American's Way Of Life Turned Upside Down.

ONTARIO [California] - The residents of "Ontario Tent City," a Bushville formerly home to approximately 400 homeless people, were evicted today and their possessions bulldozed. "I have nowhere to go," and "I don't know what I'm gonna do," were the refrains heard over and over.

November 16, 2008
The Crisis Has Hardly Begun
By Paul Craig Roberts

"The prospects of a government rescue for the foundering American automakers dwindled Thursday as Democratic Congressional leaders conceded that they would face potentially insurmountable Republican opposition," reported the NY Times last Friday. [Chances Dwindle On Bailout Plan For Automakers, By David M. Herszenhorn, November 13, 2008]

Wow! The entire country is steamed up over the Republicans bailing out a bunch of financial crooks who have paid themselves fortunes in bonuses for destroying America’s pensions. Why do Democrats want to protect Republicans from further ignominy by not giving them the opportunity to vote down a bailout for workers? Quick, someone enroll the Democratic Party in Politics 101.

GM’s divisions in Canada and Germany are asking those governments for help. It will be something if Canada and Germany come through for the American automaker and the American government doesn’t.

Conservative talking heads are saying GM is a "failed business model" unworthy of a $25 billion bailout. These are the same talking heads who favored pouring $700 billion into a failed financial model.

The head of the FDIC is trying to get $25 billion--a measly 3.5 percent of the $700 billion for the banksters--with which to refinance the mortgages of 2 million of the banksters’ victims, and Bush’s Secretary of the Treasury Paulson says no. Why aren’t the Democrats all over this, too?

Apparently, the Democrats still think they are the minority party—or else their aim is to supplant the Republicans as the party of the rich.

Any bailout has its downsides. But if America loses its auto industry, it will lose the suppliers as well and will cease to have a manufacturing sector. For years no-think economists have been writing off America’s manufacturing jobs, while deluding themselves and the public with propaganda about a New Economy based on finance.

A country that doesn’t make anything doesn’t need a financial sector as there is nothing to finance.

The financial crisis has had one good effect. It has cured Democratic economists like Robert Reich and Paul Krugman of their fear of budget deficits. During the Reagan years these two economists saw doom in the "Reagan deficits" despite the fact that OECD data showed that the US at that time had one of the lowest ratios of general government debt to GDP in the industrialized world.

Today Reich and Krugman are unfazed by their recommendations of budget deficits that are many multiples of Reagan’s. Moreover, neither economist has given the slightest thought as to how the massive budget deficit that they recommend can be financed.

Both recommend large public spending programs. Krugman puts a price tag of $600 billion on his program. If it takes $700 billion to save the banks and only $600 billion to save the economy, it sounds like a good deal. But this $600 billion is on top of the $700 billion for the banks, the $200 billion for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the $85 billion for AIG. These figures add to one trillion five hundred eighty-five billion dollars, a sum that must be added to the budget deficit due to war and recession (or worse).

What we are talking about here is a minimum budget deficit of $2 trillion. The US has never had to finance a deficit of this magnitude. Where is the money coming from?

The US Treasury doesn’t have any money, and neither do Americans, who have lost up to half of their savings and retirement funds and are up to their eyeballs in mortgage and consumer debt. And unemployment is rising.

There are only two sources of financing: foreign creditors and the printing press.

I doubt that foreigners have $2 trillion to lend to the US. Thanks to the toxic US financial instruments, they have their own bailouts to finance and economies to stimulate. Moreover, I doubt that foreigners think the US can service a public debt that suddenly jumps by $2 trillion. At 5 percent interest, the additional debt would add $100 billion to the annual budget deficit. In order to pay interest to creditors, the US would have to borrow more money from them.

Economists and policy-makers are not thinking. This enormous financing need comes not to a well-managed economy that can take the additional debt in its stride. Instead, it comes to an economy so badly managed that there are no reserves.

Massive US trade deficits have been financed by giving up US assets to foreigners, who now own the income flows as well. Budget deficits from 6 years of pointless wars and from unsustainable levels of military spending have helped to flood the world with dollars and to drive down the dollar’s exchange value. Consumers themselves are drowning in debt and can provide no lift to the economy. Millions of the best jobs have been moved offshore, and research, design, and innovation have followed them. Considering America’s dependency on imports, part of any stimulus package that reaches the consumer will bleed off to foreign countries.

