Just when you think it's safe to drive on the highways comes this article in malaysiakini Senai-Desaru Highway fails road test.
Building a highway is not really rocket science and this report claims the depth constructed in some places is "not built according to specifications, with the lowest coring recorded at 72mm compared to the minimum 95mm,” .
What happens is that the highway cannot take the loading and soon the surface will become bumpy as the road sinks. This can cause accidents with subsequent loss of lives.
The consultant engineer who supervised the works should be reported to the Board of Engineers for allowing such shoddy construction that can endanger our lives.
The results show that the contractor tried to save costs by short-changing. I suggest the authorities should withhold 25% of the costs for a fund to repair the damaged sections.
Measuring the depth of the road is quite simple. How about the number of passes for compacting the different layers using the correct road construction equipment? If they cheat on materials, do you think they will not cheat on reducing the number of passes so that equipment hire costs can also be reduced?
The authorities are letting contractors get away with murder!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
malaysiakini and HUDUD Laws for Malaysia?
As the issue of hudud is again in the news, I suggest all Malaysians should ponder and reflect on how such Islamic laws can be applied for a secular nation like Malaysia.
malaysiakini describes how the PAS leader want to Discuss hudud issue with non-Muslims, PAS told.
My view on hudud is as follows:
A PR-led government can introduce hudud provided 70% of all Malaysians agree to it in a national referendum and hudud applies ONLY for Muslims AND
Muslims are allowed to change their religion FREELY with the present definition of Malay being changed so that a MALAY NEED NOT practice Islam; ie you can be a Malay without being a Muslim.
I propose this is a way forward for Malaysia. What do you think?
malaysiakini describes how the PAS leader want to Discuss hudud issue with non-Muslims, PAS told.
My view on hudud is as follows:
A PR-led government can introduce hudud provided 70% of all Malaysians agree to it in a national referendum and hudud applies ONLY for Muslims AND
Muslims are allowed to change their religion FREELY with the present definition of Malay being changed so that a MALAY NEED NOT practice Islam; ie you can be a Malay without being a Muslim.
I propose this is a way forward for Malaysia. What do you think?
Saturday, October 8, 2011
EXCITED over Malaysia's 2012 Budget?
malaysiakini has a good article Salient points of Budget 2012 that summarises the main items in the budget.
No doubt the main papers and the TV channels will be full of praise for the budget proposals and a sense of euphoria will be generated.
To me it seems the BN regime has designed this budget without taking into account our future situation. Remember we had one minister declare that Malaysia is headed for BANKRUPTCY if there is no CHANGE in the government's direction?
The Budget seems to be more a populist one that engages mainly the civil servants who already consume the biggest portion of the RM232.8bil portion. Look at figure for the Budget overall costs.
It shows that for every RM1 collected, 78sen is the cost of administering the system. In other words, government is too heavy or inefficient. The years of easy oil money have resulted in a bloated administration that is surely leading us to a GREEK-type crisis and we do not have an EU-type organisation that will come to our aid.
If you analyse the balance sheets of most banks, you will find that the cost/profit ratios ranges from 40% to 60% but the Malaysian government operates at 78% and the figure is still rising.
How did we end up with such a situation? Based on what has been happening, maybe the chart should be renamed with "Management Costs" replaced with "Mismanagement Costs". You see the government has been employing unemployable graduates for many years as their concept of CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility.
If you look at the picture on the "Mismanagement Costs", the picture is equally startling.
Emoulements is 28.6%, Service & supplies 16.8%, Allotment & fixed costs 53% - these are the main cost centres.
I presume that emoulements is basically the costs of salaries and perks of existing government employees.
Service and supplies would include work that has been outsourced? Not to forget the contract for the PM's executive jets.
Allotment and fixed costs is particularly worrisome as it is a whopping 53%. I suppose it includes the costs of pensions and medical costs of retirees.
I am not at all inspired by the populist Budget as it shows the government is unable to cut costs and reign in spending.
It is definitely an Elections Budget and I believe the polls will be held during the December holidays shortly after the civil servants and the marginalised have been given their "sweets".
Instead of just announcing the way "sweets" will be distributed, the Budget Speech should include how government has tackled wastage in the past year, based on the Annual Horror Report or the Auditor-General's Annual Report. In fact, we should table the AG's Report 2 weeks before the Budget Speech so that MPs can debate the Horror Report and hopefully avoid the Horror Budget.
charts thanks to malaysiakini
No doubt the main papers and the TV channels will be full of praise for the budget proposals and a sense of euphoria will be generated.
