I gleaned the three main English dailies at BF this moUrning -- took me some 1 hour 15mins (yeah, desi has lots of dime to spare on Saturdaes, waiting for my CON BF tomorrow!) to make sure I did not miss any page! -- and Blardy ...., What the ....! you fill in the four-letter words like you fill up your petrol t(h)anks!
Two thousand Malaysians assembled at the KLC4 yesterday afternoon for a few hours to protest the 30sen-per-litre fuel hike, and the national newspapers think it's okay to act like the THREE MONKEYS:
See no evil;
Hear no evil;
Speak no evil.
No wonder most of the GEICs are either a Datuk, double Datuk or a JKR...They are too beesy to attending loyal state functions. What's JKR, you arsked? Aiyah, Desi also dont no, donwan to no, even if I no, I wont tell you!
I also have loyal duties to attend to!
In Chinese there is a remotely relevant saying: NO EYE SEE!
But Blogspworld filled in the vacuum easily -- Syabas, to Bloggers at the scene who brought us Bird's Eye views plus Close-ups with the FRU-watching the 2,000 fellow Malaysians doing their civil duties...
As for some blighters "cursing and sweatring" at these street demonstartors, Desi says:
Shut your arses up if you can't lend any moral support.
They are there to protest an "unjustified act" -- almost a habit by now over the past 2 years under Pak Lah as CEO of our "Caring Country" ...in a bread-and-butter issue.
Syabas to common Citizen Joe/Jane and Blogger-Reporters-Cameramen who brought the "news" to our PC screens.
Now I'm approaching PKR and some concerned parties to stage another protest at The NST and The Star -- they reported about the Protesters at the Danish embassy over an issue affecting only a segment of sMalaysian society, butt on the Bread&Butter Issue of Petrol and Diesel Price Hike, affecting ALL Malaysians except for the iKabinet members and their Cronies:
there is deafening silence...
like Jalan Riong is a graveyard
like Section 16, Petaling Jaya is a graveyard
like their GEICs are attendingba memorial service at the Sarawak Tribune? RIP: ST, waiting for the transformation to RISE IF POSSIBLE?
After acting like echo-chambers mouthing DPM's inane explanation about the need for 30sn-a-litre price increase (read Desi's piece Thursday, kenORknot, about that fSpeaking DPM's famous speec on TV ...; and making defence for miniSTER Shafie Apdal's calls to traders and businesses NOT TO RAISE PRICES...
Are these leaders living on another PLANet called COCKatwo?
I salute the fellow Malaysians in giving an Ultimatum, according to online reports, to the Gomen to withdraw the 30sen price increase, OR FACE THE REPERCUSSIONS...
This is this perceptible feeling by Desi since the last two rounds of increases last year that the Rakyat has reached the edge of their endurance ... their prockets are indeed are hit, time after time, after dime, after time, after dime ...
To add insult to injury, that miniSTER had the gall to add: It's okay if they raise prices by 0.1percent.
Is this guy fSpeaking For Real?
You think businessmen are Santa Claus with miniscule brains, like some leaders from what? out-of-this-wrold Cocka...land?
Are Malaysian traders like hawkers and sundry shop owners and bus-drivers expected to practise ALTRUISM, and live on sunshine, water dan air?
Asd for the Oil Price Rise and how PETRONAS features in the big pictute, I reprise an extract from my July 2, 2006's post,LOSING OUR COUNTRY...? (Part 3) Patience eh, my most 'steAmedReaders!
Stay tuned ...
News Interruptus!
Petronas posts record earnings
RM35.5b net profit is highest in 30-year history
This news headline on page 1 of TheEdge FinancialDaily today greeted me this morning, but do I rejoice?
No, not as an ordinary Malaysian citizen, for through the years I did not see any benefit flowing to us the Rakyat. The government tells me every time there is a petrol price hike that it’s because of increasing subsidies. I don’t buy that.
I ask: why can’t Petronas share some of the yearly increasing profits with the ordinary Malaysians?
I guess the directors, top managers and shareholders of the NATIONAL OIL CORPORATION are all laughing their way to the bank this morning. And every time there is an international oil price rise, the oil pump price also is raised, causing another round of inflation.
By right, Malaysians should enjoy a decrease in pump rises with every increase in world oil prices because out nation’s crude exports are of superior quality. And hence command premism prices. I wonder if Petronas can explain this?
