Jason Liew

Recently, I have written a post talking about Malaysia’s Government newly proposed RM 500 Million donation to Cambridge University.  The post was far spread, and surprisingly, some of my readers, were from Cambridge University.
(For oversea readers, $1= RM 3.6 +-0.1)

Have a look at the images, those are visitor data for some of them. Due to piracy matter, I have erased the IP Address and also the Host, but you can see clearly the Internet Service Provider (ISP) is written “University of Cambridge”.

Was that a student? a worker? Or the CEO that can’t wait to confirm the Malaysia’s extremely GENEROUS donation to his school? Based on “Referring” data, the aforementioned person seem impatient and had used Google to search for further details about the donation.

I bet he was laughing after knowing that a small country in Asia is trying to “buy” its way to Cambridge University. Comparing his country and mine, Malaysia is nothing, both in term of economy strength and academic achievement.

To those smart guys in University of Cambridge, you all might wonder why Malaysia government is so determined to donate to an extremely well established university in a rich developed country, while Malaysia itself is actually absolutely far worse off.

This is because, some governments in this world, they prefer to admit they are stupid through a so-called “elegant silence” and continue their plan, rather than admitting they are wrong, and stop the plan.

Maybe my friend, Hao Shaun, is correct: “In this world, we need some people to act dumb, in order to make others look good.” And perhaps that’s why, you all the smart guys, are studying or working in University of Cambridge, while most of us aren’t. 

For Related Posts : Malaysia Donates RM 500 Million to Cambridge University?

Tags: Cambridge, University, Blog, United+Kingdom, RM+500+Million, Malaysia, Government, Partnership, Education, Politics, Elegant, silence

Having read an article by Lim Kit Siang, a prominent leader of an opposition party in Malaysia, it was told that Malaysia government had proven to the world, again, their genuine concern about education, by proposing to donate RM500 Million to Cambridge University. 

(For oversea readers, the exchange rate is approximately,  $1 = RM 3.6 +- 0.1 )

Pride? Privilege? or Partnership?   Poor performed Proton, we sell it; Messed up local education system, we buy our way to UK’s? It is too early to tell yet. We are all waiting for an answer from the Parliament. The following are some highlights of Lim’s article.

” I asked the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapha Mohamed during the budget debate on his ministry yesterday whether it is true that the government had agreed to give a RM500 million donation to Cambridge University and that Petronas and Khazanah Nasional had each forked out RM190 million. “

 

“ Mustapha denied that there had been a RM500 million donation to Cambridge University, but he did not completely dismiss the subject, using terms like “premature” and “final decision has yet to be made”

” ….as well as the reason for the government giving consideration to such an extraordinary endowment to Cambridge University, Mustapha said that this was part of the Ministry’s “smart partnership” with foreign universities to achieve excellence in tertiary education.  “

Toll Subsidy? No money.

Fuel Subsidy? No money.

Chinese school? No money.

Tamil School? No money.

The first Malaysian astronaut? RM95 Million.

New Palace?  RM 400 Million.

Sport Centre in London? RM 490 Million.

Cambridge Donation? RM 500 Million.

The pride of being a Malaysian? Priceless.

For the complete article by Lim,  it’s here.

For Related Posts: Michael Backman vs Rafidah Aziz , What Michael Backman talked about Malaysia, UMNO GA Motorshow , MasterCard Priceless TV Ads

Tags: Lim+Kit+Siang, Politician, Parliament, Politics, Donation, Cambridge, University, Education, Partnership, Datuk, Mustapa, Mohamed, RM500+million, Malaysia

I love to watch The Amazing Race by CBS. To me, it is one of the best reality TV shows. Watching people race around the world is so exciting and eye-opening. Recently, I found out that my blog, www.JasonLiew.com , seem like participating in The Amazing Race also, but the Blog Edition. 

The following are some visitor records provided by Stat Counter, a company that tracks and records some useful statistical data of their clients’ website. 

The above map shows which countries are reading my blog yesterday. Frankly, I’m not a million dollar blogger that has millions visitors monthly. However, it does feel good to know how far your thoughts, your words and  your crap,  can be spread out to the world.   Do have a look, and check out whether your country is reading my blog yesterday. (Flagged region indicates reader’s location)

Due to the free package features, the log size of visitor data is limited to the most recent 100 visitors only (hahaha, I’m too poor to pay).  Therefore, the map above and some charts below, might not reflect the exact big picture. A good example is the comparison between the two charts below, on the same day different time. However, I think this is sufficient for an amateur blogger like me.