To me it seems the BN regime has designed this budget without taking into account our future situation. Remember we had one minister declare that Malaysia is headed for BANKRUPTCY if there is no CHANGE in the government's direction?
The Budget seems to be more a populist one that engages mainly the civil servants who already consume the biggest portion of the RM232.8bil portion. Look at figure for the Budget overall costs.
It shows that for every RM1 collected, 78sen is the cost of administering the system. In other words, government is too heavy or inefficient. The years of easy oil money have resulted in a bloated administration that is surely leading us to a GREEK-type crisis and we do not have an EU-type organisation that will come to our aid.
If you analyse the balance sheets of most banks, you will find that the cost/profit ratios ranges from 40% to 60% but the Malaysian government operates at 78% and the figure is still rising.
How did we end up with such a situation? Based on what has been happening, maybe the chart should be renamed with "Management Costs" replaced with "Mismanagement Costs". You see the government has been employing unemployable graduates for many years as their concept of CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility.
If you look at the picture on the "Mismanagement Costs", the picture is equally startling.
Emoulements is 28.6%, Service & supplies 16.8%, Allotment & fixed costs 53% - these are the main cost centres.
I presume that emoulements is basically the costs of salaries and perks of existing government employees.
Service and supplies would include work that has been outsourced? Not to forget the contract for the PM's executive jets.
Allotment and fixed costs is particularly worrisome as it is a whopping 53%. I suppose it includes the costs of pensions and medical costs of retirees.
I am not at all inspired by the populist Budget as it shows the government is unable to cut costs and reign in spending.
It is definitely an Elections Budget and I believe the polls will be held during the December holidays shortly after the civil servants and the marginalised have been given their "sweets".
Instead of just announcing the way "sweets" will be distributed, the Budget Speech should include how government has tackled wastage in the past year, based on the Annual Horror Report or the Auditor-General's Annual Report. In fact, we should table the AG's Report 2 weeks before the Budget Speech so that MPs can debate the Horror Report and hopefully avoid the Horror Budget.
charts thanks to malaysiakini
Friday, September 16, 2011
malaysiakini and the REPEAL of the ISA and other Laws?
The Prime Minister's announcement of the repeal of the ISA during his Malaysia day speech must be welcomed by many Malaysians.
However a healthy dose of scepticism exists as seen in this malaysiakini article What about the many other oppressive laws?.
Many Malaysians do not trust their government anymore as even within the same speech, the PM mentions new detention laws that allows the detention of "terrorists".
In fact, the ISA was meant to detain terrorists but the government has conveniently abused the laws for many years.
One even wonders if the term "terrorist" will be defined as "anyone or any organisation that plans to undermine the BN or UMNO power".
For me the government lost its credibility when it backtracked over the implementation of the IPCMC as that showed the PDRM was capable of defying the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry. We also witnessed how the MACC were responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock and no doubt the RCI was used more for damage control even as another government official also died under suspicious circumstances.
So should we all cheer this time around? Let us see the details of the proposed laws and see how it compares with the old ISA.
Also let us examine the time frame. If the laws are repugnant, do away with them now and not as an election sweetener.
Surely even Najib cannot believe his electorate are that gullible?
And don't forget to clean up the Electoral Roll and the EC before you call for elections.
Only then will I realise that you have made a serious and sincere effort to reform Malaysia for our benefit.
Happy Malaysia Day!
However a healthy dose of scepticism exists as seen in this malaysiakini article What about the many other oppressive laws?.
Many Malaysians do not trust their government anymore as even within the same speech, the PM mentions new detention laws that allows the detention of "terrorists".
In fact, the ISA was meant to detain terrorists but the government has conveniently abused the laws for many years.
One even wonders if the term "terrorist" will be defined as "anyone or any organisation that plans to undermine the BN or UMNO power".
For me the government lost its credibility when it backtracked over the implementation of the IPCMC as that showed the PDRM was capable of defying the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry. We also witnessed how the MACC were responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock and no doubt the RCI was used more for damage control even as another government official also died under suspicious circumstances.
So should we all cheer this time around? Let us see the details of the proposed laws and see how it compares with the old ISA.
Also let us examine the time frame. If the laws are repugnant, do away with them now and not as an election sweetener.
Surely even Najib cannot believe his electorate are that gullible?
