Wet Dream Of A Budget?

Did I catch your attention with the title of the post? Sorry, couldn't help myself ... hihihihi...

I begin writing this as DS Najib was outlining major increases to the renumeration or rather pay scheme for teachers, a much under-appreciated group within a much suffering public sector. The budget, including this part, appeals to me as even if it is not perfectly satisfying, I find many parts matching what I was hoping for for the country, such as:

1 - Introducing or in reality re-introducing mechanisms to curb property speculation which has led to houses being unaffordable especially for youths just starting with life. So we see the RCGT or Real Capital Gains Tax being revised again, the material component being a new setting of 10% for those who sell properties within 2 years of buying. I would have preferred something more extreme also for the initial 6 month window, but I suppose DS Najib needs to ensure the new tax doesn't deflate the property market.

2 - I wanted small changes to ease the cost faced by youths, especially those with young families, and am pleased to see sucj small changes such as abolishing the remainder fees for government school-going children.

3 - I am really pleased that the government is continuing their commitment to increase public sector pay, like for the teachers, and increasing the retirement age, as this will force the payscale up across the nation as the public sector remains employer of last resort for most new job-seeker. Inflationary my foot, we all need a salary adjustment!

4 - I am glad they are continuing to expand the Kedai 1Malaysia concept... though wonder what will ensure its future sustainability...

Anyway, I will have more words when joining the streaming forum at MobTV... have a peek?

PS - Wow, budget give RM 320 Million to Youths or Belia, even mentioning it should be channeled via Majlis Belia Malaysia and its subsidiaries! Question is, will the Ministry deliver the monies through these Youth led organisations?

Presiden MAYC Dan YB Tony Pua 'Rentap Minda' Tentang Bajet 2012

Sejak jurublog mula menyertai perbincangan dan debat di media layar kecil, memang ternanti-nanti peluang bertukar fikiran ataupun berentap minda dengan 'pakar ekonomi' dari Pakatan Rakyat, YB Tony Pua. Semalam alhamdulillah peluang tersebut sampai melalui MobTV.my

Terima kasih MobTV atas peluang tersebut dan YB Tony Pua kerana sudi berentap dengan pemimpin belia yang tak seberapa ini. Saksikanlah melalui link ini atau salin serta tampal url berikut, http://www.mobtv.my/talkshow-246.html, untuk menyaksikan video tersebut.

Presiden MAYC Tengah Berhujah... LOL

Nasib baik jugalah yang isu ini tak rancak lagi masa perbincangan tadi. Kalau tidak, pasti hangat, sebab pasal bill TNB!

Namewee Feeling How It Is To Be Anti-Malay

There was a time in Malaysian socio-political history when there was a label worse than 'racist' for a public figure, that label being 'anti-Malay'. This may seem strange for the younger generation of today, but being anti-Malay as recently as in the early 80's was seen as being shallow, viscous, ignorant and a threat to harmonious relations between all races in Malaysia.

Well, Namewee may be unhappy at having his film rubbished by those who haven't even seen it, but he has to accept this as a reality rather than rant on it. The reality is that someone writting for an established Malay mainstream daily has rubbished his movie due to it simply being directed by him. Why? Because they perceive him to be racist and 'un-1Malaysian'. But truth be told, Namewee's image is worse, as to many Malays, he is anti-Malay.

Namewee has come a long way since the day he published the Negarakuku, a sign-post of how a segment of ethnic chinese-Malaysian youths were and still are developing in terms of socio-political consciousness. Negarakuku showcased a lack of respect and culture as well as a complete ignorance of history, leading up to a feeling of angst and anger towards the Malay-led establishment in Malaysia. It was an outpouring of anti-Malay feelings

Ironically, Namewee was saved of being disowned completely by the nation by the MCA, the Barisan National (BN) government's Chinese component party that is typically rejected by the kind of youths Namewee represents. Namewee and his like typically reject the MCA as being the lackeys of the dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party in the BN coalition. Nevertheless, Namewee followed MCA's advice and apologised.

All Malaysians, generally having adopted the soft-hearted forgiving nature of Malays, chose to forgive, but did not forget. The tarnishing of national symbols, such as the national anthem, is not so easily forgotten. Strangely, or perhaps naturally, him being a media person, Namewee did not seem to want to be forgotten. Since being anti-Malay in the guise of ignorant honesty seemed to work before, Namewee caused further controversies over Youtube.

At the same time, Namewee worked hard to establish himself among the independent media elite of the country, cleverly leveraging on his notoriety and building on his 'simple' yet direct persona. These independents, having grown without too much government support, if at all, proved receptive to Namewee's entry to their circle, allowing him the opportunity to develop as a 'Malaysian' artiste separate from his racist of 'anti-Malay' persona on the web.

It is a shame that when confronted with Namewee's version of racist abuse, BN figures react with either the extremes of calling for his figurative head or embracing him with hope of making him 'understand'. Maybe these leaders are confused by Namewee's apologies for being ignorant and maybe accidentally sounding racist... but this is ridiculous of course! I believe Namewee knows exactly what he is doing - he admits to being a degree holding media man!

For me, Namewee has been a warning sign of there being a segment of disaffected chinese youths who reject the Malaysian Social Contract as they have been given little reason to respect it. However, that was before. Now, I see Namewee as a figure that is a danger to society as he has chosen to earn a living by being the embodiment of the anti-Malay in the public eye. And he dares do so as he believes he can always apologise to the soft-hearted.

Namewee's evolution to being a menace to society was re-affirmed to me when a senior MCA leader recently suggested to bloggers that Nasi Lemak 2.0, Namewee's film, is racist and anti-Malay. It would seem Namewee's former saviour, and despite its recent weaknesses, still the strongest champion of ethnic Chinese rights, the MCA, has disowned him, knowing him to be a danger to continued harmonious prosperity among Malaysians.

So Namewee. Grow up. Stop pretending. Don't even bother apologising. Accept that there are some of us Malaysians, not just Malays, have accepted the cultivated persona you have for what it is. You are a racist  and anti-Malay. Just be greatful the only thing we will (or rather won't) do is to your movie, which even without watching we are reassured is anti-Malay. Sit down and shut up you Racist Anti-Malay Icon.

Please note, this article DOES NOT encourage the watching of Nasi Lemak 2.0 as it is racist, anti-Malay (has to be coz of the director) and will likely be available as cetak rompak soon anyway!

Apabila Keikhlasan Perjuangan Orang Muda Disambut Kezaliman Yang Berkuasa

Pada waktu Maghrib, hari Jumaat, 23 September 2011, berlaku peristiwa hitam dalam sejarah pergerakkan belia dan hubungannya dengan pihak berkuasa. Seramai 20 ke 30 orang anggota polis telah menyerbu ke pejabat MAYC Kebangsaan di Wisma Belia untuk menangkap Setiausaha Agung MAYC, Ahmad Ansor Rivai Batubara kerana kononnya ceroboh berdasarkan kehadiran beliau di pejabat pada luar waktu pejabat.

Lebih mengecewakan lagi, tak puas mungkin kerana begitu ramai dikerah untuk menangkap seorang sahaja pemimpin belia, pihak polis juga mengambil keputusan untuk membawa juga ke balai, 3 orang pemimpin MAYC Wilayah Persekutuan yang kebetulan singgah sebentar ke pejabat untuk mengirimkan makanan untuk saudara Ansor, sekaligus menemani beliau makan. Alang-alang makan pun pemimpin belia boleh dicekup polis! HEBAT!

Tidak logik bila difikirkan bagaimana begitu ramai anggota polis, ada yang lengkap bersenjata api, boleh dihantar semata-mata untuk menangkap 4 pemimpin belia yang hanya sibuk makan di pejabat sendiri. Lebih hairan, anggota polis dipimpin oleh seorang pegawai yang begitu tinggi pangkatnya, ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid, Ketua Polis DAERAH Brickfields! Malah pihak polis juga agak kabur tentang jenayah yang ditangani.

4 orang pemimpin belia ini, terdiri dari 3 orang lelaki dan seorang wanita, 3 Melayu dan seorang India, dibawa ke... bukan IPD, dibawa ke Balai Polis Brickfields saja untuk di 'soal-siasat'. Memandangkan 'Belia 4' ini tidak melakukan apa-apa kesalahan, difikirkan proses soal-siasat akan selesai sekelip mata, tetapi tidak! 3 orang Belia yang ditahan sementara makan, termasuklah yang wanita, dilepaskan hanya selepas 5-6 jam di balai!

Setidak-tidaknya, pemimpin MAYC Wilayah bertiga tersebut hanya berada di bilik temuramah selama sejam lebih seorang. Saudara Ansor pula, setelah masuk, tak keluar selain perlu dan kekal ditemuramah selama 6-7 jam tanpa henti! Ini bukan penyiasatan yang berhemah tetapi seakan-akan mendera. Sementara pemimpin belia wanita tersebut sesekali menalipon ke rumah menanyakan anak, apakah yang dicari-cari oleh polis yang menyiasat?

