Brace for very bad weather

Chao Phraya Delta is seeing a very bad flood this year

The current monsoon that is hitting Indochina and Thailand raised a lot of worry to many. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of paddy fields have been sunken in flood and the staple food for South East Asians will definitely be affected. But that is not what should worry Malaysians. At least, not the worst part of the monsoon.

End of last year, Malaysia saw very bad floods across the peninsula. This was the meteorological report of December:

1. Summary

December falls within the Northeast Monsoon. Typically, the active phase of this season lasts from November to January. During this season period, the east coast states of Peninsula, coast of  Sarawak and eastern coast of Sabah would be experiencing a few comprehensive heavy rain episode that continuously as long as two to three days result surge monsoon. However, for monsoon period this time, most of the northern Peninsula has recorded much above normal rainfall distribution. The distribution of temperature and evaporation in most areas were below compared to long-term average. For the amount of solar radiation, data recorded in part of the areas were below compared to normal while the rest were above normal.

2. Rainfall

In December, most of the areas in Peninsula still experiencing continuous wet weather condition especially at Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and several areas in Kelantan and Selangor with rainfall distribution between 30% to 150% above monthly average. Meanwhile, less total rainfall compared to average has been experienced in most areas in Johor. Other places recorded normal total rainfall.

For Sarawak, the normal rainfall distribution has been experienced in most of the division. Only Bintulu Division has received less total rainfall of 30% compared to monthly average.

 In Sabah, most of the divisions has received normal rainfall distribution. Nevertheless, the Federal Territory of Labuan and Kota Kinabalu respectively had received wet weather condition with rainfall of 35% and 95% above monthly average.

 Peninsula recorded the number of rainy days ranged from 13 (recorded at the Pulau Langkawi Meteorological Station) to 27 days (recorded at Mersing Meteorological Station). The number of rainy days in Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan ranged from 16 (recorded at the Tawau Meteorological Station) to 26 days (recorded at the Labuan Meteorological Station). For Sarawak, the number of rainy days ranged from 26 (recorded at the Sri Aman, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri Meteorological Stations) to 28 days (recorded at the Kuching Meteorological Station).

Based on the classification scheme, there were 6 stations recorded much above average rainfalll, 4 stations recorded above average and 19 stations recorded average rainfall. Meanwhile, there were 4 stations recorded below average rainfall.

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This is was November’s:

1. Summary

The North East Monsoon has started beginning of November 2010 which is the earliest period compared to last year. This month, the wet weather condition has been experienced over the northern part of Peninsula and several places in Sabah and Sarawak. Nevertheless, as in overall the normal rainfall distribution had been experienced in most of the areas in the country. The distribution of temperature and amount of solar radiation in most areas were higher and above the long-term. For the evaporation rate, the data recorded in most of the areas were below compared to long-term average.

2. Rainfall

The relatively wet weather conditions with rainfall above the mean monthly for the northern state of Peninsula were due to developing tropical depression at the South China Sea in early November 2010. The tropical depression which cross over the northern states of Peninsula had causing the heavy rain and flooding in the State of Kedah, Perlis, partly in Kelantan and Terengganu. The occurrence of flooding was the first flood episode for the North East Monsoon period this year.

In Peninsula, the rainfall distribution between 50% to 80% above its monthly average has been experienced in several places in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang. Meanwhile, less total rainfall compared to mean has been experienced in Terengganu and several places in east Johore. Other places recorded normal total rainfall.

For Sarawak, the normal rainfall distribution has been experienced in most of the division. Total rainfall of 30% above average has been experienced at several places in Sri Aman and Limbang. Only Kuching has received less total rainfall of 50% compared to monthly average.

 In Sabah, most of the divisions has received normal rainfall distribution. Nevertheless, the Federal Territory of Labuan had received wet weather with rainfall of 70% above monthly average. While Kudat has received less rainfall compared to normal which is 30% below average.

Peninsula recorded the number of rainy days ranged from 18 (recorded at the Batu Embun and Mersing Meteorological Stations) to 26 days (recorded at the Ipoh and Kuala Terengganu Meteorogical Stations). The number of rainy days in Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan ranged from 11 (recorded at the Tawau Meteorological Station) to 22 days (recorded at the Labuan Meteorological Station). For Sarawak, the number of rainy days ranged from 19 (recorded at the Miri Meteorological Station) to 24 days (recorded at Sri Aman and Sibu Meteorological Stations).

Based on the classification scheme, there were 4 stations recorded much above average rainfall, 3 stations recorded above average and 20 stations recorded average rainfall. Meanwhile, there were 5 stations recorded below average rainfall.

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Imagine all the rain and factor it by 60% more, for all the three coming months of this year’s monsoon season. And the tide is expected to be high. All that water may not able to be drained into the sea. Even the is no rain in the lowlands, the rushing water down the river coupled with high tide will see these areas be flooded almost instantly.

Why are we telling all these?

Since all these are inevitable and the current flooding of Thailand and Cambodia be of any reference, then all of Malaysia should start to get ready for all these soon to be natural disaster. We should stock up on dry and canned food, bottled water, blankets and temporary bedding and all the logistic channel all these aids and rescue persons is distress. Prone areas’ flood relief centres should be made ready ahead of the natural disaster. Essential medicine should also be stocked up.

Of course, whatever sampans, dingy or small water-crafts which include recreational machines such as jetskis that would make any of these logistic operations smoothers should be made ready and available when they are needed to be deployed.

In short, brace for bad weather. God help us all.

IPO FELDA Mac depan: Mengkukuhkan professionalism Melayu (Bhg 3)

Penyenaraian IPO FELDA Global Ventures Holdings seawal Mac depan membawa banyak menafaat kepada warga FELDA, orang Melayu, negara dan juga memacu ekonomi Malaysia kehadapan. Ini bersesuaian dengan dasar Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak untuk menjadikan ekonomi Malaysia sebagai masyarakat berpendapatan tinggi dan merealisasi Wawasan 2020 untuk meletakan negara sebagai negara maju dan industri.

Walaupun telah diumumkan bahawa ‘durian runtuh’ akan datang sebagai hadiah penyenaraian IPO FELDA Global Ventures Holdings kepada 112,000 warga FELDA dan ahli Koperasi Permodalan FELDA (KPF), namun ada usaha tertentu untuk mengagalkan gerak-kerja korporat ini.

Penentangan keras penyenaraian IPO FELDA Global Ventures Holdings ini dipercayai datang dari segelintir yang berkepentingan. Ini kerana selepas penyenaraian IPO ini, semua syarikat yang bernaung bawah KPF dan anak anak syarikat FELDA akan terangkum dibawah  struktur FELDA Global Ventures Holdings sepenuhnya. FGVH kemudian akan tertaluk kepada syarat syarat dan peraturan sebagai syarikat awam yang tersenarai dalam Bursa Malaysia. Ini bermakna, perjalanan keseluruhan keluarga FGVH akan tertakluk kepada urus tadbir korporat (corporate governance) yang ketat.

Jawatan kuasa tertentu akan diujudkan secara mandatori, termasuk JK audit dan imbuhan/pengajian.

Antara isu yang akan timbul ialah Lembaga Pengarah (BOD) syarikat syarikat dibawah KPF, akan akan diserapkan sebagai anak syarikat FGVH pra-penyenaraian IPO. Ada personaliti tertentu yang menduduki berpuluh BOD dan beroleh keuntungan peribadi yang lumayan dan berada dalam kedudukan amat selesa.

Seorang pengarah ‘Z’, menduduki 30 BOD syarikat berbeza dan menerima habuan sebanyak RM 597,000 sebagai yuran pengarah (directors fee) disamping elauns mesyuarat sejumlah RM 75,000 setahun. Seorang lagi ‘S’ dibayar RM 546,000 dan elaun mesyuarat RM 75,000 setahun. Seorang pengarah lain ‘A’ menerima RM 245,000 setahun sebagai yuran pengarah dan elaun mesyuarat RM 88,000 setahun.

