Trust

We were told since we were born that the Government, and the Police, is trusted for our peace and order of our society.

In school, we were told to be obedience and be useful to the society when we grown up.

When we came out from school, we were told that whatever the Government does is good for all of us and we must appreciate.

But we see one after another, mishandling of trust of the people who voted the ruling regime. We witnessed one after another abuse of power from those who are suppose to uphold the law of this land.

We see one after another justice not being served in the manner we were told since we were young.

What we wanted is humbly dream of living on the mother land of ours in harmony and peace.

We ask for nothing more than justice being served. Nothing more than a caring Government whom we will work hand in hand to face any challenges should there be any.

We want not to differenciate with our own brothers and sisters on this land by colours.

And we respect others on this land whom we have been living together to forge for a better tomorrow.

Hand in hand we shall build this land a paradise where there's no fight among ourselves.

Some passively complained that we are just too small to make visible changes. Some said they could not care less about what's going on and just live with it.

But if we aren't doing anything to tell those whom we have elected, or trusted to manage on behalf, we failed.

So stand up, brothers and sisters, speaks up. Your voices and comments will not irritate the others if you speaks up truthfully.

Let's work together to put someone whom we can trust to work than to passively complain or quitely accepted whatever has thrown to us.

There will always be tomorrow where the sun will rise again after a full night.

There will always be laughther after pain.

Remember, the future is shaped on how we act today. Do it, wait no more!

[Posted from my iPhone]

Don't regard criminal as Hero

I am trying to avoid commenting on such incident involving the Malaysia Royal Police Force but I cannot help wanting to ink my thought.

Kugan, a car thief suspect, died in the police custody on the eve of Chinese New Year. He has been detained earlier for 5 days before he passed away. His family was not notified until hours after his dead.

Both the Inspector General of Police, and the Selangor State Police Chief claimed Kugan collapsed after he drank water and the first post-mortem report certified that he died due to water in his lunge.

How would a normal young man drink water until water got into his lunge? I wonder if both IGP and CPO of Selangor really understand what transpired during the investigation until such a person died with water on his lunge. Should the Police make it a point in the future where no drinking of water for any suspect during investigation to avoid the same incident from happening again?

Then our beloved Home Affair Minister Syed Hamid commented as titled: Don't make criminal a Hero.

Well, the Kapar MP is correct that it is police themselves making the suspect as a hero. If there's no such incident, no one could have bother who is Kugan, really!

Then some assholes from 'NGO' warned the public not to blow the issue as it is sensitive to others.

Asshole! A life was taken away, don't tell me that Kugan perished with a glass of water (probably some assholes can demonstrate how a glass of water can take away a young man's life).

Some other assholes warned "Don't make this a racial issue"

Well, quite right, this is not a racial issue, this is a national issue. On record as revealed in the Parliament, hundreds of detainees died under the police custody. Yes, they may be suspect of criminal offences, but who took their lives away? Are they all drink the magic water and collapsed? Or are they, like Hudini the great, able to bring out string or rope that is strong enough to hang themselves in the lockup often left with underwear or sometime naked?

Did they deserve what they had?

This country is sick, very sick!!!!

[Posted from my iPhone]

KLIA East - my opinion

I was attracted to a news entry at the Malaysia Insider that one of the most popular blogger, Kenny Sia, voiced his support to Air Asia on the newly proposed Budget air terminal located in Labu, aka KLIA East.

A little background on this:

Air Asia, teaming up with Sime Darby Berhad, is pushing for a PFI (Private Funding Initiative) project to build a new budget air terminal at Labu, approximately 10Km away from KLIA.

Of course, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, the manager of the KLIA, is opposing the move, claiming that KLIA does have a similar plan and objective, aka KLIA North.

Thus, the two sides exchanges, and it seems Air Asia won the first round when the Government announced the project, however, was subsequently depressed by the same Cabinet to call for a review of the project.

From the surface, it is easy to understand why Khazanah, the Government Investment arm, which owns both Sime Darby and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), prefers not to have an airport outside MAHB's control. Furthermore, Khazanah is also the major shareholder of the National Carrier, Malaysia Airline Systems (MAS).


