Jessica May be the Driver Player in Glee

Riding the high wind

Petite Jessica Sanchez has been apparently slotted to play a possible lead character of the best selling series Glee. 

So says the TVLine site

Imagine that.

With the departure of Lea Michelle and Amber Riley from the hallowed halls of McKinley High, a serious diva void has to be filled and Jessica may just be that person to do the job.

As yet there are no news  what character Jessica will play in Glee nor clear confirmation from Bebe Chez herself on accepting the role, let us wait a little longer.

The Cartoonist Wins

Cartoon Creativity is allowed

What I have observed lately is the courts have began making very good decisions.

Maybe Tun Arifin Zakaria has been given more leeway to dispense justice by the current BN government under Najib.

This is good especially for our liberal Nottingham graduate PM who is more open than some of his predecessors.

Perhaps the time is right for more liberalism in the press.

The Zunar decision where the courts decide that it was procedurally correct and right  to arrest and detain Zunar is a fair one from the Palace of Justice.

At least the AG's Office and the police have done it right this time.

That the court has also decided that holding back Zunar's books is unfair is another great decision. The books will henceforth be returned to Zunar and we should see more creativity in cartoon world assuming he does it within legal bounds.

BJF-Last Day to Subscribe for Your Rights

BJF price not too spicy,though

31st July-this is the last day for you if you want to subscribe for BJF rights.

5 p.m. and it will all be over.

So, let us look at the trading on the last day.

Looks like Vincent and his cohort are just lying down and leaving BJF alone.

So, if you buy the rights and warrants at 65 sen, the difference will be 35 sen and deducting for overheads, you will stand to make about 32 sen provided the price lekat-lah....


Right now, the highest done is RM1.02 with a volume of 860 lots.

There is a tug-of-war price at RM1.00 and RM1.01.

The ending prices were spiraling downwards towards the ending bell

No break-out. In fact it shun 2.5 sen to 0.97 sen.

A minor disaster for the Starbucks counter.

YTL Corp-Is EPF The Bear?

Abode of the Super Rich Yeohs

Looks like that to me.

Their representative buyers must have been given the go-ahead to buy the maximum possible at the best price.

So, as those who want to cash out from the bonds they have been tied up for so long, they weakened to let go to these parasitic buyers of EPF that are mauling the price of YTL down like the devil let loose.

Living it up, Francis?

Today, beginning from the opening bell, they have been ripping and paring down to price to bring it to another low of RM1.85; and I think there will be a level that YTL should come in with a Treasury buy.

The conversion price of the bond was RM1.80. Deducting for brokerage, the price is being cut too thin for comfort.

I expect a rebound back at least to RM1.90 and beyond in no time when the digestion ends.

Ice Age 4- A Failure to Capitalise

Piracy During the Ice-Age

I think the hype on Ice Age 4 started at least a calendar year before the film's release.

The excitement it generated must have made an anti-climax of the cartoon movie.

As usual, the movie starts with Scrat the squirrel chasing after his acorn that causes the continental drift to occur when he caused the earth's core to go hay-wire.

I thought that Madagascar has taken away the pirate theme but was surprised that this is once again recycled and hijacked here as the pivotal part of Ice Age 4.

True, they added new stars like Manny and Elise's daughter, Peaches, Shira the female sabre, toothless Granny of Sid, Louis the molehog; and Precious the whale.

On the other side were the pirates led by a gorilla-like creature  called Captain Gutt and his assortment of ridiculous-looking crew including a wayward rabbit as his side-kick. As usual, they have their share of those tiny little creatures called hyraxes to come to their aid in battle against the gorilla Captain Gutt.

The dialogue is so-so and not as great as Brave.

The interesting thing is that they used ice-bergs floats as ships.

The 3-D is not all that startling as well.

Final analysis-keep your money.

YTL Corp- The EPF Mickey Mouse

Run silent,run deep 

I do feel suspicious when EPF comes into the market and buy shares.

I know they had been selling away some of their hot shot blue chips to take up government linked shares like Gas Malaysia,FGV and now IHH.

They have been throwing out super dukes like TM, Digi, Public Bank (PBB),Tenaga,Axiata, KLK and even PPB for sometime.

