ap AP ap Chinese Niu Year

to Awe my Esteemed Readers with the slighest tinge of Chinoserie blood.
To OTHERS wit' no Chinoserie bloodlet.it matters not -- Jest Join the Yam Sing.

Yes, this Chinese people like to "yam" meaning "drink";
then they sing -- on key, off key, hi, lo, Elvis, Ringo or Hung who?

I don't really care -- just accept Desi's cuplet of Puerh tea forGOoD health,
Come to Lingam's and tehtari'wit' Desi -- Yes, kambing and danzing maketh GOoD kombo!:):):)

Che3ers! yam sing, YAM seng, YAM SING! -- YL, Desi, knottierTHANusual
It's the Niu Year and the raging bull is trying to butt my small backside because he saw me
wavig Red Packets! I think it's a MYTH some writhErs created that when a bull sees "re" he charges. 20million Malaysian ringgit, anyone?

If you don't understand 30% of what's in the precedent para,it's OKay -- I don't2!:(:(
Go aRsEk mGf Helen based i Ipoh -- she may even gift thee an Ang Pow. WoW!

In the steal of the Furongknight, I paced o'er to catsville and burrowed the following to preface ) my se7en-day breakAway, so courtesy/curtsy/cutesy from yan-ny, still among mGf perhaps counting the fingers on my LEFT-ist hand, not yet proceed to missTHEtoes:

"Leaving you all with this quote as you usher in the year of the Ox!
The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. ~~ Robert Louis Stevenson

And the newest one from President Barack Obama asking the nation to -- "Choose Hope over Fear,Unity or Purpose over conflict and discordto overcome the economic crisis."

TIME, mind, not yours, mine

TIME slips us by
You wonder where have all the precious seconds gone
Have I spent time wrongly
chasing shiny dime instead of minding the hours?
And mining the minutes and seconds?
Have I shared the wrong company
Mouthing inanities instead of composing a litany?

I sometimes do not know myself
'Cos I allow time to slip me by
By the hour, by the minute, by the second
It's repeated year in year out
I think I can't afford it anymore
The more I slip I stumble I fall
But when time slips me by
I almost lose it all

Phil Collins Lyrics : 3 / 81
next song >>



Phil Collins', which only recently cret intomy mindscape; it did leave an impact.
Next, ah, read on...I ain't gonna indulge my esteemed readers -- some of them have been too pampered, and ratty for the last 360-odd days -- not in the spirit of the raging bull kambing soon! Happy Niu Year to awe!:):):):):):):)

I'm gonna take a seven-day break -- is it alright wit' with Thee? No? You think I careth? You say it's not a'right, remember I am a leftist2!:(

All of My Life

All of my life, I’ve been searchingFor the words to say how I feel.I’d spend my time thinking too muchAnd leave too little to say what I meanI’ve tried to understand the best I canAll of my life.All of my life, I’ve been saying sorryFor the things I know I should have doneAll the things I could have said come back to meSometimes I wish that it had just begunSeems I’m always that little too lateAll of my lifeSet ’em up, I’ll take a drink with youPull up a chair, I think I’ll staySet ’em up, cos I’m going nowhereThere’s too much I need to remember, too much I need to sayAll of my life, I’ve been lookingBut it’s hard to find the wayReaching past the goal in front of meWhile what’s important just slips awayIt doesn’t come back but I’ll be lookingAll of my lifeSet ’em up...All of my life, there have been regretsThat I didn’t do all I couldMaking records upstairs, while he watched tvI didn’t spend the time I shouldIt’s a memory I will live withAll of my life.

Lyrics
It Might Be You
Stephen Bishop

Time... I've been passing time watching trains go by
All of my life...
Lying on the sand, watching seabirds fly
Wishing there would be
Someone waiting home for me...
Something's telling me it might be you
It's telling me it might be you...
All of my life...

Looking back as lovers go walking past...
All of my life
Wondering how they met and what makes it last
If I found the place
Would I recognize the face?
Something's telling me it might be you
Yeah, it's telling me it might be you
So many quiet walks to take
So many dreams to wake
And we've so much love to make
I think we're gonna need some time
Maybe all we need is time...
And it's telling me it might be you
All of my life...

I've been saving love songs and lullabies
And there's so much more
No one's ever heard before...
Something's telling me it might be you
Yeah, it's telling me it must be you
And I'm feeling it'll just be you
All of my life...
It's you..It's you...
I've been waiting for all of my life...
Maybe it's you...Maybe it's you...
I've been waiting for all of my life...
Maybe it's you...Maybe it's you...
I've been waiting for all of my life...

from news.com.au cometh this epicsode...

AND WILL ALL HELL BREAK LOOSE?

No, because Assies take things in their stride and freedom of speech is precisely that -- freedom to express one's views, and then wait for the other party's/parties reactions. Then banter one ... with wine, women and song, who the blardy hell cares. As long as no one starves...

LET"S PICTURE THE SAME --or similar -- SITUATON TAKING PLACE IN MALAYSIA. That is, a Christian cleric lambasting secular Malaysians that their lifestyle is full of F***S+++! and all non-believers are headed for Hell! (DEsi wonders: is dam-nation a GOoD destination Down Under?)

WILL ALL HELL BREAK LOOSE IN NEGARAKU? Like they will catch the cleric and wring his/her neck?

You lazy blardy but esteemed readers -- believers and non-believers, you think I careth? -- please tell me. Okay, for once a-Muse Desi!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Victoria


News
Islamic cleric Abu Hamza says Australians are boozers hooked on gambling and prostitution

By Mark Dunn
Herald Sun

January 23, 2009 02:53am

Cleric's latest rant attacks Aussies
"Hooked on booze, hookers and gambling"
Video: Watch the latest lecture
OUTSPOKEN Islamic cleric Abu Hamza has branded Australians as boozers who are hooked on gambling and prostitution. In another sermon broadcast over the internet, the Melbourne cleric urged followers to spread the word of Islam to save Australians, the Herald Sun reports."They think happiness can be achieved by being intoxicated, by going to the casino and blowing your money away, by going from one prostitute to the other," he said. "They don't know what life is all about, that's why they are on the booze, why they are binge drinking ... why unfortunately suicide has skyrocketed, murder, anxiety and depression." Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday demanded the cleric apologise after the another web sermon telling Muslim men they could hit their wives and demand sex.
Related Coverage
Video: Watch the latest clip
Cleric says Aussies are 'boozers, gamblers'Adelaide Now, 24 Jan 2009
Aussies boozing, whoring - clericPerth Now, 23 Jan 2009
Cleric's lecture 'taken out of context'NEWS.com.au, 22 Jan 2009
Wife hitting lecture 'taken out of context'NEWS.com.au, 22 Jan 2009
Rudd condemns cleric's rape commentsNEWS.com.au, 22 Jan 2009

Your Say

DESI's parting greATing/grAting?: Have an ap AP ap Chinese Niu Year!:)
Maybe I'll do a lust post tomorrow before we adjourn for tea, tehtarik, rut bir or booze. Also wining and dining. Please leave out womanising and whoring, that's so un-Malaysian. OR IS IT?

DESIDERATA's PS: I will be back 24 hence, InsyaAllah. YL may sound like he's a non-believer, but in reality when night dawns, especially when I seek peace within, I believe I'm deep down in my heART-- not hot-blooded but reticently quiet -- follower of the RUKUNEGARA's FIRST ADVOCATION :

Belief in God.

********************************************

PPS: Something official from Mandarinaire Prime Ministerial Downer, not Underer!

Kevin Rudd condemns Samir Abu Hamza's comments on rape
AAP
January 22, 2009 11:42am

KEVIN Rudd has demanded an Islamic cleric apologise for reportedly telling male followers they can force their wives to have sex, and hit them if they're disobedient.
The Prime Minister said Samir Abu Hamza's comments had no place in modern Australia.During a 2003 lecture also posted on the internet last year, Mr Hamza told followers that under Islamic law, men could demand sex from their wives.Despite Australian laws requiring consent, it was impossible for a man to rape his wife even if she refused to have sex, he said.He also said that Islamic law allowed men to hit their wives as a last resort, but were not allowed to leave them bruised or bloodied,Mr Rudd said Mr Hamza should apologise."Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissible or acceptable in Australia - under no circumstances," he said."Under no circumstances are other forms of violence, physical violence, acceptable towards women in Australia nor are they acceptable in my view to mainstream Muslim teachings. "... Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks. They don't belong in modern Australia, and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise."
Related Coverage
Cleric says Aussies are 'boozers, gamblers'Adelaide Now, 24 Jan 2009
Aussies boozing, whoring - clericPerth Now, 23 Jan 2009
Aussies hooked on booze, whoring - clericNEWS.com.au, 23 Jan 2009
Cleric's lecture 'taken out of context'NEWS.com.au, 22 Jan 2009
Wife hitting lecture 'taken out of context'NEWS.com.au, 22 Jan 2009

In the lecture, titled The Keys to a Successful Marriage, Mr Hamza mocks Australia's sexual assault laws that require consent for sex between a man and his wife. "Amazing, how can a man rape his wife?" he asks. Mr Hamza, a cleric in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg, said a man could hit his wife on the hand or leg, but not on the head.

some MORONS are still at IT!

