Sunday, January 30, 2011

Tiger's year is ending; Hail the Rabbit!

Toyota's advertisement parade the picture of a reluctant tiger being forcefully dragged away by a timid Rabbit. It aptly described the coming of an end to the year of the Tiger and the arrival of the Rabbit.

Another year had passed and it's good to review our efforts and achievements for the year 2010.

It was a reasonably good year for me. For me, January 2010 started with a bang before the Tiger year begins in February 15, 2010. Thereafter, the 12 months journey of the Tiger year was extremely challenging. Looking back at the results for the year, it was fantastic and satisfying; it was, to me, the best results I had ever achieved over the last 15-year. In fact, 2009 and 2010 were the best years for my career.

Over the past 24 months I had re-constructed my career, re-organized and improved my financial accounts and had a few good holidays overseas, with my family and business partners. Overall, 2010 was a good year for me.

In the next few days, the Chinese will be celebrating the Year 4709 - the arrival of the Rabbit year.

What will the outlook of the Rabbit year?

If the sentiments of the people over the last few days were to be the guiding factors, it seems that 2011 will be an extremely trying and challenging year for many, including me.

Last night I had a dinner at a roadside stall with some friends at Cheras, KL. Beside the stall there was a Pasar Malam (night market). Having a good view of the crowds at the pasar malam it wasn't too encouraging for the stall onwers.

After the dinner we had some beers and we had the company of a few stall owners who were friends of my buddies. We had a nice discussion about their businesses and the economic scenarios. According to the stall owners, the sales over the past few months had drastically contracted by more than 30% as compared with last year. I asked them what was the reasons for the poor sales. According to the various opinions, the disposable income of the people had contracted; in general, there is less income and higher cost of livings - literally, the people have less to spent. Being a business consultant, I can observed that many companies do not pay bonuses this year; many companies are facing revenue collection problems, while many others are having anxieties over the possibilities of becoming jobless should the economic state persists.

It is going to be a trying and an extremely challenging year for 2011. Entrepreneurs must get prepared and seek out opportunities everywhere and beyond their current business portfolios. Businessmen must be more creative and innovative in order to thrive and survive. The old ways of doing business and the dependence on existing customers and clients aren't going to be sufficient. We have to extend the boundaries and scope of the businesses and to expand our network and operations beyond the known(s) - we had to get connected with the unknowns - to bring in new businesses from people we don't already know and to replenish the much needed revenues in order to survive. It's going to be hard and challenging; it's going to be a tough year, it seems to be.

For me, I have began that mission; and I had started to re-construct my business portfolios and pursue those goals. It is January now and I will have the full 12 months to get those results. The land of the unknowns are full of surprises. Hopefully, there will be some good surprises for 2011.

Whatever it is, we still have to enjoy and celebrate. It's Chinese New Year time; it's time to attend reunion dinners; it's time to give Angpows and collect Angpows too. It's New Year celebration. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Story for today

A Chinese boss, in order to keep a mistress in China, bought a house in Shenzhen for her to live in plus a monthly allowance of 5,000 yuan.

The house cost him about 500,000 yuan.

He sold the house this year for 3.2 million yuan, after he broke off from his mistress.

He did a quick calculation:

After 5 years of a fling with the woman, he still had a nett gain of 2.4 million yuan.

When his wife found out about this, she was very mad and shouted at him:

"Why the hell did you keep only one mistress"!!

LESSONS LEARNED:

All decisions must be strategic and long-term benefits must be envisaged. Discuss with your wife, if necessary, particularly on the little sacrifice a man had to make that will bring a lot of financial benefits with a little mutual understanding and having a shared vision.

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Story by Stanley Ngu

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Mufti Perak clarification on use of loudspeaker

Ketua Pengarah Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (Ikim) Datuk Nik Mustapha Nik Hassan berkata dia berasa kecewa apabila isu azan telah dipolitikkan kerana pemimpin-pemimpin melihat ia dari sudut politik.

