Again and Again.......wrong place at the wrong time

Sigh...............................

Theft of jet engines puts the spotlight on Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — A widening scandal over the theft of two jet engines by senior military personnel has exposed serious lapses in Malaysia’s security establishment.
It has also raised concerns that the country is emerging as a hub for the trade of illicit military-related equipment to countries declared as rogue nations by the United States and its allies.
Over the past week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Cabinet colleagues have scrambled to defend embarrassing revelations that two F5-E jet engines from the Royal Malaysian Air Force and other sensitive military equipment were smuggled out of a high-security airbase and moved by a cargo plane out of the country.
The theft of the two engines — each worth RM50 million — was discovered last year but became public only after it was exposed by a local newspaper.
Datuk Seri Najib’s response that investigations were ongoing after two years immediately attracted charges of a cover-up from opposition politicians.
Government officials have declined to identify the cargo’s destination, but Western diplomats closely tracking the situation said that the engines were destined for Iran, which has been under a US trade embargo since 1995 and is now under global scrutiny because of its refusal to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme.
“This is becoming a recurring theme with Malaysia and the frequency of instances where local or foreign companies based in Malaysia are involved in these illicit dealings has increased sharply since early 2000,” said the chief of a security advisory company, who once served as a senior diplomat in the region.
Malaysia’s international reputation took a serious dent in late 2003 when a large, politically well-connected company was discovered to be a crucial player in the now-defunct clandestine network headed by rogue Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan, which sold nuclear know-how and technology to Libya, Iran and Pakistan.
The Khan-led network was exposed when centrifuge components produced by a subsidiary of the Scomi Group — a large engineering concern controlled by Kamaluddin Abdullah, the son of former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and prominent businessman Shah Hakim alias Shahzanim Zain — were intercepted by European intelligence officials in a ship bound for Libya.
While the Malaysian government has cleared Scomi and its executives of any wrongdoing, Shah Hakim, Dr Khan and another Sri Lankan-born Malaysian permanent resident Buhary Syed Tahir were slapped with sanctions earlier this year by the US State Department for their involvement in nuclear proliferation.
More recently, several executives from Malaysia-incorporated companies, including firms owned by foreigners, were indicted in the US for illegally selling military equipment to Iran. These cases have triggered concerns among defence analysts and diplomats that Malaysia could become a hub for the illicit trading of military equipment and technology.
The latest fiasco is particularly disturbing as it directly involves senior air force officers who have yet to be identified by the Malaysian authorities, diplomats said.
“This has taken the game up several notches. Sooner or later, Malaysia will need to commit to the international community, particularly the US, that it will do more to police this kind of activity,” said a senior Kuala Lumpur-based Western diplomat who asked not to be named.
Najib’s immediate challenge will be to deal with the political fallout from the missing jet engines at home.
Apart from exposing serious breaches of security within the military, the theft occurred when Najib was defence minister and further revelations on the scandal could hurt the shaky prestige of his Barisan Nasional coalition government, which suffered its worst setback ever in last year’s general election.
Already, opposition politicians are hammering away at the scandal, describing it as a clear case of the worsening corruption in government.
DAP’s and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang said the government had been “super slow” in investigating the theft.
PAS spokesman Idris Ahmad said “powerful people” had been involved.
“We don’t want only the ikan bilis to be arrested while the sharks are allowed to swim freely,” he said. — The Straits Times

When corruption is rampant this is what you get.....

I am not only shaking my head, but my whole body is shaking now ...what an awkward situation that Malaysian has to face, not only once but twice and not only twice but again and again.....

Tuesday December 22, 2009

150m-long skylight comes crashing down at new bus terminal

By R.S.N. MURALI and M. AZHAR ARIFF

Terminal gone bust: Shattered glass are strewn all over the soon-to-be-opened bus terminal after the 150m-long roof came crashing down. — M. AZHAR ARIF / The Star

KUALA BERANG: Another roof of a public building has collapsed in Terengganu, just six months after the roof of the state’s main stadium gave way.
Yesterday, the 150m-long glass roof of the soon-to-be-opened express bus and taxi terminal here collapsed, sending hundreds of sheets of glass crashing down.
Four workers suffered cuts from the broken glass.
Terengganu has been hit by a spate of revelations about buildings with shoddy construction.

