Commercial Properties for Rent

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR RENT AT THE
AIRPORT CITY BUSINESS CENTRE
(next to Salak Tinggi ERL Station)
KOTA WARISAN
BANDAR BARU SALAK TINGGI - THE AIRPORT CITY
43900 SEPANG

I have several shop offices for rent at the Airport City Business Centre, Kota Warisan, Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi (The Airport City):

2 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM3,000) Available now.
2-1 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM2,000) Available now.
2-2 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,000) Available now.
6 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,200) Lights, fans, iron grilles and counters already installed. Available now.
6-2 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM500) Available now.
12 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,000) Available now.
20 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,000) Available now.
22 & 22-1 Jalan Airport City 2, Fully renovated (Monthly Rent: negotiable) Available now.
26 & 26-1 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,500) Available now.
56 Jalan Airport City 2 (Monthly Rent: RM1,200) Partially-furnished and renovated. Available now.
33 & 33-1 Jalan Airport City 1 (Monthly Rent: RM1,800) Available now.

Security Deposit: Two Months' Rent
TNB Deposit: RM2,000 for Ground Floor, RM1,000 for First and Second Floors
SYABAS Deposit: RM500 per Floor
Tenancy Agreement: RM250.00
Stamp Duty for Tenancy Agreement: to be calculated

Call 019-AT-AZLAN, 019-28-29526 for appointment to view properties that interest you. For more info about Kota Warisan, click here.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Kota Warisan Houses for Rent

Single-storey semi-detached houses for rent in
Kota Warisan
Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi - The Airport City
43900 SEPANG

1) 30 Jalan Warisan Permai 2/6 ~ Single-storey semi-detached house. 3 bedrooms (+ 1 bedroom/utility room), master bedroom with attached bathroom. Kitchen, living/dining area, porch, CLF. Same street as Pondok Polis Kota Warisan.
Rent: RM800/month.
Sorry, already taken.


Room for Rent in
Kota Warisan
Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi - The Airport City
43900 SEPANG


1) Smaller bedroom in Villa Impian apartment for rent. Rent RM200 inclusive of water, electricity and maintenance fees. Fully equipped kitchen.
Sorry, no longer available. Already taken on Sept 15, 2008.

Unique Features of Kota Warisan Properties:
Breath-taking views of green rolling hills and spectacular sunsets, three minutes' drive from Salak Tinggi KLIA Transit ERL station, two minutes' drive from primary school (SK Kota Warisan), 10 minutes' drive to Cyberjaya via B15, 15 minutes' drive to Putrajaya via B15, Pasar Malam Kota Warisan every Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm.

For more info about Kota Warisan, click here.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

West gone bananas

Three examples of the West gone soft in the head:

Transformers T-shirt is "security risk"?

Former sex symbol proves the truth
about empty-headed blond bimbos

Dunkin Donuts believes scarf a "terrorist attire"

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Petrol Price Hike

I'm quite certain that the Malaysian government will announce a petrol price hike on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 from the current RM1.92/litre to RM2.82/litre. This follows from a review of the fuel subsidy mechanism ~ although a quota system has already been mooted, implementing such a system is well beyond the mental capacity of our pea-brained Prime Minister. So its going to be a simple price hike.

Up-Date:
Okay, I was wrong. New price is RM2.704 per litre.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

GEN H-4

Wouldn't you like to have one of the world's smallest co-axial helicopter? Click here for details.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Cold Callers

Don't you just hate cold callers?

Yesterday, I got a call from this woman called Anisa (019-271 5214) of Iklisa Samudera Sdn Bhd inviting me to a business seminar at 7.30 pm today. Apparently, someone (I refrain from using the word "friend") who attended one of their previous seminars thought I was a petani and "kindly" gave them my handphone number.

Of course, I wasn't interested in wasting my time but I told her "Yes, I was coming," just to screw her up. Within 30 minutes a guy (probably her bloody upline) called up on a Private Number asking me to confirm my attendance. I just hate people calling from Private Numbers so I just kept quiet until he realised he was talking to himself and hung up. Then he and Anisa tried calling me umpteen times but I didn't pick up, I just let the phone ring.

In the meantime, Anisa sent an sms with their address and my "Pass Number." I suppose this was to ensure that the "friend" who referred me automatically becomes my "upline."

Today, another woman called Ida called up from 019-271 2790 asking me to confirm attendance for their taklimat bela ikan keli. I replied, "Oh, saya tak jadi lah."

She asked: "Kenapa?"

I replied: "Saya tersalah dengar. Ingatkan kursus cari bini. taklimat bela ikan keli saya tak minat, tapi kalau ada projek cari bini, saya tersangat minat."

She hung up.

I don't think I'll be hearing from those people at Iklisa Samudera Sdn Bhd of 303-3, 3rd floor, Jalan 14/22, Right Angle Park, Section 14, Petaling Jaya in a long while.

If you wanna give these cold callers a hard time, do ring them up and express an interest in attending their "taklimat projek cari bini."

Or, "projek cari laki," or even "projek ternakan bela babi" as the case may be.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Rice Update by FAO

Bumper rice harvest expected in 2008.

Strong signs of record rice production

But prices are expected to remain high in 2008 - Myanmar disaster could worsen outlook

12 May 2008, Rome - Rice production in Asia, Africa and Latin America is forecast to reach a new record level in 2008, FAO said today, warning that world rice prices could remain high in the short term, as much of the 2008 crops will only be harvested by the end of the year.

“World paddy production 2008 could grow by about 2.3 percent reaching a new record level of 666 million tonnes, according to our preliminary forecasts,” said FAO rice expert Concepcion Calpe.

Production growth could even be higher if recent appeals and incentives to grow more rice lead to a larger expansion of plantings, according to the Rice Market Monitor. “But the cyclone disaster in Myanmar could well worsen our forecast,” she added.

Myanmar
The destruction of Myanmar’s food basket may sharply decrease national rice production and impair access to food, according to first FAO estimates. The cyclone damage could worsen the current global rice production outlook. The cyclone struck when paddy farmers were harvesting their dry season crop accounting for 20 percent of annual production. Entire rice-growing areas are flooded and many roads and bridges are impassable. Several rice warehouses and stocks were destroyed. Rice prices in Rangoon have already surged by nearly 50 percent.

Myanmar may need to turn to neighbouring countries, such as Thailand and Viet Nam for rice imports. This could lead to further pressure on world prices.

Major gains
“For the first time, paddy production in Asia may surpass the 600 million tonne benchmark this year, amounting to 605 million tonnes,” Calpe said. “Major gains are expected all across the region. Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam could register the largest gains. Prospects are also buoyant for Indonesia and Sri Lanka, despite some recent flood-incurred losses,” Calpe said.

Assuming normal rains in the coming months, rice production in Africa is forecast to grow by 3.6 percent to 23.2 million tonnes in 2008, with large expansions anticipated in Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Nigeria. Paddy production in Latin America and the Carribbean is expected to rebound by 7.4 percent to 26.2 million tonnes in 2008. Production prospects, however, are negative for Australia, the United States and Europe.

Prices
Rice prices have skyrocketed by around 76 percent between December 2007 and April 2008, according to the FAO Rice Price Index. International rice prices are expected to remain at relatively high levels, as stocks held by exporters are expected to be reduced heavily. In addition, other large importers will probably return to the international market to buy rice, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Senegal. “Prices are expected to remain extremely firm, at least until the third quarter of 2008, unless restrictions on exports are eased in the coming months,” Calpe said.

In an attempt to avoid food scarcities in their own countries, major rice exporters have recently imposed export bans, taxes or minimum ceilings. “These measures further restricted the availability of rice supplies on international markets, triggering yet more price rises and tighter supply conditions. At the moment, only Thailand, Pakistan and the United States, among leading exporters, are exporting rice without any constraints,” Calpe added. Auctions by the Philippines to import massive volumes of rice have also contributed to record rice prices.

For prices to fall, favourable weather conditions must prevail in the coming months and governments relax rice export restrictions. Even then, rice prices are unlikely to return to the levels of 2007, as producers have to pay much more for their fertilizers, pesticides and fuel.

Export restrictions will influence trade in rice, estimated to reach 28.8 million tonnes in 2008, around 7 percent or 2.2 million tonnes lower than the 2007 record level.

Average world rice consumption per person is set to increase by 0.5 percent to 57.3 kilo per year, up from 57 kilo in 2007. Despite high rice prices, consumers seem to shift away from more expensive foods, in particular meat and meat products.

The sudden surge in world rice prices has shed some light on major medium term constraints that have been often ignored in the past two decades, such as low investment in agriculture, especially irrigation, reduced funding for agricultural research, environmental problems, stagnating productivity and migration from rural areas to the cities.

Food summit
Heads of State and Government will meet in Rome (3-5 June 2008) to discuss the impact of soaring food prices and how to improve world food security.

---

Contact:
Erwin Northoff
Media Relations, FAO
erwin.northoff@fao.org
(+39) 06 570 53105
(+39) 348 252 3616

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

American Child-Fucker Caught

A man suspected of sexually abusing boys in Thailand has appeared before a US court just hours after his arrest in the state of New Jersey.

Police arrested Wayne Nelson Corliss two days after Interpol released his picture appealing for public help in identifying the suspected paedophile.

Police in Norway had found images which allegedly show him abusing at least three boys aged six to 10. Three people in the US identified Mr Corliss to Interpol as the suspect.

The 58-year-old is an actor who played Santa Claus and painted children's faces, the manager of the apartment building where he lived told the Associated Press news agency.

He was arrested at his home in Union City, New Jersey, and charged with producing and distributing child pornography, officials said.

At his hearing on Thursday, Assistant US Attorney Lee Vartan said Mr Corliss had told the customs agents who arrested him that he had had sex with three boys over three nights in Thailand in 2002.

"He described it as 'euphoria' to the agents," Mr Vartan added.

Rare public appeal
Interpol said its unusual public appeal had led to more than 200 leads in the first 24 hours.

"The arrest of the suspected child sex abuser... came about as a result of independent tips provided via the internet to Interpol's headquarters in Lyon by three individuals living in the United States," Interpol said.

"Two days ago, this man's nationality, identity and location were totally unknown," said Interpol Secretary General Ronald K Noble.

"All we had to go by were a series of graphic photographs in which the suspect was seen sexually abusing young children".

Police first became aware of the suspect two years ago from photos of him found on the computer hard-drive of a man arrested in Norway and later convicted on paedophilia-related charges, Interpol said.

The pictures showed a grey-haired white man wearing glasses with no attempt to hide his features.

The photos were checked against Interpol's vast database of child abuse images but he could not be identified, so Interpol published the pictures on their website.

'Santa Claus'
Mr Corliss was described by Raven Squire, the superintendent of the apartment building where he lived, as a stable man who always paid his rent on time.

Judy Stone, a neighbour who worked with him as an entertainer, said he was "the best Santa Claus anyone has ever seen".

Customs agents found about 1,000 images of child pornography on computer hard drives in the apartment, Assistant US Attorney Lee Vartan said.

They also found several pairs of boys' underwear, including one that Mr Corliss said he had brought back from Thailand as a souvenir, the prosecutor added.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Royal Commission of Inquiry on VK Lingam Video

On the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the video clip showing lawyer VK Lingam talking on the phone about judicial appointments, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said the Cabinet would decide whether the report would be made public.

The commission comprises Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor as chairman, Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, Datuk Mahadev Shankar, Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

The 17-day inquiry began on Jan 14 and saw 21 witnesses taking the stand including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and three former chief justices.

The commission is expected to hand over its report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tomorrow.

Asked whether the report contained recommendations for action to be taken on certain people, Zaid said: "Let us get the report first. I can only make comments after studying it." — Bernama

+++++++++++++++++++

May 09, 2008 21:55 PM
PM Yet To Look At Commission's Report On Lingam's Video Clip

Kuala Lumpur, May 9 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Friday he will study the report by the Royal Commission on the V.K. Lingam video clip before deciding whether it will be made public or otherwise.

"I haven't seen it yet. Let me look at what is being said. Before looking at it, you (the media) have asked me to make a decision.

"I want to see the contents, what is being said, then we will decide," he told reporters after chairing a special meeting of the Umno Supreme Council at Menara Datuk Onn, here Friday.

The Royal Commission on the V.K. Lingam video clip had submitted its report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Friday.

When asked whether he had received a copy of the report, Abdullah said he had not seen the report.

"If it had been submitted to the Prime Minister's Department, it must have been at the time when we were having the cabinet meeting.

"After the cabinet meeting, we adjourned for Friday prayer. Later we came here for the UMNO meeting. I haven't seen it yet. I heard from you (media) that this has been sent to my office," he said.

-- BERNAMA

++++++++++

Lingam Video Clip Inquiry Report Should Be Made Public, Says Haidar

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- The Lingam video clip inquiry report should be made public, Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor, Chairman of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 14-minute controversial V.K. Lingam Video Clip, said Friday.

He, however, said it was up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to decide whether the contents of the report be revealed to the public or otherwise.

"Personally, I think the report should go to the public, but it is up to the Prime Minister," he told Bernama after handing the four volume 186-page report to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara.

The former Chief Judge of Malaya said he was satisfied with the findings of the 17-day inquiry which started on Jan 14.

Haidar said the five-member commission could not divulge the contents of the report but would recommend to the Prime Minister for the report to be made public.

"We also cannot reveal the four recommendations the commission had made in the report," he said when asked whether the commission would disclose its recommendations to the public.

He said commission secretary Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, who is also Director-General of the Legal Affairs Division in the Prime Minister's Department, would submit the report to the prime minister.

To a question that one of the commission's recommendations was to charge a few individuals in court, Haidar said it was not true.

Asked on why the commission had sought two extensions to submit the inquiry report to Tuanku Mizan, he said the commission needed more time to scrutinise the report as there were over 1,000 evidence to go through.

The commission had earlier fixed March 11 to submit the report to the King but later sought two one-month extensions which end tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Sani said in a statement that Haidar submitted the report at 9.30am in the presence of four other commission members.

They are retired Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar, former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Amar Steve Shim Lip Kiong, former Solicitor-General Datuk Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and historian Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

The commission was set up in late 2007 to ascertain the authenticity of the video clip featuring senior lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam brokering judges' appointments over the handphone.

Twenty-one witnesses testified in the inquiry including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and three former chief judges. -- BERNAMA

++++++++++

If the Prime Minister doesn't make the report and its recommendations public, he will lose what remaining shreds of credibility he still possesses.

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Asian Rice Shortage

Asian countries have been struggling to cope as the cost of rice has reached record levels.

The wholesale price of rice, a staple product for more than 2.5 billion people across Asia, has more than doubled in the past three months, while global supplies have fallen to a thirty-year low. Rice prices have risen by as much as 70% during the last year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Shortages have begun to hit some importing countries.

Factors contributing to the price rise include:

* Poor harvests resulting from extreme weather

* A rise in demand in some rice-importing countries, where populations and incomes are growing

* The expectation of further price increases - resulting in hoarding

* Low stockpiles and a long term lack of agricultural investment

The spike is also part of a general surge in food costs worldwide, so the option of switching to cheaper foods is often not available.

Producers including India, China and Vietnam have restricted exports as they try to protect their stocks and limit inflation.

Importers such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Afghanistan have been hit hard.

Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao said food inflation was the country's most "prominent" economic problem and urged efforts to boost grain output. Food prices in China have risen more than 20% so far this year.

The Philippines, meanwhile, has banned all future conversion of farmland for uses other than agricultural production. Agriculture Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said the move would stop the "unabated" transformation of farmland into residential property developments.

The Philippines is struggling to grow enough rice to provide for its 90 million strong population and is heavily reliant on exports from Thailand and Vietnam.

And what is Malaysia doing about this rice shortage? Nothing much, as Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi still has his thumb stuck firmly up his arse. See below, that idiot takes three weeks of get his thumb out of his arse.

+++++++++++++++++++

PM: Announcement On Rice Issue On Monday

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- The government will announce on Monday the measures it will be taking to counter the rice supply issue, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Friday.

He said the Cabinet Committee to Counter Inflation will fine tune the proposal on the actions to be taken before the decision is made by the Cabinet.

