Several experts share their views with Malaysiakini regarding the Budget 2009 unveiled by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
MCPX
David Cohen, director of Action Economics, Singapore:
It is a populist budget to deflect the growing popularity of Anwar (Ibrahim). (Prime Minister) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) is obviously under pressure as witnessed by the rollback in fuel prices last week.
Lee Heng Guie, chief economist at CIMB Bank:
I think most people already expected a budget that won’t have many negative points. So this is one factor that helped the market to rise and also because overseas markets were good last night. But the overall mood is still cautious because there is still uncertainty.
Given the tough macro situation, they may have little choice but to spend more now. Whether it’s the right choice depends on how they fine-tune the deficit going forward.
Khoo Kay Peng, political and economics analyst:
Anwar can, if he wishes, make any amendments he thinks are necessary. We don’t know what alterations he will make, but for example he has mentioned before the RM10 billion extra allocation for the growth corridor projects - which Abdullah asked for in the mid-term review.And Anwar has said that we do not need any new mega-projects at this point in time.
Whatever it is, there is uncertainty and this will keep the markets quiet. Even when Anwar comes into power as he says, investors will want to see how he performs, what sort of plan he’ll raise then.
For Abdullah, he needs to have a yardstick, a performance yardstick instead of just voicing hot air bubbles. He needs to stimulate local consumer demand, find concrete measures to increase wage-earners’ pockets, and look at transportation as he has promised. There must be more buses and other forms of public transportation put on the roads.
Also, on whether the government has enough money, nobody really knows because there is a lack of transparency. Abdullah must find concrete ways to cut down public administration, reduce bureaucracy, for example shift us more to e-government. We have one of the biggest bureaucracy in the region, we are too labour-centric and this is why we have the image of being not efficient. Yes, in the past the public administration is used as a political tool, a vote bank. But we must take politics out of the equation. Anyway, it hasn’t help them (Abdullah and his Umno party) in the elections anymore.
Dr Ramon Navaratnam, prominent economist and president of Transparency International :
On thee one percent reduction of income tax for the highest bracket, the rich can take care of themselves very well - therefore the tax cut was unnecessary.
The middle and lower income groups are the mainstay of Malaysia and the groups which will agitate for change. It would have been better to address their needs. The poor should always be the priority.
There seems to be a shift in budget strategy whereby it attempts to address basic needs and not on unnecessary mega projects.
However attempts to share wealth when inflation is not controlled, will still see the erosion of income for the low and middle income groups.
Tricia Yeoh, director Centre of Public Policy Research:
Such a record expansionary budget with huge funds is theoretically a good thing, given the urgent need to generate growth in the face of economic slowdown.
However, it can only be considered a thoroughly good thing if we can be assured that the money will be channelled in the right direction, without any unnecessary leakages.
Unfortunately, the past track record of government has been poor in this respect. With a rampant culture of corruption and weak institutional structures, this may lead to continued wastage and abuse. I would therefore emphasise strengthening the institutions of governance, so that the funds are actually optimised and maximised.
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Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Anwar Ibrahim wins decisively with a 15,671 majority
www.malaysiakini.com
Official: Anwar gets BIGGER majority
August 26, 2008
Malaysiakini goes live today with the by-election coverage, giving updates on the voting and other happenings in this constituency. Please click ‘Refresh’ or ‘Reload’ in your browser for the latest reports from Permatang Pauh.
MCPX
9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.
Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.
The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters - which was much higher than what the EC had stated earlier. There were 599 spoilt votes.
Meanwhile, outside Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, thousands of jubilant PKR supporters have gathered to embrace their leader’s return to Parliament.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is already there to address the crowd numbering some 6,000. Other party leaders like R Sivarasa and Tian Chua are also there.
Anwar is expected to address this ecstatic group of supporters later as well. Tian said that the overwhelming victory showed that “the prime minister’s javascript:void(0)
Publish Postracial politics is bankrupt”.
The EC made the official announcement at 10.05pm. Only Anwar and Hanafi were present at the announcement.
Official: Anwar gets BIGGER majority
August 26, 2008
Malaysiakini goes live today with the by-election coverage, giving updates on the voting and other happenings in this constituency. Please click ‘Refresh’ or ‘Reload’ in your browser for the latest reports from Permatang Pauh.
MCPX
9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.
Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.
The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters - which was much higher than what the EC had stated earlier. There were 599 spoilt votes.
Meanwhile, outside Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, thousands of jubilant PKR supporters have gathered to embrace their leader’s return to Parliament.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is already there to address the crowd numbering some 6,000. Other party leaders like R Sivarasa and Tian Chua are also there.
Anwar is expected to address this ecstatic group of supporters later as well. Tian said that the overwhelming victory showed that “the prime minister’s javascript:void(0)
Publish Postracial politics is bankrupt”.
The EC made the official announcement at 10.05pm. Only Anwar and Hanafi were present at the announcement.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Campaign hots up, Anwar still favoured
SEBERANG JAYA, Aug 23 — With only three days before the Permatang Pauh by-election polling day, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is still leading in his attempt to return to Parliament.
Unofficial figures from political campaigners and observers put Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar’s majority votes at around 10,000, slightly lower that that obtained by his wife former MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail who won the seat with a 13,000-plus margin.
Both PKR and Barisan Nasional are now intensifying their campaign to scramble for votes in the next 48 hours before the campaign period ends.
PKR national strategy director Saifuddin Nasution believes that retaining the majority of March 8 general election is within reach.
Although he declines exact estimation, his party campaigners are enthusiastic about surpassing Wan Azizah’s majority, with some of them claiming that achieving a 20,000-vote majority is not impossible.
They, however, realise that Anwar is facing a lot of problems, from the swearing on the Quran by the former deputy prime minister’s male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who accused the politician of sodomising him, to the fuel price reduction announcement by the government.
BN chief campaigner Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also pulled a surprise last night when he want to a mosque here to swear that had never met murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaaribuu. The deputy prime minister has been linked to the case by his detractors, despite repeated denials.
PKR youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said his campaigners had been working hard to convince voters that the lowering of fuel prices was due to Anwar’s pressure on the government.
“The people are happy with the lower price but the people also knew that we have promised to reduce it to RM2 if we come to power. Lowering it to RM2.55 (from RM2.70) will not change the voters’ sentiment,” he said.
As for Najib’s swearing on his innocence in a mosque, Shamsul Iskandar said the Umno deputy president would use religion for political ends.
“If Saiful’s oath on the Quran is not accepted by the Islamic religious scholars and voters in the constituency, why would it work this time?” he added.
PKR deputy election director Fuziah Salleh is more concerned with ensuring all voters would go out to vote, as she is confident that voters who chose Wan Azizah in the last general election would not switch to BN.
Even with the odds still against him, BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah is confident of winning.
He has said it before - on nomination day BN’s chances of winning was 60:40, a couple days later it was 55:45 and went down to 59:41 a few days ago and now is on the way up again.
By polling day, it should exceed 50 per cent and BN will win the by-election – that’s what Arif Shah wants to believe.
He also believes the reduction of fuel price will swing the votes. For him, the daring move by Najib to swear in a mosque last night will also give a boost to his campaign. “I can see that Najib was sincere when he took the oath yesterday,” he said.
Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary Ahmad Shahar Shuib is also confident that BN would win, saying that the party election machinery had been fully activated.
Situation in the constituency is reportedly calm but according to PKR campaigners, the number of police personnel has doubled since nomination day to 6,000, a ratio of one policeman for every 10 voters
By Adib Zalkapli
Unofficial figures from political campaigners and observers put Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar’s majority votes at around 10,000, slightly lower that that obtained by his wife former MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail who won the seat with a 13,000-plus margin.
Both PKR and Barisan Nasional are now intensifying their campaign to scramble for votes in the next 48 hours before the campaign period ends.
PKR national strategy director Saifuddin Nasution believes that retaining the majority of March 8 general election is within reach.
Although he declines exact estimation, his party campaigners are enthusiastic about surpassing Wan Azizah’s majority, with some of them claiming that achieving a 20,000-vote majority is not impossible.
They, however, realise that Anwar is facing a lot of problems, from the swearing on the Quran by the former deputy prime minister’s male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who accused the politician of sodomising him, to the fuel price reduction announcement by the government.
BN chief campaigner Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also pulled a surprise last night when he want to a mosque here to swear that had never met murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaaribuu. The deputy prime minister has been linked to the case by his detractors, despite repeated denials.
PKR youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said his campaigners had been working hard to convince voters that the lowering of fuel prices was due to Anwar’s pressure on the government.
“The people are happy with the lower price but the people also knew that we have promised to reduce it to RM2 if we come to power. Lowering it to RM2.55 (from RM2.70) will not change the voters’ sentiment,” he said.
As for Najib’s swearing on his innocence in a mosque, Shamsul Iskandar said the Umno deputy president would use religion for political ends.
“If Saiful’s oath on the Quran is not accepted by the Islamic religious scholars and voters in the constituency, why would it work this time?” he added.
PKR deputy election director Fuziah Salleh is more concerned with ensuring all voters would go out to vote, as she is confident that voters who chose Wan Azizah in the last general election would not switch to BN.
Even with the odds still against him, BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah is confident of winning.
He has said it before - on nomination day BN’s chances of winning was 60:40, a couple days later it was 55:45 and went down to 59:41 a few days ago and now is on the way up again.
By polling day, it should exceed 50 per cent and BN will win the by-election – that’s what Arif Shah wants to believe.
He also believes the reduction of fuel price will swing the votes. For him, the daring move by Najib to swear in a mosque last night will also give a boost to his campaign. “I can see that Najib was sincere when he took the oath yesterday,” he said.
Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary Ahmad Shahar Shuib is also confident that BN would win, saying that the party election machinery had been fully activated.
