TwoSen

It is heartening that today more people want to be heard. That is good for the nation as well as the people.

A decade ago, things weren’t like this. People spoke less. The media wasn’t brave enough. Even now, the former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can attack the present prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on a matter of “a gentleman’s agreement” that the latter would serve one term as prime minister. However, Abdullah has denied this.

Now I read many a columnist in the newspapers, and hear speakers on TV speaking their mind. They do not hesitate to say things even if it may be not be palatable to the government.

Editorial comments in newspapers are more brave, touching on matters they stayed away from before. Many a website speaks loud and clear, whether people or the government like it or not.

Even bloggers have jumped on the bandwagon. They say so much, sometimes it is like Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

While I hope more of us speak up on matters that matter, maybe the following tips will help:

Go for the issues, not the person. Get your facts right. Don’t say what isn’t true. Be fair in you words and approach. Do not be biased.

Do not get emotional, but be rational. It is our right to speak up, and clearly state our views. Use this freedom. Do not abuse it.

Bulbir Singh,
Seremban

Source: The Sun – February 4, 2008

MANY people die on the roads because of road accidents caused, more often than not, by careless drivers.

Even if they are booked, they are not bothered as they can pay the fines. They act like the kings of the roads.

You can always see these drivers who drive in a zig-zag manner and cause fear in other drivers. Lorry and bus drivers drive on the fast lane.

Having road traffic campaigns is not the way to solve the problem.

In foreign countries, when a driver makes a mistake, he is caught immediately and given a ticket.

The offending driver must pay the fine, attend a day’s traffic lesson, and then explain how and why he made the mistake.

Then, he has to promise not to make another mistake or else he has to pay a higher fine and pay higher car insurance.

People fear getting involved in accidents or beating the lights. They are aware of the speed limits and fear losing their freedom to drive.

When they drive, they keep some distance away from other vehicles, keep to their lane and do not hop lanes as they wish.

In Malaysia, drivers love to tailgate others.

They use neon lights which blind other road users but nobody stops them.

Motorcyclists drive in between cars as they wish.

Why not observe these drivers who ignore the law through closed-circuit television cameras?

Bad drivers must be sent to attend courses and fined heavily. We should also make it difficult for new drivers to get licences.

And if they make mistakes, it should be cancelled immediately and they must start all over again. This may sound drastic but if nothing is done, Malaysian roads will always be killing fields.

Motorbikes should be taken off the main roads and highways. The very old cars should be taken off the roads.

The implementation of the law has to be tightened.

Ordinary members of the public should be able to report bad drivers with proof. Passengers in buses must be able to report a driver not following the rules.

All telephone numbers must be printed inside the buses so that passengers can alert the authorities immediately at all times.

Have a system that works round the clock to track bad drivers immediately.

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s statement that police can increase their presence in crowded urban areas by renting more shoplots for use as stations or beat bases is laudable (”Use shops to boost service, cops told” — NST, Jan 29).

The prime minister added that a wider police presence would enable them to respond more quickly to distress calls and boost public confidence.

The police force has the resources to find a shoplot to be used as a police station or a base but to run a police station effectively, it needs office equipment, furniture or any of those items that are needed to make the place look like one.

This is where the private sector, including successful businessmen, come in, by making contributions.

The government can encourage these businessmen and companies, especially those rich corporate ones, to contribute as a form of social corporate responsibility. They can also provide monetary assistance to help maintain and upkeep the police stations.

And as a gesture of goodwill, the government can perhaps provide tax rebates to these companies or individuals making the contributions or donations when they file their tax returns to the Inland Revenue Board.

MOHD FAIZAL ABDULLAH, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

I REFER to the statement made about the former Indonesian president, Suharto, by the former prime minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (”He was a great leader, says Dr Mahathir” — NST, Jan 28).

Dr Mahathir dismissed as “absolute nonsense” reports by Western media accusing Suharto of being responsible for nearly half a million deaths when he assumed power.

I would like to point out that it is not just the Western media that accuse Suharto of this atrocity but also every other news media around the world and Human Rights groups.

Dr Mahathir goes on to state that Suharto was not responsible for the killings and he was not even president at the time.

It is a known fact that Suharto ordered the army, as their leader, to rid the country of communist party leaders and Sukarno loyalists.

It is also well known that Suharto had a very contentious human rights record, from the time before he was made president until the time he stepped down.

In order to defend Suharto, Dr Mahathir need not distort historical facts and accuse the Western media of false reporting.

S. SIVA, London

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

I READ “Siti Norma appointed to Dubai courts” (NST, Jan 31) with much delight. Indeed, she has proven that “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”.

Not only is she the sole woman to be appointed among men, Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob has also done the country proud by being selected as president of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA).

