This Christmas, give them hope...

Comment posted This Christmas, give them hope… by SlogInM’sia.

Anil, Wishing you and your loved ones Blessed Christmas! Thanks for raising some interesting topics in your credible blog that allow us to enjoy an intelligent debate – that also gives us the privilege to give our viewpoints.
Compliments on your excellent job thus far.
Meanwhile, just wondering if you would be posting a New Year Wishlist for the nation, as then it will help authorities like Datuk I.Jala to pick some pointers for his initiative under National Key Areas.
After all your blog has got a good following everytime you raise some very good subjects.
As Catholics/Christians we should also contribute towards the nation building, shouldn’t we?
God Bless

Recent comments by SlogInM\’sia

• If San Francisco can do it…
  As far as keeping the environment clean, at least PR states should go on a major initiative to deter littering, hold business community (that includes stall owners)to keep the surrounding clean and healthy, and ensure uncivilised dog owners who fail to pick up their pet’s pooh, to face the full brunt of the law.
  If we don’t start now,then when, as we are already in the 21st century.
  It is not only shameful but also saddens those among us who desire a CLEAN and GREEN environment to put up with our lame public who brazenly discard all sorts of waste and litter the environment, because they know they can get away with.
  The present government did not make this its priority, like one poster said it is because they only have contracts in mind-read $$.
  In the interest of the image of the country, and the health of the public, I am suggesting that at least PR-led states begin:-
  Imposing a steep fine on 4-type of litter bugs. Encourage “whisteblowers” like those who know the culprits who day in day out dump their houshold rubbish at a spot espesically in neighbourhoods. (Actually CCTV would work too. Because this happens in exclusive residential areas too. Dog owners who sneakily walk their dogs like 6.30m am when all are asleep and allow their dogs to defecate at its favourite spot which is a front yard of houseowners without even having the courtesy of picking it up with a plastic bag. This is a common site not only in KL/PJ, but all over the country. Hence, the renewal of dog’s licence, should not be automatic and it should be based on complaints from neighbours or from the same area. The local authority should conduct a thorough interview.
  2. Car workshops,tyre shops and hardware shops, should be strictly monitored by frequent enforcement offices and slapped with on the spot fine. They are the worse of the lot, as they will discard their garbage the moment they spot a small plot of grass. This will eventually turn it a dumpsite.
  3. Restaurants and stall owners who throw food remnants and perishable items into the drains and behind their premises. These operators should be penalised heavily and ordered to attend local authority’s health and food preparation course even if they had attended one before. Not only is the food preparation so u hygienically handled, but they tend to pollute the environemnt.
  Finally, encourage public to provide vehicle registration numbers of those who throw cans, cigarette buds, out of their moving vehicles or better still those who even have the audacity to park beside a river, and dispose their bags of rubbish from the booth of their car.
  My if the local councils begin enforcing this, we as always would be doing what we are supposed to do three decades ago.
  Hope the local authorities in PR-led states, would not do the unthinkable like what the previous authorities have done which is – total neglect and merely ordering Alam Flora to do the cleaning and, every time there is a complaint from the public. But without any disciplin or education which are crucial. That explains why we find most areas are dirty and others absolutely filthy. Sigh
• New roads lead to more traffic
  A foreign transport specialist had said Putrajaya is a failed project, because to walk from one block to another one is forced to drive!
  He strongly suggested it should be pedestrian and environment friendly.
  If someone here had a bright idea -that this is one way to make the PUBLIC (current account holder) buy Kancil (Proton), then our welfare was not the government’s priorty and we had been fooled!
  That explains why, traffic congestion which should have been addressed more than a decade ago, is still left unresolved.
  Today, we are doing nothing but talk and talk at length about it, and the traffic congestion is staring at us at all corners. The extension of LRT hasn’t taken place and we are talking about MRT for KL. Thought we dont’ have the money.
  Common knowledge way too much traffic, is bound to cause accidents. And it is the fault of the drivers only to a certain extent, but to a larger extent, who is to be blamed for this menace? Think!
  None of the cabinet ministers/authorities in charge of public transport know what the public are subjected to on a daily basis when commuting to work. They are more concerned with apportioning the public transport business to those within their own network. The convenience of the rakyat is hardly their priorty- that is why we are saddled with traffic congestion. Of course now it seems they are showing some interest, but then its timing raises eyebrow among some of the intelligent rakyat.
  On another note, when doing a research on enviornment at a foreign uni, this subject on Sao Paulo was discussed at length. The, city’s policy makers were forward thinking; given they had introduced environment friendly measures a few years ago.
  Also Anil, I find it a bit absurd, you are so well-versed in most subjects and with your professional background, wonder why you are not chosen as a councillor or State Assemblyman in a township in Penang. This beats me and many others who follow your blog faithfully. I know some have raised this in your blog. What a waste of talent by PR!?
• Bloated PM’s Department?
  Bloated civil service to keep some people employed when they have adopted the “tunggu Boss buat keputusan and tak nak tanggung (bear responsibility)biar orang lain tanggung ” has been a culture the tax payers have accepted as the norm in this sector for too long -last two decades. Their heads are no better!
  In the meantime, the civil service and the government-linked companies sit on the rakyat’s complaints or predicament.
  Therefore, in view of the credit crunch and, if the government is sincere in wanting to boost efficiency, productivity, and image of the government service and GLCs like TNB (tough to get any help from them), KTMB and the Post Offices, it should encourage the deadwood (no age limit)to opt out with some compensation. After all most of them own tanah and kebun and are able to make a living, while the women can keep a close watch on children, who appear neglected going by recent episodes.
  In place of them, recruit better qualified people among the public who are keen to put good work, but the number should be less than those who chose to quit to reduce the workforce in the civil service. It won’t be difficult to find new and right talents if these job openings are advertised in English MSM papers or HR Ministry’s websites.
  Hope the Friday lunch break, will be intelligently looked at, as even after 2.45pm staff are cooly making their way into their respective offices. Obviously, the government is being shortchanged!
  Noticed this even at a Post Office, in a PR-led state two days ago.
• Tengku Idaura is new Botanic Garden chief
  Just to add on the issue of lack of botanists in the country, in the course of work, met a retired botanist and town planner, a few years ago and they revealed that Malaysia virtually has no botanists at all.
  Apparently, it doesn’t have any properly trained town planners from recognised institutions either. You will be to confirm this.
  Interesting why there is a vacuum in these fields; given environment and development are issues that we are confronted with constantly.
  Instead, of giving scholarships to students who are adamant about doing medicine, a discipline that is likely to be less in demand in the not too distant future, hope those in power are thinking along these lines – to train more botanists, town planners and the like.
  Only heaven knows who the town planner was for the area right next to Sri Hartamas, Jalan Dungun in Damansara, and the bungalows on the hills (once a forest reserve) behind Travers Police Station in KL!?
• Kampung Buah Pala: A postscript
  Reading the story, sensed you would receive a good number of hits labelling you as racist.

  Remember, whenever issues centring on Indian poor whose livelihood are threatened and, are highlighted it is always viewed as a racist issue in Malaysia, as correctly pointed by two posters here.
  This is unfortunate! Remember when you posted your articles on how the natives in Sarawak and Sabah, had the land or resources snatched away from them, no one admonished you did they?
  But I applaud you, for highlighting the plight of these natives, and I know you will continue to do so, as a responsible Malaysian and a devout Catholic.
  Funnily, wonder why racism is practised by the poor and not those with ECONOMY and POLITICAL clout?
  It will be nice if RPK, can give his thoughts on your article or by extension KBP. He hasn’t so far has he?
  God Bless You and RPK.

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