one accepts perfection in a program that was hastily implemented but after a few years experience and a dozen intakes one expects that the NS program would have worked through all the problems.

My opinion is that the NS program is trying to undo problems that should have been tackled earlier; probably at the time when students enter secondary schools.

We should make it compulsory for every student to participate in one ECA that is a uniformed group like the Scouts/Guides, St John’s Ambulance Brigade, Cadets or Military Band and this ECA should not take up more than 2 hours each week.

The uniformed groups can organise interschool activities perhaps once every quarter and an annual camp during school holidays can be organised in each state lasting three or four days.

After four or five years activity in such a program we will see a more disciplined youth of 17 or 18 years ready for a one-month NS program that will require ALL youths to attend.

The budget for these programs should be with the Education Ministry and the Family Ministry.

It was reported that the Chairman of the NS Board mentioned that 45% of the NS program consists of military drills and this seems such a waste of time, effort and money.

How does marching two or three times a day in the hot sun improve racial interaction?

The other weakness in the strategy of the NS is that only 10 to 15% of the population is trained each year. This means that the majority of the population is not learning how to interact better with other communities.

Perhaps this provides a convenient loophole for some people not to get their children involved and this is a major flaw.

After my son was not drafted for NS my wife and I decided to send him for the 28-day Outward Bound School in Lumut as we wanted him to become more independent.

If we cut the NS program to 30 days, we can effectively increase the intake threefold.

Uniforms can also be reused if in good condition and we can allow trainees to take home one set of uniform as a souvenir.

Deaths of trainees is also a cause of concern. As most of the trainees are school leavers it indicates that some students have not been taking part in physical education activities at school.

As my children have all left school and as they studied in Singapore anyway I do not know what type of PE Malaysians do in school.

There is a private school in Melodies Garden and I have observed teachers watching in the shade while some students go through the motions of a PE lesson.

Do Malaysian schools conduct proper PE lessons for all students or is it just a case of “take the next 40 minutes and kick the ball if you are interested”?

I know that in Singapore schools every student is graded on their fitness level, the final stage of which is the 5km run two or three times a year and you are graded according to how long you take to complete.

If you are graded poor on account of obesity, they conduct more training for you and you must attend the special sessions.

If we had proper PE classes in schools, the student’s records should have indicated any health problems and this should have sounded warning bells when reporting for NS.

It appears that the health problem like the racial harmony problem should have been tackled earlier via the school system.

I suggest that the NS scheme should be shortened to 30 days and programs to improve racial harmony should start in secondary schools.

Graphics: Thanks to http://www.filatelic.com/FOLDER/D040522a.jpg

SEMUA-NYA OK for Approved Parasites

This report shows how connected parties or cronies can get away with privileged deals.

It is quite surprising these people are not included in the list of Malaysia's richest citizens.



According to the report, the DPM mentions
“It was a legacy of old problems, a transition problem which needed to be resolved once and for all.

“There were cars that were already here because of some practices in respect to the importation of cars, whereby they (importers) just bring them in with the understanding that they would get APs,”

Very interesting indeed.
And such beautifully crafted language to cover a multitude of sins.

As taxpayers and voters we should ask what was the basis on which the importers simply brought in cars that they hoped to get APs later?

Seems they were just taking a business risk or were being plain greedy. Perhaps they did this once before and it worked well as some arrangements were made with the relevant parties.

We should not be taken to be fools with such eloquent terms but ask the DPM to shed more light on a matter of 3000 APs times market value of RM30k each or RM90000000.

Photo: Thanks to http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2505/html/045225.jpg

Malaysians! Wake-up or Tragedies will Abound

Malaysians need to wake up and demand changes in all aspects of society
including the way we live and are governed if we are not to be forever
condemned as a country with "first class infrastructure and third class
mentality."

I would argue that it is not really possible to develop really first class
infrastructure with a third class mentality. The facade may be present but
one examines closely the structure, many things are not working well as it
has been so from the time the project was awarded to some incompetent crony
contractor. Think of the hundreds of school computer labs and the naval
base.

Even the present outrage about the rapes of two young girls and the usual
knee-jerk reactions by the authorities is only a symptom of the deep cancer
that has taken hold in the fabric of our society. We have become a society
that responds like a coop of headless chickens running around whenever
something terrible happens be it the rape of young girls, incest, rogue
policemen, crony contracts that have gone terribly wrong.

The following list indicates the spectrum of our problems:

- The judiciary appears to be in a state of turmoil and many have written
about the perception that the courts have lost their independence. The Anwar
Ibrahim case is the on-going example of how it seems politics has clouded
the administration of justice.

- The police are perceived by the public to be avoided by normal folks as
they cannot be trusted and even have criminal elements in their midst. The
latest example of a chief inspector-turned- bank robber being shot dead
shows how rotten the apples in the barrel are. The high incidence of
questionable deaths in police lock-ups should be the subject of a public
inquiry as our system of justice is that one is "presumed innocent unless
proven guilty" by the courts and not the police.

- Security firms have been allowed to lease their licences and it appears
about 30 percent of them have done so. Another example of how a corrupting
system of patronage allows a few favoured ones to make money by leasing to
third parties. This also applies to taxi permits that are given to companies
instead of individual taxi drivers.

- The high rate of divorce and single parents who are not maintained by
ex-husbands creates a large pool of neglected juveniles who are easily
influenced by the thrash programmes on TV, the violence of computer games
and the availability of uncensored VCDs.