Rahsia di sebalik kejadian malam tersebut terbongkar apabila saudara Ansor dimaklumkan bahawa tekanan sedang diberikan kepada pegawai polis dari 'orang atas' untuk menahan beliau dan teman-teman. 'Orang atas' ini pula dibilang dari golongan pemimpin politik! Apabila ditanyakan siapa, ditunjukkan kepada Ansor yang Tuan Syed Rahman Tuan Kuning dan Zainal Fathodin, dua orang kuncu TS Syed Hamid Albar sedang cuba mengarah polis!

Sejak bilakah PDRM harus akur dengan arahan pemimpin politik, walau mantan menteri, apatah lagi kuncu-kuncunya, dalam menjalankan tugas? Tindakan polis menangkap serta melayan para pemimpin belia tersebut sebegitu rupa mungkin terlihat zalim, tetapi kezaliman tersebut menjadi-jadi bila kita difahamkan polis hanyalah senjata kekerasan yang digunakan untuk mengugut dan menakutkan pemimpin belia!

Pada hari Rabu lepas, 21 September 2011, kepimpinan MAYC yang diwakili saudara Ahmad Ansor Rivai Batubara telah memasuki pejabat MAYC Kebangsaan dengan niat menghidupkan kembali jentera yang seolah sudah reput sementara status MAYC Kebangsaan dalam pertikaian. Sdr Ansor berhak membuat demikian atas jawatan Setiausaha Agung MAYC Perak selain kedudukan beliau sebagai Setiausaha Agung Kebangsaan di bawah jurublog.

Usaha saudara Ansor telah disokong oleh para pemimpin Kelab Veteran MAYC Malaysia dan diransangkan lagi oleh nasihat seorang bekas Presiden MBM yang menegur dahulu yang organisasi belia adalah satu Pergerakkan. Oleh itu, syarat ia hidup adalah ia bergerak, bukan berpaut kepada undang-undang ataupun syarat. Kiranya belia BERGERAK maka ia hidup, tak kiralah pendapat mana-mana pihak berkuasa sekalipun.

Maka saudara Ansor BERGERAK untuk menghidupkan kembali pejabat MAYC Kebangsaan. Malangnya, sejurus beliau masuk pejabat, timbul penghalang berbentuk saudara Mustafa Mat Arof yang rupa-rupanya menghuni pejabat Presiden MAYC Kebangsaan pada masa itu. Mustafa tercabar apabila Ansor mengatakan beliau masuk pejabat untuk menghidupkannya, sekaligus menunjukkan betapa MAYC pejabat tersebut lesu walau Mustafa penghuninya.

Lebih buruk lagi, pihak polis telah dipanggil buat kali pertama pada siang itu juga! ACP Wan Bari pun hadir juga pada masa itu dan memutuskan kejadian yang dilaporkan bukanlah hasil jenayah, tetapi timbul kerana krisis dalaman. Namun, polis dipanggil lagi buat kali kedua pada siang 23 September 2011, sejurus sebelum sidang akhbar di mana saya menjelaskan niat kami mengambil alih Wisma Belia. Pada masa itu juga, tiada tindakan diambil.

Maka kenapakah perbezaan berlaku dengan kes malam 23 September 2011? Bagaimanakah ACP Wan Bari yang sebelum malam itu sudah pun memutuskan isu MAYC bukan isu jenayah tetapi krisis dalamam, boleh berubah fikiran sebegitu? Sahlah yang ada pengaruh politik yang memainkan peranan. Maka jenayah ada berlaku pada malam tersebut, tetapi jenayah tersebut bukanlah apa-apa yang dilakukan oleh 'Belia 4' yang ditangkap polis.

JENAYAH YANG BERLAKU ADALAH KEZALIMAN SALAH GUNA KUASA DAN PENGARUH OLEH SEORANG PEMIMPIN POLITIK MENGGUNAKAN KUASA POLIS UNTUK MENGUGUT SEKUMPULAN RAKYAT YANG TIDAK BERSALAH SELAIN MERUNSINGKAN RENCANANYA. JENAYAH ZALIM INI DILAKUKAN OLEH TAN SRI SYED HAMID SYED JAAFAR ALBAR PADA MALAM TERSEBUT KE ATAS 4 ORANG BELIA, TERMASUK SEORANG WANITA.

JENAYAH INI ADALAH YANG SAMA MENYEBABKAN DS ANWAR IBRAHIM DIPENJARAKAN SELAMA 6 TAHUN KERANA MENGUGUT UMMI HAFILDA, AZIZAN, DSB MENGGUNAKAN ANGGOTA POLIS. MAKA TAN SRI SYED HAMID ALBAR SEHARUSNYA DISIASAT DEMI DIHUKUM DEMIKIAN SEKIRANYA BERSALAH. INI ADALAH KEZALIMAN YANG TIDAK BOLEH DIBIARKAN MENULAR...

The Real Solution To The Telco Prepaid 6% Tax Problem

I have been observing the media reports, from msm news items, blog postings, even radio interviews of prepaid mobile customers about this issue. The thing that concerns me about this issue is that the telcos seem to have succeeded in playing the innocent corporate citizens here...

For me, the 6% increase in prepaid rates is just a scheme for telcos to increase profits from existing customers. They are already paying the 6% tax off existing sales, but since the prepaid business in Malaysia is so cut-throat competitive, the margin of profitability has probably become too slim to be sustainable. Sure enough, it is understood that Digi is the telco that has been pushing this hard, and it should come as no surprise that prepaid is its largest revenue stream!

OK, if the price of prepaid is now so low that telcos do not find it sufficiently profitable to stay in the prepaid business, what should it do? The natural options to me would be to:

1. Raise the price. Ah, but this is not an easy solution to make. A price rise may result in better unit profitability, but the loss in market share, especially with removal of non-price barriers like the ability to swap the same number between services, may be too painfull.


2. Cut the cost. May be a little harder to do even than raising the price. With each additional new technology on offer, the cost of delivery to customers increase. And some costs that appear easy to cut have real medium to long term implications. e.g. cutting promotions budget means reduced market share or slowing of growth whilst cutting training, a firm favourite among Finance and HR managers, will lead to reduced staff competency...


3. Leave the business... ya lah, dah not profitable enough to be sustainable, tutup kedai la, what else!

However, the telcos as an industry have actually decided to go for option 1 above, only newly improved with some spinning! Also, to ensure a successful outcome of option without the penalty of loss of market share, they have chosen to do it collectively, together, like a cartel - something illegal in many developed countries and soon to be illegal in Malaysia come January 2012!

On the spin, instead of saying they are increasing the price to make more profits, they decided to 'pass on the 6% tax' to the customers. Pass on the 6% tax? What nonsense! Such a statement only makes sense if prepaid mobile charges are subsidised, but they are not! Telcos are already make a profit after paying the 6% tax. All this talk of telcos 'absorbing the taxes' so far is a load of nonsense! Customers are paying the taxes already via the current prices...

So all this talk of 'passing on' the 6% tax is just spin that sounds better than telcos saying, we will increase prices by 6%! In fact, it even helps avoid clever customers, or worse still, bloggers, from sitting down and calculating how much % profitability telcos will gain from increasing prepaid prices by 6%! 'Passing on' taxes my foot, it is the dishonesty to customers that really gets me about this spin!

Then, the telcos choose to perform the increase collectively, like a cartel! Such activities are 'anti-competitive' or rather, against consumer interests! The last time I looked, the telco industry is not heavily regulated for price, hence the myriad offers in the marketplace, which is good for consumer choice. Such collective behaviour in an industry, even among a few major players, would be criminal in more developed economies.

In fact, if the telcos chose to do this early next year, they would be subject to criminal action under Malaysia's own anti-competition laws, due to be debated and ratified by Parliament in December, with the enforcement under the purview of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC). Interestingly, the MDTCC Minister, DS Ismail Sabri, has already shown himself to be not only competent, but determined to champion consumer choice!

Could the telcos be moving now due to the threat of the coming anti-competition law curtailing such actions by early next year? If so, this 'passing on of taxes' disguising a 6% price increase collectively moved by the industry in criminally insidious! In fact, perhaps some of the telcos with foreign ownerships, such as Digi or even Celcom Axiata should worry about anti-competition laws being brought against them in other countries! It can be done!

Locally, such behaviour by the industry should not be tolerated. Perhaps the MDTCC should consider tabling the new anti-competition act to be retrospective in application for at least 6 months! this should help curtail further corporate evils of this sort against the rakyat!

Mat Sabu: Icon Of Corruption, Pakatan Rakyat Government Style...

There has been much talk of Mohamad 'Mat' Sabu's poor behaviour of late. As a person who has known of Mat Sabu's various inconsistencies over the years, I am actually a little surprised that there has been such shock regarding this behaviour. Perhaps it is time to scrutinise this 'new' icon of Pakatan rakyat politics... and this is where long time PAS members may feel uncomfortable, as to me, the present Mat Sabu is a creature born of Pakatan, not PAS ideals...

Let us do a broad sweep of Mat Sabu's various inconsistencies...