"I have explained the suggested actions to be taken and on Monday when the committee meets, the measures will be endorsed by the Cabinet," he told reporters after attending a special meeting of the UMNO Supreme Council here Friday.

Abdullah said the issue of padi and rice was closely related to the present food shortage crisis said to have hit the world.

"Therefore we want to make sure we are not short of food supplies. Rice is very important to our country," he said.

Abdullah said the Minister of Agriculture and Agro Based Industry, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, had also informed the council of his visit to Thailand with regards to the proposal for Malaysia to buy rice. -- BERNAMA

+++++++++++

When asked if the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry had put forward any suggestion on the matter, Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said it had not but instead his ministry was only monitoring rice prices.

+++++++++++

Thailand Agrees To Sell 500,000 Tonnes Of Rice To Malaysia
By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, May 8 (Bernama) -- Thailand has agreed to meet Malaysia's request to purchase 500,000 tonnes of rice from the kingdom, with an immediate supply of between 100,000 and 250,000 tonnes, Thai Government spokesman Police Lt Gen Wicheenchot Sukchotratd said Thursday.

He said this decision was conveyed by Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to Malaysian Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed at their meeting here today.

Wicheenchot said Malaysia wanted the rice to beef up its stocks as it was concerned over its stockpile of rice which was enough for only 15 days.

"They are now concerned with the stocks and want to make sure there is enough (rice) in case of any crisis or food shortage," he told reporters after the meeting between Samak and Mustapa.

Mustapa, when approached after a meeting with representatives of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, declined to elaborate on his meeting with Samak or confirm whether Malaysia had made a request to purchase rice from Thailand.

He said he would brief the cabinet tomorrow on the outcome of his visit, adding that it was a follow-up to Samak's visit to Malaysia last month where the Thai prime minister had given the assurance that the world's largest rice exporter Thailand would continue to supply rice to its close neighbour despite the surge in prices.

"I will brief the prime minister and cabinet. Once the cabinet gives its guidelines, we will work from there. But there is no need to panic as we have ample supply of rice," he said.

Asked if the stockpile would only last for 15 days, Mustapa said it was not accurate as there was enough combination of rice and padi in the national stockpile for the next three months.

Mustapa said Samak had given the assurance that the Thai Government would help Malaysia to meet its rice requirement, adding that the price tag was not discussed at the meeting.

Thai Commerce Minister Mingkwan Saengsuwan and Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Datuk Shaarani Ibrahim were also present at the 30-minute meeting.

Mustapa was also accompanied by Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) Managing Director Bakri Hamzah as well as representatives from the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities and Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

He said a team of officials from the ministry and Bernas would meet the Thai Rice Exporters Association on Monday to discuss details of the purchase.

The price of Thai white rice five per cent (five per cent broken grains)rose to an unprecedented US$1,000 (RM3,180) a tonne last month, from just US$360 (RM1,145) in October 2007 after Vietnam and India stopped their exports due to shortage of production.

According to reports, Bernas, which is Malaysia's sole rice importer, bought 831,000 tonnes from overseas suppliers in 2006, more than half of it from Thailand.

Thailand's average annual production of padi is about 32 million tonnes, or about 18 million to 20 million tonnes of white rice. -- BERNAMA

+++++++++++

Issue Of Price Increases Should Be Tackled Fast, Says ISIS Chairman

PENANG, May 8 (Bernama) -- The issue of the increase in prices of goods should be tackled wisely and measures taken fast to avoid the situation from burdening low income earners further, said Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) chairman Datuk Seri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan.

He said alternative measures should also be considered as preparation for any eventualities.

"Many projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan have been shelved so that financial resources can be channelled to address the problem.

"As such, other alternatives have also to be looked into so that future generations are not saddled by poverty," he said when opening a public forum on entitled "Price Increases and People's Welfare: Current and Future Measures" at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) here Thursday.

Mohamed Jawhar, who also chaired the forum, said resolutions from the forum would be studied with the view of adopting them to curb the price increases.

"This discussion will not be of any use if the resolutions are not forwarded to the responsible agencies," he added.

He said although this was a global issue, Malaysia, despite having trade relations with many countries, also felt the impact.

"The impact is however not as serious as felt in other countries, to an extent that the situation led to protests and created social problems," he said.

He said today's forum was the second to be held after the one in Kuala Lumpur, which was held on April 25.

ISIS also plans to hold similar forums in Terengganu, Johor Baharu, Sabah and Sarawak.

The forum involved the participation of eight panel members from various government agencies, including the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry and the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER).-- BERNAMA

+++++++++++++

Bernas Blames Private Millers For Rice Shortage

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) has blamed private commercial millers for the recent rice shortage in the local market.

Bernas managing director Bakry Hamzah said private millers who control 55 percent of the local rice market had significantly reduced their production in expectation that price would rise exponentially.

"This move has put pressure on Bernas to meet nearly 100 percent of the country's needs following the artificial shortage," he said in a statement Thursday.

Bernas which all this while commanded the balance 45 percent of the market, was not the cause of the shortage but had to strive to enhance production by importing more in the past four months to meet people's need, he said.

"Bernas would like to stress that despite the sharp increase in the price of rice in the global market, the company has not raised the price of imported rice to the wholesalers since April 2007," he said.

On Monday, a national newspaper reported that Bernas had cut imports by nearly 40 percent in the past four months due to price increase in the international market.

The report which quoted industry sources said Bernas had imported about 300,000 tonnes of rice since January while the ideal level was at least 500,000 tonnes to meet consumers' present demand.

