Nelson
Alright, im finally on the road again...Nima came around to pick me up earlier and we are now heading towards Golden Bay...It is fun catching up with him again since we had such a good time back in Hobart, Tasmania, where he hosted my stay...and now we are travelling again in another country, aint it amazing?
would love to visit him in Maryland, USA, some time in the future...
Later on im gonna meet up with Nicky (taiwan) and John (Czech) in Motueka...ive missed them dearly since we parted in Te Puke...
it's definitely reunion time, in sync with the festive season...
let us all be merry this season!!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Recently Denise sent me an article in which i found it rather interesting and thought i should share it with you.
# While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry
Michael Backman
November 15, 2006
MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy
each of its two main races — the Malays and the Chinese — owns. It's an
argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not
synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time
Malaysia grew up.
It's a tough world out there and there can be little sympathy for a
country that prefers to argue about how to divide wealth rather than get
on with the job of creating it.
The long-held aim is for 30 per cent of corporate equity to be in Malay
hands, but the figure that the Government uses to justify handing over
huge swathes of public companies to Malays but not to other races is
absurd. It bases its figure on equity valued, not at market value, but at
par value.
Many shares have a par value of say $1 but a market value of $12. And so
the Government figure (18.9 per cent is the most recent figure) is a
gross underestimate. Last month a paper by a researcher at a local think-
tank came up with a figure of 45 per cent based on actual stock prices.
All hell broke loose. The paper was withdrawn and the researcher resigned
in protest. Part of the problem is that he is Chinese.
"Malaysia boleh!" is Malaysia's national catch cry. It translates
to "Malaysia can!" and Malaysia certainly can. Few countries are as good
at wasting money. It is richly endowed with natural resources and the
national obsession seems to be to extract these, sell them off and then
collectively spray the proceeds up against the wall.
This all happens in the context of Malaysia's grossly inflated sense of
its place in the world.
Most Malaysians are convinced that the eyes of the world are on their
country and that their leaders are world figures. This is thanks to
Malaysia's tame media and the bravado of former prime minister Mahathir
Mohamad. The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York
could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or
capital city.
As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a
newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called
Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one,
as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala
Lumpur is inland.
Petronas, the national oil company is well run, particularly when
compared to the disaster that passes for a national oil company in
neighbouring Indonesia. But in some respects, this is Malaysia's problem.
The very success of Petronas means that it is used to underwrite all
manner of excess.
The KLCC development in central Kuala Lumpur is an example. It includes
the Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world when they were built,
which was their point.
It certainly wasn't that there was an office shortage in Kuala Lumpur —
there wasn't.
Malaysians are very proud of these towers. Goodness knows why. They had
little to do with them. The money for them came out of the ground and the
engineering was contracted out to South Korean companies.
They don't even run the shopping centre that's beneath them. That's
handled by Australia's Westfield.
Next year, a Malaysian astronaut will go into space aboard a Russian
rocket — the first Malay in space. And the cost? $RM95 million ($A34.3
million), to be footed by Malaysian taxpayers. The Science and Technology
Minister has said that a moon landing in 2020 is the next target, aboard
a US flight. There's no indication of what the Americans will charge for
this, assuming there's even a chance that they will consider it. But what
is Malaysia getting by using the space programs of others as a taxi
service? There are no obvious technical benefits, but no doubt Malaysians
will be told once again, that they are "boleh". The trouble is, they're
not. It's not their space program.
Back in July, the Government announced that it would spend $RM490 million
on a sports complex near the London Olympics site so that Malaysian
athletes can train there and "get used to cold weather".
But the summer Olympics are held in the summer.
So what is the complex's real purpose? The dozens of goodwill missions by
ministers and bureaucrats to London to check on the centre's construction
and then on the athletes while they train might provide a clue.
Bank bale outs, a formula one racing track, an entire new capital city —
Petronas has paid for them all. It's been an orgy of nonsense that
Malaysia can ill afford.
Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is,
Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 — that's just five years
away.
So it's in this context that the latest debate about race and wealth is
so sad.
It is time to move on, time to prepare the economy for life after oil.
But, like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, the Malaysian Government is
more interested in stunts like sending a Malaysian into space when
Malaysia's inadequate schools could have done with the cash, and arguing
about wealth distribution using transparently ridiculous statistics.
That's not Malaysia "boleh", that's Malaysia "bodoh" (stupid). #
While im rather incline to be on the same page as the author, im much disturbed by one of his comment...
quote:'The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York
could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or
capital city.