This is the visitor data chart for 4th December.

The following are the comparison charts for yesterday, 5th DEC, at different time.

So, how to win this The Amazing Race Blog Edition? I think the person that makes you hardly see a single country’s name on the map, is the winner of the race.

Embracing diversity, not only the geographical one, but also the diversity of human being, is the sure way to happiness and success. The slogan of HSBC—“The World’s Local Bank” is one of the best examples. Accepting you and me are different, and it is the differences that make the world so wonderful, and our lives so interesting. I think that is the most beautiful lesson of life for everyone of us.

Okay, I have reached the Pit Stop of the race for today, see you tomorrow.

For Related Posts :  Jason’s blog is being ranked NO.3 Worldwide, Jeremy’s Web Stats

Tags: The+Amazing+Race, Reality, TV, Show, CBS, Blog, Statistics, Data, StatCounter, Tracker, web, Visitor, Jason, Liew, Diversity

Michael Backman is back.

Started with “While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry”, he is now  coming back with another interesting and controversial post criticizing Rafidah Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister for Trade and Industry.

Some highlights of Michael Backman’s new article, “Malaysia bites back and industriously trades the insults” :

“The minister, Rafidah Aziz, declared somewhat imperiously that she didn’t care what I said because I am a foreigner and I probably don’t know much about Malaysia anyway.”

“Rafidah added to her remarks about my column that no Malaysian should say such things……. But then the idea that Malaysians cannot comment publicly about how their country is run but a non-Malaysian can, is disgraceful.“

“Perhaps Rafidah needs to be reminded who pays her salary.”

“…recent UN figures show that from 2004 to 2005, foreign investment in Malaysia fell by 14 per cent, when the world economy was enjoying one of its longest periods of growth. One might wonder what the Trade and Industry Minister has actually been doing.”

“…. an assistant minister told the Malaysian Parliament that Malaysia’s first astronaut to be sent into space next year aboard a Russian space mission will be tasked to play batu Seremban, a traditional Malay children’s game played with pebbles, will do some batik painting and will make teh tarik, a type of Malaysian milky tea, all to see how these things can be done without gravity.”

Hey, the idea of making Teh Tarik without gravity is cool. It is definitely going to be an eye opener, and for sure, an expensive one.

For the complete article of “Malaysia bites back and industriously trades the insults”, it is here.

For related posts: What Michael Backman Talked About Malaysia  ,  Why We Fight

Tags: Malaysia, bites, back, and, industriously, trades,  the, insults, Michael+Backman, Columnist, Malaysia, Race, Wealth+Inequality, Share, KLSE, Malay, Chinese, Rafidah, Aziz, Minister, Trade, Industry, Astronaut, Space, Russian

This is a satellite image from United States Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld during an Oct. 11 briefing. The image showed the two Koreas — North and South — photographed at night.

“The South Korea was illuminated from coast to coast, suggesting that not just lights, but that other, arguably more bedrock utility of the modern age — information — was pulsating through the population.”

“The North Korea was black.”

“While other restrictive regimes have sought to find ways to limit the Internet — through filters and blocks and threats — North Korea has chosen to stay wholly off the grid.”

“North Korea is an impoverished country where televisions and radios are hard-wired to receive only government-controlled frequencies. Cellphones were banned outright in 2004. In May, the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York ranked North Korea No. 1 — over also-rans like Burma, Syria and Uzbekistan — on its list of the “10 Most Censored Countries.”

Thinking that you are living without much freedom? Try to think about North Korea next time.

North Korea was so proud of its recent nuclear warhead test. It is commonly known that,  making nuclear warheads is far more expensive than building Internet. Clearly, the problem is not money, it is politics.

For the complete article by The New York Times, it is here.

Tags: North, South, Korea, Nuclear, Satellite, Image, Information, Censor, Internet, ban, government, Test, Warhead

“…there is one road in Putrajaya that is different. Although the path affords a telescopic view of the onion-domed citadel that is the new prime-ministerial office, this strip of asphalt is mysteriously overgrown with weeds and scrub. No gleaming skyscrapers have taken root here. Only one building stands forlornly at the road’s dead end: the office of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the man whose two-decade building spree turned Malaysia into an economic tiger and whose grandiose dream included the construction of Putrajaya itself. The irony for the 81-year-old Mahathir must be overwhelming: Is this really how the story of one of Asia’s modernizing forces is to conclude, at the dead end of an unkempt road in the futurist metropolis he created? …”

Being an avid reader of TIME magazine, I have read this article a few weeks ago through my subscription. Published in TIME magazine dated 6 November 2006, I recently found out that this article is now available in FULL CONTENT online. Nice thing, the link is here.

