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False ICs of another kind

by R.Q.

I’m a Malaysian who has been working in Singapore for the past 12 years. (And yes, I am a proud Kuantan-ite)

I just wanted to let you know of two incidents at the Kuantan IC registration department, and perhaps you may want to warn readers of your blog who are Kuantan residents.

Last April 2006, I went back on Good Friday to apply for my MyKad in Kuantan. After they had taken my photo, I was directed back to the counter, where I was told that I could not make my IC there, since the computer records showed that the last time I made my IC, it was in the Petaling Jaya New Town office.

I questioned the officer there, asking why my records could be accessed, but I wasn’t allowed to do it in Kuantan. A supervisor came over, and told me the same thing. Grumpily, I left, since I had wasted a trip there, and had gone back with the sole intent of making my IC.

In November, I made a trip to the PJ office, and upon submitting my application, the man behind the counter said “You lost your MyKad is it?” to which I replied “No, first time applying.” Then he said “You collected your MyKad in July, what. It says here.” And again I said “No, this is the first time I’m applying for it.” He then turned his computer screen to me, and asked, “Then who is this? This is you, right?” And to my shock and horror, it was the photo I had taken in Kuantan!

(At that point, I was too stunned to even know how the photo got there, and only recalled later that I was sent to the photo-taking counter before being sent back to the regular application counter.) Continue reading “False ICs of another kind”

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Urgent fax to PM on 3 issues which Cabinet must address tomorrow

I have sent an urgent fax to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi highlighting three issues which the Cabinet must address tomorrow – the racist and sexist conduct of Barisan Nasional (BN) Ministers and MPs and support of the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin’s exemplary conduct on moderation and simplicity by launching a nation-wide campaign to slash government extravagance and ostentatious ceremony.

The three issues which I conveyed to the Prime Minister are:

1. The complaint by third-year CalyPoly Biotech Malaysian student Sheena Moorthy of the disgraceful conduct of the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis in making racist and derogatory remarks about Malaysian Indians when he met Malaysian students in Los Angeles, California a fortnight ago on 30th April.

I had raised this issue in Parliament last week and Sheena had emailed complaints to the Prime Minister and various Cabinet Ministers, including MIC President and Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu but she has not received a single reply as if the Malaysian Cabinet and Government is totally IT-illiterate in this era of instant communications. Furthermore, Jamaluddin has yet to make a public apology for his “totally uncalled-for racial insults” to Sheena at a public meeting in Los Angeles.

2. The derogatory, crude, vulgar, sexist and gender-offensive remarks by the two BN MPs, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) in the Dewan Rakyat last week, bringing shame and dishonour to Islam Hadhari, Parliament, Malaysian women and Malaysia’s international image and reputation. Apart from punishing the two sexist BN MPs, the Cabinet should come out with a public apology to Parliament, Malaysian women and the nation for the disgraceful and disreputable episode which had attracted a new round of negative international publicity for the country. Continue reading “Urgent fax to PM on 3 issues which Cabinet must address tomorrow”

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“Project Mahathir” – Mahathir should appear before Integrity Select Committee

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad should appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity to throw light on the grave and protracted problem of the extraordinary increase of foreigners resulting in their numbers exceeding Sabahans in the state population.

This is particularly pertinent in view of persistent allegations that Mahathir had masterminded when he was Prime Minister what had been described as “Project Mahathir False ICs” in Sabah based on the deliberate issuance of Malaysian I/Cs to foreigners based on false statutory declarations under “Project IC” or “Project Mahathir”.

One estimate has put the foreigners in Sabah as around 1.75 million, including those in possession of the Project Mahathir ICs, as compared to 1.5 million genuine locals in Sabah.

Hundreds of thousands of false ICs are in the hands of foreigners who are proclaiming themselves not only Malaysians but also as Bumiputras with all the privileges and rights of Customary Native Rights in Sabah.

It is now public information that in the 1999 certified electoral rolls, through the new IC numbers, there were 150,000 Sabah-born registered voters who were born in 1952 through 1960 although according to the Sabah Statistics Department, the State’s population in 1951 was 334,141 and in 1960, 454,421, an increase of 120,000.

