Screenshots

His heart was for Malaysia.

The Chief High Priest of Malaysia and Singapore, Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera passed away peacefully at 11:42am on Merdeka Day

This is the picture I took of him last Wesak

Days ago, he insisted to be discharged from the hospital to join the devotees for the annual Merdeka peace prayers he had never missed in years.

LensaPress picture by Paul Choo

Please pray and dedicate your merit to him and inform others.

UPDATES: BuddhistChannel.tv, The Star, Today Online, Oriental Daily News, Sin Chew, Sinchew-i, Oon Yeoh, Google.

For further information, the public may call Buddhist Maha Vihara at 03-2274 1141/ 86, or contact/SMS Leslie Tilak at 012-212 0154.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (33) | TrackBacks (0)

August 31 is also International Blog Day.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has a legal guide for bloggers that largely suits the American context.

For Malaysia's sake, keep blogging.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Malaysia-Today administrator Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) wrote in his Special Merdeka Feature, titled: Malaysia Today shoots Gunasegaram:

I wish to draw your attention to the the intro of the said article:

Jeff Ooi has apologised to P. Gunasegaram because one of Screenshots’ Bloggers posted a comment asking that this Group Executive Editor of The Edge be shot.

Two things needs to be put in context.

• ONE, there is a distinction between bloggers and blog commenters. By understanding of the international bloggers community (Dan Gillmor's book, We the Media, is a much referenced source), bloggers are weblog owners with their specific domain names; while people who leave comments/feedback on weblogs are regarded blog commenters. They hold different functions and responsibilities that define blogosphere and the Internet eco-system. Evidently, failing to understand this distinction had made many a Malaysian minister idiot in the public eyes. They don't understand a squat about blogs/bloggers/blog commenters, and yet they can pass ill remarks about blogosphere at will.

  In his complaint against Screenshots, P Gunasegaram took offence to the posting by a blog commenter named IImran, and his cahoot at Nexnews Media Group, Ho Kay Tat, used the opportunity (see theSun, August 4, 2006) and tried to rein in this blogger for an alleged offence I did not commit by the definition of Malaysian cyberlaw.

• TWO, since the alleged offence that P Gunasegaram and Ho Kay Tat had tried to do me in could not be established in due process, the issue of I had apologised to P.Gunasegaram did not arise. The Mediation Results released August 29 by the Communication and Multimedia Content Forum Complaints Bureau can attest that I NEED NOT, and hence I DID NOT apologise to P. Gunasegaram over the issue -- as RPK has been misled into believing.

  Evidently, P Gunasegaram and Ho's arrow was for me. However, it was reader IImran who courageously took the step to close the issue by making a apology while maintaining his pro-Mahathir rationale against that of P.Gunasegaram, and thus upset the whole complot at Nexnews. IImran reasoned that what he had meant was to get P Gunasegaram to shut up on the latter's attacks on Mahathir, and IImran remained consistent in his stand despite from pressure from Nexnews, that he meant no bodily harm and violence on anyone. I am most glad that I have, among my readers, a man of utmost dignity in IImran,who did not run away despite the season of witchhunting.

  The evidence can be found in the transcript of the official Mediation Results that P. Gunasegaram and I both signed, and a PDF of the exact copy can be downloaded from Screenshots for public scrutiny.

So, what does the sundial actually indicate for the two top-dogs at Nexnews?

P.Gunasegaram and Ho Kay Tat had wanted to do me in, but their guns just misfired. You may quote me on that.

They had, on the contrary, strengthened the notion of industry self-regulation as originally intended by the Malaysian cyberlaw, despite P. Gunasegaram objection to it.

Did RPK get it wrong?

Admittedly, RPK -- who hosts the Malaysia-Today's server in Singapore with QALA Singapore Pte Ltd at IP address 203.211.135.134 -- should not be faulted for thinking that I had apologised to P. Gunasegaram. Because even a doctor and a human rights activist, who emailed me, have even thought so, that I have caved in and apologised to P. Gunasegaram.

Why? Because you can't blame Zeus for allowing the Sun to play mischief, and esclipse, at times.

Newsroom people at theSun, who do not condone -- and some who do privately despise -- P Gunasegaram and Ho's complot, told me that the losers -- losers who lost their case at the Complaints Bureau -- had to satisfy their bruised ego and false pride by frontpaging their August 30 spin with a lead-in to confuse readers that Jeff Ooi had apologised. See the screencapture that says theSun's 'Merdeka Joy':

Significantly, P.Gunasegaram has since used his QUESTION TIME column (The Edge, August 28, 2006) to move the power-that-be into believing that there is a form of "concerted, systematic, organised" INTERNET GANGSTERISM on the prowl in Malaysia.

P.Gunasegaram further justified his 'Internet Gangsterism' agenda by saying that: "In the same way, we cannot expect gangsters in the physical world to self-regulate, we cannot expect gangsters in the virtual world to regulate themselves."

The evidence of P.Gunasegaram's emerging agenda is available online on The Edge's website, and you can also download the PDF version from Screenshots for closer scrutiny.

Last but not least, Screenshots wishes to issue a disclaimer over the Malaysia-Today article that bylined RPK, in which the names of this blog and this blogger were mentioned.

Screenshots is editorially independent of other blogs and wishes to pre-emptively disclaim any association with the so-called "concerted, systematic, organised" Internet Gangsterism on the prowl in Malaysia that P.Gunasegaram has postured. I am denying anyone's effort to do me in on this.

Bowman Papers?

Taking the good grace of Merdeka, I am here repeating, for the third time, to request P. Gunasegaram to follow up on Question 10 (Judiciary interference) and Question 13 (Cronies and Patronage) that the Nexnews senior editor highlighted in his 22 Questions for Dr Mahathir

When will you be writing, from the perspective of your Question 10, about former chief justice Eusoffe Chin and a known lawyer who holidayed together in New Zealand when the former was in office and court cases involving the lawyer's clients were still pending; and about one of the said lawyer's clients who is a noted benefiacry of the cronies network during the days of Mahathir -- from the perspective of your Qustion 13: Patronage and cronies?

SOURCE: Google Search

It's not that difficult, Guna. We are just asking you to follow-up on less than 10% of the 22 questions you asked Mahathir, and these 2 questions are the most rampant that ultimately leads to systemic corruption in Malaysia.

To make things easier for you, Malaysiakini has done all the homework years ago through the Bowman Papers.

Gangster or no gangster, Bowman Papers can be easily found on the Internet

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

Graphics re-constructed based on a print advertisement by Perodua. Probably the best MERDEKA message I've come across this year.

Not too late to put down your Merdeka wishes here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 12:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

We are hours away from the 49th anniversary of Merdeka.

SOURCE: Arkib Negara -- Picture probably taken by the late Lim Yaw Chong

While I call upon all of you, my friends far and near, to spare a moment to reflect on our 49 years in building the nationhood, Malaysiakini interviews Parti Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye.

Though we are celebrating Merdeka tomorrow, Chia, who is deputy Minister of Information, said that the row within the component BN parties lately over purportedly racially offensive remarks has made the country gone backwards to its pre-Merdeka days.

In fact, it's Merdeka minus 10 years, Chia told Malaysiakini. Quote:

“We always talk about Merdeka (the country’s independence) and Merdeka is so near, yet we are still fighting as though we are in pre-Merdeka days,” Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye told malaysiakini in an exclusive interview at Parliament House on Monday.

“You can say it’s nonsense to celebrate Merdeka,” he added when asked about the unity within the ruling coalition in view of the alleged racial sentiments stirred up by an Umno Youth leader recently. [...]

Elaborating, the 54-year-old Chia - who is also deputy information minister - said the Merdeka celebration is ‘not just about raising flags, hands and shout Merdeka’, but it should be practised in true spirit.

“We actually have gone backwards, it should be minus 10 Merdeka years, not 49 years of Merdeka, minus 10 Merdeka(s), this is essentially how we are behaving and I think it’s wrong, we should progress,” he added. [...]

“You can have a situation (then) where a ethnic-based party becomes so strong (and) we worry whether we can have a peaceful, united country,” he explained.

According to media reports, Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin irked MCA and Gerakan leaders after he openly told an Umno Youth meeting that the Chinese Malaysian community would take advantage of a weakened Umno to press for their rights.

On the other hand, the famous Son-in-Law remained firm on his stand and argued any action that “upholds the dignity of religion and interest of ethnic community” does not require an apology.

So, does Chia have an alternative? Quote Malaysiakini:

Meanwhile, the Gerakan sec-gen said that the party would continue to use its ‘Malaysian approach’ to win over more supporters who believe in multiracialism in party politics and hoped that the appeal of ethnic-based parties will be less and eventually fade off.

Gerakan is a multiracial-based BN component party but it is dominated by Chinese Malaysians whereas other major ruling parties including Umno, MCA and MIC are ethnic-based representing the Malays, Chinese Malaysians and Indian Malaysians respectively.

Your Merdeka wish?

Malaysia is celebrating its 49th year of independence tomorrow. What are your wishes?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (49) | TrackBacks (0)

In movies, a title released under PG rating means its viewing requires a suggested Parental Guidance.

Now, PG rating may apply on the Internet if we are not careful. And PG rating, here, may simply stand for the unprecedented "P. Gunasegaram rating" if he gets his way.

The case in hand is P. Gunasegaram's latest take on the Internet, expression of freedom, blogs, bloggers and blog commenters -- all taken to task in one bold stroke. His opinion was published in the QUESTION TIME column in the August 28, 2006 edition of The Edge, titled:

The online version of the said article was uploaded this morning. Here's the URL. And here's the PDF version of the same.

In the article, among others, P Gunasegaram said:

The explosion in Internet usage and the spawning of web logs or blogs have brought about the proliferation of an insidious phenomenon — Internet gangsterism, the systematic and organised intimidation, ridiculing and harassment of a person on the web.

The insidious thing about it is that it uses the notion of freedom of expression to perpetuate the aims of the blogger and those who make comments on his blog. There is clear attempt to intimidate the target by abuse, bullying, name-calling and the use of obscenity. [...]

There is no censorship on the Net but anyone who posts something or allows someone to post it is responsible for the posting. This is not about undermining freedom of expression but protecting it by making people responsible for the comments they make and publish.

In the same way, we cannot expect gangsters in the physical world to self-regulate, we cannot expect gangsters in the virtual world to regulate themselves. Gangsterism — concerted threats and intimidation, name-calling, obscenity, and defamation amongst others — should not be tolerated, not even on the Internet. The law says so.

Much of P. Gunasegaram's article was devoted to his complaint against a comment posted by Screenshots reader IImran, who was evidently annoyed with the editor's repeated attacks on former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir.

Read his article in full, it needs no rocket scientist to decipher that P. Gunasegaram has also evidently used his column to bestow unto this blogger a wordsmith's clever allusion to the usual suspect so that I, the one he repeatedly labelled as the "most influential blogger", was reined in at some point.

Now, I am asking you...

Now, I am asking you to compare P. Gunasegaram's said article with the Mediation Results issued by the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum Complaints Bureau yesterday. Look for the larger picture enshrined in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the Content Code (which is given its legal status void Section 213 of the Act), and tell us how you want the Malaysian cyberlaw to be upheld steadfastly in this country-- through self-regulation without stifling the positive growth of the industry.

I am also asking you to zero in on the overview of the Content Code, which says (accents in bold are mine for emphasis):

The CMCF will govern content by self regulation in line with with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Content Code. By virtue of it being a voluntary Code, those subscribing to it have undertaken the commitment and responsibility to uphold its objectives and principles.

The Content Code will set out guidelines and procedures for good practice and standards of content disseminated for public consumption by service providers in the communications and multimedia industry.

The Content Code will demonstrate a commitment toward self-regulation by the industry in compliance with the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 98). It will seek to identify offensive and objectionable content while spelling out the obligations of content providers within the context of social values in this country.

The Content Code will provide the platform for creativity, innovation and healthy growth of a fast changing industry. The ambit of the Content Code is defined under Section 213 (1) CMA 98 which states that the Content Code "shall include model procedures for dealing with offensive and indecent content".

I am asking you to scrutinise all provisions contained in the entire part of the Content Code Part 5: Specific Online Guidelines (4.0 - Principles).

P.Gunasegaram has said this right at your face: "In the same way, we cannot expect gangsters in the physical world to self-regulate, we cannot expect gangsters in the virtual world to regulate themselves."

If you are silent on the raison d'etre postured by P.Gunasegaram, no bloggers -- including law-abiding blogger at Screenshots -- will have the protection intended by the CMA 1998. And you stand to deserve the PG Rating of Internet that P. Gunasegaram has so overtly prescribed you.

Again, very sincerely, I am asking you to start a civil, focussed, intellectual debate on the assertions P.Gunasegaram made in his article.

Challenge him intellectually on his thoughts and the way he had alluded in building his case against the fabricated shadow-fighting conundrum of the so-called "concerted, systematic, organised" modus operandi of INTERNET GANGSTERISM, however demonising a word it may be.

However, please do not resort to offensive language when you leave your thoughts in this blog.

Instead, tell us if the present cyberlaw in Malaysia is inadequate in policing the Internet and Internet users behaviour? Tell us if the notion and principles of self-regulation that Malaysian cyberlaw had intended CANNOT work in Malaysia?

Tell us if we need a PG Rating for Internet users in Malaysia because we can't self-regulate?

We have not forgotten the fact that, in the August 28 article in The Edge cited above, P. Gunasegaram insisted that all blog comments MUST be pre-moderated, a motion which has been met with adamant disapproval among Screenshots readers.

P.Gunasegaram welcomes feedback which can be sent to him at feedback@bizedge.com. If you do send him your response, please copy your email to me. If he doesn't publish your feedback, I will.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (82) | TrackBacks (0)

Anyone who doesn't know I am a photography enthusiast? OK... I saw some hands out there.

Let us intoduce you to one fabulous photographer in town. Come meet our friend, John Ishii

John is an American photojournalist based in Malaysia. He also grew up here as a small boy when his father worksed in the EPU and helped draft the 2nd Malaysia Plan in the 1960s. One of his fondest memories is that of meeting Tunku Abdul Rahman, the father of independence.

He talks to Jeff & Oon about this, as well as his experiences covering the aftermath of the tsunami in Phuket and Reformasi demonstrations in KL.

John Ishii's website: www.johnwishii.com

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Though Screenshots has been publishing various versions of advisories to blog commenters in the past, with the current version dated February 1, 2006, the screw will surely be tightened on you guys if you didn't behave decently on the Internet.

This is the advisory from the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum Complaints Bureau pursuant to the Mediation Results set forth on August 29, 2006 with regards tot to P. Gunasegaram's complaint against a commentator's posting in the feedback section of this blog:

"Any comments posted on this blog that are obscene, blasphemous, racial or overtly threatening, including the use of partial words or phrases where the intent is clearly offensive, will be removed immediately by the host. Such comment could also render the person posting them liable to legal action or prosecution."

I have also been asked to put up a prominent warning -- hence I created a prominent red button -- to remind you and the authority that I have done my part. So, you blog commenters please take care.

BEWARE!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBacks (0)

August 29, the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum Complaints Bureau completed the mediation meetings pertaining to P.Gunasegaram's complaint over a Screenshots reader's comment, and over which Nexnews Media Group had framed as criminally intimidating.

The mediation results were released by the Complaints Bureau yesterday, and the Bureau has given Screenshots the consent to publish them verbatim in lieu of the full minutes of the meetings, which the Bureau has classified as 'Private and Confidential'.:

theSun has a report uploaded on its website at 07:27pm on Tuesday, August 29, 2006, titled: Writer of offensive post apologises.

Click here to download a copy of the Mediation Results in PDF(837kb).

Ins-and-outs of Nexnews' attempt

Here's a brief of the sequence of events in which NexNews Media Group had wanted to rein in this blogger for an alleged offence he didn't commit.

Nexnews Media Group, the publisher of theSun and The Edge which is majority-owned by Canadian-based Tong Kooi Ong and property/gaming tycoon Vincent Tan, recently has a case against readers who leave comments in weblogs.

theSun carried on Page 2 of its August 4, 2006 edition a story titled: Report lodged against internet website. It said:

theSun and Nexnews Group Executive Editor P. Gunasegaram yesterday lodged a complaint against an internet website for carrying a posting inciting people to do bodily harm to Gunasegaram over an article he wrote.

The complaint was made to the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF), an industry body set up under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 that is tasked with monitoring contents and handling complaints.

Gunasegaram had written an article "The Myth of Mahathir's Invincibility" that appeared in theSun on Wednesday. The website concerned had on the same day reproduced the article and solicited reaction. Several people responded and someone who identified himself as "IImran" suggested that Gunasegaram be shot for his views on Mahathir.

In the same story, theSun also said:

Nexnews Group Editor-in-Chief Ho Kay Tat said: "The website concerned is moderated by blogger Jeff Ooi who we hold responsible for allowing the posting `Somebody, please shoot this Gunasegaram for good' to appear on his website.

"While we have no problem having anyone debate, discuss or even challenge what Gunasegaram wrote and indeed many people have ­ threat of bodily harm is another thing altogether and should be taken seriously," said Ho. "It was irresponsible of Ooi to allow the posting on his website. We do not understand what motivated him to allow it." [...]

Ho said it was decided that a formal complaint to CMCF should still be made because there should be no repeat of such internet postings on that or any other website.

"The internet is not a lawless entity where people can do anything they want," he said. "It is still subject to the laws of the country."

He added that as a newspaper group, Nexnews supports freedom of speech and freedom of expression but a threat to hurt someone is criminal intimidation, not freedom of expression.

"Freedom of expression does not extend to inciting people to cause harm to someone else," Ho said. "Indeed, the threat to Gunasegaram was clearly meant to shut him up. Those of us who cherish freedom of expression should be abhorred that a website that claims to be a champion of free speech saw it fit to allow someone to make that threat."

The complaint was brought to the attention of the Complaints Bureau, Communications and Multimedia Content Forum. A mediation meeting was convened on August 21, which was subsequently adjourned to another meeting held on August 29.

Read on for the Mediation Results in full.

Mediation Results

1. There was a complaint by Mr. P. Gunasegaram to a blog owned by Mr. Jeff Ooi.
2. Arising from that, Chairman of the Complaints Bureau invoked Clause 3.5, Part 8 of the Content Code for the parties to mediate and reach an amicable settlement by mutual consultation. The results of the mediation are as follows:

The parties agreed for the following key features of the consensus to be published, which are as follows

1. All offensive postings by blog commentators have been removed;


2. Mr. Jeff Ooi will continue to remove such offensive phrases or words as soon as practicable;


3. Mr. Jeff Ooi will display prominently a further warning that blog commentators are responsible for their own postings and could be liable to legal action or prosecution; and


4. Mr. Jeff Ooi will publish in full IImran's apology dated August 28, 2006 to Mr. P. Gunasegaram for a remark made on the blog.

Agreed by:

(Singature) P. Gunasegaram

(Signature) Jeff Ooi

Date: 29 August 2006

The entire archive of the Nexnews vs. Blog/Blog Commnters issue is available here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:06 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Mailbag
From: IImran
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: Aug 28, 2006 9:30 AM
Subject: Unreserved Apology to P Gunasegaram

Jeff,

I've been thinking these few days.

Jeff, I hope you can allow this email on your blog, at any time that you feel appropriate, and also extend this to P Gunasegaram.

Somebody remarked, "ular menyusur akar tak akan hilang bisanya." I want to get this 'shooting' over with. And I believe you too. I am willing to forgo my ego for the sake everyone involved; you, your blog, and fellow readers.

Not that I have not stated this before through my second email, but maybe it was not proper enough to be regarded as one.

I hereby extend my unreserved appology to P Gunasegaram for the possible extreme interpretation of the comment that I left on "Screenshots" blog.

I advise all those who, somehow, got incited by my comment on the said blog to lay down whatever weapon they have and leave P Gunasegaram.

The comment that I made on the blog should not be used to go against Jeff. In my opinion, Jeff have given the readers including me, and avenue to discuss matters of interests. And as can be seen through comments by others on the blog, not everyone condone my writing and this can be simplified to show that Jeff and the readers are in fact an example of a mature online community bent on self-moderation.

I, however, stand by my comment: I believe the issues raised by Tun Dr Mahathir are genuine and I could not help to wonder why the Administration is "beating around the bush." I believe that mainstream newspapers, like The Sun and The Edge, should not be used and perceived as an instrument to cast bad light on Tun Dr Mahathir's character and undermine the validity of his allegations.

Again, I also appologise to Jeff and fellow readers, for this mess that I created on your blog.

Thanks Jeff, for the space.
--
yb, IImran.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

It took CY Leow and his wife three solid months to renew their Malaysian passports at the Malaysian Embassy in Wellington, the New Zealand capital city. As a result, they missed their planned trip to visit their daughter in Canada in early August.

When they were finally called up to collect their passports today, CY had a pleasant shock to have a visa officer attend to them personally. A little 'pep-talk' was in store for the couple.

Rather politely, the Embassy official told CY that he has read the particular entry on his passports fiasco in this blog, claiming he had also noted all the responses from irate overseas Malaysians.

"And on the FIRST DAY the story appeared in Screenshots, KL actually informed Wellington's Malaysian Embassy about my complaints!" said CY. "Yet our passports still arrived after MORE THAN 3 months!

However, when pressed, the official agreed that the "waiting" was "too long".

No matter what, I wish to record my appreciation of the staff at Wisma Putra for treating this blog as a source of citizen feedback, and for responding positively to the their grievances and concerns.

What CY Leow wrote to Screenshots today:

Well, FINALLY we were informed by post last Friday that our NEW Malaysian passports has arrived! After sumitting our applications sice APRIL 11, ABOUT TIME! So we call the Embassy and was told to come in at 3.30 pm to receive our passports, that by the way cost me two and a half hours pay cut, ha ha ha...

We were "shown" our new passports by a lady, was asked to signed them then they were taken away and we waited for 20 minutes. We were told to go upstairs of the embasst to see a D.Zulkefli, we went but was told to go back to the waiting room downstairs where he spoke to us.

Zulkefli said he has read the entry on our passports fiasco in Jeff's blog, he claimed he noted all the responses from irrated oversea Malaysians AND the FIRST DAY that story appeared, KL actually informed Wellington's Malaysian Embassy about my complaints! Yet our passports still arrived after MORE THAN 3 months! When pressed, he agreed that the "waiting" was "too long".

He again stressed that we could have get our passports FASTER if we had couriered them OURSELVES, does that not defeat the prupose of having an Enbassy? Zulkefli also stressed that he is there "TO HELP FELLOW MALAYSIANS".

The whole saga took us to 4.30 pm and when we arrived at the bnew Zealand Immigration to transfer our PR to our new passports, the place is closed... BUGGER! Ha ha ha...

Thank you Jeff for your Blog and I hope something good came out of this incident. If you are reading this, Minister of Immigration in Malaysia... well we were told you did read the last one, please stream line your work flow. Did our P.M. not said that "If it take three months we will cut it down to one?" ;-)

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. After several false starts, the Streamyx User Group Meeting for Klang Valley that was first mooted in this blog in May is finally going to take place.

This is the schedule:

DATE: Friday, September 15, 2006
TIME: 5.00 - 7.30pm
VENUE: Serunai 1 & 2, East Wing, Hilton Petaling Jaya.
DRESS CODE: Office Attire

TM Net staff has also agreed to assist in the logistic by putting together an RSVP mechanism. You are requested to email -- download and fill up this template and send as email attachment -- or telephone the RSVP team on your attendance before September 8, 2006.

RSVP contact persons:

Wan Mariani
Tel: 03-83188148
H/P: 013-3975031
Fax No: 03-83185066
E-mail :wan_mariani @ tmnet [dot] com [dot] my

Busairi Mahfudz
Tel: 03-83194454
H/P: 013-3996082
Fax No : 03-83185066
E-mail: busairi @ tmnet [dot] com [dot] my

I will be very grateful if you also copy your RSVP email to me at jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com.

We have the commitment from the TM Net senior management team, and CEO Michael Lai will be accompanying them to the event.

Among the heads of department invited to attend are from Sales, Technical Operations, Content & Digital Homes, and Customer Relationship Management, among others.

TM Net has graciously agreed to provide logistics support, and pick up the hotel bill with refreshment thrown in.

Please mark a date for this event -- it's not easy to organise one of this magnitude. Please download the invitation card here.

Here's the programme line-up:

• 5.00 p.m. - Arrival of TM Net Management and Guests
• 5.30 p.m. - Welcome Address by Mr. Michael Lai, Chief Executive Officer, TM Net Sdn Bhd
• 5.45 p.m. - Presentation by En. Ghazali Omar, General Manager, Sales, TM Net Sdn Bhd
• 6.00 p.m. - Presentation by En. Badrul Hisham Ahmad, General Manager, Technical Operations, TM Net Sdn Bhd
• 6.15 p.m. - Presentation by En. Shahrudin Ibrahim, Acting General Manager, Content & Digital Homes, TM Net Sdn Bhd
• 6.30 p.m. -
  ( 1 ) Unveiling of TM Net User Group Website by Mr. Michael Lai, Chief Executive Officer, TM Net Sdn Bhd
  ( 2 ) Committee election & formation
  ( 3 ) Photography Session
• 6.45 p.m. - Q & A session
• 7.00 p.m. - Refreshments
• 7.30 p.m. - End

We hope to have a free-flow of customer feedback and ideas, and later, to structure them into sustainable forum with the setting up of a Streamyx User Group for the Klang Valley among the attendees. This User Group will meet regularly besides managing a Streamyx User Group website set up for the sole purpose of user interaction.

This a big move forward since the bloggers first met with Michael and his senior management team in USJ on the Merdeka eve last year (picture above).

The draft statement of purpose for the setting up of the Streamyx User Group is available here.

I will try to email to those who have pre-registered via this weblog in May to alert them of the forth coming meeting. Please also feel free to forward this blog entry to as many of your friends as possible. Even those who didn't pre-registewr themselves are welcome to the event.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

The Number One, Abdullah Badawi, has three ministerial positions, namely Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Internal Security Minister. He is also sitting in 24 Cabinet Committee taskforces

Should Pak Lah hold on to the post of Internal Security Minister? Or should he relinquish it like Opposition MP Fong Po Kuan suggests?

I have also considered MP Wong Nai Chee's motion in the Parliament -- rejected by the Speaker for not being urgent. Hence, as Joe Public who don't have fulltime body guards to protect ourselves and our kids, we should say something. We should have a fulltime Minister to take charge of law and order, and crime-busting.

Tune in to the 3-minute podcast at www.klstream.com.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Chinese-language online newsportal Merdeka Review celebrated its first anniversary yesterday. Two stories that are must-read: here and here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mawi vs. Siti? Astro/RTM vs. TV3?

If you track mStar Online, there seems ot be a 'media war' among the TV stations:
- Pemenangnya: Mawi-Ina atau Siti-Datuk K?
- MawiFC persoal niat Astro dan RTM
- Astro-TV3 berentap!

And of course, ZAM being ZAM, has denied there's a ratings war going on.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Khazanah Nasional Bhd. has effectively come in to rescue Singapore's Parkway Holdings Ltd. from a political dilemma, yet leaving untouched the latter's operational and management responsibilities over Pantai Holdings Berhad.

It was announced today that Khazanah, the investment arm of MoF, will form a joint venture with Parkway on a 51:49 basis to own the 31% majority stake currently owned by Parkway in Pantai Holdings.

Under the agreement, Khazanah would buy Parkway's existing shares in Pantai at RM2.65 each. Pantai last traded at RM2.51 a share.

Subsequently, Khazanah and Parkway will transfer all of their shares Pantai Holdings, which controls two strategic government concessions namely Fomema and Pantai Medivest, to the joint venture named Pantai Irama Ventures Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Magna Cahaya Sdn Bhd).

The transaction, hitherto subject to Malaysian regulatory approvals but when completed, will trigger a mandatory cash offer for all the outstanding shares of Pantai at a price of RM2.65 per share.

Khazanah currently has a 6.6% stake in Pantai, while Parkway owns about 29%, according to Khazanah spokesman Ahmad Shahizam Shariff.

Earlier, it was reported by the media that, on August 21, about 4.3%of Pantai shares changed hands in off- market trades, valued at RM50.8 million.

Biz reporters have questions

Meanwhile, A Kadir Jasin has an early observation which he left in Rocky's Bru.

AKJ asked: "No matter what, the Government must answer why the sale of Pantai last December was approved by the Ministry of Finance and the enforecement agencies of the security industry in the first place."

"It is interesting to know which is the chosen party that Khazanah will ultimately hand over the equity to," said Rocky's Bru.

Read how the two former business journalists communicated on the topic.

By A Kadir Jasin In Rocky's Bru:

Saudara Rocky,

Berikut reaksi awal saya kepada perkembangan terbaru ini.

Baguslah kalau Kerjaan, melalui Khazanah Nasional Berhad, berusaha menguasai kembali Fomema dan Pantai Medivest dengan melakukan MGO ke atas Pantai Holding Berhad.

Namun Kerajaan wajib menjawab mengapa penjualan Disember lalu diluluskan oleh Kementerian Kewangan dan agensi-agensi penguatkuasaan industri sekuriti?

Ia perlu juga menjelaskan sama ada harga pembelian berpatutan dan adakah wajar wang rakyat digunakan untuk menebus kesilapan pihak berkuasa?

Bukankah ada menteri-menteri kanan berkata kepada media massa mereka tidak tahu menahu mengenai penjualan itu?

Adakah wajar dan berasas jika Parkway yang dulu memiliki kira-kira 30 peratus saham Pantai Holdings kini memiliki 49 peratus di dalam Special Vehicle bernama Pantai Irama Ventures Sdn Bhd?

Apakah implikasi urus niaga ini terhadap dasar pemilikan saham oleh pemodal asing?

Buat masa ini, kalau tidak silap saya, sudah pun membuat keuntungan lumayan daripada pemilikan yang tak sampai 10 bulan.

Terima kasih.

7:27 PM

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

A newsflash uploaded by AFXNews at 08:47hr this morning:

KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) - Pantai Holdings Bhd said trading in its shares will be suspended today pending an announcement from Parkway Holdings Ltd of corporate proposal involving its shareholding in the company.

Is Khazanah coming in to proxy the deal before it's eventually passed on to the deserving party of the day?
Pantai was last traded at RM2.51. Noting that Parkway/Pantai are waiting for the right price to hawk, how much will that cost Khazanah, the government machinery that holds your money via MoF?

See Pantai's announcement on Bursa Malaysia and context here. Thanks YW Loke of BeritaMalaysia for the heads-up.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Ultraman? No, it's just Khairy Jamaluddin trying to be a young Anwar... or is it a young Dr. M he's trying to emulate? Or maybe a little bit of both.

Listen to Jeff & Oon's analysis of this PM wannabe -- the 3-minute podcast on www.klstream.com.

Contexts on August 27, 2006:

• Father-in-Law: PM says Khairy himself should clarify his sensitive statement (Bernama)


• Son-in-Law: Khairy won’t apologise, Hisham upset with MCA Youth (Malaysiakini)


• Opposition Leader: Stories for Pak Lah and Khairy - Selamat Hari Kebangsaan! (Kit's Blog)

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

You don't have to re-define gravy train. Passengers on Umno Express can now have their limitless supply of roti koyak, with kuah banjir taruh di atas.

And Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon is getting it all at the other end, preparing the tongkat for people who fan good satay fire.

First, rotate the Chief Minister's post.

Second, let Penang Umno Youth go ahead with the proposal of bumiputra consortium to work with Sime Darby Group to develop the Northern Corridor.

Now, Tsu Koon must 'return' the chairmanship of profit-making Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang to Umno within three days, says the Bukit Mertajam division.

What next? Privatising the Prime Minister's Office? Mahathir has apparently caused someone to hedge the future.

Look out for the Budget Speech this Friday, from the Prime Minister of all Malaysians.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)

Hit by surging visitors' traffic, TV Smith's popular Dua Sen blog has finally migrated to a new dedicated server with more bandwidth. Unlike the Shaziman-defined penembak curi, TV Smith has decided to host it locally with an identifiable public face and Malaysian branding: tvsmith.net.my.

And here's TV Smith's manifesto of sorts:

I have decided too, to host the blog locally (at Cyberjaya) and use a Malaysian government controlled domain name registrar despite the misguided attempts to persecute local bloggers with alternative views. Unlike the mainstream media, most of us bloggers write without any agenda nor do we serve any political masters. All we do is voice our thoughts on the things happening around us. It's our country too; in case the politicians forget.

Our conscience is clear, so come hit us with your ISA, OSA, Sedition Act and proxy prosecution, if you must. What's more troubling is the 'saber rattling' will only drive more blogs underground and trigger a new wave of anonymous blogs hosted outside the country. Why not embrace bloggers like how you embraced the much more menacing Mat Rempit?

It's up to Malaysia's Knowledge Economists to decide, if we ever had some.

But I gather TV Smith's accent is encased in the two key words: Proxy Prosecution. Need I say more?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Tian Chua has a blog, a bilingual blog.

There is a photo which, I think, Rocky's Bru should have used for his entry today: Sunday Fabricator.

Picture courtesy Tian Chua

The picture has been included in the "Nadiah Bamadhaj & Tian Chua" digital graphics collection which was on display at the Kelana Square Reka Art Gallery from September 2 through 24, 2005. The theme: 147 Years Merdeka

Apparently, Rocky's Bru was trying to say that someone in journalistic practice -- unrepentent for having lied in the mainstream Press -- has attempted to relate his 'goodness' to our Merdeka.

However, Tian Chua & Nadia had related our Merdeka to the time since the Pangkor Treaty (1874) was signed right to the past 48 years under the rule of Parti Perikatan/Barisan Nasional.

At times, history does many a reprise.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's a disgraceful 24-hour march off order from Chad's president, Idriss Deby!

What made us so unwanted in Africa? How does 'unpaid tax obligation' connote to you? I remember a Transparency International survey last year ranked Chad the most corrupt country in the world.

On the other hand, Chad resumed diplomatic relations with Beijing just three weeks ago. BBC News says, privately, many observers feel Petronas and Chevron may have been kicked out to make room for Chinese oil companies. Rafidah (who said 'those who have other feelings can go elsewhere') should take note of this global zero sum game.

Note: CIA file says, by population, Chad comprises 51% Muslim, 35% Christian, 7% animist 7%, and 7% others. The country borders Sudan on the east.

Thanks readers Sri Siva and Kevin Francis Khoo for the heads-up.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

Ipoh folks who cheered for AirAsia has stopped cheering. They are also baffled and then some, angry.

December 06, 2005, the Transport Ministry anoounced that it was planning to turn the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh as a hub for low fare flights for domestic and south East Asia flights. The direct beneficiary would have been Malaysia's sole low-fare carrier, AirAsia.

January 2006, AirAsia announced that it was to launch flights to Ipoh, Tawau, Kota Bharu and Sandakan from its hub in Johor Bahru, which was established in December 2003.

It was good news for Ipoh folks. The sleepy hollow that's reeling from the good old glorious days tin-mining boom suddenly found itself connected to the national trunk route on air again after MAS flights were cut when the North -South Highway was opened.

Beginning February 6, 2006, AirAsia was to have started operating 4 flights weekly (every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Ipoh and Tawau; 3 flights weekly (every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) to Kota Bharu and Sandakan.

Besides the introduction of the new routes, AirAsia was also reported to have boosted frequencies to several of its existing destinations, namely from Johor to Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Penang. The airline was to have started operating 10 flights a week to Kuching, 11 flights a week to Kota Kinabalu , and 10 flights a week to Penang. All flights depart from Senai International Airport, in Johor Bahru.

Due to the expansion in Johor, AirAsia was also reported to have deployed a second aircraft to Johor to serve the new routes and added frequencies.

To commemorate the expansion in Johor, AirAsia is offering the following online fare promotions for travel between February 6, 2006 to October 28, 2006. The promotional fare for Johor to Ipoh, for example, starts from RM9.99 one way.

All in all, AirAsia gave hope to Ipoh, and folks over there had been drummed up anticipation for the multiplier effects of a revived air passenger transit hub.

Some wrote to Screenshots, thanking AirAsia for the fact that the IPH-JHB-IPH route will give them much convenience and travel option, not forgetting the ease in making air transit to towns in Sabah and Sarawak.

No more IPH-JHB flight after September 18

Somehow, the music stops for Ipoh, and all too soon.

Visitors to Web Forum on Ipoh.com.my are now grimacing painfully at the prospect that AirAsia is going to cancel the IPH-JHB flight from September 18, 2006.

The thread, which was started on August 23, has attracted 37 responses so far. The affected AirAsia travellers claimed that they were only notified of their flight cancellation after September 18 via SMS, and no words on refund and other forms of compensation were given.

This is despite the fact that AirAsia has maintained on its official website that all flights booked-and-paid for the route will remain valid till October 28, 2006.

Reader KK Kwan wrote to Screenshots yesterday, saying that the situation warrants a clear explanation by AirAsia.

The reader's email is published below, verbatim.

Mailbag From: Kwan KK To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com Date: Aug 26, 2006 9:18 PM Subject: A can of maggots ...AirAsia

Jeff, I don't know Jeff, hope this turns out to be a juicy find .... What’s bad has just turned worse. Follow up to the current airlines delay fracas – here we have what is known as the business practice by AirAsia.

I’ve booked, and paid in full, for my IPH-JHB-IPH flight well ahead of schedule; only to find out that all flights on this sector will be cancelled as of 18/9/06. I only came to know abt this cancellation thru words of mouth !!!

Why doesn’t AirAsia make an official announcement through the press ? I can’t even find a hint of this cancellation in their website !!

I called up their hotline to ask and the rumour is indeed true. When I questioned them abt the lack of publicity on this matter, they just answered that SMS will be sent out to passengers ‘very soon’. What is this ? Are they thinking that SMS is a foolproof , ‘silver bullet’ method of getting msg across to us ! Do they expect a single SMS will solve everything ?

This is really frustrating, because it does not just wrecked my family’s vacation, but I have to now think of a way to get myself to JHB and back to IPH as I still have an onward flight to BKI with AirAsia. Are they bothered to refund me ? If they do are they going to pay for my time, money and effort wasted in salvaging my family's vacation ? Is it in their Standard Operating Procedures to mess around with passengers’ itinerary ?

Oh..wait, there’s more, here’s the icing of the cake ….

take a look at the screenshots taken from their homapage here : http://forum.ipoh.com.my/forum/showpost.php?p=79459&postcount=32

and AirAsia's schedule for this particular sector published on their website, here.

Why do they bother to advertise the availability of that particular flight (their schedule says it's valid will Oct 28) when they've already taken it off the shelf ? Does this mean AirAsia is resorting to false advertising to fish for business here? Will AirAsia be subjected to any legal implications?

I'm sure many others are still unaware abt this.....

truly,
KK

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

摆渡人: 廖中莱的感召.

UPDATES: 廖中莱的再感召.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Overnight, reader Jau Kay Kiang alerted me that AirAsia has synchronised its On-Time Performance statistics on the web frontpage.

The July on-time take-off record is now reset to 81%.

Screencapture courtesy reader JK Kiang

The stats were like this less than 24 hours ago -- 75%:

Original blog entry: Click here

One up for on-time correction!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

From Mat Rempit to Mat Cemerlang. As advertised in the paper.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

According to stuff.co.nz, Malaysia Airlines is the carrier facing prosecution by the Labour Department for allegedly systematically allowing illegal passengers into New Zealand. Quote:

The airline was identified a day after the department's border security chief, Api Fiso, refused to name it.

A source said Malaysian Airlines "had a massive history" of flying asylum seekers to New Zealand over an eight-year period. They included Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui in 2002.

It is understood more than half of those reaching New Zealand to claim asylum fly on Malaysian.

Malaysian Airlines spokesman Anbarasu Sundram in Kuala Lumpur said the airline knew of the department's announcement. "We will then see if it is sub judice and whether we can make comment. It's a legal matter, we will have to see what it is all about."

Thanks CY Leow for the heads-up.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

As Penang is caught in a political frenzy to rotate the Chief Minister's position, New Zealand did the unthinkable by Malaysian practice.

The Kiwis see beyond ethnicity to elect Anand Satyanand, the first person of Asian descent, to be its Governor-General.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (38) | TrackBacks (0)

You have heard of unforgiving anecdotes about statistics, haven't you? Malaysia has more.

AirAsia

The NST says AirAsia has an average of 88% -- 'Fatt Fatt' -- on-time take-off.

SOURCE:The NST August 25, 2006

AirAsia, apparently, keeps two sets of stats.

On the inside page of its website, it says the July On-Time Performance was 81%.

However, on the frontpage of its website, it says the July On-Time Performace was 75%

So, how about The NST, did 'Malaysia's newspaper of record' get the records straight?

Based on the seven-month average from January through July tracked by AirAsia:

83 + 86 + 82 + 79 + 84 + 87 + 81 = 582

582 divided by 7 = 83.14

How did The NST arrive at the On-Time Performance of 88% for AirAsia? Only God knows.

Malaysia Airlines

Now, how about Malaysia Airlines -- MAS? If you went to its official website, the answer is: Mana Ada Statistiks!

So, we have to take a different routing. Go to Flightstats.com instead. At the time I blogged this, it keeps the Historical Ontime Performance Ratings for the world's major airlines, including MAS and AirAsia, within the date range between June 15, 2006 through August 15, 2006. The observation of on-time performance is based on the 20 most active routes for the monitored carriers based on the number of observations made in this time period.

Out of a total of 6,410 flights, MAS had a score of 4,922 flights taking-off on-time, which gives it 76% -- a jarring variance of 11% compared to 87% awarded by The NST.

SOURCE: Flightstats.com

For the same period, FlightStats.com recorded AirAsia's average on-time take-off to be 55 out of 114 flights monitored, which gives it a meagre 48% rating.

