PRUDENT SPENDING - THE WAY TO GO FOR KUALA LUMPUR NOW

Questions are being raised as to why has the pedestrian walkway project within KL city area been increased two fold from the initial RM50 million budgeted for? Questions are also been asked as to why was the ultra modern pedestrian walkway linking KL Convention Center to Impiana Hotel priced at RM10 million?

Let’s ask ourselves, does the ordinary city dweller really need an ultra modern pedestrian walkway that is air conditioned for just that short distance, and who really benefits the walkway? Is it the thousands that thong KL daily, or is it just the few that uses the convention center and Impiana Hotel? Certainly, I do not see myself using the walkway because I hardly patronize the convention center, nor do I ever visit Impiana Hotel.

I now believe that the beneficiaries of the walkway are those who attend conferences at the convention center and makes use of the services of Impiana Hotel. I don’t think the hotel management would like to see thousands of people making use of the walkway merely as a passage of convenience. If my presumption is correct, do you not think constructing a RM10 million ultra modern pedestrian walkway whose purpose is to satisfy only a certain group of people is truly justified? My answer is certainly NO, and I say that it was wasteful spending.

Federal Territory Minister Raja Nong Chik has said that the money is not from the government, and that it was Pasarana and Petronas that had borne the costs. But both Pasarana and Petronas are GLC’s and are the money not the ‘people’s money’? Both are not private companies that are owned by individuals like Ah Chai or Ah Mat, and how on earth can the minister come up with such a statement. This is just like saying that the commission paid to the agent for the purchase of the submarine does not come from the government, but from the manufacturer of the submarine. You can twist and turn your statement and language, but the fact remains that the payment is originated from public fund.

Are profits and commission not factored into the costs? I think, this is how business works; otherwise the Chinaman will not want to do business here.

Personally, I still think there is a lot of wasteful spending by the government that are just created to enrich someone or cronies. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Taking the pedestrian walkway as an example, I am quite sure the profits to the developer is no less than 40% and that amount can built several rural clinics. And there in Sarawak itself, the rural folks are dying to get some decent clinic to service them on a permanent basis……..not the flying doctor type of medical services.

Now, let’s be honest and sincere with ourselves. At a time when the government’s coffer is depleting faster than it can replenish itself, please do some wise thinking by being prudent in our spending. If Raja Nong Chik is thinking of improving KL, I suggest he looks at trying to improve the road conditions, and to sort out the traffic congestion and indiscriminate parking. Just take a drive along Jalan Sentul, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Tuanku Abd Rahman or Jalan Ampang for instance, and he will know what I mean by saying that the KL city dwellers deserve better roads, better traffic control and ease of parking.

My final bit; spend like hell if you are filthy rich, but be prudent in your spending when your coffer is drying up. And I am told that the government’s coffer is fast drying up.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

KUALA LUMPUR – A WORLD CLASS CITY?

KUALA LUMPUR A WORLD CLASS CITY BUT CLEANLINESS AND TRAFFIC CAN BE IMPROVED’ writes Malaysian Mirror dated February 2, 2011.

Yes, that’s what most people would say about KL, but what about the mentality of its people? And sure I have a lot to say about the cleanliness and the massive traffic jams that has become ‘symbolic’ of KL. In fact, someone remarked the other day that while Bangkok has improved substantially; KL sadly has deteriorated and has become what Bangkok was before.

Just a few weeks ago, in the process of me reversing my car, I accidently knocked the car behind me. I did not notice the car was behind me because the car was too close to be viewed from my rear mirror. I apologize for the accident and told the driver that I would bear the costs of the repairs. Instead of accepting by apology and my offer, the driver began hauling curses at me in the presence of the crowd that had gathered. Fortunately, I am already a 67 year old man. Had I been 40 years younger, I would have bashed him up. I felt terribly humiliated by the persistent curses hauled at me, and that the driver was nothing more than in his late 30’s. This is an example of the mentality of people in KL that I despise most. This driver does not understand tolerance, respect, rude and let alone recognized that it was never my intention to knock his car. Even my humble apology and offer wasn’t good enough.

