Bridge, Highway & Hospital (Part 1)

Guong

Bridge, Highway & Hospital
What is the similarity between these three? All of them are yet to materialized. Just more of those lip services by the federal government?

Most likely location for Labuan-Menumbok bridge

Bridge
Is this bridge necessary? What was the main reason for building this bridge?

He said a bridge between Sabah and Labuan would be good for the island as it would spell more tourist arrivals apart from easing the entry of raw materials from the mainland for industries here. TS

Can you guess who said this? It sound so simple and obvious. Anyone can think of this reason and for me, it's still not solid enough to make ground on the cause of constructing this bridge. Check the link, you might be surprised (or maybe not) to know the identity behind this remark. (Tourist? Doesn't he know that Labuan is not known as a tourist destination?)

Why do I say it's not solid enough?

The study would look into the pros and cons of a bridge with an estimated span of 17km and cost at least RM550mil, as stated in the Labuan Development master plan drafted in 1997. TS

The cost was already high in 1997. What about now? We're talking about 12 years gap. The cost would be insanely high. With the economic depression that are engulfing the world economy, is it wise to build this bridge now? Most important of all, who's money will they use to make it? I'm not against it but is it so urgent to build such bridge?

Besides, shouldn't they invest these money for other urgent matters, let say, a hospital for example. Ring any bell?

“Something of this magnitude is not immediately possible but it should be given due attention,” he said after launching the halal distribution hub at Kiansam, some 20km from downtown Labuan, yesterday. TS

Oh... In other words, just another lip service. So, the blood sucking ferry operator between Labuan-KK and Labuan-Menumbok can still keep forking money from the ferry users. For now.

to be continued

Shipowner: "Scrap cabotage policy? No, no, no.."

Guong

Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysia Shipowners Association (Masa) said it will resist any attempts to remove the cabotage policy, claiming that scrapping it could cause huge collateral damage to the Malaysian shipping industry and undermine national interests. DE

Huge collateral damage? Wow, I didn't know that the trade route between the peninsula and Sabah & Sarawak have such impact. What about other domestic trade route? It means they are making huge sum of money with this route to the extent they are willing to resist any attempts to scrap this policy. What about Sabahan and Sarawakian then? Let us keep on suffering just so they can keep doing business?

Masa Chairman Nordin Mat Yusoff said if high shipping cost was the only reason, one could assume that when shipping cost declines, the prices of goods would likewise drop.

"But this has not been the case; total ocean freight rates declined by about 41 per cent in the last six months in Peninsular Malaysia-Sabah/Sarawak trade but this has not been reflected in the landed prices of consumer goods," he said in a statement.DE

Really? But it was just six month ago, one can't expect to feel immediate effect on the declined rate. It would take more than a year since the shipped goods would still be in the local market. No businessman would be stupid enough to drop their price of goods since most of the old stocks (which were shipped before the now declined rate) were probably not yet sold out.

However, Nordin said it is evident that the high prices of consumer goods have not been elastic and the cause for this must be investigated scientifically by relevant government agencies in the State, including the Domestic Trade Ministry and Mida. DE

Investigation again? How long will it take? Sabahan and Sarawakian have waited long enough. Even the Queen Elizabeth Hospital issue is still yet to be solve, let alone this huge issue involving all of West Malaysian.

He also said it was extremely misleading, and indeed callous, for anyone to suggest that shipping charges from Kota Kinabalu to Southampton as being twice that of similar charges from Port Klang to Southampton because of the cabotage policy.DE

Who said the price was being twice? But it's a fact that the price will be higher than what it was supposed to be since they ship it twice.

"In fact the argument against the cabotage policy cannot be more wrong because cabotage does not prevent any ship from calling between Kota Kinabalu and Southampton much as it does not between Port Klang and Southampton," he said. DE

Yes, but that applies only to Malaysian vessels that ship imported goods. Ships from Southampton (or any other part of the world) are permitted to sail to Sabah and Sarawak but not cargo ships. And how many Malaysian-flag ships that dock in Sabah and Sarawak are actually making a direct shipping route outside Malaysia? I can only think of MISC.

