Pay More To Drive Into Kuala Lumpur

This is only applicable those Kuala Lumpur ("KL") working folks and especially if you drive to work.

The Land Public Transport Bill 2010 will introduce the "area congestion pricing scheme". It's something like the pay as you drive hehe but it's not going to be a laughing matter when it's implemented.

Firstly, most KL working folks are forced to take those tolled roads coming into KL city centre. Why forced? Because the government didn't build those roads but allowed the private sectors to take over. A friend of mine will always say "you pay toll to get into a traffic jam at a faster rate".

This so called Land Public Transport Bill 2010 will come under the purview of a new division, the Land Public Transport Commission / Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (also known as SPAD in short).

I like the way the government is trying to justify this new pricing scheme, not new as they tried to moot this before but under a different name only, by saying that Singapore and London have similar schemes and if they can, Malaysia Boleh also.

But the numskulls didn't compare other factors such as the good transportation system at those two places. In Singapore, even if you see the bus that you need to board leaving the bus stop/station, you need not worry as the next bus will come along the way within the next five minutes. In Malaysia, you have the faintest idea of when the next bus will come.

Singapore's MRT and London's Tube do not breakdown as often as KL's LRT.

KL tried to allocate a bus/taxi lane on certain roads for the public transportation to travel at a faster rate but many private cars used it at the same time. No enforcement here.

Friends coming from faraway places like Shah Alam, Klang, Kajang, Seremban complained that the buses or trains are sooooooooo congested and irregular timing/schedule really pissed them off.

Government tried to encourage the car pooling idea. I have a colleague working in the same group of companies in the same building. Our job demands are quite different and if one party was to work late, what about the other person. What if you need to go off urgently during mid day due to personal reason?

How do you expect people not to drive into KL then?

Give us the reasons, not one, but many reasons to leave our cars behind.

It has been mentioned many many times that the public transportation has to improve at a sky high rate otherwise any ideas/schemes to charge (penalise lah in a way) cars being driven into the city centre is incomprehensible.

The government did mention that by reducing the subsidy for petrol prices will not only cause the petrol prices to rise up but the money saved will be pumped into improving the public transportation. Who said this? It was the previous prime minister. Has the money been spent on improving then?

Or it was used to buy dozens of non-functioning buses that were then left to rot away in the end? (referring to two articles found in Bernama and Malaysia Today)

I'm not against the new scheme but please show me that the public transportation is worthed my time travelling in it.

And if you KL working folks are going to keep quiet from today onwards, you have disqualified yourself from complaining when the scheme is finally implemented in due course.

When will you know about how much you would need to pay if bill's approved? Bill will be tabled next Monday!
Tags: Land Public Transport Bill 2010, Area Congestion Pricing Scheme, Land Public Transport Commission, SPAD, Pay As You Drive, MRT, Tube, LRT, Public Transportation, Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat

Resolve A Problem By Raising Prices Beyond Everyone's Reach

The Terengganu state government is really giving me a good laugh. Really need such laugh during this intense period LOL!

What did they do this time?

If you like Pulau Redang off Terengganu's coast, I would strongly suggest that you book yourself a trip there to see whatever, do whatever, enjoy whatever you can. Reason - in due course I can almost guarantee that 90% won't be going there again.

Not that you can't go but you would have to fork out tons of cash in order to be there.

The state Chief Minister has planned to allow only 5 stars and above type of hotels or resorts to be built in the future. That also the room rates could be in the region of US$500 per night.

Why would he want to do that? Reasons given:-
a) save the surrounding rich marine life and prevent environmental destruction due to pollution and indiscriminate littering
b) budget accommodation places on the island have no proper sewage system and waste is directed to the sea, and this destroys the corals
c) save the island from deteriorating environmentally
d) initiated out of concern for the environment as damage to the corals had been extensive.

He could be right there because an estimated 100,000 holidaymakers would travel there in a year.

What about the existing budget hotels that are still operating there? Kick them out of the island? Other businesses that are operating on the island which can't sell high end products should pack up too.

How many could afford a US$500 hotel room? Maybe only 1,000 out of the 100,000. A colleague said that it's good to raise the hotel rates because only the older folks are usually more well off and they may not be divers at that age. So the corals are saved.

By the way, the Chief Minister has some options for you. Please go to Pulau Kapas and Pulau Perhentian instead if you can't afford Pulau Redang in the future. The 99,000 (assuming 1,000 will be holidaying in Pulau Redang) are given the green light to destroy both Pulau Kapas and Pulau Perhentian, if I did the catch his phrase correctly.

But then, ain't introducing awareness and proper education on protecting the environment is a better option. Maybe more social responsibility programmes should be initiated on Pulau Redang itself.

The Chow Kit area in Kuala Lumpur city area should be cleaned up too. I got an idea now. Get the city council to buy the same idea as in by raising the property assessment beyond a human's comprehension, only allow high end type properties to be built, only allow niche products to be marketed there and I'm sure Chow Kit's tardiness would be solved.

Malaysia Boleh again!

Reading: Pulau Redang aims to lure the rich with room rates no less than RM1,600 - Star
Tags: Pulau Redang, Travel, Holidaymakers, Divers, Social Responsibility, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu

Cola Will Reduce Sperm Count?

Drinking lots of Cola may reduce a guy's sperm count but to what extent?

A doctor by the name of Dr. Tina Kold Jensen (and her team) from University Department of Growth and Reproduction has done a research with 2,500 Danish guys, young guys for that matter. No old guys because their sperm count is definitely lower as they aged hehe.

In her research she tried to check on the impact of caffeine-based drink on the guy's reproduction health. The research team used the Cola drink which has caffeine in it.

Which cola? Not mentioned. I guess it's safer not to name the brand in case of lawsuits. But how many types of cola drinks are there in the market?

From the outcome of the research, a guy who doesn't drink cola will have a sperm count of "averaging 50 million sperm per milliliter semen".

And if you do drink, that also the research mentioned that at least more than one liter (about 34 ounces) was consumed, your sperm count could be in the range of 35 million sperm per milliliter.

The above research was found in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

From this research, I can deduce that a charging group of 50 million sperms may penetrate an egg easier.

I guess it will be equally bad for a lady's reproductive system if she drinks a lot of cola too. Anyway, the research was not conclusive as there are many other factors that may cause lower sperm count.

I can also conclude, suddenly the medical part of my brain is functioning, that if you were to continue drinking cola in that magnitude (a liter a day), your reproduction health may not be affected but I'm sure the diabetes will find you as a close friend real soon.

I have once heard of this joke but I found it very profound too:-

"Every single person in this world is a born winner. Why? Because you were the only sperm that managed to penetrate into the egg first and thus, you are a winner right before you were born."

Well, listed this under the Tragedy label because if it's true it's definitely a tragedy for many men (or ladies for that matter).

Reading: Is cola bad for sperm? - Reuters
Tags: Sperm Count, Cola Drink, Cola, American Journal of Epidemiology, Dr. Tina Kold Jensen, Born Winner, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Reproductive Health

Lower Car Prices For Malaysians?

“I believe that low-income Malaysians today would not have been able to have their own cars had it not been for Proton." - Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung.

So pathetic.

How does a low-income Malaysian get to own a Proton? Proton has to build a car which has cheaper components and parts [I hope that the quality has not been sacrificed/compromised ;)] coupled with lower duties imposed by the government.

Personally, those who can even afford to buy a local made car are quite well off. It's not just buying a car but you have to ensure periodic maintainance, pump it up with the costly petrol, clean it, the need to pay road tax and a potential higher car insurance.

Try telling that to a father who is fetching two of his kids to school early in the morning. This is happening right in Kuala Lumpur itself. Don't need to describe about the rural areas.

Because of government protection accorded on Proton, higher duties were imposed on all other foreign made cars which made it quite impossible for low-income (I would say even above average Malaysians are affected) Malaysians to own one. These foreign made cars, even though of better quality and safety standards, are placed out of reach in that Malaysians will be forced to opt for a cheaper version i.e. the Proton cars.

I have heard before that one of the main reasons for imposing high duties on foreign made cars was to reduce the number of cars being driven on the roads. But why produce local cars that are cheaper where more people can buy it then. It contradicts.

