Hantu Laut
GREETINGS FROM HANOI.
Out of action the past five days, down with food poisoning while in Phnom Penh.
Horrible! Horrible!
On drip for 12 hours at private hospital in Phnom Penh. The joke is, think I got it from the baked moule at one of the reknown French restaurants (can't name it, in case they sue me) in Phnom Penh.
Missed my Air Asia flight on Tuesday 8.35 a.m ,ticket washed out. Luckily, with friend at MAS in Phnom Penh managed to catch MAS 11.15 a.m to KL same morning, spent two nights in KL to recuperate.
Left for Hanoi Thurday morning and staying at one of the hotels in the Old Quarters.Weather fantastic.
Hanoi is gearing for the big bash tonight.Can see huge preparations for the countdown all over the city with stages and huge sound systems erected in many places.
WISHING FRIENDS AND ALL MALAYSIANS A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public
KUALA LUMPUR, December 31 Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak currently urged all Malaysians to do their shortcoming in office building a improved destiny for a entrance generations as well as place a country in a rightful position.Najib (picture), in his 2011 New Year message, pronounced a governments skeleton as well as programmes would not be successful though a await as well as team-work of a people.Lets not be satisfied as well as only sit back to be mere critics. Lets cover a improved destiny for a entrance generations.The power to set up lies in a hands of a people. Fulfil this shortcoming as most appropriate as you can, he said.Najib reminded a present generation not to gamble away a destiny of a entrance generations by creation wrong decisions.This is not a time to experiment, though a time to replenish as well as strengthen a certitude in what has been proven to be effective, he said.The prime apportion pronounced a supervision regularly adopted full shortcoming in a management of a country, in sold a economy.As a supervision supportive to a pulse of a people, you will not during all neglect a peoples interests by creation a guarantee or a preference which seems to be popular though is essentially to a wreckage of a interests of everyone, he said.He pronounced any supervision which betrothed or formulated popular though irresponsible policies would gain approval or await in a reduced term, though in a long tenure it would be a people who would suffer.Learning from mistakes, via 2010, you built a clever foundation to ensure which a nations potentials as well as resources can be stimulated as well as mobilised towards achieving a inhabitant vision, he said.He identified a Government Transformation Programme (GTP) along with a six National Key Result Areas (NKRA) as well as a Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) with a twelve National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) a! s a base ment of a New Economic Model, a 10th Malaysia Plan as well as Budget 2011, which served as a comprehensive roadmap to lift a vital customary as well as quality of life of a people to a aloft level.All this while, a government, which was since a mandate, has striven with frankness to meet a peoples needs as well as inhabitant swell to a most appropriate of a ability.Unfortunately, a little buliding have arbitrarily indicted a supervision of being prone to exercise specific projects, particularly mega projects. Such accusations are not loyal during all, he said.Some people, generally a opposition, had criticised a building a whole of multiform projects including a North-South Expressway, a Petronas Twin Towers as well as a Penang Bridge, he said, adding which they were now too broke to admit their inapplicable designation since these projects had brought much good to a people.The question is if their opinions have proven to be wrong in such major matters, how can a people possibly certitude any of their promises? he said, adding which a oppositions proposed 100-day reform voiced not long ago would only lift output as it did not consider a realities of a inhabitant revenue as well as sources of funds.Saying he hoped which a people would be able to make their own evaluation, Najib pronounced a supervision had all along focused upon a objective of ensuring tolerable mercantile growth.This was since a progress in inhabitant wealth would provide for a rise in output as well as enable a implementation of social justice, he said.It is without delay proportional, meaning an increase in supervision revenue will outcome in a rise in output for a peoples well-being, he pronounced as well as urged a people in any case of competition as well as religion to heed a call to essay for a pinnacle of success. Bernama 
pix from here.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 Penang must embrace the future similar to the national football side as well as develop human capital to transform itself into an general city, the states chief minister has said.Taking note of Malaysias ancestral AFF Suzuki Cup win, Lim Guan Eng pronounced Penang should obey the achievements of the national side to turn indeed competitive regionally.Malaysia kick Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 final held in Kuala Lumpur as well as Jakarta earlier this week.2010 ended with the crash when the Malaysian football players done us all unapproachable by winning the AFF Suzuki Cup for the first time in twenty-one years, Lim (picture) said in his New Years Day summary today.All Malaysians have been unapproachable of the football success because you have knocked about the general neighbours. We do not want to be seen as jaguh kampongs though as general champions in the Asean region.The DAP secretary-general pronounced the Penang government will formulate policies to encourage innovation as well as harness local entrepreneurship so which the resource-shy state could join the race to the top.Penang has no preference though to be an intelligent city centred on high technology, high-value added as well as knowledge-intensive economy, he said.As the state without any healthy resources, you need to build up the human capital by training, retraining, retaining as well as attracting brand new human talents.Lim, however, additionally stressed which Penang had to contest internationally with dignity as well as respect as well as urged locals to see farrago as the strength rsther than than the source of weakness.He pronounced this had been recognised by Unesco when the UN physique awarded George Town World Heritage City status in 2008.All Penangites have been unapproachable which the common birthright has achieved general recognition. We must not allow lies ! to blind us to the truth which you have been all connected by blood, driven by shared values of farrago as well as tested by time, he said. 
