EXTREME POVERTY AMONGST RICHES

Mohd Ridhuan Wong Abdullah @ Wong Ah Fatt, was wondering why life was very harsh to him and his family and that he had to eke out a living just to earn enough to take care of his family's daily necessities such as two meals a day costing less than RM 10.00 a day. He was born poor and known poverty all his 54 years of his life. He had never known luxuries and eke out a living by collecting and selling discarded old newspapers, cardboards, any recyclable items, etc, etc. He could managed to earn RM 500.00 a month before the global economic downturn where the price of old newspapers could fetch RM0.30 sen per kg. but now the price is hovelling around RM 0.10 sen per kg. This 54 years old Muslim convert had tried his best to provide the basics necessities for his family, that is, his wife, Nurul Ain Lam Abdullah and his 17 months old son who barely walks because he was born with a hole in the heart. It was double misfortune, extreme poverty and a son who was born with a hole in the heart. I had great sympathy for his family, especially his son who had a hole in the heart. As a Visitor Board for Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, It was my duty to assist him in whatever ways in order to lighten his burden by fetching him to HTAA in order to see the relevent officer for exemption for his son's operation in IJNSB and helping him to apply for "Borang Permohonan Bantuan Zakat" given out by Majlis Ugama Islam Dan Adat Resam Melayu Pahang. We also went to Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan, to apply for the "Program Pembasmian Kemiskinan MPK but unfortunatedly it was freezed in the month of April, 2009, but the Director told us to come back by June 2009 that it may be opened by then. We also went to Pusat Khidmat DUN Teruntum to apply for welfare assistance from Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat. This application form had been endorsed by YB DUN Teruntum and Encik Abdul Rahman Haji Ismail, Ketua Kampung for JKKK Kg.Tengah/Kg. Jawa, Kuantan. The completed application forms were returned back dued to some technical problems and it is in the possession of our Ketua Kampung who will personally hand out to the relevent authorities.
When I visited Mohd. Ridhuan one day outside his shack, he greeted me sweating profusely all around his upper body dued to very hot weather that day. I was shocked when I saw such abject poverty amidst the so called well-to do residential area of Taman Zurina, Lorong Seri Teruntum 96, 25100 Kuantan.
His wooden shack measuring 10 feet x 10 feet which is covered with zinc roof with one simple airless window and a big wooden door with no electricity and water supplies. He had to make do with oil lamp to brighten the interior wooden planks at night and for water supplies, he had to fetch water from the nearby unmetered water pipe which had been abandoned by the previous owner. The family had to cook outside the dirt compound of the wooden shack. He had to buy takeaway food when it rains and the family had to incur extra expenses just to have two meals a day. I personally see with my eyes how poor that he is that he only bought a loaf of large sized bread to take home to feed his family of three during lunch time.
During this hot spell, Mohd Ridhuan had to take out his shirt or tee shirt wearing only long pants when he is in his so called little lovely home for there is no electricity supplies to power the electric fan, (if any), to cool the air in the zinc covered shack.
I reported to the Committee Members of the JKKK Kg. Tengah/ Kg. Jawa during the last meeting and we agreed to pay the family a visit on the 18th. April, 2009, with adequate food supplies and monetery gifts in order for them to survive these difficult months.
Our Ketua Kampung, Encik Abdul Rahman said that he needs help both physically and spiritually after presenting cash and daily neccesities on behalf of the JKKK Kg. Tengah /Kg. Jawa, Pemuda UMNO Kg. Jawa and MCA Cawangan Kg. Jawa.
You can help Mohd Ridhuan's family by contacting Encik Rahman at 016-9349033 or Mr. T.M.Ngoh at 019-9875393. May God bless you all for helping our poor neighbour!

TANJUNG AGAS OIL AND MARITIME INDUSTRIAL PARK,PEKAN, PAHANG.

Our Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a multi-billion ringgit industrial park by the name of Tanjung Agas oil and gas and maritime industrial park project in Pekan, Pahang. This industrial park covers an area of 1,639 hatares and will begin in the second quarter of this year and to be expected to be completed in 3 to 4 years. This will provide vast opportunities for locals, especially, the population in the east coast states of Pahang, Trengganu and Kelantan to be employed in industries such as maintenance and services in the petrochemical and logistic industry, supplies and services for the oil and gas industry and all other related trades. From the report, an estimated 5,000 new j0bs will be created during the initial phase of this project which is scheduled to commence this year. Overall , this project will create 30,000 new jobs over a period of 10 years.
This oil and gas and maritime industrial park will definitedly benefit the people who reside around this industrial park, especially the folks in Pekan, Rompin and Kuantan Districts. The people around these area must be mentally prepared and to seize this once in the lifetime opportunities for the boom time that will definitedly come in future. This will create a vibrant and modern complexes in these area which will definitedly enrich the people. The economic multiplier effect for this project would be enormous at this moment of global economic crisis in order to stimulate the eastern corridor economic activities which of late, had slowed down with fewer vehicles on the roads and lesser crowds in the shops and malls.
We have to thank the Federal government for speraheading this multi-billion ringgit industrial project to bring more economic benefits and development to the people in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