I see a trend of buying back now on these blue chips as they liquidate  excess FGV shares and all other government linked shares that they have taken up on their IPO.

I noted that they have bought back a lot into PBB and PPB.

Now what interest me a lot is this continuous buying into YTL Corp.

What gives?

Let us see how much they have been buying. YTL.The total number of shares for YTL is now  10,608,755,462

Total holdings of EPF is now 811,610,853.

Looking of the EPF trade on this counter from 11 July until  25 July, it can be seen that there is more buying than selling. Except for selling conducted on 13 July where EPF disposed 1.7 million shares, the other days represent buying days as follows:

24 July: 2,194,000

23 July: 3,000,000
20 July: 2,673,100
19 July: 2,000,000
18 July: 1,623,400
16 July: 2,449,800
12 July: 1,600,000
11 July: 2,161,200

So, why is EPF collecting shares on YTL Corp?

PS:

 The current decline in share price is because of the exchange of 5-Years Guaranteed Exchangeable bonds 2010/2015 into ordinary shares of 0.10 sen each. It will take sometime to digest.

I think EPF is buying on this volume weakness when weak sellers  dispose their holdings for cash.

Some 12,912,665 shares are new shares being traded.

Seoul Days

The mighty Han River with Seoul in the Background

Were they soulless days?

Was the short stay of about three weeks life-changing?

Another public office junket?

One thing-as I reflect of those days.

True, it was a new place. The people were almost Chinese though they speak differently.

I only knew one great word you must have-the Korean equivalent of toilet to be able to be at peace with yourself biologically.

Mostly, it was  on my colleague and  friend, Harun Masri from days gone by at the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment.

Harun was one odd chap. I do not fault him being a Muslim in a strange land . But what I like about him was his sheer determination when doing things in Korea. He hardly touch Korean food but he shopped for cheap coats and Korean silk ties like as if there will be no tomorrow.

Together with a Filipino buddy, we would shop from Tong-daemon (Northern City Gate) to Nan-daemon (Southern City Gate).

When I wanted a lunch or dinner partner, I go over to Harun's hotel room.

My search for a meal ended there because Harun would be cooking in his room. Rice and  sardines, Maggie mee (noodle) and clear soups. I shared his food.

Sadly, I came to know many years later that Harun passed on because of lung cancer.

A pharmacist, an R&D grant administrator as well as a computer expert wannabe, Harun had spunk.

I do remember him well even though he is no longer here any more.

Malaysians- Beware the Imminent Perfect Storm

Drowning Storm of Debts

Malaysia is one of the most vulnerable Asian economies should a “perfect storm” of a disorderly debt default in Europe a slowdown in China and the US and rising tensions in the Middle East materialise Roubini Global Economics RGE has said in a recent report The strategic research firm best known for its founder “Dr Doom” Nouriel Roubini who predicted the collapse of the US housing market and the 2008 global financial crisis said that Malaysia had the highest exposure to a pullout of capital as its eurozone and US bank claims amount to more than 25 per cent of GDP.

Super Exposure-Suicidal?

RGE added that Malaysia was the second most exposed in terms of a demand slowdown in the US the eurozone and China making it the most exposed Asian economy overall The report also said that the country was among the lowest ranked in terms of monetary and fiscal capacity to respond to a crisis coming in ahead of only Thailand Japan and Indonesia “Malaysia Taiwan South Korea and Vietnam appear to be the most exposed to a perfect storm through their trade and financial linkages while South Korea Australia Vietnam and the Philippines appear to have the most policy space to offset such an external shock ” said RGE “Taking these two factors together Malaysia Taiwan Japan and Thailand are the most vulnerable of the 10 economies considered in this analysis while Australia India South Korea and the Philippines are the least ” RGE said that while Malaysian government revenues have increased the hole in its finances could grow due to “populist” spending and an expected cut in Petronas’ dividends “In the run-up to elections the government is likely to offer more cash handouts in the 2013 Budget leaving fewer resources for productive investment ” said the report “We see the debt-to-GDP ratio reaching 54 6 per cent next year leaving little room to manoeuvre in the event of an external shock ” RGE noted that in its most recent effort to boost its popularity ahead of an upcoming general election the Malaysian government announced a supplementary budget of RM13 8 billion in June some 80 per cent of which is allocated towards maintaining oil subsidies and raising civil servant wages It added that it expects Bank Negara to cut interest rates to 2 5 per cent by the end of 2013 to deal with slowing growth in Europe and China.

