Friday, November 25, 2011

Wan Nur Arzrin “Alleged” She Was Assaulted By Her Uncle


First of all, I do not know her. I just picked up her name from Nov 21, 2011 Bernama news (and today is Nov 25!). [Bernama link broken, here's alternative news link]

Secondly, I intentionally bracket the word "alleged" because by definition (google: define allege) means: 1) Claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof that this is the case. 2) Suppose or affirm to be a case. Please note the bolded phrase.

No, I don’t mean to accuse Wan Nur Arzrin or something. See, at the second part, by definition (repeated), something was declared BUT not proven. And it has nothing wrong on Wan Nur Arzrin’s part at all.

She stated: “I'm disappointed that there has been no action taken on my reports, in Jakarta as well as the Kuala Lumpur International Airport police station on Nov 13. But I hope with Datuk Seri's (Mohamed Nazri) assurance, the matter will be attended to.”

The story:
On Nov 12, 2011: She "alleged" she was assaulted by her uncle due to a small misunderstanding, while the family was in a lift in Bogor, Indonesia. She claimed to have broken bones and injured nerve due to the assault.
Date?: She lodged a police report at Jakarta, Indonesia.
On Nov 13, 2011: She lodge another police report at KLIA police station.
On Nov 15, 2011: She twitted our PM Dato’ Seri Najib Razak for help [Source].
On Nov 21, 2011: She approached Dato’ Seri Mohd Nazri (Minister in Prime Minister’s Department) during a public event for help regarding her prior "alleged" claim (and second claim that, uh, "no action taken on her reports?") [Source]. [Bernama link broken, here's alternative news link]

By the way, who is Wan Nur Arzrin? On googling, she is/was(?):
  1. Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Agro Biotechnology Technovation (M) Sdn Bhd (founded in 2008, entered the news in 2008 for its 900 million (dubbed largest) biodiesel plant in Kuala Lukut, Port Dickson and supposed to start producing biofuel since 2010);
  2. A graduate of Universiti Malaya; a holder of Bachelor of Science Biotechnology;
  3. A former student of Bukit Bintang Girls School (Class 5 Science 2 of 1999); also the President of Gymnastrada Club and Head of Shirtliff Cheerleading team (both 1999);
  4. A regular twitter;
  5. And, uh, rather pretty I say. :D
But still, I do not know how a small misunderstanding could lead to physical (and not to forget, emotional) assault (even though it was still an alleged claim) by a man to a woman. Even to the extend of breaking bones! To that ‘man’ if you really did as claimed, you can have my fist!

Hurting woman is one of my most hated crime

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Sabah Position As No. 1 Oil Palm State in Malaysia In Jeopardy?

Stephanie Lee reported in the front page of Daily Express (Nov 21, 2011) titled "Sabah palm oil at risk":

"Kota Kinabalu: Members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) who breach rules by developing oil palm in areas of high conservation value will not be issued with the RSPO certification - and this may jeopardise Sabah's position as the No. 1 oil palm State in Malaysia and hugely dependant on the commodity for revenue."

How so? "RSPO Malaysia Secretary-General Darrel Webber... (learned) that the Sabah Forestry Department was having a tough time cracking down on people who keep clearing Class One forest reserves to plant oil palm by claiming native customary rights." read on...


Points:
  1. Sabah is no. 1 (means biggest) palm oil state in Malaysia.
  2. Palm oil is one of the source of revenue. [Supporting Source: Insight Sabah: Sabah Budget 2011 - Spending Big For Growth (Roll down to paragraph 5)]
  3. Sabahan palm oil growers (dubbed "faux natives" meaning they claim to have NCR of the land they're clearing) have been allegedly clearing class 1 forest for palm oil planting (which gives hard time for the Sabah Forest Department to crack) so they;
  4. Breach (one or few of) RSPO rules (on restriction on not to develop palm oil industry in high conservation value areas e.g. Class 1 forest) and thus;
  5. RSPO would not issue RSPO certification(s) to the alleged parties (in other word they will be "greylisted", not "blacklisted" mind you) and thus;
  6. No sales/trades of palm oil and its products maybe conducted (between the "whitelisted" members of RSPO) and thus;
  7. Would generate less revenue and thus:
  8. Point No. 2 would be jeopardized because of it. Hey, how about point No. 1?
Have I listed all points from the two paragraphs above? I would like to think so. However, few things don't feel right. For example:
  1. Forest clearing (including clearing Class 1 forest for any purpose, and for palm oil planting/development for any other forest class) has been happening since 'eternally' but no action has been taken, or at least enforcement is inconsistent... [Sorry no source supplied.] Only now RSPO 'learned' or mention about it?
  2. RSPO certification is almost meaningless. Why? Even "certified" members can still breach (and sell palm oil product). [Source] Even "greylisted breachers" can still sell their products through (not-so-sincere) whitelisted members. [Hearsay, sorry no source]
  3. RSPO certification is for 'so supply chain can be traced on each level/facility that uses "certified oil"'. No system is foolproof, it can be fooled! [No source supplied]
  4. Ah, NCR (native customary rights) is a sensitive things to discuss here. But Sabahan knows better that some NCR rightful owners got "owned", some got their rightful NCR after sooooooo long (sorry can't help myself :)), some not-so-right NCR holder got their NCR somehow, some NCR got "cancelled" by government after introductions of some enactments. [Not related but still a Source]

RSPO is a not-for-profit (whatever it means) association that unites stakeholders from seven sectors of the palm oil industry - oil palm producers, palm oil processors or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation NGOs and social or developmental NGOs - to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. [Source]

According to RSPO website, Malaysia has the highest number of members by country.


