BIGCAT

An aspiring MB and his merry men

2012-02-24T05:06:00.000-08:00

What la this latest thing I heard about people of a certain aspiring MB behaving so unashamedly as if their boss is already certain to get the job.

Cannot wait until Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman step down first ka? Cannot wait until after the general election ka? Cheyyy....

Hey, malu you know behaving like that.

I hear this from the JCS people, ok? Not Ghani people. Ghani people had already been told not to make noise about this nonsense as they need to focus on the coming general election.

These JCS people told me that this bunch of people are already touring Kota Iskandar, telling the people there which rooms they are going to occupy when their boss become menteri besar.

They were said to have even asked for the list of JCS people so that they can determine in advance who are to go to what post to suit their "needs".

Let's not even let me begin on how these bunch of people use filthy tactics to make sure Ghani vacate the MB post so that their boss can take over. Eh, Ghani don't want the post anymore la. No need to be so gelojoh, ok?

This is the old sickness of Umno. Party members who think they are so powerful just because they are from Umno. Lebih sudu dari kuah (more spoon than gravy). These are the sorts of people who are the curse of Umno.

These are the sorts of nonsense behavior which make people who are pro-Umno but not party members got sick of Umno. Lets not even talk about the fence sitters let alone those on the other side.

I don't know whether their boss know about their behaviour but if he does, he better tell them to stop it.

I know, the PM is going to spend quite a lot of time in their area when he visit Johor next month. But they should get it in their thick skull that he is going there not to endorse their boss as the next Johor MB. He is going there because their area is classified as "grey". That means their area are in danger and the PM need to be there to bolster support for BN. Got it or not? Sheeessshhh....

Talks on the ground among Johor contractors at the moment are that, if this aspiring MB really get the job, they need to hike up the cost of their projects by as high as 100 per cent to accommodate the demands of his machais.

I tell you....if this happened, Johor will definitely go into the longkang. This is what I have feared all the while.

My prayers now is for PM DS Najib Razak to be strong and wise in his decision.

Please Datuk Najib, appoint someone who can really take care of Johor after Ghani retires.

I guarantee you, if a wrong choice was made, that's the end of Johor as we know it.

A little pig oinking at our police

2012-02-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

Johor Pas youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat had alleged that a special branch police officer was apprehended by Pas members in the early morning today for distributing anti-Pas flyers in Pengerang, Johor.

He made the allegation during a Press conference at the Southern Johor Chinese Press Club in Johor Bahru.

He claimed that Pas have pictures of the policeman and that checks with the local police station had confirmed that the policeman is from the special branch.

When pressed by reporters, Suhaizan however admitted that the "policeman" was released shortly after he was detained and no police report had been lodged about the alleged incident.

Now, that's rather convenient isn't it?

Accuse the police of doing a dastardly deed without any evidence and then sit back to see the damage done.

Before I proceed further, here is something I previously wrote about this Suhaizan fella so that you all have a better understanding what kind of a jerk he is - Guan Eng's cute pet pig .

Personally, I am of the opinion that this prick should be charged under the Seditious Act for trying to smear the reputation of our police force.

Please excuse me, as I need to express my anger in Malay for this. I will try not to be too vulgar.

"Sesiapa boleh dakwa polis kalau dah terdesak. Pas dah tersepit dengan isu Israel Anwar dan Bai'ah laknat dunia akhirat, cuba nak cari scapegoat dan divert isu.
"Banyak kerja lain polis nak buat. Apa nak susah-susah sebar risalah. Orang Umno kan ada. Dia orang Pas sebar risalah fitnah cara terang-terangan tak pe pulak. Memang kerja dia orang nak cari isu konon nak dapat simpati....piiiiraaah!!!!
"Selama ini polis berkorban nyawa pertahankan keselamatan orang ramai, tak siapa peduli atau nak puji melangit jauh sekali.
"Dia orang ni sebenarnya jenis manusia tak makan saman. Main jubor 3/4 kali masih nak kata manusia anugerah tuhan.
"Jilat bontot DAP tak apa, tapi orang Islam yang nak hulur tangan berdamai ditolak bulat-bulat.
"Biar dia terjun dengan labu-labunya. Tohmahan mereka ni tak jadi kudis.
"Sebelum ini lagi teruk polis kena bashing but they are still walking tall.

To our good policemen, I salute you all.

Kulai is black area

2012-02-23T00:36:00.000-08:00

If there is going to be a place where Johor BN will lose in the next general election, it should be in Kulai.

Kulai has about 34,000 voters. It is the parliamentary constituency in Johor with the biggest percentage of Chinese voters.

The current MP of Kulai is former MCA president Ong Ka Ting.

The Kulai parliamentary constituency comprise 31 per cent Malay voters, 59 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indians.

There are three State constituencies within the Kulai parliamentary area.
1. Bukit Permai - 52 per cent Malays, 36 per cent Chinese and 11 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to Umno.
2. Bukit Batu - 30 per cent Malays, 63 per cent Chinese and 7 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to Gerakan.
3. Senai - 22 per cent Malays, 67 per cent Chinese and 11 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to DAP.

The situation in Kulai is not good at all for BN. The leadership of Umno and MCA there are in disarray while their machinery in a state of paralysis. Only Gerakan, led by its Bukit Batu assemblyman Cheong Chin Liang seems to be doing some serious work. Kulai Wanita Umno also seems to be trying their best but they were hampered by a lackasadical attitude among division leaders.

It is understood that Kulai Umno leaders are currently jockeying for the single state seat allocated to them in Bukit Permai. Up to four leaders from the division were said to be lobbying the party leadership in Kuala Lumpur to be the Umno candidate there for the coming election.

Pas' presence there may be small and Umno likely to retain the seat, but the probability of Malay votes going to the opposition for the parliamentary seat from Bukit Permai will be quite significant in the overall scheme of things.

Even in Bukit Batu, the hardworking Cheong is struggling to keep things together for BN, especially among his Chinese constituents. It is going to be a 50-50 chance for BN in Bukit Batu as DAP is expected to field a strong candidate there.

It will be even more difficult for BN in Senai with its 67 per cent Chinese voters. MCA, which was supposed to field a candidate there are really handicapped with Ong Ka Ting hardly bothered to be in his area now that he knows he is already out of power in MCA and not going to defend his Kulai seat.

As for the Kulai parliamentary seat, DAP is expected to field their biggest gun, State opposition leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau who will also be defending his Skudai state seat. Any MCA candidate fielded there is expected to be blown out of the water by Dr Boo if Kulai BN do not get their act together.

The situation was made even worse by the refusal of the Kulai Umno division leaders to work with the party's State liaison committee which were trying hard to coordinate with the grass-root leaders in defending, especially the Kulai parliamentary seat. As far as Umno leaders in Kulai are concerned, all that matter to them is the single Umno seat of Bukit Permai.

It was quite sad, especially for grass-root members who are worried over the situation yet were hopeless to do anything because their leaders are only interested to further their own agenda.

It is understood that BN number two man Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is coming to Kulai at the end of this month to see for himself the situation there. Hopefully he will talk some sense into the ears of Kulai BN leaders, especially those from Umno.

Israel's Malaysian allies

2012-02-21T02:54:00.000-08:00

So, Anwar Ibrahim today refused to retract his support for Israel's security or sue WSJ for "misreporting" his statement.

He said Nik Aziz, the supreme leader of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (is it Pas or Pis ?) who earlier demanded for him to do those had accepted his stand.

Well, what can I say to that....

Honestly, I am lost for words.

I wonder what Nik Adli, the son of Nik Aziz has to say about all this.

Nik Adli, who fought alongside the Afghan Mujahideen forces against the Soviets in the late 1980s was detained under ISA from 2001 to 2006 for being suspected of leading the Kumpulan Mujaheedin Malaysia which military wing Kumpulan Militan Malaysia was headed by Zulkifli Abdul Khir, whose story I had posted here -

The untold story of Zulkifli Abdul Khir

I surfed the net and found this old article about the incident which started the ball of fire rolling across the globe over the past three decades and shaped the life of people like Nik Adli and Zulkifli Abdul Khir.

I'm putting the article here in memory of a dear friend and all who lost their life due to the cruelty of those in power in the state called Israel.

SABRA AND SHATILA

By Robert Fisk

What we found inside the Palestinian camp at ten o'clock on the morning of September 1982 did not quite beggar description, although it would have been easier to re-tell in the cold prose of a medical examination. There had been medical examinations before in Lebanon, but rarely on this scale and never overlooked by a regular, supposedly disciplined army. In the panic and hatred of battle, tens of thousands had been killed in this country. But these people, hundreds of them had been shot down unarmed. This was a mass killing, an incident - how easily we used the word "incident" in Lebanon - that was also an atrocity. It went beyond even what the Israelis would have in other circumstances called a terrorist activity. It was a war crime.

Jenkins and Tveit were so overwhelmed by what we found in Chatila that at first we were unable to register our own shock. Bill Foley of AP had come with us. All he could say as he walked round was "Jesus Christ" over and over again. We might have accepted evidence of a few murders; even dozens of bodies, killed in the heat of combat. Bur there were women lying in houses with their skirts torn torn up to their waists and their legs wide apart, children with their throats cut, rows of young men shot in the back after being lined up at an execution wall. There were babies - blackened babies babies because they had been slaughtered more than 24-hours earlier and their small bodies were already in a state of decomposition - tossed into rubbish heaps alongside discarded US army ration tins, Israeli army equipment and empty bottles of whiskey.

Where were the murderers? Or to use the Israelis' vocabulary, where were the "terrorists"? When we drove down to Chatila, we had seen the Israelis on the top of the apartments in the Avenue Camille Chamoun but they made no attempt to stop us. In fact, we had first been driven to the Bourj al-Barajneh camp because someone told us that there was a massacre there. All we saw was a Lebanese soldier chasing a car theif down a street. It was only when we were driving back past the entrance to Chatila that Jenkins decided to stop the car. "I don't like this", he said. "Where is everyone? What the f**k is that smell?"

Just inside the the southern entrance to the camp, there used to be a number of single-story, concrete walled houses. I had conducted many interviews in these hovels in the late 1970's. When we walked across the muddy entrance to Chatila, we found that these buildings had been dynamited to the ground. There were cartridge cases across the main road. I saw several Israeli flare canisters, still attached to their tiny parachutes. Clouds of flies moved across the rubble, raiding parties with a nose for victory.

Down a laneway to our right, no more than 50 yards from the entrance, there lay a pile of corpses. There were more than a dozen of them, young men whose arms and legs had been wrapped around each other in the agony of death. All had been shot point-blank range through the cheek, the bullet tearing away a line of flesh up to the ear and entering the brain. Some had vivid crimson or black scars down the left side of their throats. One had been castrated, his trousers torn open and a settlement of flies throbbing over his torn intestines.

The eyes of these young men were all open. The youngest was only 12 or 13 years old. They were dressed in jeans and coloured shirts, the material absurdly tight over their flesh now that their bodies had begun to bloat in the heat. They had not been robbed. On one blackened wrist a Swiss watch recorded the correct time, the second hand still ticking round uselessly, expending the last energies of its dead owner.

On the other side of the main road, up a track through the debris, we found the bodies of five women and several children. The women were middle-aged and their corpses lay draped over a pile of rubble. One lay on her back, her dress torn open and the head of a little girl emerging from behind her. The girl had short dark curly hair, her eyes were staring at us and there was a frown on her face. She was dead.

Another child lay on the roadway like a discarded doll, her white dress stained with mud and dust. She could have been no more than three years old. The back of her head had been blown away by a bullet fired into her brain. One of the women also held a tiny baby to her body. The bullet that had passed into her breast had killed the baby too. Someone had slit open the woman's stomach, cutting sideways and then upwards, perhaps trying to kill her unborn child. Her eyes were wide open, her dark face frozen in horror.

"...As we stood there, we heard a shout in Arabic from across the ruins. "They are coming back," a man was screaming, So we ran in fear towards the road. I think, in retrospect, that it was probably anger that stopped us from leaving, for we now waited near the entrance to the camp to glimpse the faces of the men who were responsible for all of this. They must have been sent in here with Israeli permission. They must have been armed by the Israelis. Their handiwork had clearly been watched - closely observed - by the Israelis who were still watching us through their field-glasses.

When does a killing become an outrage? When does an atrocity become a massacre? Or, put another way, how many killings make a massacre? Thirty? A hundred? Three hundred? When is a massacre not a massacre? When the figures are too low? Or when the massacre is carried out by Israel’s friends rather than Israel's enemies?

That, I suspected, was what this argument was about. If Syrian troops had crossed into Israel, surrounded a Kibbutz and allowed their Palestinian allies to slaughter the Jewish inhabitants, no Western news agency would waste its time afterwards arguing about whether or not it should be called a massacre.

But in Beirut, the victims were Palestinians. The guilty were certainly Christian militiamen - from which particular unit we were still unsure - but the Israelis were also guilty. If the Israelis had not taken part in the killings, they had certainly sent militia into the camp. They had trained them, given them uniforms, handed them US army rations and Israeli medical equipment. Then they had watched the murderers in the camps, they had given them military assistance - the Israeli airforce had dropped all those flares to help the men who were murdering the inhabitants of Sabra and Chatila - and they had established military liason with the murderers in the camps.

And then there are Gaza and the other Palestinian occupied territories.

For that, listen to exiled Singaporean surgeon Dr Ang Swee Chai, who was in Sabra and Shatila during the massacre in 1982 and still working to help the Palestinians till today.

Chinese intermission

2012-02-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break for awhile...

If only DAP have this guy as their candidate...(UPDATED)

2012-02-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

Here are stories about Jeremy Lin by NYT and CBS -

Media Hype for Lin Stumbles on Race / New York Times

ByDAVID CARR

You don’t have to be an economics graduate from Harvard likeJeremy Lin to do the math on the media explosion about Linsanity.

The suddenly celebrated Lin is a four-fer: a God-fearing, Asian-American, Ivy League benchwarmer who has changed the fortunes of the New York Knicks. That’s a lot of glorious idiosyncrasy in one camera-ready package, especially in a town teeming with copy-hungry journalists.

Add in the fact that he is an actual team player wearing a Knicks uniform and it’s like spotting a unicorn playing point guard at Madison Square Garden.

Since cracking the starting lineup because of an injury and other unusual circumstances, Lin, a 23-year-old, undrafted, unheralded, twice-cut player, has torn up the league, setting records for a first-time starter.

Unfortunately for Lin and the rest of us, the over-the-top coverage that followed ended over the line, exposing underlying racist tropes that still lurk in the id of American sports journalism, and by extension, the rest of us.

From the start, his run threatened the tabloid supply of puns and superlatives. “Lincredible!” shouted The New York Post on Feb. 11. And because tabloids have a back page and front page to shout from, we’ve sometimes been treated to a double dose of wordplay: “Lin and a Prayer” was the cover headline on The Daily News one day last week, while the back page blared “Just Lin Time.”

But all the froth and fun started to curdle, first on Twitter — the Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock tweeted a crude reference about Lin’s anatomy and the boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. suggested that Lin was getting attention because of his ethnicity, not his accomplishments — and then in the tabloid press — on Wednesday, perhaps at a loss after several breathless days of punning, The Post went with the unfortunate “Amasian!”

The combination of Lin’s ethnicity and accomplishments created some excess, but no one could have predicted how low it might go. On Saturday, an article on ESPN’s mobile site recycled an ancient and blatantly offensive ethnic slur, and in the process suggested that some corners of sports journalism remained a backwater in the culture, a place untouched by a history of civil rights struggle and decades of progress. ESPN quickly changed the headline and has fired the person who wrote it, but not before all but ruining a sweet sporting story.

It would be lovely to rewind the tape and get back to a story that resonated with people like me — I wouldn’t watch pro basketball with your eyes — for reasons that have nothing to do with Lin’s ancestry and everything to do with his improbable rise.

Lin came out of nowhere — the last Harvard player in the N.B.A. was a half-century ago — which is all the more unusual in pro basketball, where, unlike pro baseball and football, almost every player comes with a strong pedigree and a high draft number.

The back story was irresistible: Lin was sleeping on his brother’s couch on the Lower East Side; as a high school recruit, he was ignored by Stanford even though he played almost just down the street. Every angle was explored, including his Taiwanese grandmothertaking in a game on television. (You know that something bigger than sports is under way when apolitician mediates a cable dispute that has kept Lin off the air in parts of New York and basks in the reflected glory, as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York did on Friday.)

Pablo S. Torre, now a reporter for Sports Illustrated,first wrote about Lin in 2007 back when he worked at The Harvard Crimson. He has enjoyed watching and contributing to the mushroom cloud of coverage.

“I think there is every kind of demographic outlier in play with this story,” he said. “The beating heart of the story, no matter what anybody says, is the fact that he is Asian-American. Yes, the N.B.A. has Yao Ming, but Jeremy is normal-size and from this country, so it creates this huge cognitive dissonance. There is a novelty factor to seeing someone who looks like Jeremy doing this.”

Unfortunately, that novelty presented some asymmetries that turned an unlikely rise on any number of levels into a single note about race. The real story is more complicated and interesting than the one that lived in punny, lazy headlines: Lin is a proud Christian, which brings in the heartland. As an Asian-American, he represents the triumph of the immigrant. East Coast elites can find traction in his Harvard background, while actual basketball fans cannot resist his court knowledge and deft shooting hand.

This is a story that had something for everyone, including the journalists who covered it. Even though sports reporters are thought to be a deeply cynical bunch, every once in while a tale comes along that turns them all into fanboys. Here, amid the millionaires and endless contract talks, was a genuinely heartwarming saga. It may be bad manners to clap in the press box, but that doesn’t mean reporters can’t root for an amazing story.

The Lin story has broken out into the general culture because it is aspirational in the extreme, fulfilling notions that have nothing to do with basketball or race. Most of us are not superstars, but we believe we could be if only given the opportunity. We are, as a matter of practicality, a nation of supporting players, but who among us has not secretly thought we could be at the top of our business, company or team if the skies parted and we had our shot?

“I think once you get past all of these interesting variables of race, it is the quintessential underdog story,” said Jason Gay, sports columnist at The Wall Street Journal, calling it the stuff of Hollywood screenplays.

How important is the theme of under-recognized brilliance? Mr. Gaywrote a piece about Ed Weiland, a part-time blogger and FedEx driver who first predicted two years ago — based on a lot of wonky statistical analysis — that “Jeremy Lin is a good enough player to start in the N.B.A. and possibly star.” For two days last week, that article was the most popular one on WSJ.com. When a journeyman blogger spots greatness in a journeyman point guard and you insert the alchemy of achievement, you’ve got a tale with legs.

Of course, what Lin is achieving is most likely not sustainable. Reporters who are penning exultant homage will be more than happy to be part of the crew that installs his feet of clay. But for the time being, who can blame them for hopping into the froth and ginning up more?

Sports, even for those of us who spent a fair amount of time being the last picked, are a palliative to the small and large indignities of actual life, a way to change the subject to the triumphs and failings of others. When someone who had been written off takes over Madison Square Garden and owns all the monied players around him, it’s hard not to stop typing and marvel, along with the rest of the nation.

“A kid of out of nowhere plays lights-out basketball and has magical success in the center of the media world,” said Terry McDonnell, the editor of Sports Illustrated, which put Lin on the cover last week. “What’s not to like?”

What’s not to like is that part where some doofus writes a blatantly racist headline and a wonderful yarn turns ugly.

It turns out that the road to excess does not lead to the palace of wisdom, as William Blake said a long time ago. Sometimes the road to excess ends up in the ditch.

E-mail: carr@nytimes.com;

Fmr. President Clinton Gripped By “Lin”sanity

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There’s only a few people who could upstage the Big Three of the Miami Heat at the AmericanAirlines Arena. Sunday, one of those people showed up and shared his thoughts on the “Linsanity” that is gripping the nation.

Former President Bill Clinton was in Miami and took in part of the Heat’s victory over the Orlando Magic Sunday afternoon.

The Heat won the game 90-78, but it wasn’t the Heat that was getting the attention of President Clinton, instead it was the “Linsanity” that is following New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin.

“Well, I’m a New Yorker I like it,” former President Bill Clinton told CBS4?s Jim Berry of the Jeremy Lin-phenomenon. “You know, he’s a very impressive guy. He makes the most of the team.”

Lin has come out of nowhere to become one of the leaders of the New York Knicks team.

Playing in Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni’s point guard friendly system has helped, but Lin has been playing lights out, with the exception of having problems with turnovers.

Lin played his college ball at Harvard and then disappeared before showing up for the Knicks a few weeks ago.

Since then, he’s averaged 14.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game while playing only 24 minutes a game.

Sunday, Lin poured in 28 points, 14 assists and 7 turnovers, in just his latest stellar performance that has earned him a trip to All-Star weekend in Orlando this weekend.

One of the biggest problems that many NBA pundits have pointed to is that when Carmelo Anthony finally returns to the lineup, Lin’s numbers and ability to make plays will drop dramatically as Carmelo begins to hog the ball and the shots.

Clinton isn’t worried about his Knicks making the transition.

“They’re [the Knicks] playing like a team and I think they’ll integrate Carmelo and Amare fine,” Clinton said. “I think it will be great. I think they’re a real team; look what they did today, it’s great.”

Lin’s story has become something of a legend as he’s come out of nowhere to be the hottest thing in the NBA not in Miami. Clinton said it’s easy to see why people identify with the former Crimson star

“He was sleeping on his brother’s couch and then became the starting point guard for a pro basketball team. I mean that is a smart, hard-working kid, good values.”

No one knows how good Lin can be this year or in the following seasons. But, Clinton believes in Lin just like the rest of New York and knows in the end, for Lin, it’s all about the win.

“I think it’s a Cinderella story,” Clinton said. “He’s a winner. He’s just one of those guys that knows how to win.”

ORIGINAL POSTING

I was woken up this morning by a call from a lady in love.

The object of her love is Jeremy Lin.

Jeremy who?

The lady explained that this boy is the hottest property of the Chinese diaspora at the moment. She went like really ga ga over the boy.

"I am no longer Chinese....I am Linese," she said, giggling like a school girl. Obviously forgotten was her long time love for handsome boy Guan Eng of DAP.

Eh auntie, you are not that young any more lah.

And get that Valentine spelling correct, ok? So malu la.

Anyway, here is a bit of Jeremy Lin from Wikipedia -

Jeremy Shu-How Lin^[1] (born August 23, 1988) is an American professional basketball player with the New York Knicksof the National Basketball Association (NBA). After receiving no athletic scholarship offers out of high school and beingundrafted out of college, the 2010 Harvard University graduate reached a partially guaranteed contract deal later that year with his hometown Golden State Warriors. After his first year, he was waived by the Warriors and the Houston Rockets in the preseason before joining the Knicks early in the 2011–12 season. Lin is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history, and the first American player in the league to be of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.^[2]

And here is Jeremy in action -

Guan Eng's little mischief on Dr Boo and Jui Meng

2012-02-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

When appeal by MCA-reject-turned-PKR Johor chief Chua Jui Meng to contest his former constituency Bakri was snubbed by DAP handsome poster boy Lim Guan Eng, everyone seems to think that Guan Eng got something serious against Jui Meng.

I believe most of you had already read an article in the MCA's pro-DAP The Star on the matter several days ago which pointed towards that conclusion.

The truth is, except for Jui Meng being formerly an old enemy, Guan Eng actually doesn't think much of the man. When Anwar Ibrahim put Jui Meng as PKR chief in Johor, Guan Eng probably had a very good laugh.

It just confirmed the fact that PKR have no one else to lead them in the State and that Johor PKR will have to kow tow to Johor DAP if they want to achieve anything. The same way that Johor Pas is now beholden to Johor DAP.

Case in point was the Tenang by-election where the Pas lady candidate received less than 3,000 votes of which more than half of them were from pro-DAP voters in the Labis Tengah ballot area which were made of about 93 per cent Chinese.

It is not a secret that in Johor, the only real problem faced by BN is the perceived dissatisfaction of the Chinese community.

All BN's black or grey areas are those with over 45 per cent Chinese voters. This was largely due to the constant harping about the Chinese community being victimised in this country by none other than DAP leaders.

In all honesty, there are no real big local grass-root issues in Johor which had not been handled by the State government.

Ok, there are questions about Lim Kang Hoo, JCorp, Medini, Kulim and such, but those are not what will swing votes to BN or Pakatan in large number. In the first place, were the allegations true? How many of the ordinary reasonable men and women out there really care about those corporate wheeling and dealings? How many seats in Johor will BN lose because of those question marks?

What? In Pakatan's states got no such question is it?

For those who don't believe me, please try to walk around in down-town JB and befriend a Chinese guy. Then ask him what is his main grouse against BN. I bet he will not say it's KPRJ doing business with Lim Kang Hoo. He will instead most likely say that he is not happy because last night some DAP people told him that Malay enforcement officers (who are likely members of that evil Malay Umno) have this very bad habit of throwing innocent Chinaman out of window of tall buildings.

Never mind, lets get back to Guan Eng and Jui Meng. Let me repeat this - Jui Meng and Johor PKR are NOTHING without the support of Johor DAP. They do not even have a proper election machinery in Johor.

Jui Meng will lose if he contest in any area without DAP's help. That's a fact. The only place he stands a chance to stand on his own two feet is in his old constituency of Bakri in Muar where some of his old MCA supporters are still loyal to him.

Guan Eng know this and when Jui Meng made his intention known that he wants to go back to his now DAP-held Bakri, he seized the opportunity to teach the Johor Pakatan people two lessons -
1. DAP is the supreme leader of Pakatan in Johor
2. The Lim family are the ones who calls the final shots in DAP, even in Johor.

Everyone should by now know about the lesson number one.

But lesson number two is what is even more important to Guan Eng this time.

He need to tell off the hugely popular but independent-minded Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau that not being a Lim disqualifies him from being a real major player in the party.

It is known by everyone that Dr Boo has had his run-ins with Guan Eng and his Johor-based proxies. So far Dr Boo seems to hold his ground against Guan Eng as far as Johor-related matters were concerned.

However, it so happened that Dr Boo and Jui Meng are not the best of friends either.

Initially, Jui Meng had wanted the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat which in 2008 was contested by PKR.

