18,000 Brought to Prisons in 11 Days

Bangladesh created an all time world record for pulling in 18,000 persons into prisons countrywide in a space of 11 days beginning from 28 May 2008. Reason given was to ensure safe communities in view of the upcoming general election to be held in December 2008.

Totally dictatorial situation in Bangladesh. No democracy at all even though it was supposed to be one. Human rights organisations such as the Human Rights Watch and Democracy Watch said that such arrests have no basis and it was political driven. The situation started when two major political parties, Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, decided not to co-operate with the military-backed caretaker government in the upcoming general election.

The two political parties said that those arrested by the caretaker government were in fact their members. In applying the Emergency Powers Rules, it allowed the caretaker government to make the necessary arrests without police warrants and place the person in prison till the caretaker government felt it is right timing to release them.

But the caretaker government said that those arrested were actually criminals. Wow, that's certainly highly efficient on the part of the Bangladesh police. They would be the best police team in the whole wide world with such arrest ratio in eleven days.

The Malaysian police contingent has lots to learn from their Bangladeshi counterpart.

Scotland Yard would be sending a team to Bangladesh to learn a trick or two from the police force in capturing so many criminals without any of the criminals being tipped off on the police actions.

All this sounds like those disputed arrests under my government's Internal Security Act ("ISA") where people held under the ISA were detained without trials and released upon the government's approval and not the courts. Under ISA rulings, as long as the government felt that they have enough suspicions of you, they could place you under ISA detention for a minimum two years.

Reading: 18,000 held in Bangladesh 'political crackdown' - CNN Asia

Last but not least, I really wonder whether Bangladesh has enough prison cells to fit in the 18,000 human beings. Or how many human beings are being squeezed into one cell?
Tags: Prison, Jail, Lock Up, Bangladesh, Political Crackdown, Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Human Rights Watch, Democracy Watch

Not Your Average Super Hero

When the word heroes or superheroes are flashed across your mind, who would be those people / character that you would think of first?

During my younger days, superheroes to me were mainly from the cartoons such as:-
1. Transformers
2. G.I. Joe
3. Centurions
4. Voltron
5. Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
6. Transformers
7. Voltron
8. Thundercats
9. Ninja Turtles
10. He-Man

and of course, those undisputed Marvel Comics' characters being made into real life movies. Being a young boy, each time after watching a superhero related cinema show I would daydream about me saving someone if I see a person in despair or danger.

Those inspirational days were mainly dominated by Superman. As seen in the movies, he would just appear out of nowhere and was there when you need him. Then there would be a lady character for where a hero needs to save, Lois Lane. That fantasy still stays as it is from those days i.e. nothing happened to me.

After many superheroes movies such as Spiderman, Batman, Dark Knight, Incredible Hulk, X-Men and the latest - Iron Man, out comes another hero within your neighbourhood, Hancock.

Talking about superheroes, Nuffnang would be holding an exclusive private screening for the Hancock movie for its members again on 7 July 2008 at Cathay Cineplexes Damansara, The Curve.

Wonder what kind of superhero level / strength / power Hancock will be displaying?

Reading: Superhero Hype
Tags: Hancock, Heros, Superheroes, Movie, Will Smith, Private Screening, Cathay Cineplexes Damansara, The Curve

Rebates for Car Owners

The Malaysian government has announced last week that a rebate would provided to ALL car owners when they renew their road tax from now onwards. I'm sure the majority of Malaysian car owners owned a car which is 2,000cc or below. For people like you, you will get to enjoy (maybe you won't enjoy it also) a rebate of RM625. How do you get the rebate?

From what I understood is that the moment you renew your road tax at the Road Transport Dept, you will receive a postal order equivalent to that amount. It will in at least eight pieces of postal orders to make up the RM625. Pos Malaysia has followed up on the rebates via postal orders in their website.

The best thing is that both the RTD website do not have any updates on the said rebate of RM625. My car is due for road tax renewal end of this month. Will see how it goes.
Malaysian folks, don't be so happy with that rebate. From the reading of a number of websites, the rebate of RM625 could only cover your normal usage of your car. The mathematician experts have worked out that if you do not exceed 35km per week, the rebate of RM625 should cover the impact of the fuel price.

Furthermore, the rebate of RM625 could be for a one year period only. This said rebate is only for this next one year and the following year's road tax is subject to the government approval again. Do read the fine print each time the government announces something big. The government expected everyone to receive an increment that will cover the increase in fuel price but they didn't consider the price increase on various that will increase due to the fuel price. See how myopic eyesight they have there!

