Causeway blues again
Source: Singapore's The Business Times (20 Jan 2007) The illustration shows the current toll rates for lorries and heavy vehicles, not cars and motorcycles. Sometimes, you have to wonder whether policy makers look at the big picture at all.
Take the case of the toll rate at the Second Link connecting southern Malaysia and Singapore.
According to a report on Thursday, the Malaysian government will jack up the toll rates by 27% on vehicles using the Second Link Expressway from Jan 1. The other bridge connecting the two countries is the overused causeway, which links Woodlands in Singapore and the southern Malaysian city of Johor Baru.
The report said passenger cars using the Second Link route will have to pay RM10.80 (S$4.60) next year, compared with RM8.40 now, The Sun newspaper quoted Works Minister S. Samy Vellu as saying.
Rates will also go up at two other Johor toll booths. At the Perling toll, passenger cars will have to pay RM2.30 compared with RM1.80 now. And at the Lima Kedai booth, the toll will be increased to RM3.90 from RM3.10.
The report said the rise in the toll rates is part of contractual obligations the Malaysian government signed with companies that built and manage the highways.
So far, the argument sounds logical. But the whole argument falls apart when it is seen in the wider context of essential infrastructure between Malaysia and Singapore.
Here are some bigger questions and issues concerning the two major arteries:
1. Shouldn't the Malaysian government be lowering toll rates at the Second Link to encourage more motorists to switch from the perennially congested causeway to the Second Link? Toll rates are substantially lower at the causeway, which is owned jointly by the two countries. Even more motorists will avoid the Second Link and flock to the causeway following the jump in the toll rates at the Second Link.
2. So far, it's not clear whether the Singapore government will follow suit in jacking its toll rate as well on motorists using the Second Link, which was built jointly by the two countries. The Singapore government had a policy of matching the Malaysian toll rate when the Second Link bridge was opened in 1998 although the rationale was debatable.
3. Shouldn't Malaysia and Singapore sit down and discuss ways to promote greater usage of the Second Link and ease the congestion on the causeway? Shouldn't the two governments help facilitate the massive cross-border flow of people instead of imposing any further burden on them?
4. Shouldn't the two governments think of fresh ways to ease the flow of people and goods between the two countries, as they couldn't even agree on a simple overhead bridge to replace the aging causeway and clean up the dirty Straits of Johor?
5. Shouldn't the two governments refer to the recently minted Asean Charter, which waxes lyrical about cooperation and dispute resolution in the Asean spirit, to help resolve their bridge problems?
While the two governments remain at odds with each other over a host of bilateral issues, people on both sides of the causeway will continue to bear the brunt of the causeway bottleneck.
6 comments:
there's a mental bridge that makes the whole problem up actually,to be frank Asean not able to be as effective and co-operative as the EU...though of having the same ethnic population but of different civilisation...the people never request it but it's the leaders who have set us so far apart...
Sometimes, you have to wonder whether policy makers look at the big picture at all.... That's way you have begun... I couldn't agree with you more, though I am in India.
My latest post is also something on those lines... how a state government here, worked in lightning speed to force the producers of a Hindi movie to get a line of a film song deleted, since some people didn't like it!
The performance of the Malaysian Attorney General and his team was more of a "buffoon" clown show; but then what can you expect from the Malay so called lawyers.
They have absolutely no idea what the issues were all about. How close the island is or is not to Johore has nothing to do with the legal definition of sovereign terroritorial rights. The problem with the Malaysian team is fundamental and it boils down to their IGNORANCE AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTES EVIDENCE.they just do not know the meaning of the word evidence in law.
I have discussed this trait in the Malay mindset in my blog at http://yapchongyee.blogspot.com. I swear to god this Malaysian team is also totally incapable of defining relevant issues that arise from their claim.
