P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A

Aku kembali

2009-01-05T01:00:00.007+08:00

Salam untuk semua,

Lama betul aku tak menulis atau mengupdate blog ni. Terasa kekok (bukan Teresa Kok) giler bila aku nak start menaip. Yelah, kalau di check balik my last post di P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni, ianya bertarikh 05 Februari 2006. Tu pun adalah artikel yang aku salin & tampal dari The Star Online. Hari ni sudah masuk 05 Januari 2009. (Baru jer kita semua sambut tahun baru erk). Bermakna blog ni dah ketinggalan 2 tahun lebih tak dikemaskinikan. Kalau rumah tinggal, tentu dah bersawang, berhabuk, dah banyak sarang labah-labah dan mungkin berpenunggu dah agaknya. Kalau budaklah dah masuk umur dua tahun, mesti agaknya dah pandai berblog or ber'Friendster bagai.

Pada mulanya aku memang takda idea nak tulis apa or mungkin dah terlalu banyak sangat nak aku tuliskan. But on this early Monday morning... aku try jugak to login balik my account Blogger, select Create dan terus menaip tanpa hala tuju. Dalam erti kata lain aku dah start merapu balik. I'm baaacckkkkk!

Tapi mesti korang tertanya-tanya jugak ke mana aku pergi kan selama ni. Semestinya juga korang nak tahu kenapa aku ON kan balik suis blog P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni. Oklah walaupun aku tahu takda sapa yang ~~malu~~ nak tanya, tapi biarlah aku terangkan jugak kat sini sebagai bahan rujukan semua bakal pembaca serta pengunjung blog P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni kelak.

1) Untuk pengetahuan semua, dulu aku memang ada punyai (developed and maintained) beberapa buah blog menggunakan account Blogger ni. Gila blog jugaklah aku ni dulu, hehehe. Since the end of 2003, I've blogs comes with different genre and name. Ada berbagai nama dan jenama. Mostly written in English (even though my English is too bad...). Contentnya pulak pasal macam-macam. Walaupun tak sampai lah ke tahap selebriti bloggers tu at least adalah jugak followers and readers and also get quite great number of hits. Bangga dan puas hati jugaklah. Namun dalam hambatan masa dan kekeringan idea yang kerap sangat melanda, ada di antara blog tersebut akhirnya terbengkalai terus manyebabkan aku ambil keputusan untuk tidak lagi mengemaskinikannya hingga ke hari ini.

Selain tu jugak, alasan aku telah berpindah ke rumah baru, PC yang meragam sana sini dan aku telah bertukar tempat keje yang baru (haa bab ni akan aku tulis kemudian) serta connection internet di rumah yang sering bermasalah jugak antara penyebab membataskan aku berblog. Off course I'm still attached to this www dan cyber and blogging world. Aku masih lagi buat dan update website (dah tu memang antara bidang tugas aku) and still updating some of my blog especially with that hosted Wordpress account. Aku juga masih baca blog, beri comment dan jawab comment kat merata-rata blog walaupun takda ler seaktif dan seganazz dulu tu.

2) Sekarang pun dah tahun 2009. Kenapalah agaknya aku kembali berblog yea. Kenapa tak di OFF kan terus blog P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni. Kenapa ambil masa sebegitu lama. Jawabnya mungkin kerana situasi telah kembali mengizinkan seperti ketika baru-baru aku kenal erti blog ni (off course not really 100% lah). Aku pun sekarang punya lebih banyak ~~masa~~ idea untuk merapu. Kah kah kah. Antara sebab lain menyebabkan aku naik nafsu dan teruja untuk menulis balik ialah setelah membaca beberapa buah blog yang baru berkembang biak. Banyak sangat dah, how merrier it is tak macam dulu tu.

Pada fikiran aku, kenapa mereka boleh berblog dengan baik dan konsisten mengapa tidak aku jugak.

Nah, kalau aku lepas ni masih juga nak beralasan (untuk tak mengemaskini blog ni), alamat pendek umur lah blog P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni. ;)

Cuma aku akan cuba pastikan yang aku akan lebih committed and focused kali ini. Insya Allah, hangat-hangat chicken shit tu yang perlu aku kikiskan. Itulah commitment aku dan itu juga janji kepada diri aku sendiri. Aku kembali, yea aku kembali untuk memblog.

See yaa!

Another scam in Puduraya

2006-02-05T10:57:00.000+08:00

Di kaunter katanya dapat naik bas V.I.P siap dengan berhawa dingin silap-silap ada TV/VCD lagi tu... Tapi bila tiba hari nak bertolak, bas kilang dan bas sekolah pulak yang disediakan. Kalau comey tu takpa ler jugak... dahlah takda aircond, berkarat dan kerusi bau muntah jer. Tu belum check ada permit ke takda permit lagi tu. Driver ntah qualified ke tidak.

Tapi sebabkan dah terdesak punya pasal nak balik kampung... apalah pilihan yang ada buat penumpang yang dah tertipu ni. Time tu, memang ler marah maki hamun etc. Nak buat report sana sini... selalunya nak kena tunggu lepas balik dari bercuti nantilah... Tapi setelah balik dari bercuti panjang, "benda" ni terlupa dan sering dilupakan. Tiba balik musim cuti perayaan... perkara yang sama berulang. Saban tahun macam ni ler ceritanya. Macam takda penyelesaian.

VIP bus tickets passengers travel in school and factory buses instead

By PARVEEN GILL

LONG WAIT: A group of VIP bus ticket holders for travel to Sungai Petani were directed on board a factory bus opposite Menara Maybank near Puduraya on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of people bought VIP bus tickets from legitimate counters in Puduraya to travel comfortably back to their hometowns for the Chinese New Year break but ended up travelling in school and factory buses instead.

