Cost cutting???

While it is to be lauded that the Government is introducing cost cutting measures starting tomorrow, purportedly to mitigate the effects of price hikes, It is difficult for the poorer segment of the public to appreciate and understand how, downgrading a Jusa official to travel from Business Class to Economy will help the man in the street to deal with his diminishing ability to make ends meet.

However, a word of appreciation of the Government's cognizance of the need for everyone to inculcate the thrift habit is due. In addition to the 11 cost cutting measure to be implemented in 2014, I would suggest that the Government also consider the wasteful habit of making specially themed uniforms for officials to attend seminars, conferences, school openings, or even agricultural events. Why should it be essential for Ministers and their accompanying cohorts, and ALL those participating,  to wear apparel that can be only worn for that special occasion? Why can't the standard official wear like coat and tie, baju Melayu, or batik be worn? To me, this is such an ostentatious extravagance, and shows a lack of humility among us, besides wasting a lot of money.

Do away with uniforms for functions

Financial shenanigans

It would be interesting if Bank Negara and the Securities Commission can comment on this case, namely,

• how the bank giving out such a big loan deal with the unpaid loan of $83million, not including interest
• Can the employer of the clerk 'abscond' with such ease?
• Did the bank officials 'knowingly' allow such a 'loose' arrangement when dishing out such a big sum
• OMG! RM83 million! Will that bank be bailed out later, when global financial collapse happens, in the not too distant future,
• Is this a case for Anti corruption, although, they appear to be clueless?

Tam Yeng Siang

11 seconds ago via The Star Online

• Quote1 " The 56-year-old mother of four was embroiled in a financial nightmare when her employer registered her as a director of one of his companies and took large loans without her knowledge. The employer then absconded with the money"
  
  Quote2 " PPIM’s financial services monitoring bureau chief Sheikh Abdul Kareem Said Khadaied, questioned how such a huge loan was handed out by the bank when the guarantor was only a clerk. “Doesn’t Bank Negara Malaysia monitor these things closely? “A police report was filed against the directors but no action has been taken.
  
  Comment.. Who is the employer who "absconded"? How did the bank deal with such a big unpaid loan? Was the bank directors "stupid", or was there collusion between the bank directors and the 'employer who "absconded"'?

  

  Former clerk freed of RM83mil 'debt'

  fw.to

  KUALA LUMPUR: Radziah Hussein can finally obtain a credit card after nearly 12 years of protesting her alleged bankruptcy after she was said to have “defaulted” on a whopping RM83mil loan.

Financial shenanigans

MPs urge Govt to postpone toll hike

Reading this report in The Star, MPs urge Govt to postpone toll hike, and similar reports in other mainstream papers today, I would like to put into proper perspective why the public have felt so strongly that toll rates must be held or reduced, rather than increased. Not withstanding the fact that contracts have been signed with the concessionaires, have the Government and the politicians ever considered that those contracts may have not been signed at "arms length" and may have been flawed, thus putting the taxpayer's money at a great disadvantage? If those concession companies which are in turn, owned by GLCs, is there no way negotiations can be made with them to accept more Corporate Social Responsibility and Morality in their business missions, rather than to hold on to the adage that "profit matters"?

It is also not entirely unjustified that the rakyat has clamoured for status quo in the toll rates. Why do I say this.

In 2009, I posted in my blog and also wrote to the mainstream papers my experience with the toll operations in a foreign country {let's call it B} which signed a toll operations agreement with a blue chip Malaysian company called A. (Reason to reduce tolls, a factual story) Please allow me to quote from the column..

" Let me tell a factual story and put things in perspective. In 1996, one of the largest infrastructure construction and toll operations company in Malaysia, which I will call 'A', entered into a joint venture agreement overseas, with the government of an South East Asian country, which shall be 'B', to rehabilitate an existing segment of a highway, and to also construct new segments through one of the busiest sections of the country. Government B was responsible for the acquisition of land for the road, called the right of way(ROW), and Company A will bear all the construction costs, provide the systems and also training for the operations and maintenance of the completed highways. The joint venture agreement (JVA) signed between A and B, among other things, stipulated the Revenue Sharing arrangements. The JVA stipulated that until the construction costs, finance charges and interest have been FULLY recouped by Company A, the toll revenue (nett of operations costs) shall be shared in the ratio of 90:10 to A and B respectively. However, when those costs including loans, finance charges and interest have been fully recovered by A, the revenue (nett of operations costs) shall be shared in the ratio of 40:60 between A and B respectively. Unfortunately company A eventually disposed off the business to a local Investor, as Govt B could not raise the funds to acquire the ROW for continuation of the project.

