The Quantum Leap

The country is trapped in the middle-income regime for so long. Other countries which were even below us before have now overtaken us. We need to do some thing urgently and make a giant leap to be a high-income nation. Its not impossible because we have done it before and we can do it again. I say we have done it before..during Mahathir regime we manage to transform from an agriculture based economy to manufacturing based economy. Now during the Najib regime we need to make a quantum leap from manufacturing to creative, innovative and high-value added economy. I think Najib is trying his best by annoucing many new things including the new economic model, the NKRAs, liberalization and most of all the 1Malaysia concept. He is trying to make ppl buy his ideas and concepts to break the country away from the middle income trap.

As always theories,concepts and plans are good only in paper unless translated into action and implementation. The only problem is slow implementation. We are always lacking in implementation. People talk a lot but not aggresive in carrying out the real work on the ground. The other hurdle is that there are lots of manipulation in implementation which deviates the original intention. At last, all quarters blame the government.. the government always become the `scape goat' for failures.


Come Malaysians. We need to move. We need to be one in heart to make this Quantum Leap a reality.

As i said ..we did it b4 and we can do it again.

Chicken chicken chicken

Please read the comments on my entry on `Are you on half day today?' This guy uses anonymous and comments my blog. A real chicken fellow. I know he is my officer works under me but pretend to be somebody else. The english he writes is exactly like when he speaks. HE THINKS I DONT KNOW HIM. But the point here is - how shallow the thinking of young officers. I'm not generalizing that all young officers falls under this category. I know preety well in my organization who works and who dont like to work and who spends time sleeping or sitting at the canteen with friends even during working hours. This kind of officers have the guts to write in my blog commenting about my way of thinking. You know there a few officers in my organization who spend almost half a day at the hospital without even taking leave. There are officers who are fond of taking urgent or medical leave, when they feel like not coming to work. How do you categorize this kind of officers. When I say sarcasm joke, I don't know wheteher this particular officer understands what sarcasm joke means.

He is telling in an efficient organization people only work for 8 hours. Is this true? That's why the government service is in a mess because we have many of this kind of officers. This kind of officers join public service with the aim to come and relax. They think public service today is like public service 20 or 30 years ago. That's why we have many who wants to join PTD even at the expense of leaving good jobs in the private sector with the intention to come and relax in the public sector. MIND YOU OFFICERS WITH THIS KIND OF THINKING AND ATTITUDE - YOU ARE NOT FIT TO BE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. The more officers we have with this kind of thinking and perception, the civil service is going to further deteriorate. They often postpone urgent work at the expense of their own interest.

Another thing, he was telling that I follow my frens opinion and I dont have my own opinion. What's wrong in following others opinion. After all most theories are developed by others and we are following them. Does that means that all the economist and planners are stupid because they follow the opinions and theories of others. How childish the comments are and its shows the level of thinking of these officers. Can you call these officers execellent? These kind of officers will be getting promotions and awards? Mind you, if these ooficers were to become bosses in the future, I wonder how the organization is going to function? and what will happen to the nation?

THINK BEFORE YOU COMMENT - TERLAJAK PERAHU BOLEH DIUNDUR TERLAJAK KATA BURUK PADAHNYA.

Making Use of Others

Habit of making use of others has been going on in history till today. Although religion forbids this habit but individual knowingly or unknowingly keeps on practicing it. This occurs among friends, family members and office mates. It ranges from money matters to personal favors and even taking advantage of someone’s position. If it’s a genuine case one should help. However, most cases center on taking advantage of others. Some may think or don’t realize they are not taking advantage of others. They think it’s normal and it’s alright to go on using others.

I had a friend who always likes to borrow money and never returns back. There is a difference between borrowing and giving. Whenever and wherever you out in group, he never offer to pay or treat others. It’s always the other guys who pay. There are also people who claim other peoples work as their own. Sometimes, you do things in a group but one person claim that it belongs to him or the bulk of the work was his and he claims credit for it. Sometimes, there are also family members, like uncle or niece who can be this type of a person.

Have you ever encountered people like this in your life?

Are you on half-day today?

I called for a meeting the other day. It was about 5.30 pm. A number of my officers turned-up. One or two had to attend meetings outside. One of them went home early because times-up to go home at 4.30pm, as this person’s official working hours is from 7.30 am to 4.30pm. Well, in government office there is a flexi-system known as WP1, WP2 and WP3. Under WP1, you can clock in at 7.30am and go home at 4.30pm or WP2 you clock in at 8.00am and go home at 5.00pm or under WP3 you can come in at 8.30 am and go home at 5.30pm. So I told the officers who turned-up for the meeting a story that my friend from a private sector company told me. My friend said that one day he was about to go home at 6pm, a colleague of him passing by asked him “are you on half-day today”. It seems that in his company everybody normally leaves after 9pm. So anybody who goes home earlier than that they make sarcasm joke that he or she is on half-day leave. Similarly, I asked my officers whether the person who had gone home at 4.30 pm is on half-day leave. From then on, this becomes a sarcasm joke in my office too.

