Keeping Johor Bahru Clean (3)

Toilet Demolished

JOHOR BARU: A newly built public toilet located along the Jalan Skudai stretch near Pantai Lido was demolished by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) within 24-hours after the structure was completed.
The public toilet, costing thousands of ringgit, was completed on Thursday but was demolished the next day.

Gone: An excavator demolishing a newly completed public toilet located along Jalan Skudai in Johor Baru recently.

According to sources from MBJB, the city council had nothing to do with the construction of the public toilet as it was a project under the Iskandar Malaysia Regional Development Authority (Irda).
“The public toilet is part of Iskandar Malaysia’s coastal highway project and previously there was a public toilet in that area but it was demolished for the road widening project.
The stretch is a well-known place for the public and couples to loiter especially at night to enjoy the sea breeze and also for relaxation.

Source: The Star - Thursday, May 26, 2011

***Purely public interest to built and to demolish?

Luckily I'm no regular public toilet user.

Or if I were to use it, its either side of both Checkpoints, in Singapore or JB.

Another thing, travelling westwards to KL upwards I can have peace of mind. 

Public amenities are well maintained along PLUS roads.

It's an issues again, when going to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. 

Again, it's the toilet issue for me. 

More or less, similar situation as below:  

Pathetic Sight Of Sri Lalang, Mersing Public Toilets 
by Steven Chen

Picnickers visiting the Sri Lalang beach in Mersing felt ashamed to see the pathetic conditions of the public toilets there.
From the assessment made by Komunitikini, the damaged public toilets amenities have been left untouched for a long period of time.
Broken toilet bowls flooded with human wastes, water pipes leaking , drainage system choked with rubbish and the nauseating scent are just too unbearable for any picnickers.
One visitor to the area, Halimanton Abdullah, 17, said that she is not blaming anyone but just wanted the relevant authority to resolve the problem immediately.
She hoped that the relevant authority will rebuild the drainage system and the public toilets immediately as Mersing is a widely known as a tourist attraction area and the dismayed conditions of the public amenities is very damaging to the image of the town.
Eighteen years old Nazarudin Zainudin shared the same opinion and stronly urged the relevant authority to rebuild the public amenities without further delay.
Meanwhile, the secretary for the Mersing district council, Mohd. Johari Tarmizi said that the council is aware of the problem and the council is in the process of appointing a contractor to repair the damaged amenities soon.

Source: Komuniti Kini - March 17, 2011


***The above pathetic state reminds me of enforcement way many, many, many years ago read in NST  2003. 

Stiff Fines Soon For Not Flushing Public Toilets
Shahrum Sayuthi

JOHOR BARU, Aug 13: Failure to flush public toilets could mean a fine of RM1,000 under a new ruling to be enforced in Johor soon.
State Executive Councillor Datuk Jimmy Low Boon Hong said the penalty would be provided for under the Public Toilet By-law (Municipal/District Council) 2003.
The by-law, which was approved during the Johor Executive Council meeting chaired by Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman here today, is now awaiting endorsement by all 16 local authorities in the State.
"Once adopted by the various city, municipal and district councils, it will become effective immediately," said Low.
The ruling, which also provides for a RM1,000 fine for shop and restaurant owners with dirty toilets, makes Johor the first in the country to introduce such tough legislation. It also comes on the heels of the National Clean Toilet Campaign 2003 which was launched here last month. Following the event, the State Government formed "flying squads" comprising officials from local authorities and the Health Department to check on the cleanliness of public toilets.
Low, who heads the State Local Government Committee, said the by-law would be strictly enforced by local authorities as part of the Johor Government's drive to keep public toilets clean.
"The instruction to the local authorities is clear. They have to be serious in enforcing this by-law and make no exception against any offender," he told reporters after the State Exco meeting here today.
The by-law also provides for a maximum fine of RM1,000 for those who do not turn off the tap, damage facilities, draw graffiti or act indecently while using public toilets.
Low said copies of the bylaw with the stipulated penalties for the offences would be prominently displayed at all public toilets.
Low said the State Government had also instructed the local authorities to upgrade public toilets under their jurisdiction by fitting them with the more reliable "push button" flush systems.
He said the conventional individual flush tank system currently used at most public toilets was too prone to damage and harder to maintain.

