Driving back to KL tonight...

Happy labours' day to all of us - labours!!

My family and I will be spending our time in Kota Damansara this weekend - we will be having a long weekend - three-day holidays due to the celebration of Labours' Day on Saturday (replacement on Sunday).

We're planning for a movie watching session with our sons - Iron Man 2, some pre-shopping for our Hari Raya items, visiting families and attending some kenduris... sounds like a pack schedule!!

Have a nice weekend too.  Wish us a safe journey - back and forth.

p/s: the pic is borrowed from Google.

Bye.

The Time & Money Correlation

Very not true for me... at least for now.

Soon? I don't know.  Yet to be explored and discovered.

p/s: By the way, I'm into serious golfing now... another preparation.

A better future?

Perasaan saya sungguh menggembira membaca kenyataan akhbar Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar - si Gabenor Bank Negara pagi tadi di sini. Menurut beliau, pengukuhan nilai semasa ringgit mencerminkan pemulihan dan aliran positif ekonomi negara.  Nilai ringgit didagangkan pada MYR 3.1816/USD, peningkatan sebanyak 7.8% sejak awal tahun.

Matawang adalah salah satu pengukur daya saing ekonomi sesebuah negara.  Apabila kita lihat, nilai matawang meningkat, secara umumnya dapat kita simpulkan bahawa ekonomi negara sedang mengalami aliran positif - pengukuhan pasaran - begitu juga sebaliknya.

Itulah yang terjadi pada 1997 ketika Krisis Kewangan Asia - di mana matawang ringgit (dan matawang asia yang lain) diserang hingga nilainya jatuh merudum - yang menyebabkan para peminjam muflis terus dan sekaligus meranapkan ekonomi negara. Itu semuanya sejarah, kalau berminat sila baca di sini.

Sekarang, segalanya semakin pulih. Bila ekonomi sudah semakin pulih, maka banyaklah peluang-peluang yang terhampar.  Cuma terpulang kepada anda (dan juga saya) untuk mengambil peluang itu.  Cuma perlukan sedikit kreativiti dan juga keberanian untuk bertindak - itulah USAHAwan - kan 'usaha' itu adalah kata akarnya.

Sekarang ialah masanya, jadi gunakan peluang ini sebaik-baiknya untuk kebaikan anda.

Selamat berjuang - sedikit masa lagi.

Golden Investment Opportunity?

Thinking of investing in gold, anyone? Read here for more.

Alangkah indahnya... kalau saya ada duit yang banyak, maksud saya dalam jumlah yang sungguh banyak. Bolehlah saya dan isteri melabur membeli kijang emas atau syiling emas atau dinar emas Kelantan (she used to make a lot of noise on this topic, not too long ago)

Tapi duit yang ada itu adalah terhad, itu pun sudah dibajetkan untuk sesuatu yang lebih penting - rumah kami.  Rumah yang telah lama kami idamkan (23 April yang lalu merupakan ulangtahun perkahwinan kami yang keenam - dan saya dan Isteri terlupa tentangnya).  Kalau tiada aral yang melintang, bakal didirikan tak lama lagi.

(Ya Allah, permudahkan segala urusan hambaMu ini, amin)

Some advice for HR practitioners..

I talked to a couple of friends during routine breakfast session yesterday about Human Resource practices and the standard that we have 'around' us.  Quite surprisingly, both of them agreed that we are at the lower side right now.  One of then even suggested that we don't have the right people at the right place.

So what make them think that way? Do you have the answer? Well I do... but I'm not going to share it here... at least for now.  Anyway... HR practitioners or those who think they are one... please read here.

Here is another nice story to read. I wonder why can't we be more objective like the rest do.  Do you wonder too?

p/s: I think the key issue that we face right now is this "right people-right place-wrong time" or "wrong people-right place-right time".

NEM

Hey guys... I did mention a bit on new economic model (NEM) and high income economy in yesterday post.  I got some feed back ranting about lacking of information on the issue. Well, I found a couple of very nice articles here and here about the new economic model thing.  Go and read - you'll love them.

Make way for local investors

Tun M are calling for the government to make way for the local investors to play a greater roll in domestic economy development.  He believed local investors had fled the countries with billions of their money to seek for 'new growth'.  Read full report here.

