We have heard enough of win-win solutions by BN which invariably resulted in benefits to the party or leaders and cronies but the taxpayers ended up paying exorbitant prices or having to pick up the costs of repairs or remedial action for sub-standard products or services.
BN Members of Parliament and ADUNs are known for their high living and most become property developers and company directors of big companies because of their close relationships with the government hierarchy.
Ministers and Chief Ministers become super rich because of the numerous opportunities to enrich themselves. There is no need for prior experience as the private sector entrepreneurs are more than willing to offer schemes for participation on a win-win basis.
On the other hand, Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng quipped that what he lacked was experience in corruption when asked about the lack of experience in managing a state government. If not for security and state protocol or other reasons, I believe he would not mind living in a room in his father’s house.
DAP MPs and ADUNs are known for their hard work, frugal means and anti-corruption stance. A good example is Teresa Kok and she had put it well in her blog, amid accusations of her being ... greedy (?):
You have been criticised for contesting and winning both the Seputeh parliament and Kinrara state seat. You are also currently being seen as taking on too many posts and earning a substantial sum in allowances. What is your response?
You must understand why in the March elections I walked the extra mile to contest in a state seat. Nobody expected us to be in the government, to be honest. So when things happen in that way, then you have to look at the DAP line-up in the state assembly. You have to look at their background and you know there are so many new faces in politics.
The more qualified ones are in Parliament and I am one of the more senior politicians who is now a state rep. The choice (open to) the party to nominate exco members is in a way limited. You have to recognise this fact first. I read Malaysiakini and Dr Kua (Kia Soong)’s comments and felt it was very unfair to me and my colleagues.
Going back to why I contested in Kinrara - the seat was seen as difficult to win by DAP Selangor. There was no strong leader or candidate who wanted to contest in that seat.
So I was asked to use my reputation and my identity as a woman candidate to try to capture a state seat and strengthen the opposition force in the Selangor assembly. That was the intention. That made me walk the extra mile, spend extra money, hire extra people to help win that seat.
When we won, the party had to choose who would become state exco members. Look at the background of the four who were nominated - Teng Chang Khim, Ronnie Liu, Ean Yong Hian Wah and me - three of us are the more senior ones.
Now it came back to whether I should take the challenge or not. I’ve been in Parliament for two terms, I’m more senior in politics. I’m wearing two hats only - as state exco and MP. What I can do now is to work harder.
I need to work harder, spend more money and hire more assistants. Do you know how much is needed to maintain this office? I hire three staff-members. It costs me RM10,000 per month. My rental is RM1,000 plus, telephone bill RM1,000 plus, electricity comes up to RM600-700, and my three staff are paid RM2,000 plus.
The Kinrara side has three full-time staff now. With all these expenses you can imagine how much I spend in maintaining my service centres. When people say that I earn more it’s very unfair.
I am hoping that the opposition-run states are able to show excellent examples of good governance and transparency in state administration, which would benefit the nation in the long run. It would encourage more professional politicians instead of the usual self-serving ones. Only the genuine hard-working ones need apply.
Government fed by the people
Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.
Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?
When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.
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.)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Prophets of doom and contradictions of sorts
At a wedding dinner, a relation who is a devout Buddhist, said Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, said (through a medium) that next year, the world will face shortage in food, as in people have money but cannot buy rice, wheat and so on.
A few days ago, my friend forwarded an article, which I have yet to open, on Nostradamus’s prediction that a deadly virus will wipe out the world’s population by 2032.
In Britain, the climatic change had resulted in no White Christmas but snow in Spring!
While Santa Claus couldn’t take the heat, probably down under in Australia or New Zealand (actually meant to post a nude Santa but couldn’t find it in my file), we have fallen or unwanted angel feeling demoralised.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, we have predictions that today, Anwar will announce something dramatic, that a few days later, Abdullah will face party revolt, if not, Pakatan Rakyat will move a motion of no confidence, and so on and so forth.
What can we do but sit tight, tighten our belt, and brave the unexpected?
A few days ago, my friend forwarded an article, which I have yet to open, on Nostradamus’s prediction that a deadly virus will wipe out the world’s population by 2032.
In Britain, the climatic change had resulted in no White Christmas but snow in Spring!
