Chinese labour costs escalate

making Indian and Asean costs look attractive.

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We are in a sweet spot cont’d

Four berths in Tuas Mega Port, have been completed. They are the first of 21 due by 2027. When it is completed in 2040, the complex will be the largest container port on Earth, boasts PSA International.

The IMF expects the region’s five largest economies—Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand—to be the fastest-growing bloc in the world by trade volumes between 2022 and 2027. 

https://www.economist.com/interactive/business/2023/01/14/investments-in-ports-foretell-the-future-of-global-commerce

S’pore and other Asian countries that are waiting to welcome Chinese tourists

For a little red speck we are punching above our weight in getting Chinese tourists. Must be the casinos (Cambodia too)

Why M’sia’s divides will get worse

(Alternative title: Why the moderates lost out in M’sian GE)

PAS the amputee party have the most seats: 44. The secular DAP a very Chinese party (though it claims to be multi-racial, the mamas in it are second class party members) have the second most with 40 seats. Add the role of religion to that of the racial divide. Things will get worse.

Yes, yes I know Islam is the state religion, but in practice M’sia was a secular country. Expect things to change if PN forms the next govt: PAS is the dominant party in that gang.

This chart shows why liddat:

The Malays, Chinese and mamas were very unhappy before the GE.

This is worrying for the minorities in M’sia:

“Support among Malay Muslims for sharia (Islamic law), which pas endorses but umno does not, has risen from 52% in 2011 to 75% today, says Ben Suffian of the Merdeka Centre, a pollster.”

https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/11/10/malaysias-grand-old-party-eyes-a-comeback/ Chart also from here

Btw, avoid investing in KSE stocks.

The difference between S’pore and M’sia

We don’t do prestige buildings: unlike the M’sians. M’sia’s Merdeka PNB is the second tallest skyscraper in the world,

Second tallest global building is in Asean

M’sia boleh.

S’pore’s behind KL

And juz ahead of HCM City. Surprised Bangkok is so far behind. Wonder what are the criteria? Think Covid restrictions play a part. Look at HK and Tokyo.

Prices before or after bribes?

Possible Unit Price of Contenders for Malaysian FLIT acquisition.

Tejas is the only aircraft that meets the technical parameters of FLIT.

Who in Asean is dependent on Ukrainian wheat?

Why M’sia is no longer popular with ang moh investors

No not because Tun M is running the show.

No it’s because of China.

When the MSCI EM index — the benchmark for many equity funds — was launched in 1988, Malaysia was the biggest EM, with more than a third of the index. M’sian equity specialists like me were minting it. Even though I was based here, I didn’t do “S’pore”. It was boring and a waste of time. Btw, it’s still boring but S’pore stocks (and reits) now pay good dividends. Just the thing for me today.

China only joined the index in 1996, with a weight of just 0.46%.

Chinese equities now make up more than 30% of the MSCI EM, followed by Taiwan, India, South Korea and Brazil.

I told my ex-boss yesterday that he and his pals Tun and Anwar were in a sweet spot.

Why our millionaire ministers deserve their salaries?

This year, NASDAQ in bear market (more than -20%) and S&P in correction (more than -15%). HK and China have been in bear markets since last year.

STI up 3% this year. And if palm oil keeps on flying, and Covid is under control in the region, expect the tourists from Indonesia and M’sia to come in.

Palm oil prices show how dysfunctional Indonesia is

Despite Indonesia being the world’s largest producer of palm oil,

Indonesia banned exports of palm oil, which is widely used in cooking and packaged foods, in a move that may well push up global food prices further. The country accounts for more than half of the world’s palm-oil supply. Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, said he wanted to ensure that the cooking oil remains “abundant and affordable” at home, where prices have rocketed.

Economist

Time to invest in M’sian consumer shares?  M’sia is the world’s second- largest producer of the commodity after Indonesia.

Will help our tourism? All those country bumpkins coming here.

The leading Asean stock market

How the mighty are fallen

No, not the collapse of the Hang Seng last year.

When I was in stockbroking between the min 80s and the mid 90s, SGX and KLSE were the markets in Asean. The Thai market was “peanuts”.

Today in Asean, it’s the Thai stock market.

SAD.

Demand for tech staff

PSA: The Good and the Bad

Our ports don’t have the problems that some other major ports are facing. Delays here are relatively minor.

But PSA isn’t that efficient. Two of M’sia’s nearby ports are a lot more efficient.

But to be fair, they most probably don’t have much business most of the time. S’pore is bunched together with many other busy ports.

Oz links S’pore to AUKUS and QUAD

Brunei, M’sia, and Vietnam also share the link. The dragon will be snorting fire on the four countries.

Contrarian play?

Buy M’sian consumer shares?

When I was in broking in the 90s, when palm oil prices were expected to cheong we got clients into M’sian consumer stocks. It was an easy sell as M’sian stocks were hot.

Time to try that trope again despite the economic woes caused by the pandemic and political uncertainty?

Asean currencies V US$

Indon rupiah stronger than S$. Btw, see how strong is Taiwanese dollar. Stronger than Renminbi. Grandpa Zi must be upset.

Covid-19: Spare a tot for our neighbours

Unlike us, they don’t have millionaire PAP ministers.

Low vaccination rates and the rapid march through the region of more transmissible variants of covid-19 mean that almost every country is experiencing its worst wave yet. This month Indonesia surpassed India as Asia’s hotspot. With oxygen supplies dwindling and hospitals overcrowded, some health-care systems are near collapse. Death rates are soaring: Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar were among the 20 countries with the most deaths per million people in the week to July 29th. Myanmar in particular is hoping that it will be able to tap into ASEAN’s covid-19 fund. Just 3% of its population is vaccinated.

Yesterday’s Economist Expresso

Low vaccination rates hurts 4 Asean countries

In Be thankful we got PAP govt, I showed a chart showing that M’sia and Thailand had serious problems with mama variant. The second chart below explains why: low vaccination rates in these countries.

Then there’s this too

ASEAN-5” refers to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Indonesia and PinoyLand also have low vaccination rates.

Be thankful we got PAP govt

$4G leaders and PM are not worth their million dollar salaries (They let in the mama variant) but still …

Asean blues but we are going great guns

Modified at 2.49 pm on day of publication to include data on S’pore.

Economists have slashed their GDP growth forecasts for Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, three of the region’s biggest economies.

But for S’pore, MAS has revised higher the economic growth forecast for 2021 and expects that GDP growth could go beyond the initial 4%-6% yoy range forecasted.
• MAS Chief Ravi Menon stated that the increase comes on the back of a smooth
vaccination scheme (36.7% fully vaccinated so far) and stronger global demand.
• Inflation numbers for 2021 were also revised higher, with the forecast for headline CPI
increased to 1.0%-2.0% yoy, up from 0.5%-1.5% yoy.

A bad outlook for tourism is the main reason for dimmer prospects in Thailand. Vaccinations are sluggish and hospital beds are running short. Tourists will stay away.

Pandemic restrictions are another drag on regional growth. With many shops shut, Malaysia’s and the Philippines’ prospects don’t look good.

Although growth forecasts have been revised upward for Indonesia, the region’s biggest economy, daily infections there have surged by 500% in recent weeks.

The greatest risk for South-East Asian economies may be America tightening its monetary policy sooner than expected, which would increase the value of the dollar and make corporate dollar-denominated debt more expensive. GDP forecasts may fall further yet.

Economist

M’sia quietly destroys forests, avoiding being named and shamed by the woke

Meanwhile Indonesia, Congo and Brazil get bad publicity for doing what M’sia is doing.

Time to buy M’sia?

When I was in stockbroking, soaring palm oil prices meant that consumer, construction and property stocks would fly because the palm oil farmers, palm oil plantations and the govt would have plenty of $ to spend.

Johor Chief Minister think S’pore stupid isit?

Johor’s chief minister said on Tuesday (Apr 20) his state government will propose measures that will limit the movement of workers who cross the border from Johor to Singapore.

Hasni Mohammad said the reopening of the border was an “ongoing agenda” of his state government and that it would would ensure that those involved in crossing the border from Johor, like workers, received the COVID-19 vaccine.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/johor-malaysia-singapore-meeting-covid-19-border-14657708

Malaysia is looking at the potential of a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections. Daily cases picking up to above 2000 for the fourth day running as at Monday. Fatalities have gone up in recent days. There are concerns that Ramadan will add to the tallies in the coming weeks.

Why didn’t China offer us this?

During China’s foreign minister’s recent Southeast Asian tour, when he visited Malaysia, Malaysia was promised priority access to China’s COVID vaccine. China also announced plans to purchase large volumes of palm oil, Malaysia‘s core export, 

Got six properties but driving Grab to earn $?

Give me a break pls from this kind of BS, constructive, nation-building MediaCorp.

OK. OK the properties are M’sian, not S’porean but this sounds like a lot of bull.

It reports

Retiree SK Quek leases five of his six properties in Malaysia and used to put up two of the houses for short-term rental on Airbnb.

And while he has no issues with collecting rent from his long-term tenants, the 64-year-old who is now driving for Grab in Singapore said he loses about RM8,000 a month — his usual earnings from Airbnb — for not being able to list his properties.

Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sporeans-homes-malaysia-limbo-due-border-restrictions-some-paying-double-living-costs

Can’t stop laughing is disbelief that a six property man (I assume he also has something here even if it’s a three room HDB flat) is driving Grab to earn a living. Must be BSing about his properties. What do you think?

As for the other S’poreans mentioned in article KPKBing that they got two properties etc to maintain, they should sit down and shut up. Btw, I’m sure pre Covid-19, they were sneering at S’poreans who didn’t stay in M’sia and commute here regularly.

They made their choices, and gotta live with the consequences. But so typical of Singkies: vote for PAP but then KPKB about kanna Pay And Pay. Reminds me of what the Mexican bandit leader said in the Magnificent 7 about the peasants he regularly shook down: “If God did not want them sheared, He would not have made them sheep.”

Likewise it’s something the PAP could say, but hasn’t yet.

Bye bye Thai

Foreigners have been selling Thai stocks, and Ms’ian and Indon stocks too. Thailand is in the same category of foreigners fleeing as Brazil and Korea.

In Thailand, investors are concerned about the protests against the govt and the monarchy.

Covid-19: Must be India again

New Zealand reported 14 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, seven of whom arrived in the country from India. Trying to do to NZ, what they did to S’pore? Covid-19: FTs from India reinfecting S’pore.

M’sia has the right attitude: M’sia has jux barred entry for long-term pass holders from India, Indonesia and Philippines. Decision made after considering the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the three countries.

Pinoys: Asean tua kees

That was my first tot when I looked at the u/m chart on a ranking of financially stronger/ weaker emerging economies .”M’sia tak boleh” was my second tot.

The Asean ranking: PinoyLand (6th), Thailand (7th), Vietnam (12th), Indonesia (16th) and M’sia (25th).

Btw, S’pore’s not ranked because it’s not an emerging economy (except in accountability: S’pore: Bottom of developed world), but South Korea and Taiwan are still emerging economies, even if Korea is a member of of the OECD.

Covid-19: Must be Tablighi Jamaat again

Tablighi Jamaat, an influential Islamic missionary movement, with its HQ in a New Delhi slum, is now responsible for super-spreading Covid-19 in India after doing it in M’sia and Indonesia: Covid-19 in Islamic countries. In Indonesia and M’sia, it was their mass gatherings that caused serious problems. It also affected S’pore because some of people in the M’sian gathering returned to S’pore.

The Tablighi Jamaat have come into the spotlight after an event they held in the Indian capital Delhi has spawned a number of Covid-19 clusters across the country. But exactly who is this group and why did they hold a big gathering in Delhi? BBC Hindi’s Zubair Ahmed reports.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52131338

With an irresponsible organisation like Tablighi Jamaat, Muslims have to be afraid, very afraid of being cast as disease carriers in India, M’sia and Inonesia. The people who don’t like Muslims and want to hurt them can only be pleased that Tablighi Jamaat was so socially irresponsible in three countries.

With an organisation like Tablighi Jamaat, Muslims don’t need enemies. Time for Muslims to do some serious soul-searching.

Codvid-19: Why God is a S'porean

I tot the above when I read

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has assured Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that the flow of goods and cargo between Singapore and Malaysia, including food supplies, would continue, Mr Lee said on Tuesday (Mar 17).

Mr Lee’s remarks came after Malaysia announced it would bar citizens from going overseas and foreigners from entering the country for about two weeks starting Wednesday

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-malaysia-cargo-goods-border-restrictions-12547142

If Tun had been in charge, there’d be no no free flow of food and goods to S’pore. He’d have use the emergency measures meant to suppress the Wuhan virus to cut off food supplies and goods.

He’d also have ensured that the M’sian workers who regularly commute her to work, would not be able to come and stay here for the next two weeks.

Both these would cripple our economy and hurt us but he’d have the excuse of the need to suppress the spread of the virus.

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Where he has tried to bully us recently:

Water: Why Tun should thank S’poreans

What Tun and our alt media don’t tell us about the water supply from Johor

Tun manufacturing another row to stir his anti-PAP S’porean fans?

Tun chickened out/ Two cheers for cowardly PAP govt

Yet PJ Thum, Kirsten Han and Jolovan Wham (Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs) want to lick his ass

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He likes to try to bring S’pore to its knees or at least make us try “Tolong”, as the links in the above box shows. And attempts to suppress the Wuhan virus in M’sia would have given his reasonable excuses to hurt S’pore and S’poreans.

Muhyiddin, like Najib, are people we can do business with. As would Anwar.

God loves S’pore.

NUS academic defends M’sian king and Muhyiddin

Further to King’s snub to Tun is payback time, where I reported that the word in KL was that unhappiness with Tun’s attitude towards the sultans (and Pahang’s royalty in particular) played a big part in the king declaring that Mr Muhyiddin had the numbers to be sworn in as the country’s eighth prime minister. It wasn’t that the king couldn’t count

Mustafa Izzuddin, from NUS, thinks the king did no wrong:

“The King cannot make political decisions,” says Mustafa Izzuddin at the National University of Singapore.

“But he can play the role of honest broker, bringing the warring sides together. Even then it is unprecedented for a king to do so in Malaysia.

“But Malaysian politics are in uncharted waters, so revolutionary methods may have been necessary. And the King may have seen Muhyiddin as the most trustworthy and steady of the candidates.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51716474

He can look forward to a royal honour if Tun and gang cannot unseat Muhyiddin.

King’s snub to Tun is payback time

After being reinstated as interim prime minister by the king, Mahathir seemed poised to form a new government that may have sidelined his designated successor Anwar Ibrahim. But then almost quickly, Mahathir and Anwar were once again united in an attempt to form a new government when UMNO ans PAS called for a GE.

