Of a taxi driver's plight...fuel and education

Another taxi trip, another chance to measure the nation's pulse.

During the short trip, the taxi driver willingly gives his views on 5 in 1 price hike which is hurting him and the rest in Malaysia save a selected few who walks along the corridors of power :-

1. Granted that the government will save RM 760M in subsidies when Najib introduce his 5 in 1 price hike but more monies can be collected through PUSPAKOM and the extra income can be used to offset the fuel subsidy;
   
2. It takes this particular taxi driver 3 trips to PUSPAKOM and RM 105 test fees with another RM 1000+ in repairs to get the taxi stamped "road worthy". He suggested the government to instruct PUSPAKOM to set up their own workshops and guarantees the vehicles "road worthy" within a test. This will save the taxi drivers monies and time of following up the test with PUSPAKOM getting extra revenues through repairs to get the transport up to PUSPAKOM's standards;
3. It takes him RM 3,000+ per year to maintain the taxi, a hefty sum for "hire-purchase" drivers like him;
4. It takes his previous company (a foreign company doing the LRT project) 2 trips to pass the PUSPAKOM although the transport is barely a year old. And his ex-pat boss was cursing PUSPAKOM for "over-dependence" to computers;
5. It bewilders him to see busses plying Lebuh Ampang with smog exhaust passes PUSPAKOM in just one go;
6. It riles him to see workshop owners offering "special services" and guarantees for PUSPAKOM pass;
7. This particular taxi driver, simple minded as he is, truly believed that PUSPAKOM computers are "fixed" to come out with the test and it might be true if GIGO is applied. GIGO? Yes, Garbage In, Garbage Out!. It could happen and there is nothing the illiterate IT taxi driver can do about it;
   

At the end of the metered RM 6.20 trip, RM 7.00 passed between our hands and between the two of us, he needs that extra 80 sen more than the caller.

It then dawns on me. We do have Hamid Albar's driven SPAD (Public Transport Commission), don't we? If SPAD exist then SPAD should also address to the following issues :-

1. Klang valley taxis are blessed with hybrid fuel system ie option to run on natural gas or fossilised fuel, why is the same not extended to taxis beyond Klang valley?;
2. Pak Lah had promised earlier to look into transportation system when he raised the fuel price. Nothing significant has happened since then. Why?;
3. Why is the government slow in pushing PETRONAS to set up NG kiosks outside Klang valley? Why is Klang valley taxis (and limited vehicles) given special treatment? Or are Klang valley taxis only need to pass PUSPAKOM?;
4. Why is Hamid Albar concentrating Klang valley only? Does the recent fuel hike applicable to Klang valley residents only? If it applies to all, then why is the government pouring money to extend LRT service in Klang valley which is not applicable to those living outside Klang valley? Double standard? ;
5. If taxis drivers in Klang valley has the option to pay 68 sen for a unit of NG why is the facility not extended to taxis outside Klang valley? Don't they pay the same permits?;
6. The government has failed to implement car pooling, they have even failed to introduce "zoning system" in their effort to curb private cars entering the city centre, so what else will Hamid Albar be offering? Another re-cycled proposal?;
7. What experience does Hamid Albar has in public transportation? Was he involved in the sector before? Is he there as political compensation? A way to milk more money from the rakyat?
8. What about the government directive that RON 95 will not be sold to foreign cars? Who will implement it? Who will enforce it? Will it not encourage foreign cars owner to resort to placing false plate numbers to buy cheaper RON 95 petrol?;
9. What about foreigners with local plates? Are they barred from purchasing RON 95?
   

The government is slipping by the day. It seems that the government is getting fond of making political suicidal decision and then trying hard to wiggle out of the situation.

Najib stated that the 5 in 1 price hike is done after taking into accounts of feedbacks. Whose feedbaks? The sugar king feedback? The petrol king feedback? What about the feedbacls from the taxi drivers, the commuters, the fishermen, the Semais, the clerks, the sweepers? Do Najib cares? Do the government cares?

