Politickler..tickling the truth

Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Government ambition to generate some RM180.00 million of business per annum was squashed by Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd , Executive Director Ir Ramli Abd Majed of during SELCAT hearing recently, since he unaware how such figure was derived. Sudden dead of the person calculated RM30 per mt for output of 6million sand per annum forced Kumpulan Semesta to appoint a new management that focus it’s activities primarily into extraction of river and mining sands on government land while lucrative transportation business was passed to existing sand transporters, reducing Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd forecast sales around RM 36million per annum. When I say existing it signify present government cann’t control them or benefit of fear or political advancement has taken over authority from ruling party?

Why, Only Extraction Business?

A special attention must be paid to why Selangor Chief Minister Khalid Ibrahim says “that he had advised Manikavasagam must be ready to face consequences of blowing up sand scandal issues via media” after the Kapar MP receive death threat note, which was accede by his predecessor Khir Toyo and it’s link to why Kumpulan Semesta end up with sand extraction business alone?

The dead threat Manikavasagam received coupled with 40 over police report by Kumpulan Semesta staff as disclosed by it’s Chairman Abdul Shukur Nagor itself evince enforcement deficiency that lead to the valuable mineral been hunted by underworld businesses.

During two weeks of talking to peoples including key witnesses that SELCAT repel, I found that quartz mineral both from ex mining and river fetch good demand domestically and from neighbouring country however it needs to compete with cheaper sand from other state, primarily from Perak.

The competition within key player whom well connected politically motivated them to find ways to evade state royalty payment by offering own transport services.

Modus of Operadi

As pointed out during the SELCAT hearing,  Semesta failed to eliminate illegal mining or bring their numbers down significantly since market demand lower price then available in Selangor.  Even, legally operating Contractor continues to operator illegal either next to legal site or elsewhere to average out their cost of operations.

Most of the illegal sand are transported during night or early morning though National Land Code requires such activities to be carried out only during Land Office working hours and each lorry must have permit to carry the mineral.

Such thing doesn’t happen in reality as the illegal miner has good public relation including political connection while take care enforcement authorities be it from local, state or federal agencies.

Semesta as Corrupt Practice Inducer

Unlike Petronas which was established under Petroleum Development Act 1974 , Kumpulan Semesta was merely a business entity under the Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated without any power of enforcement or authority to monopolize entire Selangor Sand output.  This created a grudge between Land Office whose head was appointed by the Federal Government but carries out duties of State Government.

The loose business entity opens gates to some elected representative to corrupt it business practice by implementing selected rebate system to companies that highly recommended by them. A document presented to Selcat, queried why the rebate system continues until today despite it should end on Jan 2, 2010 and failure of the company to achieve its sales target set was raised. The main point that I could say SELCAT overlooked.

Defective in rebate system let Semesta’s insider to divert all cash sales to it’s biggest and influential client that enjoy highest rebate. While, Semesta lose much profitable cash sales, it gives way for the difference between cash price and rebate price shared by certain parties.

Knowing illegal sand mining activities being carried out just adjourned to it’s it’s own river sand extraction site, Semesta moved its Cabin deeper inside to avoid confrontation with them. It’s own staff was instructed to take count on number of lorries ferrying illegal sand, why?

Did Selcat Bow to Political Pressure?

The decision of Selcat was very much as anticipated by those involve in blowing up the issue out as it merely referring to Kapar MP’s few pieces of documents send to Menteri Besar’s office. When submitting document the parliamentarian clearly expressed that what he submitted was merely few pieces of documents while he has in procession lot more. However, Selcat hearing was called upon without any attempt to secure additional documents and any consultation to identify additional witness from the accuser? Did Selcat Bow to Political Pressure?

The independence of SELCAT was raised by a witness barred from testifying as he had pass some of the documents to one of it’s member via another state legislative assemblyman. Instead of investigating his report the said SELCAT member informed Semesta management, who issued a warning letter and transferred the informer from head office to site.

Underworld Pressure Overrule Political Will?

Legalising the sand business requires strong political will and gut to face any consequences as underworld had been digging it freely for nearly half a century. This illegal business has very well established network where police too reluctant to take action when another witness whom was chased by thugs take shelter at the station.

If the state government serious in combating corruption and economizing the sand , it need it own strong enforcement agencies by mean of a new enactment.

Misai Kucing or Orthosiphon Stamineus is a herbaceous shrub, with a unique flower that looks like cat’s whiskers. I got the young plant during Malaysiakini’s 10th annual dinner and notice the first MISAI KUCING flower this afternoon. See the pictures above.

Misai kucing traditionally used for :

• Anti-inflammatory agents. (non-steroid). The plant also has analgesic, anti-pyretic, and platelet-inhibitory actions. It is used primarily in the treatment of chronic arthritic conditions and certain soft tissue disorders associated with pain and inflammation.

• Possible inducer of anti-tumor activity.
• Fungicidal, inhibiting the growth of fungus. Anti-cholinesterase, inhibiting the activity of cholinesterase, including acetyl cholinesterase.
• Prevents oxidative inactivation of 15-lipoxygenase.
• Help regulate blood sugar level.
• Help normalise blood pressure.
• Mild diuretic, enhancing cleansing and removal of toxins from the body.
• Flushes away acids accumulated in joints.
• Helps to enhance health and well-being regardless of age group.
• May taken at any time of the day.
• Prevent or reduce the development of cancer.
• Anti-HIV AND Anti-diabetic

Some information about Misai Kucing from pureherb:

Uses in Traditional Medicine
The plant is believed to have antiallergic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties. It is used as a remedy for arteriosclerosis (capillary and circulatory disorders), Kidney stones and nephritis. It is also used for treating gout, diabetes and rheumatism. In Malaysia, the leaves are used as a diuretic and for treating catarrh of the bladder. A decoction prepared from the plant is used to eliminate stones in the bladder.

Pharmacology
Othosiphon stamineus is reported to possess antifungal. Anti-inflammatory activities. It also exhibits considerable antibacterial activity (minimal inhibitory concentration = 7.8-23.4mg/ml). Alcoholic and water extracts of misai kuching are shown to have significant diuretic activity in rats.

Clinical Trials
Clinical studies show that the diuretic effectc of Misai Kuching no influence on 12 and 24 hours urine output or the sodium excretion.

Direction of Usage

Wash some fresh Misai Kucing leaves before pouring some hot water. Leave it to cold down before consuming it.

After 26 years Maika’s 100 million shares was valued only at RM 0.80/share . Was the value in par with the companies worth? But , why at sudden G Team interested at the parent company in whole? Why not only it’s cash cow Orient Capital Assurance Berhad?

Although the take over proposal by G Team may have political motive however, what was transpired so far clearly a profit oriented business transaction. Maika is reported to own about 74.1% of Oriental Capital , which owns RM 380 million worth of assets and around RM 250 Million business transaction a year. In direct method of valuation of it’s asset, Maika Holdings controls roughly RM 280million of Oriental assurance.

Maika also reported to still own a parcel of land worth around RM10 million somewhere near Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).  In short Maika Holdings controls around RM 290million of assets.

Now ,let’s look at liabilities on the card  :

a) Maika Holdings liabilities as Group : RM 52 million

b)  land has got encumbrances and 22 squatters on the land

By netting Maika’s liabilities of RM 52 million and RM 10 million land with encumbrances, the Group still has asset valued around RM 228million excluding Goodwill value of Oriental Capital Assurance Bhd.

The move by G Team purely a business transaction deal to buck millions within months . They plan only to pay RM 0.80/share or RM 100million making immediately RM 128 million merely on asset valuation.  Usually, the business deal will not simply stop there.

The purchasers will eventually chop of the cash cow at market value to any business entity interested on their niche business. The Banker CIMB group which born from Merger of United Asian Bank Bhd may fit a possible candidate to acquire Oriental Capital Assurance ultimately merging it with CIMB AVIVA that lacks General Insurance under it’s umbrella. This exercise will eventually settle around RM 400million, profit RM 300million on the transaction.

The question now, why cann’t MAIKA do it themselves?

Teringin sangat untu saya membalas rencana bertajuk Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu? . Seperti biasa dan hendak tak hendak rencana itu semenangnya bertujuan mencuit perasaan perkauman antara rakyat Malaysia. Kenapakah harus beliau membangkitan peristiwa Mei 13, 1969 serta perarakan penyapu ? Kenapa tidak peristiwa Memali, peristiwa Kampung Medan atau usaha-usaha oleh semua untuk mencapai Kemerdekaan.

Jelas sekali penulis rencana tersebut kurang arif akan kehendak hampir separuh penduduk rakyat Malaysia. Bukan sahaja Orang Cina , malah orang India, Orang Asal,  dan Orang Melayu Malaysia sendiri dahagakan kebenaran dari pentadbiran Kerajaan Pusat semasa.

Penulis cuba mengampu ketuanya dengan mengapi-apikan perkauman tetapi lupa kenapa sebahagian rakyat malaysia terutamanya Orang Melayu masih tidak menikmati perkembangan ekonomi negara. Malah tindakan beliau cuba menunjukan Kerajaan semasa lebih terbuka dengan membenarkan Orang-orang Cina serta Orang India memduduki tangga di kekayaan negara hanyalah percubaan untuk menyemarakkan Orang Melayu.  Sebaliknya kita harus menilai kenapa mereka yang bukan Melayu menduduki tangga -tangga teratas kekayaan negara. Ianya adalah disebabkan oleh ketidakseimbangan pengagihan ekonomi mereka oleh Kerajaan pimpinan Barisan Nasional. Tidakkah penulis rencana itu sendiri inginkan perubahan ketara  kedudukan tangga tersebut?

Apa yang Rakyat Malaysia inginkan ialah :

a) Ketelusan dalam pentadbiran Kerajaan ,

b) kebebasan hak asasi manusia,

c) kekayaan ekonomi negara di kongsi secara saksama bukannya oleh segelintir pemimpin

d) penghapusan rasuah yang semakin berleluas

e) ketelusan pentadbiran syarikat-syarikat milik Kerajaan.

f) pengiktirafan terhadap wakil-wakil rakyat pilihan rakyat tanpa mengira pegangan politik

dan banyak lagi. Saya biarkan penulis rencana untuk mencari jawapan beliau dengan menghayati cara hidup rakyat Malaysia yang dahagakan pembaharuan. Tidakkah cukup kekayaan yang telah dirampas selama 50tahun ini? Beranikan penulis rencana tersebut menyiasat kekayaan pemimpin-pemimpin Kerajaan Persekutuan serta menerbitkannya di suratkhabar beliau? Kemungkinan Orang Cina akan kembali..

Check rest of the copies at Photobucket

From : Time.com

My post today is about a country that doesn’t usually get much attention in debates about global economic issues – Malaysia. But don’t be too quick to click to the next webpage. What’s going on these days in that small, tropical nation is raising interesting questions about the relationship between social justice and economic development.

Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, is in the process of overhauling what is likely the world’s most extensive and intensive affirmative action program, called the New Economic Policy, or NEP. First instituted in the early 1970s, the NEP was designed to expand the role of the impoverished Malay community in the national economy. The Malays represent the majority of the population, but back when the NEP was launched, Chinese immigrants and foreign firms owned the vast majority of the country’s assets. To fix that, the Malay-dominated government adopted all kinds of rules and regulations that gave special perquisites to Malays. Malay-owned companies received preferential treatment when bidding for state contracts, for example, while the government mandated Malay investors receive 30% of initial public offerings on the local stock market. It was an amazing experiment in social reconstruction.

The nature of NEP policies has been altered over the years, with some of the stricter requirements being softened or even eliminated. But now Najib and his government have come to believe that Malaysia’s affirmative action policies need further reform to ensure the future competitiveness of the Malaysian economy. He outlined his views a few days ago in a speech (you can read the whole text here), in which he said:

For the long-term strength of our nation, we cannot afford to duck these issues any longer. If we are to truly tackle inequality and become a beacon of progress in our region, we must bring a sense of urgency to reform.

Before I go any further, I’d like to make something clear. I fear that at this point in the post some readers are already warming up their fingers to type me some nasty comments. However, I want to state categorically that I am not – repeat, not – against affirmative action. In the theoretical world of classical economics, there is no need for affirmative action policies, since everyone gets equal opportunity in a market system that rewards and punishes entirely based on the wisdom of ideas and hard work. In the real world, however, economic decisions are sadly influenced by all kinds of prejudices and social networks, and sometimes laws are necessary to ensure fairness.

Clearly, the Malaysians (or at least the Malay segment of Malaysian society) believe that the NEP was necessary to achieve social justice and communal peace. The NEP was developed after race riots in 1969. That horrific event led the leadership to conclude they’d be unable to defuse tensions in Malaysia’s multiracial society without rectifying the economic balance between the diverse communities and lifting the Malays out of poverty. As Najib said of the NEP in his speech:

It’s Environment friend day today – as we gear up for Earth Day towards evening, I decided to give a check at local hypermarket on No Plastic Day initiated by Selangor state Government since January 2010.

The initiate looks paying off as most of shopper understand the reason behind and accept to fill their shopping carts without additional plastics. Some shopper even brought their own plastic bags or bags deem fit.

While some politically opposing the move especially charging RM0.20 for a bag including FOMCA , I believe the amount doesn’t really matter for the sake our our future generations comparing to RM1.80/litre Petrol and almost equivalent for a bottle of Mineral Water.

Check out some photos taken at recently opened  Bukit Rimau Carrefour:

We should congratulate such initiatives by Caring Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government while lobbying them to implement such practice on Fridays and Sundays too.

Suddenly got interested into the Malaysian minority group politics that broken into pieces after showing solidarity some two years ago. Why it’s happen? Why Indian’s in Malaysia claims themselves to be marginalised ?

Before throwing any wild allegation or “mandore” for some masters, do  note that I don’t subscribe to any Malaysian political party ideology.