Just an aside: Long queues last night at petrol stations were triggered off by “rumours” of another 20sen per litre, communicated widely via phone calls and SMS; I personally received one at 7.00pm. I asked one friend why join the rush to fill up RM30 on a one-offsavings of merely a few ringgit? His curt answer: I don't want Petronas to earn even RM3 more if I have to line uo for half an hour! I can use the money for a plate of mee goreng.
Is that what a corporation, holding the nation’s top natural resource on trust of the people, all about, they enjoying the perks and privileges off a nation's wealth, but forgetting the ordinary man-in-the-strreet? Do you think you earn goodwill by putting up feel-ggod messages over TV come every Malaysian festive season? I doubt it, I very much doubt it, I certainly doubt it!
Let’s look at the key, relevant points of the news report, from theSun business supplement:
PETROLEUM Nasional Bhd (Petronas) group posted its highest earnings in its 30-year history with a net profit of RM35.5billion , wich would provide it with funds to undertake capital expenditure of RM17.35billion for the current financial year, according to Petronas president and CEO Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Merican.
Announcing the corporation’s latest results, he said for financial year ended March 31, 2005, Petronas’ net profit was 50.3 percent higher than the RM23.66billion in FYE March 31, 2004.
Desiderata: suggests that that every citizen should have been given a dividend in the form of any annual “red packet” – maybe RM1,000 to RM2,000 for those in the income bracket of monthly salary of RM2,000 and below, with increasing quantum from the highest of RM2,000 on a declining trend so that the truly “needy” Malaysians get a taste of Malaysia’s sweet oil?
I remember the Sabah foundation, using funds from its state-sponsored investments, had a similar practice of declaring an annual dividend. Is this “caring” practice still in force today?
Desiderata interrupts the Part 3 of Losing My Country…? As he feels this news development bears relevance to the topic’s discussion. Oil is food for thought as an Interlude, not very pleasant, yet necessary.
posted by desiderata @ 3:25 AM 1
~~~~~~~~
PS: I have written several essays on PETRONAS FUNDATION. Don't be lazy I.Cowws, go back to the Archives and look for the fine gold.
It's not oily :(-- but it's flagrant, wat!:)
10 comments:
THANKS to munshiabdullah in linking us to those PIX!:) Blogsworld succeeds where mainstream print media fail.:):)
"Way To Go!" to jeffooi.com after an enforced hiatus ... welcome back Screenshots!:):):)
Desi,
It's not news when publishing it brings much inconvenience to the
leadership.
It's not news when the media are told so. It's see evil, hear evil, but speak or write no evil.
It is expected of the people to protest when livelihood is at stake,
just as everywhere else, but here the leaders seem ignorant of a
more "appropriate" way to announce and implement the price increase
of fuel, reducing the tension and anger of the citizens.
What they did wrong, imho, is to let oil companies announce a "drastic"
jump in pump price, without sufficient governmental pre-emptive "sweetenings";
but instead, they added salt to the wound and insult to injury, by simultaneously
1) disclosing the all-time record of RM35.5 billion in earnings
by state-owned Petronas;
2) telling the people to change their lifestyles in view of the price increase.
The government should show themselves to be concerned with the welfare of the people,
through provision and education, by being more generous in some "bonus" scheme,
in its budget, to help ease the higher costs of living, and take pains to educate
people about the ills of subsidy. Another equally important, if not more, is to show much
more transparency in the affairs of state-owned enterprises, Petronas included, to
satisfy people's hunger for clean management and tighter control on corruption.
Digressing a little, Petronas reminds me of the Indonesian Pertamina Oil Company
and the era of much prosperity among Indonesians - jobs, contracts, money, etc.
all going around. Leaders of the day and their siblings made big bucks, corruption
being a way of life. Many rich Indonesians were walking down Orchard Road, clad in
then popular "safari" jackets, shopping for most expensive branded items. That lasted
some years while the fields were still cash cows and nothing seemed to go wrong,
until the mid 1970's when oil chief Sutowo brought the the oil company to its
knees so to speak.
People's power, not necessarily violence, can make much difference, good examples
are the overthrow of Marcos and Suharto, both corrupted dictators in our neighbourhood.
Such extremes can be anticipated when people are pushed to a corner, having nothing
to lose whatsoever. We hope and pray to see no such event in our backyards.
In the present world, there is an added advantage in blogsphere, where information can
traverse freely and in speed, EVEN if the newspapers are not wanting to do theri jobs.
