Toll discount increases road accidents?

Taking advantage of the long weekend holidays due to the Eidil Fitri celebration, my family and I drove all the way to the Cherating beaches to enjoy the sea, sun and sand last weekend. Food was also on the agenda as we tasted some local delicacies like the keropok lekor and "Satar otak-otak" which were sold along the Cherating road to Kemaman. We even joined the big tourist crowd that swamped the famous stuffed crab in Kemaman. All the restaurants selling the stuffed crab were fully patronized.

The thought of enjoying a free use of the tolled road from Gombak in Kuala Lumpur to Jabor in Terengganu remained a wishful thought. Even though the highway concessionaire MTD Prime Sdn Berhad declared the "free gift" for the road users using the highway on 18 and 24 of September between 12 midnight to 5am, the drive toll free period are nothing more than a free publicity stunt. The operator of the North-South highway, PLUS Expressway Berhad announced a discount up to 20%  for road users during the festivities for time of travel from 12 midnight to 7am.

How many people will actually take the RISK to drive from 12 midnight to 5am? Most drivers would have prefered to hit the road when they are in the best frame of mind and alertness. The timing contradicts with the information given by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research ( MIROS) which warned that road collisions involving express buses increases during hours between 12 midnight to 6am! MIROS which was set up in January 2007 is a government body involved in research and dissemination of information on road safety. A road safety campaign advisory in the local The Star newspaper published before the start of the mass exodus from the city to the kampongs highlighted the similiar fact that the risk of road accidents increases up to 4 times from 12 midnight to 6am.

With Malaysia having one of the highest rate of road accidents in the world, is the relevant highway operators doing the public a favour to reduce roads accidents as claimed or enticing more people to be part of the increasing accident statistics for the sake of saving a couple of bucks?

The highway operators need to have a rethinking on their purported "social responsibility" if they are really sincere and serious about the welfare of the road users.The Road Safety Department should have advised the toll highway operators accordingly before more accidents happens due to the discounts.- Loka

Aidil Fitri

To all followers of the Islamic faith, wishing you all a peaceful and memorable Aidil Fitri.

Jalan K Sri Dhammananda

The Most Venerable Dr. Kirinde Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera is a great spiritual master in the eyes of Buddhists all over the world. To the non-Buddhists and other co-religionists, he is a man who believes and promotes peace, mutual respect and understanding amongst all mankind.

In the international arena, the late Ven Dhammananda stands tall amongst other great Buddhist Dhamma masters like the His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Plum Village's Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh and  Fo Guang Shan's founder Venerable Master Hsin Yun.

In Malaysia he is accorded the highest level of respect befitting a great monk by the Buddhist community and widely recognised as the Father of Malaysian Buddhism amongst the Buddhists. By far he is the only Buddhist monk in Malaysia to be conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Malaysian Buddhist community for his service and contribution towards the propagation and development of Buddhism in his adopted country.

 

For more than 50 years since his arrival in 1952 on the shore of the then colonial Malaya, the late venerable travelled all over the country to propagate the Buddha Sasana to all levels of society. No one is too young or too old to learn from him. He has his ways in disseminating the Teachings of the Buddha to all who came to see him for guidance and spiritual teachings.

 

His capabilities as a charismatic speaker and prolific writer enable him to propogate the Buddha Sasana to many people. To reach out to a wider scale of people who are interested to learn about Buddhism, he founded the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia which publishes articles and books on Buddhism for distribution all over the country and the world. His religious work had touches and changed the lives of millions when he was alive and after his passing his books are still being read by millions all over the world in different languages.

 

As a man who stand firms on the importance of inter religious understanding and mutual respect amongst people of different religion, he reaches out to people of other religions with loving hands and compassionate heart. Religious leaders of Christians, Hindus, Muslims and others have deep respect for this man of peace and religion.

 

World Buddhist leaders and scholars from different schools and denominations sees him as a great Buddhist teacher and leader. His international and national stature as a religious teacher can be observed from the presence and messages from Buddhist leaders from all over the world during his funeral three years ago.

