I refer to your investigative report, Businesses run by foreigners are growing in Klang town
and note that this is the second time The Star Metro has highlighted
the same problem of foreigners 'overrunning' the country, particularly
in Klang. I had also expressed my fears many times in your paper,{Foreign Invasion in Petaling Jaya, Concern over littering by foreign workers , foreign workers staying in slums, paying the price for cheap foreign labour, Malaysia a haven for illegal workers, and sex ring bust only addressing the symptoms
} that the unrestrained influx of foreign workers for all sorts of
cheap labour and even 'entertainment' will result in disastrous social
consequences to our society. Our nation is already buffeted by global
financial problems, imminent water problems in some States, unmonitored
destruction of forests due to illegal timber extraction, dirty roads and
clogged rivers. How is the country going continue to to provide the
basic amenities to look after a large community of 'twilight' citizens
who do not pay taxes but continue to share our country's dwindling
resources such as water and livable space?
I agree that with a resident's comments when he "questioned
how foreigners were allowed to operate businesses, especially when they
came into the country with work permits. I do not understand why there
is no action taken by the authorities,’’
It is simply amazing that
Malaysia seem to be the only country in the Asia Pacific region that
allow unfettered work and business opportunities for foreigners who
admittedly all come to the country to seek work for a limited time on
contract. For example, Philippines do not allow foreigners to take part
in the retail business, and I am sure other nations in the area have
similar restrictions. So, there must be something totally wrong with our
Governments {State and Federal} when so many foreign workers,
presumably coming here to work as labourers and guards, or who seek
temporary political asylum, end up doing lucrative businesses for the
long term. And do not appear to be returning ever to their motherlands.
While we seek to transform our country into a high income nation
filled with opportunities for our citizens, through massive capital
injections and transformation programs, nevertheless, how are we going
to deal with the onslaught of 'imported foreign workers' who seek to
transfer their low cost low quality businesses from their homeland to
our country? Can our nation cope with an additional burden of 5 million
foreigners, and have we taken account of their needs and their effect
on the social fabric of the country?
The increasing number of grievances being aired clearly show our
lives are being affected by such a force, and this is only going to
increase as time goes by. If no serious action is contemplated by the
Governments, I fear our nation will soon be just a myriad of
multinational slums by the turn of the century.
We will then be truly Asia, slum-wise.
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Provide actual meter readings monthly
Reading this letter in the Star today,>> Provide actual meter readings monthly by
a 'Domestic Consumer', it is obvious that in spite of numerous appeals
for a more equitable form of billing the customer published regularly in
your paper, such as, 'have power meter readings monthly', 'continue with monthly power reading' and 'ensure "green levy" is based on monthly bills'
{from November 2011 till now} the TNB has chosen to ignore the clamour
from frustrated users, and have apparently ridden rough shod over the
complaints.
As mentioned in those letters from the public, NOT having regular and fixed monthly readings of our power consumption, but alternately imposing higher estimates on our usage is tantamount to charging us unfairly on higher rates for fictitious power units that we NEVER consume at the time of billing. This is because of the sliding rates imposed by TNB in order to discourage high consumption. Thus, higher estimated billing will unfairly push the consumer to pay higher tariffs, (e.g. over 300 kwh per month), and now, with the RE Act 2011 already in place, also a higher 1% levy for the RE Fund.
It is also clear from the letter that the TNB has not done its job in explaining the 1% levy due to the “Kumpulan Wang Tenaga Boleh Baharu” or the Renewable Energy Levy
I hope those who have the authority to act will do so to protect us the power consumers, and not allow a monopolistic body to do what it thinks it's expedient to do so on the helpless public.
Bimonthly readings unfair to the public
As mentioned in those letters from the public, NOT having regular and fixed monthly readings of our power consumption, but alternately imposing higher estimates on our usage is tantamount to charging us unfairly on higher rates for fictitious power units that we NEVER consume at the time of billing. This is because of the sliding rates imposed by TNB in order to discourage high consumption. Thus, higher estimated billing will unfairly push the consumer to pay higher tariffs, (e.g. over 300 kwh per month), and now, with the RE Act 2011 already in place, also a higher 1% levy for the RE Fund.
It is also clear from the letter that the TNB has not done its job in explaining the 1% levy due to the “Kumpulan Wang Tenaga Boleh Baharu” or the Renewable Energy Levy
I hope those who have the authority to act will do so to protect us the power consumers, and not allow a monopolistic body to do what it thinks it's expedient to do so on the helpless public.
Bimonthly readings unfair to the public
Friday, 11 May 2012
PJaya is losing its soul
I refer to your report, >Former Star site to undergo RM900mil development into Pacific Star
which, among other things state that Section 13, PJ, bordered by
Jalan Kemajuan, Jalan Semangat and Jalan Universiti, would be converted
into a bustling special project area. Projects already completed are
Jaya 33, Jaya One while further conversions of land are expected, with
more buildings like office suites and hotels in future. The Picture also
shows a beautiful futuristic skyline
and is comparable to those of Singapore/Shanghai/Manhattan by night.