Now what does the story tell us? It shows us undeniably that there is a need for concession companies in Malaysia to re-visit the toll rate, once they have collected sufficient revenue to repay their loans and other finance costs. It is then clearly immoral for these concession companies to continue raising toll fares, AND for the Government to approve it under those agreements. The fact that Company A in my story can agree to take a 50% less revenue in Country B after recovering their Finance costs shows that there is no need for such high toll fees, after the completion of construction of the expressways. It is not surprising then that the former UEM employees, in proposing to buy over PLUS, has also proposed to cut the toll rate by 20%.!!

 

In my opinion, democratic capitalist systems do not always work to the benefit of the rakyat, and a Government which sincerely professes to have the citizens in its heart should temper its decisions and minimize their suffering. I for one, do not believe that the Government and most of the owners of the toll concession companies, who are 'on the same side of the fence' cannot come to an agreement to re-visit those onerous toll contracts, and renegotiate for more equitable ones.

Shoving such toll rate increases down the throat of the long suffering rakyat just because biased contracts have been signed, can only be seen to have a sinister motive.

I hope, in my twilight years, I can see some sense prevail in our politicians, who for once take the needs of the rakyat above their own. I also hope that the Government that we have now is a caring one.

Destruction of Hill slopes!

Hi Aunty Glamor,
Inevitably, your column is one which I have always homed in on, and Wasted years, wasted lives is no exception! Your column on slopes is timely too, as just 2 days' ago, I was agitated to read again the controversy on the Gasing Hill where apartments have been built ON TOP of the hill, on the KL side, where approval have been obtained haha! When Queried why build on such dangerous slopes by the Councillors, the answer was, "Approval given in 2008 lah" so can't be helped! You mean they have forgotten about Highland towers already? Or there is something so irresistible that approval HAS to be given?

As regards to the suggestion that maintenance funds be made available for old slopes, as in HK, better not. In Malaysia, these funds if made available, will be used to buy NEW MPVs, employ new drivers, design new uniforms to visit the sites of weak slopes, and everything but spending on the slope itself.

Otherwise, how come the roof of Serdang Hospital has collapsed at 'regular' intervals?

Carry on these columns Aunty, we live for them, Ahem!

Timely reminder on slope building

Gambling and Internet Cafes!

I refer to your report, Gambling using their PTPTN loans, in which was stated, " The gambling activities among the students are reported to be rampant due to an increase of gambling slot machines outlets near the students’ housing area in Taman Cempaka and Rokam in Ipoh..... A check found that at least five Internet cafes had hundreds of such machines. The two most famous machines were the Funky Monkey and the Kimochi....."

Throughout the years, we have read that the Police have made intermittent raids on such gambling joints masquerading as Internet Cafes, and according the the above report, without any significant success! The problem needs to be nipped at the bud, and to do so, we must now ask the questions to the Local Authorities. 

As far as I can remember, licences to operate the so-called Internet Cafes arose in the days when accessing the Internet was difficult and very limited. Internet cafes mushroomed to take advantage of the business opportunity of providing internet access to the masses at an affordable cost.

Today, the Internet is accessible to almost everyone with a phone, and data packages, free WiFi  are all over the place. Retirees and bored housewives think nothing of surfing the net while waiting for their spouses or grandchildren. Children as young as 5 years old can surf the world wide web, sometimes with deleterious consequences such as porn watching and illicit gambling activities.

So, do the Internet Cafes now serve their original purpose? In order to survive, they have mutated to become places that initially offered innocent Internet Games, but the inevitable has happened. The Internet Cafe is now seen as the place where the young and bored can get their dose of surreptitious gambling, to catastrophic effects!

The Local authorities need to revise its terms of operating such cafes, the first of which is to make such cares an OPEN environment where is operations are easily subject to public scrutiny. Why should the cafes be allowed to operate behind closed doors, in dimmed light conditions, and even with CCTV posted outside the premises, to warn of raids by the Police? Why should Internet Cafes hide themselves behind tinted glass fronts, which only allow people to look out, not in? Do the operators of such cafes post bonds or deposits to ensure they abide by the rules not to offer gambling terminals?

