Bullets of Quills and Ink

To potong or not to potong.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:26:00 +0000

The current ISP war is raging between TM and P1. The concept of marketing is somewhat lewd but it is funny. There are some complaining that the advertisements should be censored because it carries a double meaning. Hey, if you get it you get it lah~ if you don't then you are naive.

But seriously between both services there is nothing much to it. Both have their own problems. But seriously the service which the ISPs in this country is giving is utter bullshit. Relatively our internet services is still expensive comparatively to the speed what we are getting. Don't get me started on the downtime.

Infact I have not been paying for the service since I suffer more downtime than actual usage. In other words I am fed up. I say potong all lah~ just visit the nearest mamak and order a teh tarik and enjoy their free wifi.

Another round of post-mortem for Teoh.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:59:00 +0000

I am wondering why our forensics are very fickle in their undertakings. Why would there be the need to do a second postmortem if the first one was done properly? This case of Teoh is leading to a big mess and seriously indicates the quality of investigation. When one suddenly comes and gives a contradicting statement the story changes all the sudden and everything has to be re-done.

So the body will be exhumed yet again.... prodded...opened... and prodded some more. When can a man rest in peace these days? Especially if involving a suspicious death. By the way~ not really being insensitive~ why does his relatives carry a picture of Teoh for everything? It is indeed a culture that I do not understand. Can someone explain to me please?

Former Perlis Mufti detained for what?

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:56:00 +0000

Sometimes the law can be a constrictive thing. In this case a gathering of 100 people at a private home. However only the ex-mufti was detained but not those who attended. But the police was mere assisting JAIS~ so they say. I find that hard to believe really. Why would JAIS request the help of police detain that man? Couldn't JAIS have done that themselves? I feel like there is something fishy going on. But well~ how they run their operations is non of our business especially a humble blogger like me.

Official news report here.

How far along will the new budget help us?

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:41:00 +0000

The general thoughts on the new budget is pretty positive. But seriously~ those are only suggestions and believe me not all will fall trough. It escapes the most of us that every time a new budget is tabled everything is well received but what is actually passed on no one really cares.

The upset is always when somewhere along the timeline when we hear a price increase of this and that all the sudden and blame it on the government which is suppose to keep tabs on the market forces. Well, let me tell you this~ do you think they have all the bloody time to bother about every single sen of yours?

Be ready to get disappointed sometime in 2010.

An UMNO of Quality.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:49:00 +0000

If Najib wishes to see that his party gains an amount of quality then it should always start with him. So indeed UMNO might be moving in the right direction (for once) but in comparison the opposition has improved so much more in such a short time span. But the big dog of Malaysian politics will have to start learning new tricks and that is what Najib will have to do.

The reforms which are suggested sounds very interesting. However there are some attitudes that are very hard to beat. First is the Malay supremacy crap. Come on~ is there really such thing to begin with? If there were any it died a long time ago during the downfall of the Malacca Sultanate. Second, this youth / putri thing is a total load of crap. Can't we just have one UMNO? Why must one political thought be segregated by age? Third, for the love of god please stop spending millions on useless conferences and other events that only benefit UMNO members.

An UMNO of quality need to have integrity.

BN lifted with Bagan Pinang win.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:01:00 +0000

It's like a big thing winning a By Election these days for BN. I think it is because they have been loosing most of it. But can those of BN simply say that the confidence for the party has been rejuvenated because of the win in Bagan Pinang? I think it is an over statement.

A victory in just one By Elections could never be a yardstick for voter's confidence nationwide. It is just to show that particular constituency supports that party. That is all. I think BN leader are just hyping up the win to lift the spirits of the many BN supporters who have been jaded to see BN loosing the past few By Elections.

"Menang satu tak semestinya menang semua"

Tun M realized finally that we were getting fed up of him.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Some believe that leaders are born while some have valid reasons to believe that they are trained and educated. I would say both are somewhat true. In respect to Tun M and the 22 years he raigned as PM I have great admiration. Not because he was PM for so long but for the fact that someone who could be content and complecent he choose not to and in the end gave up his seat with dignity for a change.

