9th Malaysia Plan

N E W S
Ninth Malaysia Plan
Friday, March 31, 2006

The making of the PlanAs Malaysians go about studying every detail in the 9MP, they should know that the process of putting together this comprehensive blueprint took over a year and involved hundreds of meetings.
6% growth projectedThe Malaysian economy is projected to grow by an average of 6% annually under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Total trade to breach RM1 trillionTotal trade is expected to breach RM1 trillion during the 9MP period.
Surplus set to increase to RM10.6b in 2010The consolidated public sector account is expected to register an overall surplus of RM79.1bil or 2.5% to the gross domestic product (GDP) during the 9MP period.
Competitiveness vitalInvestments from the technology- and innovation-driven industries are expected to be the main driver for the manufacturing sector's overall growth, which in turn could contribute to greater exports and generate more employment opportunities in the country.
RM28.6bil savings from privatisationThe Government made savings of RM28.6bil in capital expenditure from the privatisation programme under the 8th Malaysia Plan (8MP).
Services industries to be expandedThe Government plans to expand the supplementary business and services industries to maximise the manufacturing sector's growth potential.
Liberalisation effortsThe financial services sector is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7% under the 9MP, with its share of gross domestic product growing to 15.8% by 2010 and employment expanding at an average rate of 2.5% per year.
Fostering a global Islamic financial hubBy 2010, the Islamic banking industry is expected to constitute 20% of the overall banking and insurance market.
Further deregulation in insurance industryThe Government will introduce more deregulatory and liberalisation measures in the insurance industry.
Giving the banking sector ‘a caring face’How does AmBank Group see itself playing a role in nation-building under the 9MP?
Modern farmingThe Government has allocated RM11.4bil under the 9MP to transform the agriculture sector into a modern, dynamic and competitive sector.
Creating wealth by using biotechnologyBiotechnology is poised to drive the next wave of knowledge-based industries that will contribute to growth and wealth creation, new investment and employment opportunities, as well as deliver social and environmental benefits.
Special focus on greens productionThe Government aims to increase agricultural production through measures such as new land development, replanting, and land consolidation and rehabilitation.
Keeping an eye on the big fourThere are four sources of growth in the ICT (information and communications technology) sector that the Government intends to focus its efforts on.
28.96m people in 2010The country's population will reach 28.96 million in 2010, based on a projection growth of an average of 1.6% per year.
MSC to go into phase 2The Multimedia Super Corridor will go into its second phase with the inception of the 9th Malaysia Plan. Development of existing MSC cybercities will continue, and newly-identified cybercentres in Perak, Malacca, Johor and Sarawak will also be developed. This should bring another 250 multinational companies into the MSC.
Making plans to boost ICT sectorThe 9th Malaysia Plan will help the Government boost the adoption of ICT (information communcations technology) in the country.
Leaps to close that gapIn order to bridge the so-called “digital divide,” the Government intends to change the mindset of rural communities towards ICT (information and communications technology) usage.
Company’s 3G plans for the futureFor Celcom (M) Bhd, the 9MP is going to be extra significant as it’s enhanced services will be further developed during the five-year period.
Towards a skilled ICT workforceMalaysia intends to organise more development programmes to meet the increasing demand for highly skilled ICT workers in the country.
Enhancing Malaysia’s position as a global hubThe Government will strengthen Malaysia’s worldwide position as a preferred destination for ICT (information and communications technology) investment and a market leader for ICT solutions.
Bulk of RM10.28bil for disease preventionA sum of RM10.28bil will be allocated for health sector development, according to the 9MP.
Patients want better healthcarePeople needing medical treatment, especially for the long-term care, have a plea – Please give us better healthcare under the 9MP.
Create a National Health AuthorityPrivatising medical and health care may be a natural progression in government business but the Government must also ensure there is a National Health Authority that that will monitor healthcare provisions and to meet public’s health and medical needs.
Comprehensive health coverageAfter a couple of postponements, the National Health Financing will be finally implemented with comprehensive health coverage becoming accessible to all Malaysians during the 9MP.
Telehealth services pilot projectThe government has selected Seberang Prai to implement its telehealth services pilot project under the 9MP.
Need for healthier lifestylesThere is a dire need for the government to seriously address the apathy among Malaysians when it comes to fitness.
Three new institutesThree medical institutes namely the National Institute for Cancer at Hospital Putrajaya, a National Forensic Institute and the National Institute for Oral Health are in the pipeline under the 9MP.
Stress on vital role Mother Nature plays”Do you know that the environment plays a crucial role in providing ecological services to all of us for our very survival?”
Environs monitoring to be stepped upEnvironmental monitoring and stewardship will be stepped up under the 9MP.
Stress on positive valuesAn allocation of RM 442.4 mil would be provided for culture, arts and heritage programmes, with 63% used for preservation and conservation of cultural heritage and the balance for implementing various arts and culture programmes at state and district levels under the 9MP.
Ex-child hero hopes villagers will also benefitKampung Losong hero Mohamed Nor Omar is hoping there will be something in store for the villagers in the 9th Malaysia Plan.
RM11.6m less for cultureArtists are not going to happy when they find out the culture, arts and heritage allocation has been reduced by RM11.6mil under the 9MP.
Vital to link the past with the present and futureMaking a meaningful and significant contribution to society in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme is DiGi’s thrust for the 9MP.
Special fund for eldersCaring for the aged is a very Malaysian culture as everyone knows.
Helping to make Bangsa Malaysia a realityIdentifying oneself as Bangsa Malaysia does not mean that one forgets one's race, culture, heritage and other practices, said Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
Focus on empowerment and developmentThe 9MP will not only focus on programmes that will equip youths with good leadership qualities but those that will help develop them into wholesome and spiritual individuals with high moral values and good ethics.
Developing knowledgeable workersA more holistic human capital development takes centre stage with an emphasis on knowledge and skills as well as strong moral and ethical values.
Two more sports schoolsSports development has received a major boost under the 9MP with RM620.8mil allocated to it.
Healthy lifestyleAround half the population is expected to be involved in fitness and healthy lifestyle activities by 2010.
Becoming champions in lifeSports is synonymous with Milo. For generations, since the introduction of the brand in Malaysia in the early 50s,Milo has played a major role in the development of the Malaysian sports landscape, focussing on junior and grassroots sports, reaching out to children of all walks of life and races throughout the country.
Reducing regional imbalanceStates placed below the national average on the Development Composite Index (DCI) will be given extra attention to reduce regional imbalance.
Love our riversPupils of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Teloi Kanan in Kuala Ketil, Kedah, are taught to love their rivers as an awareness programme created by their school to teach them to preserve the environment.
Preserving Pahang’s natural assetsPahang has all the natural assets for tourism but still needs to address many issues plaguing the fast emerging industry in the state.
Shift to public transportRoads in the Klang Valley will see a drastic drop of private vehicles if the Government's plan to reduce the usage of private vehicle and increase public transport usage is realised within the next five years.
Lack of facilities crippling the disabledIt is not the disability that cripples the physically challenged; it is the lack of facilities that causes this group of people to be immobile, said activist and The Star columnist T. Anthony.
Expanded networkAllocation for airport infrastructure will see an increase of 61% from RM1.77bil to RM2.86bil under the 9MP whereas allocations for port infrastructure will see a decrease of 47% from RM2.44bil to RM1.29bil.
Carpooling keeps friends togetherFor Ngoi Shu Shan and her classmates, carpooling has not only helped them save on petrol consumption but also strengthened their relationship.
Greater empowerment of womenThe Government will encourage the concept of the home office to encourage more women to be involved in business activities especially in agro-based industries, under the 9MP.
Emphasis on family and community developmentA sum of RM842.5mil has been set aside for family and community development programmes under the 9MP. More than half of the allocation amounting to RM463.4mil will be utilised for welfare service programmes, which includes care, protection and rehabilitation of children, the disabled and the elderly.
Promote charm without harmA sum of RM652mil had been set aside for sustainable tourism development to ensure preservation of natural habitats and environment under the 9MP.
1.1 million new jobsEmployment growth at 1.9% per year will create 1.1 million jobs, lower than the 3.2% per year achieved during the Eighth Malaysia Plan.
Aggressive strategy to lure touristsTourist arrivals to Malaysia are poised to reach 24.6 million by 2010, with the bulk of travellers comprising intra-regional tourists.
Bridging income gaps for equalityTo achieve income parity in the longer term, efforts will be undertaken to reduce income gaps among ethnic communities as well as between rural and urban areas for more equitable distributions of the fruits of further economic growth in the country.
Projects to reduce pockets of povertyThe distributional agenda will be pursued more firmly to ensure the achievement of a more equitable distribution of the benefits of economic development by all Malaysians.
Competent labourCutting down red tape and improving competency of the public sector workforce are among the major thrusts identified by the Government in its efforts to enhance the public service delivery system.
Good governance for further growthThe Government will intensify its efforts to enhance the integrity and transparency of the public and private sectors during the Ninth Plan period and further improve the level of good governance in order to facilitate development.
Natural resources for healthy livingPolicy makers, architects, and developers need to have a framework to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
Bigger fund for researchA total of RM5,253.1mil will be allocated for Science, Technology and Innovation under the Ninth Malaysian Plan compared to RM3,337.9mil under the Eighth Malaysian Plan.
Push for low-cost housesAn allocation of RM9.5bil has been set aside to ensure that Malaysians, especially those in the low and low-medium income groups, will have access to adequate, quality and affordable housing.
Healthy competition and fair tradeTraining programmes on modern retail and wholesale businesses will be made easy to bumiputra entrepreneurs.
Greater collaboration in storeGreater collaboration in research will be undertaken between public institutions of higher education and the local industry and research institutes as well as with reputable foreign research institutions, universities and firms.
Aiming for higher tertiary enrolmentGreater access to tertiary education will be provided to achieve the target of 40% participation rate of the age group IT-23 years in 2010.
Much change over the yearsAfter her SPM, Maggie Yong had two options – nursing or teaching. She chose to become a teacher and has no regrets after over 20 years in the profession.
Drafting the early PlansClash of minds between policymakers from the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and Treasury Department over the amount of budget allocation seemed to take centre stage during the meetings for the preparation of the previous Malaysia Plans.
What ex-PMs said when launching previous Plans
Towards better health facilitiesMalaysians can look forward to better health facilities with the implementation of the 9MP, which runs from 2006 until 2010.

bad sex grounds for divorce

Bad sex grounds for divorce. I think it happens in recorded times. In China recently a few couples petitioned for divorce on the grounds of bad sex. Some of those had stayed together for over 30 years yet they didn't indulge their sex union. Some slept with their mistresses and girlfriends. Ultimately their marriage lives deteriorated until separation are the result. Just stop here a minute...Couples spend time to pursue in a relationship and when finally it is tied to marriage vow; the energy deteriorated or generated elsewhere. The thrill is gone to them. The fighting for a piece of action is forgotten. Couples spend time in intimate embraces yet sex isnt one of those tools to rekindle their romances. They just do it because of obligations or to satisfy a need..In the end a relation fails miserably. It is good to participate in sex. It is not a taboo or shameful to act one's fantasy. It is in the private of one's house that a relationship would have to pursue every time. Sex is not a 100 meter dash! It should be sweet honey; a smell of magic enriching the soul. There shouldn't be any bar to sex activities in a relationship especially for a married couple. Now it isnt 'you can I can't' concept no more. Couples should read Kama Sutra the Indian Sex Manual written over 5000 years ago. In this way I believe we will find many romantic smiling happy couples..........................

Good morning Malaysia...........there are people who dont understand

doing nothing but feeling great

I dont live in the city. I was once before. I was enjoying myself then. I always came home late in the night. And finally I decided to sleep in my office...Life in the city has all the glamour and fun and partying all nights. Yet I can't mix with the crowd. It isnt for me so I quit my home state and moved elsewhere to work and enjoy the carefree illuminations of my life. I was lucky to land myself in the quiet ambience of a working life and I truly made full use of it. Today I am in a town quiet without much entertainment but served good food which I think it is fine with me. True I do go home once awhile but most of my time I spend in my own home(s) Now I enjoy my carefree time spending it mostly on the internet, writing poems and surfing for news around. I never feel so good. I dont have to think about plans and strategies, budgets and action plans and or listening to complaints of customers and staff and advicing employees what to do and how to behave and what are the best ways to do certain jobs and above all motivate them to be good at themselves. It is time I took my leave and enjoy my world in the global connections.

Thinking about the city life I did my time. I had seen colleagues took drugs, relationships problems, friend's business turned sour and collapse and went to drugs taking. The GROs and mummies and clients who came to pick certain women for the night entertainment. I had my work connecting with these women then but I had seen what they did. Most of them had a fixed idea what to do with the money earned. Worked for a few years, saved enough money then bought houses and settled down. Of course these women told me they won't tell a soul of what they did for a living. Just be a homely woman back in the village or kampung. Flash back to current issues I dont think there is any different at all. I haven't really worked the scenes in the capital. I had left it many years ago............for one thing I can't stand cigarettes or cigars smoking
in a closed environment even in open air with friends I found I got sore throat immediately...so I guess it is clean and open air for my daily living...

Now it rains heavily...................Goodnight Malaysia the cool air flowing in my mind

democracy

I live in my own country. Yet the way the government, elected by the people, behave arrogantly towards the people who had cast their votes for them to be in Parliament and selected members to be in the Cabinet. If I read the statements made by these ministers, I wonder what they are trying to hide. Why can't they say the right thing for once? PM said his corruption campaign was successful....Am I stupid? KTM awarded contracts to a company where his son has a stake. His son-in-law bought shares worth over $9million but no disclosure was made. Public wants to know how he gets funding to purchase his shares. As the PM of the country he should be more open and so are his family members when questions are asked. Nazri wanted to clam the questioning by Non-Muslims on Islam. The way I looked at it, it is the implementation that gone against the teaching of Islam...like the Islamic Family Law where the Muslim women became a step lower than the Muslim men where Islam says man and woman is made equal....It is because most of the law drafters are men? I dont see the full democracy at work. Look at Indonesia and Thailand. Democracy parades peacefully on the streets. I dont see it here anymore. Even in the universities elections, every participating student has to observe the laws governing the universities. It has stifle the growth of the students mental capacity. Democracy....I can only dream for every 5 years I cast my vote....then I surrender all my rights.....

Democracy is not working in 5 years; it should be lively every day of a person's life. It shouldnt hide in the cloak of any laws. It should be open and an avenue to discuss and listen to views of every level of society without favour or fear of any act of law.

A long cool night Malaysia.....I dont see stars only my own shadow looming in the light

water crisis

Water crisis looms due to river pollution
Malaysia Today28 March 2006

Water crisis looms due to river pollution
Malaysia’s major cities including Kuala Lumpur and Malacca could face water shortages next year because of overburdened and polluted river basins, an official says.
Many of the country's 189 river basins suffer from surrounding areas' overdevelopment, dry weather and inefficient water management, likely to result in shortages, Irrigation and Drainage Department director-general Keizrul Abdullah said recently.
Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring Selangor state use some 2,500 million litres of water a day, with the demand expected to double by 2010, Dr Keizrul said.
But pollution from industrial wastes, sewage and sedimentation is lowering water volume in the rivers.
'Some river basins providing clean water to the people are already reaching their limits,' Dr Keizrul said.
He described the problem as 'a classic situation where rivers are under pressure from development'.
'We get sedimentation, we get floods, we get pollution, yet we are also taking more water from rivers, so there is less volume and, in the process, the pollution gets more concentrated,' he said.
He said the situation was compounded by dry weather flow problems and inefficient management of water resources.
He suggested the government should prioritise good river management as 97 per cent of Malaysia's water supply was sourced from its rivers and only 3 per cent from ground water.
He added that people should begin collecting rainwater for washing and cleaning their homes and that an acceptable tariff scheme should be introduced, with higher charges for consumers who use more water, to fund river rehabilitation work. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Water shortage in Klang Valley

It was reported many years ago that water in Klang Valley would face a crisis in 2007. Yet the state government and federal cabinet allowed many projects to carry on as if the water shortage can disappear...The state government allowed developments especially housing projects near to the catchment areas as a result of these developments the reservoir received less water every time it rains. But this doesnt worry the state government. It allowed more developments in the state and now with the so called 'developed status' there was the recent flood in Shah Alam... and also the privatisation of the Selangor rivers.....Then where will be water for the people? I reckon the cost will be high...and many protests will be on the streets. Before it really happens for the taps to run dry in the homes and worst off can be the highrise buildings and offices, it is better now to learn how to save water. This precious commodity must be nurtured it seriously. Every body must play an important role to save water. I foresee the crisis will become serious and many people will be affected. So I wish my home state to tackle it now before it worsens off in the future. Now I am out of my home state.

Goodnight Malaysia tell the leaders to wake up and not dream about ringgit...!

Tudung

The IGP ordered through his memo that all police women -Muslims and Non-Muslims- should wear tudung for the official parade. I think he should be sensitive on the issue of tudung. It is only meant for the Muslim women I am sure there is no protest amongst the Non-Muslims. Yet his memo is a blanket order for all police women which I think he violates the basic human rights in the Federal Constitution. He should be mindful of our multi-racial society with multi-religious upbringing. Though he conceded it is meant as an official attire during parade, I think he is insensitive to other races religions. He should make as a voluntary exercise for the police women to follow but then I think his senior officers may think differently. Even PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi agreed to the tudung issue. So the PM has forgotten that his country is made up of different people with different faith. A few years ago he was touted as the moderate PM but I was aware that he could be manipulated easily...as the years had proven that he has misdirected his focus for the country. It is the political talk to win votes. Now the votes had been cast a different approach comes to irritate the people - water rates going to increase, electricity rates going to hike. The worst currently is the petrol hike of $0.30 which had made the working class suffer. I know because my $20 petrol only reaches 1/4 tank. It has shrunk by 50%! And now the tudung issue....Let the Muslim women wear it and leave out the Non Muslims...before it becomes worst for the country and people. All the small irritants will become a time bomb which will allow somebody to pounce on it and before we know it we are colonise once again! To me the government of today should be changed. It has become arrogant with speeches and statements. Time for other parties to lead the country. I have lived through BN for so long that the political leaders have no interest of the people and country....the statements made are to smoothen people's perception. To change a law or a piece of legislation it takes ages to see the light of day but when it is to their benefits it is so easily done and carried out. So like the tudung issue...

Goodnight Malaysia....wake up and make me proud in the days or years I walk on your soil

the political threat

Why has political threat in the country? Have the ruling elite no balls to confront the criticisms by the opposition parties and the people? We are in the civil society which by right we should be able to discuss freely and sharing of ideas what need to be done for the people, religion and country. Apparently our elected representatives and ministers think we are a group of small children who must be fed and spanked all the times! Let the Muslims discuss their own religion and Non-Muslims shouldnt touch on the Islamic faith. If I am not mistaken, Islam has the direct linkage with the religion of Torah and Holy Bible (Jews and Christians) Jesus(pbuh) had said Muhammad would come after he is gone to his followers. The only blurry journey is why created 3 religious faiths on the same family tree...because of the different views of each follower of the religion. The inter-faith religious councils should understand the underlying principles of the religion - which is the truth? If there is no commanding leadership, I think nobody will know. So currently one shouldn't touch on this sensitive issue because someone will get inflame with blind fury forgetting the command of the Allah/God/Maker showing peace to all mankind....

Good morning Malaysia.........the blind wants to lead but I want my sarapan pagi!

things going up never come down

When there is bird flu running in the country, I thought a plate of chicken rice would reduce its price. In business things go up; it never really wants to come down. Like one person reported that a plate of chicken rice in KL is $3.50 though the raw chicken has chopped off 50%. I can understand the mentality of the business world - profit first then social responsibility. In fact I believe most hawkers in the city or towns have jumped up the price. But for lowering the selling price I can just dream on. These business people will tell you many excuses but never want to see the reality happening to the businesses. It should be fair and reasonable pricing on the raw materials purchased. When raw materials price drop so should be the selling price of each product. In this view I hope too that in future the cost of petrol should be lowered if the cost per barrel tumbles in the world market(read USA market)

When I walk around the hawkers' stalls in my area many businesses are slacking down. Besides bird flu, we have the HFM disease. So it should be on vegetables......but then what about chemicals in the greens....

It's raining in Malaysia.....crying tears of sorrow of what the government is doing misdirected a movie......I drink my gandum

NAP Policy

At last it was announced of the National Automatic Policy. I dont read the details but with the snip shots I gathered it didnt bring down the prices alot. Maybe less than 10%. So I guess the car price wont be cheap either though the government didnt compare with other countries pricing; but they will do when it is to increase their coffer. To me it is still expensive even comparing it with our neighbouring countries say Singapore and Thailand. Here we have the dealers who dont reduce prices because they claim they have their old stocks...Something never changes. When it is to their benefits the prices will be changed immediately. I wonder what the government going to do about it. Every time there is always a loophole for the traders to escape into and yet the government turns a blind eye...Even the banks increase the BLR but not the interest rates on savings and fixed deposits. If you deposit above $1million your fixed deposit rate reduces to 3% but if it is below $1million the interest rate is 3.7%. You think that if your deposit more you will get better interest....nay the banks think otherwise! So what the Bank Negara doing? Nothing!

Cars will be cheap now....but dont expect fantastic reduction in prices! It is just something nothing else...

i am suppose to be free

I am suppose to be free
Feeling the wind in the sky
Touch the shore of the sandy beach
And feeling great with private thought

When a statement came
Out of the context of religion
Ushering words of concrete laws
I shudder to think of my views

Islam is a religion of peace
Hencewith I believe it is so
Here lies our so called mind
Belittle to bits by our politicians
Thinking they are better than most of us

I am suppose to be free
Living and interacting with ease
With this kind of statements
I don’t need them to represent me

The only think I know
God is kind; God is merciful
God is love; God is forgiving
Yet there are some who forget
Learning is good to a soul
Discussion is a journey to peace
Understanding in living in faith
Not by rules and regulations
And those laws meted out to crush
The colorful minds to build lasting communication
In a world full of misery

you decide where to go

People feel lonely in the borderless world! A report in Australia stated that those over 40 years and above find their lives are lonely. What happen to the string of friendship? Loneliness spells diseases to the lonely people. They can't be active; they always feel low esteem as if waiting for their lives to end. Now about one third of the population runs into this lonely business category. I thought with the wirless world reaching out can be so easy...yet there are those who can't go over to the new way of finding friends. The warm contact of another person means alot to these people. I think one has to change and adapt to one needs. As long as one knows how to adapt I believe one can get along well growing into old age. Don't always let your friends go. You dont know you may need them one day. Just keep in contact by telephones, handphones, email or chat rooms or whatever means to say hello...Then one person's life shouldnt be that lonely any more..You make your own circle; and you break your own line. Growing old doesnt mean to live alone. There so many things to do or hobbies to engage only let the mind flow with the time....

the bird flu comes closer

The bird flu comes closer at the door. I don't want to be in the centre of its storm. Currently so many fowls culled in the Perak (about 14,000 birds culled) Yet the MOH said it is alright to eat the birds and eggs. Now when I look at the pigeons flying around at my area I hope these birds are free of bird flu. The birds look alright to me. On thing I complain about these pigeons they shit on my cars. Perhaps these birds take vengence on me for shooting at them while I was growing up in the kampong. I dont know how true it is. Apparently I am the target most of the times in my area. Once I got shit on my head while walking towards Hotel Malaya in KL. Just imagine that! The birds never let me go yet. Now they target my cars....so when I move to a new place I hope it never happens but now I see a bird building nest in my new house roof tops....I guess they knew ahead of me.....! By the time I shift in I hope these birds have no other ideas..bird flu will get people edgy and they tend to kill these birds than let them spread the airborne disease to people. As I said, the bird flu has crossed nearer to my place..........................

talking like children

The government leaders like to say our goods are the cheapest comparing it with other countries. Yet these leaders in the Cabinet forget that foreign currencies are much higher than the ringgit. Some are 5 or 6 times higher others are 2-3 times more with the ringgit yet our salaries are not compared witht the foreign currencies! These leaders in the National Front are trying to hookwink the people but safely avoid the issue of the shrinking paycheck. Because they have the luxuries accorded to them and they think can load over the people. They are there because the people put them in office. So now with higher petrol cost other commodities will adjust the costs accordingly. Currently most hawkers have jumped into the wagon of price increase because of hike in petrol. The cylinder gas has gone up by $5 though it is a controlled item. But I dont hear the government officials say anything about it. The Cabinet strongly urged the retailers not to catch on the bangwagon. It was hot for awhile then it fused out...like other advices these ministers dished out. The business community just ignore their advice....like JAKIM acted as if they are more powerful than the Cabinet or the State Government.These officers are answerable to the government yet they do as they please. I had read reports about them and these officers were arrogant. The Federal Government never takes punitive measures to bring these officers in line. It is a pity that they kept quiet...PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should sack government officers who do not follow his government directives. I don't think he will do that and I am sure the government officers too believe it so. Now the government has lost its direction.................The leaders making statements and comparisons without realizing that they have made themselves looking like children '16As is not better than 15As' and the works minister said that check and balances are put in place to look into shoddy work....Is he telling the people that before nothing is checked? He is reaching 70 years old and it is time he should retire before he talks nonsense again. And Dr Chua didnt want to take off ReNue on the shelves when the problem surface in Singapore claiming that nothing was happening here. Then a few days ago he ordered it to take off the shelves when complaints were received about the product affecting the users' eyes. Didn't he read medical report and about people's suffering using the product?

The government has lost its direction. I don't know who is running the country. Now we have the PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urged the people not to question $4.4 billion saving a year....on what the government want to do with it. On one hand he wants to be transparent and accountable than on his own admission he wants to keep it in secret. I wish he reads his own book again on Islam Hadhari...so that he doesnt have to make contrary statements..The Auditor General always report the mismanagment and poor accounting standards in running the funding in most of the government agencies. Some never prepare financial accounts....it is a shame that even ministers never take an interest in the agencies under their control. So the PM wants us not to question where the monies go.................IT IS TIME CHANGE MUST ARRIVE!!

Good morning Malaysia....the country I love has lost its direction for now.....

the house leaks

Yesterday my new house leaks on the new extension of the car porch. I was there during the heavy downpour. And I also found out that one of the drains is clogged with sand. I tried digging it but it didnt help. Today I will try to look at it again. I think this is the fault of the developer's workers and also lack of supervision. This is the attitude of the person responsible. Called the contractor of the problem on the leak. Anyway he hasnt finished his work yet.

the gang meets in April

The gang will meet in April. I havent confirmed my attendance. I have to see to my new house which will make me quite busy - buying and moving things. Imagine it took about a year to plan somehow when the right moment came those plans need to change. So a plan shouldnt be fixed as a final product. It needs to change with time or events that may occur in a certain fixed time in the future. I am aware of plans which I spent years managing companies now I have my own time to relax...so this house comes to activate my thinking cap again. It keeps my mind active. Everyday I visit the house and see how is the progress. When you depend on people to do work, the speed of a project will be delayed. I can't ask them to hurry which will defeat the purpose of asking them to work. The contractors will damage the final product because they feel I dont trust them so I guess I have to let them plan their own work. I can only watch from the sideline and hope things move accordingly.

SPM and after

Results came for the SPM. One girl jumped from the school building but didnt die. She was admitted to hospital. What she learn in school for so many years? She forgot her sacrifices or her parents to put her there. Perhaps the education system should change to a softer approach not on the academic pursuits which I believe it won't help many young adults to learn in the living society. It is back to base zero for every one coming out from school or university. Paper alone or degree alone won't help enrich your life. It is how one approaches one's journey that would count in the end. So she thought she failed badly or perhaps got fewer As than what she expected. But taking own life to prove what? Failure in examination doesn't equal failure in life. In fact it is a different ball game altogether. The education system should streamline what a person is best at and encourage him/her to grow. Like music take everything about music, like history learn every subject on it and so on and so forth. In this way the basic grounding will be well established to those students to achieve a certain degree of success to pursue in the living stage of their lives. The education system is examination oriented that brought misery to those who couldn't do well academically. These group of people could be good with their hands not in the studying of texts....It reminded me during my school days when the result was released my school mate killed himself when he couldn't accept his result. In fact he was good in his classical dancing which he used to perform but in the end he felt his examination result wasnt good for him and so he lost his life just for a piece of paper. I always remembered that incident. So when I talked about it to people who worked under me before that life is important not the paper qualification. Enjoy life to the fullest. If you fail in you academic pursuit, it doesnt mean you fail. It only means you get the wrong answer but you learned something to make you a better person in life. I had lived through that and I have my life enjoyment which I think it is the best gift I got for myself....I had another classmate who failed but he said it was just a journey. In later years when I met him again he had qualified as an Accountant and with an MBA to boot. But he told me qualification doesn't translate it into a happy fullest life. Nope. He had to acquire his learning on his working environment. What he has is just a stepping stone to climb up the ladder. To me it is what I do that counts alot for myself. I enjoy my simple taste in life...

For those who fail, it doesn't mean the end of a life. Damn it is a journey....in fact it is just started..Use what you learned in school to push it forward to acquire what is good in the end. Examination is a human oriented system to test a person's knowledge but it doesn't mean it is the final product. Nope my friends....

Good morning Malaysia the biggest cabinet in the world. Perhaps it should be put in record..

SPM why want A's?

The SPM result was released today. Anxious parents, uncles and aunties, brothers and sisters, cousins and friends queuing up to know what are the results....some telephones, smses or personal visits...Wah! You got so many A's! You must be very clever ah! What are you going to do? Those who fail where are they? Do we think about them? The caring society we claim ourselves to be one....We hardly talk about failures. It is this strength where failures made a success out of those we fail. I believe it. Failure is the pillar of one's success in life....The failure learns how to cope with life....the hard way. Well...success never comes on a silver platter unless your parents are filthy rich.....It was reported by the Education Minister that the passing rate was 91% for the whole country. In my days I couldn't hear students score so many A's in the subjects taken. Nowadays I hear it so often that I wondered the yesterday students weren't good in their studies....The way it is shown I really feel sorry for the parents and the students. Education is to acquire knowledge to fight in the living world.......why ask for so many A's? Without it I dont think one has failed yet I am afraid this is what the parents demanded from their children. My niece got 3A1s for English Language, Bahasa Melayu and Mathematics and the rest Bs. She cried for getting less A's in her result. Maybe she wanted to better than her sister who scored 6A1s. What are parents doing to their children? The living world is where the needs to survive counts not on the piece of paper showing what a person got. Damn! They dont enjoy education no more. Apparently parents are to be blamed for demanding straight A's...
I enjoy myself with the life I lead. In fact I study well in the rest room!

Goodnight Malaysia.......let the days be as good as it gets!

are we conned?

Is religion a fake? A trap for the humans by the King of Evil, Lucifer himself? If religion a fake, Satan shouldnt be alive. If it is not a con job, why so many encroaching a person's life? The major ones can be classified as follows :-

1) Christianity

2) Islam

3) Buddhism

4) Hinduism

and other minor leagues adding to the confusion of the humans' minds. Every day every one is listening to the preachers talk about their religions. Each will say something about the others. Sinners here sinners there. Rather confusing on the peoples' minds. One promises heaven others in hell. So which one is right? Each says it is right. Yet the choices are many but difficult to find. Respect your neighbors yet the religious councils ignore. Like you hear the loud speakers blazing in the early morning.....showing lack of respect of other faiths. Long time ago it wasnt trying to muscle to others minds but now it is a norm in the religious sermons which I think one has lost his direction - Love thy neighbors. Why follow the ways of the prophets and not the religious texts itself? It is the words of God why listen to the prophets? Has Satan really gone in our minds that we couldn't see it at all? A fake or a lie?

Good day Malaysia! You are still great with prices going up! My money going nowhere nowadays what with the cost of goods and services going higher and higher....and me becoming an insignificant person walking on the roads.....

high taxes

I want the new Honda Civic but...Lee Fei DaoMar 10, 06 3:06pm


Do you like the new eighth generation Honda Civic? I guess everyone would fall in love with it at the first sight and it is not expensive either - at least not in the US. In US, you can buy the 1.8cc model Honda Civic at RM56,832 (US$15,360 x 3.7). Yes, cheaper than Proton Gen 2 or slightly higher in price than Perodua’s Myvi. In Malaysia, to own the new Civic, you will have to pay RM114,000 for the 1.8 model and RM128,000 for the two litre model. To protect the inefficient national car companies, the government imposes ridiculously high taxes on cars, making Malaysia the nation with most expensive car prices in the world. Because of the national car project, Malaysians have suffered for more than 20 years. In the same price range as the Americans, we can only buy a low quality national cars with obsolete design and technology. Who are actually benefitting from the national car project? It is not the people. Well, it is not a secret that those who get rich are the well-connected cronies who own the car parts companies that supply inferior yet expensive components to the national car company. Some of the cronies do not even own a factory; they just merely act as middlemen by sourcing cheap parts and supplying it at exorbitant prices. Many national car owners would tell you their sorrowful experiences with the quality of the national car. Our national car company cannot even export 10,000 cars a year. In Thailand, a foreign direct investment car company exported more than 400,000 cars last year. The very sad part is due to high prices, many Malaysian who want to own a car are forced to buy small cars like the Kancil which have no proper safety features like ABS or airbags. You will be shocked with the fatality rate of these type of compact cars when they meet with accidents. In the US, a fresh graduate can buy the eight generation Honda Civic with about four to six months of his salary. In Malaysia, a low quality and obsolete national car costs more than 20 months salary. It is time for Malaysian to say enough is enough. We do not need a national car project. We want to buy a decent car at a reasonable price. Let us speak in one voice, together. We must tell our arrogant political servants which we voted in to manage this country every five years. We must demand that they act for our well-being or we will vote them out the next term!

How true! The Proton or Potong should go a long time. Many years ago I saw a Proton car accident and the parts that I saw chilled me off! I mean for a National car it is fitted with cheap parts. I don't think the people in the Top Management realize it or they close off their eyes...money first! I had seen the pictures of new Honda Civic but the price itself signal the high taxes imposed by the government even in US it doesnt cost a bomb in a working class salary..Here in Malaysia the government forces you to buy the national car without safety methods installed in the cars..

enforcement officers have no bite

The enforcement officers have no bite to find the retailers on the prices increase. Every where even in the small towns the hawkers have naik harga. These hawkers know that no pegawai akan denda mereka kecuali menutup kedai kalau tempat is not hygienic for the public. But how many really are forced to close down? Lately in Kangar the enforcement officers said they have no authority to fine these hawkers for increasing the cost of their products. Even in my adopted town here, fried kueh teow has jumped to $1.90 previously $1.70 and chinese tea goes up to $0.40 previously $0.30. I think the government is dreaming that no price increases by the business people. It bounds to happen in every cost increase by the government. Go and explain to the people (PM ordered) Before he decided to increase petrol, he should be brave to ask the people and not afterwards when he finds himself losing his popularity....It will cost him in the next election.

no more cheap

Petrol hike
The people have no choice
When the coffers are empty
Some one has to sacrifice

Prices of goods and services
It will hike up discreetly
No fanfare no argument
Empty pocket pay the price

The government we elected
The promises a sweet talk gone
Now it hurts in the empty pocket
Only the providers get the sweet
The people get the junk

It is inevitable in our lives
Listening to warm good speeches
The modern conmen on the prowl
Fishing for votes we are silly to give

Now the whirring protests
The subsidies going to be naught
Leaving only a breathless smoke
Emptying pocket feeling the heat
Of everyday living

life goes on

Learn your mistakes in life. It shouldn't be left behind and forgot. It is the window of opportunity to acquire for a journey one takes it along. Some may think it is the extra baggage. Think about it. It is the sum of one's journey which will determine the direction one needs to go. Life can be difficult especially without money and living alone without friends and relationships. Yet there is always hope. You are what you made yourself. The negative response will make the journey a crying tear. You are loser because you forget you are special in whatevery you do. You lose your focus and life makes you hard to make it end meets. You blame everything every soul but yourself. I always say I am a 'kampong boy' It was where I came from. I dont forget my roots in the kampong though now I live in the city/town. One mustn't forget his/her roots. I pity those who did! I also dont forget how I went into the secondary forest to collect woods to sell. During my younger days I already made my own pocket money. Besides I sold nasi lemak and goreng pisang and got commission for it. It was a hard life but I appreciated it. It made me realize that every one has an equal chance to make it in life. It is only those who failed to realize it that they are the decorative items on the side roads...Harsh but it is true...Now I have my own easy life to live with. I don't have to worry about money (Cool isnt it?!) I have set up myself for life. Now I laze in my own home.... looking at the renovation works on the new house which will be completed by middle of March move in by end of March 06 after which I have to look at the other new house which is 75% completed.....currently my mind is scouting in Cameron Highlands for a holiday home.....This is a future project....I used to live in a cool hill resort for many years

singing the same old tunes

PM said that the subsidy saved on petrol would be used to help the rakyat and improve amenities for the people which would be over $4 billion. I wonder what he was talking about....on the record most of the time the money used to bail out cronies companies I remembered about BCB( 3 times) and Renong(Halim Saad) Now the sound kept repeating in my head. Rakyat will always be the last to benefit from it. The petrol will not increase for this year.....no one can predict the world price of crude oil. The price of goods and services will be increased in toto...the retailers are talking about it and the minister is talking about no price increase....severe penalties will be imposed on those found guilty. I don't think any action will be taken against the retailers. The consumers will be the ones facing the cost of living....the living standards will need changes...I am still in the midst of renovating my house....seeing all the dust floating in the air..

Goodnight Malaysia you know how to make a person blood boil...