Malaysia Visit Malaysia Year 2007-Problems

last night, accidentally found this article which i'd like to share with all of you who reading my blog and also my comment.

Malaysia Visit Malaysia Year 2007-Problems - The original article (i just will copy some part from there)

Compared to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, the tourist information system is not so well developed. Quite often when making an inquiry at Tourist Information one is presented with the standard brochures and no additional information but always found them friendly.
- Yes. When i went to HK and Thailand, i can easily get a tourist map or info even in lrt station. i just realized our lrt station don't have that, what a shame that sometimes i still need to ask my friend which station i should go and which train i need to take (star,putra,monorail,ktm)

Oct.25, 2006:- MH's flight to KL from BKK's Suvarnabhumi airport developed a problem, and passengers had to disembark, and waited for almost three hours before being informed that they would be taken to a nearby hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. During that three hours wait, no food or drinks were offered by MH to the passengers, and it had passed dinner time. This is in sharp contrast to Air China (yes, Air China), on its Shanghai-Beijing flight on Nov.18, 2006, when the flight was delayed by two hours, within 10 minutes, Air China ground staff came around to provide food boxes and drinks for all passengers.
* Malaysian Airlines (MH)
-Well, i never experience this before but i think that this is unreasonable.

Malaysian Airline employees have been found to steal items from checked in luggages ranging from cash, electronics, to new clothing. Travelers are often not aware of the stolen items as the thieves/Airline employees are able to take time picking locks, unpacking clothes, taking the desired valuables, and then repacking the luggage so that it seems untampered with, while the owner awaits his/her luggage at baggage claim. By the time the traveler notices the items are stolen, they are often in their hotel room, far from the airport and unable to act quickly to report the incident.
- I've heard such case like this before but not too often. Most of my friend experience are the luggage delay few hours while the flight had arrived and the luggage was "accidentally" sent to wrong flight in other country and need to wait few days (amazing! How could it happen?)

LCCT Terminal - The ratio of seat vs passengers at all gates is insufficient to cater for passenger loads. Seats provided for passengers at any gate should cater for passenger load.Most of the time passengers are force to stand due to lack of seat , you can also find some passengers sitting on the floor awaiting boarding.
While air port tax is been collected but passengers are getting a very raw deal from the airport authority.
- I have a friend, she never been LCCT before until the day she "finally" had chance to take the flight to Macao with air asia. She told me the LCCT is look like a refugees camps because some peoples even sleep on the floor no matter in lobby or gate. (I can prove that's true because i also saw that!OMG!)

Late Luggage Collection - Arrivals visitors with checked in luggage who are not cleared fast enough at the immigration will have their luggage put aside near the belt conveyers.There are no temporary signage or info on these luggages from which flight it originated, making it difficult to track the dumped luggage.
- That's why everytime when i came out from plane, the first thing MUST do is collecting my luggage.

Many airports have lanes for their returning nationals, similarly a case in point of KLIA, where Malaysian nationals can breeze through the autogates In few flights when returning to KL, unacceptably long waits had been observed for non-Malaysians lanes. As some counters were unmanned, and no sign of these Immigration officials opening up more counters to relieve the long queues. Is there a correlation of immigration officials duty rooster to that of number and size of planes landing or doing such is beyond their capability or incurring overtime to MAB.
- i still never have chance to enter gate in KLIA. However, i guess it also happened in other airport like when i was in BKK's Suvarnabhumi airport.

The most important issue that needs to be resolved is the refusal of taxi drivers in Malaysia to use meters and their high tendency to overcharge. This is about not using meters, NOT about using meters then using a longer route.
- Again, i think this also happen in other country like thai. However, i think meter in taxi m'sia is running fast compared with other countries that i had visited.

Licensed Taxi Counter
Beware of the following tricks played by counter staff: All taxis are licensed to carry 4 passengers .At the taxi counter ,when you enquired for budget taxi.The normal reply would be.
(a) How many passengers are there:If the answer is four,you will be prompt to take a premier taxi at a higher rate .Always insist that :You only want a budget taxi;
(b)Another trick:There is a very long waiting list for budget taxi:you will be encouraged be book a premier taxi at a higher rate:Do not accept this excuses ,still insist you want a budget taxi,cos there are more budget taxis than premier taxi at all time.

Unlicensed taxis: At the lobby of the KLIA you may be approached by well dressed and educated gentlemen offering taxi services. Do not take their services because the rate upon arrival could be much higher than the official rate. Use the taxi services from the airport counters. Two types of taxis are offered:luxury or budget, your choice.
- Well, so far nobody offer premier taxi may be that's only offer to foreigner...lol (in LCCT). For unlicensed taxis, i think nowadays very strict in LCCT but i not sure the situation in KLIA.

Areas Needing Improvement

• No system to ensure that items in checked-in luggage are secure
• Cleaniness of public toilets and wet toilet floor at airports
  
• Image of taxi services urgently needed improvement :nagging issuse of not using meter to date still unresolved.
• Lack of detailed tourist information .
• Lacks of proper road sign at most major junctions or with signboard place very close near the junction with no time for action,by the time you see the signboard you have overshot the exit???
• Buses services and information need to be improved.

YES. The public toilet really need to improve. I cant imagine that sometimes we pay to use the toilet but yet it's a dirty toilet. When i was in Macao and HK, the toilet is clean yet is FREE! (what i mean here are those toilets at tourist attractions or shopping centres)

taxi image - i always try to avoid to take taxi.

Malaysian Ministry Of Culture, Arts And Tourism spend so much in printing and advertising, where are they?

Lacks of proper road sign - i guess there are still many people don't know where is LCCT located. Even as a malaysian, i also always miss the junction.

Bus? Always dunno where it goes...