SOURCE: FlightStats.com

However, it warrants a mention that the sampling size for AirAsia flights was not on an apple-to-apple comparison versus Malaysia Airlines'. Besides, the monitored sector was limited to KUL-Macao route instead of the 20 most active routes for this carrier based on the number of observations made in this time period. Hence, the margin of errors will certainly be higher in this case.

Thanks reader Leong who called from Ipoh, and Howsy who posted from UK, for the heads-up. It's alright for the airlines to spin in the 3rd-placed English newspaper on the ground, but they definitely shouldn't so spin when flying in the sky.

We hope Minister Chan Kong Choy can sleep tight tonight.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0)

In the August 23 blog entry titled: Server hosting, overseas, I pointed to the mockery that is ridiculously unique in Malaysia.

I said, while committed bloggers had exposed their real identities right from Day One they started blogging, the pro-Abdullah/Anti-Mahathir blogs/websites have done just the opposite. They are faceless, and they resorted to anonymous hosting overseas. Defying dignity, they are contented with being condemned as penembak curi.

My observation has an echo in mStar Online, and Fathi Aris Omar spoke to three journalist-bloggers to get the perspective right. Go there and read what A. Kadir Jasin, Ahirudin Attan and James Wong Wing On say about blog ethics.

Fathi Aris also revealed how a pro-Abdullah/Anti-Mahathir website, which called itself Kelab Penyokong Maya Umno (KPMU), had simulated resembling format and colour schemes to knock-off Kelab Maya Umno (KMU), which often provides critical comment about the Abdullah premiership.

When you can't convince... you confuse them!

.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The intro to an Economist story:

“A GOOD newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself,” mused Arthur Miller in 1961. A decade later, two reporters from the Washington Post wrote a series of articles that brought down President Nixon and the status of print journalism soared. At their best, newspapers hold governments and companies to account. They usually set the news agenda for the rest of the media. But in the rich world newspapers are now an endangered species. The business of selling words to readers and selling readers to advertisers, which has sustained their role in society, is falling apart (see article).

Of all the “old” media, newspapers have the most to lose from the internet...

And politicians and corporate titans turn before entering their graves.Quote:

In future, as newspapers fade and change, will politicians therefore burgle their opponents' offices with impunity, and corporate villains whoop as they trample over their victims? Journalism schools and think-tanks, especially in America, are worried about the effect of a crumbling Fourth Estate. Are today's news organisations “up to the task of sustaining the informed citizenry on which democracy depends?” asked a recent report about newspapers from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a charitable research foundation.

And so enter the snipers (or Shaziman's penembak curi). Quote:

In addition, a new force of “citizen” journalists and bloggers is itching to hold politicians to account. The web has opened the closed world of professional editors and reporters to anyone with a keyboard and an internet connection. Several companies have been chastened by amateur postings—of flames erupting from Dell's laptops or of cable-TV repairmen asleep on the sofa.

Each blogger is capable of bias and slander, but, taken as a group, bloggers offer the searcher after truth boundless material to chew over. Of course, the internet panders to closed minds; but so has much of the press.

The rest, as they say, is history (Obituary targetted for first quarter of 2043, says Economist. "A cause for concern, but not for panic".)

There is indeed every sign that Arthur Miller's national conversation will be louder than ever when THINKING is ALLOWED.

Thanks reader Mac Chung Yew for the heads-up.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

BREAKING NEWS. No, the PAC hearing on Avenue Capital Resource's acquisition by ECM-Libra did not take place as planned this morning.

Little Birds told Screenshots that an official from MoF's legal department had advised the PAC that the meeting today is subjudice to the legal counter-suits pending between Matthias Chang and Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan. She said the Parliamentarians may have impunity immunity to hear the issues, but non-Parliamentarians do not enjoy the same privilege.

Another lawyer advising the Parliament concurred with her. Subsequently, PAC chairman Shahrir Abdul Samad accepted the advisory and the Committee's hearing today was adjourned.

Shahrir is understood to be calling for a pressie anytime now.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Equity industry regulator, the Securities Commission (SC), yesterday announced a 'milestone in civil recovery action' pertaining to the aftermath of insider trading involving Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) sharesn August 2004.

The SC announced that it has, to date, reimbursed 275 investors, or close to 90% of the number of victims, under a compensation scheme for losses incurred from the insider trading case. The SC said it is the first time aggrieved investors in Malaysia are successfully compensated for investment losses resulting from a securities law transgression.

Bernas Backgrounder

In August 2004, the SC initiated civil enforcement action against Kuala Lumpur City Securities Sdn Bhd and Wan Azmi bin Wan Abdul Rahman requiring them to disgorge ill-gotten profits arising from the insider trading of Bernas shares.

This resulted in the recovery of RM2.08 million from KL City Securities — twice the amount gained by KL City Securities from the insider trading of Bernas shares. KL City Securities and Wan Azmi were also required to pay civil penalties of RM300,000 and RM150,000 respectively.

In addition to the 275 investors who have been compensated from the disgorged profits, the SC is calling on 41 other investors to claim their entitlement under the compensation scheme within 30 days from yesterday (Aug 24), after which the scheme will be wound up.

The distribution agent for the compensation scheme is KPMG Corporate Services Sdn Bhd.

Inside Insider Trading

Insider trading? You know where to train your spotlight on, don't you?

But it won't be easy, as insider tradings are normally transacted via third party's account or friends, and the regulator can only detect abnormal counter movements under regular surveillence.

Sorry, I can't give you a leg-up on this.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Today, August 25, MoF officials are supposed to come back to the Parliamentary Public Audit Committee (PAC) with better explanation as to why the government-controlled Avenue Capital Resouces has fallen into the hands of a smaller outfit that took no cash to acquire it.

The cliff-hanger after the August 10 hearing was: Was there conflicts of interest in the transaction? Apparently, there are some latest developments in the last two weeks.

• PAC threatened with legal action

  August 18, former premier’s aide Matthias Chang issued a lawyer's letter and threatened to cite PAC chief Shahrir Samad for contempt of court if the committee proceeds to meet tomorrow to continue its probe into the controversial merger of ECM Libra and Avenue Capital Resources. Shahrir had at the last PAC meeting said that the merger had met all statutory regulations.

  Chang's letter said PAC's hearing could be subjudice to an on-going civil suit involving Chang and Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan.

  Earlier, Kalimullah has implicated Chang for RM50 million in a defamation suit, while Chang counter-sued for RM100 million in damages. The cases are still pending.

• August 24, Shahrir told Malaysiakini that Shahrir said today’s meeting will take place as scheduled and he would not reply to Chang’s letter. However, he said the Finance Ministry, which has received a similar letter from Chang, will send Chang an official reply.
• On the other hand, Shahrir has offered Chang’s lawyer to attend the PAC meeting today. He said the committee could stop any discussion on matters which the lawyer deems as subjudice.

The Parkway-Pantai-ECM-Libra Avenue Nexus

Meanwhile, there is a twist to the controversial shareholding of Singapore-based Parkway Holdings in Malaysia-incorporated Pantai Holdings, in which ECM-Libra Avenue has a substantial stake. It's another case of controlling stake in corporate manoeuvres, and a foreign mainstream media took it upon itself to set the record straight through its Malaysia-based correspondent.

August 21, S. Jayasankaran wrote in Singapore Business Times that the Parkway Group's purchase of the controlling 30% interest in Pantai Holdings should be left alone as it is in danger of being scuttled by politics.

The headline reads: It's best to leave the Parkway-Pantai deal alone.

Quote:

Unfortunately, this is hardly the right kind of signal to transmit for a country wanting to woo foreign portfolio investment. Malaysia has investment guarantee agreements with many countries including Singapore which basically reassures investors that they will not lose out if things are changed mid-stream.

One can hardly blame Parkway in this matter. Pantai is a listed company in a non-regulated sector which is why the deal went through on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis without opposition or caveat from any government agency. So, the deal had nothing to do with government incompetence, omission or favouritism.

At the heart of the matter is the political spat between Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and former premier Mahathir Mohamad. Parkway is caught in a political crossfire between the two camps with one accusing the premier of being soft on certain countries, of selling the family silver to foreigners. [...]

Mr Abdullah is in an unenviable position because he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. If the contracts are simply cancelled, Malaysia gets a black eye in foreign investment circles.

And the Singapore Business Times ended the story with a typical Jalan Riong tone and manner:

If he instructs the concessions to be bought over by, say, Khazanah - which is probably the only party that can afford to buy it at a fair price - his critics will scream 'bailout'. Perhaps the best thing for the premier to do is to ignore it along the lines of an old Arab saying: the dogs may bark but the caravan moves on. And the premier can take a leaf out of Dr Mahathir's own book in this regard.

In 2001, Mokhzani Mahathir, his son who owned Pantai previously, sold the company to Chinese businessman Lim Tong Yong amid loud questions from the Opposition. The caravan moved on.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

That seems to be the message from Hishamuddin Hussein to the Son-in-Law, and Liow Tiong Lai, who has the mandate from MCA Youth to bring it right to the top, shall oblige.

The BN spirit. Via Bernama.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, it's frivolous to even ask. But is there such a thing as the "World’s Best Processor"?

Picture courtesy Intel Malaysia

Intel believes it has cracked the code and come up with a new product line that can retire Pentium for good. The Core 2 Duo processor family.

Sneak preview here, details in my CNet Asia blog, Lemak Lemang.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The 3-minute podcast today features the last instalment of the one-week exclusive with Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan. He sounded getting tired and retirement is what he looks forward to.

Can you imagine Malaysiakini without Steven Gan, and Malaysia without Malaysiakini? We prodded him, in www.klstream.com, and he talked about the most satisfying moment having helmed Malaysiakini for 7 years now.

Actually, more things lie ahead for Malaysiakini that make cyberactivism a positive effort in the Internet Age. Steven gave us a punchy round-up.

UPDATES: Podcast downloads for August 24 was 20,312. It beats the previous day's record of 16,113.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Oon Yeoh SMS-ed to tell me that yesterday's Freetalk segment, about Steven Gan's take on PM Abdullah's political fate, has hit a record 16,113 downloads in one day.

The 3-minute podcast broke the 5-figure downloads benchmark right from Week 2 of its existence, with the highest download before this, ironically, being the segment about the 31 questions for the famous Son-in-Law.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Like the famous Son-in-Law, Rafidah Aziz invokes a sub-set of nationalism to stake her claims of political relevancy.Via NST-Business Times:

"We are not hiding anything and there are areas you can have 100 per cent equity, majority stake and 30 per cent Bumiputera stake ... those who have other feelings can go elsewhere," she said.

According to Sin Chew Daily, Rafidah's 'go elsewhere' means 'go China':

拉菲達：外資不滿政策可不來

（吉隆坡訊）國際貿易及工業部長拿督斯里拉菲達說，外國投資者若無法接受大馬實行30%土著股權的政策，他們大可不來；大馬不會哀求他們前來投資。

她說，如果外資要大馬修改土著擁有30%股權的政策，大馬將先向他們說“再見”（Bye-bye）。

“如果投資者認為大馬具有吸引力，他們就會前來投資；如果他們有不同的感受，沒關係，可以到其他國家，如中國投資。”

Malaysian Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman William Cheng said he is baffled with what Rafidah had wanted to achieve with her outburst.

And I don't think DiGi Malaysia was being "punished" for keeping more than 49% equity under Telenor at any one time. No?

Perhaps the country is already fully fed.

Rafidah said under the Second Industrial Master Plan, Malaysia had attracted total investments of RM260 billion in manufacturing activities, exceeding its target of RM250 billion.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. Some interesting developments to the broad-stroke by Shaziman Abu Mansor, Dr Lim Keng Yaik's deputy at the ministry in charge of Communications, who called anonymous bloggers 'penembak curi'. He also challenged the faceless bloggers to come to the fore to debate current issues they hold dissenting views to.

Unfortunately, idiots at Berita Harian newsroom gave a spin to the headline, erroneously implying that the deputy minister had meant all bloggers are snipers. The evidence is here:

SOURCE: Berita Harian August 23, 2006

Journalist-blogger A Kadir Jasin, who blogs with a full-blown identifiable public face since Day One, threw the first-term deputy minister a challenge befitting his portfolio within Keng Yaik's breathing distance.

Mengambil maklum hujahnya, saya, sebagai orang yang lebih tua daripada Datuk Shaziman, dengan ini menjemput beliau berbahas dengan kita di dalam blog ini -- blog yang bernama dan tidak tembak curi.

In the end, on the same day his broad-stroke went to press, deputy minister Shaziman obtained AKJ's contact via former NST News Editor Ashraf Abdullah, and telephoned the Datuk Blogger for a meal of nasi daun pisang.

And AKJ took the opportunity to rub it in: "Nasi daun pisang tiada masalah, tetapi saya ingin juga bercakap dengan pemimpin muda seperti beliau mengenai masa lalu, masa kini dan masa mendatang."

So much so, AgendaDaily has come out with an exclusive of uneasiness over this Shaziman broad-stroke. That's the reason why our ministers are often times misquoted, and politicians misunderstood.

Nevertheless, Rocky's Bru has been thrusted into the the gang of "Gentleman/Responsible Blogger", if Shaziman's definition of bloggers is of any good.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's in CNet Asia blog, Lemak Lemang.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It's in The Star.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Does Anwar still harbor dreams of being PM? And should he? Find out what Steven Gan thinks in www.klstream.com, the 3-minute podcast.

Steven thinks Anwar can make a good Opposition Leader instead of becoming a Prime Minister.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

One by one, with Umno divisions cancelling speaking invitations extended to Dr Mahathir, Asean's Eminent Persons' Group (EPG) chairman Musa Hitam is also in a fix.

Can Asean tap Mahathir's 22-year experience as Malaysia's former Prime Minister for the benefit of nation-building and regional intiatives through the EPG?

That's the mind-boggling question for Asean diplomats who believe the expertise of the man who was once instrumental in steering Malaysia's development should be utilised for the benefit of the regional grouping.

But Musa is dodging it. Quote Bernama:

"I can't comment on that," EPG chairman Tun Musa Hitam told Bernama when asked on the matter.

Musa was mum on that possibility and whether there was such a proposal from Asean diplomats.

"I have to go now, I can't make any comment on that matter," he said when pressed further.

EPG comprises highly distinguished and well-respected citizens of Asean member nations with the mandate to analyse and provide practical recommendations on the direction and future of the Asean Chapter.

Besides Musa, the other members of Asean's EPG are Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng (Brunei), Dr Aun Porn Moniroth (Cambodia), Ali Alatas (Indonesia), Khamphan Simmalavong (Laos), Dr Than Nyun (Myanmar), Fidel Ramos (the Philippines), Prof S. Jayakumar (Singapore), Kasemsamosorn Kasemsri (Thailand) and Nguyen Manh Cam (Vietnam).

Meanwhile, Mahathir has also put in his papers to contest as a delegate from Kubang Pasu division to attend and speak at the Nov 13 Umno Annual General Assembly. Quote Bernama:

Asked whether he would repeat his criticism of the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Umno assembly, he said: "I cannot disclose what I am going to say. Wait for it."

Dr Mahathir said he was informed that certain quarters would attempt to coax him to withdraw if he were nominated to be a delegate of that Umno division.

Let's see if Mahathir is demonised outside Malaysia the same way he is from within.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Strong Umno, weak Umno, the country should not come down just because a politician wanted to make a bogeyman out of another community -- and we are barely 8 days away from the 49th Merdeka!

The layman says: Khairy should focus on personal crisis.

Khairy is correct to note that a weak and unsettled Umno is not good for the country. Most of the public policies, especially the 9th Malaysia Plan, are made solely by the Umno leadership. Hence, we need an Umno that is focused and committed to the country’s growth and progress.

While a weak Umno may not be able to chart a clear path for the country’s progress, we have experienced a strong Umno which destroyed some of the most pertinent democratic institutions in the country, eg, judiciary, civil society, et cetera. If I may add, we need a responsible and fair Umno and not just a strong Umno.

The politician says: Khairy, you started it, you end it!

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin must be sincere in resolving the controversy he had created and should never repeat the remarks he made about Chinese Malaysians again, said MCA Youth chief Liow Tiong Lai today.

Liow quoted a Chinese saying which indicates that "the person who started the trouble should end it" in telling Khairy to show 'sincerity' in resolving the controversy.

“He should not repeat the same remarks. If he said he is misunderstood, tell us why he was misunderstood,” said Liow after chairing a two-hour MCA Youth political bureau meeting at Parliament House today. [...]

“I have been given the full mandate in today’s meeting as MCA Youth chief to bring up this issue to Hishammuddin Hussein as the BN Youth chief and settle it at the highest level,” he stressed.

See? The Son-in-Law is not only embroiled in national problems, he is no less the problem..

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (30) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday, Member of Parliament Mohd Said Yusof (BN – Jasin) pumped up adrenalin and called on the Government to release the list of the 159 people who bought the luxury cars seized by the Royal Customs department.

Grapevines had it that among the 159 people on the list, seven were Members of Parliament, and one female deputy minister -- still serving in the present administration -- had bought two for herself.

Yes, it will be good to name them, for transparency's sake. Already, the 'tutup sebelah mata' MP has refused to close an eye any more.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

There is an answer to the August 17 entry in this blog: Review 1988 sacking of judges?

Despite a 3-page feature in theSun on the sacked Lord President Mohamed Salleh Abas, who broke his silence and came out in support of the legal fraternity's call for probe into the 1988 judicial interference by the Executive, the review looks unlikely to take place during this Abdullah administration.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Aziz said the sacking of the Lord President and two Supreme Court judges in 1988 will not be reviewed. And it’s final.

Oh, the Bowman Papers, too!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

I am still reflecting on what Content Forum Honorary Secretary Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek of TM Net told the Complaints Bureau August 21, that websites and weblogs hosted overseas will not face problems like what Screenshots has been dragged into now. This blog, a Malaysian brand, is currently hosted in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) while the penembak curi are having a fun time roaming free elsewhere.

It is interesting to note that, in Malaysia, even the owners of pro-Abdullah/anti-Mahathir sites have to resort to anonymity and host their servers overseas -- and overseas can mean two-way traffic in a global perspective.

Two examples are machai.net and malaysiatomorrow.net.

Traceroute: Machai.net... A Pro-Abdullah/Anti-Mahathir website anonymously hosted in San Diego, California, USA

Traceroute: Malaysiatomorrow.net... A Pro-Abdullah/Anti-Mahathir website anonymously hosted in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

The owners utilised anonymised domain name registrar services to mask their digital trails.

On the other hand, owners of pro-Hezbollah websites will find Malaysia a haven to host their servers here.

A good example is ghaliboun.net, which is hosted at Telekom Malaysia.

Traceroute: Ghaliboun.net..A Pro-Hezbollah website anonymously hosted in Cyberjaya, Malaysia

Meanwhile, there are home-grown websites, like Malaysiakini and this weblog, which chose to reside and host their servers in Malaysia out of patriotic reasons. The only thing is we don't get any guarantee for harassment-free treatment that is now enjoyed, de facto, by the three websites I showcased above.

Food for thought for Deputy Minister in charge of Communications, Shaziman Abu Mansor, who said yesterday:

“It is difficult for the Government if we were to regulate Internet users because they can easily register in other countries.

Shaziman said it was up to bloggers to use their own discretion when disseminating information on the Internet.

“We cannot control them. If in the old days we used to have Wild Wild West, now we have Wild Wild Web.

“Wild Wild Web are bloggers who hide and shoot but are afraid to come out in the open for confrontation,” he said.

“If they are truly gentlemen and responsible (for what they blogged), they should show themselves.”

And food for thought for Bapak K-Ekonomi Malaysia, if we had one.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

From the Observer, last Sunday:

We will soon have no world-class universities left in this country. Oxford and Cambridge struggle to retain a position among the top 10; I expect that they will soon drop out through the bottom. It is easy to assume that better government resourcing would make all the difference, but the problem is not wholly, or even perhaps mainly, financial.

This is, in the broadest sense, political: a matter of ideology or ideals. Certainly, the criteria for judging a university to be world-class are narrow - roughly, how many Nobel Prize winners it can claim as its own - but no university is likely to achieve this status unless its educational as well as its research reputation is high. There are exceptions, but in general, it is dangerous to separate research from teaching, if only because research and teaching alike flourish in an environment in which science, scholarship and the arts are valued as intrinsic goods and where it is assumed that, within the institution, new and perhaps revolutionary ideas are being pursued.

But as things are, because funding follows research output, heads of department, especially in the sciences, discourage young researchers from teaching undergraduates, which is thought to be a waste of their valuable time. This means that in Oxford and Cambridge, it is difficult to persuade young scientists to become fellows of colleges, with administrative and teaching duties. Undergraduates suffer and, without a body of undergraduates inspired to pursue their studies further, gradually the quality of the research itself will decline.

Thanks reader HH Chung for the heads-up.

Meanwhile, Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, was installed Monday night as the first chancellor of Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel).

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Is there anything Pak Lah can do to effectively counter Dr. M? Or is it a lost cause?

