Is Malaysia's Property Market Over-regulated?

I think not. It's actually under-regulated.

Property sales and launches has slowed down quite a bit this year. I've highlighted it in a previous post last month HERE. Since then, every other day, there'll be industry players giving their opinions in the media on the latest market sentiments and government cooling measures.

I'm always wary of the opinions or views coming from people who are vested.

Below is an article highlighting the views from the property agents group. Obviously, similar to developers, they are not in favour of strict regulations. Members from the group which I would loosely term as the "unholy trinity" of the property market:- Developers, Agents & Banks, are responsible for the current unhealthy property speculations.

Homes are a basic need. People need homes. The commercial properties, on the other hand, can be unregulated, by all means. Residential properties on the other hand should be regulated. Those who are exploiting the market are very irresponsible.

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Property market should not be over-regulated

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian property market, which saw cooling measures instituted in Budget 2014 to arrest steep property price increases, should not be over-regulated by the government, but be allowed to grow at a normal pace.



Making the call, Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector president, Lim Lian Hong, said a price increase of between 5% and 7% annually, is justified.



“I think, the central bank is also very careful that they don’t kill the market … We want to practice free market, so that foreign investors will feel more at ease to come into the system, to buy and sell.

“If you have a very restrictive market, foreign investors will feel that this market is artificial, on the whole,” he said at a press conference in conjunction with the Seventh Malaysian Property Summit 2014, on Feb 25.



Lim said that if the local property market is highly regulated, it may pose a problem to foreigners, if they want to resell their units. “We have to balance the laissez-faire, which is the free market,” he added.



Laissez-faire should be applied in the appropriate context. In a country where there are even ownership regulations between citizens of different races, I think foreign ownerships should be the least of our concerns for now. It's not a totally free market. Foreigners can always invest in commercial properties. Or residential properties above a certain price, over RM5mil maybe?

The problem now is that property prices are not rising at a normal pace. While I agree that price increases of 5%-10% is reasonably healthy, but the price increases for the past 3-4 years have reached levels that would normally take 10 years to reach.

 
Rahim & Co managing director, Choy Yue Kwong, said that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) regulations on housing loans are most effective in regulating the Malaysian property market, as the regulations are targeted at speculators.

“Speculators are people who make use of the banking system, take out very little money, [use] 95% loan to buy and speculate. These are the people, the system should target at.



“The main reason why there was so much speculation in the past, was because loans were so easily available. Some developers would price it at a certain level, give discount and then sign the agreement at the gross level effectively.”

Choy said, new BNM guidelines that stipulate that loans will be based on the net price, rather than the gross price, will take out a large segment of customers, who depend on loans to speculate.

Yes. BNM regulations are effective. It protects people from over extending themselves & speculating beyond their means. But what he is actually saying is that we should take out speculators who need loans, while those who have the cash can continue to speculate.

Home buyers should be allowed to borrow with higher margin of financing, especially for their first home. What the government should do is to ensure the prices are affordable and not allow developers to rake in excessive profits with high prices.

Property developments should be categorised according to owner-occupied or investment segments. Singapore's model should be emulated.



However, he is doubtful that the imposition of real property gains tax (RPGT) will have any significant impact on sales of houses.



“I think, house prices have gone up so much in the the last few years. No doubt, RPGT has its effect, but the effect is not much anymore. If you had RPGT three or four years ago, then it would have had more effect, because at that time, the prices hadn’t gone up so much.”



RPGT is the most effective way to control speculation. In fact, the rates & duration should be increased to prevent prices from rising further. RPGT keeps prices of new launches at reasonable levels. It is not meant to dampen sales but to control prices & speculation.

Choy is also sceptical about the effectiveness of the government’s intention to stop bulk-buying of properties by investors, by imposing restrictions on the number of properties bought by an individual.



“You can’t stop people from buying, if they have the money,” he noted.

Choy said, there are methods other than government regulations, that can be utilised to control the property market.

 He argued that housing planners have a role to play, in ensuring that developers are not “carpet building” or overbuilding to feed the speculative market.



Yes. The government can, and should stop these bulk buying practises. It is the most damaging form of speculation. If these investors are so rich to buy in bulk, they should build their own instead. Again, residential properties are not vegetables to be made available in bulk. Those with money can always buy up commercial properties. You can even buy the whole building if you want.

“Government planners [should] become more proactive. Let’s say, if the developer wants to build 9,000 units in a certain place, the planners should step in, even though the guidelines allow it. If they know that 9,000 are too many, they may say, tone it down to 5 phases [or] 10 phases,” Choy explained.

 He said that property developments now have an excess of investors, but not enough occupiers, leaving many units empty, years after the development has been completed. The scenario could also apply to the Iskandar Malaysia development.

Government planners should control the number of units, not because of over supply, but most importantly to control population density which if left unchecked could lead to traffic and pollution problems. They should also regulate the prices and types of property as well.

The empty units are the result of excessive speculation which led to over supply. Which means that there's excessive speculation in the market. The culprits are the speculators and developers. Regulators should control the quantity of units allowed to be built.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 26, 2014. - SOURCE

Najib: Only one out of every 10 Malaysians pays tax

So it's official then, that only 1 in 10 Malaysians pays tax. It depends on what kind of tax he was referring to, income tax? Because Malaysians are indirectly paying taxes like sales tax, excise duties, stamp duties, import tax, etc.

If Najib means income tax, then we are indeed facing a big problem. Malaysia's population is 30 Million, or thereabouts. Assuming 50% are working age, it works out to only 1.5 million taxpayers out of 15 Million working age adults. Which also means the 90% or 13.5 Million workers are earning below taxable income.

This tells us that:

1. Malaysians' are either working at low paying jobs, or they are underpaid.

2. Inflation will greatly impact the disposable income after tax.

3. Government's solution to increase revenue through taxing the working class.

4. No mention of government cutting their spending but instead increases it with salary increments & bonuses to civil servants.

