First, it was the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who set the precedence, by topping the list of Malaysia cabinet VIPs who didn’t pay summon. Abdullah has since paid outstanding fines after being informed by the Deputy Police Chief Musa Hassan.

Gradually, list of ministers with outstanding traffic fines was revealed. The latest, thanks to Malaysiakini, 18 more ministers have became part of the ‘elite club’.

I don’t give a heck to Works Minister S. Samy Vellu who top the list with 143 summons at RM17460, issued to him since 5 January 1999. Afterall, we all know what is he famous of.

But Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy, who has preached road safety to Malaysians, didn’t put to practice what they had publicly preached?

Walk the talk, talk the c**k?

(SOURCE: FIFAworldcup.com)

One month ago, 32 teams set out on a quest for the top. Only two remain. Italy vs France. Who will survive?

Finding self-belief in a tournament is what France has accomplished on the backs of some old war horses coaxed out of retirement for the World Cup in Germany.

All eyes today are on French superstar Zinedine Zidane and his quest to lead France to another World Cup title over impressive Italy.

(SOURCE: FIFAworldcup.com)

During group play, Les Bleus was so unimpressive many wondered if they would advance.

After scraping through to the elimination round, coach Raymond Domenech’s French team victory over Spain was capped by an impressive performance by Zidane, whose performance reminded us of his immense talent.

But the key for Zidane is the play of midfield compatriots Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele, who have allowed him to take over the grand stage again. Vieira and Makelele’s selfless positional play and work rate have allowed the great one his space to be creative.

But Italy poses a different challenge.

Italy is also a team that has grown in self-belief and thrived under the controversy of a betting scandal in Italy that includes many of the Serie A clubs for which these players perform.

(SOURCE: FIFAworldcup.com)

Coach Marcello Lippi’s squad ruined the party for Germany, defeating the hosts 2-0 in a classic semifinal Tuesday through extra-time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero, who many in Italy even questioned should be on the squad.

Italy is led by the talented central defender Fabio Cannavaro, who has been excellent in the absence of injured Alessandro Nesta (injured) and Andrea Pirlo in midfield, who initiates the attack.

Much like Germany under Juergen Klinsmann, the attacking attitude has changed under Lippi for Italy. Both squads use a 4-5-1 tactical lineup. The question is who will get their lone strikers the better support.

Italy has had 10 players score, led by striker Luca Toni with two. But it has been the point-guard style work of Francesco Totti and Pirlo that has sparked the attack, and Grosso is among the tournament’s most effective defenders, even such players as Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi have made major contributions as substitutes.

France has midfielder Zidane, who has recaptured the form he used to win three FIFA player of the year awards and to lead France to the 1998 glory. Thierry Henry, although his marksmanship could be more precise, always is a threat, and Vieira’s recent performances rival any of his teammates.

My wish: The man who scored two headed goals to lift the most coveted of all trophies for the first time in 1998!

Yours? ;-)

Barely 24 hours after this blogger complaining that the punishment is too severe for leaving MyKad behind, to the extent that  Malaysians will resort to the shortcut to avoid money down or jail term, Malaysians in general agree that the punishment is too harsh. Let me some of them:

Do something about the illegal immigrants in the country. Stop threatening innocent citizens and frightening tourists. This is not a ‘police state’. […]

"Malaysia is now a safe country. We shouldn’t be so rigid like during the Emergency. You can educate people to carry their MyKad at all times, but it depends on the situation. If a person goes jogging in the park, need he have his MyKad with him?

Let me repeat, RM20,000 is not a small amount to most Malaysians in general and 3 years’s jail term is absolutely horrible, both due to a piece of MyKad.

Certainly, we need a cool head and not to become overzealous in term of measurement of penalty. By rushing into reckless decision and throwing aside possible uproar among public, it won’t help to encourage public to carry their MyKad.

Probably, when someone was caught without MyKad and being imposed with any kind of penalties (RM20K or 3 years’ jail term), things will run out of control and this is something Joe Public like you and me wouldn’t want to take chance on.

Think about this, Mr. DG.

Blogger M. Bakri Musa (www.bakrimusa.com), a surgeon in California and the author of The Malay Dilemma Revisited: Race Dynamics in Modern Malaysia, is going to release yet another book, Towards A Competitive Malaysia: Development Challenges for the Twenty-First Century, which is due to be released this coming October 2006. (Click here to view his profile)

In the last chapter of the book, in the form of an open letter to the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which is essentially a summary of the book, he has this to say. Excerpt:

An Open Letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

    Dear YAB Perdana Menteri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi:

    When Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad selected you back in early 1999 to be his Deputy, and thus his successor, you described the event as a promotion.

    That reflected your humble and understated style. I hope that in your heart you did not consider the exercise to be just another step up the civil service rung, rather a rare and privileged opportunity to lead Malaysia to greater heights. Malaysians certainly thought so, for they subsequently gave you an overwhelming mandate.

    In the few years as Deputy Prime Minister, you remained the dutiful number two, respectfully keeping yourself in the background. I do not know whether that was an expression of your personality or that you were shrewdly mindful of the sorry fate of your three predecessors. Besides, it would have been tough to shine in the shadow of such a towering personality (if I can borrow your phrase) as Dr. Mahathir.

Read the rest of this entry »

National Registration Department (NRD) director-general Abdul Halim Mohamed is fast-and-furious.

Don’t leave home without your MyKad unless you are prepared to pay a fine of between RM3,000 and RM20,000 or worse, face up to three years in jail.  

National Registration Department (NRD) director-general Datuk Abdul Halim Mohamed has advised Malaysians to carry their MyKad at all times as required by law. 

“Please do not blame us if you are caught because we are now giving everyone ample warning to carry their MyKad or identity cards,” he told The Star.

Let’s hail the DG for the swift action to avoid detention during spot checks as well as to curb illegal immigrants. I say, thumbs up!

However, fine up to RM20,000 or three years’ jail, what if you’re the unlucky one, which are you going to opt for? RM20,000 for leaving your MyKad somewhere else? 3 years’ jail for a MyKad?

It might be severe enough to deter one of leaving MyKad elsewhere, but the fact is, human do forget.

So, back to the old question, how’re you going to solve it? We Malaysians, as usual, will go for none of them, but the alternative way: The shortcut.

Shortcut? What shortcut is that? You know, I know.

Period.

Last year, it was reported that Ipoh intended to be the Malaysia very first "wireless city".

Today, Perak’s Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli said all Perak towns would offer the wireless service while facilities along the stretch of the North-South Expressway in the state would have them by 2008.

"This year alone, between RM3 million and RM4 million will be spent to provide the needed infrastructure to extend the service in Ipoh and several selected areas in the state," he said after launching a free wireless broadband Internet service at the Tapah rest and recreational (R&R) area, near here Tuesday.

"Ipoh is 60 per cent covered with wireless broadband Internet service, and all the three R&R areas at Tapah, Sungai Perak and Gunung Semanggol jumped onto the bandwagon today."

The service, which is known as "Wireless Perak", will elevated Perak’s status as the widest broadband Internet service coverage when 80 percent of its area provides the facilities by the end of the next year.

Can any Orang Perak or any Rest and Recreational (R&R) users confirm this?

Thumbs up!

Defiant North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, South Korean officials said, intensifying the furor ignited when the reclusive regime launched at least six missiles earlier in the day.

North Korea’s display of firepower came after months of failed efforts to restart six-nation talks aimed at convincing the communist nation to abandon its nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic and political rewards.

The Bush administration and North Korea blame each other for the impasse, and the test-firings made chances for a resumption of the so-called six-party talks — which also involved China, Russia, South Korea and Japan — even more remote.

The news comes hours after North Korea test-fired at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, sparking global condemnation.

A foreign ministry official said such launches were a matter of national sovereignty, Japanese media reported. Correspondents say Pyongyang may see this action as a way to get attention and break the diplomatic log jam over stalled talks on its nuclear capabilities.

The earlier missile launches came as the US celebrated its Independence Day holiday and launched the space shuttle from Florida.

June 24: Gothenburg at Tanjong Priok (Indonesia)

The Swedish Ship "Gothenburg" - a reconstruction of a ship from the mid-18th century  is now one of the largest fullrigged wooden sailing ships in the world, and meets international safety requirements for ocean going vessels.

The project is based on modern research combined with the revival of traditional methods of craftsmanship dating from the 18th century. Anyone meeting the East Indiaman "Gothenburg" under full sail out at sea would find it impossible to distinguish her from the original ship. Above the waterline, the "Gothenburg" is a historical sailing ship. The modern machinery and the majority of the advanced technical equipment have been concealed deep down in the hull.

A feat that many considered impossible has now been achieved. The magnificent 18th century ship is sailing again!

Click here (http://www.soic.se/engelska/inenglish.4.1e228bcf782be0db97fff408.html) to visit the official website.