Human Capital

Times Higher Education Supplement just released the new ranking last week and I have blogged earlier on the poorer performance of our local universities. Prime Minister touched on it as well during the Cornell Club of Malaysia's Dinner.

Instead of the typical Malaysian way of finding excuses, Prime Minister admitted that he is saddened by the drop in ranking and he was saying that while he is hoping for improvement of our universities, the ranking has been sliding over the past few years. He wanted all our fellow Malaysians to work together to help our local universities to grow and improve.

Prime Minister, when being asked on how we could leverage on the Malaysian talents, especially many Malaysians who are alumni of prestigious universities, he suggested that those people could take up Adjunct Professor at local universities. He suggested much greater collaborations between industry and our local institutions of higher learning.

He encouraged fellow Malaysians in the audience, to bring up suggestions to him, on how to improve the quality of education in our country. It is a national mission for all of us to value add. Prime Minister mentioned that 2 very important key words are Human Capital and Value Add.

He encouraged many of those who are in the audience, who are already long in the corporate world, to continue to develop oneself. Without continuous improvement and learning, we would not be able to value add.

Speaking on this issue, I recall an article I read in Sin Chew today. It is on a survey of starting salary of our fresh grad. It is very sad with the current situation. Among those who have graduated from local universities (public and private), as well as colleges, community colleges and technical institutions, only a mere 45% manage to find a job within 6 months of graduation. Another 18% further studies, 1% take up additional skill sets/training, 6% waiting for job, and this means a staggering 30% of them fail to get any job offer within 6 months.

What is more staggering is the pay of those who did manage to get an offer. Only a mere 27% of them manage to get a pay above RM2,000 a month. 44% get between RM1,000 and RM2,000. 24% get a pay between RM500 and RM1,000 a month, whereas a remaining 5% get a pay below RM500 a month. This is definitely shocking, especially these degree and diploma holders are earning quite low pay.

What is wrong? What is the mismatch between what provided by institutions of higher learning and what the market needs? Is it because of our employers are paying too little? Is it because of our graduates are under-qualified? Is it because of the language issue? Is it because of the attitude of the graduates?

What say you?

Fuel Subsidy

With oil prices surge near USD100 per barrel, one of the hottest issues in the world today, would be the oil price. Perhaps, this is the hottest topic, other than the subprime crisis.

What impacts oil price would have on Malaysia, or we as the common citizen of Malaysia, or even as a global citizen? When oil prices go up, the cost of everything would go up, as oil is almost indispensible in every aspect. Luckily USD has been weak lately, and USD100 with an exchange rate of USD1 to RM3.33 would mean about 15% saving compared to if USD1 to RM3.80.

Prime Minister, during the Q&A of Cornell Club of Malaysia's Dinner touched on this issue of subsidy. Prime Minister quoted that currently total fuel subsidy for 2007 is RM35 Billion. That's slightly more than USD10 Billion. If we divide by total Malaysian population, that's a subsidy of RM1,400 per person per year, assuming we have 25 Million population. That's about RM4 per person per day. Quite a staggering amount!

Besides fuel subsidy, Malaysia also subsidizes many daily necessities, from rice, to cooking oil to salt to sugar to .... . That's another RM5 Billion a year. Quite a lot of money. If that money is effectively utilized for appropriate usage, that would develop do a great deal of good to our economy.

One point mentioned by Prime Minister is quite important. Prime Minister said that today, Malaysia is competitive with fuel subsidy and other subsidy in place. What if we take away the subsidy? Is Malaysia still competitive? Prime Minister actually say that we might actually not be competitive.

Currently, due to the subsidy, our companies operate on a lower cost structure, and hence we are competitive. However, if we are going to fight head-on, without any subsidy, can we match other corporations around the world, or around the region? Can we value add sufficiently to improve our productivity level?

What say you? Hope to hear more comments~!

Prime Minister's Speech in Cornell Club of Malaysia Dinner

Below is the full speech of Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during Cornell Club of Malaysia's Dinner. The speech is informative, but nothing much new.

The speech was made on 10th November 2007 at Putrajaya International Convention Center

”THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS: IMPETUS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR IMPLEMENTATION UNDER THE RMK9 AND BEYOND”

BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHIM

ASSALAMUALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUH AND GOOD EVENING

DR. MOHD YUSOF ISMAIL
PRESIDENT, CORNELL CLUB OF MALAYSIA

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN


1. ALHAMDULILLAH, ALL PRAISE AND GLORY ARE FOR ALLAH S.W.T., FOR IT IS WITH HIS BLESSINGS AND GUIDANCE THAT WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY.

2. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ORGANISERS FOR INVITING ME TO THIS EVENT. TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR PLANS. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO DO SO, AS THESE CORRIDORS BEGIN THE CRUCIAL PHASE OF EARLY IMPLEMENTATION.

3. I HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEAK ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS AS MY VERY FIRST SPEECH FOLLOWING THE RECENT UMNO GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THIS SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SUBJECT MATTER TO MY GOVERNMENT AND TO THE NATION.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

4. IN MARCH 2006, I ANNOUNCED THE NINTH MALAYSIA PLAN, WHICH MARKS THE START OF THE SECOND PHASE OF OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS BECOMING A DEVELOPED NATION BY THE YEAR 2020. IN THIS PLAN, I OUTLINED THE FIVE THRUSTS OF THE NATIONAL MISSION AS A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR MALAYSIA OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS AND BEYOND.

5. THE NATIONAL MISSION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR INVESTING IN HIGHER VALUE ADDED ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS IN DEVELOPING FIRST-CLASS HUMAN CAPITAL. IT ALSO EMPHASISES THE NEED FOR BALANCED GROWTH, AND THE IMPERATIVE OF UPGRADING THE MALAYSIAN QUALITY OF LIFE. FINALLY, THE NATIONAL MISSION PRIORITISES THE NEED FOR IMPROVING OUR INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND DELIVERY MECHANISMS.

6. IN THIS REGARD, THE FIVE THRUSTS OF THE NATIONAL MISSION PROVIDES THE STRATEGIC FOUNDATIONS FOR THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS. INDEED, I CONSIDER THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS TO BE AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF MY ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR THE NATION.

7. WE HAVE ALREADY LAUNCHED THREE REGIONAL CORRIDORS IN THE PENINSULA: THE ISKANDAR DEVELOPMENT REGION IN SOUTH JOHOR; THE NORTHERN CORRIDOR ECONOMIC REGION IN PERLIS, PULAU PINANG, KEDAH, AND NORTHERN PERAK; AND THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION IN KELANTAN, TERENGGANU, PAHANG, AND MERSING IN JOHOR. ANOTHER TWO CORRIDORS IN SABAH AND SARAWAK ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF PLANNING, AND WOULD BE LAUNCHED SOON.

8. THE REGIONAL CORRIDORS MARK A NEW APPROACH IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING FOR OUR NATION. THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR PLANS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

9. THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA HEAVILY EMPHASISES THE CONCEPT OF GROWTH WITH EQUITY. IN THIS REGARD, THE REGIONAL CORRIDOR PLANS CONSTITUTE A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT IDEA.

10. ONE ASPECT OF EQUITABILITY IS THE NEED TO ADDRESS INCOME GAPS. OVER THE DECADES, MOST OF THE DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA HAS BEEN CONCENTRATED IN THE TRADITIONAL CENTRES OF KUALA LUMPUR, PULAU PINANG, AND JOHOR BHARU. IN FACT, DEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS HAVE BEEN VERY RAPID. IN A STUDY THAT IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE (N.P.C.) VERY SOON, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE ARE FAST REACHING THE POINT WHEN WE CAN MAKE APPLE-TO-APPLE COMPARISONS BETWEEN KUALA LUMPUR AND SINGAPORE.

11. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT. IT MEANS THAT IF KUALA LUMPUR WERE VIEWED AS A STAND-ALONE CITY-STATE LIKE SINGAPORE, OUR VERY OWN K.L. WOULD BE A DEVELOPED NATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT. IT ALSO MEANS THAT FOR MALAYSIA AS A WHOLE TO BE A DEVELOPED NATION BY THE YEAR 2020, WE NEED TO BRING THE REST OF MALAYSIA UP TO PAR WITH KUALA LUMPUR.

12. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE LARGE GAP IN INCOME THAT EXISTS ACROSS VARIOUS GROUPS IN MALAYSIA. THE INCOME RATIO BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL HOUSEHOLDS HAS ACTUALLY DETERIORATED FROM ONE TO 1.81 IN 1999, TO ONE TO 2.11 IN 2004. BECAUSE THE BUMIPUTERA COMMUNITY IS LARGELY LOCATED IN RURAL AREAS, THE INCOME GAP BETWEEN BUMIPUTERAS AND THE NON-BUMIPUTERAS IS ALSO STUBBORNLY HIGH. IN BOTH CASES, THE GAPS IN INCOMES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE GREATER ECONOMIC GROWTH OF MALAYSIA’S URBAN CENTRES – PARTICULARLY IN THE KLANG VALLEY – COMPARED TO THE RURAL HINTERLAND.

13. THE OTHER ASPECT OF EQUITABILITY IS THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY. WE HAVE SET OUT VERY AGGRESSIVE TARGETS FOR POVERTY ERADICATION. BY 2010, WE PLAN TO ELIMINATE HARDCORE POVERTY. DURING THE SAME TIME, WE HOPE TO HALVE THE OVERALL POVERTY RATE DOWN TO 2.8 PER CENT.

14. RECENTLY, DURING THE UMNO GENERAL ASSEMBLY, I ANNOUNCED THAT POVERTY ERADICATION WOULD BE THE PRIORITY FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THE NINTH MALAYSIA PLAN. FOR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES UNDER THE BANNER OF THE BARISAN NASIONAL, THEY WOULD BE EVALUATED PARTLY ON THEIR PERFORMANCE IN HELPING TO REDUCE POVERTY IN THEIR CONSTITUENCIES.

15. BOTH FROM THE LOGIC OF INCOME PARITY, AS WELL AS POVERTY ERADICATION, THE APPROACH OF BROAD-BASED REGIONAL GROWTH IS THEREFORE PARAMOUNT. HENCE, THE REGIONAL CORRIDORS PLACE GREAT STOCK IN PROMOTING NEW CENTRES FOR REGIONAL GROWTH.

