Merdeka!

As Malaysia attain the age 48 today, it's time again to reflect on our progress and set our focus on the Malaysian Dream - Wawasan 2020.

Some of my thoughts...

Developed nation?
Many seems to equate development to solely economic development. While a lot has been focused on economic development, we are still lagging behind in political and social development. Political structure has not shifted much since independence. Some of the issues debated in the parliament and the behaviour of MPs have shown that we have not attained the maturity level required. There is also still lack of civic consciousness on the roads, lack of regard for the environment and public amenities and unfriendly counter service.

Bangsa Malaysia
Despite numerous effort to promote the Bangsa Malaysia ideology, today most of us are still Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, etc. We even have to indicate this information in most application and entry forms. There is a need for political reform to remove the race-based structure of Barisan Nasional in order to achieve this. We should step out from the shadow of the divide and rule strategy adopted by the British. Bumiputra privelages should also be gradually removed in the 9th Malaysian Plan in order to create a sense of fairness to all, especially to the new generations of Chinese, Indians, etc. who are born on Malaysian soil. The new aim should closing the gaps between the wealthy and the poor, regardless of race and religion. We need to establish a mature, liberal, tolerant and democratic society which permits the fullest participation of the people. Even though we are still a long way from Bangsa Malaysia but let's not lose our optism.

Proton
It was reported today that Proton reported a group pre-tax loss of RM4.3m in the first quarter ending 30 June. After 20 years of struggle, Proton has not been able to mount a challenge in the world auto market as opposed to the younger Hyundai and Kia which have been very successful in United States and many other countries.

Malaysia Boleh!
We seem to concentrate too much on building the tallest flag poles and other similar feats, the latest being Malaysia's First Astronaut Programme. Perhaps we should first concentrate on improving our aeronautical technology and use our own technology rather than the Russians' to send our astronauts into space. There is nothing much to be proud of if we are merely space tourists travelling in foreign space shuttles. All we need is money. The Government should also increase its effort to ensure the success of bio technology initiatives and Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). Research and Development should be highly encouraged to produce more new technologies locally. Thus far we have been buying a lot of foreign technologies. In order to achieve this, the Government has to work harder to attract many talented Malaysians who are more willing to work overseas due to lack of transparency, equality and opportunities locally.

Waving flags, singing negaraku may be signs of patriotism, but Malaysians need to look beyond these actions to acheive Vision 2020.

Selamat Hari Merdeka!

Fuel hike imminent

Oil and gas markets came under intense pressure yesterday as Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf of Mexico, forcing the closure of oil production platforms, refineries and the Henry Hub the biggest US trading centre.

Oil prices hit a new record of $70.80 a barrel, although they fell back to $67.20.

Reacting to the trend of the ever increasing oil price Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak said that no government in the world can maintain fuel prices at the current level if the price of crude oil continues to spiral.

“It’s beyond us to control price of crude. So the consumers should not put the blame on the Government if there is a need to raise price of petrol or petroleum products.”

To the average Malaysians, it is time to realise that in this era of globalisation, we need to play our part in managing this sort of situation. Consume wisely and be ready to face the increase in fuel prices. The Government can no longer afford to maintain the fuel price through subsidies. Furthermore, subsidies will reduce our inefficiency and competitiveness in the global market.

Hurrican Katrina

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, Hurricane Katrina left at least 56 people dead in the US yesterday, and the toll is expected to climb following one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the northern Gulf Coast in a half century. Tens of thousands will be homeless for months.

According to Bloomberg, US insurers were spared the worst of Hurricane Katrina, but still face an estimated $16 billion of claims from what may prove the second most-expensive storm in US history.

Champions League: Man Utd progress

This blog is dedicated to my pal Jason, who is the number 1 Manchester United fan.

Manchester United cruised into the group stage of Champions League by routing Hungarian champions Debrecen 3-0 (aggregate 6-0) last night.

However, United paid a heavy price as Gary Neville was stretchered off 10 minutes into the game. He is expected to be out for 5 weeks. This is worrying as United is trying to launch a good start into the Premiership.

