Friday, July 06, 2007

A Memorial Worth RM1.2million in Kedah

According to the State Tourism Chief , as reported in The Star - Metro (Northern Region) 5th July 2007 , Kedah will be constructing a memorial said to be approx. RM1.2million in Kedah to remember the tragedy that sacrificed the life of 11 people .... the great tsunami .

My fellow bloggers , my fellow friends . Will tourists go all the way to see a memorial in the middle of a village ? Tourism ? And it is worth RM1.2 million ?

I believe many would have preferred the money being channelled to the tsunami victims . What can RM1.2million do ? The answer is many . My dad works in Lafarge , a company that produces tiles . The cost of tiles are not for me to reveal . But dad knows the cost of cement , sand , fine stones etc . So here goes my argument .

RM1.2 million . Assuming the cost price of a low-cost terrace house at cost efficient level is built , it might take approximately RM40-50k max . Lets assume it is RM50k each . RM1.2million can produce 24 houses for the Tsunami victims ... including for the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic nature's act . The money could be used to fund the education of the victims as well .... the families of those who lost their lives could have benefited .

I have nothing against remembering those who lost their lives . But RM1.2million could be used to help the families of the 11 people who lost their lives , the other families who lost their rice bowl due to damaged sampans , boats and homes .

But RM 1.2million as a memorial for the 11 tsunami victims ? And you justify it as good for the tourism industry at that village ? I'm sorry ... perhaps I am too stupid to see the rational , Sir .

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