Size Matter?

IS SIZE really matter to us? May be it depend on where we are attention with regard to something in life. In this chapter, I just want to address on my current employment situation. It has been my dream enable to work at MNCs for long time. But I finally realized that it'll need a recognized certificate in hand and of course a job luck. As a migrant worker who came from one of poorest countries in the world, how can I expect to get such lucrative work among well educated society? I understand I have to rely on hard working to fulfill my dream if it's suppose to get one day sooner or later.

It was 3 year ago, I arrived to a developed country and luckily I easily got a job from local SMEs. We usually have to go the same path at the beginning stage as our domestic experience are not recognized by new industrial due to vast different criteria. I comfortably set up myself in new workplace as my company is specialist contractor that need to pay attention on small area of professionalism. I enjoyed a good salary compare to my fellow peers by working in this SMEs. We are usually paid bonus for twice a year and we had a good employer. It didn't change even amid of recession time. What a pretty good experience is it?

However circumstance changed after couple years time, my local firm was acquired by a much bigger global corporate company that is based on UK. My new company even boasted as a biggest foundation company in the world by providing one stop foundation solution.We initially were so happy with the change as we could expect of better facilities and amenities. In fact, our mid-term bonus was effectively cut by new boss despite the business has gone well. We, all employees, are expecting mid term bonus as usual when the July was apporached to end last year but end with frustrating. Then we consoled ourselves that we are going to be given in Christmas time as new employer is Christian whose origin is western country. But again, we goes by with empty hand after Christmas season. It made employees confuse and ask themselves if it is time to change job now. But we, human being, never stop of dreaming and expect big bonus for CNY time as a combination effort. The significant changes after power transfer was we were busier than before with additional weekly, monthly, yearly report to head quarter.

The time goes by and CNY time is in the pipeline. Most of companies has shared their profit with their employee while we are still waiting for a carrot. I don't know when it will come and how much will it be exactly. Hope less or more we all we get it before official CNY holiday because we all deserve it for our year long tireless effort to make company grower. Finally I personally understood that the size doesn't matter as long as we are happy with the current employer.

Wish you a happy and prosperous lunar new year ahead.

Season of Expectation

IF WE CAN say Christmas time as a season of giving, then I want to label this Chinese New Year Time as a season of expectation. Why? I think needless to say if you are working in Asian country. As we all know and realize that this CNY time always bring us a long holiday and of course annual bonus/performance bonus. We all do expect this time less or more. Being a migrant worker, we can't expect so much bonus but it's still worthy to get because we can't save a lot from our hard earn money after spending necessities. At the end of the month, we'll have to upset by paying several bills such as accommodation, telephone, PUBs, etc. So to save one month salary in our saving account, we have to save about 3 months working time. So one month salary bonus would have save our time for approximately 3 months in regular basis.

From the very beginning of this January, staffs around office as well as site are chatting about when and how much can we get each others. They seem do not bother talking about that day after day despite nobody know it exactly. They seem enjoy to talk about that whenever they find spare time at office. Being office worker myself, I heard a lot noisy talk than ever this time regardless of languages. Since there are few different nationalities around me, I can sense what are they talking about despite I don't understand what they talk. Nevertheless it make us feel good to keep such dream until it surfaced finally. Until now, we are still waiting for unseen bonus. We are exciting and already got plan on what to do with this bonus in mind.

You know "going to the peak of mountain is better than reaching there". Hope this lunar new year may bring some goodies to my life.

Military Draft draws people's outrage

As a country of over 65 million genial people, I never thought it'ld be necessary to enact military draft to its people. But I myself is facing this life time experience as the new law come merciless without escaping even the women. Again I never thought I would become a soldier after I had failed my first attempt to become army officer after my matriculation exam some 17 years back. I wasn't happy unable to block my nephew entering army through army medical college. Finally the law came to boost the power of army that is already among the largest in the world in term of man power.

In this post-election days, we, people, are happy with the prospect of changing Junta to civilian party to rule our country to go ahead in search of developing country. What a disappointing news to learn the news that require adult men and women to serve minimum 2 years to defend our country? Every time, the state media said our country is peaceful and worthy to live in the world. They boast how rich our natural resources are. They resist how don't care international sanctions as long as we can stand on our own foot. Yes all they claim are seemingly right for a short-sighted people. I am not happy when MM Lee rated our leaders stupid. I am desperate to have an intelligent leader for my country. Unfortunately it's far to bridge at the moment.

As a new military draf state every men and women who passed 18 need to register for military service, I am eligible to serve as I am only mid 30s now. The law require those who are younger than 45 needs for men and 35 for women to register. Of course, the stick follow every enacted law despite there is no carrot appeared. Those who failed to register must face punishment for minimum 2 years in jail up to 5 years. This seems so serious and hopefully the law makers can soften it sooner or later. If this law is announced officially, this would be probably the first law come out from the very first parliament who is backed by military Junta. Since we are just people, we have no choice but to follow the law regardless of fair or unfair because there is no place to seek for any justice as it's against state.

I remember the day I read from local newspaper that one army officer from Singapore told his view upon their army. It read "Once the army is seem a hammer and whoever against them, the army will use it and the people will suffer, nowadays army are no longer like that in the world". I really liked that by the time I read and that's why I still remembering it despite it was read long time ago. Why people hate in my country? The answer is crystal clear and needless to say. As long as they are doing their job, people will doubtlessly love them for protecting their lives. Also it won't be difficult to recruit new soldiers as long as the army provide enough facilities and amenities to them. Today our army are likely to face shortage of lower ranking solders in all departments. On the other hand, the young people like to join army for Defense Service Academy who produce military officers with the prospect of getting a chance to become riches. It makes our army unbalanced and I think this problem drove Junta leaders to pass this military draft that can be outrage of our people so far.

May our law makers can do the right thing to ease and protect people's life without any fear.

Independence Day

TODAY is 4th January, 2011 and the independence day of Myanmar. It has been 63 years anniversary so far we had regained our independent status from British Colony. Over 6 decades is good enough to build a nation I think. Have we made our country a place to live? How can we measure a country's independence level in term of physical? I don't think a country can be called independence as long as its people are not free from fear, lack of right. Anyway this is special day for our history. Hopefully our people won't think it nothing but a public holiday. I don't know if they are able to participate mass celebration on this special occasion as some years back.

Hopefully our ruling party can create some special activities that can memorize our people the spirit of our heroes. We cannot be happy in life without the right patriotism. No matter where we stay or live, we must have the right attitude. We must understand how important is the historic days are. We are obliged to teach younger generation in respect of our national heroes. Anybody who failed this, he/she is considered traitor. Lets show our loyalty on the special day like independence day. Grab this opportunity to gather national strength as well as family tie.

Wish our country able to celebrate its Birthday with the vast population of patriots regardless of age, race, religion and background.

Fear Factor

Dear my daughter, the time of year 2010 end with a bad news that there has been another type of tainted foods coming from the same place, CHINA. It really make us worry as reality of buying and eating China-made products are tame to poor countries like our nation. Moreover we are their neighboring country and it's likely to import lower standard quality products from China. I can't imagine why people want to make money by putting public's lives at the stake. They might be called animals rather than a human beings. The Chinese authorities had tried their best one the last scandal of tainted milk that killed 2 infants and send thousands of babies to hospitals. Two manufacturers were executed for their unforgivable offense.

Now the authorities found another type of tainted foods at the south-western region where close to its richest cities such as Hong Kong. I'm really surprised to read that the 30 factories produced about 500 metric tonne per day of tainted rice noodle that is staple foods among Chinese. The authorities has recalled the foods from shelves but I'm sure the public has tasted such foods before the case is surfaced. There are other type of tainted foods other than rice noodle and milk. They are dyed vegetables, fake tofu, etc. They are made by rotted rice that is suppose to make for animal foods. The manufacturers tried to reduce production cost by using chemicals over allowable limit so that they can get better profit.

Other countries has a proper authority to check all imported materials and foods so that all are made sure suitable to consume to their public. So the chance of entering fake foods are less compare to those countries who doesn't has proper authority. I'm really concern about this news because we don't have effective authority to monitor the quality of import goods. On the other hand, our people are badly rely on China made products as they are cheap and affordable. The Chinese business people won't let our market escape from their money making tainted products. Hopefully, our public suffer minimum effect unless they can avoid them in their daily life.

May our people free from tainted foods and authority put the right gear up to tighten those merciless items.