And don't forget to clean up the Electoral Roll and the EC before you call for elections.
Only then will I realise that you have made a serious and sincere effort to reform Malaysia for our benefit.
Happy Malaysia Day!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
malaysiakini and Cheating in Elections....the Role of the EC?
This article shows that the Elections Commission or some of their staff could be involved in rigging the election rolls so that non-citizens can vote in the General Elections.
And now - voters with non-existent MyKad code
show that there has been a deliberate attempt to create voters who can change the outcome of the polls.
This is a serious crime as it means the rights of genuine citizens have been subverted.
We all know that politics is dirty business but we surely cannot allow the EC to be compromised as shown by these revelations.
The EC's response has been rather cavalier....they just remove these dubious voters and attribute it to technical errors!
I suggest a serious crime has been committed and we need a public inquiry as to how these names were authorised by the EC.....it is possible there is a team of officials in the EC that has been bribed to register these unqualified voters.
A police report could be made but even there, we are not sure how willing is the police to investigate electoral fraud.
Do you trust the EC anymore?
And now - voters with non-existent MyKad code
show that there has been a deliberate attempt to create voters who can change the outcome of the polls.
This is a serious crime as it means the rights of genuine citizens have been subverted.
We all know that politics is dirty business but we surely cannot allow the EC to be compromised as shown by these revelations.
The EC's response has been rather cavalier....they just remove these dubious voters and attribute it to technical errors!
I suggest a serious crime has been committed and we need a public inquiry as to how these names were authorised by the EC.....it is possible there is a team of officials in the EC that has been bribed to register these unqualified voters.
A police report could be made but even there, we are not sure how willing is the police to investigate electoral fraud.
Do you trust the EC anymore?
Sunday, August 7, 2011
malaysiakini and the News on the Police Raiding a Church.
As you all know the next GE will be held soon and even our Bishop Paul Tan is urging Christians to hold the government accountable for what is seen as religious interference by the authorities.
Bishop Paul decries vilification of Christians
Apart from voting wisely, did you know that the entire voting process can be compromised? This means that your vote can be stolen from you through cheating in the ballot box....so just coming out to vote is definitely not enough.
The case of PRs becoming citizens and then instant voters has been in the news but do you know other ways in which your vote becomes worthless?
Just casting your vote is not enough as the election process can be shanghaied via cheating during the voting process and even the SPR may be part of the scheme. All loyal Malaysians should try and volunteer to be a counting agent or a polling agent to prevent cheating at the polls. To find out more, go and visit the PKR/PAS/DAP office near your house and inquire about being a volunteer. You need not be a member....just be concerned that polling needs to be an exercise where cheating is reduced to a minimum. Even if you cannot be a volunteer on polling day, the knowledge you gain can make a difference.
Being a volunteer does not mean you support any political party but to ensure that the integrity of the ballot process is not compromised.
If every family provides just one adult volunteer, our freedom to vote will be safeguarded.
If you would like to learn more about being a volunteer, please contact me at haroldangus(at)yahoo.com and I will let the JPAG(Johor People's Action Group) know you would like to be contacted for future training sessions.
Allah help us all!
Bishop Paul decries vilification of Christians
Apart from voting wisely, did you know that the entire voting process can be compromised? This means that your vote can be stolen from you through cheating in the ballot box....so just coming out to vote is definitely not enough.
The case of PRs becoming citizens and then instant voters has been in the news but do you know other ways in which your vote becomes worthless?
Just casting your vote is not enough as the election process can be shanghaied via cheating during the voting process and even the SPR may be part of the scheme. All loyal Malaysians should try and volunteer to be a counting agent or a polling agent to prevent cheating at the polls. To find out more, go and visit the PKR/PAS/DAP office near your house and inquire about being a volunteer. You need not be a member....just be concerned that polling needs to be an exercise where cheating is reduced to a minimum. Even if you cannot be a volunteer on polling day, the knowledge you gain can make a difference.
Being a volunteer does not mean you support any political party but to ensure that the integrity of the ballot process is not compromised.
If every family provides just one adult volunteer, our freedom to vote will be safeguarded.
If you would like to learn more about being a volunteer, please contact me at haroldangus(at)yahoo.com and I will let the JPAG(Johor People's Action Group) know you would like to be contacted for future training sessions.
Allah help us all!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Shangaied in China! The Magical Midnight Tour by China Eastern Airlines.
My wife and I were returning to Malaysia from Canada and we were flying via China Eastern Airlines.
After arriving from Vancouver, we had a seven hour wait for the connecting flight at 23:55hrs. If you have been to Pudong International Airport, you will know that waiting here for more than 2 hours is punishment enough. The airport is spartan and lacks any shops of interest; although I must admit the architecture is quite attractive with high roofs and slanting supports.
But the interior decor and assortment of shops is really unappealing.
We managed to nap a few hours before we made for the departure gates at about 23:00hrs....something quite unusual as we are usually the last few passengers to get there.
We were there hardly 10 minutes when an official came down and started shouting "SINGAPORE!SINGAPORE! Go to hotel NOW". We were then herded up the stairs as the escalator was for only for going down. Not much fun having to climb 3 flights of steps with your hand luggage.
We then had to pass through immigration and then onto a waiting bus that was already 3/4 full of bewildered passengers and within minutes, we experienced a bumpy 20-minute ride to the hotel.
I believe the hotel had close business links to the airline. The rooms had already been allocated and all it took was a scramble to get to the reception counter where the girl took two passports and gave us a room key.
So we took the lift to the room on the 18th floor; our weary bodies looking forward to a restful night.
After checking out the room, which we found to be of reasonable standard, my wife took a shower while I rested on the bed. I was about to take my shower when the phone rang. I answered and the girl said; "Check out now!" So I asked her; "Now?" She replied; "Yes, go to airport."
We both laughed at the comical scenario; even though it was not so funny.
It took another 5 minutes to re-pack and head for the lifts. Two girls we met on the way were also half-amused; one of them had not even had time to dry her hair properly.
At the hotel reception, 4 girls were frantically working to exchange passports for hotel keys...I wonder how they handled any lost keys?
On the way out to the bus, I noticed a big stack of packaged food and I belive they would have been distributed to the rooms if we had stayed longer.
At the airport, we had to go through security and also fill up the immigration forms for departure.
The flight finally departed at about 0130hrs and we arrived in Singapore 2hours later than the original eta. The airline staff apologised profusely for the flight delay but the efforts they made to take care of us seemed misguided.
It would have been better if they had kept us at the airport longer and provided a hot meal instead of the hurried transfers to and from the hotel that caused some distress.
After arriving from Vancouver, we had a seven hour wait for the connecting flight at 23:55hrs. If you have been to Pudong International Airport, you will know that waiting here for more than 2 hours is punishment enough. The airport is spartan and lacks any shops of interest; although I must admit the architecture is quite attractive with high roofs and slanting supports.
But the interior decor and assortment of shops is really unappealing.
We managed to nap a few hours before we made for the departure gates at about 23:00hrs....something quite unusual as we are usually the last few passengers to get there.
We were there hardly 10 minutes when an official came down and started shouting "SINGAPORE!SINGAPORE! Go to hotel NOW". We were then herded up the stairs as the escalator was for only for going down. Not much fun having to climb 3 flights of steps with your hand luggage.
We then had to pass through immigration and then onto a waiting bus that was already 3/4 full of bewildered passengers and within minutes, we experienced a bumpy 20-minute ride to the hotel.
I believe the hotel had close business links to the airline. The rooms had already been allocated and all it took was a scramble to get to the reception counter where the girl took two passports and gave us a room key.
So we took the lift to the room on the 18th floor; our weary bodies looking forward to a restful night.
After checking out the room, which we found to be of reasonable standard, my wife took a shower while I rested on the bed. I was about to take my shower when the phone rang. I answered and the girl said; "Check out now!" So I asked her; "Now?" She replied; "Yes, go to airport."
We both laughed at the comical scenario; even though it was not so funny.
It took another 5 minutes to re-pack and head for the lifts. Two girls we met on the way were also half-amused; one of them had not even had time to dry her hair properly.
At the hotel reception, 4 girls were frantically working to exchange passports for hotel keys...I wonder how they handled any lost keys?
On the way out to the bus, I noticed a big stack of packaged food and I belive they would have been distributed to the rooms if we had stayed longer.
At the airport, we had to go through security and also fill up the immigration forms for departure.
The flight finally departed at about 0130hrs and we arrived in Singapore 2hours later than the original eta. The airline staff apologised profusely for the flight delay but the efforts they made to take care of us seemed misguided.
It would have been better if they had kept us at the airport longer and provided a hot meal instead of the hurried transfers to and from the hotel that caused some distress.
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