Saturday, November 15, 2008

Pray for a little breather…

After sitting in the Dewan Negeri for 4 days since Monday, involving in both 2009 Budget Bill and ISA motion debates, finally got back to work today. It has been a tiring day, and just had the chance to get back home now at 11.30 pm, after attending the Perak Petroleum Dealers Association Dinner with YAB Menteri Besar and State EXCOs YB Kor Ming and YB Fook Chye.

My wife already fell asleep with the laptop on, perhaps she was waiting for me to get back while watching movies. I just had little time to see her and did not have any chance to properly talk to her today, as the only time I saw her today was the short 10 minutes before she got to work at 8.30 a.m., and the time I got back home at 6.30 p.m. to prepare for the PPDA Dinner before got out at 6.45p.m.

Perhaps due to the 4 days sitting, phone calls were non stop today, and the worst situation is that after making a call out another call coming in, and sometimes missed the in-coming waiting call. I will try to return as many calls as possible but sometimes time just not allow me to return all the calls, apology. Phone battery finally gone off by 8.36pm.

I had the chance to sit down and start counting how many calls were received, made, missed and returned today. It is a total of 166, from the first missed-call at 7.54 am until the finally cal before the battery shut off at 8.36pm.

This is, as far as I could remember, the first time sharing with all of you something on my life. Part of the content may be offending to somebody but I feel I need to blog.

In handling cases and complaints, we will always do our best. Yet, it is always hard to satisfy everyone 100% and being an elected rep, I have the responsibility but, as a Human Being, I also need a little breather. I was handling a serious case of fall of the monsoon drain wall yesterday from 6.30 p.m. till 9.00 p.m., causing a house facing the danger of collapsing, where I had arranged MBI to attend to it immediately. The contractor worked until 5.30 a.m. to remove the fallen and stuck rocks, and they supposed to come back in the morning to continue with the repair works.

I received calls from someone around 11 a.m. saying that works had not commenced. I immediately checked with MBI and was informed that they workers need a break, which I personal felt is reasonable as the workers only went back home at 5.30 a.m. I received numerous calls after that, and finally after Friday Prayer was over I got back to MBI. I was informed that the Contractor was having meeting with MBI as to what are the steps and remedial works to be taken so as to ensure no further danger and collapse is caused. I was also informed that the Contractor needed to find materials for the repair works such as steel bar etc.

Then the calls regarding the same problem were non-stop, almost every 20 minutes I received the same call asking why the Contractor had not started works, although I have explained the situation well to them. I did appreciate that the caller(s) were speaking to me in a very nice manner, and I also understood their worries as rains are starting.

Yet, I believed have done my part in this case since first being notified yesterday until the works were resumed in the evening on the today by the Contractor. I cannot do anything on the technical part of the repairs, although I have been very pushy on MBI. With the hectic schedule and phone calls today, for this case, I just pray, I need a little breather…

On the other hand but at the same time, I was planning since a week ago for a Deepavalli SunShine Project at Simee tomorrow. The venue (a hall in Kg Simee) had for some reason(s), become unavailable at the very last minute. In the past 2 days, both myself and my Political Secretary See Ferris were pushing for the hall from the relevant authority holding the keys but finally was of no avail. Of no choice, we have decided only at this morning to shift it to our Simee Service Centre.

Before I have the time to sms all my members of the Program after it had been finalized, I received a response from one of my branch member asking me why was not him been informed of the Program. Although the words were uttered in so nice a way but I still could feel that something not very right as the query he posed was that why the members are being kept in the dark? I know, again, as elected rep and a leader to certain extent, all this must be accepted with an open heart.

Yes, I will. I am willing to listen to any positive criticism. I can accept it. And I hope to hear more because I want to improve. Yet, I am using the word “yet” again, I did not have any intention to keep him or any of them in the dark. Being the person(s) beside me, though not always so, he/they has/have to be more understandable of the pressure I am facing everyday. The whole situation is that the Program was so uncertain until I dare not inform any of our Leaders to participate, I dare not put up any banner(s) and why was I at the end being blamed of keeping him/them in the dark? Frankly, I did not know what is/are in his/their mind, and I am upset.

However, no matter how the situation(s) are, I will not give up. Struggle needs to continue.

With the Canning People’s Mandate, as I promised during the Election, I will ensure the CANNING’s voice being heard in the State Assembly. I have done my part, at least I believed so, even not 100%, during the past two session of sittings. I have grabbed whatever chance I can stand up and speak. And, I promise, this will continue. People will always ask me, would you speak for the People if there is anything against the Government now? I can bravely say here, if the Government had failed to take care of the People in any of the issue, no matter I am in opposition or in the Government now, I will still speak, for the People of CANNING, without fear or favour.