The ads promoting "Malaysia: Truly Asia" aim to welcome visitors with a warm smile to a prosperous and modern nation, so the taxi fleet branded "the worst in the world" can come as a bit of a shock.

Even the locals are not spared the shabby service of unkempt and hostile drivers behind the wheels of decrepit vehicles who refuse to use the meter, overcharge and pick-and-choose which destinations they will travel to.

At the popular KLCC mall under Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers is a typical scene, as a gang of cabbies negotiate with a young Norwegian couple just metres from a signboard warning against "taxi touts".

"Flat rate, flat rate, no metre," one driver insists as the tourists try to find a cab to take them to their hotel, less than two kilometres (1.2 miles) away.

Anxious to escape the baking heat, they agree to pay 25 ringgit (7.22 dollars) for a trip that would have cost less than three ringgit on the meter.

"Is it expensive? We don’t know, we thought it is normal here," said the woman as they piled in with their shopping bags.

More frequent visitors, however, are vocal in their criticism and say that aggressive and unprofessional drivers are tarnishing the nation’s image as a squeaky clean and hospitable destination.

"I first visited Malaysia in 2006 and I was impressed by everything I saw except for the worst taxi service I have endured," said Kabir Dali, an Indian tourist waiting in vain for a metered taxi at another mall.

"I paid a whopping 260 ringgit (74 dollars) from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to town and was later told that was twice the proper amount."

Complaints about taxis are common in many countries, but in Malaysia it has escalated to an outpouring of frustration, on blog sites and in letters to newspapers.

In a survey by the local magazine The Expat, some 200 foreigners from 30 countries rated Malaysia the worst among 23 countries in terms of taxi quality, courtesy, availability and expertise.

The respondents lashed the fleet as "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists — rude bullies and extortionists".

Salvation is in sight though, as a number of smaller, up-scale operators enter the market to provide a more expensive but quality taxi service for frustrated visitors and locals.

The uniformed drivers, behind the wheels of smart new multi-purpose vehicles and sedans, switch on the meter as a matter of course and do not refuse destinations — surprising and delighting commuters in the capital.

Abdul Razak, operations manager for Dubai-based Citicab which launched here in January, said that even in poorer nations such as Thailand and Indonesia, taxis are smarter and the drivers far more courteous.

"I would say it is the worst in this region, undoubtedly. I have travelled to all countries in this region and our company operates taxis in many parts of the world. The situation here is the worst I have seen," he told AFP.

"The vehicles are in shabby condition, the driver will take you if he likes your face — that is, if he agrees with where you want to go for the price he insists on."

The government has called on taxi firms to lift their standards, but various campaigns have achieved little, and many blame the lack of enforcement on rampant corruption in the police and bureaucracy.

"It is difficult for the roads and traffic department to take stern action," said a security officer at one city mall as he watched the touts swoop.

"Taxi operators and the company which hold the licences are all linked to some politician or another," he said. "Drivers here are ruthless because they are unchecked by authorities who are almost non-existent."

John Koldowski, from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said that "less than desirable" taxi drivers have an outsize impact on a nation’s image.

"The first contact a tourist gets with locals is often during airport transits to hotels and it creates a very, very strong first impression, either be good or bad," he said.

"Authorities certainly need to do their jobs and act upon any complaints strongly, quickly and visibly."

(Agence France-Presse - 9/18/2008 2:55 AM GMT)

Malaysia cancels ‘too sexy’ Avril Lavigne concert
By JULIA ZAPPEI

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia on Tuesday canceled a concert by Canadian rock singer Avril Lavigne, saying it may taint the Muslim-majority country’s independence day celebrations after the Islamic opposition slammed her show as being "too sexy."

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry said it had decided not to permit Lavigne’s show because it was unsuitable to Malaysian culture and could not be held on Aug. 29, two days ahead of independence day.

"It is not timely. It’s not in the good spirit of our National Day. If we go ahead with the concert, it is contrary to what we are preparing for," said Shukran Ibrahim, a senior official from the culture ministry’s department that vets all foreign artists.

The decision came after the youth wing of a fundamentalist opposition party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, called for the show’s cancellation.

Kamarulzaman Mohamed, a party youth official, told The Associated Press on Monday that Lavigne’s show was "considered too sexy for us" and would promote the wrong values just before independence day.

"We don’t want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artists, artists that are good role models," he said.

Lavigne, who became famous with her 2002 debut album "Let’s Go," had planned to launch her monthlong Asia tour in Kuala Lumpur.

The show’s promoter, Galaxy Group, can request a new date for the concert, which will be considered by the ministry, Shukran said. Galaxy officials couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

Galaxy began advertising the Grammy-nominated rock singer’s concert this month even though it had yet to obtain a government permit, which is mandatory for all foreign music shows. It said Monday about half the concert tickets had been sold.