Important thing is - tighten your belt, save up, be strict with your personal budget and be stingy on certain aspect of your life ....... hehe. Most importantly, don't forget to enjoy your life even though it's tough.

Just like what the Malaysian government has said - 'change your lifestyle'.
Tags: Rebate, Malaysia, Road Transport Department, Road Tax, Pos Malaysia, Postal Order

Malaysian Schools Lack Basic Utilities

It was shocking to learn that one-third of a total 9,806 schools in Malaysia lacked water and electricity. That worked out to 3,268 schools. Can you imagine that your children do not have basic facilities in the toilet.

The Deputy Education Minister, Razali Ismail, was quoted saying that a four year development plan would put all this basic facilities into the 3,268 schools. The cost of related upgrades for schools is around RM1.15 billion (US$482 million).

But the government found that sending an astronaut up to space was more beneficial for the students. The goverment was more concerned of setting up a space industry. This is the reason why many criticised the space programme. Wastage of money for non-importance project over important and urgent developments.

Come on, the children's basic and early education foundation is far far far more important and with proper education, children would get to learn about space and its related space industry in time to come. Somehow such politician cum minister has myopic hindsight on the future and this would hamper the nation's future.

With almost anything in this world costing more than usual, ain't proper basic utilities be given priority before anything else. You call this a government that cares for its citizens??????

Reading: Shocking state of some schools in Malaysia - Today Online
Tags: Malaysian School, Water, Electricity, School

Out Somewhere Expensive

When I got home from work last night, my wife demanded

that I take her out to some place expensive................











... So I took her to a petrol station

Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humour, Petrol Station, Expensive

Something to Ruin Your Day

- of being angry and choice
"Whoa," yelped junior disciple Ah Lek in surprise. "Arrgh!" shouted junior disciple Ah Kow as senior disciple Ah Moo pushed his way between them and sent both of them falling off the straight and narrow path that leads to the Sow Lin monastery chapel. Ah Kow fell to the left into a bush of yellow daffodil. "Wow," he thought, "the sky is so blue." "Ouch, ouch" shouted Ah Lek who fell to the right into a rose garden.

"I so hate senior disciple Ah Moo," said Ah Lek as he extricated himself from the thorns. "He makes me so angry" "Leave him be. He just a big bully," said Ah Kow as he dusted his robe clean."I am so furious. One day I will get even. Vengeance is mine said the Lord, and Ah Lek will be My instrument," Ah Lek told Ah Kow. "Hey, don't simply quote the Bible. No play, play, you know," replied Ah Kow in alarm, waiting for a thunderbolt to strike."I am still angry" said Ah Lek to Ah Kow during supper that evening in the refectory.

Paused in the act of placing a piece of meat into his mouth, Ah Kow blinked and said. "You're still angry?" "Yeah, I am so angry that I cannot enjoy my meat." The disciples have just finished their meat-week where they fast from eating meat for two weeks before Lent. "See there. I can't stand it. That bully is enjoying himself," said Ah Lek pointing to the senior disciple table where Ah Moo just cracked a joke and all the other senior disciples are laughing.

"I can't stand being in the same room as him!" "Didn't Our Lord teach us to forgive and forget?" Ah Kow pointed out. "Forgive, yes. Forget, no" declared Ah Lek with firm conviction. "Aah...?" Ah Kow tailed off in confusion. "I am so angry that I didn't sleep a wink last night," declared Ah Lek to Ah Kow as they meet the next morning for prayers. "I was thinking of all the ways I can cheket his scrawny neck." "You're still at it?" asked Ah Kow sleepily.

"What about St.Paul's teaching about not letting the sun goes down on your anger?" "That don't count," said Ah Lek smugly, "Somewhere in the world, the sun is always shining so it can never go down on my anger. Maybe I shall get a big stick and hit Ah Moo on the head. Do you think he will forgive me?" "Donno," said Ah Kow cautiously as he slowly back away.

"Aiyuh , my stomach hurts," yells Ah Lek as he rolled on his bed later that day. "Let me fetch Abba Ah Beng" said Ah Kow as he hurried to his sifu's room. Abba Ah Beng called in the services of Abba Thomas who is a bivocational Abba. His other vocation is as a doctor. "He has a gastric ulcer," said Abba Thomas after he finished his examination, "I wonder what brought this on?" "Must be his anger," whispered Ah Kow.

"What anger?" thundered Abba Ah Beng who has superb hearing, especially for the dinner bell. "Ah Lek has been angry at senior disciple Ah Moo since he pushed us into the bushes yesterday!" Ah Kow said, pointing his skinny finger at Ah Moo. "I did?" Ah Moo sounded surprised. "Yes," Ah Moo said after a moment's pause. "That was in the morning when I was rushing for the toilet because I have diarrhoea. Almost didn't make it in time!"