The injury overshadowed a clinical display from the Red Devils, who continued their encouraging start to the campaign thanks to major contributions from an unlikely source - Gabriel Heinze.

Not only was he impressive in the defence, he managed to score 2 of the 3 United goals through two headers in either half of the match.

Substitute Kieren Richardson fired in United's 3rd goal 4 minutes after Heinze's second goal.

United's clinical display was further tempered when Richardson limped off with 20 minutes left, and United, who had used up all their substitutes finished with 10 men.

One more thing to note is that van der Sar has managed to keep 4 clean sheets in a row. That is a remarkable effort compared to how other United stoppers have fared in the previous seasons. I hope he'll continue his good performance to create a repeat of the '98 glory.

Tak nak?

Déjà vu from Formula 1?

Is Pak Lah's government sucumbbing to the lobbying by tobacco companies?

With the rapid increase in the number of smokers among school children and women, this decision is some what disappointing. What do you think?

Some excerpts from the Star today...

Cigarettes in packs of 14 will still be in the market until 2010, following a Cabinet decision to defer the ban on the sales of such packs.

Announcing this, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the decision was made in the interest of the 13,000 tobacco farmers in Terengganu and Kelantan.

The decision to ban packs of 10 cigarettes from next year, however, remains.

The Government had originally decided last year to limit the sale of cigarettes to packs of 20s from next June.

Dr Chua also admitted that the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign launched early last year had not been effective.

“We are launching a new Tak Nak campaign, which will be featured more on television and involve NGOs. There will be no more billboards.”

Meanwhile, anti-smoking groups are crying foul over the Cabinet's decision to defer the ban on cigarettes in packs of 14.

Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations secretary-general Mohammad Sha'ani Abdullah said the decision made a mockery of the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign.

Using “farmers' interest” as the reason for the deferment was a lame excuse, he said, accusing the Government of succumbing to the lobbying of tobacco companies.

Malaysian Idol Spectacular 4: Xerra is out!

Injustice! Poor Xerra (or her real name Tengku Hamisah Zaharah bt. Tengku Zaimi Azlan) is the latest contestant to leave Malaysian Idol 2 tonight. I could not help feeling sorry for her when she broke down during her last rendition of ku mohon made popular by Shiela Majid. She must be wondering why she is leaving this early while other less capable contestants still remain.

Paul was spot on to say that Xerra will be the one leaving the show this week. His justification was Xerra has been one of the bottom three for the past few weeks despite pulling off great performances. She did not manage a reasonably good one this week. So she looks very vulnerable. But she is definitely not the worst performer this week.

Well, if you judge by the trend in the voting for the past few weeks, it wouldn't be a surprise. But if it is based on talent, then it is really harsh to see Xerra off the show at this stage. Among the 7 remaining finalists, I think she is much better than Faizull and Ash in terms of vocal, personality and especially stage persona. Her 10-year experience as a band singer was evident in her every performance.

Anyway, as we all know, not all the time the best talents will get to stay, even in American Idol. For example, Faizull may have a decent voice of a rocker, but he paled in comparison when it comes to other aspects as a performer. He even broke down after his performance in Spectacular 4, most likely due to his meltdown towards the end of his performance. This incident, coupled by his image and personality surely did not make him look like a prospective signing for any record company. However, I won't be surprised if his 'orang kampung' image carries him far into the competition. Are we looking for a Juara Kampung? I surely hope not. We need someone who has great personality and is able to compete at international level in order to project a good image of Malaysia at World Idol.

Somehow I think I know why Xerra is not popular among the Malaysian public. I am afraid it has nothing to do with talent. I prefer not to divulge my theory due to the sensitivity of the subject.

In conclusion, the voting results thus far has shown that Malaysians are not really voting based on talents. It is kind of sad. But even George W Bush could become President of United States, yadda yadda yadda...

Read the entries at this message board and you will learn the level of maturity of some Malaysians.

With her great talent, let's hope that Xerra will land herself a recording contract soon in order to move up a step in her singing career. I'm sure recording companies should know how to appreciate a singer like her.

To the Malaysian public, I urge that in coming weeks you will treasure and appreciate the best talents available. Be responsible, objective and vote for a Malaysian Idol all of us can be proud of.

Nicky found!

Nicky, the missing tiger cub, was found alive and well inside the Malacca Zoo compound Friday morning.

Yay!

Aquaria@KLCC

My wife and I visited the newly opened KLCC Convention Centre last Sunday. We managed to visit one of the main attractions - AQUARIA@KLCC, located on the concourse level.

Under a separate management, the AQUARIA@KLCC is a world-class aquarium housing 5,000 varieties of tropical fishes and offers a unique underwater "edu-tainment" experience. It is designed by a New Zealand company. AQUARIA@KLCC Discovery Zone is the first in the world to make extensive use of multimedia technologies to combine education with entertainment. Based on the statistics, it is bigger than Singapore's Sentosa Underwater World. Similar to Sentosa Underwater World, AQUARIA@KLCC also has an underwater tunnel with a length of 90m, making it the biggest in South East Asia. All corals in the aquarium are fake, as is the reproduction of the Royal Nanhai shipwreck.

The admission fee was temporarily priced at RM20 per person for adults. The fee will increase to RM28 for Malaysians with MyCard and RM38 for others upon the arrival of all the 150 marine life species at the aquarium. At the moment there are more than 100 species available.

The AQUARIA@KLCC is pretty much the same as Sentosa Underwater World except for the many touch-screen information kiosks available at various parts of the aquarium.

Among the creatures I have seen are - exotic frogs, insects, scorpion, spiders, giant tortoises, seahorses, giant garoupas, great white sharks, tiger sharks, rays, giant arapaimas and clown fish. I noticed that the number of marine life available in the underground tunnel is still quite small. Hopefully in due course the aquarium will be enriched with more marine species.

AQUARIA@KLCC is yet another jewel to KLCC as the most visible large-scale urban project and the most well-conceived thus far in terms of connectivity and integration with surroundings.

Buying properties?

Reading this article reminds me of something that I've constantly wondered in recent years.

The last few years have been a boom time for property investments related books - with Richard T. Kiyosaki being one of the most popular authors with his "Rich Dad" series. Azizi Ali is Malaysia's local equivalent. It has also been a boom time for properties worldwide.

Having read some of these books, a strange thought constantly surface in my mind.

What if some of these writers have this strategy/gamble?

1. Start collecting properties when prices are reasonable, i.e. no significant boom in recent years
2. Write books on real estate investment
3. Launch the books
4. Hope the books will sell well and create buying frenzy
5. Wait for price of properties to appreciate
6. Dispose off properties after meeting certain targets
7. Wait for bubble to burst
8. Back to step 1

You might say that I am thinking way too far, but with these books dominating the best sellers lists worldwide for years, there is a huge possiblity that it might be true. Some might argue that it is the boom that drives these writers to write instead. Well, perhaps. Or it could also be a combination of both.

Even though difficult to prove, I believe that the books written by these property gurus could have, to certain extent, fuelled the property bubble we are currently creating and consequently profitted from the sales of their own properties.

Richard T. Kiyosaki should have. He confessed that he is currently dumping real estate that produces no cash flow and going "long on gold and oil." He has begun to post articles on his website to caution against what might be called "surreal estate exuberance."

So to those who are thinking of making it big in properties in Malaysia, be more cautious as we've also experienced some boom in the past few years. But then, with the constant speculation that Bank Negara will revise the BLR upwards, I believe there's still enough room to make some good profit.

Haze to return?

The Meteorological Services Department said that the haze might be returning to the Klang Valley as early as Monday due to change in wind direction.

Meteorological Services Department director-general Chow Kok Kee said the present south, south-westerly winds, which had taken the haze elsewhere and brought some relief to the country would revert to its south-westerly course, bringing with it drier conditions.

“The south-westerly wind is expected to last between two to three weeks,” he said during a press conference at the department.

Well, let's hope the fire in Sumatra could be doused as soon as possible. Having haze for the next two to three weeks is definitely not something the Klang Valley folks are looking forward to.

Nicky is missing!

Our cute little three-month old feline has been reported missing!

Nicky, which was saved from the pot by a Good Samaritan, at the cost of RM10,000 was reported missing from the Malacca Zoo on Wednesday.

Until now it was still not confirmed whether the cub has been kidnapped or merely wandering around in other parts of the zoo.

Meanwhile, the Star is offering a RM10,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Nicky the missing tiger cub.

Let's hope that the cub will be found soon rather than ending up as dinner elsewhere. Poor thing.

Banker spent £41,000 on champagne spree

This is truly a sad reflection of the real world.

While there are millions living in starvation everyday, this banker could afford to spend £41,000 in one night spraying champagne in the VIP room of a club in London.

Champagne spraying is said to be common in Monaco, where this banker originates.

An investment banker has been landed a £41,000 bill after ordering more than 70 bottles of champagne and spraying it around the VIP room of a nightclub.

Read more here...

Bank Negara: Chip cards are foolproof

True enough, after I've blogged about the misleading article in the Star on cloned microchip credit cards, Bank Negara issued a statement yesterday stating that the fraudulent transactions involved the magnetic stripes and not the EMV chips.

"A recent news report that microchip for credit cards has been cloned is incorrect and misleading. The fraudulent credit card transaction involved the use of magnetic stripe of the cloned credit card. No Europay-Mastercard-Visa (EMV) chip credit cards have been cloned. Bank Negara Malaysia would like to inform that the EMV chip credit card security feature adopted by banking institutions are very secure."

I hope the Star will avoid having such misleading headlines in the future. I personally felt shocked when I read the headlines. But after reading the contents, I felt relieved as I was sure that it was just a misleading article.

Microchip credit cards cloned?

The Star's headlines today: NOT foolproof: Mircochip for credit cards cloned

The article was a bit misleading. At first look, I thought the EMV chip technology has successfully been cloned. However, based on the article, it seems that the fraudsters did not manage to get the EMV chips to work. Hence the transactions must have been done using the magnetic stripes. So the solution is to ensure that gradually all transactions are done through the chips rather than the outdated magnetic stripes, which was the original intention of having chip-based credit card. Of course one would argue that we still need the magnetic stripes terminals, especially in accepting non-chip-based credict cards from other countries. Hopefully the EMV chip techonology will be used worldwide in the near future in order to combat credit card fraud effectively.

As what we have witnessed in history, no technology is foolproof forever, it is interesting to see how many years the fraudsters will take in order to catch up with the EMV chip technology.

Buying camera: Which one to choose?

After my 3-year relationship with Canon Powershot S30, I think it's time for me to shop around for a replacement.

With so many models in the market, it is really a tough choice to make.

First of all, I'm looking forward for a camera which is not too expensive and not too difficult to use as I'm neither a professional nor a die-hard camera lover. However, I do love taking good shots once in a while when I'm on holiday or during events like weddings or gaterings. I also want a camera which can produce boke effect.

After few days of research, I've limited my choices to 3 models from Canon. Why Canon? I guess I'm happy with what Powershot S30 has been providing me for the past 3 years.

The 3 models I'm comtemplating: - Powershot S2 IS, Powershot Pro 1 and EOS 350D.

Powershot S2 IS
5 megapixel
12x optical zoom
Lens: 36 (W) – 432 (T) mm, shift-type image stabilizer system


EOS 350D
8 megapixel
Powershot Pro 1
8 megapixel
7x optical zoom
Lens: 7.2(W) - 50.8(T)mm (28 - 200 mm)

So which one should I choose? Can the two prosumer cameras (S2 IS and Pro 1) produce boke effect? I would prefer to buy a prosumer than a DSLR for few reasons - price, hassle of carrying DSLR accessories and the complexity of operating it.

Savvy or Sawwi?

"Built tougher than you think!"

Road bullies, beware! With a body strength of 17,000N/mm, the Proton Savvy is as tough as a car twice its size. It doesn't just make an impact, it's great at taking impact too. Where else could you feel more secure? Think of it as a fortress on wheels.