- The violence on the roads may not be just a consequence of poor planning,
overcrowded roads and poor driving methods. I would suggest it is a form of
frustration at how rotten the whole system is and the helplessness to change
that system creates demons behind the wheels.

- I had a discussion with a headmistress of a Chinese school and was
surprised that some classes had 50 pupils compared to 30 to 40 in
national-type schools. I guess overcrowding is one way to introduce a
disabled system to disadvantage our young Malaysians.

- The national service is a confirmation that the leaders realise that we
have serious problems in national unity. However, three months in a camp
after 12 years of discrimination in the school system is always going to be
a losing battle. The Jesuits have a belief that if you allow them to train
your child for the first six years, they will train him for life.

- The campaign to recruit ex-Malaysians will not work unless the whole
system changes. Why would an ex-Malaysian who has escaped a system where
he/she was subjected to so many difficulties and becomes successful in
another country want to return to the same system and subject his/her
children to the same predicament? This programme is like closing the stable
door after the horse has bolted.

- The award of multi-billion ringgit contracts such as the cancelled
double-tracking rail project and the infamous crooked bridge without public
tender and feedback is a clarion sign for all in the public service that
'Anything Goes' under the battle cry of 'Malaysia Boleh'.

- The disenfranchisement of ratepayers by abolishing local elections has
resulted in the failure of local councils to give good service. Johor Baru
is a good example where rutted roads with umpteen patches allow motorists to
test their suspensions while millions of ringgit are being spent in an area
of town that will become obsolete with the new CIQ (Customs, Immigration and
Quarantine complex).

- The churning out of thousands of graduates who cannot be employed in any
job without undergoing paid training.

Unless we really want to change Malaysia for the better, we should be
prepared to read of more rapes, incest, rogue policemen and corrupt
politicians. It is time we ask our would-be MPs how they can help to make
Malaysia a better place and not just give them another blank cheque.

As voters, we should exercise that right carefully or be prepared for more
tragedies. Even if there is a sea of change in the BN, we should be prepared
for things to get worse before they get better.

There is an universal law of nature that is against us and that is the law
of entropy where everything ultimately decays and this was proved by the
failure of the New Economic Policy that has resulted in a university system
that produces thousands of unemployable graduates and crony capitalists who
cannot survive without their diamond-studded crutches.

Unless we are brave enough to bring in new ideas, elect new leaders and
create a better system where all Malaysians can hope to share in the
economic benefits, we should expect to read more bad news.

This was a letter to malaysiakini dated Wed Jan 28th, 2004 I wrote before I started this blog

TENAGA can Afford to Be Generous

Or perhaps the Malacca government can get the federal authorities to acquire this island under laws to protect endangered species and to allow eco-tourism.

One wonders why the Malacca government sold this island to TNB for a measly RM3m and the company now hopes to get a good price.

I would suggest the government allocates a piece of land off the island and build equivalent facilities in exchange so that the island can become a turtle sanctuary.

I am sure the major shareholders of TNB would not object to such an exchange.
The training facilities can be used to house some conservation staff and also provide some basic facilities as a eco-tourism project where only day-trippers are allowed to come and observe the turtles.

Time to Bring Back Local Elections

If this is the calibre of people appointed to lead local councils it is time the people are given back their basic right of electing town council presidents.

We cannot allow this type of people to lead local councils and no wonder the whole state seems to be one of anarchy.

Wrong Behaviour All Round

It should have been a simple incident that happens all the time all over Malaysia.

Many motorists, including me, try to avoid paying parking charges when parking for a few minutes.

Most parking wardens are quite patient and will give a few minutes grace before printing out the summons as I believe most tend to be a little forgiving as they understand that many people are suffering from high petrol costs and toll charges.

In fact I just witnessed a parking attendant advising a motorist where she could park without him having to issue a summons. There were 3 cars double-parked near a bank and one car owner had been issued a summons as no one was in the car.

This case is a reflection of how Malaysian society shows its ugly face.

I would guess the following:

The car owner must have shouted rather rudely at the attendant for him to issue the ticket and perhaps this has been going on many times.

The car owner should not have become involved in the scuffle as the guy was only doing his job.

What happened later is truly scandalous as the tailor who was the brother of the car owner gets abducted by the enforcement officers to the police station and he is forced to post RM1000 bail to be released.

It seems that some action should be taken regarding the following incidents:

*the scuffle between the parking attendant and the car owner.
*the abduction of the witness to the police station
*the police officers for demanding bail for the witness to be released.

What should have been a simple matter now becomes an issue of criminal force and abuse of power.
This is what happens when we have bad governance.

Photo: Thanks to http://users.mtrx.net/funnypics/content/-rdm1-ABCD1234-rdm1-/2005/2005-08-23-0002/ZAFP238.JPG

Believe This and You Can Get Yourself Killed

I find this claim rather incredulous.

Here is a senior official claiming the following:

*The Smart Tunnel will not collapse due to earthquakes as it is "underground and circular".
*As the tsunami did not affect it, it will also not be affected by earthquakes.

It also implies that the claim has been made via the following logic:
It was able to withstand the tsunami and so will be able to survive an earthquake.

You notice there is no specific information given as "We designed this tunnel to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 on the Richter scale with the epicenter 500km away.

