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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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Blog category: all categories. - December 2007
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 Happy 2008... - by @lbert
  Posted:30/12/2007 - 11:49 - in category: general
Hope for a prosperous 2008 for Malaysia?
Lots of doubts....
If the oilprices remain around $90.00 and the Ringgit does not gain a lot of strength towards RM3.00=1US$ than things are bleak.
The increase of oilprices will creap into everything available because of transportation and production costs.
Increased commodity prices like flour, cocoa, cooking oil, milk products which all went up by 30% or more will also creap into everything.
I would not be surprised if inflation will go way over 6% in 2008.
Furthermore susidies on petrol will be untennable for the government, so diesel and petrol will probably go up also by 30-40% and this will again creap into all consumer prices.
The government is also running a deficit in its accounts of at least 3% (this is pure inflation as they borrow the money but never pay back, the pay back by renewed borrowing). Furthermore all the unfeasable projects announced by the government that cost billions + corruption will eat also into everything.

Add all these things together and you will see it is not a very rosy prospect for 2008.
As minyak sawit probably will go down by 30-40% in the coming year, export earnings for the country will also see a huge drop.
At this moment prices for most commodities are all based on pure speculation and have nothing to do with a real market situation anymore.
Interests are to artificially low, so the big money seeks other ways of making money.

Internal demand in the country can not be pushed and pushed, all pushing is via borrowing of the public, and this will come to a halt as risks for the banks get bigger and bigger.
Already now NPL's are on the rise, and any fluctuation in the economy might create an enormous rise.
Sorry... but my views for 2008 are bleak for all of us, especially pensioners and low income earners.
But I still wish you all the best possible in 2008!
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 Old years eve 'snacks' - by @lbert
  Posted:27/12/2007 - 21:12 - in category: food
I think a typical Dutch tradition is making 'oliebollen', literally oil balls, for old years eve.
They are actually dough with raisins and sultana. After frying they are covered with icing sugar.
I can tell you they are delicious! All my malay neighbors and chinese friends love them.
This year i have to make at least a bucket full, so crazy is everybody about them.
Another one is 'appel-flappen', slices of apple fried in a batter so the outside is crispy.
Also very nice if you have real sour apples.
In Holland on the 30th onward you can also buy them from stalls if to lazy to make yourself.

I will make them on the 31st early morning so i have time to distribute them around.
Look at the foto what these sinfull snacks look like.
You can keep them for 3-4 days and just put them in the microwave to reheat, but its not as good as the fresh one's.
You wanne try...google for oliebollen recipe several available in english (due to Dutch staying in the US).

oliebollen (left), appel-flappen (right)


'oliebollen' stall

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 Merry Christmas - by @lbert
  Posted:25/12/2007 - 09:13 - in category: general
Wishing you all a merry Christmas!
Together with a wish for world peace and more understanding amongst people in the way the various religions teach us.
Enjoy the day and if you drive... drive carefully.
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 Selamat Aidil Adha - by @lbert
  Posted:20/12/2007 - 08:16 - in category: religion
Wishing all muslims a Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha.
Aidil Adha is the commemoration of Nabi Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah.

Please think about those who have to celebrate in knee deep water!
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 Christmas Bread - by @lbert
  Posted:19/12/2007 - 22:02 - in category: food
Holland and Germany have a tradition of baking special Christmas bread (in Germany Weinachtsstolle in Dutch Kerstbrood).
A lovely bread filled with raisins, sultana's and if you like it almond spice.
Personally i do no like the almond spice so i will do without.
Look at the picture a whole 1 kg Christmas bread, delicious!

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 32 m Jezus in Manado - by @lbert
  Posted:19/12/2007 - 09:09 - in category: religion
JAKARTA (AFP 11 dec) - Muslim-majority Indonesia has unveiled one of Asia's tallest Jesus Christ statues in the mainly Christian town of Manado on North Sulawesi island, the company behind it said Tuesday.

Indonesian real estate developer Ciputra built the 30-metre-high (95 feet) statue in its CitraLand residential estate, hoping it will lure tourists and become a religious icon, the company's marketing manager Sonya Lasut said.

"It looks like the Jesus is flying to bless people," she added.

The white monument -- which shows a robed Christ with his arms and palms outstretched above his head -- took nearly three years to complete and cost five billion rupiah (about 540,000 dollars). It also consisted of 25 tonnes of metal fibre and 35 tonnes of steel, Lasut added.

She said the Indonesian Museum of Records had certified the statue as Asia's tallest Jesus -- overtaking the 27-metre tall Cristo Rei in East Timor's capital Dili -- during a ceremony on December 2.

