The Choicest Rotten Meat (2)

Sex Business Is Booming In Singapore      
By Philip Lim 

SINGAPORE, Friday 4 March 2011 (AFP) - Standing outside a harmless-looking two-storey terrace house, a middle-aged man with a balding pate and wispy white goatee greets people walking by with a constant refrain.

"You want to see my girl? Come in, come in!" he exhorts every man in sight, pointing to skimpily-clad Asian prostitutes waiting in a softly-lit sitting room along a back street in Geylang, Singapore's red-light district.
The tout says more than 50 customers patronise his business daily.

"Our customers are international, anybody can come as long as they can pay," he says, brushing aside a reporter's suggestion that the police might not approve of his operation.

"We're legal!" he scoffs loudly.

Despite its prudish reputation -- the government still bans magazines like Playboy and Penthouse -- Singapore allows prostitution to thrive in strictly designated areas, and Geylang is the largest and most famous.

Brothels operating out of houses -- one calls itself "Heaven on Earth" -- operate in the district alongside budget hotels, sidewalk cafes, community associations and even Buddhist temples.

Despite the presence of legal prostitution, foreign women on short-term visitor passes also ply their trade on the streets and lanes of Geylang, and there seems to be enough business for everyone.

More than a fifth of the island state's population of five million are foreigners, the majority of them blue-collar and manual workers.

And one million tourists a month now visit Singapore thanks to a booming casino industry.
The local sex trade came under the spotlight in June last year when the US State Department downgraded Singapore in its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

The report said some women from China, the Philippines and Thailand were tricked into coming to the city-state with promises of legitimate employment and then coerced into the sex trade after arrival.

Singapore authorities issued an indignant reply, saying their efforts to curb trafficking had not slackened and asking the US government to look at its own immigration record before commenting on other countries' situations.

In Geylang's licensed brothels, customers pay an average of Sg$50 ($38) for sex inside cramped cubicles, according to operators who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Their primary customers are the masses of testosterone-driven guest workers from China, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.

Business is best on weekends when hordes of foreign men on their day off throng its narrow lanes looking for fun.

Like other businesses in Singapore, the sex trade has clear rules.

Brothels can only hire Malaysian, Thai and Chinese girls between the ages of 21 and 27, said one tout.

Prostitutes are also required to make customers wear condoms and report for monthly medical check-ups, he added.

Streetwalker Dan Dan, a Beijing native who refused to disclose her real name, said an increased presence of plainclothes police was deterring customers from taking up her 100-dollar "guaranteed good" service.

Foreign women like Dan Dan who work freelance in the sex trade and bring customers to motel rooms cannot be arrested unless they are caught offering their services out in the street, or violate immigration and other laws.

For a first offence, Dan Dan faces a fine of up to Sg$1,000 if she is caught soliciting in public, with subsequent convictions carrying higher fines and potential jail terms.

But Dan Dan, who has been working Geylang's alleys since she came to Singapore three months ago, said she was willing to brave the consequences.

"The money's good on busy days," she said.

Local women's rights activist Braema Mathi advocates protection of prostitutes in Singapore and closer regulation of the industry.

"All we want is for the women to be protected and not judge them for the work that they have decided to take on," she told AFP.

"We believe that one of the better ways to protect women is to ensure that they work in licensed brothels, where there is a fee structure and condoms," Mathi added.

"This way the women can be protected from exploitation and from succumbing to diseases."

With a regulated sex industry, Singapore authorities can turn their attention to women forced into prostitution, she said.

"We see more women in the trade and definitely not all of them are willing."

Source: My SinChew - March 4, 2011

****** 

The Brothel in Singapore: Karin's True Story of Slavery 
by Amanda Kloer


Traffickers lure victims in a number of ways, but one common technique is to promise a job opportunity, often abroad.  Sometimes, that job turns out to be slavery in the industry the promised job was in, and sometimes that job is forced prostitution.  This is the story of Karin, from the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Karin, a young mother of two, was looking for a job in Sri Lanka when a man befriended her and convinced her that she could land a better job in Singapore as a waitress. He arranged and paid for her travel. A Sri Lankan woman met Karin upon arrival in Singapore, confiscated her passport, and took her to a hotel. The woman made it clear that Karin had to submit to prostitution to pay back the money it cost for her to be flown into Singapore. Karin was taken to an open space for sale in the sex market where she joined women from Indonesia, Thailand, India, and China to be inspected and purchased by men from Pakistan, India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. The men would take the women to nearby hotels and rape them. Karin was forced to have sex with an average of 15 men a day. She developed a serious illness and three months after her arrival was arrested by the Singaporean police during a raid on the brothel. She was deported to Sri Lanka.

Sadly, not many stories of trafficking end happily, or even with the victim getting needed services.  Karin's story illustrates the vast work which needs to still be done.

Source: News.change.org - April 1, 2009

The Choicest Rotten Meat

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ 

"GLORY be to GOD Who made HIS Servant to go by night from the Sacred mosque (Mecca) 

to the Farthest Mosque (Jerusalem) 
Of which 

We have Blessed the Precincts, 

so that We may show to Him some of Our Signs; 

surely HE is the Hearing, the Seeing." 

Al-Qur'an - Surah Al-Isra': 1 

******

Prophet Muhammad sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam was ascending the sky with Gabriel 'alaihis salam during Isra' Mi'raj (yesterday was Rejab 27).

He s.a.w. saw those, although in front of them were excellent meats in pots, they chose the putrid and foul ones.
They would eat from the foul and rotten meat, and would not touch the good meat.
Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. asked Gabriel a.s., 

"What is this, O Jibril?"

to which he replied, 

"These are the men from Your community. 
They have excellent, lawful wife at home, but chose unlawful women to spend their nights with.

And the women would leave their excellent, lawful husband, to go and spend their nights with foul men."

******

Marriage and family life are protected by very strong rules, because every goodness comes through marriage.

"And among HIS Signs is this, 

that HE created you (Adam) from dust,

and then (Hawa' [Eve] from Adam's rib, 

and then his offspring from the semen, and), 

- behold you are human beings scattered!

And among HIS Signs is this, 

that HE created for you wives from among yourselves, 

that you may find repose in them, 

and HE has put between you affection and mercy. 

Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. 

And among HIS Signs 

is the creation of the heavens and the earth, 

and the difference of your languages and colours. 

Verily, 

in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." 

Al-Qur'an Surah Ar-Ruum 20 - 22 

******

Family is the foundation of society.

The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued, and seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members.

Children are priceless treasures.

Living in a harmonious family, they rarely want to leave home before marriage.
Some chose to remain staying with their parents after marriage.

A Muslim girl can never be forced to marry against her will, but her parents can suggest suitable men.
Female, weather single or married, is an individual in her own right.
A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use.

She keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's.

Prophet Muhammad sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam had said, 

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers 

is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."

A Muslim marriage is not a 'sacrament', but just a simple, legal agreement but which is often made complicated by tradition.

Divorce, although not forbidden, is only taken as the last resort as, 

"Enter upon matrimony. but do not divorce your wives, since divorce shakes the very Throne Of GOD."

Yes, divorce between husband and wife shakes the 'Arasy'.
'Arasy is ALLAH S.W.T.'s 'Throne'.

Surely!!!
Divorce really, really anger the Creator.
If not, why thus the 'Arasy' is shaken?

******

The satan Daasim stations itself at doorways.
Whose house upon entry is without salam, Daasim's duty is to cause conflict between household members - men, wives and families.

Those who were and are caught offguard, Daasim triumph when it leads to violence and it won trophy when it results divorces between couples.

Then there is 'Awar, who encourages adultery.

******

A close friend do not see any wrong in his adulterous way.

He admitted frankly, he has to lead that kind of life, to complete his living.

The wife had encouraged another marriage for him.

But, relationship outside marriage is a thrill beyond expression.

Just like food, he craves varieties!

Why is that so?

The wife had often dream of their home being barged into.

Often she would sense a woman loitering around the lift-landing, or nearer home, at the gate.

Other time, her daughter just tell the mother there's someone near the shoe rack.

The wife did mention what she saw and sense to the husband, but he just refuse any changes made to his life.

When asked to go for counselling, he said, he knows more than the wife knew not. 

“Do as You please in this world, Oh Muhammad, 

But remember, 

You will be accountable for all that You do. 

And live as You please in this world, Oh Muhammad, 

But remember, 
One day, You will taste death. 

And love whom You please in Your life, Oh Muhammad, 

But remember, 

One day, You will part with Your loved one in death.” 

Jibrail a.s. said to the Prophet s.a.w.

Another Phase Of 'Living'

The excavator suddenly stopped when it hit a hard surface.

The road widening project had to be stopped for a few days because the heavy machinery operator was 'suddenly sick and had to be cured'.

The hard object that was hit was a wood that used to cover the body.
Excavation of the graveyard site brought to a halt.

A grandfather claimed the uncorrupted body in the affected grave belonged to his teacher who taught Al-Qur'an reading when he was small.

******

Nora*, who is currently staying with My Mother, asked if I believe her above story that happened around her area.

She then asked My opinion about her Indonesia's fourth president Gus Dur, to which I replied, since the man is already dead, he is not telling lies to have showed 'himself', unlike us, living beings.
How a person lived his life shows in his death too.

Heavy rain in February this year, had caused earth that covered his dead body to wash away.

His kafan, the white shroud, was exposed, still white as it was, and his whole body still remained intact, although he passed away last December 30, 2009.