The claim that only buildings on the surface can be affected by earthquakes amounts to deceiving the public and endangering their lives as many motorists will believe this statement.

Just ponder this question,
"How does the shock wave of an earthquake travel?"
You can learn more about earthquakes here
For me I will not drive into that tunnel unless I really have to. After all the problems with the MRR2 don't be surprised when flaws are detected in this RM1.6b showpiece.

photo: Thanks to https://www.fh.org/uploads/d1/ib/d1ibM4waeqZ1qMeR_8cihg/indonesia.jpg

KLSE Woes as MalaysiaWatch Poll 24

This is your chance to show how you feel about the PM's remarks about the KLSE rising to new record levels just before the market crashed.

I hope you were not too badly affected. My program asked me to sell about RM9000 worth of shares but I procrastinated before the Beijing trip and when I returned the program asked me to sell RM1000 worth. The program is about six years old.

I wrote this in LKS's blog.

"Anyone who just listens to another’s advice to invest in the share market without proper study and resources needs to lose his money so that he will learn the lesson for the next round.

People used to give me tips or rumours but I always used to say, “Even if the Finance Minister gave me a tip privately, I would have to know his position in the market before that advice becomes useful to me.”

I also never ask my broker for advice as I do not know their position and if they are that good, they would not have to earn your commission.

The same applies to most fund managers. I think most of them survive on the annual fees and most funds just track the market performance."

Clearing the Air or Creating More Suspicion?

This story about a factory operating without a proper licence should be investigated further as it appears to be an official "whitewash".


Just consider the following details given in the news article:

*The factory started operations in February 2004
*It applied for a licence in September 2006
*The fire department replied in February 2007
*Council approved licence the next day in February 2007

I think the following questions should be answered:

*Why did the factory not apply for a licence in February 2004?
*Why did the fire department take 4 months to approve a relatively small factory?
*Did the factory encounter "difficulties" in getting the Bomba approval?
*Did the factory have other proper approvals as from the Machinery Department during the period from Feb 2004 to Feb 2007?

It seems that the council has also been lacksadaisical in enforcing its own rules by allowing a factory to operate without Bomba approval for five months. If a fire had broken out, workers would have been in greater danger without the water sprinkler system. A plastic moulding factory deals with highly flammable materials and a sprinkler system will not put out the fire though it will provide workers a few precious seconds to get out before the factory usually burns down.

It should have been a requirement for Bomba approval at the planning stage; ie before the factory was built or the manufacturing licence approved before the factory was allowed to commence full production.

The other aspect that will be useful for investors is that local councils should be given say one month to approve all licencing matters. The fixed time limit should apply to all departments. If there is no feed-back, the approval is deemed automatic.

If factory inspectors later find the building lacking in the necessary requirements they have the authority to issue specific orders and this can be used to improve the department that failed to do its job properly in the first place.

photo: Thanks to http://www.hazmatmag.com/common_scripts/xtq_images/155436-109313.jpg

Another Hospital Disgrace

It looks like the standard operating procedure of those in charge to delay hospital projects.

First there was the new hospital in JB that could not commence operations for months as it had become infected with fungus and now this latest case in Alor Star.

It is interesting to note that both hospitals are named after the state royalty and to me it seems like a gross insult to the royal families when such prestigeous projects are delayed for such mundane excuses.

The latest story mentions the following extra works:

*A nursing college
*Additional wards
*A forensic laboratory

No doubt these will improve facilities for the public but to me these changes should have been added on only with the proviso that the rest of the project is not delayed.

If one considers that the original project was supposed to have been completed in December 2003, it is now three years past the due date.

One can only wonder what type of project management techniques have been practised by the Works Ministry.

It should also be interesting to study details of the extra costs incurred with such project variations and I would imagine that the final costs have escalated beyond anyone's imagination.

Perhaps Pareto's principle would be a useful guess like "20% of additional works will incur 80% of additional costs"?

A Cold Retreat from Beijing

I returned from Beijing yesterday just as a cold front was descending on Beijing and the flight had to be slightly delayed as they de-iced the plane.

There was a rush to the airport from Tianjin as we were warned they could close the highway if the visibility became poor. We arrived at the airport three hours before departure and I remarked to my wife that it was the earliest we have ever arrived at an airport.

China is truly a huge country and the capital is truly magnificent. Everything is of a gigantic scale; from the old Forbidden City to the soaring skyscrappers.

Public transport is cheap and easily accessible though crowded even during off-peak periods.

One can easily travel to a wide area of the city for a single fare one-way price of about RM1.30 or 3Yuan. Local food is also cheap but very oily and salty.

We visited the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs and the Forbidden City.
I will write more about the trip during the next few days but don't expect too much as this is not really a travel blog!

Belated Lunar New Year Greetings!

Wishing all those who celebrate the Lunar New Year a year of Health, Wealth and Happiness for the year of the Pig!

I'm a pig myself and am going to Beijing tomorrow until 4th March so may not be posting for a few days.

71% Think Our Leaders are Hypocrites!

That was the main result from MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 23 which asked the question:

"Come Fly with Me! What do You Think of the Government’s Purchase or Lease of a US$50M Airbus?"