Situation in the constituency is reportedly calm but according to PKR campaigners, the number of police personnel has doubled since nomination day to 6,000, a ratio of one policeman for every 10 voters
By Adib Zalkapli
ANWAR – THE ONE LEADER THE PEOPLE TRUST
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
Despite intensive propaganda by the government and Umno publicity machines against Anwar Ibrahim, the people still trust him. This is shown by the polls taken by Merdeka Centre research which indicate that only 11% of those polled believe the allegation that Anwar sodomised Saiful. An overwhelming 89% prefer to trust Anwar - that even 76% of Malays polled do not believe the government propaganda about Anwar
When news about allegations of sodomy against Anwar were spread in the international print and electronic media, there was shock and dismay.
Condoleeza Rice, US secretary of state, a Canadian ex-prime minister, former World Bank president, former IMF president, Gus Dur ex president of Indonesia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch - all expressed dismay and disbelief.
They say Anwar is innocent and called upon the Malaysian government to free Anwar of the sodomy charge.
Gus Dur visited Malaysia and declared that Anwar is innocent and not the type of person to commit sodomy. He has called upon the prime minister to practise democracy.
International opinion must be valued and not taken lightly. If foreign investors see that democracy and justice are absent, their confidence will be affected and foreign investments to Malaysia will diminish.
Obviously, to foreign leaders, ANWAR IS THE ONE.
THE HOPE - THE LEADER
There is a crisis of confidence in the country. Merdeka Centre has from a poll found that PM Abdullah’s standing has descended rapidly from its high point in 2004 to only 26% today. This is because corruption has gone from bad to worse, the judiciary is corrupt, there is no rule of law and there is a corrupt police force. All the promises to clean up the judiciary and police force have come to nought.
Government policies which are supposed to treat all races equally and fairly have deteriorated and are now based on the concept of ketuanan melayu or supremacy of Malays.
Instead of good governance, the entire government is now engaged in a conspiracy to convict Anwar of sodomy on a false charge.
Mafia methods are adopted. The police attempted to pressure the Burmese doctor to change his medical report of Saiful by repeated visits, but the doctor stood by his findings. After filing his sworn affidavit, he and his family are now missing - probably fled overseas for refuge.
if PM Abdullah perceived Anwar as a threat to his government, he should deal with him through democracy, not by subverting the government administration, the Attorney-General’s chambers and the police and pursuing a desperate conspiracy to trap and convict Anwar of sodomy.
The whole country is tired and disgusted with the conspiracy and lack of good governance. The people want a change, for someone to take the country out of the mess and become a clean, corruption-free, multiracial, multireligious, multicultural, democratic and progressive society.
THE HOPE, THE LEADER. ANWAR IS THE ONE.
Despite intensive propaganda by the government and Umno publicity machines against Anwar Ibrahim, the people still trust him. This is shown by the polls taken by Merdeka Centre research which indicate that only 11% of those polled believe the allegation that Anwar sodomised Saiful. An overwhelming 89% prefer to trust Anwar - that even 76% of Malays polled do not believe the government propaganda about Anwar
When news about allegations of sodomy against Anwar were spread in the international print and electronic media, there was shock and dismay.
Condoleeza Rice, US secretary of state, a Canadian ex-prime minister, former World Bank president, former IMF president, Gus Dur ex president of Indonesia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch - all expressed dismay and disbelief.
They say Anwar is innocent and called upon the Malaysian government to free Anwar of the sodomy charge.
Gus Dur visited Malaysia and declared that Anwar is innocent and not the type of person to commit sodomy. He has called upon the prime minister to practise democracy.
International opinion must be valued and not taken lightly. If foreign investors see that democracy and justice are absent, their confidence will be affected and foreign investments to Malaysia will diminish.
Obviously, to foreign leaders, ANWAR IS THE ONE.
THE HOPE - THE LEADER
There is a crisis of confidence in the country. Merdeka Centre has from a poll found that PM Abdullah’s standing has descended rapidly from its high point in 2004 to only 26% today. This is because corruption has gone from bad to worse, the judiciary is corrupt, there is no rule of law and there is a corrupt police force. All the promises to clean up the judiciary and police force have come to nought.
Government policies which are supposed to treat all races equally and fairly have deteriorated and are now based on the concept of ketuanan melayu or supremacy of Malays.
Instead of good governance, the entire government is now engaged in a conspiracy to convict Anwar of sodomy on a false charge.
Mafia methods are adopted. The police attempted to pressure the Burmese doctor to change his medical report of Saiful by repeated visits, but the doctor stood by his findings. After filing his sworn affidavit, he and his family are now missing - probably fled overseas for refuge.
if PM Abdullah perceived Anwar as a threat to his government, he should deal with him through democracy, not by subverting the government administration, the Attorney-General’s chambers and the police and pursuing a desperate conspiracy to trap and convict Anwar of sodomy.
The whole country is tired and disgusted with the conspiracy and lack of good governance. The people want a change, for someone to take the country out of the mess and become a clean, corruption-free, multiracial, multireligious, multicultural, democratic and progressive society.
THE HOPE, THE LEADER. ANWAR IS THE ONE.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Vote Anwar Ibrahim for the Future of Our Country
Dr. Bakri M. Musa
Morgan-Hill, California
August 18, 2008
“Permatang Pauh voters will get the unique opportunity to decide on behalf of entire Malaysia on who will lead our nation. It is as much an opportunity to vote for Anwar Ibrahim as it is against Abdullah Badawi, and to vote for Malaysia’s future – on whether she would progress to join the developed world or continue its present path to join the likes of Zimbabwe.”—Bakri M. Musa
Before last March 2008 elections, I urged Kepala Batas voters to perform a great national service by booting out Prime Minister Abdullah.That would have triggered a seismic shift in UMNO’s leadership. With its ban on contesting top posts effectively circumvented, the party would get to preview other potential candidates.
If Kepala Batas voters were to shy away from exercising that historic opportunity, I suggested that Malaysians could still teach Abdullah a lesson by substantially reducing his coalition’s victory. That would also trigger a challenge to his leadership, and we would have the same effect as with the first scenario.
Alas, Malaysians did teach Abdullah a hard lesson, but not hard enough.Besides, being a slow learner, Abdullah did not get the message.Now voters in Permatang Pauh, practically next door, will get a chance to deal Abdullah a third and final knock-out blow, one he would surely get.This upcoming by-election will be more than just electing the area’s representative to Parliament.
Permatang Pauh voters will get the unique opportunity to decide on behalf of entire Malaysia on who will lead our nation. It is as much an opportunity to vote for Anwar Ibrahim as it is against Abdullah Badawi, and to vote for Malaysia’s future – on whether she would progress to join the developed world or continue its present path to join the likes of Zimbabwe.
Anwar Versus Abdullah
In Abdullah we have a dull and apathetically detached leader who exploits the differences among us in order to remain in power. In Anwar we have a charismatic leader well regarded especially internationally. He nurtures our commonalities and challenges us to rise above our differences.
Abdullah’s “I am Prime Minister for all Malaysians” utterance rings hollow when he allows, nay encourages the racist taunting of UMNO Youth leaders. Again illustrative of his opportunistic and exploitative character, right after the March elections when his party’s position was threatened in many states, he initiated a series of secret meetings with the opposition PAS. In so doing he showed contempt for his Barisan coalition partners.
Abdullah was also insensitive, or more accurately contemptuous of the feelings of those non-Malays who voted for his Barisan candidates, UMNO and non-UMNO alike. The rewards he dangled must have been quite substantial to tempt the otherwise self-righteous PAS leaders to participate in those talks. Fortunately wiser heads prevailed in PAS; the futile discussions were aborted.
Anwar does not have as yet a formal leadership role. Yet as adviser to PKR he successfully created a viable coalition effective enough to deny Barisan its two-thirds majority in Parliament and dislodge it in five states, including such major ones as Perak, Penang, and Selangor.
It is a testament to his leadership skills that Anwar could forge an alliance comprising the DAP and PAS, two parties that represent the polar extremes of political views in Malaysia. Anwar was successful because he builds on their commonalities, their yearning for a clean, efficient and transparent government, one not blighted by cronyism and corruption.
It is also the wish of all Malaysians, whether they embrace “Malaysia for Malaysians” or the “Islamic State of Malaysia” political ideals. It should also be the theme and aspiration of any government.
I am also impressed with Anwar’s ability to attract many young talents. While UMNO had to content with such worn-out retreads like Ezam Noor, Anwar managed to attract many young educated and intelligent individuals like Nik Nazmi and Sim Tze Tzin.
It reflects the priorities of Abdullah and more importantly, his lack of diligence as a leader, that on such important matters as our energy policy he remains blissfully detached except for making empty silly remarks. With rocketing oil prices threatening the global (and Malaysian) economies, Abdullah and his deputy Najib are content busying themselves that Saiful would swear on the Quran that he had been sodomized.
It is the height of obscenity to see this young man wearing his songkok and Baju Melayu, symbols of everything pure and pristine in our culture, entering the sanctity of the holy mosque in the heart of Malaysia to utter, “… telah memasukkan zakarnya ke dalam lubang dubur saya.”
All so clinical, and so well-timed politically! It would have been obscene even without the ugly smirk on Saiful’s face after he blurted his utterance. Thankfully, he spared us the lurid details. One’s fantasy can get quite vivid, especially when given some attention and encouragement. As for the frequency, he has yet to decide on that. He is waiting to see Anwar’s diary first!
With his hands above the Holy Quran, witnessed by the Imam and nationally televised, those crudities issued forth from his sullied mouth. Obviously the cleansing ablution he took only minutes earlier before entering the mosque was merely a ritual, and a meaningless one at that. Surely Saiful, and others beside him including and especially the pious Imam, realized that by just uttering those crudities he had effectively nullified his ablution. Yet there he was, piously declaring Allah hu Akhbar (God is Great!), and then proceeding to his prayers.
I cannot imagine a more despicable sight of desecration of our Holy Book. I would not stoop to this college dropout’s gutter level to even translate the obscenities coming forth from his soiled lips.