With an estimated 80 per cent in this group registered as voters, there would only be about 100,000 Sabah-born voters for this period — which would mean that about one-third of voters allegedly born in Sabah between 1952-1960 were foreigners with ICs issued fraudulently with the use of falsified Sijil Akuan under the Project False I/Cs.

These are very serious allegations which Mahathir cannot allow to stand in the public domain uncontradicted or unclarified. Continue reading ““Project Mahathir” – Mahathir should appear before Integrity Select Committee”

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Raja Nazrin sets golden standard of exemplary conduct for rulers and political leaders

The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah, has set a golden standard of exemplary conduct for rulers and political leaders with moderation, economy and the people’s welfare as the top considerations.

Raja Nazrin has already carved a special place in the hearts of Malaysians with his scholarship and enlightened concerns for the people and nation as testified by his keynote address last month on “Prospects and Challenges for Nation Building” on the seven steps towards successful nation-building, in particular the first principle — “Malaysians of all races, religions and geographic locations need to believe beyond a shadow of doubt that they have a place under the Malaysian sun”.

The Raja Muda of Perak has now won the love and admiration not only of the people of Perak but of all Malaysians with his exemplary modesty and rectitude — wanting only a simple royal wedding with Zara Salim Davidson and declining to accept state-allocated funds.

His advice to the Perak state government to spend the money for development projects to meet the needs of the people as well as to companies and individuals not to compete to buy advertisement space in newspapers on the occasion of his wedding but to channel the funds for charity, especially donating to places of worship, welfare bodies, old folk homes, orphanages and schools in Perak, demonstrates the sincerity and depth of the Raja Muda’s devotion and commitment to the welfare of the people.

Raja Nazrin’s commendable example should remind Malaysians of a similar advice given by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he first became Prime Minister in November 2003, telling government departments and agencies to be simple and modest and to slash elaborate ceremonies and lavish functions, especially when a Minister, the Prime Minister or the Rulers are present. Continue reading “Raja Nazrin sets golden standard of exemplary conduct for rulers and political leaders”

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Another RM22 million scandal to inspect new Putrajaya buildings – Malaysians made suckers!

Malaysians today feel angry and outraged when they read that the Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is asking for RM22 million to inspect new government buildings in Putrajaya for defects, on top of an unending list of government building mishaps.

The spanking new RM290 million court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur has undoubtedly earned instant international notoriety with the daily defects since its opening last week.

Yesterday, the court complex was shut down by a power failure. This morning I receive complaints from a lawyer of leaks in the criminal courts. This is on top of the ceiling collapse, cracks on the wall, faulty toilets and air-conditioning breakdowns.

Had a certificate for fitness for occupation (CF) been issued for the largest court complex in the world, and if so when. If no CF was issued, why was the court complex allowed to be used; and if there was CF, whether actions would be taken against those who had been so negligent as to issue the CF when there are still so many defects, including structural ones, which had to be rectified? Continue reading “Another RM22 million scandal to inspect new Putrajaya buildings – Malaysians made suckers!”

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RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel safety – DAP MPs wants on-the-spot assurance/demo by Samy Vellu before opening

I have sent an urgent fax to the Works Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for on-the-spot safety assurance and demonstration that the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel is safe for use by the public not only on Monday, when it will start operation, but for the next few decades.

This has become even more urgent with more instances of government building and construction defects, with Parliament again leaking in some six places in the foyer outside the media centre this morning after heavy rain — a repeat of the disgraceful incident in April 2005 when Parliament had to be adjourned summarily because rainwater was pouring into the Dewan Rakyat Chamber as a result a ceiling collapse in a RM100 million Parliament renovaton contract.

With the recent unending series of mishaps in public buildings and construction projects, like the landslide in Putrajaya in March which should not have happened, the defects at the Immigration Headquarters and Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry buildings both in Putrajaya, the unfolding mishaps with every other day at the RM290 million largest court complex in Jalan Duta, and now the return of leaks in Parliament building, Malaysian confidence in the safety of public buildings and construction projects have reached a new low.

