By Little Bird

Kawan-kawan, please fasten your seat belts now. I thought that I knew something about what is really going on in the administration of Abdullah Badawi. Today I found out I have not even scratched the surface. The following is panas-panas news. You  may want to hit the ejection button (not yours but theirs) after reading this.

Firstly, the shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.

We all know the story of Air Asia. Wel,l we all thought it was a rags to riches story. It is actually a story about riches. The rags part is actually very hazy.

When MAS entered into a phase of 'restructuring' about three years ago, Air Asia, through Tony Fernandez, struck fast and furious.

Before we go further, you may want to ask why did MAS have to suffer yet another 'restructuring'? That is a story by itself for another day but just bear in mind that Badawi's brother, Ibrahim, is the owner of the catering company (Skychef?) that used to supply mineral water at RM35 a case to MAS.

With that kind of pricing, surely MAS would need 'restructuring'.

Anyway, Air Asia stepped in and pushed the Gomen for a 'rationalisation' of the domestic air routes in Malaysia. Air Asia asked to be given MAS' Sabah and Sarawak routes. MAS could keep flying in Semenanjung, they said.  Despite objections by MAS,  Air Asia was granted its wish. 

But the wish did not just happen. Zaki, a fourth floor boy at the PM's office, helped Air Asia make its wish come true.

Once MAS lost its Sabah and Sarawak routes to Air Asia, there was a staff redundancy. So MAS had to organise a VSS. MAS demanded that since Air Asia was taking over their Sabah and Sarawak routes it would make some of their staff redundant so Air Asia should pay MAS some compensation.

Everyone (MAS, Gomen and even Air Asia) agreed that compensation was payable to MAS. But Air Asia would not pay anything. Finally, the Gomen (err that means you and me lah, Encik Taxpayer) paid the compensation to MAS, which MAS promptly used in one of the most expensive VSS payments in our history.

If your blood is starting to boil, stop reading and better cool off because it does not get better.

Then, within one year, Air Asia realised that the Sabah and Sarawak routes were not profitable. They never were. MAS was performing national service in Sabah and Sarawak. Flying chickens and goats is not a money-making venture.

No problem. Air Asia made another wish. They told the Gomen, we have to return these air routes back to MAS. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant.

Then came the handing over ceremony of the air routes and the airplanes. When they took over the Sabah/Sarawak routes, Air Asia had 'acquired' seven airplanes from MAS in perfect working condition. (MAS does have one of the best safety records in the world.)

However, when Air Asia 'returned' the planes to MAS, only one was left in working condition. The other six planes were grounded, not fit for flying and could not fly.

In actual fact, Air Asia was cannibalising parts from the six planes to keep the seventh one flying. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant. It eventually cost MAS in excess of RM50 million to make the planes flyable again. This was a direct subsidy to 'rags to riches' Air Asia's profits.

Then Air Asia started eyeing the lucrative KL-Singapore routes. Tighten your seat belts. This one will really jolt. But they went about it the roundabout way. They said they wanted to go international. They did (some) but international routes are tough. No Zaki, Badawi, Khairy, Kalimullah or Kamaluddin to make your wishes come true.

But the KL-Singapore sector was generating RM40 million in PROFITS to MAS. This was the plum in the pudding. Air Asia wanted it badly.

So they made another wish. It came true. This is how they did it. Air Asia's bid to break into the KL-Singapore sector was first discussed in Cabinet when Badawi was on holiday overseas. Najib chaired the meeting and Air Asia's application was rejected.

The application was rejected for two main reasons:

i. By 2009 the whole of ASEAN becomes open sky anyway.  ASEAN airlines can fly to all ASEAN capitals  without restrictions. So why open up KL-Singapore  in double quick time?

ii.  If budget flights are allowed between KL-Singapore, KLIA will die an unnatural death. KLIA will become a feeder airport for Singapore's Changi. People will fly from KL to Singapore and then fly off from Singapore to the rest of the world. MAS will then die a natural death. So the request was declined.

Then Badawi came back from his travels and asked Tengku Adnan the Minister of Tourism to prepare a paper on tourism, linking MAS, Air Asia, SIA, etc., to tourist arrivals. At the next Cabinet meeting chaired by Badawi, he asked Tengku Adnan to present the 'Cabinet paper'.

