Sickening, really.

Just 5 months ago 20 people died in a bus crash at Bukit Gantang. The driver (who at least died in the accident) was later found to have had 13 outstanding traffic summons. There was talk about demerit points and discussion over how it happened. There were also a series of other accidents; in one of them the bus involved was found to have 94 summonses since 1999.

On Friday history repeats itself - you have probably read about the poor young people who died, and the bastard who was behind the wheel also had 13 outstanding summons. According to survivor accounts compiled by Jolene he was speeding and sms-ing behind the wheel, at night time, and under heavy rain to boot! Too bad he only got off with a broken leg.

It also hits much closer to home this time (I only touched on it lightly in August) since my cousin was seriously injured in the accident. She was travelling to KL with her father. Thank goodness she’s out of danger.

Some people are getting together to petition for action - real action, not just election talk or passing the buck - to be taken. I’ve travelled enough by bus to know that it’s not just this company or that company at fault; it is nearly the entire coach network in Malaysia.

Please post this on your blog now to help: Chung Lern and Nian Ning’s families would like all families and friends of the victims, dead or alive, in the Slim River Bus Crash to come forward and join them in taking action against the bus company. Stand up to seek justice for these three innocent individuals, who were all so young and full of life.If you have a blog, please call out to ANYONE who knows someone who survived or did not survive the crash to come forward to join the Lee family.
Make a huge difference, make a huge fuss.The next time, it could be you or me.

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Sorry for the simple post but I just had to link up Nat Tan’s posting of Pak Lah on CNN.

I have to echo his question.. “Can you imagine what the world thinks of us? That we are a nation led by….. this?”

I’m not a diehard Anwar follower but I still have to admit he can hold his own in debates and discussions, while the current crop of ministers look like idiots whenever interviewed on international TV.

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Yesterday’s Star had a gem in page 3 that I haven’t seen anyone in the blogosphere mention.

Titled “New insurance for maids“, it goes on with this tidbit:

[Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad] said the groundwork on the terms and conditions of the insurance scheme was ready and that all questions would be answered during the launch of the scheme.

The ministry will also propose to the Cabinet the segregation of foreign workers according to nationality and sector, as a way of reducing the number of foreign workers in the country, said Radzi.

He said certain sectors would also be reserved for Malaysians, adding that the proposal would be submitted in two weeks’ time.

“For example, if we stipulate that barbers should be from India only, then other nationalities will not be permitted to work as barbers,” he said, adding that the Cabinet would make the final decision.

Foreign workers in Malaysia, numbering nearly two million, come from 12 countries, he said.

More ingenuity from our ministers! All Indians must be barbers, all Bangladeshis must be construction workers, all Chinese must be nightclub “entertainers”.

Doesn’t it sound awfully familiar with the “Indians=rubber tappers, Chinese=businessmen, Malays=officials” segregation by the British? It’s sad to see that racism and prejudice is so ingrained in the minds of our ministers.

Let’s hope that other countries don’t follow their brilliant approach to managing foreigners; at this point I really don’t want to know what Malaysians would be labelled as.

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What I realize from the Chua Soi Lek scandal is how immature Malaysians are when it comes to sex. He hit the nail on the head when he commented that Malaysians “have a holier-than-thou attitude“; the same attitude that sells those Malay tabloids you see on newsstands which are filled with nothing more than sex scandals and celebrity gossip.

At the end of the day we elect ministers to do their jobs and to serve the rakyat. I’m not exactly the most ardent MCA supporter, but from most accounts he has done his job and done it well. His extra-marital activities don’t affect any of us; only his family, who have accepted his apology. Judging from an accompanying insert in the Star, our so-called “Asian values” don’t include forgiveness.

Ironic, isn’t it? Within days of it being highlighted in the papers, he steps up to clearly admit and take all responsibility, and resigns. 20+ years of public service down the drain. He even states that there is unimportant who took the video clip (but come on lah, this is Malaysia). Meanwhile, issues like the judiciary scandal, the AP scandal, Hindraf, and the myriad cases of public fund mismanagement - all of which affect the rakyat in major ways see people falling over themselves to blame someone else and no one getting the boot.

On a lighter note, four cameras? You have to admit that his enemies are thorough. And isn’t the Star’s front page today misleading?

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