Finding Syed Mokhtar

This is a comment at Lebai Sudin's post

Sharing the cake of Malaysia's rice industry

Anonymous29 January 2018 at 15:55

Annie dan Lebai Sudin makan dedak Syed Mokhtar.

I think that's the most convenient answer for many people these days, especially when things disagreeable to them were laid out properly based on facts.

Well, it's okay. I got those all the time ever since I started blogging on my own almost five years ago.

A very popular pro-BN blogger even accused me of being a paid DAP cybertrooper and went on and on about it for more than a year. Really.

Actually, I do wish I could get paid for my writings. I could do with the extra cash.

I don't see anything wrong to receive payment for writing stuff like that post by Lebai Sudin.

It's just facts. Not lies or even spins.

It's not even political.

Anyway, all those journalists got paid what.

Some even got shares and stuff and became quite wealthy because of what they wrote and their position in newspapers and television stations.

They also got all sorts of titles - Datuk, Datuk Seri, Tan Sri and whatever else.

Everyone needs money to survive, that I understand.

Unfortunately, mine is just an insignificant anonymous blog.

Why would anyone wants to spend money on my writings anyway?

I'm not even clever or popular.

I wrote that many times.

I also never won any literary awards or anything like that.

I definitely don't have Datukship....thank goodness.

And a lot of times I just ramble in this blog about my own nonsense.

I can't even properly figure out things like the 1MDB and forex losses issues. Those gave me headaches, actually.

That's why I mostly stick to things I'm really sure about.

For instance, I don't really write about Sabah or Sarawak because I visited those states only twice each.

I write more about Johor because I'm a Johorean and familiar with things there.

I'm not like some people who can just sit at home reading the Internet and then write as if they know about everything.

I need to go around, meet people and see things before I can write about something.

That's more or less my MO.

So, that's about it.

Anyway, I have been lazing around these past few days.

Really no mood to write.

I'm writing this just to pass time.

I just imagine someone is with me in my room now and write this as if I'm talking to that person.

Most of my posts are actually written like this.

Really amateurish, right?

So, Syed Mokhtar wants to sponsor my blog?

Come on la. Get real, ok.

By the way, anyone knows where is Syed Mokhtar these days?

Someone actually asked me that two days ago.

How would I know. Never even met the guy in person.

Eh, enough lah, better you all listen to songs with these girls, ok...

Sharing the cake of Malaysia's rice industry

GUEST BLOGGER

By Lebai Sudin

Seperti yang aku janjikan nak tulis pasal kek industri beras, pasal krisis beras 1970-an, kesan krisis matawang pada 1998 kepada beras, dan yang paling semua orang tak sedar, krisis harga beras 2008.

Macam yang aku tulis dalam posting sebelum ini,

• Attempt to hijack Malaysia's rice industry

apabila harga beras pasaran dunia melambung pada 1973, pengimport-pengimport yang diberikan permit import beras enggan bawa masuk beras. Mereka akan rugi kerana kerajaan mahu beras di pasaran tempatan kekal mampu dibeli oleh rakyat.

Kita tak cukup beras ketika itu. Maka, LPN diberi hak pengimport tunggal. LPN sebagai agensi kerajaan tanggung kerugian. Import beras pada harga mahal, jual pada harga murah, berniaga apa tu?

Industri beras bukan untuk mengaut keuntungan. Perniagaan beras ni macam buat tugas negara. Beras tak macam hartanah iaitu makin mahal setiap hari, tak dapat kawal langsung. Tokeh-tokeh  kaya dalam HDA tentukan harga ikut pasaran, yang kerapnya kerana spekulasi, bukan permintaan sebenar pasaran.

Pemaju perumahan ini nyanyi macam-macam penambahbaikan, kediaman tepi tasik la, dalam taman la, dalm hutan la, eco tourism, natural ekosistem dan macam-macam lagi yang bunyinya sedap…maka harganya pun sedap untuk pemaju dan sekadar kita boleh pandang.

Beras tidak juga seperti perniagaan lain, yang harga tak dikawal. Banyak barang lain yang kalau minyak naik, ia naik sama. Tapi bila minyak turun, ia tak turun. Teh tarik dan roti canai mana pernah turun. Ikan, daging dan sayur di pasar pun macam tu juga.

Tapi dalam hal beras, bagi aku, pemborong ke, pengedar dan pengimport ke, ada tanggungjawab nasional. Beras dikawal selia dengan ketat. Tak boleh sesuka hati nak berniaga, sebab itu setiap peringkat perniagaannya memerlukan lesen.

Kedai runcit boleh jual semua barang keperluan dengan satu lesen perniagaan, tapi bila nak jual beras kena ada lesen berasingan. Pergerakan beras dari negeri ke negeri perlukan permit. Pemborong dan pengedar juga masing-masing perlu lesen. Ada lesen kilang padi, lesen borong dan lesen runcit.

Beras sebenarnya hanya menyumbang 0.6 peratus kepada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar dan komoditi yang paling dikawal selia. Ia adalah tanaman strategik atas faktor keselamatan makanan ruji.

Itu sebab industri beras tidak boleh disamakan macam komoditi lain seperti kelapa sawit dan getah, seperti ada setengah pengunjung blog ini membuat andaian.

Berbalik kepada krisis harga beras. Betullah kata seorang pengunjung blog yang komen dalam posting terdahulu. Katanya, beras adalah komoditi sangat sensitif untuk dibiarkan kepada pasaran menentukannya. Maka, dasar pengimport tunggal dilaksanakan sejak krisis 1974. Inilah yang diwarisi dan diteruskan oleh Bernas sehingga hari ini apabila LPN dikorporatkan dan diswastakan.

Aku nak tambah kat sini, dua tahun selepas LPN diswastakan menjadi Bernas, krisis mata wang Asia tahun 1998 menggegarkan rantau ini. Harga beras melambung kerana Ringgit merudum. Banyak syarikat gulung tikar. pasti ramai ingat. Keadaan Bernas ketika itu dilaporkan turut meruncing.