****** 

Four months before Gus Dur's death, Jakarta was abuzz when it was found August 2, deceased Haji Abdullah Mukminin, a Tangerang, Jakarta resident, his face is as usual.
His body still remain intact, although his hair had whitened.

Even though the area of Batu Ceper, where the body was buried, is known to be swampy, the white cloth that covered his body is as was first buried, but with slight dirt.

There is no indication of decaying or insect bite to the camphor wood that covered the body for 26 years.

******

In 2007, the place was needed by Tangerang authority for road widening of Jalan Benda, Juru Mudi, and Batu Ceper, along Cianjane River, leading right up to Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

Nothing could be done to An-Najat Musolla and Haji Abdullah Mukminin gravesite, except both places have had to give way.

But work in Batu Ceper, supposed to be in January 2009, was only carried out in August.

Even before the relocation of the body, heavy machineries had been unable to function.
There was delay in the demolishing work on the musola, the praying area, and the relocation of Haji Abdullah Mukminin's body.

Excavators had repeatedly broken down.

Contractors had no other choice except to sit down to seek agreement from the deceased family members.

The praying area, on wakaf land, if brought down, surely will be missed by Haji Abdullah's family, as it was built by Haji Abdullah since the 50s.
The neighbourhood really wanted a place to pray.

The musolla had several times, its area was  extended and reconstructed.
The land, priced at Rp 500,000 / metre, excluding properties on it, but the family of Haji Abdullah refused compensation.

Instead, the family requested authority to rebuilt a new musolla at nearby Juru Mudi area, for locals still be able to perform their prayers.

And, An-Najat Musolla, could only be brought down using hammer and crowbar.
Strictly no heavy machinery allowed.

The cost of relocation of Haji Abdullah's body, however, was borne by his family although authority offered in footing the bill.

******

The deceased third son, Achmad Fathi, had several times observed relocation of bodies at Karet Bivak Cemetery, in Central Jakarta.

Hence he followed the normal preparation for his father, three containers of water, meant for washing whatever remains of bones of the father before relocation, and nine pieces of woodcuts 70 cm x 30 cm, meant for the bones' segregation.

But the preparation was not used, as his father, born December 16, 1919, buried Oktober 22, 1983, found August 2, 2009, was not only as if just being buried, but gave out aromatic atmosphere all around.

A loud ALLAAHU Akbar was simultaneously exclaimed by those witnessing HIS Greatness.

******

Suddenly there was a very big crowd gathered at the scene while work was going on.

Thousands gathered at the scene.
From where all these people came from?

No information was given to outsiders, not even the deceased students, as it was supposed to be strictly a family affair, with no more than 20 family members.

The sudden crowd had led to an unusual traffic jam, up to five kilometres away.

The body is now laid to rest in-front of son, Achmad Fathi's house, just 15 metres away from the previous location, with remains of two other family members, wife Maswani who passed away in 1980, and their second son, M Syurur.

The burial site will be extended as there are now, more people came to pay their visit.
The number kept increasing after the news of Haji Abdullah travelled further.

******

It was in the badminton court size An-Najat Musolla that Haji Abdullah taught his students since the 50s.

He spent his living days learning and teaching.

After five years learning from his teacher, Kiai Mursan, the teacher urged him to go to Mecca, where he later spent seven years studying in Darul Ulum.

His teacher in Mecca, Syekh Yasin, from Padang in West Sumatera, then requested him to return to Indonesia, to start educating society, especially in his area, Batu Ceper, Tangerang.
It was around the time of the Second World War, 1939 to 1945.

Haji Abdullah shared his knowledge from within the compound of his house, in informal meetings, unlike the pesantren ways of today.

Class in An-Najat would start after Magrib till 9pm.

Students would normally spent their nights in the musolla.
Not only spiritual learning, students were also taught about farming in the day.

******

Then in 1973, Haji Abdullah was requested to head Tangerang's religious court.

Although a Syari'ah court judge, he still rode his bicycle to his working place, 10 km away.


Haji Abdullah passed away in Oktober 22, 1983, due to  kidney failure.

He was buried behind the An-Najat Musolla, as requested.

Although he had built Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Islahuddiniyah in the 70s, but it was the An-Najat Musolla that he was fond of, the beginning of his preaching world.

He then built Al Taqwa and Teachers Foundation, not far from his house.                                                                    
The school is still brimming with students until today.

Al Faatihah

Pusara Abadi, The Forever Cemetery

A day after "Not Just 'Imam Muda' But Eternal Leader" was published here, my eldest sister called to say my mother wanted to visit Ustaz Taha's graveyard.

Ustaz appeared in my mother's sleep and showed her, his very big white house he is currently in.

Did Ustaz know I mentioned him?
GOD Knows Best.

