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If this protest government is shielding from public eyes, we're all doom !!! DOOM to kingdom come!!

What we were as citizen thinking !!! is an anarchy ruling country...we keep thinking is democracy....silly us.

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I'm not as much affected by the toll increase. But I feel for my brethren irregardless of race or religion.

Enough is enough.

I will not forget on election day no matter what sweeteners given by the Master or its servant parties.

Not exactly a blackout...but more likely a fog. The protest got a mention in The Star, although the numbers look just a tad made up.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/1/8/nation/16505531&sec=nation

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16596

The mainstream english newspapers sounded more 'Hallmark' everyday. Nothing to highlight the suffering, perseverance, sacrifices and toils of common Malaysians. The sufferings from the floods was also not reported. Mostly about the good intentions of politicians and their goverance. Thank you Jeff for this news on our struggle for a better toll-ess life to our children. Without the authentic blogging by the dedicated fews, we would mystify even ourselves with a dejavu that something is not right but we don't know what it is.

Didnt know the protest will be held near the shopping mall, as myself and others were at the McD's opposite LITRAK's heqd quarters.

The presence of the police and FRUs were overwhelming and some of us were given warning by an Indian officer in plain clothes to disperse.

We definitely need more ppl for the protest. I was there and those in protest were a few hundred, others were more like observers. Maybe the real protestors are those who are IT savvy.

And I hate it when the opposition parties use this as their cause to attract more votes.

Read in Malaysiakini one more coming up on the 14th at Gombak-Karak highway. Tell your family and friends to be there if you really want to see some impact and change.

Don't just drive one car with one passenger. I will fill up my innova with friends and family!

Action speaks louder than words! Do your bid

The papers are restrained and toeing the line now. The Sun is a bit better with 2 pictures but they had to sack two of their reporters way back in 1999 (height of recession) when they exposed LITRAK had a CASH surplus RM200 million and yet Samy gave them RM85 million as compensation. Another more damaging and surprising disclosure was that EPF gave them a 13 year loan when the norm was 5-8 years. Everything is special for the well connected as that Dato Lin (was the brother of the then Deputy Governor, Bank Negara).
Anwar had also disclosed that a “Tan Sri” had mentioned that the hike is necessary in 2007 “as hefty sums” have to be made to "crooks & bandits". They have to hike in 2007 otherwise the damage control would be difficult when too near election year. More details and pictures (loading fast as all are 350x241 pixels) can be seen at: http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/01/more-pics-mother-of-toll-hike-protest.html

the most important question here is..

WILL THE GOVERNMENT TAKE ANY ACTION??? let alone the question of what action will they take.

my fear is that...after a while..this issue will die off..and everyone will again obediently pay the toll... until next year Jan 2008..then all hell will break loose again..and the cycle will repeat...

did we achieve the objective of the protest?? i think no... everyone just gather...make some noise... and leave...that's all..so what do we achieve?? did pak lah see this?? does najib care now that everyone is back at home or back at work?? does samy vellu even give a shit??

sorry yah...i was not even there...but i make such comment...

we must do smoething that MUST trigger a respond from the government..

GE still long way to go... and by then...everyone would have forgotten about this...maklumlah Malaysian mudah lopa...

and everyone will be glad is BN win...becos they are running the country now..why change??

let's press for a respond from the corrupt government..

IT COST MORE TO BE POOR NOW.

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16530

and to this news...instead of letting Litrak and the other consessionnaires make all the money...why not government take over and make the money instead?? and then re invested into building the country... "if the money did not go into their own pockets lah"...

nia mah betul...

I think the "lone silent woman protester" was a police officer lah.

I took some videos and compiled them and uploaded to youtube here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU5Eb2tft94

I got the same impression as you, "Hansac" - that lone woman is probably a policewoman.

If she is not that, my 2nd thought was that she is just some curious bystander. Does not look like she was protesting at all.

people,

The lone woman is a makcik, maybe in her 50s. She was there with 2 others of which one was walking with a cane. Why I know this? Cos I had a chat with them and even took their photos. She is not a policewoman. Theye were vocal as well as they were shouting slogans along with the rest of the crowd.Brave ladies.

And yes there were a few plain clothes cops in the crowd. One wanted to hand me some leaflets. He he. They were walking among the people and blending in. Some you can see their are cops, ada chop lah.

Rocky bro,

When you say "ada chop", what you mean? :)

when I flip through nanyang,
I feel so dissapointed to find no report on this major event.
I have decided to unsubscribe to nanyang.

I always thought that Jeff has a deep, sober voice but now... I know Jeff can sing well. Too bad the government is taking away such voices harshly. Harakah already kena badly.

What a spoilt bunch of folks we are! Again, we show our greedy nature of wanting things but unwilling to pay for it. The toll hikes has been agreed on as per the concession agreement signed between GoM and the operators and should be honoured. Why are you asking for GoM to renege on the agreement? What credible does our government has if it goes back on its words? The consequences of that are unimaginable!

Granted that the concession was skewed to the favour of the operators, so what? A legal binding contract should be honoured and I applaud the GoM for that. Toll users who felt otherwise are free to choose non-toll roads as alternatives. Herein lies the ugly truth and the barrages of complaints I have seen in this blog and elsewhere.

Are there really no alternatives apart from the said roads? Are you forced into using them? If you think the tolls are overpriced, then don’t use it – simple! You would not buy something that you perceive as overpriced so why the fuss now? For me, in my daily commute between KL and PJ, using the Kerinchi link is the fastest way but I deemed the RM1.50 charges too much so instead I got up earlier and beat the traffic into KL. However, on the days I feel like having an extra 30 minutes in bed or so, I gladly pay up because it is worth it in my perception. What about you, you want your extra bedtime and yet not willing to pay?

Other solutions, if not mistaken, a reader suggested that GoM nationalises the toll roads and abolishes toll charges subsequently. Is it really tenable? Buying up the existing concessionaires would be a costly exercise to begin with and what about future maintenance? Everything is hunky-dory now when our reserves are running high but when things turned south and calls for higher taxes are heard, will we agree or would we again protest? More excuses will be conjured as long as it doesn’t involve money from our own pockets.

Sadly, this is the Malaysian way. We just love to complain. I remember when the LCCT was opened; complaints were made because passengers have to ‘walk’ to the planes as opposed to the comfortable sky bridges they got ‘acclimatised’ to in KLIA. Also, there was the hike in fuel prices and electricity tariffs and again, we see the same nature of Malaysians complaining and protesting like a spoilt child.

Meanwhile the opposition are again, doing what they do best - organising protest sessions without offering any concrete solution(s) in return. In my opinion, it’s nothing more than cheap publicity and political mileage. Don’t expect me to vote for you if all you can offer is protest this and that. Before I wrote this, I quickly browsed through DAP’s website hoping for a solution posted but there was none (unless it was hidden somewhere). I will go through it in greater detail at a more convenient time. My suggestion to DAP, get your house in order first i.e. set up a shadow cabinet and when you think the government cocks up, retort back with substance. The same goes to the other opposition parties and if an alliance similar to BN was to be form, sort out your differences and put up a united and coherent front. I still remember vividly the botched up DAP-PAS alliance which left voters with more questions than answers. To start with, I could not work out who will be PM if they won and questions like will we will be govern my Islamic laws or civil laws, etc still rings in my head. Time is running out and if news that GE will be held in 1Q 2008 is true, the opposition parties have better get their act together. Until I see a better alternative, don’t blame me for marking X on the other party come voting day.

alan,
I think this will explain to you why all this protest is happening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_corruption

of course you can choose not to fuss if you dont mind seeing our GoM put your hard earned tax money into their pockets and also enrich the tollcompanies.
However, not all people are like you.
out of hundred sheeps, there are a few who condone rotten corruption and lies.

Mr. alan, sir. What, in your opinion, should we, the masses do, then? Take all these crap like a man without question, like we've always been?

Is there much choice between BN & BA? Seeing what you wrote, I think you'd probably cast your vote to the winds come next GE, is it not? Otherwise, just give us ordinary folk some space to whine, will ya? If you have a good suggestion, why not say it out. I'm all eared.

I know that the government have to honor it's contractual oblications. You are right the government have no choice but to raise the price of tolls. But we, the rakyat HAVE A CHOICE. The government has been dishonest to us by signing such lopsided agreement, against our interest. So, now, we just want the elected government to know that we are beyond pissed. We just want them to leave. They've served us well in the early years of the country. For that we're grateful. But now, they've expired. Instead of serving us, the rakyat, they have become self-serving parasites. It's time for change, before we condemn our childrens future into the hands of today's government and their cronies, should we continue to support BN.

alan,
I agree with you that it'll hurt the gov credibility to renegade on the agreement. BUT, ONLY IF THIS IS A FAIR AGREEMENT. However, it is not so in this case! This agreement is so skewed that suspicions of criminal acts involved cannot even be dismissed without proper investigations!

This is not a matter of choice to use the highways or not. It involves taxpayers' money. Whether you use or not, you and your children will still have to pay for the skewed agreement.

Mr. alan,
Condone corrupt governments and you will pay for your errors. Your children will reap what you sow today. They are already condemn to pay tolls for the next 3 decades, including ourselves (if we are still around). I just hope that your children won't be so fed-up of your blind support of the corrupted government of today, that one day they decided to curse you on your grave.

Don't you think so? Think again.

ps. I don't mean to be offensive but please, think about the implication of your action today should you continue to turn a blind eye over things the government is doing. We are already paying tolls today. Your children will continue to pay for it if we don't stop this madness today.

Mr. alan,
Condone corrupt governments and you will pay for your errors. Your children will reap what you sow today. They are already condemn to pay tolls for the next 3 decades, including ourselves (if we are still around). I just hope that your children won't be so fed-up of your blind support of the corrupted government of today, that one day they decided to curse you on your grave.

Don't you think so? Think again.

ps. I don't mean to be offensive but please, think about the implication of your action today should you continue to turn a blind eye over things the government is doing. We are already paying tolls today. Your children will continue to pay for it if we don't stop this madness today.

Alan dude, even though you are not using, you are still paying ok? Where the GoM get the money to compensate the highway companies? Not from people like you? People that pay taxes? Those who don't use the highways, those from ouside Klang Valley are the one that buta buta pay for something they never use.. Daylight robbery, so if you can live with it, please live your ignorance life.

But I do agree with you that the oppositions should/must come up with more concrete solutions, providing the alternatives to the people rather than organising protests only. Start with some blueprints and plans to execute if they are voted into government etc. More substances needed from the oppositions to gather votes.

A few questions to you, Alan:

a. Do you eat KFC?
b. Do your children eat McDonald?
c. Do you drive a non-Proton car?
d. If you drive Proton, are all the components fully 100% made in Malaysia?
e. Do you park your car in shopping complexes/office blocks/parking lots?
f. Do you make purchases for services and products?

With the multiplier effect, government coffers and even through unseen backend handling, money gets siphoned off to the war-master's chest.

If you do any one of the above, even if you're income is not taxable, you're still paying tax.

You have been taxed left, right, front, back, centered, above, and from below.

Are these fully utilized to beef up our police forces to ensure our security? If not, looks like we need pay for private security services (another different kind of tax???)

Fact is, based on the agreement exposed for all to see - the government by contractual needs to compensate.

From where the money comes from?

No one is spared.

We only ask for good governance. As was promised by the previous election manifesto. Is it too hard?

Yes, it is not current administration's fault altogether.

But it seem to me, most of the dumb ministers like what TDM pointed out, are still hanging up on the trees in current administration.

What if there is a big 'rombakan' of the cabinet? Would things still be the same? Toyol Code or no Toyol Code - we're voting for the lesser devil. Admit it.

I doubt so. A lot of things are pretty much ingrained like the crippling Never Ended Problems.

This is a good day for Malaysia. For years we've been having the sweeping matters under the blanket culture, or a 'tidak-apa' non-involvement persona. Others think their opinions & actions wouldn't make a difference.

Now, we've finally came to embrace our fundamental democratic value - freedom of speech & the right to protest. By collectively agree-ing to an agenda, we can move mountains.

May this be a stepping stone for more great things to happen.

jeffdaman - ada chop means you can tell la. It is written on their forehead..branded..no matter how they behave, you just know they are cops in plain clothes.

alan - alternative? you sure there are alternative. Try IOI Mal Puchong to Sunway or to Subang Jaya.yeah you can go to Ipoh and retrun no toll,ok lo..alternative. good for you man

you guys think that street protest is useless and uneffective?
you are seriously wrong.
to Jeff and the others heres a boost of encouragement. Learn from history. Dont be a talker who talk talk but taking action makes us the real winner.

please read this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_Revolution

On November 17, 1989, a peaceful student demonstration in Prague was beaten back by the riot police. That event sparked a set of popular demonstrations from November 19 to late December. By November 20 the number of peaceful protesters assembled in Prague had swelled from 200,000 the day before to an estimated half-million. A general two-hour strike, involving all citizens of Czechoslovakia, was held on November 27.

With other communist governments falling, and with growing street protests, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia announced on November 28 they would give up their monopoly on political power. Barbed wire was removed from the border with West Germany and Austria in early December. On December 10, the Communist President Gustáv Husák appointed the first largely non-communist government in Czechoslovakia since 1948, and resigned. Alexander Dubček was elected speaker of the federal parliament on December 28 and Václav Havel the President of Czechoslovakia on December 29 1989.

As one of the results of the Velvet Revolution, the first democratic elections since 1946 were held in June, 1990, and brought the first completely non-communist government to Czechoslovakia in over forty years.

Life Feel,

And then the country split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic due to nationalist tensions in the next 3 years, thus called the Velvet divorce.

So basically, they got their freedom through non-violent protests, but then the nation was divided.

Happened in India as well.

Do you have selective history syndrome?

Mr. aput,
If a marriage doesn't work, divorce would be the best solution. And without revolution, there is no freedom. So, take your pick. I know what I'll choose. Have a nice day.

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Sorry Jeff, for the double posting. My bad.

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One vernacular newspaper (8th Jan 2007) mentioned that our dearest Work Minister proposed to build 7000 KM of roads joining various part of India which will be funded by the Govt and Private Sectors. If this is true -
Can we just build the 7000 KM road in MALAYSIA or along the highway which is impacted by the toll hike to provide alternative for the toll road ?

Try to divert the attention when it is much needed at home ?

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