Where are we headed?

I can't help but be afraid at the seemingly blinding speed at which this nation is hurtling towards self-destruction. It is OBVIOUS that MALAYSIA DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN A OR B OR C...or D anymore.

No one feels confident anymore. Political impasses, economic uncertainties, stagnant educational system, rising crime, social problems, racial tensions, unemployment etc, you name it. We haven't yet reached the depths of total despair, but looking at the pathetically and hastily prepared flip-flop policies, any fool can see that that day is not too far away. I fear for my kids' future. Where is the sense of responsibility and amanah of these Malay/Muslim leaders who dare take up the mantle of leadership and public service? At such a critical time as this, why haven't we gotten the best of the best in this nation; the educators, economists, experts from all fields to brainstorm, plan and strategize the direction we are going to take in this extremely disastrous and worrying period?

Is the Third Industrial Master Plan still relevant given that our manufacturing sector is taking a beating from the battered economies of the US and UK and even China?

Is the 10 billion ringgit stimulus package enough to help stimulate the economy? What has the previous 7 billion package and bail-out of Valuecap achieved?

The lack of details are not at all confidence-inspiring.

Investing in retraining, upgrading our schools and educational system, infrastructure, job re-creation, manpower development, identifying new growth areas, agricultural self-sufficiency are some of the areas I personally feel are still being neglected.

I don't really know. I'm not qualified to make an educated judgment or offers suggestions, I guess.

But it doesn't take a genius to see and sense we are LOST. And it's scary to be lost in stormy weather.

And I am not alone:

By Tengku Razaleigh From Razaleigh.com:

Dato’ Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s call for a unity government should be taken seriously.

I appealed for discussions leading to a unity solution last September, when it was already clear that the country is at a dangerous impasse. I said it is time to come together.

The factors I mentioned were:

1. Our political conflicts threaten to deteriorate into constitutional crises.
2. We will be suffering the effects of a global economic crisis on a scale we have never faced.
3. Racial and religious issues, fanned by politics and media incitement, threaten to spiral out of control.
4. The very integrity of the Federation is at stake. The grievances of Sabah and Sarawak cannot be papered-over with political manoeuvres. They are about the fundamental basis of the Federation.

There is a real danger of our falling into a long-term loop of decline, with job losses, crime, social conflict, institutional breakdown and political instability feeding upon each other.

Our problems are fundamental, and must be faced immediately. But BN cannot do this alone

Such problems have been accumulating for decades. They cannot be fixed with a mere change at the top because Umno, in its present undemocratic, patronage-driven form, is part of the problem. MCA and MIC and Gerakan are in tatters and the BN system has broken down. The negotiated power-sharing arrangement which held the Alliance and the Barisan Nasional together has stopped working, not merely from the failure of one or two individuals, but for structural reasons. But this arrangement is what gave BN its electoral success, underwrote our claim to represent the major communities of Malaysia, and ensured political stability. This breakdown is a serious matter. We have known no other system since Independence.

With the very basis of the BN in question, we cease being able to win elections and find ourselves taking increasingly desperate measures to stay in power.

As UMNO drifts farther from the Malaysian mainstream, the temptation to find support in racial and religous sentiment grows. There will be a tendency to maintain power by with the instruments of state. Such actions achieve victory without confidence, power without legitimacy. They undermine the legitimacy of the government and of key institutions such as the police and the judiciary. They undermine the rule of law. Lately even the sanctity of Parliament has been dishonoured. As a government loses legitimacy the only instruments left to it will be those of brute power.

The culmination of the “transition plan” next month will not magically set us on the path to restoration either. That device for avoiding the renewal of leadership has turned Umno’s elections process into a twice extended year-long public spectacle in the procurement of positions, with more than a thousand reports of corruption and abuse now buried without further ado. The winners of the coming party elections in March may find themselves lacking legitimacy in the eyes of public if they think they have thereby won the right to become government leaders.

The results of the last elections speaks of the rakyat’s desire for change, but for peaceful change led by a government that has the confidence of the people. They ask for a halt to the thievery and social rot of corruption, they seek unity and peace, a brighter future for their children and tangible improvements in their lives.

The BN is unable to address such needs amidst the historic challenges of this time, but neither is the Opposition which, although it has some capable people, is a raw, tenuous association of ideologically opposed parties often bound by little more than their opposition to BN.

BN has the numbers in Parliament to hold onto the federal government without reaching out to the Opposition, but without some kind of a unity government solution, at least in the interim, the Malaysian rakyat will not have a government that can do more than hang on grimly to a deteriorating status quo. The foundations of our stability, and of our previous success, are eroding fast, and will soon be gone. After we have drifted past a certain point — and we have drifted for awhile now — we may wake up to find ourselves in freefall.

With an epic economic crisis, failing institutions, pervasive and institutionalised corruption, increasing crime, the deteriorating employability of our graduates, growing joblessness and the erosion of the rule of law, with increasing hardship among our people, we need to do more than coast down to a failure that we can already forsee. We need to come together to chart a better path. That must begin with a leap beyond our bankrupt politics, made by party leaders and elected representatives of the people who rise to statesmanship.

This, roughly, is the case for a government of unity.

The buck stops here

Once upon a time
there was a little girl
who cowered in fear
looking at her beloved father
hitting her beloved mother
and she thought,
"I won't ever let that happen to me"
and so 30 years later
another little girl
watched in fear
as her beloved father
hit her beloved mother
who once promised herself
"I won't ever let that happen to me"
and that little girl said to herself
as she too cowered in fear
"I won't ever let that happen to me"
this time
it won't...
because
mummy won't...
let it happen to you
"that's a promise..."

Going back to basics to face recession

IT is now widely accepted that this worldwide recession is going to drag for some time.

As a doctor would describe it, the disease was not cured at the outset. People are only stepping in when the disease is at an advanced stage.

As the bailouts continue, many people are beginning to wonder how they are going to last through this difficult period.

We may have to go back to basics to produce enough food for everyone to live comfortably without having to be stingy or go hungry.

There are reports of jobless people in some cities overseas going on just a meal a day as that is all they can afford. While there may be abundant food production in the countryside, it is just not reaching the cities in the quantity and prices that people can afford.

We, the cityfolk, must obviously do something to protect ourselves in case of a prolonged downturn that will severely affect our ability to spend even on necessities. Before it is too late, we should be thinking of embarking on agricultural production that may enable us to exchange food with each other.

The Government should come up with more proactive and flexible measures for individuals, especially the cityfolk, to group together and start small agricultural projects. At least for the next two years, they should not be so strict and allow people to start small farms wherever possible. The authorities should only step in to monitor hygiene and related aspects.

There should be financing schemes that are structured for these small-scale food projects with more flexible terms on payback and returns. The harvest could be shared among the individual owners or exchanged, which means there would not be much sale proceeds generated.

Nevertheless, they can be viable projects based on the indvidual owners’ cashflow or income statements from elsewhere. They may be still holding regular jobs but are now responding to a nationwide drive to produce food locally.

That is not to say that we are cutting out on imported food but just taking preemptive measures to be able to last through this protracted crisis together.

Many expect the Government to shoulder the burden of reviving the economy as they feel that their individual efforts would be too small to change anything. In a similar way, when the idea of gotong-royong was introduced in the cities, it seemed like a drop in the ocean for people who were used to thinking big.

The concept was been extended to the Rukun Tetangga which is frequently visible as the night patrol. The practice is alive today in many parts of the city as a guard against theft and acts as a unifying force in the neighbourhood.

From now, the focus should not just be on safety but survival of the community. Thus, it should be viewed as a priority for the community to have its own source of food production. The traditional attitude that we should mind our own business in terms of money matters would not apply anymore when it comes to hard core survival.

In the midst of all this, people would still shop for their food at markets, groceries, supermarkets or hypermarkets. There is a lot of value for money these days and we should encourage consumption.

But there could be an extreme situation where some people may run out of cash or can just afford to spend on specific needs such as education.

Eventually, everyone has a part to play in ensuring each other’s health and survival in these unprecedented times. We just have to snap out of our contentment and change our mentality from waiting for things to happen to making them happen!

● Senior business editor Yap Leng Kuen welcomes comments on how to make this happen and is keen to take part in this process of change.

Forget Air Lengkong, Sellling Air Longkang Pays More

This morning I got up to take my wudu' (yeah well, not portraying I'm the epitome of piety, but hey! a girl's gotta try, meh) and as usual, my first attempt at being pious for the day is ruined the minute I turn on my tap. I gag, as the smell of the water hits me...my kid describes it as "bau macam air turtle kita"...well, the turtle did escape but I think it is was too tiny to make it up to my water tank three stories high...

Anyway, as I say the Basmallah, in my heart, I'm cursing that Rozali fella. I tell you, turning over a new leaf is hard with all these people placed in this world specifically to irritate me (I can hear Satan chuckling...or is that schizopherenia? Devious fella, you... can't tell the difference sometimes...coz a person seems sane and respected enough to run the great United States of America and yet order the annihilation, maiming, suffering of millions and sleep well at night after being feted by the world. Now those are the real psychos...the ones who hear voices , or so-called schizos are usually harmless, you just see them walking around aimlessly and looking lost, they don't bother nobody...the ones who really should be locked up are running countries and have their finger on the nuclear button! Funny ek?)

Back to my failed attempt at piety. Who is this Rozali? All this while I thought it was the other Rozali, the suave, older one...take a guess lah... who happens to have a mistress set-up somewhere near where I live (and I LOOOOVEEE that apartment she is set-up in, complete with remote controlled blinds, man!...some women have all the luck, and all they have to do is lie on their backs, or simply kneel - no, no...NOT in prayer... - for a man). Nope, ain't him.

This Rozali I'm cursing every morning and evening as I again turn on the tap to prepare dinner for my kids and get brackish water despite the 3,000 ringgit filter outside is a young uptart, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail, the Executive Chairman of Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor...the water concessionaire holder for Selangor...you have my curses, day and night, free of charge. Because Israel isn't controlling my water supply, I would expect that of them. You are my fellow citizen meh, in this free, democratic nation of Malaysia.

By the way, to melencong again, it seems we have FOUR water concessionaires for Selangor alone...yup, spread the loot, the murkier the water!

Just before the general election, the federal government mandated state-owned Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) to lead discussions with the four water concessionaires – Syabas, Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (SPLASH) and Konsortium Abbas Sdn Bhd – to take over water management in Selangor.

It must be noted that at that time, both state and federal governments were run by the Barisan Nasional (BN), which was why there was no issue with the state leading the negotiations.

Fast forward to today and Selangor is controlled by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) which was given until March 31 to deal with the concessionaires. However, even before the deadline is up, the federal government derailed negotiations.

The National Water Services Commission (SPAN), which was set up to supervise the consolidation of water and sewerage services in the country, decreed on Feb 18 that Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB), a vehicle of the Minister of Finance Incorporated, would negotiate directly with the concessionaires, leaving the state government out in the cold.

This Rozali gets, now get this...5.1 million ringgit in allowances...well at least for 2007...dunno how much he got for 2008...kena tunggu Annual Report lah...all for supplying AIR LONGKANG! And he said last week,

"If Syabas wanted a professional to run it, then they should be able to pay for it."

Muahahaha...I wish, I were as entrepreneurial and cock(y). Darn. A case of angkat bakul sendiri. Overrating himself.

Here, take a read just how entrepreneurial he is (well, I may not always agree with Terence, but this particular article, I am sure, millions of us can agree with meh...especially those who have to take wudu with TURTLE WATER daily):

WATERY GRAVE FOR A BASIC RIGHT

We have the National Water Services Commission, we have the Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad, but, do we have coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with regards to the polluted rivers and the mismanagement/wastage of existing resources and the overdevelopment of our catchment areas? As usual, a compartmentalized, divide and rule effort which bears no real fruit. Only fruity people.

This report from a WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA conference in 2002 is a still highly relevant piece suggesting how everyone can get involved/contribute towards managing our precious resource. But then ultimately, nothing can work without a government truly committed to the well-being of the people and not to lining the pockets of a few.

Excerpt:

Malaysia is a country often inundated with excess water/floods (Chan 1995) and misconception amongst policy makers with regard to the water resources base is a major issue (Chan 1998a). Certainly, the majority of those in charge are of the opinion that Malaysia has no water shortage problems (until the water crises that hit Melaka in 1991 and again in 2002, and Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang in 1998). Based on abundant rainfall, a person in Malaysia has access to more than 20 times the water available to someone in Yemen! Yet, ignorance amongst policy makers with regard to total available water resources has contributed to water crises in many parts of the country.

A crash course on the water cycle here for the clueless and the professional-types like Rozali. Macam tu, saya pun nak run water concessionaire...get paid 5 million and who cares where the water comes from, or if there will be any water to supply later, itu bukan masalah saya, meh...itu jabatan lain.

Btw, SPAN (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara) should be renamed S.P.O.N.G.E (as in sucking up national resources)

Boo Hoo Hooo.....We are screwed...big time!

Nor Mohamed cries and finally admits: "Gloom till end of next year...boo hoo hooo...we messed up..."

"Even though the world was crumbling around us...we still thought we were untouchable, we didn't prepare NOTHING! We remained busy with our politicking and games and fiddled and twiddled our thumbs. We thought we were KEBAL! Melayu kan kebal! Obviously, sob, sob, sob, this time...our bomohs and tangkals did us no good! Since Mona Fandey died...we UMNO/BN fellas, have never been able to get the same quality bomohs again. Now...we are in deep shit."

Aiyo, now only you admitting ker? Well, at least you guys have your millions...wonder what the laid off, unemployed and the vulnerable groups are going to do now...last I heard, there were some really desperate single mums who have resorted to prostitution to feed their kids...siap kasi bayar bulan2 lagi...I think you all should stop reading Hello magazines from London that your Harrods addicted botoxed wives order...start reading the papers or turun padang even better meh.

Ever heard of social safety nets? No? A blur?

No, no... not like hair nets...ish...not those fishing nets either...aiyah...tak dapek la den nak menolon...just resign lah.

He warned that the country was no longer in a comfort zone.

“Using the football analogy, we are defending the ball which is now in the penalty box,” he told newsmen after presenting the Amanah Ikthiar Malaysia micro-credit scheme aid to the first 50 recipients at its office here yesterday.

Nor Mohamed said there were almost daily reports of retrenchments, cash flow problems and bankruptcy in major markets worldwide.

He said economic indicators in Europe, Japan and the United States were reflecting a prolonged crisis which would not end this year.

“Since Malaysia is plugged into the international economy, we cannot expect to be spared the ill effects.

“Europe, the United States and Japan have accepted the reality. (of the situation). I think Malaysia must accept it too,” he said.

The Deception of Satan

By Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah)

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: ‘Shaitan tries to destroy the son of Adam in one of seven phases. Some of them are more intense than others. Shaitan would not try to destroy him in the next phase until he fails to destroy him in a previous one. These phases are:

1st Phase: The phase of disbelief in Allah, His Deen, His perfect attributes, and in what the Prophet, may Allah praise him, informed us about, and the fact that we will be resurrected. If Shaitan is successful in misleading the slave in this phase, his enmity towards him would diminish and he would take rest. If the slave succeeds, and survives in this phase, Shaitan would try to destroy him in the next phase.

