Corruption

Last night I received an email from Lauren, a travel agent from New Zealand. She sent a tentative itinerary for my intended self-drive trip to New Zealand in April 2009 with my niece, Chom and my friends, Budin and Zah. It looks good. Unfortunately the local agents I have contacted take so long to respond to my request. MSL did respond but later it is nothing, as if my request doesn't exist. Udara promised to send me an itinerary and qoutation but until now I hear only a silence! Why is it our local travel agents are so slack and not customer-oriented? If they are not interested, isn't it easy for them to say sorry, we don't do that? I am going to give them until November. If there is no response I am going to accept NZ Firstlighttravel offer. They are very efficient and fast to respond and willing to tailor our needs and interest. It doesn't matter even if we have to pay a little bit more.

I had a good time driving across NZ south island in 2002 with my daughter, Ika. We spent less than Rm4,000 each for a 10 day trip there but the present estimate I received is double than that cost. Money really has become so small but I hope by the time I go there our exchange rate will be better. Insyaallah.

My friends, Indra and Jin, came to raya with me on Friday. We talked about a hundred of one things. These are my close friends and we used to travel and have fun together. We ended up talking about corruptions -how corrupt some government servants are. I was a government servant once and I definitely differ in my opinions. Yes, I have heard so many stories in papers and by words of mouth about corruption in government service. There is some racial implication behind that too.

Let me put this straight. People who have brain in their heads would apply the simple supply and demand principle. When there is demand, there is supply. When there are selfish people who are willing to pay for unethical favour, of course there be will supply - favour is granted for certain sum of money. I don't condone corruptions - it is wrong. But the worse culprits are the 'givers', not so much the 'takers'. Who are the 'givers'? Those arrogant and self-pompous people with money who think that everyone can be bought. I don't blame them as there are people who can be bought by money - greedy people.

There are laws against receiving any form of corruptions but why aren't there stiffer penalties for those who give? ( Sorry if I am wrong abt the law). The police force is doing the right thing. Book those who offer bribes and reward the personnel for doing so. The same simple principle should apply in government service. Report those who bribe and reward those officers who report. I think, there will be less corruption as there is no need to take money from stupid selfish people with a narrow mind who think with money they own the world. I know there are a lot of dignified government servants who work sincerely and with loyalty to this country. I salute them and hope they will go on, regardless of what the public say.

Talk about corruption, do you think it happens only in government service? The private sector is just as bad. At my place, my complains will take weeks and months to be taken care of. I pay the service charge every month faithfully but do you think I get the service as promised? I know if I pay a little bit of money, they will do it immediately. I have seen this. But I am not going to put myself so low as them. I write stinking letters instead, for records. I don't care whether I am liked or not.

So I appeal to the government, punish those who give bribes too and publicise it so that people will realize who are the real culprits. There is no point publicising the 'takers' - put those who 'give' to shame as well. Then only we know who are the worse people of all.

Well, it is a busy raya for me, yesterday too. My daughter Maz and son-in-law, Hazri, came after coming back from Terengganu. My cousins and her children were here as well. I met the children when they were little and now one of them is married with two children. So onother of my personal missions to look for lost relatives have been realized.

So for those who read my blog especially my ex-students, be smart - do not let yourself be trampled. 'Sabar' is a virtue but you are too 'sabar' people will walk all over you. You are young, learn to assert yourself because you have self-worth.

Our future is in our own hand.