New airport 新机场

I grew up in a new village called Kampong Baru Batu 8, Labu, Negri Sembilan. It is situated half way between Seremban and Nilai. It is 8 miles from Seremban, 8 miles to Nilai. Labu is two miles away (Batu 10). Few years ago, it was renamed Kg. Seri, Labu.

I studied at the primary school in my new village and second school in Seremban. I left my home village after completed my secondary education for greener pasture in the city.

My heart is always in my Kampong and go back whenever I can. My family will have Chinese New Year's Eve Reunion dinner at my Kampong every year without fail.

A month ago, out of the blue, it was in the news that a new low cost airport will be built in Labu!! (the so-called KLIA East @Labu Airport)

As a layman, I am puzzled such an important infrastructure of national interest project was conceived and decided in such a short time. Why "they" do thing quiet quiet one? Fisrt, Sime Darby buying IJN （National Heart Institution), now Sime Darby building a new airport?

Then it dawned on me that "ada kerja, ada wang". The classic Malaysia formula. Siapa dapat kerja? definitely not me and you. Siapa dapat wang? Not you and me either. Well, may be someone who is going to be out of job soon, gets the job while he can-lah! or in a corporation, it is called golden handshake.

This upset our former Prime Minister Lao Ma （老马）Mahathir too. The landmark KLIA that built under his administration is still underutilized with plenty of reserved land for expansion. Now building another airport 10 kms away, apa ini?

Any away, it is a private project undertaken jointly by Sime Derby and AirAsia. No government money involved. (do you believe?)

This prompted Lao Ma to comment: "you do not mess around with Sime Darby. It is as good as Government." He has forgotten, it was his Sime Darby too when he was the PM.

By the way, the so called new Labu airport is at least fifty Kms from my Kampong. And unless a new highway is built, it will take at least one and a half hours from KL to the airport.

Who is building the highway? another toll concessionaire... so "ada kerja, ada wang". Kita rakyat bayar 'ja le!!




我在一个名叫拉务八哩新村长大。这个新村是在森美兰州芙蓉及汝来的中间。它离开芙蓉八英里，汝来也是八英里。拉务则是在两英里之外（十哩）。几年前，它给改名为拉务斯理新村。

我进入这新村的小学就读，然后到芙蓉完成中学课程。中学后，我就离开我的家乡，到城市寻找更美好的“草原”。

我还是心系家乡。每当时间允许，我都有回家乡走走。每年的农历新年除夕，我们整家人都会回到家乡，和兄弟、侄儿们共吃团圆饭。

在一个月前，突然从新闻报道中，得知在拉务附近，将建立一座新廉价机场。

作为一位普通市民，我倒觉得摸不着头脑。一个这么重要的国家基建项目，在这么短的时间里，就被敲定！为什么这些人摸黑做事的？之前森那美要收购国家心脏中心，现在，要建新机场？

后来我摸摸脑袋想想，“有工程，就有钱拿”。这是经典的马来西亚配方。谁拿着工程？当然不是你和我。谁有钱拿？更不是我和你叻！那可能是有人即将下岗，在还可以的状况下，先下手为快！

这可使到我们的前首相老马（马哈迪）心里不快。他有千个理由新拉务机场不应该盖起来。其中一个就是在他任期里所建的地标吉隆坡国际机场 KLIA，到目前为止，还未到高人流量，而且还有万顷以上的扩建保留地。现在要到10 公里以外的拉务另建新机场，搞什么？

不过这是个私营机会，有森那美集团和亚洲航空公司合资建设的，没用到政府的钱。（你想信吗？）

老马也酸溜溜的说：“别开玩笑，森那美就等于政府。” 他忘了，在他是首相的时候，这也是他的森那美。

无论如何，那新机场离开我的新村至少有五十公里，从吉隆坡也要超过一个半小时的车程，除非另建一条新高速公路。

谁会去建公路？当然又是给一家私人公司经营大盗（道）收费了。所以，“有工程，就有钱拿”，作为人民的，只有掏腰包给叻！