1. Mat Sabu the leader of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Sunnah) is a fan of the Syiah revolutionary politics of the Ayatollahs


2. Mat Sabu, the first national political leader of any party to imply DS Anwar Ibrahim had bisexual tendencies by calling him Anwar 'Al-Juburi' or Anwar 'of the arse' has since declared his devotion to Anwar as 'his' leader and 'friend' from since the 1970's.


3. Mat Sabu, the famous PAS leader was acquitted from the religious crime of being in 'close proximity' (khalwat) by the Kelantan Syariah court but later married the woman he was caught and accused committing khalwat with when she was soon divorced by her husband after the incident.


4. Mat Sabu, once so called champion of the people in the Kuala Kedah constituency when he was MP for the 1999-2004 term of Parliament, is now happily acting as Lim Guan Eng's agent to stop any attempt by Kedah state to apply water tariffs to its supply to Penang as an appointed member of the Penang Water Board.


5. Mat Sabu happily condemns the PAS government of Kedah and Kelantan of various misconduct but is silent of the management of DAP's Penang and PKR's selangor led governments but forgets that people know he is a beneficiary of salaries from both Penang and Selangor state agencies... all to do with Water.

Effectively, Mat Sabu is a new kind of Icon of Corruption that is being born by the Pakatan government. A creature that is salaried by PAS' coalition partners to keep PAS in line or rather in 'harmony' with the principles of its partners. Mat Sabu only ever became a contender to PAS Deputy Presidency in the Pakatan environment. PAS would have preferred a more learned man before, but PAS in Pakatan knows to win, they must have a Pakatan man for a leader.

In this regard, Mat Sabu is an ideal Pakatan man. He can be bought with salaried positions in Penang or Selangor state agencies. He is not a good Muslim, though is such a fiery speaker that PAS can't bear to part with him. His principles appear to be for sale, and if he is willing to embrace Iranian Shiite Revolutionary success due to its success, little wonder then that he could forgive Anwar 'Al-Juburi' for his preference if it will gain him power!

Little wonder then also that Mat Sabu would forget he was supposed to be not just a Muslim, but a Muslim leader, when he declared communist murderers to be fathers of our Merdeka.

The problem for PAS now is that, it is clearly now no longer a party of Islamic ideals, as its members appear willing to favour an inconsistent leader that is in the pocket of its coalition partners, just so they can please some coalition partners in pursuit of power. Mat Sabu hence now stands tall in the age of new PAS, a PAS led by Pakatan leaders, leaders of compromise for the sake of power, Mat Sabu... Icon of Corruption... Pakatn style...

The Merdeka That Never Was?

Last Wednesday was the 54th anniversary of our independece. One was expecting much fanfare as in previous years, but was grossly disappointed. It would seem the 2nd day of Hari Raya was of greater significance to MALAYSIANS, not saying Muslim Malaysians here but MALAYSIANS, as even the customary flurry of flags was absent or near enough as along the streets, skyline and even screens this year.

Read what you will of this phenomena, but I find it sad that a day for celebrating the birth of our nation was so easily forgotten due to a holiday, the second day of which even has little religious significance at that...; Muslims can even fast on the 2nd day of Syawal, the month after Ramadhan, as opposed to being forbidden to toil in celebration of the end of Ramadhan the day before. And even if the Muslims were busy, where was the fanfare by non-Muslim Malaysians?

Of course, the week long holiday these days is not enjoyed just by Muslims but also non-Muslims alike - note the traffic jams offering Muslim and non-Muslim driven cars especially to local tourist destinations! However, no reason for us to neglect our Merdeka day I think! In this regard, we fail still as a nation to exhibit our maturity through celebrating key parts of our nationhood as a nation should and must. Are we not Malaysians then after all?

In response to this need to 'fill the vacuum', MAYC Perak with support from my team at MAYC Kebangsaan and Perak state agencies will be holding a Merdeka Poetry Event at Menara Condong or the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan on the evening of 10 September 2011. All are welcomed to join us and with much support and effort, may we attempt to inflame anew the spirit of Merdeka within us all, and with luck, inspiring along the rest of Malaysia as well...

Lessons Of Ramadhan Often Soon Forgotten

Friends and Readers all, please reminded of the pitfalls of the post-Ramadhan period, especially how one forgets some key lessons, such as:

1. Eat to stay alive, not be Alive for by Eating! (This is probably a cautions to this still 100+ kg mass blogger most of all...)



2. Make time to worship Allah, not worship Him when you have the time!



3. Orphans do not stop being orphans after Ramadhan or even after Syawal. They remain orphans and in need in other months of the year too!



4. It is more important to keep the compulsory prayers 5 times a day, all year around than to have completed your 20+ rakaat of Tarawikh a night throughout Ramadhan! Tarwikh are BONUS POINTS, the Fardhu prayers are compulsory to pass...



5. You can continue fasting after Ramadhan if you want. If you want... why diet, just fast!



6. An addition to 1.: Just because the 5 houses you are visiting have 5 dishes of which 50% overlap, does not mean you have to sample every dish to compare, to enjoy, or to 'be polite'! OK, there is the be polite thing, but why not pick a couple of stuff not overlapping each time for a start... even if you miss some, there is always tomorrow!



7. An addition to 2.: No, rushing to balik kampung or even running between relatives' houses are not grounds for completely missing prayers!



8. Muslims may believe that Satan is chained up in Ramadhan, hence all evil done then reflects the true nature of the man, but... Muslims can't blame Satan or use him as an excuse for all the evil they do outside of Ramadhan!

Just some thoughts I thought worthy of sharing as we celebrate...

SELAMAT HARI RAYA
MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

Reflections At The End Of Ramadhan

Ramadhan ends this year with this blogger feeling much regret. This is in stark contrast to last year's Ramadhan where there seemed much hope. Maybe one has matured enough over a year to realise certain truths which were once too clouded by optimism. Whatever the reason(s) may be, the end of Ramadhan seems to be a better time to set down aspirations for the coming year... so...

In the coming year, much activity among SoPo bloggers will be focused on the build-up to PRU13. Some may wonder whether this is not already the case, but I can confirm it is not. Whilst many of the SoPo community held the belief that PRU13 would be held late this year, with the date 11.11.11 looming large, the more significant participants have always found grounds for an early elections rather weak... and DS Najib Tun Razak has shown he is far from a fool...

Recent intelligence indicate that PRU13 may well be held much later than the second favourite estimated date of March 2012. Nevertheless, the timing for full focus towards PRU13 build-up is now. So this blogger has to decide, of the myriad activities in hand, be it blogging, MAYC, politicking via UMNO and its NGOs, what should be the focus of activities besides continuing to build on a promising career and matters of family?

Well, since the status of MAYC is much in limbo due variously to the ineptitude, corruption and cowardice of those that should be addressing the issue, we are pretty much now running on 'automatic', developing our programs. Time spent at MAYC will hence not be all consuming. Politicking via UMNO and its NGOs have become and increasing waste of time... there is much talk but little product...

So one returns to blogging of one of the most rewarding activities I have embarked in over the last 10-15 years - originally due to my lack of physical presence in Malaysia, but now it seems as platform, blogging remains the most free for one to achieve in one's own terms. But the focus should be of more interest of course. One feels a need to return to the original Tangents where there was more study and philisophy...

Of course, there will still be passion in these pages...

Anyway, SELAMAT HARI RAYA TO ALL!

Reducing Cost Of Living Without Subsidies

I was pleased to hear today of the government's intention to expand the Kedai 1Malaysia chain when announcing the opening of a 3rd outlet in Pantai Dalam. The most recent opening should answer the challenge of detractors on whether such a chain is just a publicity stunt or gymic by the government or whether the attempt is a genuine effort to allow the rakyat to purchase necessities at a more affordable price.

What further impressed me with this initiative is that it is another indication of the government's serious effort to move away from having subsidies as a key component of the country's economic make-up. How so? With the Kedai 1Malaysia, given a sufficient number of stores in time such as it has pricing strength, the government will be able to influence a downward movement of the price of necessities, not through subsidies but direct pricing in the market!

Some of the theory of the above will require further elaboration of course, but for now, I would say the government is not simply determined but is actively pursuing a policy of pro-active substitution of subsidies with mechanisms to achieve the same aims; i.e. rather than keeping the cost of necessities like sugar and rice low by subsidies or direct price controls, using market mechanisms such as alternative competitive offerings to the market via the Kedai 1Malaysia.

What's particularly attractive about these non-subsidies mechanisms are that they are less distortionary and less open to abuse! For instance, the subsidies recently rescinded for certain industries, such as the deep-sea fishing sector, for the purchase of diesel, was always open to allegations of abuse, such as diesel smuggling. Allegations seemingly supported by how fish prices continue to rise despite these wealthy big-boated 'fishermen' being subsidised.

One can also reflect on how whilst price controls kept sugar prices low for many decades, it also enriched many who built monopolies around sugar and other controlled goods. A rich example would be Tan Sri Robert Kuok and his family empire, as he was dubbed the 'Sugar-King' for good reason, he made a sizable fortune from dominating the subsidised sugar business in Malaysia! It is also no mystery now then why he is no longer in the sugar business in Malaysia.

