I have read Mr Gursharan's letter Try and Live without a Maid... and then the Human Resources Minister's comments, More Job openings but the locals are not keen... and herein lies our problem. We locals do not want low paying jobs with long hours and no off days, but we are not happy to pay more than RM500 for an Indonesian Maid who is forced to work beyond what is fair and humane. While locals will only tolerate for a few days such long hours of tiring labour, as Gursharan has mentioned, many Malaysian employers see nothing wrong or immoral, to force the maids to work from 5 am to 11 pm daily, and even bring the maids to other relatives' homes to clean up, bring cars from other families to be washed daily, and I have known, besides such cases, an employer and neighbour, asking the maid to cook for his mistress's family, including taking care of her 8 dogs! On a recent visit to NASAM, the National Stroke Rehabilitation Organization, we were told that many Indonesian workers who are asked to be 'care givers' to recovering Stroke victims often double up as maids, and usually work through long hours doing house work BESIDES looking after the disabled person. Malaysians have to erase the thinking that the quality of life and dignified living is restricted to those who can pay for it, and learn to treat with sincerity other human beings as human beings, with a right to respect and basic comforts too. We must be grateful that we can pay others to do our "dirty" jobs, don't treat them like dirt!!
hired help: treat them with dignity
treat maids with dignity
Saturday 19 September 2009
Thursday 17 September 2009
Online Gambling... a Curse??
I have read the letter Legalise online gambling, by Ken Ng and would like to provide further views on this issue, which if not properly resolved, will have far reaching impact of the economic and social health of our society. While it is true that it will be quite difficult to eradicate Online Gambling because of the pervasiveness of the Internet, and its exponentially growing popularity, it is also true that uncontrolled gambling will destroy the moral fibre of our society. The writer has correctly mentioned that the Govt, through the Home Ministry and Bank Negara will do its utmost to stem its spread. With tough laws and tougher (and incorruptible) enforcement, online gambling can be retarded, if not eliminated. Having clear and tough laws that prohibit financial institutions and banks from supporting ANY FORM of fund transfer relating to any gambling site, having the Police (eg Bukit Aman's D7 unit) manned by honest and fearless officers who understand the destruction that online gambling can cause to our denizens, we can ensure that online gambling do not take a foothold in the country. It might be good for us to realise that although Malaysia allows certain types of gambling to be patronised here (casino, horse races, numbers forecast, sweepstakes and Lotto), they are permitted to do so on a CONTROLLED basis; that is, those who knowingly want to gamble would know where to go. Gambling companies are not allowed to "lure" unsuspecting or innocent bystanders to partake in the betting. In short, you just cannot gamble anywhere you like. Now, if we allow online gambling to take root, think of the moral consequences and the loss of productive time, besides the innocents getting trapped in the quagmire on a daily basis. Anyone with a computer, a notebook, and very soon a Mobile Phone will be able to gamble ANYTIME and anywhere. Will such pervasiveness of Internet Gambling not have a terrible negative impact on our population? Will an increase of Govt revenue atone for the loss of integrity and morality in our citizens, especially in our youths? Think about it
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Socially Responsible Bank?
I have observed that HSBC " is committed to lead the way in eco-responsibility" and "keep the Earth green" and it was no surprise to me to see the bank's advertisement on TV that used the example of the business of a trawler fisherman to illustrate that commitment. In that advertisement, the fisherman woke up very early to go out to sea and trawl. In the rough seas, the crew pulled up the net, only to find a dolphin among the catch. Rather than capture and kill the dolphin, the fisherman cut his net and released the creature back into the sea. I have to understand from the advertisement, that HSBC, as a socially responsible bank will actually sacrifice profits and good business deals, if those transactions involve businesses or investments that destroy the Earth or its denizens in any way! That's a fantastic statement to make, and by walking the talk, I would presume that the Bank will not invest or finance businesses or projects that
- destroy the forests (ie not finance or invest in Timber companies)
- manufacture plastic bottles and bags, which if left in the oceans, can be swallowed by turtles and the dolphins that it seeks to save
- construct residential properites on agricultural land
- construct premium properties on slopes of Hills that are more than 30% in gradient, and that includes Golf courses
- emit toxic effluents into our rivers
- are destructive to the land, eg mining and development of Golf courses
- have detrimentai effects on the environment
Tuesday 8 September 2009
The Doctor is an Animal !!
Veterinarian’s service that really sucks
Question: Did the Squirrel die from over excitement, or did it die of asphyxiation?
Can Malaysians rise above Religious bigotry?
Dear PM again,
I am glad to highlight the letter written by my brother, Cowhead Protest a dastardly Act in which he has echoed my views on the matter, but which, he being the widely read one, has illustrated the despicable act by describing the bloody horse heads used by the Mafia to threaten their 'enemies'. We understand from many political blogs in the Internet, that there are 'godfathers' in UMNO too, but is 1Malaysia going to be sabotaged by these guys for their myopic interests? Or, I repeat, is the Government signaling its "intent" to win back the next elections at all costs? I think this time the rakyat is not stupid, and they will know sincerity and humility when the see them. Unless Dato PM wants to rule over a country filled with chaos and mediocrity... I will be dead by then, but my heart bleeds for our children...