This spectacularly pissed off Dr Boo as his Skudai constituency is within that parliamentary area and he had worked hard to increase DAP's support there. Gelang Patah which has 54 per cent Chinese voters is a prime target as Kota Iskandar, the state administrative capital is located there.

It was said that Dr Boo would definitely win if he contest either his current Skudai state seat or Gelang Patah parliament seat or BOTH.

Dr Boo was so angry at the prospect of Jui Meng contesting in Gelang Patah that in September last year he refused to attend a major Pakatan dinner function near Sutera Mall in his Skudai constituency which was attended by Anwar and other Pakatan bigwigs. He repeated the snub, again at the same place last week during Johor PKR CNY gathering which was again attended by Anwar.

Jui Meng has now realised that Dr Boo may sabotage him if he press on wanting to contest in Gelang Patah. He knows that the DAP people loyal to Dr Boo are willing to do that. They would rather let BN win in Gelang Patah in order to spite Jui Meng. That was why he decided to approach Guan Eng and his people in KL to get their blessing for him to go back to Bakri.

Now, Guan Eng being Guan Eng, he decided to rebuff Jui Meng, knowing this will hugely embarrass the hapless man, who suddenly has no where to go. I can just imagine Guan Eng breaking into his trademark childish sniggering after pulling that fast one on Jui Meng.

Brilliantly, this also put Dr Boo in a rather tight spot. He is now forced to give way to Jui Meng. As Johor DAP chief , Dr Boo could not be seen as bullying a weaker PKR ally.

By right, Gelang Patah should be PKR's but most of the Pakatan's hard work there were done by DAP. Even if Dr Boo decides that he do not want to sabotage Jui Meng if he is to be the Pakatan candidate there, his people may still go ahead and sink the man, with or without Dr Boo's instruction.

Guan Eng may emerge the victor in this personal one-upmanship with Jui Meng and Dr Boo, but what he may not realise is that Johor Pakatan may lose in both Gelang Patah and Bakri due to this little game he played.

Jui Meng may lose in Gelang Patah because of the Dr Boo's unhappiness factor while DAP may lose their Bakri parliament seat because of the unhappiness of Jui Meng supporters there.

Well, guess some people rather keep their big ego rather than using their brain. In this case good also lah, Now BN stands a better chance in Bakri and Gelang Patah. Thanks Guan Eng.

Rocking lazy Sunday (UPDATED)

2012-02-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

Was about to relax and take a nap when I noticed this NST SMS Alert -

NST 19/02 : PKR president Datin Seri Wan Azizah said problems arising from Anwar's statement in support of Israel has been ironed out and is now a non-issue.

Wah! like that also can ka? So easy liao.

All those Pas people already kena ironed out ka? Sheeshhh.... so much for being Islamic fighters. Not yet sent to fight the IDF sudah kena sterika out by Anwar and his gang. What la you all....

Non-issue? Oi! Those Palestinians are still being butchered la Kak Wan. You don't read papers ka?....internet also got their stories you know.

ORIGINAL POSTING

When I read this posting Istana Sebilliong Ringgit by Rocky, I was so tempted to write a similar one. Got materials already over here.

But on second and third and twenty ninth thoughts, I decided not to.

Not worth it la.

As if people really appreciate it that a corrupted chicken shit pro-BN blogger like me sticking her neck out for them writing about such things.

Rocky different la. They said BN paid him USD10 billion already. That's why he don't mind getting into trouble. Got money already ma. What can they do to him, isn't it?

Maybe I should leave it to those brave incorruptible Pakatan bloggers to write about such stuff. Let them once a while take a break from spewing venomous hatred at Umno and take some proper risks to do some good instead.

Ok lah, today is a lazy Sunday. I am going to lay back and listen to this song instead of getting into trouble. This recording was the earliest ever made of this band....by Danish TV for goodness sake. Oh, this one for you too Rocky, salute.

I am going to sing this song to my beloved Johor after the general election.

The big Chinese debate (UPDATED 3 - final take)

2012-02-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

UPDATED 3 - final take

It was a contest between two Chinese parties for the support of their community in a country where they are the minority. That's the bare fact which no one should dispute.

Soi Lek - He appeared to be more blunt by telling the Chinese of the dangers they face if they abandon MCA and give their full support to DAP which is an ally of Pas, an Islamic hardline Malay-based party.
However, I believe what he was really trying to tell the Chinese audience is that, DAP may win their votes but its Pakatan allies will lose, and therefore Pakatan will not win the general election to protect Chinese interests as promised by DAP.
This raise a real possibility of BN being in power without much representation from MCA and the coalition forming a government dominated by right-wing Umno which will be even less sympathetic towards Chinese interests.

Guan Eng - He tried to play the Chinese hero character and projected an image of a crusader against a corrupt and evil BN government. It's part of the usual tactic of running down the rival MCA by insinuating it as being an Umno stooge who failed to protect the interests of the Chinese despite the party being part of the government. He also stressed that DAP are more capable of standing up to its Malay allies in Pas and PKR.

Who wins?
I think Guan Eng succeeded more in asserting the DAP's Chinese character. The fact that he was the one who insisted for the debate to be held in Mandarin makes him the winner from the start on this count. However, this will have a far reaching negative implications as far as Pakatan as a whole is concerned. They will lose even more votes of the Malays and other races.
Soi Lek, in a way succeeded in this debate for being able to draw DAP into an open fight. MCA has now shown Malaysians, and especially the Chinese that they are not a totally a spent force and still needed by the community to protect their interests in this Malay-majority country.

UPDATED 2

Been searching for new thing to update this posting.
Got all excited over The Star headline just now -

Forum kicks off with a bang

By ISABELLE LAI

The report starts promisingly -

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Chinese at a Political Crossroads forum kicked off with a bang Saturday as MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek brought down the housewith his fiery opening speech.
Dr Chua appeared to be metaphorically rolling up his sleeves in preparation for his debate with political opponent, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in the evening.

And then, this is all the quote that was taken from the big bang.

"He (Lim) is more interested in issuing countless statements to condemn or challenge others, behaving like a true street fighter. He has forgotten that he has a state to look after," said Dr Chua to tumultous applause.

Yup, that's all. The rest are just the usual background stuff. Chey, what la you all Star people. So really anti-climax leh..

I think better just wait for the debate.

UPDATED

Apparently, it was DAP's Lim Guan Eng who requested for the debate to be conducted in Mandarin.

Here is an excerpt of today's report by pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider -

“There is nothing racial about it; it’s a national conference consisting of many topics and issues that cover all ethnic groups,” Asian Strategic Leadership Institute (ASLI) director Datuk Michael Yeoh said at a press conference here.
“It (the conference) looks at [the changing of our political structure] and concerns all issues ... (that) every Malaysian should be concerned about,” he added.
Yeoh said the debate, themed “Chinese at a Crossroads. Is the 2 Party System Becoming a 2 Race System?”, was originally to be conducted in English, but was changed to Mandarin following Lim’s request.
“Guan Eng asked, why is a Chinese topic not conducted in [Mandarin]? So we have decided the whole debate will be in [Mandarin],” Asli senior vice-president Ng Yeen Seen explained.
“The (rest of the) conference will be conducted in English, but if the floor wishes to ask questions in [Mandarin], then the speakers will use Mandarin to answer,” she added, saying that most speakers are bilingual.

ORIGINAL POSTING

As far as I am concerned, MCA macho man Dr Chua Soi Lek had already won the tommorrow's debate against DAP handsome boy Lim Guan Eng.

Why? Because Guan Eng, in his unbridled enthusiasm, had in the first place agreed for the debate being in Mandarin, which to me is a big mistake for him.

To me, he had fell into the trap of acknowledging that DAP is a Chinese party and not a multi-racial one as claimed. Soi Lek on the other hand should be ok with the language being used as MCA has no problem of itself being a Chinese-based party in a multi-racial BN coalition.

Ok, just look at the topic they are going to debate on - “Is the two-party system becoming a two-race system?”. What la Guan Eng, you want to debate on something like that in Mandrin? You sure lose one on the perception front.

Trust me, the Chinese do not want a two-race system and that is exactly why the smart MCA PR people choose the subject. In all probability, the two-race system is what we will have in this country after the next general election. The Bumiputera (and other races) on one side and the Chinese on the other. It is already happening in Sarawak, and that is exactly what DAP is banking on to win more parliamentary seats, especially in Johor. The Chinese will be at the losing end in such a system.

Guan Eng , you should had at least insisted for the debate to be in Bahasa Kebangsaan. Now you are reduced to promoting and defending the Chineseness of DAP. Very damaging liao....especially for your Pakatan friends.

Despite this debate being the hotest topic among the Chinese community at the moment, the other Malaysians do not seems to be really interested in it. It has become a Chinese thingy. They will say "Ya la, MCA are Chinese, DAP also Chinese. Let them kung fu each other lah."

Yup, just look at the way the Chinese papers and Chinese-owned Star promoting the debate and then just look at how the Malay and other English papers covering it. Very contrast.

Guan Eng cannot carrying around bluffing people that DAP is a multi-racial party anymore after this debate. That I am sure, especially as far as the non-Chinese are concerned. I know that Guan Eng is a bit childish and not so smart, but to fall into Soi Lek's trap like that, I actually feel a bit sympathetic towards him. Really, I am not kidding you.

Probably Guan Eng has now realised his mistake. That is why he has been calling for follow-up debates with Soi Lek in Bahasa Malaysia and English after this. But really la Guan Eng, it's too late already. Finish the tomorrow's debate first ok?, then talk about trying to get another date with Soi Lek for damage control. Hopefully Soi Lek will be merciful and let Guan Eng have another go.

Oh, btw, I also think Soi Lek will make minch meat out of Guan Eng at the debate. Being a more seasoned politician who knows his stuff very well, Soi Lek will be too much of an opponent for Guan Eng. Well, the last big debate Guan Eng had was with the jaded Gerakan's Koh Tsu Koon and it was more or less a draw. Koh is not even in the same league as Soi Lek. If Soi Lek can survive the sex video scandal, what lah Guan Eng to him.

Dream of a corrupted pro-BN blogger

2012-02-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

It's almost 2am and I can't sleep. Suddenly feeling hungry. No proper food in the kitchen. End up cooking maggi kari. Put in an egg and a huge onion. Quite nice also. Still...so much for being a rich corrupted pro-BN blogger.

I am now lying on the floor in front of my new second hand netbook. Really love this thing. No need to go to the cybercafe any more. Can write anything any time now.

My next big project is to buy a computer table. Must find one which is cheaper than this netbook. Budget for the table should be around RM150. Maybe can find some second hand stuff again.

Ok, maybe I will buy that after getting a new pair of shoes. The one I'm wearing to office now has really worn out. Hmmmm....see lah how.

I know, most of those reading this probably think that I am bluffing. But those who really know me actually would think that I'm being mild. Either way, I don't care lah. I'm now just having itchy fingers and want to write something. Crap also never mind. Anyone want to read or not, not my problem.

Actually, my salary is not so bad. It is just that I have lots of commitments. After taking care of things, I don't have much left for myself. That's why I have to live a hobo life like this.

Anyway, I think my life will be better after the next general election. BN will retain Johor, hopefully, by wiping out the Pakatan people (which is hard but not impossible). I will then be able to do what I really want and leave this beloved State of Johor.

Let others worry about Johor without Ghani Othman as MB. I am quite certain now he is retiring after leading Johor BN through the election. My bet is now on Khaled Nordin. Sorry YB Osman Sapian. I know you are the leading candidate now, but I'm just being realistic about the choice between you and Khaled. Well, good luck Johoreans.

I have made some plans. Even scouted the place I'm heading. Probably end of this year. Hopefully PM will call for the election around June. Just nice for my plans to fall into place.

This is the place I am planning to go.

It is really a nice place. I am going to buy a bicycle and use it to go to class which is somewhere near where this picture was taken....cycling in winter....very cold, but so nice :)

The weird EDL toll

2012-02-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

Today there is going to be a small demo by JB MCA and Gerakan youths over the toll charges at the newly completed Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) of MRCB.

This is a hot issue here....eerrr, among those who frequently travel to Singapore. The Pakatan people have been going to town about it. Make it as if the evil BN government is sucking the rakyat's blood again.

Now MCA and Gerakan also joined the fray. Well, never mind lah. The more the merrier.

These people said they don't like the toll charges as they are imposed at the CIQ of the Causeway. Meaning that those coming in and out of Singapore will have to pay it even if they do not use the EDL after leaving the CIQ, such as going to the Inner Ring Road or Stulang.

What they want is for the toll charges to be imposed only on those who use the EDL, and not on those going in and out of Singapore but choose to use other routes.

As it is today, the EDL is free for those who use it, unless they go to or coming in from Singapore.

Personally, I prefer the way it is now. I know, not seems to be fair to those who drives to Singapore and of course Singaporeans coming here la...but, aiya, those who drives to Singapore are rich la, and the Singaporeans are even richer. A bit a bit leeching on them cannot ka?

Hmmm...if cannot, never mind lah. MCA is going all out on this issue. Dr Chua Soi Lek, their president said the other day that the government had agreed to review the matter....so, actually no need to demo demo. Bising kacau orang saja la itu.

BTW, most Malaysians working in Singapore and living in JB go there by motorcycle or bus. No need to pay toll. Bus fare probably a few sen more expensive. That's all.

Here is a bit on EDL, courtesy of Wikipedia -

JB Eastern Dispersal Link (also known as Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Scheme) is a new expressway in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The 8.1 km (5.0 mi) expressway will connect the end of North-South Expressway Southern Route at Pandan to the new Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ Complex in the city centre. It will act as bypass to CIQ complex without using Tebrau Highway (Federal Route Jkr-ft3.png) to the city centre.

Li Jie, best guitarist in the world

2012-02-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

Struggling to get up and go to work....

Decided to listen to something inspiring before forcing myself to get up.

Hoping that my lovely girl will be as good as Li Jie, one day....

BTW, I finally bought my own PC - a second hand Acer netbook for RM500 only :)

What Johor DAP really want

2012-02-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Last night MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek told Chinese Johoreans that they should not vote for Pakatan because if the State falls to those people, they will have a Pas MB.

He said a State government in Johor led by Pas will be disastrous to Chinese interests, particularly their businesses as Pas is only interested in their Islamic agenda.

He was attending the Gelang Patah MCA CNY celebration at a Chinese School in Skudai, a hotbed of DAP.

Hmmm.... fine, but I think Dr Chua need to be more "deep" than that in convincing the Chinese not to fall for DAP tricks.

First of all, Pakatan will never be able to win in Johor in the next general election.

Even the most fanatical Johor DAP people know this.

They know that their Malay allies in Pas and PKR would not make that much impact on the Malay Johoreans (unless of course if the Umno people sabotage each others like what they did in Sungai Abong and Maharani in 2008 la).

Therefore, what Johor DAP really want are more parliamentary seats. State seats are just bonus to them.

They themselves do not want a Pas MB as they know that Johor Pas are led by not so bright Malays. Really, can you name a bright Pas fella in Johor? Mazlan Aliman? Please don't make me laugh.

Ok, now they are talking about Salahudin Ayub. Come on lah, if the guy is so good, why the hell he went all the way to Kelantan in the first place? Remember arr, he was the Pas campaign director during the Tenang by-election. See, what happened? The husband of the Pas candidate went and faked his MC also he cannot handle. Like that also cannot handle, how to become MB lah? The most he can be is something like that stupid dum dum Nizar of Perak whose balls are in the pockets of cousins Ngah and Ngeh.

Honestly la, DAP knows Johor will not survive a Pas MB. They know the Chinese in Johor do not want that to happen too.

All they want from Pas is for them to break up the Malay votes so that they can win parliamentary seats such as in Gelang Patah and Kulai. That is all.

Johor DAP will try to tell the fence sitters among the Chinese not to worry about Pas. They will stress on them to just give them their votes for parliamentary seats. They will still have the BN wakil rakyat in the State to do the donkey works while having a Chinese DAP rep in parliament to bolster the DAP strength in the event Pakatan takes over Putrajaya.

This will exactly happened in places like Tebrau. Halim Sulaiman of Puteri Wangsa need to buck up. DAP have been pumping more than 3,000 new Chinese voters who are their supporters into his area since early last year. Stop kacau-ing Maulizan and MB and do your work lah? You don't want to be wakil rakyat tell early lah. Can put someone else there to do the work. Save the crap until after the election, can or not?

Errr, ok lah, back to Soi Lek....please uncle arrr, tell Jason of Gelang Patah to be more handsome handsome. Maybe he can takes on Dr Boo in Skudai. The boy got great potentials but everyone thinks he is a bit of a gangster. Need to be refined a bit eh. The rest you know what to do lah. Push a bit la uncle, don't wait until the Umno guys having to go to all the temples and Chinese schools before you all like in Bakri. Can arrr?

Valentine and a beautiful Chinese story

2012-02-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

Today is Valentine Day, but I do not celebrate it.

However, someone in the office received a beautiful bouquet of roses, which made me feeling a bit nostalgic. It has been many years since anyone gave me flowers....

For no good reason, it reminds me of my favorite Chinese movie ever.

It is the last movie of Anita Mui. She died of cancer not long after making this movie. Will always miss Miss Mui.

This is the trailer of that movie -

And this is its review by lovehkfilm.com -

Last onscreen in 1995's High Risk, Jacky Cheung finally breaks his big screen embargo with a fitting project: Ann Hui's drama July Rhapsody. Bearing a literal Chinese title of Man Forty, the film operates as a bit of a companion piece to Hui's award-winning 1995 drama Summer Snow (Chinese-titled Woman Forty). Both are films that explore fragile family dynamics and both feature protagonists with burgeoning mid-life crises.
Cheung is Lam, a high-school Chinese literature who's attracted by an intelligent, precocious student named Wu (newcomer Karena Lam). It's well-known that Wu has a thing for Lam, but he puts off the attraction for as long as he can. Meanwhile, his wife Ching (Anita Mui) reveals that their old high-school literature teacher (Tou Chung-Wah) has returned with cancer, and she wishes to take care of him. Lam is upset, but we don't know the reason just yet. By all appearances, his connection to his teacher was a good one. It isn't until Ching chimes in her take on the past that the relationships become clear - and the film really begins to come together.
Ann Hui has always been a storyteller first and a stylist second. That continues here, as she spends all her time telling the story of these believably real characters without explaining exactly what it all means. That opacity serves the film extremely well. We know something's wrong between Ching and Lam, and we know that Lam is slowly being tempted by his student, but the camera remains objective and unobtrusive. Our feelings for the characters arise from the actors and situations, and not from a heavy-handed script that makes sure to tell us what matters.
Screenwriter Ivy Ho previously wrote the Comrades, Almost a Love Story, but that film seems positively overbearing compared to the subtle, sure rhythms of July Rhapsody. There is a bit of existentialism that occurs, but none of it seems out of place. After all, this is the story of a mid-life crisis, and a remarkably affecting one too. The characters are conflicted, flawed, and even petty, but above all they're decent and human.
Even more, the story's construction is extremely precise. Unfolding as a story from Lam to his son Ang (Shaun Tam), the film takes on a rather slow, placid feel. However, as details drop and the characters slowly act, we are drawn in more and more. By film's end, you want to know what choices will be made, and the uncertainty with which they're shown is affecting.
Despite the feeling that Lam may end up being unfaithful to his wife, his character never seems to be anything more than a good man. Jacky Cheung has chosen a fine role to return to the big screen. A naturally likable actor, he manages to downplay the "aw shucks" mannerisms that have typified his screen persona for so long. Lam is quiet and seemingly implacable, and Cheung manages to convey the necessary emotion beneath that facade.
The other actors fare just as well. Anita Mui's performance echoes Cheung in its subtle language, and newcomer Karena Lam is extremely real and beguiling. As Wu, she needs to appear innocent yet suitably mature to attract the character of Lam, and Karena Lam does the job extremely well. Handing her the award for Best New Artist at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards was a welcome decision, and hopefully she'll be able to live up to her initial promise.
However, the show is ultimately Ann Hui's, which is funny because she doesn't really make her presence known in any way. She respects the material and the characters and the result may her finest film in years. I actually haven't been too supportive of Hui in recent years. I found Eighteen Springs affecting but placid, Summer Snow overrated, and Ah Kam ill-advised. With July Rhapsody and Visible Secret, she's effectively reinvented and strengthened her directorial career. Despite the narrative and stylistic skills of Johnnie To and Fruit Chan, Ann Hui may actually be Hong Kong's best storyteller. (Kozo 2002)

Irritating Umno people and Tempe Asoka

2012-02-13T05:35:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm feeling a bit tired of Umno people....ok, just some of them. Irritating la.

The Pakatan people attacked me, I can handle, but what I find exasperating are Umno people who until now do not seems to realise that if they don't take care of their party now, things would get really ugly in the next general elections.

Instead of focusing their energy on fighting the Pakatan, they are busier with furthering their own personal interests, ego and agendas.

Why can't they save all that nonsense, at least until after the election?

Let's not even talk about sacrificing for the perjuangan lah. And these Umno people are mostly office bearers. Again, not all, but many of them.

From what I observe at the grass-root level, most of the ones who are sincerely fighting for the cause are the humble cawangan-level people.

I'm more comfortable hanging out with these type of Umno people. They are mostly the makchik-makchik and pakchik-pakchik whose only motivation is to ensure a better future for their children by ensuring this country remains a place where the Malays stand a chance to catch up with those of other races.

One of the things which stops me from joining Umno is the thought of having to mix around with all those types of Umno people whom I dislike. Really can't tahan their arrogance and pretensions.

Still, I do believe in what Umno stands for, that is to protect the interests of the Malays and being fair to the other races. The same as those of MCA, and MIC for the people they represent. Let's not fool ourselves, our country is still politically race-based. That's the reality, and this can be seen by the Pakatan's strategy when they divide themselves to contest constituencies with racial geographic as a determinant.

Ish, why la I am getting all serious....when I earlier thought of posting something, I thought of putting something fun to counter this negative feelings about those irritating Umno people. Now I end up being preachy and irritating myself. Sorry ya.

Ok, here is something fun. My favourite Japanese cartoon when I was a small kid. Best in the world la at that time....eerrr, please ignore the subtitles, ok?

KPRJ and Danga Bay

2012-02-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

I had decided to abandon my KPRJ story.

The one I've written so far was too long and convoluted. I have to admit that I am not a good writer. Somebody scolded me today and said I am writing crap when I showed the one I had done so far and told me to throw it away into the longkang.

I would therefore like to apologise to those who have been waiting for that story.

Anyway, I don't want that KPRJ story to suffer the same fate as the long long Khazanah's explanation on Medini in Utusan.

As compensation, here is the full speech delivered by Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman at the 15th anniversary of Danga Bay earlier today.

It is concise and easy to understand.

UCAPAN YAB DATO’ HAJI ABDUL GHANI BIN OTHMAN, MENTERI BESAR JOHOR DI MAJLIS SAMBUTAN 15 TAHUN DANGA BAY DI PUSAT KONVENSYEN DANGA BAY, PADA 12 FEB 2012.

Bismillahiirahmaniirahim

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh dan Salam Sejahtera.

Mengadap Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, Sultan dan Yang Dipertuan Bagi Negeri dan Jajahan Takluk Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Dan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Zarith Sofia Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah.

Ampun Tuanku,

Patik bagi pihak Kerajaan Negeri dan seluruh hadirin sekalian, dengan penuh hormat takzimnya merafak sembah menjunjung setinggi-tinggi kasih atas perkenan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku dan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Zarith Sofia Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, mencemar duli berangkat ke Majlis Sambutan Ulangtahun ke-15 Danga Bay pada petang ini.

Sesungguhnya keberangkatan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku melambangkan kesungguhan dan sokongan yang amat sangat serta menambahkan lagi serinya majlis ini.

Ampun Tuanku

Patik juga menjunjung kasih di atas keberangkatan Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Mahkota Johor dan Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Idris Iskandar Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Temenggong Johor, Paduka Putera-Putera serta Kerabat Diraja sekalian ke majlis ini.

Ampun Tuanku

Patik mohon perkenan untuk berucap kepada hadirin sekalian.

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak
Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan

Yang Amat Dihormati Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor,

Yang Berhormat Menteri-Menteri Kabinet,
Ahli-Ahli Yang Berhormat,
Tan Sri-Tan Sri dan Dato-Dato
Serta Dif-Dif Jemputan yang dihormati sekalian.

1. Alhamdulillah, bersyukur kita ke hadrat Allah SWT kerana dengan rahmat dan limpah kurnia-Nya, dapat kita menghadiri majlis pada petang ini sempena ulangtahun ke-15 Danga Bay.

2. Bagi pihak kerajaan negeri, saya mengalu-alukan kehadiran YAB Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Perdana Menteri Malaysia, dan Yang Amat Dihormati Datin Seri yang sudi meluangkan masa melawat negeri Johor, khususnya ke Danga Bay. Kehadiran YAB Dato’ Seri dalam lawatan singkat ini, tentunya turut menjadi dorongan kepada usaha-usaha memakmurkan negeri Johor yang sedang pesat membangun.

3. Kerajaan Negeri pada 15 tahun lalu melihat bahawa Johor memerlukan pembangunan yang lebih seimbang lagi menyeluruh, lebih-lebih lagi dari segi keperluan asas rakyat, bukan sahaja di bandar-bandar dan pekan-pekan bahkan di kampung-kampung.

4. Sehubungan itu kerajaan negeri menubuhkan sebuah syarikat iaitu Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) untuk melaksanakan pembangunan infrastruktur luar bandar melalui kaedah pembiayaan daripada pembangunan tanah yang dikurniakan kepada syarikat tersebut.

5. Selain pembinaan jalan-jalan kampung di seluruh negeri dan daerah, KPRJ juga membina penempatan semula perumahan setinggan termasuk di Kong Kong, Tok Siak, Bakar Batu dan Sri Stulang untuk dinikmati oleh 6,000 keluarga. Pendekatan ini membolehkan rakyat menikmati pembangunan keperluan asas tersebut dalam tempoh lebih cepat.