Najib argued that his 5 in 1 price hike is aimed at betterment to education. Fine! But at what cost? Muhyiddein declared that Malaysians, foreign, stateless children will be get access to education. That's what Muhyiddein declared in Dewan Negara on 20th July 2010.

Now, forgive me if this person sounded sarcastic - do you really think the statement is true? Only the other day it is highlighted that the Semaian children in Bertang Lama, Pahang do not have proper access to education. And here comes Muhyiddein pledging that the government will provide education access to foreign and stateless children as well! Sometimes, the Malay proverb "Kera dihutan disusukan, anak sendiri mati kelaparan" seems so fitting to our society today.

Pak Zawi corrected this person when he said that it is not just Bertang Lama alone. Places like Cameron Highlands suffer the same fate. So here we are, DPM Muhyiddein eagerly offering education to the foreign and stateless children whilst forgetting that Malaysia's own Semais, Penans, Bateq, jakun, mah Meri, Orang Kuala, Temuan, Temiar, Semelai, Semaq Beri, and extending the education scheme to foreign children.

Remember the case where a school in Pahang complete with IT lab but without proper water and electricity? Tell me, how do you promote conducive sudy environment to these neglected thousands when Muhyiddein and the rest of the cabinet seems to be tackling issues in front of their eyes. what's not seen is out of their minds and only a priority every 4 years when GE beckons!

Yes, Muhyiddein can offer education to the foreign and stateless BUT not with taxpayers expenses! If these foreigners can afford to sent millions of ringgit to their families abroad, then they should be made to pay education at premium rate without or taxpayers monies. Simple as that. The same goes for the stateless!

Fuel and education. Najib promised to improve on these two when he announced the 5 in 1 price hike. So far the government seems to be concentrating all its efforts to address the issues in Klang valley and maybe extended to a few big cities. The fact is the 5 in 1 price hike affected all Malaysians and all those staying in Malaysia. Why then the government zeroing in Klang valley for transportation solution? What about Penang? What about Johor Bharu? What about Kelantan? What about Kedah?

What about education? The government is widening the education access to includes the foreigners and the stateless. But has the government seriously thinking aout our capabilities? If Malaysia is short of trained teachers to educate our saudara lamas, then why is Muhyiddein spreading the access to the foreigners and the stateless? Muhyiddein has not even solved the present teachers shortage, why needs to add extra burden to the teachers? Muhyiddein can't even set his thinking right on the need for PMR or not, why jump into another issue?

Yes, education is important to the foreign and stateless children. There is no doubt about that but it can be done by getting their parenst to pay for the education at premium rate. That is all! Simple and straight forward!

Do you think Najib or Muhyiddein will hear the plight of taxi drivers? In reality they don't care. As long as they can travel in their cars with sirens wailing and as long as they don't pay from their own pockets on all the expenses, they just don't and won't care.

Once in a while, it is good to take taxi and feels the nation's pulse. It is also nice to take time off and flows with the rest of Malaysia in places like Bertang Lama, Cameron Highlands. There, you may blend with the rest of us who feels the pain of 5 in 1 price hike. And if there are some of you who has so much in excess, why not pass some to those in need? Can we start with a proper education system for the Semais, perhaps?

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

Of Ron 95 "ayam pencen", "Bollywood" Kg Buah Pala and...