I have often told my esteemed readers I may write more later when I had to stop a post mid-way, and often times, I add, "God willing" or "InsyaAllah".

Now I'm told I might be banned from using the word "Allah" just because an UMNO minister decrees IT. Who the hell is he to take on the mantle of God or Allah telling me how to use my language, Bahasa Malaysia, or my more fluent langage, English, or my mother tongue, Mandarin? I'm equally proud of using all these three languages -- even the swear words, of better colour and deeper impact.

OR ***mayhaps tomorrrow this syed fella decides to ban Desi's use of vocab of colourfool words like MORON, and that my spelling of "colourfool" is not allowed in blog posting? **Perhaps "imbecile" sounds badder! *Maybe he might even want to tell me my grammar is bad for writing "badder" ala-Hey Jude instead of 'better'?

NOTE: In DDC Desi has created this word

***mayhaps

to mean the superlative form of improbability of something happening, topping ** and * which of course most of you are familiar with. Who's to decide for Desi that I cannot create a new combo word in Blogosphere -- maybe this syed fella wanna take on this role? NO BADDER THING TO DO-AH?

This is plucked from the
NST Online » 2009/01/22
Syed Hamid warns the 'Herald'


PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry may take legal action against the Catholic weekly, Herald, over its continued use of the word "Allah" in this week's issue.
Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar warned that the show of defiance could cause conflict and anger among other races in the country."We should abide by the law and the government's decision. The decision to ban the use of the word 'Allah' in its publication does not come from the ministry but from the cabinet."If anything happens, then don't put the blame on us. I will refer this matter to our legal unit."The weekly's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, was quoted by AFP as saying on Tuesday that he intended to continue doing so until the court rules on the issue next month.
"We find this restriction on the use of 'Allah' unacceptable when we have been using it as a translation for the word 'God' for centuries in Malaysia," he was quoted as saying.The government last month ordered a ban on the Herald's Malay edition until the court makes its decision, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue publishing in English, Chinese and Tamil.Andrew had also said Munshi Abdullah, the father of modern Malay literature, translated the Bible into Malay in 1852 and he also translated the word "God" as "Allah"."So, there is strong historical proof of what has been used for centuries.Syed Hamid said all publications must abide by the law. "Even if it (Herald) does not want to, it should wait for the court to decide."To me, it seems that it purposely wants to create a collision or a conflict. It should remember the rights of other races, too. We respect other religions and cultures and we expect it to do the same thing."Syed Hamid added that if the government decided to ban the weekly later, then it should not be blamed. "I just hope it will follow the law and government's instruction."Sensitive religious issues must be avoided at all costs, he added."That is why I have avoided a debate on this subject but if one religion decides to show its strength, then this is dangerous. "To me, it is best we sort it out in an environment that is not confrontational but with full understanding."The Herald has all the while been aggressive in the way it responds to us and reacts to our instructions as if they could act according to their own. It should remember that we are living in a society with all sorts of people, religions and cultures."

Reality Times: Bernama.com at least tries to report SOMBRE REALITY TIMES

UNLIKE several national leaders who have confidently assured the people that Malaysia would be spared the worldwide economic fallout effects of the US financial crisis following the Subprime crisis arising from massive property and home loans defaults in 2007/2008.

Here's more SOMBRE TIMES compared with earlier positive spins by ministers which I'll try to reprise from my archives -- Ms Patience is also Mr/Miss/Ms Virtuous Okay!:

Bernama.com
Features
January 19, 2009 11:01 AM
There Is Hope For Retrenched Workers
-->
By Melati Mohd Ariff

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Aini cuts a forlorn-looking figure as she looked out from the window of her 13th floor apartment at the city's majestic landmark, the Petronas Twin Towers, here.Aini who has been working for some years with an international financial institution in the city is worried that soon she might have to pack her bags and head for her home village as news have filtered through that many workers would have to face retrenchment from their jobs or in more polite words, the 'voluntary separation scheme' (VSS).The year 2009 is indeed going to be bleak for many workers like Aini and others in the private sector as the world braces itself for an economic downturn and retrenchment looms ahead.GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISISMany have anticipated that a huge economic crisis would hit the globe in 2009 as the indicators were already there.According to recent news reports, the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projected that 25 million workers would lose their jobs amidst the world economic crisis by the year 2010.OECD that spreads its wings over 30 nations including all the industrialised countries also projected that economic recovery would take place at the end of 2009 and the ensuing year would witness a weak global amplification.Earlier, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that the number of those unemployed globally would rise by 20 million, to hit the 210 million mark by the end of 2009.BLEAK ON THE HOME FRONTMeanwhile on the home front, the retrenchment scenario is expected to be as bad.The picture is expected to be as gloomy with more than 4,700 workers expected to lose their jobs within the first three months of this year as employers are expected to be preparing to reduce costs and losses in anticipation of the world economic crisis.Recent news reports quoted Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam as saying that 102 employers had stated that they would be retrenching their workers in stages from January while according to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), between 200,000 and 400,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs this year.For 1,500 employees of Western Digital (M) Sdn Bhd, Samajaya Free Industrial Zone in Kuching, Sarawak, they were among the early batches of workers to receive the 'rude shock' even before the arrival of the year 2009.The United States-based maker of hard discs had ceased its operations in December 2008, citing the economic downturn as the reason behind the move.Foreign workers are no exception to this as Dr Subramaniam has been reported as saying that the retrenchment exercise would also see 2,000 foreigners losing their jobs within these two months.LAST RESORTDr Subramaniam also expressed his hope that employers would use the retrenchment exercise as a last resort when dealing with the economic downturn.The minister voiced this wish in his speech at the function to launch the Manual on Workers Retrenchment Management at the Johor Manpower Department in Johor Baharu last month.He also launched the Workers' Retrenchment Operations Room that functions worldwide. The help line is 03-88905015/88905016/88905017/88905018 during office hours.In the mean time, among the early measures to avoid being retrenched are reducing the claims for overtime pay as well as for more off-days and wages.At the same time, the government is monitoring the situation and hopes that the employers are not taking the opportunity to sack workers by using the economic crisis excuse.However if there is no way out from the retrenchment exercise, the workers welfare should be taken care of and they should be given the proper compensation and other benefits deemed proper by the country's labour laws.Any voluntary or temporary retrenchment scheme should be reported to the Manpower Department at least 30 days before the exercise.FOREIGN WORKERS"The locals are being retrenched, why not the foreigners".That could be on the mind of many Malaysians referring to the presence of 1.2 million migrant workers in Malaysia. This represents some 20 percent of the number of workers in this country.Meanwhile, the Human Resources Ministry is considering to freeze the recruitment of foreign workers. This is seen as a measure to assist the local workers who had lost their jobs including those retrenched from their employment in Singapore.According to recent news reports, some half million workers including Malaysians are facing the retrenchment exercise in the island republic.As of November 2008, about 28,000 of the unemployed were registered with the Manpower Department and 6,000 were reported to have found jobs.VARIOUS INCENTIVESHowever for those who lost their jobs, this is not the end of the world as the government has announced that it would cooperate with the public and private sectors to provide training programmes for the retrenched workers.Under these programmes, the retrenched workers would be trained to acquire new skills for jobs in other fields like hospitality, tourism and information communication technology (ICT).It has been reported that the Cabinet has given its nod for RM100 million allocations for the retraining scheme.In this aspect the retrenched workers should be bold enough to accept changes and not be too choosy when picking jobs. They should also be willing to venture into other fields like entrepreneurship, as the government provides various incentives in this sector.Among these are the RM45 million fund provided by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to produce more cottage industries entrepreneurs for 2009.In this aspect, the retrenched workers could make 63-year-old Mohammed Chin, named the recipient of the Tunas Mekar Entrepreneur Award 2008 (men's category) as their model.Mohammed who became handicapped after an accident has not allowed his disability to prevent him from becoming a successful entrepreneur.-- BERNAMA

Obama lookalike wins fame and fortune...

But this Einstein lookAlike hardly has enough to buy Contiental Breakfast Every Day of the Weak! Only affordable on Sundaes.:(

Obama look-alike shoots to fame in Indonesia
http://www.chinaview.cn/index.htm 2009-01-19 10:15:18

Print
A combination photograph shows U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (L) at a ceremony for his whistle stop train trip at the train station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jan. 17, 2009 and Indonesian photographer Ilham Anas (R) chatting with his colleagues in his office in Jakarta January 17, 2009. Anas won't be at U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. Instead he'll be starring as an Obama look-alike on Indonesian TV. Anas, 34, who from some angles bears a resemblance to the new U.S. president, shot to fame in Jakarta after Obama, 47, won the election in November, and is now earning income as an Obama double. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Einstein looAlike hails from FuRong
and he's still writHing 14/7 to earn three meals a day
Desi feelsLife in the 21st century is just not fare
He'd like to change his name by deed poll soon to be less Chinoserie-looking
which he feels is a look-bar to acheving fame and fortune
Maybe YL also would grow a mustachio, whitish of course
Mayhaps he then can make that Time cover
When an American Chinese maketh the President-elect cometh 2021
Rufus Neeu for Ng or Angie Choong please step forward
And repeat after me:
I will promote all wan writHer from MalaysiaAH
to Einstein status from the present Pariah!
So help me Gawd!

