WanSaiful.com

Personal thoughts of Wan Saiful Wan Jan

Launch of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS)

(I have been so pressed for time, I did not get the chance to update this blig as regularly as I would like. Many apologies)

IDEAS was officially launched today at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial. Some initial press coverage can be found below, but obviously the online media is quicker to publish than printed ones.

Report 1:
In new think tank, the Tunku’s vision is channelled”
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Tunku Zain Al-Abidin Muhriz remembers the story of how the country’s first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, had stopped “Umno ultras” from burning the Royal Lake Club here “for being too white.” The Tunku had prevented its destruction by appointing himself as the club’s president, he said at the launch of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), a new think-tank set up by him to promote democratic ideals and rooted in the Tunku’s vision for the country. Today was chosen to launch Ideas to coincide with the Tunku’s birthday

Read more

Report 2:
Razaleigh to Umno: Don’t compromise on democracy
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 8, 2010): Veteran politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has warned Umno that the party risks losing its grip on power if it fails to live up to democratic ideals as laid out by the founding fathers. “My concern is that Umno will be booted out of power … and I don’t want to see that,” said Razaleigh after launching a new think-tank called IDEAS (Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs) at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial in Jalan Dato Onn this morning.

Read more

Report 3:
Tunku would have been a blogger

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — If Tunku Abdul Rahman were still alive he would not only be 107-year-old but a blogger too, said his grand daughter Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan today. “He had a vision of a different Malaysia and if he were alive he would take up blogging.” said the 25-year-old programme coordinator with Wild Asia, referring to the online journal popular among the younger set. She pointed out Tunku had always been vocal and even after he resigned as prime minister, he didn’t stop. “He had a column in the Star and is famous for criticising Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed”. Sharyn who was among three generations of Tunku’s family at the launch of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, at his memorial in Jalan Dato Onn, pointed out he was a proponent of “unity and racial acceptance.”

Read more

Report 4:
Ku Li says Malaysia is a sham democracy

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (picture) called Malaysia a democracy which only existed in name only, and said that reforms could not be expected from the incumbents in power, in an apparent attack against Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN). “To modify Tunku’s words, we now have a democracy existing in name, but grievously compromised in substance, reality and fact,” Tengku Razaleigh said today when launching Ideas, a new think-tank set up to promote democratic ideals, at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial today.

Read more

Report 5:
New Think Tank IDEAS Launched on Auspicious Day
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 FEB, 2010: A new think tank called the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) was launched today rightfully on Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Memorial Day. IDEAS is to replace Malaysia Think Tank and is Malaysia’s first think tank dedicated to promoting market-based solutions to public policy challenges. The main purpose is to advance market-based principles without being bound by race or religion.

Read more

Filed under: Freedom & Liberty, Malaysia

Maxis continues to provide abysmal customer service

I have written before how useless Maxis is (see here, here and here).

I urge everyone to not use Maxis.

My main complaint to them is that I have never opened a Maxis account and they have allowed a fraud to happen. Over the last few weeks, Maxis has been trying to reply to my complaint.

I asked Maxis to send me a copy of their formal complaints procedure. They do not have one that can be sent to me. It seems like they deliberately want to hide from the public knowledge about where to go to resolve disputes. If you have a dispute with Maxis, you can only talk to the officer they appoint. If you disagree with the findings that officer supply to you, then tough luck. Maxis does not care.

I wrote in my complaint to them how I have been forced to submit the same documents twice. The first time they lost my papers. The second time the papers did not get to the right place. Then their so called “Forensic Department” staff are extremely unhelpful, and the Assistant Manager at Maxis Gardens could not care enough that a customer wants to make a formal complaint.

The written reply I got from Maxis was this: “Please accept our apologies on your expereince in having to resubmit the documentation over again. As spoken on this matter, we would take note of this gap and would continue in our efforts to enhance on our service standards.” A simple apology without any regard about the time I had to spend and the effort I had to make to repeatedly pursue the case. Well done Maxis. When a customer faces a problem taht is caused by you, you make the customer work to just get your attention.

I asked Maxis how they could approve the application when the address on the application form was clearly different from the address on my IC. I asked them what is the security procedure they used to verify an applicant’s identity.

This is the answer I got from them: “We regret that we are unable to share with you our internal processes in relation to our investigation and procedures.
We however would welcome any further information or update that you may wish to share on this matter for our onward review.”