Bakry said that while the price of rice in the world market had increased three-folds and saw neighbouring countries facing a supply shortage crisis, Bernas was still able to secure enough imports.

"This can be done by implementing long term purchase strategies and having very good harmonious relations with several major rice producing countries like Vietnam and Thailand," he said.

He said that in the past four months, Bernas had enhanced imports by 16.6 percent compared to the same period last year. The amount imported between January and April was 300,325 metric tonnes, he said.

Bakry said that despite the pressure on the price and supply of rice due to various factors in the global market, Bernas was confident it would be able to ensure the supply of rice in the country remain unaffected especially with the government's latest commitment pertaining to the issue.

Bernas would also ensure that the monthly production of 15 percent broken Super Tempatan rice would increase from 11,000 metric tonnes to 20,000 metric tonnes as instructed by the government.

He said the government also had to ensure private millers raise their production of this rice grade which is the only locally produced rice categorised as a controlled item.

Other rice grades are sold according to the prevailing market conditions.-- BERNAMA

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Malaysian Politicians are Big Jokes

A 72-year-old Indian politician who lost in the recent 2008 election
went to his doctor for his quarterly check-up... The doctor asked him
how he was feeling, and the 72-year-old said, "Things are great and
I've never felt better. I now have a 20 year-old bride who is pregnant
with my child. So what do you think about that Doc?"

The doctor considered his question for a minute and then began to tell a
story.

"I have an older friend, much like you, who is an avid hunter and
never misses a season. One day he was setting off to go hunting. In a
bit of a hurry, he accidentally picked up his walking cane instead of
his gun. As he neared a lake, he came across a very large wild boar
sitting at the water's edge. He realized he'd left his gun at home and
so he couldn't shoot the magnificent creature. Out of habit he raised
his cane, aimed it at the animal as if it were his favorite hunting
rifle and went 'bang, bang'. Miraculously, two shots rang out and the
wild boar fell over dead. Now, what do you think of that?" asked the
doctor.

The 72-year-old Indian politician said, "Logic would strongly suggest
that somebody else pumped a couple of rounds into that wild boar."

The doctor replied, "My point exactly."

~~~

Chua Soi Lek quit politics after his sex scandal. Since he had a
talent for pumping, he decided he will go into the petrol business.
There, he reckons he can still pump a little, and for once be paid for
it.

As a politician, he had talent. But selling petrol wasn't something he
was trained for so sales was slow. One day, he decided to put up a
promotion to increase his sales. So, he put up a sign that read, "Free
Sex with Fill-Up."

Soon Zam pulled in, filled his tank and asked for his free sex. Doc
Chua told him to pick a number from 1 to 10. If he guessed correctly,
he would get his free sex. Zam guessed 8, and Doc Chua said, "You were close. The number was 7. Sorry. No sex this time."

A week later, Zam, along with his UMNO friend Khairy, pulled in for
another fill-up. Again he asked for his free sex. Doc Chua again gave
him the same story, and asked him to guess the correct number. Zam
guessed 2 this time. Doc Chua said, "Sorry, it was 3. You were close,
but no free sex this time."

As they were driving away, Khairy said to Zam, "I think that game is
rigged and he doesn't really give away free sex."

Zam replied, "No it ain't, KJ. It's not rigged at all. My wife won
twice last week."

~~~

NAMES OF DOLLS

Najis Razak has 2 girlfriends and 2 wives. He called them:

1st girlfriend ..... baby doll
2nd girlfriend ..... Mongolian doll
1st wife ..... barbie doll
2nd wife ..... panadol

~~~

Two old retired politicians

Two old retired politicians realised they are close to their last days
and decided to have a last night on the town. Chan Kong Choy was dumped
because of the Port Klang Fiasco and Samy Vellu was dumped when a
bridge collapsed, killing 100 Indians. Nothing to do, they took a lot
of drinks and ended up at the local brothel, managed by a part-time
florist.

The Madam takes one look at the two old geezers and whispers to her
Manager, "Go up to the first two bedrooms and put an inflated doll on
each bed. These two are so old and drunk, I'm not wasting two of my
girls on them. They won't know the difference."

The Manager does as he is told and the two old men go upstairs to take
care of their business.

As they are walking home, the Chan Kong Choy says, "You know, I think
my girl was dead!"

"Dead?" says Samy Vellu, "Why do you say that?"

"Well, she never moved or made a sound all the time I was loving her."

Samy Vellus says, "Could be worse - I think mine was a witch."

"A witch, why the hell would you sat that?"

"Well, I was making love to her, kissing her on the neck and I gave her
a little bite, then she farted and flew out the window, taking my teeth
with her."

~~~

Somebody farted during the inquiry.

Inquiry officer asked Tengku Adnan first: Did you fart?

Adnan replied: You must be drunk or mad.

The officer then asked Dr Mahathir: Did you fart?

Mahathir answered: I don't remember. Anyway it's my prerogative to
fart and I don't have to answer to anybody.

He then asked Eusoff Chin: Did you fart?

Eusoff Chin answered: If anyone wants to fart, what can I do?

The officer then turned to Lingam: Did you fart?

