Crude Oil below USD65/barrel

The price of Crude oil look more likely to stay at current level, despite OPEC move to cut up by more than 1.5 million barrel per day. The pressure from impending global recession compel the price to remain lower and demand plummet lower.

Some analyst are predicting the oil price to go lower than USD50 per barrel, but to me it is to early to say as the northern hemisphere are going into winter. Demand may increase in November, December and January from North America, Europe and northern part of Asia.

The sudden increase yesterday was influenced by the cut in interest rates in US, the strengthening of USD and the stock market reaction - buying on interest rate cut.

The world is facing a recession, will Malaysia be affected. Indirectly yes, directly may or may not, short term; ok, long term; export base industry are very risky.

Anyway, for Malaysian we are awaiting eagerly for the fourth cut in retail petrol and diesel prices by midnight. Another 15 sen?

If the government set the price for petrol at RM2.15/litre, that mean Malaysian are no longer subsidized.

Please be realistic, Shahrir!

Crude Oil gas is going lower and lower but the Malaysian retail fuel price is still high, why? Because the government want to protect petrol station operators that might suffer as price cut will be done immediately at midnight after announcement, while petrol stations had to stocked up and unaware of any decision to cut the price. And the bulk of petrol station operators and owners are politicians and BN supporters.

Isn't that stupid, when they hike the price, they never studied the possibility of the impact, but after they had boo-booed, now they are trying to amend.

Yesterday Shahrir proudly claimed that price of goods had dropped 30%, please lah Mr Minister, could you please go yourself to the "pasar". Come on lah don't just depend on reports by the Hypermarkets or civil servants, these people just like to hyper the Minister only. Get the shoes dirty or put on the "Wellington boots" and drop by to any wet market, and see it, first hand.

But as a Minister i don't think Shahrir will know any differences, I am not sure when is the last time Shahrir visited any wet market. That is the privileges of being a minister, everything is brought to the doorsteps. A minister will only visit when there is official function and all the photographers and journalist were notified earlier.

If Datuk Shahrir could please list all items that had dropped 30% with sufficient proof, then will I be convinced.

Come this friday, I am expecting the price of Petrol at RM1.92/litre and RM1.58/litre and drop 30% surcharge on bus fares.

Previously, I thought Shafie Apdal was the worst Consumer Affair Minister but Shahrir...

Crude Oil Price < USD68/barrel

Crude Oil price hit another low again at USD67.21/barrel, but the lowest was USD66.71/barrel few days ago.

This level is much, much lower than even before the government hike the Retail fuel price in June 2008 by 78 sen, as a matter of fact the price had actually gone back to the level of price for 2007. When the govt announced the hike the Global crude price was around USD117 to USD120/barrel. (Click here)

Therefore we strongly urge the government to bring down the prices of petrol and diesel to its previous price of RM1.92 and RM1.58 respectively.

If the Malaysian government had acted wisely, 1) we would not suffer severe inflationary hike, 2) complicated subsidy scheme for prices of diesel for fishermen, boat owners and transport operators, 3) cash rebate payment to fishing vessels, 4) surcharge for bus fares, 5) rebates for road tax, etc.

It really shows that we are now no longer subsidized by the Malaysian government, instead it seems like we are paying premium for our fuel.

Peralihan Kuasa

Ada betulnya kat-kata Muhyiddin (TSMY) bahawa tempoh pemilihan pucuk pimpinan Umno pada bulan Mac 2009 adalah terlalu lama sedangkan pencalonan di peringkat bahagian akan tamat sebelum bulan Disember iaitu sebelum tarikh asal Perhimpunan Umno.

Dalam tempoh yang begitu panjang lebihkurang 3 hingga 4 bulan berbagai peristiwa tidak dijangka pastinya berlaku. Dalam tempoh itu mainan politik akan lebih agresif, politik wang (rasuah senang cerita) pasti berlaku. Tekanan dan "intimidation" serta aktiviti melobi akan menjadi lebih hangat dan berbagai cerita baru kemungkinan akan muncul.

Masing-masing akan berlumba-lumba untuk memenangi hati perwakilan yang bakal mengundi, apa cara lagi kalau bukan dengan cara paling mudah... wang atau jawatan.