Seorang pengarah ‘Y’ menerima RM 700,000 sebagai yuran pengarah dan elaun mesyuarat yang ditaksirkan sejumlah RM 120,000 setahun.

Semua ini tidak termasuk faedah faedah yang datang sebagai ahli lembaga pengarah syarikat seperti elauns rumah, elauns keraian, elauns motorkar, bil perjalanan yang ditanggung sepenuhnya (termasuk keluar negara), bil keraian dan juga perbelanjaan lain (akaun perbelanjaan) yang dibayar. Ada yang mendapat pengawal keselamatan dirumah, yang dibayar oleh syarikat.

Jelas, ini semua adalah kos yanggungan syarikat dan sekiranya kos ini tetap dibelanjakan tetapi hanya segelintir sahaja yang mendapat faedah sedangkan perbelanjaan ini adalah sama nilai sekiranya ianya dibelanjakan kepada ahli BOD sepuluh kali ganda lebih besar. Namun nilai dan khidmat professionalism untuk urus tadbir dan peranan strategik sesebuah syarikat adalah lebih bermutu sekiranya individu tertentu itu menduduki hanya tiga BOD berbanding dengan 30 BOD berasingan.

Selepas penyenaraian IPO FELDA Global Ventures Holdings, peraturan sebagai syarikat awam tersenerai tidak akan membenarkan urus tadbir bertimpa (30 BOD) ini berlaku. Mereka yang akan dan boleh dilantik sebagai BOD kepada lebih 100 buah anak syarikat bawah FELDA Global Ventures Holdings termasuk professional dikalangan orang Melayu yang tidak terlibat langsung dalam FELDA sebelum ini, samada sebagai warga FELDA Holdings Bhd atau FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Sistem dan kawalan urus tadbir yang lebih kemas dan ketat boleh mula diterap dan laksanakan sejajar dengan penyeneraian FELDA Global Ventures Holdings. Sistem yang lebih telus termasuk pengagihan kontrak dan lantikan kontraktor akan datang, sejajar dengan kehendak dan persepsi sebagai syarikat awam tersenarai. Ini kerana sebelum ini banyak kontrak FELDA telah diberikan kepada anak anak syarikat dibawah KPF dan cara pengagihan kontrak ini termasuk kerja tanah bagi program penanaman semula pokok dikatakan tidak telus dan memihak kepada personaliti tertentu.

Bagi program CSR FELDA sebagai agensi, FELDA Global Ventures Holdings memberikan jaminan bahawa jumlah RM 1 billion akan diperuntukan setiap tahun. Ini termasuk meningkat infrastruktur dan program pembangunan sosio ekonomi dan kemasyarakatan semua gugusan FELDA seluruh negara.

CEO Proxcell Global System Sdn. Bhd. Cristoph Zilian

Penyeneraian IPO akan memberikan lebih ruang bagi FELDA Global Ventures Holdings untuk menimbangkan kedudukan mereka yang tersedia berkhidmat dalam mana mana syarikat Kumpulan FELDA sediada. Ini juga peluang untuk mengukuhkan usaha untuk menengahkan bakat dan kepakaran dikalangan professional Melayu. Kedudukan personaliti seperti seorang mantan Naib Presiden sebuah syarikat Telco di Singapura dan bebangsa Jerman Cristoph Zilian yang dilantik  sebagai CEO Proxcell Global System Sdn. Bhd. tidak melambangkan keyakinan bahawa professional dikalangan orang Melayu mampu mengalas tugas sebagai CEO sebuah syarikat perkhidmatan ICT.

Sebagai syarikat berasaskan perladangan kelapa sawit yang disenaraikan, FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan berpeluang untuk menonjolkan kemampuan professional dikalangan orang Melayu yang mampu untuk mengurus syarikat MNC. Penjajaran syarikat syarikat dinegara asing termasuk ladang ladang di benua lain adalah peluang untuk professional Melayu yang dibawa masuk kedalam FGVH diberikan pendedahan dan pengalaman dipersada antarabangsa.

FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan menjadi sebuah MNC pilihan bagi graduan Melayu untuk menimba pengalaman dan pendedahan sebuah MNC bertaraf global, sama seperti pilihan MNC luar negara sebelum ini.

Jelas penyeneraian FELDA Global Ventures Holdings bukan sahaja meningkatkan keududukan kommersial Kumpulan FELDA, membebas kuncikan (unlocking) nilai sebenar dan menjamin kesejahteraan perniagaan dengan urus tadbir korporat yang lebih baik, malah ianya akan menjadi pemangkin transformasi. Kedudukan sosio ekonomi asyarakat FELDA sejumlah 1.2 juta akan ditingkatkan secara strategik.

FELDA yang diujudkan bawah perhatian dan Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang dilancarkan oleh ayahanda PM Najib akan ditingkatkan perlaksanaanya dan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan menjadi agen tranformasi agar Wawsan 2020 itu menjadi realiti dengan menjaga kepentingan orang Melayu secara strategik dan menyeluruh.

Isa: ‘Transformasi’ ialah perjalanan dan perubahan

Pengerusi Kumpulan FELDA Tan Sri Mohd. Isa Abd Samad menegaskan bahawa ‘Transformasi’ yang dibawa oleh Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak adalah “Proses perjalanan untuk bergerak kehadapan dan tambah nilai”. Beliau berucap kepada 600 orang pemimpin gagasan FELDA diseluruh Pahang di Kuantan pagi ini.

“Dasar PM Najib amat jelas. Kerajaan akan bergerak keluar dari terlibat secara langsung dalam perniagaan. Perniagaan perlu diuruskan oleh mereka yang pakar dalam bidang ini”, jelas beliau mengenai peranan Kerajaan “PM Najib mahu Kerajaan menjadi fasilitator dalam ekonomi berasaskan keusahawanan”.

Isa menjelaskan bahawa penyeneraian IPO FELDA Global Ventured Holdings bukan sahaja akan menambah nilai peneroka (melalui Koperasi Permodalan FELDA), malah akan meningkat pegangan dalam perniagaan peningkat antarabangsa.

“Dulu asalkan kita peneroka. Sekarang kita pemilik ladang. Lepas ini kita pemegang saham perniagaan peringkat antarabangsa. Inilah yang dinamakan ‘Transformasi’ “.

Beliau menjelaskan urus tadbir korporat dan produktiviti akan ditingkatkan, agar asset asset yang disuntik dalam syarikat tersenarai itu akan ditambah nilai. Pegangan peneroka FELDA melalui KPF merupakan yang paling besar dalam FELDA Global Ventures Holdings selepas penyenaraian IPO.

Struktur pegangan organisasi Kumpulan FELDA pra-penyenaraian FELDA Global Ventures Holdings

“Pembangkang pun tahu proses penyenarian itu baik. Mereka sebenarnya tak da isu. FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan masih lagi meneruskan pembangunan. FGVH akan meneruskan semua aktiviti perniagaan”, menjelaskan kedudukan beliau sebagai Pengerusi KPF hanyalah sementara, sebagai sebahagian dari proses ‘tukar milik’ (share swap) antara KPF dan FELDA Holdings Bhd dalam FELDA Global Ventures Holdings. “Cukup masa esok, saya berundurlah”.

“Ini semua untuk faedah Tuan Tuan. PM Najib mahu melakukan apa yang lebih baik untuk Tuan Tuan, berbanding dengan usaha Kerajaan selama ini. Ini yang dinamakan ‘Transformasi’. Makin lama, ianya makin baik”.

“Negara mesti kita utamakan”, pesanan Isa bagi penjelasan Kumpulan FELDA kini membantu mengembangkan ekonomi dan memberi peluang mereka yang tidak sebahagian gagasan FELDA untuk meningkat kedudukan ekonomi melalui penyenarian FGVH. “Mereka pun boleh kongsi hasil keuntungan ini (melalui pembelian FGVH) selepas diapungkan”.