In this connection, was a certificate for fitness for occupation (CF) issued for the largest court complex in the world, and if so when. If no CF was issued, why was the court complex allowed to be used; and if there was CF, whether actions would be taken against those who had been so negligent as to issue the CF when there are still so many defects, including structural ones, which had to be rectified?

In the case of the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel, no margin of mishap could be allowed to happen,as life and limb would be at stake — unlike falling ceilings, leaking buildings and burst pipes which have so far luckily avoided fatalities or human injuries. Continue reading “RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel safety – DAP MPs wants on-the-spot assurance/demo by Samy Vellu before opening”

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Can Samy Vellu guarantee that the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel will be trouble-free when it opens on Monday?

Public constructions and buildings have become a national scandal, with burst-pipes, collapsing ceilings, faulty air-conditioning systems in brand-new government buildings almost a daily shame.

As a result of we have the following two reports today:

  • “”I have spoken until my mouth is dry’ — PM tired of talking about Terengganu airport maintenance problem” (Sin Chew Daily).
  • “Judge loses his cool over faulty air-con” (New Straits Times).

The former referred to the cancellation of all night flights for two nights at the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu following a power glitch that caused the runway navigation lights to be switched off. The two-day closure affected six commercial flights and some 335 passengers were stranded on the first day. The Yang di Pertuan Agong and his entourage, who were to have left for Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night, were also grounded.

The latter referred to spanking new RM290 million largest court complex in the world in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur which has earned instant notoriety as the most mishap-prone public building — not only with collapsed ceiling, cracks on the walls, defective lift and toilet, and yesterday, High Court judge Datuk Mohamed Apandi Ali lost his cool with the frequent breakdown of the air-conditioning system in the new court complex as he was forced to postpone an appeal hearing. Continue reading “Can Samy Vellu guarantee that the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel will be trouble-free when it opens on Monday?”

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50th Merdeka – nightmare of public health system

Our Pathetic Healthcare System
by “Product of the System”

Once upon a long time ago, I vowed as a naive medical student to serve fellow Malaysians with my utmost sincerity.

Despite much disappointment with the mediocrity of our local university, I was determined to repay the rakyat for the subsidy they have provided me with.

It has finally dawned on me that it is practically impossible to provide optimum healthcare in a pathetic healthcare system like Malaysia’s.

Indeed, ours is a system that is flawed at its very roots, and top.

An Obsession of Vanity

The shortcomings of Malaysia’s healthcare are anything but oblivious to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Instead of putting in concrete efforts to overcome simple problems with simple solutions, the MOH has instead chosen to busy itself with efforts of vanity and exhibitionism.

Penning a rosy Piagam Pelanggan and a lofty “misi dan visi” for every single sub-department will not translate into better services.

Putting our healthcare personnel through time-wasting, brain-washing Kursus Induksi, Biro Tatanegara (BTN) and Penilaian Tahap Kecemerlangan (PTK) programs will not produce more skillful and knowledgeable staff.

Holding weekly perhimpunan pagi hospital and singing patriotic-sounding songs will not miraculously make anyone serve their fellow Malaysians with greater commitment and efficiency.

Forcing our doctors to don bacterial-laden white coats and equally lethal neck ties is the perfect example of style without substance.

Seeking and attaining MS ISO accreditation is far from reflective of the quality of services our patients are receiving.

These fanciful so-called recognitions have instead added unnecessary red tape and rigidity to a clumsy, obese system already burdened and bloated with excessive bureaucracy and paperwork.

The MOH’s misplaced obsession with ISO recognition and protocol is holding everybody back — doctors, nurses, lab technicians, radiographers and everyone else trying to fulfill their duties in a system that frustrates.