The Maid - Unholy Acts In The Holiest Place (12)

Daring Escape (2)

Runaway Filipino Maid Claims She Was Raped  
By RODOLFO ESTIMO JR. 

RIYADH: A Filipino runaway staying in a villa some 250 km north of Riyadh has sought the assistance of the Philippine Embassy to get home, according to Vice Consul Roussel R. Reyes, Philippine Embassy officer–in-charge.
“The maid told us that she wanted to be with her two kids in the Philippines because she missed them,” he told Arab News on Wednesday.
He said that as soon as the staff of the embassy's Assistance to Nationals Section locate the villa where the maid and six other runaway maids are staying a team would be dispatched to ensure she is rescued.
The case of the maid, whose name is not being published to protect her privacy, was referred to the embassy after Arab News learned on Tuesday night that she wanted to go home.
Arab News contacted the maid after being notified of her situation by a community leader in Dammam.
The woman came to the Kingdom as a caregiver, but ended up as a maid earning SR800 a month.
Twelve days into this job, the sponsor returned her to the placement agency.
“My employer saw that working as maid, my nose was bleeding,” she said.
The agency was able to look for a job for her but worked for only 24 days because she claims her employer raped her.
“That was on Sept. 21, and on the same day I escaped and reported (the incident) to the agency, which did nothing when I complained that I was raped.
Eventually the agency got another job for me,” she said.
The six other maids do not want to be taken by the embassy because they are employed and do not want to return home.
“This is a simple case of human trafficking,” said a case officer at the Philippine Embassy.
“The six others do not want to go home because they are working.
Someone fetches them from their villa in the morning and brings them back in the evening.”
The officer said he suspected the person in charge of the maids has told the six maids who do not want to return home that if the embassy comes to rescue the maid they might also be taken in.
“This is something the six others don't like because they are working to earn,” he said.
“They don't want to go home yet.
That's also the reason why they asked Leonora (the pseudonym for the maid who wants to be rescued) to leave their accommodation.”
The officer pointed out that there are labor recruiting agencies that are accredited by the Saudi government but not by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).
Only POLO-accredited agencies can be directly ordered to assist maids in their care.
“The embassy does not have any control over agencies (not accredited by POLO),” said the officer.

Source: Arab News - January 13, 2011

******

Philippines Embassy narrowed its search for distress Leonora.

A text message was sent to them indicating the location of the villa, about two kilometers from Majmaa in Riyadh, about 250 km from Riyadh. 

The Pakistani men who looked after them did not allow her to venture out alone. 

Leonora was also scared to leave the villa and walk toward the city because she did not have an iqama or passport.

She claimed that she was asked by the six other runaway maids to leave the villa.

They were afraid that the embassy would also take them if and when the embassy rescues Leonora.

They did not want to go back to Philippines yet as they still want to continue working to earn.