Pada 2008 pula, harga beras di pasaran antarabangsa naik tiga kali ganda. Ramai tak sedar, kerana kita masih beli beras di pasaran tempaatan pada harga yang agak stabil, naik pada kadar 30 peratus. Ketika itu, Thailand sebagai contoh (negara yang ramai banggakan sangat dalam bab beras), harga berasnya melonjak 105 peratus.

Jadi, siapa tanggung perbezaan kos yang besar ni? Bernas. bukan kerajaan lagi, kerana LPN dah jadi swasta. Berapa kerugian ditanggung Bernas? Laporan tahunannya menunjukkan mereka rugi RM92 juta.

Kalau beras pasaran antarabangsa rendah, ada cerita lain pulak. Kegiatan seludup pula menjadi-jadi. Khabarnya, jumlah juga beras sampai ratusan ribu tan setahun. Sudah tentu ini juga beri kesan kepada pesawah, pengilang dan pemborong.

Jadi, apalah sangat kek yang nak dikongsikan tu. import beras setahun dibenarkan pun pada tahap 30 peratus bagi menampung kekurangan bekalan tempatan. Malah, import beras bukanlah kek, bukan juga keistimewaan, tapi satu kemudahan yang digunakan untuk subsidi silang (cross subsidy).

Kalau mahu kata kek industri beras tempatan, memang dah dikongsi pun oleh ramai pengilang, pemborong dan peruncit.

Aku selidik sana sini dan hasilnya -  terdapat lebih 3,400 pemborong beras di negara ini dengan 13 daripadanya adalah anak syarikat Bernas. Kilang pula, ada 224 kilang yang aktif dan daripada jumlah itu, hanya 30 milik Bernas. Selain itu, ada 42,000 peruncit yang menjual beras dan Bernas langsung tak terlibat dalam peruncitan.

Nah, itulah perkongsian kek industri beras negara. Tepuk dada tanya selera…

Being alone - an autism story

Just want to share with you all this story.

It was forwarded to me from an autism chat group two days ago

Azman Aziz

We are alone.

Pagi tadi nak check passport valid sampai bila, kadang terlupa so check lah. Terkeluar kad OKU Afwan Ali. Kad ini dibuat pada umur dia 6 tahun sebab nak register PPKI. Teringat kisah last year when we wanted to change the card pada yang baru. Yang baru tu ada English translation, kalau ke luar negara, boleh lah guna. Kami pergilah ke Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat kat Bangunan Darul Ensan, Shah Alam. Sampai sana, pegawai sana kata tak boleh nak tukar kad baru sebab ada system baru so Afwan Ali nya rekod tak ada. Kalau nak buat, kena pergi dapatkan pengesahan doctor semula. We argued and that was the last time jejak kaki kat situ. I can understand if dia kata this card is fake kena buat baru. Or the evaluation done from different state or country now they need the local doctor to verify. Tapi pasal tukar system, kita pulak yang kena buat the whole proses, to me tak menolong langsung lah.

The thing is, Afwan Ali ni memang ada fobia tengok hospital dan doctor. Macam-macam test dia kena masa kat hospital. MRI machine pun dia dah masuk. ECG test pun ada wire punuh keliling badan, macam-macam lagi. Itu dulu masa dia 4-6 years old, kita masih boleh paksa dengan dukung. But now, he is a big strong boy. If he refused, memang tak adalah dapat jumpa doctor for pengesahan. So, kami tak dapat nak buat kad baru.

Ada orang yang bertanya saya tak ada ke involve in any parents support group ke tau apa-apa organisation Autism ni? Seriously memang tak minat sebab to me semua bukan genuine ikhlas dalam usaha. My experience say so. It is just us, and us alone yang betul-betul care about our children. Nak buat kad pun tak ada timbang rasa. Yang geram tu salah satu alasan yang diberi adalah, “Mungkin anak encik sudah kini dah pulih”. Autism pulih? I would rather they cakap,... Maaf Encik, kami tidak sudi menolong. I am happy. Dah 20 tahun pun memang tak ada siapa menolong. Isteri kata, tak pa, mungkin dia tak tahu pasal autism. Excuse me, he is in Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat untuk OKU, tak tahu...ambil tahu, belajar, dah job requirement. I am aware sometimes ada talk kat MHI lah WHI pasal autism, I am not interest to see pasal all those are only talks and talking to fill in slots. There are no serious effort to help.

That is why when Heathrow airport buat initiative assistance for autistic passengers, I am impressed. I do not see Malaysia Airports Berhad will look into this and implement it. Because no profit. Just additional cost to employ people. Allah warned about this in Surah Al Takaathur 102 Ayat 1: The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things).
Nowadays, if something is not profitable financially, welfare take a back seat.

Parents, jangan sedih atau kecewa bila kurang dapat bantuan. Ingatlah, it is their lost not us. Kita tak rugi apa-apa. Masa di JKM tu marah lah, tapi bila balek rumah, tengok Afwan Ali hilang rasa marah atau kecewa. Pegawai itu telah lepas satu peluang ibadah besar dalam membantu kami. Bila ada rujukan, pasti file ada, perlu carikan semula, key in semula data nya, boleh dapat kad. Bukan nak minta elaun apa pun. Inshaa Allah rezeki Afwan Ali ada Allah susunkan. Saya maafkan dia. Saya tidak akan lagi jejak ke Jabatan tersebut kerana saya tidak mahu mereka disana berdosa lagi dengan menghampakan kami. Saya tidak akan ke NASOM lagi kerana mereka telah menolak Afwan Ali. Saya tak berminat hendak menyertai apa-apa organisasi kerana terlalu banyak politik nya. Saya tidak ingin untuk masuk TV untuk mereka dapat rating tinggi. I just want to write a book so that many can learn from my experience and plan better for their children. No need to pay me, just need your doa.