From my long term observation, it  would seem to me that the authorities are ''closing one eye" to this in return for revenue received annually from licensing. Licensing such an "ambiguous" business is also an area that can be open to lots of corruption.

Finally, I would like to describe the operations of a 'half shop' internet cafe in my Section. This shop appears to be shuttered all the time, as if it's vacant, but a CCTV mounted on the ceiling outside the shop monitors all entry and departures. Customers can be seen going in and out of the shuttered place, and even food is served from the Indian restaurant next door.! What seems to be ludicrous is that sometime back, there was even an "umbrella" police post stationed just 5 metres on the road opposite the shuttered place! Lastly, I am not even sure this 'Internet cafe' is licensed !!
 Dubious Internet Cafes getting away with it.

Undesirable consequences of too much cheap foreign labour!

I read this report in your paper, Riot breaks out in 'Little India' Singapore not without some trepidation. The continuous dependence of countries like Singapore and Malaysia on cheap foreign labour to fuel their development, has also brought in some negative consequences as I have already written previously. Besides the drain on our diminishing resources like housing and potable water, such cheap foreign labour inevitably introduce undesirable elements in their local environment into our civil society, one of them being their propensity to start violent protests for any reason, as shown in this reported incident.

I am writing this out of great concern that the foreigners who have arrived from the same country to Malaysia will watch this with avid interest, and as recent global events have proven, 'copycat' the acts, out of utter frustration and perhaps apparent alledged employer 'abuse'. Additionally, Malaysia have much greater numbers of foreign workers from the various countries in the Asia Pacific region {Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar and Vietnam, to name a few}, and these foreigners come from places that are not averse to or are accustomed to violent responses to any social ills and injustices they perceive the local Government and/or employers had inflicted on them

I feel it is important for our Government to view the incident across the Johor Straits with serious concern, and consider the impacts that our rampant 'import' of about 5 million such low level foreign workers will have on our civill society in the very near future!

Don't say that we have not been forewarned

View Singapore riot incident seriously.. 

Salary hikes of politicians is morally indefensible

Everything Dr Chandra said in this letter is true, >Increase morally indefensible but there is nothing anyone can or is willing to do anything about! Capitalism means the eventual destruction of the world's finite resources to support the elites and enslaving the rest of the 90%...

Snippets from the letter :

• I WONDER why Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders did not tell the voters during the 13th general election campaign that within six months of assuming power in various states they would increase substantially the salaries and allowances of state mentris besar and chief ministers, executive councillors and legislative assembly members.
• It is critical that we move away from the pronounced elite orientation in our economy and in other spheres and give greater emphasis to egalitarian policies which will empower the majority of the citizenry. It is partly because of this elite orientation that income and wealth disparities are so severe in today’s Malaysia.
• As a result of this disparity, the social chasm that separates the “have-a-lot” and the “have-a-little” has widened considerably creating a divided society. It is one of the serious impediments on the path of “1Malaysia”.
• In the United States, unfettered capitalism – the root cause of increasing inequalities – has created a situation where the “Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, have accumulated more financial wealth than the entire bottom 40% of the United States.” This is why it is morally indefensible for legislators in Malaysia to grant themselves such hefty increments when such a big segment of society is struggling to make ends meet.
• They are merely lending credence to how an Indonesian political leader of the fifties, Syafrudin Perwiranegara, once caricatured one of Sukarno’s acronyms, USDEK – Untuk Saya Dahulu Engkau Kemudian.

Snippets from > Growing old before growing rich, by Andrew Sheng

Snippets from > Growing old before growing rich, by Andrew Sheng

As Tennessee Williams said, “you can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.”

• There is a major difference between being old in Asia and being old in the advanced countries. In 2011, private pension funds in nine Asian economies had assets of US$663bil or only 5.3% of GDP in 2011, way below the OECD average of 70% of GDP.
• In the past, when families were large, the young were the “pensions” of the old, because it was taken for granted that the young will take care of the old. Today, when many urban families have only one or two children, this dream is no longer possible.
• the reverse is happening. In Japan, single children in their twenties who still live with their parents are called Parasite single (parasaito shinguru). A single Chinese child today is showered with gifts and love from six adults (four grandparents and two parents). But when he or she becomes an adult, one cannot take care of at least four to six old ones.
• The lack of pension coverage or under-funding of pensions is a serious problem in Asia. low interest means that many pensioners face a problem of lack of income from their financial assets for adequate retirement purposes.
• There are several good reasons why governments should reform pensions as a matter of priority. Firstly, there is a question of adequacy of retirement income. Secondly, to be fair, more people should have pension coverage. Third, pension funding should be sustainable, because as Greece found out, there was simply not enough money to cover the generous pensions for civil servants.
• More pensions for more people will make for a more equitable society, which means that long-term pension funds can take long-term equity positions that invest in future green growth.

