Thesun 2009-01-05 Page19 Citizen Nades Rakyats Wish List

theSun

19

| MONDAY JANUARY 5 2009

speak up!

Rakyat’s wish list

M O PR

AN ‘09 J 1 3 ‘08 12 D E C

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R. Nadeswaran had a lot of time to meet readers and discuss their thoughts, opinions and views on issues affecting the nation during his two-week vacation. He is editor (special and investigative reporting) at theSun and can be reached at: [email protected]

letter [email protected]

Why aren’t locals doing this kind of work? What is wrong with being a waiter, a sales assistant, a cashier, or even a toilet cleaner? All these jobs need to be done and they make our life better, cleaner, healthier and more enjoyable. Why then look down upon them and pay them so little? If KLCC and other leading shopping centres in Kuala Lumpur are meant for tourists, then wouldn’t tourists appreciate a window to the local people, the local language, the local culture, and the local service? How is Malaysia to preserve her identity if foreign workers are employed in positions that have the most direct contact with the public? The government must adopt policies that make all kinds of honest work attractive, appreciated and properly rewarded. No type of honest work should be deemed as too lowly. After all, every worker who does his or her job in a way that meets the highest possible standard is a professional. Marisa Demori Ipoh

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CANON MARKETING (M) SDN BHD (158419-H) HEAD OFFICE & SHOWROOM : Block D, Peremba Square, Saujana Resort, Section U2, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel: 03-7844 6000 Fax: 03- 7844 6037 Customer Careline: Tel: 03-7844 8333 (Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:30pm) E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.canon.com.my BRANCHES: • PENANG Tel: 04-238 3838 • IPOH Tel: 05-255 6311 • MALACCA Tel: 06-283 8331 • JOHOR BAHRU Tel: 07-355 4777 • KUANTAN Tel: 09-517 3688 • KUCHING Tel: 082-481 133 • KOTA KINABALU Tel: 088-437 799

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Value all honest work THE government must consider steps to rectify excessive disparity of wages and educate all workers on the necessity, respectability and value of each job and position. This is becoming particularly important as the economic crisis shows no signs of relenting and an increasing number of workers are laid off. The government will not be able to go on paying benefits and subsidies, and so the best solution is to find new employment for retrenched workers as soon as possible. When all honest jobs are valued, respected, and appropriately rewarded, it becomes almost impossible for anyone to be out of work. On a recent visit to KLCC, I could not help noticing that many workers in restaurants, shops, and outlets are foreigners. These workers do not look Malaysian, do not speak the local language, are untidy and lack grooming. I wonder how shop owners at the premier shopping centre expect to see their business booming when they employ staff who are unqualified, untrained, and unwelcoming to potential customers.

MAG

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» Let good governance be the order of the day. Let accountability and transparency be the buzzwords for a clean, efficient and trustworthy government. The present government was elected on a premise of “more openness”. But this has not

T N E C I F I O N

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THE past year has been, by all accounts, an happened. We hear of private deals and contracts exceptionally bright conjuncture in Malaysian being given out on “negotiations-basis”. While history – an eventful election, fluctuating oil we agree with the affirmative requirements to prices, a global economic downturn with stock help some communities, they should be done markets crashing to record lows. Amid the gloom on a fair and competitive basis but not someone predicted by the doomsayers, our leaders have who takes the job and sub-contracts it to third sought to tell us that everything is not as bad as parties. Make open tenders the rule in all governit has been made out to be. In between, experts, ment contracts. While the cheapest may not be some self-appointed, have opined that we have the best, let the public judge and comment on the the strength, the controls and a solid foundation selection process. to stay above water. We can only hope that they » Our civil servants must do what is best are right. With the dawn of the New Year, many make for the country and its citizens, not what resolutions in the hope that it would change their the politicians want. They must realise that they are employed to serve the lives for the better, while others rakyat and that their salaries draw up wish lists in the hope that come from the rakyat’s harddivine intervention or some other earned money. force will provide the amenities and For years, the bane of the civil the resources to lead a better qualservice has been poor service and ity of life. Over the past two weeks, red tape. Attempts by the prime being free of pressure of deadlines minister and the chief secretary and having the time to sit back and to the government have been met take stock and review the more with disdain and contempt. In short, than 100 columns published in the some operate their own empires previous 50 weeks or so, provided and install themselves as emperors, some impetus as to what the people answerable to no one. They have can wish for. While detractors may CitizenNades defied directives, refused to implewant to argue that what appears by R. Nadeswaran ment policy decisions and have below is not reflective of all the chosen to seek protection from their people, we have no quarrel with them. Nevertheless, we believe that the major- political godfathers. They have to go so that the ity of right-thinking Malaysians would want to people have faith in the government system. see them happening. The list is not exhaustive, There must be a thick line between the execubut due to space constraints, it was felt that they tive and the civil service. Give the civil servants the support, encouragement and the courage to must be prioritised: stand up to high-handed politicians. » We would like to see and hear discus» Let’s spend on necessities and not sions and healthy debates on public issues without race or religion being drawn into some syiok sendiri projects to appease the minority or to give “opportunities” the picture. How often have we come across public dis- to businessmen. The now-abandoned bid to spend RM690 cussions and forums being side-tracked because someone decides to play the race card because million to build a training centre in Brickenhe or she can’t hold himself when facts are pre- donbury is a shining example. Did we need sented? If after 50 years of being independent, one? Were the people consulted? While our we cannot reason out things without the race public hospitals are bursting at the seams with element, we have achieved nothing but will still overcrowding and staff shortage, how can anyone justify throwing that kind of money continue to practise the Tuan-hamba mentality. for the benefit of a handful of people? » Let the people have a say before major » Let’s have consistent and fair apchanges in policy are implemented. The sale of Institut Jantung Negara is an plication of the law. There should not be example. Weren’t our leaders worried about the one set for politicians and another for backlash from the rakyat? Why then was this ordinary mortals. Last April, this newspaper exposed the whole thing done in secrecy? For the record, Sime Darby informed Bursa Malaysia only after transfer of almost RM10 million belonging the attempted sale appeared in the blogs. Why to Balkis, the association of wives of elected should an institution, a healthcare provider at representatives in Selangor. Instead of questhat, built with people’s money, be transferred tioning those who may have broken the rules, into the hands of the private sector? Yes, the the attention was turned to those who broke government has done the right thing by making the story. Similarly, if it is decreed that protests public the toll concessions, but it should have are illegal, treat ALL protesters in the same been done before the concessions were signed. It manner. You can’t train water cannons at one would have allowed the people to have their say group and turn a blind eye to another group. in projects that will affect their pockets.

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