Sunday, November 8, 2009

Streamyx Sucks

These few months I always wondering why my streamyx connection to China website so slow... so slow... It takes forever to load the page!!
But after I using the proxy, the same website loads in a few seconds. WTF Streamyx!!! Looks like they block the China sites $&%%^@
Time to CUT it!!!

Friday, November 6, 2009

一个善忘的马来西亚:又一名印尼女工被虐至死

周泽南报道


马来西亚中文媒体近来忙于马华“党戏”的报道和评论,又一名印尼女工死于虐待的新闻成了漏网之鱼。该名叫Mautik Haid的印尼女工上周被警察从雇主家中抢救出来,陷入昏迷状态,今天终于返魂乏术,客死异乡。警察发现她时,她被锁在厕所里已长达两天,处于脱水和缺营养状态。以下是新闻原文。

Rescued maid dies
written by stephanie Liew
Monday,26 October 2009 22:06
Less than a week after she was rescued by the police, 36-year-old Indonesian maid Mautik Haid passed away this morning. She suffered from multiple injuries on her body. Even though she has been receiving treatment at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah for days, she failed to regain consciousness.
Mautik was found by the police less than a week ago locked in the toilet for two days in a row. Hospital Director Dr Ghazali Hasni Md Hassan said Mautik was not fit enough to undergo surgery.
When the police found Mautik, she was dehydrated and malnourished. Police is currently investigating the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code. So far, police has arrested a couple believed to be her employers and currently is looking for another three individuals to assist the investigations.
Police first detained a 29-year-old woman followed by her husband the next day when he surrendered. Authorities found no documents when Mautik was rescued even though she has been working for the couple in the last two months.

女工周休法案不了了之
马来西亚引进印尼家庭女工已经有20多年的历史,近年来,虐待女工,拖欠薪水,非法禁锢女工等等事件层出不穷,国际劳工组织更将我国列入人口贩卖的黑名单。今年6月,人力资源部长拿督苏巴马廉(Datuk S. Subramaniam)宣布,政府將在今年10月召开的国会会期期间,提呈强制规定雇主让外国家庭女工周休一天的劳工工法令修正案。
这项力挽狂澜的措施能否保住国家信誉,以及有效捍卫家庭女工的权益,引起了各方的短暂关注。nTV7的《追踪档案》和国营电视台第二电视的《前线视窗》,前后报道了印尼女工在马来西亚的遭遇和权益情况。目前国会会议正在进行中,议员集中于辩论2010年财政预算案。可靠的消息透露,并没有迹象显示人力资源部将提呈女工周休一天的劳工工法令修正案。
许多家庭女工没有周休,被拖欠薪水,甚至遭不人道禁锢的现实让我们惊觉到,马来西亚的法律对家庭女工几乎完全没有提供任何最基本的权利保障,以致部分的雇主和中介,有机会藉此剥削,欺压甚至虐待家庭女工。

副内政部长Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop在7月7号透露,今年全国只有7宗虐待女工的事件。妇女力量组织总裁Irene Fernandez则表示,该组织今年就接获34宗虐待女工的投诉,而印尼大使馆平均每月就接获大约100宗女佣遭虐待的投报。

家庭女工在大马,彻底没有法律保障
尽管1955年的马来西亚劳工法令给以所有国内外工人一些基本的权益保障,可是大马律师公會“法律改革與特別領域委員會”主席Dato Ramachelvan却说,家庭女工的大部分权益却在这些法令的保障之外。
他说:“劳工法令中有一些条款是适用于家庭女工的,可是大部分都无法在家庭女工身上生效,她们被排除在外。如周休课题,公共假期等等,全部都排除在外。”
只有少数条文适用于家庭女工,可是这些条款却面对执法不力的问题。例如第65条款,涉及检查和查问的权力,是适用的。劳工部总裁可以进入家庭女工的工作场所和检查工人的工作情况。这项条款甚至赋予劳工部总裁在未通知雇主的情况下,对家庭女工的工作场所进行突击检查的权力。如果严格执法,或许能减低虐待和剥削家庭女工的事件。可是,人力资源部长Dato Subramaniam却表示,劳工部通常只有在接到投诉时,才会采取突击行动。
印尼家庭女工遭马来西亚雇主虐待的事件,闹得沸沸扬扬,甚至引起了国际劳工组织的高度关注。然而,向印尼大使馆投诉的家庭女工,所面对的最普遍问题,实际上是被雇主拖欠薪水。许多靠薪水养活家人的印尼家庭女工,为了讨回她们的血汗钱,被逼弥留在马来西亚,家里则面临断粮的绝境。

