How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Friday, June 26, 2009

Some businessmen cannot be respected

It was Agong's birthday when I had problems with Maybank's cheque deposit machine. Each time, the cheque was rejected. Then came this Indian newspaper vendor who made a mistake of not clearing before putting in the cheque! Must be new to him because he should have made a few steps before doing that. So he got a receipt with my wife's account details showing a scanned image of the cheque he deposited. How often do we encounter a situation like that? Very very seldom but on top of that, this guy did not write his name as payee on the cheque given him by a businessman!

Three years ago, on Agong's birthday, we took a trip to Kota Bharu using the new road via Pos Slim to Cameron Highlands and Gua Musang for the first time, and I tripped and fell in KB, got a nasty gash on my forehead requiring 7 stitches. That's why I have this fear of something unusual happening on this public holiday.

Anyway, back to my topic. Met this man a few times and he grumbled that the businessman said he will have to wait until next month for a replacement cheque, giving the impression that his company is so strict on cheque issuance that if you missed it this month, you will have to wait another month for it! I told him that this man is being dishonest. Then he told me that he is being owed a few months' bills (providing lorry transport) at any one time. He said that once, upon completion of a project, all the creditors were paid only 35% and the balance of 65% had to be considered written off! This is quite similar to those who got the main contract from the government and delayed and refused payments to sub-contractors. How can we ever respect such people even if they display their wealth in the form of palatial homes and luxurious cars?

A small time renovation contractor complained about some house owners who would delay payment and kept asking them to do extra works off the record. They had to do them for free simply because the balance of the contracted sum has yet to be paid! To counter this problem, some contractors would jack up the price and ready to write off the last 5% as expected. But over some time, who is a gentleman and who is not, the local people would get to know... unless reputation and integrity are not something they worry about and can still sleep soundly.

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