Anil Netto : Bala - before and after “fish-head curry”

Source : Anil Netto's Blog

The Sandiwara Continues..PI retracts statutory declaration

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — The Najib-Altantuya Shaariibuu case took a dramatic turn today when the private investigator who made startling allegations about the Deputy Prime Minister’s relations with the Mongolian model retracted his statutory declaration.

P. Balasubramaniam told reporters that all of what he alleged was wrong. He then rushed off without taking any questions. The manner in which he retracted the statutory declaration will raise more questions about this whole affair. He told friends yesterday that he had come under severe pressure after releasing the statutory declaration.

Read the whole story here

IF YOU HAVE RM 500.00 PUNB WILL GIVE RM 50,000

I came across this advertisement in the local paper of PUNB scheme to assist Bumiputra graduates.

Could the government not assist deserving Non Bumiputra graduates with similar schemes? I think the less said is better. The contents are self explanatory. Read and make your own conclusion.

NO INVESTMENT BY SINGAPORE IN ISKANDAR

Finally it has been confirmed that Johor have not received any investment from Singapore in Iskandar Malaysia.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman at the State Assembly when replying to question by Dr Sheikh Ibrahim (PAS Sg. Abong) said that Johor had received several investment from foreign countries including the Middle East. However, the state “have not received any form of investment from our neighbouring country (Singapore). (see Star July, 1)

I am the least bit surprised.

When small minded politician with a myopic view regularly ups the ante with jingoistic statements that Iskandar Malaysia will meet the same fate as Pedra Branca and send the message that Singapore’s investment is unwelcome, we must realise that Singaporeans in the circumstances will not be foolish or desperate enough to invest good money in Iskandar Malaysia. Period.

Watching and blogging for a better-run city
Norman Fernandez

Norman Fernandez is a lawyer and vice-chairman of Johor DAP. In 2004 and 2008, he contested the Stulang state seat.

















EFFECTIVE: Norman Fernandez runs the JB Watch blog.

PREVIOUSLY, whenever I saw, heard or received any public complaints, I would write letters to the local authorities to complain or telephone their office asking to speak to the person-in-charge.

Most of the time, I never got a reply. My calls were met with replies such as “menghadiri kursus” (attending courses), at a briefing or on leave.

Returning telephone calls does not seem to be in the work culture of some local authority staff and officials.

Fed up with knocking on closed doors, I had three choices — throw in the towel and turn a blind eye to problems as I am not an elected state assemblyman or local councillor, continue writing letters to the local councils or think of some other way to highlight the complaints and shortcomings.

Suddenly an idea struck me. Why not start a blog?

Five months ago, I started www.johorbahruwatch.blogspot.com, with the motto “Watching Johor Baru”.

I was not comfortable with the idea of walking around with a digital camera. Since my handphone is equipped with a fairly good camera, I was able to take photographs immediately when I saw some shoddy work.

All I needed to do next was to upload it to my blog using my laptop.

Since February, I have uploaded many images of clogged drains, potholes, uncovered manholes and damaged public facilities in the city.

I have also highlighted problems of missing metal covers, tilting lamp-posts, illegal advertisement posters and foreigners who make a living peddling wallets and other items on the streets.

When I upload the images on my blog, I also send a letter of complaint via email to MBJB. Since I set up the blog, I feel local authorities have taken notice of what I post on it. Things get resolved, although not always as quickly as I hope.

Highlighting the problem areas in the city, via the blog, has become more effective than writing and faxing to the authorities. Now, I even address my complaint directly to the authorities, including the Johor Baru mayor, on my blog. And the responses I received are “better” and faster. Maybe they are reading my blog.

For example, recently, city council contractors who were engaged in beautification work on the sidewalks left metal bolts protruding there. It was an accident waiting to happen. What was shocking was that no one from the council had come around to check on the completed work.

After a couple of weeks, just as I had anticipated, disaster struck when a 78-year-old man tripped and injured himself after hitting the protruding metal bolts at Jalan Gereja.

I took photographs of the injured man, put the pictures of the dangerous metal bolts in my blog, wrote a letter to the council informing them what had happened and demanded compensation for him.

The local press also highlighted the incident. Within 48 hours, all the protruding metal bolts around Jalan Gereja and Jalan Trus were covered with plastic cones. For good measure, and to prevent the cones from being stolen, they were secured with metal screws.

Why didn’t the council think of this in the first place? I have also been told that the council, as a gesture of goodwill, has given the injured old man a small amount of money.