“Apabila syarikat antarabangsa yang mempunyai jaringan global bersama dengan kita, hasil hiliran FELDA akan lebih besar pasaran. Minyak sawit FELDA akan jadi pelbagai barangan dan menjadi produk taraf global”.

“Selepas penyenaraian MSM, kita dah ada pengalaman. Semua ni telus (menurut proses urus tadbir korporat yang ketat). Baik untuk FELDA, baik untuk peneroka, baik untuk negara”, menegaskan bahawa penyenaraian IPO FELDA Global Ventures Holdings yang dijangka seawal Mac depan adalah gerak-kerja korporat yang amat positif dan progressif.

Untuk soalan apa yang akan berlaku dalam proses penyenaraian ini, “Kita kena ada keyakinan (pasaran). Kita tentukan proses ini akan uruskan seluruh kerja penyeneraian ini dengan baik. Itu sebab kita lantik bank pelabur dalam dan luar negara. Apabila nilai pasarannya meningkat, makna urus ytadbir korporat kita baiklah. Kita dapat keyakinan pelabur”.

Pengerusi FELDA Tan Sri Isa Samad bertemu ketua gagasan FELDA seluruh Pahang

Isa juga menjelaskan bahwa FELDA menyediakan peluang untuk warga FELDA generasi kedua untuk memiliki rumah.

Bagi menjawab soalan pajakan tanah, beliau menjelaskan bahawa perjanjian akan dilakukan dengan persetujuan penuh Kerajaan Negeri. “Tanah itu tidak akan hilang. Itu tanah kita. Kita hanya memajak sahaja. Peneroka akan menerima hasil dari keuntungan pegangan saham dalam FGVH”.

Isa sebagai Pengerusi FELDA juga menjelaskan bahawa FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan akan terus menerima sumbangan kewangan dari hasil keuntungan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings “Apa yang Tuan Tuan dapat sekarang ni, akan diteruskan. Tidak akan ada yang kurang. Apa nikmat yang kita dapat, sedikit sebanyak kita akan pulangankan kepada peneroka. Tuan Tuan jangan risau”.

“Kita turun beri penjelasan seperti ini kerana terlalu banyak sangat andaian. Majoriti peneroka menerima penjelasan kita dan menolaka semua andaian dan khabar angin ini” dalam penjelasan terperinci mengenai kommuniti FELDA, “Generasi Kedua ini sebahagian dari tanggung jawab FELDA. Kita ada program untuk mereka. Ini sebahagian dari fokus PM Najib. Setakat ini 1,850 anak FELDA yang beralamat dalam FELDA dapat masuk kedalam IPTA. Yang tak dapat IPTA, kita bagi kemahiran berjumlah 3,000 lebih. Yang penting, Generasi Kedua FELDA (mempunyai sikap) untuk belajar dan dilatih. Banyak peluang ada”.

Untuk soalan pengagihan saham FELDA Global Ventures Holdings semasa penyenaraian IPO “Saham untuk awam akan diuruskan oleh MITI. Warga peneroka memegang saham melalui koperasi (KPF). Kita belum tentu berapa nilai harga masa akan disenaraikan esok. Sehingga habis keseluruhan proses dan dinilai oleh bank pelabur, baru kita tahu nilai saham untuk diapungkan itu”.

“‘Durian Runtuh’ itu terserah kepada PM Najib. Sampai masa, beliau akan umumkan”.

“Kita beri penerangan dan penjelasan untuk semua faham dasar kerajaan dan hasrat PM Najib untuk masyarakat FELDA”. Untuk soalan dividen KPF selepas pengapungan saham FELDA Global Ventures Holdings, Isa menjawab “InsyaAllah, kita akan pertahankan apa yang dapat selama ini. Kita mahukan keuntungan terus pada kadar baik. Peneroka akan mendapat kebaikan apabila asset ditambah nilai”.

Happy Deepavali

The Kolam at Vistana Hotel, Kuantan; Beauty, harmony and in the centre, focal point is about the festival of lights

Tomorrow is a day of celebration. For Hindus, it will mark the triumph of good against evil. The light against dark. Peace against chaos. Beauty against horrible. It is a festival of lights.

To the rest of Malaysia, tomorrow is another religious holiday. It signifies the freedom of professing faith and beliefs. It also illustrate how all respect each other’s faith. It is a good time to share. Just like how Malaysians share this nation of plenty.

Happy Deepavali.

Muhyiddin never attacked LGE’s son

The Malaysian Insider never learn, despite getting a RM 200 million law suit from Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli for writing something slanderous with malicious intent and later unable to substantiate it, made a public apology and even via mainstream newspapers.

They asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd. Yassin on the expose’ made by bloggers on purported Lim Guan Eng’s son inexcusable behaviour in school. Tan Sri Muhyiddin asked the aggrieved party not to to blame anyone, especially if  they did no wrong and instead do a Police report and allow room for the full investigation.

Later, The Malaysian Insider used Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s answer to perpetuate a spin for questions meant for Opposition Leaders’ negative response. Obviously, the response is a completely different story from the context on how it was asked to Tan Sri Muhyiddin  in the first place:

Guan Eng labels Muhyiddin a ‘coward’ for attacking his son

By Yow Hong Chieh

October 23, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Lim Guan Eng has called Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin a “coward” for repeating claims by pro-Umno bloggers that his son had molested a schoolmate.

The Penang chief minister said he was “appalled and disgusted” that Muhyiddin had attacked his son for political mileage and told the Umno number two to focus efforts on him instead.

“If Muhyiddin hates me so much, he can do his worst to finish me off politically,” he said in a statement.

“But Muhyiddin should not join the craven pack of cowards to pick on my 16-year old son and put my son again through this traumatic experience.”

Lim (picture) said Muhyiddin had failed the moral and ethical test to be prime minister by repeating “lies” about a teenager who could not defend himself, even after the alleged victim had come forward to deny the claims.

He added that the deputy prime minister risked losing the respect of the public if he continued to repeat the allegations.

“Muhyiddin loses the respect of decent Malaysians if he behaves in the same arrogant manner as those ferocious Umno beasts who know only how to bully my 16-year old son and feast on a child’s innocence,” he said.

Pro-Umno bloggers had claimed that Lim’s son had assaulted a 16-year-old schoolmate and tried to escape punishment by using his father’s name.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, denied the allegations, saying he was furious with the “barbaric lies” made about his teenage son by “pro-Umno ferocious beasts”.

The DAP later said the picture of the purported victim used by pro-Umno bloggers was of 21-year-old chess grandmaster Anya Sun Corke, who is studying at Wellesley College in the US.

On Friday, Corke denied ever having met or heard of Lim’s son.

Lim’s colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) also came out strongly in support of the DAP secretary-general against what they call “the lowest gutter politics” seen in decades.

Muhyiddin yesterday called on Lim to let the police to investigate the claims if he had nothing to hide

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And this one, where other Opposition Leaders’ negative response is sought based on part of DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s response:

Pakatan says Muhyiddin supporting attacks on Guan Eng’s son

By Melissa Chi

October 23, 2011

Pakatan Rakyat leaders condemn Muhyiddin’s ‘implicit’ support to the allegations against Lim Guan Eng’s son. – file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has accused Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of giving “implicit support to pro-Umno bloggers” over attacks against Lim Guan Eng’s son.“The deputy prime minister needs to have his head seriously inspected. The onus to prove the scurrilous allegations are on the accusers, and not those unjustly maligned.

“Datuk Seri Najib Razak must reprimand his Deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for giving implicit support to the Umno bloggers to defame and destroy an innocent 16-year-old child,” DAP Publicity Chief Tony Pua said.

Muhyiddin said yesterday that Lim’s denying sexual harassment claims against his son was inadequate.

The Umno deputy president said if the Penang chief minister “thinks it is important to correct the information, then he has to come up with a strong statement.