As one of the younger generation, I look up to her as the epitome of strength, upholding the virtues of being a woman while at the same time standing on par with men, proving that women can also be equal counterparts to men in the professional field.

With more women emerging as leaders in the world and getting the recognition we finally deserve, I hope that this will put a stop to anyone from having the mindset that women are the weaker sex, always waiting for the “knight in shining armour” to rescue us.

Women are much more than “exploitable products”.

With notable and strong figures like Siti Norma, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz and others, it is high time for the younger generation of Malaysian women to step into the limelight and take charge of their future.

Who knows, there might one day be a woman prime minister of Malaysia.

NAZREEN, Mersing

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

THE director-general of Health, Tan Sri Ismail Merican, has stated that 6,322 clinics and 1,439 dental clinics had their licences approved under the Private Health Facilities and Services Act (1998). This, he claimed, spoke volumes of the support from the majority of doctors (”Doctor chose to go to jail” — NST, Feb 1).

I beg to differ. The vast majority of private doctors are still unhappy with the ridiculous and absurd conditions stated in the Act. In fact there was even a suggestion that doctors should boycott the registration exercise.

If it were not for the DG’s “assurance” that the Act would be implemented judiciously and the frequent coaxing from the Malaysian Medical Association, the registration of the private health facilities would not have proceeded smoothly.

Within the short period of the implementation of the Act, a registered doctor has been sent to jail. Why bother to offer Dr Basmullah Yusom the alternative to avoid jail when the fine of RM120,000 was so hefty? Private clinics are not making money like gold mines. If I were in his situation, I too would choose jail.

DR TAN KEE SENG, Kangar

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

I WITNESSED an incident similar to that described by I.H. of Subang Jaya (”Cops who do not respect the rules” — NST, Jan 30) at the Malacca Court cafeteria last week.

Two men were smoking despite the no-smoking signs. This happened when two policemen in uniform were eating at the next table.

My wife and I were wondering why the policemen were not doing anything. Then the two smokers went over and offered cigarettes and all four of them were soon puffing away!

D.A., Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

MALAYSIA Airlines’ management should be praised for targeting a profit of RM1 billion this year and a profit of RM1.5 billion in 2012 (”MAS sets new profit goals” — NST, Jan 31). These are ambitious targets.

However, the jury is still out as to whether MAS can succeed in executing its business turnaround plan after being in the doldrums for several years. Already, one aviation analyst with an international rating agency has labelled this target as being “too ambitious”.

Whether MAS’ management likes it or not, the airline will always be compared against its erstwhile sibling, Singapore Airlines (SIA), both of which had a common parent in Malaysia-Singapore Airlines up to 1972.

SIA has gone on to become one of the best airlines in the world and one of the most consistently profitable. It is also one of the most valuable airlines in the world in terms of market capitalisation.

MAS’ current management should be benchmarking the airline against SIA in terms of revenue, profit, route network, customer service, inflight service and ground handling.

For the financial year ending on March 31 last year, SIA achieved an operating profit of S$1.3 billion (about RM2.9 billion) on a volume of 18 million passengers and a load factor of 79.2 per cent. SIA is making more profit now than what MAS hopes to achieve in 2012.

SIA also gets about 50 per cent of its profit from its premium First Class and Business Class services, propelled by Singapore being a regional hub for foreign banks and multinational corporations.

SIA also has a much bigger fleet of aircraft than MAS, in terms of what is currently in operation and what is on order. In fact, a comparison of the two airlines’ fleets shows that MAS is short of new-generation fuel-efficient medium- and long-haul aircraft. To put it bluntly, MAS has an ageing fleet of aircraft.

MAS has no choice but to accelerate its acquisition of new aircraft if it wants to compete with the “big boys” like SIA and Emirates, or even Cathay Pacific, British Airways and Qantas. It must look again at its route network and increase frequencies to the most important countries and developing cities.

MAS also has to revamp its service from ground up. There’s no point in having the best cabin crew in the world if the airline is being let down time and again by bad customer service on the ground, from reservations handling, check-in, passenger lounges and baggage handling to following up on passenger complaints.

This should be a top priority for MAS’ management as dissatisfied or disgruntled passengers have a wealth of choices out there — even to the extent of taking a low-cost flight to Changi Airport and then taking a SIA flight to their destination.

MAS has to boost its profits by strict cost control and by attracting more full-fare and premium passengers to fly with it. It has to retain its good staff against poaching by competitors, while swiftly terminating the services of those who are under-performing.

Please, let there be no talk of MAS having to do “national service”. The choice is between having a leading world-class airline or none at all.

MAS also has to learn to work well with low-cost carriers and Malaysia Airports in the pursuit of another national goal to make KL International Airport the premier air hub in the region.

