A GLANCE AT POSITIVE POLITICS

While I was surfing the net, I was thinking, hey can we have some positive politics... and after some search in the internet, well, here are some informations that I like to share with all....

The world today faces new major threats: global warming climate change, international poverty.

And in Malaysia there are some domestic major challenges: crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime, inadequate standards of health, education and transport, businesses losing competitiveness in international markets.

Maybe we in Malaysia is in need of a new more positive way of doing politics. Maybe the time has come for us to return politics to the people and away from special interest. When we can elect people for their values and know they will live by them then we have turned things in a positive direction. We also must seek leaders that can think with the future in mind, who can be conscious enough to be aware of what is needed and what would be for the greater good. We all need to show up as active participants in the process of governing and not just leave it to those we elect. They need guidance and we need to keep informed about the issues. Qualities like wisdom, humbleness, a passion for service, truthfulness, vision, listening, problem solving and compassion are what we need to find in leaders.

These are some of the challenges today faced by hundredth millions of people. And to overcome these challenges, there is a need for the driving motivator and a passion for change. Many believe that the passion has to come from a love of freedom and of family.

In understanding the concept of freedom, most people have different definition and understanding of the word freedom. For some people, freedom is being defined in a negatively way, such as ........ leave me alone, don’t interfere, get government off my back.

Nonetheless, for some others with the positive attitude and the motivation to improve the people around them, freedom is being viewed as a positive thing. Freedom is a word that could provide a new avenue which gives hope, opportunity, prosperity and security. For these people, they believe that people must recognise that freedom is for everyone.

It is a freedom to live our lives and spend our hard-earned income, for us and our families. It is freedom for enterprise to create wealth. Freedom is essential to delivering sustained economic performance. Free markets, free enterprise and free trade. And it is positive freedoms: freedom from the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour; freedom from poverty; freedom from ignorance; freedom from disease. Giving people access to the freedom that comes with good health, high standards of education and eradicating poverty is a positive philosophy of freedom which we have to articulate.

Freedom is not licence. It is not merely the absence of constraint. Positive freedom is about empowerment: it’s about a child being able to go to a school which realises their potential; disabled people not being left out of employment; the single parent given support so the child has the right role model and the parent an opportunity to work. It’s even about giving millions of children in Africa the basic right to live.

If we believe in freedom and give people freedom, we give them hope in the future. Nothing is more important than that.Yet all of these freedoms are not enough. Freedoms give us hope, and opportunity, but not necessarily security. Think of our children. Yes, we do give them their freedom, progressively, and help them to use that freedom to realise their hopes and dreams. But they need for more than that. They need values. They need to learn. They need to be guided. They need to gain their independence within boundaries. As they gain their freedom, they need to know that they are loved, supported and if need be, protected.

Interestingly, some findings from Positive Psychology research that the more people focus on negatives, the worse they feel. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle we need to deliberately break out of.

On the other hand, there are also findings from research that feeling positive (authentically positive, not Pollyanna-ish) has a huge number of benefits: increased happiness and life satisfaction, enhanced productivity, better health, more efficient problem-solving, more creativity, more satisfying relationships, etc……

The desire for power is personal. Competence and political intelligence are the prerequisites for handling power in a healthy manner. Politics is not a nasty word or a set of behaviors that inevitably turns you into a shady character of whom your mother would be ashamed. You need never divorce your own morality from the situation. The choice to improve your political functioning is yours. You always retain the right to play, and you retain the right to decide when to play. But you are a better manager, a better professional, and a more educated person if you can identify what others are doing and how their behavior will impact you. It is not just for success, it is for survival--success and survival on your own terms.

SEBUAH HARAPAN

SEBUAH HARAPAN

Bumi terbentang luas,
Langit biru yang indah,
Mengingatkan aku kepada yang Esa,

Dia Maha Pencipta
Mencipta segalanya
Anugerah yang tiada terhingga,

Bintang-bintang dilangit,
Bertaburan dimalam,
Bulan mengambang penuh keinsafan,
Segala yang ada,
Tidak yang sia-sia,
Untuk manusia merenunginya,

Berikanlah daku cahaya kehidupan,
Memberikan sinar menyinari lestari,
Agar dunia ini menjadi ceria,
Kanak-kanak bebas bermain gembira,

Hiaskanlah diriku dengan nilai yang murni,
Penuhkan hatiku dengan keikhlasan,
Hakikat duniawi yang sukar difahami,
Ketawa dan tangisan terus mengiringi,
Hidupku,

Gegaran-gegaran kecil di Bukit Tinggi....