We are happy as we are now. I will not stop trying to help my son the best way I think. We all should. Jangan terlampau harapkan orang lain. Mungkin kita kecewa, kekecewaan adalah musuh utama kita. Kekecewaan boleh bring you down. Getting back up may take time that can best used for our special children. Try avoid kekecewaan then life is easier. My advise, jangan risau jangan bimbang tentang dugaan ini semua. There will come a day when we will feel, it is worth all the hardship. Walau anak tak boleh cakap sampai besar, kita akan bersyukur sangat-sangat di anugerahkan anak istimewa ini. Just love them as they are, learn to love them as they are, miracle will happen. Allah pun minta kita buat itu aje, sayangi mereka.

Ok...sebelum melalut panjang dan ada yang bagi komen suruh buat buku je. better stop now.

Have a nice day all.

To vote or not to vote

This seems to be the most interesting political issue at the moment,

#UndiRosak debate rages across social media

People getting fed-up with politicians.

The Pakatan people are apparently saying,

Boycotting GE14 will only help BN

Well, I think if they don't want people to boycott the election and vote for them, then they should improve themselves and be a proper alternative to BN.

BN people should do the same.

At the moment both sides are equally annoying and irritating.

I myself have half in mind of giving this coming general election a pass.

Seriously, as it is now, despite the loathsome characters of some Umno and BN leaders, many Pakatan leaders are no better than them.

Not worth my time and effort to vote for any of them.

Of course there are those who think that's being irresponsible.

But the right of not choosing is provided for in our democracy.

I used to argue this with my friends when we were in college.

If they felt that it's so important for everyone to take sides, then they should make it compulsory for everyone to vote.

Like in Singapore.

But they didn't.

Well, I think politicians don't like it that we don't care for them.

Especially those who are not good enough but insisted that they are better than others.

They need our votes to justify their relevancy.

The problem is that they don't seem to really bother to make themselves relevant to us.

Do you all really feel it's worthwhile to spend a morning of your life to wake up early, go to the voting centre, queue for quite a while and cast your vote for characters like Ku Nan? Or Rafizi? Or you don't know who else that have actually done nothing for you?

Seriously, isn't that such a waste of time and effort?

In my case, I have to drive down from KL to JB some more to vote.

Quite troublesome.

It's just that at least I know who I'm voting for if I choose to do so.

Jazlan versus Salahuddin Ayub for MP.

Okay lah. Those two are not so bad.

Still waiting for their call.

State seat....the Chinese area of Pengkalan Rinting. That's definitely going to be DAP's. So, why should I bother?

Maybe I'll just drive to the beach and have a picnic on polling day.

See lah how.

Fake friends and others

One of the most disappointing things in life is to find out that people we thought were friends turned out to be not so.

I got a fair share of that.

What to do....that's how life is.

Normally, we found out about our fake friends when we were not doing well in life.

Not many will want to be our friend when we were down.

Very few will stick with us through thick and thin.

I understand this very well.

Yet, I'm not good when it comes to identifying my genuine friends and those who are fakes.

I just treat them all the same.

As the Malays said, berbaik sangka.

I only really knew who were what among my friends when I'm in trouble.

The last time I was in a tight spot a few years ago, I realised that I actually have only a handful of genuine friends.

Some of these few were not even really close to me previously, yet they were sincere and helped me a lot.

Others, whom I thought were my best friends and cared a lot for simply disappeared when they knew I was not doing very well anymore.

Well, as it turned out, some of them are even actually my enemies.

They sticked knives behind my back.

Real bastards.

But it's okay. I learnt my lessons on that one.

At least I know now who are my real friends.

They are very few indeed.

In a way it's good because I don't have to spend too much time on friends as I only have very few of them....hahaha

Anyway, being in love is also like that, actually.

The genuine one is quite rare.

Nine out of ten guys who say the word "love" are fakes.

Really.

The fakes only want to fuck you.

Not love you.

Or they only care about your money.

Trust me on this.

Politics?

Not in the mood, okay.

Anyway, why the hell should I care too much about the nonsense.

I'm just rambling here because I can't sleep.

I better smoke another cigarette.

That's all.

Ciao.

Annie's favourite blog and a weird friend

Spending this weekend at a place on the east coast.

My favourite place on earth...except maybe that small seaside onsen town in Kansai.

Going back to KL in a few hours.

Wish I don't have to.

Wish I can stay here.

If only I got that money when I quit my last job, I would have just settle down here.

Open a small shop and live a quiet peaceful life.

No more all these politics nonsense.

After it became clear that the Najib-Dr Mahathir war had reached the point of no return, I don't really care about the shit anymore.

Well, what to do. Those bastards didn't let me have the money.

But it's okay. I believe that rezeki tu Allah yang tentukan.

There must be a good reason why I didn't get the money and have to continue working the way I am now.

Maybe Allah wants me to work some more because I still have something to contribute.

Don't know lah. I'm not religious, but that's the way I see it.

Honestly, I think I'm the least ambitious person this side of the planet.

I don't fancy being popular, rich or powerful at all.

All my life, I work hard just because it's my responsibility to do so.

It's not so that I can naik pangkat or earn more money than I need.

I don't manoeuvre for positions and such.

My energy is only enough for work.

Not for the other nonsense.

That's the way I am.

It's just too bad that the place where I used to work, it turned out that it's compulsory to kiss ass to do well.

I have too much pride to do that.

That's what an old friend said to me.

Maybe he's right.

Anyway, just to let you know, as far as blogging is concerned, my favourite blog is actualy a non-political blog.

It's the blog of

Tukang Kebun's

(please click on the link to read)

I enjoy reading her stories about her farm and travels.

Tukang Kebun and her loved ones live at a small farm planted with all sorts of plants which produce she sells online.

There were farm animals too.

I learnt about her blog from my aunts who occasionally buy her farm produce.

I wish I can be more like her.

Hers is a blessed life.

Like me, Tukang Kebun also likes Japan. She studied there and speaks the language. Another thing which I envied about her.

Anyway, someone wrote about me today.

The guy is okay despite sometimes being a total dick.

I totally understand his sentiments.

Don't get too stressed out my friend.

Here, enjoy this,

Relax, Proton is not being racist

This is silly,

Diskaun Hokkien Proton ganjil dan rasis

excerpts;

Naib Presiden ISMA, Abdul Rahman Mat Dali tidak menolak kemungkinan diskaun itu berkait dengan kepentingan firma China dalam syarikat kereta Malaysia itu.

"Baru sahaja pegang syer besar dalam Proton sudah tunjuk rasis. Saya bimbang selepas ini pelbagai lagi langkah yang dilakukan mereka terhadap Proton,” kata beliau dipetik Ismaweb.

Abdul Rahman turut mempersoalkan kewajaran menawarkan diskaun secara eksklusif kepada anggota kesatuan Hokkien itu dan bukannya kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

"Ia dilihat ganjil. Malah sejarah Proton sejak mula lagi tidak pernah berlaku perkara seumpama ini,” katanya.


Proton's explanation;

Proton special discounts for Hokkien associations a normal practice

excerpts;

Proton in its press statement said it is a common business practice in the automotive industry to offer corporate sales discounts based on bulk purchase and fleet sales.

“We wish to reiterate that Nanyang also reported that Proton always provide corporate/fleets sales promotion to corporate customers, associations, organizations, and institution (including media). Therefore, Hokkien Federation (FHAM) is not a special case,” the statement read.

Proton also pointed out that FHAM had approached and support it with a commitment to purchase. 

“Based on the large number of members of the associations and its employees, we are able to custom make a special package that both parties have agreed upon.

“Any cooperatives, organisations and associations that buy certain volume of cars are also entitled to this corporate sales special arrangement, subject to terms and conditions between Proton and the said parties,” said Proton.

So, next time, associations like Isma should check properly first before making a statement.

Not nice if shoot first without checking like that.

Isma said they found it weird that Proton is offering such thing to people of a particular race.

Actually, it's not for a particular race, but descendants of people from a certain part of China. It's like Proton offering discounts to Johoreans.

But then again the offer was made after an agreement of some sorts with the association representing those people.

It's not racist, parochial or even discriminatory.

It's just a business deal.

You and your people buy lots of car, you get discounts. That's all.

Isma can also get such discounts if they approach Proton and offer to buy, let's say 1,000 Proton Iriz for its members.

Iriz is so cute. The white ones remind me of Star Wars stormtrooper helmets.

So, relax. Don't get upset for no reason.

Anyway, I like the idea of more Chinese owning and driving Proton.

I rather not say why though, because a Chinese ultra will whack me extra hard if I say it....hahahaha

Attempt to hijack Malaysia's rice industry

GUEST BLOGGER

By Lebai Sudin

Pada ketika aku menulis mengenai mengapa StraitsTimes Singapore berminat mengenai industri beras di Malaysia,

• When Malaysian rice industry attacked by Malay Mail, Singapore ST and Karim Raslan outfit

rupa-rupanya ada satu media online MalaysiaGazette menyiarkan artikel ada spekulasi mahukan bisnes di tangan Bernas sekarang.

Bernas masih belum tahu nasib selepas 2021? 

Artikel tu macam mengesahkan persoalan yang aku bangkitkan.

MalaysiaGazette memetik sumber-sumber yang mengatakan belum ada tanda-tanda status dan kedudukan Bernas sebagai pemegang permit tunggal pengimport beras negara dapat dipertahankan.

Katanya, ini kerana terdapat spekulasi bahawa beberapa pihak termasuk pertubuhan-pertubuhan membabitkan industri pertanian turut mengintai peluang untuk berkongsi ‘kek’ yang sama dengan Bernas.

Apalah kek yang nak dikongsikan sangat tu..soal kek ini aku akan cerita kemudian. Kali ini aku nak bicara soal usaha untuk memburukkan industri beras negara dan serangan terhadap Bernas. Apa motifnya?

Kalau ingat, Annie ada menulis bahawa Pengerusi Persatuan Pengilang Beras Melayu Malaysia, Musonnef Md Radzi adalah antara orang terlibat memulakan gerakan NGO Padi Rescue, yang desak kerajaan tubuhkan semula LPN. Kumpulan ini mendakwa Bernas yang memainkan peranan LPN telah gagal membela pesawah, pengilang malah industri beras keseluruhannya.

• The Padi Rescue snowball

Musonef adalah seorang pengusaha kilang yang mempunyai hutang tertunggak dengan Bernas sehingga lebih RM6.5 juta. Dia bertindak mengasak Bernas apabila Bernas mula mengambil tindakan undang-undang berikutan hutang tidak diselesaikan.

Gerakan Musonef ini pula dilaporkan mendapat pembelaan pemimpin pembangkang, Datin Seri Wan Azizah yang mendesak kerajaan supaya menghalang Bernas mengambil tindakan undang-undang.

Kemudian serangan ke atas Bernas ini disiarkan pula ST Singapore yang mendapat ulasan penganalisa politik syarikat KRA (Karim Raslan Associates), yang kemudiannya dipetik dan siar semula oleh Malaymail.

Dan akhirnya Malasysiagazette pula menyiarkan artikel spekulasinya.

Maka, bermula dengan masalah sebuah syarikat pengilang yang berhutang (yang pemiliknya tahu mengapa dia berhutang begitu banyak), isu padi telah dibawa hingga kepada perhatian akhbar negara jiran dengan alasan kononnya memberi impak kepada pilihanraya umum dan akhirnya kepada soal hak mengimport beras.

Nampak pihak-pihak yang berminat dalam hal ini tidak peduli dengan beras sebagai satu industri strategik negara.

Apakah mereka membela pengilang yang mensia-siakan peluang yang diberikan kepadanya sehingga menanggung beban hutang begitu banyak? Pengilang pula kononnya mahu membela pesawah yang sentiasa mendapat pembelaan kerajaan melalui Kementerian Pertanian.

Maka, muncul pula pihak-pihak berkepentingan yang mahu mengambil peluang dengan mengeruhkan sedikit suasana dan kemudian menangguk di air keruh.

Semua ini macam ada udang di sebalik batu, atau kalau kononnya mahu membaiki keadaan,,,mengapa lain yang sakit, lain pula dibebatnya?

