With an UPDATE on 1.1.07
I have been running public service messages mainly as an Educational Service for fellow Malaysians.
This one is of national importance and its resolution -- half done, medium, fully or well done -- will mark a landmark turning point in Malaysian politics, for better or worse. I have my hopes that it will be for the better. Say similar prayers with me?
I am playing the role of a Messenger, but I support the spirit of the contents almost fully. Minor differences don't matter and hence I stop here and let my ER input their wisdom. ~~ Desi
Media Statement by PKR Adviser:
The Altantuya Murder Case Raises Important Questions on Governance and Accountability
Apart from the legal and criminal issues, this case has raised several important questions pertaining to governance and accountability.
The public is entitled to know that investigations have been carried out without fear or favour especially with regards to the use of C4 explosives as well as the fact that two of the accused were Special Forces Unit personnel assigned to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.
In this regard, public interest would require that police statements should be recorded from all those deemed to have any kind of relations with Altantuya Sharibu or any links with the murders. For example, there are some nagging questions on why would the Special Forces personnel currently charged want to murder the victim and then take such drastic action in an attempt to destroy the evidence? Were they acting on their own volition or were they really carrying out instructions? Who authorised the use of the C4 explosives?
There is also the very disturbing issue about the sudden disappearance of travel documents regarding Altantuya’s movements in and out of Malaysia.
Are the immigration authorities aware of this? Were there instructions from persons higher up to have these records deleted? How did it take place ? These are questions which must be investigated now in a transparent manner, and those responsible exposed.
Regardless of whatever happens in the trial which will only be take place next year, these basic questions must be dealt with now. These questions are asked not only in the country, but throughout the world as our judicial system comes under scrutiny yet again. The impression now is of a truncated criminal investigation raising more questions than answers. It is vital that whilst those who pulled the trigger are brought to justice, all those who were responsible for directing the killing must be made known. In fact, such persons bear greater responsibility for the crime.
There have also been questions raised about Altantuya’s role in the government’s purchase of the Scorpene and Agosta submarines from France in a deal costing nearly 1 billion euros (RM4.6 billion). We find it totally unacceptable the reasons given by the government that there is no question of corruption or accountability because the commission that was paid was between the seller and a third party, and “did not involve government funds”.
This is a blatant lie; because no manufacturer would give such huge commissions unless that has already been factored into the pricing of the purchases of the submarines.
The payment of this commission of 114 million euros (RM530 million) is exorbitant by any standard. The public has the right to know who are the real beneficiaries of this massive payout? As revealed in the Far Eastern Economic Review in 2002, Perimekar Sdn. Bhd., would receive 8% of the total contract value over the next six years. According to the publication, Perimekar is owned 100% by Ombak Laut, a company owned by Abdul Razak Baginda and his associates. Ombak Laut then sold 40% of Perimekar to LTAT and a sister company.
How could a relatively unknown company secure such a major weapons procurement deal? The fact that Razak Baginda was the head of a political think tank closely linked with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence itself raises a great number of questions as to the transparency and propriety of the transactions.
Why have the relevant authorities such as the Anti Corruption Agency and Commercial Crime Division of the Police not begun investigations on this matter?
ANWAR IBRAHIM
January 10th 2007
UPDATEd @8.30PM:
For ER interested in becoming a journalist like Desi (BP to become a church mouse2!), and also to Mass Communications students, read how a foreign news agency treats the press statement read out by Anwar at his residence:~~
Malaysia's Anwar seeks wider probe into Mongolian murder
Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:46 PM IST
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday the police should investigate whether a prominent political analyst used government connections to organise the murder of a Mongolian model.
Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, who heads a local think-tank and has advised government ministers, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of abetting the murder of 28-year-old Altantuya Shaariibuu last October in Malaysia.
Accused with him are two policemen charged with murder. All three face mandatory death by hanging if convicted. The two policemen have also pleaded not guilty.
The trial will begin in March 2008.
Anwar, former deputy prime minister until he was arrested in September 1998 and thrown in jail after he challenged then premier Mahathir Mohamad, said public interest would require police to interview all those deemed to have any relations with the model or any links with the murder.
"It is vital that whilst those who pulled the trigger are brought to justice, all those who are responsible for directing the killing must be made known," he said in a statement read out at a news conference at his house.
"In fact, such persons bear greater responsibility for the crime," he said.
Abdul Razak is a close associate of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. The two policemen were part of an elite squad in charge of protecting top government leaders.
A spokesman at federal police said he had no immediate comment on Anwar's remarks. A government source said no one else had been questioned apart from the three accused.
Government prosecutors have ruled out the possibility of other people being involved in the case other than Razak and the two policemen.
"Investigations reveal no one else's involvement in this case. Those responsible are in court today," deputy public prosecutor Salehuddin Saidin told the court during a mention last month.
Police have given no details of Shaariibuu's death, but newspapers say she was shot dead and her body blown up with explosives. Her remains were found in a jungle on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in early November.
NB: DESI's job here is basically an enabler, so I'm not highlighting (BOLDING THUS) any parts of Anwar's satement or REUTER's report.
I advise that you seek out TOMORROW local press (English) coverage -- if you are lucky! -- but most likely the MSM will take the option of RESORT OF LEAST RESISTANCE ~~
Ignore the news compleatly. An act of Omission is as serious as a Commission of an offence of disfiguring the news, BUT WHO THE H*** IN MALAYSIA CARES?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATEd2 on Jan 11, 2007 @11AM:
There is some hope yet on the far horizon on Mediascape, concerned ER like Freelunch, and hoRst Desi, are glad to see. To wit~~
11/01: Anwar: We are entitled to know
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
The Sun
The public is entitled to know that investigations on the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu were carried out without fear or favour, and that all those responsible will be brought to book, said Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking in a press conference in his residence today, he said questions had also been raised about whether Altantuya had a role in the government's purchase of the Scorpene and Agosta submarines from France in a deal costing nearly 1 billion euros (RM4.6 billion).
"We find it totally unacceptable the reasons given by the government that there is no question of corruption or accountability because the commission that was paid was between the seller and a third party and did not involve government funds.
"This is a blatant lie because no manufaturer would give such huge commissions unless that has already been factored into the pricing of the purchases of the submarines," he said.
"The payment of this commission of 114 million euros (RM530 million) is exorbitant by any standard. The public has the right to know who are the beneficiaries of this massive payout?" he added.
Anwar said the Far Eastern Economic Review in 2002 had reported that Perimekar Sdn Bhd would receive 8% of the total contract value over the next six years.
He said according to the publication, Perimekar was fully owned by Ombak Laut, a company owned by Abdul Razak Abdullah and his associates.
He said Ombak Laut then sold 40% of Perimekar to Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and a sister company.
Asked how he came to know about all this, Anwar said he was privy to some of the information - but did not eleborate how - while the rest was publicly known.
Political analyst Abdul Razak is charged with abetting in the murder of Altantuya, 28, on Oct 18.
During the press conference, the former deputy prime minister also commented on the Election Commission (EC) chairman's call on Monday (Jan 8, 2007) for legislative reform so that the commission can uphold the democratic process of fair and transparent elections.
He said the chairman's admission showed that the entire process was flawed in the past.
"(The previous elections were) not free, no access to the media and certainly many regulations are considered to be bias," he said.
He added that if nothing was done following the chairman's call, it would be a "mockery of the entire electoral process."
Anwar also commented on the agreements between the government and highway concessionaires, saying if there was compelling reason to suggest that the terms of the agreements were not transparent and fair, then a renegotiation was warranted.
On Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remark that the cabinet was not always knowledgeable and politicians, including himself, could sometimes be "stupid," Anwar said they would "have to pay for the stupidity" and "don't get the poor to pay for the stupidity."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
To Y&A Politically-Inclined
This is a P&C message leaked public by printer's devil to my *Y&A political-inclined.
Y&A refers to that category of Homo sapiens aged 12 and above with a critical mind and excludes those who are so lazy to execise their unique mental faculty by spouting inanities and profanities not welcomed hear.
I especially dedicate this missive to johnleemk who has been a shadow chasing Desi on getting Insights into what options Malaysians have for building a Bangsa Malaysia via political means, which means a necessary look at the Oppossition alternatives to the failed BN incumbent.
Today I lend one INSIGHT -- you take my word for IT I ain't as young as this 16-year-old going-17 but I think we mutually can trade barbs with articulate can-do or candour spirit as in the same wavelength as one former PM blogged about here yesterdie.
Dear John and Readers of similar bent who won't feel insulted if I also regard as mentee-sometimes Mentor to Desi -- yes, I continue to learn with ex-PM like humility or I'd be damned!
The ollowing news item chiefly refers, our earlier discourses also implicit~~
From The Star,
Wednesday January 10, 2007
DAP rep quits party citing lack of support
By AUDREY EDWARD
SEREMBAN: Bahau state assemblyman Lim Fui Ming has quit the DAP.
Lim, who was Negri Sembilan DAP vice-chairman, said one reason for his decision was because he felt party members had isolated him since he join the DAP in 1988 after leaving the MCA.
He said he would not resign from his state assembly seat and would continue to serve the people until the next general election.
He did not say whether he would be joining any other political party.
Lim, 61, said he had thought of leaving politics since 2001, and that he contested the last general election because no one from the DAP wanted to stand for the seat.
Lobak state assemblyman Loke Siew Fook, who is the only other DAP assemblyman in the state, said Lim’s resignation would not affect the party in Negri Sembilan.
“We are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. I only heard about this from the media. I was told that he sent a resignation letter to Dr Chen Man Hin (the party’s life advisor),” he added.
When asked about Lim’s claim that he was not getting support from party members, Loke said no politician received 100% support.
Lim’s wife, who only wanted to be known as Madam Thang, said she did not know anything about her husband quitting the DAP.
“I have been trying to contact him because a lot of people have come to look for him,” she said.
“He went straight to Bahau this morning and I do not know anything. I, myself am looking for him and he has turned off his mobile phone.”
DESI: I remember I "reprised" a former piece (by YOU, John ...) where you articulated well the inherent weaknesses of the DAP and how it has not progressed much as a potential political alternative to the BN components. Among the chief faults is the lack of a visionary leader among its top ranks; instead there has been a long trail of party stalwarts jumping ship. Just name a few here: Goh Hock Guan, Fan Yew Teng, Sim Kwang Yang ~~ You know some of the reasons why -- among them is the fractious infighting where the winner stays and keeps all, and all potential opponents within the party had to leave, either to fade into oblivion, or become writHers!:(
The worst dish being cooked is exactly enacted as what the Opposition has been accusing the BN and its component parties of being guilty of -- entrenching CRONYISM and NEPOTISM and CREATING DYNASTIC FIEFDOMS.
What Saudra Lim Fui Ming did not disclose but I can make an educated guess: The failure of the NS DAP State Chief to lead with INCLUSIONARY POLITICS. In fact, I suspect this antagonist of honing his skill at "excluding those who are a potential rival to his leadership", hence practising "Exclusionary Politics" which Lim diplomatically cited as "lack of support".
If you read in between the lines, it's that the chief surrounds himself with croy yes-men (did somebody yell BODEK? Or did I hear "Ball-carriers"? Or Sycophants?
To be ctd.....
Desi is only of half a mind to a swift conclusion and ask that you buy me or johnleemk a cuppa or two of piping hot tehtarik either in Furong of PJ to hear the "intimate" details as such revelations may not be good for the Opposition cause, which I have spent much time and energies promoting.
Suffice to say that many DAP politicians, especially elected representatives, have/had the "same mindset" of their MIC or MCA counterparts. They often succumb to that "price on their head" offered by their political camp, yes, in the steal of the night.
Otherwise, how do you account for Kuppusamy, Tiger Lee and Khoo Seng Hock (all from NS which is my State, hence I can state with confidence I'm not wrong on facts) deserting DAP before end of term as State assemblymen. The latter two switched to MCA even as they were serving as elected SA on the rocket symbol.
One guy owed a fellow BN component member a huge sum of money after losing a defamation suit; but with A little Help from 'MCA' friends, the problem was overcome in doubly quick time and he soon drives around in anew Mercedes Benz.
Lo and Behold, DAP angels ride back from the sunset into main street...
But some Tan Sri Lee LT, who my dear ER and generous horst @allofhelen.blogspot.com gives lots of leeway but not Desi, tops the league of angels. He wears an uncountable number of hats as social activist.
But what was the price for abandoning ship at the most critical and crucial moment in Malaysian electoral history when an Alternative front aligned with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah stood the best chance of toppling the BN incumbent?
A slew of appointments to the boards of directorships at public listed companies soon followed. Ah, NATIONAL SERVICE too, what a patriot! As Chair he says he should not "resign" (Citizen S Nadeswaran has called on him to resign over the NS transportation fiasco; Desi seconded!) but that the Director-General of the associated ministry should. One enjoys immunity because he has the right ....s (it's a five-letter word because I wouldn't want sisdar Helen to blush. Even my own face may turn lobster red...after some may even label Desi a commie:(
Y&A refers to that category of Homo sapiens aged 12 and above with a critical mind and excludes those who are so lazy to execise their unique mental faculty by spouting inanities and profanities not welcomed hear.
I especially dedicate this missive to johnleemk who has been a shadow chasing Desi on getting Insights into what options Malaysians have for building a Bangsa Malaysia via political means, which means a necessary look at the Oppossition alternatives to the failed BN incumbent.
Today I lend one INSIGHT -- you take my word for IT I ain't as young as this 16-year-old going-17 but I think we mutually can trade barbs with articulate can-do or candour spirit as in the same wavelength as one former PM blogged about here yesterdie.
Dear John and Readers of similar bent who won't feel insulted if I also regard as mentee-sometimes Mentor to Desi -- yes, I continue to learn with ex-PM like humility or I'd be damned!
The ollowing news item chiefly refers, our earlier discourses also implicit~~
From The Star,
Wednesday January 10, 2007
DAP rep quits party citing lack of support
By AUDREY EDWARD
SEREMBAN: Bahau state assemblyman Lim Fui Ming has quit the DAP.
Lim, who was Negri Sembilan DAP vice-chairman, said one reason for his decision was because he felt party members had isolated him since he join the DAP in 1988 after leaving the MCA.
He said he would not resign from his state assembly seat and would continue to serve the people until the next general election.
He did not say whether he would be joining any other political party.
Lim, 61, said he had thought of leaving politics since 2001, and that he contested the last general election because no one from the DAP wanted to stand for the seat.
Lobak state assemblyman Loke Siew Fook, who is the only other DAP assemblyman in the state, said Lim’s resignation would not affect the party in Negri Sembilan.
“We are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. I only heard about this from the media. I was told that he sent a resignation letter to Dr Chen Man Hin (the party’s life advisor),” he added.
When asked about Lim’s claim that he was not getting support from party members, Loke said no politician received 100% support.
Lim’s wife, who only wanted to be known as Madam Thang, said she did not know anything about her husband quitting the DAP.
“I have been trying to contact him because a lot of people have come to look for him,” she said.
“He went straight to Bahau this morning and I do not know anything. I, myself am looking for him and he has turned off his mobile phone.”
DESI: I remember I "reprised" a former piece (by YOU, John ...) where you articulated well the inherent weaknesses of the DAP and how it has not progressed much as a potential political alternative to the BN components. Among the chief faults is the lack of a visionary leader among its top ranks; instead there has been a long trail of party stalwarts jumping ship. Just name a few here: Goh Hock Guan, Fan Yew Teng, Sim Kwang Yang ~~ You know some of the reasons why -- among them is the fractious infighting where the winner stays and keeps all, and all potential opponents within the party had to leave, either to fade into oblivion, or become writHers!:(
The worst dish being cooked is exactly enacted as what the Opposition has been accusing the BN and its component parties of being guilty of -- entrenching CRONYISM and NEPOTISM and CREATING DYNASTIC FIEFDOMS.
What Saudra Lim Fui Ming did not disclose but I can make an educated guess: The failure of the NS DAP State Chief to lead with INCLUSIONARY POLITICS. In fact, I suspect this antagonist of honing his skill at "excluding those who are a potential rival to his leadership", hence practising "Exclusionary Politics" which Lim diplomatically cited as "lack of support".
If you read in between the lines, it's that the chief surrounds himself with croy yes-men (did somebody yell BODEK? Or did I hear "Ball-carriers"? Or Sycophants?
To be ctd.....
Desi is only of half a mind to a swift conclusion and ask that you buy me or johnleemk a cuppa or two of piping hot tehtarik either in Furong of PJ to hear the "intimate" details as such revelations may not be good for the Opposition cause, which I have spent much time and energies promoting.
Suffice to say that many DAP politicians, especially elected representatives, have/had the "same mindset" of their MIC or MCA counterparts. They often succumb to that "price on their head" offered by their political camp, yes, in the steal of the night.
Otherwise, how do you account for Kuppusamy, Tiger Lee and Khoo Seng Hock (all from NS which is my State, hence I can state with confidence I'm not wrong on facts) deserting DAP before end of term as State assemblymen. The latter two switched to MCA even as they were serving as elected SA on the rocket symbol.
One guy owed a fellow BN component member a huge sum of money after losing a defamation suit; but with A little Help from 'MCA' friends, the problem was overcome in doubly quick time and he soon drives around in anew Mercedes Benz.
Lo and Behold, DAP angels ride back from the sunset into main street...
But some Tan Sri Lee LT, who my dear ER and generous horst @allofhelen.blogspot.com gives lots of leeway but not Desi, tops the league of angels. He wears an uncountable number of hats as social activist.
But what was the price for abandoning ship at the most critical and crucial moment in Malaysian electoral history when an Alternative front aligned with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah stood the best chance of toppling the BN incumbent?