5. If the economy is growing, why isn't the government collecting more from corporate, personal & other taxes?

6. Either the government is spending more than it's income, or businesses are evading taxes, or economic growth did not translate to increased revenue.

Their solution is to take the easy way out, which is to tax everyone with GST. Raising income taxes would be pointless because the pool is small.

But there's one thing no one thought of asking, "After the removal of subsidies & introducing GST, does it mean that the government will not have to borrow anymore? How long will it take to reduce the debt to manageable levels?".

However, I observed that many of those countries who have similar taxes like GST or VAT, with the exception of a few, still have huge debts on top of high income tax. The only difference is their wages and standard of living are much higher.

Finally, I would like to state that subsidies are not wrong. It is perfectly within the people's right to enjoy subsidies if they need it, and it is the responsibility of the government to provide it.

On the other hand, signing lopsided agreements and contracts with highway operators, power producers, water concessionaires, vendors and service providers are morally & ethically wrong.

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Najib: Only one out of every 10 Malaysians pays tax

PEKAN: The current mix of low taxpayer base, increasing public spending, and resistance towards subsidy rationalisation is a recipe for trouble, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Revealing that only one out of every 10 Malaysians pays tax, Najib said there is an urgent need to raise government revenue, while at the same time reining in increasing amounts spent on broad-based subsidies such as on fuel.

According to Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, the number of civil servants would increase each year, but when revenue did not rise in tandem, the country would have to resort to borrowing. In the same vein, the proposed goods and services tax (GST) was one such measure that could lead to more revenue for the government, but has been opposed by some.

“When I do not announce any bonus during the tabling of the Budget, then it is not considered a good budget. But each time bonus is dispensed, it is RM5.6bil in spending a month,” Najib said at a 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) presentation ceremony at his constituency here yesterday.

He added that subsidies had to be carefully targeted to strengthen the country’s finances.

“We say our country’s economy is mid-high income and a lot better than other countries. But the question that is on our minds is why are petrol subsidies reduced and the sugar subsidy removed when our economy is already good?

“We have to explain that the rationalisation is to avoid a situation where we have to borrow money,” said Najib, who pointed out that money saved from cutting subsidies was then channelled to more equitable ways of helping people, such as BR1M.

“A person who drives a Kancil only enjoys RM900 in subsidy a year while those with a big car can stand to benefit up to RM2,400 if they drive 50km a day. This is not fair.

“Also, why should foreigners enjoy our subsidies too? That is why we want to refine the system to become targeted, fair, transparent and efficient,” he said.

Najib added that BR1M could also help the people settle debts, and, in principle, this was also helping those in need.

“It is meritorious in Islam to help others. It is okay if the Opposition wants to denounce our efforts, as long as we hold on to the principle of helping others,” he said. - SOURCE

Kajang: Chew Mei Fun vs Anwar Ibrahim

So much has been written on this by-election these couple of weeks!

Look like it's MCA versus PKR in Kajang. On the surface it seems so. But I think it's more like UMNO vs Anwar.

I have to say that Chew Mei Fun is rather brave to stand in this by-election because being a veteran MCA leader, the stakes are high for her. If she loses, it will be a blow not only to her credibility but MCA's as well. Of course if she manages to win, then she will greatly improve her standing would even take her political career to great heights.

In the larger scheme of things, there's actually no harm whoever wins or loses because Selangor will still be under Pakatan. But I suppose in politics, it will mean alot for PKR & Anwar since they were the ones who engineered this by-election.

Is this a more likely scenario?

Another question many are asking is since Kajang is a Malay majority seat, why didn't UMNO send their candidate instead of MCA? Many UMNO supporters seem to think so. And I agree with them. They should have fielded someone from UMNO. It would be interesting indeed to witness an UMNO vs Anwar challenge!

Anyway, I don't think BN is confident of winning. Although some in UMNO really wants to go this path, but I think the leadership does not want to go head to head with Anwar for fear of losing or antagonising the Malays further. Or perhaps in the event BN loses... again, they can blame the Chinese... again. It's ok, we are used to it already.

I wonder if the Chinese will give MCA a chance this time round. Or do the Chinese really want to help DAP to bury MCA and just be contented with supporting one party? Despite getting more than 90% of the Chinese votes last election, DAP is still actively calling for the demise of MCA. I wonder why? Perhaps they know something we don't?

I don't really blame the Chinese, not after what they had to put up with from various Malay organisations linked to UMNO after the last GE. They were whacked good and proper, even threatened.

Anyway, I think MCA still has some grassroots support, when they are not fighting each other! The result of this by-election will show us whether the grassroots are happy with the current direction & leadership of MCA.

If I were the Chinese voters in Kajang, I would give MCA a chance and enhance the "check and balance" in the Selangor State assembly. Now, MCA has zero in Selangor. Is one MCA ADUN too much to ask?

Too much power to any party is not good for transparency & good governance. The behaviour of Pakatan Rakyat has taken on an arrogant tone after GE13.

I would really want to see if MCA can really live up to their promises.

You've made your point already in the last election. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Come on, what good could Anwar do as your ADUN? Entertainment? Until today, PKR is still giving rather vague reasons for engineering this by-election.

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In Pakatan stronghold, BN braces for battle with ‘Goliath’

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — Rather than serve Kajang to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on a gold platter, Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have vowed to give the PKR adviser a run for his money in the March 23 Kajang by-election...

... “She has the capabilities, and the Chinese prefer her... it will be a sweet victory if this small lady from MCA can beat the Goliath,” he said....

... MCA deputy president Datuk Wee Ka Siong said BN’s candidate Chew has a reputation for her integrity which will serve as a counterfoil to Anwar, whom he said is bogged down by personal and political baggage.

“She is the right candidate. She means business, and whatever she says she will honour,” he said of Chew. He added: “She has integrity, unlike the opposition candidate who is not consistent.”

BN chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak conceded his coalition will have an uphill battle to take back Kajang.