Talking about cleanliness, just take a walk along the back lanes along Jalan Pudu, Jalan Chow Kit, Jalan Ipoh and the many back lanes that criss-cross KL. You will be surprise to see the amount of filth littered along these lanes and the stench that permeates the air. And have you noticed the way restaurant owners do their business? Take a look at the rear of the restaurant or peep into the toilets? I do not wish to describe the scene because the answer is too obvious…………..filthy, stinks and what not. But what have the local health authorities or the local council been doing all this while?

I remembered walking the back lanes around Ipoh in the early 90’s and to my astonishment, the lanes and drains were all clean. I could not even see restaurant owners setting up chair and table along the path ways that is a common sight around KL. If I am not mistaken, the city Mayor then was Dato Shahbuddin whom I had the pleasure of meeting him at his office and congratulating him for managing the city well. I do not know whether Ipoh is still the same, but if it isn’t, then the present Mayor has to be blamed.

It is certainly not good enough to say that KL has the trappings of modernity, but its intolerant and rude population, the massive traffic jams, poor and inefficient public transport service, cleanliness along the back lanes, stinking public toilets; all these makes KL a city unworthy of its standing.

Now the million dollar question…………who do you blame for all of KL woes? My take is the City Mayor himself. And, what have you to say to this?

KL certainly needs more than an improvement. What it really need is an RSM type Mayor with a pace stick strolling along the streets and back lanes of KL as frequent as possible to keep tab on the city hall workers.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

ARE WE SERIOUS IN SOLVING THE TRAFFIC WOES IN KL CITY

The traffic woes in the city of Kuala Lumpur is not a recent phenomenon. It had existed for more than a decade, and it gets increasingly worse by the day. It is no longer a joy driving in and out of the city during and after office hours. Highways were constructed within the city, hoping to be a solution to the traffic woes, but the long and massive traffic congestion remains a common occurence.

Just take a look at Jalan Ampang. The elevated highway that passes through Kampung Keramat and exits at MRR 11, was suppose to ease the traffic at Jalan Ampang. But the congestion still remains along Jalan Ampang, especially after office hours. Also, the elevated highway that crosses the junction leading towards Jalan Semarak-Jalan Kampung Baru, and exits in front of the IJN; certainly has not eased the traffic going towards Jalan Pekeliling. Just try driving along these routes at 8 am and 5 pm onwards, and you will understand what I mean.

Even the SMART Tunnel has not really been useful especially in the morning, where the congestion regularly occurs at the tunnel exit in front of the RHB Bank along Jalan Tun Razak. The congestion along Jalan Tun Razak would result in a traffic congestion inside the tunnel itself.

It seems that the newly installed PM Najib only realised the traffic woes in Kuala Lumpur just a few days ago, and I wonder what the minister and including the KL Mayor has been doing all this while? To allow the PM to take charge is just like a Brigade Commander having to take over the responsibilities of the Battalion Commander. The minister in charge and the KL Mayor in particular need to be awakened a bit.

One need to ask what has the minister responsible and the KL Mayor in the past have been doing, or saying to their bosses, knowing fully well that the traffic woes in the city is not a recent problem. The problem, I think is because ministers travel into the city sometimes with escorts, and are chauffeur driven, oblivious to the traffic around them. And worse still, most have their official car windows tinted, and sees virtually nothing outside.

I remembered that the former PM Tun Abdullah Badawi also did what PM Najib did i.e riding the KTM commuter train from Serdang to KL, supposedly to understand the plight of the commuters. And surely he had with him an entourage of ministers and officials. What was the outcome of the ride is not known, and the problem of a congested commuter ride still persist. KTM has tried ways and means to improve their services, but nothing really worked out.What I would like to suggest is for the entire KTM management to study the way the Indian railways operates, as the Indian railways is reputed to be the best managed railway service in the world. Even the European railways cannot beat the Indians in this regards.

And in terms of solving the traffic woes in Kuala Lumpur, one only need to go to Singapore to see how the country manages its city traffic so effectively and efficiently. And please do not do what Khir Toyo did i.e. to do a study visit to some of the finest cities in the world; spend a few million, and only to return with nothing.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION