Thursday, December 18, 2008

Bush will be remembered as the worst President in the history of the world

What happened to Bush recently in Iraq is an indication that he will be remembered as the worst President in the history of the world.

Wasted more than 12b a month 2 create mess in Iraq, escalating racial n religious 10sions, tortured muslims n Palestiaians, Abu Gahrib, Guantanamo Bay, human rights abuses, skyrocketing oil prices, biggest deficit in America's history, doublled America's debt, messed up America's economy, created the biggest meltdown since The Great Depression, widened the income divide, giving nothing to lower middle classes but give hefty tax cuts to the welthiest Americans and largest corporations, climate change, destroying the environment and the long list goes on.

All these happaned during his tenure.

His popularity plummeted to record lows due to the war in Iraq and the global meltdown. Anytime, anywhere, and in fact everywhere he goes, he will surely greeted by lukewarm response, street protests etc.

The damage has been done. Even if he manage to reverse all these during last final days in the White House, he will still be remembered as the worst President in the history of the world.

IJN Being Taken Over By Sime Darby ! ?

Sime Darby Group [which owns a chain of (high cost) private hospitals] had confirmed interest to acquire National Heart Institute [Institut Jantung Negara], which is now owned by the government. At least at this moment, the public (of all walks of life) can 'access' and 'walk' into IJN for treatments, and at times appeal for assistance or lowering the fees, and if need be, seek the help of Ministry Of Health and government.

If the government intend letting the public health services (especially specialist hospitals) be privatized, due to strong lobbying of 'selected' non-govenment corporate giants, will this auger well for the Malaysian citizens? Whether such purchasers are local or foreign companies, they are still from private sectors. Unless the interest of the public and citizens interests are seriously looked into, we may lose the IJN, which thus far, has been supported by taxes and public monies.

The public should ensure that IJN should not be lost to another enterprise, whose main corporate objective perhaps is aiming for maximizing profits for its shareholders.

Very likely, some other 'specialist' hospitals and related disciplines are also subjects of being taken over. Government should at whatever (existing) costs of maintenance, ensure that such hospitals and establishmentes (like Institute Of Medical Research) remain TOTALLY in the hands of the government agencies.

A hospital is expensive to maintain. Public interests must rank paramount!

How terrible is Proton in the eyes of Malaysian?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PROTON CARS?Personally find it flimsy and light.

WAS PROTON CARS A GOOD BUY? Never thought of buying one.

DO YOU CONFIDENT ON PROTON CARS? More confident on Perodua.

IS PROTON CARS HAS REAL BAD ENGINE OR SYSTEM PROBLEM? Never really own one, but heard stories like Power window, steering issues on the Wajas, poor engine in Gen2.

WHAT IS ALWAYS AND FREQUENTLY BREAKSDOWN IN PROTON CARS? I'm not sure, any comment on this.

WHICH MODEL IS THE WORST FROM PROTON? Personally by view, Savvy is one ugly car to me.

WHICH IS THE BEST FROM PROTON? So far the Iswara models made during Yr 98 to Yr 2000 looks the best.

By the way, this is disclaimer that tell people, I don't own a Proton Car. In fact never owns 1 at all before. I've started by gift from my dad a Datsun 120Y (those in Penang know, this is used for Kereta Sapu). Then save enough to buy my 1st car the Kancil 660EX and driven it for 6 years. Upgrade to Kenari GX and driven for more than 4years. Now I'm driving into the 3rd month my Vios. Above questions is just to gauge, for those that really owns a Proton car before.

I've only driven Protons on joyride from relatives and friends in Wira, Iswara and Saga (Magma and Megavalve).

So honestly, guys and gals out there or out here, what is your opinion on Protons.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

The importance of accreditation

I am speaking from my own experience as a clinician and an academic. The accreditation I am talking about is not Uni accreditation, but rather professional accreditation.

Depending on the profession, accreditation is important. Accreditation is what separates those who hold the necessary degree and those who hold the degree AND are actually practising according to a set of standards and regulations. This is especially important in the medical and health profession. Imagine putting your life under the care of someone who has a medical degree but has not practiced for 10 years since graduation!

Peer accreditation, especially, is important. What separates peer accreditation from government accreditation? Well... in peer accreditation, a person is assessed based on a set of regulations set by their peers. Their performances will be assessed and criticized by their peers within the same profession. This ensures a high standard of good practice. In government accreditation, a person is required to meet a set of rules set by the government and these rules may be politically motivated and have less emphasis on standard of professional practice.

Accreditation also ensures that a professional maintains continuing education and keeps up-to-date with his/her practice. This is because in order for a person to continue being accredited, he/she must submit evidences of professional activities he/she had undertaken every year (or in a financial cycle of the professional organisation etc) to maintain his/her accreditation.

This is the reason why, in certain profession, accreditation is more important than just merely holding the degree for that profession.

Accreditations from certain countries (for certain professions) are recognised by a set of other countries because the professionals and governments in those countries have committed to a certain understanding between themselves. Normally, the country which is the strictest in their accreditation will have recognition pretty much everywhere in the world... and therefore, accreditation from these countries are well sought after and highly regarded.

In Malaysia, many of the health professions are not accreditated. What it means is, there is poor regulation on the quality of health professionals, on what they are allowed or not allowed to practice etc. Therefore, one can see a dietitian (for example) in Malaysia who uses their professional degree to sell and market health products of dubious quality, making claims such as "cure cancer" or "eliminate diabetes" etc. If there is peer accreditation, such people can be easily stopped from practising or from calling themselves by a certain profession. Public awareness from accreditation will mean that people will be asking for an accredited pofessional.

Accreditation also enhances the trust the public has on the integrity of practice from the profession and increases the marketability of the profession to the public and to other people from other professions. It also helps with setting up a netting system, a monitoring system and a self-appraisal system that ensures continuing education is undertaken always.

Why accreditation is not sought after in Malaysia?

Well... in the words of someone I know (an academic from a local Uni in Malaysia)..."If we are to peer accreditate these people....more than half of them will not make the cut...how are they going to find job?"

Please Vote For Nicol David

Dear all malaysian,

Now at 10.15am, Datuk Nicol David lead by a slim margin of 50.57% against Cristiano Ronaldo 49.43.

Plse support our squash queen Datuk Nicol David here:-

ESPN STAR

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Seat belts and overloading

Datuk Suret Singh, DG of Road Safety Department warned that the 4th rear seat passenger might get away for not wearing seat belt but driver could be fined for overloading. Said vehicles could carry only five persons.

So, you with more than three kids, be warned.

a) send kids to school - 2 trips

b) balik kampung - 2 trips

c) picnic - 2 trips

Alternative :

a) take bus

b) buy new car to be driven by wife, and have a mini convoy

c) walk

d) taxi (taxi also subject to max of five pax, so must get 2 taxies)

Agree, that safety is major issue. Would like to seek opinions from fellow bloggers, whether Datuk Suret's assessment is really practical and actually reduce risks.

Amusing food and sundry items prices despite drop of fuel prices

Today saw thestar.com.my and knew about the fuel price drop until RM 1.90 for RON97 and RM1.80 for RON92. Bravo, should have done this a long time ago. But there is another contradictive fact that keep annoying me and other citizens in Malaysia (which I believe most of us do) : the price of food and all sundry items. To PM : Do you know what type of damage have you done to whole Malaysian wallets? Maybe you don't feel it, but we all do feel it : 20-30% extra spending (which means 20-30% lesser in savings)

When the fuel price increase 78 cents in 1 shot, all sectors were trying their best to increase price and cost at all levels, which this time shows the best effort ever in history of Malaysia, from nasi lemak seller to nasi kandar seller to flour supplier to taxi and bus driver to hawkers, and TNB was among the one that fights the most (we can see all sort of funny reasons came out from those suppliers and GLCs). Funnily, Poslaju Malaysia didn't increase the postage rate while all other courier increased the courier charges almost immediately. Guess what? after fuel prices dropped down, Poslaju increased their surcharge to 25%!!! Very smart management to increase price while the cost was actually dropping. What is the consequences of these? Almost all prices increased due to increase of transportation which leads to sudden increase of inflation rate.

At the hawker center, a big bowl of Kari Mee which usually just cost RM 2.50-2.80 suddenly shoot up to minimum RM3, and the content magically reduce so much. When asked about it, they say flour and rice and mee and *fill in the blank* supplier increase cost 10-20%. Tragic increase of 25-40% of food price in general while suppliers just increase 10-20%, a typical kiasu Malaysia hawkers attitude.

Let's change to fast food restaurants. I don't really know in detail about how they rate their so-called service charges, but after fuel price increase, you really have to check your bills properly. Usually they just charge 5% for service charges, but now generally they impose 5% government tax and 5-10% of service charges. I did ask 1 of the fast food restaurant manager, he told me that it's inevitable due to government getting extra tax from them (not sure true or not). But if this is true, the government really have to re-think their policy. The maximum tax should be imposed on smokers, as those people are creating bad breathing air that can cause cancers. Why we civilians have to suffer the extra tax? We are already paying tax every year, and we are getting charged again in restaurants, and it's not little amount!!!

We Malaysian are typically not so greedy, we just want a low and stable price of food. Increase of prices during high fuel price hike, we do understand that. But now that all fuel prices has dropped, where is the decrease of food and transportation price? Increase RM 1 but drop 10 cent for each poslaju courier? Increase 50 cent for hawker food but never reduce hawker food price until now? TNB die die want to increase tariff as soon as the fuel price goes up, but now that the fuel price dropped, the CEO of TNB just keep quiet? If the government has a leader with conscious mind, the prices of food would have drop alot by now, electricity tariff would not be so burden to majority of us now, and you, the ruling party of Malaysia, you won't end up losing 5 state to the hands of newly-formed Pakatan Rakyat just like that.

Please, do something for the benefit of people. BN is already losing people vote and faith nowadays, it's time to wake up and do something right.

Beware of Mukhriz Intention

Mukhriz Mahathir reason for closing down vernacular school tottaly irrational. Look around our neighbour like Thailand, Phillipines and Indonesia. Despite their so called 'one system', their unity level can't be proud of.. Southern Thailand in choas, religiuos fighting in Indonesia and Phillipines.

There are others way to create unity in Malaysia.

Closing down vernacular school in Malaysia purely Mukhriz strategy to win UMNO youth post.

Beware of Mukhriz Intention

Mukhriz Mahathir reason for closing down vernacular school tottaly irrational. Look around our neighbour like Thailand, Phillipines and Indonesia. Despite their so called 'one system', their unity level can't be proud of.. Southern Thailand in choas, religiuos fighting in Indonesia and Phillipines.

There are others way to create unity in Malaysia.

Closing down vernacular school in Malaysia purely Mukhriz strategy to win UMNO youth post.

PIKOM PC Fair 2008 (III)

PIKOM PC Fair 2008 (III) - Dates and Venues

5 - 7 December 2008 (11:00 am - 9:00 pm)

Penang International Sports Arena, Penang - Jalan Tun Dr Awang, 11900 Relau

Sabah Trade Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Jalan Istiadat, Teluk Likas, 88400 Kota Kinabalu

Central Square, Sungai Petani, Kedah - Jalan Kampung Baru, 08000 Sungai Petani


Dewan SJK(C) Yuk Choy, Ipoh, Perak - 195, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, 30000 Ipoh

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

12 - 14 December 2008 (11:00 am - 9:00 pm)

KL Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50888 Kuala Lumpur

Mahkota Parade Melaka, Melaka - Jalan Merdeka, 75000 Bandar Hilir

Dewan Suarah, Bintulu, Sarawak -
Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi, 97008 Bintulu

Batu Pahat (BP) Mall, Batu Pahat, Johor - Jalan Kluang, 83000 Batu Pahat

19 - 21 December 2008 (11:00 am - 9:00 pm)

Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru - Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, 80000 Johor Bahru

Dewan 2020, Kangar, Perlis - 01000, Kangar

Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, Kluang, Johor - 86000, Kluang