The guys at The Sarawak Update says many did not expect Muhyiddin, the DPM and Education Minister, to send the DG himself to look into the Sekolah Menengah Sains Miri issue. Well done, said they. Read the Sarawak Update's report SM Sains Miri tidak jadi berpindah.
Though it is a brand new Wawasan 2020 or Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang as well as as pervasive, a meaning of 1 Malaysia was exceedingly criticised by respondents who felt that it did not jelly with a injustice in their lives. Picture by Choo Choy MayKUALA SELANGOR, Dec 31 Its that time of year again where a media recaps what it considers a biggest events of a past 365 days.From church bombings in a initial week of 2010 to (as of a essay of this article) a Cameron Highlands bus crash, headlines junkies as well as a punditry have had a lot to write about.But only since an eventuality or emanate is incisively analysed as well as expertly commented upon does not indispensably meant it counts as much to a public. This explains since stories similar to man stabs mother afterwards jumps to death lend towards to always corner out domestic stories upon online most-read lists.So what does a Malaysian open unequivocally consider of a events that made a headlines? The Malaysian Insider motionless to take a snapshot of this collective, ground-eyed view sentiment in a parliamentary subdivision of Kuala Selangor.It is an area that occupies a curious middle ground between what is customarily regarded as civic as well as rural. Its residents demand it feels similar to a kampung nonetheless it is usually about 40 minutes from a metropolitan Klang Valley.The oil palm estates that carpet Kuala Selangor censor villages where cellphone accepting is uneven as well as nonetheless many youths commute any sunrise to factories in Petaling Jaya as well as Klang.There was a vast farrago in events as well as scandals that irritated a interest of those interviewed. But despite differences in ethnicity, age, function as well as exposure, they all felt touched by an over-arching inhabitant emanate that wove itself in to their lives as well as their loved ones.A brief upon a methodsThe interviewees were! asked t o recall themselves what were a little of a events of 2010 that unequivocally hold their attention. If they couldnt do that, afterwards they would get a list of suggestions.The list included a church bombings in January, a fatal shooting of Aminulrasyid Amzah, a attempted attempted murder of cosmetics billionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, a Sodomy II trial, a trials of former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo as well as former Transport Minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.The third part of consult was a free-form talk upon whether their lives were better this year compared to last year as well as their hopes starting in to subsequent year.A infancy of them requested anonymity in order to speak freely. Tolong aa jangan masuk nama. Nanti silap cakap masuk dalam tau, replied when a single respondent when interviewed.Of a scores of people The Malaysian Insider met, usually 5 could fairly name a state assemblyman as well as parliamentarian who were inaugurated to paint them.The rest either could not even name a parties that paint them during a state as well as sovereign level. But they knew their areas were underneath a Opposition. (For a record, a MP for Kuala Selangor is PASs Dr Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. Kuala Selangor has 3 state seats Ijok (represented by Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Bukit Melawati (Muthiah Maria Pillay) as well as Jeram (Datuk Amiruddin Setro).So its no surprise that usually two respondents took notice of a partisan contention that went upon via a year in Parliament.By far, a most ordinarily remembered eventuality was a attempted attempted murder of Sosilawati (five respondents). Along with Dr Khir removing charged for an allegedly fake land deal (three respondents).No a single was interested as to whether or not Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim did it or not with Saiful Bukhari. Neither has any one heard of WikiLeaks as well as what a Singapore intelligence agencies consider of a justice box opposite a PR de-facto leader.It all boils down to ringgit as well as sen More than 10 resp! ondents had difficulty similar with any of a choices provided. But when it came to a subject of how they in all felt about 