“Mere denial is not enough,” he said.

Pro-Umno bloggers had claimed that Lim’s son had assaulted a 16-year-old schoolmate and tried to escape punishment by using his father’s name.

Lim had denied the allegations on Tuesday, saying he was furious with the “barbaric lies” made about his teenage son by “pro-Umno ferocious beasts”.

The DAP held a press conference on Wednesday identifying the photograph of the purported “victim” used by Umno bloggers was that of 21-year-old chess grandmaster Anya Sun Corke who is studying at Wellesley College in the United States.

Corke had also denied ever having met or heard of the 16-year-old schoolboy.

Pua said despite Lim having nothing else to prove, Muhyiddin “has chosen to lend credence to the despicable rumours and give support implicit to the Umno bloggers” by stating that “mere denial is not enough”.

“Instead of taking stern action against those perpetrating the evil lies to humiliate the Penang Chief Minister’s family, especially since they are all Umno leaders and members, Tan Sri Muhyiddin has chosen to defend the indefensible,” he said.

PKR Vice-President N. Surendran also called Muhyiddin’s remarks a “deliberate and calculated” attempt to keep the slander against Lim’s son alive.

“The DPM’s conduct is thus no different from that of the malicious pro-UmnO bloggers and Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin who instigated and perpetuated this vicious rumour about this innocent boy.

“It is extremely disturbing to note that slander and baseless character attacks of a sexual nature has become the norm for Umno and the ruling Barisan Nasional pollitical coalition.

“Umno and BN are relying on personal attacks, vulgar abuse and blatant falsehood for political survival,” he said.

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This is actual transcript from the question from The Malaysian Insider that was asked to Tan Sri Muhyiddin at an event in Universiti Putra Malaysia on Saturday 22 Oct 2011:

Question from Melissa, MalaysianInsider: Tan Sri can u comment on the sexual harassment claim on lim guan eng son by pro-umno bloggers…?

A; Dont blame anybody, there is a tendency for opposition or pakatan.. and there think theres a problem, for all problem, they blame UMNO… we dont blame u, we dont blame anybody else, if theres a fault, we have to find out what is the main cause if it..

Jadi dalam soal itu, saya pun tak tahu sebenarnya, infact I do not know, apa keadaan sebenarnya, samada betul atau tidak, jadi pihak Guan Eng dengan Lim Kit Siang dan Tony Pua saya lihat sudah buat kenyataan very strong, defend dan buat tuduhan pelbagai-bagai…

Biasanya dalam keadaan soal begini orang kata, kalau kita nak clear everything, kita minta pihak polis siasat, kalau betul takde berlaku, apa yang kita worry? I mean that is the way orang biasa lah… supaya kita orang kata dapat bersihkan diri kita, saya tidak nak tuduh, because saya sendiri tak tahu, dan tak adillah for me to blame or whatever it is, I know and understand dia nak exploit apa yang statement yang saya gunakan, saya pun buat, I’m sure what I’m saying is..

Kalau dia pikir penting bagi dia untuk dibersihkan ataupun dibetulkan maklumat itu, dia mesti buat kenyataan tegas, penafian sahaja tidak mencukupi, rakyat akan bertanya oh, dia nafi betullah dia kena nafi, tapi kalau betul tidak ada, macam kes-kes yang lain, kita minta pihak berkuasa siasat membantu kitalah, membantu dia, membantu keluarga dia, baru itu tidak berlaku, jadi kalau dah buat begitu, baru, setakat hari ini saya boleh bercakap itu sajalah…

Q: Tan Sri ada terima laporan daripada pejabat pelajaran Negeri Penang?

A: Tiada.

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Obviously, DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s reponse to The Malaysian Insider question was manipulated. It is very clear how The Malaysian Insider use response and information even if it is the truth will be spun into something malice, meant to cause uneasiness and even anger for certain parties.

No wonder they were sued and had to apologise for their slander. It is their blood to do the wrong thing.

When will Riong Kali apologise?

Former Malaysia Airlines Chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli looking at Malaysian Insider's ad in NST and Beita Harian today

Repent is the flavour of the month. First, it was The Malaysian Insider. They apologised to Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli for their slanderous posting which perpetuated the lie that the former Malaysia Airlines Chairman aggregated RM 8 billion losses in his tenure.

The Malaysian Insider's apology to Tajudin Ramli, NST 7 Oct 2011

Then, today NST apologised to Kalimullah “Riong Kali” Hassan;

Apology

2011/10/22

IN reference to our report in the New Sunday Times (Berita Minggu) dated Oct 2, 2011, headlined “Three queried over dinner with Singapore politicians”, we unreservedly apologise to chairman of the ECM Libra Financial Group Berhad, Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan, for the grief, distress and damage caused to him, his family and his business contacts.

We acknowledge that the report, quoting Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim, was without any foundation or basis altogether and that as a responsible media organisation, the New Sunday Times (Berita Minggu) should have made an attempt to verify the report before publication.

We undertake, in future, not to publish, without verification, any further allegations of this nature involving Kalimullah.
In response, Kalimullah said that the report, which alleged that he may have been involved in organising “dinners with several senior leaders of Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP)”, and “leaking secrets” was slanderous, defamatory and questioned his loyalty as a Malaysian.

“There is nothing wrong or illegal in having dinner with either PAP politicians or any other politician. In the course of my career as a journalist and businessman, I have met and had dinner with senior government leaders of many countries, as have many other Malaysians. I have also made friends with many with whom I still maintain contact.

“To infer any other motive to these meetings, other than business and personal friendship, is the result of inactive and small minds and intended to question my professionalism and my loyalty as a Malaysian citizen and is an attempt to malign and tarnish my good name and reputation.
“I find particularly reprehensible the fact that the New Sunday Times and Berita Minggu — of which I was only until end 2008 the group editor-in-chief and deputy chairman of the board — had published such outrageous allegations relying solely on an unsubstantiated statement. At the very least, they should have checked the facts, and contacted me, before publishing such an article, in line with good journalism practice.”

Kalimullah said he accepted the apology made by the New Sunday Times and Berita Minggu.

Read more: Apologyhttp://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2solly/Article/#ixzz1bb2OBrS9

****************

Good for NST. They own up to their inability to substantiate their reporting. This is a breadth of fresh air. Five years ago, something like this unimaginable.

The man who used his column in NST to lie

Then again, once Riong Kali spewed lies using his Sunday column in NST. It was about then Prime Minister ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah who supposedly went to see former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Tokyo.

Sunday Column: And who, really, is demonising whom?  Sunday, 11 June 2006, 09:02am ©New Sundays Times (Used by permission) By Kalimullah Hassan TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad says his criticisms of the current administration and his successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi are “not personal”.His son, Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, is upset that ministers and others have criticised Dr Mahathir and says that what his father raised “was rational, so answer rationally”.

And Dr Mahathir, ever the master strategist, has made his pre-emptive strike, predicting that “for the next 10 days, there will be lots of stories in the papers trying to demonise me, make me appear bad …”.

Therefore, if anybody criticises Dr Mahathir, then his prediction will come true – they are trying to demonise him.

The truth is that when Dr Mahathir retired, he was held in high esteem. People wished him well.

For the last two and a half years since his retirement, everyone, even his enemies, has treated him with kid gloves, not wanting to hurt his feelings because they all respected him and because he said he had retired.

So had my family and I, we had the greatest of respect.

When The Star’s deputy group chief editor Datuk Wong Chun Wai wrote that Dr Mahathir could have done more about wiping out graft when he was prime minister, he was swiftly shut up by criticisms from Dr Mahathir, and even Umno Youth president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Wong wrote in The Star that he sought a meeting with Dr Mahathir and apologised.

When Dr Mahathir attacked International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz over the Approved Permits (AP) issue, her belligerent defence of herself was pounced on by Umno members.

And then deputy minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin demanded that Rafidah apologise to Dr Mahathir.