I am pleased that my blog has helped someone. I am also glad to note that newspapers are downloading my blog and using the pictures in their stories.

What is clear is that the Internet and blogs are an excellent medium which can be used to interact with the local authorities.

It is obvious the local authorities would not feel comfortable to see shortcomings and shoddy work highlighted openly.

I am a proud Johorian, born in Kluang, and have made Johor Baru my workplace and home.

Naturally, I ought to take pride in my city and help make it a great city. As such, I must ensure that the local authority delivers good service to its residents.

I will continue to highlight issues pertaining to Johor Baru and MBJB in my blog.

As Reported in NST Johor Buzz 01.07.2008.

MIC in a quandary

The Star

MIC Youth leader S.A. Vigneswaran has resigned and threatened to open his former mentor’s Pandora’s box. These are signs that something is really not right in the party.IT IS rare for leaders in MIC to resign. The usual way to disconnect with the party is through expulsion.

Therefore it was a rare occasion for MIC Youth leader S.A. Vigneswaran, a one time blue-eyed boy of party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, to announce on Sunday his immediate resignation from the party.They had a fallout after Vigneswaran indirectly sided with rebels in the MIC whose aim is to pressure Samy Vellu to quit.

Vigneswaran or Vicky as he is known to those close to him, gave a rambling press conference going back and forth about Samy Vellu and how the March 8 election disaster is all Samy Vellu’s doing.The departure has left many in the MIC and outside speechless at what they say is “the waste” in Vicky's resignation.

Samy Vellu’s opponents had hoped Vicky would stay in the party and fight the MIC president from inside and hopefully force him to quit.Others had hoped he would be such an irritant to Samy Vellu in the MIC that the party supremo would be forced to sack him and in the process incur the wrath of the party’s Youth wing.

In the end it appears Vicky, who first became Youth leader in 2002, was not cut out to be the hero the “rebels” in the MIC and outside had hoped for.

“He is not the man to bell the cat,” said a disappointed member of the MIC central working committee.
“He does not have the guts or the vision.”
Besides, a big question mark hangs over Vicky’s political career.

He lost badly in the last general election and remains generally unpopular in the community largely because of his “arrogant” ways and the strong support he had always given to Samy Vellu.Nevertheless his resignation hits Samy Vellu hard in several areas and at a time when pressure is mounting on the MIC chief to leave the political stage, taking responsibility for the election disaster.

One is at a personal level. Vicky’s father M. Sanasee was a close personal friend of Samy Vellu in the 70s and 80s and a strong ally who helped Samy Vellu rise up in the Selangor MIC.
After Sanasee died in 1982, he promoted his brother Datuk K. Sellathevan up the ladder and later gave a helping hand to Vicky when he was hanging around in Klang town and not making any headway in life.

“It was Samy Velu who took care of his education and promoted him in the MIC, all because of the heartfelt gratitude, the party supremo has for his late friend Sannasee.“It will hurt deeply that it is a son of Sanasee who has stabbed him publicly,” said a former Selangor MIC leader.

On another level, Vicky’s resignation leaves the party president without a strong arm to enforce his rule in the party and at a time when his leadership is being questioned.

Vicky founded and headed a paralegal force called Pani Padai or Briged Putera, believed to be a vehicle to enforce order and compliance at MIC and Maika Holdings gatherings.While many were Indians youths genuinely interested in helping the MIC, some of the members were of questionable background, party insiders said.

Vicky on Sunday announced that the 20,000-strong brigade would be disbanded probably to deny Samy Vellu use of its members.

But party sources said Samy Vellu is already working to reconstitute the force and has asked Datuk M. Saravanan, a new rising star in the MIC and Deputy Federal Territories Minister, to either temporarily head the unit or find a new leader.

Samy Vellu will need all the help he can get as despite the pressure to quit, he is seeking re-election as MIC president for a final term in March 2009.As for Vicky, he is heading for something called the Malaysian Indian Youth Development, a private vehicle that will allow him to remain afloat and take constant snipes at his former mentor.

He has also promised, now that he is no longer an MIC member, to open the Pandora’s box of misdeeds by Samy Vellu.Likewise it must have crossed Samy Vellu’s mind to return the favour by opening the lid on his former blue-eyed boy’s box.

Mohd Saiful Bukhari

The police report made by one Mohd Saiful Bukhari against Anwar Ibrahim can be read at Rocky's Bru. This Saiful Bukhari is a UNITEN drop out who incidentally had been caught on camera with numerous top UMNO officials, read here.

