MALAYSIA IS SO VERY VERY EXPENSIVE

Whither Malaysia in 2010 and beyond if still under UMNO/BN control

More bullshit, empty talk, misrepresentation, and goods and services being extremely expensive relative to the meagre incomes * of most people?

This unfortunately accurately sums up Malaysia these days.

*see below for some one to one comparisons

Acronyms are springing up ad nausea, such as:

1Malaysia

National Key Result Areas (NKRAs)

The Government Transformation Programme(GTP)

These, and many other deceptive, devious, daft policies, are resulting in hours of meaningless dumb arse drivel, UMNO/BN is evidently, it seems, trying to hoodwink folks into believing they are reforming themselves for the benefit of the country, but in reality the status qua remains.

Corruption is still alive and well

The rich selfish minority get ever richer

The majority get more and more poor

Najib and his sidekicks still seem to believe that bullshit baffles brains!

BUT THOSE WHO HAVE TRANSGRESSED, HAD BETTER GET READY TO FACE THE MUSIC.

THINGS WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE PEOPLE IN DUE TIME.

SOONER OR LATER THE CORRUPT, THE AVARISTS, THE CHEATERS, THE CORRUPT, THE DEVILS IN DISGUISE, THE SELFISH, THE EGOISTIC, THE SELF IMPORTANT, THE USERS OF RELIGION TO CONTROL OTHERS, THE HYPOCRITES, THE DECEITFUL, THE GREEDY, THE VULGARLY RICH AND ALL OTHER REPROBATES WILL, AS AS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, SOON FEEL THE WRATH OF THE PEOPLE.

On 18^th December 2009 it was reported in The Star:

Almost 50,000 households living below the poverty line will get aid to lift them up under a new poverty eradication programme.

“We hope to raise the level of households nationwide that are currently earning RM440 and below by the end of 2010,” said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

If their household income is less than RM440, then these families are well and truly destitute and this brings great shame to Malaysia.

Sharizat should be trying to raise their incomes to a basic minimum of 4,400

In my opinion:

A working person in Malaysia, based on the cost of things, should earn at least RM 5,000 to be able to live to a reasonable living standard.

Why does Malaysia not have a minimum wage?

Things are so expensive if one considers that there are millions in Malaysia who earn less that RM 1,000 per month.

If one compares the wages and price in the United Kingdom with wages and prices in Malaysia on a one to one, unit income to unit cost basis, the outcome is shocking,

WAGES

In the UK the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is ₤ 5.80 per hour.

To explain in more detail, there are three levels of minimum wage, and the rates from 1st October 2009 are:

• £5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older

• a development rate of £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive

• £3.57 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age.

Thus almost all workers aged 18 and over are entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW).

• The NMW for those aged 22 and over is £5.80.

• There is a lower minimum wage of £4.83 for those aged 18 to 21.

• Freelance and temporary workers are entitled to the minimum wage.

• Workers aged 16 and 17 (except apprentices) are entitled to a minimum of £3.57 per hour.

Workers' average pay must be at or above the minimum wage for each 'pay reference period'.

• The 'pay reference period' is the worker's actual pay period, up to a maximum of a month.

• Premium payments (eg overtime at time-and-a-half) cannot be included when calculating whether the worker has been paid the minimum wage. Only the standard hourly rate portion of the overtime payment can be counted.

Hours worked will depend on the type of work the worker does.

NOTE: the NMW increases periodically to take into account the rate of inflation.

Based on a 40 hour working week, the UK minimum personal income will be 928 units of currency per month of four weeks.

In Malaysia there is no minimum wage

In Malaysia an ordinary working person may earn a minimum of 928 units of currency, or perhaps a little more, per month. The poverty level is however mysteriously set at an ridiculously low 440

Now let us compare prices in the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

PRICES [in units of currency]

Petrol costs per litre

UK Vehicle Fuel Prices for Thursday 17th Dec 2009

Avg. Min. Max.

Unleaded :1.08 1.039 1.219

Diesel: 1.097 1.059 1.229

LRP: 1.129 1.059 1.169

Super: 1.149 1.069 1.259

Vehicle Gas

LPG: 0.576 0.499 0.699

In Malaysia current (December 2009) vehicle fuel costs are fixed by the government:-

Petrol RON 97 2.05,

Petrol RON 95 1.80 (may increase up to a reported 'unsubsidised' RM 3.00 on early 2010)

Diesel 1.70

Liquid Gas, Vehicle is 0.68

Highway tolls

In the UK there are none apart from a few short stretches of motorway and a few bridges.

In Malaysia all highways are toll roads, so the cost of driving is very high, one can in fact, at least double the price of the petrol use by an average car for a journey. Toll rates are every increasing too.

Motorcars Prices [in units of currency]

New cars:

UK

HONDA JAZZ Price Range: 10,575 - 13,535

PERODUA KENARI Price Range: 6,620 - 7,418

PERODUA MYVI Price Range: 6,620 - 7,418

Malaysia

HONDA JAZZ (cheapest model) 104,800.00

PERODUA KENARI GX AERO (cheapest model) (M) 41,263.10

PERODUA MYVI (cheapest model) 38,934.10

Second-hand cars:

In the UK, second-hand cars are very cheap, it is possible to buy a roadworthy car for as low as ₤ 500.

