tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41265511461794553502024-03-14T16:34:36.009+08:00Oh My Business!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-79848306735254171112013-04-24T15:07:00.001+08:002013-04-24T15:07:18.535+08:00ROBERT KUOK PAYS HEFTY PREMIUM FOR ISKANDAR LAND, HIGHEST PER SQ FT TRANSACTION RECORDED<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The recent announcement that the Kuok Group’s JV with Khazanah to purchase 12.5 acres of prime land in Iskandar Malaysia for RM182 million with the purpose of building high rise residential and retail units with a view of the Straits of Johor, has attracted false allegations that the land was sold below market value.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is highly ridiculous as the Kuok-Khazanah JV set a new price benchmark of nearly RM334 per sq ft (psf) for Nusajaya land.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January, the same vendor UEM Land Holdings sold 43.6 acres in Puteri Harbour to Liberty Bridge Sdn Bhd for RM401 million or the equivalent of RM211 psf, translating to a 58% premium for the Kuok-Khazanah land transaction.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These allegations only serve to reiterate Malaysia’s sad story of attracting investors, only to frighten them away with our insecurities.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Investors come into Malaysia for its economic potential but because their investments are criticised so severely with wrong facts thrown in to confuse the issue, many investors run for the hills for cleaner, safer investment pastures in the region.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Critics have to differentiate between gross development value prices which is the price of property after land has been developed and cost of land which has not been developed.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the land sold to the Kuok-Khazanah JV is Iskandar Malaysia’s all time high, how can it be below market value? Prices of land anywhere in the world are determined based on the last transaction made and in this case, it was RM211 psf.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By all logical reasoning, the land price in Johor is still below that of the Klang Valley and Penang. So allegations that the land should have been sold to the Kuok-Khazanah JV at RM700 psf does not hold water.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been verified by Johor Bahru Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) chairman Koh Moo Hing who said property prices in Johor Bahru are still low when compared to Kuala Lumpur and Penang though Iskandar Malaysia is responsible for successfully stimulating the property sector in Johor Bahru.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a comparison, the price of completed properties such as terrace houses in Horizon Hill range from RM400 to RM500 psf.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, recent land deals in Iskandar Malaysia revealed transaction prices of RM20 per square foot (psf) for a disposal of 614 acres of land by DRB-Hicom Bhd in April this year; RM12.20 psf when Sunway Bhd bought 779 acres of land for RM413 million in December last year and RM22 psf arising from the acquisition of 227 acres of land for RM220 million by Dijaya Corporation Bhd in August 2011.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Investors may find other regions more attractive than Malaysia .</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malaysia could only stand to lose by spooking the investment community.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly, Malaysia could lose out in its government coffers as MOF will benefit from taxes from the sales transaction; taxes on profit paid by the Kuok-Khazanah JV, construction companies; stamp duty from the purchase and employment generated by the project</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Public listed company UEM Land and its minority shareholders will benefit from the sale of this land as well. Land is only as good as its commercial value.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, construction companies will enjoy jobs while the population will have more employment and business opportunities.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If at all, Robert Kuok in this deal had to pay 58% more than the last transaction which was completed just 3 months ago. That’s tough.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-16811725430085964822013-04-03T14:42:00.001+08:002013-04-03T14:44:08.517+08:00DAIM: SUPPORT FOR SELANGOR HAS WATERED DOWN<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tun Daim Zainuddin has predicted the handling of the
water issue in
Selangor by the PKR-led government which has dismayed developers,
investors and the people, and diluted support for the state government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Daim who famously predicted that BN would lose five states in the 2008
elections, said that BN will win comfortably in the upcoming GE-13 while
at the same time noting the failures and idiosyncrasies of the various
opposition party components.<br />
<br />
More than 100 companies which provide about 25,000 jobs have been forced
to withdraw from investing in Selangor because of the water supply
crisis.<br />
<br />
The federal government is now worried that there could be a repeat of the
massive water shortage that affected some 500,000 people in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Klang </st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> at the start of the
year.<br />
<br />
“Of course, they (Selangor state government) will blame everything on the
Federal Government despite the fact the Langat 2 water project was
planned before they came to power in the state,” he said.<br />
<br />
Daim also played down the prospects of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being made prime
minister.<br />
<br />
“So far, there has not been even one significant idea from Anwar as the
economic adviser to the Selangor government.”<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Datuk Seri
Noh Omar said that the Selangor state government’s refusal to proceed
with the Langat 2 water treatment plant is an abuse of power.<br />
<br />
As a result, the water shortage in Selangor will affect the state’s
development. Currently, Selangor is faced with water shortage in any
parts of the state and the water shortage has resulted in the shelving of
440 projects and the potential loss of tens of thousands of jobs.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-16329487044521056812013-03-06T15:14:00.003+08:002013-03-06T16:04:29.646+08:00STANDING IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS?<span style="font-family: Arial;">Why is it that the very people who say they are in
favour of reform and change have a proven track record of blocking progress and
development?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Penang</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place> was originally
proposed in the 1970s, the opposition party strongly opposed and protested
against the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said it was
unnecessary and a waste of public money. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">With the benefit of hindsight, few people would
agree with this view today as Penang Bridge 2 is set to be launched at the end
of the year to accommodate escalating traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Furthermore, those who opposed the construction of <st1:placename w:st="on">Penang</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype> are mulling a third bridge
linking Seberang Perai with <st1:place w:st="on">Penang</st1:place> island.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The same can be said of many development projects
which have taken place since and are still yet to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Subang</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place>
was proposed, the opposition party said it wasn’t needed as there were no
planes yet. Similarly they were quick to point out the faults of KLIA even
though air traffic has gotten so high that LCCT had to be built, followed now
by the construction of KLIA2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is not to say
that the opposition party should be prohibited from raising valid points about
developmental projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However, time and
time again, they have proven to be short sighted and cynical in relation to
many of the major developments that many Malaysian’s now see as essential parts
of their lives, such as the North-South Highway, the iconic KLCC, the biometric
system and the railway double track project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It should come as
no surprise then that the opposition are voicing out yet again against more Federal
government-led projects such as RAPID which will create an petrochemical hub in
Johor and Langat 2 treatment plant in Selangor which will increase treated
water for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Klang</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> by 20 per cent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Whether or not the
opposition are making noise for the sake of doing so, the government has to act
decisively because <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
can not afford to lag behind in terms of p</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">rogress
and development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The opposition should learn to give credit where and
when it's due.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the sake of
development, please Pakatan Rakyat, give the rakyat a break.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-16296154681871458052013-02-13T10:14:00.001+08:002013-02-13T10:24:12.767+08:00SELANGOR STALEMATE WATERS DOWN INVESTMENTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bruneigamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_0215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.bruneigamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_0215.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Even
as we are buffeted by dry taps and a he said-she said finger pointing between
Selangor state and Federal governments about the state’s water crunch,
investments into the state have been hit.<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The
sad truth is Selangor can no longer cope with the ever increasing demand for
water.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Last
year, Syabas had to freeze hundreds of new applications for water supply from
manufacturers, including world’s biggest rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove
and beverage manufacturer F&N.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Top
Glove’s plan to build a corporate tower in Setia Alam was delayed, while
F&N had to deal with significant losses as their new plant in Pulau Indah
can’t operate for 5 days because there was no water.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Meanwhile,
the Selangor Times reported that Selangor recorded the highest investments
compared to other states with a total of RM7.68bil last year. The figure came
from 186 approved projects which represents 16,076 job opportunities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
How
does the Selangor state government plan to meet the demand for water for all
these 186 projects when the existing facility can barely cope with current
demand?<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Klang</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>
needs additional water supply which means more sources of water and treatment
capacity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The
restructuring exercise and the membrane technology proposed by the state
government can't be considered as solutions as they don't address the issue of
additional water sources and treatment facilities. The state government is
desperately in need of a better alternative than membrane technology and slashing
the rate of non-revenue water. It cannot continue to deflect the issue by
proposing solutions that does not address the problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
To
simply rely on existing facilities to provide sufficient water supply to a
growing population is just proof of idiocy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Menteri
Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has vowed to take over all four water
concessionaires and proceed with the restructuring of Selangor water industry
within 14 days. This is not the first show of defiance from Tan Sri Khalid. He
even went as far as willing to delay the Langat 2 project for 100 years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
But
how does that address the problem of new water sources and more treatment
capacity?<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It
seems the people of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya will have to expect
more water disruption in the future as the state government & federal
government continue to play tug of war over the water issue.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-24312594064721476522013-02-06T11:11:00.001+08:002013-02-06T11:14:23.806+08:00MCKIP SET TO FIRE INTEREST IN A HOST OF LOCAL STOCKS<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">A host of local stocks
are anticipated to pick up steam with the launch of the 685-hectare
Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) on February 5, 2013<sup> </sup>that
will pave the way for a slew of new contracts to replenish their companies’
order book.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Investors are turning
their attention on MCKIP which is targeting a list of industries that involves
the manufacturing of equipment for plastics and metals, automotive components,
stainless steel, carbon fiber, electrical & electronics, information &
communications technology, and consumer products.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Dozens of companies on
Bursa Malaysia Securities have the fundamentals and business synergies to join
the MCKIP bandwagon, as the RM1.5 billion industrial park provides opportunity
for collaboration and joint-ventures with large Chinese companies and can fuel
the potential of some companies to be on par with the “big-boys.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The launch of MCKIP
comes at the perfect time with the FBM KLCI still on its 1,600 point support
level and anticipated to have further upside riding on a possible pre-Chinese
New Year rally and taking into account that the 13th General Election is
believed to be called in late February. The benchmark index had earlier in the
month hit an all time high of 1,692.65 points at close.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">A private sector
initiative with the federal government as facilitator, MCKIP will also stir the
interest of strategic emerging industries such as environmental-friendly
technologies, new-generation information technology, biotechnology, and
alternative energy to set foot. The industrial park’s potential is enormous as
it is projected to create 5,500 employment opportunities and RM7.5 billion in
total investment value by 2020.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">What is interesting is
that MCKIP is not a standalone but within the KuantanPort Cityproject that
covers 30,000 hectares of an integrated industrial and logistics hub. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Besides higher level of
sustainable economic relations between Malaysiaand <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the industrial park serves
as platform for growth development and support of the private sector to help
promote investment inflows and entrepreneurial opportunities that will also
boost the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">MCKIP is the first
industrial park in Malaysia to be jointly developed by Malaysia and China, and
is a government-to-government initiative announced in reciprocation to the
China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park that was launched in China by Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak
on April 1, 2012.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">To spice-up MCKIP, it will be
developed by a master developer comprising a joint venture company between a
Malaysian Consortium and a Chinese Consortium under a 51:49 equity ratio. The
Malaysian Consortium consists of SP Setia Bhd with 40% equity, Rimbunan Hijau
Group (30%) and the Pahang State Government through Perbadanan Setiausaha
Kerajaan and Pahang State Development Corporation (30%). The Chinese Consortium
involves Guangxi Beibu Gulf International Port Group (47.5%), CCCC Real Estate
Co Ltd and China Harbor Engineering Co (47.5%), and Qinzhou Investment Co (5%).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Prime Minister Najib
will officiate the ground breaking of MCKIP and is likely to unveil a list of
fiscal and non-fiscal incentives such as preferential tax treatments that will
bring further excitement among investors and see stronger equity returns sooner
than expected.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It is learned that
several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) will be inked on February 5 by key
Malaysian and Chinese companies that are eager to commit their investments in
MCKIP “in a big way” riding on the positive impact the industrial park has to
offer.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It was recently reported
that Chinese companies were showing keen interest to invest in MCKIP despite
the political issues related to the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng which is
located near the industrial park.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-88317327409094058052013-02-04T12:28:00.000+08:002013-02-04T12:39:06.137+08:00MALAYSIAN PETROL STATION’S FACE MARGIN SQUEEZE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhzeMqwu2jJ3wqq8RLsEasCEY10-RC75krtOOSGBbfBNAlMyuA6mR1JMQBNIGGi7E1sCurZr_QIYDnzO2ECZiN7Bl2nzGch-pguHLxuHGeEqrXQGUZkIdm2RyWhuCiosELRh0PQvAE4I/s1600/Petrol+brands+Malaysia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhzeMqwu2jJ3wqq8RLsEasCEY10-RC75krtOOSGBbfBNAlMyuA6mR1JMQBNIGGi7E1sCurZr_QIYDnzO2ECZiN7Bl2nzGch-pguHLxuHGeEqrXQGUZkIdm2RyWhuCiosELRh0PQvAE4I/s320/Petrol+brands+Malaysia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anwar Ibrahim
maintains that he will drop fuel prices within 24 hours of Pakatan Rakyat
taking power of the Federal Government.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His populist
proposal has worried <span class="il">petrol</span> retailers because excessive
government market intervention will create a difficult operating environment
for them.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Shell <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
operates one of the country’s largest networks of retail stations with over 900
stations serving 500,000 customers daily. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #222222;">The company
is therefore vulnerable to any drastic reductions in fuel prices. Doing so will
force them to make only razor-thin margins on their pump sales. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span>
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The margin is
the difference between the cost of running a service station and what can be
made from selling its fuel. Poor margins and spiralling operating costs
directly and indirectly threaten businesses and jobs.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">State-regulated
pricing mechanisms are anathema to the free market. They will hurt the size of
the retail station networks even in the face of rising local fuel demand.<o:p></o:p></span>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Earnings of
other fuel retailers such as Petronas, Esso, Petron, Caltex and BHP will also
be affected by any immediate reduction in fuel prices.<o:p></o:p></span>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="color: #222222;">Malaysia</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="color: #222222;">'s economy should be moving away from
market-distorting subsidies and not retaining and encouraging a culture of
dependence and entitlement. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(255, 249, 238); margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #222222;">Sorry Anwar, this
sounds like a step in the wrong direction.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span>
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-34828708783809482612013-01-15T14:29:00.000+08:002013-01-15T14:42:27.211+08:00BREAKING CHINA’S MONOPOLY ON RARE EARTH<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;">’s dominance of the rare earth industry is set to be
broken and with it the capacity to manipulate the supply and pricing of this
essential resource.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The source of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s rare earth industry’s
disquiet? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lynas in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lynas when fully operational, is geared to capture at
least 20 per cent of global market share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Rare Earths” are a group of 17 elements that are
currently used in a wide array of modern technologies, ranging from hard disk
drives to lamp phosphors and hybrid car batteries. Presently, 90% of these
minerals are mined in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But Lynas is not the only company aiming at breaking <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
stranglehold on this commodity which is utilised in nearly every modern
appliance from mobile phones, computer screens to colour televisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Companies in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> are also racing to the finish
line. It’s a matter of who makes it first to the finish line, gets a leg up in
commanding prices and secures contracts from companies seeking to buy rare
earth, with competition hotting up to give China a run for its money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2012, an old rare earth mine in <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>
reopened and the next major rare earth mine is on track for going into full
production in 2013 at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mount Weld</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">Western Australia</st1:state></st1:place> (owned and
operated by Lynas Corporation).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Because rare earth is a very precious commodity
without which, modern appliances may come to a standstill, availability of rare
earth has become a critical issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;">'s regulation on rare earths became a major political
issue in July 2010 after the country slashed domestic output and export quotas
by 40%. Recent data from Bloomberg shows that exports of rare-earth oxides from
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
have fallen 56 percent during the first five months of 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">According to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bloomberg</st1:city>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>, the
world’s biggest rare earths supplier, cut the first-batch export quota for next
year by 27% as overseas demand for the elements waned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial;">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;">’s Ministry of Commerce sets rare earth export limits
twice a year. It pegged the first allotment for 2013 at 15,501 tonnes, down
from 21,226 tonnes for 2012’s first setting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Most affected by this limit in export is <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region>. On Oct
1, 2010, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
announced that it will move up developing new materials that can replace rare
earth minerals in order to get rid of its dependence on Chinese exports. At the
same time, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region> also sought
to increase its supply by mining the precious minerals in more foreign
countries, outside of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In H1 of 2012, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>
imported 3,007 tonnes of rare earth minerals from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, which accounted for 49.3% of
its total volume, marking the first drop to below 50%.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2011, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region> ’s imports of the metals fell
to 15,400 tonnes, down 34% compared with the figure of the previous year.
Before 2009, over 90% of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>'s
rare earth supply came from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
. According to <st1:city w:st="on">Nikkei</st1:city> , <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region> currently owns 16,500 tonnes of rare earth
metal resources in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>
, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Kazakhstan</st1:country-region> , <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region> . These resources will be
available to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What does it mean for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>? Its timely entry into the
Rare Earth Industry means that the country, which aims to be developed by 2020,
stands to benefit immensely from better paid high skilled jobs and an equal
footing for local businesses to make their first step into the global
manufacturing arena. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The World Bank warned <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> back in 2009 that it is
too dependent on revenues from oil and gas and should instead broaden its
revenue base.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Professor Badrulhisham Abdul Aziz, a Malaysian
academic at University Malaysia Pahang, said: “With the Lynas refinery, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> has
the potential to brand itself as a rare earth hub, once other downstream
industries place their plants here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The demand for rare earths is likely to grow
dramatically in coming years and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> can play an important role
in leading the way in showcasing how a modern processing facility can be
effectively managed to minimize risks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The rare earth industry within <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> has been the focus of intense political
scrutiny, social activism and media interest during the past two years, in
light of the Malaysian Government's approval of the construction and operation
of a US$1 billion rare earths processing and refinery plant at Kuantan in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pahang</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
This facility is owned by Australian corporation Lynas and commonly referred to
as the “Lynas Advanced Materials Plant” (LAMP).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Malaysians should decide if they want to vault into
the new economic era where it has a lead now in rare earth or remain frightened
into economic submission via unsubstantiated claims of rare earth radiation,
which has been disproved by the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">More recently, the United Nations Scientific
Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation concluded that radiation doses of
less than 0.1 Sv or 100 mSv, have only a negligible effect on health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lynas has declared that radiation levels from its
plants are at 0.002 mSv , way below smoking which generates radiation of 150mSv.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-90996317813570233372013-01-07T12:05:00.002+08:002013-01-07T12:35:18.734+08:00NAJIB FIGHTING FIT<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6O7g3AbCm_R_9PESA6nQNj3ch83XVBLg4c1lQBuRiIMGys9yyHRG87-llwoOt7XI-MbeVLqihXMCBFGTIV8E78P0RBRkMma8jFmB71J0cJmYH_jFQfn3Pm8MQVQowIE-LaNK6YyXbFs/s1600/najib33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6O7g3AbCm_R_9PESA6nQNj3ch83XVBLg4c1lQBuRiIMGys9yyHRG87-llwoOt7XI-MbeVLqihXMCBFGTIV8E78P0RBRkMma8jFmB71J0cJmYH_jFQfn3Pm8MQVQowIE-LaNK6YyXbFs/s320/najib33.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The impending general elections have brought with it
the first volley of dirty tricks for 2013 with unverified reports that Najib
suffered a minor stroke over the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The source of the rumour is the Sarawak Report which,
in an article dated 5 January, said that Najib suffered a minor stroke and that
his doctors had to be put on stand by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The article milks this unsubstantiated hearsay for all
its worth by suggesting that such an incident would be politically fatal for
someone three months away from leading the government into a crucial election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Anwar was not so easily convinced by the veracity of
the article when he retweeted the link to the Sarawak Report story this morning,
saying: “If it’s true, then I pray for his good health”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Najib is reportedly fighting fit and is this morning attending
the monthly gathering of the Prime Minister's Department in Putrajaya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-66954343914829328312012-12-26T16:57:00.001+08:002012-12-26T16:57:19.042+08:00GREEN BEHIND THE EARS?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkpngJp9F9P3mO9NJYG73nnPeb8pDXfma6mSKRLRq48HI3rMD2W6aaclaYd3zDmyohfq_ym2ffTKHup9PDrzluyFcv1cfT9gluWvn5RDKIK488qY6QdXBXTKtqAwVifAMCd0CgJzD2r4/s1600/himpunanhijau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkpngJp9F9P3mO9NJYG73nnPeb8pDXfma6mSKRLRq48HI3rMD2W6aaclaYd3zDmyohfq_ym2ffTKHup9PDrzluyFcv1cfT9gluWvn5RDKIK488qY6QdXBXTKtqAwVifAMCd0CgJzD2r4/s320/himpunanhijau.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Himpunan Hijau crowd seem to be running out of
ideas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They held a desperate demonstration
on Christmas Day outside the HSBC branch in Kuantan, because the bank supposedly
handles the financing for Lynas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Children were forced to waste their holiday by standing
in the rain with signs obviously not written by themselves saying ridiculous
things like ‘Radioactive wastes rob joys from Christmas’ and ‘Our Christmas has
been darkened’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The demonstrators wanted to prove a point, but it
being a public holiday and all, and with the staff of HSBC not there, it ended
up seeming a bit pointless, even pathetic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After standing around for 25 minutes in the
rain and taking some pictures they left, leaving a black Christmas tree at the
bank’s doorstep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Apparently the demonstrators, all 50 of them, were
protesting so they could put pressure on HSBC to cease its dealings with Lynas,
which HSBC is obviously going to do now, after seeing a black Christmas tree at
their door…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What next?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Demonstrations at the restaurants where Lynas workers eat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things seems a bit desperate for our friends
at Himpunan Hijau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What with their PG-12
version of a hunger strike (100 hours) and some New Year’s car pool nonsense, have
they finally used up all the gimmicks in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demonstration and Protests for Dummies</i> handbook? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-74799566470807150182012-12-10T14:13:00.000+08:002012-12-10T14:13:36.320+08:00Lawmaker Says Supply Of Raw Water In Selangor Will Deplete If New Sources Untapped<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGawqIXX0y79XbR3zlctP77gWi0BoAE5Vz_hHP6Eqb4iVxzwdI7HwHXCkCNn06HgkGHykrlnIJbxKzDjPsds2AOq0pI9udyTUD8ZIgrpgbgrg4wBPskoik8DxUzg8qw24FArW-_1I337g/s1600/ongteekeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGawqIXX0y79XbR3zlctP77gWi0BoAE5Vz_hHP6Eqb4iVxzwdI7HwHXCkCNn06HgkGHykrlnIJbxKzDjPsds2AOq0pI9udyTUD8ZIgrpgbgrg4wBPskoik8DxUzg8qw24FArW-_1I337g/s1600/ongteekeat.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Selangor may be on the verge of a shortage of
raw water should new sources of water remain untapped amidst the ongoing
challenge to supply adequate treated water to numerous homes, offices,
restaurants and factories in the state, says a federal lawmaker.<br />
<br />
MCA Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the Selangor government
must take stock to ensure that the current supply of raw water would be
in tandem with population and industrial production growth, noting that
certain portions of raw water currently sourced could not be treated and
consumed by the state’s population. <br />
<br />
“Why must we confuse the people by portraying that we have sufficient
raw water? We know very well that not all the raw water that we have is
suitable for treatment because we do understand that the raw water in
certain areas may contain heavy metal, and this might even cost you a
fortune in seeking (medical) treatment,” he said in an interview. <br />
<br />
Ong<strong> </strong>criticised
the Selangor government for not tabling “convincing figures” or
statistics in the state assembly that would put an end to the water
impasse, saying that Selangor was grappling with two water issues on
different fronts, namely, the shortage of raw water and raising the
capacity of water treatment plants. <br />
<br />
“Pakatan Rakyat state legislators have been saying that we have
enough raw water just because it is now the rainy season and all the
dams are full. By saying that the reservoirs are full of water doesn’t
mean that you have enough raw water in reality. We want the state
government to come up with some unbiased statistics in order not to
confuse the people,” said the seasoned politician. <br />
<br />
He said the role of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas)
was confined to the distribution of treated water to Selangor, Kuala
Lumpur and Putrajaya, and that it was the state government’s
jurisdiction over the issue of raw water to be provided to water
treatment plants. <br />
<br />
Ong, who is a former transport minister, also questioned the state
government’s ability to guarantee uninterrupted flow of water if it were
to secure a 100 per cent stake and full management rights of Syabas
against the backdrop of not constructing new water treatment plants and
not tapping new sources of raw water. <br />
<br />
“Just by reshuffling or maybe taking control of the management rights
and the water assets of the concessionaire, do you think the state
government can resolve a water crisis in the long run? I doubt so,” he
said. <br />
<br />
Ong pointed out that the Langat 2 mitigation project was among
several programmes that were planned before the 2008 general election to
cope with the high demand for treated water due to the mushrooming of
factories and business parks in the state, saying that the state
authorities should look at it objectively and prevent a repeat of the
1997-98 water crisis.<br />
<br />
“I do understand that the state government is playing hard ball with
the federal government, especially when they make it a prerequisite to
be guaranteed the transfer of the management rights of all the water
assets, including the Langat 2 treatment plant (upon completion), before
they agree to grant the green light to the project (Langat 2),” he
said.<br />
<br />
Last week, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri
Peter Chin Fah Kui told the Dewan Negara that the Langat 2 water
treatment project had fallen behind schedule by 29 months and that the
Selangor government should withdraw its directives to local councils to
hold off giving the approvals that would allow 22 tender packages
related to the plant to be disbursed.<br />
<br />
The minister said the project, according to the original schedule,
should have been 68.95 per cent ready as of October this year but the
status of the project was only 28.40 per cent complete. <br />
<br />
On the Selangor government’s announcement to reopen the Bukit
Jelutong water treatment plant as a pioneer project for membrane
technology to treat water, Ong said the people had yet to see it
translated into “real action” and it was vital for the state to announce
new sources of raw water other than that from Pahang.<br />
<br />
“On the Pahang raw water, I still remember, the current state
administration said we do not need that, meaning they claim that they
have sufficient raw water. But, actually, this is not true. So how are
they going to handle such a situation? Ultimately, you have to face the
people,” he said, adding that the existing capacity of the 34 water
treatment plants in the state was at the optimum level.<br />
<br />
In September, it was reported that the Pahang government would
consider cancelling the raw water supply agreement with Selangor if the
latter continued to politicise the issue. <br />
<br />
The water transfer project between the two states will see 1,890
million litres of raw water pumped daily from Sungai Semantan in Pahang
to the Hulu Langat water treatment facility in Selangor.<br />
<br />
Questioned on the possibility of a sharp tariff hike with the current
Langat 2 project proceeding as planned, Ong replied: “It depends on the
negotiations between the state government and the federal government. I
see no reason why the state administration wants to make this an issue.
<br />
<br />
“By making this an issue, alleging that they have to pay high tariffs
because of Langat 2, is tantamount to putting the cart before the
horse.” — BernamaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-33432317743401010272012-11-05T12:00:00.000+08:002012-11-05T12:05:12.036+08:00ROADBLOCKS TO LYNAS PLANT MAY SEE FOREIGN INVESTORS LOSE APPETITE IN MALAYSIA<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Further roadblocks to the operation of the Australia-owned Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, Pahang, will trigger lowering of investor confidence and slow the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Malaysia to levels seen during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Malaysia’s FDI inflow fell from RM23.4 billion in 2008 to a mere RM4.43 billion in 2009 as a result of the financial crisis which also placed the country in the red for the first time in 15-years.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The nation’s FDI inflow for 2012 may be on track to exceed the RM32.9 billion, in 2011 that was underpinned by the aggressive promotions and incentives by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, but the embattled implementation of LAMP will curtail Malaysia ’s attractiveness as a leading trading nation in the ASEAN region.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Against the backdrop of the LAMP protest, foreign investors that have been eying Malaysia as an investment destination will have second thoughts to place their money here as they will be under the impression that implementation of an industrial operation can be on hold despite having the green light from federal and state governments and complying with safety requirements.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">LAMP has received the nod from regulatory and independent bodies including the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) Malaysia, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Department of Environment, Parliamentary Select Committee and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) albeit conditions such as long term waste management disposal and radiological monitoring were recommended from a technical perspective.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fate of LAMP, a state-of-the-art RM2.5 billion rare processing plant, now hinges on the High Court which will deliver its judgment on November 8 on whether to grant a temporary operating licence (TOL) to two groups of Kuantan residents. Lynas was granted a two-year TOL by the AELB in September but the TOL has been challenged.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While November 8 is crucial, LAMP may not be able to fire up its long completed rare earth refinery until all legal avenues have been exhausted. As such, a protracted legal battle and protests by Kuantan residents will not be in line with Malaysia ’s recent ranking as the 12th most business friendly country globally by a World Bank report.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Malaysia’s FDI stands to dwindle if the Australian public-listed Lynas Corporation Ltd pulls-out and heads to another destination in ASEAN to start its plant rolling. Such an abrupt end to the LAMP here will also put a dent to the Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will take effect January 1, 2013 following conclusion of negotiations between the two countries earlier this year.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The LAMP operation is expected to bring substantial benefits to the Malaysian economy. The facility will create 400 skilled jobs plus a multiplier of 5-8 times in secondary jobs through the economic ecosystem created by the plant. LAMP will also have 200 permanent contract workers and 1,000 indirect workers provided services to its facility. The capital investment to build the LAMP is RM2.5 billion while operating expenditure will total RM600 million per year.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lynas prides its plant in Gebeng as the most technologically advanced rare earth plant in the world that enables production to be done in a safe and environment ally friendly manner. According to the company, rare earths were crucial for “autocats” in vehicles that could convert harmful gasses into inert gas, thus enabling increased thermal stability and reduction in precious metals.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Among others, rare earths are components to produce high power neo magnets for disk drives and speakers as well as polishing powders that are used for TV and computer screens.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The granting of incentives such as a 12-year tax exemption to Lynas for its LAMP operations will be academic should the company exits its project in Gebeng. Malaysia ’s credibility as a choice investment destination will be affected in the near term and the possibility of the economy taking a dip may surface as steady FDI inflows have been widely accepted to provide increased competition, technological spillovers and innovations, and rise in employment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FDI is considered necessary to stimulate the economies of developing countries but with stiff competition in the ASEAN region and the controversial LAMP project, Malaysia’s FDI can return to that of the financial crisis levels of 2008-2009 as foreign investors often look for destinations that have attractive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives such as tax holiday, government support, and fast turnaround time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Malaysia was ranked third for FDI inflow into ASEAN in 2011 with US$11.97 billion, while Singapore and Indonesia positioned at the top with US$64 billion and US$18.91 billion respectively.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The LAMP protest can not afford to go on at the expense of affecting Malaysia ’s economic fundamentals. Malaysia ’s economic performance registered a 5.1% growth in 2011 while it is projected to grow between 4.5% and 5% in 2012. In 2013, the economy is forecast to grow between 4.5% and 5.5% underpinned by domestic demand as proposals implemented under Budget 2013 picks up pace.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the government continues to create a healthy business environment to sustain FDI inflow and promote private investment particularly in increasing the manufacturing and services sectors, a deadlock in LAMP’s operations will put a bump to intensified efforts in attract investors to new growth areas and drive private investment amounting to RM115 billion by 2015 as per the 10th Malaysia Plan.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In October, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak described the RM13 billion FDI recorded in the first quarter of 2012 as a clear signal of investors' confidence in Malaysia despite a gloomy global economy and criticisms from Opposition parties.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The “feel-good factor” for the economy should not fizzle simply due to LAMP protest as Malaysia ’s stock market this year has been above the crucial 1,600 point level and is among the best performers in the world with huge listing such as the RM10.5 billion Felda Global Ventures Holdings now on board.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The launch of the Tun Razak Exchange in July also positions Kuala Lumpur as a leading global centre with more than RM3.5 billion worth of FDI expected to flow into the country under phase 1. The Exchange is a national initiative to spur sustainable growth in new areas and lead the way for the federal capital to be a sustainable, smart and liveable city.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The LAMP operations must kick-off soon so as not to affect the government’s long term plan to spearhead Malaysia into a developed nation which will see productivity levels that are on par with industrialised economies. The government, through the implementation of 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs), is committed to transform Malaysia into a high-income status by 2020 that will see the per capita income at US$15,000.</span></span></div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-59049024973275129162012-10-16T12:30:00.000+08:002012-11-05T11:47:11.156+08:00IS OUR LOCAL MEDIA READY FOR THE FUTURE?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Noted bloggers have <a href="http://www.rockybru.com.my/2012_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">panned the results of Edelman’s Trust Barometer</a> for suggesting that there is a ‘trust deficit’ between the public and the mainstream media.<br />
<br />
Edelman’s Global CEO Matthew Harrington <a href="http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/13/business/12148921&sec=business" target="_blank">told StarBiz</a> that the level of trust the public has for the local media can be improved and that, “Having better engagement with readers, having constant dialogue and being more transparent about its agenda is needed to create more trust for the Malaysian media sector.”<br />
<br />
MP P Kamalanathan however <a href="http://www.mole.my/content/pr-practitioners-questioned-edelman-trust-barometer-2012-credibility" target="_blank">questioned how the survey was conducted</a>.<br />
<br />
“It may be a subjective issue, but if you speak to a pro-opposition supporter, he or she will express their distrust in the print media...however, if you speak to pro-government people, they will say that they trust the media,” he said.<br />
<br />
Criticism aside, the Edelman survey is among the few on the influence of the Malaysian mainstream media.<br />
<br />
If global trends hold sway in Malaysia, the mainstream outlets should be panicking over the loss of revenues as a result of the internet, but that discussion, while not absent in this country, has not reached the franctic levels as seen in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2012/jul/31/financialtimes-digital-media" target="_blank">the UK</a> or the<a href="http://www.mmail.com.my/story/us-newspaper-group-moves-toward-paywalls-24404" target="_blank"> US</a>.<br />
<br />
Paywalls, a major discussion point in those markets, is a subject rarely expored here.<br />
<br />
There are exceptions of course: Malaysiakini has been <a href="http://worldmediatrend.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/independent-malaysian-news-site-malaysiakini-com-shores-up-its-pay-wall-with-innovation-by-premesh-chandran-newspaper-paywall-case/" target="_blank">subscription-based since 2002</a>, while publications under the Utusan banner only post partial articles to nudge readers into buying the physical copies.<br />
<br />
The push to bring screens to new screens, on the other hand, has gained prominence. Almost every major newspaper in the country has some kind of tablet app that packages their daily editions into digital formats. <br />
<br />
Arguably right now those iPad editions appear to be straight ports of the print editions but it’s early days yet, and digital exclusive content is slowly emerging.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-20654875842540205892012-10-15T09:41:00.002+08:002012-10-15T09:41:43.506+08:00JOHOR TOURISM TO SOAR WITH ISKANDAR MALAYSIA, SAYS STATE TOURISM CHIEF
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Tourist arrivals in Johor are expected to surge to
unprecedented levels following newly-developed tourism products in Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> that
are family-oriented and suitable for all ages, says the Director of Johor Tourism
Department, Md Za'nal Misran.<br />
<br />
"Iskandar <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country></st1:place>
is equipped with infrastructure and facilities that enable the state's tourism
industry to comprehensively provide family tourism, edu-tourism and health
tourism within a single location," he said in an interview.<br />
<br />
"Johor tourism has (in the past) been very much dependent on coastal and
island tourism, eco-tourism as well as its culture and heritage. We now have
Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
transforming the tourism industry in Johor with its family entertainment concept
and high value products," he added.<br />
<br />
Za'nal said with the opening of international theme parks such as Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country> and upscale shopping complexes like
Johor Premium Outlets, Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
has attracted droves of local and foreign tourists to the southern part of
Johor.<br />
<br />
"The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Puteri</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Harbour</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Family</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Theme Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> featuring
entertainment characters such as Hello Kitty, Barney and LAT's Place theme
restaurant will be operational before year end. These will add to the theme
attractions in Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
and see more families coming here," he disclosed.<br />
<br />
The 76-acre Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>,
which opened to more than 10,000 visitors on Sept 15, will open its <st1:placename w:st="on">Legoland</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Water</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype> in the second half of 2013
followed by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Legoland</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Hotel</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>
in 2014.<br />
<br />
Khazanah Nasional Bhd is the prime mover of Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>, which is targeted to
secure cumulative investment of RM383 billion, over a 20-year period until
2025.<br />
<br />
The southern development corridor has received cumulative investment commitment
of RM95.45 billion between 2006 and June 2012, with the figure expected to hit
RM100 billion by year end.<br />
<br />
Expressing optimism on tourist arrivals to Johor, Za'nal said the numbers would
surge this year, thanks to Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>, and noted that the state
has been recording a steady increase in tourists from about 3.5 million in 2009
to 3.6 million and 3.7 million respectively in 2010 and 2011.<br />
<br />
The number of visitors to Johor rose by 22 per cent to 10.31 million in the
January-June 2012 period from 8.28 million in the same period last year.<br />
<br />
Za'nal said the positive effects of the increased visitor arrivals has resulted
in greater business and job opportunities, thus making Johor better off
economically.<br />
<br />
In addition, he said Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
also promoted educational and learning experience through its theme park
attractions, adding that they help to drive family tourism and complement other
projects.<br />
<br />
They include spurring edu-tourism through various educational institutions in
Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
that cater to students of different age groups. For instance, <st1:city w:st="on">Marlborough
College</st1:city> <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>
and Newcastle University Medicine <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>
have built the momentum to attract students from various parts of <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> and
neighbouring countries.<br />
<br />
"There will be several more notable foreign universities coming to
Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>.
