This Man Is......

...never mind, your choice of adjective.

His name is Kamal Ashnawi (in picture). He is from Perak and he claims to have Euro 5 TRILLION (gasp) (savings) which amounts to RM20 trillion.

Now -- just on that line...can you believe him? I mean DUUH.

He was interviewed by Mingguan Malaysia. He showed the reporters copies of bank statements from HSBC in London to back his claim of having the dough.
So, that would make him a "trillionaire".... far far richer than Forbes' richest people on earth. Man, he's richer than Malaysia.... He's like a very rich country.

Kamal said that he is the president and chief executive officer of Sierra Petroleum (M) Sdn Bhd.

In 2005, he claimed to have proposed an oil refinery project in Kedah but that did not fall through and, according to him, after that, some people spread tall tales about him.

That's why he decided to talk to the newspaper. Here's where he lost me..

"Saya terpanggil untuk tampil bagi menolak segala tuduhan buruk yang dilemparkan sebelum ini ekoran cadangan projek pada 2005 yang tidak berjaya dilaksanakan kerana dihalang oleh pihak-pihak tertentu."

Kamal said he is now offering to make mega investments in three projects in Perlis, Johor and Kelantan soon.

The business, he added, would be handed over to SAS Group, a group of former students of Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah.

Kamal said he will be staying in Hong Kong in March with his family before going to Indonesia.

Now, get this : his wealth was derived from the royal heritage through the accounts of the Combined International Collateral Global Debt Facility in 1875.

Here's another one : he also claimed that he is a royal descendant from Java, Indonesia with the name Raden Mas Prabhu Gusti Agung Ki Asmoro Wijoyo and was expected to be crowned as King of Indonesia in the next few years.

Aduh!

Sounds so bizarre and far-fetched to me. You may laugh but there are enough people who believe in him...

I've been told by a friend in London that everyone who knew him say that he's a xxxxxx .....yep, just as I thought.

The Star has the story as well

(Photo from Mingguan Malaysia)

Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Kong Hee Fatt Choy!

To all my Chinese friends - have a wonderful new year!

May the year of the water dragon bring you good health, prosperity and all good things!

To everyone else -- happy holidays!

An Irish Story: Revenge of the Fairies....

...and how Sean Quinn, once Ireland's richest man, lost his billions.....

You're not the only ones who belive in "orang bunian" or "orang halus". But, you know, Ireland --land of leprechauns and fairies........

Read this:

HE was once Ireland's richest man, with a fortune of €4.7bn, before his huge gamble on Anglo Irish Bank shares toppled him into bankruptcy.

But for some in his heartland on the Cavan/Fermanagh border, the downfall of Sean Quinn has more to do with the wrath of the fairies than risky business moves.

According to these locals, it was the decision to move a megalithic burial tomb 20 years ago which led to the fall of his cement, hotels, and insurance empire.

The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan.

READ MORE

Siapa Kata Hang Tuah Tak Wujud...

"Hang Tuah existed in flesh and blood.
Hang Tuah was a legendary Malay warrior as proven in the research.

-- said State Museums Department director Khamis Abas .

The NST report:

Khamis said the state government recognises Hang Tuah as a Malay warrior and he is not mythical.

"We recognise Hang Tuah as a living person and, upon his death, Hang Tuah was laid to rest at makam Hang Tuah in Tanjung Kling here," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Historian Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim had said that Hang Tuah and his companions -- Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu -- never existed.

The NST visited the Hang Tuah mausoleum and noted that the inscription near Hang Tuah's tomb described him as a legendary Malay hero during the Malacca sultanate and he had served under three sultans.

The rest of the article.

I'm no historian but Hang Tuah as a Malay warrior had always been a historical fact to me....

Is there proof that he never existed?

Photo above of Makam Hang Tuah in Tanjung Kling, Melaka...

Shahrizat Sues PKR's Rafizi and Zuraida

Just a brief item here:

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who is on leave from her duties as Women, Family and Community Development Minister has filed a RM100mil defamation suit against PKR strategic director Mohd Rafizi Ramli and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin over their allegations on the National Feedlot Corporation issue.

The allegations of corruption and abuse against NFC are now being investigated by the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC).

Kodak Files For Bankruptcy Protection

Over lunch today, a buddy went online and read aloud "Kodak files for Chpater 11...."

