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Aug 10, 2005
Air quality at its worst today at mmu cyber, and mmu will be closed for two days. hope i dun hav to die here.
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Now top(funny) news, source from thestar newspaper:
Rafidah to face Cabinet
BY JOCELINE TAN
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz will face the Cabinet today to answer crucial questions regarding the Approved Permits controversy.
The International Trade and Industry Minister would have to convince the Cabinet that the AP matter was above board and in the interest of the national automotive policy, said Putrajaya sources.
The sources said she had to come clean on at least three pressing questions regarding the APs for car imports.
¡°First, she will have to convince the Cabinet that the policy on APs has not undermined the national car industry,¡± said the source.
(I say: Cars imported using AP are usually priced around 100K, what makes the "source" think that these ppl will actually buy a proton even if there is no AP? In fact, AP protects proton by making CBU cars more expensive.)
This means she will have to explain why the APs issued for foreign vehicles in 2004 and 2005 amounted to 10% of the total vehicle output instead of 10% of the national car production.
(I say: Last year, proton sold around 200K cars, so 10% of it would be 20000 APs. Now tell me, with that number, how are u going to benefit the majority of bumi? perhaps only for one political party. Even so, i dun think it's enuf for them. It's usual for them to cry foul whenever they dun get benefits)
She has to tackle complaints that too many permits have been issued to allow in cheap foreign imports to compete unfairly with Proton cars.
(I say: Compete unfairly? by putting other cars prices unreachable by rakyat and nv bother to improve themselves since then? There is no fairness, ever since proton was born )
Second, she is expected to explain the criteria for giving out the APs and the basis for having as many as six types of AP ¨C open APs, franchise APs, tuner APs, student APs ( what the heck?), diplomatic APs and ¡°Member of Parliament APs(yet they are complaining?)¡±.
Finally, Rafidah will have to account for how the AP scheme seems to be monopolised by a few bumiputra businessmen.
(I say: With only 60K APs to distribute, it will still be monopolised no matter how u put it. So stop throwing bullshit around, keep it in your mouth)
She will have to address the perception that the policy has given rise to the so-called ¡°AP kings¡±.
Of the 67,000 APs issued this year, more than 28,000 went to four individuals ¨C Tan Sri Nasimuddin S.M. Amin, Datuk Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, Datuk Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz and Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad.
Rafidah, who is also Wanita Umno leader, did not attend last week¡¯s Cabinet meeting after pleading that she had problems with her knee, which forced her to cancel a golfing holiday in Perth, Australia, that same day.
The Cabinet had objected to an 18-page explanation on the issue which she had intended to release to the media. The ministers felt that she should explain the matter to the Cabinet before releasing it to the press.
(Why? afraid of something? most the ministers do not come clean either, so my advice is, dun push her too hard, otherwise u are only going to shoot urself in the foot)
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Here's another one:
BY A. LETCHUMANAN
THE Government is looking at an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) master plan to develop a comprehensive ¡°roadmap¡± for the country over a 10-year period(marking his words, failing to fulfil his promise is not uncommon, except for tolls of course), said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
He said ITS applications were introduced since the mid-90s through a number of projects such as computer-controlled traffic signals in Kuala Lumpur and electronic toll collections for privatised roads.
"But these systems were installed in an ad hoc manner, with little co-ordination among various operators and the usage being limited to their individual requirements(what a good way to test(waste) our taxpayers money). This has, however, led to problems in inter-operability and compatibility,¡± Samy Vellu said.
He said the Government had also embarked on a pilot project to ease traffic congestion in the Klang Valley and the Multimedia Super Corridor.
¡°The Integrated Transport Information System or ITIS, costing some US$100mil(I wonder how much of it are actually being utilised, or rather, put into someone's pocket), is now at the final stage of implementation and is capable of detecting incidents and traffic congestion, analysing traffic and calculating travel times,¡± he added.
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Posted at 11:08 pm by slleong
Aug 9, 2005
why day 2? coz yesterday i'm too lazy to write and yesterday the air was freaking farking hazy as well, and worst of all................NO RAIN !!!! To whoever in charge of the weather, pls help us and soak those open-burning fanatic monkeys!!
today weather no good, my mood aso no good T_T
Posted at 09:15 pm by slleong
Aug 4, 2005
Today i read the following news, articles and comments by some 'great' ppl, with great interest. This discussion will end after knowing the 'true' agenda behind all the fusses about AP.
First, let's start with how AP works or functions and how it benefits those 'priviledge' few.
Graphics by Jebat Maharajalela.