Aku rasa dah sampai masanya masyarakat disedarkan dan memahami kedudukan industri beras di negara ini. Ia bukan industri yang boleh mengaut keuntungan besar, kerana ada tanggungjawab terhadap rakyat dan negara dalam industri ini.

Sebagai anak nelayan dan hidup dalam kampung pekebun kecil aku amat memahami persoalan ini.

Kerajaan didesak supaya memastikan hasil padi pesawah dibeli pada harga tinggi, tetapi pada masa sama, kerajaan juga didesak supaya memastikan harga beras murah untuk menjaga rakyat terbanyak pula.

Siapa yang sanggup menggalas tanggungjawab ini? Apakah mereka yang dalam fikiran  sentiasa mengira dollar n cents macam dalam sektor hartanah boleh dipercayai diberi tugas ini?

Saya akan bicara lagi hal ini, khususnya ketika krisis beras sekitar awal 1970-an, krisis kewangan 1998 dan kesannya kepada beras serta isu beras 2008. Tunggu tulisan akan datang.

As the story goes, Felda is okay now what

I was told that the reporters cheered when TS Shahrir Samad yesterday announced that,

Tanah Jalan Semarak kembali 

kepada FELDA tanpa kos

By the way, that's the link to the story by Berita Harian, the newspaper which first triggered the issue with its "exclusive" last month.

As I predicted,  in the end,

Shahrir the saviour of Felda

Earlier, before the 4pm press conference, Shahrir insisted that,

Felda only wants its land back

excerpts;

“I just want the land. We have never discussed stopping the project. The project is the project, the land is the land. I’m not questioning the development agreement.”

However, everyone knows that the land deal and the KLVC project are connected.

Come on la, why did Felda gave the land to the developer in the first place at the start of the saga in 2014?

Shahrir, for one, should know.

According to Big Dog in his latest post,

FELDA’s fortification from land being flogged off

excerpts;

It is most likely, SPSB needed the land to be transferred with their name as the new land owner in order to gain financing for the project.

It is the regular practice that financial institutions encumber land as part of the condition to give finance to a property development project.

Now, without the land to gain financing, can the developer be able to continue with the KLVC project?

Theoretically they can, but in reality, I think it would be very tough for them to continue with it.

Their name has been tainted very badly after the matter was made public.

Many now see the developer and others in Felda back then as being together in trying to steal the land.

So, I highly doubt that the developer will proceed with the project.

They simply have to cut their losses.

And when that happened, a new developer will take over the KLVC project.

Just watch out who is going to be this new developer.

Only then this whole nonsense will make some real sense.

As I first wrote about this issue,

• Felda land noises is just another palace intrigue

It doesn't really affect the Felda settlers, actually.

Just a bunch of greedy people trying to get a bigger piece of the pie.

They were just using negative public sentiment generated by the issue to get what they want.

But of course the opposition exploited this issue to the maximum.

That comes naturally lah.

You all should have seen how people commented about it in the social media even after the announcement yesterday that everything is okay now.

I wonder how many votes BN and Umno are going to lose just because of this nonsense.

Well, too bad for BN and Umno on this one.

They simply have to work extra hard to repair the damage now that the general election is just a few months for now.

I think it's going to be tough. Once people have set their mind on something, it's quite hard to change it within such a short period of time.

Good luck to them lah.

Elite boarding schools, now and back then

Visited my cousin at his school yesterday.

He enrolled at the boarding school in Putrajaya the previous week.

It's one of those schools for high achievers.

I attended a similar school in Seremban many years ago.

I didn't do very well in school but was better after that in college.

My cousin was still adapting to the environment and the orientation week was still ongoing.

He's learning to be independent and taking care of himself.

Learning how to wash his own clothes, making his own bed and such things. Those used to be taken cared for him by his guardians.

It's a good learning process.

Very much like I used to go through when I went to the boarding school at Form One.

However, the facilities at my cousin's school are very much better.

The students have washing machines, dryers, ironing equipment etc.

The school area also looked spacious and the dormitories are very well maintained.

I didn't check the classrooms and other study facilities but I guess they are of the same good standards.

My school back then was more spartan.

Life was tough for me those five years I was there.

However, my school had been relocated to a new place and provided better accommodations.

My former schoolmates told me that it's now as good as the other elite schools such as the one attended by my cousin.

I never visit my school after the relocation.

Yesterday, I also noticed that parents visiting their children looked quite well off.

Their cars are mostly Honda and Toyota.

There were also some Mercedes.

Well, I was driving my dad's Proton.

Back then during my schooldays, parents hardly visit their children in boarding school.

Most of the parents were not people with money and stay far away from the school.

Quite a number of them were from rural areas.

Even my parents actually only visited me just once during my five years there. No kidding.

But I'm okay with it because I know that they were busy.

Yesterday, the visiting parents and their kids were mostly having a picnic.

Most were having pizza.

I really think they are mostly quite well off.

Middle class, probably.

Well, they do seemed better than us from back then.

All in all, from the way I see those parents and their kids, things are quite good for them.

At least better than my time at school.

Okay, that's all for this weekend.

Need to clean up my room now.

Cheers.

Shahrir the saviour of Felda...whatever (updated)

UPDATES

Please also read

Felda revokes power of attorney it gave to developer

ORIGINAL POST

Had a chat with friends yesterday when one of them asked me what did I hope to achieve by asking this question,

Shahrir, are you in cahoot with the gang trying to take over the KLVC project?

I told him that I was not trying to achieve anything except maybe to irritate Shahrir and the gang a bit.

I'm not pretentious, okay.

Mine is after all just an insignificant anonymous blog written by an airhead, right?

Anyway, I told my friends that nothing can stop the gang from taking over the KLVC project in the first place.

They had set their mind on it, planned it and had proceeded with it.

The ball is already rolling.

Bear also in mind that the gang members are so very powerful that newspaper editors, who are supposed to be men with integrity kiss their ass just to survive.

That's how they planted the story in Berita Harian which started all the havoc.

That's also probably why not many want to write about this nonsense.

Takut kena black listed rasanya.

The gang definitely don't really care about the damage done to BN and Umno on the ground at the Felda settlements as the opposition exploited the Jalan Semarak land deal issue which was created by them for their scheming.

Well, never mind. That's none of my business anyway. Ni saja aku tulis suka-suka.

I bet that once the gang has taken over the KLVC project, Shahrir will make an announcement that he has saved the Felda land and the Media Prima newspapers will hail him as a hero of some sorts.

Shahrir, the Mr Clean has saved Felda. Yay!

And everything will be fine again.

And the Felda settlers will be happy with the explaination.The newspapers will do nice stories with interviews of them praising Shahrir as the saviour of Felda.

Agaknya lah. The plan supposed to be like that, I think.

Whatever.

Lebih baik aku dengar lagu. Another favourite song of an autistic boy, actually

Cheers.

Shahrir, are you in cahoot with the gang trying to take over the KLVC project?

This is an interesting development of the Felda land deal issue,

Felda land deal profitable, board had full knowledge

excerpts 1;

According to the daily newspaper, all decisions pertaining to the June 2014 deal were made by FIC without the knowledge of Felda’s directors until they were informed about it in September of that year.

However, a source with intimate knowledge of the deal told The Mole today that the Felda board had endorsed it on the very day they were officially informed about the deal and then re-endorsed it on June 3, 2015.

(This is about the Berita Harian story which I believe was planted by the gang to create havoc so that they can take over the project)

excerpts 2;

Ever since the Berita Harian report, Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad has been pulling out all the stops to undo the deal although SPSB is said to have not found to have committed any breach of contract.

The source pointed out that the FIC-SPSB agreement was drafted in such a way that it is practically irrevocable, unless SPSB has breached it.

The exact wordings of the conditions for a breach are as follows:

“The parties hereto agree that FIC shall be entitled to terminate this agreement in the event the master developer fails and/or omits and/or neglects to complete the said project within ten years from the date of the first development order and the land conversion to the category of land use commercial, whichever is later.”

(Why is Shahrir going all out to revoke the project after the BH story came out and insisted that it must be undone even before the forensic audit started? In fact, he said Felda had lost the land before PM said it has not lost the land. I'm begining to suspect that Shahrir was in cahoot with those trying to take over the project because of this)

excerpts 3;

Shahrir had portrayed the deal as a total loss for Felda but according to the source, FIC in fact is set to gain at least half a billion ringgit from it.

The source quoted the minutes of the 10th FIC board meeting on April 29, 2014, as such: “It was resolved that the company (FIC) do hereby accept the offer by SPSB on the proposed minimum guaranteed return (MGR) of RM500 million or 10 per cent of the gross development value, whichever is higher.

“The first payment of RM10 million being part of the MGR shall be paid within one month from the date of signing of the property development agreement.”

The estimated value of the land is RM200 million.

(Yes Shahrir, why did you say Felda didn't get a single sen from the deal?  Why did you try to make things look so bad that the issue became the latest weapon of the opposition with the general election just around the corner? Are you any better than Isa Samad?)

Please also read my first posting on this issue;

• Felda land noises, just another palace intrigue

excerpts;

- Everyone who should know about the deal, knew about it from day one. Nothing was said about it because everyone agreed that there's nothing wrong with the deal. That's the reason why MACC was quick to say there was no element of corruption in the deal. They knew it much earlier and had checked on it much before BH broke the story.

- The whole brouhahah was actually started by a bunch of people who were unhappy because the land deal leads to other deals which benefit a gang of people, believed to be linked with Isa. They were unhappy because they were left out of it, actually.

- These unhappy people, who have a degree of control over Media Prima are the ones who told BH to break the story which triggered all the noises.

And these greedy people trying to take over the KLVC project are still at it.

Just read the headlines of Media Prima newspapers on the issue which didn't show any real interest to correct the perception that the Felda land deal was so bad even after Najib said Felda didn't lose the land.

The latest that I heard was that this gang of eunuchs had already prepared two set of documents to revoke the land deal and stop the KLVC project even before the forensic audit has been completed. And they also have already set up some people to be the black sheeps for the whole thing.

Despite being close to Najib, these people don't seem to care that BN and Umno are bleeding support among the Felda settlers because of this issue which they created to take over the project.

PKR's palace intrigues - knives out for Azmin

This is a headline at Malaysia Chronicle yesterday;

IF HE HAS ANY HONOR, ‘NAJIB JUNIOR’ AZMIN SHOULD QUIT AS SELANGOR MB: HIS TREACHERY REVEALED IN FAILED BID TO STEAL PM & DPM POST FROM DR M & AZIZAH, NO REASON TO LET PKR’S NO.1 POLITICAL BACKSTABBER HOG THE S’GOR TOP POST

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/if-he-has-any-honor-najib-junior-azmin-should-quit-as-selangor-mb-his-treachery-revealed-in-failed-bid-to-steal-pm-dpm-post-from-dr-m-azizah-no-reason-to-let-pkrs-no-1-political-backstabb/

(It's a blocked site but I managed to get around it courtesy of Jebat Must Die...hehehe)

Malaysian Chronicle is a pro-PKR website. Many believed that it's run by Tian Chua.

Well, maybe it's been taken over by Rafizi, thus such a headline. You know lah that boy and Azmin like what.

The story itself is actually not as fearsome as the headline.

Just quotes from PKR leaders supporting Pakatan's decision to nominate Dr Mahathir as PM candidate and other stuff decided at Pakatan's convention over the weekend. Nothing to do with Azmin, really.

Quite weird actually to put such a headline.

That's why I think the media will not improve if Pakatan takes over Putrajaya.

Anyway, guess they are really going to kill Azmin off after GE14.

That's quite a pity because I thought Azmin is one of the country's hope for the future. Same like KJ, Chin Tong, Sallahudin Ayub, Mukhriz, and such.

I wrote several times about Azmin and his potentials;

The opposition leader who can reunite them

A little issue and Azmin being the best PM candidate

Pakatan's new hope

Well, just like Umno, PKR also has its own palace intrigues, complete with diva princesses, scheming concubines and insidious greedy eunuchs.