Lingam replied: Sounds like mine, smells like mine ...but it is not me.

~~~

Pak Lah was seated next to a little girl on an airplane that was leaving KLIA. He turned to her and said, "Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to Pak Lah, "What would you like to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know", said Pak Lah, "How about who is going to win the next election?"

"OK", she said. "That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat grass, the same stuff. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?"

Pak Lah thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."

The little girl then asks, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss who is going to win the next election when you don't know shit?"

Copyright 2003-2008 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Hot Air Ballooning on April 13

Hot Air Ballooning Special Event is a great introduction into the mesmerizing world of Hot Air Balloons and all it’s behind the scenes experience. The workshop gives you hands on experience to assemble and inflate a hot air balloon with the pilot. Participants will also get a ride on the tethered balloon.

Date: 13 April 2008 (Sunday)
Registration: 7.00 am
Time: 7.20 am-11.00 am
Venue: Empty field in front of Salak Tinggi ERL Station
Fee: RM80/pax, inclusive of breakfast
Attire: Sports wear, sports shoes, gloves and cap/hat

DIRECTIONS:
The easiest way to get to the venue is to take the KLIA Transit and get off at SALAK TINGGI ERL station. Fare from KL Central is RM12.50, Bandar Tasik Selatan RM8.30, Putrajaya Central RM3.00, KLIA RM3.20.

If you're driving, take the B15 from Cyberjaya, at Kilometre 54.5 you will see KOTA WARISAN in big white letters on the hillside on your left. Turn left and head for the ERL station.

Terms & Conditions:
1. If safety becomes questionable and the weather changes to non-operating conditions, the pilot has the authority to abort the flight. Passenger and crew safety is our utmost priority.
2. Balloon passenger height must be above 1.2 metre and all children must receive consent of parents to be accepted on board.

Click here for the Location Map.

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Maybank Should Improve Online Banking

Service Unavailable Thank you for trying to log in to Maybank2u.com. However, there seems to be many customers online at the moment. Please try again later. We apologise for the inconvenience. PBM-ERR-001

Aren't you just fed-up of getting the above message every time you try to login to maybank2u.com these days?

I hope their new boss would earn his keep and do something about it. Coming from TM, he should be IT literate and know what to do.

From: http://www.maybank2u.com.my/corporate/press_release/2008/260208.shtml

In the interest of a smooth transition and handing over of responsibilities, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid, 44, will join the Group on 2 June 2008 prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2008.

Announcing the new President and Chief Executive Officer for Maybank, Tan Sri Mohamed Basir said the Board of Directors was pleased that Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid Omar had accepted the offer from Maybank Group. Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid is currently Group Chief Executive Officer of Telekom Malaysia Berhad.

A chartered accountant by profession, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), United Kingdom and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid has a strong track record in corporate and financial management having started his career in the banking sector and spent some ten years in the financial industry in various capacities prior to helming the UEM and TM Group.

During his tenure at Amanah Capital Group, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid had served as the Director of Group Corporate Services cum Divisional Director, Capital Market and Securities overseeing the overall direction and performance of the division which included discount houses and money broking firms. He was also the Chairman of Amanah Short Deposits Berhad and a past Chairman of Association of Discount Houses in Malaysia. Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid had also served as a Director of Amanah Merchant Bank Berhad.

Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the UEM Group in October 2001 and served until June 2004. With his vast experience in the financial industry and extensive knowledge of the capital market, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid was tasked to lead the turnaround of the UEM-Renong Group. He completed 2 phases of financial restructuring at UEM-Renong Group that saw the listing of PLUS Expressways Berhad, the creation of UEM World Berhad and its listing on Bursa Malaysia in August 2003. At the end of his tenure, the UEM Group had been completely turned around from an ailing conglomerate with huge debt overhang to a profitable and viable group.

In July 2004, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) where he has been instrumental in implementing various initiatives crucial to TM’s transformation and growth. It was during his tenure that TM made the strategic decision to focus its international expansion and strengthen its presence in emerging markets closer to home. Today, TM is an emerging leader in Asian communications with a strong presence in the fast growing South / Southeast Asia market with a unique portfolio of assets across 10 markets in Asia, 8 of which involve mobile operations.

Dato’ Abdul Wahid was also the recipient of the Malaysia’s CEO of the Year Award from Business Times and Maybank / American Express in 2006.

“As a Group, Maybank is in a position of strength for future growth in the region and beyond. We are fully confident that we have identified the right individual who has the capabilities and vision to spearhead our regional expansion plans, someone with the foresight and corporate experience,” Tan Sri Mohamed Basir said.

The fast changing landscape in the financial services sector and ever growing competition, he said, demanded that an organisation such as Maybank embark on a platform of growth that was dynamic, one that was exciting to the market and investors and at the same time constantly conscious of its responsibility as the country’s financial services leader.

“We look forward to welcoming Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid on board the Maybank Group and extend to him the support and cooperation needed to take us into the next phase of our journey of development and future success,” he added.

26 February 2008

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Yellow Wave of November 10

I wasn't able to attend the peaceful march from Dataran Merdeka to Istana Negara to hand over the Rakyat's Memorandum calling for free and fair elections to the King due to my herniated disk. Below are some links to blog posts that describe the rally.

BERSIH: Demonstration, Malaysian-Style (?) by Tricia Yeoh