Listen to Jeff & Oon chatting up Steven Gan on this topic on www.klstream.com, the 3-minute podcast. Hear what Steven Gan has to say about this: "It's too late for Pak Lah, now."

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

By making the Chinese community his bogeyman, is the famous Son-in-Law fanning up racial sentiments to pep up his political fortune?

Pemuda Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, besieged under Mahathir's attack, has turned to the Chinese community as his political scapegoat, only to find himself landed with a boot in the mouth.

August 18, Khairy used an Umno platform in Kedah to warn his party members that Chinese Malaysians would exploit the current infighting within the ruling party to advance their community’s interests. Quote Malaysiakini:

“The internal split within Umno will weaken the party’s position and this will pave way for the Chinese Malaysians to make various demands to benefit their community,” Khairy was quoted as saying by Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily.

“The MCA ministers who have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) earlier this year to demand for Chinese community’s rights was the result of Umno being in a weak position,” the report added.

Khairy also argued that Umno woes have created a similar situation as in 1999 - when the Malaysian Chinese Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu) made a set of “demands” when Umno was divided following a fallout between then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy, Anwar Ibrahim.

The veteran and the youth wings of the Chinese-based BN component parties have taken the Son-in-Law to task. See SK Thew and Rocky's Bru, and Oriental Daily News on this.

To allay the component parties' displeasure, Pemuda Umno chief Hishammuddin Hussein had to come out with a statement saying it was up to his deputy to convince Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders that he did not intend to offend them. Quote Malaysiakini:

Commenting on Khairy’s defence that his controversial remarks at a recent Umno meet had been misinterpreted, Hishammuddin said: “If he said he has been misunderstood, then I believe he has been misunderstood.”

As to whether he would instruct his deputy to apologise, he said: “I don’t instruct anybody to do anything especially when it involves his personal views.”

“It’s for him (Khairy) to satisfy our friends in the component parties that what was reported is not what it seems. There are people who have looked at it from a racial point, we have to convince them [...] It’s a learning process for Khairy,” he said at a joint press conference of BN Youth wings at the Parliament lobby.

Khairy, who later claimed that his statement was misinterpreted, said his remarks were aimed at uplifting the spirit of Umno and not to jeopardise the spirit of unity within BN.

Ling clarified

So, did the 'misunderstood' Khairy explain his position to his compatriots in the youth wings of the BN component parties? Malaysiakini asked MCA Youth Chief, deputy minister Liow Tiong Lai, for his response. Quote:

Met by reporters later, Liow declined to comment on whether MCA Youth accepted Khairy’s explanation but said Khairy had communicated with him “on the instruction of Hishammuddin”.

On the other hand, Khairy has reportedly explained his position to MCA Youth deputy Ling Hee Leong, the eldest son of former party president Dr Ling Liong Sik who was noted for his "Eat, Drink, Play and be Merry" political philosophy. Quote Malaysiakini:

According to media reports today, Hee Leong had clarified that Khairy had no intention to hurt the feelings of the Chinese Malaysian community, and that the two of them had agreed to “look forward to the greater interest of the nation”.

However, Ling's version was not acceptable to MCA Youth Secretary-General, Dr Wee Ka Siong as it "does not represent MCA Youth’s stand". Quote:

“It was a private meeting between them as friends. The matter should be sorted out through the proper channel, which is Barisan Nasional Youth,” said MCA Youth secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, he conceded that there was “nothing wrong” for the duo to meet to discuss the matter.

“(But Khairy) cannot just find someone (Hee Leong) who accepts his explanation and then take it as the end of the issue,” he said.

Media reports indicate that MCA Youth has questioned Khairy's sincerity by meeting only its Nombor Two, Ling, instead of meeting the movement.

MCA Youth chief Liow was quoted as saying that Khairy's making the Chinese his bogeyman has affected the entire community and the party, thus it is not a simple case of explaining it to an individual from the party.

Khairy 'misunderstood'

To Khairy's assertion that his speech in Kedah was misunderstood, Wee said there was no inconsistency in newspaper reports about what Khairy said and they (media) can’t be fabricating the stories together.

"The media should reveal tape recordings of what Khairy said,” Wee suggested.

On the displeasure aroused by Khairy who made the Chinese the bogeyman, Wee also elaborated that the MCA Youth did not accept Khairy’s explanation. Quote:

“Our chief Liow Tiong Lai has denied that MCA Youth agrees with the MIC Youth stand, which was to fully accept Khairy’s explanation that his statement had been misinterpreted by the media and BN leaders,” said Wee.

Asked what MCA Youth wants from Khairy, Wee said: “We want Khairy to understand that he must be responsible for his remarks, which are untrue.”

He reiterated that the remarks had caused unhappiness in MCA Youth and that heated debate is expected on the issue at the wing’s annual general meeting on Friday.

MCA and Gerakan leaders criticised Khairy’s statement as “immature and uncalled for”, and the issue was given prominent coverage by Chinese-language dailies last Sunday.

As the spat goes on, we are 10 days away from the 49th anniversary of Merdeka.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanks to all readers for your comments on whether we need to adopt a pre-moderated mode for readers' comments in response to the assertion made by P Gunasegaram during the Content Forum Complaints Bureau mediation yesterday. I hope the Complaints Bureau members will have read your responses and opinions when they make up their decisions.

I can't help but notice that Malaysian cyberspace seems to have two issues here: ( 1 ) Freedom of Expression ( 2 ) Freedom AFTER Speech.

The former is barely defining while the latter has started to clamp you down, in this case, through proxies buried in the mainstream media.

Is cyberlaw stricter than existing ones the answer to better Internet behaviour? Is being labelled by third parties as "the most influential blog/blogger" and targetted for the strictest scrutiny by the mainstream media a fair deal? Have we lost faith in self-regulation? Has Malaysia lost its vision to be a regional communications and content creation hub?,

Those are my random thoughts while I reflect on what Content Forum Honorary Secretary Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek of TM Net told the Complaints Bureau yesterday, that websites and weblogs hosted overseas will not face problems like what Screenshots has been dragged into now. This blog, a Malaysian brand, is currently hosted in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).

* * *

Talk of TM Net, I would like to thank the Streamyx Team for recovering my home broadband connectivity. Thanks to the many unsung heroes at Jalan Semarak, Cyberjaya, USJ and the local loop team in Subang Jaya for your constant monitoring. Thanks for changing my port too.

With the broadband back-up, I can now start DELETING several words used by readers in this blog entry, which are innocent entries in the dictionary on their respective own but offensive when read in overall context under specific circumstances P. Gunasegaram objected to.

I had gallantly promised the Chairman of the Complaints Bureau to have them deleted within 24 hours after yesterday's mediation meeting. So, Streamyx has come back up in time to save me further encumbrances as this blog is evidently sun-spotted.

The Complaints Bureau is likely to come out with a draft advisory for commenters on how to improve your cyberspace language.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

I need to gather your views on this as I prepare for the next Mainstream Media vs.Blog 'mediation' scheduled for next Tuesday.

At the 'mediation' process yesterday, CMCF council member Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek of TM Net explained to the Complaints Bureau members that, it is a common trend in the Internet era to see weblogs generally operate on a real-time basis, where readers' feedback and comments are published automatically on a real-time basis.

P.Gunasegaram differed in his opinion, and demanded that comments on blog must be moderated before they are published on a delayed basis. He cited his own blogging experience, and A. Kadir Jasin as one blogger who follows such pre-moderated mode. P Gunasegaram is of the opinion that bloggers should operate in the exact mode of a mainstream media editor -- filter, edit then only publish the readers' comments.

On the other hand, this blogger cited Content Code Part 5: Specific Online Guidelines (4.0 - Principles) which, among others, state that:

• There shall be no censorship of the Internet as provided in Section 3(3) of the Act.


• Responsibility for Content provided Online by Code Subjects primarily rests with the creator of the Content


• In acknowledging that in the fast-changing online environment, it is very often impractical, costly, difficult and ineffective to monitor Content, Code subjects will nonetheless fulfill, to the best of their ability the requirements of the Code.


• Users are responsible for their choice and utilisation of Online Content.


• As users are able to independently exercise the choice on whether to access, read or digest and consume various online materials, the application of the Code, by Code Subjects under this Part shall take cognisance of this fact.


• Any measures relating to content which are recommended by this Part from time to time shall be:
  i ) Technologically neutral;
  ii ) Fair; and
  iii ) Widely affordable and not adversely affect the economic viability of the communications and multimedia industry.
• Any guidelines that apply to the provision of online Content should not unduly restrict the growth of the industry but serve to enhance a conducive environment to encourage and stimulate the Malaysian communications and multimedia industry.

I suggested to the Bureau that the spirit of the Content Code, specifically those outlined in the section above, to be up-held, and they shouldn't be compulsion of using only "Pre-Moderated" mode to publish readers' comments. More so when the CMA1998 and the Content Code subscribe to the concept of technological neutrality.

I also pointed out, unless and until the Content Forum wanted to create a global milestone by making it compulsory for all readers' comments to be pre-moderated, where all-and-sundry shall comply by default, the status quo of the Content Code and its spirit of voluntary compliance should remain.

The Complaints Bureau, on the other hand, admitted that it is new to the weblog genre and is still studying it, as such, it is not timely for the Bureau to take a position on Gunasegaram's assertions.

However, I would like to gather your feedback on this. Do you favour a pre-moderated comments mechanism, or real-time publsihing after the initial user authentication requirement (as currently practised in this blog)?

Thanking advance for your feedback. Your opinions on this may have enduring implication on the nature of weblogs in the near future in this country.

And... we have yet to ask: After this "blogger-must-filter-and-pre-moderate-readers'-comments" assertion, what else would come from the mainstream media to gags blogs?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (68) | TrackBacks (0)

My home Streamyx is still down! I am using Jaring dial-up to blog this entry, so I will be brief.

Senior editors of Nexnews Media Group told the Complaints Bureau of the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum yesterday the following:

1 ) The phrase: "And it is an open secret that unless you put a gun to the heads of many of those in power, nothing will move”

Nexnews argued that:

• It is not seditious by legal definition in Malaysia


• It is frivolous to even bring it up to the attention of the Complaints Bureau


• "To put a gun to one's head" is an idiomatic expression commonly used is English


• It has been taken out of context

Nexnews' stand on the above, the online version of the implicated article is available here, was conveyed by R. Nadeswaran, theSun deputy editor who represented its Group Editor-in-Chief Ho Kay Tat, Ho did not show up even though he was the named respondent in a public complaint to the Complaints Bureau (see briefs here), and the Bureau allowed it. Nadeswaran was accompanied by theSun editor Chong Cheng Hai.

Hearing on this issue was over within 10 minutes after theSun gave its stand.

2 ) The phrase "Shoot him for good"

Nexnews argued that:

• The phrase "shoot him for good" was a threat to editor P.Gunasegaram's life though "threat issuer in Malaysia normally doesn't follow up with real action"


• There must be a prominent, public apology by the blog owner over the cited reader's comment


• There must be assurance that such words of threats, including all languanges deemed offensive by the law, including those defined in Section 2 of the Content Code, must not be repeated


• Screenshots is singled out, in this case, because it is "the most influential blog" in Malaysia


• P. Gunasegaram is ready to file subsequent complaints against Screenshots if needs be

Nexnews' stand on the above was articulated by its Group Executive Editor P. Gunasegaram.

Protracted volleys of view points were heard from both sides, the Chairman and the CMCF councilmembers, and unresolved key points will be dealt with next Tuesday, with the Complaints Bureau making no final decision.

Ths Complaints Bureau, however, has yet to make any decisions except to mediate. The mediation shall continue at 9.30am, August 29.

The mediation was chaired by Complaints Bureau chairman, Datuk Mohamed Bazain Idris, assisted by CMCF executive director Mohd Mustafa Fazil Mohd Abdan and executive secretary J. Matthews. As the legal provision for members constituting the Complaints Bureau CMCF is vague in the Complaints Bureau by-law, the Chairman has used his discretion to invites CMCF council members to comprise yesterday's sitting. The Complaints Bureau by-law itself will only become effective from September 12, 2006.

There were three CMCF council members, representing the industry from TM Net(Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek), TV3 (Laili Hanim Mahmood) and Axis-Films (Paul Loosley), who attended the meeting yesterday.

There was no representation from the Civil Society group among the CMCF council members.

It is noted that the Content Code is a guideline for self-regulation in the online content industry. Compliance is voluntary to the Code Subjects, who are either individual or class licenses under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, of which blogs are not licensees.

Mainstream Media vs. Blog

The mediation came about P. Gunasegaram had filed a complaint against a reader's comment posted on this blog, claiming that his life was threatened (see blog entries here). Prior to this, he has repeatedly criticised Dr Mahathir's track records in the former Prime Minister's 22-year administration, including interfering of the judiciary and perpetuating patronage and cronyism, which has aroused critical responses from several blog readers.

August 4, Ho in his capacity as the Group Editor-in-Chief of Nexnews Media Group, which publishes The Edge and theSun, said "as a newspaper group, Nexnews supports freedom of speech and freedom of expression but a threat to hurt someone is criminal intimidation, not freedom of expression.

"Freedom of expression does not extend to inciting people to cause harm to someone else," Ho said. "Indeed, the threat to Gunasegaram was clearly meant to shut him up. Those of us who cherish freedom of expression should be abhorred that a website that claims to be a champion of free speech saw it fit to allow someone to make that threat," Ho said.

Nexnews is majority-owned by Canada-based Tong Kooi Ong and construction/gaming tycoon Vincent Tan.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Steven Gan says he's no fan of Mahathir, but the former prime minister does play a positive role in forging more transparency in Malaysia in the Mahathir Abdullah tussle.

Listen to Jeff & Oon chatting up Steven on this topic on www.klstream.com, the 3-minute podcast.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My home Streamyx is down again, so this is a quickie using Jaring dial-up at 49.2kbps. (Fooooh, dust off.)

1 ) The "mediation" at the Complaints Bureau of Communications and Multimedia Content Forum, held today, will be continued on August 29 morning at 9.30am. I will do a recap of today's proceedings once I have broadband back up again.

2 ) Thanks reader IImran for your concern over my wellbeing, I do appreciate that. But don't lose any sleep over this.

3 ) To the many readers who posted in this blog, or sent me SMS and emails on the matter, many many thanks. Wiithout going into the rhetorics, I am holding on to what I believe in being a responsible blogger; and blogs as a medium to change paradigm.

4 ) I shall endeavour to uphold the CMA 1998 and the Content Code in a way that they will not be perused by parties with vested interest to stifle the growth of a thinking generation.

Bye for now.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The police have investigated Malaysiakini yet again. This time it's over a newsflash report on the "spray attack" incident on Dr M, which the police claim to be defamatory (against the police force).

Listen to Jeff & Oon "investigate" Steven on this topic on www.klstream.com which is given a leg-up on Malaysiakini frontpage

Many thanks!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Even the Singaporean has reminded us to put our house in order.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

This is one historical site we visited over the weekend for a Merdeka photoshoot.

LensaPress pictures by Jeff Ooi

The building by the Muar River was built in 1951, and it remains intact. Plenty of waters had flowed since the tragedic incident that took place some 55 years ago. The post-WWII federation shook, but the nation, that would be born independent seven years after, had to carry on. And so had we, but it's such a pity that many had not been able to get their perspective right about lessons learnt from history.

Guess the place? Stay tuned for more pictures.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The Complaints Bureau of the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum will convene this afternoon to mediate a complaint filed on August 3 by P.Gunasegaram of theSun/Nexnews Sdn Bhd in respect of a comment posted by reader IImran in Screenshots.

This blogger was notified of the Complaints Bureau mediation in a letter from the Content Forum dated August 9, 2006.

Incidentally, this blogger has filed a complaint against Ho Kay Tat, Group Editor-in-Chief of theSun/Nexnews Sdn Bhd in a letter dated August 8 pertaining to a seditious article he published in theSun's news portal (www.sun2surf.com), which was a replica of the cited article published in the August 2 print edition of theSun.

The Chairman of the Complaints Bureau has decided to hear the two cases together, scheduled for this afternoon. See email attached below.

P.Gunasegaram is the Group Editor at Nexnews which publishes The Edge and theSun. Ho, who was the KL-based bureau chief of Singapore Business Times before joining Nexnews as Editor-in-Chief, was later promoted to Group EIC and MD of Nexnews Sdn Bhd and entrusted with sole responsibility over the financial and editorial controls of the media group.

Nexnews is majority-owned by Canada-based Tong Kooi Ong and construction/gaming tycoon Vincent Tan.

This blogger will testify that ( 1 ) reader IImran's posting was a reflection of a Malaysian's response to P. Gunasegaram's criticism of Dr Mahathir, and ( 2 ) Nexnews should be faulted for publishing online the cited seditious article.

This is notice issued by the Complaints Bureau of the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum:

From: J Matthews matthews@macomm.com.my
To: Jeff Ooi jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: Aug 14, 2006 8:32 PM
Subject: RE: SEDITIOUS CONTENT in theSun Online Portal

Dear Mr Jeff Ooi

COMPLAINT

Your complaint dated 8 August 2006 was tabled at a recent meeting.

Under Clause 3.5 Part 8 of the Content Code which reads "On receiving a complaint and prior to adjudication, the Complaints Bureau shall provide the necessary assistance and guidance to the parties involved with the intention of mediating an amicable resolution by mutual consultation."

The Chairman, taking into consideration the complaint filed against you by Mr P.Gunasegaram of Nexnews Bhd, has decided to combine both the complaints into one single hearing.

The mediation hearing will be held 3.00pm, Monday - 21 August 2006 in the Conference Room, Unit 1206, Block B, Pusat Dagangan Phileo Damansara 1, Off Jalan Damansara, 46350 Petaling Jaya.

We look forward to seeing you then.

Thank you.

J Matthews
Secretaries

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0)

Throughout my life, I have only seen two Chinese-run coffeeshops thronged by so many Malays. One is Hai Ping Kedai Kopi at Chukai, Kemaman, the other is at the old canteen in Kluang railway station. Both serve excellent home-roasted coffee, charcoal-toasted buns with kaya-and-margerine, and the just-about-right half-boiled eggs.

My Malay brethren seem to patronise these two places tanpa was-was, for they easily out-number the Chinese locals. And I will definitely not trade these two coffeeshops for any of the the imported designer coffee. No dice.

Over the weekend, I made it a point to revisit the Kluang railway canteen again, after nine long years.

The Kluang railway station still retains its rustic appeal I last experienced in 1997. Perhaps, few train-stops then before as people now have newer means to commute.

Whatever that's said and done, Kluang is where the coffee aroma brews nearer than southern Terengganu, which is calling for my name again (Hearth thee, hearth thee...).

But the Kluang Rail coffee has since upgraded. There is a unique body language among the shop-assistants who don the signature maroon T-shirt, a gesture that spells dignity and pride.

The cashier looks into a LCD-monitor to manage the PoS (point-of-sale) entries and collect cash, and the PoS software is a Windows version, not DOS.

Despite the modernity, I am very glad that the able hands that tend to my half-boiled eggs are still as on-the-dot as before.

To those from the Klang Valley, the good news is Kluang Rail Coffee is now available at 1-Utama and Ikano Power Centre, run the Kluangman's nephew. Go get your fix.

All LensaPress pictures by Jeff Ooi.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Screenshots first mentioned about Syed Imran on August 16 because of an interesting assertion of his:

Yes, Kali was lucky to be assisted by "someone" to be what he is today. I am fully aware of his background. I knew Kali since he was a teenager in Kelawai, Penang. I knew him when he was a member of the India-based Tabligh missionary movement. I knew him when he started his journalism career with the local daily in Penang.

Read Kuda Ranggi and his blog.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We woke up at 4am to pay them a visit. The laborious Malaysians.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

I am on the road looking for this year's Merdeka photos . Internet connection can be intermitten, hence few updates in the next few days.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Panasonic Malaysia yesterday launched 6 new models of its LUMIX range of digital still cameras, including 4 compacts, 1 prosumer.

But the spotlight was on LUMIX L1 -- Panasonic's very first dSLR that comes fitted with Leica's first AF lens built for digital cameras. Pricetag: SRP close to RM10,000 (body & lens). Product in store only around October.

Some highlights:

LensaPress picture by Leonard Yang

LUMIX FZ50... LensaPress picture by Jeff Ooi

More in my CNet Asia blog soon. Snapshots and product features are available on LensaMalaysia.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

What's up with the banning of indie films like "Lelaki Komunis Terakhir"? Jeff & Oon talk to an indie filmmaker for some clues.

Tune in to www.klstream.com for the 3-minute podcast.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Hit here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh issued a statement two days ago calling for a thorough review of the 1988 sacking of the three judges, during the tenure of then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The three judges sacked for misconduct by a special tribunal set up by the then government were former Lord President Salleh Abas and Federal Court Judges George Seah and Wan Suleiman Pawanteh.

Describing the incident as the "darkest days for the Malaysian judiciary", Yeo said an impartial re-examination of the attack by the Executive then on the judiciary was necessary to restore the honour of the judges.