6. Dalam masa dua tahun pertama mulai tahun 1996, KPRJ menyiapkan 1,700 kilometer jalan kampung di 1,500 kampung di seluruh negeri Johor. Namun selepas itu, berlakulah kegawatan ekonomi dan KPRJ berdepan dengan keadaan mencabar untuk melunaskan pinjamannya kerana pembangunan tanah tidak dapat dilaksanakan.

7. Satu lagi cabarannya ialah tanah-tanah yang dikurniakan itu rata-rata merupakan kawasan paya, muara sungai, dalam air dan yang diduduki oleh setinggan.

8. KPRJ berusaha mencari pelabur untuk usahasama termasuk syarikat-syarikat yang tersenarai, tetapi mereka hanya bersedia menyertainya dengan mencadangkan nilai tanah pada harga beberapa sen sahaja setiap kaki persegi.

9. Dalam keadaan mencabar tersebut, muncul satu syarikat yang sanggup melabur dengan menilaikan tanah seluas 350 ekar itu, yang masih di dalam air, pada harga RM23 sekaki persegi. Melalui usaha ini KPRJ telah dapat melunaskan pinjaman sebanyak RM200 juta.

10. Selanjutnya pembangunan tanah-tanah tersebut dilaksanakan secara usahasama melalui kaedah Public Private Partnership (PPP) di mana kerajaan bersama-sama memegang ekuiti di dalam syarikat berkenaan iaitu Danga Bay Sdn Bhd. Pelan pembangunan Danga Bay ini telah dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri ketika itu, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

11. Pendekatan pembangunan oleh Danga Bay Sdn Bhd ialah menyediakan kemudahan rekreasi untuk orang ramai terlebih dahulu sebelum tumpuan diberikan kepada pembinaan untuk tujuan komersil. Kawasan Danga Bay yang dahulunya tidak terurus, kini telah menjadi tumpuan keluarga, khususnya pada hujung minggu untuk beriadah.

12. Setelah 10 tahun pembangunan Danga Bay dilaksanakan, Kerajaan Persekutuan melancarkan pembangunan Iskandar Malaysia pada tahun 2006 dan menyalurkan dana pembangunan untuk meningkatkan infrastruktur yang membolehkan jadinya Pembangunan Iskandar. Ini telah mengukuhkan lagi pembangunan di Danga Bay.

13. Pembangunan melalui perkongsian Public Private Partnership di Danga Bay ini berkembang daripada kawasan Barat Johor Baru, iaitu di Danga Bay, ke Timur Johor Baru yang melibatkan kawasan di Lembangan Tebrau Plentong. Seterusnya, untuk mengukuhkan jentera pembangunan ini, KPRJ-Danga Bay telah dilantik untuk pembangunan semula pusat Bandaraya Johor Bahru (CBD). Pembangunan CBD ini dijalankan bersama-sama dengan pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan di kawasan yang terlibat.

14. Justeru itu, Danga Bay dijenamakan semula dengan nama Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd dan ditugaskan sebagai Master Developer untuk kawasan Timur, Barat dan Tengah Bandaraya Johor Bahru. Dengan ini, Negeri Johor telah pun melaksanakan satu projek yang benar benar merupakan perkongsian di antara awam dan swasta (Public Private Partnership).

15. Semua ini dapat diterjemahkan dengan sokongan dari Kerajaan Persekutuan, dan sokongan ini berterusan melalui dana Facilitation yang kini telah diluluskan untuk pembersihan Sungai Segget sebanyak RM200 juta serta RM200 juta lagi untuk projek “The Venetian” di Sungai Danga. Kerajaan Negeri sangat menghargai keperihatinan dan sokongan kuat Kerajaan Persekutuan ini dalam usaha membangunkan Negeri Johor.

Ampun Tuanku,

Sesungguhnya segala perancangan yang telah patik sembahkan, dengan ini patik memohon perkenan dan restu Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku untuk dilaksanakan dengan jayanya.

Akhir sekali, patik berdoa agar Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku sentiasa berada dalam peliharaan Allah SWT, sihat walafiat, selamat sejahtera, aman sentosa dan makmur berpanjangan.

Wabillahitaufik Walhidayah, Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Ampun Tuanku.

JB's Chingay and its political angle by Sin Chew (UPDATED)

2012-02-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

Ok, today I feel much better. Things seems to be cheerful here in JB as my Chinese friends being all geared up for tonight's celebrations. I'm going to join them as a spectator of the Chingay procession.

As you may notice from the Sin Chew's article I pasted below, the presence of PM DS Najib Razak at the event tonight is of a very great significance.

Declaring the Chingay event as a national heritage will be a major boost for the improving Chinese support for the BN government. It's a goodwill gesture which will be well received by the Chinese community, particularly those in southern Johor, which will be the main battleground in this State for the coming general election.

The parliamentary areas in southern Johor are Pulai (40 per cent Chinese voters), Gelang Patah (54 per cent), Kulai (58 per cent), Tebrau (38 per cent), Pasir Gudang (40 per cent) and Johor Baru (43 per cent). The State constituencies are Pengkalan Rinting (44 per cent), Kempas (36 per cent), Skudai (66 per cent), Nusajaya (40 per cent), Bukit Permai (36 per cent), Bukit Batu (63 per cent), Senai (67 per cent), Tiram (31 per cent), Puteri Wangsa (47 per cent), Johor Jaya (49 per cent), Permas (30 per cent), Tanjong Puteri (32 per cent) and Stulang (55 per cent).

Since the Pakatan gang seems to be confident about getting the bulk of the Chinese votes, the parliamentary areas in real danger of falling into their hands are Kulai and Gelang Patah while the State constituencies are Senai, Bukit Batu, Skudai, Puteri Wangsa, Johor Jaya and Stulang.

At the moment, they only got Senai and Skudai.

Read again the Sin Chew article below and you will know that Pakatan will largely depend on their perceived support of the Chinese community in Johor. So much for their claims that they are not depending on racial politics.

That is exactly why they seems quite perturbed that Najib will be down here in JB for the big occasion. They know that Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman has been actively engaging the Chinese associations and getting positive results. Also, MCA and Gerakan have also seems to start being more hard working these days.

Whatever it is, the Chinese community in Johor are not a fanatically chauvinistic lot as the Pakatan gang are hoping. They know what is best for their own community and would not let outsiders tell them what to do. Of that I am certain.

ORIGINAL POSTING

Tomorrow is a big day in JB.

It's the celebrations of the Chingay festival.

PM DS Najib Razak will be here for the occassion tomorrow. He is expected to announced that the chingay event to be accorded the national heritage status, something which the Chinese associations in Johor have always wanted.

I'm a bit lazy to write today, so, here is a little of the event which I cut and paste from Wikipedia -

Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple known as Old Temple by the locals, is a Chinese temple located in Johor Bahru. Located at downtown Johor Bahru of Jalan Trus, the temple is flanked by modern skyscrapers. This temple is one of the oldest structures in Johor Bahru. The temple is a place of worship and a symbol of unity among Five Chinese Dialect Groups which are "Teochew", "Hoklo (Hokkien)", "Cantonese", "Hakka" and "Hainan".
In 2007, a Documentary Series called My Roots featured the temple in the episode "Grand March with the Deities".
The temple was built during the 19th Century by then Head of Ngee Heng Company led by Tan Hiok Nee and various Chinese community leaders.
Although there are no actual records regarding the completion of the temple, the plaque and the century-old bronze bell located in the temple shows that the temple is around 130 years old.
In 1995 / 1996, it underwent a major renovation at a cost of MYR1.5 million. Much of its cultural aura was preserved, and important relics such as the century-old bronze bell, joss stick pot and wooden tablet remain.
The temple hosts 5 Deities. There are:
    Yuan Tian Shang Di
    Hong Xian Da Di
    Gan Tian Da Di
    Hua Guang Da Di
    Zhao Da Yuan Shuai
Each of the deities are separately worshipped by "Teochew", "Hoklo (Hokkien)", "Cantonese", "Hakka" and "Hainan" people
Every year in the first lunar month of 20-23rd , the Temple organizes its annual Chinngay known as the Parade of Deities.
The Chingay parade lasts for four days. The climax of the parade is on the night of the 3rd day when the Deities parade around the Johor Bahru Town Centre.
The annual Chingay has attracted more than 300,000 people to march around the major roads of Johor Bahru together with the 5 Deities being worshiped in the Old Temple.

And here is a take by Sin Chew Daily on the political angle of the big event.

By LIM MUN FAH
Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE
Sin Chew Daily

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will attend the chingay parade organsied by the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple on 12 February 2012. It is indeed an unprecedented major even in the history of the century-old temple. Not long ago, the Prime Minister has also announced that the parade has been awarded national heritage status by the Government.

As the next general election seem to be approaching, the election atmosphere has inevitably filled the air, including the annual chingay parade.

Interestingly, Johor will show its unparalleled political status in the next general election.

Traditionally, Johor is a fortress of the BN. It is another fixed deposit state of the BN carrying high expectations, in addition to Sabah and Sarawak.

Meanwhile, the Pakatan Rakyat has also listed Johor as a frontline state, and even called for a regime change.

DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang, however, has made it very clear that the Pakatan Rakyat must achieve good results in Johor, but it does not mean that they want to take over the state government. "A shift in one-third of the seats towards the opposition is enough to signal a major change in the national political landscape," he added.

In other words, Lim hopes to realise the dream of taking over the federal regime through winning one-third of seats in Johor, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak.

In fact, Lim understands that winning one-third of seats is a better way of saying to encourage party members and supporters. To put it negative, it means that it is quite impossible for the Pakatan Rakyat to win the federal regime unless if it is able to gain one-third of seats in Johor, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak.

As for taking over Johor, it is obvious that Lim is not having the confidence to do so yet at the moment. It might be possible to achieve after two or more general elections. The most important factor would be the attitude of Malay voters.

Johor PAS chief Mahfodz Mohamed also admitted that it is more difficult to fight for Malay votes in Johor, compared to Chinese and Indian votes. According to him, a poll showed that 70% of Chinese voters and 50% of Indian voters are supporting PAS.

Since it is unlikely to take over Johor, is the target of winning one-third of seats in Johor more pragmatic for the Pakatan rakyat?

There are 26 parliamentary seats in Johor and the current situation is, the BN is holding 25 seats with 16 seats occupied by Umno, seven seats by the MCA, one by the Gerakan and another one by the MIC. Meanwhile, the Pakatan Rakyat is holding only one seat, occupied by the DAP.

It means that the Pakatan Rakyat must win another eight seats to achieve the target of one-third, or nine seats.

For the Pakatan Rakyat, the Johor Umno is too strong and thus, the eight seats eyed might be occupied by the MCA, Gerakan and MIC. However, would the anti-incumbent fever strong enough to help the Pakatan Rakyat win nine seats in Johor? Obviously, it is a big challenge that even requires a little miracle to achieve.

In any case, the battle in Johor affects the federal regime and thus, it is worthy of our patience to wait and see the move of Najib at the chingay parade!

The SC saga - try not to be so blind, ok?

2012-02-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

Predictably, Singapore's Straits Times correspondent Leslie Lopez today came out with another article running down Malaysia's Securities Commission as a follow up to the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider article on SC chairman Zarinah Anwar, written by his friend Jahabar Sadiq.

This is the fourth round of attacks against Zarinah and SC by the Leslie Lopez-Malaysian Insider joint-venture. My earlier take on this is here -
How the "credible media" was manipulated - SC case...

I am not going to link or cut and paste Leslie's article here, as there is nothing new in it. Just the same old accusations against SC. If you still want to read it, go and subscribe to the Singapore's ST website and further enriched the already rich people across the Causeway.

To those who thinks that Singaporean journalists are better than their Malaysian counterparts, well, think again. Will Leslie be so brave as to thrash talk the republic's regulatory bodies or claimed that he knows Hsien Loong is planning to do this and that? Will the ST editors let him do that? I do not think so.

Unfortunately, some of my senior pro-BN bloggers were so adamant in wanting Zarinah out that they seems to be blinded to the maneuvering of these pro-Pakatan gang. A few even claimed credit to the yet confirmed departure of Zarinah from SC.

What la you all called her a witch la, gangster la...don't you think you all are being too much? Except for having a husband with dubious reputation, I don't think anyone has managed to pin any crime on the lady. Got evidence meh?

The pro-BN bloggers seems to also fail to see the whole thing as an attack against the country's capital market with the general election just around the corner. They know that Zarinah and SC are easy targets for those who want to undermine the BN government as these anti-BN elements know that no one from the other side will defend her and the organization she led. It is not that they have anything solid against Zarinah. All they have to do was played with the sentiments and blind hatred of those who are anti Zarinah and SC.

Ironically, Zarinah's difficulties with pro-BN people was also started by the scheming of these very same pro-Pakatan people. The most damaging was the ECM-Libra Avenue Capital issue. Who were the main players behind it? Well, if your memory is a bit shot, the answer is that, it is none other than the very same people relentlessly attacking Zarinah and SC today. Pro-BN people, why are you all now applauding them? Sheesh....now they are even making Najib looks like a fool by making it seems as if they can pre-empt what he is going to say with impunity....and with BN people cheering them on.

BTW, to you all pro-BN bloggers in KL, once again, I implore you, go and check la properly who is that person being bandied by Malaysian Insider as the replacement of Zarinah...I mean the non-Malay guy. I tell you, you won't believe one as I'm just a small time provincial blogger only. See la, if after you all found out, whether you all will still be happy that Zarinah is on her way out.

Oh, also, I was told that Zarinah is really retiring at the end of her SC contract, but it is not because of Malaysian Insider or Singapore's Straits Times or the blogs. She just wants to retire, and that's all to it. You all don't believe me, go and check with her yourself la.

Two in One : SC and Medini (UPDATED)

2012-02-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

Sin Chew Daily had today came out in defence of Zarinah Anwar in light of the article on her by pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider.

I translated the key points of the article here -

Zarinah could stay due to her active contribution to promote regulatory reform/ Sin Chew Daily.

Speculations on Zarinah leaving the SC due to the E&O saga could make a dramatic turn due to her contribution to promote regulatory reform in the capital market. Analysts believed that Zarinah's work should not be underestimated and she could be asked to stay to continue the reform.

An SC spokesperson, however said they would not comment on this matter as the decision will solely be determined by the Ministry of Finance. "We would not have a clear answer until the end of May," said the spokesperson.

The Straits Times (of Singapore) had reported that Zarinah will leave SC at the end of her contract, ending her six years at the helm of the commission.

The Straits Times said government officials and financial executives close to the situation told the newspaper that Prime Minister Najib Razak will decide on Zarinah's replacement in the comming weeks. According to the Singaporean daily, candidates to replace Zarinah include deputy central bank governor Datuk Muhammad Ibrahim and the SC's managing director Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh. It also said that Datuk Johan Raslan, executive chairman of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, has repeatedly turned down the offer to head the watchdog agency.

Areca CEO Huang De Ming said no matter what, the outcome will not affect the SC as a new management will continue to lead the organisation.

Analyst Feng Ting Siew said, "Frankly speaking, Zarinah's stepping down is not the ideal solution to solve some regulatory loopholes. The authorities should instead focus on how to manage the potential conflict of interests when any staff (or any related parties) from the regulators were involved in any corporate transactions.

"Zarinah has been actively promoting corporate governance and perhaps things would take a dramatic turn - with her contract being renewed at the end of the day! And the regulators could concentrate on formulating some policies to manage this area (conflict of interests) better," said Feng.

He further stressed that the development of guidelines to avoid a regulatory staff involved in business transactions is due to the market decipline, as in the case of the Sime Darby-E&O deal and how things have evolved today, it just goes to show that the regulators need to enhance its system and enhance its system and to be extra cautious when handling business transactions that involved any of its internal staff.

He admitted that the fact that a minority shareholder (of E&O), who brought the case to the court has no doubt indirectly fuse the exit of Zarinah, if it eventually happened.

"This is an unexpected outcome. She should leave in dignity in view of her contributions to the capital market of this country. Her exit is not going to help the governance issue in the Malaysian capital market."

Feng said the fact that Zarinah's husband is the chairman of E&O has apparently put her in an awkward position.
"But we can't deny the fact that she is a very professional regulator and has contributed a lot to the capital market."

ORIGINAL POSTING

SC

I wrote about the latest attack against Zarinah Anwar and her Securities Commission here How the "credible media" was manipulated - SC case.

And today, the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider came out with this story which I am cutting and pasting here. Hope my friend Jahabar don't mind too much about me taking his story without his permission. Don't be angry bro, promoting you what.

Jahabar Sadiq
Editor

February 09, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The Securities Commission (SC) will revamp its top post with retiring Treasury chief Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah taking over as non-executive chairman from current executive chairman Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar when she steps down at the end of March, sources say.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Zarinah’s regulatory duties will be taken over by Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh, who is now the executive director of market supervision in the commission. It is learnt that Putrajaya felt Ranjit was most capable for the top job but there was concern the right wing in Umno may jump if a non-Malay took the post, leading the government to split the job to provide cover for any non-Malay getting such a post and placate the Malay ground.
“Dr Wan Abdul Aziz will come on board as non-executive chairman and Ranjit will be the top regulator,” a government source told The Malaysian Insider.

Another source said the government will make the announcement soon, including naming a replacement for Wan Abdul Aziz in the Treasury.“They’ve decided to split the SC post for accountability purposes and to provide cover for any non-Malays getting such a job while placating the Malay ground,” he said, adding that Zarinah was both chairman of the commission and also head of the senior management in the SC.
“So now, the top regulator reports to the commission,” the source said.
Singapore’s The Straits Times reported last week that Zarinah was stepping down as the SC chief next month after six years at the helm of the capital markets watchdog.
Her contract ended amid pressure over the market regulator’s role in conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd’s acquisition of a 30 per cent stake in E&O Berhad last August, where her husband was chairman of the property developer.
The Straits Times said government officials and financial executives close to the situation told the newspaper that “Prime Minister and Finance Minister Najib Razak will decide on her replacement in the coming weeks.”
“The E&O deal has put Tan Sri Zarinah in a tight spot. The reason is that her husband, who is E&O chairman, had raised his personal stock holdings in the company just days before Sime Darby’s announcement,” it reported.
State-controlled Sime Darby purchased its 30 per cent interest from three major shareholders — E&O managing director Datuk Terry Tham, Singapore’s GK Goh Holdings and a group of investors led by businessman Tan Sri Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah — at the end of August last year in a deal that valued E&O shares at RM2.30 a piece.
The purchase price represented a 60 per cent premium over the value of the shares in the company on the open market when the deal was announced.
The RM776 million deal triggered unease over the widely perceived coddling by the agency of large state-controlled companies at the expense of minority shareholders when exercising its authority on corporate takeovers.
The SC ruled six weeks after the deal that the plantation-based conglomerate did not have to make a general offer, prompting E&O minority shareholder Michael Chow to sue the SC for failing to compel Sime Darby to make a general offer for the rest of the shares, which would cost an additional RM1.8 billion.
This came despite a SC task force finding that Sime Darby was obliged to make a general offer for E&O shares after acquiring a 30 per cent stake in the property developer.
Singapore’s The Straits Times reported last week that the task force was of the view that a general offer obligation had been triggered as a new “concert party” was created between Sime Darby and Tham, who jointly controlled more than 33 per cent in the property concern after the deal.
Malaysia’s takeover rules stipulate that any party that acquires more than a 33 per cent interest in a public-listed entity must carry out a general offer for the remaining shares.
A general offer can also be triggered if a new party buys less than 33 per cent, but secures management control of the target company.

Apparently pro-BN bloggers, who had all these while been hantaming Zarinah seems to have started rejoicing at the news. Here is Big Dog's take on it, Another one bites the dust.
Opening up the Pandora Box, you said Big Dog?
Well, I would not be too quick at being happy if I were you.

Then again, Big Dog and the gang probably do not really know who is this person Malaysian Insider said is going to be the real one in charge of SC after Zarinah is gone - Ranjit Ajit Singh.

Jahabar's source was quoted as saying, “They’ve decided to split the SC post for accountability purposes and to provide cover for any non-Malays getting such a job while placating the Malay ground,”
Zarinah was both chairman of the commission and also head of the senior management in the SC.
I wonder, who is that Jahabar's source, who seems not totally happy about a non-Malay having only half of Zarinah's job after she stepped down.

Have the pro-BN bloggers ever wonder why the last three attacks on Zarinah and SC came from the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider and Singapore Straits Times?

Have they ever wonder where ST correspondent Leslie Lopez got his materials on SC from?

I smell something rotten all the way from the top-level of SC itself and all the way up to the MOF, causing those info leakages.

Then again a cat probably have a better sense of smell than a dog.

MEDINI

OK, now moving on to the Medini of Iskandar Malaysia issue.

Yesterday, another friend Asuki Mohd Abas, a Khazanah vice-president wrote a long long article denying any hanky panky in the Medini deal.

It took a whole broadsheet page of Utusan Malaysia to fit it. I had in Dec 2011 posted some stuff on the matter similar to those which appeared in the letters to the editors of Utusan which prompted Asuki's article. Good also lah, it gives credibility to Utusan.

Well, anyway, sorry bro Asuki, your article too long leh. I read halfway and got pening kepala. Since Malaysian Insider seems to be on the roll now, I'm again cutting and pasting their shorter version of Asuki's answer to the queries on Medini here.

By Lee Wei Lian

February 09, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Khazanah Nasional Berhad yesterday denied allegations of questionable deals in the development of the ambitious multi-billion ringgit Medini integrated development in Johor.The questions were raised in two letters to the editor published in Utusan Malaysia and revolved around the decision of a Khazanah- and EPF-linked company to lease land to Middle Eastern investors in Medini in 2007 and the subsequent buy-back of the land by the state asset manager from the same investors — purportedly at a higher price just a few years later, enabling the investors to flip the land for a profit despite not having paid for it in full.
The letters also alleged the existence of a complex web of related party transactions, with the Khazanah subsidiary partnering with a foreign investor to lease Medini land to other Middle Eastern companies in which the same foreign investor has a stake.
Other allegations raised were that the Khazanah-linked company in charge of developing Medini had paid out massive dividends of RM475 million in 2008 despite facing cash flow issues, 25 per cent of which went to the foreign partner even though it did not deliver satisfactory results.
The company at the heart of the controversy is Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), in which Khazanah holds 60 per cent equity. The rest of the shares are held by EPF and Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor
IIB had partnered with UWI Capital Ltd, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands and an associate company of Dubai’s Jumeirah Capital, to created Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MIMSB). This was then tasked to develop Medini.
IIB has a 75 per cent stake in MIMSB with UWI Capital holding 25 per cent.
At the same time, IIB signed a deal worth US$1.2 billion (RM3.6 billion) with a consortium of Middle East entities led by Abu Dhabi based Mubadala Development Company and Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to develop Medini.
One of the letters claimed that the controlling stakeholder in UWI Capital also owned a 10 per cent stake in Mubadala and KFH, which allowed him or her to realise profit from both the seller (MIMSB) and the buyers (Mubadala and KFH), and questioned the wisdom of IIB partnering with the foreign entity.
Khazanah said in its statement that it was normal for investors in large scale projects to ask for land to be returned if the schemes failed to deliver the desired returns, adding that it was an important feature to attract first mover investors.
“It also gives flexibility to investors to change their commitment levels and appetite for investments for long-term projects like Medini, which will take 25 years,” said Khazanah.
Khazanah said UWI Capital was invited to help develop Medini based on their track record of structuring, promoting and large infrastructure projects in the Middle East.
The state asset manager said that UWI was asked to be an equity partner and was not just a land broker, and also entered the deal with land valued at RM10 psf (per sq foot) as compared with RM7.30 psf as valued by CH Williams Talhar and Wong in 2006.
Khazanah noted that the letter raised questions as to why it would deign to partner with a company that was registered in the British Virgin Islands as if such companies had something to hide, and said that registering in tax havens was standard practice for all serious investors, including Khazanah.
It also defended UWI, saying that the company only received a net dividend of RM43 million after reinvestment.
Khazanah said that a large part of the land that had been returned or bought back from the investors was later resold by IIB at a 23.7 per cent premium.
In December last year, Sunway Bhd teamed up with Khazanah to buy 276.4 hectares of land in Medini for RM745.3 million.
Khazanah added in its statement that as a result of the global financial crisis, IIB and MIMSB had chosen to restructure rather than postpone projects in Medini but the Middle East consortium remained investors.
Noting that the letters had called for tighter monitoring of Khazanah, the state investor said that it had always practised the highest standards in corporate governance, including the establishment of independent executive and audit committees.
IIB was also in the news last month when it was reported that a former senior vice-president of an IIB subsidiary pleaded guilty to soliciting for bribes related to the Iskandar Malaysia development project.
Mohd Amin Suhaimi, husband to former IIB chief executive Arlida Ariff, was also charged with three counts of soliciting and taking bribes from a construction company to secure a tender worth RM40.8 million to build a boarding school in Pulai.
Arlida, who was headhunted by Khazanah, was removed from her position in 2010 amid speculation of alleged irregularities in the award of infrastructure contracts.
Medini is a 2,230-acre international mixed-used development, which is one of the core components of the Iskandar Malaysia special development zone in south Johor.
Among the major projects in Medini are Legoland, which is slated to open later this year, and a RM3 billion iconic wellness township to be developed by E&O and Khazanah and Singapore’s Temasek.

I'm now going to sit back and see how this thing developed.....err, MACC boys and girls....do your job properly ya.....don't let me down, ok?

Back from the cold and a stop in Serangoon

2012-02-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

Dropped by at my favourite place in Singapore before going home.

Spent some time lepaking at the garden there. Nice and scenic place. Tidy and neat. It's just the garden of a cluster of HDB flats. Still, I wish that public parks in Malaysia could be as nice. Personally, I think our maintenance culture got a lot of catching up to do if we want to be on par with Singapore's.

The Causeway was a bit jammed on our side. Guess the Singaporean custom and immigration people, despite being more strict than their Malaysian counterparts, are more efficient. Well, another thing we can improve.

I'm no fan of Singapore, but I don't hate that country either. So, when they are better than us, I would readily admit so. We do have better things going on compared to them, but I don't feel it's wrong to learn from them when necessary, so that we can improve our country.

