31 July 2009

... from the office

30 July 2009; 1030H; In the squadron.
Salaam …

It’s been quite some time since I wrote something in my blog. A lot of things happened since then…

1. About my captaincy. It is final that I have to go through again the conversion for captain aircraft. It’s not that hard actually, but it seems that I don’t have the value to command an aircraft yet. Well, the value is subjective. From one point of view, I may not be suitable yet – but on the others view, I may qualified. But he final say will be from my boss – if he says white, then I am white – if he says I am black, then I am black … well, the best is – JUST FOLLOW THE CROWD, NEVER GO AGAINST IT ! I guess, I just have to wait …

2. For the current national issues – H1N1 still an epidemic to us. Latest was a 20 year old woman died of this influenza. Initially it was just a flu – but as time goes by, she can’t breathe in proper condition and finally... she died. Once a common flu, now a threat!

3. Other issues including politicians remarks. Frankly speaking, I am tired talking about these politicians. They will never stop giving bad remarks on others (their enemy) and keep trying to do anything just to fulfill their personal interest.

4. This Saturday (August 1st), there will rally about Internal Security Act (ISA). Both group (pro and cons about this matter) will hold a rally on the street of KL. One thing for sure, I am very much agreeing of the opinion from Tok Ki (a person from Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia – PPIM) that his rally should not be held at all. It doesn’t matter whether you re pro or against it – the rally WILL NOT benefit to any Malaysians. The only result is – police will close roads, there will be traffic jams all around KL, nobody cant go anywhere they want – especially to have a nice weekend with the family – and shops will of course close. Who will benefit from this rally? NOBODY! And again, of course, the politicians will be behind all this!

5. As at the squadrons: Our French Instructors will be back from their holiday this weekend. Which means we will fly again with the instructors, day and night. Currently there are three pilot seconded from RMAF, but their contract to fly the aircraft still in unknown status. Next week, 7 co-pilots from the Army will report to the squadron and by the end of the year more crew will report to the squadron. Traffic jam again…

6. Back at my house: I am still hoping for a maid. Until now (since I am back in Shah Alam), I already had two maids. First an Indonesian woman – worked for me for three month and then an old lady (she was 74 year old!) also for three month. Maybe my wife and I are too good to them. Both of us feel that, we should threat our maid as part of our family – we even ask them to eat together, give them off duty EVERY WEEKEND! I don’t think any employer will do that! But the details on why they didn’t stay long with us, you just have to ask us about it.

7. Presently my mother-in-law is taking care of our children at home. I know that she is not that strong to clean and at same time taking care of my children. I also understand that she is not my maid and I did not expect her to do what a maid should do. All I want is she will take care of my children during working hours, that’s all. BUT – a mother is always a mother. She can’t stand if the floor is not clean; the sink is full of unwashed plates and glass, the toys all around the house, the laundry not hanged outside and so on.

8. But again, despite that she is not strong enough to do all that, she will still doing all the chores by herself – and by the end of the day, after my wife and I back from work, she will nag and nag and nag – claiming that she cant afford to do the chores but cant stand if the work s not done. For me, its simple. If you think you can’t afford to do the chores, DON’T DO IT! It’s that simple. Even my wife and I didn’t expect her to do all the chores!

9. After a lot of discussions, combined with tears and apologies, I decided to be Mr. Mama myself. Every night – and I mean every single night – before go to sleep, after the children are safe in their room for the night, I will start doing the house hold chores. The floor (sweep clean and mopped), the dishes in the kitchen, the garbage bin empty (with new garbage bag), the laundry and make the house ready for tomorrow. It will last about near midnight. And I will sweat all over! I don’t mind doing it because I HAVE to do it! Otherwise…the “therapy” session will start all over again. And I have to do it until I got myself a maid. Hopefully before Ramadan (less than a month from now).

15 July 2009

Respon terhadap pengumuman rebate tol oleh PM

This message was sent to the address below on 14 July 2009, 2300H


Kepada: news@tv3.com.my

1. Terlebih dahulu, sukalah saya mengucapkan syabas dan terima kasih kepada Perdana Menteri (PM) kita kerana mengumumkan rebate tol kepada rakyat Malaysia sempena 100 hari perlantikan beliau sebagai PM tempoh hari.

2. Dan Menteri Kerjaya pula telah memperincikan pemberian rebate tersebut pada 14 Julai 2009. Tahniah dan terima kasih saya ucapkan.

