Yesterday, Ex-Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir demanded that the Government should divulge the name of those who have been given Approved Permits (APs) to import cars as a means of removing any suspicion of improper conduct. Quote:

“The best way to silence any accusation of unfairness is to publish the names of all who have been given APs, how many permits they have received and what cars they are bringing in.” […]

“In order to know exactly how many cars are being brought in, the best way is for the Customs Department to publish the names of those who have been given APs.” […]

Agree or not, Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz, is instant to refute.

Kah Dah is Back in Action (BIA), don’t pray-pray, she will sue.

Related Links:
- Screenshots | Dr. M wants something done on what he didn’t do in 22 years
- Screenshots | AP: Rafidah disagrees

To setup a university as "a symbol of the party’s strength and struggle", Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi common sense prevails and kindly rejected some fantastic plan by no other than the Higher Education Minister Shafie Salleh. Quote:

"UMNO tidak perlu terikut-ikut dengan keupayaan sesetengah parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) memiliki universiti dan kolej kerana ia bukan soal parti, tetapi peluang untuk belajar." […]

"Dari segi peluang untuk belajar hari ini dalam sistem pendidikan negara kita ia memang banyak untuk bumiputera melanjutkan pelajaran mereka."

"Justeru, UMNO tidak perlu menubuhkan universiti sendiri." […]

Poor Shafie, first get to taste some hot pies from public, now in the midst of experiencing cold water by Pak Lah.

Lesson of the story: It’s your right to speak your mind in order to enrich your own intelligences. However, at the same time, you must make sure that you’re grateful for whatever you gets in return, all because you choose to be in that way.

Thanks Shafie by all means, for helping me to come out with a new realization.

Let me run through the chronology with you.

2001 - MIC: Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology
2003 - MCA: University Tunku Abdul Rahman
2006 - Gerakan: Wawasan Open University
Soon - UMNO: University UMNO?

Last Friday, Higher Education Minister Shafie Salleh, who is also Umno’s education bureau joint deputy chief said that a Umno-run university would be a "symbol of the party’s strength and struggle".

Yes, you hear me right, "symbol of the party’s strength and struggle".

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement yesterday, by saying that:

"There is not a single first-world country where political parties compete to establish universities." […]

"These should be his (Shafie) single-minded priority and concerns as higher education minister instead of trying to restore his popularity in Umno by advocating an Umno university."

"He should decide whether he wants to be ‘father of Umno university’ or to pioneer higher education reform as the minister for higher education to catapult all universities in the country to world-class status." […]

Come on Kit Siang, correct me if I’m wrong, but when the hell Malaysia gets a "first-world country" status? Self-proclaimed? Maybe.

Come on Kit Siang, correct me if I’m wrong, but what the hell is impossible in Malaysia? You do not agree with Malaysia Boleh? Maybe.

Come on Kit Siang, correct me if I’m wrong again, but who the hell ever in this world propose to setup a university with the objective "as a symbol of the party’s strength and struggle"? You don’t like this idea of being briliant and unique by itself? Maybe.

OK, I’m all wrong. I give up.

Yesterday, the Bukit Mertajam Umno division chief Senator Musa Sheikh Fadzir proposed that the Penang Chief Minister’s post be rotated among Barisan Nasional parties, as a way to prove that there is tolerance and understanding among the coalition parties. Also, he claimed that if the rotation system could be implemented in Sabah, this should be practised here too. Quote:

“The post is not limited to only one party and it can be rotated among the other component parties in the Barisan.” […]

On the other hand, Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon is clever enough not to respond to the media, to avoid any further speculation by spin-doctors.

Now, the most interesting part is this, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak echoed the proposal of the rotation system, commenting that the current power-sharing formula practised by Barisan Nasional had been proven successful and made the coalition strong. Quote:

“The Barisan is strong because all the component parties have successfully defended this spirit of power-sharing and cooperation among the races. “
“There’s no need to blow up this matter.” […]

“(The rotation of the Penang chief minister’s post) is not new. It has been raised several times before.” […]

Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman said rotating a state’s top post had its pros and cons and would not be beneficial on a long-term basic. He is so thankful that the rotation system in Sabah had been abolished.

I believe, what Koh DID and DID NOT DO towards the Penang state development, has backfired. The proposal by Musa Sheikh Fadzir and a strong echo by Najib, I see that as a way to test the public respond. We all know that how influential Malaysia mainstream media is.

If tolerance and understanding among coalition parties are the issues raised by the Umno division chief, then he himself already committed the crime at first place, for not discussing it internally among BN parties, before bringing the matters to the public concern. You bite the hand of friendship and you expect a civilian like us to respect it? Like what Mack said, “Please lahh …“

For the time being, it’s good that Koh remains mum and choose not to respond like some infamous minister, previously. Folks, you know what I mean here …

Probably, if I’m Koh, I’ll retire for good, or else I might have my life being shortened a few years, for all those shits. Afterall, you don’t contribute much to Penang development, do you?

