This is worth sharing. It make a lot of sense & it is from
P. Gunasegaram is managing editor of The Star. He thinks it is high time we changed the way we did business
Connections and the ability to flip assets can get you going places
If you have ever wondered how to get rich in Malaysia – fabulously rich and very quickly at that – here’s a model that you might want to look at very closely.
Not easy to do but if you do have a couple of projects in the bag, it will set you up for several lifetimes.
First you need connections – strong ones, the higher the better and if it goes right up to the top all the better.
You need this because you need to convince the powers that be that your projects are good.
But you might ask if your projects are so good, why do you need connections? Why don’t you just go out and execute?
Good questions, those. Here’s the answer - you need the state to give you something to do the deal that will help the nation.
Still can’t figure it out? See, it’s like this. You want to help the country, right? The country needs say a port. But you can’t build a port just like that. You need land to build a port.
You tell the state or federal government you need land – cheap land, preferably free to build the port.
Or to take another example, you want to help the country by building a power plant. But look, you need land too and not only that you need the power to be sold. So you want an agreement – an iron-clad one to sell the power to Tenaga Nasional and to pass through all costs.
You see, that’s your reward as an entrepreneur – you get someone else to build the power plant, they guarantee the performance of the plant and someone else guarantees to buy your power and pay for all your costs. Nice deal? You bet. Billionaires have been made that way.
Or you may want to start an air hub. If you are persuasive enough, you can even convince the government to compulsorily acquire the land and sell it to you cheap. Once you have cheap land, lucrative contracts and concession agreements, the sky’s the limit.
Let’s take it a step further. If you want to realise the value of all of these things that you have and still keep control of them, it’s nice to have a listed company into which you can inject them.
Inject one asset for shares and you gain control of the company.
And then inject others over the years for cash, taking the money out of the company. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?
Do it right and get a flow of assets to inject in (you can do anything with discounted cash flow valuations – just change the discount rate, and presto, the value changes!), and you get a tidy flow of profits and cash into your personal accounts over the years. I mean a really tidy flow.
Just how much can you make this way, you ask? Why don’t you take a guess first? Did you say RM500mil? Guess again. RM1bil? How about five times that and you may be getting into the right order of magnitude.
One Tan Sri S M Albu actually made some RM4.5bil that way - actually more because he still controls the listed company. (MMC’s latest RM1.7bil deal irks investors7) We are not saying he is the only one, which makes your chances of joining the ranks better – if you are connected to high places that is.
But then again, if things change – and that’s still a big ‘if’ – you might not find it so easy anymore.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
茶为道 酒为魔
茶为道，酒为魔。
茶能使人修心养性；酒则使人丧心病狂。
茶能使人变得神圣和伟大；酒则使人变得邪恶和卑鄙。
茶能启智，使人变得越来越聪明；酒则至愚，使人变得越来越痴呆。
茶能强身健体，增强生命力；酒则反之，使人失去对疾病的抵抗力。
茶使人变得尊贵典雅；酒则使人大失风度。
茶能培养人的高风亮节；酒则使人变得厚颜无耻。
茶不断地给人带来福音；酒则一再给人带来灾难。
茶友令人欣慰；酒友令人烦恼。
劝茶的人，多为至交；劝酒的人，多为对手。
劝茶的人，你尽可放心；劝酒的人，你千万当心。
一生中，多几个茶友，是你的造化；一生中，多几个酒友，是你的不幸。
传说，酒与茶，皆始于尧，有人为讨好尧帝，酿酒敬上，尧饮后兴奋，知此物能乱性误国，下令把酿酒的人杀了。可见尧帝的圣明，非常人所及。
在胶南观音茶厂的墙壁上，始终保留着这样九个字："茶为道！酒为魔！烟为毒”.
茶能使人修心养性；酒则使人丧心病狂。
茶能使人变得神圣和伟大；酒则使人变得邪恶和卑鄙。
茶能启智，使人变得越来越聪明；酒则至愚，使人变得越来越痴呆。
茶能强身健体，增强生命力；酒则反之，使人失去对疾病的抵抗力。
茶使人变得尊贵典雅；酒则使人大失风度。
茶能培养人的高风亮节；酒则使人变得厚颜无耻。
茶不断地给人带来福音；酒则一再给人带来灾难。
茶友令人欣慰；酒友令人烦恼。
劝茶的人，多为至交；劝酒的人，多为对手。
劝茶的人，你尽可放心；劝酒的人，你千万当心。
一生中，多几个茶友，是你的造化；一生中，多几个酒友，是你的不幸。
传说，酒与茶，皆始于尧，有人为讨好尧帝，酿酒敬上，尧饮后兴奋，知此物能乱性误国，下令把酿酒的人杀了。可见尧帝的圣明，非常人所及。
在胶南观音茶厂的墙壁上，始终保留着这样九个字："茶为道！酒为魔！烟为毒”.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
My Notebook
This is what happen to my Notebook now.
RIP.
But some spare part still can be used, anyone ??
Just drop me a line.
RIP.
But some spare part still can be used, anyone ??
Just drop me a line.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Barack Obama
Finally, i decided put post Obama's picture on CE's Blog.
I belive he is a great man, and i belive great man can bring good luck to me.
迎来新总统 奥巴马改变美国历史
I belive he is a great man, and i belive great man can bring good luck to me.
迎来新总统 奥巴马改变美国历史
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
SCAM by KWSP
Not too sure how true is this matter ??????
This is another method for KWSP to steal our money!
Remember during Budget 2008 announcement last yr, our Finance Minister (cum> PM) announced that in order to assist KWSP members to reduce the burden in housing load repayment, KWSP will allow monthly withdrawal from members' A/C II for the purpose?
Sounds like a nice goodies!
When you apply for the monthly withdrawal, you only need to provide KWSP yr housing loan & instalment details from yr bank and the bank a/c # you like KWSP to bank the monthly withdrawal into it. KWSP will approve yr application based on the available amt in yr A/C II and compute the withdrawal period by dividing the approved amt with the monthly instalment amt.
Application process takes about a month and you will receive the monthly payout promptly into yr bank a/c!
Well everything appear to be nice and good. It was indeed a noble plan unti you take to close look at yr KWSP Statement! The withdrawal plan is actually a SCAM!
This is how the KWSP SCAM works.......
Assuming you have RM100,000 in yr A/C II and yr housing> loan's monthly instalment is RM2000/mth. KWSP will approve yr application of withdrawal from yr A/C II of RM100,000 and pay you RM2000/mth for the next 50mths. Everything appears to be in order BUT.......
What KWSP didn't highlight to you is that when the application was approved, the TOTAL AMT (RM100,000) is removed from yr A/C II! It appears to be> transfered to an unknown a/c to effect the monthly payment from therein.
The impact to the member are as follows :-
1. You just lost RM100,000 from yr A/C II. Assuming the> KWSP Dividend is 5%, you will lose RM4,000 in dividend during the 1st year. Based on the above> example you will will lose RM10,000 over the 50 mths> period!
2. There is no statement to account for the amt approved vs amt paid, hence you would need to keep the monthly payment voucher to> reconcile against the approved amt over the 50mths period to ensure there is no missing amt!
Assuming there are 100,000 members who innocently fell prey to this SCAM, based on the above example, KWSP would have cheated the members of 100,000 X RM10,000 = RM1,000,000,000 (that's RM1 BILLION) over the period!
Furthermore, if you discovered this SCAM early and intend to stop the plan, KWSP would not allow any cancellation of the plan until at least 1 year.
That would mean, once the application is approved, based on the above example, you would have lost RM4,000.
100,000 members would have lost 100,000 X RM4,000 = RM400,000,000 (RM400 MILLION) in One Year!!!
If you're a victim of this KWSP SCAM, would suggest you call yr MP to raise hell in Parliament! (BN MPs won't do it) For others who have not fallen into this SCAM, pls continue to watch out and> alert yr family & friends about this.
HOW COULD THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW ITS AGENCY TASKED WITH SAFEGUARDING ITS CITIZEN'S HARD EARNED MONEY TO CHEAT ITS MEMBERS IN THIS MANNER???
This is another method for KWSP to steal our money!
Remember during Budget 2008 announcement last yr, our Finance Minister (cum> PM) announced that in order to assist KWSP members to reduce the burden in housing load repayment, KWSP will allow monthly withdrawal from members' A/C II for the purpose?
Sounds like a nice goodies!