But everyone knew that the AP policy had been contentious since its inception and that it was Dr Mahathir who appointed Rafidah as minister in charge of APs in 1987 and kept her there for the remainder of his 16 years in power.

Still, Rafidah sought to show her regrets by hugging Dr Mahathir and crying at the National Day parade last year.

From then on, Dr Mahathir criticised many government actions, such as the decision to raise the price of oil after it doubled within a year to US$70 per barrel (which almost every country in the world had done), on Proton, on the National Automotive Policy.

The Government gave explanations but to little avail.

Proton chairman Datuk Azlan Hashim failed to get an appointment with Dr Mahathir to explain the decisions.

Yet, all those at the receiving end exercised restraint. Out of respect. Out of a desire not to hurt Dr Mahathir’s feelings. Out of a wish to ensure his image as an elder statesman was preserved.

Then came the Cabinet decision to call off building the crooked bridge to Singapore.

Dr Mahathir unleashed the full force of his fury, and once again, a scenario the country had seen repeatedly during his 22 years of power was played out again.

Scathing remarks and provocative statements intended to provoke an equal and opposite reaction were made, like “half-past six Government with no guts”, “selling out the country”, “giving up the country’s sovereignty”.

Yet, again, restraint. Restraint. Restraint.

When former Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Fuzi Abdul Razak replied rationally, point for point, Dr Mahathir dismissed his answers as “rambling”.

It was still not good enough.

His adviser, former politician Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad, arranged an interview with Malaysiakini, the Internet news site which he disliked with a passion when Dr Mahathir was prime minister.

Even then, despite Dr Mahathir’s scathing remarks, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi exercised what former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam describes as “an elegant silence”.

The Prime Minister was in Japanshortly after the Malaysiakini article appeared and was told that Dr Mahathir wanted to come and see him.

Abdullah, in the midst of breakfast with aides and officials, immediately put on his tie and told the ambassador that he would go and see his ex-boss rather than let Dr Mahathir come down and see him.

Yet, less than two weeks later, Dr Mahathir invited the foreign Press to his office and lambasted Abdullah and his administration.

He accused the current administration and Abdullah of many things – stabbing him in the back, ingratitude, and perhaps, the most provocative suggestion was that while he (Dr Mahathir) had no power to remove Abdullah, he said “it is for his own party (Umno) to remove him”.

This time, the reaction that Dr Mahathir wanted came – from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to members of the Cabinet, mentris besar and chief ministers, the public and even some opposition parties.

They backed Abdullah and reminded Dr Mahathir that while he may have chosen Abdullah as his successor, the Prime Minister’s mandate came from the electorate which in 2004 voted in the current administration with the most popular margin in Malaysian history.

It is admirable for Mukhriz to display filial piety but what is the rationale for his father accusing the whole Cabinet of treason?

That’s what it really is when you say they sold out the country, that they are a Government with no guts, that they acted against the nation’s interests.

Was any thought given to how this would go down with investors and foreign Governments dealing with this administration?

What is the rationale for accusing the Prime Minister, who has never shown any disrespect to him, of ingratitude, of stabbing him in the back, and of suggesting that Abdullah can be removed by Umno?

Sure, Mukhriz feels hurt. Which son or daughter would want to see his or her father criticised?

What about the sons and daughters of the people accused of selling out their own country? How would they feel?

Several times since the crooked bridge was called off, Dr Mahathir has accused me of masterminding what he perceives as a “blackout” of him in the Press, not only in the New Straits Times group of which I am deputy chairman, but also in other mainstream media.

At a couple of Press conferences, he joked about my name, saying that the media was controlled by a Hindu God (Kali) and a Muslim priest (Mullah).

Some guys thought it was witty and laughed with him.

Go do a Google search, type: “Meaning of Kalimullah”.

The answer you get is: Musa is the Arabic name of the Prophet Moses. He is also referred to by the title Kalimullah meaning “He who spoke with Allah”. Musa is one of the prophets of Islam.

Doesn’t sound so funny or witty now, does it? Making fun of the prophets never is.

I am no prophet. I have all the imperfections and weaknesses of a mere mortal.

But as God is my witness, the accusations against me are false.

I did not respond although I was hurt. I did not respond when my 18-year-old daughter called me from Australia, crying, asking whether I was in trouble.

I did not respond because I reasoned that Dr Mahathir was angry the crooked bridge had been called off and that he was lashing out; and because he was someone I once had great respect for.

But I did wonder: Why me?

Dr Mahathir says it again and again, never checking whether his accusations are true.

Tells you something, doesn’t it?

So do I tell my children that making fun of their father’s name and accusing him of things he did not do is rational?

Just like accusing the Cabinet of selling out their country. What is so rational about that?

**************************

Riong Kali being Riong Kali, never did apologise for that lie. Even after Personal Assitant to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Sufi Yusoff clarified what actually happened in Tokyo. NST did not even carry Sufi’s clarification on Riong Kali’s lie:

I REFER to the Sunday Column “And who, really, is demonising whom?” (New Sunday Times, June 11).

I would like to point out several factual errors contained in the article:

• Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not seek an appointment with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi while both leaders were in Tokyo attending the Nikkei Conference.

In fact, it was the opposite. Dr Mahathir was only informed by a third party that the Prime Minister was on the way to call on him 20 minutes before he was due to leave the hotel on May 26.

To this, Dr Mahathir agreed and the two leaders met for about 10 minutes before Dr Mahathir had to take his leave.

• Dr Mahathir did not invite the foreign Press to, in your words, “lambast Abdullah and his administration”.

The Press conference on June 7 was called to announce the Perdana Leadership Foundation’s Global Peace Forum to be held from June 20-22. The foreign Press was there for that purpose.

However, as in all Press conferences, the foreign Press took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions on other matters.

• Individuals are free to give their views, opinions or advice to Dr Mahathir.

Many do that voluntarily. However, that does not make them “advisers”.

In this case, as mentioned in the column, I would like to clarify that Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad does not hold any formal post as adviser to Dr Mahathir.

Sufi Yusoff
Dr. Mahathir’s Personal Assistant

That clarification was posted on http://www.mykmu.net on 12 June 2006.

Recently, he went on ranting almost like an intoxicated person tweet-trigger-happy. He tweeted some very personal information to be taken into public domain and of course, some of it not true.  That is so unbecoming of him and his stature as Chairman of an investment bank, which is now playing the role of ‘adviser’ to DAP controlled Penang State Government.

Will Riong Kali apologise for these?

*Updated 2100hrs

IPO FELDA Mac depan untungkan peneroka, kukuhkan ekonomi Melayu (Bhg 2)

Kumpulan Lembaga Pembangunan Tanah Persekutuan (FELDA) yang ditubuhkan pada 1956 akan menyaksikan transformasi kearah kemajuan dan peningkatan apabila FELDA Global Ventures Holding Sdn. Bhd. akan disenarai di Bursa Malaysia seawal Mac 2012. Walaupun kumpulan konglomerat berasaskan perladangan dan agro-tani berasaskan komoditi seperti kelapa sawit ini akan menjadi syarikat yang disenaraikan (public listed company), tujuan dan roh asal penubuhan organisasi pembangunan masyarakat terutama golongan luar bandar ini tidak akan diabaikan.

Malah, ianya akan diperkukuhkan lagi agar peranan dan kemampuan sebagai agen transformasi rakyat terutama golongan luar bandar dan bergantung kepada industri agro-tani berasaskan perladangan kelapa sawit akan mendapat menafaat secara langsung.

