I am compelled to write this piece in view of the recent daily reports in the media on the numerous issues that have been deemed as illegal. It is rather flabbergasting that there seem to be many unresolved issues plaguing the nation that has accumulated over time and; suspiciously looking neglected by various concerned government agencies.
For a start lets ponder on the issue of illegal immigrants. It is reported that there is close to 2 million illegals residing in Malaysia! How on earth did this number of illegals balloon to such proportions in the first place? I am very certain that they are not all in hiding as the number are just too alarming to be residing in disguise in the far interiors of our Malaysian jungles. The majority are freely mingling amongst us with little or no fear of repercussions from the authorities. This phenomenon is further aggravated for the fact that almost on an annual basis our government provides amnesty privilege and are let off with a slap on the wrist. We have definitely sent the wrong signal to them indicating that it is okay to be here illegally as you will be pardoned anyway. Indirectly the public opines that there must be an element of corruption that has turned a blind eye to the escalation in illegals. The immigration department must be taken to task.
On the other hand the issue of illegal pre-school centers that have been mushrooming all around the nation. Unlicensed premises are operating in residential and commercial vicinities right under the noses of the local councils. The local council enforcement divisions are quick to compound any business owners that do not renew their licenses but have conveniently ignored illegal pre-school centers. Hundreds if not in thousands have been found to be operating illegally and only recently highlighted as some centers have been negligent in care. Why do we need to wait for a mishap to happen and only then action is taken? And most astonishing to all is the fact that the various government agencies are "encouraging" these illegal centers to register. Again the authorities have sent a wrong message. The owners of such illegal premises must face the music and not just coaxed into legalising an unregistered premise. Above that the agencies that have allowed for pre-schools to operate illegally must be brought to task without fear or favor.
The other fiasco is on the issue of "illegal" commercial vehicles running on our roads that have not met the standards or have failed the respective inspections by Puspakom. More annoying is the fact that some have not even gone for inspections. The million dollar question is, how did they get the renewals done at the Road Transport Department? My personal experience says that one will not be able to obtain a road tax if his vehicle fails the Puspakom inspection. Do we not smell a rat now? Uncertified and under par commercial vehicles must be pounded immediately by the authorities until satisfactory corrective actions are taken by the owners. Lets not risk the lives of innocent people. There should not be any leniency on road safety.
What I have highlighted are some examples for all of us to dwell on. As tax payers and voters, we are deeply concerned on the rise of illegal activities surrounding us. As a nation moving towards being fully developed, we need to nip these issues in the bud before it deteriorates further. In a nutshell, the common factor that comes to our mind looking at the mentioned scenarios is the issue of corruption which is deep rooted in the system. We have lost most probably billions of ringgit in revenue in the form lost taxes, license fees and levy due to lackadaisical and incompetencies of our own making.
It is ironical that one is slapped with a summons for wrongful parking but illegal activities run rife and further forgiven when caught. We have to stop the rot immediately and there must be zero tolerance to any illegal action. Department heads must be made responsible and punitive actions must be taken and seen by the public.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
The NET
The World Wide Web (www) has indeed cast its net globally into every nook and corner known to mankind in an unimaginable way. Even a decade ago, the vast majority of us would not have had the faintest inkling that the web (also called net interchangeably) could invade into our lives to such extend. The net has revolutionized communication platforms worldwide and has breached conventional thought processes that has brought about gigantic paradigm shifts in almost all sectors affecting humans.
The net has indeed taken its own life and is often spoken or referred to as the third entity knowing it all. Ironically, people quote the net at every conversation and it is deemed as though it is coming from an authority! How amazing indeed. Though undeniably a tool of use and beneficial in most circumstances, nevertheless it has over time evolved into being overly used and to an extend abused by many around the world. Those gullible will behold all information on the net as always having a degree of truthfulness no matter what the issue in hand. The net has taken a critical role and command in the chain of information flow in our lives; so much so that a large number of users have conveniently neglected the pertinent issues such as responsible and ethical writing, morality, privacy, legality, and social decorum.
On the social front, due to its vast accessibility, mobility and ease of use via numerous "smart" gadgets, the net has conveniently; to a certain degree, evolved into a must-have tool in our everyday lives. Never before in our human lifetime have we experienced such engulfment of technology. It has superseded all forms of conventional communication tools that indeed played a vital role in keeping human values in tact directly or otherwise.
Nevertheless, with transition of time, this very technology has also made pockets of the human race vulnerable and lame to a certain extend. Irresponsible parties have taken advantage of this very tool for their opportunistic objectives and selfish acts resulting in mayhem and disorder in many aspects of our lives. The net has given them a platform with no barriers to; call for riots, illegal trade, pornography, gambling,exhibit unsubstantiated articles and advocate junk journalism. And the latest of all, it has provided an avenue for hacking into private spaces of humans via the very mobile phone that we carry on us. Unscrupulous individuals and groups have manipulated this technology to spread lies, overthrow governments and germinate seeds of hatred across the globe without much thought of repercussions on their actions. This is very evident as we witness the many turmoils some countries are undergoing due to the power of persuasion via the net.
Connectivity via the web has made dearth of information available on the move but unfortunately many do not question the credibility and its essence. It is no surprise if many governments of the day move towards limiting and even barring segments of the Internet to keep check on issues especially pertaining to sovereignty and defense. We should not be quick in judging and concluding that such proactive moves are against human rights and freedom of speech or practice. Countries,even like Britain, that have been too liberal have seen the consequences of letting all loose with no boundaries. The citizens of the world must awaken from their virtual world and embrace the fact that with the current speed and trend, if we are not attentive, we will be at the verge of destroying our own existence! It is time the world leaders accept the concept of global citizenship and champion the cause for all beyond the shores of their own nation with a concerted effort.
The net has indeed taken its own life and is often spoken or referred to as the third entity knowing it all. Ironically, people quote the net at every conversation and it is deemed as though it is coming from an authority! How amazing indeed. Though undeniably a tool of use and beneficial in most circumstances, nevertheless it has over time evolved into being overly used and to an extend abused by many around the world. Those gullible will behold all information on the net as always having a degree of truthfulness no matter what the issue in hand. The net has taken a critical role and command in the chain of information flow in our lives; so much so that a large number of users have conveniently neglected the pertinent issues such as responsible and ethical writing, morality, privacy, legality, and social decorum.
On the social front, due to its vast accessibility, mobility and ease of use via numerous "smart" gadgets, the net has conveniently; to a certain degree, evolved into a must-have tool in our everyday lives. Never before in our human lifetime have we experienced such engulfment of technology. It has superseded all forms of conventional communication tools that indeed played a vital role in keeping human values in tact directly or otherwise.
Nevertheless, with transition of time, this very technology has also made pockets of the human race vulnerable and lame to a certain extend. Irresponsible parties have taken advantage of this very tool for their opportunistic objectives and selfish acts resulting in mayhem and disorder in many aspects of our lives. The net has given them a platform with no barriers to; call for riots, illegal trade, pornography, gambling,exhibit unsubstantiated articles and advocate junk journalism. And the latest of all, it has provided an avenue for hacking into private spaces of humans via the very mobile phone that we carry on us. Unscrupulous individuals and groups have manipulated this technology to spread lies, overthrow governments and germinate seeds of hatred across the globe without much thought of repercussions on their actions. This is very evident as we witness the many turmoils some countries are undergoing due to the power of persuasion via the net.
Connectivity via the web has made dearth of information available on the move but unfortunately many do not question the credibility and its essence. It is no surprise if many governments of the day move towards limiting and even barring segments of the Internet to keep check on issues especially pertaining to sovereignty and defense. We should not be quick in judging and concluding that such proactive moves are against human rights and freedom of speech or practice. Countries,even like Britain, that have been too liberal have seen the consequences of letting all loose with no boundaries. The citizens of the world must awaken from their virtual world and embrace the fact that with the current speed and trend, if we are not attentive, we will be at the verge of destroying our own existence! It is time the world leaders accept the concept of global citizenship and champion the cause for all beyond the shores of their own nation with a concerted effort.
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