Someone had put a microphone on the young man so the world could hear his filthy utterance. How thoughtful! The event was broadcasted at prime time! I pity those parents who would have to explain to their young children on what had transpired.
Such are the priorities of this dysfunctional duo of Abdullah and Najib. And they want Permatang Pauh voters to endorse their leadership!
Contrast that with Anwar’s statesmanship. The day he forms the government, he would lower gasoline prices and release those prisoners of conscience held under the ISA. Regardless whether one agrees with his policies, there is no denying that Anwar has set his priorities and the national agenda right.
Respecting The Quran
I am appalled that many Malaysian Muslims are calling for Anwar to debase himself to the same sewer level as Saiful by swearing on the Quran. If the truth could be had so simplistically, we would not need the court system and extensive police force.
Those Muslims’ commitment to things Islamic does not extend however to their suggesting that the Sharia Court takes jurisdiction over this case. After all both participants are Muslims, and Anwar has already lodged a complaint to the religious department. Somehow at this particular instance and circumstance, those Muslims suddenly have more faith with our secular criminal justice system than with the Sharia.
I would rather Anwar swear on the Quran to commit that, on becoming Prime Minister, he would uphold the constitution and lead a government that is efficient, not corrupt, and has the interests of the people uppermost, as encapsulated in his Ketuanan Rakyat declaration. I also challenge Abdullah and Najib to do likewise. That would be the proper and dignified use of our Quran, the symbolic enactment of the phrase, “Let Allah be my witness!”
It would also have been more meaningful and dignified had Saiful taken the oath over the Quran committing himself to be a diligent student when given the rare opportunity for a precious slot in a local university. And had he followed through with that and studied hard, he would have achieved something for himself and be of service to his nation. Saiful should have known that he was given an opportunity denied to too many other young Malaysians. Instead, he blew that chance for a moment of infamy.
A few years ago former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Ghaffar Baba declared that UMNO could be had for a few billion ringgit, at most. He was referring to the endemic corruption in the party. Apparently that price has gone down considerably since. Today, a local college drop-out with only a promise of a cheap scholarship to a lousy local institution could derail the whole UMNO government and paralyze the country.
I would have never imagined that the future of our Prime Minister and his Deputy would hang on whether a young man’s posterior had been violated. That is what Abdullah’s and Najib’s leadership has been reduced to, and how it will end, on Saiful’s end.
If a struggling failed-freshman like Saiful could create such a havoc, I would not dare imagine what a smart, savvy, rich foreigner could do to UMNO and our country. There is one sure way to spare our beloved nation such a fate: get rid of UMNO and the incompetent and dysfunctional team of Abdullah and Najib.
By voting for Anwar in the upcoming elections, Permatang Pauh voters get to do just that, and thus protect our country.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
YB Lim Kit Siang on Permatang Pauh
Dear YB Lim Kit Siang,
On behalf of the PKR team I thank you, YB Karpal Singh, our popular Penang Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng, your grassroots team in Permatang Pauh and the entire DAP national organisation for the excellent cooperation and support.
Your presence today at the nomination center in Tuanku Bainun Teachers Training College in Seberang Jaya is appreciated. I, therefore, share your assessment that if we are to use the turnout today as a rough indicator and assume that there are no hanky panky antics and tricks by Rashid Rahman and his SPR boys–my sources tell me that he has a room next to Badawi in Sunway Hotel–, Anwar can win BIG against their “best BN candidate”, Ariff Shah.
Najib and the entire UMNO-BN machine assembled at the Sunway Hotel in Seberang Jaya are under enormous pressure now. Because of this, he will resort to a dirty campaign (e.g, asking Saiful Bukhari to swear on the Holy Koran), and deploy state assets including military intelligence. He thinks that by asking Puteri UMNO and Khairy Jamaluddin’s UMNO Youth to buy voters of Permatang Pauh, he can reduce Anwar’s margin of victory.
The people I met and talked to here have dignity (MARUAH) and want their local boy Anwar in Parliament on August 27, 2008. They also know that the present government has messed up the economy.
I could not help but notice that Najib was heckled by the pro-Anwar crowd who shouted “Altantuya! Altantuya!!” when he raised the hands of Ariff Shah, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and others. —Din Merican at Permatang Pauh
source: www.limkitsiang.com
Permatang Pauh by-election – Anwar will win hands down if decided by Nomination turnout by YB Lim Kit Siang
If the Permatang Pauh by-election is decided by the Nomination Day turnout this morning, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Anwar Ibrahim would win hands down.
Never before in any by-election nomination in Malaysian electoral history has the Barisan Nasional been so-outnumbered and overwhelmed, whether in terms of supporters; publicity materials whether flags, buntings or banners; or sheer enthusiasm, morale and spirit of the supporters.
In the sea of humanity at the Nomination Centre this morning, Anwar’s supporters from the three Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, DAP and PAS simply drowned out the Barisan Nasional supporters from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC, led by a very subdued Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself, Umno Youth leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin.
There are those who estimate that the crowd was as big as 100,000 or more, with the Pakatan Rakyat supporters exceeding the Barisan Nasional supporters by a ratio of from 1:7 to 1:10.
UMNO Youth Hishammuddin yesterday played the sympathy card when he “begged” Permatang Pauh voters to support the Barisan Nasional candidate “because we are the underdog”.
The role of an “underdog” does not sit well with Hishammuddin as memories among Malaysians are still fresh that he was far from being an underdog when he wielded the Malay keris at the Umno Youth general assembly for three consecutive years, utterly insensitive of the sensitivities of a multi-racial Malaysia. Nor is the Prime Minister’s son-in-law best cast in the role of an “underdog”!
The impression the outnumbered and demoralized BN team gave at the Nomination Centre this morning was certainly not one of an “underdog” but of a Chinese description of the “rat running across the street”!
Anwar is right however in his caution to all workers and supporters not to be complacent and take the BN mechanism lightly, as the BN is fully capable of turning the table on polling day by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with its tested “bag of dirty tricks”.
It is a sad commentary on Anwar’s total lack of confidence in the independence and integrity of the electoral system that Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR leader, had to be nominated as an independent candidate as a “strategic contingency” move in case Anwar was unreasonably and unjustly disqualified - with Mansor announcing his withdrawal when Anwar sailed through the nomination process, forfeiting RM15,000 in the process!
Anwar had very good reason to take such a precautionary measure as the decision by the Election Commission to fix a Tuesday – August 26 – as the polling day for the by-election was clearly unfair and undemocratic, designed to discourage a high voter turn-out being a working day particularly for the high percentage of factory workers in the constituency and therefore unfavourable to Anwar’s candidature.
The battle royale of the Permatang Pauh by-election for the next ten days is on - with far reaching consequences not just for Anwar and the constituency, but for the nation and 27 million Malaysians.
On behalf of the PKR team I thank you, YB Karpal Singh, our popular Penang Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng, your grassroots team in Permatang Pauh and the entire DAP national organisation for the excellent cooperation and support.
Your presence today at the nomination center in Tuanku Bainun Teachers Training College in Seberang Jaya is appreciated. I, therefore, share your assessment that if we are to use the turnout today as a rough indicator and assume that there are no hanky panky antics and tricks by Rashid Rahman and his SPR boys–my sources tell me that he has a room next to Badawi in Sunway Hotel–, Anwar can win BIG against their “best BN candidate”, Ariff Shah.
Najib and the entire UMNO-BN machine assembled at the Sunway Hotel in Seberang Jaya are under enormous pressure now. Because of this, he will resort to a dirty campaign (e.g, asking Saiful Bukhari to swear on the Holy Koran), and deploy state assets including military intelligence. He thinks that by asking Puteri UMNO and Khairy Jamaluddin’s UMNO Youth to buy voters of Permatang Pauh, he can reduce Anwar’s margin of victory.
The people I met and talked to here have dignity (MARUAH) and want their local boy Anwar in Parliament on August 27, 2008. They also know that the present government has messed up the economy.
I could not help but notice that Najib was heckled by the pro-Anwar crowd who shouted “Altantuya! Altantuya!!” when he raised the hands of Ariff Shah, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and others. —Din Merican at Permatang Pauh
source: www.limkitsiang.com
Permatang Pauh by-election – Anwar will win hands down if decided by Nomination turnout by YB Lim Kit Siang
If the Permatang Pauh by-election is decided by the Nomination Day turnout this morning, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Anwar Ibrahim would win hands down.
Never before in any by-election nomination in Malaysian electoral history has the Barisan Nasional been so-outnumbered and overwhelmed, whether in terms of supporters; publicity materials whether flags, buntings or banners; or sheer enthusiasm, morale and spirit of the supporters.
In the sea of humanity at the Nomination Centre this morning, Anwar’s supporters from the three Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, DAP and PAS simply drowned out the Barisan Nasional supporters from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC, led by a very subdued Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself, Umno Youth leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin.
There are those who estimate that the crowd was as big as 100,000 or more, with the Pakatan Rakyat supporters exceeding the Barisan Nasional supporters by a ratio of from 1:7 to 1:10.
UMNO Youth Hishammuddin yesterday played the sympathy card when he “begged” Permatang Pauh voters to support the Barisan Nasional candidate “because we are the underdog”.
The role of an “underdog” does not sit well with Hishammuddin as memories among Malaysians are still fresh that he was far from being an underdog when he wielded the Malay keris at the Umno Youth general assembly for three consecutive years, utterly insensitive of the sensitivities of a multi-racial Malaysia. Nor is the Prime Minister’s son-in-law best cast in the role of an “underdog”!
The impression the outnumbered and demoralized BN team gave at the Nomination Centre this morning was certainly not one of an “underdog” but of a Chinese description of the “rat running across the street”!
Anwar is right however in his caution to all workers and supporters not to be complacent and take the BN mechanism lightly, as the BN is fully capable of turning the table on polling day by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with its tested “bag of dirty tricks”.
