We have bigger fish to fry

Friday, 16 December 2011 Super Admin

I know many of you are excited about the cow scandal now engulfing Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dato’ Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. But that’s peanuts compared to what’s cooking at the Defence Ministry. It’s comical and unfair for some UMNO leaders to ask Shahrizat to resign when they are all in the same pot.

ZAID IBRAHIM

Four months ago, I wrote about Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and Co. wanting to purchase six more Second Generation Patrol Vessels or SGPVs for the Navy. The story was ignored by the public ; and so I have to write this again.

Some of you will recall that when the Government decided to privatise the Lumut Naval Dockyard in the early 1990s to the man with the white hair Tan Sri Amin Shah Omar, that exercise also entailed the Government buying six patrol vessels from him for the Navy.

That exercise cost taxpayers RM9 billion: RM6 billion for the patrol vessels and RM3 billion for interest charges for late payments and exchange rate losses. Amin Shah ordered the vessels from the German company Blohm + Voss. Apart from procuring the six patrol vessels, Lumut Naval Dockyard (now Boustead Naval Shipyard) also paid RM300 million for their design so that we could build additional units ourselves if we needed them in future. “Malaysia Boleh!” was, after all, the rallying cry then, and our defence officials have never failed to brandish the catchphrase, “transfer of technology”.

Fast-forward 15 years later and our current Defence Minister has decided to buy another six patrol vessels. It will cost more this time, naturally, since these are second generation SGPVs with a new design to be built by another company, DCNS. Why we are not using the design that we paid so much for is something we should be thinking about. And why Zahid and Boustead Naval Shipyard have decided to change our supplier to DCNS is anybody’s guess.

All I can confirm is that DCNS is a famous company because DCNS supplied us Scorpene submarines (a deal in which someone equally famous got RM500 million in duit kopi). DCNS is also involved in a corruption scandal in Taiwan, where they had been sued by the Taiwan government for recovery of more than USD1 billion for a kickback scandal.

So how much will this new procurement cost Malaysian taxpayers? The new vessels’ combat and management system will be decided by some foreign consultants and not by the Royal Malaysian Navy, so your guess is as good as mine. But it’s not just the money I am worried about. The consultants are Singapore based companies. Are they not foreigners?. What if they recommend a system that compromises our national security? What assurance do we have that these consultants are not our enemies? Every time we question the Government’s secrecy in the procurement of defence equipment, we are told that it’s in our national interests to be kept in the dark. Now I know why.

I am certain that input from our Royal Navy into this very important procurement has been minimal at best. So we can expect an announcement later that will sound something like this: the base price for the vessels is RM10 billion while the maintenance, training and parts contracts will cost RM1 billion a year for 10 years. That means Tabung Angkatan Tentera, which has the controlling stake in Boustead Holdings, and ordinary Malaysians (who will be getting RM500 soon) must be prepared to shoulder the burden of a RM20 billion defence contract for vessels that neither you nor I can even be sure we need.

I know many of you are excited about the cow scandal now engulfing Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dato’ Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. But that’s peanuts compared to what’s cooking at the Defence Ministry. It’s comical and unfair for some UMNO leaders to ask Shahrizat to resign when they are all in the same pot.

For the moment, I hope our Defence Minister or Prime Minister can answer three simple questions: firstly, are we buying the six patrol vessels from DCNS and for how much? Secondly, why were foreign consultants engaged, to the exclusion of the Navy, to recommend combat systems and other sensitive components of the vessels? And thirdly, why are we not having a competitive bid for this project? I hope we can get some answers soon, before the General Election.

unquote from: http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/45832-we-have-bigger-fish-to-fry

Are we stupid enough to fall for the same scam?

Are we stupid enough to fall for the same scam?

By Kee Thuan Chye

Friday, 25 November 2011

I can’t help but wonder if the government really thinks that Malaysians are stupid. So stupid that we can be hoodwinked into believing that the changes they propose to our laws amount to actual reform.
Two months ago, when Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that newspapers would no longer have to renew their publishing licences annually, he might have expected us to go ga-ga and applaud and say that the media would now be freer.

But if we had done that, we would indeed have been stupid. Because we would not have realised that there is really no change.

Even if the newspapers need not renew their licences every year, the fact remains that the home minister still retains the power to suspend or close down any newspaper at any time - if he feels it is too free in expressing its views, or for whatever reasons.