I can bet my Ringgit that not many leaders are willing to do that even if they are given a 50 year term. They would want to stay 50 more perhaps for reasons that retirement gets them out of their comfort zone. Like many a transition of power of other countries that are controlled by a rigid system such as the United States people tend to loose patience after awhile. So it is either you get outsted or you get "whacked".

Good reason to change leaders is so that new ideas can see the light of day and just like clothes ideas can be in and out of fashion as well. The delivery of ideas also needs to change as no 2 deliveries for one idea provides for the exact same outcome.

To translate to the current batch of leaders that have served for too many years my sentiment goes the same to them. If there is not a marked improvement that they make at the end of every term they should very well know when to bow down and out instead of waiting for their curtain call. To the likes of Nik Aziz and Sammy Vellu the time has certainly come and passed. But it seems they prefer to be like a stubborn stain and ride on sentimental values helped largely by their sentimental supporters who are too afraid to rock towards slighty more choppy waters.

The fact of this is evident. We see things not moving anywhere to the most part but in some instances it may be moving backwards. Of course there needs to be a transition. The task and responsibilities of a leader is not something to be taken lightly let alone to be passed on like a can of baked beans at a camping ground.

What I feel that makes a good leader is not only in the ability to manage resources but also to rejuvenate and know when exactly to drop the sickle and call it a day indefinitely. Good leaders has to be alert not only to the environment but to themselves. Because if the environment wants to move forward but the leader cant do so then he or she is holding up everyone else. When things come to that event then a good leader becomes a selfish leader in a blink.

The Star

Dr. M supports Makkal Sakthi but what if....

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:52:00 +0000

Amusing turn of events this is. Just earlier this year to chant Makkal Sakthi would get one into trouble with the authorities. Well soon that would be legal and the BN led government will shout it out loud proudly too. Yes it is surely something unimaginable when the street protest took place sometime ago.

I do laud the initiative to make Makkal Sakthi a proper political party. But for them to turn to the BN coalition is actually a bit of a disappointment. They would indeed give a better fight if they are the opposition and gives a level playing field and BN will have a run for it's money. Perhaps there was a change of heart from the party leaders which lead them to think that if they work with the coalition in power they would get it easier. Logical enough to me~ but gaining something I bet the party lost some as well.

It is also a sign that to have another Indian Party seems to give tell-tale signs that MIC is not really holding up to it's baton as savior for the Indian Malaysians. Looks like Sammy would be around for a bit longer to ensure his party get what it wants or else it will just seep trough to the young gunners chanting Makkal Sakthi.

Loyalty expected but it comes at a price.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:25:00 +0000

With the choke hold on the economy relaxing a tiny bit could we see a spike in job openings? I have been monitoring the various online job sites and new job openings are a bit scarce in general. Unless you place your self dirt cheap of course, but who does? Again if you are beyond desperate I have nothing else to say to you.

I do believe that to some extent some of us a very loyal to our employers. Perhaps it is because of certain benefits or the precise strategy aligned just so that one can leap frog to higher positions in the tree. Which of course takes years and years of hard work on most cases. Dirty politics please stamp your mark here.

But just ask someone about job satisfaction almost all the time they say is money when in fact it is actually time (workaholics need not apply here). What drives a person to be loyal towards their employer? It takes a certain amount of security and perks. So money may not be the reason half of the time. If you can agree with me it is always an external factor that determines loyalty.

So from my insistent observation outcome of employee loyalty can be defined as money divided by time multiplied by perks with the result of that squared off by satisfaction. Yes, try calculating that and come up with a definite answer if you should stay or otherwise. Of course that is an objective approach, which many of us take a more subjective approach because it is simpler and bangs the buck on the feel good factor to individuals.

So if you are faced with a tough decision of should you stay or not, you make take either one of the two methods I have given. Not that it is full proof but it surely beats the hell out of flipping a coin. Then again at some point it is almost always about the money.

Best of buddies.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:31:00 +0000

I can't believe such lies. For one how could PAS claim that they are good friends with other parties in PKR. If it is true none should have any disputes with their partners in crime. One thing is for sure PAS has since compromised it's stand the moment they joined PKR. For benefit in one way or the other but it seems that they are very capable in mingling.