They had paid up to RM45 per person because they were promised a single luxurious seat with television on a bus with a maximum of 30 seats.

On Wednesday, The Star found at the bus terminal hundreds of passengers at three pickup points being pushed into school or factory buses, some without air-conditioning.

V. Saravanan, 32, who paid RM45 for his ticket to Johor Baru last week, said he had specifically requested a VIP bus.

“After waiting for an hour and a half and at three different locations outside Puduraya, I ended up in a factory bus without air-conditioning,” he added.

There were at least 20 touts operating inside the terminal together with the counter staff that day and up until noon, no uniformed personnel from Uda Mall, the property and operations manager for Puduraya was seen monitoring the situation.

Passengers were seen buying VIP bus tickets from legitimate counters and were asked to wait at platforms 20 and 23.

A tout carrying a walkie-talkie turned up just before departure, collected the VIP tickets and said that the bus was delayed.

A new bus ticket was issued, bearing only the words Bus Express and a lower ticket price.

Passengers are told to wait at three different pick-up spots, the farthest was at the old Rex cinema near Petaling Street.

When Rashid Masyi, 33, and several other passengers realised they had been conned they confronted the touts but were told: “No refunds; it's not our problem if you do not want to travel on this bus.”

Retired teacher, Maniam Subramaniam paid RM72 for two adult tickets to Penang although he was travelling with his 11-year-old granddaughter.

The 60-year-old said that when he confronted a counter staff, the latter shouted back: “Where is the proof that you bought the ticket here?”

Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Baharom Mohamed expressed shock when told what was happening.

“Looks like the touts have discovered a new way of cheating passengers and this is very serious because the counter staff are helping them,” he said.

Baharom urged passengers to lodge their complaints to CVLB giving details like the registration number of the factory or school bus that they had travelled on. - The Star

Color code for Malaysian Bus:
Blue: For factory/workers transportation
Yellow: For school bus
White: For touring/tourist

Selamat Tahun Baru Lunar - Hijriah & Chinese New Year

2006-02-05T09:38:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Melaka - Kuala Lumpur RM 8.80

Just nak share kisah bas yang aku naik untuk balik KL setelah bercuti sakan awal tahun ni. Aku ingat nak balik hari ni jer (Ahad) tapi memandangkan ada hal sikit (yang aku consider macam takda apa-apa pun), so terpaksalah juga aku menghadirkan diri kat office pada hari Jumaat yang mulia tu. Bak kat orang asal nampak muka sudahlah. Anyway lepas solat Jumaat aku dah siap-siap nak balik.

Oklah berbalik pada cerita bas, you all janganlah sesekali menilai sesebuah bas dari pandangan luarannya sahaja semata-mata. Bas Triton yang aku naik untuk pulang tempoh hari memang cantik, bersih dan air cond'nya jugak power. Tempat duduknya pun baru, ada yang 2 seater dan juga ada yang single seater. Kalau dilihat dari luar, pasti bas ni mampu memecut laju untuk membawa penumpang dengan selamatnya ke destinasi.

Tapi apakan daya, bas Triton yang nampak macam ~~pengantin~~ baru ni rupanya semput juga. Sampai saja di interchange Senawang yang selalunya jammed (syukurlah aku balik hari Khamis tu tak pulak jammed macam biasa)... bas hanya meluncur tanpa enjin berbunyi dan tiba-tiba berhenti di bahu jalan. Bas ada masalah, kata driver. Jam dah pukul 6.45 ptg. Dah tersadai.

Penumpang lelaki kebanyakannya dah turun dari bas, biasalah nak pi merokok la kut. Aku yang tak merokok ni take sometime jugak nak turun. Kalau aku turun pun, bukan aku dapat tolong apa-apapun kan. Selang beberapa lama, ada ler sekelompok mamat Indon yang naik dari Alor Gajah dah pun bertukar bas. Driver dah berjaya tahan satu bas (kalau tak silap aku bas Mesra Ekpress kut) untuk they all tumpang ke KL.

Ni tak boleh jadi ni... aku pun nak sampai KL awal jugak ni. Lastly aku turun jugak dari bas yang dah tersadai ni. Tapi, si driver nampaknya tak berjaya nak tahan even one bus untuk tumpangkan we all lps mamat-mamat Indon tu. Aku rasa bus Triton ni pun dulu ada rekod buruk dalam menumpangkan mangsa tersadai macam we all ni. Nasib tk baiklah.

Aku naik balik bus yang dah bergerak tu, baik layan tido balik. Tunggu kat bawah tu bukan boleh gerakkan bas ni balik. Aweks dalam bas dah mula sibuk layan SMS dan make a call maybe to family or sesapa yang menunggu (syukur jugak sebab sebelah aku takda sapa yang duduk, walaupun bas agak penuh haritu). Aku ni nak inform sapa pulak. Forget it. Eleh sedangkan flight delay kat air strip Sudan, aku tak risau apa pun. Inikan pulak bas tersadai, kat highway pulak tu... kat Senawang pulak tu bukannya kat Kathmandu atau kat tengah warzone di Iraq nu. Anyway, mungkin itu saja nak pujuk hati aku tu haa. Apa pasal aku pilih untuk naik bas Triton ni jugak.

Setelah lebih setengah jam baru bas ni boleh start balik dan meneruskan perjalanan. Itupun lepas, ada sorang mechanic company ni yang datang from nowhere. Ntah apa yang dia buat... ntah apa yang dia ketatkan, barulah bas ni boleh bergerak. So kami meneruskan perjalanan hampir nak pukul 7.35. Waktu yang sepatutnya ia dah sampai kat Puduraya.

Sampai kat Pudu hampir nak pukul 8.00 - Semua penumpang turun kecuali aku dan seorang mamat pakai baju merah yang turun kat stesen Central Market. Takda le aku kena menapak jauh kan. Sebelum turun, seperti biasa... terima kasih buat pemandu walaupun menyebabkan aku lambat sampat KL.

Lesson learnt, jangan harap body bas je cantik... tapi enjin dalam tak pernah overhaul. Ceewahhh, dalam maksudnya tu kan. So fikir-fikirkanlah. See yaa!

First time tertinggal bas

2006-01-24T09:21:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Sungai Udang - Masjid Tanah RM 1.20

Masjid Tanah - Kuala Lumpur RM 8.80

What a lucky day mate! Maybe itu yang aku dapat tulis kali ni. Cubalah korang lihat pada ticket bas Triton tu. Ada perubahan kan.

Ceritanya macam ni. Memang menjadi kelaziman setiap kali hari untuk aku balik ke KL adalah hari yang cukup memalaskan aku. Rasa berat betul nak balik. Selalunya dah last minutes baru aku nak bersiap untuk packing, mandi pakai baju dan terkocoh-kocoh berjalan nak kejar masa. Walaupun ticket dah dibeli selalunya sehari awal dari hari perjalanan. Walaupun dari Sungai Udang ke Masjid Tanah bukanlah jauh, tapi pengankutan awam antara keduanya adalah yang terpaling hampehlah aku rasa. Tak pernah ada timing yang betul-betul standard untuk diguna pakai. So kalau terlambat sikit jer... pasti tumbuh uban le nak menunggu.

So nak dijadikan kisah dalam blog ni, hari yang bertuah tu aku telah agak terlambat gara-gara ambil masa yang lama dalam bilik termenung. Dah nama bilik termenung kan... so kat dalam tu aku termenung ler lama sikit... memandangkan perut aku yg agak memulas sebab masuk angin berikutan terlebih makan nangka dari kebun.

Keluar dari rumah dah pukul lima lebih. Baru sampai bas stand kat Sungai Udang. Kena tunggu lagi untuk ke Masjid Tanah pulak. Tunggu punya tunggu, batang hidung driver bas pun tak nampak. Driver taxi (kereta sapu pun jadilah) lagi ler. Aku yang tak pakai jam tangan hari tu (sbb tertinggal kat rumah my sis tempoh hari) cuba ler berlagak cool. Namun aku check balik jam kat HP aku, ternyata aku dah lambat giler babas. Terlepas lah bas aku ke KL kali ni.

Ok dah terlambat tu satu hal. So, what next. Aku selalu macam tu. Yang dah sudah tu sudahlah. (nak merungut, nak menyesal kemudian ler) So apa yang aku nak buat sekarang ni... aku kena bertindak pantas la ni. Nak ambil cuti ker, nak patah balik rumah ker, naik motor my sis balik KL. Or balik esok ajer atau aku cuber nasib naik dari Melaka Sentral pulak.

Aku cuber tahan sebuah taxi Proton Iswara warna merah ngan corak bunga raya tu (sorry no plat aku tak cam pulak), yang aku anggap my saviour or penyelamat cam ultraman untuk aku time genting macam tu. Manalah tahu kut taxi ni boleh terbang ke Masjid Tanah dalam masa tak sampai lima minute. Tapi, driver taxi tak guna tu cuber nak take advantage pulak. Dia nak charge aku harga sebuah taxi yang aku tahu berapa untuk ke Masjid Tanah. That totally ridicilous, selalu tak macam ni pun. Saja le ni nak carik pasal... maybe sebab dia tgk muka aku macam muka desparete ~~housewives~~ sangat kut.

Anyway, bukan aku tak mampu nak bayar pun, lebih-lebih time aku betul-betul nak cepat ni. Tapi tindakan dia yang macam nak ambil kesempatan tu yang buat aku tak puas hati. Pantang aku ler orang ambil kesempatan dari kesusahan orang lain... Err bukan orang lainlah... akulah. Cumer yang tak baiknya aku siap doakan taxi tu terbabas kat dalam gaung mana-manalah lepas tu, empat-empat tayar kat atas. Jahat jugak aku ni yer. Ermm ada ker korang dengar mana-mana taxi color merah yang terbabas camtu baru-baru ni. Sorry arr.

Last-last adalah jugak bus Patt Hup cam sardines dari Laut Utara yang lalu... aku pun naiklah. Manalah tahu bus Triton tu delay pulak ker. Kira nasib baiklah aku kan. So mesti korang nak tahu part mana yang lucky nyer ni.

Ok sampai jer kat Bus station Masjid Tanah, bus Triton aku pun dah gone. Bye-bye ler kawan. But aku still cuber nasib kat kaunter bus Triton memandangkan kaunter Transnasional dan Jebat dah tutup kedai awal. Aku cuber tanyakan ticket untuk pukul 7.00 mlm (next trip) tapi minah kat kaunter cakap dah penuh, tapi still ada satu seat yg dh kena booking tapi still tak confirm but the chances are so slim since ramai yang nak balik KL hari tu (al-maklumlah cuti sekolah)

Maybe Allah dengar dan dah makbulkan doa aku sebelum ni, (Ermm bukan doa untuk pemandu taxi tadi tu ok) tetiba ajer ade sorang apek tua muncul and datang kat counter tu untuk tunda ticket dia kepada esok paginya since dia ada perancangan malam tu. Maybe that ticket not for him kut... tapi tu tak kisahlah. So that's realy a lucky day for me. Sebabkan dengan izin Allah, apek tua tu tundakan ticket dier, so bermakna dapatlah jugak aku balik KL ptg tu. Apek tu pun wish me pasal that lucky day... Anyway his lucky day jugak sebab dapat ticket untuk pukul 7.30 pagi esoknya.

How about the new bus in town

2006-01-17T17:07:00.000+08:00

Making their presence felt

THERE are more Rapid KL buses in the streets of Kuala Lumpur since the beginning of the City Shuttle services last Friday.

Although it is weird to see the brand new buses running with only a few passengers, Rapid KL has done a good job in providing frequent and consistent service.

Rapid KL chief executive officer Rein Westra had promised city folk that there would be a constant flow of the 138 buses plying 15 routes within the five hubs – KLCC, Titiwangsa, Maluri, KL Sentral and Central Market.

“The system will not allow buses to wait at the hubs. They have to move as soon as they drop off and pick up passengers from the hubs,” he said.

A check at the KLCC hub yesterday showed that the No. 104, 105 and 106 buses were running according to schedule.

There was a waiting time of five minutes at the hub as bus drivers had to report to the station managers on ticket sales and the route.

On the way to Medan Pasar, most of the passengers asked the bus driver whether the bus went to their desired destinations and the driver patiently explained that the flat rate of RM2 entitled them to travel on any City Shuttle bus within a day.

The driver accepted nothing less than RM2.

One woman decided against boarding the bus when she heard about the fare even though the bus went to her desired destination, Jalan Silang.

All passengers are required to pay the fare on board the bus. The driver will give the passenger a ticket, which needs to be retained for the rest of the day to enable one to hop onto another bus.

“There are eight buses serving the No. 105 route. I will try to make sure the waiting time of five minutes is met,” said the driver who did not want to be identified.

The journey from KLCC to Medan Pasar took 20 minutes. There was a slight delay as the next bus arrived at Medan Pasar after 13 minutes due to traffic congestion in the Central Market area.

Some of the new buses are equipped with the public announcement (PA) system.

Rapid KL driver Azmi Umar said:

“All these buses are new and so are the PA system.

“We can now announce the bus route and destinations at bus stops and stations.”

He added that it would be a challenge for him to ensure passengers would only have to wait five minutes for the buses - The Star.

Mixed response to shuttle service

YES, It's true! You only have to wait five minutes to catch the Rapid KL’s City Shuttle service plying the Titiwangsa, Maluri, KLCC, Medan Pasar and KL Sentral hubs in Kuala Lumpur.

And just as promised, the journey from these hubs to the 15 city shuttle routes took only a maximum of 30 minutes so long as the traffic situation was reasonable.

However the only setback was that some commuters felt that the RM2 flat rate was not practical.

Some were also not aware of the service, which started on Friday with a three-day free trial period offered by Rapid KL to enable commuters to familiarise themselves with the new system.

The bus was empty when the StarMetro boarded the 109 shuttle at about 7am at the KL Sentral Hub to get to the Titiwangsahub.

There were about five buses on standby at the KL Sentral hub at that time.

During the fairly smooth ride that took only 25 minutes, no one boarded the bus until it reached the Titiwangsa hub.

Bus driver Mohd Zam Zam informed us that with or without passengers the bus would have moved from the hub after five minutes.

“We are not operating like Metro buses where they will only move if the bus is full,” he said.

“We can only wait for a few minutes tops and than we have to go,'' Mohd Zam Zam said.

At the Titiwangsa hub we boarded another 109 headed back to KL Sentral.

This time Rapid KL driver K. Selvam, who was assisting new driver A. Perumal, was on duty.

Half way along the journey, a commuter by the name of Rohayu Budiono, 25, boarded the bus.

She was heading to her office in Jalan Raja Laut and was taken aback when told that she had to pay RM2 for a daily pass.

Selvam explained the new system to her, saying that the daily pass allowed her to hop on and off Rapid KL buses for the entire day.

“But I only want to go to Raja Laut and that is only 90 sen,” she said, adding that she was not planning to go anywhere else.

Since she was not aware, Selvam only charged her 90 sen and passed her some brochures on Rapid KL’s new system.

At 8.30am we boarded the 110 bus from KL Sentral heading to Medan Pasar.

This route passes Brickfields, KTMB, Central Market, Bangkok Bank, Kota Raya, Post Office, and Telekom.

Once again we were the only passengers on board.

At Central Market, a passenger by the name of Nizam Mohd Yussof boarded the bus. He was heading to KL Sentral to meet friends. he seemed impressed with the new system.

“I didn’t have to wait long and the RM2 rate is reasonable as I can hop onto any bus all day he,” he said, adding that the system was good for shopping and sightseeing.

A passenger called Sulaiman said that the system was not practical for working people.

“It only cost 90 sen to get to work and another 90 sen to get back. The balance 20 sen is such as waste,'' he said.

We hopped onto another 110 bus from Medan Pasar and its driver Abu Bakar informed us that since he started work at 6am only a handful of people boarded his bus.

“It's still new and people are not aware yet. Give some time. It will get better,” he said.

The City Shuttle is the first phase of a total revamp of Rapid KL’s bus network in the Klang Valley.

The buses are equipped with an electronic tracking system that would help maintain their frequency - The Star.

Not ready yet electronically

2006-01-16T16:43:00.000+08:00

Chaotic first day at Inanam bus terminal

By Muguntan Vanar

KOTA KINABALU: A computer glitch at the city’s new RM4.5mil centralised bus terminal threw a spanner into the works on its first day of operations at its new location.

The computerised ticketing system failed forcing the terminal manager, Kota Kinabalu City Hall, to let bus operators sell their own tickets.

“It was crazy this morning. They (terminal operators) were unable to issue tickets as many destinations were not included in the system”, said Tung Ma Express director Sim Vui Fui.

He added that when some passengers requested for a particular bus company they got tickets of another.

The computer glitch is expected to be resolved within the week.

The bus terminal was built in suburban Inanam for buses coming from the north and to relocate the terminal from the congested city centre.

Bus operators, who were earlier told they should pay 10% charge on ticket sales and the daily RM67 parking fee for each bus, had worked out a compromise for a three-month trial with Kota Kinabalu City Hall Holdings Sdn Bhd, the commercial arm of the city administrators.

Under the compromise worked out at the eleventh hour before the shift yesterday, City Hall has agreed to only charge 8% commission on ticket sales and scrap the parking fee.

City Hall Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim said he might reduce the commission to 7% if the terminal operator made profits but would raise it to 10% if there were losses - The Star.

Update - 15 January 2006

2006-01-15T01:59:00.000+08:00

Ok sekarang proses penambah baikan projek P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A ni telah pun hampir siap sepenuhnya. Hari ni sehari suntuk aku manfaatkan untuk upgrade template yang terpilih dari Blogger Templates site.

Minggu ni juga aku tak balik Melaka, bermakna minggu ni takda le aku menjengukkan muka kat Puduraya tu. So sepanjang weekend ni aku adeler kat KL. Dari buat perkara yang tak berfaedah (lagipun duit pun tgh takda ni), baik aku buat sesuatu dengan projek yang dh lama terbengkalai ni. Ok, sedikit sebanyak ciri tambahan yang aku telah upgrade di blog ni ialah:

1) Flash Flickr badge di bahagian paling atas sidebar tu.

2) Recycle tagboard yang aku namakan sebagai Tag blog

3) Drop down list for monthly archives

4) Google AdSense setting & placing for sponsoring my blog (so jgn lupa click my sponsor untuk menderma)

Ada sedikit touch up atau ciri-ciri tambahan yang masih aku perlukan, tapi aku tak mahulah sampai blog ni nampak berserabut pulak nanti. Dalam waktu terdekat ni aku akan cuba tambahkan:
1) Counter (aku prefer to use Geo Counter atau yang sewaktu dengannya)

2) Links to Technorati

3) Links to Creative Common. Aku dengar dah ada Malaysian site

4) And of course more content dan public picture or images.

Lain-lainnya akan aku fikirkan kemudianlah. Aku juga amat menghargai sebarang cadangan, comment, pictures atau sebarang kisah mengenai "P.U.D.U.R.A.Y.A dan A.N.D.A" yang boleh kita kongsikan bersama di sini.

Ps: Credit to my sis sbb sponsor B'fast, dinner & streamyx line for the whole day. Cheers!

Sekian,

First thing first

2006-01-14T11:30:00.000+08:00

Board wants transport plans

KUALA LUMPUR: No new bus permit will be issued until the local authority of the area draws up a local transport plan and lodges it with the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board.

Entrepreneurial and Corporative Development Minister Datuk Khaled Nordin said this move would help arrest the decline of public transport in the country, especially in urban areas like Penang and Johor Baru.

Speaking at the launch of Rapid KL's City Shuttle bus service at KL Sentral here yesterday, he said local transport plans would reflect the transport needs of the residents in a particular area.

The board could then issue permits to ensure the needs of commuters were met.

“We admit that all along we have been approving bus permits which were not in accordance with the planning by local authorities.

“This is why we have decided that all local authorities need to draw up transport plans and present them to the board before new permits are approved,” he said.

Khaled said Penang was the only area besides the Klang Valley which had drawn up a transport plan.

“The board is in the process of discussing with the bus operators there to implement a new public transport system in the state,” he said, adding that a solution should be found for Penang by next month.

He said Rapid KL, which was set up by the Government as part of the public transport revamp in the Klang Valley, was a good model for other urban areas like Penang and Johor Baru to follow.

Later, Khaled said the policy on local transport plans was accepted by all states during a recent meeting with the mentris besar and chief ministers.

“It is up to the local authorities to draw up the plans but if they don't do it, the public transport service in their area will deteriorate further,” he said.

On Rapid KL’s plan to revamp the public transport network in the Klang Valley, Khaled said his ministry would try to streamline the network with existing operators.

“We understand that there is some overlapping of routes and we also know that only a company which can provide a complete and good service will be able to survive such competition.

“It is not our intention to see other operators adversely affected by this, which is why we would like to discuss coordination of bus routes with them.

“If they don't want to cooperate, it will be their problem,” he said - The Star.

Safety first

2006-01-14T10:02:00.000+08:00

Bus drivers and users must be civic-minded

I READ with sadness your report about software engineer Yong Wei Seng's death after falling off a bus, "Engineer dies two days after falling off bus," (The Star, Jan 12).

Before leaving the country to live abroad, I had also used Malaysian buses and I know exactly how the scenario is when one travels on a bus.

As if it is in their nature, Malaysians tend to shove and push while boarding or alighting from a bus.

With due respect, some bus drivers are also aggressive, as if they are short of time for their scheduled route.

Why is it that we Malaysians tend to not take safety measures seriously?

In many countries, buses run at “comfortable” speed in town.

The doors are opened only after the buses have stopped moving.

People queue to use the service. Shoving and pushing are not acceptable.

I hope everyone realises that it is time for us to do things the civic-minded way.

YAU CHOI FOONG,

Denmark.

First for FREE

2006-01-14T08:13:00.000+08:00

Image: The Star

By Yip Yoke Teng

BUS users in Kuala Lumpur can now ride for free on Rapid KL City Shuttle that was launched at KL Sentral yesterday.

Commuters will only need to wait for five minutes for the shuttle buses that will run between five hubs – KL Sentral, Titiwangsa, Maluri, KLCC and Medan Pasar. (see map)

There are 15 City Shuttle routes serving major roads in the city centre.

Rapid KL will begin charging commuters using the City Shuttle on Monday. They will have to pay RM2 for a daily pass that allows them to hop on and off buses for the entire day.

Rapid KL’s monthly passes can also be used on the City Shuttle.

The City Shuttle is the first phase of a total revamp of Rapid KL’s bus network in the Klang Valley. Rapid KL chief executive officer Rein Westra said the buses would be equipped with an electronic tracking system that would help maintain their frequency.

He said commuters would be able to use Touch ‘n Go electronic stored value cards when using Rapid KL buses by the third quarter of the year - The Star.

Perjalanan tanpa had

Oleh Hatipah Ahmad

KHIDMAT bas perantara Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) yang mula dilancarkan semalam memberi penjimatan menarik kepada pengguna iaitu RM2 sehari bagi perjalanan yang tidak terhad.

Justeru orang ramai kini boleh menaiki bas perantara itu secara percuma di mana-mana 15 laluan RapidKL bermula semalam hingga Ahad ini, sempena promosi pelancarannya.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidKL, Rein Westra, berkata khidmat bas perantara itu adalah sebahagian program fasa pertama syarikat dalam usahanya memperkenalkan lebih banyak laluan bas di beberapa kawasan menjelang suku ketiga 2005.

“Bagi fasa pertama pembangunan sistem ini, RapidKL akan menyediakan 160 bas dengan masa menunggu bas lima minit saja antara lima hab yang dipilih di Lembah Klang iaitu KL Sentral, Medan Pasar, Titiwangsa, KLCC dan Maluri.

“Kelima-lima hab berkenaan yang akan menjadi lokasi menurun dan membawa penumpang ke pusat bandar raya akan menampung keperluan di 15 laluan dan setiap satunya disambung antara satu sama lain menerusi khidmat bas perantara,” katanya selepas pelancaran khidmat bas perantara RapidKL di KL Sentral, semalam.

Turut hadir ialah Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Westra berkata, selain khidmat bas perantara dan laluan baru, pihaknya memasang sistem Touch’ n Go di semua bas menjelang suku ketiga 2006 dan berbincang dengan KL Monorail bagi menyediakan kadar tambang menarik untuk mempromosikan sistem bas pada Mac ini.

Katanya, sistem itu tidak menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas kerana ia tidak akan membenarkan hab berkenaan dijadikan tempat bas berhenti kerana mereka mesti meneruskan perjalanan sebaik saja menurun atau mengambil penumpang - Harian Metro.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha - 10 Januari 2006

2006-01-13T23:20:00.000+08:00

Melaka - Kuala Lumpur (Im not using this ticket since Im back to KL with my sis car)

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Ke arah perkhidmatan yang lebih baik

2006-01-12T14:40:00.000+08:00

Era Mesra labur RM100 juta

Oleh Mohd Idris Sulaiman

SYARIKAT Pengangkutan Era Mesra Anak Melayu Perak (SPEMAMP) akan melabur RM100 juta untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan bas ekspres ke seluruh negara tahun ini, dalam usaha menjadikan Perak hab pengangkutan terunggul negara.

Pengerusi Eksekutifnya, Mohd Nasir Mohd Rashid, berkata buat permulaan pihaknya akan menempah 11 bas bertaraf eksekutif di Rawang, Selangor dan jumlah itu akan ditambah kepada 150 kenderaan selepas dua tahun beroperasi.

“Justeru, di peringkat awal kami berhasrat untuk melancarkan perkhidmatan Ekspres Era Mesra kepada enam laluan iaitu Kuala Lumpur, Klang, Kuantan,Kuala Terengganu, Lumut dan Butterworth bulan depan,” katanya di Ipoh, baru-baru ini.

SPEMAMP yang mengendalikan Ekspres Era Mesra berpusat di Ipoh diberi 80 laluan termasuk laluan baru Lebuhraya Pantai Timur serta laluan pinggir bandar di samping turut memberi perkhidmatan ke destinasi luar seperti Singapura dan Hadyaai.

“Langkah menjadikan Perak sebagai hab pengangkutan kerana kedudukan Ipoh yang strategik iaitu di tengah laluan utama pantai barat dan juga ke pantai timur iaitu ke Kota Bharu melalui Lebuh raya Timur-Barat.

“Malah, Ipoh juga akan mempunyai satu lagi tambahan laluan utama ke pantai timur apabila jalan Ipoh-Kuala Terengganu siap tidak lama lagi,” katanya.

Mohd Nasir berkata, syarikatnya menyedari persaingan sengit dalam bidang pengangkutan dan sebagai pendatang baru, Era Mesra akan berusaha memastikan perkhidmatannya mampu menarik penumpang dengan memperkenalkan konsep mesra pelanggan.

Katanya, semua bas Era Mesra adalah jenis eksekutif yang hanya membawa 25 hingga 30 penumpang bagi tujuan keselesaan dan setiap bas dilengkapi dengan pelayan yang akan menyediakan minuman kepada penumpang serta khidmat menjaga kanak-kanak.

Menurutnya, pihaknya yakin memperoleh pendapatan sebanyak RM5 juta dalam tempoh tahun pertama operasinya - Harian Metro.

Apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan sistem Taraddudiah

2006-01-11T16:19:00.000+08:00

Sistem Taraddudiah berkesan

Oleh Zaitie Satibi

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkhidmatan bas perantara dengan sistem Taraddudiah yang diperkenalkan kerajaan Arab Saudi tiga tahun lalu, membantu melancarkan perjalanan 26,000 jemaah haji Malaysia dari Makkah ke Arafah, Muzdalifah dan Mina.