So on Tuesday, we were at Pusara Abadi, the forever cemetery, at Jalan Bahar in Choa Chu Kang.

On the way there, I was told that the wife of Ustaz Osman Jantan, Ustazah Chik Syed Othman, had just passed away the day before.
Her husband, the late Ustaz Osman Jantan passed away just 2 weeks ago, June 7, at age 74.

I had never used his family's travel service, Hahnemann Travel and Tour, but my father, after his retirement, had several times travel to Mecca with ustaz.
Even my younger brother used Hahnemann's service for His musafir Haj.

I take this opportunity to mention my heartfelt thanks to the late Ustaz Osman Jantan.

His knowledge is blessed and passed on, as I had been using his history book, 'Kisah Khalifah-Khalifah Rasyidin' almost twenty years for my Sunday class. 

I had tried changes to other books, followed the IRK (Islamic Religious Knowledge) syllabus, but found the book by Ustaz Osman Jantan was easily understood by students. 

Not forgetting Ustaz Ahmad Sonhaji Mohamad, who passed away last year, August 12. 
His book, 'Mari Sembahyang', I had been using since small, and used it for the Sunday class too. 

Both men's writings are indeed valuable to the young generation. 

The Prophet Muhammad sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam taught that 

three things continue to benefit a (believing) person even after death: 

*charity - which he had given (which continues to benefit others), 

*beneficial knowledge - which he had left behind (authored or taught), and 

*supplication (du'a) - on his behalf by a righteous child. 

- Narrated by Sahih Muslim  

****** 

Before we went to Ustaz Taha's place, we visited my father's.

My eldest sister asked Putra, the man who cleaned around my father's area, to plant a basil tree on the grave.

We then proceeded to visit Ustaz Taha.

True enough, his resting place is white all around, with basil tree on it.
I was told even on his wife's grave site, Ustazah Enon, who is at the same block as my father, there is also a basil tree.

We had a hard time locating my younger sister, who passed away on November 2003, 16th Ramadhan.
Her grave is somewhere beside the last year's relocation of those from nearby Pusara Aman.

Since she has more neighbours now, we asked Putra's assistance to help locating her place as we will be there again, GOD willing, tomorrow.

Although at the same block with my sister, we had to miss out Ustaz Syed Abdillah Ahmad AlJufri, who passed away January 4, 2003, as it was almost noon, and we have had more sites to go.

It is Ustaz Syed Abdillah's reminder that I hold on strongly until today, to recite the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, whenever we are unable to finish the Qur'an.  

The Messenger Muhammad (sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)

believes in what has been sent down to Him from His LORD, 

and (so do) the believers. 

Each one believes in ALLAH, 
HIS Angels, HIS Books, and HIS Messengers. 

They say, 
"We make no distinction between one another 
of HIS Messengers" 

- and they say, "We hear, and we obey. 

(We seek) 
YOUR Forgiveness, our LORD, and to YOU is the return (of all)." 

ALLAH burdens not a person beyond his scope. 

He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, 

and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. 

"Our LORD! 

Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, 

our LORD! 

Lay not on us a burden like that which YOU did lay on those before us; 

our LORD! 

Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. 

Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. 

Have Mercy on us. 

YOU are our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving people." 

- Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 285 - 286

******

Ustaz Syed Abdillah was once asked his daily surah, to which he replied was Surah Al-Faatihah, Aayatul Qursi and Surah Al-Ikhlas all recited seven times every dawn and dusk.

******

Around two years after Ustaz Abdillah's passing away, I was talking to a man who is still working part-time, supervising grave diggers, to share with Me, of his most memorable episode while working at the cemetery plot.

Seeing fleeing corpses just after burial with burnt and tattered clothes is a normal sight to him. 

Some fled with raging red fire burning ferociously behind them.

But there was once, even after several alterations made, the grave was always very much bigger than the normal size.

After more exhausted but failed trials, nothing they can do about what GOD wanted it to be.

They finally left the ample site as it was, as the spacious grave belonged to none other than Ustaz Syed Abdillah Ahmad AlJufri.

Even during the jenazah prayer, 5,000 attendees were at the Sultan Mosque.

Though the great teacher had left us eight years ago, but his teaching "here, about the importance of daily prayer" lives on...

******

While Putra was cleaning my grandmother's site, I asked him to share with me of a site which turned him on.

Yes, it is a site in Block 16, where he usually hear from far, a woman reciting versus from Al-Qur'an.
But he is not too sure in which grave site she really is, although there is luminous light glowing from faraway.

It reminded me of my eldest sister, who was shown a site where a woman, Raja Zubaidah, was buried.

Ayer Gemuruh Cemetery was near Changi, where fishermen in the early 60s and I think the 70s, passed by, on their way to the sea.
It was a usual before dawn hearing of Al-Qur'an recitation from where Raja Zubaidah was buried.
Her body was said to be sleep-like when exhumed.