Should Air Asia successfully built the airport, MAHB and MAS will stand to loose the most.

It looks like Air Asia is the victim of the alleged unfair practice by MAHB to deter Air Asia from advancing into otherwise territory of MAS.

This many favoured Air Asia to run it's own airport instead. The supporters of KLIA East argued that with airport within Air Asia's control, the budget carrier will be able to manage the airport more efficiently hence able to maintain low fare.

I do have doubts, perhaps my doubts may have been brought up by others, or it may have already been answered by either sides, but I am still wanted to raise here.

First
Why should Khazanah openly oppose the KLIA East project whereas it can choose to reason to the Cabinet before the announcement is made.

Second
Khazanah, having representatives sitting both in MAHB and Sime Darby. For such a deal with Air Asia, Sime Darby Board would have been brief, or endorsed the project. Why Khazanah did not block the project at the Board level and instead chose to object openly in public?

Third

According to Air Asia, MAHB seems unfair to Air Asia. MAHB is trusted to manage the airports, not to practice differentiation among its clients, i.e. MAS and Air Asia.

Both MAS and Air Asia are home grown carriers, and both contribute significantly to the nation's tourism revenue, why should both carriers be treated differently?

Fourth

Should MAHB fees to carriers be revised to encourage more carriers, and to ensure that the fees are affordable to budget carriers. Is there anyone conducting a study on why KLIA is only handling 10% of its passenger capacity and still seeing local budget carrier wanted to part from KLIA?

Fifth

Is Government intervention required to ensure that MAHB is competitive compare to other regional airports such as Singapore and Bangkok? What is the reason behind carriers pulling out from landing in KLIA? Besides reduced number of passengers, what MAHB has done to attract new carriers, or even effort to retain existing carriers to use KLIA?

Sixth

Given Sime Darby as a Khazanah company, the project should not be labeled as Private Funding Initiative (PFI) instead. Ultimately, it is the nation who owns part of the business, i.e. the land owned by Sime Darby. Thus, the Government should make it clear that public fund, including funds and assets owned by the state-owned companies, is handle in good care.

I see two problems here:

1. MAHB did not manage KLIA well. If MAHB follow the style of other airports where both budget and full service carriers are serving at the same place, at an attractive fee, KLIA will probably maximise its available capacity. Thus, MAHB should review and relook into how to accomodate budget carriers in the main airport instead of separating them to LCCT or KLIA North, or losing the business.

2. Sime Darby should answer the reasoning behind teaming up with Air Asia. Is this move pure profit driven where the investment is expected to be fruitful? What if the project failed? Who is bearing the consequences? Sime Darby board? Khazanah? the Government? or the tax payers?

I see no reason for another airport, if MAHB failed to accommodate Air Asia's requests (or demand if you like), the Government should then replace the whole management team of MAHB, or take back the control of KLIA, or sell to a independent party with conditions that KLIA should and forever will accommodate all types of carriers with the intention to reduce wastage benefiting the Nation.

In short, until KLIA capacity is reaching its peak, there should be no additional airport.

[Posted from my iPhone]

Chinese New Year!

I was trying to rush off from my work and was really late when done for the day.

There's virtually no food, except for fast food chain which is still open.

I then decided to travel to my wife's home town for our very late dinner, it was almost 10:30pm when we started travel, and reach around 40 minutes later.

Of course, everyone else have eaten.

After having our dinner, there started the highlight of the new year: praying to the God when the hours' up.








-- Post From My iPhone

Happy Chinese New Year

Wishing all happy Chinese New Year!




-- Post From My iPhone

Life without the Internet

My God! I do not know what's going on for Celcom!

Celcom 3G has been very unstable this week, and become worse today when the data network is totally out!

This will of course screwed up their potential revenue since MMS is affected too.

A call to Celcom careline learned that the celco is experiencing nationwide breakdown in the midst of holiday season, and there's no further information on why it went down and when will the service be resumed.

I depend a lot on 3G for my work and information gathering. When the network is down, I am practically handicapped.

Although I can always stay at home or go get a place where wifi is available, but this will limit my mobility, the primary reason to have a 3G plan.

What Celcom should do is to blast out a message on service outrage to inform it's customer instead of being blasted over the care line?


