Sunday, April 20, 2008

Malaysia - the power of Facebook

According to the Star, more than 1,000 people attended the KL Freeze in Unison event at Pavilion KL on Jalan Bukit Bintang on 13th April, last week.

The event was organised by 24-year-old Zain HD by simply posting the event on Facebook and inviting more than 1,000 of his friends.

The KL Freeze event was to foster global unity in diversity, similar to events held in London and New York.

So now you know how to get attention and organise a fairly large event for free - join Facebook and start making friends. :)

More photos here and here.

Post your comments here.

$$$ found in GYM Malaysia

The Star reported that RM1.2 million cash was found in a Subang gym locker. That was how much money a supervisor of the gym found in a bag in one of the lockers when the gym closed for the day at around midnight. He then contacted his manager, who in turn contacted the police. RM1.2 million is not a few lose change, mind you. Who would bring RM1.2 cash to a gym and then "forget" to bring it back home ?

Initially the police linked this money to the KL International Airport heist on April 9, where two moneychangers were robbed of RM3.5mil. However, the KLIA heist was in Singapore dollars, whereas the RM1.2 found in the gym in Subang was in Malaysian Ringgit.

If the gym supervisor and manager were this honest, they sould be elected to public office.

What would you do if you found RM1.2 million in cash ?

a) surrender everything to the police

b) take some money and surrender the balance to the police

c) take all the money and hide it somewhere

d) take all the money and take the first flight out of the country


Please post your comments.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Malaysian Car Price

I was in Banhkok last week for a holiday and strolled into a Toyota showroom to check out the models and prices.

I came out shocked as well as very angry as there is an alarming difference in the price of cars.I compared the prices using the exchange rate on the day and here are 2 examples.All prices are in RM.

Models Mal Price Thai Price

Toyota Vios 1.5 E 79,200 53,400

Camry 2.0 E 141,930 117,700

Now that all the tariffs and duties for cars in Asean were meant to be scrapped in 2008,can someone please explain why there is such a huge difference in prices.It seems that on the surface,our govt is still trying to protect the almost defunct Proton or UMW is ripping consumers off !!.Consumers should have the right to choose the car that they wish to buy and not be subjected to such huge differences in prices !!

Amused by ACA

I was amused to read press report that the Deputy DG of ACA proudly mentioned ( quote ) “……that the lowest bribe amount the agency ever investigated was RM 9.00….” and also the earlier news that ACA will officially write to the relevant authorities for cases involving such small amounts.

I totally agree with his view that the measure of culpability is not in the amount. But mind you, ACA is not expected to act like vacuum cleaner to suck up each and every speck of bribery. This will not happen even in country like Singapore. In reality, there are such things call judgement, efficiency, reasonableness…. You know and I know that there are so many big big fishes out there. Is the cost of ACA time cheaper than RM 9.00 and what can you achieve with than ?

It seems to be that all along ACA is talking about bribery. But corruption has a much wider scope. What about the abuse of power ? Is there any case equivalent to RM 9.00 ?

China & Tibet

The problem with China is GREED & ARROGANCE!! They will go around claiming territories around them as theirs and will call that One China Policy. In that case, do you think it’s fair?? Just like Malaysian Malays who has their roots in Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, etc. do you think its right for us to claim One Malaysia Policy by just going into their country like what the Chinese military did?? Anyway, China will go after the minnows because they know that these Tibetans, Mongolians, Taiwanese, etc. will not exert to war like the Japanese, Koreans, etc. They should go after the Japanese and Koreans under the One China Policy and we will have a gala time in this region. They even claimed a piece of land called Ākèsàiqīn which is located in India as theirs, another piece of land near Vietnam is also claimed by the Chinese government as theirs and they claimed one with the Soviets and come one day the will claim the whole world is theirs.

The Chinese don’t realize the amount of damages they have committed towards mankind and other living beings like sharks, etc. but when they get pinched, the make so much of noise. They love to criticize others but when it happens to them, they can’t tolerate. China, Pakistan & North Korea are the troublemakers in this region but China’s history of having wars with their neighbors are dated back very long time ago and I don’t think that they know how to respect the sovereignty of others. What goes around comes around and one fine day the Chinese Government will have to face the consequences from the uprising of the Tibetans and eventually they will break into tiny pieces in the process of democracy like the Soviets. Can’t wait to see that!!

HunteD . . . .

It is well known that protected animals in Malaysia are being hunted for their meat, hide, tusks etc for alleged medicinal purposes- in other words, the animals will end up dead.

Recently, however, it was reported in the Star that powerful towkays in Sarawak are buying endangered animals to be kept as pets.