As such, it will be cheaper for foreign students to study in EduCity than to go
to a far-away country since the cost of living is much lower here," said
Za'nal.<br />
<br />
EduCity is also home to institutions such as the <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Southampton</st1:placename> <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">University
of Reading</st1:city> <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country></st1:place>,
Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology, Raffles University Iskandar and
Singapore Management Development Institute which are opening in the next year
or two.<br />
<br />
To complement the students' needs, EduCity will also have an international
students village, a stadium and sports complex.<br />
<br />
On health tourism, Za'nal said the opening of the 82-bed <st1:placename w:st="on">Columbia</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Asia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype>
in Nusajaya coupled with several more specialist hospitals being developed at the
Afiat Healthpark could help promote Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> as a world class
healthcare centre for foreign and local patients.<br />
<br />
The 300-bed <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Gleneagles</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Medini</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place>
together with a 150-suite medical office block is expected to be opened by
2015. To be built in phases, the hospital will also have a rehabilitation
centre, nursing home and hospital residency.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the managing director of SN Vacation Sdn Bhd, Sharifah Nur'aini
Al-Edros, said travel agencies were now customising their travel packages to include
Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>,
noting that theme park attractions and the completed development in the Kota
Iskandar state administrative centre would also help boost tourism in Johor.<br />
<br />
She felt that they can now market packages at overseas travel fairs to showcase
international-class attractions like Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>
and the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Puteri</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Harbour</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Family</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Theme Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> featuring
Hello Kitty.<br />
<br />
Other than theme parks, Sharifah Nur'aini said this was also a good time to
promote Johor's rich culture and traditional cuisine such as laksa Johor, mee
rebus and otak-otak.<br /><br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-39758984358153574892012-10-12T16:27:00.000+08:002012-10-12T16:27:04.283+08:00MARTIAN CONGLOMERATE<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNb4qfiqrNO3xBzKu3Z05hkwazE01zR7ybpzX2g4RJxL8lhmERQ5favighOQ5Hc0n5xAnFAQkBMXkYUqOV-tLFWjCRckPQgJmljl6U2c_ezfcjN60j0wna_l9bx1mIcXVhYlyB5PAz1E/s1600/692147main_Williams-2pia16188-43_946-710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNb4qfiqrNO3xBzKu3Z05hkwazE01zR7ybpzX2g4RJxL8lhmERQ5favighOQ5Hc0n5xAnFAQkBMXkYUqOV-tLFWjCRckPQgJmljl6U2c_ezfcjN60j0wna_l9bx1mIcXVhYlyB5PAz1E/s320/692147main_Williams-2pia16188-43_946-710.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>(Credit: NASA)</em></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
If you were thinking of a conglomerate in the sense of a
combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different
businesses that fall under one corporate structure, then you're wrong.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Nasa’s Mars rover <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Curiosity</i>
has found a Martian conglomerate, which is a rock that could only have been
formed from water-borne debris, and could be proof that the red planet supported life.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-15615406828429061372012-10-11T18:03:00.001+08:002012-11-05T11:47:33.509+08:00KEBANYAKAN SUNGAI DI SELANGOR TERCEMAR, ANCAM BEKALAN AIRKUALA LUMPUR, 11 Okt (Bernama) -- Kebanyakan sungai di Selangor yang
menjadi sumber utama bekalan air mentah didapati tercemar dan berpotensi
menjadi ancaman serius kepada keperluan asas yang amat penting ini jika
tidak ditangani, seorang ahli sains memberi amaran Khamis.<br />
<br />
Ketua Unit Permodelan Alam Sekitar, Pusat Penyelidikan Forensik Alam
Sekitar (ENFORCE) Universiti Putra Malaysia, Dr Hafizan Juahir, berkata
bahagian air bersih di sungai-sungai ini semakin pendek akibat aktiviti
guna tanah yang terlalu tinggi, terutama pembangunan kawasan perumahan.<br />
<br />
Sebagai contoh, beliau mendedahkan panjang Sungai Langat, sungai utama
di antara beberapa sungai di Selangor yang menjadi sumber air mentah
ialah 149.3 km tetapi bahagian air bersih hanya tinggal 49.3km sahaja
manakala selebihnya 100km sudah tercemar.<br />
<br />
Dalam satu temuramah dengan Bernama, Hafizan berkata, pencemaran sungai
dikategorikan kepada empat kelas iaitu 1 dan 2 belum tercemar, manakala
3 dan 4 tercemar secara serius.<br />
<br />
"Sepanjang 100km Sungai Langat sudah masuk dalam kelas 3, 4. Dan jika
kualiti air sungai lebih teruk daripada ini, ia sudah dikira sungai
mati," katanya.<br />
<br />
Hafizan menjelaskan data-data ini adalah terkini yang diperolehi oleh
para pelajar beliau yang membuat persembahan penemuan mereka mengenai
keadaan Sungai Langat hanya tiga hari lepas.<br />
<br />
Beliau berkata di daerah Hulu Langat kini keadaan semakin meruncing dan
mengancam sungai akibat terlalu banyak pembangunan terutama
kondominium, rumah-rumah kedai dan peningkatan populasi yang memberi
impak negatif terhadap kualiti air akibat air cucian, sisa-sisa domestik
dan sampah yang masuk dalam sungai.<br />
<br />
"Saya adalah ahli sains dan penyelidik. Saya bercakap berdasarkan fakta
mengenai kualiti air. Saya lihat secara terperinci setiap parameter
kualiti air atau pun trend indeks kuailiti air. Jadi kuantiti air yang
bersih sahaja pun tinggal sikit sahaja," tambah beliau.<br />
<br />
Hafizan berkata ramai orang terkeliru apabila bercakap mengenai sumber
air kononnya negara yang kerap hujan untuk mengisi empangan seperti di
Malaysia tidak perlu bimbang tentang sumber air.<br />
<br />
"Empangan hanya air untuk tujuan rawatan sebelum kita bekalkan kepada
pengguna akhir seperti kita semua, pengguna domestik atau perindustrian.
Tetapi sumber air daripada ini tadi perlu kita teliti daripada mana
datang sumber air ini. Sumber air ini datang daripada sungai.<br />
<br />
"Kalau nak mengharapkan hujan, memang jumlah hujan kita tinggi tetapi
ia jauh daripada mencukupi dengan keadaan pembangunan yang pesat,
pertambahan dan peningkatan dalam populasi. Tidak dapat tidak,
permintaan bekalan air bersih dan air terawat terus meningkat dari
semasa ke semasa," katanya.<br />
<br />
Hafizan keadaan kualiti sungai yang semakin tercemar dan kuantiti air
bersih yang semakin merosot bermakna kos rawatan air akan menjadi lebih
tinggi dan ini akan mencetuskan persoalan sama ada kerajaan akan terus
mampu memberi subsidi.<br />
<br />
Ditanya mengenai dasar kerajaan negeri yang lebih mementingkan
rancangannya untuk penstrukturan semula air di negeri itu daripada
mengatasi masalah seperti ancaman pencemaran sumber-sumber air dan
kekurangan kapasiti pengeluaran air terawat, beliau berkata
penstrukturan semula seperti yang dicadangkan itu tidak akan memberi
apa-apa makna sekiranya masalah-masalah yang lebih kritikal tidak
diatasi.<br />
<br />
"Tanpa mengambil kira bagaimana untuk mengawal pencemaran sumber air
kita ini, meningkatkan keupayaan loji, mengambilkira aspek kuantiti air
bersih, penstrukturan ini tidak akan memberikan apa-apa kebaikan," kata
Dr Hafizan.<br />
<br />
Beliau juga menyatakan sokongan terhadap rancangan kerajaan Persekutuan
mendapatkan sumber air dari Sungai Pahang ke Selangor bagi mengatasi
kekurangan sumber air dan pembinaan loji rawatan Langat 2 sebagai
langkah tegas mengelak krisis air yang dijangka melanda Selangor, Kuala
Lumpur dan Putrajaya menjelang 2014.<br />
<br />
Lagi pun, katanya, air dari Sungai Pahang tidak tercemar seperti sungai-sungai di Selangor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-- BERNAMAAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-49156640726706636462012-10-05T15:45:00.001+08:002012-10-05T15:45:33.302+08:00JOHOR POISED TO EMERGE RICHEST STATE IN MALAYSIA OVERTAKING SELANGOR
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Johor is to emerge as the
richest state in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>
by 2025, overtaking Selangor, if the current trend of development pace and investment
inflows continues, an analyst with an investment bank said today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dr Nazri Khan, Affin
Investment Bank Vice-President and Retail Research Head, said the projection
was not something impossible to achieve with Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>, one of the five economic corridors in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>,
having attracted more than one-fourth of the RM383 billion total investment
target by 2025.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He said the economic growth
brought to Johor by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, the government's investment arm, is
seen as among concerted initiatives by the government to establish an economic
hub in Johor outside the Klang Valley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"We will see Johor
transform into an <st1:city w:st="on">Orlando</st1:city> in <st1:state w:st="on">Florida</st1:state>
and become <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>'s Theme Park Hub with the
presence of at least four theme parks in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"They include Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country> which opened recently, Puteri Harbour
Family Entertainment Centre and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Austin</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Heights</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Water</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Theme Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> is due to open
its doors soon. All these parks will provide ample jobs to our youths," he
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The 2012/2013 Economic
Report issued by the Finance Ministry on Sept 28 said job opportunities in
Johor are expectex to double when some projects come on stream in the next five
years such as Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, MSC Cyberport City and Urban
and Resort Wellness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the same time, Nazri said
efforts to attract cash-rich Middle Eastern investors, who have the capital to
invest, must be pursued to maintain the development momentum in Johor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He said the massive oil and
gas project in Pengerang is being initiated at a timely juncture when the world
demand for oil and gas was spiralling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Moreover, Pengerang's
demographic location in the middle of the international shipping route to <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country> and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country> provided an added
advantage to us than to our neighbours," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meanwhile, a restaurateur in
Skudai, Mohd Kassim Ali, 52, readily acknowledged that he could feel the
spinoffs emanating from Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">With the oil and gas project
in Pengerang and with various other development projects in the drawing board
under the Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor, Johor has become the latest
trade focus in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>,
he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Johor has become the
focal point now as people from throughout the country are flocking to the state
in search of high-paying jobs," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Development projects
implemented by the state government with the support of the federal government
have given an "assurance" to Johor-born school leavers of ample job
prospects and a decent income, he added.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">-- BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-74124787849854367292012-10-05T15:42:00.001+08:002012-10-05T15:42:40.768+08:00TAXIS, RESTAURANTS GAIN FROM OPENING OF LEGOLAND MALAYSIA
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kW32MJaA3WD95jmOlo4sxYVGxjZMlGxGFG-UGtn2-2TGMIzdf08ofi0jkmwi7w0Bl5zb8nrDc6wx6NxREZ4bkl7ZkY8IXK1Intffnijk9POBJ_kg5mwIGwrtPk2Zt-lG_OOjXDCaE2A/s1600/ACE_6320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kW32MJaA3WD95jmOlo4sxYVGxjZMlGxGFG-UGtn2-2TGMIzdf08ofi0jkmwi7w0Bl5zb8nrDc6wx6NxREZ4bkl7ZkY8IXK1Intffnijk9POBJ_kg5mwIGwrtPk2Zt-lG_OOjXDCaE2A/s320/ACE_6320.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Just weeks following the opening
of <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>'s first Legoland in Nusajaya here,
local <span class="il">taxi</span> and restaurant operators are pretty excited
over the prospects of higher incomes and revenue from the expected rise in
tourist arrivals, which will ultimately boost Johor's economy.<br />
<br />
Since it opened its doors on Sept 15, Legoland, a project under Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country>'s
development, has attracted more than 10,000 visitors. Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> has
been mapped out by Khazanah Nasional Berhad to help transform Johor into a
major economic hub.<br />
<br />
According to the President of the Johor Baharu-Singapore <span class="il">Taxi</span>
Owners Association, Wahab Hashim, the opening of Legoland Malaysia "means
that there will be more trips to ferry passengers between the Causeway as the
theme park is also a major attraction to Singaporeans."<br />
<br />
"I believe there will be more business for us with Legoland. It will only
increase the welfare and well-being of <span class="il">taxi</span> drivers over
the long term," he said.<br />
<br />
Wahab said the opening of a new township at Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>
also meant that local and foreign tourists would not bypass <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johor Baharu</st1:place></st1:city> but spend more time and money in
the state capital and its surrounding areas, thus boosting the local economy.<br />
<br />
"Previously, <st1:city w:st="on">Johor Baharu</st1:city> served as a
transit point and <span class="il">taxis</span> were mainly commuting within the
area, But now <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johor Baharu</st1:place></st1:city>
has expanded and visitors are talking about going to Kulai, to Nusajaya, to
Pasir Gudang. Can you imagine what it means to us as <span class="il">taxi</span>
operators?" he asked.<br />
<br />
Wahab thanked the government for developing Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> as there would be more
tourists visiting the southern development corridor, which would also benefit
the socio-economy of the surrounding towns.<br />
<br />
More than 100 Johor <span class="il">taxi</span> drivers who had been selected to
serve as "ambassadors" for Johor's tourist attractions were given a
sneak preview of Legoland's attractions before its opening, said Johor Tourism,
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman, Datuk Hoo Seong Chang,
adding that it was important that they were aware of the state's latest tourist
attraction.<br />
<br />
Another <span class="il">taxi</span> driver in Johor Baharu, who did not want to
be named, concurred with Wahab that there would be higher frequencies in <span class="il">taxi</span> services to and fro Legoland as the bulk of tourists would
opt for an overnight stay in Johor Baharu, which was a mere 15 minute drive to
Nusajaya.<br />
<br />
"There will also be higher demand for <span class="il">taxi</span> service
within JB going to places such as Holiday Plaza Mall, to Danga Bay, to pasar
malams, the museum and so on," he said, adding that many passengers he had
been ferrying of late had been talking enthusiastically about their Legoland
experiences.<br />
<br />
He noted that <span class="il">taxi</span> drivers no longer had to wait for the
long school holidays or festive seasons to earn more as Legoland had shown
prospects of being able to attract holidaymakers all-year-round.<br />
<br />
Echoing this view, Dev Singh, General Manager of M Suites Hotel, here said the
pace of tourism activity in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johor
Baharu</st1:place></st1:city> had picked up in the last two to three years.<br />
<br />
Last year, Johor was among five states with significant increases in tourists,
as it reported a surge to 4.321 million tourists from 3.310 million tourists in
2010. It aims to attract five million tourists next year.<br />
<br />
"In the past, many Singaporeans would by-pass JB and go to Melaka or <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kuala Lumpur</st1:place></st1:city> for their
weekend shopping or leisure activities.<br />
<br />
"But with the opening of Legoland, it is a different story now as tourists
are eager to visit JB. Many hotels in JB are doing good business and reporting
high occupancy rates now," he said.<br />
<br />
A chef, who goes by the surname Wong, at the Grand Bayview Seafood Restaurant
in <st1:placename w:st="on">Danga</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype>,
said the opening of Legoland as well as other projects at Iskandar <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country> had triggered a steady flow of diners
to food outlets in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johor Baharu</st1:place></st1:city>.<br />
<br />
"More tourists mean more business for our restaurants. Prior to Legoland,
we were busy mostly on weekends. But we are beginning to have more people
dining at our restaurants even on weekdays following Legoland's opening,"
he said, noting that Singaporeans accounted for about 50 to 60 per cent of his
business.<br />
<br />
He was confident that restaurants here, which had also started to have more
promotions to cash in on the tourist upswing, would generally do well from now
on because there were more things to see and do in Johor to make visitors stay
longer.<br />
<br />
-- BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-47889670745722128642012-09-28T11:41:00.001+08:002012-09-28T11:54:47.075+08:00MUHYIDDIN APPEALS TO THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWROB1hOjZRT-52HOlnoAHeCfNPiSJVWvSJblTA8QzahsFfRKgjcmUOxG5fbTcE2hwHIZj85u-QiVkwU8dI96P-GGFuBwtyG9BmLAW5ekH-FHgstcx9ywOE5RAaq8rq24o7k13TNJBJo/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWROB1hOjZRT-52HOlnoAHeCfNPiSJVWvSJblTA8QzahsFfRKgjcmUOxG5fbTcE2hwHIZj85u-QiVkwU8dI96P-GGFuBwtyG9BmLAW5ekH-FHgstcx9ywOE5RAaq8rq24o7k13TNJBJo/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">By Lord Haw-Haw<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We should congratulate
Tan Sri Muhyiddin on his leadership and the spirit of compromise with which he
is striving for an agreement on the Selangor Water Crisis.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Muhyiddin’s comments
yesterday stating </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">his readiness to
discuss the water issue with the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Selangor</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> government were
thoughtful </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">and showed his concern for the long term interests of the state. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Tan Sri Khalid on the
balance has proven to be unyielding, verging on obstructionist, in arriving at
a lasting solution for Selangor’s water supply, preferring to defend his
position of offering short term solutions at the expense of reaching a
conclusive resolution.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0">
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1">
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1">
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth">
</v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas></v:stroke></v:shapetype><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">At the heart of the
issue is a failure of communication. Both sides have until now preferred to
stand by their partisan views which have proven to be strongly prejudiced in
favor of their respective causes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was Muhyiddin who
crossed the political divide and appealed directly to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
at a Luncheon on Wednesday given by the Speaker of the house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Muhyiddin showed his
political maturity by asking Anwar, in his position as economic adviser to
Selangor, to press Khalid for an enduring resolution to the Water Crisis for
the sake of the people of Selangor and not as a means of securing political
mileage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In light of this Muhyiddin’s appeal for compromise resonates like the first
real voice of reason in this altogether prolonged and unnecessary fiasco. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-11953544584103955092012-09-27T14:12:00.000+08:002012-10-01T18:08:40.518+08:00WHAT’S THE BIG FUSS WHEN IT IS ONLY A COMMERCIAL<br />
By PJ Uncle<br />
<br />
The knee-jerk reaction by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) elected representatives in Selangor on an “infomercial” at Happy Mansion, Section 17, recently does not bode well with the state government’s pledge that “Selangoreans” are not bracing for a water crisis.<br />
<br />
The defensive approach on the repercussion of the infomercial by some PR politicians does little to re-assure “Selangoreans” that there is adequate treated water in the near term without the need of the Langat 2 dam.<br />
<br />
Many residents of the 9-storey Happy Mansion apartment were “unhappy” to be awakened on the morning of September 24 by the sound of water tankers and the sight of more than 200 people preparing for a commercial shoot.<br />
<br />
While residents of the quiet and serene apartments occupied mainly by pensioners and students had the right to be concerned with the noise and what the gathering was all about, since when a commercial shoot had gathered so much attention of PR politicians.<br />
<br />
Were there DSAI or MB Khalid look alike present? Were there any banners or buntings with PR party logos or paraphernalia? Were the hired extras wearing any shirt that were anti-PR or depicts the current Selangor government? For that matter, were the hired extras adorned with materials that were political in nature at all?<br />
<br />
If there were no political elements present at the shooting of the infomercial, what’s the big fuss? Why must some PR politicians jump to the conclusion that the infomercial is on water shortage and alleged that it is political smearing campaign that will mislead Selangoreans?<br />
<br />
PR politicians, especially the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)-led state government, should look at such infomercial objectively and positively. The message may perhaps be to educate Malaysians in general to conserve water and to use such precious commodity wisely.<br />
<br />
It is certainly childish for PR elected representatives in Selangor to have pointed their fingers at Barisan Nasional (BN) for such infomercial when in the first place the PR leadership often boast of freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom to assemble that should be in place.<br />
<br />
After all, the infomercial was shot by an award-winning production house with the permission of the management of the apartment coupled with hired extras that were willing to participate. Does the PKR-led state government want production houses to seek their permission and submit a storyline or agenda to them for consideration before any shooting is allowed in the state?<br />
<br />
Certainly, nobody wants the “happy” residents of Happy Mansion to wake up one fine morning with dry taps. If that happens, the cafes and restaurants located within the Happy Mansion area will not be able to serve their popular Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice, Pasta, Crepes, and Tom Yam to faithful customers. Worst still, there is a huge laundry in the area that services the many residents of PJ’s Section 17.<br />
<br />
PR elected representatives should have the wisdom to think that BN could by the same token allege that the infomercial was orchestrated by the federal opposition to gain political mileage. Moreover, the production house did not disclose who their clients were for the infomercial and thus it will not be right to speculate if such infomercial had political overtones.<br />
<br />
As many are aware that once the rumour mill starts to grind in Malaysia, anything is possible and believable. Perhaps, the question that lingers is was it a coincidence for the shooting of the infomercial to take place the same day when Dewan Rakyat convenes its third meeting of the fifth session of the twelfth parliament.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-43053975269919996292012-09-22T11:09:00.000+08:002012-09-22T11:50:26.246+08:00TAKING LESSONS FROM JOHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwk4eiGZS_DMC5Xo-RJvP0cgVSZNCwOYxhPi3Nouz5iMST8SeCPh0pthWbQ-5gIYjh74Eo2f_5pJAmZNAM77Vsnm9Yk9KdnDX3K7AsVJpdYhjPl49tIJV1HmWxw1DyUYZuE6uG90MG00/s1600/ACE_6007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwk4eiGZS_DMC5Xo-RJvP0cgVSZNCwOYxhPi3Nouz5iMST8SeCPh0pthWbQ-5gIYjh74Eo2f_5pJAmZNAM77Vsnm9Yk9KdnDX3K7AsVJpdYhjPl49tIJV1HmWxw1DyUYZuE6uG90MG00/s320/ACE_6007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By Lord Haw-Haw<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Johor
is reversing the trend of Malaysian’s travelling overseas to get a quality
education, now that students based in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country> are making the trip
across the causeway to go to school in Johor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It’s
a well known fact that <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country>
is the main beneficiary of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country></st1:place>’s
brain drain, accounting for 54% of the total figure, but it seems that the
tables have been turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country></st1:place>
is now taking lessons from Johor!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It
should come as no surprise that the Singaporeans are already recognising the potential in Iskandar
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country></st1:place>’s
Educity.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
mean take a good look at what’s there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In terms of higher education Educity has branches of The University of
Southampton, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Newcastle</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> and the
Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Three
<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country> operators, namely
the Management Development Institute of Singapore, Raffles University Iskandar
and <st1:placename w:st="on">Raffles American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">School</st1:placetype>, have also chosen Johor over <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country>.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
On
top of that Educity is home to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlborough</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>, one of the most
renowned and prestigious British Public Schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It
was reported that nearly half the students in <st1:placename w:st="on">Marlborough</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype> were from <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country> and that more than 100 children from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country></st1:place>
travel to Johor daily to go to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
The
only other place I can think of where that happens is Switzerland, where
students from neighbouring France, Italy, Austria and Germany, sleep in one
country and spend their school hours in another. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Wait
a minute, did I just compare <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:country></st1:place>
with Johor?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-86959093674548267432012-09-20T13:35:00.002+08:002012-09-20T13:35:38.946+08:00SREESANTHAN CLAIMS RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Today marks the beginning of the alleged insider
trading case against Datuk E. Sreesanthan in the <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Kuala Lumpur Session Court</st1:address></st1:street>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sreesanthan, a seasoned
legal practitioner who was called to the Malaysian Bar in 1988, has laid claim
to his right for a fair trial and requested that the charges against him be
dismissed or struck out as being void in law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">His affadavit reasoned that
the Securities Commission has very wide powers of investigation which should be
used to get all relevant information for the fair trial of the accused and not
just information that is favourable to the prosecution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Securities Commission has charged him with seven
counts of insider trading involving equities in Sime Darby, UEM, VADS and
Maxis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At case management today Sreesanthan requested the
following orders:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(i)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
the five charges under the Securities Industry Act 1983 be dismissed or struck
out as the charges are under a repealed law and therefore void in law;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(ii)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
all the seven charges be dismissed or struck out as being instituted under a
consent for prosecution dated 18 July 2012 for each charge that is invalid,
null and void;</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(iii)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
various questions of constitutional law relating to the federal constitution,
the Securities Commission Act 1993, the Securities Industry Act 1983 (repealed)
and the Criminal Procedure Code be referred to the High Court for determination
and if the High Court answers all or any of the questions in the affirmative,
the institution of this entire prosecution would be declared as bad in law and
should be struck out;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(iv) <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
a summons be issued to the Securities Commission and or its officers to produce
and deliver all statements, documents and any form of evidence that the
prosecution intends to rely on, in connection with the investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dato’ Sreesanthan is represented by counsel Dato’
Cyrus Das, Dato’ Haji Sulaiman Abdullah, Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Dato’ Jerald Gomez,
Steven Thiru, Wong Kian Keong, David Mathew and Suzalena Salleh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Star has published an article on the court case: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/20/business/12052000&sec=business" target="_blank">Court case of high-flyer corporate lawyer begins</a>”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-56105417949820827012012-09-19T09:00:00.000+08:002012-09-19T09:00:02.629+08:00MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOHOREANS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
This video is interesting in a way that it shows how much opportunities Johoreans could benefit from Iskandar Malaysia development. It shows two Johoreans working as Lego model builders for Legoland Malaysia which has just opened its door last Saturday. This is something that all Johoreans and Malaysians should be proud of...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DvGMF9D-eD0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-83200519062726345762012-09-18T15:08:00.003+08:002012-09-18T15:10:54.116+08:00SELANGOR GOVERNMENT'S STUBBORNNESS WILL CAUSE CRITICAL WATER CRISIS, WARNS EXPERT<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<st1:place w:st="on">KUALA LUMPUR</st1:place>, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Selangor
will certainly face a critical water crisis if the state government remains
stubborn by continuing to block the construction of the Langat 2 water
treatment plant, a water management expert warned today.</div>
<div id="byline" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said providing treated water was a most
important responsibility of the state government and the Langat 2 plant
remained the only alternative means for the state to have adequate supply of
treated water because all existing treatment plants had exceeded their
production capacity.<br />
<br />
"Without this alternative plan, the people and industries in Selangor will
run out of treated water as we have reached the maximum production level. We
have come to the stage of requiring a new solution and new alternative. And in
the immediate term, Langat 2 is the only solution," he said in an
interview.<br />
<br />
Dr Zaharuddin Sani uses a simple "nasi lemak " analogy to explain the
situation. "If we need 500 packets of nasi lemak to be given to 500
people, then it's enough. But if we only have 500 packets and there are 520
people to eat the nasi lemak, then it won't be enough."<br />
<br />
He rubbished the Selangor government's free-water policy and called for a
review of the policy because, he said, water was a precious asset for any
nation and should no longer be deemed as something cheap, let alone given free.<br />
<br />
Following is the Q & A from the interview:<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: Will the Langat 2 plant overcome all water problems in Selangor?</b><br />
<br />
A: At the moment, when we talk about Langat 2 being able to solve our water
problems, the answer is yes, because we need treated water. Based on a very
high current demand, we need Langat 2 as the solution. But even this solution
is temporary in nature. Why I'm saying temporary is because in the future we
will have 1,000 people who want to eat the nasi lemak and even if we have new
dams, it's not going to be effective compared to the most important approach
for us to adopt from now -- to educate the people to use water wisely.<br />
<br />
We must recognise our water as an asset that no longer can be viewed as
something cheap. Water can no longer be regarded as something to be given free.
Water should be seen as something very valuable. If we compare one litre of
bottled water and one litre of oil, the price is about the same, so we should
appreciate the value of water. But why is it that we can conserve the use of
oil and not when it comes to water?<br />
<br />
So what's the solution? Because we ourselves don't realise that water is
something very valuable. If we do realise how precious it is, then certainly we
will be very cautious in using it.<br />
<br />
Back to the question of Langat 2. Yes, it is absolutely necessary. And, at the
same time, it should be followed with massive efforts to educate consumers on
the real value of water, so that we won't need a Langat 3.<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: So, it means that the Selangor government's policy of giving free water is
something unwise?</b><br />
<br />
A: There is nothing free in this world, and the water that's given is treated
water. Treated water requires cost to produce.<br />
<br />
If we require cost, we need money. So, if we give free water, then we devalue
this vital commodity and no one will value something that's given free.<br />
<br />
If we increase the water tariff, just like in <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>,
we could see consumers place a high value on water in terms of their attitude
towards water consumption as they look at water as a vital asset.<br />
<br />
But if we are provided with unlimited water everywhere and, worst of all, provided
free, we will lose our sense of value over water. So, the move to give free
water should be reviewed.<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: Langat 2 is a solution but it still doesn't exist due to the state-federal
conflict. What's the implication?</b><br />
<br />
A: The implication is that we won't be able to provide adequate treated water
to consumers while, at the same time, we can say we have sufficient water
sources.<br />
<br />
Based on this assumption, we need to conserve our water resources. We just
cannot dream that tomorrow we'll have more than what we have today.<br />
<br />
We must live in reality. If we have so much today, we have to adopt
accordingly. And if Langat 2 remains unresolved, we then need a new solution.<br />
<br />
Among the solutions over the longer term is educating the people on water
consumption and control on the supply of water.<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: The capacity yield of rivers in Selangor that provide the main sources of
raw water to the treatment plants is reported to be reaching the maximum. Will
this undermine the supply of treated water?</b><br />
<br />
A: To treat water, we need raw material which, in this case, is raw water. But
if we want to treat something and the raw material is not available, so there's
nothing to treat.<br />
<br />
Yes, it's true to say that currently the capacity has reached its maximum. If
we don't have raw water to treat, we can't produce treated water to supply to
consumers.<br />
<br />
So, if we think of our rivers, dams that have reached their maximum, we have
reached a stage where we need to look at new alternatives.<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: You have cited studies that show each Malaysian uses an average of 310
litres of water per day (lpd), which is 145 litres more than what consumers in
other countries use. Can you elaborate?</b><br />
<br />
A: It's 145 litres per person. If one household has five residents, then the
consumption is five times more. Imagine the millions of litres in excess
consumption per household.<br />
<br />
This is the study by the United Nations that stipulates consumption at 145 lpd
per person.<br />
<br />
But in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country>
the consumption is very excessive in every sense of the word.<br />
<br />
<b>
Q: The Selangor government says that Langat 2 is not necessary because the
ongoing mitigation projects are able to cope with the demand? Is this so?</b><br />
<br />
A: The Selangor government only plans things for the short term. It looks at
adequate water up to 2014. In contrast, the planning done by the federal
government is over the long term, stretching more than 20 years.<br />
<br />
Langat 2 is necessary for this period. At present, we might not see water
problems as something critical because, everywhere we go, there's water in the
tap. But, try to imagine the situation five years from now. Would we still have
this luxury?<br />
<br />
-- BERNAMA</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-7731419032157623782012-09-04T09:00:00.000+08:002012-09-04T09:00:04.357+08:00THERE IS NO DEBT CEILING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRfGEfPO8YJEi7W_vsUQYWCzcABnjQiUhevR6axd8Tc1Wdv8sgNSjTgpbGLevK_li5uVkMpBtdxYaFtLbwtkKpOgGyvtK4N6Vxty1vbiqS03GcAixfngYWw2UGOnFnx3JS64l4SKHSdU/s1600/budget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRfGEfPO8YJEi7W_vsUQYWCzcABnjQiUhevR6axd8Tc1Wdv8sgNSjTgpbGLevK_li5uVkMpBtdxYaFtLbwtkKpOgGyvtK4N6Vxty1vbiqS03GcAixfngYWw2UGOnFnx3JS64l4SKHSdU/s400/budget.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The oft-quoted 55% debt limit does not exist in our lawbooks.<br />
<br />
HishamH is <a href="http://econsmalaysia.blogspot.com/2012/08/mythbusting-government-debt-edition.html">forced to repeat himself</a> again to remind readers that the debt to GDP limit is not bound by law, but is the government’s internal target.<br />
<br />
Gazzetted in Malaysian lawbooks however is a 55% limit on the amount of MGS, GII and Treasury Bills that the government can issue. Currently it stands at 45% of the GDP.<br />
<br />
This is not the first time that the economist has written about this, thus his crankiness comes at no surprise.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126551146179455350.post-20109749853401479922012-09-03T16:00:00.000+08:002012-09-03T15:25:28.692+08:00JOHOR TO WELCOME LEGOLAND & BENEFITS IT BRINGS<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WHZSyG7iGcLAiHyHghyhLFReRszjcHQjL-pIAdtrcnNrzl_TtZH6GWB4vBB84ttsg8oXPrLgzitjm8PiKuC9LLhodD7TKk-WkYrPx7yO5F_vw7QaYegkBzsEBkWAJjjVrF_uGe2Kztw/s1600/FAMILY+@+LEGOLAND+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WHZSyG7iGcLAiHyHghyhLFReRszjcHQjL-pIAdtrcnNrzl_TtZH6GWB4vBB84ttsg8oXPrLgzitjm8PiKuC9LLhodD7TKk-WkYrPx7yO5F_vw7QaYegkBzsEBkWAJjjVrF_uGe2Kztw/s400/FAMILY+@+LEGOLAND+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">By Hidup Johor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">JOHOR BAHRU: The soon-to-be opened Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> is creating a lot of buzz as a tourist attraction and the anticipation of jobs and business opportunities it brings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sited on a 31 hectare site in Nusajaya, Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country> is the first Legoland to open in <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczYU_FaqM2JPSynw3vrL8hapTPjRKN8y5ZP0ZcEoYx8cfXmYaIhcj0ZyqcpeU5tKggJVLIJQs44T4XHG8ZbGwDgZs__r1bPFLxEXh74if5ZHLf7bZcxc7ke18JCUbWuV7oW8piIIINfY/s1600/LEGOLAND+MAP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczYU_FaqM2JPSynw3vrL8hapTPjRKN8y5ZP0ZcEoYx8cfXmYaIhcj0ZyqcpeU5tKggJVLIJQs44T4XHG8ZbGwDgZs__r1bPFLxEXh74if5ZHLf7bZcxc7ke18JCUbWuV7oW8piIIINfY/s400/LEGOLAND+MAP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opening ahead of <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Japan</st1:country> and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Korea</st1:country>, Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country> is the sixth in the world after Legoland Billund, Legoland Windsor, Legoland <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>, Legoland Deutschland and Legoland <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Judging by the long queues at the public previews during the Hari Raya holiday weekends, Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> will be a hit among families and children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Johoreans are very lucky as this Khazanah-led project costing RM720 million will change Johor into a destination tourists want to go to, instead of just being a cheap backyard to Singaporeans for car wash, groceries and massages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Taxi operators for one are already excited about the opportunities Legoland brings. United Taxi Association of Johor Bahru (Gapet) treasurer Hadi Mohamed said the theme park, the first of its kind in <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>, would enhance their livelihoods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Many passengers, especially from <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country>, have been asking about it and we personally can't wait for the official opening of the theme park on Sept 22," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Wahab Hashim, President, JB-Singapore Taxi Owners Association added that Legoland offers taxi drivers more business as taxi drivers have more travel routes than merely going to Johor Bahru city centre only.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meanwhile tour company, Eastcoast Adventure Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd managing director Liza Alip said Legoland’s orientation towards family, will be a big pull among domestic and foreign visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Prior to this, we can only promote beautiful islands, such as Tioman and its seafood, but now we have a new tourist icon to promote for family holidays," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Aidah Abd Rahman, the marketing and communications manager of Thistle Hotel, echoed this sentiment as the hotel industry is thrilled about the expected boost to business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"The family-oriented theme park is expected to increase the bookings of rooms especially during school holidays," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Legoland <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country> has also opened up new job opportunities for Malaysian youths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For model builder, Ahmad Radhi Abdul Rahman, 25 years, from Johor Bahru, working on Lego models was a chance of a lifetime which allowed him to remain in Johor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Initially, family and friends thought I was playing around with Lego, but as time went on, they came to understand what the job entailed. They support what I am doing and give me encouragement.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Noor Amyee Suratman, 25 years, from Kota Tinggi, said the job allowed her to indulge in her creative interest. She is especially happy that in this new field, women can advance without limits to their achievements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“There’s no need to think that a job like model building is strange or is just fun and games because you can go far in this field. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuMbJAJiizf9ZSSA_xd-zshW7J0FH0a59jg0g-OBG97f14h5hw1hSNz0EEuhgc2284rs1kJuK6xK3_7-r2-Vu-_149kIBact1elLOTCo0tvOZk_g39yLCOWMBQBu-5l6EMKf_QZU2PHQ/s1600/NOR+AMYEE%252C+AHMAD+RADHI+%2526+LEE+AT+WORK+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuMbJAJiizf9ZSSA_xd-zshW7J0FH0a59jg0g-OBG97f14h5hw1hSNz0EEuhgc2284rs1kJuK6xK3_7-r2-Vu-_149kIBact1elLOTCo0tvOZk_g39yLCOWMBQBu-5l6EMKf_QZU2PHQ/s400/NOR+AMYEE%252C+AHMAD+RADHI+%2526+LEE+AT+WORK+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amyee, Radhi and colleague</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Their skills will continue to be in demand with other existing Legoland parks and the new Legolands being built. Legoland expects to add another new park to its portfolio every two to three years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In addition, Legoland is venturing into Legoland Hotels which will utilise the skills of these model builders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So all good things come to those who wait. It was worth the five year wait for Legoland to be delivered. Welcome, welcome Legoland with open arms!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040958670969608423noreply@blogger.com0