How true. All the FDIs that we attracted into Malaysia had brought artificial growth.  Although they provide instance economic impacts such as employment, strengthen forex reserve and other residual effects, the transfer of technology were minimal through FDI. The technology and knowledge that were brought in were 'ready made' and re-packaged for commercial purposes.  Since they were not made here, so did the relevant process of producing the knowledge and technology.  Therefore, we are stuck here as the end producers or end users of the technology and knowledge that are not ours - what the low income nation usually associated with - low income activities.

So, that how and where the local investor can comeback and fill in the 'competency gap' in our economy structure.  With the capital they have with them, giants like Maxis and KNM (I can only think two right now) can play their role to be the provider of technology.  It worth noted that this in also something related with the New Economic Model - to achieve a high income economy.

Well, we better start working (before it's too late - read here) since we really have a lot to do.

SC to change M&A rules?

Here comes some business news... for those who have business sense ;)

The regulators are very likely to raise the shareholder approval threshold of merger & acquisition/privitisation deals to 75% in the coming weeks. Read more here, here, here and here.

Sound like bad news, anyone?

Money isn't everything

In business, you need right decision making tools in order to make the right decision and enable your business to grow. Business decisions are made according to a few factors... which usually will be gathered, studied, analysed and examined thoroughly by the company management.

This is the process that we identified as the viability study. The final objective of the study is to determine whether a venture will be profitable and worth to be pursued. Common measurement usually based on monetary/financial parameters - ROI, IRR,and/or NPV.  Hey, that's what business is all about - to make more and more money!!

But don't get me wrong. The above-mentioned are the process taken if the people involved are sensible enough to make business decisions - we call it business sense (but if it involves a bunch of stupid morons, then don't bother to think lah).

However, in non-business environment, decision making process can be more complicated, or it can be just a split of a second process... depending on what context the decision is to be made. The more importantly, monetary value is not the sole... and sometimes not the utmost priority. Pride, self-respect, honour and fete are sometimes are the more important intangible parameters to be measured and considered.

And still, these consideration are depending on the man himself. Sometimes, monetary parameters are valued more than than the intangible factors... than that explains why man conducts profiteering, laundering (plundering??), and creative accounting in business - I mean the illegal & unethical one (doesn't that sound alarming??)

I'm going to make one soon, and I'm going to weight my self-pride and self-respect above all - because money isn't everything to me. Sometimes, it's not just money and status that really matter here. To those guys, respect and be honest to yourself, it's not too late to stop NOW!!

a new hope at last?

It was a long, dark, tempestuous, wild and stormy night, waiting patiently but not without an eminent peak of anxiousness, for the sun to rise...

Finally, I saw the first light, in the seems not too far celestial horizon… a glance of NEW HOPE... there, at last.

With hope… it is not a fata morgana, I pray to Allah…

(5) You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help.

(6) Guide us to the straight path.

(7) The way of those on whom You have granted Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray)

Surah Al-Fatihah : 5-7

Finally?

Just two glasses a day...

Most of the time, we are too busy thinking, handling and messing with other things around us that we even forget to think about our health.

Hey, I'm 31 this year. Perhaps I should start drinking milk before it's too late. Read here to learn more.

Listen to your Bone

p/s: This is a social message brought to you from 4942 Lorong Bangau.

Living in denial?

“It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.” - Bill Watterson, Creator of Calvin and Hobbes.

A fact is a fact... whether or not you like it. It is about the truth... the real things that happen around you. Either you face it, or drop it... the truth is the truth. You can never run away from the fact.

Denial is something that anyone and everyone is susceptible to. While it won't kill you, it can certainly dampen your day, your job, and your life. Does that sound alarming? But still, some choose to live in denial... rejecting the truth although the fact is straight in front of them. Maybe it is the easiest way out. You can live happily in an imaginary life that you create rather than confronting the fact.

But the question is... for how long? How long do you plan to pretend to live a wonderful life? Joking and fooling around with your friends and family as there are nothing to be worried about? One year, perhaps two... hem, maybe three... possibly four... Is it possible for you to do that?

When you decide to face the truth... no matter how worse it can be, how pain it can cause you, how costly the price to pay... it reflects the strength within you. Only then you are a real man.

Perhaps, I should be one.

