Tuesday, April 7, 2009

范冰冰


最近才发现范冰冰长得好漂亮,像似仙女下凡般。杏仁形大眼睛,晶莹剔透的皮肤,挺秀的鼻子,花瓣般的双唇,标准的瓜子脸和玲珑有致的身材。让人羡慕。眉间散发一股淡淡的忧,却不失灵气。有点林黛玉和小龙女的综合体。可能是那双会说话的双眸,亮晶晶,水汪汪的,让人觉得很舒服,非凡的美,但不艳;恬却不娇;真的让人看傻了眼。

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Lessons, lessons

I have been forced to learn a few new lessons lately, on courtesy,and of course, WATCH MY MOUTH. A very bitter lesson.

I am suppose to terminate my service in the company where I am presently working at and I had tendered my resignation. Everything went fine until one fine day, an unsuspecting me was summoned into the BIG BOSS's office. To my horror, I saw my second BIG BOSS and big third BIG BOSS were sitting there waitng for my arrival. I sensed danger.

I was informed that since I am in the "special" company, I am not eligible to apply for a certain position which is able to fulfill my dream of going overseas to "study". By applying the position, I am in actual fact violating the conditions for the application of the position. I was faced with the possibility of "complaint" into the matter and it left me in cold sweat. However, the interpretation of being "employed" by his "special" company left me quite confused.

I was merely a probational personnel on a contractual basis, where I am not entitled to the full benefits of what an employee of the organisation enjoyed. I do not considered myself to be "employed" in that sense as my position there is temporary and the contract can be terminated anytime with notice. Thus, I seek to differ from the words of the BIG BOSS.

There is where trouble starts.

I was lectured on the actual meaning of "being employed" and in the course of my attempt to argue, I had let slipped a certain portion of dialogue I had with another one of my BOSS (the one whom I report to), and of course, the name of the BOSS in the dialogue. HAHA, I had invited trouble straight into my face.

The No. 1 BIG BOSS straight away chastised the BOSS and specifically request that the 3rd BIG BOSS seek my BOSS to reprimand him for "misleading" a junior personnel (ME!). In turn, I was summoned into the office of my direct BOSS and was given quite a lashing. Talk about facing the music.

He referred me to the content of THE dialogue and remind me that he said nothing of a contract personnel being not part of the employment or establishment and he told me specifically that I will be in trouble for applying for the position for which I leave the company for. However, I had absolutely no recollection of these facts stated by my BOSS. I only remembered him (clearly) that he said: "NO, you are not, you are not!" In which in the context and at the circumstances at that time, I had the impression that he meant, No, you are not part of the employment and you cannot be considered being "employed in that sense".

It might just be a mere misunderstanding I guess, or miscommunication, but whatever it is, it got me into big trouble. I learnt that:

Rule 1: Do not throw any person's name into trying to substantiate your arguments. It never works and it will back fired and end up causing more trouble than it is worth. And You will be in hot soup then.

Rule 2: Just don't open my big mouth and accept everything as stated. Do not argue if it does not have lasting effect on you.

Well, now I am the public enemy. Nice way to end my "employment"... Going out with a BANG.

The other stuff I learn is normal courtesy. It happens an eon ago when I report for duty in the new work place where I was newly transferred. All new things excite me and when I am excited, I walk faster, I am impatient and very focus. Thus, it makes me missed out some really important stuff like common courtesy:

Giving way to higher rank officer who walks too slowly.

I must have bypass her in my hurry to get things done and to add burden to my consciense, she was having difficulty in walking. I feel very bad when I think back of it.

At that time I thought I was being polite, with me saying thank you profusely with my most sincere apology.

I think I must have followed to closely behind that she give way to me, or I am actually trying to bypass her. I really cannot remember because I did it unintentionally. I was excited and I was in a hurry. Well, she ended up giving way to me and although I said I am sorry and thanked her for giving way to me, she was actually quite annoyed. This I knew only when a senior personnel told me off.

I feel quite bad. For a number of reasons. I feel bad for being inconsiderate to an older person who has some disability where she cannot walk very well. I feel bad for being impatient. I always thought I was quite a compassionate person and consederate. This act of mine made me quite sad.

The second reason I feel sad was I will have a tarnished image and a flawed impression towards others. I feel very very bad. There is a chinese saying which goes "good things nobody will know about it but bad things will spread thousands of miles". I do not care that much on what others think or say about me but pending my termination of contract, my dream of wanting to be as low profile as possible was dashed. My hope of nobody will know me or remember me was dashed. I will be known as the terrible person who used to work here.

My my...

Well, this two incidents had humbled me. I hope I will be able to learn from it and be a better person from now on. But right now, I feel quite depressed.

