Malaysia in top 10 competitive country list

/* May 20th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Another good news for the government!

Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking surged into the top 10 in the world as Asian countries took the first two spots after financial turmoil and an economic crisis saw previous leader, the United States, slipping to third place.

Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking rose to 10th, from 18th a year earlier, as the country benefited from strong demand from Asia as well as implementation of efficient policies, especially government policies, said the latest IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010.

“The quantum leap in Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking marks a strong recognition of investors accorded to the Government’s commitment to reshape the country’s competitive landscape,” said CIMB Investment Bank chief economist Lee Heng Guie.

“This improved ranking bodes well for Malaysia to drive for higher private investments and FDIs.”

IMD said Singapore, ranked as the most competitive economy, and Hong Kong displaced the United States off the perch as the two Asian countries displayed great resilience through the recent economic and financial crisis.

Malaysia, which is now ranked the fifth most competitive country in Asia Pacific, scored highly in business and government efficiency.

The rankings are tabulated based on four main criteria; economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.

Economists said the jump in ranking is a reflection of the work the Government has put into improving the country’s overall business and economic climate.

“It also demonstrates the Government’s handling of the global crisis by introducing measures to stabilise the economy,” said Affin Investment Bank economist Alan Tan.

The New Economic Model, the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme are among the key initiatives that the Government introduced lately to improve the overall business and government environment in the country.

Economists said the improvement in Malaysia’s ranking was also due to the perception investors surveyed had of the country, and the challenge now is to translate the jump in ranking into more investments, both foreign and local.

“Being more competitive is positive for the country. It will have some influence on decision-makers,” said Maybank Investment Bank Bhd head of research Andrew Lee.

“What the Government needs to do is to continue with the Government Transformation Programme and make it known to the outside world that this is happening.”

IMD said for 2010, the challenge for Malaysia was to continuously improve the government delivery system to facilitate business, strengthen the economy through high quality investments, groom small and medium enterprises for global competition, continue to intensify life-long learning and nurture a talented workforce and drive productivity and competitiveness through a creative and innovative mindset.

Lee said that given the more intense and unpredictable environment ahead, policymakers need to quicken the momentum of change to sustain or raise Malaysia’s position ahead of the global competition.

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80 percent of Malays in lower income category?

/* May 19th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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I’m curious to know the source of this statistics. Strangely enough, I didn’t know there’s a “lower income” category. I think there’s high income, middle income, low income, poor, and hard core poor only. And I must admit, looking at the crowd in urban areas, the 20% who are not in “lower-income” groups seems to be a lot. Just go to Shah Alam, Bangi, Putrajaya, KL happening areas.

And I wonder what’s the statistics like for other major communities. Also in the 70-80% bracket? Should be, because we only have small number of tax payers.

I think something is seriously misleading in this statistics and its irresponsible to publish such news without proper source reference.

Malay entrepreneurs must evaluate critically and openly why 80% of Malays were in the lower income category, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He said they should be introspective and practice self-critism to grow.

“To succeed, we need to be introspective and practise kaizen, which means continuous improvement. Introspection must include the element of self-critism,” he said at the closing ceremony of the Malay Entrepreneurs Convention here Saturday.

He said under the New Economic Model (NEM), the Government wanted to have practises based on merits, needs, transparency and market-friendliness.

“Malays must see the NEM as an opportunity and not a threat. Malays must be less obsessed with processes and procedures compared with output.

“A pragmatic and practical attitude is better than being dogmatic,” he said.

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RM10 million renovation for Klang Perumal temple

/* May 19th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions 17 comments »
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I used to visit this temple few times a years years ago. Its a small temple and gets overcrowded easily during festive seasons. And its quite well known among locals and foreigners.

While I can understand the logic of using granite stones, the amount being spent stumped me. RM10 million can do wonders to our Tamil  schools, sponsor students for further education, or even pay for surgeries faced by patients who can’t afford the bills, like this case of two siblings who need about RM40,000. I would have been happy to hear if the organisers/donors also allocated a million or two for a good cause, and there are plenty of those causes around.

Some times we need to take a step back and consider if there’s a better way of doing things, or is it a necessity to spend for what we intend to spend for.

Now, if I had RM10 million, it would have all gone to education purpose. Different people have different views and priorities 🙂

KLANG: Known worldwide as the “Thirupati Venkateswara temple” of Southeast Asia, the newly-rebuilt Sri Sundararaja Peru mal temple will be the first all-granite, hand-carved one of its kind in Malaysia.

Devoted to the worship of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu temple has enlisted the efforts of 50 stone carvers and their families in Kanchipuram, 60km from Chennai, India, to craft the all-granite temple, costing RM10mil.

One of a kind: Anandakrishnan showing the granite brick that will be used for the stone laying ceremony at the temple in Klang today. Behind him is the gopuram, the only remaining part of the old temple.

The Tirupathi Venkateswara temple in Thirupati, South India is reportedly the richest and most visited place of worship in the world with about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily.

Temple president S. Ananda krishnan, who initiated the idea to rebuild the temple using granite, said work had began last year and would be completed in 2014.

“Stone blocks from Sirudamoor Hill, some 20km from Kanchipuram will be carved. No machines will be used so as not to disturb the living energy in the granite.

“It is believed that Vishnu is in everything and using granite would cause the vibrations of the mantras to resonate at a higher level,” he said, adding that the granite structure follows the precise design formulas defined by southern Indian temple builders thousands of years ago.