It is a sad commentary on Anwar’s total lack of confidence in the independence and integrity of the electoral system that Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR leader, had to be nominated as an independent candidate as a “strategic contingency” move in case Anwar was unreasonably and unjustly disqualified - with Mansor announcing his withdrawal when Anwar sailed through the nomination process, forfeiting RM15,000 in the process!
Anwar had very good reason to take such a precautionary measure as the decision by the Election Commission to fix a Tuesday – August 26 – as the polling day for the by-election was clearly unfair and undemocratic, designed to discourage a high voter turn-out being a working day particularly for the high percentage of factory workers in the constituency and therefore unfavourable to Anwar’s candidature.
The battle royale of the Permatang Pauh by-election for the next ten days is on - with far reaching consequences not just for Anwar and the constituency, but for the nation and 27 million Malaysians.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Permatang Pauh: KeADILan Wins, Malaysians Win
De facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has picked ‘Merdeka’ as the theme for his by-election campaign in Permatang Pauh, urging voters there to put him on the road to Putrajaya and save the country from tyranny.
MCPX
He told a crowd of about 10,000 people that it was ‘now or never’ to trigger changes for reform.
“We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance,” said Anwar at a rally in Kampung Kota, one of the many small villages that dot the constituency.
A former deputy prime minister, Anwar is regarded by many Malaysians as having the best chance among all opposition leaders that have surfaced so far to get a shot at becoming the country’s next prime minister.
His opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat created history in March when it wrested five seats from ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, chopping down the latter’s two-thirds parliamentary majority to a simple one. Anwar now plans to reverse that majority and take control of parliament by Sept 16.
“I am 61 now and have lost 10 precious years of my life. I leave the decision to all of you to decide whether or not you want me to initiate changes. I will accept and respect your decision,” Anwar said.
But the bespectacled and slim-built leader, sacked in 1998 by ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on corruption and sodomy charges, is still dogged by scandal. He now faces fresh sodomy allegations, this time from former personal aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, and if convicted he will be disqualified from holding office even if he wins on polling date on Aug 26.
Personal attacks and unfair tactics
Meanwhile, Anwar’s political opponents from the BN are widely expected to leverage on the scandal to pull as many voters away from him as possible.
arif shah omar shah bn umno candidate for permatang pauh by election 140808 13 Just last night, the Umno-led BN coalition night named Seberang Jaya state assemblyperson Arif Shah Omar Shah as their candidate to counter Anwar. It has also finalised a two-pronged campaign strategy to attack Anwar both as a man and politician.
Anwar seems unfazed. He told the cheering crowd he has received information that a key medical report written by the government’s doctor found “the boy (his accuser) had no leakage behind”, thereby confirming his innocence.
“I challenge Umno and BN leaders to deny this,” Anwar said, promising that he would run a clean campaign and not use character assasination to win votes.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also criticised the BN, accusing them of resorting to personal attacks and unfair tactics.
anwar ibrahim penang kg kota permatang pauh by election campaign 140808 11 “BN lacks not only ideas, but candidates to fight Anwar,” said Lim, whose DAP party is a partner in the Anwar-led alliance. “BN and Umno took so long to unveil their candidate and when they did, they had to choose an existing assemblyperson.”
“Everybody in Pakatan Rakyat has to work hard to ensure our future prime minister (Anwar) wins and marches to Putrajaya (the administrative capital),” he added.
MCPX
He told a crowd of about 10,000 people that it was ‘now or never’ to trigger changes for reform.
“We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance,” said Anwar at a rally in Kampung Kota, one of the many small villages that dot the constituency.
A former deputy prime minister, Anwar is regarded by many Malaysians as having the best chance among all opposition leaders that have surfaced so far to get a shot at becoming the country’s next prime minister.
His opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat created history in March when it wrested five seats from ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, chopping down the latter’s two-thirds parliamentary majority to a simple one. Anwar now plans to reverse that majority and take control of parliament by Sept 16.
“I am 61 now and have lost 10 precious years of my life. I leave the decision to all of you to decide whether or not you want me to initiate changes. I will accept and respect your decision,” Anwar said.
But the bespectacled and slim-built leader, sacked in 1998 by ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on corruption and sodomy charges, is still dogged by scandal. He now faces fresh sodomy allegations, this time from former personal aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, and if convicted he will be disqualified from holding office even if he wins on polling date on Aug 26.
Personal attacks and unfair tactics
Meanwhile, Anwar’s political opponents from the BN are widely expected to leverage on the scandal to pull as many voters away from him as possible.
arif shah omar shah bn umno candidate for permatang pauh by election 140808 13 Just last night, the Umno-led BN coalition night named Seberang Jaya state assemblyperson Arif Shah Omar Shah as their candidate to counter Anwar. It has also finalised a two-pronged campaign strategy to attack Anwar both as a man and politician.
Anwar seems unfazed. He told the cheering crowd he has received information that a key medical report written by the government’s doctor found “the boy (his accuser) had no leakage behind”, thereby confirming his innocence.
“I challenge Umno and BN leaders to deny this,” Anwar said, promising that he would run a clean campaign and not use character assasination to win votes.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also criticised the BN, accusing them of resorting to personal attacks and unfair tactics.
anwar ibrahim penang kg kota permatang pauh by election campaign 140808 11 “BN lacks not only ideas, but candidates to fight Anwar,” said Lim, whose DAP party is a partner in the Anwar-led alliance. “BN and Umno took so long to unveil their candidate and when they did, they had to choose an existing assemblyperson.”
“Everybody in Pakatan Rakyat has to work hard to ensure our future prime minister (Anwar) wins and marches to Putrajaya (the administrative capital),” he added.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Blair wins terror glorification vote
Tony Blair narrowly succeeded today in winning a crucial Commons vote on anti-terror laws after accusing the Opposition of trying to "dilute and weaken" them.
Despite a backbench rebellion, cutting the Government's majority to 38, MPs voted by 315 to 277 to overturn a Lords defeat striking out Government proposals outlawing glorification of terrorism.
The result - after three testing days for ministers with key votes on ID cards and smoking - will come as a huge relief for the Prime Minister.
Earlier, at a stormy question time, he warned that to take out references to 'glorification' in the Terrorism Bill would send out a "massively counter-productive signal".
Mr Blair said: "People outside will infer that we have decided to dilute our law at the very moment when we should be strengthening it and sending a united signal that we aren't going to tolerate those who glorify terrorism in our country."
William Hague, standing in for Tory leader David Cameron, branded the move "ineffective authoritarianism" and accused Mr Blair of "posturing" on the issue when he could have cross-party agreement.
"Wouldn't it be better to have a watertight law designed to catch the guilty, rather than a press release law designed to catch the headlines," he said, to Tory cheers.
When the issue was last debated in the Commons, during the committee stage of the Terrorism Bill, the Government's majority was cut to just one, as 31 Labour MPs rebelled.
Today the number of rebels was put at about 15 by one backbench source.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke rammed home the Government's message at the startof a 180-minute debate on the issue, insisting he was "not prepared tocompromise" on outlawing glorification of terrorism.
Mr Clarke said he wanted to send "a clear message to all those recruiting terrorists", adding that all MPs had a duty to protect the people they represent.
The measure to outlaw the glorification of terrorism as part of a wider offence of indirectly encouraging terrorism scraped through the Commons last year.
But the Lords replaced it with an offence of describing terrorism in a way that would encourage listeners to emulate it.
Mr Clarke said the Lords' proposal was too narrow and would not cover placards, publications or websites that glorified terror to encourage others.
"There are all too many people who may be influenced by those who glorify terrorism and conclude they have a duty of some kind to kill and injure innocent bystanders in the misguided belief that they are bound to do so by their faith," he warned.
"I believe it's our duty to those we represent to do everything we can to prevent this happening."
Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve accused ministers of simply closing their ears and eyes to the case put to them and warned: "The House is in danger of passing law that's unworkable.
"Glorification is not clear, precise or adequately defined. By plucking this concept out of the air, the Government is going to cause itself and the courts great difficulties.
"Glorification has no place and should have no place in our law. It is incapable of proper interpretation .... and risks criminalising those the Government does not intend to criminalise. It is, frankly, as a concept, rubbish."
Mr Grieve warned that Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who would be leading the 90th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising by Irish revolutionaries in April, could be caught under the legislation.
For the Liberal Democrats, Alistair Carmichael said his party was concerned about the "vagueness" of the term glorification.
He said: "The effect of heaping vagueness on vagueness is to enact bad law. I didn't come here to enact bad law."
Despite a backbench rebellion, cutting the Government's majority to 38, MPs voted by 315 to 277 to overturn a Lords defeat striking out Government proposals outlawing glorification of terrorism.
The result - after three testing days for ministers with key votes on ID cards and smoking - will come as a huge relief for the Prime Minister.
Earlier, at a stormy question time, he warned that to take out references to 'glorification' in the Terrorism Bill would send out a "massively counter-productive signal".
Mr Blair said: "People outside will infer that we have decided to dilute our law at the very moment when we should be strengthening it and sending a united signal that we aren't going to tolerate those who glorify terrorism in our country."
William Hague, standing in for Tory leader David Cameron, branded the move "ineffective authoritarianism" and accused Mr Blair of "posturing" on the issue when he could have cross-party agreement.
"Wouldn't it be better to have a watertight law designed to catch the guilty, rather than a press release law designed to catch the headlines," he said, to Tory cheers.
When the issue was last debated in the Commons, during the committee stage of the Terrorism Bill, the Government's majority was cut to just one, as 31 Labour MPs rebelled.
Today the number of rebels was put at about 15 by one backbench source.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke rammed home the Government's message at the startof a 180-minute debate on the issue, insisting he was "not prepared tocompromise" on outlawing glorification of terrorism.
Mr Clarke said he wanted to send "a clear message to all those recruiting terrorists", adding that all MPs had a duty to protect the people they represent.
The measure to outlaw the glorification of terrorism as part of a wider offence of indirectly encouraging terrorism scraped through the Commons last year.