Janji-janji dan tawar-menawar akan lebih galak dan akhirnya masing-masing pula akan menggunakan pula cara yang lebih kejam dengan "membunuh" kerjaya politik masing-masing dengan tuduhan yang bermacam-macam (fitnah la tu) sehingga ada pihak yang mungkin akan menyalahguna kedudukannya dan pengaruh dalam kerajaan untuk menjatuhkan lawannya. atau setidak-tidaknya mengada-adakan cerita dan mengadu pada jawatankuasa disiplin tentang salah laku pihak lawan.

Apakah Pak Lah tak terfikir keadaan ini atau memang sengaja menangguhkan pemindahan kuasa dengan objektif tertentu.

Cubalah kita ambil iktibar dari pemilihan Presiden Amerika Syarikat, walaupun pengundian di buat pada awal bulan November, Presiden yang baru akan hanya diiktiraf pada 20hb. January pada tahun berikutnya, dimana Presiden lama akan menyerahkan kuasanya pada hari tersebut tanpa mengira dari parti mana sekalipun. Ini juga memberi ruang pada Presiden lama untuk menyelesaikan kerja-kerjanya sebelum penyerahan kuasa dan juga suatu peralihan kuasa yang aman. Tidak semestinya bila kalah terus diterajang!

Jadi apa salahnya diubah perlembagaan Umno (jika perlu) untuk membolehkan Pak Lah menyerah kuasa pada bulan Mac bagi memberi ruang peralihan kuasa yang sebenar kepada Presiden Umno yang baru yang dipilih pada bulan Disember.

Crude oil Price Dipped Lower

What a relief that the spike in oil price was only for a short while. Thank goodness the price is now back much lower than before. At the time of writing the price is USD70.89 per barrel, with the lowest ranged at USD69.77 and highest was USD75.69.

The OPEC is expected to announce a cut on the production of oil up to a million per day had triggered the price increase the last few days after going below USD70 per barrel. It seems that greed had overwhelm OPEC nations to push for higher price.

Oil spike: OPEC mulls cutting supplies

Oh dear, the price of Crude oil price started to move upward on expectations OPEC will cut output this week to prop up prices hard hit by slumping demand and the mounting financial crisis.

The OPEC ministers is expected to discuss this Friday, on how much they should cut the supply to balance against their own needs to maintain the oil related projects which would suffer if oil price goes below USD70 per barrel.

The OPEC countries are also concerned on the falling of the commodity prices as well as the global economic slowdown may affect their own economy.

Just hope it will not again trigger another spike and speculative activities which push to an all time high of USD147 per barrel a couple of months ago. We are very concerned that the cut would hinder any chances for the global economy to rebound.

Crude Oil Price < USD72/barrel

Crude Oil Price is now below USD72/barrel, we are still waiting for Pak Lah and Shahrir to announce another reduction in our retail fuel price. The last cut was when the global crude oil price was at USD84/barrel, a difference of USD12 or 14.28% to the current trading price.

Therefore we are looking forward for at least a 10% cut to the petrol and diesel price. A 10% cut would be a drop of 23sen from current retail price of petrol to RM2.07 per litre and 22sen cut from diesel price to 1.98/per litre.

Tabung Azan?

Saya amat terkejut dengan cadangan Umno Cheras menubuhkan "Tabung Azan", semata-mata untuk menolong Utusan Melayu menghadapi tindakan saman oleh Ahli Parlimen yang didakwa dalam akhbar UM menyuruh memperlahankan laungan Azan. Dan pada masa yang sama ramai pulak yang berkata tindakan menyaman akhbar adalah tindakan untuk menghalang kebebasan akhbar. Pelik dan ajaib, itulah sebabnya hingga sekarang saya masih tak faham.

Pertama, saya memang menyokong kebebasan bersuara dan akhbar tetapi tentunya ada batasnya. Jika seseorang telah menceritakan sesuatu yang tidak benar, adakah ini bermakna Kebebasan? Sudah tentu tidak, ini fitnah namanya. Adakah "Press Freedom" bermakna kita boleh memfitnah sesuka hati tanpa rasa tanggungjawab?

Keduanya, kes ini belum pun lagi dibicarakan di mahkamah, dan kita tak tahu lagi siapa yang benar dan siapa yang salah. Jika kita awal-awal lagi dah tubuhkan tabung ini dan akhirnya didapati UM bersalah bermakna kita dah bersubahat dengan pihak yang salah.

Ketiga, nama tabung ini juga mengelirukan dan lebih pada gimik politik untuk memancing simpati orang Melayu dan Islam amnya. Kenapa tak dinamakan tabung Utusan Melayu.