But M’sia’s constitutional monarch, King Abdullah (whose role it is to invite a candidate to form a new government), declared that Mr Mujaheddin had the numbers, and would be sworn in as the country’s eighth prime minister.  This was done and the new appointment has been called a royal coup by the favourite ang moh newspaper of ang moh tua kees, PJ Thum and Kirsten Han (Remember them? Kirsten Han trying to defecate herself and PJ out of self-made crater)

Tun Mahathir has challenged Mujaheddin’s appointment and plans to try to bring the new government down once parliament meets again. But the problem is that the parliament won’t be meeting until mid May, giving Mujaheddin time to use his powers of patronage as PM to get the votes needed to secure his position.

Tun and gang have published a list of 114 MPs (the minimum necessary needed to secure a majority is 112) who gave him their statutory declarations promising him their votes. Mujaheddin hasn’t publicly announced such a list and the word in KL is that he doesn’t have the numbers

So king can’t count isit? Another Xia suay, like Tun who really had no good reason to resign.

Not really because as the BBC reports,

It is worth recalling too that Mr Mahathir has a history of conflict with Malaysia’s sultans, something that may have been a factor in the King’s choice.

Back in 1983 and 1993 he pressed for constitutional changes that imposed limits on royal power.

“In the earlier crisis the role of leading royal resistance to Mahathir was played by the then-Sultan of Pahang, the current king’s father,” says Clive Kessler at the University of New South Wales.

“Memories and resentments linger on and are not easily forgotten or set aside.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51716474

(Pahang’s then sultan was king for five years during Tun’s reign and was king when Tun was king of the jungle.)

Obviously Tun never tried to mend fences with Pahang. He never really does with anybody.

The nearest Tun will get to giving an apology is illustrated by the following tale.

A benefactor and friend who got seriously rich during Tun’s tenure as PM but who fell into his bad books (Unfairly in friend’s view, but he would say that wouldn’t he?) during the 1998 financial crisis, once told me that after Tun retired, he was invited to a personal lunch by Tun who told him, “Let bygones be bygones.”. This to a man who had to endure investigations and other indignities, excluding the probability of losing most of his wealth.

Whatever, we recently spoke, and he told me that all the Malay leaders (Tun included) still call him a “friend”: meaning he’s still rich enough to be shaken down for donations.

Related post: Simple guide to M’sian politics.

Simple guide to M’sian politics

Or “Why 37 MPs ratted on Perkatan Harapan and outsmarted themselves”.

Bersatu’s 26 MPs (This technically includes Tun and his son) led by Bersati president Muhyiddin Yassin) and 11 MPs (led by Azmin Ali) from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the largest party in Pakatan Harapan (PH), left the coalition earlier this week, leaving it without a parliamentary majority. Before the departures, the coalition had 129 MPs. To form a government, any coalition must have a minimum of 112 out of the 222 members of parliament. PH is 17 MPs short.

Tun is now the interim PM, while the king decides what to do.

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Politics is all out race

About 69% of Malaysia’s 32m people are Bumiputra: Malays and other indigenous groups. A further 24% are ethnic Chinese and 7% Indian. The Malays have historically supported UMNO because it champions and defends policies to boost them economically. Bersatu, founded by Tun and Muhyiddin does too. The Chinese and Indians resent the privileges accorded to Malays. The DAP represents Chinese interests and supposedly Indian interests; PKR, led by Anwar, supposedly embraces multiculturalism.

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Why did the 37 quit the coalition? One reason is an attempt to ensure that Anwar doesn’t get to become PM, another is to keep Tun in power. But an important reason is that many of them are scared of losing their seats in a GE.

Shortly after Pakatan Harapan won power, 63% of Malays thought the country was “going in the right direction”, according to the Merdeka Center, a pollster. Within two years that share had plummeted to 24%. And PH keeps losing by-elections: 5 in all so far.

Mahathir could now try to form a government with parties who remain in the coalition, backed up by new support from elsewhere (Think Sawawak’s governing party, PBB and its pals who have 18 MPs*). They have told him to f-off, coming out to say they want Anwar as PM. Looks like whatever Anwar and Lim Guan Eng (head of DAP) said publicly in support of Tun’s resignation (He said he didn’t want to team up with UMNO), there’s disbelief in PH that he didn’t known his party president and Amin were talking to UMNO and PAS.

Or he could follow his traditional supporters who have abandoned the ruling coalition, and team up with those he removed from power in 2018 (UMNO and friends). UMNO and PAS have told him that they want a GE. Sawawak’s governing party, PBB and its pals who have 18 MPs* “say” that they’ll support him.

He could also step back, and make way for a race between Anwar, Azmin and figures from his own party, Bersatu.

Fun fact: According to his website, Azmin was born in Singapore in 1964 as the fourth child of six siblings. His father, Haji Ali Omar, was in the Malaysian army, in 1968, he returned to Malaya.

—————————————————-

*Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) formed a new coalition called Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

 

Why has M$ strengthened against S$?

Last week, the Singapore dollar fell below the RM3 mark for the first time in about a year after our said central bank said there was sufficient room for the Singapore currency to ease as the Wuhan virus hits the economy: S$ tanks as GDP forecasts slashed

It’s now at M$2.98.

Bit surprising that the M$ has strengthened against S$ and outperformed it vis-a-vis the US$ because while S’pore is intensive care when China sneezes, M’sia dies: China sneezes, S’pore in intensive care.

Ang moh investors were net sellers of all things M’sia since 2018 when Tun came into power and are so going into this crisis, they very underweight M’sian assets. Hence had nothing much to sell. They were also especially overweighted S’pore because of the HK crisis. And so had a lot to sell to get to an underweight position.

Tun must be happy.

 

 

 

Property: Get excited about M’sia, Manila

Victoria Garrett, head of residential, Asia Pacific, at Knight Frank writes

The Knight Frank Prime Global Cities Index, which tracks the movement in luxury residential prices across 45 cities, saw 1.1 per cent average annual price growth in Q3 2019, down from 3.4 per cent for the same period in 2018, with secondary cities in Asia — including Taipei, Manila, Guangzhou and Delhi — creeping into the top 10. We expect those markets with strong local economies (Manila, Shanghai and Taipei) to perform strongly in 2020 as well as those cities where wealth forecasts are above the regional average (Bengaluru, Manila, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Min City). [Note she doesn’t mention us. LOL.]

Manila’s prime residential market continues to sprint ahead, with prices rising 5.6 per cent in the first nine months of 2019, adding to the 11.1 per cent rise seen in 2018, according to Santos Knight Frank Research. This is driven by investors buying prime residential property to lease out to employees working in business process outsourcing (BPO) and for Philippine offshore gaming operators. While there are some supply concerns this year, demand should keep pace, and we expect prices to continue rising given the ever-expanding BPO sector.

Malaysia’s residential property market appears to be bottoming out, although it will take time before the market sees a significant improvement. We expect the market to improve gradually with support from government initiatives. The lowering of the price threshold for foreign buyers from RM1m to RM600,000 ($243,000-$146,000) in 2020 for unsold high-rise units in urban areas is expected to help address the overhang, particularly for units in the RM600,000 to RM700,000 range in selected areas.

Remember you read this here first.

Related post: Soon can buy M’sian apt for less than 2-room HDB flat

Tun talks cock, Mamas upset, M’sian palm oil growers suffer

Palm oil is M’sia’s biggest agricultural export, used extensively around the world, in everything from cooking oil, to bio-fuels, and een in  lipsticks. Hundreds of thousands of M’sian farmers depend on palm oil exports for their livelihood,

India, the world’s biggest importer of edible oils, buys more than 9m tonnes of palm oil annually, mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia. Between January-October 2019, India was the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil, taking in more than 4m tonnes, according to official M’sian data.

But its palm oil exports to India dropped from 310,648 tonnes in September to 219,956 tonnes in October – and then to 142,696 tonnes in November.

Because in late September, Big Mouth Talk Cock King Mahathir said India had “invaded and occupied” Kashmir, the Himalayan territory that is legally part of India. Delhi had only revoked Indian-administered Kashmir’s autonomy in early August, and communication and other curbs remain in place.

Indians were unhappy, and India’s top vegetable oil trade body called on its members to avoid buying M’sian palm oil to “show solidarity” over Kashmir.

As hundreds of thousands of M’sian farmers depend on palm oil exports for their livelihood, the M’sian government has admitted the advisory was a “major setback”. -Tun went further, saying it “amounts to a trade war”.

Experts agree that it’s “major setback”.

“If there is a formal boycott, it will hit M’sia hard in the short term,” James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, told the BBC. “It will be very difficult for Malaysia to find a new buyer for the volume.”

S’poreans should behave like the Mamas when Tun next threatens us.

Soon can buy M’sian apt for less than 2-room HDB flat

From next yr, foreigners can buy property in federally-governed territories (mostly areas in and around KL), for only 600,000 ringgit (S$198,000: S$200,000 seems to be the value of a 2-room HDB flat in Bedok) following a move by Tun’s government to slash the threshold for foreign buyers by 40% to address an oversupply of high-rise units.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced the measure in October when he outlined Malaysia’s 2020 federal budget, saying that addressing the oversupply would boost the economy.

Tun (Remember he didn’t want foreigners to buy property in Johor when he came to power?) later warned that “crisis” loomed if the glut in supply was not resolved: “We have to get rid of this overhang so that the market for property becomes healthy again. We need to sell them or the developers will get into trouble.” Mahathir said. The  housing minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin said she hoped the measure would help “restore the financial position of Malaysian developers”.

But Johor or Penang, the places that S’poreans prefer, are not playing ball:

While the central government intends to lower the threshold for units in federally-governed territories next year, individual state governments are not compelled to follow suit.

Although leaders from Penang, Selangor and Johor – states suffering from an oversupply of high-end condominium units – have said they are reviewing their foreign-ownership property thresholds, two of the states have said that the 600,000-ringgit figure is too low.

In some states, foreign buyers are currently limited to property priced at 2 million ringgit(US$480,000)or above.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3036959/us145000-malaysian-homes-get-cheaper-foreign-buyers-will-locals?fbclid=IwAR2zWYqIOT3HUExC4xH47o9rUF4KNLrsjDFk1McqPVCg2SmkViGZLsMrFIE

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Related posts:

What a 4-room HDB flat buys in Iskandar & KL

S’poreans own Iskandar

Iskandar: Dummies Guide on why it’s rubbish

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I’ll end with

Li [a taxi driver in HK] was amazed at how “cheap” apartments in Singapore are. He lives with his parents in a one-bedroom apartment that is worth HK$6.5 million (US$830,000). He cannot afford to move out and, with his fourteen-hour days, has neither the time nor money to date.

https://sudhirtv.com/2019/11/15/a-longform-on-hong-kong-vs-singapore/

 

M’sian SOE debt at dangerous level

Much of the deterioration in finances and credit ratings in developing countries state-owned enterprises are

due to the predominance of oil and gas companies among SOEs, Cnooc and Sinopec of China, Gazprom of Russia, Petrobras of Brazil and Malaysia’s Petronas as well as Pemex, which have been hurt by the fall in oil prices since 2007.

FT

Emphasis mine.

 

Want Tun to run S’pore?

“Singapore water issue a legacy of Mahathir: Malaysian minister”

Screamed an AsiaOne (part of the constructive, nation-building SPH and stable-mate of ST) headline

The unresolved issue of the price of water sold to Singapore was a legacy of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) (pic).

He said this as he reminded a Johor lawmaker, who raised the issue when debating Budget 2020 in Parliament yesterday.

[…]

Dr Wee [reminded] it was Dr Mahathir who decided not to raise the water tariff on the sale of water from Johor to Singapore.

“As far as I know, this was done in 1987 when YB Langkawi was the Prime Minister then*.

https://www.asiaone.com/malaysia/singapore-water-issue-legacy-mahathir-malaysian-minister?fbclid=IwAR3RWjrsGs3xHhScLJAiQMQhU3aqrorDDMprK0M-aBlDeUc40-wOECKbizU

Wow! Except that the said Dr Wee is not a Malaysian minister. He’s an ex-minister who was in Najib’s cabinet. Surely not the same.

Morphing an ex-minister from a Najib cabinet into a present-day minister in a Tun cabinet sounds like fake news from our constructive, nation-building media. But I doubt, it’ll get POFMAed by the PAP govt.

Btw, in What Tun and our alt media don’t tell us about the water supply from Johor, I wrote

So funny that in 1987 when he could taken action to have the agreement reviewed, he didn’t bother. Actually to be fair to him, it seems he wasn’t told that in 1987 there was a window for review . Secret Squirrel says that there’s a view in M’sia that someone was bribed. It was not some Bumi incompetence or carelessness.

---

*The exchange went on

“He decided not to raise the rates. So what are your views as the fourth Prime Minister is now the seventh Prime Minister?” Dr Wee asked.

In response, Santhara said things were different now as Dr Mahathir made the decision back then when he led the Barisan Nasional government.

“But now, he sits in a Pakatan Harapan Cabinet and is the Prime Minister and Pakatan chairman.

“The thinking now is to resolve the problem, ” he said.

Dr Wee then pointed out that the time to resolve the water agreement with Singapore has since passed.

 

S’pore: Bottom of class in Asean

Don’t believe me? Look at this table where MNCs relocating from China are going to.

To be fair, S’pore’s a developed city-state while the rest of Asean are third-world countries: including M’sia.

Btw, table also shows that PeenoyLand and Indonesia are “shithole” countries as far as manufacturing investments are concerned. Infrastructure problems, poor governance and bad labour and other laws ensure that MNCs don’t relocate there despite cheap labour and in Peenoy’s case, the use of some kind of English.

Hoping for Perkatan Harapan type victory here?

Then expect bad economic growth. Look at the chart below and realise that it was the economy that did it for Najib. It tanked badly during his last year

Btw, why rational S’poreans should be afraid, very afraid that a Coalition of the Spastics wins: My predictions about Spastics’ League, False Hopes: Coalition of the Spastics and Election manifesto of Spastics League?.

What Tun and our alt media don’t tell us about the water supply from Johor

I’m sure you know:

Under the 1962 Water Agreement, Singapore can draw up to 250 million gallons of water a day from the Johor River, and Singapore is obliged to provide Johor with treated water up to 2% of the water we import. The 1962 Water Agreement will expire in 2061.

PUB

And that we pay 3 sen per 1,000 gallons and are required to supply Johor with 5 mgd of treated water at cost under the agreement.

And that Tun keeps KPKBing that it’s an unfair agreement that he says must be changed.

—————————————————-

So funny that in 1987 when he could taken action to have the agreement reviewed, he didn’t bother. Actually to be fair to him, it seems he wasn’t told that in 1987 there was a window for review . Secret Squirrel says that there’s a view in M’sia that someone was bribed. It was not some Bumi incompetence or carelessness.

——————————————————

But did you know an area about a third the size of Singapore (21,600 ha) is leased from Johor?

