joined a brainstorming session with Malaysia Strategic Research Center (MSRC) on Public Transport in Klang Valley-Problems and Solutions.(or something sounded like that) it was a half-day session where the organizer should be able to sit down in one open table discussion. the people from the government, SPNB (the company that runs bus and LRT systems in K.L) and some more other people releted to the feild. unfortunately, NONE of people from the government turned up, instead, we have Rein Westra from RapidKL (at least, somebody representing a part of SPNB operations), Prof. Hamdan, a lady from town planning unit of UKM, and Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh.(make it easier for you to recall-she is the whistle blower for the police nude squat video).

discussion went pretty o.k, Dr. Abdul Razak Baginda(one of person i admire-hell, he is GOOD!) controlled the session well, but something that was lacking in the session. he did not specify some kind of scope or solid outcome he was hoping to have. yes, he did say that the outcome will somehow be sent to the people 'upstairs'(that was his own word) and he meant The Deputy Prime Ministe of Malaysia-Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the founder and current President of MSRC. only later at the second part of the session he mentioned that the solution wanted were any kind of immediate actions can be taken from the above people.

generally, people ended up 'decide' to somehow 'agree' to the idea that we need a solid (and detailed) national transport policy, need to avoid overlapping roles by various government bodies, and the need to have one strong body to enforce it. yes, true. but the problem is, none of those can be done in this coming short period of time. seemed not many people want to admit that Rapid KL is working hard doing all it can to provide the best to people and somehow, we have just got to e patient in order to have the best. nobody can deny the fact that we are somehow improving in providing the service but in the same time the competition with national car policy, plus the standard of living is getting higher(yes, our country is getting prosperous and more prosperous day by day, its just the matter where the hell the money goes is the question) where more and more people can afford to buy cars. to add to it, the ineffieciency of the public transport has been worsening from time to time gives a reason for people to (or just forced to) drive into the city.

people loves to put the blame on others, never on themselves. i have been using public transport since the day i was born (plus being a city boy that doesn't have rich dad to buy me a car), and now pursuing my professional degree in logistics and transportation area, i personally have a kind of differrent way looking at the problem. its the resistence of people to adapt to the system and admits there will always be loopholes in the system and its ok to have one because nothing is perfect in this world. its how we control the level of damage it caused and turn the disbenefit into something usable is the most important part. WE are the one that need to work for the changes. the moment Dato' Muhammad (he is a retired Mejar in the Army) said people have to learn to create the walking culture and fit themself to the system, the whole hall laughed at him...without thinking what relies behind his words. even the people that deals with public transportation at hand somehow shows a kind of disbelief to the idea, how can you expact any layman on the street to take it as their way of life? just have a quick pause and think...while working towards improving the syste, does these people somehow have faith in what they are working on? because if the answer is no, then its a gate to the end of everything.

last but not least, i personally was dissaponted with the level of participation by (sorry to say-i know these people personally so i somehow felt so dissapointed when they did this) lecturers from UiTM Transport department. As the session goes, only Pak Chat used his right to voice up opinion to express his mind. others were just listening and kept on nodding when other speaks. the reason why in the first place they were calles was they were people that were experts in the issue. they were needed there to voice their mind because they conduct researches on the matter, they know the trend, they know what to expact, they just have it..but decide to keep it inside. i am their student, but i gave a hell care on what people are going to say. i was waiting for any of them to speak before i decice to just to honour them as my lecturers, the ones that have thought me. but looking at the way things went, i know i need to move on my own and make my way thru. i am proud, i raised an opinion and it was a valid one. of course later the discussion went on the hotter issues but the point is, no one can deny the validity of my concern. and i received a personal gesture from Secretary General of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia. though none of my lecturers said anything..i know, i did a right thing.

and i will always fight for the bettermnet of malaysians...