Now the issue of certain PAS division wanting to split from PKR. It could never happen because if divisions were to act on their own then why be part of a party in the first place? It is notorious of any political party that it is for gains in one way or the other. The many times the calling for "To Serve the People" is simply bollocks. Nothing is for free and even if it is free it still costs something somehow.

Even within BN on party will tell the another party to mind it's own business. Take the latest MIC party elections as a very good example. Tun M was told to bugger off and indirectly other BN component parties are told to collect their own laundry too.

It is just simply a fact, no matter how tight tow parties seem to be it is just for the benefit of cheap media attention. Well go on ahead. Live that lie and lead your people to it.

Which one is it that you have less? Time or Money?

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:43:00 +0000

I was presented this question plenty of times. But before the answer never seem to be that important to me until recently. We have X amount of time and an X amount of money. What it is normally is that we get an equal amount of money based on the amount of time put in. Now, it is simple common sense that everyone can make money regardless what they do. But without the time put in it is impossible to make a single cent. Makes sense doesn't it?

Well, the government has allowed civil servants to take up a second job. Which if I am guessing correctly that as long it does not interfere with the actual working hours it is fine. But seriously, we have only 24 hours per day. It does not matter is you are rich, poor, weak or powerful, good looking or your face looks like a mash-up of Bush and Margeret Thatcher. So where is the time to have a second job, in fact where is there is enough time to manage anything else in your life?

It strikes me as odd that no matter what you do everything is charged as per hour basis at the basic level. Now what we need is not more money as one hour can only be saturated with the money one makes but we actually need time. So wee see some people starts work at 8am and ends at 5pm. Some do so at 9am and finish at 6pm. Some take the extra effort to do an extra shift. Some sacrifice not to take their annual leave so as to be compensated in monetary value.

So what do we actually need? More money or more time? I would choose the latter because it presents me with more options than say an increase in pay of 20% but still stick to the hours. Predictably more and more enterprises out there offer a so called passive income system. Or the common term is let the money work for you instead you working for the money. However the biggest hurdle is not what we can do but what do we want to do. To do that requires a leap of faith to some and obviously sacrifices. So honestly what would you pick? Time? or Money?

What does it mean when Malaysia is yet again embarking into F1.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:52:00 +0000

In all the turmoil in the global market some very rich and powerful Malaysians think they should get started into an F1 team. Well, for one I can say good for them. Second of all let us be reminded that this should not be just a marketing ploy. Although the PM has mentioned it plenty of times as quoted in the formal media. Perhaps the Pm does not want to explain in detail what else a Malaysian owned F1 team can do for the country. Perhaps just not yet.

Also it is not surprising that Mr. AirAsia @ Tony Fernandes is team principle. Which consequently he is also the initiator to this highly volatile investment. But what does it mean to the rest of us Malaysians? Would the tickets to watch the F1 in Sepang be cheaper? No, it has nothing to do with the team. Would this mean local brands who can afford the advertising have their brands paraded in 300km/h feather light cars? Yes.

Seriously, it would be a good consideration and oppurtunity for local brands that wants to break the international market to gain exposure just as how Mr. Tony has done for Air Asia in the Enlish Premier League. Imagine brands like Babas, Jackel and even the infamous Mc Curry on an F1 car? Of course it will be expensive and I doubt the brands I mentioned can afford it but imagination is where every success story starts.

I would not go as far as saying that it will be a Malaysian F1 team. Because it is not really. It is owned by Malaysian business entity yes. So in the mix there cannot be a pure Malaysian F1 team. We lack the expertise and knowledge which can be clawed back from smart investments and securing deals with the relevent experts in the sport.

Would it make it as good as how Honda and Toyota could? Well based on the expectations from the Lotus know how and Cosworth horse power we should be in capable hands if and only if politics do not play too much a part in it's management. I would love to see this happen and 10 years down the line the 1Malaysia F1 Team woul still be competing. Now that would be a mighty good thing.

Just to factor in what the rakyat expects and the reality of this sport, not everyone makes it here. The number that has faltered is a tell-tale sign of how bad things could be if a grave error or greed is simmering somewhere deep in the team's bowels. I would bet my money that with political intevention the team wont even last 3 full seasons and hundreds of millions just thrown away burnt forever in the asphalt of race circuits. Well if it is entire free of political satans then I can say Malaysia will be in active competition for a very very long time.

Khairy should take acting seriously.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:41:00 +0000

I seriously think he has used all his talents very well here. Which he should consider a career change. This video is a cracker!!!!

Proton BLM gets in list of 50 Cars Made For At Least 20 Years.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Wow~ OK fine it is not from an official auto mag like AutoCar or Road&Track or even TGM. But still I am mighty proud to see a Malaysian car in the list~ albeit it is still referred as a Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore. Or perhap they are referring to a Lancer Fiore but somehow can't find the right image.

Anyhow go trough the list at Jalopnik.

Indonesians demand for RM800

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:53:00 +0000

Looks like the cost of living for Malaysian families might just go up. Already Filipino domestic helpers go for a higher wage than their Indonesian counter parts so why not join in the bandwagon. Really if this RM800 materialize than it would not be according to the market demands since there is a minimum.

Another thing is at that cost per month we might see a lot of people sending their maids off. RM800 does not constitute for the cost that the maids incur themselves for food and lodging at their place of work. So the actual cost would undoubtedly be higher than what they are asking for.

For that kind of money we might just as well send the kids to a nursery. At least they will get an early start in education which I bet you maids do not do that well. In response to this demand I bet the market will in turn want a list of services that the maids will do so everything will be justified.

They would soon not only need to wash, clean and cook but other various duties will be included as well. The idea an off day has been a debate as well but I do seriously think it is very fair because maids normally work more than 12 hours a day. I am sure some sort of consensus can be met to see that both sides are happy. We do need their services and they do need the job.

Internal Security Council: One step in the right direction

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:39:00 +0000

It is good sense to first amend the ISA instead of abolishing it. But how it is amended would be under great scrutiny of the rakyat. So to me the first move is in the correct direction. Having a council to determine who gets in the inner sanctum of Kamunting would far more just than decision resting on one minister. However, the question arises of what if the top draws for this council is influenced by one party or the other making the verdicts one sided.

Lets just hope everything canbe as fair as it possibly can. Lets see what else is under review for the ISA. It's just that the waiting thing can be a bitch.

Again the government flip-flop. This time on RON97

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:40:00 +0000

This has become a habit. Saying one thing then doing another. Promisses to get things done but suddenly change and say it could not be done. Thus again we see the government not really keeping their promise~

So first they say RM2.00 per litre of RON97....

Now we see RM2.05 per litre~

Aiks~ I know it is a small margin but still principle is principle...

If you know you can't commit to the figure in the future then dont bloody announce it until it is suppose to take effect.

Numb nuts.

Panel suggest Soi Lek to be sacked.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:44:00 +0000

It his highly unfortunate that something that happened years ago comes back haunting. What started as a personal matter has leaked in a hot dvd and distributed to bring down a man. Even when the matter has been dropped but the disciplinary panel decides that it would be best to sack him.

Chua Soi Lek is somewhat unlucky here. I guess some people just can't forgive let alone forget. Now it is up to tha party to finally decide if the man stays or not. Which I think Soi Lek's frolic in politics might just come to an end. If that happens would you think he would be coaxed to join the other side of the political divide? That would certainly make BN cringe.

Malaysia Islamic State does not have the capacity.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Hishammuddin clearly admitted that Malaysian Prisons do have the capacity to carry out Syariah Courts sentences. Which is primarily whipping. It strikes me as very odd since that it is not only yesterday that Malaysia declares itself as an Islamic State. Thus all that time it was never thought off? Or is it a joke? A hoax perhaps?

Whatever lah~ I think it is ubsurd to claim as such.

PAS retains Permatang Pasir.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:14:00 +0000

With the by elections held in Permatang Pasir finally concluded it is for certain that it is almost impossible for BN to take over from an opposition led seat especially if the candidate is from PAS. It is very notorious of PAS now to win any by elections just as long they held the seat previously.

Again BN sees that to crack PAS takes a lot more then just fielding a candidate. BN candidates has to be literally have a flawless background which is like a needle in a haystack for the BN camp. But I cant deny their spirit of trying. Well, try and try again then.