Middlemen pay native trappers handsomely to capture these animals alive which are then sold in the black market, as demand has apparently increased in Sarawak.

The rich towkays display these exotic animals such as bears, rare monkeys, birds and reptiles in their homes as status symbols.

A private farm was reported to have a variety of animals including macaques and gibbons. Even sun bears were available.

Just as the famous psychologist Abraham Maslow said, humans strive to achieve a hierarchy of needs, in life. When basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, safety etc are satisfied, people will pursue other goals - needs. In this day and age, money is pursued to fullfill these needs. Therefore when someone pursues money, he or she is not pursuing money per se but money to purchase goods and services to fulfill these needs that Maslow's theory describes. To Maslow, esteem needs - the need for respect ranks 2nd highest in his hierarchy of needs. These towkays are purchasing these animals to get status (respect) - they are therefore purchasing respect. Is it because they feel that they don't have enough of it ?

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Who will be the next Prime Minister

Is it RAHMAN or ANWAR ?

Are Malaysians caught up in the past and the future, forgetting the present ? Are Malaysians caught in a time warp ?

Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, Malaysia's 4th Prime Minister, whether we like it or not, represents Malaysia's past. All his deeds, or to some, his misdeeds, when he was prime minister, were all done in the past. Although he is indeed an icon of Malaysia's public life, he does not represent the present or the future. Just like whatever benefits derived from his leadership is enjoyed in the present, anything he has done that must to be corrected must also be done in the present.

Abdullah Badawi, Malaysian's 5th Prime Minister, represents Malaysia's present. We may not know how long this will be, but he is still the current prime minister - he must deal with the present.

But instead of focusing on the present, Malaysians like dwelling on the past and speculating on the future - who will be the next prime minister. This has been going on since Dr. Mahathir Mohammad's tenure - then, Malaysians were guessing as to who will succeed Dr. Mahathir Mohammad. Whilst many names were suggested, Tengku Razaleigh and Anwar Ibrahim were the favorites. But then, unexpectedly, Abdullah Badawi succeeded Dr. Mahathir Mohammad.

In attempting to predict the future, Malaysians like to device theories, not based on political analysis, but on myths.

For the simple minded, the classic RAHMAN theory, named after the country's first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, became very popular. The theory simply states that RAHMAN is an acronym for the names of the prime minsters of Malaysia:
R - Tunku Abdul Rahman
A- Abdul Razak
H - Hussein Onn
M - Mahathir Mohammad
A- Abdullah Badawi
N - ?

Thus, following the RAHMAN theory the next person in line should be a person who's name starts with the letter "N". Those who believe this theory will quickly say that the next in line should be Najib Tun Razak, the current deputy prime minster. However, some people joked that the "N" stands for Nurul Izzah, Anwar Ibrahim's 27 year-old daughter who recently won the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat.

When Dr. Mahathir Mohammad was prime minister, many Malaysians believed that the letter "A" after the letter "M" in RAHMAN, represented Anwar Ibrahim, who was then the deputy prime minister. Well, now we know that was not meant to be, then.

Now, as Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Rakyat has won a very convincing victory in the recent general election, he is seen as the prime minister in waiting and people have conceived another acronym to represent the prime ministers of Malaysia - ANWAR:

A - Abdullah Badawi
N - Najib Tun Razak
W -Wan Azizah (Anwar Ibrahim's wife and current official leader of Pakatan Rakyat)
A - Anwar Ibrahim
R - (Tengku) Razaleigh Hamzah ? Dr. Rais Yatim ?

Some people even suggest that the "R" stands for Raja Petra Kamarudin, a political analyst whose political blog Malaysia Today, played a significant role in the outcome of the recent general election.

Ok guys, what do you think? RAHMAN or ANWAR? or post your own acronym theory...
Please post your comments let us know what you think.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Malaysia to act on Islamic conversion rows

Malaysia on Thursday proposed new rules on converting to Islam, in a bid to prevent wrangles that have split families and incited racial tensions in this multicultural country.

"We are working on a law that non-Muslims who are converting to Islam must inform their spouse and family," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said after meeting Islamic religious authorities.

"They will have to fill out a form and declare that they have informed their family of the pending conversion," he said.

The move follows a series of allegations of "body-snatching" by Islamic authorities, who have seized remains for burial according to Muslim rites, against the objections of non-Muslim family members.

The proposals are an olive branch to Malaysia's minority ethnic Chinese and Indians who are uneasy over rising "Islamisation" and have turned away from the government, which is dominated by Muslim Malays.

