BIRTH DEFECT AS AN EXCUSE

Birth defect as an excuse…

January 2009, the first month of the New Year 2009 passed by whilst I was still concluding the past many years resolutions. This year 2009 will be similar to past years and soon, we will be singing out of tune the 1788 traditional folk song Auld Lang Syne which idiomatically means “long long ago” or “days gone by”.

Days, weeks, months and years gone by almost instantly, and next month, I will celebrate yet another birthday. Once upon a time, I was so impatient waiting for the eve of my birthday when my parent and siblings would sneaked into my room with a cake and loads of present at the stroke of midnight! The birthday month was all about party! now, i will hide as early as a month before my birthday, refuse to celebrate the getting older age.

On my 10^th working year anniversary, I made a personal declaration that I will not work on my birthday if it falls on weekdays with a sole objective of reminiscing the younger years. It will be my 4^th year soon on 1^st March since my declaration but this year, my birthday will fall on Sunday and i do not need to take any leave from work. However, the objective was never achieved. The non-working birth day and month was celebrated with endless luncheon, dining and outing. There wasn’t any moment spent mesmerizing the past.

It was not the past that I wanted to re-live but it’s the people in the past. If I have a birth defect, it must be my memory-lapse for faces and names, which i happily claimed a 'birth defect'. I forget people too easily that many may think I am less friendly and at times over-flirty. The ‘birth defect’ was unintentional. I always greete people by mistaken them for someone else. There were once, I could have sworn she was my class mate in college, happily greeted and pecked her on the cheek as a gesture of ‘hi, haven’t seen you for ages…’ and it turned out, she was never from the college although we ended up dating thereafter. It was a lucky coincidence. There were many other occasions when I approached, spoke, laughed and sat with some people that I mistaken them for people I knew and was later asked (by them), ‘have we met?’….! I wanted to scream and hide under the dining table!!

This ‘birth-defect’ may also be quite offensive to some. Once, I had to represent Azhar Sulaiman (my brother in law) to accept the best supporting actor award at some function. I was seated with a bunch of well-known artist and actresses, I think it was Raja Ema or Raja Azura (notice the memory lapse). I wanted to be polite and introduced myself “Hi.. I am Armin….” And she looked at me in a daze and abruptly say.. “Armin.. its me..!! (we have met before)” …and I had to say.. oh sorry, I didn’t recognise you in the dark but really I could not remember who she was.. until I saw her name pasted on the seat as “raja ema/azura (something like that). After accepting the award and gave an embarrassing speech in malay (I mistakenly said Cenderahati instead of cenderamata and was teased all night by the MC), I walked down to the backstage and was greeted by a teenage girl-band group (Elite?) and again.. I stupidly asked (again) for their name (they must be thinking they are losing their popularity).. but I wanted to just bury myself under the stage when they stared at me in disbelief.

There were many other embarrassing moments that arose from the ‘birth defect’ from calling friends with the wrong name to conveying regards to their wife when they are not even married. Eventually, I decided to be the reserve person that I am today and stopped saying hi and converse with people unnecessarily unless spoken to which I will then pretend to lose their business card so I could keep re-collect who they are.

This year, I shall not accept the ‘birth defect’ and will attempt to keep in view all past and present friends. As a start, I dug all past and present photos, scanned and uploaded them on Picasaweb where I can tag their name and background so that I can remember all.

Having found many old photos, I pasted some into my Facebook and was surprised to found many friends (on FB) whom I have lost contact from as long as 28 years!! Soon, I will meet all of them to catch up on the good old younger days. Friends whom recognised and saw me by any roadside, please stopped and say hi.. if I looked puzzled, it is due to the ‘birth defect’ and I promised I will immediately run home and search on my Picasaweb for memory recollection.

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BANK NEGARA INTEREST REVIEW ONLY BENEFITS THE BANK

PROTON EDAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA

Press Release

“INTEREST RATE REDUCTION WILL ONLY BENEFIT BANKS”.

JANUARY 2009, KUALA LUMPUR. The downward revision in the Bank’s lending and base financing rates will have negligible effect on Proton car sales” said Armin Baniaz Pahamin, Acting President, Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia.

1. Currently, the interest rate for Proton car remained at 3.88% for hire-purchase loan duration of 7 years or less and 3.99% for hire-purchase loan duration of 8 and 9 years.

2. The interest rate has remained constant and there is no downward adjustment for Proton car interest rates even after the last revision by Bank Negara in November 2008.

3. In the latest revision by Bank Negara, it is doubtful that any interest rate adjustment to be made to new proton cars and on the bank facilities subscribed by Proton dealers.

4. Similarly, there is no interest rate adjustment even on Bank facilities subscribed by Proton Edar dealers (with most banks) during last November Bank Negara revision.

5. The interest rate for banking facilities offered to proton dealers by most banks is on a fix interest rate on daily and period-rest. Only a few facilities (by one or two banks) interest rate are fixed based on Base Lending Rate (BLR).

6. The interest rate reduction is an additional profit to Banks perhaps as a support for the anticipated losses during this recession year with negligible benefits to the dealers or the customers.

7. The public or car buyers do not benefit from the November interest revision nor does majority of Proton dealers.

8. The Public or potential proton buyer are still facing difficulty with securing hire-purchase loan to buy new proton cars given the high risk profile programmed for proton customers.

9. To improve the customers risk profile that is based on overall proton historical sales, the NPL for Proton brand name should be in a different category for new Proton car sales by Proton AUTHORISED DEALERS and different classification for ‘new-and-used-proton’ car sales by USED CAR DEALERS. Then the NPL will be more accurate and customer’s loan approval can be improved.

10. Government should only allow Proton authorized dealers to submit for new proton hire-purchase loan submission to Banks to mitigate unnecessary fraud, CBT and NPL (by unauthorized dealers). Currently any dealer can submit to the bank direct.

11. Unauthorized car dealer Hire purchase loan submission for new Proton cars contributes to a higher NPL. Authorized proton dealers had to comply with strict requirement by Proton and will not jeopardize their dealership for any fraud or syndicated buyers.

12. Factors that will spur the automotive industry include a more flexible and cheaper banking facilities, flexible loan duration, easier loan approval and a regulated pricing for second hand cars.

13. The public are heavily burden when the value of their existing car is less than the balance loan amount of the said car. This will further hamper the growth of the automotive sales.

14. 9 out of 10 customers would want to trade-in their existing car to buy a new car, but many are not able to trade-in their car, because the car value is lower than the balance loan amount. The value of second-hand or registered used cars car depends entirely on the banks prerogative on the financing amount.

BLOOD TYPE DIET

Blood Type Diet

Have you ever wondered why some dietary program works best for some people but when you strictly follow the same program, the result attained was minimal or negligible. Of course discipline is instrumental but my best discovery was the blood type diet book by Dr Peter JD Adamo.

Apparently a chemical reaction occurs when the food that you eat are digested and flow into your blood stream. This reaction is a genetic inheritance. Some food that we ate is not compatible with the blood type antigen and may cross-react with digestive enzymes and interfere with insulin production. This will in turn affect the immune system, reset the metabolic clock and in severe cases lead to cancer or serious illnesses.

A dietary programme may work best for some people with a particular blood type and if your blood type differs the diet programme gains may not be as beneficial. i wanted to maintain my weight but with a lower body fat level. I can only imagine and dream of getting so lean with a washboard abdomen until I discover the book by Dr Peter JD Adamo. I have tried a few dietary programme. i took up various high intensity gym and run training regime and had also went into extreme starvation to reduce body fat level but all without success. My body weight akin of the stock market fluctuates from 74kg to 66kg within weeks but my body fat level changes negligibly. The 6-pack was far from being visible.

I was consuming heavy lean protein from chicken and beef in my effort to gain good physique and lose body fat level. Little did i know that protein derived from chicken and beef has an adverse chemical reaction to blood type AB. There is a long list of the ‘avoid’ food but the chicken and beef was the most pronounced especially when sirloin steaks, Nandos chicken and KFC were my staple food. I followed the blood type diet strictly since November last year and had been very discipline with the run training and gym. Since the blood type diet, I was able to sleep better at night and felt more energetic. The insomnia, lethargy disappeared and my weight stabilises at 72kg with a lower body fat percentage. In less than two months, I celebrated the new year with a brand new 6 pack abs. A dream came true……….

I have always failed badly on every regular full blood check; from an unreadable cholestrol count, high sugar lever being diabetic and high uric acid with constant gout attack. Now, happiness is an understatement with a perfect blood test result.

hmmm i wonder if i can still collect the RM1000 each betting from Rhiza & Abu... the three of us enthusiastically placed a winner takes all bet for the first to get 6-pack abs (almost a year ago). Rhiza graduated from military college and Abu was a state runner (in his youth). Now that i won, i can happily reveal the secret of the blood type diet..... ;-)

The key to achieving great health and physique is to ‘Eat Right & Exercise’ well. Do not starve yourself and be unhealthy. There is no short cut to good health.