As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a
newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called
Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one,
as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala
Lumpur is inland. '
I know im not someone who's well-travelled, but throughout my course here, ive met so many travellers from all over the world, and i can proudly testify that most foreigners bloody know where KUALA LUMPUR is, for crying out loud...
when informed that im from Malaysia, the first question they would ask is:'are you from KL?'and followed bÿ 'that's where the twin towers are right?'
at that i would simply smile and nod...truth is, im not particularly proud of our petronas towers, indeed, ditto the author, we have very little to do with it, other than the drainage and irrigation and perhaps some gardening of the exterior, we have minimal participation, if not zero contribution to the construction and development of what used to be the tallest building in the world...
but to say that few ppl know of our country is a harsh insult, that just proves how really ignorant the americans are...dont get me wrong, i really have nothing against them, but it's about time they get outta their comfort zone and start showing more interest in the rest of the world...
KL rocks...
# While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry
Michael Backman
November 15, 2006
MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy
each of its two main races — the Malays and the Chinese — owns. It's an
argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not
synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time
Malaysia grew up.
It's a tough world out there and there can be little sympathy for a
country that prefers to argue about how to divide wealth rather than get
on with the job of creating it.
The long-held aim is for 30 per cent of corporate equity to be in Malay
hands, but the figure that the Government uses to justify handing over
huge swathes of public companies to Malays but not to other races is
absurd. It bases its figure on equity valued, not at market value, but at
par value.
Many shares have a par value of say $1 but a market value of $12. And so
the Government figure (18.9 per cent is the most recent figure) is a
gross underestimate. Last month a paper by a researcher at a local think-
tank came up with a figure of 45 per cent based on actual stock prices.
All hell broke loose. The paper was withdrawn and the researcher resigned
in protest. Part of the problem is that he is Chinese.
"Malaysia boleh!" is Malaysia's national catch cry. It translates
to "Malaysia can!" and Malaysia certainly can. Few countries are as good
at wasting money. It is richly endowed with natural resources and the
national obsession seems to be to extract these, sell them off and then
collectively spray the proceeds up against the wall.
This all happens in the context of Malaysia's grossly inflated sense of
its place in the world.
Most Malaysians are convinced that the eyes of the world are on their
country and that their leaders are world figures. This is thanks to
Malaysia's tame media and the bravado of former prime minister Mahathir
Mohamad. The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York
could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or
capital city.
As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a
newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called
Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one,
as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala
Lumpur is inland.
Petronas, the national oil company is well run, particularly when
compared to the disaster that passes for a national oil company in
neighbouring Indonesia. But in some respects, this is Malaysia's problem.
The very success of Petronas means that it is used to underwrite all
manner of excess.
The KLCC development in central Kuala Lumpur is an example. It includes
the Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world when they were built,
which was their point.
It certainly wasn't that there was an office shortage in Kuala Lumpur —
there wasn't.
Malaysians are very proud of these towers. Goodness knows why. They had
little to do with them. The money for them came out of the ground and the
engineering was contracted out to South Korean companies.
They don't even run the shopping centre that's beneath them. That's
handled by Australia's Westfield.
Next year, a Malaysian astronaut will go into space aboard a Russian
rocket — the first Malay in space. And the cost? $RM95 million ($A34.3
million), to be footed by Malaysian taxpayers. The Science and Technology
Minister has said that a moon landing in 2020 is the next target, aboard
a US flight. There's no indication of what the Americans will charge for
this, assuming there's even a chance that they will consider it. But what
is Malaysia getting by using the space programs of others as a taxi
service? There are no obvious technical benefits, but no doubt Malaysians
will be told once again, that they are "boleh". The trouble is, they're
not. It's not their space program.
Back in July, the Government announced that it would spend $RM490 million
on a sports complex near the London Olympics site so that Malaysian
athletes can train there and "get used to cold weather".
But the summer Olympics are held in the summer.
So what is the complex's real purpose? The dozens of goodwill missions by
ministers and bureaucrats to London to check on the centre's construction
and then on the athletes while they train might provide a clue.
Bank bale outs, a formula one racing track, an entire new capital city —
Petronas has paid for them all. It's been an orgy of nonsense that
Malaysia can ill afford.
Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is,
Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 — that's just five years
away.
So it's in this context that the latest debate about race and wealth is
so sad.
It is time to move on, time to prepare the economy for life after oil.
But, like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, the Malaysian Government is
more interested in stunts like sending a Malaysian into space when
Malaysia's inadequate schools could have done with the cash, and arguing
about wealth distribution using transparently ridiculous statistics.
That's not Malaysia "boleh", that's Malaysia "bodoh" (stupid). #
While im rather incline to be on the same page as the author, im much disturbed by one of his comment...
quote:'The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York
could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or
capital city.
