Construction project: the economy locomotive?

Many countries have, during the economy downturn, trying to stimulate its economy by ways of funding large construction projects.

The theory is relatively simple:

Construction projects involves many aspects of economy and therefore funding construction projects will help to create jobs and tickle down money to eventually everyone, hence helping to accelerate economy activities.

In the 80s when the Malaysia Government started massive construction projects such and North South Expressway, building new townships like Putrajaya and erecting towers like the Twin Towers and KL Towers, the Government was planning with the same intention, ie to fuel economy with public spending.

In the 90s, editor of economic desk of several print media of whom i know shared the same view, ie to reverse economy downturn, massive construction projects are inevitable and often produce desirable results.

This have generally 2 fundamental flaws as of our economic structure:

1. For these projects to be beneficial, it must be carried out by these people, and not relying on foreigners;

2. Even if it has to rely on foreigners for some part of work, it needs to ensure that money earned from this country by the foreigners are also spend here, atleast most part of it should be retained somehow.

The example in the past did not have these 2 factors, or these are insignificant as compare to nowadays, thus it can be relatively successful in the past but it is no longer the magical formula.

Even I other countries, for example, China. Public funded projects work as expected just because the fund is not leaked to the outside world. It is the government who are releasing its reserve back to the economy and these projects can really be economic multiplier since fund is not leaked out.

The Obama administration initiated mega construction projects such as railway, bridge, and highway constructions with intention to both create jobs and channeling funding back to the economy, hopefully it can be the pusher to revive the already weak US economy.

In Malaysia, projects are generally awarded to foreign companies with local partners, and down to the very bottom, the workers or laborer are generally foreigners.

What does this implies? This means the Malaysia government is putting its taxpayers' money into the foreign hand. This
Money will eventually be shipped back to their respective countries, and we are left with just infrastructure and nothing else.

Mega projects no longer serve as planned: stimulating economy, what we have is no different than buying luxury goods from overseas and stuck with the goods.



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无奈

十多年前，一个朋友带他的父母到吉隆坡游玩。

他家在登嘉楼，父亲是渔夫，妈妈是全职的家庭主妇。他是老大。

当老人家第一次站在双峰塔外面，昂头看那两座高楼时，父亲是一脸的骄傲，妈妈看到连嘴巴张得大大，一句话也说不出来。

看了一阵，他就带老人家踏上回登嘉楼的路上。

在车上，过了好一会，爸爸开口了：

"真高！一定花了不少钱哪！＂

妈妈一时回不过神，呐呐的，不知道要说什么。

爸爸也不理会，自顾自的说：＂你还念小学的时候，我出外打渔挣钱，每个月收入400元。北风来时3个月不能下海，就得靠你妈养的鸡卖来过活。＂

＂今天你已经长大了，有一份工，刚刚够用。我还需要出海打渔，家里一切的开销都大了，但是我的收入还是400元。＂

＂看到双峰塔，我很骄傲，我们马来人终于站起来了！＂

＂可是，这高塔除了让我感到骄傲以外，还觉得伤心。＂

＂为什么我们要盖这样的高塔？为什么不能把盖高塔的钱用来改进我们的生活？＂

＂我的收入几十年不变，赚的刚刚够糊口，这样的高塔如果用来改进我们的生计，我们的生活就不需要这么困难。＂

＂为什么我们的政府要花这样的钱来做这些好看而对我们都没帮助的计划？或许我没知识没见识，大官的看法或许是对的，这些年来说为人民服务，我们的日子一样难过啊！＂

后记：

这是fandi那次送老人家回乡后告诉我的故事，我一直都忘不了老人家看双峰塔时的神情，更忘不了Fandi转述的那一番话。





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User experience vs User expectation

Tech companies tends to produce highly sophisticated devices, with all sorts of control one can ever imagine.

Yes, high tech, but, how's the user experience?

Many tech companies tilt towards listening to tech geeks, implementing functions only tech freak understands, and hope that the whole world will buy in.

Is this correct?

No! Most people, people like you and me, wanted something simple yet powerful. Something that will serve as claimed without complicated learning curve and procedures.

That's why powerful yet simple devices addressing one's need is often sellable than those designed and created by tech geeks.

Back to politics, it is the same.

When politicians talk about big plans, projects, future, and so fort, people on the street cares about whether policies will make them earn their living easier.

Who really cares about you wanted to protect the rights of certain quarters? Even the specific group of people that you strive to protect and uphold their rights would not care less about your mission. They care about their stomach, they care about money in their pocket.

Your can have bells and whistlers, but do you really addressed the needs?

I don't really care about who's in power, I care about how much money I have in my pocket.

So don't tell me how you strive to defend me, or my community, tell me how can you make my life easier, I will give you my vote.

Just like tech companies selling me products addressing my needs rather than asking me to struggle from trying to learn and master its products.

Back to the basics, please

败家！

有了88层高的双峰塔，还要建造百层高的鸡楼。前些时候还说国家不久就要破产，现在又大开水喉洒钱。

下面捧大脚的旅游部长，还说可以吸引游客。。

要吸引的是那些游客？本国的？还是东南亚的？还是中国、日本的？中东的？欧美的？旅游部长没说，我们这些小民当然不懂。

原来吸引游客靠一栋高楼就行了，百层高楼耸地而起，咱们就财源滚滚来吗？

要是还吸引不到游客应该怎么办？

是不是让天字一号扮King Kong，旅游部长当King Kong的爱人，在那新的百层高楼来个King Kong救美，在让国防部长出动无引擎战斗机，肯定会好卖过911。

这样，咱们才会财源滚滚，大吉大利！