Pub: Baptism of Water

"Happy But No Drugs"

NST pg 27, May 7, 2008:

Muslim PUB Proposal for Kuantan

The word "pub" may assume a new meaning ...

Datuk Azizan Ahmad, the president of Kuantan Municipal Council proposed that a Muslim Pub be opened where patrons could enjoy soft drinks and fruit juices.

"I think we should have a Muslim pub as it will allow those who want clean entertainment to unwind at such an outlet," he said.

Azizan said it was not a new idea as such pub exist in United Kingdom (at Oldham Greater Manchester) where non-alcoholic drinks are served and traditional Islamic musics are played.

Azizan said the council wanted to encourage entertainment outlet operators to improve their image as the industry has always been associated with vice and other negative elements.

Source: Muslim 'pub' proposal for Kuantan


First and foremost, I am puzzled and to hear that pub is associated with vice and negative elements. There are so many pubs around Petronas Twin Tower and KLCC and Bangsar; and if you spent some time to observe, you hardly notice of vice other than liquor being served and politicians and businessmen preying for resources.

If places such as massage parlor and karaoke, I may agree but certainly, most pubs aren't vice dens.

But why called it pub? Is this word so significant to draw tourists or enhance businesses so as to persuade the Muslims to go out and spend money in the pubs? Why not call the outlets: Fruit-juice Pubs, Non-Alcoholic Pubs, Halal Pub; or simply fruit juice club, Halal drinklets, Muslim Health drinks place, etc. There's nothing wrong in using the word pub but since Azizan said pub is always associated with vice, then why viced the Muslims though by words and not deeds.

Would it influenced the futuristic pattern and dictates of entertainments. Would we be having a new meaning for casinos, where Municipals would also encourage the setting up of Muslim Casinos in which, only the games of Monopoly is played and include other games such as Batu Sembilan and Gasing where the losers will pay for the fruit-juiced drinks?

This is leading to a new insidious trend of "prostituting" words and dramatizing them.

Jawi & Bahasa different names for same road

City Hall has decided to remove road signs in the Jawi alphabet from areas with largely Chinese populations. The Jawi road signs will be used only in mainly Malay neighbourhoods.

KL mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said the cabinet implemented the Jawi road signs after the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry mooted the idea last year. Road signs in Jawi were also placed in Jinjang, Kepong and Seputeh which have a 70 to 90 per cent Chinese population.

Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Dr Tan who reads and writes Jawi, wrote several letters in Jawi to the mayor, requesting him to remove the contentious road signs and replaced them with the 'Muhibbah" signboards. He said the signboards do not serve any purpose, as road signs should be understood by all. However, Dr Tan welcomes the idea of having signboards in Jawi in Malay dominated areas in the city.

City Hall has rejected a request from the MPs for 'Muhibbah' signboards (in Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil) to be put up in Kuala Lumpur. Hakim warned that the 'muhibbah' signboards were illegal because there was no cabinet approval for such signboards.

Hakim said he would instruct City Hall officials to remove the 'muhibbah' signboards put up by the DAP in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Kepong, Jalan Cheras and Jalan Taman Seputeh. Hakim said road signs in Jawi will be put up in Kampung Baru, Keramat, Setiawangsa and Wangsa Maju.

Dr Tan pointed out the road signboards in Kelantan and Terengganu were written in both Jawi and Malay but had different names for the same road.

"I can read Jawi well. And it is obvious that both the names of the same road do not rhyme. The people do not raise the matter because most of them do not know how to read Jawi," Dr Tan added.

Source: City Hall signing off

City Hall had forgotten that by-laws are created for the peoples' benefit. And if it is not going to benefit the people, it is for the major to bring up this problem to the ministers so that the cabinet can issue a new directive.

Didn't the government chose and appoint intellectuals to such a high position? Or did they appoint morons?

Riding on Criminal Opportunities

Crimes have increase aggressively an substantially over the last few years.

More murders, more rapes, more kidnappings.

Krishnasamy shot dead; Nurin raped and murdered, Sharlinie kidnapped and unknown destiny.

These are the latest. Much earlier, Ooi Ying Ying (4-yr-old), Ho Ping (7-yr-old) and Loh Ching Poon (8-yr-old) were murdered.

Remisier Koo May Ling and her 3-yr-old son were murdered at their condominium at Jalan Klang Lama on Nov 2007; Ang Chin Peng and Wong Tan Yong were double-murdered at Kepong on Sept 2007; Padang Serai MCA Youth Vice-chairman Ching Eng Wah was gunned down in August 2007; UTAR student Tang Lai Meng was murdered in her rented house at Cheras in August 2007; local Tamil actress K. Sujatha death is unconfirmed; Hairstylist Ooi Choo Lee was murdered at her salon; and many, many, many more such as May Goh Lee Fang, Patricia Wong, Chong Fee Cheng, Julia Law Lee Mei, MCA Youth Leader Mah Ann Ann (who was also gunned down), couple Pok Chua Wen and Chong Pui Wan, etc, etc, etc.