Job Interview Tips Twist : Tip 1 to 6

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:35:00 +0000

Job Interview Tip 1 # You know the company is bad if the person who interviews you stinks like bad Yam Cake.

Job Interview Tip 2# You know that the company is not for you when the parking costs alone is more than 10% of your pay accumulated for a month and the company does not pay it for you

Job Interview Tip 3# The company offers more than 50% your asking pay. For you know you will be signing up to hell afterwards and basically selling your soul to the devil. You might get rich in the process but you end up senile. You choose.

Job Interview Tip 4# If you arrive and see there are other candidates waiting their turn do not disclose to them exactly what position you are there for. Also do not start chit chatting and sharing ideas. It does not benefit you or them because you are competitors. You want that job right? So behave like you need it.

Job Interview Tip 5# Don't arrive all sweaty. Call the receptionist a few days before and get the address and survey the place. Please arrive after a meal in your stomach. You dont want your stomach growling in anger during the interview.

Job Interview Tip #6 Ask if the company is religion friendly. If Muslim ask if they have a Surau and the flexible hours for Friday prayers. If not give them the royal finger and walk out...

Tun M suggest that race and religion details be dropped from official forms.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:29:00 +0000

From the article in NST Dr. M agrees for the race and religion columns be dropped from official forms. Not that it is really being used. To some extent I agree. Most of the time it is a very annoying thing to fill up. But sometimes this information is useful to properly coordinate conduct towards a person.

However it must be a good idea because then one will not pre-judge someone before meeting the person themselves. It gives the opportunity for a very fair view. Especially in interviews. But could it be possible that the trend will catch on in the private sector if the government were to decide on abolishing this? It is an old habit.... which extends beyond just clerical significance.

Often we see description for job placements that specifies race. Well, if the job in question concerns in tendering liquor or pork then it is understandable. But if it is not then why should there be specifics for race and gender? Well, in my line of work often the fairer sex do not last very long. Either the politics disgusts them or the work pressure it self is beyond what they can cope. Thus most of the time we have to specify gender and sometimes race~ since you know... our government has this Bumiputera allocation thingy.

So for just a simple form adjustments it actually rally boils down way deeper than one might think. So for this form to omit race and religion then we have all got to change our mindset. Now that is very hard to do since for generations we have been practicing to solicit this idea daily. So would this effort be useful? No, certainly not anytime soon. For as long there is the habit of race or religion specific preference then these forms will forever be used.

Top 100 Most Powerful Women.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:51:00 +0000

There is a saying in Malay "Tangan wanita boleh mengoncang dunia" or "Woman's hands can shake the world". At least I think it sounds something like that. Anyway with that the link below presents you the 100 most powerful women in the world.

In the top 10 there is only 1 Asian, Ho Ching CEO of Temasek Singapore. Down the list is an Indonesian and lower still another Singaporean. Yes, no Malaysian women listed yet. Could it be possible to see Rosmah, wife of our current PM to manage the list anytime soon? I doubt~ but it would be an achievement that could either scare us or make us proud. Hahahahah~!!!

Forbes

Blindly follow to the death trap.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:51:00 +0000

The Port Klang Authority are really in for it this time. Looks like the trust they had for PKFZ management has ended belly side up. Now it is for dead the PKA will be in for a sour of a time because of simply too much trust given to PKFZ.

Now what is suspected is that certain decisions was made without the full knowledge of the PKA. Or perhaps it is the "You leave it all to me, everything will be OK lah". It appears that it is not a practiced policy on the dissemination of information. Thus one party may say something and the received information evolves into something else.

What the investigation of this matter should include is all forms of communication done. Letters, memos and emails must be looked into to see any discrepencies. The correspondents then will need to be questioned for all the communication made between them.

Looks like this is far from settled and many more heads will roll.

Parliament may amend ISA in next sitting.

noreply@blogger.com (Rauff) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000

With pressure from certain groups looks like the government may amend the ISA in their next sitting. But is is not clear what exactly will they be amending and what will be approved in the end. Could we see a sudden stringent leash of ISA or the lack of slack. Hope there wont be another dumb rally for this.

Report from NST here.