KoSong: Be realistic when cooking up stories

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

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Be realistic when cooking up stories

It is inconceivable to even think the CM of Penang would name a road after Chin Peng, the name synonymous with Malayan Communist Party. If our federal government would not even honour the agreement to allow him to return to Malaysia, not even his ashes after his death, imagine the outcries should there be such a suggestion to name a road after him.

Many who did not read up anything on Chin Peng may not even know that was not his real name, but Ong Boon Hua. So naming a road Chin Peng is like naming a road Kosong after me! Incidentally, Kosong is already all over the place: Tanah Kosong, Jawatan Kosong, Rumah Kosong, and so on. It is also like naming a road after Najib as Jalan Ah Jib Kor.

By the way, I notice some contractors working along the North-South Expressway are not really putting up enough warnings when closing one or more lanes. This is a common problem when the work is done by a subcontractor and any original strict requirements are lost (intentionally to save costs) in the process. Even 40 years ago in UK, their warnings on lane closures were really first class, with early electronic warning as to the number of lanes being closed further down the motorway, and numerous cones leading to it. I mention this because after 40 years we should have caught up with safety requirements, not to mention the advances in IT technology since then.

Just yesterday, on our way back from KL, I noticed a few places along NSE with one, two or even three lanes closed, without proper early warnings, except some cones leading to it! Just imagine, we did not know how many lanes were being closed until we reached it! The worst was the one next to Behrang exit when all three lanes were closed for road repairs and only the emergency was used for access! I noticed some vehicles with Propel logo on them and I assume PLUS is using its subsidiary for road maintenance. This is even more unacceptable because Propel is not an outside subcontractor where it is more likely to have miscommunication. For the sake of road safety, PLUS should be more responsible in this aspect and there should be no compromise on early and sufficient warnings of lane closures.
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