Saturday, July 31, 2010

Saya minta bantuan cari data 'capital outflow'

TAMBAHAN 9.30MLM 

Kawan-kawan,
Saya dah jumpa sedikit maklumat. Terima kasih kepada rakan wartawan kewangan di KL. Tapi maklumat yang ada tak complete.
Itulah, dah karat, dah confuse tak tahu nak cari di mana - rupa-rupanya di dalam Balance of Payments (of course! ngokngoknya aku).
Lihat di sini dan sini (capital account). Hanya untuk tiga bulan, atau untuk beberapa tahun tapi tak ada pecahan.
Masalahnya maklumat tak lengkap. Takpe, pencarian akan diteruskan.


--------------------------------------------

Saya nak tulis tentang investment inflow dan outflow dari Malaysia yang dikatakan oleh Ku Li semalam.

" If we take into account FDI outflow, the picture is even more depressing. Last year we received USD1.38 Billion in investments but USD8.04 Billion flowed out. We are the only country in Southeast Asia which has suffered nett FDI outflow. I am not against outward investment. It can be a good thing for the country. But an imbalance on this scale indicates capital flight, not mere investment overseas."

Pakai Google Translate:

Jika kita mengira arus keluar FDI, gambar bahkan lebih menyedihkan. Tahun lalu kami menerima USD1.38 Bilion pelaburan tapi (US$8.04 Bilion) mengalir keluar. Kami adalah satu-satunya negara di Asia Tenggara yang telah mengalami nett outflow FDI. Saya tidak (menentang) terhadap pelaburan luar. Hal ini dapat menjadi hal yang baik bagi negara. Tetapi ketidakseimbangan pada skala ini menunjukkan capital flight, bukan hanya pelaburan luar negeri.

(Yang dalam bracket tu pembetulan, sebab pandai mana komputer ni pun ada kekurangan).

----------------------------------------------
Saya  pernah tulis secara detail apa itu Foreign Direct Investment, apa itu Portfolio Investment dan kenapa perlunya negara yang ekonominya dah matang seperti Malaysia melabur di luar negara secara besar-besaran.
Sinciapo dulu bila buat begini dinamakan 'developing Singapore's external economic wing'. 
Bila saya tulis pada Januari dulu, ada pula yang marah dan menghalau saya dari Malaysia kerana kononnya mempersendakan Darul Melayu. Suka hatilah.

Pada saya blog ialah Diari Peribadi Terbuka, siapa suka boleh baca, jika tak suka boleh cari blog yang memuji Malaysia (atau Singapork pun) sebagai negara terbaik di dunia. Nak cari blog yang memuji Israel sebagai negara terbaik di dunia pun banyak.
Jika kamu rasa ini blog ini propaganda Temasek dan nak burukkan Malaysia, ah, tak payah baca lagi ler. Nonton Youtube dan main guitar lalaikan diri lebih syiok.

Negara Malaysia ada problem sekarang ini - data pelabur menakutkan saya. Saya ada saham Penduduk Tetap di Malaysia. Ada rumah dan kereta. Kalau saya dirasakan menghina Malaysia, yang mampos rugi nanti saya juga.

Tapi jika kita nak buat donno dan kata semua masih cantik macam tahun awal 1990an dulu pun suka hatilah.
Tak payah baca blog ini. Saya tulis pun syiok sendiri, tak dapat satu sen pun.

Sinkapore pun ada masalahnya sendiri. Dah banyak pun saya tulis.
Bohong orang yang kata Singapore perfect, menteri semua bagus.
Cuma depa lebih pandai ajukan yang cantik untuk pelabur dan ada yang dilakukan di sini yang tepat - seperti sistem pendidikan.


Di Malaysia, cerita duit FDI yang masuk sikit sangat tahun lalu memang masalah yang merunsingkan. Saya dah beri pandangan mengapa ini terjadi - saya rasa sebab isu quality graduate, kerana ekonomi dah matang dan gaji pekerja tinggi, bukan sebab 'gaduh' politik, bangsa dan agama.

Jadi apabila Ku Li mempersoalkan kenapa banyak nah duit Malaysia keluar tu, saya nak tahu dua perkara.
Sebab jika betul wang dari Malaysia keluar kerana "capital flight" - cakap mudah - duit calibut dari Malaysia dan tak akan pulang, memang problem.
Tapi mudah orang politik tembak, tapi tak beri data yang lengkap sebab agenda mereka lain.

Saya nak tahu dulu:

1) How much was the capital outflow in the last 10 years. What is the FDI and portfolio investments in Malaysia during the same period?

2) What is the percentage of local capital outflow vs foreign capital repatriation in these numbers.

3) For local capital outflow, does the government have the data on WHERE this money is being taken to - at least the immediate destination (Singapore? Indonesia? Middle East?)

4) Does the government know WHO own these local funds that are flowing out of the country (ini saya pasti mereka tahu). Are these individuals, companies. Why do they take out their money out of Malaysia, did the government ask? Or at least can the authorities make an educated guess? For example when Genting takes out millions of dollars to bring to Singapore, we know it is because it was investing in its new casino. Will that money come back? I don't think so.

5) Point 4) is linked to whether it IS capital flight by local money, or mere investment outflow. Dulu (10tahun lalu) banyak duit pelaburan Malaysia masuk Indonesia sebab syarikat Malaysia membeli tanah kelapa sawit di Sumatra dan Kalimantan. Dan duit Petronas banyak masuk Middle East sebab melabur telaga minyak dan gas di Iran, Azerbaijan dan seterusnya.

