Friday, May 20, 2011

Uber Long.


Its been quite a long while since we last wrote anything in this blog.
As I'm currently having my summer break of 4 months, I'm starting back this blog. I hope you would all enjoy reading from our blog, and contribute any ideas if you have any thoughts on anything. We now also accept written articles on corporate governance, current issues and etc.(as most of you would notice, our past articles has mostly been on ideological issues, if possible we'd like to break away from that and pursue a certain degree of practicality, but if your interested, we would love to publish it still). So do enjoy :D

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Obama's Crisis

The world has perhaps turned a bit uglier for President Obama. Short into his 1st term, he has successfully lost the confidence of more than few key-economist, historian and public figures. Just less than two weeks ago did Obama’s plea for support troops in Afghanistan was rejected by the European Union (EU) members. The response though fortunately failed to tarnish his reputable image. The Obama fever hasn’t cooled down, the people are still addicted and Obama girl is still active.

Barack Obama is doing exactly what his campaign says, and the financial statements, the unemployment rates and much more are not exactly getting much better. He is not entirely wrong, for the past 4 months he has done few things past American presidents would not dare to do, pulling away troops from Iraq and announcing the closure of Guantanamo Bay. Though current polls shows that by last February his approval rating among Democrat has drop by 6 percent but is still remaining high of 92% and for the Republican of dropping by 19% down to 31%[1]. Though the middle class society and the rest of the world is totally in love with Obama, various economic critic and historians are starting to think otherwise. Only last month did Tim Ferguson mention that “attempts to rescue the economy by Washington and other political capitals have done little good and much harm”[2]. Numerous of them have proposed actions and ideas on which systems that need revamping but none seems to past his ears. And here we are counting our matchsticks paying the price of ignorance. It seems as if the meetings before his inauguration centering on the economic crisis was not constructive. Either this or Obama’s economic ‘teacher’ Larry Summers is a terrible one.

His more current move in nationalizing the financial institutions is a much opposed one. The government's decision to purchase minority stakes in financial institutions and further expand its deposit insurance programs will bolster its power over how financial institutions are managed and regulated going forward. But do the steps that the Treasury and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. plan to take amount to a partial nationalization of our financial system?[3] The idea of this gives the govt. more than just huge stake in decision making but relinquishes the idea of a free enterprise bringing government bureaucracy[4] into the picture. No longer are corporations free to make decisions without any government intervention. This gives the federal bank micro management of the financial institutions. It may be good in a way of decreasing the risk of non-performing loans. But then walks in the issue of how the govt. is going to implement the action as the buying out of the financial institutions shares would deliberately allow the equity holders to walk away freely without any consequence.

Another problem lies in the appointment of Obama’s Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner himself. Here is the man who has been in the crisis in the middle of summer 2007 and still failed the New York Reserve. Steve Forbes wrote “You would think he’d have been ready for decisive, bold actions as soon as Obama took the oath of office. Instead, he has discouraged markets with his vague generalities[5]”. An article in the New York Times mention that “As the day wore on, Mr. Geithner faced growing skepticism from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, many of them channeling deep voter disgust with the way the government has handled the bailout over the last nine months[6]”. The Senate Finance Committee cited his lack of details and information in his plans giving a lack of confidence in the Obama-lead administration. Even the House Financial Service Committee, Wall Street and various Economists are taking swipes on his costly blunder that’s taking up precious time waiting for more detailed plans[7]. They also took an offense towards the new Bank Bail-Out plan commenting that tax payers money are practically going to banks and financial institutions that directly helped the current crisis escalate. These banks are not investing or lending out paralyzing the credit flow without anyone gaining from it. And with the nationalization it’s going to be worse as the Chairman of the Federal Bank, Ben Bernanke who is weary and reluctant to invest. The whole purpose of having savings is to direct savings from one party to be invested with another party, as explained by Steve Forbes[8]. But what Bernanke is doing is following his predecessor Alan Greenspan is avoiding ‘excess savings’ which is practically preposterous, because there can never be an excess in savings!

President Obama should take a cue from his hero Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln did whatever that was necessary, firing incapable generals and taking up books on war when his advisors did not perform. Though Obama is still in his honeymoon with America, it is clear that with his declining confidence in the senate and Russia’s Putin’s new plan to reestablish itself as the major player gathering back the nations lost from the Soviet Union he may have to change his basic premises. In the coming months, he would face an even worse situation and escalating opposition. He cannot afford to have the slows as the financial crisis is said to only be brewing. The unemployment rates are still low, and the results are yet to show, and if this persist to happen he too like Herbert Hoover, shall be a one-termer.

[1] http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/20/obama-approval-rating-drops-but-still-high/#more-40787

[2] Forbes Asia, March 16,2009 Page 3 Tim Ferguson entitled Wrong Turns

[3] http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95700786&ft=1&f=1001

[4] http://seekingalpha.com/article/123759-why-nationalizing-banks-is-wrong?source=yahoo

[5] Forbes Asia, March 30, 2009 Page 9 Steve Forbes entitled Discharge Incapable Commanders

[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/business/economy/11bailout.html?_r=1

[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/business/economy/11bailout.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2

[8] Forbes Asia February 16, 2009 Steve Forbes entitled Alexander Hamilton Got It Right

Saturday, February 28, 2009

31st AUGust 2010


Barack Hussein Obama has just announced the end of US's iraqi Combat Mission on the aforementioned date.


Kong Chia Yew hopes that rhetoric does not yet rear its ugly head again.


Kong Chia Yew hopes that the aforementioned date spells the Day Wars Ended (watch out for this date. whichever uni Kong goes to will have something planned on this date...)

Saturday, February 7, 2009

The New Issue, Our Helping Rights

The one thing about Israel that shocks me the most, is their arrogance. Not stopping at their antics of war, they now shifts their attention towards terrorizing volunteer efforts.

In less than a week after their presumed invasion, they have limit the volunteer efforts, still blocks the border and even not allow for harmless fishermen's to fish in their own territories.

Lately, they have shot a boat (precisely three times) shipping many supplies from all over the world declining entrance to Gaza and thus cutting supplies. I'm not too surprised at this however.

Israel has never in history remember it's lessons. It has continued its efforts towards reclaiming Gaza(especially the west bank) for their own reasoning that it has been their ancestors land before. They have refused to acknowledge the democratic rights of the people who have voted for Hamas. Thus a treaty was made in 2006. But going back to their defiance and so-called rights, they broke it again in 2008.

After the invasion, everyone went happy and relieved. But Israel now already gaining its confidence, continues their reign of terror in a small manner. But how did this happen? I for one believe it is because we were inconsistent with our steps.

Now everyone feels better and this gives Israel the chance, the opportunity to strike again!

Before the truce in 2006, around 500-600 supply trucks were allowed in Gaza daily, but during the cease fire only 90 were allowed in daily! Many of the Gazaans starved, but again, we never noticed that. So Israel is now taking its chance and does not allow any supply in.

So they did let a few in. Yay, Israel are goooood. Honestly? Screw that.

Compared to the thousand of Gazaans, what does a few truckloads of food able to do?

Rather than be happy a few are let in, we should've continued our argue and fight for more trucks and supplies to be allowed in! The suffering is endless now that even food isn't enough for all of them. Infact rather than not allowing the trucks in, they're arrogantly rang shots at supply ships as to warn them from coming in. The worse thing that killing a person right there and then, is to starve and make them suffer to death.

We now have another new issue to battle in Gaza. And it is of our volunteering rights! Our rights towards helping those in need, the war victims who are continuously being made to suffer indirectly. Our safety to help them are in jeopardy as even sending food risk our lives. This jeopardizes our rights to help.

The war may have been announced over, but does that mean the issues are over.

Now another arises, and do we still need a dead innocent man, a journalist or a volunteer worker to make us realize it?

The Effects of War in Gaza

A so-called truce has been done and Israel (in their own context) stopped the invasion. Happy here happy there yada yada peace yay! Bet that was what you expected huh?

Whenever war happens, the most difficult part survival. We can't deny that, you don't survive, you die. Simple.

But what is the next hardest thing when something bad happens? Is it about counter-attacking the problem? or is it finding a cure?

Well i would say, it is picking up the pieces and the process of repairing it back to a better state it was and this is what is happening to the Palestinians in Gaza right now.

Many people speak of the harshness of war, of what it brings in terms of life count, but let's try something else. Let's try economy, let's try infrastructure and lastly, the life of the war victims themselves.

Economy:

Economy is a major part in the human colony. Money dominates nearly every possible thing on earth, sometimes unfortunately, even love. Without money, we can't buy food, clothing's and a comfy bed for us to sleep on. Money is the vito of a man's life.

However when war happens, expenditure of a country increases tremendously. They would have to but weapons, ammunition, tanks and etc etc. Even a soldiers kit would cost more than 300+ US dollars. Imagine the number of soldiers. Try guessing the cost, and you would get millions spent!! While these money could be spend towards the welfare of the country, it's being wasted in a war.

During war, resources (any) will deplete faster than before. Many would vie to buy foods and soap. Necessity items becomes limited and this makes price increase due to its limitedness. So it effects the people indirectly as well as the country.

And all this goes on and on until the war truly ends and even then, money still is flowing out! Why? Because to build back houses require money! To produce back food requires money! EVERYTHING REQUIRES MONEY. As mentioned, money dominates.

A country may lose more than half of its monetary funds because of war, as we have seen towards Britain in world war 1. Japan was fortunate America helped them greatly if not they would not achieve the same status now if things were to have gone differently. But don't be mistaken that America is a hero, it is never a hero. War mongers are a more precise term for them. When gone bankrupt, they are not able to do business and many more.

Infrastructure:

Infrastructure is regarded as a country's way to show its development. But when war happens building gets blown. And a lot too. And to build one is not within a day, it takes months and years. Houses are lost, childrens and old women are forced to live under a hut in the 21st century! Schools and prayer houses! Each one building plays a major role in providing a secure, comfortable and most importantly safety towards the civilians.

By disregarding the aspect importance in infrastructure, any volunteer or peace loves is still denying rights of a normal life towards


I'll write about their lives in another post as it might be very long.Thank you and to be continued!

Friday, January 30, 2009

The Econs Darkly

The economic bubble has already burst out in America and other western countries.

It is only a matter of time until Malaysia would feel its effect. We can't actually say that as a country which an economic sytem which is less America prone we won't feel much effects.

Its true that analyst are saying we won't feel much, but how much is this not-much-feeling?

1.The group of youth are definitely not feeling it. Reason is, we don't care.

2.They spend even more weirdly nowadays (remember the post about me going with Fahmi and Nabil to OU? )

3.Its a young trend to spend like crazy at shops like Zara and go fashion obsessed such as the new singlet style Top Man shirts.

4.This is BAD. Simple but really BAD.

5.We all know that Singapore are retrenching Malaysian workers out of their companies and sending back here.

6.Its just a matter of time many countries would do so. London has already announced sending Malaysians back here remember?

7.Using a professional foreign worker is costly for them and would increase the unemployment rate in their country. Why? simple, if we give jobs in our countries company then our people won't get it. And professional workers are paid much more than normal workers here. We know that foreign workers have quality. The same here , the same in other countries.

8.Malaysia has more than too-high unemployment rates!

9.When more Malaysians are sent back, that means the population increases. When population increases, the number of unemployed people increases regardless of professionality.

10.Therefore the risk are higher for all the workers as risk of losing their jobs are too due to competition. Hence, many more people being unemployed cannot be avoided.

11.Malaysians are very choosy! They always want good jobs. Never willing to work a bit hard for something small.

12.This makes it hard for the parents of youth who doesn't have a job/unemployed.

13.Worse is with the way the sellers are going, the prices would just be amounting higher. Dulu Nasi Pattaya 3.50, now 4.50! A RM1.00 difference is very high! And the irony is, the food becomes less.

14.That means consumers are being victimised! Who are the consumers? Us lah pandai!

15.But then with all these problems, the youth seems to be inconsiderate to their parents by spending blindly.

16.Now other than the points up there why are they like this? BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS GIVE YOU MONEY AND YOU TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!

17.Youth don't care because no matter what tey will continually be fed with money and doesn't realise whats happening to their parents account book.

18.There is no kesedaran.

19.If this goes on without any new proper financial management, it will definitely affect the larger community of workers in Malaysia as the constant demand for money becomes higher.

20.And when parents refuse to give in, the youth starts to rebel and having negative feelings towards the parent hence comes the issue of family problems.

21.There goes on the never ending cycle of negativity.

22.What more is the unemployment rates.

23.When more people are left unemployed, how else would these people pay for their expenses and such?

24.The task falls on the goverment where they would have to cater for these people whileour funds becomes lesser.

25.The irony of this matter however is that our country is not a welfare country.

26.In other states, 52% tax pay cut is imposed upon its people whereas in our countries is much lesser. Bear in mind that their pay is much higher.

27.Where does this money goes to? To the welfare,education and the unemployed

28.Our country and its system however is not designed in that way.

29.Hence the unemployed would have to resort to other ways. Namely, crime

To be continued

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Why peace is not practical....

1) Because according to some it's futile and fruitless.

2) because according to some it's unachievable.

3) because some feel they have better things to fight for like where and what to eat tomorrow.

4) because some dont care at all. they still have their nasi lemak

5) becos according to some I am mad for advocating peace and by extension everyone like me is also delusional.

let us see which of these reasons are human ones and of that which one involves opinions that are pessimistic...

oops all..



just as i thought


when the sambil lewa attitude stops,
the killing can too...