But the Lords replaced it with an offence of describing terrorism in a way that would encourage listeners to emulate it.
Mr Clarke said the Lords' proposal was too narrow and would not cover placards, publications or websites that glorified terror to encourage others.
"There are all too many people who may be influenced by those who glorify terrorism and conclude they have a duty of some kind to kill and injure innocent bystanders in the misguided belief that they are bound to do so by their faith," he warned.
"I believe it's our duty to those we represent to do everything we can to prevent this happening."
Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve accused ministers of simply closing their ears and eyes to the case put to them and warned: "The House is in danger of passing law that's unworkable.
"Glorification is not clear, precise or adequately defined. By plucking this concept out of the air, the Government is going to cause itself and the courts great difficulties.
"Glorification has no place and should have no place in our law. It is incapable of proper interpretation .... and risks criminalising those the Government does not intend to criminalise. It is, frankly, as a concept, rubbish."
Mr Grieve warned that Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who would be leading the 90th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising by Irish revolutionaries in April, could be caught under the legislation.
For the Liberal Democrats, Alistair Carmichael said his party was concerned about the "vagueness" of the term glorification.
He said: "The effect of heaping vagueness on vagueness is to enact bad law. I didn't come here to enact bad law."
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Ghani: Malaysia has proof of Pulau Pisang ownership
JOHOR BARU: There is no danger of losing Pulau Pisang to Singapore as Malaysia clearly has sovereignty over the island.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said that this was despite Singapore operating a lighthouse on the 154ha island.
He said the ownership of the island was based on a treaty between Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar and the British in 1900, which clearly stated that Malaysia had sovereignty over the island.
“Our land office records show that Pulau Pisang belongs to Johor,” he said.
Abdul Ghani was responding to a suggestion made by Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan that the Government should conduct a study on taking over the operation of the lighthouse.
Ahmad said Pulau Pisang might suffer a similar fate as Batu Puteh where the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Singapore.
Abdul Ghani said the lighthouse, which guided ships into the Singapore Straits, was manned by four Singaporean guards.
“The guards are relieved by another team once a fortnight and are required to report to the marine department, Customs and immigration in Kukup every time they arrive and depart from the island,” he said.
He added that Malaysians were allowed to enter the island but were prohibited from entering the lighthouse.
Abdul Ghani said there were also 82 farmers who tend to orchards on the island.
“They are only given permission to work on the land but are not granted ownership of the land,” he said.
The island is about 12km from Pontian Kechil and 5km from Benut.
Meanwhile, Johor PAS officials lodged a police report against former foreign minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Abdul Ghani and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, accusing them of causing Malaysia to lose Batu Puteh.
Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob confirmed that the report had been received.
Perak Puteri Umno chief Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin, meanwhile, said Malaysia must take the necessary steps to ensure she irrefutably owned all her islands and territories.
She said the steps were crucial in view of the recent decision on Batu Puteh.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the Malaysian Government was “foolhardy to have placed the case before ICJ” without the necessary evidence.
He was referring to Malaysian ambassador-at-large Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad’s statement that he could not locate a letter sent by Governor Butterworth to the Johor Temenggong seeking permission to build the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Batu Puteh.
Abdul Kadir led the Malaysian team to The Hague.
“Discovery of the letter now or in future cannot restore Malaysia’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh,” he said.
Source: The Star
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said that this was despite Singapore operating a lighthouse on the 154ha island.
He said the ownership of the island was based on a treaty between Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar and the British in 1900, which clearly stated that Malaysia had sovereignty over the island.
“Our land office records show that Pulau Pisang belongs to Johor,” he said.
Abdul Ghani was responding to a suggestion made by Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan that the Government should conduct a study on taking over the operation of the lighthouse.
Ahmad said Pulau Pisang might suffer a similar fate as Batu Puteh where the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Singapore.
Abdul Ghani said the lighthouse, which guided ships into the Singapore Straits, was manned by four Singaporean guards.
“The guards are relieved by another team once a fortnight and are required to report to the marine department, Customs and immigration in Kukup every time they arrive and depart from the island,” he said.
He added that Malaysians were allowed to enter the island but were prohibited from entering the lighthouse.
Abdul Ghani said there were also 82 farmers who tend to orchards on the island.
“They are only given permission to work on the land but are not granted ownership of the land,” he said.
The island is about 12km from Pontian Kechil and 5km from Benut.
Meanwhile, Johor PAS officials lodged a police report against former foreign minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Abdul Ghani and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, accusing them of causing Malaysia to lose Batu Puteh.
Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob confirmed that the report had been received.
Perak Puteri Umno chief Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin, meanwhile, said Malaysia must take the necessary steps to ensure she irrefutably owned all her islands and territories.
She said the steps were crucial in view of the recent decision on Batu Puteh.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the Malaysian Government was “foolhardy to have placed the case before ICJ” without the necessary evidence.
He was referring to Malaysian ambassador-at-large Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad’s statement that he could not locate a letter sent by Governor Butterworth to the Johor Temenggong seeking permission to build the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Batu Puteh.
Abdul Kadir led the Malaysian team to The Hague.
“Discovery of the letter now or in future cannot restore Malaysia’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh,” he said.
Source: The Star
Monday, July 7, 2008
Very hot article about oil in Malaysia
WHAT IS NEVER MENTIONED IN Mainstream Media like NST/TheStar/Utusan/BH are these facts….
Malaysian PerCapita Income USD 5000
VS
Singaporean PerCapita Income USD 25000
Further The Star made a comparison of prices in Thailand , Singapore and Indonesia .
For Thailand it is quoted at RM3.90/liter, however are they aware that in Thailand new cars are cheaper than Malaysia by RM10,000? They pay only one life time for their driving license? No renewal fee after that? Also that goes for road tax as well? And do TheStar also aware that you can drive all the way from Hadtyai to Bangkok on a six lane highway without paying any Tolls ??!!
Whereas here in Malaysia you have to pay yearly renewal for road tax , driving license and TOLLS, TOLLS, TOLLS!!!
For Singapore how can you quote RM 5.20 ? Please quote in Singapore Dollars because they are earning in Sing Dollars. You might as well say Europeans are paying RM10/liter. RM5.20/liter = Sing $ 2.20/liter, still cheaper than Malaysia in view of fact that Singapore is not a crude oil exporter. Are you saying that you fill up petrol in Singapore by paying Ringgit?
In economy, dollar to dollar must be compared as apple to apple. Not comparing like durian in M’sia is much cheaper than durian in Japan!! Of course-lah, Japan is not durian producer!!! Comparing Malaysian durian with Thailand durian make more sense!!
For Indonesia we might say is cheaper there at RM2.07/liter but compare that to their level of income!
Now, let us compare the price with OIL PRODUCING countries:
UAE - RM1.19/litre
Eygpt - RM1.03/litre
Bahrain - RM0.87/litre
Qatar - RM0.68/litre
Kuwait - RM0.67/litre
Saudi Arabia - RM0.38/litre
Iran - RM0.35/litre
Nigeria - RM0.32/litre
Turkmenistan - RM0.25/litre
Venezuela - RM0.16/litre
MALAYSIA - RM2.70/litre
RM 2.70!!! Individual perspective:
As of last month a Toyota Vios would ’cause a damage’ of about RM 89,000.
In the international market, a Toyota Vios is about USD 19,000
USD 19,000 = RM 62,700 (using the indicative rates of USD 1 = RM 3.30)
That makes Malaysian Vios owners pay an extra RM 26,300.
This RM 26,300 should be cost of operations, profit and tax because the transportation costs have been factored in to the USD 19,000.
RM 26,300/ RM625 petrol rebate per year translates to a Vios being used for 42.08 years.
I do understand that the RM 625 is a rebate given by the government, but it also means that one has to use the Vios for 42.08 years just to make back the amount paid in taxes for the usage of a foreign car. Would anyone use any kind of car for that long?
Now with these numbers in front of us, does the subsidy sound like a subsidy or does it sound like a penalty? This just seems to be a heavy increment in our daily cost of living as we are not only charged with high car taxes but also with a drastic increase in fuel price.
With all the numbers listed out, I urge all Malaysians to join me in analyzing the situation further.
Car taxation is government profit, fuel sales is Petronas’ (GLC) profit which also translates into government profit. The government may ridicule us Malaysians by saying look at the world market and fuel price world wide. Please, we are Malaysians, we fought of the British, had a international port in the early centuries (Malacca), home to a racially mixed nation and WE ARE NOT STUPID!!!
We know the international rates are above the USD 130/barrel. We understand the fact that the fuel prices are increasing worldwide and we also know that major scientist are still contradicting on why this phenomenon is happening. Some blame Bush and his plunders around the world and some blame climate change and there are others which say petroleum ‘wells’ are getting scarce.
Again we go back to numbers to be more straight fwd
1 barrel = 159 liters x RM2.70/liter = RM 429 or USD 134
On 1 hand, we are paying the full cost of 1 barrel of crude oil with RM2.70 per liter but on the other hand the crude oil only produces 46% of fuel.
Msia sells crude oil per barrel at USD130 buys back Fuel per barrel at USD134. And not forgetting, every barrel of fuel is produced with 2 barrels of crude oil.
1 barrel crude oil = produce 46% fuel (or half of crude oil), therefore
2 barrel crude oil = approximately 1 barrel fuel
In other words, each time we sell 2 barrels of crude oil, equivalently we will buy back 1 barrel of fuel.
Financially,
Malaysia sell 2 barrel crude oil @ USD 130/barrel = USD 260 = RM 858
then, Malaysia will buy back fuel @ USD 134/barrel = RM 442/barrel
Thus, Malaysia earn net extra USD 126 = RM 416 for each 2 barrel of crude sold/exported vs imported 1 barrel of fuel !!!
(USD 260-134 = USD 126 = RM416)
So where this extra USD 126/barrel income is channeled to by Malaysian Govt?????????