Trying to see this episode objectively, and reading a random sample of the 100+ comments arising, I can see that the vast majority of the rakyat IRREGARDLESS OF RACE OR RELIGION ABHOR the cowhead incident, and the troublemakers at the dialogue called by the PR Govt. Vocal discontent, dissent and despair at temple talks Can the Federal Govt see beyond narrow political lines, and parochial localised politics, and realise that we the citizens REALLY want to have peace and harmony hinged on mutual respect? If the police AND the Home ministry have been reluctant to act against those hooligans because they are Muslims, they will know that the silent majority will approve the crackdown. Or, do you want us to think that the Fed govt is in cahoots with some 'warlords' to perpetuate this fiasco? When are we going to stop "using RACE and RELIGION" for political gain? Is 1Malaysia about such things?? It's a sad day that we have to witness such acts of "open" hatred and 'bullying' that goes unpunished. The Home Minister needs to pull up his socks,!!
I am glad to highlight the letter written by my brother, Cowhead Protest a dastardly Act in which he has echoed my views on the matter, but which, he being the widely read one, has illustrated the despicable act by describing the bloody horse heads used by the Mafia to threaten their 'enemies'. We understand from many political blogs in the Internet, that there are 'godfathers' in UMNO too, but is 1Malaysia going to be sabotaged by these guys for their myopic interests? Or, I repeat, is the Government signaling its "intent" to win back the next elections at all costs? I think this time the rakyat is not stupid, and they will know sincerity and humility when the see them. Unless Dato PM wants to rule over a country filled with chaos and mediocrity... I will be dead by then, but my heart bleeds for our children...
Trying to see this episode objectively, and reading a random sample of the 100+ comments arising, I can see that the vast majority of the rakyat IRREGARDLESS OF RACE OR RELIGION ABHOR the cowhead incident, and the troublemakers at the dialogue called by the PR Govt. Vocal discontent, dissent and despair at temple talks Can the Federal Govt see beyond narrow political lines, and parochial localised politics, and realise that we the citizens REALLY want to have peace and harmony hinged on mutual respect? If the police AND the Home ministry have been reluctant to act against those hooligans because they are Muslims, they will know that the silent majority will approve the crackdown. Or, do you want us to think that the Fed govt is in cahoots with some 'warlords' to perpetuate this fiasco? When are we going to stop "using RACE and RELIGION" for political gain? Is 1Malaysia about such things?? It's a sad day that we have to witness such acts of "open" hatred and 'bullying' that goes unpunished. The Home Minister needs to pull up his socks,!!
Tuesday 1 September 2009
Social Responsibility and Tokenism
Dear Editor,
I have been watching the Prime Time News on NTV7 on a regular basis ( 8 pm), and I have observed a short advertisement on the felling of trees. The short clip first shows a screen full of trees, and they are being 'felled' to the sound of chainsaws, until only a single tree is left standing. The punchline came.. " What will we do when all the trees are gone?"
It's great to have programs that raise the public's awareness of our social responsibilities, and the things they do that destroy the environment and the Earth, leaving nothing for our future generations. However, I think this TV clip is directed at the wrong audiences. To be frank, what good can we do, even if we made aware of the plight of the diminishing forests? We can stop buying wooden furniture, not have wooden floors and houses, and try to plant some trees wherever we can find some space. But who is solely responsible for the felling of trees and the destruction of Primary and virgin forests around the world. The main culprits must be the timber corporations and the large plantation owners.Timber companies, for example, in order to survive MUST increase or at least maintain profits from their primary businesses each year, and that means they MUST continue to obtain new forest concessions and new trees to fell. Not doing so, would mean the certain demise of their companies. Likewise, plantation owners who must also continue to grow more crops and food for the world. Sustainable forest development to me, is just a dirty word. There is never an adequate replacement for a 100 year old tree, that has been cut down in less than 10 minutes.
So, my point is, what is the reason for showing that clip on TV? The only way we can prevent the punchline from happening ie "What will we do when all the trees are gone" is to STOP ISSUING ANY MORE APPROVALS FOR TIMBER CONCESSIONS, AND HAVE THE UNITED NATIONS PROTECT THE JUNGLES IN BORNEO AND THA AMAZON. Anything less than that will make all these 'shows' and 'statements' a symbol of sycophantic tokenism..
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/2/focus/4631437&sec=focus
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=37571
I have been watching the Prime Time News on NTV7 on a regular basis ( 8 pm), and I have observed a short advertisement on the felling of trees. The short clip first shows a screen full of trees, and they are being 'felled' to the sound of chainsaws, until only a single tree is left standing. The punchline came.. " What will we do when all the trees are gone?"
It's great to have programs that raise the public's awareness of our social responsibilities, and the things they do that destroy the environment and the Earth, leaving nothing for our future generations. However, I think this TV clip is directed at the wrong audiences. To be frank, what good can we do, even if we made aware of the plight of the diminishing forests? We can stop buying wooden furniture, not have wooden floors and houses, and try to plant some trees wherever we can find some space. But who is solely responsible for the felling of trees and the destruction of Primary and virgin forests around the world. The main culprits must be the timber corporations and the large plantation owners.Timber companies, for example, in order to survive MUST increase or at least maintain profits from their primary businesses each year, and that means they MUST continue to obtain new forest concessions and new trees to fell. Not doing so, would mean the certain demise of their companies. Likewise, plantation owners who must also continue to grow more crops and food for the world. Sustainable forest development to me, is just a dirty word. There is never an adequate replacement for a 100 year old tree, that has been cut down in less than 10 minutes.
So, my point is, what is the reason for showing that clip on TV? The only way we can prevent the punchline from happening ie "What will we do when all the trees are gone" is to STOP ISSUING ANY MORE APPROVALS FOR TIMBER CONCESSIONS, AND HAVE THE UNITED NATIONS PROTECT THE JUNGLES IN BORNEO AND THA AMAZON. Anything less than that will make all these 'shows' and 'statements' a symbol of sycophantic tokenism..
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/2/focus/4631437&sec=focus
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=37571
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