So, whether there is renewal or not, it does not matter. As long as the home minister is still as powerful as before, your newspaper can still get into trouble with him. What’s more, his decision cannot be challenged in court.

Ah! If you now say that stinks like a scam, that the government is actually trying to deceive us, you would be right. But if you still think, like the mainstream media does, that there is actual reform in that licence renewal waiver, then the government would be right in thinking that Malaysians are stupid. Or, at least, some Malaysians.

You may be surprised that there are indeed such stupid Malaysians.

They are the ones who continue to support the ruling party and defend its policies, including its numerous flip-flops. They are the ones who will vote for that party at the next general election and say it is better to go with the devil they know than the devil they don’t know.

They are the ones who don’t know they are being fooled. They might even be people who know they are being fooled, but still choose to go with the devil who is fooling them. Needless to say, the ones who know they are being fooled and still continue to support the party are even more stupid.

Disturbing restrictions

And they will continue to be stupid if they believe that the Peaceful Assembly Bill, which the government tabled two days ago, is a step forward, guarantees more freedom, and will lead to Malaysia being “the best democracy” as promised by Najib.

Their stupidity will not allow them to see that it’s another attempt to hoodwink Malaysians. They will say it’s good because it allows Malaysians to gather in public without having any need to apply for a police permit.

Yes, on the surface, it looks good that a police permit is no longer required. But now consider the other conditions. The most disturbing one is this - although you don’t need a police permit, your assembly cannot proceed if there is objection by the police.

What? Isn’t that like getting a police permit?

Let me repeat. You don’t need a permit but if the police object, your assembly can’t go on. So, what does that mean? Your assembly is still dependent on police approval, isn’t it? So what’s new?

If you straight away say, “That police permit waiver is a scam!”, then you’re not stupid. Because there is no change. And you can see it for what it is.

In fact, it has now become worse. You have to give the police advance notice of your assembly 30 days before it is due to be held. Thirty days! That’s a long time to plan.

And what happens if you want to stage a spontaneous assembly? What if the government does something cruel and unfair and unlawful and citizens feel compelled to take to the streets to protest against it immediately?

Well, that will be considered illegal. And if you don’t provide the 30-day notice, you can be fined up to RM10,000!

Youth discriminated

And did I mention the words “streets” and “protest”?

Well, according to the new bill, no street protests will be allowed.

What? Then what’s the point of an assembly? Only for socialising? For merely hanging about in public? No placards? No cheering? No chanting?

The new bill is obviously designed to protect the government, not to give more democratic space to the citizens. It is designed to prevent people from protesting against the government.

In fact, the new bill transgresses the rights of freedom guaranteed in the federal constitution.

One, if you are below the age of 21, you cannot organise an assembly. Is that fair? Are those below that age not citizens who should enjoy equal rights? Is this democracy? Is this “the best democracy”?

Two, if you are below the age of 15, you cannot take part in an assembly except cultural and religious ones, like funeral processions, or events approved by the home minister. Again, discrimination. Again, power to the home minister.

Three, areas at which public gatherings cannot be held have now been specified. Has this ever been done before?

Bill gives cops more power

And if you were to look at the list of prohibited areas, which include petrol stations, hospitals, mosques, fire stations, kindergartens, schools, etc, you would see that the democratic space - also in physical terms - has become even smaller. Especially since there must also be a buffer zone of 50 metres around each of these areas that public gatherings cannot traverse.

Most districts, especially in city centres, have a few of such areas in close proximity to one another. As such, the interstices between the buffers would be too small to accommodate a mass of people.

How then would a public assembly be able to fill these little spaces? This condition is clearly aimed at discouraging assemblies in city centres.

Four, the police have even more power now. They can decide to arrest any assembly participants they deem a problem, and those arrested can be fined up to RM20,000. Is that providing more freedom or more deterrence? And who is to say the police decisions may not be arbitrary?

So, my fellow Malaysians, are we going to be stupid? Are we going to accept this bill that discriminates against some of us, throttles our freedom and disregards the constitution?

Are we going to be fools and be thankful to the government and say the bill is providing reform and taking Malaysia forward, and should therefore be passed into law? Are we going to be twice bitten by the same scam and not be aware of it?

Well, there’s no fine imposed yet for taking to the streets. And there’s still leeway to do it without giving 30 days’ advance notice. Once the law is passed, however, it will be too late.

... unquote

Teaching of Math and Science only in BM.

Some questions:

What is the best interest of the students? To be able to speak to the 270 million Indonesians? To remain under the coconut shell? To remain subservient to the Barang Naik govt?

Name the groups that the study and consultations were made with? Is it Perkasa?

Is this another scheme in the DIVIDE and CONQUER strategy by the powers that be?

Why not get the students to vote and each school pass the results to MooHidden? Of course, the result must be openly announced during the assembly of each school so that there's no phantom votes in favour of MooHidden. Simple only!!!

Anyway, if implemented, the International Schools are going to have a ball and more such schools will be mushrooming.

So, what's the bottomline for the man on the street? I foresee prices going up as those business people will want greater profits so that their children can go to the International School.

If there's a God, may God bless Malaysia. Better still, may He come down and rule for the betterment of Mankind. Aiyooo....

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Monday October 31, 2011

PPSMI scrapped only after study

RUBEN SARIO and DURIE RAINER FONG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: The decision to revert the teaching of Science and Mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia was made in the best interest of the 5.3 million students, reiterated Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“This decision was not done in haste. It was done after careful study and consultations with various groups,” the Deputy Prime Minister said after launching Parti Bersatu Sabah congress here yesterday.

He added that parents who objected to the decision to abolish the Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) programme were entitled to their opinions.

Muhyiddin said this when asked about a move by the Parent Action Group for Education to submit a letter to the Prime Minister today, urging the Government to review its decision to scrap the PPSMI.

He said that even with the decision to scrap the PPSMI, ensuring that Malaysian students learn English was still a priority through the new policy of Upholding Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening the English Language (MBM-MBI) to be implemented from next year.

Separately, Muhyiddin said the Education Ministry had decided to empower education department directors in Sabah and Sarawak to approve certain projects to ensure their quick implementation.

For a start, he said the ministry would empower directors to approve small-scale contracts costing up to a maximum of RM5mil.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/31/nation/9806607&sec=nation

Why the fuss over the 2010 AG Report.

After all the exposure, year in, year out, there's NFA and it's NATO by our Chief Secretary. Yet, there are imbeciles still voting BN into power. When is this outrageous spending of taxpayers' money going to end?

If the BN voting stops, so does the spending!!!

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Saturday, 29 October 2011

Why the fuss over the 2010 AG Report.

Let us show you a few examples. Perhaps then readers will understand what all the fuss is over the AG Report.

Bizarre overpricing- the National Youth Skills Institute (under the Youth and Sports Ministry) approved the purchase of a car jack that cost RM50 for RM5,700, a digital camera that cost RM2,990 was bought for RM8,254 and RM1,146 was paid for a set of technical pens with a market price of RM160;

Negligence- the Police Air Wing purchased two helicopters worth RM117.75 million, which could not be used, as they did not meet specifications. Another RM15.4mil was spent to train pilots to fly these helicopters.

Incompetence- Customs Department under-utilized its RM290mil information technology system but was planning to spend another RM451.30mil to develop a new one.

These are the findings of the Auditor General’s report a few years ago. If the transgressions were not rectified, we know it means, things have not improved. If matters are left as they are, we can then more or less expect what’s coming. We can expect the same stories about negligence and incompetence because those responsible are laid back about the issues. We have all the reasons to believe that the report for 2011, next year, will reveal the same story about misappropriation of funds, bizarre overpricing, projects not completed. These are indicators of negligence, incompetence and regretfully said- of officious arrogance.

The 2010 Auditor General's Report is precisely that- voluminous and horrifying mentions about more or less the same findings contained in reports of preceding years. What does that say? It says loud and clear, the same transgressions committed were not rectified or even allowed to continue. It means the same wrongdoings are allowed to be perpetrated because the enabling circumstances and possibly the same perpetrators were allowed to persist. It further shows those responsible to ensure the transgressions are not repeated have been incompetent and negligent in carrying remedial actions.

The same people who did all the transgressions are still in commanding positions; they will have the opportunity to improve upon their incompetence by doing more damage. The Chief Secretary’s village fool response by way of saying he is not worried and that the problem has been dealt with because he has sent circulars asking officials to exercise more discipline is a negligent expression and ensuing act of gross callousness. I am afraid, the public isn’t that forgiving.

We don’t want circulars- we want those transgressors punished or even sacked. Ask them to publicly explain what happened to those overspendings? Let’s ask the chairman of Giatmara for example, where is the shop that sells the heavy duty blender for 4 times the market price. Let’s make it the 1 Malaysia shop for heavy duty blenders. Maybe even give them soft loan from EPF. Let us Mydin the shop.

Yet we want to extend the services of such a fellow. Let’s elect Allred E Newman for Chief Secretary then. Then, we are assured the same transgressions repeated, will be met with the same incredulous response of what me worry!

The answer is also, we don’t have to suffer the incompetence of those entrusted to manage public money. If they don’t manage properly and because it’s our money they are managing, they deserve to be publicly assailed. This isn’t about being perplexed as to why the opposition should bicker about the report. If you do, then we shall have to explain to you in as simple terms as possible.

This is beyond opposition. This is about, the mismanagement of our money which deserves being treated as a cause of concern for possible fraud and deception.

The short answer to the question then as to why the opposition gets irked by the audit report as do all right thinking Malaysians is the money being treated isn’t the property of the transgressors. That being so, the administration of the money and the application of the funds thereof, must be done with utmost care. It’s not your father’s money. That is the short answer.

The long answer is, Malaysians are fed up of the deception and misappropriation of funds.

For the year 2010, the government approved a budget of RM 149 billion for operating expenditure. This wasn’t enough and the government had to increase the opex to 151 billion. The report said 9 ministries over spent. Here is where all of us should be concerned. This is taxpayers money being spent on opex. The 2 billion could have been spent of capex capital expenditure which builds capacity to create more wealth.

Now, Malaysians are equally outraged by the revelations of the 2010 Auditor-General Reports on the continuing financial scandals, hanky-panky and gross financial negligence in government. We are horrified to learn for example, the National Sports Institute acquired 23 horses totalling RM5.66 million without a Financial Ministry go-ahead with none of the horses competed in two recommended international championships; we have the case of the RM142 million RazakSAT malfunctioning barely a year after being commissioned; wait, we have more- The Malaysian Marine Parks Department spent a whopping RM56,350 for a pair of night vision Marine binoculars, 29 times more than its market value of RM1,940; and paid the same amount for another pair of night vision Bushnell binoculars, or 1,893 per cent more than its actual price of RM2,827.

We are once again appalled at the incompetence of front line workers incapable of appreciating the importance of proper placement of decimal points and making accounting mistakes that resulted in wasteful overspending. These should not have happened if there are efficient and proper internal audit systems. As the result of a laid back attitude, we are told of stories where a pensioner received RM21, 433 a month instead of RM214.33 for 16 months!. The mistake was detected after more than a year. The officer who finally detected the mistake should be a given a merit order.

We are also dismayed of hearing Giatmara Centre mistakenly paying RM170 per kg instead of RM1.70 per kg for sugar for a poverty eradication programme or RM25, 500 for 150 kg of sugar! This must be a special kind of sugar.

What about the village-fool response that I mentioned above? In his response to the 2010 Auditor-General’s Reports, the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan has repeated his annual reaction and call to all departments and agencies to take heed of the Auditor-General’s comments and views. Which goes to show, that what I said about the same mistakes being repeated did take place, otherwise, he wouldn’t have to repeat his annual reaction would he?

No wonder then, there was this need to delay the submission of the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report to ensure that it would not completely overshadow Najib’s 2012 Budget. Otherwise, the Finance Minister’s charitable overtures would be overshadowed and overwhelmed by the over 1,300 pages of exposes of financial irregularities, hanky-panky as well as misappropriation of public funds in the first full year of PM Najib’s premiership.

All right thinking Malaysians are waiting for the Finance Minister or the Chief Secretary to explain the delay in submitting the 2010 Auditor-General Reports until after the end of the parliamentary debate on the 2012 Budget. If the Report was enclosed alongside the budget documents, the AG Report would have been the foremost parliamentary issue.

Posted by sakmongkol AK47 at 3:26 AM

source: http://sakmongkol.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-fuss-over-2010-ag-report.html

Ex-cop: Why is the gov't afraid to act on Gani Patail?

Mat Zain Ibrahim, the fair and honest Malaysians are very thankful for your letter and is concerned about your safety.

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Ex-cop: Why is the gov't afraid to act on Gani Patail?

4:21PM Oct 27, 2011

A former senior police officer alleges that the Najib Abdul Razak administration is not willing to take action to form a tribunal against attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail for his alleged wrong-doings, following fears that it (the government) could also be similarly implicated in such crimes.

Mat Zain Ibrahim, in his open letter sent to Najib last week and made available to Malaysiakini today, claims that he briefed Najib in 2008 when he was still the deputy premier about Gani’s alleged misconduct.

In the open letter titled ‘Rule of Law government breaks its promises’, Mat Zain stated there is a public perception that Najib refuses to take action against Gani (right) because the premier feared the AG may expose some so-called secrets with regard to Altantuya Sharibuu or the Scorpene submarines purchase.

“I am of the opinion that YAB Datuk Seri and the government will do everything possible to avoid any criminal charges being preferred against Gani. The government is worried that should Gani be proven to have abused his powers for cheating or falsification/corruption, then simultaneously the government would then be guilty of having done the same thing since 1990.”

Mat Zain revealed that his investigations found three letters of undertaking dated April and May 1990 signed by three well-known entrepreneurs (Abdul Halim Saad, Wan Azmi Hamzah and Tajudin Ramli) which confirmed they held several hundred million ringgit of assets for Daim Zainuddin.

Daim was finance minister from 1984 to 1991, and again from 1999 to 2001.

Mat Zain noted that he had investigated the allegations that the three entrepreneurs had held the assets in trust for Daim when an official complaint was made in 1999 by Anwar Ibrahim.

In the three letters concerned:-

• Abdul Halim confirmed he held 52,208,500 Faber Merlin (M) Bhd shares and 130,000,000 Renong Berhad shares for and on behalf of Daim based on a letter dated April 30, 1990.

• Wan Azmi also affirmed he held RM150 million in cash in trust on behalf of Daim.

• Tajudin, in his letter dated May 24, 1990, confirmed he held RM70 million cash in trust on behalf of Daim.

‘Letters are material evidence’

Those three letters, Mat Zain said, are material evidence to implicate the entire cabinet at that point of time.

“Most people still remember when even a little letter from the Johor state secretary’s office in 1953 could cause not only the loss of Pulau Batu Putih to Singapore, but most importantly resulted in “loss of face”, our dignity and the sovereignty of our country.

“If such a brief letter from the Johor office can be accepted as material evidence by the International Court of Justice, then, I believe, the 1990 letters and the three fabricated expert reports prepared on Gani’s instructions could overcome any attempts to twist the facts.

“Personally, I am of the view that the documents are enough to destroy the credibility of the government since the 1990s. They can be used as proof that the abuse of powers, corruption, cheating and falsifications that have occurred all this while, were never done for the sake of the country, nor the rulers nor for any particular race or religion,” he said.

Mat Zain claims that Gani knew of the three letters as he had personally dealt with him (Gani) and extended all the documents pertaining to this case to the then-Anti-Corruption Agency in July and August 1999.

“Perhaps YAB Datuk Seri is fully aware of the facts from the very outset, being a full minister and a member of the cabinet since 1986,” he said.

“Even though YAB may not be in a position to order a full-scale investigation on Daim (right), at the very least YAB should assume the responsibility to clarify the dubious relationship between Gani and Tajudin in the context of the investigation into the Malaysia Airlines scandal.

At the very least, Mat Zain said, Najib as the Finance Minister should explain to the people whether the RM 70 million held by Tajuddin on Daim’s behalf had been returned to its original owners or otherwise.

That is why, Mat Zain said, he would be not be surprised if Gani had a role to play in the much talked about multi-million suit settlement between several government linked corporations and Tajudin.

He also said that the recent allegation that Gani performed the haj trip together with Tajudin’s proxy, and followed by another that he received gratifications from Ho Hup Berhad, are not therefore unusual or surprising.

source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/179777

What say you, Ibrahim Tongkat Ali aka Katak?

'Modern' Malays not so pure: M'sian study

Thursday, 27 October 2011 Aurora

"In response to an Article by Michael Chick in 2008, about the "Malays not being a race", Professor Zilfalil Alwi, of USM has conducted DNA research on Malays in Malaysia. The following article provides more information.

By Diyana Ibrahim, The Brunei Times

A MODERN Malay cannot be easily identified based on physical characteristics alone, said a medical geneticist from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), who presented a paper at the 2nd Borneo History Seminar held at the International Convention Centre last week.

"'Modern Malays' are an admixture of races," said Professor Zilfalil Alwi, whose paper "Asal Usul Melayu Berdasarkan Fakta Genetik" (Tracing the Origins of the Malays by Analysing Genetic Data) discusses a three-year study involving around 50,000 volunteers.

"Nowadays you can't tell the difference whether someone is Chinese or Malay by appearance alone," he added.

A recently completed study conducted by USM researchers yielded genetic evidence to support this theory, he continued. Subjects included those from five Malay sub-ethnic groups (the Malay Bugis, Malay Jawa, Malay Minang, Malay Kedah and Malay Kelantan) found in the Malay Peninsula.

These subjects were first interviewed to ascertain that they are Muslims, speak local Malay dialect and come from at least three generations of Malay, with both parents as Malays. They must also give consent to the use of their blood samples as research material.

Professor Zilfalil explained that the genome of each subject were extracted from each of these blood samples one genome is one complete set of genetic information of a particular individual. Genetic markers called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were then identified for each genome.

The distance between two particular genetic markers determined the genetic composition of each Malay subjects.

The research discovered that the Malays in these sub-ethnic groups were genetically composed of some Proto-Malay (orang asli Melayu), Semang and Indian DNA, with at least 20 per cent Malay and and 52 per cent Chinese DNA.

"This finding corresponds with a theory that these Malays originated from Austronesia in Yunnan, China," Professor Zilfalil said, " with the first wave of migration from Austronesia to Southeast Asia occurring in 25, 000 BC and the second one in 1, 500 BC".

The professor added that "the Malay language used in the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak also belongs to the Austronesian stock".

Another theory presented by Professor Zilfalil was that early Malays could also be Indian priests who came to the Malay peninsula to spread Hinduism.

From the research results, the professor explained that the Kelantan Malays, Kedah (Lembah Bujang) Malays and Pattani Malays were clustered together based on their DNA composition. This is how he genetically concluded that Kelantan is the "cradle of Malay culture".

Meanwhile, the Malay-Hindu Langkasuka kingdom, which was founded in Pattani (today's Southern Thailand) in around 200 AD, was believed to be one of the oldest kingdoms on the Malay Peninsula.

From his presentation, the 'Indianisation' of the Malay peninsula was described in early Chinese accounts, where there was a Hindu kingdom in the lower Mekong Basin called Funan during the third century. The 'Indianisation' process then culminated in the seventh century with the development of the Srivijaya kingdom.

Kedah was previously the headquarters for the Srivijaya empire and an important entreport for Arab traders. It was in Lembah Bujang, Kedah that the first Malay settlement was found.

Professor Zilfalil presented his research paper on October 18.

When we say that Malaysia spends ten times more for government procurement compared to other countries, they respond by saying that only 40% of what Malaysia Today says can be believed. The other 60% are damn lies. Well, look at the lies below.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Govt allocates RM6 billion for 6 patrol vessels

(Bernama) - The Government has agreed to allocate RM6 billion to build six second-generation patrol vessels for the Royal Malaysian Navy, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (photograph above) said.

The construction of the ships will boost the economy while benefiting 632 vendor companies, he told reporters here yesterday after a briefing on the project.

“Thus, we will ensure that at least RM2 billion of the allocation will benefit these vendor companies, which are strategic partners of Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd,” he added.

Ahmad Zahid said that he would monitor the progress of the project, due to start next year, and ensure that all concerned benefit from it and that there was no delay in paying the vendors.

He said that Boustead Naval Shipyard had constructed several new generation vessels for the navy and shown itself to be on par with other ship builders in the world.

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East Timor paid US$28 million for the 175-tonne Shanghai class boats

East Timor is acquiring two navy patrol boats from South Korea (picture above) as the country moves further out of Australia's sphere of military influence.

The acquisition, which has not been publicly announced, comes after the country bought two 43-metre Chinese patrol boats, which strained relations between Australia and the government in Dili earlier this year.

East Timor's marine police unit is also moving to purchase nine smaller boats, adding to its fleet of three, the marine police commander, Lino Saldanha, told journalists in Dili.

When the Chinese patrol boats were launched in June, Ian Storey, a regional defence expert at the Institute of South-East Asian Studies in Singapore, said Dili wanted to ''demonstrate to Canberra that it has other choices when it comes to defence partners''.

East Timor paid US$28 million for the 1960s-designed, 175-tonne Shanghai class boats.

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The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter: Price US$41 million

The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter will be a key component of the Coast Guard’s recapitalised fleet. It will be capable of speeds in excess of 28 knots and feature a cutter boat stern ramp launch and recovery system. Its armament includes one stabilized, remotely-operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served 0.50 caliber machine guns. It will have a crew capacity of 23 people and will be able to perform independently for a minimum of five days at sea and be underway for 2,500 hours per year.

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The Clyde River class patrol boats: Price £30 million or US$48 million

Specifications

Displacement: 1,854 tonnes full load

Length Overall: 81.5m (265 feet)

Length waterline: 73.6m

Beam: 13.6m (46 feet)

Draught - 3.8m (11.5 feet)

Speed: 19 knots full load (21kts sprint)

Endurance: 21-day endurance,

Range: 5,500 nm at 12 knots

Engineering: Main Engines 2 X 12V RK270 Rushton Marine Diesels Rated at 4125kw at 1000 RPM;

Bow Thruster: 280 kw; Stern Thruster: 185 kw; 3 Main Generators: 250 kw; 1 Emergency Generator: 170 kw

Guns: 1 x 30mm, 4 x GMPG

Sensors: Terma Scanter 4100 air and surface surveillance radar

Complement: 36 (6 officers, 9 SR, 21 JR), accommodation for 58

Aviation: Flight Deck Arrangements sufficient size to take for a Lynx, Sea King and Merlin Helicopters

See more details/specifications/photographs here: http://navy-matters.beedall.com/opvh.htm

Wow!!! RM1 billion each for an offshore patrol vessel? It's made of gold, perhaps?

What is this Zahid talking about? And, who are the 632 vendors?

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Tuesday February 8, 2011

RM6bil to purchase six ships too much, says Pua

PETALING JAYA: DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua (pic) has urged the Government to be more transparent in awarding contracts to ensure public money is not wasted on overpriced purchases.

He was commenting on the Defence Ministry’s allocation of RM6bil to purchase six offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Malaysian Navy, to be built by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd.

Pua questioned the amount for the six vessels, saying it was more than the cost of ships built by other international builders.

He listed naval vessels of the same class being used by several nations like New Zealand, Germany, Greece and Israel costing between RM103mil and RM791mil.

“The Defence Ministry’s price tag of RM1bil per vessel is between 26% and 870% above the cost of the various international-class vessels listed,” he said in a statement.

Pua added that the United States’ most advanced ship of a similar class cost below RM1bil, and asked if the six vessels to be purchased would be equipped with the same specifications as the US Navy’s.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ships’ construction would boost the economy while benefiting 632 vendor companies.

He said Boustead Naval Shipyard had constructed several new-generation vessels for the navy and shown itself to be on par with other shipbuilders in the world.

Another racist politician. MP for Titiwangsa Johari Bin Abdul Ghani

This was found in my email.
Check out the You Tube

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Date: Wednesday, December 29, 2010, 10:54 PM


Recently the MP for Titiwangsa Johari Bin Abdul Ghani has made it clear that he does not need the Chinese and Indians to win the Titiwangsa seat. He did a mathematical calculation that all he need is the 32,000 Malay voters and that is all. He made it very clear that the Chinese and Indians are a minority and they are nothing but Customers.

Watch for yourself here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lz0pZAKzH0

Ybhg Datuk Johari Bin Abdul Ghani is the Managing Director of CI Holdings Bhd the owners of Pemanis Sdn. Bhd. He came on the Board of this company on the 29th of November 2002.

Well since are are nothing but mere Customers, and since he does not need the Chinese and the Indians, I suppose he also does not need our patronage on Pemanis Sdn Bhd products.

Pemanis products are as follows and you may be familiar with some of them:-

SOFT DRINKS: PEPSI, PEPSI MAX, PEPSI LIGHT, PEPSI TWIST, 7-UP, MIRINDA, FROST, EVERVESS, KICKAPOO, MOUNTAIN DEW,

ISOTONIC DRINKS: REVIVE,REVIVE LIME BURST, EXCEL, GATORADE, GATORADE QUIET STORM;

TEA: LIPTON ICE TEA, LIPTON GREEN TEA 9

COFFEE: BOSS

ENERGY: STING

ASIAN DRINKS: CHILL

JUICE: TROPICANA TWISTER, TROPICANA 100% , TROPICANA JUICE PLUS

WATER: BLEU , SHOT


I trust you can spread this around and I suppose we know when we are not wanted and we also do not want their products.

Malaysia struggling to reverse brain drain

Hahahahahaha.... Talent Corp!!! Say Talent Corp but let Perkosa run wild!!! NATO of the highest order.

This is what's going to happen in about 3 generations, if NATO is still practised:

(1) Educated and or capable pentadangs will immigrate.
(2) Those not above will convert to become muslims and their offsprings will be "sons of the soil". However, they have to know how to lick the balls of the politicians e.g. Rid-tua-tee.
(3) Balance of the pendatangs will be working as domestic maids or in construction and restaurant workers in S'pore. M'sia will become Indonesia as is currently happening.
(4) Percentage of pendatangs dips to below 5%.

Now, the pie is smaller and the oil wells dried up. Guess what's going to happen?


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(Taipei Times) “I’m not proud of being a Malaysian because I think the government doesn’t treat me as a Malaysian,” he said. “I would rather be a PR [permanent resident], a second-class citizen in a foreign country, than to be a citizen in my own country.”

When computer engineer Wan Jon Yew left Malaysia in 2005 for a job in Singapore, all he wanted was to work in the city state for a few years before going home. Now, he says, he will never return.

With a family, a home and a car, he now plans to settle in Singapore for good — one of many Malaysians stampeding abroad every year in a worrying “brain drain” the government is trying to reverse.

“I wouldn’t consider going back to Malaysia, I won’t look back. If I were ever going to leave Singapore, I would migrate to Australia,” said the 28-year-old, who now has permanent resident status.

“It’s not about the money. I could have a better quality of life in Malaysia with my pay. I could have a semi-detached bungalow and have a maid there, but I would rather live in a government flat in Singapore,” he said.

Wan, who is ethnically Chinese, is one of some 700,000 Malaysians — most of them highly educated — who are currently working abroad in an exodus that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government is struggling to reverse.

The “brain drain” has a number of causes. Some have been lured by higher salaries, but others blame political and social gripes including preferential policies for Muslim Malays, who form the majority.

Many feel constrained by life in a country where the ruling coalition has been in power for half a century, and where progress on freedom of expression, the right to assembly, and tackling corruption has been slow.

A decades-old affirmative action policy which hands Malays and the indigenous groups privileges in housing, education and business, has been criticized as uncompetitive and improperly benefiting the elite.

As a consequence, many of those who have left are members of Malaysia’s ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, who make up some 25 percent and 10 percent of the population respectively.

Last month Najib launched a “Talent Corporation” with incentives to woo back highly skilled workers and foreign professionals.

Malaysia has ambitions to transform itself into a developed nation by 2020, but a lack of human capital is a barrier to reaching that goal.

World Bank data cited by the Malaysian press shows that while globally the number of migrants rose 2.4 times between 1960 and 2005, Malaysia’s diaspora registered a staggering 155-fold increase over the 45-year period.

“I don’t want my children to go through the unfair treatment,” said Wan, who believes Singapore offers “fair competition.”

“I’m not proud of being a Malaysian because I think the government doesn’t treat me as a Malaysian,” he said. “I would rather be a PR [permanent resident], a second-class citizen in a foreign country, than to be a citizen in my own country.”

Wan said his wife, an IT analyst, renounced her citizenship in July, joining a queue of about 30 Malaysians lining up to do so on that day alone at the Malaysian embassy in Singapore.

Commentators are skeptical over whether the government’s latest effort to reverse the “brain drain” will be successful.

“Money does have a significant role but the most important factor, I think, is opportunity. Malaysia is too politicized and opportunities are not evenly available to everyone,” political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan said.

In one example, he said academics are reluctant to work in local universities as they must sign a “loyalty pledge” barring them from, among other things, criticizing government policies.

Wan Saiful said the Talent Corporation will be “another expensive failure” if it does not tackle these structural problems.

“When I apply for a job, buy a house, register my children for school etc, why does it matter what my race or religion is? This should stop,” the analyst said.