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.

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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! ;-)

Before it is too late...

I was on the 3rd lap of the Kiara park for my morning run when my mind flashed-back those early teen period when I was so fresh, decent and innocent from all notoriety. Running in the morning is so peaceful and getting lost in thought and flashback memories are amongst the ‘kick’ of runners high. Flashed-back moment when I was thirteen, I was more religious then than now. Believing in God akin of the commercialized Santa Claus fantasy to a child, I listed all my wish-list endlessly in all my prayer. I was thirteen and was very attached to my parent. Part my prayer, innocently, I prayed endlessly for god to prolong my parent life beyond mine. I could not imagine being without a parent. I cannot imagine how life will be without my dad or mom. I simply cannot imagine myself in a broken family. For years until my mid-teen, similar prayer was read daily. When I was diagnosed to have leukaemia at 15 years old, I believed that my prayer was heard… this was never spoken but is a topic for another discussion….. my book that I am writing now.

It is more than a months now since my last blog-posting. Whilst maintaining my blog, I am also writing my book. Writing my book is a real experience, to flashback memories, traumas and painful moment of being sick was not easy. I am on tight deadline especially since I want to launch it next year, being the 20th anniversary from the year of the leukaemia diagnosis. Ramadhan, the fasting month last month too was not easy. I was really unproductive.

Today was my first day after 3 months away from running. I changed my exercise regime from the routine morning run to weight lifting at the gym. I had stopped running for already 3 months in my effort to re-gain my ideal weight of 80kg, I was 66kg. I slowed down my pace as I sipped from the water bottle kept on my waist running belt and smiled to learn there is only 3 more kilometres to go. I was breathless and struggled to keep my pace at the speed of 8. My stamina had deteriorated since I stopped running.

The thought of being without my dad or mom was a nightmare during childhood that I never failed to ask god in my prayer for me to die first before my parent until I was diagnosed to have leukaemia. I outgrew the childhood phobic of a broken family when I was diagnosed and fought against leukaemia but the last 2 weeks, the childhood memories recur when I learn that my dad’s heart have 4 blockages and had to be admitted tomorrow at the National Heart Institute for an open heart by-pass operation.

Having battled cancer, I always think and review my life achievements todate and especially what I would want to do in career, wealth, health, social and family planning before my death so that I could live my life to the fullest without any regret. However, I failed to plan for the most important thing in life. I overlooked at what I would want to give and show to the person that I love most and to the person that had cared for me, before it is too late… before their permanent departure.

Though it is not too late, the main question remain, how to show and to care beyond just words, so that the person that I love will know how much I care and loved them.

i was so lost in thought that i didnt realize i had reached my targeted distant for today and had completed the last finishing lap. I wanted to run further but stopped unwillingly. I should slowly build up my stamina and not to overstress my training especially since today is the first day of my run. I walked another 15 minutes to warm down and thought to myself, that I should be spending some quality time with my dad and everyone that I love as a start.

chit chat....

“Get ready, I am on the way to pick u up”, I called Mus (not the real name) who worked with one of the biggest risk underwriter. I came back to find an empty home. Everybody had left for the Disney on Ice show at Bukit Jalil. I was stressed from work and hungry and needed a companion. I had not showered and had just taken dinner, said Mus whom had just got home from work too.

I’ll be there in 10minutes, I know you can eat somemore, I insisted and left home to pick him up. We went to a cosy restaurant in Damansara Height and I ordered the simplest but fastest meal on the menu, the Spaghetti Bolognese whilst he went straight for the crème breule dessert.

The place was packed with mostly expatriate and the service was good. We sat and talked nonsense for the first half an hour while waiting for the food. We wondered the possibility of Anwar losing the Permatang Pauh Election and if only we could cast our one vote each to ensure victory. I figured he is a strong PKR supporter. I merely wanted PKR to win the federal government to wipe out redundant UMNO politician. If PKR win, I am sure a new breed of UMNO supporters will surface. This is a much needed move.

