Beware!
Be reminded all the time while you're in Malaysia.
While walking nearby crossing underneath monorail track.
While walking alongside or nearby constructions site because you just wouldn't know what will 'say hello' to your head.
Another building collapsed few days back.
It is a the roof of a stadium located in Terengganu, Malaysia.
But the lucky thing about this collapse was, if it were to happen a day later, then thousands of souls will be leaving their bodies because the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium was scheduled to host the Public Institutions of Higher Learning games which would have seated thousands of competitors and spectators packed in the year-old sports arena.
Well the juicy part of this story was it seems that they (must be the authorities concerned i guess) had been notified about 'something wrong' but nothing was done to rectify the matter.
According to a local newspaper reports, the State Public Works Department was told about the defects and the state Menteri Besar had called a meeting with the PWD three weeks ago and reminded them to look into the problem.
Somehow, it is typical.
The 'tidak apa' attitude rules better than anything else.
It seems that they are now blaming the design of that stadium.
They must blame it on something isn't it?
Why don't they blame it on the Baboons instead?(....hahahahahaha ...ooppsie!)
Or the rain? (like Milli Vanilli did)
Although no lives were lost, the collapsed roof will undoubtedly cook some quarters in a hot boiling pan right now (serves them right!).
While the Works Minister called it; 'an embarrassment that had tarnished the country's image' he also blame it at the contractors for not building a proper structure.
Well, let me get it straight here.
First of all, is it proper for him to blame it on the contractors for not building a proper structure? Yes in a way. But not really in a lot of other way in my own opinion.
With a budget as big as RM292 million (USD84 mil), i am sure there would be cuts here and there. The Korean construction company which was accorded the project must have lot of mouth to feed besides their own.
There will be mouths namely; the 'approver', the 'lobbyist', the 'ali babas', the 'monkey' and not forgotten all the 'baboons'.
Perhaps when it comes to the end-receiver, the budget had been too small, and of course with this kind of economic situations, anybody will squeeze hard to earn more.
At the end of the whole monkey business, the result is substandard materials, workmanship, and etc added with 'tidak apa' (lackadaisical) attitude.
According to the Works in Minister again, "People will say that in Malaysia, not only newly constructed buildings collapse, but even ones earmarked for demolition," he said, referring to the collapse of the Jaya Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor on Thursday, which killed seven Indonesian workers and injured two others.(Yup Mr! you're absolutely right....no doubt about it at all)
Nevertheless, on any such 'occasion' that calls for political 'hit- me ,hit- you' avenue, one opposition politician issued a statement that they would lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (ACA) on the matter and hoping something were to be dug out of the collapsed roof. (you can hope so.....)
But what the heck ain't it?
It is not their money anyway.
It is all the taxpayers money, right?
They will say "Apa susah" (what's the trouble?).
Surely the government will approve the budget to re-construct the whole place.
Surely they won't let it just crumbled like that.
f/note: Since we're concentrating to collapsing buildings recently, i wonder what happen to Samy Vellu's 'project' -- the 'jalan retak' and going to 'runtuh' after less than five years 'in service' and after many years of heartache and exasperation and curses from the road users (that includes me) along Kepong stretch....
With additional of lots of millions for repair works (remembered he asked for an absolutely ridiculous figure earlier), he is lucky to get away with it.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
My Blog
While i am very impressed with the visits to my modest blog, i can't help but find it very amusing that my blog 'je ne balance' had found itself a follower and 'ardent' readers; especially in the this country that i resides now.
Just as a note, late last month was je ne balance first anniversary.
Like i mentioned in my first log in this weblog, my earlier blog was in 2006, with a different tittle, and which wasn't visited much by me because of work commitments and too much concentration on other things. Furthermore i was then at a new phase in life and is expecting.
To my reader who enjoy my writings, all i can say is thank you for visiting and hopefully you'll enjoy reading my 'whatnots'. Why i call it 'whatnots'?
Hmmm...i guess it is because i simply write what came across my interest and what i feel like commenting...but of course it would be in the arena that i know bits and pieces.
As an ex-journalist and later a businesswoman, i met loads of character.