He added that the Sri Sundararaja Perumal temple would be 15m high including a dome and copper crown.The first shipment of seven, 40ft containers of pillars weighing at least three tonnes will be brought in soon for assembling, he said.

R. Selvanathan, the chief executive officer of the Chennai-based Sri Vaidyanatha Sthapati Associates – an architect, sculptor and building firm – said the all-granite temple project was a rarity even in India when granite has yielded to concrete and steel.

Philanthropist P. Thiagarajan and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany will attend the foundation laying ceremony of the temple at 7am today.

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Crime rate drops 15 percent

/* May 18th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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The Home Ministry announced that crime rate index for the first four months of 2010 has reduced by 15.3% while street crimes dropped 38.7%, compared with same period last year. This is beyond the target for the whole year, so we must congratulate the police for doing their jobs well. I’ve seen more police presence around my housing and commercial/business center areas. Their presence alone helps to create a safe feeling for the residents and public. Just by walking about, being inquisitive, and checking on people they can achieve much.

My only lament is that it should have been done much earlier. One wonders what the police were doing for last few years until crime rate increased yearly.

The Home Ministry’s success in reducing the crime rate index for the first four months has surpassed the initial target set for the first four months, its Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said.

The crime index has been reduced by 15.3% and street crimes dropped by 38.7% over the first four months, compared with the same period last year, he said.

“It was not an easy task considering the upward trend registered from 2006 to 2009. However, we were able to reduce the crime rate beyond the set target,” said Hishammuddin after launching the 1Malaysia logo during the ministry’s monthly assembly here Tuesday.

He added that the success was due to the ministry’s initiative in identifying crime hot spots quickly and efficiently as well as identifying reasons for an increase in crime through the five main principles of the Key Performance Index (KPI) and 55 initiatives drafted through crime labs.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala said the results of National Key Results Area (NKRA) for crime were outstanding for the first quarter and what the police and the ministry had done in the first quarter was totally beyond expectations.

“For the whole year, we are expecting the crime index, all crime put together, to drop by 5%, but in the first quarter, we have already seen the overall crime index drop by 15%.

“That is higher than the whole year’s target. For street crimes the target was a reduction of 20%, but in the first quarter we have already seen a reduction of 39%. This is a phenomenal reduction in crime rate,” said Idris Jala.

He said the deployment of 14,444 police, 3,160 Rela and Civil Defence Forces (JPAM) at 50 hotspots had enabled the radical reduction.

“We are now moving a step forward by, not only deploying more police and voluntary forces in the streets, we are also installing CCTVs at such spots,” he said.

He added that about 500 CCTVs would be installed by end of this year at all hotspots.

“I’m really pleased with what has been done by the Home Ministry. This is outstanding without a doubt. We must give credit where it’s due,” he said. – Bernama

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Good news from Samy Vellu

/* May 18th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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This may be music for the ears for many Malaysians, including the members of ruling coalition 🙂

While a definite date was not given, the range is either August or September 2011. That’s about 14 months more before Samy Vellu quits as MIC president. This would probably intensify the competition for position within the party. Can expect teams to be formed and alliances made.

It could still be a red herring since nothing is cast in stone in politics.

S Samy Vellu, who has been MIC president for more than three decades, has announced that he would quit his post eight months before the next party polls, scheduled for May 2012.

However, Samy Vellu did not say who he would hand over the party leadership to.

“I will leave eight or nine months before my term expires in May 2012. I will hand over the leadership to the next generation of leaders then.

“This is what I had told the prime minister (Najib Razak) when I met him prior to the Hulu Selangor by-election,” he told journalists after opening the MIC Wilayah Persekutuan convention today.

“Before that, I want to revamp the party completely, starting with the branch and state leaders. People have asked me when I would leave the post and this is the time frame I have set.

“I want all party members to know that the transformation of the MIC will continue. The transition of power in the MIC will be smooth,” he added.

Samy, 74, was re-elected for the ninth time last year.

“By the time I retire, I would have trained the deputy president to run the party,” he said without naming his deputy, G Palanivel.

Since the March 2008 general election, the MIC chief had been under intense pressure to relinquish his post to give way to a new leader.

Samy Vellu has previously said that he would step down at the next party election in two years’ time.

The MIC took a beating in the 12th general election, when it lost six of the nine parliamentary seats it contested under the BN banner. Among those who failed to retain their seats in the 2008 elections were Samy Vellu himself and Palanivel.

The party, however, managed to recapture the Hulu Selangor seat, previously held by Palanivel, when party information chief P Kamalanathan won the seat in the recent by-election.

Question over Palanivel’s fate

Samy Vellu’s decision not to name his successor today would also raise questions as to who would take over the helm of the party since Palanivel was not given the opportunity to contest the seat by the top BN leadership.

However, Palanivel (far left) was appointed senator earlier this month, indicating he had yet to reach political oblivion.

Samy Vellu said he would like to quit earlier, but had refrained from doing so for fear the party would face problems.

“I would have to set the party on its right foundation and place the right people first, then only I would say, ‘OK young men, you all can take over’.”

Samy Vellu said in the mean time, he was not just wasting his time in the office, as he had an important job to do prior to his retirement.

“I am using my time to strengthen the party and change the machinery to become a working machinery, and then to remove the leaders who don’t do their work and put in new leaders.

“So, when they take over they don’t see a big bunch of non-working leaders there,” he said.

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