16. ON ONE HAND, THE CORRIDORS ARE AIMED AT BUILDING ON THE EXISTING STRENGTHS OF TRADITIONAL GROWTH CENTRES SUCH AS KUALA LUMPUR, JOHOR BHARU AND PULAU PINANG. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CORRIDORS WOULD ALSO PROMOTE THE RISE OF NEW GROWTH CENTRES. THESE WOULD INCLUDE PADANG BESAR AND KULIM IN THE NORTHERN CORRIDOR; KUANTAN AND KUALA TERENGGANU IN THE EASTERN CORRIDOR; AND NUSAJAYA AND SENAI IN ISKANDAR. THE RISE OF THESE SATELLITE GROWTH CENTRES WOULD ENSURE MORE BROAD-BASED ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND HENCE GREATER EQUITABILITY.

17. THE REGIONAL CORRIDOR STRATEGY ALSO PLACES GREAT EMPHASIS ON THE PROMOTION OF RURAL AGRICULTURE. RESEARCH, LOGISTICS, AND MARKETING SUPPORT WOULD BE PROVIDED TO HELP TRANSFORM RURAL AGRICULTURE, BY CONNECTING THEM TO THE WIDER GLOBAL MARKET. BY DOING SO, WE HOPE TO PROMOTE GROWTH IN RURAL INCOMES, THEREBY HELPING TO CLOSE THE INCOME GAPS BETWEEN VARIOUS SECTIONS OF MALAYSIAN SOCIETY. ULTIMATELY, THE REGIONAL CORRIDORS WILL BE THE RISING TIDE THAT LIFTS ALL MALAYSIAN BOATS TOWARDS DEVELOPED NATION STATUS BY THE YEAR 2020.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

18. ANOTHER NATIONAL PRIORITY WHICH ALSO INFORMS THE THINKING BEHIND THE REGIONAL CORRIDOR PLANS IS THE NEED FOR COMPETITIVENESS. WE ARE NOW OPERATING IN A GLOBAL, OPEN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE COMPETITIVE PRESSURES ARE INTENSE.

19. THIS EMPHASIS ON COMPETITIVENESS UNDERPINS OUR DECISION TO INVOLVE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE OVERALL PLANNING, AS WELL AS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION OF THESE CORRIDORS. WE NOTE THAT A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES IN THE PAST HAVE FAILED TO GALVANISE THE PRIVATE SECTOR INTO ACTION. THIS HAS LEFT MANY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES BEING UNDER-UTILISED AND SOMETIMES LEFT ABANDONED.

20. TODAY, THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS ENCOURAGED TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CORRIDORS. THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT THE PLANNING FOR THESE CORRIDORS WOULD BE BUSINESS-DRIVEN AND SUSTAINABLE. AT THE SAME TIME, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION WOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS ARE MADE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A COMPETITIVE AND COMMERCIALLY-ORIENTED CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT.

21. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ASPECT OF COMPETITIVENESS THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT: THE NEED TO FOSTER NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. WE NEED TO PROMOTE THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF INVESTMENTS, INCENTIVES, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND OTHER FACTORS THAT PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF NEW STRATEGIC SECTORS. THEREFORE, WE HAVE ALSO POSITIONED THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS AS VEHICLES FOR INCUBATING AND NURTURING NEW INDUSTRY GROWTH.

22. FOR EXAMPLE, IN ISKANDAR, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED KEY SERVICE SECTORS SUCH AS FINANCE, EDUCATION, I.C.T., LOGISTICS, HEALTHCARE, AND THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.

23. IN THE NORTHERN CORRIDOR ECONOMIC REGION, WE ARE EMPHASISING THE GROWTH OF MODERN AGRICULTURE, TOURISM, ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN, AND LOGISTICS INDUSTRIES.

24. IN THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION, WE WILL BE PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF PETROCHEMICALS, MODERN AGRICULTURE, AUTOMOTIVE, AND TOURISM INDUSTRIES.

25. BY PLACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE STRATEGIC SECTORS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE REGIONAL CORRIDORS, WE HOPE TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITIVE INDUSTRIES THAT WOULD SPAWN REGIONAL AND EVEN GLOBAL CHAMPIONS IN DUE TIME.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

26. ANOTHER IDEA WHICH INFORMS THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONAL CORRIDORS IS THE IDEA OF “LEVERAGE”.

27. IN THE REGIONAL CORRIDOR STRATEGY, A KEY ASPECT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT APPROACH IS THE NEED TO LEVERAGE ON EXISTING STRENGTHS. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PLANS FOR THE SATELLITE GROWTH CENTRES IN THE VARIOUS CORRIDORS DO NOT ARISE IN A VACUUM. INSTEAD, WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXISTING STRENGTHS OF OUR NATION.

28. LIKEWISE, OUR SECTORAL APPROACH IS ALSO FOUNDED ON THE CONCEPT OF LEVERAGE. WE DO NOT INTEND TO START NEW INITIATIVES FROM SCRATCH. INSTEAD, WE AIM TO BUILD ON OUR EXISTING ECONOMIC STRENGTHS TO VENTURE INTO NEW AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR FORAY INTO PALM-BASED BIODIESEL IS BASED ON OUR EXISTING POSITION AS A GLOBAL POWERHOUSE IN PALM OIL PLANTATIONS AND REFINING. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS OUR RECENT FOCUS ON THE HALAL INDUSTRY, WHICH LEVERAGES ON MALAYSIA’S STRONG LINKAGES WITH THE MUSLIM WORLD, AS WELL AS OUR EXISTING STRENGTH IN GLOBAL LOGISTICS.

29. IN KEEPING WITH THE IDEA OF LEVERAGE, WE WARMLY WELCOME INVESTMENTS INTO THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS FROM ALL COMERS. WE WILL ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN PARTNERS, FROM THE REGION AS WELL AS FROM BEYOND.

30. IN THE CASE OF THE ISKANDAR DEVELOPMENT REGION., WE PLAN TO LEVERAGE ON THE PROXIMITY TO SINGAPORE TO CREATE A NEW GLOBAL METROPOLIS IN SOUTHERN JOHOR THAT MALAYSIANS CAN BE TRULY PROUD OF. IN THIS REGARD, SOME PARTIES HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS AND RESERVATIONS. IN MY MIND, THESE CONCERNS ARE UNFOUNDED.

31. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HARBOUR FEARS ABOUT OUR OWN CAPABILITIES TO MAKE OUR CORRIDORS WORK. WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE THE SKILLS, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENSURE SUCCESS.

32. WE NEED NOT FEEL UNDULY WORRIED OR ASHAMED ABOUT WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT, IF WE NEED TO. WE SHOULD BE MORE ASHAMED IF WE CANNOT OVERCOME POVERTY AND BACKWARDNESS OF OUR OWN PEOPLE. WE MUST BRING THE LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENT INTO EVERY CORNER OF MALAYSIA; THIS IS MY GOVERNMENT’S PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

33. THE FUTURE STRETCHES AHEAD OF US IN A MATCHLESS HORIZON. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE: THE ROAD AHEAD WILL BE LONG, STEEP AND HARD. BUT IF WE AIM TO STAY TRUE TO OUR PROMISE, THEN WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STAY THE COURSE.

34. IT IS NOW TIME FOR AGGRESSIVE IMPLEMENTATION AND FOCUSED EXECUTION. WHEN THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS TAKE ROOT AND BRANCH OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE WILL BE ABLE DELIVER THE FRUITS OF DEVELOPMENT TO EVERY MALAYSIAN. WE WILL THEN LITERALLY CHANGE THE FACE OF MALAYSIA, INSYA-ALLAH. LET US THEREFORE WORK TOGETHER AND TOIL TOGETHER, SO THAT IN 50 YEARS’ TIME, IT SHALL BE SAID THAT OUR GENERATION MADE SURE THAT NO MALAYSIAN WAS LEFT BEHIND.

35. MAY ALLAH S.W.T. BLESS OUR EFFORTS, AND MAY HE STRENGTHEN OUR WILL TO DO WHAT IS BEST.

THANK YOU.

Prime Minister attends Cornell Alumni Dinner

Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi graced the Cornell Club of Malaysia 3rd Dinner Talk Series. It is definitely a great recognition to Cornell University, when Prime Minister chooses to address Cornell alumni, the day after UMNO General Assembly.

10th November 2007 definitely goes down to history. The first time Cornell's name is mentioned in all major newspapers in Malaysia.

Prime Minister spoke mainly on 2 issues:- Regional Corridors and Human Capital Development.

Would put all the newspapers link here. Would write on what PM covers later on.

Bernama
The Star - Article 1
The Star - Article 2
NST - Article 1
NST - Article 2
Sin Chew Jit Poh
China Press - Article 1
China Press - Article 2
Nanyang Siang Pao
Berita Harian
Utusan Malaysia

NST definitely made a fool of itself, when it wrote "He was speaking during a question-and-answer session at the Cornell Club Dinner Talk Series, organised by The Oxford Cambridge Society, Malaysia. ".

I am not sure how NST deduced that Cornell is suddenly one of the colleges of Oxbridge or a branch campus of Oxbridge etc. It is wierd that NST made this blunder, when throughout the whole event, it was clearly mentioned that it is Cornell Club of Malaysia that organized it, and no other newspaper made similar blunder.

Since it is almost 3am, I won't comment on PM's speech and response to Q&A now. Would write it later.

World Aids Day - Volunteer

Obtain an email on a awareness event for World Aids Day. If you are interested to volunteer, hope to see you contact the organizer!


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Dear friends,

Greetings! The Most Happening Event is coming to town..

Its the Event you would not want to miss out to be part of. Its also the Event that has created a stir for past few years, & it was the talk of the town in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia for the month of December 2005 till today.

No.. its not any event that is for the sake of passing by without anyone notice, gays or straights alike.
No.. its not any event that is for the sake of earning merits, as the scope of influence no other events can match.
No.. its not any event that the gay community would want to miss out, it is more happening than any club party in town.

YES.. Its WAD's RED CARNIVAL 2007 @ Sungei Wang Plaza. WAD stands for World AIDS Day, which is in 01 December 2007 (www.ptfmalaysia.org).

The Red Carnival will be on 1 & 2 December 2007 (Saturday & Sunday) with the theme: "STOP AIDS. Keep the Promise" for the course of fighting the HIV/AIDS off the shore of Malaysia, with emphasis to focus on the Young adults in particular.

You can be part of this happening event this December 2007 as you can volunteer & make a difference in your life & the life of others who benefited directly or indirectly from your involvement.

Our Volunteer Recruitment is open to you and your friends, from NOW till late 18 November 2007. You can email in your response to me, Jeremy Kwan, at jeremekwan@yahoo.com or Chun Ting at chunting927@yahoo.com with your full name (as in IC) + IC No., Contact no. cum Email address and how many persons.

Example: Jeremy Kwan Wing Kien (IC: 690330088316). Contact No. 012-3456789. Email: jeremekwan@yahoo.com and No of Pax: 10 Paxs.

The Volunteers Briefing sessions will be two weeks before the event, either on weekdays evening or weekend evening, to be announced later.

Please tune in for more details at www.ptfmalaysia.org, which I believe you would not want to miss out on. Do keep your calendar marked for this most happening event in December 2007.

Do STOP AIDS & Keep the Promise as you are the leader for the future. Do believe you can be an inspiration that lead your life & others, & that you can make an influence through your involvement in this year event.

Do not hesitate to contact me at 03-4044 4611 from Wednesday to Sunday (from 9:00am to 6:00pm) if you have any query. You can also email me or Chung Ting, or go to our website at www.ptfmalaysia.org for more info.

Keep the flame burning. STOP AIDS. Keep the Promise.

regards, Jeremy Kwan -
"STOP AIDS. Keep the Promise"
@ Sungei Wang Plaza - Fiesta Walk on 1 & 2 December
in conjunction with the International World AIDS Day 2007
PT Foundation Kuala Lumpur.
Tel. 03-4044 4611
Fax 03-4044 4622
Website: www.ptfmalaysia.org

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Malaysian Universities

Guess most of us, who have been reading newspapers have been rocked by a reality. None of the Malaysian universities manage to get into Top 200 of the Times Higher Education Supplement ranking. While it is just a mere ranking, it does impact a lot! Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia both drop out of top 200. Universiti of Chulalongkorn from Thailand do drop out of top 200 too.

What goes wrong? Universiti Malaya drops from 85 to 169 to 192 to 246 position. UKM goes up from 289 to 185 last year, but drops to 309 this year. USM goes up from 326 to 277 last year, but drops to 307 this year. UPM goes up from 394 to 292 last year, but drops to 364 this year.

The criteria for this year is 40% Peer Review, 10% Recruiter Review, 20% Faculty:Student Ratio, 20% of Citations, 5% International Students, 5% International Faculty.

Universiti Malaya has improved in terms of Recruiter Review, International Students and International Faculty. In terms of international students, total international students go up from 1126 to 3073. Really within a year, UM is now full of international students. For international faculty, it has gone up from 115 to 323. Thesis or publications have gone up to more than 3,000 too, although this figure is still very low, and is one of the main reasons for UM low ranking.

So, whose fault is it? What kind our local universities do? Does this drop of ranking mean our quality continue to slide? Does this mean that others are growing faster than we do? What really goes wrong? We should really go down into the details to find out and really work hard!

Lets look at the ranking. My alma mater, Cornell drops from 15 to 20. NUS drops from 19 to 33, whereas Peking University drops from 14 to 36. Stanford University drops from 6 to 19, whereas UC Berkeley drops from 8 to 22. MIT drops from 4 to 10, whereas LSE drops from 17 to 59. Washington University in St. Louis drops from 48 to 161. Macquarie from 82 to 168.

So, if everyone is dropping, which universities went up? Imperial College from 9 to 5. Princeton from 10 to 6, University of Chicago from 11 to 7. University College of London 25 to 9. McGill 21 to 12. Penn 26 to 14. University of Hong Kong 33 to 18. Carnegie Mellon University 35 to 20. King's College London 46 to 24. Brown from 54 to 32 etc.

So, does this ranking matters at all? What causes those certain universities to drop a lot? Does those % ratings matter? Would student:faculty ratio matters a lot? Would 10 student:1 faculty vs 7 student: 1 faculty matters a lot? It might not, but the ranking would show greater difference.

Moving forward, what can we do to strengthen our universities? Would these 4 research universities continue to slide or can buck the trend and improve? What needs to be done? What kind of KPI needs to be institutionalized? Can the public support their alma mater more?

Health

Thanks for everyone who is checking... My health is getting a little better. My blood pressure is getting a little lower. So, that's a good news!!! Would try to control the stress level and make sure that I would be able to handle it!!!

Thanks for all the care and support. Really appreciate it!!!

To all of you out there who haven't taken good care of health, don't forget that health is very important.

Congrats to Poh Yi

Congratulations to Poh Yi~! I know you can do it! Congrats for making it into one of the top management consulting firm in the world!!! Am very proud of your achievement!!!

It is great to keep on getting the good news from my juniors who have managed to scale greater heights and manage to get into very reputable universities/firms. It definitely shows that Malaysians can do it, if they are able to be provided opportunities!!!

Congrats again!!!

UMNO General Assembly

Attached is the full speech by Prime Minister, YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Opening of UMNO General Assembly.

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Alhamdulillah, with God’s will, we are convene for the 58th UMNO General Assembly.

2. Our assembly this year takes place in the glow of the 50th Merdeka celebrations. This is also our first assembly for the next 50 years. Beginning the first national elections, UMNO, as part of the Alliance and subsequently Barisan Nasional, has formed the national government based on the principle of power sharing. It also spearheaded the drive towards independence.

3. The Malayan Government, considered to be lacking in experience, faced myriad challenges. Twelve years after independence, the nation was riven by racial riots that threatened its survival. Thanks to mutual understanding and a strong spirit of cooperation, we overcame this test. That dark time in our history became a valuable lesson that taught us the need to strengthen our unity.

4. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the Government introduced three major measures. First, the Rukun Negara was introduced as a national ideology to ensure national unity and safeguard the integrity of the nation. Second, the New Economic Policy was designed to develop our economy based on fair and equitable growth. Finally, the Barisan Nasional was introduced as an effective and inclusive political vehicle. The implementation of these three measures has brought success, guaranteed our survival and brought us the prosperity that we enjoy to this day.

5. Today, Barisan Nasional enjoys the support of the majority of Malaysians. We have formed the government continuously for 52 years. This achievement is testament to the party’s wise leadership and its committed membership. It is also the result of the cooperation we have formed with non-Malay communities, on the basis of power sharing and mutual understanding – an action plan that is realistic and pragmatic, giving priority to nation building and the welfare of the people.

ACHIEVEMENT OVER 50 YEARS

6. UMNO has done more than merely lead the government for 52 years. It has succeeded in building Malaysia into one of the most successful nations in the world, with an average growth rate of 6.3 percent per annum over fifty years. When we gained our independence, we ranked among the poorest countries in the world. Now, we are classified as a high human development index nation.Our nominal per capita income is RM20,900 – a 26 fold increase from the time of Merdeka.

7. The Government’s policy of encouraging private sector growth has resulted in total trade exceeding RM1 trillion for the first time earlier this year. We have recorded a positive balance of payments for 109 consecutive months.Our foreign reserves are now USD98.2 billion. Stock market activity is active and the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index has reached historic heights, touching 1413 points. Malaysia is recognized by the World Economic Forum as the fifth most competitive country in Asia.

8. These achievements are the result of our willingness to work hard. With the commitment of party members and the solid backing of the people, with the understanding of the public sector and in partnership with the private sector, I am confident that our competitiveness and productivity will continue to improve.

STRENGTHENING ISLAM

9. UMNO is committed to strengthening Islam and will not apologise for doing so. Islam promotes moderation. During the General Assembly in 2004, I laid out the ten principles of Islam Hadhari, an approach that was understood and supported by the component parties of Barisan Nasional. This proved that the approach to Islam as promoted by UMNO is fair.

10. Calls to return to the spirit of the Federal Constitution should be viewed in a positive light, interpreted with wisdom and without prejudice. The Constitution must be viewed as a whole, and selected clauses cannot be interpreted in isolation or out of context. The Constitution provides that Islam the official religion of the Federation but there is freedom to practice other religions.

11. Guided by the spirit of the Constitution, Malaysians of different religions must exercise mutual respect. Islam exhorts Muslims to respect the followers of other religions as stated in verse 108 of surah Al-An’ aam:

And do not revile those (beings) whom they invoke instead of God, lest they revile God out of spite, and in ignorance.
(al – An’aam:108)

12. It must be stressed that every action will cause a reaction. The disrespect and extremism shown by one party will elicit a similar response from another party. Violence by one side will breed violence from the other. Therefore, if we want our religion to be respected and understood, let us, in UMNO, show exemplary behaviour by respecting the followers of other religions and their needs.

13. We give assurance that UMNO will not endorse a narrow interpretation of Islam. UMNO opposes the culture of violence, we oppose a political culture that can disrupt the daily lives and commercial affairs of the ummah. Islam must not be downsized to fit the needs of a political organisation.Islam cannot become the exclusive domain of any single group.

14. UMNO believes that Islam will not grow, nor will it be respected if it is confined to rituals. If we fight for Islam, armed only with slogans and rhetoric, we will not achieve excellence. Indeed, the application of Islam through the prism of shallow minds and narrow interpretations can cause discomfort not only among non-Muslims, but among Muslims themselves. Overzealous enforcement can give Islam a negative image. Failure to understand the needs of adherents of other religions and denying them their rights runs counter to the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

As for such (of the unbelievers) as do not fight against you on account of (your) faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity: for verily, God loves those who act equitably.
(al-Mumtahanah: 8)

15. Islam must be explained to its followers, but also to non-Muslims. Islam must be identified as a religion that dispenses justice, prohibits inequity and rejects violence. There is nothing wrong with Islam, the error lies in the misguided actions by those who fail to interpret Islam and those who fail to practice it with open minds and rational thought. Muslims should concentrate on building on what makes Islam attractive. The Government’s stand is that Islam will be respected if it develops intellectual excellence, emphasises the pursuit of knowledge and concentrates on attaining economic success.

16. We have received international acknowledgement for our success in developing the Islamic financial system and in building a Halal hub, and these efforts are no less important that our individual obligations, our fardu ain. These efforts illustrate that Islam is contemporary and relevant in the modern economy. In fact, research in economy, science and technology are encouraged. We should give priority to these pursuits, instead of wasting time on polemics and rhetoric about rituals. Islam and the Ummah will be developed more quickly when Muslims can show excellence in the economy, science and technology.

17. Malaysia has continued to take great strides on become a premier global Islamic centre. In the Islamic Capital Markets, Malaysia accounts for two thirds of the world’s Islamic bonds, amounting to USD47 billion. In line with the Malaysian International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) initiative, Malaysia has liberalised the Islamic finance sector to encourage the participation of foreign institutions in banking, capital markets and takaful. In addition, we have taken a leadership role in establishing institutions such as the Islamic Financial Services Board and the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF). The IFSB, which has a membership of 125 countries, works to coordinate regulations and standards internationally, whereas INCEIF is a university-level institution that develops human capital to meet the needs of the Islamic finance sector.

18. Malaysia is also committed to becoming a world class halal hub. The Government has been active in promoting the products and services of Halal Malaysia while strengthening its Halal certification. Our commitment is shown through the establishment of the Halal Industry Development Corporation to spearhead and coordinate a variety of initiatives. Malaysians, particularly Muslims should not forgo opportunities in the halal industry, which can potentially yield substantial returns. The size of the global halal market is RM2 trillion and there are more than 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. In addition, it is a communal obligation, a fardu kifayah for us to raise the status and increase the usage of halal products and services.

GOVERNMENT LINKED COMPANIES

19. In order for Government Linked Companies (GLCs) to achieve their objectives, the Government introduced a GLC Transformation Programme on 14 May 2004. Their consequent success has been tremendous.The market capitalisation of the top 20 GLCs has increased by 74 percent to RM253 billion and has had a significant positive impact on the performance of the performance of Bursa Malaysia. The companies involved have shown tangible improvements in their financial results and the restructuring of their operations. Some have strengthened themselves through acquisitive growth, some have successfully ventured overseas. The gains made by GLCs have bolstered investor confidence domestically and internationally.

20. The improved performance of GLCs benefits many people. Funds such as the Employee Provident Fund, Lembaga Tabung Haji and Permodalan Nasional Berhad, that all hold substantial shareholdings in many GLCs have received increased returns, which are distributed to deposit holders and investors in the form of dividends and bonuses. To illustrate, since the transformation process began, dividends declared by Lembaga Tabung Haji have risen from 4.3 percent in 2003 to 4.75 percent last year. Similarly, EPF have declared higher dividend rates – from 4.75% in 2004 to 5.15% in 2006.

21. As corporations with ties to government, GLCs must understand national aspirations. GLCs must jointly shoulder the responsibility of developing a Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community, creating a vendor system and creating effective partnerships with Bumiputera enterprises. There is no conflict between being profit oriented and developing Bumiputera capacity in the economy. Today, there are many Bumiputera individuals and corporations that possess skill and capability.There is no reason for them to be excluded.We should not exclusively put our trust in foreign companies and experts. 22. GLCs should be at the vanguard of efforts to enhance the abilities and credibility of Bumiputeras. GLCs must play a role to catalyse the transfer of technology from overseas to local and Bumiputera firms. I am proud of what the GLCs have achieved. I will be prouder still when GLCs play an active role in expanding the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community and accelerating the transfer of technology to local companies. Their success story will be complete when GLCs can complement their role in economic development by contributing to Bumiputera socioeconomic programs.

PUBLIC SERVICES

23. The civil service is the prime mover of the government, covering every aspect of national development – from the economy to education to security. Indeed, an efficient civil service is critical in translating the vision of the Government into tangible benefits for the people. The Government will continue to take steps to improve the quality of the public service. The recent pay rise was one such measure. The introduction of service contracts and key performance indicators for secretaries general and heads of key agencies will also increase the level of accountability in the public sector.

24. The Government values the important role that is played by the Civil Service. That is why the Government agreed to raise civil service salaries, a rise that involves an additional annual emolument of RM8 billion. The Government views this substantial expenditure as a long term investment to ensure that the civil service continues to retain the best talent, capable of offering the highest standards of service.

25. Some improvements have already taken place. Following the establishment of flying squads, 98 percent of the backlog of land dealings since 2001 has been cleared. Now, tax returns can be filed through the internet and tax refunds via the “e-filing” system are made within 30 days. The issuance of passports and identity cards, which used to take two weeks, is now done within a day. The approval of building plans are now given within 142 days and Certificates of Completion and Compliance are issued within 134 days, a vast improvement on the length of time it took to issue Certificates of Fitness.

26. There are clearly weaknesses that must be remedied before we can attain the excellence to which we aspire. But importantly, we are now committed to change and prepared to make the necessary corrections. Improvements will be continue to be made to increase efficiency and improve the delivery system. The establishment of the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business or PEMUDAH has had a direct impact in increasing the competitiveness of the business environment.

27. The response to the Auditor General’s Report is proof that a dynamic change is taking place. It is a clear illustration of the power and capability of the relevant agencies to monitor and enforce. The stand of the Government is that frank reports such as the one prepared by the Auditor General will make the improve integrity and efficiency in the civil service. I am happy with the quick action taken by the Anti Corruption Agency and I am certain that many public servants support these actions, which protect the dignity and integrity of their profession.

28. In this connection, I want the civil service to always realize that their purpose in to serve the public – primarily the poor, the uneducated, and those without rank or position. This is the biggest and most important constituency. They must be treated with friendliness and respect. The power of administration must be given to speed up processes, not slow them down, especially for the powerless.

DEVELOPING GROWTH CORRIDORS AND TAPPING NEW POTENTIAL

29. The development corridor concept is a new approach aimed at generating comprehensive and widespread economic development. The nation’s development would be unbalanced if growth was solely concentrated in urban areas. Our cities would become overcrowded, while rural Malaysia would be neglected. The regionally based growth corridors will tap new potential and elevate efforts to eradicate poverty. More importantly, each corridor exploits unique local characteristics and natural competitive advantages. For example, the Northern Corridor will concentrate on agriculture and tourism will feature prominently in the East Coast and in Sabah.

30. The development corridors also adopt a new approach by involving the private sector more actively in development plans. For example, it has been reported that 70 percent of industrial areas within the Northern Corridor remain unused due to lack of demand.Therefore, we have ensured that the private sector is directly involved in the planning and implementation of the Corridors. This is to ensure all investments are commercially oriented and can generate appropriate returns, apart from delivering the benefits of development to the people.

31. The launch of the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) on 4 November 2006 ushered a new era in the country’s development. It has been designed to become a services hub, principally in the areas of creative arts, education, health care, financial and consulting services, tourism and logistics. It is expected to propel the southern Johor region to become a dynamic metropolis.

32. Both the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), covering Perlis, Penang, Kedah and northern Perak and the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), which encompasses Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the district of Mersing in Johor will feature a variety of sectors, aimed at eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life of the people and to eradicate poverty. We also want to ensure that the progress is distributed to the whole of the country, including the states in East Malaysia. In this connection, development corridors in Sabah and Sarawak will be established to take into account the needs and aspirations of the two states. Eradication of poverty will be the main focus of these two corridors.All these corridors are aimed at improving the lives of the people by ensuring that they taste the fruits of success.

33. The philosophy behind the development corridors is that no one should be left behind. Economic sectors and geographical regions that are currently lagging behind will be developed quickly.Additional income and new sources of income will be generated and new sources of wealth will be harvested. When our plans succeed, it will transform the face of Malaysia. Development will not just be concentrated to major urban centres, but will instead be spread to every area of our nation.This is our noble ambition.

34. There are fears that these development corridors, especially the Iskandar Development Region will threaten the future of the Malays. To me, this is an antiquated view. Perhaps in the past, we were laggards in our own land. This is not the case now. We now have many Malays who are well educated and have become doctors, lawyers, accountants and even astronauts. A class of Malay managers, capable of successfully running businesses has emerged. Therefore, the presumption that the IDR will harm Malays is an insult to the ability of Malays to compete on the global stage. Through Yayasan Hartanah Bumiputera and other agencies, qualified Malay entrepreneurs will be given ample opportunity to participate in the development of IDR.

35. The NCER has been well received by the people of the North. Similarly, the ECER has elicited a positive response from the people on the East Coast, including the PAS government in Kelantan. Our efforts are evidence of the Government’s sincerity in bringing development to all parts of the country. We put aside politics to improve the quality of life of the people and to lift them out of poverty. The economic corridors are part of the Government’s national agenda – proof of the determination of the Barisan Nasional government to develop the entire nation for the well being of the people.

36. These development corridors should be seen as a larger plan to vault every Malaysian – Malays especially – to greater prosperity. In the past, we have been speaking about towering Malays – and this is what we want – Malays who are unafraid to take on the world. We will never sacrifice the interest of Malaysians and Malays. The investment that we will attract from all over the world will accelerate our economic growth and the benefits will be enjoyed by all. And we will provide the necessary facilitation and encouragement in order to enable all Malays who want to compete in these Corridors the ability to do so.

37. In the Corridors, agriculture in Malaysia will be given a new face and a fresh approach. Structural changes will be introduced, especially to allow greater Malay participation in the supply chain. Malay farmers are still restricted to harvesting primary products. Their work is labour and time intensive, but yields low value returns. Agriculture encompasses so much more than this – it involves the provision of quality seedlings, modern equipment, technology, transportation, packaging and branding, wholesaling, retail, to name a few components. Today, the supply chain is not yet controlled by Malays, much less Malay farmers. The Government will work towards effecting a transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, which through the use of biotechnology and ICT sector will be more productive and profitable. Through this new approach, the agriculture sector will have a direct impact on our fight against poverty and will increase people’s incomes.

DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL AND ACHIEVING POTENTIAL

38. The development of quality human capital is critical to build competitiveness and to achieve national development goals. As a developing nation, Malaysia faces many competitive pressures and challenges in the 21st century. In the current environment, success comes to those who value-add themselves. This is true for individuals, corporations and nations. To realise our country’s aspirations, a substantial effort must be made to develop human capital and consequently enhance our competitiveness, productivity and capacity to innovate.

39. Our youth are like unpolished gemstones. They will inherit our nation and will determine its fortunes in the years ahead. They must possess intellectual capacity, knowledge and culture .They must possess physical well-being and strong morals.Our youth must be prepared to lead our nation to greater heights.

40. We are currently effecting a quantum leap to develop human capital, and increase our productivity and innovation, so that we can attain developed nation status by 2020. We are transforming our education system at all levels – from pre-school to higher education.It is a complex task that involves many stakeholders. The Education Development Blueprint, 2006 – 2010 that was launched on 16 January 2007 provides the strategy and guidance to deliver quality basic education that is relevant to present needs.

41. Since the pre-Merdeka era, national schools have been conceived as the instrument to educate a multiracial population. This remains our objective. National schools will be strengthened to become the school of choice for all communities. Rural schools will be given quality teachers as well as infrastructure and facilities that compare will urban schools. Schools will excel in academic performance, co-curricular activities and sports. Cluster schools will become the benchmark in our drive to build a quality education system.

42. The Higher Education Strategic Plan was launched on 27 August 2007. The Plan forms the basis for the development of higher education until 2020. Through the Plan, the transformation of higher education will be sparked, in consonance with national development aspirations. It is the wish of Government for institutions of higher education to create an atmosphere that is competitive, premised on performance and meritocracy. Institutions of Higher Education must be able to produce graduates that will attract employers in the global marketplace. These institutions should also produce quality research that possesses high commercial value.

43. We have taken steps, among them providing more autonomy to Public Institutions of Higher Education in order to make them more efficient and effective. Audits of academic performance will be carried out to determine ratings for each institution. We have also embarked on a programme to develop an “apex” university.

44. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in generating economic growth. They need human capital that is trained with the relevant skill sets. Technical and vocational training will be structured to meet the needs of industry.

45. Religious schools are also instructed to provide variety in their curriculum and broaden their scope. Students in these schools will be supplied with knowledge, experience and skills that enable them to meet the human capital needs in a globalised economy that puts a premium on knowledge.

46. I want to see UMNO members turn the human capital development program into a jihad – for the party, for their families and for themselves. Each UMNO member must set a target to create a group of Malay professionals and technocrats. Each member must ensure that their children are enrolled in institutions of higher education.

BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE, ERADICATING POVERTY

47. In 2020, it is important for Malays not to be left behind, marginalized in a nation that is already developed. We are working hard to avert this outcome.

48. Worry, fear and a sense of being under threat occurs when Malays are insufficiently prepared. For as long as Malays remain unambitious, they will fear meritocracy. The feelings of inferiority, nervousness and insufficiency are poisons that have been injected into the Malay mentality since colonial times. These poisons must be removed.Malays, when given the proper guidance and fair opportunity, are prepared to compete.

49. We have been independent for 50 years. Malays in the modern day are prepared to work hard. Many are prepared to compete globally. We should not be underestimated.We will equip Malays to take the nation to a higher level over the next 50 years. Let us aspire to greater heights and believe in our own abilities. Let us endeavour with the full confidence that Allah will bestow victory to those with armed with noble intentions, are willing to work hard and are prepared to change. God did not create Malays to be weaker or less intelligent than other peoples. The name of the first Malaysian to go into space is Sheikh Muszaphar – a Muslim and a Malay, chosen by the selection panel in Russia from a large, multiracial pool of candidates. Today, Malays have master many professions, lead many organizations and head many institutions. The success of this nation is a testament to the wisdom and greatness of Malay leadership.

50. The Malay community must create a critical mass of educated and skilled Malays, so that we can contribute more effectively in a variety of economic sectors. Intrepid Malays will be able to see the New Economic Policy from a perspective that will no longer alarm non-Malays. We should champion the fulfilment of the objectives of the NEP, ensuring the development of deep professional and middle classes among the Malays, so that Malaysian society is no longer divided by profession. The NEP was never intended to rob anyone’s rights. Although it has been 37 years since the introduction of the NEP, we have not made Malays rich by seizing the wealth of the non-Malays. The list of the richest individuals in Malaysia is still led by non-Malays. All parties should work towards achieving the objectives of the NEP.

51. In our quest to balance racial composition in the private and public sectors, let us not forget the other important goal of the NEP – eradication of poverty. The country will not achieve true peace and harmony while we have large numbers of poor living among us. Poverty can cause political instability, street demonstrations, high rates of crime and serious social problems.Poverty eradication programs are for all – irrespective of race or religion. Capacity building and value adding through effective education programs will elevate people from poverty. Poverty eradication programs will be given intensive attention in the second half of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.We hope that in the not too distant future, the term “poverty” will be obsolete – a word only to be found in dictionaries. Elected representatives must give high priority to poverty eradication – their success in doing so in their respective constituencies will be one of their key performance indicators.

OVERCOMING FEARS

52. Society is currently faced with a number of fears, among them: crime and inter-religious and communal issues. Crime in Malaysia is caused, among others by social problems and in some cases as a result of the influx of illegal immigrants. Media reports of crimes have heightened the public’s awareness, but the dramatic manner in which the news is presented gives the impression that this country is no longer safe. Higher crime rates and the approach taken by the media will affect the nation’s image. The Government is aware of the problem and in both the Ninth Malaysian Plan and the 2008 Budget, a large allocation has been granted to the Police. It should be understood, however, that the large personnel increases required by the Police cannot be filled overnight. It takes time to hire and train new police personnel. While this is happening, the country and society must be supportive of the Police and refrain from undermining the public’s confidence in the force.

53. Maintaining security is a responsibility of the Government, one which can be carried out more effectively with the support of the public. Tackling social problems such as drug abuse, smuggling, human trafficking requires the cooperation of all parties. The spirit of “citizen patrols” that was once commonplace must be revived. Malaysian society, which has now become accustomed to material comforts must never lose the community spirit. The call of the Government to reactivate the “Rukun Tetangga” must be answered. The work of the police must be supplemented by public assistance. A strong national spirit must prevail as we confront increasing crime rates. I am confident that if neighbourhood patrols are restarted, the incidence of break-ins and thefts will decrease dramatically. I ask all UMNO members, and the members of Barisan Nasional component parties to step forward and set an example in assisting the Government to combat crime.

54. The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury – it is a necessity. We have no other choice. Fifty years ago, our independence movement was successful because of the wisdom of Tunku Abdul Rahman (Almarhum) and his colleagues who introduced the concept of power sharing.

55. We have been independent for fifty years. Now, those who are born in Malaysia are Malaysians citizens.They were born and have grown up knowing only Malaysia as their homeland. The time for championing parochial interests in over. Issues must be addressed on the basis of the interests of the nation and the Malaysian people as a whole.

56. During the 2006 UMNO General Assembly, UMNO allowed the media to provide live coverage of the proceedings. For the first time, the world was given a window to view Malay political rhetoric. Only a small number of speakers raised issues that perhaps touched on communal sensitivities. The speeches by the President, Deputy President and the leaders of the Youth, Wanita and Puteri movements, as well as the other debaters spoke on issues from a national perspective and represented the majority view within UMNO. I believe that similar extremist sentiments are voiced by members of political parties that represent other communities. However, in the spirit of building a unified nation, the consensus of moderation and mutual respect outweighs extremist tendencies.

57. Those who would wish to inflame communal sentiments have sensationalised the words of a few UMNO speakers. The act of unsheathing and kissing a keris is part of our cultural heritage, but it’s meaning has been twisted to spread fear among non-Malays, and the image of UMNO and Malaysia has been smeared overseas. On behalf of UMNO’s leaders and members, I give assurance that UMNO will never breach the spirit of the understanding that has been agreed with the other communities at the time of Merdeka. Opportunities in Malaysia are available to all. There is a future for every Malaysian in this country.

58. By the same token, other communities must appreciate the sensitivities of the Malays. Basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contract between the communities are sacred to us and should not be raised. Similarly, the basic issues that were agreed upon at the time the Federal Constitution was drafted are non-negotiable.

59. UMNO does not engage in duplicity.We do not change our tune to suit the occasion or the audience. We are ready to seek intelligent resolutions and win-win outcomes when dealing with sensitive issues relating to race and religion. Nevertheless, for these issues to be addressed effectively, it is more appropriate to have these discussions behind closed doors. Sensitive issues must be handled objectively, rationally and maturely. UMNO and its colleagues in Barisan Nasional must never be ensnared by religious and racial issues raised by the opposition. We are the party that controls Government, we administer executive power. We should never allow ourselves to sink to their level.

TOWARDS 100 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

60. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of our independence, with the grace of Allah, I was given the honour of revisiting the historical journey undertaken by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. Beginning with the events in Bandar Hilir in Malacca, until the proclamation of MERDEKA at the Merdeka Stadium.

61. Malaysians should be thankful for the dignity and sovereignty that our nation possesses. We can be proud of how we have progressed since we attained our freedom. Much of this stems from the wisdom of our leadership, beginning with Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, followed by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Tub Hussein Onn and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. I was given the responsibility to lead four years ago.

62. This region once achieved greatness during the Malay Empire of Malacca. But it Malacca only lasted a century. After its fall, we were colonised for almost 500 years a period when our destiny was determined by foreign powers. In the 50 years after Merdeka, we have managed to govern ourselves and rekindle the glory of Malacca. Malaysia has emerged once again as a sovereign nation, esteemed and respected. But we do not want our success to last for only 100 years. We want to perpetuate our excellence.

63. I am grateful that I have inherited a Government that has achieved much, especially in the area of our physical infrastructure development. In fact, the challenge that confronts me is to add value to the success that has already been achieved. I have therefore decided to work towards developing the software for our nation through cultivating first class human capital.W e have introduced various formulae, restructured organisations and established new institutions. Fresh policies have been put in place and adjustments have been made to suit changing circumstances. The four years that I have held the reins of leadership is a relatively short span of time in our life as an independent nation and I realise that we still have some distance to travel before we meet the targets that we have set ourselves. In addition, there are new challenges emerging, such as the increasing price of fuel and other commodities and political instability in strategic regions such as the Middle East. Still, the positive signs that I see in Malaysia fill me with optimism.