As i was trained and thought to make sure i get facts and figures right, besides getting the gist of the story, i must also avoid superfluous and repetition mistakes. So does life in general.
As someone who don't really talk much, although i seriously keep my eyes open and ears listen; unlike as majority knows, women blabs a lot, i somehow find writing releases and bring down my BP.
I would consider myself an observer, someone who can sit alone in a cafe for hours having a fag or two, evaluating personalities and watching people and their character.
And i do have a rather excellent memory and remember what came out from what and who say what...and of course my forever 'whatnots'.
Life is indeed funny.
Women make it even funnier.
Perhaps, may i suggest that you people start to have your own blog too.?
Oh, well.....
Nevertheless, to those minuscule subjects who thought the colossal me of being absurdly pompous -- think again.
At least i did something right here.
At least i 'encouraged' and 'instill' a reading habits among you people. And i might inspire you in certain ways. No?
Perhaps what you shall be needing now is just a good dictionary to accompany you read.
Life is very funny indeed.
And please.
Please also be my guest, and have my pleasure to read more of my coming log as you minuscule just wouldn't know when will i pull the strings again.
Hahaha...
Indeed very funny bunch of peeps.
I mean life without some bunch of closed-minded, kataks (frogs in English; why frogs -- please open up Bahasa Malaysia idioms : Katak Bawah Tempurung) -- I mean ; God!.... life would be so mundane and monotonous aint't it?
That is why God created women.
Besides becoming labour machine and besides becoming the men's tooott....toooott, they'll shower this short worldly life with colours. Good and bad.
Life and women are very funny indeed.
Just so people need to know, when a person created a blog, it is for the public to read and judge. The blogger (as in ME) can chose to make it a close weblog and if anyone want to read, then they will have to log in via email and i will moderate it accordingly.
And how the reader want to interpret the writer per se, or the contents, again, it is all up to the individuals.
Some smart people will read between the lines, some rather very low in (i don't want to say) will just take it at the surface without getting right to the message which i tried to relay in my writings.
Just like facebook.
Blog is free.
Free to create.
Free to write how and what the writer wants.
It is a freedom of writing.
Of course i will not do what some of the idiots in Malaysia did, condemning the royal family and so on. But besides that, it is all up to you readers to take my writings to whatever levels you want.
Those who posses high degree of intelligence, perhaps they would mark down my writing as mediocre, to those who love life as i do, will enjoy reading another person's outlook and perceptions on all sort of things from light politics, to humour, to personal experiences and human interaction.
It is a free world isn't it?
But again, life without women in it would undoubtedly be very BORING.
Below is an excerpt from a folk song which i sang during choir in school when i was eight or nine years old in Petaling Jaya.
Katak oh Katak
Kenapa panggil hujan
Macam mana aku tak panggil
Perut aku lapar
Perut oh perut
Kenapa engkau lapar
Macama mana aku tak lapar
Katak asyik duduk bawah tempurung.....
Hahahahaha...it brings the fondess memories, schooltime,..... is it not?
Just as a note, late last month was je ne balance first anniversary.
Like i mentioned in my first log in this weblog, my earlier blog was in 2006, with a different tittle, and which wasn't visited much by me because of work commitments and too much concentration on other things. Furthermore i was then at a new phase in life and is expecting.
To my reader who enjoy my writings, all i can say is thank you for visiting and hopefully you'll enjoy reading my 'whatnots'. Why i call it 'whatnots'?
Hmmm...i guess it is because i simply write what came across my interest and what i feel like commenting...but of course it would be in the arena that i know bits and pieces.
Not forgetting to those people especially my comrade, whom had just learnt about the existence of a platform named 'Blog' and is currently enjoying reading my je suis balance, i guess this newly acquired 'hobby' would do you all good. Seriously.
At least it will help you people to broaden up your perspective in life, know one or two 'bombastic words' (to you perhaps it is bombastic, but not to the intelligent lots), learnt few vocabs which will do you good when you speak to another nationals here, so you won't be blabbering hoos-and haas.
Hahahahahahaha.......very funny indeed.
People are very funny and never failed to make me laugh.
As an ex-journalist and later a businesswoman, i met loads of character.
