Three months have passed since the barge hit the reef near Barracuda Point, Sipadan.
Does anyone still remember?
Now Everyone Can Fly…Kites!
Idris Jalla, the CEO of Malaysia Airlines has announced the hiking of domestic fares and cited that domestic fares in Malaysia is still low compared to most other countries. I am not going to write much about this, but I am going to paste here two postings from a political forum that I am a member of. The first posting is by a good friend of mine; the second is mine:
His posting:
— In xxx-xxxxxx@yahoogroups.com, “someone” wrote:
>
> MAS domestic fares will be raised between 15-20% from August 15 and
> Idris Jala said they are still the lowest in this region…!
>
> So good luck to MAS in its efforts to make profit when there’s
> AirAsia offering cheaper fares.
>
> What else is new? I remember the govt saying there shldnt be price
> increases when it raised the fuel price. What happens now?
>
> Sheeeeshhhhhhhhhh……cant think properly to continue this piece.
My reply:
Re: [xxxx xxx xxxxx 03-xxxxxxxx] Dog Eat Dog
What I don’t understand is when it comes to Air Asia, every single so-
called Ahlis Yang Berhormat start to kick up a fuss. From branding the
airline as “cheat” to saying it has no right to question the
government’s biased support of the airline industry.
For me, it is the question of consumer rights. As a consumer, it is my
money, it is up to me how to spend it. No one buffoon in that white
phallic symbol perched on top of the hill has any right to tell me what
I should choose. Whoever gives me the better choice, I choose.
I don’t remember anywhere that Air Asia says it is a cheap airline. It
just says, “now everybody can fly.” So it introduces cheap flights
such its “Domestic flights from RM0.99 one way” ads. So, where did it
cheat? Yes, you book it within that period, and meet the terms and
conditions of the ad, you get that price. You have to book early, and
only a certain number of flights carry that fare, and yes, it is one
way, ex-KUL maybe, to BKI, but return you still pay RM199.00. It
doesn’t say RM0.99 each way. You book late, or you are fussy about your
flight time, pay the normal price..which is cheaper than what MAS can
offer. I don’t eat or drink on domestic flights. So I prefer a no-frill
flight to get here and there.
However, there is a catch to this. As a diver, I have to have more
baggage allowance. So on dive trips, to Sipadan for example, I take MAS
Supersavers, which is a few hundred more than Air Asia, but cheaper
than normal MAS flights, but I get extra 5kg baggage allowance for my
dive equipment.
So it is back to the consumer to choose whichever airline that suits
his/her needs for the purpose of that flight. Of course, buffoons in
suits find it difficult to read the fine prints as most are old or have
myopic views of lots of things.
Or…maybe they thought they could fly anywhere in Malaysia for RM1.98
return (RM0.99 X 2) as these people will always try to make a lot,
spend a little. As evident in the Jasin Mental Prick case.
If he wants a cheap Kompressor, ask him to call me. I know lots of dive
shops selling off their compressors.
Bridge Over Troubled Water
And now they have to come out with a book on the “Crooked Bridge” issue. I suppose the lengthy explanations and the mass bombing of classical declassified classified documents pertaining to the negotations have not been fathomed well by the masses.
Overkill?
A Cowardly Attack On An Octogenarian
At 11am today, shortly before he was to give a speech from the Pajero that was to ferry him, Tun Dr Mahathir was attacked using pepper-spray by unknown cowards.
Teacher, my dog ate it!
Oops!
Raping Sipadan Again
The Prime Minister has lashed out at the Sabah Chief Minister for wanting to go ahead with the construction project on Sipadan island, two months after the barge incident that destroyed a patch of corals near Barracuda Point.
I have therefore taken the liberty to send this E-mail out to the Editor of The Star:
Dear Editor,
Thank you for shining the light on Pulau Sipadan (‘Lay Off Sipadan’ – The Star, Thursday, July 27, 2006) by giving it the headlines. The Prime Minister should follow-up on his outrage over the matter and put a halt to this blatant stupidity, especially after the barge incident that destroyed that patch of reef on May 14, 2006.