A slew of appointments to the boards of directorships at public listed companies soon followed. Ah, NATIONAL SERVICE too, what a patriot! As Chair he says he should not "resign" (Citizen S Nadeswaran has called on him to resign over the NS transportation fiasco; Desi seconded!) but that the Director-General of the associated ministry should. One enjoys immunity because he has the right ....s (it's a five-letter word because I wouldn't want sisdar Helen to blush. Even my own face may turn lobster red...after some may even label Desi a commie:(
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Hey, sometiems the guy talks senSE!
Desi is late in posting today because catching up with a diplomat enjoys higher priority. Especially when a freelunch is thrown in.
And for late dessert Desi is surprised that our immediate former Prime Minister had shown much humility in the recent days, starting with the visit of his erstwhile nemesi in the form of George Soros who called him "A menace to your country" in quick rebutal to Dr Mahathir Mohamad labelling the money trade a "moron".
They handshook after Dr Mahathir admitted he barked up the wrong tree by holding Georgie boy responsible for the Asian finanscial crisis a decade ago, and Thailand almost had a "deja vu" last month of a similar scenario, but much reined in this time.
Back to second confession -- which is very much in VOGUE as Desi also chalked up a second one jest a few days ago, discerned by aweOFHELEN, but that's not of concern. The following is your concern, not mine because I deem it still a part of UMNO's sandiwara, and The Play on the PWTC enters another Act with the nu'e year 2007, how exciting for mundane Monsoon/s cup runneth over. The same politics eroding NegaraKu's competitiveness -- CRONYISM spelt in capital letters and BOLDed because some politicians are pretty myopic, self confessed. Not contested by many but these masters of bodekism. a cute local word these politicians should have no excuse not knowing its mean-ing or -ness. (I refrain from using the term 'carrying balls' too often lest some ER lable me crude, or crass, for I long to be clAssic, can I.)
Tue, 09 Jan 2007
From the Sun,
WEB EDITION :: Local News
DrM: My cabinet may have erred in toll agreements
R.Manirajan
PUTRAJAYA (Jan 8, 2007): Acknowledging that the government during his time may have erred in signing the toll concession agreements, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today urged the present administration to be more careful before agreeing to toll hikes.
He also urged the toll concession companies to be open to the idea of re-negotiating the terms, especially if they are doing well financially.
"This is one of thing that we need to correct. What you have is a cabinet which is not very knowledgeable all the time because it is not made up of experts but politicians (and) some politicians like myself can sometimes be stupid," he said when told by reporters that all the five tolled expressways were constructed during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.
Mahathir said the agreements were drafted by officers and submitted to the cabinet and usually the small prints are not there.
"The cabinet merely gave approvals in principle and never really studied the implications in some parts of the agreements."
Citing an example of the purchase of a battleship, he said: "The agreement stated that if there is a delay, the company compensates the government. If the delay is more than six months, the company does not need to compensate the government.
"The delay was two years. We need to have a checklist."
He said when the toll concession agreements were signed, the government had very little experience about growth and reaction of the people.
"Civil servants don't think of reaction of people as much as politicians. They (civil servants) think it is a reasonable agreement and the cabinet okays it and now the government is stuck."
"There is a provision in the (toll) agreements that if there is an increase in traffic and the company collects more than the projected amount, the government gets a share.
"If the traffic volume is lower than projected, the government has to compensate. It works both ways. Currently we don't have any figures," he added.
"From what I see on the road as I drive, they collect quite a bit of money. The roads are jammed up even to pay toll as there are too many cars and in some places toll booths are increased."
Mahathir was speaking after holding a press conference on the upcoming Perdana Global Peace Forum.
:
He also resumed his criticisms of the administration of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
:
:
:
Responding to various questions on local matters, Mahathir said he had kept quiet in the last few months not because he didn't have anything to say but because he did not have the forum to do it.
"I had a small heart problem but my heart has been repaired, but I didn't have any forum to say anything so I appeared to be very quiet," he said, adding that his brain was still ticking away.
He went on to talk again about Proton, saying the company needed a new management more than a new partner. Other matters he touched on included Khairy Jamaluddin, Scomi and allegation that the Turkish-built yacht that was reported by a Turkish newspaper to have been bought by Abdullah was actually a gift for him (Mahathir) by a Malaysian tycoon.
"Actually I am quite interested if I could buy, but I don't have the money," he said. "Turkish wooden yachts are beautiful and I thought we could bring them here to Langkawi (so) I asked someone who has the money to bring the yacht to Langkawi as it will look nice, (but) he said no (because) wooden boats won't last in Langkawi."
He added: "If anybody wants to bring a wooden yacht to Langkawi, I am for it but don't ask me for the money, I don't have that kind of money."
Updated: 05:48PM Mon, 08 Jan 2007
DESI:
"This is one of thing that we need to correct. What you have is a cabinet which is not very knowledgeable all the time because it is not made up of experts but politicians (and) some politicians like myself can sometimes be stupid," he said when told by reporters that all the five tolled expressways were constructed during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.
Yeah, such frankness and humility, or is ist sarcasm? You, dear ER who koweth more than Desi, tell me!
Dr Mahathir is back in his element, and half-past six journos and bloggers lap it up like bees to honey, or is it rats to newly-born white mice? Another Chicken and Egg Conumdrum? Visit allofhelen.blogspot.com for an insight.
And for late dessert Desi is surprised that our immediate former Prime Minister had shown much humility in the recent days, starting with the visit of his erstwhile nemesi in the form of George Soros who called him "A menace to your country" in quick rebutal to Dr Mahathir Mohamad labelling the money trade a "moron".
They handshook after Dr Mahathir admitted he barked up the wrong tree by holding Georgie boy responsible for the Asian finanscial crisis a decade ago, and Thailand almost had a "deja vu" last month of a similar scenario, but much reined in this time.
Back to second confession -- which is very much in VOGUE as Desi also chalked up a second one jest a few days ago, discerned by aweOFHELEN, but that's not of concern. The following is your concern, not mine because I deem it still a part of UMNO's sandiwara, and The Play on the PWTC enters another Act with the nu'e year 2007, how exciting for mundane Monsoon/s cup runneth over. The same politics eroding NegaraKu's competitiveness -- CRONYISM spelt in capital letters and BOLDed because some politicians are pretty myopic, self confessed. Not contested by many but these masters of bodekism. a cute local word these politicians should have no excuse not knowing its mean-ing or -ness. (I refrain from using the term 'carrying balls' too often lest some ER lable me crude, or crass, for I long to be clAssic, can I.)
Tue, 09 Jan 2007
From the Sun,
WEB EDITION :: Local News
DrM: My cabinet may have erred in toll agreements
R.Manirajan
PUTRAJAYA (Jan 8, 2007): Acknowledging that the government during his time may have erred in signing the toll concession agreements, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today urged the present administration to be more careful before agreeing to toll hikes.
He also urged the toll concession companies to be open to the idea of re-negotiating the terms, especially if they are doing well financially.
"This is one of thing that we need to correct. What you have is a cabinet which is not very knowledgeable all the time because it is not made up of experts but politicians (and) some politicians like myself can sometimes be stupid," he said when told by reporters that all the five tolled expressways were constructed during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.
Mahathir said the agreements were drafted by officers and submitted to the cabinet and usually the small prints are not there.
"The cabinet merely gave approvals in principle and never really studied the implications in some parts of the agreements."
Citing an example of the purchase of a battleship, he said: "The agreement stated that if there is a delay, the company compensates the government. If the delay is more than six months, the company does not need to compensate the government.
"The delay was two years. We need to have a checklist."
He said when the toll concession agreements were signed, the government had very little experience about growth and reaction of the people.
"Civil servants don't think of reaction of people as much as politicians. They (civil servants) think it is a reasonable agreement and the cabinet okays it and now the government is stuck."
"There is a provision in the (toll) agreements that if there is an increase in traffic and the company collects more than the projected amount, the government gets a share.
"If the traffic volume is lower than projected, the government has to compensate. It works both ways. Currently we don't have any figures," he added.
"From what I see on the road as I drive, they collect quite a bit of money. The roads are jammed up even to pay toll as there are too many cars and in some places toll booths are increased."
Mahathir was speaking after holding a press conference on the upcoming Perdana Global Peace Forum.
:
He also resumed his criticisms of the administration of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
:
:
:
Responding to various questions on local matters, Mahathir said he had kept quiet in the last few months not because he didn't have anything to say but because he did not have the forum to do it.
"I had a small heart problem but my heart has been repaired, but I didn't have any forum to say anything so I appeared to be very quiet," he said, adding that his brain was still ticking away.
He went on to talk again about Proton, saying the company needed a new management more than a new partner. Other matters he touched on included Khairy Jamaluddin, Scomi and allegation that the Turkish-built yacht that was reported by a Turkish newspaper to have been bought by Abdullah was actually a gift for him (Mahathir) by a Malaysian tycoon.
"Actually I am quite interested if I could buy, but I don't have the money," he said. "Turkish wooden yachts are beautiful and I thought we could bring them here to Langkawi (so) I asked someone who has the money to bring the yacht to Langkawi as it will look nice, (but) he said no (because) wooden boats won't last in Langkawi."
He added: "If anybody wants to bring a wooden yacht to Langkawi, I am for it but don't ask me for the money, I don't have that kind of money."
Updated: 05:48PM Mon, 08 Jan 2007
DESI:
"This is one of thing that we need to correct. What you have is a cabinet which is not very knowledgeable all the time because it is not made up of experts but politicians (and) some politicians like myself can sometimes be stupid," he said when told by reporters that all the five tolled expressways were constructed during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.
Yeah, such frankness and humility, or is ist sarcasm? You, dear ER who koweth more than Desi, tell me!
Dr Mahathir is back in his element, and half-past six journos and bloggers lap it up like bees to honey, or is it rats to newly-born white mice? Another Chicken and Egg Conumdrum? Visit allofhelen.blogspot.com for an insight.
Monday, January 08, 2007
VMY2007: A* Jornalist's Take
FIGHTING FOR THE SAME TOURISM PIE
This year Malaysia is competing with Thailand, and
possibly other Asean countries, for a larger piece of
the foreign tourists' revenue. It is going all out via
"Visit Malaysia Year 2007" to grab the foreign
exchange, drawing up extensive programmes to attract
the crowd. How successful remains to be seen, as there
are both positive and negative factors at play.
By P.Y. Chin
On Dec 26 last year, the second anniversary of the
Asian tsunami disaster, Astro TV aired a three-hour
two-part mini-series, called "Tsunami: The Aftermath",
produced by HBO (Home Box Office) in association with
the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). It
depicted a tale of personal loss, survival and hope.
It was about a group of fictional characters whose
lives were irrevocably transformed by the cataclysmic
natural disaster that occurred two years ago on Boxing
Day, 2004.
The cast was headed by Tim Roth, an Academy
Award and Golden Globe nominee, and included Chiwetel
Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Hugh Bonneville and Toni
Collette. The mini-series was written by Abi Morgan,
produced by Finola Dwyer, and directed by Bharat
Nalluri. The filming was done entirely on location in
Phuket and Khao Lak, both in Thailand. It even had a
Thai production company, Santa Films, acting as
advisor throughout the filming.
According to HBO, among the subplots were two
that related to Thailand -- a Thai survivor who lost
his family and tried to prevent developers from
seizing the land his village was built on; and a
leading Thai meteorologist whose earlier report
detailing the inevitability of a tsunami hitting the
affected area was ignored.
Thailand was one of the 13 countries that were
badly hit by the Asian tsunami, which killed an
estimated 226,000 people, injuring more than half a
million, and leaving 5 million homeless, with no or
little access to food or water. Total reconstruction
costs were estimated at US$7.5 billion (RM27 billion).
The significance of the mini-series lies in the
fact that Thailand was chosen as the focal point for
the movie. The choice gave Thailand a timely shot in
the arm for the country's tourism industry.
Not that the movie helps to highlight Thailand
as an international tourist destination on a scale
never experienced before. Or that the movie gave
Thailand the mileage that, as the saying goes, "even
money cannot buy".
It is that Thailand, having been hit hard by the
Asian tsunami, also has its image affected by the
recent military coup, and last week by the bombings in
its capital, Bangkok.
All these tended to make the foreign tourists
nervous about visiting Thailand, especially when, as
usual, the US and Australia immediately issued travel
advisories "of caution" to their respective citizens
intending to visit the country.
Despite all the negative events, the Thai
tourism industry recovered the fastest among the ASEAN
countries. The reason is probably that Thailand has
too much to offer, and its attractions are too good to
be given a miss in any travel plans to the East.
Malaysia is also one of those countries hit by
the tsunami, though not on as serious a scale as many
others. Unfortunately, Malaysia's tourism industry
paid little attention to the tsunami. It looks like
only Thailand turned a crisis into an opportunity.
Under the Thai plan, the Thai Ministry of
Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of
Thailand have targeted to receive 14.8mil visitors in
2007, generating total revenue of 547bil bahts (about
RM54bil). For local tourism, the Thai authorities
expect locals to make 82mil trips, producing total
revenue of 377bil bahts (RM36.8bil).
However, Malaysia is not sitting on its laurels
either. This year, Malaysia is going all out to
attract a larger number of foreign tourists, with its
fully loaded calendar of monthly local and
international events, and with activities in almost
every State.
The Malaysian Ministry of Tourism has come out
with an aggressive campaign, Visit Malaysia Year 2007
-- the third in the series that started in 1990.
The first campaign unexpectedly attracted 7.4mil
tourists, almost double the 4.8mil arrivals the
previous year.
The success of such a campaign had encouraged
tourism authorities to go for a second campaign in
1994. Though this time there were slightly fewer
visitors -- at 7.2mil -- but total foreign exchange
earnings were an impressive RM8.3bil.
This year's campaign has ambitious targets --
20.1mil foreign visitors -- generating revenue of a
massive RM44.5bil. The targets perhaps also are
anchored on the fact that this year it is also the
50th anniversary of the country's Independence, with
more programmes to mark an important nation's
milestone.
And in conjunction with such an anniversary, the
country's National Film Development Corporation and
the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage have teamed
up with Discovery Network Asia to undertake a project
that will showcase Malaysia to the world.
The project seeks five Malaysian first-time
film-makers who could present a "real picture" of
Malaysia's image as a multi-racial and multi-cultural
country in documentaries which are to be aired over
Discovery Channel on TV. Another similar effort was
also carried out jointly with the National Geographic
Channel.
Both these projects should put Malaysia on the
world tourism map, as the popular Discovery Channel
and National Geographic Channel have large worldwide
following.
Malaysia's efforts are in direct competition
with Thailand's, and it certainly looks like Malaysia
is wasting no efforts in ensuring that its Visit
Malaysia Year 2007 campaign will succeed. Though the
Government has originally allocated RM149mil in the
annual Budget for the campaign, at least a further
RM51mil, making a total of RM200 million, would be
spent. With such an enlarged sum, failure cannot be an
option.
At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism had
requested that two of its funds -- Special Tourism
Fund and Tourism Infrastructure Fund -- be increased
to RM3bil each from the present RM1.2bil each. This
was to help the small and medium sized businesses
related to tourism and travel.
While this year's target of 20.1mil visitors
spending RM44.5bil is ambitious, many quarters are
optimistic that it can be achieved.
In 2005, 16.43mil visitors came and spent
RM31.9bil. Last year, the final figure is expected to
be 17.6mil tourists, spending RM35.2bil.
Analysing both the Thai and Malaysian figures,
foreign tourists in Malaysia, though larger in
numbers, spent less than those who visited Thailand.
For this year, Thailand is expecting each
foreign tourist to spend an average of 36,959 bahts
(RM3,650).
On the other hand, this year Malaysia is
expecting each foreign tourist to spend an average of
RM2,214, compared with an average of RM1,940 in 2005,
and a slightly higher average of RM2,000 last year.
Such statistics speaks volumes: With a fewer
number of foreign tourists arriving, yet Thailand
earns more (in ringgit terms). This could mean one
thing: That Thailand concentrates on getting quality
international tourists rather than on quantity. For
quality, this means getting tourists to stay in
Thailand longer, and to spend more per visitor.
As Thai Tourism Minister Suwit Yodmanee declared
recently: "I would like to see tourists extend their
stay in Thailand beyond seven days, and to spend more
money."
Thai tourism authorities are of the view that
foreign tourists are not put off by the country's
political and Mother nature's induced woes.
The 2006 figures tell the story: Foreign tourist
arrivals were up 18.5% to 13.65mil while revenue from
this group soared nearly 31% to 481bil baths
(RM46.8bil), making it a USD13-billion industry
(RM45.6bil).
Tourism in Thai certainly has made a fast
recovery. The tsunami and military coup might have
caused some brief interruptions to the tourism
sector's progress, so will the latest bombings, said
the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently.
For Malaysia, tourism is an important industry,
not just that the country has lots of tourist
attractions, but with an inflow of RM31.9bil in 2005
it was the second largest foreign exchange earner that
year.
It still is the second largest foreign-exchange
earner, after manufacturing. Tourism earnings account
for 31% of the economy, and is lumped under the
services sector, which in total account for 58% of the
economy.
It is therefore imperative that Malaysia tourism
authorities should get it right from the beginning.
First, there is a need to seek quality foreign
tourists -- "quality" here means tourists who are
staying longer than usual, and spending more.
For the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign, every
conceivable organisation and corporate entity
connected with tourism is putting in its two-sen's
worth of effort.
There's an economic argument that by
aggressively pushing the tourism industry forward, the
spill-over effects would be felt in other sectors,
mainly hotel, airline, retail, leisure and
entertainment, food and agriculture, and transport.
The airline industry is already gearing to play
its part in the promotions of Visit Malaysia Year
2007. Malaysia Airlines has already in hand creative
tour packages, as well as secure deals with tour
operators of other countries to bring hordes of
tourists to this country.
Of course, the airlines, be it MAS or Air Asia
or foreign carriers, are the first to benefit from a
greater influx of foreign tourists, as most of them
would need to be flown into the country.
Low-cost airlines are the favourite of
budget-conscious tourists. As such, any joint network
is at providing low-cost travel over long distances
would be welcomed by the travel sector. Presently
low-cost airlines operate short-haul flights within
regions only.
At the same time, the low-cost carrier terminal
is being upgraded this year to cope with a larger
number of travellers. So is the Bayan Lepas
International Airport in Penang, where RM36mil will be
spent to add 32 check-in counters and an aircraft
parking bay.
Foreign carriers are also jumping onto the
bandwagon to promote Malaysia this year. Etihad
Airways, United Arab Emirates' national airline, has
recently joined hands with Tourism Malaysia to promote
KL as a destination mainly for the Arabs from Middle
East, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi had said in an interview, that "Malaysia is the
biggest Asean destination for Arab tourists".
Next to benefit is the transport sector, as
tourists once landed in Malaysia would wish to move
around to various places of interest, for sightseeing
or for shopping or for dining. As such, taxis within
town areas, railways and buses (especially those
plying between towns) are bound to gain extra
passenger traffic.
Then the retail, food, leisure and entertainment
outlets will grab the next level of business. This is
where the foreign tourists are encouraged to spend,
spend, and spend.
According to the tourism authorities, shopping
is expected to account for more than 20%(or RM8.9bil)
of the RM44.5bil to be spent by foreign tourists in
Malaysia. In 2005, foreign tourists spent RM7.7bil or
20.8% of the RM31.9 billion in revenue.
To meet the influx of tourists, retailers round
the country are preparing for higher sales, after what
could have been a slightly slower festive season of
sales last year.
Entertainment is another area that will tap into
the tourism industry. There was expectation of a 20%
growth last year over 2005 in "entertainment
tourists". In 2005, growth was 42% to 1.4mil
entertainment tourists -- defined as those tourists
who visit casinos, theme parks, and attend concerts in
Malaysia.
Playing their part, Star Planet and Galileo Asia
signed a memorandum of understanding recently to
provide travel agents on the Galileo electronic
ticketing system the ability to include concerts and
musical festivals in itineraries to their clients.
For the Visit Malaysia Year 2007, Star Planet is
organising four to six international concerts. Leisure
group Genting is also slated to bring in more than 50
signature shows and events this year.
More importantly, Genting is expected to bring
in more than 20mil tourists, both locals and
foreigners, to its casino resort in Genting Highlands
this year. Last year, the estimate was 19mil visitors.
Already the Genting group is expecting this year to be
a record year for its revenue stream.
Meanwhile, the local hotel industry is also
gearing to welcome the larger influx of tourists, with
most having completed renovating their properties for
as high as RM60mil-RM70mil. Higher occupancy rates are
expected -- as high as 75% -- compared with 60-70%
last year.
Despite all the preparations to open the flood
gates to foreign tourists, Malaysia's tourism industry
still faces a number of negative factors. Though
Malaysia may not have such serious problems as a
military coup or widespread bombings as in Thailand,
there are some problems which still pose "a nuisance"
to the foreign tourists.
Foremost of which is the crime rate. Though in
general, crimes are not as serious as in some of the
developing or under-developed countries, the relative
high rate at present compared to past trends has been
a worrying factor.
Most of the crimes are petty thefts, where the
foreign tourists are most vulnerable. By increasing
the number of tourist policemen on the beat should
help to ease the problem -- to an extent.
Crimes are also known to have occurred at the
baggage section of the airport, though not as frequent
as in some other international airports. Occasional
breakdowns of the airport baggage conveyor system,
thus causing unnecessary delays, are also a sore point
with visitors.
Next, many have voiced their opinions that the
tourist sites within Malaysia should be better
developed, in view of the fact that more tourists,
including locals (in view of a five-day working week),
are visiting these places. Better amenities, cleaner
facilities, and greater accessibility should be the
aim.
Costs are another factor that could eat into a
foreign tourist's pocket. Transportation costs are
rising due to higher toll charges and higher fuel
charges.
Even KL International Airport (KLIA) is imposing
a security charge on all domestic (RM3) and
international (RM6) flights. MAS is also having a new
comprehensive pricing structure this year, which it
has said would still make its ticket prices,
especially for domestic travel, the lowest among
international airlines.
While imposing the security fee can be
justified, it must be remembered that KLIA is really
not on the international hub of stopovers for airlines
flying east to west and vice versa.
For years, Singapore and Bangkok have been the
stopover points for long-haul flights -- Singapore for
flights to the southern continent of Australia, New
Zealand and Pacific islands and to the Middle East and
Europe, and Bangkok for flights from northern Asia to
Europe.
This could explain why many foreign tourists are
seeing the KLIA relatively empty on most days and
nights. International hubs of stopovers are usually
busy all days of the week.
Weighing the positive factors against the
negative, Malaysia's tourism authorities are still
very gung-ho that the high targets can be achieved, as
such a campaign has been proven to be a success in the
past. There's no reason for it to fail this year.
On a longer term, the local tourism authorities
should have a more stable and ongoing plan than just
ad hoc options aimed at fire-fighting with
competitors.
The campaign is no longer a brand exclusive to
Malaysia. Almost all ASEAN countries are going for
such campaigns. There is a need for new ideas and
innovative concepts of marketing Malaysia as "the
destination of choice" to the foreign tourists.
_________________ENDS PY's COLUMN______________
DESIDERATA:
One of my fellow Bloggers asked Desi why I had not written on VMY2007's RM30million-Ferriswheel Ferrying PM and VVIPS to blast off RM44billiion-targeted ambitious tourism earner for this year, and I said I know I can depend on my fellow/fella bloggers to cover the EventOfTheYear aptly, ably & amiably.
I'd share with my ER a more objective take from a fellow newsman's point of view. I had already flagged off PY CHIN in an aerlier two-parter, so with out mushy ado, let's hear him. For the record, just mention this article first appeared yesterday in the Re-branded Siunday edition of the Borneo Post as SUNDAY POST, and my ackowledgement of gratitude to Miss Phyllis Wong for permit to republish the article, also with PY's compliments, is hear formally plAced.
Comments may be directed at the hoRst, here as my Gues' @
Email: py1818@yahoo.com.
ENJOY. ENjoy,
Joy, Joy, Joy.
Oh Boy, Oh Girl and Oh Sir Elton!
This year Malaysia is competing with Thailand, and
possibly other Asean countries, for a larger piece of
the foreign tourists' revenue. It is going all out via
"Visit Malaysia Year 2007" to grab the foreign
exchange, drawing up extensive programmes to attract
the crowd. How successful remains to be seen, as there
are both positive and negative factors at play.
By P.Y. Chin
On Dec 26 last year, the second anniversary of the
Asian tsunami disaster, Astro TV aired a three-hour
two-part mini-series, called "Tsunami: The Aftermath",
produced by HBO (Home Box Office) in association with
the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). It
depicted a tale of personal loss, survival and hope.
It was about a group of fictional characters whose
lives were irrevocably transformed by the cataclysmic
natural disaster that occurred two years ago on Boxing
Day, 2004.
The cast was headed by Tim Roth, an Academy
Award and Golden Globe nominee, and included Chiwetel
Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Hugh Bonneville and Toni
Collette. The mini-series was written by Abi Morgan,
produced by Finola Dwyer, and directed by Bharat
Nalluri. The filming was done entirely on location in
Phuket and Khao Lak, both in Thailand. It even had a
Thai production company, Santa Films, acting as
advisor throughout the filming.
According to HBO, among the subplots were two
that related to Thailand -- a Thai survivor who lost
his family and tried to prevent developers from
seizing the land his village was built on; and a
leading Thai meteorologist whose earlier report
detailing the inevitability of a tsunami hitting the
affected area was ignored.
Thailand was one of the 13 countries that were
badly hit by the Asian tsunami, which killed an
estimated 226,000 people, injuring more than half a
million, and leaving 5 million homeless, with no or
little access to food or water. Total reconstruction
costs were estimated at US$7.5 billion (RM27 billion).
The significance of the mini-series lies in the
fact that Thailand was chosen as the focal point for
the movie. The choice gave Thailand a timely shot in
the arm for the country's tourism industry.
Not that the movie helps to highlight Thailand
as an international tourist destination on a scale
never experienced before. Or that the movie gave
Thailand the mileage that, as the saying goes, "even
money cannot buy".
It is that Thailand, having been hit hard by the
Asian tsunami, also has its image affected by the
recent military coup, and last week by the bombings in
its capital, Bangkok.
All these tended to make the foreign tourists
nervous about visiting Thailand, especially when, as
usual, the US and Australia immediately issued travel
advisories "of caution" to their respective citizens
intending to visit the country.
Despite all the negative events, the Thai
tourism industry recovered the fastest among the ASEAN
countries. The reason is probably that Thailand has
too much to offer, and its attractions are too good to
be given a miss in any travel plans to the East.
Malaysia is also one of those countries hit by
the tsunami, though not on as serious a scale as many
others. Unfortunately, Malaysia's tourism industry
paid little attention to the tsunami. It looks like
only Thailand turned a crisis into an opportunity.
Under the Thai plan, the Thai Ministry of
Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of
Thailand have targeted to receive 14.8mil visitors in
2007, generating total revenue of 547bil bahts (about
RM54bil). For local tourism, the Thai authorities
expect locals to make 82mil trips, producing total
revenue of 377bil bahts (RM36.8bil).
However, Malaysia is not sitting on its laurels
either. This year, Malaysia is going all out to
attract a larger number of foreign tourists, with its
fully loaded calendar of monthly local and
international events, and with activities in almost
every State.
The Malaysian Ministry of Tourism has come out
with an aggressive campaign, Visit Malaysia Year 2007
-- the third in the series that started in 1990.
The first campaign unexpectedly attracted 7.4mil
tourists, almost double the 4.8mil arrivals the
previous year.
The success of such a campaign had encouraged
tourism authorities to go for a second campaign in
1994. Though this time there were slightly fewer
visitors -- at 7.2mil -- but total foreign exchange
earnings were an impressive RM8.3bil.
This year's campaign has ambitious targets --
20.1mil foreign visitors -- generating revenue of a
massive RM44.5bil. The targets perhaps also are
anchored on the fact that this year it is also the
50th anniversary of the country's Independence, with
more programmes to mark an important nation's
milestone.
And in conjunction with such an anniversary, the
country's National Film Development Corporation and
the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage have teamed
up with Discovery Network Asia to undertake a project
that will showcase Malaysia to the world.
The project seeks five Malaysian first-time
film-makers who could present a "real picture" of
Malaysia's image as a multi-racial and multi-cultural
country in documentaries which are to be aired over
Discovery Channel on TV. Another similar effort was
also carried out jointly with the National Geographic
Channel.
Both these projects should put Malaysia on the
world tourism map, as the popular Discovery Channel
and National Geographic Channel have large worldwide
following.
Malaysia's efforts are in direct competition
with Thailand's, and it certainly looks like Malaysia
is wasting no efforts in ensuring that its Visit
Malaysia Year 2007 campaign will succeed. Though the
Government has originally allocated RM149mil in the
annual Budget for the campaign, at least a further
RM51mil, making a total of RM200 million, would be
spent. With such an enlarged sum, failure cannot be an
option.
At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism had
requested that two of its funds -- Special Tourism
Fund and Tourism Infrastructure Fund -- be increased
to RM3bil each from the present RM1.2bil each. This
was to help the small and medium sized businesses
related to tourism and travel.
While this year's target of 20.1mil visitors
spending RM44.5bil is ambitious, many quarters are
optimistic that it can be achieved.
In 2005, 16.43mil visitors came and spent
RM31.9bil. Last year, the final figure is expected to
be 17.6mil tourists, spending RM35.2bil.
Analysing both the Thai and Malaysian figures,
foreign tourists in Malaysia, though larger in
numbers, spent less than those who visited Thailand.
For this year, Thailand is expecting each
foreign tourist to spend an average of 36,959 bahts
(RM3,650).
On the other hand, this year Malaysia is
expecting each foreign tourist to spend an average of
RM2,214, compared with an average of RM1,940 in 2005,
and a slightly higher average of RM2,000 last year.
Such statistics speaks volumes: With a fewer
number of foreign tourists arriving, yet Thailand
earns more (in ringgit terms). This could mean one
thing: That Thailand concentrates on getting quality
international tourists rather than on quantity. For
quality, this means getting tourists to stay in
Thailand longer, and to spend more per visitor.
As Thai Tourism Minister Suwit Yodmanee declared
recently: "I would like to see tourists extend their
stay in Thailand beyond seven days, and to spend more
money."
Thai tourism authorities are of the view that
foreign tourists are not put off by the country's
political and Mother nature's induced woes.
The 2006 figures tell the story: Foreign tourist
arrivals were up 18.5% to 13.65mil while revenue from
this group soared nearly 31% to 481bil baths
(RM46.8bil), making it a USD13-billion industry
(RM45.6bil).
Tourism in Thai certainly has made a fast
recovery. The tsunami and military coup might have
caused some brief interruptions to the tourism
sector's progress, so will the latest bombings, said
the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently.
For Malaysia, tourism is an important industry,
not just that the country has lots of tourist
attractions, but with an inflow of RM31.9bil in 2005
it was the second largest foreign exchange earner that
year.
It still is the second largest foreign-exchange
earner, after manufacturing. Tourism earnings account
for 31% of the economy, and is lumped under the
services sector, which in total account for 58% of the
economy.
It is therefore imperative that Malaysia tourism
authorities should get it right from the beginning.
First, there is a need to seek quality foreign
tourists -- "quality" here means tourists who are
staying longer than usual, and spending more.
For the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign, every
conceivable organisation and corporate entity
connected with tourism is putting in its two-sen's
worth of effort.
There's an economic argument that by
aggressively pushing the tourism industry forward, the
spill-over effects would be felt in other sectors,
mainly hotel, airline, retail, leisure and
entertainment, food and agriculture, and transport.
The airline industry is already gearing to play
its part in the promotions of Visit Malaysia Year
2007. Malaysia Airlines has already in hand creative
tour packages, as well as secure deals with tour
operators of other countries to bring hordes of
tourists to this country.
Of course, the airlines, be it MAS or Air Asia
or foreign carriers, are the first to benefit from a
greater influx of foreign tourists, as most of them
would need to be flown into the country.
Low-cost airlines are the favourite of
budget-conscious tourists. As such, any joint network
is at providing low-cost travel over long distances
would be welcomed by the travel sector. Presently
low-cost airlines operate short-haul flights within
regions only.
At the same time, the low-cost carrier terminal
is being upgraded this year to cope with a larger
number of travellers. So is the Bayan Lepas
International Airport in Penang, where RM36mil will be
spent to add 32 check-in counters and an aircraft
parking bay.
Foreign carriers are also jumping onto the
bandwagon to promote Malaysia this year. Etihad
Airways, United Arab Emirates' national airline, has
recently joined hands with Tourism Malaysia to promote
KL as a destination mainly for the Arabs from Middle
East, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi had said in an interview, that "Malaysia is the
biggest Asean destination for Arab tourists".
Next to benefit is the transport sector, as
tourists once landed in Malaysia would wish to move
around to various places of interest, for sightseeing
or for shopping or for dining. As such, taxis within
town areas, railways and buses (especially those
plying between towns) are bound to gain extra
passenger traffic.
Then the retail, food, leisure and entertainment
outlets will grab the next level of business. This is
where the foreign tourists are encouraged to spend,
spend, and spend.
According to the tourism authorities, shopping
is expected to account for more than 20%(or RM8.9bil)
of the RM44.5bil to be spent by foreign tourists in
Malaysia. In 2005, foreign tourists spent RM7.7bil or
20.8% of the RM31.9 billion in revenue.
To meet the influx of tourists, retailers round
the country are preparing for higher sales, after what
could have been a slightly slower festive season of
sales last year.
Entertainment is another area that will tap into
the tourism industry. There was expectation of a 20%
growth last year over 2005 in "entertainment
tourists". In 2005, growth was 42% to 1.4mil
entertainment tourists -- defined as those tourists
who visit casinos, theme parks, and attend concerts in
Malaysia.
Playing their part, Star Planet and Galileo Asia
signed a memorandum of understanding recently to
provide travel agents on the Galileo electronic
ticketing system the ability to include concerts and
musical festivals in itineraries to their clients.
For the Visit Malaysia Year 2007, Star Planet is
organising four to six international concerts. Leisure
group Genting is also slated to bring in more than 50
signature shows and events this year.
More importantly, Genting is expected to bring
in more than 20mil tourists, both locals and
foreigners, to its casino resort in Genting Highlands
this year. Last year, the estimate was 19mil visitors.
Already the Genting group is expecting this year to be
a record year for its revenue stream.
Meanwhile, the local hotel industry is also
gearing to welcome the larger influx of tourists, with
most having completed renovating their properties for
as high as RM60mil-RM70mil. Higher occupancy rates are
expected -- as high as 75% -- compared with 60-70%
last year.
Despite all the preparations to open the flood
gates to foreign tourists, Malaysia's tourism industry
still faces a number of negative factors. Though
Malaysia may not have such serious problems as a
military coup or widespread bombings as in Thailand,
there are some problems which still pose "a nuisance"
to the foreign tourists.
