Thursday, December 31, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hantu Laut

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_295/1217642359U2qGo2.jpg

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND ALL MY READERS.

SPECIAL THANKS TO SM AND EDDY WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY FOLLOWED THIS BLOG AND HAVE BEEN REGULAR COMMENTATORS EVER SINCE.

WE MAY HAVE AGREED OR DISAGREED IN THE COURSE OF OUR POLITICAL DISCOURSE BUT THEY HAVE ALL BEEN IN UTMOST CIVILITY.

ONCE AGAIN MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHERE EVER YOU MAY BE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2010.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A Coward Dies A Thousand Deaths

Hantu Laut
















As Shakespeare says in Julius Caesar "A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero only one"

This is the rat.A coward.Sold his soul to the devil for money.

If you are telling the truth, be a man, come forward and fight your case or put your money where your mouth is or take a leaf out of the story below.

Below is a story of a coward who thought he was a brave man and a would be hero.

Title: A Coward
Author: Guy De Maupassant

In society he was called "Handsome Signoles." His name was Vicomte Gontran-Joseph de Signoles.

An orphan, and possessed of an ample fortune, he cut quite a dash, as it is called. He had an attractive appearance and manner, could talk well, had a certain inborn elegance, an air of pride and nobility, a good mustache, and a tender eye, that always finds favor with women.

He was in great request at receptions, waltzed to perfection, and was regarded by his own sex with that smiling hostility accorded to the popular society man. He had been suspected of more than one love affair, calculated to enhance the reputation of a bachelor. He lived a happy, peaceful life--a life of physical and mental well-being. He had won considerable fame as a swordsman, and still more as a marksman.

"When the time comes for me to fight a duel," he said, "I shall choose pistols. With such a weapon I am sure to kill my man."

One evening, having accompanied two women friends of his with their husbands to the theatre, he invited them to take some ice cream at Tortoni's after the performance. They had been seated a few minutes in the restaurant when Signoles noticed that a man was staring persistently at one of the ladies. She seemed annoyed, and lowered her eyes. At last she said to her husband:

"There's a man over there looking at me. I don't know him; do you?"

The husband, who had noticed nothing, glanced across at the offender, and said:

"No; not in the least."

His wife continued, half smiling, half angry:

"It's very tiresome! He quite spoils my ice cream."

The husband shrugged his shoulders.

"Nonsense! Don't take any notice of him. If we were to bother our heads about all the ill-mannered people we should have no time for anything else."

But the vicomte abruptly left his seat. He could not allow this insolent fellow to spoil an ice for a guest of his. It was for him to take cognizance of the offence, since it was through him that his friends had come to the restaurant. He went across to the man and said:

"Sir, you are staring at those ladies in a manner I cannot permit. I must ask you to desist from your rudeness."

The other replied:

"Let me alone, will you!"

"Take care, sir," said the vicomte between his teeth, "or you will force me to extreme measures."

The man replied with a single word--a foul word, which could be heard from one end of the restaurant to the other, and which startled every one there. All those whose backs were toward the two disputants turned round; all the others raised their heads; three waiters spun round on their heels like tops; the two lady cashiers jumped, as if shot, then turned their bodies simultaneously, like two automata worked by the same spring.

There was dead silence. Then suddenly a sharp, crisp sound. The vicomte had slapped his adversary's face. Every one rose to interfere. Cards were exchanged.

When the vicomte reached home he walked rapidly up and down his room for some minutes. He was in a state of too great agitation to think connectedly. One idea alone possessed him: a duel. But this idea aroused in him as yet no emotion of any kind. He had done what he was bound to do; he had proved himself to be what he ought to be. He would be talked about, approved, congratulated. He repeated aloud, speaking as one does when under the stress of great mental disturbance:

"What a brute of a man!" Then he sat down, and began to reflect. He would have to find seconds as soon as morning came. Whom should he choose? He bethought himself of the most influential and best-known men of his acquaintance. His choice fell at last on the Marquis de la Tour- Noire and Colonel Bourdin-a nobleman and a soldier. That would be just the thing. Their names would carry weight in the newspapers. He was thirsty, and drank three glasses of water, one after another; then he walked up and down again. If he showed himself brave, deter mined, prepared to face a duel in deadly earnest, his adversary would probably draw back and proffer excuses. He picked up the card he had taken from his pocket and thrown on a table. He read it again, as he had already read it, first at a glance in the restaurant, and afterward on the way home in the light of each gas lamp: "Georges Lamil, 51 Rue Moncey." That was all.

He examined closely this collection of letters, which seemed to him mysterious, fraught with many meanings. Georges Lamil! Who was the man? What was his profession? Why had he stared so at the woman? Was it not monstrous that a stranger, an unknown, should thus all at once upset one's whole life, simply because it had pleased him to stare rudely at a woman? And the vicomte once more repeated aloud:

"What a brute!"

Then he stood motionless, thinking, his eyes still fixed on the card. Anger rose in his heart against this scrap of paper--a resentful anger, mingled with a strange sense of uneasiness. It was a stupid business altogether! He took up a penknife which lay open within reach, and deliberately stuck it into the middle of the printed name, as if he were stabbing some one.

So he would have to fight! Should he choose swords or pistols?--for he considered himself as the insulted party. With the sword he would risk less, but with the pistol there was some chance of his adversary backing out. A duel with swords is rarely fatal, since mutual prudence prevents the combatants from fighting close enough to each other for a point to enter very deep. With pistols he would seriously risk his life; but, on the other hand, he might come out of the affair with flying colors, and without a duel, after all.

"I must be firm," he said. "The fellow will be afraid."

The sound of his own voice startled him, and he looked nervously round the room. He felt unstrung. He drank another glass of water, and then began undressing, preparatory to going to bed.

As soon as he was in bed he blew out the light and shut his eyes.

"I have all day to-morrow," he reflected, "for setting my affairs in order. I must sleep now, in order to be calm when the time comes."

He was very warm in bed, but he could not succeed in losing consciousness. He tossed and turned, remained for five minutes lying on his back, then changed to his left side, then rolled over to his right. He was thirsty again, and rose to drink. Then a qualm seized him:

"Can it be possible that I am afraid?"

Why did his heart beat so uncontrollably at every well-known sound in his room? When the clock was about to strike, the prefatory grating of its spring made him start, and for several seconds he panted for breath, so unnerved was he.

He began to reason with himself on the possibility of such a thing: "Could I by any chance be afraid?"

No, indeed; he could not be afraid, since he was resolved to proceed to the last extremity, since he was irrevocably determined to fight without flinching. And yet he was so perturbed in mind and body that he asked himself:

"Is it possible to be afraid in spite of one's self?"

And this doubt, this fearful question, took possession of him. If an irresistible power, stronger than his own will, were to quell his courage, what would happen? He would certainly go to the place appointed; his will would force him that far. But supposing, when there, he were to tremble or faint? And he thought of his social standing, his reputation, his name.

And he suddenly determined to get up and look at himself in the glass. He lighted his candle. When he saw his face reflected in the mirror he scarcely recognized it. He seemed to see before him a man whom he did not know. His eyes looked disproportionately large, and he was very pale.

He remained standing before the mirror. He put out his tongue, as if to examine the state of his health, and all at once the thought flashed into his mind:

"At this time the day after to-morrow I may be dead."

And his heart throbbed painfully.