 

Residing at the same temple for more than 50 years by no means a great feat for one who came from Sri Lanka to share the sublime Teachings of the Buddha to the people of this country. The Brickfields Buddhist Temple, now known as Buddhist Maha Vihara at Jalan Berhala was his base for his Dhammaduta work for more than half a century. The temple became synonymous with Venerable K Sri Dhammanada.

 

Many who passes through the temple arch at Jalan Berhala for the first time became long term devotees of the temple because there is one person that managed to provide answers to the many questions that arises in their mind. That person that able to provide the meaning of life and answers on Buddhism is non other than the late Most Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera.

 

While many had the highest level of respect for the late venerable when he is alive, it is critically important to have gratitude and remembers all the good deeds that he had selflessly contributed to this country and her people. In this respect efforts must be taken to petition the Malaysian government and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to proclaim the name of Jalan Berhala to be changed to Jalan K Sri Dhammananda. This will be apt and respectful to honour a person who contributed so much to the spiritual development and peaceful living of Malaysians while based at that particular road for more than 50 years.

 

Buddhist organisations particularly Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia and temple custodian Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society must take the necessary actions to engaged the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to ensure name change for Jalan Berhala, should be changed to Jalan K Sri Dhammananda and not the name of another politician. The spirituality of the road must be maintain and defended. - Loka

Malaysia Day

Today is Malaysia Day. The day when all the free people of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore comes together to established what is known now as Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Even though Singapore decided to withdraw from the federation in August 1965, Malaysia as one country stays intact until today 46 years later.

Malaysia Day used to be known as Hari Perpaduan or Unity Day but it seems nowadays it has not been promoted and emphasised as one though. When Malaysia celebrates its independence day on 31st of last month, there are people who felt that this country should celebrate as one nation on 16 September.

Sabah and Sarawak will be putting more efforts in celebrating Malaysia Day compared to those states in Peninsula Malaya. In some states, the day will just pass by without any significant commemoration but people in Sabah and Sarawak will be celebrating their nationhood as Malaysians.

Even though the government had declared that there will be only one Independence day celebration which is on 31 August, more efforts and political will need to be taken to place significant importance on Malaysia Day. This is not only about Sabah or Sarawak but the people of Malaysia as a whole where those who called this land their home will feel, think and live as one under the big Malaysian umbrella. - Loka

MCA fires BN?

Ong Tee Keat is keeping his agenda for the upcoming MCA's EGM close to his heart even as supporters of Dr. Chua Soi Lek is trying to prise open the closely guarded resolutions.

Two of the agendas already expected to be tabled concerns the endorsement on the sacking of deputy president Chua Soi Lek and the Port Klang Free Trade Zone debacle. Another possible resolution on the drafting board will be a vote of confidence on Ong Tee Keat's leadership in relation to the alleged donation of RM10 million by Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd CEO Tiong King Sing.

Basing on Tee Keat's political acumens and straight forward courage for change,  is there a possibility another resolution that will create waves throughout the nation will also be put to the 2400 delegates to vote? The resolution will be similiar to the controversial opinion poll which was conducted in Tee Keat's blog after the 308 Political Tsunami. The opinion poll was taken out from his blog after it became an issue especially amongst Umno's supporters. The poll result shows about 76% of 2,525 respondents are in favour of MCA withdrawing from BN.

It will not be surprising if Tee Keat decides to throw the question on whether MCA should quit Barisan Nasional to the delegates during the EGM. By having the earlier "MCA quits BN" opinion poll in his blog even before his ascendency to the presidency, it reflects his inner feelings to seek direction on the matter.

The obvious lacked of support from his BN Cabinet colleagues on the PKFZ fiasco and the existence of under current which is stacking against him amongst BN members especially those linked to the fiasco will be a point of consideration for him to put the quit BN agenda for debate. With the rumour mills circulating that MCA representation in the Cabinet will be reduced and he himself will be dropped from Najib's Cabinet surely will put more fire in his belly to unleash the first strike before being shown the door.

After fighting and winning his political wars against various opponents in recent years, some of them single handedly, those who expect Ong Tee Keat to throw down his towel and surrender meekly like some of his predecessors will be in for a surprise. - Loka