500 miles

 

Peace of mind.

Penang's FDI free fall due to poor leadership

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's recent admission of turning down of an FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) worth US$3 billion due to his inability to guarantee the prospective investor 1,000 engineers is a shocking case of poor decision-making and incompetence that unfortunately has become the hallmark of the DAP-led Penang state government in the last 18 months.

In all my more than two decades of working experience in the high-tech manufacturing industry around the world, I have never seen a single instance where a state or country turned down a US$3 billion high-tech investment for such a reason.

Any other country or state would have spared no effort to fulfill the investor's every need and requirement in order to secure an investment of such importance and magnitude. What is even more alarming is the chief minister's lack of knowledge of the industry as well as the capabilities and resources available within his own state.

It is hard to comprehend how Guan Eng can allow such a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to slip away as he had numerous options to find the required number of engineers. It is inexcusable that the CM is ignorant of the fact that Penang-based companies like Intel, Altera, Renesas, AMD, Spansion, Osram, Bosch, Lumiled, Agilent, Motorola and many others employ tens of thousands of engineers. In fact, many of these companies have made Penang as their global Research and Development (R & D) centres.

Firstly, local and foreign universities produce Electrical and Electronics (E & E) engineers by the thousands. Secondly, several thousand Penang (and Malaysian) engineers work overseas in countries like Singapore, Taiwan and the US. Many of these engineers would jump at the chance to return home and contribute to the national development and be nearer to their families and friends.

Thirdly, Guan Eng could have followed the example of some high-tech companies (for example, Siltera, Infineon, etc) by recruiting highly specialised engineers from foreign countries as an interim measure until local replacements could be found. A more competent CM would have been aware that countries such as the Philippines and India produce and export English-educated engineers who could be hired in large quantities and at an affordable cost.

Another source of technical resource are retired Japanese engineers, whom the Korean firms have used in the past with stunning effect to bridge the technological gap with their more advanced rivals in high-tech industries.

Fourthly, Guan Eng could have approached the Human Resources Ministry, public and private universities, professional bodies or even other Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states for their assistance in acquiring the necessary engineering resources.

Unfortunately, the Penang CM undertook none of the above-mentioned actions and instead he chose to go the press and lament about the loss and as usual tried to shift the blame onto his political nemeses.

Despite alleged shortcomings, the previous administration under Koh Tsu Khoon did a remarkable job in attracting high-tech FDI, transforming the state from a low-cost assembly center to a high-tech, high value-added design and manufacturing hub.

Tragically, instead of building upon the excellent foundation laid down by his predecessor, Lim Guan Eng appears to have done irreparable damage to the competitiveness of the state by poor decision-making and mismanagement in the last 18 months.

Guan Eng has been lucky that Koh's good work has resulted in a record-breaking RM10.2 billion in FDI for the year 2008. However, as I had correctly predicted, FDI for 2009 had dried up and the result for 2010 likely be gloomier still. Other states like Johor, Perak, Sarawak and even Selangor have done far better and left Penang way behind.

Guan Eng is without doubt the state leader who had made the most number of foreign visits to solicit for FDI. Sadly, he also holds the unwanted distinction of being the least productive as well. For none of these trips seems to have produced any result as we have yet to see a single significant FDI project won solely through the efforts of the new CM.

The reason is not hard to fathom - the state agencies entrusted to bring in FDI are filled with political appointees with little experience or capabilities. Most of these officials seem to be more preoccupied with politics than investment-related tasks.

In the past Guan Eng and DAP had often bitterly complained about the 'brain drain' of Malaysian professionals and skilled workers to other countries due to the lack of opportunities at home. However, in this case, Lim and his DAP themselves are guilty of contributing to the 'brain drain' by squandering such a golden opportunity.

source: malaysiakini

note: while i was seeking info for my computer literature, i saw this. brainy out there, come and give me some figures or fact that can support or against this post ;)

new moon, awesome in cinema!

ah… uh… ah… yep i make it sounds like i’m having ejaculation. climax to be exact after watching new moon. you should know by now how crazy i am over this. who can believe now, i’m one of the big fan? i never watch twilight, until i read the book. i always have this problem whenever i know there is a book before a movie. i will end up i won’t watch it even i know people are talking about it while it is showing. another movie that i haven’t watched when it was in cinema – inkheart. i knew it has series. maybe i will find a time to squeeze, so that i can read the books, then watch. perhaps, just dvd. i don’t know :)

i’d lie to you if i say i never watch any movie before i read the book before. take example, potter, lotr and eragon. i never read them. potter is way too many sequence, which i decide only to watch rather than read it from the beginning. lotr, i’ve watched all of ‘em. what’s the good reason to  read about it when you already know the ending? hmm, i still to buy 3 books of eragon sequence as i saw brisingr still in the hot list in borders and mph. double hmm.

ah, too much of an introduction this time :) ok, let’s cut the crap and talk about the title of this post.

i went to watch new moon with nadia and keith. me and nadia, read the book, nadia has done all 4 books, which only 3rd book i’m currently reading. don’t blame me for read it slow, blame the time :P

i wonder why meyer book is getting thicker? twilight is easy to finish. but these 2 last books, damn thick.

i think for those who didn’t read the book, you guys must have difficulty to understand why this or why that. maybe its easier a bit to those who had watched the twilight. still many of my friends complaint that new moon has too many dialogues. too many eh?

for me, they cut it a lot. what’s wrong with french kiss? damn. not only that part, to those who read the book must wonder where did they got some parts which was not in the book such as:

1. bella rode bike with stranger? which suppose she was crossing the road and stop in the middle coz of the voice.
2. suppose she could see the image of edward? or just hearing the voice?
3. jake suppose to be bulkier?
4. did jake explode in front of his house when he fought paul?
5. alice couldn’t tell edward was going to kill himself until bella and jake told her that edward was on the phone. but why she could tell in the movie?
6. er, they were suppose to watch horror movie right? i mean, bella, jake and mike?

… and the list goes on :)

overall, i like it. ah, don’t blame me for posting this. it’s not a spoiler at all :)

what do you think about storm warrior? i know it’s ridiculous for those comic haters :P

lemon tree

Tender

Run This Town

Feel it coming in the air
Hear the screams from everywhere
I’m addicted to the the thrill (I'm Ready)
It’s a dangerous love affair (C'mon)
Can’t be scaring nickels down
Got a problem, tell me now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who gonna run this town tonight
Is who gonna run this town tonight
We gonna run this town

Jay-Z

We are, yeah, I said it, we are
This is Roc Nation, pledge your allegiance
Get y’all fatigues on, all black everything
Black cards, black cars, all black everything
And our girls are blackbirds, riding with they Dillingers
I get more in-depth if you boys really real enough
This is La Familia, I’ll explain later
But for now, let me get back to this paper
I’m a couple bands down and I’m tryna get back
I gave Doug a grip, I lost a flip for five stacks
Yeah, I’m talking five comma six zeroes dot zero ?
Back to running circles ’round niggas, now we squared up
Hold up

Rihanna

Life’s a game but it’s not fair
I break the rules so I don’t care
So I keep doing my own thing
Walking tall against the rain
Victory’s within the mile
Almost there, don’t give up now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who gonna run this town tonight

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Who gonna run this town tonight?

Jay-Z

We are, yeah, I said it, we are
You can call me Caesar, in a dark Caesar
Please follow the leader, so Eric B we are
Microphone fiend, it’s the return of the God, peace God
And ain’t nobody fresher
I’m in Maison, uh, Martin Margiela
On the table, screaming f@#k the other side, they jealous
We got a bankhead full of broads, they got a table full of fellas
And they ain’t spendin’ no cake
They should throw they hand in, ’cause they ain’t got no spades
My whole team got dough
So my bankhead is lookin’ like Millionaires’ Row

Rihanna

Life’s a game but it’s not fair
I break the rules so I don’t care
So I keep doing my own thing
Walking tall against the rain
Victory’s within the mile
Almost there, don’t give up now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who gonna run this town tonight

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Who gonna run this town tonight?

Kanye West

It’s crazy how you can go from being Joe Blow
To everybody on your dick, no homo
I bought my whole family whips, no Volvos
Next time I’m in church, please no photos
Police escorts, everybody passports
This the life that everybody ask for
This a fast life, we are on a crash course
What you think I rap for? To push a f@#kin’ Rav 4?
But I know that if I stay stunting
All these girls only gonna want one thing
I could spend my whole life good will hunting
Only good gonna come is it’s good when I’m coming
She got an ass that’ll swallow up her G-string
And up top, uh, two bee stings
And I’m beasting, off the re-sling
And my nigga just made it out the precinct
We give a damn about the drama that you do bring
I’m just tryna change the color on your mood ring
Reebok, baby, you need to try some new things
Have you ever had shoes without shoestrings?
What’s that, Ye? Baby, these heels
Is that a May-what? Baby, these wheels
You trippin’ when you ain’t sippin’, have a refill
You feelin’ like you run it, huh?
Now you know how we feel

Jay-Z

Wha’sup?


