A SERVICE QUALITY RESEARCH
By PHD (permanent head damage) Kaskhat

Customers come first… I believe in that statement …coz most of the time I am the consumer.

Cab drivers in SG…what do you think of them? With abhorrence or are they tolerable?

Sometimes, SOME cab drivers think they are god-sent saviours to people in need of transport. They pick and choose passengers and look at them in frustration when a passenger wants to go to a nearby destination. A destination near or far, we still pay according to the meter. So what’s the problem? I read with disgust in the Forum page regarding this issue. Sometimes, I do get that same attitude when my journey begins in PEPS and ends at my home. I could take the bus but why bother? I am spoilt by my hubby and I don’t care even if the drivers shoos me off…I don’t scoot off without paying the fare… at times I even don’t take the change… for goodness sake it’s about $3 or so for my journey home. My reluctance for them to keep the change stems from the attitude and the ‘face’ they portray when I get in their ‘super-rich’ transport. I understand the situation if these people queued up for hours in Changi Airport, only to get a nearby place to go to… but when these people on the road, beggars can’t be choosers right? We flag u down… u send us…no questions asked unless of course you’re changing shift… ah how come they change shifts at well-planned hours like at 5pm or 12am …Cinderella ah? For those who are ignorant, that’s when the surcharges start in operation. Next, we have the cocky and haughty cab drivers who usually drive the Merc. As if they own the Merc, the only want stylo mylo passengers. It’s always ‘BUSY’ on their side…are they using this cab for their own personal needs? LTA should look into that. I once encountered this arrogant lady who drives the Merc cab. I just got back from POPULAR BOOKSTORE. I was carrying a few plastic bags from the store. When I got in the cab, the ah soh says … miss ah…put behind ah …later my taxi dirty and wet ah… I opened the door and looked outside…there was neither a speckle of rain or snow… Auntie ah… these bags from POPULAR lah…POPULAR have not taken over NTUC yet…so no vegetables yet…all school stuff…the lady kept quiet and drove to my destination. When I got down, I slammed the door…what an attitude…stupid some more! Driving a Merc cab and driving a Merc are two different things… even Merc, the ah peks drive it now… so? In case these drivers have yet to realize it… let me say this…you don’t own the MERC… ok? Then, they are those who go on and on about their achievements and some have the accolades to prove … so? Who wants to hear about your house in JB, or your children who are doing so well…they are doctors or Master holders…I don’t need your life story… if you have the intention to brag.

BUT…like all humans do… not all cab drivers are of that breed. I have taken many enjoyable rides that have stimulated my intellectual thoughts… these…I LIKE! Three days back, this Malay man was just talking about the weather and soon we were analyzing on why JB was distraught with the flood. Religiously, we were talking about the retribution… ha-ha…just what I thought… so many crimes in JB involved our fellow Singaporeans…all innocent beings who go there just to shop and dine. Tu lah ALLAH ingatkan jangan aniaya orang…tengok apa jadi… banjir teruk sangat sampai bumbung… heran kenapa Kelantan and Terengganu tak kena padahal…dekat lautan. Before I got down, he wished me a good day…how nice… then two days back… I took this cab driven by this Chinese old man who is in his 60s. He asked whether I’m a teacher and the conversation starts off with having a degree or don’t. He asked me whether in my school, degree holders treat mere mortals like most of us differently. I told him not in my school! Most and I mean 99% of them are so nice. With the exception of a few, who thinks they have the brains to match their swollen ego, the others are super-nice! He went on saying some things can’t happen just because someone has the certificates to prove his educational worth. Things like teaching and driving. I told him abt some teachers in my school who only has O level to match but the respect bestowed on them is just beyond words. He said, there was once this ang moh who has a PHD who took his cab… he was awed by uncle’s driving skills…because apparently this ang moh has failed so many times at driving tests! Well there you have it…education is not only about the certificates and how many times you have worn the mortar! The journey although short certainly opened my eyes to a different dimension…such a witty thought by just another man on the street…

So the next time I hop into a cab…I’ll be sure to look forward to an exchange of intellectually stimulating conversations …not a harsh exchange of words I hope!