The total response of 28 votes gave the following:

20 votes or 71% chose "Pure Hypocrisy from our Leaders – Spending Lavishly While the Rakyat Suffer from Higher Costs"

6 votes or 21% chose "I Hope He Enjoys the Plane. His Time to Lead Must End Soon"

1 vote or 4% chose "Our Leaders Deserve Such Perks to Perform Well"

1 vote or 4% chose "Such a Purchase Should Have Been Approved by Parliament"

No one picked "The PM is Practising What He Preaches. He Loves Himself"

Getting Rid of the Ali-Baba Syndrome

According to figures of the government about 85% of all contracts awarded to Bumi contractors have been sold off to third parties as the companies awarded the projects could not execute the projects.

Most of the contracts are awarded by the Finance Ministry and now the contractors are required to sign an official declaration that they will not sell their projects.

It is good for Malaysia to develop Bumi entrepreneurs as that will improve the capacity and human capital of the nation and enable more businessmen to venture overseas if they have the capacity.

I suspect the Ali-Baba syndrome has been common knowledge for many years now and perhaps the official admittance is one step to addressing the problem.

What bothers me is that many companies are being awarded contracts even though they do not have the experience, the expertise nor the capital to take on projects and simply signing an official declaration is not going to matter much.

It would also improve the public delivery system if all ministries are authorised to make the final decision on whom to award projects instead of the Finance Ministry who could maintain a current database on standard costing and prices so that comparisons can be made.

To further drive home the message that the government is really serious about getting projects completed with high quality works, I would suggest that the following program be used for the next 5 years.

• 30% of all projects open tender to all provided a non-Bumi company has 30% Bumi executives at management level

• 50% of all projects open tender to Bumi companies with at least 40% Bumi staff

• 20% of projects allocated to Bumi companies.

Capital requirements would also be a necessary criterion to establish eligibility for projects and the minimum paid up capital should be something like 5% to 10% of the project cost within 3 months of the project award.

So if a project is Rm100m the paid up capital of the company should be at least RM5m and this capital would be imposed on the first 2 categories.

The government is spending an extra RM2b on rural schools in East Malaysia and there is an urgent need to prevent the fiasco of collapsing schools from recurring.

“Take Me to Your Leader!”

Do you remember the old comics strip where the Martians landed and pointed their space guns at earthlings and demanded the above?

If we read the newspapers recently it seems that our over-bloated Cabinet of 30 plus ministers appear to be drifting aimlesslyas our Prime Minister travels to so many countries he may be suffering from permanent jet-lag.

If those Martians had read our newspapers online before landing they probably would be thinking, “Mars, we have a problem. Not sure who is in charge here.”

Perhaps that may be good for us as they would probably not destroy Malaysia with their laser weapons immediately and may take some time to explore the country. After all those Visit Malaysia 2007 banners are all over even inside the McDonalds in some shopping malls.

After they have become used to the weather here they may get to Putrajaya and want to negotiate the surrender of the Malaysian capital.

This is where we get to play our strategic weapons. We will invite them to discuss such national interests with the whole array of delaying mechanisms such as the following:

• PEMUDAH
• MAMPU
• MITTI
• CUEPACS
• UMNO – a dozen keris with crooked blades will surely puzzle them
• MCA
• MIC or just Samy Vellu may convince them that Malaysia is a high risk construction area.

If all this is not enough we will then ask the PM to confront them. I have a feeling after they meet for a few hours those Martians will quietly pack up their space ships and leave without a ransom.

Graphics: Thanks to http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca/mars/MARTIANS.GIF

More Creative Juices Needed

This story makes one wonder if our justice system and laws need more creative inputs.

The guy stole some eggs worth less than RM10 and now has to serve 3 months in jail. This looks rather harsh compared to the stay of execution on the jail terms imposed on senior managers convicted of CBT involving tens of millions of ringgit.

The reasons given for the stay was "to take care of family" and "undue stress" etc. I wonder if that labourer stole the eggs to feed his starving children?

Ten months jail would cost the government at least RM900 based on a daily cost of RM10 per day and make overcrowded jails even more unhealthy.
As the worker would probably be deported after sentence, a more reasonable sentence would have been a jail sentence equal to the remand period and an order for immediate deportation.

A dispute appears to be brewing over the cancellation of the MyKad lucky draws with the previous minister being upset over the remarks of "silly and rubbish" by the present Home Minister. I agree with the minister's sentiments that the lucky draws were totally unnecessary and even trivialised the need to apply for the MyKad.

As another Ops Sikap is launched with fairly predictable results of being totally ineffective to reduce road accidents, there is now a commercial produced by the government that condones corruption.

Have you seen this advert on TV? It is in Chinese with BM subtitles.

Two small boys capture on their mobile phone an older brother riding a motor-bike without a crash helmet.

They threaten to show the photo to their parent and the older boy bribes them by buying them ice-cream.

Don't you think the advert condones bribery and corruption?
Guess the Information Minister is too busy tracking down the genes of those Pan-Asian to worry about such trivial ads that no doubt will entertain some youths.

Inviting Suggestions from the Public is an Admittance of Gross Incompetence and Failure of Government

Let’s face some hard facts.

The government wants to be seen to be doing the right thing and has now come up with this “brilliant” suggestion of asking the public to make suggestions so that it can improve the delivery system.

To me not implementing the IPCMC after the recommendations of the Royal Commission is the most glaring example of a government that has failed to deliver a basic requirement.

We now have a situation where the police force, a basic delivery system for law and order has the audacity to simply say “NO” to the government.
No doubt the police appears to be doing much to win back the confidence of the public but there must never be this breakdown of the government and civil servant relationship.