Another analysis:
1 barrel crude oil = 159 liters.
46-47% of a barrel of crude oil = fuel that we use in our vehicles.
46% of 159 = 73.14 liters.
@ RM 2.70/liter x 73.14 liter = RM197.48 of fuel per barrel of crude oil. This is only 46% of the barrel, mind you. Using RM 3.30 = USD 1, we get that a barrel of crude oil produces USD 59.84 worth of petrol fuel (46% of 1barrel).
USD 59.84 of USD 130/barrel turns out to be 46% of a barrel as well.
Another 54% = bitumen, kerosene, and natural gases and so many more.
And this makes a balance of USD 70.16 that has not been accounted for.
So this is where I got curious. Where is the subsidy if we are paying 46% of the price of a barrel of crude oil when the production of petrol/barrel of crude oil is still only 46%?
In actual fact, we still pay for this as they are charged in the forms of fuel surcharge by airlines and road taxes for the building of road (because they use the tar/bitumen) and many more excuse charging us but let us just leave all that out of our calculations.
As far as I know, only the politicians who live in Putrajaya and come for their Parliament meetings in Kuala Lumpur (approximately 60+ km) are the ones to gain as they claim their fuel and toll charges from the money of the RAKYAT’s TAX.
It is so disappointing to see this happen time and time again to the Malaysian public, where they are deceived by the propaganda held by the politicians and the controls they have over the press.
Which stupid idiot economist equates rebates for rich or poor with the cc of the vehicles? An average office clerk may own a second hand 1300cc proton Iswara costing $7,000 (rebate = $625) while the Datuk’s children can own a fleet of 10 new cars of BMW, Audi and Volvo all less than 2000cc costing $2 millions and get a total rebate of $625 x 10 = $6,250! Wow what kind of economists we are keeping in Malaysia…wonder which phD certificate that they bought from…
Misleading concept of Subsidy:
The word “subsidy” has been brandished by the BN government as if it has so generously helped the rakyat and in doing so incurred losses. This simple example will help to explain the fallacy:
Example:
Ahmad is a fisherman. He sells a fish to you at $10 which is below the market value of $15. Let’s assume that he caught the fish from the abundance of the sea at little or no cost. Ahmad claims that since the market value of the fish is $15 and he sold you the fish for $10, he had subsidised you $5 and therefore made a loss of $5.
Question : Did Ahmad actually make a profit of $10 or loss of $5 which he claimed is the subsidy?
Answer:
Ahmad makes a profit of $10 which is the difference of the selling price ($10) minus the cost price ($0 since the fish was caught from the abundance of the sea). There is no subsidy as claimed by Ahmad.
The BN government claims that it is a subsidy because the oil is kept and treated as somebody else’s property (you know who). By right, the oil belongs to all citizens of the country and the government is a trustee for the citizens. So as in the above simple example, the BN government cannot claim that it has subsidised the citizen!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Production
Malaysia currently produces about 750,200 barrels of oil per day and 5 billion cubic feet of gas per day. For information on PETRONAS' historical productions of crude oil and natural gas
Refininery
Oil, in its crude form, has very few direct applications. To enhance its usage, crude oil first has to be processed or refined into many value-added petroleum products.
PETRONAS refines a wide range of petroleum products for domestic consumption as well as for export, including motor gasoline, diesel, lubricants, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha and residual fuel oil. Its refining activities are undertaken by two refineries with a current combined capacity of 256,500 barrels per day (bpd).
i. In Malaysia , PETRONAS owns and operates the PETRONAS Kertih Refinery through wholly-owned subsidiary PETRONAS Penapisan (Terengganu) Sdn Bhd. The refinery, PETRONAS' first refinery located in the State of Terengganu , processes 40,000 barrels of Malaysian light, sweet crude oil per day. The refinery has been expanded to include a condensate splitting facility known as KR-2 with a rated capacity of 63,500 barrels per day of condensates. The naphtha produced is used as feedstock for the Aromatics plant adjacent to the refinery.
ii. In the State of Melaka , the PETRONAS Melaka Refinery Complex houses two refining trains. The first train, known as PSR-1, is owned and operated by PETRONAS Penapisan (Melaka) Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PETRONAS. Completed in 1994, the train has a capacity to process 100,000 barrels per day of Malaysian light, sweet crude and condensates.
iii. The Complex's second train, the PSR-2, is owned by Malaysia Refining Company Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between PETRONAS and Conoco. Operated by PETRONAS Penapisan (Melaka), the train commenced operations in phases from December 1998 and has a rated capacity of 100,000 barrels per day of sweet and sour crude.
Apart from PETRONAS' refineries, there are two other refineries owned and operated respectively by Shell and ExxonMobil. The country's combined refining capacity now stands at 546,500 bpd
Refininery
Oil, in its crude form, has very few direct applications. To enhance its usage, crude oil first has to be processed or refined into many value-added petroleum products.
PETRONAS refines a wide range of petroleum products for domestic consumption as well as for export, including motor gasoline, diesel, lubricants, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha and residual fuel oil. Its refining activities are undertaken by two refineries with a current combined capacity of 256,500 barrels per day (bpd).
i. In Malaysia , PETRONAS owns and operates the PETRONAS Kertih Refinery through wholly-owned subsidiary PETRONAS Penapisan (Terengganu) Sdn Bhd. The refinery, PETRONAS' first refinery located in the State of Terengganu , processes 40,000 barrels of Malaysian light, sweet crude oil per day. The refinery has been expanded to include a condensate splitting facility known as KR-2 with a rated capacity of 63,500 barrels per day of condensates. The naphtha produced is used as feedstock for the Aromatics plant adjacent to the refinery.
ii. In the State of Melaka , the PETRONAS Melaka Refinery Complex houses two refining trains. The first train, known as PSR-1, is owned and operated by PETRONAS Penapisan (Melaka) Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PETRONAS. Completed in 1994, the train has a capacity to process 100,000 barrels per day of Malaysian light, sweet crude and condensates.
iii. The Complex's second train, the PSR-2, is owned by Malaysia Refining Company Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between PETRONAS and Conoco. Operated by PETRONAS Penapisan (Melaka), the train commenced operations in phases from December 1998 and has a rated capacity of 100,000 barrels per day of sweet and sour crude.
Apart from PETRONAS' refineries, there are two other refineries owned and operated respectively by Shell and ExxonMobil. The country's combined refining capacity now stands at 546,500 bpd
Subsidy restructuring? Reality bites.....
Oleh lipantata
"Restructured fuel subsidy system. The revamped subsidy system will be effective on 5 June 2008. Petrol price was raised by 78 sen or 40.6% to RM2.70/litre (RM1.92 previously) and diesel price by RM1 or 63.3% to RM2.58/litre (RM1.58 previously).
The fuel prices will be reviewed every month in line with global oil prices. The full-fledge implementation of the subsidy system would eventually lead to market pricing of fuel prices in August. The electricity tariffs will be raised by 18% for households and 26% for the commercial and industry users w.e.f 1 July 2008.
Overall impact is negative. The economy will go through a period of adjustments depending on the size and duration of the shock. Given the convergence of external risks and domestic-induced risks, the adjustment will be significant. It is short-term pain but long-term gain for the economy. We cut our real GDP estimates to 5.3% (from 5.8% previously) for 2008 and 5.0% (from 5.5% previously) for 2009. Impact on domestic demand. As fuel and food are core elements in Malaysian household budgets, higher fuel prices along with other price increases will reduce disposable income and demand. Increased cost of doing business and margin compression would erode producers’ profits and may cause them to cut back on output. We revise lower our estimates for private consumption growth to 6.3% in 2008 (from 7.0% previously) and 5.5% in 2009 (10.8% in 2007). Likewise for private investment growth to 6.5% in 2008 (from 7.1% previously) and 6.6% in 2009 (12.3% in 2007).
Impact on sectors. There will be some measurable impacts on the broad sectors of the economy (transportation and logistic industry, food retailers, petty traders, auto, construction, consumer, media, property and toll operators).
Impact on fiscal deficit. It is estimated that the reduction in subsidy will result in a saving of RM13.7bn and hence, will help to reduce the fiscal deficits over time. The savings from the removal of subsidies will be channelled towards stabilising food prices. The removal of subsidies reflects the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and hence, is positive for the country’s sovereign debt ratings.
Impact on inflation. We estimate the headline inflation to rise sharply to 6.4% in June this year and will remain elevated between 5.6% and 6.1% in 2H08. On a full-year basis, we revise this year’s CPI growth estimate to 4.7% from 3.0% previously. For 2009, we project the average CPI growth will moderate to 3.0% as the impact of the fuel price hikes lapse.
Interest rates – to raise or not to raise? Bank Negara Malaysia(BNM) has to confront the opposing forces - the upside risks to inflation (largely cost-driven and global factors) and the downside risks to growth (anticipated in 2H08). Tinkering interest rates to alleviate the cost-driven inflation may not be the appropriate strategy. We expect BNM to keep the OPR steady at 3.50% for now though the risk of tightening bias has risen materially. The future monetary policy decision will be highly data dependent.
Regards,
AFM
"
"Restructured fuel subsidy system. The revamped subsidy system will be effective on 5 June 2008. Petrol price was raised by 78 sen or 40.6% to RM2.70/litre (RM1.92 previously) and diesel price by RM1 or 63.3% to RM2.58/litre (RM1.58 previously).
The fuel prices will be reviewed every month in line with global oil prices. The full-fledge implementation of the subsidy system would eventually lead to market pricing of fuel prices in August. The electricity tariffs will be raised by 18% for households and 26% for the commercial and industry users w.e.f 1 July 2008.
Overall impact is negative. The economy will go through a period of adjustments depending on the size and duration of the shock. Given the convergence of external risks and domestic-induced risks, the adjustment will be significant. It is short-term pain but long-term gain for the economy. We cut our real GDP estimates to 5.3% (from 5.8% previously) for 2008 and 5.0% (from 5.5% previously) for 2009. Impact on domestic demand. As fuel and food are core elements in Malaysian household budgets, higher fuel prices along with other price increases will reduce disposable income and demand. Increased cost of doing business and margin compression would erode producers’ profits and may cause them to cut back on output. We revise lower our estimates for private consumption growth to 6.3% in 2008 (from 7.0% previously) and 5.5% in 2009 (10.8% in 2007). Likewise for private investment growth to 6.5% in 2008 (from 7.1% previously) and 6.6% in 2009 (12.3% in 2007).
Impact on sectors. There will be some measurable impacts on the broad sectors of the economy (transportation and logistic industry, food retailers, petty traders, auto, construction, consumer, media, property and toll operators).
Impact on fiscal deficit. It is estimated that the reduction in subsidy will result in a saving of RM13.7bn and hence, will help to reduce the fiscal deficits over time. The savings from the removal of subsidies will be channelled towards stabilising food prices. The removal of subsidies reflects the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and hence, is positive for the country’s sovereign debt ratings.
Impact on inflation. We estimate the headline inflation to rise sharply to 6.4% in June this year and will remain elevated between 5.6% and 6.1% in 2H08. On a full-year basis, we revise this year’s CPI growth estimate to 4.7% from 3.0% previously. For 2009, we project the average CPI growth will moderate to 3.0% as the impact of the fuel price hikes lapse.
Interest rates – to raise or not to raise? Bank Negara Malaysia(BNM) has to confront the opposing forces - the upside risks to inflation (largely cost-driven and global factors) and the downside risks to growth (anticipated in 2H08). Tinkering interest rates to alleviate the cost-driven inflation may not be the appropriate strategy. We expect BNM to keep the OPR steady at 3.50% for now though the risk of tightening bias has risen materially. The future monetary policy decision will be highly data dependent.
Regards,
AFM
"
Oil Price
The price of crude oil has increased by 400 percent in the last three years. It follows that the price of products must increase, sooner or later. In other countries petrol prices had already increased. In the United Kingdom one litre of petrol sells for more than one pound sterling or RM7. In the United States it is about RM5.
That the price in neighbouring countries has gone up is shown by the rush to fill up by Thai and to a lesser extent Singapore vehicles.
The Government has now announced an increase in petrol price by 78 sen to RM2.70 per litre, an increase of more than 40 per cent.
I may be mistaken but there seems to be less vehicles on the road today. But obviously that is not all that will happen. All other consumer goods, services and luxury goods would increase in price.
The cost of living must go up. Put another way there will be inflation and the standard of living will go down.
Obviously our increase in petrol price is far less than in the United Kingdom or the United States. But our per capita income is about one-third of theirs. In purchasing power terms our increase is more than in the UK or the US.
The increase hurts but the pain is greater not just because of the increase percentage-wise is higher than in developed countries but because of the manner the increase is made.
A few days ago the Government decided to ban sale of petrol to foreign cars. It flipped. Now foreign cars can buy again. Flopped.
Knowing that in a few days it was going to raise the price and foreigners would be allowed to buy, why cannot the Government just wait instead of banning and unbanning.
But be that as it may what could the Government have done to lessen the burden on the people that results from the increase in petrol price.
In the first place the Government should not have floated the Ringgit. A floating rate creates uncertainties and we cannot gain anything from the strengthened Ringgit. Certainly the people have not exprienced any increase in their purchasing power because of the appreciation in the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Ringgit.
Actually the Ringgit has increased by about 80 sen (from RM3.80 to RM3.08 to 1 US Dollar) per US Dollar, i.e. by more than 20 per cent. Had the Government retained the fixed rate system and increased the value of the Ringgit, say 10 per cent at a time, the cost of imports, in Ringgit terms can be monitored and reduced by 10 per cent. At 20 per cent appreciation the cost of imports should decrease by 20 per cent. But we know the prices of imported goods or services have not decreased at all. This means we are paying 20 per cent higher for our imports including the raw material and components for our industries.
Since oil prices are fixed in US Dollar, the increase in US Dollar prices of oil should also be mitigated by 20 per cent in Malaysian Ringgit.
But the Government wants to please the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and decided to float the Ringgit. As a result the strengthening of the Ringgit merely increased our cost of exports without giving our people the benefit of lower cost of imports.
This is not wisdom after the event. I had actually told a Government Minister not to float the Ringgit three years ago. But of course I am not an expert, certainly I know little about the international financial regimes.
I believe the people expect the increase of petrol price. But what they are angry about is the quantum and the suddenness. The Prime Minister was hinting at August but suddenly it came two months earlier, just after the ban on sale of petrol to foreigners.
If the increase had been more gradual, the people would not feel it so much. But of course this means that the Government would have to subsidise, though to a decreasing extent.
Can the Government subsidise? I am the “adviser” to Petronas but I know very little about it beyond what is published in its accounts. What I do know may not be very accurate but should be sufficient for me to draw certain conclusions.
Roughly Malaysia produces 650,000 barrels of crude per day. We consume 400,000 barrels leaving 250,000 barrels to be exported.
Three years ago the selling price of crude was about USD30 per barrel. Today it is USD130 – an increase of USD100. There is hardly any increase in the production cost so that the extra USD100 can be considered as pure profit.
Our 250,000 barrels of export should earn us 250,000 x 100 x 365 x 3 = RM27,375,000,000 (twenty seven billion Ringgit).
But Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion, all of which belong to the Government.
By all accounts the Government is flushed with money.
But besides petrol the prices of palm oil, rubber and tin have also increased by about 400 per cent. Plantation companies and banks now earn as much as RM3 billion in profits each. Taxes paid by them must have also increased greatly.
I feel sure that maintaining the subsidy and gradually decreasing it would not hurt the Government finances.
In the medium term ways and means must be found to reduce wasteful consumption and increase income. We may not be able to fix the minimum wage at a high level but certainly we can improve the minimum wage.
Actually our wages are high compared to some of our neighbours. The investors who come here are attracted not by cheap labour but by other factors, among which is the attitude of the Government towards the business community and the investors in particular.
From what I hear business friendliness is wanting in the present Government – so much so that even Malaysians are investing in other countries. There are rumblings about political affiliations influencing decisions. Generally Government politicians are said to be arrogant.
Malaysia is short of manpower. The labour intensive industries are not benefiting Malaysians. Foreign workers are remitting huge sums of money home.
The industrial policy must change so that high tech is promoted in order to give Malaysians higher wages to cope with rising costs of living.
The world is facing economic turmoil due to the depreciation of the US Dollar, the sub-prime loan crisis, rising oil and raw material prices, food shortages and the continued activities of the greedy hedge funds. The possibility of a US recession is real. In a way the US is already in recession. The world economy will be dragged down by it.
Malaysia will be affected by all these problems. I wonder whether the Government is prepared for this.
We cannot avoid all the negative effects but there must be ways to mitigate against them and to lessen the burden that must be borne by all Malaysians. I am sure the Government will not just pass all these problems to the people as the review of oil prices every month seem to suggest.
Source: Tun Mahathir
That the price in neighbouring countries has gone up is shown by the rush to fill up by Thai and to a lesser extent Singapore vehicles.
The Government has now announced an increase in petrol price by 78 sen to RM2.70 per litre, an increase of more than 40 per cent.
I may be mistaken but there seems to be less vehicles on the road today. But obviously that is not all that will happen. All other consumer goods, services and luxury goods would increase in price.
The cost of living must go up. Put another way there will be inflation and the standard of living will go down.
Obviously our increase in petrol price is far less than in the United Kingdom or the United States. But our per capita income is about one-third of theirs. In purchasing power terms our increase is more than in the UK or the US.
The increase hurts but the pain is greater not just because of the increase percentage-wise is higher than in developed countries but because of the manner the increase is made.
A few days ago the Government decided to ban sale of petrol to foreign cars. It flipped. Now foreign cars can buy again. Flopped.
Knowing that in a few days it was going to raise the price and foreigners would be allowed to buy, why cannot the Government just wait instead of banning and unbanning.
But be that as it may what could the Government have done to lessen the burden on the people that results from the increase in petrol price.
In the first place the Government should not have floated the Ringgit. A floating rate creates uncertainties and we cannot gain anything from the strengthened Ringgit. Certainly the people have not exprienced any increase in their purchasing power because of the appreciation in the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Ringgit.
Actually the Ringgit has increased by about 80 sen (from RM3.80 to RM3.08 to 1 US Dollar) per US Dollar, i.e. by more than 20 per cent. Had the Government retained the fixed rate system and increased the value of the Ringgit, say 10 per cent at a time, the cost of imports, in Ringgit terms can be monitored and reduced by 10 per cent. At 20 per cent appreciation the cost of imports should decrease by 20 per cent. But we know the prices of imported goods or services have not decreased at all. This means we are paying 20 per cent higher for our imports including the raw material and components for our industries.
Since oil prices are fixed in US Dollar, the increase in US Dollar prices of oil should also be mitigated by 20 per cent in Malaysian Ringgit.
But the Government wants to please the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and decided to float the Ringgit. As a result the strengthening of the Ringgit merely increased our cost of exports without giving our people the benefit of lower cost of imports.
This is not wisdom after the event. I had actually told a Government Minister not to float the Ringgit three years ago. But of course I am not an expert, certainly I know little about the international financial regimes.
I believe the people expect the increase of petrol price. But what they are angry about is the quantum and the suddenness. The Prime Minister was hinting at August but suddenly it came two months earlier, just after the ban on sale of petrol to foreigners.
If the increase had been more gradual, the people would not feel it so much. But of course this means that the Government would have to subsidise, though to a decreasing extent.
Can the Government subsidise? I am the “adviser” to Petronas but I know very little about it beyond what is published in its accounts. What I do know may not be very accurate but should be sufficient for me to draw certain conclusions.
Roughly Malaysia produces 650,000 barrels of crude per day. We consume 400,000 barrels leaving 250,000 barrels to be exported.