Untuk makluman, FELDA sebagai agen transformasi masyarakat Kerajaan Persekutuan sudah tidak menerima apa apa peruntukan dari Kerajaan Persekutuan semenjak 1996. Ini bermakna, semua projek dan aktiviti FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan Persekutuan telah dijana dari dalaman sepenuhnya. Peranan asal FELDA diteruskan tanpa menberi apa apa bebanan kewangan dari Bajet tahunan Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Struktur pegangan organisasi Kumpulan FELDA

Pada masa ini, modal pembiayaa operasi FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan datangnya dari hasil yang dijana dari aktiviti ekonomi Kumpulan FELDA sendiri. Dalam struktur sediada, pegangan FELDA Holdings dimilik oleh Koperasi Permodalan FELDA (51%) dan FELDA sebagai agensi (49%), melalui FELDA Global ventures Holdings yang diujudkan pada 2009 untuk menyeleras semua operasi dan perancangan perdagangan Kumpulan FELDA. Buat masa ini, peranan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings hanya sebagai sebuah syarikat pengurusan semua aktiviti perdagangan dan kommersial.

Pendapatan keseluruhan FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan Persekutuan ialah pada RM 1.4 billion setahun.

Pecahan pegangan saham FELDA Global Ventures Holding pada masa gerak-kerja penyenaraian (IPO) dipercayai akan diperuntukan kepada KPF (30%), Kerajaan Kerajaan Negeri (20%), institiusi dan agensi pelaburan (20%), rakankongsi strategik antarabangsa 10-15% dan selebihnya dipasaran terbuka.

Pra dan Pasca Penyenaraian

Gerak-kerja penyeneraian IPO ini akan menyelaras dan mejuruskan semua aktiviti dan operasi Kumpulan FELDA. FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan memajak tanah dari FELDA dan peneroka melalui sistem konsessi jangkapanjang (99 tahun) dan mengurus tadbir semua aktiviti perniagaan dan pengkommersialan asset ini tanpa melenyapkan hak pemilikan asalnya yang masih lagi kekal sebagaimana pra-penyenenaraian IPO.

Untuk hujah FELDA Global Ventures Holdings tidak perlu disenarai kerana kedudukan kewangan dan kecairan Kumpulan FELDA adalah cukup kukuh dan tidak perlu modal tambahan dari pasaran modal dan saham, gerak-kerja penyeneraian IPO tidak bertujuan untuk menghimpun dana tambahan. Ianya bertujuan untuk memberikan peluang kepada pemegang hak (stakeholders) seperti Kerajaan Negeri dimana terdapat ladang ladang FELDA dan institiusi pelaburan seperti EPF, PNB dan sebagainya mempunyai pegangan dalam perniagaan Kumpulan FELDA. Semestinya, warga FELDA seperti peneroka dan anggota FELDA akan mendapat peluang pemilikan dari 30% pegangan KPF.

Rakankongsi strategik antarabangsa juga akan diberi peluang pelaburan. Ini akan menentukan kepentingan jaringan perdagangan FELDA dipersada antarabangsa terpelihara dan berkembang, sejajar dengan rancangan menaik tambah-nilai FELDA dan pengkommersialan jangkapanjang hasil dan pelaburan kumpulan. Pelaburan awam dan runcit juga akan berpeluang untuk mendapat sebahagian dari hasil ini apabila saham saham ini didagang dalam bursa.

Penyeneraian IPO ini akan secara automatiknya ‘membebas-kunci’ potensi kommersial dalam satu konglomerat yang diberikan amanah untuk membangun, mengurus-tadbir dan menilai tambah asset organisasi perladangan yang diaggregatekan sejumlah 850,000 hektar itu.

Struktur FELDA selepas penyenaraian IPO dan 5 divisyen utama kegiatan ekonomi

Bagi warga FELDA terutama dikalangan peneroka, mereka kini berpeluang sepenuhnya untuk memiliki sebahagian dari hasil perniagaan Kumpulan FELDA. Buat masa ini, purata pelaburan warga FELDA dalam Koperasi Permodalan FELDA (KPF) adalah pada kadar RM 6,000 seorang sedangkan nilai pelaburan maksimum yang dibenarkan ialah pada tahap RM 250,000. Hanya 62 orang warga FELDA melabur sehingga had maksimum walaupun pulangan yang diberikan ialah pada kadar 14% setahun.

Sekiranya kesemua warga peneroka FELDA melabur sepenuhnya dalam KPF, dana sebanyak RM 28.16 billion akan dikumpul. Pada pulangan 14% setahun, pelaburan sebanyak ini akan membuahkan hasil sekurang kurangnya RM 4.2 billion setiap tahun. Hari ini, nilai asset Kumpulan FELDA dinilai pada RM 8 billion, walaupun nilai sebenar masih lagi ‘dikunci’. Sekiranya nilai ini di’bebas’kan dan potensi kommersial penuh dapat direalisasikan, nilai kepada pemilik secara automatik akan bertambah.

Hari ini, luas aggregat ladang Kumpulan FELDA ialah pada 850,000 hektar. Dari jumlah ini, 500,000 hektar merupakan pegangan peneroka dan bakinya adalah milik FELDA sebagai lembaga pembangunan tanah. Pegangan hakmilik tanah peneroka tidak akan berubah dan akan terus kekal walaupun selepas penyenaraian IPO.

FELDA Global Ventures Holdings memberi jaminan bahawa FELDA sebagai agensi Kerajaan akan menerima RM 1 billion setiap tahun bagi meneruskan operasi dan projek projek pembangunan dan transformasi masyarakat. Program program CSR biasa akan diteruskan. Bezanya, sekarang ianya akan melalui proses urus tadbir yang lebih cekap dan teratur, agar pembaziran dapat diminimakan. Sebagai syarikat tersenarai, ianya akan tertaluk kepada pelbagai peraturan ketat pihak berkuasa demi untuk menjaga kepentingan pemegang saham dan ‘amalan terbaik’ sebagai warga korporat.

Setelah selesai penstrukturan semula semua syarikat bawah FELDA, ianya sebagai konglomerat perladangan akan memberi tumpuan kepada lima divisyen iaitu kelapa sawit, gula, pelbagai tanaman, logistik dan nilai penghantaran dan paling penting, perniagaan hiliran. Dijangkakan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan mampu menjana jualan terkumpul sebanyak RM 31 billion setahun manakala keuntungan sebelum cukai dianggarkan pada RM 2 billion setahun selepas penyenaraian. Dijangkakan, dengan usaha peningkatan operasi, tambah nilai asset, ‘bebas kunci’ potensi dan jaringan dari pelaburan termasuk diperingkat antarabangsa, ianya akan meningkat sehingga tiga kali ganda dalam lima tahun pertama.

Ini akan membuatkan Kumpulan FELDA sebagai gagasan konglomerat berasaskan kelapa sawit paling besar dan berjaya dalam dunia.

Nilai nilai asset FELDA Gobal Ventures Holding samada yang akan disuntik atau diberikan konsessi untuk terus dioperasi dan urus dipercayai akan ‘dibebas-kunci’kan untuk merelasikan nilai sebenar menurut pasaran dan arus kommersial. Nilai tambah yang dipercayai akan direalisai selepas gerak-kerja penyeneraian IPO ini ialah RM 5-6 billion.

Ini bermakna nilai aggregat FELDA akan bermilai sekitar RM 14-15 billion pada masa ini tahun hadapan.

Anggaran pendapatan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings pula ialah pada RM 2 billion, walaupun penghasilan (yield ) bagi hasil perladangan ialah pada tahap 19% berbanding dengan amalan terbaik industri pada 24%. Ianya merupakan jumlah yang amat substantif memandangkan orgnanisai ini pada asalnya ditubuhkan sebagai agensi Kerajaan Pusat untuk program penstrukturan program pembangunan tanah. Ini kerana hal ehwal mengenai tanah adalah milik mutlak kerajaan negeri.

Jadual menunjukan penghasilan ladang FELDA berbanding pemain lain

FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan menyelaraskan semua aktiviti aktiviti pembangunan perladangan Kumpulan FELDA walaupun sifat mereka adalah sebagai syarikat pemegang konsessi (pajakan 99 tahun) dan bukan pemilik tanah. Ini merangkum program penanaman semula pokok pokok dimana lebih 66% dari kesemua ladang mereka berusia lebih dari 18 tahun. Penjanaan semula pokok ini akan meningkatkan penghasilan, sesuai dengan saingan industri.

