Nov 20, 20 men dressed in Rela uniform but armed with drugs pulled off the biggest robbery the country has ever known.

In an hour, they looted almost RM50 million of microchips from under the noses of security at the Batu Maung Free Commercial Zone.

The heist, received the attention of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who expressed disappointment over the delay in alerting the police of the robbery(?). Since then, nationwide hunting was conducted, together with helping from Interpol and Aseanapol to be on the lookout for any suspicious electronic consignment. So far, no concrete outcome from the investigation.

Dec 30, RM3.5mil worth of computer components were reported missing from a warehouse in Bukit Tengah, which is believed to be Seberang Perai-based Solectron Technologies Sdn Bhd.

Here comes the interesting part. The president of Penang Freight Forwarders Association (PFFA) Joachim Loo claimed that it had on Dec 16 warned police about an impending robbery at a warehouses either on Penang island or Seberang Prai.

"A discussion was then held among PFFA members, before I forwarded the SMS to the police, including state police chief Deputy Comm Koh Hong Sun."

"This only shows that our information was not viewed seriously." [...]

On top of that, according to Joachim, the police were refusing to reveal the latest heist to cover up their failure in preventing robberies at warehouses and treated the warning as a fake.

[...] the police were more interested in the sender of the SMS, and not on ways to prevent the robbery.

On the other hand, he too complained about the inefficiency and non-functional security committee headed by the Penang State Government.

"When we contacted the committee the next day, all the officers were on leave and there was no one at the chief minister’s office other than a clerk who told us that everybody was on leave."

Welcome to Penang, DCP Koh! Your brother Tsu Koon must be in immediate need of your service to help covering for him.

By the way, one little reminder to both Mr. Koh(s), the act of robbery at cargo complexes in Malaysia has became an annual occurence since 2004. Currently, Penang is topping the list as the biggest casualty, with an accumulation lost of over RM50mil worth of products.

So, it’s extremly essential to take note that, before FDIs into Penang continues to drop together with any trivial threats from foreign investors to withdraw their Penang operations, it’s time to deliver all promises.

Let’s put it this way. With Visit Malaysia Year 2007 a mere 24 hours away, having negative news with absolute adverse effect topping the Malaysia search directory is the last thing that the Government and all Malaysians want to know.

Starting from 2 January 2007 onwards, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will consolidate the number of accounts from three to two, with 70 percent in Account I and the remaining 30 percent in Account II.

Currently, there are three accounts, which are Account I (60 percent), Account II (30 percent) and Account III (10 percent).

(SOURCE: EPF)

Good news to those who have plan in mind to to make withdrawals to own a house or to finance you and your children’s education as the savings currently in Account III, which are used for critical illness related withdrawals, will be incorporated into Account 2 initially.

By the way, I was at EPF Selangor State Office yesterday. The Smart Kiosk service available which enables members to use MyKad to obtain EPF account statement, is the best experience that I’ve ever experienced dealing with any Government agencies. Thumbs up!

Via The Star:

(SOURCE: The Star, 29 December 2006)

However, National News Agency (BERNAMA) reported that fireworks display will go on as usual.

At the KLCC, Jalan Exxon Mobil will be closed from 6pm on Sunday until the end of the celebration and fireworks display.

So, go or no-go? The Star or Bernama? Either way, let’s kick off Visit Malaysia Year 2007 in a grand way!

Boxing Day 2006, a pure disaster for Taiwanese. Major earthquake followed by a telecommunications breakdown across Asian countries.

But, at least in Taiwan, the judiaciary system prevails. Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s SIL Chao Chien-min, who was found guilty of insider trading and jailed for six years plus being fined T$30 million ($917,000). Via BBC:

(SOURCE: BBC, 27 Dec 2006)

Also, Ah Bian’s wife Wu Shu-chen, who was accused of embezzling state funds, is set to go on trial tomorrow on corruption and forgery charges, where President Chen pledged to step down if his wife was found guilty.

Can you please help yourself, shed some light on this?

It doesn’t stop there, albeit in diverse form. Quake strikes on second anniversary of the devastating Asian tsunami. A powerful earthquake measured at magnitude 7.1 hits off  southwestern Taiwan, prompting fears of a tsunami on the second anniversary of the quake and deadly waves that killed thousands in south Asia.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake registered magnitude 7.1, while Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau measured it at 6.7. It was followed eight minutes later by an aftershock registering 7.0.

Earlier, Philippines raises tsunami alert along coast, but warning is later withdrawn.

Nowadays, the angry signs from mother nature is rather significant. It’s time for us to give it a serious thought before we reach the end of the day.

I still keep a record of Works Minister S Samy Vellu’s mobile contact when he called upon the public to call him to lodge complaint instead of going to TV stations.

It’s Christmas today, so I send him a Christmas greeting on SMS. He did reply.

May the faith and promise of Christmas bless you with Joy and Peace. MERRY CHRISTMAS. Samyvellu

My reply to him.

Thanks, Datuk Seri. Too bad that Santa is not coming to Malaysia next year coz toll hike for his deers.

No reply since then.

It’s essential of respecting each other beliefs and that everyone reserves the right to profess and practise his religion, which also means the right to carry out observations and practice of the faith.

The importance of unity can never to be taken for granted and I’m sure, we Malaysians will treasure this precious gift in this joyous day.

Merry Christmas!

I was fetching a Malaysian friend of mine, who currently resides in Singapore when we passed through the Kerinchi Link. He was wondering why we need to pay the toll even though the route is so short?

"Is this a trend of paying toll shuffling around Klang Valley?" he asked.

My instant response to him: I’m going to pay extra for the toll starting from Year 2007!

Indeed, I was welcomed by a total silence for a few minutes before I continued my sentence.

I told him, look at Malaysia, toll rate is going to increase soon, Consumer Price Index (CPI) is going upward, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow into Malaysia doesn’t look good (even Indonesia had overtaken us in drawing FDIs), Corruption Perception Index (CPI) continues to slide, a big bunch of people are preparing to move out from Malaysia and yet we’re still fighting over the 18.9% or 45% New Economic Policy (NEP). The best part is, the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is complacent about his achievement.

Call me someone who is so blind to patriotism or call me someone with idiosyncratic mind, despite all the worsening indicators, the fact is, I still love Malaysia.

What I hope is that, this country isn’t going to be ruined one day, to an extent that we’ll continue to plunge to a stage of unrecoverable.

We know the fact that Proton is not doing well. We too know the fact that Johor floods condition worsened in southern states like Johor, Melacca, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.

Roads are inaccessible, even Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) also was forced to cancel all train services to the South and the East Coast. While the Government is busy slotting in additional funds to help affected residents, Proton is trying to be "creative" enough to offer special discounts for Proton car owners, with the intention to help alleviate their burden?

(SOURCE: The Star, 21 December 2006)

The first offer/suggestion you might have received is to trade in your car to get a brand new Proton Savvy?

Thanks but no thanks.

I first met Ahirudin bin Attan a.k.a Rocky when he is no longer the executive editor of Malay Mail. I’m a nobody, however he is gracious enough to share the experience he has gone through and treats me like an old friend.

By looking into the huge turnout at the birthday party thrown to him by the National Press Club (NPC), everyone says that he is a great man. Indeed, he truly is.

There was once he told Ong Hock Chuan, a former journalist who is now based in Jakarta: Once a journalist, forever a journalist.

That holds, at least for him for now.

Happy 45th Birthday, Rocky! Way to go, way to go!