****** ****** ******  

Another Run-Away Maid Seeks Embassy Help

RIYADH: A second maid of seven being housed illegally by a Pakistani man to be outsourced in the black labor market near Majmaa, Riyadh province, says she would like to return home.
“We are trying to locate the exact location of the villa where Ofie (not her real name), Leonora (not her real name) and five other maids are staying,” Philippine Embassy Charge dAffaires Ezzedin H. Tago told Arab News on Thursday.
The exact location of the villa where the women are illegally residing is unknown.
The house is believed to be located within two kilometers from Majmaa.
Leonora, who claims she was raped by her sponsor and later fled after he placement agency didnt respond to her complaint, has been trying to seek help from the Philippine Embassy to return home.
Meanwhile, the other six women residing at the villa have been urging Leonora to leave because they dont want to be discovered and deported.
Now one of those six women has reportedly come out saying she would also like to be repatriated.
Tago said that if and when the exact location of the villa can be ascertained, the embassy would rescue Ofie and Leonora in coordination with the local police.
The women do not have a clear idea of their precise location.
Talking to Arab News by phone Ofie said that she was working as a house cook and escaped from employer on Aug. 10.
“Before I went on vacation last year, my employer, a doctor working at the Security Forces Hospital, promised to increase my monthly salary from SR1,000 to SR1,200,” she said.
“But when I came back, his wife, who is a teacher, was giving me the same salary of SR1,000 she told me not to tell her husband about it.”
She added that the situation became worse when her employer hired another domestic worker, an Eritrean, with a salary of SR1,500.
“The Eritrean started giving orders to me and when I did not follow her she complained to the employers wife, saying that I did not want to work,” Ofie said.
Ofie said that she was being asked to work outside the kitchen.
“I told her that I had been hired mainly to cook food and do nothing else.
Besides, I wake up at 5 a.m. and she at 11 a.m.
She should have been be doing the things was asking me to do,” she said.
The circumstances took a turn for the worse when the Eritrean complained about Ofies work, angering the wife.
Ofie said she then contacted a Filipino beautician (who has since returned to the Philippines) and they agreed to leave their employers.
“Through another contact, we were able to reach the villa where were staying now.
Its also here where I met Leonora and the other maids who dont want to go home yet because they still want to work,” she said.
She said that she did not have money but if the embassy could bear the costs of her repatriation, shed like to go back to the Philippines to rejoin her family in Ifugao province north of Manila.
Ofie and her husband have three children.
The women work illegally and are being managed by a Pakistani man who could face jail time for housing and contracting workers who have fled their sponsors and now have illegal status in the Kingdom.

Source: A1 Saudi Arabia - January 21, 2011

****** 

In the mean time, Leonora ventured out with an Indian woman and a Pakistani driver named Arshad.

They left the villa in Majmaa. 

Arshad was supposed to drop her at Diriyah, at a supermarket along Exit 10 in Riyadh. 

From there, she would call the embassy requesting someone to pick and brought her to Bahay Kalinga, BK, a temporary shelter for runaway maids run by members of the Filipino community. 

But the last call she made to the embassy  was to inform of being taken to the police station.

Embassy officials would seek the help of local authorities in Riyadh and Majmaa to find the Indian woman and Arshad, who might be involved in human trafficking.

******

Case Officer To Visit Filipino Maids In Prison

RIYADH: A Philippine Embassy case officer will visit a womens prison in Riyadhs Malaz district on Wednesday to talk to two Filipino maids arrested on suspicion of being runaways.
He will hope to speak to Leonora and Ofie (not their real names) regarding the circumstances surrounding their arrest by the police.
“The embassy has requested for a permit to visit Nisa prison in Malaz district so that I can talk to the two runaway maids whom the police arrested,” the officer handling the two maids case told Arab News on Monday.
The case officer made the statement after police called the embassy to say that they could not get any information from Leonora and Ofie regarding their case.
They had run away from their sponsors in Riyadh to Majmaa, but then decided to return to the capital.
The following day, the two maids were arrested by the police in a villa in Diriya with three Indian nationals.
“The police said that after giving few personal details such as their names, Leonora and Ofie clammed up when asked about their sponsors.
Its probable that they are trying not to unnecessarily incriminate others who might be involved in their case,” the case officer said. Leonora had given her name as Kristine Ali Noor.
“Much has been known about Leonora, whose case had also been reported by other newspapers catering for overseas Filipinos, but not Ofie.
Unlike Leonora, we dont even know her real name, which part of the country she comes from, if she has a family or not, and details of the Philippine agency that processed her papers for deployment to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
One newspaper published from Bahrain carried a story on Leonora, giving her name as Leonor.
Earlier, Leonora told Arab News that she arrived in the Kingdom in the middle of 2010 to work as a caregiver, but ended up working as a maid.
When she complained, her employers wife took her to the local agency that deployed her.
The agency placed her with another employer who allegedly raped her.
“Because of the incident, I escaped and went to the agency, which did nothing regarding my complaint,” she said.
The agency eventually looked for another employer, but as things were getting worse for Leonora, she escaped.
She and Ofie were helped by a Filipino woman to go to Majma.
Their helper has since gone back to the Philippines.

Source: A1 Saudi Arabia - February 15, 2011

****** 

Stranded Filipino Maids To Be Repatriated  
By RODOLFO ESTIMO JR. 

RIYADH: The Philippine Embassy announced on Monday that two Filipino housemaids caught with three Indian nationals in a villa in Diriyah in February would soon be repatriated to the Philippines.

Leonora and Ofie (not their real names) are still being held at a women’s jail in the Malaz district in Riyadh.
“Leonora’s documents are now being prepared.
Then it will be sent to the governor’s office for approval.
After that, a plane ticket will be issued,” an embassy official told Arab News on Monday.
He added that Ofie’s travel documents had been processed earlier and a plane ticket would also be issued to her.
“A plane ticket is normally issued by the Saudi government.
Otherwise, the embassy will provide it,” he added.
He also said that Leonora, who was imprisoned in February, had been sentenced to four months in prison and 70 lashes.
Her prison term ends next week.
He added that Ofie’s travel documents had been issued earlier because she did not receive a custodial sentence.
“Maybe it was because she was able to convince police authorities that she was merely a victim and not doing anything wrong,” the official said, adding that Leonora was unhappy that she had been jailed instead.
In February, Arab News reported that Leonora and Ofie went missing after leaving their villa in Majma, some 250 km north of Riyadh.
They were already in Diriyah when Leonora allegedly called the embassy to say that they had been arrested by the police.
“It was not true that the police stopped them,” the embassy official said.
“The truth is, it was only Leonora who was dropped by a Pakistani driver in Diriyah.
Ofie, who was romantically linked with one of the three Indians, had earlier left Majma for Diriyah in Riyadh,” he said.
He added that it was obvious Leonora had asked the driver to drop her in Diriyah as per an earlier arrangement with Ofie.
The embassy official added that early one morning police caught them with the three Indians.
Ofie was reportedly drunk and shouting.
“The neighbors probably called and complained to the police.
The police responded and found out that Leonora, who gave her Muslim name as Kristine Ali Noor, and Ofie were with the three Indians,” he said.
Leonora had earlier told Arab News that she asked the driver to drop her in front of a supermarket.
The driver was also reportedly having an affair with one of five other Filipino runaway maids in Majma.
From the supermarket, she was supposed to call the embassy and ask officials to pick her up and take her to the Bahay Kalinga (BK), a government shelter where stranded Filipino women stay while awaiting repatriation to the Philippines.
Leonora, who had been separated from her husband before she left the Philippines for Saudi Arabia, comes from Baguio City north of Manila.
She has three kids who are being looked after by her mother.
Before coming to Saudi Arabia, she had worked in a gasoline station and a restaurant in Baguio City. Ofie, on the other hand, is from Ifugao.

Source: Arab News - May 3, 2011

Keeping Johor Bahru Clean

JB City Councillor Slams SWM For Inefficiencies 
by Steven Chen on 20 May, 2011

SWM Environment Sdn. Bhd. (SWM) was slammed for failing to carry out its solid waste collection contractual obligations satisfactorily.
Johor Bahru city councillor, Yahya Jaafar ticked off SWM for not performing its cleaning and solid waste
collection as scheduled.