The government had a solution - install more CCTVs at playgrounds and crime-prone areas.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman wants more close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the city for detecting and preventing crimes.

And he wants the Johor Baru City Council to install the CCTVs after the police have identified the strategic locations.

“These cameras cannot only prevent crimes but also help detect criminals,” he told reporters while visiting the late Tenggaroh assemblyman Datuk S. Krishnasamy’s house in Bandar Putra here yesterday.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said the state government would ask the police to identify the crime-prone areas and strategic locations for the cameras.

He also said that 200 CCTVs have been installed in public areas and 400 cameras would be installed this year, followed by 500 next year.

“There will be two locations for the CCTV monitoring system – police station and local authorities.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry will install rented closed-circuit TVs (CCTVs) in crime-prone areas under the jurisdiction of 25 municipal and city councils.

Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the areas included a few tourism spots in Johor, Penang and the Klang Valley.

The ministry secured a special allocation of RM75mil from the Finance Ministry on Jan 2 to install such devices in an initial effort to fight crime.

The ministry decided to use the funds to rent CCTVs and engage the services of the providers to maintain the facilities as it was cheaper than purchasing them, Ong told reporters after launching the Malaysian Annual Real Estate Convention 2008 here yesterday.

Are CCTVs the right solution?

Was it because there weren't enough CCTV that was the reasons for the crime escalation?

Well, someone had got a big contract to supply and install CCTVs.

Ong Ka Ting's ministry had got a special allocation for $75mil contract.

Abdul Ghani Othman will be giving out more than $100mil contract to supply and install CCTVs.

Khir Toyo and City Hall will also be awarding a few hundred millions of contract to supply and install CCTVs.

A few contractors will be rich. Election is coming... election contributions and sponsorships are needed. Upfront, upfront, anyone willing to pay?

RTD Tornados & Broom Award

JPJ said: No more logo privilege!

What does it mean?

It must mean their officers have always provided those privileges to lorries and trucks who are given special protection and immunities.

The logos include symbols and words such as: "Transnet", "Bob", "Dotuk", "TNS" and "SYT" which apparently enable "tontos" and "RTD Tornados" to identify lorries under their "protection".

The tontos and tornados would monitor the roads would then warn the lorry drivers by walkie-talkies on "unprivileged" roadblocks and "enemy" checks.

Pak Lah: Broom not dignified.

Pak Lah do not agree with Khir Toyo on Brooms. He said brooms are not dignified and he prefers the use of more effective methods to enhance the performance of these agencies.

Abdullah said state governments should consider a “dignified” formula to discipline under-performing government agencies rather than use demeaning methods as the broom had slighted the feelings of the officers.

The officers felt humiliated and PM said the award should be scrapped. Abdullah said awards which are considered unnecessary or not well accepted by the majority should be avoided.

It is suggested that those underperformers should be given gold or diamond broom which is less demeaning. This way, the officers will not be humiliated and instead they would be far motivated.

Fear Factors & Costly Blunders

Abdullah to Malays: "Stop being Afraid".

I'm not sure whether the Malays are afraid of what. But as a Chinese, I'm surely afraid; afraid of UMNO, afraid of ISA, afraid of ACA, afraid of police, afraid of organized crime syndicates, afraid of Keris, and afraid of the weak government we have.

In a year, out of the 365 days, we had to constantly live in fear.

The fear that taxes had to be increased to fill-up the leaking treasury and bulimic ministers.

PKFZ is $4.6b leakages; Sukhoi is another $3b; and now with the 4-zonal corridors which is expected to cost more than $400b, I am afraid the country would be robbed or castrated.

Selangor had spent $3 million on a failed Millennium park which is under demolition.

Crooked bridge project termination had caused us $292 million compensation claim. Broga incinerator project which is also terminated is facing a claim of some $500 million.


Rakan Muda complexes costing more than $1 billion have turned out to be a white elephant.

There are so many failed projects, and we also have so many extremely lucrative projects being privatized.

On top of these, we have avalanche of leakages at the government departments, ministries and local councils as can be observed in the Auditor-general's report for each successive year, over the last decades. Corruption in all the uniform forces, civil services and local councils are so eminent and now Rela is also partaking in the spoils. Even school administrators are having a good time.

So, where do the government gets the money from?

Tax payers and Petronas!

Income tax collections exceeds $60 billion annually, and Petronas contributions are between $30-$40 billion annually. Other taxes and duties, and foreign borrowings adds on to the economic hemorrhages.

This problems alone wouldn't make me fear. After all, my contribution on taxes is negligible overall. But the fear stems from the fact that, in order to answer to any queries or to sidetrack the people, the government and UMNO had to create issues from moth hill.

So, there is a need to for racial divide. Religion is also used widely to cause fear to a particular community. NEP and other rhetorics are used to justify excesses of the coterie.

In the next few days, the keris is a necessary tool to indoctrinate and orientate. It's not about fear, it's about duress and coercion. It's about the hungry ghosts convention...

This is what Michael Backman had to say:

[excerpts]

"Ramadan has just ended and once again Malaysia has been treated to the spectacle of government ministers and other officials fasting and playing the pious Muslim on the one hand and stealing from their fellow Malaysians on the other."

"One might ask what on earth the Finance Minister has been doing in the face of all this waste and theft. Or,indeed, even who is the Finance Minister? Extraordinarily, it is Abdullah. In a break with tradition, he occupies that post as well as being Prime Minister. The firings should start with him."

"After all, it's not as if Malaysia has a shortfall of ministers. On the contrary, Malaysia has no fewer than 72 ministers and deputy ministers at the federal level (excluding parliamentary secretaries; it will be more than 92 if included). By way of comparison, Australia has 32 ministers and assistant ministers. Is the quality of public administration in Malaysia more than twice as good as in Australia? Let the facts speak for themselves."

"Malaysia is truly at a cross-roads. It has many good people with great potential but it is slipping beneath the waves of mediocrity, weighed down by officials intent on an orgy of plunder while the ship's captain stands idly by."

Note: Does it take an Australian to remind us of our state of despair?

Nasi Kandar Taxed

Deputy director of the Customs’ Internal Tax Division Shaharuddin Ibrahim said there were 80 nasi kandar restaurants on the island which were required to impose a service tax of five per cent as they had reached the RM500,000 level in annual sales.

Restaurant owners are complaining that business had suffered as customers did not want to pay more for their food. Shaharuddin said some operators might not have understood the tax requirement and his officers would explain it to them.

Shaharuddin Ibrahim said Customs’ revenue from the collection of service tax nationwide between January to last month amounted to RM2.4 billion. The department’s target for the year is to collect RM3 billion.

The government need the taxes to pay for their expenditure and to visit some public toilets in Mauritius and Egypt. They also need to visit China and India to source for maids to replace the shrinking Indonesian maid services triggered by the Rasa Sayang disputes. These maids are needed in Chinese and Indian families as most of the husband and wives have to work to pay for the high cost of living expenses and burgeoning inflationary cost of living.

Our government and local authorities are hard pressed to sought more funds from taxes to cushion the burgeoning expenditure. In fact, the customs have targeted to increase the collections to RM3 billion, according to Shaharuddin. The officers are motivated to go find ways to get extra collections to boost the government coffers. They might even consider the "Dog Award" initiative applied by Selayang Municipal Council to motivate the officers to find ways to increase state revenues.

The people must understand that the government relied on tax collections to fund their expenditures. We have losses in PKFZ and many other "Mega projects" and these losses and excesses must be funded by way of taxes.

We also have to subsidize petrol in billions and with the burgeoning and expansionary expenditure, the government will have to review the subsidy. So the price of fuel must be adjusted to reduce the subsidies and enhance the ability of the government to pay all the UMNO-initiated projects and losses.

We Malaysians must bear with all these because we agreed. We had agreed to elect a kleptocratic government and we must accept that kelptocracy is part of the system implementation. After all, we benefited from that system. If you didn't, I felt sorry for you because you did not join the gravy train, for you chose not to. If you decide to change your mind and join the system, please go to UMNO, MCA and MIC office to collect your membership forms. All are welcome, including Indonesian illegal workers, Filipinas, and Bangladeshis (Oh, I forget to add the Burmese). You will be required to vote at specific locations that will be designated to you. You will be extended a warm welcome to the Land of Plenty, the Boleh Land!

Soyuz Up, Beyonce & Taxi Socks

Soyuz rocket Up there

Reported by USA Today

The Soyuz-FG rocket lifted off on schedule. It was topped by a spacecraft that is to deliver U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson, veteran Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a Malaysian physician, to the space station Friday.

What Naut or Not? They called him physician only?

Sheikh Muszaphar, a 35-year-old orthopedic surgeon, is to spend about 10 days on the station, performing experiments involving diseases and the effects of microgravity and space radiation on cells and genes.