Foremost of which is the crime rate. Though in
general, crimes are not as serious as in some of the
developing or under-developed countries, the relative
high rate at present compared to past trends has been
a worrying factor.
Most of the crimes are petty thefts, where the
foreign tourists are most vulnerable. By increasing
the number of tourist policemen on the beat should
help to ease the problem -- to an extent.
Crimes are also known to have occurred at the
baggage section of the airport, though not as frequent
as in some other international airports. Occasional
breakdowns of the airport baggage conveyor system,
thus causing unnecessary delays, are also a sore point
with visitors.
Next, many have voiced their opinions that the
tourist sites within Malaysia should be better
developed, in view of the fact that more tourists,
including locals (in view of a five-day working week),
are visiting these places. Better amenities, cleaner
facilities, and greater accessibility should be the
aim.
Costs are another factor that could eat into a
foreign tourist's pocket. Transportation costs are
rising due to higher toll charges and higher fuel
charges.
Even KL International Airport (KLIA) is imposing
a security charge on all domestic (RM3) and
international (RM6) flights. MAS is also having a new
comprehensive pricing structure this year, which it
has said would still make its ticket prices,
especially for domestic travel, the lowest among
international airlines.
While imposing the security fee can be
justified, it must be remembered that KLIA is really
not on the international hub of stopovers for airlines
flying east to west and vice versa.
For years, Singapore and Bangkok have been the
stopover points for long-haul flights -- Singapore for
flights to the southern continent of Australia, New
Zealand and Pacific islands and to the Middle East and
Europe, and Bangkok for flights from northern Asia to
Europe.
This could explain why many foreign tourists are
seeing the KLIA relatively empty on most days and
nights. International hubs of stopovers are usually
busy all days of the week.
Weighing the positive factors against the
negative, Malaysia's tourism authorities are still
very gung-ho that the high targets can be achieved, as
such a campaign has been proven to be a success in the
past. There's no reason for it to fail this year.
On a longer term, the local tourism authorities
should have a more stable and ongoing plan than just
ad hoc options aimed at fire-fighting with
competitors.
The campaign is no longer a brand exclusive to
Malaysia. Almost all ASEAN countries are going for
such campaigns. There is a need for new ideas and
innovative concepts of marketing Malaysia as "the
destination of choice" to the foreign tourists.
_________________ENDS PY's COLUMN______________
DESIDERATA:
One of my fellow Bloggers asked Desi why I had not written on VMY2007's RM30million-Ferriswheel Ferrying PM and VVIPS to blast off RM44billiion-targeted ambitious tourism earner for this year, and I said I know I can depend on my fellow/fella bloggers to cover the EventOfTheYear aptly, ably & amiably.
I'd share with my ER a more objective take from a fellow newsman's point of view. I had already flagged off PY CHIN in an aerlier two-parter, so with out mushy ado, let's hear him. For the record, just mention this article first appeared yesterday in the Re-branded Siunday edition of the Borneo Post as SUNDAY POST, and my ackowledgement of gratitude to Miss Phyllis Wong for permit to republish the article, also with PY's compliments, is hear formally plAced.
Comments may be directed at the hoRst, here as my Gues' @
Email: py1818@yahoo.com.
ENJOY. ENjoy,
Joy, Joy, Joy.
Oh Boy, Oh Girl and Oh Sir Elton!
One Downer (I'm sad to report)...
At the BF table, my attention was drawn to Nanyang Siang Pau frontpage.
Boy Genius CHIANG TI MING
(27.7.76 -- 6.1.07)
A Furong's could-have-been greAt son passed away yesterday aged 31.
But his being a "national tragedy" of sort -- IMHO -- I won't
write more but ask my ER to say a prayer for one who I
sincerely believe could have achieved that Towering Malaysian status
IF ONLY ...
From The People's Paper, page 2:
Monday January 8, 2007
‘Boy genius’ Chiang dies
SEREMBAN: Chiang Ti Ming, the boy genius who was the youngest student ever to be admitted into the prestigious California Institute of Technology (CalTech) almost two decades ago, has passed away on Saturday morning.
“He passed away peacefully,” said a family member yesterday.
The family declined to reveal other details while Chiang’s parents, father Chiang Chick Liam and mother Lee Soo Hoon, were too distraught to talk to the press.
Only his family members were seen entering the house here yesterday afternoon and requested that privacy be given to them.
Press reports in 2002 said that he had been admitted into a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, for depression and withdrawal symptoms. The family also suffered a tragic loss when his sister Eei Wern, drowned at the swimming pool of the Seremban International Golf Club in 1993. Eei Wern was then four.
It was reported 16 years ago that Chiang, who was 15 at the time, was not only the youngest student to be admitted into CalTech but also among the top five percent where his results were concerned.
Chiang had achieved many firsts while at CalTech, including being the youngest ever student to receive the Undergraduate Students Merit Award two years in a row.
He was also an honorary member of the Tau Beta Phi, a national engineering society.
He had been accepted to study for the second year of the four-year Physics degree course at the university in 1989 when he was 13 after sponsorship from several organisations.
The prodigy later pursued and graduated with a doctorate in particle physics at Cornell University in New York.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Desi does not wish to linger in Melancholyland for that would defeat the purpose of a writer. Writers must enhance the quality of life, not depress it.
We must move Civil Society forward, not repress it.
We must feel the pulse of the nation and not be immune or dumb to its blips.
We must try to light up the Childe's smile, and not render it always wedNURSEdies,
always full of woe.
Let's learn from Tuesdays with Morrie.
Seek our dreams and help fellow Malaysians find the direction to theirs too.
Forget the crap churned out by Datuk Z, now involved in a power struggle with his deputy of the Selangor Badminton Association, V. Subramaniam, to whom he dished a letter of suspension dated Dec 19, citing him "for misconduct".
On balance, from theSun frontpage, to help lift us up a li'l cometh Sharir Samad, maverick MP for Johor Baru, speaking in his capacity of Public Accounts Committee chairman, on the transportation fiasco of the National Servive Department:
"If you are asking for a rocket
to the moon, then you can go to certain people
or have a negotiated contract, but now,
you are just looking for bus services!"
From theSUN today, page 10, I find a unique ad, and being a Curio cat, I clicked dare:
LOST
Passion for work.
followed by "arresting" copies.
Written professionally.
Yes, it's looking out for Copy Writers.
I traversed to its suggested website 95percent.blogspot.com,
and I reprised several shorts by one Dawn, and I hope she won't mind
as I am doing a promo for YOU, lust year's
PERSON OF THE YEAR, if you accept the passage of TIMEwillingly, gracefoolly:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, June 16, 2003
We seek pitifully to convey to others the treasures of our hearts, but they have not the power to accept them, and so we go lonely, side by side but not together, unable to know our fellows and unknown to them.
Somerset Maugham
Dawn posted at 19:44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.
Frank Zappa
Dawn posted at 12:15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is my favorite Poe poem. It was also of one of his earliest. I think he wrote it when he was about 19. I could check the facts but I'm lazy.
Alone
Edgar Allen Poe
From childhoods hour, I have not been as others were
I have not seen as others saw
I could not bring my passions from a common spring
From the same source I have not taken my sorrow
I could not awaken my heart to joy at the same tone
And all I loved
I loved alone
Thou
In my childhood
In the dawn of a most stormy life
Was drawn from every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still
From the torrent, or the fountain
From the red cliff of the mountain
From the sun that round me roll'd in it's autumn tint of gold
From the lightning in the sky as it passed me flying by
From the thunder and the storm
And the cloud that took the from
(When the rest of heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view
Dawn posted at 02:05
Lonely islands of tears
The clouds have gathered for a meeting
they decry the landscapes wantonly man-raped below
vast islands of barren land as watery eyes can see
dotted by small clusters of green and brown
The Homo sapiens weep when the rains come to water their plants
but also get trapped by clogged drains
and large monsoon drains overfilled with debri and mud
Man-made debri in the name of development
Now Mother nature exacts more human tears
As risimg waters claim some lives
but what canafterath tears do but
ease the broken hearts for a day or two
Then human folloy rears its head
again and again
Until the next monsoon rains
visit
Preceded by the geeneral assembly above
of rain clouds without emotion
like the annual rites of passage
of politicians and business cronies
in the corridors of power at PWTC
and the busy walkways at Putrajaya
The privileged feet buttered by smooth turfy carpets
only for the connected
and anointed
they also shed tears
akin to crocodile and the crooked
while their condominium projects continue
to rape Mother nature's gifts
they debase and continue to shed
tears
that mingle with the flood waters
Taking a few more lives
Other innocents' lives less valued
than privilged and the anointed's.
For whom the bell tolls
I hear some chimes
on distant shores
God guide those stranded
behind
on small islands
surrounded by rising waters.
I:
S:
A: men
YLChong, kopileft
400pm, Jan 8, 2007
Boy Genius CHIANG TI MING
(27.7.76 -- 6.1.07)
A Furong's could-have-been greAt son passed away yesterday aged 31.
But his being a "national tragedy" of sort -- IMHO -- I won't
write more but ask my ER to say a prayer for one who I
sincerely believe could have achieved that Towering Malaysian status
IF ONLY ...
From The People's Paper, page 2:
Monday January 8, 2007
‘Boy genius’ Chiang dies
SEREMBAN: Chiang Ti Ming, the boy genius who was the youngest student ever to be admitted into the prestigious California Institute of Technology (CalTech) almost two decades ago, has passed away on Saturday morning.
“He passed away peacefully,” said a family member yesterday.
The family declined to reveal other details while Chiang’s parents, father Chiang Chick Liam and mother Lee Soo Hoon, were too distraught to talk to the press.
Only his family members were seen entering the house here yesterday afternoon and requested that privacy be given to them.
Press reports in 2002 said that he had been admitted into a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, for depression and withdrawal symptoms. The family also suffered a tragic loss when his sister Eei Wern, drowned at the swimming pool of the Seremban International Golf Club in 1993. Eei Wern was then four.
It was reported 16 years ago that Chiang, who was 15 at the time, was not only the youngest student to be admitted into CalTech but also among the top five percent where his results were concerned.
Chiang had achieved many firsts while at CalTech, including being the youngest ever student to receive the Undergraduate Students Merit Award two years in a row.
He was also an honorary member of the Tau Beta Phi, a national engineering society.
He had been accepted to study for the second year of the four-year Physics degree course at the university in 1989 when he was 13 after sponsorship from several organisations.
The prodigy later pursued and graduated with a doctorate in particle physics at Cornell University in New York.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Desi does not wish to linger in Melancholyland for that would defeat the purpose of a writer. Writers must enhance the quality of life, not depress it.
We must move Civil Society forward, not repress it.
We must feel the pulse of the nation and not be immune or dumb to its blips.
We must try to light up the Childe's smile, and not render it always wedNURSEdies,
always full of woe.
Let's learn from Tuesdays with Morrie.
Seek our dreams and help fellow Malaysians find the direction to theirs too.
Forget the crap churned out by Datuk Z, now involved in a power struggle with his deputy of the Selangor Badminton Association, V. Subramaniam, to whom he dished a letter of suspension dated Dec 19, citing him "for misconduct".
On balance, from theSun frontpage, to help lift us up a li'l cometh Sharir Samad, maverick MP for Johor Baru, speaking in his capacity of Public Accounts Committee chairman, on the transportation fiasco of the National Servive Department:
"If you are asking for a rocket
to the moon, then you can go to certain people
or have a negotiated contract, but now,
you are just looking for bus services!"
From theSUN today, page 10, I find a unique ad, and being a Curio cat, I clicked dare:
LOST
Passion for work.
followed by "arresting" copies.
Written professionally.
Yes, it's looking out for Copy Writers.
I traversed to its suggested website 95percent.blogspot.com,
and I reprised several shorts by one Dawn, and I hope she won't mind
as I am doing a promo for YOU, lust year's
PERSON OF THE YEAR, if you accept the passage of TIMEwillingly, gracefoolly:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, June 16, 2003
We seek pitifully to convey to others the treasures of our hearts, but they have not the power to accept them, and so we go lonely, side by side but not together, unable to know our fellows and unknown to them.
Somerset Maugham
Dawn posted at 19:44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.
Frank Zappa
Dawn posted at 12:15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is my favorite Poe poem. It was also of one of his earliest. I think he wrote it when he was about 19. I could check the facts but I'm lazy.
Alone
Edgar Allen Poe
From childhoods hour, I have not been as others were
I have not seen as others saw
I could not bring my passions from a common spring
From the same source I have not taken my sorrow
I could not awaken my heart to joy at the same tone
And all I loved
I loved alone
Thou
In my childhood
In the dawn of a most stormy life
Was drawn from every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still
From the torrent, or the fountain
From the red cliff of the mountain
From the sun that round me roll'd in it's autumn tint of gold
From the lightning in the sky as it passed me flying by
From the thunder and the storm
And the cloud that took the from
(When the rest of heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view
Dawn posted at 02:05
Lonely islands of tears
The clouds have gathered for a meeting
they decry the landscapes wantonly man-raped below
vast islands of barren land as watery eyes can see
dotted by small clusters of green and brown
The Homo sapiens weep when the rains come to water their plants
but also get trapped by clogged drains
and large monsoon drains overfilled with debri and mud
Man-made debri in the name of development
Now Mother nature exacts more human tears
As risimg waters claim some lives
but what canafterath tears do but
ease the broken hearts for a day or two
Then human folloy rears its head
again and again
Until the next monsoon rains
visit
Preceded by the geeneral assembly above
of rain clouds without emotion
like the annual rites of passage
of politicians and business cronies
in the corridors of power at PWTC
and the busy walkways at Putrajaya
The privileged feet buttered by smooth turfy carpets
only for the connected
and anointed
they also shed tears
akin to crocodile and the crooked
while their condominium projects continue
to rape Mother nature's gifts
they debase and continue to shed
tears
that mingle with the flood waters
Taking a few more lives
Other innocents' lives less valued
than privilged and the anointed's.
For whom the bell tolls
I hear some chimes
on distant shores
God guide those stranded
behind
on small islands
surrounded by rising waters.
I:
S:
A: men
YLChong, kopileft
400pm, Jan 8, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
RUMINATIONS: Poverty in a land of plenty
Desi's heart was filled with surprise on first reading, then rage, and then lingering sadness -- a six-year-old boy taking his own life after failing to get some money from his parents to buy school textbooks when enrolling into school. A child fresh as a blank slate, and the slate wiped out of breath and potentail awe and springtime of hope for one Young Malaysian. I can visualise those two eyes of innocence, the face of eagerness to start a whole new year -- all crashing to dust. And we are a land of plenty in terms of resources and material wealth, but where goeth the Caring Society?
The Government often cites figures to trumpet how it has successfully brought down the levels of poverty -- from hight double figures in prcentage to a low or even single digit (Sorry I'm recalling generally as I don't have the stats in hands ! Any informed ER can help update us? Bro johnleemk?)
But often we read of rural children walking long distances daily, some barefoot, to and from wooden huts in the Sabah and Sarawak boondocks -- also of less frequency Terengganu and Kelantan? -- to school. Risking life and limb trudging over slippery jungle paths and over half-intact bridges over swollen/swelling rivers or streams. I had written about this some seven years ago, and still such scenes are enacted in recent months, by mainstream papers, so in a way, I won't say the MSM are totally out-of-sync with community affairs. The omission or commission of biased reporting is more in political coverage, and we understand why, don't we? (And that's a rhetorical Q -- unless some smartalec readers wish to read my mind to expound his/her readings!)
Now back to poverty -- I am glad to report that some schools ahve responded well to the challenge of helping pupils from financially hardpressed homes. At least one school in Furong -- the Peyton Place I knoweth wella, so I can write about with confidence, I don't know about affluent Kuala Lumpur and Subang Jaya, though I visit frequently to earn some B&B -- has set up a FUND to extend aid, mosyly in the form as vouchers, to help with book purchase, fees and even meals (for ful-filling the tummy alone, up to RM60 a month) at the school canteen. SYABAS to this school for its initiative (Its ID has been partially revealed in an earlier Post on Teachers' Day, so do some archive search here if you're a curious Cat, just don't bark too much up the wrong Alley, or Tree, or at The Moon, though Moonlighting has been one of my romantic pastimes.:)
Now where was I? I'm often digressing butt that's a Blogger's privilege, sometimes testing my ER, I know, but I've learnt one must not be overly kind -- you know how the NEP's products have turned out sub-standard minds, don't you! Although this is posed question-like, it ends with an Xclamation mark, which means I don't wish to hear from you todie on th NEP. The subject at hand is Poverty amidst plenty. Okay, seeing that I know some of you -- some think NEP is remotely related, but I'm not letting you too much leeway.
I told you I was enraged reading a Young Life unneccessarily snuffed out by his own hands. So unthinkable in a land of plenty called NegaraKU when you read of multi-million weddings, second weddings; multi-million donations to neighbouring countries (Yes, one bigwig admitted proudly he was doing charity in Thailand, but you never heard him saying he had also done charity on the homefront. Or mayhaps he was publcity-shy -- Desi must extend him benefit of the doubt.)
Chairty begins at home, I have reminded my ER often enough. Handing that one or 10 ringgit to a gaunt-looking elderly beggar, or a handicapped person ekeing out a living selling simple everyday usable items is more meaningful that handing out a RM10,000 cheque to Tsunami victims in a faraway land to obtain that 15-minutes' media fame-lah, though some may beg to disagree. How often do we raed how such funds have gone missing after a few years they have been set up, you don't know? Okay, ignorance is bliss, gooder samaritans.
