Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:57 am Post subject: Malaysian taxis
Is the Ministry of Transport doing anything to improve the substandard and third world conditions of taxis in Penang and Malaysia?
Imagine being charged for a flat rate without running meters in this day and age.
I know people will have good and bad experiences - but that's exactly why people travelling in Malaysia need to feel safe as well as not being ripped off.
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:12 am Post subject: Let's write to the gov. and complain
I was in Kuala Lumpur and Penang a couple of times in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007. The taxis had no running meters and the charges were atrocious ; in other words, a rip off. The buses in Penang were from the 1930s - old and decrepit, dirty and blowing out thick black smoke, polluting the overcrowded gem of an island. The pavements along part of Tanjung Bungah were new but poorly finished , with some stones missing or coming off. The drains were blocked and when it rains the streets are flooded and there's grunge on the surface of the blocked drains - the place even smelt. KL is dirty. just like Johore is too. The small stretch of sea between Singapore and Johore looks so black and murky, it stinks.
No doubt, there're new roads, new constructions etc but all in all, like the taxis, large parts of Malaysia need to be cleaner.
Are you Malaysian Siamak? I'm glad you've commented. Let's write and complain - about the taxis, drains and pavements.
Penang has a newly elected government - is it any good?
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Let's write to the gov. and complain
anneteoh wrote:
Are you Malaysian Siamak? I'm glad you've commented. Let's write and complain - about the taxis, drains and pavements.
Penang has a newly elected government - is it any good?
No, I am doing a PhD in USM. Yes, I wish they fix the pavements and public transport before I leave. I want to leave Penang with a good memory of it.
I just know the government is mostly Chinese this time but I am not sure how is their performance.
For the time being I am also disappointed by lack of activity/progress in 2nd Penang bridge. it was supposed to be finished in 2010 (if I am not wrong). However I guess the project is not managed by Penang government. Honestly I did not notice specific progress after they have come to power. Perhaps other members know better.
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: Thanks Siamak for being us posted
The trouble with most Malaysians and Penang is that the people are shy of engaging in public discussion; politics would just frighten them off! So they simply go past some aspects of third world stagnation around them and take it for granted that that's what it's meant to be, without questioning. To us who have travelled and lived in a number of places, it seems absurd that a very rich country , with a well educated people force should have such eyesores in the capital cities - they probably need a new ministry to educate the communities to clean up the environment around them.
Great to hear you're doing your Phd. What's your dissertation? May I ask if you're from Indonesia or Malaysia? I think we need a rebirth of bright 2nd/3rd generation Malaysians who want to improve the way things are in the country.
I'll try to see if it's possible to email concerns to the Ministry of Transport KL and the Penang Govt - ah if it's Chinese and anything like Singapore, we can just enjoy ourselves.
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: Thanks Siamak for being us posted
anneteoh wrote:
The trouble with most Malaysians and Penang is that the people are shy of engaging in public discussion; politics would just frighten them off! So they simply go past some aspects of third world stagnation around them and take it for granted that that's what it's meant to be, without questioning. To us who have travelled and lived in a number of places, it seems absurd that a very rich country , with a well educated people force should have such eyesores in the capital cities - they probably need a new ministry to educate the communities to clean up the environment around them.
Great to hear you're doing your Phd. What's your dissertation? May I ask if you're from Indonesia or Malaysia? I think we need a rebirth of bright 2nd/3rd generation Malaysians who want to improve the way things are in the country.
I'll try to see if it's possible to email concerns to the Ministry of Transport KL and the Penang Govt - ah if it's Chinese and anything like Singapore, we can just enjoy ourselves.
Agreed. It was also strange to me for example to see TmNet (the dominant ISP of Malaysia) is unusable for 3 weeks and almost no one criticizes and more interestingly TmNet does not feel obliged to give a refund or cover the shortage it has caused. They hesitate to react unless someone (a foreigner, a local which has more courage...) goes forward and then they see it is possible to criticize and get their rights.
I am from northern part of middle east (Iran) and my hometown is 20-30km from the boarder with Turkey. I choose Malaysia because it was cheap and it matches my budget. I had scholarship from several leading European universities but because of the political issues I could not go there. Malaysian are peaceful and kind people and I like this aspect of their life. Sometimes I think I would not change this because this peaceful behavior is possibly one of the important factors which makes Malaysia a pleasant place to stay.
The absence of critics is possibly coming from their peaceful nature
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:24 am Post subject: Thank you
It's true Malaysians have a peaceful nature so I hope I'm not turning the Malayan moon upside down. However, criticism only hurts the ego and people who want revenge have their egos or feelings deeply hurt. It's crucial, however, to distinguish between criticism and bullying; one's constructive, the other, sheer rudeness or whatever.
In my opinion, an educated audience should be a critical audeince; e.g. much as I repect Chinese culture and civilisation, it's the lack of the cultivation of a critical audience that brings the great country towards swings of extremes, even though they're durable, over hundreds of years...government easily get corrupted if there're no whistle blowers. There are critical people from the literati, but they lack the power of the press which is not about isolated individuals but one engaging large numbers of the public. In China, it was precisely the power of the press, or rather propaganda machine that brought about a much needed revolution. So I hope they continue to enageg people in peaceful discussions.
To cut this short, I 'd written a list of 10 constructive criticism for the Penang govt at Komtar. I believe that it's helpful...face it, it's no point having democracy if it's not put into practice!
I 'm glad you so like Malaysia. To me, it's a very special country. I like the Iranians I've met in London too. Some Iranians have a very old religion...is it the Bahai?
Discussions and critical friends are not about war. They are really about the sharing of ideas, creative thinking and raising awareness.
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