How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Open letter to JPJ

I was attracted to the advertisement: The Proton Exchange Program is back.

I had no illusion about it being restrictive, but if you were to read the conditions, you will wonder why they put up such silly conditions:

Terms and conditions (excerpt) :

...must be registered, operational and functional at the time of surrender.

...only valid for booking and registration of a new Proton...

...customer is responsible for the vehicle to be scrapped deregistered by JPJ with issuance of form JPJK1D... costs to be fully borne by customer

...vehicle to be scrapped must be registered under customer's name for at least 6 months prior to date of application...

My point is, why the fuss over the vehicle to be scrapped 'must be operational and functional at the time of surrender', when the intention was to be scrapped and deregistered by JPJ?

I have a 1983 BMW 728i (untaxed for a number of years) which I was hoping to apply for Classic car status which entitles owner to a huge discount in road tax. By the time it was eligible in terms of age (25 years old) in 2008, I found out that one of the conditions is that the applicant must, besides the car applied for, own another 2 cars. I can understand the condition is to prevent any abuse by car owners in using the cheap road taxed car for daily use. But in most cases, these owners are either people who cannot afford a new car; unwilling to borrow to buy a new car; retirees who kept the car since new and wish to keep for sentimental reasons, or has other cars owned by wife or children which they can use, and so on. In the case of an old BMW, who will want it for daily use and face expensive repairs?

I am now faced with a dilemma (in fact, no real choice) of doing it up for use, bearing the expensive road tax (Rm1,600), which rate structure was fixed on the premise of 'big capacity means luxury car and owned by rich people', or scrapping it with little value because it is ineligible as Proton accepts only Proton old cars which are registered and in running condition.

I believe my car has better value in parts than as a whole. Furthermore, the strong structure of the car is definitely safer than any of the new cars with thin metal or plastic to have better fuel economy.
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