Constructed by PUB under a 1990 agreement with Johor supplementary to the 1962 Water Agreement, the Linggiu Reservoir is located upstream of the Johor River Waterworks and releases water into the Johor River to supplement its flow. This enables reliable abstraction of raw water at the Johor River Waterworks which is owned and operated by PUB for treatment.

https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/importedwater

PUB

built the Linggiu Reservoir at a cost of more than S$300 million to enable reliable abstraction of water at PUB’s Johor River Waterworks (JRWW).

PUB (This sentence added on 22 October 2019 at 4.55am)

We paid Johor RM320 million (S$208 million at 1990 rates) for the potential loss of revenue from logging activities, and as a one-time payment for the lease of that land for the land up to 2061. We pay annual land taxes: but this is “peanuts”.

Do you know that despite leasing the land and using it as a catchment area, Malaysia, can, built water plants upstream of the JRWW?

These

have further added to the abstraction of water from the Johor River.

PUB. See Water: M’sia takes us to the cleaners

Also, did you know we have been supplying more than 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at the state’s request? Only obliged to supply 5 mgd.

PUB revealed that from Sept 23 to Sept 27, it has been supplying an additional 6 mgd of treated water, on top of the 16 mgd that it already supplies. This is upon Johor’s request, as the state had seen a disruption in production at its water plant in Skudai, PUB said.

Water: M’sia takes us to the cleaners

 

 

 

M’sian stocks: eagles and dogs

Interesting tables from https://www.theedgesingapore.com/capital/tongs-portfolio/good-bad-and-ugly-our-malaysian-portfolio-reaches-its-fifth-anniversary

From the late 80s until the late 90s, I used to specialise in M’sian equities. These stocks are Mandarin to me. LOL.

 

SAF can really detect and neutralise drones?

After the attack on Saudi oil installations, in what seems to be warning to Tun not to try anything funny (Morocco Mole, Secret Squirrel’s side kick tells me that his second cousin removed working in Tun’s office tells him that arms dealers have promised him Iranian drones that hit the Saudi installations.)

Singapore ‘quite confident’ of detecting and neutralising drones used in Saudi attacks: Ng Eng Hen

Headline from constructive, nation-building CNA

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-confident-detect-neutralise-drones-saudi-arabia-uav-11976108

Is he talking cock?

Because remember the drone intrusion at Chamgi Int’l? Why isn’t Changi Int’l not protected against drone intrusions?/ Paper weapons?

and Where’s SAF and police when Changi Airport needs them?.

But let’s be serious

But it would be a mistake to confuse the use of drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in this attack with other incidents where off-the-shelf drones have disrupted airports, football matches or political rallies, says Douglas Barrie, an air power fellow at think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

He says this attack was carried out, in part, by sophisticated UAVs – small, pilotless, winged aircraft – nothing like the quadcopter drones flown in suburban parks.

Instead, they can cover hundreds of kilometres and be pre-programmed to fly around navigation points on the ground, allowing them to approach a target from an unexpected direction.

“The level of complexity in this attack is above anything we’ve seen before. Using a mix of cruise missiles and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) that arrived all at the same time calls for a serious level of planning and proficiency,” says Mr Barrie.

The attack has raised a question-mark over the quality of the protection available against UAV assaults.

Criticism of Saudi Arabian air defences is wide of the mark, says Mr Barrie. The fact is that complex networks of air defence radars linked to guided missiles and squadrons of advanced fighter jets are not designed to counter this relatively cheap and disposable technology.

“Digital technology has made a huge difference to what smaller UAVs can do. Suddenly you can pack a lot into a UAV, you can almost turn it into a precision guided weapon.”

By programming a UAV to fly around numerous points before arriving at its target it can avoid the obvious directions from which an attack is expected. This may explain why existing radars failed to spot the drone formation which attacked Abqaiq.

Which is why this got rushed into the area

The US Air Force has just taken delivery of Phaser, a microwave-based weapon from defence giant Raytheon. Firing from a disc resembling a giant satellite dish atop a sand-coloured container it wipes out the digital elements inside a drone.

Raytheon cannot say where the rapidly purchased Phaser has been sent, but the Pentagon has stated that it is being deployed overseas.

Perhaps Phaser’s biggest strength is it operates at the speed of light. That is the rate at which it fires out bursts of microwave radiation. And that can bring an approaching UAV down in a split second.

The beam emitted by Phaser is 100 metres broad at a distance of one kilometre. That translates into a lot of dangerous space for an attacking UAV. Targets are tracked by an electro-optical sensor converting images into electronic signals and working in tandem with the microwave beam.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49984415?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology&link_location=live-reporting-story

Water: M’sia takes us to the cleaners/ What? Shades of Oxleygate?

Over water issues with M’sia, the PAP govt is still playing nice guy. Or to be more accurate, roll over and play dead.

Our constructive, nation-building CNA reports (emphasis mine), not Terry Online’s Channel bunch of M’sian Indian goons trying to fix S’pore by destabilising bi-lateral ties by publishing fake news, reports this disturbing news:

“Singapore built the Linggiu Reservoir at a cost of more than S$300 million to enable reliable abstraction of water at PUB’s Johor River Waterworks (JRWW),” the agency [My note: PUB] said in a media release.

“However, Malaysia has built water plants upstream of the JRWW, which have further added to the abstraction of water from the Johor River.

“This challenging situation is exacerbated during dry weather, as PUB needs to discharge more water from Linggiu Reservoir to support water abstraction.

“In the event of a prolonged drought, a depleted Linggiu Reservoir will compromise Singapore’s right to abstract our full 250 million gallons per day (mgd) entitlement of water under the 1962 Water Agreement.”

Under the 1962 agreement, which lasts until 2061, Singapore has full and exclusive right to draw up to 250 million gallons of water daily from the Johor River at the price of 3 sen per 1,000 gallons.

Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/water-level-linggiu-reservoir-johor-falls-below-50-cent-pub

So why we playing nice guy? We continue giving Johor more cheap water then required to out of “goodwill” to ingrates (Johor officials always saying water agreement is unfair and should be cancelled):

Singapore is also required to supply Johor with 5 mgd of treated water under the agreement. But in practice, the Republic has been supplying 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at the state’s request, PUB said.

On Saturday, PUB revealed that from Sept 23 to Sept 27, it has been supplying an additional 6 mgd of treated water, on top of the 16 mgd that it already supplies. This is upon Johor’s request, as the state had seen a disruption in production at its water plant in Skudai, PUB said.

“Johor made similar requests this year in January and August. Last year, Singapore supplied additional water in excess of the usual 16 mgd for 20 days,” PUB said.

The water agency added that it has supplied all the additional treated water above 5 mgd on a “goodwill basis” at the same price as under the 1962 agreement of 50 sen per 1,000 gallons — a fraction of the cost of treating the water.

Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/water-level-linggiu-reservoir-johor-falls-below-50-cent-pub

Goodwill? What goodwill? With the M’sian and Johor authorities forever trying to cause trouble,

Tun manufacturing another row to stir his anti-PAP S’porean fans?

M’sian minister thinks M’sian drivers tua kee

Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us,

we should stick to the letter of the law.

PM should stand up to Tun. No more nice guy. No more rolling over and playing dead. Like he did over Oxleygate, where he should have sued his siblings: Riposte to “Blood is thicker than water” and other BS reasons not to sue.

What PAP and PMs always did before Oxleygate: Why PAP (and PMs) sue and sue.

And do remember that Mad Dog always says S’pore is unfair to its neighbours. Surely, not in this case?

 

Neighbouthood’s in a pretty good place

The Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are in a position to loosen fiscal and monetary policy, according to Pictet.

As is Tun’s M’sia, going by Pictet’s analysis.

M’sia boleh: Growing bamboo on Mars

According to Dezeen, an architecture and design magazine, M’sian designers Warith Zaki and Amir Amzar have designed a “colony” made from bamboo that would be grown on Mars and woven into pod-like structures by robots..

“Bamboo alone might not work in the extreme climate conditions on Mars, but with a combination of technology and other materials, there would be possibilities,” they said.

What Tun planning to go one up on Xi (Chink on the moon) and Modhi (Soft landing on the moon) with a mission to Mars that will seed the planet with bamboo shoots?

Tun manufacturing another row to stir his anti-PAP S’porean fans?

And distract M’sians from local problems? Like the haze, cabinet infighting and ebbing support from Malays for his personal party?

Tun and his Chinese lackey discriminating against us to cause trouble between the countries and among S’poreans isit? Why liddat? They know people like Goh Meng Seng and Terry (Or rather one of his India-based writers) of Terry”s Online Channel sure to take side of M’sia whatever the facts: What Meng Seng and TOC don’t tell us about dispute with Tun and “Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy”.

As will PJ Thum, Kirsten Han and Jolovan Wham (Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs)

---

How Hongkies justify flying US flag

PJ, Kirsten Jovolan and Meng Seng can use this reasoning to wave M’sia’s flag and support Tun

The US flag is about freedom and bravery,” said one, a 30-year-old who gave his name as Peter. “It’s not about supporting the US government, it’s about the value behind the flag no matter who the US president is at the time. The flag and the freedom doesn’t change.

Quote from FT

They can ignore that that there official discrimination of Chinese and Indians in M’sia.

————————————————————

Waz the latest row all about?

Our transport ministry will “consider the appropriate response” if M’sia applies its Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) requirement only on Singapore-registered vehicles, MOT said last Friday.

In April, M’sia announced that all foreign vehicle owners coming into the country through land borders will have to register for a VEP starting October. Only VEP-registered vehicles will be allowed entry into M’sia.

The VEP would be implemented in stages, starting with vehicles entering from S’pore through Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar, Johor. Fair enough as most of this traffic from other countries is from S’pore.

The second and third phases will eventually include all land borders connecting Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia to M’sia. Fair enough because there’s minimal traffic from these countries.

But last Monday, Tun’s Chinese running dog from the DAP Transport Minister Anthony Loke was quoted by Sin Chew Jit Poh as saying that his ministry was still studying how to implement the VEP at these other borders.

Sounds like we are being discriminated against.

It is not clear from Mr Loke’s latest comments whether the VEP will be implemented at the land borders with Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei, and how much later, said MOT.

“If Malaysia’s VEP requirement is only applied on Singapore-registered vehicles, we will consider the appropriate response,” MOT said in its statement.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/malaysia-vep-requirement-travel-singapore-vehicles-checkpoints-11880714

 

S’pore bidding for 2032 Olympics?

Malaysia and Singapore are reportedly considering a joint bid,

Nikkei Asian Review

In a story about Indonesia’s planned bid, the NAR reported the above. It also reported that India was planning a bid and the idea of a North-South Korea bid has also been floated.

It says that India would pose the greatest threat to Indonesia succeeding.

Why Sino-US Cold War is great for our economy

It’ll do for our economy what the Vietnam War did for HK and our economies: spur economic growth

Further to Will the last US MNC leaving China switch off the lights, the charts below show almost nothing is made in America. Almost everything is made in China, and almost the rest in Asean i.e. countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and M’sia.

As the regional trading, financial heart and hi-tech manufacturing centre (Think Ang moh manufacturer employs more people here than in China and planning to employ a lot more) of Asean, we’ll benefit (Think Ang moh who bot S$73.8m flat).

Bang yr balls Oz-based TRE cybernut and funder “Oxygen”. Left S’pore a long time ago but still hates S’pore and wishes us ill. But still has CPF account. Used to evade Oz tax, it’s alleged by Secret Squirrel.

But of course short term we suffer: “Only cold spell coming, but not Winter,” says Heng. 

Vote wisely. Remember: IMF affirms support for PAP policies.

 

 

Why is Tun full of gas?

Because M’sia’s the world’s third biggest exporter of gas. Never realised this until yesterday.

Does this happen here, PJ Thum and friends?

Firdaus Abdillah, the editor of online magazine Neon Berapi, was arrested on Thursday night after allegedly badmouthing Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim in a series of tweets, reported local media.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-mahathir-regrets-arrest-of-activist-crown-prince-11522290

When I read the above, I tot of

According to Kirsten Han, PJ Thum “urged (Mahathir) to take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of information”.

Kirsten Han trying to defecate herself and PJ out of self-made crater

Related posts:

Still urging Tun to take leadership in SE Asia; PJ, Kirsten?

WTF! With PAP on the ropes why this self-inflicted distraction?

Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs

If Tun still allows this to happen in M’sia, why should we want regime change here?

Vote wisely.

 

M’sia one yr on: What Tun’s fans here don’t tell us

When Tun and his new gang took power around this time last year, anti-PAP types were so happy. They asked him to bring democracy to S’pore:

— Kirsten Han trying to defecate herself and PJ out of self-made crater

— Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs

Well a year later, they kinda quiet and it’s not only because he threatened S’pore over water and territorial waters

— Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us

— Tan Kin Lian thinks Tun is more sinned against than sinning

The M’sian economy is in a bad place with foreign investors giving M’sia a miss.  Deep divisions within the ruling coalition have prevented measures to increase government revenue, attract investment or create jobs. Poor Chinese died in a rush for food coupons: M’sian voters repenting?

Here’s what Reuters reports

Investor Concerns

Business sentiment has cooled after initial optimism that followed Pakatan’s electoral win, due mainly to a lack of consensus on the way forward for the economy, according to an April survey of 250 businesses by Ipsos Business Consulting.

“The continued lack of clarity on economic policies may lead to an increased level of anxiety among the businesses and further intensify the fear of an economic slowdown,” the firm said its report.

Investors in the survey also expressed concerns over currency fluctuations and slowing economic growth. The ringgit currency has slumped this year and stocks are underperforming regional rivals.

Malaysia has had to fill a revenue shortfall stemming from a populist measure to scrap a goods and services tax last year, while efforts to turn around struggling state entities that burden the treasury, including long-suffering Malaysia Airlines, have faltered.

In March, Malaysia’s central bank cut its 2019 economic growth forecast to 4.3-4.8% from 4.9%, on expectations of a significant drop in export expansion due to slowing global growth and the U.S.-China trade war.

On Tuesday, Bank Negara Malaysia became the first central bank in the region to cut its benchmark interest rate, in a move to support the country’s economy.

Mahathir has mended ties with China, reaching a cut-price $11 billion rail link deal, which is a welcome investment boost.

But with Malaysia’s debt-to-GDP ratio around 50%, public support waning and an unstable ruling coalition, it will become increasingly difficult for Mahathir to boost economic growth and win back disillusioned voters.

“With exports likely to remain in the doldrums, GDP growth in Malaysia looks set to slow to a post-financial crisis low this year. The government’s recent policies will make the downturn even worse,” Capital Economics said in a research note on Wednesday.

(Reuters)

Already the Malays are repenting for deserting UMNO

Support for the government fell to just 39% in March, sharply down from the 66% rating in August 2018, according to a survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center.

Mahathir also saw his popularity plunge to 46% from 71% over the same period, although he says he doesn’t put much faith in these numbers.

Worryingly for Mahathir, Merdeka Center said Malay Muslims, who make up around 60% of Malaysia’s 32 million people, were largely more critical of his administration.