Anyway, I wonder if Penang under Lim Guan Eng will soon be as good as Singapore. My DAP friends said they always wanted this country to be like Singapore. Guess they can have it on the Penang island due to the overwhelming majority of Chinese there. Most of the Malay and Indian Penangites are in Seberang Prai now, or elsewhere, if I am not mistaken. Easier for Guan Eng to implement things in a place where the ethnic composition is less diverse, I think.

Then again, I could be wrong for assuming that ...

I wonder, would any other country survive if their ethnic composition is as diverse as Malaysia? I'm thinking of countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina (50 per cent Muslims, 30 per cent Serbs, 20 per cent Croat). It's the only country with an ethnic composition similar to us ...

Oh, and then there is Fiji.

Innocent until proven guilty

2012-02-05T02:05:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I had always wanted to be a lawyer.

At that time, I had this idea that lawyers are a heroic bunch of people. Even wasted several years of my life in law school, trying to be one of them. Guess I watched too much court room drama movies la back then.

Anyway, while studying the law, I developed this habit of trying to understand people accused of wrongdoing. That's probably, because I had then wanted to be a barrister and go to court defending innocent people. Sounds so noble, unlike those glorified clerks whom they called conveyancing lawyers. Silly me....

Nonetheless, this habit of mine somehow had stuck till today. That is why one may find all these weird postings in this blog where I seemingly side with rather unpopular characters.

This was my second posting right after starting this blog about four months ago -
Is she really a crook?
It was about that lady, everyone seems to dislike - Zarinah Anwar of SC.
At the moment I wrote that posting, Zarinah was the punching bag of the day among the bloggers.

I read all those negative things about her and decided to try to know the woman. I mean the personal side of her.
I actually never met Zarinah.
What I found was that she is from a good family and her upbringing seems to be excellent. Her track records before she joined SC was similarly impeccable. In fact, after she joined SC, she was still doing well until those controversies hit her.

OK, the husband seems to be a bit of a shady character, but I kinda like Zarinah as a person. That is at least from what I found out about her.

I also think she is quite an elegant looking lady. In fact, when I am older, I hope I can look a bit like her.

I had not actually so much wanted to dispute the allegations against Zarinah, but merely feels that it was rather unfair to accuse her of this and that without knowing the human side of the lady. More importantly, I just don't want to swallow just any negative information about anyone without knowing a bit more about the person.

BTW, for the record, I personally think that Zarinah and her SC team did contribute to the fact that the country's capital market grew from a sheer water drop to over RM2 trillion in 2010. Can't be all too bad, I think.

Then there were those postings about Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.
So many seems to prefer him to be replaced from his current post which got me a bit exasperated.

I know Ghani rather well, despite not being qualified to claim myself his friend. The man is good. I got no other simple word to describe him.

Ok, so he has been the MB for a long time, but does Johor really have a suitable candidate to replace him at the moment? I know, now I sound like a broken record.

Never mind, I now honestly hope that he retires or at least go to a Federal position after the coming general election. I think he doesn't have to continue to endure the bullshit that goes along with his current position. Nonetheless I really don't envy the person who is going to replace him as Johor MB. The job is simply not easy, that is, if it is to be done properly.

Fine, enough about Ghani. After all, I think I already wrote too much about him in previous postings.

I had also posted several other write-ups on persons and institutions not seems to be well liked such as Arlida Ariff and her IIB staff, the Chinese schools, and the latest, businessman Lim Kang Hoo and terror suspect Zulkifli Abdul Khir.

Whatever I wrote about them are my personal opinion based on whatever info I could find about them.

It amused me when some of the commentators accused me of being on the take for writing something neutral or a bit sympathetic about these people. Does it ever occurred to them that there are actually people who simply write because they like to write about a certain kind of subject? That maybe they are not motivated by material gains? That writing could possibly be a hobby for them, a creative and intellectually stimulating outlet for the curious mind?

Why must it always be that just because a person does not have any honour with a soul being corrupted with greed and envy that this person assumed everyone else is the same way?

The untold story of Zulkifli Abdul Khir

2012-02-03T23:27:00.000-08:00

First of all, is he really dead?

News reports flashed all over the world said Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli Abdul Khir @ Marwan is indeed dead after an air strike on Jolo Island, in southern Philippines on Thursday.

But then in the latest rounds of reports, the Philippines Armed Forces announced that they have yet to find any body at the scene of the US-aided strike despite earlier confirming Zulkifli's death along with several high ranking AlQaeda-linked individuals.

How come there was not a single body found while in the earlier reports it was said up to 15 terrorists were killed?

Could it be that the elusive terror suspect had given the long arms of CIA and other security agencies in the world another slip? He after all did just that over 10 years ago when police closed down on his Kumpulan Militan Malaysia.

Who is this guy, actually?

The truth is, little is known about Muar-born Zulkifli Abdul Khir despite him being among the top most wanted terrorist suspects in the world. He actually ranked just a few rungs lower than Osama bin Laden in the US' most wanted list for many years till now.

With USD5 million bounty on his head, what makes this low-profile chap so dangerous? My bet was that because he is a US-trained engineer and a top notch bomb making expert. He is also considered as being highly intelligent and brave.

I did some search on this Johorean fella and other than those you had probably read in the newspapers about him, I discovered some very interesting stuff.

Zulkifli was born into a big family in Kampung Jeram Masjid, Bakri, Muar in 1966.
His growing up years was typical of any kampung kid in any village in Johor.
He did well in his studies and was enrolled at the prestigious boarding school, Sekolah Datuk Abdul Razak, Seremban in 1979.

He was a normal teenager, who likes to watch kung fu movies and listened to rock music. He prefer Bruce Lee than Jackie Chan and his favorite rock band was Deep Purple. He was also said to be a very good snooker player. All these were said to have been due to the influence of his elder brothers.

Zulkifli did show some early traits of rebelliousness during his school years. Like the other more adventurous boys, he picked up some bad habits such as smoking and going on excursions of climbing over the school fence for a night out. But all that were just more for fun than anything else. It can't be said that he was the naughtiest boy in the school. His nickname among school friends was "Cheng", which was given by seniors due to his Chinese look.

Zulkifli prays five times a day but was not really involved in any of the school's Islamic association activities. He normally perform his prayers in his dormitory instead of going to the surau. In another words, he didn't grow up being an Islamic fundamentalist.

It was said that Zulkifli was a rather quiet but likable boy. Despite being a rather shy character, Zulkifli did talk about his liking of girls to his school friends . He preferred Chinese girls or those of the same features.

His first experience of holding a firearm was when he joined the Army cadet. It was the only uniformed extra-curricular activity he took part in school. He was the best marksman in his batch of cadets and was said to be extremely good in handling the SLR rifle, being able to disassemble and reassemble the British-made weapon in record time.

The first real indication that Zulkifli would one day be a jihadist was in 1982. Just like Osama bin Laden, it was the Sabra and Shatila massacre during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that year, which first made him hate the US, Israel and their allies. He was said to be very affected by the incident and had kept pictures of the massacred Palestinian civilians which were cut out from the Times magazine.

He did, however, studied very hard in his final year at school and did very well in his SPM to win a scholarship to further his studies in the US.

While studying electrical engineering in the US, Zulkifli continued with his interest in military training and spend most of his summer holidays at private camps where he got himself acquainted with more types of firearms.

His studies did not however proceeded smoothly, probably because it was believed that during that period he began to have contacts with radicals elements among fellow students from the Middle East.
Zulkifli nonetheless completed his studies to obtain a degree in electrical engineering.

This was in the late 1987 , where in another part of the world, it marked the tail end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Instead of coming home to a good job and comfortable life like most other Malaysian students, Zulkifli decided to join the fight in that war-ravaged country.

He traveled to Pakistan and using his contacts from the Middle East entered Afghanistan and joined a group of Arab fighters, whom later be infamously known as the Al-Qaeda. They were at that time close allies of the Afghan mujaheddin faction led by the hardliner Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. It was, however, not known whether Zulkifli had personally met Osama bin Laden when he was in Afghanistan.

Despite the mujaheddin at that time being on the verge of winning the war, life was still hard and dangerous for Zulkifli and his fellow fighters. They were still heavily outgunned by the Soviet troops.

Zulkifli was attached to a squad of mostly Arab fighters. He became their expert in defusing land mines and unexploded Soviet bombs which were later used against the enemies. He was also their designated cook. It was said that their meal mostly consisted of rice mixed with ghee and the occasional ladies fingers and potatoes. Only once in a while they get supplies of meat.

Zulkifli was also among the best snipers in the squad. His sniping exploits include crawling through land mines armed with an AK-47 to get close to a Soviet position before letting off a single shot at a prized target and enduring the ensuing barrage of mortar fires.

He, however survived the war unscatched despite the extreme danger.

Some times after the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, Zulkifli was advised by his "seniors" to return home after her received news of some family problems back in Malaysia.

When he came back, he was at first finding it difficult to secure a steady job and ended up doing odd jobs while staying at a rented house in Shah Alam with some friends, several whom were themselves Afghan veterans.

Surprisingly though, old friends who met him during this time said Zulkifli was still the same shy but likable guy they know many years earlier.

He prays five times a day but still listened to rock music and seems to be cheerful about his then much more mundane life. He hardly talked about Islamic fundamentalism.

There were not much indications about his militancy except for him sometimes telling his old war stories to close friends. Even when telling those stories, he did so in such a way that they sounds quite comical rather than them being a really dangerous experience.

It was around this time that he told friends that his family had arranged for him to get married with a very pretty girl from Kluang, Johor. He was said to be very much in love with the girl from the very first time he was introduced to her by family members.

He was very happy at the prospect of settling down and had vigorously looked for a better job to prepare for a family life. He finally landed a job with Telekom Malaysia sometimes before his wedding. This was in the mid 1990s.

Unknown to most of those close to him, even during this time, Zulkifli was still in contact with his former mujaheddin friends in Malaysia and Afghanistan. This was probably what led him down to the dark path in later years.

The rest of Zulkifli's story had been extensively covered by the newspapers and news agencies across the world.
Here is a bit of those from the Star yesterday -

PETALING JAYA: Zulkifli Abdul Hir, born in Muar in 1966, was a telecommunications engineer trained in the United States.
Zulkifli, whose aliases included Marwan and Musa, was believed to be the head of the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM), accused of being a senior member of the regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and blamed for multiple bomb attacks in the Philippines.
He was a protege of JI bomb expert Dr Azahari Hussin, a Malaysian killed by an Indonesian anti-terrorism unit on Nov 9, 2005.
He was wanted for his role in leading KMM in a Southern Bank robbery in Petaling Jaya in May 2001, and the murder of Lunas assemblyman Dr Joe Fernandez and the bombing of a Hindu temple in Pudu, both in 2000.
He fled to Indonesia where he was believed to be involved in the Bali bombing in 2002, which claimed more than 200 lives. It is thought that he then escaped to Jolo Island in Southern Philippines in 2003.
In the Philippines, he cooperated with Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to attack and bomb several American interests and military bases there.
This led him to being placed in the top 10 list of the world's most wanted terrorists with a US$5mil (M15mil) bounty on his head.
He was also high on the Philippines police's wanted list after two of their personnel were killed in a clash when they attempted to approach his hideout near Manila in August 2006.
Marwan had also been accused of helping to secure funds and weapons for Abu Sayyaf from foreign donors.
In March 2010, the Philippines marines launched an assault against Marwan, killing at least seven al-Qaeda linked militants in a raid at Laminusa Island, off southern Sulu province.
However, he managed to escape.
In October last year, Marwan fled from a military assault by the Philippines, which killed three Abu Sayyaf commanders and two other militants near the Indanan town in southern Sulu province.
His brother-in-law, Taufik Abdul Halim, was caught when he tried to set off a bomb at Plaza Atrium in Jakarta in 2001.
However, he ended up losing part of his right leg when the bomb exploded prematurely.

This report by Star, some how missed the fact that Zulkifli's 48-year-old elder brother who had obtained US citizenship and was living there is currently detained in Guantanamo Bay after suspected of giving him financial assistance and other materials.

A bit on Lim Kang Hoo

2012-02-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

As you may noticed by now, KL-based Johorean bloggers A Voice and BigDog have over the past few days been relentless in pursuing the The Ghost of Johor story, which was triggered by a posting by prominent blogger Rocky of Rocky's Bru.

One name, which emerged above all else from those posting is Datuk Lim Kang Hoo.

As Rocky, correctly pointed out, not many people from outside Johor would have known who the hell is this Datuk Lim....well, until these last few days lah. By now the man is probably a household name, I guess.

The Ghost of Johor postings by my senior bloggers, as far as I am concerned, made Lim sounds like some nefarious figure who somehow had gain control of people at the highest level in Johor in his evil grip. That he can do and get whatever he wants at anytime he desires. Some sorts of a super triad godfather.

Well, I don't blame the other bloggers if they have that impression of Lim. The man is indeed very close with people at the highest places in Johor, he is not very handsome and he has a gang of aides whom I think look very much like some Petaling Street pirated DVD peddlers.

But from the little bit I know of Lim, he is not totally as bad as all that. Well, I guess, I am going to get flamed for saying that but that's my honest opinion of Lim. To those who think I am being paid by Lim for writing this - you got it wrong, period.

Ok, I had met Lim a couple of times and found him to be quite a funny man. He doesn't speak much...well probably that's because his Bahasa Malaysia and English are not too good...a bit like me, actually.

But the man do have quite some sense of humor. He also seems to be a humble guy as he was very comfortable hanging out with a lowly nobody like me. There is completely no airs about the man. If he is not some sorts of a tycoon, Lim would probably be a fishmonger at a wetmarket, and would still be very much at home being that.

Well, Lim, like most other "good" Chinaman businessman, never really talked about his wheeling and dealings, especially not with a blabber mouth like me. Business is business ma, socializing is completely not the time to talk about those, unless of course if the socializing was meant for business purposes.

Ok, this Lim fella, as far as I know is completely apolitical. He only keeps tab of the political happenings because he need to know them due to his business. All that matter to him is his business...and of course his family and a few other things.

If given the choice, he would rather not have to know about politics. Give him a nice dinner, a glass of nice wine and then talk politics with him for five minutes, and the man will be snoring. I am not kidding you. He will really sit there, eyes closed, mouth a bit opened and snore. If not careful he would fall off the chair. Datuk Lim, if you are reading this, don't be angry ar, you are really like that leh.

I did some checking on Lim as I was quite curious about how come he got to get all those sweet deals such as the Danga Bay thingy. What I found out was that the Chinaman is simply a cunning king of gambler.

He took some huge risks and came out on top. Guess he reads things better than anyone else and placed his chips all on the right bets. He invested in things no one else wanted and he befriended people who initially do not yet have power. Among his crazy investments include buying land under the sea and reviving a failed shopping complex with bad fengshui. All these somehow ended up well for him.

Well, a bit on the Tebrau Teguh issue, which details you all can read at A Voice's blog. My reading is that, the whole thing became extra-sensitive because Lim the Chinaman was involved. If Lim's name is Ali or something like that, things would not have been so bad. I don't want to go into too much details into that as I don't want that issue to have all sorts of versions. Everyone have their own versions, isn't it?

Anyway, what I think about the issue doesn't really matter, I think.

I am posting this just to put it on record what little bit I know about Lim Kang Hoo. Nothing more than that. Oh, also. like Shrek the jolly ogre, Lim also has his Princess Fiona....very charming liao.

Shrek and my boredom

2012-02-01T00:48:00.000-08:00

Staying cooped up in this room and bored half to death. It's too cold to go out.

Watching some old movies.

It's Shrek at the moment. You know, that jovial green ogre. Watched it before, but never mind lah...it's very nice funny movie la.

The one I'm watching now is the first where Shrek rescued Princess Fiona from the dragon and later fell in love with her and stuff.

I don't really like the sequels though, as they tried too hard to be as good as the first. Got all complex and too campy. And that donkey was too damn irritating in the sequels.

Anyway, I wish I can rewrite the Shrek story. It would be something like this....

After Shrek and Fiona had their first kiss, Fiona turned into a real princess and not a female ogre like in the movie.

But Shrek don't mind as he love her very very much.

Fiona also said she love Shrek very much despite him being what he is, an ogre.

I think a love story between a beautiful princess living in a palace and an ogre living in a swamp will be more interesting. How they accept and truly love each other despite their differences would be very nice and funny to watch.

Hmmmm....this what happened when I'm bored. Writing gibberish....eh, sorry la for wasting time of those who read this. Don't be angry ya, I'm like this once in a while only....

ps. For better reading, go to the blogs of A Voice and Big Dog. Their latest postings on Johor are very interesting.

How the "credible media" was manipulated - SC case

2012-01-30T01:26:00.000-08:00

Singapore's Straits Times in a report today alleged that Securities Commission (SC) had failed to heed the recommendation of its own task force that Sime Darby Bhd was obliged to make a general offer for Eastern & Oriental (E&O) shares.

The report which would definitely put SC once again on a defensive mode was written by Straits Tmes' KL-based correspondent Leslie Lopez.

The first to pounce on the report was the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider (MI)

Excerpt of the MI story on Leslie Lopez's story (phiuh!) :

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — A Securities Commission (SC) task force found that Sime Darby Bhd was obliged to make a general offer for Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Bhd shares after acquiring a 30 per cent stake in the property developer but was superseded by the regulator’s top ruling authority.
Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that the task force was of the view that a general offer obligation had been triggered as a new “concert party” was created between Sime Darby and E&O managing director Datuk Terry Tham, who jointly controlled more than 33 per cent in the property concern after the deal.
Malaysia’s takeover rules stipulate that any party that acquires more than a 33 per cent interest in a publicly-listed entity must carry out a general offer for the remaining shares.
A general offer can also be triggered if a new party buys less than 33 per cent but secures management control of the target company.
But the SC’s final ruling three-member committee ruled “in a majority decision” there was no general offer obligation as Sime Darby and Tham were not acting in concert, according to an affidavit by the agency’s second-most senior commissioner Datuk Francis Tan, which was sighted by the Singapore daily.
The committee also accepted the task force’s recommendation that the three groups which sold the blocks of E&O shares to Sime Darby did not collectively control the company and that the disposal did not trigger a general offer.

Somehow this MI story never mentioned Leslie Lopez as the writer of the Straits Times' story.

Ok, those who are in the know among the media people in KL should know the connection between Leslie Lopez and the top people in MI and their financiers.

This gang are the same who desired the Sime Darby's GO of E&O, but was thwarted when SC ruled that there was no need for such a thing.

If you say you don't know who are these people, let me put it in brief...they prospered during Pak Lah's time...and now itching to do anything to sabotage Najib and the BN government.

Now, how did Leslie Lopez got the story?....My not so intelligent guess is that he got someone who feed him the necessary info or idea of such info. My bet is, these are Malaysians and he/she/they are Insiders.

Got it or not? Nice game plan isn't it?

Why need to have the story in Straits Times first?

Because, everything which came from across the Causeway sound and smell more kosher, isn't it? No personal vested interest, isn't it? Like that lah, more credible.

MI can always claim it's just doing a follow-up of that story....of course with some spice and spin added.

The much maligned SC are now fending on its own.

Guess, even those Malaysian cyberspace patriots who normally will jump to defend a Malaysian institution from these sorts of attack will shy away due to past differences with the SC top dogs and cats.

To make matters even worst for SC was that it can't even defend itself properly because the matter is now pending in court. Leslie Lopez conveniently left out this court case part despite after the SC people had logically explained to him that they can't comment due to it.

He put it there in his report that SC simply refused to comment, thus making it sound as if the regulator was not at all transparent...and arrogant.

With the general election being near, I see this whole thing as an attack not only targetting to undermine SC for personal vested interests but more importantly it is also an attack against the country's economy as a whole by creating unease and lack of confidence in the Malaysian stock exchange.

ps. To SC people who are pro-Pakatan - stop being gullible. Your heroes and their cronies are attacking the organisation where you cari makan for your family. They don't care for you. They will use you, chew you up and when they have the power and don't need you anymore, they will spit you out. It's happening already.

A prayer for a dear friend

2012-01-29T04:15:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,
I've never met you, don't know what you look like, don't even know your name.
Likewise, you do not even know of my existence.

But still, to me, you are a dear friend.
You was there when I was not around...when I should be there during those dark days many years ago.
Thank you dear friend,

At this moment, I'm in this room praying to Allah for your health to be restored.
I dreamt of you in my nap just now.
Woke up crying.

How I wish I could be there with the other, caring for you.
But I know I can't and never will be able to.

Nonetheless,
I pray that you continue to be strong.
I pray the same for your good family too.

Dear friend, you are an angel.
Allah loves you and will keep you safe.
Of that I am certain.

Do rest well and take care.

A nice cold place

2012-01-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

Bloody cold out there.....posting this picture just to remind myself later how cold it is here today....but I'm happy....ok, take care n be merry....Cheers!!!!

R&R before the final push

2012-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Going off grid over the next few days.

Need to go check my new base where I am planning to move after the general election. I love Johor, but I think my job here will be done once Ghani Othman is no longer MB. I am quite sure he will be retiring after the election. Like him, I need to do other things too.

Anyway, I am going to use this break to rest and recharge before coming back to JB for the final push to the polls, which has now seems only going to be held in June.

Things seems to be fluid right now on the ground in Johor. There have been several surprises discovered during Ghani's latest visits to the kawasan2 peti undi.

Among others, things seems to be getting better for BN in Chinese-majority Kluang. Salute to the MCA people there. However, I hope they don't put Gan Peng Shiu there as a candidate. Sure lose one.

Things also seems to be under control in grey Segamat. Just that I hope those funny Umno people there will not try to sabotage their own party again this time around simply because they do not like their ketua bahagian anymore. Osman Jais may not be very handsome, but he works hard. Maybe YB Osman can volunteer to be the Khaled AlWaled of Segamat to ensure no sabotage happened? Hmmmm....who knows.....

Heard a group of prominent KL-based bloggers are coming down to join Ghani's lawatan peti undi in DAP-held Bakri starting tomorrow. It's the only parliament area in Johor held by the Pakatan people. Interesting. These top-notch bloggers will see for themselves how Ghani and his small team of lowly-paid loyalists work. Hopefully, they will get to see how the rumusan peti undi is done. Superb stuff that one.

Eh, enough lah...I'm turning off now. Until next time. InsyaAllah.

p.s Rockybru, BigDog and A Voice, salute to you guys for trying to help save Johor. Very brave of you all. Thank you very much.

Jati diri Melayu Johor (updated)

2012-01-26T20:43:00.000-08:00

Angin bertiup dari selatan
membawa khabar dari sultan
akan datang nanti
serombongan dari seberang

berlayar dari Blakang Mati
singgah sebentar di Pasir Panjang
sungguh menawan hati
redup sayup
saujana mata memandang

hai teluk belanga lah namanya
tempat bersejarah lagi indah
rakyatnya bersantun
budi bahasa
teruna dara

siapa memandang pasti kan tertawan
liut senyum malu si gadis rupawan
gerak tangkas pasti teruna berani
itulah kenangan hai di teluk belanga

puteri bertudung bersopan santun
menari zapin teluk belanga
budaya di junjung
dimartabatkan supaya masyhur
di sepanjang zaman

Ok, since some Johorean Malays may no longer like zapin because it was promoted by Ghani Othman, who is likely to retire soon, let me introduce this dance which may likely be the new number one dance in Johor in the next few years.. Enjoy!

I would just quit if I'm Ghani

2012-01-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

Had dinner with a good friend who is a journalist last night.

He told me about his meeting with KL-based Johorean blogger BigDog earlier in the day.

Asked me what I think of Mr Bigdog's latest posting.

It's a bit long, I think. But I don't want to comment on it. I think I know where it was heading, but let it be lah.

I am honestly still in CNY mood. No energy to call up here and there to check on other blogger's postings or spend time doing research. BTW, I think I ate too many mandarin oranges. Caused extra gas in my tummy liao.

Well, even if I try to give my view, most likely BigDog will have his own take on it. No point going ding dong with him.

As far as I am concerned, pro-Umno KL-based Johorean bloggers like BigDog and A Voice had made up their mind that Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman need to let go off his post ASAP. Based on their postings on Johor, I don't think they like Ghani too much anyway.

So, no point in arguing about that. After all, these good fellas want the best for their party. So, if they feel that Johor Umno will be better off without Ghani, then so be it. I am not even an Umno member, so, why should I be bothered too much. Let them be happy with the likes of Khaled Nordin or Osman Sapian as Johor MB.

By the way, heard Ghani was under pressured by his family members to quit as MB too. They were said to be tired of being slandered because many Umno people think Ghani wants so much to cling on to the post. My sources in PMO had even confirmed that Ghani had conveyed the message about his situation to PM DS Najib Razak. The PM was however said to be quite unhappy about it.

Actually, if I am Ghani, I would quit too. Being Johor MB is definitely not a walk in the park. And the slanderous and libelous stuff one needs to endure is great. And the family have to suffer along.

If Ghani is reading this, here is my message to him -

Datuk, I think you just quit lah. No point continuing sacrificing for all these ungrateful people. You are 65 already. Time to have a time for yourself and your family. Enough la those 16 years as MB, juggling between the interests of the rakyat, the palace, the corporate sector, the JCS etc etc.
People said lots of nonsense about you and your family members over the years. As if you got so rich being an MB (how I wish those people could reveal the billions of ringgits that you had looted instead of just accusing you of these and that). Why don't you just let those buggers become MB. They want it so much, so let them lah. Let us see how Khaled Nordin or Osman Sapian brings Johor to greater heights, as they so fondly said so. You have done enough for Johor. Not only they are not thankful, but they even spit on you...and your family too.
I know, you said this is a "perjuangan sepanjang hayat", but its ok lah. You cannot be too principled. Nobody really care about principles anyway these days. All that matters to them is whether you as MB can make them rich or not. They got contract or not....not withstanding whether they really work for it. If you don't give them (because they are just assholes who only care about their own tembolok) they will go on a warpath to kick you out. Hell, they are even willing to kick your wife and children too.
So, Datuk Ghani, I think you just quit lah. I am also quitting Johor after this general election. Enough lah. Tired already liao.

Ok, happy or not. I told Ghani to quit already. What else you all want? Sheeeeshhhs......

ps. Datuk Ghani, almost forgot, please tell your people not to give up for now and continue with the preparations for the general election. You and they all must ensure BN still hold Johor before leaving. Must go with clear conscience ma.