Keempat, UM adalah sebuah syarikat berhad yang sepatutnya menjaga nilai-nilai etika dan sebagai sebuah institusi yang dimilikki oleh orang Melayu yang secara amnya adalah orang Islam, sepatutnyalah mereka memartabatkan nilai Islam TETAPI jika mereka buat salah, tanggunglah sendiri.

Sejarah UM sudah tak relevan lagi, UM bukan lagi UM pada zaman 1950an atau 1960an, kini zaman dah berubah, kita tak perlu lagi mengenang masa yang dah lalu tapi harus bergerak untuk masa depan. Lebih-lebih lagi peneraju UM dan pemiliknya pun dari sektor komersial dan bukan pengasas asal lagi.

Apa-apa pun kita tunggulah sehingga keputusan mahkamah, barulah kita tahu siapa yang benar dan siapa yang salah. Jika UM menang dan di dapati benar saya akan menyokong UM tetapi jika sebaliknya...?

Oil Below USD74/barrel

Crude oil price drop further below USD74 per barrel, barely a day after the government cut the retail fuel price from RM2.45 to RM2.30 per litre for petrol and diesel from RM2.40 to RM2.20. The cut were made when the crude oil price was around USD84 per barrel.

It seems that another price cut should be coming soon because the crude oil Price is already back to the level before the price hike in June. As a matter of fact this is the lowest level recorded for the last 14 month which have tumbled a staggering 49 percent since soaring to an all-time high USD147.27 on July 11.

The crude oil are already back to the 2006-2007 level and I am expecting it to stay at this level, therefore the government of Malaysia should be revising the price of retail fuel and the economic forecast.

The Malaysian government made the worst blunder hiking the petrol price by 41% in June this year and the impact of such a drastic and extreme upsurge, all consumer items, transportation services, food and beverages prices escalates higher and is expected to remain costly regardless of any reduction of the retail fuel price.

The two people should take the responsibility of such a bad, bad, bad move and that is Pak Lah and Shahrir.

Cerpen atau ...

Saya terganggu membaca karya cerpen yang ditulis dalam Mingguan Malaysia Ahad lalu, Jika dibaca oleh sesiapa pun, secara spontan akan mengaitkan karya ini dengan individu tertentu dalam politik negara. Kita sedar MM sedang berhadapan dengan tindakan undang-undang oleh Indidvidu tertentu, walaupun begitu saya rasa amat terganggu dengan pengakhiran ceritanya, bacalah petikan dibawah.

Apakah cerpen ini suatu kebetulan?

Adakah cerpen ini semata-mata cerpen?

Atau di sebaliknya ingin meluahkan rasa marah terhadap individu tertentu?

Adakah ini sebagai ingin mempertahankan organisasi tempat penulis ini bekerja?

Atau adakah ini sebagai cubaan untuk "instigate" atau cubaan mengapi-apikan supaya orang membunuh?

Atau suatu ugutan secara halus...?

Petikan dari cerpen dalam Mingguan Malaysia, Ahad 12/10/2008

"Apabila YB J bangun untuk menuju ke rostrum ucapan, seorang anak muda dari belakang pentas berjalan tenang menuju ke arahnya. YB J tersenyum kepadanya. Dia menyangka anak muda seketurunan dengannya ingin mengiringinya ke rostrum atau bersalaman dengannya.

YB J menghulurkan tangan. Tiba-tiba YB J tergaman dan berdiri kaku. Dia tidak percaya dengan apa yang dilihatnya. Tergenggam erat pada tangan anak muda yang seolah-olah mahu membalas salam tangan yang dihulur itu ialah sepucuk pistol jenis Revolver yang betul-betul diajukan ke arah dada YB J.

Tanpa berkata apa-apa, anak muda itu melepaskan beberapa das tembakan. Salah satu daripadanya tepat mengenai jantung YB J. Dia rebah ke lantai.

Para hadirin menjadi panik. Mereka yang berada di atas pentas turut tergamam melihat apa yang berlaku. Kejadian menjadi hiruk-pikuk dan tidak terkawal. Pihak penganjur yang tidak menduga kejadian malang itu berlaku, tidak tahu berbuat apa-apa. Beberapa orang anggota polis berpakaian preman yang menjadi tetamu yang tidak diundang dalam majlis itu, meluru ke arah pentas. Rakan-rakan mereka yang berpakaian seragam yang berkawal di luar juga bergegas masuk ke dewan.