While healthcare in much of the rest of the modern world is cruising ahead, Malaysia’s is so very wedged in the medieval ages, with no signs of any prospective improvements under a greedy government more concerned about serving the interests of its cronies in the money-loaded field of medicine. Continue reading “50th Merdeka – nightmare of public health system”

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Public building mishaps – end Samy Vellu farce, get Cabinet out of the way and emulate South Korean/Singapore examples

Yesterday was the opening of the RM290 million largest court complex in the world in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur marked by more mishaps, after the ceiling collapse in the secretarial room of Civil High Court judge Datuk Abdul Malik on Monday.

Firstly, cracks measuring more than three metres appeared on the fourth floor corridors opposite Magistrate Four.

Then one of the lifts broke down, trapping eight passengers for about half an hour.

Car parking is going to be a nightmare for lawyers and the justice-seeking public who have to go to the Jalan Duta Court Complex, which would house 77 courts comprising 26 magistrate’s courts, 21 Sessions Courts and 30 High Courts. The RM290 million Court Complex in Jalan Duta is clearly most unfriendly to the justice-seeking public.

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has said that his Ministry will assemble a team of experts to investigate the faults at the court complex in Jalan Duta, the Immigration Headquarters building in Putrajaya and the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry building, also in Putrajaya.

He said the team would deliver a preliminary report on Monday for him to present to the Prime Minister at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday where further details, including repair costs, would be discussed.

I say: End the Samy Vellu farce and get Cabinet out of the way — emulate South Korean and Singapore examples to establish independent inquiries into construction disasters and prosecute defaulting parties regardless of cronies or proxies! Continue reading “Public building mishaps – end Samy Vellu farce, get Cabinet out of the way and emulate South Korean/Singapore examples”

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RM534.8 million commission for Scorpene submarines – why Perimekar?

Commission paid was under the guise of support and coordination services
by Richard Teo

The pathetic explanation given by the Defence Ministry regarding the purchase of the Sukhoi SU30MKM fighter and Scorpene submarines raises more suspicions than answers.

The public is not concerned with the laborious explanation regarding the negotiations carried out by the Defence Ministry neither are they interested in the approval levels and the checks by the technical and price committee.

What the tax paying public is interested is why was the contract awarded to Perimekar to prepare support and coordination services for six years. The contract value was 114.96 mil euros(RM534.8 mil) to be paid in stages according to the level of progress of the project.

What kind of support and coordination services that Perimekar can provide that the Defence Ministry is not capable of providing?

The pertinent question that begs to be answered is why was the contract awarded to Perimekar. In view of the substantial amount involved (RM534.8 mil) was there any open tender for the contract? Continue reading “RM534.8 million commission for Scorpene submarines – why Perimekar?”

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Tip of iceberg? More disastrous public building mishaps to come?

Transparency International Malaysia President Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam has said that the recent collapse at three new government buildings is symptomatic of the state of deterioration in standards, quality, productivity and efficiency in the country.

He said that there’s too much concern to make a quick buck and too little attention given to professionalism and warned that this could be “tip of the iceberg”.

Ramon is eminently qualified to pass such a stricture on the public service delivery system as he was one of the last top non-Malay civil servants, at a time when the Malaysian public service was still identified with quality and world-class standards.

The question posed by Ramon is uppermost in the minds of Malaysians — whether the trio of mishaps of three brand new government buildings in the past three weeks are mere “tip of the iceberg” which portend even more disastrous mishaps in the near future with grave consequences to life, limb and property?

In actual fact, there had been quite a catalogue of construction mishaps in the past three months, as apart from the recent trio – the flooding of the seven-floor Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya because of plumbing failure, the collapse of a ceiling at the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry in Putrajaya and the ceiling collapse in a secretary’s room at the world’s largest court complex at the Jalan Duta court complex — other mishaps involving brand-new government buildings and public projects or those under construction included the Parliament (ceiling collapse as a result of pipe leakage), Matrade Building, MRR2, fungus in new hospitals, the navy complex fiasco, smart lab fiasco, etc.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for the Public Works Department to inspect all government buildings nationwide while the Works Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has welcomed the call and praised the Prime Minister’s for his wisdom!

This is most ridiculous and outrageous. How did Malaysia descend so quick and fast in the past three years down the slippery slope of a third-world nation, not only in the maintenance culture but in the deterioration in standards, quality, productivity and efficiency in the public service delivery system? Continue reading “Tip of iceberg? More disastrous public building mishaps to come?”

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Public building mishaps – once is accident, twice is coincidence, thrice is systemic government collapse

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was angry yesterday. He ordered an immediate inspection of all government buildings for defects.

He said: “I feel angry. I feel ashamed. What the hell is this? It’s so new and such a thing happened.

“Something must have gone wrong somewhere. We need to know. I can’t be jumping all over the place!”

The Prime Minister was referring to a spate of embarrassing defects in new government offices — the collapse of a ceiling due to a leaky sprinkler system at the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry in Putrajaya on Saturday, the ceiling collapse in a secretary’s room at the world’s largest court complex at the Jalan Duta court complex yesterday and on April 11, the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya had to be closed after water flooded the seven-floor building following a failure in plumbing, turning and evacuating more than 1.000 people.

On March 22, Abdullah reacted in disbelief when what he never expected happened — a landslide in Putrajaya (Precinct 9) only inches away from three 15-storey government apartments, damaging 25 cars and evacuating more than 1,500 people from Blocks A, B and C in Phase 11 of the government housing complex.

The Prime Minister said he was angry and he “can’t be jumping all over the place”. But there were no signs that he was really either. Continue reading “Public building mishaps – once is accident, twice is coincidence, thrice is systemic government collapse”

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How can a law-abiding cybercafe operator survive in corruption-rife Malaysia?

I have received a heart-rending appeal for help as to how a law-abiding cafe operator could survive in corruption-rife Malaysia.

The cybercafe operator J is “almost at the end of the road” after being in the business for the past five years and is regretting that he had “picked the wrong country to live and grow by doing business and earn a living”.

He had ventured into the cybercafe business for the last five years after he lost his job as a IT hardware/software salesman. With 2nd class honours degree in Business information System in a UK university, he never got any better job which paid enough commensurate with his qualification.

He had paid for his entire studies right from local college to university in UK, working since in high school till university as a part-time technician in computer shops, selling self-build computers from home, etc.

While in UK, he saw cybercafes as a booming industry and dreamt of owning such a business one day.

But now, he his staring at the stark possibility of having to close down his business with debts of bank loans near to RM1 million – all because a licence is required to run such a business.

Back in 2002, when he started with 30 computers in his hometown, he took him more than a year to get a licence to operate the business. Why the one-year wait? Continue reading “How can a law-abiding cybercafe operator survive in corruption-rife Malaysia?”

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Altantuya – Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces

Altantuya - Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should give a full statement of what he knew about the Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered and blown to bits with powerful high-security C4 explosive last October instead of letting out information in bits and pieces.

On the eve of Ijok nomination on Wednesday (18th April), Najib made his first comment when he said he was not afraid of allegations linking him to the case of the murdered Mongolian woman, that they were “merely lies to discredit him” and that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and the police “knew the truth”.

On Ijok nomination the next day, Najib said that he “would not take lying down” accusations hurled against him by the opposition in the Ijok by-election campaign and would “respond to the personal attacks to the fullest extent possible… in the context of the law”.

Last night, Najib released another bit of information when he said in Ijok that he had never met Altantuya.

He said: “I have only seen pictures of her in the media.” Continue reading “Altantuya – Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces”

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Abdullah must work trebly hard in next few months to have credibility to talk about Mission 2057

Yesterday’s New Straits Times front-page was completely taken up by two quotes of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s speech on the National Mission for the next 50 years, viz:

“I have not forgotten about Vision 2020. It is a target for us to achieve. But why can’t we think beyond that? We are well placed to envision a century of success… ”

“All those rumours that I’m resigning in July, who is saying this? Some have said I am a one-term prime minister. We will see about that… “

I had three immediate questions when I saw the NST front-page yesterday.