My eldest brother was at Ayer Gemuruh Cemetery too, when these 'people' were to be relocated around the late 70s or early 80s.
One of the corpses, said to be a rich a woman, had her hair and fingernails entwined her 'body'...

My mother, when she was around 6 or 7 years old, (pre-Japanese occupation, I guess) used to see 'a man sleeping, not dead, in his not covered grave' at Bukit Larangan, Fort Canning Hill.

The 'sleeping man', she claimed, is Sultan Raja Iskandar Shah.
Parameswara? before became a Muslim?.

I had several times went up Fort Canning when I went to the National Library during my schooling days in the 70s, but never did I see 'a sleeping man'.

Even now, several times when weddings took place at Fort Canning Hill, I never missed going to the site.
Maybe one of these days, I'll see 'the sleeping man'?
GOD willing.

******

My eldest sister wanted basil tree to be planted at my grandmother's site.

Why basil? I asked My Mother.
It is because, she said, basil or selasih is not called selasih to Javanese, its selawat.

But basil is also used in funeral rites and planted on graves in many different cultures.
I'll do my own search till then.

******

In the mean time, I am still thinking of Siput binti Dolah.

Despite always being portrayed as a cruel woman, Siput binti Dolah, or Siput Sarawak, mother of the famous Anita Sarawak, must be a very good woman at heart during her living days.

Her grave site is just 3 plots away from Ustaz Taha.
Being a very close neighbour to Ustaz Taha, Allahyarhamah Siput binti Dolah is sure guaranteed Ustaz's syafa'ah, his intercession...

My day will come too, for sure.
But can I choose my closest neighbour?

Al-Faatihah         

Of MACS And A Surprising Immigration Officer

"...Tolong tengok autogate MACS, autogate MACS, rosak."

A female immigration officer was calling for s.o.s. at the other end of the line at about 8.30 Tuesday morning, two days ago.
I could not believe what I heard and what I saw as My passport was being verified by another officer sitting at her post in-front of the caller within the working booth.

Then when I looked over at the mentioned autogate, GOD, at least one of the three white elephant autogates at that special lanes set up for MACS holders was finally in operation again.
Wasn't that fantastic?
Two positive incidences in the early morning sure is a good sigh ahead as I was on My way to visit the late Ustaz Taha's graveyard.

******

The development of Iskandar region led to another development, the Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS), developed to cater fast-track immigration clearance for investors.

The system was finally open to all residents from the Island Republic sometime in April 2009, who had earlier been issued with the relevant long term immigration pass and frequent travellers within Malaysia and Singapore.

Authority hopes MACS helps to enhance border integrity with the utilisation of the combination of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and biometric verification technology.
The authority was confident that this would ease the congestion at both Customs, Immigration and Quarantine in Bukit Chagar and the Second Link.

Thus 100,000 stickers that costs each applicant RM30 for a yearly fee was already prepared for those who were interested in using the MACS.

Even if more Singaporeans apply for the sticker embedded with a RFID chip, clearance at the check point will definitely still flowing smoothly.
It will still expedite clearance at the checkpoints.

Long queues are norm at the checkpoints but timing is crucial for frequent Causeway and 2nd Link daily travellers.

Buntings were put up at strategic locations around the CIQ Bukit Chagar to spread information relating to the system to ensure that more people were aware of the facility.

I was approached and adviced many, many times to take up for it by the immigration officers on duty.

Yes, others, and immigration officers too, wonder although I had already put up in JB close to 30 years, never even once had I applied for permanent residency.
Until today, I do not see the need to apply for it.
But yes, I renew my RM90 Social Visit Pass yearly.

After a few more advise from the immigration officers, I know could not be too stubborn, so the long process of getting one began.
When MACS was first introduced to ordinary frequent travellers, application was only via online.

After several days of failed attempts, I went to see the processing officer at the MACS One Stop Center at the CIQ building in Bukit Chagar, only to be told that the url shown was wrongly printed.

After being provided with the new ones, I was told to apply online again.
Again I could not access the website, as the internet connection and loading was really bad.

For the third time I was told to apply online.
When I told the officer that I almost gave up, then one of them decided to do it on My behalf.
So, I am one of the MACS holder too, since August 2009.

I realised while waiting for My application to be approved, there were many applications from mainland China too.

Honestly, it is good for frequent travellers to apply for MACS, as there will be no more white cards to be filled.
Passport usage will be prolonged too as there is no more entrance and stamp needed.

MACS was supposed to be just touch and go through the checkpoint.

The fast-track facilitation system was supposed to take less than three seconds of users' time to get through the immigration checks.
Users just has to swipe the passport onto a scanner before placing his thumb onto a reader to pass through special entry and exit MACS lanes.