It's gonna be a good year for the Chinese

2012-01-23T03:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I'm a bit late in wishing a Happy Chinese New Year to everyone who celebrates the occasion via this blog.

I was actually giving some time for my earlier posting on
Remembering the good old man of Bukit Serene
to be this blog's main headline.

Well, at the time I'm writing this, it's still the first day of the Chinese New Year.
So, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

Personally, I think this is going to be a great year for the Chinese community.
Despite the rather gloomy economic forecasts, things shouldn't be too bad. Politically, the community will be the ones who will decide where this country is heading in the coming general election. The Malays are too fragmented to play that role. I think, they will choose wisely and not let this country falls into ruin due to racial polarization and stuff.

I can see that most Chinese people are enjoying themselves today. A lot of firecrackers being lit at midnight and later today. So, things must be good for the Chinese community for now..

Heard, even Guan Eng and family had flown off to celebrate CNY in Italy....flying business class some more....hmmm, good la if true....sometimes must enjoy also ma.

Guan Eng's father had meanwhile called for the Chinese to unite into one big dragon this year (for the coming general election, he said)....ok lor, if he want to say so...free country liao...just that later don't hantam Umno as racists la if they call Malays to unite, ok?.

I didn't get to go visit my Chinese friends today as I am working. Instead, I just ate some mandarin oranges which were send by the crates to my office by some well-wishers. Maybe, I will get the time to go on my CNY rounds tomorrow.

Ok lah. Everyone must be still busy celebrating. What do you expect....hehehehe....whatever it is, please try not to lose too much at the mahjong table ya. CHEERS!!!!

Remembering the good old man of Bukit Serene

2012-01-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

It is exactly two years today since I found myself shedding tears in front of the Puteri Specialist Hospital, Johor Baru.

I had rushed to the hospital that morning upon hearing that Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail was admitted during the night.

It was not the first time that the sultan was warded at the hospital. Still my anxiety upon hearing the news was real.

The first thing that I was told as I reached there was that the sultan was gravely ill.

I had immediately send several text messages to those I deemed needed to know.

Admittedly, I was emotional at that time. One of the text messages read something like this, "Let's pray the old man survive this. Johor still badly needs him."

When I got the information that MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman had chartered a flight to immediately return from accompanying PM DS Najib Razak in India, my heart sank. I knew at that point that there was not much hope left.

About 7pm, as Ghani arrived, my fear was confirmed.

Ghani was wearing the songkok with the strip of white cloth around it. He was already in mourning. The good old man of Bukit Serene, as I fondly called the Sultan among friends, was no more. I recited the Al-Fatihah for my beloved Sultan at that moment with tears in my eyes. Yes, I cried, and I'm not exaggerating it.

Some may think I must be some sorts of a royalist for shedding a tear for the Sultan. Well, the truth is, I am not.

I never had any personal engagement with the Sultan, never even got to shake his hand, let alone received anything directly from him.

But I do love Sultan Iskandar as if he was my own grandfather or someone like that. To me he was a good man in his own way and had kept Johor safe during his reign.

True, I had heard a lot of nasty things about him being a garang man. When he was young, he even lost his position as the Tengku Mahkota to his younger brother Tunku Abdul Rahman because of his temper.

But stories I heard from people I trust, made me believe that Sultan Iskandar was actually a kind person even during those time. He sincerely love his subjects and went to great lengths to do the best for them....of course, in his own way.

In an incident, related to me by my father when I was a teenager, Sultan Iskandar, who was then the Raja Muda had landed his helicopter near our home, which was a unit of delipidated laborers barracks. This was in the mid-1970s.

Upon making some inquiries, Sultan Iskandar went to the office of my father's boss and without saying anything, gave the man a tight slap.

After that, Sultan Iskandar told my father's boss that he was slapped because he let his laborers live in homes which were not even fit for animals. The next day, our barrack home got renovated, complete with a fresh coat of paint.

Sultan Iskandar did not go around slapping people for no good reason.

Nonetheless, what I love most about Sultan Iskandar was his principled way as a monarch.

HE NEVER TAKES ANYTHING FROM HIS RAKYAT.

As far as I know, Sultan Iskandar never asked the State government for anything which didn't belong to him. He may seems to be not the most friendly monarch to most people, but it is a fact that he loved his rakyat enough not to burden them with his demands.

Instead, he gave a lot to his rakyat, of which most were unrecorded. Among the few which were reported by the newspapers was when he gave his land in Bakar Batu, JB for the government to build new homes for residents of Bukit Chagar and Lumba Kuda whose home were to be demolished to make way for the new CIQ.

There are not many places or buildings in Johor named after Sultan Iskandar. When he launched the Iskandar Malaysia project in 2006, other than making that famous statement about the need to demolish the Causeway (and left Pak Lah red-faced), he had also suggested that the economic corridor should had been named after Datuk Abdul Rahman Andak, a 19th century Johorean nobelman who was instrumental in modernising the State. Sultan Iskandar, to me, was definitely not a glamour-seeker. Due to the lack of use of the name, Iskandar now symbolises quality and exclusivity in Johor.

And that, brought me to another Johorean man who is also not a glamor-seeker and was close to Sultan Iskandar.

It was well known almost to everyone that Sultan Iskandar treated Datuk Ghani, his longest serving MB like a member of his own family. He snubbed Pak Lah twice, in 2004 and 2008, when the then PM tried to replace Ghani with someone of his choice. That, to me was the most wise decision by Sultan Iskandar, as I suspected that he knew how much the Tingkat Empat boys at that time had greedily eyed Johor and looking for a foothold. By keeping Ghani to keep the wolves at bay, Sultan Iskandar probably prevented Johor from being sucked dry by those leeches.

The Sultan and his MB shared many common traits. They are men of integrity and honor. Of course Ghani does not slap people even though sometimes I feel that he should when it comes to dealing with some people.

When Sultan Iskandar bestowed Ghani the highest Johor honour, the Darjah Kerabat 1, many had puzzeled over it as the award was rarely given to a commoner. It technically made one a part of the royal household.

The story that I heard was that when Sultan Iskandar was about to undergo an operation in Bangkok in 2003, it was Ghani who actually contributed his own blood for the operation as the sultan's blood type was of a rare type, which is the same as Ghani's.

However, I'm more inclined to believe that Sultan Iskandar appreciated Ghani simply because he was a monarch who was a good judge of character. He always wanted the best for his subjects and as for leadership, he would had wanted someone who is good to lead Johor, instead of someone who would only be good at saying YES to all his whims and fancies.

The last time I saw Sultan Iskandar was at the opening of Kota Iskandar, the new State administrative capital of Johor on March 16, 2009. He looked frail but was in jovial mood. In his speech, he had cracked jokes and pretended to be crossed with the speech he was supposed to read as it contained several "big Malay words". That was a good day, except that it was also the last time I ever saw Sultan Iskandar in person.

I will always miss that good old man of Bukit Serene.

Al-Fatihah.

(Note: Dear readers, please be careful not to make any seditious comments)

Another lousy day

2012-01-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry ya. Today is another lousy day for me.

Cant post anything proper.

When I am like this, I rather relax and listen to good music.

If I try to write when my mood like this, I will end up bitching to no end. So I better shut up and chill.

This is good music. The artiste was not yet very famous when this was recorded.

An old war story

2012-01-19T01:05:00.000-08:00

Met an old friend I haven't seen for a long time last night.

We hanged out over a few drinks and mostly talked about our "old war stories".

He is by the way my senior and mentor. A really cool dude, who takes no bullshit from anyone.

He was with me at No8, Jalan Setiamurni, Bukit Damansara when Anwar Ibrahim was arrested that tense night on Sept 20th back in 1998.

I was a Reformasi sympathizer at that time while he was, and still is a pro-BN guy.

At that time, I had wondered why my senior, who knows so much more than me and never compromised on his principles could be so sure that Anwar was not innocent.

I never asked him what were his reasons to take such a stand at that time as I did not want to offend him.

Whenever people asked me why I was sympathetic to Anwar at that time, I always said that the case against him was so poorly handled that it smells a conspiracy from the start.

I was young and rebellious. I was ready to side with anyone who was deemed to be victimized.

The image of Anwar, his soft-mannered wife and young children being victimized really didn't go down well with me.

The funny thing about it all was that I didn't even like Anwar previously. I encountered him several times before he was sacked from his DPM post and find him to be arrogant to those whom he can be arrogant with. His young aides and even his bodyguards were the same. Anwar was at that time at the pinnacle of his power.

But I brushed aside all negetive thoughts about Anwar after I went to his house a day after his sacking. On that day the house was packed with his supporters. But what caught my attention most was the sight of his daughter Nurul Nuha, then 14 crying at one corner and was being consoled by Wan Azizah. That was the turning point for me at that moment.

Now, I'm much older and more objective. I do not let my emotion rules my thinking anymore. Post 2008, I realized that this country is in danger of falling into the hands of hypocrites.

My friend finally told me last night why he was so sure that everything are not right about Anwar.

He was closely involved in the Anwar's case since a year before his arrest. He saw with his own eyes when Anwar abused his power by ordering the police to arrest and harass Umi Hafilda and his driver Azizan to retract their allegations of his sexual misconducts. Anwar was later convicted for that but many, including me at that time believed that it was just part of the conspiracy against him. My friend nonetheless told me how the policemen who had to execute Anwar's orders agonized over what they had to do.

Knowing my friend and what he stands for, I know he was not lying.

"Do you think the same thing will not happened again if that bugger really becomes a PM?" my friend asked.

You really want Umno dead meh?

2012-01-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

I have been following the Pakatan's "Asal Bukan Umno" (ABU) campaign with some amusement.

The campaign, as I understand it was to vote in anyone, except Umno and anyone related to that Malay-based party.

Umno is to these campaigners, the source of all evils in this country. Members of the party are deemed to be corrupt, insidious and immoral.

In fact, DAP leaders such as Guan Eng even equated Umno to the Nazis and the BN government something like the Germany's Third Reich. well, that one was mostly targeted for the Chinese audience la. Najib is something like Adolph Hitler? Are you serious?

My understanding is that this campaign targeted ALL Umno members and those related to them. Ya lah - anything/anyone but Umno, isn't it? Good or bad Umno people, doesn't matter isn't it?

Is it really like that? All those pakchik-pakchik and makchik-makchik of Umno are evil? Are we very sure of that?

Well, there is this Youtube video clip starring that comedian turned Pas ustaz who goes by the name of Bob Lokman which I watched the other day.

It was of course done in the usual Malay comedy acting where Ustaz Bob was hanging out with his Pas friends at a kedai kopi and making fun of the government's financial assistance for those in the lower income group. It was not very funny to me at that stage, but then again I am not much of a Malay comedy fan.

Then came this man wearing a songkok acting as an Umno man. Ustaz Bob and his gang started giving a lecture on the evils of Umno to the guy and at the end told him to throw away his songkok. In its place they gave him a skull cap whereupon they congratulated him for jumping ship to become a Pas man.

Well, it was funny to me at that point as to me that reflects the simplistic mentality of the Pakatan people when they tell everyone, especially the Malays to throw away Umno.

Let's say after the next general election, Pakatan rules the country. What will happened after that?

Will BN still be there to be the opposition?

.My calculation, based on the reasoning of these ABU campaigners, Umno will die a natural death.

I do not think that BN will still be there once Umno is dead.

So, will everything be honky dory in Malaysia then?

Umno, is the main force of BN, they said. BN is therefore evil as a whole. All those over 50 years of their rule has made Malaysia such a terrible place. Same as Zimbabwe. Really ka? Ustaz Bob have been to Zimbabwe meh? Guan Eng, you have been there ka?

Fine, which party is the main force of Pakatan? Don't tell me they are all equal. If I say I want Guan Eng as PM, would PKR and Pas object against it? I think they will.

Anyway, they said they want Anwar Ibrahim of PKR as PM. Are we so sure everyone in PKR are pure and sinless? Remember arrr....Anwar and the gang are mostly Umno rejects. Are we so sure they got kicked out of Umno because they are sinless people? Think carefully.

I wonder what was the doa of Anwar and Mahathir when that picture was taken.

Will this country be as perfect as .... let's say Singapore (this is if you ask the DAP fellas la).... once Pakatan takes over and Umno is dead?

Are we sure everything will be fine once Umno is no more?

Are we sure we want to vote just anyone (even an ultra of some sorts) if the Umno candidate is proven to be a good man/woman?

Is that how we should determine the future of our country? The future of our children?

My story : In the begining

2012-01-16T03:44:00.000-08:00

My first memories were when I was about 4 years old.

At that time, my family was staying at a small house in Bukit Batu, near Kulai, Johor.

I was born at a nearby town not very far away from there.

My late father was a laborer who had to move us from town to town depending on his work.

My late mom was a housewife. She was semi-literate. She learnt jawi at a religious school when she was young but could not read the roman text. Later in life, she self-taught herself to read by going through the newspapers with the help of my father and my older siblings.

I was closer to my mom as my father was always away at work.

My father was the garang type. My older siblings were always scared of him. He, however, mellowed down as he grew older.

Despite my family being poor, I never remember us as being so. That was probably because I never mixed around with rich kids. Most of my memories when I was young were happy ones.

At the labourers' quarters where my family's house was located, the richest family was that of a clerk's. Their house got three rooms while ours only two.

Occasionally, my mom would go to their house and I sometimes tagged along. It was marvelous to see all those luxuries - TV, fridge, washing machine etc etc. At our house, the most modern stuff that we got those days were a radio and an old sewing machine. My mom used a kerosene stove to cook and had to shop every morning for fish and vegetables as we got no fridge. We only acquired the other stuff when I was about 10 or 11 years old.

Somehow, I can't remember being envious of the clerk's family. Just admiration for their "wealth", but definitely there was no envy.

My fondest memory at that time was when my mom let me walk with her to a sundry shop nearest to our home. That was about three kilometres away. The towkay was a very nice old Chinaman who always gave me a sweet or two. Even that was considered as a luxury for me. Sometimes my mom bought me aiskrim kapit for five sen, which was really a treat.

My older siblings however always told me that our family was much better off by that time. They said previously we were much poorer.

I had always wondered how much poorer we could had been.

I was told that before I was born, during Hari Raya, the most luxurious food that my family had was ikan kembung sumbat. That is mackerel with its meat scrapped out and mashed with coconut and spices before it was tucked in back and fried. Our family couldn't even afford to have chicken or beef.

For vegetables, my mom would go to a nearby vegetable farm where the Chinese ladies working there would be kind enough to give her some kangkung, sawi or young yam stems deemed not good enough to be sent to the market.

There was once when my mom assigned my eldest brother to get those vegetables but he ended up only with yam stems of poor quality. My mom did some investigating and one fine morning caught him stealing yam stems from a nearby pig farm.

The yam stems was meant to be eaten by the pigs. Apparently, my brother was too embarassed to ask the nyonyas and amois at the farm for the vegetables. He would rather steal from the pigs. Of course he kena walloped by my mom.

My father would be at his work place during day time while at night he would go around doing part-time jobs, especially repairing cars. Those days his day job salary was only about RM150 a month.

It was in the 1950s and 1960s and before the NEP.

My mom used to tell me that my father spent all his salary buying books and paying the school fees for my siblings.

For food and household upkeeps, our family had to survive on his extra income of repairing cars. At that time, there were yet to be any buku pinjaman scheme or free school fees.

My mom said my father had insisted for all of my siblings to finish school, something which he himself never had the luxury. He only managed to get to standard five of the sekolah melayu. Many kids in our neighbourhood at that time never finished school as their families could not afford their education. My father's dream was for his children to be better than himself, a labourer - maybe they could become clerks, supervisors, nurses or teachers. He never thought that any of his children would one day become engineers, surgeons, lawyers or corporate hotshots. That was beyond his comprehension.

My mom said my father's only true investment in life was his children's education. She said it was pointless for him to try buying land as what most other laborers did at that time because they do not have that much money anyway. She reasoned that, let's say a labourer like my father managed to buy 10 acres of land. After his death, the land would have been divided between us and each probably would get a small portion. What's the point then if we have no education? That was why my father was single minded in trying to give the best education for his children using all the resources available to him.

By the time my father passed away five years ago, he left behind only our family's kampung house and nothing else.

Just before he passed away, he told us to sell off the house. His dream however did come true. All of us his children are doing fine. I am the only laborer of some sorts in the family.

By the way, my father was laid to rest not far from my mom, who passed away much earlier. Their final resting place was at the Muslim burial ground of my adopted kampung. We managed to bring my father to be near our mom despite him passing away far from that place. That was another of their shared dreams fulfilled.

Belajar lagu Cina

2012-01-15T05:01:00.000-08:00

Today I am feeling sad and not in a mood to write.

So, since CNY is near, you all can instead learn this Chinese song. I've been singing it the whole day.

This is also just in case your Chinese friends ask you to go karaoke. Can impress them la.

Two new names for Johor MB post

2012-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

I had previously posted here
Fortress Johor - Part 1 : A new MB? about what many believed to be the impending retirement of Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman after the next general election.

In that posting, I had listed four main contenders who are vying for Ghani's post.

They are Khaled Nordin, Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Aziz Kaprawi.

Ever since that posting, I had heard murmurs of dissapointment among some people who think that I should had also included people like Hasni Mohammad and Dr Adham Baba.

Well, to satisfy their curiosity - I do not think the duo have much chance to take over from Ghani because they currently belong to the wrong Umno camps. Hasni may still have a chance if he can wait for another term but Adham is simply out of the race.

Actually, the four who made it to the list are also there by long shots as my sources in Putrajaya indicated that the sane Umno minds there still prefer Ghani to stay as MB for another term.

These federal Umno leaders who want Ghani to put aside his retirement plans feels that Johor will be in great danger if the wrong person takes over the MB post.

They are of the opinion that Ghani is the only one who have the gut to say "NO" to anyone in Johor or at least make a decent trade off if necessary..

If Ghani really goes after the election, they are quite confident things will no longer be the same for Umno or BN in Johor.

Nonetheless, the jockeying for the Johor MB post continues with two more names emerging of late.

The first one is RAZALI IBRAHIM, who is the deputy youths and sports minister, Umno youth deputy chief and Muar MP.

I was not surprised when a reliable source told me about Razali's name being aggressively bandied by his young aides as a potential MB.

I got no problem with Razali as he seems nice as a person, well educated and have great potentials. However, in my opinion, he still need some more experience and do more to develop his stature if he is to run Johor. For one, I do not think at the moment he is capable of handling the fiercesome Umno warlords.

I sincerely thinks that Razali will make a good Johor MB one day, but not for at least another term. He need to be seen as not being a young man in a hurry.

Another crucial thing he need to do is to advise his very aggressive young aides to cool off. Otherwise, they can seriously damage his future.

Meanwhile, the second name which just emerged recently is a real shocker.

Those who knows Johor Umno politics may think I have gone mad or something for naming this guy as a potential MB,

but I got this info from a really credible source.

The guy is OSMAN SAPIAN, the Kempas assemblyman.

Yup, unbelievable but true. Osman is in the running too.

He is seen in this picture with his "good friend" and boss in the Pulai division Nur Jazlan Mohamed (who is also a MB candidate).

Don't ask me who are the backers of Osman Sapian as I am not at liberty to tell, but he is now considered as among the top three among the candidates.

Well, good luck YB Osman. Untung sabut timbul, untung batu tenggelam. Something like that lah.

Meanwhile Datuk Ghani, and his small band of loyalists are in Segamat today, checking the kawasan-kawasan peti undi in preparation for the coming general election.

They seems oblivious to all these talks about a new Johor MB.

"Engko jangan kacau aku lah," a Ghani's aide said to me when I called him in Segamat to ask about Osman Sapian this morning.

"Kita orang tengah sibuk ni. Pedulik apa aku Osman Sapian nak jadi MB. Kalau Ghani pencen aku apa susah. Aku nak balik kampung ngaji pondok."

(Reminder: Dear readers, please be careful about being seditious ya.)

Men better than animals....isn't it?

2012-01-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning and feels like writing about Shahrizat.

But, Bujai had already wrote it here
Shahrizat takes leave as minister

A lot of other people probably going to write about her also.

So, I think I work on something more profound.

Well, the most profound piece for me today is this posting by Rockybru
Amnesty says Anwar's acquittal shows why Msia must scrap sodomy law

Honestly, I do understand why men always want to go a step further in what ever they are doing. It is in their nature to do so.

They always need to prove that they are on top of the food chain.

Men, after all, must be able to outdo the other species...in everything.

Well, personally, I don't think they should because they may still lose out to dogs.....

See, elephants and giraffes.....they seems to have other original ideas....men want to try like them also ka? Want to legalize this also ka?

Ultra men need to shut up

2012-01-12T00:22:00.000-08:00

A lot of not so nice things have been said about Chinese-based BN component parties after the disastrous 2008 general election.

Some of the harshest critics are in fact their own friends within the coalition, particularly those from Umno.

MCA and Gerakan were said to be not working hard enough to win back the Chinese community's support and some of their leaders were accused of being Chinese chauvinists who would be ever ready to defect to Pakatan in the event BN were pushed to the brink of defeat.

I used to think so too, that is until of late.

I am not very familiar with Gerakan and therefore not very sure what they are doing these days, but from what I observed, MCA seems to be on the rebound.

No matter what the Pakatan people said about MCA president DS Dr Chua Soi Lek, I think he is working very hard to do the right things for the party ever since he made his dramatic comeback from the sex video incident.

There seems to be some sense of urgency now in MCA's preparations for the coming general election. Well, at least that is what I observed in Johor of late.

Ok, it is still not so tip top, but at least the grassroots members seems to be enthusiastic again.

MCA service centers are now mostly opened and doing what they are good at - providing services for the Chinese community and others, by tackling problems ranging from ahlong menace to daughters running away from home.

These may seems trivial for most people more familiar with big big issues such as Anwar Ibrahim's saintly persona and the super intellectuality of Guan Eng and his new oh so handsome look - but the truth is that, these grassroots problems and efforts by these MCA guys in solving them are the ones which would win over the people's trust and confidence.

I honestly believed that no matter how much we argue for our cause and how cogent the evidence of wrong doings we throw at our opponents, it all doesn't really matter if we do nothing to make any impact on what really matters to the every day life of people.

After all, mere talks are cheap.

On this point, I think MCA is the best party in this country. I can't remember any of their good leaders who are fiery orators. All are hard workers who were judged by the results of their efforts rather than what were spewing from their mouth.

MCA works for the Chinese community all these years, and I don't think anyone can deny that.

Yes, some may accused them of being involved in corruption or even organized crime, but individuals who strays from the good path should not be used to condemn the ideals of the party.

Do not tell me that all DAP people are pure. Do not tell me that they do not know any gangster and not made deals with them. Come on lah, we are all not so dumb, ok?

All those good things done by MCA touched the very soul of the Chinese community - their schools, temples, guilds, etc etc. I do not think the Chinese community would easily forget.

The other day I had a chat with an MCA friend who runs a hardware shop in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah.

He said things are not yet as good as before 2008, but at least things are improving and it would not be getting any worse for the party.

"And it is bullshit that they are saying Johor BN only have less than 10 per cent of the Chinese community support," he said.

"Those people who made that calculations are from KL lah, what do they know about things in Johor. Look at what happened in Tenang, BN got more than 30 per cent of the Chinese votes what. It could be better but at least it was more than the less than the 25 per cent in 2008.

"And can you please tell your Umno friends not to keep saying we are not doing work and Chinese are all against BN.

"They think all Chinese people like DAP ka? What have DAP done so great for us that we all like them so much ? Please la har, tell them that.

"Oh, one more thing, can you please tell that bugger Ibrahim Ali and people like him to shut the f#@* up. They are making it difficult for us la. They want to win personal brownie points, go and fight among themselves la. Don't use us Chinese as bogeymen to make themselves look like heroes. Real stupid f*^&s la those people."

Pussy willow for me this new year

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today is really not a good day for me.

Tried to finish my KPRJ story but got stucked and need to do some extra research.

It's getting a bit long and I may have to break it up into several parts.

Well, never mind lah.

For now I will just do small small postings only. Just for fun, eh.

Ok, today after work I am going to do my Chinese New Year shopping.

Yup, I do celebrate CNY. It's like some of you Muslims who celebrate Christmas la.

I started celebrating CNY during my college days.

I was the only non-Chinese in my class and when it's CNY my friends always asked me to come over to their house.

After doing my rounds I always end up at my best friend's house in Subang Jaya.

I will stay there for two or three days, mostly spending time playing black jack just for fun. Used coins only lar. Just for fun, ok?

I always wanted to join the others playing mahjong but my friend refused to teach me how to play the game.

She said I will just lose all my money. Her parents and uncles and aunts are mahjong experts. But I suspect she just don't want me to play as I will only slow down the game.

Whatever it is, it was all great fun you know.

I actually always went to my friend's house those days that her mom even got me special plate, cup and glass for me.

Well, my friend's family are the real Cina Bukit type and proud of it. They eat pork all the time. Her mom bought food for me from a nearby mamak restaurant whenever I am around despite me insisting to go and eat there myself. My friend always told me to be ok about it as her mom like me very much because I was actually her first non-Chinese friend. I always miss Mrs Law whenever CNY draws near like now.

Later today, I will go to Leisure Mall to buy those paper decorations for my cubicle in the office and my room at the rented apartment.

Oh...also this year I want to buy some Pussy willow for my room.

You don't know what a Pussy willow meh?

Here's a bit of it from Wikipidea (sorry aarr...my English not so good to explain properly. Need to cut and paste )

Pussy willow is a name given to many of the smaller species of the genus Salix (willows and sallows) when their furry catkins are young in early spring.

Since the Chinese like numerous blossoms on a branch, the many buds of the pussy willow make it a favourite flower for Chinese New Year. The fluffy white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk, and they soon give forth young shoots the color of green jade. Chinese enjoy such signs of growth, which represent the coming of prosperity.

Towards the Lunar New Year period, stalks of the plant may be bought from wet market vendors or supermarkets.

Once unbundled within one's residence, the stalks are frequently decorated with gold and red ornaments - ornaments

with colours and text that signify prosperity and happiness. Felt pieces of red, pink and yellow are also a common decoration in South East Asia.