“We will try our best, we will be going as the underdog,” he told reporters last Friday. ... - SOURCE

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Chew Mei Fun's selection yardstick to gauge people's acceptance of MCA: DPM

PAGOH: The selection of MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun as the candidate for the Kajang state by-election can be used as a yardstick to gauge the people's acceptance of MCA's new party leadership.
Deputy Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) Deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, as such, the opportunity to contest in the Kajang by-election should not be wasted even though certain quarters suggested that the BN should not contest.

"If this opportunity is not taken, then it is difficult to gauge the extend of acceptance by the Chinese community or the people towards the new MCA leadership," he told reporters after launching the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) programme at the Pagoh parliamentary constituency here today... - SOURCE

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Chew to Kajang voters: I'm your opportunity for MCA opposition rep

...“This by-election is the one opportunity for Kajang voters to choose a MCA opposition state assemblyperson into the state legislative assembly of Selangor.

... Chew vowed that she would be an elected representative who is easily accessible and contactable to the public, “one who truly assists the rakyat”.

“This is my promise to Kajang voters. If I am the choice of Kajang voters, I will shoulder and carry the responsibility myself, and not my secretary or assistants. I appeal to you to enable me the opportunity to work for all of you,” she said.... - SOURCE

Li Ka-Shing's advice on how to be rich

I have no idea as to the authenticity of the article. Well, for what it's worth, it is up to the individual to judge if his advice is applicable to his or herself. People come from different backgrounds and hold different values and outlook in life. Personally, I don't subscribe to all the advice given in the article. But I've seen people doing those things in real life and ironically, I tend to avoid those people. I suppose it depends on how much a person craves money.

Our modern but materialistic society judges the success of a person by his/her wealth. That is one of the worst values to impart to the young. And we wonder why the younger generations are so materialistic. Anyway, success is relative. It's how you acquire & what you do with the wealth that is important.

From my personal experience with such people (those who want to be rich kind), they tend to view friendships & relationships through materialistic benefits. Everything and everyone is judged on the benefits which can be derived from the relationship. To them, it is normal. Once they have no use for you, you will be discarded. It is best if you keep your distance because they will be suspicious of your motives if you contact them. Or when they are finally rich, they will be arrogant and will look down on you, because that was how they were treated when they were poor.

Such is life.

A person actually do not need to be rich to have a happy and fulfilling life. Everything you own now is only temporary. When you die, someone else is the owner. At least if you are not wealthy, the people around you will not wish for you to die soon so that they can get their hands on your wealth. :) just kidding... but seriously... how much does a person need to live? Certainly not billions.

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Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing shares some of his money wisdom, outlining an inspirational five-year plan to improve one’s lot in life

This article is translated from the original Chinese by Edmund Ng at CeoConnectz.

Suppose your monthly income is only RMB 2,000, you can live well. I can help you put money into five sets of funds. The first $600, second $400, third $300, fourth $200, fifth $500.

The first set of funds is used for living expenses. It’s a simple way of living and you can only be assigned to less than twenty dollars a day. A daily breakfast of vermicelli, an egg and a cup of milk. For lunch just have a simple set lunch, a snack and a fruit. For dinner go to your kitchen and cook your own meals that consist of two vegetables dishes and a glass of milk before bedtime. For one month the food cost is probably $500-$600. When you are young, the body will not have too many problems for a few years with this way of living.

Second set of funds: To make friends, expand your interpersonal circle. This will make you well off. Your phone bills can be budgeted at RMB 100. You can buy your friends 2 lunches a month, each at $150. Who should you buy lunch for? Always remember to buy lunch for people who are more knowledgeable than you, richer than you or people who have helped you in your career. Make sure you do that every month. After one year, your circle of friends should have generated tremendous value for you. Your reputation, influence, added value will be clearly recognized. You’ll also enhance your image of being good and generous.

Third set of funds: To learn. Monthly spend about RMB 50 to RMB 100 to buy books. Because you don’t have a lot of money, you should pay attention to learning. When you buy the books, read them carefully and learn the lessons and strategies that is being taught in the book. Each book, after reading them, put them into your own language to tell the stories. Sharing with others can improve your credibility and enhance the affinity. Also save up $200 per month to attend a training course. When you have higher income or additional savings, try to participate in more advanced training. When you participate in good training, not only do you learn good knowledge, you also get to meet like-minded friends who are not easy to come by.

Fourth set of funds: Use it for holidays overseas. Reward yourself by traveling at least once a year. Continue to grow from the experience of life. Stay in youth hostels to save cost. In a few years you would have travelled to many countries and have different experiences. Use that experience to recharge yourself so that you’ll continually have passion in your work.

Fifth set of funds: Invest. Save the $500 in your bank and grow it as your initial startup capital. The capital can then be used to do a small business. Small business is safe. Go to wholesalers and look for products to sell. Even if you lose money, you will not lose too much money. However, when you start earning money, it will boost your confidence and courage and have a whole new learning experience of running a small business. Earn more and you can then begin to buy long-term investment plans and get long-term security on your financial wealth being of yourself and your families. So that no matter what happens, there will be adequate funds and the quality of life will not decline.

Well, after struggling for a year and if your second year salary is still RMB 2,000, then that means you have not grown as a person. You should be really ashamed of yourself. Do yourself a favour and go to the supermarket and buy the hardest tofu. Take it and smash it on your head because you deserve that.

If your monthly income is at RMB 3,000, you must still work very hard. You must try to find a part time job. It will be great to find part time sales jobs. Doing sales is challenging, but it is the fastest way for you to acquire the art of selling and this is a very deep skill that you will be able to carry it for the rest of your career. All successful entrepreneurs are good sales people. They have the ability to sell their dream and visions. You’ll also meet many people that will be of value to you in the later part of your career. Once you’re in sales, you will also learn what sells and what not. Use the sensitivity of detecting market sentiments as a platform for running your business and in the identification of product winners in the future.