Most of the poorest people in the country are Malay and for decades they have been the beneficiaries of subsidies and other affirmative action policies pushed by UMNO.

Many in the majority community were also angered when Mahathir appointed an ethnic Chinese finance minister and an attorney-general from the Malaysian-Indian minority, and said cash handouts to Malays could be reduced.

Pledges to end the death penalty and rescind oppressive laws such as the colonial-era Sedition Act were also unpopular with traditionalists.

Vote wisely.

HoHoHo: Bad news for Go-Jek and Grab

Uber’s shares sank almost 8 per cent below their offer price on Friday, giving the ride-hailing company a disappointing market value of below $70bn — a far cry from the $100bn valuation it had until recently hoped to achieve.

FT today

Meanwhile Lyft which was valued at U$22.4bn at its IPO closing price (up 9% from its offer price). By May 7th, the day it reported results for the first quarter as a public company, it was worth only US$17bn. Lyft’s share price fell by another 11% the next day.

These performances have

left investors questioning the appetite for unprofitable car-booking companies that have relied on a flood of private capital to fund heated expansion and competition.

FT

As Economist says

Both firms have enough cash to continue to burn money for years, but public investors expect a rapid path to profitability. Making it into the black will require either raising prices or reducing the cut of bookings passed on to drivers. The former will be hard; in many markets ride-hailing competes with other cheap modes of transport, such as buses, bicycles and riders’ own cars.

Think Grab and Go-Jek, and Temasek that has invested in them. Grab and Go-Jek are also losing money.

Btw, in 2018 according to an article in the Tiền Phong newspaper, GIC realised a 60% loss over 4 years after it sold 5.4 million shares in Vietnamese taxi operator Vinasun.

 

Jialat for M’sia and Indonesia/ Even a Chinese M’sian minister is stupid

A pair of Scottish entrepreneurs are aiming to go global with their hope to replace palm oil using coffee waste.

Scott Kennedy and Fergus Moore said they came up with a unique way to extract oil from used coffee grounds which had a wide range of uses.

Palm oil is found in many household products, but environmentalists say demand for it is devastating rainforests in Asia.

Manufacturers are now under pressure to find an alternative.

…

“About 60% of a cafe’s waste is about coffee grounds.

…

“The most exciting part for us is that they have all the same components as palm.

“Palm oil’s in the news for all the wrong reasons. It’s really exciting for us that we could potentially provide a local and more sustainable alternative to all the industries that are currently using palm oil.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-48023412

In a sign of how nervous the M’sian govt is of criticism of palm oil, a M’sian minister criticises ‘sensationalised’ signs on palm oil at Singapore Zoo.

https://www.todayonline.com/world/malaysian-minister-criticises-sensationalised-signs-palm-oil-singapore-zoo

And she’s Chinese and from DAP. I tot only stupid, balls-carrying Malay ministers from Bersatu criticise S’pore. Didn’t realise got such people from DAP.

 

 

Will TOC ever report this about ringgit?

But to be fair, neither will any of the usual suspects in the anti-PAP alt media universe. Why? Because Tun is the Greatest and Regime change is always good?

Malaysian ringgit into Asia’s worst performer this month.

FTSE Russell said Monday it may drop Malaysian debt from the FTSE World Government Bond Index because of concern about market liquidity, roiling the nation’s currency and bonds. And less than two weeks ago, Norway said its sovereign wealth fund will cut emerging-market debt including Malaysian securities from its index.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-16/malaysian-ringgit-staggers-after-blows-from-ftse-russell-norway

Neither will they report

The Singapore dollar rose to a 17-month high against the Malaysian ringgit on Wednesday (Apr 17), as demand for the Malaysia currency weakened amid concerns the country’s debt may be removed from a key global bond index.

The Singapore dollar rose to an intraday high of RM3.0632 on Wednesday, the highest since the Singdollar touched RM3.0724 on Nov 20, 2017, according to global financial portal investing.com.

Year-to-date, the Singdollar has risen 0.74 per cent against the ringgit, according to Bloomberg.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-dollar-rises-17-month-high-against-malaysian-ringgit-11456122

 

Will TOC dare report this about M’sia?

Voters, especially the young, are not happy with the new govt. They also think that economic prospects are as bad as when S’pore’s friend was in power.

Kajidata Research tracked the political leanings of 9,071 Malaysians aged 21 years old and above from before the 14th general election, and found that overall satisfaction for PH had slipped by 16.4 points in December, with the biggest fall seen in the 20-29 age bracket at 20.6 points.

It found that economic confidence had dropped of 6.5 points since GE14, and as of December 2018, the score was almost back to the level of when Barisan Nasional was in power.

“Though the decline in economic confidence was true for all age groups, the large drop within the youth bracket suggests that they may have become disillusioned with Pakatan Harapan’s management of the national economy,” Kajidata said in a report accompanying the study results.

https://www.todayonline.com/world/youth-support-pakatan-harapan-dips-economic-dissatisfaction-rises

Somehow, I doubt TOC and other anti-PAP alt media publications will dare report this because this report is evidence against their narrative “M’sia Yesterday, S’pore Tomorrow. Change is coming. and for the good.”

Vote wisely, vote tactically.

Want to die? Fly FlyFirefly?

Singapore has withdrawn the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for Seletar Airport while Malaysia has indefinitely suspended its permanent restricted area over Pasir Gudang, both countries said on Saturday (Apr 6).

Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan and his Malaysian counterpart Anthony Loke said in a joint statement that the agreement was made “in the spirit of bilateral cooperation”.

…

“With this agreement, the Transport Ministers look forward to FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd’s commencement of flights to Seletar Airport effective April 2019,” they added.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-seletar-airport-ils-malaysia-suspends-pasir-gudang-11418642

Wasn’t ILS introduced because FlyFirefly was going to use the airport? Will Tun or the M’sian transport minister say sorry when a FlyFirefly aircraft crashes, killing passengers and crew? M’sia objected to ILS after Tun and friends came into power.

M’sia getting “peanuts”; S’pore getting billions

In M’sian casino operator kanna do NS by Tun?, I speculated that Genting M’sia was forced to buy a yacht by the M’sian govt for US$126m when others were bidding much lower prices.

Here’s the real reason why: Genting will spend S$4.5bn to improve the facilities on Sentosa and pay more tax here, all this when Tun is trying to bully and intimidate us. So maybe Genting was paying US$126m to keep him from getting upset that a M’sian company was going to spend billions here and not in M’sia?

How theS$4.5bn will be spent:

The new attractions of Super Nintendo World and Minion Park, spanning over 164,000 sqm, will be gradually rolled out at the Universal Studios Singapore every year from 2020 and completed around 2025.

Minion Park, inspired by the Despicable Me movie franchise, will take over the Madagascar zone, now designated for rides and shows tied to the animated movie of the same name. Both Minion Park and Super Nintendo World, based on Nintendo’s popular games and characters, will feature new rides and attractions.

The SEA Aquarium will also be expanded to take over the Maritime Experiential Museum, to create a new Singapore Oceanarium.

Apart from these, RWS’ waterfront promenade will be redeveloped to include a free public attraction featuring a nightly show and multi-purpose event zone that can be adapted for different festivals and events, as well as new dining options.

RWS will also introduce a driverless transport system across the Sentosa Boardwalk, which links to VivoCity mall in Harbourfront.

As for the increased taxes

a tiered structure for casino taxes will be introduced after the current moratorium ends in February 2022. Currently, there is a flat tax rate of 5 per cent for Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) made through premium gaming and 15 per cent for GGR made through mass gaming.

Premium gaming refers to the GGR made through players who open a deposit account with a credit balance of no less than S$100,000. Mass gaming covers players who fall outside of this category.

With the change, the first S$2.4 billion of GGR from premium gaming will be taxed at 8 per cent, while GGR which exceeds S$2.4 billion will be taxed at 12 per cent.

For mass gaming, the first $3.1 billion of GGR will be taxed at 18 per cent while GGR which exceeds $3.1 billion will be taxed at 22 per cent.

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/irs-allowed-expand-casinos-exclusivity-rights-extended-end-2030

In the context of all these goodies for S’pore, paying US$126 to M’sia is “peanuts”.

Btw the price of Genting S’pore (owned by controlling shareholder of Genting M’sia) fell: investors and analysts are not happy about the taxes, and capital expenditure that have spent.

M’sian casino operator kanna do NS by Tun?

M’sia’s government has sold a seized superyacht allegedly bought with money stolen from the 1MDB state fund for US$126m (£95.9m) the BBC reports. The buyer was Genting M’sia, the owner of the only legal casino M’sia.

Equanimity has been moored off the coast for the past five months, on show for potential buyers. The government said the pool of buyers was small, and while many offers were received, only a few topped US$100m. The price was short of the US$250m reportedly paid by Mr Low.

Wonder if Tun and his cabinet users will be regular users of the yacht as guests of Genting? Of course, all the rules will be followed. They don’t want to end up like Najib.

 

M’sians working here so poor meh?

Or juz cheapskate, law-breaking, entitled, lunch-stealing, freeloading criminals who think we scared of Tun?

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim Hassan was quoted by The Star as telling reporters that S’pore should  to discuss with M’sia,  S’pore’s move to deny entry to those with outstanding fines for vehicle-related offences from April 1

He said this would cause “a lot of inconvenience” to the thousands of Malaysians travelling daily to Singapore for work.

He said the action reflects poor bilateral relations between the two govts. So why not tell Tun to stop trying to bully and intimidate S’pore on water supply and territorial waters?

Amount involved is S$32m according to the S’pore govt.

Related posts:

M’sian minister thinks M’sian drivers tua kee

M’sia, S’pore are like …

M’sian minister talking thru his ass

When M’sia threatened war/ Gd day to sink a RMN vessel

Tun not happy with MayBank

No not because it financed Tuaspring helping S’pore give him the finger over water.

But because Maybank (“May” is short form of “Malayan”) is saying that M’sians are buying our banks because they are of better quality, and pay higher dividends, thanks to the M$ being up s**t creek.

Maybank Kim Eng is keeping “positive” on Singapore’s banking sector while noting significant interest among Malaysian investors in Singapore banks from a flight-to-quality angle, and for their high dividend yields as the SGD appreciates.

This comes post a meeting with 15 Malaysian investors from a mix of long-only, hedge and private-banking funds to discuss Singapore banks and Maybank’s stock calls on them – for which the research house says was very little pushback on its top picks DBS and UOB, both rated “buy” with the respective target prices of $29.56 and $29.71.

OCBC, on the other hand, has a “hold” rating and price target of $10.73.

https://www.theedgesingapore.com/singapore-banks-shine-despite-regional-macros-competition-fintechs-maybank

Note of all three banks, OCBC has the most exposure to M’sia because of its extensive branch network in Malaya and its life insurance biz via Great Eastern M’sia, 100% owned by Great Eastern.

Tun chickened out/ Two cheers for cowardly PAP govt

M’sia and S’pore are to return to their respective port limits before M’sia’s initial extension on Oct. 25, 2018 of its port limits off Johor. In response, S’pore extended its port limits off Tuas on Dec. 6.

Seems M’sia has backed down as S’pore had proposed a return to the status quo before 25 Oct earlier this yr, but got the finger.

Whatever, two cheers* for the PAP govt. We got what we wanted without sinking a M’sian vessel as I and others suggested: Why sink a M’sian vessel.

Morocco Mole (Secret Squirrel’s trusted sidekick) tells me that his second cousin removed in the M’sian coast guard tells him that the “accidental” ramming of an intruding M’sian vessel by a Maersk vessel, has the M’sian govt really worried. What would they do if another such accident sank a M’sian ship? For starters, they don’t have the resources to do a search-and-rescue operation, and would have to beg S’pore for help. And they couldn’t recover their sunken vessel without our help.

Related posts

What Meng Seng and TOC don’t tell us about dispute with Tun

How to squeeze Tun’s balls real hard

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*Note to cybernuts (in the event TRE uses this piece) who don’t know meaning of “two cheers” like “bapak” because they never went to an elite school or even lesser schools like Hwa Chong, only neighbourhood schools or vocational institutes: read https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/two-cheers-for

Why cybernuts are very happy this CNY

Singapore dollar falls below RM3-mark for first time in 4 months
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-dollar-falls-malaysia-ringgit-currency-rm3-11222916

They are saying that S’pore is doomed under the PAP. They have been saying that since circa 1998 (the dawn of the internet age). Their predecessors have been saying that since 1959.

M’sian minister thinks M’sian drivers tua kee

They have extraterritorial rights here isit? Like the ang mohs and Japanese in China at the turn of the 20th century? They could break Chinese laws and not face Chinese justice.

Taz what I tot When I read

Vehicles with unpaid fines banned from Singapore: Malaysia seeks further discussion, says minister*

Wah think can bully S’pore isit? Like trespassing our waters? Nk kum guan that cannot cancel HSR without compensation? And kanna pay us $15m in exchange for delaying HSR?

——————————————–

*More on M’sian arrogance:

Malaysia will hold further discussions with Singapore after the latter country announced a future ban on foreign vehicles with outstanding fines, said Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya on Sunday (Feb 3).

1. “We understand the ban has been issued effective April 1, 2019. We are in the process of discussion with Singapore and we need to discuss further on the matter,” he told reporters after an event in the Penang town of Batu Kawan.

“We have our own method to discuss this matter with Singapore. The discussion will be conducted simultaneously with the bilateral meeting with the republic later,” he added.

Marzuki was speaking in response to Johor International Trade, Investment and Utility Committee chairman Jimmy Puah, who said on Saturday that Malaysia had the right to make the same rule.

Earlier on Saturday, Singapore authorities had announced that foreign vehicles with outstanding fines for traffic, parking or vehicular emissions offences may be denied entry from Apr 1.

They said that motorists of foreign vehicles have so far accumulated about 400,000 outstanding fines amounting to S$32 million.
Advertisement

“About 60,000 foreign vehicles enter Singapore daily. The majority of foreign motorists are law abiding,” said the agencies that included the Singapore Police Force and Land Transport Authority.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-further-discussion-singapore-foreign-vehicle-ban-fines-11199814

M’sian voters repenting?

But first: M’sians become so poor meh?

Two elderly women in Malaysia have died in a crush caused by a crowd jostling to get free food coupons.

Only 200 coupons were available but more than 1,000 people showed up at an indoor market in the Pudu district in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47037657

Btw, they both Chinese.

FT reports voters are repenting (OK, OK, sort of)

Malaysia: Our Malaysian political sentiment index plummeted almost nine points, bringing the cumulative drop since Mahathir Mohamad’s surprise election victory last year to more than 27 points. Mr Mahathir’s government has struggled to deliver on the sweeping reforms promised, while consumers are becoming increasingly aware of infighting within the cabinet. That said, our index remains above the 50-point mark separating improvement from deterioration, in contrast to the deteriorating sentiment recorded throughout the previous government under Najib Razak.