TS Robert, being a shrewd businessman, probably saw the need to remove sugar subsidies well before the good Minister of Domestic Trade, Consumer Affairs and Cooperatives, DS Ismail Sabri, successfully suppressed the once large subsidies handed out to sugar producers in Malaysia! I imagine the P&L* of all those in the Sugar business was of great interest to the Minister! And now from that success, DS Ismail is moving on to other successes.

Malaysians having been living in the honey-pot of a subsidy-nation may be a little too addicted to subsidies, but perhaps they would feel less angry about subsidies removal if they realised how many people have become filthy rich in Malaysia on the back of such subsidies. It makes one question, who really does benefit from subsidies? At least in the case of Mydin, who run the Kedai 1Malaysia, they may benefit from the program, but the rakyat don't pay for it!

*P&L - Profit & Loss Account

How Is Ayah?

Last Friday, I received a call from my father-in-law. He was asking about how Ayah was doing and was moved to do so as many of his friends had been asking him at the mosque after prayers. Worse still, some of Ayah's friends were asking and complaining that they couldn't get an update even from this blog!

Truth be told, Ayah sprung a surprise on me last Wednesday when he did not tell us he was being discharged from the hospital that day. For my siblings, news on this spread fast enough, but as I was occupied with work and the MAYC Buka Puasa event with Tun Dr Mahathir, I only just got to know from Ayah's friends among the MAYC Veterans who had tried to see him at the hospital in the afternoon only to find that he had checked out!

So, to all who have been following this blog for news of Ayah's progress, my humblest apologies. For your information, Ayah has been discharged from SJMC and is convalescing at home. He still needs much rest, and advice not just from his doctors, but THE Doctor, Tun Dr Mahathir, who reminded me as such on the same Wednesday Ayah was discharged. Those who wish to visit may sms his mobile (probably being sentried by my Nyanyak) or contact me.

I also would like to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated Doctors and staff at SJMC, or now known as Sime Darby Medical Centre at Subang Jaya for their tireless effort for which Allah S.W.T. has seen fit for us to have a further time extension to spend with Ayah. I reserve special mention for Dato' Setia Dr Anuar Masduki whose dedication, wisdom and sheer persistence dragged Ayah from edge of the abyss when those of us who knew suspected all may be lost...

As a family, we are ever grateful to Datuk Dr Anwar, his collegues and the staff of SJMC and thank them for their continued patience in managing the non-ideality presented by my Ayah's treatment and our family's managing of the situation.

Finally, thank you also to family, from Jakarta, Acheh, Subang Jaya and Yan, Ayah's friends spanning from Sweden, Medan, Port Dickson, Langkawi, Gombak to the Middle East, friends of us siblings, as well as total strangers who remembered Ayah's deeds well enough to gift him with at least the Doa so Allah S.W.T. may consider us worthy of having Ayah for a little more time. Your real and spiritual support, especially for those who came to be with us, we hold dear.

Some mention is due also to friends in both traditional and new media for carrying the news we wished carried... for the most part! We know it was not all ideal and forgive any minor failings due to the good that your efforts have brought outweighing the bad.

As to what happens now, we will be seeking further advice from Dato' Dr Anwar when Ayah has healed sufficiently. The rest will be in Allah's hands...

Ayah No Longer Under Critical Care As Ramadhan Begins

I received the wonderful news yesterday that Ayah has recovered enough that he no longer needs to be under critical care. However, he still needs much rest, hence, guests will still need to be patient when visiting as my Nyak will not likely allow more than a couple of guests in at a time and only over short periods when Ayah is not resting. Ayah not only has to rest to his Doctors' orders but to Tun Dr M's advice.

Ramadhan is upon it and it is our sincere hope that Ayah regains his full strength within this holy month, as it will allow us also to enjoy Hari Raya celebrating his health as well as the conclusion of our obligations to fast, give alms and perform other good works. Ramadhan also provides me with the opportunity to really reduce my weight and hopefully avoid the troubles Ayah has been facing, or at least delay its onset...

I am in Sandakan today working, in Kuching tomorrow and will fly into more meetings in KL on Thursday, all events on these 3 days ending in a Majlis Berbuka Puasa! It will be a challenge not to stuff myself at buka puasa, but a worthy challenge I'm sure you'll agree. So Selamat Berpuasa to all Muslims out there and remember what Ramadhan is all about please when confronted by the buffet table...

Another First For Tun Dr Mahathir: The First Visitor Ayah Could Speak To!

Ayah's situation alhamdulillah improved significantly enough this late morning for the respirator tube to be removed. His situation still keeps him under critical care, but for once he has just an oxygen mask and far fewer drugs keeping him stable.

Nyak and I were just waiting to return to his bedside when who was to appear other than Tun Dr Mahathir himself! Fortunately also, Ayah was still wide awake when Tun arrived, hence allowing Tun the opportunity to be the first of Ayah's visitors able to converse with him since the procedure. The exchange was short, but we are grateful for the visit as Tun has advised REST as the ultimate cure. The effect of the visit has also been positive for Ayah's morale we think.

Unfortunately, my obesity was an item of discussion... for good reason... and which I endured nor just in good grace but happiness...

Ayah Kembali Berkomunikasi

Alhamdulillah, jurublog dapat berkomunikasi dengan Ayah buat kali pertama menjelang Maghrib sebentar tadi. Oleh kerana mulutnya masih penuh dengan saluran pernafasan, beliau hanya mampu menulis beberapa perkataan di atas kertas untuk meminta sesuatu, bertanya atau meluahkan perasaan. Antara lain, beliau bertanyakan khabar blog ini.

Insya'Allah, ini petanda beliau semakin pulih, namun Dr masih mahukan beliau diberi perhatian terperinci barang 1-2 malam lagi.

Demam Ayah Reda Sedikit, Terima Kasih Atas Doa

Semalam jurublog mengambil keputusan untuk ke Melaka bagi menyertai mesyuarat kerja pada sebelah petang. Ini memandangkan Ayah masih belum stabil, walaupun tekanan darahnya tanpa bantuan ubat tinggi sedikit dari hari sebelumnya; beliau masih memerlukan ubat-ubatan untuk kekal pada tahap yang dikira 'normal'. Saya agak yakin Ayah semakin lega, sekaligus tak mungkin cukup stabil untuk diberi rawatan lanjutan oleh Doktornya semalam.

Sekembali dari Melaka, jurublog mendapat berita baik yang secara peribadi menimbulkan rasa kecewa atas keputusan untuk kembali bertugas. Pertama sekali, jurublog kembali ke KL agak lewat dan terlepas dari menyertai acara doa selamat bagi Ayah yang diatur adik-adik, disertai oleh ramai keluarga dan sahabat akrab Ayah. Kedua, saya terlepas juga peluang melihat sendiri kedudukan Ayah yang semakin pulih di hospital.

Ayah pulih sedikit menjelang lewat petang semalam, tetapi masih dalam keadaan kritikal. Demamnya alhamdulillah sudah surut dan beliau buat kali pertama dapat berkomunikasi sepatah dua secara bertulis (beliau tak boleh bersuara kerana kerongkongnya dipenuhi tiub oksigen ke paru-paru) dengan Nyak (panggilan ibu jurublog) sebelum terlena kembali hasil lalian ubat. Pulihnya mungkin sedikit, tetapi kami bersyukur setidak-tidaknya keadaan beliau tidak semakin buruk.

Ayah, TS Sanusi Junid, masih memerlukan kiriman doa semua yang sudi memohon kurnia Allah swt untuk memulihkan kesihatan beliau. Semalam, keluarga dari Indonesia semakin ramai sampai dan semakin ramai kunjungan di terima di hospital, walaupun kebanyakan penunjung kecewa kerana tidak dapat masuk menjenguk Ayah. Namun kami berterima-kasih dan memohon semua untuk setidak-tidaknya mengirim doa sahaja. Wallahualam...

Pengasas ABIM Masih Dalam Keadaan Kritikal - ABIM Founder Still In Critical State

Pada tahun 1971, seorang anak Melayu yang ingin berdakwah telah mendapati dirinya serta kawan-kawan berpendidikan bukan 'pondok' amnya ditolak oleh para tokoh agama yang lazimnya kelahiran sistem 'pondok' dari terlibat dalam memimpin aktiviti keagamaan. Atas niat murni mewujudkan 'platform' untuk berdakwah bagi anak-anak muda Melayu, terutama lepasan jurusan universiti yang bukan berbentuk keagamaan, ADAM telah dicadangkan.

ADAM, atau Angkatan DAkwah Malaysia, dibiayai penuh penubuhannya oleh anak Melayu demikian, yang pada masa tersebut merupakan antara pegawai bank tertinggi jawatannya di kalangan rakyat Malaysia, seorang insan bernama Sanusi bin Junid. Namun nama ADAM telah dipohon pertukaran namanya oleh seorang ahli barunya untuk membolehkannya terlibat dengan aktiviti belia berpersatuan. Maka ADAM bertukar nama kepada ABIM, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia.