If what was earlier informed, gazetted and printed out was the truth and the truth is honoured, MACS holders are supposed to benefit faster immigration autogate processing.

Alas, at any given time, since the first day I became the user, not all the three autogates were in operation.
But that's quite ok if I trade-in the hassle of no more white cards to be filled.

At least there was one scanner in operation, although it was always the guessing game, guessing which one of the three was usable, as there was never an indication or any notes in place that the autogate or the scanner was down.

Everytime I travelled by Myself, I had to make a wild search for the functioning scanner as officers were never helpful, even if their working station was just beside the all the time down, down, down the special 3 lanes for MACS holders.

There were many times I approached them asking about the 'all the time' down autogates and scanners, to which their reply were usually,  

'dia memang macam gitu.'
So it was like that all the time!!!

But the bunting to remind MACS holders to go to lane 18 was never removed elsewhere although the lanes were never in use for more than a year.

I went back queuing at lanes meant for white card users, sans the white card.
And the officers on duty never once asked why not passed through the designated lanes after all the money spent for the installation of the necessary infrastructure with thumbprint readers.

I wonder if the two companies assigned to administer the autogates are still operational, as  

“Dua syarikat berkenaan adalah Hi-Tech Padu Berhad yang bertanggungjawab dalam kerja penyelenggaraan dan Iris Corporation Bhd. yang mereka perisian sistem itu sudah berjanji untuk melaksanakan tugas mereka dengan baik.
“Malah, mereka juga menyatakan kesanggupan ditamatkan kontrak sekiranya berlaku sebarang masalah pada sistem itu.”

quoted from Utusan, March 3, 2010.

The two companies were given three months for upgrading the country's 125 autogates, including Johor Bahru.

******

Even after it was reported in Utusan in April 5, 2010 that the number of autogates were added to the already existed at the CIQ building in Bukit Chagar, the MACS autogates remained indifferent. 

"Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Changi, Singapura telah dipilih sebagai lapangan terbang terbaik dunia tetapi mereka kalah kepada kita dari segi Jabatan Imigresen.
"Kejayaan ini merupakan hasil usaha berterusan Jabatan Imigresen untuk memberi perkhidmatan terbaik kepada setiap pengguna,"

Well said.

****** 

MACS Di Tambak Johor Gagal?

TO SINGAPORE WIT LUV

Johor Bahru 

MALAM Jumaat seperti biasa saya masuk ke Singapura untuk mengambil isteri yang tinggal di sana dan juga warga Singapura. Jam di radio kereta menunjukkan pukul 12.20 malam.

Bangga melalui CIQ Sultan Iskandar yang baru walaupun sudah kelihatan ada kerosakan yang berlaku; jalan berlubang, jalan tidak rata, palang keluli kaunter sudah rebah.

Dari atas jambatan bengkok yang saya banggakan itu sudah kelihatan lampu kereta dari arah Woodlands, sepanjang tambak hingga ke CIQ kita, sangkut tidak bergerak.

Kenapa ia berlaku? Sepatutnya dengan kemudahan berbilion ringgit menggunakan wang rakyat, perkara ini perlu dielakkan.

Ini adalah imej negara, pintu masuk dari selatan yang berjiran dengan negara maju sepatutnya mesti sangat efisien dalam urusannya.

Pagi Sabtu esoknya pukul 6, saya berbual dengan isteri sebelum balik ke Johor Bahru. Saya ceritakan kesesakan yang berlaku malam tadi.

Kata isteri saya, masalahnya ialah kerana ramai yang tidak menggunakan Sistem Kawalan Automasi Keluar Masuk Malaysia (MACS). Isteri saya biasanya menaiki bas ke Johor Bahru, dia diperlukan mengimbas dua jari telunjuk untuk masuk ke Malaysia, perlu tunggu pelekat dicetak dan ditampal pada pasport, itulah punca sesak di tambak dan CIQ Malaysia.

Pagi itu saya mengalami sendiri keadaan ini, berderet kereta di kaunter pemeriksaan. Kelihatan ramai pelawat keluar dari kereta berpendaftaran Singapura untuk mengimbas jari telunjuk mereka, sesak lagi.

Bayangkan jika satu MPV memuatkan tujuh orang (itu yang belum kapasiti 12 orang dan kebanyakan warga Singapura menggunakan MPV), semua kena keluar untuk imbas jari mereka di kaunter yang direka bentuk untuk laluan kereta sahaja.

Bayangkan masa yang diperlukan untuk urusan ini. Betul-betul lambat, rimas dan melecehkan.

Persoalannya? Adakah mereka yang bertanggungjawab dalam mengendalikan sistem ini tidak nampak, ambil ringan dan tidak berfikir dengan fikiran yang logik betapa sistem yang tidak relevan ini semakin membuat Tambak Johor sesak teruk, (walaupun dicanangkan ia hanya mengambil masa 1 minit 20 saat bagi seorang pelawat) mereka seharusnya boleh berfikir kerana mereka bekerja di situ setiap hari.