Denial: Self-deception, False Beliefs, And The Origins Of The Human Mind

DENIAL: SELF DECEPTION, FALSE BELIEFS AND THE ORIGINS OF THE HUMAN MIND..

Quote " ..... All major religions play on this and have evolved to assuage our doubts. They tell us that even after we die we will continue on in some other form, that there will be an after-life or another life. Billions of humans accept this on faith, without a single shred of evidence, because we are in denial of the reality of our mortality, because our intuition insists and whispers reassuringly that we are immortal. ........ We blithely dismiss the fact that we have irreparably altered the environment, that there have been countless extinctions within our lifetimes and many more to follow, that we have created an economic model that thrives on inequity, exploitation and human misery...... "

Denial: Self-deception, False Beliefs, And The Origins Of The Human Mind

fw.to

This is a meaty book that merits being read slowly to digest its thought-provoking ideas.

Snippets from > Growing old before growing rich, by Andrew Sheng

Snippets from > Growing old before growing rich, by Andrew Sheng

As Tennessee Williams said, “you can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.”

• There is a major difference between being old in Asia and being old in the advanced countries. In 2011, private pension funds in nine Asian economies had assets of US$663bil or only 5.3% of GDP in 2011, way below the OECD average of 70% of GDP.
• In the past, when families were large, the young were the “pensions” of the old, because it was taken for granted that the young will take care of the old. Today, when many urban families have only one or two children, this dream is no longer possible.
• the reverse is happening. In Japan, single children in their twenties who still live with their parents are called Parasite single (parasaito shinguru). A single Chinese child today is showered with gifts and love from six adults (four grandparents and two parents). But when he or she becomes an adult, one cannot take care of at least four to six old ones.
• The lack of pension coverage or under-funding of pensions is a serious problem in Asia. low interest means that many pensioners face a problem of lack of income from their financial assets for adequate retirement purposes.
• There are several good reasons why governments should reform pensions as a matter of priority. Firstly, there is a question of adequacy of retirement income. Secondly, to be fair, more people should have pension coverage. Third, pension funding should be sustainable, because as Greece found out, there was simply not enough money to cover the generous pensions for civil servants.
• More pensions for more people will make for a more equitable society, which means that long-term pension funds can take long-term equity positions that invest in future green growth.

Racial polarization in Malaysia, politicians are responsible

I read this letter Lack of unity among young Malaysians worrying by NUR AQILAH MIZA ZULKIFLI with some hope that there are still some rational and right thinking Malaysians showing concern with the growing polarization that is gripping the country. I am also very concerned with the many mindless and provocative remarks posted by the young people in the Social Media, and as can be seen from such postings, young Malaysians ape their parents and the older generations. The main culprits for such 'goading' of the young minds are the politicians themselves, who directly or through so called NGOs make exceedingly provocative and seditious remarks. The really sad part of all these is the 'unthinking' way these politicians and NGOs announce their views in the mainstream and internet news media. It is a bit surprising, but maybe good for the country, that some of the younger upcoming politicians seem to be much more rational and unbiased towards race and religion.

The Government, and the anointed NGOs should really stop playing with fire and start thinking about the future of the country as a whole. If we cannot unite the youth through a unified Education system, and a floundering National Service programme, the least the politicians could do is to 'count to ten' before opening their mouths.

Glad for right thinking Malaysians

The Internet, and the "world at our feet"

For two days, our phone cable broke, and I was not on the Net.. Today, TM guys came and reattached the cable, and I am back in touch.. It also made me realise that a 40year old length of copper wire, now taped and joined with a shorter length, can start revolutions, do big business, spread pornography, destroy reputations, and even market sheep placenta and Spring, a Herbal Viagra.etc etc  It's a really humbling thought! A few electrons flowing at the speed of light literally at a touch, and the world can be smashed to smithereens...