As i was trained and thought to make sure i get facts and figures right, besides getting the gist of the story, i must also avoid superfluous and repetition mistakes. So does life in general.
As someone who don't really talk much, although i seriously keep my eyes open and ears listen; unlike as majority knows, women blabs a lot, i somehow find writing releases and bring down my BP.
I would consider myself an observer, someone who can sit alone in a cafe for hours having a fag or two, evaluating personalities and watching people and their character.
And i do have a rather excellent memory and remember what came out from what and who say what...and of course my forever 'whatnots'.
Life is indeed funny.
Women make it even funnier.
Perhaps, may i suggest that you people start to have your own blog too.?
Oh, well.....
Nevertheless, to those minuscule subjects who thought the colossal me of being absurdly pompous -- think again.
At least i did something right here.
At least i 'encouraged' and 'instill' a reading habits among you people. And i might inspire you in certain ways. No?
Perhaps what you shall be needing now is just a good dictionary to accompany you read.
Life is very funny indeed.
And please.
Please also be my guest, and have my pleasure to read more of my coming log as you minuscule just wouldn't know when will i pull the strings again.
Hahaha...
Indeed very funny bunch of peeps.
I mean life without some bunch of closed-minded, kataks (frogs in English; why frogs -- please open up Bahasa Malaysia idioms : Katak Bawah Tempurung) -- I mean ; God!.... life would be so mundane and monotonous aint't it?
That is why God created women.
Besides becoming labour machine and besides becoming the men's tooott....toooott, they'll shower this short worldly life with colours. Good and bad.
Life and women are very funny indeed.
Just so people need to know, when a person created a blog, it is for the public to read and judge. The blogger (as in ME) can chose to make it a close weblog and if anyone want to read, then they will have to log in via email and i will moderate it accordingly.
And how the reader want to interpret the writer per se, or the contents, again, it is all up to the individuals.
Some smart people will read between the lines, some rather very low in (i don't want to say) will just take it at the surface without getting right to the message which i tried to relay in my writings.
Just like facebook.
Blog is free.
Free to create.
Free to write how and what the writer wants.
It is a freedom of writing.
Of course i will not do what some of the idiots in Malaysia did, condemning the royal family and so on. But besides that, it is all up to you readers to take my writings to whatever levels you want.
Those who posses high degree of intelligence, perhaps they would mark down my writing as mediocre, to those who love life as i do, will enjoy reading another person's outlook and perceptions on all sort of things from light politics, to humour, to personal experiences and human interaction.
It is a free world isn't it?
But again, life without women in it would undoubtedly be very BORING.
Below is an excerpt from a folk song which i sang during choir in school when i was eight or nine years old in Petaling Jaya.
Katak oh Katak
Kenapa panggil hujan
Macam mana aku tak panggil
Perut aku lapar
Perut oh perut
Kenapa engkau lapar
Macama mana aku tak lapar
Katak asyik duduk bawah tempurung.....
Hahahahaha...it brings the fondess memories, schooltime,..... is it not?
Monday, 1 June 2009
Sect. Fourteen (Sek 14) tragedy....albeit
While feeling sorry for the recent tragedy which took seven lives at the oldest shopping centre in Klang Valley, i can't help but imagine how that little golden triangle of Petaling Jaya (PJ)look like right now.
The Jaya shopping centre which was built and strategically located at the well-established commercial district of Section 14 in 1974 was 'the' favourite place for us, PJ school goers. I personally have many fond memories there and its surrounding area.
It is sad that due to vast development, some old buildings must make way, or in this case being given an 'uplift' inclined with modernisation. The last time i was there was three months ago when i was back for a short holiday.
This is the place during my secondary days, where the PJ schools pupils i.e. (the all girls) Sri Aman, Assunta and TP aka Jungle School; and (the all boys) SAS (Sek Anak Sultan; as my brother puts it), BB (Bukit Bintang) and La Salle gathers especially on Fridays after school to be seen, to hang out and just waste time with friends for and hour or so before heading back home.
(Hmmm...this make me wonder somehow; why does PJ has got more non-coed schools than any other town in Malaysia?)