Dari awal penubuhannya, TS Sanusi telah mengusahakan agar ABIM mekar subur sebagai sebuah NGO ulung, walau membelakangi dirinya sebagai pengasas. Maka, walaupun ABIM ditubuhkan dan didaftarkan pada alamat rumah beliau di No.3, Lorong Batai Dalam, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, TS Sanusi telah memilih seorang tokoh agama muda yang lebih unggul untuk menerajui ABIM sebagai Presidennya yang pertama, yakni (Prof Dr) Ghazali Nawawi.

Jasa awal TS Sanusi sebagai Pengasas dan Naib Presiden ABIM pertama kini masih dikenang oleh para pemimpin veteran ABIM yang masih ikhlas memikul perjuangan asalnya, termasuklah Profesor Datuk Dr Sidek Baba, dan juga para pemimpinnya yang lebih muda tetapi tak kurang unggulnya, seperti pemimpin kes membantah pendaftaran Lina Joy, Dr Yusri Mohamad. Pada kumpulan inilah kesedihan kini melanda mendengarkan keadaan kesihatan TS Sanusi.

Buat pengetahuan pembaca, Ayah jurublog, yakni TS Sanusi Junid, walaupun kini semakin pulih statistik kesihatannya, seperti tekanan darahnya, di bawah pemantauan Dr-Drnya, namun masih dalam keadaan yang merisaukan, apatah lagi apabila suhu badan beliau kelihatan melonjak ke paras demam pada akhir siang semalam. Namun kita hanya mampu berdoa ke hadrat Ilahi agar memanjangkan umur TS Sanusi agar jasanya bertambah dan terus dihargai.

Dengan ini, kaum keluarga besar TS Sanusi memohon semua yang sudi untuk mengambil kesempatan barakah hari Jumaat ini untuk mendoakan kesihatan beliau. Sumbangan semua yang sudi amatlah dihargai.

It is among the sources of greatest pain to Ayah I am sure, though it has always remained relatively well hidden, that he, TS Sanusi Junid, was never formally acknowledged as the THE founder of ABIM by the organisation itself. It would seem that in the drive to project DS Anwar Ibrahim as a great leader, many even of the original cohort are happy to commit the sin of bearing false witness that it is supposedly Anwar Ibrahim who founded ABIM!

Unfortunately for nay-sayers of TS Sanusi's involvement in ABIM, there is too much historical documentation that backs the truth. For instance, the articles of formation of ABIM clearly states TS Sanusi as the founding Vice President, with ABIM registered at his home address! Anwar Ibrahim's name as a key office bearer was conspicuously absent! This was as Anwar was leading the Muslim Students' NGO, PKPIM, and chasing the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) too!

There is no denying that DS Anwar was the source of the name ABIM, proposed to replace the original name ADAM to enable him to use ABIM as a vehicle to remain active in Youth politics after his departure from university. But therein one sees Anwar's involvement was always laced in self interest. Perhaps this is why many ABIM activists from the earliest days, such as Prof. Datuk Dr Sidek Baba, has since abandoned DS Anwar for their original leader, TS Sanusi Junid.

It is to these sincere campaigners of Islam as well as many other friends and those touch by TS Sanusi Junid's deeds that his family now turns to for assistance in the form of doa on this Friday. May your good words beseeching Allah swt to grant my Ayah more time on this earth to continue contributing his wisdom, time and energy, results in Allah swt granting us such a pleasure. With all sincerity.

Doa Untuk Ayah, A Prayer For Ayah

Ayah jurublog malam tadi telah dikejarkan ke hospital dan selesai periksa, terus melalui rawatan emergency angioplasti. Beliau kini masih berada dalam keadaan kritikal sementara dibiarkan berehat seketika sebelum doktor meneruskan rawatan. Kami sekeluarga kini tak putus berdoa sementara menanti usaha terkini para doktor Ayah. Sudilah para pembaca mendoakan semoga Allah dapat mengurniakan lagi umur masa Ayah bersama kami ...

Kata akhir Ayah sebelum masuk ke bilik rawatan merupakan teguran kepada saya dan adik-adik lelaki untuk menurunkan berat badan demi mengelak dari terjebak dalam perangkap sakit jantung yang sama menghadapinya sekarang ...

Please lend a prayer all who may dein to so as Allah may allow us some more time with Ayah. He is critically ill, his heart ...

Mass: ~105kg

Winners And Losers Of Bersih 2.0 As Well As A (Local) Hidden Hand...

Claims and counter-claims abound about who are the winners or losers coming out the Bersih 2.0 demos on Saturday. Here are my opinions:

The People of KL: BIGGEST LOSERS! The demo disrupted KL life such that the demonstrators, not the police, are being blamed, unlike for Bersih 1.0! I have heard from people as varied as Shiela Majid (on twitter) and my son's elderly Chinese Chess coach express their disappointment at the so called 'leaders' disrupting and disturbing people's lives. What more the brides and grooms as well as other for which the day should have been memorable for better reasons!

The People of Malaysia: Losers, but not too big me-thinks. The biggest concern would have been if this led to loss of investor confidence, etc. But considering how relatively tame the demos were and the relatively balanced coverage by the international media, such as by the BBC, as well as many people having visited Malaysia over the years, knowing much of this is just opposition political propaganda, the damage I believe has been relatively limited.

Bersih 2.0: Losers, but not too big either as they seem to be feeling good about themselves! Quote delusional this, as they were talking about getting 500,000 to demo, ended up having to claim only a 10% turnout of 50,000, whilst even independent analysts can only confirm an attendance of 10,000! Actually, quite a pathetic performance considering Dato' Ambiga's and Pakatan Rakyat's previous claims.

Perkasa (& known Allied NGOs): BIG WINNERS! They did not turn up in the end, hence will be taking the credit for being respectful to the Agong, to the police, the authorities, as well as concerned with the impact on the city's people! And sure enough, Dato' Ibrahim Ali has wasted no time seizing the moral high ground by criticising Bersih 2.0, especially Dato' Ambiga!

Patriot (or KJ's gang cum 'Pemuda UMNO'): Indifferent. No one really knows what they were trying to do, maybe just piggy-back ride on Perkasa's crowd? In the end, their smaller numbers were quite insignificant, and still had to suffer being water-cannoned by the police! KJ was lauded by some UMNO reps at the gathering at PWTC yesterday, but they were following a cue, and Patriot remains an organisation in a limbo legally that has achieved... nothing!

DS Anwar Ibrahim: Loser. This was probably going to be DS Anwar's swansong as demos go, as he is likely to spend a long time in prison due to Saiful. Surely he must be disappointed that he did not manage to lead a massive enough procession, so much so that news of him falling and needing the hospital was about the best coverage he could achieve... pathetic! At least no one pointed out Bersih 2.0's poor turnout is proof the DS Anwar did nothing but Hijack Bersih 1.0!

The Police: Indifferent. Actually, the police managed the situation quite well. However, I find it hard to see people agreeing to the use of any force such as water-cannons etc on demonstrators. However, the people are so annoyed by Bersih 2.0, they would probably have some respect towards the Police for doing their job that day and keeping their peace.

DS Najib: Marginal Winner. I actually had DS Najib down as Loser or Indifferent until I saw photos of his Walkabout around KL on Sunday. That was EXCELLENT! May not have addressed all the questions of the management of Bersih 2.0 over the weeks or indeed the stadium alternative debacle, for which he cannot shoulder all the blame, but the Walkabout was in welcome contrast to the life-disrupting Bersih 2.0 activity.

So, what was the point of the Bersih 2.0 demo on Saturday? That is a rhetorical question which answer is... IT WAS FOR NOTHING! There is much that the people of KL has suffered from Dr Ambiga and her Pakatan friends, but enough for many KL-ites to return to BN if PRU-13 was tomorrow? Maybe not, but DS Anwar and his allies did not gain much, but lost some on Saturday, 9 July, 2011.

On the Hidden Hand... many conspiracy stories have been flying around about 'foreign influence' upon Ambiga and her Bersih 2.0 leadership. However, it may be of interest to many that by far the biggest contributor to Dato' Ambiga's Bersih 2.0's so called 'success', with advice, influence though perhaps less money, is a LOCAL! A PROMINENT LOCAL! ONE WHO IS CLOSE TO BN's LEADERSHIP AND CAN SEE THE AGONG! But who is this 'Dalang'...

Betulkah Saya Kata Bersih 2.0 Bengong?

Memandangkan kenyataan pendapat saya sebagai Presiden MAYC mengenai perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 yang diwartakan Bernama nampaknya diguna-pakai oleh ramai pihak, termasuklah Malaysiakini, rasanya ada baiknya saya membetulkan sedikit yakni berkenaan penggunaan perkataan 'Bengong'.

Sebenarnya, yang saya sebutkan dalam temuramah menerusi telefon adalah yang Belia akan Bingung akibat berlangsungnya perhimpunan Bersih 2.0, apatah lagi sekiranya seronok menyertainya. Saya tidak mengatakan Belia akan Bengong kalau turut serta... ya lah, kan menjawab soalan Bernama, takkanlah saya nak guna perkataan Bengong!