"At this time the day after to-morrow I may be dead. This person in front of me, this 'I' whom I see in the glass, will perhaps be no more. What! Here I am, I look at myself, I feel myself to be alive--and yet in twenty-four hours I may be lying on that bed, with closed eyes, dead, cold, inanimate."

He turned round, and could see himself distinctly lying on his back on the couch he had just quitted. He had the hollow face and the limp hands of death.

Then he became afraid of his bed, and to avoid seeing it went to his smoking-room. He mechanically took a cigar, lighted it, and began walking back and forth. He was cold; he took a step toward the bell, to wake his valet, but stopped with hand raised toward the bell rope.

"He would see that I am afraid!"

And, instead of ringing, he made a fire himself. His hands quivered nervously as they touched various objects. His head grew dizzy, his thoughts confused, disjointed, painful; a numbness seized his spirit, as if he had been drinking.

And all the time he kept on saying:

"What shall I do? What will become of me?"

His whole body trembled spasmodically; he rose, and, going to the window, drew back the curtains.

The day--a summer day-was breaking. The pink sky cast a glow on the city, its roofs, and its walls. A flush of light enveloped the awakened world, like a caress from the rising sun, and the glimmer of dawn kindled new hope in the breast of the vicomte. What a fool he was to let himself succumb to fear before anything was decided--before his seconds had interviewed those of Georges Lamil, before he even knew whether he would have to fight or not!

He bathed, dressed, and left the house with a firm step.

He repeated as he went:

"I must be firm--very firm. I must show that I am not afraid."

His seconds, the marquis and the colonel, placed themselves at his disposal, and, having shaken him warmly by the hand, began to discuss details.

"You want a serious duel?" asked the colonel.

"Yes--quite serious," replied the vicomte.

"You insist on pistols?" put in the marquis.

"Yes."

"Do you leave all the other arrangements in our hands?"

With a dry, jerky voice the vicomte answered:

"Twenty paces--at a given signal--the arm to be raised, not lowered-- shots to be exchanged until one or other is seriously wounded."

"Excellent conditions," declared the colonel in a satisfied tone. "You are a good shot; all the chances are in your favor."

And they parted. The vicomte returned home to, wait for them. His agitation, only temporarily allayed, now increased momentarily. He felt, in arms, legs and chest, a sort of trembling--a continuous vibration; he could not stay still, either sitting or standing. His mouth was parched, and he made every now and then a clicking movement of the tongue, as if to detach it from his palate.

He attempted, to take luncheon, but could not eat. Then it occurred to him to seek courage in drink, and he sent for a decanter of rum, of which he swallowed, one after another, six small glasses.

A burning warmth, followed by a deadening of the mental faculties, ensued. He said to himself:

"I know how to manage. Now it will be all right!"

But at the end of an hour he had emptied the decanter, and his agitation was worse than ever. A mad longing possessed him to throw himself on the ground, to bite, to scream. Night fell.

A ring at the bell so unnerved him that he had not the strength to rise to receive his seconds.

He dared not even to speak to them, wish them good-day, utter a single word, lest his changed voice should betray him.

"All is arranged as you wished," said the colonel. "Your adversary claimed at first the privilege of the offended part; but he yielded almost at once, and accepted your conditions. His seconds are two military men."

"Thank you," said the vicomte.

The marquis added:

"Please excuse us if we do not stay now, for we have a good deal to see to yet. We shall want a reliable doctor, since the duel is not to end until a serious wound has been inflicted; and you know that bullets are not to be trifled with. We must select a spot near some house to which the wounded party can be carried if necessary. In fact, the arrangements will take us another two or three hours at least."

The vicomte articulated for the second time:

"Thank you."

"You're all right?" asked the colonel. "Quite calm?"

"Perfectly calm, thank you."

The two men withdrew.

When he was once more alone he felt as though he should go mad. His servant having lighted the lamps, he sat down at his table to write some letters. When he had traced at the top of a sheet of paper the words: "This is my last will and testament," he started from his seat, feeling himself incapable of connected thought, of decision in regard to anything.

So he was going to fight! He could no longer avoid it. What, then, possessed him? He wished to fight, he was fully determined to fight, and yet, in spite of all his mental effort, in spite of the exertion of all his will power, he felt that he could not even preserve the strength necessary to carry him through the ordeal. He tried to conjure up a picture of the duel, his own attitude, and that of his enemy.

Every now and then his teeth chattered audibly. He thought he would read, and took down Chateauvillard's Rules of Dueling. Then he said:

"Is the other man practiced in the use of the pistol? Is he well known? How can I find out?"

He remembered Baron de Vaux's book on marksmen, and searched it from end to end. Georges Lamil was not mentioned. And yet, if he were not an adept, would he have accepted without demur such a dangerous weapon and such deadly conditions?

He opened a case of Gastinne Renettes which stood on a small table, and took from it a pistol. Next he stood in the correct attitude for firing, and raised his arm. But he was trembling from head to foot, and the weapon shook in his grasp.

Then he said to himself:

"It is impossible. I cannot fight like this."

He looked at the little black, death-spitting hole at the end of the pistol; he thought of dishonor, of the whispers at the clubs, the smiles in his friends' drawing-rooms, the contempt of women, the veiled sneers of the newspapers, the insults that would be hurled at him by cowards.

He still looked at the weapon, and raising the hammer, saw the glitter of the priming below it. The pistol had been left loaded by some chance, some oversight. And the discovery rejoiced him, he knew not why.

If he did not maintain, in presence of his opponent, the steadfast bearing which was so necessary to his honor, he would be ruined forever. He would be branded, stigmatized as a coward, hounded out of society! And he felt, he knew, that he could not maintain that calm, unmoved demeanor. And yet he was brave, since the thought that followed was not even rounded to a finish in his mind; but, opening his mouth wide, he suddenly plunged the barrel of the pistol as far back as his throat, and pressed the trigger.

When the valet, alarmed at the report, rushed into the room he found his master lying dead upon his back. A spurt of blood had splashed the white paper on the table, and had made a great crimson stain beneath the words:

"This is my last will and testament."


-THE END-

Monday, December 28, 2009

This City (Kota Kinabalu) Stinks

Hantu Laut

In better run economies many would have been sacked for incompetence. The couldn't care less attitude have robbed the people of getting the right amenities and clean environment that they rightfully deserved. After having paid for the services through various form of taxes Sabahans are still being short-changed by the lackadaisical attitude and corruptions in the civil service.Even basic necessities such as water and power have become a major problem for the state to deal with.It has become more difficult than rocket science to solve.So it seems.

The high frequency of power outage and water tap running dry have become outrageously shameful. It would have put most administrations to shame but Sabah civil servants seemed immune to shame.

Health care is another major hurdle that this government has been grappling with for many years and instead of getting major improvement it has gotten worse.

My visit to SMC (Sabah Medical Centre, taken over by the government recently) today to see a sick aunt foretells a looming disaster.I can sense inefficiency,incompetence and lackadaisical attitude coming its way.Out of three lifts only one seems to be working this morning.The other two might have been stopped to save electricity or under repair.I am waiting for the day, like in the old QEH (Queen Elizabeth Hospital), for the lift to start shivering before it starts its journey.

Sunset,Tg Aru Beach.Scouring for bi-valves.