Alluding the furore to "barking up the wrong tree", he explained the removal or relaxation of the cabotage policy would in no way change this position because the question of shipping lines serving between KK and a foreign port would be influenced by, among other factors, volume of cargo, remoteness (geographical) of the market and port infrastructure and performance. DE

Yes, but the problem is, all the factors that influencing the price are done twice due to this policy. Why not shorten it into just once?

Urging the manufacturers and producers not to confuse the central issue, he said Masa was willing to sit down with relevant government agencies as well as manufacturers and producers in Sabah and Sarawak to help jointly identify and examine related costs in the transportation pipeline together with other players in the link. DE

Feeling the heat are we.. You guys better do it quickly and come out with an acceptable solution. If not, this cabotage policy between peninsula and Sabah & Sarawak must be scrap.

Cabotage Policy...What is it?

Guong

First, let me enlighten you about Cabotage Policy. (Just in case you don't know)

Cabotage refers generally to the transport of passengers and goods. Originally, it referred specifically to shipping, but cabotage also applies to airlines, trucking, and trains. Many nations have cabotage laws which dictate the terms which carriers must follow when transporting people or materials within their borders. Many of these laws are designed to promote the development of domestic transport companies, and some cabotage laws have been criticized because they can restrict free trade. source

So, why did Malaysia government implemented this policy?

The Malaysian Government has implemented a policy which reserves the transportation of goods in the domestic trades to ship flying the Malaysian Flag. This policy was necessary because only a small number of Malaysian registered ships were playing the coastal routes. The policy which reserves the domestic trade to its own flagged vessels is known as Cabotage Policy. It was implemented in Malaysia on 1 January 1980. To implement the policy, the Merchant Shipping Act 1952 (MSO 1952) was amended.source

It is kind of similar with NEP concept since this policy is protecting certain group (in this case Malaysian vessel) in the domestic shipping business. So, what seems to be the problem?

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is unlikely to achieve its ambition to become a leading port hub in this region, despite its great potential to take over the role of Port Kelang and even Singapore port, if the cabotage policy for East Malaysian states continues to exist.DE

If this is the reason, I bet our federal government wouldn't even bother since it will jeopardize the already established Port Kelang and also their business. Or will it?

"We are not totally against the cabotage policy because in other countries there are also such policies. We are just hoping for the cabotage policy between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak be lifted or abolished," he said.DE

In other words, it will only effect their business domestically between peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak. So, what's in for Sabah and Sarawak?

He said the other main benefit expected from the abolition of the cabotage policy in Sabah is the reduction of the trade imbalance between Sabah and the peninsula resulting from the cargoes generated from manufacturing growth as manufacturing will be more competitive due to the elimination of the shipping barriers.DE

Hmm, in other word, foreign shipping company can directly ship imported goods to Sabah and Sarawak.

It works like this, a foreign vessel carrying imported goods cannot sail directly to Sabah and Sarawak port due to this policy. Every imported goods must be ship with a Malaysian vessel. So, the foreign vessel have to empty their ships at Port Kelang. From there, Malaysian vessel will then ship these goods to Sabah and Sarawak. This cause the price of these goods to rise. The goods can be anything from raw materials to finish products.

Will the federal government listen and take any action? Let's wait for a while and see.. the respond might not be a positive one.

We can print, write the word Allah..But..

Guong

“The printing, publishing, sale, issue, circulation and possession of any document and publication relating to Christianity containing the words ‘Allah’, ‘Kaabah’, ‘Baitullah’ and ‘Solat’ are prohibited unless on the front cover of the document and publication are written with the words ‘FOR CHRISTIANITY’,” Fr Lawrence said, quoting from the letter dated Feb 16, 2009.

“The words ‘FOR CHRISTIANITY’ referred to in sub paragraph (1) shall be written clearly in font type Arial of size 16 in bold,” he added.

The notification, which falls under the Internal Security Act, was gazetted on Feb 16 this year.MI

Meaning, we can use it but we can't say it. If we want to say it, we must say it in front of Christians only since the phrase For Christianity is needed.