-- Post From My iPhone

Khalid, Khir, and Cattles

Khir Toyo, the former Menteri Besar of Selangor, today revealed documents to prove that Khalid Ibrahim, the present Menteri Besar, that the later's office "instructed" a state-own business entity to purchase 46 cattle to be distributed to later's parliamentary constituency, Bandar Tun Razak, which is under Wilayah Persekutuan.

Good job for Khir to be able to fight back after many accusations made by Khalid against Khir during his administration.

But Khir has probably forgotten, it was under his administration that Selangor became a BOTAK land, a land with virtually no forest reserve that is now causing flash flood to Klang Valley when heavy rain.

Khir has also forgotten that it was him that a State-owned agency bought a watch worth RM160,000 as a his present.

But if Khir's allegation is correct, then he probably does ONE good for the state of Selangor, after 8 years administrating the state.

陆庭谕事件

陆老的事件闹大了。大家议论纷纷的，各有说法。

或者我们应该由另一个角度看问题。

我想这起事件的最大问题是：我们往往倾向于否认一些特定人士的负面做为，认为这些人士不会做出负面传闻的行为。

令我感到不能理解的是我们对事情的看法往往被这些人士的贡献模糊了视线。

如马哈迪固然对国家作出了贡献，但他同时也摧毁了马来西亚的法治基础。

陈水扁在推动台湾民主占了一席重要的位子，是不是表示他的贪污就可以一笔勾销？

说到马来西亚的华教运动，陆庭谕对华教的付出是有目共睹的。是不是因为如此，他的个人行为也必须合理化？

当然，陆老之所以会病得这麽严重，最主要的原因，在我看来，是那些尽力将事情淡化或掩盖的人。那些将华教罪人的大帽子扣在受害人头上，又或阴谋论者。

更可悲的是一些媒体工作者，在高喊新闻自由的同时，却默许同行被占便宜后尽其所能的将事情盖掉。

这些人才是真正的凶手。

要是陆老在病情还没那么严重时被揭发，而获得适当的治疗与辅导，那他的晚年可能会过的更好，而也就没有更多的受害者被骚扰。

总之，我们一天不放弃将人当神拜的封建心态，我们就不可能会进步。

Aung San Suu Kyi

I was havingmy lunch somewhere in KL, and I saw this.









I told them, the Burmese labourers, that I respect Aung San Suu Kyi for her courage to fight for her people.

They smiled, then they asked me to take the above pictures.



-- Post From My iPhone

When the politician shouting to defend Ketuanan Melayu

Snapped this image from in front of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, a signboard entirely in English.

Why there's only English signboard where it should be at-least bi-lingual, i.e. Bahasa Melayu as the nation's official language, and English and/or other languages.

Why those who shouted Ketuanan Melayu, willing to scarify their life to defend the Supremacy of Malay, did not pressure KL Convention Centre to have Bahasa Melayu on signboard.

Let's see who is behind KL Convention Centre.... from their website:

"Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is managed and operated by Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company between KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd and AEG Ogden Pty Ltd, Australia. It is owned by Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Petroliam National Berhad (PETRONAS)."

So when Cabinet Ministers and Barisan Nasional political beings accused the Penang State Government for erecting (just recalled the ex Information Minister can pronounce this word perfectly -- remember the live tele-interview by Al-Jazeera, election was pronounced as erection!) multi-lingual signboards at strategic locations.

WHY THEY MISSED OUT THE STATE-OWNED PETROLEUM COMPANY SUBSIDIARY for not adhering to the National Language Policy?

Cakap tak serupa bikin!!!!

or in English:- "Do as I say, don't do as I do!" - borrowed from one of the Jeff Ooi's Screenshots posting..

马华自慰！MCA Syok Sendiri!

The MCA President Ong Tee Keat, acted in rocket speed commented that the Kuala Trengganu by-election results shows Chinese are backing Barisan Nasional despite BN as a whole, and MCA in particular, is facing difficult time to win the by-election.

Anyway, the seat is lost to Pakatan Rakyat's PAS state assembly person, now the Member of Parliament for Kuala Trengganu.