Aiming for High Income Nation with Third World Mindset

Reading your report, 'firebomb thrown at UKM's student's house', and looking at the picture shown therein, it immediately struck my mind that, while we are trying our level best to be a "high income nation" by 2020, most of us are still mired in mindsets of a third world nation.

First, the Molotov cocktail thrown at a rival's house show that young Malaysians have not learnt to compete fairly and honestly, and most do it better through intimidation and hostile acts. This should never be condoned, and the authorities must come down hard on the culprits.

Second, the photo attached to the report showed a house porch filled with garbage, showing that our University students are not bothered with basic cleanliness at all, and littering is a 'way of life'. That is really sad!

I am not sure whether we should be more ashamed and horrified with the violence shown by the students , or with their dirty habits!

God save our nation!

Students unable to compete fairly

'Unbalanced' price of cheap foreign beer

I refer to your report 'cheap foreign beer pouring into the country, even to established supermarkets', which stated that much duty has not been collected, implying that these are illegal imports? You also quoted the Customs as saying as these cheap beer may have been sold close to its expiry date? I beg to differ, as I have bought San Miguel and Foster's at established places for as little as RM10 for three 330ml cans with expiry dates of more than 8 months.

As these beer cans have official Customs stickers across the top, it is safe to presume that they have all been LEGALLY imported, and proper duty paid. What the Customs should focus on is the DECLARED value of those beer cans that are imported? If a can of imported beer is declared to be of RM1 in value, landed, how much tax will they have to pay? That's the reason why legally imported foreign beer is still so cheap, at retail.

All parties should look into this issue, and find ways to 'balance' the business.

 'Unbalanced' price of cheap foreign beer

Neglected house 48 Jalan 11/10 PJaya

Dear MBPJ/

On behalf of the neighbours, and the residents along Jalan 11/10 PJ, I wish to file a report with MBPJ on the terrible condition of house No. 48 Jalan 11/10. Please see the pictures attached. I also summarise below a list of problems and complaints for MBPJ to consider further action:

1. The tenants have finally left the house as they could not stand the roof leaking, the back drain have collapsed, and the pipe leading from the toilet is broken.
2. The immediate neighbour, Mr Chong has directly complained to the owner, who came to collect the rents, that the awful condition of the house has affected the condition of his house, No 46. The owner pretended he did not hear.
   
3. The roof might collapse anytime, as the former tenants have complained of serious leaks during rain.
4. The pictures show that no effort has been made at all to MAINTAIN the house in a 'livable' condition, prompting  tenants to leave the place! 
5. The porch of the house is now being used as a dumping ground for bedbug infested mattresses of another neighbour! 
6. Families of rats have been seen staying in the burrow holes behind the house, coming out at night to forage for food. Even cats are scared of these big rats!
   
7. Now, we are afraid the only people who will rent the place will be drug addicts, illegal foreign restaurant and car wash workers, and maybe even illegal Nepalese 'guards'

My question to MBPJ is, if the owner persists in allowing the house to fall into such a condition, and if the owner refuses to heed the neighbour's request to maintain the house, what can MBPJ do to help the residents? Do we have to stomach such selfish behaviour?

Dr Chitra, since the house in in Section 11, can't you drive by and have a look on your way home from office? We need help from the authorities to solve this longstanding problem, so please do something. There must be some law to address such stubborn house owners who have total disregard for others, and only care about the rental income!

MBPJ please help us! Do something

Run down house poses health hazards 

6 attachments — Download all attachments   View all images   Share all images  

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 001.jpg 1391K   View   Share   Download

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 002.jpg 2364K   View   Share   Download

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 003.jpg 1363K   View   Share   Download

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 004.jpg 1401K   View   Share   Download

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 005.jpg 1408K   View   Share   Download

