[UPDATED VERSION] Via TheEdge:

(SOURCE: TheEdge, 27 January 2006)

Dell president and CEO Kevin B Rollins commended the effort and support from the Malaysian government and its abudance of workforce in the country.

"We chose Penang for the past 11 years because of the support from the government which allowed us to be competitive and we will continue to collaborate with the leaders in Malaysia who are willing to discuss what should we do next." […]

Advice to Malaysia?

With emerging large economies like China and India, Malaysia and Penang should move forward and not to be afraid to "break glass".

I hope someone out there is able to read the message well.

Related Link:
- BBC | Dell to employ 50% more in India

Yesterday was the start of the Year of the Dog based on the Chinese lunar calendar and it’s also one of the major celebration in Malaysia.

During the Chinese New Year eve, reunion dinner is a must, such as blogger Passion Flower, who is very excited to celebrate Chinese New Year once again, with the usual reunion dinner on eve and confess that "we Chinese, can eat till our hearts content". After the reunion dinner, blogger May was pondering whether she should try her luck on cards games, as part of the Chinese tradition. […]

Click here for more of the entry at Global Voices Online.

Volkswagen Group executive vice-president Stefan Jacoby explained why the break-off with Proton.

"There was no rational reason given by Proton as to why they were not willing to give full management control except that it was related to national pride."

This must be a damn expensive pride to hold.

… robbing case took place within university compound.

City Deputy CID chief, ACP Ramli Din said in the incident which happened at 1.45 pm at the Kompleks Perdana Siswa at the university, the robbers waylaid the security guards and also seized a pump gun held by one of them.

"They then grabbed the bags containing the money and fired a shot at a nearby vehicle before making their getaway by using a back road at the university," he told Bernama.

One question to dear Higher Education Minister Shafie Salleh and Education Minister Hishamuddin Hussein, what if students are being taken hostage?

I hope both ministers can understand the severity of this incident and make sure no repeat occurence in the future, especially when education instituition is at its center stage.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Malaysians:

Happy Chinese New Year 2006!

‘Via BBC:

(SOURCE: BBC, 27 January 2006)

On September 23, former deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sent a legal letter to his former boss Mahathir Mohamad for calling him a sodomist during a press conference at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) on 9 September 2005, in which the later did not accede to any of the demands in the letter.

I bet Aisehman must be watching from the sidelines, together with his Coke and popcorn.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajudin Syed Putra Jamalullail and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will grace the the national Chinese New Year open house this year, which will be held in Penang on Feb 4.

DATE: 4 February 2006 (Saturday)

TIME: 4pm - 11.30pm

VENUE: Masjid Kapitan Keling Street, Armenian Street, Cannon Street, Ah Quee Street, Acheen St. & Soo Hong lane

EVENTS: Lion and dragon dances, Chingay performers, cultural dances, Chinese opera, traditional silk ball throwing, calligraphy, Chinese tea-serving art, callisthenics, Chinese pastry making, traditional cuisine and cultural exhibition by four clan villages (Hokkien, Teochew, Hainanese & Cantonese)

Click here, here, here and here for more info.

Be it "crooked bridge", "scenic bridge" or even "cynic bridge" as labelled by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia is going ahead with the plan to build a bridge across its half of the Johor Strait, with work to begin after Chinese New Year.

The Government had decided not to wait for Singapore’s decision on the matter, as the delay was costing Johor in terms of potential growth and the plan now is to build the bridge within Malaysia’s territorial waters without demolishing the Causeway.

While the shape of the bridge would be a reflection of relations between the two countries, whether the Singaporeans are straight or the Malaysians are crooked as some Singaporean sources said, it doesn’t matter.

What matter is how Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak reacted on Singapore seeking clarification from the Malaysian authorities over the construction of bridge.

[…] any clarification with regard to Malaysia’s decision to proceed with a plan to build a bridge across half of the Johor Strait will be made through Wisma Putra.

"There is a joint negotiation team between Singapore and Malaysia. So, they can use that as a forum or they can liase directly with Singapore if there is a specific request," he told reporters after attending a function here.

A very good answer from Pak Najib and I really mean it.

Via Bernama:

(SOURCE: Bernama, 27 January 2006)

Feeling disappointed? Well, not enough yet, at least not for now!

"MPP unanimously expressed support for continued enforcement of the Act and did not want it to be opposed. The government accepts this stand, and the Act will not be repealed." […]

In the memorandum handed to Najib after the meeting, MPP described SMM as an unregistered body and called on the government to take firm action against the student group and not entertain any of its requests.

Please remember this, buddies, it’s YOU who VOTED them to be there!

Via Malay Mail:

(SOURCE: Screenshots, 27 January 2006)

Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said the problem of insufficient funds to meet the medical bill should be resolved within the hospital itself.

"(Such matters should) always start from where the (patients) came from. Patients should always go back to hospitals. There, social workers, officers and staff are available and patients should ask them for help instead.

"Hospitals should not send patients running around in circles," he said.

He also said the Ministry is not the place for patients to seek financial aid, as it will not know the nature of the case.

Dr Chua said there could have been a "breakdown in communication" as there were not many non-Malays who were conversant in Bahasa Malaysia.

"You people should get both sides of the story. You just listened to one side of the story which is not true," he said.

When contacted, Maniam reiterated that during his visit to IJN on Jan 16, the staff did not inform him that his son’s operation was going to be subsidised.

"They did not tell me that I will receive help, except to ask for my Employees Provident Fund’s savings statement," he said.

The Ministry has allocated RM205 million for medical treatment for Government staff, Government retirees and to subsidise the expenses of poor patients at IJN.

What do you think? Or to be more precise, how would you feel if you’re the poor father?