"You mean, they just did? I thought they were already down and out...couldn't keep up with the competition, the game...", I remarked. Surprised, sad...

That remark was not at all to disparage Kodak. I mean, I grew up in affinity with Kodak. Who didn't?
You're the film pioneer, man...

Kodak. oh Kodak. You had a damn good run for more than 130 years. Lasted as long as you did, didn't you? And as long as you could.

An icon. Synonymous with cameras and films. Films? Remember those things?

You invented the digital camera but you just could not keep up with modern technology. I don't know why. It's not an American thing, is it?

Is there a future for you?

Here's the Reuters story:

Eastman Kodak Co, which invented the hand-held camera and helped bring the world the first pictures from the moon, has filed for bankruptcy protection, capping a prolonged plunge for what remains one of America's best-known companies.

The 130-year-old photographic film pioneer, which had tried to restructure to become a seller of consumer products like cameras, said it had also obtained a $950 million, 18-month credit facility from Citigroup to keep it going.

"The board of directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio M. Perez said in a statement.

Kodak said that it and its U.S. subsidiaries had filed for Chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Non-U.S. subsidiaries were not covered by the filing, it added.

Kodak once dominated its industry and its film was the subject of a popular Paul Simon song, but it failed to quickly embrace more modern technologies such as the digital camera -- ironically, a product it even invented.

Its downfall has already hit its Rust Belt hometown of Rochester, New York, with employment there falling to about 7,000 from more than 60,000 in Kodak's halcyon days.

In recent years, Chief Executive Perez has steered Kodak's focus more toward consumer and commercial printers.

But that failed to restore annual profitability, something Kodak has not seen since 2007, or arrest a cash drain that has made it difficult for Kodak to meet its substantial pension and other benefits obligations to its workers and retirees.

Perez said bankruptcy protection would enable Kodak to continue to work to maximize the value of its technology assets, such as digital-imaging patents it licences for use in mobile and other devices and its printing technology.

Kodak said it was being advised by investment bank Lazard Ltd, which has been helping Kodak look for a buyer for its 1,100 digital patents.

Other advisers included business-turnaround specialist FTI Consulting Inc, whose vice chairman, Dominic DiNapoli, would serve as chief restructuring officer for Kodak, supporting existing management.

No More Shark Fin Soup In Shangri La Hotels Worldwide

It's good to know that Shangri La Hotel and Resorts yesterday announced its decision to remove shark fin soup from their restaurants' menu worldwide.

The Hong Kong-based luxury hotel group has 72 hotels worldwide.

In November, the Peninsula hotel became the first traditional hotel in Hong Kong – the centre of the trade – to remove the dish from its restaurants. It was followed by 112 companies which signed up to a "Say No" initiative to remove shark fin from corporate banquets.

This is somewhat significant ahead of the Chinese spring festival which happens to be the main season for shark fin soup consumption at banquets in Hong Kong and the mainland.

It is estimated that between 26 million and 73 million sharks are killed each year to supply this billion-dollar industry. Almost a third are consumed during Chinese new year.

I've stopped eating shark fin soup for a long time now. Yes, in support of the worldwide campaign against killing of sharks for their fins.

The Guardian Story is HERE

and also the AFP article is HERE.

So, it goes without saying that you'll not be served shark fin soup at the Kuala Lumpur Shangri La...

Next question: when will other hotels be brave enough to do the same?

David Marshall In 1994 (when PAP ministers started enjoying their high pay schemes):

"I never earned $60,000 a month or $90,000 a month. When I was Chief Minister, I earned $8,000 a month. Look, what is happening today is we are encouraged to and are becoming worshippers of the Golden Calf.

We have lost sight of the joy and excitement of public service, helping our fellow men. The joy and excitement of seeking and understanding the miracle of the living, the duty and the grandeur. We have lost taste for heroic action in the service of our people.

We have become good bourgeois seeking comfort, security. It's like seeking a crystal coffin and being fed by intravenous injections through pipes in the crystal coffin; crystal coffins stuck with certificates of your pragmatic abilities.

It's time we start to clean up Singapore politics and get rid of the greedy self-serving politicians."

The Voice Of Moderation Must Be Heard LOUD..

Someone tweeted: "The challenge is to make this all happen."

I agree. If the world agrees that moderation is the way forward, how can we fail?

THE world has to accept moderation in all aspects of life to fight extremism and the challenges it faces, said Prime Minister Najib Razak in his keynote address when opening the inaugural International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates yesterday.

