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Sunday, June 30, 2013

People wait for police

The Government must try its best to solve crimes including those in Jinjang Utara Tambahan, so as to make people feel safe in this country.

Jinjang Utara Tambahan, Kepong, is important. It has the biggest government clinic in Kuala Lumpur and a popular secondary school.
     At midday two weeks ago, two school girls were walking home from the school. Suddenly, two snatch thieves robbed each girl of her hand phone. Then, in the past two years,  criminals have committed various crimes: break-ins of houses and cars, stealing of cars and drug trafficking.
     Car thieves even steal cars from the clinic compound. In early mornings, residents claim to have seen drug trafficking. They rely on the police to investigate.
     Victims have reported the crimes to the police. They yearn for security.
     Recently, the Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid expresses his intention to overcome crimes. Then the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid sets up a special department for the purpose. Further, Federal Territory Minister Tengku Adnan says he is concerned about the issue. However, cityfolks wish that they try their utmost.
     On June 25, , 2013,  Yang di-Pertuan Agong presented the Royal Address in the House, stressing priority on tranquillity and security as well as the gap in public perception about them. In the beginning of July, I shall speak on the Royal Address, emphasising the combat of crimes such as in Jinjang Utara Tambahan. I hope that Datuk Zahid and Tan Sri Khalid see for themselves the complaints on crimes in Jinjang and other areas.
     The Government must take steps to fight crimes so as to improve the image of the police.  But, Malaysians learn to be patient. 
  
    
    

Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Capability of Implementing Education Blueprint

In the past 57 years, whenever an Education Minister assumes office, he presents a blueprint, starting with Razak Report. Now. YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin offers a new blueprint to propel our education to world standard.
     This morning, he told the House that he intended to implement the blueprint, including the training of over 56,000 English teachers. Does he want to make passing English as a subject compulsory in the Malaysian Education Certificate (SPM) examination? Has the ministry the capability to implement the blueprint successfully?

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Indonesia and haze

Haze affects people in many ways. A mother has not taken her boy to kindergarten for three days. He has been looking forward to a photography session at the centre. He says that our neighbour is cruel, sending us the haze.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

ASEAN cooperation to fight forest fires

Today, Yang di-Pertuan Agong addressed Parliament, saying that Malaysia continues to play an important part to enhance cooperation of ASEAN. We desperately need cooperation to put out forest fires in Riau and Sumatera. We have to prevent haze.

Haze causes loss to the nation

Haze makes Malaysians unhappy. Since it blankets the country for one week, birds wake up late, children do not go to school, business people do less business and more people become sick. The Government should announce the loss to the nation.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Attempt to get Indonesian cooperation on forest fire & haze

Every year, huge forest fire in Indonesia causes serious haze that affects health. It is bad this year. The Government must attempt to get cooperation with our neighbour to extinguish forest fire. How can we help find the solutions?

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Seek opinion of residents on incinerator for rubbish

For years residents of Jinjang North, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, experienced the stench of rubbish. Over 10 years ago, the dumpsites were closed, to be replaced by a Transfer Station. The old dumpsites are still under treatment.
     Now, Housing Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan proposes to build a big incinerator at Taman Beringin,Jinjang North, to burn rubbish. He should seek opinions of residents in Jinjang, Kepong.

    

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Bukit Aman overlooks the Lake Garden

Bukit Aman is the National Police Headquarters. It overlooks the Prime Botanical Garden or the Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur. Cityfolks go there for morning walks and recreation. Tourists like the various plants.

Bukit Aman is very near the Lake Garden, and yet it is very far. Criminals are active in the park: breaking into parked cars, mugging and robbing.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

0vercomig crimes

Street lighting in Jinjang South went off for nearly a month. This is due to stoppage of electricity supply. The substation may be faulty. As darkness descends at night, criminal activities increase.
     The victims reported their cases to the police and complained to City Hall and electricity company, TNB. But, darkness persists at night.
     Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid and Federal Territory Minister Tengku Adnan express their opinion on crimes. The Inspector-General of Police sets up a special department on crimes. They have their own ways of doing things.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Better language teachers

According to Minister Datuk Yap, a Cambridge test shows that 70% of Malaysian English teachers lack the competency of the language. This was one of the reasons for stopping the project of Teaching of Science and Maths in English (PPSMI).

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin admitted in Parliament that there were teachers who needed special courses. Obviously, these courses have to be redesigned to improve the standard of teachers.

The Education Ministry must have its own assessment of the quality of over 400, 000 teachers in the country. What is the standard of Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil teachers? It is high time that the Government let us know the standard of Malaysian teachers.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

We go into parliament

On May 5, 2013, Malaysian voters voted us as members of parliament. There are weaknesses in the electoral system such as the big difference in the number of voters among the constituencies and the suspicion of immigrants as phantom voters.

We go for parliamentary struggle.  We go into parliament. We speak up for the people, including the weaknesses in the electoral system.