3. Walaubagaimanapun, saya berpendapat, masih banyak lagi alternatif / cara untuk meringankan beban rakyat Malaysia terhadap tol, bukan dengan sekadar pemberian rebate dalam bentuk ”top-up”.

4. Menteri Kerjaya ada menekankan tentang frequent users. Contoh yang diberi adalah :
Seseorang yang pergi dan balik kerja, pada hari yang sama juga pergi dan balik dari mengambil & menghantar anak ke tuisyen/sekolah. Dan pada hari yang sama juga pergi/balik ke pasar. Maka itulah contoh ”frequent users”.

5. Persoalannya: Berapa ramaikah yang (semasa waktu kerja), pergi / balik ke rumah hanya semata-mata untuk mengambil/menghantar anak ke sekolah/tuisyen? Jika itu lah tafsirannya, berapa ramaikah yang layak digelar frequent users?

6. Bagaimana pula dengan contoh ini: Pengguna A adalah frequent users (menurut tafsiran yang sedia ada). Sehari dia mungkin membelanjakan sekitar purata RM5. Maka, pada hujung bulan, boleh lah dikatakan dia membelanjakan lebih kurang RM100 dengan penggunaan sebanyak 80 kali (20 hari). Dan dia layak mendapat rebate sebanyak 20% itu.

7. Bagaimana pula dengan Pengguna B ini. Dia berulang alik hanya ketempat kerja. Oleh kerana jarak agak jauh, dia terpaksa membelanjakan purata, juga RM5 sehari, untuk perbelanjaan tol. TETAPI, oleh kerana beliau HANYA pergi dan balik sahaja, maka dia hanya menggunakan tol sebanyak 40 kali (20 hari) walaupun terpaksa membelanjakan jumlah yang sama iaitu RM100.

8. Bagaimana pula mereka yang kecewa di hujung bulan apabila mendapati mereka tidak layak mendapat rebate tol, hanya semata-mata mereka hanya menggunakan tol sebanyak 79 kali pada bulan itu (walaupun telah membelanjakan lebih kurang RM200-RM300)?

9. Bagaimana pula mereka yang long distance users? Contoh seperti tinggal di KL bekerja di Seremban atau pun yang tinggal di Rawang berkerja di KL? Jumlah tol sehala lebih kurang RM10. Mereka inilah akan menjadi “mangsa” kerana tidak layak digelar frequent users walaupun telah membelanjakan lebih banyak dari mereka yang frequent users? Seperti yang saya kata tadi, masih banyak cara untuk meringankan beban rakyat dengan masalah tol ini.

10. Berikut adalah sedikit cadangan dari saya:

Pengguna tol di Malaysia boleh membeli ”pas bulanan” (dalam bentuk Touch n Go). Contoh: Pas bulanan berharga RM200, tetapi boleh digunakan dimana-mana tol sebilang masa dalam masa sebulan. Pas bulanan ini, samalah konsepnya dengan pas bulanan parking kereta, bas, LRT dan sebagainya.

Kepada pengguna long distance users, mereka perlu dapatkan pengesahan dari majikan bahawa mereka sememangnya menggunakan jalan yang sama setiap hari dengan jumlah tol banyak, setiap kali pergi dan balik. Dengan pengesahan itu, pihak ‘tol’ boleh memberikan rebate seperti yang sedia ada kepada mereka yang layak.

Pihak kerajaan sepatutnya sudah bersedia untuk mengambil alih sebahagian besar tol di Malaysia, terutamanya di Lembah Klang, Jika tidak dapat semua, sebahagian pun sudah memadai – terutamanya tol yang ‘popular’ (kenderaan masih tersangkut dalam kesesakan walaupun telah membayar tol).

11. Hanya sebagai renungan : Apalah salahnya jika sekali dalam setahun, ‘pihak tol’ memberikan laluan tanpa bayaran tol bagi tempoh 24 jam. Contohnya : Pada 31 Ogos (Hari Kemerdekaan), semua kenderaan boleh melalui pondok tol tanpa membuat sebarang bayaran bermula dari jam 12.01 tgh malam sehinggalah 11.59 malam. Semoga rakyat Malaysia lebih ceria untuk hari bersejarah negara itu.

12. Moga dapat difikir fikirkan bersama. Sekian, terima kasih.