6) What is the percentage of Petronas money in relation to the domestic capital outflow. Because unlike other local outflow, Petronas at least brings back its profits.

Masalah untuk saya ialah dah lama TIDAK jengok isu-isu seperti ni, atau buat story, jadi tak tahu kat mana nak cari data.

Semalam saya dah cuba cari dua jam dari statistik di website:
- Bank Negara,
- Department of Statistics,
- Economic Report 2009-2010,
- MITI,
- Treasury,
- UNCTAD.

Tapi tak jumpa detail enam biji di atas tu.
Dah lah tu, sebab dah tua dan rabun, statistik jika kecik-kecik kat website, kena besarkan dan jadi mabuk kepala saya.

Jadi saya minta bantuan jika anda.
Jika anda tahu link yang saya boleh gi yang tunjuk data ini. Boleh buka cerita selanjutnya. Kita boleh belajar bersama.
Sebab buat masa ini jika orang kata - Mampos orang Melayu, duit semua dah lari dari Malaysia, kita tak boleh defend diri sebab hanya ada satu nombor, US$8.04 bilion.
Tapi tak ada detail wang siapa itu dan ke mana ia pergi.
Tolong, beritahu pakcik maklumat tu, ya 'nak.

Truth about India's People, Caste, Inequality, Economics, Maoists and War

Map of India
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometers (4,700 mi). It is bordered by Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Home to the Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated here, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE and shaped the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early eighteenth century and colonised by the United Kingdom from the mid-nineteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread non-violent resistance.

India is a federal constitutional republic consisting of 28 states and seven union territories with a parliamentary system of democracy. The Indian economy is the world's eleventh largest economy by nominal GDP and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity. Economic reforms since 1991 have transformed it into one of the fastest growing economies in the world; however, it still suffers from poverty, illiteracy, corruption, disease, and malnutrition. India is a nuclear weapon state and has the third-largest standing army in the world. India's is considered a potential superpower, having a rapidly growing economy and growing political clout. A pluralistic, multilingual and multiethnic society, India is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

India Demographics
With an estimated population of 1.2 billion, India is the world's second most populous country. The last 50 years have seen a rapid increase in population due to medical advances and massive increase in agricultural productivity due to the "green revolution". India's urban population increased 11-fold during the twentieth century and is increasingly concentrated in large cities. By 2001 there were 35 million-plus population cities in India, with the largest cities, with a population of over 10 million each, being Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. However, as of 2001, more than 70% of India's population continues to reside in rural areas.

India is the world's most culturally, linguistically and genetically diverse geographical entity after the African continent. India is home to two major linguistic families: Indo-Aryan (spoken by about 74% of the population) and Dravidian (spoken by about 24%). Other languages spoken in India come from the Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman linguistic families. Neither the Constitution of India, nor any Indian law defines any national language. Hindi, with the largest number of speakers, is the official language of the union. English is used extensively in business and administration and has the status of a 'subsidiary official language;' it is also important in education, especially as a medium of higher education. However, except Hindi no language is spoken by more than 10% of the population of the country. In addition, every state and union territory has its own official languages, and the constitution also recognises in particular 21 "scheduled languages".

As per the 2001 census, over 800 million Indians (80.5%) were Hindu. Other religious groups include Muslims (13.4%), Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.9%), Buddhists (0.8%), Jains (0.4%), Jews, Zoroastrians and Bahá'ís. Tribals constitute 8.1% of the population. India has the third-highest Muslim population in the world and has the highest population of Muslims for a non-Muslim majority country.

India's literacy rate is 64.8% (53.7% for females and 75.3% for males). The state of Kerala has the highest literacy rate at 91% while Bihar has the lowest at 47%. The national human sex ratio is 944 females per 1,000 males. India's median age is 24.9, and the population growth rate of 1.38% per annum; there are 22.01 births per 1,000 people per year. According to the World Health Organization 900,000 Indians die each year from drinking contaminated water and breathing in polluted air. Malaria is endemic in India. Half of children in India are underweight, one of the highest rates in the world and nearly same as Sub-Saharan Africa. Many women are malnourished, too. There are about 60 physicians per 100,000 people in India


Unreported World India
:
Reporter Ramita Navai and producer Siobhan Sinnerton travel through India exposing the horrific plight of the country's 170 million Dalits: literally "the broken people", and previously called "the untouchables"; who are at the bottom of India's caste system and are some of the most oppressed people on Earth. Economic growth has done little to improve the Dalits' lot; despite legislation, they still form 60 per cent of all those below the poverty line. Now, as Unreported World reports, Dalits are starting to fight for political power in an Indian civil rights movement.why is no one talking about this we were all up in arms about shilpa shetty the muslims got upset over a book and a cartoon and are always screaming about kashmir & palestine , the sikhs got upset over a play, but what about the plight of the dalits no one has said anyting.

The broken people Part 1 of 3


The broken people Part 2 of 3


The broken people Part 3 of 3



India National Emblem

Unreported World
:
The Killing of Kashmir 1 of 5



The Killing of Kashmir 2 of 5



The Killing of Kashmir 3 of 5


The Killing of Kashmir 4 of 5


The Killing of Kashmir 5 of 5



Maoist
Maoism, officially known as Mao Zedong Thought (mao zedong sixiang), is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong (Wade-Giles Romanization: "Mao Tse-tung"), widely applied as the political and military guiding ideology in the Communist Party of China (CPC) from Mao's ascendancy to its leadership until the inception of Deng Xiaoping Theory and Chinese economic reforms in 1978. It is also applied internationally in contemporary times. Maoist parties and groups exist throughout the world, with notable groups in Peru, India, and Nepal. Notably, in Nepal the party won the elections in 2008.