Maxis refuses to provide evidence that they have a secure procedure to verify the identity of the applicant. I think Maxis just simply do not have any procedure at all. Otherwise, why not tell me? And they still maintain that their “procedure” is safe enough and they want me to pay for an account I have never opened.

They sent me a copy of the unpaid bill, but it was addressed to a place that I have never heard of. How does Maxis expect me to know anything about the account when they sent the bills to an unknown address???

But Maxis has the balls to ask me to pay, now. This is what Maxis said: “In line with our position above, the total amount due on the said account is RM949.35 and this amount is inclusive of the 1st letter of demand that was sent to you dated 11thJuly 2007. We seek your kind understanding on this matter and trust you would make the relevant arrangements on settling this accordingly. You can visit the nearest maxis centre to you and please quote the said account number when remitting the amount.”

Well done Maxis. You have proven that you are very quick at asking for money from people, but very poor at ensuring you are charging the right person.

The one thing that I can commend is that this time they did provide me with a number I can call. They now say that the number for Maxis Complaint is 03-74914483.

Filed under: Malaysia, Personal ,

Alumni Sekolah Alam Shah (ASAS) Mini-Reunion

Semalam saya menghadiri mini-reunion anjuran Persatuan Alumni Sekolah Alam Shah (ASAS) di pejabatnya di Kota Damansara. Saya yakin ASAS mempunyai potensi yang besar untuk memberi sumbangan dalam usaha pembaikan sistem pendidikan negara kita. Ahli-ahli ASAS banyak yang berjaya dalam kerjaya masing-masing. Sudah pasti pengalaman mereka banyak yang boleh dikongsi.

Penubuhan Koperasi ASAS juga merupakan satu langkah baik. Koperasi ini menjalankan mesyuarat agung penubuhan semalam, dan saya telah mendaftar sebagai ahli.

Yayasan Amal ASAS juga bakal dilancarkan pada 27 Februari nanti, sempena majlis makan malam ASAS di Royale Chulan.

Mini Re-Union ASAS 16 Jan 2010, Kota Damansara

Bersembang dengan Tan Sri Samsuddin Hitam, Presiden ASAS (pen biru di poket)

Mesyuarat Agung Penubuhan Koperasi ASAS

Pejabat ASAS

Pejabat Persatuan Alumni Sekolah Alam Shah (ASAS) di Kota Damansara

Filed under: Malaysia, Personal , , ,

Maxis’ utter incompetence

This is what Maxis says about themselves:

By focusing on just three words we define ourselves.

This is what Maxis stands for.

Simple.
We aim to keep everything we do as simple as possible. For example, customers understand what it is we are telling them because we do it in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand.

We make things simple for everyone, including ourselves. Keeping things simple also means that everything we say is said in a clear direct tone of voice that is friendly and human.

Trustworthy.
Trust is crucial in every successful relationship and this is true between customers and Maxis, just as it is true between the company and its employees. All good relationships are built on trust which inspires confidence, and, assurance, conviction and reliance.

To be trustworthy is a way of life.

Creative.
Creativity defines us and therefore differentiates us from our competition. It inspires not only our communication style, but also how we answer the phone, design our stores, and deal with challenges.

Creative runs through everything we do and everything we say, it’s in our DNA

UTTER RUBBISH!

I wrote a comment on their Facebook Fan page and it was removed within minutes.

It has been 3 months and Maxis still fails to investigate a report that I lodged (a Maxis account under my name fraudulently opened in the mid-90s). They lost the papers I submitted twice. The first time I sent it to Maxis Taman Segar, and the second time to Maxis Gardens. None of what I submitted was received by their so called “Forensic Department”. Perhaps Maxis’ Forensic Team should firstly investigate what happened to the papers that they lost.

I have been forced to submit the same documents twice. The first time they clearly lost my papers. The second time it seems like the papers did not get to the right place.

Maxis Forensic Department staff are extremely unhelpful, and the Assistant Manager at Maxis Gardens could not care enough that a customer wants to make a formal complaint. I asked to see him and he refused to even come out from his office.

Because of the fraud, the blacklisted my name and I cannot open a mobile phone account anywhere. Maxis puts the burden to prove that I am innocent on me. Unless I can prove I am innocent, they will not remove the blacklist. Two questions:
1. How can I prove my innocence when they keep losing everything I submitted?
2. They were the one who failed to detect the fraud, why am I being punished?

