Road deaths keep rising by the day

Road deaths keep rising
Just after three days into Ops Sikap X and we already had 35 road deaths. Over the Chinese New year weekend, the traffic would increase drastically so will the deaths. The authorities are taking numerous measures to keep these fatalities to a minimum but sad to say their efforts may not produce the desired results. It looks as though our motorists are racing to create new record on road deaths come each festive season.
Apart from these major catastrophes during festive seasons, many more lives are also lost daily on our roads within our cities and towns all over the country. These mainly involve the motorcyclists.
What has gone wrong? Is there no remedy for this problem? Every year we are losing so many lives including promising young adults who would otherwise become excellent future leaders, scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs.
Most Malaysians will agree the selfish and inconsiderate attitude of our drivers is the main cause of the high death rate on our roads. Much has been discussed and actions taken but we are not able to change the attitude especially the younger drivers. As parents, teachers and leaders at all levels we must continue to inculcate good values in all our young men and women.
The enforcement agencies especially the police must device better methods to control irresponsible behavior on the roads. Obviously their present ways are not really working as they should. Reckless drivers especially of big vehicles are never seen to be booked but the poor, careful driver who occasionally exceeds the speed limit by a mere 10km.on a clear stretch of the highway immediately gets pounced upon.
 The number of vehicles on the road is a main cause of worry. Over the years the population of cars keep increasing at a rate that whatever roads and highways we built will not be enough to cope with the increase.   We must think of genuine measures to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads if we are really serious in our endeavors to reduce fatality.
Public transport in our cities is in a deplorable state. In fact our bus services are so unreliable and inconvenient. Other than in Kuala Lumpur, intra-city rail services are not available.Inter-city rail services, which were once so popular as it was cheap, save and reliable, seem to have closed down totally.
As a result of these poor public transport systems, the people are forced to own personal cars. To add to these, the government has made it easy for the people to own cars by allowing the finance companies to give very high loans payable over as long as ten years. As a matter of fact, one can buy a car without down payment as they are given 100% loan.
Another important factor to consider is separate lanes for motor cyclists. The majority of our fatal road accidents involve these poor two-wheelers and as such the government has to seriously plan how to implement the building of separate lanes for motor cyclists
Educating our drivers, improving public transportation and providing separate lanes for motor cyclists are.  in my opinion is more urgent than fighting to construct a half crooked bridge between Malaysia and Singapore.
The government has to realize that the life of every citizen is valuable. It has a moral obligation to safeguard these lives of her citizens on Malaysia’s killing fields – ROADS.
Dr.Chris Anthony
(Butterworth)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syariah laws for non-Muslims

Syariah laws for non-Muslims

The Prime Minister said the Nyonya Tahir case is proof that non-Muslims could get justice in the syariah court.

 

This is a serious misinterpretation of what the non-Muslims are asking for – not justice in the syariah court but justice in the civil court. At no time did the non-Muslims cast doubts on the fairness of the syariah court.

 

The civil courts have been there even at the birth of the nation. It is for all Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and it is serving its role effectively. Its laws are based on the provisions in the federal constitution and in accordance with internationally accepted human values. It would be unfair and grossly unjust now to subject the non-Muslims to the syariah courts.
This will be seen as a precursor to the setting up of an Islamic state with the syariah laws as the sole system of justice. It baffles one why the non-Muslims are forced to subject to syariah laws when even our former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, was tried in the civil court although the alleged crime was of a moral in nature.
Dr.Chris Anthony

 

 

Be sincere in wanting racial unity

Be sincere in in wanting racial unity

“We have to live in harmony and respect each other, as this will bring about political stability and assist in nation-building and the development of the rakyat,” the Prime Minister said after chairing the recent Umno Supreme Council meeting.
The UMNO Supreme Council members too acknowledged the need for the various races to maintain racial unity. Meanwhile the nine non-Muslim ministers readily retracted their memo in heeding the advice of the prime minister for the sake of national unity and peace.
These actions of UMNO and the non-Muslim ministers reveal the delicate balance of racial unity in our country.
While it is reassuring to note the moderate and conciliatory stand taken by our prime minister and his ruling party, it is even more important to ensure that these verbal reassurances are put into practice. The people must be convinced that our leaders are genuinely eager to promote racial unity. This can only be achieved by their sincere actions in wanting to do so.
Racial unity does not fall from the sky; it has to be nurtured by each and every Malaysian, irrespective of race or creed. Every community has to sacrifice to some extent to develop it. The bigger and more powerful community may have to sacrifice more than the minority groups.
In a democratic country with a multiracial population, the level of racial unity that exists depends mainly on the contribution by the ruling majority. A highly tolerant ruling majority would contribute greatly to the promotion of inter-racial harmony and peace.
It is also the responsibility of the majority to protect the rights of the minority under all circumstances. By doing so, the fear and insecurity in the minority can be allayed. These can turn to jealousy and hatred if left unchecked.
A recent ugly incident in the country just shows how the inconsiderate action of the powerful majority exposed the fear and insecurity in the minority.
Dr.Chris Anthony