In Malaysia, second-hand cars are very expensive, even a ten year old almost junk car can cost over 5,000

Foodstuffs

Foodstuff too are far cheaper in the UK, see the list below and compare the costs you pay in Malaysia, in units of currency:

Bread

Large sliced multi-grain loaf 2.00

Six wholemeal bread buns 0.60

Cheese

Stilton 650 gm piece 5.00

Cheddar cheese 250 gm 2.00

Milk

Fresh full cream milk 2 x 4 pints 3.00

Butter

250gm 1.00

Table margarine 500 gm. 1.10

Ice Cream (luxury make)

Ben & Jerrys 500 ml 3.98

Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed or Sunflower) 1 litre 0.98

Organic potatoes 1.5 kg 1.25

Eggs, medium (12) 1.50

Mandarin oranges (6) 1.40

Apples, small Cox (8) 1.00

Rice (Thai) 1kg 0.99

The list goes on and on.

That is really food for thought!

So who is getting the shitty end of the stick?

Those in Malaysia earning 928 units of currency or those minimum wage earners in UK earning 928 units of currency?

You judge for yourself.

Ab amicis honesta petamus

We must ask what is proper from our friends

Ab ovo usque ad mala

From the egg right to the apples (From start to finish)

Acclinis falsis animus meliora recusat

The mind intent upon false appearances refuses to admit better things

The Star Misinforms, Malaysia Today still being blocked

MISINFORMATION IN THE STAR ONLINE

QUOTE Wednesday September 3, 2008

News Portal Unblocked

PETALING JAYA: The controversial news portal Malaysia Today was up and running yesterday after being blocked by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM).

The portal was blocked on Aug 27 after Internet Service Providers in the country received notices from the commission to ban the website.

The move by the commission sparked debate because under the Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia 10-Point Bill of Guarantees, the Government promised to “ensure no Internet censorship.” UNQUOTE

THE TRUTH

The Malaysia Today website at www.malaysia-today.net is still being blocked.

Access Malaysia today at the mirror site:

http://mt.m2day.org/2008/

Be alert:

Don’t believe the lies, untruths, half-truths and other misrepresentations and bullshit in the mainstream media in Malaysia.

Ab actu ad posse valet illatio

From what has happened we may infer what will happen

Where are P. Balasubramaniam, his wife and their children?

It seems to be anyone’s guess, read the fudging, sidetracking and convolution in some of these news reports:

1. NST "Police: No agenda in Bala Case"

Police do not have any agenda in investigating the statutory declarations by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam.

“Federal Police CID director Bakri “Zinin reiterated that their investigations were not based on assumptions.

"We simply want to establish the facts," he said

"We are professionals. We do not have ulterior motives."

Bakri added that the steps taken by the police to locate the missing private investigator were also not meant to put him under undue pressure.”

2. Meanwhile the Star reports on 9^th July 2008:

“Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, who disappeared with his wife and three children last Friday, has been located.

Sources said police here with the help of Interpol traced his whereabouts to an Asean country but declined to name it or say when he would be brought back.

CID Director Comm Bakri Zinin confirmed this but declined to reveal details.”

3. Meanwhile Home Affairs Minister Syed Albar is reported by the Sun, on 9^th July 2008, as saying:

"I have no comment on Balasubramaniam."

I am in no position to discuss or debate."

"So far as the law enforcement agencies are concerned... we have to make sure our investigations are not disturbed in any way."

"Otherwise there will be all sorts of allegations and charges against the police, and it will be difficult for them," he said.

"I am sure that Balasubramaniam is safe, otherwise the family members would not be asking questions," said Syed Hamid, who urged the press to leave the investigation in the hands of the police.

He added that if the police have strong reason to believe that their lives of Balasubramaniam and his family are being threatened, it is the duty and responsibility of the police to provide them protection.

4. P. Balasupramaniam’s nephew says, according to a Sun report dated 9^th July 2008:

“Missing PI Bala contacted nephew

After three days of being in the dark about the whereabouts of his uncle private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, R. Kumaresan received a call late on Monday night.

However, other than knowing that his uncle and aunt are alive, Kumaresan, is no closer to knowing their whereabouts or if they are being detained against their will.

Speaking at a gathering of about 150 people organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) opposite a restaurant on Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, at 8pm yesterday, Kumaresan said he received the phone call which appeared as "private number" on his handphone about 11.30pm on Monday.

He said despite repeatedly asking his uncle where he was, Balasubramaniam, who sounded very formal and uncomfortable, told him that he was unable to reveal his whereabouts, and passed the call to his wife.

"I asked my aunt the same questions but she too told me she was unable to say where she was but she did say she was using a policeman's handphone to make the call," said Kumaresan, a 27-year-old IT professional.

He said his aunt told him that they were fine before he heard what sounded like a door slamming in the background and the call, which lasted about three minutes, went dead.

Kumaresan's lawyer R. Surendran said the call indicates that Balasubramaniam and family were being confined against their will and urged the police to swiftly probe his whereabouts.

(Note: In Malaysia a call indicating ‘private number’ could be either from within Malaysia or abroad)

This last report may be closer to the truth than the others?

The plot thickens, but vital questions remain:

• Where are P. Balasubramanian, his wife and children?

• Are they being held against their will, if so who is detaining them?

Bala’s wife was reported as saying:

“she was using a policeman's handphone to make the call,"

Was this referring to a Malaysian policeman, or foreign policeman?

This vitally important question remains unanswered.

Ubi sunt?



- Where are they?

PETROL PRICE TO RISE AT MIDNIGHT: Fill up now!

PETROL TO GO UP BY 78 sen to RM2.70 per litre at 00:00 5th June 2008

Just seen this on malaysiakini.

"The Malaysian government has just announced that petrol price to go up by 78 sen at midnight tonight - a 40.6 percent jump from RM1.92 per litre to RM2.70."

The price for regular petrol per litre goes up by 74 sen.

Diesel will go up by RM1 per litre.

Stand by for major price rises all across the board.

TNB is sure to raise the tariff for electricity too.

Make more holes in your belts folks.

So much for all the bullshit in the last couple of days, when they said it would go up in August.

"Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied."

- Otto von Bismarck