"And you have been angry since." Abba Ah Beng turned and faced Ah Kow. "And you?" asked Abba Ah Beng. "I was a b-bit..angry but I f-forgive and f-forgot about the innnnncident" stammered Ah Kow, turning red in the face."Ah Lek, Ah Lek, what shall I do with you?" Abba Ah Beng said turning back to face Ah Lek with a shake of his head, "You have let your anger control your heart and your mind. You allowed anger to dwell in your soul.

A small incident gets blown out of proportion. A small push by your senior disciple had taken control of your life, poisoned your soul and gave you an ulcer."After a short pause for dramatic effect, Abba Ah Beng continued, "In life, you may not have control over what other people do to you.

However, you do have the control over how you react to their provocations. You can choose to forgive, forget and move on. Or, you can choose to allow other people control your life. Why should you let others ruin your life?"

endnotes:-
"don't play play" -Singapore slang made famous by Phua Chu Kang, a Singaporean sitcom. Means "taking something seriously"
"cheket"-Malay word for "strangle".
"aiyuh"-Malaysian and Singaporean word for "ouch"
Tags: Junior Disciple, St Paul, Abba, Monastery Chapel

Malaysia's Subsidy for Petrol Price

The current petrol price is RM1.92. After reading the article on Peak Oil, I have done an estimated calculation and I won't be surprised if it hit a minimum RM3.10 per litre in the month of August 2008 when the Malaysian government decides to reduce the petrol subsidy.

Friends are still saying that even after increasing the price of petrol in the month of August 2008, the government will definitely give this comment again "Our petrol price is still the cheapest in the region!". Right?

The government has advised us to change our lifestyle in accommodating the undeniable increase in petrol price. How will you change your lifestyle? What will you sacrifice? If your petrol consumption for each month is around RM300, be prepared to pay an additional RM300 by Sept 2008.

Why double it? Our Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, has already mentioned that petrol price will be an uncontrolled price item in August 2008 which means to say that it will be priced according to market price.

The funny thing about certain Malaysians is that they will continue to fall for rumours without checking further.

For those who read the newspapers or are updated via the relevant websites (e.g. Malaysiakini - Pump price at 'market levels by August'), it was stated clearly that the Malaysian government would decide on the new petrol price on Tuesday (yesterday) and today which would be implemented in August 2008. But Malaysians jam packed petrol stations yesterday to pump the last drop of petrol at RM1.92. All this because of rumours and SMS messages.

In the past petrol price increases, I didn't join the bandwagon with those who queued up to pump petrol as it would take ages just to get into the petrol station. My logic question is how much can you save with that bit of petrol for that night. It could range from RM1.00 to RM10.00 depending on the size of your petrol tank. The next thing these people will go to Setarbak for a cup of coffee priced at RM10.

I have just bought a new house which should be ready by Dec 2008. Looks like I may have to re-draw my renovation plan due to increase in material costs. No renovation but move in with current furnitures??????

The Malaysian government is so caught up with this petrol subsidy issue where it mentioned it was such a waste to pay off RM45 billion. The government should by all means concentrate on reducing corruptions and wastage in unncessary expenditures incurred by government departments / agencies as highlighted in the annual Auditor-General's reports. That itself is already a few billions. But no! But why?

By referring to the Auditor-General's 2007 report, the government did mention that necessary actions would be taken against government staff found to have breached the rules. Todate, no news.

Remember that the government did say that by increasing the petrol price, the petrol subsidy would decrease and that the savings on such subsidy would be used for improving the public transport infrastructure. Todate, the traffic has gotten worse and to top it off, the government has just announced that they would scrap off the subsidy provided to a major bus company providing bus transportations to the public. The bus company will definitely be increasing their bus fares to cover the loss of subsidy. Where are the savings going to then?

Last but not least, the impact of the petrol increase, if at all priced according to market price, will definitely trigger the price increase on every aspect of life.

Which business industry will be affected? I would say that the food, leisure and entertainment industry will be badly affected as people will try to eat common food or cook at home, spend more time at home watching those pirated DVD movies and lesser travels be it domestic or overseas.

This is what we call - stagflation - a case of rampant inflation and stagnant economic growth.
Are you ready for it?

Reading: KL govt to raise fuel prices to market levels - Malaysia Today

Related posts:-
* Show I/C To Pump Subsidised Petrol
* Is Malaysia's Fuel Price Cheaper?
Tags: Malaysia, Petrol Price, Fuel Price, Petrol Subsidy, Peak Oil, Stagflation