~ from Savvy's website.

Try comparing Savvy's TV commercials (here, here and here) with the reality. Of course we all know the commercials were merely trying to emphasize the toughness of Savvy. Ultimately how tough is the Savvy? How true are the claims?

EPL 2005/2006 kick off

The new Barclays Premiership season finally kicked off today with Manchester United beating Everton 2 - 0 away in the first game of the season.

Chelsea, who meet newcomers Wigan tomorrow, are tipped to retain the title they won for the first time in 50 years when they lost only once last season.

Arsenal, last season's runners-up and FA Cup winners, host an injury-hit Newcastle side striving to improve under Graeme Souness.

The Gunners could be weakened by the loss of Patrick Vieira, who handed in his captain's armband with a £13.75m transfer to Juventus in July.

And for the first time in many years, Manchester United started off the season without the favourite tag. Nevertheless, I hope that the team, despite under the unpopular new American owners will defy the odds to topple Chelsea and Arsenal to reclaim its glory in English and European football.

As for Liverpool, I doubt that they could challenge the top 3 teams from last year despite winning the Champions League.

In the stylish victory against Everton today, United's goals were scored by Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney, before and after the interval respectively.

Park Ji Sung made his debut for United today but failed to score on two attempts while the other new signing, Edwin Van der Sar managed a few good saves and looked solid as the new first choice goalkeeper for Manchester United.

Things certainly look good for United from the two games played so far. Hopefully Sir Alex Ferguson will find his lost touch this season.

AP issue: Rafidah U-turn?

While she strongly backed the Approved Permit System (AP) few weeks ago, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz suddenly made a contradicting statement yesterday by saying that AP should be abolished.

To me, the entire AP system should be abolished. It goes against the World Trade Organisation agreement. This is my personal opinion although others may not agree with me.

These were the words she gave at the opening of a seminar organised by the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Respond from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today:

That is her personal opinion. I don't take it into account."

The PM further added that the press should "accept" the decision of the Cabinet to take over from Rafidah's ministry the task of formulating the National Automotive Policy which would determine the way APs were awarded.

The policy is expected to be announced next month.

--------
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has been reported to have carted away several boxes of files from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) regarding the investigation of the AP issue. This was ACA’s 2nd visit to MITI.

Can Rafidah weather the storm and survive the AP controversy? She may have gone too far this time.

Let's wait and see whether the PM will utter Donald Trump's favourite line soon.

AP vs AP (Part 2)

With the worsening air quality, Air Pollution has over taken Approved Permit as the topic of the day. Ayah Pin can relax as he is nowhere in the radar, at least for now.

Haze situation worsens

Based on the latest API reading, the haze situation has worsen from yesterday. APIs in Port Klang and Kuala Selangor have both exceeded 500, which is categorised as hazardous. The rest of Klang Valley seems to be catching up with Port Klang and Kuala Selangor as the APIs for Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam were also more than 300 by noon time.

Meanwhile, schools in KL, Port Klang, Kuala Selangor and few other areas have been ordered to close.

I wonder what will come out from the meeting between Indonesian and Malaysian ministers on the haze issue. Will this put a stop to the haze problem? I fear not. We have been experiencing haze around this time of the year annually, even though it has not been as bad as this except for 1997. The Indonesian Government has not done much to control open burning in Sumatra thus far. Perhaps the wind will need to blow in the other direction for Jakarta to experience what its neighbour is putting up with.

Approved Permits: Cabinet not satisfied with Rafidah's explanation

According to major dailies today, most Cabinet members were not satisfied with Rafidah Aziz's explanation on the AP controversy.

Sources described the meeting as "heated" when the AP issue was brought up. Rafidah was combative and defensive throughout.

To better describe the situation, according to Jeff Ooi, one seasoned editor put it crudely: "She f***** everybody and everybody f***** her back."

Sources also reported that Rafidah's explanation was not much different from what she had "disclosed" during the UMNO general assembly few weeks ago.

Furthermore, she is continuing to shy away from reporters. "The Prime Minister will issue a statement", was her only reply to reporters.

