malaysiakini's Speeding to Profits?

malaysiakini has this article entitled AES to reduce deaths, not reap profits. REALLY? If the motive is not greed and profit, the PDRM should do it themselves and enforce the speed limits - they also can use a graduated penalty and not slap a RM300 compound on ALL speeding motorists, regardless of speed or type of vehicle. For example if 15kph above limit fine RM100, if 25kph above limit, fine is RM200 etc. For buses and lorries that speed, the rates can be double those mentioned. The other action that can be taken after deducting costs is that the surplus can be used for accident research and improving bad highway stretches - even the EDL in JB is not well constructed with many poor sections; even for a highway that is hardly one year old!

Does this Represent the 2012 Education Blueprint?

(pl click on image to enlarge)
PPSMI Song

Where did we go so wrong?

Why are our hearts do down?

Dealing with schools so hard

For our children's sake

We must keep the faith

Fighting for what is right

Malaysia's going through a long dark night


Chorus:

Why not follow PPSMI

It's surely better than MBMMBI

Less confused will our children be

In the future years you see

Nothing to do with the patriot's zeal

Can't you see if you can't feel.

Genting power assets sale a 'sensible deal'? What UTTER NONSENSE!

We all know that the IPP deals were not favourable to Malaysians and especially to TENAGA, the national electricity company.
It seems the editor of the Business Times was having an off day when they labelled  Genting power assets sale a 'sensible deal'

This deal makes no sense from a logical or business perspective. After having consumers pay for the secret IPP deals, we now have to swallow this.

The most logical price to pay for this plant is book value only after a thorough plant survey and MAYBE a little for some goodwill.

Within 3 years, this plant will be almost worthless in Malaysia unless they can negotiate a new IPP deal.

Is this one way of forever keeping the agreements a secret? Or it could be the testing of the mechanism to buy out all the other IPPs at ludicrous prices too?

So how is 1MB going to manage this plant? I suppose they could create another SYABAS-type model and pay the CEO something like RM400k a month?

Most likely there will be the usual upgrading and refurbishments resulting in another RM500m in more dubious deals. The only economic transformation progression (ETP) for Malaysia in this deal is going from indebtedness to Greek-like bankruptcy.

The headline is hilarious but misleading. This is not a sensible deal for Malaysians but it is certainly one SWEETHEART deal for Genting!

photo:storms gathering over Malaysia's economy

Malaysia's Definitely Following Greece but who will Bail Us Out?

We all know that the government has been living beyond the nation's resources, spending on mega projects that do not justify the economic returns.
The EDL is one such project that although very beneficial for motorists does not justify the high costs of construction and now even worse, the method in which the project owners will be rewarded.
The government failed to ensure proper transparency and hence the project cost is estimated to be about double what is the equivalent type of highway project in Malaysia.
Now it is pay-back time and it seems this company has an iron-clad protection against any business risks as the government is going to compensate them for the toll system they did not provide.
At the rate of 60,000 vehicles times the agreed toll of RM6.20 for one way, that's a cool RM720,000 per day!
Now some folks will call that highway robbery and we can only wonder why this EDL was shrouded in such great secrecy. Motorists have been crying FOUL over the previous secret toll deals and even in 2010, they still insist on such shadowy and shady deals.
Don't you think a collection of over RM700,000 per day is a better business deal than getting a bank licence?
I suggest the government should buy back this project after a proper audit that would probably reveal the realistic price tag for the project should be nearer RM700mil and maybe sell it to the public as an IPO and install the overhead gantry collection system; ie no collection at the CIQ.

malaysiakini decribes Najib's Rant on the Agong's Birthday.....what an Insult on such a Happy Day

This article from malaysiakini is quite disturbing. It seems that the BN regime is threatening violence to stay in power if it loses in the next GE. It is also an insult to the Agong to deliver such a warning on the king's birthday - instead of making the event a happy one, Najib has shown his greatest fear- that he will be ousted by the rak'yatin the polls. Given his basic lack of leadership, what is so wrong about that?

BERSIH3.0 - the JB Experience

I almost didn't go as I had a slight back-ache and the thought of having to run from tear gas did not appeal to me. Luckily a friend offered me a ride and in a way, that committed me to go. Earlier I read reports that MBJB had denied the use of the Dataran JB and that there was a misleading bit of into that the venue had been shifted to Larkin Stadium. Someone had posted info on what to do if detained etc and also how to reduce the effects of a tear gas attack. So I took the necessary items like some salt, extra bottled water, a wet cloth and swimming goggles. I had an early lunch and the drove to Taman Sentosa, the rendezvous place and waited for my friend to show up. There were 5 of us going for the rally and the driver dropped us at an overhead bridge near Jalan Sungei Chat, one of the side roads bordering the Dataran JB. It was quite an energetic crowd gathering, mostly younger Malaysians and the chants of "Bersih, Bersih" filled the air. Many passing motorists also hooted to show their support. There were traffic police and the normal mata-mata about, with the MBJB enforcement officers all around the planned venue; perhaps a total of 200. There was a football tournament taking place at the Dataran JB and it looked like a subtle plan by the authorities to frustrate the BERSIH gathering.The crowd was good-natured with an air of festivity that infected everyone. At about 2pm we were told to move towards DJB and it was an orderly march. The local BERSIH leaders had persuaded the authorities to allow the Dudok Bantah to be held at the left space near the clock tower....this was a good outcome as the place is nicely shaded. I moved to a spot under a large tree towards the back and made myself comfortable....sitting on the ground and then getting up was a challenge with my bad back and I usually don't sit on the floor! That is why I chose a spot near a metal pole as a prop. So from about 2:30pm to 4pm most of us sat and there were many chants of "Bersih, Bersih!" interspersed with some speeches. Please watch the video that shows the event and also a few interesting interviews of folks who came for the rally.

Rushing through the Malaysian Parliament with GROSS INDECENCY.......why BERSIH3.0 is Important for ALL Malaysians!

So the Malaysian Parliament worked very hard the last few days......rubber-stamping a record number of bills that they even made use of "freeze the clock" rule so that the bills could be passed in haste.....now Malaysians have to live with the consequences.
If you don't care about politics, nothing much will happen except the 13th General Elections will be stolen even before you do your duty and just go out to cast your vote.
I have attended a few sessions about being a polling agent/counting agent and it was interesting to discover many methods of how your vote could be "stolen" via the cheating that can occur during polling day.
With the latest amendments, it seems the Elections Commission(EC) has introduced new measures that make a free and fair, TRANSPARENT Elections impossible. It is quite probable that the EC has seen fit to follow the PM's call to win BIG at all costs.
You can read the Press Statement of BERSIH3.0 on how the new laws can make cheating easier. There is also a video of the BERSIH3.0 leader Ambiga who has taken a brave role to help safeguard our democracy.
So what can you do to show your disapproval of the new laws that effectively is going to massively handicap the need to have fair and free elections? These laws will not only affect the coming elections but will forever change the face of Malaysia.
There are BERSIH rallies being organised in KL and JB on Saturday 28th April 2012 from 2pm to 4pm. If you value democracy and want a fair and free elections, please show your support for this cause.