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 18, 2010

Our urge to splurge...

Malaysian Houses of Parliament

Chambre des Députés du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg
It may not be a good example of comparing like with like. But our Houses of Parliament is certainly majestic by any standard and stood the test of time. The reason for the choice of Luxembourg is that it produces the best steel in the world which was used in building our iconic Petronas Twin Towers!

Luxembourg's equivalent is a humble two-storey building. I cannot help being reminded of Britain's No.10 Downing Street, London which is British Prime Minister's official residence, which no matter how we look at it, seems like a glorified terrace house! Of course, in comparison, our Malaysian PM's official residence is opulent with imported luxuries. It is our way of showing we are now better off than you, our colonial master.

Kuala Lumpur is too congested? No problem, we build a new capital Putrajaya, supposedly learning from mistakes. But it causes hardships to commoners to no end. The maintenance costs are likely to be astronomical.

The present Parliament building has its fair share of leaking roofs. Now, the Cabinet is considering building a new one in Putrajaya, estimated at Rm800 million, and we all know the figure is supposed to be a conservative one and likely to at least double over the construction period. With strong criticisms came the explanation that the PICC building is being considered as the building to be converted (also at high costs naturally) because it was under-used. Now, wasn't that an admission of mistake? So, it is so easy to manage our country - think big, spend the money and regret at leisure, after all, these are public funds at our disposal.


This letter in The Sun on June 25, seems to support my opinion to a certain extent, especially where he compares British Parliament building and ours :

Parliament building serves its purpose

1 comment:

bayi said...

Without splurges like this proposed new parliament house, there will be no gravvy trains. As records show, BN parties love gravvy.