While Santa Claus couldn’t take the heat, probably down under in Australia or New Zealand (actually meant to post a nude Santa but couldn’t find it in my file), we have fallen or unwanted angel feeling demoralised.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, we have predictions that today, Anwar will announce something dramatic, that a few days later, Abdullah will face party revolt, if not, Pakatan Rakyat will move a motion of no confidence, and so on and so forth.
What can we do but sit tight, tighten our belt, and brave the unexpected?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Discrimination against foreign spouses remain, unless...
you are of the right race, or well-connected with the powers that be. That's Malaysia - certain things remain unchanged yet many things can be arranged if you know who or how. Met a trader at the Sunday market with a wrist guard and when asked, he jokingly said because of the large amount of money he received 'under the table' which sprained his wrist!
Thirty years ago, a former classmate of mine came back to Malaysia from UK with her Thai husband. I was told he was given 24 hours to leave, not sure because of his nationality or the fact that he married a Malaysian or simply the immigration officer did not like his face! Since then, we have heard of foreign spouses who complained of having to visit the dreaded immigration department yearly, unable to work, and so on.
A close friend, ex-classmate since Stardard One, has a Thai wife. He worked in Malaysia as an accountant and put off by similar hassle, migrated to Australia. I wonder whether people like Marina Mahathir has to face similar problems, though I believe she is the type who would not make use of her connections. But it also depends on the perception of the people who dealt with her, whether they treated her preferentially.
I am prompted to write after reading the following letter spotted in Malaysia Today:
Life of a foreign spouse in Malaysia
Posted by Vineeth Menon
Wednesday, 09 April 2008
There is a huge group of us – spouses of Malaysian Citizens, languishing here in Malaysia primarily because of the treatment meted out by the Government which treats spouses almost as bad as illegal immigrants.
Would you believe that there are many of us here, for 12-20 years still on a dependent pass or an employment pass? We are Permanent Residents in waiting for years and even decades. For foreign spouses in Malaysia it becomes near impossible securing jobs, because the government fails to provide adequate measures of good governance for them. The law if any, is so grey that it varies in interpretation from immigration officer to officer.
Many of us even have to resort to merely doing volunteer service, though it is a necessity to be an income earner. Some of us lucky ones manage to get an employment pass on the spouse visa, however not many employers are prepared to employ a foreign spouse due to the tedious paperwork. Yes ofcourse only employers with a paid up capital of over RM200K can employ us. Many even exploit us and pay some measly sum as token salary. Believe us, it is faster to get an employment pass for our domestic maid, than for ourselves – the spouses of a Malaysian Citizen. When we wish to change jobs, there is a cooling off period to cool our heels for six months. Life in Malaysia is near traumatic for us and here's more..
We have to pay double charges in Government hospitals even when we are delivering Malaysian citizens. We have to pay fees of foreigners to study in Public University. Even when we visit KLCC Aquarium we pay tourist rates, while the rest of our family pay differently even though we are more Malaysian than most Malaysians!!
We have to carry our passports wherever we go, however students, workers and not mistakenly even domestic maids get an icard – such is the treatment for spouses of Malaysian Citizens. A housewife cannot even open an account in some of the Banks, we cannot deposit money through the ATM because our bank account is called an external account.
Oh wait, we forgot to mention the yearly visits to the Immigration – infact it is a joke of sorts amongst spouses, that the "Immigration Department is our Second Home!!"
Long waits, irrespective of infants in our hands, I have seen families travelling from various states to Putra Jaya just to get a spouse visa. By the way we have to be accompanied by our spouses to the Immigration department when the submission is being done, this process can take up to 6-7 hours, more often for submission and approval it takes several visits, never mind that the spouse has just given a declaration that we are still married in front of the commission of oaths.
Why is this section of people so neglected? We take care of our Malaysian families, the future Malaysian generation, yet we are a forgotten segment of Malaysian society.
Husbands of Malaysian women have it even worse, so also we understand that Chinese spouses are not even allowed to apply for PR status. I was told that I was really privileged to even be allowed to submit my document, being a non-chinese!!!
It was shocking to hear this from a civil servant!! Many have left the country in sheer frustration.
