LONE

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Steep Petrol Price Hike

Since midnight, the price of petrol and diesel has gone up by another 30 sen per litre. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said "The government has decided to raise the retail price of petrol and diesel by 30 sen per litre and the price of LPG by 30 sen per kilogram effective tomorrow (Tuesday 28th Feb)."

The last time the gomen raised the retail price of petroleum products was seven months ago, on July 31, 2005. The price of petrol went up by 10 sen per litre, diesel by 20 sen per litre and LPG by five sen per kilogram then. A promise was made not to raise prices again for the remainder of 2005. This time around the gomen has also promised that there will be no further price hike for the rest of 2006. But with this 30 sen increase, the people's pocket can be expected to be badly hit. Especially so soon after the opening of the schooling year and after the festive seasons when many may have overspent and maybe having near empty if not empty pockets. The lack lustre stock market can expect a fall tomorrow.

The reasons claimed by the gomen for the increase in price are ::

the increase in the price of crude petroleum in the world market
to control the increase in petroleum subsidy to be borne by the gomen (read taxpayers)
[in 2005 the amount of subsidy borne by the gomen/taxpayers was RM7.41 billion and tax exemption for petroleum product was RM7.85 billion
the increase in the price of petroleum products would be used to finance development projects and improve the public transport system for the benefit of the people [mark these famous last words].

The statement from the PM's office as usual added these comforting words :: "Although the government is raising the price of petroleum products, diesel and LPG, the price of petrol and diesel in Malaysia is still cheaper compared to the price of most of these products in the Asean countries except for Brunei Darussalam".

In Thailand, the price of RON 97 petrol is RM2.52 per litre, RON 92 (RM2.45 per litre), diesel (RM2.28 per litre) and LPG (RM1.65 per kilogram).

The price in the Philippines is RM2.21 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON 92 (RM2.20 per litre), diesel (RM1.95 per litre) and LPG (RM4.90 per kilogram).

In Singapore, it is RM4.15 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON92 (RM3.89 per litre), diesel (RM2.39 per litre) and LPG (RM5.32 per kilogram).

In Indonesia, it is RM2.30 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON 92 (RM2.20 per litre), diesel (RM1.68 per litre) and LPG (RM1.89 per kilogram).

In good old peninsular Malaysia, it is RM1.92 per litre for RON 97, RON (RM1.88 per litre), diesel (RM1.581 per litre) and LPG (RM1.75 per kilogram).

In Sabah, it is RM1.90 per litre for RON 97, RON 92 (RM1.88 per litre), diesel (RM1.584 per litre) and LPG (RM1.83 per kilogram).

In Sarawak, it is RM1.91 per litre for RON 97, RON 92(RM1.88 per litre), diesel (RM1.578 per litre) and LPG (RM1.83 per kilogram).

See we are really the cheapest, exception being Brunei. In Brunei the price for RON 97 petrol is RM1.22 per litre, RON 92 (RM1.19 per litre), diesel (RM0.71 per litre) and LPG (RM1.40 per kilogram).

| ¶ 2/28/2006 01:28:00 AM

Monday, February 27, 2006

Floods in A Developed State

Selangor was declared a "developed state" sometime last year. What were the criteria or definititions, locaL or international, used by the Selangor gomen, few are certain. But certainly a proper drainage system, flood controls and mitigation plans and flood relief plans must have been set up and in place, ready to respond when disaster strikes. But looking at what happened yesterday the only developed state in our fair country has been caught with its pants down near its ankles. Could the gods be angry?

See how the people of the developed state have been affected and read of what some of them have to say.

The floods have affected many families and their lives and economy have been affected. They are now told by their chief minister, who had so proudly made that "developed state" declaration not so many months ago, that the "cupboard is bare". See this report entitled :: "Khir: No money to compensate all flood victims". And we find, yet again, that to this day the National Disaster Relief and Management committee chairperson is still talking about getting Selangor a better irrigation system despite its already developed state.

i am certainly glad i am living not in that "developed state" but instead in a lesser developed one where flood waters are less often encountered.

| ¶ 2/27/2006 05:03:00 PM

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Be Warned

The Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor warned Friday that action will be taken under the Communications amd Multimedia Act against anyone found to have posted or distributed the offensive cartoons of Prophet Muhammad on the internet.