In the end of the day, who to blame? What you think?

Yes, you may be right, I can smell shits afar.

My two cents: Api kecil-kecil menjadi kawan, apabila besar menjadi lawan.

Related Links:
- Brand New Malaysia: Rotating Chief Minister of Penang … anyone?

I’m experiencing reflexology while I blog this.

It’s pain but desirable!

I’m neither a Minister or a taxi driver, but I understand their plights of being caught between bureaucrats and rising fuel prices.

Sharmini Darshini interviewed President of the Malaysian Taxi/Limousine and Hired Car Drivers and Operators Association, Yusoff Lahir and he is more than concern of taxi drivers’ welfare.

Over the interview, I can notice that he speaks fondly of the ex-Entrepreneur Development Minister Mustapa Mohamed as someone who are willing to call all parties concerned to sit down and discuss and critisized Entrepeneur and Co-operative Development Minister Khaled Nordin for refusing a meeting with him and abstain from entertaining any questions or feedback from taxi drivers.

Also, no thanks by him to ex-Entrepeneur Development Minister Nazri Aziz too, for the infamous 13,000 taxi permits issued during his years.

When asked what can be done to improve the negative image of taxi drivers, he answered:

[…] The Government has to intervene. We have families and mouths to feed. What we are saying today is only for the sake of our welfare. In any industry there are bad apples. There are just a handful of terrible taxi drivers. […]

I can’t agree more, life is hard for them. There are just a few bad apples out there, spar the rest.

Surprisingly, though I’m not a Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk, but I can understand their plights, the least I think.

Probably someone up there don’t like to make his hand or mouth dirty.

The latest typical sad but true enough’s case.

Yesterday, I visited Miri, an oil town which is about 2 hours drive from Bandar Seri Begawan. David, a contact of my close buddy Joo Hong, met up with us at Boulevard Hypermarket, one of the biggest shopping complex in Miri town.

After lunch in the food court, we proceeded to Miri City Fan, a unique fan-shaped urban civic park. Miri City Fan is designed to create civic consciousness by the embodiment of several symbolic parks. Workers were seen busy setting up the stage, in the midst of preparation to usher the celebration of Miri being accorded with Resort City status on May 20 as Miri City Parade 2005 will be held here. Quite a numbers of stalls were setup beside the car park, which are managed by Ibans, selling handmade products at quite a reasonable price. To my surprise, pepper sweet was sold there too. To mention about the garden, it’s well-managed and clean too. Chinese stone crafting images are distributed over the compound. I spotted 2 seahorses, only to be told by David that it’s a Miri’s mascot. Now I know, shame on me …

Pustaka Miri, the regional digital library of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, is located right beside the Miri Fan City. Pustaka Miri caters for information and research need of the Miri’s population as well as neighbouring districts and towns around the northern region of Sarawak. This library is being set up in line with Pustaka Negeri Sarawak’s target of ensuring all individuals within the state be given equal opportunity to access information and acquire knowledge. A lot of students were doing revisions there while some were surfing. Group discussion can be held in rooms provided too. This place reminded me of my secondary school life, exactly as how I did revision at public library too. All-right all-right, it’s past now.

Next, The Grand Old Lady, Malaysia’s first inland oil drilling platform and one of Sarawak’s most important historical monuments. This landmark is about 30-m high, being surrounded by a museum-cum-information centre, which is a joint venture between Sarawak, Shell Malaysia and Petronas. Located on top of Canada Hill overlooking Miri, it attracts locals to enjoy the scenery or jog on the well-designed path. Even though Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud will open this petroleum museum on May 20, renovation was seen going on with almost nothing significant to be seen internally, I doubt it can go live on time?

After spending 30 minutes taking photos, we proceeded to Miri Public Park, which is halfway to Miri Airport. The hanging bridge definitely thrilled me as I have height phobia. Anyway, I’m glad that I managed to overcome that. A group of teenagers were doing BBQ gathering below the bridge, where there’s a park. Facilities provided are ample. The surrouding area is clean, well taken care by the authority and of course I believe, with the cooperation of civic minded Miri residents too. It seems that I have special affection with this place, unsure though.

Miri Airport, which is about 5-10 mins drive from Miri Public Park, has a similar design of rooftop covers the main entrance of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Now I know why some brand the airport as “Mini KLIA”. It’s a busy airport, more lively than Brunei International Airport, to be fair. I bought The Star at a bookstore there and it costed me RM2.50. The price is being marked up from the original published rate RM1.80. Hmm, fuel surcharge invoked on newspaper too? No idea though, but I’ll seek clarification from The Star.