拖欠薪水问题更普遍
原本只能容纳60人的印尼大使馆女工庇护所,住着125名面对各种问题的印尼家庭女工。她们有的曾经被雇主虐待,目前正在等待法庭诉讼,有的被雇主拖欠下数年的薪水。她们很想尽快逃离这个让她们失望的国度,和家人团聚。可是如果法律无法还她们一个公道,她们当初孤注一掷,离乡背井,前来充当的苦役就会血本无归。
驻大马印尼大使馆副大使Tatang Razak说,如果马来西亚的执法单位和法庭有效率,庇护所拥挤不堪的现象就不会发生。
他说:“Terus terang saja, di kedutaan ini tidak perlu ada shelter,kerapa kedutaan perlu ada shelter?Pada hal mereka ini bekerja di Negara orang.Inikan majikan ada dispute, diselesaikan antara institusi yang ada, di sini ada mahkamah buruh, di sini ada polis, tapi persoalannya, kerana jumlah warganegara Indonesia berkerja sini banyak, banyak perlu diselesaikan.”
[直接了当的说,我们的大使馆根本没必要设立庇护所,为什么要设庇护所呢?他们不是在别人的国家工作吗?一旦和雇主有纠纷,不是应该通过不懂机构来解决吗?这里有劳工法庭,有警察,可是问题在于,必须寻求解决问题的印尼公民太多了。]
Tatang Razak也说,很多诉讼案的审讯和办案过程过于缓慢,他说:“Because the problem is law enforcement,when the suspect is Indonesian, within 1 week or 2 week already, but when Indonesian is the victim,2,3,4 years is not cleared.”
[因为问题出在于执法,当嫌犯是印尼公民时,很快就能结案。可是如果受害者是印尼公民,2,3甚至4年,案件都没有办法了结。]
大马律师公会也在去年2月11号呈交了一份关于提供外籍劳工特别证件的备忘录给各相关单位,建议政府让那些正在寻求法律诉讼的外籍工人,包括家庭女工,能够在诉讼期间工作。
大马律师公會“法律改革與特別領域委員會”主席拿督拉瑪查文说:“If to pursue a legal remedy, you must have the means to pursue it, so the present law says, you can stay but you can not work, how do you expect the domestic worker or migrant worker to pay rent, pay his food and while waiting for his case be disposed.”
[如果要寻求法律解决,你必须具备寻求法律解决的条件。可是目前的法律却只允许你居留,却不许你工作。你怎么能期望外籍劳工在等待他的诉讼案,并且没有工作的情况下还房租,付他的膳食费呢?]
人力资源部长Dato Subramaniam只能含糊其辞,他说:“True, that is the issue,mostly domestic woker,their cases with the labour department,they are under labour court.Those issue we are trying to resolve it as fast as possible.we have now done something to help them, we are now allowing them legal visa to stay, and then, on a case to case basis, they can apply to us for a permission to work.”
[没错,确实有这个问题。多数家庭女工的案件由劳工部,由劳工法庭处理。我们会尽快处理那些课题。现在我们采取了一些行动来帮助她们,我们允许她们申请居留证,而且我们会根据个别情况,处理她们的工作证申请。]
印尼家庭女工离乡背井,到我国来讨生活,无非希望摆脱贫穷的梦魇,我国政府应该确保她们付出的劳力,都获得应有的报酬,这不仅是维持马印两国关系的关键之一,更是确保人性尊严受到尊重的努力。
通过剥削女工获取暴利