Meanwhile, Customs Director-General Tan Sri Abdul Halil Abdul Mutalib, whose son was given nearly 400 APs, claimed that he has never taken part in any Vehicle Price Assessment Committee discussion concerning his son who is involved in car imports.

After few weeks of waiting, it seems like we are still not getting any answers from Rafidah or the Government. I sincerely hope that our PM will keep his word of being transparent and provide average Malaysians the truth.

What average Malaysians would like to know: -

1. What is the criteria for giving out APs?
2. What is the basis for having so many types of APs?
3. Why APs seem to be monopolised by a few bumiputra businessman? With two of them being former staff of her Ministry.

I hope this issue will not die out after a while like many other controversies in the past. Malaysians tend to have short-term memories and probably that is the strategy adopted by the relevent parties to save their skins.

Proton Edar

Saw this funny entry from Brand New Malaysian.

Please access www.protonedar.com and you will understand why.

AP vs AP

I wonder which of the two APs is getting more attention right now.

AP - Approved Permit

Today is the D-Day for Rafidah Aziz. Let's hope she gets a good grilling by the MPs today and we get to enjoy the details (hopefully truth) tomorrow.

AP - Air Pollution

The haze is getting worse! Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse than yesterday. I am on leave at home today and I could even smell it inside my house!

A photo I took at 5.30PM, near Damansara Jaya.
Many cars have their head lights on.

The government has finally decided to make the Air Pollution Index public, since the worst haze hit Malaysia in 1997. According to The Star, the API in Klang exceeded 400 today, while elsewhere in Klang Valley, the APIs recorded were between 200 and 350! According to the API system adopted in Malaysia, the air quality is categorised as hazardous when the index exceed 300.

The major source of haze is from Sumatra.

According to Fire and Rescue Services Department director-general Datuk Hamzah Abu Bakar, even though a few hot spots had been detected in certain parts of the country, they had been either put out by firemen or were under control.

Satellite image of the haze situation. Hot spots are circled in red.

Shuttle Discovery lands safely

Finally... All the astronauts on board of the shuttle Discovery landed safely, following a smooth, problem-free reentry to the Earth's atmosphere and landing.

I seriously hope that the US Government will be more supportive towards space travel in the future. New generations of space shuttle should be built as the current batch has been around for quite sometime.

Discovery delayed for 24 hours...

Space shuttle Discovery's return to Earth has been delayed for 24 hours due to bad weather at its landing site.

I hope that the landing will be smooth. Many must be worried and anxious due to pieces of insulating foam shedded during the launch. Let's hope there won't be any repeat of Columbia's disaster.

Take two...

The Star published an article last Saturday on Ain Al Arabia (Arabia Square) which is being built at Bukit Bintang. One of the photos of the site feature the main attraction in the form of a giant teapot. How is this compared to Ayah Pin's demolished teapot in Besut?

Arab Square


Besut

Clash of cultures

If you look at some photos back in the 60s and 70s, you will notice that almost all Malay ladies did not wear headscarves then. Neither was baju kurung as popular at that time.

Watching P Ramlee's movies will also make us realise the great difference between the Malay culture then and now. Is this a change from within? Judging from the developments in the last 20 years, it's more of an influence from the Arabic culture.

The following article from BBC is quite a good reflection of this change, especially in rural states in Malaysia.

Malaysia's clash of cultures
by Jonathan Kent

When it comes to interpreting Islam, many Malaysians are torn between their own culture, Western influence and a growing trend towards copying all things Arabic.

A few days ago I visited P Ramlee's old house in Kuala Lumpur.

Unless you are from this part of the world you probably will not have heard of him. But in Malaysia, more than 30 years after his death, he is still an icon.

In life he was Malaysia's Elvis and Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant and Irving Berlin all rolled into one. His modest bungalow is now a museum.

But when I visited I was alone, apart from an attendant who seemed to be hiding under his counter.

So I wandered around looking at photos from P Ramlee's films and listening to his wonderful singing voice.

