Thursday, December 14, 2006

So high, or Sor Hai?

60 per cent not so high, Samy?
"Although we allow for toll hikes, we make sure the increase is not too high." - Samy Vellu, when announcing the 20-60 per cent toll rates increase today.

But I hear so many people say "So high!". The Chinese have an expression that sounds just like that; naturally, that expression carries a totally different meaning!
Cuepacs could be smiling, though. It is demanding a pay hike for a million workers, including a 40 per cent adjustment for the lowest-income group. If 60 per cent salary increment for the highway concessionaires is not too high, the civil servants' pay demand can't be that high, right?
[read the 20-60 per cent toll increase here; Cuepacs' 10-40 per cent salary claims here]

28 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:33 pm

    Simply put, Bru, the whole Cabinet makes no sense anymore. They have justifications for all the things that they do that burdens the people.

    Ministers like Samy will favor GLCs and big corporations over the ordinary people like us because contracts awarded by GLCs and big private corporations benefit politicians and their cronies.

    From cutting the grass to maintaining guard rails, PLUS gives inflated contracts to politicians, their proxies and cronies.

    These are the Ali Babas and rent seekers that Khairy and his hyprocritical rouge gang in Umno Youth squarely condemned at the Umno Annual Assembly two years ago.

    Samy, see you at the ballot box in Sungai Siput. You can fool use some of the time, but not all the time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:21 am

    brother rocky

    obviuosly that Sammy fella a b**tard working blindly for WTF Mr PM and DPM...

    they all will go down the drain for being menace, taking advantage of their position to make the people who elected them suffer...

    and guess what... the people who are actually DUMB if not DUMBER for electing these so-called two legged human faced morons!

    hopefully TDM and George Soros could make a good deal and turn around trhe economy now that the sleepy Mr PM only knows how to fill in his stomach with people blood.

    toll hikes, water hikes, electricity hikes, what next...

    how come the nation of 24 millions got creature like these fellas to rule the country....

    yeap... too many 'sor hai' spoils the parliment - god bless Malaysia

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  3. Anonymous12:31 am

    these lop sided concessionaires are like parasites eating away our well-beings everyday and condon by the BN led government.

    what a blow and what 2006 year exit gift the BN led government is giving us. we have a very stupid Menteri Kerja Raya like Sami Value leading this department for years or may be decade and all he can do is agreed to stupid agreements.

    all he can emphasis is the government has to subsidise for the toll rate. subsidise the concessionaires or the users?

    i'm really all pissed off, come next GE, my vote will go the opposition. period.

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  4. Anonymous12:54 am

    +++++++++++++KENYATAAN++++++++++

    TAKTIK KOTOR MAYBANK!
    Ini pasal kredit kad. Saya telah menggunakan kredit kad Maybank selama lebih 2 tahun. Pembayarannya setiap bulan tak pernah miss. Pada satu ketika saya telah berpindah office dan faham sajalah... bila berpindah office, segala fail2 semua jadi berceramuk. nak dijadikan sebab pula.. setiap bayaran bulanan semuanya duduk dalam fail. Ada bil yg belum dijelaskan, ada bil yg telah dijelaskan. Ada juga yg belum dijelaskan tapi dlm fikiran ianya dah dijelaskan. Dipendekkan cerita, bhg kredit kad maybank yang beberapa org mangkuk ni tak pernah call remind tentang bayaran. Tup.. tup bila pergi maybank utk keluarkan duit dalam saving akaun, officer dia ckp duit x blh keluar sbb dah kena cantas utk cover bayaran kredit kad yang x dibayar selama 2 bln. Saya telefon ke bhg kredit kad.... lalu jawab simangkuk manager yg deside utk cantas tu kata... duit u kat saving akaun kitorang dah cantas utk cover full amoun kredit kad yg u x bayar... Aik??? Baru x bayar 2 bulan tapi dah cantas semuanya....? Tuan2 bayangkanlah... kalau full kredit kad saya RM5,000.00, tiap2 bln bayar dlm RM350.00. Bila x bayar 2 bulan.... dia terus potong dalam akaun simpanan maybank kita RM5,000.00. Fair atau tidak? Kalau takat potong untuk 2 bulan= RM700.00 ok la juga... good reason. Tapi dia cantas terus untuk full amoun dan kredit kad saya terus x boleh pakai. So... nak makan apa? gaji baru RM2,000.00. Duit dlm simpanan habis kena kebas... Melopong dan pening kepala dibuatnya. BERHATI-HATILAH DENGAN PENGGUNAAN KAD KREDITK MAYBANK... JANGAN AKAUN SIMPANAN ANDA SEMUA NANTI DICANTAS MENJADI ZEEEEROOOOO.!
    Kalau sapa2 yg guna kredit kad maybank, cepat2 lah keluarkan duit simpanan dlm mana2 akaun maybank anda. Sebelum ianya disamun oleh maybank sendiri. TAKTIK KOTOR MAYBANK!

    Adakah disebabkan kejadian begini menyebabkan ramai orang telah menggunakan khidmat ALONG?

    ====SEBARKAN BERITA INI UNTUK MEMAKSA PIHAK BANK MELAKUKAN PERUBAHAN=====
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    *Confirm lepas ni aku undi DAP

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1:27 am

    I am waiting for that I-am-the-prime-minister guy to say something about this..

    ReplyDelete
  6. kenaikan jika bertimbang rasa tentu boleh diterima rakyat. tetapi RM1 ke RM 1.60 untuk LDP yang digunakan setiap hari oleh 100 ribu penduduk Puchong dan sekitarnya tentulah tindakan kurang ajar Abdullah Badawi.

    Petrol Naik
    BLR Naik
    harga barang naik
    Tol naik

    jangan nanti BN jatuh sudahlah.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous3:50 am

    For Mister Minister Samy Velu , that is not his fault, 'Its God Act'.
    Thousand Appologies.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9:04 am

    *TypicalProgrammer*

    The government knows increasing the toll os wrong that is why they compare prices between other countries. Just to make they mistake look bettter. Being the government, these idiots thing we the rakyat doesn't know the ringgit current value is meningless.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous11:03 am

    Stupid Minister of Works. He says that the toll hike is not high. Sor Hai!!!

    60 per cent hike on the LDP is not high? And look at the LDP, is it a Highway? Its more like a shit house. worse than a federal road.

    Jams everyday, thousands commute using it. They are ripping commuters. The road (LDP) does not deserve any toll payment?

    And Samy, the foolish minister, tries to fool us Klang Valley folks by saying that "even though the LDP toll is up 60 sen, the government is subsiding the concessionaire 50 sen for every motorist pasing through."

    What an idiot. Who are you fooling Samy?

    We are not the stupid electorate of Sungei Siput, we are urban educated citizens of the Klang Valley.

    And who the hell asked the government to sign such deals with concessionaires that allow for hikes every couple of years. They are getting richer, we poorer.

    In 2008, many others, including PLUS run N-S Highway, are due for an increase. Get ready folks.

    ** One more thing - Look at how Idiotic the Star is today with The Star Says...column. What a shitty piece of journalism....one sided scum siding the toll hike.

    Gone to the dogs. Wonder which idiot wrote it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:06 am

    dey Samy, pluti kace unga ama wokrek chuni !!!!.

    act of god my foot. you are real shit and pain in the arse.

    "guiness stout", enge leke nalere.

    "go to hell when you die"

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous11:08 am

    Things just keep getting better. This has really put me in a great mood for the new year. The Mkini website shows a pic of Mr SV making the announcement with a grin on his face. Laughing all the way to the bank I guess. What I don't get is this.
    Firstly we are looking at highways being (to some extent) a public amenity and were indirectly funded by tax payers monies. Yes, the operations have been privatised, but to me it shouldn't be about making a profit. yes, the Gov can subsidise their shortfall in cost or increase toll rates to cover this cost (which can include what ever exorbitant directors fees etc) but why the guarantee on them attaining a certain level of profit. BS if you ask me. And come to think of it, with almost 500K vehicles using the LDP a day can you honestly tell me these guys are not making money. This is infrastructure for heavens sake. What are they expecting. A ROI within 5 years. Get real.

    Secondly (and please correct me if I am wrong), most of these operators are owned by GLCs or public investment vehicles. With their guaranteed profit and government subsidies, why are we not seeing any flow back in dividends. Simply, we pay more toll, profits increase (or are guaranteed), returns to the shareholders by right should increase, but where the heck is my share of the profits as my dividend payouts certainly haven't increased!

    I see this as another measure of bleeding the public funds. Tax payers monies are funding the 9MP, EPF is soon to fund the PFIs. How else to raise money to fund the other worthless projects

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous11:45 am

    The Works Minister, in today's media, has come out with several explanations(obviously well-rehearsed) to justify the toll increase.
    The most insulting one is that with no expressways, the public cannot access these areas. Isn't it the govt's responsibility to provide access?

    He goes on to say that our toll-rates are among the lowest. Hello, the various taxes imposed on motorists make driving a car in Malaysia one of the most expensive in the region!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous12:00 pm

    tempua said...
    I am waiting for that I-am-the-prime-minister guy to say something about this..

    Hi tempua,
    Don't be suprised that PM may say " I am not involved, my son's company also not involved. I don't have JVs with the toll companies"

    Off course the DPM will issue the standard statement lah, "Please change your life style"

    ReplyDelete
  14. Macam biasa la....tol naik, minyak naik, semua naik, then they said its still cheap compare to other countries..
    But in the other countries, dia orang punya salary tinggi..so tak de la masalah sangat dak bayar benda yang mahal.
    tapi kita kat Malaysia...gaji ciput je...makan pun tak cukup..
    bila harga naik...gaji sama je..
    so lepas ni kita kena makan pasir berlaukkan rumput kat tepi jalan.
    kalau nak bagi rasa...mungkin bole letak sikit air sungai gombak..ada rasa masam.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Bro,
    Why is it that only in this country( I don't give a damn about other countries cos I AM A 'BLEEDING' CITIZEN OF THIS HERE COUNTRY !!!) the ministers are always trying so very hard to "justify" that screw-up in their reasons for 'hikes'of tolls, taxes, price increase et cetera, when these concessionaires when tendering for these projects are expected to go into business with their eyes wide open.(as in any business venture ,right or ehh... no, meh ?)And if a business is screwed because of lack of know-how or expertise or embezzeling from within that company, all that entity has to do is pour it problems into a crony minister's ears and voila ! the already miserable tax-paying citizens(that means ME!) are burdened with a hike "just" so that the stupid company with all the incompetant advisors stays 'afloat'!And if that fails again then there is always the tax paying citizens savings coffers- yes... the EPF heh...heh...This government is always bailing out these big boys with the miserable citizens hard and honestly earned money.
    Sheeeeshh......

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous2:17 pm

    Dear Rocky,
    Just want to congratulate the government for sucessfully increase the toll rate at five highways. So far we have seen price hike in petrol, electricity, water. The price of other goods and services also increases due to this. I think next year we will see the prices of sugar, flour and many other control items will go up as well. No problem. On behalf of the rakyat I want want to tell the government that we agree with whatever the government do. We are not angry. No heart feeling. We know and fully understand your problems. We understand its difficult to manage the country. We can take it as our petrol and toll prices is the lowest in the world. No problem. We will continue to vote for BN.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous3:56 pm

    Dear Mr. Rocky

    I am not against the Government move to increase toll charges, water and electricity bills, fuel etc.

    I believe the Government is doing the best way it can to secure revenue from the people to subsidize financial support to the poor and needy ones, especially the Malay population that is vast in the country.

    It is fair for the Government to take such action as the country belongs to the Bumiputra, mainly Malays. With this in mind, those whom ancestors coming from India, China, or even Indonesian, have no right to make fuss on ways and means the Mr. Prime Minister and Deputy Minister running the nation.

    They are both human, just like Mr President George Bush of USA.

    I myself support whatever action they believes vital to make the nation go ahead of the rest. FYI, the current inflation is still low - far below 20% that considered normal in Eastern Europe.

    The people should realise that we have good leaders and multi-racial ministers, fit and best to run the country.

    Let them do the charity work and we back them with our support.

    Continue the hard work, Mr PM.

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  18. Anonymous4:03 pm

    Salam Sejahtera,

    This is indeed going to be very taxing for the rakyat yet again.Challenging as it may sound,it will be very excruciating for the great multitude of us.When its time to ease the burden of the rakyat,I thought after the fuel hike, now we have the toll hike in the most strategic of avenues that are on a great proportionate utilized by the rakyat.Where is this going to.This is certainly a tough one to consume,if the rising fuel prices are an indication, raise by all means but it has to be justifiable.Rent seekeers have a way now.This rotten trend has got to stop.Please stop the rot.I guess for the rotten rent seekers it will a difficult choice as they do not know the difference, as money is good to come by.Please think of the suffering majority of us who have to stomach this indecent trend.

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  19. Anonymous4:20 pm

    *Sigh*

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  20. Anonymous5:35 pm

    shanghaistephen....can't agree with you more. If these morons can't make informed business decisions and conduct proper business evaluations before venturing into the contract, then reap the whirl wind for their damm blaardy inefficiencies, wastage and mismanagement and bite the bullet like everyone of us would have to do it we had failed business ventures. Time and time again we see our money being utilised to bailout these idiots. Our EPF dividends have been nothing to shout about. Now we are expected to absorb further cost to ensure that some arrogant, snobish, "you shall respect me as I am connected" crony twit can remain in his mansion and mercedez benz. Dammit!

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  21. Anonymous5:53 pm

    Vellu for your money!
    Thanks Sami for not burdening the rakyat!

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  22. Bro Rocky...Don't know if you should put 'SOR' on your post!
    It should read 'MAH'
    WTF....baru first day, sudah kena 20-60%....on a day to day basis!
    That too if you can stand the JAM ON THOSE BLOODY PAYWAYS!
    Yup not highways...PAYWAYS! And this bloody K*&^%$ does not even pay toll...so do many other guomen vehicles....I passed by two Bomba vehicles...packed with family probably from picnic...reach toll gate hands came out no money! JALAN! Is that the same for all these buggers who say leave with it...Toll hike is a must....go figure, RM1million a day X 365....how can you loose money???
    Everything is going up....I hope all these useless buggers can all go up....in spirit! MAMPOILAH...MAH...HXX!

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  23. Anonymous9:23 pm

    For sure, I'am not going to vote for BN comes the next election. BN defeat for the next GE would be because of the Pak Lah factor...

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:03 am

    future PM said...

    Off course the DPM will issue the standard statement lah, "Please change your life style"

    ==================================

    Yeah change our life style like, makan nasi dengan ikan bilis goreng, kangkong, bayam, sambal & belacan. Or maybe maggie mee even.

    Jangan pandu kereta, naik public transport (bas,lrt), pi pasar malam untuk membeli belah to get cheap goods.

    Yet the ducking Ministers & families can & must maintain their life style. Pi holidays overseas, shop at exclusives malls. Kita rakyat biasa mesti tukar our lifestyle.

    Sh%#$#T!

    Najib you just need to look at yr wife lah..how extravagant she is - spent & waste beribu ringgit to have a "new face" & a new nose, pakai baju lap-lip tak nak kalah dengan bini menteri2 lain. Konon nak "maintain".

    Everytine Rosmah dresses up, the baju dia pakai, kasut, handbag & jewellery she desks (she looks like a christmas tree} is worth thousands of dollars.

    And she doesnt wear a baju more than once, I was told. Nak maintain status!!!

    Aku sumpah para menteri biaq pi mampus cepat!!

    Rakyat menderita, depa masih tak prihatin!

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  25. The nightmare begins. Aptly said by Dr Jacob George, the president of the Consumer Association of Subang and Shah Alam, in reference to the government's outrageous raising of toll rates across all key arterial highways in the Klang Valley. The new stupendous rates will further burden lower and middle income Malaysians, already reeling from higher petrol price and the cost of living. How can the government continue to sing the same old tune that industries should not raise prices and pass the cost down to the ordinary folks? Perhaps the government feels that its silly attempt to muzzle the mainstream media about this toll hike will be effective in downplaying the angry sentiments that will inevitably begin come tomorrow when the hikes are dutifully placed in the middle pages in small two inch columns. This government better think again if they are confident of subduing the public. Inflation will go up, higher than the sterile, safe numbers that Bank Negara is so fond of parroting.

    It is astounding that the government gave the greenlight for this action, especially as many assume, next year will be an election year. The Prime Minister is increasingly seen to lose credibility in light of his failure to fulfil any of his electoral promises of 2004. This toll hike may be the straw that breaks the camels back or in Malaysia, the rakyat's back. The arrogance of the Works Minister, the irascible Samy Vellu is a mirror into the attitude of the government towards the people who put them in power in the first place. If Malaysians want the expressways, they better well pay for it, says this caring Minister. Easily said, when virtually all entry into the city has been boarded up with toll booths. Malaysians have no choice but to use these roads to get to work and put three meals on the table for their children.

    Secret concessionaire agreements, which inevitably ensures that UMNO-controlled companies keep the lion's share of the public's hard earned money, go against the Prime Minister's limp call for openness and transparency. Indeed, this administration is fast going against all the rosy words it shamelessly uttered in 2004. It's a fair bet that the next elections will see more Malays rise in anger against this administration, as they will be see their standard of living further dented by this latest, ill-timed toll rate hike. Indeed, it's a bigger hole in all our pockets, and Malaysians of all races are certain to grow even more cynical of this government.

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  26. Anonymous6:45 pm

    LDP toll is less than 1km from home and less than 5 minutes drive. Morning jam to reach toll 30 minutes - Pay toll to be jammed! Coming home: Jam before toll. Pay toll and continue jam to reach home. This is not enough. You have to pay 60cts more....and still go thru that damm jam!

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  27. Anonymous7:29 pm

    With this kind of toll and fuel prices, and no LRT near my home, I have to go shopping around for a decent bicycle. These oppressors are crookedly spending the rakyat's money faster than they can steal it.

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  28. Anonymous5:13 pm

    Haha. You are interesting. Sor Hai. Now I have not heard that a long time. Samy is the only minister accorded a song by another sor hai - remember ayoyo sami? now, if you can only play that as bg music on your site!

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