Perkhidmatan awam under Rafizi - Magic pill?

As requested by Rafizi Ramli , was for me to read his blog via tweet, and so I did. Oh man! Alarm bells everywhere! Jom semak!

I wanted to dissect the "Matlamat Penting 2012 "as per Rafizi’s blog, it’s only the tip of the iceberg, but you've got to start somewhere, right?

My first impression as I begin to read... this blog is obviously written to impress voters. You know, wow! I mean, I tell you, this guy, he is really good in identifying the Malaysian pain poins. So, Rafizi is wonderful at identifying potential improvements the question remains is he capable of making the change? Jom kita semak!

The important question we should ask is what can PKR do to address these pain points, within the allocated resources, within allocated budget that they have (start to grow money on trees perhaps),  to execute their call for change without causing too much disruption and detrimation of the economy, our investors and share market since some of these Public entity are publically listed and continuously aiming towards reducing the gaps of wealth distribution among race. Yes it’s a balancing act and the devil is in the detail.

The funny thing about Rafizi's matlamat is to developed good public transport will take him 10 years, but fixing the system he reckons he can do it immediately... This is what I mean when I say it’s like a magician in act. Perhaps he reckons he can, so let’s give him a chance to update this blog or address some of the issues below:

Let's discuss one of the selections about the “Perkhidmatan Awam”, shall we?

Jom semak!

"Memansuhkan monopoli Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS) untuk mengimport beras. Sebaliknya, lesen import akan diberi melalui proses yang kompetitif, terbuka dan telus" --->source: Rafizi's blog

So friends, let us understand who is really BERNAS and what do they do and what does this really mean:

BERNAS
"With a staff strength of 1,700 people, BERNAS continues to fulfill its obligations under a Privatisation Agreement signed with the Government in 1996. These obligations include maintenance of the nation's rice stockpile, acting as the buyer of last resort for paddy farmers, managing the Bumiputera Rice Millers Scheme and the distribution of Paddy Price Subsidies to farmers on behalf of the Government"

My dear En. Rafizi, may I ask you regarding your planned reformation,

1) what happen to the 1700 people in Bernas and their potential job loss? Don't tell me the rakyat don't care about them and willing to sacrifice these people so that rakyat get a potential  "maybe" to have some saving in their pockets. I said "MAYBE" because open tender doesn't mean having ceiling prices and no guarantees for cheaper price. It's just competitive, that's all.

2) Have PKR drafted a policy on how to regulate the Padi industry to include the maintenance and the guaranteed purchased from the local farmers regardless of economic state?

3) Will our farmers be protected regardless of padi demand, or in unregulated situation under your open system?

4) Are our farmers protected by the threat of foreign investors?

Logically, when you invite an open tender, it aims to sell Padi cheaper, naturally smart supplier would need to look for cheaper supplies. Consider Malaysia for a second, our standard of living is definitely of better quality than our neighbors, hence our farmers would naturally charge higher price in comparison to our farmers friends in Thailand hence making Malaysian farmers pricing unattractive. Suppliers will be better off  importing from Thailand.

 In other words, my view is,  PKR policy will automatically (intentionally or unintentionally) penalized the poor farmers and would put their income at risk.

En. Rafizi, I am looking forward to your reply how is this in your opinion, is harapan rakyat?  My opinion is that not only you fail to consider the impact on our farmers; you fail to consider you are now unable to control or protect the Malay economy for wealth distribution.  The cynic in me is saying all you considered about was your KL friends or the middle class white collar saving RM2-3 per packet of rice but you forget to think at what costs!

5) My next question is on your administration, how would PKR manage the man power to ensure that this industry is protected since they will be dealing with multi-agency?  
How does PKR plan to manage the distribution of subsidies to farmers if we have multi-agencies?

How large is your planned government staff going to be?

What will is the cost of these administrations for all this extra bureaucratic work with multi agencies?

Last but not least how are you going to finance all of this?

This is why my opinion is that you forget the knock-on effect in your calculations.

6) My next question is to question youwhat you are not openly saying.

PKR please can you confirm that under PKR plans, the Padi industry is now open to competitive market and that would mean it is no longer under bumiputra in your own words Rafizi, “kompetitif, terbuka”.

As I said before, I have no problem with internal open competition but are the Bumiputera in Malaysia ready? Are PKR voters aware how this impacts the local farmers and the Padi industry? Again you're changing the Malay industry without telling them.

