PSP Wish Comes True For Lad from Tandek

This is a moving story and it happens on the Christmas day. The thalassemia-afflicted boy is from the northern part of Sabah where government has been trying to help people there to overcome poverty.

Is this the digital divide that our politicians been talking all along?

It's heartening to know that the CWS (Children Wish Society) is the accomplisher in making the boy's dream comes true. Being an organization based in Kuala Lumpur, the effort shown by the organization is significant as this may have been the influence of the 1Malaysia slogan agressively championed by our PM Najib.

Since becoming the Prime Minister, Datuk Najib has been putting in great emphasis in making Sabah & Sarawak to be at par with the rest of the country in terms of welfare, economy and development.

The publicity created by PM Najib should have therefore brought the particular attention to the welfare aspect of the people and where government has not been able to cover. The appearance of NGO like CWS is very timely as we have a lot more 'Roheads' out there wanting to have their dreams fulfilled.

Since there are more established corporates in Semenanjung, they should too extend their social obligations to the people of Sabah to assist in easing the welfare gap.

The story also tells us that our economy in this part of the world is still far from the norm of the nation, and government has a lot more to catch up in helping the people like Rohead's family.

After all, are we not in the same country together?

美国神秘圣诞老人的善举

美国神秘圣诞老人的善举是非常值得褒扬的。

在一个处处强调个人利益的社会里有此义举可以说是难得。

对一个手头紧的人来说，这一百大元的确是有如久旱逢甘雨呀。

最可贵就是此举能让一些对社会开始感到失望的人士带回一些信心，即是这世界还不至於残酷或冷漠到令人绝望和沮丧的。

我国政府亦有如此的惠民政策，每当过年过节的时候都有类似的义举让人民安渡佳节。政府也有多项的‘慈善’政策在很多时候照顾人民，可谓是无微不至。

如果国家是富强，那这些善行义举是多多益善的，反之，则必须从长计议了。

人民必须是被动员去干活一齐努力工作赚钱才能无间断的提供这些福利于一些不辛的同胞。

但愿上天永远能于我国厚爱，继续繁荣进步。

工找人及最低薪金制指南的谜惑与困境？Where do we go from here?

为甚麽出现‘工找人’的普遍现象呢？
最低薪金制指南的制定是否能解决困境吗？
国家应如何克服这个不利的趋势呢？

Sabah still cannot implement minimum wage policy - Masidi

News published by New Sabah Times / 23rd December, 2009
http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/34852

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah cannot implement a minimum wage policy because major global corporations have become more powerful than the government, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun yesterday.

He said the giant corporations are calling the shots in moving their capital from one country to another particularly countries that can offer cheaper labour force thus putting the government in a dilemma.

“The government is facing a dilemma on one hand to attract investments while the other is to provide a decent standard of living for its people,” he said when addressing the MTUC/ILO National Conference yesterday on decent work through promotion of freedom of association and collective bargaining.

He explained Malaysia is not able to ratify the convention on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) because each country has its own peculiarity and unique economic structure which must be taken into consideration and one size does not fit all.

“We need investments to create jobs and at the same time look after the rights of workers,” he said, adding that countries like Vietnam have emerged as low-cost producing economies which Malaysia is not able to compete.

He said therefore to implement the minimum wage might not be to Malaysia’s advantage and suggested a bandwidth of wage range to be worked out by sector and region to adjust to the cost of living.

In relation, the minister urged local employers to be fair in their compensation to workers and to provide decent working environment.

Employers need to train staff and move up the value chain so that they can pay (the staff) well, he added.

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Questions:-

1. Why do we have lots of vacancies waiting to be filled, and yet no takers?

2. Is minimum wage policy help in resolving the pay dilemma and other related issues?

3. How should the government handle and resolve the dilemma and the related issues?

I think the above questions have been frequently asked, but no top leaders in the country ever succeeded to resolve it yet.

We may need a leader who has the bold political will, strong enough and completely convicted, to the cause of resolving it.

First of all, it's wrong in the first place to indefinitely rely on foreign conglomerates to 'look-after' our welfare, and decide our people's livelihood.

They are here for profits, not charity. They are shifters, not settlers.

Once profits are no longer good, after some years of operating in the country, they will shift elsewhere looking for better returns.

In order for us to survive continuously through the years ahead as a State, we must not naively think that these investors will stay forever unless local economy also progress to warrant their further investment, and bearing in mind that it may not be of the same item that they were first in.