Asking for everyone to now contribute to improve systems only confirms that we have many incompetent leaders in government that do not inspire confidence.

We do have some bright spots though.
The latest one is the possibility that the toll agreements may be made public. One really wonders why the government needed to get the concession company to agree that the terms were under the OSA in the first place.

Since they have asked for some suggestions, here is one that will benefit all Malaysians.

For all privatisation projects the following principles will apply:

The government will retain one golden share that will enable it to buy back the company at a price to be determined by the following formula or something similar in the agreement:

The buy-back price will be the lower of the following:
Initial project estimated cost plus 15% for each year of operations or the agreed toll collections for the remaining life of the concession period.

For example if the toll project was budgeted at RM800m and the project is bought back after 4 years, the first price is RM800m plus 60% or RM848m.

Supposing the toll period has 16 years to the end and the projected toll earnings is RM950m, then the buy back price would be RM848m.

Any project cost overruns would be the company’s responsibility since it was a BOT project. This way only companies with competent managers will be able to participate.

All privatisation projects will be subject to public scrutiny and all such agreements excluded from OSA rules.

In a way the road tolls petition* shows how all Malaysians can object towards a system that has serious flaws as that toll collector does not discriminate on any race basis.

Perhaps all Malaysians will be able to make a more positive contribution towards nation-building if we remove most of the “crutch” policies.

*http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?notolle

My Ears Are Failing Me?

They say as one grows older the hearing becomes impaired.

I was watching news at Midnight on TV3 and the story on the pilot and the plane crash caught my attention.

I think I heard the phrase he "ejaculated to safety" and thought perhaps the writer wanted to play a joke on the lady newsreader.

I don't record it or I would have double-checked - any readers heard the same word?

Why Not Just Own Up for a Failure?

This is a story that could enter the collection of Malaysian jokes or bloopers.

The Marine Department built a jetty that gets submerged during high tide and the MB suggests that the government should not be blamed.

He should have gone after the contractor who is probably one of the listed cronies in the government’s list and who do you think will pay for the remedial works?

Such gross incompetence – with the Internet one can easily get details of tide levels anywhere and even anyone who does not live near the coast can find easy answers.

As for the Marine Department, the person who approved the plans should be sacked or transferred to somewhere in the interior. What a disgrace!

Sacking Should Always Be an Option...

Can you imagine if no one is sacked but the majority of the Education Ministry's employees are placed into a so-called slackers are put into "cold storage" as mentioned in this article.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/National/20070209091831/Article/local1_html

Government departments have well-documented procedures for dealing with errant staff and simply placing people into a slackers pool is not going to produce any results in the ministry's performance.

If we have thousands of employees opting for this easy life until retirement, the whole education system will be in jeopardy.

No Minister, please start proceedings against the worst 10% offenders and offer perhaps 5% early retirement if the case does not warrant dismissal and sack perhaps 2% with a proper hearing.

That is the only way you will be able to control the tens of thousands in the Education Ministry.

65% of Respondents Think NS is to Help Cronies

MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 22 asked the question
"What Do You Think About National Service After the Latest Death?"

It was ironic as during the period of the poll, another youngster had died after leaving the camp as she was unwell.

A total of 40 votes were received with the following selections:

26 readers or 65% chose "NS is another means for some contractors to make easy money"

8 or 20% chose "It has been a disaster from the first day with a lot of negligence and even crimes committed"

6 or 15% chose "Getting youths together at 18 years after many years of separate development is too late to address the race problems."

No one chose the following choices:

"It should carry on as usual"

"Those camps near the flood disasters should have sent their trainees home after a week’s clean-up and the camps used as relief centres so that schools would not be interrupted."

What Do You Think of that US$50M AIRBUS?

That is your question to ponder for MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 23.
Perhaps someone prepared a working paper with the concept that an AIRBUS showed that leaders would be helping the rak'yat accept the view that any bus used would promote public transport?

The colour chosen is clear rich blue as the sky at 30,000 feet.

A Sad Case......

Parking your car on a slope has a potential danger that must be prevented.

If your hand-brake fails or your parking gear is not engaged, your car will roll down the slope and this case had tragic consequences.

No one knows when a hand-brake will fail or when you will forget to engage the brake properly.

You need to take this extra precaution when parking on a slope. When you park, always turn your wheels towards the curb so that your car will be stopped by the curb if it rolls. If there is no curb prop a brick or stone against the tire so that the car will not roll much.

It is simply too dangerous to try and stop a car once it has gained momentum.

Why Not Reform School for Recalcitrant Teachers Instead?

It is interesting to read that pupils “will be required” to go for camping trips in efforts to improve national unity and this program will be for both primary and secondary year pupils.

The program is being touted as a fun learning activity but recent incidents with the NS program shows it can become a nightmare for both parents and the organisers.

Such “out of the blue” plans should be examined more thoroughly and subject to close scrutiny.
For a start, were any parent-teachers association consulted over such a program?

The proposed program seems to be treating the race problems at the wrong end of the solution. If we have problem teachers they should be selected for remedial programs by the respective headmasters and if they still cannot change their habits, they should be placed elsewhere in the ministry and not allowed to teach.

I submit that would be a much cheaper option. Retraining a few hundred recalcitrant teachers will be much cheaper than running camps for tens of thousands of school children and having a few more unnecessary deaths.