Dataran Merdeka 31st August 2009

1. This time, don't blame the government (sigh)..Malaysians have been forwarned sometime in May 2009 that the petrol price will be going north again.
2. As though to prepare the rakyat to handle the crunch, the Government promised to introduce RON 95 petrol which can be used in most cars (except the high performance cars) at the rate of RM 1.80 per liter, which is the same price as RON 97 (before 1st September price, that is).
3. Right on the dot, the government efficiently announced the price increase on 31st August 2009. That's the Merdeka present from the government to common folks like you and me...
4. Everything seems to be on cue, isn't it? No, it is not!!!
5. Way back in May 2009, if I can remember correctly, the government mentioned that RON 97 will increase from RM 1.80 to RM 2.00 per liter. But on August 31, the government officially announced that RON 97 will be selling at RM 2.05 per liter. That's a difference of 5 sen per liter.
6. Further, when I followed my friend to fill up the ptrol in Petronas on 31st August 2009, under Primax 3 is a small sticker stating that that particular station is selling RON 95 petrol. The price on 31st August 2009? RM 1.80 per liter!! I am not sure if Petronas has been selling RON 95 Primax 3 before but in previous filling in Caltex, RON 95 was selling at RM 1.75 per litre.
7. So tell me...is Petronas selling RON 95 fuel at RM 1.80 all along? Is this what our National Petroleum agency is selling us or are they shortchanging us, the rakyat???
8. It looks something like 1998 when times were bad. That's when the night markets introduce a new version of ayam known as "ayam pencen". Basically these were "expired eggs producing chickens" which were sold at RM 5 per bird compared to RM 6.30 per kilo for normal farm chicken.
9. You can still get a chicken at cheaper price but you may end up with some broken tooth whilst consuming them. Is this what the government is doing to us? Introducing RON 95 which is basically a new product name but Petronas may have been fleecing the consumers at RM 1.80 per litre price since who knows when?
10. And since we are still at Petronas...what happens to the oil royalty claims of Kelantan? When is the federal government going to decide? Najib's slogan of "Rakyat didahulukan, prestasi diutamakan" is at test here. When will Najib "dahulukan rakyat" Kelantan? or is Najib bent on "utamakan" BN's performance in Kelantan? For the sake of the nation, Najib needs to break down his own "ego-wall" and give Kelantan its dues...
    
11. Whilst we are talking about petroleum, after the weekend holidays celebrating Merdeka, the consumers will be feeling empty pockets now when rapidKL fare increase takes effect today too. No more return trip for RM 2. It now cost RM 2 one way. In short, 100 % increase.
12. What about the stage coach? I bet consumers will be feeling the crunch soon with Ramadan month and Raya coming. And we haven't touch the taxi fare yet...That's the Merdeka present, courtesy of Najib.
13. Up north (again), there'll be 2 Bollywood scripts in the making. One will be in Perak when PR's speaker is calling for assembly sitting on 2nd september 2009. I am not going to dwell on Perak's fiasco this tiome around...my only hope is that those who are responsible for the comedy of errors to make it right. Be it the yellows, the blues, the greens or the reds... and I am pretty sure they know who they are and who I am talking about...
14. Kg Buah Pala is the "Bollywood" script I am talking about.
    
15. On 13th August 2009, all vested parties in Kg Buah Pala has agreed that Kg Buah Pala will be torn down on 1st september 2009. The date was agreed after the stand off between the developer and Kg Buah Pala villagers on 13th August 2009.
16. Along the way, Kg Buah Pala residents failed in their bid on 21st August 2009 to get application for leave to appeal from the federal court.
17. Based on the agreement that the residents will vacate Kg Buah Pala on 31st August 2009, the developer should be moving in to tear down the village anytime after that. That' s the agreement.
18. Now it seems that the villagers are changing their stand again. They are not moving out and instead :-
    • wanted a secure compensation agreement from the developer;
    • claimed that the state government has yet to issue a demolition order to the developer;
    • villagers feel insecure with developer's offer of double storey houses;

19. This is pure "Bollywood"!!! When the issue first broke out, symphaties were with the villagers. However, when the villagers tend to ask more and start dilly dallying, that's the end of the straw.
20. First, the land does not belong to them. And the developer has been kind enough to bow to the State's government request to offer double storey house to the villagers but do the villagers accept it? No!!! they demanded more and claimed that the houses are too small and they want their extended families to be offered the houses as well...
21. Then, they go around selling their pitiful stories to the political parties and then paint sorrowful stories. To me, the villagers minds have been clouded and think that this is Bollywood.
22. Honestly, theGovernment has been patient enough to deal with them. If this happen in the east coast, the villagers will be long gone and the leaders charged with seditions.
23. Say what you want but I think Kh Buah Pala residents have been asking too much...out of nothing. To me, take what is offered because the land doesn't belong to them in the first place...
    

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