The goal of bringing investment is mainly to foster technology-transfer and business knowledge from the process, apart from providing employment temporarily.

The motive of the government to offer very attractive packages for these foreign investments, which is a common practice, should be aimed at producing competent local entrepreneurs, industrialists, and businessmen at the end of their ventures.

These trained or 'exposed' locals will become the assets of the nation. The generally simple aim to just make a living by working for a salary would not bring us far if we have to move ahead into the future. We must learn the necessary skills and the cultures of success from these foreign investors.

It's the opportunity to learn that we want to have, and not just the salary alone.

It's of mutual benefits for both parties as they look for their business returns by investing here, we, the locals, must be gladly provide in return, and in doing so, acquiring the necessary techniques for our 'autonomy' in our quest to build our nation's economy. It's the so-called win-win arrangement by-designed.

We must increase our pay scheme at par with the strongest neighbours in order to compete for higher skilled workers and talents. We can't develop at a reasonable pace without these resources especially these 'migrated' ones are our nationals working for our neighbours.

Sometimes good pay may not be the real answer for luring these drained citizens to return; it's actually the government policy that needs to be revamped completely. We must not only have to attract these 'migrated' citizens to return but also must ensure that the new ones are not leaving for greener pastures elsewhere. The country just can not afford this trend of wastage any more. It must be stopped for the nation sake.

Salary increment must be justified by higher productivity.

People will move away once there are better offers elsewhere, even if it means migrating to a foreign country.

The keys of retaining people in the country may be summarised as follows:-
1. income - it must be sufficient enough to meet all the basic needs, and more;
2. Good living environment;
3. dynamic, progressive, just, fair, and stable government with good governance.

Sabah can not, and shoul not, compete with Semenanjung, Vietnam, Philippines, or Indonesnia on manufacturing based on imported raw materials and labours.

It has to capitalize on its own unique strengths like its climate, land, geographical location in the region, natural resources etc. in order to have the edge to survive.

It should not overly rely on foreign labours to sustain its activities. It should adopt technology and mobilizing its educated people to carve out a niche in the world economy instead of presently importing unskilled labours that caused further decline in its competitiveness.

We (Sabah) ought to be in the down-stream manufacturing / processing business of our own raw materials, with ideally, our own labour forces only.

Our labour forces can be paid higher than imported labours with the adoption of better equipped skills, technology or mechanisation.

In realising this, our education system must seriously revamp in order to meet with these new challenges. The younger generation must be well educated and trained, to be more creative and responsible workers. They must be progressively adaptive in meeting all the new requirements, either known or unknown ahead.

Unfortunately, the current status of our 'educated' resources are terribly disappointing, and far from acceptable level.

Minister of education, are you listening?

Apart from education, we must not forget the status of our infrastructures like transportation system, broadband and telecommunications, elctricity power supply..............

Palm Oil mills Can Help Mitigating Sabah Power Shortage - Said MPOB

倘獎勵棕油廠生產可再生能源沙電力短缺可紓解
华侨日报/出版日期: 2009年 12月 22日 (星期二) http://www.ocdn.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=6054

【亞庇廿一日訊】大馬棕油局主席拿督沙比里阿末指出，如果政府為棕櫚油廠商提供更好的獎勵以生產可再生能源，本州的電力短缺可以緩解。 他說，目前國內有四百一十家棕櫚油加工廠，其中一百一十七家設沙巴。他說：「園坵業者可從油棕污水中獲取沼氣發動渦輪機以生產電力，這就是可再生潔能來 源。」 他在八打靈再也對傳媒說：「與其興建燃煤發電廠，這是沙巴一個更清潔的替代燃料。生物量和生物技術如今已面市。」 他說：「我們需要的是一些經濟援助。廠方需要約六百萬令吉安裝甲烷氣體捕集設備和蒸汽渦輪發電機。」 從明年一月起，能源、綠色技術和水務部，保證通過當地銀行提供十五億令吉的低息貸款以供應和採用的綠色技術。 他說：「相對低廉的貸款是一個好的開始，而撥款有助解決沙巴州的電力短缺問題。」 目前，公用事業巨頭國家能源有限公司通過其「小型可再生能源計劃」獻議購買可再生能源，僅出價廿一仙收購每千瓦小時(KWh)，另一個障礙是不多油棕廠與 國家電網接軌。 他說：「如果政府提供資金提高收購價至每千瓦卅仙的話，我們可以很快實現棕油廠方這項的主張，以惠及周遭農村社區。」 陳順風資源有限公司已樹立好榜樣，自2005年以來，該公司將工廠排放的骯髒甲烷氣體為潔能。它生產 十四兆瓦電力，其中十兆瓦售回給沙巴電力私人有限公司，保留四兆瓦自用。 甲烷是一種多種污染環境導致全球變暖和消耗臭氧層的多種氣體之一。所以，善用甲烷氣體發電是做環保。 主要生質能燃料消耗國的歐洲聯盟(歐盟)明年訂下目標，只接受生物柴油。與化石燃料相比，生質能的二氧化碳排放量至少百分之卅五。