Besides the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium (picture), defects have also been found in the Batu Burok Aquatic Complex and the Sultan Mahmud Airport terminal.

Malaysia Boleh!!!!!!!!!!

I can only shake my head when I read about the news below.....It signify that how fragile is Malaysian defense system and even a jet can be stolen. Can you still trust this government? Do they understand the meaning of "Integrity"? We Malaysia have had enough of this craps....

Enjin F-5E TUDM dijual pada syarikat di AS

Dis 19, 09 8:17pm

Enjin pesawat pemintas F-5E milik Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) disedari hilang pada 2007 telah dijual kepada sebuah syarikat antarabangsa dari sebuah negara yang berpangkalan di Amerika Selatan, kata Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Beliau berkata syarikat antarabangsa itu dipercayai telah mengupah ejen tertentu untuk melarikan enjin pesawat bernilai RM50 juta itu ke luar negara.

"Kementerian akan mengambil tindakan dari segi perundangan peringkat antarabangsa untuk mendakwa syarikat yang terbabit mengupah untuk melarikan enjin itu ke luar negara.

"Mereka yang terbabit dalam kumpulan bawahan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) merupakan pengkhianat kepada negara dan wajar dikenakan undang-undang yang tegas," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Rakan Alam Sekitar di Bagan Datoh hari ini.

Ahmad Zahid mengesahkan semua dokumen mengenai penjualan enjin itu telah diperoleh oleh polis.

"Syarikat antarabangsa itu berminat membeli enjin itu kerana harganya yang murah, kerana ia merupakan alat ganti yang dikategorikan sebagai rosak yang akan diperbaiki," katanya.

Beberapa akhbar tempatan hari ini melaporkan polis menahan empat orang termasuk pegawai TUDM berhubung kehilangan enjin pesawat pemintas F-5E bernilai kira-kira RM50 juta itu.- Bernama

Islam Mosque located in other countries

Kindly click on the link to look at the photo of the mosque in respective countries. This is my answer to readers in Dr. Ridhuan Tee Blog to prove that government in these countries have not done anything that's prejudiced to the Muslim although they are minorities i.e less than 5% of the population of the countries.



(1) Hong Kong China







http://www.islam.org.hk/eng/E-HKmosque.asp

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

http://islaminchina.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/a-hong-kong-bloggers-observations-on-islam-in-china/

(2)India

http://www.indiasite.com/mosques/

(3) Switzerland

Mosque in Zurich, Switzerland

Peaceful coexistence and even cooperation of religions is a reality in Switzerland. This was not always so, however. Remember: Catholics and Protestants faught four major civil wars against each other from 1529 to 1712 and a fifth civil war in 1847 started because conservative christians did not accept the upcoming of modern liberal democracy. I am convinced that you could not find a native Swiss wanting to go back to the pre-1848 state of the country with all consequences this would imply ...
In fact it's the basically secular constitution with a strong tendency against every kind of paternalism of religious communities against individuals that ensures freedom of religion for all.
If you miss a church at this place in my photostream, there are plenty of them elsewhere.
urban islam - some information on Islam in Switzerland
Das älteste Minarett in der Schweiz wurde 1963 gebaut und hat seither - nach Aussage des Pfarrers der Kirche auf der anderen Strassenseite - nie zu konkreten Beschwerden Anlass gegeben.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lido_6006/220089848/

House prices up 20pc in 2010?

For the prospect house buyers, you would not want to hear it.....

 

By Lee Wei Lian

“Six to nine months after the stock market increases, it goes into brick and mortar.” — Reuters pic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — House hunters will likely face higher prices next year as pent up demand and gains from the stock market boost the property sector.