Generally, when countries acquire more debt than they can service, they inflate away the debt. If foreign creditors do not save the Obama administration, the Treasury will print bonds and give them to the Federal Reserve, which will issue money.

The inflation will be severe, particularly as Americans will not be able to pay for the imports of manufactured goods from abroad on which they have become dependent. The exchange value of the dollar will decline with the domestic inflation. Once inflation is off and running, the printing press dollars will only have goods made in America to chase after. The real crisis has not yet begun.

Paulson should rethink the automakers’ and FDIC’s proposals. A bank produces nothing but paper. Automakers produce real things that can be sold. Occupied homes are worth more than empty ones.

Paulson’s inability to see this is the logical outcome of Wall Street thinking that highly values deals made over pieces of paper at the expense of the real economy.

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during President Reagan’s first term.

Malcom Lagauche: Same Shit Different Century - Eulogy on King Philip.

For the first 26 years of my life, I lived in a small Rhode Island town, Tiverton. All around me were odd-sounding names of ponds, streets, schools, rivers, and other locations: Nonquit, Pocasset, Conanicus, Sakonnet, Narragansett, Watuppa and others. Occasionally, the name Metacomet was seen, usually as the name of a used car lot or bar.

To me, these names were merely those designated to the area. There were hints that they originated from the Native American language of the Wampanoag Indians, but no in-depth explanation was given. In my 12 years of school in the area, the only Native American history we learned consisted of the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in which the Natives were portrayed as unkempt savages and the Pilgrims were depicted as very civilized.

A few years ago, I read a speech called “Eulogy on King Philip.” It mesmerized me and upset me at the same time.

A Native American author, William Apes, of the Pequot tribe wrote the speech and delivered it in Boston in 1836 to a group of descendants of the original Pilgrims of 1620. It was about racism, deceit, slaughter and imperialism. King Philip was the Anglicized name of the Wampanoag chief, Metacomet.

I felt cheated with my education in the area when I realized that the first major resistance movement in the United States occurred right in my backyard. The conflict was called “King Philip’s War” and was fought in the years 1675 and 1676. Per combatant, it is the bloodiest war fought on U.S. soil. Metacomet won every battle, but when the Puritans were ready to return to England, the Natives ran out of food. In the end, the Wampanoag tribe, that had consisted of more than 30,000 people, was left with only 2,000 survivors. They were put into slavery. The tribe never rebounded and today consists of a few thousand, mostly impoverished, who inhabit southeastern Massachusetts.

One may think that “Eulogy on King Philip” is merely an historical account of the white man’s imperialism, but it is far more. Apes’ address in Boston was delivered in 1836 and he told of events that occurred from 1620 to 1676. But, his words are uncannily precise in describing the world today. One can change the dates and places and see an accurate view of today’s imperialistic aspirations of the U.S. with all the warts: racism, xenophobia, ethnocentrism, and Christian domination. Some events told by Apes are identical to those that occurred in the destruction of Iraq. Even the methods of demonizing and killing of adversaries are the same. For instance, Metacomet was betrayed by a Native. The Puritans paid an informant to find Metacomet’s location. He was killed in Bristol, Rhode Island and his body was dismembered. Metacomet’s body parts were displayed in various towns throughout southern New England. This was the white man’s way of displaying superiority.

In 2003, a distant family member of Saddam Hussein was paid by the U.S. military to disclose the whereabouts of Uday and Qusay Hussein. Several hundred “brave” U.S. soldiers loaded the house with thousands of rockets, missiles, bombs, mortars and bullets before they went in. The bodies of the Hussein brothers resembled the remnants of meat that had been put through a meat-grinder. Soon after, the U.S. showed the bodies to the world. This was the same method of showing superiority as the one used more than three centuries earlier.

The article appears on Malcom Lagauche’s site at http://www.malcomlagauche.com/.

If you want a Pdf copy of the eulogy, provide me with your e-mail address and I’ll e-mail it to you.

What Is NorthCom Up To?