In the end, I ask myself, is Sabah Position As No. 1 Oil Palm State in Malaysia In Jeopardy? Not likely if we consider the "hugeness" of palm oil plantation. We still have big companies here "doing" palm oil as opposed to "NCR" claimers clearing forest for palm oil, but of course I'll defer to Stephanie can show me if the "NCR" claimers' lands are larger than the big boys' lands. Compared to revenue to Sabah from tax of crude palm oil (CPO). A "decertification" might affect revenue but not so much due to "resourceful" (would/might-be) greylisted members of RSPO...

New Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) Not So Low-Cost

Check this news:

"... speculation is rife that the cost of KLIA2 (the new LCCT) has increased significantly from the initial estimates of between RM2 billion and RM2.5 billion... to more than RM4 billion..."

The first LCCT costs about 300 million.

"(However MAHB official asserts that) even if there was an increase in expenditure in constructing the KLIA2, it would not affect the passengers nor the airlines... "

The Edge Malaysia Daily (TEM) disagrees, saying that "a costlier airport would mean MAHB has to increase its charges — including airline parking and landing fees and airport taxes — to recoup its investment."

In which MAHB brushes aside as unfounded concerns: "aeronautical charges (are) already set in stone (regulated) (but/and) subject to review every 5 years."

As recent as Nov 15, 2011, passenger service charges (PSCs) a.k.a. airport tax passengers need to pay had been increased from RM25 to RM32 at LCCT KLIA and Terminal 2 Kota Kinabalu; and from RM51 to RM65 in other airports. Okay, I should add after 9 years of 'nagging' to increase PSC rates (by MAHB to the government). [Source] AirAsia & MAS were not keen to collect PSC on MAHB's behalf...

Also, "Landing and parking charges will rise in three stages over three years — landing charges will be 9% while parking charges will be increased by 18% per year."

On Sep 21, 2011, RM10 fee for conventional counter check-in was imposed by AirAsia. However, passengers have the alternative of web check-in, mobile check-in or kiosk check-in which are free of charge. [Source]

My humble thought:
A) I somewhat agree with TEM, even though they say no passengers nor the airlines would be affected, but in the not-so-far future, who might know?
B) If AirAsia & MAS go ahead with their "not to collect PSC on MAHB behalf". I see:
  1. MAHB would have to open PSC counter themselves;
  2. Passengers would have to pay PSC themselves. [Pro: No need to pay if cancel flight, no need to wait for weeks for PSC refund. Cons: Waste time to queue, might get lost as well. :D Ugh, they would setup kiosk &/@ web/mobile pay you say?]
KY Chua travels with AirAsia (rarely) but doesn't mind to pay the PSC if the process is simple, simpler & simplified (not to mention, not so expensive, cheap, cheaper or cheapest). Heck, he doesn't even mind to pay for the RM7 hike in airport tax (and the RM10 conventional counter check-in fee) as long as the service is good. But then, he's not that "berwang". So, he would settled for low cost of everything. :D


Interesting articles from YB Wee Choo Keong's blog: MOT: Airlines must refund Airport Tax to no-show passenger.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Yoong Hero, oops, I mean Young Hero :D


Saw this on TV yesterday. Text modified from The Star:
Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah weighs only 28kg weigh and 1.24m tall... She is the youngest gold medalist in SEA Games since its inception in 1959. And, oh, she's only 8-year-and-4-month-old when she won the gold for WOMEN Waterski Tricks Event. (Bold and EMPHASIS is mine) ;)
The Yoong family certainly breeding heroes. :D So, congratulation to our young hero.;) Read her resume here (updated as of 31st July 2011).

[Added on 23 Nov 2011]

It seems that former F1 driver Alex Yoong and Philipa Yoong both won golds as well. Also congratulations for the not-so-young heroes. :) [Source]

Friday, November 11, 2011

Revival On 11.11.11.

Read this in The Star Online titles What were you doing at 11.11am on 11.11.11?
Excerpts:
PETALING JAYA: 11.11.11, a once-in-a-century date. We asked readers, via email, Twitter and Facebook what they were doing at 11.11am on this day...
The rest of the story goes on to list selected answer from interviewees. The answers ranging from (can be simplified as) "Nothing" (important) to "Something"... :) Just click on the link above to read more. :)

As for me, I'm cleaning up my long and almost forgotten blog (more than 2 years!) and drafting this very post though it's a very short one. :D I doubt anyone will want to know why I didn't blog these 2 years. :) But briefly explained, my access to internet was limited and/or inconvenienced, my commitments were on something elses: works, jobs (I know, I mentioned it already :)), relationship, etc. :)

Anyhow, happy sextuplet "1" or 11.11.11 (or decuplet (ten) "1" if you include the time e.g. 11.11.11, 11:11am OR duodecuplet (twelve) if you include the seconds as well e.g. 11.11.11. 11:11:11 am. ) to you and myself. ;)