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A weblog about life / politics/ impressions of Malaysia through the eyes of a foreigner




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Monday 30 June, 2008
25 Jumada al-Thanni 1429AH

A weblog by Albert. From my home in Yan Kedah. I reside here since 1992. See here to know where Yan is.

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10/06- rm 4.00 a liter?
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Blog category: all categories. - February 2008
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 Pasar tani + cheating... - by @lbert
  Posted:27/02/2008 - 16:30 - in category: consumer affairs
I used to buy most of my daily needs on the pasar in Yen Kechil.
No more.....
I am totally fed up that 90% of the stalls do not have pricetags, everything you have to ask for.
Secondly the prices have become outrageous, they are twice as expensive as Giant or Tesco!
The habit of selling some stuff on a plate for RM 1 or RM 2 is even worse, last week they were selling 4 pcs of sawi taiwan with a weight of probably just 200 grams for RM 2.00 ! Thats RM 10 a kilo, go figure.....
Only when they have the pasar malam on thursdays, with a lot of competition prices are a bit cheaper, but still 90% has no price tags, they just look at you and give a price. With me it is than, oh...Mat Saleh orang kaya, boleh kera lebih 'sikit'....
Well forget it, i now just go once a week to SP and buy my stuff in Tesco and Giant, afterall i can check the offers on-line.
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 Pluralism at a crossroad. - by @lbert
  Posted:27/02/2008 - 06:01 - in category: general
Read this good observation of the Malaysian elections by Don Pathan in The Nation (Thailand).
You can access is here.
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 Why should you vote? - by @lbert
  Posted:26/02/2008 - 08:26 - in category: general
Why should you vote?
I am not allowed to vote in Malaysia, but if you are a registered voter, go and vote!
Not voting means you give a vote to the ruling parties. This because the number of voters get smaller and your desinterest in voting gives the ruling parties a bigger chance.
Keep in mind that Malaysia has a district system, which means that garnering 50.01% of the votes (or 1 vote more than another party) is a seat, and the opposition gets noting!

This in contradiction to equal representation, where if you garner 50.01% of the votes the opposition still gets 49.99% of available seats in the Dewan Rakyat or DUN.
Because here one seat requires: - number of voters/number of seats -. And is a more real representation.

See, the district system is a british relic, which even in Britain has been almost completely abolished.
A majority of countries in the world have equal representation, because it is democratic, the district system is absolutely not democratic, but just always in favor of the ruling clique!
But of course in a country with a district system, the ruling party will never abolish it because it guarantees almost no opposition.
Still to give to country check and balance an opposition is needed, otherwise you end up with cheques and no balances!
So pledge your vote, its for the good of the country.
You registered voter, you get the government you deserve, especially if you do not go voting !
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 Step Forward runs again. - by @lbert
  Posted:25/02/2008 - 15:30 - in category: TV
Last week the new season of Step Forward started.
I missed it because i was in the hospital, but yesterday i was in front of the TV.
Still the best documentary/educational program about Malaysia the runs on TV. Their TV crew really must go great efforts to do all the filming! It shows so may facets of Malaysian life you do not know about.
And with the enthusiastic Dillan as presentator a great program.
Wish there were more like that.
Every sunday 21.30 TV8 don't miss it!
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 Malaysia's cherry blossom. - by @lbert
  Posted:24/02/2008 - 14:01 - in category: Yan Kedah
Look at these pictures of Malaysia's cherry blossom (bunga trumpet) in full bloom near Yen Kechil.
Luckily there is no strong wind so they can last a bit longer as the view is really fantastic.

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 Objectivity... - by @lbert
  Posted:24/02/2008 - 06:42 - in category: politics Malaysia
Oriental Daily News announced:

After February 24 (Nomination Day), the news weightage for the caretaker Government and the Opposition will be 65% vs 35%.

Nanyang Siang Pau is to follow suit.
The Star and NST are already practicing 90% vs 10%.

So objective all these Malaysian toilet papers....
So much for real democraty... another Malaysia Boleh!
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 Mana Ada System - by @lbert
  Posted:23/02/2008 - 10:15 - in category: consumer affairs
A friend of mine had to go to Singapore from Penang to attend a meeting there around 2 o'clock.
So he booked on a MAS flight from KL to Singapore, leaving KL at 9.45.
After the booking a few days later he was called by the agent that the flight was canceled and he was booked on a flight at 14.00.
This of course was unsuitable to my friend, so he called the agent and told that he had to attend a meeting around 2.
So he told the agent than if no MAS flight, rebook me on any SIA flight either from Penang or KL around 9-10.
So the agent called MAS and got as an answer:
We gave an alternative and the customer did not accept it, it is the customer's problem. So if you want to change to a code-sharing SIA it is not our problem.

Changing to SIA would incur extra charges, because of the so called code-sharing.
Since the alternative was unusable in this case, it was no alternative.....
After a lot of fighting agent vs MAS he finally got rebooked on SIA from Pg to Sing.
On top op that he saved more than RM 200-, because Pg-KL-Sing via MAS is costing RM 1000+ and SIA Pg-Sing costs 'only' RM 800+.
Isn't this really Mana Ada System.
Would MAS have treated a foreigner the same? I wonder...
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 The monkey retained... - by @lbert
  Posted:22/02/2008 - 14:04 - in category: politics Malaysia
Badruddin Amiruldin (Jerai) has been retained.
I cannot understand how they can retain such a person.

He had to retract his remarks at the Dewan Rakyat twice last year, including attacking Karpal Singh (DAP) who is on a wheelchair �as a punishment from God� and for using a vulgar word.

He provoked a woman MP by asking �what type of a woman would last with someone like the MP from Batu Gajah�.

Last year at the party conference, he irked Malaysians again with his �tunnel� joke about the tight skirts of Air Asia stewardesses.