When the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were attacked on 9-11.2001, the US military was conducting an exercise code-named Vigilant Shield. Another such exercise is being conducted now (Nov. 12-18) just after the recent US election and the inauguration of President Barak Hussin Obama.Remember also that the infamously named 9-11 happened just after George W Bush took office. The question being asked is 'What is NorthCom up to' now?

What Is NorthCom Up To?
by Matthew Rothschild

This week and into next, NorthCom and NORAD are conducting a joint exercise called "Vigilant Shield '09."

The focus will be on "homeland defense and civil support," a NorthCom press release states.

From November 12-18, it will be testing a "synchronized response of federal, state, local and international partners in preparation for homeland defense, homeland security, and civil support missions in the United States and abroad."

NorthCom is short for the Pentagon's Northern Command. President Bush created it in October 2002. (The Southern Command, or SouthCom, covers Latin America. Central Command, or CentCom, covers Iraq and Afghanistan. And the new AfriCom covers, well, you get the picture.)

Vigilant Shield '09 "will include scenarios to achieve exercise objectives within the maritime, aerospace, ballistic missile defense, cyber, consequence management, strategic communications, and counter terrorism domains," the press release states.

NorthCom's press release also says that other participants in the exercise include the U.S. Strategic Command's "Global Lightning 09," which is a plan to use nuclear weapons in a surprise attack.

The Pentagon's "Bulwark Defender 09" is also involved in the exercise, and it is a cyberspace protection outfit of the Pentagon.

Something called the "Canada Command DETERMINED DRAGON" also is participating, as is the California National Guard and California's "Golden Guardian."

California's involvement appears to center around planning for a catastrophic earthquake.

"Under the leadership of Governor Schwarzenegger and direction of his Office of Homeland Security, the nation's largest state sponsored emergency exercise will take place November 13-18," a press release from the governor's office states.

"Golden Guardian 2008 tests California's capability to respond and recover during a major catastrophic earthquake. The Golden Guardian 2008 full-scale exercise scenario focuses on a simulated, catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake along the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault."

NorthCom is being shy about giving out additional information about Vigilant Shield '09. When I called for a fact sheet on it, I was told there was none.

But the Pentagon did issue such a fact sheet for Vigilant Shield '08.

Last year's exercise included "the simulated detonation of three nuclear dispersal devices." The fact sheet stressed the need to support a "civilian-led response" and to "exercise defense support of civil authorities," including involvement in "critical infrastructure protection events" and coordinating "Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection activities."

That fact sheet ended by saying: "There will be minimal deployment of active duty forces and no crossborder deployments. We anticipate little to no direct impact on local communities."

NorthCom has been in the news lately, after the Pentagon designated to it a battle-tested fighting unit from the war on Iraq. This appears to be against the law, according to the ACLU, since the army isn't supposed to be patrolling our own country.

On top of that, NorthCom was up to its eyeballs in getting peace groups spied upon.

"The security people at US NORTHCOM . . . had begun noticing some trouble at a few military recruiting events in 2005," Eric Lichtblau recounts in Bush's Law: The Remaking of American Justice. "Military officials at NORTHCOM asked their counterparts at CIFA [the Pentagon's Counterintelligence Field Activity] to ping their powerful new database-do a broader study and find out how many episodes of violence and disruption were actually imperiling their recruiters."

And NorthCom even was in the loop at the Republican Convention in St. Paul.

Is it too much to ask Congress to look into NorthCom?

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/13-0

What The World Wants To See.

What we have seen were former leaders being indicted for various war crimes committed during their times. When the sitting leader of Sudan is also being indicted, we see no reason why war criminals in the White House are allowed to roam free, free to indulge in their nefarious activities mocking their victims. Various non-government organizations have prepared indictments against George W Bush and gang but we have yet to see some positive action being taken towards this end. Would the world finally see some action after January 2009?

Native American Muslims

A warrior of the Blackfoot Nation

The Message, July 1996

My name is Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq El and I am a Cherokee Blackfoot American Indian who is Muslim. I am known as Eagle Sun Walker. I serve as a Pipe Carrier Warrior for the Northeastern Band of Cherokee Indians in New York City. There are other Muslims in our group. For the most part, not many people are aware of the Native American contact with Islam that began over one thousand years ago by some of the early Muslim travelers who visited us. Some of these Muslim travelers ended up living among our people. For most Muslims and non-Muslims of today, this type of information is unknown and has never been mentioned in any of the history books.