The Bar Council said the on-going criticism by Dr Mahathir against the current administration had rekindled discussions of the numerous deeds and misdeeds of the government under more than two decades of the previous leadership.

Let's see what the de facto law minister at today's PM's Office say. Undo past wrongs now? Or perpetuate the same old, same old workings of Executive presiding over Judiciary?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0)

You have heard of wellknown Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Times of London Higher Education Survey for global university ranking. Now, NEWSWEEK has devised a ranking of global universities that takes into account openness and diversity, as well as distinction in research.

In the NEWSWEEK ranking, schools are evaluated on some of the measures used in rankings published by Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Times. Fifty percent of the score came from equal parts of three measures used by Shanghai Jiatong: the number of highly-cited researchers in various academic fields, the number of articles published in Nature and Science, and the number of articles listed in the ISI Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities indices.

Another 40 percent of the score came from equal parts of four measures used by the Times: the percentage of international faculty, the percentage of international students, citations per faculty member (using ISI data), and the ratio of faculty to students. The final 10 percent came from library holdings (number of volumes).

The highest-ranked Asian university is found on the 16th spot.

Do me a favour. Try to find where Malaysia is.

* * *

Today, I heard of two nice stories at my alma mater -- here and here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBacks (0)

South Asia is aslightly ahead of us in e-Government, at least they are talking about it.

The South Asia e-Government Summit will be held in New Delhi, October 26-28, 2006. Theme: Government@24/7 – Overcoming cultural and contextual challenges.

Target audiences include e-Government users, researchers and practitioners from academia, public sector, IT and Telecom Industry, e-Government policy makers, key officers from multilateral development agencies and professionals from South Asian countries as well as from Europe , USA amd Middle East.

They don't even look at us.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Oon Yeoh and I can't agree with each other on Anwar Ibrahim's political prospects. So we chatted in two parts. Yesterday's was Oon's take, and today's mine. We might be right as much as we might be both wrong. Time will decide, soon.

Tune in to www.klstream.com for the 3-minute podcast.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Hit here and here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

PAS Vice President Husam Musa's 5-pager to Abdullah is available on HarakahDaily.

The pungent part on leadership and governance reads:

"Lebih menyedihkan lagi, penjualan saham Pantai kepada pihak Singapura sebanyak 31% itu bercanggah dengan garis panduan penggabungan dan pengambil alihan milik yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Perdana Menteri sendiri bertarikh 21 Mei 2003 lagi.

YAB, maafkan saya, sebenarnya telah melanggar garis panduan Jabatan Perdana Menteri sendiri berkait dengan fasal-fasal 4.3, 6.3 dan 7.3. Bagaimana ini boleh berlaku?"

Malaysiakini translates this portion to read:

"What is even more unforgivable is that the sale of Pantai Holdings shares amounting to 31 percent to Parkway Holdings contradicted the guidelines on mergers and takeovers issued by the Prime Minister's Department on May 21, 2003.

"You have transgressed the guidelines issued by the Prime Minister's Department. How can this happen?”

This is a serious perspective which has not been raised before. Neither is this one vis-a-vis anti-corruption.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Hussein Onn is a definitive family name in Malaysian history. Ring a bell to you?

However, it has became a story line in Singapore Business Time, thanks to S. Jayasankaran, and several Screenshots readers has been sending me alerts about it. They wanted me to tell a Malaysian story of how a RM2 company can generate RM70 to 100 million-a-year for 3 years, making it all on cigarettes... and probably on beers.

Quote:

In mid-July, industry executives said that cigarette companies received a letter from Lembah Sari's chairman Haris Onn Hussein informing them that it was taking over the security labelling facilities provided by Kod Efisien for a three-year period.

At around the same time, the executives said that the Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers had been informed by Kod Efisien that its services would be replaced by Lembah Sari from August. No reasons were given for the change.

According to documents lodged with Malaysia's Companies Commission, Lembah Sari is a RM2 company - it may have increased its capital to its authorised RM100,000 by now - with two little-known shareholders. Its chairman, Mr Haris, however, is the youngest son of Hussein Onn, Malaysia's third premier, and a brother of Hishamuddin Hussein, the country's Education Minister.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has a clear explanation of this issue in his blog.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

You see? Malaysia is this funny on TV!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Petaling Jaya's first mayor, Ahmad Termizi Puteh, lasted only two months on the job.

Will the news go up on the billboard?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

Screenshots has this entry on August 10: How Khairy funded his ECM-Libra shares.

Actually, the question has been answered twice, but they seem to complement little to each other.

In the August 14, 2006 edition of The Edge, Leela Barrock reported, quoting ECM Libra Avenue chairman Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan:

Khairy's RM9.2 million loan

"I ask you, what is wrong with giving the young man a leg up in life? All three of us didn't have rich families and we made it because somebody helped us, gave us a leg up. What is wrong with us deciding we want to help Khairy? When he asked us for help, we decided to. His father was a civil servant. But he is bright and hardworking and we decided we would help him. [...]

Kalimullah also pointed out that at the time Khairy bought into ECM, there was no need for full disclosure on the transaction because he did not become a substantial shareholder and neither was he a member of the board of directors. And the loan was not made by the company, but by them personally.

This is a screenshot of a reprint of the article in The Edge's sister paper, theSun (August 15, Page 20).
Download the PDF to view Barrock's report.

"This is a personal loan which affects nobody else but the three of us," said Kalimullah in Barrock's story, referring to the trio as Lim Kian Onn, David Chua and himself who each sold 1% of their shares in ECM Libra to Khairy on December 27 last year. "Khairy never got a free meal at ECM. He worked hard, he got no free ticket," Kali added.

Flashback to seven months ago, in the January 16, 2006 edition of The Edge, M Shanmugam reported, quoting ECM-Libra Avenue COO David Chua:

"When we listed ECM Libra at RM2.10, we gave senior managers options at a huge discount to market. But when we sold the shares to Khairy Jamaluddin, it was at the prevailing market price of 71 sen. Was it cheap?

"As vendors, we would prefer our senior managers to buy the shares from us than have them as options because then there will be greater commitment," says Chua.

"There is a senior management loan scheme to which senior managers can apply. Khairy was given a vendor loan under this scheme to pay for the shares," he adds.

Download the PDF to view M. Shanmugam's report.

Going by Chua's version, at the material time Khairy bought the shares worth RM9.2 million, ECM-Libra Berhad the company operated a senior management loan scheme. Chua said Khairy was given a vendor loan under this scheme, that the company assuemdly operated at the material time, to pay for the shares.

Shouldn't the Security Commission, which oversees corporate governance in public listed companies, ask straight questions to clarify if Kalimullah's definition of (personal/individual) 'vendor loan' that Khairy took was not under the 'senior management loan scheme' that Chua said ECM Libra Berhad -- the company -- operated?

Meanwhile, a Malaysiakini reader by the name of Syed Imran wrote to the online news portal, and asked Kalimullah for similar loan that the ECM-Libra Avenue chairman has extended to Khairy.

SOURCE: Malaysiakini, Vox Populi August 15, 2006

Quote:

As a friend, I would like to ask Kali to help me. Will he? Of course not, because I am not the son-in-law of the prime minister. I am of no use to Kali and his friends. This is a fact.

Yes, Kali was lucky to be assisted by "someone" to be what he is today. I am fully aware of his background. I knew Kali since he was a teenager in Kelawai, Penang. I knew him when he was a member of the India-based Tabligh missionary movement. I knew him when he started his journalism career with the local daily in Penang.

With such a background, will Kali help me to purchase ECM Libra Avenue shares, say worth RM9 million?

Apparently, ECM Libra Berhad only operated a 'senior management loan scheme' and people who asked for a 'leg-up' that Khairy had benefitted from should know this.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Oon Yeoh and I can't agree with each other on Anwar Ibrahim's political prospects.

So we chatted in two parts. Today is Oon's take, and I will come back with mine tomorrow.

Tune in to www.klstream.com for the 3-minute podcast.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

ECM Libra Avenue Bhd's proposal to transfer to HLG Capital Bhd's subsidiary HLG Securities Sdn Bhd a dealer licence, originally issued to ECM Libra Securities Sdn Bhd, has failed as such a licence was not transferable.

The dealer licence, inherited from ECM Libra Berhad, became redundant when it merged with Avenue Capital Resources toform a new entity called ECM-Libra Avenue Bhd.

Both ECM-Libra Avenue and HLG Capital have made voluntary disclosure to Bursa Malaysia on the matter.

Chronology

Yesterday, August 15, the companies also said that an appropriate announcement will be made in due course.

Some other significant events had preceded before this latest development:

• August 3, ECM Libra Avenue announced that it had proposed to transfer the dealer licence to HLG Securities for RM5 million.


• The Securities Commission has informed both companies of the decision in a letter dated August 10, 2006


• On the same day, August 10, ECM-Libra Avenue chief operating officer and substantial shareholder David Chua sold his entire stake of 56.26 million shares to a foreign fund management company at 57 sen per share.


• One day later, August 11, ECM Libra Avenue chairman Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan disposed off 16.26 million shares at 65 sen a share to reduce his stake in the company to 40 million shares, or 4.8%.


• Similarly, August 11, Umno Youth deputy head Khairy Jamaluddin also sold his entire stake of 10.2 million shares representing 1.23% of ECM Libra Avenue Bhd at 65 sen a share yesterday. He had bought them at 71 sen a share in December last year.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

August 12, Star BizWeek ran a story titled Poser on Pantai pertaining to the contentious issue of Pantai Holdings' control over two government concessions, Fomema and Pantai Medivest.

August 13, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that the Treasury had realised that Pantai's stakeholding had become a problem as it was related to the concession for the supply of hospital requirements.

August 14, Bursa Malaysia's Sector Head (Issues & Listing - Group Regulations), Tan Yew Eng, wrote to Pantai Holdings with copy to Chung Tin Fah of Securities Commission, instructing the medical services groups to comply with the Securities Exchange's Corporate Disclosure Policy by replying and furnishing the Exchange within one (1) market day pertaining to two portions cited in the BizWeek article:

• "... Pantai is ... scouring for an adviser for a possible divestment..."


• "... a new partner may be appointed as joint concessionaires with Pantai."

August 15, Pantai Holdings submitted the following disclosures to Bursa Malaysia:

1. Pantai has not appointed any adviser thus far in relation to the divestment of the two government concessions, namely Pantai Medivest and Fomema as the company has not received an offer which it can consider reasonable.
2. Pantai has, to date, received two offers, each from a consortium of investors called Konsortium Kembalikan and Konsortium Pro-Home, for the acquisition of Pantai Medivest and Fomema, respectively.

   However, Pantai said it had rejected the offer from these two consortiums as they were found to be inadequate.

   Pantai said the identity of all investors in each of the consortiums have not been made known it has been informed that Dr Ridzwan Bakar, the former Chairman of the company, is linked to Konsortium Pro-Home, while businessman Mohd Zain Ibrahim and Abdul Aziz Abdul Wahab, the former Executive Director of Pantai Medivest, are linked to Konsortium Kembalikan.

3. Pantai said reports about the possibility of appointment of a new partner as joint concessionaires are untrue.

Pantai Holdings is currently under de facto control by Singapore-based Parkway Holdings, which in turn is substantially linked to American investors.

Thus far, the Treasury has no further comment since the PM's August 13 remarks.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. Next year around this time, Malaysia will celebrate its 50th anniversary as an independent nation. Merdeka!

Why don't we create a big family photo album for Malaysia just for the occasion!

Yes! In conjunction with the 50-year milestone, a one-year countdown has begun to capture snapshots of “A Day in the Life of Malaysia” – a national photography contest by Malaysians, and for Malaysians.

Titled Malaysia @ 50, the contest is jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, the National Art Gallery, the Heritage Department and The Star.

The best pictures and other selected entries will be published in a souvenir book that will form the collection for a nationwide exhibition to commemorate the Merdeka Celebrations in 2007.

Minister Dr Rais Yatim, himself an avid shutterbug, launched the contest in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

Malaysiaku... by Malaysians, for Malaysians... LensaPix by Jeff Ooi

Let the pictures do the talking

The contest has been described as a massive campaign to come feel Malaysia in its most intricate intimacy.

“We invite all Malaysians to capture visually our feelings as a nation by taking pictures that encapsulate the Malaysian way of life,” a spokesman at the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage said.

“Use the pictures to tell who we are, what we care about, where we work, our families, our communities and things we do everyday as a nation,” the spokesman added.

“In essence, we are providing all Malaysian photo enthusiasts with the opportunity to contribute to a collective national family album,” contest coordinator and professional photographer Alex Moh told LensaMalaysia, the photography portal I co-founded, recently.

“It’s going to be an album that acts as a lasting legacy of Malaysian life in this new millennium, endearing all Malaysians of the present and the future,” added Moh.

The contest is open to three categories of participants, with focus on seven subjects: Our Home, At Work, At Play, Our Beliefs, Our Culture, Our Heritage and Our Towns, Villages & Cities.

There is a category for school children and youth (aged 18 and below), the Open Category, and an Open Photo Essay Category, both for those aged 18 and above.

Renowned photographer Eric Peris has been appointed the Chief of the Panel of Judges for the contest.

Submission period starts from August and the closing date for the contest is on February 28, 2007.

LensaMalaysia will partner AI Photography magazine in supporting the contest. Watch out for details soon.

Meanwhile, here are some pointers pertaining to the Malaysia @50 photography contest that relate to integrity of digital content.

• FORM & FORMAT: It must be images captured by cameras of any format, using film or digital, in color or monochrome (black and white). However, mobile phone & PDA images are not acceptable.
• DIGITAL MANIPULATION: No digital super imposition is allowed. Composite photographs, trick photographs, or and any form of digital imaging or image manipulations will not be accepted. Only minor photo touch-ups such as cropping, adjustment of brightness and colour as well as softening or sharpening of the image are allowed.
• ANALOG ENTRIES: Analog entries must submit the image(s) in 4" X 6" (4R) size printed on any photographic paper.

  Only short-listed entries will be required to submit the original negative(s) or slide(s) of the image(s). These will need to be submitted to the organizers within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of notification by the organizers for verification and printing purposes, failing which the entry will be automatically disqualified for judging.

  Negatives or slides will be returned to contestants if a correctly stamped self-addressed envelope is enclosed with the submission. Failure to do so will vest in the organizers the right to dispose off the negatives or slides.

  Digitally captured image(s) must be submitted on a CD (jpeg or tiff format only) and have to be of a file size of at least 1.5 MB together with a 4"X 6" (4R) print which will be used for judging.

• ORIGINALITY AND COPYRIGHT: The contestants must be the original photographers and own the copyright of the photographs submitted. The copyright of the image(s) remains with the photographer. Where applicable, participants must hold a model release form for models included in their images.

Full details are available on LensaMalaysia.com.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

What impact will the Internet and New Media have on shaping public opinion? Does it have the reach to make a difference? Maybe not today but how about tomorrow, and during General Election 2009?

No BN Members of Parliament, except Shahrir Samad perhaps, have bothered to blog. Will they be fried?

Tune in to www.klstream.com for our take in the 3-minute podcast. Reference article: The clampdown that wasn't

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Minister Rafidah Aziz must have thought that "Bloggers Beware" is in fashion, and here she goes shopping for it now. Via Utusan Malaysia.

She should have asked Marina Mahathir for the latest tips on what's in town.

By the way, concerned Umno people have a new movie now showing.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Alert from The NEWSiness Team:

Google invites top programmers to compete in the annual Google Code Jam. Registrations open today. "The top 100 contestants win an all expenses paid trip to New York City to compete in the finals at Google's New York Engineering Office," Google announced. The grand prize is 10,000 bucks.

Hope Malaysian programmers can be one of the top...:)

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 02:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Khairy Jamaluddin was asked whether he was pressured into disposing his stake in ECM-Libra Avenue.

He said NO. Via Utusan Malaysia:

‘‘Saya tidak dipaksa atau ditekan oleh mana-mana pihak untuk menjual saham-saham itu, ini keputusan peribadi saya,” katanya

Khairy berkata, reputasi adalah sesuatu yang amat penting bagi syarikat pelaburan seperti ECM Libra Avenue Bhd. untuk berjaya dan kehadirannya untuk lebih lama lagi mampu merosakkan nama baik syarikat berkenaan.

Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan was asked whether he was pressured into reducing his stake in ECM-Libra Avenue.

He said YES. Via Malaysiakini which quotes The Edge:

Commenting on this, Kalimullah said he was “forced to take this step (reduce his stake) because of the unwarranted focus on ECM by politicians and by extension, the media”.

The businessman, who disclosed that he was “very sad” by the developments, added: “I am doing it to protect the interest of ECM and all its shareholders. The attacks against us have been unfair and will hurt ECM and I don’t want that to happen.”

“I was hounded out of business by these people and I am giving up tp protect ECM. The company’s shareholder value was being eroded because of me and Khairy. Staff morale was affected. This made our position untenable. I decided to sell because it was not fair on the other shareholders,” he said. [...]

“I told Khairy about my decision and we considered our options. There was not really very much to choose from. We could continue and bring the whole business down or we could sell and let the business thrive without us,” he said, adding, “We decided to sell together.”

Malaysiakini Chinese Edition saw the gulf in the alibis.

However, Parliament's Public Audit Committee (PAC) deputy chairman Shahrir Samad saw it from a different light. Via Malaysiakini:

"... Whether Khairy should be let off is not the issue.

“Government funds are being used to pay for this merger. I’m more interested in why government funds are being used.”

PAC deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw echoed:

DAP parliamentarian for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw, also a PAC member, said he was troubled by the fact that ECM Libra did not need to finance the merger.

“The company didn’t need to come out with any money. It was all done by Avenue and that is the finance ministry’s money,” he said.

The merger was financed by Aroma Teraju Sdn Bhd, which owns 29.5 percent of Avenue Capital. (The Ministry of Finance Incorporated - the government’s investment arm - has a 55 percent stake in Aroma Teraju, while Bank Simpanan Nasional holds the remaining 45 percent.)

Tan also said local stockbroking firm K&N Kenanga Bhd “is not qualified to act as financial advisor to ECM Libra Avenue, as it is not a auditor or a merchant bank”.

“This business transaction is something we want to get the bottom of, because government money is being used,” he said, adding that the PAC would meet finance ministry officials on Aug 25.

Just some contexts for Joe Public as well as the Securities Commission and MoF officials to chew on.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

A reader, who claims to be a full time stock trader, wanted to respond to this story in The Star:

SOURCE:The Star August 14, 2006

This is what reader LCY emailed Screenshots:

hi jeff, i dont have the access to your site to post messages so i email you on this matter, below is what i try to figure out abt the khairy stake sale..cause im a full time stock trader...it really makes me put on my thinking cap, what do you think abt it?

• khairy reportedly sold 10.2 million shares at 0.65


• khairy reportedly bought 10.2 million shares at 0.71

he shud have a gross loss of rm612,000 (excluding brokerages, stamp fee, etc)

Estimated gross loss shud b rm659,564.8 (that is EXACTLY 10.2 million shares Bought/Sold at EXACTLY the stated price including brokerages * i give him 0.3% which is lowest fees for transactions bigger than 100k worth of shares, ahem.. unless someone has VVIP treatment)

how come the loss he states out is 200k? doesnt make sense,...unless he sell to sum1 higher than the stated price or he is very very bad at mathematics...

Incredibly, PAS sec-gen Kamarudin Jaffar also put Khairy's damage at RM612,000.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang also commented on the matter, looking at different but equally pertinent angles. He said Khairy's cashing out from ECM-Libra Avenue "only sparked more queries, including integrity issues".

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)

We may have interpreted differently from what A. Kadir Jasin has reviewed earlier.

Tune in to www.klstream.com for our take in the 3-minute podcast.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir has offered four ways for people to shut him up.

Via Oriental Daily News, August 14, 2006:

Firstly, build the crooked bridge; secondly, both Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan and Khairy Jamaluddin mustexit totally from ECM-Libra Avenue; thirdly, Khairy has to move his boys out of the Fourth Floor of the PM'sOffice; and fourthly, Khairy must not interfere in the operations at the PM's Office.

Via The NST, August 14, 2006:

"Pak Lah (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) has to build the bridge. If he does that, I don’t have any more comments."

His reply came spontaneously when he was asked by reporters to comment on deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s sale of his stake of 10.2 million shares in ECM Libra Avenue Bhd, a financial services company. Khairy is also Abdullah’s son-in-law.

"Oh yes... that is good. First, they have to sell, then they should leave the fourth floor and go away somewhere and Pak Lah has got to build the bridge. If he does that, I don’t have any more comments.

"Now Proton is dead... all the vendors, all the dealers and salespeople are all losing money, so they are doing a good job serving Proton as promised by the Prime Minister."

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Would you like to bail out the Prime Minister from a sticky situation?

Last night, two weeks after Screenshots sounded a warning shot, the Prime Minister, who is the Finance Minister, has finally admitted that there is a problem to the sale of controlling stake in Pantai Holdings Berhad to Singaporean interest.