Mao directly bases his teaching on the writings of Marx, Engels and Lenin. Philosophically, his most important reflections emerge on the concept "contradiction". These are contained in two major essays: “On contradiction” and “Contradictions of the people”

Arundhati Roy joins Avi Lewis on Fault Lines
29 Aug 2010


Inside India's Maoist heartland
AlJazeeraEnglish May 26, 2010
Suspected Maoist rebels in central India have set fire to trucks and earth-moving equipment for a road construction project. This is the latest in a series of attacks blamed on the fighters, known as Naxals, who say that they are defending the rights of India's poor. The Indian government describes the Maoists as the "single biggest threat to India's internal security" and has launched an offensive to crush the rebels. Al Jazeera travelled to the heart of the conflict zone where ordinary citizens are caught in the crossfire between rebels and security forces. Kamal Kumar reports.


Displacement fuels India rebellion
AlJazeeraEnglish May 26, 2010
For the last four decades, India has been fighting against a rebellion by some of its poorest citizens. The Naxal movement is believed to have more than 20,000 fighters, and more than a million followers. Many of them are the victims of official corruption and land grabs by governments. Every development project, from roads to dams and industrial plants, have meant that poor tribals living in the rural interiors have had to move out of their land. The displaced millions are justifiably angry and now they form the backbone of the rebel movement. Kamal Kumar reports on their fight for land.


NASUS and Maoists
AlJazeeraEnglish May 28, 2010
India's government says Maoist rebels represent the country's greatest internal security threat. To fight the so-called Naxalites, the government relies on the support of local village groups, who fight at a huge personal risk, but with no official recognition. Now, many of these local groups are calling on the government to do more to look after those willing to fight and die on its behalf. Al Jazeera's Kamal Kumar has the latest report in our exclusive series on the Naxal movement.


India's costly war against Naxals
, Maoist
AlJazeeraEnglish May 29, 2010
India's government says Maoist rebels represent the country's greatest internal security threat. They have waged war against the government for more than 40 years.

More than 6000 people have been killed, and many more maimed and injured. At least 50,000 federal paramilitaries are fighting the insurgents. That figure sits alongside police and special government task forces, all at huge financial cost. In the last four years, almost $30 million in extra defence money has gone to states where Naxals have the heaviest presence.

But this expensive strategy appears to be getting the government nowhere. In our fourth exclusive report on the Naxal movement, Al Jazeera's Kamal Kumar discovers the dangers of policing the front line.



Child Labour

Unreported world- India Land of Missing Children:
Documentary about human trafficking and kidnapping underage girls and thrown in to the prostitute business.

India Land of Missing Children - 1 of 3


India Land of missing children - 2 of 3


India Land of Missing Children - 3 of 3



India Caste System

journeymanpictures March 1999
In the eastern Indian province of Bihar, hundreds of villagers have been butchered as an army of lower caste Dalits unleash their fury on their feudal rulers and as the upper castes retaliate.

In the village of Narayanpur the brutalized bodies of men, women and children lie slumped where they were slain. They were victims of the Ranvir Sena, a private upper caste army. For the Sena this is a fight to preserve the centuries old way of life they believe is their birthright. "We kill whomever we see," Sena's young fighters tell us. The local landlord is unflinching in his support. "When we kill the men, their wives and children lead more miserable lives, so it is better to relieve them of their miseries too." In this state where caste hatred infects everything, Dalit election successes may deliver more spilt blood rather than progress.

Produced by ABC Australia. Distributed by Journeyman Pictures.

India Caste System


India Untouched - The Movie - Part 1



India Widows


India's City Mumbai / Bombay - 12 Apr 09


Hindu and Muslim in India


Women Inequality

YOU ARE IN MY HEART!

31stJuly,2010
Saturday
Dear Friends,
                  Good Evening!
How are you?I was busy with an assignment on RAIN,and you know the theme makes me so excited and I enjoyed doing each and every bit of it.How much I love the knee-deep wade through the puddles.Even the power point presentation is ready.It is a competition.But the problem is I reveal ,my theme and sources to the other participants and even help them how to go about it.:)I may sound silly to may of you;but I have a heart that beats for my friends.
Besides,I wrote a guest post for Leo,my friend at his space I Rhyme Without Reason.When you are free,you may browse through my post-Neckdeep Gratitude.Vinu is completing his 600th post and I am happy that I could be a part of the grand celebrations of reaching the mega  milestone of 600 posts.
''A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words''.
Are you that friend of mine?:)
Celebrating the special and strong bond of FRIENDSHIP that I share with each and everyone of you,please accept my simple but sincere gift in return for your priceless friendship.Without you I would not be inspired to write nearly 250 posts
within one year and  to begin the Malayalam blog.My Dear Friends,time may not permit me to reach you personally,but I am sure I do make my  presence felt  by the regular posts.Please pause for a moment and read the lines,straight from my heart.This is my dedication for you as a token of my love.:)
The day and nights are very cool
In this land of sea,sand and songs.
The heavy showers have made
Most of the rivers overflow.
On the eve of Friendship Day,
My heart is filled with happy and grateful thoughts,
For being blessed with a large number of friends.
You are the rainbow among the gathering clouds,
And I must confess that truth today.
Friendship starts with sharing,
Sharing the sorrows and joy of life,
Sometimes in life we meet someone,
Who makes us feel so special.
They become more than a mere friend,
And it makes us feel wonderful.
Friends are like flowers,
Spreading happiness and fragrance!
Thank you so much dearies,
For adding a sparkle in my life.
You mean a lot to me beyond words can convey,
I know you do care for me a lot.
You have taken time to pen down,
Poems dedicated to me,
Photo posts on my favourite beach and flowers,

And to add to the list,
My friend has dedicated a whole blog for me,
Thus making my eyes moist  with love and happiness.
I know,I am getting emotional,
But then most of the time I'm like that.:)
Today I just can't say only THANKS,For all that you have done.I hold the rich and loving memories,And experiences of walking together,
In the dreamworld and blogosphere
How can I forget the silent but friendly smiles,
That I receive from across the seas.
Friends,you always offered a helping hand,
At the times of trials,you cheered me.
You had time for patient hearing,
And for reading my lengthy posts.
Forget not the time we relish,
And let the trust and love bloom again.
Eve if you are far away,distance doesn't matter,
As  I know I will never be alone.

I forget the heartaches and restart the bond,
As I know I am blessed  and this life is short..
Friends,
''A real friend is someone who walks in when the rest of the world walks out''.Are you the one who walked in?:)
A yellow rose is chosen as the symbol of friendship.It provides joy,happiness, a promise ,''I remember'' and ''I care''.
Meri Aaavaz Suno..........
Meri Aavaaz Suno...........aur dil se bolo.
..Yeah dosti hum nahim chodenge!
Anya,when the  whole world celebrates Friendship Day,where are you,my  dear?I miss you a lot.
Just now I received a wonderful sms from my friend in Mumbai and I would like to share the same with you.''Can I stay here in ur inbox and wait till 1st August,so I will be the 1st person to wish you,HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY!''I'm really touched and thank you so much for the smile you brought on  my face.:)
           It's Anu signing off.................
Here's an occasion to remember you dear friend,
Requesting you to cause a smile on your friend's face,
Reminding you,''A friend in need is a friend indeed'',
Thinking each and every one of you,
Wishing you a A Wonderful Friendship Day,
Anu loves you dil se hamesha,
                                        Sasneham,
                                                      Anu

Turht about Petronas, Oil and Gas Malaysian?

mediarakyat | July 18, 2010

Former Deputy Land and Cooperative Development Minister & PKR Supreme Council Member Dr. Tan Kee Kwong challenged Najib to table Petronas' financial reports in Parliament. He also raised Petronas's practice of using option holders or middlemen to sell its crude oil within Malaysia and abroad.

Dr. Tan Kee Kwong: Truth About Petronas - Part 1 of 3


Dr. Tan Kee Kwong: Truth About Petronas - Part 2 of 3


Dr. Tan Kee Kwong: Truth About Petronas - Part 3 of 3

Friday, July 30, 2010

Jho Low, most powerful 28-year old

Kita semua dah baca interview The Star dengan Taek Jho Low. Atau nama sebenarnya Low Taek Jho.
Saya tahulah ramai marah (atau jealous), atau paling tidak, Kurang Selesa, dengan budak 28 tahun ini sebab beliau dikatakan rapat dengan First Family. PM Najib dan keluarga.
Yang buat orang tak selesa ialah beliau selalu nampak sedang pegang botol besar champagne. Lagi joget dengan Paris Hilton. Terima Kasih blog Melayu Bersatu.
Sedang berpesta dengan mamat Arab - yang katanya rakan karib dari Abu Dhabi, Kuwait dan Saudi Arabia (Cerita Arab anak royalty minum arak, berpesta dengan pompuan setengah bogel tu cerita lain, beb).

Dan ramai mungkin rasa tak selesa sebab Jho ni katanya ada buat business deals untuk kerajaan Malaysian dan Dato' Sri Najib.

Tapi saya lihat dari perspektif lain.

1) Jho Low anak orang kaya dari Penang. Bapanya dulu boss syarikat engineering MWE.
Tentu perangainya tak macam perangai orang miskin atau lower middle class - macam saya!
Beliau bukan Muslim, jadi takkan beliau nak bergambar duduk dalam masjid sedang berzikir?
Jika beliau bergambar dalam gereja pula, nanti lagi problem untuk sesetengah orang.
Dan beliau budak muda, belajar di universiti anak orang kaya di Amerika Darul Kapir, tentu perangainya pun lain.
Jadi perlu ke kita tak selesa dengan perangai beliau ni?

Memang pada saya "excessive lifestyle" mereka ini. Mereka bukan saja minum arak, tapi main simbah-simbah buih arak tu. Membazir besar.
Tapi kan saya dah kata, ini bukan perangai orang biasa seperti saya yang nak makan luar pun kena fikir sama ada baget bulanan tak balance.
Beliau kata kena buat gitu kerana nak layan clientnya - mamat Arab dogol mabuk.


2) Beliau buat deal dengan Najib sebab rapat dengan "First Lady" Rosmah. Itupun jadi problem.
Tapi bukan Jho saja yang rapat dengan First Family.
Salah ke jika beliau jadi crony Rosmah pun?
Kan PM-PM lama semua ada list 'crony' masing-masing?

