Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 1,151 views
This year I am going to write a summary of my year, taking a cue from michaelooi.net because I think it is a good way to gauge where you stand at the end of the year. It is time to being reflective and look back at what we have accomplished (and not) for the year. I am intended to do this every year in the future starting from this post.
Reflective (Source: Flickr)
Resolutions are meant to be broken, that’s what pessimists some people say, but by having a list of ‘things to do’ and ‘marking yourself’ when the time comes, you’ll be able to benchmark yourself, against your previous self. Kinda stupid, no? But stupid things we love do, every now and then.
If you are able to plot your life on a graph, you’ll see if you are sinking fast to the bottom, maintaining a straight line, or for the best – going uphill. But, why many of us wait to reflect on our life only at the end of every year? We should do it every second, minute, and day or at every opportunity that we have. Looking back and retrace your steps, the act does wonders.
So, year 2008. How has it been for me? Fantastic? Mundane? Alright? So so? I guess it was not a bad year, compared to the year before (2007). I didn’t write any resolution for 2008, but I did in 2007.
2007, I was in a mess. By the end of the year, I still grappling with my life, so I decided to put everything on track in 2008 – the reason I didn’t write any resolution coming into 2008. I never wrapped up those resolutions I made in 2007, so perhaps it’s due time to have a peek and see how badly I fared?
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Posted in Blogosphere, Emo, Facebook, Friends, Fun, Life, Looking Back, Me, Observation, People, Personal, Reminiscence | 56 Comments »
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 686 views
Honestly I am not supportive of subsidy scheme, because I think it reduces competitiveness, creating false impression and sense of security to the receivers. In extreme term, subsidy can be equated as opium. It is addictive, and it is hard to shed especially if you are having it for more than 20 years. (Oil subsidy was introduced in 1982 if I remember correctly.)
Just look at the reactions by Malaysians after the ‘removal of oil subsidy’ (That’s the correct term. oil price hike is not 
). There is a group with the name ‘1 Million Malaysian who are sick of the RM2.70/liter Petrol Price‘ in Facebook and guess what, as of today – less than 1 week – a staggering number of 35,582 people already joined the group. That is roughly 5k new members a day, 200 members an hour, 3 member a minute!! I read somewhere that, less than 24 hours it was created, the group had some 1,767 members! It reminds me of the withdrawal symptoms associated with drugs, alcohol and nicotine. 
This is a case of when one is hardest hit, one will arise to make noise, if the problem affects others, that individual may just care… less 
Oh, I heard many times “Politics is not important”, “It has nothing to do with me”, “I have no interest in politics”, “I couldn’t care less about politics, as long as I can cari makan enough”, well you get the idea. Yes, it is not important, I guess many still can ‘cari makan’ heh? The ruling government was elected through political process, and the very government that you voted in or could not care less to vote that made the very policy of reducing the oil subsidy last week. Job well done, ignorant retards!! This message is especially for those that:
1. Never aware of what shits are going on around them. Blur sotongs!! Fry them!!
2. Aware but too ‘busy’ to do anything.
Job well done, ignorant-irresponsible-lazy retards!!
I have nothing against those who voted for the current ruling government for they made their choice and they shall live by it. After all they already exercised their responsibility as a citizen and chose their side. 
Well, we come to the issue – oil subsidy. Do you think the government is telling the truth? That they can no longer subsidise the petrol? Is there anything we do not aware of? What is the government hiding, if there is anything to hide??
From Chedet, ‘Adviser’ of Petronas:
I believe the people expect the increase of petrol price. But what they are angry about is the quantum and the suddenness. The Prime Minister was hinting at August but suddenly it came two months earlier, just after the ban on sale of petrol to foreigners.
If the increase had been more gradual, the people would not feel it so much. But of course this means that the Government would have to subsidise, though to a decreasing extent.
Can the Government subsidise? I am the “adviser” to Petronas but I know very little about it beyond what is published in its accounts. What I do know may not be very accurate but should be sufficient for me to draw certain conclusions.
Roughly Malaysia produces 650,000 barrels of crude per day. We consume 400,000 barrels leaving 250,000 barrels to be exported.
Three years ago the selling price of crude was about USD30 per barrel. Today it is USD130 – an increase of USD100. There is hardly any increase in the production cost so that the extra USD100 can be considered as pure profit.
Our 250,000 barrels of export should earn us 250,000 x 100 x 365 x 3 = RM27,375,000,000 (twenty seven billion Ringgit).
But Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion, all of which belong to the Government.
By all accounts the Government is flushed with money.
But besides petrol the prices of palm oil, rubber and tin have also increased by about 400 per cent. Plantation companies and banks now earn as much as RM3 billion in profits each. Taxes paid by them must have also increased greatly.
I feel sure that maintaining the subsidy and gradually decreasing it would not hurt the Government finances.
Here are some conspiracy theories. 
Could the following events partially related bsides the current hiking of world oil price? Caution: Read for fun!
1. Petronas in RM8b deal – Under an agreement, Australia’s Santos and Petronas will form a joint venture to develop and operate a 450-km gas pipeline and an LNG plant at Gladstone, Queensland. The need of cash flow to pump into the buying of Santos so need to reduce the subsidy? Or the government is unable to negotiate new contract with Petronas on subsidy?
2.) FUEL PRICE HIKE: Oil exploration costs Petronas a bomb, says CEO – Petronas needs extra money for their exploration of deep water in Kikeh??
3.) Petronas starts methanol plant commissioning work – Petronas needs money to pay the contractors to erect this Labuan 2nd phase Labuan Methanol plant??
4.) Somebody dapat ilham (received divine intervention?) to ‘reduce oil subsidy’. Hahaha!
By all mean, wipe out the subsidy because it is good for the long term. Just it is too sudden for us the rakyat to absorb the after effects. Yes, reduce the subsidy but, be TRANSPARENT why you do it. That is what we as Malaysians want to know. So far, we were given half-baked answers, some downright stupid explanations! You justify the reduction of subsidy, if it makes sense why not? Quoting Chedet again:
Obviously our increase in petrol price is far less than in the United Kingdom or the United States. But our per capita income is about one-third of theirs. In purchasing power terms our increase is more than in the UK or the US.
The increase hurts but the pain is greater not just because of the increase percentage-wise is higher than in developed countries but because of the manner the increase is made.
In the first place the Government should not have floated the Ringgit. A floating rate creates uncertainties and we cannot gain anything from the strengthened Ringgit. Certainly the people have not experienced any increase in their purchasing power because of the appreciation in the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Ringgit.
Actually the Ringgit has increased by about 80 sen (from RM3.80 to RM3.08 to 1 US Dollar) per US Dollar, i.e. by more than 20 per cent. Had the Government retained the fixed rate system and increased the value of the Ringgit, say 10 per cent at a time, the cost of imports, in Ringgit terms can be monitored and reduced by 10 per cent. At 20 per cent appreciation the cost of imports should decrease by 20 per cent. But we know the prices of imported goods or services have not decreased at all. This means we are paying 20 per cent higher for our imports including the raw material and components for our industries.
Since oil prices are fixed in US Dollar, the increase in US Dollar prices of oil should also be mitigated by 20 per cent in Malaysian Ringgit.
Conclusion: I am not against the reduction of oil subsidy, but the manner it is made. I want good explanations. Make me understand. Do not shove funny numbers into my small brain. I have my numbers, like this:
Country GDP – per capita ($)
Hong Kong – 36,500
Malaysia – 12,700
Iran – 8,900
Venezuela – 6,900
Premium Unleaded petrol price in
Hong Kong is : 10.22 HKD per litre = RM 4.27 per litre
MALAYSIA is : RM 2.70 per litre
GDP ratio between Malaysia and Hong Kong is 12, 700 : 36,500 = 1 : 2.87
Re-adjust the petrol price based on income: RM4.27/2.87 = RM 1.47
==> Obviously, our RM 2.70 per litre is far more expensive than Hong Kong’s RM 1.47 after comparing both countries’ GDP. 
Wait.. Hong Kong is a net oil importer. Hmm.. their cars are cheaper too. Oh, in Hongkong having a car is a luxury, not a necessity like here in Malaysia 
Posted in Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Facebook, News, Rants | No Comments »
Monday, June 2nd, 2008 306 views
Hello world…
I am back to the virtual world 
Missing out a lot of actions. I bet Suituapui has plenty of posts since last week for me to read.. since he’s bugging me everyday to online/post up something. 1st sms I received when I came back from Kuala Terengganu was from Suituapui – ‘Why no post? Cibol very active now, he got a internet connection already.’ ROFTLMAO… Then Man-D sms-ed me with her new mobile number asking about my ‘holiday’ haha! ‘What’s with the king size bed?’ Thanks for all the smses
As I mentioned in my previous post, I was away for a work trip to Hulu Terengganu. Need not to say, no internet connection and even my Digi line hardly make itself available there. Crap, what ‘WIDEST Coverage’ ‘Always with you’ ‘Always the smartest choice’ lah… I feel dumb the whole week 
Oklah, in their advertisement they put (Almost). I still can send and receive sms, but cannot send or receive mms or make and receive call. 
I took some photos and videos while I was there. I stayed at Lake Kenyir Resort & Spa. Yes I sent the mms to Suituapui, my room with a king size bed. Dirty old man, I was showing off how comfortable and big the bed I had for myself lah! 
Not suggesting anything, especially to Suituapui! NOooo!! Never!!!! Some of the random photos I took on the trip:
View from the main lobby of the resort I stayed during the trip
Kenyir Lake, well small part of it. The whole lake is bigger than Singapore. 
Yes, Malaysia and its inferiority complex. Must mention we have bigger, longer, taller things here. 
More of it..
Beautiful..
Here is one video I took using my mobile while cruising the lake. (Ehem, I did that after finished my work, okay!)
This the the Saok waterfall. I did not get the chance to perform ’skinny dipping’ there, it was late in the evening and I did not want to scare the animals that might be peeping.
This video was taken on our way to the project site using the logging track. Ignore the eerie laugh, and sorry for making you turning your head in such an angle to view the video properly. Hahahahaha!
Lousy video quality, videos taken using camera still with my friends. (Can try viewing the videos in original size, slightly better and clearer video. Go Menu> Original Size 
)
The logging track.
I am quite busy right now. I have to arrange few things. I am relocating to Sarawak next week. Yes, you hear that right. I am leaving Klang Valley. No Zewt and NoktahHitam, me not in Sarawak right now. (They told me before they thought I was in Sarawak all this while , not in Klang Valley.) Company will send me there for a project, probably for few months or up to a year.
After that, I will back back to Klang Valley! 
Guess many things I cannot enjoy after I leave here. Such as this:
Kung Fu Panda Premiere Screening free tickets Memang, gua memang *LC!
*LC – Lan si – Lan si is often used to describe a snobbish person, a show off. Ehem, lan = penis, si = shit. Literally = shitty penis?? 
Lan si refers to that layer of filth under the fore skin of a penis. Hence, shit and penis respectively. 
Example of usage:
1. That person damn lan si.
2. You haven’t cleaned under your fore skin, there’s a lot of lan si and it stinks. Moral of the story, clean it or get yourself circumcised.
Sorry, sidetrack a bit there. Back to Sarawak, no more premiere screenings. Cannot LC anymore. Need to watch cheapo dvds on the market after this 
I have few things to say to some good friends. Some of them I yet to meet them in person but we definitely have a good ‘chemistry’ in the virtual world. (Uh, that sounds pretty gay yeah?) I made a lot of friends especially into the year 2008.
NoktahHitam, Zewt: Guess I cannot make it to have teh tarik with you guys before I leave. 
Zewt, have a great days ahead in Down Under. Keep the great entries coming yeah! NoktahHitam, keep on EMO-ing hahaha! EMO itu penting!
Angeles, no chance meeting you as well. Ehem, still can poke poke in Facebook and goofing around in this blog, right? 
Kopi Soh, if you are reading this, we keep contact through Facebook okay?
Man-D, Melbie, Lola, Mar – I will definitely see you guys at Rainforest World Music Festival this July! Looking forward to meeting you pretty Sabahan ladies!