Rihanna

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay


Jay-Z

Wha’sup?

Rihanna

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Heeeeeeeeey heeeeeeay

Who gonna run this town tonight?

Jay-Z

Wha’sup?

2012

ah, who said its a lousy movie? over my dead body :P

i mean, its not a bad movie after all. you should wonder why the tickets always sold out and you could only get front seats after a long queue to buy your precious tix. ah…

so, i managed to watch this so called lousy-movie last wed with keith. we both agree that the escaping part is a bit overdo like you’re playing super mario. but for the disasters part, it was so cool. i mean, who can expect malaysia could been attacked by beautiful, white tsunami?

instead of the disasters, there is a message in the movie.

people tend to be selfish when disaster happen.

politicians can use their power to safe their ass instead of helping us civilian, like piece of shit. ah! c’mon, don’t tell me you think they won’t abandon you like the movie. some of ‘em even got their own jet. you? haha perhaps we should practice the super mario escaping part?

only useful people should be saved. er? i think i’m part of it. lol.

overall, i think its an okay movie. nothing to be bragged about, but its not a piece of shit of course. i give thumb up for the effect.

new moon anyone? lalalala…

Taking Back My Love

BTN taught me the Chinese are the Jews of Asia

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — I am one of the privileged few to have attended a local public university and learned the meaning of hate, thanks to the ever popular Biro Tata Negara.

All undergraduates were forced to attend this programme or else they would not be eligible for graduation.

The BTN under the Prime Minister’s Department brought in “intellectual” speakers who were supposed to enlighten the students about the meaning of being a Malaysian but instead it felt more like a communist propaganda camp brainwashing those attending about the importance of “Ketuanan Melayu”.

The camp would usually take place during the weekends. Students would have to register early in the morning and the programme would last the whole day.

The organisers were always on their guard, asking participants to show their student identification cards each time they entered the hall, fearing the presence of outsiders.

In the hall, students were asked to turn off their mobile phones.

During the lectures, questions were planted among the audience and the students were advised not to ask any other questions.

One speaker began with the history of Malaysia and how much the country had gone through, always emphasising the May 13 riots.

He stressed the point of how much the Malays had sacrificed and how the community should be united especially from outside threat — the Chinese community.

He said that the Chinese community were “the Jews of Asia” and were just itching to take over when Malays were disunited and broken.

The speaker also revealed a greater Chinese conspiracy where the Chinese Malaysians were working together with Singapore to topple the Malay government.

“Do you want to become like the Malays in Singapore?” he asked.

He also went so far as to criticise Malay girls for dating boys from other races.

He added that they should not be cheap and embarrass their families.

Once, a student told the speaker that as Muslims, we should also respect other races who are also Muslims.

“All Muslims are Malays so it does not matter if they are Chinese or Indians. If they are Muslims then they are Malays,” the speaker replied.

This is why I was relieved when I learned that the Selangor government had moved to ban its civil servants, employees of state subsidiaries and students at state-owned education institutions from attending any BTN courses with immediate effect.

However I believe racism in varsities does not end at BTN because classrooms have also become victims of ignorant scholars.

My friend was verbally abused during his sociology class when he did not agree with the points made by his lecturer.

“You must be DKK,” the lecturer told him.

“What is DKK?” he asked.

“You must be darah keturunan keling (descendents of Indians),” the lecturer said, pointing to his dark skin.

My Saudi friend was also shocked by the comments made by his lecturer in his Islamic civilisation class.

“We should save our Orang Asli from the Chinese people. They are like the Palestinians and the Chinese are Israel. We must fight the Jews,” the lecturer told his students.

The lecturer even failed one of his students in his oral exam when he quoted a Western scholar in his presentation.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves. You are a Muslim and should only use Islamic scholars,” he scolded the student.

I was personally saddened when my Islamic law lecturer compared Christianity to Head & Shoulder’s 3 in 1 shampoo in referring to the religion’s Holy Trinity.

I feel that racism has been institutionalised in our country and that BTN is only the tip of the iceberg.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin defended BTN yesterday and claimed that it was not racist but is line with the 1 Malaysia concept.

I have to humbly disagree and would like to suggest maybe the ministers should bring their overseas children home and let them have a taste of what BTN is.

Source: themalaysiainsider

 

Note: You tell me, what benefit we can get from BTN? I already told my boss that I’m not willing to go for this BTN even though it will ruin my reputation at work for disobey the order.