And just to add, if the government should talk about subsidy in basic commodities, they would be opening the pandora's box of the NEP...so on second thought, I think they would not want to go into details about the ills of subsidy in general.
Someone wrote this rhyme:
An Offer God Couldn't Refuse:
You know, God, I've been thinking,
and I hope that I'm not wrong
I think I got it figured out
how we can get along.
There's certain things You gotta have,
and things that I need, too.
So I got a proposition --
tell ya what I'm gonna do!
I'm readin' in the paper here
that things ain't goin' great,
The dollar's down, the yen is up,
and some of us can't wait
To get the next edition of the "Journal" or the "Post",
To see which market overseas,
last night has fallen most.
Now certain friends have told me
You got troubles with Your game,
With Jimmie and with Tammy,
and some others I won't name.
And the things that I am hearing,
and the word all over town,
Is that your overhead is up,
while income's coming down.
I don't mean no disrespect,
I hope I don't sound brash,
But with the praise and glory,
I think You could use some cash!
So, I got this little acreage in the
Gulf of Mexico.
I'm sure there's oil there somewhere,
but just where I do not know.
So here's what You can do for me,
within your sovereign will.
Send a vision! Send a sign! Just show me where to drill!
Then when the oil comes gushing in,
(You ready for a laugh?)
Some might offer ten percent--
I'll cut You in for half!
But wait--It just occurred to me,
this deal will be a mess.
Where should I send Your money?
I don't have Your home address!
But no, I have the answer.
And you'll like it I am sure.
Do You remember how much dough
the Pope spent on his tour?
It set the Cardinals sighing, and it made the Bishops groan.
It cost about a million for a day in
San Antone,
And if that was the figure for a day of Papal drumming,
We'd better lay the groundwork now
for Jesus' Second Coming!
So I'll just keep your share, dear Lord,and it will be just fine.
And 'til sweet Jesus needs it, Lord
I'll just pretend it's mine!
It's not news, dear!
"Demo at KLCC? What demo? Minyak naik, balik [blank], tanam [blank] lah!"
First off, GOoD Sundae to ALL ERI'm conducting a Survey/Questionnaire on:
HAVE YOU BEEN TO PARADISE?
Pls COOPERATE -- not, copulate,or coagulate, Engrish canbe hazarous to thy hell! -- by RESPON:SING 6.45PM, before TWLIGHT TIME...Can?
A double barell 'fHaridas' Besta!:):)
3.05pm, March 5, 20066
joe.psc:
thansk, as awlays, for your depth and meat of thoughts -- I hope some of our less wooden iKabinet members are reading US!:)
Can I ask of thee a favour:
some weeks ago I read of a Spore govt initiative to give a month or 1/2 month BONUS to the less well-off folks in your Lucky Republic.
Can you spend some dime/time fishing ot that Plate of Good Nu'es for us Sourtherners?
Thanks, and also Can you tell us your
Encunters with Paradise2?:);)
Yan:
Who's knotty here todae?
Catsville dogs and kitten
Oh, it's rumit-ntion on Sundae
Fuel price rise evryone's bitten
I tell what I'd do
I earn big bucks in Sin-land
Advisng that Gomen how to do it ala-Bolehland
Sell the scarce land like oil futures style
We adjourn to live in the sky
Or earn big bucks in KL ofr Subang Jaya
Adjourn to Sibu for its nutritious mee
Ta Pau my fave Haridas tehtarik
Travel by lembu pergi dan balik
Then to the Almight up there
Can I sue your 10% in advance?
I'm sure you have more than our share
My fellow Malaysians give thee
unadulterated tea and thanks
YAN:
Desi borrows your "childlike" heavenly bread&butter
For CON BF, CON lunch,and CON supper
We can steal a Paradise or two
Among jest friends, more tha just
Me:) and You:)
howsy:
(Balik) kampong, (Tanam) Kangkong,,,
Did I win a How'sdat Prize?:(
Now, gift me your version of Paradise!:)
junn_yun;
Welcome thee -- first timer I presume? -- with our traditional tehtarik, kurang manis also can!
Oh,The Star and other English papers sometimes HAVE EYES NO SEE policy!
Only repiort what the bosses WANT to hear and read -- self gratoification they call it in psychology, leading to pseudo-maniacs and megalumaniacs.
So you YoungOnes better think of ways to fight back -- yes, use Blogs power!
Way to go -- as JeffOoi.com taiko says!:)
Post a Comment