Watch some Korean period drama la if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Azmin is like a crown prince and Rafizi is like his pesky little brother who wants to grab the throne for himself. Something like that.

Everyone scheming against each others even before the real fight with the real enemy begins.

So typical.

Eh, need to go to work now.

I ll try to write again later.

Cheers.

Old people still want to play

So,

Mahathir is Pakatan’s PM candidate

but

excerpts;

Saifuddin said also stated in the agreement was on the legal process that would be initiated to obtain a Royal Pardon for Pakatan Harapan’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after the opposition pact took over the country’s administration.

“This is to ensure Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim can immediately play a role in the federal government and then to be appointed as the 8th prime minister,” he said.

Honestly, I feel that this is a bit of a let down.

Can't they at least said once Dr Mahathir steps down as PM,  he'll be replaced by a credible young leader instead of Anwar?

PKR is still all about Anwar as PM, is it?

Isn't it by right about a better Malaysia?

Really, I was hoping yesterday for Pakatan to name Azmin as PM candidate and Mukhriz as his potential deputy.

That would have been much better.

Such a Pakatan move would likely force BN to push up younger and more credible people in their ranks to take over from the older and much tainted leaders. .

Well, if I have my way, I want this country to be run by good younger people.

The older people should just rest.

And they can put aside their baggages too.

This is what I previously wrote about my wish on this matter;

• Dreaming of KJ, Azmin and Chin Tong

excerpts;

Let's say I have been given the chance to set a single rule for the next general election.

What I would do is to ban everyone above 60 from actively taking part in it, except voting.

Everyone above that age limit can't become a candidate or even campaign for the election in any way.

They must sit quietly at home and only vote on polling day.

Really. I think the older people should leave it to the young ones to fix the country, if it needs to be fixed. The older people should ideally just help out with things instead of continuing bossing people around.

But of course it's not going to happen that way.

It's going to be the same old faces fighting over the same old issues all over again.

They really don't know when to let go of things, don't they?

Well, never mind.

Stupid Malaysian politics like that lah.

We have no choice but to simply go with the flow.

A good suggestion and a bit on Felda land

I'm not well and not really in the mood to write.

Just want to highlight this comment which I received just now because I think it's interesting;

Anonymous6 January 2018 at 00:50

Memang betul bn personalities mostly memang macam sial; especially yg suka menonjolkan siri for the wrong reason dan cakap merapu tanpa berfikir. I do like Mat Hassan of NS and Zambry of Perak.

Ph personalities pun tak kurang macam sial nya jugak. Rafizi huh..dia aje cerdik. I prefer Tony Pua. Tapi ph has more sensible words than bn. But get this - i used to despise LGE but today he proves capable.

Memang betul dah dekat 20 tahun Malaysia berkelahi sama sendiri. Semua gila nak berkuasa termasuk pelakon terbaik di Sg.Buloh tu. Bila berkuasa gerenti salahguna kuasa. Azmin hmm dua kali lima aje. Dia inherit Khalid good work yang lain politik sampah jugak.

My bet goes to the younger DAP reps and Amanah reps

Annie, let's personalities yg rakyat Malaysia boleh terima memimpin. Keparat2 yg dah memang macam sial cakap dan perangai ni hambuskan. Macam KJ ni boleh la kasi chance subject to dia polish telor sendiri danjangan polish telor orang lain. H2O..buang terus. Dua duit pun tak berguna. Suruh dia pergu asah dan asapkan keris umno yg dah berkarat.

Quite a good suggestion, don't you think?

By the way, I think I got it right when I wrote this;

• Felda land noises, just another palace intrigue

excerpts;

- Everyone who should know about the deal, knew about it from day one. Nothing was said about it because everyone agreed that there's nothing wrong with the deal. That's the reason why MACC was quick to say there was no element of corruption in the deal. They knew it much earlier and had checked on it much before BH broke the story.

- The whole brouhahah was actually started by a bunch of people who were unhappy because the land deal leads to other deals which benefit a gang of people, believed to be linked with Isa. They were unhappy because they were left out of it, actually.

- These unhappy people, who have a degree of control over Media Prima are the ones who told BH to break the story which triggered all the noises.

- Shahrir responded to it because.....well, Shahrir is Shahrir.....he simply has to say something.

- All in all, this is just another palace intrigue. A struggle for power and profits between one gang of eunuchs against another gang of eunuchs. Something like that.

Read Rocky's

Ah, Felda did not lose its Samarak land after all!

excerpts;

The salient points:

Para 7:

The PM says report(s) that claimed the Felda land in Semarak had been lost were inaccurate.

Para 4&5:

The PM had directed Felda on Dec 11, 10 days before the BH broke the story  to:

(a) determine if there was abuse of power or/and corruption in the procedures for KL Vertical City, the ongoing project on the Felda Semarak land and

(b) lodge a police report

Rocky also asked,

excerpts;

The MACC has ruled OUT any element of corruption in the deal between FIC and Synergy Promenade (No elements of graft in Felda land transfer, says MACC - Dec 21) so we are looking at other "elements", if anything at all. Refer to Para 8: IF the audit firm and the police find any form of misappropriation, the Government will take legal action.

What if the audit firm and the police don't find anything?

What if the deal wasn't "dubious" as reported?

Well, if the whole nonsense is really just nonsense (which I believe it is), then Najib should know that his eunuchs are having another round of bullshit fighting among themselves for their personal wealth and interests at the expense of BN and Umno. I believe one gang of the eunuchs pushed for an investigation on the deal and to make sure the whole thing goes their way, they ordered a story on it to be published in Berita Harian. Now Najib should also know that those ass kissers at Media Prima are willing to publish fake and misleading news in their newspapers, which are damaging to BN and Umno just to please those self serving eunuchs.

Kalau Najib tak nampak juga, aku tak tau la nak kata apa lagi. 

Shit...past 2am now. 

I better get some sleep.

Need to take those medication first...this coughing is killing me. 