Quote Bernama, August 13, 2006 19:03hr:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the government was studying the necessary action to be taken pertaining to the disposal of a 31 per cent stake in Pantai Holdings Bhd to Singapore-based Parkway Holdings Ltd.

He said the matter was being looked into by the Treasury after realising that it had become a problem as it was related to the concession for the supply of hospital requirements.

"The share sale has become a problem, as it involves several matters related to the concession given to Pantai Holdings, that is a contract to supply hospital requirements," he told reporters after launching the Yayasan Budi Penyayang Foundation Day and opening of the Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd's Kepala Batas branch at the Budi Penyayang Complex here Sunday.

He said the government had always hoped that the equity would remain with Malaysians but unfortunately it had gone into the hands of foreigners.

"The concession has changed hands, and it has gone to other people and (we) hope it would remain with the Malaysian side, and held by Malaysian citizens," he said.

Asked the type of action which may be considered by the government, Abdullah who is also Finance Minister declined to elaborate.

According to published records, Parkway Holdings had paid RM311.58 million entirely in cash to take control of 124.7 million shares in the capital of Pantai Holdings, representing roughly 31.34% of the issued and paid-up capital of the Malaysian company. The transaction as completed on September 20, 2005, and management control was passed on from Malaysian Dr Lim Tong Yong to the Singapoeans..

Important contexts

July 31, Screenshots blogged about Umno Youth's Schindler's List. The Youth movement's deputy chief had threatened to release a list of brands and international companies with operations in Malaysia that are known to be supporting the Israeli regime financially, calling for a boycott. Screenshots advised the Son-in-Law to hold his horses and to check his backyard before the joke boomerangs on him.

In the blog entry, Screenshots also listed out details, culled from official websites of Singapore authorities, about the cosy nexus among ECM-Libra and Avenue Capital Resources -- which have since been merged into ECM-Libra Avenue Berhad -- and Pantai Holdings.

The keywords are Malaysia's ECM-Libra Avenue and Singapore's Parkway Holdings.

If you remember, barely one week ago the Prime Minister went on the TV interview with his confidant Annuar Zaini on August 7, stating that "none of our local companies have been taken over".The PM also blamed people for starting "furore when it involves a Singapore company". The PM said: "I don’t know why." Here's the transcript on The Star:

The plot thickens

Now that some individuals have disposed off significant shares in ECM-Libra Avenue in the last few days -- in the midst of the completion of the Distribution and Capital Reconstruction exercise at ECM-Libra/Avenue, and the Public Audit Committee's (PAC) investigations of the controversial 'merger'' -- let's put the context in place before we look at the big picture.

Context 1: It has been confirmed, via voluntary disclosures on the part of involved parties, that Singapore-owned Parkway Holdings are having de facto control over Malaysia-based Pantai Holdings despite holding just 31.34% of shareholding..

Context 2: In Point 22 of the condensed consolidated income statement, the quarterly report, for the financial period ended June 30, 2006 of Pantai Holdings Berhad released through Bursa Malaysia on July 26, 2006, it is stated that Parkway Holdings, the Singapore-owned company, is effectively a significant stakeholder in ECM-Libra Avenue Berhad.

Does the management control over Pantai benefit Parkway strategically and fiscally? The answer is a trouncing yes. Quote The Star BizWeek, August 12 (and also see the StarBiz chart below):

The many-fold benefits that the acquisition of Pantai brings to Parkway are easy to appreciate. For one, Pantai owns 7 private hospitals totalling 1,300 rooms in the Klang Valley, Penang, Ipoh and Malacca, hence widening Parkway's exposure from the current 2 hospitals throughout the country.

Parkway's recently released results for the first half ended June 2006 show that its revenue increased 106% while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew 64%. Excluding Pantai, Parkway's revenue and EBITDA grew 20% and 10% respectively.

And that's not mentioning the proceeds from Pantai subsidiaries that hold the prized 15-year government concessions in Fomema Sdn Bhd and Pantai Medivest Sdn Bhd. Fomema'sconcession will only end in 2012.

In reality, Fomema holds the monopoly for the mandatory monitoring and supervision of medical examinations of all foreign workers in the country. And the business is booming.

According to Rating Agency Malaysia Bhd (RAM), Fomema has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.3% over the past three years.

On the other hand, Pantai Medivest, holds a 15-year concession from the Health Ministry for the provision of hospital support services such as facility engineering, biomedical engineering, cleaning services, laundry and linen and clinical waste management services to the three southern states of Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor.

With these concession rights, says BizWeek, Medivest and the Fomema group of companies are Pantai's main sources of income, accounting for about half of Pantai Holdings' group sales and over 40% of the group's operating profit in its recently released results for the four quarters ended June 2006

However, given Malaysia's international relations policy vis-a-vis the nationhood of Israel, there is a politically very incorrect element in the business relationship.

Jewish interests

Interestingly, American-Jews interests are present in the Parkway-Pantai business relationship.

Noted American financier Richard Blum (picture left), a known Zionist lobbyist, is a substantial shareholder in Parkway, and by extension, Pantai Holdings. See this blog entry and this Jpg.)

See the Parkway-Jews-Pantai-ECM-Libra Avenue business relationship now? And we heard someone speak over the weekend that investment bankers shouldn't be ashamed of building relationship in business, didn't we?

Incidentally, on August 10 and August 11, three prominent shareholders of ECM-Libra Avenue had cashed out from the company, throwing a total of 82.73 million shares, or a combined total of RM49.26, in off-market trading.

Why the hindsight?

Now, the business relationship involving Pantai Holdings is up for review. It came from none other than the Prime Minister who is also Finance Minister. Why the hindsight?

The Star's BizWeek has an interesting story on Saturday. It involves what Parkway Holdings have in mind in the South Johor Economic Region mega-project that the Prime Minister has proclaimed as his idea of development for Johor, a state within breathing distance from the Little Red Dot. Quote StarBiz:

PARKWAY Holdings Ltd has been appointed as the consultant for the setting up of a mega medical hub in South Johor. Sources say that this is one of the major projects that come under the grand South Johor Economic Region masterplan that was unveiled not too long ago by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

It is not hard to appreciate why Parkway was chosen; it is the region’s leading fully integrated healthcare group and has one of the largest networks of hospitals and healthcare services in the region.

And now, the Prime Minister says the sale of Pantai Holdings shares to Parkway has become a national problem.

As patriotic Malaysians, shouldn't we bail out the Prime Minister from this sticky situation so that he does not succumb to the 'iblis' he so despised.

Parkway paid RM311.58 million to take control over Pantai. The Singaporeans, with the Jews at the back, may be ready to dispose off Fomema and Medivest for the right price.

For this, BizWeek gives a context: "Market sources say the price tag for Fomema's concession ranges from RM300mil-RM500mil and around RM40mil for Pantai Medivest." Any takers, patriotic Malaysians?

Concessions and Privatisation

And, lastly, has anybody also ever wondered and pondered about policies governing concessions and privatisations?

Wasn't it mentioned in history that the objectives of privatisation include the principle of an ownership structure that must be minimum 30%-bumiputra owned, and at least 50% Malaysian-held, “until such time the company is listed”?

How was the case with concessions given to Pantai Holdings, past and present?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

On December 27 last year, the three founding members of ECM Libra (9784) -- Lim Kian Onn, Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan and David Chua -- announced that they were each selling 1% of their shareholding in the company to Khairy Jamaluddin. The deal was transacted at 71 sen per share, or a total of RM9.2 million.

ECM-Libra shares shot up to an all-time intra-day high of RM1.12 on January 11, 2006 -- over 50% premium of Khairy's purchase price within two weeks. (Source: StarBiz.)

SOURCE: StarBiz

Though such phenomenon is not abnormal in market movements, the circumstances surrounding this acute spike in ECM-Libra counter, post-Khairy's buy-low purchase, has remained interesting till this day.

Negotiations on the 'merger' between ECM-Libra (9784) and Avenue Capital Resources (2143) began in January 2006, soon after Khairy's buying into the former. The 'merger' was wrapped up on June 28, when ECM-Libra became a shell company and the new 'merged' entity, ECM-Libra Avenue Sdn Bhd, assumed former Avenue's listing status on Bursa Malaysia.

Subsequently, Aseambankers Malaysia also announced on behalf of ECM Libra that the Distribution and Capital Reconstruction exercise has been completed on August 8, 2006.

It informed Bursa Malaysia stating that its 'merger' with Avenue Capital Resources Berhad into a new entity named ECM Libra Avenue Berhad (2143) has been wholly satisfied by the issuance of 442,000,000 new ordinary shares in the new entity, and credited as fully paid-up.

On the part of ECM-Libra (9784), it also made a voluntary disclosure about ( 1 ) the distribution of 433,000,000 ECM shares (2143) received by ECM Libra pursuant to the 'merger' to shareholders of ECM Libra on the basis of 1 ECM share for 1 ECM Libra share held; and ( 2 ) the capital reconstruction exercise involving a reduction in the par value of the share capital of ECM Libra.

It was revealed that the share premium account was utilised to set-off accumulated losses pursuant to the 'merger', and thereafter, the ECM-Libra (9784) shares were consolidated to a par value of RM0.10 per share.

This is how the new 'merged' entity, ECM-Libra Avenue, of which the Ministry of Finance has a substantial stake of 128,019,819 shares (15.41%) via Aroma Teraju Sdn Bhd, had performed in the last three months:

SOURCE: StarBiz

To see how much shareholding Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan and Khairy Jamaluddin -- the lightning rods to the ECM-Libra/Avenue controversy, read this blog entry.

You will, however, also find little voluntary disclosure about Khairy's share disposal on the public domain, especially on Bursa Malaysia official website, at this point in time.

Watch this space.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

David Chua has cashed out of ECM-Libra -- the company he co-founded with Lim Kian Onn and Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan -- at a timing that couldn't have been better, said S. Jayasankaran who writes for Singapore Business Times, August 12, 2006.

Chua has called it quit in the wake of the political storm surrounding the fast-growing Malaysian boutique investment bank, the Singapore business daily said. Quote:

David Chua Ming Huat exited the industry altogether when he sold his interest in the company on Thursday to an unidentified foreign party for RM32 million (S$13.74 million), bankers familiar with the matter said.

Mr Chua, who is in Hong Kong currently, could not be immediately contacted for comment but the bankers said that he was tired of the business after 21 years of chasing after deals.

Even so, other analysts familiar with Mr Chua said that he had already taken a back seat in the firm six months ago.

The analysts also said that Mr Chua had fallen out with Lim Kean Onn, ECM's driving force, over the group's strategic direction.

Chua sold 56 million ECM Libra Avenue shares at 57 sen apiece - a sharp discount to its last quoted price of 70 sen on Friday -- for RM32 million.

At the point of his disposal, Chua did not need Bank Negara's permission to sell, as ECM-Libra Avenue has yet to become an investment bank.

The Business Times quoted bankers as saying Chua would probably take up a senior position in casino group Genting Berhad.

While Khairy Jamaluddin and Chua had sold off their entire shareholding in ECM Libra Avenue on Thursday and Friday respectively, and Kalimullah had scaled down his holdings in the company and that of ECM-Libra Berhad, Lim will stay put.

Lim also represent the 'Libra' portion of the estate which he opened up for also-rides some four years ago.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

REPUBLISHED. The blog was originally published at 08:53hr, August 12, 2006.

MORE UPDATES. Bernama has a story time-stamped 19:08hr August 12:

Umno Youth deputy head Khairy Jamaluddin has sold his entire stake of 10.2 million shares representing 1.23 per cent of ECM Libra Avenue Bhd, an investment and stockbroking-based company, it was announced Saturday.

Khairy sold his shares for 65 sen a share yesterday. He had bought them at 71 sen a share in December last year.

ECM Libra Avenue chairman Datuk Kalimullah Hassan Masheerul Hassan has also reduced his stake in the company to 40 million shares or 4.8 per cent in the company and is now no longer deemed a substantial shareholder, The Edge business weekly reported.

Kalimullah, one of the founders of the company, also made the decision to sell yesterday and disposed of 16.26 million shares, also at 65 sen a share.

The 26,467,220 shares belonging to Khairy and Kalimullah were bought by Hikkaya Jaya Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of AmcorpGroup Bhd, for RM17.2 million in total.

According to Bernama, another founder of ECM Libra Avenue, chief operating officer David Chua, sold his entire stake of 56.26 million shares to a foreign fund management company on August 10 at 57 sen per share.

However, co-chief executive officer Lim Kian Onn, also a founder of the company, will stay on as a substantial shareholder.

Earlier updates:

UPDATED VERSION. Yesterday, AmcorpGroup Berhad made a voluntary disclosure to Bursa Malaysia, announcing that Hikkaya Jaya Sdn Bhd, its wholly-owned subsidiary, has on August 11, 2006 acquired 26,467,220 shares representing 3.19% of ECM Libra Avenue Berhad.

AmcorpGroup said the ECM-Libra Avenue shares were acquired in the open market at 65 sen per share. The transaction totalled approximately RM17.2 million, which it said was funded by internally generated funds.

AmcorpGroup, however, did not disclose the identoty of the vendor(s).

Prior to the acquisition, Hikkaya Jaya holds 22,126,992 shares representing 2.66% of ECM-Libra Avenue. Further to the acquisition, Hikkaya Jaya has a total of 48,594,212 shares representing 5.85% of ECM-Libra Avenue.

With that, Amcorp -- via Hikkaya Jaya and its other wholly-owned subsidiaries -- is deemed to have an interest in 61,534,284 shares representing 7.41% of ECM-Libra Avenue.

Original blog:

Do you know who sold off ECM-Libra Avenue shares, in significant blocks totalling RM42.62 million, in the last 48 hours?

The Edge Daily reported yesterday morning that a total of 16.26 million ECM Libra Avenue Bhd's shares were traded off-market at RM10.56 million, constituting 1.95% of the company's stake, on Aug 11.

Stock market data showed that the stake was transacted at an average price of 65 sen a piece, the financial news portal said.

On Aug 10, The Edge Daily added, there were 56.26 million shares transacted off-market at RM32.06 million.

Interestingly, the share transactions took place within 48 hours after the Public Audit Committee (PAC), had convened a hearing from the Ministry of Finance and Security Commission August 10 to look into the controversial 'merger' between ECM-Libra and Avenue Capital Resources.

The PAC has instructed MoF to come back August 25 for more clarification on "strategy and policy" matters pertaining to the 'merger'.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

Some interesting fi;ings with Bursa Malaysia on August 11:

1 ) Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan (ECM Libra Avenue Berhad -- Reference No EL-060811-55211:

• August 08, 2006: Acquired 56,259,500 shares (6.77%) arising from distribution of ECM Libra Avenue Berhad shares by ECM Libra Berhad to its shareholders on the basis of 1:1.


• August 11, 2006: Disposed 16,259,500 shares at RM0.65 each


• Total no of securities after August 11 change: Direct interest of 40,000,000 shares (4.81%)

2 ) Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan (ECM Libra Berhad) -- Reference No EL-060811-53640:

• August 08, 2006: Disposed 43,394,641 shares (Direct Interest) arising from the Capital Reconstruction Exercise by ECM Libra Berhad.


• Total no of securities after August 11 notice: Direct interest of 12,864,859 shares (12.99%)

3 ) Lim Kian Onn (ECM Libra Avenue Berhad) -- Reference No EL-060811-59550:

• August 08, 2006: Acquired 76,456,000 shares (9.2%)


• August 08, 2006: Disposed 433,000,000 shares


• Both acquisition (Direct Interest) and disposal (Deemed Interest) were arising from distribution of ECM Libra Avenue Berhad shares by ECM Libra Berhad to its shareholders on the basis of 1:1.


• Total no of securities after August 11 change: Direct interest of 76,456,000 shares (9.2%); Indirect/Demed Interest 9,000,000 shares (1.08%)

Changes at ECM-Libra Berhad (not to be mistaken with ECM-Libra Avenue Berhad)

According to a financial portal's records, a copy of which was made available to Screenshots, Lim Kian Onn and Kalimullah also sold ECM-Libra Bhd on Friday, Aug 11, 2006:

• 6:18PM: Lim Kian Onn (58,972,807 Shares Disposed)


• 6:18PM: Kalimullah bin Masheerul Hasan (43,394,641 Shares Disposed)

August 8, 2006, AseamBankers Malaysia submitted to Bursa Malaysia on behalf of ECM Libra Berhad on two key points:

1. the Merger between ECM Libra and Avenue Capital Resources Berhad -- of the acquisitions by ECM Libra Avenue Berhad (formerly known as Avenue International Capital Berhad) ("ECM") of the operating subsidiaries of ECM Libra -- has been wholly satisfied by the issuance of 442,000,000 new ordinary shares in ECM credited as fully paid-up ("merger'); and
2. The distribution of 433,000,000 ECM shares ("ECM Shares") received by ECM Libra pursuant to the Merger ("Distribution"), to shareholders of ECM Libra on the basis of 1 ECM share for 1 ECM Libra share held and capital reconstruction exercise involving a reduction in the par value of the share capital of ECM Libra, the utilisation of the share premium account and the setting-off of accumulated losses pursuant to the Merger and thereafter the consolidation of the shares to a par value of RM0.10 per share ("Capital Reconstruction").

Aseambankers Malaysia also announced on behalf of ECM Libra that the Distribution and Capital Reconstruction has been completed on August 8, 2006.

As such, the issued and paid-up share capital of ECM Libra has been reduced from 433,000,000 ordinary shares of RM1.00 each to 99,016,000 ordinary shares of RM0.10 each.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Via Malaysiakini Chinese Edition.August 11:

“师徒”台上交锋

古纳瑟卡兰曾经于今年6月撰写了一篇文章提出22个为什么，向马哈迪发出尖锐的诘问。

古纳瑟卡兰在座谈会开始时，也不忘“提醒”卡迪耶欣和观众，他曾经于1991年因为批准刊登一篇关于普腾的稿件，遭到当时身为前新海峡时报集团总编缉的卡迪耶欣革除《马来西亚商业周刊》（Malaysian Business）编辑的职位。

受到古纳瑟卡兰嘲讽的卡迪耶欣也不甘示弱，后者自嘲的说，“当你教授徒弟时，千万别毫无保留，要防止徒弟追上自己。我就是犯下了这个错误，可能我教得太多了，现在古纳比我更厉害了”。

It was a civil, verbal volley between P. Gunasegaram and A Kadir Jasin at a public forum on August 10. It's about NSTP, Proton and Gunasegaram's exit from the Malaysian Business magazine in 1991.

Translation required for those who don't read Chinese, please.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

In his editorial today, Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan wants to be frank on two counts:

One, regarding the newsflash about the July 28 pepper spray attack on Mahathir that led to yet another police investigation on Malaysiakini:

Let’s be frank, we screwed up. Media organisations - sometimes - do make mistakes. Take for example, last year’s nude squat scandal where just about every mainstream media erroneously reported that the victim was a Chinese national.

What’s important, however, is our readiness to make amends. We immediately owned up to our mistake. We were willing to apologise to the police. However, it appeared they were not interested in our apology. Instead, a probe was launched.

We can only guess as to why they were so quick on the draw in probing this case. Perhaps it’s payback time.

If there is one thing that malaysiakini can truly claim credit for in our six years of existence, it is our role in checking the single most powerful organisation in this country - our police force.

Two, Umno Youth's demand for his resignation over the newsflash and the latest police investigation:

Umno Youth, which made the police report that led to the infamous raid on malaysiakini three years ago, issued a statement last Friday demanding my resignation for the error.

While they think they have the powers to sack editors from the mainstream media, let me remind them of this fact - they are not my bosses and I don't take orders from them.

Indeed, their demand would have more credence had they also asked the police chief to quit for allegedly threatening to let crime rise in their anti-IPCMC campaign. Instead, not a squeak was heard from Umno Youth.

Worse, they backed the cops in their bid to hold the government - and the rakyat - to ransom.

Food for thought.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (0)

I missed this until a Little Bird alerted me.

SOURCE: Berita Harian, August 11, 2006

Context: This blog entry.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Douglas Spotted Eagle, who scores for Hollywood movie soundtracks, is in town.

We spent some time with him this morning, talking about his music and his native flute, and his penchant for video editing using Sony Vegas. And his views on which one between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVD will be the Betamax (loser of the video format war).

Using cigarette smoke to enhance a dull frame of image when it's taken

All LensaPress pictures by Jeff Ooi

Read full story in Lemak Lemang, CNet Asia blog.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Inai di jariiiiiiiiiiiii...

Via LensaMalaysia.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. sATURDAY 08:00HR. Count every " F " in the following text:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...

How many " Fs " really?

Don't scroll down yet. Count the " Fs ".

Wrong! There are 6 -- no joke. READ IT AGAIN !

Go Back and try to find the 6 F's before I give you the next clue..

OK, now the hidden part.

The brain cannot process " OF ".

Incredible or what? Go back and look again!!

Anyone who counts all 6 "F's" on the first go is a genius.

Three is normal, four is quite rare.

I got a three on first count.

Thanks CY Leow for sharing this for some Friday fun.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (0)

Once again, Good triumphs over Evil.