Try to buy minimal clothes and shoes. You can buy them all you want when you’re rich. Save your money and buy some gift for your loved ones and tell them your plans and your financial goals. Tell them why you are so thrifty. Tell them your efforts, direction and your dreams.

Businessmen everywhere need help. Offer yourself to do part time for any kind of opportunities. This will help to hone your will and improve your skills. You will start to develop eloquence and soon, you’ll be closer to your financial goals. By the second year, your income should be increased to at least RMB 5,000. Minimum it should be RMB 3,000, otherwise you would not be able to keep up with inflation.

No matter how much you earn, always remember to divide it into five parts proportionately. Always make yourself useful. Increase your investment in networking. When you increase your social investment, expand your network of contacts, your income also grows proportionately. Increase your investment in learning, strengthen your self confidence, increase investment in holidays, expand your horizons and increase investment in the future, and that will ultimately increase your income.

Maintain this balance and gradually you will begin to have a lot of surplus. This is a virtuous circle of life plans. Your body will start to get better and better as you get more nutrition and care. Friends will be aplenty and you will start to make more valuable connections at the same time. You will then have the conditions to participate in very high-end training and eventually you’ll be exposed to bigger projects, bigger opportunities. Soon, you will be able to gradually realize your various dreams, the need to buy your own house, car, and to prepare an adequate education fund for your child’s future.

Life can be designed. Career can be planned. Happiness can be prepared. You should start planning now. When you are poor, spend less time at home and more time outside. When you are rich, stay at home more and less outside. This is the art of living. When you are poor, spend money on others. When you’re rich, spend money on yourself. Many people are doing the opposite.

When you are poor, be good to others. Don’t be calculative. When you are rich, you must learn to let others be good to you. You have to learn to be good to yourself better. When you are poor, you have to throw yourself out in the open and let people make good use of you. When you are rich, you have to conserve yourself well and don’t let people easily make use of you. These are the intricate ways of life that many people don’t understand.

When you are poor, spend money so that people can see it. When you are rich, do not show off. Just silently spend the money on yourself. When you are poor, you must be generous. When you are rich, you must not be seen as a spendthrift. Your life would have come full circle and reach its basics. There will be tranquility at this stage.

There is nothing wrong with being young. You do not need to be afraid of being poor. You need to know how to invest in yourself and increase your wisdom and stature. You need to know what is important in life and what is worth investing in. You also need to know what you should avoid and not spend your money on. This is the essence of discipline. Try to avoid spending money on clothing, but buy a selective number of items that have class. Try to eat less outside. If you were to eat outside, do make sure you buy lunches or dinners and foot the bill. When buying people dinner, make sure you buy dinners for people who have bigger dreams than you, and work harder than you.

Once your livelihood is no longer an issue, use the remainder of your money to pursue your dreams. Spread your wings and dare to dream! Make sure you live an extraordinary life!

Famous theory from Harvard: The difference of a person’s fate is decided from what a person spends in his free time between 20:00 to 22:00 . Use these two hours to learn, think and participate in meaningful lectures or discussion. If you persist for several years, success will come knocking on your doors.

No matter how much you earn, remember to split your salary into five parts. Take care of your body so that it will still be in good shape. Invest in your social circle so that you will constantly meet new people where you can learn new knowledge from. Expanding your network will also have an important impact in how much you earn eventually. Travel every year and expand your horizons. Also keep abreast with the latest developments in the industry. If you follow this plan diligently, you will soon see big surplus in your funds.

Whatever happened in the past is over. Do not dwell on past mistakes. There’s no point crying over spilt milk. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s what you learn from the mistakes, and promising yourself not to repeat those mistakes that matters. When you miss opportunities, don’t dwell on it, as there are always new opportunities on the horizon.

Being able to smile when being slightly misunderstood is good upbringing. When you’re wronged and you smile with calmness, it is generosity. When you’re being taken advantage of and you can smile, you’re being open-minded. When you are helpless and you can do a philosophical smile, you’re in a calm state. When you’re in distress and you can laugh out loud, you’re being generous. When you’re looked down and you can calmly smile, you’re being confident. When you’re being jilted in relationships and you can smile it off, you’re being suave.

There are many people who are struggling to make ends meet. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. There are lessons for all to learn from Li Ka Shing. - SOURCE

Outbreak, Dry Taps & Hazardous Air

Let's do a quick recap of news headlines for the past week. If anyone has any illusions of Malaysia's aspiration of a developed nation & Selangor being a developed state with an incredible state government, these 3 issues will bring you back to reality, or perhaps even give you a glimpse of the makings of a failed state.

Health, clean water, clean air. Three fundamental needs of humans & society. Three fails!

Before any of the politicians & their diehard supporters open their mouths about how well our elected representatives are performing in their jobs, have a read below.

1. Dengue Outbreak

Malaysia wages all-out war against dengue outbreak

... More than 12,000 people in Malaysia have been infected with dengue fever so far this year, representing a four-fold increase compared to the same period last year.

...Malaysia is waging an all-out war against an ongoing dengue outbreak that has claimed 25 lives this year.

Subang Jaya municipality records 971 cases last month compared to 108 last year

...A WHOPPING 800% increase in dengue cases has been reported in January alone in the Subang Jaya municipality area compared to last year including areas such as Subang Jaya and Puchong.

...An alarming 971 cases were reported for the month compared to the 95 cases reported during the corresponding period in 2012 and 108 cases in 2013, said MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi.

I hope the authorities in state & local government will do more to curb this. Don't put the blame solely on the people. Of course the people have to do their part, and we know the kind of mentality Malaysians have. However, The Municipal Councils must take responsibility and do their jobs. That is what they are paid to do. Their jobscope is not only limited to issuing compounds. Collect the rubbish. Control pests. Clean the drains & rivers.

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2. Water Shortage

Cloud Seeding To Address Water Shortage In Several Dams

... Energy, Green Technology, and Water Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the operations will be conducted in areas where dams with critical water levels, such as the Sungai Selangor and Klang Gates dams, are located.