Tetapi belum sempat mereka berbuat apa-apa, kedengaran beberapa das tembakan lagi. Kali ini yang rebah adalah anak muda itu sendiri.

Apabila pihak polis tiba di tempat kejadian, kedua-dua mereka - YB J dan anak muda yang berpakaian kemas itu, sudah tidak lagi bernyawa.

Sewaktu pemeriksaan dibuat ke atas mayat anak muda yang tidak dikenali itu, terselit sehelai nota yang ditaip rapi, ditulis dalam bahasa Kebangsaan.

Ia berbunyi: YB Josephine adalah ancaman terhadap keharmonian. Lebih baik riwayatnya ditamatkan supaya masyarakat berbilang kaum boleh tinggal aman damai di negara bertuah ini. Saya berkorban untuk masa depan."

Cut in Fuel Price

At last another cut in fuel price without waiting for Friday but the amount is still considered small compared with the quantum of drop in Global Crude oil Price since the last revision of the retail fuel price. If the Government had been very sensible when deciding to hike the price we would not 1)suffer huge spike in Inflationary rates, 2)continuously revising the prices 3)paying rebates on road tax, 4)increasing transportation charges, and 3)letting buses to add surcharges to the fares .

However, the amount is still high compared to my calculation as we are still paying premiums:
The last revision
Global Oil Price : USD104 per barrel
Retail Petrol Price : RM2.45 (reduction of 10sen)

Now
Global Oil Price : USD85 per barrel (14/10/2008; 7.00pm)
104 - 85 = 19 equivalent to 18.27% drop
Therefore, 2.45 - 18.27% = 2.45 - 0.45 = RM2.00.

The government cut only 15sen to RM2.30, thus we are still paying a premium of 30 sen to Petronas and indirectly taxed by the government cos' the profit made by Petronas will be paid as dividend/royalty to the government. The money will then falls into the hands of cronies via govt. contracts etc.

I don't care who will lead Malaysia, as long as they should be transparent and honest.

Rumah Terbuka

Rumah terbuka yang dibuat oleh DSAI tak de pun insiden yang tak diingini, tapi rumah terbuka Kabinet jadi kecoh. Ini lah perbezaan antara "keikhlasan" tuan rumah dan penerimaan orang ramai.

Rumah terbuka sepatutnya bebas untuk semua tetamu, dah namanya "rumah terbuka". Adakah wajib bila hadiri rumah terbuka tu kena pergi salam dengan semua VIP atau VVIP. Nak kena beratur pulak tu masa bersalam.

Bukankah namanya rumah terbuka, sepatutnyalah bebas tetamu dan tuan rumah untuk bercampur gaul bak kata orang putih, "to mingle around". PM dan bini tercegat salam dengan orang aje takde datang meja ke meja berbual dengan rakyat. Dah tu VVIP duduk meja khas, ape hal? Sepatutnya di Hari Raya takde status VIP atau VVIP atau orang biasa. Semuanya sama.

Kata negara kita negara demokrasi, tapi kenapa orang yang datang pakai tshirt, "Free RPK" kena soalsiasat. Salah ke? Suka hati orang lah nak pakai baju apapun, asalkan menutup aurat oklah.

Pada saya bukan sahaja Hindraf yang tak menghormati majlis bahkan Pak Lah dan kuncu-kuncunya pun tak menghormati hari raya yang mulia. Kalau datang raya pun tak semestinya nak jumpa semua Menteri, nak salam kena beratur, dahlah nak makan pun kena beratur jugak, nak masuk dewan pun beratur jugak, nak keluar pun beratur jugak, masa banyak yang terbuang.

Kan lebih mudah buat kat tempat lapang dan terbuka bawah khemah, barulah betul konsep rumah terbuka, no vip status semua sama. Kalau ada nak demonstrasi, biak pi kat depa. Tak payah kecoh-kecoh...

Tarikh PM Baru???

Ha ada lagi tarikh baru! DSAI amat mengharap untuk menjadi PM yang baru. Dulu sebelum Aidilfitri, sekarang ni sebelum Aidiladha pulak, DSAI buat gempak lagi.

Kenapa tak panggil je buat undi tak percaya kat Parlimen semalam, kan kerja senang. Hari itu masa Parlimen cuti, DSAI mintak Pak Lah panggil bersidang sebab dah cukup kerusi nak vote BN keluar tapi tak dilayan, sekarang ni dah bersidang tunggu lagi.

