MORE PICS – NS BUS FIASCO; LEE LAM THYE Blames the IRRESPONSIBLE Bus Operators Who in Turn Blame the Agents for the Delays; RESIGN: NS Director Harlem

For the LATEST Graphic Pictures (Updated) of. SADAM HUSSEIN Hanging (Before, After & Dead) Go Here

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Why didn’t the JPJ “closed one eye”? "We cannot allow buses on the road without insurance or drivers without a licence” But look at the majority of mat rempits and many in the smaller rural towns are riding without licence and insurance. Why NO ACTION?

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NS Training Council chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (ABOVE) descrbied the incident as embarrassing to the government and the NS programme. said he had told department officials several times there should be no problems in the transport of the trainees. And this is what the No 1 Top Salesmen said over TV3;

“I regard my self as the No 1 salesman for the National Service;
When I talk to friends; I talk about the National Service
When I had dinner; I talk about the National Service
When I had Lunch; talk about the National Service
When I had Breakfast; talk about the National Service
Even, when I sleep; dream I dream about the National Service
This is to show my passion with the National Service
If others were to fail just because they are irresponsible. They are not fit to be bus operators and yet they want to be bus operators So this is what it mars, the good name of National Service”

Tan Sri Lee said on behalf of the council he had proposed to the NS Training department for all irresponsible bus operators to be banned from transporting trainees in the future and any excuse they may have would not be accepted.

Only the Chinese daily Oriental Daily reported Tan Sri Lee calling on the NS Director Abdullah Harlem to step down (see bottom in Chinese & translation)

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January 02, 2007 21:11 PM

School Bus Associations Blame Agents For NS Blunder

STRANDED… Buses without JPJ permit have caused NS trainees to be stranded for hours at a number of pick-up points in several states.

ABOVE & BELOW: In some places the buses came but dare not moved as JPJ officiers were checking for their permits

MELAKA, Jan 2 (Bernama) -- The Federation of Malaysian School bus Operator Associations says the transportation problem affecting thousands of National Service (NS) trainees, Monday can be avoided if the NS Training Department deals with bus operators directly instead of contracting agents. Its chairman, Chee Ah Tey, said the agents had failed to give the list of names of the trainees to the bus operators earlier, making it difficult for them to obtain permits from the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

"The list of names is one of the criteria for us to apply for the permit from the JPJ," he told reporters, here Tuesday. Monday, 34,313 trainees were scheduled to be taken to NS camps nationwide. However, 2,820 trainees were stranded for hours at a number of pick-up points in several states and many returned home after the buses did not turn up.

ABOVE & BELOW: What to do? But resigned to wait for the next buses

Chee said it was impossible for bus operators to obtain JPJ permits in time if they received the list of names at the last minute. They needed at least a week to submit the application, he said. "I have two school buses taking NS trainees from Muar to the camp in Masjid Tanah on Jan 1 but only received the list of names from the agent on Dec 30," he said. He said the JPJ had reminded school bus operators to get the permit first to avoid action being taken on them. As JPJ officers conducted inspections at pick-up points, surely buses without permits would not come, he said.

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Wednesday January 3, 2007;l , STAR

Training dept needs a shake-up, says Lee

KUALA LUMPUR: National Service Training Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye is upset with the transportation blunder that left thousands of NS trainees stranded on Monday. Describing the incident as having left a black mark on the NS, he said the years of building confidence in parents on the programme had gone down the drain “just because of one or two irresponsible parties.” Lee said he could resign, but that would not solve the problem as he was not the one responsible for transportation. He added that his duty was to monitor and strengthen the programme and instil confidence in parents. If I have the chance to meet (Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak), I would tell him it is high time to shake up the NS training department to ensure better services,” he added.