2010 they, along with a others, talked forever about how frustrated they were with a economy.Lack of decent-paying jobs in Kuala Selangor, a climb in a prices of products as well as a dismissal of subsidies were during a top of their minds.Why is that when Mahathir (fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was around a manage to buy was OK? asked a 28-year-old stationery store owner. Six alternative residents pronounced a same thing.Mahathir brought in a factories, there were income as well as jobs. Everyone after him, Pak Lah ka (fifth Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi), Najib ka (current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) everything went down.This pining for a golden age of Mahathir is partly tied to a tepid Kuala Selangor economy. The former premiers automation expostulate in a 90s saw factories sprout up all over Kuala Selangor. The largest was an wiring organisation called Sankyu that employed close to 2,000 workers.When Sankyu closed shop about 9 years ago businesses from consumer wiring stores to food case operators to various shops saw a steep dump in sales. No alternative industry of allied distance has taken its place.While in a lowest parts of Kuala Selangor, a cycle of poverty as well as crime replenishes itself.Subramaniam Ratnam runs giveaway literacy classes for often Indian girl in a village gymnasium in Kasawari, Kuala Selangor. Hes usually been doing it for a year as well as half though he keeps finding some-more as well as some-more kids who cant read or write, a little of them in Standard Six.Because they have been poor, a relatives do not have a time or income to ensure that their children retain what they learned in school.So if they cant read or write by time they have been in Standard Six, a relatives lend towards to pull them out as they feel that it is invalid starting to school. The relatives feel their kids competence as well be put to work.Then t! hese kid s begin unresolved out with alternative older kids as well as delinquency develops, says Subramaniam of a Light of Life Welfare Association. The centre in Kuala Selangor currently has about 100 kids of varying ages.The miss of high-income earners in Kuala Selangor crimps a associations ability to get donors, says Sabrina Shantini Subramaniam, who additionally volunteers to teach giveaway classes.I was innate here. Not in India or China.But their gripes do not only stop during a higher cost for sugar as well as a miss of decent-paying jobs.When it came to talking about critical incomes or how hard it is to get credit, two-thirds of a interviewees fundamentally proposed blaming race.They either pronounced they were being discriminated opposite in removing jobs, loans as well as commercial operation space since of their race. Or that their competition should be heedful of guileless alternative races since a alternative was starting to walk all over them.Interestingly, similar to a economy, they felt that racial family were better underneath Dr Mahathir.An Indian Malaysian grocer claims he never got small commercial operation loans since of his ethnicity.I look during a Malay subsequent to me during a bank as well as he is removing a loan. Why have been they removing as well as you am not? you am additionally poor. you was additionally innate in Malaysia not in India.A Malay Malaysian woman felt that a supermarket near her roadside break case is perplexing to fist her out since a owners is a Chinese Malaysian.They play ground their trucks upon a highway so you dont have space. If it was a Malay owner, you dont consider he would do that. Malays have been some-more considerate.A Chinese Malaysian office worker explains since he thinks industries have been withdrawal Malaysia for Vietnam, Thailand or China.Who wants to do commercial operation here when they take thirty per cent from you? he says, referring to a thirty per cent Bumiputera ownership imposed upon unfamiliar companies.Not a single of a complaints w! as confi dent that a Economic Transformation Plan could respond to their problems.A inhabitant mania goes internal Ibrahim Suffian, of a Merdeka Center, marks peoples sentiments concerning inhabitant issues. His latest work shows that some-more as well as some-more Malaysians lend towards to link competition with their troubles.When you talked to electorate in a certain area, they pronounced they felt marginalised since their competition does not carry out a economy, says Ibrahim