Houses on the secondary market could also be hit by an additional five per cent increase in prices as owners looking to sell try to cover the real property gains tax (RPGT) which comes into effect in January.

According to the Real Estate and Housing Developer’s Association (Rehda), slightly over half the respondents in a survey of its members expect property prices to increase up to 20 per cent over the next six months.

About 30 per cent of the respondents expect prices to remain stable, while less than five per cent expect prices to decrease.

The stock market has made substantial gains this year and investors who benefitted will likely be looking to put their money in property.

“Six to nine months after the stock market increases, it goes into brick and mortar,” said Rehda deputy president Datuk Michael Yam at a briefing today on the property outlook for next year.

On the positive side, interest rates remain low and banks continue to be flush with extra funds, therefore making the arrangement of home financing easier.

Yam, however, stressed that there was still a relatively low barrier to home ownership in Malaysia and ticked off a list of factors in the homebuyer’s favour, including interest rates as low as BLR (base lending rate) minus 2.3 per cent; margins of financing up to 100 per cent; zero lock in period; stamp duty exemptions; and repayment periods extended to thirty years or up to the age of 75.

“Even I can qualify for a (30 year) loan now,” he quipped.

According to Rehda officials at the press conference, the average value of homes transacted in 2009 is estimated to be between RM200,000 and RM250,000 when excluding low cost homes, and about RM168,000 when taking into account low cost houses.

Fresh graduates, however, could face difficulty buying properties in the city where prices are much higher.

Yam said that there were no official figures available for the average price of link homes in the Klang Valley but said that there were terrace houses in some suburbs available for about RM400,000, as compared with RM200,000 in smaller towns and cities like Kluang and Kuantan.

“Graduates may have a problem without help from their parents,” he said.

“They earn maybe RM3,000 to RM4,000 a month, which means they can borrow only RM150,000 to RM200,000. It is not possible to buy a terrace house [with that level of income] but maybe an apartment.”

He added that developers might have to consider building smaller units for the fresh graduate market segment, in the region of 600 sq ft apartments that sell for RM300 per sq ft.

A long term boom is also expected for the housing industry that could put upward pressure on prices as Yam said that slightly over half of the population is below 24 years of age and would later enter the homebuyers market.

“These people will be pushing to enter the property market,” said Yam.

Housing prices in some parts of the world such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia have risen dramatically over the two years, prompting a public outcry.

Prices of private homes in Singapore reportedly rose by 16 per cent in the third quarter and there are concerns of a speculative asset bubble building in Hong Kong.

According to Ratings Agency Malaysia economist Kristina Fong, asset bubbles were not evident in Malaysia and an over-supply of units on the Malaysian property market is likely to cap price escalation.

Do you feel the pinch?

 This article reflects the awkward situation faced by middle class today.....

Ask yourself, how much's your salary increased  compare to the cost of foods and goods?

Do you feel the pinch, I am sure you do.....

Can we do anything?