A few days ago I took a walk along Tg Aru Beach.I have known this beach since my childhood days when the sand was still pure white and the water pristine. Passing by the first beach I was immediately greeted by the most nauseating smell ever, coming from a nearby drain that discharge its effluents into the sea.One can't imagine how once such pristine environment had been allowed to deteriorate to become appallingly unpleasant to the senses.There are about 6 to 7 of this kind of drains along the whole stretch of the beach between Shangrila Hotel and the airport discharging untreated sewage into the sea. Not only this beach stinks to high heaven almost everywhere else in town one can smell the drains and sewers.

First beach,Tg Aru

Go to the Waterfront in town and order your favourite drink and wait till the tide goes out.You will pick up the same revolting stench.The smell of shit.Next, go to the central market and the new esplanade in town and enjoy the same nasty smell greeting you.A little further a field, drive to Inanam/Kolombong area and the same nasty smell abounds but by than you would have lost your sense of smell.Your olfactory organs have become so used to the scent of shit somehow the shitty smell doesn't bother you anymore.That must be the case with the people at DBKK (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu).Their olfactory organs have neutralised the smell of shit.

KK Waterfront

This is a beautiful city that have been ruined by endless supply of morons running it.It could have been the most beautiful city in the whole country. With its pristine beaches,islands,coral reefs and nearby mountains very few city in the world can match this one.A city that can give you 10 minutes boat ride to nearby islands with sandy beaches and crystal clear water and one hour drive to cooler mountain climate and primary forests.

After 46 years of independence, more than anything else, we have done more wrongs to the city.This city should have been expanded on a gridiron system.The old section of the city was built more or less on a grid system.If the urban planners have continued using the same system this small city wouldn't face traffic congestion today.Road construction and traffic flow would have been made easier .Downtown KK is not that big, yet there are traffic congestion most days.

The first to lead the way in bad urban planning was the old Sedco complex at Kampong Air, than came the Segama and Sinsuran complexes.To add insult to injury are the buildings of Api-Api and Asia City.Both are potential future ghettos of KK.Asia City is so badly planned one can easily be driving in a maze here.It would sooner join Bandaran Berjaya as the fleshpot of KK.

The city doesn't have long term environment protection plan.Sewerage and waste water are still allowed to flow to the sea affecting the nearby marine lives and coral reefs. Rightfully, it should by now have a proper and adequate central sewage and waste water treatment and disposal system in place.

The squatter colonies at Pulau Gaya, one of the main contributors of pollutants into the sea should have been resettled many years ago and the land taken over for development that could benefits the city.No politicians dare make the move.They can acquire thousand of acres of land from local landowners and pay peanuts to them for the KKIP (Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park) which has become one big white elephant but have no balls to kick out the illegals from this beautiful island.

Public amenities are still far from satisfactory.Many parts of the city's roads and residential areas still do not have adequate lighting.Public transport and taxis are not readily available and if they do they are bloody expensive.I once took a cab from Terminal 2 to the Kinabalu Yacht Club which is less than five minutes ride costing RM15.00.You can't argue with the cab driver because the fare from airports are set by the government.Those who set the fares have no inkling of some of the distances.It's just a simple case of laziness.

Try driving on the unlit roads and highways at night. The chances of you going off the road or hitting the kerb is pretty high especially on roads you are not familiar with because the road lines that supposed to help you keep on track at night have disappeared ages ago and those responsible to maintain it are fast asleep.

Most amazing is a project which I consider highly dangerous to airline passengers.This is the construction of a fly-over at the end of the KKIA runway.One would have thought there should be free open space at the end of runways in the event of planes overshooting the runway which is not a remote possibility.What were the engineers thinking when they designed the flyover or was it they have no clue that there is a runway right next to it? Shouldn't a tunnel be a better alternative? Even if the area has high water table simple solution of providing pumps would be sufficient as the tunnel is very short.

We are proud to be given the privilege of having the first submarine base here.The Federal government spent hundreds of million to build the base with one serious defect.It is only 1 kilometer away from the busy Sepangar port where all kind of boats and ships ply the waters.Too close for comfort.

Government departments not coordinating with each other is a common occurrence here, that's why it is common to see a newly sealed road dug up again few weeks later by another department.

It has become a vicious circle.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas Eve With A New Twist

Hantu Laut

A Christmas eve with a new twist.

Christmas is supposed to be a day of joy,of gift-giving and in celebration of the birth of Jesus.

However, the people of Pakatan's state of Penang seemed to be confused between New Year's Eve and the eve of Christmas.The Star reported here the usually rowdy Christmas eve celebration in Penang turned ugly with revellers bashing two enforcement officers.A night of merry making that gone affary.

A new brand of freedom in Pakatan's land?

Pakatan call for another Royal commission here.

Anwar should write a book 'Pakatan For Dummies' so Malaysians could understand him and his dumb-ass coalition better.

Try Googling 'answer to life, the universe and everything' and see what answer you get.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Is Malaysia Lingering In Laggardness?

Hantu Laut

Civilisations come and go. Some decline gradually while others have shown rapid decline.

The decline of past civilisations and empires have mainly been attributed to greed,corruptions and enmity.History have been witness to the rise and fall of empires and civilisations.

The Roman Empire lasted for one millennium and collapsed in 1453 with the end of the Byzantine era.The Ming Dynasty stood for almost 300 years and was the high point of Chinese civilisation.This was the time when China had the biggest naval fleet in the world and where Admiral Zheng He roamed the high seas engaging in trades and collecting tributes from tributaries of the empire.The Ottoman Empire lasted 623 years and collapsed after World War I.Those are just few major civilisations that have risen and collapsed.

Of more recent times, of our times , the collapse of European hegemony after World War II, when invincibility of the British and other European powers were put to the test by Japanese occupation of their colonies.

The British presence and control of her far-flung colonies in the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia was made possible by her superior naval power.Control of sea lanes and the oceans gave Britain unfettered maritime passages to all her colonies.Those who control the oceans control the world.Today, the US is the only super power that has naval supremacy over the world's oceans and can wage wars in any part of the world.

European supremacy and the myth of its invincibility was demolished during World War II when an Asian military power invaded and occupied her impregnable fortress in the Far East. Singapore, fell to the Japanese with very little resistance from the British.The locals looked on in dismay as the British gave up arms and surrendered to the invading force.This was the beginning of the dismantling of the empire.

Britain,Germany,Japan and the US were the main players in World War II.They have against all odds risen from the ashes to become world economic powers.

In Asia, economic miracles that took place over the past five decades have made a number of countries to become economic powerhouses.Some have grown faster than others.Some are left behind due to bad politics and bad economic policies.

The Far East was the fastest growing economic region during the second-half of the twentieth century.Japan takes the lead as the most economically progressive and most industrialised .At the moment Japan is still the economic behemoth of Asia.With the prolonged recession in the country the picture could change very quickly. China's move to capitalism that transformed her into another economic giant is expected to surpass Japan's GDP in the next 2 to 3 years

The other economic tigers are South Korea,Taiwan,Singapore and Hong Kong. Malaysia,Indonesia,Thailand and the Philippines are considered to be in the junior league.

Less than forty years ago the GDP of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan were less than Malaysia .Today, these countries have dwarfed Malaysia's GDP and per capita income.The three tigers and South Korea have progressed by leaps and bounds and Malaysia with far better natural resources and bigger land mass is lagging far behind. Below are some economic statistics of the countries concerned.

All figures 2008, Source:IMF and in US Currency.

Malaysia Pop:26 Per Capita:US$14,081 Rank:59 GDP:US$385.2 bil

Singapore Pop:4.6 Per Capita:51,226 Rank:4 GDP:237.9

Hong Kong Pop:7 Per Capita:43,847 Rank:7 GDP:307.3

Taiwan Pop:23 Per Capita:30,912 Rank:25 GDP:713.7

S.Korea Pop:49 Per Capita:27,692 Rank:33 GDP:1.338 tri

The GDP figures above showed there is something very wrong with Malaysia's productivity.The man-hour output is much lower compared to the other countries.It can only mean either Malaysians have very low productivity or work less hours than their counterparts in the other countries.Such phenomenon can only occur as a result of bad labour policies or bad work culture or both.Low man-hour output can also be the result of bad government policies.Malaysia, do not have minimum wage and import unskilled and low-wage foreign labour.

Taiwan with slightly less population and 1/9 the land mass of Malaysia has GDP almost double that of Malaysia.More interesting is Singapore, with 4.6 million people and land mass 1/473 that of Malaysia and GDP of $307.3 its productivity is 5.65 times more efficient than Malaysia. In the 1960s South Korea's GDP was less than Malaysia.Today, Korea has surpassed the 1 trillion mark.

With the recent global financial debacle and economic recession Malaysia's economic performance would slide further down.There would be less government revenues to finance the budget.Its 40 percent dependency on oil revenue to finance its budget is an anomaly.Major financing of the budget should have come from non-oil revenues.With the current low price of crude there would be less oil money.

Malaysia needs to borrow, increase taxes or sell government assets to finance the deficit.The widening deficit is a tell-tale sign of poor management of the economy.

To increase taxes would burden the people who were already suffering from low wages and high costs of living.It could also cause the standing government to fall.

We have all the resources to be of greater economic value yet we linger in laggardness?

Friday, December 25, 2009

Were Malaysians Born Yesterday?

Hantu Laut

I am beginning to see the light why there are so much discontent and opposition among the people against the government. The inconsistency is stark naked.It may not be the fault of the Prime Minister but it would certainly affect his administration.The lack of polity and probity among his boys do not augurs well with his 1 Malaysia concept.

Read this and tell me why it takes them over a week to come out of their slumber to come up with a new revelation that the brigadier-general and others were actually sacked before the loss of the engines.

Malaysians are not interested when they were sacked, it's completely irrelevant. We are interested to know why they are not behind bars yet.


Unfortunately, those in power seemed to think that Malaysians were born yesterday and, please, don't tell us bloggers we shouldn't comment on this subject.

This issue is of public interest and loss of taxpayers money through thievery.

Merry Christmas

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND READERS WHERE EVER THEY MAY BE.



Thursday, December 24, 2009

UMNO's Bogeyman

Hantu Laut

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has shown he has his ears to the ground and responded quickly to public complaints and grievances.His priority is to boost economic growth which has stagnated due to low investor's confidence.

He has taken action to remove the RPGT (Real Property Gain Tax) that have got the property sector feeling uneasy that it would suppress growth of the property market.With the new announcement, the RPGT is only applicable to property sold within 5 years of purchase.

While Najib is trying his very best to repair the damage his men are equally busy destroying his concept of uniting Malaysians of all races under his 1 Malaysia.The revelation here by a Malay youth of what transpired in a youth course he attended is alarming and dangerous.

If UMNO thinks they can use the opposition as bogeyman to frighten the Malays into submission than they need their heads examined.

The Malays today have risen beyond these kinds of indoctrination.They are better educated and can think for themselves.The politics of fear has no more room in this nation and those over-zealous trainers in BTN or any government sponsored courses are bankrupt of ideas. Their only achievement? They have successfully made themselves looking stupid in the eyes of their students.

It is this kind of feudalistic medieval mentality that put UMNO in trouble.This kind of siege mentality is the product of dispair and sense of insecurity.

It is also highly questionable as to why UMNO is involved in running a youth programme organised by a state government.... just to tell the youths attending the course to pull the blankets over their head to keep out the bogeyman.

The world has change, please move along, think of a better way how to win the people's heart.

I support the BN but I don't support this kind stupidity.

Colonised? My foot!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Ali Baba And The 40 Thieves: It Should Be Court-Martial Or Military Tribunal

Hantu Laut

First, it was reported only one engine was stolen.Now, two engines have gone missing and sold.

The things that didn't make any sense to us ordinary Malaysians is, on one hand, the Armed Forces chief Gen Azizan Ariffin said that those responsible for stealing the engines should be charged with treason which was earlier advocated by me in my posting here, but on the other hand the 40 thieves including a brigadier-general were only sacked and let off scot-free.Shouldn't they be remanded until full investigation is completed or face a court-martial or military tribunal.Those involved should be considered adversarial, enemies of the state and should be tried under a military court not a civil court.

Taking these thieves to civil court would delay justice for many years and make Malaysians more suspicious of the outcome.

Putting it to military court would expedite the hearing of the case and eliminate the appeal stages.Being of different jurisdiction decisions made by a military court cannot be appealed to the Federal Court.

This is crime of the highest order, crime against the state and the government shouldn't drag its feet or try to cover up any wrongdoings.The harshest punishment is the only remedy.It should be catch first and talk later and guilty until proven innocent.Ask the Tax Department, they use this rule to the letter all the times.Pay first, talk later.

Malaysians are now questioning the vulnerability and effectiveness of our security system.If two jet engines disappeared without being detected what about our other more sensitive state secrets.

I am still waiting for the big fish from PKFX.There seems to be no sign of them.

Bacon,Ham And Bah Kut Teh, Who Moved My Cheese?

Hantu Laut

When I was young and stupid, every time I passed a Chinese eatery selling 'bah kut teh' I always thought it was some kind of tea but didn't really bother to find out what it is until in my later teens when I learned what it really is from a Chinese girlfriend .Literally, translated into English it means "Pork Rib Tea Soup" or "Pork Bone Tea Soup." In Malay, it would repulsively be called "Sup Tulang Babi"

Now, some smart guy have decided that Muslims should also enjoy this succulent hawker's fare by substituting the pork with some halal ingredients but keeping the same name.

As usual Muslims can’t be left to think for themselves.We are so stupid we can’t tell the difference between the negative and positive pole.

Below is a statement from Jakim.

“Walaupun mereka mungkin akan membuat permohonan, Jakim tidak akan meluluskan makanan bak kut teh halal itu kerana sudah jelas ia tidak mengikut hukum yang telah ditetapkan di dalam Islam,” katanya.(Jakim will not issue the halal certificate to those who apply as we deemed they have not complied with the rules set out under Islam)


Tegas beliau Jakim bimbang masyarakat Islam akan salah faham dengan membuat tanggapan bahawa makanan itu sudah halal dimakan jika Jakim memberi pengiktirafan halal.(Jakim is worried that Muslims may be misled that the food is halal if Jakim issued the certificate)


The questions I would like to ask.What about turkey ham and beef bacon served at every breakfast in every luxury hotels in this country some of which are owned by the government. Is it not the same, against Islam too, to give halal labels to haram names. Ham and bacon are exclusively made from pork meat, the same as 'bah kut teh'.

Than what about hamburgers used by MacDonald and other burger chains in this country. Why are they given the halal label? What about hot dogs? Is it not against Islam to think one is eating dog meat even if it is not dog meat?Shouldn't the name hotdog be banned from being used in this country?