Why Ong Tee Keat did this?? Isn't he masturbating in front of UMNO, whom MCA/UMNO often claim they are husband/wife for each other?

A comment to Dr Chua Soi Lek's Posting on Hudud Law

Original post

Dr Chua, Quoted from your text:

"Hudud implementation has wide ramification and implications in a multiracial country like Malaysia. It will be a messy job to implement Hudud only among Muslims and leaving the non-Muslims to the civil law.

Presently, we have enough confusion and controversy even with syariah and civil law. It will just add more confusion to what is already a difficult problem to resolve between syariah and civil law in some divorce cases where one of the spouse in converted to Islam."

If there are already so messy with Syariah and civil laws, why did not MCA oppose the implementation of Syariah law in the first place?

It is not the matter of whether the law to be implemented to a certain group of people, it matters whether the law is implemented in a fair and just manner.

Likewise for public fund allocation for development. If I am not wrong, the Menteri Besar of Trengganu commented on whether to continue allocating fund for KT development will largely depending on which side KT voters are supporting, i.e. voted.

He gave example of as a father in the family, if the kid is obedient then the father will probably love him better than other kid(s) who are less obedient.

If the mentality of a Menteri Besar from Barisan Nasional liken voters as his kids, and reward or punish using public fund taxed from the voters, in which the money does not come from his own pocket like an ordinary father.

How would you expect voters to continue support BN just wanted development where development fund is originating from tax payers/voters?

Frankly, I like your straight forward style, but I cannot see a good reason why you should still stick to BN/MCA.

Be a man who dare to make the CHANGE instead of waiting for CHANGES to come.

Join us for CHANGE!

Pakatan Rakyat won Kuala Trengganu

Both my wife and I have Bern closely following the progress of vote
counting since 6pm. The iPhone is certainly playing the most important
part as both of us trying to grab to see what's the latest.

We were disappointed when Malaysia Insider and Malaysia Kini both
reported that BN led by 700+ votes around 7:40pm, but incoming SMSs
and later news proven otherwise where PAS leads handsomely and
consistently maintain a margin of 2000.

Thank God, thanks to all on the field, the voters acknowledge your
call for CHANGE and acted wisely.

Now, it is another step closer to Putrajaya for Pakatan Rakyat. For
Najib and BN, this is another humiliation that the voters have send a
clear message.

Syabas to the winner and his team, those who have devoted their effort
to make this possible, thank you again.

Praying for PAS to win

I am here, watching closely the development of the polling day of Kuala Trengganu by-election.

Am keep refreshing pages from Anilnetto and Malaysiakini.

Anxiously exchanging information with my fellow friends in Kuala Trengganu both PR and BN.

Seems BN does not have confident winning the race whilst PR worried that they might be unexpected happenings.

May God bless all who strive for CHANGE and better Malaysia.

When the economy is bad

How on earth our Government still claiming that the economy is
alright, and crime rate is lower than Japan and Hong Kong?

I came across this banner put up by the Japan Club in Kuala Lumpur in
both Japanese and English.

Thank you for those who fight for equality and fairness for fellow Malaysian

To all at the front line of the Kuala Trengganu by-election who
believe in, and forge for equality and fairness for all Malaysian, I
thank you for your dedication and hardwork.

Malaysia will stand up again because of you, who fear no mighty
mechinery of the corrupt regime and brave them with your heart and soul.

We must not forget the fight is not over even if we win the battle of
Kuala Trengganu.

Especially to Raja Petra and the group of concerned citizen who
sacrify their comfort life for the betterment of the country.

Please accept my sincere thank you as my appreciation to what all of
you have done and make it possible.

CHANGE no longer Utopia with your effort, it is a reality!

Thank you once again!

Rgds,
Chia, CY

Sent from my iPhone

Kuala Trengganu by-election

I was trying to depress myself not to comment on political development in Malaysia as my 2009 new year resolution. But I just cannot help shaking my head when I read comments and statements from so-called leaders of this country.

Thus, I recap what they have said, and you judge whether they deserve to be our leaders.

15 Jan 2009

首相：若國陣候選人中選地位將不低過副部長

Published by Sinchew-i

Prime Minister said if the Barisan Nasional candidate win the by-election, he will be appointed a cabinet post not lower than Deputy Minister.