Apa sebenar cerita ni, buatkan rakyat pening kepala. Cukuplah kita nak teruskan kehidupan, jangan kerap begini nanti semua orang hilang kepercayaan, lagi susah. Sampai masa tu semua ahli BN akan dihantar keluar negeri kali ini dengan alasan ke Amerika tengok macamana syarikat gergasi bankrap, dah tertangguh lagi nak jadi PM. Bukan tak tahu orang BN ni kelam kabut, tapi bila dah lepas mereka dengan bangga menuduh DSAI menipu. Sekarang ni Pak Lah pun kata nonsense, tapi hari tu nampak kelam kabut, la ni pun dia apa peduli, dia nak beri kat Najib, apa-apa hal Najib tanggunglah sendiri. Pak Lah akan pencen.

Kalau kerap berjanji tapi tak ditunai orang akan mula rasa meluat. Kalau nak tukar, terus je buat tak payah beri tarikh.

PMR examination

Today is the start of "Peperiksaan Menengah Rendah" (PMR) examination for form three students. My daughter studying at a full boarding school are sitting for her papers this whole week.

To my daughter, do all your best, we know you can do it.

Your mom and abah will always pray for you. Remember Allah always and ask for his guidance and don't forget to salawat.

After each paper, never ever discuss your answers with your friends or teachers or refer to books, it might depress you, just concentrate on the next paper.

Study Smart not Hard...

Melaka oh Melaka

Kerajaan negeri Melaka adalah kerajaan yang paling lawak sekali, itupun KM dia ada hati nak jadi Timb Presiden.

Lawak pertama:
Kasihan negeri Melaka, takde ke anak kelahiran Melaka yang layak menjadi Yang di Pertua Negeri, impot bekas ahli politik yang dah tamat tempoh. Mana dia Datuk Wira-Datuk Wira yang telah banyak berjasa kepada negeri Melaka seperti bekas Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran atau tokoh-tokoh veteran negeri.

Lawak kedua:
Sekarang ni pulak bagi Datuk kat Shah Rukh Khan, kenapa dah takde ke anak Melaka yang layak? Apakah kerana DSRK menari dan berlakon ramailah pelancong dari India nak datang menari dan berlakon kat Malaysia. kalau beri kat produser filem takpe juga sebab dia yang bawak DSRK datang bukan sebaliknya.

Alasan si Ali kerana jasa DSRK berlakun dan menari dalam filem bollywood yang ada latarbelakang Malaysia, ada KLCC tah apa-apa lagi. Kalau setakat menari dan berlakon apa ada hal, dulu masa Sean Connery dengan Zeta Jones belakun dalam "Entrapment" kat KLCC dan tunjuk gambar Kampung Morten berlatar KLCC, kenapa tak bagi dia orang Datuk?

Lepas tu Anna & the King lagi pulak 100% dibuat di Malaysia, Chow Yun Fatt dan Jodie Foster bila nak dapat Datuk? Lagi pulak dua-dua ni filem Hollywood yang ditonton oleh seluruh dunia. Filem Anna & the King tu di calunkan pulak untuk Anugerah Academy...

Kalau Filem Taiwan atau Hong Kong lagi berlambak pelakon dia orang datang Malaysia buat filem dan berlakon. Lebih awal lagi, Jackie Chan pun pernah berlakon kat Malaysia tapi tak pernah pulak dapat sebarang pingat.

Ini mesti kerana bini dia orang ni minat sangat kat DSRK terpaksalah si laki tunaikan.

Satu hal pulak tu untuk sampaikan pingat tu ada majlis khas untuk dia, siapa yang akan keluar belanja. Banyak istimewa dia tu, orang kita ha kau ambik ramai-ramai.

Wahai orang Melaka nasib kamulah "bukit" bukan Melayu punya, "tanjung" pun bukan melayu punya. Pantai habis dah di tambaknya, apa lagi yang ada. Padang pahlawan dah jadi shopping kompleks. Masjid kat tengah pulau tanah tambak, tapi jauh dari sebarang bangunan lain.

Oil Prices USD80/barrel

Global Oil Prices still trading around USD80/barrel.

Cannot wait until Friday for the price reduction of petrol and diesel.

And please not just 10 sen but back to RM1.92 per litre or at least RM2 per litre.