Sheikh Muszaphar will be the ninth Muslim in space and Malaysian newspapers on Wednesday devoted several pages and published special pullouts about the mission, which coincides with the last days of Ramadan, the holy month when Muslims fast from dawn until sundown.

On Tuesday, he told reporters at Baikonur that his trip will be an inspiration for his southeast Asian nation as well as to other Muslims all over the world.

"It's a small step for me, but a great leap for the Malaysian people," he said, rephrasing Neil Armstrong's famous words after the 1969 Apollo landing on the Moon.

The US$25 million (euro18 million) agreement for a Malaysian astronaut to fly to space was negotiated in 2003 along with a US$900 million (euro635 million) deal for Malaysia to buy 18 Russian fighter jets.

There was also an article on Beyonce.

Beyoncé cancels Kuala Lumpur show

Beyonce Knowles has scrapped plans to stage her first concert in Malaysia and will instead perform in neighboring Indonesia, which has less stringent rules about how performers should dress and behave.

Knowles — who is famous for her sexy image and skimpy outfits — was reluctant to fulfill the Malaysian government's demand for female performers to cover up from the top of their chests to their knees, including their shoulders.

Pineapple Concerts Chairman Razlan Ahmad Razali said his company, which has brought Western acts such as Kanye West and Earth, Wind and Fire to Malaysia, was "disappointed and frustrated."

"Though Indonesia is also a Muslim country, it doesn't have all these issues that we have," Razlan told The Associated Press. "She can perform as she likes there."

Is it true that Indonesia, being the largest Muslim populated nation don't have the same problem that we have?

In another article, Malaysian cabbies told to wear socks

Before you read that article, watch the picture on the right. Why was it so coincidental that the boy is holding on to his shoes? Is he also checking his socks?

Back to the news...

Authorities are warning taxi drivers of hefty fines if they are caught without socks, shoes and the other proper attire prescribed by a licensing board, an official said Monday.

The dress code requires taxi drivers to tuck in their shirts -- which have to be white, not the beige that many have been wearing.

Pants must be dark, no sandals are allowed, and shoes must be leather ones worn with socks, said Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board chairman Markiman Kobiran.

"Even though it's trivial, it reflects the entire profession," Markiman told The Associated Press.

He said the board can fine drivers who do not dress properly up to $87.

Richard Leow, secretary of a local taxi drivers' association, said the fine was too high given that taxi drivers only earn about $20 a day.

Leow said one of his drivers received the maximum fine last week for wearing jeans.

"This is too much. I saw him, and he was dressed very neatly. The passenger cannot even see the drivers' pants," he said. "(The board) is really harassing all the drivers. This is unreasonable."

We have judiciary conspiracy; the authorities are busy interrogating the whistleblowers. We have the murder of Nurin and Altantunya. We have rape cases unresolved and many more of others as reported in Raja Petra Kamaruddin's blog Malaysia Today. The government seems having difficulty in their priorities.

Now, they are harassing taxi drivers? What the F????

Toilet Squad?

Toilet squad? Have you heard of it? Did you know which country have it?

The Perak government will set up "toilet squads" to monitor the cleanliness and hygiene of the public toilets.

State Tourism Committee chairman Mohd Radzi Manan said the state tourism action council will be visiting toilets and submit a comprehensive report on the state of the toilets. "With the formation of the squad, dirty toilets will be a thing of the past," Radzi said.

Fantastic government! Malaysia Boleh! However, the council may need to ask the government for additional funds as the councillors need to visit those toilets in Mauritius, Bengal, Beirut, Egypt and river Nile to learn from the others. If the Federal government could not allocate such budget, then the council may have to increase taxes, duties, licensing and quit rents to pay for these trips.

Since they can't catch thieves, can't convict rapists and murderers because the prosecution is incompetent, can't control corruption since the system administrators are involved in it one way or another, and can't think of decent things to serve the public, the only choice is to create employment by setting up toilet squad, discuss about what women should wear and what types of clothings to wear in public and what length of slid should stewardess be allowed on their dress, including debating in parliament about the "Once-a-month" thing, to stir racial and religious issues to champion each ethic group, and to discuss about what actions to take against bloggers.

DBKL - Congestion Fee?

Federal Territory Minister Zulhasnan clarified that DBKL would not be charging "Congestion Fee" as announced earlier by City Hall Mayor Ab Hakim Borhan.

Zulhasnan said the proposal is meant for the long-term future and not meant to be implemented immediately.

Congestion Fee? Heard of it? The local authorities are finding every ways, any ways, and any possible alternatives, to increase their leaking coffers. They are or will be pronouncing more of such proposals and all sort of taxes, levies, duties, or any possible means to increase their revenues because they had overspent everywhere and there are just too much leakages and pilferages which had punched so many holes in their coffers that need urgent plugging; otherwise they may go bankrupt.