There are many documents, treaties, legislation and resolutions that were passed between 1600s and 1800s that show that Muslims were in fact here and were very active in the comunities in which they lived.

Treaties such as Peace and Friendship that was signed on the Delaware River in the year 1787 bear the signatures of Abdel-Khak and Muhammad Ibn Abdullah. This treaty detailed our continued right to exist as a community in the areas of commerce, maritime shipping, current form of government at that time which was in accordance with Islam.

According to a federal court case from the Continental Congress, we help put the breath of life in to the newly framed constitution. All of the documents are presently in the National Archives as well as the Library of Congress. If you have access to records in the state of South Carolina, read the Moors Sundry Act of 1790.

In a future article, Inshallah, I will go in to more details about the various tribes, their languages; in which some are influenced by Arabic, Persian, Hebrew words. Almost all of the tribes vocabulary include the word Allah. The traditional dress code for Indian women includes the kimah and long dresses. For men, standard fare is turbans and long tops that come down to the knees. If you were to look at any of the old books on Cherokee clothing up until the time of 1832, you will see the men wearing turbans and the women wearing long head coverings. The last Cherokee chief who had a Muslim name was Ramadhan Ibn Wati of the Cherokees in 1866.

Cities across the United States and Canada bear names that are of Indian and Islamic derivation. Have you ever wondered what the name Tallahassee means? It means that He Allah will deliver you sometime in the future.

Dato' Ahmad Badri bin Mohd Basir

Al-Fatiha

Allahyarham Dato' Ahmad Badri bin Mohd Basir, bekas Pengurus Besar KTM telah kembali ke rahmatullah pada malam 1hb November, 2008 di Hospital Selayang dan telah selamat dikebumikan pada pagi ini.

Dato' Ahmad Badri telah mengambilalih sebagai Pengurus Besar daripada Tan Sri Ishak Tadin dan orang yang terlama menerajui KTM.

Saya masih ingat di majlis perpisahan yang di adakan di rumah beliau, saya dan Sdr Abdul Radzak MD sekarang telah mengadakan satu pertunjukan AV latarbelakang hidup beliau dari masa kecil hingga ke saat perpisahan. Persembahan AV itu adalah satu kejutan buat beliau kerana telah diurahsiakan hingga ke saat pertunjukan.

Antara rakan-rakan seperjuangan yang memberi penghormatan terakhir di kediaman beliau di Jalan Setiajaya ialah Dato' Abdul Rahim Osman, Dato' Mohd Zin, Sdr Abdul Radzak dan pegawai-pegawai KTM yang telah bersara dan yang masih berkhidmat.

Kami berdoa semoga Allah Subhanahuwataala mencucuri rahmat keatas roh Allahyarham dan ucapan takziah buat Datin sekeluarga.

The Solution Is Always There.

The Star of October 26 reported:

KTMB managing director Abd Radzak Abd Malek said he was trying to devise a system where six extra trains which did not run the complete route could be operated between 6am and 9am as well as 5pm and 8pm.

Speaking to reporters during KTMB’s Hari Raya open house, Radzak said the six trains would run between Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam on the Sentul-Port Klang route, and between Kajang and Sungai Buloh on the Seremban- Kuala Kubu Baru route.

Trust Radzak to come up with a solution.

Some forty-fifty years ago, KTM was doing a short run between Kuala Lipis and Bukit Betong in Pahang, a journey of about 15 minutes, conveying school children from Bukit Betong and Padang Tengku and halts in between, to schools in Kuala Lipis.

Roads were non-existence then.

The trains consisted of a 42 class steam locomotive and two to three coaches. Bukit Betong station had no turn table to turn the loco for its return journey so the loco had to run tender foremost. The normal service route then was between Kuala Lipis and Kuala Krai or Tumpat in Kelantan.

Would a non-railwayman know this or for that matter the existing senior KTM officers? Little wonder their idea of a solution is to wait for additional rolling stocks rather than coming up with a practical solution to solve their immediate problems.

Syabas, Bro!

Happy Deepavali, Mamak.

Happy Deepavali to all my Hindu friends and their families especially to you Mamak.

When Mamak called me a few days before Deepavali inviting me to his house, I was planning to be away and told him of my plan.

