A helping hand for the blind

TMM,Tuesday 21 February 2012 

I first tried foot reflexology, 18 years ago. I recall the pain was bearable but after treatment, I felt like I was walking on air. I was hooked and went back regularly to a centre operated by the blind at the Sungei Wang shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur. 

Foot reflexology is based on the belief that the condition of our body is reflected at various points of our feet and massage can rub away some of the ailments. 

Skilled practitioners are uncannily accurate in their assessment and it was always interesting to hear what they have to say about my condition. 

Initially, I allowed whoever was free to attend to me. Later, I noticed that one of the masseurs was far superior to the rest. I began to request for Hasan and became his regular customer. 

After 10 years, my visits tapered off when I grew weary of the heavy traffic in the Bukit Bintang area. I then tried a large number of reflexology centres which have mushroomed throughout the country, but few were good enough to warrant a return visit. 

Recently, I visited Hasan who was still operating at the same shopping centre. We reconnected like old friends. After a few deft touches, he could tell I am no longer as robust as before. 

Eighteen years ago, he was a bachelor today a father of five. He still charges the same but I noticed that his centre is no longer busy. It saddened me when I realised that his income has dropped while his expenses kept growing. His eldest is now 12. 

He has remained adept at his practice and should have enjoyed an increase in earnings over the years. As I have attended basic courses in reflexology and shiatsu, I can vouch that Hasan is among the best in his trade. 

I feel that interested citizens should not be barred from operating reflexology centres or work as masseurs, there should be more control over foreigners who do the same. 

Over the years, large number of trainees have benefited from courses conducted by the Malaysian Association for the Blind. If they are not gainfully employed, many would be forced to the streets to beg. 

Those concerned can help in many ways. Apart from word of mouth and posting reviews online, the various social media can also be used to spread the word. We should be more active in recommending local masseurs. 

Hasan, 41, is visually impaired and speaks good English. Those who know him well would be proud to call him a friend. 

A little help from us can go a long way to help those who eke out an honest living, albeit legally or totally blind. 

Some virtually live from hand to mouth which is best described in Malay as kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur 

National interest first

TS,Tuesday 7 February 2012 

Taxi drivers are back in the limelight with their plight and grievances being given much attention and publicity, and errant cabbies caught in Ops Tegas mounted by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD). 

The looming general election has drawn leaders from both sides of the political divide to show greater concern on the welfare of taxi drivers. 

However, years of bad politics and policies have contributed to the poor state of the taxi industry and more knee-jerk responses for expediencies will drive it deeper into the abyss. 

The entire public transportation on land needs a major overhaul and SPAD was created to serve this purpose. 

Transformation of the taxi industry can only be achieved by setting short-, medium- and long-term plans that place national interest first. 

Some cabbies have called for the scrapping of the taxi coupon system that has been in use since the opening of KL Sentral 10 years ago and before that, at the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. 

The system at KL Sentral is open to any licensed taxis, and cabbies are not charged a monthly ‘stand fee’ that is commonly practised at major hotels. 

Cabbies have no problems cashing the coupons at 90% of the value from the KL Sentral concessionaire and this arrangement has never been an issue. 

As the coupon fares are zone based, some of the charges will be higher, and others lower, than metered fares. 

They are generally higher to offset normal traffic congestion, but not for a bad jam. Passengers ought to be thoughtful and tip the drivers for their lost working time. 

Any proposal to replace the coupon system with metered fare at the new low cost carrier terminal at KL International Airport (KLIA2) is welcome. It is fair to both the drivers and passengers, provided the meters have not been tempered with. 

The concessionaire must respond immediately to any complaint against a driver or taxi. Passengers who are short-changed must be swiftly compensated and SPAD to be informed of every case and action taken. 

It is fair to charge a RM3 handling fee for managing a concession professionally that comes with a service guarantee. It must be an open system, and drivers and taxis must be inspected before being allowed to pick up passengers. 

However, if the concessionaire has little responsibility or accountability and is no better than a rent-seeker, it is not fair to demand that passengers pay a service fee. 

It is common practice for major hotels to appoint a company or individual to manage the taxi service. Most of the hotel-based taxis are licensed under limousine or executive. 

Whenever a budget taxi is preferred, the “call taxi lamp” is switched on. The flashing light attracts budget taxis like moths to a flame and guests do not have to wait long. 

Barring budget taxis from a shopping centre is unacceptable to both taxi drivers and passengers. It is no wonder that the cabbies are up in arms. 

Most taxi drivers do not find it worthwhile to pay registration and monthly fees to such a concessionaire. Those who do may end up queuing for hours to get a trip. 

Some tourists find the executive taxi fares reasonable and are happy with the taxi service from KLCC. However, more tourists now prefer budget taxis as their fares are much lower, and the locals are used to paying lower taxi fares. 

Many budget taxi drivers try to fix fares. It is the other way round for executive taxis. These drivers are happy to use the meter but some passengers try to fix fares. 

The Federal Territory and Urban Well-being Ministry plans to announce an insurance scheme for taxi drivers in March 

We must bear in mind that the poorer sections of our society are more used to receiving aid and many people do not really understand the concept of insurance. 

Those who need health insurance the most are too sick to qualify for such cover and those who are healthy are least interested. 

Taxi drivers are in the high-risk group for personal accident insurance. For adequate cover, the premium is high and cover is too basic when the premium is low. 

Insurance companies are similar to gaming companies. Over time, they collect more than they pay out. They are profits-driven and some of the ignorant make wild accusation that it amounts to cheating when the odds are in favour of the insurer. 

The new insurance scheme will receive a boost if the ministry is prepared to subsidise 50% of the premiums for the first year and continue to do so in subsequent years for taxi drivers with clean records. 

YS Chan, Kuala Lumpur

BUS TRANSPORT: Consortium must help plug the leakages

NST,Monday 6 February 2012

The rescue effort by the Malacca government in taking over the bus service in the state ought to be lauded.

However, steps must be taken to ensure that it will not end up being a case of old wine in a new bottle, as the same workers and culture are transferred to a consortium.

Leakages are common in state-run enterprises and consortiums. They are difficult to plug after the rot has set in.

In the bus industry, leakages mainly occur in procurement, maintenance and fares collection. As such, preventive measures must be instituted early to act as a deterrence and bring things under control.

At the other end of the scale, the recent report of Australian Ken Grenda, 79, who operated a bus service in Melbourne, is inspiring.

He sold his company, ensured that all 1,800 employees kept their jobs and handed out RM48.69m in “thank you” bonuses to his staff.

State enterprises are no match with business run by passionate entrepreneurs.





YS Chan

Kuala Lumpur

State govt move to help save bus services lauded

TS,Saturday 4 February 2012 

The rescue effort of the bus service for the state by the Malacca state government ought to be lauded. 

However, steps must be taken to ensure that it will not end up to be a case of old wine in a new bottle, as the same workers and culture are transferred to a consortium. 

Leakages are common in state-run enterprises and consortiums. They are difficult to plug after the rot has set in. 

In the bus industry, leakages mainly occur in procurement, maintenance and fares collection. 

As such, preventive measures must be instituted early to act as a deterrent and bring things under control. 

At the other end of the scale, the recent report of Ken Grenda, 79, who operated a bus service in Melbourne, is inspiring. 

He sold his company, ensured that all 1,800 employees kept their jobs and handed out RM48.69m in “thank you” bonuses to his loyal staff. 

To quote one of the workers “Ken looked after his employees, he treated them like family. Every time he comes past the depot, he shakes everyone’s hands, and says ‘g’day’”. 

State enterprises are no match with business run by passionate entrepreneurs. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur

Responsible Tourism

TS,Friday 27 January 2012 

Travel and tour companies are now required to enroll a senior staff for the “Travel & Tour Enhancement Course” (TTEC) as one of the conditions for the renewal of their company licence by the Tourism Ministry. 

For many years, tourist guides have been undergoing “Continuous Tourism Related Education” (CTRE) courses to renew their annual licence. 