We are not childish to think that there is an absolute “right” and “wrong” in every conflict. Have a look at 9-11 and Iraq War, history had proven more than once that, the leader with the most support is not necessary having truth at his side.   Every man has his own view, especially for those great politicians leading nations with vision and passion. Therefore, what we are trying to do, is not to judge, but to understand. Following blindly is purely an act of loyalty. What we need at this troubled moment of Malaysia,  is not more loyalty, but more rationality.

For Related Posts :

TIME’s Interview: Mahathir, TIME’s Extended Interview: Mahathir,

TIME’s Interview: Abdullah, UMNO General Assembly,  What Michael Backman talked about Malaysia , Why We Fight

Tags: Mahathir, Mohamad, Abdullah, Badawi, Former, Prime, Minister, Interview, TIME, Magazine, Asia, Politics, Economy, Racism, Corruption, Chinese, Malays, UMNO

The original article by Disillusioned Rebel was good. However, I found out that what Mamakk comment about that post, was even better. Short and precise. It has just struck a cord with me, saying that “Damn it, that is so true!”

“IMHO, by creating more barriers to education, business, etc for the Chinese, it only strengthened them. Now, it’s the norm for all middle-class Chinese families to send their children overseas for further education. And when they do come back, with a prestigious degree, a wider outlook of the world and a deep resolve to continue to better themselves, to expect no sympathy and handouts, can you really blame them for doing better and them feeling proud about their achievements?

Even worse, when they get back home after a day’s hard work and switch on the TV: they see politicians asking them to go back to China if they don’t like it here, they see politicians threatening to use the keris, they see double-standards in the execution of the law, they see megaprojects involving billions of ringgit being wasted away, they see, they see, they see.”

Have a read about it, it’s definitely worth your time. The mamakk link is here. 

For related posts : The Malaysian Chinese Dilemma, UMNO General Assembly

Tags: Politics, Economy, Wealth, Inequality, Racism, Chinese, Malays, Malaysia

I saw this BMW advertisement today.

At the right bottom, it was written “BMW,  voted the favorite car in France.”

In the advertisement, a French “Road Authority officer”, had given fines to all those overtime cars behind BMW. However, the officer was trying to pay for the overtime BMW.

A quite nice ads in illustrating that French likes BMW.

After watching BMW ads, it reminded me about  this YouTube video by Malaysian, that I had watched a few months ago. Having similar theme with the BMW ads,  the only difference was that, the latter wasn’t just an ads, but a reality in Malaysia. 
( For RSS readers, the video link is here. )

Trying to differentiate them by Branding and Bureaucracy, for  the former ads and the latter video, they were all alike. I looked from BMW to Malaysian’s, and from Malaysian’s to BMW again; but it was already impossible to say which was which.

For Related Posts : How much I Paid for Illegal Parking,
The Best Way to Fight Corruption is To Corrupt, The Ending of Animal Farm

Tags: BMW, Car, Illegal, Parking, France, Malaysia, Police, Sticker, Immunity, Fine, Animal+Farm, Branding, Bureaucracy, Advertisement,

With the publication of Gizmodo, mamakk, and thousands of updated and tech savvy blogs, we had created a massive public pressure on this pirated iPod Nano seller, “Double Click”. And he has decided to close the aforementioned deal in Low Yat Forum.

Being a Low Yat Forum member,  I have sent “Double Click” a link for my today post. This is an apology message from the seller, “Double Click”, replying me through forum system.

I sincerely hope that, this is putting an end to the issue.
Besides that, “Double Click” is now selling ORIGINAL GeForce graphic cards and some beautiful laptop skins. Compared to those illegal stuff, this sounds far better.

Yes, I am quite happy today.
Through this issue, bloggers have taught me about THE POWER OF JOURNALISM. 