Economists and analysts had earlier said that Malaysia’s federal government debt which nearly doubled since 2007 to RM421 billion pose a fiscal risk to the country if not managed carefully as it impairs the country’s resilience to the increasing frequency of economic shocks They said that while government debt — currently at about 54 per cent of gross domestic product GDP and the second highest in Asia — has not significantly impacted the country and its credit standing so far the volatile nature of global markets may cause sentiment to turn with little warning Figures from the Federal Treasury’s Economic Reports show that the federal government’s domestic debt almost doubled in the space of less than five years — from RM247 billion in 2007 to an estimated RM421 billion in 2011 — far outpacing its revenues which only grew 31 per cent or from RM140 billion to RM183 billion during the same period Government-backed loans rose rapidly as well between 1985 and 2010 — from RM11 billion to RM96 billion — representing a growth of 8 7 per cent per annum Investors in recent weeks have reportedly shown a preference for US and Singapore assets rather than Malaysia’s in times of uncertainty despite the 10-year MGS Malaysian Government Securities offering a yield of about 3 4 per cent compared to less than 1 5 per cent for both 10-year Singapore government bond and 10-year US Treasury bonds Roubini had in May reportedly predicted that four elements — economic slowdown in the US the debt crisis in Europe a slowdown in China and emerging markets and military conflict in Iran — would combine to create a storm for the global economy in 2013.

The Problem with Proportionality

One-on-one is one expensive affair

As I was walking out of the Bangsar LRT, I got a call.

The person on the other end enquired whether I could get a Hokkien teacher for a student.

Apparently, this student, an Indonesian, wanted to learn how to speak Hokkien orally.

No reason was given for his motivation.

I told him it was not easy to get one as Kuala Lumpur was a Cantonese speaking enclave.

Anyway, I told him since he also wanted the tutor to be able to converse in Mandarin as well; so as to use inter-language in the teaching of Hokkien to this student, it would not come cheap.

So, how much is the student willing to pay and where is the teaching venue?

It is somewhere in an office adjacent to a shopping complex on Tuanku Abdul Rahman Road.

There is also only one student. Teaching period will by 90 minutes.

I told him that it is awfully long for a conversational lesson. The longest should be an hour.

"So how much is the rate you are going to pay this tutor?" I asked innocently.

"RM65.00 for the entire 90 minutes. Two times a week."

"Wow!" I retorted.

"No one will teach at this rate."

Some people just do not have the sense of proportionality.

This chap will have a ghost of a chance to get a specialist to tutor this Indonesian boy.

Period.

Protecting Proton and Perodua-The Opposing Perspectives

Preve-overpriced?

The Car Conundrum is the most befitting theme for this post. 


Is Proton worth saving after all these years of sub-standard ouputs? 


What about Perodua? 


The joke of the power windows has been a thunderous guffaw and still is, with the life-long warrantly attached to it for new sales for Proton.

The Gen 2 was a first rate disaster with  that prototype CAMPRO engine; its lack of torque and self-shifting gears when you least want it to happen.


The Preve which was immobilised on a test-drive along the roadside for all to see;cheap upholstery and all. Good vibrations?


Woes upon woes has beset Proton.


Now it has gone private and put under the wings of Syed Mokhtar's DRB Group. It is no longer the people's car even though you want to claim it as the national car. Should the car still be protected since it has become private investment?

World Standard

What about Perodua?


Despite that foreign advertisement of  a person sledgehammering a Kelisa to a pulp, the perception is it is that better buy. Sales for the compact Myvi continue to soar and so is the vivacious Viva. Problems are few and re-sale value is good.


There are two good dictums to be used as rules of thumb.


The first one is: 


Where you see water, you see Chinamen.


The second one is:


If the Chinaman buys it, it must be good.


So, the Chinamen bought Perodua vehicles and not many prefer the more politicised Proton.


That is the screaming difference!


