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.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Blogging from Dewan: Supplementary Question on Perdana V6

Answer from the State Government: Total maintenance for EXCO Proton V6 from 2004-2007 = RM1.07 million !!!

Saya berasa amat terkejut melihat kerajaan dahulu membelanjakan jumlah kos yang begitu tinggi untuk menyelenggarkan kereta-kereta Proton. Saya lagi terkejut apabila bekas Menteri Besar sebelum ini dalam Dewan yang mulia ini begitu ghairah megutuk Kerajaan hari ini apabila Kerajaan ingin menukarkan model kereta rasmi dari Proton Perdana kepada Toyota Camry, seperti seorang hero yang mempertahankan kereta Proton, sedangkan Kerajaan dulu di bawah pimpinan beliau sendiri menggunakan wang Rakyat untuk membeli kereta Mercedez Benz model ML 320 yang begitu mewah.

Apakah rancangan kerajaan negeri untuk menukar kerera Proton yang menelan kos penyelenggaraan yang begitu mahal? Mengikut arahan perbendaharaan, kereta-kereta rasmi kerajaan harus ditukar apabila genap tempoh 5 tahun supaya keselamatan dif-dif kerajaan akan terjamin, mengapa kerajaan negeri tidak melakukan demikian walaupun kereta kini yang dipakai sudah uzur?

Blogging from Dewan: Supplementary Question on TELCO

Di kawasan saya, saya telah menerima banyak aduan berkenaan isu-isu telco yang tidak berlesen dan semakin banyak didirikan. Seperti yang telah saya bangkitkan dalam perbahasan saya sebelum ini, atas sebab kelonggaran penguatkuasaan dan pemantauan, syarikat-syarikat ini telah berani mencabar kewibawaan Kerajaan Negeri dengan mendirikan pemancar telco tanpa mendapatkan lessen terlebih dahulu. Mereka tidak takut.

Soalan Tambahan saya adalah, memandangkan terdapat bantahan-bantahan daripada penduduk-penduduk, samaada Kerajaan Negeri akan terus bersikap longgar terhadap syarikat-syarikat telco ini atau sudi mendengar suara Rakyat dan mengubal garis panduan yang lebih ketat dengan mengadakan public consultation dan tindakan penguatkuasaan yang tegas?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论演辞(4)

(怡保11日讯)民主行动党桂和区州议员黄家和律师今天在结束其2009年财政预算案辩论之前,以华语引用孟子“富贵不能淫、贫贱不能移、威武不能屈”名句,谏劝已经当权的民联不能忘本,必须保持廉洁。

黄氏指出,霹雳州州务大臣拿督斯里尼查表示,人民的期望就是要民联摒弃一切的不透明、滥权、朋党和贪污。黄氏进谏道,当权的应该拥有坚定的立场,不为任何的权力或利益所引诱,因为人民在经过51年后,对于民联的期望是十分高,民联不可以让人民失望。

黄氏同时也以阿拉伯语念出可兰经里的一项教诲结束当天的辩论,呼吁无论在朝或在野的议员,履行人民在308大选中给于的委托,以当中的涵义“共同为好善奋斗、也共同拒绝任何的不当行径”,一起为霹雳州的发展作出贡献。

霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论演辞(3)

(怡保11日讯)民主行动党桂和区州议员黄家和律师今天在州议会中呼吁霹雳州政府关注州内的电讯塔问题,聆听人民的心声和担忧,落实一个亲民政府的理念。

黄家和表示,州政府曾经公布4家电讯公司因为在州内建立366个非法电讯塔而被罚款每个电讯塔3000令吉、一共110万令吉,但是对于财宏势大的电讯公司来说根本是九牛一毛。他说,地方政府的电讯塔指南必须获得改善、而人民咨询是不可缺乏的一环。

也是民联后座议员俱乐部秘书的黄家和说,可是摆在眼前的事实却是,电讯公司往往胆敢在没有作出任何申请的时候,就开始装置电讯塔的工作,根本就是目中无人,地方政府缺乏积极的取缔行动,也造就了电讯公司的狂大。

黄氏表示,非法电讯塔的3000令吉罚款根本起不了任何的警惕或阻止作用,州政府必须采取更严厉的行动,包括以每天罚款计算。如果一个非法电讯塔每天被罚款200令吉、366个非法电讯塔一年就能对地方政府“贡献”至少2635万令吉收入,但是为什么地方政府没有采取更严厉的行动呢?

霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论演辞(2)

(怡保11日讯)民主行动党桂和区州议员黄家和律师今天在州议会中强烈抨击英达丽水向州子民追收排污费的做法,并表示州政府在拒绝批准排污费纳入水费单的决定,是十分明智的做法。

也是民联后座议员俱乐部秘书的黄家和表示,一些家庭每个月的水费单只是区区的6令吉,但是在排污费方面却必须缴纳高达8令吉,这对人民是十分不公平。英达丽水没有尊敬怡保高庭法官“没有服务、不可收费”的判决,反而更将其他州属的英达丽水案件带上吉隆坡推事庭,形同强迫人民缴纳排污费。

黄氏同时表示,中央政府去年通过固体废料处理法令,将承包工作给于3家私人公司,将会造成人民继英达丽水排污费后,再度必须在缴纳门牌税后的更多费用。霹雳州政府作为一个全民的政府,应该给于该法令全面的拒绝,维护人民的利益。

霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论演辞(1)

民主行动党桂和区州议员兼民联后座议员俱乐部秘书黄家和律师于2008年11月11日(星期二)参与霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论时所发表的演辞(1):

(怡保11日讯)民主行动党桂和区州议员黄家和律师说,霹雳州务大臣拿督斯里尼查在2009年霹雳州财政预算案中表示民联政府将不分种族、宗教以及政治理念维护全民的权益,值得赞许。

也是民联后座议员俱乐部秘书的黄家和今天参与霹雳州2009年财政预算案辩论时表示,在经过51年过后,每一个州子民都被视作为马来西亚人,人民在2008年霹雳州民联政府的领导下终于看到了一个公正、公平治国的希望。

黄氏表示,民联州政府在短短的8个月内成功将州内的赤字减低1499万或37.48巴仙,而这更是在没有提高任何税务的情况下所达致的。这也印证了在一个廉洁政府的领导下,政府可以做的有更多,而人民将能够从中获益。

黄氏表示,2009年财政预算案是一项亲民的预算案,在给于贫穷家庭首20立方米免费水的同时,也拨出6百万协助州内家庭收入少过的1500令吉的大学生、100万令吉于丧礼抚恤金、100万令吉于小型贷款、200万令吉于人民福利特别基金等等。而更值得一提的是,这些利民的政策都是在部分种族、宗教的情况下实行。