Ciao

When Malaysian rice industry attacked by Malay Mail, Singapore's ST and Karim Raslan's outfit

GUEST BLOGGER

By Lebai Sudin

Selamat tahun baru 2018, dengan harapan kehidupan kita semua menjadi lebih baik. Pastinya semua orang mengharapkan masa hadapan yang lebih baik. Hari ini yang lebih baik dari semalam.

Dalam mengharapkan yang baik itu, aku terbaca berita yang kurang baik dua hari sebelum tahun baru. MalayMail Online melaporkan kononnya industri beras negara sedang bermasalah.

Report: Ahead of GE14, paddy farmers up in arms over Bernas

Sedangkan kita tak dapat rasa pun ada masalah dengan beras di pasaran.

Ingat tak aku pernah tulis pasal isu padi? Ada NGO menamakan diri mereka sebagai Padi Rescue dan menuntut 14 perkara daripada kerajaan.

• Padi Rescue, are they for real?

• The Padi Rescue snowball

Katanya memperjuangkan nasib pesawah dan penanam padi. Sejak itu, aku monitor juga kalau-kalau ada orang bercakap atau tulis pasal isu ni.

Dan akhir-akhir ini yang tertonjol atau sememangnya nak ditonjolkan ialah soal import beras walaupun masih disebut membela penanam padi.

Artikel Malay Mail Online kata Bernas monopoli industri beras di Malaysia, termasuk kebenaran mengimport beras. Maknanya Bernas satu-satunya pengimport beras di negara ini.

Aku check..betul hanya Bernas yang boleh import. Sebab apa, sebab ketika beras boleh diimport oleh banyak pihak, pengimport swasta enggan import ketika krisis beras awal 70-an. Harga beras meningkat di pasaran antarabangsa, sedangkan kerajaan mahu memastikan harga beras kekal rendah di pasaran tempatan. Maka, pengimport beras tak mahu bawa masuk beras. Kita kekurangan beras…pengimport swasta ni peduli apa..mereka bukan ada rasa tanggungjawab.

Maka, masa tu kerajaan terpaksa minta LPN (sekarang Bernas) mengimport, sebab beras tak ada dalam pasaran. Maka, LPN tanggung kerugian dan sekarang tanggungjawab itu diteruskan oleh Bernas. Kerajaan pula letak wakil dalam lembaga Bernas dan ada kuasa veto pulak..

Inilah yang sebenarnya berlaku mengapa ada dasar pengimport tunggal, supaya negara dapat kawal pembekalan dan harga beras.

Satu lagi, artikel Malay Mail tu mendakwa isu panas di kalangan pesawah ialah kerana Bernas monopoli pasaran beras. Pelik aku, apa pasal mereka kata Bernas monopoli pembekalan beras, sedangkan ada banyak pengilang dan pemborong swasta dan persendirian. Bila aku search…rupanya ada lebih 200 kilang beras di negara ini dan ada lebih 3,000 pemborong serta lebih 40,000 peruncit beras.

Tapi ada lagi yang lebih pelik dalam hal padi atau beras ni. Artikel Malaymail Online yang aku baca tu memetik laporan Straits Times Singapore. Akhbar negara jiran itu mendakwa industri beras Malaysia sedang panas dan akan beri kesan kepada Pilihanraya Umum akan datang.

Growing discord in Malaysia's paddy industry

Apa hal ni? Bagaimana ST Singapura memandai-mandai ini. Akhbar itu memetik kenyataan seorang penganalisis politik dari KRA (aku google KRA ia syarikat Karim Raslan..aku tak tau siapa dia ni, tapi nampak macam orang besar), Amir Fareed Rahim.

Dalam artikel itu Amir Fared kata, isu padi sangat sensitif dan sangat bahaya kerana pesawah adalah pengundi  penting di luar bandar dalam pilihanraya.

Wow…terer Amir Fareed ni. Dia tahu ke bahawa Bernas lah yang menyelamatkan penanam padi di Pantai Timur, khususnya di Kelantan. Semua pengilang swasta tak mahu beli padi di Pantai Timur. Astro Awani ada melaporkan yang kualiti padi di Kelantan merosot.

Bernas beli padi di Kelantan walaupun kualiti rendah

Tak ada siapa nak beli. Maka, Bernas beli semuanya kerana itu adalah tanggungjawab Bernas yang ditetapkan kerajaan. Jadi, apa cerita ini.

Amir Fareed tau tak, sikap pesawah apabila hasil padi mereka molek dan bermutu, mereka jual kepada pengilang swasta, tetapi apabila hasil tak kualiti, mereka jual kepada Bernas kerana kerajaan dah tetapkan Bernas wajib beli padi petani.

Laporan ST Singapore tu kata hampir 300,000 pesawah ada di Malaysia. Sebab itu undi mereka penting. Hei..satu undi pun penting. Tapi aku nak bagi tau..semua orang tahu penanam padi dapat subsidi harga padi, dan rekod penerima subsidi padi kerajaan menunjukkan sekitar 155,000 pesawah. Fikirlah sendiri apa tujuan penulisan ni.

Sebab itu aku hairan, kenapa ST Singapura berminat dalam hal ini. Mengapa pula KRA nak terlibat bagi komen pasal hal ini. Siapa KRA ni? Kenapa nak beri komen melalui media Singapura. Lepas tu Malaymail Online pula petik dan siar di Malaysia.

Adakah ini cara pihak tertentu untuk merendah-rendahkan dan memperlekehkan industri beras negara kita? Guna media luar dulu untuk burukkan dan disambut pula oleh media tempatan.

Kalau benar soal penanam padi, ia bukan di bawah Bernas tetapi di bawah Kementerian Pertanian. Kalau benar soal penanam padi, bukankah penanam padi dapat subsidi harga padi, subsidi baja dan racun. Seburuk mana sekali pun hasil padi tanaman mereka, Bernas tetap kena beli. Bernas wajib beli kerana ia dasar kerajaan. Tidakkah ini bermakna penanam padi sentiasa mendapat pembelaan? Lalu apa?

Lalu, apakah soal membela pesawah itu sekadar alasan tetapi sasarannya ialah bisnes yang ada dalam tangan Bernas sekarang?