Vote wisely.

M’sian minister talking thru his ass

Momentum of Malaysia’s relationship with Singapore ‘very positive’: Economic Minister Azmin Ali

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/malaysia-singapore-maritime-airspace-dispute-azmin-ali-11129654

Relations are going downhill and fast.

Update at 11.40:

Btw this is the guy Tun is using to try to ensure Anwar doesn’t succeed him as PM.But Anwar knows this, and has warned him: “A return of the Mahathir-Anwar leadership?” Really?.

More soon on how S’pore can make Tun cry “Tolong uncle”.

“A return of the Mahathir-Anwar leadership?” Really?

Not if Anwar has learnt his lesson. The background

A return of the Mahathir-Anwar leadership?

Anwar Ibrahim enters 2019 in much the same position he was in some 20 years ago: in line to replace Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister of Malaysia.

The once close relationship between the two men turned sour in the late 1990s, during Mr Mahathir’s first stint as leader. The two clashed over the Asian financial crisis, and Mr Anwar was eventually jailed on sodomy charges that he says were fabricated for political reasons.

As part of an election-winning deal in 2018, however, Mr Mahathir has promised to hand over power to his one-time protégé “in a year or two.”

The focus now is on the two men’s relationship. One former minister recently proposed that they give the “1997 recipe” another try, with Mr Anwar becoming Mr Mahathir’s deputy ahead of the leadership handover.

Mr Anwar, however, seems to be playing his cards more carefully this time.

“I never push for [a succession deadline],” Mr Anwar told the Nikkei Asian Review in an interview in October.

But he also issued a warning to any would-be challengers.

“I have forgiven those who jailed, insulted and accused me,” Mr Anwar told party members in November. “I am nice and friendly with everyone, but don’t try to walk over me or I will take you on.”

CK Tan, Nikkei staff writer

His warning

“I am nice and friendly with everyone, but don’t try to walk over me or I will take you on.”

is directed at Azmin Ali, Malaysia’s economic affairs minister. Amin, his deputy in PKR also leads the anti-Anwar faction within the PKR.

It’s widely believed among people in the know in KL, that Tun is trying to get Azmin to depose Anwar so that Tun can say, “How to hand over power to Anwar, when his own party doesn’t want him?”. This is risky because if civil war breaks out in PKR, the coalition is at risk.

Whatever, Azmin and his gang

may slow, or add uncertainty to, Anwar’s accession to the premiership in the hope this buys Azmin time to position himself as Mahathir’s successor instead,” wrote Peter Mumford, Asia director at Eurasia Group, in a recent note. The rivalry could escalate if Mr Mahathir reshuffles Malaysia’s cabinet early this year and appoints Mr Azmin to a more powerful ministerial position. Wong Chen, a politician in Mr Anwar’s party, said many members of parliament were anxious about the political manoeuvring, but added: “The majority of us still believes the transition will happen where Anwar will assume the premiership at the end of 2019 or early 2020.”

FT

Tun’s greatest achievement and real Kiling unhappy

In 2018, M’sia became the biggest importer of UK rubbish after China banned most rubbish imports from the rest of the world. M’sia boleh.

So will Kirsten Han and PJ Thum want other SE Asians countries to follow and be the dumping ground of the world’s rubbish? Still urging Tun to take leadership in SE Asia; PJ, Kirsten?

PJ and Ms Han should note that Kiling kay poh (another ang moh tua kee) not happy

Since China’s ban, Malaysia has seen a big surge in the amount of plastic it has received from abroad, including from the UK.

“Malaysia is not able to process all of the imported waste, there are limited plastic waste factories”, says Mageswari Sangaralingam who works for the Consumers’ Association of Penang and for Friends of the Earth, Malaysia.

According to Ms Sangaralingam, not only is Malaysia receiving more plastic than it can properly dispose of, some of it is low-grade which ends up as landfill. There are also some rogue recyclers who, she says, burn plastic in the open – leading to environmental harm.

The Malaysian government has announced stricter conditions on the import of plastic and says it wants to phase it out over the next three years – but Ms Sangaralingam wants an immediate outright ban.

“Malaysia is not a dumping ground and hence should stop importing plastic waste,” she says.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46566795

With enemy like Tun

PAP doesn’t need give away too many bribes goodies before next GE.

It can raise GST by 2% 2 points before GE and still win 70%. All it needs is Tun continuing to threaten S’pore. As I told one of Anwar’s pals and a former adviser of Tun, last week, with an enemy like Tun, the PAP doesn’t need to worry about winning 70% of the votes.

But then maybe, Tun has a secret Swiss bank account …

M’sia, S’pore are like …

Singapore and Malaysia are like two siblings, younger one graduated from university with a MBA and the older one from a special school and suffering from perpetual inferiority complex…but pretending that he is truly special….

FB post

So juz ram (and sink) that trespassing ship to show who is tua kee.

Still urging Tun to take leadership in SE Asia; PJ, Kirsten?

According to Kirsten Han, PJ Thum “urged (Mahathir) to take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of information”.

Kirsten Han trying to defecate herself and PJ out of self-made crater

Do they still believe that he’s the messiah SE Asia needs?

NHS rubber gloves made in Malaysian factories accused of forced labour

Exclusive: firms supplying health service allegedly exploit thousands of migrants

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/business

(Their favourite ang moh newspaper)

Champion for human rights ? What champion  for human rights?

And does a champion for human rights do this?

in September, Dr Mahathir told the United Nations General Assembly that Malaysia would ratify all the human rights conventions it had yet to adopt, a total of six, including the measure against racial discrimination.

Then, Dr Mahathir had promised that Malaysia will espouse the principles promoted by the UN in its international engagements, saying: “It is within this context that the new government of Malaysia has pledged to ratify all remaining core UN instruments related to the protection of human rights.”

But he had added: “It will not be easy for us because Malaysia is multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multicultural and multilingual.”

Later in November, the Malaysian government backpedaled on its decision and chose not to ratify ICERD because it would require a two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the Federal Constitution.

“ICERD promotes freedom and less discrimination. Article 153 (of the Constitution) gives some privileges to the indigenous people, which means some may interpret it as being discriminatory,” Dr Mahathir had told the media. “If we tried to abolish these privileges, it will go against Article 153.”

The Pakatan Harapan government does not have a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Furthermore, several Pakatan Harapan MPs stated that they were not in favour of the ratification.

The proposed ratification of ICERD had also drawn criticism and protests from government and opposition representatives as well as NGOs.

Many feared that its implementation may undermine some of the privileges enshrined in the Federal Constitution and dilute privileges for ethnic Malays, who form the majority in the country.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/anti-icerd-rally-umno-pas-kl-white-shirts-11013422

Are these the reasons why the diabolical duo are so quiet about Tun’s behaviour towards S’pore recently? They don’t know where to hide their asses?

I doubt they are ashamed of their actions because they are the kind of people who believe in “Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy”.

Whatever two cheers for Tan Kin Lian: he has

the balls to speak out in support of Tun unlike Tun brown nosers Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum and Kirsten Han* ( “Antics Of Civil Society Activists Endanger Opposition Cause”); and Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs. Their silence is deafening shameful and in character. Sad.

Tan Kin Lian thinks Tun is more sinned against than sinning

What Meng Seng and TOC don’t tell us about dispute with Tun

Further to his rant that I covered in “Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy” Meng Seng came up with another piece along the same lines: sceptical about what the PAP govt says about the dispute

Meanwhile Terry’s Online Channel continues propagating its scepticism about what the PAP govt says on the dispute: (Fact: Terry said on FB that the dispute was over port limits, not territorial waters. Even M’sia says it’s about territorial waters. Whatever, at least Terry is not as mealy-mouthy as Meng Seng when it comes to agreeing with M’sia. Meng Seng while dissing the govt’s claims throws plenty of smoke so that he cannot be accused of being unpatriotic. Btw, I don’t doubt Terry’s patriotism, but have serious doubt that Meng Seng has the best interests of S’pore in his heart. )

Here are two facts that TOC AND Seng Meng are silent on.

JB port is only accessible via the eastern side of the Johor Straits, not via the western side of the Johor Straits where the Tuas dispute is happening. Of course when Tun’s crooked bridge is ever built, the situation may change. Until then, because the JB port is not accessible via Tuas area because of the causeway, the only reason M’sia is extending JB port’s waters in the Tuas area (West of JB port) is because Tun wants to annoy and  hopefully bully S’pore.

Their silence is also deafening on the fact that the other M’sian unhappiness dating from their 1979 assertions has been proven to be a lot of rubbish by an int’l court: the Pedra Blanca dispute where S’pore won fair and square.

With S’poreans like Goh Meng Seng and those writing articles on the Tuas dispute in TOC, no wonder Tun thinks he can bully S’pore. A very early GE will prove him wrong.

“Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy”

“Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy” seems to be a favourite pastime of the most nutty cybernuts such as Goh Meng Seng.

When Penang-born Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Thursday (Dec 6)
opened his mouth saying

Malaysia should “back off” and leave Singapore’s waters.

and urging

Singaporeans to stay united in light of recent Malaysian intrusions into Singapore territorial waters, stressing that this is an issue of national interest.

“When our national interests are challenged, we have to quietly but firmly stand our ground and stay united as one people,” Mr Khaw said at a media briefing on Thursday (Dec 6).

Mr Khaw was referring to 14 intrusions by Malaysian government vessels into Singapore territorial waters off Tuas recently. This comes after Malaysia in October extended its Johor Bahru Port Limits, an act which Singapore said encroaches into its territorial waters.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/port-limit-dispute-malaysia-stay-united-khaw-boon-wan-11006838

this appeared on a friend’s FB wall posted by someone who says “PAP is always wrong”

All the jingoism coming only from the PAP government. Can you urge everyone in your group to tell the PAP government to stop their shrill jingoism? We just have to be adults around here.

He’s talking cock because it’s not “shrill jingoism” for the PAP govt to point out that there is an infringement of our sovereignty (all those M’sian vessels intruding intruding and remaining into our territorial waters) and “quietly but firmly stand our ground and stay united as one people” Unless pointing these infringements and “quietly but firmly stand our ground and stay united as one people,” is shrill jingoism”: only an extremely nutty cynernut will beliive this. Btw, this cybernut likes to suggest to people to join oppo parties even though he isn’t a member of any.

Another example of “Licking the ass of the enemy of my enemy”:

Khaw Boon Wan should not stroke nationalistic sentiments unnecessarily

Mr Khaw Boon Wan is stoking up nationalistic sentiments when it calls for Singaporeans to stay united and stand our ground.

The danger of flaming nationalist emotions is that we can now see that war is being mentioned loosely.

It is totally unnecessary of Mr Khaw to do so. It is a given that Singaporeans would stand behind the country when the call arises but what Mr Khaw did is nothing more than pure rhetoric.

We are not talking about the Malaysian Naval warships intruding into our (disputed) territorial waters. It’s the Malaysian government vessels for goodness sake.

If the incursion of the vessels into our territorial waters really happened, then rightfully, these acts should be condemned but sort out the transgression by our neighbours amicably.

There is no need to stoke nationalistic sentiments to prove a point nor does it do any good for our bilateral ties.

So Mr Khaw, chill. We are not going to war.

Osman bin Sulaiman

And this is one from ass licker-in-chief Goh Meng Seng who to be far to him was an officer in our Navy when he was doing NS.

The Singapore – Malaysia Territorial Water Dispute

I have refrained from putting up formal position on the current spat and controversy of the territorial water dispute because I want to make I have enough information and research on the whole subject before I formulate my views.

I am First a Singaporean and my loyalty and allegiance will always pledged towards my country, Singapore. I would even lay down my life for my country in whatever ways.

But I am also an opposition politician whose job is to keep the ruling party PAP in checks and balance.

Trust is the enemy of checks. Thus I have little trust in PAP and won’t take every words they say as golden truth without verification or critically examined. That is my job and role as an Opposition politician.

When I read and watch how PAP Ministers put up rally calls of “unity” and such, I get extremely skeptical. As Singaporeans, we will definitely unite and defend our country when we have a JUST cause.

The Trust factor in me deteriorated extremely fast when I read what the Transport Minister put up in his press conference. His rhetorics are actually contradictory to the illustration map which he puts up.

First he claims that our land reclamation did not intrude into Malaysian Territory. But the map he presented demonstrated otherwise. One small part of the Malaysian 1979 territorial claim has been infringed by the reclaimed land at Tuas.

Of course, PAP government’s position is that Singapore does not recognize nor agree to this 1979 unilateral boundary claim made by Malaysia. Thus, to PAP Government, we will disregard the so call infringement of Malaysian Territorial Water.

The map shown by Khaw shows a few important lines. One, is the 1995 boundary border agreed by both Singapore and Malaysia. Beyond that last point of 1995 boundary, the map didn’t show any OFFICIAL boundary but only the 1979 boundary which Singapore had refused to agree to.

The question running through my mind is, where is our Singapore border if there is no Officially agreed border between Singapore and Malaysia?

That set me to the little quest to seek the answer to this mystery.

It is an important question because it would mean totally different things. If Malaysian vessels have intruded into our Territorial Waters which has already been delimit or agreed upon between the countries in 1995, then it would be straight out blatant intrusion of our sovereignty and we Singaporeans have all rights to fight back with all means, without much question.

But if the intrusion of the Malaysian vessels into the water which has no clear boundary set out in any official agreement between the two countries, then the approach would be different.

If there is no officially agreed boundary in that part of water territory, it will bound to have all sorts of conflicting claims. The only way to settle it once and for all, is to take the opportunity to open up talks to formalize the Territorial borders.

It is in our interests to do so, especially when our mega port at Tuas is going to be built and operational in the years to come.

The mega port will need a safe port limit which doesn’t lie in controversial conflicting claims.

If there is a need for talk to finalize the Territorial border in this part of the region, then we must careful not to let irrational nationalistic sentiments to be incited.

No fruitful negotiations can be done or achieved through media or media war of words of rhetoric. Worse still, stoking fervent nationalistic sentiments by making war cries or provocative military moves.

Unless we are bloody sure that we will definitely go to war for reasons of blatant violation of agreed borders, then it would be a good tactic to make such war rally cry.

War should always be the last resort. Singapore can not afford to go to war with anyone too lightly, for issues which doesn’t critically affect our survival. Example, cutting off our water supply or setting up sea and air routes blockade etc. For these issues, we will definitely initiate War.

But if we are not really ready for war, responsible citizens and politicians should not incite unnecessary fervent nationalistic emotions which could hurt our long term relationship with our neighbors.

Malaysia should stop the provocative acts in this disputed water territory by pulling out its vessels and assets while Singapore PAP government should stop the provocative military mobilization and propaganda during this sensitive time. Both government should then start a new fresh round of negotiations and talk to finalize the border along this water territory.

Goh Meng Seng

All I can suggest is that he goes read what the minister said and not he thinks he said.

With enemies like him and the other two, the PAP govt can really afford not to have any friends.