It should be remembered that the government had ordered all resort operators on Sipadan to remove ALL structures off the island by December 31, 2004 following the findings of a study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, to preserve the island’s eco-system. The study found that there were signs of water stress. This occurs when the island’s natural fresh water supplies are consumed faster than they can be replenished, and seawater flows in to replace the lost volume. Satellite images then showed that the island had lost 20 percent of its natural vegetation. Sewage was found in groundwater with e-coli bacteria contaminating the wells. About half the shoreline used by turtles to nest were taken up by buildings, and their lights deterred the turtles from nesting. Since the eviction of the operators, all visitors to the island have based themselves from resorts on nearby island, a short 15-minute boat ride away.
On May 19, 2006, four days after the barge incident, the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah said to a local Sabah daily that there is a need for restaurants and toilet facilities to be built on the island to cater for divers numbering up to 120 daily. If there was such a need, why evict the original operators in the first place instead of upgrading the existing facilities? Why should there be any facility at all when the divers can relax in comfort after their dives at Sipadan at their respective resorts 15 minutes away?
This is the very same Deputy Chief Minister who, when the judgment on the ownership of Sipadan was passed by the ICJ, was quoted to have said the following:
“With the landmark decision we are now responsible for the protection and conservation of the abundant marine life around these remarkable islands,” he said.
He said that what followed were steps towards the full protection of Sipadan, including measures to remove the resorts with tourists no longer being allowed to stay overnight on the island.
Recent surveys found between 30 to 40pc of the island’s flora were damaged by resort development. As a result, Sipadan would undergo a period of “rehabilitation” during which “everyone” should take stock and evaluate how each and everyone can help, not just Sipadan but also Mabul and Kapalai, he said.
As for Sipadan, he said: “The jungle will be allowed to return to its natural state with beaches cleared for nesting turtles and we hope Sipadan’s reefs will be able to return to their former glory.”
As a diver from Malaysia I feel very much ashamed that the powers-that-be show very little appreciation for God’s gifts to us. I feel even more ashamed and disgusted that disrespect is shown by the leader of a state to the leader of our great nation. I can see no greater arrogance than that.
Capt (Rtd) Hj Abdul Rahmat Omar bin Tun Mohd Haniff
A Dull Day
It’s been a dull day. It feels as if it was more than a week that I have been back on dry land. Then I was SMSing with my favourite sister telling her how dull it’s been, and she seemed perplexed, asking me to meet up with her at Kiwi Express in Sri Hartamas. Well, it’s just too dull for me to even bring myself onto my feet.
I then tried calling Massive Headwound for a chit chat. It feels as if it has been a long time since I last spoke to her. Little did I realise that it was only three days ago that I had dropped her off at Bukit Jalil on the way back from Tanjung Gemuk.
Being out of water really is bad for me.
THE CIRCUS IS ON!!!
Yes, the circus is on. TV3 will be showing a LIVE TELECAST of the wedding of Siti Nurhaliza and Datuk K.
I suppose current affairs has no important things to mention anymore. The Israeli incursion of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip is not as important. The makcik who washes dishes for a living pleading for financial help for her leukemia-ridden child is not as important anymore.
How many, out of 26,681,203 Malaysian citizens (as at 9.48pm 24th July 2006), are Siti’s fans? How many of that are fans of Datuk K?
Well, I guess sensational news wins. Busybody wins. Minding other people’s business wins. That is the Malaysian culture.
Remind me to switch to ONLY ASTRO come 21st August 2006, please.
Yes, I’m Back
Much to the disappointment of some. Well, be prepared to be disappointed further.
I love this site: Radical Hop.
Thanks to Jonathan A Goosey for the E-mail.
When you read it, what company does it remind you of?
Funky Cold Medina
I went up to this girl
she said “Hi, my name is Sheena”
I thought she’d be good to go with a little funk cold medina,
she said “I’d like a drink”, I said “ok, I’ll go get it”
and then a couple of sips, she cold licked her lips and I knew that she was
with it
so I took her to my crib
and everything went well as planned
but when she got undressed it was big old mess
Sheena was a man
so I threw him out
I don’t fool around with no Oscar Meyer weiner
you must be sure that the girl is pure for the funky cold medina
(Tone Loc)
SeaDemon Says 
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