The coalition government's mis-handling of race issues is credited as one of the factors behind its drubbing in March 8 elections, when it lost a third of parliamentary seats and five states in its worst-ever results.

Abdullah said there had been many cases where non-Muslims had converted to Islam quietly without informing their families.

"This has resulted in a clash between religions when the person dies and the Islamic authorities try to claim the body but are opposed by family members who were not informed of the conversion," he said.

"This has caused much ill-will among the various religions."

In the most recent case, an elderly ethnic Chinese man was buried as a Muslim in January after his Buddhist family lost a battle with Islamic authorities who said he had converted.

Police seized the body of Gan Eng For after his eldest son -- himself a Muslim convert -- said he had switched to the religion. Other family members said that was impossible because he was senile and paralysed from strokes.

In many instances the rows have been decided by Islamic Sharia courts, where non-Muslim family members argue they do not get a fair hearing.

Malaysia PC Fair 2008 (I)

PIKOM PC Fair 2008 (I)
Dates and Venues

4 - 6 April 2008
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru, Johor
Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, 80000 Johor Bahru

Dewan Perbandaran Taiping, Taiping, Perak
Jalan Taming Sari, 34000 Taiping

Level 5, Permata Car Park Building, Kuching, Sarawak
Jalan Padungan, 93100 Kuching

Dewan Masyarakat Sandakan, Sandakan, Sabah
Jalan Leila, 90000 Sandakan

Dewan Masyarakat Tawau, Tawau, Sabah
Jalan Bakau, 91000 Tawau

11 - 13 April 2008
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
KL Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50888 Kuala Lumpur

Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh, Perak
Jalan Stadium Perak, 31400 Ipoh

Berjaya Megamall, Kuantan, Pahang
Jalan Tun Ismail, Sri Dagangan, 25000 Kuantan

Dewan Milenium, Kepala Batas, Penang
Bertam, 13200 Kepala Batas

Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, Muar, Johor
Jalan Arab, 84000 Muar

18 - 20 April 2008
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Penang International Sports Arena, Penang
Jalan Tun Dr Awang, 11900 Relau

Mahkota Parade Melaka, Melaka
Jalan Merdeka, 75000 Bandar Hilir

Sibu Trade & Exhibition Centre, Sibu, Sarawak
Power Road, 96000 Sibu

Miri Indoor Stadium, Miri, Sarawak
Jalan Sukan, 98000 Miri

Dewan Merdeka MPM, Seri Manjung, Perak
Jalan Pinang Raja, 32040 Seri Manjung

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Malaysia - PM Fires Back


KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi went on the offensive against his critics yesterday, signalling he would fight back to keep Umno and the government together. Speaking after a special presidential briefing to Umno members, the prime minister and Umno president acknowledged that while his predecessor had influence, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had misused it to the disadvantage of Umno.

"In 2004, when we won, he said we were too powerful and this was not proper and that we should have some opposition.

"When the opposition gained ground, we thought he was going to celebrate but instead he hit out at us," Abdullah said.

"We can't win big and we can't win little. So what can we do?" he said when asked whether continued criticism by Dr Mahathir would damage the party.
Dr Mahathir has been saying that Umno was in fear of Abdullah, to which he riposted: "In my time there is no freedom but it is also said that I am soft. Are they afraid of this softie?"

Asked whether his replies meant a change in his stance towards Dr Mahathir, the usually reticent Abdullah said: "I have to say what needs to be said.

"If there is no need to say anything, then I would not say it. There is no other intention."

He also asked why Dr Mahathir was questioning his handling of the mainstream press when the former premier himself had a tight grip on the media.

"I know that editors were called when Dr Mahathir took over as prime minister. They were told not to write nor carry pictures of Tun Hussein Onn," he said.

Dr Mahathir had also been responsible for "Operasi Lallang", a crackdown which saw the detention of 106 people under the Internal Security Act.

Asked whether he would call for an investigation into Dr Mahathir on his past actions, Abdullah said that would be left to the government agencies.

"If the matter needs to be investigated then it will be done."

On Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is making a bid to challenge him for the party presidency, Abdullah said the Kelantan Umno leader should look at himself for an explanation of why Kelantan remained in Pas hands.

"Ku Li needs to look at himself. He was the reason (in 1990, through Semangat 46) why we (Barisan Nasional) lost and Kelantan fell to Pas," he said.

He also asked whether Tengku Razaleigh had made any effort to help restore the Barisan Nasional as the state government.

Abdullah said he was informed that the Gua Musang MP did not assist the Kelantan BN in the 12th general election.