 

 

 

How to squeeze Tun’s balls real hard

And make him cry “Uncle” without sinking a M’sian ship is what I promised as an alternative plan in Why sink a M’sian vessel.

As a result of the railway land deal between the two govts when we had a friend in KL, two pieces of prime property were developed here for mutual benefit in exchange for the rail corridor etc.

The land is worth S$11bn or thereabouts. And M’sia’s share is 60% ie S$6.6bn. Seems M’sia wants to sell out.

Just tell M’sia that we won’t be interested in buying them out until Tun backs down on the territorial dispute (and revert to status quo without prejudice to the claims, as per our suggestion). S$6.6bn is a lot of money for a poor, indebted country whose military aircraft are not maintained because there’s no money. And where finance minister has to find the money to pay for election promises: promises made expecting not to win election.

I’ll let our best friend in KL (and Trump’s golf kaki) explain the details.

“As a result, the agreement and the KTM plots of land were left like that for 20 years without a single sen earned,” he said. [He was talking to Tun’s refusal to go ahead with what was agreed with S’pore over the railway: me]

The former Umno president said the land were initially given to KTM in 1918 under the Railway Act at the time.

The plots were on 999-year lease, and its use was only limited to railways. It could not be developed or used for other projects.

Najib pointed out that most of the plots were too narrow because the railway tracks were by nature not wide.

“If Singapore does not agree with us and does not convert the land use, those plots of KTM land will just be left to rot.

“You wait another 999 years, it will not bring a single sen to anyone. Moreover, we will need to pay land tax to Singapore,” he said.

Najib said in 2010, he then negotiated with the Singapore government and reached a new agreement where the city state would give four land packages at Marina Bay (nearby Marina Bay Sands) and two packages at Ophir-Rochor, as an exchange for one land package in Tanjung Pagar, one package in Kranji, one in Woodlands and three packages in Bukit Timah.

He said anyone who knew Singapore would know that the land in Marina Bay is the most valuable in the country, while Ophir-Rochor is Singapore’s new central business district.

“It is far more valuable than the land in Bukit Timah and Kranji,” he said.

The plots of land, Najib said, were jointly developed by Malaysia and Singapore, under M-S Pte Ltd, where 60% of the ownership is placed under Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

The project in Marina Bay, named Marina One, is valued at S$7 billion (RM21.3 billion), while the Ophir-Rochor project is valued at S$4 billion (RM12.2 billion).

He said both projects were successfully completed earlier this year, bringing handsome returns to the country.

“The Marina One project is 3.67 million square feet, covering two 34-storey luxury towers, two 30-storey grade A offices and a shopping mall known as ‘The Heart’.

“Many well known companies such as Facebook, PwC, Grab, commercial banks, among others, have moved to Marina One and they have begun paying rent to a company owned by Khazanah, which will guarantee continuous long-term returns for us,” he said.

Najib said several months ago, Singapore media had reported Khazanah, under the Pakatan Harapan government, was negotiating to let go of a 60% stake in M-S Pte Ltd to the Singapore government.

“Even though the government has denied this, I expect that not too long from now, they will eventually sell it, giving the reason that it is a non-strategic asset,” he added.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/12/06/najib-it-wasnt-me-who-sold-tanjung-pagar-land/

Najib’s a decent man. Too bad about his wife. He’s juz another Macbeth: a good, decent man led astray by his wife.

And squeezing Tun’s balls the financial way has the merit of allowing competent ministers to run the show: PM (remember he was finance minister once), Tharman (the ang moh tua kees still think the sun shines from his ass) and Heng.

It’ll keep matters away from our paper generals: think Kee Chiu (Kidding me? Kee Chui potential PM? He from RI?), and Desmond Kwek (Why PAP govt don’t dare sink a M’sian ship.)

 

 

Why PAP govt don’t dare sink a M’sian ship

PAP will lose power if naval comdr is like Desmond Kwek: sure to sink ownself instead of M’sian ship.

Seriously

Err what if Desmond Kuek in charge of ops to protect water supplies?Jialat. Ops sure fail like SMRT when he in charge lei and we will die of shame before we die of thirst. He could be in charge because he got no job and PAP govt always looks after scholars and generals.

I tot these tots when in response to Why sink a M’sian vessel, a well informed reader responded to Chris K’s point about Tun cutting off our water.

Cutting off water supply is as good as a preemptive military strike on S’pore i.e. S’pore will likely strike without much clarification with the M’sian side. Will likely see mass open mobilisation within 24 hrs. Those of us who did NS in the 80s & earlier will recall the many times exercises both in the field & table top where the scenario is “forward defense” or basically invasion & control of certain JB areas. There’s a good reason why we have so many LSTs & why we practice so much for beach invasions & seaborne attacks. 😉 With today’s hardware, S’pore will likely follow US style — predawn attacks by airforce & SF from 2-3am onwards to capitalise on SAF night vision superiority, intense electronic jamming & counter elec warfare, followed by saturation artillery & rocket bombardments and follow on by armor & mechanized troops by dawn and/or seaborne invasions on JB coastline. S’pore will count on having localised air superiority & airborne radar and drone recon. Plenty of deaths on both sides though.

Btw, I told Chris K that I doubted Tun could find the taps to cut the water flow.

Btw2, I partially disagree with “Plenty of deaths on both sides though.”. The whole aim of US-style “shock and awe” to to scare the hell out of the enemy’s ground troops. and mats are not exactly Roman legionaires, Spartans or Vikings or Japanese infantry. The heavy casualties will come later when S’pore has to defend the water infrastructure against Muslim jihadists drawn to the battle against enemies of  Islam: bit like the US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Why sink a M’sian vessel

This blog advocates ramming and sinking a M’sian vessel that intrudes into our waters especially the one that is parked in our waters: Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us

It’s to show the Chief Mat that we will not tolerate anymore his provocations. Before LKY moved on, we were fair-minded and mature enough to accept that Tun had a point in his provocations. He and Harry were always playing mind games with one another, and we just had to bear and grin given Harry’s demigod status here. Or perhaps 9th immortal status (see below)?

But Harry’s gone. But Tun still continues behaving like a damaged DVD, playing the same tune and images, over and over again. It’s very irritating.

Now’s a great time to show  the Chief Mat who’s tua kee.

This chart from FT shows that ang mohs own a lot of M’sian M$ debt. They’ll run for the hills if we ram and sink a M’sian vessel, then run further when M’sia threatens war, and even further when it backs down because even the M’sian govt admits that its military is not fit for purpose. Here’s something that a M’ian says about the sorry state of it’s armed forces: https://cilisos.my/actually-how-prepared-is-malaysia-if-a-war-broke-out/?fbclid=IwAR3nuIgtcLwc5x6qvyCKydlTbdkx_BkOFcQnB7_OyZPjyGX-VoDWCv6v-E4

Remember he has problems largely of the financial kind and foreigners not buying M’sian debt is a very serious problem

Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us

Malay Malaysian academic says Tun trying to distract attention from govt failings

Btw, I hope soon to blog on a constructive, nation-building and less violent way of squeezing Tun’s balls, making Tun cry  “Uncle”, given that our PM and his cabinet (full of ex-generals) doesn’t do shock and awe, giving the lie to the comments by P(olitician) Ravi.

The trouble with having so many Generals in the Cabinet, is that it may choose a more aggressive approach in solving a crisis over choosing a more diplomatic solution.

Yes, time to stand united against threats to sovereignty, but cooler heads should prevail.

How we deal with Malaysia over the encroachment issue, should be no different from how we dealt with the Chinese when they seized our infantry fighting vehicles.

I hope Mr Chiam told off Ravi for this FB post. Ravi was playing politics with the above comments: he should not have done so. At the time, he made the above comments, nothing any cabinet minister did or said, suggested that violence against the M’sian vessels was being even considered as an option.

Coming back to the 9th immortal

 

Tan Kin Lian thinks Tun is more sinned against than sinning

Whatever one can say about TKL, he’s got the balls to speak out in support of Tun unlike Tun brown nosers Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum and Kirsten Han* ( “Antics Of Civil Society Activists Endanger Opposition Cause”); and Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs. Their silence is deafening shameful and in character. Sad.

Some people think that Dr. M is back to his old ways of “do Singapore in”. This perception is also being fanned by some people at senior levels and the media.

I have a different view. Here are my reasons:

a) Dr. M today is quite different from the past. He came back from retirement to remove a kleptocratic govt (quoting the description that he used). He does not want to see his country go down the drain.

b) Malaysia faced financial challenges. His ministers approached Singapore to waive the penalty for the cancellation of the High Speed Rail. We refused. He asked Singapore to pay a higher price for the water. We refused.

c) He came to Singapore during the ASEAN meeting to receive an honorary doctor of law degree (which he does not need). His main purpose was, in my guess, to talk about the price of water. The meeting concluded with an understanding to continue discussions. We are talking about $15 million a year, not a lot of money.

Dr. M must be disappointed at the attitude of the Singapore govt leaders. I can understand his disappointment.

I have been alarmed at the billions that we spend on infrastructure projects in Singapore. In some cases, I felt the large sums spent were excessive and unnecessary.

I would certainly have preferred to spend just a few hundred millions to build good relations with Malaysia, especially during their hour of need.

Sadly, we did not extend a hand of help. We missed the opportunity to build goodwill.

We will now pay the price for the bad relations. It will cost many times more than the money that we should have spent.

Some people will argue that we need to be “principled” and to adhere to the rule of law and contractual agreements.

I cannot understand why being “principled” should preclude us from being generous in helping someone who needs the help.

There is still time to change our approach. I hope that our foreign minister can play a role in bringing this about. He should not miss this opportunity.

Tan Kin Lian

Excluding those ex-NTUC Income staff who voted for him because they didn’t want him to lose his deposit (he was a good CEO and I understand their loyalty to a good, fair boss) and those who he (and I and others) tried to help over mini bonds etc (a gesture of gratitude); I hope the others who voted for him now realise that they were irresponsible voters especially as Dr Tan Chin Bock lost by a short nose.

Don’t play play with yr vote.

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*OK, OK , as she’s a gal, she can’t have balls. But u know what I mean LOL.

When M’sia threatened war/ Gd day to sink a RMN vessel

I kid u not. In 2003

Malaysia’s leadership greeted the New Year with two statements of aggression toward its neighbours.

One threatened to go to war with its closest neighbour Singapore over an island dispute. The other offered a ‘bloody nose’ to countries such as Australia for its ‘white-man sheriff’ attitude.

https://www.scmp.com/article/402210/malaysia-threatening-war-island-row

More

The Bernama news agency reported Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar demanding, under threat of war, that Singapore learn to compromise over the disputed island of Batu Puteh, which is also known as Pedra Branca.

‘Singapore has two choices. If it refuses to compromise . . . go to war,’ Mr Syed Hamid said on Tuesday.

He accused Singapore of caring only about its economy, claiming that Malaysia was generally more intent on being a good neighbour who believes war is not the answer.

Singapore maintains the disputed island and has built some additional structures on it.

Malaysian journalists who recently approached the island were turned back by Singaporean marine police.

It’s a good to ram and sink a M’sian vessel if there’s one in our waters today. There’ll be a riot in KL when word gets out, what with this crowd: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-anti-icerd-rally-in-kuala-lumpur-thousands-arrive-11012828

Tun will either have to sit down and shut up or declare war.

Either way Najib will be back in power.

Malay Malaysian academic says Tun trying to distract attention from govt failings

I’m (Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us) not the only one thinking that Tun is rowing with S’pore to distract attention from domestic problems

Awang Azman Awang Pawi, a political-science professor at the University of Malaya said Tuesday’s development had to be viewed in the context of Malaysia’s easing euphoria over the Mahathir government.

While it enjoyed widespread support for toppling Najib’s scandal-tainted administration, the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition is now facing myriad pressures over issues from race tensions to its declaration that not all election promises may be fulfilled.

Azman said Mahathir had initially used concerns about excessive Chinese economic influence in the country “to raise the spirit of nationalism” in the first few months of his government.

But as ties with Beijing have since been smoothened, the issue of airspace sovereignty with Singapore may now fill that role, the professor said.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2176304/malaysia-singapore-ties-hit-turbulence-over-air-traffic?fbclid=IwAR1WRzOlSveAbJ_42gj7QBNQC85uyvnCZ9P15xukfwSOb2Olsrqxe7DplzM

Wonder come Monday morning, Awang Azman Awang Pawi will find that he’s no longer a professor at the University of Malaya?

Tun is not amused.

Update at 11.15am

Writing on Facebook on Wednesday (Dec 5), former Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan noted that it is “not an accident that so many old bilateral issues” have resurfaced following Malaysia’s change of government.

“The new governing coalition is intrinsically unstable and held together by a 93-year-old man,said Mr Kausikan, referring to Dr Mahathir. Mr Kausikan was formerly the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and now chairs the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute. “Political uncertainty in Malaysia inevitably leads to Singapore being used as a bogeyman to hold things together,” he added.

…

Traditionally, Singapore has been the “punching bag” for Malaysian leaders when they face domestic pressure. And things are no different this time, said political scientist Bilveer Singh from the National University of Singapore. The new Malaysian PH government is struggling to deliver its campaign promises, and has had to deal with infighting within the coalition. Racial tensions have also been reignited following a riot at an Indian temple last month. The “honeymoon period” for the PH government is over and the “realities are hitting home”, said Assoc Prof Singh.

On the recent run-ins between Malaysia and Singapore, he added: “This is more ‘Mahathirian’ than a Malaysian (approach).”

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/why-singapore-malaysia-maritime-and-airspace-disputes-matter

Let’s gloat at Tun as he threatens us

Because given the abolition of GST, Tun has a problem: shortage of $ to fund his promises. Until recently, the problem looked containable because of oil prices above US$70.

In Oct, Tun said the government was estimating the 2019 Budget allocation based on an average crude oil price of USD70 per barrel, although the benchmark Brent crude oil is nearing USD80 per barrel currently.

Now it’s below US$60, actually around U$S58.

So what does he do? Try to distract the Bumi Malays by threatening S’pore. (Related post: One reason Tun wants to cause trouble with us on HSR)

Let’s ram and sink their vessels. They can’t afford to replace them.

Notice the silence of TOC and other Tun’s fans who were cheering him on when he wanted to cancel HSR without compensation? They said he was right and S’pore should appease him: Anti-PAP S’poreans sucking up to Tun and Two-face Tun/ Why vote PAP.

One of them has gone back to posting about gd food in Johor and S’pore on FB. Doubtless he’s spending the 30 pieces of silver paid by M’sia’s Special Branch.

And do remember that TOC queried why we needed an air force when RMAF’s planes were grounded because of failure to maintain. A gd reason to raid TOC’s Terry in my view.

And do also remember that Mad Dog thinks we must be nice to people like Tun.  And remember this too: Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs.

Our anti-PAP types sure love to help the PAP retain power by repeatedly shooting themselves in the ass.