大政府在25年前开始允许我国人民聘用外籍女工到各个家庭服务。从菲律宾、印尼、柬埔寨等国家蜂拥到我国当家庭女工的人数,从最初期的几百人激增到今天的50多万人。由于没有法律的保障,印尼家庭女工的薪金待遇,完全依靠自由市场的运作来决定。缺乏政府介入的自由市场也让既得利益者认为,从领取微薄薪金的家庭女工身上获取最大的利益仿佛是天经地义的事。
在马来西亚的印尼家庭女工,月薪一般介于500令吉到600令吉之间;这个数目,比在香港和台湾的印尼女工低了二至三倍。我国家庭女工低廉的薪水,和雇主必须付给中介的高昂费用不成正比。
符永辉是马来西亚外籍女佣代理协会义务秘书。他说,由我国国安部和印尼外交部在2006年签署的关于印尼家庭女工的谅解备忘录,其实清楚规定了马印双方的中介,所能索取的费用。他说:“根据2006年所签署的某MOU,我们这边只需要付给印尼3百万印尼盾。其他的都是由女佣来承担。但是事实上,落实不了。原因是什么呢?第一,印尼女佣她没有钱,她连车费,从家里搭车到城市的车费都成问题,牛头要帮她付。”
“办文件,比如说村长来证明她身份,牛头帮她付,护照,牛头帮她付,体检费用,牛头帮她付,她住在训练中心,训练费用,是中介公司帮她付,所以这一切的费用,女佣是零付款的。”符永辉认为,印尼执法单位没有很好的管制当地中介和牛头索取高利润,是造成中介费昂贵的原因。
“这种制度,印尼的法律是不允许的,但是在不允许的当儿,在印尼市场的运作,还是这种方式。”
所谓牛头,就是印尼人称为Sponsor的推荐人,他们为中介公司猎人头。符永辉说,印尼的牛头向中介公司推荐女工时,会抽取费用,涉及多层次的行销,每层抽取一点费用的结果,就造成成本高涨。
“因为他们从乡下送到大城市,可能要花两三天的车程,她就好像批发给另外一些人,另外一个人就批发给另外一个城市,依此类推,也就是为什么导致今天的印尼女佣价格越来越贵。”
符永辉声称大马中介所获取的利润并不多。他说:“我们的利润,跟10多年前比,还要少。”
妇女力量组织总裁Irene Fernandez认为,印尼政府应该取消给牛头的费用。Irene毫不讳言,这是不折不扣的人口贩卖。可是符永辉却认为自由市场是你情我愿的,它决定了聘请家庭女工的高昂成本,以及女工们只能领取低廉的薪水。他说:“一般上你要到一个国家,你要付出代价,马来西亚是能够付出这样的薪水,那么你适合,你就过来,不要说马来西亚雇主剥削他们。因为马来西亚雇主没有决定薪金的权力。”
Irene Fernandez说:“At that time,the human resource minister at that time, he said, let the market forces decides,that was to coat him,now three years later,what we see now, is a failure of that MOU. Because the market forces decided against the domestic worker, it became pro recruiting agent, pro employer.”
[那时候,人力资源部长说让市场决定,3年后,我们看见的,是该备忘录的失败,因为市场的决定对家庭女工不利,它只对中介和雇主有利。]
资讯策略研究中心执行主任张永新认为,剥削的根源,实际上和国与国之间不平衡的经济发展相关。他说:“当然这个区域的,不同国家的经济发展不平等,像印尼他们比较落后,比较贫穷,他们需要出来马来西亚,他们去赚取更多的收入。可是今天你贫穷,找不到工作嘛。我少一点工资给你,我剥削你,你还是没办法,所以这个是一个国家,所以我说经济的平衡很重要。”
可是他认为,马印双方政府不能任由市场来决定印尼家庭女工的福利。张永新:“他们给你的贡献多大?如果是一个输出女佣的国家来讲,你们去工作,他带来国家的经济发展多大,我们说这个政府是不是一个维护工人权益,人民权益的政府,是很重要嘛?”
Irene认为,印尼政府有必要对印尼中介的收费进行严厉的管制,也建议马印双方政府必须严正看待中介成本过高的问题。她说:“If we talking about the placement fee, I think both government must sit down and discuss this.Because the agencies are getting high profits from domestic worker and the domestic worker get the least in the whole process, while the employer are faced with high placement fees.”
