All Eyes On It!

Eye on Malaysia, an eye-catching structure for many but an eyesore for the Malacca state government when its joint venture with another private company went sour!

The Malacca state government was practically “rolling with laughter” when it managed to acquire that Ferris wheel that boasted of 42 gondolas (including 1 VIP gondola) sometime in June 2008. Now when it (the state government) failed to see eye to eye with its partner, the blame game started!

The initial ballyhoo was quickly forgotten and “a friend has become a foe”! Sad, but true! It was a poor investment and with grouses and complaints, the only solution was to terminate the whole venture! The once ravings had turned into ranting!

For all we know, this structure could well be corroded with rust after more than two years near the sea! And we surely know what salt water can do to almost anything!

A lease arrangement was offered to a local company but nothing concrete had come up yet! Money would not roll in if this wheel doesn’t roll soon and the longer it waits then the “squeaks and creaks” would be the only thing we hear when it finally start to roll!

Sugar And Smoke.

Exactly, what has the price hike of sugar got to do with our sugar intake? It was utter nonsense when the Health Minister of Malaysia said with the price increase, there would be less consumption of the “sweet thing” and therefore, less diabetic people!

Look around and see if there’s anything not sweet that we put into our stomach when we’re hungry and thirsty! And by the way, please do not compare us with other countries like, say, China.

Many of us have a sweet tooth and would eat and drink “all things sweet” except sugarless foods and plain water. A life without sugar is not to everyone’s taste! That is the truth and the truth is a “bitter pill to swallow”.

Remember when the packs of fourteen cigarettes were discontinued because that would discourage the young especially school children from picking up the habit? Occasionally, I’ve seen some school boys buying the twenty packs. The government’s good intention had clearly gone up in smoke!

The “problem child” attitude would be very hard to deal with. It would be even more problematic if the government keep pushing and pushing! There’s a limit to everything! The government has to proceed with extreme caution.

She's Coming.

Welcome back, Dr. Pornthip! The wait was worth it! The family of the late Teoh Beng Hock would be just as happy like many of us when you finally come to testify at the inquest on August 18.

Do not worry about “loose talk” if there’s any. But come that day of truth, you must let your conscience guide you. Be prepared for all contingencies and hopefully, the path to the truth would not be bumpy!

You were accused of lying and bluffing but you must take all those brickbats “like a man”. Sorry, “like a woman”!

The unfortunate demise of that young promising man still haunts many. In fact, I saw one big billboard in Ampang with words to this effect. “1Justice for Teoh Beng Hock”. Let’s not jump to incorrect conclusions for now. Let’s wait for Dr. Pornthip’s testimony and maybe by then the truth would be known.

Easy As ABC.

It would be easy as ABC! There must be no ground for complaints anymore! To the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students this year who score 9A+ or more, further studies is assured with this “money from heaven”. Scholarships would be granted irrespective of your background or race! Totally unexpected but with the best of intention from the Prime Minister himself! That was the break everyone was waiting for, for a long time!

I’m sure eyebrows would be raised by some quarters but the government must not be too duly worried about that! Do what’s right and do not let some halfwits dictate you!

A good deed would not go unrewarded. The parents, the students (especially the poor) would not forget easily. A burden off their backs and a great relief for many! But these students must understand that all do not end here. They have to serve the country after they graduate. Many would oblige and there would be some who won’t! These students have to know that the grants belong to the rakyat.

Back to those days where many brilliant students were “left out” intentionally because there were simply not enough funds for every deserving student! Cries of despair were heard everywhere. And how could we blame the students for their mass exodus when they could not depend on the government for aid?

And hopefully everything would change for the better after this. Now go burn the midnight oil! The grant would be right here waiting!

'Caste' Away!

According to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the Indian community must do away with the caste system in their political arena. Discrimination based on caste would be perceived as bad and outdated!

This is one of the segregation our fellow Indians do not need! So, they need to “caste-away” the idea of making the higher caste the leaders in their politics. Choose not the “untouchables” but the people’s representatives who are sincere in their political endeavours!

The timid ways of doing things are no longer applicable. Blind and brand loyalty is also out of the question. This is a brave new world and brave speeches and sheer bravado would not be enough! It’s your choice. And do not forget that all it takes is a few disruptive politicians to ruin their party!

Politicians come and go. No big deal! No big loss! You and your party lose out when you have an egocentric and self-indulgent leader at the helm or worse, a halfwit! Choose a leader that can be dependable and not one that depends on you (for your vote). In any party, a good leader would be seen as a highly effective “dose of medicine"! That’s the truth!