Insiders say that the paper was an 'out of Agenda' item - meaning it surprised everyone, but the dunggus approved it nonetheless. Air Asia got its wish again. Tengku Adnan also secured his Putrajaya seat.

Now here is the killer. Soon after Air Asia started flying the KL-Singapore sector, they started giving away 300,000 free tickets, 5 sen tickets and all the other gimmicks. Singapore is believed to be subsidising Air Asia for all these expensive gimmicks.

For SIA, losing RM40 million (S$17 million) profit from the KL-Singapore sector is chicken feed. Air Asia is feeding thousands of transit passengers from KL to Changi . Air Asia is providing RM19 bus rides from KL to KLIA. From KLIA, passengers fly almost free to Changi. From Changi the passengers can connect to the world.

Now, Air Asia is making another wish - they want to fly direct from Kuching, KK, Penang, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, etc., to Changi. They will earn even more 'subsidies' from Singapore. KLIA will drop dead later, MAS will die first.

This is how we go from 'rags to riches'. And we all thought Tony Fernandez was such a great guy too. The shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.

Yes, we believe in open skies, competition and all that. But friends, fellow Malaysians, this is the PM, his son, his S-I-L and his cronies lah. How can they sell out their own country? But this is what they are doing.

Kawan-kawan, come March 8th, 2008 you have an opportunity to hit the button for the ejecion seat. Hit the ejection button and send these people out into oblivion. Don't give them any parachutes either.

      

PUTRAJAYA 25 Feb. - Ejen-ejen calon yang bertanding dibenarkan memantau dan memeriksa proses pengundian pos yang dijalankan di kem-kem tentera dan ibu pejabat polis pada pilihan raya umum kali ini.

Menurut Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR), langkah itu ialah antara penambahbaikan yang diperkenalkan bagi meningkatkan ketelusan dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12.

Harakah) - PAS Terengganu kemungkinan akan mengambil tindakan menyaman Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) kerana membuat peraturan yang menyusahkan mereka yang mahu menjadi calon dalam pilihan raya umum kali ini.

Timbalan Pesuruhjayanya, Dato' Wan Abdul Mutalib Embong, berkata pihaknya akan menyaman SPR yang mengeluarkan surat peraturan mengarahkan mereka yang mahu bertanding dalam pilihan raya kali ini, menyerahkan borang mereka dengan dikenakan duti setem

Beliau yang berkata demikian ketika ditemui selepas penamaan calon di Kompleks Seri Iman di sini, tengahari tadi, menyifatkan SPR ada niat buruk terhadap pembangkang.

"Sebaliknya apabila berlaku insiden di Marang di mana kesemua lima calon Barisan Nasional (BN) mengemukakan borang tidak berduti setem, dan apabila bantahan dibuat, tiba-tiba SPR mengeluarkan surat yang didakwa bertarikh 23 Februari memansuhkan surat arahan itu yang dikeluarkan pada 21 Februari," ujarnya.

Surat arahan pertama turut menyatakan mereka yang tidak berbuat demikian boleh dibatalkan menyertai pertandingan pilihan raya umum kali ini.

"Kita telah mengemukakan bantahan tersebut ke atas lima calon BN di Marang, bagaimanapun ditolak oleh SPR dengan mengemukakan alasan baru iaitu surat bertarikh 23 Februari, memansuhkan surat arahan 21 Februari.

Bagaimana ini boleh berlaku? Kita tahu di Kuala Lumpur cuti hujung minggu," ujarnya.

Kelima calon tersebut iaitu Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Terengganu, Dato' Dr Ahmad Ramzi Mohamad Zubir bagi kerusi Parlimen Marang, Ketua Pemuda Umno Bahagian Marang, Razali Idris, bagi Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) Rhu Rendang, Alias Abdullah di Dun Alur Limbat, Zaidi Muda di Dun Bukit Payung dan di Dun Pengkalan Berangan, Yahya Khatib Mohamad.

Sebelum itu Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang mengecam SPR yang menarik kembali arahan supaya semua calon pilihan raya mengenakan duti setem pada borang percalonan.

Arahan tersebut yang didakwanya cuba memerangkap calon pembangkang sebaliknya 'menikam' BN sendiri.