It is almost impossible to speak to someone directly who can solve the problem. I also struggle to find Maxis’ complaint procedure displayed anywhere on their website.

The three best word to describe Maxis are:
1. Abysmal
2. Awful
3. Incompetent

Avoid Maxis if you can.

Filed under: Malaysia, Personal , ,

Streamyx / TM’s awful customer service

In my previous post, I have already hinted that Maxis shares the same awful quality of customer service with TM.

TM doesn’t just employ a security guard who is biadap (read my previous post), they also have a horrendous system in dealing with new applications.

I applied for Streamyx in mid December 2009. It has been almost a month and still TM fail to deliver.

They said they will complete the process within days. That’s a lie.

They said their staff will call to fix an appointment. Again, that’s a lie. Their staff just turned up unannounced.

I called their helpline last Sunday and was told that a technician is scheduled to come over today at 10am, but the technician will call me first before coming. That is also a lie. No one called me, and, when I called them, I was told no technician will come.

My personal experience shows that TM and Streamyx installation are hopeless and awful.

Unfortunately, no one else can provide the service I require. As a result of crony privatisation, TM monopolises certain services. So I do not have any choice but to endure TM’s inefficiency and horrendous service.

I now have to go to TMpoint Bangsar again to sort this out.

Tahniah diucapkan kepada badut-badut di TM yang ditadbir oleh Bumiputra Melayu.

Filed under: Personal , ,

Perlembagaan dan Semangat Perlembagaan

Anda dijemput untuk memohon menghadiri Akademi Merdeka yang akan diadakan pada 5 – 7 Februari 2010 (Jumaat – Ahad) bertemakan “Perlembagaan dan Semangat Perlembagaan: Memahami konsep kedaulatan undang-undang” (The Constitution and Constitutionalism: understanding rule of law)

Akademi Merdeka kali ini akan dipimpin oleh Professor Abdul Aziz Bari, Felo Kanan Institute for Democracy & Economic Affairs (IDEAS) yang merupakan pakar undang-undang daripada Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, berdasarkan modul yang beliau hasilkan khas untuk Akademi ini. Para peserta juga akan berpeluang berinteraksi dengan wakil-wakil pelbagai parti politik kerajaan dan pembangkang.

Lokasi Akademi Merdeka kali ini ialah di Institut Latihan Kehakiman dan Perundangan (ILKAP), Bangi, Selangor.

Topik-topik yang akan dibincangkan secara kritikal termasuklah:
- Demokrasi, keperlembagaan, dan perlembagaan
- Pengasingan kuasa berdasarkan Perlembagaan Malaysia
- Hak asasi manusia dan perlembagaan
- Kedudukan istimewa Islam dan Melayu
- Federalisme dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia
- Mendepani cabaran keperlembagaan

AkademiMerdeka.org menawarkan biasiswa untuk membolehkan seramai mungkin peserta menyertai Akademi Merdeka. Semua yang berminat digalakkan memohon biasiswa yang kami tawarkan untuk membiayai sebahagian atau keseluruhan yuran penyertaan dan kos penginapan. Tetapi kos pengangkutan mungkin akan dibiayai dalam kes-kes tertentu sahaja.

Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila lawati www.AkademiMerdeka.org

Filed under: Freedom & Liberty, Malaysia

Kualiti khidmat pelanggan memalukan

Utusan Malaysia hari ini menyiarkan artikel saya dalam kolum Wau Bebas. Tetapi artikel yang disiarkan tidak penuh (lihat di sini) kerana mungkin ada penulisan saya yang tidak sesuai untuk disiarkan.

Bagaimanapun artikel sepenuhnya boleh dibaca di bawah:

—-

Minggu ini genap tiga bulan saya kembali ke Malaysia setelah 17 tahun merantau di luar negara. Sepanjang tiga bulan ini, saya terpaksa mendaftar dengan pelbagai perkhidmatan seperti telefon, elektrik, internet dan sebagainya.

Tiga bulan ini juga merupakan pengalaman pertama saya memandu setiap hari untuk ke pejabat. Letih juga tersangkut setiap hari dalam kesesakan lalu lintas. Masih ada pemandu kita yang memandu tanpa memikirkan keselamatan diri sendiri dan orang lain.