Pengurus Besar Komunikasi Korporat Tabung Haji, Shaharudin Abu Bakar, berkata menerusi sistem itu, jemaah haji dapat menunaikan rukun dan wajib haji mengikut waktunya tanpa sebarang kesulitan, berikutan jadual perjalanan bas yang cukup teratur.

“Sistem ini sangat berkesan dan buktinya buat pertama kali jemaah haji Malaysia dapat dibawa ke penempatan haji kedua di Mina Muaissim kira-kira jam 5.30 pagi tadi (10.30 pagi semalam waktu Malaysia).

“Sebelum sistem ini digunakan, jemaah haji hanya sampai di maktab itu sekitar jam 7 pagi hingga tengah hari,” katanya ketika dihubungi Harian Metro di Makkah, malam tadi.

Menurutnya, kini semua jemaah haji Malaysia sedang berehat di khemah masing-masing sementara menunggu waktu untuk melaksanakan jamrah Aqabah dan Kubra selepas tengah malam 10 Zulhijjah hingga terbenam matahari 13 Zulhijjah.

Katanya, selepas jamrah berkenaan, jemaah haji akan bercukur atau bergunting (tahallul awal) sekurang-kurangnya tiga helai rambut.

“Jemaah haji Malaysia berehat di khemah yang boleh memuatkan sehingga 15 orang selepas selamat bermalam (mabit) di Mudzalifah. Mabit bermaksud berada di bumi Mudzalifah sepanjang malam hingga pagi atau seketika selepas tengah malam.

“Di samping bermalam di Mudzalifah, jemaah haji Malaysia mengutip tujuh anak batu untuk ibadat jamrah. Mereka dijangka bergerak ke tempat melontar mulai jam 6 petang hingga 8 malam ini (semalam),” katanya.

Shaharudin turut menyifatkan pengurusan operasi jemaah haji Malaysia musim kali ini yang terbaik walaupun seluruh umat Islam dikejutkan dengan kejadian runtuhan bangunan empat tingkat di Jalan Janduria, kawasan Al Ghazzah, dekat Masjidil Haram dan mengorbankan empat jemaah haji Malaysia, 5 Januari lalu.

Dalam perkembangan lain, bilik gerakan Tabung Haji di Mina melaporkan, kira-kira 15 jemaah haji Malaysia meninggal dunia akibat masalah kesihatan, termasuk seorang meninggal dunia selepas wuquf pada 10 Zulhijjah (semalam) - Harian Metro.

The reasons for public transport woes

2006-01-11T01:00:00.000+08:00

By Wong SK

Here are some facts on public transport. Hong Kong with a population of six million on a tiny island has a good efficient public transport system. So too has Singapore. In KL we only talk of a 1.3 million population spread out between a huge area of KL and Petaling Jaya.

What will be an efficient public transport solution for KL? First of all, declare KL, Johor Baru and Penang as Special Traffic Zones with the following status:

1. Have at least two companies operating a public bus service so that they can compete with each other. They must be awarded the tender through an open system. Maybe one can be given to Umno and the other to the MCA and the public will judge how efficient they are.

The government can waive import duties for the buses, grant the two companies pioneer status for three years besides tax incentives for public-listed companies to invest.

2. Have Traffic Restricted Zones during peak hours that is between 7am to 9.30am and 5pm to 7pm. All vehicles entering these highly congested roads pay a high premium. Commuters into the city can be dropped at the main arteries leading into the cities by mini-buses and rail transport systems.

From there, the two stage bus services can load the heavy human traffic into the city during peak hours.

3. Open contraflow lanes (reserved lanes for buses moving in a direction opposite to that of the flow of traffic in the other lanes) so that travelling by bus is faster, cheaper and more comfortable than driving (this will also do away with the need for more highways and flyovers, saving millions of ringgit).

4. Re-introduce the mini-buses to bring in commuters form the suburban areas but not into city. Bus chassis can be duty free to make it lucrative enough for retired or middle age people to run the mini-bus business.

5. Build more comfortable rail stations and bus stops (this can be privatised and the government can save millions)

6. Implement the above in stages so that you can minimise errors and fine tune the system. (We can also borrow ideas from Deng Xiao Peng's Special Economic Zones which have Special Traffic Zones).

8) Form a centralised Traffic Control Board by merging key JKR and Transport Ministry divisions and the traffic police. This will enable better streamlining of the public transport sector and system.

So why is our government not doing this? Because of self-conflicting government policies.

1. The privatisation of highway projects which are all in the hands of cronies and;

2. The National Automotive Policy (NAP) which forces us to buy expensive cars due to our inefficient public transport system.

Let’s not forget the lucrative toll collection and the selling of the Smart tags, the latter of which is in the hands of yet another crony.

The Malaysian government is not stupid, if not how could it have built the world class Twin Towers. Yet why does it not have the expertise to build a world class public transport system? It is all because of the reasons stated above.

We don’t have to spend millions of ringgit, we just need to implement the measures above. They have been proven in Taiwan, China and many other countries. And don’t tell me Malaysia doesn’t have the talent to manage an efficient bus system.

Try Lim Goh Tong, the YTL Group, Tony Fernandez and the many others who know how to run and manage a minibus. If we think hard, we can come up with our very own Malaysian way of solving our transport problem.

