NegaraKu Slows Down Again??

As the header goes "Negaraku marches with the times", The Sun informed all Malaysians that the cabinet has approved to change the tempo of our national anthem once again. Apparently, they decided to slow it down... last year!

Did you know about this??

I am in a total disbelieve when I read about this. The previous excuse to change the tempo back in 1992 was to make it into more of a marching style instead of the slow and sleepy style. Our so-called Information Minister, Abdul Kadir even admits that most Malaysians are still unaware of this. According to him, the "current" tempo was first heard by the public during the 2003 National Day celebrations.

Our Information Minister must be doing one hell of a bad job. It's already after one year since the change of tempo, and everyone (including me and people I know) still do not know about it. I wonder which version is being played when our sports teams win at international tournaments? I wonder if Nicole David knew about this..

Furthermore, what is the reason for the change of tempo this time? Is it like what The Sun has for header "marches with time"? Is this how the government is telling everyone that the economy has slow down? What about the rising inflation rate? Do we need to raise the pitch of some notes in our national anthem to accomodate that?

What a joke!!

Malaysia Moving Into Nuclear Age... Again??

According to one of our deputy minister, the recent hike in oil prices may force Malaysia to "revive" our nuclear energy program, which he claimed have stopped in 1970s.

Malaysia already a nuclear state in 1970s??

Reading further:

Sebenarnya cadangan mengenai penggunaan nuklear untuk tenaga di Malaysia dicetuskan pada 1970-an ketika negara yang pada masa itu berada dalam blok dunia ketiga, berhadapan dengan krisis harga minyak yang tinggi.

Ketua Pengarah Institut Penyelidikan Teknologi Nuklear (MINT), Dr Daud Mohamad, berkata apabila harga minyak ketika itu melambung daripada AS$5 kepada AS$15, kerajaan mula memikirkan penggunaan nuklear untuk menjana
tenaga.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, krisis harga minyak dan bekalan bahan api itu tiba-tiba dapat diatasi apabila beberapa telaga minyak baru dijumpai di perairan Malaysia.

“Dengan penemuan baru itu, program nuklear untuk penjanaan tenaga dihentikan walaupun MINT ditubuhkan pada 1972 untuk meneruskan penyelidikan nuklear bagi kegunaan dalam bidang lain seperti perubatan,” katanya di pejabat MINT di sini.

So in other words, our country never did went into nuclear energy in 1970s. It was only an idea, like the idea of sending our satay to space and the idea of achieving vision 2020. So much for the title "Kita mungkin guna semula tenaga nuklear"!

Well, Petronas really had stand in our nation's way of venturing into sustainable and clean energy. We should blame Petronas for being the main obstacle to our nation's journey into nuclear energy. I wonder why with all the profit Petronas is getting year by year, why didn't the management thought of researching into alternative fuel? Since our oil reserve will probably run out in 10 years time, it doesn't leave much time does it?

I hope the said minister is not just merely "suggesting an idea" like what they did 30 years back just to get into the history books. In fact, I never realise we even had a "Institut Penyelidikan Teknologi Nuklear (MINT)" until this morning. A quick look at their website (at least they have a decent one) show that MINT was set up more than 30 years ago.

I wonder how much fund has been poured in and how much R&D has came out of it for the past 30 years? Or are the equipments there still in "MINT" condition like when they were first bought?

Let's just hope the people hired there is competent enough to handle a nuclear reactor. Recent events suggested that our nation fail to operate and maintain even the most basic utilities such as power generator, water supply, water pipes, computer labs, hospitals, highways etc.

Let's hope there won't be another Chernobyl in our own soil !!

Biggest Lie In The World

I am always amazed on how idiots suddenly became so intelligent in telling lies (without blinking) in front of a big public audience.

Do pay special attention to the following lines:

• kekal relevan sampai bila-bila walaupun perubahan terus berlaku
• tidak wajar dipertikaikan kerana kewujudannya telah terbukti menjamin perpaduan antara kaum
• termaktub dalam Fasal 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan sebenarnya bukan sesuatu yang dianggap sebagai diskriminasi kaum
• jangan sekali-kali menidakkan apa yang dipersetujui dan dijanjikan oleh nenek moyang
• bukan sahaja bersifat adil dan relevan pada masa dahulu, tetapi juga pada masa sekarang
• asas yang paling kukuh dalam pembentukan Malaysia
• amat penting terutama dalam membentuk patriotisme rakyat bagi merealisasikan kemakmuran dan kecemerlangan negara

In summary, our country is built on the basis of racial discrimination and unjustice.

Dato Onn, Tunku, Tan Cheng Lock and John Thivy must be turning in their graves BIG TIME !!

Rafidah's U-Turn??

Although Rafidah was ordered to keep her mouth shut after the cabinet on the AP, Proton issue, she still managed to convey her "personal" views to the press. In an about turn, she claims that she is all for abolishing the AP system!

Below is an excerpt from The Star:

After lengthy debates with politicians and those in the automotive industry over the Approved Permit issue – which caused her to break down in tears at one juncture – Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said APs should be abolished.
“This is my personal opinion although others may not agree with me,” she said

Let us assume that what she said is true for a moment, and that she is against the implementation of AP system all these while. It makes us wonder, who are the true supporters of the AP system? Who is responsible for upholding the system for the last 30 years or so? Is there a higher hand at play here? Or is it Rafidah is trying to make her last desperate attempt to cling on to her position the cabinet?

However, she did stop short of suggesting an alternative to the AP system which seems to protect local automotive players in the industry. Her sudden U-turn on the AP issue sent shivers down local car manufacturers and assemblers, as well as her colleagues. Without the AP system in place, anyone can bring in foreign cars as they like as long as they pay the required taxes.

Just as we thought the controversy surrounding the AP system took a much needed time-out before the announcement of the national automotive policy next month, our old granny stirs up the hornets nest once again!

Will this affect the outcome of the NAP?

Will this affect her prospect in the much rumoured cabinet reshuffle?

What will happen to the AP Kings if the AP system is gone?

Let's wait and see what little is left up her sleeves...

Lousy and Incompetent Servants !!

Four short paragraphs!!

That is the end result of a full day of cabinet meeting yesterday presumably centered around Rafidah, AP and Proton. Jeff posted the same question to readers "You... satisfied with Rafidah?". The Prime Minister Department has issued the said statement in order to deter Rafidah from giving idiotic remarks that will further damage the government's image.

The statement further explains that the National Automotive Policy (NAP) will be announced next month after further scrutiny by a committee under the PM's office. So, Rafidah is out of the picture this time, it must have been a big turn-off for her!

Coming to think of it, is the whole controversy surrounding Mahathir, Rafidah, Proton and AP a big sandiward staged by the government with a helping hand from Mahathir in order to further postpone the NAP? I mean why does a retired old man would want to participate in a "bruhaha" involving a GLC that he has no interest in? Shouldn't he be spending the rest of his life with his family and grand-children?

The postponement of NAP shows how incompetence of our cabinet members and the Malaysian government as a whole. NAP was supposed to be announced early this year, and yet it has been postponed again and again. If you think about it, the whole AP episode may as well a strategy taken to cover the incompetence of our so-called policy makers.

The latest episodes is only an addition to a long list of incompetent track record of our government, which includes:

• Failed mega government projects borne by tax payer's money (Bakun dam, Navy petrol boats, hospital with fungus)
• Rampant corruption in all government departments
• Corrupted police force and ISA
• Uncontrolled development into green lung area
• Failure in privatisation of public utilities (muddy water and interrupted power supply)
• Over protective and bailing out of various GLCs with public funds
• Racial sentiments cultivated at every political meetings and gathering
• Miserable state of public transport system and traffic planning
• Ever changing education policy
• Sad state of affairs in public universities
• Rising unemployment rate among graduates
• Questionable justice system
• Questionable policy in awarding public scholarships
• Discriminative policies in all sectors
• Twisted meritocracy system
• Rising crime rates, drug addicts and HIV cases
• Return of NEP (as if it has stopped in any way)
• Independence of universities and UUCA
• Brain drain (and in some cases done intentionally)
• Rising inflation rate
• Gap between the rich and the poor
• Poor penetration of broadband internet
• News censorship and media monopolization by political parties
• and the list goes on and on and on

Knowing the above, why are we, the tax payer, continue to hire such incompetent people to serve us? They are public servant! They should kow-tow to us as their boss! Instead, we as the employer are made to suffer from their incompetence (not to mention the latest pay rise!).

I call for pay-cut (not RM1 pay cut mind you!) to all cabinet members on grounds of negligence and incompetence!

Prison System in UM

According to news in Malaysiakini, University of Malaya (UM) has issued a few notices over the past few days to warn students about getting involved in "undesirable activities" which could tarnish UM's good name (if there is any left).

Such notices are issued by the university’s student affairs and alumni office or Hal-Ehwal Pelajar (who else) are pasted on all notice boards in campus. Among the "undesirable activities" deemed by UM are:

• poison-pen letters
• unauthorised (haram) leaflets
• false news/statements
• printing and distributing prohibited (without written permission from the HEP) materials
• attending the seminar organised by Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD) - where Anwar Ibrahim was a key speaker
• participating in a trip to see fire flies in Kuala Selangor organised by Umany (University Malaya Association of New Youth)

Penalties and stern action will be taken against students under the Universities and University Colleges Act (Amendment) 1975 if found to be involved in the activities concerned,” it stressed.

While all the universities around the world are striving for excellence in every field, our once proud UM is busy implementing a "prison system" within its campus. Using the authority granted to the VC under the UUCA, the university authority even go to the extend of forbidding students participating in specific outdoor activities.

Me, as a tax payer, fully object to public funds being wasted in such implementation of a "prison system" within the university confine. Instead of providing better facilities and hiring renowned academics, public funds are used to hiring high number of moral guardians as well as ridiculously high number of administrative personnel.

I fully urge the PM (not the Minister of Higher Education as I assume he already know, more so endorse such act) to grant independence to all local institutions. On one hand, we are faced with a huge number of unqualified (in terms of market expectations) graduates. On the other hand, evil hands are at play in producing such graduates who are not even allowed to think and make decisions for themselves.