Yang menariknya, Malaysiakini pula menyalah-tafsir sama termasuklah konteks penggunaan perkataan Bengong yang kononnya digunakan oleh saya. Ia mewartakan yang saya menyifatkan mereka yang bakal menyertai perhimpunan haram sedemikian sebagai Bengong. Ini juga tidak betul, saya tidak menyifatkan mereka yang bakal menurut serta Bengong, hanya mungkin sekadar Bingung.

Tetapi kalaulah ada yang mewartakan yang saya merasakan penganjur Bersih 2.0 sebagai Bengong, walaupun saya tidak menyatakan sedemikian kepada Bernama, namun ia merupakan laporan yang tepat! Pada saya, memang Bengong (fools) yang menganjur Bersih 2.0. Apa diorang tak nampakkah apa yang bakal berlaku? Ka sengaja nak berlaku sedemikian?

Walaupun perhimpunan Bersih yang asal di'hijack' oleh DS Anwar Ibrahim, namun niat di sebaliknya merupakan niat murni untuk menyahkan seorang pemimpin yang dipercayai oleh semua yang terlibat, semakin membinasakan kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan rakyat Malaysia, yakni Pak Lah. Bersih yang asal digerakkan oleh begitu ramai tokoh dari setiap pola politik, agama dan bangsa di Malaysia.

Malangnya, Bersih 2.0, jelas tidak mendapat sokongan dari kesemua pihak. Malah, ada yang mengatur perhimpunan anti-Bersih pimpinan Perkasa pun merupakan antara pengelola serta perancang Bersih 1.0. Yang si DS Anwar Ibrahim pula, nak 'hijack' nanti pun lebih bermasalah, sebab KJ pun sibuk juga nak 'hijack' perhimpunan pada 9 July! Lagi Bengong!

Kesimpulannya, saya harap semua aktiviti haram di jalanan pada 9 July tu baik batal sajalah. Buang-buang masa dan duit sahaja! Kalau ada yang mencabar saya kenapa MAYC tidak menyertai setidak-tidaknya perhimpunan anti-Bersih 2.0 bersama NGO lain, saya sedia menjawab, kita di MAYC tidak ada masa, tenaga mahupun kewangan untuk dibazirkan dalam perhimpunan syok sendiri seperti ini.

Lebih baik MAYC memanfaatkan ahli kelab-kelab MAYC dan mahupun golongan Belia amnya dengan program-program yang lebih membina. Di sinilah harus ditumpukan masa, tenaga dan kewangan MAYC, bukan berdemonstrasi jalanan...

Hard Times In Malaysia... Really? Or Just Mass Denial Of A Subsidy Nation?

Bloghouse Malaysia President Syed Akbar Ali has chosen to post and comment on the writting of a so called MCA Head of Research Stanley Koh here. Whilst I have some respect for what was written, I cannot find myself agreeing with either much of Stanley Koh's writting and even some of Syed Akbar's commentary. Why? Because I think the premise is wrong for a nation that is supposed to be maturing. If anything, it seems more as if our nation is going through teen angst!

For instance, for some reason the idea of removing subsidies is so taboo in Malaysia that even when category C2 subsidies are removed from some 'fishermen' in Malaysia, everyone from across political lines are up in arms, seeking justice for the injustice against these 'fishermen'. Many fail to note that the said fishermen are not those doing subsistence fishing, but doing deep sea fishing, with ships and businesses worth millions! These are not poor fishermen!

Some also neglect to examine the following logic. These fishermen are boycotting from doing any fishing due to the subsidy cancellation. If they were poor subsistence fishermen, could they have afforded this? The amount of subsidy for them have nigh doubled this year in order to reduce cost of fishing, but have the price of fish reduced? No? So what is the point of the subsidy? To make these rich fishermen more rich and even at the expense of us consumers?

I am disgusted... and have to go home... more later...

Ayah Better... But Not Out Of The Woods Yet

Firstly, thanks to all the well-wishers and especially those who prayed for Ayah's well-being over the last few weeks. He is fine, the procedure to clear a partially blocked artery to the brain at IJN went well, and he is now resting at home after a brief spell at the hospital. He underwent a vascular-angioplasti, if I am not mistaken, that basically cleared a 75% blockage on the artery - a potential risk for stroke especially as the blockage was 'herniated'.

However, Ayah is not out of the woods yet. Following the procedure, he expressed some surprise that he was still getting tired far too soon, forgetting that he is still due a by-pass or alternative procedure to improve the state of his heart. On a more positive note, Ayah has lost some 10kg since all the drama began last month, testament to Nyak (my mother), seizing back control of his diet I am sure!

As for myself, between Ayah, work, MAYC (Hari Belia!) and other things family, I have not been blogging as much as I would like, and am getting a little annoyed with myself. Still too much nonsense being bandied about as considered opinion I think, but that's for another post. For now, I'd rather pause and post the grateful message, due to Allah's good grace, that Ayah is better, but not quite out of the woods just yet...

One final word... I find with great interest that I may not actually need to do any suing of TS Syed Hamid to vindicate myself, as it would seem TS Syed Hamid's cronies are already being sued for things related to the abuse of power and corruption at MAYC! The Veterans of MAYC, now led by the variously 'notorious' Dato' Nasir Safar, have uncovered quite a lot of evidence of just such corruption! Fun I think to sit back, watch and learn a while as the Veterans get stuck in!

Mass (measured last week): 104kg (ya, ya I know... WORSE!)

Saya Obes... Peringatan Dari Situasi Ayah

Saya Obes. Berat saya pada hari ini 103.3kg, dan memandangkan ketinggian saya lebih kurang sama dengan Melayu lain, maka saya Obes menurut piawaian sains BMI. Saya tidak boleh menyalahkan sesiapa pun tentang keadaan Obes ini melainkan diri sendiri. Memang kita ada masalah lebih dari orang lain, sakit belakang menghindar dari banyak aktiviti sukan, makan banyak sebab aktif ber-NGO, tapi ini hanyalah alasan sebenarnya... saya obes kerana saya.

Situasi kesihatan Ayah sekarang telah dijelaskan oleh Doktor sebagai lebih rumit dari mula-mula disangkakan. Beliau memerlukan 2 rawatan untuk menyelamatkan keadaan, kedua-duanya mencabar, sehinggakan ia harus dilakukan oleh pakar-pakar dari 2 hospital berlainan. Namun Ayah tetap tabah. Pagi tadi beliau lebih berminat menasihatkan saya ke tempat bersenam untuk mengurangkan risiko kesihatan saya akibat Obes.

Ayah juga dahulu pernah Obes, tetapi selesai pertama kali beliau dipanjangkan umur oleh Allah s.w.t. melalui rawatan 'angioplasti', atau menurut kata orang Melayu 'guna belon', beliau obses menurunkan berat badannya hingga boleh dikatakan 'slim'lah juga. Ayah mahu saya menurunkan berat sebelum terjadinya apa-apa kepada saya, terutama sekali agar saya dapat mengelak behana penyakit kencing manis.

Saya sudah pun mula berubat untuk Darah Tinggi dan Kolestrol sekitar 3 tahun lepas. Pada masa mula kena masalah ini, saya 'overweight' tetapi belum Obes lagi. Saya sedang bekerja di Singapura pada masa itu sementara keluarga di Malaysia. Senanglah diri menuduh 'stress' dari kerja sebagai penyebab, tetapi sekarang saya sudah Obes, apakebendanya 'stress' sekarang berbanding hari-hari di Singapura tempohari?

Kembali kepada Ayah, beliau akan memerlukan 2 rawatan, yang pertama insya'Allah akan dilaksanakan dalm tempoh 2 minggu ini, tetapi beliau kemudian harus berehat untuk rawatan kedua menjelang bulan Julai atau Ogos. Mengenal Ayah, beliau pasti akan mencuba mempercepatkan segala rawatan ini, setidak-tidaknya untuk membolehkan beliau berpuasa Ramadhan dan mungkin juga dengan cita-cita untuk berumrah di Mekah lagi di penghujung bulan suci tersebut.

Akhir kata, kalau saya bertanya Ayah, beliau pasti setuju yang saya bukan Obes kerana hidangan yang dijual di kantin sekolah. Ide yang kononnya inilah sebabnya kanak-kanak ke dewasa orang Malaysia semakin ramai Obes adalah ide karut. Bila terkeluar ide kononnya ini boleh diselesaikan dengan sistem bekalan makanan baru untuk kantin-kantin sekolah, tahulah saya yang ini bukan untuk menyelesaikan Obes, tetapi untuk sapu kontrek kantin sekolah kaw-kaw punya!

Kalau diri sendiri Obes, tengoklah cermin untuk menyedari siapa yang bertanggungjawab. Bila anak pun sudah mula nak Obes, sedarlah yang ibu-bapa menyuap atau membekalkan makanan ke anak-anak lebih dari kantin sekolah - duit ke kantin pun ibu-bapa yang bagi? Kalau nak tangani Obes, baik kita kempen jangan bawa anak-anak ke McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut dan lain-lain dari menuduh pengusaha kantin yang tak berdosa.

