Little knowledge is dangerous

EARLY yesterday, our biggest city, Yangon, was being blazed by unusual fire. There are a lot claims saying their opinions. In my country, the authority used to point electrical shock as a reason of fires. In fact, it is generated by the owner of the initiating place to mitigate their offense. Unlike the past this time, the serial photos uploading online almost immediately and public able to access it. It probably make our authority a bit hard to express what they think as there are evidences available online. More thoughtful people upload their opinion or comments by judging on the photos. It benefit others by reading their judgement rather than reading state paper just saying wire shock every time.

We knew from the report that the fire started from the state warehouse in which a lot chemical stored. Those chemical substances make fire uncontrollable for few hours and even claim dozens dead and several dozens injured. Some photo suggest, our outdated firemen are helpless but seeing at blazing. The unexpected exploration did surprise them and they might have got distraught. I understand from some books that not every fire can be extinguished by water. There are other materials such as foam, chemical, to kill fire. Of course, such knowledge may not come cheap and I am not sure our fire-fighter are well equipped or not. Anyhow, it's regrettable to learn some fire-fighters were killed by exploration and fire. Perhaps, such fire is first ever experience for them. The poor is never good in any perspective. The poor society may not afford to equip our fire department well. It had claimed our people's lives when it come without prior notice like this incident.

Finally, the root of all problems back to authority. Why our authority allow people store such dangerous chemical amid residential quarters? Does it mean they don't foresee the potential risks like this? Does it mean they don't value our people's life? Does it mean our business men could do anything regardless of lawful or lawless. Does it mean there are some elite society that can do everything what they like. Does it mean the sign of corruption condition. There must be some people behind to take responsible for this tragic. I don't know if our authority will take necessary action so that our people may not encounter such tragic again in future. Sometime, knowing little make us our life extremely put dangerous. It's understandable that ordinary people are not aware of such thing. However, the authorities should have aware of such case because it may cause our people's life on the edge. Hopefully, our authority able to uncover the real reason of this incident as they are obliged to protect our people's life.

Victim of Greedy agent

IT's been relatively long time I am unable to turn my blog. Coincidentally, during that period, there were a lot head line news with regard to our community. Cheating Agent from Peninsular Plaza hit top most amidst several adverse news because we all migrant workers rely on them to send our hard earn money back home. We all knew that this business is not legal. But we have to use their service because no choice. We don't have banking service like our counterpart from other countries enjoy. Again, we all have to risk our hard earn money by using those agents.

Being Buddhist person, our people are quite optimistic until they are being cheated unfairly. Eventually, disaster news had arrived to us mercilessly. What happened to our unknown fellow citizen agent? They have made a good return business due to this illegal money transfer market. They may not survive without our help. Likewise, we may not be so easy to send back our money without their service. So we are inter-dependent. In such scenario, we keep put our faith in each other. We know that it's not a perfect route. We occasionally found some bitter taste with regard to unsuccessful money transfer which mostly can be settled later.

However, this time, it's not resolvable due to huge amount involved. The report said there are 4 to 5 million Dollar taken away by a greedy person. The problem is victims are unable to file at police due to illegal business. I never thought there would be such huge amount circulating by our agents. There were some news suggests that the Myanmar agents from peninsular plaza may not be survive without illegal effort. They cited the expensive rental fees of downtown plaza which is reported about SGD 5,000 per room. Some analyst guess they are part of money laundering coming from Myanmar's generals back home. Some shops were founded by some Myanmar tycoons and generals. No matter the shops are making profit or lose for them so long as they can make some legal money source for them in order to avoid possible future prosecution against them.

Since, the wide spread biggest cheat story, there have been most scare in money transfer through our agents. Some are still crying for their lost hard earn money. In mitigation of their grief, some got back half amount. Those who escape from this incident became more cautious when money transfer time is getting in mind. At the same time, there are news saying Myanmar government is planning to set up some bank to help it citizen transferring money without worry. It's good news and it follow the most interesting news of income tax free policy. Fortunately, our government have thought of our plight oversea and we welcome such news with both arms. It's impossible for us and even we don't believe the new first come out by thinking just rumors. Anyway I am sure it may ease our life in foreign land. Meanwhile, I read news saying MFA will audit on the shops of peninsular plaza in the wake of shock cheat Burmese stories.

May all my fellow citizen able to transfer their hard earn money without worry.

People on the go

NOWADAYS is information age. Those who know earlier info got stand ahead of the rest. It make people in the rush mode regardless of places. In the past, people have to rely on desktop to access information world. So they need to stay at home or office to enable them access. Now, technologies make our life easier and closer at the fastest pace. We don't need to wait until we reach work or home to know what's happening to the world. Everybody nowadays use mobile phone that empower them keep in touch with others. Business people used smart phone that can access internet from anywhere. It mean, they can work anywhere, no matter where they are. They can keep relationship with their loved ones while they are working. Now, there are a lot things can be done on the go.

It's nothing new to see around that people are talking, playing games, watching video, sending email/sms, reading noble, capturing a good photo, listen music/radio, etc nowadays. People seem do not have enough time to do things properly. They are working on the go, eating on the go, drinking on the go, even apply make-up on the go. Recently I read and saw a news showing Hong Kong's working adults are putting their uniform on the MRT in the sight of fellow commuters. What happen to our world so far? But it's unstoppable and continuing. Who dare to stop as modern people quietly accept it and follow. Finally we may have to rely on our religious practices as well as quality education which more emphasize on EQ rather than IQ alone. Without them, I believe there are no way to tame our people especially to younger generation.

Train Headache

SINCE last Thursday train breakdown, the public have been experiencing serial disclosure/disruption of the similar cases on the route to/from work. Most of head line news in the local newspaper are taken by train related incidents news and voice of commuters. Since, Singaporean are easy to complain, they started to voice out so that authority and responsible party could hear their displeasure. The government initially seem silent and later look into the matter after SMRT CEO admit they didn't prepare for such large scales incident. The transport operator failed to oversee such unwanted incidents despite they started train operation in 1987. The train driver and MRT staffs fail to update the latest status to the panic commuters stuck in the underground trains and it put SMRT's handling skill from bad to worse. As usual, the opposition party started to raise their concern to grab people's votes in the expense of other party.

The government privatized the train operating service and awarded to two major operators, SMRT and SBS. The reason making public property to privatizing is to create competition which can improve quality of service at lower wages. However, the commuters are facing the opposites as the two operators are doing business on separate lines. It make people little choice on choosing their public transportation. Thus some residents voice out to accuse monopoly business by two big operators. The train operators admit on their flawed service and continuously pledge to improve their service to better satisfy public. In the meantime, the PM and LTA step in to make full investigation on what had wrong and the found are reported in local newspaper with the hope of seeking commuter's sympathy.

As a person from third world country, I find republic's public transport is world class and satisfy with servicing as I had witnessed the worst back in home land. As a people of poor country, we have no choice to blame on public transport but use alternative routes. In here, SMRT arranged free shuttle bus ride for affecting commuters. But that is not enough to please those people from demanding society. I need to spend about 2 hours a day on board train to bridge between work and home. As I am living in northern part of city and my work is located at the eastern part, it's inevitable to use public transport. Everyday I have to pass city area with the full stretch of underground route.

Unfortunately, all recent incidents were happened in underground section and I'm aware of tasting that. Today paper state that train speed must be necessarily reduced by half from maximum 80mph to 40mph especially in the section of underground. Meaning, commuters need longer travel time to reach their destination. Since public safety cannot be compromised, people have no choice but leave home early to ensure they get work on time. Last time commuters are much aware of terrorist threat and now the breakdown of train is overtaking this. Everybody cautious in listening any announcement from speaker now with the prospect of stuck in the train. For me, it's praying time when the train start through underground until escape from it. What a good practice is it for me? I believe, all religion people will act the same with me for the safe of all lives. In this perspective, we all should thank to SMRT rather than blaming them.

May all commuter enjoy safe ride to work and home.

Myanmar Generals & LKY 4

I had called on Ne Win when he visited Singapore for medical treatment a year earlier, in 1994. He talked about his peace and serenity of mind through his practice of meditation. For two years after he withdrew from government in 1988, he had been in torment, fretting and worrying about what was going on in the country. Then in 1990 he began to read about meditation. He now spent many hours each day, in the morning, afternoon and evening, in silent meditation. He certainly looked much better than the sickly person I had met in Rangoon in 1986.

He was in Singapore again in 1997 to see his doctors. At the age of 86, he looked even better than on his last visit. This time he spoke only about meditation, giving me advice on how I could improve my meditation. I asked if he did not worry about the sickness of his loved ones, like children and grandchildren. Yes he did, but he could control, reduce and forget these sufferings through meditation. Did he not worry when his old generals asked for his advice? No, he replied; when they did this, he told them never to talk about their work because he had retired from the troubles of this world. However, diplomats told me he commanded respect and authority within the military and could still wield influence.

The West, especially the United States, believed that economic sanctions could force the government to hand power to Aung San Suu Kyi, who had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. I did not think this was likely. The army has been Myanmar's only instrument of government since Ne Win took power in 1962. The military leaders can be persuaded to share power and gradually civilianize the government. But unless the United States or the United Nations is prepared to send in armed forces to hold the country together, as it is doing in Bosnia, Myanmar without the army would be ungovernable. The West is impatient with Asean's constructive engagement and was puzzled when its leaders admitted Myanmar as a member in July 1997. But what better way is there to have the country develop, open up and gradually change? In Cambodia a UN force that supervised elections could not install the winner into government because the de facto government under Hun Sen controlled the army, the police and the administration.

The generals will eventually have to adjust and change to a form of government more like their Asean neighbors. This will come about sooner if their contacts with the international community increase.

source: from third world to first by LKY.