The licensing of tourist guides was introduced in 1975. Tour and travel companies are governed by “Tour Operating Business & Travel Agency Business” (TOBTAB) from 1986. 

Over the past 25 years, travel and tour operators were not compelled to upgrade their professionalism and only a small number participated in the Human Resource Development Fund. 

Travel industry employees learned mostly on-the-job and few are formally trained. There is great disparity in the level of knowledge and skills across the 3,207 licensed travel and tour companies. 

It is more apparent in terms of marketing and customer service. However, hidden dangers lurk below the surface and major players are just as vulnerable. 

Some are too busy building their business and raking profits but may lose everything in a major catastrophe. Operators should safeguard what they have achieved through all the years of hard work. 

As such, travel and tour operators ought to accord greater importance to the TTEC, which has to be attended by just one senior management staff annually. 

Some experienced industry leaders felt that they can teach the trainers instead of learning from them, and they ought to be paid instead of paying RM350 for attending the course. 

However, it is the norm for many professionals in other industries to pay and attend conferences to share or keep abreast with the latest developments. 

Leading experts are similar to top sportsmen. They acquire skills through proper training and adequate practice, as superficial knowledge does not lead to concrete action. 

The introduction of TTEC is a step in the right direction towards responsible tourism. It is an industry that overlaps many others and almost everyone is a stakeholder. 

Tourism providers ought to be more knowledgeable on major issues such as licensing, legal, safety, health and environment; apart from marketing, customer service and crisis management. 

Tourists and local communities too would welcome education on their role and responsibilities, as it can bring more opportunities and better sustainability. 

Citizens who are truly “Proud to be Malaysians” should show courtesy towards visitors and to the locals when travelling, especially to overseas destinations. 

The main asset of any country is its people and the exemplary behaviour of Malaysians is more appealing to tourists than all the other factors combined. 

Malaysians traveling overseas on business or holiday would be happy to do “national service” by inviting the people they meet to visit our country. All it takes is a little endorsement. 

A campaign or programme can be drawn up for them to play host to their foreign guests. Upon their arrival in Malaysia, both host and guests can spend time together in a restaurant, spa or theme park, sponsored by Tourism Malaysia. 

As such, the authorities should not ignore but take advantage of outbound tours and business travelers. We ought to bear in mind that tourism is a two-way trade. 

Participants for the TTEC can extract the full value by putting forward intelligent questions in advance for the trainers to prepare and address adequately during the course. 

This may require the participants to read up or study in advance the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan (MTTP); the various Tourism Industry Acts; the laws governing the rights and liabilities of tourism providers and tourists, including those under the Department of Safety & Health (DOSH); and best practices on responsible tourism. 

Conversely, those who treat the TTEC lightly will not gain much, as learning is largely dependent on them, and less on the trainers or modules. They may later pay dearly for their ‘tidakapa’ attitude. 

With the establishment of the Consumer Tribunal, dissatisfied customers can easily file a claim against a travel agency or tour operator. They only need to pay RM5 and can be awarded up to RM25,000 in compensation. 

As both parties are not entitled to legal representation during the hearing, judgment will be decided based on the evidence and words of the aggrieved customer against the explanation offered by the staff representing the company. 

As such, travel and tour operators should be more professional. For a start, they should adopt a mindset of charging and paying reasonable fees, just as they wish to be paid for their services. 

Those who continue with unhealthy practices and irresponsible tourism are likely to be swamped with summonses, as aggrieved customers successful with their claims at the Tribunal will spread to others like wildfire. 

Travel and tour companies will be compelled to choose their staff and customers carefully. This will be followed by adequate training for the staff and better relationships with the clients. 

The initial one-day TTEC is still a work-in-progress. It is likely to be expanded as the travel industry matures and embraces a learning culture. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur

HENG TUAH: History’s vital to our roots

NST,Friday 27 January 2012 

The part of 

history 

that has affected 

us most must be 

appreciated 

in order to live a 

more noble and 

meaningful life 

I refer to the letter “They are part of our Malay cultural heritage” (NST, Jan 25) and recall that 50 years ago, while in primary school, I learnt that the Malay annals were interwoven with myths and legends. 