I have said my piece!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

been up to my ears with school work and family matters... but nevertheless ... it has been going smoothly ...

tirelessly, without fail...I will catch up on news via the net, the online papers and so on...

My eyes set upon this article that appeared on Cyberita on 21 January 2007...

The article goes like this...

BARAT MASIH BERLAGAK 'BIG BROTHER'?
Oleh Rahmad Sakom

KETIKA kita di sini menarik nafas lega membaca langkah positif hilangkan diskriminasi dalam memilih pekerja, Britain pula kecoh gara-gara 'Big Brother'.

Awal minggu ini, syarikat Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) mengumumkan bahawa iklan pekerjaan yang bersifat diskriminasi 'tidak akan dilayan'.

Cakap mudahnya, iklan-iklan pekerjaan tidak perlu bubuh kriteria usia, bangsa, jantina, bahasa dan status rumah tangga.

Jika ia memerlukan kriteria tertentu, tulis saja dengan jelas.

Memang ia perubahan yang dialu-alukan. Diskriminasi dalam apa bentuk perlu dielakkan.

Walaupun garis pandu iklan itu berbeza daripada siri Reality Show Celebrity Big Brother di Channel 4 di Britain, kedua-duanya melibatkan diskriminasi.

Isu 'pilih warna kulit' bukan fenomena baru di Britain dan Eropah. Ia lumrah berlaku dalam kehidupan harian yang menjejas persekolahan, pekerjaan dan juga tempat tinggal.

Tetapi bezanya, Big Brother ialah rancangan TV yang ditonton jutaan orang di Britain. Ia tidak berlaku dalam senyap-senyap atau tersorok daripada mata ramai.

Pelakon jelita Bollywood, Shilpa Shetty, 31 tahun, dikatakan didiskriminasi dan dibuli para peserta 'mat salih' se rumah. Mereka panggil Shetty 'anjing', 'that Indian', mempersendakan loghatnya malah bertanya 'betul ke tidak bintang Bollywood itu tinggal di teratak!'

(Big Brother ialah rancangan realiti TV yang 'mengurung' para peserta dalam rumah. Setiap perbualan dan tindak-tanduk mereka dirakam secara sulit dan disiarkan 24 jam di TV. Setiap minggu para penonton akan mengundi keluar seorang peserta hingga tinggal seorang pemenang).

Tanpa diduga, kira-kira 30,000 penonton melenting marah, membantah keras 'serangan berbau perkauman' ke atas Shetty.

Malah Big Brother diseret hingga ke Dewan Rakyat Britain dan mencetuskan reaksi daripada pemerintah India dan tentu sekali Bollywood.

'Shetty dihina' jadi topik utama media di India dan imej Shetty menangis tersiar di TV dan jadi hiasan muka depan akhbar-akhbar.

Dalam sekelip mata, seolah-olah akan tercetus konflik politik antara Britain dengan India gara-gara Big Brother.

Aneh juga, sedang bintang bola sepak Thierry Henry, Rio Ferdinand dan David Beckham berpeluh berkempen hapuskan sikap perkauman di padang England dan Eropah, serangan berbau perkauman di TV boleh 'tergelecek keluar' untuk tontonan umum.

Sudah diduga, ada yang menganggap perlakuan itu mencerminkan sikap sebenar Barat terhadap penduduk Asia. Inilah realitinya, kata mereka.

'Apa yang berlaku dalam Big Brother adalah cerminan masyarakat Barat,' kata pembuat filem Bollywood, Mahesh Bhatt, kepada agensi Reuters.

'Hal seperti ini benar-benar berlaku, wajah-wajah yang mengamalkan diskriminasi dapat dilihat di mana-mana saja di London atau New York,' tambah beliau.

Pandangan Mahesh Bhatt itu mengingatkan saya kepada rencana Encik Kai-Alexander Schlevogt yang menyentuh isu opera Mozart, Idomeneo, tahun lalu.

Beliau memberikan sebab mengapa Barat tidak serik-serik melukakan hati Muslim. Menurut beliau, ethnocentric colonial mindset adalah dalangnya (pandangan atau sikap yang mempercayai bahawa golongan atau kebudayaan etnik sendiri lebih unggul daripada golongan atau kebudayaan lain).