Malaysian Economy

The Parliament convened today after the Puasa and Hari Raya holiday. And today will see the debate on the National 2009 Budget tabled by Pak Lah before the Parliament was adjourned but now Najib will take the role of Finance Minister. It would be a very awkward position for Najib, instead he should have asked for time to revamp the Budget to suit his administration and also to integrate recent developments of the global economy.

Najib should not have been harping around that Malaysian economy is sound and strong without any backing up of facts or any promise to study the impact of the economic turmoil in US and the United kingdom.

Directly, Malaysia will not have any substantial impact due to the non-involvement of our local banks with the US Subprime issues. But any meltdown in US will indirectly impact our trade especially US is our major export market. Some may argue we had reduced the US dependency and export more to Asean Nation, but my dear readers, the bulk of our exports to Singapore is actually a rewrapping, reboxing of our product to the US. Even our trade with China and Japan will end up in the US soil and traded in US dollars.

Singapore is the first Asian nation to announced economic recession. Largely they are very dependent on their US trade partners, the bulk of export is to US. And without any natural resources, Singapore depend largely on their Asean friends for raw materials and manufacturing industries.

A slowdown in US economy; subprime crisis: housebuyers unable to service their debts, credit crunch: investment houses involved in the subprime investment are suffering and requires high injections while Lehman Brothers gone broke. Firms that previously known with capitals many times larger than Malaysian external reserves are suffering huge losses and in dire need of new capital injections.

Najib should take precaution of this situation.

Bursa Malaysia suffers a huge meltdown, now the composite index falling way below 1000 levels where it had revel early of the year. All the other global exchanges had dipped very, very low, while Bursa was very laggard mainly due to its illiquid position, or else many Malaysian would have again suffered like in 1996-1997 meltdown.

We are the major exporter of semiconductors, electrical and electronic product to US, the slowdown of the industry in US will definitely impact our export figures.

The high flying commodity prices; oil, palm oil and rubber are showing signs of slowing down. Another setback to our export figure.

On the other hand imports will be more expensive as price of rice remain high and the inflationary pressure suffered by our trading partners and neighbouring nation.

We need somebody who is very strong in economic background to advise the government. Even if Najib truly an economic graduate, I don't think he has the experience as he was roped into politic immediately after graduation when his father passed away. May I suggest an Economic panel comprising of high profile economist in the nation and no cronies please.

Oil Price below USD80/barrel

Oil Prices now is below USD80 per barrel. At the time of writing - 9.30 pm Malaysian Time (+8 gmt) Oct 12 2008 - the oil price is USD79.84 per barrel. Click here

Way, way below the USD104 per barrel when the Malaysian government announced the retail petrol price at RM2.45 per litre.

I am Calling for Pak Lah - the outgoing PM, Najib the DPM cum Finance Minister and Shahrir the Consumer Minister to reduce the retail petrol price immediately to the previous level of RM1.92 per litre and to immediately abolish the 30% surcharge on bus fares.

We should not be susidising Petronas and we are fed up of being indirectly taxed for our fuel usage.

Datuk Shah Rukh Khan?

Apakah nilai Kurniaan Datuk sekarang ini?

Apakah jasa Shah Rukh Khan kepada Melaka, apatah lagi kepada Malaysia?

Pelik amat pelik, pelakun dan penyanyi negara India yang tak pernah menyumbangkan apa-apa bakti kepada rakyat Malaysia dikurniakan Datuk. Ramai lagi rakyat Malaysia yang layak. Tak faham, tak faham. Sekarang ni pun budak baru umur 20an pun dah dapat gelaran Datuk. Pergi kutub dapat Datuk, panjat gunung dapat Datuk naik kapal keliling dunia dapat Datuk, berenang Selat Inggeris dapat Datuk.

Dah terlalu ramai Datuk, kalau di KLCC tu agaknya kalau buat pengumuman supaya semua Datuk & Datin (tak kisahlah Datuk ke, Dato' ke, Datuk Seri ke, Datuk Panglima ke, Datuk Wira ke dan ape-ape Datuk lah kecuali datok kerana cucu) berkumpul secara spontan, gerenti penuh concourse KLCC.

Sekarang ni pelakon pun ada Datuk, macam Aziz Sattar, Yahya Sulong, Daud Kilau, bila pulak Badul, Amy Search atau Nash akan dapat Datuk? Kalau M. Nasir Datuk oklah juga, banyak jasa pada industri muzik.