The three companies are owned by the two Dato' and act as a bridge to bring in CBU cars. Why is that? Bcoz the AP is given to the Dato' instead of the dealer. The dealer can't bring in any CBU cars without APs. AP holders either sell it off for a quick profit or set up a company to import foreign cars. Hence, due to this system, we are paying a higher priced cars. For example, a nissan car cost around 45000, tax 30000, and AP will cost another 20000. That will add up the selling price. With this, it is not hard to understand why those AP holders are living in luxury.
As a consumer, i definitely wish that AP system will be abolished, but i know that's js impossible.
The AP system has been practiced for a long time, started by our former PM, to encourage more entrepreneurs and end monopoly of business by a particular race. Though he said he had achieved it, i think especially the latter, i'm not convinced, evident by the fact that bumi's equity has stagnant since more than ten years ago. Ironically, now the one who starts to complain about the system is no other than our former PM!
So what's the real reason behind it? The following 'latest' news from local newspaper like thestar and constructive opinions collected from forums could provide some hints.
SERDANG, Aug 5:
The ongoing debate over Approved Permits is not a fight between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz. So said the former prime minister. He said there was no reason for the International Trade and Industry Minister to say that she was hurt over the controversy surrounding the award of permits to import cars.
"It is not a question about her. It is not something between me and her (Rafidah), I am talking about Proton and the interest of Proton," he said after presenting a lecture titled "Moving Towards A Progressive Society" organised by the Rashid Foundation at Universiti Putra Malaysia here.
"It is not personal, it is not about mentor and ... it is about Proton. But why bring these personal things. I can also say that I feel hurt because somebody who was working with me said I cannot remember things," he said.
Dr Mahathir said that Rafidah¡¯s emotional reaction over the AP issue was irrelevant. "What is important is, is it good for the nation and good for Proton? That¡¯s all," he added.
The AP controversy erupted after Dr Mahathir pointed out that the national car, Proton, was being undermined by the import of cheap foreign cars. Following this, the Government released the list of Malaysians who received APs.
Dr Mahathir increased the stakes in the debate by alleging that Rafidah misled Umno delegates when she spoke to them on the issue at the recent party general assembly.
Comments by Toyoda from Jeffooi's blog:
"I know the people inside and there is no under declaration per se, as the Customs have the original invoice from the principals. I was told that there is a scheme where these products were imported under the NEAC initiatives to mitigate the impact of high duties and taxes due to the 1998 crisis, and actually the benefits have already been passed on as cheaper cars. How else can we now drive CBU Hondas, Chevrolets, and Suzuki! We the consumer have benefited. In our zeal to crucify the privileged few, we have inadvertantly played into the hands of Mahaleel and Mahathir and will now pay dearly for imported cars. How smart!
Are we all saying that we are happy to see expensive imports and are satisfied with the cheaper Protons? Come on people, we are playing into the hands of Tun Mahathir and Mahaleel. They have been stirritng this up as I understand that Rafidah and MITI wants us to comply with the agreements that Malaysian signed and ratified, namely AFTA and WTO that calls for lower duties and taxes, and removal of all non-trade barriers such as AP system, which is actually a quantitative restriction. That's right, even the BBC Chairman Sharir is ignorant of the fact that Malaysia cannot impose quantitative restrictions, such as the AP system, which by the way, will have to go by Jan 2008, if not sooner. Already importation from ASEAN country under Form D is not subjected to the so-called 10% limit! Cars imported by Toyota and Honda are already under the ASEAN CEPT scheme and there is no quantitative restrictions! So what if croonies benefited! You guys voted the government in, and so are viacariously, well actually directly responsible for all these practices!
We should ask for lower duties and taxes as it was drastically increased in 1998 due to the crisis to stem importation.
People, don't be distracted by the sensation as more and more are reavealed, the prices will only get higher and higher. All imported cars will be affected!
Don't forget that Mahaleel is behind all this. He spent some RM100Million on the yet to be opened showroom in Shah Alam. Tengku Razaleigh claimed that billions have been spent by Proton that were billed to Petronas, and don't forget the many showrooms that Proton built at extremely high cost. Plus, don't forget the many hundreds of millions that were written-off by Proton on R&D. Ask Datuk Nadzmi!
Let's fight for lower duties and taxes. The whole duties and tax structure for automotive industry must be revamped to remove exhorbitant duties! Don't be distracted!
The question as to how I know there is no under declaration per se, is simple: I am very, very close to the industry. Bicker whatever you want, the system will not change.
Under declaring was done by the open AP holders, and the customs department have the absolute authority on valuation. They will then issue the docket price upon which duties are paid in accordance with the duty and tax structure. This cannot be changed, but the valuation can! See?
Like I said, under the NEAC purview, the government stepped in to help out the importers. Open AP holders were reigned in as they were the ones selling APs for RM20,000-30,000 per AP. Haniff was in the know of the change in policy, and left MITI. Let's not debate whether this is right or wrong, as technically, from a legal standpoint, Haniff has done nothing wrong.