In Islam, which is haram the animal, the name or both?

Can someone tell me?

Who moved my cheese?

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Anwar's Contradictions

2112_front_a
Dr Jeffrey (far left), Anwar (third left) and PKR leaders during the press conference.

Anwar Ibrahim says PKR wovs in Sabah are over and Jeffrey Kitingan is happy and has accepted to stay in PKR.Read the story here.

Read the contradiction below.
Sabah Times

PENAMPANG: Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan remains unhappy with the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) central leadership’s way of selecting party leaders in Sabah.

“I’m just unhappy with the way the appointment was made, that’s all,” he said of Ahmad Thamrin Jaini’s appointment as the state liaison chairman.

He insisted that both Sabah and Sarawak PKR should be given the autonomy to pick their own leaders.

“For me, one of the things I want is that PKR Sabah and Sarawak should be given the autonomy, so we can be a local national party,” he told reporters after the closing of the Sabah PKR Convention 2009 yesterday.

Contrary to his sentiment, party advisor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday that internal problems bogging the Sabah PKR have been resolved and members have expressed the state party line-up.

“I am glad to say at least now they support the party line up in the state. At the same time, we want to make sure the national leadership which includes Dr Jeffrey, Christina Liew and Ansari Abdullah to be given a chance to perform in Sabah and Sarawak,” he told reporters after closing the Sabah PKR Convention 2009 here yesterday.

Anwar said however that he was sticking to the decision to appoint a second-liner of leadership to spearhead the party and hoped that the senior leaders would support and provide guidance to them like how it is being done in some states in the peninsula.

“Since it is spelt out very clearly in the PKR policy statement, I think we should adhere to that,” he said.

Dr Jeffrey, when asked for comments, said he had no problem with the second-liner rationale and without elaborating said, “but you have to ask the others.”

“For me it’s okay. I do what I can to bring up the Borneo issue of Sabah and Sarawak. I am happy to have seen the PKR policy already. But you have to ask the others, it is not just me,” he said.

Anwar had earlier said that the party leadership had received a lot of feedbacks from members and had explained the decision-making process to them.

He clarified that although Ahmad Thamrin’s appointment had caused controversy, it was a mandate given to him just as what the central leadership had done for party divisions in Sarawak and the peninsula.

The State PKR had been bogged down by internal problems when Dr Jeffrey’s announced his resignation as the vice president in October following the appointment of Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as the state liaison chairman by the party’s central leadership. Soon after, Liew relinquished her post as supreme council member.

The party however did not accept their resignations.

“As far as I’m concerned, he (Dr Jeffrey) is (still) the vice-president and I didn’t see his resignation letter,” Anwar said.

Meanwhile, on reports that he would join Party Cinta Malaysia, Dr Jeffrey said: “As far as I’m concerned there is none.’

He said the PKR leadership had also given him the assurance that all his ideas had been accepted.

“That is important, because that is what I am about, I want some real changes and I am banking on their sincerity,” he said.

Here's another contradiction on PAS Hadi Awang's statement that PAS was in no hurry to register Pakatan Rakyat that got Anwar putting a new spin to it.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Are KL Cabbies Worse Than Dirty Toilets?

Hantu Laut

This is one rare occassion that I agree with Nazri Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Yes, I agree the cabbies in Kuala Lumpur are more offensive and worse than dirty toilets and he needs not apologise to this bunch of extortionists.I have personal experience, not once, but on many occasions, the uncouth behaviour and crookedness of KL taxi drivers.They are disgrace to the nation.

A report here shows that in spite the recent increase in taxi fare the KL taxi drivers haven't mend their ways.

At least, dirty toilet only stinks, it doesn't cheat you.

I wrote this more than a year ago on one of my visits to Kuala Lumpur.

A Letter From Sabah To The PM

Hantu Laut

The letter below has been published in Lim Kit Siang's blog with only one purpose, to revile the Prime Minister to gain political mileage.

I am putting the same letter on this blog as an appeal to the Prime Minister to strongly consider a clean alternative energy source instead of coal, which even with so called clean technology would still emit some greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Coal is dirt that burn.Carbon emissions from burning coal are one of the leading causes of global warming and acid rain.Sabah has alternative source of cleaner energy ...why not use it? Carbon content in coal can reached as high as 90 percent and double the amount of carbon emission as compared to natural gas.

Tenaga claimed that their using of clean technology can't be verified.The only way coal can be considered less dirty is when it is refined.

Refined coal
is the product of coal upgrading technology that removes moisture and certain pollutants from lower-rank coals such as sub-bituminous and lignite (brown) coals. It is one form of several pre-combustion treatments and processes for coal that alter coal's characteristics before it is burned.The goals of pre-combustion coal technologies are to increase efficiency and reduce emissions when the coal is burned. Depending on the situation, pre-combustion technology can be used in place of or as a supplement to post-combustion technologies to control emissions from coal-fueled boilers.Even than it would not be clean as clean.

The letter is substantive and shows the tenacity of Sabahans not wanting burning coal in their midst.

I hope the Prime Minister would read the letter and give serious consideration to the plea of Sabahans to save their health and natural heritage from destruction and to reduce greenhouse gases as promised at the Copenhagen Conference.

From Copenhagen to Sabah: 1Earth, 1Climate Change; 1Najib?

Dear Prime Minister Najib Razak,

Once again, we welcome your serious and determined efforts to reduce carbon emission to help halt global warming in the interests of our future generations.

Surely, the first important step to CUTTING (rather than increasing) carbon emission is to cancel the proposed coal power plant to be built in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu, which is very close to the various pristine, precious natural paradise of Darvel Bay, Coral Triangle Initiative, Tabin Wildlife Conservation area and so on, which make the East Coast of Sabah one of the remaining natural treasures of the world.

You have asked for our views “on what more we can do to ensure a greener Malaysia, so that we can learn from each other.” Great! Here are some. We do not dream that you would actually ‘learn’ from humble Sabahans like us, but we would be very grateful already if you could at least be consistent in your position on climate change and coal.

You have asked Sabah to accept the “dirty, environmentally not friendly” coal power plant even though:

a) Sabah does NOT produce coal, and all the coal used for the proposed power plant would have to be IMPORTED all the way from Indonesia.

We can understand why countries like China and USA use coal — because coal is produced locally in these countries; but we are puzzled by why we are forced to import toxic trash like coal when we don’t need it nor want it here in Sabah!

b) Sabah has ALTERNATIVES to generate electricity without resorting to dirty coal.

As a major palm oil producer, we — especially in the East Coast of Sabah — have plenty of empty fruit bunches left over everyday, a natural waste product of cultivating palm oil, which could be easily used for generating bio-mass power. All it takes is for your government to take steps to tap into this abundantly and easily available resource of Sabah. Yet, it does not seem that your government is serious about taking any other initiative which would save Sabah from coal.

Or, we could either use the natural gas produced in Kimanis, Sabah itself or — if your government insists on depriving Sabahans of their own natural resources by exporting it all the way to Sarawak — then at least exchange the export of our natural gas to Sarawak with hydro-electricity power from Bakun Dam, Sarawak, which your government now plans to export all the way — across the mountains, forests and even ocean — to West Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Anywhere but Sabah, even though it is feasible to supply to the East Coast of Sabah.