HAMIDAH OSMAN, UMNO-BARISAN NASIONAL'S RACIST ADUN

This is the picture of Hamidah Osman. This UMNO-BARISAN NASIONAL racist bitch is the Perak Legislative Assembly member (ADUN) for Sungai Rapat. I really wanted to call her a PIG but that would have unneccessarily insulted Pigs.

During the Assembly sitting, she uttered a racial slur against Indians. Nothing surprising as she simply joins an illustrious list of racist bigots from Barisan Nasional-UMNO politicians who when unable to engage the brain, suffered intelligence blackout and immediately puked racist slurs.

She is unfit to hold public office and never again must good Malaysians elect her. She should hang her head in shame. She owes an apology to all Malaysians. Good Malaysians can do without her and those like her.

Dashini Jeyathurai, ex-student of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (Perempuan) Yahya Awal selected to be valedictory speaker at US university

Source : NST

Stories abound over the achievements of Asian students in American universities.
Last month, 13-year-old child prodigy Sameer Mishra from India stunned the American nation by winning the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in Washington.

Today, it is a Malaysian girl’s turn to bag a rare distinction.Dashini Jeyathurai, 24, from Johor Baru, has been selected as one of two students out of the 30 bright students who auditioned for delivering the valediction speech on “Disorienting Dilemmas: Getting an Education.” She arrived in the United States in 2004 to pursue an undergraduate course in English and Womens Studies as her major and minor subjects at the reputed Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. The course is courtesy of Starr International Scholarship, awarded by the C.V. Starr Foundation in the US.

This month, Jeyathurai graduated with a summa-cum-laude distinction which is awarded to students who graduate with a 3.90 score and above.“I was the only Malaysian out of six students granted scholarships,” she said in an interview with Bernama.Jeyathurai is planning to study for her PhD in English and Womens Studies at the University of Michigan, a five-year academic endeavour.

She began her education at the Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (Perempuan) Yahya Awal in Johor Baru, then went on to further studies in Singapore on an Asean scholarship.Jeyathurai has received accolades at Carleton, including the Mortar Board Fund Prize, Niles Prize in Medieval and Renaissance Studies and the Noyes Prize which is awarded to distinguished scholars from the junior class. This year, she won the Scott Tyler Bergner Prize for demonstrating excellence in character and thought, and the Andrea Iseminger Endowed Scholarship which enabled her to study theatre and empire literature in London.

PAS’S ALARMING PLAN FOR POWER GRAB.

A few days ago, DAP Johor was alerted by members of public of a commentary titled “Mendaulatkan Islam Yang Terbantut” posted in www.pasjohorbahru.com.

Our attention was drawn to a segment of the article and it is produced herein.

“…sekiranya PAS ingin melaksanakan undang-undang Islam, sewajibnya PAS

perlu menghantar wakil-wakilnya ke Parlimen sehingga menjadi suara

majority.

Dengan itu, jika PAS mahu melaksanakan hukum Allah, sewajibnya Pas perlu

menguasai kawasan DUN-DUN dan Parlimen-Parlimen. Justru itu, jika PAS

ingin menguasai DUN dan Parlimen, sudah pasti PAS perlu menghantar wakil

untuk bertanding di DUN-DUN dan Parlimen-Parlimen yang sudah

dimenangi PKR dan DAP.

Dalam kes ini, jika diharapkan dengan petugas-petugas sahaja agak susah

untuk pihak PAS merebut kerusi di DUN-DUN dan Parlimen-Parlimen yang

sudah dimenangi oleh PKR dan DAP, tetapi antara cara yang paling kuat

untuk “mengambil” kerusi itu adalah dengan membanyakkan cawangan-

cawangan PAS, yang dengannya PAS adalah golongan menguasai sesuatu

DUN atau Parlimen.

Apabila ini dapat dibentangkan dihadapan pihak DAP dan PKR, sudah pasti

mereka tidak boleh lagi hendak beralasan dengan mendakwa bahawa

sesuatu Dun atau parlimen itu milik mereka, yang dengan itu, walaupun

agak susah mereka terpaksa menyerahkan kerusi DUN atau parlimen itu

kepada PAS.”

I am gob smacked reading it. Occasionaly similar or like views do appear in blogs of inviduals but in the spirit of freedom of speech, such views can be tolerated and dismissed as an individual’s mussing however warped those views are.

