Categories
Environment Society

[1533] Of more than a crisis in China

Several clips over at CNN on TV illustrated how extremely bad weather — snowstorm — is adversely affecting transportation in China at the moment. With the Chinese New Year less than a week away, traffic is spiking in the southern part of China. Delays and cancellations of bus, train and airplane trips have brought traffic to a great halt. The system just cannot process the flow as fast as it needs to be.

The video showed a rowdy crowd with individuals pushing each other. If the congregation in Mecca is intimidating, the one in Guangzhou as depicted in the clips, China is many times frightening. Unlike in Mecca, the crowd in the video was hostile as chaos started to reign in. If news of stampede broke out, it would not catch by me surprise.

The presence of police officers seemed to fail to placate the growingly nervous crowd. Without security personnel, it would have been anarchy. The Chinese government has advised its citizens to stay at home instead of traveling to celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year but the people is not listening.[1] If the situation goes on unmitigated, it would not be hard to imagine how this crisis would grow to threaten stability in China.

That is not the only ill effect of the worst snowstorm in 50 years. Prices have shot up as the weather hurts food production while electricity has been unceremoniously interrupted to many areas.[2][3] I have been through bad winters and I certainly will not want to experience this Chinese winter without heat.

All in all, somehow I feel if there is going to a some sort of turning point in China, this is it. The snowstorm has grown from merely logistics issue to that of economics and social. Potentially soon, politics too.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

[1] — BEIJING, China (CNN) — China has taken the step of asking millions of migrant workers to forgo their annual Lunar New Year trip home, saying the worst winter weather in 50 years is expected to pummel the country for at least another three days. [China advises millions to abandon travel plans. CNN. January 31 2008][↩]

[2] — BEIJING (AP) — Snow battering central China has dealt an “extremely serious” blow to winter crops, a top agriculture official warned Thursday, raising the likelihood that future shortages would exaggerate already surging food prices. [China Warns of Serious Impact on Crops. AP via Google News. Christopher Bodeen. January 31 2008][↩]

[3] — Huge cities have plunged into darkness, with parts of Chenzhou, a city of 1.2 million in central Hunan province, without power for eight days. [Blizzard chaos costs China $7.5 billion. CNN. February 1 2008][↩]

Categories
Politics & government

[1532] Of might as well reintroduce local elections

In The Star today:

KUANTAN: Public opinion rather than the Government’s evaluation will matter when improving the star-rating system to measure the performance and efficiency of local authorities, particularly their delivery system.

Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail said it was better to get popular views other than the evaluation done by a special team.

“After doing a similar exercise involving government departments, we thought it would be better to get public opinion .

“We do not want a situation where the public question us for giving a five-star rating to a certain local authority when they feel that it does not deserve it,” he said after attending a meeting between the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan and mayors and presidents of local authorities from Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan here yesterday. [Public opinion to decide star rating. The Star. February 1 2008]

Do you not think local elections would do a better job at that? What better way to gauge public opinion than to have local elections?

Categories
Liberty Mudslinging Society

[1531] Of it must be reciprocal in nature

At Mahaguru58, there is a failure to understand that relationship is reciprocal in nature. If one does not wish for others to interfere in one’s life, one should not interfere with others’.

The blogger wrote:

This is the concluding part of my dialogue with MENJ recently. I discussed with him regarding the current situation where Christians in Malaysia are prone to interfering into Islamic and Muslims affairs here since the change of leadership in the BN Government.

We who are Muslim Bloggers feel that this interference ought not be left to run its course by the Muslims of this land especially those from JAKIM who seem oblivious to all the growing number of Islamophobes here in Malaysia. [MENJ – MAHAGURU58 Dialogue Part 2 Final. Mahaguru58. January 30 2008]

He laments about Christians interfering in Muslim affairs. I say the issue is a non-starter and applies double standard. He would only have a moral authority to say such thing when he stops interfering in others’ individual affairs. That, of course, includes refrain from interfering in others’ religious freedom, be the individuals are Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, etc.

Respect goes both ways. Once the interference in individual liberty ceases, I am sure outsiders will stop interfering in Muslim affairs.

Categories
Politics & government

[1530] Of McCain to be the next President?

Interesting graphics at Campaign Stops:

Fair use

Between the Republican McCain and the Democrats Clinton and Obama, the former is closer to the center:

Nearly lost in the blizzard of recent poll reports were the findings of a Gallup survey that the current Republican frontrunner, John McCain, might well give each of the two Democratic frontrunners a run for their money.

When Gallup asked 1,598 likely voters whom they’d back if the presidential election were held today, respondents chose Senator McCain over Barack Obama by a 50 percent to 45 percent margin, and also preferred the Arizona senator to Hillary Clinton by a modest 50 percent to 47 percent margin. [Raising McCain. Campaign Stops. January 24 2008]

Personally, I am unsure about McCain. Though he does have an environmental credential (remember the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act?), it is mixed at best while his grasp on economics is a turn off. He is also hawkish on security issues.

Categories
Liberty

[1529] Of criminals run loose but doctor thrown in jail

While Mat Rempits, rapers, murderers, corrupted individuals run loose, those whom exercise liberty, those the demand actions, those whom just want to live their lives, decent individuals are thrown into jail. The latest victim is a doctor.

Just over a week ago:

This is a qualified licensed medical practitioner but he had not registered his clinic under the draconian PHFSA.

[…]

Medical practitioners in this country now face the wrath of pencil pushers who will not hesitate to fine or even jail those who do not comply with the PHFSA. I await the day to see a doctor who is jailed for not renovating his clinic to make sure his clinic toilet doors swing the right way or his ceiling is the “wrong height”.

When there are quacks, charlatans and bogus doctors running around the country, when there are tons of false advertising from the alternative health industry, don’t the authorities have better things to do? [The 1st clinic doctor convicted under the PHFSA. Malaysian Medical Resources. January 23 2008]

A smaller government would not have done this. Only a big bloating fat slob like the current administration does things like this. Not only it is incompetent, it has its goals all screwed up. So typical of the Abdullah administration.

In the meantime:

Fair use.

MMR has more on this outrageous prosecution.