When you apply for the monthly withdrawal, you only need to provide KWSP yr housing loan & instalment details from yr bank and the bank a/c # you like KWSP to bank the monthly withdrawal into it. KWSP will approve yr application based on the available amt in yr A/C II and compute the withdrawal period by dividing the approved amt with the monthly instalment amt.
Application process takes about a month and you will receive the monthly payout promptly into yr bank a/c!
Well everything appear to be nice and good. It was indeed a noble plan unti you take to close look at yr KWSP Statement! The withdrawal plan is actually a SCAM!
This is how the KWSP SCAM works.......
Assuming you have RM100,000 in yr A/C II and yr housing> loan's monthly instalment is RM2000/mth. KWSP will approve yr application of withdrawal from yr A/C II of RM100,000 and pay you RM2000/mth for the next 50mths. Everything appears to be in order BUT.......
What KWSP didn't highlight to you is that when the application was approved, the TOTAL AMT (RM100,000) is removed from yr A/C II! It appears to be> transfered to an unknown a/c to effect the monthly payment from therein.
The impact to the member are as follows :-
1. You just lost RM100,000 from yr A/C II. Assuming the> KWSP Dividend is 5%, you will lose RM4,000 in dividend during the 1st year. Based on the above> example you will will lose RM10,000 over the 50 mths> period!
2. There is no statement to account for the amt approved vs amt paid, hence you would need to keep the monthly payment voucher to> reconcile against the approved amt over the 50mths period to ensure there is no missing amt!
Assuming there are 100,000 members who innocently fell prey to this SCAM, based on the above example, KWSP would have cheated the members of 100,000 X RM10,000 = RM1,000,000,000 (that's RM1 BILLION) over the period!
Furthermore, if you discovered this SCAM early and intend to stop the plan, KWSP would not allow any cancellation of the plan until at least 1 year.
That would mean, once the application is approved, based on the above example, you would have lost RM4,000.
100,000 members would have lost 100,000 X RM4,000 = RM400,000,000 (RM400 MILLION) in One Year!!!
If you're a victim of this KWSP SCAM, would suggest you call yr MP to raise hell in Parliament! (BN MPs won't do it) For others who have not fallen into this SCAM, pls continue to watch out and> alert yr family & friends about this.
HOW COULD THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW ITS AGENCY TASKED WITH SAFEGUARDING ITS CITIZEN'S HARD EARNED MONEY TO CHEAT ITS MEMBERS IN THIS MANNER???
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Art of Drinking Tea – Chinese Tea Ceremony
The following text was copied from the link below
http://www.miceinasia.com/index.php?p=contents-item&id=1616
Serving and drinking tea is very much a Chinese culture and in China, you can easily find a tea house in practically every corner of the country’s cities. It’s a place where people meet friends, exchange news about family members and also conduct business. Now, these tea houses have also become venues where destination managers bring their incentive groups to witness the ancient art of tea preparation and sample some of the finest teas in China.
The Chinese tea ceremony is actually not a ritual as many would think. It is not related to religion instead it emphasises on the tea rather than the ceremony. The whole exercise is on the taste and smell of tea. The taste of the tea is then compared to the previous tea through several rounds of drinking. Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and to be appreciated.
In the making of tea, what is most important is the way it is infused, and second the drinking utensil that is used, the tea pot. Normally about three to five grams of tea are put in a cup with boiled water. The first cup is poured out only to drink the subsequent ones. Tea drinking is said to help reduce weight, is good for the digestive system and will lower your cholesterol.
In China tea is drunk daily and because of its climate and geographic location, different parts of the country grow various kinds of tea. There are five kinds of tea classified according to different techniques involved in making tea. They are the Longjing of Hangzhou, Wulong from Fujian, Jasmine tea, Black tea and compressed tea.
Since tea is the most popular beverage in China, there is even a museum dedicated to it. The tea museum in Hangzhou was opened in 1991, and is the only one of its kind in the country, that is dedicated to tea. Here visitors will be able to discover the impact of tea on the lives of various Chinese groups. On display are 300 kinds of tea along with information which traces the historical background and development of tea in China. Also within the museum is a research institute which often holds conferences on tea and tea culture.
Today, tea drinking in China has culminated into an art form that stresses on the types of tea, brewing and tasting of tea. There is a famous phrase in China that is ke lai jin cha which means when a guest arrives, tea will be brewed. So don’t be surprised when the first thing your Chinese host will do is serve you a cup of tea.
http://www.miceinasia.com/index.php?p=contents-item&id=1616
Serving and drinking tea is very much a Chinese culture and in China, you can easily find a tea house in practically every corner of the country’s cities. It’s a place where people meet friends, exchange news about family members and also conduct business. Now, these tea houses have also become venues where destination managers bring their incentive groups to witness the ancient art of tea preparation and sample some of the finest teas in China.
The Chinese tea ceremony is actually not a ritual as many would think. It is not related to religion instead it emphasises on the tea rather than the ceremony. The whole exercise is on the taste and smell of tea. The taste of the tea is then compared to the previous tea through several rounds of drinking. Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and to be appreciated.
In the making of tea, what is most important is the way it is infused, and second the drinking utensil that is used, the tea pot. Normally about three to five grams of tea are put in a cup with boiled water. The first cup is poured out only to drink the subsequent ones. Tea drinking is said to help reduce weight, is good for the digestive system and will lower your cholesterol.
In China tea is drunk daily and because of its climate and geographic location, different parts of the country grow various kinds of tea. There are five kinds of tea classified according to different techniques involved in making tea. They are the Longjing of Hangzhou, Wulong from Fujian, Jasmine tea, Black tea and compressed tea.
Since tea is the most popular beverage in China, there is even a museum dedicated to it. The tea museum in Hangzhou was opened in 1991, and is the only one of its kind in the country, that is dedicated to tea. Here visitors will be able to discover the impact of tea on the lives of various Chinese groups. On display are 300 kinds of tea along with information which traces the historical background and development of tea in China. Also within the museum is a research institute which often holds conferences on tea and tea culture.
Today, tea drinking in China has culminated into an art form that stresses on the types of tea, brewing and tasting of tea. There is a famous phrase in China that is ke lai jin cha which means when a guest arrives, tea will be brewed. So don’t be surprised when the first thing your Chinese host will do is serve you a cup of tea.
Since chinese tea is so good as waht the writter said, i am strong recommended all friends to start drink chinese tea.
As shown in the photo below, a chinese tea pot set like that will cost you around RM80.00 to RM90.00. Which excluding the decoration stuff.
If you are inteested, i can help you to get this starter set.
Kindly drop your comment below in the comment box provided below.
Enjoy Tea Drinking.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Chinese Tea Pot
Up loading here a Yi Xing's Tea Pot that i feel good.
1. The clay is good.
2. The colour is nice and something special.
3. The handicraft is good.
Is a item that worth the value for collector.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Too Many Cook Spoil the Soup
1. It is very often that we heard what people said.
“Too Many Cook Spoil the Soup"
2. But do you know............
“Too Many Bosses will spoil the Staff"
3. And do you know...........
“Too many 'Spoil Staff' will spoil the Company.
“Too Many Cook Spoil the Soup"
2. But do you know............
“Too Many Bosses will spoil the Staff"
3. And do you know...........
“Too many 'Spoil Staff' will spoil the Company.
Monday, October 6, 2008
冰島概念
本文作者:徐亞和 發表在《普洱茶春.夏.秋.冬》2007年秋版
作為茶人，能夠研發出引領市場方向的茶品，是件非常榮幸的事。2005年時的臨滄市，沒能在普洱茶界引起足夠的關注，帶著一種責任和使命感，我想把雲南第一大茶區得天獨厚的茶品介紹給廣大的普洱茶愛好者，衷心希望存茶、藏茶的朋友能夠擁有經得住時間檢驗的典範性茶品。
2006年春茶開採的時候，我委託家在雙江勐庫的學生蹲點到冰島村，從農戶手裡收購了一批未經雕琢的曬青毛茶，於清明前送到廠裡加工。我把它按地點和品種命名為「冰島長葉」，在4月30日的臨滄茶博會上，與《解讀普洱——最新普洱茶百問百答》首發式一起展出。我沒有想到的是，06年5月以後，「冰島長葉」以「條肥、味釅、營養豐富」得到廣泛認可，「冰島」開始瘋狂起來……
「冰島」是當地民族俚語漢語化的諧音，我選「冰島長葉」作為介紹臨滄茶的突破口，是因為冰島在臨滄乃至雲南茶葉中佔有非常重要的地位——
臨滄市茶樹栽培有史記載最早見於《順寧府府志·順寧雜著》，遺憾的是該志書裡沒有記錄勐庫大葉種的蛛絲馬跡。民間對勐庫大葉茶種植的傳說主要有兩種：一是公元一四七八年（明成化帝時期）引來；又傳是清康熙年間（公元一六五五年），李四經商途經思、普，悄悄把茶籽裝入竹筒做的扁擔帶回一百多粒，種植在冰島緬寺附近，成活十餘株，逐漸繁殖擴大成為今天的勐庫大葉種，由於是單株繁殖起來的，所以勐庫種的純度高達80%。
傳說畢竟是傳說，可以作為故事一代一代講下去。真正生長在冰島的「勐庫大葉種」大面積普及推廣是在清末民國初期，在當地土司（大佛爺）控制下，範圍逐漸由冰島傳播到懂閣、大戶賽、公弄，之後傳至邦改、邦木、邦協和土戈、尹甸、勐勐等地，它們以勐庫為中心集散，於是被統稱為勐庫茶；同時，「冰島長葉」也由民間傳播到鄰縣耿馬的馬廠、翁達、班太，臨滄縣的完賢、坡腳等地，形成了勐庫大葉種的種子繁殖基地，為臨滄後來的茶葉大發展奠定了物質基礎。
如果說勐庫大葉茶是雲南大葉種茶的正宗，那麼，「冰島長葉」則是勐庫大葉種的源頭！
作為茶人，能夠研發出引領市場方向的茶品，是件非常榮幸的事。2005年時的臨滄市，沒能在普洱茶界引起足夠的關注，帶著一種責任和使命感，我想把雲南第一大茶區得天獨厚的茶品介紹給廣大的普洱茶愛好者，衷心希望存茶、藏茶的朋友能夠擁有經得住時間檢驗的典範性茶品。
2006年春茶開採的時候，我委託家在雙江勐庫的學生蹲點到冰島村，從農戶手裡收購了一批未經雕琢的曬青毛茶，於清明前送到廠裡加工。我把它按地點和品種命名為「冰島長葉」，在4月30日的臨滄茶博會上，與《解讀普洱——最新普洱茶百問百答》首發式一起展出。我沒有想到的是，06年5月以後，「冰島長葉」以「條肥、味釅、營養豐富」得到廣泛認可，「冰島」開始瘋狂起來……
「冰島」是當地民族俚語漢語化的諧音，我選「冰島長葉」作為介紹臨滄茶的突破口，是因為冰島在臨滄乃至雲南茶葉中佔有非常重要的地位——
臨滄市茶樹栽培有史記載最早見於《順寧府府志·順寧雜著》，遺憾的是該志書裡沒有記錄勐庫大葉種的蛛絲馬跡。民間對勐庫大葉茶種植的傳說主要有兩種：一是公元一四七八年（明成化帝時期）引來；又傳是清康熙年間（公元一六五五年），李四經商途經思、普，悄悄把茶籽裝入竹筒做的扁擔帶回一百多粒，種植在冰島緬寺附近，成活十餘株，逐漸繁殖擴大成為今天的勐庫大葉種，由於是單株繁殖起來的，所以勐庫種的純度高達80%。
傳說畢竟是傳說，可以作為故事一代一代講下去。真正生長在冰島的「勐庫大葉種」大面積普及推廣是在清末民國初期，在當地土司（大佛爺）控制下，範圍逐漸由冰島傳播到懂閣、大戶賽、公弄，之後傳至邦改、邦木、邦協和土戈、尹甸、勐勐等地，它們以勐庫為中心集散，於是被統稱為勐庫茶；同時，「冰島長葉」也由民間傳播到鄰縣耿馬的馬廠、翁達、班太，臨滄縣的完賢、坡腳等地，形成了勐庫大葉種的種子繁殖基地，為臨滄後來的茶葉大發展奠定了物質基礎。
如果說勐庫大葉茶是雲南大葉種茶的正宗，那麼，「冰島長葉」則是勐庫大葉種的源頭！
Subang Parade to and from LCCT
The shuttle bus operates from Subang Parade to and from LCCT as follows:
From Subang Parade
0445
0530
0700
0900
1100
1300 (1pm)
1500 (3pm)
1700 (5pm)
1900 (7pm)
2000 (8pm)
2130 (9.30pm)
From LCCT to Subang Parade
0630
0800
0930
1130
1300 (1pm)
1530 (3.30pm)
1730 (5.30pm)
1830 (6.30pm)
2130 (9.30pm)
2330 (11.30pm)
0030 (12.30AM)
The shuttle service takes one from Subang Parade and the exact pick up point is at Digital One external entrance which is Subang Parade's back ie Jalan SS16/1.
From Subang Parade
0445
0530
0700
0900
1100
1300 (1pm)
1500 (3pm)
1700 (5pm)
1900 (7pm)
2000 (8pm)
2130 (9.30pm)
From LCCT to Subang Parade
0630
0800
0930
1130
1300 (1pm)
1530 (3.30pm)
1730 (5.30pm)
1830 (6.30pm)
2130 (9.30pm)
2330 (11.30pm)
0030 (12.30AM)
The shuttle service takes one from Subang Parade and the exact pick up point is at Digital One external entrance which is Subang Parade's back ie Jalan SS16/1.
Hari Raya
1. Hari Raya means a new year for Muslim.
2. A holiday break for non-muslim.
After holiday break, come back to work. This is our working life cycle.
Happy working.
2. A holiday break for non-muslim.
After holiday break, come back to work. This is our working life cycle.
Happy working.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Light Up Canddle for Peace
2 weeks ago, many Chinese are lighting up lantern for Mid Autumn Festival, as this festival is mainly means for all family member to gather for family activity and so on.
And a have received some mail requesting everybody to light up a candle in front of your house gate, means for PEACE.
And yesterday, thousand of people were light up candle on the street, i think this must be requesting somebody to do something for them.
And a have received some mail requesting everybody to light up a candle in front of your house gate, means for PEACE.
And yesterday, thousand of people were light up candle on the street, i think this must be requesting somebody to do something for them.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Pass this on to all in Penang and those going to Penang
I got this massage three times today.
and telling to poss on to Pinang Kia.
Date: Monday, 22 September, 2008, 1:41 PM
Dear friends and all,
This is an SMS which we received. Please pass it on.
"WE PENANGITES BRAVELY DECLARE A BUSINESS WAR AGAINST AHMAD ISMAIL.
This is to confirm that Ahmad Ismail (mamak Pendatang India) is a major shareholder of HOTEL NORTHAM (Penang) and HOTEL GURNEY (Penang).
For those outside of Penang, please inform your family, relatives & friends to BOYCOTT these 2 hotels when they come for holiday in Penang. Let's BOYCOTT FOR WHOLE LIFE.
Please circulate this message to as many people as possible. And also not to forget to BOYCOTT all the Nasi Kandar & SHELL petrol station at ISLAND GLADES (the one in front of Gembira Shopping Complex) in Penang.
For the sake of CHINESE DIGNITY.
Thank you."
and telling to poss on to Pinang Kia.
Date: Monday, 22 September, 2008, 1:41 PM
Dear friends and all,
This is an SMS which we received. Please pass it on.
"WE PENANGITES BRAVELY DECLARE A BUSINESS WAR AGAINST AHMAD ISMAIL.
This is to confirm that Ahmad Ismail (mamak Pendatang India) is a major shareholder of HOTEL NORTHAM (Penang) and HOTEL GURNEY (Penang).
For those outside of Penang, please inform your family, relatives & friends to BOYCOTT these 2 hotels when they come for holiday in Penang. Let's BOYCOTT FOR WHOLE LIFE.
Please circulate this message to as many people as possible. And also not to forget to BOYCOTT all the Nasi Kandar & SHELL petrol station at ISLAND GLADES (the one in front of Gembira Shopping Complex) in Penang.
For the sake of CHINESE DIGNITY.
Thank you."
Umno top guns meet on power transfer
Malaysiakini Team Sep 26, 08 8:49am
Twenty-five of the most powerful leaders in Umno have begun a 10am meeting, where they will sit down to chart a course of direction for the party's future leadership.
Top on the agenda at this morning's supreme council meeting will be the mediation of power transfer from current party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy Najib Abdul Razak.
The burning questions of when and how are expected to be finalised this morning itself, although party insiders are unsure exactly how much of this 'top-secret' information will be announced later.
But what is clear is that the 2010 power transition plan mooted by Abdullah in July will have to make way for another that allows the 55-year-old Najib to assume the party presidency and premiership of the country sooner - by at least a year.
The next hot topic to be discussed this morning will be the postponement of the party's December annual general assembly.
The supreme council is widely expected to approve the deferment of the annual congress - which this year includes the critical election of top office bearers - to June 2009 at the latest.
New guns
Umno, the largest and most powerful political party, is the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. The party president and deputy president by tradition take on the premiership and deputy premiership of the country.
Abdullah, the 68-year-old former foreign minister, inherited the top job from Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2004.
Also known as Pak Lah, Abdullah won the hearts of Malaysians when he first came to power. His consultative and kind ways were a breath of fresh air to all Malaysians, fed up with Mahathir's ham-fisted ways.
But Abdullah's failure to nip in the bud a string of recent controversies, including the coalition's near disastrous showing at the March national polls, led to a decline in his political power.
Proponents for a 'change or perish' in Umno - led by vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin - gained ground, winning crucial support from the grassroots to reject Abdullah's 2010 plan.
Najib, the eldest son of the country's second prime minister Abdul Razak, is the most widely accepted successor for the top post.
He is expected to name Muhyiddin as his number two once it is confirmed that Abdullah will not be defending the presidency.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Malaysia's 'worst in the world' taxis tarnish national image
Hello Good Morning Every One
Just i am reading the article below from MSN News, feel like everyone of us should know about it.
So, i copy and paste it in to my Blog as the first posting to CE's Blog.
Hope it is infomative enought for every one.
___________________________________________________________________
Agence France-Presse - 9/18/2008 2:55 AM GMT
Malaysia's 'worst in the world' taxis tarnish national image
Even the locals are not spared the shabby service of unkempt and hostile drivers behind the wheels of decrepit vehicles who refuse to use the meter, overcharge and pick-and-choose which destinations they will travel to.
At the popular KLCC mall under Kuala Lumpur's iconic Petronas Twin Towers is a typical scene, as a gang of cabbies negotiate with a young Norwegian couple just metres from a signboard warning against "taxi touts".
"Flat rate, flat rate, no metre," one driver insists as the tourists try to find a cab to take them to their hotel, less than two kilometres (1.2 miles) away.
Anxious to escape the baking heat, they agree to pay 25 ringgit (7.22 dollars) for a trip that would have cost less than three ringgit on the meter.
"Is it expensive? We don't know, we thought it is normal here," said the woman as they piled in with their shopping bags.
More frequent visitors, however, are vocal in their criticism and say that aggressive and unprofessional drivers are tarnishing the nation's image as a squeaky clean and hospitable destination.
"I first visited Malaysia in 2006 and I was impressed by everything I saw except for the worst taxi service I have endured," said Kabir Dali, an Indian tourist waiting in vain for a metered taxi at another mall.
"I paid a whopping 260 ringgit (74 dollars) from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to town and was later told that was twice the proper amount."
Complaints about taxis are common in many countries, but in Malaysia it has escalated to an outpouring of frustration, on blog sites and in letters to newspapers.
In a survey by the local magazine The Expat, some 200 foreigners from 30 countries rated Malaysia the worst among 23 countries in terms of taxi quality, courtesy, availability and expertise.
The respondents lashed the fleet as "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists -- rude bullies and extortionists".
Salvation is in sight though, as a number of smaller, up-scale operators enter the market to provide a more expensive but quality taxi service for frustrated visitors and locals.
The uniformed drivers, behind the wheels of smart new multi-purpose vehicles and sedans, switch on the meter as a matter of course and do not refuse destinations -- surprising and delighting commuters in the capital.
Abdul Razak, operations manager for Dubai-based Citicab which launched here in January, said that even in poorer nations such as Thailand and Indonesia, taxis are smarter and the drivers far more courteous.
"I would say it is the worst in this region, undoubtedly. I have travelled to all countries in this region and our company operates taxis in many parts of the world. The situation here is the worst I have seen," he told AFP.
"The vehicles are in shabby condition, the driver will take you if he likes your face -- that is, if he agrees with where you want to go for the price he insists on."
The government has called on taxi firms to lift their standards, but various campaigns have achieved little, and many blame the lack of enforcement on rampant corruption in the police and bureaucracy.
"It is difficult for the roads and traffic department to take stern action," said a security officer at one city mall as he watched the touts swoop.
"Taxi operators and the company which hold the licences are all linked to some politician or another," he said. "Drivers here are ruthless because they are unchecked by authorities who are almost non-existent."
John Koldowski, from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said that "less than desirable" taxi drivers have an outsize impact on a nation's image.
"The first contact a tourist gets with locals is often during airport transits to hotels and it creates a very, very strong first impression, either be good or bad," he said.
"Authorities certainly need to do their jobs and act upon any complaints strongly, quickly and visibly."
Just i am reading the article below from MSN News, feel like everyone of us should know about it.
So, i copy and paste it in to my Blog as the first posting to CE's Blog.
Hope it is infomative enought for every one.
___________________________________________________________________
Agence France-Presse - 9/18/2008 2:55 AM GMT
Malaysia's 'worst in the world' taxis tarnish national image
The ads promoting "Malaysia: Truly Asia" aim to welcome visitors with a warm smile to a prosperous and modern nation, so the taxi fleet branded "the worst in the world" can come as a bit of a shock.
Even the locals are not spared the shabby service of unkempt and hostile drivers behind the wheels of decrepit vehicles who refuse to use the meter, overcharge and pick-and-choose which destinations they will travel to.
At the popular KLCC mall under Kuala Lumpur's iconic Petronas Twin Towers is a typical scene, as a gang of cabbies negotiate with a young Norwegian couple just metres from a signboard warning against "taxi touts".
"Flat rate, flat rate, no metre," one driver insists as the tourists try to find a cab to take them to their hotel, less than two kilometres (1.2 miles) away.
Anxious to escape the baking heat, they agree to pay 25 ringgit (7.22 dollars) for a trip that would have cost less than three ringgit on the meter.
"Is it expensive? We don't know, we thought it is normal here," said the woman as they piled in with their shopping bags.
More frequent visitors, however, are vocal in their criticism and say that aggressive and unprofessional drivers are tarnishing the nation's image as a squeaky clean and hospitable destination.
"I first visited Malaysia in 2006 and I was impressed by everything I saw except for the worst taxi service I have endured," said Kabir Dali, an Indian tourist waiting in vain for a metered taxi at another mall.
"I paid a whopping 260 ringgit (74 dollars) from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to town and was later told that was twice the proper amount."
Complaints about taxis are common in many countries, but in Malaysia it has escalated to an outpouring of frustration, on blog sites and in letters to newspapers.
In a survey by the local magazine The Expat, some 200 foreigners from 30 countries rated Malaysia the worst among 23 countries in terms of taxi quality, courtesy, availability and expertise.
The respondents lashed the fleet as "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists -- rude bullies and extortionists".
Salvation is in sight though, as a number of smaller, up-scale operators enter the market to provide a more expensive but quality taxi service for frustrated visitors and locals.
The uniformed drivers, behind the wheels of smart new multi-purpose vehicles and sedans, switch on the meter as a matter of course and do not refuse destinations -- surprising and delighting commuters in the capital.
Abdul Razak, operations manager for Dubai-based Citicab which launched here in January, said that even in poorer nations such as Thailand and Indonesia, taxis are smarter and the drivers far more courteous.
"I would say it is the worst in this region, undoubtedly. I have travelled to all countries in this region and our company operates taxis in many parts of the world. The situation here is the worst I have seen," he told AFP.
"The vehicles are in shabby condition, the driver will take you if he likes your face -- that is, if he agrees with where you want to go for the price he insists on."
The government has called on taxi firms to lift their standards, but various campaigns have achieved little, and many blame the lack of enforcement on rampant corruption in the police and bureaucracy.
"It is difficult for the roads and traffic department to take stern action," said a security officer at one city mall as he watched the touts swoop.
"Taxi operators and the company which hold the licences are all linked to some politician or another," he said. "Drivers here are ruthless because they are unchecked by authorities who are almost non-existent."
John Koldowski, from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said that "less than desirable" taxi drivers have an outsize impact on a nation's image.
"The first contact a tourist gets with locals is often during airport transits to hotels and it creates a very, very strong first impression, either be good or bad," he said.
"Authorities certainly need to do their jobs and act upon any complaints strongly, quickly and visibly."
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