The Benelux Adventure

While most of my fellow Muslims celebrating hari raya, me and family have nothing better to do besides embarking another journey to unfamiliar side of the world, what I called The Benelux Adventure :). Benelux, the short form for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, is very small in area indeed. It only takes 2-3 hours driving to reach the capital from one country to another. Our journey started from London and our base for the whole journey was...

The MAS way

I’ve had the opportunity to read the full report of MAS business turnaround plan, the MAS way, recently and it was well crafted and very comprehensive. The new managing director really put a lot of works to compile the whole report by identifying the core problems that causing yet another unprofitable year for MAS. The truth is, the faults are not entirely due to the weakness of management but MAS at the moment is not treated as a true business entity. Yes, MAS is a GLC and this somehow has put a lot of pressures to MAS to do the business as the...

Arab Co & Free Market

A free market examplary is not a definite free market after all. Protectionism is still required for the great American to counter a possible threat to their security. A recent takeover of P&A British Port Company by Dubai Port World from UAE means that the Dubai based company will be handling the operation of six major ports in USA. USA, a great champion and promoter of global free market economy in the end has to bow out to this unforeseen situation by delaying the port deal for a while. It was a UAE initiative by the way to allow some space...

Cartoon caricature of Prophet reflection

It’s been a couple of months now and the uproar of our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) cartoon caricature is still ongoing until now. How about Iraq war? Iran nuclear issue?? Never ending story of Palestinians and Israelis conflict?? So what is the reflection from all of these events really, not in the western point of view, but for us as a Muslim??We are just hopeless. Yes, we are so weak and always at the mercy of West. Do all the demonstrations really help even our brothers killed in those demonstrations? A little I guess (one Italian minister...

Take a break...

well, it's time to take a break for a while (even with no apparent stress at all..heh)....so we travel and travel.. Manchester City vs Charlton Man City won 3 - 2 and wonderful Joey Barton goal by the way. I was suprised it was a full house night even with the lame visitor. No wonder EPL is a big bucks business. and a visit to old trafford of course..oo...I'm not a fan of Man U!! Edinburgh, Scotland - Surprisingly the most beautiful city in...

Nation Performance

new day and new issue...I've been reading a lot on our economic performance lately and I got to say we have done pretty well up until this moment. World Economic Forum has ranked us 24th in terms of Growth Competitiveness Index for 2005 and the overall ranking:Finland15.941à0United States25.812à0Sweden35.653à0Denmark45.655ä1Taiwan55.584æ-1Singapore65.487ä1Iceland75.4810ä3Switzerland85.468à0Norway95.46æ-3Australia105.2114ä4Netherlands115.2112ä1Japan125.189æ-3United Kingdom135.1111æ-2Canada145.115ä1Germany155.113æ-2New Zealand165.0918ä2Korea, Rep.175.0729ä12United...

Engineers/Scientists are losers?

To become a qualified engineer or scientist is not that easy. But do all the hard works to become one are really worth it? After all based on the following theorem...taken somewhere:Dilbert's "Salary Theorem" states that "Engineers and scientists can never earn as much as business executives, sales people, accountants and especially liberal arts majors." This theorem can now be supported by a mathematical equation based on the following two well known postulates: Postulate 1: Knowledge is Power. Postulate 2: Time...

income distribution inequality

You think we have progessed so much for the past 20 years. Yup, no doubt about that and I'm glad we still progressing despite financial crisis that hit us in 1997. But do u know our nation ranks among the most unequal societies in Southeast Asia in terms of income distribution. Well get this: only 10% from the population earn rm 5000 and above (and this group of course held majority of nation's wealth) and majority 60% - 70% only earn RM2000 and below ....considering cost of living in Malaysia steadily rising over the years, this people will face...