Voices from Penang Lang

Speech by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

2009-02-05T22:39:00.001+08:00

1. I want to thank ISEAS and in particular Ambassador Kesavapany for this honour. Ambassador Kesavapany told me that I would have 30 minutes or so to talk about Malaysia, and since it's a luncheon talk it would probably be light hearted and not too spirited. That will be difficult, like asking me to be on my best behaviour while in the company of Paris Hilton, but I will try.

2. Malaysia is a wonderful country and its people are among the most hospitable. If Australia is the Lucky Country, then Malaysia is the Blessed Country. Malaysia is also unique in another way. Not many countries have their Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism welcoming tourists. Many of you have visited the country and will no doubt remember the giant billboards along the highway with the imposing picture of a smiling Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism welcoming you to the country. Now of course, after March this year, you will see a new set of billboards replacing the expensive current ones. In March 2009, Malaysia will have a brand new Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and, in all likelihood, a new Minister for Tourism as well. Hopefully they will not spend too much on the billboards for they might have to change them again.

3. In Malaysia, General Elections had been considered a formality or a ritual – something we had to do every 5 years or so as a matter of habit although it had no real impact on the status quo. That all changed on 8 March 2008. The result of the 2008 General Elections held on that day sent shockwaves through the country. It is probably also true to say that it also surprised the Malaysian electorate which created the result. Ordinary Malaysians suddenly found that they were capable of doing something dramatic and historic. Malaysia will no longer be the same after March 8th The book published by ISEAS known as "Eclipsing May 13" is a good read about what happened. You will find a good analysis of the general election and the surrounding issues. What is clear is that Malaysia post-8 March 2008 is a different Malaysia.

4. But, really, should we have been so surprised? For years, our former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had told Malaysians that they could reach for the stars. You remember the catchphrase "Malaysia Boleh"? Long before US President-Elect Barrack Obama introduced the mantra "Yes We Can", Dr Mahathir was urging Malaysian to think "Malaysia Boleh" – "Malaysia Can".

5. Unfortunately for Malaysians, "Malaysia Boleh" has come to symbolize something very different. To Malaysians it is about the government or the bureaucracy doing things that could not and would not be done anywhere else. Faced with unjustifiable mega projects like the national car project, building the world's tallest building, creating the splendour of a new city in Putrajaya, hitching a ride into space on a Russian spacecraft that has been paid for with tax dollars or revenue that should have been used for more pressing matters like better equipped schools and hospitals, or an effective transportation system, and all the things that have come with them, what else could the average Malaysian do than shrug and say with resignation, "Malaysia Boleh.".

6. It seemed however, there was at least one thing that they could do.

"Malaysia Boleh" took on a different resonance during the last General Election. For the first time BN only got 49 % of the popular vote in Peninsula Malaysia. In terms of seats, BN only won 51% of those contested in Peninsular Malaysia. Only the seats from Sabah and Sarawak actually gave BN the solid majority it now enjoys. As for the Malays, a vote for the Opposition is no longer an act of treachery or betrayal to the Malay cause. PAS and Keadilan garnered more Malay votes than UMNO in Peninsular Malaysia. UMNO is no longer the dominant voice for the Malays..

7. Why the sudden change? In my view, it was not sudden at all. The results of the 2008 General Election were the culmination of the decline in support for the BN since the 1999 General Election. In that election UMNO lost a substantial portion of the Malay vote. It was this erosion of Malay electoral support for UMNO in 1999 that influenced the constituency re-delineation exercise in 2002. This move was to increase the number of Malay mixed constituencies and lessen the predominantly Malay seats. It was feared that PAS would be able to gain a stranglehold on such seats. This effort was to no avail in 2008 with PKR doing extremely well in the mixed Malay constituencies where Malay majority was between 50 to 65% and PAS doing well in the predominantly Malay constituencies. With DAP doing well in the predominantly Chinese majority seats, the writing was on the wall for the BN. The aberration was the result of the 2004 General Election. This aberration had nothing to do with BN. It had everything to do with the manifesto of change proposed by the then new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Change however did not happen despite his best efforts. I will come to that later.

8. BN lost their 2/3 majority in Parliament in March this year though only by 10 seats It retained a majority and formed the Federal Government. Yet, shockingly, there was almost instant pressure on the Prime Minister to quit. Here you had an incumbent Prime Minister and leader of his party having led his coalition to an electoral victory being asked to leave. No other country except probably Thailand would purge a leader in that position. But then this is the same country which saw the leader of the Opposition being touted at the same time as the PM in waiting although he was still 32 seats short of a simple majority. Malaysia is truly a unique country.

9. So where did the results of the 2008 General Election put the country? In my view, the future looks good for Malaysia, current events notwithstanding. Of course we have a multitude of problems, but then which country is spared? What is important to note is that given our political history we are possibly in the best condition we could be to address and resolve those problems. As I stressed at the outset, Malaysia is no longer the country it was before 8 March 2008. For the first time we have a real prospect of a two party system in Parliament. Even if the Pakatan Rakyat opposition fails to form the federal government in the next election – in my view they have a 50% chance - we will have a stronger and more effective opposition. To me, this is the only safeguard against abuse of power, corruption and the preservation of the rule of Law, or at least whatever is left of it. Though those of you in Singapore may not need a strong opposition to ensure good governance and low corruption levels, the Malaysian experience requires the counterbalance a strong opposition allows for.

10. And what of the BN after the change in leadership in March?

Never mind March, what happens after Kuala Terengganu? BN will probably lose and if that happens, life will be tough for Dato Seri Najib. If BN wins then it's only temporary reprieve. In my view, the BN will appear to be stronger, thanks to the hype and spin by the mainstream media. With a new leader in Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak, UMNO and BN will rally behind him as a show of solidarity. However, when you dump and push out a sitting Prime Minister, especially someone as nice as Pak Lah, there are bound to be some of his supporters who will retaliate, and Najib cannot as such be assured of unanimous or cohesive support. After all, his popularity is low in the country. He will probably tighten the screw on the press and the dissenters within the party. He will be tempted to emulate Dr M's style of governance.. The Prime Minister in waiting will probably assemble a younger and stronger Cabinet. To do so, he will have to disband half of the present crop of Ministers, who have in any event certainly passed their shelf life. There are many young leaders in UMNO and the BN who are capable technocrats but, more importantly, they are not the typical UMNO idealogues and are more moderate in their positions. Khairy Jamaluddin, is capable and has enough gumption to effect changes the new Government may need to effect. He could be a star in the future, if he is not buried or sidelined in March. And another young UMNO leader is Dato Saifuddin Abdullah -the present Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development- these are bright BN second liners and will make good Ministers. On the other hand, if as is likely, Dato Seri Najib persists with the so-called "UMNO tradition" of giving Cabinet posts to those who hold senior party positions, then the BN Government will be more of the same. I also believe that the MCA and the other component parties will continue to play the role they have developed after their calamitous showing in the last General Elections. In the wake of their defeat, they became more assertive and less afraid to highlight the plight of the minorities. The dominance of one party to the exclusion of others is over; although UMNO extremists will try hard to hang on to the advantage they have become accustomed through bullying. All these elements should allow the BN administration a small window for a new lease of life if it plays its cards right.

11. Pak Lah the outgoing Prime Minister has been the butt of many jokes and criticisms from all quarters. It should not be overlooked that it was his manifesto of change that got the BN its best result ever in 2004. He had also begun to move towards the reforms he had promised, showing earnestness in making transparency, integrity and good governance a reality. Sadly, he was impeded by extremist elements in UMNO and he was too weak to take them on. If UMNO had supported him with earnest, the March 2008 swing might not have happened. It will be a fatal mistake for UMNO and the BN if Dato Seri Najib reversed or paid mere lip-service to these initiatives.

12. Integrity, good governance and judicial reform, in any meaningful sense, had been missing from our political lexicon for a long time. It took courage for Pak Lah to not only reintroduce them but to take steps towards giving them substance. The establishing of the Institute of Integrity, the Judicial Appointments Commission and the Anti Corruption Commission, all of which could have been better tailored to their purpose and declared aims, signalled the need for a massive change of direction – a paradigm shift, if you will – in political governance. Will these efforts herald a new era in anti-corruption efforts as well as allow for more meaningful efforts to restore judicial independence and competence? Only Dato' Seri Najib can answer this.

13. Though the Prime Minister will soon leave the scene he will leave behind an important legacy; a more open and critical society. He allowed for a greater level of public debate and, albeit somewhat haltingly, encouraged change towards more accountability in governance. Islam Hadhari was sorely misunderstood. A good idea, aimed at promoting moderation and progressiveness in Islamic discourse, it did not take off principally for the effort having been handicapped by its promotion having been undertaken by traditional stakeholders like JAKIM and other UMNO leaders. They were sadly more interested in pursuing political ambitions and aims than realizing the noble aspirations underlying the campaign. The League of Nations conceived by Harry Truman failed as an organization, but the idea was too good to die with the organization and today we have the United Nations. I hope the reforms Pak Lah gave life to will survive him.

14. But would things be any different under Pakatan Rakyat? The question is beginning to surface now that the euphoria of the 8 March 2008 election has waned. Anwar Ibrahim is a personality you are familiar with and is someone I admire immensely for his courage and tenacity. He has been the cement holding together the parties of the Pakatan Rakyat, with their diverse political philosophies and varying political agendas. I believe he'll be Prime Minister one day. Certainly, he will continue to be the main player in Malaysian politics for many years to come. As you no doubt know, he is once again facing a charge for sodomy. Some are of the view that he will be incarcerated again, either through the courts or by executive detention order. I am not so sure. The public demands by some Cabinet ministers for Anwar to volunteer a DNA sample at the time he was arrested and subsequently when charged suggests that there are doubts. Without a conviction, he cannot be incarcerated. A detention under the Internal Security Act by a new Najib government would invite serious repercussions both domestically and internationally at a time when economic and social conditions are in a mess. I would like to think that Dato Seri Najib appreciates that he has other options to win the support of the people in the next general election. Detaining Anwar under the ISA is an unnecessary risk and may well turn the tide completely against the BN. Nonetheless, I cannot say with certainty that Anwar will not be detained. Such is the state of play in Malaysian politics.

15. The Pakatan Rakyat, on its part, cannot assume that they are safely on the road to Putrajaya come 2012. The honeymoon is over for the five Pakatan Rakyat State governments of Kelantan, Perak, Kedah, Penang and Selangor. The PR must ensure that it retains these states. One would have thought that given the results in March, this would be a given. This may however prove not to be the case. It is said that on March 8th last year, Malaysians went in search a viable alternative. The PR must show that it is that alternative. Public infighting is not the way to go about that, yet this is what the PR has come to be identified with in recent days. The coalition needs to build on its common identity and provide for a common platform on major issues. Member parties must go beyond issues like the implementation of Islamic criminal law and concentrate on delivering on their collective message of social justice and compassionate and fair governance. In this, PAS, with its Islam-centric philosophy has to work harder to fall in line with PKR and DAP whose ideologies are more closely aligned. Whether the ulamaks of PAS are able to make this concession will be a test not just of their own maturity but also of the cohesiveness of the PR.

16. In short, the PR must show itself to be a real alternative to the BN way of doing things. To be able to retain the states currently ruled by them, PR must offer more effective policies and initiatives when compared to those of the BN. It will not be sufficient for them to depend on the personality of their leaders. That may have been enough the first time round, but the voters expect more and rightly so. But I must emphasize here that Malaysians are a patient lot. They have been patient with Barisan Nasional for so many years and I am sure they will be patient with Pakatan Rakyat as well. But Pakatan should never take the people for granted. In this, it would also be enormously helpful for Anwar Ibrahim to change his grandstanding ways. Proclaiming dates of anticipated takeovers without the ability to follow through merely distract and detract. Powerplays like that have undermined the PR in a way that has been wholly unnecessary. Anwar should instead focus on getting PR together as an entity with one coherent vision for the country. He has after all, the support of the rank and file of all the parties in Pakatan Rakyat, although not necessarily some of its leaders.

17. PAS' Islam-centric political posturing is particularly problematic, not because of the party's identification with Islam but rather it's posturing. PAS is a key member of the PR. For the coalition to stay viable coalition, PAS' approach to the subject of governance and public policy determination where Islam is a factor must show sophistication and restraint. This is particularly true of interfaith issues. Though PAS ideology has all the elements for an inclusive and pluralist society built on a foundation of justice and fairness, it has sadly become more known for its opposition to alcohol and concerts, and its fixation on implementing Islamic criminal law. Recalling that a multi-racial voter base voted PAS in last March on the back of a manifesto that centered on shaping Malaysia into a welfare state, PAS' energy would be better spent on fleshing out the economic policy underlying its concept of a welfare state to show that its vision is achievable. Additionally, to prove itself a viable Islamic alternative to UMNO, PAS has to distance itself from the UMNO-style of unilateral, ultra-legalistic, enforcement-minded approach to Islam. PAS must further accept that it has to consult not only its partners but also a broader segment of the public including progressive Islamic thinkers before making policy declarations.

18. The reality is that non-Muslims are also affected by declarations on so-called Islamic matters, particularly where these coincide with matters in the public sphere. As such, a culture of non-discrimination and consultation must be nurtured for the good of the country. As I have alluded to, the compassionate side of Islam can be PAS' strong point. If it is able to harness the various dimension of this aspect and project them more inclusively, for example by championing the rights of stateless children with no papers and schools to attend, the issue of trafficking of women, the issue of refugees who have settled here for all intents and purposes, PAS will be viewed as a party for all Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. To showcase its vision of an inclusive Islam, PAS could take the lead in forging solutions for those problematic so-called conflicts issues. The reality is that there will be persons who converted to Islam for marriage and whose marriages have broken down or ended by reason of death or divorce. Some of them will want to find comfort in their original faiths. Leaving them unaided by hiding behind jurisdictional issues, as we have seen, or by proclaiming the beauty of Islam does not address the situation and the pain of those concerned. Thus far, BN states have been unwilling to offer solutions. PAS could lead the PR in navigating forward to resolution. This, I feel, speaks more for PAS' ideals than mere pronouncements of what is sinful and what is not. In doing this, they would have offered the rakyat the security they crave. I also believe they would have done more to restore the dignity of Islam than the Islamization campaigns of UMNO have done much to undermine.

19. Inter-racial cooperation in Malaysian politics has a short history.

We saw it in the years from 1946 as we came together in the quest for independence. Since the 80's, Government policies appear to have increasingly polarized Malaysian society. Only in the last 5 years, have we again witnessed real camaraderie and solidarity, principally due to the efforts of NGOs, and, more recently, the PR. The last general election bore witness to a new dynamic. The rakyat came together, the young and old and the person on the street, to work with and for one another regardless of race and affiliation. They had a common cause; the betterment of Malaysia. The majority of Malaysians who have been told repeatedly that they are of different races, that they have different rights and privileges, and to continue to blindly trust government decisions have now said enough! They have now found comfort and unity amongst themselves; they have found a rejuvenating sense of a new identity as one people. This is the new Malaysia.

20. Malaysia is like many other countries where the young will ultimately determine the nature and course of politics. The people have shown their abhorrence for greed and abuse of power. The people have shown that they want to be together as one community. They have shown that they prefer pragmatic discourse. Half of Malaysia's population is below 35. These youngsters are eager for change, for a politics of idealism and honour. They want public officials to be more accountable, or at least, for a political process that is less corrupt and dirty. They want their leaders to be in tune with their needs, they demand security, remedies to their problems and social justice. Though still relevant, ethnicity is no longer a critical factor. The young are less susceptible to the instigation of racial hatred and prejudice. They want change. This is something that both sides of the divide must take note of. At the next general election, there will be another 4 million young voters who will determine the titanic struggle.

21. Why am I so positive about Malaysia whilst continuously pointing to the deterioration in ethnic relations, and religious conflicts? Because the majority of Malaysian are sensible people. Ordinary people have more sense than their leaders sometimes. They know the value of cooperation, mutual respect and harmony. I believe the people have spoken out loudly and clearly. The future direction of the country is no longer going to be solely in the hands of the political masters. The people want to be involved. They have had enough of scandals, abuse of power, and poor administration. It is not true that they voted for the Opposition just out of frustration or in protest as some pro-BN analysts have said. The people voted for the Opposition as a manifestation of their desire for a better country; for themselves, their families, their children. The non-Malays ask that they be accorded the respect and recognition they deserve as equals. They believe, rightly so, that their future is inextricably linked with that of the Bumiputras. The Malays on their part have responded positively to the idea of a truly unified Malaysia. Despite UMNO fear-mongering about Malay rights being threatened by support for the Oppposition, the Keadilan and PAS share of Malay votes on the Peninsula exceeded that of UMNO. While at one time a Malay vote was an UMNO vote, today the Malays no longer see themselves as beholden to UMNO.

