Dealova by Once (Dewa)

I dedicate this song to my girlfren, Balkis..

Dealova (OST Dealova)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aku ingin menjadi mimpi indah dalam tidurmu
aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yang mungkin bisa kau rindu
Karena langkah merapuh tanpa dirimu
Karena hati telah letih

Aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yang selalu bisa kau sentuh
Aku ingin kau tahu bahwa ku selalu memujamu
Tanpamu sepinya waktu merantai hati Oh……..
Bayangmu seakan-akan …………

Kau seperti nyanyian dalam hatiku
Yang memanggil rinduku padamu Oh ……….
Kau seperti udara yang kuhela
Kau selalu ada,

oh oo oooo
ohoo oo oooo
ooohh oooo ooo ooo oo

hanya diri mu yg bisa membuatku tenang
tanpa diri mu aku merasa hilang
dan sepi, dan sepi

Petrol Price Hike & Domino Effect.. The Aftermath..

Its been 2 weeks since the Bolehland Gov announced the petrol hike. So where do we stand now? Lets see.. there are many frustrated and angry people who continues to suffer from this outcome. Savings on petrol subsidy are for public transportation developments?? Now the've just set up a trust fund. errkk.. only now? Protests being held in KL.. Hiccups in businesses.. One minister telling us to change lifestyle and another showing to the people what 'changing lifestyle' means by taking train to work.. (i betcha its all paid for and to think.. reporters and photographers are there to take photos as well? its all acting only lah).. and asking us to do the same ie support public transport - our public transport? yeah rite.. then there comes other local stories about the state of the waters in klang valley.. and then there's the flood.. then the HFM disease.. oh and not forgetting.. BIGFOOT..!! wat a joke.. there's also more stories bout the normal usual going ons ie samans, bullshit stories, tangkap here tangkap there.. etc which is kinda like a distraction from the main agenda at hand.. oh and not forgetting.. SPM results were out on monday - lots of As and 1 try to commit suicide.
Protests at KLCC.. it was covered by foreign press.. but not local press.. takut kena gantung/saman is it? Heard it was kinda big too.. rumors has it that there are also similar protests going on in other states too but cant confirm where and when. There's the flood in Selangor. Sad that for such an 'organized' state, they dun have proper drainage for water flows.. or maybe they have but didnt really maintain it well enuff. Now what are the people governing the states doing? Always looking for unsettled business/problems.. but never really try to end em and always looking for parties to put the blame on. Not my business to comment here. I'll stop here.
Now back to the main storyline.. Public Transportation? what? What public transportation? ok, we have a public transportation system. But do they actually know how efficient (or lack of) our public transportation is? I wont go about it just yet.. but first let us all take a look at our country as a whole. How can we rate the public transportation system? I leave that to you. True enuff we have LRT, commuters, public transport ie buses and taxis, and also taxi sapus.. but the question is, are the whole public transportation system properly organized? Speaking of which.. fares are an issue here.. for so long, i think only the klang vally taxis and buses have consistent rates where taxi drivers really FOLLOW the meter, but other states? take JB for instance. Taxis fares are always rounded up to the higher numbers. Stupid taxi drivers, and their meters now seems to be going up very quickly. i mean very very fast.. Are these kind of things being scrutinized by the authorities? Do they really care? at all? Then comes the punctuality of em taxis and buses. Naahh.. i wont say anything bout it.. you guys know how gud they are.. NOT..!! haha.. and what clever plan did they come up with with regards to the people's interest? a hotline and sms number for the people to complain to. very clever.. indeed. what's the point of all this anyway? you should know it by now.. yep.. for them to get more money per sms/call. check the papers.. lots of complaints.. telco company and the gov? smiling only laa..
Lucky for the Gov, there are other issues which helps em distract the people from the petrol price hike ie HFM Disease, DiGi-MiTV-TIMECOM so called 'Beauty Contest'... Bigfoot?? (cacat bigfoot.. only got left leg - coz everytime they found a print, its always the left foot) and also other noneworthy front page news.. We were told to change our lifestyle, save up on unnecessary stuffs, and spend money wisely. Ironically, we werent really that well off to begin with. How much can RM 1 go nowadays? and what is the salary scale here like? as a whole.. prices of goods here are insanely high, and the people are earning shit.. not that i'm complaining.. but isnt this the awful truth? Our currency is very much undervalued.
I guess this is home. We can bitch and moan about the standard of living in Malaysia but we are still here. The truth is standard of living has gone down only in recent times. It has gone from bad to worst as of late with the increase in petrol prices and what not. The economic bubble is bursting. High inflation, High car prices and Low salary level. Soon you will see the entire market comes to a standstill because there is no more $$$ flowing. It will happen sooner or later. Ask any industry now. The signs are showing. What happens is that the economy will reset and hopefully we learn from this. Look at the Japanese and American economy. The minute they pick up we are dead. It is a cycle. Vicious one. Malaysia is increasingly expensive to stay in at this rate. I feel something is very wrong with our economics. Not economy. Perhaps I am still Malaysian and am proud to be one despite its shortcomings and others. I do want to see this country move to the next level. (like Singapore and the rest)