My response: What is this promise got to do with the voters? Does it means if an MP won election and be appointed as cabinet member, it will do good to his/her voters?

Does this means those who voted for Barisan Nasional backbenchers are not qualified to have their representative as a Cabinet member?

So if you are voters represented by Barisan backbenchers, perhaps you should pray that your constituency will somehow qualified for by-election (if your current MP died, bankrupt, jailed for more than 1 year, disappeared, vanished, you name it), and your newly elected Barisan MP (if he/she ever win), will be made a Cabinet member if BN wanted to win the seat again.

15 Jan 2009

黃家泉：投回教黨等同不介意建立回教國

Published by Sinchew-i

Minister of Housing and Local Government Ong Ka Chuan (my comment on him here) said voting PAS means you agreed on Islamic state.

Dumbhead! DUMPBHEAD!!!!

I wonder how can this man be made a Minister? MCA muted when former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced Malaysia is an Islamic country.

What have MCA and specifically Ka Chuan has done to stop the Syariah Law, which is one of the fundamental aspect of Islamic state?

I don't mind what laws will there be applied to all of us in this country, all I am asking for is fairness to all.

15 Jan 2009

納吉：每逢選舉必炒作‧“登補選沒幽靈選民”

Deputy Prime Minister Najib said the Oppositions always brought up phantom voters' issue in every elections, and there's no phantom voters for Kuala Trengganu by-election. No No No No NO!!

How can he be so sure that there's no phantom voters, does it implies that phantom voters are creation of ruling party not oppositions? Perhaps it is just like Abdul Razak Baginda be very sure that Altantuya has nothing to do with DPM!

Is there a reason not to fall in love with iPhone 3G?

Is there a reason??

I was complaining limitations and shortfall of the iPhone 3G.

After extensive googling, I decided to jailbreak my iphone.

I have tried a few attempts that I was not able to, and found out that OSX 10.5.6 running on my Macbook is the culprit not allowing my iPhone to turn to programming mode, aka DFU mode.

However, there were discussion with the following solutions:

1. downgrade OSX from 10.5.6 to 10.5.5 - a big NO to me. 10.5.6 is very much stable and responsive, I will not downgrade just to jailbreak my iphone;

2. get a Windows PC and do the trick. Well I cannot get the tools to run on Windows properly, it crashes;

3. use a USB hub to connect between iPhone and Macbook. I used the USB hub built onto our HP LCD monitor, and have it connected to the iphone and macbook, and it works!

After jailbreaking the iphone, I have installed biteSMS, solved most of the SMS issues that Apple left out, i.e. SMS forwarding, deleting individual SMS instead of the whole conversation.

Another app cannot be missed is SwirlyMMS, the only MMS application for the iphone.

lastly, I installed SIAX, the VOIP client capable of SIP and IAX connectivity, and claimed able to make call even over 3G network, as oppose to Fring and Truphone that seems restricted by Apple to allow SIP call over 3G network.

Limitation of iPhone 3G

Well, after a few days playing around with the iPhone 3G, there are a few missing features that I do not understand why Apple missed them:

1. SMS forward - I cannot forward SMS, so if someone send me info via SMS, and I need to forward to another person, or a group of persons, I will have to retype;

2. Battery life - I am charging 3 times a day now. Granted that I have using the phone heavily, as my previous Sony Ericsson Z610i. During the heavy usage day, i.e. 3G access, calls, SMSes, etc., I will probably survive with 1 charge per day. But iPhone 3G, I need to charge the phone when I have a chance;

3. Copy and paste - Well, I cannot copy and paste from one application to another, or even within the same application as the feature is just not available. Apple was the one who successfully commercialise Graphical User Interface (GUI) with Windows/Mouse/Menu/Click where copy and paste bundled from Day 1 Apple III GUI and Apple Lisa was introduced. Even my Apple Newton has copy and paste, but it is now missing from iPhone 3G.

iPhone!!

Finally, I've got an iphone 3G, sort of reward for me as my Sony Ericsson Z610i, of which I have been non-stop torturing, is already defaced by me, i.e. key broken, paint dropped out from the casing, etc. etc.