"During my recent visit there, the Sungai Selangor and Klang Gates dams' water levels were at 58% and 57% respectively, which is quite critical as it may drop down to 45% if it does not rain in those areas for a month," Mahdzir told the press after attending the "Malaysian Power & Water Summit 2014 - The Future of Water & Power Industry: How Sustainable Are We?".

Negri Sembilan MB declares state of crisis following water shortage

...Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan today declared a state of crisis following the water shortage – the worst the state has seen in decades.

...Todate, up to 8,000 households have been affected by the water shortage.

Water is a basic necessity. If a city or state faces water shortage, who is responsible? Blame the people for wasting water? or the state government who are elected to provide and ensure basic resources are available to the people? Whenever we see a crisis like this, it means that the state government has failed in it's job due to their lack of planning and foresight.

Government officials & employees must be held accountable and taken to task for their mistakes & failure in carrying out their duties. No excuses.

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3. Air Pollution

Cheras, Shah Alam record 'unhealthy' API readings

Several locations in the Klang Valley are recording unhealthy air pollutant index (API) levels Wednesday.

Cheras recorded a reading of 127 while Shah Alam recorded a reading of 113, according to the Department of Environment’s (DOE) website.

Putrajaya and Petaling Jaya are two areas that recorded readings at the border of moderate and unhealthy levels....

Peat fire in Johan Setia, Klang caused by farmers ...

...“It is not easy for firemen to put out the peat fire as the soil content re-ignites the fire within a day.

“If conditions worsen, the haze could spread to neighbourhoods in Bukit Tinggi, Bandar Puteri and Kota Kemuning.

There are more than 1,600ha of peat land in Johan Setia, of which 1,200ha are agricultural land.

It was reported that Selangor recorded the highest number of bush fires, with 79 cases sparked by the recent hot spell....

Haze. Smog. Air pollution. This time, they can't blame the Indonesians because it is done locally. Our local farmers & plantation owners are the culprit. It happens every year. They will start in the middle of the night and you can smell it. The next morning, you will be greeted with a white smog accompanied by the acrid smell. The local people have to put up with this year in year out.

What are the DOE, State & local government doing about this recurrent problem? If the laws are not effective, is it so difficult to amend it? What about enforcement? Too difficult as well? Of course it's going to be difficult compared to making shopper pay for plastic bags every Saturday! This actually requires them to get out of their air-conditioned offices and actually do some work! 

And how much did the Selangor Aduns & gang increase their own pay again this year? And do we now have 3 extra reasons to be thankful to BN?

All together now.... on the count of three... "Malaysia Boleh!"

Teresa Kok - Dead chicken & red paint

Another day, another dead chicken.

Although I do not condone her Onederful video, this political culture of senseless killing of animals has to stop. While I don't claim to speak for others, but I think there are many out there who would agree that the methods used for political issues are just plain embarrassing. We've seen pig heads, cow heads, dead chickens, even vegetables. We also seen adults mooning in public, threatening racial conflicts, sex tapes, etc.

Why do some Malaysians have such caveman mentality? And Malaysians like to compare ourselves to developed countries...

We have laws & courts. Use them!

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Dead chicken, red paint found at Teresa Kok’s office

KUALA LUMPUR: A dead chicken and red paint, along with A4 printouts of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok's image, were found on the staircase leading to the DAP lawmaker's office in Seputeh on Wednesday.

A cleaner found the items and notified the management of the building, Emily Sim Foo Lan, who then called Kok.

Sim, 41, said she had filed a police report on behalf of the eight units that share the building's staircase.

Kok condemned the act and has stated her belief that it was related to her Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014 video.... - SOURCE

Robert Kuok - Palm Oil

First, it was sugar. Robert Kuok sold his sugar business in Malaysia in 2009 to FELDA. Now, he is one of the global leading producers of raw sugar. Guess where FELDA gets it's raw supplies from?

Now, Wilmar International has decided to stop buying crude palm oil (CPO) from Sarawak from 2015. Apparently, Robert Kuok's group of companies also owns significant palm oil plantations in Indonesia. Obviously, buying from Indonesia is cheaper.

Malaysia's tycoons are investing overseas instead of in Malaysia. This definitely does not bode well for the country & her citizens. As history has shown, the Chinese businesses are being taken over by either by GLCs or Malay businessmen aligned with politicians. One by one, big businesses are leaving for safer havens such as Singapore or Hong Kong, where their fortunes and business empires are safe from greedy hands.

Come to think of it, it's an oxymoron. On one hand, the Malaysian government tells us that they are trying to attract foreign investor. On the other, they are pushing away local investors (whom happens to be Chinese).

An interesting reply from Robert Kuok in the Star interview below: ... Asked about the sense of discrimination among the Chinese in Malaysia, Kuok demurred, saying: "This will lead only to highly controversial statements, which is not good for anybody. One must never hurt those Chinese who are living in Malaysia, never be the cause of any kind of inter-racial hostility.

To me, the future of Malaysia rests on the economy. It always has.

Only when these grabbing of wealth & power stops, will Malaysia have a chance to progress. Else, it will go downhill.

For now, the people makes noise on a full stomach. Wait till their stomachs are empty.

All the racial & religious issues will lead to conflict when the economy tanks.

And it is prudent for politicians to stop playing up these issues, before they really get out of hand.

I'm not raising these points because these businesses are owned by the Chinese. Businessmen are businessmen. Their wealth do not belong to all the Chinese. The point is, regardless of ethnicity, a growing economy is important to sustain this country. More so for the Chinese whom are largely in the private sector. And many, many Chinese these days are losing hope.

Before the Malays start accusing & calling the Chinese unkind names, think about how far you've come with a growing middle-class and benefiting from affirmative policies. It does not come free. It does not come solely from petro-money. It came from a strong economy. It came from sacrifices by the normal non-Malays who had to give up some of rights. It came from the risks non-Malays had to make to build up their businesses, and then had to share it with Malay businessmen.