For related posts : Apple iPod vs Epal iPod, Mamakk’s blog about Fake iPod

Tags: Fake, Apple, iPod, Epal, Double+Click, Gizmodo, Forum, Journalism

With some photos given by my helpful friend, Sam from HELP A Levels, today I would like to proudly present you a reality slide show about “What is Poverty?” according to Malaysia’s ruling party, UMNO of Barisan Nasional.

Recently, Under the leadership of Malaysia Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, UMNO has started its General Assembly.

Inside the assembly hall, all kinds of controversial issues are being discussed, such like “Malays are being polarized under current economic structure”, ” The inequality of wealth distribution between Malays and Non-Malays”, “The racial integration” and “The unity of the nation”.

Outside the assembly hall, UMNO’s members are telling another story, a story of blood and tears about how HARD, how TROUBLED and how MISERABLE Malays’ lives are, in this oil exporting nation, Malaysia. 

Shall we begin? For This UMNO 2006 General Assembly Motorshow, this year the theme is “What is Poverty?”. For overseas friends, the currency of Malaysia is RM, the exchange rate is $1 to RM3.6 +-0.1 .

Firstly, Malays said they are poor! We need government help! “I can’t even afford to pay car parking fee.” I need to risk my supercharged Mercedes Benz Brabus E-Class by illegal parking it outside the hall.”

After that,  Malays begged again, “Stop rising the petrol price!”,  claiming that they can hardly cope with their fuel expenditure. While they are driving some of the most oil consuming luxurious cars, Porsche Cayenne and Brand New Mercedes Benz S-Class 350. Each of them cost approximately RM 1 Million after 200% Malaysia’s Imports Taxation.

Then, Malays shouted again, “I don’t have a driver, I lead a primitive and laborious life of finding cark park space daily.” However, they can afford to purchase RM500,000 supercharged Mercedes Benz AMG C-Class 240 Avantgrande and  RM1.5 Million Porsche Turbo S.

Apart from that, some started to defend Malaysia’s government and said, “ It is absolutely justified to build Putrajaya.” Without that remote administration, the traffic of this city would be a disaster. Just like this car park is full, we need to park our “cheap” Mercedes Benz S-Class and “mediocre” Jaguar S- Type outside here.

Subsequently,  some Malays argue that “Car purchasing discount for Malays is justified, since transportation is but a necessity.” Are Mercedes Benz S-Class, AMG Mercedes Benz E-Class,  BMW 5 Series and Toyota Harrier, some of those necessities?

Two dark blue Mercedes Benz E-Class said, “We are poor!”.

The SSangYong Korean car said,” I’m poorer!”.

Kia Carnival fought back, “I’m the poorest!”.

Both Mercedes Benz cars asked Kia Carnival, “Who is your owner?”

Kia Carnival answered “My owner is  a Malay janitor cleaning toilets in the UMNO assembly hall.”

What is the wealth inequality that some Malays fighting for?
According to UMNO, what is poverty?
This?

This?

or This?

Today, UMNO tells us that, poverty is a brand NEW BMW 7 series with single numbered car plate.  (In Malaysia, single numbered car plate is obtained through EXTREMELY expensive tender by Malaysia Road Authorities)

Furthermore, UMNO proves to the people in every far flung corner of this world, that poverty justifies the illegal parking of this Mercedes Benz S-Class 320 with single numbered car plate, even there is a big “NO PARKING” sign at the right side of the wall.

A car sticker written in Malay Language, “Kami Cinta Pak Lah” means “We love Pak Lah” Pak Lah is a friendly nickname for Malaysia current Prime Minister Abdul“LAH” Ahmad Badawi. Yes, I love Pak Lah also, but I love his UMNO members’ cars even more.

What we have learnt today? We have learnt about what is the so-called “poverty” by UMNO Malays. We have finally understood that “Action speaks louder that word.” It was not about the interesting debates or fiery speeches inside the assembly hall; In contrary, it was the small little thing outside the hall, that UMNO Malays forgot to cover, told the world the most about HOW POOR THEY ARE.

For related previous posts : Why We Fight, What Michael Backman Talked about Malaysia, How much I paid for Illegal Parking in Malaysia

Tags: UMNO, Malaysia+Ruling+Party, Malays, Barisan+Nasional, UMNO+General+Assembly, Prime+Minister, Abdullah+Ahmad+Badawi, Politics, Economics, Wealth+Inequality, Racial+Integration, Luxurious+Cars, Mercedes+Benz, BMW, Porsche, Brabus, AMG