He quoted an incident in Majidee zone area where the wastes in that area were left piling up for two weeks at one time.
Residents in the said area and other areas within the city are certainly not happy and satisfied with the state of affairs of uncollected rubbish and waste incidences where they are forced to put up with the unpleasant sight and the nauseating stench.
Some residents have even resorted to open burning their wastes when the stench get unbearable.
Maimunah Muda, 58, who has been staying in the Kampong Melayu Majidee over the last 23 years said that wastes in her area are collected once in every five days instead of alternate day.
“It has been like that for the last two months and making our surroundings filthy and smelly”, she added.
Another resident, Fatimah Hussein, 60, said that she has to resort to burning the wastes as the waste bin has overflowed and waste stench gets unbearable .
Councillor Yahya said, he had reports stating that SWM rubbish trucks are having difficulties obtaining PUSPAKOM road worthiness certifications where eight out of ten trucks sent for inspections failed the tests.
He urged the state government to take necessary to resolve the problem and also look into the options of appointing more than one concessionaire in managing the city cleaning and solid waste collection services.
Meanwhile, SWM corporate communication officer, Shahrul Amir Abdul Rahman said that SWM did received complaints of uncollected solid wastes from residents in Kampong Melayu Majidee three days ago.
He admitted that fact that at times SWM do encounter problems of waste dump trucks breaking down but nonetheless SWM has always managed to send back-up trucks and teams to cover the affected areas.
“The public can lodge a complaint with SWM if the wastes in their area are not collected after three days”. he said when contacted by reporter.

Footnotes:
SWM ENVIRONMENT SDN. BHD. (SWM), formerly known as Southern Waste Management Sdn Bhd was established in line with the Malaysian Government’s decision on the National Privatization of Solid Waste Management.
It was subsequently awarded the task of managing the storage, collection, transfer, haulage, intermediate processing and disposal of solid waste in the Southern Region of Peninsular Malaysia by the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department on December 21, 1995.
In April 1996, SWM was directed by the Government of Malaysia to take over the solid waste management and public cleansing services from all Local Authorities within the SWM concession area (Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan) on an interim basis.
SWM had progressively since 1997 taken over the management of solid waste and public cleansing from all the Local Authorities within its concession area.
It is a transition toward the implementation of the full privatization.
The concession will cover a period of 20 years and serve a population of 4 million people. 

****** 

Johor Bahru’s Rubbish Collection Controversy 
by Steven Chen on 20 Mar, 2011

SWM Environment (SWM) Sdn Bhd has denied that its representative has asked shop owners in Taman Megah Ria, Masai, to pay RM150 for rubbish collection. This was conveyed by its head of communications, Sharul Amir Abdul Rahman, at a press conference here yesterday.
SWM is the main contractor appointed by the state government to manage solid waste collection and disposal in Johor.
Sharul said that the company immediately investigated the allegation after  it was reported in the media and found that the shop owners did not furnish proof of payment being made.
He added that there is no charge for any solid waste collection service provided by SWM provided that additional services are officially requested for, and made to any waste collection company registered and approved by the local authority.
According to procedure, all such payments must be acknowledged in the company’s official receipt or on an official letterhead. Sharul said that SWM will not hesitate to take strong action against of the company’s contractors who flout the rules.
SWM will also be discussing with the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) about payments for additional waste collection and disposal services, especially in commercial and industrial areas, as this involves the local council by-laws.
He also commented that the local council can fine any commercial premises that do not provide adequate solid waste bins.
Members of the public can call SWM hotline 1-800-222-800 or  go to swmresponz.swmsb.com for more information.  

Both Sources: Komuniti Kini 

HE Who Reveals The Unknown

As I stepped into the reception area of the dental clinic in Larkin Perdana yesterday, 'the doctor', with a girl's mother were persuading the girl to have her teeth checked.
The preschooler was traumatised by power failure while undergoing the previous check. 'The doctor' assured her that everything will turn out fine - Power surge had cost the clinic more than ten thousand ringgits in equipments that need change. She had complained to Tenaga. I've no idea which power interruption she was referring to - Just too many  incidences.

Is that 'the doctor' who transformed her beautiful hairdo to completely cover it up and her once doll-up face to just light powder and lip gloss after her 2006 haj as was told by my husband? I guess so.
The hair cover-up and almost makeup-free face totally changed her outlook. I did not recognise her as she stood inside the reception counter while putting up with the small girl's tantrum. 