I do not have any more school-going children or I will definitely not allow my child to attend such a program if it involves overnight camping. I suggest the budget provided should be used to organise fun activities at the school such as inter-school games and outdoor activities like hikes to picnic spots.

So if you have children and worry about such activities you need to play a more active role in your PTA to oppose this proposal.

photo: thanks to http://www.awwa.org.sg/fsc/children1.jpg

Malaysian Comedy or Farce?

This may brighten up your day if you appreciate dark humour.

Two ministers not being able to understand when the system to collect RM20 toll from Singapore registered cars is going to be implemented.

I guess the person who purchased all the equipment post haste may be feeling a little uneasy now as the Cabinet may have second thoughts on this questionable toll as it may cause the end of the frequent Singapore visitor to JB and cause the collapse of many companies.

That will be a bad start to Visit Malaysia 2007.

Johor Floods - the Aftermath

Yesterday's post on possible flooding in KT was not complete as it was based solely on what was reported in the NST.

You can get a more balanced view from this source.

It would be interesting though to find out how much land has been cleared for development in the affected areas and the upstream areas in the past 20 odd years and what steps were taken to compensate the increased run-off directly into rivers.

There will be a drastic change in discharge into rivers between an area that is undeveloped and one that is built-up with the accelerated collection from concrete standing, roads and storm drains directly into rivers.

Just drive into the housing estates near Taman Daya, along Jalan Tampoi and you will see drastic changes in the landscape.

Blaming the heavy rain is one solution but I venture that most drainage problems are man-made. BTW Jalan Tampoi should have an alternative name below the road sign. It should be Sungei Tampoi.

Did Singapore’s Reclamation Works Cause Kota Tinggi’s Drowning?

Today’s article in the NST indicates that the project could be a possible reason for the massive floods in Kota Tinggi.

It would be difficult to determine if this reclamation project is indeed the cause of the river not being able to discharge the flood waters as quickly as before unless we have evidence to show that the river’s mean velocity has indeed been reduced by the project.

It is basic science that if something is obstructing the flow of water, the flow will be affected but the actual quantum should be based on proper measurements studies on the change in the characteristics of the river.

The project commenced in 2002 and Malaysia took the case to the ITLOS in 2003 who ruled in Singapore’s favour with the agreement that “the recommendations of the experts would be used as the basis of a "mutually acceptable and beneficial solution". “

Our case to make this claim will be weakened if we did not do the following as soon as the project started:

• Monitor the water flow average velocity
• Measure the rate of silting along river course and mouth
• Size of the reclaimed island
• Changes in the tide

And correlate all the results. Of course presupposing that there had been no illegal logging further upstream.

We had at least one year to get monthly readings on these and other(?) data but did we provide ITLOS any data to support our complaints?

Now with the Kota Tinggi floods we start to point fingers again but what happened to the experts and their recommendations?

Otherwise a river widening and deepening project should have been a priority for the 9MP. Speaking of land reclamation works, the bridge to Permas Jaya gives a very good view of a major land reclamation works on the JB side. The massive clearing of the mangrove and major construction works here may also may been the cause of some of the floods.

graphics: thanks to the NST

Lease or Buy, It’s Always Only Our Money

We don’t expect the Prime Minister to travel by budget airlines but we do have many international airlines that can provide first-class service to all the corners of the world as KLIA is serviced by many airlines.

So why do we need another expensive and high maintenance item like another luxury airplane?


The article reads, “The Government is leasing an Airbus from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB) for VIP use, as it is cheaper than buying one.”

I think it is cheaper if we do not lease or buy any!
It matters little whether we purchase outright or lease as PMB is an arm of Khazanah Malaysia and the monies belong to all Malaysians and not a kitty that should be used for ostentatious spending like another executive jet.

Suppose you draw a salary of RM3000 a month and you lease a car for RM1000 – is that not spending foolishly even though you have not purchased the car? The monthly expenses are still too high.

Just when the authorities were planning to make drastic increases in the price of fuel, water and tolls for ordinary folks last year, they were also thinking how they would enjoy the simple pleasures of flying in their own executive jet.

I understand even the British PM has to share the UK’s executive jet with the Queen and they pay for fuel costs when the plane is used.

Maybe it would be a good comparison to see how many countries provide exclusive private jets for their leaders and what planes are used. If you read up the specs of the Airbus A319 it is a huge plane and can be used to carry about 120 passengers.

It seems this purchase was made based on the frequent travels of the PM who is advised to concentrate more on domestic issues that appear to be unattended and uncompleted like the IPCMC?

It reminds me of Marie Antoinette before she was beheaded during the French revolution when the peasants were starving and she was quoted as saying,"let them eat cake!"

photo: thanks to http://wforum.zixia.net/elite.php?file=%2Fgroups%2FFactions%2FBUAA%2FM.1113053286.w0&ap=89211

Not the Way to Help Desperate People

The latest idea to charge those who borrow from loan sharks is surely not going to improve matters much as we should first of all understand why such people resort to such desperate measures.

These people are really desperate for help and they could be jobless, drug addicts or habitual gamblers and getting the police to start arresting them as the police seem unable to control the loan sharks seems more like a desperate measure by the authorities.

The welfare ministry should instead start programs to educate the public on how to spot potential problem cases especially those addicted to drugs, gambling and other social problems so that they can seek proper assistance to help family members.