I hate my current work place, not because it is terrible or anything but I could not fit in and everything is so hard on me. I miss my previous office. My lovely but strict boss. My charming colleagues whom I can go crazy together with. I miss the affable staff. I miss the rice there. I miss everything. I wish I was not relocated. It is a dismal ending of the memorable one year in this establishment.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Government servant

Whenever there is an economic slowdown, the public will clamour for the reduction of the government's spending. pay cut for the government servants. However, government servants are not foc workers of the rakyat. People have to understand that. They deserve to be paid for their service. Similarly with other employees, they deserve their share of salary when they had put in a corresponding amount of work. If the public thinks that those who work in the government service is quasi volunteer, please think again. The public service absorbed officers into the service based on merit and they should be paid their rightful share. If the government wants to entice talents, be prepared to offer a good incentive/benefit package. If the public wants cheap service, they will get cheap labour. Those who are good will not stay in the service, for their salary does not go hand in hand with their performance. And the service will end up with those who are substandard (no offence) and please, by then, do not complaint of ineffciencies. For the price the public demand the government servants to be paid, only the nincompoop stays on.

Seriously... Please do not even think about reversing brain drain when this attitude remains.

The value for money principles should be etched in everbody's mind that cheap things are usually not good things. Cheap price, cheap service. That is the rule of the world. If the public wants pay cut for government servants during this economic downturn, the better ones will surely leave, (people are leaving anyways as the benefits as a government servants are but mere pittance) and those who have no choice but to stay will feel so exploited that this will bound to be reflected in their service.

Reservation: I do think that the people elected high rank executives msut have limited expense paid overseas trip and this privilege shall not be abused on behalf of the people's money. Will this perk enables them to work better? I am thinking in line of the General Manager of some MNC or very established firms. As all the rakyat wants is a value-for-money administration. High-cost good service, in turn good economy, people will not mind; High-cost bad service, in turn economic recessionand uncontrollable inflation etc, people will be angry.

Anyways, I think that the public service should be more transparent as the rakyat, who are akin to the shareholders of a company. They should be enlightened on how the company is operated and where their money go. And if the government has an AGM each year, and be made accountable to the policies they made, perhaps dissatisfaction of the people will not be as fiery as when they were left groping in the dark.

How ever, deep down inside, I wish we have a group of leaders who are able to lead, who are knowledegable, who have passion for the people, in the context of their welfare and not how much money they will put in their pockets. They should be a voracious reader. They should have a thirst for knowledge that is difficult to quench. They should go in time with the dynamic changes of the societies, and be ready to learn. Listen and learn.

I found that our current adminsitration lack knoledge and stance. irresponsible in coming out with policies and foolhardy in their implementation. Everything was done in an ad hoc manner. Running a country is not similar to building sand castles, a person or persons who lead a country should not see themselves in the shoes of a child who build sand castles. A child can build up an enormous castle one instance and ruin it the next instant; a country's leader can not, must not, should not. Unfortunately, that is what the leaders are doing now. Reversing policies in a blink of an eye, clearly reflects the manner these polices are come out with. Improperly thought out, with scant attention given to the consequence and its viability, ill prepared, seriously misinformed. The cabinet members play around with policy making, building their sand castles in the air in their nicely air-conditioned room and plush sofas, while drinking superb grade teh tarik. They fiddles around with decision making, adopting a test-drive approach to the implementation of policies they made and even have the guts to tell the nation that they took an excruciating 4 hours in coming out with a nation saving plan.

Wow.

I have a feeling that I am in a scene from 'Honey I Blow Up the Kid'. The big baby is so big that he creats havoc up there while poor us who can not do anything, but stay on the ground, watching in horror.

Somebody quick, give me the machine to deflate the baby (ego).

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Fuel Hike

This is an interesting article I obtained from a group chatroom which I would like to share with all. I personally think that the writer has a point. However, I conceded that fuel hike is inevitable. The most important thing is where will the amount of money spent on subsidies will be spent on? Public transport? Most unlikely because as a consequent of the fuel hike, bus fares increased radically. To cite an example, A ticket for a trip from KL to Alor Star was sold at a whopping RM40!

The increased fuel price is actually a good thing because it spurs the public to be more thrifty with petrol and cut down on unnecessary usage. However, for the middle working class (and below) who has to commute to work, the effect of the hike is debilitating, exacerbated by the lack of a good public transport system. Perhaps the government should address this issue directly, and with urgency?

As to the use of electricity, shouldn't us, the people, corporate bodies, S&T companies and the government work hand in hand in introducing alternative energy in view of the unsustainable fuel consumption in the generation of electricity whereby 45% of electricity generated was from petrol? Malaysia was endowed with ample sunlight, shouldn't we make good use of what mother nature blesses us with? Drawing example from European countries, their use of alternative energies are something which we should emulate.

We are going through a rough patch of time, especially when the aftermath of the petrol hike manifested itself into inflation and horror of horror, economic recession. Apart from incorporating eco-friendly and energy saving practises into our daily lives, we should be more proactive in advocating for radical changes in all areas, be it the power generation and energy consumption system, or simply, a mojor revamp of the transportation system.

Anyways, this is the article I was talking about. Please enjoy.

"This is the stupidest decision I have ever known in my entire life.

It shows the low calibre of the people in our Badawi's Cabinet.