Surprisingly, Proton cars could be bought at a cheaper rate even though it was exported out of Malaysia. No duties imposed by those countries? What about the freight charges?

In Saudi Arabia, Proton cars are sold at unbelievable low prices. It's not only in Saudi but the same in many other countries where Proton is being sold.

Worse still, the quality/specs are much better for those exported Proton cars. Apparently, it's to meet the minimum quality/safety standards in those countries.

Shouldn't these low prices be the same as in Malaysia for those low-income Malaysians?

Why are we benefitting the foreigners?

Low-income Malaysians subsidised those cars being exported?

Related post - Prices of Cars in Canada
Related post - Proton Cars Being Ridiculed in UK

Reading: Chor lauds Proton for making cars affordable - Star
Reading: Proton - Prices & Specs - Drive Arabia
Tags: Malaysian Car Prices, Saudi Arabia, Proton, Car

Rubbish Dump Fire

Few weeks back in the late Sunday afternoon, a plot of land behind my residential area was burning out of control. Not sure if it was an illegal dumping ground or that it belongs to some factories there.

It was about 150m away from the last row of houses in the residential area.

It was thick black smoke. Though I can't smell anything but ashes were raining down on those witnessing the fire. Toxic?

Within seconds on seeing that it was quite serious, I asked those two guys who were standing there earlier "Have anyone made a call to the fire station?". They responded "Don't know, we just came only". They were there before I arrived ..........

That's our public apathy. Each one waiting for someone else to do it and these people will be fast to blame others for not doing anything if something was to happen to them.

When I called the emergency number 999, the operator asked for details of the area on fire. I told her it's behind my residential area and I told her it was somewhere near the Kg. Bohol area. That operator was not sure of the place and asked me to provide a more detailed address.

I told her it was a fire burning into the forest area. I have told her on the estimated route to go that area. Still she requested for more details saying that the place is not easily understood.

Fed up, I told her to just pass the call to the fire station nearest to my place, which is the Bukit Jalil fire station. I told her if the personnels at Bukit Jalil fire station were to come out from their fire station, they would definitely see the thick black smoke and they'll be guided by that smoke signal. I guarantee that because I'm seeing it with my own eyes (raising my voice at this point).

She could sense my seriousness now. When the call was passed to the Bukit Jalil fire station, the guy who took my call said that they already knew about the fire and had dispatched their personnels there. Good job! But not for the operator because she was wasting precious time.

At this point of time, a number of the neighbours were there to geh poh chi (busybody). Not one person asked whether a call was made to the fire station.

Saw one guy, seems like a reporter or something like that, busy taking pictures with his high end camera and other gadgets but didn't make any calls to the fire station.

The best is yet to come ........ after standing there for a moment I noticed two elderly men came in their car. Walking to the spot where you can see this fire with the best view.

And he said this "Don't know whether the firemen are already there to put out this fire".

I felt like saying "Uncle, if you haven't made the call to the fire station, how do you expect them to be there?".

That's Malaysia and maybe for many Malaysians.

Some complained about the government day in day out but when you asked them whether they have voted in the last general election .............. do you know the answer? ....... Its a big NO!
Tags: Public Apathy, Bukit Jalil Fire Station

Hyped Up TM Technology

I wrote this email to Telekom Malaysia ("TM") on 8 March 2010:-

----------------------------
From: Johnny Ong
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 2:00 PM
To: 'help@tm.com.my'
Subject: Availability of TM fixed line and internet
Importance: High

Dear TM,

May I know when could I apply and have access to TM fixed line and internet service at the following address –

***, Jalan ***** *
******* ***** ***** ***** **
*****Kuala Lumpur

Please note that in Jan 2010, TM Point staff has indicated that the said TM services are still not available for Phase 2A residents even though Phase 1 and 2 are well connected.

Regards,
Johnny Ong
----------------------------

Very disappointed that till today, no response from TM.

So, I wrote another email to TM on 25 March 2010:-

----------------------------
From: Johnny Ong
To: tmhsbb@tm.com.my; help@tm.com.my
Sent: Thu, March 25, 2010 8:25:36 AM
Subject: No TM Line Available

Dear TM,

Please don't hype up the HSBB when TM don't even want to commission a simple telephone line at my place of residence. Excuse given was insufficient applicants = to my understanding, profit is more important than providing the necessary service.