Since most of our previous publications, songs, articles contain this word but not the compulsory phrase, beware, we might get ISAed (Isai Sumaap Atangkap). New materials are needed.

In Christianity, human words are irrelevant when we are praising God. That is why the Bible is not restricted only to one language (which is Hebrew). So, it doesn't really matters weather we are ban or not from using 'Allah'. As long as they don't ban Christianity itself.

Just that we want to tell those peoples responsible that don't press us too much for we'll defend our faith.

One more thing, this case is still not yet resolve in court. So, this gazetted letters from the Home Ministry can be seen as acting in contempt of court.

Oh, I almost forgot, FOR CHRISTIANITY. Hehe..

Utusan....again??

Guong

Utusan done it again. No wonder people call it Utusan Meloya, Penyebar Fitnah Rakyat.

Bintulu..hard one...

Guong

Firstly, my sincere condolence towards the family of Batang Ai assemblyman.

That means another by-election will be held. This time it will be in the land of the hornbill. Who will be chosen by the people of Batang Ai? BN, PKR or maybe Independent?

Anwar recently (21 Feb) have begun his first step in trying to capture Batang Ai. He gave an open speech in Bintulu. It was estimated about 4,000 people attended the speech. You can listen to his speech here.

I've listen to his speech. To be fair, it's a bit too 'peninsularize'. I just wonder how it will woo the voter in Bintulu to switch from BN to PKR. He didn't touch much about Bintulu but more to what is happening in Perak and Selangor.

Honestly, East Malaysian (Sabah, Sarawak) doesn't really care about all that. What we need is development and retrieving our rights back. We have our own issues and we just can't be bother by Ketuanan, Sultan, Racism, Cows, Babi, Karpal, Altantuya or any of those penisular stuff.

And Sarawakian is known to have a strong sentiment towards the idea of outsider trying to control their state. Just recently, I had a chat with my Sarawakian friend; even though he dislike BN, he's also not into the idea of outsider party (UMNO, PKR) trying to gain control on Sarawak.

Sabahan already gone through with this 'ruling by an outsider party' decade and it sucks. I just hope Sarawak won't repeat the same mistake we had. Even though some might say PKR is different from BN, yet when it comes to politic, trust no one. (And no, this has nothing to do with the fact that I dislike Anwar.)

Bintulu is different from the two Bukit by-election. PKR will have a hard battle.

Bye-bye Proton Perdana...

Guong

Kota Kinabalu: All 12 Sabah Ministers will be using imported Volvos for official use while senior government officers will continue to use the Proton Perdana, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said, Wednesday.DE

Hm? Why?

On their cost, he said there was not much difference and the Government hoped to save on maintenance cost as that for Proton Perdana was higher.DE

Oh..maintenance cost. I really wondered, why does proton maintenance cost seems to be so 'high'? What does Proton have to say about this?

PETALING JAYA: Proton has hotly denied claims that the cost of maintaining its Perdana model is high and reiterated that the fee charged is reasonable.

In a statement here yesterday, Proton said the maintenance cost depended largely on regular servicing at authorized service centers every three months or every 5,000km or as recommended by the manufacturer. It said the mileage per year and the driver’s driving habits would also determine the maintenance cost.TS

So, Proton denied it. Anyway, what model will Sabah Ministers use?

On another development, Musa who is also the Minister of Finance said only state ministers and assistant ministers had switched to using black Volvo 2.5 as official cars from the Proton Perdana V6 Executive, previously.NST

2.5? Ok, since no others details were given, these are the most likely Volvo car that will be used.

XC90

S80

What about the price?

He said the Volvo cars were purchased by Angkatan Hebat, which is a subsidiary of the state government and the sole agent for Volvo in Sabah. The vehicles are leased to the state government and he hopes it will save maintenance cost.NST

Oh, it was leased. So Sabah government didn't bought those car. Ok, who is this Angkatan Hebat? Read this.

Angkatan Hebat Full Company Profile

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business Dating company Market

So, basically, the money is just being circled around. It is the same as buying those Volvo car. 70% goes back to Sabah state government and 30% went to.....

You figure it out.