On the claims that 30 BN elected representatives were looking at defecting to the opposition, Abdullah said such an act would be despicable.

"They do not realise and recognise that the seat won was due to the rakyat. They do not care about the rakyat. What they want is power. All they are interested in is their leader becoming the prime minister.

"This is a form of corruption," said Abdullah.

He said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who had claimed to be actively persuading BN MPs to cross over to the opposition, was impatient to become prime minister.

"He considers himself the leader-in-waiting. Let him wait. I am the prime minister now."

On the move to reform the judiciary, Abdullah stressed that its troubles did not originate from his administration.

"Confidence, including from business circles, in our judiciary is low," he said.

Abdullah said the corporate sector preferred to refer contractual disputes to countries other than Malaysia.

"They do not have confidence (in the Malaysian judiciary). This is bad," he said.

Abdullah said the government had to do something about the negative views of the judiciary.

"The people have high hopes that the judiciary will be reformed."

Malaysia Politics TURN

Some 30 per cent of active MCA members will leave the party if Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting refuses to quit as president, the head of legal advisers at the MCA public services and complaints department, Datuk Theng Book, has claimed. The infighting would cause many to be angry and cross over to other political parties, Theng said after joining four other MCA leaders on Sunday in calling for Ong’s resignation.

The “Saving MCA” campaign, which began in Selangor, is part of road shows nationwide aimed at pressuring Ong to step aside.

“Once he steps down , we will stop. We are not power crazy or looking for government posts,” said Theng Book, who is also the chairman of MCA Puchong Youth division.

Datuk Dr Yap Yit Thong, former Lumut MP and a leader in the Saving MCA pro-tem committee, said Ong should bear the full responsibility for MCA’s “near annihilation” as he decided the list of election candidates on his own, without consulting or listening to other party members.
“Under the pretext of rejuvenation, he fielded over 50 per cent of new candidates,” he said.

Yap, who is also Ipoh Timur MCA division vice-chairman, also called for MCA Perak chief Datuk Ong Ka Chuan to bear responsibility for losing Perak, saying that the party could have won the Teja and Malim Nawar state seats, if not for the poor choice of candidates.

Among those at the event were former Ipoh Timur MP and Ipoh Timur MCA deputy chairman Datuk Thong Fah Chong, Petaling Jaya Utara MCA division deputy chairman Lim Choon Kim and former division chairman of MCA Petaling Jaya Utara, Wong Leong.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Malaysia Election

March 8th, 2008 - It was Malaysia election and voting day, 10.9 million registered voters. The Malaysia Election Commission was set up on 4th September 1957 according to Article 114 of the Federal Constitution. The Election happens only once every five years.

Compete shows the greatest changed (324.1%) in searches activities on SPR Website , mainly to check individuals pooling center details and search for latest official result of election . This had results in 5,203 visitors numbers on 8th March 2008. Visitor search for "election malaysia" gain a reasonably higher searches activities. These Visits are considered live until the user's interaction with the site has ceased for a 30-minute period.

Malaysia - Natural Herbs (Tongkat Ali)

Online Video of Tongkat Ali

Malaysia Natural Herbal Health Specialist had engaged a Malaysia Search Engines Marketing Firm on Social Media Strategy to publish its superior latest scientific techniques and the highest quality controlled methods of extraction in producing hight quality Tongkat Ali products.

Social media optimization (SMO) is a set of methods for generating publicity through social media, online communities and community websites. Methods of SMO include adding RSS feeds, adding a "Digg This" button, blogging and incorporating third party community functionalities like Flickr photo slides and galleries or YouTube videos. Social media optimization is a form of search engine marketing. Social media optimization is in many ways connected as a technique to viral marketing where word of mouth is created not through friends or family but through the use of networking in social bookmarking, video and photo sharing websites. Source : Wikipedia.


Online Video Ads and Media Optimization predicted to have tremendous increase in its growth since the emerged of Youtube Ads Opportunity. Survey conducted by Google and AOL, Web video ads increase web traffics. Digital media ads and videos are the recent convincing strategy to promote brand awareness and to get better online exposures, as people not only read nowdays, they want to watch and listen to get the real meaning of what you are selling.

Malaysia New Ruling

Being the opposition party in the 5 states is also a new experience for the previous ruling party. And by saying that you will be watching over the new government in fulfilling its promises is definitely a right thing to do... this is called check and balance... which was absent when BN was holding the 2/3 majority... at least you guys now learn that in Malaysian politics, there're two sides of a coin.

From the Star: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/4/nation/20080404190114&sec=nationThe Pakatan Rakyat state governments must fulfil what they have promised the people and not merely provide a lip service, said MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.