64. We must be aware of our people who are becoming better educated, have more access to information and want more transparency, democratic practices and a bigger role for civil society. Media is undergoing a revolution. Information is now distributed through multiple channels. In this context, we must be intelligently balance the need for media freedoms with the basis for political stability that we have enjoyed. The Government wishes to see the media industry grow into an industry that is progressive and open, an industry that can carry out its responsibilities with integrity and responsibility. Perhaps one day in the future, the media can assume the responsibility of self regulation by its own professionals.

65. We must strengthen and rejuvenate political cooperation through a genuine spirit of power sharing. We must educate our future leaders to continue with the nation building agenda. The failure to prepare capable successors will leave a void that will be eagerly filled by our opponents.

66. It is the responsibility of today’s leaders to institute smooth continuity of leadership. UMNO is strong and stable because of the attention given to groom future leaders. During the time of Tun Abdul Razak (Allahyarham), much emphasis was given to talent spotting. Young leaders were given the opportunity to serve. They were educated and guided.This is why when both Tun Dr. Ismail and Tun Abdul Razak passed away suddenly, UMNO was equipped with a new echelon of leaders that was prepared and tested. No one lives forever. Responsible leaders will think about the nation’s future. For the sake of the country’s future, we must give priority to programs that develop potential leaders of tomorrow.

67. The fate of the nation in 2057 will depend on what we do today.The National Mission must succeed and this will only happen when our people are strong. They must be equipped with knowledge and become masters of technology. They must be cultured and possess strong morals.

68. A country that celebrates 50 years of independence must be populated with a free people – a people who have the belief and confidence in their future. Its people must shoulder the responsibility of defending its freedom; a people who live in harmony between communities and religions; a people who are broad minded and big hearted.

69. The next 50 years must be fully optimised by the Malays, by all Malaysians. The Federal Constitution must continue to be the bedrock of our nation and the Rukun Negara our guiding principles. We want to ensure that the country remains united and society remains equitable, infused with the spirit of togetherness and power sharing. We want to build a cultured and civilised nation through the approach of Islam Hadhari, which contains universal principles. We want an advanced nation that continues to progress, steered by the National Mission.

70. The National Mission has five main thrusts – moving the economy up the value chain, developing first class human capital, addressing persistent socio-economic imbalances, improving the quality of life and strengthening institutional capacity – all of which are universal, constant requirements for national building. The strength of our human capital will determine the success of the Mission. It will determine whether we achieve developed nation status and progress further.

71. Let us all build a nation that enriches every citizen, regardless of race or belief. Let us be a nation where everyone enjoys balanced development. Let us carry our nation to the peak of distinction.

72. When we celebrate our centenary of independence in 2057, Malaysia should be counted as one of the countries with the highest levels of human development. We should be ranked as one of the most competitive economies in the world with first class human capital, infrastructure, institutions and administration standards, insya-Allah.

73. I pray to Allah to provide guidance and inspiration to us to carry out our responsibilities and exercise our communal obligations, our fardu kifayah. I pray that our leaders and the future of both UMNO and Malaysia do not fall under the control of those who wish to bring destruction. May our Assembly be blessed by God.

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The Edge Real Estate Investment Forum

Managed to get the links for the presentation slides for Edge Real Estate Investment Forum.

If you are interested, do email me and I can share with you the details. The slides are only up until 15th November.

Beautiful Gate Foundation Charity Hunt

Hope that the readers of my blog would be able to spread this around or support them! I have watched the performance by those from Beautiful Gate Foundation during Famine 30 Camp, and would say that their performance are definitely first class.

Do support them!

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Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled would be organizing a Charity Hunt on 1st December 2007 with starting and finishing at The Summit, USJ .

The goal is to enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities, and assist in their total integration into mainstream Malaysian society.

Entry Fee :
Minimum Donation of RM 300 per team

Format and details of this event

100% hunt. A no frills, just thrills event.
Start venue & time : The Summit Shopping Center @ 8am
Registration & briefing : 7.30am
Finish venue & time : The Summit Shopping Center @ 12noon
Answers and prize presentations @ 2.00pm
Lunch will be provided.
Questions
35 route Qs x 2 pts (Part A – 15 Q , Part B – 20 Q)
5 treasures x 5 pts
5 Beautiful Gate & International Day of Disabled People Trivia Qs x 1 pts (10min - start at 12.00noon)
Tie breakers – 1. Trivia Qs, 2. Treasures 3. Route Qs 4. Time.
Collect t-shirts and car stickers from Beautiful Gate on Wed 28/11 and Thurs 29/11 10am -7pm.
“Treasure Hunt 101” - a coaching session tailored for beginners will be conducted at The Summit Shopping Center on Friday 30/11 at 6.30pm All regular hunters need not attend.
Clerk of course: Michael Pang
Entry closing date: 5pm on Friday 26 Nov. 2007

Entry Fee & Instructions

Per team : A minimum donation of RM300

We are pleased to inform you that all payments to the Foundation are tax-exempt!

Please download Entry Form

Bank-in to Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled
Public Bank A/C No: 3139933307

Fax entry & payment slip to : 03- 7876 2686

Contact Person
Ivy Pua, Tel: 03-78736579/ 7875 8609
Sia Siew Chin, H/P 019-219 8440 (prefer SMS), bgcentre@yahoo. com
Serena Pang, H/P 012-2270229, spcp129@yahoo. com
For more information, please visit http://bgfrenz.blogspot.com

Racial Integration

Malaysia has achieved its independence for 50 years and we are now moving into the 2nd 50-year phase. The question is are we getting more and more united? or more and more separated?

I would say that every Malaysian would agree, whether publicly or deep down their hearts that if all of us are united, Malaysia would definitely grow much better and it would become an even better country to live in.

The question is are we moving forward? Are we moving backward? The current discussion, especially in cyberspace has been ongoing for several years, especially with all those emotional write-ups by many people, be it bloggers, columnists, forum respondents etc.

What would all those bring us to? Would we become a more united nation? Would Malaysians close rank?

Just imagine, how strong we are, if we could leverage on the strength of all our races. Just take the 3 main races (without forgeting all the other races), Malays, Chinese and Indians, it is enough for us to tap the close to 3 Billion Asian populations. China and India itself has more than 2 Billion population in total. Indonesia, Brunei, Middle East countries would add up to quite a large number of populations and we add up all those countries/regions/areas like Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong etc, we should be in the forefront with what we have.

Malaysia is one of the very few countries in the world, where anyone can set up a firm, which would provide ready trained workforce, who would be able to leverage towards the greater Asia.

I would like to encourage all readers to really do something to enhance our racial integration for our country. There lies a day, when we will all introduce ourselves as Malaysians.

Selamat Hari Deepavali!

Health Concern

Health is important. Important is an understatement. I know that I should be taking more good care of my health. It has been a yo-yo health all these while, and I don't want myself regret years later, when my body cannot take it anymore.

Had some breathing difficulty this afternoon, after being on workload stress for the past few weeks. Have been trying my best to juggle it, but guess I fail to control my stress well.

Don't worry. Am fine. The doctor checked and find that my blood pressure is very high at 160-100. And my heart beat is very fast too. After a long rest this afternoon, I think I am getting a little better.

Thanks for everyone's concern. Thanks to Ewan, OT, Yong Chao for sending me to clinics and all the others' well wishes.

Happy Deepavali!

Selamat Hari Deepavali

In conjunction with the Deepavali festive season, would like to wish everyone, Selamat Hari Deepavali. Hope that everyone would be able to celebrate this Festival of the Light.

Being a Bricksfieldian (that's how I would call myself, being someone who has lived for 2.5 years in Bricksfield), I definitely get to immerse with the festive season, although by the time I get back from work, it is very late.

Hope that everyone would take this festive season and have a good holiday!

Tengku Zafrul's Speech in UK

There are many CEOs in Malaysia, however, I would say that recently, there has been quite a number of new breed CEOs, who are very well educated and also have been very forward looking and approachable, utilizing new media etc to reach out to the masses.

One of these CEOs is definitely Tengku Zafrul from Tune Money . It is interesting to see how a CEO keeps on blogging, even during the rushing moments of his company's launching. That's definitely unique spirit!

He made a speech recently in UK, in conjunction with ASLI's Commemorative Conference on 50 years of Malaysian-British Partnership: Moving Forward. Would like to encourage those who read my blog to try and read it. It is here

Quality of Malaysian Universities

It is again the time of the year, where Times Higher Education Supplement would be releasing the list of top 200 Universities around the world. While the ranking is not the only measure of a university's quality, I would say that many people do look seriously and deeply into it. The prestige of universities could be enhanced or degraded due to it.

This year's list would be released on 9th November, which is the day after Deepavali. What do you think our local IPTAs would fare? Would there be more than 2 Malaysian Universities making it to top 200? Last year, UKM was ranked 185 and UM was ranked 192 (unless my memory is wrong). Could we penetrate the top 150 ranking? Could more of our universities make the mark? USM? MMU? UPM? or any other universities?

Talking about university benchmark, guess we should look at how should we measure a university? Times measure include peer institution review, recruiters' review, student:faculty ratio, international faculty, international students, citations. Are these the most important thing?

Recently, an Academic Reputation Survey of Public Higher Education Institution was done, and it focused on the best overall university, research quality, academic resources, academic reputation of faculty, students' university of choice, academic programme quality, postgraduate programme quality, research contribution to society, preparation of tomorrow's leaders, and quality of graduates.

The areas that it focused are quite good. However, personally, I think that there is a need to revamp the target group who would rate these universities. Currently, 242 public and private higher education institution, 2 ASEAN universities (National University of Singapore and Institut Teknologi Brunei), 9 corporations (TNB, TM, Felcra, Petronas, MAS, Sime UEP) and 19 professionals and certification bodies.

I would think that a lot more corporations, especially those multi national companies operate in Malaysia should be involved, unless they choose not to respond? If they choose not to respond, then I guess there is reason to investigate why they do so. The recruiters' perspective would be crucial to evaluate objectively the quality of graduates, at least in terms of those who go to career world.

My 2 cents are above...

U.S. Universities Prominent Alumni

Hi all, American Universities Alumni Malaysia (AUAM) will be celebrating its 30th anniversary on 16th December 2007.

AUAM would like to honour prominent U.S. Universities Alumni and if anyone knows of any prominent names, please kindly share with me.

Am looking at those who are holding the level of CEOs of major companies or its equivalent.

Malaysia Sudoku Society's Blog

Check out the brand out blog of Malaysia Sudoku Society here !

CIMB Wealth Advisors Asset Allocation Talk

This morning, attended an Asset Allocation seminar organized by CIMB Wealth Advisors.

I would rate it as quite a good seminar, where it gives people like me more knowledge to learn on various asset allocation. About 400 people attended it, although again, among the crowd of under 30, I think I am one of the very few. Wonder why. Are the youth not interested in such events? It is not that the youth do not know, since it is advertised in The Star many times.

Tan Beng Wah, CEO of CIMB Wealth Advisors started the day, by showing some basic slides. He showed that total Net Asset Value for unit trust in Malaysia has grown from RM33.5 Billion in 1997 to RM152.5 Billion today. That's a 5-fold increase. For market capitalization of Bursa, it was RM375.8 Billion in 1997 and it is now RM1.077 Trillion. That's about 3 fold increase. So, unit trust has grown from about 9% of Bursa to 14% of Bursa.

He shows on how predicting short term market movement would be challenging and it would be crucial to have various asset allocation technique. And diversification can be done within same asset class, for example through different region or different industry or different size of companies.

Among the asset class would include the typical Equities, Bond (Fixed Income), REITs, Structured Product, Alternative Investments etc.

Other speakers of the day include:-
1. Kirk West - Managing Director of Asia Principal Global Investor
2. Arnold Lim - Head of Retail Sales, CIMB Wealth Advisors
3. William Tan - Head of Sales, Franklin Templeton Investment
4. Teng Chee Wei - CEO of HwangDBS Investment Management Berhad
5. Francis Eng - Fund Manager of OSK-UOB Unit Trust Management Berhad
6. Choo Swee Kee - Chief Investment Officer of TA Investment
7. Josephine Yip - Head of Retail Sales Malaysia for Schroder Investment Management Private Limited.

As the talk has touched on too many aspects, I would choose to highlight some of the major take-aways that I get. A lot of those are just classic advice.

1. Time in the market vs timing the market - It has been mentioned many times that what matters is being in the market early. Start investing at younger age and you would be able to ride through it. In the long run, the trend is always on the up side, although it might go up and down within a particular year or even within a particular cycle of about 10 years.

2. People usually perceive that it is risky when prices are low and not risky when prices are high. In fact, it is not so. And sometimes, the opposite could be true. Low prices might mean opportunities for purchase, especially in terms of Value Investing.

3. Risk is quantifiable and can be priced into value of security, whereas uncertainty is a state of mind, typefied by lack of sureness about something and is often subjective. Uncertainty can create market volatility.

4. Control those variables that are controllable.
a) Asset Allocation
b) Investment Selections
c) Time Horizon
d) Risk Level
e) Saving Rate
f) Active/Passive Management Approach

5. Each asset class would have different correlation with each other and often the correlation is quite low. So, it would be a good idea to mix and bundle with various asset class. Construct a portfolio that match with the efficient frontier, and within the risk appetite that we want, as well as with the projected returns that we want. Rebalancing would need to be done from time to time, to ensure that the investment are in tune.

6. Based on a study, variation in an investment, is affected mainly by asset allocation. Would say more than 90% of the effects.

7. For each investor, we would have our own risk profile. When do we want the returns to be reap? Do we want to try and earn as much as we can, while taking more risk? Or we just want to ensure that we do capital protection, where we are protected from inflation and perhaps earn a little more?

8. There are two types of investment style.
a) Target Risk - This would mean that we determine the proportion of each asset class. If we look at high level, perhaps % of equity, % of bond/fixed income, % of REIT/Property? So, we fix the percentage, based on our profile, age, affordability and then we move it strategically from time to time. Perhaps once every quarter or half yearly. This kind of investment is not trading, which means you do not focus on price movement every day. (For me, I am looking at my investment once a month, to track its progress.)

b) Target Date - This would basically set a date that we need the money. The further the time horizon, the more risk, we could afford to take, and then the risk factor would gradually decrease over time. Equity is definitely more risky compared to fixed income, but it also potentially bring in more returns. So, for those with longer term investment profile, that would be something that you might want to overweight. For REIT investment, it would depend on whether we are looking at capital appreciation or rental income.

9. There are top-down, as well as bottom-up approach.
a) Top-down would mean looking at global macroeconomic factors, and then zoom into domestic economy and sector and then asset allocation within the sector.
b) Bottom-up approach would mean looking at each company's fundamentals and then do a stock review and build a recommended list of stock database.
Either means could generate returns. It would depend on how we want to structure it.

10. Value investing vs growth investing
a) For value investing, we look at undervalued companies, as well as companies with low PE, PB and PCF ratios. Focus also on companies with high dividend yield.
b) For growth investing, we look at those with above average earnings growth and profits and typically these companies have higher price relative to PE and PB ratios. Generally, it pays very little or no dividend.

11. According to William Tan, secotrs that have potential include Media and Communications, Pharmaceutical, Energy and IT.

12. 3 Ps of Investing
- Prudence, Preseverence and Patience
- An anecdote was provided "No matter how great the talent and effort, some things just take time. For example, one cannot produce a baby in 1 month, by making 9 women getting pregnant.

13. For Real Estate investing, it would be divided into 4 types:-
a) Private and Equity - Core, value added and opportunistic property
b) Private and Debt - Commercial Mortgage, Bridge, Mezzanine
c) Public and Equity - Real Estate Investment Trust
d) Public and Debt - Commercial Mortgage Backed Security

14. Case for Global Property Security
a) Diversification - more efficient portfolio
b) Large Opportunity set - high total return portfolio to large and rapidly growing investment opportunity
c) Liquidity - liquid and efficient method of investing in real estate

15. Global Real Estate has a much higher Sharpe Ratio than Global Equity and Global Bond. So, for real estate, for each unit of risk, it is being rewarded with much better returns.

16. On subprime problem, Kirk West shows that U.S. is a $10 Trillion market and mortgage is a USD1.5 Trillion market. 80% of mortgage are in Triple A and 15% are in Alternate A. So, only 5% of mortgage or USD75 billion are affected by sub prime.

17. Thematic investment. We were shown aspects of investing in Global Infrastructure, Environmental opportunities and natural resources.

18. Infrastructure are divided into 4 groups.
a) Social infrastructure - courts, hospital, school, police & army
b) Regulated asset - transmission asset, distribution asset, water and sewerage
c) User Demand asset - road, railway and airport
d) Competitive asset - Communications, Power generation, energy trading

19. For Environmental, it is focused on energy, water and waste, and main drivers for it, is market liberalization, environmental policy, new business model, scarcity of resources and corporate activity.

20. For natural resources, year-to-date, growth has been very solid for lead, wheat, crude oil etc. However, there is still a lot of room for commodity like coffee, sugar, cocoa, cotton etc. Essentially, arable land and resources are limited, so there is only upside in the long run.

21. Strategy for natural resources investment are that when commodity prices are high, invest in upstream, where the commodity is generated. When prices are low, invest in downstream activity, where the industrialization/production of products from natural resources are done. For example, when rubber price is high, invest in rubber production company. When rubber price is low, invest in companies that purchase rubber to produce rubber-related product, and during that stage, cost is low when rubber price is low.

22. European market. Employment in Europe went through cycles.
a) 1994-1998 - Employment slow
b) 1998-2001 - Employment growth
c) 2002-2005 - Employment slow
d) 2006 to now - Employment growth
So, this means lots of room for consumer purchasing power to grow. Euro is at all-time high against USD as well.

23. On why invest in Euro?
a) Global infrastructure spending
b) Restructuring to raise returns
c) Global trade growth
d) Europe has been neglected lately
e) Merger and acquisitions are growing
f) Secular growth opportunities
g) Domestic recovery

24. China has been opening up, and now foreigners can purchase A and B share in Shanghai and Shenzhen bourse. Whereas Mainlanders can now purchase H shares from Hong Kong and other parts of the world.

25. Dollar cost averaging and value averaging are being shared as potential ways of investing and main theme is that it is crucial to be committed and discipline in maintaining asset allocation.

26. 4 types of asset allocation are shown as example:-
a) Conservative Portfolio - 77% Fixed Income, 8% Global Property, 5% Malaysia Equity, 5% Asia Equity, 5% World Equity
b) Moderate Portfolio - 48% Fixed Income, 15% Global Property, 25% Asia Equity, 5% World Equity, 7% Malaysia Equity
c) Moderate Aggressive Portfolio - 25% Fixed Income, 15% Property, 44% Asia Equity, 11% Malaysia Equity, 5% World Equity
d) Aggressive Portfolio - 70% Asia Equity, 5% Malaysia Equity, 5% World Equity, 5% Fixed Income, 15% Global Property


I would say that I enjoy attending such public lectures and I would definitely encourage all those people who read my blog (I know there are not many, perhaps around 20-25 people a day), but I would encourage everyone to continue pick-up knowledge as you go.

As a conclusion, I would review my own investment portfolio, although total amount is not much. I would say that I should increase on my investment in global property and Asia Pacific Equity, while try to reduce my investment within our local bourse.

How about yours?

Sudoku Enthusiasts?

Hi all Sudoku enthusiasts,

Malaysia Sudoku Society has just been approved by Registrar of Society and its inaugural Annual General Meeting would be done, most likely on 15th December 2007.

There would be more updates to come!

If anyone is willing to help make a simple website for Malaysia Sudoku Society and help with registering domain and space (with a fee! although not much), do contact me.

Mensa Forum On Intelligence

Malaysian Mensa Society and Dept of Psychology, School of Health & Natural Sciences, Sunway University College jointly organize Forum On Intelligence 2007, with the theme of Intelligence in Management.

It would be held on 24th November 2007 (Saturday) 9am to 3:30pm at:-
Auditorium 7
Sunway University College
No.5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway
46150 Petaling Jaya

The cost is very minimal, and it includes lunch and tea break.

RM30 Mensans
RM30 Sunway University College Staff & Students
RM50 Other members of the public

There would be a Malaysian Mensa Admission Test (Cost RM35) at 1pm there too!

The Programs are:-

9.00 am Registration

9.30 am Opening Speech by Mensa Chairman, Low Keng Lok

9.35 am Presentation 1 by Dr Marie-Aimee Tourres (Manchester Business School Worldwide / Sunway University College)
"Managing People at a National Level During a Crisis"

10.10 am Morning Tea

10.30 am Presentation 2 by Mr Baskaran Sabapathy (School of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Management, Sunway University College)
"Managing Personnel in the Hospitality Industry"

11.15 am Presentation 3 by Dr Lowell John Gretebeck (School of Business and Law, Sunway University College)
"Oyster Soup as a Model of Effective Management"

12.00 noon Panel Discussion on "Management - Instinct or Intelligence?"
Panelists - Dr Teoh Hsien-Jin (Chair)
Mr Baskaran Sabapathy
Dr Lowell John Gretebeck
Dr Marie-Aimee Tourres

1.00 pm Lunch and Malaysian Mensa Admissions Test

1.45 pm Special Screening from National Geographic Channel
"My Brilliant Brain - Make Me A Genius"

2.35 pm Presentation 4 by Dr Teoh Hsien-Jin (Dept of Psychology School of Health & Natural Sciences, Sunway University College)
"Management across the Next Frontier: Keeping Humans in Orbit, and the Ground, Communicating"

3.35 pm Closing Ceremony

Click here for full details

Mensa New Address

For all who intend to sit for Malaysian Mensa Admission Test, the address of Mensa National Administrative Center has been moved to:-

Suite 635 Block A2,
Leisure Commerce Square,
9 Jalan PJS 8/9
46150 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia

Mensa testing is on every 2nd Saturday of each month at 3pm. Please check out further details at Malaysian Mensa Society's Website

Cornell

Cornell - my alma mater....

Happy to hear of a fellow Malaysian there, who managed to get multiple offers, from Opera Solutions, Accenture, Capgemini, Blackrock, Deloitte, American Express... I shall put it in this manner, but you definitely know that I am very very very proud of your achievement! Jia You!

Cornell total capital fund raising has reached USD1.8 Billion! That's definitely a huge sum, and it is still another USD2.2 Billion, before reaching Cornell's target of USD4 Billion. Hopefully, this target could be reached within the next 1 year or so.

Cornell University's President David Skorton and Provost Biddy Martin will lead Cornell's five-city tour to Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, Oct. 22 to Nov. 3, with fellow faculty members and other university officials.

On the way east, Skorton will make a brief visit Oct. 21 to Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, to attend groundbreaking ceremonies for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the nation's first independent, international graduate-level research university.

This is definitely expanding Cornell's reach throughout the rest of the world!

Reading all these monthly updates from Cornell would really make me feel like missing my life in Cornell...

Anyway, life has to go on!

Tzuo Hann's charity fund raising

Plugging again for Tzuo Hann's mission to cycle back from Los Angeles to Taiping, Malaysia. This is definitely a very tough ride, and he is trying to raise fund for charity.

As of now, it is at RM51,961.50 , which is at 5.2% of his target of RM1 Million. Lets try our best to raise fund for him, ok? Do spread the words and donate too. It takes any form. Paypal, cheque, bank in etc.

Do go to http://www.longwayhomefundraiser.com !

theCicak Merdeka Essay Competition

Got an email from Yee Hoong today that thecicak "Unsung Hero" prize presentation would be on either the weekend of 17th or 24th. Would definitely hope that I could make it. It would be nice to meet with others there! And definitely, thank Yee Hoong for his nomination. The voting has closed. I guess whoever wins it, doesn't really matter.

To read all the nomination, go to theCicak.com

For mine, you could read at here in thecicak.com

A reproduction of what Yee Hoong wrote on me is as below:-

By CHOW YEE HOONG

“The most important thing in college is to learn how to learn. The present illiterates are those who cannot read and write but the future illiterates will most likely be those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

He started talking, and then mentioned the first sentence of his favorite quote as above; the sentence still lingers in my mind today.

This moment introduced me to this unsung hero who has significantly changed the lives of many, not to mention that of mine, with his sincerity, kindness, truthfulness, and passion.

I was completely impressed by how motivated and passionate he has been in promoting the best of others, and in his unflagging efforts to make this country a better place to live in. Once I thought phrases like “contribution to our country” and “nationalism” that he frequently mentioned were like those commonly seen in publications; those a lot of people slowly find to be mere clichés. But it really did not take me long to be completely touched and influenced by his sincere actions, as he lives up to what he says about our wonderful country.

Referred to by his housemate as “the genius of multi-tasking” and well known to virtually everyone in his – our – former preparatory college as “the passionate senior who is always concerned about his juniors and helps them in any way he can,” he has been the organizer of tens, if not hundreds, of talks, events and get-togethers, all aimed at sharing the best with the communities around him. He started talking on-stage, in my former residential hall at least twice a year to help new students and graduating seniors transition from the typical Malaysian education system to the otherwise outlandish American education system.

Usually staying after the talks to answer any in-depth questions, it has not been unusual for him to stay throughout the night just to answer our questions. His great helping hand in college applications – including reviewing an average of thirty application essays a day– actually helped the admittances of a lot of students to top-notch schools. I still remember his words of “I might not have gotten admission to Harvard/MIT etc, but I have certainly received thank you notes from those who have.” He has constantly sacrificed his sleep, time and health to help us – without expecting nor receiving anything in return; a lot of us, on the other hand, because of his passion and sacrifice, really got what we wanted – the path to a better tertiary education leading to a better life!

A co-founder of ReCom.org, a leader of Discover U.S. Education – KL ’07, an active participant in charities such as World Vision, Mercy Malaysia, Cybercare, YMCA, assistant secretary of Malaysia Mensa Society… He spent the first 26 years of his life simply in promoting the virtues of great initiatives, ideas and organizations to everyone he knows! He wants others to succeed, and “will smile inside when someday, someone whom you helped tells you, ‘because of what you told me and helped me with, I succeeded in my life’”.

Yet he was just like the ordinary boy sitting right next to you in class! He was a reserved student, who then struggled through the tough transition from a Mandarin-speaking community to an English-speaking environment. He, who today inspires others with his English speeches, was one of the only eight in his freshmen class to undergo a remedial English course upon enrollment at college (His freshman class size was 3000 students). But he strived very hard. From his participation in Kadet Remaja Sekolah, he learnt to be more outgoing and soon developed his leadership qualities. With encouragement from his classmates and also by watching English movies, he eventually overcame his problem with the English language. With a scholarship from our Public Service Department, he then graduated from an Ivy League school in 2005.

But what makes him, again, remarkably different from any other student who works equally hard and is passionate about voluntary work is essentially his confidence in and compassion toward our country! “I would not be who I am today without my country. My parents would still not be able to afford even a year of my tuition after working for their entire life”. How often could you hear such appreciation toward our country spoken out by such a high achiever, when questioned about his devotion to Malaysia?

He absolutely believes in the great potential that this country holds, and that the different levels of societal contribution can eventually significantly improve any political and socio-economic issues. He has always been optimistic and without hesitation chose the constructive approach toward any comments about our nation. At this point, I cannot but quote him for his true words “I would want to see a united Malaysia, where all of us would not need to look at our differences, be it race, religion or gender, and focus to make Malaysia a better place”.

Now I have truly understood the drive behind all his efforts to help others without expecting anything in return!

Now I can fathom his sacrifice in promoting virtues to others neglecting even his own health – there is not a moment to lose to feed the need of talents and knowledge of the ever-growing child Malaysia!

Now, I deduce the reason I remembered his quotes and sayings so well: not because of what he has achieved, but of what he envisions, and the determination in him that altogether influence the communities around him – to build a great Malaysia.

Yet he is not yet lauded for his vision, his efforts in achieving that vision, nor his sacrifices; sometimes people even doubt his intentions and sincerity. The least I can now do is to dedicate these 1,000 words to this unsung hero who absolutely deserves it. To this special someone who has significantly influenced his immediate communities. I dedicate this composition to Yeoh Chen Chow, a former SMJK Jit Sin student and Cornell alumni who has been making a difference in our home Malaysia.

What happens to me?

Nothing really special happens... I am not disappearing from the world.. Just that my working life has been very hectic. Haven't had much chance to rest. Been working quite long hours. Great that the presentation yesterday went on very well. That gave me quite a lot of confidence booster, although it is still a long way to go, in boosting up my credentials. Really thanks to my Project Manager, Dharmen, as well as Rizal and Jo Lynn! It is definitely a team effort!

Life would hopefully be back to normal soon....I am definitely keeping fingers' crossed...

Nevertheless, the past couple of weeks, have been great learning experience. Things were really swarmed and pressure/stress was very high, but I do learn a lot!

What else happens lately?

At least 3 of Discover committee, Sharon, Chuin Siang and Sutha got into University of Michigan for Winter Session. Congrats! Thanks for informing too! Am happy for you guys. Hope that you guys would make full use of the opportunities. Sharon, definitely hope that you would make it to my alma mater too! Am looking forward to see more Malaysians making it to Cornell! A very nice university!

Poh Yi managed to ace BCG interview and she would be going to the final round! Good Luck!

On global note, oil prices cross USD96 and gold prices cross USD800. I own neither of them. So, nothing to gain.

Malaysians studied/studying abroad

Blogged about this earlier here

Mansor Puteh, a Malaysian author and film maker, has decided to open this 2,000 words mini journal to anyone who has/is studied/studying abroad, including Universiti Malaya (before the year of 1970).

This would be a 100 mini essay novel, which would share experience of fellow Malaysians.

Hope that you would write. If you are interested to share your experience, do contact me. I would link you with Mansor Puteh!