Maybe I shouldn't spoil your Sunday writing such tragic reminders of some pockets of Malaysians caught in dire straits resulting in death. Maybe I should LET IT BE and write if off as something beyond our control and out of our reach to assist. But the more such Maybes creep into my vocabulary, I would soon descend into paralysis.
I once wrote about how generally Malaysians have become IMMUNE to be surprised reading about RM200million being "wantonly" spent yearly on Monsoon Cup and RM600million spent to fulfill the millionaire aspirations of about 200 UMNO division chiefs like the way Maggi mee is instantly bought at the nearby keadi for RM4 per five packets.
Scandals of billion-ringgit league now qualify for some "surprise" among scandal-wearied Rakyat, staring from the days of the previous administration famous for mega-project failures -- remember Bank Bumiputra baillouts? Not once, not twice, THREE TIMES.
Remember Bakun Dam(n) bailout; remember the Banks' Bailouts? No, not much in poublic memory because many Malaysians have become immune to such "official corruption". And the recipients of such aid are still thriving -- maybe in a few years, there comes another round of bailouts?
I won't bet on it, but I am not surprised when the next round of financial downturn hits and several of our nation's corporate bigwigs and crony politicians -- even "small" businessmen like Datuk Z and funnymen in Port Klang -- are caught again with their sarong down. Naked in all their shining glory. Want to stay in "small" glass houses four-storey high in royal city of Klang. Kota Baru, Johor Baru or Furong next?
I now take my leave and see if the neighbourhood's children have come out to fly a kite or two. Even the rare one wanting how to play "Batu Seremban". But their war cries of Cowboy and Red Indians would be Besta, for that's Desi's idyllic times of wanton ways and sunshine dies.
PS: Worth some rumnination is a piece by FARSH NOOR, from which I reproduced only the closing paragraphs. Like all good stuff, please spend some time investing in reading from the horse' mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Year Of Believing Dangerously
"Ultimately these thorny questions bring us back to the original question of who, and what, is a Malaysian? If ours is going to be a national politics predicated on the concept of universal citizenship where racial, ethnic and religious identities are secondary to our national identity, then the debates on freedom of religion have to be set in a Malaysian context that prioritises Malaysian civil law above all else.
This is the legal system that guarantees the right to anyone converting to Islam, and should likewise guarantee the right for someone to leave Islam: Not because Islam is secondary, but because a Malaysian should have the right to make Islam his or her religion and primary in his or her life. But this rule has to be a universal one that does not discriminate. It is this universal spirit and value that is being debated now, and for the future of a Malaysia that belongs to all Malaysians, we must defend this universalism in our private particular corners, each and every one of us. Believing should never be a dangerous matter."
____________________________________________________________________
Dr Farish A. Noor is a Malaysian political scientist
and historian based at the Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin;
and one of the founders of the www.othermalaysia.org research site.
_____________________________________________________________________
ERRATA ~~ "To err is human, To forgive divine."
UPDATEd @7.30PM:
APOLOGIES: to all my ER, in my haste, and also suffering fatigue, I made some factual errors in foregoing and I beg your pardon. ~~ DESI
After posting the earlier portion, I went back to my Newspapers to try to track down the "news" item; my recall was a slip.
Finally I caught the following from What A Lulu, and I note APpreciation to put the right report on record -- She quotes Mkini and I don't have a subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boy hangs himself over school fees"
Jan 5, 07 1:10pm
Twelve-year-old Daniel Boniface ended his life yesterday when he could not raise the money to pay his school fees.
His sister found the standard six pupil hanging in their house in Miri, Sarawak, at about 5.30pm.
He was then rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
The boy’s uncle, who declined to be identified, told Bernama that he saw Daniel last at about 3.45pm.
Prior to this, he said the boy, who is the youngest among five siblings, had asked his mother for money to pay his school fees.
His mother, who is separated from her husband and works as an office cleaner, told Daniel that she could not afford it.
According to the uncle, the boy then contacted his father who lives in Mukah. However, Daniel was scolded when he asked for the money.
The boy then turned to his grandmother for help. She too scolded him and told Daniel to quit school and look for a job since he could not afford to study.
A Miri police spokesperson confirmed receiving a report on the incident last night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Government often cites figures to trumpet how it has successfully brought down the levels of poverty -- from hight double figures in prcentage to a low or even single digit (Sorry I'm recalling generally as I don't have the stats in hands ! Any informed ER can help update us? Bro johnleemk?)
But often we read of rural children walking long distances daily, some barefoot, to and from wooden huts in the Sabah and Sarawak boondocks -- also of less frequency Terengganu and Kelantan? -- to school. Risking life and limb trudging over slippery jungle paths and over half-intact bridges over swollen/swelling rivers or streams. I had written about this some seven years ago, and still such scenes are enacted in recent months, by mainstream papers, so in a way, I won't say the MSM are totally out-of-sync with community affairs. The omission or commission of biased reporting is more in political coverage, and we understand why, don't we? (And that's a rhetorical Q -- unless some smartalec readers wish to read my mind to expound his/her readings!)
Now back to poverty -- I am glad to report that some schools ahve responded well to the challenge of helping pupils from financially hardpressed homes. At least one school in Furong -- the Peyton Place I knoweth wella, so I can write about with confidence, I don't know about affluent Kuala Lumpur and Subang Jaya, though I visit frequently to earn some B&B -- has set up a FUND to extend aid, mosyly in the form as vouchers, to help with book purchase, fees and even meals (for ful-filling the tummy alone, up to RM60 a month) at the school canteen. SYABAS to this school for its initiative (Its ID has been partially revealed in an earlier Post on Teachers' Day, so do some archive search here if you're a curious Cat, just don't bark too much up the wrong Alley, or Tree, or at The Moon, though Moonlighting has been one of my romantic pastimes.:)
Now where was I? I'm often digressing butt that's a Blogger's privilege, sometimes testing my ER, I know, but I've learnt one must not be overly kind -- you know how the NEP's products have turned out sub-standard minds, don't you! Although this is posed question-like, it ends with an Xclamation mark, which means I don't wish to hear from you todie on th NEP. The subject at hand is Poverty amidst plenty. Okay, seeing that I know some of you -- some think NEP is remotely related, but I'm not letting you too much leeway.
I told you I was enraged reading a Young Life unneccessarily snuffed out by his own hands. So unthinkable in a land of plenty called NegaraKU when you read of multi-million weddings, second weddings; multi-million donations to neighbouring countries (Yes, one bigwig admitted proudly he was doing charity in Thailand, but you never heard him saying he had also done charity on the homefront. Or mayhaps he was publcity-shy -- Desi must extend him benefit of the doubt.)
Chairty begins at home, I have reminded my ER often enough. Handing that one or 10 ringgit to a gaunt-looking elderly beggar, or a handicapped person ekeing out a living selling simple everyday usable items is more meaningful that handing out a RM10,000 cheque to Tsunami victims in a faraway land to obtain that 15-minutes' media fame-lah, though some may beg to disagree. How often do we raed how such funds have gone missing after a few years they have been set up, you don't know? Okay, ignorance is bliss, gooder samaritans.
Maybe I shouldn't spoil your Sunday writing such tragic reminders of some pockets of Malaysians caught in dire straits resulting in death. Maybe I should LET IT BE and write if off as something beyond our control and out of our reach to assist. But the more such Maybes creep into my vocabulary, I would soon descend into paralysis.
I once wrote about how generally Malaysians have become IMMUNE to be surprised reading about RM200million being "wantonly" spent yearly on Monsoon Cup and RM600million spent to fulfill the millionaire aspirations of about 200 UMNO division chiefs like the way Maggi mee is instantly bought at the nearby keadi for RM4 per five packets.
Scandals of billion-ringgit league now qualify for some "surprise" among scandal-wearied Rakyat, staring from the days of the previous administration famous for mega-project failures -- remember Bank Bumiputra baillouts? Not once, not twice, THREE TIMES.
Remember Bakun Dam(n) bailout; remember the Banks' Bailouts? No, not much in poublic memory because many Malaysians have become immune to such "official corruption". And the recipients of such aid are still thriving -- maybe in a few years, there comes another round of bailouts?
I won't bet on it, but I am not surprised when the next round of financial downturn hits and several of our nation's corporate bigwigs and crony politicians -- even "small" businessmen like Datuk Z and funnymen in Port Klang -- are caught again with their sarong down. Naked in all their shining glory. Want to stay in "small" glass houses four-storey high in royal city of Klang. Kota Baru, Johor Baru or Furong next?
I now take my leave and see if the neighbourhood's children have come out to fly a kite or two. Even the rare one wanting how to play "Batu Seremban". But their war cries of Cowboy and Red Indians would be Besta, for that's Desi's idyllic times of wanton ways and sunshine dies.
PS: Worth some rumnination is a piece by FARSH NOOR, from which I reproduced only the closing paragraphs. Like all good stuff, please spend some time investing in reading from the horse' mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Year Of Believing Dangerously
"Ultimately these thorny questions bring us back to the original question of who, and what, is a Malaysian? If ours is going to be a national politics predicated on the concept of universal citizenship where racial, ethnic and religious identities are secondary to our national identity, then the debates on freedom of religion have to be set in a Malaysian context that prioritises Malaysian civil law above all else.
This is the legal system that guarantees the right to anyone converting to Islam, and should likewise guarantee the right for someone to leave Islam: Not because Islam is secondary, but because a Malaysian should have the right to make Islam his or her religion and primary in his or her life. But this rule has to be a universal one that does not discriminate. It is this universal spirit and value that is being debated now, and for the future of a Malaysia that belongs to all Malaysians, we must defend this universalism in our private particular corners, each and every one of us. Believing should never be a dangerous matter."
____________________________________________________________________
Dr Farish A. Noor is a Malaysian political scientist
and historian based at the Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin;
and one of the founders of the www.othermalaysia.org research site.
_____________________________________________________________________
ERRATA ~~ "To err is human, To forgive divine."
UPDATEd @7.30PM:
APOLOGIES: to all my ER, in my haste, and also suffering fatigue, I made some factual errors in foregoing and I beg your pardon. ~~ DESI
After posting the earlier portion, I went back to my Newspapers to try to track down the "news" item; my recall was a slip.
Finally I caught the following from What A Lulu, and I note APpreciation to put the right report on record -- She quotes Mkini and I don't have a subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boy hangs himself over school fees"
Jan 5, 07 1:10pm
Twelve-year-old Daniel Boniface ended his life yesterday when he could not raise the money to pay his school fees.
His sister found the standard six pupil hanging in their house in Miri, Sarawak, at about 5.30pm.
He was then rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
The boy’s uncle, who declined to be identified, told Bernama that he saw Daniel last at about 3.45pm.
Prior to this, he said the boy, who is the youngest among five siblings, had asked his mother for money to pay his school fees.
His mother, who is separated from her husband and works as an office cleaner, told Daniel that she could not afford it.
According to the uncle, the boy then contacted his father who lives in Mukah. However, Daniel was scolded when he asked for the money.
The boy then turned to his grandmother for help. She too scolded him and told Daniel to quit school and look for a job since he could not afford to study.
A Miri police spokesperson confirmed receiving a report on the incident last night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, January 06, 2007
An encounter with Anwar under Xpecial circumstance
I had a pleasurable encounter last night when freelunch2020 descended upon "Peyton Plcae" Seremban after maneuvering some 20 minutes through the Furong Maze to track down Desi.
Another half-hour later we arrived at NUBE Training Cnentre, 13th km, Port Dickson, to be "trained" into a dying form of culture. Okay, that's an over-statement. Not "dying" but a rare environment where the standard greAting was "Brother and Sister". The uninitiated lookiing at the formally attireed gentlemen and ladies would be excused if they thought it was a gathering of brethhren of a religious group gathered to pray for thy souls and mine, and freelunch (Offset, let me put on record we didn't stay for free dinner! BUTT we both came away with "handsome" souvenirs which I plan to mount on a golden goblet and demo to my green-eyed Blogger frens at sext Bloggers G7 Meet:)
Now where was I? Oh, yes, at about 10.30pm we adjourned to a coastal Malay restaurant and had sambal fish served on banan leaf, kangkong belacan and some mixed meat dish -- washed down with teh-O eyes-d limau with some ooomph.
Now where was FL0202? She was briefing Desi on how she perceived Anwar Ibrahim now appears a "changed man" -- less arrogant and haughty and aloof from his Finance Minister's dies -- well, Desi remarked wryly that six years in confined space of four grey walls would surely "mellow" a person. But we both agreed that here's one strong willed guy who would make the cut of a "reformist" leader, one sorely required to take NegaraKu out of its present "malaise of gloom and doom". She used the word "messiah": I urged that the word was too "highly spiritual" -- suggested Anwar could be that "beacon of hope" in the Malaysian darkness that BN, mainly UMNO, has plunged us into for decades.
Okay, what was the main points of Datuk Seri (first and only mention when this VIP was called to the stage to officiate) Anwar's address at the
1ST EXTRAORDINARY DELEGATES COMFERENCE 2005-2008?
ON THE TOLLS OF 20-60% INCCREASE AT FIVE HIGHWAYS IN THE KLANG VALLEY FROM JAN 1, 2007
ANWAR said that he had refused to sign the approvals for the Highway Concessionaires' Agreement during his fading adys as Finance Minister. He informed the 200-plus delegates prsent that he had told told off Works Minister then and now: "Samy, you are working more for the interests of the companies which are given such privatised projects with lucrative benefit. YOU ARE NOT WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE."
(NB: Words close to this effect and the EMPHASIS is Desi's, based on Anwar's tone of voice and the ocasional smirk/smile?)
Anwar described the latest increase of tolls as daylight robbery by BN cronies -- robbing the Malaysian rakyat 365 days a year with no end in sight as long as the BN government remains in power.
ON GLOBALISATION AND TRENDS IN MALAYSIA TOWARDS MORE MERGERS OF BUSINESS ENTIITIES
I could not comfortably paraphrase his speech (one reason was my tummy was protesting just as freelunch was anticipating to report from the scene of the Coalition againt Tolls protest tomorrow at 4.00pm at the Sunway LDP toll plaza), so I'm extracting a relevant portion of Anwar's foreword in NUBE's souvenir programme.
"All Malaysians are now undergoing a challenging time. Our company is losing its competitiveness day by day, becoming more and more mediocre and lacklustre. In such an environment, it is the workers who face the most challenging trials and tribulations in the form of a freeze in pay and wage levels, more demanding workload and finally, the loss of jobs. Furthermore, our banking sector now is witnessing the start of a second spate of consolidating among local banks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DESI takes a natural break so be forebearing, as Miss/Mr Patience is virtuous too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resumption after brunch:
ANWAR'S FOREWORD:
"The government should show a stronger and more committed leadership under these conditions. Unfortunately what they are more interested in is play up racial issues in order to distract the attention from their own failings. Any decision for the merger of local banks must be made on the basis of strengthening our local banking sector, not foor the profits of certain people. Corruption must be eradicated without fear or favour. The welfare of the workers too must be an important consideration as they form the backbone of the Malaysian economy."
Other highlights the NUBE FUNCTION included:
* ANWAR's promise that from this year. he will be based in NegaraKu to spearhead the cause of the Opposition (via his role as Adviser to Parti Keadilan Rakyat) after spending the better part past two years abroad, as visiting fellow at a University in London, UK and Washington DC, USA. So Malaysians will hear a lor more "from the horse's mouth" from now till the next General Elections. (If the GE is held after April 2008, Sdr Anwar is eligible to contest... and he has vowed HE WILL CONTEST.)
* His sharing that when he was invitd to speak last month in Penang as a guest of the Academic Staff Association of USM, pressures were applied on the organisers to dis-sociate Anwar from the platform to speak. OR...(You know the rest-lah!)
* SYED SHAHAR SYED MOHAMUD, MTUC President, told the delegates that union members must now actively "enter the arena, go to the ground -- MASUK GELANGGANG" to fight for their rights, implying that the present Government had not been too friendly the workers' cause.
DESI's take from this orator's speech(I was hearing him for first time, and I'm impressed, and Desi's NOT easily impressed unless you lace his FreeMeal with arse-scenic Port Dickson chow!:) is that at the coming General Elections -- highy speculated to be held next year, ONE YEAR before due term-en -- the union movement in NegaraKU would become a more vocal and visual presence in the playing field. And this means Sdr ANWAR and his comrades can look forward to massive troops on the ground to support the Opposition, provided PKR and other allies do their ground work, NOW!
PS: Reading some of my ER' minds,as nudist as some madsally on Port Dickson beach, I can see a lingering Q:
What's the "Xpecial circumstance"?
Well, I am not a selfish person inherently, so I will hand over the kitchen/chicken to Da Horst @2020freelunch.blogspot.com..
I hope she's ready with the dish. Hungry readers are angry ones.
I'm only a messsenger. Don't fry/cook/sauce Desi in sambal belacan.
Another half-hour later we arrived at NUBE Training Cnentre, 13th km, Port Dickson, to be "trained" into a dying form of culture. Okay, that's an over-statement. Not "dying" but a rare environment where the standard greAting was "Brother and Sister". The uninitiated lookiing at the formally attireed gentlemen and ladies would be excused if they thought it was a gathering of brethhren of a religious group gathered to pray for thy souls and mine, and freelunch (Offset, let me put on record we didn't stay for free dinner! BUTT we both came away with "handsome" souvenirs which I plan to mount on a golden goblet and demo to my green-eyed Blogger frens at sext Bloggers G7 Meet:)
Now where was I? Oh, yes, at about 10.30pm we adjourned to a coastal Malay restaurant and had sambal fish served on banan leaf, kangkong belacan and some mixed meat dish -- washed down with teh-O eyes-d limau with some ooomph.
