Thursday 22 June 2017

Italian Ducati, Malaysian Proton

Ducati is the Ferrari of motorcycles.

But I don't really care much for it, preferring the more mundane but practical Japanese of Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha.

Still, I always have respect for the brand.

It's after all Italian.

At least that's how I always see it.

So do most other people who care about motorcycles, I think.

However, this morning I saw this story,


excerpts;


U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson is lining up a takeover bid for Italian rival Ducati, potentially bringing together two of the most famous names in motorcycling in a deal that could be worth up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.67 billion), sources told Reuters.

Indian motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto and several buyout funds are also preparing bids for Ducati, which is being put up for sale by German carmaker Volkswagen.
So, Ducati is actually own by the Germans and about to be sold to the Americans or Indians or whomever else later.

By the way, the Indian Bajaj is the one which recently partnered Malaysian Modenas.

I think everyone knows Harley. That clunky and noisy American contraption of middle-aged men :)

Still, somehow I think Ducati will still be Italian.

I never see it as German despite all these while it's own by Volkswagen.

It still seems Italian sexy even though I prefer the technologically superior and efficient Japanese bikes.

Only a Lady Ducati can ride wearing heels like that. I know I can't.

It just feels that way.

Doesn't matter who will owns it later, the bike still feels Italian.

It's the same with Volvo being Swedish despite now it's own by China's Geely.

It just feels that way.

No one will say Volvo is Chinese, right?

Somehow, that's the way it is with other automotive brands too.

Rolls Royce and Jaguar, for instance, will always be British even if they are own by Martians.

Therefore I think, Proton which is now partnering Geely will always be Malaysian.

I don't think it will turn Chinese because of Geely's interests in it.

Proton will always be Malaysian, as far as I'm concerned, the same way Ducati being Italian despite being own by some Americans, or Indians or Nepalese or whatever.

I know, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was sad back then when the Proton-Geely partnership was announced.

That's understandable. I don't get it why some people mercilessly whacked the handsome old man because of that. They shouldn't, okay.

Dr Mahathir is the father of Proton and he wants Proton to remain totally Malaysian.

Just like a Kedahan father who wants his child to remain a Kedahan.

But the child needs to grow up and in the process he may not retain the original Kedahan ways like what the father wants.

The father may be unhappy about the changes but that's just the way things are.

It's unavoidable if the child is to grow up.

He needs to go to school and college and later on the workplace where he may learn other values than that of what he learnt as a child of Kedah.

But despite all that, I believe the child will remain a Kedahan and loves his father, no matter what.

At least that's how I feel about it. 

Okay, back to Ducati and Italy, here's a video,


See, it's still as Italian as ever.

That's all.

Ciao.

23 comments:


  1. Bangsa and tulunan, tatak bolih tukar maa aa ,tapi Bulayu manyak mau tukar bangsa and tulunan lea aa .

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think everyone knows Harley. That clunky and noisy American contraption of middle-aged men :)

    Oh yeah mama? Well then here's one goodie for old times sake ma'am ....

    https://youtu.be/HiO27M9Im2w

    ReplyDelete
  3. Annie,

    No, nobody would say that Ducati is not Italian despite it being owned by Volkswagen.

    This is because Ducati is Italian designed and Italian built from ground up.

    It's the same with Volvo, Jaguar and Hummers.

    They were all designed and built by their original founders and still are designed and built following the principles of their original founders.

    Proton?

    Hmmm, well, I think we will be ditching virtually everything Proton designed and moving over to new Geely inspired designs.

    I predict that within 5 years, Proton will be Malaysian only in name.

    So, in my view, Proton will be Malaysian in name only.

    Gladiator

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Low mentality. Cannot think beyond 3 inches of your dick.

      Delete
  4. this whole scenario with proton is not the same with duccati and the germans.

    the whys and the whts is completely different.

    its not just tun. count me in too, im sadden by wht happen to proton. i dont know about the rest of msians though..i see it as betrayal to the nation. a treasonous act even. enough for me to say enough is enough.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Gladiator

    There are even malaysian to me who are malaysian by names only.

    Their heart and soul are somewhere else! Bumi bertuah ini to them hanyalah tempat untuk cari makan! Trouble arise just pack up and go.Following their ancestor footstep!

    Some even have dual citizenship.To become aussie or new zealanders are their child dream.But i heard those who has already made their way there are longing to come back.The Mad Sailor are not to friendly and humble to them i supposed!

    Back to proton...i think we can only put the blame on its founder.After all the mess he had made its about time to take care thousands of its workforce wellbeing rather than this one man pride! Didn't he had all the time and opportunity before!

    The Equalizer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks the equalizer for your well thought comments.

      Prof Kangkung

      Delete
    2. Excellent points, Equilizer.

      Delete
  6. Malay used to be praying to hindu gods.

    According to history, that is.

    There were bomohs and pawangs amongst the Malay people when they prayed to Hindu gods then. And they ate ulam.

    Then Malays prayed to the god of Islam.

    But there are still bomohs and pawangs amongst the malays. They still practice the same old ilmu and sorcery, even though they started it by saying that it's in the name of God most kind.

    And they still eat ulam.

    So even if the malay turn Christian, the malay would still be malay, bomohs and pawangs pun masih lagi ada, and they can still eat ulam.

    So don't worry mahathir.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. stop confusing yourself with others you piece of shit

      Delete
  7. The Equalizer,

    //There are even malaysian to me who are malaysian by names only.//

    Please don't forget to include those who are Muslims first, Malays second, Malaysians last, OK?

    To me, they are just as treacherous and despicable.

    //Some even have dual citizenship.//

    The only ones I know of who hold dual nationality are the rich and powerful like Paul Phua, Zahid Hamidi's friend, and Jho Low, Najib Razak's friend.

    Orang biasa like me can only afford one lousy passport. Quite expensive to get and quite expensive to renew, you know.

    //But i heard those who has already made their way there are longing to come back.//

    I know quite a few who have made it to other countries - relatives and friends.

    None of them seem very keen to come back.

    Hell, I even know of quite a few illegals in Australia, US, UK, Europe and they are, apparently, not too keen to come back either - according to their relatives.

    The most unusual case was a Melayu whom my friend met in Canberra. My friend said that Melayu had zero interest returning to Malaysia with his family other than for holidays.

    Believe me, the money is good, the lifestyle fantastic and nobody tells you to do, what to believe, etc etc.

    My kampung has a guy who has lived in Australia for years and he picks fruit for a living. Tough job, long hours, low pay.

    Guess what? I spoke to him not long ago when he came back for a visit and he has bought a small apartment from the money him and his wife have saved.

    They are starting a family so I don't think they are coming back.

    To be honest, I have not met anybody who has yearned to return to Malaysia after a stint overseas but I suspect those who want to come back are from rich powerful families used to having servants and maids - like my cousins or my friend, Dave.

    But then, my cousins and my friend, Dave, are folks who expect and are used to preferential treatment in Malaysia.

    //Back to proton...i think we can only put the blame on its founder.//

    Sure, blaming the founder is a quick convenient way to gloss over the culture of corrupt behaviour, the cronyism, the discrimination and lack of merotocracy which exist in Malaysian society.

    I am told that in treating drug addictions, the first step is for the drug addict to admit that there is a problem.

    Like drug addicts, unless and until we admit to ourselves that Malaysia has fundamental systemic structural problems in our society, in our governance, in our education system, etc etc, we will never ever solve our problems and can only ever just blame individuals like Mahatir, Lim Kit Siang, Najib Razak, Hadi Awang, etc.

    Think of it like the drug addict blaming the drug pushers and PDRM for his addiction.

    Gladiator

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Racist much?

      Delete
    2. Dear gladiator,
      Racism is everywhere.
      Let me tell you my personal experience.
      When i was on holiday with my family in Gold Coast in 2010 the driver of the coach is a chinese guy from Hong Kong.
      Otw from Brisbane to Gold Coast our coach was overtaken taken by a car occupied by 2 white guys.For no apparent reasons the driver showed an obscene sign to us using his fingers.I can't think of no other reasons for his behaviour except our the passengers and the drive of our vehicles are all Asian looking.
      Even our driver admit that some of the white Australians are racist.