According to BERNAMA, he said ::

Provisions in the Act were clear against anyone found to have posted or distributed materials containing pornographic elements, humiliating, degrading or damaging the reputation of any party was liable to a maximum fine of RM50,000 or jailed for not less than a year, or both, upon conviction.
If convicted and they're found to have repeated the offence, they will be fined RM1,000 a day for posting or distributing through the Internet.

Could this be the section concerned :: Section 233. Improper use of network facilities or network service, etc. Be warned.

| ¶ 2/25/2006 03:39:00 PM

Friday, February 24, 2006

NST Cartoon Saga Resolved?

The NST cartoon saga started on the 20th Feb when it decided to publish the now infamous cartoon by Willie Miller. The Non Sequitur cartoon strip featured a street artist sitting on a chair next to a sign which read ‘Caricatures of Muhammad While You Wait’. Some NGOs and political parties decided that it was mocking and in bad taste. Polis reports followed.

The NST responded and defended itself and asked the gomen and the people to consider and decide.

to read more click here

With the furore caused what could the Internal Security Ministry do? It did as expected, issued the NST with a show cause letter ::

The NST, of course met senior Internal Security Ministry officials in Putrajaya and tried explained to them the newspaper’s work process and get itself out of the mess, as well as defended its decision.

to read more click here.

But by the next day the NST was ready to throw in the towel and decided to ::

But at the same time the higherups in the NST appear to possess the "crab mentality" and appear to want to drag others into the mess. They claimed that they have documentary evidence that RTM/TV2 had shown one of the offensive cartoons too. Is there a 'mini-war' going on between the higherups in NST and the new Info MINIster?

to read more of NST unconditional apology, click here
With this is NST hoping that it would get away with the mess it is in? Will it be able to do so? Will the gomen practise double-standards? Stay tuned.

| ¶ 2/24/2006 03:59:00 PM

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Primary School Dropouts

i am surprised, i am shocked. Came across these remarks by Suhakam Commissioner Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam when releasing Suhakam's Report on Primary Education. The Tan Sri said the male students and female students dropping out of primary school were ::

In 2003 :: 10,695/////9,865
In 2002 :: 10,695/////9,865
In 2001 :: 8,213//////5,384
In 2000 :: 8,818//////6,580
In 1999 :: 7,673//////5,305
In 1998 :: 7,956//////4,463
In 1997 :: 8,291//////7,018
In 1996 :: 8,758//////7,074
In 1995 :: 7,326//////5,670

Now what are these children doing and where are they now?

As usual BERNAMA has got itself confused over figures, it reported that ::

Of the 10,695 male students who dropped out of primary schools in 2003; 5,111 stayed away from school when they were in Year 2; 1,595 students in Year 6; 925 students in Year 3; 366 students in Year 5 and 26 students in Year 3.

Whatever the correct figures maybe, it is alarming that many of the male priamry school dropouts are leaving as early as in Year 2 and 3, thus arming themselves with just a year or two of formal education!

As to why there are more male dropouts compared to female dropouts, the Commissioner believe that it is due to the "Malaysian education system being more academic in nature". Another factor was that male students were more inclined to get involved in undesirable activities like smoking and drugs and they dropped out of school to work to support their bad habits and wants.

Now what have the parents and authorities been doing to tackle these high number of dropouts from the early years of primary education? Unfortunately, Suhakam's Report on Primary Education is presently not available on its website, so we are not able to learn more of its alarming findings on primary education.

| ¶ 2/23/2006 09:50:00 PM

Monday, February 20, 2006

Sarawak Election Blog

The Sarawak 9th state election may only be due by 18th November, this year. But it looks like some already are thinking that it will be soon. There are speculations abound that it could be as soon as March, ie just next month during the school holidays. Tthe recent visit paid by the PM to see the Sarawak CM just prior to the federal cabinet muscial chair shuffle and the return of Adenan to state politics have helped to fuel speculations. The state of the CM's health is also another factor. But is the election really just around the corner?