KT Voters, Terima Kasih!

YOU provided Desi an orgasmic Saturday Night Fever from about 9pm last night when I received the VIP (very importan personally) delivered SMS declaring PAS victory by 2,631 vote-majority.

Thank you, Shieh shieh! -- let's continue the celeb wit' a special non-CON BF. Meet me at 10.30AM at the Furong Market at the Fu Rong stall. The bestA mamak mee in town ... just learnt about this haunt from a Kajangknight now halved into Furongknight, partially due to Lingam's cauliflour that tasted like meat!:)

Well dne to RPK and his bandwagon of Blogger-Robbers aahlah Ali Baba and the 40 GOoD thieves -- they stole some 1,500 votes away from the BN_UMNO banks, in which also are still/steal stashed with Petronas vanished dollars, I hear/here!

The Fever Cu'ntinues...

D-Day Quick Lunch Serving from KT!:)

via cpiasia.net wit' compliments of Sdr Mustafa K Anuar:):):)
Treat this offering as a joint Coimmunity Service Message.


‘Envelope journalism’ in KT?


Bloggers Buzz
Written by Mustafa K Anuar
Saturday, 17 January 2009 10:23
http://mustafakanuar.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/envelope-journalism-in-kt/
January 17, 2009

‘Envelope journalism’ is a term, popularly used in countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and elsewhere in Asia, to refer to the unethical practice of bribing journalists in the form of money, gifts or the use of facilities to journalists in an attempt to seek favourable media coverage.It is rather very disturbing if such a practice did prevail in the run-up to the Kuala Terengganu by-election as reported below, and here too. Such an attempt is especially disconcerting when it was alleged that it occurred at the state information department’s media centre, something that would run counter to the claim made by the Information Minister last year that there was no such thing as ‘envelope journalism’ in Malaysia.Hat off to those journalists who were ethical enough to return the money that was offered to them.Perhaps the Information Ministry and others such as the National Union of Journalists may want to conduct an inquiry into this matter.Malaysiakini reports, among other things: Journalists given money
In another development, RM300 cash was distributed to more than a dozen journalists at the state information department’s media centre in Kuala Terengganu.
Journalists were asked to list their names, the organisation they worked for and telephone numbers on a blank piece of paper by a media centre staff before being given a white envelope containing six RM50 notes.
Four Malaysiakini journalists wrote their details on the paper without knowing about the money.
The four later returned the envelopes with a total of RM1,200 to the media centre staff. Several other journalists have done the same.
The media centre staff could not answer when quizzed about the source of the money.
At 6pm, two journalists from Chinese-language online news Merdeka Review lodged a police report on the matter at the Terengganu police headquarters.
Information Ministry denies role
Meanwhile, according to a Bernama report later in the day, the Information Ministry denied making any payment to journalists covering the by-election.
Information Minister’s press secretary Hisham Abdul Hamid said the ministry had never directed any of its officers to do such a thing.
“This has never been the practice of the Information Ministry,” he told Bernama.

TRUE and thrusted stories...

First wan from myGOoDfriend or mGf for tall or short -- no, not my girl friend in case some of my nu'e (for new) readers don't know that this blardy Blogger Desi is also a proponent of wordsmithry, a less harmful pasttime than witchery -- which can earn thee a stake -- or adultery -- which only adulterated adults indulge in, and YL is knot adult nor adluterated. I'm only 16, BTW if you look me askance, which means you steal shy or Shylock looks at Desi -- don't stare at the white crop on top of this self-claimed Einstein lookAlike. Blardy self-praise is no phrase, I remember my Form 1 schoolteacher having taught me, but he forgot to remind me that wordsmithry doesn't pay as well as lawyering, straight orburuk.

That was a prettyNlong digression for an Intro, now let's resort to pinching the BODY/bodies from elsewhere; the first wan, a femail: as forwarded by Jacq, a Furongknight half-sold into Singa slavery. Yes, they still practise slavery across the Selatan border, and I fear they also take you to courts at the drop of a pin should the writHer ala-Desi go into nigh Slanderland -- not to be mixed wit' Slumberland, that's very de safe! -- as I have aweways been preaching: You B2Bs, get on board Blogswagon soon, like Yesterday, so you can divert from the matter at hand,or foot, and wander off into Digressland. Or sometimes Aggressionland, but please leave Gaza a-LONE, witll you? And that's a rhetorical Q -- and if you blardy Ignoramus should adre aRsEk what's "rhetorical", please get the hellA out of hear!


*****

THE LAW IS AN ASS : A TRUE STORY

A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against, among other things, fire.

Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company.

In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires."

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.

The lawyer sued and WON!

Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous.

The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy bought from the company, which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable "fire", and was obligated to pay the claim.

Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars lost in the "fires".

NOW FOR THE BEST PART...

After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!

With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.

This is a true story and was the First Place winner in the recent U.S. Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.

_______________________________

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."

~ Confucius, Philosopher ~


DESIDERATA: I am contemplating on sue-ing the DPM and MACC for open bribery. Any class-action lawyer outdare wanna be my client? For c'unttext, read KIM QUEK's article on cpiasia.net where he highlighted the most blatant CORUPT atct of bribery committed by none other than the DPM-ucm-PM-in-waiting. You people with some concern and conscience,pray that Najib fella waits till Semi Valued cows come home. And if you blardy Ignoramus should dAre aRsEk what's who the hellA is Kim Quek, please get the hellA out hear2!

*******

A FILIAL CHILDE -- A TRUE STORY

A 71-year-old man -- let's call him "C" as in the third letter in the alphabet riming with See, look C, do you see it? -- was walking down an alley, and suddenly a woman sprang to his side, and let's call her -- not his lean and hungry side -- The Pretty Woman.

TPW: Hello Sir, CNY is near already, and I am alone hear in Mahlai-seeAh all alone. Can you gift me a poor and hungry soul an Ang-Pow?

Seduced by the most sexiest voice on mother GOod earth -- yes, heavenliest female voize not at midnight, for that would be hellish! -- C turned to look at the source of the melody ringing loudly in his almost deaf ears.

C: ***O' darlin' dear, I am a school taughter leaving on half-paension of RM800 which is not enuf for this age of HI-leaving wit' such Hi prices, and I have a wife to support. (4YOU blardy curio cat only: How, C did not venture into!)

*** ODD is C's fave ppraise he uses on de fair sex speakers, young or beautiful, olde or ugly, middle or meddling.

TPW: At least here you are at ome with a family to spend happy CNY. (OK, I'll spell it out for Ignoramuses among my ER: Chinese New Year-lah!- from Desi, not from TPW)Please, do some charity. I'll even spend an hour wit' you if you like.

(Director's/Desi's note: Just now, they passed below a streelight. C saw the most ugliest face he ever saw in the past almost finishing, or famishing, 12 months.)

C: Kasi pun tak mau! (D's note: in rising Hi-desibelles) In fact, I think you should be a filial childe, and gift me two Ang-pows (D's aside: C aweways remembers his sweetest looking spouse at home, as compared with this most ugliest creatute he just spied in bright almost moon-kambing-out night along Seremban alley way, where some stray cats venture into, some times, and a most times reitired ****school taughter does2.)


**** If you currently still teach in a school, you are called a school teacher.

If you have retited, you use the past tense of teach, understand? You blardy Ignoramus3, don't you know your ++++grammer?


DESIDERATA: I use this spelling ++++ because it was sighted by YL at a recent pamphlet handed to me nigh Temian Korne and it's claimed in the pamphlet to be associated wit' a "British Broadcasting Corporation". The inverted commas are inserted to protect this poor mousey writHer from any potential suit! Maybe I can wrangle via my lawyer a deal: They appoint me as a Teacher to teach Shakespearean English for RM10k a month. Ex-MBs and axed CMs are most welcome, or welcomed, or welcame. See, or C in Lo-N-behold desibelles, Desi's Place is prettyNdemocratik!

C You, my esteemed readers, and have a GOoD wickedend ahead. Or at tail. Have fun-D tall tale-ling, will ye? Yes, rhetoric again, butt if you you wanna spam my Comments column, thou art mostly vvelcometh, vvelcameth2.

Sober up, fellow Malaysians, monitor the US scene closely...

The economic and corporate scenes in the largest trading nation in the world,also the one living high on the highest borowings as a single nation. So when their corporations shake, the foreign partners, including in Malaysia, fell the rock and roll move the earth under their feet. Or our DPM-cum-Finance Minister plus Finance Minister II still think Malaysia will be spared the US fallout? Malaysia won't descend into recession maybe six months down the line?