However, in this instance, when such views appears in the party’s official website it naturally raises concern. It has to be deemed to be the party’s stand. In essence, the article reveals PAS plans for power grab and the extent it is prepared to go in order to achieve its aim. Naturally, it makes disturbing reading for Pakatan Rakyat’s coalition partners DAP and PKR

The open declaration and revelation by PAS of its actual and true agenda is not on callous but most disturbing. It may not be wrong to conclude that in truth PAS gives two hoots about its alliance with DAP and PKR. The end justifies its means and even if it means riding rough shod over its Pakatan Rakyat partners DAP and PKR.

It is high time PAS (and other parties in Pakatan Rakyat) realize that their success in the 2008 General Election was because each needed the other and each had to help the other. That’s the reason why the people supported and voted Pakatan Rakyat. People did not vote DAP or PKR or PAS. They voted Pakatan Rakyat.

Thus, when one party is not prepared to work together with its partners for the greater good of all and common goal but instead designs its own personal agenda and charts its own road to power grab, it can ultimately result only one thing – certainty of another failed alliance.

History has shown that opposition parties in order to challenge Barisan Nasional’s hegemony had in the past had attempted to form or replicate something similar to Barisan Nasional’s coalition. Unfortunately for one reason or another all the attempts did not last long.

Harakah Keadilan Rakyat (1986), Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah (1990), Gagasan Rakyat (1995), Barisan Alternatif (1999) ought to be a reminder to parties in Pakatan Rakyat how alliances formed with fanfare and hope in the end due to personal and conflicting agenda floundered and failed.

Should parties in Pakatan Rakyat and in this instance PAS fail to learn the lessons of past and instead work against each other, it would only mean that Barisan National need not do anything towards Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat will destruct by itself.

INDIANS - TIME TO GET REAL.

Recently, newspapers reported the story of K.Kamine Devi. Although she scored 10A1 in last year’s SPM, the Public Service Department turned down her application to study medicine overseas. This after the PSD had issued a statement recently guaranteeing scholarship for students who scored 9 A’s in their SPM. To add insult to injury, her application for a matriculation programme was also rejected. Kamine Devi is an Indian.

She is not the only Indian in the lurch. Lost out simply because of skewed education and affirmative action policies. Also, Kamine Devi is not the only unfortunate Indian. There are many with a similar story.

A fortnight ago, M.I.C Central Working Committee Member S,Murugasen in a letter to Malaysiakini revealed that out of 751 successful candidates for Jawatan Pembantu Penguatkuasa Gred N17 only 10 candidates or 1.3% were Indians. Now, for the uninformed, Grade N17 are support staff and is usually open to applicants with SPM or equivalent qualification. There are more likely from the lower and lower-middle income families who may have discontinued studies after Form 5 to find a job in order to support their families.

What I found interesting was the M.I.C’s Central Working Committee Member’s expose that “whenever the issue of low percentage of Indians being accepted into the government employment is raised, the standard answer is that there were insufficient number of applicants. However, feedback from divisional level M.I.C Youth leaders is that many Indians Youths do apply for governmental jobs but are not called for interviews and out of those called only a very small percentage have been successful”. Quite startling and hard-hitting especially when during the recent general election, M.I.C gave a glowing report card about job opportunities for Indian youths. Yet three months later, M.I.C in public is talking about unfairness. Is M.I.C in the government or now running with the opposition?

Still on the same point, a letter from the Inland Revenue Board published in NST on Monday, June 23, 2008 stated that the Inland Revenue Board does not have race quota in recruitment of new officers. Now let me remind everyone that I also believe in the fairy god-mother and Santa Claus. According, to the Inland Revenue Board, in their recent recruitment exercise only 2,16% (324) of the total applicants (15,018) for the post of executive officer Grade 7 were Indians. And of the number of successful applicants, 2.47% ( eight) were Indians who fulfilled the criteria set for the job. As for the total application received (916) for the post of administrative assistant Grade 11, only 0.44 % (four) were Indian applicants. Of the total number of successful applicants (190) all four of them were successful.

Even in the Johor Bahru courts, the majority of the Indians are only employed as court interpreters. This is a sunset position as there are already some judges who encourage litigants born after 1970 to converse in Bahasa Malaysia. They are often urged to speak in Bahasa Malaysia without the aid of an Interpreter. So, it is safe to say that in years to come the job of interpreters especially Tamil and Chinese Interpreters will become redundant. With that another job opportunity in the civil service closes for Indians.

The private sector does not look promising either. Go to the banks and other office's and count the number of Indian faces there. Even, legal firms which once provided Indians with clerical job opportunities employ fewer Indians. If there is one segment of the Indians population who has better prospect of finding jobs, at least clerical jobs are those who can speak Mandarin. Trust me if you can speak Mandarin, you will never be jobless.

Last week, the Star gave a breakdown of the intake into public universities. Out of the 40,184 STPM and equivalent candidates, 6.84% were Indians. The number of places awarded to Indian student for critical courses are as follows:-

What can be seen is that the Indian intake into public universities is ridiculously and unfairly small.

Hoping for an overseas scholarship to study one of the critical courses will be like waiting for Godot. There is a better chance of witnessing the Halley’s comet.

So what’s the point I am making? Indians must realize that in the near future it is going to be nearly impossible for Indians to get employment in the civil service. In the private sector which is dominated by the Chinese, there is a “national service” pressure for companies to provide employment for Malays first before Indians. Just have a look at the banks and see how many Indians are employed. Indians are already finding it really difficult to near impossibility in getting scholarships. Indians must prepare now for their children’s future. Indians must begin to look elsewhere and not rely on the government to educate their children.

The only way for Indians to uplift themselves and their families is through education. That means Indian parents must make every possible sacrifice for their children. My sister, brother and myself are eternally grateful to our parents for the sacrifices they made to ensure that we got the education we want. My parents received not a single sen from the government yet my parents sacrificed their yesterday for our tomorrow. The saved every single sen to pay for our education.

To study, one needs money. Indian parents must realize that the realistic option for their children education are private universities or to study abroad. Whichever option, one needs money and lots of it. I just wonder how many parents and particularly from the lower and lower middle class Indian families actually put aside of money each month for their children’s education. However seeing the number of empty beer bottles on the table of the ever grateful Chinese coffee shop owner only, I fear a bleak future for many Indians. Add to that, is the sad sight of seeing children wasting their valuable studying time every night sitting together with their mothers watching Indian serials on Astro. Sometimes I just wonder if Indian parents ever care for their children’s future. There are many Indians who would not buy a computer for their children but have no qualms in installing Astro. Just where are their priorities, I often wonder. At least one can see Malay parents buying for their children computers at Courts Mammoth even if it is purchased through installment plan. Believe me, Malay children are really good or at least better than Indian children when it comes to computer technology.

Let me advise Indian parents, save and save all your money. Invest in your children’s education even if you could only educate them to have only trade skill. Education, that’s the best gift you can give your children. Cut out or at least reduce the beer, forget the cigarettes and disconnect Astro. That’s a good start. The savings made, put it into your children’s education account and see it grow. It is hard but sacrifice now and be assured you will reap benefits later. With education, the world and not just Malaysia opens opportunities for your children. Your children will never need to be victims of quota system and affirmative policies. Instead the world awaits and welcomes them.

The writer welcomes comments at anfalaw@streamyx.com

WHEN DOGS COME INTO EDUCATION

Many years ago, my friend who was a lecturer at a teachers training college in Johor Bahru lamented at the quality of the trainee teachers there. His profound words “education has not gone to the dogs but instead dogs have come into education” remains etched in my mind.

Now let me make it clear that it is not my intention to insult teachers. I have uncles and aunties who were school teachers and incidentally my good mother was also a teacher. Many of my school teachers had a great impact in my life and most of all Mr Chakravathy of Sekolah Menengah Tinggi Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. I still remember going to see and inform him that I will be leaving for teachers training. Instead he tore into shreds my teachers training selection notification and sternly told me to continue with my studies. Phew! what a right decision it has turned out to be.

Reading, Hannah Yeoh’s latest posting in her web-log www.hannahyeoh.blogspot reminds me of my friend’s profound words.

Hannah Yeoh is the DAP Assemblywoman for Subang Jaya. This law graduate from University of Tasmania and incidentally where I too graduated from, was a student of SMK Subang Jaya and was also the Head Prefect for the year 1995/1996. For years there has been a tradition of an annual Prefect Reunion where former and present prefects attend the function which is actually a private function.

What has made Hannah really upset is because some cabbage brained teachers saw it fit to issue a threat to the school prefects to withdraw their invitation to her and even worst to issue an ultimum that should Hannah be invited the function will be cancelled. I just wonder how sensisitive would her presence be at the function. Do the teachers think Hannah will turn the prefects reunion function into a political function and give a political ceramah or use the opportunity to recruit members for DAP? Come of it !

How true are the profound words of my friend said years ago. Dogs have indeed come into education. The school and the teachers of SMK Subang Jaya rightfully should feel proud that one of their students had not only qualified as a lawyer but also has now been elected as an Assemblywoman. Instead, these dumb-asses saw it fit to cast Hannah as an outcast for no other valid reason but simply because she was a DAP Assemblywoman. Had she been a BN Assemblywoman, the school would have had a special assembly and everyone connected with the school from the Principal to the tuck-shop operator to the lolly-pop man would have jostled to kiss her her arse in the hope of getting some “peruntukkan or surat sokongan”. The PIBG Chairperson would have been there with a garden of flowers pinned on his bush-jacket giving an off tangent glowing speech about the government and pleading for “peruntukkan untuk PIBG”.

It is sad that there are teachers who have been so brainwashed that they live in a blinkered and skewered world devoid of any logical and sensible reasoning. I still remember when I was selected by my class teacher to speak on the best book I have read and why to the class. I told the class the best book I read (then) was Time Bombs in Malaysia by Lim Kit Siang and went on to talk about what Lim Kit Siang said about the real situation in Malaysia and what was Malaysia’s future. Through out the session, the teacher felt really uneasy and after I had finished sarcastically quipped “lain kali baca buku yang lebih bermanfaat”. She just could not accept “such books”. She would have been happy as a button if I had said that the book I read was “ Hikayat kura- kura lawan arnab”. Incidentally when I became the top student for History, she presented me the book “The Malay Dilemma”.

Coming back, it is really despicable that teachers have became agents and tools of the government and has no qualms about and are willing to intimidate, instill fear and threaten others against others who do not share their belief - all hallmarks of the government. Teachers not only ought to impart knowledge but also identify role models which their students can emulate. Who better than their ex-students as role models. They ought to be proud of the achievements of the schools’ ex- students. Sadly, the teachers of SMK Subang Jaya are blissful to live in their cloistered coconut shell and see it fit to demean and mortify their own (ex) student. Would the teachers of SMK Subang Jaya reacted in the same manner had Hannah Yeoh been the Assemblywoman from BN? Surely not !

Rightfully, the parents of SMK Subang Jaya should demand an explanation from the Principal and identify the dumbass behind the withdrawal of the invitation. In fact that person could be a real threat to other students for that person may have his/her own agenda to poison the young minds at SMK Subang Jaya with his/her own skewed thoughts and other propaganda.

Truly, we can do without these petty minded teachers who are nothing who only know how to only froth the rulling party’s agenda.

RACIAL STREOTYPING OR SIMPLY PLAIN MISCHIEF

Reading, Kosmo June, 19 I came across an article about KRU Films new movie Notti. According to the movie’s lead actress Fara Fauzana, she is to play the role of five characters. No doubt it may be daunting to play that many roles but it is not impossible or that it has never been done. Afterall, a Tamil box office currently playing in the cinemas has the lead actor taking on ten roles including one that of George Bush!

Anyway, it not her multiple roles that caught my attention but her revealation that among the roles she would be playing would be “Watak orang jahat pula melakukan kerja seperti membunuh dan menjual dadah. Itu adalah watak orang Cina”.

Now hear it clearly- the murderer and the drug trafficker character is to be a Chinese. We can safely assume that Notti being a Malay movie, it is targetted for the Malay audience. That being the case, what’s the big idea of specifically making the murderer and the drug trafficker in a Malay movie to be a Chinese. Are the movie producers sending the message that murderers and drug traffickers are exclusively or usually Chinese? I am not saying that there are no are no Chinese who are murderers or drug traffickers but equally there are murderers and drug traffickers also from the Malay community.

Crime is never associated and or ought to be associated with any one community. To do that is simply being racist. Notti being a Malay movie, could the directors not make the baddies also from the same community. Will there be a problem if it is done? But as it is now done, it is nothing more than racial stereotyping or at the very least mischief making. Since the lead actress is already playing four other roles, no harm will be done if she also plays the role of the murderer and drug trafficker without the neccessity for her to step into another community’s shoes.

BLESS THIS MAN

At a time when Malaysians are peeved off at the petrol hike, this story as appeared in the STAR June, 19 really brought a smile to my face. I read the news no less than three times and I visualised the whole scene.

Anyway, though what he did may be wrong but one has to be thankful for small mercies. At least all those lucky motorist ought to be. Afterall God acts in mysterious ways. If this man is ever caught and charged, I am most prepared to assist him pro bono. The very least to mitigate on his behalf for leniency.

Here is the article… read on

HOW MUCH INCOME DOES ONE NEED MONTHLY?

Just how much income does one need in order to have a reasonable and decent standard of living or to be able to support his family?

Here are two scenario’s. I found these interesting reads from the internet and newspapers.

Someone earning RM3,000-00 per month

(bench mark of an average Malaysian family per month). Family of four – father works, mother doesn’t and there are two children one school going and the other an infant.

The calculation :

· Electricity and water bills – RM100 (no air-conditioning, home theatre system or water

heater);

· Phone bill (Telekom Malaysia Bhd) – RM100;

· Meals – RM775 (based on three meals for the whole family at RM25 per day);

· Father’s refreshments, light lunch and the tarik during working hours – RM155 (that’s a

measly RM5 per day);

· Car instalment – RM400 (a modest Proton Saga Aeroback, seven-year repayment

period);

· Petrol – RM300 (driving in the city to go to work and take the son to school with very

minimal toll payment);

· Car and life insurance – RM650;

· House mortgage repayment – RM750 (low-cost or low medium-cost housing repayment

for 30 years, which can stretch on after retirement);

· Tuition ( a norm for every child) – RM80 (if there is one that cheap);

· Pocket money for the child to take to school – RM20 (that’s less than RM1 a day, is that

enough?);

· School fees for various activities, books and uniforms – RM130 (there is always something

to be paid);

· Milk powder for the younger child – RM50 (the least expensive ); and,

· Miscellaneous – RM100 (shampoo, soap, detergent, rice, sauce, toilet paper and other

household items).

The total for the above comes up to RM3,610 and that’s a clear deficit. And notice that the expenditure has not included some of the common things like satellite television subscription, mobile phone bills and Internet fees.

There are also no provisions for other kinds of family leisure. And the RM3,000 monthly wage has not taken into account the deductions for income tax and Employees’ Provident Fund.


Someone earning RM6,000 per month

Even if one is earning RM6,000 and having an ordinary lifestyle there is still a deficit each month.

The calculation :

Gross salary RM6,000.

· Net after EPF RM5,340;
· Net after Tax RM5,090;
· Less Housing Loan RM1,000;
· Less Car Loan RM600;
· Less Petrol RM350;
· Less Hand Phone RM150;
· Less Wife Allowance RM500;
· Less Parent Allowance RM500;
· Less Two Children Kindergarten RM350;
· Less House Electric RM120;
· Less House Water RM60;
· Less House Telephone RM80;
· Less House Food RM500;
· Less Own Lunch RM180;
· Less Car Instalment RM150;
· Less Medical RM100;
· Less Personal Insurance RM500;

Balance RM50

What is clear is that, it is becoming to rather difficult to have a decent living standard even if one is earning RM6,000. If that is so, just imagine those earning RM1,500 and below. Spare a thought for them. Who do you blame. The same people who promised “Aman, Selamat dan Makmur” – Barisan Nasional.

Incidentally here are some of the excesses of Barisan Nasional (ref : www.malaysiawaves.com).

This list below is hardly exhaustive as these are the ones uncovered so far – the tip of the ice-berg, if you will! What lies beneath could be much larger :-

1. The Bank Bumiputra twin scandals in the early 1980s saw US$1 billion (RM3.2 billion in 2008

ringgit) wasted;

2. The Maminco attempt to corner the world tin market in the 1980s is believed to have cost

some US$500 million (RM1.6 billion);

3. Betting in foreign exchange futures cost Bank Negara Malaysia RM30 billion in the 1990s;

4. Perwaja Steel resulted in losses of US$800 million (RM2.56 billion). Eric Chia was charged

with corruption for allegedly steering US$20 million (RM64 million) to a Hong Kong based

company);

5. Use of RM10 billion public funds in the Valuecap Sdn Bhd operation to shore up the stock

market.