Amalan amalan dan proses baru untuk meningkat produktiviti akan dirancang dan laksanakan. FELDA Global Ventures Holdings akan mengambil alih semua program penanaman semula yang selama ini diusaha dan kawal oleh FELDA sebagai agensi, untuk menentukan keadaan dan keududkan ladang boleh dimaksimakan, menurut perancangan berkala dan beradasarkan permintaan pasaran. Setelah semua syarikat syarikat yang selama ini bernaungan bawah KPF dan semua yang mendapat kontrak terus dari FELDA sebagai agensi akan diselaaraskan sepenuhnya, maka gerak-kerja korporat berbentuk penambah nilai melalui urus tadbir yang lebih baik dan mantap akan dilaksanakan.

Ini bermakna, proses ketirisan akan mula berkurangan. Produktiviti bukan sahaj ditingkatkan, tetapi kos pengeluaran dan operasi juga akan diminimakan, untuk merealisasi keuntungan lebih. Ini sebahagian dari usaha ‘membebas-kunci’ (unlocking) nilai sebenar asset FELDA dan peneroka.

Jenama ‘FELDA’ sendiri akan lebih diberikan penekanan dan dibangunkan sebagai jenama bertaraf global selepas gerak-kerja penyeneraian IPO ini.

Jelas struktur dan mekanism keseluruhan Kumpulan FELDA  akan berubah bagi menentukan usaha penamban-nilai dan konsolidasi penjaaan pendapatan akan terus meningkat. FELDA Global Ventures Holdings merupakan konglomerat “Oleh Melayu, Untuk Melayu, Demi Melayu” dan jelas akan membawa 112,000 keluarga peneroka ketahap naik-tambah pelaburan sediada mereka.

Transformasi masyarakat Melayu, meningkat setapak lagi.

Happy birthday, Mus

“Happy birthday, Mus”, is what I would say if I were to call him at this moment, instead of writing this and clicking on the ‘publish’ button. My best friend Mustaffa b. Dapat would have been forty seven today.

If he is still with us today, he would have been very proud to see the fruits of his handwork and passion. His ‘babies’ are now the nation’s most prized defense assets. At the time of his departure, no one in the country knows more about the DCNS made Scorpene submarines compared to him. The RMN Submarine project team was already in France. overseeing the construction then.

The first batch of Royal Malaysian Navy officers who earned their dolphins from Royal Australian Navy

He was called to be with Allah s.w.t. on 28 August 2004, two months before his 40th birthday. The cause of death is   ‘Steven Johnson syndrome’ and he passed away at the ICU of a hospital in Caen. He was transefered to Caen when his condition worsened. It was the effect when doctors at Louis Pasteur Hospital in Cherbourg administered penicillin to him three and a half weeks earlier.

Needless to say, I am one of the many who still sorely miss him. We still speak very fondly of the man who was the best Navy cadet in his cohort and later to be one of the first three Malaysians to earn their dolphins from Royal Australian Navy.

Kali, thani?

I saw a series of Kalimullah “Riong Kali” Hassan’s tweets this evening. I must say, I was not surprised at all.

These were earlier:

Then, the were these tweets during the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri season about a month ago:

These tweets came from a man who PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah calls as ‘personal dear friend’ and ascended him to the Deputy Chairman of NSTP Group with editorial powers back in 2004. Riong Kali managed to get himself to a position in ECM Libra, after some of former Hong Leong Securities took it over from Khazanah Holdings. He maximised his association and clout with PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah, closely alongside with the infamous ‘unemployed’ but dubbed “Most powerful twenty eight year old” by Joceline Tan of The Star in 2005 Khairy Jamaluddin  to ‘take over’ then the four times larger financial institution Avenue Capital Resources Bhd.

The highly irregular ‘take over’ qualified ECM Libra (then known as ECM Libra-Avenue) for a universal stockbroking license from the authorities. That made what ECM Libra is today, a boutique investment bank. They are now ‘advisers’ for DAP controlled Penang State Government. His relationship with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is so close, they both tried to get control of Penang based developer E&O. It makes sense to Lim because Riong Kali and ECM Libra is now a ‘DAP friendly financial institution’. It is believed that they both had dinner with Mrs Lee Hsien Loong, who is also Temasek CEO.

Riong Kali was also the founding Chairman of AirAsia X. Obviously, he was grossly enriched during PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdulllah’s time. The financial muscle and clout now spilled over to where Riong Kali is today. He is still the Chairman of ECM Libra. Even his one time partner-in-crime Rembau MP YB Khairy Jamaluddin admitted openly so.

How Roing Kali stoop this low in a micro-blogging and depict himself as a ‘DAP Cybertrooper’ could also be explained how he i allergic to blogs. As then the Mighty Riong Kali of NSTP, took two renown SOPO bloggers Rocky and Jeff Ooi to court because they called him a ‘liar’. In the actual fact he did lie, using his column in NST about Tun Dr Mahathir’s and PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah’s very brief meeting in Tokyo and this was ‘the most legendary thing he did when he was the NSTP bosss’. It was the blogs again who denied him the Penang prized jewel E&O when the general offer he sought, did not happen.

Never the less, how could someone of that stature use the social media as the twitter for these micro-blogging messages?

Riong Kali 'Happy Hours': "Bottoms up!" Two of the power-crazy blokes who sued Rocky & Jeff in January 2007

Probably, he was intoxicated when he was touch-screen happy with all these tweets. Otherwise how could all these voracious tweets be justified from a Chairman of an investment bank who was the Deputy Chairman of NSTP Group, a very close friend and personal speech writer to then the Fifth Prime Minister. He also proclaimed that he is a ‘true Malaysian‘.

Then again, in certain quarters Riong Kali is also known for this. Would he admit if he was challenged, about his thani habit?

IPO FELDA Mac depan untungkan peneroka, kukuhkan ekonomi Melayu, Bhg 1

Idea mengapungkan unit komersial kumpulan FELDA, FELDA Holdings Bhd, telah menjadi isu yang tergantung dan tidak diputuskan sekelian sebenarnya diilhamkan kali pertama oleh mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dalam ucapan Bajet 2004 itu. Ianya bertujuan untuk mengkukuhkan kedudukan ekonomi orang Melayu dan memberi taburan peluang lebih besar keatas sebahagian dari kek ekonomi untuk masyarakat luar bandar.

Ini merupakan fasa kedua merealisasikan Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang dilancarkan genap 40 tahun lampau.

Lapan tahun kemudian, selepas beberapa percubaan sia-sia dan dua pusingan perubahan pengurusan atasan di kumpulan FELDA, cadangan tawaran awam permulaan (IPO) tidak pernah ditinggalkan begitu sahaja sebagai idea. Kini, ternyata bahawa gerak-kerja tersebut kembali di landasan yang betul, walaupun dengan calon dan pemacu yang berbeza setelah berlaku proses penstrukturan semula  iaitu FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Ketua Eksekutif FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Sdn. Bhd. Dato’ Sabri Ahmad menyatakan 112,000 peneroka akan beroleh banyak menafaat secara langsung dan tidak langsung dari gerak-kerja korporat penyenaraian ini “Strategi pertumbuhan kami termasuk untuk membuka sepenuhnya nilai-nilai dalam perniagaan-agrotani”.

Ianya telahpun melalui kitara penuh kajian sebelumnya ianya diputuskan untuk diteruskan semula, sebagai tergantung semenjak 2004.

Gerak-kerja korporatnya amat mudah dan tersusun. Lembaga Felda sebagai agensi Kerajaan Pusat akan menumpukan usaha usaha pembangunan dan penyusunan semua masyarakat manakala semua operasi perniagaan FELDA akan dilakukan oleh FELDA Global Venture Holdings, yang dijangka akan disenaraikan Mac 2012.