Tiadakah pegawai peringkat tinggi yang terlibat dapat memberi maklum balas dengan keadaan ini.

Mereka seharusnya tahu, ini adalah laluan pemeriksaan Malaysia-Singapura, dengan pelawat dan trafik kenderaan berpuluh ribu sehari, keadaan pasti berbeza dengan mana-mana CIQ yang lain.

Sepatutnya sistem ini semakin membantu walaupun dikhabarkan sistem ini sangat bagus.

Bagus kalau lambat dan tidak relevan tidak berguna juga.

Itulah yang sepatutnya difikirkan sebelum sistem ini dibeli dan digunakan.

Dipendekkan cerita. Pada saya sebagai pemerhati dan isteri sebagai pelawat, sistem ini adalah gagal dalam memudahkan urusan serta menjadi kritikan sinis dan gelak para pelawat.

Paling yang tidak digemari ia menjejaskan imej negara, itu yang pasti.

Source: Utusan - June 7, 2011

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Although the writer above drove his car, and I travelled on public transport, but that was the level of frustration one can have, after billions spent.

Technology and infrastructures already in place were not only fully utilised, not only under used, but not used and not appreciated at all.

Luckily for the recently introduced scanner system, rectification was quick.
Just given the extra extension to the biometric scanners, congestion had been cut, and no more? holding snaking traffic.

****** ****** ******

After alighting from the bus from Singapore, I swerved to the extreme right from the escalator.
I walked straight to the MACS lanes, eager to use the 'reusable at last' scanners when I reached CIQ Bukit Chagar, but had forgotten for a while the way to do it.

After was shown the way to scan My passport by a man, I asked him since when the autogates and the scanners were operational.
He said it was just recently after the much brouhaha at the CIQ.

So, there is always a blessing in disguise.

But he assured Me, things will repeat itself, it's a cycle, a normal cycle.

But I hope lesson has been learnt, and everybody concerned, learnt it well.

Although there were some 12.7 million Singaporeans visited Malaysia last year, with 330,000 day trippers, the 100,000 MACS stickers are yet to be taken up.

To the female immigration officer whom I should have noted down her name, but too shocked seeing her initiative for calling the maintenance, your effort is acknowledged here.

Your calling s.o.s. is much appreciated, and a very BIG THANK YOU for doing your job!  

What's Up, Doc?

26-year-old Mohd Noor Azam Mohd Nazri, of Taman Bunga Raya first went missing on May 3 after a red tudung-clad woman tapped him on his forehead inside a lift in Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar at 6.30am.

The trainee doctor found himself at the Sungai Petani City Square shopping complex two days later.
His mobile phone and RM500 were missing.

As he was walking to the hospital car park on May 12, the same woman was believed to approach him again.
This time, he found himself at the Kuala Kedah jetty two days later.
He lost his watch and RM300.

After the young doctor went missing on two occasions after being tapped on his forehead by a mysterious young woman clad in a red tudung, he went missing for the third time.
His mother, Natrah Shaari believed that the same woman was behind it.

Dr Mohd Noor Azam turned up for work at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Kedah on that Tuesday, May 16.
But when his father, Mohd Nazri Wan Senik, came to fetch him in the evening, he was nowhere to be found.

The father tried to contact him but his calls went unanswered.

The father then went to the ward where he was normally on duty but was told that he had not turned up for work that day.

The father was very sure that when he sent him to work earlier that day, the son was fully attired as a houseman.
He had no idea that the son did not report for duty that day.

The Moscow Medical Academy graduate is on a year of housemanship at the hospital since October last year.

Mother of Noor Azam lodged a report at the Kubang Pasu police headquarters.
She was worried that something bad might have happened to him.
She claimed him as a good son.

The doctor was found 26 days later, after security guards at a supermarket in Kuantan, Pahang, caught him for failing to pay his bill.

Dr Mohd Noor Azam Mohd Nazri who went missing from his home in northern Malaysia peninsula Kedah for almost a month, claimed that he had been hypnotised by the mysterious girl in a red tudung before the incident.
He said the same girl had also been responsible for his past two disappearances.

Safe and sound: Dr Mohd Noor is glad to be home with his parents Mohd Nazri Wan Senik and Natrah Shaariat. – Bernama
 

Dr Mohd Noor remembered the girl's promise to release him on Saturday, June 11, which was the day he was to get engaged.

He was found after security guards at a supermarket in Pahang caught him for failing to pay his food he had had.

When both parents met their son at the Kuantan police station, he was wearing clothes belonging to someone else.

He was carrying a bag which was not his, too.
The doctor was carrying a bag containing, among others, a toothbrush, a comb and hair oil when he was found.