Whatever the Chinese own, they paid for it. They did not get it for free. Some had to borrow from loan-sharks. Most sacrificed family time. Some lost everything, fortunes & family. At the lower spectrum, they sacrificed years working overseas illegally to save enough to buy their home & capital for business.

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S'wak firms want probe into Wilmar for anti-competitive behaviour

Tuesday February 18, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM 

KUCHING: Sarawak planters, reeling from Wilmar International Ltd’s decision to stop buying from them, are crying foul, contending that the decision by the latter breaches anti-competition laws.

The Sarawak Oil Palm Planter Owners’ Association (SOPPOA) has urged the Federal and Sarawak state governments to look into whether the Singapore-based Wilmar had abused its dominant position as a leading agribusiness group.

Wilmar recently decided to stop buying crude palm oil (CPO) produced from oil palm in forest areas and peat land in Sarawak from 2015.

SOPPOA sent a memorandum to the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry and the Sarawak Land Development Ministry last week, urging them to look into whether Wilmar had infringed Competition Act 2010 by its actions. The Act has a provision to investigate actions that can be considered an abuse of a dominant market position.

According to SOPPOA secretary Philip Ho, Wilmar, which owns Sarawak’s first palm oil refinery set up in Bintulu over a decade ago, buys more than 50% of the 3.3 million tonnes of CPO produced in Sarawak annually. This makes Wilmar the largest CPO buyer in the state.

“There is a likelihood that Wilmar’s policy may trigger other Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) members to adopt similar policies and further restrict market accessibilities for Sarawak palm oil. Ultimately, this will drive prices of CPO from Sarawak down, with discounts being the norm expected by international players,” he told StarBiz yesterday.

SOPPOA urged the Federal government to consider the interests of non-RSPO members in the industry in Sarawak, as they would face challenges stemming from Wilmar’s policy.

Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, who was informed of Wilmar’s decision to the state government via a letter on Dec 5, said Sarawak might lose about RM400mil in sales tax revenue a year from oil palm products as a result of the multinational company’s policy.

Wilmar owns the Bintulu edible oil plant, which manufactures palm olien, palm fatty acid and palm stearin.

Masing had briefed the state cabinet on the matter and replied to Wilmar’s letter. He said the state government would not bow to Wilmar’s pressure, as it would affect more than 17,500 smallholders and some 300,000 people in rural areas involved in oil palm planting.

Ho said SOPPOA had requested the federal ministry to consider certain export tax-exempt quotas and/or rebates for Sarawak’s palm oil industry for the next five years to allow adequate time for those planting in peat and mineral areas affected by Wilmar’s policy to find alternative markets.

SOPPOA said there was a need for the ministry to explore new international markets in China, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Africa, as such alternative market outlets were crucial for Sarawak’s oil palm industry.

SOPPOA has also urged the federal authorities to raise the volume of Sarawak CPO to be allocated for biodiesel production in the country. He said Sarawak had about 1.6 million ha of peat land, and the state government had plans to open 1.2 million ha for plantations and agriculture projects. So far, 500,000ha have been planted with oil palm.

SOPPOA has called on the federal authorities to fast-track the implementation of the proposed Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil to enable planters in the country to be certified under the national scheme for benchmarking in the international market.

“It is also seen as prudent for the Government to actively engage with its Indonesian counterpart to consolidate the palm oil industry with a united stance, as both nations are major suppliers facing discrimination from the big buyers. The setting up of an Asean Sustainable Palm Oil standard is also viewed as a move in the right direction for the industry in both countries to benchmark the commodity internationally.”

SOPPOA has asked the federal ministry to mediate a meeting between major Malaysian palm oil players, federal and state governments, as well as the association with the objective to move forward in the spirit of “One Malaysia”.

It said the Sarawak oil palm growers should not be left in the cold and that they needed the continued support of major palm oil players. - SOURCE

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Robert Kuok still rooted to Malaysia despite spending 40 years in Hong Kong

Four decades ago, Tan Sri Robert Kuok decamped Malaysia for Hong Kong.

The ostensible reason: lower taxes in Hong Kong. What some say: a fierce dislike of Malaysia's controversial New Economic Policy favouring the bumiputeras and the resulting cronyism.

Whatever his reasons, Kuok says of the country in which he was born: "I haven't lost my affection for Malaysia."

In a telephone interview with The Straits Times on Tuesday, the tycoon elaborated on his donation of RM100mil to build Xiamen University's first overseas campus in Salak Tinggi, Selangor.

... Kuok, who was educated at Raffles College where he was classmates with Lee Kuan Yew, later moved his base to Singapore.

... Asked about the sense of discrimination among the Chinese in Malaysia, Kuok demurred, saying: "This will lead only to highly controversial statements, which is not good for anybody. One must never hurt those Chinese who are living in Malaysia, never be the cause of any kind of inter-racial hostility.

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The Reason for Kuok's Exit

... On 31 October 2009, PPB Group under the flagship of Robert Kuok issued a statement to the Bursa Malaysia that it has decided to dispose of its sugar units along with land used to cultivate sugar cane for RM 1.29 billion to FELDA. The sales resulted in a one-off gain for the company. The sugar unit and sugar cane plantation were the second largest business segment upon its grain and feed which were topping the sales.

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The mystery of Sugar King Kuok exiting sugar business in M'sia

...The Kuok group’s Singapore-listed plantation giant, Wilmar International, has a market capitalisation of S$39.1bil or more than RM95bil.

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Sweet for Felda, bitter for the poor

May 23, 2011

...On May 9, Dosmetic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry secretary-general Mohd Zain Mohd Dom announced a government decision to increase the price of sugar from RM2.10 to RM2.30 a kilogramme as part of the its subsidy rationalisation programme. He said the move would save the government RM116.6 million....

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Malaysia's Sugar King Kuok has gone global

Tuesday July 6, 2010

... Months after Tan Sri Robert Kuok-controlled PPB Group Bhd sold its entire local sugar operations to Felda, the billionaire once dubbed the Sugar King of Malaysia acquired Sydney-based CSR Ltd’s sugar business for A$1.75bil (RM4.73bil).