From my perspective, the opening statement of Counsel for Malaysia (the mat salleh QC), "that Singapore merely assumed that Pedra Branca was terra nulious; this statement begs the question, what evidence do the Malaysians have to support their claim. The Malaysians claim that there was a letter that existed in Singapore; BUT WHERE IS THE LETTER ? Where is the evidence ? I face the same comic buffonery from one Court of Appeal judge of the Malaysian Court of appeal, Dato Zainon binti Mohd. Ali, WHO AWARDED TO THE SAME RESPONDENTS THEIR ORDER FOR SECURITY FOR COSTS AND LATER, WHILE THE ORDER FOR SECURITY FOR COSTS HAS NOT BEEN SET ASIDE AT ANY TIME; AWAARDED TO THE SAME RESPONDENTS THEIR ORDER FOR STRIKING OUT. To cap off her clown show and her total ignorance of the law JUDGE ZAINON BINTI MOHD ALI AND THE RESPONDENTS HAD ALREADY ENFORCED THEIR SECURITY FOR COSTS, when they were again awarded their order to strike out. tHIS MEANS THAT Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali HAD ENFORCED TWO DISTINCTLY OPPOSING ORDERS, namely one order to TRY THE CASE and then a later that forbids the trial of the case. Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali is the only judge in the world who believes that she can "have her cake and eat it too".
The incompetance of these Malays incredible !
Oops! I forgot to explain how this BAFFOON of a judge, Zainon binti Mohd. Ali has enforced two diametrically opposing court orders simultaneously ! The order for security for costs means upon payment of RM60,000 by my wife the trial will go on; and my wife had paid the RM60,000. THIS PAYMENT WAS ACCEPTED BY THE RESPONDENTS AND jUDGE ZAINON BINIT MOHD. ALI KNEW THAT THE MONEY WAS PAID. IN ALL SUCH CASES THE TRIAL WILL FOLLOW AS A MATTER OF COURSE; but in our case this clown for a judge went on and awarded to respondents an opposing order to strike out. These two orders are direct cntradiction; like like poles of two megnets. They cannot exist together in this manner because they cancell each other out. 1 minus 1 equals nothing !
LETTER TO MR CHRISTOPHER TAN OF BUSINESS TIMES
It is now 7.47 a.m., 14 Dec., 2007 and it is a beautiful day and I am singing, for today I believe I am about to bust the tight arse of the Malaysian JUDICIARY for the fucking corruption that festers in that shit hole of total and absolute incompetence & systemic & institutionalized corruption. I said in my earlier post to inform Mr David Hoh, my wife’s solicitors that in that hilarious & illiterate 2 court orders for (1) for imposing security for costs of RM.60,000 and upon payment by Petitioner of RM.60,000; this illiterate FEDERAL COURT JUDGE ZAINON BINTI MOHD. ALI WENT ON LATER TO AWARD TO RESPONDENTS the second ORDER FOR STRIKING OUT PETITION. All this was done by Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali while the Order for security for costs STILL STANDS & ENFORCED TO THIS DAY. Note please that Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali’s order for security for costs THAT WAS ALREADY ENFORCED BY BOTH JUDGE ZAINON BINTI MOHD. ALI & RESPONDENTS STILL STANDS TODAY, because there is no, I mean NO FUCKING ORDER TO SET IT ASIDE to this day.
Mr David Hoh has stated it on public record, published on the 1st of July, 2007 on the website of MALAYSIA TODAY, claiming that the conduct of Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali was PROPER AND THAT SHE ACTED ACCORDING TO LAW, in those circumstances. I want it on public record (this letter will be published on my blogg at http://yapchongyee.blogspot.com) and several other blogg.