Basically, your government has:

(1) forced us to give up our own natural gas from Kimanis, Sabah,

(2) refused to at least give us clean hydro-power from Bakun, Sarawak in exchange,

(3) exporting Bakun hydro-power to everywhere EXCEPT Sabah, and then

(4) forced us in Sabah to IMPORT DIRTY COAL from Indonesia!!

Why is it that when it comes to DIVERTING clean energy sources AWAY FROM Sabah, your government is willing to leave no stone unturned regardless of how difficult it may be, but when it comes to POLLUTING Sabah with dirty, environmentally unfriendly coal, your government is determined to force it down our throats and even ask us to sacrifice?

This basically sums up Sabahans’ bewilderment with your decision to force us to accept coal:

“The bottom line is Sabah has alternatives to having a coal-fired power plant and the technology is available now, what we seem to have is a lack of will from certain parties who say that there is no alternative but this is not true, we have alternatives. Imagine what a great model for the world Sabah will be with this!”


Whether the proposed coal power plant passes the so-called “Environmental Impact Assessment” and whether there really is such a thing as “clean coal technology” are completely beside the point — because Sabah DOES NOT NEED COAL IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Therefore, we are still very puzzled by why you must FORCE us to accept coal, given your own apparently strong stand on climate change and dislike of coal whenever you spoke OUTSIDE of Sabah.

In Paris, when addressing the Unesco General Conference on 6 October 2009, you have said:

“…The forthcoming summit in Copenhagen must reflect a strong commitment and action to reverse serious deterioration of planet earth.Read more..

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sabah Boleh Bah?

Hantu Laut

Usually I don't post on this kind of subject but since it involved a politician from my home state I must have the courtesy to congratulate our Yang Berhormat on his outstanding achievement and excellent choice.

Is this the 1 Malaysia the Prime Minister has in mind? Bridging the gap between West and East Malaysia.Take a bride from the West or vice versa or better still get a trophy wife.



Congratulations! Bung. First denied it.Next day married.

Sabah boleh bah!

Now, we are at par with Sarawak.

Should They Be Charged With High Treason?

Hantu Laut

Are we becoming a nation of crooks? Read this.

From crooked politicians repatriating their ill-gotten gains overseas using the illegal hawala system to selling part of the country's defence system.Malaysia is not short of this kind of talents.We become famous for all the wrong reasons.

This is supposed to be high security areas and a jet engine is not that easy to move about without detection.Tip of the iceberg? What else have been stolen and sold without the authority knowing it? Many years ago, if I am not mistaken, there were reports of fake spare parts supplied to the Air Force.

The government should view this very seriously as missiles and bombs could have gone missing without their knowledge and such weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.If such thing happened Malaysia could become a pariah state in the eyes of the international community.

So, how did they do it?

Should those involved be charged with high treason?


High treason is considered a serious offense, and carries the death penalty in some countries.

Friday, December 18, 2009

'Fixed Deposit' My Foot! Sabah In Dire Straits

Hantu Laut

Prime Minister Najib calling Sabah 'fixed deposit' for the BN may end soon if he doesn't do something to those saboteurs in SESB.This bunch of incompetent officers sent over here by Tenaga spent more times going to conferences than doing their job insuring uninterrupted power supply to the state.Some of these men trying very hard to destroy his 1 Malaysia concept.A government that doesn't live up to its promise is likely to face the gallows.

The frequent power disruptions and load shedding that affected the east coast for many years have now hit the west coast and the state capital in a big way.The frequent power disruptions are effecting businesses and creating chaos in the state capital as most major traffic lights ceased to function causing massive traffic jams and mayhem on the roads and streets of Kota Kinabalu.

The constant power disruptions have plagued Sabah for many years and the Federal government since taking over the Sabah Electricity Board had made the situation worse.The negligence to resolve this and other problems affecting the daily lives of Sabahans will have serious repercussions at the next general elections.Sabahans, are basically fed up with the arrogant attitude of these West Malaysian officers and Sabah leaders who had failed to look after the basic needs of the people.

While it is always bright and sunny in West Malaysia clouds of uncertainty hang over Sabah.Frequent power disruptions, inadequate water supply, poor health care, poor road system and the poorest state in Malaysia.

This state had become worse than some third world countries.If shame is the word befitting Sabah leaders than they should be ashamed of themselves for their couldn't care less attitude and inaction.Yesterday, two kampongs in Weston reported to be without water supply for over a month affecting 300 households with over 5000 residents.Reason given by the water department was that their water treatment plant had broken down.The story here.

This is the most outrageous excuse ever.Water is the most essential commodity to sustain lives and Sabah has plentiful.The head of the department should be sacked or moved to a cooler environment where he can spend time sitting on his ass,sucking his thumb and do fuck all.

What do Sabahans want from their members of parliament? They are supposed to look after Sabah's interests at the federal level and act as lobbyists and not as monkeys in Parliament. Here's one Sabah MP who feels he is not handsome enough to deserve the attention of an actress but going ahead anyway to marry her.She loves him for his uncouth and uncultured Mr Bocor image and maybe his fat wallet.Here, the well-known politician(for his controversial menstrual 'bocor') and the popular actress (?, never heard of her before) had dinner with her family to get to know each other better while 5,000 Sabahans here who voted for him and the BN had no water supply for over one month.

Last month I spent three weeks in Phnom Penh and not a single day had been without power.This visibly poor country, if you still want to call it poor to self-console yourself that Malaysia is a better place, are showing remarkable improvement and progress since the fall of the Khmer Rogue.At least most of its streetlights are functioning and important historical monuments are lit at night compared to Kota Kinabalu where many parts of the city are in darkness and major roads unlit.Broken streetlights never get repaired for years.The mayor seems to be busier planting trees,shrubs, flowers and putting up monstrous looking billboards all over the city but ignored the fundamental needs of the city dwellers.The needs to live in a functional city and get the amenities that they have paid for.

While the rest of the world are trying their best to reduce greenhouse effect the Federal government insisted on a coal-fired power plant putting the guns to Sabahan heads that if they don't accept coal than they might as well wither on the vine.

With so much natural gas lying so near offshore common sense tells you that a gas-fired power station makes more sense than that cheap and dirty coal. A project of dubious background.Maybe, the MACC should look into the purchases of Tenaga just to ensure probity and compliance.

If they can run undersea power cable over 700 km for the Bakun project to bring more electrical power to West Malaysia would you believe running 50 km undersea gas pipeline is too expensive and not feasible? The Bakun project would be more expensive to run because it will suffer between 20 to 30 percent power transmission loss over the long distance delivery.

Logic, tells you that the people in Tenaga consider Sabah unworthy of attention, giving Sabahans crappy old machines, pollutants emitting monsters and lots of bullshit stories.These morons forgot that Sabahans are more environmentally conscious than their counterparts in West Malaysia.That's why there were strong objections to the proposal.That's why there were no coal-fired greenhouse gases monsters here.

Just because West Malaysians accepted coal-fired stations doesn't mean Sabahans must do the same and close their eyes to the dangerous long-term side effects to the environment and their health.We have already killed our natural heritage by cutting huge chunk of our forests for oil palm plantations.The harmful effects are now being felt by our rivers and seas.

Unless, Prime Minister Najib takes personal interests in the perennial power disruptions and other problems facing Sabahans his 'fixed deposit' might just evanescent into the abysmal abyss.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Is Sovereign Debt the New Subprime?