I suspect that when you are done En. Rafizi, the situations is going to be the poor Malay farmers working for a Chinese Tauke for peanuts or Mickey Mouse money. If you disagree, please tell me how do you envision this to be?

Over and over again I see hidden words threaded carefully between the matlamat that raises alarm bells. I sincerely doubt the voters are reading between the lines, people just don’t have the time. All the people will hear, harga beras jatuh! Yippie!!???

On top of all the issues I highlighted above, the people  should ask PKR, jamin ker harga beras jatuh lepas mansuh monopoli Bernas? Kalau tak, apa objective reformasi you?

En. Rafizi do you mind to give an open statement of  “ Jaminan”  for rakyat that harga beras akan jatuh bila you mansuh monopoli dan  nasib petani melayu akan terbela, that you also will managed the subsidy for the petani, protect the jobs of employees at Bernas, you will make sure that you manage the regulations between import export so that you will protect Malaysia sustainable economy. That you can do all of this within budget and still continue with all the mansuh plan as promised.  Do you mind to give the jaminan, you can just blog it and tweet me, I can dissect it for the people if you like. ….

Jangan jadi cam cerita nie pulak......

Mak,mak pergi pasar, mak beli kain, kain warna apa? Merah! M.E.R.AH.
Mak, mak pergi pasar, mak belik kain, kain warna apa??? Sorry-lah dik, tak beli, mak tak cukup budget.
Tapi…. mak kan dah janji! (Berontak!)
Sorrylah dik, kamu tadi nak buku, pastu nak basikal, pastu kamu nak duit saku, mak tak cukup nak.
Habis tak cukup kenapa mak janji...??
Sorrylah dik, mak dah kira tadi, tapi TYPO kat calculator!

En. Rafizi, when doing your numbers please use updated statistic and please consider knock-on effect of your proposed change. You guess it, it’s not easy being a government, and you cannot get everything right. The key is finding a balance. The key is to protect the people equally. There are no magic pills.

I'm looking forward to write "Jom Semak PKR's Matlamat Penting 2012 for Telekom Malaysia". Jom Semak will hopefully help you reflect on this fairytale promise of PKR land.

Peace Yo!

Shooting Malaysia in the heart?

Jom renungkan dan semak semula (as tweeted by Rafizi to me asking me to read his blog, and so I did)

After reading some of the posts in the blog, I am now more worried than before I started this adventure to scrutinize the political parties in Malaysia. My opinion is that it doesn't add up big time. It's like watching magician in act, but a friend told me that Islam preached that I asked the question directly to the owner, as he have the right to answer, if he wants. It's the least I can do to be a responsible rakyat.

As quoted from the blog:

"Memansuhkan semua perintah darurat dan menghapuskan semua undang-undang yang membabitkan  penahanan tanpa bicara seperti  yang terkandung di dalam Akta  Pemansuhan Darurat"

Saudara Rafizi, I do not understand PKR's policy on Malaysia' security act. Your blog is scatchy and inadequate to clarfiy the intent of your party.

In the case of national security issue or terrorism wouldn't your policy shoot Malaysian right in our heart? Naturally we have to ask you and your party, why would your party put Malaysia at risk?what is your intention and  who are you really protecting under this agenda?

Initially we had this law to protect us from under the threat of communism, some skeptic are saying is the communist influences that promote to 'mansuh' this law, so I'm asking you to please openly comment on this, because this is obviously quite an allegation, I think.

For me, personally, Keadilan always gives me the impression that the party is based on one individual which is "membela nasib Anwar Ibrahim  bukan membela nasib rakyat" but your party repeteadly denied this. Bukankah Malaysia itu lebih penting daripada seorang individual? I believe so, hence why I'm writing to you. Perhaps you care to comment, in light of this mansuh policy how can this policy solely benefit and protect the interest of  fellow Malaysian?

I believe, Malaysia is bigger than an individual and the government must play its role to protect Malaysia at all cost. In saying that, it's obvious that the government must make tough decision in making policies albeit controversial that can keep the country safe.

If our national security policy puts Malaysia at risk and prevent us from taking any security action due to technicality, when under threat, then know that the policy is drafted by a weak party.