Now where was FL0202? She was briefing Desi on how she perceived Anwar Ibrahim now appears a "changed man" -- less arrogant and haughty and aloof from his Finance Minister's dies -- well, Desi remarked wryly that six years in confined space of four grey walls would surely "mellow" a person. But we both agreed that here's one strong willed guy who would make the cut of a "reformist" leader, one sorely required to take NegaraKu out of its present "malaise of gloom and doom". She used the word "messiah": I urged that the word was too "highly spiritual" -- suggested Anwar could be that "beacon of hope" in the Malaysian darkness that BN, mainly UMNO, has plunged us into for decades.
Okay, what was the main points of Datuk Seri (first and only mention when this VIP was called to the stage to officiate) Anwar's address at the
1ST EXTRAORDINARY DELEGATES COMFERENCE 2005-2008?
ON THE TOLLS OF 20-60% INCCREASE AT FIVE HIGHWAYS IN THE KLANG VALLEY FROM JAN 1, 2007
ANWAR said that he had refused to sign the approvals for the Highway Concessionaires' Agreement during his fading adys as Finance Minister. He informed the 200-plus delegates prsent that he had told told off Works Minister then and now: "Samy, you are working more for the interests of the companies which are given such privatised projects with lucrative benefit. YOU ARE NOT WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE."
(NB: Words close to this effect and the EMPHASIS is Desi's, based on Anwar's tone of voice and the ocasional smirk/smile?)
Anwar described the latest increase of tolls as daylight robbery by BN cronies -- robbing the Malaysian rakyat 365 days a year with no end in sight as long as the BN government remains in power.
ON GLOBALISATION AND TRENDS IN MALAYSIA TOWARDS MORE MERGERS OF BUSINESS ENTIITIES
I could not comfortably paraphrase his speech (one reason was my tummy was protesting just as freelunch was anticipating to report from the scene of the Coalition againt Tolls protest tomorrow at 4.00pm at the Sunway LDP toll plaza), so I'm extracting a relevant portion of Anwar's foreword in NUBE's souvenir programme.
"All Malaysians are now undergoing a challenging time. Our company is losing its competitiveness day by day, becoming more and more mediocre and lacklustre. In such an environment, it is the workers who face the most challenging trials and tribulations in the form of a freeze in pay and wage levels, more demanding workload and finally, the loss of jobs. Furthermore, our banking sector now is witnessing the start of a second spate of consolidating among local banks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DESI takes a natural break so be forebearing, as Miss/Mr Patience is virtuous too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resumption after brunch:
ANWAR'S FOREWORD:
"The government should show a stronger and more committed leadership under these conditions. Unfortunately what they are more interested in is play up racial issues in order to distract the attention from their own failings. Any decision for the merger of local banks must be made on the basis of strengthening our local banking sector, not foor the profits of certain people. Corruption must be eradicated without fear or favour. The welfare of the workers too must be an important consideration as they form the backbone of the Malaysian economy."
Other highlights the NUBE FUNCTION included:
* ANWAR's promise that from this year. he will be based in NegaraKu to spearhead the cause of the Opposition (via his role as Adviser to Parti Keadilan Rakyat) after spending the better part past two years abroad, as visiting fellow at a University in London, UK and Washington DC, USA. So Malaysians will hear a lor more "from the horse's mouth" from now till the next General Elections. (If the GE is held after April 2008, Sdr Anwar is eligible to contest... and he has vowed HE WILL CONTEST.)
* His sharing that when he was invitd to speak last month in Penang as a guest of the Academic Staff Association of USM, pressures were applied on the organisers to dis-sociate Anwar from the platform to speak. OR...(You know the rest-lah!)
* SYED SHAHAR SYED MOHAMUD, MTUC President, told the delegates that union members must now actively "enter the arena, go to the ground -- MASUK GELANGGANG" to fight for their rights, implying that the present Government had not been too friendly the workers' cause.
DESI's take from this orator's speech(I was hearing him for first time, and I'm impressed, and Desi's NOT easily impressed unless you lace his FreeMeal with arse-scenic Port Dickson chow!:) is that at the coming General Elections -- highy speculated to be held next year, ONE YEAR before due term-en -- the union movement in NegaraKU would become a more vocal and visual presence in the playing field. And this means Sdr ANWAR and his comrades can look forward to massive troops on the ground to support the Opposition, provided PKR and other allies do their ground work, NOW!
PS: Reading some of my ER' minds,as nudist as some madsally on Port Dickson beach, I can see a lingering Q:
What's the "Xpecial circumstance"?
Well, I am not a selfish person inherently, so I will hand over the kitchen/chicken to Da Horst @2020freelunch.blogspot.com..
I hope she's ready with the dish. Hungry readers are angry ones.
I'm only a messsenger. Don't fry/cook/sauce Desi in sambal belacan.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Sack the buggers! (2)
A*nother group of ball-carriers came up with a concerted defence of the Prime Minister.
The person I carried a day or two back -- johnleemk, remember? -- could have made out a better case, but he's not made his career of ball-carrying. No, otherwise, Desi ain't gonna writHe no more about him!
Here's the latest batch of wagoners who eye the gravy-train of promotions maybe. Or perhaps, next carve out a career in politics, where ball-carrying has been honed to a fine artform in the BN -- UMNO, MCA and MIC chiefly, followed by lesser cousins, or isit orphans? -- and you would be a non-starter if you don't practise that supreme art, Form over Substance, of survival.
From The NST, Jan 5, 2007:
Held up by bloopers
KUALA LUMPUR: His plans are excellent and practical. But he is being let down by poor implementation.
This was the view of academicians, political analysts and politicians at the "National Seminar on Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: Three Years in Putrajaya: Tracking the Country’s Future".
Lecturer Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, said although the policies were formulated for the betterment of the people, their benefits did not reach the target groups.
"The policymakers, the ones who execute it and the target group are three distinct bodies. What happens is that sometimes the policymakers fail to explain the fundamentals of the policies to the executing agencies.
"Those who are supposed to implement the plans would either take their own time in executing the plans, or because they do not have a clear idea what the policies intend to achieve, carry it out halfway. And this is where the policies fail."
He said three years was too long a time for these plans to be implemented.
"They should be implemented within a year."
Social Institute of Malaysia director Professor Dr Mohamed Fadzil Che Din said "certain parties" with their own agenda were interfering with the implementation of the plans.
"There are parties who try to take advantage of the prime minister’s soft and accommodative administration.
"They try to manipulate the plans to their own advantage to serve their needs.
"They interfere with the time-frame of the implementation of the policies by making their own claims on the government, slowing down or even putting a stop to the implementation."
Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, executive director of the MIC’s Yayasan Strategik Sosial, agreed that implementation was poor.
"We should have a public forum, where these policies are explained clearly to the people in charge as well as members of the public who will be affected by the policies and the changes made to the policies.
"The people need to get a clear picture of the framework. Their views should be taken into account, and this would be a major help in implementing the policies," he said.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad acknowledged that there were weaknesses in the implementation of the government’s plans but said this had been the case for a long time.
He said the plans of the prime minister were "first class".
He said in his speech at the closing of the seminar that the quality of public services needed to be reviewed from time to time.
The speech was read by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid.
"The weakness in the delivery has been happening even before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s time. There are weaknesses in government institutions.
"Those who are in charge of executing the plans sometimes misunderstand the decisions made by the policymakers. They fail to see the reason behind the policies, and this leads to a lot of confusion and misdirection," Radzi said.
However, Batu Pahat MP Dr Junaidy Abd Wahab said three years were insufficient to judge the performance of a prime minister.
He said complaints by some people that Abdullah had not brought about changes were not justified.
"Pak Lah’s main thrust is to develop the people in this country. To expect him to develop human capital within three years is illogical.
"As far as change is concerned, he still continues to implement the nation’s policies, but his way of doing things is different. He has his own style.
"We should not judge him yet, nor should we compare him to former prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) who was in office for 22 years," he said after delivering the keynote address at the seminar.
Dr Junaidy hoped executing agencies such as government bodies and civil servants would take the trouble to understand Abdullah’s aspirations for the country and would assist him in implementing the policies.
Azmi said later it would take time to change the mindset of implementers.
The one-day seminar was jointly organised by USM, Yayasan Strategik Sosial and Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute.
It was held at Prince Hotel here. A total of seven papers were presented by academicians.
About 200 academicians, opinion leaders and members of the public attended the seminar.
DESI: mGf 2020freelunch, were you dare?
At least do a report for your up&coming-OR-GOING blog, or for the fleerunch0202!:)
My observation is that there have been too many OBSERVATIONS that OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN NEGLIGENT AND HAD FAILED TO PERFORM. Refer the latest fiasco involving transportation and other problems in the National Service Programme for which social activist -- or isit socialite? Lee Lam Thye wants others to be sacked, but he as Chairman must be given "immunity". "I'm Lord of all I survey as long as I carry the 'right balls'" Is that the mantra?
My question to the Prime Minister and his stooges -- ministerial, academic and endemic -- is this:
What about the INACTION in the following cases?
THis is non-defencsible in most cases; in fact, it's guilt by direct commission and by association and overall responsible as head of the BN government as as President of UMNO, the big brother in the coalition given the largest (90%) electoral mandate in March 2004 General Election.
* The Money Politics in the PM's instant approval of RM600milluion to the 200-odd UMNO divisions at the last UMNO General Assembly?
* The leeway given to law-maker Datuk Zakaria Md Deros in his "small" house affair costing RM8million being built without municiapl council planning approvals; DZ Satay House scandal; 12 yaers non-payment of assessment.
And how about the complicit working hand-in-glove by Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo in this disgracefull affair. And the earlier scandal of the destruction of agricultural parkland at Ser Alam Cahaya?
* The Close-One-Eye MP for Jasin; the Approved Permits affair (Rafidah Azz, where art thou and cronies?) and the Cloned APs affair?
In conclusion, Desi says he has given Pak Lah a lot of support for his expressed statements of commitment to fight corruption, open and transparency in government, accoutability, BUT AFTER THREE YEARS and much blatant exmaples of flwaed judgment and tolerance of insubordination of the law by his lackeys -- mainly by UMNO bigwigs and UMNOputras -- I have reached a point of desperation.
I told mGf Din Mercian I now appreciate why he and his close buddies have had vocally proclaimed the present PM's administration "incompetent" and a "dismal failure" ("Sleepy-eyed PM" they deem him and not without justification:(; and I must say reluctantly, I concur with their assessment -- though I'd rather they not bring in personal rantings against his Son-in-law et al!
Indeed, Desi had no choice about a month ago but to downgrade Pak Lah's performance from a 6 (passable'' in a rating from 1 to 10, 10 being 'excelent') to a 4. And "four" in kantonis sounds like "Sei" and when you follow usually by this dialect group with a high and wry and dry sense of humour, "Sei-liau-liau", it's GAME OVER.
The person I carried a day or two back -- johnleemk, remember? -- could have made out a better case, but he's not made his career of ball-carrying. No, otherwise, Desi ain't gonna writHe no more about him!
Here's the latest batch of wagoners who eye the gravy-train of promotions maybe. Or perhaps, next carve out a career in politics, where ball-carrying has been honed to a fine artform in the BN -- UMNO, MCA and MIC chiefly, followed by lesser cousins, or isit orphans? -- and you would be a non-starter if you don't practise that supreme art, Form over Substance, of survival.
From The NST, Jan 5, 2007:
Held up by bloopers
KUALA LUMPUR: His plans are excellent and practical. But he is being let down by poor implementation.
This was the view of academicians, political analysts and politicians at the "National Seminar on Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: Three Years in Putrajaya: Tracking the Country’s Future".
Lecturer Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, said although the policies were formulated for the betterment of the people, their benefits did not reach the target groups.
"The policymakers, the ones who execute it and the target group are three distinct bodies. What happens is that sometimes the policymakers fail to explain the fundamentals of the policies to the executing agencies.
"Those who are supposed to implement the plans would either take their own time in executing the plans, or because they do not have a clear idea what the policies intend to achieve, carry it out halfway. And this is where the policies fail."
He said three years was too long a time for these plans to be implemented.
"They should be implemented within a year."
Social Institute of Malaysia director Professor Dr Mohamed Fadzil Che Din said "certain parties" with their own agenda were interfering with the implementation of the plans.
"There are parties who try to take advantage of the prime minister’s soft and accommodative administration.
"They try to manipulate the plans to their own advantage to serve their needs.
"They interfere with the time-frame of the implementation of the policies by making their own claims on the government, slowing down or even putting a stop to the implementation."
Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, executive director of the MIC’s Yayasan Strategik Sosial, agreed that implementation was poor.
"We should have a public forum, where these policies are explained clearly to the people in charge as well as members of the public who will be affected by the policies and the changes made to the policies.
"The people need to get a clear picture of the framework. Their views should be taken into account, and this would be a major help in implementing the policies," he said.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad acknowledged that there were weaknesses in the implementation of the government’s plans but said this had been the case for a long time.
He said the plans of the prime minister were "first class".
He said in his speech at the closing of the seminar that the quality of public services needed to be reviewed from time to time.
The speech was read by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid.
"The weakness in the delivery has been happening even before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s time. There are weaknesses in government institutions.
"Those who are in charge of executing the plans sometimes misunderstand the decisions made by the policymakers. They fail to see the reason behind the policies, and this leads to a lot of confusion and misdirection," Radzi said.
However, Batu Pahat MP Dr Junaidy Abd Wahab said three years were insufficient to judge the performance of a prime minister.
He said complaints by some people that Abdullah had not brought about changes were not justified.
"Pak Lah’s main thrust is to develop the people in this country. To expect him to develop human capital within three years is illogical.
"As far as change is concerned, he still continues to implement the nation’s policies, but his way of doing things is different. He has his own style.
"We should not judge him yet, nor should we compare him to former prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) who was in office for 22 years," he said after delivering the keynote address at the seminar.
Dr Junaidy hoped executing agencies such as government bodies and civil servants would take the trouble to understand Abdullah’s aspirations for the country and would assist him in implementing the policies.
Azmi said later it would take time to change the mindset of implementers.
The one-day seminar was jointly organised by USM, Yayasan Strategik Sosial and Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute.
It was held at Prince Hotel here. A total of seven papers were presented by academicians.
About 200 academicians, opinion leaders and members of the public attended the seminar.
DESI: mGf 2020freelunch, were you dare?
At least do a report for your up&coming-OR-GOING blog, or for the fleerunch0202!:)
My observation is that there have been too many OBSERVATIONS that OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN NEGLIGENT AND HAD FAILED TO PERFORM. Refer the latest fiasco involving transportation and other problems in the National Service Programme for which social activist -- or isit socialite? Lee Lam Thye wants others to be sacked, but he as Chairman must be given "immunity". "I'm Lord of all I survey as long as I carry the 'right balls'" Is that the mantra?
My question to the Prime Minister and his stooges -- ministerial, academic and endemic -- is this:
What about the INACTION in the following cases?
THis is non-defencsible in most cases; in fact, it's guilt by direct commission and by association and overall responsible as head of the BN government as as President of UMNO, the big brother in the coalition given the largest (90%) electoral mandate in March 2004 General Election.
* The Money Politics in the PM's instant approval of RM600milluion to the 200-odd UMNO divisions at the last UMNO General Assembly?
* The leeway given to law-maker Datuk Zakaria Md Deros in his "small" house affair costing RM8million being built without municiapl council planning approvals; DZ Satay House scandal; 12 yaers non-payment of assessment.
And how about the complicit working hand-in-glove by Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo in this disgracefull affair. And the earlier scandal of the destruction of agricultural parkland at Ser Alam Cahaya?
* The Close-One-Eye MP for Jasin; the Approved Permits affair (Rafidah Azz, where art thou and cronies?) and the Cloned APs affair?
In conclusion, Desi says he has given Pak Lah a lot of support for his expressed statements of commitment to fight corruption, open and transparency in government, accoutability, BUT AFTER THREE YEARS and much blatant exmaples of flwaed judgment and tolerance of insubordination of the law by his lackeys -- mainly by UMNO bigwigs and UMNOputras -- I have reached a point of desperation.
I told mGf Din Mercian I now appreciate why he and his close buddies have had vocally proclaimed the present PM's administration "incompetent" and a "dismal failure" ("Sleepy-eyed PM" they deem him and not without justification:(; and I must say reluctantly, I concur with their assessment -- though I'd rather they not bring in personal rantings against his Son-in-law et al!
Indeed, Desi had no choice about a month ago but to downgrade Pak Lah's performance from a 6 (passable'' in a rating from 1 to 10, 10 being 'excelent') to a 4. And "four" in kantonis sounds like "Sei" and when you follow usually by this dialect group with a high and wry and dry sense of humour, "Sei-liau-liau", it's GAME OVER.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Community Service Messages
Dear Friends,
I have just read and signed the online petition:
"Protest against unfair toll hike in 5 highways in Klang Valley"
hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/notolle/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and
consider signing yourself.
Best wishes,
YLChong
(My signature number was oh-oh-SE7EN!
James Des...Ooops, today's not April 1, so the fact is 208S'X, which is not badder at awe.)
Dear ER: Will you be my number next door 3086?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CSM2:
The Opposition party-organised protest against the toll hikes at five highways in the Klang Valley will stage a protest at Sunway toll station on Jan 7, 2007 at 4.00pm.
If you can, please keep a date there and show some community SOLIDARITAT.