My hot spaghetti Bolognese arrived and I cleared it all up in less than 5 minutes! So hungry was I. Mus is still slowly having his dessert. Interestingly, he, who is 3 years younger than me, wanted to retire now… of course if he wins a lottery. How much is enough to retire? I asked in curiosity. I never thought of retiring. In fact, I can never imagine myself without any work. Work has taken more than half my life away, running after a dream that I pray will come true. I had never asked myself that question. What do I want to do on retirement? Mus said his ultimate dream is to do nothing. He wants to be able to choose his daily option of not doing anything. In fact, Mus said smilingly, his biggest achievement for the day is when he can spend the whole day doing nothing.

I was taken aback. I never thought of it that way. True that luxury is no longer valued in money. Luxury is valued more of the time that you have at your disposal. But I would want more time to enable me to do more work or to do all in my wish list. I never thought of having the time to do nothing. Interesting I thought of Mus’s unique thought. I sipped my ice cold water whilst he had his wine apple cocktail. If ever, he wants to stay home and do nothing, he must have at least huge amount of cash stashed away somewhere. How much money is enough for whatever anyone wants to do when he retires, now or later?

Mus called for the menu and ordered a few more from the menu. See, I knew you could eat more. You just love to eat, I teased. I lost had 12 pounds in weight and I deserve a treat, Mus laughed while justifying his appetite.

There was a time when you will be recorded as one of the richest man when you are a millionaire. Now, millionaires are merely an ordinary public. You are wealthy when you are a billionaire. But Mus’s target was not to be a billionaire or millionaire, he just want to retire doing nothing. How much money is needed for anyone to do nothing and without having to worry about anything and to be able to feed his children?

I want to give that option to my children too, added Mus although he is not married yet. I want my children to be able to choose if they want to work or stay home and do nothing. Wow.. I didn’t see this extension of do-nothing for the children.

I have known Mus since he became a risk underwriter 6 years ago. He is bubbly, creative and perfectionist in his own way and forever finding the fastest solution to get his work done… and then spent the whole day (at work or wherever) doing nothing. Smart. I guess this is another quick solution to his perfect life. But… really… truthfully… I never thought of retirement. There are so much to do and so little time. Maybe I should be thinking of what I really want to do when I retire too………….

Short of licking our plates, we both cleared all the food we ordered. I wonder if the food was really delicious or maybe we were starving. I called for the bill, paid and left to sent Mus back home.

I should be doing some calculation of how much i need to retire and what i want to do when i retire i thought to myself while driving home. is that the right way? or should i or anyone just draw the line and just retire at a certain age with whatever the accomplishment?

Death is an understatement

I spoke to Z a moment ago to see how she is coping. Her husband suffered from a burst capillary in the brain and is physically paralysed and lost his ability to speak. Her husband is undergoing speech therapy and had to go through physiotherapy to walk. Nikki, the husband is in his early thirties and was an active gym member.

A few months ago, he collapsed while walking alone in Bukit Bintang Road, Kuala Lumpur. A passerby found him and brought him to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and the doctor had to perform a brain surgery immediately to save him.

I knew Nikki through Nawal. Niki was a friend to Nawal first when they were both active with RPM classes almost twice a day at the Fitness First back in 2004. Nikki is a fun and outgoing guy.

I am still at the office clearing out my IN-tray that was left in a mess when I sacked my personal assistant for criminal breach of trust but that is a story for another occasion. I sat alone after talking to Z and wondered if there is any assurance in life at all. I have known Nikki for his fanatical enthusiasm at the gym. He exercised regularly although he looked abit overweight and is always smiling and laughing. For a healthy, cheerful and stress-free guy, a stroke-like attack is out of the equation.

But it happens. What could be worse than death? Is it better to have a sudden death or to survived being handicap? I have survived a nightmare being given 3 years to live but hey, at least I know my predicament is perhaps only for 3 years. What if I survived a sickness but without being able to talk or walk or without even any memory or the ability to eat or drink.

I cannot even imagine being in Nikki’s shoe and can only imagine the pain that Z is going through. I feel for both of them and pray for Nikki’s condition to improve.

