Focus on the economy please..

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... This year 2009 should be a year for Malaysians to put aside political trivialities and focus on economic issues.

THE year will go down as a roller-coaster in history with extraordinary dramas that have altered the country’s political landscape.

It has left many of us in the country exhausted and dazed. With days before the year finally closes, it won’t be a surprise if there are more dramas waiting to unfold.

Asian stock markets rose modestly in thin trade today as shares in commodities producers and Japanese financials gained ground.

Sarikei has been greatly affected as we're commodities producers for rubber, black pepper, cocoa, etc..

As usual, more than ever before, political stability is of paramount importance to the survival of Malaysia and of course to Sarikei..one of the commodities producer's town..

With the elections of the major parties set to be concluded by the first quarter of 2009, let’s hope that we can finally see the end of communal heroes who are only good at playing to the gallery.

It’s time that political leaders focus on what matters most – enabling ordinary Malaysians to put food on the table for their families.

I picked this from AP news on business latest news and would like to share with the readers of my blog on our economic thin trade lately..

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 stock average edged higher by 7.65 points, or about 0.1 per cent to 8,747.17, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.7 per cent to 14,286.02.

Benchmarks in Singapore and Australia climbed more than 1 per cent, while those in Shanghai and South Korea traded flat. Markets in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines were closed.

With many investors away for the holiday and their books already closed for the year, trade across the region was quiet and marked by low volumes. The recent rash of government stimulus measures helped underpin sentiment despite worries that the first half of next year would see the global economy and company profits erode further.

“There’s this expectation and hope that governments could put a floor in for the economy and therefore lead to a better second half in 2009,” said Song Seng Wun, economist at CIMB-GK in Singapore.

Among the session’s best performers were energy companies after oil prices hovered near US$40 (RM140) a barrel as concerns about supply from the Middle East flared along with fighting between Israel and Gaza.

Australia’s Woodside Petroleum Ltd gained 5.7 per cent, top Japanese refiner Nippon Oil Corp jumped 6.5 per cent, and Chinese upstream producer CNOOC rose 3.8 per cent in Hong Kong trade.

Japanese financials were higher amid reports the country’s No. 2 non-life insurer, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group Holdings Inc, was in merger talks with two smaller rivals to create the country’s largest non-life insurer. Mitsui soared 8.3 per cent.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery rose US$1.65 to US$39.37 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by mid-afternoon in Singapore. The contract on Friday rose US$2.36 to settle at US$37.71.

The dollar weakened to 90.37 yen, down from 90.75. The euro traded higher at US$1.4244 from 1.4031.

On Friday in New York, Wall Street staged a modest advance after the government came to the aid of General Motors’ financing arm, but worries about dismal holiday spending capped gains.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 47.07, or 0.6 per cent, to 8,515.55, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 4.65, or 0.5 per cent, to 872.80.

US stock futures fell early today, pointing to a lower open on Wall Street. -news by AP

Authorities vs Swiftlet Farming

"Last week the enforcement officers from Forest Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation took action against several illegal swiftlet farms in Mukah town district by removing the birds and nest giving reason that the birds should not be reared in shophouses (residential area) as their droppings were unhygienic and posed to health hazard. Besides that, the music plated on loudspeakers to attract the birds was a nuisance to others. There are 1,500 farmers who were operating illegally without the license in the state. Under the state’s Wildlife Protection Rules, swiftlet farming can only be done on agricultural land or in rural areas. The authorities have halted their operation to allow the farmers to dismantle the nests by Dec 31 " Source-The Star October 21.

Sarikei is one of the major player in swiftlet farming. Anyone who has been to our peaceful Sarikei? Every evening, the sky would be darkened with massive group of swiftlets and gradually settled down to bird houses which it varies from shophouses, abandon house or wooden house. Sarikei is offering variety of bird houses to this valuable swiftlets - their bird nests dubbed as White Gold, fetched RM 4000- RM 5000 per kg in the market.

Thus, when Forestry Department’s enforcement team took action in Mukah against the swiftlet farming, it raised lots of sentiment issues. Some are angry with the bird nests were taken and the young hatchlings dead. Nonetheless, some understand that people are concern on whether the bird nest ranching will cause avian flu (moreover with reoccurrence of EV17-Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak), and some worried that the birds’ droppings were unhygienic and posed to health problems. Needless to say, the ‘kiasu” attitude to attract the birds by paying louder music was irritating to local people here.

In this case, there are 2 major issues here, the actions took by the authorities and the swiftlet farming industry. And until the matter is settled, it is not right to say who is right or wrong. Peaceful discussion should lead to amicable solution. I’m sure that the swiftlet farming for its bird nests is a good business venture and its benefits are immeasurable. However there must be proper law and regulation, proper planning and mindset. It is not about blaming the authorities and trying to sympathise with the affected. It is about resolving the concerns of the community and in most cases the majority in the community. What is your say?