Last year, R&B singer Beyonce moved her show from Malaysia to Indonesia, and Christina Aguilera skipped the country on an Asian tour after a controversy erupted over a dress code for foreign artists.

Malaysia requires all performers to wear clothes without obscene or drug-related images and be covered from the chest to the knees. They must also refrain from jumping, shouting, hugging and kissing on stage.

Still, members of PAS and other conservative Muslims often protest against Western and even Malaysian music shows that they deem to be inappropriate.

The local organizer of a Pussycat Dolls concert in 2006 was fined 10,000 ringgit (US$2,857) after the U.S. girl group was accused of flouting decency regulations.

(quoted from google news)

One of the computers running the Windows XP operating system used for the opening ceremony crashed part way into the ceremony and displayed the Blue Screen of Death for the remainder of the ceremony. The final torch bearer, Li Ning, incidentally flew close by this BSOD but they did not appear together on the broadcast. (From wikipedia)

More:
1 2 3 4

Well… if it is indeed true, then it is such a shame…

Btw… link for the opening ceremony video…

Be prepared…
Well… actually me myself oso hvnt seen this vid yet…

(轉載自《星洲日報》2007.04.19)

" 

多媒體大學出現橫幅傳單
大學生反對無聊創記錄   
updated:2007-04-19 11:46:59 MYT

（賽城訊）對於校方一再舉辦沒有意義及無聊的創記錄活動，賽城多媒體大學，一群大學生在校內懸掛橫幅及派發傳單，表達他們的不滿。

據瞭解，這群對學校一再舉辦這類沒有意義及無聊的創造大馬記錄及世界記錄的活動不滿的學生，在上週二（4月10日）開始在校內懸掛布條，表達不滿及抗議，並在隔日在校園派發傳單，希望校內的其他同學聲援他們的行動，他們也設立部落格傳達的心聲。

校方馬上拆除橫幅

校方在發現有關橫幅後，已經第一時間將它拆除，不過由於發起人派發的傳單已經廣泛的在校園內流傳，因此不少學生都知道，校內有人對校方一再主辦這類創記錄活動的不滿。

據一些學生透露，這項活動雖然並未獲得校方的批准，但是已經在學校學生的網上論壇，引起學生的熱烈討論，這項醒覺運動的發起人，設立的部落閣網址為：http://records-frenzy.blogspot.com/

多媒體大學（賽城）院校在今年3月期間，曾經以製造長達4.7公里的中東燒餅，而被列入大馬記錄大全及世界記錄大全，在過去也曾多次創造這類記錄，當中包括最長的馬來年糕（Dodol）、不停自衛術表演等。

發起人談話：
不滿為創記錄辦活動

我們共有約10位同學參與這次的校園醒覺運動，我們是希望通過這樣的行動，來告訴同學們，主辦這樣的活動是一種浪費金錢、時間、人力及沒有意義的。

雖然說，主辦世界最長中東燒餅的學生代表理事會宣稱，將會把製作的中東燒餅義賣，為一家孤兒院籌款，但是最後的結果是，中東燒餅因為擺放太久而變餿，結果很多燒餅都丟入垃圾桶。

雖然說這項活動獲得商家的贊助，但是這也不表示能夠因此浪費食物。對我而言，製造無謂的需求，也是一種浪費。

這次的醒覺運動，其實算成功引起同學們的注意及醒覺了，很多同學都有到我們的網站遊覽。我們共畫了6條橫幅及5種設計的傳單在校園內派發。

我們並不是反對創記錄的活動，一些商家主辦的創記錄活動，可能是為了宣傳、為慈善機構籌款，這類的創記錄是我們能夠接受的，但是多媒體大學的創記錄活動，主辦單位明確的說明，他們是為了創記錄而主辦這類活動的，對於這樣的目的，我們是反對的。

他強調，活動的目的為提高學生的思維，並不是針對任何人士。

行動由學生個人發起

戴禎榮（金融工程系，二年級）

的確是有一些同學在上個星期，自主性的在校園內，懸掛及派發反對校方主辦創記錄活動的橫幅及傳單，這項反對行動是學生自己組織的，並不是由任何學生團體號召的。

他們的這項行動，在學校內引起了不少的輿論。

我個人不贊成主辦這類無聊的創記錄活動的，因為他根本就沒有任何意義可言，如果創造的記錄是，奧林匹克運動會的金牌，等憑實力，真才實學創造的記錄就另當別論。

提昇學生福利更實際

黃騰廣（電機工程系，一年級）：

我覺得校方與其主辦這類無謂的創記錄活動，不如將主辦這類活動的經費用在提昇學生福利，或者校方設備方面，會更為實際。

據說，校方在上一次主辦的世界最長中東燒餅（Kebab）長達4.7公里，今年是4.7公里，明年會不會在來一次47公里呢？

" 

Hmm… 還記得我上個月所發的關於我大學裏所弄得一個 “世界紀錄” 嗎？從一開始到活動結束后都一直有許多反彈的聲音，現在連 “專用部落格” 也有了…

http://records-frenzy.blogspot.com/

" 

1. Is making Dodol and Kebab an effective way of promoting racial integration and understanding among different cultures, as what have been the main objectives of CCIP?