La isla Bonita……

Quite sometimes I didn’t write. Busy with office work. My policy, whatever I do, the priority goes to my office work. Kind of boring but what to do, the nation comes first. Last month went to Madrid, Spain. I really enjoyed the trip. I got a chance to visit the real Madrid stadium. It’s so huge and modern. Part of it is converted into museum like area, exhibiting the photos of players of Real Madrid club from the past to today. They also showcase the cups the team had won. I also visited the stadium where they have the bullfight (Spanish matador). The Spain they have long lunch breaks. At the conference I attended the lunch break is for three hours from 12.00 to 3pm. For dinner, restaurants start operation at 9.00 pm. We were so hungry and we make use of the Malaysian Embassy’s connection to ask the Turkish restaurant to open a bit early at 8.00 pm to serve us. Although the restaurant opened early and we took our seats, they still only started to serve us at 9.00 pm.

Malaysia’s Tourism Industry

When I was traveling from Jogja to KL on 10th May 2009, the Minister of Tourism happened to sit in front of me. When she saw me, she greeted me and moved to sit beside me. We talked about the current political situations. Then, I told her about the tourism industry and how we can further improve and promote this industry.

Firstly, we must construct comprehensive online information about Malaysia. Nowadays, if people want to travel they will surf internet for information, especially to make online bookings and travel arrangements. I told her when I went to Hong Kong for 4 days, I made four days travel plan based on information from the net. Moreover, the public transportation is so efficient and easy to access from all tourist spots.

Secondly, the officers and tourists guides must be professionals and knowledgeable about Malaysia. I quoted the example of the tourist guide in Borobodur who is so well-versed and knowledgeable about the history and the life and teachings of Buddha.

Thirdly, we have many tourist spots but not properly maintained with run-down facilities as well as eye-soaring and smelly public toilets.

Fourthly, we need more tourist products of world-class. We managed to develop and promote Langkawi before but now Langkawi needs a new set of development. The place need to be properly maintained and new products to be developed. The island was said to be shopping haven but nothing much to shop in Langkawi. We need to bring branded and latest design products to Langkawi at competitive prices comparable to Hong Kong and Singapore.

Fifth, accessibility to tourist spots must be improved, especially in city areas like KL, Penang and JB. Public transportation must be improved tremendously.

Indonesia oh Indonesia…..

I went to Indonesia for 10 days. I arrived in Bali, Indonesia on 1st May and came to know that 80% of the local population are Hindus. You will see lots statues of Hindu gods. I was taken to Nusa Dua, a tourists spot with many hotels and Bali International Convention Centre (BICC). I stayed at Grand Hyatt hotel, designed with traditional Indonesian architecture, with statues of Hindu gods in every corner of the hotel blocks. Every morning you can see the hotel girls performing their prayers, with smoke of incense covering the hotel area. For food, it’s a bit tough for Muslims, had to find halal restaurants. There are quite a number of halaI restaurants such as ARC and Sederhana which sell nasi padang. I stayed 5 days in Bali attending the ASEAN Finance Minster’s Meeting. Again, though not so wild as Pattaya, Thailand, still night life in Bali, especially around the city centre i.e Kuta area is colorful and happening. You can see white guys and local girls in pubs and discos. One thing you will see every where in Bali are massage centres. The question I posed in my article during my visit to Pattaya, I post here again, why women’s body is so cheap? Old big-bellied white guys with young local girls are what you will see. If you go to Manila, Philippines, you will see the same thing.

On the sixth day, I went to Bandung, Indonesia. It’s crowded city. I met many Malaysian families there, especially at the factory outlets. However, I wondered why Malaysians go there for shopping. Most of the goods sold there are similar to the imitation products sold at Petaling Street. Morever, you can buy branded items at Sogo or Pavilion in KL.

On the 8th day, I went to Jogjakarta, one of the oldest cities in Indonesia. I visited Kraton, the Sultan Palace, where old and traditional household items, costumes and instruments were on display. Then I went to Borobodur, the famous Buddhist shrine. The tourists guide was fantastic, as he was a Muslim but able to describe each scripture on the walls of the shrine. We climbed to the top and able to see the beautiful surrounding area. I came back to KL on the 10th May 2009.

On this trip, a few things I learned and experienced. First, in Indonesia when you see most of the locals people, it’s difficult to differentiate between Chinese and Indonesians. The 1Malaysia concept brought by the Prime Minister can learn from the Indonesian experience, The other thing you will be surprised or feel awkward compared to Malaysia. In Malaysia, all Malays are Muslim, but in Indonesia, the Indonesians who look like Malays (same rumpun) can be Hindus, Christians, Buddhist or Muslims.

Secondly, though the cost of living is much lower, there are too many poor. At every traffic lights, especially in Bandung you will see kids begging for money and young guys playing music instruments asking for donations. These people will ask or beg for money but they don’t steal or mug.

Thirdly, no traffic-jam as in KL. Moreover, the blue bird cab provides good public transportation. The cabbies are sincere and use meters, far better than our cabbies in Malaysia.

Fourthly, the tourist guides know their history so well because they go to Universities to learn about the historic places. They are certified to be professional tourist guides.

Finally, on the 10th day was really frustrating. My flight back to KL from Jogja supposed to be at 11.30am so I checked out from the hotel at 9.00am. When I went to check-in at the MAS counter, I was told that the flight is delayed for 4 hours. I was frustrated as to why they didn’t call me. By hook or crook, MAS should find out my contact number and call me. The Jogja airport is so small and hot, and I had to wait there from 9.30 am to 3.30pm (6 hours huuh). What can I say about our National Carrier? What’s your comment? Any experience with MAS that you want to share?