Even so, the 'in' place during those time was will always be McD, which is located just opposite the ruined Jaya supermarket and still in existence to date.
This is the place where you can see people from the neighbourhood including expats shopping for their groceries on Fridays and Saturdays, familiar faces on tv and of course not forgetting young people and teenagers who'd mark this place as the meeting and dating point before heading somewhere else or window shopping there itself.
I can still remember the old build-up before the first renovation took place some twenty years back. There used to be a brick circle with huge plants in the middle in-front of the entrance and that was the place where we sometimes hide and want to be hidden from someone.
I had once go around the circle slowly but steadily ignoring the surrounding people because i saw someone whom i don't want to see, and not supposed to see me there.
It was humorous but very very innocently childish.
Around this surrounding area also located the place where i learnt my first bad words in Cantonese when i took my first tempt job as a Display Artist at Georgetown Chemist, the place where i had my first date, the place where i tried to test the 'authority' and happily drinking publicly during the fasting month a couple of time during my rebellious mid 20s (and didn't get busted), and the place where we would go for our ritual Ramadhan Bazaar buying spree or browsing for food every year (this year will not be missed certainly) and just name it.
It is all here, and the word is Jaya.
Gosh, it has been long ago yet i can still feel the fondness of it all.
Nevertheless, while we always hope for good things in life, mishaps can occured anywhere and everywhere, even in our own protected home.
Coming back to the collapse of the Jaya shopping centre, it was reported that initial investigation indicated overloading caused by eight heavy machines used in demolishing the building may have triggered the collapse and that currently some residents nearby the ruined building have been asked to evacuate their homes and were given temporary stay in nearby hotels including Armada and Crystal Crown until further notice.
The Jaya shopping centre which was built and strategically located at the well-established commercial district of Section 14 in 1974 was 'the' favourite place for us, PJ school goers. I personally have many fond memories there and its surrounding area.
It is sad that due to vast development, some old buildings must make way, or in this case being given an 'uplift' inclined with modernisation. The last time i was there was three months ago when i was back for a short holiday.
This is the place during my secondary days, where the PJ schools pupils i.e. (the all girls) Sri Aman, Assunta and TP aka Jungle School; and (the all boys) SAS (Sek Anak Sultan; as my brother puts it), BB (Bukit Bintang) and La Salle gathers especially on Fridays after school to be seen, to hang out and just waste time with friends for and hour or so before heading back home.
(Hmmm...this make me wonder somehow; why does PJ has got more non-coed schools than any other town in Malaysia?)
Even so, the 'in' place during those time was will always be McD, which is located just opposite the ruined Jaya supermarket and still in existence to date.
This is the place where you can see people from the neighbourhood including expats shopping for their groceries on Fridays and Saturdays, familiar faces on tv and of course not forgetting young people and teenagers who'd mark this place as the meeting and dating point before heading somewhere else or window shopping there itself.
I can still remember the old build-up before the first renovation took place some twenty years back. There used to be a brick circle with huge plants in the middle in-front of the entrance and that was the place where we sometimes hide and want to be hidden from someone.
I had once go around the circle slowly but steadily ignoring the surrounding people because i saw someone whom i don't want to see, and not supposed to see me there.
It was humorous but very very innocently childish.
Around this surrounding area also located the place where i learnt my first bad words in Cantonese when i took my first tempt job as a Display Artist at Georgetown Chemist, the place where i had my first date, the place where i tried to test the 'authority' and happily drinking publicly during the fasting month a couple of time during my rebellious mid 20s (and didn't get busted), and the place where we would go for our ritual Ramadhan Bazaar buying spree or browsing for food every year (this year will not be missed certainly) and just name it.
It is all here, and the word is Jaya.
Gosh, it has been long ago yet i can still feel the fondness of it all.
Nevertheless, while we always hope for good things in life, mishaps can occured anywhere and everywhere, even in our own protected home.
Coming back to the collapse of the Jaya shopping centre, it was reported that initial investigation indicated overloading caused by eight heavy machines used in demolishing the building may have triggered the collapse and that currently some residents nearby the ruined building have been asked to evacuate their homes and were given temporary stay in nearby hotels including Armada and Crystal Crown until further notice.
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