48 Jalan 11-10 P Jaya 006.jpg 1633K

ruling multi racial Malaysia

Well, this came immediately after I told my friend that Lee Kuan Yew's book maybe the surprising unity factor in Malaysian politics. Firstly, all Chinese will nod at everything LKY says, and since he has said we should accept "Malay rule", ( Also read "ruling multi racial Malaysia" by Auntie Glamor") it makes such a 'dominance' more palatable. Some Chinese have since the run up to GE13 and after, maintained a completely Chinese chauvinistic outlook, and of course will vote DAP, but not MCA, and maintained that in case of turmoil, Big Brother China is there to help out. That's stupid, if not downright dangerous thinking. Now LKY has laid down his pronouncement, these guys will be 'sobered'. Knowing that if ever the opposition takes over Putrajaya, PAS and DAP will almost immediately feud over Islamisation of the nation, hudud law.. And a non Malay DPM? Hah! if horses could fly over the moon...... Lee Kuan Yew is not saying it, but he is advocating what Auntie Glamour June has said above, Malay rule is ok, it is HOW they do it. Will Anwar be 'fair' after he has stepped onto the pedestal? Maybe but we'll never know until that happens.. At least the racist rhetoric will stop, and the stealing too, for a while at least......... So, what will it be? Should the Chinese continue to 'deny' "Malay rule" and clamour for their "pound of flesh"? With their dwindling demographics, it will be all futile, and will only cause further attrition to nation building. Do we love Malaysia enough to think about this ............ deeply?

On 14 August 2013 20:34, Lee YT wrote:

YS & YY,

Hmm very interesting. A unity government?

Will it materialize?

yt

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Anwar to team up with Najib?

This is an e-mail from (Malaysia Chronicle) sent by Yt. You may also find the following link interesting: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=144902:dpm-4-cabinet-posts-offered?-anwar-warns-najib-umno-in-turmoil-about-to-implode&Itemid=2

Pacific Ocean, contaminated by leaking Fukushima!

I refer to the news report on July 23, of Radioactive wastewater from Fukushima power plant leaking into the Pacific ocean,  and I wonder if such contaminated water will eventually affect the lives of all those who live around the great ocean. Some questions need to be asked, and answers given:

• How far will the contaminated water travel from Fukushima? How dilute will the ocean need to be before the radiation will not pose any danger to those who are exposed directly and indirectly to it.
• Will the fish and other aquatic animals living in the Pacific Ocean be contaminated by it? Will eating of those fish cause cancer to the consumers? Will there be dangerous mutations of these animals exposed to the radiation?
  
• Can anything be done at all to prevent the contaminated water from reaching t he ocean? How long will the radiation 'stay' in the waters and affect our lives?

Are the various Governments trying to hide this fact from its citizens?

Who owns Malaysia, and toxic distrust....

Of course I knew what you meant, and I am not keen in debating the issue of "who came first".. Some say Prameswara died a Hindu or Buddhist? Why didn't he get up from his fat butt, and convert the whole nation at that time, and allow the Arab traders, and some Kutty guy from Chennai to 'do the damage'? Admiral Cheng Ho acknowledged the Muslim rule and authority when he arrived in Malacaa, he purportedly even gave away 'princesses' to the Sultans.. If we keep on 'fighting' who ''owns'' the country, remember, Australia is now owned by the Convicts UK, Anglo Saxons own Maori New Zealand, etc .. Taking it even further, all of us should claim ownership of Africa, as it seems the first human came  from that continent? Should the Red Indians claim back America? Obama shouldn't even be President, as he was 'imported'.. there should be a rational end to this bickering, and just because we are fed up with the corrupt BN govt it shouldn't mean we should not accept the Muslim 'lineage'... The Star says today, 'we can't move forward with suspicious minds' but I would think 'suspicious minds' is too mild a phrase to describe our relationships in this country; a better phrase would be 'toxic distrust'. When will we say, Yes we are different, but let's try to live together and accept one another. The Star also said "...The British magazine added: “More so than at independence, it is lamented, the different races learn in separate schools, eat separately, work separately and socialise separately. Some are asking: is there really such a thing as a Malaysian?” That was six years ago. How do we answer that now? ..."

The really sad thing about this country is that we cannot even eat and drink together. A lot of people can only eat halal food, quite a few cannot eat beef, even best friends who come to your house don't drink from your cups, because they maybe unclean, and drink only Yeo Hiap Seng Soya packet drinks, from straws?

In Iraq and Pakistan, Shiites and Sunnis kill each other even in mosques, so you can imagine how hard it is for us to unite the country...

Finally, it was shown conclusively in Discovery that the Irish went to America, long before Columbus. And why should Britain have any legitimate claim to Falklands, and China's claim to Spratley's is a big joke! Even an island 80km from Sabah is claimed by China...

Besieged by Crime, and We can't do anything about it...