Rising prices, stagnant incomes put squeeze on middle class

By Lee Wei Lian

PETALING JAYA, Dec 17 — As a working professional who enjoys eating out James Yip noticed the charges on his bills have crept up significantly within the last year.
He says that a dinner for two at his favourite outlets used to cost him about RM30 for two but that has risen to RM50 or RM60 now.
Yip, a senior consultant attached to a top US multinational, also noticed his grocery bills creeping up from RM30 to RM50 per week for him and his wife and this has led to him opting for cheaper brands than what he would normally buy.
Malaysians like Yip are feeling pressured by seemingly runaway inflation that has outpaced the rise in income levels, resulting in a cut in living standards.
For people like him, reports that inflation is on the downtrend and will only be between 1 and 2 per cent for the year are met with disbelief.
"I don't think it is accurate," he told The Malaysian Insider.
While the financial stress has been bearable so far, some say that if the trend continues, it could become a major problem.
"People are just coping with it at the moment," said Yip.
Income levels in Malaysia, which is struggling to move up the economic value chain, have remained little changed in the last 30 years. An engineer starting work today would earn perhaps only slightly more than his or her counterpart in the 1980s.
The same is not true for the cost of goods and services, however.
The ringgit, once almost on par with the Singapore dollar, has been devalued drastically since the 1980s and has impacted purchasing power and made imported items essential for modern-day living such as computers and handphones less affordable.
Meanwhile, the cost of real estate, especially in urban areas, has spiralled upwards, making home ownership more difficult.
Years of underinvestment in agriculture and public transport have caused the import of agricultural products to become a factor in food prices and also left many Malaysians with little choice but to purchase cars by taking out hefty loans with tenures up to nine years long.
The middle class is in the situation of being neither rich enough to brush off the rapid increase in prices nor poor enough to benefit from financial allocations such as RM100 million in free shares as recently announced by the government for the urban poor.
Upper-income Malaysians continue to do well as attested by several sold out high-end property launches and openings of fancy restaurants serving menu items such as RM249 per pax champagne brunches and the number of new luxury cars appearing on the roads.
Some middle-class Malaysians have been able to maintain a decent lifestyle in urban areas despite high prices as they rely on bank loans and credit cards.
"A lot of people are living on credit," says Andy Hong, a marketing manager with a leading local tech firm. "Many will be in debt their whole life. We end up working for the bank."
David Lam, a senior manager with a foreign bank, says that he noticed that the prices of goods have increased this year but without a corresponding increase in income.
"If the issue is not resolved now, it will be a concern," he says.
There is some relief in the form of lower interest rates which lessens the burden for those who have taken housing loans and the government's proposed RM1,000 increase in personal income tax relief next year.
The lower interest rates, however, could hit those who rely on fixed deposits.
Some economists have predicted economic growth for Malaysia next year but many still feel vulnerable with news of Dubai's debt woes, high jobless rates in the US and Japan's worse than expected third quarter economic growth adding to their worries.
"There is still uncertainty about the economic climate," says Yip.
One issue affecting taxpayers, especially those that fall into the middle- and lower-income groups, is the quality of public services.
Some developed countries do impose a high income tax rate but offer in return quality and comprehensive public services such as top-notch infrastructure, public healthcare and education institutions.
Zamri Ramlan, a financial services executive, says he feels he is not getting his money's worth in taxes that is being deducted from his paycheque each month.
"The taxes I have paid this year are substantial. I want to see quality public services provided in return," he said.
Yip, meanwhile, has decided to simply eat out at restaurants less.
"Instead, I go to the mamak shops more," he said.

There's an easy way to plan for retirement. Find out how.

More VSS for Penang Staff by Dell.....

As long as Malaysia still in day dream and our politicians still very much in politicking instead of finding ways to improve the country competitiveness, this is what you get......

 

Dell offers VSS to 700 Penang staff

Computer maker Dell Inc is offering a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) to 700 of its Penang workers in a bid to cut costs and stay lean.

The company yesterday announced that it will stop shipping its notebook computers from Penang to the US, Canada and parts of South America.

Dell will, however, continue to export its laptops to Australia, New Zealand and South Asia from its Bukit Minyak facility on mainland Penang.

Besides Penang, Dell has eight other manufacturing plants scat-tered around the world.

In Asia Pacific, Dell's manufacturing plants include those in Xiamen, China and Chennai in India.

Apart from making notebooks, the company also produces desktop computers, servers and storage products, which are manufactured to orders for global customers.

"The 700 affected staff will include production operators, supervisors and managers," Dell Malaysia senior manager for corporate communications Jasmine Begum told Business Times.

Dell, whose investment presence in Malaysia spans 14 years, has a total headcount of 4,500 and two facilities in Penang - one in Bukit Minyak and the other in Bayan Lepas on the island.

The company also has a global business centre in Cyberjaya.

Jasmine said the affected employees will begin to part ways with Dell beginning January 2010 and the company expects to conclude the VSS exercise by the middle of the year.