DATO NADZMI SALLEH- PROTON CHAIRMAN

DATO NADZMI MOHD SALLEH- PROTON CHAIRMAN

I am 12 years old… my age as a Proton dealer. It has been 12 years since I run my Proton dealership. I have been a member of the Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia (PEDA) since inception and was elected Deputy President for the past few terms. I was the 76th dealer that was appointed previously under USPD (or now known as Proton Edar) in 1997. The total dealer’s network idiotically grew to more than 400 dealers and now reduced to less than 300 and still decreasing.

I received an email from PEDA President as I was still recovering from the new year late night celebration notifying the committee members of his leave from the President’s office. PEDA President who operated his dealership for the past 14 years had surrendered his dealership and is taking leave as the president. Business cycle for Proton dealers has never been easy. Never since the 1998 recession… and now, we are faced with another recession. We swam through unfair competition of under-declared imported cars and public criticism against Proton but most detrimental effect was the internal policy introduced and implemented by past Proton management themselves unto the dealers: The appointment-spree of hundreds of dealers to chronies in a deteriorating market share and in the absence of sellable variance to excite the market. More than 100 additional dealers were appointed by Tengku Mahaleel management in anticipation of terminating EON. A political move that destroyed the dealers network and PEDA President became one of the 100s of casualties thusfar.

Under the PEDA constitution, the President post is left vacant when the dealership was surrendered and the deputy president will resume as the Acting President. I led my 15 committee members as the Acting President to officially meet the Proton new Chairman Yg Bhg Dato Nadzmi Salleh yesterday.

The meeting with Proton Chairman was at his request. We eagerly await the Chairman arrival at the Proton Board room while chatting Proton MD Dato Syed Zainal Abidin, Proton Edar CEO En Shukor Ibrahim and Proton Edar General Manager Sidik Abdul Hamid. Dato Nadzmi enters the Board room with his usual enthusiast. We saw immediately the passion of an entrepreneur at the driver’s seat.

In my opening speech to the Chairman, I conveyed my awkwardness in being the spokesman as PEDA Acting President which was inevitable when the President had ceased to be a dealer. I reiterate, the president as one of the hundreds of casualties of Proton incompetent policy as earlier mentioned. PEDA is duty bound by constitution to our members and advocate strongly for nurturing and rehabilitating the dealers as opposed to any downsizing.

Although I could not disclosed the details of the meeting, I mentioned as my closing statement, in my 12 years tenure as a Proton dealer as well as a member and now Acting President of PEDA, Dato Nadzmi is the first and ONLY Chairman that called upon PEDA, EDAM within less than a month of being appointed as Proton Chairman. This is also the first meeting in the history of PEDA that was chaired by Proton Chairman with the attendance of Proton Managing Director, Proton Edar Chief Executive Officer and General manager simultaneously.

PEDA has a good working relationship and has always been in constant regular discussion with Proton MD and Proton Edar CEO. Dato Nadzmi pro-active initiative and approach to understand issue pertaining to the network signals a fresh and energize start for the New Year and in anticipation of the recession.

This meeting attended by the prime movers of Proton, Dato Nadzmi (Proton Chairman), Dato Syed Zainal Abidin (Proton MD), Shukor Ibrahim (PESB CEO), Sidik Abdul Hamid (PESB GM) and PEDA full committee is also a signal of GREAT TEAMWORK to weather ahead of recession. This show of solidarity will strengthen Proton to re-gained its market share and become the industry leader.

There is only one mission from the great teamwork… the public. Without the recognition from the public, we will still fail. The teamwork mission now is to give Proton sense of belonging back to the public. The public is indeed our one and only employer.

2009 A CHALLENGING BUT A SPECIAL YEAR...

It is a New Year… 2009. The Year 2009 is indeed a special year for me. This year I will celebrate my 20th Anniversary since I was diagnosed to have Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia way back in 1989. Yes, I am well now under the medical term Permanent Remission or to be more precise a state where there is a non-existence of Philadelphia chromosome or in layman’s term, cure!

When I was first diagnosed, the average life expectancy for patient with leukaemia was 3-5 years without a Bone marrow transplant and perhaps longer years ahead with a Bone Marrow transplant. However, bone marrow transplant only has a 70:30 chances of success… 30% chances of failure or death.

Although I had various Graft Versus Host Diseases (a state of conflict between the existing cells in the body with the new marrow) after the bone marrow transplant and a relapse 5 years later which forced me to underwent a Post-Bone Marrow treatment, I have been well since. I am even an active marathon runner now.

Even though this year 2009 is a special year to me, I expect this year to be a very challenging year. This year, I look forward to publish my past experience, the painful moment living with cancer and my struggles in life with health, family and business. I felt so numb and emotionless when Doctor Nik Isahak first broke the news of the diagnosis in 1989. I was admitted and had missed school for a few months before the Lower Certificate of Education exam. The numbness disappeared the day I was discharged from Hospital. I went home and went through emotional cycles of sadness and disappointments with myself and the circle of people surrounding me. The emotional cycle evolved into anger with a drastic change in behaviour. I rebelled against everybody from family, teachers, friends and even girlfriends. I skipped school, pick up smoking, drinking, womanise and became notorious. Nothing else matters. I could not care less of what has become of me… after all, I will die in 3 years… who cares… and so I thought. The emotional cycle continues until a wake-up call… the day I woke up and make the best out of leukaemia. Since then, I expedited my studies and graduated from UK at the age of 20 and began my career at a Mechant bank before pursuing my dream as an entrepreneur.

2009 is also the recession cycle which is a tough year for business especially in automotive. However, in anticipation of the recession, I had established the Fasfik chain of workshop. In 1998 recession, almost all industries were badly affected except for 2 sectors that survived well in the downturn, namely, the food and restaurants and second was the car service centres. I survived the last recession through my small authorised Proton Edar service centre. Car sales suffered badly and my little workshop paid for my car and housing loan instalments. I trust this year will be tough if not as bad as the 1998 recession.

I will also attempt to beat my best 42km marathon timing of 5hours and 46 minutes as a motivation to keep healthy. I ran the Ambank International 42km Marathon last year. 5 hours 45mins is nothing great but given my past medical history, I never imagine completing even a 10km run. In attempted my first marathon in 2007. That was my first 42km TRAIL marathon in Salisbury, London which I completed in 9 hours. The same year, I ran the Singapore Standard Chartered marathon in 7 hours and 20 mins. Last year timing during the Ambank International marathon was so far my best timing.

Holidays and travelling is abstained as a resolution to be prudent given the recession year. HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody…….

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY 2009 CHALLENGES

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY CHALLENGES 2009

1. The automotive industry is expected to suffer with lower sales for the year 2009 due to the recession. Without sufficient support from the government to sustain the automotive sales and growth, automotive manufacturer, vendors and dealers will be badly affected.

2. The impact of the recession can be reduced if the automotive sales volume can be sustained. With encouraging sales, dealers, vendors and other stakeholder will not suffer much loss.

3. Automotive industry is unique as it is neither the seller’s market nor the buyer’s market but instead it is the BANK that controls the car sales via the vehicle financing. A car with the best technology, design or pricing is still not sellable unless the dealers were able to secure the bank financing for the customer hire-purchase loan.

4. Banking facilities and hire-purchase loan are the MAIN factor that will determine the sustainability of the automotive industry.

5. More than 90% of car dealers and vendors operate with banking facilities and more than 90% of car buyer, purchases vehicle via bank hire-purchase loan.

6. During the 1998 recession, all banking facilities and loans were frozen to the public as well as the dealers.

7. Any negative changes in the banking facilities (to dealers or vendors) and hire-purchase loan to the customer will gravely affect the automotive sector.

8. Pre-1998 recession, there were more financial institutions and banks that offers various financing packages to dealers and the car buyer. With more competition between financial institutions and banks, dealers and customers were immediately attended to with almost an immediate loan approval or a maximum approval period of 24 hours (approval SOP- AM/PM or morning HP-loan submission will get approval by evening.)

9. Post 1998 recession, the government had successfully initiated and completed the mergers of Banks and financial institutions. After the bank merger, options for bank financing and hire-purchase became limited within only a few big banks and without any financial institutions. Banks became choosy with the type of customers they deemed profitable. Hire-Purchase loan are no longer approved via direct interview with bank officers but through a computer programmed that is instilled with customers and vehicle risk profile. From the conventional am/pm pr 24 hours approval, hire purchase loan is now approved within a week.

10. The Risk profile for Proton car buyers differ from other model make. There have been various instances that the hire-purchase loan for proton car buyer were either reduced or rejected but the same customer were able to secure a higher hire-purchase loan to buy other non-proton model.

11. With a high inflation rate and essential items price increase, the risk profiles were adjusted and HP-loan approval became more stringent, understandably because of a lesser disposable income. Car dealers in Singapore and Thailand have informed that only 10% car loan submissions were approved due to the economic downturn. In other word, out of 10 applications for car loan, only 1 loan is approved.

12. The percentage of approval rate for HP-loan application in Malaysia is at 40%. This year 2009, it is possible for the approval percentage to be as bad as Singapore or Thailand. The percentage of approval is true base on direct feedback from dealers although official statistic from the Bank may state otherwise. The dealers know the true picture better.

13. Factors such as lower disposable income that is affected by high inflation, as well as possibility of retrenchment will also influence the HP-loan approval. Inflation and increase in the prices of essential item affected the public’s affordability to regularly service their existing HP-loan repayment and may result in an increase in Bank’s NPL. This in turn, will affect the risk profiling again and loan approval will be worse for future Proton buyers.

14. However, the global economic downturn is inevitable given Malaysia high international trade volume. However, the impact can be cushioned with government intervention.


HP LOAN APPROVAL AND BANK FACILITIES

15. To cushion the downfall in automotive sales, an easier approval will ensure sustainability instead of the conventional stringent & careful approach adopted by Banks during trying time. There are various factors that determines the customers and vehicle risk profile that was generated from historical data (especially customer’s historical credit pattern, past NPL and fraud cases). These risk profile can be adjusted to be more friendly and practical given the current economic downturn.

16. The terms and conditions of Bank facilities enjoyed by dealers, vendors or other stakeholders should be friendlier or flexible rather than any unfavourable variation to ensure the survivability of all stakeholders in the network. Customers and public will be better served with a healthy network.

THE PERCENTAGE MARGIN OF FINANCE & LOAN PERIOD

17. Currently, the maximum loan amount allowed for car financing is 90% of the On-the-Road car price for a maximum of 7 years (and perhaps 9 years for some model). A drastic change increasing the margin of finance from 90% to full 100% will enable the public to afford the purchase of a new car. When the loan repayment is spread over 12 years instead of the current 7 -9 years, the public can afford to service their HP-loan repayment given a lower disposable income due to recession. This will also avoid the possibility of high NPL.


OFFICIAL VALUATION OF REGISTERED USED CARS OR SECOND HAND CARS

18. There is no centre or independent body or organisation in Malaysia that is accredited to value the price of registered vehicles or second hand vehicles. The valuation of registered vehicles, are fixed by the Bank via the quantum the bank is willing to finance the registered cars. As an example, if the bank is willing to finance a Wira year 2000 for RM20,000, then the used car dealers will buy the car either at the same price or below the approved loan amount. This car is in turn sold for a few thousand profits only.

19. Without a proper valuation or regulated pricing of the second hand car prices, customers who bought a car under HP-loan financing will not be able to sell the car when the car value is lower than the balance loan amount.

20. Existing car buyers too will be blacklisted when they cannot afford to service the loan repayment during this downturn and thus increasing the NPL rate. Customer is then made a bankrupt when the car is repossessed and auction for an amount lower than the balance loan amount.


EPF WITHDRAWAL

21. The public should be allowed to withdraw their EPF to repay any outstanding HP-loan that will avoid NPL and financial blacklisting. The EPF withdrawal as a downpayment to purchase a new car will also spur and promote the automotive sales.


BANK HANDLING FEE

22. Dealer’s income was drastically affected with the ceiling imposed by the Central Bank (Bank Negara) on the Handling fees paid by the Bank.

23. In an independent study conducted by Ernst & Young benchmarking internationally 5 developed and neighbouring countries, Malaysia is the ONLY country that imposed a ceiling to the quantum paid. Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, Japan and Australia allow the market to dictate the quantum to be paid.

24. The Ernst & Young report also state that car Dealers in Malaysia have greater responsibilities, liability, exposure and work in coordinating Hire-purchase loan submission and approval as compared to the 5 developed and neighbouring countries.


INSURANCE

25. General insurance or specifically Motor Insurance accounted to approximately 20% of the dealer’s income. Our income is affected when the Bank embarked in the sales of motor insurance by-passing the car dealers (who are all an authorised agent) via indirectly-forcing the customer to renew the motor insurance (and road tax) with them by prohibiting the collection of the vehicle registration card kept by the bank.


BANK

26. Banks discriminate dealers by categorising and prioritising dealers who subscribed to their Bank facilities with unfavourable terms. The unfavourable terms includes restricting non-insurance related banking-facilities only to dealers who are agent to the Bank’s insurance. The Bank’s insurance are inferior in services and packages offered (compare to other provider) to dealers and any insurance commission for insurance renewal are forfeited by the bank.

27. Various other unnecessary charges were also imposed to dealers that further reduced the dealer’s already deteriorating income due to higher cost of operation.

28. Banks have also embarked in selling car to the Bank’s existing customer. The sales are channelled to a ‘special’ dealer’s network created by the Bank. The Bank customers enjoy special privileges such as special interest rates but with a lower income to dealers.

29. The Merger of Banks and Financial Institutions had led to the introduction of various unfavourable terms and activities in adverse to the dealers and the public. Unfavourable terms that burdens the dealers as well as the public should be supervised especially during expected worsen economic downturn.

CABARAN INDUSTRI OTOMOTIF 2009

CABARAN INDUSTRI OTOMOTIF 2009

PEDA mengalu-alukan perlantikan Pengerusi baru Proton Dato Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh yang memang berasal dari industry otomotif. Dalam kegawatan ekonomi yang dijangka akan membawa impak yang lebih teruk pada tahun 2009, PEDA percaya pengalaman Dato Nadzmi di dalam bidang otomotif akan mempastikan langkah-langkah tertentu akan diambil untuk mengawal kemerosotan jualan.

PEDA juga mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada bekas Pengerusi Proton Dato Mohd Azlan Hashim. Dato Azlan amat peka dan pro-aktif kepada keperluan pengedar-pengedar Proton Edar bagi mempastikan jualan sasaran dapat dicapai.

1. Industry otomotif dijangka merosot pada tahun 2009 akibat dari kegawatan ekonomi. manufacturer, vendor, pembekal pembekal dan juga pengedar pengedar kereta akan mengalami kerugian atau kemungkinan ‘gulung tikar’ jika tiada tindakan diambil untuk membantu industri otomotif.

2. Impak gawat Industry otomotif dapat dikurangkan jika kemerosotan jumlah jualan kereta dapat di kawal. Dengan jumlah jualan kereta yang menggalakkan, vendor, pembekal dan pengedar kereta akan dapat mengurangkan kerugian.

JUALAN KERETA

3. Jualan Kereta dipengaruhi hampir sepenuhnya oleh institusi institusi bank. Baik vendor atau pembekal, pengedar-pengedar kereta ataupun pelanggan pelanggan yang berminat untuk membeli kereta, semuanya bergantung kepada kemudahan-kemudahan, pinjaman-pinjaman yang disediakan oleh bank.

4. Industri otomotif adalah unik kerana pasaran otomotif tidak memihak kepada pengedar atau pembeli (it is neither the sellers market nor it is a buyers market) tetapi dikuasai sepenuhnya oleh BANK melalui pembiayaan pinjaman kenderaan. Memang benar kualiti, teknologi enjin dan juga reke-bentuk kereta adalah penting untuk mempastikan kelarisan jualan tetapi kereta kereta yang mempunyai kualiti, rekabentuk dan teknologi yang terbaik sekalipun, jika pengedar kereta tidak dapat mengurus dan menjamin pinjaman untuk pelanggan membeli kereta, kereta yang terbaik sekalipun, tidak akan dapat dijual. Sokongan dari Bank merupakan faktor utama yang akan mempastikan kejatuhan atau pembangunan industry otomotif.

5. Lebih 90% operasi pengedar pengedar kereta bergantung kepada kemudahan yang disediakan oleh bank. Lebih 90% juga pembeli-pembeli kereta membeli dengan pinjaman bank. Pada tahun 1998, semasa kegawatan ekonomi, segala kemudahan kemudahan dan pinjaman dari Bank di bekukan.

6. Apa-apa perubahan negatif kepada ciri-ciri kemudahan-kemudahan bank dan pinjaman pembelian kereta (kepada pengedar, vendor atau pembeli) akan memberi kesan buruk kepada industry otomotif.

