MERBOK TIMES: 04 May 2010

04 May, 2010

Asas Serba ~nothing to do with Daim Zainudin?

(The Star ~Tuesday May 4, 2010)

Asas Serba: No single individual will control highways
By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU

PETALING JAYA: Asas Serba Sdn Bhd, which is proposing to take over 23 tolled roads and highways in the country, said no single individual would control the highways as institutional shareholders and bondholders would dictate how the company is run.

The company, which has yet to receive an answer from the Government on its proposal, said its bold takeover plan was workable and it did not need a government guarantee to make the offer bankable.

“It (the new concession company) is not going to be owned by any individual. You will have the dividend bondholders who will dictate,’’ said Asas Serba director Ibrahim Bidin. “Cronyism is not going to be an issue.’’

Ibrahim Bidin (left) and Datuk Syed Amin Aljeffri
Ibrahim was responding to talk that Asas Serba was a front for ex-Renong group boss Tan Sri Halim Saad or former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.
“The procedure has to be proper. This is a national interest project and not a private project,’’ said another Asas Serba director Datuk Syed Amin Aljeffri.

At a media briefing yesterday, Asas Serba said it planned to issue bonds with a dividend component to pay for the estimated RM50bil it would cost to complete the transaction.

The bonds, which will be issued by the new concession company set up by Asas Serba and other new shareholders, would carry an annual coupon rate of 7% plus a share of profits that is equivalent to a 2.5% to 5% effective yield.

The bonds with the dividend sweetener will be issued with tenures to be fixed based on the projected cashflow statements of the toll-road companies.

Asas Serba said the share of profits would give bondholders the benefit of sharing the upside of the returns to the new concession company.

Its proposal contains a number of options for current shareholders and lenders. The lenders can cash out of their investment, invest in the bonds that the new concession company will issue or stay on as creditors. Shareholders too can choose to cash out, invest in the bonds or invest as shareholders in the new company.
“We need the Government to say yes before we can make a formal offer to the toll-road companies,’’ Ibrahim said.

Asas Serba’s offer entails road users getting a 20% discount on the toll rate as of January 2008 – 10% based on today’s toll rates PLUS charges after inputting the compensation from the Government. And while it would need to work out new concession agreements with the Government, it is not seeking an extension of the concession period of the current agreements.

The company believes that its plan would work as it centres on making the operations of the highways more efficient by reducing costs. The company feels it can cut costs by 15% in a short time and implement programmes to raise non-toll revenue.

The company’s financial model uses a traffic growth volume of 3% to 4% a year, which it said was less than the current 5% per year experienced by the main toll-road operators.

It said any future expansion of the highways, should it take over the concessions, would have to be negotiated separately with the Government.

Ibrahim said the company had met a few interested parties that were interested in selling their highways

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Penemuan Tamadun Sungai Batu Mengesahkan Tamadun Awal

May 05, 2010 19:06 PM

SUNGAI PETANI, 5 Mei (Bernama) -- Penemuan bukti-bukti baru penempatan manusia di Sungai Batu dalam kawasan Lembah Bujang, yang menonjolkan negara ini sebagai kawasan tamadun terawal di Asia Tenggara, semakin jelas.

Pesuruhjaya Warisan Jabatan Warisan Negara, Prof Emeritus Datin Paduka Zuraina Majid berkata bukti itu ditemui hasil kajian saintifik oleh Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

"Penemuan kepelbagaian bentuk monumen bertarikh 1,900 tahun (110 Masehi), tulisan, industri besi dan perdagangan (tidak terhad kepada candi dan artifak) memberi interpretasi dan kefahaman sejarah warisan lebih komprehensif dan menyeluruh.

"Penemuan ini menceritakan sejarah dan warisan yang kukuh selain memberi impak untuk negara dan tamadun awal Asia Tenggara," katanya semasa memberi taklimat kepada puteri Sultan Kedah, Datuk Seri Tunku Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah yang melawat tapak penyelidikan arkeologi Sungai Batu, Taman Sejarah Negara Lembah Bujang, dekat sini, pada Rabu.

Prof Zuraina berkata penemuan satu kompleks baru di Sungai Batu yang mempunyai 90 tapak dalam kawasan seluas tiga kilometer persegi menjadi kunci kewujudan tamadun awal itu.

Beliau berkata USM sedang melakukan kajian saintifik iaitu penggalian dan analisis ke atas 10 daripada 30 tapak yang menunjukkan bukti saintifik tamadun awal di Sungai Batu boleh disahkan.

Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas itu, Prof Zuraina berkata pihaknya merancang membuka galeri untuk mempamer dan mendedahkan penemuan penting berkenaan serta persidangan antarabangsa bagi mendedahkannya kepada dunia luar di Kuala Lumpur, Julai ini.

"Bagaimanapun Jabatan Warisan Negara menghadapi masalah kerana kedudukan 10 tapak tersebut terletak atas tanah seluas 22 hektar milik individu," katanya.

-- BERNAMA

Mari belajaq loghat kedah - By Hemu

Arini ada majlis Maulidul Rasul kat maktab, adala sorang penceramah ni bg ceramah dalam loghat kedah, pekat abis la sleng kedah dia, kesian lak tgk cikgu2 pelatih dari sekolah lain tak paham apa dia cakap, cikgu2 dari Aceh lagi tergamam~ lalu aku pun terpikir nak buat ni

Mari belajaq loghat kedah

A) K, macam mana yang hangpa dah tau, loghat kedah ni selalu kene ade "aq" setiap kat kali ade "r" dibelakang perkataan, contohnya

air- ayaq
tukar- tukaq
fikir - fikiaq
alor- aloq
langsir - langsiaq
langsuir - hantu langsiaq
setar- setaq
bingung - bengong

B) Jika perkataan tu diakhiri dengan "S", selalunya akan di gantikan dengan "ih"

terus - teruih
lurus - luih
bas - baih

C) Selain itu

utara- utagha
corner - kona

p:s - tapi tak semua perkataan perlu ditukaq, aaa macam ni

bangsar - bangsar (mana ada bangsaq)
slumber - slumber ( takkan slumbeq kut)
lagi aku pun lupa, :)) nanti aku update len kat sini

D) Ada perkataan asal yang orang kedah tukaq separuh ja,
contohnya seperti ayat-ayat berikut

- Kak Pah berletiaq kat anak dia sebab buaih sangat (leter, buas atau nakal)
- Amad seorang budak yang ketegag (nakal, dari perkataan tegar kut)
- Benang yang Afa bagi tu haluih sangat (sangat halus)
- Emy meluruihkan rambutnya (meluruskan)
- Stan dengan hat lain apa habaq? ( yang lain apa khabar)
- Ayda tidoq berdengkoq ( Tidur, berdengkur)
- Sepa Adi jalan lagu tu? Biaq pila kat dia ( Kenapa, macam tu, biarlah)
- Shahnon minum ayaq tawaq ( air tawar)
- Suara OC deraih betui (kuat betul)
- Jay2 tak dapat pakai seluaqnya sebab tak celuih ( celus atau muat)

E) Ada perkataan yang orang kedah tukaq semua sekali, contoh camni

- Kucing itu tokak tangan Pjay sampai berdarah (gigit)
- Nyamuk itu ketit tangan Zam (gigit kecil)
- Yan berlemuih sebab terjatuh terpeluih longkang (kotoq sangat, peliuh ni ape ntah :P)
- Imah cemuih dengan panggilan ya ka (bosan, yeke)
- Eti pesiang ikan nak buat ikan tiga rasa. ( potong ikan)
- Bajet duit Azrul jatuh merudum ( menjunam)
- Chenard lonyang katil selepas kerja (terbongkang atas)
- Aleen bangun pagi-pagi muka macam peot (muke busuk)
- Ira tempet muka dengan bedak sejuk (tampal)
- Sara bukak pintu terpelahang sampai orang boleh nampak ( luas)
- Anak menakan Siti jalan gelong (sedara, tak lurus)
- Nikelin baling kokulator sampai terborai (terkeluar semua)

F) lain-lain perkataan

Baloq Liat - Pemalas tanak buat kerja tahap dewa
Dah jumpa gu - Jumpa pasangan
Kawaq - Pencuri
Hawaq- Jahat tahap dewa gak
Kejan- Paksa
Katuk - Ketuk / Pukul

Sebenarnya ada banyak lagi, tapi buat masa ni aku tak ingat lak, so lain kali jela ek aku taip lagi, ada sapa2 yang teringat bahasa kedah yang lain lagi tak? meh tulis sini

G) Kisah orang yang salah bahasa -

Adalah suami isteri ni, suaminya orang kedah manakala isterinya org selangor, suatu hari ada la beberapa ekor nyamuk masuk rumah diorg, pastu si isteri katalah, "Bang nyamuk ni gigit tangan cheq la.."

Lalu si suami ni menegur " Nyamuk tu bukan gigit, tapi kertit hang". Lalu bergadola suami isteri ni, ada yang kata gigit, ada yang kata kertit. Lalu si suami ni pun explain la. "Kalau gigit tu kenala ada gigi, sbb gigit, kalau kertit tu gigit juga tapi tak pakai gigi. Nyamuk ada gigi tak, yang? " Lalu si isteri pun akur.

Keesokannya. ada kucing masuk rumah suami isteri ni dan mengigit tangan anak mereka. Si isteri ni lalu berkata, "Bang tengokla tangan anak kita ni kene gigit dengan kucing ni"

Lalu si suami pun menegur, "Tu bukan gigit namanya, tu tokak" kata suami. " Pulok dah, aritu abang cakap kalau pakai gigi tu gigit namanya" kata isteri.

Suami pun mengeksplen, "Kalau gigitan tu keluar darah, kita panggil tokak, kalau tak keluar darah orang panggil gigit" Lalu si isteripun menjawab " Oh Yakaaaa??"

Hahaha.. macam2 kan, aku pun tatau kesahihan cite ni, tapi aku rasa si suami tu merapu je kut

Sekian saja hasil repekan dan kerepekkan ku, terima kasih~

Hemu.

SOFT POWER

Soft power is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a country’s culture, political ideals, and policies.

America has long had a great deal of soft power; young people behind The Iron Curtain listening to American music and news on Radio Free Europe; of Chinese students symbolizing their protests in Tiananment Square by creating a replica of the Statue of Liberty; of newly liberated Afghans in 2001 asking for a copy of Bill of Rights; of young Iranians today surreptitiously watching banned American videos and satellite television broadcasts in the privacy of their homes. These are all examples of America's soft power.

When you can get others to admire your ideals and to want what you want, you do not have to spend as much on sticks and carrots to move them in your direction. Seduction is always more effective than coercion, and many values like democracy, human rights, and individual opportunities are deeply seductive.

Much of American soft power has been produced by Hollywood, Harvard, Microsoft, Facebook and Michael Jordan

(Joseph S. Nye Jr, former Dean of The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, was Chairman of National Intelligent Council and Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Clinton Administration)

Monte Zain, Out Of Malaya

Monte Zain leaved his hometown of Alor Setar at the age of 20, he sailed as a seaman on a merchant ship on a voyage to the New World to pursue his unusual dream of becoming a Hollywood actor.

A young man of lesser character and determination would have been completely overwhelmed by cultural shock during his first week on American soil in June 1947 as he walked the streets of Harlem alone-surviving on bread and water from drinking fountains in New York Central Park - sleeping in subway trains and on park benches.

Deligence and thrift saw Monte Zain on the road towards an initial career as an actor. He studied and worked, sometime on three shifts in restaurant to support himself and his family back in Malaya, and not forgetting to set aside five dollars in a savings account from each paycheck to assist his friends in the "Saberkas" theater group to come to America for higher studies.

Life expose him to many types of people and interpersonal experiences. His likeness to Sabu of "The Elephant Boy" fame was a strong magnetic attraction in his many encounters with the opposite sex.

Circumtances beyond the control of mortal man intervened and short stopped his dream of a career on the Big Screen, but not before two of his Malayan friends came to join him in California for higher education opportunities. As for himself, Monte Zain joined the US Army, primarily, out of necessity and survival.

He finally became a citizen of the United States and settled permenantly in California with his Japanese-born soul mate.

Parlimen bubar

Sumber / Tarikh : Berita Harian Online 14 Februari 2008 – Khamis

KEPUTUSAN RASMI: Abdullah bersama Najib ketika mengumumkan pembubaran Parlimen pada sidang media di Putrajaya, semalam. Pembubaran DUN dibuat serentak untuk Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi semalam mengumumkan pembubaran Parlimen bagi membolehkan Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 diadakan, kira-kira 15 bulan lebih awal daripada tempoh penggal ke-11 berakhir Mei tahun depan.

Ditanya kenapa Parlimen dibubarkan 15 bulan lebih awal, Abdullah berkata: "Tidak ada kesalahan, saya fikir elok juga kalau kita dapat buat waktu ini. "Tak ada masalah yang timbul dan saya percaya dengan kekuatan mandat nanti, insya-Allah, kita akan dapat meneruskan lagi usaha untuk memajukan negara dan memberi nikmat kepada rakyat."

Pemimpin-pemimpin yang pernah berjasa di Merbok

Di bawah ialah di antara pemimpin-pemimpin yang pernah berjasa di Merbok. Semua mereka yang pernah berkhidmat kepada rakyat Merbok adalah bertaraf Menteri kabinet.

Tetapi semua itu telah berlalu. Hari ini kepimpinan Merbok telah hancur berderai seperti kaca terhempas ke batu. Tiada lagi kegemilangannya.

Adakah ini kehendak rakyat Merbok atau sepak terajang politiking UMNO Merbok yang tidak kesudahan menyebabkan seluruh rakyat Merbok hari ini sengsara kerana pemimpin yang ada seperti ular sawa tiada gigi.

Jetty Merbok

This picture was not part of what I had in mind as the idea was to capture the sunset at the jetty in Merbok Beradik**. After having shot the sunset, I found the bridge was basked in the twilight of the dusk and the artificial lighting from the lamp posts. Couples with bridge's own reflection in the river, I quickly pulled out the camera to record the moment!

** Jeti Merbok Beradik is directly accessible from the North-South Highway via Sungai Petani Northern Toll Interchange and fronting the Western Bypass, is about 10km (6 minutes drive) after toll exit.
(taken from : LeeKamera.com)