As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a
newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called
Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one,
as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala
Lumpur is inland. '
I know im not someone who's well-travelled, but throughout my course here, ive met so many travellers from all over the world, and i can proudly testify that most foreigners bloody know where KUALA LUMPUR is, for crying out loud...
when informed that im from Malaysia, the first question they would ask is:'are you from KL?'and followed bÿ 'that's where the twin towers are right?'
at that i would simply smile and nod...truth is, im not particularly proud of our petronas towers, indeed, ditto the author, we have very little to do with it, other than the drainage and irrigation and perhaps some gardening of the exterior, we have minimal participation, if not zero contribution to the construction and development of what used to be the tallest building in the world...
but to say that few ppl know of our country is a harsh insult, that just proves how really ignorant the americans are...dont get me wrong, i really have nothing against them, but it's about time they get outta their comfort zone and start showing more interest in the rest of the world...
KL rocks...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Marlborough, south island
One plus point of working in the vineyard is that, you get to know of the different varieties of wine...
so we went wine tasting last weekend and visited some eight wineries or so, i wouldnt exactly call myself a sommelier now but it was really an informative trip...i can now differentiate between chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, rose, sauvignon blanc, riesling, spatlese and lots more...
my personal favourite is the german wine of Spatlese, translated as 'late picking', it is of riesling variety and carries a sweet tone in which i love...I bought a bottle from Fromm wineyard and it only costs me nzd26...
on the other hand, im thinking of moving on soon...the adrenaline activities in the southern region of Queenstown are beckoning...
just cant wait....
One plus point of working in the vineyard is that, you get to know of the different varieties of wine...
so we went wine tasting last weekend and visited some eight wineries or so, i wouldnt exactly call myself a sommelier now but it was really an informative trip...i can now differentiate between chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, rose, sauvignon blanc, riesling, spatlese and lots more...
my personal favourite is the german wine of Spatlese, translated as 'late picking', it is of riesling variety and carries a sweet tone in which i love...I bought a bottle from Fromm wineyard and it only costs me nzd26...
on the other hand, im thinking of moving on soon...the adrenaline activities in the southern region of Queenstown are beckoning...
just cant wait....
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Marlborough
Ever heard of the world renowned wine region of Marlborough? Well, this is my current pit stop where im helping out in the vineyard, Pernod Ricard to be exact (previously Montana)...The money isnt fabulous ($12/h), but hell, at least i get to pay for my food and accommodation...and if im thriffty enough (less drinking + shopping), i might even be able to save up some travel funds...
the work is relatively easy, i only hafta pull out shoots from the plant, and you are allowed to do it at your own comfortable pace without supervision...the best thing about the company is that, even if it is raining (like today), they will still pay you three hours wages for sitting at home...
So if you should come across PR wine in the supermarket, do acknowledge my contribution, as im part of the production team.... :)
im thinking of doing this for a month before moving on to the next location, which is the Golden Bay and followed by West coast...
***********
For some reason or other, Garuda Airlines has decided to terminate their only service out of Auckland to its indonesian precinct, hence effective immediately, my airticket to Bali is declared VOID...imagine my annoyance when the ticketing agent rang me up and announced amiably:'Hi Marcus, im just calling to inform you that your flight to Bali has been cancelled'... :) '
but being the responsible airlines that they are, and to avoid my bitching of them for years to come, Garuda has volunteered to fly me to Sydney with AirNewZealand, all expenses paid for...and from there on fly to Bali with their aircraft...
in other words, i can fly to sydney again...!!
Ever heard of the world renowned wine region of Marlborough? Well, this is my current pit stop where im helping out in the vineyard, Pernod Ricard to be exact (previously Montana)...The money isnt fabulous ($12/h), but hell, at least i get to pay for my food and accommodation...and if im thriffty enough (less drinking + shopping), i might even be able to save up some travel funds...
the work is relatively easy, i only hafta pull out shoots from the plant, and you are allowed to do it at your own comfortable pace without supervision...the best thing about the company is that, even if it is raining (like today), they will still pay you three hours wages for sitting at home...
So if you should come across PR wine in the supermarket, do acknowledge my contribution, as im part of the production team.... :)
im thinking of doing this for a month before moving on to the next location, which is the Golden Bay and followed by West coast...
***********
For some reason or other, Garuda Airlines has decided to terminate their only service out of Auckland to its indonesian precinct, hence effective immediately, my airticket to Bali is declared VOID...imagine my annoyance when the ticketing agent rang me up and announced amiably:'Hi Marcus, im just calling to inform you that your flight to Bali has been cancelled'... :) '
but being the responsible airlines that they are, and to avoid my bitching of them for years to come, Garuda has volunteered to fly me to Sydney with AirNewZealand, all expenses paid for...and from there on fly to Bali with their aircraft...
in other words, i can fly to sydney again...!!
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