Some Things Never Change...

Well, the headlines scream: Express bus crashes into tree and overturns near Tangkak, killing 10 and Massive landslide at Bukit Antarabangsa

Haven't we heard them before? Even Sleepyhead has had enough but isn't it a wee bit too late?

Talking about buses...as I was driving back from JB on Saturday my car was nearly sideswiped by an express bus driving at nearly 120 km/h!! So what do you expect??

Well I guess some things never change...

Nothing Changes

Again? Now why is everyone so suprised? We know that the authorities are only hangat-hangat tahi ayam when it comes to enforcement...so it's a matter of time before it happens again!! The same old story lar: buses driving fast, driver with unpaid summonses, blah blah...but it's gonna happen yet again. This is despite the numerous operations, roadblocks, crackdowns etc. Just drive on the national expressways and you'll know what I mean! On Thursday night, coming back from Johor Baru, I was 'racing' with two express buses, driving at at least 130 km/hr...and what was their bus speed limit again? With that kind of attitude, we'll hear of more such sad tragedies sooner or later!

Another Building, Another Collapse

Well, it had to happen again you know...the stories of government buildngs collapsing (previously it was part of a building, but I guess this time it reached new heights!) has not ended there. So this time we have one in Perak: the Perak State Park Corporation administrative building which was by Tasik Bending. But this building was not without problems of its own; completed in 2004, it has not been occupied since then, and had started showing signs of trouble a few weeks ago.



And Samy Vellu is shocked and wants answers? Malaysians are shocked and wants answers too...but we don;t get them. I think most hav already forgotten about the Parliament, Court complex, Putrajaya buildings and hospitals that have fallen victim to shoddy workmanship - he wanted answers then, but till now?

Will we get the answers our esteemed minister wants too? A voice inside my head tells me that it would all be soon forgotten...

Not Another One!

I think Malaysians are very thick-skulled; you have one accident that caused a huge public outcry (mainly because it was highlighted in the media), a lot of fussing, browbeating and pledges from authorities, and then subsequently delegated to the back of their minds, and finally forgotten. And the accidents continue on. So what was all the fuss about anyway?


So here we are with yet another highly-publicised incident to stir the nation into a frenzy - except that this time it happened not on our highway, but the waterway. Now we hear of the same old music, but of a slightly different tune - ferry licence expired, inadequate life jackets, a different captain was piloting the boat, etc. And yet again we have the authorities making their usual comments. After all the drama, I just wonder how much Malaysians actually learn from these incidents. Not much I gather.

So we've got one on the road and one on the high seas. You know what this means? Another mishap is in the air...literally. And I certainly pray that does not happen.

Accident waiting to happen

What is there left to say? Motorcyclists waiting out the rain under an overhead bridge is all a too common sight. I guess this is an an accident waiting to happen... It is about time the government build proper waiting areas for these motorcyclists to wait it out! They are available on the North-South Highway you know...just find a suitable location to build them!

How many deaths does it take for the government to take action? Judging from their previous actions - a great deal more. Meanwhile every rainy day is Russian roulette for motorcyclists...

Nuri Down!

Well at least we are hoping that it would be more of an entertainment fare than its previous predecessor: Black Hawk Down! Unfortunately it was not a movie - just another sad state of affairs involving Malaysia's perennial military aircraft crashes. And now starts all the spin doctor's PR music...

Sultan offers his personal copter in operations
Some survivors from missing copter spotted
Nuri wreckage found, no survivors
Nuri will be phased-out in 3 years
Father of dead Nuri pilot gets insurance cheque

Some of them are just cheap publicity stunts - very cheap ones indeed! Plus the fact that the country would have to purchase new helicopters in the near future would probably mean kickbacks for those in the sweet spot - i.e. Sukhoi fighter jet deal and submarine buy. I guess the rich grows richer - even at others' expense and sorrow!

Btw, not that I am disrespectful, but how could a helicopter pilot be 'rich' enough to afford a BMW car? Just mind boggling...

Over and over again...when will we learn?

"Only fools learn from experience. I learn from experience from others."

Otto von Bismarck

Well, I guess that doesn't apply to us Malaysians. Be it the public or authorities. Time and again we read about innumerable 'incidents' that needlessly repeat themselves over and over again. These are not acts of God...they are just due to stupidity and 'I-don't-care-less-until-i-see-$$' attitude.

Take for instance the motorvehicle accidents we come across daily. Majority of them are motorcyclists. Yet these speed demons never learn: riding without helmets, weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds, roadhogging, to name a few...it is as if they are too eager to get their names on the pages of the newspaper.

Well it's fine by me if you die...but please die there and then!!; Don't put others at danger or become a burden due to your own stupidity and carelessness.

Another example, the landslide incident that claimed four lives on Wednesday (31/05/2006). Four or five similar incidents over the last ten years? At the same area? Come on...the authorities should have acted long before now. Or maybe that lives were not lost previously...so no big deal. Now who pays the price? Certainly not these individuals whose palms must have been grased many times over...

Too late to cry over spilt milk, nasi sudah menjadi bubur, oh Chief Minister!

Will it happen again? I'm sure it will...
Will we ever learn? I'm sure we won't...