The retreat in Santubong on the 18th has given rise to much hot, hot speculation that the PM was in Sarawak under camouflage to help decide the date for the election. But the PM claims that he is leaving it to the CM to decide on the date. He added that he was confident the people in Sarawak would continue to give their mandate to the Sarawak BN to enable it to carry out its development agenda. Before the Sarawak voters placed that mark against BN on the voting slip, they might want to check out all the promises made by the federal BN during the campaign for the 11th general election. Has the BN kept its promises? How much has been achieved almost half-way through its term? It looks like the campaign has started for reportedly the PM said :: "BN will seek the people's mandate not to brag or show off but because it is the servant of the people and it wants to work to enhance development". "The BN is the servant of the people"? Mark these words, it looks like we will have to use them to remind the PM and his BN colleagues in the future! Maybe we should be reminding them of these words :: "Work with us, to work for us".

Not really being conversant with Sarawak politics, my real reason for this post was to tell others in similar straits that there is a blog which may help us to follow events and issues leading up to the impending election. This blog calls itself :: A forum on the Sarawak State Election 2006. The blog's mission is two-fold ::

Sharing information.
Serve as a platform for us to reach the Politicians and vice versa

Visitors are invited and encouraged to have their say but at the same time observe certain rules ::

be polite when writing
Avoid offensive language
Avoid unlawful or objectionable content e.g. defamatory, abusive, threatening, obscene, sexually oriented, racially or religiously offensive material

Do check it out and get better informed regarding Sarawak politics and maybe more.

| ¶ 2/20/2006 08:51:00 PM

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Atkinson Won

The KL Open Squash Champion is Vanessa Atkinson. She just beat our Malaysian Squash Idol, Nicol David, 3 sets to 1.

This is the first time a squash championship has been televised live in Malaysia. Hopefully we will get to see more of the same in the future. This will be good for the sport.

| ¶ 2/18/2006 07:14:00 PM

Nicol in Final::See Her in Action

Nicol is in te final of the the KL Open Squash competition. Though we have a world champion in our midst, support so far during the competition can only be said to be dismal. On the first day, reportedly only 50 or so supporters turned up to cheer her on. Even yesterday, only 500 are said to have seen her in action.

There has been no TV coverage of Nicol during the present competition. This cetainly speaks plenty of how we treat a world champion. Nevertheless, it is obvious that Nicol is giving her best during the competition despite the apparent lack of support. Yesterday, the semi-final against world no 4, Natalie Grinham, was reported to be "nail-biting". Let's hope the marathon come-from-behind-5-game match and the knee injury would not become adverse factors in today's final against Vanessa Atkinson.

With her semi-final win, Nicol has confirmed her position as World No 1. But it would still be great for her to beat Atkinson and thus gain her 1st win for the year. So those fans in the Klang valley should turn up to cheer her on to victory. For those of us who are unable to be there, catch Nicol live in action on Supesport channel at 4pm this afternoon. To Nicol, my best wishes and may the best one win this afternoon.

| ¶ 2/18/2006 11:48:00 AM

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

BrokeBack::Malaysia, No; S'pore, Yes

Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain which is leading the field in Oscar Nominations, with a total of eight; won't be shown in local cinemas. The Guardian reports that "the film has been banned in mainly-Muslim, Malaysia". But Singaporean cinemagoers who are over 21years old will be able to watch Brokeback Mountain uncut, despite the republic considering gay sex as a crime of gross indecency punishable by a maximum of two years in jail. Singapore's censorship board reportedly allowed the film to be exhibited because it does not "promote or glamorise the [gay] lifestyle". It appears that our very own censors think otherwise or have reasons of their very own. But then being BolehLand, there must be many who would have already seen the show. Apparently this might be a download site. One can watch a QuickTime trailer here.