I'm from outstation so not affected so, but if I can make it with some buddies, I have some body dAre. Otherwise, my spirit will be with the gathered.
I have just read and signed the online petition:
"Protest against unfair toll hike in 5 highways in Klang Valley"
hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/notolle/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and
consider signing yourself.
Best wishes,
YLChong
(My signature number was oh-oh-SE7EN!
James Des...Ooops, today's not April 1, so the fact is 208S'X, which is not badder at awe.)
Dear ER: Will you be my number next door 3086?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CSM2:
The Opposition party-organised protest against the toll hikes at five highways in the Klang Valley will stage a protest at Sunway toll station on Jan 7, 2007 at 4.00pm.
If you can, please keep a date there and show some community SOLIDARITAT.
I'm from outstation so not affected so, but if I can make it with some buddies, I have some body dAre. Otherwise, my spirit will be with the gathered.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Yes, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, heed JeffOoi's call!
From taiko's "Thinking Allowed. Thinking Aloud", Desiderata added a second confession (after Helen deems his Yesterdie's as the first, and I always respect Ipohlang's WORD though she is not a Puan Sri nyet.
Sack the bugger, Najib
Play Donald Trump, Najib.
Oriental Daily reports what The Star daren't. A 'shake-up' is not an imperative as 'Sack that bugger', and Star editors should know that.
So Najib, listen. Sack that useless DG of yours if you still have faith in the NS programme.
If quota is an issue, get rid of Lee Lam Thye as well if you need to. We are Malaysians, you don't need a Chinese datuk to get the buy-in from the community.
Just get people who are able and willing to get the job done. And Malaysia has plenty of them on stand-by.
What, we are already at the 5th intake and still new at school? And the bus associations says: "Instead of going through contractors and agents of national service (NS) camps to transport trainees, deal directly with us." Smell something?
Sack yourself if you don't.
Posted by Jeff Ooi on January 3, 2007 07:33 AM | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.jeffooi.com/mt32/mt-tb.cgi/1194
Comments
One commenter asked "can you smell what najib's cooking?"
Desi's confession2 follows:
"I was with Lee LT when he was a plain Encik MP for Bukit Bintang and I as ordinary member of DAP (that goes back some 20+ years!).
I gave hime "benefit" of the doubt when others alleged he waas "bought out" when deserting the Opposition at a "crucial" general elections when UMNO breakaway Semangat 46 aligned with DAP and othr opposition to fight the BN. Since then, Lee LT became Datuk, then Tan Sri and sits on the borads of several bluechip listed companies but he flags himself off as a "social activist" which is a LAUGH for the past decade or so, and taints the struggles of other NOG activists. Of course, the Gomen and MSM play him up as a "Chinese rep" when he's actually an UMNO plant, transplant or plague whatever you call him.
Jeff, I support your call 100%to the concerned parties to get out of the kitchen if you can't cook!:("
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS: Cheers, Father, I have sinned by supporting the wrong party and comrades.
Forgive me, now i know where I should go, Up North!:)
UPDATEd @6.00PM:
From The Star, Jan 3, 2006~~
Wednesday January 3, 2007
Deal directly with us, say bus operators
MALACCA: Deal directly with bus associations instead of going through contractors and agents of national service (NS) camps to transport trainees.
The Federation of Malaysian School Bus Operators Association, which made this appeal to the Defence Ministry yesterday, said the move would help the ministry save cost and reduce bureaucracy.
Chairman Chee Ah Tey said that under the current practice, agents only contacted the bus operators “at the very last minute” without providing the list of trainees to be ferried.
“The list is one of the criteria needed for us to apply for temporary permits from the Road Transport Department (JPJ),” Chee said, adding that it was also impossible to apply for permits at the last minute.
Citing an example, Chee said he had a request for two buses to pick up trainees from Muar to the NS camp in Masjid Tanah on Jan 1 but only received the notice from agents on Dec 30.
“To apply for a temporary permit from JPJ, we have to submit the application one week in advance,” Chee told a press conference here yesterday.
He also said that bus operators were being constantly reminded by JPJ officers to make sure they had permits before ferrying trainees.
Chee also said bus operators had never dealt with NS camps or the ministry directly and that transport arrangements were made through agents or contractors.
He claimed that bus operators also complained of slow payment, with some not being paid since the national service was implemented three years ago.
Chee said agents still owed him RM30,000 for the bus service he provided to Ayer Keroh during last year’s training.
Another bus operator, Gan Eng Wah, who provided transport for trainees to Kem Warisan, Masjid Tanah, said he had yet to be paid RM24,000 for services provided while Md Din Said had not received the RM10,000 owed for providing transport to Kem Putera-Puteri.
Chee was commenting on reports of buses not turning up to ferry NS trainees, which had resulted in thousands being stranded at various pick-up points in several states.
PPS:
May I add here one point to my earlier Comment: The NS programme started with a budget of RM500million in the first year. With each year's progression in numbers of intake, the budget is increased by some RM100million every year, and my estimate that this year's would amount to RM700-800million if not RM1billion.
One key question is how and where did the contracts for Uniforms, Transportation and Accomodation and Food are selected and parcelled out. I smell cronyism again, again and again. More monsoon rains, mGf, from Terengganu to Johor to Pulau Pinang so that UMNO division chiefs can be manufactured as Instant millionaires like Maggi Mee? ~~ Desi
Sack the bugger, Najib
Play Donald Trump, Najib.
Oriental Daily reports what The Star daren't. A 'shake-up' is not an imperative as 'Sack that bugger', and Star editors should know that.
So Najib, listen. Sack that useless DG of yours if you still have faith in the NS programme.
If quota is an issue, get rid of Lee Lam Thye as well if you need to. We are Malaysians, you don't need a Chinese datuk to get the buy-in from the community.
Just get people who are able and willing to get the job done. And Malaysia has plenty of them on stand-by.
What, we are already at the 5th intake and still new at school? And the bus associations says: "Instead of going through contractors and agents of national service (NS) camps to transport trainees, deal directly with us." Smell something?
Sack yourself if you don't.
Posted by Jeff Ooi on January 3, 2007 07:33 AM | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.jeffooi.com/mt32/mt-tb.cgi/1194
Comments
One commenter asked "can you smell what najib's cooking?"
Desi's confession2 follows:
"I was with Lee LT when he was a plain Encik MP for Bukit Bintang and I as ordinary member of DAP (that goes back some 20+ years!).
I gave hime "benefit" of the doubt when others alleged he waas "bought out" when deserting the Opposition at a "crucial" general elections when UMNO breakaway Semangat 46 aligned with DAP and othr opposition to fight the BN. Since then, Lee LT became Datuk, then Tan Sri and sits on the borads of several bluechip listed companies but he flags himself off as a "social activist" which is a LAUGH for the past decade or so, and taints the struggles of other NOG activists. Of course, the Gomen and MSM play him up as a "Chinese rep" when he's actually an UMNO plant, transplant or plague whatever you call him.
Jeff, I support your call 100%to the concerned parties to get out of the kitchen if you can't cook!:("
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS: Cheers, Father, I have sinned by supporting the wrong party and comrades.
Forgive me, now i know where I should go, Up North!:)
UPDATEd @6.00PM:
From The Star, Jan 3, 2006~~
Wednesday January 3, 2007
Deal directly with us, say bus operators
MALACCA: Deal directly with bus associations instead of going through contractors and agents of national service (NS) camps to transport trainees.
The Federation of Malaysian School Bus Operators Association, which made this appeal to the Defence Ministry yesterday, said the move would help the ministry save cost and reduce bureaucracy.
Chairman Chee Ah Tey said that under the current practice, agents only contacted the bus operators “at the very last minute” without providing the list of trainees to be ferried.
“The list is one of the criteria needed for us to apply for temporary permits from the Road Transport Department (JPJ),” Chee said, adding that it was also impossible to apply for permits at the last minute.
Citing an example, Chee said he had a request for two buses to pick up trainees from Muar to the NS camp in Masjid Tanah on Jan 1 but only received the notice from agents on Dec 30.
“To apply for a temporary permit from JPJ, we have to submit the application one week in advance,” Chee told a press conference here yesterday.
He also said that bus operators were being constantly reminded by JPJ officers to make sure they had permits before ferrying trainees.
Chee also said bus operators had never dealt with NS camps or the ministry directly and that transport arrangements were made through agents or contractors.
He claimed that bus operators also complained of slow payment, with some not being paid since the national service was implemented three years ago.
Chee said agents still owed him RM30,000 for the bus service he provided to Ayer Keroh during last year’s training.
Another bus operator, Gan Eng Wah, who provided transport for trainees to Kem Warisan, Masjid Tanah, said he had yet to be paid RM24,000 for services provided while Md Din Said had not received the RM10,000 owed for providing transport to Kem Putera-Puteri.
Chee was commenting on reports of buses not turning up to ferry NS trainees, which had resulted in thousands being stranded at various pick-up points in several states.
PPS:
May I add here one point to my earlier Comment: The NS programme started with a budget of RM500million in the first year. With each year's progression in numbers of intake, the budget is increased by some RM100million every year, and my estimate that this year's would amount to RM700-800million if not RM1billion.
One key question is how and where did the contracts for Uniforms, Transportation and Accomodation and Food are selected and parcelled out. I smell cronyism again, again and again. More monsoon rains, mGf, from Terengganu to Johor to Pulau Pinang so that UMNO division chiefs can be manufactured as Instant millionaires like Maggi Mee? ~~ Desi
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
I'm becoming a johnleemk's sycophant!
No, not an elephant -- you nit or nut or fart!
sycophant crudely in manglish that you high forms of malaysiana kopitiam tokkok means "carrying balls" -- Alike all the UMNO and MCA and MIC politician-wannabes, taking gifts of durian or nianggau or papadum to the residents of PM, DPM, MCA Chief/Minister, MIC tail/miniSTER, often in the steal of the night.
Today I'm another aspiring politician, so I'm mastering th \e art of sycophancy (Yes, I know I spet IT wlongly as psycophantic rantings just a few dies back, but none of my ER dared point it ooouch!:)
But this Y&A olde friend of mine john lee dared. To wits:
"Tun, if you want to criticise the West for their lynching of Saddam, please don't twist the truth. Bush, the idiot that he is, almost certainly hasn't racked up a death toll close to Saddam's. And, like it or not, Saddam was an evil dictator. You can choose to contest his brutal execution - but don't contest the facts about his regime. "
Oh, a smartalec' 16-goin'-on-17 (or isit goin' bonkers? OR his nick is Hercules mosquito?) giving a peace of his mind to an 81-year-old, former Prime Minister summore! -- ONE NU'E YEAR SALUTE!
For CONTExT, please surf to taiko's post on Saddam Hussein , then you as conversationist link to johnleemk's "Saddam Is Dead" to greet the nude year 200SE7EN! And remember, SE7EN is Desi's fave number, so when he strikes the JackPOT, he's retiring with Jill! on that 20million I-LAND, or you sufferin' from amnesia, mGf?
Now I torture YOU -- Time's pickle for PERSON OF LUST YEAR! -- with a succinct comment ala johnlee, can? Dat's a rhetorical Q, innit, sisdar Helen? You can writHe anything under the sun on allofhelen butt not on desiderata2000, yes! If you saw Desi, mine is smaller than YOURS.:)~~
"Coming from the author who oversaw a 22-year regime of authoritarain rule in Negaraku as well as the incarceration of his deputy during his premiership, Dr Mahathir should disqualify himself as having a conscientious locus standi to say: "The entire trial process was a mockery of justice, no less a Kangaroo Court."
Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for six unreclamable years, could have "died" from the former IGP's black-eye wallop, had his charges "amended" not once, but twice in the times of committing the alleged charges of sodomy -- not akin to kangaroo?
Is someone suffering amnesia, or is it not another case of "seeing the speck in thy neighbour's eye but not the PLANK in one's own"?
I weep for Malaysia, but the rivers are running dry. I wonder when Petronas oil tanks too?
Can I be the next Pet adviser, Mr Prime Minister? I promise I won't touch the till except in the still/steal/steel of the (k)night!:(
Posted by: desiderata
sycophant crudely in manglish that you high forms of malaysiana kopitiam tokkok means "carrying balls" -- Alike all the UMNO and MCA and MIC politician-wannabes, taking gifts of durian or nianggau or papadum to the residents of PM, DPM, MCA Chief/Minister, MIC tail/miniSTER, often in the steal of the night.
Today I'm another aspiring politician, so I'm mastering th \e art of sycophancy (Yes, I know I spet IT wlongly as psycophantic rantings just a few dies back, but none of my ER dared point it ooouch!:)
But this Y&A olde friend of mine john lee dared. To wits:
"Tun, if you want to criticise the West for their lynching of Saddam, please don't twist the truth. Bush, the idiot that he is, almost certainly hasn't racked up a death toll close to Saddam's. And, like it or not, Saddam was an evil dictator. You can choose to contest his brutal execution - but don't contest the facts about his regime. "
Oh, a smartalec' 16-goin'-on-17 (or isit goin' bonkers? OR his nick is Hercules mosquito?) giving a peace of his mind to an 81-year-old, former Prime Minister summore! -- ONE NU'E YEAR SALUTE!
For CONTExT, please surf to taiko's post on Saddam Hussein , then you as conversationist link to johnleemk's "Saddam Is Dead" to greet the nude year 200SE7EN! And remember, SE7EN is Desi's fave number, so when he strikes the JackPOT, he's retiring with Jill! on that 20million I-LAND, or you sufferin' from amnesia, mGf?
Now I torture YOU -- Time's pickle for PERSON OF LUST YEAR! -- with a succinct comment ala johnlee, can? Dat's a rhetorical Q, innit, sisdar Helen? You can writHe anything under the sun on allofhelen butt not on desiderata2000, yes! If you saw Desi, mine is smaller than YOURS.:)~~
"Coming from the author who oversaw a 22-year regime of authoritarain rule in Negaraku as well as the incarceration of his deputy during his premiership, Dr Mahathir should disqualify himself as having a conscientious locus standi to say: "The entire trial process was a mockery of justice, no less a Kangaroo Court."
Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for six unreclamable years, could have "died" from the former IGP's black-eye wallop, had his charges "amended" not once, but twice in the times of committing the alleged charges of sodomy -- not akin to kangaroo?
Is someone suffering amnesia, or is it not another case of "seeing the speck in thy neighbour's eye but not the PLANK in one's own"?
I weep for Malaysia, but the rivers are running dry. I wonder when Petronas oil tanks too?
Can I be the next Pet adviser, Mr Prime Minister? I promise I won't touch the till except in the still/steal/steel of the (k)night!:(
Posted by: desiderata
Monday, January 01, 2007
Starting on two sombre notes..
Again, my greatest wish for 2007 to Awe my dear EsteemedReaders is:
HAVE A PEACEFUL and PROGRESSIVE NU'E YEAR.
Desi spells "new" as nu'e for a reason ~~ it can also stand for "nude".
Every year dawns with a clean slate akin to a babe on his first cries -- full of innocence and not knowing the meaning of being nude and totally and utterly dependent on his/her mum.
So also we humans on starting a new year we are again laid bare -- not so innocent, cos the scars of past years have left their toll plus immediate increased tolls for some folks now paying 20%-60% more on using indecent profit-making highways in the Klang Valley.
So Desiu starts 2007 on a few sombre notes. And while I remain basically optimistic, certain external forces beyong our ken and control will impose lots of encumbrances and hurdles as we, an infant democracy, strives to attain maturity in more ways than a growing child.
SombreNote1:
From The NST, Jan 1, 2007, page 8:
2 die as blasts
rock Bangkok
BANGKOK: At least six small
bombs exploded here yesterday, killing
two people, wounding more than 20 and
shocking the Tahi capital into cancelling
New Year countdown celebrations.
DESIDERATA: Help build up NST circulation so that the MSM can breathe a new lease of life, spend RM1.20 to read the fool AC. Oops, "full account", not the dwindling ringgit&sen in the company's annual profit statement.:)
What is of concern is that NegaraKu's immediate neighbour is going to be threatened by such acts of terror as long as it does not overcome the problem in its restive South. Malaysia inherits its neighbours' problems whether in percentage or in full or as fool's paradise should any nation forget it is NOW A BORDERLESS WORLD>
"Prosper thy neighbour" philosopy is in greatest need and of greatest import in this new millennium as demonstrated by these two sombre notes.
SombreNote2:
I borrow the observation of mGf@mei0305.blogspot.com ending 2006 on a caring thought for another neighbour~~
"Why the cry of Burma has yet to be cared for
whereas cry of Iraq continues"
I did not access into internet for two days when i was in Zurich. When i came back to Basel and read news online, Saddam Hussein whose death sentence had been on extensive discussion was reported to have been "executed".
I do not have any feeling towards Saddam Hussein's execution although he was said to be a tyrant and had killed many innocents during his rule of Iraq. I believe my indifference was caused by the unjust invasion by US of Iraq.
If the US invaded Iraq for the building of Iraq's democracy, why did the US not take mount a similar action on Burma?
posted by Liew Hui Mei at 6:41 AM on Dec 31 2006
desiderata said...
HI Mei:
Wishing YOU (Person of the Year voted by TIME!) a Peaceful & Progressive Nu'e Year!
As far as US is concerned, it has arrogated upon itself te role of international policeman, butt sometimes it has poor judgement like our ex-PM Dr Mahathir in picking his succesor.
In invading Iraq under the pretext of looking for WMD, the US has "resurrected" the spectre of Vietnam and more and more YOung soldiers would die abroad. As for Burma, it's a case of
"Don't Cry For Me, USA!"