I have never stop using 3G phone, be it surfing, reading news and blogs, SMSing, talking, anything you name it. I have in fact maximise a device by the name mobile phone, but it has been essentially my main tool for my work, another tool is my Macbook.

Not to mention all the mobile Java applications that I installed on Z610i, i.e Opera Mini browser, GMail, Google Map (this works with my external GPS device), Weather forecast, etc. etc.

Waited for more than a year hoping that the local celco will bring in iphone 3G, the most notable mention is Maxis, keep saying iphone is on its way to Malaysia, but we never see the light until now.

For the year end holiday season, I begun to hunt for iphone 3G in Malaysia. The first place to check is of course Low Yat Plaza. I went thru the pain of talking to the sellers there, went to Sungei Wang, Digital Mall, and surf online to Lelong, Mudah.com.my, eBay Malaysia, and Low Yat net forum.

Hundreds of phone calls, sms, web surfing, forum messaging, and face to face talk to sellers to find out whether they really understand what they are talking.

This is extremely important if you want an iphone 3G and retain Apple Warranty eventhough warranty can only be claimed from where the iphone 3G sold, not Malaysia. For example, if you buy a Singtel set, you will need to claim warranty from Singtel or Apple Singapore. Local Apple will not attend to your warranty claim.

Another hurdle is to ensure iphone 3G is officially unlocked, not unlocked by means of either using a SIM adaptor, hardware modification, or software based unlock.

This is important as both SIM and hardware modification voids Apple warranty, plus you will not be able to use iTune to sync your iphone 3G with your computer. For people who use iphone 3G just as another mobile phone, this does not matter for them, but for me, it is important.

Then you need to determine whether the iphone 3G on sale is genuinely official unlocked, which only a handful of countries' iphone 3G is unlocked by Apple due to local legislation, else your seller may trick you to believe that it is unlocked but is in fact unlocked by other means.

Finally, you need to make sure it is a genuine Apple iphone 3G instead of iphone clone from China.

I was offered an iphone 3G for RM2,300 where the box claimed it is from Hong Kong (from the product code), but the unit is a clone instead. There's no WiFi and 3G, but it has MMS which does not exist in the original Apple iphone 3G. This unit looks like iphone, acts like iphone, but it is not an iphone. Bear in mind the market price for this clone is only RM800 and the guy waned to sell me RM2,300!!

I went to several shops around Low Yat/Sungei Wang area, some seller offer iphone 3G from US, and claimed official unlocked, which is impossible. Some seller offered iphone with no activation, means it does not exist in Apple Warranty database. Some seller selling iphone 3G with only 6 month's Apple warranty left, which may be an used set but selling at the new set price.

So you have to check the box, the phone, its IMEI number, and make sure both matches, and check Apple online Support on warranty availability.

The market price for 16GB model is approximately RM2,950, 8GB is very limited in stock, going for RM2,300 to RM2,600.

Some of the seller at Low Yat forum and Lelong are quite professional and knowing the stuff well, but I cannot wait any longer, and also need to trade-in the Z610i. Furthermore, I insist on checking the unit before paying, and most good sellers are either no stock in hand at that moment, or they are located too far away from KL.

Well, all these are now history, the iphone 3G is with me now.

Am I happy? YES!

A note of brief discussion with the Taiwanese friends on Democracy

I was fetching the guys, 2 of them, Bruce and Andrew. Whereas the ladies are on another car.

When traveling to the last destination of the night, i.e. 4th Jan 2008, the three of us started our conversation on Democracy and how we look at it.

Bruce started by asking what is the general sentiment of us, the Chinese in particular, that our country's leaders are mostly other races, i.e. ethnic Malay.

I told him this is probably most non-Malay feel in this country. However, I in turn asking him that in Taiwan, almost all are the same race, but the elected then President, Chen Shui-Bian (陈水扁) abandoned his people, rather those who voted him in as the President, and become the most corrupted President in the Taiwan history.

What I was trying to say is that even we have leaders of the same race, it does not guarantee that the people's interested will be protected.