Recently, I conducted a training programme in Melaka on community tourism development. While on a field trip, the tourist guide narrated that Hang Li Po came with a retinue of 500 maidens. 

When asked where the descendants of these 500 maidens were, she was dumbfounded. It is a good example of how superficial Malaysians take things at face value. 

If the retinue were that large, many would have married the locals, unless they were forbidden. The descendants, just like the locals that intermarried with Arabs, Indians and others, would be known as Malays. 

A participant ventured to guess that the Baba and Nyonya, also known as the Peranakan Chinese, are the descendants. However, similar Straits Settlement Chinese can also be found in Penang and Singapore. 

The 700-year-old Peranakan community remained Han Chinese although many of them, for several generations, spoke Malay. Their cuisine is laced with local spices and Nyonya food is popular among Malaysians. 

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim said the younger generation tends to place too much importance to personalities and objects without historical evidence. 

I would say that the elders are not much better as they can be oblivious to evidence before their very eyes. Worst, old buildings are demolished in the name of development, leaving many communities with little heritage and soul. 

If we are truly proud of our hometown, village or settlement, we would want to know its origin and the founders, the trials and tribulations of past generations and the current challenges so that we can move towards a better future. 

However, there is little sense of belonging or accountability. Many Malaysians are quick to uproot and move to better neighbourhoods. Taking pride of our roots, conserving the ancestral home and upholding the family name are not held sacred. 

Pretty boys and girls in heavy makeup performing traditional dances in colourful costumes are portrayed as our Malaysian culture. Tourists quickly forget such entertainments, as they looked similar anywhere in the world. 

People are proud of their language, culture, customs, tradition and rituals which tourists find quaint. On the other hand, cultures that promote good human values would have an impact on tourists and locals alike. 

One good example is the Adat Perpatih brought over from Minangkabau to Negri Sembilan. Such rich cultures, among other virtues, promote courtesy – much lacking in uprooted societies. 

We should take pride of our ancestors and honour them by leaving a better world for our descendants. Instead, lessons from history are not learnt and most of us prefer to enjoy life to the hilt as if there is no tomorrow. 

The study of history should not be confined to textbooks. Assignments for students should include tracing their family tree, discovering the hardships their ancestors faced and recognising the sacrifices made by others in the community. 

The part of history that have affected us most must be appreciated in order to live a more noble and meaningful life. Sadly, this is not happening as most Malaysians lead superficial lives. Many dream to be royalties and adore celebrities. 

Myths and legends will always be popular as they are fascinating and many have been passed down for hundreds of years. They can be used to inculcate good values as they appeal to the emotions. 

On the other hand, intellect and logic are needed to understand history. Not many people can separate fact from fiction, more so when they are interwoven. Finding myths and legends in historical records does not make them real. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur

More enforcement needed for HID lights

TS,Monday 16 January 2012

I refer to “Approved HID lights OK” (The Star, Jan 12). The concern expressed by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) that the innocent should not be called in is indeed commendable. 

However, the matter would not arise if the JPJ had checked its own records whether vehicles reported in the complaints were among the 269 approved models with factory fitted high-intensity discharge (HID) lights. 

If so, these owners needn’t be called in to the JPJ to have their vehicles inspected. A phone call to the owner would suffice. He/she could then be advised to ensure that the vehicle’s headlights were correctly aligned, especially if it had earlier been involved in a frontal collision. 

Motorists who beam their headlights can draw other vehicles straight into their path, much like a moth to a flame, particularly those with powerful HID lights. 

Owners who had fitted the original headlamps before taking their vehicles for inspection at the JPJ should be sternly warned not to install the retrofitted HID lights again. 

Those ignorant would no doubt report to the JPJ with the incriminatory evidence intact, and would have to make a return trip after taking corrective action. 

Although action had been taken against 6,020 motorists for having retrofitted HID lights since 2008, enforcement should be stepped up as the figure shows that the problem is widespread and the complaints valid. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur