My respected Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Despite many negative comments quoted, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi deserves my respect as he had given more freedom to media. Although it is not a 100% version, it is good enough for us to move forward. What about the new PM? Is yet to see!

Pathetic Chinese Primary School #2

According to one of  the teachers. In most, if not all of the Primary Chinese School, Headmaster doesn’t have the right to appoint their secretary / clerk. The cleark is appointed by Ministry of Education. More ironically, some Headmasters even need to BEG the clerk to complete the tasks which they are supposed to carry out. The clerk can apply for transfer anytime if he / she doesn’t the school. I wondering who is the MASTER of the school. My poor chinese school…

Pathetic Chinese Primary School #1

I have visited 3 primary Chinese schools located at Negeri Sembilan & Selangor recently, tables and chairs found at the classroom are majority broken. I asked the teachers why? The reply I got is “no fund”! My poor schools…

语录

政治是一时的， 教育是永远的。
科技是一时的， 科学是永远的。

Visiting Japan – Part I – Immigration

On 21 Nov 08, it was my first visit to Osaka, Japan. Prior to the visit, I was told that Japan immigration is pretty strict, it is no surprise if they reject your entry and send you back to your own country. Thanks God, I am the lucky one, the immigration officers are friendly and approve my entry.

The immigration officer at counter is friendly, able to communicate in English. The custom officer opened my lugguage, he let me go after confirming my lugguage is strictly for clothes and has no cigratte and alcohol.

My first impression with Japan official is friendly yet perform their tasks properly.

Ethnic cracks widen in Malaysia’s ruling coalition

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia’s governing coalition sought to defuse a racial row Tuesday after a Malay official made a stunning outburst by warning the ethnic Chinese minority not to become greedy for political and economic power.

Ahmad Ismail, a district chief in the United Malays National Organization ruling party, claimed that the Malay majority was losing patience with minorities, particularly ethnic Chinese politicians.

“I urge the Chinese not to become like the Jewish in America, where it is not enough that they control the economy, but they also want to dominate politics,” Ahmad told a news conference late Monday in northern Penang state.

“Consider this a warning from the Malays,” Ahmad said. “The patience of the Malays has a limit. Do not push us against the wall, for we will be forced to turn back and push the Chinese for our own survival.”

Gerakan, an ethnic Chinese-based party in the National Front coalition government, later announced it was severing ties with Ahmad and Malay officials in Penang who publicly backed him. Gerakan leaders have recently warned they may consider quitting the government, largely due to dissatisfaction over racial issues.

The National Front comprises 14 groups spearheaded by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Malay party, which shares power with parties that have traditionally represented ethnic Chinese, Indians and other minorities.

The dispute is a fresh headache for Abdullah, who is struggling to hold the coalition together amid a threat by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to seize power by luring government lawmakers to his side by next week.

Growing dissatisfaction about racial policies prompted many Chinese and Indians to vote against the government in March general elections. Many Malays also backed the opposition, causing the National Front to retain power with only a simple parliamentary majority.

Abdullah said he was “utterly unhappy” with Ahmad’s comments and promised to “take stern action over the matter.”

Chinese officials are likely to pressure Abdullah at a National Front meeting Tuesday to penalize Ahmad, who rankled ethnic Chinese last month when he described them as “squatters” and “immigrants.” Police said last week they were investigating Ahmad for possible sedition, which is punishable by three years in prison.

Most Chinese and Indian Malaysians are descendants of 19th and early 20th century immigrants who came as traders, laborers and miners during British colonial rule.

Ethnic Chinese now comprise a quarter of Malaysia’s 27 million people, while Indians form less than 10 percent. They have grown increasingly vocal about alleged government discrimination in economic, social and religious policies.

Malays, who constitute about 60 percent of the population, enjoy a host of privileges in jobs, education and business as part of an affirmative action program launched in 1970 following racial riots fueled by Malay frustration over the Chinese community’s wealth.

Banks to ease financial burden of customers

Ivan: Banks can ease the financial burden by introducing more “friendly” package or reform. But it will never teach the people about how to do a proper financial plan. This will lead to a viscous cycle and end up with another financial crisis! Please read the below for more details:

Finance companies are resorting to restructuring car loan repayments to help ease the burden of customers with heavy financial commitments.

At least three major banks will announce their hire-purchase loan restructuring plans soon.

A senior manager of a prominent local bank with a substantial volume of hire-purchase customers said that given the current economic scenario, where prices of fuel and food had increased, many customers would be burdened by the high repayment plans that they had signed previously.

Finance companies could not rule out that some customers might find it difficult to service their monthly instalments, he said.

“We expect that for next year there will be more repossession orders given, but it won’t be a drastic increase,” he said, adding that his company issued a monthly average of 2,500 repossession orders.

Most banks and finance companies will try to assist any customer whom they feel could fail to meet their monthly instalments.

The move is expected to bring cheer to thousands of hire-purchase customers, especially those paying high monthly instalments for their car loans.

A Perodua Kelisa owner, Jen Neoh, 29, welcomes an option to restructure her car loan, as it would ease her financial burden.

“I think it’s better to be in debt with a bank, rather than borrowing from friends, family or even loan sharks,” she said.

Neoh, who now pays almost RM400 for her monthly instalments, said she would be comfortable paying about RM200 instead.

A public relations manager in a large bank here said her bank was now very selective with new approvals for hire-purchase loans.

“And we have also started calling customers to help restructure their hire-purchase agreements to help them make ends meet,” she said.

Loan restructuring is commonly done by extending the account holder’s repayment period to lower the monthly instalment that needs to be paid.

“Many factors affect how much the refinancing would affect the new monthly repayment amount,” said a head of retail collection in Kuala Lumpur.

He said they included how much loan was taken in the first place and the customer’s financial status.

“But if they can’t pay, reduction is not a solution. They can always surrender their cars. But we will try to help them so that they won’t have to,” he said.

Federation of Consumer Associations adviser Datuk Hamdan Adnan said Bank Negara must step in and help consumers who have been threatened with having their vehicles repossessed.

“Banks always claim they are customer-friendly. But in reality, they exploit some customers,” he said.

BLR remains the same!

GOOD NEWS: Glad to know the Bank Negara will maintain the interest rate till the end of the year!

Hope they will keep their promise!

Inflation – Blood Test Fee Hikes

I sent my dad to perform a regular blood test this morning at BP Lab. The testing fees were RM 70 on last December. My Dad and I got a shock when the nurse informed us we need to pay RM 150 for the same blood test packages!! The reason given is “Oh, petrol price increases, all sort things are more expensive, we have not choice”.

Petrol price increased 40%, but blood test fees increase by more than 100%. It is a good way to get more profit margin for the company, but it is too heavy for many people.

Domenicali: Ferrari can still succeed

After disappointing performances in both the British and German races, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has rejected talk of a crisis at the Italian squad and is looking forward to a return to form at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari have not won a Grand Prix since Felipe Massa’s victory at the French event in June.

“Despite the fact the last two races have been negative for us, the Scuderia is definitely not in crisis,” team principal Stefano Domenicali told the squad’s official website. “The team is still leading the constructors’ championship and theoretically, one of our drivers could again be back at the top of the drivers’ classification on Sunday night.

“Just as we never felt we were unbeatable after our French GP victory, so too, we do not feel all is lost after the British and German events. The entire squad is doing its best to overturn this situation.”

To make sure of an improved showing in Budapest, Ferrari plan to introduce a series of revisions to the F2008 for the Hungary race, including the ‘shark-fin’ engine cover, the team evaluated during last week’s test at the Spanish circuit of Jerez.

The reigning world champions have earned 105 points this season and currently lead the constructors’ standings by 16 from BMW Sauber. McLaren, meanwhile, are a further three points adrift.