WILL INDIAN YOUTHS TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ?

Here is an advertisement which had appeared in the Malay and English newspaper. Since, Tamil is not my mother tongue and thus I cannot read Tamil, I can only assume that a similar advertisement would have appeared in the Tamil and Chinese newspapers.

 

It is a Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia course offered by Johor Skills Development Centre. Among the certificate courses offered for the March intake are among others, electrical, electronic, pipe fitter, industrial mechanics and panel-beaters. The duration for these certificate courses are for about 12 months.

Here is what is attractive about this course. I have bulleted with comments.

“Terbuka kepada lepasan SPM dengan lulus Bahasa Malaysia, boleh menulis, membaca dan berminat dalam bidang kemahiran.”

Comment:      These courses offered by Johor Skills Development Centre is opened to ALL. That means INDIANS included.

“Elaun akan diberi setiap bulan.”

Comment:      Imagine, Johor Skills Development Centre not only conducting the courses but also giving monthly allowance to the participants.

“Yuran pengajian ditaja sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan.”

Comment:      How good can it get. How often can you get a good deal like this. Study for free.

“Asrama dan Pengangkutan disediakan dengan kadar bayaran minima bagi mereka yang memerlukan.”

Comment:      Really. It cannot get any better than this. Even your hostel and transport is taken care off.

Imagine, a course where you can obtain a skills certificate where you need not pay for the course, monthly allowance given and hostel and transportation is provided. If a course with such a deal is offered say in Java Indonesia, there will be a queue from Java island to Papua, all wanting to enroll.

Now, Indian youths particularly those who have dropped out of school should take the opportunity and enroll in this course. There is so much to be gained and it may be life changing and a start to uplifting their life and perhaps lifelihood.

Sometime ago, some Indians complained that when they tried to apply for jobs in the local councils, they were rejected because they did not have a Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia. Perhaps now, Indian youths can after obtaining the certificate then can apply for jobs with the local councils. If that fails at least you have an opportunity to find a better paying job or even start your own business.

Just the other day, a plumber came and did some work and charged me RM200.00. Imagine getting two jobs a day. That RM400.00 a day which can work out to about RM12,000.00 per month.

If only, Indians would take the little opportunities offered…. 

TAXI COUPON SYSTEM MUST CONTINUE.

Folks, taxi drivers in Kuala Lumpur are up in arms. They want the authorities to abolish the coupon system which is used in certain areas in KL to be abolished. ( Read the news at the bottom of this post).

Now, here’s their reasons. Apparently with the coupon system, taxi drivers earn less and… hear this… oh you must laugh at this… the coupon system burdens the consumer with higher charges ! Imagine ! taxi drivers concerned about the long suffering public. That’s like a snatch-thief after snatching the victim’s hand-bag is concerned that the victims thereafter would not have a handbag.

The truth is this. Dengan system kopon, pemandu-pemandu teksi tak boleh menipu passengers. If no kopon system, tak payah pakai meter boleh cekik darah. Pakai letak harga aje… KL to PJ ? RM 50. Jalan Ipoh to Segambut RM 15. Tak nak bayar… cari teksi lain.

The taxi coupon system is a testament that we have a failed taxi service and even worst there a complete lack of monitoring and enforcement system. It is because most taxi drivers are cheats who fleeces the general public who are at their mercy, that a coupon system has no choice but to be implemented.

In most civilized cities, taxi drivers use meters. Tak payah pi jauh-jauh.  Just go to Singapore. Stop a cab. No need to ask if he can take you to your destination. No need to haggle over fare. Get inside the taxi and tell the destination.  The taxi driver then turn on the meter and drives you to your destination. Remember you are travelling in a comfortable, clean and well maintained taxi. More often than not the ordinary taxi would be a Toyota Crown or Hyundai Sonata. Of course the higher end includes Mercedes Benz and even Chrysler !. Here in Malaysia budget is usually the Proton Saga and executive is the Proton Waja.  Imagine Waja as an executive car. Oh yes, there is also the Hyundai Sonata as executive taxi. 

