English-Only in Saudi

The silliness of English miscommunication.

This can only happen in Saudi!

Only in Malaysia

Here are two very interesting photos.

One can be downright embarrassing as it involved a well-known Malaysian songstress being fondled by her cousin simian.

The other must really be one silly shot of a traffic policeman issuing a summon to a beautiful Malaysian actress. Look at how he gloats in a victory smile with his thumbs-up sign.

The Punk of Life

I revisited the hit growing up sitcom series of 1983 called ' Facts of Life'.

Yes, I grew up with the series too and enjoyed the witty dialogue of beautiful Blair, vivacious Joe, cheeky Tootie, adorable Natalie and funny Mrs Garrett.

Look, how times have changed.Yet, the sitcom and the witty five-some continues to entertain.

I watch the 'Final Examinations,Please' episode and it was truly nostalgic!

I will be watching the other episodes soon.

That's Amore

It there is one movie where you see Cher in her element, it must be Moonstruck.

A 1987 movie, it is fresh then as it is as fresh now.

The early morning scene where Cher wantonly kicks a tin-can again and again in lustful pleasure, after sleeping with her fiance's brother (Nicholas Cage) is wickedly devious amidst the conventional values of a typical Italian family in New York.

I adore the beautiful strains of Dean Martin, Amore at the beginning and the ending of the movie.

What hypocrisy! What fun!

You can see the movie again and again without being tired. Love it!

Good Ole Days with Bobby Bare and Skeeter Davis

Yes, I am sure you remembered those halcyon days when you sang to the songs of Skeeter Davis such as Silver Threads and Golden Needles' and Bobby Bare's duet with her such as Misty Moonlight and Dear John.

Enjoy them again in these following videos.

I did.



Misty Moonlight



Dear John



Invisible tears



Blueberry hill



Together Again



We'll Sing in the Sunshine



Amazing Grace



Whispering Hope



Silver Threads



A Summer Place

A Smart Dentist Speaks

Listen to the Dentist.

You may not like him. But he speaks some truth here.

Shazwan Mustafa Kamal of the Malaysian Insider reports from Shah Alam after talking to the good dentist over BN’s chances of wresting back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Look at these gems of experience from Toyo.

Without mincing his words, Toyo explains that an over-dominant Umno in Selangor will cost Barisan Nasional (BN) crucial voter support in the next general election as it will push non-Malays towards PR. He singled out the sole problem in Selangor-that BN component parties were not “unified” — the MCA MIC and Gerakan have failed to play their part in attracting new young voters. As a result UMNO started relying on itself and up its ante to solidify its own support base in preparations for the upcoming polls.

Hear him speak.

“When Umno becomes more dominant, they are going to push away the non-Malay votes.”

He reasoned that one of the reasons during his term why the Chinese did not vote for BN was because Umno was too dominant in Selangor. He added the continuing trend of difficulty in securing urban votes will make it difficult for BN to re-take the state.

Toyo became Opposition leader in the Selangor State Assembly when BN lost to PR in the 2008 general election.PR won 36 of the 56 state seats. He was subsequently replaced by PKR’s Khalid Ibrahim.

Toyo observed that an “almost” balanced voter demographic between Malays and non-Malays in the state made it difficult for BN to gain full electoral support as only Malay votes were currently with BN.[Loaded statement]

Let us look at Toyo’s mathematics.

“Can BN take over Selangor with Umno? We go back to percentage-52 per cent of voters are non-Malays.” He reminded that the problem is that some of the seats which Umno won in 2008 were below 500 votes yet Umno feels all seats are winnable today as it only receive feedback from Malays. ”

He lamented that while Umno had been diligently engaging with the Malay community in Selangor and getting positive feedback, component parties like the MCA and MIC have yet to do the same. [Likelihood in lala la land and converting the converted!]

Khir believes that there is a need to get a timely report from the non-Malays. “Umno does it but component parties should do it for Chinese and Indians. The point is if Umno is too dominant, it makes non-Malays uncomfortable and they then vote for PR in default.”