'Gentle and sensual'

One of the reasons I look forward to the holidays here is because the local TV stations always screen a good selection of his movies.

My favourite is the comedy Madu Tiga - or Three Honies - made in 1964.

P Ramlee plays a married man who decides to take a second and then a third bride, all with the collusion of his first wife's mischievous father.

But despite his best efforts to keep the three from finding out about one another, inevitably they meet, become friends and finally gang up on him.

It is a cautionary tale.

But what is most striking about P Ramlee's films from the 1950s and 1960s is their depiction of Malay life.

His movies are gentle and sensual, the people relaxed, fun-loving and charming. There are even jokes about gin.

Shadow puppetry

One can still catch glimpses of a Malaysia P Ramlee would have recognised, in backwaters like the east coast state of Kelantan.

I had travelled deep into its countryside looking for Dollah Baju Merah-Abdullah, who wears a red shirt. He is the last performer of the local brand of Wayang Kulit: shadow puppetry.

"I can't speak well," he told me, when he came out onto the porch of his little wooden house to greet me and he tapped his chest.

"I've been ill," he said.

He was not up to giving a demonstration but half-heartedly pulled out a couple of puppets from a box to show me.

I could see instantly why his is a dying art. The puppets depict heroes and gods from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The local government in Kelantan put a stop to Dollah's performances. Likewise traditional dance.

They are considered un-Islamic.

Foreign endorsement

Elsewhere in Kelantan I met up with Nik Rashidee, the custodian of an astonishing collection of Malay woodcarvings assembled by his late brother Nik Rashidin, the greatest carver of his age.

Among the antique pieces the Hindu influence is obvious: carvings of Garuda (a Hindu deity and king of the birds) and dagger handles in the shape of Shiva's head.

They were not even exhibited in Malaysia until they had already been shown at the British Museum.

It took the endorsement of a foreign institution before locals even started to wake up to their beauty.

All these crafts are being destined to oblivion, not just by conservative Muslims who dress in the Arabic style and frown on their own culture, but also by Malaysia's rapid modernisation.

Malay people seem to love the new and shiny, not the old.

Whirlwind of change

At the same time they have been consumed by a wave of Islamicisation that swept across the world from the 1970s, a wave ridden by Malay politicians who after the Iranian revolution decided it was that, or be drowned by it.

"Now we understand what it is to be proper Muslims," people tell me, and in this rapidly developing country many have found in their faith a still centre in a whirlwind of change.

But it is not just traditional arts that are under pressure.
Looking at posters from P Ramlee's movies, I realise that films like these could not be made today.

"All we can do these days is tut tut at one another," a Malay friend tells me.

Across the country one sees the evidence of a culture of disapproval.
Young Malay women wear headscarves drawn tight around their faces; something their grandmothers never did.

Nightclubs are raided by the religious police, couples are prosecuted for holding hands and Muslims are sentenced to be whipped for drinking beer.
This is not policy. This comes from the conservative grassroots.

Behind closed doors

The federal government seems unsure how to respond.

Those who raise their voices against the new breed of religious teacher, schooled in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, are shouted down. "Kaffir," they scream.

And jokes about gin are just not seen as funny.

But the saddest encounter I had in Kelantan was with a criminal lawyer.

"What keeps you busy?" I asked.

"Rape," he said. "It's all rape."

Incest, drugs and rape afflict the Malay community far worse than Malaysia's large Chinese and Indian minorities.

Piety in public. Acts that lead to self-loathing behind closed doors.

There is a sense that the Malays are a people increasingly adrift, and as at ill at ease with themselves now, as their grandparents' generation appeared content.

It would have broken P Ramlee's heart.

Inflation!

Yet another small evidence of inflation arising from the hike in fuel prices.