Butterworth

English medium schools

English medium schools for unity
Dr Chris Anthony
Sep 21, 05 3:29pm

There has been much discussion over the issue of English as the medium of instruction for science and mathematic in our schools.I fully support the need for a common language in Malaysia. We all agreed that it should be Bahasa Melayu and proudly accepted and renamed it Bahasa Malaysia.

There were no questions asked on its status as the national language. We converted all English medium schools to Malay medium, while retaining the Chinese and Tamil schools for those who wanted them.

I myself went through school during the English medium days.

After 48 years of independence, have we achieved the level of racial integration that was intended?

Sad to say, but ‘No’. I feel we are more racially polarized than before. The various communities have become more Malay, more Chinese and more Indian rather than becoming more Malaysian.

Our children mingle with those of their own kind. There is nothing in common between the various races and slowly but surely this will turn to suspicion and even hatred.

What has gone wrong with the noble aims of Bahasa Malaysia. It has now been reverted back to Bahasa Melayu and has failed to unite the people. The standard of English with our younger generation is so poor that we are losing out to neighboring countries in trade and technology. Furthermore what we managed to achieve with English before is fast eroding and may be lost forever.

I support the re-establishing English medium schools. We are fortunate to be given a second chance with the present Globalization and borderless world where English belongs to all not just the ‘orang putih’ (white men).

Setting up Standard English medium schools will greatly help in building a united, tolerant and progressive Malaysian society and ready to compete with the rest of the world. Time is running out. We are already one generation behind time. So let us start now before it is too late.

 Having said that I must admit  that the main cause of racial disunity is not vernacular schools alone. Introducing English-medium schools alone will not create racial unity overnight by itself. Racial unity does not fall from the sky into our concrete structured buildings called “schools”. 

There must be first a willingness and then the will to bring about racial unity. There are many “up there” who do not want racial unity as they exist and thrive on racial disunity.
 

Dr.Chris Anthony

Malaysia’s killing fields

Fatal Road Accident Rate Alarming

 

It is really distressing to note from SM.Mohamad Idris letter that about 6,000 Malaysians die in road accidents per year.This is an alarming figure and definitely calls for immediate inquiry and action by all parties.SM.Mohamad Idris has mentioned a number of measures to be taken to reduce these wasteful and premature deaths of young Malaysians on our roads.Our roads have become real death traps to these youngsters.

 

One more important factor is the ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads.I have been driving for the past 28 years and the volume of traffic now has increased so tremendously that today it is almost impossible to avoid accidents however careful we are.

 

It has become a fashion to own cars now,not one but as many as one can afford.It is common for one to own a sedan,one four-wheel drive,one MPV each for a different use.The government seems to encourage us to buy cars and motor cycles by allowing  100% loans with extended repayment periods.Soon we may be allowed to pay for life.If we buy a imported car loans exceeding the value of the car can be “arranged”so that we can even get some extra cash to pay for the fitting of accessories.

 

Motor vehicles may be a necessity today but the numbers can be reduced if we have better public transport system.These systems should be available not just in Kuala Lumpur but throughout the country.Most of us would prefer to take buses,trains,LRT if they are available and run properly.Our train services which used to be popular,safe and cheap form of transport are almost dead now.Their places have taken by express bus operators.The drivers of these buses reclkessly speed along our highways like big bullys.Their big brothers,the lorry,truck and trailor operators are even worse.These operators are never seen to booked by the authorities but the poor careful driver who occasionnaly exceeds the speed limit by a mere 10km.on a clear stretch of the highway gets summoned repeatedly.

 

Our leaders often claim our country is rapidly on its way to attained a developed status.We even have a vision to acheive that.What are we doing to reduce the loss of lives on the roads.Many futures intellectuals are being lost daily on this battlefield,ROADS.

 

Dr.Chris Anthony