Thursday, November 25, 2010

Postal Rates Increase by 100% but Delivery SLOWS

Years ago, a letter posted in KL took 3 or 4 days to reach JB but ever since the increased use of ICT etc, performance has fallen dramatically.
Today I received a letter posted from Shah Alam on 22nd November. It took 8 days to reach its destination in JB.
Previously the letter would have cost RM0.30 but the stamp required is now RM0.60.
What are the problems facing PosMalaysia?
It seems using a carrier pigeon would be cheaper and faster.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

News to MAR the Sultan of Johor's Birthday....

The timing of this malaysiakini article will put a small dent in the festivities associated with the Sultan's birthday celebrations.
It seems that the main hospital does not have enough funds to function properly.
Even if 50% of the letter were true, it is a major shame that the hospital that bears the royal name is short of funds.
Remember the other hospital in Tebrau that also carries the Johor royalty's name. That had a major fungal infection when it opened a few years ago.
The MB should be ordered to ensure that such hospitals are maintained at a certain high standard if they are to carry the name of our royalty. Otherwise the ordinary folks may feel that no one really bothers about their welfare.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Johor Baru's CIQ Sucks!

I wonder if any bus passenger using the JB RM2bil CIQ has any good words for it. I guess they don't expect us to compain when we have have to walk about 500metres to get a bus and maybe 900metres to go to City Square.
Obviously the architect or the Transport Minister has never walked through the CIQ.
Even when the CIQ was opened more than 9 months ago, bus passengers had to walk a further 500metres near the JB Railway Station to jostle for the buses that used to wait there or passengers. The main drop-off point with proper covered areas was only opened about 2 months ago.
The buses then started to drop off and pick up passengers just next to the covered area and even concrete benches were built so that passengers could sit and wait for the bus.
About 3 weeks ago, this changed and buses were allowed to drop off and pick up passengers under the covered area that is wide with 2 lanes for traffic. The only flaw is that the concrete benches are now facing the wrong side.
Then last week, things changed for the worse. Buses are only allowed to drop off passengers but cannot pick up.
Where do passengers have to wait? The answer is shocking. The new place to wait for the bus is under the pedestrian bridge between the CIQ and the Railway Station.
It seems the MBJB and the Transport Ministry cannot even organise a good systm for bus passengers.
After the imposing CIQ building, I wonder what a new visitor to Malaysia will think when he encounters our wacky bus stops. What a waste of money for the CIQ!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

WARNING! Danger for Bus Passengers at the Singapore CIQ

Thousands of bus passengers use the Woodlands CIQ on the way to Johor.
This is what happened to one passenger yesterday.
I was on my way back to JB and had disembarked from the Johor-Singapore Express at about 11:15am.
There is a wide covered walkway for bus passengers leading to the escalators for Immigration clearance. Across the walkway is a small drain maybe 35mm deep and 60mm wide and this is covered with a perforated metal grating in sections about 70cm long just resting on the drain.
Yesterday I stepped on a cover, most likely at the end and the section lifted slightly causing an elderly lady to trip. I had already stepped off the cover but I heard the sound and just saw her falling forward.
Luckily she managed to use her arm to prevent her head from striking the ground but her spectacles flew off.
A few fellow passengers helped her get on her feet and fortunately she was not badly hurt and her specs were not damaged in the fall. I am sure she is feeling sore today. The plucky lady reassured us she was OK and thanked us for helping her and I apologised to her for the accident.
A duty policeman was approached and told of the incident. He advised that the danger of the gratings had already been reported and advised me to write an official complaint.
I would have expected that the officer in charge of public safety would have taken some safety measures to prevent a recurrence.
There are 2 ways to do this:
1.Remove the small drain completely with a small gradient on the floor to prevent ponding. This is the safest solution.
2.Secure each of the gratings with 2 conceaed/recessed rawl bolts.