Is Sovereign Debt the New Subprime?

Posted Dec 16, 2009 08:30am EST by Aaron Task in Investing, Recession, Banking

That’s a question many on Wall Street are asking as 2009 comes to a close. Just as many subprime borrowers were unable to make their mortgage payments in 2007 and 2008, investors now fear certain nations will be unable to pay their debts in the year ahead.

Rising mortgage defaults and credit card delinquencies put many banks on the brink of bankruptcy in 2008, sending the global economy into a tailspin. But sovereign debt defaults are potentially even more catastrophic as they can lead to geopolitical instability, societal unrest and even war. And there will also be economic ramifications for investors worldwide, putting America’s (and the globe’s) fragile recovery at great risk.

To varying degrees, Greece, Spain, Ukraine, Austria, Latvia, Mexico are just a handful of the nations viewed at risk of defaulting. Meanwhile, Dubai only just avoided a similar fate thanks to a $10 billion bailout from their oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi.

So, who else out there could rattle our constantly more interconnected world? Here's a look at where the trouble spots could be:

  • Greece: Fitch Ratings last week joined two other ratings agencies in expressing concern about the country’s health. “Greece faces the risk of sinking under its debt,” Prime Minister George Papandreou said Monday in a speech where he pledged to slash the nation’s budget deficit by overhauling the nation’s tax system and cutting government spending.
  • Ecuador, which defaulted in December 2008 when President Rafael Correa said the nation wouldn't make an interest payment of more than $30 million on a $510 million bond issue, carries a CCC+ rating at S&P. They define the debt issuers in the CCC category as "[c]urrently vulnerable and dependent on favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet financial commitments." Translation: Probably in for hard times.
  • Argentina, Grenada, Lebanon, Pakistan and Bolivia are judged to be a little better off, but they're saddled with still dubious B- ratings. The single-B classification at S&P means these nations are "[m]ore vulnerable to adverse business, financial and economic conditions but currently [have] the capacity to meet financial commitments." Translation: Not good, and needs some things to go right, preferably soon.
  • Mexico: This week, S&P cut some of its ratings on America’s southern neighbor, but said the outlook is stable. Why the move? Because the agency believes Mexico's attempts to raise money through sources other than oil revenue and to make the economy more efficient "will likely be insufficient to compensate for the weakening of its fiscal profile." Put it on your watch list.Read more.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Muslim Nations:Are They Ready To Take On The West?

Hantu Laut

I share former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad's sentiment on the OIC here.


It is probably one of the most dysfunctional groupings.There is no cohesiveness and very little cooperation and solidarity to bridge the gap between the West, Muslim countries and Islam. Not a single treaty had been adopted by members on how to bring those fanatical Muslims to their senses, to bring them to the negotiating tables and to end their stupid war of attrition, killing more of their own kin than their intended enemies giving the Western powers justification to attack Muslim nations deemed to be harbouring terrorists.

When I first started blogging I wrote the article below on how laggard Muslim nations have been since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.None have risen from the ashes to become a strong economic or military power.

Germany and Japan, war belligerents, completely vanquished in World War II have risen back from the ashes to become one of the world's greatest economic powers.


China, politically and economically ravaged by the Cultural Revolution and closed its doors for decades under communism is now a fast rising economic and military giant and expected to surpass and overtake the US economy in the next decade or two.

One may ask, where are the Muslim nations heading to? 


Many ordinary Muslims share this sentiment but are powerless to do anything. Only those in power can change the fates of Muslims and sad as it is, those in power are only interested in money, power and self-preservation.

Many Arab nations still maintained the absolute monarchy system, which gave the monarch absolute control over the nation's wealth.Many Arab oil producing countries are rich but under the layer of profound wealth lies tons of debt.The recent financial fiasco in Dubai shows the over-stretched imagination of these Muslim leaders about how money should be spent.

According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values, promote solidarity amongst member states, increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas, uphold international peace and security, and advance education, particularly in the fields of science and technology.


Has the grouping successfully accomplished any of those objectives?

It is probably one of the most useless organisations one can think of.Every members have their own selfish agenda.Their conferences are more on rhetoric and nothing on substance.There is no unity and no common ground.

Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost is the common stand.


Thursday, May 31, 2007


MUSLIM NATIONS:ARE THEY READY TO TAKE ON THE WEST?


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

BTN Not For Hypocrites

Hantu Laut

Why should BTN release videos of those who didn't denigrate its basic foundation and called it a racist institution?They stood by their principles and defended BTN. It is people who speaks with forked tongue that should be exposed.

I support anyone who exposes hypocrites and snakes in the grass.They are danger to society.They lied, pretended and are good at hiding their true colour.Some are so good in hiding their traits you only get to know their true characters after they died.

Hypocrisy is the act of pretending to have beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy is thus a kind of lie. Hypocrisy may come from a desire to hide from others actual motives or feelings. Wikipedia.

There can't be a lesser description for a man who speaks like the medicine man.You still can find them at the Sabah weekly tamus selling their concoctions of cure alls. The master alchemist.The bullshit artiste!

Anwar Ibrahim lamented that BTN should also release video tapes on others particularly UMNO leaders.Why should they? UMNO leaders defended the BTN syllabus not disparage them.Unlike him, singing a new song under the chameleon skin and it wouldn't surprises me if his repertoire changed again in the event he returns to UMNO.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Hong Kong Serial Acid Attacker

Hantu Laut
Many Malaysians go to Hong Kong during the school holidays.Please take extra care when walking the streets or in shopping arcades.

Hong Kong's Acid Scare


Written by Maria Thuesen Bleeg
Monday, 14 December 2009

An unknown assailant baffles police, frightens tourists and shoppers

Hong Kong's police have been stymied for the seventh time in a year by unknown assailants who throws bottles of acid off buildings into crowded pedestrian areas in what has always been presumed to be one of the safest cities in the world. The latest attack, almost exactly a year from the first, occurred Saturday night when bottles were thrown off a roof in the Causeway Bay shopping area that injured six people, two seriously.

The attacks have emptied out popular shopping areas as tourists and shoppers have shunned them out of fear. Police believe the latest attack is linked to three others in the crowded Mong Kok shopping and entertainment area in Kowloon. The first took place on Dec. 12, 2008, when 46 Mong Kong Christmas shoppers suffered acid burns.

The attacks have prompted increased police surveillance, anxiety among locals and visitors, and the suspicion that at least one copycat might be involved. Calls have been made for "eye-in-the-sky" cameras to be installed in busy areas, but it would seem technologically impossible to cover all the possible areas where an attack could occur.

The attacks have injured more than 100 people, according to police records. Police have installed HK$1.7 million worth of cameras in the Mong Kok area, stepped up patrols and offered rewards, but the attacker has so far avoided detection and has given no reason for the attacks.

The attacks have confounded law enforcement. Hong Kong, according to a report to the 9th International Anti-corruption Conference by Ian McWalters, a senior director of public prosecutions, remains one of the safest in the world in terms of street crime, with a crime rate at roughly the same level as Singapore and lower than New York, London or Tokyo. The very randomness of the attacks argues against intimidation by the city's infamous triads of shopkeepers or extortion and protection racketeering against bars or billiard halls.

Nor is acid throwing common to either Hong Kong or mainland China. Only one incident, called China's first, was reported in Shanghai in 1986. It is common in South Asia as a form of revenge for sexual or marital refusals in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and Afghanistan, blinding or maiming to women.

