Laptop Woes

There were actually people who send me their 'condolences' upon reading my blog entry, It Pays To Be Smart, in which I talk about how I fixed my 7-year-old company laptop & therefore ruining my chance to get a new laptop. A few days later, I told my manager that the laptop is still useable, and that it's still entirely up to him if he wants to give me a new laptop. I was surprised to hear him say that the original arrangement will stay and I'll be getting a brand new DELL laptop.

The specifications were meant for a programmer, so I assume it'll be quite a powerful machine. I got really excited. I can't upload my videos to Youtube or Google Videos (and now, blip.tv too) with this 7-year-old company laptop. I believe it's associated with the Trojan Horse virus that my company's anti virus software is unable to completely remove. And since the OS will be Windows XP, I'll be able to actually do video-editting with Windows Movie Maker. Not as awesome as using Nokia N series for instant video blogging, but that will do for the next 3 months or so. I was so happy, I was even willing to endure the occasionaly pink screens I get...




Last week the new laptops finally arrived. The new colleague got a hand-me-down from the manager while the manager gets the new one. I remained calm & did not show any excitement, even though I knew that one of my colleagues was configuring my new laptop at the other side of the office. But I couldn't hold my enthusiasm for long, and once I saw my colleague during lunch hour I asked him where's my new laptop. Then he gave me bad news:

"You won't get the new laptop, cause boss wants it."

I don't know how you would feel, but I was really ticked off. My manager promised me a brand new laptop, had he say otherwise earlier I would still be able to accept it. I also found out that the boss has previously lost his laptop only last year and got a new one. And now he dares to rob me of what's promised to me? I know he's the country general manager and all, but the payment for the laptop came out from the project budget, in which he does nothing!!

The new laptop is right now under my colleague's desk. It's been there for a week now. I can't have it, because my boss wants it. But I'm not getting my bosses' laptop either, cause he has not been in office long enough for the exchange to happen. I really need those super powers now, God...

GIVE ME MY NEW LAPTOP!! ARGHH!!

Shocking!!

This is wrong for so many reasons.

"Bloggers are liars. They use all sort of ways to cheat others. From what I know, out of 10,000 unemployed bloggers, 8,000 are women..."

“Bloggers like to spread rumours, they don’t like national unity. Today our country has achievements because we are tolerant and compromising. Otherwise we will have civil war. Malays will kill Chinese, Chinese will kill Malays, Indians will kill everybody else.”

I suppose after all that "oh Malaysians are warm & friendly", "Check out our tourist spots we prepared for you", & "Look at our Eye!!", there's nothing left for Our Minister of Tourism to say... So he decides to officially (and publically) piss off bloggers & our Indians brothers... My friend pointed out an irony - his statement alone would do the damage he accused bloggers of causing. Probably it's been too quiet in that office of his...

And now I'm going to guess the content of his next public statement... You saw it first on MalaysianLah, friends... Here goes:

"I WAS MISQUOTED. "

(use your mouse to higlighted the space above)

I'm talking about it now.

I have a question. Why the increase in toll prices? It seems like no one really knows.

Let me try to understand the situation now. The government hires a company to make the highway. So in the agreement, the company gets the government to promise that a certain amount of cars will use that highway, thus covering cost for the company. And less the required number be met, the government would have to pay a penalty for breach of service level agreement? Am I right so far? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

So now, the increase in toll prices is the government transferring that penalty to the drivers?? Those that mean that the service levels have not been met? That the numbers have not been met? That there aren't enough cars using LDP and the others?

Hmm, wouldn't increasing the prices cause the number of the highway users to be LESS, and thus NEVER meeting the service level agreement?

More & more Malaysians own cars. And with places like Kepong & Bandar Utama developing into commercial paradises, there still aren't enough cars passing through LDP? That is very surprising...

Hmm, correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't most government money the tax payers' money? So since a part of those money is already being used to pay the penalties, what will the extra money from the toll hike pay for?

So many questions... Can someone provide me some light on this matter?

Too Busy To Put Up Warning Signboards

Car plunges into sinkhole along highway

 

 

(source)

 

2 elderly women in their 60s are injured because they were TOO BUSY to put up the warning signboard. You know what they were busy doing??