Now that the issue of slashing excise and import duties has become a bone to chew on for the next General elections,what has the learned economists to say to this?


In today(30 July 2012), we have some luminaries airing their views. 


Michelle Chun reports:


"The government cannot continue protecting the local automotive industry through excise duties at the risk of jeopardising the national economy, say economists.


Prominent economist Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said while there were reasons to help the local car industry in its infancy, it must be asked why car excise duties are still in effect.


"Local carmakers should become self-reliant and competitive, but because of this prolonged protection, they have become weak and dependent on this to  be successful," he told the Sun today.


Navaratnam was commenting on the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop on Saturday that the reduction of car excise duties and prices would result in economic instability and increase in bankruptcy cases.


"This is a delicate matter that calls not for ad-hoc solutions or quick fixes, but rather comprehensive studies and professionalism.


"If not handled properly, it will have long-term implications on the global innovative and competitive position of the local car industry, and on the economy as a whole," Navaratnam said.


Nor Mohamad, who heads the Economic Planning Unit, made the statement following PKR strategist Rafizi Ramli's promise that car excise duty would be reduced if the opposition won the 13th general election.


Malaysians currently pay between 75% and 105% in excise duties for motor vehicles manufactured in the country, excluding import duties (for imported cars) and sales taxes. 


Nor Mohamad said the government collects around RM7 billion annually from these excise duties.

Nevertheless, the chief executive of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, Wan Saiful Wan Jan, said removing excise duties would not negatively affect the nation's economy as a whole, but rather reduce the government's income.


"I doubt such a move would jeopardise the national economy, and removing or reducing car excise duties is a good idea, both politically and economically.


"These excise duties seem to portray that the government is more willing to protect the interests of a company, such as Proton and Perodua, at the expense of the consumer," he said when contacted today.


Wan Saiful added this showed it was dangerous for a government to be involved in the setting up of businesses, as it would then be obliged to protect the businesses' interests.


"This would stunt economic growth as the economic environment would not be a competitive one," he said.


However, Wan Saiful said excise duties should not be removed overnight, but over time, or there may be repercussions, especially on the second-hand car market.


These comments are fair. 


Will the government slowly dismantle that dastardly wicked excise and import duties on cars to free Malaysians to have a more decent life?


The forthcoming general election will be that watershed.


It can be a kingmaker or king killer!

Sabah-The Wild wild East

The Perfect Storm?

Just when you think that it is time to let your fix deposit ride the next interest-bearing period when a potential hazard appears on the horizon.

Ukin and Bumburing has now thrown in the towel  and left Barisan.

Will this be a sign that the flood-gates of an all Sabah conflagration is being let loose as the inaction of Putrajaya on Sabah's issue of being overwhelmed by Mycard carrying foreigners since the time of the Mahathir era?

Three scenarios come to mind.

First, a storm in a ta-cup-contained and nothing more.

Second scenario-attrition starts and the disenchanted especially the old guards up the ante and leave as well to join the new front.

Final scenario-massive shift in the template where the fears in BN will mount as Putrajaya may slip through their fingers.

A November date for the 13th GE?

Unlikely as the monsoon floods may also affect BN's chances.

So, given this, it is back to the drawing board and perhaps Najib will stay the entire term until April 2013.

Different type of Shoppers, Half Empty Trolleys

Empty trolleys have their stories to tell

I see a very disturbing trend at our hyper-markets these days.

There was a time when the middle class frequent these places.

The very poor and working class actually shop at pasar malams, pasar pagis, and wholesale markets.

Not anymore.

Today, you see the invasion of foreigners at our supermarkets.

There are the Bangladeshis shopping for onions and garlic, dry chilies and hogging the budget areas for salvageable vegetables and fruits.

Here and there you see the Nepalese smiling at each other and shopping for fresh produce as well.

The Myamarese and Vietnamese can be observed buying frozen beef shoulder to give themselves steaks as their weekly treats.

One thing that I see is most of the shopping carts are half-full.

It is the sign of the times.

Runaway inflation and and growing urban poverty.

Stolen Days,Bitter Tears

Stolen Days

Yes, I postulate.

I have a theory.

If you are working in an organisation,to follow the great Pareto Principle, the support of only 30%  of the your bosses  will expedite your success up the corporate ladder.