Datuk-Datuk jangan marah tapi sedarkah Datuk-Datuk sekalian jika dah terlalu ramai dapat Datuk, gelaran ini dah tak eksklusif lagi, apatah lagi orang yang tak layak pun ada gelaran Datuk!

Global Oil below USD83/barrel

Enough about Pak Lah and his power transition. The old man already agreed to step down by March 2009.

It is now about our retail fuel price. We are still paying a high premium. The current global crude oil price is now at USD82.66/barrel (click here), way, way below the USD104/barrel when they announced the reduction to RM2.45.

Why do we have to wait until end of the month. Global stock market are suffering including our bursamalaysia suffers large drop below 1000 level. To spur the growth, cut fuel price, thus consumer will have more cash in hand and instead of spending on petrol we could help the domestic consumption. In turn higher domestic consumption we can drive our GDP growth.

Shahrir please buck up, lower the fuel price now. with the current global crude oil price, my calculation the retail petrol price should be RM2.00/litre.

Good Bye Pak Lah

It is confirmed Pak Lah is leaving, good for him and good for everybody. At least he acknowledge that he is no longer needed after the bad performance of the last general election and the PP by-election.

He should have retired immediately and have nice, long sleep and concentrate on his wife and grandchildren, leaving all the burden of reviving Umno's glory to Najib to settle and also let Najib face DSAI, rather than losing sleep just to please the son, son-in-law and personal advisor. They are all grown up and should fend for themselves.

Like I said yesterday, a lot people will be dissapointed. All close relative definitely will and all a**licker, like the one yesterday morning carrying placards at his residence and PWTC, while few weeks ago several malay NGOs led by Senator Jins had call for Pak Lah to stay and at the same time condemning TSMY.

Are we sure Najib will not bungle? Will the first-lady in waiting actually run the nation? Wait! don't be too happy, what about Pakatan Rakyat's intention to topple BN?

Anyway, Pak lah made a record and it should be recorded in the Malaysian Guiness Book of Record for 1. leading BN to the highest victory in GE2004 and 2. Being the leader with the smallest BN majority in history for GE2008. 3. The only PM got married while in office. 4. The shortest tenure as PM?

Saat dinanti

Ramai ternanti-nanti keputusan Pak Lah hari ini, bertanding atau tidak.

Dari riaksi ahli Umno, terutama Ali, Zahid & Jazlan, macam Pak lah akan berundur, tetapi mesyuarat sampai pagi malam tadi macam ada perancangan terbaru aje.

Apakah tindakan terakhir penyokong-pnyokong kuat Pak Lah akan lakukan untuk memastikan Pak lah terus memegang jawatan Presiden. Muhyidin pun macam tak yakin 50-50 aje, hingga tak nak declare lagi bertanding jawatan apa.

Berat betul Pak lah nak lepaskan jawatan Presiden Umno @PM ni. mana tidak, kontrak-kontrak banyak belum diluluskan... terlopong lah Scomi, Dewina, ECM Libra, dan terkandas lah cita-cita budak tingkat 4 nak jadi PM termuda.

Pada congakan saya ramai yang hampa...

Rebut Timb Presiden UMNO

Tak sabar-sabar berebut-rebut menawarkan diri untuk menjadi calun Timbalan Presiden UMNO. Ali Rustam, Zahid Hamidi dan Jazlan. Ada lagi tapi yang lebih matang akan menunggu pengumuman Pak Lah dulu takut nanti dikata langkah "bendul".

Confirmkah Pak Lah tak bertanding?

Ali baru tadbir salah satu negeri yang terkecil tu pun nak tonjol diri, apa perubahan/kemajuan yang dah di buat untuk negeri Melaka? Kalau setakat pindah "Eye on Malaysia" jadi "Eye on Melaka", siapa yang dapat faedah. Pantai habis di tambaknya jadi shopping kompleks. Kalau setakat bina pusat beli belah aje, rakyatnya masih takuk lama apa guna.

Zahid "mat rempit cc besar" Hamidi, bercita-cita tinggi nak jadi TP. Dulu pernah kena tangkap bersekongkol ngan DSAI, masuk ISA. Sekarang pandai dah cakap bab agama, jadi Menteri agama. Tak usahlah tonjol imej "Mr Clean", orang semua dah tahu.

Jazlan, anak Tok Mat ni pun dah nak jadi TP Umno. Bercita-cita besar atau jadi proksi? Tok Mat dulu pun tak merasa jadi sekarang ni giliran anak pulak. Tapi, it is not a bad idea.