Good speech.

I'm a moderate. Are you?

Read the full text of Najib's keynote address here.

The Jakarta Sandal Scandal..

Well...here's how you show your disgust and contempt...

UPDATE:

KUALA LUMPUR (BERNAMA) -- Khazanah Nasional Bhd has announced that it will divest its 42.74 per cent stake inProton Holdings Bhd toDRB-HICOM Bhd via a conditional sale with a price consideration of RM5.50 per share or RM1.291 billion.

n a statement today, Khazanah said the decision was made following due deliberation and detailed evaluation of various proposals to ensure that due process was observed, proper financial value was received and that the new shareholder would be able to bring the national auto maker to the next level of strategic growth in line with the aspirations of the industrial development of the national automotive sector.

The divestment is still subject to, among others, the approval of the shareholders of DRB-Hicom.

"Upon completion of the sale and purchase agreement, DRB-Hicom will be obliged to undertake a mandatory general offer on the remaining Proton shares," the government's investment arm said.

Khazanah Managing DirectorAzman Mokhtar said pursuant to a thorough assessment of its proposal, which offered a defined and executable business strategy, DRB-Hicom was identified as the appropriate party to acquire the interest in Proton.

Earllier posting:

Khazanah Nasional Bhd will announce today that DRB-HICOM Bhd has won the bid for the 42.7 per cent stake in national car maker Proton Holdings Bhd.

For weeks now, we're been hearing talk and reading about parties interested in the deal. Among them are DRB-Hicom Bhd are and Naza.

DRB-Hicom seemed to be the front-runner.

Last week, it was reported that Khazanah, the government's investment arm would be announcing Khazanah Nasional Bhd today that DRB-Hicom has won the bid, with the sale price said to be at RM6 a share for a total of RM1.4bil.

The deal would require that the buyer make an offer to buy out the rest of Proton’s shareholders.

Bernama reports that trading Proton Holdings Berhad and DRB-Hicom Bhd were suspended from 9am to 5pm today pending an announcement.

The companies did not give details in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today.

DRB-Hicom asked for a suspension in trading, saying the company will be proposing a corporate exercise involving a very substantial transaction.

Proton shares closed at RM5.18 a share Friday and DRB-Hicom at RM2.17.

The Star reports that the take-over price is likely to be between RM5.50 and RM6 per share.

It quoted a banking source that Malayan Banking Bhd would be providing most of the funding for the deal.

It also quoted an industry source familiar with the deal that "the buyer had a comprehensive bid to consolidate the domestic automobile industry and to steer the national carmaker into profitability via strategic foreign partners and joint ventures."

You know, nobody seems to be able to say what really went wrong with Proton. So many scenarios. So many scapegoats.

Nobody wants to take the blame.

Has Khazanah been doing the right thing(s) all this while?

What a waste of investment in a great iconic national project....I covered the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam in 1982 that "a national car project is on the drawing board."

Well...what's done is done. That's last century. Here's hoping for better and bigger things for Proton and the country....

Business as usual, says National Feedlot Corporation

Only assets frozen, not operations

KUALA LUMPUR --- The operations of National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd are continuing uninterrupted.

In a statement issued today, National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd executive director Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh said, "Business is as usual in the company. Inventory of beef will continue to be supplied and all customer orders will be fulfilled. There is no interruption nor disruption."

Clients, employees and vendors were reassured that its operations remain on-going as a business concern despite a freeze on its assets.

“In fact our assets have been frozen by the relevant authorities since December 2011, in the effort to facilitate smooth and thorough investigations. We have extended our fullest cooperation from the outset. However, our operations have continued to function normally, and in this respect I would like to reassure our clients and vendors as well as our employees that they will continue to be served and gainfully employed,” added Izmir Salleh.

National Feedlot Corporation supplies beef to more than 160 customers that include hypermarkets, supermarkets, mini markets, wet markets, processed meat manufacturers, hotels, restaurants and cafes.

The company also clarified that its 4,500 heads of cattle at the National Feedlot Centre in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, continue to be nurtured and cared for to meet beef supplies on target for the country.

The company had only recently last week received a further import shipment of 1,500 heads of cattle from Australia.

Its chain of Meatworks restaurants is also opened for business at its regular hours, the statement added.

Ambiga On Corruption: It's Okay For The Small Fry..