Saya Obes. Alhamdulillah, anak saya belum Obes. Bagaimana dengan saudara-saudari? Akuilah salah sendiri dan tanganinya sekaligus nyahkan ide-ide karut yang akhirnya tidak menyelamatkan anak-anak malah memperkayakan makhluk 'opportunist' di sekeliling kita...

Berat: 103.3kg

Berita Ayah Dan Usaha Membereskan Urusan

Selain keluarga, kawan-kawan terdekat Ayah pun mungkin baru sahaja mengetahui yang Ayah, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, kini dalam keadaan merisaukan kesihatannya. Kiranya dilawat sekarang, mungkin ada menyedari di sebalik senyum Ayah adalah kepenatan dari berjalan naik-turun tangga rumah sekalipun yang dahulunya tiada. Menurut para doktor, walaupun Ayah 18 tahun muda umurnya dari Tun Dr M, namun jantung Ayah lebih tua 'umur'nya berbanding Tun.

Sewaktu bersarapan tadi, jurublog ditegur Ayah kerana sudah terlalu sedikit menulis. Jurublog juga melihat Ayah sibuk membereskan urusan memandangkan doktor mungkin mengesa beliau ke rumah sakit semula tak lama lagi. Teguran dan inspirasi dari usaha beliau menggerak hati jurublog untuk menulis semula, sekaligus menjawab suatu persoalan terkini tentang MAYC yang dilontarkan kepada Ayah sebagai fitnah yang harus dicuci.

Jurublog telah diberitahu oleh seorang pemimpin veteran bahawa seorang pemimpin Belia MAYC yang didukung oleh TS Syed Hamid dan Tuan Syed Rahman telah menuduh yang Ayah, TS Sanusi, bercita-cita untuk mengaut atau merampas harta MAYC, termasuklah Wisma Belia. Fitnah ini bukan sekadar tidak benar tetapi ternyata dibuahkan oleh seorang pemimpin MAYC yang tidak mengetahui sejarah walaupun mengatakan dirinya 'orang lama'.

Buat pengetahuan, kompleks Wisma Belia terdiri dari 2 bangunan utama yakni Wisma Belia dan Wisma Tunku. Wisma Belia telah dibina hasil titik peluh arwah Tunku Abdullah dan Tun Dr Mahathir apabila menerajui MAYC, tetapi Wisma Tunku terbina hasil usaha TS Sanusi Junid. Malah, modal asal pembinaan Wisma Tunku juga datangnya dari sumbangan ikhlas TS Sanusi ke MAYC! Bagaimana?

Pada awal tahun 70-an, arwah Ibnu Sutowo yang pada masa itu merupakan kepala Pertamina telah memohon bantuan nasihat dari bekas Menteri Kewangan Jerman, Karl Schiller. Herr Schiller telah menghubungkan Ibnu Sutowo dengan bekas muridnya di University of Hamburg, seorang 'banker' dari Malaysia bernama Sanusi Junid. Banker tersebut telah berjaya menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi oleh Ibnu Sutowo, maka telah ditawarkan 'ganjaran' oleh Ibnu Sutowo.

TS Sanusi dari umur muda memang sudah berintegriti orangnya, maka, beliau telah memohon supaya Ibnu Sutowo tidak memberi ganjaran tersebut secara langsung kepada beliau, sebaliknya dihadiahkan ke 2 organisasi kesayangan serta pimpinannya. Maka TS Sanusi telah menyalurkan 30% syer syarikat Tugu Insurance Malaysia - 15% diberikan ke Koperasi Shamelin dan 15% kepada MAYC. TS Sanusi tidak mengambil walau satu sen pun dari ganjaran tersebut.

Beberapa tahun kemudian, MAYC telah ditawarkan untuk menjual 15% syer Tugu Insurance ke sebuah syarikat Bumiputra. Syarikat itulah sekarang merupakan Arab-Malaysian Assurance! Hasil dari penjualan syer Tugu Insurance tersebutlah menjadi modal asas kepada pembinaan Wisma Tunku. Ini adalah hanya satu contoh dari pelbagai sumbangan TS Sanusi untuk menyuburkan kewangan MAYC sewaktu beliau memegang jawatan Presiden Kebangsaan.

Apabila Shamelin membina Taman Shamelin Perkasa, 2 buah lot kedai telah ditawarkan dengan harga berpatutan tanpa rebutan kepada MAYC. Ini masih lagi merupakan sebahagian dari aset MAYC yang membawa hasil. Banyak juga aktiviti perniagaan lain yang digerak maju sehingga apabila hutang MAYC tercabar pada akhir tahun 90-an hasil krisis ekonomi, MAYC mampu menyusun kewangan untuk membayar RM 50 ribu sebulan ke Danaharta untuk menebus hutang.

Jurublog pernah berkali-kali mendengar Tuan Syed Rahman mengatakan seolah-olah beliau dan Tuan Hashim telah menyelamatkan kewangan MAYC dari kononnya hutang-hutang menggunung pada zaman pentadbiran TS Sanusi. Tetapi fitnah Tuan Syed Rahman pula mematikan fitnah pemimpin Belia yang didukunginya, kerana apakah logiknya TS Sanusi merebut harta MAYC sekiranya betul MAYC parah kewangannya seperti diwar-warkan Tuan Syed Rahman?

Logikkah? Mungkinkah seorang pemimpin yang pada umur 30-40-an, menyumbang harta jutaan ringgit ke MAYC seperti TS Sanusi pada akhir hayatnya tiba-tiba rakus ingin merampasnya pula? Kalau terbalik mungkin bolehlah percaya! Fitnah seperti ini sebenarnya terlalu senang ditolak oleh golongan veteran yang tahu akan hal sebenar; bagaimana MAYC parah kewangannya hasil Tuan Syed Rahman & co melanun sejak Mesyuarat Agung MAYC tidak dipanggil lagi.

Namun apabila fitnah jijik mula disebarkan oleh seorang pemimpin Belia yang konon tahu dan dibisikkan ke anak muda Belia yang belum diajar sejarah, maka pembetulan haruslah dijalankan. Orang tua seperti TS Syed Hamid dan Tuan Syed Rahman mungkin faham sudah tiba masanya untuk mereka memohon ampun maaf kepada Ayah atas fitnah dan penghinaan mereka ke atas sejarah kepimpinan beliau. Semoga yang muda pula tidak terus membuta menanam dosa.

Campaign Against Reading Tun Dr M's Memoir

I have had the opportunity to personally interact with Tun Dr Mahathir several times. In each case, I have been left at least a tad wiser, whether it be when he remarked on it feeling better being buffetted by crowds of people seeking to take photos with him than being ignored with no one even giving him a friendly greeting, or when he mildly rebuffed me for asking his opinion of the best heart treatment for my Ayah, declaring that we should trust the doctors in charge.

His Memoirs I have hence found to be a delight, as it reveals to me the history of our country through his generation's eyes and gives perspective over who he was as a leader as well as why he decided the way he did on some matters when in power. It is essential reading for Malaysian opinion-makers, as it provides a basis for understanding how things came about, for better or worse, which in itself should be understood as we strive to improve matters in the post-Mahathir era.

I am hence appalled to hear recently that there are many who oppose the purchase and reading of Tun Dr M's Memoirs! The reasons given also seemed to be rather childish considering the level of education of persons concerned and indeed the roles they play in Malaysian society. The reasons given include:

1. "Why would you want to give Mahathir your money by buying his book?" This is by far the most ridiculous reason for not buying Tun's book. If you don't want to buy, just don't buy. Why worry about whether he makes money from the book?


2. "The book is too expensive!" This is almost as bad as 1. and is used against Malaysians who don't usually buy biographies... or even books!... but would consider buying Mahathir's Memoirs. Let me say that the Memoir is among the cheapest biographies to be found and if the RM100 is still a problem, then SAVE UP or wait for the soft-cover version la.


3. "Mahathir said this in his book, actually wrong, then he said, actually wrong, then this also he wrote not right... ad nauseum!" I actually saw comments like this in Twitter accounts of young PKR politicos. The problem is, the comments came just a couple of hours after the book was launched! I just replied - wow, you read the whole almost 1000 pages already ka can comment so much? There was silence in reply. They just pretended.


4. "Mahathir is old news, no longer relevant. Better buy something on Najib or Anwar." The "better buy Najib" line is smart, making the statement seem reasonable and apolitical. I actually find this argument a little narrow-minded in nature. I suppose the same guys would have people stop reading about Prophet Muhammad pbuh, Buddha or Jesus Christ?

The arguments go on, but in the end, this campaign to stop people reading Tun Dr M's Memoirs are by those who either hate him, oppose his ideas, or worse, fear the truth that he may expose, or further expose about the leaders they themselves idolise... which is why PKR politicos and other Anwaristas tend to be the most anti to the reading of Tun's Memoirs.