Remember, we cannot go on a witch-hunt. We must uphold the highest standard possible in adjudicating matters. Why do you think there's the struggle for law reform in Malaysia. Justice must not only be done, but to be seen to be done.
OK, let's get back to the main issue. The whole thing was OK, until Haniff got greedy, and worked with Glenn Teh to get more APs. Haniff is behind Impul, and sold it to Glenn Teh. Glenn Teh worked with one WC in DRB to be a dealer for Wald. You see, DRB is a plc, and cannot hold volume APs, so Haniff with his connection in DRB worked with WC and Glenn Teh. This is the problem as customs found out, after VW complained that VW were "distributed" in Malaysia, when Tun Mahathir had lined up his people to do VW next year under Proton.
Of course poor Rafidah. Was she guilty? I know how she worked, and she's one of the brightest Minister that we ever had. I have been with her overseas, and her policy is business friendly. Her downfall would be Haniff, who's the greedy bastard.
Word has it that Haniff won't even give discounts to his own relatives!
Syed Azman is Haniff's funder. He didn't agree with Haniff on many things and they are now basically in a marriage of convenience relationship. The Helis are owned by Syed, and he has many mega projects before this AP. He was dealing with car imports as well. He has worldwide business, namely South Africa, Australia, and Europe. I know this man. Very young, bright. Not politically inclined and I know who's he's supporting. He's a business man first and foremost.
Are all these so-called under-declaration "illegal"? Honda and Suzuki of Japan are extremely conservative and will shy away from any shoddy deals. I know them very well. You can go to jail for under declaration. GM? I have negotiated with them before, and the first thing you will notice is the fair practice clause where it prohibits you from "illegal" dealings. It's not under declaration, and it's not dumping. The prices are really cheap.
How can you tell. Very easy. Take car prices in the UK. Take away taxes, and 30% distribution cost (cost and not margin), and you can estimate the fob price. Taxes is a bit tricky, but nonetheless easy to deduce. US prices are the easiest determinant. So you see, in the US a 1.5liter car is below US$5,000 retail, which means that it is about US$3,500 fob. So can you just imagine a 1.0liter car? It is close to that price from Korea cif! With RM3.6/US$1, it is only RM12,600! With duties, it is only RM27,000. With 30% distribution cost on top of that, it is still about RM36,000! Proton and even Perodua cannot compete with this!
If the local distributors are aggressive, they can promise a bigger volume, and over an entire range of products. The manufacturers will then consider a variable costing method for the lower end segment, meaning, the 1.0liter car be as low as US$3,000! The Koreans are cheap, but the Chinese are even cheaper! All comply with Euro crash test and environmental requirements. They all comply to Euro-4! Proton cars can't even be exported for not meeting Euro standards on emission and safety standards!
So all this fuss about AP is actually Tun Mahathir pissed off with Haniff for being greedy and tying-up with a Chinese tycoon Glenn Teh who is cornering the market and taking away the VW deal.
So people, there is no point in attacking anyone personally. We will not be taken seriously. Our voices will be heard if we speak in unison and dignity. Prices will go up, and this is inevitable. We cannot ask for subsidy as this is fundamentally against sound economic policy. We can however fight for a lower duty and tax structure, not just for auto, but for everything. This is a great country, and no matter what you say, if you're chinese, and you go to Australia and US, we are all lumped together with the Koreans, Japanese, Chinese from China and Taiwan, and if we're dark skinned, we're all from the Indian sub-continent, and the point is, we will all be racially profiled and will never be treated equally. SO let's not kid ourselves. Let's work on the following:
a. To push for lower duties and taxes. Income and corporate taxes must not be more than 25%. That's a 3% reduction to make way for the upcoming GST/VAT. The taxable income range should be about 5% higher than it is today. That will take care of the upper and lower end of the income bracket.
b. Lower import and duties on auto, and steel components
c. Introducing consumer protection law
d. Introduce anti-competition/anti-monopoly law. Have you guys noticed that ALL cement manufacturers met recently to "stabilize" cement prices? It is still below the ceiling price, but cement could be much cheaper. We must do away with heavy duties and taxes on steel as well.
Well there are others, but the point is, we must not be distracted and get too emotional. We must know what we want. Lowe duties and taxes. AP system will go away. Rafidah wants to remove it, but Proton wants it in place! Yes! You know why? It is a quantitative restriction! Remember, ASEAN cars are no longer subjected to quantitative APs. AP is needed, but more a formality, and there's not cost for this! "
END
Long reading ? Definitely, as it is always not easy to read what's inside a politician's mind. These issues raised were well thought so as to distract the public and to hide their ultimate goal. Js dont get fooled by them. National automotives policy are coming out soon, stay tuned. to be cont'
Posted at 11:53 pm by slleong
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