Monday, October 05, 2009

Lobbying for job directly to 1M PM6 Najib...

Whilst some are busy campaigning in Bagan Pinang, let's get loose and think about public transportation system...afterall, some need a break from Bagan Pinang's hectic campaign schedules and rising food cost...

Nice strategy, beamed directly from Paris, France.

Taking advantage of 1M PM6 Najib's official 4 day visit to France, an Electrical Engineering student believed that his Malaysian peers (in France) and him can improve the Malaysian's transportation system. His selling point? Two years ago he had conducted a study on public transportation operated by RapidPenang.

This is what I termed as selling oneself as a product. Nothing wrong there, at least this guy has an innovative idea to secure a job back in Malaysia once he graduated from his study in France. Better still, he may end up as one of the fourth floor boys in the PM's department.

However, I see that his proposal is limited to Penang. If this person can offer himself to solve Penang transportation system, why not open up UTM to resolve JB's public transportation system, UiTM to resolve Shah Alam/Klang public transportation system with UM tackling KL's transportation system? Maybe, there is a grain of chance by giving these young upstarts the exposure they need to showcase their innovative design and skills in solving the many public transportation headache of major cities in Malaysia.

Back in mid 80's when recession hit our shores, young graduates were roped in and placed in various government departments for training and paid an allowance of roughly RM 600 per month. Some of these graduates became "shadow cabinet" of state administration, offering ideas and suggestions on various fields. Of course, their novel ideas were not fully accepted by the "establishment" who are more concern of protecting their interest than serving the state and the nation.

Since Najib is willing to listen, why not provide grants to our local universities so that they can come up with possible solutions to our never-ending public transportation system. Consider these :-

  1. What is the rationale of extending Kelana Jaya LRT line now from Lembah Subang – Kelana Business Centre, through Subang, USJ, Alam Megah and ending at the hub in Putra Heights?. The proposed line will consist of 13 new stations and approximately 17km of guideway.
  2. What is the rationale of extending Ampang LRT line now from the present Sri Petaling station, passing through Puchong, Kinrara and ending at the hub in Putra Heights? The proposed line will consist of 13 new stations and approximately 17.7km of guideway.
  3. Not only both extensions will cost a lot of money but will also include land acquistion and new trainsets. Are we ready to spend mega? Instead of extending the lines, the government should first solve the problems faced by thousands of komuters users daily plying Rawang - Seremban and Sentul - Port Klang routes.
  4. The authorities could not claim ignorance on this issue as it has been raised countless times in the newspapers and also in this blog. Do any of the officers from DOR, KTMB, Prasarana, MOT ever tried komuter services? If not, you guys who have relatives working in any of these so-called departments should urge them to try the komuter service (at peak hour operation).
  5. And since a relative of Rosmah is currently the third spouse of KTMB's top echelon leader, why not get the good doctor to try KTMB's service for a change (instead of chasing after beautiful "skirt wearers")
  6. What about RapidKL services? Have anyone tried their services in KL Sentral? Just imagine how many buses RapidKL provided for their VIP customers using route 82? Do these buses provide the services to Malaysian office workers or are they providing cheap transport to the many foreign workers in Damansara?
  7. Kl monorail services? Is somebody monitoring their deteriorating services? The frequency of "technical glitches" between stations is increasing. Is this signs of wear and tear? Or is it signs of poor maintenance? Signs of bad workmanship and sub-standard equipments, perhaps?
  8. Puduraya bus terminal? Honestly, I have not been there for a while. Remind me to make a trip there before I can provide my comments....
  9. Hentian Putra? Is it acceptable to have long queus of buses along the external road? Isn't this a safety hazard? What about the poor ventillation at the counters? It's stuffy inside the terminal.
  10. The new bus terminal at Bandar Tasik Selatan? My first impression is wow!!! That's all but look at it this way - how will the komuter service cope with the passenger load boarding from Bandar Tasik Selatan? How will STAR line cope with the expected increase passenger load?
  11. ERL service? Has anyone lodge an official complain on the possible safety hazard on the platform? I mean, imagine a 140 kph ERL whizzing through the platform and the waiting passengers have no safet guardrails to protect them from "incidentally" suck in. Is this the best YTL-ERL can do? Any comment from our guy in MOT? DOR?
  12. Klang bus station? Or is it the ever nostalgic "Toshiba" bus stand? Why isn't the place upgraded? It is still heaty waiting for the busses there...
  13. What about the "unofficial" bus stand in front of Pudu Raya? Has any so-called hardworking official or politician noticed the discomfort facing those waiting their bus to go home to Puncak Alam or Sungei Buloh? No seating, no shade - it is testing time, indeed...
  14. The bus stop near Pasar seni area? Observe how the buses revved their engines as if they are ready to go...only to move inches at a time. Waiting time for metro buses and Sri Jaya buses? 5 minutes (at least) before the buses departed for the next stop.
  15. And I am not touching the taxi services yet...
This is an SOS on our public transportation system. Much can be done but the relevant people are dragging their feet in solving the issues. Why? Because they are not public transport users. They are mostly car users who enjoy the comfort of air-cond cars, driving alone to their respective offices. Is this why the government failed to implement car-pooling system? Just because these guys are using their own transport to work (alone), they will delay (and most probably shoot down the idea of) car-pooling for their own benefit.

More can be said about this but who cares? Do you think Najib cares when he has the luxury of traffic policemen escort with sirens wailing? Do you think Ong TK and his band of merry-men from MOT, DOR, Prasarana cares? The answer - Najib don't care, Ong TK don't bother to care...unless the public transportation solution brings opportunities for mega-quick bucks projects.

Let us be open on this. I am not against the proposal of LRT extension line per se. What I am objecting is the timing and the priority. Why should we invest on extending the lines when our present public transportation system is still wanting? Shouldn't we be fixing the existing problems first before venturing into extending the lines or introducing new services? This is public money that we are talking about. Why not use it wisely to buy the needed hardware for the peoples' comfort or at least until the services are punctual? Remember that our productivity will be affected if the public transportation is lousy. Imagine the number of workers arriving late at workplaces and getting home dead tired because of poor public transport system.

If a friendly blogger boast his capability to predict share trading, maybe I too can lobby the job to solve the public transportation problems facing Malaysia. Will Najib give me the 1chance to prove my worth? Frankly I doubt it because my "political" involvement is not to 1M PM6's standard...However, I the practical and ever pragmatic Nightcaller believe that I can do the job better- much better than the so-called henchmen heading the respective GLCs' connected to Malaysian public transportation system. And for 1M PM6 Najib's information, I will not cost a bomb like the so many fortune seekers surrounding him. The choice is his, either to go for practical solutions or forever surrounded by henchmen hungry to chip away the goldmines in public transportation system.

By the way, if Najib can spend 4 days to officially tour France and Muhyiddein can spend most of this week wooing BN's Bagan Pinang "golden sons", I can provide 1 day guided tour of existing Malaysian public transportation system to Ong TK. And I will forego the normal charges of guide fees if Ong TK, the Mechanical Engineer, is willing to experience first hand the trappings of Malaysian public transportation system.

As proof of my capability in solving public transportation system (and dispensing off traffic jams), I can almost guarantee that I am confident of resolving the traffic problems in Bagan Pinang within 1 week. Yes, I can solve the Bagan Pinang traffic snarl by 12th October 2009. Why? You still don't believe ah????

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nightcaller,
How I wish it's me....Hahaha! Kiddings! I would rather be with Singapore Civil Service. Plenty of Malaysians are there. Koh Boon Wan, born in Penang was part of the Singapore civil service before becoming Health Minister in Singapore
You can solve it within 1 week. I can even solve it within 1 day. Let Temasik Holdings take over. I can guarantee you it would be in black soon. By the way, the introduction of ERP in Singapore fetches billions of dollars in Singapore at a fraction cost. Government operating expenditure is within 30%. There you have it

nightcaller said...

Looes74

To solve the problem within 1 day is near impossible, given the "complicated" nature of existing Malaysian system :) but you are welcome to give it a go...

For ERP to be implemented successfully, the public transportation system should be flawlessly efficient. And that is the keypoint to the whole idea.

The main setback for Malaysia is that the ERP implementation will not cover everybody ie the motorcyclist. That has to be addressed.

Right now, UTM is working on a system based on GPS and sensors which is an improvement and adaptations to the ERP. It may works in Malaysia since GPS do not differentiate the VVIPs from non VVIPs' (I mean, all has to pay equally and there is no exception - which is good for Malaysia which has too many VVIPs). The question is whether Malaysian government ready to implement the system or not.

Limiting the numbers of vehicles on the road will reduce traffic jams but it will still not solve the transportation problem ie the human movers. For that, a more serious and practical approach is needed and may call for some unconventional ideas. That is lacking in Malaysian public transportation system.

You are welcome anytime to return and offer your service here (but I doubt Malaysia can afford to match your current salary heh heh)

sunwayopal said...

You guys are looking at solving the problem through different lenses from how the govt is seeing the problem.

By now, you should already be aware that EVERYTHING the govt does, and I mean EVERY SINGLE thing right from education, to transport....to healthcare, to the civil service, construction , port services air or sea etc etc etc.

EVERYTHING -> The No 1 priority is NOT about efficiency or solving problems. Yes, thats NOT the No 1 priority. There is a bigger issue that must be solved and only after that, the govt address the issue at hand.

The No 1 priority that first must be addressed is how much money can be made from solving this problem and who to 'allocate' the money or the contract to.