Sent an email to help@tm.com.my on 8 March on the same issue and no response after 2 weeks, great isn't it?

Regards,
Johnny Ong
***, Jalan ***** *
******* ***** ***** ***** **
*****Kuala Lumpur
----------------------------

Yeah, I told TM not to hype up their new UniFi (High Speed Broadband) ("HSBB") service when they can't even provide the basic. I can't even subscribe to their normal internet package, what more this HSBB.

I'm not surprised to read this article Consumers let down by cap on UniFi packages in Star newspaper where it mentioned the following:-

* Some are disappointed over what they feel are expensive charges for the packages for home users: RM149 for 5Mbps, RM199 for 10Mbps, and RM249 for 20Mbps.

* In Singapore, a 1Gbps (gigabit per second) service – which is five times the speed of a 20Mbps connection – only costs about RM200.

* But the real disappointment is the realisation that the UniFi packages have a cap on the amount of data that can be downloaded.

* The consumers bristled when they learned that the 5Mbps service is capped at 60GB of data per month. The 10Mbps service is capped at 90GB while the 20Mbps service has a 120GB cap.

* They were even more disappointed to learn that the data download caps are calculated on a daily basis.

* Consumers were further horrified to learn that if they exceeded their daily download limit, their high-speed broadband connections would be throttled down to about 10% of the purchased speed.

Related post - Poor Telecommunication Infrastructure
Tags: Telekom Malaysia, TM, UniFi, High Speed Broadband, HSBB, TM Fixed Line, Internet Service, TM Point, Gigabit Per Second

War Declared On USA

George Bush was sitting in his office wondering whom to invade next when his telephone rang.

'Hello, Mr. Bush!' a heavily accented voice said, 'This is Gurmukh from Phagwara, District Kapurthala, Punjab .. I am ringing to inform you that we are officially declaring the war on you!'

'Well, Gurmukh,' Bush replied, 'This is indeed important news! How big is your army?'

'Right now,' said Gurmukh, after a moment's calculation, 'there is myself, my cousin Sukhdev, my next door neighbor Bhagat, and the entire kabaddi team from the gurudwara. That makes eight.'

Bush paused. 'I must tell you, Gurmukh that I have one million men in my army waiting to move on my command.'

'Arrey O! Main kya..' said Gurmukh. 'I'll have to ring you back!'

Sure enough, the next day, Gurmukh called again.

'Mr. Bush, it is Gurmukh, I'm calling from Phagwara STD, the war is still on! We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!'

'And what equipment would that be, Gurmukh' Bush asked.

'Well, we have two combines, a donkey and Amrik's tractor.'

Bush sighed. 'I must tell you, Gurmukh, that I have 16,000 tanks and 14,000 armored personnel carriers. Also, I've increased my army to 1-1/2 million since we last spoke.'

'Oh teri....' said Gurmukh. 'I'll have to get back to you.'

Sure enough, Gurmukh rang again the next day.

'Mr. Bush, the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves airborne..... We've modified Amrik's tractor by adding a couple of shotguns, sticking on some wings and the pind's generator. Four school pass boys from Malpur have joined us as well!'

Bush was silent for a minute and then cleared his throat. 'I must tell you, Gurmukh, that I have 10,000 bombers and 20,000 fighter planes. My military complex is surrounded by laser-guided, surface-to-air missile sites. And since we last spoke, I've increased my army to TWO MILLION!'

'Tera pala hove....' said Gurmuk, 'I'll have to ring you back.'

Sure enough, Gurmukh called again the next day.

'Kiddan, Mr.Bush! I am sorry to tell you that we have had to call off the war.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' said Bush. 'Why the sudden change of heart'

'Well,' said Gurmukh, 'we've all had a long chat over a couple of lassi's, and decided there's no way we can feed two million prisoners of war!'

--------------------------
Now, this is what I call CONFIDENCE!
Tags: Confidence, Humour, Funny, George Bush, Phagwara, Kapurthala, Punjab, Prisoners Of War