The deal gives Singapore-listed Wilmar International Ltd control over half of Australia’s raw sugar output.

Wilmar, headed by Robert Kuok’s nephew Kuok Khoon Hong, is 18.34% owned by PPB Group. The two firms are controlled by Kuok Brothers group of companies.

“This latest acquisition proves that Wilmar is well on its way to becoming a dominant global sugar player and will significantly raise the possibility of the injection of Robert Kuok’s sugar business into Wilmar,’’ OSK Research analyst Alvin Tai said in a quick update on Wilmar after the deal was announced yesterday...

...According to OSK, Robert Kuok owns some 200,000ha of sugar cane plantation in Indonesia.
Yesterday, CSR announced that it had accepted Wilmar’s bid to buy its sugar and renewable energy unit, Sucrogen Ltd.

In March this year, Wilmar said it plans to start a venture into sugar cane plantation in Indonesia. Wilmar is already the world’s biggest palm oil trader and derives half its revenue from businesses in China....

TNB pole in front of her house!

Imagine having an electricity pole right in front of your house entrance! From the picture, it looks like it was planted there in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep...

Apparently, the pole was there for 20 years and it was the gate that was the recent addition. Even so, how could the developer & Tenaga National even approve it in the first place? It's common sense that you just do not plant a pole in front of a house, regardless of whether the house comes with a gate or not.

And the owner has to pay to move it? Life is cruel sometimes.

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TNB pole to be relocated but houseowner must pay fee

JOHOR BARU: The hindrance posed by Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s awkwardly placed electricity transmission pole will no longer bother houseowner M. Sandra soon.

The 43-year-old flower shop worker said two TNB officials visited her home yesterday following The Star’s report of the matter on the same day.

Sandra was taken to the TNB branch at Pasir Gudang.

“They informed me that they would have to charge me a nominal fee,” she said.

Sandra lived with the pole, which obstructed her gate from being fully opened, for two decades.

A single mother with two children, Sandra claimed that the officials told her that it would cost RM10,000 to shift the pole.

However, TNB Pasir Gudang branch manager Mohd Isran Che Mustapha said that there was no record showing that TNB had sought RM10,000 from Sandra.

“There must have been some miscommunication somewhere. The average amount to relocate a pole is only about RM1,500,” he said

When questioned on why the pole was put there in the first place, Mohd Isran said that it was done after receiving approval from the developer and consultant.

“The complainant’s house initially did not have a gate as it is a low-cost housing area,” he said.

“We placed the pole there after getting the relevant approvals,” he said, adding that a contractor would relocate the pole once the price had been agreed upon.- SOURCE

Teresa Kok - Onederful CNY Video

It has become an unhealthy habit of certain politicians these days to exploit culture, religion & race for their political benefit. Seems like nothing is off limits. Everything is game. From temples to Chinese New Year & Wesak Day. All these occasions are used to spread their political message and sow hate towards the government & BN.

1. OK, I must admit some parts of the video is quite funny. hehehe... The actors actually played their parts well. But I also think it is done in bad taste, and certainly not befitting the occasion, which is Chinese New Year, a joyous celebration to wish everyone good things, not for you to mock others.

2. Most Malays seem to be vexed by the term "Ma Lai, Sei Lei Ah", erroneously thinking that "Ma Lai" refers to Malay, but in the context of the video, it is not. In the video, "Ma Lai"is spoken in Mandarin while "Sei Lei Ah" is spoken in Cantonese.

3. You see, people who are blinded by anger, are asking the wrong questions, because they are questioning the meaning of the words, instead of the right question, which is, "Why did she split the phrase into Mandarin & Cantonese?". Even Chinese themselves are giving the wrong answers... So much for superior Chinese education.

4. In Cantonese, Malaysia is pronounced like this, "Ma Loi Sei Ah". So if Cantonese is used, the whole phrase in the video would sound like this, "Ma Loi Sei Lei Ah", which can actually work in the video. If Teresa had used Cantonese for the whole phrase, the Malays would not fall into her trap! But she chose not to.... aha! Malays think the word "Sei" used here means "Die". Wrong.

In Cantonese, Malays (the race) is actually pronounced as "Ma Lai Yan", Malay People. So, she chose to use Mandarin pronunciation for "Ma Lai" instead, so that non Chinese-speaking people (non-Cantonese & Mandarin) will be confused and take it to mean Malays, instead of Malaysia. In Mandarin Malays is pronounced as "Ma Lai Ren"...

So, the phrase actually means "Malaysia is great!"... but in the video's context, used as a parody to mean the opposite.

The result is, to the Chinese, there is indeed no racial & religious connotation. But to the Malays, they feel offended because they are very sensitive to the word "Ma Lai". They get very suspicious whenever they hear that word being spoken by the Chinese. But in the context of the video, the target was not the Malay race & their religion.

Those mocked in the video:

1. Ng Yen Yen
2. Rosmah
3. Najib
4. Wee Ka Siong
5. MCA
6. MOE
7. Malaysian Government
... hmmm did I leave anybody out? hehehehe

Conclusion:

Was there malice by Teresa Kok in producing the video? Yes.
Was it done in bad taste? Yes.
Should Teresa Kok apologise? YES. 
Did she disrespect the Chinese New Year? Yes.
Did she insult the Malay people? No.

Were the demonstrators against the video wrong?
No, if their intention is to defend those mocked in the video: PM, Rosmah, the Government and MCA.
Yes, if they think the video insulted Malays & Islam.

Did the chickens died in vain? Yes, unfortunately.

I don't think DAP respects the Chinese culture, customs & traditions. They have, again, and again, used Chinese festivals, culture & temples for their own benefits, to sow hate among the Chinese.

Oh, I almost forgot. How come nobody raised what was said about MCA in the video? Something along the lines of, umm, being a traitor? :)

The response to Teresa's video.