Seen in this light , if some issues arise that needs solving but doesnt add any contract value ie no contracts or mega contracts can b awarded, it will rank pretty low in our govt priority list.

Govt of Malaysia has more or less become an UMNO making machine.

Rakyat di dahulukan is nothing but some 3rd rate cheapo slogan that sounds good but means zilch!

The Rape of Malaysia continues! For them, make hay while the sun still shines.






sunwayopal
http://www.myrealestate.com.my

What a Tok said...

Way back in the early 1990's I was one of the consultants (local and foreign) commissioned to prepare a proposal for the setting up of an LRT system for Johor Bahru. Due to political interference, the project was shelved. Based on this experience, these major factors need to be considered in developing a public transport system: (1) fare must be very affordable (2) the whole transport system must be integrated - the route, schedule and fare (3) to be run by dedicated operator who understand that public transportation does not make money (4) system must be functional - clean, comfortable, efficient

sunwayopal said...

Political interference = the fella in power must have found another project to do where he can get a bigger cut of the money!!








sunwayopal
http://www.myrealestate.com.my

nightcaller said...

Sunwayopal

Positive thinking, my friend, positive thinking. Although there are those in high offices who are primarily gold diggers but it has to stop sometime.

What we are offering is for the government to realise that it is time for them to let the pros do the job. Out with those cronies and nepotism. That is Najib's last chance as he desperately need to boost up his image and re-instill confidence towards his ragtag government(remember that the Mongolian father is not giving Najib breathing space in France).

Of course Najib can choose to continue dishing out goodies to his ardent followers but if he did that he will be easy meat in GE 13.

Toklalan

Is it about the proposal to have JB's own LRT? If so, yes I heard about it when it was highly publiced some years back.

However, IN JB's case, my opinion is that they need a better road distribution system because LRT may not be the best option for those making a living in Singapore. They have to commute to Singapore daily and their numbers are causing massive crawl in JB proper.

There is also some talks about introducing KTMB's short train services (ala komuter) but as always it came to a naught because KTMB just do not have the necessary hardware (ie engines and coaches).

You are correct in the factors contributing to public loyalty towards public transportation system. The operator must accept that this is a social service (but do you think YTL's ERL, David's KL monorail care about this? No, they were thinking on how to fleece the government with their exceptionally high cost and share it with the "toll keepers")

Anonymous said...

Toklalan/Nightcaller,
To have affordable LRT rides, need to have mass riderships. Plus, building LRT needs massive capitals. Even tram service in Penang advocated by one famous blogger also need money.
Well, regardless of the novel objectives, companies got to make decent profits. Profits required for maintenance & upkeep of these systems
Would share with you guys teh Singapore's solutions. Of course, they also have problems. Especially the government there interested revenue generation & managing car populations. Nowadays, Singapore is quite congested. Due to policy of reducing COE. However, everybody knows that more ERP gantries would be setup. Very bijak!
GPS systems would work well for Malaysia. Another system worth considering is CCTV system. The one in Great Britain. Plus, can be used for crime prevention.

But Nightcaller,
It would be Big Brother.......I love "Big Brother" episode by Yes Minister. See how Hacker out manoeuvre Humphery

nightcaller said...

Looes74

The ridership s there in KL. The only thing absent is regularity and efficiency.

On Penang LRT, are you referring to 001? Not Bond, James Bond but the name's Ooi, Jeff Ooi? On last count, understand that the proposal by AAB's son is leading the pack. The setback is BN is dragging their feetbecause Penang is under PR and BN would do their level best to prevent PR from getting any credits...

And finally...back to Yes Minister again to watch "big brother". Can we, once in a while watch David Letterman? :)

Anonymous said...

Nightcaller,
Ok lah, watching David Letterman can fun. Regularity & Efficiency of the service can be imposed by having GLC running this consortium. Perhaps, one shall do. However, Renong is no Temasik Holdings or its underlings. Such consortium must gear towards decent profits required achieving those 2 requirements above
I don't believe in heavily subsidised. Been in Mexico, metro is dirt cheap but I can assure you would have heart attack whenever it breakdowns
For Penang wise, it must reduce the number of traffics coming in. Few things I can think of ERP, CBD & asking Penangites to buy parking lots. We can learn from Hong Kong & Singapore.
Plenty of ways to skin the cats.......By the way, enforcement is equally important. I am equally malu when my Singaporeans complain about poor taxi service in KL.
In Singapore, one phone call.....That fella's licence kenna gantung.......Hehehe, I read in Straits Times (Singapore), enforcement in the 70s are very very strict. Guys must have suitable hair length. Else, would be served last in all governmental offices such as post office. Hahahaha, Singapore style of hudud law.

Nightcaller,
On the record, I am against this kinda discrimination....