What next? Prison guards and cells for student hostels?

Final Ultimatum !!

It seems our dear PM has finally got tough with Poor Old Granny with his ultimatum.

Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri,Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz perlu menjelaskan kontroversi yang menyelubungi isu AP import kereta, dalam mesyuarat Kabinet esok kerana banyak isu telah ditimbulkan mengenai perkara itu, kata Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

According to Abdullah, he "thinks" Rafidah will be present at the cabinet meeting tomorrow after missing the last one due to health problems.

Personally, I would like to get some answers to the following questions:

1. Will Rafidah's explanation (18-pages report) be made public?
2. Will there be a cabinet reshuffle announcement tomorrow?
3. Will the long awaited national automotive policy be given the seal of approval?
4. Will Rafidah announcement her resignation or dishonorably discharged?
5. Will Abdullah come to Rafidah's rescue again?

The rakyat are waiting...

Rafidah Sidestep Najib?? ACA at MITI !!

According to Singapore's Straits Times, Rafidah's "MC" from the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday were seen as snub to Najib, who chaired the meeting while Abdullah is in US accompanying his wife (my prayers goes to her). The newspaper also claims that Rafidah is believed to be still within the country although local press has reported that she had left for Perth.

Bernama also quoted Najib as saying that Rafidah will explain to the Cabinet "whatever it needs to know" on the issue of APs at its meeting next week. Last Saturday, Najib had said the Cabinet would ask Rafidah to provide an explanation on claims by former prime minister Mahathir recently that she had misled delegates to Umno's general assembly last month regarding the issuing of the APs.

Is Rafidah trying to wait for Abdullah to come back from US in order to save her butt again?

Will Abdullah do it again after previous attempts which failed to put out the fire?

Is Najib trying to step up on his effort to get rid of the "Iron Lady"?

Amidst the rumors of an imminent cabinet reshuffle that was predicted in two months time, I personally would not bet on Abdullah to protect Rafidah anymore. It may be wise for Abdullah to stay out of this fight that involved two (maybe three including Mahathir) of Malaysia's most senior politicians.

If everything goes well, Abdullah still stands to become the biggest winner of all as he will be pressured to "retire" Rafidah along with other cabinet members namely Mohd Isa, who got suspended from UMNO and those losers in the last UMNO election (Azmi Khalid, Abdul Kadir and Shafie Salleh). Abdullah will in turn replace them with "his men" or politicians with a cleaner PR image.

On a related note, a handful of ACA officers has "visited" the MITI headquarters yesterday. According to The Sun, they were there for about a total of five hours visiting five different floors in the building. Interviews (or is it interrogations?) were carried out with senior staff of various department (including AP department). Even the MITI secretary-general and his deputy were not spared!

However, official ACA responses regarding the visit were in a state of confusion and opaque. ACA deputy DG has no comment stating grounds of confidentiality while FT ACA director officially denied the visit. All of this happened while Rafidah is on her "MC".

Come to think of it, if an ACA director can go on the record to deny the visit, I wonder who are those people who visited MITI and even interviewed those big-shots there? Was the director kept out of the loop? Was it conducted by the Special Branch on orders of Abdullah? Or was there a visit by ACA after all?

Where is the transparency in ACA??

All in all, Rafidah will be prepared (in her 18-pages report) to stage a big come back. She will be weighing the odds all day throughout her "MC" on whether to be discharged dishonorably or being thrown into the brig (maybe not on sodomy charges like Anwar but on corruptions, remember the 18 files that is still on Abdullah's table?).

More episodes (hopefully the conclusion) of the Rafidah saga is set to unveil in the coming weeks ahead.

Be prepared for surprises!

Massa To Replace Rubens For Ferrari In 2006!!

All the paddock rumors for the past two weeks came true!

According to a statement posted on Ferrari's official website:

The Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro has officially engaged Felipe Massa, taking up an
option in his contract that has linked the Brazilian driver to the Maranello
Scuderia since 2001. Massa will replace Rubens Barrichello who leaves with the
thanks of everyone at Ferrari, in particular President Luca di Montezemolo and
the Direttore Generale Jean Todt, with whom he has shared six years of
extraordinary success.

BAR sporting director Gil de Ferran (close friend of Rubens) tipped him as being a replacement for Takuma Sato to partner Jenson Button next year.

I personally think it is best for Rubens to leave Ferrari since he has been living under Michael Schumacher's shadow for long enough. Although Ferrari did not openly admit it, we can see that Michael often get the better end of the two drivers (as in team orders and strategy wise).

Both Schumacher and Barrichello had their contracts renewed last year until 2006. Like I said before, Barrichello's contract was not fully honored as with Schumacher's.

Who knows? With the current slump that Ferrari is experiencing (mainly due to their inferior Bridgestone tyres), it might be a blessing in disguised for Barrichello. Moving to BAR or Renault or even Mclaren might be a wise choice as they currently employ a pool of young drivers and they could need the help of an experienced Barrichello to maintain their grip on the sport.

All the best to Rubens Barrichello!