Using authorised money-lenders is recommended but once one has no collateral no one will lend you any money.

We have an agency to provide loans to the hard-core poor but there is a ongoing CBT case involving one of the officers so it appears that even government endorsed agencies have their own problems on money matters.

Already our prisons are teeming with remand cases and the backlog is more than a year. Do you think a person who has to borrow from an “Ah Long” is going to raise bail or the fine?

graphics: http://www.instant-lender.com/loansharkslogo.gif

The INC in Malaysia INC Now Seems to Stand for Incest

When the term Malaysian Inc. was introduced in the 80s it signalled the awakening of the government authorities that working with business in a cooperative collaboration would speeden up the industrialisation process and for at least 15 years Malaysia grew at an impressive pace given the stable political climate and reasonable laws to safeguard investors.

Even the NEP policies did not dampen the foreign investors and manufacturing became an important leg to augment the primary industries.

Somewhere along the way,the separation of business and government became blurred and today it seems that the government has developed an incestous relationship with some business that even a non-strategic toll and water agreement can be placed away from public scrutiny under the protection of the OSA.

As we do not have a Whistleblower's Protection Act to safeguard civil servants who expose wrong-doings,the Works Minister is now planning action under the OSA for the leak.

It does not matter even if the toll agreement reveals that the company given the concession was awarded the equivalent of a blank cheque and road users now have to pay for that generosity.

In some other countries, the person responsible would have had to resign and the anti-corruption agencies would conduct their own inquiry.

It is time to hold the government accountable for such devious practices.

MALAYSIAWATCH POLL 21 Results

The question was
"What Do You Think of the Conference of Academicians that Blamed Civil Servants for the Failure of Government Policies?"

There were 28 replies as follows:

14 or 50% chose "It Seems the Leaders are Trying to Pass the Buck"

7 or 25% felt "Three Years is Too Long to Discover Such Problems that Should Have Taken Six to Nine Months. Rectification of “Bloopers” Should Have Started After One Year."

6 or 21% chose "This Conference Reminds Me of the Movie “TITANIC”. When the Ship is Sinking the Band Started Playing “Nearer My God to Thee”."

1 or 4% chose "The Government is Doing the Right Think to Expose Weakness in the System"

Surprisingly no one selected "The Government Should Work More Closely with Unions in the Civil Service"

Is Basic Common Sense So Rare these Days?

I wonder why the Education Minister himself has to invite parents who were outraged by schools demanding details of parents’ income and other personal details to “go to him”.

I remember in the mid 90s when my eldest daughter was studying in Malaysian schools we used to get a similar form but we always signed the form with the remark, “not applying for any financial assistance” and we were not bothered anymore until the following year when the same exercise was conducted.

It appears that school authorities in various states have been allowed to exercise their own creativity to extract information from parents for questionable reasons.

Information on income is sensitive and many parents prefer to keep it private even from their own children. Children being smart will always know which end of the wealth continuum their family belongs but some wealthy families practise a frugal lifestyle to inculcate good money values in their children.

There is also the security factor as some smaller children may boast about their wealth and invite extortion attempts from school bullies or even worse, kidnap attempts from criminals. No one can guarantee the privacy of your information as Malaysia does not practise within the scope of any data protection laws.

Just a few years ago, I used to get unsolicited mail from companies that had been given my details by the Board of Engineers. How did I know? The reference number on the address had my BoE registration number.

But back to the school info problem. I suggest the following to the Minister of Education.

At the beginning of the year all students will be given this form letter:

“Dear Parent
In order to qualify for financial assistance and other aid, we need personal details like family income in the attached form.

If you do not need any financial assistance, please return only this form for our school records.



Education Ministry

Name of Parent:

Name of Pupil:

School year:

This is to certify that I do not require any financial assistance:____________________
(signed by parent)"

If the MoE orders all state offices to use only an approved standard format I am sure there will be no more complaints from parents.

Maybe then the Education Ministry will be able to fully focus on the important tasks at hand to improve the quality of education in Malaysia.

graphics: thanks to http://www.thinkingmatters.com/profile_animated1.gif

Let Department Heads Deal with Simple Problem

I agree with CUEPACS that there is no need for the government to publish names of workers who have gone AWOL as it is really a waste of taxpayers’ monies.

I would imagine that in some dusty and long unused file in the HR Department of government offices that there is a manual for dealing with habitual latecomers and those who disappear from work.

I am sure the guide-lines could have the following situations and remedies:

• Late for work thrice in a month (less than 15 minutes) - meet supervisor

• Late more than thrice a month - one demerit point

• Absent from work – two demerit points

• More than five demerit points in a year - no salary increase, liable for transfer, union informed to advise employee, warning letter issued.

• More than ten demerit points - dismissal

Many government departments have spent good money to obtain their ISO certification that signifies they have a good system of documentation and quality control.

One very ingrained practice in government departments that can be remedied with proper discipline is the “clock-in and go for breakfast” syndrome.

Just visit the stalls near any government department around 8:15am and you will never fail to find officers of all ranks having their cuppa and other food.

This is such a simple problem to remedy if the HoD issues a warning that no officer is allowed to leave his place of work until the official tea break that should be clearly stipulated. No one is saying one cannot eat or drink at the work station unless it is an area where food is prohibited.

So we should talk to the HoD. Let’s arrange to meet him or her tomorrow at 8:10am.
Now we are at the HoD’s office and it is 8:15am. What’s that?