If after all the headhunts, a suitable candidate still can’t be found, then sack the current transport minister and appoint me! - Malaysiakini

Tahun baru di Mersing - 31 Disember 2005

2006-01-03T11:33:00.000+08:00

Mersing - Hentian Puduraya RM 23.00

Melaka - Kluang RM 0.00

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Hanya tinggal impian - Jun 2003

2005-12-27T15:32:00.000+08:00

Projek bina Plaza Rakyat RM1.2b diteruskan semula

Oleh: JOHARDY IBRAHIM

KUALA LUMPUR 9 Jun - Projek pembinaan Plaza Rakyat, bersebelahan Hentian Puduraya, yang terbengkalai akibat krisis kewangan serantau 1999 akan dihidupkan kembali untuk menjadikannya sebagai satu lagi mercu tanda ibu kota.

Projek usaha sama Plaza Rakyat Sdn. Bhd. (PRSB) dengan Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) itu dianggar bernilai RM1.2 bilion.

Projek itu akan dilaksanakan ekoran pelantikan kontraktor siap guna baru, Global Upline Sdn. Bhd. untuk menyiapkan fasa satu menjelang tahun 2006.

Pengerusi Eksekutif PRSB, Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing berkata, Global Upline diberi kontrak menyiapkan fasa 1 dengan kos pembinaan sebanyak RM420 juta.

Fasa satu merangkumi bangunan membeli-belah tujuh tingkat, enam tingkat bawah tanah dan hotel bajet mengandungi 157 bilik dengan 1,600 ruang letak kereta.

Menurut beliau, penerusan semula projek itu tidak melibatkan sebarang perubahan dari segi perancangan reka bentuk, saiz dan kos pembinaan.

``Projek ini tidak melibatkan pengecilan skala projek.

``Dua lagi fasa pembinaan bagaimanapun, akan diputuskan kemudian,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis penyerahan kontrak pembinaan kepada Global Upline di tapak projek Plaza Rakyat di sini hari ini.

Global Upline diwakili Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Dr. Sulaiman Daud dan disaksikan oleh

Datuk Bandar, Datuk Mohmad Shaid Mohd. Taufek.

Fasa kedua dan ketiga merangkumi bangunan pejabat 79 tingkat, 290 unit suit perniagaan meliputi 45 tingkat, 449 bilik hotel empat bintang dan stesen LRT (siap dalam tahun 1996).

Projek itu yang akan melengkapkan kawasan pelancongan popular Chinatown dan juga Bintang Walk, akan turut menggabungkan perkhidmatan kereta api, teksi dan bas menjadi satu pusat pengangkutan.

Sementara itu, Mohmad Shaid tidak dapat mengesahkan sama ada Plaza Rakyat akan kekal dengan matlamatnya untuk menggantikan fungsi Hentian Puduraya sebagai terminal bas dan teksi kepada warga kota.

Sebelum ini, projek pembinaan dilakukan oleh syarikat Korea Selatan, Daewoo Corporation dan telah melakukan sebanyak 30 peratus pembinaan sebelum krisis kewangan serantau merencatkan projek.

PRSB adalah anak syarikat miliki penuh Wembley Industries Holdings Bhd. yang telah disenaraikan sebagai syarikat PN4 dan kini sedang melakukan proses penyusunan semula hutangnya.

Pek Khiing berkata, pihaknya menjangkakan proses penyusunan semula itu diselesaikan pada Januari tahun depan.

Baru-baru ini, Wembley mengumumkan empat cadangannya diluluskan oleh Jawatankuasa Pelaburan Asing (FIC) yang merangkumi pengurangan dan penyusunan modal, penyusunan semula hutang, terbitan hak dan meningkatkan modal saham yang layak.

Kelulusan itu diberikan dengan mengambil pertimbangan kepada kemungkinan penyertaan Daewoo Corporation dalam cadangan penyusunan semula hutang.

Kelulusan FIC juga termasuk kelulusan bagi tambahan RM112 juta stok pinjaman tak boleh tebus boleh tukar tak bercagar (ICULS) dan 11.2 juta waran untuk diterbitkan kepada Daewoo selaras dengan penyusunan semula hutang.

Sementara itu, Dr. Sulaiman yang juga bekas Menteri Pertanian berkata, Global Upline walaupun baru, memiliki rekod pembinaan yang cemerlang untuk memastikan pembinaan Plaza Rakyat disempurnakan mengikut waktunya.

Katanya, Global Upline telah berjaya menyiapkan pembinaan auxillary coffer bagi Empangan Hidroelektrik Bakun bernilai RM70 juta selain pembinaan terminal lapangan terbang Miri dan Bintulu di Sarawak - Utusan Malaysia 10 Jun 2003

Balik KL - 26 Disember 2005

2005-12-27T11:03:00.000+08:00

Melaka Sentral - Hentian Puduraya RM 9.40

Home - Melaka Sentral RM 2.00

Trip ke Johor Bahru - 25 Disember 2005

2005-12-27T10:29:00.000+08:00

Johor Bahru - Melaka Sentral (Non stop) RM 14.60

Melaka Sentral - Johor Bahru (Non stop) RM 14.60

Awal Disember 2006

2005-12-19T10:08:00.000+08:00

Melaka - Kuala Lumpur RM 9.40

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Balik KL dengan Triton - Disember 2005

2005-12-13T09:27:00.000+08:00

Masjid Tanah - Kuala Lumpur RM 8.80

Kuala Lumpur - Melaka RM 9.40

Manifesto

2005-12-12T14:59:00.000+08:00

Demolish Hentian Puduraya, Develop Plaza Rakyat, Defend Pudu Jail...

Musnahkan Hentian Puduraya, Bangunkan Plaza Rakyat, Pertahankan Penjara Pudu...

Thats our struggle... Itu perjuangan kami... lets join Us!