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This is a more realistic proposition from a government agency, and making a lot of sense.

Sabah people must support this approach and method without reservation.

If this proposition is to be made a reality, State Government must be given the main role position for this endeavour.

What has been the State Government's role in all these power shortage and coal-fired power plant issues that has been plaguing the state for so long?

Sometimes I wonder if the State Government been invited to be a part of the solution. But, it looks like the State Government is very passive and seemingly has no say (at least from the surface) on all these important matters concerning the Sabah people.

Lack of consultation and collaboration is a common phenomenon in our country that must be resolved first before anything positive can be done.

We will regret if we don't do it now.

Autonomy For Sabah and Sarawak PKR

It's the right move for PKR Sabah and Sarawak in view of the geographical distance between East & West Malaysia, and also the indifference in the social fabric, cultures, and political landscapes between the two regions of Malaysia.

The localized party shall be more efficient in handling the local issues, and sentiments; it will definitely increase its local influence and making its presence in Sabah & Sarawak more relevant.

I think MCA Central should adopt the same strategy for the sake of survival in the very much different and competitive political scenery of Sabah.

What should the government do without the coal-fired power plant?

Sabah Government should take up the opportunity to pursue on the course of greening the state with the cleaner and sustainable energy sources available readily from local.

The most obvious energy source is the solar energy where we could use solar panel to collect the enormous sun heat to heat a boiler, or convert directly from solar to electricity.

The solar energy is absolutely free of charge!

A collective effort by the government is needed in making this a reality. The government may introduce a policy or law to encourage consumer to generate electricity from the sun and sell the excess energy to Service Provider, Sabah Electricity Sdn. Bhd. (SESB) thereby not only reduce the demand of consumers from SESB but also contribute to the power generation aspect of the SESB.

The rooftop of each household in Sabah or Malaysia is just nice for this type of technology and in fact is a god-gift that has never been unwrapped. A solor -electricity farm make up by the community is the idea that already been in practice in Germany for years, and countries in the tropic should take up the fruits of the German experience and exploit it to our advantages. Bearing in mind that we can harvest the sun energy longer in a day than those temperate countries like Germany.

Especially for Sabah which has a large tract of land for farming, other forms of alternative and sustainable energy sources like the oil palm wastes should be explored together with the mini hydro power from our streams and rivers. In the later case, the river water is free of course.

Cutting or Saving energy demand is another better way to reduce the carbon footprint and energy supply pressure, that the government should embark on the introduction of energy-saving houses or buildings by methods such as proper insulation of the roof and wall for example. More research on this aspect can be done by the research institutions such as UMS locally. More research should be focused on how to save energy consumption on those imported energy sources like diesel and gas.

The coal-fired power plant as a means to generate electricity supply for Sabah should be shelved forever as we embark on the latest way of acquiring of electricity via the right sources like solar, hydro, biomass, wind, sea waves, earth thermal, and any form of sustainable methods.

The gas-power power plant should be used as a transitional alternative before solar, hydro, or any other sustainable energy sources kick in.

With our PM Najib committing in the international conference on Global Climate Change，it's high time that the whole nation, especially Sabah, must act now and move forward without hesitation.

Sabah has to embrace the green technology because of our committment in the eco-tourism and eco-farming activities where good environment is critically important to its eternal success.

The green energy sources are the only way to save the earth and ourselves from self-destroying the environment out of our naivety.

The government must set up a special committee or body now to oversee the changes without delay.