Nik Mustapha berkata isu azan telah dipolitikkan oleh pihak tertentu.

“Kenapa nak jadikan isu? Kenapa nak dipolitikkan?

“Kalau lihat dari sudut politik maka ia jadi isu politik, dulu perkara seperti ini tidak pernah berlaku pun.

“Jadi kenapa nak bincangkan perkara ini? Apa yang penting kita menghormati antara satu sama lain, menghormati adat resam. Yang penting hidup dalam keadaan harmoni, saya tidak faham kenapa ia dipolitikkan,” katanya dengan nada kecewa.

Beliau juga mencadangkan supaya semua rakyat di negara ini menghormati antara satu sama lain demi menjaga keharmonian negara.

“Azan berkumandang untuk memanggil orang Islam bersolat, jadi ia bukan masalah dan bukan isu.

“Ketika saya di Amerika dulu, ketika azan orang Islam di sana tidak menggunakan pembesar suara kerana tidak mahu mengganggu orang lain.

“Macam kita di Malaysia begitu juga, kita kena menghormati antara satu sama lain. Jangan sampai mengganggu mereka,” katanya.

Dalam satu surat bertarikh 20 Disember 2010 kepada Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Ng, meminta supaya tindakan diambil bagi memperlahankan bunyi azan di Masjid Al-Ikhlasiah di Bukit Kerinchi itu kerana didakwa mengganggu tidurnya.

Perkasa dan Pekida telah mengadakan protes di pekarangan masjid berkenaan bagi mengecam tindakan Ng yang dikatakan telah menyentuh sensitiviti umat Islam.

Mufti Perak Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria juga berkata pengurusan masjid atau surau tidak perlu menggunakan pembesar suara selain untuk tujuan azan.

Kata beliau, hanya untuk tujuan azan yang perlu menggunakan pembesar suara manakala bacaan-bacaan lain tidak perlu.

“Hanya azan sahaja yang gunakan pembesar suara, yang lain tidak perlu. Bacaan lain hanya gunakan (pembesar suara) dalam masjid sahaja.

“Tak usahlah nak ganggu orang lain, lagipun tak disuruhkan dalam Islam gunakan pembesar suara selain azan,” katanya.

“Apa-apa pun bagi saya, hanya azan sahaja yang gunakan pembesar suara. Yang lain tidak perlu,” katanya.

Sebelum ini bekas mufti Perlis, Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin berpendapat umat Islam patut menghentikan bacaan-bacaan selain azan, yang dibuat melalui pembesar suara supaya tidak mengganggu orang luar dan juga mereka dalam masjid.

Kontroversi isu azan timbul selepas seorang peguam bukan Islam mempertikaikan bunyi azan yang terlalu kuat sehingga mengganggunya.

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SOURCE: Mufti Perak: Pembesar suara selain untuk azan tak perlu

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Thursday, January 13, 2011

AirAsia & its more than once experience at Kuching Airport



AirAsia's plane landed at Kuching on 10th Jan 2011.

The landing had been slippery and the plane had to glided off the runway.

It finally landed on the grass verge




The pundits blame the bald tyres .....
Others blame the rain ...

Others blame Singapore govt ... don't know why.

Mahathir, will you blame the Zionist?

I wonder if someone will blame god.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Why did Malays scorn their own brother?

I was reading Sallehuddin's Blog today and in his article: Public Land And Rising Prices: Rakyat DiDahulukan, and at para 5 he wrote:

[Quote]

Maju is owned by entrepreneur Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamad or popularly known as Abu Juling (cross-eyed Abu). They developed the Bandar Tasek Selatan in Bandar Tun Abdul Razak, Cheras.

[unquote]

At later paragraph he quote from an sms which he had received from Ghaffar of Muar, [Quote]

This is an issue of people versus errant developer. Huff and puff by Abu Juling (is an) offshot (of) a row in the meeting (between developer and people) with Ministry of Federal Territory over a disputed land matter of Tasik Selatan.