Okay,let's stray from Kuala Terenggganu where RPK and bandwagoners comprising Bloggers and B2Bs (Bloggers-to-be-lah, you Ignoramus!:) are tryig level best to steal at least 400+votes from the 600+-majority on March 8, 2008 GE, to take the parliament seat from the BN for PAS.Or for the Independent. Don't laugh OK, anything can happen in MalaysiaBolehLand, K! If knotty Desi drops the "d" from Land, the result can be anything but appropriate, so I refrain.

Here cometh the sombre news from USA, our second largest trading partner for what it's worth and its implications:(


From The Malaysian Insider, which is part of Desi's daily diet,
not overdozed though:(

6 heads roll in 8 days, more may follow

NEW YORK, Jan 14 – Chief executive officers (CEOs) at six major United States companies have lost their jobs in the last eight days, in a sign of more turmoil to come, The Wall Street Journal reported.

William Watkins, who was ousted on Monday at hard-drive maker Seagate Technology, is the sixth CEO of a publicly held company to be replaced in eight days, the newspaper noted in a report on its website yesterday.

His exit follows the departures last week of the CEOs of Tyson Foods, Borders, Orbitz Worldwide, Chico’s FAS and Bebe Stores.

Seagate chairman Stephen Luczo takes over from Mr Watkins with immediate effect.

Many experts view the changes as harbingers of significantly more turmoil in executive suites this year as company bottom lines and stock prices are hit by the economic crisis, said the Journal.

It added that an informal survey of management consultants, recruiters, investors and governance specialists pointed to several other CEOs whose jobs may be vulnerable: General Motors’ Rick Wagoner, Citigroup’s Vikram Pandit, Sun Microsystems’ Jonathan Schwartz, and Bank of America’s Kenneth Lewis.

Last year, 61 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index changed CEOs, up from 56 a year earlier, said the Journal.

The number may increase this year, said assistant finance professor Dirk Jenter of Stanford University’s business school. Boards typically oust CEOs a year or two after relative shareholder returns start to slip, he added.

Executives of corporations based outside the US are leaving as well, said the Journal. Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto on Monday said Dick Evans, CEO of its aluminium division, plans to retire on April 20.

Norwegian electric power and aluminium producer Norsk Hydro ASA also said on Monday that its CEO is stepping down on March 30.

The turmoil extends to senior executives as new CEOs often replace top lieutenants to create their own team.

Harry Pearce, chairman of Nortel Networks, said hiring a fresh leader during crises “almost invites bad decisions” because a newcomer must act fast before fully grasping the business. – The Straits Times

spiriteDEStiNATION cometh to Desi...

even IF Desi doeth not know the way dare!

Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island
http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:y_news:1bf8db6d55f55ff6528e75b181c4f162/


Tue Jan 13, 1:52 am ET AFP/File – An Australian state has launched a global search for candidates for "the best job in the world" …

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state has launched a global search for candidates for "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the successful applicant's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, soak up the sun, snorkel the reef, "maybe clean the pool" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The winner, who will stay rent-free in a multi-million dollar three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be an excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.

"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."

Lucas said the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.

While the campaign has elements of some reality television shows, a candidate's looks will not be a prime requirement, Tourism Queensland chief executive Anthony Hayes told AFP.

"No, I don't think beautiful is what we want, I think charismatic is what we want," he said. "The reality is we are looking for a fantastic communicator.

"What we want this person to do is travel throughout the Great Barrier Reef and just try every experience, every adventure they can find and report back via blogs and video to tell the world why Queensland is a great place to come for a holiday."

Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.

"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.

"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone."

Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

(Please STOP reading here!--by da command of Desi)

Job-seekers can apply on .

Islandreefjob.com

DESIDERATA: Well, if you can start an online petition to support Desi's application, it's APpreciated. The offer is the answer tomy dream i-land called

spirite
DES
tiNATION...

THAT 20MILLION I-LAND, don't you remember?

NS citizen doing a sort of NS, via zorro's GoOD garden...

Not as seductive as Eden butt just as well, otherVice, the potential Voters in the KT by-election for just settle by Eve's side/s. No goodfor the PAS candiadte -- and they are offering TRANSPORT! to KTrians back to KT to cast their signifficant ballot this Saturday!

Here's that leaf covering up Eve for the moment, or wan word, momentarily -- or izzit momentously? -- from zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com:)


Tuesday, January 13, 2009
WE NEED YOU TO COME HOME TO VOTE.


This letter is directed at Chinese KTgites working away from home.

Dear Chinese KTgites,

I will in this letter try to impress on you how important your vote is. The date of polling, if you are not aware has been deviously picked. It is one week before Chinese New Year when all of you will come back to Kuala Terengganu. The BN government has planned it such that it will make it difficult for you to come back to vote, go back to work, and then come back for the reunion dinner. The State government knows that the Chinese votes, always decide the outcome of an election. The Barisan Rakyat Bloggers, here in KT for the duration of the by-election, have seen and heard enough to be convinced that this is the brutal truth and that your vote is critical and crucial. Many of you have already fallen into the thinking that the BN has entrapped you in.....that it is more important to attend your reunion dinner than to come back to vote. Allow me to be very forward here: Chinese New Year happens every year, BUT THIS BY ELECTION DOES NOT!

I AM APPEALING TO YOU to make that sacrifice....make your way home, vote on Saturday and leave for your workplace on Sunday. Once in our lifetime we are called upon to make this type of
sacrifice! Come back and be counted. Make this brave move to tell the BN state that enough is enough. Terengganu's oil revenue has been misused. If you do not vote against the BN, you have no right to grumble along those lines. You allowed it to happen. For your indifference, you deserved the government who cannot give you a straight answer as to where the the billions have migrated to. Even your current Menteri Besar cannot give a straight and honest answer when asked recently by PAS candidate YB Wahid Endut. TRANSPERENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY is sadly wanting in this BN controlled state.

This looks like an appeal to integrity. IT IS! If you believe (as probably most sensible people do) that democracy or TRUTH is the most defensible form of government, then you have a duty to ensure that the democracy you live in functions properly, which can only take place if you vote. So voting is a vote for TRANSPARENCY.

Why have the people of Terengganu got to leave the state to seek their livelihood. This is the second richest state in the country, but also the second poorest state in the country. You tell me, because I am not from Terengganu.

I am also appealing to the Chinese residing in Kuala Terengganu to urge their relatives or siblings to come home to make that difference, THIS TIME. Please.


+++++


Here are two numbers that you can call if you intend to make your way home. PAS Kuala Terengganu will be making arrangements to assist you and facilitate your passage home:

Zulfadli: 012-695-8600
Zulhelme: 012-928-3560


+++++

COME HOME

TO

VOTE

FOR

YB WAHID ENDUT


GO HERE FOR MORE

IF bloggers can just swing 400 votes aWay from BN's...

600+ majority on March 8, 2008 GE, then you must chiefly credit Raja Petra K, OK! Of course, his bandwagon of fellow mates like angel A and zorro et al. Today I'll give agent 001 a rest -- Cut&Pastrying from a Carolyn Hong, away from the NST to the ST...and you know why, don't you?:) This is a rhetorical q, K! when you are NOT expected to answer. Butt if you wish to, you thnk Des cares? This is democrazy vve are promoting via Blogsworld -- especially to the 8o,000+ strong KT electorate. Vote VVisely, for CHANGE! You owe it to thyself chiefly, and to the rest of us ardent fans as a bonus!:) -- DesiFOOLofErrata, I sent off 2 emails dating today as Jan 12, 2008, can you imagine? Yes, that's rhetoric Q2...:(


*************************************

Raja Petra stumps for PAS
Posted by admin
Monday, 12 January 2009 08:56
Other bloggers join in to woo Chinese voters in Kuala Terengganu

By Carolyn Hong, The Straits Times



Raja Petra (in his trademark beret -- use thy Godgifted imagine-nation, K ~~ Desi OR surf to malaysia-today.net-lah, you lazy BUMmers! -- YL) after handing PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang a campaign T-shirt. The blogger says he is neutral but supports 'certain aspects' of the opposition.


Controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, recently released from detention, is such a famous figure, he gets curious stares everywhere he goes in Kuala Terengganu.

Some locals even ask to be photographed with the blogger, sporting his trademark beret and pipe.

Raja Petra is in town to campaign for Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) candidate Abdul Wahid Endut, ahead of the Kuala Terengganu by-election on Saturday.

Mr Wahid is up against Umno's Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh and an independent. The by-election was called after Umno MP Razali Ismail died in November last year.

'I am neutral, but I subscribe to certain aspects of the opposition such as bringing reforms to Malaysia,' said Raja Petra, 58, who does not belong to any political party.

He runs the Malaysia Today website, which publishes his hard-hitting columns that take on the most powerful politicians in Malaysia.

Three other political bloggers have joined him in campaigning for the opposition in Kuala Terengganu as well as in cyberspace.

Although Kuala Terengganu is too rural to be Internet-savvy, Raja Petra said he has met voters who are familiar with his writings. His postings are frequently distributed as leaflets in the villages.