As night was approaching, David brought us to Luakbay Esplanade. Residential houses along the beach are like a ongoing mansions showcase. The timing was so right when we reached the esplanade. A fantastic sunset, I would say. I even recorded the last 5 mins in action. Wonderful! Superb!

Before we called it a day, we had seafood dinner at YI-HAH-HAI Seafood. We ordered 3 dishes, tasted normal but expensive. RM75 plus impolite waitress, I won’t recommend anyone there. If anyone in the know of this restaurant, please convey this message to the owner.

The not-so-nice about this trip is that, RM20 to cross over the Batang Baram Bridge (Miri) and BRN$6 for Rasau Bridge (Brunei). Immigration procedures at border are hectic too, not to mention the “close-window policy” by officers.

Thanks to David for being our one-day tour guide, I really appreciate that. If there is any next trip to Miri, I’ll visit Niah Cave and Mulu National Park. Before that, let me make a trip to Labuan first. ;-)

Happy Miri City Day 2005!

Deputy Information Minister Donald Lim urged public to assist by recommending part-time newsreaders in Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew and Cantonese for the RTM’s Chinese radio station Ai FM, in order to cater for the need to revert back to the 40 minutes dialect news broadcast, as promised by him on April 26.

Last March, the ministry trimmed its 40 minutes news slot to 20 minutes, due to unable to find suitable newsreaders.

“I have met the leaders of the associations and they have promised to introduce suitable candidates.” […]

“The task now was to find four part-time newsreaders for each dialect”

I’m neither a vivid fan nor a ad-hoc follower of the broadcast, but I realize the fact that, quite a huge sum of old folks out there who can only understand their own dialect, keep track of it everyday.

If senior citizen also being deprived of their basic right or probably self-branded entertainment, its really a pity to them.

Now, Donald Lim is offering, any recommendations, just for the sake of ah-gong ah-ma?

Are you “addicted” too?

For Malaysia to be a developed nation, it must rid itself of three “addictions“, said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the Harvard Club of Malaysia dinner at Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel, yesterday.

The three “addictions” are cheap foreign labour, subsidies and rent-seeking.

However, there is a statement by Pak Lah that really attracts me. Quote:

“I do not want to give you excuses for the lack of progress in certain areas. I acknowledge that issue and my Government will continue to work hard to deliver results.”

As the CEO of Malaysia Inc., this is just another statement which I take “literally”, but not the meaning behind it. He has had enough of those so-called “fancy promises” which is yet to be seen in real.

I believe that a year plus is more than enough to at least come out with something. But for this “very little” thing to escape with nothing, I’ve nothing else to say.

Now, his “work with me and not for me” is lingering in my mind, though it’s first introduced one-and-half years ago.

My question is, we are working with you, but are you really working with us?

Talk is cheap, always cheap, very cheap.

From Brunei to KL to Penang, I must say that I experience a tremendous “traffic shock”.

Whenever anyone critisize Penangites as kiasu people, driving recklessly and own suckier driving skill compare to those who drive in KL, I always defend that, coming out with tonnes of theory.

But now, I understand why we’re being labelled in such a way. This time, I can’t agree more. A real eye opening experience, to say the least.

Here’s a list of too good to be true skills:-

• Stopping the car by the pass-through below Komtar(penangkias, you know where I mean), stuck the whole lane, as if he owns the lane.
• Crossing zebra lane when it’s red for him and worse, without even looking at the traffic, AT ALL! I was kind enough to give him a shout and pointed him to the red light without charging him any tuition fees.
• Cutting into others lane, without any signal shown.
• Reversing the vehicle, without looking back. My horn is loud enough, but probably his built-in hi-fi is even louder.
• Driving down the hill of Bukit Bendera like a tortoise’s grandpa, with tens of vehicles trailing behind, just to find parking space.
• Driving a brand new S-class Jaguar through Keng Kwee Street - a lane off Penang Road (the place where sells the famous Cendol), the space is wide enough for that drive to pass through but took her more than 5 mins to pass through the road. Even Ah Pek also cannot tahan, shout at her eh kia lah, ah neh dua (boleh jalan lah, road so big). Probably she sneaked out on hubby car without permission.
• A lot of motorcycles are on the road without back-light on during night time. Either to run away from police eyes, a new style of driving purposely with back-light off or poor enough to repair a broken one, only they know.

This is what I can think of for the time being. If I can think of any tomorrow, I’ll update accordingly, then we can tell whether Penangites are really that kiasu in driving or else .

Probably after Penangites change the bad driving habit/attitude, then only Samy might consider a new bridge.

Who knows?