Thank you

I have received a lot of congratulatory, love as well as good luck letters, cards and gifts from anonymous, sincere friends as well as many that I have not met. I appreciate those sweet thoughts, time and the efforts taken to write and to sent me those letters, cards and gifts. I am touched by your sweet encouraging words as well as the compilations of news paper cuttings, magazines and articles about me with some dated all the way back in 1990.

I have to admit that I have lost many of the newspaper articles and most of the magazine articles dated pre-1996 and those compilations meant a lot me. I am grateful to Siti Zuraidah of Sekinchan, Selangor.

I would also like to apologize for writing in English. My English is certainly not the best but my Malay writing is worse. We always speak English or Kelantanese dialect at home but never a proper BM. Kelantanese dialect is really foreign and those who has never heard of Kelantanese dialect would never understand it. My friend Jak called Kelantanese dialect as German.

Ironically, my mum was a Malay language teacher during her teaching days but I did not take the SPM exam and did not study Malay language after SRP. I took GCSE, UK. So my malay writing really sucks.

My apology for not being able to name all those that wrote to me since the 1990s and my apology too for not replying. The truth is, I do not know how to reply in Malay language but I understand it well. Thank you for never giving up in writing. Your letters, cards and emails had inspired me to battle through tough and challenging times.

The newspaper cuttings, magazines articles as well as some cards and letters that were sent to me will be published in my book that I hope to launch it next year.

Thank you all for the kind words, sweet thoughts, never-ending encouragement and for remembering me.

ADIDAS KING OF THE ROAD- THE PAUPER ORGANISER

It was at 1226am when I realized that it was way past my bedtime to be ready for tomorrow’s King of the road race in Shah Alam. I should have at least 8 hours of sleep on the eve of any race to be able to run smoothly. I bought an external 320gb hard drive earlier today and was glued clearing out files to increase the performance of my notebook and time just flew.

I had not packed or prepare my race kit and attire for tomorrow but looking at the time, I left my notebook to bed. I slept the moment my head touches the pillow and cursed at the sudden ringing noise just a moment after falling asleep... It was my alarm!!! Its already 430am. It felt only a few minutes that I got into bed and it was already 430am.

Short of freaking out, I jumped out of bed when I remembered I had not search and prepare everything from my running vest, short, ipod, race number, shoe, my polar watch, water bottle belt to the water bottle. I overheard Nita calling my name from outside. Both Abu and Nita had arrived. They will go with us to the race venue since my sense of direction sucks.

After a good bowel relieved, we headed to Shah Alam. Me, nawal, Emi, Abu and Nita are all excited to run especially since this is the first race that Nita is participating and Emi, my sister’s longest distance run. Dato Fadhil and Datin Azura had already left.

We reached Shah alam at 615am. The race will start at 645am. I pre-selected my choice of song mixture on my ipod and switched on my polar distance tracker that was fix on my shoe. We were fascinated with the title ADIDAS KING OF THE ROAD RACE and had high expectation. The total turn up is more than 8,000 runners.

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the Chief Minister of Selangor pointed the old revolver up and pose for the camera… typical politician. I hit my ipod and my polar the soonest Tan Sri blew the gun signalling the start of the race. Everybody were pushing sprinting even at the start of the race.

My ipod played the Bollywood song that I took from nawal’s bollywood dance class and went slow at start to warm myself up ignoring the Kenyan, Indian and the professional athlete whom were sprinting like a horse. My body felt heavy and my heart rate was beating fast. I had 4 power gels and my water bottle to feed energy throughout the race.

I paced myself slow at the speed of 7.2 (thank you polar) but my heart rate was 156. I wanted to go faster but decided to pace myself at 156 heart beat per minute.

I ran enjoying the shah alam 'greens' and the Bollywood music. An hour later, Nana ran with me for a short moment. We chatted while running until I met Nawal. Nawal was down with bad stitches and could not run. I was feeling good and felt that my body was all warmed up for a speedier run. I increased my pace to the speed of 8.5, my heart beat was 162.

There were a lot of hills and I loved it. I love the run up hill but slowed my paced down-hill. I learn from my previous mistake. Running down hill will injure the knee. I was in great thirst and was delighted to see the next water station. I had been running for 1 hour and 30mins. I ration the water in my race bottle to last me for 15 km and will always re-fill the water on the 15th km @ the water station. That has always been my training routine.