Abu Juling walked out claiming that the whole of Tasik Selatan belong to him. He bought it in 1986.

(That is) Juling's unschooled and birdbrains spelt out by his ignorant and adamant (ways) as pictured.

[unquote]

What puzzles me is: why do you call someone as Abu Juling when that person is Tan Sri Abu Sahid, a successful Bumiputera, a Malay and a Muslim? How many times was Abu addressed as juling?

This is a man who was honoured with the Title: Tan Sri by our Yang Di Pertuan Agong. He comes from a poor family and over the decades he laboured - blood, sweat and tears - to ultimately build up his business empire to what it is today - a multi billion dollar empire.

He is a good example of a hardworking Malay entrepreneur, a man who sleeps at 5am daily, pondering over his business processes and making strategic decisions daily to make sure that his businesses are progressing in the right direction and ensuring sustainability over the next few years.

Tan Sri Abu's business empire has given employment to many thousands of Malays and he is one of the very few Bumiputera Contractor who has a competent and capable team of project managers and supervisors. The Integrated Transport Terminal (TBS-BTS) at Bandar Tasik Selatan was completed in a record time - without any Extension of Time - on October 2010; the contract completion date was Nov 2010. Take note that there was a 12 months delay due to squatters relocation problem (of which DBKL was responsible), underground services relocation problems, and the project also requires Maju Holdings to build a steel bridge over 3 railway lines (ERL, Rapid & KTM). There was also the problem of soft ground conditions and massive soil replacements and soil strengthening works. Yet, the project was completed ahead of schedule on October 2010. What is more impressive is that, the TBS-BTS was fully operational by 1st Jan 2011 - less than 2 1/2 months after CF/CCC. Which government facility/project was operational within 3 months of completion? None!!!

Why are the Malays not proud of their own people who have become successful? He was a poor Malay boy - a rag to riches Malay boy story. Ya, he was a beneficiary of the NEP; so is Syed Mokhtar, Amin Shah, Tajuddin Ramli, AP Hanif, Kamaladdin, Nasir Razak, Mirzan, Mukhriz & Mokhzani Mahathir, Halim Saad, Azman Mokhtar, Khalid Ibrahim, Azman Hashim, and various others. He may be Mahathir's protege, but he did not cheat to gain; he did not sell APs to become rich; he works hard when he was young; he works as a labourer, he later buys and sell scrap metals, he made some money and start his property development business, he got the opportunity when Perwaja was bankrupt by buying over the failing business and turning it around; he is a self-made billionaire.

Tan Sri Abu Sahid took the opportunities when it arises; he sought the governments approval to take over Perwaja when it was in deep shit; the opportunities were granted to him; he toiled, laboured and bled, and over the years of suffering he finally made it big and became successful.

So, shouldn't we be proud that there are Malays who has become successful and rich - they work hard; they suffered failures, falls down, get up and get on with the journey to dreamland.

This is a man who deserves to be applauded for his hard work and business acumen. Why can't we address him as Tan Sri Abu Sahid or alternatively call him as Encik Abu; why add Juling? Ada kah ini adat istiadat orang orang Melayu atau hanya satu-dua orang sahaja yang kurang upaya?

There are times businessmen makes wrongly advised decisions and he may have to suffer punishments such as losses or to pay compensations, or may even have to be indicted or incarcerated. But Tan Sri Abu Sahid is not a devil or is such devilish type of person as portrayed by some. He has, over the years, donated a lot of money, time and energy to do charity, build mosques and help many poor Malays. He has given employment to thousands of Malays.