Big Brother satu lagi paparan jelik bahawa sikap ketuanan penjajah ini masih menebal di Barat.

Tetapi tidak semua limpahan daripada episod Big Brother ini membimbangkan. Puluhan ribu yang membantah kerenah mat salih memaparkan ramai yang tidak bersikap perkauman (ra cist).

Dengar khabar, puluhan ribu bantahan itu adalah yang paling ramai dalam sejarah rancangan TV.

Di Singapura, kita pernah mengalami isu perkauman ini (antaranya, isu blog perkauman dan kes jawatankuasa kondominium Springbloom) tetapi tindakan tegas pemerintah dan bantahan spontan daripada majoriti menenangkan keadaan dan mengembalikan keyakinan rakyat.

Tidak begitu halnya di Britain. Episod Big Brother di Britain ini tidak membantu hubungan antara kaum di sana.

Ironinya ia berlaku dalam era globalisasi, kononnya di kala dunia tanpa sempadan.

Malangnya, dalam isu bangsa dan agama tembok sempadan kian menebal.

Anehnya, mengapa sikap perkauman hanya berlaku di Eropah atau Amerika sedangkan di Asia jarang didengar 'mat salih' menjadi mangsa?

Jelas, 'ethnocentric colonial mindset' tadi memainkan peranan tetapi kali ini secara songsang.

Di Asia, masih ada yang menganggap golongan kulit putih lebih baik dan lebih berjaya lantas perlu dihormati dan dicontohi (sisa-sisa mentaliti penjajahan?)

Big Brother membuka mata bahawa diskriminasi kaum masih berleluasa di Eropah yang mendabik diri sebagai juara hak asasi.

Isn't it great? Finally, someone who shares my sentiments...the West aren't our masters and we r not at their biddings...Long are the days of colonialism... Asians...stop being humble...walk with your heads up high... We r on the rise...

Those who still treat and thinks that the whites r superiors...let me tell u this...

U R A COMPLETE MORONIC IDIOT!
U R A DISGRACE TO THE BIGGEST CONTINENT OF THE WORLD!

I have said my piece!

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Allow me to present you,
my 2007 Babies...
zany classes indeed... but I am sure looking forward to having you occupying my life for this year....
WELCOME TO CHEGU KASKHAT'S LAIR!

I have said my piece!

Friday, January 05, 2007

sch started two days back...it's been ok...I miss teaching the younger ones ...they are so cute...so innocent and raw... I will want to teach the younger ones next year... so cute and so adorable...my P5s are a fun lot... intelligent and funny! My P6s...well have yet to build rapport...

today I realised something.... people in this world GILA KUASA...they have such an insatiable thirst for power... be it in some countries or in the workplace... gila kuasa kan...bolot ah semua...who cares! Everyone wants to claim credit but when it comes to admitting faults...everyone turn their backs...we live in a world where mistakes are not tolerated and unforgiven... cruelty... Saddam was turned into a sacrificial sheep on the eve of Eid-ul-adha... can't they just choose another day? It was supposed to be a day of rejoice and what did they achieve? Blood baths? I don't care what others might think.... Saddam might have massacred many ...or did he? I think like criminals....he deserves the yellow ribbon...I am not saying I am supporting his cause but I think Saddam should be given the immunity just like in all countries where the heads of the countries are bestowed with... For some, Saddam might be one of the most dangerous terrorist but have anyone given a thought ...Saddam is also a husband, a father and a grandfather.... like I mentioned before... he reminds me so much of my Papa and my grandpa...looking at him during his last minutes of his life...brought tears and a sudden rush of sadness in me... I just hope if he was in the wrong....may ALLAH forgive him...he has received his dues in the world by the al-kafiruns...may ALLAH bless his soul!

I have said my piece!

Monday, January 01, 2007

On New Year's eve, all four of us went out in the middle of the night to watch the fireworks...nothing fantabulous...the fireworks' festival was definitely better... however we had a fun time laughing at the stupidity of the drunkards and of course some foreign workers who were ogling at some meenachi...it was hilarious! we didnt chill out coz Najib was so beat...
see how cute my hubby and my bro ... they were the bouncers who took care of us...the princesses! hah!

I have said my piece!