ABOVE & BELOW: More wait & delays for the authorised buses

It was reported yesterday that 800 NS trainees were told to return home while thousands faced delays when some of the buses hired to transport them to the designated camps did not have the required permits. About 1,000 trainees bound for camps in Sabah and Sarawak were also stranded for up to 12 hours at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) due to hiccups in flight arrangements. Lee said the council had suggested to the department to terminate the services of the irresponsible bus operators immediately for not being reliable.
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Wednesday January 3, 2007

Dept: Flight delays beyond our control

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Service Training Department said flight delays involving trainees flying from Sabah and Sarawak to the peninsula and vice versa are beyond its control. The department said all flight schedules were made by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia. “The movement of trainees to Sabah and Sarawak and to the peninsula will take two days as the airlines cannot accommodate such a large group of travellers. This is due to the holiday peak season,” the department said in a statement yesterday. The department also de- nied newspaper reports that 200 trainees were stranded in Kota Kinabalu on Monday night, stating that 174 trainees were flown to Kuala Lumpur and Johor the same night, while 61 others were due to leave yesterday. It added that trainees had to be at the airports early for registration and distribution of tickets and were served food by the department.

ABOVE & BELOW: "All my bags are packed and I am ready to go; I am leving on a jet plane.... but I don't know when"

The trainees gathered at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and at a special location determined by Malaysia Airports Bhd, while those leaving yesterday were sent to transit camps. “A total of 3,413 trainees were to leave for camps in stages on Jan 1 and 2,” the statement added. – Bernama

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Probe into NS transport fiasco; 03 Jan 2007; NST

KUANTAN: The government has ordered a probe into the transportation chaos which affected National Service trainees.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has directed the National Service Training Department to submit a report on why trainees were stranded at several pick-up points on Monday. "Even if it happened in four places, it is serious and we regret it," he said after attending an Aidiladha celebration organised by Umno Youth at Bandar Jengka. Hundreds of NS trainees were stranded for hours and some had to return home after buses that were supposed to take them to NS camps did not show up.

Some bus operators had failed to obtain permits from the Road Transport Department (RTD). "We do not allow buses without permits," Najib said. NS Training Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said errant bus operators who failed to provide reliable transport would have their contracts terminated. He described their action as irresponsible and unprofessional. "Whatever excuses they come up with are unacceptable and their services must be terminated. It is the responsibility of the bus companies to ensure that they have permits. "After all our efforts to instil confidence in parents over the benefits of the NS programme, this had to happen. It mars the good name of the NS programme," he said. RTD deputy director-general Solah Mat Hassan said many of the buses commissioned to pick up the NS trainees were not roadworthy, with many operators failing to apply for temporary permits. He said in Kota Baru on Monday, half of the buses did not turn up and of the 13 which did, six did not have permits. "One driver was carrying an expired driver’s licence. Temporary permits are needed for insurance purposes. This is for the safety of the trainees. "We cannot allow buses on the road without insurance or drivers without a licence.".

== = = == = = = =and heres is the chinese dail that reported the call for the resignation of the

= = == = =and here is the Chinese Daily that reported Tan Sri Lee L T call for the resignation of National Service Director Abdullah Harlem

Original Chinese text from Oriental Daily:學 員入營陷亂局　李霖泰：總監應革職 - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 （吉隆坡2日訊）國民服務理事會主席丹斯里李霖泰怒斥，國民服務局總監阿都哈林須對昨日發生國民服務訓練學員入營大混亂事件負起最大的責任，連同其屬下所 有辦事不力的官員都應該被革職。 李霖泰說， 他將向國防部長拿督斯里納吉建議，以撤除國民服務局總監及相關辦事不力的官員，以避免學員入營過程出現混亂的局面，年復一年的發生。 他也建議國防部長，運用其權力整頓國民服務訓練局，把一切弊端改革和剔掉，讓人民對國民服務訓練重拾信心。 李霖泰接受《東方日報》詢問時說：「沒有表現的官員，就換人。沒有誠意工作的人，（繼續做下去）就沒意思。」 他指出，官員辦事不力導致每一年都發生問題，讓他窮於應付各方的責問。 他說：「這個總監要負最大的責任。他是負責作業和行政工作，我是負責理事會的事務，每次出現問題時，都是我面對家長和指責，現在是時候進行整頓。」 另一方面，國民服務局總監阿都哈林針對此事受本報追問時說：「我現在無話可說。我只想要完成報告給國防部長。」 阿都哈林說：「至于李氏要求我負上最大責任或辭職一事，我會聽取國防部的指示，一切以國防部的指示為依歸。」 詢及他是否會再向國防部長和李氏解釋，他語氣平和地說：「我認為沒什么好說了，我要完成調查報告。」 昨天，因為19輛巴士臨時不上路，導致北馬3州（玻璃市、吉打及檳城）及吉蘭丹州，多達超過4000名學員未能依時乘搭巴士入營，學員被迫苦等數小時，學 員累壞，家長也大表不滿，場面極混亂。 針對載送學員過程出現混亂的局面，阿都哈林表示，問題出在于巴士業者，因該局在2006年12月中與巴士業者及陸路交通局舉行兩次會議，且巴士業者在會議 上兩次保證可以依約載送學員。 他透露，該局將大馬分成6個地區，每個地區由一個巴士業者運作。發生問題的巴士業者，才剛剛運作2年多。 A區負責玻璃市、吉打及檳城；B區負責霹靂及雪蘭莪；C區負責馬六甲、森美蘭及柔佛；D區負責吉蘭丹、登嘉樓及彭亨；E、F區負責砂拉越和沙巴。因此，本 次事件應涉及A區、B區及D區的巴士業者。 同時， 他強調， 截至下午所有學員均順利從集合地點出發至營地，包括使用吉隆坡廉價機場終站的學員，且沒有任何一個學員被遺漏。至于吉蘭丹州的學員，將在本週五啟程。