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Prepare Auditor-General report for debate in Parliament

The Auditor-General presents a massive report in Parliament every year. It reveals irregularities of expenditures in government departments. The National Feedlot Corporation project that cost tax-payers RM250 million was awarded to the husband of a minister. Part of the money was used to buy a condominium in Singapore.

The AG report should be debated in Parliament. Yesterday, Minister YB Idris Jala touched on the matter. If he is serious, he should prepare the report in such a way that members of Parliament find it easy to use for debate.

Friday, June 07, 2013

The amendment of cyber laws

The cyber world progresses. We must keep pace with it. We can use it for good or evil.

Most Internet users, netizens, are responsible. Only a small group misuses it. They include hackers, liars and instigators. The fight between good and evil does not end.

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Shabery says the review of the Internet laws will be holistic and not politically-driven. We welcome the holistic approach. We wish he enforces the laws to protect the majority. We hope he will not abuse them.

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Proposal to ban motorists from city safe areas

Millions of motorists use Malaysian roads. Only a small number of them are criminals. About 50% of nearly 7000 deaths a year from road accidents are motorists. There are not many motorcycle lanes.

A city is supposed to have safe areas. This may mean they are crime-free. The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid suggests that motorists are banned from entering safe areas. According to him, 90% of road crimes are committed by criminals on motorcycles.

Tan Sri Khalid must consider the matter carefully. He has to review various factors such as the total impact of the ban, the meaning of safe areas, the number of policemen required, parking facilities, the availability of affordable public transport and the efficiency of city hall. Just because of a few criminals, the majority of innocent motorists are also punished.

Independent Police Complaints & Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)

Deaths evoke human feelings. Deaths in police lockup give rise to public reactions. Since 2000, 219 cases of lockup deaths have been reported. The police should release the actual figure.

Five lockup deaths in the last five months arouse public fury. The Government Cabinet agrees to set up an Independent Police Complaints & Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). Will it work? People should watch out for conditions imposed on it by the Government.

For some years, the existing Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission gives some people confidence. A few insist that it should work. But, the public have not seen its effective enforcement. Will IPCMC end up in the same way?

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Manage petrol revenue wisely

Malaysian oil reserve must be managed well. Billions of ringgits of oil revenue should be used to benefit the public. It should be invested for long-term public good.

In the oil industry, part of the revenue is for  investment, maintenance and development.  These are reasonable. But they must follow international standards.

Today, Petronas insists that its overseas operations are transparent, conforming with international standards. Rightly, the people are very concerned with Petronas and oil revenue.

Monday, June 03, 2013

A lockup detainee is usually not sick

To compare one thing with another must be reasonable. Comparison  of like with like is normal. But to compare a police lockup with a hospital is unusual. Occasionally, someone does just that. A sick person goes to hospital.  Unwillingly, a person is detained in a lockup. Usually he or she is not sick.

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Deaths in police lockup

A lockup has is regulations to protect the rights of detainees. The police must follow them.
In the past 5 months, 5 detainees died in lockups. These give rise to questions. The Special Police Committee must reveal the details of these cases. Could they have been prevented?

Truly workable steps to ensure EC independence

Yesterday,  Prime
Commission. Some praise Najib's intention.

Actually, the Prime Minister has to explain the number of steps needed to create a genuinely  independent EC. That EC is under the Prime Minister's Department gives an impression of being bias. Other aspects such as the appointment of important EC personnel cause suspicion.

Housing & corruption

Malaysians believe that housing industry is full of irregularities such as corruption. Last week Minister Paul Low mentions the prevention of corruption and housing industry.  The people hear.

Housing developers calculate the cost of construction carefully. If at any stage from drawing plan to completion of houses, there is an extra payment to an officer in a government department, say RM2 million,for approval,  this is added to the cost. Buyers pay higher price for each house. House prices are determined by market forces.

For years, the public witness these irregularities. They yearn for a change. The Government announces low and medium cost housing projects. They hope the houses are fairly distributed. They also want to know the types of effective measures to fight corruption. 

Saturday, June 01, 2013

A truly independent Election Commission

In a parliamentary system of government with general elections, the election commission must be fair. Since 1957, Malaysia has had 13 general elections. At the beginning, the difference in the number of voters between constituencies was not more than 15%. The Federal Constitution was amended to make it 50%. Then,  a further amendment abolishes the limits.

The 13th General Election on May 5, 2013 showed weaknesses and discrepancies such as doubts on immigrants becoming voters. The Election Commission (EC) insists that there are no major weaknesses. But, many Malaysians believe that it should not be under the Prime Minister's Department. It must be truly independent.

Today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib announces a Special Parliamentary Committee to oversee EC. The public would like to know how it ensures independence of EC.

YAB Najib should get the views of various parties and organizations such as Pakatan Rakyat and NGOs to find out the acceptable ways of making sure that EC is seen to be fair. For example, the ways with which important personnel such as secretary-general and secretaries are appointed should be transparent.