[当我们谈到安置费时,我认为双方政府必须讨论。因为中介公司从家庭女工身上获取太多利益,而在整个过程中,得益最少的就是女工。]
曾经是左派积极分子的张永新说:“印尼也好,马来西亚也好,政府来讲,却是维护谁的利益呢?我讲是维护雇主或资本家的利益。”
Irene说,中介时常乘机将各种各样的费用,转嫁到家庭女工身上。她透露:“Then the whole training has to be monitored,they say they go to compulsory training, but employees here are not sure what the training is all about.”
[整个训练也需要监督,他们说女工必须接受强制训练,可是这里的雇主并不知道训练的内容。]
印尼政府没能力保护自己公民
她认为,比起菲律宾政府,印尼政府需要改进的地方还很多。她说:“I think Philipine government is clear of what they want to achieve.They have a very clear labour export policy,the highest income earner for the country, in remittences, and therefore they must manage it effectively and well.”
[我认为菲律宾政府非常明确的知道要达到的目标。他们具备一个明确的客工输出政策,他们是为该国赚取最多收入的一群,所以他们必须有效和妥善的管理。]
“And within that they have built the system of proper recruitment prosedure, proper training by agencies, monitored by the government, that they are establish labour attaches, they have establish legal fund, for the domestic worker when she is in trouble.”
[在这样的基础上,他们建立了一个由政府监督的妥善的聘用程序和训练程序。他们甚至设立劳工部,为那些碰到问题的家庭女工设立诉讼基金。]
“Indonesia government has been more weak,it has not handle rights base approach, it has not centre the domestic worker as the bases for the MOU, I think it has centre the recruiting agents.”
[印尼政府比较弱,他们没有从权益出发,他们没有将家庭女工列为备忘录的重点,我觉得它更重视中介的利益。
禁止成立工会,如何争取女工权益?
由于马来西亚劳工法令禁止家庭女工成立工会,没有周休更让大部分女工的集会,结社和言论自由受到限制。在这样的情况下,争取家庭女工权益和福利的努力,几乎等于缘木求鱼。
自80年代开始,印尼步菲律宾的后尘,已成为全世界最大的客工输出国。现在在外国工作的印尼公民大约有600万人,在我国就有大约220万人。在香港和台湾的印尼家庭女工因为有组织,她们的待遇比在大马和中东的印尼女工好得多。
例如在香港的印尼家庭女工大约有12万人,月薪大约1千令吉,在台湾的印尼女工也有10万人左右,月薪则高达1500令吉。反观在我国的印尼家庭女工,月薪只介于500令吉至600令吉,更无法享有周休,年假等福利。大马律师公會“法律改革与特別领域委员会”主席Dato Ramachelvan说,香港雇主和家庭女工之间的合约,条件确实比我国的好。
他说:“I will give you an example,I have been going through the contract in Hong Kong.Hong Kong they are not only entitled to one day off, all public holidays they are entitled, and they are entitled for annual leave on top pf that,15 days a year.”
[我给你一个例子。我看过香港的合约,她们不只享有一天周休,也享有所有公共假期,除此之外,她们也享有15天的年假。]