Question 1: This was a speech which Abdullah had delivered as Umno President in a meeting with the “Umno political machinery and Umno psychological warfare unit” (Bernama 19.4.06) at the Putra World Trade Centre last Friday.

Why was such a speech and message delivered to the Umno propaganda and psychological warfare unit aired on RTM1? Is this an open and blatant admission that RTM is nothing more than the propaganda and psychological warfare unit of Umno?

Is this further proof of Malaysia going further down the slippery slope where important distinctions among the three separate entities of government, political party and personal interests have been completely blurred and eradicated among those vested with public trust, whether government power or charge of public funds — when the strict maintenance of such distinctions are the fundamental prerequsities to foster a culture of national integrity and to carry out a successful campaign against corruption?

The Machap by-election and the current Ijok by-election have seen such blurring and eradication of distinctions among the three entities of government, political party and personal interests reaching an unprecedented level in the past 50 years. Continue reading “Abdullah must work trebly hard in next few months to have credibility to talk about Mission 2057”

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Suspend LKIM chairman and DG until probe of mutual corruption allegations

Suspend LKIM chairman and DG until probe of mutual corruption allegations

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had pledged an “all-out war against corruption” when he succeeded Tun Dr. Mahthir Mohamad in October 2003, but his actions had never belied his word.

Ironically, Abdullah gave two illustrations of the vast gap between his rhetoric and action on the anti-corruption front when he spoke to the press at the launching of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (MACA) on Thursday.

Firstly, Abdullah lashed out at the Chairman and Director-General of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) for their public quarrel over allegations of corruption.

LKIM Chairman Adam Abdul Hamid had lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) that the agency’s top management had spent RM55 million for its Kg Geluncur complex in Kuala Kedah without open tender.

Adam told New Straits Times (10.4.07) that the complex in Kg Geluncur, completed last year at a cost of RM29 million was unable to be used as the jetty was 10 metres from shore.

As a result, the same contractor was awarded a sand-dredging project to allow sea water to reach the jetty. The fee — RM100 per cubic metre of sand removed when PWD rate is RM30.

There was also a RM8 million land-levelling contract and a RM17.8 million contract to build a 1.8 km access road to the complex — all awarded without open tender.

The LKIM management, under its director-general Datuk Annas Khatib Jaafar, had on its part lodged an ACA report against Adam, who is also chairman of Majuikan Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of LKIM, for secretly giving an offshore loan of 10 million euros (RM46 million) last year.

Abdullah should have suspended both the chairman and director-general of LKIM until outcome of investigations into the mutual allegations of corruption instead of asking them to sweep their differences “under the carpet”, wanting the duo to “sit down and resolve the matter among themselves” rather than going public and making “the public lose confidence in the government”. Continue reading “Suspend LKIM chairman and DG until probe of mutual corruption allegations”

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Contract award of West Coast Highway is a sham

Contract award of West Coast Highway is a sham

Contract Award of West Coast Highway is a Sham
Richard Teo

It is disconcerting to learn that the West Coast Highway mooted in 1996 but put on hold because of the Asian financial crisis will be given to the original contractors awarded 11 years ago.

A project awarded 11 years ago certainly has no justification to be given to the same contractor unless the project was awarded in an open tender in 2007.

Cost of labour and price of material fluctuate over time and can bear no relationship after a period of 11 years. So on what basis was the Highway contract awarded to the same contractor?

How did the estimated cost of $3.12 billion been awarded to the contractor if there was no competitive bid for the project?

Surely a project of such magnitude would demand greater transparency and accountability. Continue reading “Contract award of West Coast Highway is a sham”

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Hoax of bomb hoax – 2 1/2 hr closure of Penang Bridge

2 hr closure of Penang Bridge.gif

Fuming emails by irate victims of the totally unnecessary 2 ½ hr Penang Bridge closure on Wednesday, not because of any bomb hoax but the unbelievable ineptitude of Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Penang Works and Publ.ic Utilities Exco Koay Kar Huah.

This is one such fuming email:

The real cause?

Perhaps Datuk Dr Lim KY is going to regret when he had chosen a “coward”/soft/stupid/impotent leader!

