life, love, *motherhood, and then more
The problem with the system
This morning I came into the office to get some emails from friends. 'Fuck the government. Fuck TNB. You and your stupid people earning money and stealing from the poor.'
I don't work for the government, and I work for TNB and in the midst of all this shit (rushing out for petrol rushing back into the office, watching the news for new updates and updating our press releases, and picking up phone calls and telling strange journalists who have arrived at 8.30 for a 12 o'clock conference that they're way too early…) I have to deal with "FRIENDS" who tell me I am irresponsible because I work for the national utility company. Who, by the way, will have to pay Petronas RM14.31 per mmbtu for the gas which we purchase (which, by the way, is below the global price of over RM35 mmbtu) now, who will STILL have to buy power from the IPPs (yes the Malakoffs who's boss was some so-called most generous philantropist in the country, and that very saintly God loving Francis Yeoh owned YTL Power), whose so called contribution to the new tax is 'whopping' (12 years lost, my friends, and Dr Phillip Tan goes on TV to say, 'we IPPs will have to see what is this new tax about because this is not just any corporate tax, it's a levi and its a windfall thing, we need to see if it is reasonable…'
By the way, you might hate me for saying this, but I say that Pak Lah and Datuk Shahrir Samad sure has balls to do this to all of us. THE PAINFUL THING WE NEED TO START TO REALLY THINK ABOUT: IS IT REALLY, TOTALLY, AND COMPLETELY, A PROBLEM WITH THE GOVERNMENT?
Because you know, just in case some of you might have forgotten, you guys voted for the BN government, and we've had them for 50 years. You guys applauded when power generation got privatized. You guys loved the YTL-owned resorts, and adored the F1 Sepang Circuit. You guys enjoyed those Berjaya owned Starbucks and so many of you raved and praised the foods they serve at obscenely priced fine-dining restaurants. You guys lamented the fact that we didn't enjoy satellite TV like our richer first world country cousins. You guys complained when pricier models of imported cars were not available in the country, you bribed the policeman – you gave him RM30 so that you can save up on a RM300 summons ticket, you complained and you complained and you compared our quality of living to Switzerland… for God's sake, where everything is just pricier than everything else. You guys cried foul when we get lousier, cheaper computer models, camera models, tv models, you guys wanted the GOODs, the CLASSY STUFF the BRANDED STUFF, and you guys COMPLAINED when they cost you so much. You guys went to SIngapore and raved about how efficient their government is, and YOU guys said how come we can't have an LRT system that works as well as their MRT (so clean, so efficient).
You say all of that and you dump your rubbish into the drains, you steal power with high-teched remote controlled buttons (click ,and see, the TNB meter stops running and electricity still flows), you guys sacked your expensive local employees and employed 'cheaper foreign workers that work 24 hours a day and don't ask for holidays', you GAVE higher salaries to your friends because you know them better, and you laughed at how some of your closer friends who decided to join political parties or contribute to NGOs are NOT REALISTIC about living in a MATERIALISTIC WORLD. 'The salary very low lah, you want meh? OK lah i'm not so noble, this world needs more people like you.'
And when you have a friend who works in TNB you don't say things like, 'how's stuff over there..'
Instead I come in to the office and get a 'Fuck you stupid TNB staff, Now you got bonus at my expense… '
Well wake up Malaysia. Its not just the government who has been stealing from the poor, you're a part of the system too. And, btw, the disaster (we co-created) has just begun. So now that that fact is slapping you in your face, what the fuck are you going to do about this? You tell me.
Add on: Oh BTW, since you guys are on a 'fuck the whole world spree', here, go enjoy the additional WTF that's going to affect all of us. THE NEW TARIFF STRUCTURE.
| Print article | This entry was posted by minishorts on Thursday, 5 June 2008 at 10:10 am, and is filed under Rants. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 2 years ago
Well, it’s sad to see that most Malaysians are still living in denial. They have forgotten that when they point one finger at others, 3 more fingers are pointing at themselves.
Just chill
about 2 years ago
We’re part of that government. We live in the system that created that government. A government is supposed to be the representation of our selves. I say that this is true in every sense of the word. We’re full of apathy, greed and self-serving interest.
The fuel hike and its reaction is no greater testament to that fact.
about 2 years ago
I expected the rise already, and truthfully, I don’t blame TNB or the govt. The only people who will be screaming (in the long run, in the short run everyone’s screaming) are the rich, the ones who guzzle, the ones who waste freely. It’s time to change our habits, but it’s always easier to change others than ourselves, isn’t it?
about 2 years ago
To paraphrase a quote from George Carlin
“Where do you think these politicians come from, another universe? No, they come from the same people as you and I. It’s the self perpetuating cycle of garbage in and garbage out. If you are greedy, disgusting and selfish, you can expect the same out of the politicians.”
BUT having saying that, I think what some people are saying when they complain about the price hikes is that, if the government advise its people to change their lifestyles, why do they not follow it themselves?
Why not use more fuel efficient cars instead of those guzzlers in which they are in?
Why do they need so many cars in their convoy to go somewhere?
Why do they not take the LRT like normal people do, sometimes?
Why do they need to stay in huge mansions that consumes so much energy?
The list of questions can go on and on.
about 2 years ago
Sorry for spamming. I forgot to include one more statement.