I was flabbergasted to find there were no glass at the water station and there were only one big bottle of 100 plus that is half full. I deliberated if I wanted to drink from the bottle. Thinking that the bottle had been shared with other people and the thought of hepatitis, herpes and other diseases that could be passed from a shared bottle, I took a rain check and ran without any water. Be patient, there will be other water station ahead, I whispered to myself.

Short of screaming, I was furious to discover the next water station was already closed without any water or any marshals. It was less than 2 hours, 1 hour 56mins to be exact since the race started and there were no water at all for 2 water stations already. This is really FXXX. Adidas is an internationally recognise brand and I expect nothing less from an Adidas sponsored event!

I continue running and was cursing the organiser all the way. I was fortunate to have my water race bottle along. The water slowly depleted as I sip slowly to last me the whole event. I can only imagine how other runners are suffering without water.

Nana ran past me at the last km just before the roundabout. I gave chased and was behind her. This was Nana's longest distance run too. She is Emi's friend. We gave a high-5 and sprinted across the finishing line together. I completed the race in 2 hours 49minutes. This was the worse organised event. Runners could die or fainted from dehydration. I have not been to a such poorly organised event. The marshals too, that was not well briefed & trained, were impatiently waiting for the whole event to finished. There were no sporting spirits at all.

Beside the FXXX organisers, the weather was excellent. There were no sun when I completed the race and burnt a good 2620 calories (thank you again to polar watch). For RM25 registration fee and without any water, and poorly coordinated marshals, this will be my last ADIDAS RUN. There is no pride running the KING OF THE ROAD when the organisers behave like a PAUPER being stingy even with water!!!!!! Thumbs down to SHAH ALAM COUNCIL, ADIDAS and the organising team!!!!

when peace dissappear, there is only faith..

Taman Tun Dr Ismail or TTDI was my playground back in the 80s during my teens. Although i lived in SS3 Kelana Jaya then, i would cycle all the way to TTDI daily to meet friends. BMX was the hip then. I was attached to my BMX more than even my girlfriend then.... Eh... Okay thats not true... but the truth is, i love my bmx and would cycle and gather everyday at TTDI.

My closest friends then were Zarir, Edsimor and Syamreen. Both Zarir and Syamreen stayed in TTDI and so were my other BMX friends like Sofian muda, Sofian Mahmud, Kanai, Shahrun, Wailang etc. We would cycled and hang out until late night without any fear and we never did have any problem.

Those were the good old days... of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000, KL.

My brother came back from london for summer holiday last month. Barely a month later, he was attacked @ TTDI. It happened last week on Wednesday, after he had supper with a group of friends at Mosin, TTDI. As he drove home after supper, at the traffic light infront of VADS (or previously known as IBM building), an unknown black car speeded, rammed and knocked his car from the rear. He was beaten up, slashed with parang and left bleeding unconscious by the road side. My brother did not know the 4 assailants whom attacked him and could not remember the black car registration number.

He was tormented, sustained major bruises and a 12 inch long wound on his back. There were no injuries on his face, head or the front of his body except for the back. Meaning, he was pushed and attacked when he was lying down on his front. Fortunately it was a Parang and does not require any stitches as the wound would be deeper if it was a knife. My brother drove my dad’s red MG that is now badly damaged. I am more devastated to learn that there was neither any bystander that helped or any eye witness that came forward. My brother’s friend arrived at the scene 10 minutes later, found him lying on the tarmac by the roadside unconscious. This incident was kept away from my mum’s knowledge and I trust that the reader will not discuss it with her or any of my sisters (if you know them) to avoid any unnecessary stress. My mum does not use the internet and it is unlikely that she will read this blog. If anyone has any information about the incident, please contact me.

Last night, 6 men with guns went to my neighbour’s house mistaken it for my dad's. They drove a van and confronted my neighbour’s Gurkha guard. One of the 6 men, showed his gun that is secured on his waist and asked the guard to cooperate. He asked the guard if the house belong to the “Dato with an aeroplane whose son always goes out at night (presumably my brother)”. The guard denied and said that the house belongs to somebody else. Upon realizing it was the wrong house, they left. My neighbour called and informed my dad the next day.