His son Ganesh called me and told me that his father would be very happy to see his old friends again and that Jabar would be coming. He wondered whether I too could make it.

I called Mus, Pak Wan and Ivan if they would be available to visit Mamak. Both Mus and Ivan are already committed. Couldn't contact Cheong Fook and Sim. Pak Wan said OK so I picked him up together with Jabar.

Mamak was really happy to see us and after all the hugging and patting, we sat down for some 'serious' story telling. His son Siva took a few snaps of us and a group photo with his digital Nikon. Glad he is into photograpy just like me.

Jabar brought along an old framed photo of Mamak with a group of former KTM Sports Committee members and handed over to Mamak accompanied by a short speach and pantuns.

Mamak, we expect you at the next gathering and Siva has agreed to drive you over.

Forming Ex-KTM Veteran's Association

During the last gathering, there was suggestion that we former railwaymen form an association.

I contacted a few people to get the ball rolling and we had our first meeting to discuss this and to form a pro-tem committee. Dato' Zin was gracious to offer to host this meeting at his house and still being in the month of Syawal, an Eid'l Fitr gathering too.

We appointed Dato' Zin (his house, his food) as the meeting Chairman. Pak Wan, Ahmad Rahimi (Bang Cik), Jabar and yours truly were there. Ismail Harun (Mike) had another meeting he coulnd't leave. Mustapha (Pak Mus) was in JB. Mahalingam had to take his wife out for last minute Deepavali shopping. Kamsiah (Kak Kam) and Masri couldn't make it for some reason.

So it was decided to for a pro-tem committee to register the association. We haven't decided on the name yet. Jabar mentioned there was an earlier attempt to form one by Baharuddin and Rahmat but it did not go anywhere. There is also an allumni club of engineering people led by Hj. Mazlan (not sure if this has been registered).

The pro-tem committee consists of Dato' Zin (President), Jabardin (Secretary), Ahmad Rahimi, Wan Yahya, Mustapha, Kamsiah, Ismail Harun, Mahalingam, Masri and I.

We planned to meet again next November 8th at Dato' Zin's office.

Iraq - Not WMD nor Democracy but OIL!

President Bush Asserts Right to Control Iraqi Oil

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President George Bush this week rejected a Congressional effort to bar the United States military from controlling Iraq's oil resources.

Before signing a military funding bill earlier this week, the president issued a "signing statement," barring any expenditure of funds to "To exercise United States control of the oil resources of Iraq."

The Friends Committee on National Legislation, a 65-year-old Quaker lobby, has worked with Congress for three years to pass legislation that bars the United States from building permanent military bases in Iraq or exercising control of Iraq's oil resources. "We are dismayed that the president would deny the Iraqi people and its government the basic sovereign right to control their own natural resources. President Bush apparently believes that as commander in chief he is entitled to seize Iraq's oil fields and control Iraqi oil if he should deem it necessary to protect U.S. national security," said Jim Fine, a lobbyist for the Friends Committee on National Legislation. "It's hard to see any other logic behind his signing statement. He has, in effect, declared himself -- and any future U.S. presidents who fail to repudiate his outlandish claims --
emperors of Iraq."

President Bush has signed the restriction against controlling Iraqi oil into law five times since 2006, but has issued 2 signing statements this year asserting that banning U.S. control over Iraqi oil would violate the constitutional powers of the executive. He argues that his administration is not legally bound to abide by those provisions.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington, is a nonpartisan Quaker lobby in the public interest. FCNL works with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people from every state in the U.S. to advocate for social and economic justice, peace, and good government.

Source: http://www.fcnl.org.

Baghdad International (Green) Zone 4

History of FMSR/MR/KTM From A 3rd Generation Railwayman.

If you want to know more of the history of our railway, then wait for the book (still untitled) written by a third generation Railwayman.

I am referring to my good friend L.A. Vincent better known as Centy to his very close friends. Vincent's grandfather worked in Sentul workshop whilst his father was a Signalman. Vincent's mum too, was from a railway family. Recently retired as General Manager of Multimodal Freight Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of KTM, he decided to put all those memories and a fair amount of research, on paper. There are also some interesting photographs.