In Bandung and Jakarta, the Bluebird Taxi company is known for the honesty. The taxi drivers never charge even a rupiah extra. This Christian taxi company even has a website where all items accidentally left behind by passengers are immediately uploaded into the Lost & Found section of the company website. Oh by the way, In Bandung or Jakarta be very wary of taxi drivers of a company that uses Proton taxis.  Their whole existence is to cheat.

I Malaysia, most of the taxis are weather beaten, poorly maintained and reeking with foul odour Proton taxis. In fact you will need an “urut” after travelling in some of these taxis, because the shock absorbers were last changed before the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games. Just how Puspakam passes as road worthy has always baffled me.

Another thing. Just watch how the taxi drivers decorate their taxis with doa or religious stickers, pictures and figurines of deities or have the tasbih beads and other religious ornaments hanging on the rear mirror. Despite all these picture of religiousity, the average taxi driver has no qualms of scalping his passenger. Many times I have asked myself, these taxi crooks who cheat passengers, berkatkah kehidupan kamu bila kamu ambil wang yang tidak dihalalkan. Once when I told this to a taxi driver, his initial reply was ‘Encik, bawa taxi susah cari makan”. My reply “ kamu lihat tak burung yang terbang dilangit, tuhan juga sediakan makan untuknya. Apatah lagi untuk manusia. Carilah pendapatan yang halal. Mungkin kamu cekik darah ambil RM10 lebih, tak lama lagi anak kamu sakit dan belanja ubat RM100. Stunned by my remark, the taxi driver apologized and even wanted to return all my fare for the good advice.

Back to the issue, so long and until authorities like SPAD cannot get the monitoring and enforcing of taxi drivers in order, the general public would want the coupon system to continue. Judging from the opinions of the general public as reported in the newspapers, the public want the coupon system to continue.  

Here’s the news in full:

City cabbies want coupon system abolished, cite less revenue

By Lisa J. Ariffin

January 29, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Klang Valley taxi drivers want the authorities to abolish the coupon system put in place in several city landmarks, saying today it burdens the driver with less revenue and the consumer with higher charges. 

A group claiming to represent 200 taxi drivers gathered today and asked the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to meet them and resolve issues, including abolishing the coupons which was instituted to prevent rampant over-charging. 

“(We) strongly feel the coupon system on metered taxis has led to two systems — a premise charge for the taxis, and also a counter charge,” taxi driver Amran Jan told a press conference here today. 

“Additionally, only members are allowed to queue up for passengers. This clearly points to monopoly,” he added. 

Amran said under the coupon system, taxi drivers are required to pay a monthly membership fee of RM100 to operate in designated areas which includes tourist hot spots like the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), Sunway Pyramid and KL Sentral. 

“The system profit is 10 per cent from the coupon price, but zero per cent is given to the taxi drivers. The coupon price is also not fixed,” he said, citing KL Sentral to LCCT as an example. 

“From KL Sentral to LCCT, the price is fixed at RM90, but from LCCT to KL Sentral, it is fixed at RM75. Why the double standard?” he asked. 

“Moreover, the time spent queueing up for passengers (at least 45 minute a trip) leads to profit loss in the long run,” he added. 

Cab driver Zaki Bashir said the system would lead to haggling of fares and concentration of drivers following loss of operating areas. 

“(We drivers) have to earn a living too. We have families to feed. Right now, there is no protection for us. All the negative perception is put upon us,” he said. 

“SPAD’s coupon system, which they say was implemented “to increase service quality”, is only rhetoric. They do not care for the taxi drivers.” 

The group was accompanied by Batu MP Chua Tian Chang and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar. 

There are nearly 40,000 taxis in the Malay peninsula with some 32,000 operating in the Klang Valley. 