SOURCE: Lancashire Evening Post, August 10, 2006

Attempted mass killing of the innocents has been avoided once again. At least for now until the 5th anniversary of 9/11 next month.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

Surf! hit the streets this week. It's a bi-monthly.

Conceived late last year, Surf! is positioned as a hip business-oriented magazine that will cover the Malaysian Internet scene, says editor Kash.

Details in Lemak Lemang, CNet Asia.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that he did not order the arrest of people for political reasons but had instead released them from prison has incensed Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.

Lim, who was among the more than 100 people detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) during Operation Lalang on Oct 27, 1987 said Mahathir should get his facts straight.

Yesterday, Mahathir had defended his human rights record, brushing aside his involvement in the 1987 dragnet which saw political leaders, activists and religious leaders being detained without trial.

Mahathir was quoted by theSun as saying that he had informed Lim before Operasi Lalang that he would not order for his arrest, but it was the police who did it later.

However, in a statement yesterday, Lim said he does not recall Mahathir telling him that he would not be arrested.

“It is unworthy of Mahathir to pass the buck to the police. He not only defended the initial 106 arrests by the police under the ISA, he also exercised his powers as home minister to formally issue two-year ISA detention orders for 49 Malaysians, including seven DAP MPs,” said Lim as quoted in Malaysiakini.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week Pak Lah gave a stern warning to bloggers to avoid posting anything libelous, defamatory, seditious etc... Is there anything new here?

To listen to Freetalk, you need an MP3 player on your PC/notebook to listen to the podcast. Just 3 minutes everyday, Monday through Friday. Only at www.klstream.com.

Next Monday: The Abdullah-Annuar Zaini Interview -- Better-off or worse-off?

But before this, read A Kadir Jasin's point-by-point review on the Interview.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Some scornful language has been used by the PM in Pahang today, delivered through speeches that were loaded with religious metaphors and veiled criticisms. The DPM was in attendance!

Via mStar.com.my:

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata dalam melaksanakan projek-projek berkenaan, ada pihak-pihak tertentu yang bersikap seperti "iblis" yang cuba mengganggu usaha membangunkan negara kerana "iblis" merasakan ia lebih pandai daripada orang lain.

"Adam dihidupkan dan malaikat menerima Adam untuk menjadi khalifah. Dan yang menentang adalah iblis. Allah telah tunjukkan bahawa Adam itu lebih bijak daripada iblis.

"Jadi, asas utama Allah memilih Adam sebagai khalifah ialah kerana kepandaiannya," katanya.

Translation via Malaysiakini:

Abdullah also said the government depended fully on the civil servants in realising the projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

However, in implementing the projects, he said, there were certain quarters behaving like "demons" who tried to disrupt development efforts as they felt they were smarter than others.

"Adam was created and the angels accepted Adam as the Caliph. But it was the demon who opposed it. Allah (God) has shown that Adam was smarter than the demon.

"As such, the main reason why Allah chose Adam as the Caliph was because of his intelligence," he said.

What will be the fallout?

I am worried for the country for a variety of reasons. There must be parties who don't want the PM to patch up with his annointer.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today said it is satisfied that the merger between ECM Libra Bhd and Avenue Capital Resources Bhd was done legally and in accordance with the relevant procedures.

PAC chairman Shahrir Samad said the Securities Commission (SC) had provided a thorough explanation on the issue, but the committee was concerned with the "policy and strategy" adopted.

Quote from Bernama, time-stamped 16:49hr:

"The committee is worried of the government losing its control on this new merged entity as Avenue Capital is a government-linked company," Shahrir said.

"We are concerned who will sit on the board and who will regulate the company," he said at a press conference after chairing the four-hour meeting. [...]

Shahrir said that the PAC would meet again on Aug 25 for further clarification from the Finance Ministry, which also addressed the forum today, on the policy aspect.

However, the report in Malaysiakini is even more revealing:

“In principle, there is a conflict of interest if the minister’s family member is involved. But here, maybe there was no minister’s consent because the matter was not brought to the cabinet - it was decided between the ministry’s officials and the party which made the offer,” he said.

Pressed on whether Prime Minister and Finance Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was involved in approving the merger which was linked to his son-in-law Khairy’s company, Shahrir said it “appears that the decision was made only at the (ministry) officials level”.

He, however, was uncertain whether a merger involving a government-linked company (GLC) should be brought to the cabinet for approval.

Original blog:

Was the Parliament's Public Audit Committee (PAC) satisfied with the explanation given by ECM-Libra Avenue when they convened and started to investigate the ECM-Libra/Avenue Capital Resources 'merger' this morning?

Little Birds told Screenshots that the PAC has instructed the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to come back with further clarification on ECM-Libra Avenue 'merger' August 25.

For context, read Screenshots:
- August 10: How Khairy funded his ECM-Libra shares
- July 26: An Open Letter to PAC members
- July 24: PAC to probe ECM-Libra/Avenue Capital deal

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Muak is the word. Also, Mahathir is playing it live beyond the cyber pace and cyber space.

The 33-instalment series is still archived online, though.

Read it in mStar, thanks to Fathi Aris Omar.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Incidentally, we have scheduled today's Freetalk on Freedom of the Press much earlier. But Marina Mahathir's Musing yesterday, Limitation on Speech, was hilariously coincidental. Quote:

I’ve never felt constrained in talking about whatever got my goat that fortnight, except by the need to be civil and my 800-word limit. Not everyone would agree that I’m always civil; certainly my editors have been known to edit out a line or two where they thought I have been a bit too irreverent about some people in authority, particularly those inclined to wear white robes.

But now I don’t know what to write about. I had wanted to write about how the environment in our local schools is turning out little racists (including my daughter) but I guess I can’t because that’s sensitive. I thought also of writing about how I’ve become addicted to reading blogs recently but then lately, the Internet and the blogosphere particularly have been deemed seething hellholes of lies and misinformation so I can’t talk about that either, at least not in the bastion of truthfulness, the mainstream media. [...]

So what can I talk about? I don’t really know anymore. I guess the only safe things to talk about these days are cooking, celebrity gossip and fashion perhaps. None of which I am interested or good at writing about.

Stay tuned, our Freetalk podcast for tomorrow is: "Clamp-down on bloggers?"

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

As the Parliament's Public Audit Committee convenes its investigation into the ECM-Libra/Avenue Capital Resources merger today, the media spotlight is trained on how the famous Son-in-Law funded his RM9.2 million purchase of a minority share in ECM-Libra, which was first revealed in December 2005.

On December 27 last year, the three founding members of ECM Libra -- Lim Kian Onn, Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan and David Chua -- announced that they were each selling 1% of their shareholding in the company to Khairy Jamaluddin. The deal was transacted at 71 sen per share, or a total of RM9.2 million.

The question of why Khairy was given the shares at such a cheap price -- considering it has risen about 50% since the deal was announced -- did not get answered for months. Minority shareholders, and the media, are reported to have demanded answers to several key questions related to the RM9.2 milliion transaction.

Questions like ( 1 ) What was Khairy's contribution to ECM Libra, an outfit he joined in mid-2004, that he deserved an equity stake? ( 2 ) Now that Khairy is a shareholder, how will the Son-in-Law avoid a 'conflict of interest' situation should ECM Libra pitch for jobs from government-linked companies (GLCs)?

Another mega question is that how could ECM-Libra take-over Avenue Capital Reosurces, a GLC owned by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), which has a far larger asset base than the acquirer?

Leave that to the PAC. Meanwhile, let's deal with the lesser devil in our face: How was the Son-in-Law's RM9.2 million funded in the first place?

You have to press fast-forward by seven months before you get an inkling of things unreported

This is what was reported by The Star on August 6, quoting a Bernama story:

Malaysiakini has a similar report on the same day:

This is what the Father-in-Law said in his pre-recorded Interview with Annuar Zaini aired on August 7 over TV3, excerpted from The Star:

Soon after the TV broadcast, Screenshots reader Ganesh Sahathevan emailed Bursa Malaysia to seek clarification.

Read what the reader had copied me of his correspondence with the Malaysian bourse in which ECM-Libra was, and now ECM-Libra Avenue is listed. There are some more questions that may interest you.

"Ganesh Sahathevan" 8/8/2006 9:41:54 AM >>> Note: I will here simply refer readers to the statement by Khairy Jamaluddin, reported on Malaysiakini.com on 7 August 2006, that his purchase of RM 9.2 million worth of ECM Libra Bhd stock was financed by the company; and to Section 67 of the Companies Act Malaysia 1965 which states that no company shall provide any financial assistance for the purpose of or in connection with a purchase by any person of any shares in the company. This note is being copied to the SC and KLSE with the expectaion that they will not say or do anything. END

There was, however, a reply from Bursa Malaysia, which reader Ganesh copied to Screenshots:

From: Zamruddah Mahfar Zamruddah@bursamalaysia.com
Date: Aug 9, 2006 8:15 PM
Subject: Companies Act Msia S. 67. Dealing by a company in its ownshares-ECM & Directors
To: ganesh.sahathevan@gmail.com
Cc: JOSEPHINE EDWARDS < Josephine@bursamalaysia.com>

Dear Ganesh,

In response to your email, the purchase of 12.99 million ECM Libra Bhd shares by Khairy Jamaluddin was via a senior management loan scheme.

Section 67(2)(c)of the Companies Act provides a clear exemption to the prohibition to companies providing financial assistance to employees of the company to purchase the company's own shares.

Rgds.

According to reader Ganesh, a few questions need answering out of the email exchanges above. Let's put tem in bullet points:

• As a public company, has it been voluntarily disclosed to the industry regulator that ECM Libra operates, or operated, a senior management loan scheme, or that Khairy's purchase of ECM shares was made under that scheme?


• If indeed there had been such a scheme, were the investing public notified of the terms, conditions and other elements of this scheme, so as to determine how the operation of this scheme affects the public listed company.


• Given that the directors who sold the shares to the Son-in-Law, Khairy Jamaluddin, are the party that has majority control. As such, were adequate disclosures made for the protection of the interests of minority shareholders?


• In addition to the above matters, it would also be interesting to find out how, from what source, and when, did Bursa Malaysia determine that the purchase of 12.99 million ECM Libra Bhd shares by Khairy Jamaluddin was via a senior management loan scheme.

Screenshots tried to seek some answers by scouring information from the public domain, a stumbled on an archive entry in Factiva.com database. Click here to see PDF.

The factiva database has an entry that originated from a story by M Shanmugam of The Edge, dated January 16, 2006, titled: Khairy on his share purchase.

In the story, David Chua, the chief operating officer of ECM Libra, explained that Khairy is not the only senior manager to be given the option to purchase shares from the vendors. All senior employees are given the option under an existing scheme.

This was what Chua elaborated in January

"When we listed ECM Libra at RM2.10, we gave senior managers options at a huge discount to market. But when we sold the shares to Khairy Jamaluddin, it was at the prevailing market price of 71 sen. Was it cheap?

"As vendors, we would prefer our senior managers to buy the shares from us than have them as options because then there will be greater commitment," says Chua.

"There is a senior management loan scheme to which senior managers can apply. Khairy was given a vendor loan under this scheme to pay for the shares," he adds:

Note: The key operating words here are "vendor" and "vendor loan".

For the purpose of simple reasoning, let's regard "Vendor" to mean "Seller".

Now, let's do another Brendan alphabet soup on this matter.

Fact One: Khairy bought his shares from ECM's founding members Lim Kian Onn, Kalimullah

Conclusion: The four founding mebers are the vendors, and the vendor was not the company, ECM Libra.

Fact Two: Khairy was given a 'vendor loan' under this scheme to pay for the shares worth RM9.2 million when the deal was transacted.

Conclusion: It's ECM Libra the company that operates the scheme. Did the company directors benefit from such a scheme run by the company since the directors are also the beneficiaries of the scheme that is financed with funds that include those of the minority shareholders?

In other words, the BIG QUESTION is: Since it's the company directors -- not the company -- who were the vendors, why was it that it was the company (co-owned by the minority shareholders, remember that) and not the individual vendors that was providing Khairy's loan.

It's essentially a question of corporate governance. And thankfully, Bursa Malaysia has the answer.

"Section 67(2)(c)of the Companies Act provides a clear exemption to the prohibition to companies providing financial assistance to employees of the company to purchase the company's own shares."

End of story?

Let's see what PAC can come out for us at the end of the day.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

If Dr Mahahtir really said he has evidence and proof of corruption against the current government, we would want him to show all.

OSA or no OSA, the person holding court where the ball lands should pick it up from there.

Someone must say THE BUCK STOPS HERE!

Related reading;

• Associated Press: Mahathir claims proof of gov't-linked graft


• BBC World: Mahathir threat to reveal graft


• Malaysiakini: 'They will jail me if I talk more': Dr M


• The Star: Dr Mahathir vows to keep on asking questions


• The NST: Dr M: I will come out with evidence of corruption


• theSun: Dr M says authorities can probe his children


• Rocky's Bru: Corrupt Minister


• SK Thew: Berani kerana benar


• Malaysiakini: Don't be distracted, Pak Lah tells M'sians

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. In today's Freetalk, I mentioned about the blatant editorialising of journalists' news stories in The NST. Incidentally, Rocky's Bru pointed who the butchered and the butcher in the newsroom are, respectively.

Look for the entry titled: BRENDA AND BRENDAN.

The source of the expose was Dr Mahathir himself, who mentioned Brenda's name twice.

Original posting:

Has the media become freer under the Pak Lah administration? Or is it pretty much the same old same old?

Well, within the 3-minute soundbyte boundary, we could only discuss the state of affairs in the three major English papers. The long and short of it is, if you still read the mainstream media, you get the papers you deserved.

To listen to Freetalk, you need an MP3 player on your PC/notebook to listen to the podcast. Just 3 minutes everyday, Monday through Friday. Only at www.klstream.com.

Tomorrow: "Clamp-down on bloggers?"

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Strangest of the strange things.

P.Gunasegaram, who incessantly criticised Dr Mahathir for his 22 years of rule, can today find an accord with his attack target on a common track: The YTL-proposed high speed train from KL to Singapore.

In the August 7 edition of The Edge, Gunasegaram argued "why we don't need that bullet train".

He cited several reasons in bullet points, like the "so bloody expensive"cost, the "rather low" benefits, "there are better things to do" with RM8 billion, the "feasibility (which) is in serious doubt" as not many bullet trains anywhere are making money, and "there's little chance of getting a workable agreement with Singapore".

And, the Mahathir-critic added, "there are many considerations and dangers to PFIs (Private Financial Initiatives).

The long and short of it, Gunasegaram said: "The two key considerations for this bullet train project is whether the project is viable without the government having to pump in money and resources and whether the project is desirable, even if the government has to give some assurances and guarantees to make it viable."

Cold water

Yesterday, Mahathir said almost the same thing -- pouring cold water on YTL.

But you can't get to read it here in Malaysia. Ironically, Mahathir's words on the YIL high-speed train are only available in Singapore Business Times, yesterday.

The story was filed KL-based Malaysian reporter Pauline Ng, titled:

Mahathir cool towards KL-S'pore bullet train plan
M'sian population not big enough for two train companies, he says

Quote:

FORMER Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has poured cold water on the current administration's plan for a possible bullet train linking Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

He said Malaysia did not have a big enough population to support two railway companies - one proposed by YTL Corp and the other, current national railway company Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).

It is not the first time YTL has proposed a fast train to link the capitals of the two countries. Some eight years ago, YTL's proposal for a bullet train between both capitals was rejected by Dr Mahathir.

Recently, the power, infrastructure and property company floated the proposal again - but this time under PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's so-called private finance initiative.

Dr Mahathir, who is now on the warpath with Mr Abdullah, said he did not have the details, or whether the train would even go to Singapore. 'It was proposed during my time, but it was not yet suitable. Maybe now it is suitable.' Asked why the project was not implemented, he replied: 'There were problems. It's difficult to elaborate, lah.'

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia could have only one train firm. 'Well, you can't have two train services; you can have only one. Of course, in Japan, they have so many train services - but they have 130 million people.' Malaysia has 26 million people. [...]

Dr Mahathir had approved a plan to double-track the national railway grid for a staggering RM14.5 billion prior to stepping down in 2003, but it was shelved by Mr Abdullah.

Thanks reader Chongpin for the news alert from Singapore.

Singapore Business Times 09 Aug 2006

Mahathir cool towards KL-S'pore bullet train plan
M'sian population not big enough for two train companies, he says

By PAULINE NG
IN KUALA LUMPUR

FORMER Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has poured cold water on the current administration's plan for a possible bullet train linking Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

He said Malaysia did not have a big enough population to support two railway companies - one proposed by YTL Corp and the other, current national railway company Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).

It is not the first time YTL has proposed a fast train to link the capitals of the two countries. Some eight years ago, YTL's proposal for a bullet train between both capitals was rejected by Dr Mahathir.

Recently, the power, infrastructure and property company floated the proposal again - but this time under PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's so-called private finance initiative.

Dr Mahathir, who is now on the warpath with Mr Abdullah, said he did not have the details, or whether the train would even go to Singapore. 'It was proposed during my time, but it was not yet suitable. Maybe now it is suitable.' Asked why the project was not implemented, he replied: 'There were problems. It's difficult to elaborate, lah.'

Mr Abdullah's administration, which wants to turn South Johor into a special economic zone, has been warmer to the high-speed train idea. The Transport Ministry has already given YTL the go-ahead for a feasibility study of the project, which if implemented would shorten the 325km journey to 90 minutes, compared to over six hours now.

While YTL has been the first to go public with its intention, Mr Abdullah said other companies have also expressed their interest in a similar plan and would be invited to submit their proposals as well.

Singapore's Ministry of Transport has said both governments have not held any discussions on YTL's proposal.

Critics of YTL's RM8 billion (S$3.4 billion) train initiative have already panned it as too costly, and harmful to the interests of various national companies such as Malaysia Airlines and toll road operator Plus. It would also likely spell the demise of KTM.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia could have only one train firm. 'Well, you can't have two train services; you can have only one. Of course, in Japan, they have so many train services - but they have 130 million people.' Malaysia has 26 million people.

Dr Mahathir had approved a plan to double-track the national railway grid for a staggering RM14.5 billion prior to stepping down in 2003, but it was shelved by Mr Abdullah.

His reversal of Dr Mahathir's decision along with other policy U-turns - particularly the scrapping of the proposed bridge to replace the Causeway between Malaysia and Singapore - has greatly irked Dr Mahathir, who has labelled the present administration as 'gutless' and 'half-past-six'.

Dr Mahathir has intensified his attacks on his successor in recent weeks, accusing Mr Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin of being the real power behind the throne.

On Monday, Dr Mahathir indicated that Mr Abdullah should not complete his first term, which will expire by 2009. 'If we have a prime minister who sold the country, why wait for five years? We have to take early action. If he sold the country, there's no need to wait five years. We must not always say we support the prime minister.'

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Tengku Razaleigh, now 69, says Dr Mahathir “is a special member of Umno who was not forced out of office but voluntarily gave it up”.

As such, "Pak Lah (Abdullah) as somebody who took over from him (Mahathir), should jump into a car and drive over to him, (and) talk to him.”

Quote from his exclusive interview with Malaysiakini

“Why not? He is the ex-president of Umno for 22 years. This Umno was created by him - the old Umno was declared unlawful and de-registered,” he pointed out. [...]

“Why be so afraid? There’s nothing to hide. Let’s come clean, give him the forum, he is not going to be prime minister again,” he repeatedly stressed.

Ku Li also touched on the crooked bridge issue, which Abdullah did not address at all during the Interview with Annuar Zaini. Quote:

Do you think he has an agenda beyond all this?

I don’t think he wants to be prime minister or Umno president again. My reading is that (Mahathir thinks) Abdullah is not the right choice. Secondly, Mahathir feels Abdullah is not using the office of the prime minister - with all the powers (it has) - and instead allow other people to manipulate it. That’s the impression that I get.

That’s why the bridge project is ‘start, go, no’. At first, Abdullah said ‘okay’, we proceed with this, we would continue with what Mahathir has started. That’s what he said after he took over and he even went to lay the foundation stone of the bridge and in that function he announced no matter what happened, we would build the bridge. Why the about-turn? We MPs were told to support this bridge project in Parliament and suddenly we were told, ‘no, we are going to cancel it’ - the reason being the people are against this.

When did the people say this, we don’t know. Probably they have got a proper sounding, we don’t know, they are the government. Secondly, it’s about legal implications, (again) we don’t know. Mahathir is a little bit taken aback. But I suspect it is not just that, it’s maybe more.

Haven't I been asking the same question that Ku Li asked, about the flip-flop?

Get a Malaysiakini subscription and read the story in full.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBacks (0)

Photobugs at LensaMalaysia are asking for ideas to SHOOT in their small gesture as loyal Malaysians to help build up the Merdeka spirit on the web forum.

Wonder if The Star will release details for the 'Point-and-Click' photo contest sooner?

