Sunday, December 7, 2008

Double Standards ?


( 1 ) Landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa.

We prefer publicity more than solving the problem of landslides. All our local media show pictures of the unfortunate landslide accident, plus VVIP visiting the sites. One VVIP talked about the underground water. Actually the underground water occurs on the low land not on the hill. If the landslide happen on the hill it is erosion. Erosion happen due to many reasons. One of the reason is because of the rampant tree cutting.

We then start the blame game such as of 'the zero-sum game'. We ask the local authorities and state governments to stop hill developments. However we practice the NATO policy - no action talk only.

Why we choose the policy of NATO ? Because some of the developers are our political supporters and friends. Some of the developers are our political donators. If the Local Authorities, District Officers or Environmental Departments are against hill slope developments, then people at the top will instruct them to 'be soft'.

We never take any politicians such as Menteri Besar, State Exco Member or government officers such as State Director of Land and Mine (PTG), District Officer( DO ), or the YDP of Majlis Perbandaran( YDP ) to court for their involvements in approving the hill land or approving the license for the hill developement.

In Selangor, few years ago we took actions against the developers and contractors however the MB, PTG, DO and the YDP were 'untouchable'.

In Perak few years ago, when Local Authority objected to the hill development, the Yang di Pertua (YDP) of Majlis Perbandaran received a phone call from the MB. The MB even attended several meetings of Majlis Perbandaran in 2004 and 2005, and forced the YDP
and all the party appointed counsellors to approve the hill development project of his friend. The hill delopement of this particular project continue to cause flood and erosion to the yown till today. However the MB escape smilingly.

So long as we practice double standards and behave like good Oscar winner actors, then the problems of hill erosion will never end.


( 2 ) Bus Accident in Tangkak, Muar, Johor.

It is typical of the Malaysian government's attitude. When a serious accident occurr, we make statement after statement. We blame the driver, we blame the bus company, we blame the weather and so on. However we never have a National Transport Policy so that we can tackle problems such as road accidents, racing on the highway and 'mat rempit' in a proper way.

What is our main problem ? For many years our Ministers of Transport are too busy with their party politics. The Ministers got no time to review these existing laws. The Ministers got no time to inject new ideas. So the problems in the transport industries continue to grow.