The opposition's focus is the 8,000-plus Chinese voters said to hold the key to this election, as the Malay vote is split.

Raja Petra speaks at one or two rallies nearly every night, and also to smaller groups of voters, to whom he talks about PAS and the Islamic state.

'When the voters see that we are not Taleban and we support PAS, it gives us a chance to explain things to them,' he said.

His message blends well with the opposition campaign, which is focusing on recent controversies such as those raised by Umno Youth chief aspirant Mukhriz Mahathir's call to turn vernacular schools into national ones, and a Penang Umno leader's description of the Chinese as immigrants.

A PAS banner has gone up in the Chinese area labelling Umno as extreme. Leaflets have also gone out showing a picture of Penang Umno leaders tearing up a poster of Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon after he protested against the description of the Chinese as immigrants.

Still, it is not certain to what extent this will mean more votes for the PAS candidate. In the March general election, 65 per cent of the Chinese votes went to Barisan Nasional (BN).

But this time, the Chinese are turning up at opposition rallies by the hundreds. At the rally last Saturday, many were seen stuffing RM50 (S$21) notes into the donation boxes.

They cheered for the PAS candidate in his robes and skull cap, and were wowed by the star speaker, Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

There is some euphoria in the opposition camp, which believes there has been a swing in its favour. But it is also aware there is a week still to go.

************************************

Ah, after BF, there's always brunch, so here's another serving from fellow writer KIM QUEK, based in Johor Bharu, butt like RPK, (how about Desi2 by aRsEsciation?) spreading the word throughout the NegaraKu. You better remember such folks in your knightly prayers -- such Malayains are a gem, Okay 2 gems, mayhaps 3!


from cpiasia.net:)

Will The Kuala Terengganu Electorate Vote for Change?
Columnists
Written by Kim Quek
Monday, 12 January 2009 09:53



In the most daring act to bribe the electorate of Kuala Terengganu (K.T.) to date, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak dished out 583 government contracts in a “lucky draw” fashion to each and every Class F contractor present at the Wisma Darul Iman in Kuala Terengganu on Jan 10, 2009 -- the fifth day of the K. T. by-election campaign . These contracts (valued between RM30,000 to RM200,000 each), which were claimed to be for infrastructure works in the local township, were distributed (in random lottery draw!) by having the contractor to come on stage to click on the computer. And upon pressing the button, a contract would be awarded to the contractor, details of which – nature of works and contract price - would instantly appear in a big screen in the hall. Thus the contractor would walk home with his “prize” (a contract with a pre-determined price), with no question asked on his track record or suitability for the works assigned.


Najib Razak, who launched these innovative awards, proudly claimed this as “a world record”, saying that “In this lucky draw, everyone wins. Every one gets a contract.” He further added that if Barisan Nasional wins in the coming Kuala Terengganu by-election, there would be more and bigger such contracts, so that the Class F contractors (confined to Malays, for small contracts) would “continue to make money and the country’s economy would continue to grow”.


While Najib may be entitled to claim he has scored “the world’s first” for having satisfied every one of the hundreds of contractors present, few can share his pride over such a bizarre method of dispensing government infrastructure projects.


For a start, contracts for infrastructure works are usually awarded gradually over a period of time, as and when the needs for such works arise, as determined and initiated by the engineers and the local authorities. These contracts are never awarded in a torrent of hundreds within a single day anywhere in the world. Granted that this may be part of the stimulus package announced earlier to counter current economic hardship, there is no possible justification to cram such a staggering number of projects at one go, especially when these are confined in a small township like Kuala Terengganu. Needless to say, massive wastages and redundancies will be the inevitable consequences.


Then, what about the track records and skill compatibility of the contractors with respect to the projects at hand? Without proper interview and scrutiny of the applicants, how can the government be certain that the projects are awarded to the right contractors?


Next, there is the question of price. Without tenders or negotiations, how can the government ensure fair pricing? In fact, over-generous pricing is expected, or else Najib would not have said: “I see everyone present here is jubilant and clapping his hands, every one has got a government contract, how can they be not grateful to the government and not strongly support Barisan Nasional?” (Sin Chew, Jan 11)


It is clear that this “lucky draw” award of contracts is an irresponsible act of public squandering aimed at inducing voters to support BN. For this move, BN was promptly condemned by the National Institute of Electoral Integrity as abusing government machinery to dish out financial benefits during election campaign.


Deplorable as the act is, this is but one of an endless series of similar monetary inducement amounting to tens of millions of ringgit in the form of cash payments and allocations handed out by BN in the K.T. constituency since the run up to polling which will be held on Jan 17.


In fact, on the same day (Jan 10) as Najib handed out the “lucky draw”, he also handed out RM8 million to 20 religious schools, which are mainly located in Terengganu state.


Recognizing the minority 8,787 Chinese votes (11% of total) as pivotal in this election, the Chinese community has been bombarded almost daily with allocations and cash payments totaling no less than RM12 million, such as:


* RM3.3 million for construction of a new community hall.
* RM2.8 million for furbishing a completed hall in a Chinese school.
* RM3 million for 10 Chinese schools
* RM2.7 million cash distribution to 9,000 Chinese residents for the coming Chinese New year (this annual payment was brought forward to reap the goodwill of Chinese electorate for the coming poll).
* Miscellaneous payments to temples, guilds and other communal bodies.


All these financial bonanzas, handed out within the few days since nominations on Jan 5, are clearly intended to induce voters to vote in favour of the BN candidate, and therefore constitute “bribery” as defined in paragraph 10 of the Election Offences Act 1954, for which the culprits are punishable as prescribed in paragraph 11 of the same Act. Regrettably, the Election Commission under the new chairman Abdul Aziz Yusof, who vowed to ensure clean and fair elections, has remained silent over these BN offences. Neither has the newly formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which prides itself as a replica of the famed Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong, appears to have been stirred from its slumber by such glaring corrupt practices.


Such monetary assault on the electorate, combined with the daily brainwashing by BN’s propaganda machines, also known as the mainstream media (local newspapers and TV channels), has once again made a complete mockery of our election as a cornerstone of a democratic system of government.


With all the institutions tasked to uphold the rule of law either unwilling or incapable of fulfilling their constitutional roles, it is now left to the 80,000-strong electorate of Kuala Terengganu to act as guardians to uphold justice and democracy by disciplining the wayward ruling party by rejecting the BN candidate.


In this connection, it is heartening to take note of how the neighbouring Kelantan state has valiantly fought off similar corrupt assault by UMNO/BN for the past two decades. Under the corruption-free administration of PAS, the people of Kelantan, who are almost completely Malay Muslims, have proven themselves to be people of high moral fibre as they have successfully overcome the persistent coercion and temptation presented by the UMNO/BN federal government through abuse of federal authority and improper monetary inducement. No doubt, their devotion to Islam, which abhors corruption as a grave sin, must have been an important factor that contributes to their moral courage.


Will the Terengganu Muslim constituents, who form 88% of the K.T. electorate, prove to have the same moral strength as their Kelantan brothers by rejecting the decadent values of UMNO/BN?


And will the minority Chinese constituents gaze beyond the immediate monetary gains to vote for change – a change that would mean the rejection of a dysfunctional political power and one step closer to turning a new leaf for the nation?


Coming at a time of power transition following the political tsunami of the 8 Mar 2008 general elections, the outcome of this K.T. by-election will have significant impact on the future direction of country’s political development. It is therefore earnestly hoped that the people of K.T. will rise to the occasion to make the right choice for the nation.


Kim Quek

angel A roves around as reporter while...

RPK sings for his supper in KT, and lots of people line up to pay for his meals -- and hanger/hungeONs like agent 001 and zorro... WHILE this deskbound Editor sleeps on his job letting all the typos slip by and the kaypoh stories graduate from humour to rumour then reality... Chow, as in Have a byte!

Follows Furongknight-adopted-aSs-KualaTerengganuian writHes:

"Hi there,

Every night we sleep after midnight but I am up and down at the cafeteria by 8am having my bfast.RPK just came down to the cafeteria where he will bfast then settle down to do his next article. This is the time when many people drop by to greet him n also talk to him.

He had 2 ceramah yesterday - one to a mainly Chinese crowd of over 500 (more were still coming when we left to go to the next) There must have been over at least blues lining all sides of the place. I note a couple taking notes and another recording the ceramah. This ceramah HAD a permit so we could talk for as long as we wanted (but before midnight). Theresa Kok was here and Nurul Izzah too. My Kenny says fortunately she's already married otherwise he will surely become Kenny bin Mohd. She's beauty, brains and graciousness to boot - whatta package! Sure broke lost of hearts when she got married so early.

We next headed to another Mesjid area where he gave another rousing, successful ceramah to 1000s or maybe even up 4000 people. The crowd was twenty deep and I gave up trying to get to the speakers' area where Stephen, Zorro and Marina was. There was no standing room meters away rom the platform. I think all his ceramahs will be downloaded on M2day or u can probably get it on U tube. After this, we backtracked to our hotel to have a drink and discuss round the day's round up before retiring.