He’s gone for breakfast?

One Reason Why the Authorities Failed in Flood Action Planning

Since the authorities are going to have an “inquiry” into the recent floods that have devastated Johor, here is one reason why the response by the authorities was inadequate and seemingly uncoordinated.

If you study the information available on this website, it would appear that the sensing equipment could not transmit any information as probably the electrical controls were too low or close to the danger level and were “drowned”. It is also possible that the whole station may have been destroyed by the powerful floods.

Some of these stations were built above ground example the one at Kota Tinggi but the floor appears to be only 4 feet above ground level. If we assume that the electrics are located about shoulder height maximum and standard non-watertight wiring, if the flood rises 8 feet above ground, that station is going to be knocked out and we have the useless -99.99 error message.

To prevent a such a situation from arising again, we need to erect these monitoring stations at least four feet higher than the maximum level of the latest floods.


One other important use of such a river monitoring system is that it can be used to check on the possible silting of the rivers.

For example if the rivers have been de-silted and we also record rainfall in the area, we can correlate rainfall and the river depths.

If the river becomes silted the depth will increase with the same amount of rain. Do we make such records and then propose a de-silting program say every 5 years?
The recent comment by the Johor MB indicates that we do no such thing as it was implied only flooding causes silting of rivers.

This flood disaster proves how important it is for the government to deliver basic services in an efficient manner so that people are properly taken care of rather than indulge in frivolous adventures like the “man in space” lark.

photo: thanks to http://infobanjir.water.gov.my/photos/jhr/jhr14.htm

Flood Disaster Inquiry

The massive floods in Johor is a wake-up call to all Malaysians and the authorities that we have been taking things for granted for too long.

The tsunami of 2004 was a sign of how much damage could be caused by natural disasters but unfortunately no one bothered enough to predict the dire consequences of what could happen like the massive floods that have devastated the lives of more than 100,000 persons and caused damage of more than RM2.4billion.

Exceptional rainfall is a natural phenomenon but the response to the heavy rains and the systems of drainage and dam control needs careful study.

A public inquiry needs to be conducted if Malaysians are expected to have more confidence in the measures to be taken. An inquiry involving only government bodies may lead to cover-ups and finger-pointing with no resolution of the problems. After all we are still waiting for the IPCMC to be established.

Among the items I would suggest for such an inquiry are:

• Illegal logging in the state forests

• Development of land areas without proper drainage control like retention ponds

• Illegal squatter colonies without proper drainage

• Poor maintenance of river bunds and pumping equipment

• Silting of major rivers with no annual records of river depths

• Lack of master-plan to manage drainage capacities

• Lack of options to manage reservoir discharges

• Dumping of rubbish into drains and rivers

• Master-plan for disaster action and cooperation between different government bodies.

As many homes near Kota Tinggi, Batu Pahat and Muar were badly affected the government can provide food and shelter for the badly affected residents by housing them in the National Service camps nearby for the next one or two months it will take them to repair their homes.

Those in the NS camps can be dismissed early after they spend perhaps a week volunteering their services for the cleanup.

That way schools will be available earlier for students to get back to disrupted lessons.

We MUST Protect Vital Installations....

It is disheartening to read that Kota Tinggi will take a long time to remove flood waters from the town centre as four huge pumps have been damaged by the floods and they have become useless.

Just consider the difference between:

one pump on loan with capacity of 10 cubic meters per second and the
four pumps with 1000 cubic meters per second.

The net effect is that this makeshift pump will be pumping continuously without making any progress to reduce the water level.

The difference in capacity is 3900 cubic meters per second.

It is timely to take measures to safeguard such an important by installing it in a watertight building or making sure that the electrical system and supply is able to operate under water. I think it is feasible to produce such a design though the cost may be higher.

What’s the Big Deal About Electronic Toll Payments

May I suggest to the MHA that they should make a trip to Singapore to study the whole process of electronic tolls.

I notice that even the one used in Malaysia the SmartTag is quite slow and you have to slow down at the toll barrier that needs to respond by letting you pass through only if you have enough credit.

As someone who drives to Singapore regularly I would say they have a really efficient system that you are not even aware that your money has been taken from you. Apart from the soft “beep” your drive is smooth and there is no barrier to block you.

Of course if you have insufficient credit those cameras will activate and you will promptly receive a summons to pay a compound fine.

The other aspect of the cash card is that the top-up is also very convenient as you can do so at any ATM of the various banks.

Our systems for collecting tolls are messy and inefficient with motorists having to manage different payment such as Smart Tag, Touch N Go and cash which is the worst system as it definitely slows the traffic.

We should swallow our pride and ask our Singapore friends at the LTA how they created such an effective system that allows cars to travel at speed of 80kph.

This system would also be very effective to design a Central Business District in KL where cars are allowed in after paying a toll. This would work if we upgrade the public transport so that people can park vehicles outside the congested zones and take public transport that should be subsidised in the CBD or even free for some routes.

You can read an article on electronic road pricing systems here.
To give motorists a chance to avoid the compound fine, the system can be designed so that one can top up online within 24 hours of the offence.

Then we will show the world that we have a gentler approach towards a minor offence.

We really made a hash of electronic toll systems. I suggest we do not compromise on quality this time around.
Photo: thanks to http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/transportissues/photos/erp.jpg