and following automated Google translated text in English (Read with care, as translation is not perfect, but you can get the gist)

Li Lin Thai students entered the camp depression disorders should be dismissed : Director-Wednesday, January 03, 2007 (Kuala Lumpur, on the 2nd --)

National Service Council Chairman Tan Sri Lin Li Thai rebuke. National Service Director Abdullah Harlem yesterday to be joining the national service training camp fiasco take the greatest responsibility. Together with its all inefficient officials should be dismissed. Li Lin-tai said that he would Nadusrinagui defense, Director of the National Council and related services to remove incompetent officials appeared to avoid the chaos in the process of joining the camp. happen year after year. He also recommended that the Minister of Defense, to use its power to rectify the National Service Training Council, reform and tick off all ills. National service training to allow people to regain confidence.

Li Lin asked Thai to accept the "Oriental Daily News", said : "Without the performance of officials, it has changed. The work is not sincere. (continues) meaningless. "He pointed out that government officials have taken place must not lead every year. let him ask of coping with the parties. He said : "The director has to bear the greatest responsibility. He is responsible for operations and administrative work, I was the one responsible for the affairs of the Board. Every time there is a problem, my parents and face accusations that it is time to rectify. "On the other hand, National Service Director Abdullah Harlem to address the issue when asked by this newspaper :

"I have nothing to say. I just wanted to report to the Secretary of Defense. "Abdullah Harlem : "As Lee asked me to bear the greatest responsibility or resign, I will listen to the instructions of the Ministry of National Defense. All the instructions of the Defense Ministry. "asked Lee whether he will come back to the secretary of defense and explain, He moderate tone, said : "I think a little bit more, I have to complete the investigation report.

"Yesterday, 19 buses because the road is not temporary, resulting in three states north (Perlis, Kedah and Penang) and Kelantan. up more than 4,000 students failed to take the bus into the camp, students are forced to wait for hours, students broken down, Parents also expressed dissatisfaction, and the scene was very chaotic. In view of the process of transferring students appeared chaotic situation, Abdullah Harlem said that the problem lies in the bus industry, by the council in mid-2006 with 12 bus operators and land Department of Transportation held two meetings

During the meeting the two bus operators also be met to ensure trainees are sent. He disclosed that Malaysia which will be divided into six regions, each industry by the operation of a bus. The bus industry in question, just more than two years of operation. A glass area for the city, Kedah, Selangor and Penang B, and C for the blue zone for Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Johor; Area D for Kelantan, Pahang 登 floor, and E, F for Sarawak and Sabah. Therefore, this incident should be involved Area A, B and D of the bus industry. Meanwhile, he stressed, as at all the participants have gathered from the smooth proceeding to the camp site, Kuala Lumpur, including the use of low-cost airport terminal students, and no students were missing. For Kelantan, trainees will depart this week five.