Before all that, we were invited to go Tunku Ibrahim's hse for hi tea and Rpk fogot all about this till he received another reminder call from him. He is one of the 2 uncles of our present Agong. We met this charming family and I funmbled with the greetings cos we were told to address him as "Ku' and when I reached the hse there, the many people there confounded me as I didnt know who was who. I ended up mumbling the front 'tun' and loudly stressed on the 'ku' to all and sundry. But I had a good time and we talked lots of politics while RPK regaled us with his 'old days stories' when he used to jog around the town and when he rode his horse over the paddy fields with the other princes. He also spoke on missing Bala's case, his numerous court appearances and how the Jais/Jackim people tried to lead him back to UMNO Hadhari Islam and how miserably they failed and left in disgust. Viva rpk!

After that heavy lunch, we proceeded to another friend's hse Inche Ahmad (sorry fogot his full name) and his gracious wife who cooked a generous spread (another hi-T) for us. At this rate, minus the usual exercises, I should be at least 5lbs heavier when I return. More political talk shop and his wife was relating that Rosie Najis came to open the tadika in her kampong and how she cajoled them to vote for BN, OTHERWISE she PROMISED not to return to this kampong. Pordeh lah!

The traffic in town was horrid cos there must be more UMNO highbrows in town and the outrider cops and the blues were swarming like ants. The BN govt must have been thoroughly cursed for this jam. You should have seen the police cars/vans from all over the states converging here. Apprently guarding life and limb in their respective states can wait while these servants of ours misplace their serivces to BN. Sheesh!Fortunately we could thread our way through the back lanes to return to our hotel.

We were all feeling so stuffed by 6pm and wickedly Rpk asked 'what time we wanted dinner?' We shouted in unison, 'nooooooooo thanks' and we didnt.
Back in the hotel, Zorro and Shanghai Fish (Stephen) could do their articles. Dont know what Stephen was thinking when he didnt bring his laptop COS he didnt think the hotel had wifi. Imagine RPK staying in a hotel without internet access!

Today our work start at 5.30pm when we meet in the lobby to go for dinner then slotted ceramahs that rpk has to do. Yep he has to 'sing for his dinner' They know when they invite him to talk in the better places, they usually keep 1 table for his group too.

toots,
angela "

DESI: Does any ofmy ER know what's toot(s)? If if is a proFUN-ditty, please don't say it out loud,jest sing it at KT fun_D raising dinner:)

charade

people are people
what else eh?

this is a nonsense reflection
and nologic is claimed
just lazy hazy mazey Furong sunday rambling
desi's liking, yes, i indulge myself on this wickedend

it's good therapy to focus on Self occasionally

and i suddenly realise that people
will be people

displaying shades of dr jekyll and mr hyde
(OR to be gender sensitive and equal, shades of
*** sweet daisy and poison ivy
(metaphoricall this ... ***cometh first to my mind,
mine, not his, hers but mined)

dr jekyll heals body mind and soul
hyde conceals and body mind and soul all sold

people put on a front
because the posterior has no backbone
or the backside is so scarred
no dressing will do for a shade

it's alright actually
once a while, put your guards down
expose your posterior
its dark sides may actually be more telling
of the Truth within

'Cos the frontal attire wears and tears with time
and you have only a dollar and a dime

while you have exhibited to your many girl/boyfriends
an ancestry descended of a Daim/Daimler/Damed bloodline

(ADDED @8.48AM to bring the final curtain down:(

people will be peole
to each his/her own facade
BIG, small or medium-sized
till ms Death visits
reduces us all to equal bits and bites
in each life's multifaceted yet commoner charade

angel A's reporting from KT -- PM updates

and Desi's downloads as messenger A*boy -- please don't shoot me if you disagree with the message. Go to KT and hunt down the huntress -- butt you have to contend wit' two ferocious bodigards -- Zorro and RPK!:):)

So here's agent 001's "Fw: Pls forward this message to voters in Kuala Terengganu " Warts and Awe! I promise thee No Censorsheep, didn't I?



> The message below is taken from the blog site below:-
>
> http://ousel.blogspot.com/2009/01/kt-by-election-ceramah-online-series-6.html
>
> Tuesday, January 6, 2009
>
> ysiakini: Najib optimistic of a bigger win, but my take to
> you KT voters do not fall into this Malaysiakini report.
> This Ceramah Series is addressed to the Kuala Trengganu
> Chinese Voters.
>
> umno/mca is now using the hudud law to frighten you all.
> Why are you all so afraid about hudud law when it is not
> applicable to you and even if it applies to you, there is no
> way that the hudud law can be enacted. PAS is an Islamic
> party and it is only natural for them to talk about Islam
> and their Islamic law.
>
> Please remember that mca had given their approval and
> consent that Malaysia is already an Islamic country.
>
> Do you still believe that umno/mca can really help the
> Chinese community? Why did I write umno/mca and not just
> mca. You all know very well that for over 50 years mca is
> nothing if they do not sleep with umno. They have to clean
> and kiss umno's feet first before they can ask for the
> little crump left over and even that, mca may not get what
> they want.
>
> Just tell me how many of you are in these predicament.
>
> Many of your brightest children cannot get scholarship or
> some cannot even enter the local universities with their
> best results among the best.
>
> How many of your children are in the civil service.
>
> Tell me how many of the Chinese contractors actually are
> awarded government contracts and not sub-contracting through
> the famous Ali Baba system.
>
> Your state is an oil producing state, just sit down for a
> moment and think, did any of the oil revenue reaches you.
>
> Your good lifestyle is not the work of umno/mca but through
> your own hard work.

**************************************************


Pls forward this message to voters in Kuala Terengganu 3
Saturday, January 10, 2009 1:07 PM


>
> KT By Election: Ceramah Online Series 3-PAS Islamic Centric
>
>
> Malaysiakini is reeling with KT news. Malaysiakini
> reports:PAS: Trust us, we stand for all races.
> PAS being an Islamic Party is always consistent with their
> party resolution on Islamic and Muslim Affairs. Most of us
> Chinese are being lead blindly by mca and gerakan for
> decades into believing that PAS will impose Islamic laws if
> they take over the government without actually laying out
> the details of how PAS can do it.
>
> PAS has the right to speak in Islamic terms to their muslim
> brothers and sisters but they are always prepared to find
> solutions for the non muslim in this country. Whenever PAS
> talk about their Islamic values, umno/bn is quick to raise
> them to frighten the non muslim.
>
> Non muslim are now no longer frighten by the rhetoric
> threats of umno/bn on Islamic subject. PAS need not worry
> too much about the non muslim as they have all realised that
> umno/bn is good in dividing the people by using religion and
> the race card. They have no love for Malaysians but
> themselves.
>
> PAS must show their sincerity that non muslim will also be
> taken care of and look after as we are all Malaysians. It is
> good to hear PAS telling the non muslim; Trust Us, We Stand
> For All Races while umno is still shouting ketuanan melayu
> and to punish all those who question their rights to be
> charged and mca, gerakan and mic, silent as the church
> mouse.
>
> Tell ketuanan umno that we have enough of their nonsense,
> lies and threats.
>
> Voters of Kuala Trengganu, please make the right choice and
> the only right choice is to vote for PR/PAS.

angel A's unbiased reporting from KT!

And as Editor, I am rushing against deadline, so there's NO EDITING, NO CENSORSHIP, just this one-liner INTRO as host/ess of Desi's Place which sometimes disguises itself as a Jurassick hound's newsroom.

Kuala Terengganu, Fridae, Jan 9: (when everyone's loving and gifting,including humour and rumour, that PR/PAS candiddate is leading by 10 to 1 odds with the *bookers. * people who take bets!:( Don't say bookies, because I don wan them arrested by PDRM!:)

"Dear All.

Today Friday is holiday and pace slows down abit. We had late bfast and a restful morning as rpk went online. It was so frustrating yesterday when connectivity was real shitty and I just gave up going online. Fortunately rpk and Zorro still could update their blogs albeit it was more muntah darah. Most people have gone back and our group is now down to rpk, mari,bala,zorro, kenny and yours truly. However, Wong (tindakmalaysia) just flew in and so did Shanghai fish steve. So its back to 9 of us.

We just returned from our drive around the homes of the elites.. the Wan(s) siblings homes. RPK and Shanghai fish took lots of photos which will soon be downloaded into the respective sites. We had pics of the big, expensive homes of the MB and the ex MB Wan Mokhtar (who got his bungalow free from some Cina manThis will contrast sharply with the general Trengganu folks. I notice the roads into the kampong homes are really very narrow and we rocked and rolled as Gus meandered around the homes for rpk to get his shots. The homes seemed to be on ad hoc basis and built any which way ..where's the town planner????

For the 2nd richest state in the country, there's not much evidence of it expcept in the last few years, BN with the help of Patrick Badawai and other elites have raped the state putting up grand buildings which look so out of place next to the simple ordinary homes and lifestyle. Yea we can see the million $ homes across the waters (probably Michelle Yeoh also waving to us) and the marina and the expensive spa place that rpk wrote abt.

