The Barisan Nasional Government mudah lupa.

Many months back, the Government decided that many vehicles on the road had windows that were tinted far too dark for road safety and security reasons. The matter was widely reported, if not discussed, and the Government decided that a police operation would be launched to enforce a Department of Road Transport ruling, which had already been in existence. Alas, as the date got closer, and many a consumer voiced their disgruntlement, the Government backed down. They said they would give vehicle owners more time to comply with the ruling, i.e. to undo what they had done wrong in the first place, and that they would enforce the ruling later. The matter was never heard of again.

For years now, the Ministry of Works has decreed that all toll plazas were to be outfitted with the Touch ‘N Go toll payment system, and that all other systems were to be banished. Last year, the Minister went so far as to say that the nominated deadline was final and that errant toll plaza operators would be hauled up. Alas, as the deadline came and went, nothing happened. Some toll plazas did indeed install the Touch ‘N Go payment system, but alternative automatic payment systems remained. What has happened to the decree? Only the Barisan Nasional Government knows.

Sometime in 2003, following the death of one individual in a “freak” road accident, the local council, MPPJ, decided to finally enforce an existing ruling that restaurant operators should not allow customers to sit at tables on the road. Despite the preferences of Malaysian restaurant patrons, MPPJ decided that safety was paramount. Officers went around the local area in a sweep and many restaurants complied very quickly. For a short while at least. Take a drive anywhere around the suburb of PJ these days and not only will you see tables and chairs in the middle of the road almost everywhere, they are even right under the Police Station’s nose, in Damansara Uptown at least.

Last year, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs decided that prices of CDs would be (government) controlled in an effort to curb piracy. The deadline for implementation was 31 December 2003. As that date approached, the then Minister relented to the lobbying of members of the industry and postponed, but not cancelled, the date for enforcement. 01 April 2004 was to be the new date for the implementation of price control on the sale of CDs.

On page 16 of today’s Star newspaper, it was reported that the “price control on music CDs, DVDs and VCDs, scheduled to be implemented today, has been postponed”. It was further reported that the Ministry “will table a recommendation at the next Cabinet meeting to further postpone the enforcement of the price control” but that ?we (the Ministry) are not yet able to decide on the enforcement date? - in other words, from my reading of the matter, this policy will be dropped and never heard of again. As a reminder, this proposal was approved by the Cabinet in September last year. It would have set a ceiling price of MYR14 on local and foreign VCDs, MYR21 on local music CDs, and MYR29 on foreign ones.

Now, the desirability and suitability of these policies/decisions aside, if the Kerajaan Barisan Nasional cannot even enforce such (relatively) simple policies and decisions made by themselves, I honestly don’t see what they can, or will do, about the bigger issues of corruption, bureaucratic efficiency, transparency or social welfare. Price control, enforcement of systems and road safety are relatively uncontentious and easy to implement. Corruption, bureaucratic efficiency and social welfare are very much bigger monsters to fight. If you can’t even win a battle, I don’t see much hope for the war.

Meanwhile, I’m very unhappy that I will not be getting my cheap CDs after all. While I am disappointed, I am not at all surprised. In fact, I had predicted it. After all, this is just another one of many projek terbengkalai Kerajaan Barisan Nasional.

Posted on April 1st, 2004 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia