January Kick-Off

Travelling & The King of Development

Its almost the end of January of 2008. My my my - time really flies. Its hard to remember if its yesterday or last week or what just happened a few minutes ago. The kick off started when I recieved all those instructions in my In Tray after returning from holiday in Mid January. I have to say I am almost out of breath by now. Kicking off my travelling schedules - attending meetings, inspecting the Ninth Malaysia Plan projects and programmes, hitting the road, water or sky, whatever needs doing in the name of delivering development for the State. Coming from headquarters I discover I need to be very conversant with what is happening in the State especially for meetings where you represent Sarawak.

Travelling in my younger single days - this picture was taken 10 -12 years back. I managed to cover almost all the corners of the State. It was easier then when you are not married as the road and the places you go was your 'second home'.

But one thing for sure - if one travels the whole breadth of Sarawak to Sabah and Labuan one can be proud of being a Sarawakian. The reason is that your ever friendly Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Ting Phek King will ensure you will basically feel at home wherever you go! When you fly, you will find out that the airport in most places will looks alike and it feels like you have never left Kuching, or Bintulu or Miri. Even when I reached Labuan... and Kota Kinabalu! When I saw those lorries cruising near these airports I knew it bore the mark of Sarawak's Development King! I have to salute that Tan Sri!


Kuching International Airport

Labuan Airport


Kota Kinabalu International Airport

TP King can also be bestowed with being a Flyover Specialist. When you think the Kenyalang Exchange in Kuching is all there is, those in Miri recently saw two flyovers launched last year. I managed to expereince the two last week while travelling in Miri - As I have not been to Miri for two years so I can see and feel the change that takes place here.

Miri Flyover at Wisma Pelita area

Destination Labuan

Our function in Labuan last week was held at the Waterfront Financial Hotel. Its the second time I have been to Labuan after 20 years plus. Last time it was during my undergraduate years and I was using the express from Kota Kinabalu to Limbang (transiting in Labuan).

Waterfront Financial Hotel, Labuan

It can be said that I was almost cut off from the Internet if it had not been for my 3G/GPRS which enabled me to check my incoming emails in my handphone. The Waterfront Financial Hotel had Hotspot so I was connected throuhout the meeting as I had a Hotspot Account,. Statying at Regency Dorsett, the Internet Connection was damn expensive.

Internet Access at Dorsett Hotel Labuan is RM60 for 24 hours. Either we are trying to promote Internet usage or we are trying to make money out of the Internet's connectiveness, we hope there's a clear objective one day by our higher ups in authority. At night I had a choice - choose Celcoms free 24 hour broadband connectivity which is RM8 OR a big bottle of Guiness Stout which was RM6.50 (Labuan is a Free Port). I believe the economics part will point to the Stout?

YB Datuk Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili (in orange) graced our function accompanied by YB Joseph Entulu (in Blue). Adherence to protocol is important as this involves a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.


YB Datuk Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili shows his talents in karaoke

As for me the best part was chilling out with Labuan's cheap beers and liquors. The time was so limited to enable me to sample the famous brands - so in the end I could not make up my mind and just stuck with beer draught at the hotel.

I had wanted to sample the fun places for my Fun Blog in Labuan but the meeting sapped most of my energy out. Maybe another time as I looked at my diary and the lists of other places I have to cover soon. There's no direct link for most of the places between Sarawak and Sabah so I do feel the urgent need to establish them. Jumping airports just to get to one place is quite exhausting. Which is why I do hope the Kuala Lumpur Federal Officers take the opportunity to go down on the ground or turun padang to evaluate the actual situation here rather than administer from Putra Jaya. If I had not gone to the place and experience the poor air linkages myself I would have thought everything was rosy. Travelling is an important function to update oneself with the projects and programmes under a the Government's care. It is fun sometimes but it can be taxing, especally if there are problematic cases. The pace of development is becoming rapid and so is the people's expectations - therefore there is a need to minimize the magin of errors as delays can be very expensive. Hopefully I can finish half of my first quarter targets before Chinese New Year 2008 starts.

Comments

Elsa Gabriel said…
that tall class of beer really refreshing...i think i need one of those during CNY :)
Anonymous said…
I wish I can be your personal assistant so that I can travel a lots like you do.

Heheh :P Kak ngular gawa meh nyaaa...
Uchu Keling said…
I thought that was you today near the SMC vehicle. Gheee.. look at that skin.

Anyway, we have Chua Soi Lek as the benchmark today.
Anonymous said…
i don envy yr hectic schedules..d only thg tat i envy is yr bloody cool baju batik (lst pic)...i liked it!! :)
Chris Anakapai said…
loved the batik shirt. I do agree with ladybird about the batik shirt hehe...
= FLoReNcE = said…
Wah...u travel so many places. So nice!!!! can I follow u for travelling? Hahaha..^_^
Kazookian said…
Turun padang? Can...

We all so oh want to, but it's not easy as packing and leaving.

Most of the time, the big bosses want to do the travelling on their own. If not, them, they give to the bos kecik. Then if not them, then the kecikker bos, until the kecilest which is us...Hahahaha

If its super duper boring, totally out of the way minor-minor place then you will see us travelling.

Hahaha
johannsen said…
Boss, sekarang internet di Grand Dorsett FOC.. XD