Its good we are camped here while the VIPS cruise in and out in very ostentatious manner replete with numerous outriders and the blues conducting road blocks for their sakes. You should see the temporary AIR CON tents put up, the loads of tableschairs and the food to feed them. Wong, sitting infront if me just asked how much do u think this byelections is going to cost us. Without blinking, I said $100 million at least. They have started tarring the roads (of course cronies get the contract at inflated prices), the amoount spent on the numerous bilik ops scattered all over. Those who were bussed in on nomination day and again on the polling day were all paid 'rent a crowd' people who were paid $50 each; the tees, caps, posters etc are all the best and at most expensive
crony tendered.

Aiyah I start to rant and will go off tangent soon..better I stop now.

Cheers,
angela "

It's 7.55, and IF you're still sleepy...

On the job, this is a wakeup tale. Especially if you work at a place where you are required to wear a uniform with a badge that says: No to corruption. Of the mind.

"HOW TO CALL THE POLICE

ON HOW TO CALL THE POLICE WHEN YOU'RE OLD AND DON'T MOVE FAST ANYMORE...
and get instant (okay almost) gratification! But it's no organism -- this comment is not part of the story, just my Intro!

Here is the Body:

George Phillips of Gold Coast, Australia was going up to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. ( Boy does this sound familiar! -- by Jacq Ho-ho-ho and a botol of rum! )

George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" and he said "no".
Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.
George said, "Okay," hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.

"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed.
Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I've just shot them."
Then he hung up.

Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response Unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence and caught the burglars red-handed.

One of the Policemen said to George: "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"

George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

CONCLUSION: Desi's steal sleeping on his job of writHing, so there/dare ye ask!

***********************************************

AND NOW SOMETHING SERIOUS FOR READING AT THE BF TABLE!

From malaysia-today.net, our royal blogger has a good take on the Kuala Terengganu by-election, and VOTERS dare must take heed! To see the pictures, please surf to this LINK:)
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/16728/84/

The hearts and minds of the voters
Posted by admin
Thursday, 08 January 2009 12:59


Don’t think the Kuala Terengganu Chinese do not know that the move to block the conversion of TOL land to freehold in Perak is mainly because the Chinese -- who will end up owning this land – will become richer by RM1.5 billion, overnight.

NO HOLDS BARRED

By Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Chinese in Terengganu have a love-hate relationship with PAS. Okay, maybe it’s not quite a love-hate relationship as such. But it would certainly qualify as a love-not love relationship. To sum up what one local-born Chinese said: we love PAS Kelantan and wish PAS Terengganu would be just like them.

Well, PAS Kelantan is PAS Kelantan and PAS Terengganu is PAS Terengganu. And for that matter PAS Kedah, PAS Perak and PAS Selangor are separate entities in their own right as well. Many people make the mistake of looking at PAS as one party. However, as I have said before, PAS is actually not one party but a collection of many PASess, each state being independent of each other and of the centre as well.

The message PAS needs to send to the Chinese voters in Kuala Terengganu is that they are not being asked to choose a new government or to change the government. They are just being asked to elect a new Member of Parliament for Kuala Terengganu -- which is a vacant seat anyway, so no one is being replaced or changed. Therefore, there is not going to be any change of government either at state or federal level.

The issue of Hudud is not really that serious an issue except to those weak in arithmetic. These weaklings do not appear to understand, or pretend to not understand, that Malaysia has 222 Parliament constituencies and two-thirds of 222 is 148. This means PAS will need to win 148 Parliament seats to form the federal government with a two-thirds majority and with the required majority to amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

This has been explained so many times in the past. And it has also been explained that PAS contests only 60 seats, far short of the 148, and they win less than half the seats they contest. In 1999 they won 27 seats. In 2004 they won 9. And in 2008 they won 23. How in heaven’s name can PAS amend the Constitution when this is all it can win?

I have said this before, many times, and I will say it again. PAS can never in 100 years win more than 35 Parliament seats, never mind how many seats they contest. They can contest all 222 Parliament seats and they will still win, at best, 35 seats. Most likely, though, PAS will win less than 30 seats.

Now, some are arguing that PAS can always team up with Umno to get their two-thirds majority. Aiyah, Umno has only 78 seats in Parliament. Combined with PAS it would be only 101 seats. Did I not say they need 148 seats to have a two-thirds majority? Even then you are assuming that the 13 Umno Parliamentarians in Sabah will follow the 65 in Peninsular Malaysia. I dare take on any bet that if Umno decides to merge with PAS to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State, at least 10 of the Umno Sabah Parliamentarians will jump ship.

Sigh……it is most tiring having to keep repeating this same issue and present the arithmetic for all to see. Yet, many still repeat the same questions in spite of this repeated explanation and even with the arithmetic glaring you in the face. I am sure many readers are as tired of reading this explanation as I am of repeating it to those thick heads who still don’t get it.

On the positive side though, many Chinese have said they find PAS a better government in some respects compared to Umno. They took me to their building built on a piece of land that the PAS government gave them. Under Umno the Chinese were not able to get any land.

The Kuala Terengganu Chinese are also aware that the Perak government is trying to convert at least 150,000 pieces of land from TOL to freehold but the federal government is blocking the move. The reason the federal government is blocking the effort by the Perak government is simple: the beneficiaries are mostly all Chinese.

Don’t think the Kuala Terengganu Chinese do not know that the move to block the conversion of TOL land to freehold in Perak is mainly because the Chinese -- who will end up owning this land -- will become richer by RM1.5 billion, overnight. In fact, the Kuala Terengganu Chinese too are facing the same problem. They have been residing in Terengganu for more than 200 years and yet they can’t get land and the only land they own is TOL.

Now, even that is going to be taken away from them. After the Kuala Terengganu by-election on 17 January 2009, the state government is going to acquire quite a bit of Chinese land for development and beautification purposes. The state government is not making too much noise about the matter but the Chinese already know about the plan. Even their temple that goes back centuries is not going to be spared.

Yes, the Chinese are most unhappy and would like to see Umno given a kick in the teeth. However, in the same breath, they do not want to ‘rock the boat’. How can they have it both ways? You can’t fry the egg unless you break the shell. And more than mere shells need to be broken if you want to send Umno a message. And we hope to see this message delivered on 17 January 2009.

That is all for now from Ground Zero in Kuala Terengganu. The rest of my report will be in pictorial form.



1. Police on the right. Notice the roadblock in the distance.



2. And police on the left. Kuala Terengganu is beginning to look like a war zone.



3. The black Chinese New Year banner from MCA and Barisan Nasional has upset the traditionalist Chinese who associate black with death and red with good fortune.



4. The solitary MIC operations centre in Kuala Terengganu that is yet to open its doors since Nomination Day.



5. The Terengganu Monsoon Cup costs RM300 million a year and has swallowed an estimated RM1 billion thus far. But what the Kuala Terengganu folks really need are monsoon drains that have eluded them for 52 years since Merdeka and which would have cost far less than RM1 billion.



6. The ‘road’ leading to the houses smack in the middle of Kuala Terengganu and within the vibrant business district of Ladang.



7. The rubbish dumps beside the houses.



8. A typical Terengganu home. You would have great difficulty comprehending that these are homes of the so-called beneficiaries of the New Economic Policy that favour the Malays and discriminate against the Chinese. These Malays are poorer than the discriminated Chinese.



9. Another sample of a Malay house in Kuala Terengganu, the capital of the second richest state in Malaysia.



10. You have seen the 'rubbish collection system' in photo 7 above-- now get a load of their ''water supply system'.



11. This house belongs to a ‘richer’ Malay.



12. And this is where they all finally end up when death comes take them away from their life of despair. They end up in the graves surrounding their houses. Some houses are built on top of the graves but most are within a stone's throw. The dead never really leave. They just move next door.

blogswagon rolling in Kuala Terenggganu...

and angelA 001 reporting on the scene unadulterated with any sensor or censorship by Desi, so f you want to sue her, take on her whole team headed by Pete and Zorro. I don't know which political party/ies they signed onto, but they are having a grand partee by the look, and sound of things. If my luck holds, I may join them to pick up some crumb. Later. This blardy writHer believes the latest bird catches the fattest worm!:(

"Hi,

We arrived our Ming Star hotel a little after 7pm. Our group consisted of 3 cars. Gus was driving his Benz van with rpk, marina, zorro and we picked Haris along the way near Bentong (he put his car in some workshop nearby and rode with them). We had a DAP 4W car driven by Dr Cheah adun for D Utama, Dariff Din (melayu bukan cina but look and talk cina all the way), Lee Yau Hui, James Ooi and a couple other guys. In my car, Kenny, Nicole and hubby Aldrin and myself.

We met up after the Gombak toll to Kuantan and stopped at the petrol station with the nasi kandar shop attached. After our makan, we drove straight to Kemaman to have roti bakar and then another 2hr drive to KT.

Later after dinner, Datuk Kamarul (MP teluk kemang and his NS PKR people came to join us. Bala also came with a group of maybe Hindraf fellas.