 

That's right, they were calling for a press conference to announce the exciting news that the toll prices will increase next year. Then they have to throw a celebration, and then set up a committee to come up with excuses as to why the toll prices will increase.

Missing The Point

So now they are questioning the wisdom of broadcasting the UMNO general assembly. They are saying that because of the live feed, people have a misconception of UMNO... I question that reasoning.

I question that reasoning, because I have not watched a minute of the live coverage. I merely read the newspapers' reports, and those alone were enough for me to consider moving away from this country in fear. I fear for my life & my loved one. I fear for the country's development & future. All that emotion & considerations were stirred by merely reading. It wasn't at all about how loud they said it, or how they veins were popping out when they gripped their fists, or the sight of people kissing the keris... It was what they said - the intent & content of those speeches.

So what happens if the same things are said & there's no live coverage?? Don't let reporters write about it?

The Star Online's columnist Wong Chun Wai shares my views. But he concluded that "after all, they get their votes in the general election from not just one but all ethnic groups". It shouldn't be about elections. Not at all. I believe that that mindset is the very thing that causes politicans to play the racial card. It should be about making Malaysia a safer place, creating a better future of our children... where they can live peacefully together with each other, without the ancient wounds that we carry.

An Apology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK1Vbn5ffS8

The Reporter & The "Sorry" Politician

Extract of transcript of council president Datuk Abu Bakar Hassan’s press conference (source) + comments by me (J).

Q: Dr Teng (state Local Government committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan) has said that you denied making the remark.
A: There is a misunderstanding. I have said in the press release that I apologise if my remark had hurt anyone’s feelings, including Melissa (New Straits Times reporter Melissa Darlyne Chow). I openly apologise.
J: wow, this guy apologise. Amazing. But what's that misunderstanding? Where got misunderstanding? You said something stupid, everyone is clear on that.

Q: Can you explain why the misunderstanding occurred? We had asked you whether you thought the reporter was sexily ...?
A: Reply: No ... no ... no. I have explained (in the press release) that it is a misunderstanding ... that is all.

Q: Do you think all the reporters (at the function) quoted you wrongly? We confirmed the remark with you twice.
J: This reporter is good!! Respect!!
A: I was talking about the dress code. I said (newsmen) must not wear sexy dresses (to cover council meetings) ... please do not relate this remark to the CCTV incident. I did not say because she was sexy, the incident occurred. I did not mean that.

Q: That day you said “being sexy is the issue ... and then you said if she had worn a normal dress, this would not have happened. We all heard it.
J: and that was what i read....
A: My statement was misunderstood. I was only talking about the attire in general. Do not relate it to this case because it is unfair.


Do you think that's a sincere apology? He didn't apologize for making that statement. He apologized for the being misunderstood. Can reporters take that sitting down? He's apologizing for using words that are too deep that reporters cannot understand & misintepreted the statement. Hmm, is he saying that reporters are dumb?

A Right To Express

Check this out:

'He told reporters later that the statement by a Penang delegate (that the Penang Malays are being neglected) was important for the Penang government led by Gerakan deputy president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to take stock of the situation and address the problems faced by the Malays in the state.

“The actual message is that the Malays are feeling dissatisfied in Penang and they have the right to express their feelings,” he said. '

Read here for more.

I wonder if that same right is available to all Malaysians.

The Racial Card Crap.

"We must remember that creating a Malaysian natoin will not be possible on narrow thinking and chauvinism. Don't gamble the future by championing race politics" - Umno Youth chief.

Read here for the full report .

I don't understand the thing about "Don't play the racial card"... The fact that our Barisan National constitutes 3 political groups, each representing the 3 largest races in Malaysia, shows that it is impossible to not play the racial card. In his speech, he passionately declared that Umno will continue to fight for the Malays. He also warned others by saying "Do not make fun, question and challenge the position of the Malays and Islam in the country. Any movement in the name of freedom of religion, freedom of speech or freedom of the media will not be allowed to challenge our rights". Now with these 2 statements, isn't he protecting the Malays? Isn't he championing the cause of his people? I sn't he clearly, therefore, playing the racial card?