Dan mengikut pendedahan blogs, bukankah DAP baik PAS atau Anwar pun ada 'crony' masing-masing?
Pasir di Selangor, balak di Kelantan, masa Anwar jadi DPM dulu.
Kan semua projek diberi pada geng rapat masing-masing?


Jho ni pula, menurutnya, membawa masuk pelaburan Arab ke Malaysia!
Katanya pelaburan US$100 juta masuk ke Iskandar Malaysia daripada syarikat Kuwait dan Abu Dhabi.
Bank komersil Abu Dhabi membeli saham RHB Bank, bank 'Melayu', kerana Jho kata slow talk dengan bekas pengerusi bank Abu Dhabi itu bahawa Malaysia bagus.
Qatar Investment Authority nak melabur tolong majukan airbase Sungai Besi, KL.

Beliau juga dulunya membentuk dana saham Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) dengan bantuan Sultan Terengganu/Agung.
TIA itu kini diambil alih kerajaan Malaysia dan namanya ditukar kepada 1Malaysia Development Bhd, atau 1MDB, sovereign wealth fund pertama negara ini.
Iaitu dana kekayaan negara - pakai duit rakyat - untuk pelaburan di luar negara.

Dan kini, Jho nak bawa Jamie Foxx dan Leonardo diCaprio berlakon dalam movie yang difilemkan di Malaysia.


JIKA ini semua benar, maknanya mamat 28 tahun ini berjasa besar kepada negara!
Bawa pelaburan besar masuk ke sini!
Dan tubuhkan dana pelaburan besar!
Nak bawa masuk pelakon top, suburkan nama negara!

(Jho kata tak betul bahawa beliau dapat kontrak RM500 juta pembangunan semula airbase Sungai Besi. Yang dapat kontrak itu, katanya, ialah 1MDB).

Tentunya ada deal lain sedang dirancang.
Jika benar, kan rakyat Malaysia semua patut sokong kerja beliau?
Untung Malaysia dapat dealmaker seperti ini!!!
Apasal kamu jealous tak kena tempat!


Cuma, teringat saya akan budak 28 tahun dulu yang disebut sebagai 'the most powerful 28-year old in Malaysia'.
He turns out to be a disappointment, ada orang kata.
Namanya Khairy Jamaluddin.

Who's That Girl?


Today I am joining Ms Claudia @ Dippity Road


for Friday Finding Beauty.


Claudia invites us to find beauty


anywhere and everywhere, and in


anything and everything.





And Ms Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound


for Pink Saturday. Ms Beverly likes for us to
share pink with each other.
Today I just have to ask you,
who's that girl
with pink, Ms Beverly?













A garden of beauty;













Tis pink so you see.














She just turned 13;














She's so happy to just be.


Modeling her new look for school.

My grand daughter Destiny.

She just turned 13 in June, and she

will be starting Junior High in 2 weeks.
Now isn't she just the sweetest pink


you have ever seen? (Thank you Lovey

for playing along with Grammy. I love you.)

















And ofcourse I had to share my newest
purchase with you all.


A beautiful pink rose blanket.














Last week on Pink Saturday,
Ms Lynn @
The Vintage Nest

shared with us this wonderful find of hers.

The softest flannel pink rose blanket I have

seen, since I was a young girl. I had one so

much like it, I hurried over to her shop and

snatched it up. It now resides on my bed. A

perfect weight for the summer nights here in Phoenix.


Thank you sweet Lynn. If you haven't visited Lynn


before, you must pop over and say hello. Check out

her Boutique, you never know what she will have

in store for your eyes to behold. You might just find

her riding about on her vintage Ferguson.















Now Ms Beverly has encouraged us to share other new
Pinkies

that we think you all should
pop over and say hello to.


If you haven't stopped by and introduced yourself to
Ms Marydon @ Blushing Rose, you must stop by. Her


pinks will melt your heart.







As always thank you for stopping by
my little piece of heaven,
here in the desert that
I so love to call home.
Country hugs and much love,



















post signature


































Thursday, July 29, 2010

Babylon History, Mystery, Rulers, Rules, and Development


Babylon means "Gate of God"
Babel means "Confusion"

Some parts in this documentary the narrator will talk about gods rule and other points that I strongly find hard to believe. Take what information of the siege and life of the people and governance of this ancient city.

"The Lord came down to see the city and tower that the men were building. The Lord said, 'If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other'". Genesis 11:7

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel -- because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. Genesis 11:5-9

Could it be that we we're able to communicate on a higher level amongst each other, a more spiritually, conscious level and the so call gods wished to confuse us. As it says Let us not 1 god but let us go down and confuse their language.

Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 1 of 7


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 2 of 7
Law, 60 minute hour and 360 Degree was discovered in Babylon.


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 3 of 7
King Nebakanezer, the War between Egypt and Babylon and the loss of Jerusalem.


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 4 of 7


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 5 of 7


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 6 of 7
Mene = Numbered; Tekel = Weighed; Parsin = Divided


Babylon Past, Present... and Future - Part 7 of 7
What if we are all gods... Not kings but us all!!! Say no to New World Order. We are equals amongst all living things on earth and in outer spaces.

Orang Melayu Malaysia 'Malas & Manja'

Semasa berucap dalam majlis Anugerah Jauhari Berita Harian (Singapore) malam semalam/Rabu, editor BH Mohd Guntor Sadali memberikan satu ucapan.
Pak Guntor ni orangnya soft spoken.
Tapi apa yang dikatakannya bagaikan tamparan hebat.
Dahlah tu, beliau menampar hero lama saya, Dr M.


BACKGROUND

Orang Malaysia, termasuk Dr M - lebih-lebih kebelakangan ini kerana Melayu sudah berpecah - suka kata:
Jika orang Melayu tak berhati-hati mereka akan hilang kuasa di Malaysia, jadi macam orang Melayu Singapore.
 Cerita kat Utusan pun gitu, dalam blog-blog pro-Umno pun sama.

Baru-baru ini di Kuala Terengganu, Mahathir berkata Melayu Singapork terpaksa "terbongkok-bongkok" dengan bangsa lain kerana tak ada kuasa politik.
Saya hadir di majlis 'Mei 13' itu.
Ini laporan yang saya tulis - alamak, orang kebas tapi tak tulis nama saya. Tak apalah. Asal ilmu dan pengetahuan berkembang luas.



Adoi. Nada kamu di utara tu menghina kami sangat.
Apasal suka sangat attack kaum sendiri di negara lain, yang dah lemah pun?

Cuba jika kami orang Singapork kata:
Orang Malaysia Melayu ni semuanya Malas dan Manja kerana dasar bumiputra.
 Tentu kamu marah!

Jika kami ni lemah sangat kenapa tak bantu orang Melayu Singapork, sama macam Temasek membantu orang Cina Malaysia - dengan menawarkan mereka pekerjaan dan peluang belajar?


Betullah kami tak ada kuasa politik. Minoriti Umat M ni di mana-mana.
Minoriti Muslim di Singapork ni lebih untung dari yang di Thailand, Filipina, Cambodia, Myanmar. Belum lagi saya masukkan minoriti M di Israel, Serbia, Russia.

Saya dah banyak kali cerita tentang Umat M di Temasek yang dijaga oleh undang-undang agar tidak dihina agamanya - di sini dan sini.
OKlah juga tu.
Takkan nak minta pemerintah Singapork beri kamu kontrak bumiputra pulak?


Balik ke cerita Guntor: Sebab selalu kena serang dengan mamat-mamat Malaysia ni, editor BH serang Dr M pula.
Saya tak mahu komen dulu saya setuju ke tidak dengan apa yang dikatakannya. Baca dulu, Datin Ros dan Pak Man Telo.

Antara isi ucapan:

- "Kita (Melayu Temasek) tidak mahu disuap atau terlalu bergantung kepada pemerintah. Dalam erti kata lain, masyarakat kita menolak sikap menopang (crutch mentality)."

- Beliau menegaskan bahawa Melayu Singapura pastinya tidak mahu dilabel sebagai malas dan manja. Lantaran itulah masyarakat Melayu bekerja keras untuk mengumpulkan sendiri dana bagi membina masjid dan madrasah, dan kini boleh berbangga sebagai pemilik bangunan-bangunan tersebut.

 - "Anak-anak kita menghadiri sekolah yang sama dengan kanak-kanak lain dengan tujuan menerima pendidikan menyeluruh dan mencapai keputusan yang baik.
"Memang mencabar, seperti kanak-kanak lain, anak-anak kita tidak ada pilihan lain selain bekerja keras. Inilah realiti kehidupan di Singapura yang kita terima. Pastinya tiada jalan mudah untuk mencapai kejayaan."

- "Meritokrasi ternyata sistem yang baik dan adil. Ia mendorong kita bekerja keras dan berbangga dengan pencapaian kita. Bagi masyarakat Melayu Singapura, kita tidak boleh memandang ke belakang."


- Story ucapan Guntor di sini.
- Story dalam bahasa Inggeris di sini (GAMBAR: Guntor duduk sebelah bos Carrefour).
- Ucapan penuh dalam bahasa Inggeris (dimainkan satu page besar dalam akhbar saya, The Straits Times, hari ini/Khamis) di sini.

Announcing My Partnership with Open Sky!


You may be curious as to the "something is coming" button. I'm counting down to the launch to my brand spanking new OpenSky shop! OpenSky is all about experts sharing products in which they truly believe with their fans. I'll try it, I source it, I tell you all about it, I provide links to my shop and you can go and buy it. It's that easy.

As time progresses and I have more time to test and source products, my shop will continue to expand. I will never sell anything I don't absolutely love. That way, I'm fairly sure you're going to absolutely love it too.

This is such a revolutionary concept and I'm so excited to be part of their relaunch. I love to shop and now I can share my love of shopping and finding fabulous products with you. What could be better than that! Just click on the widget in this post to sign up for more information or hang in there for the big launch. If you're interested in opening your own shop, just click here for the 411!

Stay tuned...there's more to come!

xoxo
Madge

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Be the Silver Lining in Another Bloggers Cloud...















How about this one?

I love you...

Is this your silver lining?








Or maybe this one would do?

It definitely has a window of opportunities.















Now this one is definitely cute.

It could be my silver lining.
Love, All we need is love.











Oh My Goodness...

A Ray of HOPE.
You never know what cloud
might be holding your silver lining.








As always, thank you for stopping by my
little piece of heaven here in the desert,
that I so love to call home.
Country hugs and much love,









post signature















Anak Melayu Temasek, boss Carrefour

Saya tak kenal mamat Melayu Singapore ni.
Tapi apabila membaca ceritanya, saya tumpang bangga.
Beliau start dari bawah.
Tak ada dasar khas menolong beliau. Bukan anak menteri atau anak datuk.

Bukan mudah mamat Melayu kat Singapore boleh naik pangkat melambung. Dalam syarikat Perancis lagi.
Kini Shafie Shamsudin ni bukan saja CEO untuk Carrefour di Singapore (dua hypermart), tapi juga untuk Malaysia (lapan) dan Indonesia (82 hypermart dan supermart!).


Yang buat saya jealous ialah beliau baru saja 40 tahun.
Yang aku dah 50 tahun - lagi sikit 51 - masih kuli kat bawah. Takpelah, rezeki masing-masing, Kak Piah, Atok Man.
Kat sini ada GAMBAR beliau semasa Shafie Apdal merasmikan sebuah hypermart di Malaysia (paling kiri). Di sini, dengan PM Najib dan Shahrir Samad.

Mamat Melayu Singapore ni, kini dapat hadiah Berita Harian (Singapore) - anugerah tahunan Achiever of the Year. Di sini dan sini.

- The Star pun pernah menulis cerita beliau. Star tulis beliau ada rumah di KL - Alamak, jangan-jangan Mat Malaysia tak?
- Atau Mat Singapore belot jadi setengah Mat Malaysia macam saya?
- Atau mungkin juga, seperti ada 4-5 orang Melayu yang saya kenal - kelahiran Malaysia, lepas tu jadi warga Sinkapour? Kamu ingat Cina dan India Malaysia saja yang lari jadi warga Singapork ke?


Braders dan bradees,
Lihat cerita ini - last paragraph.
Di bawah tu ada senarai nama-nama orang Melayu Singapork yang pernah menang hadiah BH ni. Saya pernah dengar nama mereka semua ini, walaupun tak kenal mereka langsung.
Mereka terkenal sakan di Singapore, bukan sebab mereka Melayu tapi sebab mereka orang yang berjaya. Orang bangsa lain kat Temasek pun kenal nama mereka.

Kamu Google nama-nama mereka, pasti ada cerita dan gambar mereka.
Untuk ramai daripada mereka ini, orang Melayu Singapore tahu cerita mereka. Jadi kebanggaan dan contoh kami.

Past years' winners of the Berita Harian Achiever of the Year award include:
- Prof Aziz Nather, director at the Tissue Bank and consultant with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NUS;
- Halimah Yacob, Assistant Secretary General of National Trades Union Congress and an MP; makcik sebaya saya ni pakai tudung lagi.
- master potter Iskandar Jalil;
- veteran composer Iskandar Mirza Ismail;
- Ashley Isham, young fashion designer.



List ni tak termasuk yang lain.
Saya pernah tulis panjang lebar apabila ada orang kata Melayu Singapork tertindas.


- anak Melayu kini jadi MD di bank besar Swiss, UBS.
- seorang executive director UBS Investment Bank pun ialah anak Melayu.

- ada MP Melayu kini, dulu CEO SingTel international.
(yang tiga di atas ni saya kenal).
- CEO Cathay Organisation.
- seorang lagi MP Melayu kini MD syarikat MNC amerika.
- anak Melayu Singapore pernah jadi bos Apple di Singapore 10(?) tahun dulu. Kini bekerja di Malaysia.
- Pernah ada Umat M jadi GM di DHL Singapore.

Nasib baik "Melayu kena tindas" di Singapork, kalau tidak semua kami dah conquer semua agaknya....


Walau bagaimanapun, berbohonglah saya jika saya tidak katakan juga bahawa masih ramai orang Melayu Singapore ni yang:
- miskin dan kedana.
- makan tak cukup.
- pelajaran tak pandai.
- pekerjaan sungguh rendah dan dihina orang.

Tapi kami kena cubalah, secara sendiri.
Apa nak buat, nak minta orang kat sebelah situ dan sana, mereka pun sedang sibuk berkelahi sesama sendiri....
Nasib-nasib.


Cerita dulu dan lucu.

--------------------------------------------
YOU'RE MALAY AH? IMPOSSIBLE!

TERINGAT saya cerita 1992 dulu.
Apabila saya baru jadi financial correspondent untuk agensi berita glam Amerika Syarikat, *AP-Dow Jones News Service.
(*gabungan Associated Press dan Dow Jones. AP ialah agensi berita Amerika yang terbesar. Dow Jones pula syarikat yang memiliki akhbar Wall Street Journal dan juga pemilik indeks saham Dow Jones di New York.
(Kini AP dan bercerai dengan DJ, yang kini dikenali dengan nama Dow Jones Newswires).

Masa tu ada hanya dua wartawan APDJ ni. Seorang rakan pompuan Cina dan saya.

Bos saya mat salleh Amerika yang duduk di KL (pejabat di Wisma Bernama. Depa seorang saja).
Editing story saya oleh bos-bos di Tokyo.
Lepas jam 5petang di Singapore, Tokyo dah malam, jadi editing semua berpindah ke New York.
Kini Dow Jones Newswires ada lebih kurang 30 wartawan di Singapork saja! Di KL, mereka kini ada 4 atau 5 wartawan di Menara Dion.

Sebab baru masuk tahun 1992 tu, tak ramai contact, susah nak buat laporan tentang pasaran saham, Simex futures, oil market, foreign exchange, economy, companies earnings.
Saya pun redah - cold call 100 bank, broker, fund manager, futures houses. Dalam tahun pertama, agaknya saya telefon 200-300 orang - kalau tak dapat satu orang dalam syarikat tu, saya try yang lain!
Nak cari contact.
Masa tulah saya tertelefon orang yang jadi rakan baik saya - "Pakcik Melayu" yang baru terserempak minggu lalu. Masa tu beliau manager di sebuah bank Australia di Raffles Place. Nasib baik ada orang seperti beliau dulu, jika tidak songsang saya tentang "pasaran" ni.