1.A large number of those two cannot afford motorcycles and small cars take buses to go to work. When petrol price increases, it is a foregone conclusion that the bus owners will increase the fares. Instead of helping the poor, this category of people will be hit by a double whammy – increased bus fares and increase in prices of food, goods and services and everything else!

2.A new small car costs much more than a second hand car. For example, a small new 850cc Kancil cost $27,000 can carry about 4 persons albeit with some difficulty but a second hand 2500cc Volvo 850 costs about $15,000 could carry goods and 5-6 people easily without problem. In fact, we do find a lot of poor kampong folks driving big, old but cheap continental cars/vans/jeeps because it is more suitable for carrying farm produce as well for transporting their large families. Again they will be hit by a double whammy - increase in price of petrol and everything else!

3.In a poor family of 10 people, only one can afford a small car which is used to make 2 trips to transport everybody. Only one will receive a small petrol payment (for one trip) and the other 9 members will have to bear the increased prices of petrol (for 2nd trip), food and everything else.

4.The huge increase in price of petrol will cause a chain reaction on the increase in prices of other goods and services. Whatever small amounts received by the motorcyclist and small car owners will be largely negated by the more than disproportionate increase in prices of goods and services.

5.Which stupid idiot equates rich or poor with the cc of the vehicles? An average office clerk may own a second hand 1300cc proton Iswara costing $7,000 (rebate = $625) while the Robert Kuok's children can own a fleet of 10 new cars of BMW, Audi and Volvo all less than 2000cc costing $2 millions and get a total rebate of $625 x 10 = $6,250!

6.In Malaysia , the heavier burden is caused by cost of travelling to work. The cost of travelling will have to include:
1. toll charges,
2. amortisation of the vehicle's cost over the economic useful life of the vehicle, or, for those who have obtained loan financing, the monthly loan repayments,
3. the annual vehicle maintenance cost (tyres, brake pads, engine oil, spark plugs, etc)
4. road tax,
5. Parking; and
6. petrol

If you analyse above carefully a huge chunk of the expenses goes to car amortisation cost and toll charges. Everyone who has travelled overseas knows for a fact that Malaysia has one of the highest numbers of tolls in the country and very high excise duties on cars.

Take a real life example of a typical average worker in Malaysia earning a take home pay after deducting EPF of RM 2,000 a month. He drives a small 850cc Kancil (cost RM27,000) and travels to and from work each day from his home in Cheras averaging about 40 km.

His typical monthly travelling cost is: Amortisation of car for 10 years ($27,000/10/ 12)………….$225
Petrol (based on current price)……………………………………$200
Maintenance of car…………………………………………… ….……..$100
Road Tax ($50/ 12)…………………………………………… ……………….$4
Parking ……………………………………………… ………….………………$90
Total Travelling Cost per Month……………………………………$619
Percentage of Travelling Cost to Take-Home Pay………...31%

It simply does not make sense that the use of vehicle for travelling to work to earn revenue for the country would be a whopping 31% of his take home pay for a country that is a net exporter of oil. That does not even include his payment for the increased price of petrol and monthly expenditure for food, housing loan, medical expenses, children schooling expenses, etc, which are certain to increase if the prices of petrol increase. It makes stupid sense to make a small amount of cash repayments to a small portion of the citizens but the cost of tolls, utilities, food, goods and services keep on escalating. I don't know whether they are aware that not all registered owners are the actual users of the vehicle and how the repayments could go to the actual persons intended.

This way of abrupt petrol price increase would be disastrous to the nation and once the negative chain reactions (stock market slow down, run away inflation, economic slowdown, corporate under-budgets, etc) happen, the nation might not recover from it for a long time. It is haphazard decision hastily decided by a low calibre Badawi cabinet.

On TV3 Badawi prided that the cabinet took 4 long hours to deliberate on the issue! Only 4 hours of deliberation for such an important issue? An important decision of this nature which has a rippling effect on the whole nation should be studied by a competent team of economist, academicians and thinkers for months - not by shallow thinking cabinet ministers in 4 hours!

The present BN regime has hoodwinked the citizens long enough by just comparing the petrol price with selective non-oil producing countries without taking into consideration the related travelling cost and the cost of living!

* Logic will tell you that a fisherman cannot have a same cost of fish as his neighbour who is a farmer!

PS: TNB tariff up 18% from 1st July....syiok lah!"

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Realisation

I have been an absent minded person throughout my whole life and there are various instances that reminds me the fact that I am a scatter brain.I have to learn to be mindful of what I am doing and what I have done so that I do not make a blunder of everything I do.

First lesson of being mindful: confirm everything TWICE before we press any button (or submit any work assignments). There might be mistakes which might be fatal to whatever we need to achieve.
Lesson two: Do not be dependent of others to finish off your responsibilities or work, it will back fired. The other person who was forced to shoulder that responsibilities might not be willing, and he/she will definitely pay scant attention to what they doing. There is a high possibilities that we will end up having the job unfinished or worst still, defective.
Lesson three: Do not ever blow up. Always keep ourselves cool, calm and collected, in the face of disaster.

I am going to dip my head in ice.