2nd Phase: The phase of Bid’ah (religious innovation); whether it pertains to believing in other than the truth which the Messenger, may Allah praise him, was sent with or by worshipping other than Allah; such as worshipping idols, and the like. Shaitan enjoys that one succumbs in this phase, for Bid’ah conflicts with the nature of the Deen and compels one to reject it. Furthermore, the one who observes innovated religious practices would not repent from his actions; rather, he would invite people to his Bid’ah! Observing innovated religious practices would compel one to forge lies against Allah and speak without knowledge; thus it openly clashes with the Sunnah. Observing minor Bid’ah practices would lead one to observing major Bid’ah practices. In this manner, a person would eventually exit the folds of Islam. Scholars and people of knowledge alone know the real dangers of Bid’ah practices. If a person succeeds and survives in this phase by adhering to the Sunnah, and understanding its texts as the Pious Predecessors understood them, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

3rd Phase: The phase of major sins. If he is able to destroy the slave in this phase, he would beautify the deed that he is doing and probably compel him to say the following: ‘No sin would harm the Tawheed (creedal belief) as no good deed would benefit a man who has committed Shirk (i.e. to associate partners with Allah).’ If the person is successful and survives this phase, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

4th Phase: The phase of minor sins. Shaitan would compel a person to belittle these sins, by whispering to him: ‘There is no fear upon you as long as you keep away from major sins “do you not know that the minor sins are expiated by abstaining from major sins?’ In this manner, Shaitan would convince the individual that there is no harm in doing minor sins, until he regularly practices it. The person who has done a major sin, and has repented and is fearful of what he has done, would be better off than him; for regularly doing a minor sin would change it to a major sin! Constant repentance eliminates major sins; and on the same token, no minor sin remains a minor sin if one does it constantly.The Prophet, may Allah praise him, said: ‘Beware of minor sins; its likeness is like a people who stopped over in a valley, they spread out in search of fire wood, and each brought a stick; they were able to make a fire and cooked their bread. Whenever a person practices a minor sin regularly it would destruct him.’(Ahmed #22860) If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase, by being careful and repenting continuously to Allah, and observing righteous deeds, Shaitan seeks to destroy him in the next phase.

5th Phase: Satan entices the individual to excessively indulge in lawful things in order to keep him away from worshipping Allah. In this manner, Satan aims to make one abandon Sunnah practices, and later lead him to abandoning the obligatory practices. If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase by understanding the greatness of the acts of worship, he would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

6th Phase: The phase of busying the slave with deeds which are less rewarding. Shaitan encourages the slave to observe certain acts of worship and beautifies them to him, and shows him the great reward of doing those acts of worship in order to keep him away from deeds which are more beneficial and rewarding. When Shaitan fails to mislead the slave, he tries to deprive him from receiving the full reward; therefore, he busies him with lesser rewarding deeds.

7th Phase: If Shaitan fails in the above six phases, he would resort to harming the person in any way possible; by summoning his men and followers and riling them against this individual. The Prophets and Messengers were not left unharmed by this. One should bear patiently, for victory and success are tied with patience.”

[1] [1] Madaarij as-Saalikeen pg. 254-256. Compiled by: Abu Abdullah Khanadi Last Updated ( Tuesday, 31 October 2006 ) Taken From: www.minhaj-us-sunnah.com

Drive it into the harbour, please....

If looks could kill, I just died from pure revulsion....muahahaha....The Phantom DropDead Coupe....eh...DropHead, sorry.

When creating the Phantom Drophead Coupé our design team drew inspiration from the classic J-class racing yachts of the 1930s. The fastest yachts of their time, these pedigree vessels possessed a spectacular combination of ability, versatility and fitness for purpose. Thanks to the use of the finest materials in their natural state, they were also exceptionally beautiful. It's this sense of functionality, immediacy and exposure to the elements our designers admired, and what they have striven to capture in the Phantom Drophead Coupé's thrilling lines. The use of steel and wood - design highlights first seen in the 100EX experimental car of 2004 – cement the maritime theme.

Yeah, tie it to a huge block of cement and drive it into the harbour!