Sorry I’ve been missing in action lately…the holidays are coming on strong and it’s going to be another busy week. One of the reasons it’s a busy week is that I am performing for a little experiment Tara Strickstein dreamed up for First Fridays at the MCA this week. It involves a contemporary/adult version of seeing Santa at the mall and I may or may not be performing as a tap dancing elf. If you’ve never been to First Fridays, this would be a great one to check out. If you are a regular, prepare to be knocked off your feet by this little spectacle…should be good fun. Come sit on our Santa’s lap and ask for what you really want (photo op and all.)

Just one question, “Have you been naughty or nice?”

In the meantime, these are my favorite things ever.

Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GCET) for admissions to Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Masters of Computer Application (MCA) will be conducted online from this year.

Entrance tests which will now be conducted by the newly-formed Gujarat Technical University (GTU) will be held online for the first time. To facilitate this, two centres will be opened in each district with 50-odd computers where students can give their test online
.

Tests are scheduled to be conducted between June 1 to 15. The paper of each examinee will be different to minimise copying. It will also allow authorities to conduct the test in batches.

Interestingly, students will not have to wait long for their results. “Students will be given their scorecard in two hours,” said director of GTU Manish Bharadwaj.

Earlier, the task of conducting entrance tests for MBA and MCA exams was handed over to a university. With GTU taking over the professional courses, new set of reforms are being implemented.

With the entrance test going online, admission process is expected to be conducted in time. “Merit list will be declared on June 16 and 17. After students pay the fee, courses will begin in different colleges from July 1,” said Bharadwaj.

Earlier, beginning of the academic session in these courses would get delayed till August and even September. Gujarat University has also planned to start external BBA and BCA exams and is currently formulating its course content.

Things do not look good for Tee Kiat following the special briefing led by Liow on Saturday with resolutions dubbed as Declaration 1128 being put forward. Now not only everyone can fly but everyone can use the date and coin it around catching attention like 911 (date of terrorists’ attacks on the World Trade Center in New York) and if you work every hour every week you can call it working 24/7. It’s just cliche. Talk shop aside, looks like the Liow’s camp really means business, fresh polls in 60 days should at least (according to the party’s constitution) two third of the CC members resign and so far they already have 13 and need seven more to force the fresh polls.

Such as the perceived discontent against Tee Kiat, I wonder who are those supporters who desert Tee Kiat and forcing this New Order. Remember, the 10th Malaysia Plan is coming up in 2011 and whoever is the Minister of Health has a huge clout over who would be recommended for contracts to build and supply hospital/clinic equipment. There is a lot of dough there. Ask Soi Lek, he knows. The stakes are very high. If the presence of the many delegates there on 28 Nov were any indication, it would appear to be this expectation of Liow’s power.

Indeed the people would be a lot happier had those awards of government contracts been implemented in a transparent manner. There is just so many undesirable political interference that projects are not completed as scheduled or items supplied are not satisfactory. The power of the minister, any minister for that matter should be curbed just like the Liow’s camp wanting to curtail the power of the President (in this case Tee Kiat) from making his own appointment of members to the presidential council.

It is interesting to see what the PM (now busy with CHOGM in Port of Spain) and Deputy PM have come to agree on the solution of this MCA messy problem. Liow looks vicious in the photo in today’s paper. He in fact looks more confident than photos taken before this. So Tee Kiat, you are in hot water now unless something crops up. You have to do the numbers now among the 2400 delegates.

Looks like Tee Kiat is at the end of the road, but being a fighter such as he is, you would not see the last of him yet. Should there be fresh polls, what happens if he lost? Would PM still retain him as the Transport Minister? That was why Tee Kiat should not have made that remark that he would step down if he lost in the no-confidence vote. In fact he should have met earlier with Soi Lek and avoid that watershed 10 Oct EGM! Too late now, no use crying over spilled milk. He certainly comes across as a reactive and defensive person, not a good leadership quality. He should learn to control his impulses.

Now what would happen should Liow lose in the fresh polls? Would PM retain him as the Minister of Health? Thereby the dilemma facing the PM. He should be spending time building up the programs to regain people’s confidence for the next GE2013 (may even be in 2012, if the world hasn’t ended by then!). How disappointed PM is with MCA, that we cannot deny. He had welcomed the Greater Unity Plan but Liow and his motley gang is shooting it down in the name of democracy? His brand of selective democracy that is. Had he accepted the GUP, all these would not have developed to this stage ( a form of power struggle) and time will heal.

The New Order is nothing but mere tactics to fire up the party members and Tee Kiat and perhaps Soi Lek must come together to harness this tagline to their advantage. The party will never be peaceful again with the likes of people who are selfish. Don’t we all wish that party delegates are wise enough to choose only leaders with good characters? So if the elections are held too soon, the delegates will vote with their feet and that is no good for the party. Some time should be given for the delegates to think it over and be rational in their choice of their leaders.

Had everything gone well, the next MCA party elections is in 2011 and that is too close to the 13GE and if this leadership problem is not settled by then, things will become more difficult for BN. If I were UMNO, I would look at those Malay majority areas currently represented by MCA and plan for a Malay candidate because people especially the Chinese, in general, would not support this party led by the likes of Tee Kiat, Soi Lek and Liow. The opposition will have a whale of time ridiculing MCA’s in-fighting. Much as I dislike to see this situation ever happening. MCA has to come to its senses. Liow and his newly emergent faction should do some hard rethinking.

In the meantime, Ong Tee Kiat needs to belt-up and be ready for yet another rough drive. And may the MCA leaders see the light of day.

Anggota jawatankuasa pusat (CC) MCA yang menyokong naib presiden Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai berikrar untuk meletak jawatan bagi mendesak supaya pemilihan baru pucuk pimpinan parti itu diadakan.

Bercakap dalam satu sidang akhbar, Liow berkata, 13 daripada anggota CC yang dipilih, telah menandatangani surat peletakan jawatan tidak bertarikh dan sedang menunggu masa yang sesuai untuk menyerahkannya kepada parti.

Tiga belas anggota CC yang menyokong naib presiden MCA itu, turut menghadiri sidang akhbar tersebut seleps sesi taklimat kepada perwakilan parti itu di ibupejabat MCA hari ini.

Tetapi mereka perlu meyakinkan tujuh lagi daripada 30 anggota CC – bagi mendapatkan jumlah satu pertiga – bagi memaksa pemilihan baru dapat diadakan.

Awal pagi ini, lebih 1,600 penyokong Liow meluluskan satu deklarasi di sesi taklimat khas hari ini, menggesa pucuk pimpinan parti itu membenarkan pemilihan baru diadakan bagi menyelesaikan krisis parti.

Menurut mereka, krisis itu dianggap berpunca daripada kegagalan pucuk pimpinan parti untuk menerima dan melaksanakan resolusi mesyuarat agung tergempar (EGM) pada 10 Oktober lalu.

Liow berkata beliau dan penyokongnya berharap pemilihan baru dapat diadakan dalam tempoh 60 hari.

Katanya, apabila peletakan jawatan dibuat, pihak parti mesti mengadakan pemilihan baru bagi jawatankuasa pusat dalam tempoh 30 hari seperti yang ditetapkan oleh perlembagaan parti.

Menurut Liow, kata sepakat telah dicapai dengan puak yang menyokong presiden Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat dan penyokong timbalannya, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek bahawa pemilihan baru adalah penting.

Liow bagaimana tidak bersedia untuk menyatakan sama ada Ong dan Chua bersetuju atau tidak, atau sekurang-kurangnya telah dimaklumkan mengenai cadangan pemilihan diadakan dalam tempoh 60 hari.

Liow berkata, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin banyak terbabit dalam membantu menyelesaikan krisis MCA dan meminta pemberita merujuk kepada Muhyiddin.

Satu halangan kepada usaha puak Liow itu adalah mesyuarat agung (AGM) parti pada 5 Disember ini, yang mereka harap dapat ditangguhkan supaya pemilihan baru dapat diadakan sewaktu AGM pada tarikh kemudiannya.

Liow berkata tidak timbul soal perundangan untuk menangguhkan AGM tahun ini – dengan mengadakan dua AGM dalam satu tahun – kerana Umno telah pernah berbuat demikian dengan kebenaran Pendaftar Pertubuhan (ROS).

Semalam, ketua penerangan MCA, Heng Saei Kee berkata parti itu tidak menangguhkan AGM pada 4-5 Disember dan mendakwa mereka yang mendakwa ia ditangguhkan, berniat untuk menimbulkan kekeliruan.

Para pemerhati berpendapat, puak Liow berusaha supaya pemilihan baru

parti itu diadakan segera  untuk memanfaatkan gelombang tidak pua hati terhadap Ong.

Manakala Ong pula mahu pemilihan itu diadakan selepas pertengahan tahun depan untuk memberinya masa meminda sistem pemilihan parti, bagi meluaskan jumlah pemilih, yang tidak terhad kepada 2,400 perwakilan sahaja.

www.kurukshetra.org.in

10:15.a.m.: Networks class had already eaten 5 minutes into the break time. All of us (second year engineers-to-be) were getting restless. A familiar baritone calls out 72 that signals the end of the class. Hell! no. Seniors? Again! Four seniors march in. There is one that I know and she is not the type to ruin my break. Sigh! As we wait for them to let the cat out of the basket, they wait for us to settle.

“Kurukshetra” says an anonymous (then) senior. It triggered a vague memory. Without getting into the actual details of the talk, what they wanted was – IDEAS for new events are welcome. Thus, started my tryst with K! Thinking back, I have had a really good time and many cherished memories of K! There have been major anxious times, surprised times, ayyo times, gleeful times, despo times, frusty times, crush-ed times, happy times. But overall I’ve always had a good time.

Kurukshetra has been one great learning experience for me. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that K! has helped me find more about myself while indulging in some hilarious fun. Jotting all of them down here would make an incredibly long post. So here goes a succinct description.

Adventure

Hatching ideas

Late nights at CEG

heated healthy arguments

bliss that comes with knowledge

INBOX

try your strength & trust

Damn! I wasted my first year

writing like never before

Pushin’ it harder and faster

explore – People – Connect – waiting –  WOW

did that even exist before?

busy as busy can get

blanked out

(Place : Vivek Audi, Event : Cerebra. Oh! boy, you’vegotta be there to see it for yourself)

experience of a life time

The environment that K! creates is irresistible. It literally sucked me in like a black hole. I could easily add a lot more platitudes (like “bigger and better”, “we are doing it because we can”… get the drift?) but K’09 – my initiation year – was such a personal experience that these clichés would render it redundant. As someone who was pretty skeptic (and late) in understanding the gung-ho about K! it took some time to realize what drove the movers and shakers at CTF. As a matter of fact, when this realization dawned, I knew that that was what was and still is driving me too.

S.Swathi Meenakshi

Event Coordinator, Prove or Disprove, K ‘09

Guest Lectures and Workshops Team, K ‘10

跟它来个告别......

     “究竟是特大还是交流会？声讨会？还是研讨会？大会会不会展期？和好了吗？玩泥沙吗？团结方案呢？得看老豆的脸色？得听 ‘他’的话？……”咳，看了听了都被你们弄到我团团转；宁愿把一条黑布遮盖我的眼睛。但又不行，耳朵呢？怎么盖？啊！有了！去游泳池旁找两块那用来塞住耳朵以防水渗入的东西……

     那又何必呢？马华, 还有存在的意义吗？被啐弃了，还有本钱内耗？为个人利益而来个你死我活，值得吗？马来西亚华人还有耐心吗？更重要的是，你，还能赢吗？看来充满变数…..

     不妨跟你说–请别弄到你在我心目中剩下那一丁点的地位都弄不见去了！我已烦了！厌了！气坏了！

     你们还要搞到几时？12月5号？农历新年？或者是第13届全国大选？搞吧！搞吧！到时候再来一场大风把你卷走都不以为然！

     虽然你们可能意识到我心中的那把火，但在这把火里面呢，是存在着一个好现象，那就是，马华，始终在我们的生活中，心目中，占有一席之地，只是脚步离我们越来越远。

     但可别乐怀了，一天党争还没了，你一天休想获得民心。我算是较有耐心了，好过那些人啊，把这次的党争当成小孩玩泥沙那样，一时跟你和好，一时又跟你翻脸，甚至有些人当娱乐版那样看，你认为你还能受委托吗？

     兜了那么大的一个圈，当剖开马华党争时，其内的内幕可想而知，是多么的惊人，在此我不方便透露，但我相信，你，我，还有‘他’，简直是一清二楚的。对吗？

     应”是可而止”，我只能奉劝你这句话……

真的？

ISA:

Os barramentos ISA são encontrados em placas antigas. Foi criada pela IBM, sua velocidade em media chega 2.5/s. O nome ISA vem de Industry Standard Architecture ou Arquitetura Industrial Padrão. O slots de expansão ISA tem ainda a vantagem de aceitar as conecção adaptadoras mais antigas 8 bits.O barramento ISA continua sendo usado nas placas mães mais avançadas, so que ao lado de varios barramentos poderosos.

MCA:

MCA é a abreviação dada à definição Micro Chanel Architecture, o barramentos de dados criado pela IBM em 1987.  Com o surgimento dos processadores 386, que trabalhavam usando palavras binárias de 32 bits, precisou se de um novo barramento mais rápido que a ISA, ela trabalhava em 10 MHz, o que resultava em uma taxa de transferência de 32MB/s.

EISA:

O EISA trabalha em 8,33 MHz, com 32 bits. Na teoria, o barramento deveria chegar a uma taxa de 33MB/s. O termo EISA vem de Extended Industry Standard Architecture ou Arquitetura Industrial Padrão Estendida. O objetivo padrão era manter a compatibilidade com PCs antigos.

VLB:

O VBL (VESA Local Bus) é um barramento de expansão muito mais rápido do que os barramentos ISA, MCA e EISA. Inicialmente surgiu como barramento de placa de vídeo. Graças a sua velocidade, virou como barramento padrão em 1993 entre as placas mães.

AGP-PRO:

Foram direcionadas principalmente para placas de vídeos e consomem uma grande quantidade de energia.

I’ve read with utmost disgust on the article by the the most fabricated lies ever by a netizen using the guise of I Love Malaysia at Malaysiatoday website. Apparently this particular writer, I Love Malaysia , is being paid solely to write without knowing the truth. How can one promote truth and justice when there are self-interest at hand. Hereby demand that this writer checked his facts right before harming any people especially when it is done at the expenses at hitting out MyLivingWall, Ms AL and Bangsar Group. We strongly opposed the article as we know the real truth behind. The writer also spelt the former President Ka Ting name wrongly. It is stupidity at work.

Also to expose these invisible cyber crooks sprouting lies, demand that the writer. I Love Malaysia in his column at MalaysiaToday reveal his funder and motives truthfully to the world.

http://malaysia-today.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28725:the-bald-truth-about-how-one-bn-partys-venture-into-cyberspace-hit-a-wall&catid=22:the-corridors-of-power&Itemid=100085

Excerpts are the article at malaysia-today.net

After a long span, i am writing my new post which is not techy in fact.
This is regarding my experience as a student coordinator on arrival of Aricent.
I had so many talks with the Aricent HR since the months of April-May and till now. But due to some reasons or other the things were not getting into shape. Finally, i somehow managed to invite it for recruitment in our campus on 13th Nov., 09. In the long run, the recruitment team arrived at our school in the morning at 09:00am. We had each and every sort of arrangements for that day. After a small talk, there started the pre-placement talk. Thereafter, there was a written exam (1 and half an hour) for which we sat and 14 qualified for the next round among 25. Then, there was a group discussion round for two teams of 7 students each. This was not an elimination round but the marks mattered in the last round that was interview, which lasted upto 7:30pm. Students were waiting for the results curiously. Finally, that time came when the HR announced 10 names of my friends who qualified for Aricent. I saw whole lot of crowd in a deep ocean of delight; but they didn’t know that the person who got immense pleasure from all that, was myself.
When this process was over, we made a warm see off with everyone in the team.

So, it was all about my experience..i hope it continues further.

 

     Now, everyone knows about him, Mr. Khoo, yes, the one who has been appeared in one of my articles before.

     Actually it is a reluctant to me to pull him into this blog again and again, but owing to toleration has its limit, I want to have a say at his recently ‘pop-up’ statement-SJK(C)’s students are ‘copycat(s)?’.

     In other words, he is saying that I am a copycat! COPYCAT? Am I looking like a cat? or a COPY? Photostat machine? or even a scanner?

     No, no, no, I am still a human, but this Mr. Khoo, honestly speaking, is more looks like a Banana than a human! Don’t you think so?

     His skin is yellow in colour, but when you open it up, it is white! A banana-man has no rights to comment on what is really going on in SJK(C)!

     If you want to have your own publicity, please, do not pull us (the Chinese) inside with you. No doubt that you have the rights, but be ‘zipped’ is always better than what the scenario that you are facing now……

     I have already controlled my tolerance and my mood when writing this article, please, from now on, be more careful when making such remarks……

     Again, the status of UMNO in the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN) as the big brother (or maybe father, even grandfather now……) was proved again, this time is if you need UMNO’s help, you must be silent, or ‘zipped’, one of the conditions if you want his hands……

     (I have to stop here and have my readers’ feedback first, maybe will never be continued or be proceed….sorry)

Simply put, Advanceit is in the business of developing the market for a new financial product for which no precedent exists among Canadian SMEs.

We’ve spent the 1^st 3 years earning our data points & learning by losing. While the infrastructure growth never stops, we have now shifted the company focus on to scaling the portfolio. As such, Advanceit is currently experiencing rapid sales growth. I have experienced hyper-growth before & it is simply the best part of the business building cycle. Many of the symptoms of this stage are familiar. The office is noisy, personal space is at a premium, emails & Bberry messages flow throughout the night, managers sleep with notepads by their bedside & coffee is consumed intravenously.

Much like Cardex before it, the approach that is generating results is the consultative approach. Reps get to know the business owners, determine the need for immediate cash flow & suggest programs within the limits of their gross margin vs. what they can convince them to sign for.

I am not a proponent of the law of large numbers or blitz approach but readily admit that this may be more due to my lack of patience for the process than the approach itself. I have found quality over quantity to be a far more sustainable approach to growing a sales force & a merchant base therewith.

All the strategizing does not replace good people. Good people can sell a bad product, while bad people struggle to give things away. The combination of good people & good product is the silver bullet that every sales executive aspires to combine. So being in the mix right now, I wanted to share some of my observations on the common traits of the best MLS people selling a great product.

1. They choose the customers vs. the customers choosing them. (See Seth Godin’s blog on this trait)
2. They stop selling once they have closed
3. They move on from “No”
4. They control the conversation while speaking softly
5. They are genuinely confident & don’t need to fake it
6. They are often a little weird, but never boring
7. They have no pedigree or formal “bank” training
8. They sell more expensive, more often.
9. They pick their battles
10. They never see themselves as being too good to cold call

Joey received an sms,’Is any political problem unsolvable..?” Read the article in Malaysiakini and in it the Prime Minister Najib has instructed/mandate given to his deputy Muhyddin  to tackle the issue and come up with a solution.” Wow! Goodness me! MCA can’t solved their own problems and it seems only interference and assistance from a Third party will see that this problem does not drag on. 

The full article from Malaysiakini:-  

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he is giving himself one week to find a solution to the MCA leadership crisis.

He said a formula would be drawn up during that period to reach a consensus among the disputing party leaders.

He said a series of meetings had been held with several party leaders to discuss the crisis in greater detail.

“The task is not easy because it involves the interest of the party as well as that of the nation,” he told reporters.

He said he was given the mandate by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to tackle the problem by implementing pro-active measures as soon as possible to prevent the crisis from becoming worse.

“I’ve held a series of discussion, not with everyone, but certain individuals and I will continue with the discussion, if possible before the prime minister returns home (from abroad).

“At the same time, I’ll continue to accept suggestions from the Chinese community leaders who have also voiced their opinion and observation on the crisis,” he said.

The deputy premier’s remark comes five days ahead of the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) proposed by the faction aligned to vice-president Liow Tiong Lai.

Liow and his supporters have vowed to call off the EGM if the rival faction, headed by president Ong Tee Keat and his deputy Dr Chua Soi Lek, agree to holding fresh party elections next month.

Although conceding that a fresh elections is the best panacea for the impasse, Chua however wants the contest to be held next March while Ong has remained vague on this.

‘Win-win’ situation

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said the crisis must be tackled in the best manner possible to arrive at a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone concerned.

Commenting on the measures to be taken, the Barisan Nasional deputy chairperson, said he had no intention of disclosing any condition or strategy until the settlement formula had been achieved.

“In the initial stage, we don’t want to set any condition. I feel the important thing is that they feel the measures that would be taken are aimed at resolving the problem and I feel, it has become a public secret, not a party secret any more. Everyone knows about it.

“What is important is that at this stage, I will not set any condition. What is certain is that when it comes to a particular stage, there is an agreement in principle. So, we want them to uphold the decision with the objective of reaching a settlement,” he said.

He said the matter would not be announced to the public, including the media for as long as the objective had not be achieved.

“At this stage, it’s okay because it is still at the initial stage but subsequent measures would be disclosed when everyone have reached a consensus on what needs to be done,” he said.

Asked on Najib’s suggestion that a fresh election be held by the MCA to resolve the conflict. Muhyiddin said that was the view of the prime minister which he was working on.

“I was instructed to adopt this approach, but I will find a way of getting the consensus of the MCA leaders.

“Time is rather limited and the faster the better, because if the conflict drags for several more months, the situation will become worse and will affect MCA and the BN itself,” he said

When I read about the “intervention” by PM to help MCA solve its current crisis, I feel sorry for this once great party and that gentleman, Malaysia’s first Finance Minister, the admirable late Tun Tan Siew Sin. This party whose leadership, consisting of professionals and astute businessmen appears not able to solve their own internal problems. I say “appears” here because I do not, for one minute, believe that it cannot solve its own problems. It looks like the now infamous ”Gang of Three” or desperately labelled by a forum in Malaysiakini today 22 Nov 2009 as ” the gruesome threesome” led by Liow Tiong Lai, are the one making it appear unsolvable.

Ong Tee Kiat

I do not really fancy Ong Tee Kiat but at least he tries to re captain the ship in this treacherous water which could have been partly contributed by him as well!

I must say I like Chua Soi Lek despite his unfortunate “scandal”. At least he owned up to the indiscretion revealed through the invasion of his privacy. He was man enough! And he was a very good Health Minister! Liow is not anywhere near Soi Lek. Yet, being a Health Minister then, the latter should not have engaged in such activities: I am being ambivalent here, Boy! Soi Lek you really let us down in this morality game!

So I just want to focus on Soi Lek as a politician and not as a lover- boy. Almost everyone who is watching the Malaysian political scene knows that this chaos started with the snooping of Soi Lek’s privacy then after months of silence, with his sacking followed by the EGM which was supposed to end it all then this “Liow factor” aftermath, like an itch which refuses to go away.

I do not know much about Ong Tee Kiat apart from the fact that he has proven to be “surgical” in his approach: excising then repairing. He was known as a firebrand MCA youth leader once so I read. His concept of a team appears to be everybody should be of one voice. I hope he is aware of the fact that you do need dissension every now and then so that you can make well-considered decisions. Decisions without debate and dissension are not resilient. But I can understand why he has to remove those politically aligned to Liow from the presidential council. With them there, the contentious likelihood of their derailing issues is real. Debating and dissenting are signs of political maturity but unfortunately this is yet to be a feature in this part of the world.

Liow Tiong Lai

Now who is Liow? When Soi Lek resigned we all heard that Ng Yen Yen was to be the Health Minister, oh, wouldn’t she be a fine Health Minister! Just look at what she is doing to Malaysian tourism as the Minister in charge? Yen Yen truly shines. One day in Paris and the next in Chengdu, hard working and impressive indeed. Suddenly we got this unknown Liow. I still give the benefit of doubt to him but seeing how he performs, parroting the pencil pushers with no mind of his own, upsetting a certain State’s politicians due to his arrogant handling of a hospital building problem through a cut and paste job, he is not cut up for the job, indeed Soi Lek is sorely missed all the more, with his warts and all.

Well, there you are the three protagonists in the MCA (some bloggers have dubbed as the Malaysian Chaos Association) embroil. Among the three who love MCA? Tee Kiat and Soi Lek have come up with what they call a Greater Unity Plan (GUP), the details of which are not really of interest to some us mere observers, but it is about solving a problem brought about by the well-meaning but indecisive EGM. The delegates, as it turned out, love both their warring leaders, or shall we say each have enough supporters among the delegates to just “nudge” each other?

Some may say the two have forged this unity plan because the alternative, “Liow” being the MCA President by default is not palatable at all. Tee Kiat acted because he might have felt betrayed by Liow and Soi Lek, well, his successor in health ministry has not really been magnanimous, has he? Trying to unearth certain things done during Soi Lek’s tenure is not exactly friendly, is it?

Chua Soi Lek

In any party, it is very important that you do not betray your leader because immediately the questions of your integrity and credibility would surface because you are doing it from the inside.

To digress a little, I recall the stage-play, when the great Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was stabbed by his trusted aid, Brutus, the last word he said was “Et tu Brutus” before he died. In the MCA saga, Ong Tee Kiat (virtual Caesar) did not “die” so Brutus (Liow Tiong Lai) would have to pay the price for his disloyalty.

Who Love MCA? When you love someone you do not prolong their pain, you do not get other people to intervene in your internal problem publicly. You do not go around distorting facts and spreading your false and misplaced convictions. And you certainly do not betray your leader and cause chaos.

Ecco il pezzo citato in All City Writers, il muro è Argelati e la descrizione nel libro non era proprio fedele. Il muro era in zona di Spyder e ci aveva fatto i throw up con Fly per iniziare ad aprire la strada. Poi avevano passato a me la palla e avevo tirato il bianco per primo. Dopo la murata è stata famosa come Il Bruegel, perchè il Consiglio di zona aveva finanziato dei muralisti che mi avevano coperto tutto con enormi riproduzioni in stile fiammingo. Poi ci ha dipinto Flu e ancora Fly, Spyder una volta, Papilly, io mai più credo.

I miei pezzi erano in stile calligrafico: non si vede bene ma in ogni pezzo c’è dentro una decorazione calligrafica con la stessa scritta. Praticamente era un pezzo dentro ad un pezzo. Si vedono bene le scopiazzature olandesi (la freccia è copiata da un classico Delta) e la cromatura che andava di moda a Monaco. Terribile. Però come hall of fame era molto tranquilla, l’unico problema era l’edera che scendeva ogni stagione.

masalah utama MCA adalah presidennya suka buang orang. pecat memecat. sebelum ini walaupun MCA sememangnya ada masalah semenjak pemilihat parti terakhir yang memperlihatkan Ong Tee Keat menang presiden dan Chua Soi Lek menang timbalan, namun tidak dilihat oleh orang luar. sehinggalah secara tiba-tiba majlis presiden memecat Chua.

Kemudian CC (jawatankuasa pusat) MCA mengurangkan hukuman kepada Chua dengan menggantung jek. ini menyebabkan kem chua marah dan mendesak diadakan EGM.

EGM pertama ini memperlihatkan tiada siapa yang menang kerana kedua-dua pemimpin tersebut kalah apabila, resolusi mengekalkan Chua sebagai timbalan presiden ditolak. Ong juga tidak menang apabila resolusi tidak percayakan kepimpinan beliau turut menang. nah. ini sungguh aneh.

secara tiba-tiba muncul kuasa ketiga dalam MCA. naib presiden, Liow Tiong Lai di lantik menjadi TImbalan Presiden. waktu nih nampak Liow masih lagi sekutu rapat presiden. namun desakan supaya presiden meletakkan jawatan rupa-rupanya berasal dari kem Liow. wah. aneh dan menarik.

kuasa ketiga yang kononnya tidak di dalangi sesiapa secara tiba-tiba mula terbuka hijabnya. Liowlah orangnya. Ahli CC, Ti Lian Ker telah menulis tentang perkara nih dalam blog dia, tapi Liow marah dan menafikannya. sekarang nih dah nampak jelas.

Ong Tee Keat mula menunjukkan kuasa apabila memecat 4 orang (rasanya) daripada ahli CC yang menyokong Liow. opsss lupa nak citer, ada 16 orang daripada ahli CC yang meminta di adakan EGM kedua.

kalut-kalut ini semakin pening apabila Ong Tee Keat memecat pulak beberapa orang ahli majlis presiden yang menyokong Liow. nah antara yang tersingkir, Wee Ka Siong dan Chew Mei Fun, wah ketua pemuda dan ketua wanita tidak ada dalam CC? hahhaha kalut.

bayangkan kalau lebih ramai tidak menyokong beliau dalam parti? adakah Ong Tee Keat akan terpaksa memecat semua ahli MCA? kita tunggguuuu….

(Photo credit: The Malaysian Insider)

The saga continues. MCA party leaders who were kicked out of its presidential council made a passionate plea to delegates to attend the Nov. 28 EGM to call for fresh party elections.

For full story, see here and here.

John Perkins a.k.a Economic Hitman

Pada tahun 2004 John Perkins telah menulis Confession of an Economic Hit Man – Pengakuan Tukang Pukul Ekonomi. Buku ini melakar bagaimana Perkins direkrut oleh National Security Agency (NSA) untuk menjaga kepentingan kaum pemodal antarabangsa.

Untuk menghalalkan tugas – Perkins – telah dimasukkan bekerja disebuah syarikat konsultan ekonomi. Ini hanyalah baju yang dipakai oleh Perkins kerana syarikat ini memiliki hubungan rapat dengan NSA. Sebagai penasehat ekonomi Perkins merayau-rayau ke Indonesia, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Iran dan negara yang dianggap memiliki potensi ekonomi.

Tugas Perkins cukup enteng : dia akan menasehatkan pemimpin negara-negara ini untuk membuat projek-projek mega ( seperti projek Bakun). Perkins tidak memiliki masaalah untuk bertemu dengan pemimpin politik negara-negara Dunia Ketiga. Ini kerana Perkins sedar bahawa pemimpin negara-negara ini apabila mendengar ada Mat Saleh ingin bertemu mereka maka mulut dan buntut mereka ternganga luas.

Perkins akan dijemput untuk menghadiri pelbagai seminar dan mesyuarat ( seperti Invest Malaysia 2009) dan dijemput dalam perbincangan percambahan pendapat. Akhirnya Perkins akan membuat dan mengajukan kertas-kerja dan cadangan untuk memunculkan projek mega. Dalam masa yang sama melalui Perkins – Bank Dunia atau IMF atau bank-bank lain akan bersiap sedia mengeluarkan dana.

Projek mega ini adalah cara ‘merasuah’ para pemimpin dan kroni para politikus Dunia Ketiga. Projek-projek ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan kepentingan ekonomi warga negara itu walau pun dengan lunak Perkins akan menggambarkan bagaimana projek mega ini akan memberi manafaat untuk rakyat. Ini hanya kelentong.

Kontrektor-kontrektor projek, pekakas pembuatan – semuanya didatangkan dari nasehat Perkins. Projek ini akan menggunakan pakar-pakar ‘Mat Saleh ‘ yang dibayar dengan lumayan berbanding dengan pakar tempatan. Perkins melahirkan pekerjaan untuk para Mat Saleh yang di panggil ‘expert’.

Dalam masa yang sama Perkins cukup sedar banyak dana ini akan masuk ke dalam poket para pemimpin negara ini. Ini adalah sebahagian dari strateji Perkins. Ini perangkap yang sengaja dipasang.

Sedikit demi sedikit negara ini akan terhutang dengan lembaga-lembaga bank antarabanga – IMF, World Bank, European Bank dan pelbagai lembaga dana yang bekerja erat dengan Perkins. Bunga dan hutang ini akan meningkat. Ini menambahkan lagi beban negara. Perkins akan mengusulkan cara terbaik untuk mencari dana agar dapat membayar hutang dan bunga.

Cadangan Perkins : subsidi dihapuskan. Barangan kawalan makanan dilupuskan. Impot dibesarkan. Barangan ekspot dimurahkan. Nilai ringgit dikurangkan dengan alasan akan menarik orang luar membeli barangan ekspot.

Akhirnya – akan sampai satu masa – dimana hutang bagitu menjerut untuk negara ini. Maka Perkins akan ‘ menasehatkan’ para politikus agar Pertamina memberikan hak untuk Exxon cari gali di Ambalat –misalnya yang terjadi di Indonesia. Ini perangkap awal.

Jika pemimpin politik ini memiliki perasaan nasionalisma dan enggan tunduk atau berdegil maka akan di hantar apa yang di panggil ‘ The Jackals’. Mosaddeq di Iran menjadi mangsa pada thun 1953. Presiden Guatemala pada tahun 1954 menjadi mangsa agar bumi negaranya selamat untuk dijadikan ladang pisang United Fruits Company. Sukarno pada thun 1965. Ecuador pada thun 1981.

Mari kita melihat kes klasik sejarah Terusan Panama yang telah dimilik negarakan oleh Omar Torrijos pada thun 1977. Kemudian pada July 31, 1981 kapalterbang yang dinaikinya meletup di udara. Sesudah Torrijos mati Amerika kembali mendapat hak untuk meletakkan tenteranya di Terusan Panama. Khalas.

Di negara kita sendiri perkara yang sama pasti berlaku. Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang dilakar oleh Razak Hussein telah mengenepikan kepentingan pemodal antarabangsa. Kaum pemodal ini merasa kurang senang dengan dasar ini. Melalui media dunia mereka terus mempertikaikan dasar ini.

Dasar ini juga di kritik oleh kapitalis nasional dan kapitalis komprador yang suaranya diwakili oleh MCA. Ketika itu air, api, talikom, universiti, jalan raya, hospital, tanah Felda, Felcra, SEDC – semuanya adalah milik orang ramai i.e milik negara.

Kritikan dasar ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan kepentingan Mak Jah peniaga warong di Gombak atau Pak Huseing pembuat budu di Pengkalan Chepa. Kritikan ini datang dari kaum kapitalis yang tidak dapat membuat keuntungan maksima.

Apabila Mahathir naik semua ini diubah. Untuk mendapat sokongan kapitalis komprador dan kapitalis nasional: baca pemodal Cina – Mahathir telah menswastakan harta rakyat ini. Maka gembiralah dan berkundurilah kaum kapitalis ini. Harta kekayaan mereka bertimbun tambah. Laporan terbaru membuktikan bagaimana 58 bilion ringgit harta negara di sawastakan hanya 2 bilion ringgit sahaja yang menjadi milik Melayu.

Mahathir naik tocang apabila dinobatkan oleh kaum pemodal ( kaum pemodal Cina) sebagai penjana pembangunan. ( Ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan Mak Cik Limah di Felda Chomomoi atau Haji Timah tuan punya warong di Senawang.)

Dasar Ekonomi Baru ini hakikatnya adalah dasar ekonomi kapitalis yang penuh dengan percanggahan. Dasar ini bercita-cita untuk memunculkan ‘zaibatsu’ Melayu/Bumiputera. Ini hanyalah mimpi tegang yang tidak pancut-pancut. Cita-cita ini tidak mungkin tercapai hingga bumi meletup. Kalau tupai beranakkan gajah pun dasar ini tidak akan tercapai.

Dasar DEB ini tidak akan berjaya kerana dalam hukum ekonomi kapitalis – apa boleh jual akan di jual – apa yang boleh di beli akan dibeli. Dalam ekonomi kapitalis tidak ada agama atau bangsa. Setiap kali modal dilabor untuk Melayu ianya pasti akan bertalian dengan ekonomi Cina yang telah lama kukuh. Ini belum diambil kira rasuah.

Tidak mungkin semua orang Melayu/Bumiputera akan dapat di kayakan. Pemodal memerlukan buruh yang boleh diupah murah. Pemodal memerlukan pengguna untuk membeli. Kalau Melayu semua kaya siapa pula yang akan menjadi buruh di ladang sawit, penanam padi, penangkap ikan dan Minah Karan dan Mat Spana?

Dasar Ekonomi Baru ini hanyalah satu kelentongan/tipu helah dimana para politikus Melayu berkumpul membuat dasar atas nama Melayu. Dengan bersandarkan keMelayuan maka para politikus Melayu ini dapat ‘merembat’ harta negara.

Pada ketika DEB dimulakan pergaduhan Melayu/Bukan Melayu baru selesai. Kapitalis nasional dan kapitalis komprador tidak berani menyuarakan tentangan pada ketika itu. Mereka melihat dari jangka panjang kepentingan mereka lebih terjaga dengan dasar ini. Anggapan mereka cukup tepat. Siapa dia Lim Goh Tong, siapa dia Ananda Krishnan, siapa dia Vincent Tan ?

Dasar untuk menjadikan 30% harta kekayaan negara ini dimiliki oleh Melayu/Bumiputera adalah mimpi kosong dan dasar yang salah. Tidak perlu membuat kajian ilmiah – pergi sahaja keluar dari Kuala Lumpur dan lihat sendiri kehidupan orang-orang di kampong. Memang betul ada perubahan. Kalau dulu pada tahun 1974 di Kampong Chenor ( kampong saya ) tidak ada leterik dan air – hari ini telah ada.

Tetapi air dan leterik kini dimiliki oleh pemodal tuan empunya saham.. Hospital dimiliki oleh pemodal tuan empunya saham.. Sekolah dan univeristi dimiliki oleh pemodal tuan empunya saham.. Jalan raya dimiliki oleh pemodal tuan empunya saham. Talipon dimiliki oleh pemodal tuan empunya saham. Ini bezanya. Ini hakikat.

Dua minggu dahulu Najib telah membuat dasar liberalisasi. Perkataan LIBERALISASI ini perkataan hampeh. Ini perkataan putar alam bertujuan untuk mengelirukan kefahaman yang tuntas kepada orang ramai terutama kepada Mak Cik dan Pak Cik Felda. Liberalisasi bermakna : Syarikat antarabangsa dibenarkan berniaga bebas dalam negara ini.

Dua hari dahulu Najib Razak telah mengubah satu jalur DEB. Kaum pemodal pasti akan mengalu-alukan dasar ini. Ertinya pasaran Malaysia terkangkang luas untuk di entot. Ertinya tidak ada lagi halangan untuk sesiapa sahaja memiliki harta kekayaan negara ini. ( Kalau saya kapitalis saya akan terpancut siang dan malam dan meleleh air liur melihat harta negara ini boleh dimiliki ).

Kenapa Najib membuat dasar baru ini ?

Cukup senang untuk memahaminya. Najib memiliki masaalah peribadi yang berat. Jangan silap baca ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan berat badan isteri Najib. Berat di sini bermakna berat dari segi politik. Contohnya : Parti yang dipimpin oleh Najib tidak lagi mendapat sokongan rakyat. Retak retak kelihatan dalam gabungan Barisan Nasional. Dan paling menakutkan Najib apabila kaum kapitalis komprador dan kapitalis nasional: baca – pemodal Cina – telah menjauhkan diri dari Najib.

Dalam masa yang sama media antarabangsa terus menghantui Najib dengan kes pembunuhan Altantuya gadis cun dari Mongolia. Media luar ini adalah alat pembesar suara untuk memastikan kepentingan kaum pemodal antarabangsa terjaga rapi. Kuam pemodal antarabangsa ini telah lama ingin merembat harta kekayaan negara ini.

Hantu dan polong-polong puaka ini perlu dijaga.

Najib wajib melakukan sesuatu. Seperti Mahathir menswastakan harta negara untuk kaum komprador dan kapitalis nasional maka Najib Razak menswastakan seluruh bumi Malaysia ini untuk kepentingan kelas kapitalis dalam dan luar negara. Inilah hakikat dari dasar ekonomi yang akan dijalankan oleh Najib Razak.

Dimana Perkins Kaki Pukul sedang bersemayam?

Jangan risau si Perkins ini masih wujud. Perkins telah menghatar budak suruhannya dari Singapura. Lupa projek mega – Jambatan Ketiga ?

Perkins-Perkins ini mungkin ada jaringan dalam EPU. Si Perkins ini mungkin masih bersarang di Tingkat Empat atau ingin pindah ke tempat yang lebih tinggi seperti di Menara Petronas. Si Perkins sedang berselerak menjalankan tugas untuk memastikan kepentingan kaum kapitalis akan didahulukan.

Dasar Ekonomi Baru atau Dasar Pedekatan Baru ini semuanya TIDAK akan memberi apa-apa manafaat kepada rakyat biasa. Dasar ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan kepentingan Gopal pemandu teksi dari Segambut. Dasar ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan Swee Heng peniaga nasi Itek di Jalan Petaling. Dasar ini tidak ada sangkut paut dengan Hajah Limah pembekal kerepek ubi dari Sijangkang.

Rakyat biasa tidak berjudi di bursa saham. Rakyat biasa tidak tahu apa itu ‘pink form’. Rakyat biasa tidak memahami turun naiknya Nasdaq atau Index Heng Seng. Rakyat biasa mahu keselesaan dan bukan mahu di ikat dengan pelbagai gaya/cara – cukai/tol/bil hospital/bil air/bil api/ bil sewa rumah/cukai rumah – dimana mereka wajib dan dipaksa mengeluarkan duit yang tidak mereka miliki.

Dasar ekonomi terbuka dan terkangkang ini akan menjemput kapitalis antarabangsa – dengan alasan untuk melabor dan membawa modal. Ini betul-betul hujah dari kertas kerja John Perkins. Inilah cara yang digunakan oleh Perkins untuk memastikan sesebuah negara itu akhirnya akan dapat dijajah kembali.

Satu kerajaan yang baik adalah kerajaan yang berkiblatkan rakyat. Sebuah kerajaan yang adil tidak akan mempedulikan kepentingan kaum kapitalis kerana mereka menghisap darah warga negara. Dasar yang wajib dinobatkan ialah dasar dimana kepentingan ramai mendahului kepentingan pribadi. Kepentingan ramai menjadi nakhoda dan juragan.

Kerajaan yang adil ialah sebuah pentabiran yang telus dimana dasar ekonominya akan menobatkan kepentingan kaum buruh dan tani. Ini kerana dari tenaga kaum buruh dan kuam tani inilah munculnya modal. Modal muncul dari tenaga manusia. Modal bukan wang ringgit. Wang ringgit adalah tanda nilai tenaga dan fikrah manusia. Modal datang dari tenaga warga negara itu sendiri.

Modal bukan datang dari IMF atau Bank Dunia Bank. Duit dari IMF atau Bank Dunia itu adalah hasil rompakan dari tenaga buruh dan tani dari seluruh dunia.

Justeru dasar Menjual Felda mungkin dilihat dapat mengumpulkan modal. Awas! Menjual Felda samalah seperti Lebai Sudin di Kuala Nerang yang hanya memiliki sebuah rumah dan 3 relong sawah. Satu hari untuk membaiki atap rumahnya Lebai Sudin telah menjualkan 3 relong tanah sawahnya kepada …….(TT)
( Tulisan ini boleh dicekup demi membuat kebaikan. Sila baca buku Confessions of an Economic Hit Man – jangan malas baca! Kalau malas kena jual nanti !)