"Ummie, it's been a long time since I last saw you. How's life?" 'The doctor' asked in a very, very friendly tone. Now, I recognised her as I entered the dental room.

"Phobia." The word just blurted out.

Even though the clinic at Larkin Perdana is a family clinic, I insisted of changing to another doctor. My husband assured the doctor had changed since 2006 but I thought it was only physical appearance.

I was adamant of not wanting her service again. My refusal led me to call Dr Tay whom I used to visit when I stayed around town, only to find out that the doctor attends to patients only in the morning.
Then my husband sent me to Dr Hasanah and quickly drove away for his already late appointment. As I moved closer to the gate, a notice was put up that stated the clinic is closed for a month!
I did not give up hope and walked over to another dental clinic a few doors away and... The doctor will attend to patients, this time, only after 5pm.

After 3 failed attempt to change doctor, I had to admit God still wanted me to go to Larkin Perdana. My husband made his u-turn with his "There, I told you so..."        

"Ok its ok. You are here whenever you want to go for your haj. I can see that you are going again this year?" The doctor's soft tone really melt me.

Maybe this is the statement God wants me to hear.

Yes, I've been thinking hard about it these past days. I longed to be there again. But definitely not haj. I have to be fair to those first timer waiting patiently in the long queue. Maybe umrah Ramadhan. The last 2002 Ramadhan spent in the Holy Place left a great determination in me that the next time will be a month, God willing.

So my husband is right. She has changed - Not just appearance, but her tonation and choice of words too. I used to know her as a person who has 'authority' in her body language and command of words. Now everything is history.

 

As the doctor was about to finish attending me, my handphone rang.

"Oh my, that's Sudais isn't it?" She lowered her face, focused on the Quran recitation by the Grand Imam in Masjidil Haram till it ends.

"Ummie, I say it again, you are nearer there than here." She said, and grasped my arm, hard.

Yes, my husband is definitely right. Her 2006 haj had defintely transformed her physically, socially and spiritually.

The Crime Story - Pickpockets And Me

It was way back when Singapore Bus Service and Singapore-Johore Express buses ended the Johore Bahru journey at the now Kotaraya Terminal - Late 80's or early 90's I supposed.

I was queuing to board the Singapore-Johore Express bus at the terminal when I felt something heavy was pulling away my sling-bag.
Without turning around, I pulled out a man's hand with an apple in it. He looked away as I got hold of his hand - As if nothing had ever happened.
He just walked away...

******

While queuing to get my passport endorsed, a teenager squeezed into the congested line and took 'something' from the pocket of a haversack carried by a European tourist in-front of me - In those days, it's just a matter of up a few staircase to the immigration counter for passport clearance from JB to Singapore.

I hold tight the boy's hand and pulled him to inform the immigration officer-in-charge that the European tourist whom the passport he just endorsed had just become the victim of pickpocket - The immigration officer-in-charge just gave me his deaf ear.


I pulled the boy down the few steps to a bus ticket inspector on duty relating to him the incident - He told me there's nothing could be done by him as he's in another country - The countrymen will not appreciate if we become 'very petty' over trivial matters.
"It's o.k," he said, and let go of the boy with the 'something' he's still clenching hard in his fist.

There were people everywhere and they did nothing nor did they ask anything - I was shocked with the couldn't care attitude.

But thinking back, I wondered where did I get the energy to pull the boy here and there with no resistance from him - He followed me obediently.

******

Just a couple of years ago while on the way to Larkin at the JB checkpoint, an elderly man was seen pulling something from yet another pocket of a Singaporean lady backpacker's haversack.
I confronted him and he quickly threw the stolen item down under the waiting bus - Being an old man, he claimed, he wouldn't do such a thing.

Challenging his words, I said there's the stolen item under the bus.
He just walked away as fast as he could.

I am still wondering if the authority concerned took honest measure in curbing the crime rate especially when it happened in the city's front-line.

Or it's just another 'familiar' remark heard on tv and seen in prints - The Little Red Dot likes to make a mountain out of a mould.