大马职工会则呼吁政府允许印尼家庭女工成立协会或工会,以便能更有效的争取她们的福利。可是马来西亚外籍女佣代理协会却不同意这项呼吁。
符永辉:“我觉得在目前,马来西亚的体制下,是不会允许他们成立工会,我个人也不赞成他们成立工会,因为外劳的人数太过庞大,我们应该为国家的利益着想。现在你已经有两百多万的外劳,女佣有30万左右,假如他们有了工会,工会号召他们罢工,对我们的国家经济损失,是很严重的。”
短视的威胁国家利益论
妇女力量组织总裁Irene Fernandez认为,让家庭女工结社其实对雇主有利。她说:“When they come, they organize,they share,they grow.why are we stopping them from growth?And its good for employers.”
[当她们来集会的时候,她们组织,分享,她们成长。我们为什么要阻止她们成长呢?况且这对雇主是有利的。]
“I will like you to go to see the experience of Hong Kong.They have their own association, they all come out on Sunday and they share the letters,share their work experience and they are very happy,even bring the children with them.”
[我想和你分享香港的经验。她们有自己的协会,他们全部在星期天出来,他们分享家里的来信,分享工作经验,她们非常快乐,甚至把孩子都带来。]
芙南德斯是2006年另类诺贝尔和平奖得主,她说:“That’s the happiness,that’s the joy,that’s what we must go for, to make the worker here joyfull.”
[那里充满了幸福和快乐,这就是我们应该追求的,让这里的女工也充满快乐。]
可是,人力资源部长Datuk Subramaniam却不赞同家庭女工成立工会。他说:“
Domestic worker are quite different,nearly 100% are foreign,any attempt to unionize them is something that we will face problem.“
[家庭女工的情况比较不同,她们有接近100%是外籍人士,任何成立工会的尝试都会为我们带来问题。]
没有工会势力就别想有权利
资讯策略研究中心执行主任张永新认为,今天不论是国内工人还是外籍劳工,恰恰因为缺乏工会势力,才无法维护他们的权益。他说:“我常常想到劳工组织,像过去,这个工会,劳工组织强大的时候,国际主义,国际的联系,你在越南,越南的工人罢工,越南的船它去到泰国,泰国工人会抵制,你一定要解决越南工人的问题。”
“你这个加强各国的工会,工人组织的力量,而且形成区域和国际工人的运动,工人力量的联系,这个当然是维护工人利益,不管什么工人,外劳也好,劳工也好,女佣也好,都能够得到维护。”
他表示,今天的跨国公司正是利用各国政府不重视工会力量的弱点,剥夺工人的福利和权益。他说:“比如说,一个外国投资在这边,设一间工厂,当你工人要求提高福利,提高工资的时候,他说如果你们这样的话,我就搬走啦,我就搬到另外一个国家去,比这个国家更加落后的。那么这边的政府呢,就说哦,你们这样搞会吓走外资,你破坏国家的经济,所以你看,资本主义,资本家的力量强大,是可以自由自在,走来走去的。”
Dato Ramachelvan认为,家庭女工目前还缺乏成立工会的条件。他说:“Unionization,we have no serious objection, but the reality of them being able to organize will be an issue.”
[关于成立工会,我们并不反对,可是现实情况却是她们有没有能力组织工会,才是一个课题。]
张永新认为,家庭女工的工作环境本身就足以构成组织工会的限制。他说:“你说工人,工人在工厂,他们在一起,他们可能有互动,可能有组织,有一个共同的声音。那么女佣你是分散在不同的家庭,你没有办法联系,所以她是孤立的。”
正因为家庭女工孤立又缺乏力量,即使被虐待了也求助无门,逃跑后就变成非法外劳,面对被逮捕,监禁或被遣送回国的命运。今天,我们看见一些香港的雇主参与了“香港人善待外庸”的联署,连同关心外籍家庭女工的香港居民,共同捍卫家庭女工的权益,希望我国雇主也能做到这一点,不要再复制奴隶思想,并且将父权思想加在女性身上的压力,转移到家庭女工的身上。