The problem with the development land at Bandar Tasik Selation is not as devilish as it is made out to be. It concerns a development plan that was altered or modified and the proposed recreational park initially earmarked and submitted to DBKL as part of the development for the construction of about 2,000 Apartments; that proposal was later scrapped; revised design was resubmitted to the authorities for the construction of 5 bungalows for himself, his children and family members. At such, in view of the changed in design, he must have been advised that, since the original plan to build the Apartments was altered, therefore he need not surrender that part of land for recreational park. That allocated recreational park was intended for the owners of the proposed Apartments. If he was wrongly advised, or if the bylaws did not permit him to utilized that piece of land which was purportedly to have been surrendered to DBKL (which his consultants advised him that it was not), then DBKL can act against him. Equally, Abu Sahid can seek the court's jurisdiction to review the purported legal interpretation by DBKL. There are various differing legal opinions and it would be best settled if the case is brought to the court for a judicial decision that is binding.

So, while some of the surrounding house owners at Bandar Tasik Selatan may be unhappy and protesting, can we be civic-minded and have the courtesy to call that man as: Tan Sri Abu Sahid or just, Abu Sahid?

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Friday, January 07, 2011

Perkasa says no to Teoh royal commission

Malay rights pressure group Perkasa instructed the federal government not to proceed with its plan to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into political aide Teoh Beng Hock's death.

At a press conference today, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali said there was no need for the commission because the inquest had already declared an open verdict on his cause of death.

"We should all just leave it. Given that the courts had already decided on the matter, having the commission to probe the matter was tantamount to disrespecting the courts and a waste of public funds.

"(What) if this commission does work? What else will we establish next?" Ibrahim asked.

Ibrahim commended Najib for attempting to show that his administration was transparent.

“For that I salute him,” said Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim announced that Perkasa's second national gathering will take place on Feb 26 at Pasir Salak, Perak, the site of JWW Birch's slaying by Maharajalela and his assistant Sepuntum in 1874.

Mahathir will officiate the event that is themed 'Bersatu teguh, becerai roboh (together we stand, divided we fall)'.

Ibrahim expects about 15,000 people at the event. Speakers would be talking about the Malay and bumiputera economic agenda.

“This will bring awareness for the Malays and the bumiputera. It is about Malay rights. It is not racist but (an attempt) to ensure we gets a fair share,” he said.

In another report, the Indonesian woman has vehemently denied that she was raped by Information Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim.

"The maid, who returned to Central Java after leaving Malaysia, is now living in peace and calm in her tranquil village," said National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers chairman Jumhur.

So, who says the Indonesian woman was raped? She wasn't!!! She is happy and living in peace and prosperity. Who is trying to tarnish Rais Yatim's good reputation? Who? Who?

Perkasa intent to punish those who didn't! But the Chinese didn't say it. But they can't deny that they have to be blamed even if they didn't ... it was their fault; otherwise how can Rais be blamed?

In another surprise news today, the Penang branch chairperson of the Malaysian Malay Contractors Association, Mohammed Fadzill Hassan, tendered his apology to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for making various attacks on him.

He said he apologised to Lim for his remarks because Malay contractors now wanted to work closely with the state.

In his latest attack last month, Mohammed Fadzill claimed that the Malay community was only awarded projects of insignificant value.

Utusan Malaysia challenged Lim Guan Eng to provide details of the projects.

In response, the Penang state government released statistics to show that Malay contractors have been getting almost all projects given out by the Pakatan Rakyat administration.

The record showed that 94 percent of the state's Public Works Department (PWD) contracts were awarded to Malay contractors, while the Department of Drainage and Irrigation awarded all of its projects to contractors from that community.

But Perkasa is still upset that there's still 6% that was not awarded to them! 6% is a lot!!! Ibrahim Ali is also a contractor and was not awarded any project. That's not fair to the Malays. How come the Penang Govt did not give half of the 6% to that Malay? That's not fair to the Malays! Perkasa will have to debate this at the Pasir Salak gathering on the Bumiputera economic agenda. They had not being fair to Ibrahim Ali's family and that's against the Bumiputera economic agenda. It's unfair; and Penang better be fairer.

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Read related news at:

Perkasa says no to Teoh royal commission

Indonesian maid denies rape by Rais

Malay contractors apologise to Guan Eng

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