Ia memang cukup menyusahkan kerana surat itu dimaklumkan pada hari Khamis tetapi pembangkang dikatakan tetap berusaha mematuhinya sehingga terdapat mereka yang mahu menjadi calon terpaksa terbang ke Kuala Lumpur berikutan Terengganu cuti umum pada Jumaat dan Sabtu.

Seperti yang dialami calon Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Fariz Musa di Parlimen Kemaman, beliau terpaksa bergegas ke Kuala Lumpur dengan kapal terbang pada hari Jumaat apabila mendapat maklumat pada pagi hari tersebut.

Namun begitu berlaku kepada lima calon BN di Marang mengemukakan borang tanpa duti setem. Apabila PAS mengemukakan bantahan sebaliknya mereka mendapat pembelaan SPR.

Dalam surat SPR yang ditandatangani Setiausahanya, Dato' Kamaruzzaman Mohd Nor menyatakan, "Pegawai Pengurus boleh menolak Kertas Penamaan Calon jika sekiranya Akuan Berkanun (Borang 5 atau 5A) yang dikemukakan bersama kertas penamaan tersebut tidak mematuhi peruntukan di bawah peraturan 4 (7) Peraturan-Peraturan Pilihan raya (Perjalanan Pilihan raya) 1981."

Menurut Ustaz Hadi, PAS kesal kerana penarikan balik arahan tersebut tidak dimaklumkan kepada parti-parti pembangkang.

"Kita hanya dengar pegawai berbisik sesama sendiri mengatakan arahan tersebut hanya diterima subuh tadi," katanya.

Tegasnya, setelah didesak beberapa kali, barulah pegawai menunjukkan surat pembatalan arahan tersebut.

2008 Peugeot 407

From today, Nasim Sdn Bhd (NSB) is inviting bookings for the latest 2008 Peugeot 407 which will be launched in Malaysia in the near future. According to a statement from the new Peugeot distributor, the new 407 – with a price not expected to be more than RM135,000 - will have features such as xenon headlamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, a JBL audio system with 8 speakers and a 240W amplifier as well as other luxury fittings.

As a EuroNCAP 5-star car, the latest 407 also has a host of safety features such as ABS, EBD and EBA, ESP and DSC, front pyrotechnic pre-tensioned seat belts, ISOFIX location points, etc. However, specifications for the version sold in Malaysia have not been finalised and may not include all the items mentioned.

This weekend, Nasim will also have a 3-day event at the Peugeot Blue Box at Glenmarie, Selangor. The event will showcase the race-oriented Spider 207, besides having interesting activities for children. There will also be gifts for testdrives and bookings during the event (on while-stocks-last basis). 

2008 Naza Bestari

At the same venue, Nasim will also be displaying the 2008 edition of the Naza Bestari. The updates are a new body-coloured bodykit including a rear roof spoiler, door visors, new exhaust tail pipe finisher and rear headrests. There is no change in the retail price. For this weekend at the Peugeot Blue Box Glenmarie only, NSB will be giving free Grand Stand F1 tickets for two for those who order a new Bestari.

The 2008 Bestari comes with 3 years free maintenance service which includes parts and labour, besides a warranty period of up to 5 years.

JOHOR BARU: Kumutha Raman looked nervous as pressmen, armed with notebooks and recorders, jostled for an interview with her.

Johor Pas commissioner Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed (left) with Kumutha Raman, the first non-Muslim womanfemale to be fielded as a candidate by the party, who will contest the Ulu Tiram state seat. On her right is her brother R. Logeswaran.

The 29-year-old law graduate, who had just been named as the first non-Muslim candidate to be fielded by Pas, listened attentively to the questions hurled at her, when Johor Pas announced its candidates at the headquarters in Batu Pahat.

She is contesting the Tiram state seat. But knowing the realities, perhaps Pas is fielding her under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat symbol, based on the electoral pact the two parties have made.

Still, is she in for a culture shock? Will she be able to speak the language of Pas where Arabic phrases and Quranic verses matter most? Will she have to physically cover herself more than ever?

"I know I won't feel alienated because I believe voters nowadays are open-minded," she said.

"I also know that Muslims and non-Muslims will be able to accept me."

A member of the one-month old Unity Bureau under the Johor non-Muslim Pas Supporters Club, Kumutha may be oblivious to the fact that she had broken the conservative Islamic party's 61-year-old tradition of only fielding Muslims as candidates.

"I joined the club because I see that Pas is not bent on racialism. To me all races, be they Malays, Chinese or Indians, are the same."

Making the announcement about Kumutha was Johor Pas commissioner Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed, who said the move signified Pas' tolerance towards other races.

Pas will be contesting in 34 state seats and nine parliamentary seats.

The party lost all the 37 state seats and 11 parliamentary constituencies it contested in the last general election.

This time around, fresh faces made-up one-third of the candidates and none of them were Pas Women's Wing leaders.

Ostensibly, the Johor Baru lass's candidacy is to woo support for the Islamist party from non-Muslim voters in Tiram, especially the Indian vote which comprises 14.39 per cent of that area's voters.

However, even during the announcement, there were murmurs of uncertainty amidst the applause following Kumutha's nomination.

"She is new, too new. And this is quite a task for her.

"The party leadership may want to introduce someone fresh to the party, but the members fear that too much hope is being placed on her.

"She may not be able to do it," a party member said.

Tebrau MIC division chief M. Soorianarayanan, whose division is in Tiram, was even more caustic.

"What is Pas doing? They are going to humiliate the girl and destroy her future in politics. The Indian community is going to hate her for aligning with the opposition," Soorianarayanan said.

The Tiram constituency is a Barisan Nasional stronghold.

In the 2004 election, BN's Maulizan Bujang beat Pas' Roslani Sharif, by a margin of 15,595 votes and the coalition is expected to repeat the feat.

Perhaps Kumutha's candidancy is to serve a greater goal in Pas' strategy to make it more relevant to Malaysians. - NEW STRAITS TIMES

Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat (DPP Pusat) tertarik dengan senarai calon-calon BN yang diumumkan kelmarin yang telah memperlihatkan bahawa Presiden Umno, Datuk seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi terpaksa menolak bantahan jentera pilihan raya Umno demi menjaga kepentingan politik peribadi beliau. Apa yang menarik, beberapa calon yang dikekalkan merupakan orang kuat Tun Dr

Mahathir yang kini menjadi musuh peribadi Pak Lah kerana bekas Perdana Menteri sering kali mengkritik kelemahan pentadbiran Pak Lah, termasuk dasar-dasar BN yang kini dilihat amat lemah oleh Dr Mahathir.

Dalam senarai calon BN sehingga hari ini, nama orang kuat Dr Mahathir yang dianggap ‘bermasalah’ tetapi dikekalkan untuk bertanding ialah Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin di Shah Alam dan Datuk Johari Baharom di Kubang Pasu. Manakala anak Dr Mahathir, Datuk Mukhriz pula dicalonkan di Jerlun. Seorang lagi orang kuat Dr Mahathir, Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim sehingga kini masih belum diputuskan kedudukannya walaupun telah ditolak oleh pemimpin utama Umno negeri.

Dr Mahathir semenjak bersara pada 2003 telah menyerang secara terbuka kelemahan pentadbiran Pak Lah termasuk dalam isu Proton, AP kereta mewah, pembatalan projek Jambatan Bengkok, penjualan pasir kepada Singapura, kelonggaran dasar luar di Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar dan lain-lain. Lebih menarik lagi apabila Dr Mahathir menggesa rakyat menolak pemimpin BN yang lemah, suka tidur dan tidak mempunyai idea. Dr Mahathir turut menggesa rakyat Kelantan mengekalkan pemerintahan PAS kerana BN tidak berkesan di bawah Pak Lah. Bekas Perdana Menteri turut mendedahkan bahawa Pak Lah pernah berjanji untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri untuk satu penggal sahaja.

Strategi terbaru Pak Lah ini menunjukkan kebimbangan yang amat sangat dalam kepala Presiden Umno sekiranya Dr Mahathir menyerang beliau secara terbuka dalam pilihan raya dan menyeru pengundi supaya menolak BN. Mencalonkan Datuk Mukhriz yang sudah ditolak oleh Umno Langkawi adalah satu langkah untuk menutup mulut Dr Mahathir kerana tidak mungkin beliau akan berkempen untuk mengalahkan anaknnya sendiri. Lebih dahsyat lagi apabila Datuk Aziz Shamsuddin, bekas Setiausaha Politik Dr Mahathir dicalonkan semula di Shah Alam walaupun Umno Shah Alam secara terbuka telah menolak tokoh veteran itu. Di Kubang Pasu, Datuk Johari yang bermasalah dengan Ketua Polis Negara juga terpaksa dikekalkan memandangkan Dr Mahathir amat berpengaruh sebagai bekas Ahli Parlimen Kubang Pasu.

