Public Transportation Issues

As we know it, public transportation includes the street environment, which is anything under the local authorities and highway departments that are beyond the gates of our private homes. Different departments are in-charge of different things.

I thought Penang should get it right faster than KL. The reason I am saying this is DBKL is looking at MPPP in terms of getting the street environment right.

As we know it, the Jabatan Bangunan, MPPP had collaborated with other departments to get some street environment right in Penang, so in Penang you actually have one department up and running knowing what to do. (Penang Road & Gurney Road projects)

If there are only low buses given at the end of the campaign, MPPP should design pavements to FLUSH (same height) with the threshold of the bus. We must make sure that the first potion of the bus (half) must have area for wheelchairs, pushchairs, luggage and seats for elderly and disabled people. If there is a split level, the front portion must be accessible.

The problem is also the maintenance of the road surface. In 1999, I had a discussion with an engineer from DBKL that stated that pavement levels could go higher than 6 inches (approx. 150mm) because when the road is repaired the contractor may just pour the bitumen and stuff without scraping the earlier road surface. This of course is nonsense and bad practice standards.

The pavement must not go higher than 150 mm as according to standards, the low floor buses were designed to flush with the 150 mm height pavements.

Then there is the awareness training and training of bus drivers to park parallel and close to the kerb (or curb) at the exact point to facilitate wheelchair users, physically disabled and blind people to board for example.

So many issues and so many departments to take care of so many things from training, policies, standards, design and implementation, not to mention bus stops, crossings, pavements and the buses themselves.

Who has to coordinate all these things?

We have to realise in Malaysia at this point in time, its the USERS. Its the NGOs.

Like it or not we have to WORK WITH the government in this matter, like so many other matters to do with the community, ie Women issues etc. We have to create Access Advisory Committees to work with the government departments.

Do we have enough people for this? Are we ready to work with the government when the situation arise?

Of course the campaign (to get all bus accessible) must go on. Of course we ask for everything to get it right in the first place. But we need to be ready for all possibilities.

Keeping the Shape and Form of Our Life

My life is one big creation. God had and is Creating my life as we blog. As a human being, I only could imagine it in awe, humbled by it all. And here I am trying to write a story, finish my thesis, design a programme... struggling with the shape and form of my creative endeavours.

I did write about this in my other blog. About creative intelligence and the importance of the shape and form. If it goes out of shape, the form goes as well. Another way of saying it is, I have to keep the form in shape. Words, words, words, it will never end. Never cease to tease my limited brain, my limited intelligence...

Focus, I'd say to myself, on keeping the shape and form of my work. And yet, time and time again, I keep on failing...

There are times in our life when the emotional involvement of ourselves is too great. So many things to work out and so many things to figure out. Life just stumps you. God Threw you a curve ball some time...you cannot see it coming!

You thought you had life figured out didn't you? You're just human, you are suppose to be stumped. Well at least now and then.

Keep the shape and form well...do not let it get out of shape. Keep it intact. Keep an eye on the ball and where it is going. Don't let you kick an own goal!

Liverpool FC had ten days to prepare and focus on that match that they played with Barcelona FC on the 21st February 2007. They had won that match. Everyone thought they would lose. They had prepared well judging on the result. Rafa Benitez the manager, went through meticulously what to do with all the team players. They were so focussed and also they had the spirit.

You cannot just prepare like a robot. There has to be passion and a great desire to want to win when you set out to do something. It is of no use just going through the motions.

The fire has to be lit, if it had died along the way. You just have to figure out how to lit the fire. So you have to stop awhile amidst life's noises and hectic rhythm and reflect. Listen carefully to what your heart is telling you. What is going on?

Becareful not to jump on any conclusion as you might kill your enthusiasm and blame on something that is not there or some small and minor thing in your life. You must find the reason for your lack of enthusiasm or lack of passion.

Maybe you had forgotten your promises to yourself. It is the worst thing you can do. It is easy to prove to another person, but to prove to yourself and to love yourself for doing well. That is difficult because it cannot be seen. There is no audience to cheer you on and give you an award.

In other words, there are many things in life that you need to achieve for yourself although others will be happy for you. Those things are hard because they take so long and you get distracted, so you have to learn how to keep those things together and not lose them.

You have to set your deadlines again and again, because it can drag, and you will lose interest.

End of story.