“We must punish the big fishes, but we can forgive the ‘small fry’ so that we can move forward without any obstacles.”

Sorry, lady, I can't agree with you.

The Bersih 2.0 chief, representing NGOs, was speaking at the at the third Pakatan Rakyat convention at Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah in Alor Star yesterday.

Ambiga also suggested that Pakatan also consider setting up an independent body similar to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, to implement a policy to pardon the “small fry” involved in corruption cases,
Huh? A commission to implement....whaat?

I'm against corruption, Big or small. Small fry or big sharks.

You see, they usually start small. And if they're small fry in an organization, collectively, they can ruin that organization, especially if it's a government agency or department.

We talk about a new dawn, a new Malaysia. Wipe out corruption, and then we say that it's okay for the small fry. Just go for the sharks. Yes. Go for the big fish. But a crime is a crime.

They all start small and when they assume bigger and more powerful positions, they carry "that" with them.

I'm no lawyer. But lawyers themselves tell me that it is not easy to convict people for corruption. It is exhaustive and lengthy. Tons of documents to peruse and study.

Besides the fact that the accused usually have damn good lawyers to defend them.
Get off on some technicality. Hostile witnesses and so forth.

Nevertheless, we've seen some high profile cases.

When the culprit get off, we criticize the DPPs and government lawyers. We call them fools.

Perhaps, yeah. Perhaps some of them are not as good as some of those big names in the legal fraternity. (The government should hire them damn good lawyers!)

We cannot approach the war on corruption by naively (and Ambiga is not naive) saying that - oh forgive the small fry. Okay-lah you get the votes from the small fry.

Okay -- forgive the policeman for taking bribes from us? Forgive the RTD guy for asking for duit kopi. Forgive that land office boy fro asking "tips" for handling your application?

It all starts small and grows to become big. And a culture.

That said -- I can see why the small fry are corruptible and look to bribes as easy money. No increase in pay structure for centuries (I exaggerate, but you get my point) and cost of living getting higher and higher.....

Anyway, that call for a truth and reconciliation....??? I don't see any parallel, any commonality.

Okay. Enough said.

By the way, I have never offered a policeman a bribe. Never had to. Never

Have you?

Aah....to live to 100.
Do you really want to?
Anyway, here's an article about why some people live to, not just 100, but 110....

SUNDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- People who live 110 years or longer have as many disease-associated genes as those in the general population, but they may also be blessed with protective genes that help them live so long, researchers report.

The team of U.S. scientists noted that supercentenarians, as they are called, are extremely rare, with only one per 5 million people in developed nations. There is growing evidence that genetics play a major role in living to such an old age.

In what they describe as a first-of-a-kind study, the researchers analyzed the whole genome sequences of a man and a woman who lived past the age of 114 and found that they had as many disease-associated genes as other people.

For example, the man had 37 genetic mutations associated with increased risk for colon cancer.

"In fact, he had presented with an obstructing colon cancer earlier in his life that had not metastasized and was cured with surgery. He was in phenomenal cognitive and physical shape near the time of his death," study senior author Dr. Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian Study, said in a Boston University Medical Center news release.

The woman had numerous genetic variations associated with age-related disease, such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. She did develop congestive heart failure and mild cognitive impairment, but these conditions didn't become evident until she was more than 108 years old.

"The presence of these disease-associated variants is consistent with our and other researchers' findings that centenarians carry as many disease-associated genes as the general population," Perls said. "The difference may be that the centenarians likely have longevity-associated variants that cancel out the disease genes. That effect may extend to the point that the diseases don't occur -- or, if they do, are much less pathogenic or markedly delayed towards the end of life, in these individuals who are practically living to the limit of the human lifespan."

The study was published Jan. 3 in the journal Frontiers in Genetics, and researchers will be able to access the information at the U.S. National Institutes of Health data repository.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians discusses good health habits at age 60 and older.

FROZEN: NFC's Assets

National FeedLot Corporation: read HERE

Asset: A resource with economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.

Freeze:
*An action taken to prevent any transactions from occurring in the account. .

*Essentially, freezing is the denial of ownership rights.
* May mean anything from suspending access to a bank account to seizing a piece of real estate.
*Maybe frozen by government or regulatory authorities because of suspicious activity, suspected criminal activity, civil actions or liens filed against the company/account.

*The government can put a freeze on someone's assets if they owe money for several different reasons. Meaning that person cannot touch their money until their debts are paid.