Using the words 'Puki Mak' in parliament and so on.

He is essentially a very nice person whose sense of humour to often goes to far. He speaks a smattering of Hokkien.
But is this the reason to retain a person like this?

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has sent an early message � he wants only credible candidates in the elections.
Do you call this person credible? I do NOT!
This kind of people give the country a bad name.
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 Foto's now with dropshadow - by @lbert
  Posted:21/02/2008 - 20:54 - in category: internet / computers
PoV Blog now can create foto's with dropshadow with or without border.
Sample:

Looking good........
So when you want to create your own weblog (blog) download the code!
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 Petrol price records - by @lbert
  Posted:21/02/2008 - 11:29 - in category: foreign
Malaysians complain about the price of petrol.
Sorry.... look in Europe where petrol prices reached € 1.55, at current exchange rate about RM 7.15 a litre!

Translated to Malaysia that would mean a full tank (50 litres) would cost you RM 359.00 !!

Still complaining?
Nah...in Malaysia a bottle of Coke costs more than 1.5 litre of petrol, thats Malaysia boleh!
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 Safe seats, safe asses. - by @lbert
  Posted:20/02/2008 - 08:24 - in category: politics Malaysia
I find it sickening if i read about the hassle of certain politicians, whether opposition or Barisan, to move to constituencies where they can have a 'safe seat'.
They do not live in the constituency, they do not know what is going on in that constituency, they only wanne save their asses in order to have a seat.
This is sick! In a representative system like Malaysia people should be represented by people from their constituency. Only they know what is going on and what people want.
If parties plant such an immigrant in your area, simply do not vote for him! Do NOT say i don't go and vote, because that only makes it easier for the immigrant to get his seat!
Also sickening is the attemps for planting family ties into parliament, sons daughters, sons in-law and so on, is this to keep the money in the family?
Further i am amazed by the sheer amounts of money Barisan has available.....and sickened by the way TV especially RTM 1/2 about the way they think they can make propaganda, they really must have studied nazi germany!
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 Thats big money.... - by @lbert
  Posted:15/02/2008 - 05:24 - in category: general
Yesterday i noticed that they mentioned that the cost of the elections would be 200 million (interview with SPR chairman), and that for 11 million voters.....
If 70% shows up that means RM26.00 per vote!

Thats what i call big money.....Is the SPR chairman having his data right?
Add to this the amount the BN machinery is throwing around say 50 million than it it RM 31.00 or so per voter, AMAZING!

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 I wonder..... - by @lbert
  Posted:14/02/2008 - 13:57 - in category: politics Malaysia
The Barisan Nasional chairperson said that only candidates who can serve the people with honesty, integrity and efficiency will be fielded in the coming general election.

Now i wonder whether this monkey named Amilrudin Badrudin will contest in the Jerai constituency again.....
Remember him? Among others he said: if you don't like the country getta hell out! And than his malicious remarks on Karpal and so on....
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 Parliament dissolved.... - by @lbert
  Posted:13/02/2008 - 13:06 - in category: politics Malaysia
The parliament has been dissolved.
Expect from today on TV to be totally unpallatable!
Already millions and millions have been thrown around as so called election goodies, probably 99% will never be effected.
TV news on RTM 1/2 will be terrible, anti-demo spots by Jozef Goebbels ministry will be aired even more, and of course nothing in the whole world is better than BN.
Opposition will be totally ignored, everything twice as biased as before..............BAH!
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 Finally he's gone.... - by @lbert
  Posted:11/02/2008 - 10:03 - in category: politics Malaysia
Finally Koh Tsu Koon decided to call it quit in Penang.
Now he wants to be a minister, and what a useless one he will be!
What have you done for Penang in the past 20 years Koh Tsu Koon & rakan2 , ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! You have ruined the pearl of the orient to an unrepairable level.
What is left is just a useless stone, the pearl is gone.
High time to stop the so called 'developers' pocket filling and try to save what can be saved.
Any replacement cannot be worse than the one who just indicated to leave, hope the rest of his BN clique will be kicked out to.
Bad enough we probably will have to see your face as minister again....
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 Some pics from Yogya/Solo - by @lbert
  Posted:11/02/2008 - 04:55 - in category: travel abroad
As promissed a few pics from Yogya and Solo. Walking through markets and looking at all the small shops can give nice pics.

Left: Grandma at Pasar Sari Yogya - Right:Marlioboro at night Yogya


Left:Gold buyers Pasar Klewer Solo - Right:Pots/pans shop Solo


Gamelan player in Solo Kraton

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 Late Gong Xi Fa Cai - by @lbert
  Posted:10/02/2008 - 13:32 - in category: general
Wish everybody a happy Chinese Newyear. Lots of properity and luck.
I spend the New Year in the hospital puking and shitting after my last round of chemo therapy.
Have been released last night so trying to regain some strength.
UPDATE:
I found 1 of the sources.... food poisening because the cantine of Alor Setar Hospital was selling yoghurt drink that was expired MORE than 1 month SHAME ON THEM.
So it was probably a 1+1 thing.
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 Dr.M on Pak Harto - by @lbert
  Posted:04/02/2008 - 11:15 - in category: foreign
In Indonesia i read that Dr. M gave a comment on claims that the 'rise' of Suharto in indonesia after overthrowing Soekarno's regime has cost the lives of probably 500.000 indonesians.
Dr. M said this was rubbish. I find this statement very annoying and causing grieve to all of the Suharto victims, Many of them are still suffering because they were displaced to remote outskirts of the archipelago and no allowed to see family for years!
So Dr. M if you do not know the answer better keep your big mouth shut! Estimates claim the victims at 500.000 in if fact the real numbers might be much higher, only God knows....
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