My question for the voters is to consider if  PKR have the ability to find the balance in all this? Perhaps PKR needs more time to get use to administration, but the party's lack of experience is very apparent. It's quite scary what risk the party willing to take as long as they appear to be in contrast to everything the current government is doing.

A strong government is the one that have an ability to find the balance between humanitarian act and national security act, which in my personal opinion, is obvious under Datuk Najib's revised policy:

http://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/billindex/pdf/2012/DR152012E.pdf

Especially now more than ever, we need strong national security policy and this can be seen in all other countries around the world, among others ....

America-“There is an exemption for American citizens from the mandatory detention requirement (section 1032 of the bill), but no exemption for American citizens from the authorization to use the military to indefinitely detain people without charge or trial (section 1031 of the bill). So, the result is that, under the bill, the military has the power to indefinitely imprison American citizens, but it does not have to use its power unless ordered to do so.”

Singapore -

The Internal Security Act (ISA) of Singapore is a statute that allows the Government of Singapore to investigate security threats like international terrorism, foreign subversion, espionage and acts of violence or hatred using race or religion. The Internal Security Act (ISA) of Singapore[1] confers on the government the right to arrest and preventively detain individuals without trial for up to two years at a time in certain defined circumstances under Section 8(1)(a) of the ISA.

(quoted as last I checked)

My questions to you En. Rafizi.....

Why and how can we Malaysian feel safe under your party's administration? Can you please update your blog to explain your counter-terrorism plans under PKR because without this in place, the extra ringgit in the Malaysian pockets are worthless, and you know it.

Thank you very much.

Poorly planned- Rafizi mansuh cukai kereta

Baru tgk video Rafizi, banyak sungguh soalan I nak tanya.... 

1) Isn't government already earning from AP? So if you want to raise additional 2b by permit.. How? More influx of foreign car into already congested Malaysia or you're merely double counting?

2) what happen between year 1 - 5 while we suffer of lost of income before we can catch up with lelong AP? Can you change this issuance permit before year 2015? I thought this is restricted until 2015.

If you can't change the issuance method until year 2015, then we are playing catch-up, right? So in the mean time we suffer 1.5b loss of income for a couple of years?

Be honest, are we talking Cut backs or other form of taxation? 

3) I think that talking about tax but not how it's been reinvested back in the economy is biased. 

Same like planning to abolish tax but not explaining cut backs. 

Naughty! Naughty!

4) Finally when lelong AP is allowed, why are you confident that the car company wouldn't push down this cost to consumer? Will you be imposing restrictions? 

If you're talking about self import what regulations you have in place that 2nd cars imported will be regulated?

 Jgn malaysia jadi junk yard for Japanese 5 years old cars pulak...

5) Your stats and ratio is inaccurate.

Please give breakdown of car debts by ranges in car value and income range.

Example, orang  kaya who owns 3 luxury cars are diluted in actual aggregated household income. You're not showing the true ratio of car debts to household income. 

So is this policy for the convenience of the rich?

Plus for the love of god can we please use stats from year 2011. Why do you keep using year 2009 stats, it's dated.

6) You fail to mention that current AP is for majority holding Bumiputra entrepreneur , "lelong" mean that hak Bumiputra juga mansuh.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pro open competition among Msian but your other Bumi voters have the right to know.You kena citer  betul2 baru ada integrity..

Bukan ker you promote towards kerajaan telus, kita kena jujur that this changes the automobile landscape for bumi entrepreneur for ever.

7) So, if incremental revenue would that mean people will be buying more imported cars? 

Rafizi, what about encouraging innovation within our country and protecting our industry? What will happen to our graduates in the Vokasional stream? So, again you tak kira the knock on effect on the economy. 

8) The new step forward in world economy is  to have self sustainable economy within the country rather than imports. Why are we moving backwards? Have you  no faith in fellow Malaysian capabilities? 

9)Finally, why is pakatan and DAP policy considers no pollution implication and encouraging cars? Mansuh toll, mansuh tax where as in most part of the world we are looking to reduce carbon emission. If only we can price tag the environment! 

So, yes  cars will be cheaper but you'll feel the pinch nonetheless. Are willing for other cutbacks without actually knowing what will the cutbacks be? At least explain apa cut backs you nak buat.

A more sustainable approach would be aggregating tax by car size, gas emission, numbers of cars etc. tapi tak sebut "mansuh" tak catchy lah kan.... Org tak excited.

Buang masa jerlah you nie... Baik you focus on building reliable and safer public transport. 