On a lazy Saturday afternoon, I suddenly craved for my favourite rojak buah-buahan and tao foo fah. Hence my wife and I drove to the nearest stalls selling the delicacies. Upon reaching the rojak stall, I was shocked to see the prices - small RM2.70, big RM3.70. From my memory, large was only RM3.00 two months ago! Nevertheless, to please myself once in a while, I proceed to buy the big one. I also noted that the price of tao foo fah has also increased from RM1.20 to RM1.30. Inflation rate of 3.2% in June as reported by Bank Negara Malaysia? Definitely does not apply for hawker food. From past experience, every fuel price increase will spark off around 10% increase in food price. To the man on the street, the inflation rate he is exposed to might be much higher than the inflation rate reported by Bank Negara. Businessmen can always try to increase the prices of their products and services, leaving only the wage earners to sulk, as their salaries might have not been reviewed for the last 10 years!

Interest rates to creep up?

Some sources said that the interest rates would probably increase next year under the pressure of the rising inflation rate. The inflation has hit a 6-year high of 3.2% in June, largely due to the soaring global oil prices and the subsequent reduction of fuel subsidies by the government, in order to narrow its budget deficit.

Nevertheless, some analysts said inflation is not yet a major concern, as it could be mitigated by stronger ringgit. The Malaysian ringgit has appreciated more than 1.5% since the depeg on July 21.

From a man on the street point of view, I could only feel the impact of the increasing fuel price - used to be RM60+ a tank but now it's RM80 a tank! Food courts have increased prices by more than 10%! I wonder how many of us who do not deal with international trade really benefitted from ringgit appreciation? One thing remains certain - our salaries remain the same!

As for potential house buyers, please plan your purchase now, before Bank Negara increase the BLR too. Perhaps it's safer to go for fixed rate than variable rate.

AP saga (Part 3)

Just when most Malaysians thought Rafidah Aziz would finally open her mouth on the AP issue, she was absent from the weekly cabinet meeting. Some sources said she was not feeling well. Coincidence? Well, she can't be absent forever. Let's hope the truth will surface next week.

Hazy

Seems to be hazy since early this morning. Read from a blog that there's fierce fire in Sumatra and Cyberjaya.

Wonder when we are going to stop having haze few times a year. The air quality in KL is already bad enough without the haze.

The 90/10 Principle

I found this forwarded e-mail very meaningful even though most might find it boring and predictable.

Many times in life, due to our inability to think before reacting, we have changed the course of events, for the worse. Hopefully this will serve as a reminder to us all to keep cool when something bad happens. Our well thought reactions can really make a difference.

The 90/10 Principle
by Stephen Covey

Discover the 90/10 Principle.
It will change your life.
What is the 90/10 Principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you.
90% of life is decided by how you react.

What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down.
The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.
A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%.

The other 90% is different.
You determine the other 90%.
How? By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction.
Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.

Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family.
Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt.
You have no control over what just what happened.
What happens when the next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over.
She breaks down in tears.
After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table.
A short verbal battle follows.
You storm upstairs and change your shirt.
Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school.
She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work.
You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.
Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school.
Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye.
After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase.
Your day has started terribly.
As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse.
You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find a small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is D.

You had no control over what happened with the coffee.
How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you.
Your daughter is about to cry.
You gently say, "It's ok honey, you just need, to be more careful next time."
Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs.
After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus.
She turns and waves.
You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff.
Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios.
Both started the same.
Both ended different.
Why? Because of how you REACTED.

You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens.
The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.
If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge.
Let the attack roll off like water on glass.
You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day.
A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic?
Do you lose your temper?
Pound on the steering wheel?
A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!
Do you curse?
Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work?
Why let the cars ruin your drive?

Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job.
Why lose sleep and get irritated?
It will work out.
Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day.
Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant?
She has no control over what is going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger.
Why get stressed out?
It will just make things worse.

Now you know the 90-10 principle.
Apply it and you will be amazed at the results.
You will lose no thing if you try it.

The 90-10 principle is incredible.
Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache.
There never seem to be a success in life.
Bad days follow bad days.
Terrible things seem to be constantly happening.
There is constant stress, lack of joy, and broken relationships.
Worry consumes time.
Anger breaks friendships and life seems dreary and is not enjoyed to the fullest.
Friends are lost.
Life is a bore and often seems cruel.
Does this describe you? If so, do not be discouraged.
You can be different!

Understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It will change your life.