It may or may not be related but I am not discounting the fact that someone is trying to hit my family too. I was once warned, when I first launched the Fasfik establishment, that car workshop is Chinese dominant and the Chinese do not negotiate, they kill their competitors. I am neither racist nor do I believe in this remark but I am taking extra precaution in case there is some truth. Nonetheless, since inception, most of the Fasfik outlets had been robbed and my equipments damaged by parang-wielding robbers and the MG was used to site visit most of my outlets.

I met the TTDI police chief and lodge a report. The district CID investigation officer also came and took my statement and is investigating both incidents. The CID found the van registered to a car workshop @ Damansara Uptown. By now, there would have made the arrest for further investigation especially since it involved guns.

TTDI neighbourhood including Penchala used to be a quiet and peaceful area. Now, we all must be careful when leaving home whether during daytime or at night. There is no better and safer place than home. Most of my guards at home are now armed. When there is no peace, we have to secure, protect our family, be strong and have faith that everything will turn out positive.

RUN AWAY....

I am in my car again heading to Subang 2 to meet my vendor Petro Retail. It is not easy to write my blog at home or at the office with so much work to complete and so many discussions with my Head of Departments. Leslie is next to me directing Sanwa, my driver, to Petro retail office as I frantically glued on my Nokia E90 typing my blog. I reckon I have less than 15 minutes before reaching the destination.

Running is undoubtedly the best form of exercise to burn fat. Well not that I am looking into losing fat but since I started running constantly in the past 2 months, I have gone down from 74kg to 66kg, almost 15kg under-weight for my height of 5’11”.

Is that good? To be a good runner, we must keep our body weight light and to run a full marathon or ultra-marathon, having a light body weight is a good advantage but is that what I wanted? i wandered alone. No, I never wanted to lose weight. I was never overweight and it was never my ambition to be a good runner.

What inspires me to start exercising and running was my blood test result. With my ‘re-condition’ body, having gone through heavy doses of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy prior to the bone marrow transplant almost 20 years ago, it will be a matter of time before each of my internal organs collapse. Now, all my blood test results display high positive reading for cholesterol, glucose, uric acid, stone in the bladder etc. Typical and even parts of a 're-condition' car engine too will slowly collapse. I started my running, cycling and swimming as I turn 30, to maintain my fitness given all the negative blood test results.

Being dissatisfied with 66kg in weight, I ran away from running and focussed more in weight lifting for the past 3 weeks. An intensive weight training can increase my heart beat to a 90% max heart rate giving me enough training to improve my fitness level. Weight training had also improved my physique. My weight has increased to 70kg now. I have registered for the Adidas King of the Road 24km race on 10 August 2008 this coming Sunday and I have not been running for the past 3 weeks. The qualifying time is 2 hours and 30 minutes for the 24km race.

I asked leslie who looked bored beside me if he is ready for the Adidas race? Leslie and at least 9 of my other friends were supposed to run the Adidas race with me. Leslie said, my pa, Azhar failed to register Leslie, Sayf and Azlan in time before the closing date. They took too long to decide if they really wanted to participate. We.. me, nawal, abu, nita, Dato Fadzil, Datin azura and my sister Emi had registered earlier being overly eager to run the King of the Road race. We reached Petro Retail office and I am still half way through the blog post. Petro Retail is the authorised supplier for Facep, Italy car workshop equipments and is the only bumiputra company in the field.

After 2 hours of discussions with Kamarul, Petro Retail Managing Director, we left to the Soul’ed Out restaurant at Desa Sri Hartamas for a meeting with another vendor; Mohan from Shell. Yes, without exhausting my effort to post a blog regularly, I continued writing while Sanwa drove and leslie sitting quietly getting lost in thought.

