When Roubini Talks You Better Listen

Hantu Laut

When Roubini talks you better listen.This the same man who presciently predicted the US sub-prime crisis three years before it happened.

Many of us know that Malaysia's GDP is on the decline and we are becoming less competitive over the years plagued by inherent poor fiscal policies, a non-evolving labour force and the over-zealous NEP that put wealth into the hands of selected and politically well connected individuals.

If the Malays want the country to progress than they need to help the Prime Minister by supporting his policies and lessen the rent seeking anomaly that have put a brake on the economic growth of the nation or face the perils of this nation falling on the wayside.

Nouriel Robini is a star economist and highly respected.

We have already been overtaken in our economic activities by Singapore, our southerly neighbour, a tiny dot with only 5 million people and no natural resources.

Shouldn't we be ashamed of ourselves that we can lose out to countries like Singapore and Hong Kong whose only resources are its human capital which we seems to be very lacking in performance henceforth the lackluster economic performance. Other than the bad fiscal policies in plain language we are lazier than our contemporaries in the region.

In term of population with Singapore that's 5 million against 26 million. Obviously, there is something very wrong with us and if the government do not arrest this most embarrassing situation soon we would surely be moving into stagnated growth and eventual economic disaster.

Read Roubini's take on Malaysia and on the future of the Euro.

A Motley Crew Of Treacherous Politicians

Hantu Laut

It's a foregone conclusion. All and sundry knew it except this motley crew of treacherous politicians in the Selangor State Assembly.

What the point of this?

Khalid accused UMNO of treason in 1993.

Did Mahathir commit treason when he amended the Constitution with the support of more than two-thirds of the house that in democracy construes the voices of the people.

If you want to scrap bottom of the barrel, please, learn to scrap it properly. You can fool the young and foolish but don't expect matured and level-headed Malaysians to believe you.

Khalid Ibrahim, you better go back to school and learn the meaning of the word "treason" and the word "democracy" and the meaning of "constitutional monarchy" and if your reasoning of democracy means removing the rights of the people than you are an unfit and treacherous politician.

Anwar will be very happy for you to keep on making mistakes and make a fool of yourself and will have plenty reasons to want you out and give the job to Azmin Ali.

Do not forget, if you do know your constitution well, which I doubt very much, that to remove a menteri besar needs only simple majority, which they have.

Who has gone against the constitutional rights of the sultans? Only two states have committed treachery against the sultans....... Perak when it was under Pakatan and Selangor under your leadership.

That's treason, Mr Khalid!

If you are not sure of the meaning kindly refer to Oxford Dictionary here.

Sapa, A Cultural Showcase

Hantu Laut

Our train left Hanoi at 9.15 p.m and arrived Lao Cai at 6 a.m next day and than two hours very misty drive up to Sapa.

I will not be writing a story.That will appear in my travel blog.

Just some photos of Sapa and how well the diverse cultural heritage are marketed in this country as tourism products.

Vietnam tourism is well established, thousands of tourist flocked to this place and Halong Bay every day.

It's amazing how fast they have moved after the war. They are well organised, efficient and very accommodating.The hotel we stayed in Hanoi is fantastic.They try their utmost to take care of your every needs, from getting electrical adapter, booking theater tickets to arranging your tours, they would do with a blink of the eye.

Vietnam is not shy to allow foreign investment in the tourism industry.There are many beautiful boutique hotels and restaurants owned and run by foreigners mostly Europeans and Australians.

In Sabah, rent-seeking politicians would want a big cut before they allow investors to come in which naturally drove away potential investors.First, they would jack up the price of land thinking that all foreign investors are suckers and then they would also want a free equity in the projects.

Kundasang in Sabah is a hovel compared to this place.It could have been better, just too bad we have brain dead politicians who travelled around the world but were as blind as the bats.

Sapa, a beautiful place with its varied ethnic hill tribes and terraced rice fields, it's really enchanting.

We trekked over 3 hours through numerous villages, sampling their way of life and braving the cold winter.It's freezing cold here.Because of the high altitude it is very cold, around 3-5 C during the day and can drop to 0-1 C at night.

This is a very safe country, you can go almost any place without having any fear of becoming target of criminals.

Payback Time

Hantu Laut

If "familiarity breeds contempt" than "arrogance breeds hate" and people do not forget.

"The Times They Are A-Changin" says or rather sings Bob Dylan.Some people think not.They live in the past.

Those siting high on the pedestal think they would be there forever.They forgot "what comes up must come down"

It does not pay to be arrogant no matter how successful you are.There will be a time when things will be a changing and you may have to eat the humble pie.

There will be a time when it's payback time from those you treat with contempt.