"We will not compromise our country's future," he told the Youth assembly yesterday (link). Amen to that, I say. And I sincerely believe that's the desire of every person living in Malaysia - politician or not, Malay or non-Malay. Unfortunately, different people have different opinions of how the future should be, and how to get there. Like Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute that claimed that Malay corporate equity could have already reached 45% and the NEP was no longer needed, and how the Umno Youth deputy chief slammed that report and said that "If we want to use the Asli figures, let's set a new target. Let's make it 70% for the Malay equity." (read here and here for more.)

I too agree that politicians should stop playing the racial card. So, shall we disband MCA, MIC, and UMNO, and create a truly MALAYSIA political group that would champion a cause for ALL MALAYSIANS?? Rightfully, this should be the way to go. But the truth is, no one can see that happening. Not in the near future, anyway. Can a Chinese feel secure without MCA? Can an Idian feel safe without MIC? Can a Malay be protected without the existence of UMNO? Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that "beneath the surface, it's still very fragile", and I couldn't agree more. & that is exactly why there's UMNO, MCA, and MIC; that's why these organisations will continue to fight for their people; that's why he will continue to not compromise the rights and privileges of the Malays, and that's why the racial card will continue to be played.

Rightfully, we all need to be united as ONE NATION. But how far are we from that ideal? Ancient wounds need to be healed. And they won't be healed if all we do is shut up and not discuss about it. How long more shall we remain silent and let anger, pass hurt, unforgiveness & hatred hinder us from achieving TRUE UNITY, TRUE HARMONY, AND TRUE MALAYSIA?

Blunt Truth

Last night I was listening to the tv2 news while playing Winning Eleven... yes, again... Only this time, it wasn't funny.

 

The newscaster reported a conversation in the parliament. One dude was expressing his concerns for providing equal opportunities for all races to handle government projects, or the lack of that equality. Immediately I paused my game & turned my head towards the tv. On screen was another dude, I think lah, and obviously the footage was from the 'parliament tv'. Tv2 didn't let us hear the exact words he said, but he looked extremely calm to me.

 

He said something along the lines of "yes, the malays are getting all the projects, but this will still benefit all races". He continued to say that in fact, other races are benefitting more because most of the suppliers are Chinese & Indians. 

 

I don't know what you heard, but I sense a great vibe of RACISM here. But I would like to hear your thoughts first before writing more.

 

 

We Want Answers

I was reading Jeff Ooi's blog, and in it I found the statement released by Dr. Mahatir on 28 Oct 2006.

"The questions and issues I raised have not been answered. What is being questioned is my right to comment and criticise."

It's tragedy, really. Even the former Prime Minister can't comment and criticise the government. What about us then? Surely we must have the right to fight for what is right. Surely voting isn't the only way Malaysian citizens and commoners can contribute to our beloved country.

There are actually genuine cries out of sincere hearts, with the desire to make our country a better place for everyone. But all they get is "Don't criticize", "Take back that comment", "Don't kacau me and let me work", "You go to jail, bad boy".... What happened to the art of answering a question with an answer?

Joash Chan

Malaysian Citizen & Commoner.

Can The Right Prevail?

http://www.jeffooi.com/
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/

Will the fight for a voice ever end? Could we ever prevail? It's pretty obvious that the leadership of our country doesn't want to hear anything negative spoken about them. Bloggers were warned with no clear line drawed for us. I've seen Parliament meetings where politicians refusing to respond to debate and don't allow fellow politicians to 'question their integrity'. Then there are requests for respectable people to retrack their statements. And of course, there's still ISA.

What's with all these? There are people who are suffering from government orders & rules & quotas & whatnots - should these voices be silenced just because it might piss people off? To make sure the right prevails, the stepping on toes is inevitable. I believe if the government is genuinely concerned that some 'inappropriate' statement would cause riots or any bad stuff to happen, then they should look into dealing with the root problems. I know it won't be easy, but shutting people up ain't going to solve anything. And there's no need to mention that it's impossible to shut everyone up.

And what's the deal with getting people to retrack their comments or statements anyway? Things that have been said have been said. It's not like the minds of Malaysians will stop pondering about issues highlighted. So let the actions & results prove them wrong. Malaysians aren't so dumb that we can't think for ourselves.

Let the doubters speak, and let our actions speak for themselves.

Public Transport - Trains (6)

This past Monday I was happily walking towards Bank Negara KTM Station. I timed it just right so that I can get on the train once I arrive at the platform. Then this killed my joy...