I'm sorry. I put all those up not to insult your intelligence. I'm sure you all know what "freezing XXX's assets" means. In fact, I'm sure that you can come with better definitions.

Anyway, today the Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the NFC's assets had been frozen for the time being.

He said that he had asked his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar to study how best can the NFC issue be resolved.

Someone remarked that Najib and Muhyiddin cannot put all the blame on Shahrizat because they were also responsible for awarding the project to her family in the first place.

They cannot wash their hands off this project because of their "oversight and negligence that all these monies were misappropriated and transferred out in the first place."

I don't think anyone's washing their hands off this whole thing. And all that "oversight blah blah blah...." -- you think the PM, MBs and CMs should be micro-managing projects awarded to people.

And I don't think the PM and DPM are putting the blame on Shahrizat.

Anyway, that's why we have the *auditor-general's report.

Besides, the project was awarded when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was PM.

But of course, it's all on Najib's shoulders now.

*The 2010 Auditor-General’s Report pointed out that the NFC had failed to meet production targets.

Investigations by the MACC and police on allegations of bribery, abuse and corruption involving the RM250 million NFC project.

Really, Mr Malott...

The 13th general election will be Malaysia's dirtiest?

Because everyone's desperate?

It's do or die?

But, yes, it will be the most important in Malaysia's political history. Even the kids will agree.

On Leave For Three Weeks

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil begins her leave today.

In a statement yesterday, Shahrizat who is Wanita Umno chief, said this was to facilitate investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into her possible involvement in the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) case.

She said she had submitted her request for leave to the Prime Minister.

Shahrizat is right smack in the centre of the NFC controversy which exploded after the Auditor-General's 2010 Report on the project was made public.

The AG described it as "messy" and had failed to meet targets set by the government.

She immediately became the target of attacks from opposition party leaders because her husband Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail is the executive chairman of NFC and their three children are also directors of the company.

In December 2007 under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, a soft loan of RM250 million - with an annual interest of two per cent for 10 years - was approved for NFC to start a national feedlot centre in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, to help reduce beef imports.

The initial target was to produce 60,000 head of cattle a year.

Investigations by MACC and police are ongoing.

It's Friday the 13th..

How has the day been so far?

Bad Translation, No Translation

After this, we should be seeing the correct English translation of its official website.
But, no...the Ministry of Defence has not not done it.
In fact, the entire English version of its website - as of 12 noon today - is in BM.

As a way of "explaining", you'll find the articles and writings with a preceding note:There are no translations available.

Perhaps, it's still being done manually as explained by its minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Hard work, I reckon.

What gives, man? Google translation all this while?

I suggest the ministry gets the right people to do the job...

Kalau tidak, 0ne word: Malu.

Three university students who shoplifted have been given a second chance by the magistrate's court in Malacca.

They were released on a two-year good behaviour bond and ordered to do 240 hours of community service.

Magistrate Syajaratudur Abd Rahman reminded the three students to abide by the conditions set.

Aina Mardiah Mohd Khairi, Nor Atika Alem Abd Halim and Nur Ira Natasha Abdul Kadir, all 18 years old, pleaded guilty to stealing cosmetics at the Jusco Bandaraya Shopping Complex in Jalan Panglima Awang near Malacca at 7.45pm on 20 Sept, last year.

Aina Mardiah pleaded guilty to stealing three women's branded T-shirts, two cosmetic products and six packs of facial masks worth, RM291.90, Nor Atika Alem stole two women's T-shirts, one pack of eye-shadow, valued at RM146.80, and Nur Ira Natasha told the court she had stolen a T-shirt, a pair of shorts, two mascara pens, two packs of facial masks, a bottle of make-up remover and three other cosmetic products worth a total of RM392.

The three, who were represented by counsel Nor Fazlinda Alimad and Syed Mohd Dzahir Syed Abdul Razak, told the court that they had repented and regretted their actions.

Nor Fazlinda asked that they be given a second chance.

"They have admitted to the offence and by doing so they have not wasted the court's time. "They are also still studying and I hope they will be given the minimum sentence," she appealed.

Prosecuting officer Chief Inspector Muhather Mohd Kudus, however, requested the court to impose a sentence which would act as a deterrent to others.

I'm so pleased that the court did not sentence them to jail. I'm sure the girls learnt their lesson.