Akhbar questioned Raja Bodek’s too-ready acquiescence to AAB’s awarding of the Penang non-transport system to RapidKL - sheesh, he virtually stumbled forward to kiss the hands of the Sleeping Non-Beauty, as Akhbar named the later.
It seems that Raja Bodek abdicated his authority as well as abandoned his promise to representatives from Citizens for Public Transport (Cepat) at a meeting last year that the new tender for bus operations in the state would be opened to local operators.
Hardly surprising for a tok ampu like Raja Bodek, but blame Penangites for being idiots in voting for him - BTW, I'm a Penangite too and very ashamed of my Island kinfolks for supporting Raja Bodek - but if they come to their senses, they may yet have a second chance, pretty soon.
He was said to have requested for RapidKL to take over the bus services. As Chubby Checker said: "How low can you go!"
Akhbar has been pissed off because Raja Bodek had acted as if Penang does not have the expertise to run the bus business profitably.
Once upon a dignified time, long before Raja Bodek appeared on the scene (of course), Penangites ran four bus services that served the Island effectively. Many old-timers mourned the disappearance of the Green, Blue, Yellow and even the plodding Beige.
Save OurSelves (SOS) secretary Ong Boon Keong said RapidKL’s entrance exposed the weakness and cringe of the Raja Bodek's party in the state government, whom most Penangites know to be nothing more than just a puppet administration dancing to the UMNO strings.
Ong said sadly what Akhbar had lamented: "When the state government can't do its job, it gives up its control to the federal government. It's a total surrender of the Penang people's right to control and operate their own transport system."
Ong "We have given up state control over the sewage system, water supply and now buses" while of course, Raja had long given up control of his ... er ... dhoti (cawat).
But Akhbar smelled a rat besides a cringing giant-keris-waving Raja. He even paraphrased Shakespeare’s Hamlet by stating: “Hey, I smell something rotten in the state of Penang.”
He asked some pertinent questions:
1. Who will they be buying the buses from? Would it be, for example, M-trans, a Scomi subsidiary?
2. If so, is the Raja Bodek’s ‘request’ for RapidKL to take over a ‘bunga emas’* set-up?
* a traditional tribute by a subordinate ruler to a superior ruler
In other words, was Raja Bodek trying to please ‘someone’ to protect as well as consolidate his iffy position in view of the coming elections?
Could it have been a trade-off with Taikoh* to preserve his Manchuko-ish throne?
you tell me if it's not Raja Bodek minus glassesWiki photo of ruler of Manchuko
Akhbar also wondered about the federal financing of RM50 million for the RapidKL takeover including the monorail project? Bruder, don’t forget the beneficiary of PORR as well?
Since Akhbar had paraphrased Shakespeare's Hamlet, let me paraphrase King Henry II's words: "Who will for me vote out this obsequious puppet?"
Hey friends, dont be so harsh on Raja Bodek , do understand that he needs to jaga his periok nasi and cari makan also.
ReplyDeletewell it is true penang does not have the expertise to run the bus system. look at the terrible mess it is in now.
ReplyDeletewhile it is true that raja bodek scoop so low to request for rapid kl to take over penang's bus system, and i agree with what ong said.... what to do... how long will it take for penang to manage its bus system efficiently? and meanwhile this is going on, we bus commuters are going to suffer, suffer, suffer, so if rapid kl can take over now and manage it efficiently, why not? we bus commuters had suffer long enough and if rapid kl is as good as it made to be, we would be happy to welcome it. we'll just close one eye to the crony thingy. :)
Lucia, a practical (and understandably desperate) judgement. Good on you. However, we cannot but help being disgusted with that sort of bodeking, and for selfish reasons - por kar thnee teng lah - knua liao pun kian siow nia
ReplyDeleteFor a long time after I had bought my own car, I regularly still tried to use the Penang bus service, as the environmentally responsible thing to do. Yes, the Green, Blue, Yellow and even the Beige buses ran a passable service. Then the authorities started tinkering the system to the death.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair to Raja Bodek, the State Government never had a free hand in fixing the problem. Lots of guys "upstairs" had their own agenda. His failing is not having the b***s to stand up for the Penang public.
Surrendering to RapidKL was a political maneuver to break the logjam (No need to mention who is behind RapidKL). Unfortunately that's how things work in Bolehland...all things are possible provided you let the right cronies in on the deal...sigh...
I agree with you and Lucia, that we need a bus service badly, regardless of who provides it.
ReplyDeleteBut you captured my thrust of Akhbar's complaint to me - Raja doesn't have the backbone to stand up for Penang. He's just occupying the position, as effectively as the Japanese puppet ruler of Manchuko.