Masa tu belum ada internet, nak cara nombor mereka kena beli buku direktori dan nak ilmu apa-apa pun, kena beli buku kewangan atau tanya orang.
Ini antara yang saya pening dulu tak paham:
i) - apabila "tankan report" keluar saja, kadang hancur pasaran saham Jepun, matawang yen dan bond Jepun (samurai bonds).
Sekarang zaman internet, saya Google saja dah tahu apa itu tankan report. Used as a measure of business sentiment in Japan.
ii) - lepas tu, pasaran saham, futures, bond, matawang US dollar pula takut dengan "crab index". Apa benda omputeh Amerika takut nah dengan ketam! Terbalik saham dan bond mereka jika crab index ni keluar.
Sekarang senang nak tahu - rupa-rupanya CRB Index (Commodities Research Bureau). Used as a measure of inflation in the US.
Manalah aku tahu! Hahaha.
Sampai hari ini, saya gelak malam bila nak tidor teringat tankan report dan crab index ni.

Antara yang pertama saya nelpon (telefon cakap Jawa) ialah Nikko Futures. Selepas memperkenalkan diri....
Futures trader Cina Singapore: What's your name?
Saya: Reme Ahmad, sir, reporter with AP-Dow Jones.
Trader: You're Malay ah? Impossible!
Saya: Eh why?
Beliau: Oh nothinglah.

Mamat ni, sebaya saya, namanya Cheang, lepas tu jadi rakan karib saya dan banyak mengajar saya tentang pasaran futures di Simex (Singapore International Monetary Exchange) dan juga tentang ekonomi Jepun.
Bosnya, warga Jepun - Mr Kan - lagi baik. Orang tua ni lepas saya nelpon beliau dua kali, dan nampak sah tak faham pasaran, beritahu saya - "Since you are new to the market, come and have lunch with me and we shall talk. I will pay."
Mampoi kena belajar makan ikan mentah, pakai sepit kayu. Para trader Jepun ni tak makan benda lain - sushi dan sashimi.
Depa togok sake, saya togok green tea. Makin dia mabuk, makin banyak ceritanya!
Orang tua ni jadi semacam ayah angkat saya. Walhal, saya Melayu bongok 32tahun, beliau bos (MD atau GM) Nikko Futures, mungkin 50tahun. Dan bos salah satu dari 'Big Four Japanese trading houses' masa tu - Nomura, Daiwa, Nikko, Yamaichi. Depa luangkan masa nak ajar saya sebab lihat mamat ni masih kekok dengan pasaran.
Sekarang ni baru saya terfikir kenapa Mr Kan ni sanggup bantu saya. Namanya tu Mr Kan sebab beliau ialah bangsa Korea, warga Jepun. Tak ramai orang bangsa Korea yang jadi warga Jepun.
Macam Jawa American. Tak ramai beb.
Mungkin depa tahu apa perasaan minoriti, lalu bantu saya. Tak tahulah. Mungkin.
Apabila saya nak pindah ke KL dengan syarikat Reuters, saya telefon semua rakan termasuk Mr Kan, nak cakap bye-bye. Beberapa tahun lepas tu saya nelpon lagi ke Singapore dari KL, Cheang kata bosnya dah balik Jepun.

Di Simex tu didagangkan Nikkei futures, Eurodollar futures, Euroyen futures, FuelOil futures, HangSeng futures. Di sinilah duduknya Nick Leeson dari Baring Futures yang melingkupkan Barings Bank.
Sampai sekarang saya simpan card warna putih Nick Leeson ni! (Jumpa sekali saja di trading floor Simex. Pernah nelpon beberapa kali minta komen tentang pasaran. Rupa-rupanya perampok besar!)

Sekarang Simex dah digabungkan dengan Singapore Stock Exchange, menjadi SGX (Singapore Exchange) - click link tu. Wooi, kini dah ada trading dalam JGB (Japanese Government Bond) futures, China stock futures, Taiwan index futures, Singapore interest rate futures.

(JANGAN MARAH saya masuk bab cerita personal. Biar anak-anak baca satu hari nanti, bila bapak mereka dah 'game'. Kadang-kadang mereka ni ingat kita chop duit. Mereka tak tahu cerita bapak susah payah cari ilmu, nak dapatkan wang, nak belikan mereka latest toys dan kehidupan selesa. Tidak papa dan lapar selalu macam saya di sekolah, sering tak cukup duit.
(Lagipun saya sedang syiok baca semula cerita bekas wartawan akhbar saya yang dulu buat liputan di KL sebelum zaman saya - Ismail Kassim. Bukunya 'A Reporter's Memoirs - No Hard Feelings', ada macam-macam cerita beliau membesar di Temasek, Singapore masuk Malaysia, ditendang keluar, jadi wartawan di Singapore, lepas tu jadi Regional Correspondent di Malaysia dan Indonesia. Kini Ismail ni dah 65-70 tahun agaknya. Segan baca cerita beliau sebab beliau juga pernah berjasa jadi trade unionist, sec-gen Singapore National Union of Journalists. Hingga jadi presiden Confederation of Asean Journalists. Hari ini, kedua-dua pertubuhan tu dah sonyap habis).