I had the opportunity of proof-reading his drafts and I can assure you of a good read if you get hold of a copy of his book when it is released. I'm not including an excerp of his book here as I don't want to spoil your surprise. Get the book.

I wish Vincent the very best and hope to get an authograhed copy soon.

Photo: Celebrating Merdeka 1957 - Vincent is the cute boy standing on the right. His father is in the center (sitting). Guess, that's where he gets his looks.

Law of the Jungle

Law of the Jungle

Racism, Obama and the Infallible God

by Fidel Castro Ruz

Trade, within a society and between countries, is the exchange of goods and services produced by human beings. The owners of the means of production appropriate the profits. As a class, they are the leaders of the capitalist state and they boast of fostering development and social well-being through market. This they worship as an infallible God.

In every country there is competition between the strongest and the weakest; the ones with more physical energy and better fed, those who learned how to read and write, who attended school and have more experience accumulated; the ones with more extensive social relations and more resources, and those within society who fail to have these advantages.

(Click on title to read full article)

Posted using ShareThis

The Question Malaysians Are Asking.

The lost 'Fuck-A-V' Tribe

For the forth time (not everything comes in threes), he came across the same tree he had first marked earlier. He knew now he was lost in this unfamiliar jungle. He slumped down with his back against the tree and patted his wet brow with his bandanna. He had no food and a near empty canteen. "I'm fucked!" he exclaimed aloud.

He must have dosed off when he suddenly woke up hearing some kind of faraway humming and coming closer by the minute. Grabbing his rifle, he eased himself behind the tree for cover and slowly took a peek to see what was coming his way.

It was human voices he was hearing in some kind of a chant. It sounded like..werdefokawee..werdeforawee..werdafokawee..repeated over and over. He had not come across this language among the natives the whole of his time in this country.

Could this be the lost tribe he had heard stories about?

As the 'thing' came closer and closer and the chanting got louder and louder, he braved himself to leave the protection of the tree. All he could see was the rustling of the five-foot tall grass from where the chanting came.

Then, there emerged from the bush a group of four-foot tall pygmies walking in a single file, totally naked black people, the blackest he had ever seen.

Finally, the chants became words he could understand. They were chanting over and over "Where the fuck are we?".

At last, he had found the lost tribe.

This anecdote was told by 'Taiping' EL Looi.

Sambutan Eid'l Fitr 1429/2008

Tak disangka respons dari sahabat-sahabat begitu baik. Biasanya apabila kami bertemu yang akan hadir lebihkurang dua puluh orang itu pun tanpa istri. Tapi kali ini apabila di kirim sms nak adakan perjumpaan pada bulan Syawal ramai yang nak datang dan nak bawa istri bersama.

Kami adakan perjumpaan di restoran Nelayan, Taman Titiwangsa pada hari Ahad 12 Oktober lalu. Seramai lima puluh orang hadir dan ada yang bawa bersama anak dan istri. Anak tu jadi dreber maklumlah mata waktu malam tak berapa nampak sangat. Lagi pun Pak Wan tu takkan pula tak bawa Nab.

Radzak tak dapat bersama kerana terpaksa ke outstation atas urusan rasmi. Salah aku sebab mula-mula set pada hari sabtu tetapi pinda pula ke hari ahad. Sebab pindaan ni, Dolah Interpol pun komplen dia ke situ hari sabtu tapi tak nampak batang hidung sapa pun. Kenalah minta maaf kat Dolah juga.

Sebenarnya perjumpaan ni tak dibil sebagai perjumpaan Hari Raya atau Deepavali. Tapi sebab masih dalam suasana berhariraya secara tak langsung jadi acara hariraya. Kalau dibil sebagai perjumpaan hariraya tak kan pula kita nak jemput sahabat non-Muslim dan suruh depa bayar sama? Memang tak kenalah.

Tujuan utama aku aturkan perjumpaan ni nak kumpulkan para sahabat bagi support kat Radzak dan ra'i dia sebagai MD baru KTMB. Bila aku bagi tau Radzak apologise tak dapat datang semua mengeluh dan aku diamanahkan sampaikan salam dan sokongan depa nanti kat member kita tu.

Waktu buat short ucapan aku sampaikan salam Radzak kat depa dan aku nak pandangan semua tentang cadangan nak tubuhkan persatuan veteran KTM. Alhamdulillah, semua setuju dan sokong ide ni.