Menurut Utusan Malaysia, bertarikh 25 Mei 2008, terdapat sebanyak 21 kejadian gempa bumi kecil yang telah menggegarkan kawasan Bukit Tinggi, Pahang sejak November tahun lalu.

Jabatan Meteorologi memberi jaminan ia hanya bermagmitud kecil dan tidak membahayakan namun kekerapan kejadian itu mencetuskan kebimbangan. Terbaru pada 25 May 2008, kawasan itu digegarkan dengan satu gegaran berukuran 3.1 pada skala Richter pada pukul 9.36 pagi ini.

Pada 15 Mac lalu, tiga gempa bumi kecil dengan ukuran antara dua dan 3.2 pada skala Richter telah dikesan di sekitar Bukit Tinggi dan Janda Baik. Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia dalam kenyataan akhbarnya di sini memberitahu, gempa bumi itu hanya bermagnitud kecil. Oleh itu, ia tidak membahayakan penduduk di kawasan berkenaan dan orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pusat Penyelidikan Alam Sekitar, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Prof. Dr. Ku Halim Ku Hamid berkata, gegaran itu dipercayai ancaman berterusan ekoran gempa bumi tidak menentu yang melanda negara jiran dan kesannya turut diterima Malaysia.
“Namun, dalam kesemua kejadian itu, tiada sebarang kerosakan harta benda dilaporkan,” katanya. Beliau juga menasihatkan orang awam supaya tidak bimbang akan kejadian gempa bumi kecil itu.

Komen Saya
Kecil atau besar gegaran tersebut, ianya merupakan tanda bahawa terdapat pergerakan bumi dikawasan tersebut. Kita tidak tahu aktiviti plat tektonik dikawasan tersebut dan sejauh ini tiada laporan yang mengatakan bahawa kajian geologi, kajian sesmik dan kajian lain-nya telah dijalankan dikawasan itu... Ini bermakna bahaya tetap ade... Jika saya duduk dikawasan tersebut, saya pun sudah tentu risau, melainkan terdapat penyelidikan dan penyiasatan telah dijalankan untuk menentukan bahaya dan risiko gempa dikawasan tersebut...

Saya syorkan satu kumpulan pakar geologi dan kajian gempa dihantar kekawasan tersebut untuk menentukan dengan tuntas mengenai risiko gempa bumi dikawasan tersebut...
Dalam kajian failure analysis, gegaran merupakan petanda bahawa sesuatu tersebut sudah berada pada tahap ketidakstabilan dan mungkin akan menyebabkan kegagalan... Sebesar atau sekecil mana kegagalan tersebut memang sukar dikenalpasti, tetapi kajian yang teliti sedikit sebanyak akan dapat menentukan magnitud kegagalan tersebut...

Kita tidak mahu satu keadaan dimana amaran-amaran awal telah diberikan tetapi kita masih gagal untuk bersedia menghadapinya.....

Harga minyak yang semakin naik......

Harga minyak semakin naik dan semakin mahal... Dalam masa setahun, ianya sudah naik 100% dan dalam masa 3 bulan yang sudah minyak mentah naik hingga 30% dan hari ini harga minyak berlegar pada paras RM USD130-USD140 dan mungkin hujung bulan nie harga minyak lepas pulak paras USD150 per barrel... Ini sudah jadi macam krisis 1997, mungkin lebih teruk lagi... Negara kita Malaysia cuma masih bernasib baik tak terkena tsunami harga minyak nie kerana kita masih lagi merupakan net exporter... Kita tak perlu mengimport minyak untuk kegunaan sendiri kerana kita boleh keluarkan minyak sendiri...

Tetapi, yang menjadi tanda tanya dan yang menjadi kebimbangan sekarang ialah kenapa harga minyak naik mendadak? Apakah faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan harga minyak naik ke paras yang tinggi dan terus naik dan terus naik seakan-akan dunia sudah kehilangan kapasiti pengeluaran minyak mentah yang mencukupi. Pada kadar hari ini, kenaikan harga minyak kini adalah merupakan senario yang sangat-sangat membimbangkan dan kerajaan perlu bertindak dengan pantas untuk mengurangkan penggantungan kita pada minyak... Kegagalan kita untuk berbuat demikian akan menyebabkan negara akan menjadi bergantung kepada import minyak dan mengakibatkan ekonomi negara menjadi semakin parah...

Data beberapa tahun lepas menunjukkan bahawa kita mengeluarkan lebih kurang 600,000 minyak sehari dengan pengeluaran sebanyak 750,000 tong minyak sehari, dengan lebihan lebih kurang 150,000 tong sehari... Ini bermakna kita mempunyai lebihan 20% dari pengeluaran minyak dan keadaan ini adalah kurang selamat... Jika kita mempunyai cara dan alternatif lain dan mampu mengurangkan penggunaan minyak kita, maka ianya akan memberikan kelebihan serta faktor selamat yang lebih selesa. Mungkin negara kita boleh mensasarkan matlamat untuk mengurangkan penggunaan minyak daripada 600,000 tong sehari kepada 300,000 tong sehari dan dengan cara ini akan meningkatkan faktor selamat kita kepada satu faktor yang lebih selesa.

Brazil merupakan salah satu negara yang dikatakan berjaya dalam misis mengurangkan penggantungan kepad sumber minyak mentah dengan dasar bio-etanol nya... Dengan menggunakan sumber bio-etanol yang diperolehi melaui jagung dan tebu, penggunaan minyak dinegara itu berjaya diturunkan kerana bio-etanol boleh menggantikan lebih kurang 20% - 25% penggunaan minyak... Walau pun terdapat pelbagai perbahasan mengenai kebaikan dan keburukan bio-etanol, pada dasarnya, Brazil telah berjaya mengurangkan penggantungan-nya kepada import minyak...

Kesan kenaikan minyak kini serta kesan kenaikan harga beras dan kesan kenaikan harga makanan mungkin mempunyai kaitan secara langsung antara satu sama lain. Dari segi asasnya, trend penggunaan minyak tidak banyak berubah tetapi lebih dipengaruhi faktor luar.

Dengan kejatuhan nilai matawang US, kebanyakan pelabur kini telah beralih kepada sumber-sumber komoditi untuk menangani kemerosotan nilai wang US. Kebanyakan pelabur telah membeli sumber-sumber komoditi untuk mencegah kerugian mereka terhadap simpanan nilai wang US. Ini menyebabkan permintaan terhadap komoditi bertambah dengan mendadak. tetapi ini bukan disebabkan kadar penggunaan komoditi tersebut telah naik mendadak, tetapi disebabkan permintaan belian untuk pasaran hadapan yang menyebabkan harga-harga barangan menjadi keliru dan tidak mampu untuk mendapatkan arah niaga daripada nilai-nilai asas permintaan dan pembekalan...

Fakta-fakta mengenai harga minyak:-

1. Pada May 2007 harga minyak mentah sekitar USD65 setong naik sehingga USD135setong pada bulan Mat 2008.


2. Data-data penggunaan minyak menunjukkan perbezaan antara permintaan dan pembekalan adalah seimbang.


3. Pakar-pakar menjangkakan permintaan penggunaan minyak dunia akan meningkat kepada 87 juta tong sehari pada tahun 2008.


4. Menurut artikel Oil Price Bubble?, pengeluaran minyak dunia sudah meningkat sehingga 3.3% sedangkan permintaan minyak hanya meningkat 1.6%.


5. Lebihan permintaan minyak terhadap bekalan minyak kini adalah diparas 3 juta tong sehari berbanding 1.5 juta tong sehari dua tahun lepas.


6. Harga minyak ialah serendah USD8 setong pada tahun 1999, naik sehingga USD35 setong dalam tahun 2000 dan terus meningkat USD50 setong dalam tahun 2004.
7. Harga minyak terus miningkat dalam tahun 2008 naik kepada USD110 etong dalam bulan Mac, USD 125 setong pada 9 Mei 2008,dan terus meningkat dan melepasi USD130 setong pada bulam Mei ini dan ianya masih lagi tidak stabil dan meningkat.


8. Terdapat pendapat yang mengatakan bahawa peningkatan harga-harga barangan pertanian seperti beras dan sebagainya mungkin berpunca daripada peralihan daripada tanaman tersebut kepada tanaman jagung dan tebu yang lebih menguntungkan untuk bekalan kepada loji pemprosesan bio-etanol.

Walau apa pun, senario ini merupakan senario yang membimbangkan dan ianya merupakan masalah dunia keseluruhan-nya. Ramai juga berpendapat bahawa ketidak stabilan harga pasaran banyak dipengaruhi oleh kejatuhan pasaran nilai matawang US, yang menyebabkan pelabur-pelabur sudah mula menukarkan simpanan US mereka untuk membeli barangan-barangan komoditi bagi mengurangkan kerugian akibat kejatuhan nilai wang US.

Mungkin terdapat 3 atau 4 senario perubahan yang akan berlaku akibat kenaikan berterusan harga minyak dunia ini;-

1. Kesan positif - Dengan kenaikan harga minyak, pengguna-pengguna mula mengurangkan penggunaan minyak dan dengan itu mengurangkan kadar permintaan berbanding pembekalan dan ini akan menyebabkan lebihan bekalan minyak dan akan menyebabkan harga minyak kembali menyusut dan menstabilkan keadaan ekonomi dan pasaran minyak.
2. Kesan negatif - Harga minyak terus naik dengan kadar permintaan terus tinggi dan akhirnya menyebabkan keadaan dimana ketidak stabilan ekonomi terjadi dan menyebabkan dunia mengalami krisis ekonomi yang teruk dan menghasilkan kesan rantaian lainnya yang menyebabkan ekonomi dunia terjejas teruk
3. Kesan neutral - Harga minyak akan terus naik sehingga kadar tepu, dan keadaan permintaan dan pembekalan kembali stabil akibat suasana ekonomi yang kembali stabil, tetapi terdapat pelbagai inisiatif perubahan corak kehidupan dan gaya hidup.
4. Kesan Luar Jangka - Kita tak tahu apa yang akan terjadi dimasa hadapan, mungkin juga dengan izin Allah kitakan menemukan sumber alternatif tenaga lain yang lebih murah dan lebih banyak simpanannya seperti gas hidrat yang mempunyai potensi besar untuk dibangunkan sebagai sumber tenaga bagi tempoh jangka panjang.

How much increase of the local oil prices?

It is look like the government will inevitably raised the prices of oil. So far the government have successfully delay the price increase although the government has already stated that there is too much subsidy for oil. The oil prices has gone up at at tremendous acceleration and the people seems to have no idea of what is going on. At the rate the price of oil is increasing, it will be very soon when suddenly we realized that we do not have enough money to pump petrol into our cars and all the planes at the airports are nor flying due to the expensive oil prices.

I am also glad that the impact of oil prices have not really affected the life in this country since the price of oil actually have increased more than 70%-100% since May 2007. In May 2007, the price of oil is around USD65 per barrel and now May 2008, the price of oil have been increasing steadily to USD135 and it has shown no symptom of moving down again. Although it is good that we could still maintain a moderate economic condition, but it is nonetheless an alarming situation.

The continuing statement by the government that Malaysia may need to increase the price of oil is not surprising. It will be more surprising if the government want to lower the price of oil. But as far as the world oil price trend is concern, there is an issue that need to be addressed and it need to be addressed accordingly. The government can do a lot of things with regards to the increasing oil price since we are still a net exporter of oil meaning that our production is more than our demand. With the discoveries of new oil fields and with commisisoning of new production facilities, the reserves of Malaysian oil may even pass the year 2020.. But it maybe finish faster since we are pumping more oil from the reserves.

Nonetheless this gave us more or less another 5 - 12 years to think on our next step in our energy policy and 5 - 12 years although is relatively a short time for a nation is an ample time frame to ensure that we could develop the technology and knowledge that needed to reduce or to eliminate our dependency on oil and hydrocarbon or at least started to seriously develop the technology.

What we really need is a long term solution and a long term assurance that we can live without the dependency of oil. We need to assure for instance if we are running out of natural crude oil, maybe we have develop a genetic engineering technology to produce plants that can supply oil, or we have a better technology that can process palm oil into an effective fuel that can be use for vehicles. Better still if we can develop the technology to use hydrogen fuel cells that can run on water or a solar cells that is powerful enough to run a car... Since we have ample sun lights almost all over the year... Maybe during rainy days and during night time we need to run the cars using auxiliary batteries...

Well, i believe that these ideas have been discussed thoroughly, but since we have not seen any worthwhile prototype of these type of vehicle, then we may not have the ample time to develop these technologies if the issue is not being addressed as priorities...

I believe the government can do a lot of initiatives to reduce our oil consumption and to encourage people to utilize the public transportation. Top of the list is that the public transportation must have a high quality standard and must have a comprehensive linkages. The public transportation must also be effective, reliable and efficient.

I am still puzzled that after 50 years of independent, our railway system are still inherit the old British train network.. We have not expanded our train network and the train services are not good enough to be the main pillar of the transportation system. We don't even have any train route linking to major cities of the east coast such as Kuantan and Terengganu.

So far, I have not seen any concrete evidence that our country is ready for life without oil or there is a concentrated effort in the quest for it. Maybe if the government stop the oil subsidy now, then at least we can be more alert and aware of the crisis and people will start an aggressive approach to reduce the dependency of oil. But, it can also produce an economic imbalance and cause a negative chain reaction to the country growth. Nonetheless, the threat is real and is justifiable and it cannot be ignored and cannot be taken for granted... If back then in 1999/2000 we can prepare ourselves for the Y2K bugs, I believe there is a more alarming issues with regards to the oil crisis...

So how much will the government is going to increase the oil price?

The Sexy School Uniform

Great, maybe now we know why there is so much sex cases in Malaysia .. Anyway, I am glad that my daughter (standard 2) already willingly wearing a tudung to school... Hopefully she'll continue to wear it without being forced to... You never know when your children can make his or her own mind and start to protest you....

Here the link to the finding...

STANCE OF MUSLIMAH: 73 % says School Uniform IS sexy!

Well, I never thought that the school uniform is sexy, because every day I sent my children to school and so far I have not came across any girl that can be considered as sexy... Maybe if there is a very heavy downpour and the dress get wet I don't know but I just think that the dress is not a sexy dress... Or maybe I am very busy driving and I just happen to concentrate on the road, so I did not notice the sexy dress they are wearing.. When I was in school also, I do not find the uniform sexy... What is so sexy about a girl wearing a white dress... It does not show any clevage or curve... It just plain white boring clothes...

Anyway the public has spoken, and the issue need to be address accordingly. I hope with this findings, perhaps the government can start thinking about it, since the majority find the school uniform sexy, it is just the right direction for this democratic country address the concern of the people. Maybe the government can introduce a new dress code for the schools.....

Singapore win Pedra Blanca

Click picture for larger picture

It is a long wait to hear the decision on the Pulau Batu Putih over the RTM 1... At first, I was thinking that we could win the dispute but then came the technical point which serve as the most important evidence in the case...

The ICJ noted that the strength of Singapore’s claim lay in a letter sent by the state secretary of Johor in 1953 to the Singapore government where he informed that "the Johore government does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca." It could not accept Malaysia’s argument that the state secretary did not have authority or legal capacity to disclaim or confirm ownership of the island, said Judge Awn Shawkat al-Khasawneh.

A loss is a loss, but at least we win the two remaining rocks, which may give so much differences in charting the Malaysia-Singapore border.. so we have lost the Island because of a letter that may be at the time it is written did not matter much.

The entire report is available in pdf format at:

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE, YEAR 2008, 23 May, CASE CONCERNING SOVEREIGNTY OVER PEDRA BRANCA/PULAU BATU PUTEH, MIDDLE ROCKS AND SOUTH LEDGE (MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE), JUDGMENT

But I believe there are lots and lots of things that can be learned from the issues. Taking the que from this decisions, there is a need to be very careful with the development in the Iskandar Malaysia region to make sure that Malaysia do not lost further.

Manchester United Juara Eropah

Manchester United 1 - Chelsea 1

(Man U menang 6 - 5 sepakan penalti)

Cristiano Ranaldo 26'

Frank Lampard 45'

Manchester United menang penentuan penalti

Teves (masuk)

Carrick (masuk)

Ronaldo (tak masuk)

Hargreaves (masuk)

Nani (masuk)

Anderson (masuk)

Giggs (masuk)

Chelsea

Ballack (masuk)

Benetti (masuk)

Lampard (masuk)

Cole (A) (masuk)

Terry (tergelincir dan tak masuk)

Kalou (masuk)

Anelka (kena selamtkan)

Manchester United berjaya memenangi kejuaran Eropah selepas menewaskan Chelsea dengan sepakan penati sudden death 6-5, apabila kedua-dua terikat 1 -1 selepas masa penuh dan masa tambahan perlawanan... Penyerang sensasi Ronaldo meletakkan United didepan seawal minit ke-26, tetapi Frank Lampard mengikat kedudukan 1-1 sejurus sebelum tamat separuh masa pertama pada minit ke-45...

Chelsea nampak lebih mengusai permainan separuh masa kedua dengan Drogba membuat satu rembatan kencang yang menggegarkan tiang sebelah kiri Van der Sar... United juga mempunyai beberapa peluang untuk menjaringkan gol, tetapi percubaan Tevez tidak cukup untuk menewaskan Petr Cech..

Chelsea sekali lagi menggegar palang gol United pada masa tambahan melalui percubaan Frank Lampard, dan dengan keputusan seri 1-1, sepakan penalti terpaksa diadakan...

United bermula dengan baik dengan Tevez dan Carrick berjaya menyempurnakan sepakan mereka disaingi dengan kemas oleh Ballack dan Beletti... Pada sepakan ketiga, Ronaldo gagal menjaringkan sepakan penalti apabila Petr Cech berjaya merebahkan badan kesebelah kanan dan menampan kemas sepakan Ronaldo. Frank Lampard kemudiannya menyempurnakan sepakan penalti ke 3 Chelsea menjadikan kedudukan 2 - 3 berpihak kepada Chelsea, Hargreaves kembali mengikat kedudukan 3-3 dengan sepakan penaltinya dan Cole kembali mletakkan Chelsea didepan. Nani kemudiannya menyepak masuk penalti dan kini Chelsea berupaya memenangi Piala Eropah jika John Terry berjaya menyempurnakan penaltinya. Malangnya, John Terry tergelincir dan menyebabkan bola tersasar keluar sebelah kiri Van der Sar dan mengikat kedudukan 4-4... Anderson dan Giggs seterusnya menyempurnakan sepakan mereka dengan Kalou... Dengan kedudukan 6 - 5 , Anelka perlu menjaringkan gol untuk meneruskan sepakan sudden-death.

Dalam saat yang genting, Van der Sar merebahkan badan kesebelah kanan dan sepakan Anelka telah berjaya ditampan dan diselamatkan...

Manchester United merangkul kejayaan buat kali ke-3 dalam sejarah Piala Eropah.

Tidak syak lagi, Sir Alex Ferguson merupakan arkitek kejayaan Manchester United yang telah berjaya membina kejayaan demi kejayaan. Ini merupakan kali kedua Sir Alex Ferguson memenangi Juara Eropah, dan mungkin bukan kali terakhir...

Sir Alex Ferguson telah berjaya membentuk pasukan Manchester United sebagai pasukan yang unggul yang mampu mengusai dunia bolasepak Eropah. Dia merupakan seorang Pengurus yang bijak dan arif dalam selok belok bolasepak dan dia boleh membaca corak permainan dengan baik.

Cristiano Ronaldo menyumbatkan gol ke 42 dalam musim yang gemilang dengan tandukan yang menewaskan Petr Cech.. Dengan kejayaan ini, Ronaldo mungkin berpeluang memenangi pelbagai lagi anugerah individu. Tidak syak lagi beliau ialah pemain paling "menjadi" musim ini.

Van der Sar sekali lagi membuktikan keunggulan beliau dalam menyelamatkan sepakan penalti, membantu Manchester United menjulang Piala Eropah untuk kali kedua...

Syabas Manchester United

link berkaitan