马华区会常年拨款是一项重大的行政改革

马华区会将获得常年拨款是一项重大的行政改革。值得称许。

马华各区会将获得由RM5，000 致RM50，000‘不等’的常年拨款。

至於拨款数量的依据或指南，则未见有透明公开其沽算的方式，真正的算法到目前依然是谜。

也许是根据区会的大小 如 - 中央代表人数，区会的总人数， 地区，或支会数目等，来计算发放数目多寡吧？

特别要提得是，我们的总财政丹诗里郑福成因在沙巴拥有多个大型建筑计划，已经份属半个‘沙巴汉’，对沙巴的生活费用情况应该瞭如指掌，加上副总财政拿督丘克海亦是土长来自沙巴；因此，在拨款方面应该酌情调整至少15-20%高出西马州属，方为恰当。

拨款将在1月和6月分别‘不平均’的发放于各区会。各区会也必须在明年5月间提呈一份所谓的下半年工作/活动拟定书以作为下半年拨款发放的依据。如果真的付诸实行，马华在各区会的活动也会跟着相应的增加和有计划了。在本地政坛必会掀开新的热潮。

或许这项马华区会的常年拨款将改变沙巴人民对马华的长期怀疑，同时会对马华在经营沙巴的投入度另眼相看和重新评估也未定。

马华今后在沙巴是否有存在的价值，是否需要退出沙巴的政坛，就有待这项重大的行政改革是否能够成功而定了。

沙巴的领导层也必须作出相应的重大改革才行，由团结到尽量起用新人及人才，区会拔款的能否发挥作用胥视是否有人负责监督整个计划的执行和成败，物必求的应有的积效才可罢休。

如果能如愿，那沙巴马华是‘睡觉’党的雅号和不良印象也会被一扫而空，永远消失在沙巴的政坛了。而早些时，坊间盛传马华应该退出沙巴政坛的说法也会不攻自破啦。

廖中来访沙巴与马华中委重选

卫生部长兼马华副总会长拿督诗理廖中来访问亚庇受到基层热诚的招呼。

他的到来，正合时宜也。

大部份的基层同志都已对最近的党领导危机感到困惑，尤其面对华社的询问，往往不知如何作答。

因为要回答这个问题的答案有太多的‘可能’，以致不知从何说起。

如最重要的一个问题- 中委可能重选吗？

到今为止，也综合了廖副总会长在晚宴上的讲演交流，3派之中以廖派为‘重选’的最坚定推动者；反观蔡翁派则‘好整以暇’在等12月25日的小组会议及结果。

要促成中委会重选是要3份2的中委赞成，或3分2的中央代表（在特别代表大会）通过赞成就可以举行之。如今廖派只有13人，仍需8人才能促成‘重选’的能事。问题是翁蔡那厢可有重选的意愿乎？

到了今日，廖派仍属少数派，而翁蔡派则属多数派矣。

虽则3方的领袖‘确曾’答应正副首相要重选，但是翁蔡两方还是要坚持‘拖’下去不肯参与‘重选’，最后演变如何，则有待12月25日才能知晓。

重选是谁的意愿呢？重选是为谁的而做的呢？马华是为甚麽要重选呢？如要重选，那又该以何种方式去进行呢？现有的领导层已经到非换不可的地步吗？那‘少数服从多数’的民主制度是否已经不管用了呢？那一派是’重选‘的最大可能’得益者‘与’赢家‘呢？

无论如何，党的任何改变都应该交回基层去作出最后的决定。

如果今天要遵循廖派的意愿的话，那马华现在可是’多数要服从少数‘的处境呀！如果马华要遵循’外边人‘的意思做’重选‘的话，那马华可也许要等人民公投才能成事啦！如今看来是’外边人还’急‘过马华里边的‘翁蔡’派矣。有人想’绕过‘中央代表？奇怪吗？

看来看去，因为那16名中委的号召而招开的1128‘特大’，所搞起的‘政治压力’，再经过‘党外人士’的‘施压’，而终促成翁蔡稍为‘让步’才成立特别小组‘委员会’来研究重选的事宜。实则上，这些种种的动作，其目的只有一个- 以’扭曲‘的手法来促成’去翁蔡‘也。

翁蔡是否能被替换可也要经过合法的政治途径矣 - 既依照党章行事；但是，就以要促成重选一事，就整个事情看起来，就有基本上的不妥当及有’蹊晓‘了。

看来，廖派 在促成重选的合理化方面，还有待其继续的努力之。