Apart from taxis, SPAD is charge of public transport such as buses and commuter trains. The city bus system has also received complaints from operators who say they have incurred losses due to controls over ticket prices. SPAD has allocated RM400 million to help bus operators overcome their problems.

Comment : anfalaw@streamyx.com

I AM RICH 

Boy, Gods of Fortune have knocked on my door. I received today an email which could be life-changing for a simple man from me. While BN government is dishing out a meager RM500 to all, here is someone offering me money beyond my imagination.

From : Ms Gloria Andre

Attn:

I am Ms Gloria, the only daughter of late Dr and Mrs Andre Pesaga, from Cote d’Ivoire. My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in northern part of Cote d’ Ivoire. He was killed along side with my mum during the political crisis in my country Cote d’Ivoire. My late father deposited the sum of Eight Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars(US$8,900,000.00) with a bank in Ghana under some conditions. I contacted you to assist me transfer to your account and invest it in any lucrative businesses you know that can better my future.

Presently I am residing under political asylum in  Ghana and the condition of life is very unbearable over here most reasons I contacted you. I am willing to offer you 20% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of account overseas while 3% will be mapped out for expenses that may be incurred during the transfer process. Please if you touched to help me, kindly reply.

Thanks and remain blessed

From_MS_GLORIA_ANDRE

Just did a quick calculation. Gloria got US$8,900,000.00. That’s about MR27,590,000.00 moolahs at US$1-RM3.10 exchange rate). Now, generous Gloria wants to give me for my effort if I take up her offer RM5,518,000.00. Thundering typhoons… blistering barnacles… Lima Juta Lebih… I am weak on my knees. Then again why would a simple man like me need this much money.

So a letter to Gloria is appropriate. For easy reading decided to just highlight my reply.

1          Dear Gorilla, oh sorry, sorry me calling you a gorilla. Gloria… yea Gloria.

2.        “Daughter of the late Dr and Mrs Andre Pesaga from Cote’d’Ivoire”.

            Really huh ! Did a little web search and found out that you have been you have been writing to many netizens with the same introduction. Still do I care you are the daughter if you’re the daughter of a doctor or a baboon.

3         “ wealthy cocoa merchants”

         Wow. Yeah… I love cocoa chocolates but not black coons… sorry chocolates. Sure not,wealthy con- artist ? Anyway the senders of all emails I regularly get have described themselves as “the granddaughter of Idi Amin”, “the grandson of Muammar Ghadafi”, “the cousin of Ferdinand Marcos”, 10^th child of Charles Taylor and somehow all these wealthy children want to befriend a simple person like me. Great.

4.        “He was killed alongside my mum…”

            Awww ! that is sad but what a wife …in life and death together. Bless their good souls.

5         “Deposited UD$8,900,000.00 with a bank in Ghana”

          Fu Yoh ! that’s more “koli-muthas” than I have in my fridge. US$8 million over moolahs…. That one hellava money ? 

6          “Assist me in transferring into … (my ) account”

           Goodness gracious ! you hardly know me from Adam and here’s you making a business proposition!

7          “Willing to offer 20% for (my imput/effort)”

          Really? Boy, you are surely heaven sent. Are you sure you are not an angel in disguise ? Of all the billion people in the world and ET, you found me. What can I say. So the beef if I get a 20% cut from the loot. Hmm… let keep it simple. “No thank you. You can stuff your stinking con inside the place where the sun don’t shine… you coon-ass”. How’s that for a NO.

8          “if I am touched, I am to help you”

         Now… now now…no getting mushy mushy eyes gorilla… oh sorry Gloria, yeah, you ask if I am touched.  Getting involved in your scam could get me really F****D. Find another sucker. Good try. You sure you are not writing all this from some cyber-café in Kepong or Puchong ?

  

9.        Gloria…. Gloria nice try. As they always say, a sucker is born every minute.  Someone else.