Breather

Yes. It has finally arrived. The eagerly anticipated, absolutely essential one week Easter break. I was just about to start wondering: will the break actually happen at all? Or was it just an illusion; some cruel trick played by the university? It’s suppose to be a mid semester break after all, but it’s already Week 8 now (there are 12 weeks in a semester).

It felt as if I was holding my breath since the start of the semester. Second year has been extremely to the power of 100 difficult, oops, I mean extremely difficult. You see what I mean? I have been doing a lot of (financial) maths lately, and the present value of the money in your wallet assuming an effective interest rate...gahh! Actuarial subjects have the innate ability to make the material you have studied so rigorously stick to your head and haunt your every thoughts.

With Easter break arriving, I have that awesome feeling, which is synonymous with the moment when you have been holding your breath under water for what felt like the longest time ever, and then you surfaced. Oh yes, that wonderful feeling that numbs your pains, and erases your worries (albeit temporary). It’s high time for a breather.

Let’s talk about what’s on almost every Malaysians’ minds: the already infamous 1Malaysia email address. Apparently, every Malaysian aged 18 and above will receive a special 1Malaysia email address, so that the government can securely send notifications etc to everyone of age. The issue that got many people so worked up is that a certain exclusive group will be paid to create these emails. Now, the sum paid is not of a small value. Suspicious? Indeed.

There is speculation that the government wants to do this because the PM’s wife want to read our emails. Bemused people are even suggesting that this is some kind of April Fool’s joke on the government’s part, but it was delayed because they were so inefficient.

Surely there is a much better way to spend taxpayers’ money rather than building a mega tower and creating 1Malaysia emails for everyone? Wait, I stand corrected. There isn’t a much better way, there are many better ways.

Let’s face it, no country is perfect, no government is spotless. Take Australia for example. In the state of Victoria, the previous government has spent billions of dollars by introducing the ‘myki’ system into their public transport system. It’s pretty much like Touch & Go in Malaysia. Well, the fact is the current state government is thinking of scrapping the myki system because the cost went overboard by millions of dollars, and it is still incurring losses. Well, if there’s one thing I learned, it is that Aussies are notoriously lazy and inefficient. (Note: I’m being cynical here)

For example, they follow their working hours to the very second. Here’s a situation:

Australian receptionist: *looks at clock* Oh looks its 5.15pm already. Happy hour!

Visitor: *walks in* Erm, good evening, I was wondering if...

Receptionist: Sorry mate we are closed. We are open again tomorrow at 9am.

Visitor: But...

Receptionist: Yea (pronounced’ yeeeeeea’), so please do come back tomorrow. Bye.

But it seems that Malaysian government is trying very hard to spend taxpayers’ money on (putting it bluntly) useless pursuits that will not help the nation.

Anyway, thank for reading. It's one of the longest post in a while. Happy Easter!