7. Sebelum kegawatan ekonomi tahun 1998, terdapat lebih banyak institusi institusi kewangan dan juga bank-bank di Malaysia. Institusi kewangan dan bank-bank ini yang sangat aktif berjumpa dengan pengedar pengedar kereta dan juga berjumpa dan menemuramah pembeli-pembeli kereta sebelum pinjaman sewa-beli pembeli diluluskan. Kesan positif dapat dirasai apabila pinjaman sewa beli pembeli kereta diluluskan hampir serta-merta atau dalam jangkamasa maksima 24 jam (SOP kelulusan- AM/PM; atau masuk pagi/lulus petang)

8. Bank-Bank di Malaysia telah di satukan (Merger) selepas kegawatan ekonomi 1998. Selepas penyatuan Bank (Bank Merger), institusi kewangan (finance companies) dilupuskan dan hanya tinggal beberapa bank besar sahaja. Pilihan dan pakej pinjaman pembeli kereta menjadi terhad dan Bank memilih pula jenis-jenis pelanggan yang dianggap menguntungkan. Pinjaman sewa beli pelanggan pula diluluskan oleh komputer yang diprogramkan mengikut ‘Profail Risiko Pelanggan’ & ‘Profail Risiko Kenderaan’. System komputer yang sepatutnya dapat meluluskan pinjaman dengan kadar lebih cepat, memakan masa lebih lama dan kadang-kadang hampir seminggu.

9. Profail Risiko kereta Proton yang diprogramkan oleh Bank adalah lebih tinggi berbandingkan dengan kereta buatan lain. Telah terdapat banyak kes-kes pinjaman sewa-beli pembeli kereta proton yang ditolak oleh bank tetapi pinjaman sewa-beli diluluskan pula untuk membeli kereta buatan lain (bagi pembeli yang sama).

10. Dengan kadar inflasi yang tinggi, profail risiko pelanggan dan profail risiko kereta diubah dan menjadi lebih payah untuk pelanggan mendapat pinjaman pembelian kereta. Saya dipahamkan oleh pengedar kereta di Singapura, disebabkan oleh kegawatan ekonomi, hanya 10% pinjaman sewa –beli kereta diluluskan. Bermakna, setiap 10 permohonan pinjaman sewa beli kereta, hanya satu pinjaman diluluskan. Pengedar pengedar kereta di Thailand juga melaporkan kesan yang sama.

11. Peratusan kelulusan permohonan pinjaman sewa-beli kereta di Malaysia berada pada tahap 40%. Tahun 2009 mungkin peratusan ini akan jatuh sama seperti di Singapura dan Thailand. Peratusan kelulusan 40% ini adalah mengikut pengalaman dan laporan yang diberi terus oleh pengedar pengedar kereta, statistik ini mungkin berbeza dari laporan rasmi yang dikeluarkan oleh bank, tetapi sebagai pengedar, kami merasai hakikat sebenar.

12. Faktor faktor lain yang seperti ‘disposable income’ yang juga akan merosot dengan kadar inflasi yang tinggi dan juga ketidak-ada jaminan pekerjaan dengan risiko ‘retrenchment’ juga akan mempengaruhi kelulusan pinjaman kereta. Kadar inflasi dan kenaikan harga barang akan menjejaskan kemampuan pembayaran pinjaman sewa-beli yang sedia ada dan menaikkan jumlah rekod ‘Non Performing Loan’ (NPL). Kemampuan untuk membeli kereta baru juga akan terjejas.

13. Memang kita tidak dapat elak masalah kegawatan ekonomi sedunia dan industri otomotif juga akan merosot tetapi kita akan dapat kurangkan impak tersebut dengan adanya campur-tangan dari kerajaan.

KELULUSAN PINJAMAN

14. Untuk mengawal jumlah jualan kereta dari merosot, kelulusan pinjaman yang lebih mudah untuk pinjaman kereta di perlukan (instead of a more stringent & careful approach). Terdapat berbagai-bagai faktor yang menentukan profail risiko pelanggan dan profail risiko kenderaan bergantung kepada rekod rekod lepas pelanggan dan juga rekod ‘Non Performing Loan’ (NPL) buatan-kenderaan. Profail profail risiko ini boleh diubah bagi memudahkan kelulusan pinjaman pelanggan.

PERATUSAN DAN JANGKA-MASA PINJAMAN

15. Sekarang, pinjaman maksima untuk pembelian kereta seperti yang ditetapkan oleh Bank Negara ialah 90% untuk jangkamasa 7 tahun. Jumlah jualan kereta dapat dipertingkatkan jika lebih ramai pelanggan mampu untuk membeli kenderaan. Tindakan drastik seperti menaikkan kadar pinjaman dari 90% kepada 100% dengan jangkamasa pinjaman 12 tahun akan membolehkan pelanggan membeli kereta dan mampu membayar pinjaman sewa-beli.

PENILAIAN RASMI HARGA KERETA TERPAKAI

16. Di Malaysia tidak ada badan terkecuali, NGO atau badan kerajaan yang diiktirafkan untuk menilai harga kereta terpakai. Harga kereta terpakai di Malaysia ditetapkan oleh bank secara tidak-langsung melalui peratusan pinjaman yang dibenarkan. Contohnya, jika bank hanya meluluskan pinjaman RM20,000 untuk kereta Proton Wira tahun 2000, harga proton Wira akan menjadi RM23,000.

17. Dengan tidak-adanya penilaian rasmi untuk kereta terpakai, pelanggan yang membeli kereta dengan tempoh pinjaman yang panjang, tidak akan dapat menjual kereta tersebut dan kereta yang di ditarik kerana bayaran tertunggak akan dilelong dengan harga yang lebih murah menyebabkan peminjam pinjaman sewa-beli di iktirafkan bankrap. Ini akan merosotkan lagi industry kereta apabila pelanggan tidak dapat menukar kereta yang sedia ada dan di senarai hitamkan apabila peminjam tidak dapat membayar baki pinjaman kerana kereta yang ditarik dilelong dengan harga yang lebih murah dari baki pinjaman.

PENGELUARAN EPF UNTUK MENGELAK TUNGGAKKAN PINJAMAN DAN PEMBELIAN KERETA

18. Kerajaan juga boleh menangani kemerosotan jualan kereta dengan membolehkan pelanggan untuk mengeluarkan wang EPF untuk membayar downpayment kereta atau untuk membayar penuh pinjaman kereta yang sedia ada bagi mengelak kereta ditarik atau mengelak pinjaman dari NPL.

PENDAPATAN PENGEDAR

HANDLING FEE
19. Kerajaan juga tidak boleh ketepikan pendapatan pengedar kereta yang semakin tipis akibat dari pendapatan ‘Handling Fee’ yang yang dihadkan oleh Bank Negara kepada pengedar pengedar kereta. Mengikut laporan Ernst & Young (independant studies on automotive financing benchmarking), tidak ada negara-negara maju dan negara-negara jiran yang meletakkan had siling bagi pembayaran ‘Handling Fee’ yang dibayar oleh Bank-bank kepada pengedar-pengedar kereta. Perbandingan dibuat diantara 5 negara; Singapura, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan dan Thailand.

20. Hasil dari laporan Ernst & Young, tanggung-jawab pengedar-pengedar kereta di Malaysia juga adalah lebih berbandingkan dengan 5 negara tersebut dan jumlah ‘Handling Fee’ ditetapkan oleh pasaran tanpa had (di 5 Negara tersebut)

INSURAN
21. Institusi bank di Malaysia juga telah mula mencebur secara langsung dalam jualan insuran kenderaan yang merangkumi lebih 20% dari pendapatan pengedar pengedar kereta. Bank-bank ini secara tidak langsung memaksa peminjam-peminjam untuk membeli terus insuran dari bank (bypassing the dealers and agents) dengan tidak membenarkan kad pendaftaran kereta mereka dibawa keluar oleh pengedar kereta (yang juga ajen insuran) bagi pembaharuan insuran dan cukai jalan.

DISKRIMINASI BANK
22. Institusi bank juga mendiskriminasikan pengedar pengedar kereta dengan mengkategorikan pengedar-pengedar yang mengambil (subscribed to) kemudahan bank dan pengedar-pengedar yang tiada kemudahan bank. Diskriminasi ini amat jelas dengan perbezaan caj caj dan penalti penalti yang dikenakan. Berbagai-bagai caj juga dikenakan kepada pengedar pengedar kereta yang mengambil kemudahan bank.

23. Institusi Bank juga mewujudkan rangkaian pengedarnya yang tersendiri dengan menyalurkan pelanggan-pelanggan sedia-ada bank hanya kepada ‘rangkaian-khas’ ini. Pelanggan-pelanggan Bank yang berminat untuk membeli kereta diberi keistimewaan yang berbeza berbandingkan pembelian kereta melalui pengedar-pengedar kereta lain (yang tidak tergolong dalam rangkaian-khas ini)

KAWALAN AKTIVITI BANK

24. Keadaan Pengedar kereta akan menjadi lebih teruk jika aktiviti institusi institusi bank yang membebankan pengedar-pengedar kereta tidak dikawal terutamanya pada tahun kegawatan ekonomi.

25. Bagi mengurangkan impak gawat keatas industri otomotif, kerajaan harus memantau secara terperinci aktiviti-aktiviti bank yang menguasai pasaran jualan otomotif supaya tidak membebankan pengedar, pembeli kereta dan mempertingkatkan peratusan kelulusan permohonan pinjaman sewa-beli kereta.

MATH & SCIENCE FRIED WITH ENGLISH BUTTER OR GRILL IN MALAY SAMBAL BELACAN?

MATH & SCIENCE FRIED WITH ENGLISH BUTTER OR GRILL IN MALAY SAMBAL BELACAN?

In almost every social function attended and even at home, although it has disappeared from the newspaper headlines but it is an issue that is still widely debated and discussed… should students learn mathematics and science in English? WHY?

Yes, because it is a subject that will affect our children and future generation and the insecurity of losing our mother tongue Bahasa Malaysia. Malaysians are very insecure indeed. Insecure about losing Bahasa Malaysia if we learn Mathematics and science in English, insecure about losing our ‘aqidah’ or (muslim belief) if muslims practice Yoga (even if the chanting was in Hindu that muslim dont understand?) and many other insecurities that is never exhaustive.

Personally, I don’t believe that Bahasa Malaysia will ever disappear even if the whole language in our education system is changed to English. I am privileged to have travelled to some developed countries worldwide and everywhere I went, the local Chinese still speak fluent Chinese although they have been a British or American citizen for the past many generations. Why are we so concern with learning mathematics and science in English when the Chinese-British or the Chinese-American, although they have studied everything from pre-school to university in English and yet, are fluent in their mother tounge chinese language (in their respective dialect).

Having gone through the Malaysia primary and secondary education until SRP (Sijil Rendah pelajaran or Lower Certificate of Education) and took the British General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) instead of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Malaysia Cetificate of Education (MCE), I had major language barrier with pursuing my study for the GCSE, GCE A’ level and during University. The Malay terms and jargons that I learn thus far until SRP/LCE were alien to my further education.

The importance of whichever language to study mathematics, science or any other subject for that matter is subjective but what is more important is the availability and the quality of our teachers. The change in language for students to learn in English is secondary compare to teacher’s ability to teach in English. Students adapt better to changes and learn faster than adult but the teacher to learn and teach in English…?

The Sekolah Kebangsaan QUALITY of teaching with the current generic and standard syllabus in Bahasa malaysia is already in quesrion. Most of the students now had to attend various additional tuition classes for most of the subjects taught at Sekolah Kebangsaan. The availability of teachers is another issue with an alarming teacher to student ratio.

Having gone through, partly, both the Malaysia and British education system, I am in favour of learning Mathematics and Science in English. However, a more urgent issue that needed to be address is the AVAILABILITY of teachers to reduce the teacher to student ratio @ sekolah kebangsaan and the teaching QUALITY of these teachers.

Rather than changing the language that will create and add more problems, we should at first tackle and address the present and current issues at large. Malaysia needed MORE teachers and more training to improve our teachers in Malaysia. Perhaps, the government should extend a better remuneration package or better perks to attract more interest to teach our future generations and future leaders.

.

MUCH ADO ABOUT THE PAST

Much ado about the past..

I stood alone at the balcony, overlooking a hill view and a small village in Johor. It was on Christmas eves and everybody was busy with family gathering. This is a good quiet getaway from a hectic schedule, I thought to myself. I visited a few factories in Johor earlier and had retired for the day at the service apartment complimentary from Chong (not the real name). I parked myself comfortably at the balcony with my coffee and cigarette. Although tomorrow is a public holiday, I had to attend a Christmas function, having being invited as the guest of honor. I would usually avoid public gathering that requires me to travel but I made tomorrow an exception to be away from routine schedule in KL.

It has been awhile since I had time to ponder the past. In exactly a week, the year 2008 will be history and is the beginning of a new year 2009 and a new chapter… and of course, we will all be a year older.

The sky was dark and strong wind blew my cigarette ashes away signalling heavy rain is around the corner. I was lost in thought going down memory lane. So hectic was life, I never had the time to ponder my childhood. From birth, I was in 5 different places before teens. I was born in Negeri Sembilan, stopped breast-feeding in Petaling jaya, went to pre-school in Wisconsin, USA, and began primary school in SRK Sultan Ismail 1 primary school, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. I moved to SRK Iskandar 1 primary school in Kedah and SRK kampong Tunku primary school in Selangor, on a 3 year frequency.

Being in 3 different primary schools in 3 different states, I had experienced drastic changed in cultures and environment and had lost many friends when my family moved from one state to the other as well as being separated post-primary. More than 20 years later, I found many of the long lost primary school friends through FACEBOOK!!! Though we have not met in person, but we kept each other updated through the FACEBOOK!!! 20 years seemed like yesterday with memories and moments of the past, flashing right back into current…………………………………………. We immediately felt so close akin of a friendship that was never separated.

I woke up from the past to the loud scream of thunder. I quickly went inside the studio service apartment when the rain became heavier and lay in bed comfortably. It wasn’t long before my thought went back to the childhood memories. i loved the the legendary tale of Hang Tuah, Mahsuri, Tok Janggut as well as Malaysia history during war. I idolised the loyalty Hang Tuah had for the King, his country and the Malay race and how Mahsuri was framed and killed. I felt the strength in Tok Janggut as a warrior. These legends spice-up the learning of history.

Last month, whilst attending a primary school function in Puchong, where I attended as a favour to a friend, the hang Tuah story came about and I was surprised (or sad rather) that none of the present students actually felt the sentiment I had when I first learn of these ‘hero’. Boys had more sentiments in Hollywood cartoon character superheroes rather than our legendary tale. Some of the boys actually asked me, ‘Hang Tuah’.. whats that? Though it may sound funny and we all laughed, but the truth, it is sad that the sentiment is no longer felt. Although the truth of the legend is unknown but we should always be reminded and not forgotten the principle sentiment behind each of the legend.

After the last meet with primary school students, I am confident and assured that the new generation and future generation will learn history ONLY as a subject without any sentiments attached unless, we continue to educate them by commercializing our histories in movies similar to Hollywood documenting their history (and misled many with their untrue heroic story) and gained international recognition.

Our Ministry of Information having the budget, jurisdiction and influence over RTM, other television stations and Malaysia-made movies should extend extra focus in re-living the past and produce a more patriotic films, dramas and series for the benefits of our new and future generation.

BIROKRASI PENTADBIRAN DI JABATAN KERAJAAN PUNCA KOS TINGGI PENYENGGARAAN PROTON PERDANA

PERSATUAN PENGEDAR PENGEDAR PROTON EDAR MALAYSIA

SIARAN AKHBAR

"BIROKRASI PENTADBIRAN DI JABATAN KERAJAAN PUNCA KOS TINGGI PENYENGGARAAN PROTON PERDANA "

 

Kuala Lumpur , "Kerajaan Pusat dan Negeri seharusnya menghapuskan birokrasi pentadbiran bagi  pendaftaran wakil Pusat Servis Kereta Proton Edar bagi mempertingkatkan day saingan", kata Armin Baniaz Pahamin, Timbalan President , Persatuan Pengedar Proton Edar Malaysia.

 

Sehingga hari ini,  cuma wakil pusat servis  Proton Edar yang  berdaftar dan  diluluskan oleh kerajaan   sahaja dibenarkan menjalankan  kerja-kerja penyenggaraan kereta Proton milik kerajaan pusat dan negeri. Ianya menyebabkan kerajaan Negeri dan Pusat tidak mempunyai banyak pilihan untuk  menghantar kenderaan kerajaan ke wakil-wakil pusat servis Proton Edar  yang lain  bagi  kerja penyenggaraan.  Langkah berkenaan mampu mengakibatkan harga kos penyenggaraan yang amat tinggi dan tidak terkawal dikenakan oleh pemilik wakil pusat servis Proton Edar yang berdaftar dan diluluskan kerajaan. Ini kerana hanya ada sedikit sahaja wakil pusat servis yand berdaftar dengan kerajaan berbandingkan dengan jumlah keseluruhan wakil-wakil pusat servis Proton Edar di Malaysia. Apabila tiada pilihan, akan lahirlah budaya sogokan atau kenaikan harga yang tidak terkawal.

 

Tanpa birokrasi pentadbiran pendaftaran bengkel di Jabatan Kerajaan,  kerajaan negeri dan pusat boleh mendapatkan kerja-kerja penyenggaraan dari lebih 300 bengkel Proton Edar dan Eon dengan  harga yang lebih berpatutan di seluruh Malaysia.

 

Proses perlantikan bengkel berdaftar Proton Edar adalah sangat ketat dan sentiasa dipantau bagi memastikan kualiti kerja dan pengendalian yang baik. Dengan itu,  bengkel berdaftar Proton Edar seharusnya di kecualikan dari segala pendaftaran di Jabatan Kerajaan bagi kerja-kerja penyenggaraan kereta Proton sama ada ianya masih  didalam waranti atau telah tamat tempoh waranti.  Saingan di antara 300 bengkel berdaftar Proton Edar  bagi kerja-kerja penyenggaraan kereta milik kerajaan  dapat bantu membanteras  harga kos yang amat  tinggi oleh pemilik bengkel yang tidak bertanggung jawab.