We should brace ourselves for more of such proposals. You may not realize that many of these proposals will be privatized to those "Special Ones" anointed by the 4th Floor.

The system is decaying and the worms are not crawling anymore; they are pouring, and gushing...they are tsunamic! The taxpayers will be required to plug those holes and feed those worms. Hope those worms ares not gigantic bloodsuckers...

Local Council in Financial Distress

More local council will become insolvent in the next few months or maybe a year or two if they do not increase taxes, quit rents and fees in order to shore up their revenue. This seems to be the opinion voiced by Negri Sembilan MB Mohamad Hasan.

However, Mohamad Hasan did not relate to the pilferages and leakages within the local council. Neither did he share his opinions of the many oversea trips made by local councillors such as the Egypt Belly Dancing, Mauritius Toilet observatory trip, and many more by Selayang Council and many other councils.

So, Malaysians must brace for the likelihood of such increases to justify the cost of maintaining and keep the councils solvent and visitingly.

Bentong District Council Pok-Kai

8 vehicles belonging to Bentong District Council were sealed after the Local Authority defaulted in their payments amounting to RM213,732.42 to a contractor who was awarded a contract to install lightings at the council building which was completed on July 27, 2004.

The contractor, EST Enterprise Sdn Bhd was granted a judgment dated Jan 12 this year by the Sessions Court who had directed the local authority to pay up the judgment sum. Despite the judgment, the local authority had failed to settle the judgment sum. EST then obtained a writ of seizure and sealed the 8 vehicles including a skylift, tractor, van and 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Pity the local council. they had collected taxes, quit rents and can't pay the contractors. the government just did not have the ability to contained the leakages and pilferages of those billions. The funny thing is that our government is able to bail out PKFZ for RM4.6bil but unable to pay RM213,000. Maybe, local councils are allowed to go bankrupt but not Kuala Dimensi as it is owned by some high profile UMNO leaders.

Human Rights in Action

Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus takes up alleged manhandling by MPK officers

The Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus has decided to take up the case of two men who were allegedly manhandled by Klang Municipal Council (MPK) officers.

The caucus chairman Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said it was inappropriate for the officers to manhandle the members of the public, as part of their job was to keep peace.

“I want justice to be done. If no action is taken on the council officers, they would think that it’s all right for them to manhandle members of the public,” Nazri said.

Tailor Pua Chia Teng, 34, claimed that he was beaten by a group of MPK officers on March 7 after trying to stop an argument between his brother and the officers. He said he was later dragged into their van to be brought to the police station. He said he suffered injuries on his chin, head, stomach and mouth.

Graphic designer Mah Chee Ming, 34, also alleged that he was manhandled by a group of MPK officers in March last year. He said he was also dragged into their van after they accused him of kicking the van.

At the press conference, Nazri was also shown a video footage of Pua being dragged into the van.
“It’s only about parking. The officers should be trained how to deal with society,” Nazri said.

Finally, once in every blue moon, we are seeing some decency within the legislative body. I like the point made by Nazri: "If no action is taken on the council officers, they would think that it’s all right for them to manhandle members of the public".

Yes Nazri, you are absolutely right on this. We hope justice is not only been said, but seen to be done, factually and empirically. The public cannot be bullied at the whims and fancies of officers who uses discretionary and arbitrary actions to satisfy their crave. The government officers are servants, not terminators or punishers. They are to carry out their duties in accordance with justice and the rule of law. They are to see themselves not as enforcers but managers and their acts must take consideration of the general public interest and to keep the peace.

FT Minister Proposed Disco Near Your Home

Go fuck yourself, Dear FT Minister. I don't need a disco near my home nor near the housing estate that I stayed.

Firstly, the disco noise caused harm to my ears and disturb my sleep and my family members.

Secondly, I don't want my children to spent time in discos instead of studying as its too convenient for them to hang around the disco areas.

Thirdly, the discos proposed are allowed to operate up to 5am and that will make sure that nobody can have a good sleep.

Fourthly, there will certainly be problems of drugs, ecstasy and nuisances. It will create parking nuisances, invite gangsters to congregate around, and allows the enforcement officers to cari makan.

I am a Chinese and most of us Chinese don't need a disco.

I just wonder why the minister, who is a Muslim would propose to allow entertainment outlets to operate in residential areas? Is that what Islam is about?

FT Minister, Zulhassan Rafique said the proposal was to make Malaysia more attractive to tourists.

Asshole Minister! To attract tourist, you set up discos in residential areas? Tourists lodged in the city center and if ever, it should be the city that they will go to seek fun, not residential areas.

Furthermore, the interest of the rakyat and the peace we need should weigh far more important than the tourists need. So, if the tourist wants prostitution and drugs, do you propose to set up drugs outlet and prostitute dens in residential areas, or even city centers?

Are you a muslim, En Zul? or are you a asshole minister? You seems to be using your kidney to think and your brains to shit. Oh, weren't you appointed by Pak Lah? Is this the type of ministers we had in our government? Oh, my God, please save us and destroy all the ministers like you did to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Councils No Money for CCTV

Municipal Councils have no money to install CCTVs?

According to Housing and Local Government Minister, Ong Ka Ting, more than half of the 38 municipal councils in the country have not installed CCTV cameras at crime prone areas as required by his Ministry in line with the Safe City Concept implemented by the government 18 months ago.

Ong Ka Ting said the councils should not claim lack of funds to install the cameras because the revenue collected by them was more than RM10 million annually. “There were even Councils with an annual revenue of more than RM20 million, thus there is no justification for them to claim they have inadequate allocation to install CCTVs,” Ong said.

10 decorative clocks costing the Sungei Petani Municipal Council RM390,000 are not working.

The Sun had reported on page one on Feb 6, 2006, that the Selayang Municipal Council paid RM240,000 for 14 Selayang Municipal Councillors and 10 Departmental Heads to go for a study trip to Mauritius and to the Indian Ocean islands, as well as to Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa. This is despite the fact that the council has not paid its dues to contractors servicing the municipality, citing "lack of funds". The council had also recently raised its assessment rate by between 6% and 8.5%. The group led by MPS president Zainal Abidin Azim left on Jan 31, 2006, and will return on Feb 8, 2006. Sources told theSun that the trip which cost RM10,000 per head includes five-star accommodation and leisure activities such as golf and fishing.

Read more from our Amoiblog:

Turning the Heat on Selayang councilmen

The Honourable Toilet Inspectors (Selayang pt 2)

No Let Up (Selayang Pt 3)

On 12th November 2004, The Star reported that the Perlis Government has short-listed former gangsters and village bullies for temporary job with Kangar Municipal Council enforcement unit. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the 20, included ex-servicemen, would be called for interview soon.

“Nowadays, people do not heed the council’s by-laws, that’s why we see squatter area mushrooming, land encroachment and assessment arrears accumulating. With a more physical presence in the enforcement unit, the council may be able to get more ratepayers to settle their dues promptly,” Shahidan said.

17th June 2005, The Star Reports:

RM51.5 million for landscaping and RM1.5 million for poverty eradication. This is what the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council requested under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was puzzled why the council allocated RM11.2 million to landscape its Sayong river front, RM8 million to set up a pocket park, RM3.6 million to upgrade housing areas and RM1.8 million for "greening" the roads.

"Tourists won’t come into housing areas to see the flowers. They have better flowers back where they come from," she said. She said that the council should focus on basic amenities, schools, infrastructure and socio-economic activities. During a meeting with Chinese community leaders today, she was told that the National Landscape Department paid RM300,000 in consultancy fees to a company owned by a university lecturer to propose landscaping ideas for Kuala Kangsar.

"Even to plant flowers, we need consultants?“ She noted that the allocations requested for landscaping and beautification projects made up almost half the RM118 million requested by the council under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. The council requested only RM7 million for schools, RM7.6 million for socio-economic purposes, RM13.5 million for city services and RM32 million for infrastructure development.

Boleh? :Lagi Boleh ka? Mesti Boleh!

Most Municipal councils are contemplating raising assessement tax, parking fees, licence fees, etc, to improve their revenue due to the cost of inflation and the high fuel price increase.

Hawker's Dilemma & Licensing

swk2


Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) Datuk Bandar Hamid Yusof has come out to defend his tough action over illegal hawkers declaring “I am just doing my duty”. He said this in response to critical comments hauled at the City Hall for clearing the city of illegal hawkers. He offers no apology for taking such a tough stance.

“DBKU is not brash in its action but merely complying with the rules and regulations.”

He added that the Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had shown concern about illegal trading, and had urged city councils to be vigilant against illegal hawkers.

“The Chief Minister has made it clear that the councils should be prepared to be unpopular in order to ensure the city is clean, comfortable and safe for its residents.”

While the action by Datuk Bandar is taken in accordance with the rule and regulations, the authorities had forgotten the objectives set for issuing such licences.

In the first place, the objective of introducing Licensing was to ensure that the people who wanted to trade in order to earn a honest living can be regulated through the proper management and control by the state authorities, and at the same time, the state can collect some revenues to fund the cost of management.

The main problem why hawkers are not having the appropriate licences is probably due to the fact that the System had been onerous and had made it difficult for those less-educated poor people to get them unless they pay a kind of friendly services via well-connected middlemen.