Hmm... sounds a lot like themselves then when they were ruling... well, hopefully MCA now will also do the same by fulfilling its pre-12th GE promises to the People and not merely providing lip service....

He said people could throw the governments out if they failed to achieve what they had pledged.

Don't worry, the 12th GE results is proof of what the People can and will do... No need for reassurance, the People knows what to do should whichever government fails its duties... Just go do what you are supposed to and leave the decision to the People...

If they can do it, then we will say it’s good. But if they are not able to accomplish what they have said, then they shouldn’t make any promise.

Very well said, but hopefully the relevant party will also clean up their own front lawn first and ensure that they do likewise before commenting on what the PR government can or cannot do...

He said the party was monitoring the speeches and promises made by the Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor state governments.

Monitoring is good, but hopefully not spending too much time monitoring and neglect more important tasks with higher priorities... now its not the time for witch-hunting...

Ong said the Barisan Nasional component parties must move on positively and be open to criticism after the general election. Barisan component parties must understand the people’s unhappiness and listen to their wish, which will need to be given serious consideration.

Well at least the 12th GE results opened your eyes and made you guys realise that what you have been doing in the recent years were not up to the People's satisfaction... Should you have done that earlier, then i believe that the results will not be such a Tsunami....

Friday, April 4, 2008

Bumper to Bumper


Malaysia BOLEH ! ! !

Sufiah and The World

I was unaware of the Sufiah story until yesterday when I was browsing The Star Online.

The News Of The World newspaper is reknowned for its titilating exposes of a sexual nature aimed at increasing the sales of its Sunday paper amongst a certain class of people in the UK. (Most people would be embarresed to admit to reading this paper.)

In this context it becomes important to understand the rational behind this publication. Sufiah's story will provide its readers some solace in the knowledge that bright people are no different to them and will suffice to justify their liberal sex n booze lifestyle.

The only impact to Malaysia from Sufiah's nominal connection to it amongst these people will be the reinforcement of the sexual image of malaysian women portrayed in the innumerable "joget" events performed for them as tourists (also for money!) Its very notable here that whilst women maybe near naked in the streets, official dancing by women for guests on any occassion only occurs in adult only venues. (Not generally respected places.)

Perhaps the Tourism Board needs to promote malaysia in a different manner. As for Sufiah, she should be "saved." She has the potential for significant good. Of course the government should do more for those in Malaysia, rather than continuosly making bigger and more luxorious buildings for itself.

RAKYAT

Situation 1

Snatch thieves are increasingly bold and are wreaking havoc, not to mention serious injuries to victimes

Solution :

After a group of state excos and councillors make an unrelated 'lawatan sambil belajar' observations in Las Vegas,they would have come up with a two pronged approach to this very serious problem

Award a multimillion ringgit contract to a Two Ringgit company who is owned by one of their relatives to rubberise pavements, so that when the victims fall, they do not get serious injuries.

The creativity in this solution is, not only the victims will not get serious injuries but this would provide work for countless rubber plantation workers, thus eradicating poverty in estates

Two pronged approach....Sufiah would not have thought of this!

Of course, some individual would make millions in the process but this it is a small sacrifice that has to be made for the good of the rakyat.

Situation 2

There is a serious shortage of doctors in Malaysia.

Solution :

Award million ringgit loans to the best Malaysia students and send them to prestigous overseas universities and help them become world renowned surgeons and doctors. By giving enormous sums of money to them, they would be encouraged to take up citizenship in their adopted country to avoid paying back the loans.

Now this might seem to be silly idea to us ordinary person but you are really missing the point.

This is what differentiates the politicians from the ordinary rakyat.

When these students become famous doctors and perform miraculous surgeries on a kid whose parents own a yacht and 2 jet planes, these former Malaysians would 'mengharumkan nama Malaysia'.

Now that will REALLY show the world how smart we are.


Situation 3

The standard of English is going down among students

Solution :

The politician concern will wave the keris sakti during Political Party Meetings. Not known to the rakyat is that this keris sakti is no ordinary keris. It is a magic wand. When you wave it around like a crazy person, it will actually send a spell across the nation and small children would miraculously start to converse in English.

So don't condemn this keris waving politician as he is actually an unsung hero. We should build a monument like the Petronas Twin Towers to honour his contribution to nation building.

There are many such examples that I can think off which can educate the rakyat on how the Malaysian politician thinks and contributes

Hopefully people would start appreciating our talented politicians and try to understand the benefit behind those seemingly ludicruos decisions that they make.

They know what they are doing and we should just shut up and accept it.