The purpose of my letter is to have it known by Mr Christopher Tan of the Business Times who has informed me that he would like to communicate with me (reason unknown) on the 21 of Dec., 2007; I have reason to believe that he must want to write on the issues that I have published on my blogg. If Mr. Christopher Tan wants to write about my story then THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME because then, I can drag Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali TO A SINGAPORE COURT. I have been writing material that would constitute libelous and of course SEDITIOUS under any jurisdiction in the world and I have posted every one of my letters to Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali, Chief Justice of Malaysia, Attorney General, President & Secretary of Malaysian Bar Council, emailed to all & sundry and randomly fax to practicing lawyers in KL. In all my letters I have invited Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali to come to a PROPER COURT IN PERTH or to any other PROPER COURT LIKE THE HIGH COURT OF SINGAPORE TO CLEAR HER GOOD NAME; but that chicken shit JUDGE OF THE MALAYSIAN FEDERAL COURT has not moved. I suppose she thinks that by her silence I WILL JUST GO AWAY. No such luck Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali. I will keep writing 1, 2 or 3 letters per day until you are forced to COME AND GET ME. I am 73 years old WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO ME; but for you Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali, my letters will be a fucking BLACK MARK ON YOUR CAREER PROGRESS. You will never progress beyond what you are because even the Chicken Shit Malaysian Government will not dare to be that OBVIOUS, and elevate a chicken shit MALAYSIAN FEDERAL COURT JUDGE WHO KNOWS FUCK ALL OF THE LAW. THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN MALAYSIA.
I ask Mr Christopher Tan to write in any manner that will force Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali to come to Singapore TO SUE ME OR TO PURSUE ANY CRIMINAL ACTION FOR ATTACKING HER GOOD NAME. Mr David Hoh take notice since you obviously do not appreciate my criminal charges made against Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali (I really could say something nasty to you but considering many of our mutual friends will be reading this letter I will refrain). I invite Mr Christopher Tan to “BROKER” a litigation between me on the one side and Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali together with Mr David Hoh on the other. I will assure that I will not raise any PRELIMINARY OBJECTION TO THE LEGAL CONTEST. I accept the Jurisdiction of the Singapore; but not fucking MALAYSIA.
COPY :
(1) Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali (MALAYSIAN COURT OF APPEAL, (2)Mr David Hoh of M/s Lim & Hoh, (Advocate & Solicitors K.L. (3) Malaysian Attorney General, (4) President & Secretary Malaysian Bar Council (5) Chief Justice of Malaysia.
(2) Email to all & sundry practicing LAWYERS.
The Malay UMNO leaders have learned to “spin” and project a feel good factor into their public statements relating to their most diabolical projects and making them appear to be advantageous to their intended victims (their minority races). The Americans and the NAZIS are masters of this art (created by Dr Goebbels, Nazis Propaganda Minister and spin was the Nazis tool to implement Hitler’s holocaust and the eradication of the Jews in Europe); as for example George W. Bush had secret plans to attack Iraq and steal Iraqi oil, the Pentagon spin doctors put out a barrage of public statements that Saddam was a beast & dictator and had to be removed for the good of the Iraqi people. This is spin concealing their true evil purpose behind sweet words that are aimed at masking the evil behind the words.
I just heard “Syed Albar” explain that the Malaysian Government is very reluctant to abuse their Internal Security Act, to jail activists as they had done to Hindraff leaders. This is the most diabolical spin if ever I heard one. The Malaysian Government had at the drop of a hat would resort to the excesses of the ISA for the slightest of excuse. I remember how the Government abused the ISA to jail willy nilly 2 bit gansters. I had last night visitors from KL for dinner and the discussion veered to the Hindraff riot and the jailing of their leaders for attempted MURDER ? This is the height of the abuse of the Law. The truth is the Malaysian Government are never accountable; they do as they please.
Coming back to our dinner discussion, my guests tells me and I can see the sense in their point of view; that the Hindraff Riot was a peaceful demonstration BUT THAT THE POLICE WERE INSTRUCTED TO PROVOKE A VIOLENT REACTION. Why did the police acted in the manner (with violent water cannons laced with dangerous chemicals; and tear gas grenades). IF YOU CARE TO EXAMINE THE VIDEO OF THE POLICE RESPONSE, YOU WOULD FIND THAT IT WAS THE POLICE THAT CAUSED FEAR & CHAOS, firing into unarmed & totally helpless Indians who were out to demonstrate their dire economic DUES as citizens of Malaysia. The did not deserve such callous and overly harsh abuse by armed police who bludgeoned them to within an inch of their lives. My guests were correct in their assessment of the brutality of police over reaction; UMNO leaders planned to cause the ILLUSION OF POLITICAL UP HEAVAL SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE OPTION TO DELAY THE UPCOMING ELECTION SET FOR 2009 BECAUSE DATO ANWAR IBRAHIM WILL BE FREE TO CONTEST THE ELECTION. I truly believe that if the indications on the Malaysian political scene was that UMNO will not win they will use the excuse of the Hindaff riot to impose EMERGENCY AND POSTPONE THE ELECTION.