To complete the Adidas King of the Road race within the time frame given, I need to train for distance and speed running which I will again go back to being 66kg without a good physique, except for being thin. I choose to maintain my weight above 70kg & physique and needed to do more weight training but I may not be able to complete the race within the qualifying time. I guess I will only find out this coming Sunday during the race. Good luck to me.

Contrary to whatever the health, muscle and fitness magazine writes, I do not believe in attaining both a good running distance and a muscular physique. It is an ‘either-or’ gain. A distance running will burn both fat as well as muscles and will make anyone too thin without a well built physique but both will increase fitness level. To those who seek to lose weight, ladies especially, don’t waste time and money at the gym and personal trainer; just invest in a good running shoe and start running. Believe me, it work wonders.

LOW-BATT

“Life is like a box of chocolate, we don’t know what we going to get”, a quote made famous by Forest Gump, one of my favourite movie acted by Tom Hanks. Truly, I love it when I pick a chocolate from a box to be delighted with a rich creamy chocolate with crispy hazel nut inside but was not amused when I picked another one to discover a bitter chocolate with yucky sour juice in the middle. Yes, it depends on preference but such is the similarity to life. We give it our best shot to get the favourite rich chocolate with hazelnut, but may end up being bitter. Some people call it luck but I call it fate. Luck is by incidental and fate is pre-determined by the almighty. I never believe in luck as I wondered alone being chauffeured driven for a meeting at Proton Edar.

Yes, I am test writing my blog using my Nokia Communicator E90. It has been almost a week since my last blog-post that used to be daily. I have so much to write but time is always against me. ya ya… nawal called it 'hot hot chicken shit’.. but really… okay, no more excuses. So I am forgoing my regular short nap in the car whilst travelling to meetings and appoinments to write my blog. I have 26 minutes before reaching Proton Edar head office.

Many people feel their success came from good luck or good feng shui or perhaps through following the great horoscope. There are also some, like my buddy Abu, who believed his success was generated from years of sheer hard work but there are also many who worked hard all their life and still far from reaching their goal. Either they are not fated yet for success or simply do not have any luck yet, they will have to be patient and never give up until they meet their fate or luck. So long as we do not give up in our effort, we will be rewarded with good luck or good fate whichever that we believe.

However, giving up is sometimes inevitable as we are all human. We may be drained or burnt out sooner than we expected and may just drop everything and blame it on bad luck or bad fate. That would be ironic.

To avoid burning or drained out, we need a good source of constant inspiration so that we can continue working towards achieving our goal or plan. Our life became a pack of batteries that always requires re-charging. A battery for love, another battery for career and a battery for health etc. When any of the battery is in low-battery (low batt), it requires re-charging.

A good health may disappear too when we are stressed and under pressure. When the health is in low-battery, a good source of recharging is through running. Daily running will keep the body fit and healthy. Similarly, in a relationship, if it is not constantly charged, it can be in ‘low-bat’ and may soon dropped dead or the relationship may break. If your luck or fate is good, the relationship may last longer but if you do not have any luck or the faith in each other suddenly disappear, it is time for re-charging. When we are in low-batt mode, scream to your spouse/partner that you are in low-batt and require re-charging. The source for re-charging may vary but usually, a good quality 30mins to 1 hour aday of chat, tlc or sex can do wonders. It did to me…. (I think… )

What is also important when in low-batt is our religious faith. It has been almost two years now, since I performed my pilgrims and yes.. I was also in low-batt. From an occasional monthly gathering with Dr Juanda, volunteered by each group members taking turn hosting, our group had decided to meet every fortnightly. Dr Juanda was previously Sabah Deputy Mufti who guided us when we were performing our pilgrims in Mekah. One of our group member, Dato Fadzil had volunteered his company's training centre for as our fortnightly gathering point and Dr Juanda had agreed to visit KL from Sabah for every gathering. Without these gatherings, I may drifter farther away and is always in low-batt! These gatherings is a good source to re-charge my religious faith even before in low-batt mode.

We will be in the ‘low-batt’ mode at some point in life and it is best if we can identify the source to constantly recharge ourselves before the battery is dead. I arrived at proton edar in time for my meeting but I have forgotten how to email this my blog to post it. sigh.. I guess, I can only post it later………………