Applause for ABC Song - Say Cheese! - GA

Janson still enjoys this song!
Watch his applause at the end!

Previous post related to this song - 'ABC Song - SuperSimpleSongs - Janson enjoys it!'

Perodua launches Alza; eyes 33.3% market share next year - nizar nizar nizar

Perodua launches Alza; eyes 33.3% market share next year
Meena L. Ramadas.

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 23, 2009) : National carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Perodua) expects to increase its market share to 33.3% by the end of next year with the introduction of its new Alza Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) and the increase in consumer demand.

Perodua managing director Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said today the company currently accounts for 31.1% of the total industry volume (TIV).

He said Perodua expects to surpass its initial sales revenue target of RM7 billion this year as the sales of the Alza MPV is expected to boost revenue.

"So, we are actually seeing an increase to RM7.3 billion this year as we had a 20% production increase in the middle of the year," Hafiz told newsmen at the launch of Alza MPV by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the KL Convention Centre today.

He said the company expects the Malaysian Automotive Association’s (MAA) estimation of TIV to increase from 520,000 this year to 530,000 next year.

Despite Perodua registering a 2% decrease in unit sales this year, at 164,000 units as opposed to 167,000 units last year, the company will be increasing its target unit sales next year.

"Our sales target for next year is 176,000 units with the introduction of the Alza, and we expect to increase this target to 180,000 units in the second quarter next year," said Hafiz.

He also said the company had to stop its scrap scheme as the company’s target of 10,000 units had doubled to 20,000 in six months from April to October this year.

"The scrap scheme translates to dollars and cents out of our pocket because we were spending RM100 million on those 20,000 vehicles," said Hafiz.

Meanwhile, Perodua will be increasing the production of Alza MPV, which is priced between RM56,000 and RM64,000 each, to 4,000 units monthly next year in line with the expected increase in unit sales to between 3,500 and 4,000 units a month.

The advanced version Alza MPV, which will only be delivered from March, will fetch between RM67,000 and RM70,000 each.

The company has spent RM300 million on platform investment that includes research and development on the Alza.

Hafiz said the Alza is targeted at 30- to 40-year-olds with young families as well as single urbanites.

"Preliminary numbers indicate that 80% of the MPV buyers are aged between 30 and 40 while the remaining 20% are single, urban people," he said.

He also said the bookings of the MPV had been encouraging, with 3,500 registrations in only 10 days from Nov 13.

Hafiz also said the current MPV market share is 10% of the TIV and "can easily increase to 30% by the end of next year".

Alza, with nearly 90% local content, is available in six colours – ebony black, ivory white, pearl white, medallion grey, glittering silver and classy purple.

Hafiz said the company’s next launch will be the MyVi replacement in 2011.

Updated: 08:16PM Mon, 23 Nov 2009

Penang CM says land conversion brought RM8.2m revenue - nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar

Lim defended the land conversion. — File pic

PENANG, Nov 22 — Penang profited RM8.2 million when it converted 1.4 hectares of land for the PDC Heritage Hotel (PHH) joint-venture project from leasehold to freehold, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said amid swirling controversy over the Pakatan Rakyat government's land policy.

Lim said the revenue came from RM6.32 million for conversion to freehold and another RM1.89 million as additional premium to change conditions for the prime land at the heritage buffer zone. The chief minister yesterday declassified minutes of meetings by the state exco, state land committee and the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) over the piece of land.

"RM8.2 million is a big revenue source for the state government," the chief minister said in a statement issued today.

He also noted the cost of raising PHH's equity by 1 per cent to 50 per cent was borne by YTL Hotel and Properties Sdn Bhd, the joint-venture partner in the project.

"What is important is that PHH is no longer controlled 51 per cent by a private company but is equally shared with PDC having 50 per cent share over the land and can determine the project's direction," said Lim, adding private companies that hold 51 per cent equity can carry out anything and ignore PDC's views.

Lim had said yesterday that based on a letter from YTL Corporation on May 9, 2007, the former Penang chief minister had agreed in principle on Jan 18, 2007 to convert the land to freehold for PHH and on condition that the land was “for residence and business only”.

He said the letter from PDC on July 17, 2007 asked PHH to make an application to convert the land to freehold, adding the project was neglected and in an “abandoned” state since YTL forwarded a development plan on Aug 1, 2008 and this had attracted the attention of Unesco which inquired about the project given that the site was inside the Unesco heritage buffer zone.

“To revive the project to bring back progress as well as increase returns for the government and the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP), I had negotiations with all parties, including the developer YTL H&P, on the condition to not bring about loss to the people and the state government,” he said.

He said the conversion to freehold status was approved and later ratified by the executive council on June 3, 2008 with three additional conditions for the benefit of the public and the state government.