For some reason, the counter dude decided to give himself a break & close the counter. Now the "TUTUP" sign is obviously self-made, so I reckon that KTM doesn't close its counters until after the final route is completed. So I had to queue up along with the rest of us who doesn't own a TOUCH 'n Go Card to buy our ticket from the ticket machine. If you're a frequent KTM user, you'll know that the ticket machines are super unfriendly towards coins (that's another problem altogether). And as you can guess, the train left without me, and I had to wait for another 30 minutes for the next train (that's ANOTHER problem too!!). Funny how the Sentul route trains carry so much less people (you can see drops of water forming on the windows) but appears faithfully & always on time(problem #3!!).

Now, perhaps that KTM staff who placed the "TUTUP" sign during rush hour, when he was needed most, had an emergency to attend to. I mean, come on, let's give him the benefit of the doubt. And I'm all out for food, man. If you're hungry, go & have a meal.

This sign occasionally appears at Segambut KTM slightly after 9am. But thankfully the crowd then is way smaller and it wouldn't cause too much of a problem.

What KTM needs to do is place 2 personnels, at least, at each counter. I remember once the electricity was down at Segambut train station, and that affected even the TOUCH 'n GO cardholders. Of course the ticket machine can't be used too, so everyone had to rely on the KTM personnels. And guess what? There were 2 personnels there!! 1 was handling the tickets, while another was using a machine to help those using TOUCH 'n Go.

So my question is - why the inconsistency? Kadang-kadang ada satu, kadang-kadang ada dua.

Proton Advertisement

I was really mad when I saw this Proton Advertisement on the Star newspaper yesterday.

Isn't Proton a government company? And isn't the government also responsible for the public transportation infrastructure of our country? So now because they do a lousy job with the public transport system we have to get a car from them?? And mind you, it's NOT going to be RM288 per month. Remember that you're also paying the government money for petrol & road tax.

So now we are encouraged to buy car, resulting in more cars on the road. Then you'll have traffic jam, then you'll have to make the road bigger, wider. Then have to build more roads. Building roads need money, so have to put tolls and sell more cars. And the circle goes on.

Listen to me. Sell Proton. LISTEN!! Take all the resources from there & make them taskforce to improve the public transport system. Reduces pollution, reduces road accidents (death toll). We also won't have to worry about competing with import cars (besides, those cars are much better anyway. More safety features, more environment-friendly). Then we can export more petroleum to generate more money. Without traffic jams & travelling heartaches, Malaysians will be under less stress. Workers will be more energized & motivated upon arriving the office. Bloggers won't use office hours to complain about how the bus came late. Greater effectiveness, more creativity, increased productivity.

"but our workers only know how to build proton cars...."

"then make the trains like LOOOOOOOONG proton cars loh... Use your brain, use your brain."

Money Politics

Here our PM ordered an investigation into allegations made by Dr.M about the money politics that led to his defeat, and then  here our Deputy PM said that they won't investigate without a formal complaint. So how wo?

Safe Neighbourhoods

Page 6 of the New Strait Times has an article entitled Neighbourhoods under siege, telling how the residents of USJ17 combatting crime by fencing up their area, closed up all access roads except one and hired guards. I salute their efforts, and the fact that they are willing to actually spend RM10,000 is prove that they are doing all they can do fight crime.

 

I thought that that article would actually inspire other neighbourhoods to do likewise, but Page 7 has an article entitled Paying the price for condo living. This article tells us how residents of a particular condominium pay RM3,000 yearly for maintenance fees, which is to include security, and still end up being robbed.

 

So there you go. People doing everything they can, and still suffer from social ills. Can somebody who can & is suppose to do something please do something?

Safe Universities Please?

I am gutted as I read and hear of crimes happening in universities. In a place where we expect doctors, engineers, scientists and what-nots to emerge, we hear of peeping-toms, rape, sodomy, sexual harassments, gang fights, bully, thefts... Then there are neighbouring universaties whose students intentionally hurt one another in the name of justice & idealogy.

My friend returned to KL for a one week holiday. It was only 6 weeks since she left for university and already she has told of several crimes happening in her university & hostel. She said that her friends had their clothes stolen. She also witnessed a snatch-theft at the main bus stop.

All she can do is take preventive measures & live her life cautiously. All I can do is pray & write. Can someone who can & is suppose to do something do something to make universities safe again?