2. Is there other non-foppish way to achieve your activities objectives?

3. How does this different from buying a place in the record books?

4. Does making something longest (in length or in time) make it the best? Does quantity equal QUALITY?

5. Do the records make our university (as well as country) more competitive in facing global challenge?

6. By the end of the events, what are the benefits you bring to yourself, the society, our country and the humankind?

" （載自http://records-frenzy.blogspot.com/）

不單單是如此，竟然在校园内，有人公开表达他的不满：

（更多請看這裡） 

以後要搞什麽沒有建設性只有 “觀賞” 性的垃圾紀錄事真的要好好認真仔細想一想才好行動，致所有要搞 “紀錄” 的人士/單位/組織共勉之。

Why Public Malaysian Universities will Never Improve

by ex-researcher

I used to work in a Malaysian university holding a professorial post on contract. I could not be confirmed because I do not have a SPM (more later). I worked in research dealing with stem cells but left after 3 years despite the offer of renewal for another 2 years. I am a Malaysian Chinese who spent nearly 20 years overseas in some of the big name universities in Australia and the UK.

After observing the system from the inside I can tell you that Malaysian universities will never improve, and whatever improvement you see will not last. I will set out my reasons in a concise manner.

1) Staff are not hire on merit

I’ve noticed that most the new staff hired are Malays. There are very few Chinese and Indian staff on tenure track. Infact most of the non-Malays I came across are hired on contract. It does not take a genius to know that if you don’t put people on tenure, they will not give their best.

One day I asked a DVC in private why there are so few non-Malay staff on tenure. I was surprised when he told me directly that there was an unofficial quota. He further told me that there is a lot of resistance from the junior Malay staff when non-Malays come in because they perceived the non-Malays are better researchers and academics. He also told me that good non-Malay staff go overseas, especially to Singapore so they do not want to waste their time in hiring non-Malay staff. I do not if this is true.

2) No research culture since promotion is not based on research

Despite all the talk by the Minister, there is no research culture. Infact, most local academics are not interested in research. A few of the Malay academics told me straight in the face that they like group or cluster research because it is “easier”. They don’t go for excellence or individual research. They also tell me that promotion is based on administrative work and “cables” to the Minister or VC. In fact a few of them tell me that good researchers are punished by the whole group because they make the others look bad or lazy. Thus no matter how good you are when you join, by putting you in a “research group” they are slowing the good ones down and before you know it, they become part of the group culture.

In the university where I was working, the VC or DVC did not published a single paper in an international referred journal. Except for one DVC, the VC and the other DVC do not even have a single book. The DVC with a book is a textbook in Malay and when I looked at it, I realized that it was mainly translation he passed off as his own work. Two of the DVC were active with UMNO and the VC is a relative of an UMNO strongman. Thus the “cable” theory appears to be true.

A retired Malay professor told me the most important criteria for promotion is “how you get along with people”. He also told me if you are good, they will bring you down because if the universities have standards, then they cannot survive in their jobs. In his own words, more than 4/5 of the current university staff will never be able to get academic jobs in a real university.

3) Pettiness and Jealously

The Malay culture is based in group behaviour and gossip and during my time there, I noticed that even academic staff took a lot of time in gossiping about nonsense. Most of the female academic staff used gossip to bring down capable people. For example, one Malay guy who just came back with his PhD had to endure a lot of gossip, all because one female academic staff complained that he did not hold a kenduri to celebrate his successful completion of PhD.

Another time, all the academic staff, including the Dean, ganged up against me because I had managed to published a paper in a leading international journal. Immediately after my name was mentioned by the VC as an example, the Dean started telling other academic staff that I did not “contribute enough” to the faculty.

I was under the impression that I was there to do research and publish but for these people, who cannot do research, the priority was on social events. This Dean was not even an academic in the first place but was a civil servant before he was appointed Dean. All the academics he has appointed since he became Dean all come from his state and all are local graduates. So how to improve?

There are many more things I want to say but these are the main reasons why Malaysian universities have no hope of ever being world class. As long as everything is based on race, pettiness and not on merit, I cannot see a way out.

I am writing this not out of frustration ( I am now overseas) but to also show why local universities waste so much money joining the Geneva Exhibitions and the like (as reported in the newspapers). The sad truth is when you have people who cannot publish in real academic journals, then they play silly games like join exhibitions.

The USM DVC who defended this practice would be laughed at if he was at a real university. In fact, to be frank, people like him cannot get a real academic job in Singapore, NZ or US. He is a symbol of what is wrong at local universities.

In sum, you have the blind leading the blind.

（轉載自《林吉祥部落格》）

    中學的朋友要嘛到國外留學，要嘛在本地的私立大專深造。倒是小學幾個去上囯中的後來有到本地大專升學。由於少與他們聯絡，所以也不知道裏面的情況是不是好像上文所說的那麽差（是的話就真得很悲哀lor…）。至於我現在就讀的大學，“看起來”（畢竟我不是 academic staff，所以並不知道實情）好像好不錯。至少師資都還不錯，全部到幾有料一下。

    關於上述的文章，有位讀者 “pulau_sibu” 留下了一段挺有意思的評語：

pulau_sibu Says:
April 5th, 2007 at 1:18 pm

I always cannot understand why a person well established outside bolehland has to come back. Usually we heard of the very impressive intention - trying to serve the motherland. In fact, many of these returned birds are those who cannot set their foot probably overseas. Instead of being half-past six and unrecognized persons overseas, they hope to be treated as heros at home. The fact is bolehland cannot treat any one coming back from overseas as hero.

1.
《中国家谱总目》电子版 全球华人可网上寻根
新聞 網址

2.
YouTube奥斯卡揭晓
新聞 網址

3.
YouTubeX.com 
Hmm，終于找到了一個可以下載 YouTube 那些經典短片的地方了…

4.
KL in action… IN A GAME!
《Burnout Dominator》，一款國外製作的 PS2 賽車遊戲，裏頭加了一関 KL 的関卡，雖然沒有“製做”出一個跟真的完全100%一樣的 KL，不過在很多細節上都抓得很准…

其實我沒玩過（甚至是聼也沒聼過）這個遊戲。那我怎知道？且看這…

（轉載自《佳禮論壇》）:

■ 已经初步成型的“巨龙”

黄帝故里 造21公里巨龙
2007-3-27 16:17:38

（河南27日综合电）河南省一民营企业在始祖山黄帝故里耗巨资兴建一条长21公里的钢筋水泥巨龙，宣称要成为中国最大的爱国主义教育基地，中国最大的龙文化博物馆。不过此举遭到文化学者的质疑。

据悉，这条长达21公里的巨龙，将现身在河南新郑始祖山山巅，“巨龙”依始祖山山脊而建，龙头高30公尺，龙身高9公尺，宽6公尺，计划投资约1亿4000万令吉，预计2009年10月1日竣工，作为庆祝中国建政60周年的献礼。

    Hmm… 21 公里耶… 好像很大工程的樣子。更多的相關文章：
    1. 专家：花3亿元造个龙让人“想不通”
    2. 笑破肚皮：新郑花3亿元造个龙让人“想不通”
    3. “华夏巨龙”是不是又在忽悠俺们？别又是光打雷不下雨！！
    4. 开发"黄帝文化"旅游产业 引爆文化旅游发展

    投資醬多錢，成爲“白象計劃”還算事小，要是破壞大自然環境才是大件事！

    Stargate: SG-1 （Stargate）是我最愛的一套美國科幻劇集。打從 N 年前（真的是忘了確切時間了…）從電視（TV3）上看到以來，我就深深被它那 “ 古埃及 + 現代 + 外星” 的科幻元素吸引住了。再加上 TV3 斷斷續續的播放（播 1，2 season 后停約 1 年才繼續）更是讓我 “慾求不滿” ，“欲罷不能” 。不過身邊有追看的人好像非常少，只知道 S2 的錦禾同志是超級忠實 fans（我只是喜歡，而他是瘋狂），來到 MMU 后也是在機緣巧合之下（我把我的 YM! 的人頭照放 Jaffar 蛇頭）才知道同 major 的 Buzz 也有看。

    剛才收到一個朋友的 YM! message，開來看是這個，是有關一個設計得很美觀、特別、藝術的 Wind Tunnel Footbridge。看了幾張照片后，突然發現竟然有… Stargate ?!

從那個角度看真的是超像的… “真的” （戯裏的當然…）Stargate 是醬的:

   瀏覽 Stargate 的 wikipedia 的頁面是，突然看到說 Stargate 今年做到 10th season 就停了，最後一集是2007/03/13 的《Unending》。唉，有點可惜醬就完了，難得做了那麽久，而且一直以來都沒有要停播/完的跡象。都是 Sci-Fi Channel 搞的鬼（1）…

   Stargate 我買到 7th season，之後的 season 我都想要找不過都找不到，直到最近才找到一個網上 direct download 的。不過我只是看到 7th season 中間，因爲看到中間某集覺得很“閑”，又不想跳過那一集，結果拖了整年都還沒看完… 看來是時候要追回了…