The action has already started and Nicole having achohol withdrawal symptoms and needed a beer real bad. I told Kenny to walk across the road to 7 11 to get some. He came back and said nothing on sale. Also the guys are complaining cannot drink while eating meal cos the hotel dont serve liquor. The bright spot is that there's a bistro somewhere opps our hotel and Nicole and hubby has gone over to try have some fix.

We expect more people coming over the next few days. Yea there will be plenty of toing and froing till polling day. Zorro already has his take up in his blog while Haris is busy online in front of me. rpk is also doing the same i guess cos i dont see him now. Actually, we are all in the hotel restaurant wifi ing in here. Zorro is all bathed and in his comfortably in his Tees n sarong.

My boy came back from a short drive with Nicole and Aldrin and says the campaigning has started even BEFORE nomination (illegal but ok since both sides doing it and the blues are even helping out!

ok, remember guys cancel the MSM for 2 weeks if not permanently... no buy no lies!

cheers,
angela"

***********************************

Here'sa CUT&paste from fellow blogger rockybru's site. If you don't know who rocky is by now, you're no friend of mine, it's OK, just read his write:) Buy me tehtarik and the bestA kambing at Lingam's and I'll tell aMore juicy stuff about Rocky. Jest don't bring the CJ along. And if you have to ask who is the CJ, nah mind, jest remain Ignoramus, and we bloggers will take you for more rides.

Missing Kuala Terengganu

(SDR AHIRUDIN ATTAN's sharing...)



It's a 3-some for the KT by-election on Jan 17: Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh (BN) vs Abdul Mohd Wahid Endut (Pas/Pakatan Rakyat) and Azharudin Mamat alias Adam (Independent). Read full story here.

I have to give the KT by-election a miss, primarily because it's not that relevant for readers of the newspaper I write weekly for. And I couldn't find accomodation. Tun Salleh Abas has kindly offered to put me up at his place but I won't want to impose on his space just for this by-election.

KT by-election won't change anything for most of us but it is very important to the following people:

1) Pak Lah, because Wan Farid will help ensure his legacy and help him and son-in-law hold on to some influence in Terengganu Umno
2) Wan Farid because his political career is as good as over if he loses. His elder brother Wan Hisham lost his state seat during the March general election because he represented the much-despised Monsoon Cup, which locals said benefited only Pak Lah's closest cronies.
3) Anwar Ibrahim because a victory means he'll be one MP closer to his dream of taking over Putrajaya.

The Barisan Rakyat bloggers, who've vowed to deliver the KT seat to the Pakatan Rakyat, drove up to KT yesterday to help out their candidate from PAS.

visions of you

in shades of blue...

That was a starting refrain in a Cliff Richard's pop number going back eon years ago. Desi keeps using this word "eon" often nowadays when I can't place a certain period in times past to an accurate locatio, to ascribe to a time reference of a long time ago.

When love was constant, and the air and youth's thoughts and spirits were pure.

Then came corrution. Or was it realisation of growing up in a grown up world. And things aren't as simple as A B C.

but BLUE has always been my favourite colour, so it's paiting visions ofblue of my favourite things.

I decline more elaboration. Sme thngs are best left to the reader's own imagination.

Intimations of another's life. Peeping in through the chinks can intrude.

So one draws the curtain down on the shades of blue. In twilight time when things are always mysterious. Fires the imagination.

and that's visioning at its emotive best. Free thy mind...
and draw the landscape that fits thy moods and wantings...
Not mine. Yours. Mind.

Foretaste of worse things to come -- a Singa perspective

IT TAKES A LION TO TAKE A BULL BY ITS HORNS. So Desi Today borroweth fro our neighbour South Of The Border to try send a subtle message to sleepy heeds enscounced in Putrajaya who must have eaten too much OSTRICH meat -- in Perth getaway by Ribber Swanneh? -- and now burying their kepala in the sand. Maybe some kind Malaysian chefs can shift them into the Kari Kepala Ikan Pot?





The last three Ox years were not good for the stock markets
SINGAPORE, Jan 3 — Perhaps it is just a coincidence. Then again, it may have something to do with the ox being a domesticated bull that has lost its vigour.

Whatever the case, the bulls tended to stay away from the stock markets whenever the very year dedicated to their kind appeared once every 12 years. It happened in 1973, 1985 and 1997. And now, with economies around the world still grappling with the fallout from the annus horribilis that was 2008, the coming Year of the Ox may prove to be as depressing for the stock markets as the last three Ox years.

Here’s a quick look at the mayhem that visited stock markets the last three occasions the Ox showed up.

Back in 1973 — the year when the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) was established — equity markets worldwide crashed following the collapse of the Bretton Woods system over the previous two years.

Losses were exacerbated after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries imposed an oil embargo in October 1973 in response to the American decision to supply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur War. As oil prices surged, stock prices continued to slide and it wasn’t until a year later in late 1974, before they began to mount a recovery.

Twelve years later, the Year of the Ox in 1985 saw trading on the SES suspended for three days in an unprecedented move — in the words of exchange chairman Ong Tjin An — “to cool off the market and for the public to digest news” that Pan-Electric Industries had fallen into receivership. The S$230-million (RM830 million) Singapore-based conglomerate had collapsed because a complex web of forward contracts involving its shares could not be unwound.

The Pan-El debacle hurt Singapore’s reputation as a financial centre and also led to prominent Malaysian politician Tan Koon Swan being jailed here for abetting criminal breach of trust.

When the Pan-El crisis hit, the Straits Times Index (STI) was already deep in a downward spiral of a bear market that dated back more than two years to May 1983.

In July 1997, Thailand — saddled by a heavy burden of foreign debt — dropped the baht’s peg against the US dollar, triggering a financial crisis that carved a wide swathe of destruction in regional markets.

Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea were worst hit, with Indonesian President Suharto forced to step down in the following year amid widespread riots sparked off by the devaluation of the rupiah. In Singapore, the STI nosedived from about 2,050 in January 1997 to about 850 points in September 1998.

So the last three Ox years were dreadful for stock markets.

CRISIS OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Back to the present, where there is no end to the stream of “gloom and doom” headlines emerging every day. The World Bank has warned that a deep global recession could not be ruled out this year.

Forecasting a significant decline in global economic growth in 2009 for both developed and emerging economies, it noted that “following the insolvency of a large number of banks and financial institutions ... capital flows to developing countries have dried up and huge amounts of market capitalisation have evaporated”.

In an interview with CNBC TV, renowned economist Mohamed El-Erian, the co-chief executive of Pacific Investment Management Co, said: “2008 was the year of the crisis of the financial system. 2009, unfortunately, will be the crisis of the economic system. So the news is going to be full of unemployment, defaults, etc.”

At home, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has warned that Singapore’s economy — already in a recession — will likely continue to weaken. “We must therefore prepare for a difficult year ahead, and especially the first half of 2009,” Lee said in his New Year’s message.

“Our economy will probably contract further. More companies will be forced to downsize. So far, we have not seen many job losses, but I expect more retrenchments in the next few months,” he warned. The Government’s focus is on jobs — “keeping people in jobs, helping workers who lose jobs find new ones, and retraining them with new skills. To do this, we have to help businesses ride over this rough period”, he added.

“The outlook is highly uncertain. At each stage of this crisis, events have turned out worse than the experts predicted ... Quite likely the global recession will be followed not by a quick rebound, but by several more years of slow growth,” he said.

The unwinding of the excesses of past years through large-scale deleveraging and fund redemptions have led to massive global asset price deflation over the last year.

The United States government has responded to the weakening economy with unprecedented levels of stimulus and bailouts. The US Federal Reserve has also effectively made money free by lowering the target interest rate to between zero and 0.25 per cent, while Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has asserted that US authorities will print as much money as is needed to keep the economy afloat.

Likewise, Asian nations are embarking on large-scale spending measures. Japan — Asia’s largest economy — has unveiled since last August stimulus plans worth ¥16.7 trillion (RM640 billion); China, the region’s second largest economy, in November announced a 4-trillion-yuan (RM2 trillion) economic stimulus package, while neighbouring Malaysia will spend RM7 billion on public projects to spur growth. Singapore’s Budget is scheduled for Jan 22.

“Governments everywhere have been implementing monetary and fiscal measures, rescuing troubled financial institutions and key corporations and pumping money into the economy,” Lee said.

“But no one is sure how the financial systems and economies will respond, or which policies will work. There is a loss of business and consumer confidence and, hence, one thing is certain: Things cannot turn around overnight,” he added.

Indeed, one would have to be experiencing Panglossian disorder — a tendency to have an extremely optimistic view regardless of circumstances — to think that we can just snap out of the world’s worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, without any pain. The STI lost 49 per cent last year, while the Dow shed 34 per cent.

As we kick off 2009, the question — given that stock markets are forward-looking — is whether all the negative news has been factored into current price levels. Are 1,473 in the STI and 7,449 in the Dow the troughs of the current bear market or will there be new lows?

We don’t know. What we do know is that we won’t be betting against history. — TODAY


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