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Beware of TNB bill

Another FW email...





Do you compare the Meter reading on section 'DAHULU' (Red circle) With previous month?
In this case, the April bill on DAHULU section is 29128, SEMASA is 29380. After paid the bill, the problem come.... The May bill come, The DAHULU section by right should show 29380. BUT NOW, it still show 29128 same per last month.


If we don't compare with last month, frankly, I had HAPPILY paid for The bill and TNB had HAPPILY got the extra RM72 from me. At last, all The TNB shareholder got smart dividend from our hard earn money.


Due to this bad service....I plan to change service provider. Opps...there is no alternate service provider. The alternate is buy Your own generator, use candle...I guess no one will go for the Alternative service provider....


So... Please check your bill and compare it month by month. Our PM Always try very hard and tell us we have to very SMART SPENDING & MUST compare....... His motive is very good. Cause he knew that Something will happen and lot Giant company might use a VERY SMART Way to COLLECT Money from general public. Thanks to our great PM......I really compare the price always.....and notice the Brilliant idea from TNB. I am not sure it is mistake? But I don't Think is human error...


Now, better part is, this is computer error. If you don't discover This, then you pay for the EXTRA (this case, we got to pay extra RM72.80). If you notice the problem....easy, just refund to you, BUT Do you know how time consuming and trouble to get the refund? Why Their mistake is our cost? Why there is no compensation on their Mistake?


The BEST part, how many people know they are actually, happily OVER PAID?


When TNB officially want to increase the unit price....everybody Jumping and compliant. How they going to get extra and no people Complaint? This is an art....


This is the evolution of TNB billing system.....let the computer System do the mistake....and the mistake MUST FAVOURABLE to the Company.


Come....we should proudly said : Malaysia Boleh, Cause we really BOLEH!!

1Malaysia

Funny FW email.. but it is true

An Indian, a Chinese and a Malay were in a terrible car accident. They were all brought to the same emergency room, but all of them died before they arrived. Just as they were about to put the toe tag on the Chinese, he stirred and opened his eyes. Astonished, the doctors and nurses present, asked him what happened.

"Well," said the Chinese, "I remember the crash, and then there was a beautiful light, and then the Indian and the Malay and I were standing at the gates of heaven. An Angel approached us and said that we were too young to die, and that for a donation of RM 500, we could return to earth. So, of course I pulled out my wallet and gave him the RM 500 and the next thing I knew I was back here."

"That's amazing!" said one of the doctors. "But what happened to the other two?""Last I saw them" replied the Chinese, "the Indian was bargaining over the price, and the Malay was waiting for the government to pay for his."

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

RON 95

Have you tried RON 95? I pumped RON 95 yesterday Hari Merdeka. Aiyuh, regret that I only pumped RM20 ringgit... Coz yesterday night I read the star news online saying that RON 95 price will be increased to RM1.80 start from today..

I start to think that all these were the gov's trick. When they introducing RON 95, they said it will be cheaper than RON 97 at that time... Now, you see when coming to the day, they increase the price again!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

See how the dog bites its own bone


The MCA Kang Kung was burned recently after Ong announcing the sack of Chua. The reason is really funny. How come only 21 months later the sex scandal issue became the main reason to sack Chua? lol... Lets take a sit and see how the dog bites its own bone...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Kampung Buah Pala, Who are the losers?

Picture Source: Star Paper

Today Star news saying that the bulldozers are ready to demolish the houses soon. While the FRU also come and standby by there. Most of the villagers have rejected the double-storey house proposal. Only 5 of them have agreed to move out.

This is the best offer I had seen. The double storey house in Penang is worth from RM400k-RM500k. Especially, the Buah Pala is located in the center of Penang. Most of Penangite work for life also will never able to buy a double storey house.

The compensation will never be so good if no state government involvement in it. My father's good friend's house had also been demolished by a developer in Paya Terubong a few months ago. His house was a double storey house with 2000-3000 sf. He has run back and forth seeking for politicians' help. No one is willing to help. What he got for the compensation? Only RM20k!

Ironically, most villagers have rejected the double storey house and continue to ask for more. Do they think that they are at the winner side?