My 2 cents, lets wait and see.

International Women's Day

Its the 8th of March today. Here's wishing to all the women out there... Happy International Women's Day..!~

May you all succeed in trying to rule the world.. Baahh..!~

Apples to Apples Comparo...

Hey guys.. this article was circulated some time back. I received this from email a few times and i've read it numerously on the net. I find this text makes sense in every word. Was written by one Dr Azrai of London, as signed below. Thought i might share this in my blog with my fellow friends. Read on guys.. The awful truth.

The argument in this thread from day one is the cost of living in each country (especially UK and Europe) based on what you earn in the respective country and whether the standards are higher than in Malaysia.

I tried to point out that many Malaysians always convert and that is why they say the UK is expensive. In fact, the cost of living is much cheaper than in Malaysia.

In actual fact, Malaysians are being conned because for such a rich and resource rich country, the pay in Malaysia is way too low compared to the cost of living and inflation.

One good example is Singapore. Singaporeans (average) earns around S$3000 to S$4000 and nearly everything is half the price of Malaysia. Eg clothes, computer parts, electronics etc. But the average Malaysian still earns M$2000 plus and goods are double the price of Singapore.

This is the same as the UK. If you earn around 2000 pounds, you can liken this to the person earning RM$2000 in Malaysia. I give you some examples below. Maybe you can understand.

1) Good terrace house It is more or less the same. If you want a house in KL, it would most probably be in Puchong and not Damansara Heights. So your house would be RM$200,000. In UK, you can get a decent new house in Zone 6 (still within the tube) for 200,000 pounds. If non London, you can get a nice house also for less than 200,000 pounds outside London. The same also applies to buying a house in Seremban, Kajang etc. You can buy a nice house for RM200,000 below.

So buying a house is the same for the local and the Malaysian. Renting a place is the same too or maybe cheaper than in Malaysia (I am not sure of this). A 2-bedroom flat in London is about 750 pounds (Zone 2).

500 pounds outside Zone 6 but still able to commute to London. A 2-bedroom house in Nottingham is 450 to 500 pounds. A 3-bedroom house in Belfast is about 300 pounds.

2) A car A good Wira is RM$55,000. Most Malaysians have to take 7-year loans and be in debt all the time. If you are earning RM$2000 a month, you take nearly 3 years saving the RM$2000 with not eating at all just to buy a Wira.

In UK, the average local earns about 2000 pounds. He saves 3 months, he can buy outright a good Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Corsa without being in debt.

If buying a second hand car, even better. A 1990 Mercedes 190E cost 500 pounds. My 1996 Mercedes E220 cost 2000 pounds. My friend just gave me his 1989 Honda Accord (Auto) for free because he said he could only get 30 pounds for it. I used it for a few months and decided to give it of for free too. That alone speaks for itself.

Even if you are kuli or an office boy, you still can drive a Mercedes or a BMW. Yes, kuli's and office boy's get paid quite well.

Average temp/office boy in London can earn about 7 to 10 pounds and hour. Overtime is 1.5 times or double. A brick-layer can earn 20 pounds an hour. The same Indon who lays bricks in Malaysia earns RM$50 for the whole day.

Before I became a doctor, I used to be an office boy and I earned near 300 pounds a week working about 70 hours a week. My makan was 30 pounds a week. My rent was 70 pounds a week for a room but I still drove a BMW back then. I bought the 10-year old BMW 3 Series car for 200 pounds. Amazing how an office boy can drive a safe and luxurious car.

3) Petrol. For a UK person earning 2000 pounds, 80 pence a litre/gallon is cheaper than RM$1.52 paid in Malaysia. (RM1.92 now, i might add) If you don't convert, it is like paying 80 sen a litre in Malaysia

4) Shopping 20 pounds (which is 1% of 2000 pounds) can buy you 1 week's worth of groceries in Tesco. RM$100 (which is 10% of RM$2000) can also buy you 1 week's worth of groceries in Giant or Carrefour.

5) Utility Bills (This is what I pay in UK)

1. Virtually non-stop heating the whole day only 20 pounds a month. Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

2. Electricity, I use my electricity maximum only 20 pounds a month. Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

3. My water bill also comes to about 20 pounds a month (Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

4. My internet - I get 2Mbps for about 25 pounds (Bulldog DSL) (Also slightly above 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

5. Astro Equivalent (NTL cable or Sky) - 30 pounds per month (Also slightly above 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

In Malaysia, this is what I used to pay

1. Tenaga Bill comes to RM$200 to RM300 a month with 3 air-cons. This is more than 10% of the RM$2000 earned)

2. Water (Puas) comes to RM$40 (This is about 2% of the RM$2000 earned)

3. Astro RM$100 (if you take Chinese package) (This is about 5% of the RM$2000 you earn)

4. Internet Streamyx 512K RM 88 per month (This is about 5% of RM2000 you earn)

6) Books A good book is about 10 to 15 pounds in the UK. This is less than 1% of the 2000 pounds you earn. In Malaysia, you have to spend RM$75 to RM$100 for a decent book in MPH or Kinokuniya in KLCC. This is about 5% of the RM$2000 ringgit you earn.

7) Education. I think it is about RM$20,000 per year to do a degree in Sunway Monash and about RM$12,000 per year to send your kid to UM, UKM, USM etc. I am not sure about this. But in UK, it is only 3000 pounds a year to send your kid to a great university. That also, the white man still makes a lot of noise because the grants were taken away. Previously, it was virtually free for the English man to send his kid to university but now, since the grant was taken away, he has to spend 3000 pounds per year to send his kid to university and less money to get drunk in the pub.

Well, if you are earning RM$2000 ringgit, sending your kid to UM to study is quite difficult. If you are earning 2000 pounds per month, you can easily send you kid to university in the UK.

Even worse for the poor non bumi's not given a place in local university. Even if they can afford, they won't get a place because of the quota system. Unfortunately, the Chinaman and the Indian who gets 5A's in STPM have to be sacrificed and not given a place to let the Malay fellow with 2E's and 3 Fail's to enter the Medical Faculty or Law Faculty.

So the non-bumi's have to save RM100,000 per year to send their kid to the UK. In the UK, at least the white man still can go into university based on results and merit and only pay 3000 pounds per year.

8) Luxuries
Panasonic Plasma TV in Malaysia about RM20,000. If you are earning RM$2000 a month, memang mahal! You have to save 2 years your monthly salary to buy it. In UK, the same Panasonic ironically, Panasonic plasma is made in Japan and Japan is close to Malaysia, so the plasma should be cheaper in Malaysia) is only 2000 pounds. And this is only 10% of the 2000 pounds earned.

9) Health
NHS is free. Though the service is slow, quality is still there. You still can get a top quality by-pass for free although you may have to wait many months. In Malaysia, IJN charges RM$30,000. SJMC charges RM$50,000. GH is free but as many people know, GH and UH have clown doctors. For example doctors who wear tudung and use a pen to touch the patient because scared dosa).

10) Assessments to local councils I may pay high council tax but at least my council assures my streets are clean and safe, got no holes (pot holes) on my roads, and they jump and attend to me whenever I call them. When I stayed in Malaysia, I paid my assessment and quite rent but MPSJ I lived in Subang) told me to "podah" whenever I asked them to come and fill up the pot holes, cut the long lalang, put street lighting etc. The councils, especially MPPJ and MPSJ, were more interested in eating nasi lemak and going for 10 teh tariks in a day during office hours and hardly did anything for their residents.