Is MAS up to all of the above?

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

I REFER to the letter “Wan Zainun was helped all the way” (NST, Jan 18) by George Thomas, executive director of Malaysian Association for the Blind, written in reply to the letter by Bernard Marbeck about blind and deaf Wan Zainun Wan Mohamad and the MAB (”Association could have done more” — NST, Jan 15).

Thomas mentions that Wan Zainun was not “chased out of the hostel” (that is the MAB Rotary Hostel in Petaling Jaya which was located next to the Tun Hussein Eye Hospital).

Bernard Marbeck never mentioned this but since Thomas has brought up this matter, I would like to set the record right.

Here is a summary of what happened to Wan Zainun based on documentation in the possession of the six affected blind persons:

- Oct 3, 1997: MAB notified all the tenants of the MAB Rotary Hostel to vacate the premises by Dec 31, 1997. The date was subsequently changed as no suitable alternative accommodation could be found.

- Feb 13, 1998: MAB notified the tenants that they had to vacate the premises by March 15, 1998 and seek their own alternative accommodation.

- March 15, 1998: Water and electricity to the hostel was cut.

- March 15, 1998: I moved into a single-storey terrace house in Section 14 purchased for me by my mother. I offered the accommodation rent-free to five of the blind girls affected whom I regarded as friends in trouble.

- July 1998: A proposal to purchase low-cost PKNS flats in Section 20 of Shah Alam arose. These low-cost flats had to be purchased by the six of us with our own money.

- Feb 3, 1999: MAB required us to pay lawyer’s fees and other incidentals in order to obtain the sales and purchase agreement. We paid the sum demanded.

- June 25, 1999: Wan Zainun and I managed to pay the sum in full; the other four decided to pay the cost in instalments.

- July 19, 1999: The keys to the flats were given to us after we had settled all the amount demanded.

We vacated the hostel on March 15, 1998 but the keys to the flats were given to us only between June 19 and 25, 1999. Therefore, Thomas’ statement that “they did not leave the hostel until after they had received the keys to their new flats” is incorrect.

Note that although two of us had settled all our payments by June 25, 1999 so that the S&P could be obtained on Feb 3, 1999, we had to wait until Jan 4 this year for the deed of assignment to our flats to be signed.

According to PKNS records, MAB remained the owner of those flats all that time even though the six of us had been required to pay for legal fees and other expenses. Repeated phone calls by us to have this matter rectified were ignored.

Letters from lawyers were ignored. Letters to the president and the association in Malay, English and Braille were ignored. It was only when this matter was brought to the attention of Datuk Michael Chong of the MCA Complaints Bureau on June 28, 2006 that there was some reaction. And even then it required a personal visit from Chong to MAB for this matter to get moving. Meanwhile, the remaining four had settled their loans.

- Sept 30, 2006: Necessary forms submitted to PKNS.

- Aug 1, 2007: Matter stalled again. PKNS required a resolution from MAB about the transfer but this was delayed.

Since we could not get an answer from MAB, one of us phoned PKNS to find out the cause of the delay. She was told that letters requested and addressed to MAB had gone unanswered.

- Dec 20, 2007: This matter was reported in the press. Then the executive director reacted.

- Jan 4, 2008: A lawyer from PKNS visited us in the house in Petaling Jaya and George Thomas in his office in Kuala Lumpur later in the day to have the deeds executed.

The delay of nine years (short of five months) is something of a record. I wonder whether the Malaysia Book of Records will take note. So I don’t blame Bernard Marbeck for not going to MAB for clarification.

While we are on the subject of Wan Zainun, I would like to state here that besides offers of help from sympathetic Malaysians, we have also received threatening calls at night about someone’s “image being damaged” and that police reports would be lodged against Wan Zainun and me.

It appears that we disabled are not allowed to stand up for our own rights.

LEONG TAK KEONG, Petaling Jaya

Source: NST – February 4, 2008

SEVERAL readers have commented about the traffic jams that bring parts of Kuala Lumpur to a standstill almost on a daily basis. I would like to highlight the traffic jams faced by Puchong and Bukit Jalil residents.

Every day, I use the Sunway Damansara-Puchong Highway ( LDP) toll to go to work in Subang Jaya from Puchong.

Going to work is a nightmare as the traffic jam could stretch to more than a kilometre. I would be lucky to get out of the jam in less than half an hour. The normal time is 45 minutes to an hour.

It’s total chaos at the toll as everyone tries to squeeze their way through. There is nobody to direct the traffic. It looks like the toll concessionaire is interested only in collecting the toll.

I have read a lot of complaints about the concessionaire, but it looks like nobody is looking into the grievances.

S.R.Puchong, Selangor

Source: NST – February 4, 2008