After 50 years , we accused the Barisan Nasional government for marginalizing us with implementation of policies that benefits only certain group of people.  We accused Samyvelu for not doing anything being the sole Cabinet Minister for 28 years.  And now we accused Pakatan Rakyat state government for neglecting or their empty promises?

Alright, we are now fast enough to respond PR State Government’s inaction or their elected representatives been” Mandore” or Puppet but why does this keep happening again and again?

Those who brought us together after 60 years now splited and each of them heading towards their own path by creating confusion among two million Indian’s in Malaysia.

The answer is :

We are here because of ourselves ?

We give excuses , blame others or keep complain while taking our power out of our hands by  of putting ourselves as into the mindset of being a VICTIM? As long as we believe we are the victim, the scenario will not change for centuries to come.

By creating own majority in certain parliamentary or state assembly area the problem will not solve? Probably one or two might get elected but what they can do? Who ever rules the country next will surely find ways to break or realign the constituency ? How we going to handle?

The answer lies within us ? Stop blaming and take absolute responsibilities that Indian Malaysian now sit at bottom because of now ourselves. Stop Cheating or influx ideologies that beyond means or  have no impact. Stop demanding but rather make every Malaysian to lend their hand.

What have we done to correct it? Writing a piece of letter or whacking through emails or blogs or protesting in front of media people alone will not change our situations.

Some of the main problem that Indian’s face are:

a)      No Birth Certificates or Identity Cards

b)      Tamil schools condition inferior compare to other schools or it situated on an illegal land

c)      Hindu temples has no proper land title or been demolished

d)      Graveyard been relocated or no proper land

e)      High crime rate

f)        No progress economically, and many more

Have we initiated something like caucus beyond political lines for each area mainly temples, schools and businesses to discuss problem faced by them and assist to prepare necessary documents?

Have we took up this issues to the relevant Chief Ministers, Ministers, Exco Members or Member of Parliaments or even initiated ways to put across to the Prime Minister?

What have we done to reduce High Crime Rate among our community?

IF Not then Why are we Blaming Others?

Take Responsibilities.

Never be a blind follower.

The Power is in our Hand.

The phrase “Servant Leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, he said:

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.” read more greenleaf.org

For  me , I first heard it from YB Dato’ S K Devamany Deputy Minister at Prime Minister’s Dept during a opening speech when he launched Putera MIC dialog session with university undergratuades at Kuala Lumpur recently. Check out part of his speech at their video below :

One notable point by Greenleaf is that :

The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“

I believe most of Malaysia wanted their leaders to ensure that as a person each and every Malaysia live as claimed by Greenleaf.

I found the following notes on Servant Leadership and video that may beneficial for those interested to learn more about it.

a) Servant Leadership and The Individual . At page 7 of this pdf file, you will find the meaning of Who is the Servant Leader, i.e :

Becoming a servant-leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to
serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. For such people, it will be a later choice to serve—after leadership is established.

b) Overview of Servant Leadership Video :

After complete first round of Citizen Journalist training and couple of videos approved by our sifu, I taught it’s time for myself to have more serious reporting.   After doing some brainstorming, I gave a call to my old friend Mr P Kamalanthan, the MIC Info Chief.

During the interview at 7th Floor MIC HQ, Kamalanathan answered the following questions :

Questions:

1) As a strong supporter of 1Malaysia concept, how do MIC sees return of Malaysian Indian support towards the party?

2) When Malaysia was transformed towards Industrial State lot of Malaysian Indian esp plantation workers  faced sudden lost of Income , cultural shock as a result of migration towards rural area. Most of them end up in slums where gangsterism flourish. How do MIC ensure that transformation of Economy towards High Income Nation will not result loss of Income and not sidelined ?

3) You have said that MIC still number one when comes to Malaysian Indian. What steps has MIC taken to evaluate or overcome poverty which is one of the root cause of increase in street crime among Indians in Malaysia?

4) When OPP3 presented then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad targeted to achieve 3% Malaysian Indian equity level by 2010. However, the policy reserve by his successor to 2020. Despite 10 years pass , Malaysian Indian equity hasn’t raise above 1.5% level? Why do you think the cause of this and how do MIC ensure by 2020 this is achieved?

5) The Malaysian Indian population is decreasing , by 2040 Malaysian Indian percentage population is expected around 4-5%. How do MIC prepare itself to in overcoming majorities voices against minorities?

6) How MIC’s counter Cyber Attack – Who funds their activity, what are their main role in promoting MIC’s image to the online community? Has there been any success?

Opps, I had done my first interview and it’s published today.  After the interview MIC Putera had invited myself to few of their functions. Hopefully  could cope up.

Check out first of of the video at CJ.my