Xie Daoyun's comparison of snow and willow catkins is a famous line of poetry and is used to refer to precocious young female poets.

What a DAP girl want

2012-01-10T02:33:00.000-08:00

Had a chat with a friend from Kota Iskandar last night.

It turned out that she was not even interested in the KL High Court's verdict of Anwar Ibrahim's case.

"Anwar will not make much difference anyway," she said.

"He was not even the main contributing factor to the BN losses in 2008 as he was just there to take the credit from the screwed ups of the past BN administration.

"Do you really think Anwar would have been of any consequence if Pak Lah was not the Prime Minister back then?," she asked

Reflecting on what my friend said, I do have to agree with her.

My personal opinion is that, this coming general election will be decided mostly only by two factors :

1. How fragmented is the Malay electorates?

2. How much have BN win back the Chinese votes?

Some may argue that Anwar is the uniting factor of the Pakatan coalition. Well, maybe so to a certain extent, but now that he is saddled with so much baggage, I see him as more of a liability than anything else to PKR, Pas or even DAP.

The night before the sodomy verdict came out, I had a phone conversation with someone close to me who is a DAP supporter.

She was very confident that Anwar was to go to jail due to the "corrupt" judiciary.

"Let's say Anwar is found to be innocent by the court, and he lead Pakatan to victory and become PM....you like or not?" I asked.

"Choy!!!! Don't want lah. I actually cannot tahan him la. I think he really like men lar.....errr, can someone else become PM?" she replied, much to my surprise..

"Can, but who?" I asked back.

"Guan Eng lar....," she said.

Honestly, I rather have Hsien Loong as my PM.....at least he is more handsome what....

Justice then and now (updated 3)

2012-01-08T02:42:00.000-08:00

UPDATED 3

The three explosions which injure five people outside the KL High Court today marked another notch in the increasingly volatile political landscape of our country.

It was often argued that we Malaysians are mature enough to handle all those freedom of these and that. Cautions of dangers posed by extremists among us were often dismissed as government's attempt to silence its critics and deny the people of those freedom.

Apparently, it's proven today that those dangers are real. Next time it could be even worse.

With the most crucial general election in this country's history to take place within the coming few months, lets pray that this is not going to be the year of living dangerously in Malaysia.

Now, it is up for our much maligned "anjing kerajaan" police force to handle the situation and ensure our safety.

Who had maligned our police force?

Easy la that one. They are none other than those who have been bad mouthing our justice system and the judiciary as well as other government institutions. Don't tell me you don't know. who they are.

UPDATED 2

Come to think of it, here is an excerpt of Anwar's statement from the dock during the trial, where he made it clear to the world what he thinks of the court which set him free today

"I say it because as I’ve stated earlier, the court’s integrity has been completely compromised and bears all the classic symptoms of a show trial where the script has been effectively written and the outcome a foregone conclusion. I say it because as a presiding judge you have demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt your complete lack of impartiality. I say it because you have consistently refused to recuse yourself even in the face of mounting evidence of your bias against me. I say it too because you have persistently turned a blind eye to the gross violations of protocol and procedure committed by the prosecution while at the same remaining impervious to my protestations about these blatant irregularities that would have without more alerted any impartial judge as to the malice and bad faith of the prosecution."

UPDATED

This is just in from NST SMS alert
NST 09/01: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy charge.

True enough, the court had acted professionally and all quarters must respect its decision.

Does the Pakatan crowd outside the court influenced the decision? I don't think so. Our judiciary make their decisions based on facts....nothing more, nothing less, ok?

I am personally glad for Anwar's family. It would probably be too much for them to bear if he was found guilty again.

However, as it was back in 1998, I do not think the court's decision really matter in shaping the perception of the public.

Anwar was found guilty back then, yet it did not stop BN from suffering quite huge losses in the 1999 general election.

This time around, he was found to be innocent, but would that mean anything to the electorates?

Will it turn thousands to the Pakatan cause?

I don't think so.

This case is after all just a criminal case involving a man who allegedly had sodomized another man. Both sides presented their case and one of them wins. Ya, it's a bit more juicy as Anwar was again involved. But does it has anything to do with anything more than that? I really don't think so.

By the way, will the Pakatan people continue to accuse our judiciary of being influenced by the evil Umno/BN after this?

My answer to that is yes and no.

Yes, if a court's decision doesn't favors them, and no if a court's decision goes their way.

Well, nothing much you can do with hypocrites, eh?

ORIGINAL POSTING

Tomorrow is going to be Anwar Ibrahim's big day.

I wonder what is in his mind today.

I wonder what his wife and children think. Are they very sure of his innocence?

My mind wanders back to those restless September days of 1998.

It seems as if all that happened those days were just yesterday.

I can remember clearly sitting on the stone bench at the lawn of Anwar's house at Jalan Setiamurni, Damansara. I spent many days there , observing the whole thing unravelling before my eyes.

I was even there the night Anwar was arrested.

Nurul Izzah was just 18 years-old, and my favorite of Anwar's daughters at that time, Nurul Nuha was 14. I can't remember the name or age of the other children.

.

Honestly, I was sympathetic towards them.

My personal opinion at that time was that Anwar's case was poorly handled by the government and that was what convinced me that he was innocent.

Fast forward to now, the trial of Saiful Bukhari's case took three and a half years to complete.

It was postponed about 60 times. All upon the request of the defense team, who also tried twice to recuse the presiding judge.

Then there was that political sermon by Anwar as he refused to give a sworn statement to the court.

I was actually looking forward to that sworn statement by him as it would have been the only way to see him swearing his innocence while holding the Quran. Apparently he wouldn't do that even in court.

I also find that the current Anwar's defense team being clearly of lower quality compared to the one who defended him back during the reformasi days of the late 1990s.

The government have on its part clearly stayed away from the trial and went out of their way so as not to be accused of trying to influence the judiciary.

They even allowed tomorrow's gathering outside the court by Anwar's supporters, which to me is unprecedented indeed.

It makes me wonder, what if some other groups had also requested for them to be allowed to gather there, to demand for Anwar to be thrown in jail. Would they also be allowed to gather there?

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the court had acted in the most professional manner throughout the trial and I believe it will do so again tomorrow.

Clearly, any right thinking person could see that the perception of those who have inappropriately tried to influence the court have changed this time around.

Hsien Loong the handsome

2012-01-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Last month I wrote this
Bridge to happiness

That posting was actually prompted after PM DS Najib Razak's visit to Iskandar Malaysia earlier on the day.

I was full of hope for the "crooked bridge" project to be revived when Najib during the visit did not rule out the possibility of the project to be discussed in his next meeting with Hsein Loong, which took place several days ago.

It turned out that the bridge project was not discussed. At least that was what appeared in their joint-statement.

Instead they mentioned about the possibility of building a tunnel.

I am happy that Malaysia and Singapore seems to be on good terms. By the way, I kinda like Hsien Loong. He seems to be genuinely friendly and smiles a lot.

Well, at least he is more handsome than Lim Guan Eng lor....I think.

Eh...sorry....back to the tunnel.

Ok, I am all ok for Malaysia and Singapore to built the tunnel. Very good, I said. But will it replaced the Causeway? Will the water of Tebrau Straits be freely flowing ever again?

Hmmm... here I promise to Hsien Loong that I will forever be a supporter of the Singapore football team if ever the answer to all that is yes. Of course except when the team is playing against Malaysia lah.

Intermission, again

2012-01-06T02:50:00.000-08:00

I believe, especially at the end

A daring flying squirrel

2012-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

I am going to concentrate on finishing my KPRJ story over the next few days.

Meanwhile, you all may ponder on this challenge by Mr Flying Squirrel About to Fall which he send on my previous posting.

Flying Squirrel About to Fall said...

The Medini Scam and Sri Lankan Connection

On the Medini deal, the multi-layer get rich scheme works like the following. Can Khazanah deny any of this?

1. IIB sold Medini land of 2,200 acres to Medini Iskandar S/B (75% IIB, 25% UWI Capital (One) Ltd) for RM 1 billion.
2. Medini Iskandar S/B later sold most of the land (2,120 acres) to Global Capital Devt S/B (60% Mubadala, 30% IIB, 10% Alpha (Five) Ltd) and Medini Central S/B (60% KFH, 30% IIB, 10% Alpha (Four) Ltd) for RM 4.2 bil (let's call them the Arab Consortiums).
3. Medini Iskandar S/B appoints Terra Lumina S/B as marketing agent to sell a section of 80 acres of Medini land, where Terra Lumina gets 30% commission on sales revenue. It is not known if the company has actually able to sell any land plot to foreign investors.

The questions are:

1) UWI Capital (One) Ltd, Alpha (Four) Ltd and Alpha (Five) Ltd are all domiciled in British Virgin Island. They are controlled by a person called Imran Markar, who sits on the Board of Medini Iskandar S/B, Global Capital Devt S/B and Medini Central S/B. Terra Lumina S/B is registered in Malaysia and is also controlled by Imran Markar.

Now the question is - who is Imran Markar? Why the need for offshore companies? Is he a proxy to some people who are supposed to get the kickback from Medini land sale?

2) Why is KNB itself investing in Medini when the land was supposed to attract Middle Eastern investors?

The initial purchase of Medini land by Arab Consortiums were supposed to attract investment from Middle East. But what happened now is that most of the lands acquired back by Khazanah JV and associate companies (eg. KNB-Temasek JV, KNB-Sunway JV etc, Gleneagles, UEMLand-IIB JV).

If Khazanah were to eventually buy back the Medini land from these Arab Consortiums, then there was no need to sell the land to them in the first place.

Why go convoluted ways (ie. KNB->IIB->Medini Iskandar->Global Capital Devt->Khazanah/SunwayJV) when you can just have direct transaction KNB->Khazanah/SunwayJV. By having multiple layers, you are creating profit leakage vehicles, which ultimately benefitting people like Imran Markar.

As an example, didn't Medini Iskandar S/B pay a dividend of almost RM 500 mil in 2008? Didn't this mean UWI Capital (One) Ltd's portion of 25% equivalent to a cool RM 125 mil? Guess who was the accounting auditor? It is E&Y!! The same culprit who went in to dig all procurement files of IIB!! And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Who knows probably the real figures could escalate up to RM BILLIONS when we sum up the total laundered money for all middlemen vehicle companies.

Compare that to the petty theft that Khazanah is pointing at IIB Management - they looked so pariah in comparison.

Now, who is that foreign agent Sri Lankan Imran Markar again? Isn't he the one bossing around in Iskandar and telling people that he has direct connection to Azman Mokhtar?

3 January 2012 01:03

A little chirpy bird and the IIB-gate

2012-01-03T02:46:00.000-08:00

When I read what rockybru posted in his Friday intermission, I was kinda curious about how such a story could be leaked from a supposedly highly confidential board meeting. So I began digging around, but in a leisurely manner, you know, it was a Friday after all, and a long weekend at that. But when A Voice posted this, my digging became a bit more urgent as I see that the speculative nature of that piece will adversely affect the diligent work done by BN Johor to ensure BN victory in the coming election.

After a bit of arduous digging, I got access to a little chirpy bird.

This little bird (who does not represent KPRJ, by the way) told me that the matter on how to handle the "IIB-gate" was indeed discussed in the board meeting and that it was an open discussion, more in the nature of "how do we handle this?... if we do this, what will happen? ... if we do that - what will be the implications?" etc.

Apparently it was an open discussion, but what was minuted was that the final decision was made unanimously, with no one dissenting.

Turned out the KPRJ representative was not the only one who had reservations about the option of making a police report, there were 2 or 3 others (the little bird couldn't remember the details as it wasn't minuted, more of a discussion, and it wasn't that recent, etc.) who shared the same concerns.

Mostly these people were concerned about how such a decision will affect IIB day-to-day operations, the image thing, etc. ... probably because these people were not involved in the operational management and decision-making within IIB.

It was therefore strange when the story that came out in rockybru's was very particular about the representative of KPRJ, and of him being a representative of the Johor State, or probably in this case Johor MB, I suppose. What about the other board members who shared his concerns? Why no mention of which organisations they represent? Was it because they are all based in KL? What about the board member who was adamant about not involving the MACC? The way it was worded looked like it was also made by the same KPRJ rep, as there were no other board members identified, wasn't it? In fact, A Voice more or less stated in his article that it was so. Was it?

What got me curious was, that the Haji Johar Salim that I had the pleasure to have encountered, does not at all reflect the corporate shark potrayed here. Maybe my gut feel is wrong, for once, but it just felt wrong.

Further on, in his article, A Voice then linked Johar Salim with Lim Kang Hoe, and then to Abdul Ghani Othman. Aha! That was just too convenient guys, but all the same, very revealing. They will then link this with the Utusan and Berita Harian story, and people will jump immediately and say ya la, that must be true, so and so is an Umno politician, so he must be corrupt, kan? Then people will begin to demand for independent audits of these Johor institutions. So the corruption matter will stay in Johor and the "corrupt" Johor politicians/state GLC heads/IIB rogues/etc., and will not touch any of the "pristine" pure-as-snow Khazanah people in KL kan? Can you people who leaked and spun the confidential board meeting discussions be a bit less obvious?

And another thing, if you do a bit of proper digging, you would know that Dato Lim Kang Hoe serves a different political master/partner lah, definitely not a Ghani Othman proxy.

As for the Kulim Board appointments, you should read Benchmark and make your own conclusions. I have sorta made mine.

In the matter of QSR and KFC being sold to CVC, and being backed by CIMB Investment, which is deemed to be bad news by A Voice, I was planning to write about the rationale of that move (my own speculative insinuations will be at work here, hehehe), but I must first confirm some of my facts with sources within JCorp and of course PMO. After all, CIMB Investment is controlled by you know who. In short, I personally think the move is a sensible one for JCorp in the long run and should have been done a long time ago, but what do I, a curious cat, know about corporate wheeling and dealing?

For example, if I were an ambitious person in a position of decision-making for a GLC investment arm, I would structure all the investments in such a way that if I were kicked out of the GLC, I can still be in control within the public-listed entity that control all the businesses, provided I fight tooth and nail to stay in control of the public-listed entity of course, or keeping it intact while I fight to get control. I don't have to worry about liabilities, because the investments were made by the GLC, which will have very little benefit from its investments because the corporate entity will be under my control. Hmmm ... maybe I should not write about it as my tiny brain is incapable of thinking of all that complicated corporate stuff.

Instead, maybe I should complete that little article I was working on about KPRJ and its role in fast-tracking rural development as well as the many social projects it does for the public and how their assets have now grown to billions over the last few years, while maintaining a very low operating cost and a very small team. However, if I were to write about this, I may be accused of being a mouthpiece of whoever. Hmmm ... maybe I should not finish that article after all.

Personally, I feel sorry for poor Haji Johar Salim and the few (about 12 I think) KPRJ staff in general - never mind guys, KPRJ may not have huge sophisticated offices, or super duper vice presidents running around earning 5-6 digit salaries, or massive PR budgets to waste on newspaper pull-outs, or multi-million ringgit consultants producing impressive-sounding blueprints, but KPRJ has done good for many ordinary folks in Johor and I for one have no major complaints about KPRJ.

In any case, I am going to sit back for now and see how this whole thing unravels, unless of course I come across more insinuations/speculations/etc. that perk my curiosity. Eh, what exactly did they say about curious cats?

Tai-chi masters and my dream car

2012-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

Please read this posting again CAREFULLY for better perspective

One brave blogger and three interesting comments

Thanks

ORIGINAL POSTING

Thought of going on an all out offensive against the Pakatan gang as the new year begins, but now it looks like I will have to tighten up a few things first.

Now, out of the blue there are people who tried to link Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and Johor Umno with the Khazanah-IIB corruption mess.

This I have to check as some of the allegations, though without any solid evidence could potentially damaged not only Ghani's reputation but also Johor Umno's and BN's efforts to defend the State in the coming general election.

I strongly believe that this is the work of some tai-chi masters from KL.

Well, I will try to get the truth on this as fast as I can, so that I can go back to the urgent business of going on the offensive against the Pakatan folks. This, I think going to involve some serious research works on my part. Actually, such a waste of time and effort having to defend from an internal attack with the general election just around the corner, But what to do....this is Johor.

For the time being, I will leave you all to admire my dream car.

Yup, that is my dream car. Cute isn't it? Don't telll me you don't know what car is that. I know, I will never get it, but no harm in dreaming , right? Cheers.

Another fashionable reformasi, anyone?

2012-01-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

So, it's really looks like we are going to have another major demonstration in KL on Jan 9.

Free Anwar Campaign, they said. They are already starting with the national road tour.

Errr....Anwar still free what....these people don't want to wait until he is not free first ka?

Well, I guess these people are more advance.

By the way, the whole thing makes me feels like I am somewhere in Indonesia....or rather the Philipines. Thought these people want to be something like Singapore? Singapore better what, very peaceful and neat.

Anyway, I have to admit that I have this wicked wish for the "gathering" to happen. I don't think the authorities will be too nice this time like it was during the Bersih 2.0. No more nasi beriyani meal for those nab for rioting.

I also want to see if Marina Mahathir is stupid enough to join them.

Also Ambiga and her Bar Council gang for that matter....well, I just want to see this bunch joining in the rioting just for the simple pleasure of seeing them smartly attired in suits and being hosed down by the water cannons.

Yes, I am that wicked....hehehe

On a more serious note - I pray that no one is moronic enough to bring their children along. Errr, Marina, please ya, I know you want to be as cool as your daughter, but this time I believe it is going to be really some serious heavy duty stuff and not just a fun and be cool like occassion.

As for the uni students taking part, hmmm...sorry to say this - boys and girls, you all are being stupid.
Well, I don't blame you. I was as stupid as you back in 1998.

I was at all the major events of the Reformasi era...Kampung Baru, Masjid Negara, Anwar's house at Jalan Setiamurni in Damansara....I was even there when they arrested Anwar that night.

Wah, I tell you...I was so semangat...wore that white ribbon all over the place. Sometimes I got embarassed whenever I remember those days.

I know you all boys and girls will not listen to me, but what the heck lah, let me tell you this....it's all just a con lah adik-adik.

Well, I know you all are still going to join the crowd. Really, I understand, it's the fasionable thing to do. Demi perjuangan dan keadilan, they said. Yes, I understand. I was conned too back then. Never mind. Whatever it is, please don't get hurt ya.

Remember you parents who work hard to raise you into a smart adult and a uni student. Please try not to commit any serious crime during the rioting. It can destroy not only your life, but also your parents'.

I know, you have no intention to commit any crime...just a gathering for justice, they said....well, trust me, things will most likely get out of hand. I am speaking from experience. If that happened, try to stand to one side and avoid getting into any serious trouble, ok? Take care.

A very good Malay movie

2011-12-31T20:32:00.000-08:00

Started this new day of this new year by doing something I normally do not do. I watched a Malay movie.

The last time I watched a Malay movie in a cinema was many many years ago.

Not really a fan of Malay movies because I find most of them being of poor quality. Sorry to say that, but facts are facts.

But this movie I watched just now is very very good. It made me cried at one point. It reminds me of my own life. Never thought a Malay movie can make me cry, seriously.

It's Ombak Rindu.

Another year ends - a recap

2011-12-31T07:40:00.000-08:00

As I starts writing this, there's two hours left of 2011. Feels like doing a recap lah.

This is actually not a good year for me. Almost everything that could go wrong had went wrong. But never mind lah, I am still alive, has a job and can still smile before I close my eyes everytime before I go to sleep....except of course whenever I miss my loved one too much....

This blog is one of the few nice things that happened to me this year. I kinda enjoy writing it.

When I first started on Sept 19 (that's less than four month ago), I actually did it because an old friend kept bugging me to do it. He said I can write very well. Honestly, I don't think so. I suspect my friend was just trying to flatter me...well, actually he has always been a bit in love with me but his Bollywood look is just not my taste la....hehehe. This was what I first posted, just to shut him up.
In the begining, there is this cat

In the begining it was a bit funny as some people called me bro. I actually look very much like in that picture. But never mind lah.

I had at that time never intended to be a social political blogger. By nature, I'm just a carefree person with a simple life.

I, however stumbled upon this info less than a week after started blogging
This is another Crook
It became some sort of a hit after prominent bloggers Rockybru and Apanama picked it up. Rocky had then placed this blog in the so-po category in his blog roll, which I found to be quite an honour.

I am actually an anti-establishment person. Always a rebel, really. I am not a member of Umno or any BN component parties. However, I decided to support BN after 2008 because I see the danger this country is facing if it falls into the hands of the Pakatan people. The fact that I am in Johor made it easier because BN in this State is still basicaly intact.

I have make it no secret that I admire the Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman. I found him to be a person of honour, has integrity and incorruptible. Some may disagree with me, but that's their right ya.
Thus, I started these series of article in support of him and Johor BN. This one was the first one
Fortress Johor - Part 1 : A new MB?
It was then folowed with another series which I intend to keep running till the next general election. This is the first posting of that series
Johor GE13 : The Chinese votes 1

Then there's that Irda thing and the police report. I think I better list down all my postings about Irda here so that people who are interested may get a better perspective of what I wrote and where I stand as far as that organisation is concerned.
A little warning to Irda
A song and dance for Irda people
Bad PR skills
Birth of Iskandar Malaysia - for non-Johoreans
Irda's way of doing things
BIGCAT rambles on
Iskandar Malaysia doing well after 5 years
A message from Irda and my reply

As the year closes down an hour from now, I am in the midst of writing about the unfortunate Khazanah-IIB corruption fiasco. My hope on that one is for the authorities to do the right thing. It is after all the best opportunity for the BN government to show itself as being really serious in weeding out corruption at the highest of places.

2012 will be an interesting year as the general election is coming. This is to me the most important general election ever since Merdeka...especially for the Malays. If they failed to unite, then that's the end of them as a bangsa yang bermaruah.

I hope things will be better for me next year. Well, my hope to buy a laptop had been dashed. My no good bosses really didn't want to give me any end year bonus. But I am ok, at least I still have a job. Anyway, I am getting used to writing in this cybercafe.

To all who drop by my blog, thanks a lot.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!

One brave blogger and three interesting comments

2011-12-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

I always want to believe that I am brave but compared to this Benchmark fella, I am nothing lah. His/her take on the Khazanah-IIB fiasco was really an act of...

I was at awe when I read this posting

Save the Sultan, Nab the Boys.

There was a mention of one Datuk ZZ being up to no good in that posting...it reminds me of this previous posting of mine A very sad day .

Suddenly, I feel that I need to apologise to Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman for doubting him.

You all connect the dotted line yourselves la. But do be careful. Don't end up being seditious ya.

Meanwhile, my postings on the Khazanah-IIB corruption issue have so far resulted in three very interesting comments -

FIRST COMMENT -

Anonymous said...

Funny enough BigCat...you put the map of Medini in this writeup. Perhaps you might want to find out more on how the Medini land deals were structured with the Arab Consortiums and a Sri Lankan individual, who hides behind few companies registered in British Virgin Island. How the hell Khazanah signed the deal with these suspicious companies is a mystery.

You will find out that the deal involved:

1) I sell to you Medini land at x dollar, but you can sell back to me at x+y dollar. (Never mind if you make profit y dollar from me atas angin).

2) When I sell to you at x dollar, you pay me in many INSTALLMENT over few years. But when you sell back to me at x+y dollar, I IMMEDIATELY pay you cash. (Never mind if you actually RECYCLE my money to pay me as the original land owner).

3) In addition, if you feel that you cannot make 20% profit from the land plots, you can return the land back to me, and I pay you higher at x+z dollar. (Never mind if you actually pass all the business risks to me because I am stupid).

3) Together we create many vehicles to undertake projects on Medini, we use government money to fund those projects, either using grant of soft loans. (See, the government cannot let us fail).

Let's not kill the excitement BigCat. You need to do some investigative journalism. Ask MACC if they are aware about this. By the way, all these agreements were signed by Khazanah people on behalf of IIB.

28 December 2011 21:31

SECOND COMMENT

IIB Watch said...

MACC PROBES ISKANDAR KICKBACKS -

The Khazanah people, especially Azman Mokhtar, should know that MACC is hinting something - they are now going through the files of all agreements signed by Iskandar Investment Berhad with foreign 'investors'. All these deals were signed by Khazanah Nasional on behalf of IIB.

Those who were called by MACC over the last 6 months were not only IIB staff in charge of procurement, but also staff who are in charge of corporate matters. And boy, MACC themselves were shocked on how much were revealed to them. Can't blame those IIB people, they were interrogated like criminals.

Many of IIB deals were lopsided, giving advantage to foreign investors. And yes, what MACC meant with "foreign agent" is a guy by the name of Imran Markar - a Sri Lankan who lives in Dubai and London. He claims to be a good friend of Azman Mokhtar, and he sits in the Board of three companies - Medini Iskandar Malaysia S/B, Global Capital and Development S/B and Medini Central S/B. And he also the benefiary of Terra Lumina S/B. All these companies are vehicles of Medini land sale. With the profit sharing, dividends, marketing commission being schemed up in the agreements between these parties, no wonder MACC called this 'legalised corruption'.

If any of the Khazanah people - those in the inner circle of Azman Mokhtar - read this, they should be afraid. Especially people like GS, ZKA and HZM. MACC knew this. Good luck and see you guys in jail.

29 December 2011 23:21

THIRD COMMENT

Silhouette said...

Bigcat and IIBWatch,

Amazing how detailed other people knew about Khazanah's debacle on Iskandar Msia. What I can add here is that GS has schemed things up far beyond anyone's thought - with his connection to the powers-to-be, he planted his allies in IIB through British graduate connections:
GS is a friend to Datuk ZZ (advisor to PM-5) Datuk OM (advisor to PM-6) and KJ (the son-in-law).
OO and ZA went to Oxford together.
ZZ, OO and SM were same batch studying at Bristol, Oxford and Imperial College respectively. Forgot to say GS was from Kings College.
AY in EPF Investment Division was a friend to ZZ, OO and SM. He studied at Southampton.
Whatever investment deal GS was about to conclude, he will refer to ZZ, OO and KJ. GS will then instruct SM to prepare papers for submission to IIB Board. ZA will prepare budget allocation for the investment deal. GS will then go to AY to get EPF support.
As far as Azman Mokhtar is concerned, as long as the powers-to-be and EPF are ok with the investment deal, he as Chairman of IIB will approve the paper.
Guess who will then has to follow up and implement the deal? Arlida lo...
Guess who will then be blamed for the mess? Arlida lo...

