Saturday, September 19, 2009

WASTEFUL SPENDING ON POSTERS

I have just returned from Seremban, after an unusually long two hour drive early this morning from Kajang. I thought driving out early to Seremban from Kajang would allow me to escape the anticipated heavy traffic along the South bound highway. That thought however proved to be wrong because the moment I exit Kajang at the Country Heights toll house to get into the Seremban-KL highway, I noticed that the highway is clogged with traffic. By this time, it was already to late for me to turn around and I had to bare the agony of trailing the heavy traffic that took me almost two hours to reach Seremban, where usually it takes only 30 minutes.

Upon getting into Seremban town, you would not believe in what I saw i.e. a line of large posters of the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar with the caption 'Selamat Hari Raya Idilfitri' hung at every alternate street light pole along the roads in Seremban town. It is pointless to count the number of posters because one is sure to lose count of it. Even having a calculator will not help.

I cannot understand the usefulness and purpose of the posters with the picture of a smiling Menteri Besar on it. I would like to ask why have his picture on the poster? Why are the countless of posters needed? Don't the Seremban folks recognise the face of the Menteri Besar?

I think this is cheap publicity and a total waste of money; more so if it is public money. I would'nt mind if the posters bill is paid from the personal account of the Menteri Besar himself, which I think is certainly not the case. Or is the bill taken up by some Chinese businessman? This Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar seems oblivious to the fact that the country's economy is still bad, and that the money spent on his posters could have fed hundreds of poor families. I think the people of Seremban do not mind to be without the Hari Raya greeting posters.

I have noticed that this Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar fancies posters with his photo on it. During the last 2008 General Elections, the number of election posters with the Menteri Besar photo must have been in the thousands. Not only was Seremban town turned blue by the BN colour; even highways and village roads were turned blue. And I am now reminded of a case that appeared in court recently were the supplier of posters, flags and other election paraphernalia had lost his case of claim against BN for the payment of all the election paraphernalia that costs several millions. I just wonder if these were the election paraphernalia that the supplier was to attempting to lay claims.

The Bagan Pinang by-election is just around the corner and the Menteri Besar should be concern about winning the by-election more than scattering posters of him in Seremban town. Or are the posters meant to be part of his by-election campaign to spike up his popularity more than whoever the BN candidate would be for the by-election?


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

6 comments:

Iskandar Syah Ismail aka DR Bubbles said...

Salam YBhg. Dato,

I read your entry on the reunion of 6 Melayu with great interest especially when you mentioning the presence of M.C recipient, Dato' Manan Abas and two PGB recipients during the reunion.

Me and my friends are doing podcast video project on medal recipients (MC,GC,PGB,SP).You can check it our preliminary efforts at www.flickers.my.

Is there any way that we can contact them for any possibilities of to interview them for the docu-video? Frankly, it is a non-commercial project and we do it because we believe we can do our part to instill patriotisme and appreciating history through new media.

Really hope that you can help us by giving some lead on how to reach them.

Zainal A. Kasim said...

Indah Langit Kerana Awan
Indah Laut Kerana Kebiruan
Indah Ramadhan Kerana Kerahmatan
Indah Aidil Fitri Kerana Kemaafan

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

C-bOk

Iskandar Syah Ismail aka DR Bubbles said...

I am sorry Dato', the part on my previous comment should read,

...we do it because we believe we could do our part to instill patriotisme values and appreciating history among young generations through new media.

Perhaps by telling the young people in the media that they grow up with, we can somehow spark their interest in appreciating the deeds and sacrifice by the older generations through the years.

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear drbubbles,

Sure we can help you reach them. Call me at 102-3876061 or email at arshad.raji43@gmail.com.

FMZam said...

Dear Dato'

That giant Raya posters/banners by BN in Seremban are countered by DAP raya posters but half in size and inferior in number to that of BN's. Looks like they are having a Raya poster war in Seremban and very obviously DAP's posters are dwarfed by the mighty BN's.

The message is clear. Those BN's posters are not just for Raya but also for their election campaign for Bagan Pinang and the posters will remain hanged from now on until at least to the election day, and will stretch from Seremban all the way down to Port Dickson and Bagan Pinang.

I am not wrong to think sensibly like all others, that the BN's Raya posters are all over Negeri Sembilan not only in Seremban. And you are right Dato' to say BN should rather spend the money on posters for the needy instead.

But who are "the needy" now if not UMNO that they are in critical condition in need of a win in a by-election they have not won in Peninsular Malaysia for a straight 7 loses so far.

I bet if BN put Isa Samad in Bagan Pinang they would win and I bet Isa Samad will be that BN's candidate for Bagan Pinang.

Mej. A R Ramachandran (Retired) said...

Aiyah ! Dato'same ole story lah. Going by Ampangan/Paroi you will see even more rubbish - a thank you to him for tarring the road!!!Will they never stop boot licking? Can't they understand that it is his bloody job?