Arghhh... another round?

Huhuhuu... I went to the gym this morning and successfully burnt some 200cal there. Not bad, since I didn't make any fat burning effort since last Friday. At least that should burn the nice, juicy and sweet satay that I bought from the pasar malam last night.

By the way, I have a short conversation with my dad last night. He was away to KT for the state assembly and I have not met him since last Sunday.

Here goes...

Dad : How was your day?
Me : Emmm (not sure what to say), ok kot.
Dad : So... how's the guys had been doing?
Me : Emmm... some of them are not around, others as 'usual'.
Dad : Sabarlah, sket lagi tuh (he sense something from my voice... agrhhh did he knows my plan already?!!)
Me : Sket lagi? What do you mean?
Dad : Just be patient, don't lose hope... yet. Soon... soon...

Than he left me with question marks in my head... SOON??

Again?

Do you have business sense?!!

Well, some people don't!!!

Obviously, not all businessmen have business sense!! But then, how did they manage to grow their huge business empire? Or in some particular cases, find their way up to the corporate board room?

The answer is pretty obvious... both you and I know... POLITIC!!! Yes, it is know WHO is important here... no longer know HOW. As long as you are directly connected to somebody who are politically in charge, or at least linked to their 'supply' chain, than that's it... you are already there.

That's why when this kind of people take charge of a company, they make decisions which are sometimes silly, occasionally stupid, at times awkward, once in a while clumsy, and most of the time are non(business)-sense!! Yes, they are not fit to be (true) businessmen or lead corporations (alas... they think they do).

Please bear in mind that even once-indestructible, world-class companies such as Sears, AT&T, Xerox and Kodak after enjoying their time at the peak, gradually been ravaged by their competitors. The message is simple - good companies fail when the management are unable or are unwilling to change to keep up with significant external environment changes. That's why a corporate leader need a business sense - at least to get in tandem to the new reality of the changing business world.

Beware of the signs of arrogance and the signs to look out for such as not listening to customers, being high-handed and browbeating others. Sounds familiar? How about complacency and a situation where previous success (kudos to your predecessors) breeds failure?

Hahah, that's what I'm talking about. Once, you feel good about your self, than you're in trouble. Well, don't be surprised that some top executives of 'giant' or 'feel-like-giant' corporations still practice them. I met one already.

Again, ask your self. "Do you have business-sense?"

So what even if it is from Israel?!!

Najib today re-iterate here that 1Malaysia concept is original and not copied from Israel or any where else as previously accused by DS Anwar Ibrahim.

Well, even if it is from Israel, as long as it brings goodness, stability and better inter-racial understanding and integration among Malaysian which will translate into political and economic stability which are the platform to provide better life and opportunities for everybody... so be it!!

Even the Prophet SAW himself had instructed the Muslim children to learn from the enemy(war prisoners) that they seized during the battle of Badr.

We must admit that currently, Muslim in average are economically, educationally, militarily and financially (and in lots of other areas) lesser than that of their Christian and Jews neighbours (Chinese & Indian if in Malaysia).

So what's wrong to copy and learn from the better(if not the best)? I see no issue to be discussed here Dato' Seri (except for the sake of your politically-ill-as-usual-intention)

Perhaps DS Anwar Ibrahim should come out with something more constructive rather than the destructive efforts that he made so far. Malaysian deserved to have opposition of better quality - rather than this one.

I' m back!!

Hi!!

Phewwh, the last time i logged into this blog was more than one year ago (glad the blog is still around)

Nothing really interesting happened... except for having a new son, Muhammad Irshad Rifaie (born on 24 February 2010), Irham started his schooling early this year, and re-hiring my ex-maid again... . But all these reflect only to one major issue --> the already scarce resources i have with me stretched to the limit!!

Muhammad Irshad Rifaie

2009 was a year of pain. But i have not gain much (no pain no gain, huh), both career and business wise (except for the pain caused by some mad woman).

I think re-assessment of the overall situation must be made quickly. Things cannot be dragged this way forever, it soon will destroy motivation and will to move forward.

You must be in control of your own FUTURE!! (not by a bunch of stupid morons who know nothing except for bullshitting all the time)

Well... the clock is ticking and there are only two months to go.

Hope this is the right path to take.

Let us pray together.