ONANI 9 : UTUSAN

Before i begin this latest blog post let me make a few things clear :

1. I am fully aware the government has cyber police to probably view this blog of mine, which is good since i hope this could be a constructive 'utusan' to our leaders.

2. I also acknowledge the current administration to be the most capable in leading Malaysia towards vision 2020! The current pool of opposition politicians just don't convince me enough.

3. However, this post of mine will be centered on my displeasure on one of the main topics of the 2011 budget, specifically, the RM5 billion Menara Warisan project.

Do not misunderstand, i do believe such a mega project could contribute positively towards the development of our country, but i'm more concerned with the prioritizing our leaders make when dishing out funds for developments. It is not a mystery that our beloved country has a mountain of unresolved issues that is in dire need of attention. I personally think we should learn how to crawl and walk first before even thinking of doing a 100m sprint ala Usain Bolt down the tracks.

Here are some other agendas, in my humble opinion, should instead deserve top priority in terms of attention and funding(all RM5 billion of it) from the authorities.

1. PUBLIC TRANSPORT = Where shall i begin? lets see... duh! KTM obviously. It leaks when it rains, 15 minutes late is a blessing(a train was late for 4 hours at one point when i was using it), it is never on schedule, there are never enough seats, never enough trains, the aircond regularly breaks down so u can smell the sweet aroma of arm pits from all races including the illegals who regularly commute with it, a train was tilting for a good 15-20 degrees at the Putra Station where the tracks are never maintained(disaster waiting to happen obviously),etc. The only good public transport we have is the LRT and it only circles around KL. Buses don't even reach most parts of Shah Alam while Putrajaya and Cyberjaya are obviously disconnected. Am not even getting started on public transport out of Klang Valley yet! So yeah, even a measly amount from the RM5 billion could do wonders in turning the situation over and provide us with more respectable public transport that would do our people and the country's image a lot of good!

2. ECO TOURISM = I am not about to suggest we have more 5 star hotels or infrastructure or anything down that line. My concern is more to maintaining the beauty this country is already blessed with. I'm talking about keeping our natural tourist spots and attractions clean. This might sound like a small matter but think about the implications. Countries like Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, etc, they generate whole economies by simply keeping their country clean and beautiful. And quite frankly, the cleanliness of our beaches is quite pitiful. I went to Port Dickson the other day and i just couldn't believe my eyes. Brown waters with shit in it and on the beach? you see rusted Milo cans more than you see sea shells? boat oil, plastic bags, polystyrene combine to form an unflattering texture that replaces white sandy shores? talk about a picture of a failed tourism poster. And that's rapidly becoming the same scenario for beaches all over the country. I suggest setting up a nationwide committee to directly supervise and manage the set location's cleanliness with rule enforcing and routine clean ups. With RM5 billion in the pot, we surely can!

3. EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE = Okay, before we go about building yet another world class infrastructure for this country, it's only natural to look back at the current facilities we already posses as some sort of a case study if you like. Being in the construction business myself, a glaring problem is easily spotted here. MAINTENANCE! Istana Budaya, Museum Negara, roof tiles missing with walls overrun with moss. That doesn't even compare to the Mecca of all Malaysian moss that is Stadium Shah Alam, with it's mosaic of broken polycarbonate roof panels and absolutely filthy interior to boot. Should i even begin to point out the lack of sanitary services at our very own National Stadium in Bukit Jalil or the termite infested timber seats of Malacca's Stadium Hang Tuah? Almost all LRT stations around KL are either filthy as a rat's ass while most buildings and pavers in Putrajaya are already experiencing cracking and cladding deterioration with most of them barely existing for a mere 5 years! Until we take a serious stand in maintaining whatever architectural marvel we posses, i don't see the point in having a 100 storey wreck hanging in our city's skyline.

So there you have it. I am fully aware that i am no politician, and definitely not one that is most enlightened when it comes to developing a developing country. But here are thoughts to ponder on from a person sincerely wanting the best for his beloved country. Progressing is good, but maybe prioritizing what we develop, or maintain, could be just as vital. Thanks for your time members of the government (if u actually read this la).