At one point, during my interview for PR status, I was asked to leave the room and the lady questioned my husband of 16 years "who was the one to initiate the PR process? was it your wife or yourself?" Is this relevant? When I have children in secondary school? One of the reasons we are told that the process is so lengthy is because of the mis-use by people, to gain PR status.
We are spouses of Malaysians, we are here at such a cost because our spouses do not want to reside in our home country even though prospects there are better. For this sense of patriotism what extent of trouble and hardship the Malaysian Government enforces on our families? Many of us are highly educated and are professionals, and we cannot even get jobs here, so why would we undergo so much hardship for so many years? Only for our families.
Only in Malaysia are we treated to such a circus. This is the 21st Century and will the Home Ministry seriously look into this matter as there are thousands who are waiting to get their Permanent Resident Status. Notwithstanding the stories we hear that in Sabah and Sarawak, many illegals and foreigners are given PR status very easily. If the Minister is only approving authority for PR, and only few approvals per month, and a few at a time, there are a few thousands still waiting, something is very wrong in the system then. We also know that priority is given by the Government for those applying for the more lucrative "Malaysia my Second Home"
In this is a global environment, where travel is so much easier and national boundaries are getting more seamless. The Home Ministry and Immigration should look into its policies and engage itself with more modern policies and practices that reflect good governance. It is only appropriate that spouses of Malaysians should be given fair status and have reasonable rules and regulations.
If the Minister wishes to reply here, I can say without hesitation that YM Raja Petra Kamarudin will publish the answer on this site, for this is a site that encourages debate, discussion and good governance.
From: Fifteen Years and still waiting for PR
Thirty years ago, a former classmate of mine came back to Malaysia from UK with her Thai husband. I was told he was given 24 hours to leave, not sure because of his nationality or the fact that he married a Malaysian or simply the immigration officer did not like his face! Since then, we have heard of foreign spouses who complained of having to visit the dreaded immigration department yearly, unable to work, and so on.
A close friend, ex-classmate since Stardard One, has a Thai wife. He worked in Malaysia as an accountant and put off by similar hassle, migrated to Australia. I wonder whether people like Marina Mahathir has to face similar problems, though I believe she is the type who would not make use of her connections. But it also depends on the perception of the people who dealt with her, whether they treated her preferentially.
I am prompted to write after reading the following letter spotted in Malaysia Today:
Life of a foreign spouse in Malaysia
Posted by Vineeth Menon
Wednesday, 09 April 2008
There is a huge group of us – spouses of Malaysian Citizens, languishing here in Malaysia primarily because of the treatment meted out by the Government which treats spouses almost as bad as illegal immigrants.
Would you believe that there are many of us here, for 12-20 years still on a dependent pass or an employment pass? We are Permanent Residents in waiting for years and even decades. For foreign spouses in Malaysia it becomes near impossible securing jobs, because the government fails to provide adequate measures of good governance for them. The law if any, is so grey that it varies in interpretation from immigration officer to officer.
Many of us even have to resort to merely doing volunteer service, though it is a necessity to be an income earner. Some of us lucky ones manage to get an employment pass on the spouse visa, however not many employers are prepared to employ a foreign spouse due to the tedious paperwork. Yes ofcourse only employers with a paid up capital of over RM200K can employ us. Many even exploit us and pay some measly sum as token salary. Believe us, it is faster to get an employment pass for our domestic maid, than for ourselves – the spouses of a Malaysian Citizen. When we wish to change jobs, there is a cooling off period to cool our heels for six months. Life in Malaysia is near traumatic for us and here's more..
We have to pay double charges in Government hospitals even when we are delivering Malaysian citizens. We have to pay fees of foreigners to study in Public University. Even when we visit KLCC Aquarium we pay tourist rates, while the rest of our family pay differently even though we are more Malaysian than most Malaysians!!
We have to carry our passports wherever we go, however students, workers and not mistakenly even domestic maids get an icard – such is the treatment for spouses of Malaysian Citizens. A housewife cannot even open an account in some of the Banks, we cannot deposit money through the ATM because our bank account is called an external account.
Oh wait, we forgot to mention the yearly visits to the Immigration – infact it is a joke of sorts amongst spouses, that the "Immigration Department is our Second Home!!"