Recalling te famous 60s anthem
of WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE:
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards everyone.
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
January 01, 2007 1:21 AM
PS: News one year olde, but nevertheless of importance because it refers to those who maketh it to Time's Cover for year-end issue, yes YOU ~~ PERSON OF THE YEAR!
Have some of the flowers gone overseas?
Bloggers rising to the fore in Malaysian politics
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Correspondent
Dec 31, 2006
The Straits Times
KUALA LUMPUR - MR NIK Nazmi Ahmad was a 19-year-old student in London when he began keeping a daily blog.
Nothing much different from other diarist-teenagers except that Mr Nik Nazmi was super keen on politics at an age when his peers would have been hard pressed to name more than two Cabinet ministers.
His blog comprised mostly commentaries on political and social issues in Malaysia and Britain, and it morphed into a widely read current affairs website.
Today, he gets a respectable 700 to 800 visitors daily.
His is one of the saner news blogs that have mushroomed in the last few years, to feed the hunger for the news behind the news.
Said the 24-year-old: 'For a long time, Malaysians have known that what they read in newspapers can be one-sided, and they have learnt to read between the lines. I think people go to blogs for an alternative viewpoint.'
His most recent entry delves into the sensitive topic of emigration, where he wrote about how capable Malays are increasingly looking to leave Malaysia.
Such 'citizen journalism' blogs are highly visible in Malaysia although they are greatly out-numbered by the diary-type of blogs.
According to a recent survey by Microsoft MSN, two-thirds of Malaysian bloggers are women aged below 25, and their blogs are primarily about themselves.
Only 3 per cent of the respondents are involved in 'citizen journalism'. But this tiny percentage is highly visible because these blogs, while rational, and temperate in their language, dare to go where no mainstream media will.
They have become so trusted that on more than one occasion, the blogs have broken news stories that were later picked up by the mainstream newspapers.
The Deepavali greeting fiasco was one. When the Islamic insurance company Takaful's manager sent staff an e-mail message prohibiting Muslims from extending Deepavali greetings, this was quickly picked up by the blogs.
The media followed up, and the resultant pressure forced Takaful to apologise after Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and several muftis jumped in.
The controversy over Malay ownership of corporate equity also first started in blogosphere which publicised a think-tank report disputing the official data.
This later moved into the mainstream, forcing the government to publicly defend its position.
These were perhaps some of the defining moments of blogging when blogs made the switch from mere ramblings to credible news sources. They, however, remain rare.
'Most blogs don't break news but they are opinion leaders because they provide a different perspective on the spin by the media on the facts,' says a popular blogger who did not want to be named.
Blogs received a boost in their profile this year when well-known names such as former New Straits Times editor Datuk Kadir Jasin, leading human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, the outspoken daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, began blogging.
Datin Paduka Marina's most-read entry was one where she gave a first-hand account of the meeting between her father and his one-time enemy, American billionaire George Soros.
Because of the popularity and perceived credibility of such blogs, bloggers now find themselves courted by politicians, including Tun Dr Mahathir.
He was instrumental in pushing Internet usage in Malaysia and is astutely aware of the impact of the Net, having been on the receiving end during the Anwar Ibrahim saga.
Bloggers now sit side by side journalists at his press conferences as he includes them in his media mailing list. Sometimes, bloggers are even the first to be informed of his latest statements in his attacks on PM Abdullah, leaving the traditional media to pick up stories later.
The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), which has IT-savvy leaders, has also been quick to tap this phenomenon.
It recently organised a forum on the three-year record of PM Abdullah's administration. Every speaker was a blogger, save one, and the audience, too, were mostly bloggers. This was seen as a concrete demonstration that bloggers have become a new voice of the political discourse, and perhaps an even more important voice than the regular media.
DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu said: 'These people improve the level of political debate. You can see it in the way they argue out things, the quality of their views.'
The DAP has gone one step further, and is wooing some of them to become active politicians.
The Star recently reported that Mr Jeff Ooi, 45, a pioneer in citizen journalism blogging, is being courted as a new talent for DAP, although he was quoted as saying he was neither willing nor ready.
Mr Ooi runs one of the best-read Malaysian blogs, and is fearless in tackling the issues of the day from the Mahathir-Abdullah clash to a close look at PM Abdullah's track record.
The DAP is also eyeing Mr Tony Pua, 34, an Oxford graduate working in a Singapore public-listed company, who writes a well-argued blog on educational issues in Malaysia. He is a Malaysian, and is the CEO of a Singapore company based in Kuala Lumpur.
As for Mr Nik Nazmi, he has joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat, and is a special assistant to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
'Bloggers are important to us, and we do keep track of blogs,' he said.
This trend has forced the government to take notice of blogs, and of late, it has issued repeated warnings that it will crack down on divisive sites. It is also considering compulsory registration Zwith the Information Ministry.
Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin recently said some online news postings were unethical because they spread malicious rumours about the government.
But so far, it has been all talk, partly because there is a sense that these blogs are seen as a safety valve for the urban middle class.
'My assumption is that the government is trying to look tough to make bloggers wary.
'But I don't know if they will really enforce it,' says Mr Nik Nazmi.
carolynh@sph.com.sg
DESI: Bloggers are a recogniised force. With some faces. Wonder if my marketing/PR mAnAgAers have got the 20mil bid for Desi's PLace on eBoy!? Sweets, Helen, FA -- please report Pronto!:):):)
HAVE A PEACEFUL and PROGRESSIVE NU'E YEAR.
Desi spells "new" as nu'e for a reason ~~ it can also stand for "nude".
Every year dawns with a clean slate akin to a babe on his first cries -- full of innocence and not knowing the meaning of being nude and totally and utterly dependent on his/her mum.
So also we humans on starting a new year we are again laid bare -- not so innocent, cos the scars of past years have left their toll plus immediate increased tolls for some folks now paying 20%-60% more on using indecent profit-making highways in the Klang Valley.
So Desiu starts 2007 on a few sombre notes. And while I remain basically optimistic, certain external forces beyong our ken and control will impose lots of encumbrances and hurdles as we, an infant democracy, strives to attain maturity in more ways than a growing child.
SombreNote1:
From The NST, Jan 1, 2007, page 8:
2 die as blasts
rock Bangkok
BANGKOK: At least six small
bombs exploded here yesterday, killing
two people, wounding more than 20 and
shocking the Tahi capital into cancelling
New Year countdown celebrations.
DESIDERATA: Help build up NST circulation so that the MSM can breathe a new lease of life, spend RM1.20 to read the fool AC. Oops, "full account", not the dwindling ringgit&sen in the company's annual profit statement.:)
What is of concern is that NegaraKu's immediate neighbour is going to be threatened by such acts of terror as long as it does not overcome the problem in its restive South. Malaysia inherits its neighbours' problems whether in percentage or in full or as fool's paradise should any nation forget it is NOW A BORDERLESS WORLD>
"Prosper thy neighbour" philosopy is in greatest need and of greatest import in this new millennium as demonstrated by these two sombre notes.
SombreNote2:
I borrow the observation of mGf@mei0305.blogspot.com ending 2006 on a caring thought for another neighbour~~
"Why the cry of Burma has yet to be cared for
whereas cry of Iraq continues"
I did not access into internet for two days when i was in Zurich. When i came back to Basel and read news online, Saddam Hussein whose death sentence had been on extensive discussion was reported to have been "executed".
I do not have any feeling towards Saddam Hussein's execution although he was said to be a tyrant and had killed many innocents during his rule of Iraq. I believe my indifference was caused by the unjust invasion by US of Iraq.
If the US invaded Iraq for the building of Iraq's democracy, why did the US not take mount a similar action on Burma?
posted by Liew Hui Mei at 6:41 AM on Dec 31 2006
desiderata said...
HI Mei:
Wishing YOU (Person of the Year voted by TIME!) a Peaceful & Progressive Nu'e Year!
As far as US is concerned, it has arrogated upon itself te role of international policeman, butt sometimes it has poor judgement like our ex-PM Dr Mahathir in picking his succesor.
In invading Iraq under the pretext of looking for WMD, the US has "resurrected" the spectre of Vietnam and more and more YOung soldiers would die abroad. As for Burma, it's a case of
"Don't Cry For Me, USA!"
Recalling te famous 60s anthem
of WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE:
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards everyone.
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
January 01, 2007 1:21 AM
PS: News one year olde, but nevertheless of importance because it refers to those who maketh it to Time's Cover for year-end issue, yes YOU ~~ PERSON OF THE YEAR!
Have some of the flowers gone overseas?
Bloggers rising to the fore in Malaysian politics
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Correspondent
Dec 31, 2006
The Straits Times
KUALA LUMPUR - MR NIK Nazmi Ahmad was a 19-year-old student in London when he began keeping a daily blog.
Nothing much different from other diarist-teenagers except that Mr Nik Nazmi was super keen on politics at an age when his peers would have been hard pressed to name more than two Cabinet ministers.
His blog comprised mostly commentaries on political and social issues in Malaysia and Britain, and it morphed into a widely read current affairs website.
Today, he gets a respectable 700 to 800 visitors daily.
His is one of the saner news blogs that have mushroomed in the last few years, to feed the hunger for the news behind the news.
Said the 24-year-old: 'For a long time, Malaysians have known that what they read in newspapers can be one-sided, and they have learnt to read between the lines. I think people go to blogs for an alternative viewpoint.'
His most recent entry delves into the sensitive topic of emigration, where he wrote about how capable Malays are increasingly looking to leave Malaysia.
Such 'citizen journalism' blogs are highly visible in Malaysia although they are greatly out-numbered by the diary-type of blogs.
According to a recent survey by Microsoft MSN, two-thirds of Malaysian bloggers are women aged below 25, and their blogs are primarily about themselves.
Only 3 per cent of the respondents are involved in 'citizen journalism'. But this tiny percentage is highly visible because these blogs, while rational, and temperate in their language, dare to go where no mainstream media will.
They have become so trusted that on more than one occasion, the blogs have broken news stories that were later picked up by the mainstream newspapers.
The Deepavali greeting fiasco was one. When the Islamic insurance company Takaful's manager sent staff an e-mail message prohibiting Muslims from extending Deepavali greetings, this was quickly picked up by the blogs.
The media followed up, and the resultant pressure forced Takaful to apologise after Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and several muftis jumped in.
The controversy over Malay ownership of corporate equity also first started in blogosphere which publicised a think-tank report disputing the official data.
This later moved into the mainstream, forcing the government to publicly defend its position.
These were perhaps some of the defining moments of blogging when blogs made the switch from mere ramblings to credible news sources. They, however, remain rare.
'Most blogs don't break news but they are opinion leaders because they provide a different perspective on the spin by the media on the facts,' says a popular blogger who did not want to be named.
Blogs received a boost in their profile this year when well-known names such as former New Straits Times editor Datuk Kadir Jasin, leading human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, the outspoken daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, began blogging.
Datin Paduka Marina's most-read entry was one where she gave a first-hand account of the meeting between her father and his one-time enemy, American billionaire George Soros.
Because of the popularity and perceived credibility of such blogs, bloggers now find themselves courted by politicians, including Tun Dr Mahathir.
He was instrumental in pushing Internet usage in Malaysia and is astutely aware of the impact of the Net, having been on the receiving end during the Anwar Ibrahim saga.
Bloggers now sit side by side journalists at his press conferences as he includes them in his media mailing list. Sometimes, bloggers are even the first to be informed of his latest statements in his attacks on PM Abdullah, leaving the traditional media to pick up stories later.
The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), which has IT-savvy leaders, has also been quick to tap this phenomenon.
It recently organised a forum on the three-year record of PM Abdullah's administration. Every speaker was a blogger, save one, and the audience, too, were mostly bloggers. This was seen as a concrete demonstration that bloggers have become a new voice of the political discourse, and perhaps an even more important voice than the regular media.
DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu said: 'These people improve the level of political debate. You can see it in the way they argue out things, the quality of their views.'
The DAP has gone one step further, and is wooing some of them to become active politicians.
The Star recently reported that Mr Jeff Ooi, 45, a pioneer in citizen journalism blogging, is being courted as a new talent for DAP, although he was quoted as saying he was neither willing nor ready.
Mr Ooi runs one of the best-read Malaysian blogs, and is fearless in tackling the issues of the day from the Mahathir-Abdullah clash to a close look at PM Abdullah's track record.
The DAP is also eyeing Mr Tony Pua, 34, an Oxford graduate working in a Singapore public-listed company, who writes a well-argued blog on educational issues in Malaysia. He is a Malaysian, and is the CEO of a Singapore company based in Kuala Lumpur.
As for Mr Nik Nazmi, he has joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat, and is a special assistant to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
'Bloggers are important to us, and we do keep track of blogs,' he said.
This trend has forced the government to take notice of blogs, and of late, it has issued repeated warnings that it will crack down on divisive sites. It is also considering compulsory registration Zwith the Information Ministry.
Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin recently said some online news postings were unethical because they spread malicious rumours about the government.
But so far, it has been all talk, partly because there is a sense that these blogs are seen as a safety valve for the urban middle class.
'My assumption is that the government is trying to look tough to make bloggers wary.
'But I don't know if they will really enforce it,' says Mr Nik Nazmi.
carolynh@sph.com.sg
DESI: Bloggers are a recogniised force. With some faces. Wonder if my marketing/PR mAnAgAers have got the 20mil bid for Desi's PLace on eBoy!? Sweets, Helen, FA -- please report Pronto!:):):)
Sunday, December 31, 2006
A Year in Review ~~ Wishing YOU Progressive One Ahead!
I won't be wrong to state we all have had our share of Ups and Downs the past 365 days, or dies for my mates Down Under.
Hey, Sweetspirits and Sabrina and brother James and Juliet, How art thee?To TwistedHels and Mei and Howsy based in London, Paris or shifting sands of Europe, hope the wintry winds blow sweet in thy face.
To friends in NegaraKu and south of the border, shout a HI over blogosphere and I'll return a Hi and Lo-5! May God's blessings always keep thee in good stead and grace.
Life is a roller-coaster -- what goes up must come down, it's a truism. It's not an IF, it's a When you'll hit a low. What distinguishes a learned man/woman from an average person if how you can pick yourself UP again after hitting a low and Walk Tall again -- Yes, Towering Malaysian! -- and again when the next low hits. But ENJOY your highs too, not by yourself, with YOUR FRIENDS!:) (BestA if they include Desi!:)
Wishing all my Blogsworld mates a Progressive New Year.
I don't normally say: "Happy Nude Year" although that's also healthy to go walk in the rain (jest don't catch a cold!) because you need to make an effort TO STRIVE TO BE HAPPY.
mGf Awe ~~ I will always pray you progress and grow as a person because there is always room for improvement. No man is perfect or then we are all capable of sainthood. But life will be dull and monotonous if we were all saints and sages, wouldn't it?
Life smiles on those who s-mile for others and themselves.
S-MILE :) and the Whole World S-MILES with YOU!:):):):):):):)
From mGf nigh catsville:
I ‘lifted’ this ‘New Year’s Wish’ by Gordon H. Taggart from The Guidepost.
I wish I were:
big enough to honestly admit all my shortcomings,
brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant,
tall enough to tower above deceit,
strong enough to treasure love,
brave enough to welcome criticism.
compassionate enough to understand human frailties.
wise enough to recognize my mistakes.
humble enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor
and righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.
The above article originally appeared in the January 1997 issue of Guideposts.
Yan
ylchong Says:
December 31st, 2006 at 3:41 pm
dear mGf:
You lifted some lifting;
I’m stealing the same of something stilling the soul
and lifting the spirit!:)
Thanks for your shAring:)
Hey, Sweetspirits and Sabrina and brother James and Juliet, How art thee?To TwistedHels and Mei and Howsy based in London, Paris or shifting sands of Europe, hope the wintry winds blow sweet in thy face.
To friends in NegaraKu and south of the border, shout a HI over blogosphere and I'll return a Hi and Lo-5! May God's blessings always keep thee in good stead and grace.
Life is a roller-coaster -- what goes up must come down, it's a truism. It's not an IF, it's a When you'll hit a low. What distinguishes a learned man/woman from an average person if how you can pick yourself UP again after hitting a low and Walk Tall again -- Yes, Towering Malaysian! -- and again when the next low hits. But ENJOY your highs too, not by yourself, with YOUR FRIENDS!:) (BestA if they include Desi!:)
Wishing all my Blogsworld mates a Progressive New Year.
I don't normally say: "Happy Nude Year" although that's also healthy to go walk in the rain (jest don't catch a cold!) because you need to make an effort TO STRIVE TO BE HAPPY.
mGf Awe ~~ I will always pray you progress and grow as a person because there is always room for improvement. No man is perfect or then we are all capable of sainthood. But life will be dull and monotonous if we were all saints and sages, wouldn't it?
Life smiles on those who s-mile for others and themselves.
S-MILE :) and the Whole World S-MILES with YOU!:):):):):):):)
From mGf nigh catsville:
I ‘lifted’ this ‘New Year’s Wish’ by Gordon H. Taggart from The Guidepost.
I wish I were:
big enough to honestly admit all my shortcomings,
brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant,
tall enough to tower above deceit,
strong enough to treasure love,
brave enough to welcome criticism.
compassionate enough to understand human frailties.
wise enough to recognize my mistakes.
humble enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor
and righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.
The above article originally appeared in the January 1997 issue of Guideposts.
Yan
ylchong Says:
December 31st, 2006 at 3:41 pm
dear mGf:
You lifted some lifting;
I’m stealing the same of something stilling the soul
and lifting the spirit!:)
Thanks for your shAring:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)