The solution to this, said Toyo, was for BN to “empower” MCA MIC and Gerakan party leaders by allowing them to announce allocations and projects for their own communities instead of Prime Minister Najib Razak doing so.

Toyo said that non-Malays had lost “respect” for BN component party leaders as they were seen as not being able to do anything to help their own communities. [What a keen observation!]

“That is why now we have to give more power to MCA MIC Make sure their party presidents announce school allocations to their own communities. If we hope for the PM and deputy prime minister to do this Umno will be seen as too dominant and the Chinese will lose respect for their own leaders.[Too late?]

“That’s the problem now and I have always said we need to enhance opportunities to other party leaders to make their own decisions and we give them allocations ”, he stressed.

Toyo praised Mahathir for empowering component party leaders during his tenure as PM and that was why past leaders like Samy Vellu and Ling Liong Sik were respected.

“Umno’s strength alone cannot pull non-Malays like we have done with Malays. Selangor BN needs to move as BN, not Umno. We’re on the last lap before elections.[ Another keen observation!]

“That’s why Samy Vellu was like the king for his race because he announced the allocations; not Mahathir. Last time component leaders were very strong and respected because they went down to the ground and gave things.” [MCA and Gerakan too?]

He pooh-poohed current ministers and said they had no ‘oomph’ factor. He cited Liow Tiong Lai and Kong Cho Ha as such leaders.

He also foresee BN possibly losing the states of Selangor,Perak, Kedah,Negeri Sembilan and the Federal Territory in the 13 GE.

Toyo, the oracler, may be just right this time, you know!

A Re-rating for YTL Corp in the Works?

YTL Corp (YTL) is beating its jungle drums!

Is Francis drumming up buying support for his flagship company?

He has just announced that there are potential acquisitions coming YTL's way come this year and also the likelihood of a doubling up of its dividend payout after the successful completion of its take-over of subsidiary, YTL Cement.

YTL, the best performer on Malaysia’s benchmark index this year, may buy power, cement or property assets in Asia in the next six months to expand its business in the region, according to managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said.

The utilities and construction group had identified targets and might make a purchase in the second or third quarter, Yeoh, 57, said in an interview on Tuesday, declining to be more specific. The company might boost dividend payouts to the highest level in four years following its takeover of unit YTL Cement Bhd, he said.

In a Bloomberg report, Francis siad,"There are some opportunities looming for acquisitions and we’ve got a lot of good things going on. We have RM13bil cash. We can grow organically or we can acquire assets.”

A large overseas acquisition would be the first in three years for YTL, which has climbed 18% this year, compared with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index’s 3.6% gain. Excluding banking stocks, the group’s cash position is the second-highest after Genting Bhd, boosted by income from power generation and growth in cement production.

YTL’s cash pile put the company in a “very good” position to make purchases abroad, Yeoh said.

“I’m attracted to Asia because somehow the reservoir of money will be in Asia,” he said. “Asian currencies are predominantly undervalued compared with the US dollar. In a way, there is less risk buying Asian assets.”

YTL Power International Bhd, 45% owned by YTL, agreed in December 2008 to buy Singapore’s Power-Seraya Ltd for S$3.6bil.

Yeoh said in April last year that YTL might purchase its units if it couldn’t find suitable companies to acquire. The company made a RM1.06bil

offer in December to buy out YTL Cement through a share swap.

Yeoh declined to comment on whether there was an imminent plan to take over another subsidiary.

The company might double its dividend payout, which was 2 sen per share in the year ended June 30 (FY11), after the purchase of YTL Cement,Yeoh said. That would be the highest level since fiscal 2008.

The acquisition might add RM165mil to the group’s profit in FY12, Yeoh said, based on his calculations. Group revenue might rise to RM20bil, he said. The company had net income of RM1.03bil and sales of RM18.3bil in FY11, according to its annual report.

“By taking over YTL Cement, you would hope that you can pay more dividends to shareholders,” said Yeoh. “That would be the expectation and I think we can meet the investors’ expectation.”

I think this is the new platform for a re-rating of the mother counter of YTL Group of companies.

Watch out for a price increase when volume pick up speed and mass!