Here are some of my more satisfying shots last year. The usefulness of the unsung heroes may now have ebbed low to mere human props at every Merdeka parade, but their paths were really not those trekked by the OxBridge Boys.

The veterans did not mug textbooks or do many a McKinsey consult, nor were they silver spoon-fed all the way from diapers to convocation and wedding reception.

The veterans fought with their blood, sweat and tears to defend the maruah dan martabat of the country. We must remember that.

When I took the shot below, I thought: "If the present bunch of national leaders are greedy and lousy (and that include those in their young 30's), at least we can count on the younger babies for new hope."

It's going to be a lot of mixed feelings when I take to the streets to feel Merdeka again this month-end. A year has gone past, and the country is still stuck in a quagmire over WHO should get WHAT and HOW much, oft times honey-coated with rhetorics.

No matter the ringgit has shrunk relative to last year, no matter the Fat Lady with Gucci bag has gone fatter, we shall prevail.

Hidup Malaysiaku!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (0)

It's Singapore's 41st Independence Day today.

Yarra Valley Produce... Pix from Jeff's Travelogue

Which Temasek and Parkway's investment banker should the champagne be sent to?

Lagi Majulah Singapura!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Jalan Riong has put it back to what Musa Hitam had first crafted.

As printed in The NST today, It's actually 'Elegant Silence', not the Group Editor's version of 'Eloquent Silence' because eloquent silence may only befit God and Nature. A mortal is neither.

This, ofcourse, did not escape te eyes of James Wong, who raised it yesterday.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Today's Freetalk:

Is the age of Mega-Projects really over? Not if it's 'my mega-projects...my idea'.

You need an MP3 player on your PC/notebook to listen to the podcast. Just 3 minutes everyday, Monday through Friday. Only at www.klstream.com.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Two of my friends are in the news, as reported by FEER's Travellers' Tales, now available in blog

Newly Minted Prof

When Andrew Lih announced he was leaving his teaching post at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Hong Kong University, we knew he could never be truly replaced. The JMSC has come up with an impressive candidate to take over his duties, however: Rebecca MacKinnon, a former CNN star in Peking. And considering that Andrew is heading to Peking himself, the switch has a certain symmetry. We wish Rebecca best of luck in her new post.

Andrew, who has a Malaysian connection, is an expert on wikipedia while Rebecca, whose Mandarin is better than mine, is a co-founder of Global Voices Online (GVO).

GVO is having its fingers crossed on the Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism, which will be pronounced on September 18 in Washington, D.C.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. When one keeps mum, can his silence be eloquent?

By changing Musa Hitam's 'elegant silence' to Brendan Pereira's 'eloquent silence', James Wong asked if this is Jalan Riong's new spin or New England?

Why change now?

* * *

Reader Ganesh Sahathevan sent me this:

This is an eloquent silence if ever there was one. It begs the question of whether there is a metalanguage for discussing staff code as there is for discussing alphabetic writing.

This is the source.
And we know who brews the best alphabet soup in town.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Quote:

WARTAWAN : Apakah seorang Perdana Menteri yang didakwa jual negara itu perlu ditukar sebelum lima tahun?

DR MAHATHIR : I don't say …kalau dia jual negara...tak payahlah tunggu lima tahun.

That was precisely the piece of news alert Screenshots received from Tronoh last night. Unfortunately, like today's mainstream media, I didn't have the balls to carry it.

The SMS said Dr Mahathir just made an imperative to Umno members on how to deal with Abdullah once and for all.

But the full-blast content, a transcript actually, is now splashed on the online news website/portal:

• AgendaDaily: Dr Mahathir hairan mengapa Khairy yang jawab soal MV Agusta


• Malaysiakini: Dr M calls for Pak Lah to step down

They say Round 1 went to Mahathir. Did Abdullah's interview last night help?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (26) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. This is an excerpt of the Q&A with Dr Mahathir at Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Tronoh yesterday, via AgendaDaily.com:

DR MAHATHIR : bila kita tanya tak boleh masuk (tulis dalam akhbar)… you pun tak boleh masuk… you suratkhabar mana…?

Wartawan Agendadaily menjawab : saya dari Agendadaily, web news melalui internet

Tun Dr Mahathir menyambung : Internet…tak lama lagi internet pun nak kena juga… pasal kita open society …mesti censor semua internet… cuma 'mana perintah patik sokong' saja boleh masuk (siar)…

You can read the larger context here.

* * *

The police today sent a 4-man team to visit Malaysiakini's office and started its probe by recording a statement from Editor-in-Chief Steven Gan over a report related to th epepper spray attack on Dr Mahathir, which the force claimed to be defamatory.

According to Malaysiakini, Inspector Lonie B Butek from the Kota Bahru police headquarters said that the case was being investigated under the Penal Code for criminal defamation, which carries a two-year jail term, or fine, or both, upon conviction.

“They repeatedly asked me whether malaysiakini had malicious intention to defame the police. I told them it was really an honest mistake,” said Gan.

Two other editors and a journalist will have their statement recorded at the Commercial Crimes Unit headquarters in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

An excerpt of the Annuar Zaini interview with PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi regarding interested parties who may have used the son-in-law to achieve favours:

Q: Is there a possibility of him being used by interested parties?

A: Maybe. Maybe there are people who want to use him. These people will look for everyone to use. They will look for the son, for the son-in-law, for the wife, everyone. They will look for your best friends, look for your schoolmates, look for the kampung people that I know. In Kepala Batas, all kinds of people have gone down there.

But what is important here is that I’m the one who will make the decision.

Food for thought, layers of food for thought. (See Aisehman.)

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. What would become of a man who shot himself in the foot and in the head? Is this a Malaysian pasttime?

Several Screenshots readers sent me PDF and JPG of a man who looks prone to displaying a penchant for bullet-shots. They asked me to discuss the subconscious mind or the psychoanalysis of the bullet-shot journalist. But I am no expert in these areas, so I could just present the screenshots the readers sent us.

August 2, 2006, theSun: Shooting in the feet

August 7, 2006, The Edge: Bullet through the head

In the final analysis, this famous bullet-shot journalist may be sending us the message that everyone, like him, has the license to pun.

Even if it was an admitted bad pun, you just let it stand, the journalist tells his readers in The Edge.

Perhaps, reader IImran, who was taken to task for "shooting a so-and-so (who has been criticising Dr Mahathir with acute bias) for good", can now have a respite.

In fact, if reader IImran, or any Screenshots readers for that matter, wanted to to come face-to-face with P.Gunasegaram, here is a chance in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, August 10.

PUBLIC FORUM

Strategic Information Research & Development Centre (SIRD), an independent publishing and research centre, will hold a public forum on the current political situation, titled, "Pak Lah vs. Dr Mahathir: Clash of Personalities or Crisis in Governance?"

Speakers on the panel are:

1. P. Gunasegaram (Group Executive Editor, The Edge )


2. Sivarasa Rasiah (lawyer, Vice President of KeADILan) and


3. Datuk a. Kadir Jasin (former Editor-in-Chief of NSTP )

The Moderator is James Wong Wing On of Malaysiakini, who is also a blogger.

Below are details of the public forum.

Date: 10th August 2006 (Thursday)
Time: 8:30 - 10:00 pm
Venue: Quality Hotel City Centre, Jalan Raja Laut, K.Lumpur

For more information and inquiries, please contact SIRD: sird@streamyx.com or tel: 03-79578342

For those from outstation, you may use this new service from Mycen.com.my called Mycen Location to find your way. Click here to get to Quality Hotel City Centre. (You need to have a Google Earth application residing in your PC/notebook.)

There is a good rapport among the three speakers and the Moderator.

Both P. Gunasegaram and Sivarasa were university mates at Universiti Malaya. In 2004, when Sivarasa stood as a parliamentary candidate against deputy minister Donald Lim Siang Chai in the PJ Selatan constituency, Gunasegaram wrote two articles, postured as analysis, within the short campaigning period. Sivarasa failed to unseat Lim.

On the other hand, Gunasegaram was A Kadir Jasin's colleague in NSTP, specifically at Malaysian Business and the now defunct Business Times, before the former resigned from Jalan Riong to become the head of research for Leong & Co., a smallish local stock brokerage, then.

Interestingly, Gunasegaram and Kadir Jasin are expected to take on opposing platforms at the public forum vis-a-vis the Abdullah vs.Mahathir polarised politics, while Sivarasa is the alternative.

Interesting too, Kadir Jasin has reacted to Gunasegaram's faulting this blogger and reader IImran over the "Shoot" issue. Kadir wrote in the journalist/blogger James Wong Wing On's blog yesterday:

If I were Guna, I won’t lose sleep. Alternatively he can stop writing.

To give it a stronger context, Kadir also said:

Guna is actually a nice guy. I worked with him for many years in the Business Times and Malaysian Business. But he has also been critical and forthright.

Surely he knows the risk of being critical. I am not sure if there is or was a genuine threat against his life. As a writer, I sometimes feel the same way too.

But what do we do? People know us. If they mean harm, they can easily do us harm. We have no bodyguards and we are everywhere.

But if we are critical but fair, I don’t think we have a lot to fear.

Incidentally, James Wong had earlier questioned where the reborn Mahathir critic Gunasegaram was when courageous journalists were criticising Mahathir during the aftermath of Operasi Lalang (1987-1988), and the persecution of Anwar Ibrahim (1998-2004).

Wong, who said he doesn't read the Tamil papers, had asked Gunsegaram to "shoot him down" if his assertions were wrong.

Obliquely commenting on this, someone at Jalan Riong invented the skin-colour issue yesterday. Download PDF here.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

If you're a keen political observer, you'd be familiar with the 22 Questions for Dr. M.

But Dr. M's era is over now. The man of the moment is Khairy Jamaluddin, the country's most powerful 31-year old. Listen to Jeff & Oon's Freetalk: 31 Questions for KJ.

Tears & Wedding Ring... Frontpage Berita Harian, August 7, 2006

You need an MP3 player on your PC/notebook to listen to the podcast. Just 3 minutes everyday, Monday through Friday. Only at www.klstream.com.

We did a Guna, didn't we?.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBacks (0)

We noticed Annuar Zaini crafted his script very well to lead in his subject, didn't we?

This is how the ends justifies the means, via Bernama:

Asked on his attitude considered to be too soft, Abdullah said he preferred to be a respected leader than one who is feared by the people as opined by the famous political scientist Nicolo Machiavelli.

"I don't believe. As a Muslim, Machiavelli's approach should be practised. Cannot. We cannot legitimise anything to achieve what we want. I do not hold to this philosophy," he said.

M is also for Mahathirism that Thaksin emulates.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. Jalil Hamid of Reuters reported that excerpts of the TV3 interview were made available to the wire agency before the programme was broadcast. See here.

I watched the interview. AZ was a persuasive facilitator who crafted his script well, and the recording looked rather well rehearsed with subtle analogies of football, for which AZis famous for, knitted in.

With NZ's lead-in, Abdullah cried foul by saying that he was booked barely 10 minutes into the game.

Besides, sprinkles of Mr Clean, Mr Nice Guy, and recitals of some Quranic verses thrown in during the interview,in line with Abdullah's psychographic profile..

At one point, Abdullah made a reference to his critics in a raised tone, saying "dia cuma nak hina saya... (perbuatan yang) boleh dikatakan jahat".

And he warned sternly: "Buktikan tuduhan atau terima padah!"

However, nothing new has come out from the 40-minute interview. Those who had wanted anything earth-shattering on the sale of AV Agusta, zilt. He only made the rhetoric of keeping Proton hookedon the national life support system and was silent on how it can get done strategically.

Nevertheless, it was positive and courageous of the Prime Minister to break his 'Elegant Silence' to face off with the sensitive questions. Abdullah challenged Mahathir to show his proof to all the allegations, and he said he will act accordingly.

I am not sure if I had heard it correctly, but Abdullah seemed to have said that his Government has successfully reduced the national deficit (?), and now it's time to spend to stimulate the economy through the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Now, will there any more fall-out?

As I updated this entry, an SMS came in saying that Dr Mahathir just made an imperative in Tronoh today on how to deal with Abdullah once and for all. Read the newspapers tomorrow.

* * *.

Annuar Zaini (AZ) is a name that commands respect in all floors -- not just the 4th and 5th Floors of the Prime Minister's Office complex, Putrajaya.

Tonight, in a pre-recorded TV3 programme, breaking more of the PM's 'Elegant Silence'.

You'd better also ask Joceline Tan if AZ is whispering to Pak Lah new suggestions to overhaul the limping centre-forward of the football team in Balai Berita.

To those uninitiated, Annuar Zaini is the chairman of Bernama and Gaming/Property group, Berjaya Berhad.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (35) | TrackBacks (0)

theSun printed this on Page 16 in its August 2 edition:

QUESTION TIME: With a print-run of 230,000 copies per day and an extrapolated x3 daily readership that reaches 690,000 people, did theSun intend to incite the masses to literally "put a gun to the heads of many of those in power" in order to move things among government officials under the Abdullah administration?

Ironically, the well-read Citizen Nades column, which contained words to that effect, was printed on the same day when theSun went on to publish on Page 14 a gung-ho editorial, titled: Control the hot air over media control.

Two days after, August 4, theSun/The Edge and Nexnews Group Executive Editor P. Gunasegaram lodged a complaint with the authorities against this weblog for "carrying a posting inciting people to do bodily harm to Gunasegaram over an article he wrote".

In an email to this blogger dated August 3, Gunasegaram said: "I am especially concerned about your lack of sensitivity and your absolute disregard for a situation made tense following the tear gas attack on the former prime minister."

Ho Kay Tat (seated left in picture), the Group Editor-in-Chief and managing director of Nexnews, the company majority- owned by tycoons Tong Kooi Ong (seated right in the picture) and Vincent Tan that publishes theSun and The Edge, mitigated for Gunasegaram by stating that

... as a newspaper group, Nexnews supports freedom of speech and freedom of expression but a threat to hurt someone is criminal intimidation, not freedom of expression.

"Freedom of expression does not extend to inciting people to cause harm to someone else," Ho said. "Indeed, the threat to Gunasegaram was clearly meant to shut him up. Those of us who cherish freedom of expression should be abhorred that a website that claims to be a champion of free speech saw it fit to allow someone to make that threat."

By printing what he had printed on August 2, did Ho Kay Tat -- a former KL-based bureau chief for Singapore Business Times for many years -- practise double-standards on media ethics? Isn't he aware that by printing the statement that says "put(ting) a gun to the heads of many of those in power" can be read as "a threat to hurt someone (that) is criminal intimidation", if Gunasegaram's principle and raison d'être were equitably applied?

Consistency in media ethics

Screenshots, in principle, will not file a police report, for example citing the Penal Code and the Print Presses and Publication Act, to rein in theSun, its Group Editor-in-Chief and the columnist over those printed words that are now further circulated online via its news archive, lest media freedom and the larger issue of good public government is submerged. In fact, we want Citizen Nades to continue writing the way he does best, investigative journalism with no holds barred.

But if Ho Kay Tat and Ginasegaram chose to blow their trumpets in vilifying bloggers for allegedly inciting public sentiments with a view to a kill, then, while theSun continues to commit the same alleged crime it used (and abused) to demonise the bloggers, they had better be consistent in guarding their moral high horse. You cast the first stone and you face the consequences in public opinion.

However, should the public feel offended by theSun's August 2 column, and regard it as a criminal intimidation against "the many of those in power" under the present Abdullah administration -- and want to file a police report against the paper, I will not stand in your way to pose any obstacle.

To the Ho Kay Tat in theSun, you, after all, are what you print.

That said, I urge that we should not take it lightly over a reader's email that Screenshots had received. In the name of public interest, I have published it verbatim (font enhancement is the email writer's), below, for you to ponder seriously over the issue of media ethics.

In the final analysis, if media ethics were to be made a whorehouse in this country, at least be consistent with your business hours.

Mailbag
From: Nazroof Hakim
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: Aug 5, 2006 5:19 PM
Subject: Gunasegaram is angry. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh scary

Dear Jeff,

I need to make my observation regarding the “shoot” issue.

Let me state here for the record that I am merely commenting from the perspective of an observer. Think of me as a spaceman, high up in space with my nothing but my observation.

Attached is a PDF copy of an article written by Guna’s colleague at theSun, R Nadeswaran. There are two issues for our immediate attention (see the circles in red).

Firstly, Nade wrote and I quote, “And it is an open secret that unless you put a gun to the heads of many of those in power, nothing will move”.

Secondly, the date the article was published is the same date ‘The Myth of Mahathir‘s Invincibility’ article was published, i.e. Wednesday August 2, 2006.

My comment:

So here, we have a well established writer, writing something about putting a gun to the heads of those in power to get the “right attention”. Now I am sure that theSun readership base is much, much higher than Screenshots (no offence Jeff).

So the question is why the likes of Khir Toyo or worst Pak Lah’s secret police do not take any action against Nade?

The answer is because they fully understand that as public figures there are certain risks to the job. There will always be people that will disagree with them. Nonetheless all those are part and parcel of leading a public life.

Guna obviously has an ulterior motive to make a hill out of a molehill. So please do not for a second think you can make a fool of everyone by hiding behind the veil of the law after you and your company has kicked the same law in the balls.

p/s to Jeff:

I hope you post this open letter for all your readers to value for themselves. Internet can be the cure for many major problems. Don't let the few but very, very powerful destroy that fact.

Feel free to edit the letter and use my name (Nazroof). I am not afraid if they cut the newspaper doorstep delivery. Save my RM0.30.

Warm regards,
Nazroof

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBacks (0)

Mailbag
From: lazarus rokk
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: Aug 6, 2006 5:23 PM
Subject: guna

dear jeff,

i tried signing in to your blog to post a comment, but failed simply because i am not of those very IT-savvy people. but i would like to say something about that guna-shooting thing, and press freedom in relation to the "media-and-the-political masters" syndrome under my byline -- lazarus rokk.

Dear Jeff,

while i would prefer not to appear as triviliasing the angst that gunasegaran might be actually put through on account of that seemingly innocuous "shoot" comment by one of your comment posters, i dont believe he had meant it in that "shoot to kill" essence. and tho i only know of guna and wont pretend to know enough of the man to fathom a comment on his inner most thoughts. but the suspicion is that, this respected and respectable journalist himself doesn't believe that his life is truly in danger. i believe he could have been coerced by compelling circumstances when he lodged that police report, one of which clearly points to the agenda of shutting down controversial blogs. but like i said i am not the expert on guna's most guarded thoughts or sentiments. still, the presence of the unseen hands looms large over this issue, and larger than the issue at hand.

But really people, this anamoly called "freedom of the press" has apart from being debated from opposing standpoints by the respective proponents of press freedom, it hasnt really been discussed in its entirety from a neutral and independent standpoint. And from that standpoint, there is no such thing as press freedom. it exists only in relativity. for instance, you cant criticise the PM and the DPM. The last DPM -, anwar, came under fire only because Tun Dr M allowed it to happen. So in truth, it would appear that the PM decides on the extent of freedom the media will enjoy. If the PM so decides that his cronies and relatives are to be sheltered from bad press, and so it shall be done. In the 31 years i have been a journalist i have not seen the kind of press freedom every good and deserving journalist would like to enjoy.

But as a sports journalist i can't complain, the sports boys have had the chance to speak their minds. we have called for the resignation of politicians and even former kings from positions, and not been thrown in jail or transferred from our sections on account of it. the freedom we have enjoyed in the sports pages has been gratifying for us sportswriters. we can sleep well, knowing we have been able to be honest.

I believe we can talk about freedom of the press only when our political masters relinguish their interests or investments in newspapers, and when everyone, including the PM, is not spared the rod of the discerning press. until such time let's not fool ourselves that we have freedom, or that we have more freedom now than we did before, because that's not true. while we enjoy the freedom to take to task the man on the street who doesn't wield any power, our hands are tied against those who crack their whip of political clout.

perhaps we malaysians are not ready for that sort of thing yet. sometimes i believe we are not. but at the same time let's not fool the masses by showing them that by taking on the minions (but sparing the political masters), we are therefore a free press.

cheers.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Dear Deputy Minister Fu Ah Kiow:

I read from Oriental Daily News what you said about me today:

另一方面，胡亞橋也不滿，著名評論部落客黃泉安（Jeff Ooi）早前對他的抨擊不實，沒有經過求證新聞的工作，屬不負責任的言論。

「我從來沒有說過要修改法令來管制網絡媒體，更何況我已經在報章上澄清，報章內容也很對，但他（黃泉安）卻沒有詳看，也沒有讀我的澄清，這是缺乏專業性的。」

I also read from your party-owned newspaper, The Star, your mentioning of my name:

In the case of blogger Jeff Ooi whom he said had misreported him, Fu said Ooi should get his facts right in his website.

Dear Deputy Minister Fu, I would like to extend my sincere apologies to you if you insist that I have misreported you, and that I am not professional in blogging.

As a matter of fact, it's definitely not my intention to misreport you, and though there is no blogger who blogs as a profession in this country, it's my endeavour to blog professionally in the opinion space.

There is a question though, dear Deputy Minister. Who started this messy confusion?

According to