Nods.

I’m on the line, dangerously tracing conclusive metaphors between you and those rice-filled air tight jars I diligently converse with. I hate their guts and indifference. I hate that there are no differences at all, if I peel off these impositions. The difference lies only in my intentions.

&

The days are drawn like a curtains blatant pull
Closer; where Thursdays weave its lips into Fridays
The light dances upon these acid pages
While we make love on an uptight couch
Hold each cautious word along the frozen food aisle
Perhaps I’ll understand these voices, spilled over and beneath my floorboards
Perhaps you’d understand that I’m merely being
But take this time, suspended,
Know the differences between my silences and your songs.

Will the trend of the hung parliament be Malaysia’s fate?

OCT 13 2010: Australia, United Kingdom and Sweden has experienced the hung parliament. In Malaysia, the 13th General election may be a pivotal time where voters, especially youths come to realise the importance of voting for the right party.

Water Crisis in Selangor may be Exaggerated for Profit Making

OCT 4 2010: THE water crisis in Selangor may have been exaggerated by the federal government for profit making through the Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project.

LRT in Subang Jaya, Then What?

Persiaran Kewajipan

The rapid development of Subang Jaya are accompanied by inadequate and inefficient public transport systems. Increasing quantity, frequency and stops for feeder buses seem to be the best solution.

THE Light Rail Transit (LRT) was initially proposed to be extended in Subang Jaya by the year 2012. However, concerns on increased congestion arise as residents would still have to drive to the stations, causing build up of vehicles. Some of the LRT stations, such as the one Persiaran Jengka and Persiaran Kewajipan do not provide parking lots.

Proposed LRT route in Subang Jaya 

Subang Jaya is one of the most established townships in the Klang Valley. However, according to Hannah Yeoh, state assemblyperson for Subang Jaya, public transports are inadequate. ‘Bus services are not regular enough and they do not go into a lot of housing areas’, she said.

YB Hannah Yeoh (source: http://3.bp.blogspot.com)

SOLUTIONS

Hannah Yeoh touched on the efficiency of feeder buses in Subang Jaya. She also added that public transport services should come before property and neighbourhood development. ‘All developers must set aside funds for the council to buy buses. It must be part of the infrastructure to include a bus for every condominium’, says Hannah Yeoh.

According to Muhammad Zulkainain Hamzah, the spokesperson for The Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit), he proposes four main ideas to the solution of traffic congestion in Subang Jaya and other townships.

Bogota's BRT system: A trunk road built specially for buses. (source: http://richmondva.files.wordpress.com)

1. Coordination between the federal, state and local authorities
2. Providing alternative modes of public transport which exemplifies existing bus global bus systems such as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Bogota, Columbia.
3. Efficient feeder bus systems towards the BRT lines.
4. Allocate public funds to the betterment of public transport: Public transport trust funds.

POLITICAL WILL and COLLABORATION

Rajiv Rishyakaran, Councillor of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council says that an authority body such as The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) should take an initiative to form a public transport master plan. He also says that local councils of Selangor would need to collaborate to produce the master plan. As Muhammad Zulkarnain says, ‘there are too much reliance on consultants to do town planning based on local areas instead on looking at it at a holistic level’. He also says that the government should exemplify overseas system to take up the Public Transport Trust Fund. This would include fees from parking fines, state taxes, congestion based fees and tax per mileage. ‘The government could take over the toll expressway systems and use the toll revenue to fund public transport infrastructure and assets’, says Zulkarnain.

SPEAKING UP

‘For most politicians, public transports are not on the list of priorities’, says Rajiv. He also added that residents need to speak up if they’d like to see better public transport services. ‘You can do so by writing letters and voice out and pressure the government to do something’, says Rajiv [sic].

What’s the First Thing that Comes to your Mind:

When you think of the word ‘Police’ in the Malaysian context?

Let me tell you what I think of: Bribe, corruption and fear.

The irony is that, police are supposed to make you feel safe and secure. But I am sure none of us perceives it in that very manner.

See, I just came back from my trip to Malacca recently and had met with a traffic police. He stopped our car and told us kindly that we had four passengers at the back seat. He then firmly says that he will find each of us RM 300.

That is the first step: Fear.

Then the second step: Bribe.

Being thick faced, he blatantly asked my friend (who drove us): Kita pergi minum.

Thankfully, my friend was smart enough to act stupid, not know what ‘pergi minum’ means. The police got fed up and he let us go.

Look, our beloved country, filled with bribe thirsty policemen at every nook and corner.

It is sad to know that this phenomenon isn’t odd or unusual. It becomes an expectation. On the contrary, seeing an honest policeman in Malaysia: that is a shocker, no?

To Burn or Not to Burn the Quran: That is the question.

source: http://www.winknews.com

After a month of fasting, Muslims in Malaysia are going to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri on the 10th of September. However, in the United States, an extremist Pastor from Dove Outreach Centre, Ps. Terry Jones plans to launch a controversial event—burn a Quran Day. This day is set on the 11th  September, which commemorates the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York City.

Monash Sunway students respond to the move deemed to cause discontent among the Muslims and Christians in Malaysia.

“He [Ps. Terry Jones] is embarrassing Christianity. It’s not Islam that is bad, but the people who think they represent Islam” says James Robind, from the School of Engineering.

When asked about how this will affect Malaysia, Amelia Ng says, “I don’t think it will cause any trouble in Malaysia but it will definitely cause big trouble worldwide”

An Indonesian Muslim, Sofea Rahman responds that people will view Christianity in a negative light. She adds that we should not assume Islam promotes terrorism.

Malaysia had its history of religious conflict and this question remains in our hearts even in the midst of potential chaos: Will we be like those who create discord in the name of religion or would we strife to create peace in our multi-racial, multi-religious country?