Which is ironic, as in the end, those who hate Mahathir and believe they are right to do so should be the ones reading the Memoirs so as to gain more ammunition to attack him no? And in the end, the attempt to stop people reading on Mahathir is futile... his Blog is still well visited, and that is current!

Gempaknya Gagasan Blogger ASEAN!

Saya sedang menghadiri Persidangan Blogger-Blogger Serantau Malaysia-ASEAN pertama (MARBC singkatan dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Para blogger di Malaysia kekadang terlebih bangga tentang pencapaian kita, terutama blogger sosio-politik (SoPo). Namun dalam tempoh 1 jam pertama, terlalu banyak yang dapat dipelajari dari kekawan jiran kita. Contohnya, di Indonesia, pestaBlogger yang bermula pada 2007 yang berlangsung selama 1 hari bakal berkembang ke acara 2+ hari, termasuk seminar dan kursus menjelang Oktober 2011.

MARBC pertama ini bakal diberikan pengiktirafan rasmi dengan penerimaan Tun Dr Mahathir sebagai penaung penganjurnya, BlogHouse Malaysia, dan perasmian oleh DS Najib Tun Razak esok. Insya'Allah, kita bergerak ke hadapan. Saya juga tak sabar menanti apa lagi pengalaman yang dapat ditimba sepanjang hujung minggu ini!

Ngauman MAYC Menggegar KBS

Saya di London, namun walau di sini sayup kedengaran ngauman MAYC yang menggegar Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) tempohari.

Ada seorang tokoh veteran memberi cabaran kepada generasi muda MAYC untuk mempertimbangkan ide menyelamatkan roh MAYC melalui suatu persatuan yang lain. Cadangan ini diperbincangkan pada mesyuarat exco 1 April 2011 selama hampir 4 jam, dan ditolak bulat-bulat! Amnya, generasi ini lebih rela punah mempertahankan warisan MAYC yang asli, dengan nama, lambang dan sejarahnya tanpa putus walau atas alasan untuk 'hidup'. Soalnya, MAYC masih hidup.

Maka AJK MAYC yang ditubuhkan pada 31 Julai 2010 bertekad untuk membuktikan MAYC masih hidup dan berupaya menggegar serta mengancam mereka yang berani mencabuli hak ahli-ahli kelab gabungannya. MAYC masih berkuku dan bertaring untuk merobek-robek mereka yang dengan rakus ingin memunahkannya demi mengaut harta. Maka ratusan ahli dan pemimpin Belia MAYC turun ke Putrajaya dari 10 Negeri pada 8 April 2011... mengaum... SELAMATKAN MAYC!!!

Building A New Society Whilst Saving An Old One

I am inspired to resume blogging as both NGOs where I aim to serve well made great strides this past week. Also thought it worth me waking up from my stupor and do something better with my on-line time than playing Shogun 2 Total War or wondering when Spurs will start winning again (we left it almost too late last season!)

Blog House Malaysia attended its first function last Sunday night as invitees to the celebration of the early success of Tun Dr Mahathir's Memoirs... 40 Thousand sold as of last Sunday, and counting! We also started talking more seriously about our first marquee event, the 1st Malaysian-ASEAN Regional Bloggers' Conference! Very exciting... With this marquee event, we hope to launch our organisation formally... and so invite all you Bloggers out there to join us!

And what of MAYC? All seems quiet as if we were in a 'cold war' or something. Actually, we are awaiting the results of the appeal by TS Syed Hamid and Syed Rahman's puppet MAYC Exco for the validity of their AGM - it was deemed illegal and invalidated by the Registrar of Youth earlier. The strange thing is that the KSU of the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), Dato' Mohid, who heads the appeal panel, actually officiated TS Syed Hamid's AGM! Conflict of interest no?

We shall see with great interest. On our side, it actually gives us great confidence that the inherent conflict of interest, with the KSU refusing to recuse himself when asked, means that if TS Syed Hamid's AGM succeeds in the appeal, which was held without a legal quorum and so dienfranchised so many members, we have grounds for an appeal and legal recourse! The MACC is still investigating them all of course...

So, much happening in the quiet. Anyway, as a final word, I was on radio for the first time last Saturday! BFM invited me under the recommendation of an old friend to take part in a debate on AFFIRMATIVE ACTION! Hah! How could I say no! So, for those who would like to have a listen, please check out the podcast at this link.

BFM introduced me as both President of MAYC AND VP of Blog House Malaysia... so acknowledging my 2 current passions where NGO movements are concerned - saving an old Society whilst building a new one... ironic considering my views expressed at BFM!

An ETP Driven Return To Blogging

The results we all have been waiting for is out - Liverpool 3, Man United 1! And no, Andy Carroll didn't score, Dirk Kuyt did! Oh, you thought I'd resume my blogging on the Merlimau and Kerdau by-elections? Why? It's a given that BN would wins those... no news, not really... the real news on that will begin when the analysis phase kicks in... but more on that later! In the meantime, it's Wolves 1 Tottenham Hotspurs 2 - this one I care about....

I've been driven back to blogging after a long hiatus by a continuing need to confront demons. Before doing so however, I felt a need to confront demons of my own, both in terms of doubt and in terms of my judgement of others. In terms of blogging, I am endeared by the queries of friends regarding my absence from the blogosphere... it is as much because of these loyal readers as my own reasons that I resume this evening.

Ironically, those driving me back to blogging are not political demons, but economic ones, seemingly driven by the governments' Economic Transformation Plan (ETP). The primary economic demon comes in the form of SPAD and the MRT project... no, no, this is not be hammering TS Syed Hamid again... yet... but my informing of a trauma that has recently visited us when documents from SPAD appeared in our neighbourhood, showing our family home is to be affected!

Affected? What does that mean? Probably demolished, or if not, then having the MRT cross 6 meters in front of our house?! ... ??? ... !!!!!! And so the quest begins for us to ensure the government treats us fairly on this matter before the actions of SPAD and others, some individuals, such as SPAD's current CEO, loses them the Wilayah Parliamentary seats again in PRU13. Statements such as in this article do not help the government's efforts to retain power at all...

More later. This MRT communications management disaster merits more than just a single blog posting...

PS, Half Time, Wolves 2, Tottenham 2...

TS Syed Hamid Fails... Again!

After having failed to perform as a Minister under the Pak Lah regime, whether in defending the sovereign rights of Malaysia to build a bridge, over some islands or even in understanding that incarcerating a reporter under ISA to 'protect' her is an oxymoron, TS Syed Hamid has shown his capacity to fail knows no bounds!

2 days ago, this blogger got the news that the AGM of the Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs, MAYC, which TS Syed Hamid organised and gave birth to a committee he endorsed as valid, was deemed invalid by the Registrar of Youth! Yes indeed, it seemed the Registrar of Youth agreed with the 55 protests they recieved over 2 weeks from within days of the fake AGM, held on 26 September 2010, that the AGM was... fake! ... or rather 'invalid'... or should I say, ILLEGAL!

Of course, considering TS Syed Hamid and his cronies Tuan Syed Rahman Tuan Kuning, Tuan Hashim Tuan Yaakob, et al, failed to call an AGM of MAYC for 5 years, 5 YEARS(!!!), for fear that TS Syed Hamid gets toppled by someone more responsible, one would consider TS Syed Hamid's failure at MAYC a norm. However, the situation is made worse by the blatant approach that was taken leading to the AGM's failure!

Among the complaints this blogger understands was lodged against TS Syed Hamid's AGM were:

1. The AGM was called by a Committee that did not have quorum nor locus standi to call an AGM.


2. Legitimate delegates from Member Clubs or District and State representatives were not notified, let alone invited, to the AGM.


3. Even members of TS Syed Hamid's Committee were not invited to the AGM! Pictures of the event showed that a minority of his Committee members were on stage!


4. Illegitimate delegates were 'signed-in' as representing member clubs and whole states delegations to the AGM! To 'make-up' the numbers, even school-children, many 16 of age and below and not even qualifying to be MAYC members yet, we bussed in from across Selangor and god knows where else to attend the AGM!

Nevertheless, despite managing to get the Secretary General (KSU) of the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) to officiate the AGM, for all it's failure, TS Syed Hamid's AGM is now declared, invalid, NULL AND VOID!

Interestingly, it was on the back of scheming surrounding this AGM that this blogger questioned plans by TS Syed Hamid and his cronies to 'sapu' assets of MAYC into a foundation or 'Yayasan' controlled by them. This questioning via the media was what led to TS Syed Hamid declaring this blogger a liar and slanderer in a national newspaper! It would appear, as TS Syed Hamid's failure mounts, this blogger's case against him for defamation strengthens...

End note, if TS Syed Hamid is such a failure that he can't even manage a Youth club properly, failing even fulfilling basic steps like having an AGM, should we the people trust him as chairman of our Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD)? Can maybe someone whisper a concern to DS Najib? Maybe it is finally time to put this monumental failure in cabinet-level leadership of the past decade to pasture... without further danger to future generations... in fact, even ours!