On the other hand, 30% of your bosses will cut the ground under you to make you fall.

The other 40% will just make use of you to climb the corporate ladder and claim credit for all you do.

The important thing to do is to avoid the 30% bad bosses.

Bitter Tears

When you start in your organisation, look for godfathers and godmothers. Look for team players who will play ball so that the entire team will move up the ladder in quick succession with the ones up earlier helping the others to move up.

At the beginning of your career, avoid working for bad bosses.

You can spot them from kilometers away. They work you to the bone, scolds you and write bad confidential reports for you.

If you have started on the wrong foot under such corporate horrors, get out of the organisation or into other divisions to redeem yourself.

Do it quick to save yourself.

If not, it will be stolen days and bitter tears as you stagnate like slags at the bottom of the cesspool of the organisation.

Dog Day Afternoon at the Banks

Turtle pace?

Hong Leong Bank at the SEAPARK branch has gone from bad to worse.

Today, they open only two service counters and two customers hogged them to do onerous tasks that took almost 25 minutes each. I almost grew buttress roots waiting for service!

Then it was off  to Maybank to buy some bank drafts. Not only was I shocked that they charge RM5 commission to issue per draft but worse was to come when  they insist I go home and bring my cheque book to issue a cash cheque to pay for the drafts as  they do not accept deductions from my current account.

Pre-computer times?

Jeez, what on earth has Malaysian banking come to? 

The pits! That's what!

BJFoods-Biting the Bullet?

Roasting Rights Issue?

Yes, for those who are gung-ho on taking up the BJF rights and warrants, get your cash ready to pay for this rights.

It is really one confidence game. Was it worth the risk or should you have thrown out the OR and collect 60 sen per share offer?

Per lot will cost you RM650.00. Then there is that government tax of RM10 revenue stamp and the dastardly RM5 for bank commission in issuing out the banker's cheque. This means per lot plus overheads will cast you RM665.00.

If that is not enough trouble, you have to go over to Berjaya Time Square and submit the forms before the closing date of 31 July 2012.

Given the low,low demand for BJF, sometime I do wonder what will happen when they let loose the new rights for trading?

How much will the price slump?

Or are they going to push up BJF to attract shareholders to pick up the rights?

Right now the price is just about 25 sen above the rights issue price.

Would buying excess shares be the right strategy to even the odds?

Let us see how they will distribute the excess shares if minority shareholders do not pick up their odd lot entitlements.

Pleasing the Civil Servants or kingmakers?

The election is definitely around the corner.

THE PM has just announced a half month bonus for Hari Raya ahead of Budget 2013 with a minimum payment of RM500.

Pensioners were generously  included getting a special pay-out of RM500.

Not to be outdone, the Penang State government also gave a half month bonus with a minimum pay-out of RM600.

Similarly, the Selangor government decided also to give half a month bonus with a minimum of RM500. However, they topped it up with RM200 for Muslim civil servants in their Sayang Selangor savings scheme while non-Muslims got RM200 in BSN premium saving certificates.

What a bonanza!

Have the civil servants become kingmakers?

D-Day Dawns?

Timing is Important!

The fight would be close. That is the fifth column perspective.

Will BN retain the Federal government with a hung Parliament in sight?

Must be held in 2012!

Will PR get the Sabah and Sabah friendly MPs to support them for a takeover of Putrajaya?

Anything can happen now.

These days as Najib keeps the people guessing on when the 13th Election will be held,pundits and prophets are appearing aplenty on the political horizon.

An October date

Muhyiddin, UMNO's No. 2 wants the election to be held this year. Ex- PM Mahathir says October will be the best date for BN when pilgrims return from the holy Land. Nazri is checkiing with the AG's Chambers to see whether the present government can go the full term and have the shortest period for dissolution of Parliament and campaign period.

Not this year

An UMNO doyen, Aziz Tapa, now out of power though not influence, believes Najib will not have an election this year. 

Legal maverick?

Meanwhile, all kinds of offal is dropping down like flies. More scandals are being exposed at home and abroad.

The longer the wait, the greater the frustration of the people, the commercial sector as well as investors.