when contacted.In alternative words, there might have been alternative reasons for a respondents not being able to further themselves such as banks tightening credit or industries depressing wages, he says, though they motionless to censure race.It is not surprising since how pervasive a subject of competition is in a inhabitant politics, he says.Indeed, a ruling BN owes its really existence to making certain Malaysians identify themselves initial with a since racial category. That category will afterwards determine their pecking order when it comes to removing commercial operation opportunities, scholarships as well as loans.This is a crux of a consult in Kuala Selangor. Many might not have remembered any specific events of 2010. But a distracted discuss about competition as well as identity, that a little have even called for a Internal Security Act to be used, has filtered down to them.Its not a particular events that mattered. But a events coalescing together to form a lens with that to understand a world.The rhetoric of a Malay ultra-supremacist movement, ketuanan Melayu vs ketuanan rakyat, Malay vs non-Malay rights as well as debates over Article 153 of a Constitution has seeped in to a open consciousness.It has fused to fuel these particular stories of loans, opportunities as well as futures denied.Says an Indian Malaysian office worker who summed up a feelings of his friends.What is this 1 Malaysia? We should all get a same diagnosis though you dont. Thats all you want. you dont feel similar to you am a single wi! th Malay sia. 
The dissemination of Berita Harian has forsaken by 28.7 per cent over a past year. File picKUALA LUMPUR, December 31 Newspaper dissemination in a country maintained its downward slide this year as readers go on to shun hard headlines in government-controlled titles for some-more sensationalist tabloids.Circulation of local media mainstays The Star, New Straits Times, Utusan Malaysia as well as Berita Harian has depressed over a past 5 years, in a little cases dramatically so. Scandal sheets, however, sojourn largely popular as well as in a little cases distant outselling some-more traditional rags that helped advertising output grow twenty-two per cent to RM3.5 billion for a initial half of 2010.Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) total for a full year finished June 30, 2010 show The Stars dissemination dropping from 295,479 to 286,409 (-3.1 per cent), a New Straits Times from 120,770 to 109,341 (-9.5 per cent), Utusan Malaysia from 181,346 to 170,558 (-5.9 per cent) as well as Berita Harian from 183,187 to 160,597 (-12.3 per cent).Sales of a 4 newspapers have been falling these past 5 years, with all but The Star registering drops of 20 per cent or some-more in between 2005 as well as 2009.So-called light reading newspapers identical to Malay-language Harian Metro as well as Kosmo, on a alternative hand, go on to go from strength to strength, posting higher sales numbers this past year on top of already considerable dissemination numbers.Kosmo was a greatest winner with a large 32.9 per cent jump in dissemination from 129,633 final year to 172,252 this year. Harian Metro also managed to chalk up an considerable 11.8 per cent rise in dissemination to 378,354.The weekend editions of both newspapers, Kosmo Ahad as well as Metro Ahad, saw identical increases of 35.1 per cent as well as 11.5 per cent, respectively.All Chinese-language writings managed slight single-digit bumps in sales this past y! ear, wit h a difference of Guang Ming Daily that slipped by 2.67 per cent to 95,158.Circulation for Sin Chew Daily went up from 374,757 to 382,578 (2.1 per cent), China Press from 159,034 to 160,841 (1.1 per cent) as well as Oriental Daily News from 97,882 to 103,827 (6.1 per cent).Free paper The Sun available a 4.38 per cent progress in dissemination from 287,935 to 300,512.Bulk sales a practice of selling bundles of copies during discounted rates for placement in schools, airplanes as well as hotels now make up a slightly higher suit of normal net sales per edition day for mainstream papers.Reduced rate sales for The Star went up from 8 to 10 per cent of total sales, a New Straits Times from 23 per cent to twenty-seven per cent, Utusan Malaysia from 6 per cent to 7 per cent as well as Berita Harian from 13 per cent to 19 per cent.In contrast, bulk sales for Kosmo, Harian Metro as well as Chinese-language dailies constituted one per cent or reduction of daily normal sales. 