After having picked up four top awards at the 63rd annual Golden Globes, Brokeback appears to be heading for even greater glory at the Academy Award on 5th March. Brokeback has been nominated in 8 categories :: picture, actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, director, adapted screenplay, cinematography and original score. But will Brokeback really score big at the Oscars? Ask members of the Screen Actors Guild and they appear to disagree as they handed top awards to Crash, Capote and Walk the Line and snubbed Brokeback. Crash, a drama that tracks the intersecting paths of a racially diverse group of LA residents, received six nominations (including Best Original Screenplay and Best Director): It has also become the leading contender to beat the heavily favored Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture.

i haven't decided whether i should see Brokeback or not. Will have to check out the reviews online.

| ¶ 2/15/2006 09:30:00 PM

Pak Lah's New Cabinet

After months of anticipation and the long wait for Pak Lah to be inspired, what can one say about his "new cabinet" which he is confident will be capable of implementing the national development agenda under the 9MP [Ninth Malaysia Plan]. The cabinet changes can at the most be said to be superficial and cosmetic and definitely not "earth shaking", to say that the changes are disappointing or anticlimatic or a big letdown would be putting in very mildly. The changes, best summarised by this Sun article, are minimalistic. Can anyone really say that it is a new shiny and polished cabinet which will see the changes promised by Pak Lah at the start of his premiership being implemented in the time left before the 12th election. After the long wait for his inspiration, and if one had expected him to come out with a lean mean brand new cabinet, ready to tango or quickstep in helping him in fighting corruption, improving on good governance and accountability, he appears to have chosen to do the "shuffle" instead.

There was so much hopes pinned on him when he took over the helms some two years and a few odd months ago. In early March 2004, prior to the 11th election, the then caretaker PM at the launch of a state election machinery had these words to say ::

"Strong support gives strength and confidence to a government. With a big mandate, I will be able to do all that I promised. I will know then that the people are with me." In his first four months in office, Abdullah outlined his initiatives to tackle corruption, improve the delivery of public services, make the award of government contracts more transparent and turn agriculture into a new area of economic growth.

These hopes resulted in his BN receiving that mammoth win with that massive majority. A mammoth win which many thought would lead to a new era of better governance, transparency and accountability. But all it resulted in, soon after the 11th election, was a mammoth bloated cabinet with its drawers filled by many of the Tun's men and woman. There were the deadwoods, the tainted ones and those who were carrying there already expired use-by dates. The voters who contributed to the massive win waited for Pak Lah's very own cabinet to emerge, most were sure that one's the UMNO AGM was over, he would have such a cabinet. But none appeared after that AGM in Sept 2004. The wait continued, the new reformed Pak Lah's cabinet will appear after the other component parties have had their AGMs. They came and went and still no Pak Lah's cabinet. Even after the AP saga and the call for the MITI MINIster to resign and the sacking of the FT MINIster, Pak Lah was not inspired to get a cabinet he could truly call his own. It took the resignation of the Info MINIster before he got inspired. But today has he really have with him a cabinet ready and willing to carry out his agenda and fulfill promises made by him? Are we going to wait for changes after the next UMNO AGM and the 12th election?

Apart for the reason for dropping PBB's Datuk Seri Adenan Satem, who is said to be going to play a bigger role in Sarawak, the PM appears to be rather woolly with regards to the other changes he has made to his cabinet. His reasons for retained the MITI MINIster are hard to believe, imagine not having someone else capable of taking over from her! He also gave very vague reasons for hanging on to his other two portfolios of Minister of Finance and Internal Security Minister. It is also not clear why Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad was dropped as Tourism MINIster, many thought he had done well promoting Malaysia Boleh. Check out my wishlist for cabinet changes.