In today's statement, Lim also countered claims that his statement has not rebuffed Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad's allegations that he had lied to the state assembly sitting in August about his government's land policy.

"A preliminary review by the Land and Mines Office about Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad's allegations is that his question is towards state land that is under lease. According to the Land and Mines Office, this is state land held under State Secretary Incorporated (SSI).

"At this point there is no such application received by the SSI," Lim said.

He said Umno's allegations are baseless and politically-motivated to bring down the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

"It looks like the CAT administation by the state government is so effective that Umno and Barisan Nasional have to create stories to instil hate towards the Pakatan Rakyat," said the chief minister, referring to his state's "Competency, Accountability and Transparency" concept.

(Source: The Malaysian Insider)

PAS leader Nasharuddin rushed to IJN

BREAKING NEWS PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa was rushed to the National Heart Institute from Parliament after he complained of chest pains.

Nasharuddin who was attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting this morning was first taken to the in-house clinic.

However, after putting him through an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, the doctor could not identify the cause of the pain.

Nasharuddin, who is also the Bachok MP, was then referred to the specialist centre.

He was then pushed to a waiting ambulance on a wheelchair, accompanied by Pokok Sena PAS MP Mahfuz Omar.

When approached by reporters, Mahfuz said Nasharuddin "initially complained of a muscle pain in the chest and after an examination at the clinic, he was advised to go the IJN for further examination."

Nasharuddin, 47, has been admitted for treatment.

(Source: Mkini - Support Mkini - Subscribe to Mkini!)

World Breaking News: English in workplace weird - minister

zorro-unmasked wrote a perfect post entitled 'SPEAKING ENGLISH IN THE WORKPLACE IS WEIRD SAYS THIS WEIRDO!' Go read it!

In the meantime, the 'weird' remark by this minister has made international headlines - one of them published in news.com.au

Let's turn back the clock to the day when the government announced that science and mathematics would be taught in Malay effective 2012.

Tun Mahathir was dead against the decision. An excert from a report by Malaysian Mirror:

He added that those who oppose the teaching of science and mathematics in English were also from the rural areas and often spoke in English.

In other fields, such as in the diplomatic corps and in the civil service, it is pertinent to be well-versed in English as they are expected to speak at international forums.

“It is important to acquire knowledge for the sake of advancing in the future. Let us not gamble on the future of our children just to show we are a nationalist and so protective of our language.

“The love for the language should not surpass the love for one’s nation,” said Dr Mahathir, adding that speaking in one’s own language does not necessarily makes one’s nation well-respected and admired by others.

Hospital evacuated as Australian wildfires blaze

About 100 bushfires were burning in eastern Australia today as a hospital was evacuated and 1,000 firefighters battled the blazes amid sweltering conditions.

Click here to read more at Bangkok Post.

Teoh's second autopsy done, findings not revealed - nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar

Teoh's second autopsy done, findings not revealed
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

SUNGAI BULOH, Nov 22 — Pathologists took two hours to complete the second autopsy for DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock today at the Sungai Buloh Hospital but they did not reveal the findings.

Teoh’s younger sister, Lee Lan told reporters they have been briefed by Dr Porntip Rojasunand on the autopsy but could not divulge the details. The renowned Thai pathologist has been hired by the Selangor government to observe the autopsy done by the hospital’s chief pathologist Dr Shahidan Md Noor.

“We were briefed but we don’t understand the briefing given by Dr Porntip as she was using a lot of scientific terms,” said Lee Lan, who acted as the family’s spokesman.

Her parents and elder brother were present at the hospital where they had earlier said prayers and burnt some offerings for Teoh, who died under mysterious circumstances outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Selangor office last July 16.

She tried to console some journalists apparently left confused and frustrated by the lack of details on the post-mortem despite having waited for more than six hours.

“Let’s wait for the inquest to resume,” she finally said, adding she was not sure when the full report will be ready. The inquest into Teoh’s death will resume on Dec 9.

She added that the family will rebury Teoh at his tomb in the Semenyih Memorial Park on Tuesday.

Teoh’s family lawyer Gobind Singh Deo left the hospital earlier with Dr Porntip without meeting the media, presumably to avoid disclosing the details of the second autopsy.

Apart from Dr Pornthip representing Selangor, the MACC sent UK pathologist Dr Peter Vanezis to observe the autopsy together with the pathologists who performed the first autopsy.

The postmortem was performed from lunch time and finished about 3pm.

Teoh’s body was exhumed yesterday after a ruling by the coroner’s court which heard Dr Pornthip’s testimony that Teoh’s death is 80 per cent homicide, contradicting the findings of the first post-mortem which suggested the 30-year-old had committed suicide.

Teoh’s family had disputed the results as he was due to register his marriage on the morning he was found dead.