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Malay NGOs protest Teresa Kok's CNY video

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of Malay NGOs held a protest over the Chinese New Year greeting video of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Pewaris secretariat member Zulkifli Sharif said the protest was held to slam chauvinistic leaders who were using current issues to run down Malay leaders and fan hatred against them.

The group of 50 were from Pewaris, Pekida and other bodies. They had gathered along Jalan Tun Perak in front of Menara Maybank at 2pm with banners, offering "RM500 reward" to anyone who would slap Kok and show proof of it.

The protest took a macabre turn when four chickens were slaughtered and their blood smeared on a poster with faces of Kok, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Machang Bubuk MP Lee Khai Loon.

The group also gave out bunches of kangkung.

On Wednesday, Kok lodged a police report about alleged threats made against her over the controversial Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014 video clip.

In the video clip that Kok allegedly uploaded on YouTube on Jan 27, she acted as a feng shui talk show host and had “panellists” poke fun at various national issues, including the education system, rising cost of living, public safety and the foreign intrusion into Sabah in February last year.- SOURCE

Anwar Ibrahim - Kajang By-Election

Anwar has started campaigning in Kajang in his bid to save his party, and his hands on the 3 Billions purportedly in the Selangor's state funds. I have a strong suspicion that a certain faction in PKR, most likely Azmin's camp, intends to jump ship because of the feud between them & Khalid the current Mentri Besar. So, the genius people in PKR came up with such a scheme. This has got to be the most stupid, not to mention the most unethical scheme I've seen in politics in a long time.

When Anwar gets his hands on the money, you can bet that he will announce some goodies for you, but the lion's share will be gone before the next general election.

I always view that issues within a political party must be settled within the party. Conflicts must be decisively fought and the fittest survive. But no, they rather scheme and broker deals. Which is what has happened in MCA as well. The so-called "agreement" between Chua Soi Lek & Liow Tiong Lai was reneged by the latter, and this will spell the end of MCA.

Let's get back to Anwar. Apparently, Dong Zong, being the opportunistic people that they are, was quick to make their demands. Why they would even think that Anwar will help Chinese education is really baffling.

Have Dong Zong forgotten the time when Anwar was the Education Minister and what he did to Chinese schools? He tried to destroy Chinese Schools! He Islamised national and mission schools!

Do you think Anwar really likes the Chinese? Do you really think you can trust Anwar? He has gone back on his words countless times. I believe his views on Chinese & Chinese schools still holds true today.

Trust him at your own peril.

1. A leapord never changes it's spots.

2. Those who do not learn from history will make the same mistakes.

Next, Liow Tiong Lai's defense of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) is stupid. When will these MCA leaders finally grow a backbone? You guys can't even include a concrete plan for the continuation & growth for the Chinese schools into the MEB. One simple question, How many Chinese primary & secondary schools do you think will be built to accommodate the increasing enrollment? What about funds? Exam recognition? Chinese top scorers can't even get a place in public unis now, how many places will be available by the time this MEB runs it's course??

To me, the MEB is flawed, because it is skewed towards national streams. Frankly, I don't see any benefits for Chinese education in the blueprint. I say, just let the Government & MOE do whatever they want. It is getting tiring having to constantly overcome barriers placed unto the Chinese. If parents can't even ensure that their future generations are provided an opportunity to get a decent education, much less free education, you know it's a lost cause.

I read somewhere that the Chinese only got less than 20% places in pubic universities. It will drop further in the future. Sorry Chinese. Not enough places. No matter who you vote for, it will not change a thing.

There's not many years in a person's life. No point wasting it on unproductive endeavours. It has been the government's intention to have a single stream in education all these years. It will happen sooner or later.

The Chinese better prepare themselves to fund their children's education on their own. Don't depend on the government. Be proactive. Be prepared. Make sure your kids are well equipped to survive inside & outside of Malaysia. It's not something new. We, the Chinese diaspora, have done it before.

In terms of education & perhaps even work or business, the 3 top choices are Singapore, Taiwan, China. Hope these countries do not place restrictions in years to come.

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Anwar: Deficit budget acceptable over free education

PETALING JAYA, Feb 9 ― A deficit budget is acceptable if public monies are spent for people-centric policies like free education for Malaysians, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Hitting out at alleged corruption and wastages in the government, the Opposition Leader suggested a holistic review of Malaysia’s economic framework, saying public funds should be better disbursed for the benefit of taxpayers and the poor instead of political cronies.

“If we have a deficit because of providing free education, that's okay, but we are in a deficit because of leakages, deficit because tycoons are profiting in the billions and the people have to pay, this is not right,” he said in his lecture at the second module of the Asian Renaissance Course here at the Centre for Reform Democracy and Social Initiatives... - SOURCE

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Kajang: Dong Zong champions Anwar

KAJANG: The United Chinese Schools Committee Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) today expressed hope that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim can resolve a longstanding land issue in light of the latter’s bid for the Kajang state assembly seat.

Dong Zong chairman Yap Sin Tian hoped that “as the by-election is looming”, Anwar and the Selangor state government could help to resolve the issue involving the donation of a 100-acre campus land in Sepang to New Era University College which has been delayed for 14-years.

Yap also hoped that Anwar would allocate land of at least five acres for the reinstatement of the Yu Hua Chinese secondary school, and ensure that higher education institutions under the Selangor state government would recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) of Malaysian Independent Chinese secondary schools.

“The 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) is continuing policies and measures that are unfavourable to the survival and development of mother-tongue education, causing it to face a detrimental impact and a crisis of having its nature fundamentally altered,” Yap said at an open house event here....

MCA president defends MEB

When approached by reporters at the event, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai defended the MEB and said the blueprint would “ensure the growth of Chinese education is complete”.

“It (MEB) is part of the country’s education development. Chinese education is part of the national education and this has been accepted in the masterplan,” he said.

“So now, we have to work together to ensure that our multi-racial, multi-language and multi-cultural country continues to prosper.”... - SOURCE