6. Banking scandals of RM700 million losses in Bank Islam;

7. The sale of M.V. Agusta by Proton for one Euro making a loss of €75.99 million (RM348

million);

8. Wang Ehsan from oil royalty in Terengganu amounting to RM7.4 billion from 2004 – 2007;

9. For the past 10 years since the Philharmonic Orchestra was established, this orchestra has

swallowed a total of RM500 million;

10. In Advisors Fees, Mahathir was paid RM180,000; Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (Women and Social

Development Affairs) RM404,726; and Abdul Hamid Othman (Religious Affairs) RM549,675

per annum;

11. The government has spent a total of RM3.2 billion in teaching Maths and Science in English

over the past five years. Out of the amount, the government paid a whopping RM2.21

billion for the purchase of information and computer technology (ICT) equipment of which

the breakdown of costs is unknown;

12. The commission paid for the purchase of jets and submarines to two private companies,

Perimeker Sdn Bhd and IMT Defence Sdn Bhd amounted to RM910 million;

13. RM300 million to compensate Gerbang Perdana for the RM1.1 billion “Crooked Scenic Half-

Bridge”;

14. RM1.3 billion has been wasted building the white elephant Customs, Immigration and

Quarantine (CIQ) facilities on cancellation of the Malaysia – Singapore scenic bridge;

15. RM100 million spent on the Parliament building for renovations and to patch up leaks;

16. National Astronaut Programme – RM40 million;

17. National Service Training programme – yearly an estimate of RM500 million;

18. Eye on Malaysia – RM30 million and another RM5.7 million of free tickets;

19. RM4.63 billion ‘soft-loan’ to PKFZ;

20. RM2.4 million on indelible ink;

21. Samy announced in September 2006 that the government paid compensation amounting to

RM38.5 billion to 20 highway companies. A RM380 million windfall for 9 toll concessionaires

earned solely from the toll hikes in 2008 alone;

22. RM32 million timber export kickbacks involving companies connected to the Sarawak Chief

Minister and his family;

Bailouts –

23. Two bailouts of Malaysia Airline System at RM7.9 billion. At a time when MAS

incurred losses every year, RM1.55 million was used to but three paintings to decorate its

chairman’s (Munir) office;

24. Putra transport system bailout which cost RM4.486 billion;

25. STAR – LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion;

26. National Sewerage System bailout costing RM192.54 million;

27. Seremban – Port Dickson Highway bailout costing RM142 million;

28. Kuching Prison bailout costing RM135 million;

29. Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam bailout costing RM8.3 million;

30. Le Tour de Langkawi bailout costing RM3.5 million;

31. Wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in bursa Saham Malaysia under the guise

of NEP to cronies, children and relatives of BN leaders and Ministers worth billions of

ringgits;

32. Time Asia magazine issue on March 15 2004, a South East Asian economist at Morgan

Stanley in Singapore, Daniel Lian, figures “that the country may have lost as much as

US$100 billion (RM320 billion) since the early 1980s to corruption. “Mind you, this is only

corruption and it does not include wastages and mismanagement which would increase the

amount!.

Food for thought?

Norman Fernandez

EVEN THE MONKEYS ARE LEAVING

I came accross this news in the June 15, 2008 edition of Kosmo. A houseowner claims that a group of monkeys entered into his house and stole his International Passport.

Yes ! you heard it right ! Monkeys stealing International Passport. That's a first !

Just goes to show that things are really getting bad in Malaysia so much so that even the monkeys want to leave. Maybe it just want to get away for a while.

- Melbourne bound ?

Perhaps...

Fuel hike protest at Kampung Baru.

More pictures at the people's parliament.

Shock and Awe

May 24, 2008
MELAKA, May 24 (Bernama) -- The government has no plans to increase fuel price despite the price hike of petrol by 30 per cent in Indonesia beginning Saturday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said. - Bernama

June 4, 2008
PUTRAJAYA, June 4 (Bernama) -- Petrol and diesel prices will go up by 78 sen and RM1 per litre respectively at midnight tonight, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced Wednesday. - Bernama

June 9, 2008
GEORGE TOWN, June 9 (NST): The current prices of petrol and diesel will be maintained until next March even if world oil prices touch US$200 (RM660) a barrel, said Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad. - NST

June 10, 2008
PUTRAJAYA, June 10 (NST): The government has not decided whether the prices of petrol and diesel will stay at the current rates until March or if they will be reviewed monthly. - NST


July, 2008 ?????
It's as good as anybody's guess but the rakyat better be ready for another "shock and awe" move from the government.

Meanwhile, Anwar Ibrahim says that fuel price will be cut if the opposition gained power. Read more here

All cabinet members and deputy ministers will take a 10 per cent cut in their entertainment allowances

By referring to Malaysiakini report on the 10% cut off their entertainment allowance, we can derive that a Minister will have, on average about RM 10,000.00 per month "to play" while a typical rakyat has to fork out an extra RM 200 to RM 300 from his only source of income. Mind you, a typical rakyat does not get any "entertainment allowance" from his employer.