      Prof Kangkung

      Delete
  8. Anon at 10 :35

    Gladiator,

    Haha, spot on bro.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hannah yeoh applied to reside in Australia but got REJECTED....and the kind hearted Malaysians accepts her with open arms and made her a State DUN Speaker.
    In return,the Malays get shit thrown at them by racist commentors like 'gladiator' and fellow redbin shitheads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 14.04... hey, U smoking somethng illegal that gives a pump to your in born hatred..?

      stop smoking it,can or not...?

      Delete
  10. Anon Equaliser,

    There are two things which a Melayu is born without:
    1. Choice of Religion
    2. Choice of Nationality

    The first because they are invariably born in a muslim family, so religion is always 'bestowed' upon birth; the second is by their own admission: "ke mana lagi orang Melayu nak pergi?" even though South Africa and the Seychelles are available choices.

    Given a choice, would a Melayu have chosen a different religion / different country to live? I don't know, honestly.

    But there're facts from which we can guess:

    First, Harussani used to reveal that there were some quarter million of Melayu Islam already murtad. If that's true, then for those murtad the choice of Religion must be very obvious.

    Second, the unknown number of Shia amongst the Melayu,which is, many afraid, quite really seriously a lot. To the Melayu Shia, even though called islam, but to them and to the ahlus sunnah wal jamaah the religion they are practicing is totally different from their moyang. So at least we can say that to those Melayu Shia also the choice of Religion was obvious lah.

    Third, from the remainder, according to the Sunnah only one upon a thousand would get the chance to enter jannah. The Sunnah also said that there were more from those Muslims in the early years of Islam who are entitled to jannah than those in later times, macam sekarang lah. And then one must deduct those bayi buangan yang mati tak berdosa, so the actual number of Melayu Islam who are entitled to jannah must be, you know, not so optimistic.. :-(

    And to those amongst the 999 upon thousand, they must have made the wrong choice somewhere.

    So the choice of Religion to the Melayu, actually, is not really that obvious to the extent one could claim that a Melayu will always choose Islam to be his religion.

    As for the country, whenever someone said to have died in tanah haram, a Melayu Islam would be filled with envy. Some even prayed that they will die in tanah suci, not Malaysia (except perhaps kota bahru which is also a serambi mekah).

    And we could see the jubah and burqah getting so popular with the 'ana' 'anta' and serban, perhaps their choice of country is in middle east desert, no?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous @ 23 June 2017 at 14:04,

    //In return,the Malays get shit thrown at them by racist commentors like 'gladiator'//

    Racist?

    Aiyoh!!!

    How so?

    Was it when I said that those who are "Muslims first, Malays second, Malaysians last" are traitors to my country, Malaysia?

    Or was it when I talked about meritocracy?

    Or was it because I mentioned drug addicts?

    Pray, tell me, where was I racist?

    Gladiator

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anon @ 15:46

    Did i have a choice to choose right immediately when i was born or rather before i was born?

    Did i have a choice to choose to exist or not to exist?

    Did i have a choice to choose who will be my parent?

    Did i have a choice to choose when i should be born?

    Did i have a choice to choose to be born as a boy or a girl?

    Did i have a choice to choose what race i should be?

    Did i have a choice to choose which country i should be born?

    Did i have a choice to choose who will be my jodoh?

    Did i have a choice to choose when, how and where i should die?

    By now i think you should be able to figure out... did we really... really have a choice to choose!!!

    About entering jannah... it is entirely by rahmat Allah swt! A good muslim does not guarantee him/her a place in jannah.

    Did you really know your existance in this world? Why? Born as human being not something else. In this planet earth not anywher else or perhaps maybe somewhere at the far far away planet billions billions miles from here!

    Now do you think that our existance is by choice or that we are being brought into this world?

    The Equalizer





    ReplyDelete
  13. Equilizer

    President Harry S Truman's quote 'The Buck Stops Here'
    Then,we have to stop propagating and choice does not exists anymore
    With herd instinct prevailing it will be infinity

    Fadzireen

    ReplyDelete
  14. from an apparent simple subject of bikes and cars we would invariably deviate into race and religion and start the argument all over again
    has anyone ever stop to wonder who, how, what got us into this predicament in the first place and benefit the most out of it?
    should we not suss out who, how, what these are and be rid of them so that we can get on with our lives without being prejudice and suspicious of one another

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  15. Dear JJ

    Yup...the rabble rousers with their second TSUNAMI!

    The Equalizer

    ReplyDelete