This is how Khazanah played their game. Planting spies, leveraging on connections and collude with powers-to-be. No wonder they cannot be touched.

30 December 2011 08:36

The good people of IIB and some questions

2011-12-29T06:09:00.000-08:00

A friend called me this afternoon and among others we chit chatted about what is happening to his former work place; Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB).

My friend, who is among the pioneers of IIB sounded quite sad.

"I feel sorry for our friends who are still in there (IIB). They must be quite anxious now. It's so unfair. Now every one of us are tarnished by this corruption case," he said.

"Looks like I have to take out IIB from my CV," he half jokingly added.

My friend was among the large group of mid-level management staff who left IIB last year. At that time he told me that he can't stand anymore the antics of a group whom he called "the inner circle".

"If only Arlida had stood up to them," he said, in reference to former IIB CEO Arlida Ariff whose husband was charged with alleged IIB-related corruption several days ago.

Then my friend pointed out something which have been bothering me all along.

"How come no one really linked all this with Khazanah?" he asked before proceeding with several other questions.

"All those people in the inner circle, aren't they appointed to their position by the Khazanah board of directors? I know one of them who started as an assistant vice president and within just over two years had become a director and heading one of IIB's major projects. The guy is just a marketing person and has no technical background. What were the Khazanah BOD thinking when they appointed him? Or was there something else behind it?"

"Another thing is that the E&Y people were send in by Azman (Mokhtar). How sure are the MACC that they did not cover up for Khazanah?"

Seriously, I had these doubts also about Khazanah back then, especially when I observed the manner of how Arlida was told that her services were no longer required by IIB. The way Khazanah distanced themselves from IIB at that time piqued me. I still remember how the Khazanah people washed their hands off the whole thing. What actually made me angry with them at that time is the fact that everytime IIB did well previously, they would had always been there to share the limelight.

Only the valiant effort of the small IIB corporate comm team at that time actually saved the day. Otherwise the whole thing could had been a media feeding frenzy with severe consequences on the whole of Iskandar Malaysia. The present IIB comm team (and Irda's too) should learn a thing or two from their predecessors in handling the current situation.

For instance, they should already have a plan to counter the front page "sources" stories on the IIB issue which appeared on several newspapers today. They should know by now where the sources of those stories came from and whether they are real or insidiously planted to confuse the public into believing that the whole corruption case is just confined within IIB.

As it was with my friend, I am actually symphetatic with the rank and file of IIB. I had the previlage of working closely with them once and I found them to be good people. Most were genuinely passionate about the development effort they are part of.

"We are building a whole new metropolis for Johoreans, how nuch more exciting it can be," said a bubbly young IIB lady as I had lunch with her team members at a riverside restaurant in Pendas Laut, Gelang Patah. That was about three years ago.

Honestly, at that time I found them to be very professional and much easier to work with than most people of other government agencies, including their "sister" Irda.

I really hope the best for these honest workers of IIB, present and past. If you all are reading this - please be strong and believe that God is fair. You all need not worry if you have done no wrong. Cheers guys and gals.

The big fishes are not just in the south la

2011-12-28T04:02:00.000-08:00

Prominent blogger Rockybru seems quite confident about a Johor assemblman to be charged soon in connection with the IIB corruption matter.

This is his latest posting -
Next change: A big fish in the South

Well, Rocky, if you are right, then things will really get very exciting. If the MACC boys go after that BN assemblyman, then definitely they will also have to go after some very funny characters in Khazanah too.

Don't tell me those Khazanah directors supervising IIB do not know what were going on?

Those IIB head honchos were after all appointed by the Khazanah BOD. Don't tell me they did not check the background of those they appointed to become head of IIB's major projects such as Medini?

Eh, I would not have let those characters within 50 yards of my little piggy bank la.

I remember cringing when I found out about some of the appointments back then. Heard it caused the same effect on MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman too.

Ok, who among you Khazanah directors and big time officials are golfing buddies of IIB people back then? Hah, you all think people don't know ka? Your laptops and Berries kena confiscated by the E&Y people or not back then?

You all think, people do not know the real reason why Azman Mokhtar had to send in the E&Y team ka? Well, definitely not because the Khazanah directors supervising IIB recommended it.

Back to the assemblyman said to be implicated by this IIB thing, well, his constituency is a major battle ground in Johor for the coming general election. The Pakatan people are gathering their forces there. If he is indeed going to be charged with something, then Datuk Ghani may have to adjust Johor BN's strategy. That will be a major headache, I think.

Really, if any Pakatan people say in my face that the latest round of crackdown against several BN people is just a political ploy, I think I will smack their mouth off. How can it be a ploy if you go and undermine your own people manning the most crucial constituency so near the general election ? Even if he is not to be charged, a suggestion of corruption against the assemblyman is enough to undermine BN in that constituency. So, people, get real lah.

P.S Irda people, see, this is what I meant by you all need to clean up your house. It started with bad running of the organisation, then hanky panky, then things blew up and get stinky and in the end the BN State government people have to bear with the mess in the general election. Now you all got it or not? Want to lodge a police report against me some more....sheesh....

No scapegoat please in Iskandar Investment case

2011-12-27T02:12:00.000-08:00

UPDATED

My bet for now is that I am going to be disappointed.

This report by Star indicates that some are to snitch and some are to burn..

JOHOR BARU: A former senior vice-president of an Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) subsidiary was fined RM20,000, in default two months' jail, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of corruption at a Sessions court here Wednesday.
The 51-year-old man's identity has been withheld as he is assisting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in several other cases involving the IIB.
He was charged under Section 132(2)(b) of the Companies Act, and paid the fine.

Why is Star reports on this is so short one? Is it because of this "exclusive" ?

KUALA LUMPUR: Two former directors of Iskandar Investment Berhad have been arrested for alleged graft as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission stepped up its investigation of the company's RM2bil package.
The duo, in their 40s, are expected to be charged in the Johor Baru magistrate's court today with corruption involving about RM5mil in connection with the construction of a highway and a boarding school in the Iskandar region.
The RM124mil highway and RM40.8mil school are part of the 3B package and the two were chief executive officers of IIB subsidiaries involved in the projects.

ORIGINAL POSTING

Innocent until proven guilty.

Yet, what happened today must have really signaled a warning to those involved in the development of Iskandar Malaysia - do not mess around.

This was what had happened -
JOHOR BAHARU -- The husband of former Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) chief executive officer pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to three counts of soliciting and accepting bribes to help a company secure a school construction tender last year.

On the first count, Mohd Amin Suhaimi, 52, a private company director, was charged with soliciting RM816,900 in cash from Detect Engineering Sdn Bhd director Mohd Hassan Madon, 48, through middleman Mohd Iskandar Fahmi Abdullah, 52, as inducement to help the company secure a tender from IIB to build a secondary boarding school on lot PTD 154971 in Mukim Pulai.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at the Grand Paragon Hotel in Taman Century about 5 pm on April 22 2010.

The second and third counts involved accepting RM500,000 and RM316,900 in cash from Mohd Hassan, through Mohd Iskandar Fahmi at two different locations, as fees for securing the same tender from IIB for the RM40.8 million project, on June 4 and 9 respectively.

The charges, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 provides for up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000 whichever was higher, upon
conviction.

Judge Mohd Nasir Nordin allowed a bail of RM100,000 with one surety, ordered Mohd Amin's passport to be impounded and fixed Jan 27 2012 for remention and March 5 to 16 for the trial.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission DPP Abdul Ghafar Abdul Latif prosecuted and the accused was represented by Shamsul Sulaiman. -- Bernama

What is going to happen to IIB former CEO Arlida Ariff? Honestly, I don't know.

When rumours of serious corruption within IIB first came into the open middle of last year, I remember worrying about it. Things within the organisation at that time had started to sour with various allegations of favouratism and victimisation with the culprits being a bunch of people identified as "the inner circle".

My checks then indicated that the allegations were really serious, and true enough, several weeks later Khazanah send in the E&Y people to do an independent audit.

It was believed that Khazanah had done so due to pressure from "higher up". I had at that time suspected that the Johor State government got something to do with it. MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman was known to be worried about what were happening.

That was when IIB middle management staff started to bail out by the dozens. These people were not guilty of anything, but simply want to get a fresh start as things seems to have reached an intolerable level in the organisation. These are the core workforce of IIB at that time.

When Azman Mokhtar called for the IIB town hall session at Persada in October last year to announce Arlida's departure, it confirmed my worst fear.

One of the things which caught my attention about Azman's speech that day was that he had not shown any sympathy towards Arlida, which was so different compared to when he announced the departure of Arlida's predecessor Dr Iskandar Ismail. He had at that time literally shed tears for his Macoba buddy (I am not kidding you). Arlida is by the way an alumni of Tengku Kurshiah College.

If not for the superb handling of the issue by the then IIB's corporate comm team at that time, the whole thing could had been a major PR disaster for Iskandar Malaysia. I remember cursing the Khazanah media handlers for tai-chiing the whole thing to their IIB counterparts and pretended that their bosses got nothing to do with the mess.

Arlida had since joined Karambunai. IIB, under their new CEO Syed Mohammed Syed Ibrahim have been very quiet. Honestly, I am not really sure what they have been doing the past one year. Most of their activities and important annoucements were apparently decided and made in KL In fact, if you are to google Iskandar Investment Berhad CEO, the search result may initially make you think that Arlida is still heading IIB.

It's almost a year now since Arlida left IIB. Many believed that the whole thing had gone cold. Apparently not so, based on what happened to her husband today.

Personally, I like Arlida. She knows her stuff well, a friendly person and known to be ever willing to help those who are in trouble. Despite the allegations, IIB had done considerably well, especially during the early period of her tenure as CEO. My two favourite IIB's initiatives started during that time were the EduCity and Legoland projects.

But, the law must be above everyone. If there is any evidence against her, then Arlida need to answer for it. So does others who are implicated in the alleged wrong doings. I hope the investigations go all the way to even the level of Khazanah BOD. Let every single guilty person be punished.

I pray that no one be turned into a scapegoat so that others who are guilty may escape the law.

This case should be an opportunity for the government to prove that Iskandar Malaysia is a place of good governance and that investors as well as the locals there need not worry about any hanky panky among the authorities.

To my friends who are still with IIB, do not despair due to this, continue to do your honest hard work and all the best.

To those at Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), please learn from this.

A destructive unholy alliance

2011-12-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

Malaysia have apparently scored another first in the world.

It is probably the first country where elements of Islamic and Christian far right have joined forces in an effort to topple the government.

We have over the years probably been aware of the Taliban-like elements within Pas, who believe that this country is going the Satan's ways because its government does not implement their intepretations of the Islamic law.

These are the people who believed that their fellow Muslims would go to hell if they simply vote the satanic BN which government they said defy what they believe to be Allah's decree for thieves to have their hands chopped off and those who commits adultery be stoned to death.

Medieval though they may seem, these group of Muslim extremists indeed form the core of Pas till today. You may argue that the so-called liberals of Erdogans are taking over, but the reality is that Pas will be nothing without these hard core non-compromising Islamists. They recite Quranic verses to bolster their claims and mesmerise the Malay muslim electorates, promising a relatively easier passage to heaven which starts by a simple cross on the ballot paper.

These are the people who make Pas a political force that it is. After all, divine attractions are hard to resist. It's simple yet powerful. On one hand, you have the Pas people who want to set-up an Islamic State and on the other, those who claimed they just want a welfare State. Put them side by side and who do you guess the orang kampung in Kelantan will choose?

Pas was said to be the only party which really offers an alternative sistem of governance to the one runs by BN. The Islamic system is Pas' main selling point. Religion really do sells in this country, particularly among the common God-fearing people.

DAP has since realised this and employed the closest thing it could to what Pas has done - exploitation of the Christian faith. Why Christian ? It's because the other main religions are hardly political. Buddhist or Taoist monks don't look right giving fiery political speeches, don't they? It is also seen as the final key to unlock the BN's fortress of Sabah ad Sarawak which have high percentage of Christian voters.

The recent Sarawak State election saw the most blatant exploitation of the Christian faith to win votes. BN were portrayed as an evil Christian prosecuting entity, suppressing the faith and neglecting the Christian bumiputera of the State.

Fotunately the Sarawakian bumiputera didn't buy it and saw the other aspects of DAP's insidious campaigning tactics which is the exploitation of racial sentiments, particularly those of the Chinese in the urban areas.

Still, the effect of religious sentiments were seen to have make some difference and the tactics will be tried again. The setting up for similar modus operandi were already there. Thus, we would from time to time hear statements of political nature made by men who are supposed to be religious leaders. The latest on none other than the Christmas eve of the past few days.

How far have political elements infiltrated the church in this country could probably be guessed by who within the ranks of bishops and reverands who had made those political statements. What is clear was that most of these statements were of the same pattern - oppression of the Christians by the Muslim-led Umno of BN.

Are Christians really oppressed in this country? Seriously? Well, I don't even want to go deep into that, as I fear I may unintentionally offend other people's faith by my choice of words. You all answer that yourself lah.

Now, the anti-BN/Umno alliance of all these far-right Islamists and Christians is indeed the first of its kind. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Anything but Umno, they said.

It is something like the US' neo-con Christian fanatics' support for the Zionists and their murderous regime in Israel. They support the Zionists because they want the biblical prophecy of armaggedon and return of Christ to be fullfilled. After that they believe the Jews will convert to Christianity for the end of time.

Isn't that very similar to Pas' justification for their collaboration with DAP? That Lim Guan Eng will eventually become a Muslim and a caliph of some sorts? That Pas will eventually turn everything Malaysian Islamic?

My guess is that the DAP-supporting Christian extremists have the reverse notion of that.

So, does it seems ok for religious extremists from all sides to get together to fight against a common enemy? What will become of this country once these extremists have a say in its governance?

Those are among things Malaysians should consider within the next few months before they cast their votes in the coming general election.

Christmas, roasted turkey and politics

2011-12-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

Let me start by wishing those who celebrates Christmas a joyous day.

Have to remember that I can't just send the greetings to Christians as many of other faiths also celebrates the occassion.

I even have a Malay Muslim friend who actually roasts a turkey every Christmas eve for his family. It's a "tradition", he and his wife acquired when they were studying in the US. Just for fun, he said.

I am not very sure, but I think roasting turkey is more for Thanksgiving, isn't it? Well, whatever lah, as long as my friend and his family happy. Afterall, in Japan, they celebrates Christmas by eating KFC, of all things....really I am not kidding you....weird Japanese.

Everyone are probably merry today, but this year's Christmas seems a bit tense to some people. To me that's the problem when people starts mixing religion with politics, or rather try to gain power via religion.
You can read about the dilema of the Malaysian churches in the latest postings by these two rival bloggers-

Sat Dee's

Lets Talk About "Rights" Rev Eu

and his nemesis Shuzheng's

The Church Reaffirms a Christian Malaysia Agenda

Both are among my top ten favourite bloggers.

Well, back to the festive mood....here is a bit about Christmas I took from Wikipedia -

The precise day of Jesus's birth, which historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown.^[13] In the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church first placed Christmas on December 25, a date later adopted also in the East.^[14]^[15] Theories advanced to explain that choice include that it falls exactly nine months after the Christian celebration of the conception of Jesus,^[16] or that it was selected to coincide with either the date of the Roman winter solstice^[17] or of some ancient pagan winter festival.^[16]^[18]
The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2011, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine and Macedonia celebrate Christmas, both as a Christian feast and as a public holiday, on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7.

BN's evil MACC stormtroopers strike again

2011-12-23T20:59:00.000-08:00

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision (MACC) have been accused of many things including the murder of Teoh Beng Hock.

They were said of being the instrument of the evil Umno/BN, specialising in harassing Pakatan people in various Pakatan controlled State governments.

Many more lah of such charges against them. Not very much difference from those levelled at other institutions such as the police, judiciary, election commission and the civil service who include even the makchik-makchik manning the service counters of government agencies.

All are said to be Nazi-like lackeys of the corrupt Malays of Umno. Well, at least thats what I understand from various remarks of Pakatan leaders such as Johor DAP's Dr Boo Cheng Hau (try google Dr Boo and Umno civil service and you may find out what am I talking about).

Ok, back to MACC. When Teoh Beng Hock was found dead, all Pakatan fingers point to the MACC boys. The most celebrated theory was that Teoh was killed while under interrogation. He was dangled out of the window, they said, to scare him into betraying his DAP bosses but it all went awary when the MACC goons slips, causing Teoh to fall to his death.

Lets skip the royal commission inquiry. The whole point here is that MACC as an instrument of evil Malays of Umno had killed Teoh, an idealistic young Chinese man who was about to get married and soon to be a father. That was what were drummed into the public psyche, particularly the Chinese community in the preceeding months. The royal commission's findings doesn't really matter.

The same thing happened to the other government agencies. Police, judiciary, and even schools - everything which went wrong are because they are instruments of the evil Umno/BN.

Ok, of course, there were always a bit of praises too for the rank and file - for example, the policemen controlling traffic at congested roads caused by Pas ceramah. After all, these Umno/BN lackeys are also voters. But if things went a bit wrong, you can bet, these policemen will immediately become anjing kerajaan or barua Umno again to these Pakatan people.

Prosecutors of MACC yesterday secured a conviction against former Selangor MB Dr Khir Toyo, an Umno guy. What about that? Some lackey lah these MACC guys. The judge also the same. Send such a handsome Umno guy to jail for what? You all forgot ka who they said are your masters?

Also on the same day, MACC stormtroopers raided Shahrizat's husband's NFC office. They probably forgot that Shahrizat is Umno Wanita chief kut.

You all MACC people not scared ka your Umno dark overlords sacked you all? I thought you all only raid Pakatan leaders' office only and throw people who went against Umno out of the window?

Well, now MACC become very brave and not scared of their Umno lords and masters, why don't they go and try raid a DAP leader's office la, and see what happened.

Try small first - raid Ronnie Liu's office. They alleged that he is quite chummy with some gangsters because he protect their massage parlours in Selangor. I bet, if you all really do so, sure some more people will fly out of the window one.

After that, you all can try raid Guan Eng's office and check if it is true that all car park developers have a hand in deciding the Penang government's policies. Try la. What you all MACC people got to lose? You all already branded as instruments of the evil Umno/BN what.

Malaysian courts bias?

2011-12-22T22:04:00.000-08:00

Back in town. Been busy running around doing necessary nonsense. No time at all to drop by any cybercafe. Did however manage to borrow someone's computer to let go some comments and that' about all. Well, need to earn a living ma.

Almost a week since my last posting. Lots of things happened. Some good, some not so good.

There was Shahrizat having repeated Press conferences to insist she is still relevant after the NFC thingy. Hmmm...enough la lady. You want to stay relevant so much, go ahead lah. guess Umno have to suffer some fools all the time. Nothing new what.

Then there was the flood in Johor. Not so bad at the moment. I mean not as bad as last time la. Hopefully it would not get worse. Heard the Johor BN machinery who were supposed to go take a short break from their gruelling schedule end of this month had to reverse gear and help in flood relief efforts. Never mind, people first, politics later. Good also like that.

Hmmm.... then there was that gay Malay-Irish wedding huha....I better not write about it. Well, I am trying to stop using vulgar words in this blog anyway. The best write-up on that one in my opinion was by NST's Chok Suat Ling, my favourite MSM writer. Miss Chok's writing can be quite hilarious sometimes. I like.

Oh, just now heard in the radio that Dr Khir Toyo was found guilty over the purchase of some land when he was Selangor MB. Wah! Umno guy also kena by the courts? I thought lots of people said courts in this country are bias and always find in favour of the evil Umno people. How la this one? Anyone want to say the courts being unfair to Khir Toyo? All those Pakatan bloggers, how? Anyone want to go demo on the streets and demand real justice for Khir Toyo?

Wonder if they are going to say courts unfair when decision of Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case come out next month, will there be streets demo if the charming boy is found guilty,,,anyone want to bet?

Never mind lah, I think we all know the answers to all that.

On a more sad note - Cesaria Evora, my favourite Latin singer died the other day. This is her in my favourite of her video clips -

Rain Song

2011-12-17T05:29:00.000-08:00

The rain had stopped....for awhile, I guess.

It's been non-stop the whole day here for the past three days. Let's pray there will be no major flood this time around.

I am not feeling very peachy. Had to turn down a very good offer today....just not fated I guess.

Can't write much. I'm writing this using a borrowed netbook. Can borrow just for awhile only. Maybe I ll buy myself one of these when I have the money.

Maybe next year...I am unlikely to get any bonus this year. My bosses had made it clear that they hate me....they said I talked too much. Well, I have to agree with them on that one....hehehe

Need to sleep now....you all take care. I leave you all with this nice song. Be cool ya.

A message from Irda and my reply

2011-12-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

Received a message from Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) last night.

1. No witch hunt

2. Will leave things be

3. Engage media - new and old - better

My reply.

Walaikum-salam En Ismail. Thanks for the effort. Sorry that I can't meet you personally for obvious reasons. Here is my reply -

1. It's none of my business if you want to have a witch hunt. It's your organisation, so, you do what you want with your people. But I can assure you, that those who are send for DI, suspended or sacked will have their names posted here along with the real reasons why they suffered such fate.
Well, you are already witch hunting me, complete with police report etc etc, but I am fine with that. You do what you feels need to be done. I will do the same over here.

2. Leaving things be will not do you any good. You need to improve things. Your aides cannot go around bullying their collegues or be perceived as doing so. You need to clean up your house. No more wasting tax payers' money paying huge sums to useless consultants and some of your HOD conmen. I wouldn't care what you want to do if Irda is your parents' company, but it actually belongs to the people and therefore should have good governannce. I think you know that. The MB had said good things about you to me and I believed him. Please don't let the good MB down. He got the general election to deal with and can do without your people creating nonsense and pissing off the orang kampung.

3. Being nice to the Press is good. For starters, you can ask your corporate comm head to be in JB more than in KL. Do proper engagements with the locals. If she don't want, then get someone else to do it. Do me a favour please, ask your corporate comm people, when was the last time they have direct interaction with the locals. You will be surprised by their answers.

Ok, that's all. I got other things to do for now.

En Ismail, you want to fix or not fix things, that's up to you. If you decide to let things slide, then that's too bad.

What ever it is, all the best...as I had said previously, you are not such a bad dude, Hopefully I don't have to kacau you and your people again. Cheers.

Ending the age of innocence

2011-12-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

Watched the beautiful Martin Scorsese's Age of Innocence on HBO yesterday morning. Can't resist it. Much better than reading the original Edith Wharton's book.

Not working. Taking a break.

Actually I watched the movie many times before. I have a DVD of the movie which I bought when I was in London one fine spring morning many years ago. Don't know where I misplaced it.

For details of the movie, in case you have not seen it- just google, ok.

Well, basically, it's about as what the title suggest - Age of Innocence. Something like those period in life when one knows that oneself doesn't know much but still pretending knowing so much anyway.

It is something like what the Malays are facing now as they are preparing to determine their future via the coming general election. So many are clueless of what will befall them if they made the wrong choice yet still they pretend they know what they are doing.

I am not claiming that I know what is best for everyone, but I do believe we need to be flexible with our thinking. There is no absolute in thoughts.

When the facts stare us in our face, we must be brave enough to accept it.

Well, I have always been anti-establishment. Spend most of my free time in college reading all those leftist books.

Can't remember ever supporting Umno or BN in anything back then. Actually, I am always put off by the over the top Umno people.

Still can't stand many Umno characters till now.

Well, being anti-estalishment has always been more fashionable anyway.

Post 2008 however made me realised that the Pakatan people are even worst than BN. Their hypocricy was too much for me to swallow.

Many idealistic people who joined Pakatan to get rid of the evil BN are starting to realise this. It's even worse on the other side.

What's keeping them away from BN or Umno is that they still see reprehensible characters there. Corrupt people in position of power, immoral people talking about religion and good values, selfish people claiming to be sacrificing for Agama, Bangsa dan Negara. All these disgusting people are the real reason why Umno or BN are still struggling to gain the trust of the rakyat.

My hope is that for Najib to realise he need to clean up house for the coming general election. He must know the difference between the good and bad apples.

The way I see it, the one with a cleaner house will win. No matter how hard BN work, they will not win with all those baggages of bad characters hanging from their neck.

Najib need to be decisive and firm to immediately get rid of them.

Iskandar Malaysia doing well after 5 years

2011-12-12T03:05:00.001-08:00

Well, Irda people may hate me, but that's besides the point.

Went through the speech delivered by Irda (Iskandar Regional Development Authority ) CE Ismail Ibrahim at the 5th anniversary celebrations attended by PM DS Najib Razak in Puteri Harbour yesterday.

Saw some good stuff and here there are (I like the last one at number 19) :

8. The Federal Government also committed RM6.3 billion to fund critical enabling infrastructure in Iskandar Malaysia, including road infrastructure, drainage and river-cleaning projects, as well as development of public housing. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a total of RM1.26 billion was allocated for highways and roads within the region. The road works include the Coastal Highway from Johor Bahru city centre in Flagship Zone B, New interchanges and bridges, as well as road upgrades to improve traffic flow and dispersal in and around Johor Bahru. Eleven drainage and six river cleaning projects have also been completed, and later this afternoon, we are honoured to have Yang Amat Berhormat the Prime Minister to officially launch the Iskandar Malaysia public housing at Lima Kedai, Gelang Patah, within Nusajaya.

9. During Iskandar Malaysia's first phase of development, which ran from 2006 to 2010, we had secured committed investments of about RM69.5 billion. This was approximately 148 per cent higher than the target of RM47 billion that had been set for that period. It is a commendable achivement given that the global economy underwent severe financial distress in 2008 and 2009. We are pleased to share with Yang berhormat Dato' Sri, that as at the third quarter of 2011, the committed investment total in Iskandar Malaysia have further increase to RM77.8 billion.