Three years ago the selling price of crude was about USD30 per barrel. Today it is USD130 – an increase of USD100. There is hardly any increase in the production cost so that the extra USD100 can be considered as pure profit.
Our 250,000 barrels of export should earn us 250,000 x 100 x 365 x 3 = RM27,375,000,000 (twenty seven billion Ringgit).
But Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion, all of which belong to the Government.
By all accounts the Government is flushed with money.
But besides petrol the prices of palm oil, rubber and tin have also increased by about 400 per cent. Plantation companies and banks now earn as much as RM3 billion in profits each. Taxes paid by them must have also increased greatly.
I feel sure that maintaining the subsidy and gradually decreasing it would not hurt the Government finances.
In the medium term ways and means must be found to reduce wasteful consumption and increase income. We may not be able to fix the minimum wage at a high level but certainly we can improve the minimum wage.
Actually our wages are high compared to some of our neighbours. The investors who come here are attracted not by cheap labour but by other factors, among which is the attitude of the Government towards the business community and the investors in particular.
From what I hear business friendliness is wanting in the present Government – so much so that even Malaysians are investing in other countries. There are rumblings about political affiliations influencing decisions. Generally Government politicians are said to be arrogant.
Malaysia is short of manpower. The labour intensive industries are not benefiting Malaysians. Foreign workers are remitting huge sums of money home.
The industrial policy must change so that high tech is promoted in order to give Malaysians higher wages to cope with rising costs of living.
The world is facing economic turmoil due to the depreciation of the US Dollar, the sub-prime loan crisis, rising oil and raw material prices, food shortages and the continued activities of the greedy hedge funds. The possibility of a US recession is real. In a way the US is already in recession. The world economy will be dragged down by it.
Malaysia will be affected by all these problems. I wonder whether the Government is prepared for this.
We cannot avoid all the negative effects but there must be ways to mitigate against them and to lessen the burden that must be borne by all Malaysians. I am sure the Government will not just pass all these problems to the people as the review of oil prices every month seem to suggest.
Source: Tun Mahathir
Saturday, May 24, 2008
How To Quickly and Easily Pick Hot Topics For Articles
by: David Mascke
"What shall I write about?" is the first question that inexperienced writers ask their literary advisers. "If you haven't anything to write about, why write at all?" might be an easy answer.
Most persons, as a matter of fact, have plenty to write about but do not realize it. Not lack of subjects, but inability to recognize the possibilities of what lies at hand, is their real difficulty.
The best method of finding subjects is to look at every person, every event, every experience - in short, at everything - with a view to seeing whether or not it has possibilities for a special feature article. Even in the apparently prosaic round of everyday life will be found a variety of themes. A circular letter from a business firm announcing a new policy, a classified advertisement in a newspaper, the complaint of a scrub-woman, a new variety of fruit in the grocer's window, an increase in the price of laundry work, a hurried luncheon at a cafeteria - any of the hundred and one daily experiences may suggest a "live" topic for an article.
Subjects and phases of subjects that attract readers may, for convenience, be divided into the following classes, which, however, are not mutually exclusive:
1. Timely topics,
2. Unique, novel, and extraordinary persons, things, and events,
3. Mysteries,
4. Romance,
5. Adventure,
6. Contests for supremacy,
7. Children,
8. Animals,
9. Hobbies and amusements,
10. Familiar persons, places, and objects,
11. Prominent persons, places, and objects,
12. Matters involving the life, property, and welfare of others,
13. Matters that affect the reader's own success and well-being.
Of course, you'll want to track your articles to determine which subjects really push the "hot buttons" of your readers.
"What shall I write about?" is the first question that inexperienced writers ask their literary advisers. "If you haven't anything to write about, why write at all?" might be an easy answer.
Most persons, as a matter of fact, have plenty to write about but do not realize it. Not lack of subjects, but inability to recognize the possibilities of what lies at hand, is their real difficulty.
The best method of finding subjects is to look at every person, every event, every experience - in short, at everything - with a view to seeing whether or not it has possibilities for a special feature article. Even in the apparently prosaic round of everyday life will be found a variety of themes. A circular letter from a business firm announcing a new policy, a classified advertisement in a newspaper, the complaint of a scrub-woman, a new variety of fruit in the grocer's window, an increase in the price of laundry work, a hurried luncheon at a cafeteria - any of the hundred and one daily experiences may suggest a "live" topic for an article.
Subjects and phases of subjects that attract readers may, for convenience, be divided into the following classes, which, however, are not mutually exclusive:
1. Timely topics,
2. Unique, novel, and extraordinary persons, things, and events,
3. Mysteries,
4. Romance,
5. Adventure,
6. Contests for supremacy,
7. Children,
8. Animals,
9. Hobbies and amusements,
10. Familiar persons, places, and objects,
11. Prominent persons, places, and objects,
12. Matters involving the life, property, and welfare of others,
13. Matters that affect the reader's own success and well-being.
Of course, you'll want to track your articles to determine which subjects really push the "hot buttons" of your readers.
6 Hot Tips To Get Your Articles Read
by: Steve Sharpe
There are many people who dread having to write papers or articles. Many just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads the. To some people, reading articles seems like work to, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that’s their purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student.
There are many people who dread having to write papers or articles. Many just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads the. To some people, reading articles seems like work to, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that’s their purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
1988 judicial crisis: Let history be the judge
By : NORAMTAZ ABDULLAH, Petaling Jaya
TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad, during a recent talk to Malaysian students at the University of Manchester, chose to speak out again on the sacking of the lord president and six senior judges in 1988 ("Dr M questions need to pay judges in 1988 crisis" - NST, April 21).
His statement came shortly after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi acknowledged publicly, after almost two decades, that what had happened then was wrong and it was only proper to correct and put it right.
We thought what the prime minister did had put the issue to rest. But Dr Mahathir chose to revisit the subject.
The fact is the entire 1988 judges episode had been politically motivated. The rakyat knew the score all along, so did Umno.
I believe if a national referendum was carried out today asking if Dr Mahathir was responsible for this debacle, the majority would say "yes".
Similarly, if we asked the people who were responsible for the erosion of public confidence in our judiciary since 1988, the answer would be "Dr Mahathir" as well.
Of course, he will blame the judges and vehemently deny having any influence in the appointment of judges. It is a win-win situation for him but let history judge him.
Source:NST
TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad, during a recent talk to Malaysian students at the University of Manchester, chose to speak out again on the sacking of the lord president and six senior judges in 1988 ("Dr M questions need to pay judges in 1988 crisis" - NST, April 21).
His statement came shortly after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi acknowledged publicly, after almost two decades, that what had happened then was wrong and it was only proper to correct and put it right.
We thought what the prime minister did had put the issue to rest. But Dr Mahathir chose to revisit the subject.
The fact is the entire 1988 judges episode had been politically motivated. The rakyat knew the score all along, so did Umno.
I believe if a national referendum was carried out today asking if Dr Mahathir was responsible for this debacle, the majority would say "yes".
Similarly, if we asked the people who were responsible for the erosion of public confidence in our judiciary since 1988, the answer would be "Dr Mahathir" as well.
Of course, he will blame the judges and vehemently deny having any influence in the appointment of judges. It is a win-win situation for him but let history judge him.
Source:NST
Prepare for a green future
Issues relating to subsidies is being manipulated by many parties. The real focus should be on finding viable substitutes for fossil fuel.
What will we use in the future for fuel?
Fomca would like to highlight the importance of focusing on future fuel supplies and the po tential energy crisis to ensure there is continued sustainable development in Malaysia. Fuel and energy are interrelated is sues and are inseparable.
The need to find alternative fuel and energy sources should be a top priority.
Such development must also be managed with a good check-and-balance mechanism to prevent monopolies.
In many developed countries, fuel consumption by cars is re duced by promoting efficient public transport services.
This is enhanced by integ rating all available transport modes into an efficient entity.
We must ensure that fuel we use in the future will only have a minimal impact on nature.
Solar energy and bio-mass en ergy are options we can focus on.
Technologies such as hybrid cars, solar-powered cars and many more are available over seas.
However, green vehicle tech nology is not being developed locally
Local car manufacturers should strive towards making technology more green to pre pare Malaysians for a ‘green fu ture’.
In countries like Brazil, LPG is used for heavy vehicles. To re duce dependency on LPG from fossil fuel, a good extraction system of bio-gas from agricul tural as well as farm waste and sewage should be considered. Efficient engines will ensure ef ficient fuel consumption.
We should not forget that is it our responsibility to ensure there is a future for the future generations. Do not deplete their supplies.
Piarapakaran Subramaniam
Fomca environment desk
What will we use in the future for fuel?
Fomca would like to highlight the importance of focusing on future fuel supplies and the po tential energy crisis to ensure there is continued sustainable development in Malaysia. Fuel and energy are interrelated is sues and are inseparable.
The need to find alternative fuel and energy sources should be a top priority.
Such development must also be managed with a good check-and-balance mechanism to prevent monopolies.
In many developed countries, fuel consumption by cars is re duced by promoting efficient public transport services.
This is enhanced by integ rating all available transport modes into an efficient entity.
We must ensure that fuel we use in the future will only have a minimal impact on nature.
Solar energy and bio-mass en ergy are options we can focus on.
Technologies such as hybrid cars, solar-powered cars and many more are available over seas.
However, green vehicle tech nology is not being developed locally
Local car manufacturers should strive towards making technology more green to pre pare Malaysians for a ‘green fu ture’.
In countries like Brazil, LPG is used for heavy vehicles. To re duce dependency on LPG from fossil fuel, a good extraction system of bio-gas from agricul tural as well as farm waste and sewage should be considered. Efficient engines will ensure ef ficient fuel consumption.
We should not forget that is it our responsibility to ensure there is a future for the future generations. Do not deplete their supplies.
Piarapakaran Subramaniam
Fomca environment desk
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