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NAP & Car Prices

0 comments Published Thursday, March 30, 2006 by SaiRay.

Lately, car prices are the hottest topic for the past week. No matter where I turn there are always people talking about the NAP and on cars. Some ask me what I think and others assume I would get a brand new car now. Nevertheless, I personally feel all this are flaws, camouflage and some  hidden agenda behind. Let's take a common sense approach look at it.
 
1. Announcement of new NAP policy
2. Car sales tax/excise/import duties reduce
3. Car manufacturer takes a week to reduce price or formulate the price reduction. Some not even updated yet as I wrote this. (HONDA)
4. DPM ask the finance ministry to monitor the reduction as the reduction was not enough and not pass down to consumer
5. Rumour has it that hire purchase interest rate is going to go up this April. - Why ? cause manufacturer/car dealer are passing the buck/loss to bankers and bankers are passing the loss to the consumer. Finally everybody maintain the same status quo except consumer who would be at the receiving end.
 
No matter if you are a buyer/seller as long as you are the consumer then your are going to be the losing end. Some points/question I would like to highlight for transparency.
 
1. Before NAP there were always certain amount of discount offer ranging from RM 500 - RM 10k depending on the make and type of vehicle. After NAP does this still exist !!
2. Before NAP interest was quite low for certain car make but after NAP I'm sure its going to be raise to recover the commission drop receive for salesman.
3. Car dealer/salesman and people in the industry are not going to reduce their profit/commission just for the sake of passing saving. Business and economy are all a loop/circle. What goes around will come around later. With this analogy therefore I can conclude that the so called "SAVING" are going to be pass on to consumer.
4. What happen to some 2/3 yrs free full maintenance ? Maintain this benefit or take this opportunity to totally increase profit margin or reduce cost for dealer/manufacturer ?
5. Perhaps a first time buyer of a brand new car will be able to enjoy the benefit but then once he/she goes into the system the rules still applies to all. You need to sell off your old car to get a new car. Vice versa and etc. There begins your 7-9 yrs loan.
 
A case in point, I had been checking on the Nissan Sentra and Toyota Altis price for the whole year. Yes there is a reduction of a few thousand in their car retail price. But before NAP though, Sentra was RM 94xxx.00, I was given over trade of RM30k last year for my '97 Wira A/B + thrown in with discount of RM1.5k or Nismo Kit and etc. That's a huge and higher amount compare to the 5% discount now being offered. I can bet that with the NAP discount Tan Chong will not offer over trade nor further discount anymore. They have a reason to con everybody now. A license to lie with the statement "We had already reduce our price for more that 5%".
 
Finally my conclusion is the reduction is not too significant as much as the increase in 30cent in petrol. That was the greatest impact to our daily routine life. This is going to be another exercise to benefit somebody.........the minority and not the majority.

bODY SIze

0 comments Published Tuesday, March 28, 2006 by SaiRay.

Body size. Yeap you can take the left thought or the right thought on this. However, what I'm referring to is the height, weight and shape of basically all couples. I personally think that every men and women are make for one another. Just a matter of time when they can discover one another. However, lately I have been seeing too many tall guy with a very short woman or vice versa. It looks peculiar and funny. I believe we are all animals. We mate and procreate just like animals. Lioness always mate with the strongest lion or the one who give her the protection. Hence women tend to look for their ideal partner the same way. Same concept. To me a woman size is important. If she is huge and tall as in a catwalk model size, then I will have a problem looking up to her or offering any "protection"...............hehehe. You get what I mean :o)).
 
Nah...seriously I don't mean all tall guy shouldn't look for a shorter gal and or it will end up in disaster but there are always exceptional cases. Yes exceptional and perhaps a few out of the hundred. What I observed and study is that you can actually match make 2 person just by looking at their size. You roughly know whether he/she can match or not. That's more than 70% affirmative on body language compatibility.
 
Tall or short man tend to look for someone of their own size. You just don't see cat mating with a lion do you ?? ...heheh ..........hmmm.....my story is beginning to fall apart and me falling asleep already. The conclusion is if there are more leng lui tall woman around and we have a shortage of tall man then most probably those beautiful tall woman will have little choices and stick to the few that they know or going single till they can find one that matches them. Of course it applies the other way round to men as well. I'm no gender prejudice. Quote me !!

Courier Sector Price War Unhealthy

0 comments Published Monday, March 27, 2006 by SaiRay.

I read the above article/news this morning. It was really funny. I wanted to laugh out loud or give the guy my middle finger. Not sure which one, perhaps will do both.....hehe ..:o)
 
Just look at his comment. Are all hotshot/bigshot like this or what. He was asking/seeking the G'men to intervene and set a minimum price to avoid "Price War". I was thinking .....dei, isn't it with best interest of the consumer at heart that all the courier company slug it out and may the best man win. Aren't everthing is supposed to be like that ? Am I living in another world or what. Opps........sorry I had forgotten I'm in Malaysia.
 
Only place in the world where you can cry foul if you can't make it and ask the G'men (if you have the link) to help out. Just give them the beggar's plate and someone would then come along and tell everybody, "OK, all of you go and find a partner to merge cause I want only 3 companies + this rule and that rules). Just look at our banking sector and you will know.
 
The way I see it, even if they charge RM2.50/500gm they can still do it. They are surviving and they are making profit. Maybe not as much as they would love to so that they can go and buy more expensive car, houses and women. Give it a hard thought. If they had been making a loss and couldn't cope with the competition they should have close shop and filed for bankruptcy long long time ago. The fact that there are 105 companies doing the same thing indicate that there is money to be make and plenty as well. If there are no money there, why on earth are there 102 companies going into the same sector ? Can you answer me !!!
 
Just not making any sense at all. Imagine then all of a sudden the flower shops will cry foul and ask the G'men to help out too. Cause hundred if not thousands of small retail flower shops around the country are too competitive. They would say .......arghhh....too many competition. Prices of flowers are going for RM 2 already. No money to make and therefore G'men must set a minimum price of RM 10. Does it make any sense now ??
 
Another pathetic example here happening in My.

Human Transporter

0 comments Published Friday, March 24, 2006 by SaiRay.

I want to talk about invention today. Something revolutionary and useful. When Dean Kamen announces his inverntion years ago it was given the spot light and attention of the global scientist community. It is revolutionary because the human transpo rter have a gryoscope to balances itself.
Here's a good explanation of it from Wikipedia.

The Segway HT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing, computer-controlled, electrically-powered gyroscopic light-mode transportation device invented by Dean Kamen and unveiled in December 2001. It is produced by the company Segway Inc. The name "Segway HT" stands for "Segway Human Transporter".

The Segway is the world's first self-balancing transportation device. Computers and motors in the base keep the Segway upright at all times. Users lean forward to move forward, and back to move backwards. Turning is done mechanically via hand control. Segways are driven by quiet, non-polluting electric motors at up to 12.5 mph (10 mph in the P-series).

With today's high fuel prices and sky rocketing cost of living, I feel this device should come in handy. However, it has been 5 yrs since the product had been introduce and I am not seeing the price coming down. I had always thought when a product life cycle had one or another saturate, perhaps maturing and also producing in mass volume then the cost of the product inevitablly would come down. Perhaps this is a case of marketing the product as an exclusive "TOYS" for the rich and powerful and not for human conveniences. The basic model price is around > RM 20k.

Currently there is a few Segway model avalaible only ( 4 to be precise). I can think of its many benefit and usage:

1. For Police Patrol (Tourist Patrol and etc)

2. Tourist Resort + Golf Cart

3. Neigbourhood grocery shopping

4. Kids going to school

5. Recreational activities in park and etc

6. Daily working or commuting

There is just so much potential. If only Dean Kamen can reduce the price towards USD1k -2k then I think there will be a lot of taker. I would be the first buyer lining up the store. Segway distributor in Singapore is SiS Technologies and I can't find anything on their website at all. Poor quality. Guess what !! You can't get it at all in My.

Here's an interesting article on the inner working mechanism of Segway HT (from Segway or HowStuffWorks). Very interesting........give it a read.

Today's Tinkering

0 comments Published by SaiRay.

Today as I was driving to work, I heard from the radio on the morning express news regarding a lady who was killed when she was fighting back against her snatch thief. I don't think the thief should be call a "THIEF" anymore cause thieft sound so innocent and harmless. I mean where is this society heading towards again. I have been repeating this statement again and again. I just don't know why the police, the authorities and the politician are not doing anything about it.

If my memory still serve me well, I remember during Mahathir era, he introduces a lot of anti-thief campaign, neighbourhood campaign and etc. I believe we need to mobilise the whole of malaysia and try to drive up the spirit of co-operation to eradicate all crimes. The nation is progressing so rapidly that I feel the society culture, psycology and mind are not up for it. Just take a look around and feel it. People are now so arrogant, self centre and careless of others.

I dread to think what would our social economic problem would do to the next generation if further slide is not put a stop to it. INFLATION up, CPI up, Crime up, PETROL up but salary down.

Chameleon and Promotion

0 comments Published Thursday, March 09, 2006 by SaiRay.

This is an interesting topic especially for workers and employees. There will come a time when everybody would have to "face-off" with this question. Some want to get promoted while others have no ambition at all. Some try very hard and pull all kinds of rabbit from the hat while others resort to kissing, stabbing, pointing, talking, and etc. You name it and its all there. The bad and ugly vs the good and beautiful. Let's face it, I think the majority of people (I mean employee) are after/chasing one single objective in life. " MONEY".
 
By jumping higher and quicker means the more money you would have. I have personally seen it all. Friends betray each other, fight, shouting and the worst is 2 faces. On one hand they tell you "Nah, I am not interested for the promotion cause more responsibility.....blah.....blah ...blah" and then on the other hand thinking that I have a low memory capacities quickly change tune and "Yeah, I am taking more responsibility and etc.......blah....blah....blah ...and so I want the promotion". Still its ok but then when that person has 2 faces and try to justify his own promotion on the expense of his other good friend, then I feel its not right.
 
Can you imagine that ! He has the god damn nerve to tell me his friend is not interested and would like a quiet and peaceful life. What the fuc%$ !!! I tell you whether you are offered the promotion or selected is an entire issue altogether. Some people just have the luck and social opportunity while others have to dig deep and scrub the floor for more than 10 yrs. I mean got anybody like scrubbing the floor and then worst, day in day out and called this quiet and peaceful. Pathetic !! Preposterous. I do wonder sometimes why my company (Japanese) are so fuc$%%^ dull, got so many idiot who can't even operate a computer and getting paid RMXXXX.XX so well. This is more so for the Ass.Managers and above (The so called Top Management). They don't even have a brain.......opps.......that's bad........they have, just that its a pee brain. Imagine having a boss who is a non-engineering graduate doing and managing an engineering section. No engineering background also never mind but management also don't have. Don't think he read any management book nor books at all. There was one time he ask me to give him suggestion to submit for improvement so that he can compete with other Ass. Manager and help him promote. Sad or not you tell me. I got plenty of ideas and suggestion but not that he is going to help me in my career so why give him free lunch. If he is the hardworking, understanding and have the desire to learn then ok. He only has luck on his side. Not sure for how long though.
 
Is there no God ? I ask. Where is common sense and fair play. I don't think there is an answer for this.................if anyone of you have the answer do let me know. I just despised  CHAMELEON.

Friendship

0 comments Published Tuesday, March 07, 2006 by SaiRay.

Am a bit dissapointed last night. Dissapointed with a friend. Had known him since we were in six form. I know that he was arrogant, obnoxious and lots of people don't like him. He has the Einstein look and the brain of Edison. Litterary speaking. Therefore all girls run and stay away from him cause he looks like gorilla except that he has fairer skin.
 
Anyway, I wasn't very close to him but somehow or a rather after going off separate ways and leading our own life I got to know him better during my time in UK. He was very ambitious and had only one aim and that was to become a doctor. He finally did and going into his sub-specialisation in the UK and in fact practising and working in London at the moment.
 
The point was I ignore and endure other people snarling looks when I said he was my friend. I felt no harm and ignore it. They felt I was stupid hanging and mixing around with a nerd and a loser. Through the years it went by. However, recently because I needed a favour and a help (not something difficult and large task), I told him to lean a helping hand to my bro just in case. My bro was in London first time and I just ask that my friend would be kind enough to offer a hand just in case my bro got into some difficulty.
 
He was like evasive and also reluctant to talk. Not only that, I never expected him to be so "STINGY" . I mean "STINGY" people are at the top of my list of the people I hate most. They are usually rich or super rich and pretend that they don't have a dime to spared. He didn't even buy my bro dinner and I guess he has totally lost the basic human courtesy. Courtesy and kindness are commonly reciprocated. It always take 2 to tango. No wonder, he doesn't have any gf nor friends at all.
 
Got another engineer friend also like that. Tell him to be more generous and open and he answer me that he's generous to girls he's after. He was missing the point. Before you can start tackling someone you have to get her attention and shower her with attention. In addition you need to be generous to her friends and others as well. However, he was negative and repressive about it. How to help him.

Digi Lost 3G Spectrum Bid

0 comments Published Friday, March 03, 2006 by SaiRay.

I was stun and dissapointed by the news. I was hoping Digi will be successful in their bid. I think a lot of people were behind them. Digi is an exciting company and also full of potential. They are the only foreign own company with good track record and proven technical know how.

The lost just good to show that there is no transparency, equal and fairness competition in this country. Give me the reason why Digi lost to TTDotcom and MiTV ? No proven record, no technical know how and etc. Zero........and yet they won.........ok lah the boss are friends of the few elite millionaire.

18.5% Petrol Price Increase

0 comments Published Thursday, March 02, 2006 by SaiRay.

Everybody is talking about the petrol price hike. Uncle, aunties, taxi driver, cleaners.........you name it. Those who have a secondary school background only are also talking about it. Is it a big deal ? Yes it is, cause even the ah soh, ah soh + house wife are mulling over the issue. "Tak boleh", Impossible, "Moh Hou Len" were some of the words utter by the people of all races.
 
Yes, the price hike is real and not a dream as everyone would like it to be. Personally I don't mind about the petrol price hike cause its increase to my petrol consumption is minimum. However, what I am more worry about in the big picture is the chain reaction on everything. I mean everything including food, transport, services, loans and finally economy. What is the rationale to this increase ? The price of petrol was already fluctuating around USD60 per barrel for the last half year. Its not as if it shot up to USD70-80. If the government can cope with it for the last half year then I believe they can sustain it further.
 
Was it just a coincidence or a grand plan what with MAS turnaround plan by Mr.Idris Jala announce earlier? I can't help but wonder was it MAS idea or our PM !! Just look at MAS announced turnaround plan. They need RM 4bil and this is obtained by means of RM 1bil from their sales of MAS building, RM 1 bil from foreign fund/loan and the last RM 2bil from government. Where does this RM 2bil come from ? I bet its from the savings of the petrol subsidies :0))
 
And the G was telling everybody we will use the saving of subsidies to further improve the transportation and other sector. Talk is cheap. Show me concrete plans and result. No output and no timeline is like talking air. Some of my friends was telling me there are more than 101 ways to make more money to compensate the subsidy reduced. Let's take a look at some of the suggestion
 
1. Tax the rich more to help finance the subsidy of petrol. Why Mercedes are cheaper in My than Thailand ? Obviously trying to set the rules for the benefit of a few millionaire at the top. A case in point is the AP system.
2. With the advancement of MyKad, everything including financial information or social category can be put into the smart chip. You go pump petrol, they scan your MyKad and your are charge according to your financial standing. Don't tell me if you drive a Porsche or a Ferrari you still pay RM 1.62/litre as a Kancil owner. Just look at the price difference, Porsche (RM 1mil) vs Kancil (RM 25,000) !! Just how many Kancil can that rich bugger get with his Porsche ? 40 !!
3. With My as an oil producer country through My own Petronas conglomerate. Petronas are making tons of profit too with the high oil/barrel price. Tax Petronas more and this way the extra amount would more than make up to cover the oil subsidy. The finance balance sheet not working. Erhhh....its all just numbers and effort on most part.
4. Open up the competition. Let foreign own petrol brand (not just ESSO, CALTEX, PROJET) to compete. Free for all. Heard last year, in Singapore (SG) the petrol station compete against each other with offer and price reduction during certain hours and etc. That should be the way and not let Petronas total monopoly and then tax them under minnow category.
5. Lower the prices of cars as comparable to S.E.A. Let's take a look. Our DPM + all other big shot (got the cue from Mr.Samy) always make the same statement. Our petrol prices are the lowest in this region. They avoid talking about national GDP, inflation rate and CPI (Consumer Price Index). What the fuc@ !! Its not apple to apple comparison. Why don't journalist be smart enough and ask them tough and real question. Why prices of cars (non luxury) in My are the highest in S.E.A  ?? The politician can only con all the aunties and uncles.
 
Shit ! Shit ! ^&%&%(*#%$#% was my first reaction when I found out about the price hike. I couldn't believe the G will do this to the people.

Mr.Lebanese Billionaire Najem

0 comments Published Wednesday, March 01, 2006 by SaiRay.

As I was writing about another issue, all of a sudden I remember our dear friend Mr.Najem. What happen ? Why are there no more news on him ? Was it a camouflarge or a diversion. What happen to the RM1 billion he promised Makna. Does it pay or it does not for lying on the front pages of newspaper ?

SBB vs CIMB (Government) "Saga"

0 comments Published by SaiRay.

I read with interest today on the above issue. The fight has been going on for too long. I ask myself why don't SBB CEO (Tan Sri something) just give up and sell off whatever he has and move on. Migrate and do other stuff. I believe its not the money part that is keeping him fighting for his life. I am and truly backing him but the odds does not seem to be too good. The mountain is just impossible to climb. Look at it. He's up against the SULTAN, his associate billionaire (HardRock Cafe owner and Mr.Nazir Razak - the defactor). Just in case anyone outside of My does not know, CIMB belongs to Mr.Nazir Razak and he is the Deputy Prime Minister brother and the future PM of My.

To add salt to the would SBB is also up against BNM, Khazanah and the country security commission. For goodness sake Mr.Tan Sri something, sell it off and run for your life cause either way you are going to be fried sooner or later. The way I see it, everything is not based on commercial value sense but colour. Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, it is all colour. When some stupid idiot billionaire what to buy something, he will get it.

The logic ? Well, BNM does not approved SBB merger with other potential bank cause its all under section xxx where it stated that because we Malaysian are special therefore we are govern by our own protectism law. There is no fair trade commision. No competition policy nor commision too. What the fuc@ !!! I'm not trying to be biased here but reality and the stories is front page in the paper. Go and look for it or google it. Its everyway.

The problem is Malaysian are a forgetful lot and also coward. True, come election time just see who win with a majority again. Landslide victory !!! Yeah.....yeah.....

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