10. Of the total committed investments for the first phase, 59 per cent were domestic investment while foreign direct investment (FDI) make up the remaining 41 per cent, making for a healthy mix of sources of funds. About RM38 billion of the RM77.8 billion in committed investments have been actualised. This has seen a number of important developments getting off the ground, with several completed or approaching completion, across the five Flagship Zones in Iskandar Malaysia. They include catalyst projects in the education and leisure and tourism sectors, key infrastructure such as upgrading works on existing roads and new highways, and other projects in sectors such as healthcare.

12. Over the current five year period from 2011 to 2015, Iskandar Malaysia is expected to more than double the number of employment opportunities to an estimated 55,730. This is in line with the operationalisation of a number of key catalyst projects within the period concerned in the various Flagship Zones. In particular, the creative and ICT sectors are expected to be key employers, with 18,000 jobs to be generated through the coming on stream of projects such as MSC Cyberport City and Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios. The electrical and electronics, leisure and tourism, and education sectors are expected to continue offering numerous employment opportunmities, also as a result of more key developments being lunched and operations ramped up in the sectors concerned.

19. Out of the total cumulative committed investments of RM77.8 billion to date, only RM6.3 billion are funds provided by the Government of Malaysia, to fund the development and enhancement of critical enabling infrastructure in Iskandar Malaysia. However, the Government's investment in the region has helped attract and generate an increasing sum of private investments over the last five years. As of today, this translate into a ratio of 1 to 11, meaning that for every RM1 that the Government invests in Iskandar Malaysia, it helps to bring in RM11 of private investment.

Well, if Irda's corporate comm people were not too busy chasing shadows in the form of an insignificant anonymous blogger, they would probably had got all these good points about Iskandar Malaysia highlighted by their boss to be published by the Press.

Friendly Singaporean, really...

2011-12-11T23:04:00.001-08:00

Something strange is happening - Singapore is suddenly so friendly with Malaysia.

They are in fact defending our country, really, I am not kidding you.

Saw an article by Singapore Straits Times journalist S. Jayasankaran, who is based in KL. He rubbished a report by a so-called economic expert who predicted a dire future for Malaysia. I know for a fact that editors of that paper had in the past only published bad things about our country.

But not anymore. I had previously seen some nice stories about Iskandar Malaysia in Singapore's Press. So, this is most likely not a one off thing.
Maybe things are really going to be good between our country and them.

Well, there is that bridge thing.....hmmm, next month ya....

Ok, Singapore Straits Times are very kedekut. I can't cut and paste their articles. But never mind lah, at least they tried to defend us. So the next best thing I can do is to reluctantly cut and paste the one by the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider on the ST article.

There are two stories here - the first one is about Singapore ST defending us while the second one is an earlier report by Malaysian Insider which was proudly linked by Lim Kit Siang in his blog to show show how bad our country is.

FIRST MI STORY
Experts too downbeat on Malaysian economy, says Singapore BT
By Yow Hong Chieh
December 12, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Malaysia is vulnerable to a sharp Western slump but not as much as experts suggest, the Singapore Business Times said in a commentary today.

Calling downbeat views of the economy “overdone”, the paper’s Kuala Lumpur correspondent noted that Malaysia has so far maintained steady growth in the face of pessimistic market expectations.

“No one country, save perhaps those with very large domestic economies like India, Indonesia or China, is immune from a sharp Western slump.

“But to suggest that the country is in imminent peril of falling from a cliff may be something of an overstatement,” S. Jayasankaran said.

He pointed out exports grew almost 16 per cent year-on-year in October — more than double the seven per cent forecast for the month — on soaring commodity exports and improved production, which offset the impact from falling electronics output and exports.

Malaysia’s newly diversified portfolio of trading partners, including China and India, also continued to support growth even as demand from the developed markets slowed, he also said.

“If the Eurozone and the US were struggling, other emerging economies have stepped into the breach to take up the slack,” Jayasankaran said.

Shipments to China grew by 37.1 per cent to RM8.66 billion in October, while exports to India jumped 76.9 per cent that same month on the back of a new trade agreement.

Exports to Japan also rose 29.6 per cent to RM7.52 billion, mainly to meet post-tsunami and earthquake reconstruction needs and new demand arising from supply chain disruptions cause by floods in Thailand.

Jayasankaran also downplayed a warning by a Nomura International economist that Malaysia would be hit harder than its Asian peers by an economic crisis in Europe due to relatively weaker public finances and dependence on commodities.

Nomura chief economist for Asia ex-Japan, Robert Subbaraman, said last week that unlike most Asian countries, Malaysia will be negatively affected by an expected drop in commodity prices while the government will also find it difficult to keep up stimulus policies.

He said Malaysia ranked third in Asia ex-Japan in terms of exposure to European bank claims, after Hong Kong and Singapore, which could mean a drying up of liquidity should European banks start to cut their exposure to the region.

Figures provided by Subbaraman showed that European bank exposure to Malaysia amounted to US$50 billion (RM155 billion), or about 19 per cent of GDP, double that of the Asia ex-Japan average of nine per cent.

“That is something of an exaggeration,” Jayasankaran said.

“Since the early 1990s, the central bank has pushed foreign banks to incorporate locally which means they actually have capital here and aren’t just representative offices that actually derive their funds from their overseas parents.”

He said this meant there were risk management practices in place to protect local depositors, implying less exposure.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz has also dismissed the US$50 billion figure as “exaggerated”, he added.

SECOND MI STORY
Malaysia among most vulnerable to euro crisis, says Nomura

By Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 07, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Malaysia will be hit harder than its Asian peers by the economic crisis in Europe due to its relatively weak public finances and dependence on commodities, said Nomura International today.

Its chief economist for Asia ex-Japan, Robert Subbaraman, said that unlike most countries in Asia, Malaysia will be negatively affected by an expected drop off in commodity prices while the government will also find it difficult to keep up stimulus policies.

“Malaysia is one of the economies that will weaken the most; it is in the weaker group of economies,” said Subbaraman at a media briefing here today.

Nomura economist for Southeast Asia Euben Paracuelles said Malaysia’s growth in the first three quarters of this year was largely led by government spending, but as public finances were relatively weak, he doubted that it would be sustainable.

Subbaraman also noted that Malaysia ranked third in Asia ex-Japan in terms of exposure to European bank claims, after Hong Kong and Singapore, which could mean a drying up of liquidity should European banks start to cut their exposure to the region.

Figures provided showed that European bank exposure to Malaysia amounted to US$50 billion (RM155 billion), or about 19 per cent of GDP, double that of the Asia ex-Japan average of nine per cent.

Commodities would dip by 15 per cent if a slowdown hits, says Paracuelles.Only the financial centres of Hong Kong and Singapore had higher exposures, at 77 and 55 per cent of GDP respectively.

“As European banks pull back exposure, it will show up as net capital outflow and availability of funding will start to dry up,” said Subbaraman.

He noted, however, that Malaysia still has a large current account surplus at 13 per cent of GDP, which should help support the ringgit against hefty depreciation against the US dollar, due to its trade performance.

Paracuelles said that if a global downturn happens, there would be a 15 per cent decline in commodity prices.

Malaysian government economists earlier said their economic projections were bolstered by expected continued high rubber and palm oil prices, which would help boost rural area spending.

Petronas said in a briefing last week that it expects oil prices to decline to US$85-87 per barrel next year, from US$110 currently.

In its November Asia Economic Monthly report, Nomura noted that Malaysia faces the prospect of unsustainable fiscal support.

“Given the public debt to GDP ratio of 55 per cent, the second highest in Asia, scope to continue with a very expansionary fiscal policy next year could prove to be limited,” said the report.

The report forecast a growth of 3.6 per cent for the first quarter of next year but rising to 7.3 per cent by the fourth quarter to give a full year growth of 5.1 per cent.

Subbaraman also said the risk of a hard landing in China is “not trivial” although the threat is greater after 2013-2014, following the handover of power to the next generation of leaders.

Nomura expects growth in Asia to drop to 6.6 per cent next year, from 7.5 per cent this year, and revised its 2012 global growth forecast from 3.8 per cent to 3.2 per cent.

Bridge to happiness

2011-12-11T03:16:00.001-08:00

I think I will be happy about something next month....probably Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and all true Malaysians will be happy too....sorry, can't say more than that. Till next month, ok.
.

BIGCAT rambles on

2011-12-09T21:30:00.001-08:00

Still on the road and can't post anything proper. Really lots of work to do.

Well, of course there is that Irda nonsense. Later lah I write more about that. U all probably got the basic info at Rockybru's or Mole. Stupid pricks la these Irda people. Well, what do you expect from an organisation whose HOD of legal department is someone whose experience closes to practicing law was teaching external degree students at some backlane private college. Like that also monthly salary over 20k. Sheesh...tegur sikit lodge police report, kerah MCMC. What la.....eh, tired lah talking about these people.

Need to get off now. the lorry driver giving me a ride is calling for me outside this cybercafe (really need to get myself a laptop lah). No time to get good picture to go with this posting. Maybe another song eh....this one made me cried the first time I listened to it. I am that sentimental....hehehehe

Ok. Continuing my journey. Cheers everyone.

Lagu Cina

2011-12-05T18:47:00.001-08:00

My no good bosses had given me lots of work these past few days. Got no time to post anything too lengthy.
So, today I am just posting this Chinese song in case anyone of you want to learn it. You don't want, don't bother to check this video, ok.

What education means to the Chinese

2011-12-03T21:22:00.001-08:00

Malaysia, a Malay majority country is the only country in this world other than China and Taiwan which has a proper Chinese education system.

Not even an overwhelmingly Chinese majority country like Singapore has that education system.

The root of Chinese education system in this country could be traced back to those harsh years of upheaval at the end of the Qing dynasty and start of the modern Chinese republic at the turn of the 20th century.

When the Chinese started to migrate to this country due to the harsh living condition in their homeland at that time, the Malays, typical of their amiable ways, hardly objected. After all, the land was rich and resources were plenty. What is wrong with sharing? That was the ways of the Malays. Under the colonial yoke of those days, the Malays were poor and so did the migrant Chinese.

Those early Chinese migrants, who were mostly tin and plantation laborers set up their community and develop other sectors of their social economy. They worked really hard. Trade made them relatively prosperous while the friendly natives never interfere with their cultural and religious practices.

In a short period, the Chinese, who were never forced in anyway to shed their racial identity like their brethrens in other South East Asian countries were the second most prosperous community in the country, just a rung lower than the colonial masters.

Chinese schools started mushrooming in the country around that time. The southern State of Johor, which received an influx of Chinese migrants from their landing point in Singapore have the largest number of Chinese schools till today. Some of the best Chinese schools in this country is located in Johor. Two of the best are Foon Yew High School in Johor Baru and Chung Hwa High School in Kluang. A large number of local Chinese intellectuals are alumni of these schools. In term of quality, Chinese schools in Johor are only rivaled by those in Penang.

When the country achieved its independence, the government did try to merge the Chinese education system with the national system much to the unhappiness of the Chinese community. Their protestation was understandable as their education system has been around for so long and they had built it with so much of sacrifices and hard work. You can read how they had build those schools here -

A message from a Chinese school graduate

The country's founding fathers recognizes this wish of the Chinese community and they relented. It has always been the Malaysian way till now not to force anyone to change their religious or racial identity.

Even as the authorities in neighboring Singapore cracked down on the Chinese educationists due to their leftist leanings in the 1960s and 1970s, those in this country never did so as they feel that the Chinese education system produces more good Malaysians rather than troublemakers.

Malaysia, along with most of the South East Asian countries at that time belong to the Western bloc of the Cold War era. It fought a long hard Communist insurgency which was backed by China. Yet, Malaysia was the first to extend a friendly hand to China when then PM Tun Abdul Razak visited the country in the early 1970s.

The Chinese remember this, and Malaysia had since been a trusted friendly country, even more than Singapore which is runs by ethnic Chinese. After all, Malaysia has never been too overtly pro-West like Singapore.

When Singapore tried to switch its Anglophile image and assert more of its Chinese heritage, China view it with much suspicion. These Singaporean Chinese had after all uprooted the soul of their community which is the Chinese education system just due to political expediency.

They had done so, so that they can be like the Western ang moh at that time - rich and progressive. They see the mainland Chinese as poor, backward and run by an authoritarian regime. The white men are GODS. Everything western are good. Even the girls think that white men are better than Chinese men. At one point, it was even fashionable to have a white boyfriend.

Now, with China set to become the biggest economy of the world, the ang moh Singaporean Chinese are starting to learn mandarin again - with much difficulty that is. Lee Kwan Yew had in his latest memoir suddenly regretted his decision to suppress the Chinese educationists and choked to death the Nanyang University. He wished to turn back the clock and corrected where he had went wrong before he died. Well, too late old man, what is done is done. Once you betray your heritage, your ancestors will curse you.

Back in Malaysia, no past leaders need to regret letting the Chinese schools to stay. They enrich our country as part of our cultural diversity. The Chinese of this country and those of the mainland China will remember this - Malaysia, is the only country not part of the Middle Kingdom where the Chinese can retain their heritage as the way they are because this country, since its independence had been governed by sensible leaders.

For those who want to know more what education means to the Chinese, look out for these series of excellent BBC documentary about schools in China. I put a sample of the first part of the series here. For the rest - google "Chinese schools" and you will find them on You Tube.

Irda's way of doing things

2011-12-02T21:37:00.001-08:00

What was meant as an advice to the top management of Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) in one of my postings almost three weeks ago had turned into an all out cyber slug fest between factions in the organization. You can read it at the comments section which followed the posting here -

A little warning to Irda

The last comment received last night was probably from the faction siding with the management -

Anonymoussaid...: KOMEN TIDAK MEMBANGUN INI DITUTUP SECARA RASMINYA. Semua fitnah dan niat jahat mereka-mereka yang tidak bertanggung jawab telah dilapurkan kepada pihak polis termasuk kakitangan IRDA yang telah kenalpasti dan dijejak alamat IP nya. Tindakan disiplin termasuk diberhentikan kerja sedang menunggu kalian minggu hadapan selepas surat tunjuk sebab dan DI dijalankan. Terima kasih.; 2 December 2011 17:23

I don't know whether it is a bluff or for real. If it is for real, then we may expect to soon see headlines in the newspapers or webportals which read something like this - EIGHT IRDA SENIOR OFFICIALS AMONG THOSE SACKED DUE TO CYBER DISSENT.

Whatever it is, I have to conclude that the management of Irda will stick with the current style of doing things.

Well, that is too bad.

Probably they are doing the right thing. Why would such a powerful organisation want to listen to an advice of an insignificant anonymous blogger like me.

On the other side, members of the faction who are unhappy about what is going on in their organisation seems to be defiant.

I received an e-mail this morning from one of them who has been working for Irda for the past four years.

"Things are so bad now that I don't care anymore if they find me out and sack me. At least I had my say. Thanks," she said at the end of the e-mail.

Johor GE13: DAP the King of Pakatan

2011-12-02T01:39:00.001-08:00

While Umno are busy with its general assembly in KL now, the DAP are relentlessly working here in Johor.

Actually Johor DAP have been doing so since the end of 2008, while BN were still reeling from that disastrous general election.

It was believed that among their strategies was to move some of their supporters to strategic constituencies.This include the changing of IC addresses and voting registration of these supporters in the new constituencies where they believe DAP can win.

This was based on the abnormal increase of Chinese voters in certain areas.

Sources indicated that over 50 per cent of new voters registered since 2008 in these following State constituencies are Chinese - Senai, Skudai, Penggaram, Puteri Wangsa, Pengkalan Rinting, Sungai Abong, Johor Jaya, Bukit Naning, Nusa Jaya and Bukit Permai.

I don't think there were any sudden population bloom among the Chinese in those areas at any period of Johor history. The only explanation is that those "additional new voters" come from other constituencies where DAP can't win.

I had previously posted the danger to Johor BN in parliamentary areas with high percentage of Chinese voters here -

Johor GE13 : The Chinese votes 1

I am honestly still in gloomy mood and had this morning decided not to post anything today, but this article I saw in mysinchew made me decide to write something.

It was written by Sin Chew columnist Tay Tian Yan. I had read some of his previous articles and he came across as not being very BN friendly. This particular article was picked up by the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider.

(I am putting it here with addition of my own thoughts)

THE BATTLE ROYALE

13th general election
Opinion

2011-12-01 18:36

By TAY TIAN YAN
Translated by DOMINIC LOH
Sin Chew Daily

PKR and Umno have successively held their general assemblies.
(Me - Umno not finished yet)

And the timing offers an excellent opportunity for people to make a comparison between the two.
(Me - Agree)

PKR's assembly was anything but momentous. Safe for the challenge by Youth leader Shamsul Iskandar that Umno amend the Constitution to ensure only Malays could become the country's prime minister, which did manage to arouse some controversies, the assembly was otherwise largely uneventful and uninteresting.
(Me - Agree)

But that does not mean PKR is devoid of its characteristics. Just the opposite, the party made a wise strategic move by holding its general assembly in Johor Bahru.
(Me - Aiyo, lame gimmick la that one)

Wait a minute! JB? The stronghold of Umno? Was PKR looking for trouble?
(Me - Poor attempt at being cheeky by Tay)

Not exactly. The strongest point of the rival could also be its most vulnerable part.
(Me - Too drama leh)

The clash of German and Soviet tanks in Kursk during World War II is a point in question.
(Me - Ok, I am a history buff - I would put in reply the Allies attempt to attack Germany via Italy, which was then erroneously described by Winston Churcill as the soft underbelly of Europe)

The Germans' fortress was on the west of Kursk. However, they opted to launch their attack from the south and north in an attempt to encircle the Soviet troops and wipe them out.
(Me - Ok, correct)

The Soviet troops almost could not resist the 6,000-strong tank invasion from the south and north, and it was pretty clear that the Russians were very likely to be crushed anytime. But then the Germans halted their assault due to supply disruption.
(Me - Wrong - The Russians broke the Germans' communication code and know the enemy were coming. They were prepared and built such a solid defense that the Germans exhausted themselves in the attempt to penetrate it)

Seizing the opportunity, General Georgy Zhukov mobilized his troops to counter-attack the Germans on the west. With most of their troops now bogged down in the north and south, the Germans were unable to redeploy their men to defend and were defeated, spelling a prelude to their eventual surrender.
(Me - The Battle of Kursk was a draw. Hitler pulled back his army due to the huge losses. The Soviets lost even more but they have more resources. The Soviet gain strategic advantage due to that leading them to win the war)

Back to our country. Many people think that the major battlefields in the coming general election will be in Selangor, Perak and Kedah. To be honest, the place that will determine the final outcome is none other than BN's stronghold in Johor.
(Me - What Tay didn't say is that, it is DAP's crucial battleground as they expect to win additional Parliamentary seats here, PKR can only hope for tokens from them while Pas who are to break the Malay votes will get nothing)

States like Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Terengganu are most definitely the frontline states that will see very heavy gunfire.
(Me - BN is secure at least in Terengganu despite Umno's infighting there. Pas is no longer as strong as they are made out to be)

While both BN and Pakatan may lose or gain some seats in these states, or perhaps some state administrations may even change hands after the election, the outcome is nevertheless unlikely to alter the parliamentary tectonic plate post-2008.
(Me - More or less true)

Johor is the biggest unknown. It is indeed a powerful fortress state for BN on peninsular Malaysia, but no one can tell whether it will remain BN's most assured asset.
(Me - Tay, I think you were pretending la - of course it is known - the storyline will be simple - DAP is banking on Pas to break the Malay votes for them while PKR just getting a free ride. The stupid one is Pas lah. I had wrote this repeatedly. DAP is the absolute king of Pakatan in Johor but they know BN is still too strong for them)

BN's two other fortresses--Sarawak and Sabah--are basically heavily secured lots that are extremely unlikely to tip.
(Me - What Tay? Are you trying to suggest Johor will tip? You are a senior writer la, don't make a fool of yourself, ok. Or rather don't try to convince those Pas fools that it is a Pakatan thing. The whole opposition show in Johor is DAP's. Pas and PKR are just comic relief characters in this State. They, in particular DAP may get some extra seats in the worst case scenario for BN but they will not take the whole State)

Johor provides a different picture. It is not that segregated as the two states in East Malaysia while the people have higher political awareness and better access to information.
(Me - Johor may not be geographically segregated, but it is different from the other States in the Peninsular because it always has a good BN State government. Not much corruption, especially under the current administration. Even Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau will agree with me on this.if he is truly an honest man).

Unmoved in March 2008 does not mean Johor will remain unmoved in the coming general election.
(Me - True, but only among the Chinese overall votes. The Malays, despite some stupid Umno people and all stupid Pas people are still solidly with BN)

Moreover, the state has a relatively high ratio of Chinese population: Over 30% in most constituencies and 40% in some.
(Me - Kulai got 58 percent and Gelang Patah 53 per cent of Chinese voters - Tay, go update your figures, ok)

Besides Bakri that is already in DAP's embraces, constituencies like Kluang, Gelang Patah, Tebrau, Pasir Gudang, Labis, Johor Bahru, Pulai, Tanjung Piai, Segamat and Sekijang are all no longer BN's sure bets.
(Me - Tay, you miss Kulai, the parliamentary constituency in Johor with the highest percentage of Chinese voters. What are you trying to do here? You want BN people there to continue to sleep ka?)

If BN loses this important battlefront, its hopes of retaining Putrajaya could be dashed.
(Me - OK, this is true, the road to Putrajaya is via Nusajaya, so to speak, but BN is not going to lose it)

The weakest part of PKR and Pakatan in general lies in its poor organisation and fighting spirit in Johor, as well as their lack of substantial support among the Malay society.
( Me - Tay, you keep repeating the word Pakatan, come on la, its DAP la. What? You don't want the Johor Malays to realise that voting for Pas and PKR is actually voting for DAP ka?)

That said, it will be the parties' strategies and real strengths that will eventually decide the final score.
(Me - OK, fine, I agree with this one, except that DAP may also win more seats due to Malays stupidity either it be among Umno, Pas or PKR)

Farewell Brown

2011-12-01T17:49:00.001-08:00

Brown died peacefully in his sleep last night.

Rest in peace dear friend. Thanks for every thing.

My old dog

2011-11-30T21:27:00.001-08:00

Just got back from the vet. My old dog is sick again. Yes, I have a dog, ok.

The poor fella is 15 years old and is suffering from bronchitis of some sorts.

So, I am feeling a bit crabby today. Worried about my dog. The vet advised me to put him down but I told her to give my dog a chance for awhile more. Hopefully he will recover.

Arrived at the office a bit late and there are tonnes of work to do.

The papers and cyberspace are full of Umno stories.

Don't really feel like writing about them. Biggest reason was that I am dissapointed with Shahrizat. This was just a dream then -

Shahrizat can be the greatest Umno heroine ever

The election is around the corner....a bit tired whenever I think of that....Johor BN most likely going to lose some seats. Some Umno leaders are still stubborn and refuse to change. The component parties also have not yet gone all out to win back the votes of the non-Malays. Some government agencies are even siding with the Pakatan people in harassing their pro-BN staff.

Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman may try his best, but he is not a superman. My prediction is that Johor will still be under BN but my beloved home state will be more racially polarised after the election. Something like Sarawak.

ADDITIONAL
Ok, this posting is a tad sad....never mind....let me spice it up a bit.....

I am dedicating this song to all my friends in Irda. Don't be too tense ya bros and sis. Cheers.

Some lawyers and their boorish ways

2011-11-29T03:41:00.001-08:00

This picture is that of a pot belly pig.

I know, I know, very offensive for the Muslims. No offence intended, really.

Just that I was surfing several websites just now and came across the picture. It immediately reminds me of a lawyer.

Never mind lah who that lawyer is....just that it look very much like her lah, at least to me la...well never mind....just me and my crazy thoughts.

Anyway, I am just curious, who do you think may look like that pig anyway? Look at the face carefully....

Ok, on to a more serious matter. Today a group of lawyers and their supporters marched to the Parliament house to protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011. Hmmmm....defenders of justice indeed.

One of them, a young Malay lawyer....(read his name somewhere just now, but can't remember....and too lazy to double check)....told the crowd that the protest got nothing to do with politics (I chuckled when I read that). He said they had drafted an alternative bill which took them just three days to complete....(hmmm, I think I can draft a bill of law as according to my whims and fancies in less than a day la).

They then marched (or rather stroll) from the nearby taman to the gate of Parliament and make some noise there. One of the leaders of the crowd was that lawyer whom I think looks like that pot belly pig. The pro-Pakatan Malaysiakini said there are more than 1,000 of them while the so-called pro-BN NST in its sms alert put their number at about 300.

All that while, the Bill was being debated in the Parliament. Several Pakatan MPs came out to fetch five people each allowed from the crowd to enter the compound.

Another group of people, identified as Malay NGOs members were also there in another crowd. They were taunting the lawyers by chanting "No free sex !" in obvious reference to the Bar Council's support for the cancelled free sex carnival which was supposed to be held earlier this month. No BN MP came out to fetch anyone from this crowd to enter the Parliament compound.

As I read through the report of this incident, my mind went back to those days when I was attending constitutional law lectures. I really hate the subject, by the way. Reading the thick books of fancy words always made me want to go to sleep.

Anyway, it teaches me about the concept of seperation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary. Legislature is the one which is our parliament la. And its duty is to make the law. Judiciary (the courts) is to inteperate the law while the executive (the gomen of the day) is to execute the law. Something like that la in layman terms. (Layman is ordinary man who is not an expert la, in case you don't know).

Sorry ya. My language is very layman. I had quit long time ago trying to impress people with high class words which I was thought at my law school. I find that using such words made me sound like a stuck-up asshole. Many lawyers whom I know however think that it made them sound intellectual. Well, everyone have their own fancies, ya.

But I do remember those basic principles of constitutional law which are the foundation of any democratic country. In this case - laws are to be made by parliament who is elected by the people. Not by some smart ass lawyers who enjoy marching and shouting in the sweltering heat of our equatorial sun in fancy suits.

Wonder how these lawyers had passed their constitutional law examination papers....basic stuff like that also cannot remember ka??? Or you all think just because you wear fancy suit makes people think you are so smart ka? That you can make the laws? Sheeesssshhhh, I call you boorish pigs you sure get angry pulak.

Never mind...the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed anyway by the Parliament today. Cheers.