Terima kasih kat semua yang hadir. Nak kena arrange perjumpaan lagi pada 17hb Disember. Kali ni Masri nak sponsor.

Ni foto-foto baru terima dari Tan KS.

The Tiff Over, Now To Get Down To Business.

I understand the tussle between the Chairman and some members of KTMB's Board with Abdul Radzak Abd Malek, the newly appointed MD, is over. The Chairman has resigned but not sure about the few members of like mind.

What was the reason for them not to accept Radzak's appointment? After all, Radzak until his retirement was a Railwayman (capital R) and his last post was General Manager Freight Division and had done a damn good job if you ask me. The Landbridge service was his brainchild. If the Chairman's refusal of a former railwayman to head the organisation is his paronia of railwayman, then it's right he should resign.

Anyway, why bring in some outsider when a Railwayman is capable of heading it? What's so special about the outsider? Enough already - give the man a chance.

KTMB is undergoing a massive development worth billions and therefore needs someone like Radzak to oversee this program. Radzak is not new to this as he had been involved in the double-tracking and electrification of the Port Kelang - Rawang - Seremban project in the '80s.
He is also unorthodox in his approach to thing and is not afraid to take risk and stepping of toes. Perhaps, this was why his appointment was objected to.

For what it's worth, Radzak has my support and that of veteran Railwaymen like me and talking to some of the serving railwaymen, theirs too.

Let's "get Malaysians into Training".

Group photo taken at Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Training Center, USA in 1982. Radzak is second from left.

Gathering The Flock - Sheeps They Are Not.

Agag lama juga kumpulan veteran Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) tidak mengadakan perjumpaan. yang akhir sekali di adakan pertengahan 2007.

You would think meeting among penshioners would be easy to arrange. After all, other than looking after their grandchildren or pottering around the gardens, they would be going back to sleep after finishing reading the morning newspapers. Not so. They are busier now than when they were working. Now it's picking up wife from surau/club/dance practice/etc. Or picking up the grandchildren from tuition class. Sending and picking up grandchildren from tuition classes? Ni bukan kerja mak-bapak depa kah?

Actually (Dato' Zin's favorite word), I suspected they have problem getting the 'line clear' from the wife. Kalau dulu waktu kerja nak keluar rumah wife tak tanya sebab tau kerja keretapi memang tak tentu masa, siang malam 24/7. Sekarang dah susahlah nak tembak.

Every now and then I get a call asking when is the next gathering. They are under the impression that there a secretariat full staff to plan and make arrangement. You try setting a date and a few will come up with an alternate. You set the venue and you get another suggestion for a different one somewhere near their vicinity.

Long ago when planning the first gathering, I decided to let them order what they want and everybody pay for what they ordered. This way I avoided all those special meals for daibetes, high-blood pressure, constipation and numerous other old people's illness. Minum pun nak air suam.

Finally, there's the cost! Heloooo, my friend! Simpanlah duit sikit-sikit dari duit pensyen tu. Kalau simpan sebulan 10 ringgit, tiga bula sekali kita jumpa dan ada 30 ringgit untuk bayar makanan sendirilah. La ni bukan ada orang nak sponsor. Sponsor orang pencen depa dapat apa?

Pak Mus tu nak class saja. Dia ingat orang lain macam dia..loaded. Jabar pula hingga nak discount saja. Dia ingat macam buat tour, dapat 10 orang 1 orang free.

So far, yang tak banyak buat ragam cuma Ivan. Thanks, friend.

I will write on the recent gathering once I receive the photographs from Tan Kim Seng.

Friends - People I took a lot of crap from

Gathering of friends after retirement. Forgot actual date when this was held in 2007 at Hotel Singgahsana, PJ. Siew and Cheah was there early before dinner so they came in a bit tipsy after a couple or more, I assume. Pak Wan is the Patriarch and always will be to me. He came in dressed in all black true to form. 'Young man' Mus came dressed for a date. Now he wants to be addressed as Pak Mus. Rama, Cheong Fook, Sim and Chuan would argue over all and everything while Chuah is always the quiet one. And Tan Kim Seng, always with pen and paper at the ready. Mohamad Duriat could be vocal when he wants to. A few snapshots of the event.