EMPTY WAREHOUSE = BAD ECONOMY = OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE FUTSAL SKILL

by INVISIBLEWRITER001

I was talking with a friend who works with the custom department handling export items at Port Klang. He looked quite worried. For a former student leader, he being worry is something that you should worry about. He’s someone who would speak his mind.

The situation at the port contradicts whatever being said about our economy. Go to Port Klang and look at the container terminal. It’s empty. Not like it used to be.

Warehouses are also empty. You can play a game of Futsal there. Trucks are rare sights there.

You don’t the usual traffic of trucks carrying goods around Port Klang. We discussed further on other indicators for bad economy.

Many trading companies are suffering. Imports are suffering because there are not many demands locally and the manufacturer abroad are also facing credit crunch to supply more if there is such demand.

Export is also on a decline. Many factories are shutting down production line to reduce output.

This affected not only employees (when they can’t do overtime) but also vendors that supply components and raw materials.

How do we overcome this situation? Many suggest that we increase expenditure. I suggest we make more babies! That’s for long term solution. Tun Dr.Mahathir once suggested 70 million populations.

It’s a good idea actually. With that kind of population we can actually be self reliant. Our local demand can support local production. When economics turbulence attacking other nations, we can rely on local demands to spur the economy.

Pak Lah made a good start in trying to revive the agricultural sector. But the implementation is something of the opposite. Holland and Taiwan are good example for us to emulate. Both countries are almost self reliant where agriculture sector is concern.

I don’t have any land to toil. But I have a dream of having my own pineapple plantation. My plan was to plant pineapples under all high voltage cables running across the country. Those lands under it are basically underutilized. Some argued it generates ‘generous’ amount of harmful electromagnetic wave. I guess, that’s for me to find out. Whatever it is, we have plenty of resources to spur our economy. We need to be innovative in finding unorthodox solution during this economic downturn.

No point having stimulus package if we don’t know how to use it. We can throw a lot of money into the economy. The money is gone but we don’t see anything out of it.

Penang is one of the state worst affected. The state government is busy stabilizing the social structure but I don’t see much solution on the economy. They still need help from the federal government. The manufacturing sector hasn’t fully recovered from 1997-98 and now they’re experiencing another downturn and the tourism sector will never go back to its former glory.

Whoever plans to be in power come next general election need to come up with an extremely long term solution. The state no longer produces cheap goods. They’re not producing extremely high tech products and no longer a beautiful resort island. And the only reason why Malaysian throngs this island on weekly basis is to fulfill their hunger for delicious food! I don’t see any other solution for this except total re-branding!

To embrace whatever re-branding exercise, Penangites need also change their mindset, and this includes politicians too. And let me tell you something, despite claiming to be a developed state, penangites have among the most least developed mindset in this country. Tak percaya kah?