With all the problems that you, I and the whole human race has created and is in the process of creating, the noblest thing to do is to die and fade away but doing it is another matter
about 2 years ago
I think the govt is doing what it can for the people. there are other forms of ‘subsidies’ anounced together with the price hike. it’s a prevalent global problem and all countries are not immune to it. the price of petrol in melb has climbed to AUD$1.60 per litre and it was only AUD$0.65 when i moved over here in 2000. sure we all complained about it but we wear it coz we know that it’s not the govt’s fault. the issue here is what are the govts going to do to protect her citizens. sometimes pain come first before relief…good luck malaysians.
about 2 years ago
With all the hate emails you’ve gotten due to the rise in fuel prices, I’d like to ask you one question. How’s life at TNB?
My boss just told the media that the increase in tariff is purely to address the gas price increase and partially to address the coal price increase issue, and TNB will absorb whatever we can – including LABOUR COSTs… so I’m not feeling too good here, thank you!
about 2 years ago
hmmm…wage freeze. now, that would not do down well with anybody. at least take heart that there are another 27 million who shares that feeling with you.
perhaps the thought of moving abroad might be more appealing now? at the rate the present government is running the country, there’ll be nothing left in another 50 years.
about 2 years ago
today the makcik asked me why my nasi campur was not the normal ginormous amount. i said harga minyak naik. by eating a bit less, i’ll be able to save a bit more money and not gain a bit more weight. yay!
about 2 years ago
Yup. Right on the spot. We all Malaysian are the cause of all that are happening in Malaysia. Always tak apa lar, tak apa lar…
about 2 years ago
hai,
this is from someone who is working in the same company as you.
we need to stick together right?
chill, ignorant people just know how to annoy instead of thinking rationally.
oh btw, just to highlight some issues (and am not imposing anything, just my POV)
don’t u think you are revealing too much of infos and blatantly slamming the IPPs in this entry? Might want to consider to ease on it a bit, since you are in Media Release team.
take care.
about 2 years ago
particularly like your 4th para… we dug our own grave. which is why, never complain… in fact, i like the increase.
about 2 years ago
Wow, you’ve got really nasty friends.
about 2 years ago
People really need to take a look at themselves before pointing the finger at others. =.=
about 2 years ago
Visit your blog every now and then. Don’t always agree with your views but on this one, you are right. There is no such thing as a free lunch and the fact is, sometimes reality sucks. The sooner we face up to it, stop bitching so much and change our mentality and attitude, there is still hope….
Coming off the recent GE, for the Government to do this in such a significant way (i.e. a break from the past practice of increasing the price in small amounts) takes guts. The concern should be how well the Government uses what it has saved on the subsidies to improve the quality of Malaysian lives.
about 2 years ago
always riding the high horse and blaming others..
the ipps fault, the peoples fault the gomen fault..
typical PRO or shall i say GRO!
about 2 years ago
naik harga and blame /f… the customers along the way..
trully reflect the arrogance of TNB..
such madness!…. can only happen becos theres no other choice..
long live TNB..
long live minishort
about 2 years ago
From one who works in a power company to another – I feel your pain.
about 2 years ago
“Just chill
”
You seem to imply that she’s being irrational to feel irritated by the irrational people?
“We’re part of that government. We live in the system that created that government. A government is supposed to be the representation of our selves. I say that this is true in every sense of the word. We’re full of apathy, greed and self-serving interest.”
When you say “we,” do you mean the “we” that includes you or the “they,” the other Malaysians?
“today the makcik asked me why my nasi campur was not the normal ginormous amount. i said harga minyak naik.
I’ve always thought that my mathematics level is acceptable, but I just couldn’t understand it when the price of flour rises up a few ringgit, my piece of roti canai has its price increased by 10-20 cents, not to mention that it has also shrunk in size. Perhaps my maths isn’t good at all…
“The only people who will be screaming (in the long run, in the short run everyone’s screaming) are the rich, the ones who guzzle, the ones who waste freely.”
Really? You know what my friend’s boss said about the increased price of petrol? “Oh, 78 cents only ah? Nevermind lah.”
It’s funny how Malaysians laments as if the oil subsidy is their birthright, and it gets funnier looking at people demanding profits made by Petronas in order to support their lavish lifestyle.
I would love to scream about how we’ve wasted 22 years doting on Proton rather than developing the public transportation system, but I guess it’s always easier to blame someone and bitch about it, so that after that we would feel a sense of achievement, and go to bed feeling contented, even when we did NOTHING to make things better.
Though it’s a bit of a pain, I’m kinda glad the price of oil went up. Maybe now Malaysians can learn to finish their plate of rice, instead of taking more than they can stomach.
Padan muka, you pampered Malaysians!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!
Ugh, and I gotta learn to switch off my computer every time I go to bed, instead of leaving it on, even when I don’t steal movies from the internet.
about 2 years ago
“today the makcik asked me why my nasi campur was not the normal ginormous amount. i said harga minyak naik.”
Ops, sorry, I’ve totally misread this sentence. I thought the makcik charge you more because harga minyak naik.
Paiseh. :”>
about 2 years ago
It is funny that the IPP’s keep getting the flak for utilizing subsidised fuel,cause no one seems to realise that if the IPP’s are charged market rate for the fuel than they will also have to charge TNB or the Public (indirectly) a rate that will fluctuate with the market. Meaning to say the IPP’s would not be expected to absorb the cost differential as it is not a welfare body!!! Even the Gormen cannot tahan and they have to increase the price of fuel, so who are we to say that the IPP’s are swindling us. C’mon people dont be so naive!!!