To some extent, the attacks call up the mysterious random poisoning of dogs along the five kilometers of Bowen Road above Central. So far, an unknown person has killed 22 dogs since 1989 and has never been identified or apprehended. The person leaves poisoned food along the path, one of the most popular hiking areas in the city and a magnet for people to walk their dogs to get away from crowded flats.

Prior to Saturday's attack, the latest was on Nov. 1 in the Sai Wan Ho neighborhood when someone tossed a bottle of acid at a noodle salesman, burning his leg. In late October, according to police records, beer bottles full of acid were tossed onto the street in the Sham Shui Po neighborhood. No one was injured in those incidents. Police presence has been increased after the most recent incidents, and neighborhood leaders in Sham Shui Po have called for surveillance cameras there, too. Police told the local press they think the most recent attacks aren't related to the ones in Mong Kok. Read more.

Anwar to attend 3 Sabah events in one-day visit


Penampang:
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will make a one-day working visit to Sabah on Dec 20 to attend three key events in conjunction with PKR Sabah's Convention 2009.

Anwar would be officiating at the closing ceremony of the convention, hold a dialogue with a group of young professionals before attending a dinner.

The Sabah PKR Convention would be held at the Atlantis Seafood Restaurant at Jalan Bundusan, while the dialogue with the group of 100 young professionals (by invitation only) would be at the Sabah Golf & Country Club, and the banquet at the Ocean Seafood Restaurant on the same day.

Organising chairman for the convention and the dinner, Datuk Kong Hong Ming, made the announcement during a Press conference at State PKR Liaison Office here.

He made the announcement on behalf of Sabah PKR liaison chief, Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, who had to rush to Kuching to attend the PKR Sarawak Convention.

"We are expecting some 1,200 people comprising party leaders and members from all the 25 divisions in the State to attend the convention.

And we are also glad to announce that all the 130 tables for the banquet have been sold out," he said.

He said among the highlights of the convention would be speeches by selected leaders from the seven state zones, to deliberate on two working papers entitled "Leading PKR Towards the 2-Party System", which will be delivered by PKR Director of Strategies, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and "Why Should PKR Be Our Choice?" by PKR Supreme Council Leader, Ansari Abdullah.

There will also be some resolutions passed at the end of the convention.

Kong also disclosed that Thamrin would soon be making an announcement on the new line-up of the State liaison committee, which has been decided during its Supreme Council meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 6.

He said all the 25 divisions of Sabah PKR will also be conducting their annual general meeting cum election from Feb 1 to March 15 next year.

Also present at Sabah PKR's weekly meeting were its Treasurer Dr Roland Chia, Wanita Chief Hajjah Saukinah Yussof, Youth Chief Razak Ismail, Mursalim B. Tanjul, Secretary to Thamrin, and all its divisional chiefs except for Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau) and Christina Liew (Kota Kinabalu).

Source:Daily Express

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Battle of Wits:Chameleon versus Frog

Hantu Laut

Politicians, can you trust them?

Two months ago he was determined to leave the party.Now, he is wavering because he said he is happy as many of his requests were accepted by the party.It seems his political blackmail worked and effective in making Anwar Ibrahim jittery by giving in to his demands.The story here.

Without Jeffery Kitingan PKR may not get the KDM supports, so, thought Anwar Ibrahim. Chameleon always change colour when under threat.

This is the same man who now contradicts himself about the BTN courses where when things were all bright and sunny for him he was once one of their mentors.This is the same Anwar Ibrahim who teaches his compatriots about ketuanan Melayu and why the immigrants (pendatang) should not question those rights.Watch the video here.

So You Want To Be Famous Like Paris Hilton ?


Malaysians who suffered from ASS (Attention Seeking Syndrome) or Munchausen can use some of the tips here.For those who are half-rich or those with stacks of ill-gotten gains give it a try.You never know, miracles may take time but nothing is impossible.

No point carrying those super expensive Berkin, LV or Gucci handbags to get notice on the street, if you don't have a street to your name. It wouldn't make you famous.People might just think you are a moron.


So You Want to Be Famous...
How to become a celebrity without any talent or skills whatsoever.

Source:Newsweek

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Designer Crooks

Hantu Laut

The purchase of a single laptop for RM42,300, a nine-inch computer monitor for RM8500 and screwdriver costing over RM200.Malaysia Boleh!

A project budgeted at RM1.1 billion snowballed to RM4.5 cost overrun and projected to snowball to over RM12.5 billion, yet the government approved such horrendous increase without due care.

To add salt to the wound, the government even approved a soft loan of over RM4 billion when logically the project should have been terminated to cut any further losses.

Project given to the same people who sold the land to the government at highly inflated price.Willing seller, willing buyer with bad intentions.

A prime minister supposedly approved project of this magnitude without approval of his cabinet.Land purchased at exorbitantly higher than market price approved by the cabinet.Board members sleeping on the job and failing in their duties to exercise fiduciary control over the PKA management giving them carte blance to do what they like.

A baffling preference for higher costs of financing, going against the advice of MOF (Ministry of Finance) to consider government-guaranteed bonds bearing lower interest rate.

Giving project of this magnitude to a single turn-key contractor when a more prudent approach should have been used by slicing the cake into different portions and giving them to different contractors.

The shroud of dishonesty and attempt to cheat the government hung in the air from the day the project was conceived.

In its investigative audit Price Waterhouse reported:

Issue 1: The proposal to purchase the Land was approved by the Cabinet.
However, subsequent development proposals were not tabled to the
Cabinet for approval

Issue 2 : PKA failed to alert the Cabinet in a timely manner of its inability to
finance the Project from its internal funds.

Issue 3: The Board did not exercise oversight and adequate governance over
the implementation of the Project.

Issue 4: Advice of the Attorney General was not sought and certain MOF
regulations were not complied with.

Issue 5 : There could be potential conflicts of interest arising from the
involvement of parties who had prior association with either the Land or
KDSB

Issue 6 : Interest on the MOF soft loan will increase the Project outlay from
RM4.947 billion to RM7.453 billion. Unless the MOF soft loan is
restructured, total outlay for the Project will increase to RM12.453 billion

Issue 7 : PKA could have reduced its funding costs had it complied with MOF’s
recommendation to issue government-guaranteed bonds and
developed the Project in phases

Issue 8 : The Land was acquired at special value which exceeded market value

Issue 9 : KDSB may have overcharged PKA for interest by between RM51
million and RM309 million in connection with the purchase of the Land.

Issue 10: DA3 was not a ‘fixed sum’ contract and did not stipulate a rate for
professional fees claimable by KDSB.

Issue 11 : PKA incurred claims of RM95.256 million for general preliminaries cost
not expressly specified in the DA.

Issue 12 : The final account for DA3 did not include any deduction for value of
work not done on three infrastructure components in the Land purchase
agreement

The whole shipload of them including Pak Lah should be hauled up to answer to the people how their money was lost to a crooked deal chiefly designed by those in power.


Does the AG need more proof to send all these vermin to the slammer.The final figure of the the cost overrun could reach MR12.5 billion, a mind-boggling more than 1100 percent increase.

Prime Minister Najib should make sure no guilty party is given protection from prosecution.All guilty party must face the music according to the severity of their crimes.

While the poor remains poor, the crooked powers that be live in sinful extravagance on money stolen from the people.