Tetapi sikap pemandu yang sedemikian kadang kala bukan sepenuhnya salah pemandu. Reka bentuk sistem jalan raya kita saya rasa seolah-olah diatur untuk memenuhi keperluan pemaju, bukan memberi keselesaan kepada pengguna jalan raya.

Lihat sahaja susun atur simpang di jalan-jalan utama ataupun di lebuhraya kita. Jika kita terlepas sesuatu simpang, maka untuk membuat pusingan semula kita perlu pergi jauh ke hadapan. Saya pernah tersilap masuk ke Kerinchi Link di Lebuhraya Persekutuan. Untuk balik ke jalan yang betul memang amat susah.

Papan tanda di lebuh raya pula ada yang menganggu kosentrasi pemandu kerana terlalu banyak maklumat yang hendak dibaca. Baru saja habis membaca papan tanda sebelah kiri, kereta sudah terlajak sedangkan maklumat yang kita kehendaki ada di papan tanda sebelah kanan.

Akibatnya ada pemandu yang memandu perlahan apabila menghampiri papan tanda, atau ada juga yang membuat lencongan maut dari kanan ke simpang di kiri semata-mata kerana tidak mahu terlepas simpang.

Ini bukan salah mereka. Jika terlepas simpang yang dikehendaki, mungkin sahaja pemandu terpaksa membayar tol berganda. Hendak keluar lebuhraya perlu bayar walaupun di simpang yang salah. Hendak masuk semula selepas berpatah balik pun perlu bayar lagi.

Plaza-plaza tol bagi saya adalah tempat yang amat merbahaya. Hampir semua plaza tol memaksa pemandu untuk masuk ke lorong yang berlain mengikut cara pembayaran. Ada lorong tunai, lorong Touch n Go, dan lorong Smart Tag.

Sebaik sahaja pemandu menghampiri plaza tol, maka bersilang-silang kereta yang cuba masuk ke lorong kaunter yang betul. Selepas tol pula sekali lagi kereta menjadi berlapis-lapis kerana para pemandu kembali mahu masuk ke lorong masing-masing. Ini menyebabkan kawasan sekeliling plaza tol menjadi sesak dan bahaya.

Kenapa tidak boleh diletakkan semua pilihan cara pembayaran di semua kaunter tol? Biarlah setiap kaunter tol ada pilihan sama ada mahu membayar tunai, menggunakan Touch n Go atau Smart Tag. Bukankah memberi pilihan kepada pemandu itu lebih selamat kerana ia tidak memaksa pemandu masuk ke lorong-lorong tertentu apabila sampai ke plaza tol?

Selain daripada jalan raya, perkhidmatan kaunter yang disediakan oleh syarikat-syarikat tertentu juga ada yang amat memalukan.

Contohnya pada hari Isnin lalu saya ke TM Point cawangan Bangsar untuk satu urusan pemasangan internet. Saya tahu pusat perkhidmatan pelanggan itu tutup pada jam 5.30 petang. Saya tiba sekitar jam 5.10 petang tetapi pintu telah dikunci oleh pegawai keselamatan.

Setelah beberapa minit berhujah dengan pegawai keselamatan tersebut, saya akhirnya dibenarkan masuk. Saya terus mengambil nombor giliran. Walaupun beberapa minit dibazirkan untuk berdebat dengan pegawai keselematan itu, jelas tertera di atas tiket itu bahawa jam baru pukul 5.17 petang. Masih belum masanya untuk pejabat itu ditutup.

Tetapi saya amat terkejut apabila pegawai keselamatan itu bercakap dengan kuat di hadapan pelanggan lain bahawa saya degil dan tidak mahu menurut cakap. Seolah-olah beliau mahu memalukan saya.

Sistem khidmat pelanggan di TM Point Bangsar itu hanya memikirkan bagaimana pegawai mereka boleh balik pada jam 5.30 petang. Itu yang mereka pentingkan, bukannya bagaimana untuk memberi layanan terbaik kepada pelanggan sehingga waktu yang betul.

Setelah saya membuat aduan, pengurus TM Point itu menelefon saya. Beliau cuba memberikan justifikasi kenapa pegawai keselamatan dibenarkan mengunci pintu sebelum waktunya. Setelah saya mengatakan saya masih menyimpan tiket yang menunjukkan waktu sebenar saya tiba, dia terus bertukar fikiran dan memohon maaf.

Saya sebenarnya tidak ambil kisah sangat mengenai waktu. Apa yang mengecewakan saya ialah sikap biadap pegawai TM Point Bangsar tersebut. Pelanggan tidak seharusnya dilayan dengan biadap oleh mana-mana pekerja di TM.

Bagaimanapun, yang paling memualkan saya ialah kualiti perkhidmatan pelanggan Maxis. Sepanjang 17 tahun di luar negara, saya pernah berurusan dengan syarikat telefon di Britain, Amerika, Ireland, Sepanyol, German, Perancis, Indonesia dan Singapura. Tidak pernah saya berjumpa perkhidmatan pelanggan yang selemah Maxis.

Pada awal Oktober lalu, saya membuat laporan polis mengenai penipuan akaun Maxis yang menggunakan nama saya. Pada mulanya saya ke agen Maxis di Putrajaya, tetapi mereka memberitahu bahawa saya perlu ke pusat perkhidmatan mereka di Cheras.

Malangnya, laporan beserta dokumen yang saya serahkan di pusat khidmat pelanggan Maxis Cheras hilang sehingga saya terpaksa membuat aduan sekali lagi di pusat khidmat pelanggan yang lain di Mid-Valley City, Bangsar.

Apabila saya menghubungi Maxis baru-baru ini, saya dimaklumkan bahawa sekali lagi dokumen yang saya serahkan di pejabat mereka di Mid-Valley tidak sampai ke jabatan yang sepatutnya.

Maxis sekali lagi menyuruh saya membuat laporan dan menghantar semula dokumen buat kali ketiga. Dua kali Maxis hilang dokumen! Yang menjadi mangsa ialah pengguna kerana terpaksa ke sana-sini untuk membuat laporan. Sistem mereka menyusahkan pelanggan.

Saya yakin bukan saya sahaja yang pernah menerima khidmat pelanggan yang buruk. Semua ini berlaku kerana sistem perkhidmatan dicipta tanpa meletakkan pelanggan di atas. Baik di jalan raya, plaza tol, mahupun apabila berdepan dengan syarikat-syarikat yang meyediakan perkhidmatan seperti telefon dan internet, sistem khidmat pelanggan mereka tidak mesra pelanggan. Umpama mereka tidak memikirkan mengenai pelanggan langsung apabila mencipta sistem perkhidmatan mereka.

Sempena kedatangan tahun baru 2010, saya harap akan ada perubahan dalam kualiti khidmat pelanggan di negara kita. Kita sudah masuk ke dekad yang baru. Sudah tiba masanya rakyat sebagai pelanggan dan pengguna dihormati dengan sewajarnya, sesuai dengan kehendak Perdana Menteri agar rakyat didahulukan.
—–
Wan Saiful wan Jan merupakan Ketua Pengarah Malaysia Think Tank dan Editor www.AkademiMerdeka.org

Filed under: Articles, Malaysia , , ,

Copenhagen Summit

Sign the petition against green protectionism. Protectionism prevents a true solution to climate change.

“We call upon the World’s leaders to resist calls for green protectionism. Trade enables specialisation, which results in the development of new technologies and leads to the creation of wealth. In the past two decades, trade has enabled over a billion people to escape poverty. Trade is the most powerful weapon in humanity’s armoury to fight poverty and environmental ills, including climate change. Trade restrictions are not desirable, nor are they an effective means of addressing climate change.”

Click here to sign it

Filed under: Freedom & Liberty, Politics , ,

Visit Hanoi

I went on a Hanoi City Tour today. Below are some pictures.

Front of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

Had to queue to enter Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh is regarded as the man who brought “freedom” to Vietnam. As I was standing in the line, a soldier came over telling me to not put my hands in my pockets, stand straight in the line, and face forward. What “freedom” fighter? Even in his death, he seemed able to use the army to deny me my freedom!

Ho Chi Minh's stone house


Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Personal

Minggu ini di Hanoi

Saya tiba di Hanoi pagi tadi, sekitar jam 8.45 pagi. Sepanjang minggu ini saya berada di sini untuk kursus yang dianjurkan oleh British Council Vietnam mengenai keusahawanan sosial.

Selepas tamat sesi petang tadi, sempat juga saya berjalan-jalan sekitar bandaraya Hanoi. Sibuk sekali! Motosikal memenuhi jalan dan nampaknya jalanraya di sini seolah-olah tiada peraturan.

Sekiranya berkesempatan, besok saya akan cuba melawat Museum of Vietnamese Revolution.

Filed under: Personal

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