Hidup Melayu, Yes To ISA another version of 1Malaysia
Jul 31, 2009 General
How is “Hidup Melayu” “Hidup Islam” “Yes to ISA” going make Malaysians becoming a “1Malaysia” nation as Prime Minister Najib has envision?
It’s glaring divisive – not only along racial line but religious as well.
Tags: Malaysia
National daily The Star expanding Sarawak operation?
Jul 30, 2009 Media
Truemor – (not yet true but is likely to be true) has it that national daily The Star is expanding its operation in Sarawak. The daily currently has an office in Kuching and a correspondent in Miri.
As it subscriber – I’d hope that this truemor would eventually be true – so that I don’t have to wait until 5:00p.m for my paper to arrive and cost 10 cents more than the suggested price (certain shop sell it for RM2.40)
According to my journalist friends – The Star would also likely to shift the printing works to Kuching or Miri. Currently all the printing work is done by its HQ, in Kuala Lumpur.
The expansion would also likely to see several journalists from state dailies – Borneo Post and Eastern Times to jump ship.
WiMAX license and cronyism
Jul 30, 2009 General
They shouldn’t have been awarded the license to these companies in the first place, but in this Bolehland, politically connected businessmen often get their ways. This is how we end up with this mess:
The Government can revoke the licences of the three companies that have yet to provide the required WiMAX wireless service throughout the country, Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission had been asked to evaluate the three companies — YTL e-Solutions Bhd, Asiaspace Dotcom Sdn Bhd and REDtone International Bhd — that had not lived up to the terms of the licences issued to them, he said.
“They have to prove by the end of the year that they are able to provide wireless services, especially to Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
Rais said all companies responsible for providing wireless services must achieve a 25% broadband penetration by the end of this year, and up to 50% by the end of next year.
On whether their licences would be revoked, he said the Government has the right to do so under the licensing terms, but had to first issue warnings to them.
“We have given them warnings to prove why their licences should not be revoked by the end of the year if they do not fulfil their responsibility as required by their licences,” he said.
Four companies were awarded the 2.3GHz spectrum, allowing them to offer wireless broadband services using WiMAX technology, in 2007: Green Packet Bhd, REDtone, YTL e-Solutions and Asiaspace.
So far only Green Packet subsidiary Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd has rolled out its service extensively, while YTL e-Solutions and Asiaspace have had limited rollouts.
Green Packet, YTL e-Solutions and Asiaspace are licensed to offer WiMAX services in the peninsula, while REDtone’s area of operation is Sabah and Sarawak.
WiMAX, which stands for World Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a digital communications system that allows wireless broadband access to the Internet.
YTL is a construction company – what do they know about telecommunication?
Tags: Internet
More roads, but Kapit, Belaga, Long Pa Sia to remain road-less
Jul 29, 2009 General
I’ve lost count of how many roads will be built, currently being constructed 100 days before Najib becoming our PM, and the next 100 days after he got into the highest office.
Last year – there were announcements of nearly a billion ringgit allocated by the federal government to built or repaired bridges, roads damaged after the monsoon season. Immediately after March 2008 – Abdullah announced another billion to Sarawak.
Never in our short 47 – years of independent the federal government so much love (money). I’ve lost count of this too. So hope somebody out there can help me with that.
But we’re now into the second 100-days under Najib. “More goodies” – ( not me – but how government controlled media spun of the stories) were thrown by Najib to the eastern states of Malaysia.
Under Najib’s NKRA (National Key Result Areas) the nation will spend RM5 billion (US$1.4 billion) to build roads, including RM4 billion to double the length of new roads in Sabah and Sarawak to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from the 750 kilometers planned earlier.
But it is not clear if the 1500km roads will link places like Belaga, Kapit, Bario, Long Pa Sia, to other major towns and cities in Sarawak and Sabah?
Tags: Kapit
Thought it was sweet deal, but wait there’s a catch
Jul 27, 2009 General
There’s always a hidden term and condition apply in Malaysia. Remember seeing an Airasia adverts that said – it’s only cost you RM0.99 to fly from LCCT to Kuching on a one way trip!
Upon clicking the ‘pay now’ button you had the shocked of you life – when you actually need to pay RM120++. Don’t you feel being cheated – right in front of your eyes!
Earlier this month I was offered – a supposedly sweet travel voucher deal. A paid holidays of sort. Well, it isn’t that much – but had they pay me the full amount I’ll be staying at Le Meridien this coming Hari Raya holidays in Kota Kinabalu.
According to what was written in the voucher and what their local agent told me – it could be used to buy air ticket or hotel stays. However, I need to call their KL office for confirmation. So last Friday before leaving to Miri, I made a call to their KL office.
Obviously, it wasn’t a cheap call considering I need to press 1 for Bahasa Malaysia, 2 for English and 3 for Mandarin – then waited for another few seconds for the next option before finally getting through to a ‘real human voice’.
“If you want us to buy an air ticket we will charge you RM60 per ticket, sir,” a lady at the end of line said.
“Wah that already cost RM240 as there are four of us,” – I said to myself. Then asked about the other option – the hotel stay.
“For that you’ve to email us your confirmed travel itinerary,” she sweetly replied.
So today I email her my travel itinerary and the hotel where I’d be staying. Guess what.
“We will charge you RM20 per room, per night for that,” she wrote in her email. Frustrated, I e-mailed back “whatever! Just book me the darn hotel – and deduct whatever charges you want from the stated amount, and I’ll pay the remaining balances.”
Nowhere in the voucher, nor their local agent mentioned about the additional charges. It’s just so frustrating – why can’t they being truthful.
Tabloids featured, sensationalize sex stories to help sales
Jul 23, 2009 General
I was in Farley today, kinda bored waiting for my wife doing her usual shopping, I went to buy couple of local dailies, then, I’d usually walk straight to the other end of the supermarket reading them while having an ABC special (Air Batu Campur special or blended ice drink).
Farley ABC, is my favorite. I dare say it is probably the best in town – served in a big bowl, (sometimes feel it wasn’t big enough) and the taste is simply superb.
But today, there was something that caught my attention while at the news and magazine corner. On one of the shelves – there were about five different Malay tabloids and three of them splashing sex stories on their front pages!
I picked up one of them and quickly glanced through a story about a paralyzed husband having extraordinary energy for sex. I know what you’re thinking now.
Anyway, I didn’t read the whole story. Come on! Do you really believe it. I have not known anyone, particularly a Muslim lady willing to share her intimate husband-wife stories with me, what more with a tabloid newspaper.
It is merely a ploy by these tabloids to coax certain people to part with their hard earned RM2.80 for over sensationalize, made up, to some extent merely crap stories.
But they care nothing about that, after all, that’s how these tabloids make money. Sex sells right? Otherwise, why do you think advertisers often used beautiful, sexy, scantily clad women to promote their products?
Tags: Media
First class service at Pejabat Pelajaran, but too bad “no comment”
Jul 22, 2009 General
Went to meet Pegawai Pelajaran Bintulu. Instead of meeting Fatimah Matahir, I was shown the door of Fred Antau – my former school mate, by the ‘Penolong pegawai pelajaran Abdul Muin Abdul Kassim.
“We don’t want you to wait, Fred will help you guys” Muin said then left to continue his meeting with Pn. Pegawai Pelajaran.
I thought perhaps this guy can comment on the issue at hand. Then I showed Fred what I was there for – this Youtube video:
However, upon seeing Eric Pau, United Daily News, Bintulu branch Manager name card. There were slight change in Fred voices. He then sit straight on his chair while slowly pulling away from us towards the wall.
I asked “What’s your comment?” Instead of answering my question he asked me back “Will this be in the paper?”
“Yup” I said without hesitation. After we’re there to get information – that might be of interest to the public.
Hoping, there could be something of news worthy to dig from him, we talked for couple of minutes with Fred. However, we keep getting no “no comment” answers.
You know, the standard answer you’d normally get from a government officer – a by product of over bureaucratic Bolehland government.
Sigh. I said “look like there is nothing we can get from here Eric.”
“Well, at least I can meet you, after we left Kolej” Fred interjected.
I packed my stuff, we thank Fred, then left. While at the exit door, I asked for complaint form. The clerk manning the counter – smile and gave me two forms.
“This form is for staff manning the counter and the second form for the officers” she explained.
The frustrating thing about the encounter was that I had made the appointment a week earlier. En Muin had agreed that Pn. Pegawai Pelajaran was the right person to comment on the issue.
Anyway it’s nice to have met Fred after 20 plus years.
Tags: Education
PRS men trying to destablize SPDP, targeting Bintulu MP Tiong
Jul 22, 2009 General
Is this an attempted by a faction in Parti Rakyat Sarawak trying to rock the boat of Mawan’s Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party which has been sailing rather smoothly since its formation in 2002?
Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (standing) talking to Internal Trade, Co-operatives and Cosumerism minister. Tiong is the target of a faction in PRS trying to destablize SPDP ahead of its delegates conference expected to be held soon.
I like to think so. Throwing wild accusations at Chinese towkays in Dayak parties as the root of parties’ problems such this is rather shallow. Obviously of not much to help the Dayak community, either.
The problem lies with the kind of leaders that the Dayak elected lately. Many of these politicians get into politics not out of their desire to serve the people who elected them, but an opportunity to accumulate wealth.
A prominent Dayak professor once jokingly told me “he’d not at all surprised if some of them can be bought as low as RM100,000, because with that much money they easily retire after their term end.
Breakfast meet-up with Bintulu Community Forum members and blogger
Jul 19, 2009 General
Had a breakfast meet-up this morning with group of Bintulu bloggers and forumer. Thank to IceLemonTea and Mr Justice for the treat. IceLemonTea dad was such nice man. As usual – the talks on the breakfast table were current issues – Sarawak politics.
I’m also happy to have met Dr John Anthony Brian – who was having his breakfast – a few tables away from where we were sitting. He once called me “A faceless blogger with no real name” for criticizing his softening tune after the Batang Ai by-election.
Tags: Meet Up
Microsoft Office 2010 will be available free usage online
Jul 14, 2009 Technology
Microsoft the defender of paid software – announced what was once believe to be unthinkable. The tech giant reported to be offering a version of its Microsoft Office Suites (Word, Excel) dubbed Office 2010 for free online.
According to Fortune both the online and desktop versions are scheduled to arrive in the first half of next year.
However, unlike Google Docs, the online version of Word, Excel and PowerPoint will be ad-supported. It is said to be part of the strategies to tightwads who weren’t going to buy a copy of the Office into Google’s arms.
This way, rather than force those folks into Google’s arms, Microsoft can hook them into its online world and tempt them with its latest technology.
Tags: Microsoft