Electricity tariff reduced by up to 5% (updated)

The following news is extracted from “The Star Online” dated 11 February, 2009.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians will get to enjoy slightly cheaper electricity beginning next month.

Some 5.2 million domestic users and households will get a 2.54% reduction in electricity tariffs while commercial and industrial users will have their rates cut by 2.7% to 5%.

On average, the price of electricity will come down to 31.31 sen per kWH (kilowatt hour) as compared with 32.5 sen per kWh (kilowatt hour) previously.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Mansor said the electricity rates would be reviewed again on July 1 and subsequently every six months to ensure that they reflect the global price of gas and coal.

Problems of unemployment

Unemployment is a universal and major setbacks of a modern civilisation. Like anywhere else in the world, unemployment rate in Sarawak is considerably high.

To understand the root cause of this problems, we must relate it to our government’s labour policy. When the government allows the recruitment of cheap foreign labourers into the country, it has some side effects on the local labour market. It has since spoiled the chances of local people to secure employment especially in the manufacturing sectors. When the employer have wide choices of cheap labour supplies, especially from Indonesia, our local citizens are being deprived of their common rights to job opportunities. Not only that, the availability of cheap labour markets also has deprived the local citizens of better pay structures. Take for example in the plywood manufacturing industries, with the Indonesian labourers ready to take up these jobs for a daily wages of RM8 – RM9, surely the employers would opt for these labourers. How could local people survive with this kind of wages especially so, when the cost of living is on the rise. If these cheap labour supplies were not available to these employers, the chances for demanding higher daily wages for locals would be better.

Another setback and disadvantages of over-dependent on foreign labourers is that the country tend to lose in the forms of foreign exchange, that is when the money is taken out of the country or the outflow of cash. So, the government should review this policy, especially the state government, so as to help the local citizens, not foreigners.

Not only Indonesian labourers pose a threat to our local labour markets, the intrusion of skilled workforce from the peninsula are also a threat to the citizens of Sarawak, which deprived us of our opportunities to secure good employment especially in the oils and gas industries. This is very prominent in the case of MLNG, ABF and oil palm plantations where top jobs are dominated by semenanjung people. Others includes such areas as teaching profession, police force and the military.

What jobs are left for us, the Sarawak citizens? Obviously, we don’t have much choices, but to work as labourers (kerja kontrak or berkuli dengan Cina) on a daily rate basis, and this accounts for a large number of local workforce. Others might be farmers by tradition, fisherman and other odd jobs. Some who are lucky enough might be able to secure better jobs such as clerks, teachers, police, doctors, lawyers, but too few.

Where is justice? There’s a proverb “Anak kera disusukan, anak sendiri mati kelaparan”, which match our present situation in Sarawak. People, wake up from your sleep, it’s time to realize your destiny.

Is this a wise investment?

Is this one of the long term investment?

It depends on how you view the scenario.

Why certain people can obtain gambling licence compared to licence for coffee shop, coffee house, sundry shop and the likes?

Why is it so difficult to put our hard earned currency into the likes of ASB, ASN….?

When was the last time you received your bonus from this investment?

I purposely don’t write long articles on this, so that we could together think by ourselves.

5-foot way vegetable vendors

The scene at the 5-foot way at Sg. Plan, Jalan Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu new shophouses is an eye sore.   Vegetable vendors line-up at the 5-foot way doing their daily business starting as early as 2pm in the afternoon.   This place also has been self-converted into “pasar malam” too.   As a result the road in between the two shophouse buildings is congested.

The efforts of these vendors, mostly bumiputeras, are commendable.   They work hard in order to earn better income for their family.   The involvement of bumiputeras in business is in line with the government’s aspirations.   Unfortunately, they do not have a proper place to do business, as you may see in the following pictures.

In conclusion, I would say that:

-  This reflects the inefficiency of the local authority, BDA or Bintulu Development Authority in maintaining a well organized town.   I doubt whether the enforcement officers are doing their jobs.   This is common diseases within the government departments, regardless of what departments.

-  I order to cope up with this situations, the authority concerned should come up with a practical solution such as building “pasar tamu” in this area which serves as business premises for these vendors besides maintaining clean and beautiful town.

BEWARE OF CONMEN

Beware of 2 shops operating at the ground floor of Parkcity Mall in Bintulu. These 2 shops are bloodsuckers operated by conmen @ gangsters. They have valid trading licence, but the products sold are doubtful. 

Modus operandi : if you walk into Parkcity Mall and passing by these 2 shops, if they think you are vulnerable, they will try to stop you and approach you. Then they will tell you their shops are offering lucky draw if you purchase products from them. They will then try to convince you by telling you about the valuable prizes that you are going to get if you win the lucky draw. If you are convinced, you’ll be asked to press computer buttons to generate lucky draw. Of course you will win 1st prize as the draws has been pre-set. In order to get the prizes, you’ll be asked to pay thousands of dollars. If you have credit cards, they will ask you to sign papers authorizing them to withdraw your money. Once you signed, you are finished. No way you can recover back your money. You will not be in a position to make a complain or lodge a police report since you have sign the authorization papers. Legally you’ll lose. They have black and white, that is your sale and purchase contract, backed up by valid trading licence.

So, be wary and be careful. Don’t be fooled and become their next victim. This has happened to the friend of my friend. He has lost rm5,000 to these conmen.

Pass this message to all your friends or anyone you know wether they are in bintulu or anywhere in sarawak.

Together we fight crime and injustice.