PJ Community Alert

26 Jun 2013 (Wed) ~ 1 PM
SS1, PJ
Smash Grab Robbery
Suspects: 6 men on 3 motorbikes

shared by Jiun Yih

Place: SS1 playground
Time: 26/6, about 1pm

a single lady driver in a Proton Satria was robbed in broad daylight at the small playground diagonal from your house. During her lunch break, this lady drove & parked her car at the small playground, 6 men in 3 motorbikes followed her & smashed 3 of her car windows. They also ripped off her necklace. The police has come & taken her away to the station. Do take care.

Lady was def spotted then followed by the gangsters..always keep a lookout ppl...stay safe

---------->> Read on below

In addition to the case above that I have extracted from my FB page, which just happened this afternoon, my wife's friend just called her {4 pm}and reported a more brazen robbery. She stays at an upscale Condominium at the beginning of Jalan Klang Lama, adjoining the Fed Highway, an apartment that is guarded by Nepalese security Guards and CCTVs and RESTRICTED card access, even to the Car park. This afternoon as she was waiting in the lobby for someone, a lady rushed out of the lift, covered in blood, asking for help from the guards. It seems she just came back from withdrawing just RM1000 from the bank, and she drove her car up the restricted card access carpark of the condominium. As she parked her car, another car smashed through the barricades, and robbed in hazy daylight!! She lost cash and her condo keys, etc. But what is real scary is the bare face attempts of the robbers, with no hint of fear of getting caught at all..

Are we Malaysians, especially those living in KL going to live through life in this way? Is KL now more dangerous to live than Bolivia, Mexico, Brasil, and Colombia?

Real reasons for dirty habits

When I first read your Editorial titled, 'A glaring lack of enforcement of existing laws' , I felt it was futile to respond to your statement "All three issues were unrelated except by one thing: a glaring lack of enforcement of existing laws and regulations" but when I read further the angry complaint by ' USJ business operators [who are] up in arms over indiscriminate garbage dumping behind their shops', I am of the view that The Star has been barking up the wrong tree, in its efforts to raise awareness on the dirty habits of Malaysians.

As the USJ business operators reported, and I quote, " We saw them throwing rubbish such as domestic waste and their unwanted furniture such as old mattresses and broken chairs. I once told off a group of foreign workers who dumped rubbish in the back lane and now I think they are doing it at night to escape detection." it is not TOTALLY the fault of enforcement officers and local Councils that the nation is in such dire straits regarding its filthy problem and the growing menace of leptospirosis. Foreign workers and residents work and stay in cramped conditions and come from countries where most of them had lived in abject poverty and where proper hygiene has never been emphasized. 

I remember an incident related to me by my brother in Muar, who had observed a Caucasian 'back packer' wondering in his residential area, holding an empty soft drink can, trying to look for a rubbish bin on the streets, and finding none. He, the tourist, did NOT throw the can anywhere. Now compare this with foreign workers who walk home through the backlanes of my residential area, holding plastic bags of teh tarik. Where do you think they threw the empty bags? Yes, into the drains, on the grass verge. Walk around any residential area after the weekend, and you will inevitably find empty beer cans and whiskey bottles lying on the road sides.

Of course it's not only the foreign workers that have this selfish habit, we Malaysians are guilty of this too. Even schoolchildren happily throw stuff out of school buses, all the time.

So, can enforcement really put a dent on this scourge? Not really, not until we, Malaysians and foreigners feel 'ownership' of the land that we set foot on.

Instead of trying to blame everyone else for the mess we are in, we should try to look at ourselves, deeply

 Real reasons for dirty habits

Religious Bigotry in Malaysia

Reading this letter from Austin Gonzales,>>Is Bishop Paul Tan being insensitive and callous? it would seem to me that our politics has taken a turn for the worse, and has reached the sorry state, where religious bigotry is not the sole preserve of Ibrahim Ali and his PERKASA boss and cohorts! What a sad day this is for Malaysia! There is now, no more "shades of grey", just black and white; if you are white, then I am black. Politicians, and even the citizenry have now resorted to the mindset, "Nothing you do can be right, only all the things that I do are infallible"

The GE13 will turn out to be our "Venezuelan Spring",...... think about it....... :(

"Remember that Joseph and Mary had to travel by donkey for days to reach Bethlehem to register for the census but they did not complain...."

Why argue over polling day?