 

Kenyataan dari tiga kerajaan negeri , Terengganu, Perak dan Pulau Pinang, mendedahkan harga penyenggaraan yang tinggi, merosakan reputasi kereta Proton dan membebankan wakil jualan dan servis Proton sedangkan kita sebagai pengusaha pengusaha wakil Pusat servis Proton Edar memang yakin harga kos penyenggaraan bagi kereta Proton Perdana  adalah berpatutan dan tidak setinggi seperti yang dimaklumkan oleh kerajaan kerajaan Negeri.

Kebanyakkan kereta Proton yang berada di pasaran mempunyai lanjutan waranti melebihi 5 tahun.  Kos  bagi kerja penyenggaraan   biasa  kereta Proton adalah dari harga RM200 sehingga ke RM500 setahun tertakluk kepada penggunaan dan tingkah laku pemanduan kereta.

Lebih dari 60,000 unit Proton Perdana telah dijual sejak ianya berada di pasaran dan sehingga kini lebih kurang 10,000 unit Proton Perdana dijual setahun.  Kereta itu laris di pasaran kerana harga kereta dan kos penyenggaraan yang berpatutan.

Dengan adanya birokrasi pendaftaran di Jabatan Kerajaan bagi pemilik bengkel terutama wakil pusat servis Proton Edar membataskan  bengkel yang cekap dari menyenggara dan memberi sebut harga yang lebih rendah dan berpatutan untuk kenderaan kerajaan.  Pendaftaran wakil Pusat servis Proton Edar Yang memang dibawah naungan Kerajaan di Jabatan-jabatan Kerajaan adalah tidak berfaedah kepada mana-mana pihak dan hanya menggalakaan budaya sogokan, kata Armin.  Kita seharusnya bersama memikirkan langkah-langkah  membanteras masalah ini dengan menghapuskan pentadbiran birokrasi yang telah terbukti di 3 negeri kehadiran budaya sogokan dan tidak kompeten.

 

“GOVERNMENT RED-TAPES ARE THE CAUSE OF PROTON PERDANA HIGH COST OF MAINTENANCE”

 

PROTON EDAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA

Press Release

 

“GOVERNMENT RED-TAPES ARE THE CAUSE OF PROTON PERDANA HIGH COST OF MAINTENANCE”

 

KUALA LUMPUR. “State and federal government should eradicate the red-tape for the registration of Proton Edar authorized workshop to ensure competitiveness” Said Armin Baniaz Pahamin, Deputy President, Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia.

 

Currently, only the government-registered Proton Edar authorized workshops are allowed to service and maintain state and federal government vehicles which limits the option for the state and federal government to send their vehicles for servicing. This practice will also lead to corruption and exorbitant cost of maintenance charged by the registered workshop since there are less workshop as an alternative option.

 

Without the red-tapes of state and federal government registered workshop, the State or Federal government can obtained the best and most competitive quote from more than 300 authorised Proton Edar and Eon service dealers network in Malaysia.

 

The appointments of Proton Edar authorized workshop are very stringent and are regularly assessed for competencies and quality control. As such, Proton Edar authorized workshop should be exempted from any registration to service Proton vehicles under warranty or after warranty for the Government. The competition between the 300 authorised dealers to service government vehicles will eradicate any unscrupulous and unnecessary high cost charges.

 

“It is very damaging for Proton dealers when three state governments, Terengganu, Perak and Penang, exposed a high cost of maintenance for Proton Perdana, especially when we, the authorized Proton workshop operator know for a fact that the cost of maintenance for Proton Perdana is not as exorbitant”.

 

Most of the Proton cars sold now are with a total of 5 years extended warranty. The cost of regular maintenance for proton cars ranges between RM200 to a maximum of RM500 per scheduled service depending on which models.

 

A new Proton Perdana bought in 2004 was manufacturer’s warranted for 2 years. A new Proton Perdana that is purchased now is with an option for extended warranty for a total of 5 years. With a 5 years extended warranty, Proton Perdana annual maintenance cost is less than RM500 per annum depending on the usage and driving behavior.

 

More than 60,000 Proton Perdana has been sold since it was launched and is still selling an approximate 10,000 units of Perdana per annum. The car is saleable because of the competitive pricing as well as the reasonable cost of maintenance.

 

Having workshop to be registered with the Government, especially Proton Edar authorized workshop will limit the available competent workshop to quote and service government cars for a cheaper price. Unnecessary registration and red-tapes will also open the floodgate for corruption, added Armin. We should eradicate the source of the problem rather than pin-pointing an already proven corrupted and incompetent system.

BLACKBERRY THAT IS NOT SO BOLD

BLACKBERRY THAT IS NOT SO BOLD

 

Syamreen Shafei, a classmate since the Bukit Bintang Boy Secondary School days, bought me my first handphone to mark our partnership in a venture dated back in 1995. That was my first handphone, a Motorola. It was the most fashionable phone and the only flip phone then. Having lost my ‘mobile-phone-ownership-virgin’ to Motorola, I stood strong with Motorola against my girlfriend in 1996 who was a hardcore Nokia loyalist. My loyalty towards Motorola was neutralised by her but being hard-headed and abit chauvinist, I refused to use a Nokia (and pleased her) but changed my phone to an Ericson instead. Unfortunately, the Ericson phone didn’t performed well and I became a Nokia customer in 1997… so happy was her. Now, I refuse to use any other phone but Nokia, akin of me refusing any other girl but her.

I had a good relationship without polygamy with Nokia for 11 years until I was introduced to a Blackberry. I was fascinated and was first introduced to the Blackberry while performing my haj in 2006/7. Most of those in my group was in constant communication (with home, friends and office) and closely-informed of Malaysia news via the Blackberry. I bought my first Blackberry 3G phone immediately when I came back from haj. It was the 8707g model and I used it as my main phone and the Nokia as a second phone (I have a few phone numbers). I was contented with the 8707g Blackberry until the roller-ball located on the right side of the phone malfunction. Maxis said it will take between one to three months to have it repaired. I was flabbergasted and disappointed with the long duration of repair especially when the phone is barely 6 months old, you will never get this service with Nokia. After the 8707g was repaired, I never used the phone again and gave it away and made my Nokia Communicator E90 again as my principal phone. I should have just being content with Nokia.

Maxis recently launched the latest Blackberry Bold, said to be the best of Blackberry 3G phones to rival against the apple iphone but with a keypad and Nokia practicality. Wanting a change away from Nokia (11 years!!!) and without a haste, I gave Blackberry a second chance… so forgiving was I. I booked the Bold a month in advance and proudly took delivery on the first day it was officially launched. Yes, I was impressed with the sexy black outlook and silver frame lining. The tits used to move the cursor was smooth and is much better compared to the roller ball in the 8707g. I experiment the phone applications and was pleased with the phone.

My first impression on handphone is not as accurate as my first impression on people. After using it for a month, I have to conclude that the phone is not as good as what it seems and I should have just stick to Nokia. I was not the only one being misled by the Blackberry Bold but everybody who have heard of the phone. Most of my friends and even strangers who saw me using the Blackberry Bold will ask me if the phone is as good as it look. So I will have to repeat my predicament and dissatisfaction with the blackberry bold to everybody everytime I was asked.

The Blackberry Bold phone usage and standby time is only 1/3 of Nokia. the Blackberry can only last till noon before the battery wears off. The item details in each contact are fixed. Amongst others, there is only one mobile number to store for each contact and only one email per each contact too. Unfortunately most of my friends are with at least 2 handphones and some with as many as 4 which i had to create a separate contact to store their mobile number.  When the phone is locked, the callers’ name does not appear when the phone rang making it impossible to recognize who is calling. The most unacceptable behaviour of the Blackberry Bold, is the breaking down of long sms into many smses jamming the inbox. The Blackberry Bold often hang too and had to be rebooted everytime, almost a few times aday. The bulk sms-sent (sms send to more than a dozen contacts) will always fail and had to be re-sent almost everytime too. The bulk-send smses will takes triple the time taken if the bulk smses were sent with a nokia phone.

The only KEY BENEFIT of Blackberry is the realtime push email, the only reason I am still using the Blackberry as my main phone. The realtime push email service enable user to receive emails similar to an sms. Once NOKIA improves their push email function from 15 minutes push-delay to realtime.. anytime, I will just be with Nokia all the way.

INTEREST RATE CUT MAY REDUCE PROTON SALES

PROTON EDAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA

Press Release

“INTEREST RATE CUT MAY REDUCE PROTON CAR SALES”.

NOVEMBER 2008, KUALA LUMPUR. Proton car sales may drop instead of increase with the downward revision in the Bank’s lending and base financing rates” said Armin Baniaz Pahamin, Deputy President, Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia. The current downward revision in interest rate is negligible and unless the interest rate cut is substantial, the revision may signal more possible interest rate cut in the near future and only trigger a ‘wait-and-see’ reaction from the public for further interest rate cut. This will affect our car sales. Bank Negara should study carefully the quantum of reduction and regulate to reduce the effective interest rate once but substantially rather than progressively over a period. This will eliminate the wait-and-see factor and promote immediate spending.

Proton car sale is not interest rate dependant and neither does Perodua car sales. Perodua car has always been sold at a slightly higher interest rate compared to other models and it is not a mitigating factor for the customer. A cheaper loan is an attraction but what is more important is the approval for the customer’s hire purchase loan. The approval of customer’s hire purchase loan depends on the Bank risk scoring. Proton customer risk profile are set by the Bank and is higher compare to other car distributors making it harder for Proton customer loan to be approved. For example, there have been various instances that our customers loan were rejected or reduced but the same customer were able to secure a higher loan to buy example, a Toyota. Currently, customers who do not fulfil or satisfy the Banks risk profile are given an option for a higher interest and lower margin of finance or risk the loan being rejected. Unless the risk profile issue is addressed, even with the cut in interest rate, Proton car sales will be quite stagnant if not lower.

An ‘Easier’ loan approval will promote a healthier car sales rather than a ‘cheaper loan’. A cheaper loan will not create additional sales but is a bonus for potential customers as hire-purchase loan is fixed throughout the tenure of the loan. The cheaper loan should not be at the expense of an easier loan approval. In addition to the cheaper loan, Banks should also provide a more flexible package for hire purchase financing.

A cheaper source of financing will however cushion Proton Dealers from the rising cost of operation. Almost 90% of Proton dealers operate on bank facilities and a cut in banking facilities rate of interest will enable the dealers to offset the saving against the increased in overhead expenses such as utility bills as well as petrol. On the average, every dealer is holding at least 20-30 cars for immediate deliveries. These cars have to be transported from proton stockyard, to our stockyard and deliver to customers with at least half petrol tank filled. All these extra cost is at the expense of individual dealers.

The Edge Weekly- PEDA view on Inflation & Global Financial Crisis

I receive an email from Racheal, a reporter from the Edge weekly for PEDA's comments on the Inflation and Global Financial Crisis. the followings are my comments.

I'm Racheal from The Edge. I'm doing a story for The Edge Weekly to address the impact of inflation on the men on the street as well as corporates during this global financial crisis.

Armin: Inflation will have an adverse impact on Proton Car sales.

1) The lower and middle income earners entails the majority portion of Proton customers profile. These are the people (proton customer base) that is most affected by the inflation. The bank view proton customers profiling based on their capabilities to pay and hence the existing mortage and credit card repayments historical records. The public are more incline to fulfilled their mortgage repayment and their daily essential expenses such as petrol, food and medical first before fulfilling their obligation for car hire purchase loan repayment.

2) In facing inflation, banks will see an increase in thier NPL (non-performing-loan) in the existing car financing when the people’s disposable income deteriorates. A drastic effect will see more cars being repossessed and more cars being auction which will affect the value of second hand cars. When the valuation of second hand cars are affected, the public will not be able to replace their existing cars (to buy a new proton cars) without having to pay the bank for the balance loan (of the existing cars) or simply because the value is too cheap to be disposed off. This will effect the sales of Proton new cars.

3) When the NPL increases, banks will be more stringent to approve car hire purchase financing which will also lead to a drastic drop in new car sales. In 1997 recession, the margin of finance were reduced before the hire purchase loan was completely frozen. Similarly, the bank facilities for proton dealers were also suspended. Currently, the margin of finance for car loan is still at 90% and banking facilities are still intact.

In relation to this I have some questions, in which I hope PEDA would be able to help me with.

Q: Before and after the high inflation in July and August, does PEDA see its business being affected? If do, how much was it?

Before the high inflation earlier this year, PEDA and Proton Edar had both worked well in capturing the market shares from Perodua. Amongt the measures taken are the sign of confidence in proton cars through the 5 years total warranty in proton cars, as well as the proton i-care program. The launching of the saga had also boost public confident in proton’s quality and products. We have only felt the inflationary effect recently with the increase in our customers hire purchase rejection rate and the slow down in new bookings. Until recently, our monthly deliveries were not drastically affected as we are still fulfilling the back orders.

Inflation do have an immediate negative impact on both inquiries of Proton cars as well as our cost of operation.

1) Inquiries for Proton cars had dropped when customers are more concerned with meeting ends. Notably, the 3rd quarter and last quarter of this year saw dealers fulfilling and delivering back orders more than new bookings. The inflation was felt more now when many of the bookings were either cancelled or refunded when customers’ loan were NOT approved.

2) The inflationary effect had led to Banks revising Proton customers risk profile making it harder for dealers to secure loan financing for the customers; evidently with the increase number of refunds to customers (when customers cannot secure loan approval)

3) Proton dealers cost of operation too had increased with higher cost of petrol and transport claims. On the average, every dealers are holding at least 20-30 cars for immediate deliveries. These cars have to be started daily and transport from proton stockyard, to our stockyard and deliver to customers with at least half petrol tank filled. All these extra cost is at the expense of individual dealers.

4) The effect will be more felt during the first and second quarter next year, when the current outstanding bookings have been fulfilled and lower new bookings (with successful loan approval).

Q: What was the price for Proton Saga in 1994 and 2007?

Proton saga was first launched in 1987 for the price from RM17,300
In 1994, the Saga was priced from RM30,900
Now, saga cost from RM31,500

YOGA HARAM IS AN INSULT TO MUSLIMS

I woke up to the aroma of Nescafe. Nothing beats a good morning coffee. It is 4:30am and the hot Nescafe is my wake up call. My maid is punctual to prepare my morning coffee. I crawled to my study room with my eye half open, and sipped my hot Nescafe while picking up today newspaper.

The usual caffeine did not wake up me but instead the headlines of most papers today that read YOGA is haram according to the National Fatwa Council. According to the fatwa, Yoga can deviate the muslims belief or aqidah.

i am a strong believer in my religion, Islam. I have even performed my pilgrim in 2006 but I am flabbergasted by the Fatwa issued by the Malaysian National Fatwa Council. I am an active gym-goer and have taken part in most yoga, tai chi, qi qong, silat, muay thai etc…. My belief in Islam is as strong if not stronger, in fact, my aqidah or belief was never tainted by hinduism in yoga or Buddhism in moay thai or tai chi, whatever or whichever exercise practiced is purely for health benefits.

Fatwa is issued as a clarification on issues that is unclear. Being ‘unclear’ means there is no definite answer except for the answers interpreted by the ‘the expert and intellect’ which makes up the so called ‘council’. The pronouncement by this council will be gazetted as the law and should not be question or it is said as questioning Gods ruling.

It puzzles me how can an interpretation by ‘expert’ be deemed as God’s rule HARAM. Even the process of passing a Fatwa is unknown and is not transparent or maybe it is done by democratic voting process but HARAM….? I could not understand the process and how thorough and detail a research the ‘expert’ did before issuing a Fatwa but Haram is a strong ruling to be issued by anybody. Islam is not just a religion but it is also a way of living. We live in the name of Allah swt and we do everything, from work to even exercise in the name of Allah swt. Certainly the ‘Nawaitu’ or NIAT or Intention for practicing Yoga for health benefits means something…. But Haram?

Partaking in Yoga is purely for exercise purpose, even if there is any hindu chanting (which I never notice when I was in the many Yoga classes for years), how many Muslims actually understand any hindu words (chanting) for their aqidah to be affected. Nonetheless, nobody that I know actually partake Yoga for religious activity nor belief. Unless, Muslim yoga practitioner began chanting and worshipping hindu (which no muslim did), then I do not see how a Muslim faith, belief or aqidah can be affected.

Are we Muslims are so weak and vulnerable that partaking in a Yoga exercise class can deviated our religious belief? Why didn’t the christians, catholic, buddhist or other religion felt threatens too with Yoga?

The Haram fatwa against Yoga for Muslim is an insult to Muslims. It is an insult because Muslims are a strong believer in our Quran, faith and Allah swt. It is despicable to think that our faith and belief can be easily affected and deviated by Yoga the least. Issuing a Fatwa against Yoga for Muslims is akin of saying Muslims faith and belief are so fragile and vulnerable and needed constant ruling or risk having lesser good Muslims soon if the fatwa is not issued. I felt sorry for the ‘expert’ that they are so vulnerable and fragile to Yoga as a threat for Muslims faith and belief. Although I am not the expert, I know and my conscience is clear that Yoga or no other source can affect my belief in my religion, Islam.

Perhaps, the ‘expert’ needed to have more 'confident' in their faith. This is how Islam is taught in Malaysia, that everything we do, is a fear-journey to hell. We need to change this methodology. Islam is indeed a beautiful religion…. ALLAH HUAKBAR.

FRUSTRATING PENANG BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON

The Penang Bridge International Marathon was earlier cancelled to much of our despair. We looked forward every year to the Penang Bridge run. We enjoyed the run last year and had vowed to be a permanent participant of the event.

We left for Penang on Saturday after work. Abu drove my car and cruised comfortably at 120km per hour. We stopped by for lunch @ Tapah to carbo-load with a chicken rice. My sister, Emi and friends had left a day earlier. We reached Penang at 5pm and had an early carbo-load dinner before retiring at 9pm. The race starts at 4:30am and the registration starts at 3:15am but we must reach the starting point @ the Queensbay Mall by 2am at the latest since all access road to the Queensbay Mall will be closed thenafter. We woke up at 11pm to get ready for the race and left home at 1am with barely 2 hours of good sleep.

The event had attracted thousands of local, international and school student participants. Although it is a new organiser that organises this year’s Penang Bridge International Marathon event, I recognised the same race marshals and many coordinators from last year and other race-events.

I have participated in more than 20 running events since I adopted running as a hobby and I must say that this year’s Penang Bridge International Marathon event was poorly manage. Although the event organiser is new, I am certain the organiser has the experience in organising running events. Hydration is very important while and after running or athlete may experience hyperthermia or dehydration which is hazardous and can even lead to death. Thus, water station and water availability is a basic necessity in all running event. During the event, almost ALL water station either run out of water or paper cups. The organisers of the Penang Bridge International Marathon FAILED to observe the basic necessity of a race event similar to the Adidas King of the Road race in Shah Alam. I saw many school children and athletes suffered from thirst and could not continue the race.

While the road is packed and congested with thousands of runners, the marshals and volunteers were happily cruising slowly with their motorcycles ala VIP, choking and polluting the runners with their motorcycle exhaust fume. Some runners were coughing endlessly everytime the white shirt marshal on motorcycle passes by.

Running events are organised to promote healthy lifestyle as an encouragement to everybody. It is a good paradigm shift to see Malaysian from all walk of race and age participating in running events. The authority should make it a default requirement for all organisers to ensure sufficient water at all water stations and to FORBID all vehicles from entering the race route (including the marshals and volunteer vehicles).

Adding salt to injury, participants who completed the race with insufficient water and pollution from the marshals exhaust fume had to ‘cool-down’ under the hot sun with no shades or camp. The Queensbay Mall was guarded army-styled by the securities prohibiting ALL participants from entering the Mall. There were NO CAMPS or SHADES provided for the finishers and supporters to shelter away from the heat and hot sun. Camps were only provided for the sponsors and volunteers. Even if the budget was tight (if not wanting to maximise profit from the event), the organiser should at least speak to the Queensbay Mall to allow participants into the mall. Being dehydrated from lack of water supply and exposed to UVA/B or possible skin cancer from the sun, i gave Penang Bridge International Marathon organiser a thumb down.

Despite the many flaws of the organiser, I had a funtabulous time simply because of my love for running. Will I be back for next year’s Penang bridge run? Maybe..........…….

COLOUR BLIND MALAYSIA

COLOUR BLIND MALAYSIAN-

We walked to the nearest Mamak restaurant from the commissioner of oath office at Desa Pandan. We sat as we ordered Nescafe tarik. This was at least my 7th glass of Nescafe tarik today. I lit my cigarette, lean against the white pillar next to our table as I listen to Jay. Jay, an indian lawyer, began by voicing his distress at how members of parliament, politicizes racial sentiment. It is despicable to hear the non-bumiputra questioning the NEP and the bumiputra themselves claiming they will not survive without the NEP. The political party had successfully created racial distress from the non-affected Malaysia citizens.

The concept of NEP never took place in the appointment of Proton Edar (or formerly known as USPD) dealers. The appointments of Proton Edar dealers were never for the Malays nor were there any percentage of Malay dealers being maintained at all time. Proton Edar dealers is probably the true picture of the Malaysia economy without any racial sentiment being politicized. I was in Corporate Finance with the Commerce International Merchant Banker back in 1997, when I first applied and appointed a Proton Edar dealer. Though I would like to believe that my appointment as Proton Edar dealer was on my own merit, having been with the team that was responsible for the corporate acquisition and restructuring of DRB-HICOM, I am sure there were many other qualified Malays. Despite my credibility being in Corporate Finance, Student Union President in a British University and being actively involved in NGOs, the truth is, I was appointed a Proton Edar dealer in 1997 because my dad was the Director General of the Road Transport Department or JPJ, I was 23 years old. The youngest dealer ever appointed.

This reiterates the economics of who-you-know or chronyism rather than the ‘what-you-know’. Whilst the economics of Chronyism may be instrumental to secure a proton dealership in the past, the ‘who-you-know’ or ‘what-race-you-are’ does not have any impact to any preferential treatment on the business well-being of a Proton dealer, irrespective whether you are a Malay, Chinese or Indian. There are many successful Bumiputra dealers and there were also many failed Chinese dealers. Prominent dealers under the late Tan Sri Megat Junid or even Dato Seri Chua Jui Meng irrespective of race ceased to be a dealer when they were still in power, when their business failed. The ‘who-you-are’, ‘who-you-know’ or the NEP does not guarantee the success of a Proton dealer. There was a healthy mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian proton dealers in the network.

The Malays were not appointed a Proton dealer because there were Malay under the NEP, nor were they successful because of any additional assistant rendered by Proton or the government (NEP). The non-bumiputra dealers did not fail because of extra assistant or facility granted to the malay. Even with the existence of the NEP, the rise and failure of a business lies in the COMMITMENT of each individual dealer irrespective of ‘who-you-are’, ‘what-you-are’ race and ‘who-you-know’ chronysim.

The current political outcry politicizes racial disharmony akin of saying the Chinese dealers has been marginalise because of bumiputra benefits that they (Chinese) were deprived. On the other hand, UMNO’s outburst on the Malay needs to be salvage with NEP or bumiputra rights is also unwarranted and unbecoming. These are all old political tricks to gain support.

Do not get conned into believing the political outcry in racial disharmony. Malaysia has progressed well without racial disharmony. To move forward, we must all be COLOUR BLIND and see Malaysia as Malaysian instead of Malay, Chinese or Indian.

INFIDELS AND POLIGAMY ………

So excited were the men every time this topic is spoken and very agitated were the women. Let us not bring religion into polygamy or infidelity as a lot of people will suddenly become the master in this topic… interpreting what the Quran says to their benefit! For that reason let us just define any other relationship with other partner besides the spouse as being engaged in infidelity.

I sipped my 3rd cup of coffee for the day and decided to blog this thought principally because it is a topic of general interest. Infidelity exists in both men and women. But Man is generalised as a bastard because generally infidelity relates more to MEN simply because Men are egoistic, emotional and less sensitive.. and stupid.. dating their girlfriends in the public without any concern of being spotted. Women are equally similar but they are more careful in hiding their activities away from the public (even away from their best friend’s knowledge). Hence, there are more known cases of men’s infidelity than women.

I was lost in thought as I ponder the fate of my friend whom arrived home a day earlier from his outstation meeting to discover his wife in bed with another man. My previous contractor, whom converted and is still a good muslim, went through similar heart breaking predicament to personally witness his wife in bed naked with another man. Vice-versa, recently, another friend discovered her husband playing truant.

But what leads to infidels….? Men cheat for various reasons, the norm being for ‘varieties’… which many men actually PAY akin of going to supermarket to buy the milk rather than buying a cow to get the milk sort of speak. This is a different breed of men and usually does not harm or cause any distress to the spouse or friends… of course the spouse should never find out ;-). It’s the men or women with the cow(s) for the milk that usually drives through the signboard that reads ‘destruction’… or does it? I was privileged to be invited to a Raya open house recently, where the spouse of the host, introduced the second wife to the guests. It is indeed a rare occasion. The wife chose the second wife for the husband after 3 miscarriages to bear the husband more children.

A child can be a noble reason to exercise polygamy for men but men who were or are engaged in infidels usually discounted the possibility of their women too can be unfaithful. It is almost without condition that women must accept and forgive their spouse polygamy or infidels or risk spending the rest of her life in court battle when their man refuse to divorce her (for not accepting his polygamy or infidel affairs) or fighting for child’s custody. On the adverse… if the woman was unfaithful, it is almost pre-requisite that NO man will ever forgive and accepted her…. or risk being labelled as ‘DAYUS’… So funny how life is.

Pondering from the surroundings, without interpreting what the religion says or without any reference to gender, we should just be guided by the old saying.. “Do unto others what we want others to do unto you”. Be unfaithful if we can accept our partner to be unfaithful too.. otherewise, be good! ;-)