22. Sometimes I am asked what I intend to do next. I have only a limited political ambition; to see Malaysia prosper peacefully in a way that will benefit all including the Bumiputras who must have their fair share of the fruits of that prosperity; to see that the rights and the dignity of all are respected and protected; to see that the yearnings of the non-Malays to feel a sense of belonging and of being wanted as Malaysians in their own country is fully realized; to see that Compassion, which is the underlying teaching of my religion, becomes the central consideration in the formulating of public policies. Finally, as a lawyer, I want to see justice and the rule of law reestablished and flourishing. These are simple ambitions, I think. Given the results of the 8 March 2008 election, there is some hope that they will be fulfilled in my lifetime. The rakyat has shown that it wants democracy and all that it portends.

23. In the meantime I hope to do my part towards achieving this goal with a foundation I have set up called MyFuture Foundation. It is a vehicle that I hope will assist the young to articulate their Malaysian-ness through their support of the various community oriented projects that the foundation aims to undertake for the realization of a Bangsa Malaysia. It is a vehicle that will allow the people to express their rejection of narrow racist politics, and to show that the various races want to, and can be together as one people.

24. Countries in South East Asia have gone through tumultuous change over the years, each having to endure different sets of challenges. We each have our own stories. I have tried in the time made available to me to tell you ours in Malaysia. Thank you.

Thousands Light of Kek Lok Si Temple Penang

2008-12-06T15:08:00.000+08:00

We have attractive places for tourist, but previous government does not know how to appreciate them, hope we can attract more tourists to Penang in next 5 years.

Song for Recession

2008-12-06T15:07:00.000+08:00

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

It's hitting you once,
It's hitting you twice
It doesn't care if you've been careful and wise
Recession is coming to town

It's worthless if you've got shares
It's worthless if you've got bonds
It's safe when you've got cash in hand
So keep cash for goodness sake, HEY

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town!

Finance products are confusing
Finance products are so vague
The banks make you bear the cost of risk
So keep out for goodness sake, OH

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

SCAM by KWSP

2008-12-05T15:04:00.000+08:00

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 until 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 M2000/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!
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 SAFEGUARIDNG ITS CITIZEN'S HARD EARNED MONEY TO CHEAT ITS MEMBERS IN THIS MANNER???

Article by Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan bin Abdul Rahman

2008-12-04T14:57:00.000+08:00

I have been following the story of the construction of a centralized and modern pig farm in Kampung Tumbuk in Kuala Langat and how the issue of religious sensitivity and racial cards has been played by the Opposition (i.e. The BN people) in Selangor.
The issue also appears to have been made worst by the lopsided reporting by the Malay newspaper which obviously is trying to incite racial sentiments. Please allow me to share my views as a Muslim on the matter. The Babi and the narrow minded politicians who called themselves Muslims from an Islamic perspective. In Islam, the eating of swine is forbidden.
> This is clearly demonstrated in many verses of the Quran. Among others this includes: [1] 5:3, 6:145, 16:114-115; [2] 2:168-169, 3:93-94, 6:119, 10:59; [3]0-91.
My research has failed to find any evidence that suggest that the religion do not allow muslims to be standing next to or to look at or to smell a pig. Maybe some people in authority can highlight further on this issue.

First of all, I am appalled at the narrow minded politicians who made the issue of building a centralized and modern pig farming an issue. It is beyond doubt that the real issue here is economy, environmental pollution and improving quality of life in the surrounding community. The opposition (BN) are making a mockery of this just because of political mileage. I feel when something good is being done; it should be promoted by all parties.

I have travelled to St Louis , USA where it is also known as pork capital of the world. I have visited and stood 3 feet away from a pig pen. There was no smell. It was so damn clean. It is even cleaner than public toilets in Malaysia . How many of these politicians have visited such a farm and how many are involved in goat farming in Malaysia ? While goat is Halal in Malaysia , please enter many farms there is in Malaysia and you will see how dirty it is. Islam only prohibits the eating of pork. There is no prohibition of looking at it or standing next to one. In fact I have yet to find anywhere in the Quran that prevents Muslims from rearing it.

During my 15 months tour of duty with UN in Cambodia , many Malay Champa who are strong Muslims rear pigs under their house for economic reason even though they don't eat them. From an economic perspective it is better to rear pigs than cows or goat. It is simply more profitable. The pregnancy duration is about 112-115 days compared to goat which is about 150 days or a cow 290 days.

At the end of each pregnancy the pig produces between 12- 15 piglets, the goat about 1-2 kids and the cow 1 calf. From an environmental perspective, it is definitely better to have a central farm where small farmers join hands and run one big and clean farm. This way the cleanliness of our water way will be maintained. Waste management will become the epicentre of the operation. It is more economical to run one big farm than many small farms that are polluting.Overall it is a win win situation for everyone.

It is insulting the way some politicians look at the issue. I believe from an Islamic perspective it is quite clear. It is the narrow minded politicians that played up the issue that makes it into a Muslim and non-Muslim issue and trying to create a bigger racial divide among Malaysians. Sometimes I wonder, which has the lower image, the babi or these politicians. For that aspect, I respect the position taken by PAS on this matter. It has shown that it has handled the issues properly. I ask all level minded Malaysian and to re look at the 'Babi' issue again. Study the real issue properly and make a proper judgment. Overall it will benefit Malaysians from the economic, environmental and quality of life perspective.

Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan bin Abdul Rahman

North-South Expressway (Dangerous Stretch)

2008-12-03T14:55:00.000+08:00

Dear TV3 and The Star,

I am a frequent user of our North-South Expressway and I have this IMPORTANT
experience to highlight and share:-

I was driving back to Penang yesterday afternoon (24 June 08) when I saw the unfortunate accident in the opposite direction involving the passenger bus that skidded and overturned at Tanjung Malim. I didn't know that the skidded bus was from hometown Penang untill I watched TV3 news later in the evening and was shocked to learn that the accident took two lives.

Now, this is what I need to share:-

I am a building contractor with over twenty years of experience and I have been driving my 5 series BMW (latest generation and a dammed solid road holding car) each time I travelled to KL. Lately, the new extended 3 lanes highway had been opened up for use and since then, I have also been using it quite oftenly.

HOWEVER, when I used it each time it is WET, I can really 'feel' that the new road surface is extremely SLIPPERY! To share with some of you, my car comes with a built-in traction control mechanism (skidding prevention mechanism) and you can feel it each time it is activated. Previously, I don't come across this kind of slippery feel except when I drive over a
paddle of water at certain speed.

From my observation as a building contractor, the 'wearing course' of the new road surface could be TOO FINE OR TOO SMOOTH and TOTALLY UNSUITABLE for highway use!
The wearing course (top premix layer) mix design for highways should be of minimum 20mm coarse aggregate mix that will give us the required bond between the surface and our tyres. Fine wearing course (14mm coarse aggregate size and below) is only suitable for normal road. (A proper test need to be carried out to determine the mix design of the wearing course).

Since the opening of the three lanes highway, I had seen cars skidding in front me or in the opposite direction and approximately 2 weeks ago, one of my friends who is also a frequent user of our NSE, came to share with me about his slippery feeling as well as the many skidded cars he had seen lately.

I am highlighting this to TV3 and The Star with the hope that a thorough investigation could be carried out immediately to find out how or what causes the bus to skid. A proper and independent test need to be carried out urgently to determine the design mix of the wearing course. THIS CAN SAVE LIVES.

NewType of Crime in KL - KLIA

2008-12-02T14:53:00.000+08:00

BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHILE IN KLIA

Pass it on..... let more people be aware of such things around them.

A few days ago a new type of crime has surfaced in town.

It goes something like this:- Somebody slips a handphone into your
pocket.

sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few
ringgits. A few minutes later, the 'owner' comes up and confronts you,
the 'thief '. He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You,
caught unaware, are then pulled aside by the 'owner' for a settlement
you are intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police
will be brought in. If you pay up, this 'owner' lets you go. If
not, the police are brought in.

Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a 'witness' to
the
your 'theft'. I am told this often happens to foreigners at the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or even at LRT trains. Given
that
you're 'guilty until proven innocent' as far as the Malaysian
police are concerned, I understand some poor people are in jail for
these
'offences'.

At the KLIA, the 'owner' throws his handphone and wallet with the few
ringgit notes into the luggage trolley of a just arrived passenger.
The drama unfolds a few minutes later. The real culprit has easily
convinced our Malaysian police to arrest the real victim (if he has
not paid up the 'settlement' demand). This is a very serious matter.
This
is another form of extortionists operating in broad daylight.
They are disgusting criminals who will do anything to rob and steal. The
sickening part of the whole scenario is that unless you pay the
"quoted settlement" money, they will put you in real trouble by calling
the
police. The real culprit gets back his handphone and wallet
but the real victim (i.e. could be any one of us) is thrown into the
police lock up and charged in court. So do be very careful,
otherwise you may end up as a "thief" as you have no way to prove your
innocence.

Geh Cheng Lok & Co,Advocates & Solicitors,
No.20, King Street (Top Floor),10200 Penang , Malaysia.Tel. No:
604-2617464 Fax. No: 604-2611840

Child Kidnap Trick in Carrefour, JB

2008-12-01T14:41:00.000+08:00

Even if you do not have little kids, pass this one on to everyone you
can think of. You never know who you might save by sending this e-mail!
Please, take the time and forward this to any friend who has children &
grandchildren! Thanks!

Wanted to share something that happened today while shopping at
Carrefour. A mother was leaning over looking for meat and turned around
to find her 4 years old daughter was missing. I was standing there right
beside her, and she was calling her daughter with no luck.

I asked a man who worked at Carrefour to announce it over the
loud-speaker. He did, and left me, he immediately walked right past me
when I asked and went to a pole where there was a phone. He made an
announcement for all the doors and gates to be locked, a code something.
So they locked all the doors at once.

This took all of 3 minutes after I asked the guy to do this. They found
the little girl 5 minutes later in a bathroom stall drugged .Her head
was half shaved, and she was dressed in her underwear with a bag of
clothes, a razor, and wig sitting on the floor beside her, to make her
look different.

Whoever this person was, took the little girl, brought her into the
bathroom, shaved half her head, and undressed her in a matter of less
than 10 minutes. This makes me shake to no end.

Please keep a close eye on your kids when in big places where it's easy
for you to get separated like Shopping Malls. It only took a few minutes
to do all of that. Another 5 minutes and she would have been out the
door.

I am still in shock that some sick person could do this, let alone in a
matter of minutes. The days are over when our little ones could run
rampant all over the place and nothing worse would happen then them
annoying people.

The little girl is fine. Thank God for fast workers who didn't take any
chances.

BE SURE TO FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE, SO THEY REMEMBER JUST HOW SICK
PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE!

Happened in Penang

2008-11-30T14:54:00.001+08:00

This is pretty scary, in connection with the case on Ms Canny Ong who was raped and killed last year. A friend stopped at a pay-at-the-pump gas station to get gas. Once she filled her gas tank
after paying at the pump and about to leave, the attendant inside came over the speaker.

He told her that something happened with her card and that she needed to come inside to pay.The lady was confused because the transaction showed complete and approved. She told him that and was getting ready to leave but the attendant once again urged her to come in to pay or else. She proceeded to go inside and started arguing with the attendant about his
threat.

He told her to calm down and listen carefully:

He told her that while she was pumping gas, a guy slipped into the back seat of her car on the other side and he had called the police. She immediately became scared and looked out there in time to see her car door open and the guy slip out.

The report is that the new gang initiation thing is to bring back a woman's body part. One way they are doing this is crawling under girls/women's cars while they're pumping gas or at grocery stores in the night time. Then, they will cut of the legs ankles to disable them in order to kidnap them, kill and dismember them. The other way is slipping into unattended cars
and kidnapping the women to kill and dismember them. Please pass this on to other women, young and old alike. Be extra careful going to and from your car at night. If at all possible, don't go alone! This is real!!

The message:

1. ALWAYS lock your car doors, even if you're gone for just a second.
2. Check underneath your car when approaching it for re-entry, and check
in the back before getting in.
3. Always be aware of your surroundings and other individuals in your
general vicinity, particularly at night!

EMPLOYEE'S PROVIDENT FUND (EPF)

2008-11-30T14:39:00.000+08:00

This is an important reminder on EPF beneficiaries. Kindly forward to your friends especially the Non-Bumi. Make sure they do the necessary to name their beneficiaries. Be a help and pass this info to all your friends. It pays not to be ignorant. Please read on and do take the appropriate action of naming your EPF beneficiaries or updating your nomination :

1) Scenario, Imagine this :-

A EPF contributor with a non-working wife and 3 school-going children. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He has been contributing to the EPF since he started work as an engineer about 25 years ago and have a sizeable amount of savings. However, the widow approaches the EPF for the savings she is informed that he had named his 1st girlfriend as the beneficiary and never got to updating his nomination. Therefore, the widow is not entitled to a cent of the money. (In case of Muslims, there is still recourse under the Syariah Laws) For Non-Muslims, however, there is real concern that your life-long savings may not reach your dependants.) The above scenario may seem unlikely to you but such cases are very common.

2) Findings of the EPF :-

Many EPF contributors either do not name any beneficiary or else fail to update their nomination as conditions warrant. As it stands, about 76% of EPF's 8.51 million members have not made any nomination. And out of the 24% who have, many have not updated their nomination. All your savings and the dividends accumulated over the years may not go to those who need it the most if you do not name a beneficiary or do not update your nomination.

What happens if :-

a) Failure to make a nomination :-

If a EPF member has not made any nomination, his savings will be distributed in accordance to the law.

Letters of Administration (LA) :-

In general, when no nominee is named, the member's family will have to produce what is known as LA and submit this to the EPF in order to withdraw the savings. (The LA authorises the person appointed to act as administrator of the estate of the deceased member. This involves employing the services of a lawyer who will make the relevant petitions to court to get the LA. The whole process takes 8 to 12 months, or longer if more than one person decides to obtain the LA).

Grant of Probate (Probate) :-

If the member had made a will, the member's family will have to produce what is known as Probate and submit this to the EPF. (The Probate is an authorisation by the court to the executor named in the will to administer the distribution of the estate of the deceased member).

a) Distribution Order :-

If the money in question does not exceed RM 600,000 (and there is no land involved), the family of the deceased can then approach the Public Trustee (Amanah Raya)! to obtain a Distribution Order.

b) Consequence of failing to update nomination :-

If the member does not update his nomination, whoever the EPF contrib utor has named as his or the beneficiary in the Form KWSP 4 (AHL) will receive the member's entire savings. Therefore,the spouse and family of the deceased
will receive nothing if thecontributor has named someone else, his friend, as his EPF beneficiary. This friend will inherit his savings even if the contributor had named his spouse and children as beneficiaries to his property, including his EPF savings, in a will made after the EPF nomination

c) Muslim contributors :-

They are governed by the inheritance regulations under the Syariah Laws. The term "beneficiary" does not apply to the person nominated by a muslim. The nominee in effect only acts as an executor(wasi) of the contributor's savings. Upon the contributor 's death, this executor has a duty to distribute the deceased's property in accordance with Faraid (inheritance) Laws.

3) How does one make a nomination or update a previous one ?

You can do it by completing the Form KWSP 4 (AHL) which can be obtained at the EPF offices. You have to fill in a new KWSP 4 with the name of the person you now want to inherit your EPF savings. The new form will automatically cancel your previous nomination...... The advantages of naming a beneficiary and keepingthis nomination updated are enormous. It not only ensure that your savings will goto those who need it most, but also guarantees speedy payment to your loved ones in such a time of need. If all the documents are in order, your n ominee will get your EPF savings in about a month.

4) Locations of EPF Offices :-

* Menara Komtar, Paras 47, Penang
* Wisma KUWASA, Ground Floor, Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.
* Bangunan Yayasan Selangor, near AMCOP Mall, Petaling Jaya
* Wisma Peransang, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
* Wisma Emerald, Jalan Meru, Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
* Bangunan EPF, Johor Bharu (center of the city, opposite Wisma Imigresen)

Uncle, Make up your mind

2008-06-05T23:17:00.002+08:00

We really do not know what is in his mind, in our great leader minds, making 4-5 different decisions within 1-2 weeks, and now they decided to push the petrol price up to RM2.70.

Uncle, do you know this is very embarrass? Do you know many people are laughing out loud on your great leadership? What is in your mind? to think of greater way to make more money for Malaysia or someone?

I, as a Malaysian, and I sincerely beg you... please do no embarrass Malaysian anymore with your great leadership, simply make up your fucking mind about the petrol and its price.

Chip at Identity Card

2008-06-04T23:49:00.003+08:00

May be we have forgotten what is the purpose of the small chip on our Identity card.

This chip is suppose to serve the purpose for Malaysian to identify themselves in many different authorities, eg, IC can be used as driving license, credit card, phone card, medical card and etc.

But, until today, nothing happen !

Do you know that if you change your home address on your identity card in Singapore, many others correspondences have been changed, such as your driving license, utilities bill, phone bill, CPF, income tax and many more.

... sigh ... Singapore identity card has no chip ...

So, is not the technology, the is person who manage the country.

Rear Seat Belt

2008-06-04T23:45:00.002+08:00

I do not know what is your opinion about the rear seat belt. Singapore has implemented like 2 years ago, of course it is important and for the safety for the passengers.

However, I do not have a positive view about Malaysia to implement it, not saying i disagree, but i think this policy will create more opportunity to a small group of officers to earn more income. Besides, I do not know how long this policy will be carried on.

As usual, after 1-2 years people tends to forget about it and the rules no longer become rules, the laws no longer laws.

Petrol Ban Policy in Malaysia

2008-06-04T23:14:00.002+08:00

Talk about banning foreign vehicles pumping petrol at the border of Malaysia, many have complained and as usual nothing is gonna happened.

From the point of the management, this is a total failure in managing the organization, and now we are talking about the managing the country. The key point our country leader has forgotten is communication. Sending a strong message to people to take certain action and to implement certain policy, without preparing the people is failure...

See what our neighbour country has done, the country leader was sending the message to people through different channel saying that the are going to open a casino, of course many voices of protest come from all over the place. The leaders have also using media and survey to ask people opinion about the casino, lets the people voice out their concerns and unhappiness. Ultimately the project of casino still carry on...

This is a good tactic to communicate so called the bad news to the public, and let the public to protest and comment, but ultimately, everyone know the project will still carry on.. but at least the announcement come only after few months later, when everyone has silently accept the fact.

Our friend learn this trick about 20%, they announce that some plans in implementing differential of petrol pricing is going to take place, using our cute identity card which come with the chip (which never been used for decades). Then, out of sudden, the banning of petrol at borders 50km was implemented, and somemore being propose for several times. Later, then talk about the subsidy plan for the Malaysian who owns the Singapore registered car. haha

See the conclusion about the decision:

1) Never think properly before making decision, never think of different scenario which gonna to happen, eg, Malaysian who owns Singapore car, then how...

2) Poor implementation and Management style. Never get the people to prepare for the change.

3) Poor planning. The leaders not sure how to plan and implement, things keep delaying.

4) Leader themselves not sure the possibility. Later say using IC chip, and for sure then later they found out some technical issue and subsequently change the plan, and some more say temporary measure.

Aiyo .. make up your mind and do your homework before you plan or implement something.

Simple thing also like that, some more talk about managing a country.

Hokkien still rules in Penang

2008-05-11T15:09:00.003+08:00

The people of Penang, including those who are not Chinese, speak a distinctive Penang form of Hokkien. But due to the movement of people and also the proliferation of Cantonese drama series on TV, is the island’s lingua franca under threat? TAN SIN CHOW and YENG AI CHUN ask the experts and the ordinary folks.

PENANG-born Loh Nam Hooi makes it his mission to use Hokkien when talking to Chinese community leaders, be it during casual or formal occasions.

"We would greet each other lu ho bo (How are you?) or chiak ba boi (Have you eaten?) each time we converse in Hokkien. When we speak in Hokkien, the camaraderie and kinship is closer and punctuated with warmth and cordiality.

“For me, Hokkien is synonymous with Penang. That sums up everything,” he said in a telephone conversation recently.

He holds firm to this view because Hokkien was the common dialect since earlier Chinese settlers from the southern Fujian province in China populated Penang.

“Therefore, from what I’ve observed, the Hokkien dialect is still very much in command here,” he said.
Loh’s conviction is understandable as he is none other than the Penang Hokkien Association chairman.

But he acknowledged the slow but gradual infusion of Cantonese in the daily lingo of the people here.

"The emergence of Cantonese in Penang could be due to the influx of Cantonese-speaking students from Ipoh or Kuala Lumpur who study here.

“After completing their studies in local institutes of higher learning here, most of these students preferred to settle here after landing jobs.

“That is why, occasionally, we can hear some of them speak in Cantonese when ordering food in hawker centres.

“But in order to adapt themselves in a Hokkien-dominant population like Penang, they have to pick up Hokkien.

“That's why I say Hokkien would continue to be widely spoken here,” he said.

Echoing his sentiment was Penang Kwangtong and Tengchew Association chairman Datuk Lye Siew Weng.

A Cantonese himself, Lye, who is also the Deputy State Legislative Assembly Speaker, claimed that his mother tongue would never “uproot” the popularity of Hokkien in Penang.

“Hokkien, as far as I am concerned, will not diminish, especially in Penang,” he said.

“Although many seem to be drawn to Hong Kong Cantonese drama series, they are also well-versed in Hokkien.”

Lye said Penangites were always well known for their versatility in languages or dialects.

“At first, they can speak to you in English, Chinese, and Hokkien. And the next thing you know, they have switched to speaking in either Teochew or Hainan.

“And they have no problems doing that and they actually enjoy it! That's the distinctness of Penangites,” he said.

Lye, however, was quick to point out a breeze of change, which saw many switching their attention to the popular Taiwanese series Yi nan wang in Minnan (Hokkien) dialect.

“Besides, some of the foul words in Cantonese could be quite interesting,” quipped Lye, who added that both dialects would be on par as far as picking them up is concerned.

Picking up both languages is considered “a piece of cake” by many, he said.

For Johorean Chai Hui Choon, 27, who came to Penang to work, the inability to converse in Hokkien can be a handicap.

She had hawkers charging her a higher price for food because she did not speak Hokkien.

“Hokkien is very important in Penang because it is used by everyone. Though I do sometimes have problems communicating with certain people, it's not that hard to live in a predominantly Hokkien society,” she said.

“Penangnites are versatile in English and Mandarin. I just switch to those languages when I need to communicate with them.”

Chai, however, admitted that she’s slowly picking up the dialect and she understands some of the Hokkien words being spoken although she is not able to pronounce them.

Sherene Cheah, 25, who has been living in New York for more than six years, can’t help but stress that Hokkien is very much a part of a Penangnite’s life.

“We were raised to speak the dialect regardless of what dialectal group we were from. I spoke Hokkien every day at home and when I moved to New York, I still speak Hokkien with my housemate and sister,” she said.

And when she meets other Penangnites in New York, it's natural for her to revert to Hokkien, she said.

“Obviously, when you meet, you go back to your Penang roots. It might be a subconscious or conscious habit to just converse in Hokkien.

“Maybe speaking Hokkien in a foreign land gives you a sense of belonging and being home.”

Cheah attributed Penang's strong Hokkien identity to the community being rooted to the Hokkien cultural practices, which are part of the Taoist religion.

“Hokkien is here to stay. Look at the festive celebrations. It's part of the Penang-ness of Penang. Penang is Hokkien as much as Penang is famous for its hawker food,” she said.

”BOY, tolong chut khi chai tiam ma bei sabun ka timba. Mang bei ki bei
roti,” a mother said to her young son. Translation: Boy, can you
please go to the grocery shop and get some soap and a pail? Don’t
forget to buy the bread too.)

Sounds familiar?

This is Penang Hokkien, a dialect peppered with a little bit of Bahasa
Malaysia and English.

Though Hokkien remains the undisputed lingua franca of most
Penangnites, the dialect, which is a form of Min Nan (Southern Min)
dialect, has been creolised ever since the early Chinese settlers
arrived.

The language has become diluted but Penangites still hold strongly to
it.

It is something all Penangites identify with and a badge they proudly
wear.

This pride remains in place despite having Mandarin taught in schools
and Cantonese being heard on television.

Universiti Sains Malaysia Centre for Languages and Translation Chinese
Language lecturer Loo Hooi Huck said Hokkien was dominant in Penang
because the early Chinese settlers here were mainly from Fujian.

“There were early Chinese settlers from other parts of China too.
Cantonese is quite predominant in Penang and nearly 30% of Penangites
speak Cantonese.

“The early Cantonese-speaking Chinese from Canton settled at the Beach
Street area and Chulia Street market area,” he said.

Even though Cantonese is widely spoken and accepted elsewhere, Loo
does not see it taking over Hokkien in Penang.

“Though Hokkien is used daily and widely in Penang, Penang Hokkien has
very much evolved and can be said to have degenerated quite a bit,” he
said.

“When my father and mother came from China, the dialect was still
quite pure in form. As they settled here, they too learnt other
languages. Though they could speak Bahasa Malaysia well, they did not
let other languages influence their Hokkien. The language they
inherited was so strong that it was never polluted nor distorted.”

But as years passed by, the Hokkien spoken in Penang has become quite
distorted from the original.

For example, it is common to hear Penangites use the word “stone” for
“batu”, but in Johor, it’s still known as “chiu tau”.

What would you call a towel in Hokkien? I won’t be surprised if you
say tuala, when the right word is mo kin.

“I would say that Penang Hokkien has been mixed with words from other
languages and is quite limited in its vocabulary. It’s not that the
Hokkien dialect does not have these words but it’s our Hokkien that
doesn’t have the necessary words,” Loo said.

“Let’s say we ask a Penangite to take a newspaper and read it out in
Hokkien. He wouldn’t be able to do it. Our usage of Hokkien is limited
to daily transactions and confined to certain situations only.

“As it’s only used to converse casually among relatives and friends or
to buy something from the hawkers at the market, we don’t need a wide
range of vocabulary,

“If I had a problem concerning education and I would like to discuss
formal issues such as this, I’ll find myself short of words to
describe the issue in Hokkien. I would need to use words from another
language to make up for these loopholes. You don’t really use Hokkien
to discuss serious or formal issues.”

Loo said the country’s economic development also had a role to play in
the usage of the dialect.

“Back in the old Penang days, we had markets and shops. Now, we have
supermarkets and English and Bahasa Malaysia are most used there. It’s
no surprise that these two languages have become a bit more dominant
compared to Hokkien in that environment.

“Our hawkers are used to people not speaking Hokkien. Even our trishaw
pullers can speak English. While Hokkien is used widely in Penang, so
are other languages. Penang is very much a cosmopolitan place,” he
said.

With such low usage of the dialect, Loo said, he expected Hokkien to
be forgotten in 40 to 50 years' time.

“The newer generations are not used to using dialects and only use it
to communicate with their grandparents. At school, it’s Mandarin or
English and at home with their parents, it could be Mandarin or
English again.

“And when their grandparents are not around, they don’t usually use
it. That is a trend we cannot reverse. But this aside, it is good for
the new generation, as they have a few language tools to choose from,”
he said.

Raymond Kwok, 62, a former history teacher, local historian and
cultural researcher who wrote the book, Malay Echoes From The Past:
The Penang Hokkien Baba Language, said that the Hokkien dialect will
always remain dominant in Penang.

“Eventually, all dialectal groups will have to learn Hokkien.
Regardless of whether you're a Teow Chiew, Kek, Hakka or a Hok Chiew
there is no way you can escape. It is inevitable,” said Kwok who has
written four books on the dialect.

This is because the main communication tool in Penang is Hokkien. A
person who wants to do business in Penang needs to have a grasp of the
dialect. In order to haggle for better prices at the market, you need
Hokkien too.

Kwok said even though Hokkien is actually a dialect per se, he
believes it would evolve into a “language” in view of its dominance
among Penangites.

Penang Bridge Traffic

2008-05-11T14:57:00.003+08:00

A good web that you can check the Penang Bridge Traffic on line.
One thing which I really do not understand, is this the official government website?

If Yes, why the official website being parked at Blogger domain? We do not have fund even to host a domain? or can this put under JPJ domain ... but forget about it lah, sure got a lot of obstacle then this one cannot and that one cannot lah...

If No, then very pai sei hor, people can host this useful information privately and our Government never think of this?

Mr. Lim, I am not referring to you, this web exist before you take over the State, but you may want to consider my suggestion.

http://www.penangbridge.blogspot.com/

New Crime in Malaysia

2008-05-11T14:54:00.000+08:00

Pass it on..... let more people be aware of such things around them.

I just heard a few days ago that a new type of crime has surfaced in town. It goes something like this:- Somebody slips a handphone into your pocket. sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few ringgits. A few minutes later, the 'owner' comes up and confronts you, the 'thief '. He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You, caught unaware, are then pulled aside by the 'owner' for a settlement you are intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police will be brought in. If you pay up, this 'owner' lets you go. If not, the police are brought in.

Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a 'witness' to the your 'theft'. I am told this often happens to foreigners at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or even at LRT trains. Given that you're 'guilty until proven innocent' as far as the Malaysian police are concerned, I understand some poor people are in jail for these 'offences'.

At the KLIA, the 'owner' throws his handphone and wallet with the few ringgit notes into the luggage trolley of a just arrived passenger. The drama unfolds a few minutes later. The real culprit has easily convinced our Malaysian police to arrest the real victim (if he has not paid up the 'settlement' demand). This is a very serious matter.

This is another form of extortionists perating in broad daylight. They are disgusting criminals who will do anything to rob and steal. The sickening part of the whole scenario is that unless you pay the "settlement" money, they will put you in real trouble by calling the police. The real culprit gets back his handphone and wallet but the real victim (i.e. could be any one of us) is thrown into the police lock up and charged in court.

So do be very careful, otherwise you may end up as a "thief" as you have no way to prove your innocence.

Liberated Association ofNational Chinese and Indian Alliance Union

2008-05-10T23:00:00.000+08:00

With the dismal results in the election, MCA and MIC decided to re-brand.They decided to merge leveraging with the synergy in strength.

The new name:
Liberated Association ofNational Chinese and Indian Alliance Union

or
LANCIAUin short.

Blogger Rules Malaysia PM

2008-04-16T22:49:00.002+08:00

In year 2008, a blogger who have posted interesting articles in past years won the election and become the politician.

In year 2008, 2 weeks before election, our Malaysia government realized that they should use internet as a media to communicate with people, then established a website for people to post the enquiries and comments, and Badawi assure that all emails will be go to him.

Uncle, a bit late liao ... you mean 2 weeks before the election then you only implement it? Blogs in internet already established for years and even our Mr.Lim from DAP already gone up for the facebook liao.. then only uncle Badawi realized about internet...

And one thing I am not very sure, I doubt the webpage created for him is properly maintained by now... By the way, I cannot find the link in google, msn nor yahoo ...

Perhaps, only he and his webmaster know the web address bah.

Black Listed? Senarai Hitam

2008-04-16T22:46:00.002+08:00

Just imagine, how can this Government's important documents is acquired by someone so easily ?? I strongly believe that UMNO itself is having a big Perang Saudara within their Party.....what a shame !!!

Are you still confident with BN ?? The Tai Lou also gets a big trouble liao now...

Malaysia Government want to explain why they know who have vote for opposition parties?

Malaysia Boleh Comics!!!

2008-04-16T22:37:00.008+08:00

Nasi Kandar Kayu

2008-04-16T22:35:00.001+08:00

Received the following from emails...

{慕沙}歪曲和制造边缘化话课题来煽动人民情绪。抹黑我们的新首席部长!你们知道这个人是谁吗? 他是当年要烧雪华堂阿都阿兹的哥哥! 他们全家人都是排华的极端份子！促请所有槟州人民,以人民力量来团结一至杯葛他们家族的生意

For those not understand the Chinese language, let me explain some. All the races are put high hope on Penang new state government, but some how this is sabotage by BM UMNO leader, MUSA. He tried to create discrimination among residents. He tried to talk bad about new Penang CM. Do you all know who this MAMAK is? He is brother of Abdul Aziz, who tried to destroy Selangor Chinese Association building in past few years. Their family all boycott Chinese and Indian. So, urge all the Penang and other state people, we all united and boycott their family business, KAYU nasi kandar.

What kind of changes you are looking for?

2008-03-12T08:12:00.001+08:00

What kind of changes we want? We do not want the donation of 3% of educational fund.

You may think that without MCA, we may not even have that 3%..
But what if without MCA, we could have 30%?

50 years .. It has been 50 years that we have gone and at the end, what we have is the 3%.

You think the party that you supported have done a good job to maintain 3%?
You think opposition cannot maintain that 3%?
Why we need other people to donate our 3%?
Since we have only 3%, why don’t we look for changes? A complete changes which to gain us 30%

What is our risk? Our risk is to lose out 3% donation.
What we gain? A complete changes that MCA cannot give us.

DAP in Penang

2008-03-10T23:04:00.000+08:00

A long journey and at last I can witness them to chair Penang state.
All I wish is to see the changes and I hope DAP will not dissappointed all the people in Penang !

Keep up your good work DAP !

马华好, 马华妙

2008-02-28T22:39:00.001+08:00

马华好, 马华妙,
国小年年渐渐少,
补习国文应会考,
华文英文不重要．

国文拿7 就糟糕,
卖屋借钱去补考,
没钱读书自己找
找不到去街边炒Kuay Tiow

(how many of us are the above victim?)

街边 Kuay Tiow没牌照
申请三年等不到
别人拿牌去炸香蕉 (goreng pisang)
我的Kuay Tiow在家炒

等了很久大选到
说要给我送牌照
大选过了还等不到
他说五年后再填表 (We will trrrryyyyy to help you to apply, most important thing is support us)

马华好, 马华妙,
为国为民争荣耀
七老八老上Hotel
给你看他的大香蕉，大香蕉！

Wikipedia Talk About Malaysia Chinese Education

2008-02-27T13:49:00.002+08:00

Wikipedia, a well known website surfed by almost everyone in the world, discussed about the Chinese education in Malaysia, you can find the link here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Chinese

The key thing it mentioned is
"The Chinese national-type school received less than 3% of total fundings for all primary schools"

A large segment of the Chinese population living in Malaysia is predominantly Chinese-speaking, they are commonly known as the "Chinese-educated". Malaysia is also one of two countries outside mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, to have a completely Chinese-medium education system. Canada is the other country, but such schools are usually private schools. There are roughly 1,300 Chinese public primary schools (national-type schools) in Malaysia that are all partially government funded (where the wages of teachers are paid by the government while the up-keeping of school buildings is funded by local communities in forms of donations).

The Chinese national-type school received less than 3% of total fundings for all primary schools. Mandarin is the language of instruction for all subjects except in Malay and English language classes. In the 1960s, all but 16 of the Chinese secondary schools had received government funding and had been converted into National Secondary Schools (Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan)[citation needed], but the term "National-type Secondary Schools" is used internally until today to show that they were once Chinese Schools. They first used English but later on used Bahasa Malaysia as the language of instruction. Today, there are 60 Chinese secondary schools that are supported financially mostly by the public.

These are called Chinese Independent High Schools. Mandarin is the main language of instruction in these private schools except Bahasa Malaysia and English, but some schools use either Malay or English in selected subjects. In 2004, according to statistical data, 90% of all Malaysian Chinese attend Chinese primary schools (The figure was around 70% in 1970). Among the 600,000 Chinese primary school students, roughly 10% are of non-Chinese descent. On the other hand, 90% of Chinese primary school graduates continue their secondary studies in public secondary schools (both national and national-type), while the remaining 10% go to Chinese private secondary schools.[citation needed] There are also three privately owned post-secondary institutes in Malaysia where the language of instruction is Mandarin.

RM2487 per month for Chinese School

2008-02-27T13:46:00.002+08:00

The following matter being published at MCA website, MCA is proud to relocate the Chinese School to Skudai to keep the existence of Chinese Primary School…

Johor Menteri mentioned that they have allocated RM2 million for Chinese school every year, from my search of the total Chinese School in Johor, from the MOE website, http://www.moe.gov.my/emis/emis2/emisportal/mainpage.php?module=CarianSekolah&task=list_sek&nama_sek=SJKC&kod_sek=&limit=30, there are 59 unit of Chinese school and with the 8 private Chinese Institute above, total 67 unit of school have to rely on the RM2million fund every year.

RM2 million means RM29,850 per year and RM2,487 per month, hmm may be RM2,487 is sufficient to pay for the salary of one teacher and may not enough for the principal.Again, as I said, dun “tua tua sia” (big big voice), pai seh lah MCA!

JOHOR BARU: SJK (C) Thai Hong in Kota Tinggi, which has only 17 students, has been relocated to Skudai.

This is to ensure the survival of the school, as it will be closed down due to the lack of students.
The move was one of the MCA’s efforts to establish more Chinese schools in areas with a high density of Chinese.

Incumbent Bekok state assemblyman Tan Kok Hong said that enrolment at the school, which was built in 1954 in Thai Hong estate, was decreasing yearly due to a drop in population.
Tan, who is also Johor MCA acting chairman, thanked the state for approving the project.
He also thanked Gunung Impian Development for paying for the 2.5ha plot and construction costs amounting to RM10mil.

Construction of the school with 24 classrooms will start in August. The first intake is targeted for 2010.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the Barisan Nasional coalition government had made clear its open policy on education.

“We support the study of mother tongues of the various major races in the country, not only in primary and secondary level but also in higher educational.

“I always believe that studying will be easier through our mother tongues,” he said in his speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for the school on Monday.

Abdul Ghani said the state has an allocation of RM2mil yearly for Chinese primary schools and eight private Chinese educational institutions.

He said the state has also reduced the premium rate on the land by 5%.

MCA, you sleeping or no balls to talk in parliment?

2008-02-27T12:04:00.005+08:00

Read the following simple statistic and see what is the great contribution of our MCA has done !

Chinese Primary School Enrolment
Year 1957, 1333 school, 310,000 students enrolment
Year 2007, 1288 school, 636,000 students enrolment

In next 10 years, your children not only bringing school bag to school, they will need to bring a chair too... because no place to sit.

No Worry, MCA will think of the way to get fund for your children chair... thanks to MCA .. muahhh i love MCA !

Eh, next time hor, dun tua tua sia (big big voice) say the contribution to Chinese society...

Beggar MCA

2008-02-27T11:59:00.002+08:00

On the 3rd December 2006, the Minister of Education, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced a budget of RM709 million to build up to 15 new Maktab Rendah Sains Malaysia (MRSMs) and more for upgrades and repairs of existing MRSMs. This announcement actually exceeds the RM90 million announced in the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) to build 2 new MRSMs as well as upgrade of existing facilities.

On the 9th December 2006, that is last Saturday, the same Minister of Education announced additional funds of RM2.1 million in the 9MP for the purposes of "upgrading "96 Chinese vernacular schools in the country.

Grateful Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting goes out of his way to thank the Minister for his consideration and generous allocation.

This was headline news for the local vernacular dailies.
<> SAD CASE ...
MCA .. A BEGGAR who is VERY PROUD FOR what have they done.

And as political analyst Khoo Kay Peng calculated the complicated sums before arriving at the conclusion that the additional allocation meant a magnanimous RM22,000 for each of the Chinese schools, we are left aghast at state of beggar politics in this country.

On the one hand, we have the richly funded MRSM system which caters almost exclusively to the bumiputera community, while on the other, we have the drastically short-changed vernacular school system which caters largely to the minority communities.

Do we have a just and equitable education system in this country?

Short Term Gain, Long Term Loss

2008-02-27T11:43:00.002+08:00

Many parties like to offer the freebies to the people during the election, because they have been given special fund to “help” the citizens.

People are greedy and forgetful, when they are given the freebies during the elections, then they thought that particular party work very hard for people. However, they do not realize the impact to our people and society in long term.

They forget that our country will suffer, they forget that our children will suffer …

We need changes, a complete changes, not the freebies only during the election.

SAD case… waiting for the “donation” from government every 5 years.

We work ONLY every 5 years

2008-02-27T11:43:00.001+08:00

In my country, the efficiency and the productivity will become hyper-effective once every five years, especially near to the election.

All the road which not being maintained for years will be done in one day
The approval which pending for years will be approved over-night
The budget which cannot be obtained will be approved immediately

All the problems will be solved in miracle, only orang mati tak boleh hidup, apa apa pun boleh !

Having such officers in our government, sad right? Work every five years… I wish that the officers can work as hard as during the election.

Election Poster

2008-02-12T22:29:00.000+08:00

Every time before the election, you will notice that the poster of the MCA flying and pasting all over the place in Penang.

The supporter will paster their idol pictures on the wall, bus station, and even road sign, toilet doors and even the rubbish bin doors.

However, sad to say that we seldom see the opposition parties poster being pasted. Why?

Let us guess, opposition parties do not have so much fund and resources like what MCA has. Do you mean opposition supporters are poorer than MCA... hmmm I dont think so, usually a party should have different categories of supporters, from poor to rich.

But why? Do you think opposition parties supporters are lazy? I don't think so. Opposition parties supporters are usually as hard working as MCA and some more they will rush for different session of speeches until mid night.

But again, why?

I guess MCA have more fund than opposition parties. But have we ever think where is the fund come from? I don't know, may be you can do a wild guess loh.

Prime Minister Should Lodge A Corruption Report

2008-02-12T22:23:00.000+08:00

Interesting article extracted from http://dapmalaysia.org/newenglish/

Press Statement By Lim Guan Eng In Petaling Jaya On 11.2.2008:

The Prime Minister Should Lodge A Corruption Report Against Those Who Offered Him Money As Failure To Do So Is An Offence Under Section 17 Of The 1997 Anti-Corruption Act
DAP urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to lodge a corruption report against those who offered him money as failure to do so is an offence under section 17 of the 1997 Anti-Corruption Act. Abdullah was reported by the New Straits Times on 9.2.2008 whilst attending the Penang Chinese Town Hall’s Chinese New Year open house that,
“I have not benefited one sen from anyone for what I have done. Some people want to give me money but I don’t need it. The government takes good care of its prime minister.”

DAP is shocked that “some people” dares to offer to give money to the top leader of our country. Wanting to give money to the Prime Minister is no different from corruption. Is corruption so endemic that those who subvert integrity are so bold as to attempt to bribe the Prime Minister?

No wonder Malaysia has slipped under the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from No. 37 when he took over as Prime Minister in 2003 to No. 43 last year.
DAP is extremely disappointed that Abdullah did not take any action against those who attempted to bribe him. Under Section 17 of the Anti-Corruption Act he has a statutory duty as a public officer to report bribery transactions.

17(1) Any officer of a public body to whom any gratification is given, promised, or offered, in contravention of any provision of this Act shall report such gift, promise or offer together with the name, if known, of the person who gave, promised or offered such gratification to him to the nearest officer of the Agency or police officer.

17(2) Any person who fails to comply with subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both.

These are severe penalties for failure to comply with the law in reporting bribery transactions. But many do not bother to do so. By failing to file reports with the ACA, Abdullah is not only failing to uphold the law he is also indirectly encouraging corrupt practices by failing to check the actions and act against the corrupt.

DAP urges the Prime Minister to reaffirm his commitment towards establishing integrity and battling corruption everywhere and anywhere. By complying with Section 17 of the Act, Abdullah would encourage many other public officers who have been offered money to follow suit. Only by taking the lead in reporting such attempts to give him money and arresting the culprits, can we effectively combat corruption from the highest levels.

Best Excuses - You Think You Very Big?

2008-02-11T14:55:00.000+08:00

We always say: “Why this country can manage the particular system very well, but not our country” and we always get the same answer, “That country is small mah”. Is this true?

There are plenty big countries in the world which manage the entire transport system, housing system and others so well, which ensure the citizens will enjoy a good, safe and peaceful place to stay. These big country implement sophisticated technology and system for their people. I shall say” YOU THINK YOU VERY BIG AH?”

Ha ha .. and we will get another answer for this: “Other country rich mah” … but they almost forgot that we have plenty of resources, we have 2nd highest building in the world.. poor country can afford meh?

Whatever excuse is it, they will have the standard set of answer.

Low IQ but High EQ - Pirated CD

2008-02-11T14:42:00.000+08:00

Quite true, almost everyone know where can they buy the pirated CD. Some shops open beside the Kopi Tiam at the fixed timing, and some occupied almost 2 floors for the entire shopping complex. We know where to buy, and even a primary school student knows where to get the pirated CD-Rom.

However, due to certain reason, the IQ of the relevant authorities are relatively low, they do not know where to catch the pirated CD shop, and the shop are happily doing their business at the same time, same place and same building.

Perhaps I should say they have low IQ but high EQ … they know how to build a good rapport with the pirated CD owner, ha ha.

Hmm, the answer is here: -

A pirated CD shop owner told me, he spent RM28000 per month to feed 7 different authority, so he can continue his pirated CD business at the big shopping complex. Imagine, we are talking only one shop, and there are uncountable pirated CD shop there in that complex.

Chicken Run

2008-02-11T14:41:00.001+08:00

Job hoppers hop from a job to another, usually because of 2 things:-

Better opportunity and Better Pay – by hopping from a job to another means getting better opportunity, career prospect and higher salary.

Non-Performer – he/she is not performing in the company, and looking for another place for him/her to perform and be outstanding.

Lately, there is one politician who wish to hop to another place too, and to me, he fulfilled all the above 2 criteria as mentioned. He may be looking for better opportunity and may be better lobang to dig more $, and definitely he is non-performer. I wonder what he has done for past few years in that State, being a puppet so everyone can hang his photo at their office. Just like a chicken to run to another place to look for more wheat and to lay more shit at other place. He some more can propose 3 other candidate to sit at his place, a puppet is trying to propose a paper puppet? Have you seen the shitty chicken lay gold egg?

Worst thing is… he is from my school … what a shame.

Rifle Range Flat Car Park, A 20 Years Empty Promise !

2008-02-11T12:21:00.000+08:00

Rifle Range Flats, one of the earliest flat in Penang, Malaysia. It consists of 7 blocks, each block 16-18 floors and each floor with 24 units. A very congested area with plenty of nice food there.

During the development of Rifle Range Flats more than 30 years ago, I believe that the Architects are unable to imagine that the one-room flat owners will own a car. Hence, they “forgot” to plan the carpark space there…. Hmm.. actually there are, there are about 10 car park places per block, but now become invisible being occupied by the hawkers. (I wonder what MPPP is doing? Issuing Hawker license for them to occupy the car park)

There are estimated 2856 house at Rifle Range Flats, if we take in 3 pax per house, then there are about 8568 pax staying at Rifle Range Flats. Assuming 10% of occupants own a car (actual number should be much much greater), then, there are about 856 cars at Rifle Range Flats, and this does not consider the visitor to the flat and hawker center.

Poor car owners have to use their creativity to park their car, occupy the rubbish bin area, occupy the side of the road, and any places which they can find. Our very responsible traffic police will come once in a while to make sure sufficient summons being issued.

Halooo…. Where shall the owner park their cars??? The politicians at that area will use CARPARK as one of the selling point to gain votes from the residents there. I heard of the promise about 20 years ago … although they have won the election for several time, but the promise still become empty promise.

Its ok lah, I tell myself, at least they have the same empty promise to be used for next election… or may be they really work very hard, but their proposal not accepted by the State leh …

Whoever or whichever the authorities are… please open your eyes and look at the situation there, please send some staff to move from their office chair to take a walk at Rifle Range, and please help the Residents at Rifle Range.

Whoever the party who want to win in next election, stop giving empty promises and empty hope, because, I have heard of your promise 20 years ago.

Thanks to Technology

2008-02-11T09:42:00.000+08:00

Lately, there are many sex scandals being shown in the media, thanks to the technology of media and internet. Besides youtube, there are many places where the public can post anything they like to post.

The ugly side of the politicians being shown from video clips one by one, perhaps more to come, more exciting and more shocking!

We do not have chance to see this 10 years ago, and we should thanks to the technology to surface the truth for all to see. The ugly side of the person we upmost respected!

May be if the media was so advance 10 years ago, we will not see the bed and mattress being sent to the Court, we will see the life show… YUCK !

Politicians And Newspaper

2008-02-10T23:38:00.000+08:00

Many times we notice that our politicians appeared on the newspaper, a typical picture pointing at the hole on the road, highlighting to our authority that it is dangerous for the road users.

This is a good effort taken by them but they forgot that there are hundred, thousands, and perhaps uncountable holes and bad road conditions in the country. I guess there are many more meaningful actions to be taken by them other than busy contacting the reporter that they are going to appear at that particular place.

Their job is not pointing to the hole and complaining to the authority, this should be done by the public, but again ... whether the authority taken any actions .. this is a question marks.

If the politicians are doing their job, there will be no holes for them to point and there are plenty more meaningful matter for them to appear on the newspaper.

Penang Tourism? Broken Link

2008-02-09T15:57:00.000+08:00

Penang, such a nice place to visit, nice food, laksa, char kuay teow and many more.

A website can help the visitors to gain more information about Penang.

When a visitor access the http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/ webpage to find more information about Penang, and click on the calendar of event http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/section.cfm?id=49 to find the activities which may attract the visitor, what he can see is a broken link which do not have any calendar there. See the picture as attached.

Hey, webmaster, wake up lah.

Rasuah = Jenayah

2008-02-09T15:33:00.001+08:00

Rasuah = Jenayah, corruption = crime.
Corruption is very common in one of the country, a very common corruption is to feed the kopi duit to the police. Standard price for speeding is RM50.

There are many cases when I speed in the country and I was being stopped by the police. I am prepared for the summons being issued. However, the police will ask me "hey, do you want to settle?" Then I told the police "Please issue me a summon". The police shocked and tell me "Do you know summons is very expensive?" 'Yes" I said. Then the police told me, is ok, I give you a chance and you can go....

The above cases are real cases, it happened to me many times. Few thing I can guess, there isnt sufficient proof that I was speeding, and they are just setting the road block for the sake of setting the road block. They are preparing for the money given by the drivers, and they feel so shocked when I refused to give them any.

You may think that this is a small matter, but just imagine, a country with corruption means a country with no development. A murderer can be released because of corruption, a drug trader can be released because of corruption. Any laws or rules are unable to be implemented.

An authority does not allow the hawker to sell food at the road side, this may be due to health issue and also this will affect the traffic. However, how many hawkers are actually have the license to trade at the authorised place? Are the relevant departments blind? They did not realise that the traffic at Penang Road, Penang is terrible? being blocked by the hawkers? They do, of course? But they are more happy when they see more hawkers doing business there because they need more money to feed more children, setting a good hifi system at home and buying instalment free sofa from Courts Superstore.

Corruption, all about corruption, many that you know, many that being released in newspaper, many that you are encountered day to day .. but what has the country done? Remember what our new PM said when he take over the seat from Dr.M? But what can he do now?