Step in crime against Penan Girls..

About three weeks ago, a media release by non-governmental organization Bruno Manser Foundation (BMF) brought to light a long-held concern of the sexual abuse of Penan women. The Swiss group charged that workers from two timber companies were preying on Penan women in the various settlements within the companies’ operation areas, and targeting female students who relied on the companies’ transportation service to get to school. Students from middle Baram are boarders in secondary schools in the interior towns of Long Lama dan Long San, which could take up to a week to travel on foot from their villages.

According the media report, a visit to several villages reveals that prevalence of sexual abuse since the advent of commercial logging. Village leaders who readily air their grouses of hardship brought by logging are hesitant to talk about the sexual exploitation by workers from nearby logging camps.

The following are the quotes uttered sadly from the vulnerable Penan elders:

“We complained to the camp manager. He assured us that they would take action against their men but we’re still suffering”

“They become bold after several drinks and will coax our boys to bring them to houses with young women or girls, or they bring along instant noodles and persuade the victims to cook them a meal on the pretext that they have not had dinner. They then hang around and wait for chance to strike after other occupants of the house turn in for the night”

“If we don’t send our children to school, we are blamed. But providing them transportation is beyond our ability. We are at the mercy of the timber companies. We have to beg them to ferry our children to the secondary schools which are far away”

In response to the issue of the sexual crimes against young Penan girls which has been in the news of late, readers like me are left infuriated. I couldn’t agree more with those calling the relevant ministries, NGO and the public to take immediate action. The situation has become intolerable and should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet any longer.

Horrifying that such incidents have been taken place since 1996 and far worse they claimed that their complaints to the authorities have taken on deaf ears.

The Penan community are helpless and now with their way of life taken away from them as their daughters, sisters and closest people are being sexually abused. They have feelings and they have the right to be safe from harm and be treated with dignity.

I hope the relevant ministries, NGO and the public will take appropriate action to protect the interests of this vulnerable people group in Sarawak.

Bear in mind, act now or be forever guilty in our moral blunder..

People's Interest First?

I read numerous interesting articles since the comeback of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI), a former prime minister who is eager to poise his lead in opposition coalition to victory. Let us recall a year ago, when his comeback was taken as nonentity and was in ruins which was due to 1998 sodomy charge.

Now, everyone is talking about his comeback seriously when he claimed to be on track to attract enough crossover politicians from the BN to become prime minister. In his remarks, he is firmed to take confirmatory action program that should focus on the poor, regardless of race. He says that he would free the judiciary and the media from what he calls government interference and would guarantee religious freedom and civil liberties.

“It is not very difficult to be a better government, to control corruption, to be more just. That is quite easy. The more challenging task is to change the course of the economy” he said in a recent interview.

I could not hold myself back and feel extremely uneasy seeing the political instabilities here in Malaysia which subsequently provokes economic instabilities. The resulting tussle for power could lead to continuous political instability and even turmoil. At this time, Malaysia and other countries would be facing economic woes and turning worse, which, political instabilities can only increase the PEOPLE’S SUFFERING..

These area some quotes I have taken:

“Some analysts in Malaysia foresee not reform but instability. The political outlook has rattled investor confidence, deteriorating Malaysia’s currency and stock markets” – The Washington Post

“Malaysia stocks are likely to edge lower, amid a lack of corporate news and growing political uncertainty ahead of the deadline set by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to topple the government”-Forbes

“As a result of his actions, certain fund managers have made reports that Malaysia is not a good investment destination because of political uncertainties-Datuk Seri Ahmad Badawi”-The Borneo Post

I believed all of us are not hoping that any dateline 916 or 920 would harm our economic growth and stabilities. Malaysia has been always stable and progressive for all communities. Politicians should play their roles in strategically and effectively tackle various challenges including impacts of oil price uncertainties on people such as rising inflation, higher cost of living affecting most lower and medium income groups and security condition that pressuring people’s daily life.

I hope various parties including politicians would reduce their conflicts and put the people’s interest as their top priority. Multiracial Malaysian people have work hard together to build our country what it is today.

Be VERY thankful for it!!

Please feel free to post comment...

Discovery..

Check this out...forwarded by a friend not long ago..

Look at this..A pretty lady?


Take a deep look.. her eyes, nose and mouth..perfecto!


Now...


It's 3 birds! Cheers! The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes but in having new eyes..

Salam berkenalan...

Salam sejahtera kepada pengunjung blog saya pada julung-julung kalinya..terima kasih dan selamat berkenalan.. my first word, if we set our hearts and minds, we can do it! to be continue....