Malaysia is not USA, where Tom Dick & Harry can b president. Their Executive System is strong enough for any stupid leader to order any emergency, crisis or war. Here our executive just push up without serious assessment and analysis of the case, they just like to let “boss”/leader to make decision and get rid of responsibility! So who is to be blamed when rakyat is the ultimate loser, many Chinese who went back to Penang for cheng beng were stranded and cannot get back to work in time, many missed their scheduled return trip, many were exhausted by the traffic jam and felt sick/fatigued. All in all just because somebody made an enquiry and the Police over reacted and CM making stupid decision without even using all available resources, brain, consideration to verify the case first.

This is very dangerous if in future he were to be subject to false alarm and declare state of emergency and ppl will take advantage of his weakness and then create chaos when they want to . And now we saw that Penang CM was fooled by another hoax call!! It is due to his richman’s son background making him not a good leader!? He cannot afford to take risk and verify first b4 making decision and promote a “fear”/kiasi/kiasu culture to Penangites to follow. Ppl R so easy to fictitiously create rumour and spread fear, they falsely accuse ppl breeding aedes, breeding snakes and evil, so they can then make use of MPPP mechanism to help clean house as well as “clean” his “eye sore” which he is jealous of but are the property of other ppl. Continue reading “Hoax of bomb hoax – 2 1/2 hr closure of Penang Bridge”

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Security flaw – suspend income tax e-filing system

Security flaw - suspend income tax e-filing system

The Inland Revenue Board should suspend its income tax e-filing system if it is not safe and secure following complaint of security flaw of the system allowing access to the particulars of other taxpayers.

I have received an email from a taxpayer complaining such a security flaw, as follows:

As I was filing my tax returns via e-Filing I encountered something that made me worried. As I clicked the save & continue button but the page refreshed with some other person’s Tax No. as well as their PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL info!

I was shocked and can even see the bank info and account number… I print screen and hope to make it known to others the possible leak of P&C info.

I find this NOT amusing as leaking anyone’s financial info makes me lose trust in the system and LHDN. Imagine I got to view 2 other person’s data!

If anyone here has direct access to LHDN’s Head Officer please inform him/her as to this matter to rectify ASAP!

The complainant has also posted his complaint on his blog, WattaHack? Continue reading “Security flaw – suspend income tax e-filing system”

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The floods of Taman TTDI Jaya Shah Alam

The floods of Taman TTDI Jaya Shah Alam

THE FLOODS OF TAMAN TTDI JAYA SHAH ALAM
by Z. IBRAHIM

For those who moved into the neighborhood of Taman TTDI Jaya in the “planned” city of Shah Alam 15 years ago, little did they realize that it would be a non-ending nightmare of recurrent flooding.

The trust they had in the developers and all those promises that the land had been adequately raised to sustain a 100-year rain forecast obviously in retrospect was nothing more then a “con” to entice innocent house buyers to part with their hard-earned money to buy these homes. Worse affected were the shop-owners who today have to face floods almost on a monthly basis. How is this possible?

Despite all the technical explanations by the developers, DID, MBSA and the Menteri Besar himself it appears plain to anyone with common sense that the area indeed is topographically the lowest point in the entire locality and water undoubtedly whether from the area itself or drainage upstream from KL would indeed overflow and stagnate at this Taman.

After the horrific floods of last year, the State government came up with an interim plan to raise the river bunds to prevent overflowing but the floods keep coming with even greater speed.

You see, despite knowing that this place is already flood prone, the area between TTDI Jaya, Bukit Jelutong and the TUDM air force base has been stripped bare to make way for industrial development.

The entire area does not possess proper drains and even a kid will tell you the massive run off during heavy rain will of course pool at this housing estate located beneath — Taman TTDI Jaya.

But this common sense appears to have slipped through the minds of authorities who allowed this massive land clearing without a thought to parents, the infirm, children, businesses and schools who occupy this housing estate. Continue reading “The floods of Taman TTDI Jaya Shah Alam”