Following rules and procedures is all about DOING THINGS RIGHT. The authorities can DO THE RIGHT THINGS.

If there are illegal hawkers, the Datuk Bandar should play their part in assisting these people by helping them in their application and speeding up the approval process. You don't have to crush them and destroy their only livelihood income.

Recents events surrounding the issue of trading licences have delivered a rude jolt to the public.

The more visible of these shocks is the conflict between traders who have been allocated lots at bustling Jalan Masjid India and those who have obtained the written permission of Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad to set up stalls in the city.

However, another aspect of the licensing exercise bears further scrutiny and this is where a sensational development has caught the headlines. This is the reported arrest of the son of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) by the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) for allegedly accepting a bribe to secure trading licence.

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has detained the IGP's son over the alleged sale of hawker lots for Ramadan in the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Also arrested was a 25-year-old City Hall (DBKL) officer. Sources said both men had allegedly obtained several Ramadan bazaar lots set up by DBKL in Jalan Masjid India for the festive season at a minimal price. However, they allegedly demanded – and obtained – exorbitant prices for reselling the lots. It is learnt that the ACA has seized about RM11,000, believed to be proceeds from the sale of the lots from the IGP's son.

While public attention is focused on the alleged suspect’s family connections and the amount that it said to have changed hands, the more important issue is the perception that licences can be made available through the intervention of influential people.

In the light of these incidents, it is imperative for local councils to revamp their licensing procedures so that such permits are awarded in the full light of public scrutiny.

If the issuing of licencing had been made easier, and awarded to those who merited them, then, these middlemen would not had survived. The fact remains that the system is design to ensure that such malpractices would exist to benefit those with the right influence and well-connected.

Sky Kingdom becomes Trash Kingdom

Sky Kingdom grounded

Update by The Star newsdesk

JERTEH: The Besut district office has sent in bulldozers and heavy machinery to tear down all the structures including its huge teapot and assembly hall at the Sky Kindom commune in Kampung Batu 13 near here.

The operation began at 2.30pm with the help of police and FRU.

Police have sealed off the entrance to the place.

While there are differences between Ayah Pin and Islamic authority, destroying properties seemed the least reasonable alternative. The properties were not idols nor a blesphemy to the religion. I just felt sorry to see a nice place been crushed to trash to proof a point.

I might be wrong, for the authority thinks otherwise.....

Kingdom Ruined

Sky Kingdom becomes Ash Kingdom

Sky Kingdom Torched

Sky Kingdom structures torched

The Star News Update By K. SUTHAKAR KUALA TERENGGANU:

Some 30 unknown people went on a rampage torching structures and smashing vehicles and house windows within Ayah Pin's Sky Kingdom commune in Jerteh at 5am today. The mob also set fire to Ayah Pin's Pajero and smashed four other vehicles parked inside the area. The sect leader Ariffin Mohamad, 65, better known as Ayah Pin, left the commune last night.

According to witnesses members of the mob were armed with parangs, sticks and plastic bags believed to contain petrol. "They smashed our house windows but the people were not harmed. "They told us not to get involved and we didn't want to confront them," said a follower of Ayah Pin. Police have cordoned off the area, while the Federal Reserve Unit personnel arrived at the site at 9.30am to control some 100 protesters gathered there.

Are we turning into a terrorist nation?

In another article, it was reported that the State Government of Trengganu is leaving it to the Federal Government to handle the Sky Kingdom sect because it has grown into an international outfit.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said sect leader Ariffin Mohamad, popularly known as "Ayah Pin", had managed to attract foreigners, which necessitated Federal Government intervention.

"It is not a small problem which can be handled by the State. His sect has grown internationally and it is a national-level problem.“ Idris said the State Government would not interfere with any decision taken by the Federal Government on Ariffin’s activities.

The Menteri Besar said this when asked to comment on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin urging authorities to act immediately to nab the 65-year-old Ariffin and check his activities. Idris said information gathered by several state and federal agencies showed the cult had attracted a large number of followers from other countries. He said action must be taken against Ariffin to prevent more people from being influenced by his teachings. He criticised the previous Pas-led State Government for failing to take any action against Ariffin, as structures inside the sect’s compound at Kampung Batu 13, Hulu Besut, were built three years ago.

New Ways for Revenue Generation: Scarf Fine

scarf fine

Some States have suffered constrains of revenue, due largely to the federal-erected barriers. So, they have to resort to whatever available source of income or to innovatively and creatively create some.

So, in Kelantan, any woman not wearing headscarves at their workplace will be fine of RM50 by the Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB). For the first five months of the year, 80 women, mainly shop assistants, were fined RM30.