Consider this proposition, how is it that UMNO is able to govern Malaysia for the last 50 years, WHEN UMNO IS UNABLE TO WIN IN ELECTIONS IN KELANTAN & TRENGGANU (both predominantly Malay constituencies ) ? I do not believe that support from both MIC & MCA (both ethnic parties are not representative of Indian & Chinese support). In the MIC I do not believe that Sammy Vellu has the genuine support of the Indians, hence this riot demonstrates that he does not have their support. In the MCA, their leadership too is all self serving and the MCA does not truly represent Chinese interests. Both the MIC & MCA are retained by UMNO to give the semblance of across the board support of all the communities that make up Malaysian society BUT IN TRUTH THE GOVERNMENT DISHONESTLY MANIPULATES THE BOLLOT BOXES AS SHOWN IN THE RECENT ELECTION IN KUALA SELANGOR.
I had earlier written a letter posted on my blogg (re: http://yapchongyee.blogspot.com that Malaysia is not a democracy at all, but an oligarchy, the government has been by the same few families. This is where I am stating my point that Malay UMNO leaders have learned to “SPIN” and under the cover of spin they project the illusion that the government is an elected one when in truth the election of UMNO is by trickery, by ballot box stuffing. ALL MALAYSIANS MSUT WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA RETAINS POWER BY FRAUD. It serves no one in Malaysia be they Malays or Chinese or Indians. A nation is only as strong as when all thei people work together for equal rights & equal opportunities. I am not writing and arguing for equal rights for the Chinese, because I believe that our Chinese are better off migrating to Australia. I have also written in my last letter that the number of Chinese remains relatively the same number of 4.5 million at the time of Merdeka; this means that there has been very substantial emigration from Malaysia, most to Singapore. I am also not interested to put up suggestions for the improvement of Malaysia, That is something that nobody can do because it is already the mind set of the Malays that they are the superior race and that Malaysia belong to the Malays; but who is to say NO ? On the other hand IF THE MALAYS ARE SO SUPERIOR, WHY DO THEY STILL NOW NEED AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONS ? This shows that the Malays are an inferior race, and they cannot survive if left to fend for themselves.
It is sad that of the 24 million Malays only a handful have it all for the lest 50 years and yet they are unable to advance in real terms. The Malays of today is as deprived as they were and still are deprived today. I ask UMNO how many of the Malays have advanced in real terms today as they were 50 years ago. Yes ! There are many Malays living in the modern towns like PJ, BUT WHAT IS MORE TELLING OF THE TRUE SITUATION IS THE QUESTION, HOW MANY MORE OF THE 24 MILLION LIVE IN THE COUNTRY ? That is the more important question. From my perspective the true count of Malays benefiting from the NEP are the bureaucrats; and that could only be in the hundreds of thousands (NOT EVEN IN THE FUCKING 1 MILLION); then the question that follows is, what has happened to the other 23 million Malays rakyat living in the Kampongs ? What have to got out of voting for UMNO ? NOTHING, not a fucking thing. The true Malay rakyat has still to awaken to the fraud perpetrated by their UMNO, the Malay Party and spinner of fine hearing tales of the BOUNTY OF PLENTY THAT COME FROM DEPRIVING THE CHINESE & INDIANS.
My perspective is for the races of Malaysia to abolish the UMNO ploy of racism that do nothing for everybody else except to the sole benefit of UMNO leaders. I will write in my next letter to argue that it is time for all the races to abolish affirmative action because it benefits only the very, very few in UMNO. It is time to change Malaysian leaders and support the OPPOSITION; what UMNO tell the Malays are an ILLUSION.
MY NEXT LETTER after I show you what an illiterate in LAW that dumb arsehole this so called FEDERAL COURT JUDGE ZAINON BINTI MOHD. ALI IS.
Post a Comment