But what the report has failed to inform us is how the developers are going to tackle the traffic gridlock that such massive development is bound to cause. Anyone who is familiar with the area, bounded by Section 12, 14, and 17 will agree that the present roads like Jalan Kemajuan, Jalan Semangat and Jalan University are woefully inadequate even to address the current traffic jams, especially on Jalan University, except for Sundays.
What will happen to the traffic on these roads during the development phase, and worse when the project is fully completed? There are also two mosques in the area, and will Jalan Semangat and Jalan University be converted to 'parking lots' as businesses and worshippers jostle for space?
Petaling Jaya is certainly losing its soul as big businesses continue to pursue profits, to the detriment of everything else
and is comparable to those of Singapore/Shanghai/Manhattan by night.
But what the report has failed to inform us is how the developers are going to tackle the traffic gridlock that such massive development is bound to cause. Anyone who is familiar with the area, bounded by Section 12, 14, and 17 will agree that the present roads like Jalan Kemajuan, Jalan Semangat and Jalan University are woefully inadequate even to address the current traffic jams, especially on Jalan University, except for Sundays.
What will happen to the traffic on these roads during the development phase, and worse when the project is fully completed? There are also two mosques in the area, and will Jalan Semangat and Jalan University be converted to 'parking lots' as businesses and worshippers jostle for space?
Petaling Jaya is certainly losing its soul as big businesses continue to pursue profits, to the detriment of everything else
Monday, 7 May 2012
uncomfortable with influx of too many foreigners,
I refer to your report, Sg Way folks uncomfortable with influx of too many foreigners,
It is timely for the media to highlight the many instances where
unscrupulous house owners, in search of a quick buck, rent their
premises to foreigners at a high price, not regarding the number of
occupants that are squeezed into a house, and the damage to the premises
that they occupy and to its surroundings.
Unfortunately, Sungai Way is just a blip on the landscape. If the media and the authorities would just do a census of the occupants in Section 17 Petaling Jaya, for example, especially those single and double storey link houses, we would find that not less than 20% of those houses have become more like 'hostels for foreign workers, and Myanmar "political" asylum seekers, who nevertheless seem to be gainfully employed. Some of these foreign workers have started families too. Likewise for other sections like Section 14, etc.
In Section 11, one group of houses in Jalan 11/10 seem to be a favorite for groups of foreign workers, and you can observe that these houses** are dilapidated, dirty, with garbage strewn outside the houses, in plastic bags. The houses do not appear to have been maintained since they were built more than 40 years ago, and they are an eyesore, besides posing as a health hazard.
What sort of Transformation program are we boasting about, when all we think of is to keep increasing the number of cheap foreign workers into the country, but at the same time, not catering for their basic needs. We cannot hope to achieve high income status, just by increasing the minimum wage which will only benefit foreigners, which will not result in an economic spillover effect in local consumption and growth. {Foreigners remit their earnings back to their motherland}
In the case of Section 11, I have been told by the Councillor some years back that he intends to make Sections 11 &12 the model section in Petaling Jaya. All I can say to that is, "hahaha" come and look at Jalan 11/10, with unkempt road edges, backlanes and clogged drains.
Foreign Invasion in Petaling Jaya
Unfortunately, Sungai Way is just a blip on the landscape. If the media and the authorities would just do a census of the occupants in Section 17 Petaling Jaya, for example, especially those single and double storey link houses, we would find that not less than 20% of those houses have become more like 'hostels for foreign workers, and Myanmar "political" asylum seekers, who nevertheless seem to be gainfully employed. Some of these foreign workers have started families too. Likewise for other sections like Section 14, etc.
In Section 11, one group of houses in Jalan 11/10 seem to be a favorite for groups of foreign workers, and you can observe that these houses** are dilapidated, dirty, with garbage strewn outside the houses, in plastic bags. The houses do not appear to have been maintained since they were built more than 40 years ago, and they are an eyesore, besides posing as a health hazard.
What sort of Transformation program are we boasting about, when all we think of is to keep increasing the number of cheap foreign workers into the country, but at the same time, not catering for their basic needs. We cannot hope to achieve high income status, just by increasing the minimum wage which will only benefit foreigners, which will not result in an economic spillover effect in local consumption and growth. {Foreigners remit their earnings back to their motherland}
In the case of Section 11, I have been told by the Councillor some years back that he intends to make Sections 11 &12 the model section in Petaling Jaya. All I can say to that is, "hahaha" come and look at Jalan 11/10, with unkempt road edges, backlanes and clogged drains.
Foreign Invasion in Petaling Jaya
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