The UMNO Election is due only next year after the 13th GE. That means the same slate of candidates will likely be put up again? Will they appeal to young first-time voters? What about possible sabotage from ambitious young leaders who  are not selected or from senior elders who desire power but are booted out?

Chicanery awaits?.

Last Call for Putrajaya 

So, let the guessing game continue.

BJF: Dull Day for The BJF ORs

Saviour?

Today is the last day of trading for the ORs of BJF.

There is some biting on this counter where 2,678 lots have been done.

Bids range from 65 sen to 68.5 sen.

I think it may touch 68.5 sen if the buyers are keen to pick up the rights at 65 sen.

BJF is still trading in the red at 93 sen and may be done at 92.5 sen for a 4 sen loss after ex.

The Water Wars

Drippingly Bad or a Bad Bluff?

Well, things do happen in Malaysia that would unlikely take place in other places.

First, you have Syabas, the water concessionaire, saying that they want to ration water because their inlet dams have critically low water levels. The areas to face water-cuts would be the premier area of Putrajaya, dormitory town areas of Petaling Jaya and the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

Syabas's excuse was that the Langat II dam must be built and tariffs must be allowed to go up if they are to efficiently deliver water to the people.

So, did they lied or did they bluff?

My elder brother tells me a lie is premised on  something that can happen and a bluff is an impossibility.

For instance, you may lie that you have a stomachache and used that as an alibi for skipping school. Then you can bluff when you tell people that you saw a flying pig.

In this case, Syabas was found lying about the water levels. Most or all the dams were overflowing with water, given the rainy season.

So they shifted the goal-posts and say the water rationing was due to their inability to process water efficiently to serve demand and not because of water in the dams.

So, the Selangor Government decided to take over Syabas on the cusp of this excuse.

No one was surprised when this was rejected by Putrajaya.

As such, the water wars take a break.

It will became hot once again as we get closer to the elections.

So, watch the fun when there is another replay of the water wars then.

Anything I Can Do, Let Me Do It Now

Time and Place

I called it the axis of time and place.

When you can do something for someone particularly if it is life-changing, do it now.

For you may not get to do it again because time passed on.

Today, you are in a position of authority, tomorrow you will on the other side of the fence looking in with nary an iota of power to assist anyone.

I am thankful to God for making me do things that have been life-changing for others when I was empowered without bending any rules or running foul of the law.

I am grateful to be able to serve.

BJF-You Can Do No Magic

Starbucks may make big bucks. Not today;not on Bursa Kl.

Evolution for Profits?

The official  inclusion to its RM4.5 million net profit to the bottom line  of BJF caused nary a stare or even a blink in terms of prices.

Right not, BJF is languishing at 95 sen while the OR, traded up to 65 sen on the opening minutes, is back to 63.5, its overnight price.

Granted, these is little free-spread in BJF as Vincent and his cohorts have bought almost all available shares from weak-holders and are keeping them in their stables to earn profits.

Next Tuesday (24 July) , OR goes ex and so it is to Berjaya Times Square with your drafts and OR letters.

Please remember the RM10 revenue stamp,won't you?

PS:  BJF closed down 2.5 sen to 93.5 sen while BJF OR closed up 2.5 sen to 66 sen.

BJFoods-Will It Go Up?

Starbucks is In!

Today, it was announced that Starbucks has been formally taken over by BJFoods.

Will that push the price up or is it a given that only attract little interest?

There was some slight interest in BJF at the end of day with the share moving up 1.5 sen to 96 sen.

The OR traded up 2.5 sen to 63.5 sen.

Tomorrow is Friday and so there will be see-saw trading.

I do not expect much demand for BJF tomorrow.

Monday will be the last day for trading of the OR.

BJ Assets-To be Taken Private or conversion to a REIT or....

Going REIT?

BJ Assets just reported to Bursa KL that they have not met the public spread requirements.

They will, however, seek the the exemption from of Bursa for this requirement.

Now, just like BJFoods, most of Berjaya counters do not have as wide a spread for more animated trading.

So, what can we expect from this?

Landmark for Privatisation or REIT?

Vincent Tan has just bought another big chunk of BJ Assets. That means more shares are taken out from retail trading.

So, what are the possible scenarios to expect for BJ Assets?


First scenario-take BJ Assets private-possible but unlikely.


Second scenario- create a BJ Assets REIT leaving BJ Assets as a pure gaming play-Very likely.


The highest price achieved was RM1.04 on 12 July with high volume with the lowest at 78 sen traded in May-June period.


A fair price for entry would be in the lows of 80 sen.


So, let us watch this counter. It is now trading at 92 sen.

Traffic Stopper in China

A Naked salute!

This man sure knows how to stop traffic. It happened in China.

This is Malaysian English

What an English! Gomen Style

Wahloi, so daring one............

Bodoh sombong one...lah..........

COM: 35 Questions in One Hour

Halls of Power

I have just got back from splendorous Putrajaya after walking in the Halls of Justice.

At 2.30 pm, the examination started and this time they were very much more professional. The briefing did not eat into exam time, not like last year with that jabbering officer.

Interestingly, it was all MCQ and to my judgment it was a breeze though they threw in some barbed non-law questions.

I finished it in record time of 30 minutes and left the hall in triumph with God's blessings surrounding me. I was in cheerful spirit.

Fair Lady of Justice

Believe me, it was great to have all those calun  sitting for the exam watching you leave the hall. Two more candidates left after me. Magnificent trio!

Not like last year when they killed us carnage-wise with a 90% subjective question format.

So, what is the exam all about this year?

Let me recap......

Three questions was on the Chief Justice, two questions of fees, a question to test your understanding of the doctrine of the separation of power, some questions of qualification, appointment and reappointment, change of business address, power to inspect, details in a register, some test of the Statutory Declaration Act, 1960,  duties of a Commissioner, the Malaysian Constitution,display of appointment letters,appropriate text of powers, conduct and duties, power of revocation,some mathematical computation of fees to be paid  for affidavits and exhibits and penalties.

Fate Awaits 

What could be troubling are those answers with options like:

a) I, II and III
b) All the Above
c) Only I and II
d) Only II

So, if you are not good in your memory work, it could be daunting.

I was however amused by questions on the diameter of the seal and the dimension of the name tag. Not many would know these dimensions because these are truly not legal matter question but meant to outsmart you with retort like, " Got ya!".

They need to test more on substantive legal matters and not design specifications.

I spoke to an elderly candidate (Not that I am any younger) and he told me he took a similar examination in January this year and thought he got at least 90% of the answers correct. Yet he got a dukacita letter that he flunked!

Well, I do not know whether I aced it this time though I want to believe so.

Anyway, let me think about setting up shop if I do passed with God's grace.

Boy Oh Boy- Banyak Nakal-lah.....budak-budak ini

Boys will be boys or  so it seems. Derring-dos in all circumstances of peril.

These pictures shows what they are capable of doing if you let them.......

Crocodile and Dundee

Johnny Appleseed Eats a Giant Melon

Pablo Picasso

The Discovery Channel

Dare Devil

David Copperfield?

Dolly Parton?

Raiders of the Beef Roast

Where is Kermit ?

Transgender?

EPF-Market Maker or Destroyer?

Gambling with public cash?

In a small market like Bursar KL, pension funds rule supreme if foreign funds shun it; like presently.

For whatever reasons it may have; through its approved traders,EPF buys heavily moving prices like mountains or sell down a counter like that Japanese tsumani leveling prices like crazy!

As it brings joy, it brings tears-that double-edged sword.

If you have acute perceptive skills,look no further than the current IPOs from Gas Malaysia, FGV and the current IHH.

Like it or not ,even if they are not cornerstone anchor buyers, they massively move into counters and play the institutional fool with the people's hard earn cash.

Last week, they sold down super-blues from BAT, PBB, TM,TNB and what not; possibly because they could not digest the FGV load.

Now, they have off-loaded the FGV to risk takers, they have come back to reclaim their holdings in the super-blues such as BAT, TM, Axiata and TNB.

An interesting thing I saw was they had begun to load up on YTL Corp, PBB, TM,TNB and Digi-com.

They must have little birds telling them the time to go into these two counters because of corporate developments or they have been pushing up the prices to reclaim shares that are dividend paying and  as for the people's money-they luck in or luck out at your own risk!

Poor contributors!