Azman Mohd Daham, the council’s public relations officer, said: "We have been considerate for almost three years but it is time to impose the maximum compound. We hope it will create more awareness. The women were mostly found not wearing headscarves at night and during weekends as they thought that enforcement officers would not be around to check on them."

He said the licensing unit would continue to conduct regular checks at these premises to ensure that the regulation is adhered to. Kelantan under Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas) for the last 15 years had passed several rules and regulations which dictate the dress and behavior code for women. Many of these rules had not gone down well with the women. A resident, Norzakiah Ahmad, said it was not a good idea to force someone to wear a headscarf as it was an individual’s right. "I disagree with the council’s move. They should give priority to other areas," said the 45-year-old housewife.

What to do? No project, no income. So, have to be innovative and creative to seek source of revenue. At the same time, they are also 'educating' the women to 'behave' the way the system thinks its good and fitting for its people. The system decides to dictate the behaviorial aspects (of what is good and what is bad) and have taken it as an anointed 'duty' to police these 'behaviors'. Individual rights are now system obligations and the system had empowered and appointed themselve to be the chosen 'directors of health' presumably delegated by the omnipotent.

BELLY DANCING TRIP TO EGYPT

EGYPT SAGA

THE TALE OF KOPITIAM CABINET MEETING NO.2

Ah Beng: Hi Khairi, what happens? You look unhappy?

Samy: Ya lah. He was suppose to go to Egypt and have some pleasure. Now they take away the pleasure.

Ah Beng: What pleasure and going with whom?

Samy: The Selangor Public Accounts Committee was suppose to go to Egypt for 8 days and Khairi is going with them. They cancel the belly dance on the river Nile.

Khairi: Ya lah. Just because of one man from the opposition DAP. He pretend he don't like belly dancing and withdrew from the trip. So, we all have to change the itenerary.

Samy: But I hear your trip is 8-days and the committee is only spending few hours officially to visit the Egyptian Parliament and students in Cairo. The rest of the time, you are having pleasure with belly dancers.

Khairi: No, we are going for a study trip. We are there to learn from the belly dancers and then come back to improve our cultural, youth and sports ministry. Belly dancers are very intelligent, hardworking and innovative. You think it is so easy to shake the belly ah? We want to learn that shaking so that we will have right-size and healthy members of the state assembly and Parliament. They are just too fat! Belly dancing helps to keep our weight down and it is a form of exercise to keep us healthy.

Ah Beng: I heard the trip will cost $74,000. Who will pay for it to keep your size right? And furthermore, the PAC is suppose to police the expenditure of public fund. But this looks like wasting public's money, isn't it?

Khairi: Not true. The money, we collect from taxes and licencing from Karaoke, disco and pubs. So, we must use the water in the river Nile to clean those money.

Ah Beng: I hear that PAC will impose a penalty on Sekinchan Assemblyman for not going to Egypt with the committee. How can?

Khairi: Serves him right. he spoil our trip. He is an opposition party member. We got the majority to do what we want. This is what they call "Parliamentary Supremacy" and "Parliamentary Prerogative and privileges".

Ah Beng: Poor Mr. Ng. The Chinese New year is only next month and this month you cut his allowance by $8,000, his family will have no money for shopping. His children will suffer a poor year.

Khairi: Ya lah. If he join the ruling party, he also got chance to get something and he will be protected because we have the majority in Parliament and States. Then he can also get projects, get some high ministerial post with higher salary and allowance, and get some other type of allowances - cannot tell you!

$500,000 TOILET to shit better

Toilet at $500,000

A Thai-style public toilet sited at the Manjalera Lake Garden in Kepong, KL was designed to be so lavish that it would cost RM500,000.

The toilet had been furbished with imported ceramics tiles, marble-top basins and amenities normally linked with 5-star hotels. It include imported decorative lights from Spain.

A staff member at the contractor’s office said the facility was almost complete but had yet to be handed over to the Park Management as the fixing of the decorative lights from Spain had not yet done because of short supply.

The toilet is now more than 2 years under construction and has become a living quarter for some illegal foreign workers.

The RM98 million hospital project in Cameron Highland was a 2-year project and was now 5 months delayed with expectations that it will need another 6 months to complete. The Works Ministry had terminated the contractor's contract.

"But the toilet project is also 2-years (worth only $500,000) and they are not being terminated yet," Mercu Jaya cried foul. The RM 176 million Matrade project is 10-years since, and they are not terminated? The Simpang Pulai- Ayer Raja highway was completed in more than 7 years and they were not terminated? Does the Ministry had a standard criteria for termination or they do it as they deemed fit. It looks like you had to be a political crony to stay in business.