Pak Lah juga menyedari bahawa pimpinan Umno Perlis terutama Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad dan Datuk Azmi Khalid telah menolak kepemimpinan Shahidan. Radzi secara jelas memberitahu media bahawa Menteri Besar mesti ditukar dan krisis ini telah diketahui umum. Sehingga malam semalam, dilaporkan sudah enam kali Shahidan turun naik JPM untuk berunding dengan Pak Lah. Perdana Menteri nampaknya keliru antara memenuhi kehendak orang kuatnya, Radzi atau mengekalkan status quo untuk mengelakkan serangan Dr Mahathir yang negeri yang PAS berpengaruh itu.

Apa yang jelas, kesanggupan Pak Lah untuk menutupkan mata dan telinganya terhadap kritikan dan bantahan ahli-ahli Umno bawahan semata-mata untuk mengelakkan beliau diserang oleh Dr Mahathir dalam pilihan raya ini. Penolakkan ahli-ahli Umno terhadap orang Dr Mahathir tidak dipedulikan oleh Pak Lah termasuk tidak mencalonkan Ketua Penerangan Umno, Tan Sri Muhammad Mohd Taib yang disebutkan akan dicalonkan di Shah Alam. Situasi pencalonan ini menunjukkan bahawa pengaruh Dr Mahathir masih kuat dalam Umno dan kebencian ahli-ahli Umno terhadap amalan mengagihkan kekayaan negara kepada kroni dan anak menantu pemimpin tertinggi Umno itu amat kuat. Pak Lah bimbang jika menggugurkan orang Dr Mahathir, berlaku pertembungan pengaruh yang boleh menjejaskan peluang ekonomi kroni dan anak menantunya selepas pilihan raya. Bagi Pak Lah nampaknya, kepentingan poket kroni dan anak menantunya lebih utama daripada perasaan dan kemahuan ahli-ahli Umno sendiri.

SALAHUDDIN HAJI AYUB
Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat

Pada suatu hari, Rasulullah s.a.w berjalan-jalan bersama puteri baginda, Saidatina Fatimah r.a. Setibanya mereka berdua di bawah sebatang pohon tamar, Fatimah terpijak pohon semalu, kakinya berdarah lalu mengadu kesakitan.

Fatimah mengatakan kepada bapanya apalah gunanya pohon semalu itu berada di situ dengan nada yang sedikit marah. Rasulullah dengan
tenang berkata kepada puteri kesayangannya itu bahawasanya pohon semalu itu amat berkait rapat dengan wanita. Fatimah terkejut. Rasulullah menyambung kata-katanya lagi. Para wanita hendaklah mengambil pengajaran daripada pohon semalu ini dari 4 aspek.

Pertama, pohon semalu akan kuncup apabila disentuh. Ini boleh diibaratkan bahawa wanita perlu mempunyai perasaan malu (pada tempatnya).

Kedua, semalu mempunyai duri yang tajam untuk mempertahankan dirinya. Oleh itu, wanita perlu tahu mempertahankan diri dan maruah sebagai seorang wanita muslim.

Ketiga, semalu juga mempunyai akar tunjang yang sangat kuat dan mencengkam bumi. Ini bermakna wanita solehah hendaklah mempunyai keterikatan yang sangat kuat dengan Allah Rabbul Alamin.

Dan akhir sekali, semalu akan kuncup dengan sendirinya apabila senja menjelang. Oleh itu, para wanita sekalian, kembalilah ke rumahmu apabila waktu semakin senja.

Ambillah pengajaran dari semalu walau pun ia hanya sepohon tumbuhan yang kecil.

CUBA BANDINGKAN KEDUA DUA RANCANGAN REALITI INI.......APA KAH PERBEZAAN NYA......
KEMANAKAH AGAKNYA KITA .....MALAYSIA.....MAHU MEMBAWA ANAK ANAK KITA  10, 20 ATAU 30 TAHUN AKAN DATANG????

Rancangan Realiti Kanak Kanak Bintang Kecil MyStar di Malaysia



Rancangan Realiti Kanak Kanak Pildacil dari Tanah Seberang