He expressed shock when told that he had been missing for almost a month.

He just heard voices instructing him and he thought he had been missing for four days only.

He arrived to to his senses only after he was stopped by the security guards at the shopping complex in Kuantan.

The 26-year-old claimed to have been approached by the girl, but had no other recollection of what happened to him.
He did not even know how he arrived in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

He just heard voices of instruction.
All he could remember was a familiar voice as he heard before.

His parents were informed that the son had withdrawn money from an ATM machine in Kuantan.

Let These 'Ah Long' Do Their Work

Loan Sharks Listen To Man’s Wife
By ZALINAH NOORDIN

GEORGE TOWN: A group of loan sharks, in a rare show of diplomacy, sat down with the wife of a man who had borrowed money from them and listened to her side of the story.

The woman, a marketing and sales executive, who only wanted to be known as Lim, said the men were not aggressive towards her and only said they would wait for her husband to return after learning he was not in the country.

She said the loan sharks who came to her apartment in Tanjung Bungah had actually shown some empathy, unlike others she had read about who use ruthless means to get their money back.

Lim, 37, said her husband left her a note on March 1 to say he was leaving for China to start a business there to settle his debts.

She said the Ah Long had told her that her husband had borrowed RM14,000 from them.

She learnt that her husband had initially borrowed RM30,000 from the same people but the amount was settled by his parents.

“I was surprised they understood my situation and told me they would wait for him (Lim's husband) to come back,” she said at a press conference at the MCA public complaints bureau here yesterday.

“All I want is for my husband to return to pay off the debts and the housing loan payments that had not been paid since last October,” she said, adding the apartment was about to be sealed off by the bank.

The bureau's deputy chief Lim Thoon Deong said Lim's husband told him that he needed more time to save up enough money to pay off the debts.

Source: The Star - June 17, 2011

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For every RM10,000 that My 2 doors away neighbour Laila* borrowed, before she get the money, RM3,000 will be straight away deducted.
With registration fee of RM25.00, Laila will only receive RM6, 975.

With that capital, Laila rolled to finance her evening food business, and feeding her family.
Every night after closing shop, the money lender will collect some money until the capital of RM10,000 was paid.
The RM3,000 earlier deducted was for the loan interest.

I was initially shocked when Laila detailed me her loan.
Two families sat together discussing ways for them to save on Ah Long interest.

Since the husband had promised to turn over a new leaf, and we wanted the family to save the RM3,000, we came up with fresh capital hoping that their food business, since starting afresh with interest-free capital, will bring greater fortune to the family.

The husband was initially ok, kept his promise, woke up early to go to the market.
Thus they were able to leave their house at 3pm, selling their arrays of dinner varieties of fish, meat, vegetables and their speciality, Laksa Kedah, earlier than usual at Sentosa.
They wrapped up early too, already home before midnight.

Laila had regular customers, mostly Chinese, as she cooked to their likings.
Occasionally I dropped by her working place early, just to see her customers already waiting for her to arrange the cooked food.
She had no problem having her cooking soldout every night.

Things went well initially, and Laila managed to put aside some money with Me when she made part-payment of the capital.
She knew business can flourish to the next level, if her husband manage the time well.

But when good money was rolling in, Laila was ashamed to tell Me that her husband bet more money in his 4D.
Things came back to square when rain never seem to stop and their customers were restricted to eat only at the 5foot way of rows of closed shops, not on closed car park.

Those were the days when she saw money depleting fast.
Even her saving with Me which she intended for her yearly trip up north to Kedah that usually cost her RM3,000 with 7 children tagging along, to visit her in-laws were taken too.

Big brother, Ah Long, came back into the picture.
Unlike the red paint splasher we used to read on papers, these Ah Long would sit and advice Laila on how to keep her family intact.

Yes, these Ah Long are intimidating people, but only to Laila's husband, to make him realise his duty as the head of his family.
He would use harsh words, showed his gangster way in front of Laila's husband and full of threat towards him.

But other than that, the Ah Long would bring gift of health tonic and food for My elderly neighbour, whose house the money lender would occasionally visit.
It was from where he observed that Laila's husband ran his duty.
Funny it may seem, but some men just prefer brutality than compassion.

It was after one of those 'Aidilfitri break some years ago.
After another fresh RM10,000 loan had just been made, Laila's husband sold the house and uprooted his family to Kedah.
The Ah Long was surprised at the silent move, the husband short term thinking for easily giving up good business premise and crowd of customers. 
Regular customers (My Family too), really miss Laila's cooking.

The Ah Long managed to track them, that sent shivers to Laila's husband, who had since become a lorry driver.
The Ah Long reminded the husband that if ever he heard that Laila had difficulties feeding her children because of the husband being lazy, he will not think twice to send men to chop his (Laila's husband) legs off.