After all Rafizi, kalau nak seribu daya, tak nak seribu dalih. Jgn mcm DAP pulak asyik berdalih pasal public transport kat Penang tu. 

Usaha tangga kejayaan!

 ~fida.i~

Through my lens...

 

Through my lens...

Capturing is a breeze,
Set it free and let it be,
Express it with utmost sincerity,
Can you feel it...
...
Let it be even if broken,
It is meant to be unexpected
Ride along the little adventure,
Let the rising curiosity grows stronger.

Seek it not,
The mystery it's priceless,
You know It lies within you
It lingers all arounds you..

Even with eyed closed,
it will surprise you,
The key is yours, so go on..
Open your heart and mind..

And I tell you, you've seen the pink sunset, the red night and the bronze sky, even the tiniest snow flakes and the razor frost. Do you remember the winter sun and the bare forest, naked to flood it all with lights.

I walked on that oil paint and my heart sings. I see it, I see it, all around me...wow is that it too..in the smiling eyes of a friend.

I want to translate to you, can you feel it... I'm translating it to you..it's through my lens, feel my world.

~fida.i~

If I, will you?

If I, will you?

If I promise to walk with you,
Will you take my hand...
If I promise to stay with you,
Will you always love me...
... If promised to accept you,
Will you forgive my weaknesses...

~fida.i~

Ireland

Why I love Ireland and miss it dearly.....

1) You can spend hours chatting about meaningless things and enjoy the conversation...The Irish will share all sorts of info other than their private life.

2) Irish are the best story teller, there is always a story about " my brothers friend" or "somebody I know" ....it's always entertaining.

3) If you are bored in a Taxi, you can always wind up the ...taxi drivers by innocently asking "what's the taxi regulations in Ireland like?"

4) The Garda are mostly tall, dark and handsome ;)

5) They have the best carrots in the world..... Super sweet...

6) You can be silly after 8.30pm and nobody cares

7) Its okay if you are a little bit nosy....

8) You can answer most question with " ahh sure" , "well, you know" and "that's fair enough" and people will leave you alone...

9) You can say anything you like if you start with "with all due respect..."

10) You can swear anytime, anywhere and to almost anybody, it's not rude...

11) Some best advice "sure what can you do about it", " you'll be grand, just throw it in the wash" or "all you need is good old soap and water", "sure..one can only try"

12) You can talk to anyone if you start with "top of the morning to ye", "did you see the spittin' rain yesterday", "are you alright love?", " nice weather today"

13) People put in effort to find a common ground with you.. The most common one I get is... "You are from Malaysia? Do you know there is a Malaysian restaurant out on Baggot Street"

14) Be miserably lost if you ask for directions unless you know pub locations and walk as fast as the Irish. 5 min walk means 15 min for Malaysian time.

15) You don't have to answer when some ask you " how are you", you can just ask them back the same question.... No one cares for your life story, it's just politeness to start conversation...

16) People understand love and passion.

17) Strong family values and traditionalist at heart when it involved families.

18) You can get out of trouble by just keeping your heads down....

19) Weather forecast are there just because every other country have it, it doesn't give much useful information, other than Martin King congratulating people for their birthday

20) If you can take, you can give slagging...

21) You'll get away with any statement if you say " I'm only joking"

22) It's a very social and lively country... I love it!

Friendship

In virtue to confide, in justness and in sincerity. Let us be grateful to people who make us happy.

~fida.i~

My cursed instinct..

Sometime we are simply bonded by what we commonly love.
Instinct can haunt you in the most random way,
Yesterday, I thought of you only to hear about you today...

... I am annoyed at your secrecy
I don't understand your reasons
I prefer not to hear your excuses

I stand loyal in memory for the ones I've loved and lost.

~fida.i~

Fire

 

 

 

 

 

The fantasy, the illusion, the dream,
Leaving her breathless..
Spinning with excitement.
She has a rock...
Solid beautiful rock.
This temptation shall be her weakness...
... The warm embrace of merely illusions...
Her heart burning with desire,
In the end she knows she has no story to be told....
As she loses everything that she hold..
Like a moth simply will perish in the fire..

~fida.i~

Penang and DAP

I heart Penang..... For those who loves Penang to consider...

Why do Penang need tunnel connecting to mainland?