Minggu lepas, Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak dalam ucapan Bajet 2012 beliau mengumumkan rancangan untuk menyenaraikan Felda Global Ventures di Bursa Malaysia. Dia juga ditetapkan jangka masa, berkata penyenaraian itu akan berlaku menjelang pertengahan tahun depan. Tujuannya,katanya, adalah untuk mengumpul dana bagi syarikat itu untuk menjadi sebuah konglomerat global. “Penyenaraian akan mewujudkan sebuah lagi syarikat perladangan mewah di samping menarik pelabur antarabangsa kepada Bursa Malaysia,” katanya.

Pada masa yang sama, PM Najib memberi jaminan bahawa hak-hak dan kepentingan lebih 112,000 peneroka Felda akan terus dilindungi oleh Koperasi Permodalan FELDA (KPF), yang telah bersedia untuk menjadi pemegang saham tunggal terbesar FELDA Global Ventures selepas penyenaraian. Pengumuman Najib mengenai gerak-kerja korporat FELDA yang telah tiba ini sebenaranya tidak menjadi kejutan besar. Dalam beberapa bulan kebelakangan ini, pasaran modal telah dibanjiri oleh bahawa FELDA tidak lama lagi akan kembali ke laluan IPO selepas kejayaan penyenaraian pengeluar gula, MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd, pada Jun tahun ini.

Pemerhati pasaran secara amnya teruja mengenai prospek bursa saham mengalu-alukan FELDA Global Ventures, yang disebut-sebut sebagai berpotensi kumpulan terbesar di dunia perladangan tersenarai. Dengan bank tanah ladang yang luas, 880,000 ha, kumpulan FELDA Global menghasilkan kira-kira 3 juta tan minyak sawit mentah (MSM) setahun, dengan itu menyumbang kira-kira 8% daripada pengeluaran MSM dunia. Kumpulan itu terdiri daripada Felda Global Ventures dan Felda Holdings, yang akhirnya dimiliki oleh Persekutuan Tanah Kerajaan dan Lembaga Kemajuan (Federal Landa Development Authority – FELDA).

Struktur Organisasi FELDA

Banyak perniagaan Global kumpulan FELDA diletakkan di bawah FELDA Holdings, yang 49% dimiliki oleh FELDA Global Ventures. Koperasi Permodalan Felda memegang ekuiti di Felda Holdings yang lain, manakala Menteri Kewangan Inc mempunyai satu golden share. Peneroka akan resah? Presiden Persatuan Kebangsaan Pekebun Kecil (Nash), Menurut Datuk Aliasak Ambia, kunci kepada penyenaraian lancar FELDA Global Ventures terletak pada bagaimana pengurusan kumpulan FELDA Global menangani isu-isu sensitif seperti hak milik tanah peneroka, dan pegagangan saham mereka dalam Koperasi Permodalan FELDA, akan meraih pulangan yang baik daripada FELDA tersenarai Global Venture.

Beliau percaya bahawa untuk peneroka FELDA untuk menikmati keuntungan secara tidak langsung melalui kepentingan mereka dalam Koperasi Permodalan FELDA, Kerajaan perlu memastikan bahawa setiap peneroka memiliki sekurang-kurangnya 30,000 hingga 40,000 saham dalam koperasi.

Pada masa ini, purata saham-saham yang dimiliki oleh peneroka adalah RM 6, 000. Sumbangan tahunan daripada perniagaan yang menguntungkan kumpulan FELDA Global telah mengubah koperasi FELDA ke dalam kedudukan kecairan yang amat baik dan  yang mampu membayar dividen 14% setiap tahun kepada ahli-ahlinya sepanjang 31 tahun yang lalu. Kadang-kala ianya mencecah  setinggi 16%.

Ahli ahli koperasi termasuk peneroka FELDA dan keluarga mereka, serta kakitangan FELDA. Menurut sumber dalaman, Kumpulan FELDA Global telah menjalani penyusunan semula dalaman yang agak komprehensif di bawah Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan sbelum ini, Datuk Mohamed Bakke Salleh (yang semenjak pertengahan tahun lepas telah berpindah sebagai Presiden dan CEO Sime Darby Bhd).

FELDA Global Ventures CEO Datuk Sabri Ahmad

Ini telah membuka jalan kepada penggantinya, Datuk Sabri Ahmad, untuk mengambil kumpulan ke tahap dinamism yang lebih tinggi di bawah program transformasi berterusan yang akan meletakan kedudukan kumpulan sebagai yang terbesar dalam dunia konglomerat pelbagai perniagaan pertanian pada masa hadapan. Sabri sebelum ini adalah seorang Pengarah Urusan yang amat berjaya bagi syarikat perladangan milik PNB yang tersenerai, Golden Hopes Plantation Bhd.

Oleh itu, penyenaraian FELDA Ventures Global dirancang secara berhati hati dan diuruskan supaya sesuai dengan kepentingan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan, terutamanya peneroka (melalui koperasi Permodalan FELDA), FELDA sendiri dan Kerajaan. Buat masa ini, fokus pada kumpulan FELDA Global memenuhi tarikh akhir yang ditetapkan oleh Perdana Menteri. “Mungkin, IPO boleh siap seawal sebagai suku pertama tahun depan. Saya percaya ada pelan permainan untuk membuka nilai tanah peneroka besar-besaran, “kata sumber itu.

“Tambahan pula, kebanyakan peneroka ‘tanah mempunyai peratusan yang tinggi tua’ pokok kelapa sawit yang sangat memerlukan penanaman semula, memandangkan hasil yang rendah. Tetapi kerana harga CPO masih baik, yang kini melebihi RM2, 500 satu tan, peneroka FELDA tidak berminat untuk tanam semula”. Hasil daripada IPO FELDA Global Ventures boleh membantu menangani isu ini; ia berkemungkinan bahawa peneroka akan diberikan elaun bulanan yang agak baik sebagai pampasan apabila tanah mereka sedang ditanam semula. IPO yang dicadangkan akan direka bentuk untuk menangani keperluan komuniti pelaburan, seperti keutamaan untuk kehadiran para pemegang saham lain yang terkemuka, yang akan meningkatkan kecairan dalam dagangan entiti yang baru tersenarai.

Dalam temu bual dengan sebuah akhbar Mei lepas, Sabri berkata, salah satu daripada sasaran program transformasi kumpulan FELDA Global adalah untuk menggandakan keuntungan sebelum cukai pada tahun 2015. Pada tahun 2010, FELDA Global Ventures dan FELDA Holdings mencatatkan keuntungan sebelum cukai RM 366 juta dan RM 760 juta masing-masing. Beliau menambah bahawa sebahagian yang lebih besar (kira-kira 30%) hasil FELDA Global akan datang dari produk tambah nilai seperti marjerin, derivatif oleokimia dan lemak khusus dan bukannya pergantungan berat ke atas operasi huluan.

Maybank Investment Bank menganggarkan bahawa keuntungan FELDA Holdings ‘tahun ini boleh mencapai RM1 bilion, memandangkan minyak sawit mentah yang lebih kukuh harga berbanding dengan harga tahun lepas. FELDA Holdings adalah salah satu perusahaan yang terbesar di Malaysia berasaskan pertanian pelbagai, dengan perolehan sebanyak RM 14.9 billion dan keuntungan sebelum cukai sebanyak RM 760 juta pada tahun 2010.Gerak-kerja korporat menyeneraikan FELDA merupakan tindakan paling bijak untuk terus mengukuhkan ekonomi orang Melayu dan meningkatkan kedudukan ekonomi masyarakat luar bandar, selepas ‘Dawn Raid‘ oleh PNB genap 30 tahun lampau dan unit unit saham dalam Amanah Saham Nasional mula dijual kepada orang Melayu dalam tahun yang sama.