There are some that I met through Deny BN a 2/3 Majority group in Facebook and then we become very good friends. I regularly meet up with some of them for coffee/beer and crapping away. Some I never meet with, but we are already friends I know some of them reading this blog (I RSS it to my Notes application in Facebook as well). It is great meeting you guys, definitely more chances to meet up in future, please keep me updated and I shall make a special appearance just for that.
So to Jason, Casey, Durvan, Brian ,Antonia, Azira, Edward, Dofu, Marise, Joanne, Terence, Ajim, Khairul, Ibac, Padma, Marise, Joethi, Medaline, Caleb, Sandra, Shazeea and friends, I will miss you guys. Guess I will be away from Facebook for short period, please behave. 
I am quite sad leaving all my good friends here, some of them you already know. Mary, good luck in your new job. Be happy in everything that you do I will come back for the delicious Hokkien Mee. Cibol, go screw yourself and keep the super EMO posts coming. Nyahahahaha! Dude, spare me a place when I am in KL next time. Me have no place to stay no more. See you at RWMF! Psstt.. when are you getting your tattoo? I cannot join you for the inking session if you plan to do it in KL then.
To those I regularly ‘twitting’ with and reading their blogs or randomly crapping away in Facebook (most of them are on my blogroll) – ahlost, daniel, nono, wongpk, patt, lynnx01, lynnwei, ashleigh, ah bong, coolku, yanz, aisyah, kNizam, Kean Leandre, Gill, Wuching, zephyr – I cannot list all the names out lol.. Love you guys, great to stumble upon your blogs and become friends.
Hope more great things to come in the future.
Those are already in Sarawak – Suituapui, Clare, Bengbeng, Clement, Charyelle, Lola, Mar here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, rest assured that I will continue writing my craps Till then, take care and tata~!! Lastly, a song for all my great friends Adios! *hides away in a cave*
David Cook – Always Be My Baby
We were as one babe
For a moment in time
And it seemed everlasting
That you would always be mine
Now you want to be free
So I’m letting you fly
Cause I know in my heart babe
Our love will never die, no!
You’ll always be a part of me
I’m a part of you indefinitely
Girl don’t you know you can’t escape me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my baby
And we’ll linger on
Time can’t erase a feeling this strong
No way you’re never gonna shake me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my… my baby
I ain’t gonna cry no
And I won’t beg you to stay
If you’re determined to leave girl
I will not stand in your way
But inevitably you’ll be back again
Cause ya know in your heart babe
Our love will never end no
You’ll always be a part of me (oooohhhh)
I’m part of you indefinitely (oooohhhh)
Girl don’t you know you can’t escape me (ooooohhhhhh)
Ooh darlin cause you’ll always be my baby
And we’ll linger on (and we will linger on)
Time cant erase a feeling this strong (ohhhh)
No way you’re never gonna shake me (oh baby)
Ooh darlin cause you’ll always be my baby
know that you’ll be back girl
When your days and your nights get a little bit colder oooohhh
I know that, you’ll be right back, babe
Ooooh! baby believe me it’s only a matter of time
You’ll always be apart of me
I’m part of you indefinitely
Girl don’t you know you can’t escape me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my baby
And we’ll linger on
Time can’t erase a feeling this strong
No way you’re never gonna shake me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my my baby….
You’ll always be apart of me (you will always be)
I’m part of you indefinitely
Girl don’t you know you can’t escape me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my baby
And we’ll linger on (we will linger on….)
Time can’t erase a feeling this strong
No way you’re never gonna shake me
Ooh darling cause you’ll always be my baby
ps: It doesn’t sound like some kind of last speech, farewell by someone going to a Neverland and never come back no? I hope not
pss: Hiatus again for how long I yet to be sure. Hop over to Cibol’s as his blog is up and running as he gets is powderful canggih wireless broadband connection already Or Suituapui because he religiously updating his blog everyday Or NoktahHitam for his wicked mind. Do not forget Zewt for his Zewtpinions..
Posted in Annoucement, Blogosphere, Emo, Facebook, Freebies, Friends, Obsession, Personal, Photos, Sarawak, Songs, Tattoo | No Comments »
