Recent Articles
PRS men trying to destablize SPDP, targeting Bintulu MP Tiong
Jul 22, 2009 General Leave a comment
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 Leave a comment
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.
Microsoft Office 2010 will be available free usage online
Jul 14, 2009 Technology Leave a comment
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.
Will Google Chrome OS breaks Microsoft Windows dominant?
Jul 11, 2009 Technology Leave a comment
Google often shying away from directly taking on Microsoft in the past.
However, over the years, the online advertising giant have been introducing ranges of products that directly compete with Microsoft.
Take for example, Google chrome – against Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Google Apps competing against Microsoft Office Suites (Word, Excel).
And on July 7, Google announced plan to launch lightweight operating system dubbed Chrome OS (operating system) – directly targeted at Microsoft Windows OS. The OS, will be made available by middle of next 2010 as a free OS.
What Google Chrome OS will be like?
Sundar Pichai in a blog post hinted that Chrome OS will be about speed, simplicity and security.
“We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you on the web in a few seconds,” Pichai, vice-president of product management, and Google engineering director Linus Upson.
Both men said they are completely redesigning security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruss, malware and security updates.
Positive responses
Several PC makers have shown interest to test the new OS. Acer, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Toshiba were among top companies Google said supporting the OS.
Dell on Friday said it would also consider testing Google’s upcoming Chrome operating system, but didn’t commit to offering the Linux-based OS in future products.
Personally I’m exhilarated by the announcement of the OS. For the first time, Microsoft finally have a real, credible competitor. Will definitely try the new OS once it available made available to the public.
SMK Assyakirin plight got media coverage – finally
Jul 10, 2009 General Leave a comment
The last few days spent highlighting the plight of some 200 plus students from Sg. Plan area in the media. Today several dailies (Eastern Times, United Daily News, Sin Hua Daily) featured a story about them.
Kinda wondering why there were no mentioned of these youtube videos:
State Legislative Assemblyman for Kidurong, Chew Chin Sing immediate response when asked to comment on the issue.
Unbelievable! Kancil car cost RM424 for 2-days rent in Kota Kinabalu
Jul 1, 2009 General Leave a comment
It’s been awhile since my last visit to Kota Kinabalu or KK – a city that native Sabahans obviously hate to share with ‘Pilak’ illegal immigrants? from neighboring Philippines and Indonesia.
As in any other cities around the country – Kota Kinabalu physical transformation is no less impressive over the last few years. Landmark development project such as the Sutera Harbour had transformed once an eyesore squatters area into a five star resort complete with its own golf course and marina!
The must visit – handicraft market (also known as Filipino market) located along Tun Fuad Stephen road, which is within 5 minutes walking distance from the Le Meridien hotel showed no sign of business slowing down – despite current global recession.
We accept credit card sign is now becoming common sight in the Pasar Kraftangan locally known as Filipinos market - whose customers include moneyed Bruneian, west Malaysian and Singaporean visitors.
Well moneyed Bruneian, west Malaysian and Singaporean visitors still thronged the market looking for bargain popular women accessories such as crystal bracelets, brooch, necklaces and pearl (both fake and genuine are sold).
I remember Sepanggar bay area was very much an outskirt, peripheral area no less different than the villages found along the Likas river. Not anymore. Now it has the biggest lifestyle hyper-mall on the island of Borneo – the 1Borneo Hyper Mall and two four star rated international hotels!
Real estate developers are busy building condominiums, premium real estates – probably anticipating more demand in future.
Renting a car is the best way to get around Kota Kinabalu. But it isn't come cheap in Kota Kinabalu nowadays.
Perhaps, in tandem with the city fast changing landscape, so too, the cost of goods and services around the city. Car rental business for example is growing, probably booming as demand increases. Now to rent a car you need at least RM400++ – that’s inclusive of RM 18.00 Collision Damage Waiver, another RM 200.00 for car deposit.
Mind you, that’s the lowest rate you expected to pay not for a Mercedes or other higher capacity cars. But a Kancil. Kancil 660cc to be exact, not 850cc! Another company quoted a proton saga (old model) car at RM280 per day! – something I used to pay for a Honda in Kuala Lumpur!
I didn’t dare to ask for 4-WD vehicles such as Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi storm or Ford Ranger quotation – knowing it would cost me a fortune for two days rent.
Thankful, our friend Chua came back to Kota Kinabalu from vacation on time. He helped us with the car rental. Instead of paying RM400++ we only paid RM120 for two days rental.
Sarawak politicians help funding Malaysian Mirror?
Jul 1, 2009 Media Leave a comment
MalaysiaMirror.com officially launched by former premier Tun Mahathir is reported to be backed (funded is probably the correct description) by deep pocket Sarawakian politicians? Rumored to be a BN component party leader?
But the portal editor Francis Siah, quash the rumour by saying “I don’t know the president of this party and neither does he knows me,”
However, available info on the portal didn’t refute the fact that it is funded by politicians.
Any chance it could be SUPP boss? or SPDP? – the multi-millionaire Datuk Seri Tiong?
1Borneo, the largest probably, certainly not the best
Jun 29, 2009 General Leave a comment
Visited Kota Kinabalu briefly last week. A lot have changed since my last visit there. 1Borneo – the shopping complex – touted itself as the “largest lifestyle hyper mall” was the most visible addition.
Note – it says ‘largest hyper mall”. However it didn’t say where – but I bet – they are referring to island of Borneo. No doubt it was ‘big’ but not huge – probably two third of Times Square, Kuala Lumpur.
1Borneo is celebrating it first year anniversary promising to give shopper cash rewards. I was expecting the mall to be packed with shoppers as it was a Saturday afternoon. Surprised. I asked a friend why the mall look rather ’shopper-less’. He said it an expensive place to shop. Most people still prefer the good, familiar place to shop – the Center Point.
“Who wants to buy the same good, same brand name at double the price of Center Point,” he remarked.
I was also told that the 1Borneo GSC (Golden Screen Cinema) roof located at the top floor collapsed barely month after it was opened. Asked if it was ever reported in the media – he said “no one dare as it involved the most powerful man in Sabah”.
A typical ‘Bolehland’ way of doing businesses. There were cracks everywhere on the floor and larger ones were concealed with carpets.
“Opening Soon” signage like this one were everywhere.
Four year-old Turkish boy survives freak car accident
Jun 24, 2009 General Leave a comment
In freak accident in southern Turkish town – a boy named Mohammet Dirlik, 4 survived a freak accident after being hit by car. He was standing on top of The speeding motor slews off the road and crashes into the Turkish boy, who is standing at the top of a flight of eight concrete stairs.
Muhammet escapes certain death by just a few centimeters as the car’s bumper appears to catch him on the back of his legs and sends him flying 10 feet through the air.
As the car ploughs through the glass shop window front, the lucky youngster darts to the left and lands on his backside at the bottom of the stairs.
Amazingly, moments after the horror collision, Muhammet jumps up from the ground and appears to run around in small circles, looking dazed and confused.
Malaysians have to wait for another 10 years for broadband internet
Jun 24, 2009 Technology Leave a comment
According Dr Ongkili high-speed broadband Internet infrastructure was being rolled out currently and would take about 10 years to complete. He said it’s going to cost RM11.2 billion of which RM2.4 billion from the government another RM8.9 billion from Telekom Malaysia.
“We need major roll-out of the broadband plan in order to reduce costs. Pikom (Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia) has proposed that the cost should be no more than RM30 a month to make broadband accessible to all and increase Internet access.
He said he believed that target broadband speeds of 20Mbps for the commercial sector and not less than 2Mbps for the general population could be achieved within the next three years.
He added that while high-speed broadband Internet development was in the purview of the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry, his ministry was responsible for content development.