Dec 17, 2008

1st Class Treatment? A look into Bukit Antarabangsa Tragedy.


It's quite a while we've been bombarded with issues of Bukit Antarabangsa landslide. I must say that we have highlighted this issue quite excessively. It's pretty awkward to see why this issue having such a huge attention by media compared to other natural disaster? Is it because of people living in it? Is it because because of Urban area's ? Or people see its a political ground for some people to gain support.

Whatever it is i think the authorities whether its the state or federal government are giving them a 1st class treatment compared to other tragedy or natural disaster in our country.
Let me re-cap some of the tragedy in Malaysia this couple of years.
Let see.. We have tsunami in 2001, we have Johor flood last year, flood in Kedah, Kelantan & terengganu recently, not to forget "ribut" in Selangor this year & many more. There's a lot of natural disaster occurs every now & then.
We need to look on why this disaster keep happening more & more often.

As a Muslim i believe this act of God are giving all of us a gentle reminder on what's happening to our community. It can also be interprets as a test to malaysians.
Come back to the subject, i'm surprised to hear comments by ministers, Selangor MB & even political figure trying to be champions on this issues. All the action taken & statements shows how important these people living in Bukit Antarabangsa compared to the rural rakyat around malaysia. Or may i call it double standard. Let see how statement & actions of our leader compared to other event in malaysia.

*Even MB suggest to give them good accommodations hotel with half price by state government? -why this such treatment occurs only for this people? why there's no such statement given to flood victims & storm victims in Selangor before this? Let them live in school like the rest of other victims around Malaysia. Why should we give them 1st class treatment in a expense of tax payers money.?

* Even Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin suggested the effected people been provided with free hotels.

- wow! i dint hear such suggestion even in Johor flood. Maybe he have relatives living in that area?

*Even free taxi rides also offered. - Great spirit but perhaps it should be done for other tragedy as well. Not selective & seasonal sentiments.

* We also can see state government leaders such as MB Khalid Ibrahim at the scene every now & then. --Hm.. Funny. I still can recall his statement before "Buang masa lawat mangsa" on visiting storm victims in Klang as a waste of time.. This is yet another example of double standard practise by our so call leaders.. Why so different by this tragedy then? Maybe now he has a lot of spare time or political purpose?

*Even permanent bridge were set up instantly. Kudos. - Compared to what happen in Sabah & Sarawak. They were left for several weeks before roads were restored. Maybe this rural folk dint have that high connection & less vocal that's why they're left out. This kind of action maybe does not applies to rural people perhaps?

For me i see HEROES of this tragedy will be the enforcement agency, police, military & people who's entirely directly helping with victims & affected residents in Bukit Antarabangsa.

However, I'm quite sad to see alligation towards military officers & rumors spreading condemning this highly committed personnel. They've been there for quite some time & always be there when we need them the most.

Yet, a simple thank you were not given but only condemnation were spread out. This is what they get by giving them a 1st class treatment. The latest of this saga episode is today's news on accusation looting by officers by the Bkt Antarabangsa resident. If i were the officer I'll just simply walk out of the horror place.

There's a lot of stuff more i can highlighted here to show how double standard our society is. The main Tv medias (Tv3, Astro, Tv1&2, NtV7 & etc), newspapers (chinese news, malay news, star, indian news papers), politicians & our so call leaders.

Maybe they intend to see when disaster happen in city areas it reflects like a country's disaster but yet when it happens to rural folk its considered as an act of nature & simply forgotten in a few days time. This is really unfair & double standard.

I really urge double standard attitude shall be stop by all parties. Please follow the example of our Royal army that always there to support the people (when disaster occurs) without hesitate.

p/s: I really pity the rural folks when this issues confirmed & classified them as a second citizen.
comments

2 comments:

  1. i support your post 100%. maybe what the tragedy want to show us is how we react to certain society on certain disaster.

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  2. did you ever consider that the reason for the publicity of this tragedy is because 1. there is a new government in place, 2. folks here are educated, know their rights and so of course are very vocal 3. that the media might be causing sensationalism due the fact that a few celebrities live in the area? I have been affected by this tragedy and take great offence in you trivializing my experience and trauma by suggesting that I am receiving preferential treatment. I am not rich but have worked hard to live the lifestyle I am living now here in Bkt Antarabangsa. Please leave us alone, let us mourn and grief in peace! You can sleep well at night because you have a home and are safe, most of us here don't and contrary to popular belief, most of us here are not rich and now have absolutely nothing, some of us don't even have a son, daughter, mother, wife any longer-SO LEAVE US ALONE!!!!

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