"We will however continue to hire here," she added, "in line with the Malaysian government's call to enhance its employee base and take them up the value chain."

Mr.Big Mouth are you sure?

Big Mouth , please do not talk like a kid ...what do you mean "unethical" ?

Are the idiots like Awang Selamat & Zaini Hassan ever produced by Utusan Malaysia are ethical......Please lah

Hishammuddin: Some bloggers unethical

KUALA TERENGGANU, Dec 15 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said some bloggers, unlike local journalists, do not adhere to the rules and ethics of journalism in their bid to garner popularity. “The local journalists adhered to ethics but these bloggers did not, and this was what set apart journalists from these bloggers,” he said at the presentation of the 2009 ExxonMobil Journalism Awards here last night.
Hishammuddin said journalists in the country would have nothing to fear so long as their reports adhered to the ethics of journalism, adding that they would be accepted by the people.
He said journalists who reported the truth would not be penalised and those who spread slander would not be successful.
At the function, two Bernama journalists were among those honoured. Wan Affandi Wan Mahadi of Bernama TV was awarded the second prize (RM1,000 cash) in the audio visual category while Ibrahim Abu Bakar won the third prize (RM750) in the sports writing category. — Bernama

Najib you sure....?

Ai yo yo , Najib are you sure.....I thought your supporter only know about  "Ketuanan Melayu" .....

I afraid later they will call you as "Penderhaka".....ai yo banyak susahlah.....

On the other end , our evergreen Mahathir mentioned that "Forsaking English is the Nation's folly" ....Ah ha......another Penderhaka?

Najib: Learn Mandarin, China important

China’s President Hu Jintao (right) and Najib talk outside the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Malaysians, especially the Malays, need to take up Mandarin as it has become an important language since China is now a world economic superpower, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Najib said learning another language would also enable a person to know better other individuals from different backgrounds, thus enabling them to respect each other more.
“Only when we respect and honour one another, we will become truly Malaysian,” he said at the Chong Hwa Independent High School’s 90th anniversary grand dinner here.
He said by learning Mandarin, the other races — especially the Malays — would be able to understand the Chinese better.
“It may be too late for me to learn Mandarin, but I hope to see more Malays learn the language in the future.
“My youngest son, Norashman Razak, who is currently studying at Georgetown University in the United States, is also taking Mandarin classes,” he said, adding that he was told his son would only be able to speak Mandarin fluently in four years’ time.
“Maybe one day, I may invite him to give a speech in Mandarin.”
On Chinese independent schools in the country, Najib said the provisions in the Education Act 1996, formulated when he was education minister, guarantee the existence and growth of Chinese schools in the country.
Therefore, the community needed not worry, he added.
He said the government’s liberal policy towards education since independence was the main factor for the growth of Chinese independent schools, with Malaysia being the country in the region with the most number of Chinese schools and many of its people having a Chinese education.
“The existence and growth of schools using the students’ mother tongue as the medium of instruction is also the country’s strength and diversity.
“This shows that the Barian Nasional-led government is always liberal in weighing its policies; that outside China, Malaysia had the biggest number of Chinese-educated citizens.”
He said although the issue of whether Malaysia should have single or multi-stream education system was always debated, he believed the multi-stream was good in creating a society in diversity, where diversity was a strength and asset for the country.
Commending the success of Chong Hwa Independent School, Najib said the fact that Chinese parents were sending their children to the school showed that the community was committed and put high priority on education.
He said to date, there were 60 Chinese independent schools in the country.
Also present at the dinner were MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, treasurer-general Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng, vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, party Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, who is also Gerakan president. — Bernama

Dr M: Forsaking English is the nation’s folly

Dr M: I am not an Englishman but I speak English. — File pic

By Neville Spykerman

SHAH ALAM, Dec 14 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the government was exposing Malaysia to peril by reversing the policy of teaching maths and science in English.
“English is the language of the Knowledge Age. Countries which do not master English will not only be left behind but risk being colonised either directly or indirectly.”
Without knowledge, countries will be oppressed and even invaded, he said.
The former premier, who has not hidden his disapproval over the shift of policy which he introduced, added that it was a folly to equate patriotism to speaking the national language.
“English is not only for English people but a universal language. I am not an Englishman but I speak English.”
“Are you an Englishman?” he asked a reporter during a press conference after he delivered the keynote address at the 17th Islamic World Academy of Science conference which is being held here.
He pointed out in the past, Western scholars were unafraid to learn Arabic in order to acquire knowledge, which was only available in that language and likewise the Arabs had to learn Greek for the same purpose.
But today, Dr Mahathir said the government was “ignoring success.”
“New discoveries are coming out in torrents in English,” he said adding that it would take an army, fully fluent in both English and Malay, to translate all the latest development.
The 2003 policy of teaching mathematics and science in English or PPSMI was reversed by the Cabinet on July 8 due to objections from various pressure groups who argued that rural students could not cope and were being left behind.
The policy was introduced to increase English proficiency and to expose students to technical science and mathematics terms from a younger age so they could excel in these fields at tertiary levels.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who also holds the education portfolio, has maintained the government will not return to the policy of teaching and learning science and mathematics in English despite appeals from mainly urban parents.
The government is moving ahead on the new policy of dignifying Bahasa Malaysia usage while raising English proficiency.

Rich Malaysians getting richer

What about you???????

 

 

Survey: Rich Malaysians getting richer

Rich Malaysians are now even richer and many have plans to live abroad, a recent survey revealed.

Affluent Malaysians have reported that they are now 55 per cent wealthier than before compared to 35 per cent earlier this year.

And those Malaysians who want to move are looking at Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the US.

The HSBC Affuent Asian Tracker, a survey conducted by Nielsen for HSBC, surveyed a total of 1,700 affluent individuals between 30 to 55 years of age in eight key markets in September and October 2009.

The survey gauged views of people in the top 10 per cent of the population by income and liquid assets.

HSBC in a press release said the data was a clear indication that savvy affluent Malaysians came through the financial turmoil at the end of 2009, relatively unscathed.

Some 86 per cent of Malaysian respondents gained their wealth through employment. Generally, 56 per cent of their income is spent on daily and recurring expenses while 26 per cent committed towards savings, insurance and investment.

HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd's general manager for personal financial services Lim Eng Seong said that the high net worth Malaysians were riding on Asia's recovery and improved market sentiment, their confidence is returning as investors are providing momentum towards a more robust wealth management market in Malaysia.

Questions on planned changes in investment risk appetite over the next six months, revealed that 50 per cent were willing to increase their investments. Of this an equal number were planning to invest in direct stocks and in unit trusts.

However, they were mostly moderate risk takers and will not change their risk appetite in the next six months.

The asset holding of most surveyed skewed towards saving and unit trusts (73 per cent), properties (65 per cent) and life insurance (61 per cent).

Fourty-seven per cent of Malaysians felt that Asia Pacific was a better option followed by Greater China, but 35 per cent have no plans to invest in funds or equities abroad.

The survey's investment risk index showed that most Malaysians are leaning towards more secured long-term investment products.

"Growing affluence is the key driver for investment activities and diversification of asset holdings. While market sentiment will continue to remain an important driver, other factors will also influence the psyche of the affluent Malaysian investor," Lim said.

The survey showed that advice from independent financial advisers (53 per cent), financial media (40 per cent) and friends (29 per cent) were the top three role players in shaping their investment portfolio.

Some 44 per cent of Malaysians preferred to spend their earnings on dining out, entertainment and hobbies with another 40 per cent on travel and 36 per cent on property.

Meanwhile, although 52 per cent of those surveyed have no plans to live abroad, 30 per cent of those of who do, are looking to live in Australia or New Zealand, following by Singapore (18 per cent) and the US (10 per cent).

In Asia, mainland China leads the wealth surge with a 70 per cent rise in net worth compared to 46 per cent in the first half of 2009.