Hey mufti of Sabah... you can learn something about tolerance here!
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 Flooded country - by @lbert
  Posted:18/12/2007 - 16:51 - in category: general
Malaysia is half subsided in water again.
I have seen over the years that this problem is getting bigger and bigger instead less and less.
Main cause of course brainless development where everything is chopped clear before anything is build.
Roads are all tar no clinkers used, so all rainwater is run off water, and many developments have hardly any green, let be alone have retention ponds. The developers are only interested in making money.
Uncontrolled logging is probably a main cause in Kelantan, run off silts the rivers, so they rise. Development is on riverbanks, which are there for overflowing, not for building.
In Johor the whole thing has gone out of hand, recurrent floods in the same area. How can you live in those places if you cannot live downstairs but have to live on the first floor, because otherwise you have to buy new furniture 3x a year.
Than a PM that does not even bother about the floods, because he is always abroad.
If it goes on Malaysia can celebrate 2020 under water.... everybody a free snorkel.
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 Bio diesel not a blessing.. - by @lbert
  Posted:14/12/2007 - 11:26 - in category: environment
The craze of biodiesel, is what it is, a real craze.
Speculation in palm oil has driven the price so high that biodiesel is unfeasable.
Prices will have to come down by at least 40-50% before anything gets interesting.
On top of that is this biodiesel so environment friendly?
Absolutely not, is is a haphazard!
For the produce of palm oil, millions of hectares of forest are destroyed in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Bio diversity is threatened, animals driven into distinction.
Waterways polluted by run off of the new plantations.
Not to mention the filthy production of palm oil. Have you ever gone near a palm oil factory? The process stinks miles around!
So what is the use of all of the whole craze?......For the time to come a dead born child!
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 Wolf in sheep clothes. - by @lbert
  Posted:14/12/2007 - 01:36 - in category: politics Malaysia
ISA finally. Yes the pm finally showed who he is......
The wolf in sheep clothes.
Even Sadam Hussain got a trial, but in Malaysia they can put you away forever without trial.
And than still screaming how democratic this country is.
I am flabergasted this government is running so scared because of a few demo's.
Well the next (rigged) general elections will hopefully return some checks and balances to this country.
Meanwhile i wish all the detainees strength!
Afterall.... read the previous posting of the Jakarta Post article.
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 Truly Malaysia - by @lbert
  Posted:12/12/2007 - 17:57 - in category: politics Malaysia
Editorial in The Jakarta Post
December 11, 2007

Truly Malaysia

Although the ongoing anti-government movements in Malaysia are still at a very preliminary stage, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has threatened to impose the much feared and draconian Internal Security Act against those who still defy his warnings to cease street demonstrations.

The threat to jail protesters for an indefinite period of time seems to have worked, at least for the time being, because the number of street demonstrations has sharply declined. But the prime minister needs to remember that demands for justice, more freedom and more political and economic equality cannot be silenced just by throwing more people into prisons.

PM Badawi and the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) need to remember that as long as the roots of discontent exist anti-government movements will not subside.

The experience of Soeharto before his fall in May 1998 showed there was a point where people lost their fear of the iron-fist man and did not care anymore about his brutal responses to their protests.
It is clear the current situation in Malaysia today is very different from what Indonesian faced nine years ago, especially in terms of economic conditions. In 1998, Indonesia's economy was on the brink of disaster, while Malaysia's economy today is relatively healthy. But as its economy shows declining growth amid soaring oil prices, many people have begun to feel the heat.

The attitude of many Malaysian officials in responding to the street demonstrations is similar to the attitude of Indonesian officials in 1998. They point their finger at "third parties", "western countries" or "irresponsible press" creating the political unrest. They are reluctant to accept the street facts, because they have been too long in power, enjoying all privileges.

As its constitution is perceived by the minority as discriminatory against non-Malays and non-Muslims, more Malaysians now are demanding real equalities. Sixty percent of the 26 million population is Malay -- synonymous with Muslim according to the constitution -- while the rest are Chinese, Indian and other ethnicities.

Badawi should demonstrate his strong leadership as the country prepares for an early election, because he has not been able to fully control the ruling party. Many Muslims in his ruling party are increasingly impatient with Badawi because they think things were better in Malaysia before Mahathir Mohamad handed over power to Badawi in 2003.

Mahathir is widely regarded as much more protective of Malays than his successor is. Many Malaysians perhaps forget that Mahathir left many fundamentals problems -- from an ailing economy to corruption -- for Badawi. The fact the succession from Mahathir to Badawi was not conducted by fully democratic means also created friction among the elites and dissatisfaction among the people.
The Malaysian government needs to be more sensitive in listening to the aspirations of its people. Defensive attitudes -- such as blaming others, probably including this newspaper -- will not be helpful at all.
It is time now to honestly listen to criticism from citizens. Putting anti-government activists in jail is only a very short-term solution.
PM Badawi needs to show he is the prime minister of all Malaysian citizens no matter their ethnic or religious background.
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 Loosing the plot... - by @lbert
  Posted:12/12/2007 - 12:31 - in category: politics Malaysia
RPK wrote a very interesting article here.
A must read!
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 Trafic congestion... - by @lbert
  Posted:11/12/2007 - 15:46 - in category: general
I noticed that Penang alone in about ONE month registered 20.000+ new cars / motor cycles..... amazing!
Now look around if this goes on in my area places like Sungei Petani / Alor Setar / Penang will really go banana.
Now the traffic is already terrible and getting worse by the day.
1 more year and you will have to do your shopping after midnight, and pollution will be a common health hazard!
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 Overkill - 2 - by @lbert
  Posted:11/12/2007 - 15:42 - in category: politics Malaysia
It seems that Pak Tak Tahu is really getting scared, and is changing tactics.
NST showed this morning:
Abdullah said if he had to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) for specific reasons, he would do so without regret.
"God knows I have a duty to do. If I have to sign it, I will do so without feeling guilty or sad."

Than follows the rest of the usual NST spin that hundreds have asked for action.
Like in Jeff Ooi's case, some funny people file a police report (you might call it fabricate a report).
The ruling clique is getting scared.....they need these opposition people Hindraf/Bersih and if possible Anwar out of the way in order to win the elections.
Allhough if they can unite the Malays probably 60% of the votes is enough to garner 80% of parliamentary seats (as all districs have been manipulated) so they are still some what save but will face a lot more opposition.
They again might lose Kedah and Terengganu.
Also the cronies want to make sure their income is save.... hence clear all opposition. Thats what they call Islam Hadari. I though tolerance was the main point, but it seems i am wrong
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 Overkill. - by @lbert
  Posted:06/12/2007 - 23:17 - in category: politics Malaysia
An absolute overkill is going on in trying to make everybody scared of demo's.
Jozef Goebels propaganda stations RTM 1 and 2 constantly air irritating blocks in order to show demo's that are running violent (the pictures taken from Pakistan!! Mind you)
Was the Bersih rally or the Hindraf rally violent? No absolutely NOT.
As far as the Hindraf rally is concerned, whether you agree or not to Hindraf, at least they highlighted again the conditions in which still many Indians are living in many plantations.
The get salaries which are below par, and the government refuses a minimum pay, because than they cannot suck out the cheap foreign labour anymore.
Here near my place, go to Bedong and see some of the 'housing estates' of Indians.
Or go Cameron Highlands and see some there, they do NOT fit in this century anymore!
They are unhuman.
Hindraf at least brought this up, but the government in Malaysia is never wrong, everything they do is unfallable and no-one can be criticized.
Demo's without permit are only allowed for UMNO members.
Opposition will never get a permit for a demo.
This government should learn that peaceful demo's are there to draw attention to certain facts that seem to be overlooked by the administration.
And like the last 2 rallies, 10th of thousands of people came to KL for it, so all the food-chains and restaurants must have had field days!
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 Sign of live... - by @lbert
  Posted:01/12/2007 - 10:39 - in category: general
Just give a sign of live....yes still alive and kicking.
Still observing Bolehland, and getting pissed when Jozef Goebbels opens its mouth, this guy is really farting every time he stutters something.
This racist is unbelievable, but so is Nazi and Pak Tak Tahu.
Well they can expect a few more rallies this month.... it seems they have to learn the hard way what real democracy means.
At least i think Samy Vellu is finally totally finished and lost Indian support totally, so that is one piece of s#it less after the elections.
Ko Tsu Kun is very busy to try to profile himself, but i think Penang is a lost case for Gerakan, afterall Ko Tsu Kun, what have you done for Penang in all those years? Right.... zip,zero, nada.... And you want to become another minister, there are already so many useless ministers.
UMNO starts feeling the heat for the next elections, they know it, no way they get a clean sweep anymore!
And than SIL has to get rid of Krishamuddin which i think is impossible, remains the question will the worst PM ever of Malaysia be the next one, of course the cronies would love it, but the rest???
Malaysia needs the painkillers at this moment more than i do....
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