Update at 1.29pm: Let’s ram and sink this ship: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/malaysian-port-limits-vessel-polaris-buoy-singapore-waters-11007250

And dare Tun escalate hostilities or sit down and shut up. Btw sounds like P(olitican) Ravi has joined the appeasers. Recent FB posts:

The trouble with having so many Generals in the Cabinet, is that it may choose a more aggressive approach in solving a crisis over choosing a more diplomatic solution.

Yes, time to stand united against threats to sovereignty, but cooler heads should prevail.

How we deal with Malaysia over the encroachment issue, should be no different from how we dealt with the Chinese when they seized our infantry fighting vehicles.

and

The principle of approach to resolving the crisis should be the same. What do you suggest? We go to war?

Real reason why Tun doesn’t want Chinese money?

Further to What Tun doesn’t say about Chinese money if he can use his own contractors he’ll embrace Chinese money, no matter what the cost? As fatcat abc points out, to get Chinese money condition must be to “use Chinese contractors & companies for the infrastructure jobs”.

What Tun doesn’t say about Chinese money

Xi should ask this guy to call Tun and explain things to him. LOL

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has said he prefers Chinese to Western aid as it comes with fewer conditions.

Mr Maugufuli has been under intense pressure from Western nations over his controversial policies.

On 15 November, Denmark said it had suspended $9.8m (£7.5m) in aid because of “unacceptable homophobic comments” by a Tanzanian politician.

China has become a major investor in Africa, challenging Western influence on the continent.

It has promised to spend $60bn in investment, aid and loans in Africa over the next three years, mostly in infrastructure development.

“The thing that makes you happy about their aid is that it is not tied to any conditions. When they decide to give you, they just give you,” Mr Magufuli said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46364342

M’sia will benefit from Sino US trade war

M’sia is smiling:

“We’ve got so many inquiries that our greatest problem is how to ramp up capacity,” including in electronics, steel production and automation from both China and the U.S., Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told reporters Sept. 13 in Hong Kong. “Once they come in it is very hard to pull out.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-18/u-s-china-trade-tussle-is-creating-winners-in-southeast-asia

Because

Vietnam and Malaysia stand to attract the lion’s share of ICT capacity that leaves China for two main reasons, the EIU said. The first is that an ICT supply chain already exists in these countries, with Samsung and Intel having a significant presence in Vietnam and Dell, Sony and Panasonic having plants in Malaysia. The other factor in their favour is that both Malaysia and Vietnam are signatories of free trade agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which also includes Mexico, Canada and several Asian countries (but not China).

FT

And because

For the car parts industry, the main country beneficiaries of an expected shift in capacity outside China are Thailand and Malaysia.

FT

No wonder George Yeo (Remember him?) is looking at his bank statement and smiling

Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok’s Kerry Logistics Network Ltd. is seeing “numbers are looking up a bit more” as companies divert distribution centers from mainland China and into places like Hong Kong and Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia, according to the company’s chairman, George Yeo.

“They’re thinking of the next factory, and they’re less likely to put it in China,” Yeo, a former trade and foreign minister in Singapore, told Bloomberg Television Sept. 14. He acknowledged that some firms already were planning to move business to lower-cost manufacturing sites outside of China.

Bloomberg

Finally

Malaysia could see the benefits both as a  trans-shipment point and because it’s a neutral country in which Chinese and American companies both would have an interest in investing.

Bloomberg

M’sia and S’pore are best ad for buying US

In July, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu had revealed that only four out of 28 Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MKM and MiG-29 fighter jets owned by the Royal Malaysian Air Force can fly.

Our aircraft F15s and F16s have no such problems.

Btw, the Russian planes were bot in exchange for palm oil.

PAP needs strong Chinese economic growth

Looking at chart, it’s no wonder our finance minister is really worried if Trump paks China really hard. S’pore’s very dependent on Chinese growth because China is an integral part of Asian supply chains.

South Korea, Taiwan, S’pore, M’sia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have all benefited from the rise of China as a manufacturing power, especially since the global financial crisis.

Singapore assessing 2019 forecasts amidst escalating trade spat: Finance minister

Singapore has already witnessed a slash in business investments amidst the looming trade wars.

Finance minister Heng Swee Keat thinks that Singapore may have to look out on its economic growth projects for 2019 amidst the escalating US-China trade tensions that have pumped up uncertainty for business investments.

“In the short run, the impact is not fully felt yet,” with Singapore retaining its growth forecast for this year at 2.5% to 3.5%, Heng said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “But any trade tension that sets back globalization will affect everyone, including the countries that are directly involved, but also collateral damage right across all economies.”

Heng acknowledged that the Lion City had already witnessed the effects of the trade war through increased uncertainty and reduced investment by businesses, noting that next year’s situation will depend on how the situation will unfold in the next few months.

The ‘global production frontier’ being diminished could allow a prolonged trade war to severely disrupt the global supply chain thereby hitting countries with long-term growth challenges, the minister said.

“Our priority areas remain for economic restructuring,” Heng explained. “The other big area is looking at infrastructure development” with urbanization being a major trend in Asia.

Here’s more from Bloomberg.

 

Cont’d: Why anti-PAP types now really quiet about M’sian switch from GST to SST

An update to Why anti-PAP types now really quiet about M’sian switch from GST to SST.

Yesterday,

Malaysia’s new government will cut public spending sharply despite foreseeing the economy growing more slowly than had been expected earlier

No money leh. Those anti-PAP types that want to abolish GST (think rational people like P[olitician] Ravi prepared for reduced govt expenditures? Need I say more?

Yes I can

Malaysia’s deficit target is set to expand this year to 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) from a 2.8 per cent target under the previous Barisan Nasional government. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of nine economists was 3.2 per cent.

The shortfall is set to ease to 3.4 per cent next year.

Sounds like GST is needed in KL especially as

To fund the gap, the government will more than double the amount of dividends it expects to receive next year from state oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd to RM54 billion.

This assumes oil price will not tank. Remember M’sia introduced GST because oil prices fell to US$30.

 

Why anti-PAP types now really quiet about M’sian switch from GST to SST

When PH won GE and it was annced that GST would be scrapped in favour of Sales Tax, the local anti-PAP types cheered saying that taz the way to beat rises in the cost of living and inflation: bring down prices. I think even P Ravi joined in.

Since then, the silence has been deafening given

Malaysian parliament question time risked breaking out into mayhem on Monday (Oct 15), after finance minister Lim Guan Eng declared he never promised that the Sales and Services Tax (SST) would bring prices down.

https://www.todayonline.com/world/i-never-said-new-sales-tax-would-bring-prices-down-argues-lim-guan-eng

Don’t our anti-PAP types say in TOC, TRE and other alt-media sites KPKB that without GST, prices would be lower?

Tomorrow is Budget day in KL and

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s maiden budget is expected to contain new taxes and spending cuts, and he has warned Malaysians that they should be prepared to make sacrifices.

The new government has to cover a revenue shortfall arising from its decision to scrap the goods and services tax (GST) and reintroduce fuel subsidies —  both done to fulfill election campaign promises.

https://www.todayonline.com/world/malaysia-prepares-austerity-budget-amid-strains-fiscal-deficit-0

Sacrifices? What sacrifices? Anti-PAP types told us that jux abolish GST and everything will be fine.

Any wonder why they so quiet on GST?

 

Asean “No friend” China, Trump triumphant

In August, M’sia’s PM when in China cancelled several multi-billion dollar projects, including the East-Coast Rail Link and two gas pipelines, talking about runaway costs and affordability.

Less noisily, Burmese officials announced in June that they are reviewing and trying to revise down costs for a US$9bn China-backed port. And there’s more: Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand have quietly turned away Chinese financing for new ports, rails and plants. According to Fitch Solutions, this year alone, nearly 38 projects have been cancelled or suspended, up from just 12 in 2016.

Looks like no Belt for Xi’s Road and Belt dream.

Trump must be happy.

KL residents more mature than those in S’pore & Penang

The KPKBing that Crazy Rich Asians (Cheer, not jeer, “Crazy Rich Asians”) is “not S’porean” making S’pore sound so provincial, like Penang. And we have global city pretensions?

The residents of KL have not KPKBed about “Once We Were There” by a Penang-born writer now living with KL, Bernice Chauly, for portraying KL in a really bad light.

The book was the winner of the 2017 Penang Monthly Book Prize:

Journalist Delonix Regia chances upon the cultured and irresistible Omar amidst the upheaval of the Reformasi movement in Kuala Lumpur. As the city roils around them, they find solace in love, marriage, and then parenthood. But when their two-year-old daughter Alba is kidnapped, Del must confront the terrible secret of a city where babies are sold and girls trafficked.

By turns heart-breaking and suspenseful, Once We Were There is a debut novel of profound insight. It is Bernice Chauly at her very best.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34285548-once-we-were-there

Btw, If she had changed the location to Penang, her hometown, she would surely be in trouble. People in Penang are as petty as S’poreans.

Coming back to Crazy Rich Asians, as I see it, it’s free publicity for the tourism industry here as per what the NY Times film critic said.

What’s there not to like? Oh I forget, Kirsten Han, one of those KPKBing “does not wish S’pore well”. Sad.

 

Why Tun is envious of Najib?

He didn’t manage to do shumething like this when he was ruling M’sia.

“Only an average of 13% of the pipelines’ construction has been completed, while almost 90% of the projects’ value has been paid to contractor China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau,” says M’sia’s Finance Minister. The contracts have been cancelled, so the issue of compensation is on the table. The pipelines cost was estimated to be US$3bn.

What’s even funnier (black comdey sense) is that the money for the pipelines were borrowed from a Chinese development bank.

And PJ and friends want him to “promote democracy in SE Asia”?

 

 

“Antics Of Civil Society Activists Endanger Opposition Cause”

Not me but Ajay a writer to TRE. The relevant extracts reproduced below as is the full piecebelow. Needless to say, the reaction to it and the earlier reaction to my WTF! With PAP on the ropes why this self-inflicted distraction? showed that like PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Jovolan Wham, the TRE cybernuts do not wish S’pore well: because Tun (like them) hates the PAP, they (the TRE cybernuts) are happy to team up with him overlooking the fact that he also hates S’poreans.

(Aside I was planning to stop posting on this topic but Tan Wah Piow, cybernuts and their ang moh tua kee allies want to keep the conversation going, helping the PAP distract attention from bread and butter issues. With enemies like these, PAP is very lucky.)

As Chris K posted on FB

The philosopher and sometime novelist G.K Chesterton once noted,

“Evil always wins through the strength of its splendid dupes; and there has in all ages been a disastrous alliance between abnormal innocence and abnormal sin.”

The PAP is always lucky to have its “splendid dupes” among its critics and opponents. If you think “splendid dupes” is too cheem, then use the more common “useful fools”. The fools should give their brains a chance and not fall in love with the sound of their own voices.

---

PAP govt a point

“The three individuals [I assume this means Crazy Rich Asian PJ Thum, his side-kick Kirsten Han and Jovolan Wham] claim that they are patriots. It is not patriotic to invite any foreign leader to intervene in Singapore politics, especially the leader of a country who has declared his desire to increase the price of water to Singapore by more than 10 times, and with whom we seek to maintain close and friendly relations.

——————————————————————————————-

Back to Ajay, here are the most impt bits of what he has to say:

The problem with civil society activists and far left Singaporeans is that they are living in a bubble, unwilling and unable to see how their radical beliefs are unpalatable to the conservative Singaporean electorate. Are they so accustomed to their echo chambers that they do not go out and interact with everyday people living in HDB flats? The average Singaporean is not bothered about greater freedom of speech, freedom of expression or harsh defamation laws. He does not support sodomy and does not want gay marriage to be legalized in Singapore. He also does not want drug traffickers to be spared from the death penalty. Nor does he care about the incessant whining of ISA detainees about their supposedly wrong detention in 1987 or about some old folks detained under Operation Coldstore for allegedly being communists. Yes, yes, these are all issues that a bleeding heart liberal would care about. But they are not bread and butter issues and are thus of no concern to ordinary people.

The civil society activists’ approach suggests that they think that making the loudest noise will help their cause. They are out of touch with Singaporeans. Instead of spouting rhetoric about the kind of Singapore that they want to see, they should be working with the Singapore that exists before their eyes. What they are doing is akin to pounding one’s head against the unmoving wall. They can talk about their pet issues, but if they want to achieve any more than that, they should go door to door and have conversations with Singaporeans and try to win them over. That would be the more effective approach. The more they are in the public eye for controversial antics such as the Mahathir meeting, the more they hurt the opposition cause as swing voters do not view their actions in a positive light and unfortunately lump them together with the credible opposition figures.

In the lead up to GE2015, attention was taken away from the rising cost of living, the influx of foreigners and the difficult job market resulting from the stagnating economy. Part of this was due to the antics of diehard anti-PAP fanatics like Roy Ngerng, Han Hui Hui and Amos Yee. The political narrative shifted away from the PAP government’s shortcomings. Instead we heard disorganized chants of “Return my CPF” as a small bunch of protesters heckled special needs kids, and credible anti-PAP voices were drowned out by the noise about donating to self-styled freedom fighter Roy Ngerng who was being sued by the prime minister for posting defamatory comments on his blog.

[ ]

The reason I write this is not because I want to pour cold water on the enthusiasm of hardcore opposition supporters itching to blame the PAP but because I want readers to learn from history. How does it help the opposition cause when activists create controversy, get in trouble and then play the victim card, claiming political persecution? These activists should think of the optics. Swing voters are not moved the slightest. Contrary to what they think, the PAP does not fear a confrontational opposition. A confrontational opposition is actually easier for the PAP to defeat because of their tendency to go off the rails at times while being passionate about a cause. Like Roy Ngerng, these civil society activists will find themselves alone if they end up sued or arrested, should any of their hare-brained antics go wrong. Keep the narrative focused on bread and butter issues such as the affordability of HDB flats, the retirement age, the rising cost of living and the scarcity of jobs, and people will take note of the opposition. That is the only way to win seats in a politically and socially conservative nation.

I remind that Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole tell me that think PJ, think the Youngs of Crazy Rich Asians. And his side kick Kirsten Han, although poor, doesn’t know S’pore is in SE ASia, and    says nothing wrong in asking Tun

Ajay’s piece in full. Btw, Terry Xu says that the first para contains false allegations. As far as I’m concerned they are fair (albeit unfair) comments on what PJ and gang did.

I was aghast at the antics of the Singaporean activists last week. It was categorically wrong for them to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and request for him to promote democracy in Southeast Asia. This was potentially damaging to Singapore’s international reputation as these activists may have portrayed Singapore negatively in front of a foreign politician. I also strongly disagree with Dr Thum Ping Tjin’s facebook comments (LINK) that suggest Singapore should merge with Malaysia. The last thing most Singaporeans want right now is merger with a country that practices bumiputera policy which discriminates against capable and competent Chinese and Indians, and forces them to live with the fear that they could be ruled by sharia law someday.