I have further illustrated that given the example of MCA (Malaysia Chinese Association), the 2nd largest ruling coalition component party, often resorted to appealing and begging for restoring the Chinese's rights as claimed by themselves, than be the equal partner of the ruling coalition. However, I personally do not see how MCA successfully defended the Chinese's rights in this country.

Thus, my point is: Whether the leader speaks your mother tongue, having the same skin color, or same faith does not make them a better leader for a given community.

A leader, as of my definition, should be a lead person who will protect and uphold everyone's rights in the country. Those who have been waiving kris (Malay sword); calling others "immigrants"; begging for others to give what is entitled for; are nothing but pure political animal. These are not the leaders that a country should have. These leaders will eventually torn the country apart, vacuum all wealth for their personal gains, and leave rubble behind to the rest of us.

As an ordinary people on the street, I can only dream of that one fine day, the political animals extinct , and real politicians raised to be the defendant of the people.

A misty morning

Well, it has been quite a while my area is not covered by mist. Early in the morning when returning home around 0200, thick mist covering the whole residential area right from the entrance 6Km away from my house.

The mist is still there at around 0815 now, visibility is about 10 meter, kind of Genting Highland feel.

Feeling good seeing the mist in the morning, making me feel afresh.

Friends from Far Away II - 有朋自远方来 II

These are some shots I took when we brought them out to the Curve

Bad video recording from my mobile, but the song is nice.

However, it is a wonderful night we had!

有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎！Friends from afar, what a joy!

Friends from Far Away - 有朋自远方来

4 Taiwanese friends of my wife, whom she got to know during her recent visit to Taiwan, visited Malaysia.

Guess how much they pay for their trip to Malaysia from 1 Jan 2009 to 5 Jan 2009? Before guessing, just look at the hotels they are staying:

Night	Location	Hotel	Rate
1st	Melaka	The Legacy Melaka	RM168
2nd	Port Dickson	The Legend Water Chalet	RM700
3rd	Klang Valley	Holiday Inn Glenmarie	RM260
4th	Klang Valley	Palace of Golden Horses	RM380

lodging per head is estimated at RM754.00

They fly Cathay Pacific, transit HKG, NT8,643.00 (RM914.63) per head

This works out per head cost RM1,668.63 for their 5 day stay in Malaysia, converting to NT$ based on current exchange rate, equals to NT$15,768.00

They are paying a total of NT14,500 per head.

This is clearly below cost, even for just accommodation and flight alone. In addition, cost of transportation from KL to Melaka on the first day, from Melaka to Port Dickson on second day, from Port Dickson to KL on 3rd day, and from KL to Genting Highland, back to KL on the 4th day, and lastly from Palace of Golden Horses to KLIA, tour guide tips, lunch & dinner, are all not covered.

Of course there are tourist spots included in their itinerary, such as Bukit Cina, etc in Melaka, the Port Dickson beach (still promoting Port Dickson beach??), Batu Caves, Bintang Walk, etc.

Now, how the tour operator is able to make money from the apparent loss making trip?

The secret: pushing the tourists to buy as much as possible at designated stores.

For example, the herbs for Ba ku teh is selling at RM50.00 per pack, after discount, sold for RM35.00 whereas we, the ordinary Malaysian buying at RM10.00.

This makes our friends very unhappy as no one ever informed them their fare is below costs that they need to buy a lot.

Is this something wrong with us Malaysian when promoting Malaysia abroad?

I was learned that Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese are two easy target for this kind of tour packages.

What is Tourism Malaysia doing on this? I do not think that the Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese are not able to pay for proper tour packages, however, the fare actually misled them.

This is the Taiwan tour operator website promoting the same package.

Hannah Yeoh: Breakdown of allocation for 2008

I must congratulate YB Hannah, for her disclosure of her allocation in details.

I wonder will other ADUNs and MPs do the same? Anyone from BN??

Click here for details: Hannah Yeoh: Breakdown of allocation for 2008

Happy New Year!

Happy new year to all!

My new year wish? Well, everyone have a role to play and everyone can survive the upcoming financial crisis.

In the coming year, I will tone down a little. Well, I do not want to be ISAed, or C4ed, or be "protected".

So I will keep low profile. You see me, you see me not