We have the second link almost ready and the ferry... and we are already congested as it stands.. Why build more? Who is getting this project?

Wouldn't the money better spent else where like more efficient public transport?

Wouldn't the money be better spent rebuilding Penang mainl...and to avoid congestion on one side of Penang only?

Wouldn't it be better off we build and developed Penang as whole realising Penang full potential rather than just the Island?

Have you considered the ecological and environmental effect of building this tunnel? Already we are building on sea, at the edge of the mountains and on top of these mountains... Have you researched the impact this will have on Penang?

DAP.. You need better policy on rebuilding of Penang land. I'm not voting for you but for the friends who is voting for you I hope that they will ask you to reconsider your plans since its damaging Penang.

At least lets keep our common goal -"for a better Penang" to be safe and sound and out of this ridiculous political battle.

I heart Penang and I hope you do too....

I'm calling for DAP to be a more responsible party.

 

-fida.i-

The full circle - My story

Last October just as the end of autumn, I walked in the forest alone, looking for peace of mind among the tall nearing bare trees with floors covered with golden leaves.

My heart heavies and my eyes wells up as I thought about my dad and my brother. Before long I found myself sitting on a dead branch crying. Just among the trees, the earth and the little forest creat...ure, I cried for a long time. Then I saw a lady walking her dog, so I quickly wiped my face, straightened up and did a quick checked using my iPhone camera for anymore traces of tears. By the time the lady was closed to me, she didn't notice anything. She stopped to say hello and we just chat a little bit about random stuff and she went on her way.

But she then turned back and asked me if I'm alright? With confidence, i said yes. She said are you sure? My eyes starts to wells up again. She invited me to walk with her and tell her my story... And I did, we both stood there, not crying but tears was flowing out beyond our control. She too lost her dad recently. We stood the hugging and crying and promise to support each other in the way we knew how. She lit a candle for my dad and I sent a prayer for her pain to heal.

When I least expected, I found comfort in a stranger and now my good friend here in Sweden.

Today is march 22, 2013. I left early morning with Nabilah and we went for breakfast. We did the same yesterday morning. Yesterday I noticed an old man looking at me and the children talking and I felt him observing me as I tidied after Umaiza's mess, joked with the kids and messing about with camera.

I didn't know why, the Swedish may have the softest beautiful baby blue eyes but they give away nothing. The facial expression is always impartial and their dressing are always smart and in order. They are composed and in control. When they looked you, you feel they are judging you. I couldn't be more wrong with that conclusion!

This morning, the same old man, he is alone this time dropped his mug and he was shaking a little bit. I jumped up a little bit, so he apologised. I said its ok, are you alright? He said yes and left to get a different mug.

Few minutes later, he returned, stopped at my table... And for the first time I got see his face and eyes properly... There were something profoundly deep emotions in his eyes, I felt he was crying a river. As the seconds lagged, he eventually said he lost his wife a week ago. She was sick for a long time and now he is relieved for her but he can't seems to get it together for him. He's been clumsy since... His started shaking a little bit. I stood up and hugged him.
I helped him to his table.. Pick up the pen he dropped on the floor while doing his crossword puzzle. I told him what was told to me in the forest last October. It's will get better. I told him I know how it feels to lose the people you love. This man have families kids and grand kids, but if he is remotely as proud as I am, he will be worried about troubling his families more than his emotional pain, and will put up the pretence.

Anyway I left to send Nabilah to school...on the way back I found myself in pain, crying for this stranger.

Even as I told him it will get better and I told him that we will all die one day and I hope to be reunited with the people I love, I didn't tell him that in the meantime as the journey is unfolding that the intensity of how much you miss them grows. It doesn't get easier but it just gets familiar. I didn't tell him nobody in the world can comfort him but merely to just stand with him in the moment of loneliness and loss. Truth be told, the pain is solely his to bear, no matter how much he tries to share it or shake it off, its there and its constant.
Every time he miss her, his heart will be stabbed with the same pain he felt when found out he lost her.

Why am I telling you this? It's for the hope of humanity. Be a comforting friend even if they are stranger. Lend your hand when some fall. When you notice pain behind someone's eyes, pause to check. They may choose not to share it, but they will at least know you do care.

We are all humans, we are not perfect. We pray to god for comfort and he may send angles in different ways... Our act of kindness towards each other is the mysterious ways how it all works out in the end and so I believed.

~fida.i~