Long waits, irrespective of infants in our hands, I have seen families travelling from various states to Putra Jaya just to get a spouse visa. By the way we have to be accompanied by our spouses to the Immigration department when the submission is being done, this process can take up to 6-7 hours, more often for submission and approval it takes several visits, never mind that the spouse has just given a declaration that we are still married in front of the commission of oaths.
Why is this section of people so neglected? We take care of our Malaysian families, the future Malaysian generation, yet we are a forgotten segment of Malaysian society.
Husbands of Malaysian women have it even worse, so also we understand that Chinese spouses are not even allowed to apply for PR status. I was told that I was really privileged to even be allowed to submit my document, being a non-chinese!!!
It was shocking to hear this from a civil servant!! Many have left the country in sheer frustration.
At one point, during my interview for PR status, I was asked to leave the room and the lady questioned my husband of 16 years "who was the one to initiate the PR process? was it your wife or yourself?" Is this relevant? When I have children in secondary school? One of the reasons we are told that the process is so lengthy is because of the mis-use by people, to gain PR status.
We are spouses of Malaysians, we are here at such a cost because our spouses do not want to reside in our home country even though prospects there are better. For this sense of patriotism what extent of trouble and hardship the Malaysian Government enforces on our families? Many of us are highly educated and are professionals, and we cannot even get jobs here, so why would we undergo so much hardship for so many years? Only for our families.
Only in Malaysia are we treated to such a circus. This is the 21st Century and will the Home Ministry seriously look into this matter as there are thousands who are waiting to get their Permanent Resident Status. Notwithstanding the stories we hear that in Sabah and Sarawak, many illegals and foreigners are given PR status very easily. If the Minister is only approving authority for PR, and only few approvals per month, and a few at a time, there are a few thousands still waiting, something is very wrong in the system then. We also know that priority is given by the Government for those applying for the more lucrative "Malaysia my Second Home"
In this is a global environment, where travel is so much easier and national boundaries are getting more seamless. The Home Ministry and Immigration should look into its policies and engage itself with more modern policies and practices that reflect good governance. It is only appropriate that spouses of Malaysians should be given fair status and have reasonable rules and regulations.
If the Minister wishes to reply here, I can say without hesitation that YM Raja Petra Kamarudin will publish the answer on this site, for this is a site that encourages debate, discussion and good governance.
From: Fifteen Years and still waiting for PR
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Desperate advertisers and a classic response...
This one beats them all:
We have weird advertisements as well as unusual replies. I am not sure about the authencity of the following letter passed round in the net, in response to an advertisement:
Madam:
I am an olden young uncle living only with myself in Bangaloru. Having seen your advertisement for marriage purposes, I decided to press myself on you and hope you will take me nicely.
I am a soiled son from inside Karnataka. I am nice and big, six foot tall and six inches long. My body is filled with hardness, as because I am working hardly. I am playing hardly also. Especially I like cricket and I am a good batter and I am fast baller. Whenever I come running in for balling, other batters start running. Everybody is scared of my rapid balls that bounce a lot.
I am very nice man. I am always laughing loudly at everyone. I am jolly. I am gay.Especially ladies, they are saying I am nice and soft. I am alwaysgiving respect to the ladies. I am always allowing ladies to get on top. That is how nice I am.
I am not having any bad habits. I am not drinking and I am not sucking tobacco or anything else. Every morning I am going to the gym and I am pumping like anything. Daily I am pumping and pumping. If you want, you can come and see how much I am pumping the dumb belles in the gym.
I am having a lot of money in my pants and my pants is always open for you. I am such a nice man, but still I am living with myself only. What to do? So I am taking things into my own hands everyday. That is why I am pressing myself on you, so that you will come in my house and take my things into your hand.
If you are marrying me madam, I am telling you, I will be loving you very hard every day. In fact, I will stop pumping dumb belles in the gym.
If you are marrying me madam, I am telling you, I will be loving you very hard every day. In fact, I will stop pumping dumb belles in the gym.
If you are not marrying me madam and not coming to me, I will press you and press you until you come. So I am placing my head between your nicely smelling feet and looking up with lots of hope.
I am waiting very badly for your reply and I am stiff with anticipation.
Expecting soon,
Yours and only yours
Ajit Gupchup
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)