11) Income Tax
My national insurance and income tax also is not wasted. When I was unemployed in 1997, the government via social security paid for my 2-bedroom flat for one whole year and I was given about 100 pounds per week for me and my wife to live on. I am happy to know that one day if I lose my job, I can still claim social security and get my apartment paid and food to eat again for free. It is a good security to know.

The list goes on. Here alone you can see, the sterling you earn goes a long way in the UK. So your quality of life is far better in the UK than a Malaysian in Malaysia. It is just that Malaysians are just too content with what they have. But you compare apple for apple.

The British just love to complain. They have it made but still they love to complain. Nothing is good enough for the British. The government gives the citizens so much but they still seem to want more and more.

Regards
Dr Zain Azrai London

There you go guys..

Stay tuned for more entries from me..

Petrol Hike & The Domino Effect Part II

Now tell me.. is part 2 neccessary? well, i've still got sum things in my mind i feel i should let out.. i dunno.. somehow this petrol hike kind of triggered a switch deep down in my twisted mind.. so here goes..

I would say the main problem is that too many people are making too much money scamming the people.

The thing is, so many idiots think 'we' got it good coz there's still fuel subsidies (compared to indonesia) when i think the gov are running a pyramid scheme with car buyers financing the fuel subsidies which the rich enjoy more than others.

After all if you're going to save up to RM100,000 in car taxes, thats a lot of money to put back into the economy, maybe more would decide to fly and MAS would benefit in the long term. Now with expensive cars and cheap petrol people say "ive bought the car better use it" instead of thinking about alternatives.

The whole "National Car Policy" is a disjointed mess that just cannot fit in with the rest of the economy, which is probably why they cant get it right. They know they cannot continue with crazy taxes and AP's but no-one can bite the bullet and needs to do what needs to be done. Our cracker ex-PM has done a 180Deg turn on the other side and seems to conflict with himself (which he has always done) and Paklah me thinks is too tied up with too many lobby groups that the best action is inaction hoping the status quo can remain) however outside market forces are eating at the castle walls and by the time this administration wakes up, it will be too late. Proton, Petronas, MAS will all be bust. If we're lucky, perodua will pick up proton and keep it going, if not, VW will buy it anyway and bury the name just out of spite.

We better hope whatever policy they finally come up with will be about how to revive the car assembly/production and support industries irrespective of makes, and not another irrelevant national car policy which is so focused on car prices at the expense of direct investment by the car giants. The gahmen's addiction to high car taxes coupled with the need to reduce further fuel subsidy is gonna make malaysia have the highest cost of car ownership in the world, coupled with the miserable fact that people don't have a real alternative in the form of efficient public transportation! It's bizarre to think a major bulk of a household's debt and expenditure is on a piece of stupid metal with 4 wheels coupled to an engine which in reality is cheap coming out of the factory...the freed up money from such a hare-brained policy is much better spent in other areas of the economy...borrowing money from banks (with insanely high interest of course) to pay taxes to the govt is really farking nuts!!!

Well, what to do.. with more "jaguh kampung" style of management or control, there will be more wasteful taxpayers resources and more useless "lawatan sambil belajar" by each Departments. In the end.. we're all screwed to the moon.

i dun have anything against the country. its just that i dun see how the government is really taking care of the people ahead of their own pockets nowdays.. Look at the bigger picture.. be it sports, politics, economics, etc... where do we stand? let me rephrase.. how do other countries see us? what qualities do we have? do we stand out? riiigghhtt.. we have tall buildings which stands out.. ok.. we have a first class racing circuit.. ok.. we're one big oil exporter.. ok.. we've got good shipping ports for ships.. ok.. we have one world class squash player.. ok.. we have our own national car... ok... but its only superficial.. behind all those.. we have poor people ie earning less but MUST spend more... 2nd rate cars which is substandard to those imported ones (which is also not that popular outside)... 2nd rate oil.. we got sweet crude.. export out, and buy sour crude from other country.. very clever indeed..

To end it all, i feel.. hoping for the best is no solution. As society matures, we have to come to realization that we could play a role in making a difference. As long as malaysians in general only know how to talk cock sing song curse this curse that, but chicken out when it comes to voicing out their opinions with lame excuses, malaysians deserve this kind of gahmen they get. My advice to all, be prepared for more higher interest rates, higher petrol hikes, higher tax, higher price in consumer goods, and of course earning the same low salary all the while...

Malaysia Boleh..!