Jika Umno benar-benar mahukan perubahan mereka perlukan young blood, fresh ideas. Kekalahan Umno dalam PRU12 yang lalu berpunca dari pengundi muda seperti Jazlan yang mahukan perubahan dan suara orang muda di dengari.

Golongan seperti Jazlan adalah diperlukan, pada saya Pemuda UMNO dah tak releven sebab diterajui oleh orang tua lebih 40 tapi mengaku "pemuda" dan juga Timbalannya yang terlalu kemaruk kuasa bercita-cita besar nak jadi PM termuda, hingga tak menghiraukan perjuangan sebenar Umno tapi lebih pentingkan "survival" diri sendiri. Semenjak DHTH ambil alih Pemuda, seolah-olah kehilangan taring, balik-balik menghunus keris ke udara. Itu saja...

Sejak PRU12 yang lalu apa perubahan atau pembaharuan yang telah Umno laksanakan untuk menarik balik minat pengundi?

Kalau setakat menyerang peribadi pembangkang, itu tindakan kebudak-budakan. Tunjukkanlah dengan kemajuan dan usaha memahami "grassroot". Ini pergi ambik tindakan ISA, api-apikan isu perkauman, lontar molotov koktel, tak "cool" lah macam tu.

Oil Price below USD89/barrel

Latest Crude Oil Price is below USD89 per barrel.

Still waiting for Pak Lah or Shahrir to announced reduction in retail fuel price. Cannot wait until end of the month.

As at writing time the price is at USD88.65/barrel, click here for latest updates.

Crude Oil Price USD91.99/barrel

The crude oil price is now at USD91.99/barrel click here for updates, but Malaysian retail fuel price is still expensive at RM2.45/litre. as i mentioned before we, Malaysian are paying a premium for our fuel, while Petronas is enjoying a huge profit from it and we are subsidizing Petronas and Malaysian government indirectly, as if we are being tax for our fuel usage.

The government is in dilemma because of their mistake in hiking up the price of fuel and after a lot of furor giving out rebates on road tax. They can't just simply revoke the rebates as car owners yet to claim the rebate will protest. The rebates is already hurting the government pocket.

The global crude oil price is getting lower and lower but we have to wait for end of the month cabinet meeting to know whether we will get lower petrol price.

Passing of a friend

Yesterday, my friend Mohamed Uzir Suleiman passed away aged 47 years old.

I have known him since 1996 when I joined BSN Commercial Bank. We only got closed after he left and joined PNB as Senior Analyst. He frequently called for ideas, opinions and information and sometimes we had business lunch together. But our contact stopped after he left to join AmGroup. He made me promise not to tell anyone where his current workplace.

He was a nice person. It was a great shock to hear about his departure. "Inna lillah wa inna lillahirajiun..." From Allah we came and to Him we return.

Semoga Allah mencucuri rahmat keatas rohnya dan penderitaan yang ditanggungnya dibalas dengan kesejahteraan di akhirat.

AL-FATIHAH

Nostalgia: Aidilfitri

Today is the 6th day of Syawal, Welcome back to work after the Hari Raya break.

Hari Raya nowadays are as grand as years ago probably more in spending but less in terms of human interaction. It is no longer a thrill for my children to wear new clothes for the Raya as they can always get a new clothe any time of the year. Contrary to my early days as the second youngest with 11 brothers and sisters, new clothes and shoes are a luxury we treasured once a year. With a disciplinarian father, we are not allowed to try the attire until the morning of the 1st Syawal. During Ramadan we can only peek into the box when Abah is not around. It was a thrill to show off to our friends during our Raya round.

Remembered in the early 70s when Beatle's boot was the hype, I managed to coaxed my mum to buy one for me. I never had a chance to wear jeans until I was 17 I bought "fruits of looms" with money collected from Raya. My late Abah was strictly against wearing jeans as he calls them yankee's clothings. I bought my own first Levi's when i was in the sixth form from money saved over the years. Being the younger siblings is an advantage for me, especially when most of my elder brothers and sisters were already working and was very generous come Raya time.

Life was not hard but we don't have the luxury of what most urban kids now enjoy.

Anyway, now I don't really looking forward to Hari Raya, once I knew the importance of Ramadhan. It is a month full of opportunity for Muslim to collect as much "pahala" as we can. Even a simple good deed will be multiplied compared to other month. Now I can't wait for next year's Ramadhan.