WHY FIX IT WHEN IT IS STILL GOOD

I don't agreed with Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir statement which was published in all major newspapers on 2nd. December 2008, that the vernacular schools in the current format to be closed. I believed that there is nothing wrong with the present education system as this system had been around for more than 50 years. Eventually, the students will go on to study in the national schools at the secondary level.
I would like to share my experience as a student from the english medium school in the 1970's which had given me an all rounded and liberal education. I could mixed around with all races during my school days. There was no polarisation in those days. I still remembered some of my best friends are malays who used to cycle together to school from our kampung which was about 5 kilometres away. We conversed in English and Bahasa Melayu and we had many nostalgic experiences together. These successful malay classmates of my are still my buddies after so many years. Whenever we meet, we lamented the state of today's education system which had brought in racial polarisation and disharmony faned by politicians like Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir who aspire to be the UMNO Youth Chairman. Datuk Mukhriz, please leave politics outside the gates of all the schools in Malaysia and try to improve the education system which we inherited from the british. Mind you, you were one of them who had the same experience to benefit from this liberal education when you were young. Please try to improve the present education system, that is, the national school system, in order to attract more non-malay parents to send their children to these national schools. I promised you that I would encouraged my grandchildren to attend the national schools when I perceived that these schools are at par with the vernacular schools in term of discipline, high standard of teachings and dedication from the teachers. Multi- languages such as BM, BI and mother tongue languages are taught in schools. If possible, one foreign language for every child.We must have the will to improve the education system so that every students will have a global perspective and marketable when they leave the school system.

THE LAST STRAW THAT BROKE DATUK SAID IBRAHIM'S BACK.

The de factor Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim resignation as Minister in the Prime Minister Dept. 0n September 15th. 2008, was not a surprise to those in the know. His recent outburst against the use of ISA against civilians and retorted he was willing to resign for his views.
He had tried his best as Minister responsible for judicial and legal reform and was committed to rebuilding public confidence in a judiciary which has been questioned since the 1988 judiciary crisis.
I express my admiration to a politician who dared to be different from the crowd by resigning as de factor Law Minister and set an example to all leaders for his political conviction. Many leaders of lesser mind will go along with the crowd in order to be secured in this esteemed position as de factor Law Minister. It's a long time that we have not seen any leaders resigning for his political conviction. Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had set a good example for any politicians to follow in future, that is, when the leader is not of the same views with his cabinet colleagues, he should resign from his post! He had made some of the recommendations for reform such as :
(1) Apology and restitution for the judges sacked during the judiciary crisis.
(2)Setting up a Judicial Appointments Commission but had been snowballed following objections from some Cabinet members
(3) Restoration of Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution relating to civil and syariah jurisdiction but was also snowballed following objections from some Cabinet members.
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had a bumpy six months ride as de factor Law Minister and the people will remember his initial judicial and legal reform and we hope that his successor will continue pursuing the reform which he had set forth.
May he be remembered as a marverick Law Minister who dared to voice his opinions and dared to be different!

ANWAR'S BLUFF

September 16th. 2008 was supposed to be an eventful date for Opposition Leader, Datuk Anwar Ibrahim's ascension to become the next Prime Minister, but it all came to nought. His claims of having enough 31 MPs' to the Barisan Pakatan Rakyat side to form the next government is a bluff and rhetoric. This had make the Rakyat anxious and uncertained about the certainty of his claims. The people should not be taken in by Anwar's antics for he is just an empty vessel who made the most noise. Let the present government under Barisan National which had the mandate of the people, administer the nation for the next 4 to 5 years. He may had the opportunity to form the next government come the next General Election provided the present government do not fulfill her promises to the Rakyat.
At the moment, we should address the gloomy economic situation brought about by the bickering of both sides of the divide. The people's bread and butter issue should be the upper most concern of the leaders for there are high inflation rate which had burned the pockets of the Rakyat. Further more, the recent filling of bankcruptcy by welknown banks in Wall Street, U.S.A. are cause for concern for all right thinking leaders. There may be a recession coming! The reluctance of foreign investors to invest in Malaysia dued to the uncertain political situation caused by the opposition party to form the next government is also one of the factors.
We need solutions to address the Nation's uncertainties in order to move forward so that the Rakyat welfare is the Nation's welfare. We should put our minds together in order to find solutions to solve the nation's problems but not by political rhetoric which had dampened the spirit of the Rakyat. STOP ALL THE POLITICAL RHETORIC FOR WE ARE TIRED AND DISGUSTED ABOUT IT!

September 16th. 2008 should be an eventful date but it was an anti climax. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's claims to form the next government by boasting of having 31 Barisan National MPs crossing over to Barisan Pakatan Rakyat came to nought. His claims of forming the next government had caused a lot of tension and anxiety to the people. I would say it was an act of irresponsibility on the part of the defactor opposition leader just wanting to become the next Prime Minister without paying heed to the welfare of the people. I do not believe he has the majority of the MPS' behind him in order for him to become the PM by the back door. The people should not be taken in by Anwar's antics and bluffing. Why destabilised the present government which had been mandated by the people during the last General Election?

Is it a means to an end just by becoming PM without thinking about the stability and welfare of the Nation? He and his opposition MPs will have the opportunity to form the next government after the next General Election provided they have the mandate of the people! Then, I would congratulate him and the opposition MPs'. But not now! Please let the present government administer and rule the Nation and give them the benefit of doubt. If they don't govern well and effectively, then I would say the Barisan Pakatan Rakyat might be given the opportunity in 4 or 5 years time. For goodness sake! Please be an constructive Opposition Leader by giving constructive opinions and views in order the Nation to move forward.

The Nation is facing glooming economic uncertainties, high inflation rates which had burned the pockets of the common people, the reluctance of foreign investors to invest dued to political uncertainties, last but not least, the recent bankcruptcy of leading banks in Wall Street, U.S.A. are cause for concern. We should rally our citizens to meet the challenges head-on with dynamic solutions. My dear YB Datuk Anwar Ibrahim, it should your concern too in order to meet the challenges of the time so that the ordinary rakyat will have their bread and butter but not political rhetoric which does not bring any thing good to the Nation!

TIRED OF THE MIND GAMES OF ANWAR'S ANTICS

Sept. 16th. was supposed to be an eventful date but it was an anti climax.