On 30 August, former SDP member Teo Soh Lung posted on her Facebook page (LINK) that “PAP government should take note that today’s young citizens will not bow to unreasonable pressure and they have access to leaders in the region”. This was followed by another facebook post on August 31, in which she stated her view that “Association with foreign leaders, whether in government or in opposition should be the norm” and justified the meeting because everyone has “the right of association”.

From the first post, the implication is that Singaporeans can seek help from foreign leaders in the region if they do not like the PAP government. The view Ms Teo has expressed in the second post is erroneous because the nation’s carefully cultivated international reputation could be in tatters in days if every political dissident runs to a foreign leader and badmouths Singapore in front of the media whenever he or she feels like it. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Ultimately, Singaporeans will suffer, not just the PAP. This sort of scorched earth approach is not one a loyal opposition would take. A loyal opposition would not resort to mudslinging whenever the opportunity arises nor would it resort to destabilizing an elected government in order to seize power. A loyal, constructive and responsible opposition would disagree with the PAP within Singapore’s boundaries, contest elections, argue passionately before the electorate and offer alternative ideas to drive the country forward. A loyal opposition would understand that despite differences in political beliefs with the PAP, they should align themselves with the government of the day when it comes to foreign policy and issues of Singapore’s sovereignty. Why? Because criticizing Singapore in front of foreigners is not patriotic, nor is it helpful to the average Singaporean who is struggling to make ends meet.
This brings back memories. In 1995, Dr Chee along with two SDP members attended a dialogue at Williams College where a Singaporean political dissident and fugitive, Francis Seow criticized Singapore’s judiciary in front of a foreign audience
(LINK).

Neither Dr Chee nor the SDP members present rebutted Francis Seow or even voiced a mild opinion that Singapore was not like that. This behaviour was strongly condemned by the Singapore parliament, including then opposition MP Chiam See Tong. I urge TOC readers to look up Mr Chiam’s speech. His words are still true and they are apt for this recent incident involving the activists meeting Dr Mahathir. The Dr Chee of the past made several similar missteps, including this cringe-inducing video (LINK) in which he asked US president Barack Obama to take note of the human rights abuses in Singapore and take actions to get Singapore to join the ‘community of democracy’. The Dr Chee of today is more restrained, politically mature, willing to work within the Singapore political system and has focussed on bread and butter issues, but his past mistakes still weigh heavy on the SDP, especially during elections.
Both the activists of today and the Dr Chee of the past believed that foreign interference in Singapore politics is necessary to bring democracy to Singapore. But they do not consider the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Singaporeans who do not want liberal democracy in Singapore. If you ask the general public in Singapore, most of them will agree that there is already enough democracy in Singapore. You may call them brainwashed or ‘the 70%’ but that changes nothing. Singapore’s politics is for Singaporeans to decide. Any attempt by a foreign power to impose a liberal agenda on Singapore will only result in a conservative backlash against the opposition. That was what happened at GE1997. The SDP lost all its seats and has failed to attain 40% of the votes in any constituency ever since. As the impatient far left seized the political narrative and focussed on abstract and irrelevant civil rights issues, the opposition as a whole suffered. Moderate opposition parties were also affected by the taint and became unable to win more than 2 seats for 14 years until the Workers’ Party won Aljunied GRC in 2011.

The problem with civil society activists and far left Singaporeans is that they are living in a bubble, unwilling and unable to see how their radical beliefs are unpalatable to the conservative Singaporean electorate. Are they so accustomed to their echo chambers that they do not go out and interact with everyday people living in HDB flats? The average Singaporean is not bothered about greater freedom of speech, freedom of expression or harsh defamation laws. He does not support sodomy and does not want gay marriage to be legalized in Singapore. He also does not want drug traffickers to be spared from the death penalty. Nor does he care about the incessant whining of ISA detainees about their supposedly wrong detention in 1987 or about some old folks detained under Operation Coldstore for allegedly being communists. Yes, yes, these are all issues that a bleeding heart liberal would care about. But they are not bread and butter issues and are thus of no concern to ordinary people.

The civil society activists’ approach suggests that they think that making the loudest noise will help their cause. They are out of touch with Singaporeans. Instead of spouting rhetoric about the kind of Singapore that they want to see, they should be working with the Singapore that exists before their eyes. What they are doing is akin to pounding one’s head against the unmoving wall. They can talk about their pet issues, but if they want to achieve any more than that, they should go door to door and have conversations with Singaporeans and try to win them over. That would be the more effective approach. The more they are in the public eye for controversial antics such as the Mahathir meeting, the more they hurt the opposition cause as swing voters do not view their actions in a positive light and unfortunately lump them together with the credible opposition figures.

In the lead up to GE2015, attention was taken away from the rising cost of living, the influx of foreigners and the difficult job market resulting from the stagnating economy. Part of this was due to the antics of diehard anti-PAP fanatics like Roy Ngerng, Han Hui Hui and Amos Yee. The political narrative shifted away from the PAP government’s shortcomings. Instead we heard disorganized chants of “Return my CPF” as a small bunch of protesters heckled special needs kids, and credible anti-PAP voices were drowned out by the noise about donating to self-styled freedom fighter Roy Ngerng who was being sued by the prime minister for posting defamatory comments on his blog. Ngerng posted videos and wrote blog posts, expressing that he had “believed that within a few months, Singaporeans would have thronged the streets and the PAP would be unseated” (Source). He compared himself to a ‘hero’ and apologized for being unable to be a MP for Singaporeans. In the general election, he lost miserably, barely managing to get 21% of the votes. Clearly he was no ‘hero’ in the eyes of most Singaporeans and it had all been for nothing.

Another loud and distracting political saga was the “Free Amos Yee” movement in which the rude kid Amos insulted religion and denigrated the memory of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister at a time when emotions were still raw about his passing. In the controversial video, Amos even claimed that he had talked with a SDP member. In the wake of his arrest, he was warmly supported by activists and some opposition politicians but they performed a flip flop and turned against him after he slandered Vincent Law. Nevertheless, the opposition suffered because of these events, especially since the election was held at a time when Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

I am a proud opposition supporter. The reason I write this is not because I want to pour cold water on the enthusiasm of hardcore opposition supporters itching to blame the PAP but because I want readers to learn from history. How does it help the opposition cause when activists create controversy, get in trouble and then play the victim card, claiming political persecution? These activists should think of the optics. Swing voters are not moved the slightest. Contrary to what they think, the PAP does not fear a confrontational opposition. A confrontational opposition is actually easier for the PAP to defeat because of their tendency to go off the rails at times while being passionate about a cause. Like Roy Ngerng, these civil society activists will find themselves alone if they end up sued or arrested, should any of their hare-brained antics go wrong. Keep the narrative focused on bread and butter issues such as the affordability of HDB flats, the retirement age, the rising cost of living and the scarcity of jobs, and people will take note of the opposition. That is the only way to win seats in a politically and socially conservative nation.

Ajay

The real Crazy Rich Asian

No not PJ Thum but someone ehose

first office restrooms had automatically adjusting toilet seats, depending on the height of the occupant.

FT

Who he?

Spending on

champagne, casinos, the production of the film The Wolf of Wall Street and acquiring artworks such as Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Dustheads”.

Jho Low, English public school (Harrow) boy. Better know as Najib Kor’s and First Lady of M’sia’s buddy.

Jolovan Wham: Nothing wrong in asking Tun M to intervene in S’porean affairs

Even if PJ had asked Mahathir to ‘bring democracy to Singapore’, instead of South East Asia, what’s wrong with that? One may question his choice of person to lobby but that is a purely strategic question, and has nothing to do with ‘foreign interference’ or subversion.

The PAP must be thankful that he’s really helping them change the conversation from the things that matter CoL, HDB leases etc to “Who do you trust? PAP? Or Tun lovers, quislings, fifth columnists or their allies, fellow travellers or useful idiots?: WTF! With PAP on the ropes why this self-inflicted distraction?

His full post

Think Tun can bring democracy to S’pore? Ponder this

He’s very authoritarian and arbitrary when it comes to dealing with us slit eyes.

Chinese owners getting flat keys but Tun says “No” to moving in: PRC’s flat is not his flat.

Liang Ri Sheng’s family will be one of the first 482 PRC families to get the keys to their Forest City apartments by September. He was planning to have his son stay there so that the boy study in a nearby int’l school.

Now

“One thing is certain, that city that is going to be built cannot be sold to foreigners,” Mahathir said at a news conference on Monday in Kuala Lumpur in response to a question from Reuters. “We are not going to give visas for people to come and live here.”

Another PRC is whistling in the dark

Another buyer, Jackie Chan (not related to the actor of the same name), who bought an apartment in Forest City last year for around $140,000, said he hadn’t expected such a twist.

“When I bought it I was betting on long-term appreciation and didn’t expect there would be such a policy risk. But I’m not aiming for their immigration visa so there’s no impact for me. The investment amount is small so I’m just going to keep it as a vacation home,” said Chan, who lives in Hong Kong.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-forest-city-development/mahathir-takes-aim-at-country-gardens-giant-development-in-southern-malaysia-idUSKCN1LC0KX

Like real. Can believe or not this PRC.

 

WTF! With PAP on the ropes why this self-inflicted distraction?

Own goal? Ownself sabo ownself?

PM and the PAP have been pummelled in recent weeks about ministers pay (When being a minister turns from a calling into a job for life),PM’s call to eat below S$3 meals and other frugality tips which show how out touch he is with the lives of those not “Crazy Rich Asians” (Shumething PM left out in NDR speech/ Reason why?) and on HDB flat “is not my HDB flat” (Exposed: Flaws in PM’s HDB spin)

So what do Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew and Jolovan Wham, all prominent PAP haters and anti-PAP activists do?

They met Tun M and invited him (he’s accepted) to talk about democracy. WTF!

What were Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew and Jolovan Wham thinking of when they made the decision to meet (And ask him to talk about democracy: he knows more about locking up and beat up people LOL. Ask Anwar.) someone who hates the very existence of S’pore as an independent state? Remember, he criticised Tunku for kicking us out of M’sia. He wanted Tunku to send in the army and arrest the leaders we elected.

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Do read this: damned good article by the gal I love to make fun of: https://www.kirstenhan.com/blog/2018/8/30/80-minutes-with-dr-m

She should stick to reporting, not trying to a pseudo-intellectual justifying all ang moh progressive ideas.

————————————————————————–

They are giving the PAP the opportunity to change the topic to “Who do you trust? PAP? Or Tun lovers, quislings, fifth columnists or their allies, fellow travellers or useful idiots?

The S’poreans that can be flipped (Why many PAP voters are ready to be flipped) may not be happy with the PAP, but they sure don’t like Tun: forever KPKBing about the supply of water to S’pore and who once threatened to cut off our water supply. And they know he has a problem with S’poreans, not juz the PAP. In his writings, he’s called us a few unfriendly names. It seems that when he was a medical student here, he was treated as an arrogant, obnoxious country bumpkin even by the local Malay elite. The memory must still rankle.

The PAP will use the meeting to tar all those opposed to PAP hegemony with the brush of “quisling” or “fifth columnist” or their allies, fellow travellers or useful idiots: some tar will stick.

PAP must be very happy that they can use this incident to discredit all anti-PAP and civil society activists, and critics of the way the PAP does things and thinks: “They are Tun lovers, quislings, fifth columnists, or their allies, fellow travellers or useful idiots.”

With enemies like the now Infamous 5 the PAP has nothing to worry about.

I’m not the only one concerned. Even anti-PAP Terry’s Online Channel is concerned:

As for Singaporeans, what are to make of all this?

We have to remember that Dr Mahathir has never been a fan of Singapore. Some would say he has had an axe to grind with the Singapore government, not the people of Singapore.

That may well be the case. But it not easy to separate one from the other.

In a nutshell, the well-being of Singaporeans cannot be uppermost in the mind of Dr Mahathir.”

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2018/08/31/what-does-it-say-when-singaporeans-look-to-mahathir-to-bring-change-to-singapore/

Even regular TOC readers are KPKBing about the Infamous 5’s antics. Example

Singaporeans and the opposition parties should be warned not to get cozy with Dr M and the Malaysian politicians. It’s prudent to keep them at one arm’s length. We know we must be brave and decisive in the next GE, but pls leave msia out of our country’s politics. Never forget the bitter lessons we learnt from history. We are a tiny vulnerable nation in relative terms to our closest big neighbours. I will shun the opposition IF our they cowered to the malaysian politicians. In the battle against the mighty ruling party, bringing in a ‘big brother’ as a backing (?) is PLAYING WITH FIRE. This is not a strategy, it is suicide for the opposition and will open the floodgates to foreign intervention in our country.

Did Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew and Jolovan Wham think of the implications of anti-PAP activists meeting someone who hates the very existence of S’pore as an independent state?  Someone forever KPKBing about the supply of water to S’pore and who once threatened to cut off our water supply.

Tan Wah Piow, PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew and Jolovan Wham are the useful idiots (of the PAP), quislings or fifth columnists that all those of us who oppose PAP hegemony should be wary of.

What do you think?

FYI, more on Tun M

Tun slyer than Najib

One reason Tun wants to cause trouble with us on HSR

Two-face Tun/ Why vote PAP

HSR: I was right wasn’t I?

 

Tun slyer than Najib

And the self-styled First Lady of M’sia (FLOM after FLOTUS: First Lady of the US)

From Quora

How is Najib’s corruption different from Mahathir’s corruption?
Joseph Kuan

Updated Jun 12

Najib and Mahathir go into a bakery.

As soon as they enter the bakery, Najib steals three curry puffs and puts them into his pocket.

He says to Mahathir, “See how clever I am? The owner didn’t even see anything and I don’t even need to lie.”

Mahathir says to Najib, “That’s the typical dishonesty you have displayed throughout your entire life, trickery and deceit. I am going to show you an honest way to get the same result.”

Mahathir goes to the owner of the bakery and says, “Give me a curry puff and I will show you a magic trick.”

Intrigued, the owner accepts and gives him a pastry. Mahathir swallows it and asks for another one. The owner gives him another one and he eats it as well. Then Mahathir asks for a third pastry and eats that, too.

The owner is starting to wonder where the magic trick is and asks, “What did you do with the three curry puffs?”

Mahathir replies, “Look in Najib’s pocket.”

Two-face Tun/ Why vote PAP

While KPKBing about China raping M’sia, he said in a joint statement with Xi that M’sia would continue to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative — despite its reservations about the programme.

And so like Trump who he criticises: “I agree free trade is the way to go, but, of course, free trade should also be fair trade.”

PAP govt is right to insist that M’sia lives up to its legal obligations what with two face Tun as PM in KL.

The quisling who wanted us to sell our backsides to Tun has gone back to talking about food on social media. As for those Oppo figures who cheer on Tun, with enemies like them the PAP doesn’t need friends.