Today, many of those who contributed to the massive BN win in the 11th election must have realised that they have fumbled and the folly of their massive vote for the BN. They must have realised that talk talk and only talk won't really get things done. In a manner of speaking those who have made the BN huge majority win possible have also made it impossible for Pak Lah to carry out his agenda for reforms and change. Why? For their votes have resulted in those deadwoods, tainted ones and others being returned in the 11th election. These voters would have help Pak Lah more if they had voted these MPs who are against Pak Lah's agenda out in the last election. Hopefully, when the 12th election comes around, they would have deciphered what Pak Lah truly means when he said :: Work with me and not for me. They must help Pak Lah to ensure that he can form his own cabinet and get on with the agenda of fulfilling his many promises of change for the nation.

| ¶ 2/15/2006 02:04:00 AM

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

The Impending Cabinet Shuffle

The Federal Territory MINIster was in a manner of speaking self removed and just recently the Info MINIster had opted out by resigning. i am informed by a little bird that the PM will finally be making his overdued and much long awaited Cabinet shuffle within the hour. Will he also be trimming his mammoth cabinet by removing those redundant members?

Now before the PM makes his announcement, many of us would ave drawn up our own lists as to who should be in the new cabinet. As for me, if i were PM, the following would be meeting up with the proverbial axe or should it be the proverbial keris ::

1. Deputy Minister of Internal Security for the SqauteGate mess and not seeing to the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Comm on the PDRM

2. The Home Affairs MINIster for apologizing unnecessarily to the Chinese gomen

3. The Higher Edu MINIster for the Crisis in Education and mishandlig of Uni academics

4. The Local Gomen MINIster for the little Napoleans in the local authorities

5. The Works MINIster for all those cracking highways and by-ways and kulat-infested hospitals

6. The Health MINIster for his unhealthy practice of keeping the National Health Insurance scheme hidden under the cloak of the "I See All"

7. The Water Works MINIster fro his handling of the national water works and the impending wtaer rate hike.

8. The Women MINIster for not looking after the welfare of her own Muslim Malaysian sisters

9. The International Trade MINIster for the AP fiasco and enrichen only a few and not many many more

10. The Transport MINIster for not ensurig that we have a respectable, viable, sustainable national public transport system

i could just go on but if i were to do so, we would be having an entire cabinet filled with new faces!!!

| ¶ 2/14/2006 02:35:00 PM

Muslims Advised Not To Celebrate Valentine's Day

Once again it is the day for lovers all over the world to celebrate Valentine's Day, a day when lovers traditionally pledge their love for one another with cards, gifts, dinners, cakes, flowers etc etc. But as has been happening lately, Muslim Malaysians have been reminded annually that they shouldn't be celebrating this day. This time around the call is from Terengganu State Islam Hadhari Development Committee Deputy Chairman, Muhammad Ramli Nuh, he calls on Muslims in the country, especially lovers, not to celebrate Valentine's Day. Is he saying that non-lovers may do so???

This time around the reason for not celebrating the day, according to Muhammad Ramli Nuh, as reported in BERNAMA, is by celebrating Valentine's Day, it could be regarded as recognising the enemies of Islam because Valentine or Valentinus took part in planning and attacking Cordoba, once a well-known centre of Islam in Spain, causing its downfall, oh so many many years ago. Check out this :: The Fall of Moslem Spain.

Muhammad Ramli Nuh added that although not many couples celebrate Valentine's Day in the state, the state government wished to remind that the celebration should not be held in hotels. And once again that word which has been overused lately viz "sensitive" is brought into play again. Nuh reminded hotel managements to be sensitive to the religious beliefs of the people. What a pity, Terengganuan lovers will have to celebrate their Valentine's Day dinner-get-together not in hotels like Primula Parkroyal Kuala Terengganu or Sutra Beach Resort but then there is always the Batu Burok Beach to consider. Just be on the lookout for those morals guardian patrols.

| ¶ 2/14/2006 01:57:00 PM

Friday, February 10, 2006

What's There to Blog?

Since CNY eve, i have been staying away from blogging, see i am no blog addict. Just lying back and enjoying the CNY rest period, the CNY goodies and getting a little fatter and when the immediate holidays were over, of course i went back to working my back off to put food on the table and money in the wallet. But as for blogging, i took a good rest. But while resting i did keep surfing the net and kept in touch with the hot topics ::