A Personal Reflection

When I read that the Nuri Helicopter crashed off Genting Highlands,my heart sank. I knew for SURE that there will be no survivors. Of course it would not be surprising that the report from the crash will conclusively state that it was "pilot error". It will never have anything to do with Nuri Helicopters being undermaintained or poorly serviced. Its easier to say its human error than to admit that not allocating money to upgrade the fleet of helicopters for our RMAF was a big mistake. If the Government can allocated RM33million for sports in higher institutions, I dont see why a fraction of that money cannot be used to upgrade the RMAF fleet of airplanes, helicopters and etc. Now Najib says, oh we might replace the Nuri helicopters with something else. Whether it will happen, remains to be seen.

Firstly the state of sports in our country is downright embrassing and degrading. Being beaten by Uzbeskistan 5-0 is humiliating. But beaten by IRAQ as well? Come on, they are supposed to be at war! Yet they whooped our asses. And yet the MPPJ finds it fit to channel ill founded money every other day into their "Kelab Bola Sepak". Ok maybe that is just a ruse to channel the monies into their own pockets, but whatever it is, the list of priorities when it comes to allocating money should be revamped and reorganised. Why spend money to allow the young footballers to go to UK and stay in high class hotels? They cannot play football!THEY CANNOT!What is so blardy hard to understand???!

Sigh.

Back to the Nuri crash.

I have to admit I was mighty surprise that the Dewan Negara observed a minute of silence as respect for the 5 members of the Force who were killed. And I was even MORE surprised that the King made a visit to the homes of the deceased. Why? Its not that I didnt think they were kind hearted or sympathethic enough,but because when my cousin Mej. Lai Yit Fuen's airplane crashed off the coast of Butterworth in 1994, all these were not done in his honour. Visits from the King? A minute of silence for him? Nothing of that sort. Yes, this is a personal reflection and yes I might seem petty but what is so special about those five on board that ill fated Nuri? How are they different from my cousin who was in the RMAF for many many years and flew the fighter planes every year at the National Day parade? He dedicated his life to the RMAF as well.

It still hurts for me to think about him. It still brings tears to my eyes when I visit his grave. And it pierces my heart to know the RMAF (and in fact the whole country) did not give him the honours he rightly deserved.

RIP Ah Fuen koko..