Open Letter To Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, PM. Fiction writer Beth Yahp writes in support of Malaysian Journalists

Not One Step Backwards. Unfortunately marred by an idiotic colour scheme that makes reading the blog all but impossible!

Kaki Blog. This young blogger experienced tear gas for the first time in his or her life - and will never trust the BN propaganda machine again!

A blogger's first-hand report of an action-packed adrenaline-driven day in KL.

Photos of an action-packed adrenaline-driven day in KL.

Lulu's first-hand reports of an action-packed adrenaline-driven day in KL.

Joshua's first-hand reports of an action-packed adrenaline-driven day in KL.

Haris Ibrahim, The People's Parliament

BTW, it appears the Polis Di Raja Malaysia (PDRM for short or Royal Malaysian Police in English) were TOTALLY UNPREPARED for the scale and popular support for this peaceful march. At about 11 am on the morning of Saturday, November 10 motorists driving north along the PLUS Highway around Kulai were startled by a convoy of 20 police vehicles ~ motorcycle outriders, patrol cars, red trucks carrying Federal Reserve Unit (FRU, read riot squad) personnel ~ that overtook them at speed. I say TOTALLY UNPREPARED because they had to get reinforcements from as far away as Johor as the Polis has grossly underestimated the manpower required to "keep the peace" (I use that phrase facetiously as it was the Polis themselves that broke the peace).

The Polis even had road blocks in Putrajaya ~ there was one on the border between Putrajaya and Selangor on the B15 between Cyberjaya and the Puchong toll plaza on the LDP.

Interesting to note that we have a new Deputy Inspector-General of Polis Datuk Ismail Omar as of Monday, November 12. I hope he's not part of "the rot" as the institutional corruption in the PDRM is often referred as.

From this transcript of the interview by Al-Jazeera of the Chief Spindoctor of Malaysia it is abundantly self-evident that the Mamak of Merbok has earned the moniker of ZAM Goblok.

Funny how we’ve been so indoctrinated by the Barisan Nasional (BN ~ National Front, in English) bullshit that we’ve seem to have accepted their notion that OPPOSITION is a bad word. Don’t you realise that an OPPOSITION is a necessary prerequisite for a DEMOCRACY? We’ve been so blinded by the spindoctors of the MADHATTER DICTATORSHIP/AUTOCRACY that we accepted the PAK BLAH MEDIOCRACY. All that has happened when BOLEHLAND changed leaders is that we’ve exchanged one DE FACTO DICTATOR and his cronies for another and his bunch of nespots and cronies. The fun will start when the MADHATTER kicks the bucket and Mr I’m-in-politics-to-avenge-my-suicided-dad KJ will start the witchhunt on the MADHATTER cronies and progeny with the help of the KeADILan “ANWAR-REVENGE” PARTY. ANWAR is his almost-father-in-law.

Here are some philosophical musings by Antares on kings and the divine mandate to rule:

"One blogger's report on the YELLOW WAVE that swept through KL on 10 November 2007 - and there are HUNDREDS of bloggers celebrating the triumph of justice and human values over the BN's arrogance and criminal misuse of police power:

To my friends in the mainstream media: the line has been drawn across the sand! Enough of playing spin-doctor for Dr Ummmm...NO! The Earth supports INTEGRITY as she ascends.

http://melvin-mah.blogspot.com

"According to Confucianism, the King is symbolized as an avatar of God
on earth. And the signs of thunder above serves the warning against the
police. Mencius, who lived B.C. 372-289, and devoted himself to the task
of spreading and consolidating the Confucian teachings, made no attempt
to lead back the Chinese people towards their early beliefs in a
personal God and in a spiritual world beyond the ken of mortals. He
observes in a general way that "those who obey God are saved, while
those who rebel against Him perish. Those came are loyal to the country
and the king, and in that Mencius context means they can be saved, while
whoever attempts to kill or torture can be punished (perished). Coincidence?

"Mencius said, "He who uses force as a pretense of Humaneness is the
de-facto strongman among the princes. But such a strongman must have
a large state in order to be effective. The man who uses his virtue
to practice Humaneness is the true king. To be a real king you don't
need an especially large territory. T'ang did it with only seventy
li and King Wen did it with only one hundred li. When you use your
power to force people into submission, they will never submit with
their hearts; it is only because they don't have enough strength to
resist. When people submit to virtue, they are happy from the bottom
of their hearts, and they submit sincerely, the way the seventy
disciples submitted to Confucius." (2A3, tr. Muller)"

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

My Herniated ("Slipped") Disk

Just a short blog post to update everyone on the progress of my herniated disk ~ what laymen incorrectly refer to as a "slipped" disk.

At about 11.45 am on Thursday, November 8, 2007 I sustained a left lower back injury while lifting some heavy stuff into my car boot. I paid a visit my chiropractic physician, Dr Zafer Yama, at the Chiropractic Speciality Center in Plaza Damansara at about noon the next day. Upon examining me, he diagnosed a herniated disk between my L4 and L5 vertebrae.

I had some Interferential stimulation to reduce oedema, some ultrasound stimulation to prevent and break down the formation of scar tissue and, of course, a chiropractic manipulation.

In addition, I continued with my dietary supplements of glucosamine 500 mg b.d. and chondroitin 400 mg b.d. which I have been taking since my October 19 fall at the KTM Serdang Station. Glucosamine and chondroitin are prominent precursors in the biochemical synthesis of joint tissue, cartilage and intervertebral disks. Both are widely used dietary supplements for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

In the evening, I received a Releasing statement from Heiko Niedememeyer, who had studied under the founder of the Lindwell Releasing Technique, Dr E. E. "Isa" Lindwall (1919-2007) and so I made that Releasing statement.

Also, last night I slept on my ionising mat on my traditional Malay wooden sleeping platform (a solid meranti pangkin).

As I write this at about 9 am on Saturday, November 10 I am in no acute pain, just experiencing some dull soreness and stiffness in my left lumbar region that should go away in a few days together with any residual swelling.

I am NOT taking any painkillers or medications at all.

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

RACE RELATIONS IN MALAYSIA

Reposted from:
Malaysia is a Racist and Totalitarian Nation (or is it?)

If you want a can-be-taken-seriously neutral name for this Malaysia is a Racist and Totalitarian Nation (or is it?) group, then may I suggest we call it simply:

RACE RELATIONS IN MALAYSIA.

Race Relations is a multi-disciplinary subject with experts in genetics (read about M3, M9 and M12 DNA markers in the Human Genome Project), political science, law, history, sociology, cultural anthropology, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, language, religion, spirituality and etc. all able to provide valuable input.

Yes, we don't talk about Race Relations in Malaysia often enough, objectively enough or even rationally enough.

The time for change is NOW. After 50 years of Merdeka, 50% of the nation are still calling ourselves Malaysian Indians and Malaysian Chinese. Semantically, it should be Indian Malaysians and Chinese Malaysians. If you understand why this semantic change is correct, it can bring about a mindset change that is progressive.

But the critical paradigm shift I'm looking for is when we stop even having to qualify our identity ethnically ~ we are Malaysians, yes, albeit an artificial political contruct.

Yes, we are different, we celebrate our diversity, we do not need to conform or subscribe to a single majority viewpoint on every issue. We embrace different points of view and perspectives, we embrace dissent.

We encourage people to speak their minds. Who knows, one of them may actually be speaking that elusive Truth we're all been seeking half our days...

Please invite your friends who have an interest or expertise in genetics, political science, law, history, sociology, cultural anthropology, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, language, religion, spirituality and etc. to join this group and participate in a rational, enlightening, information-sharing discussion.

The days of political polemics and ideological diatribes are over, we are fed up of politicians who spout these. We've had enough of them. Time for change. The time is now.

(",)::~~~
Founder
Green Alliance of Malaysia

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Jim, a Vanished Friend

Author Unknown

Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone.
And I never see my old friends face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.
And he rang mine but we were younger then,
And now we are busy, tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.
'Tomorrow' I say! 'I will call on Jim
Just to show that I'm thinking of him.'
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner, yet miles away,
'Here's a telegram sir,' 'Jim died today.'
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.

(“,)::~~~

Remember to always say what you mean.
If you love someone, tell them.

Don't be afraid to express yourself.
Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.
Because when you decide that it is the right time
it might be too late.

Seize the day. Never have regrets.

And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family,
for they have helped make you the person that you are today.

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Rudyard Kipling

Two of my favourite poems by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). The others include The Elephant's Child and Blue Roses.

The Thousandth Man
by Rudyard Kipling

One man in a thousand, Solomon says,
Will stick more close than a brother.
And it's worth while seeking him half your days
If you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine depend
On what the world sees in you,
But the Thousandth man will stand your friend
With the whole round world agin you.

'Tis neither promise nor prayer nor show
Will settle the finding for 'ee.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em go
By your looks, or your acts, or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him.
The rest of the world don't matter;
For the Thousandth Man will sink or swim
With you in any water.

You can use his purse with no more talk
Than he uses yours for his spendings,
And laugh and meet in your daily walk
As though there had been no lendings.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em call
For silver and gold in their dealings;
But the Thousandth Man he's worth 'em all,
Because you can show him your feelings.

His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men's sight--
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot--and after!


If--
by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Of Lies and Turning Over a New Leaf

It has always intrigued me why people lie. Or have to lie. I can tell when I'm being lied to, and I don't like it. And neither would most people, I suspect.

Life is so much simpler when you just tell the truth ~ because there is only one truth but when you weave a web of lies, especially when they are not self-consistent (and by definition lies are never consistent with the truth, and most likely not with other lies as well) it becomes a terrible, horrible mess, whatever your intentions may be to the contrary.

The past three weeks has been a very instructive time for me, in understanding the psychology of a compulsive liar, a pathological liar, perhaps. My interest in writing this article is to explore why people resort to lies, and in doing so, to get to the truth of the matter.

On a Sunday evening in mid-September this year, I met one such compulsive liar. One can tell almost immediately she was someone who had a lot to hide. Don't ask me me how I could tell ~ let's just call it in Six Thinking Hats jargon, a red feeling.

There is a fine line between non-disclosure and omission of the truth and actually fabricating an untruth. You can decline to disclose information about yourself, that's fine and people will respect that decision and leave it at that.

But when you start telling white lies, there is a tendency for these to be inconsistent with each other and there comes a point when a bigger lie has to be constructed so as to make the inconsistencies plausible. As her stories became more and more incredulous, I was determined to seek out the truth.

It would not be necessary to detail every single disgusting fact here, but a few of the more important facts that I have discovered would serve to illustrate the point. And what I found out was a past so shameful, so horrifyingly full of mistakes that I just immediately understood why she had to re-invent her past. It was the only way to be acceptable, for any rational person would never have anything to do with someone with such a sordid, horridly tainted and unpalatable past.

I, for one, have zero tolerance for people who consistently lie to me. In my last communication to her at about 6 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2007 I wrote in my last ever sms to her (reconstructed from memory):

"And you're a compulsive liar. There was a time I would have given you the benefit of doubt, but no longer. You are not worthy of my trust, friendship or affection. I pray that you have a long life so that you have sufficient time to reflect upon and atone and repent for your many sins."

I received one last sms from her, a parting shot, I suppose, and have never had any communication from or with her since. Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say.

Its okay to make mistakes. Nobody's perfect, everybody makes mistakes. After all, the past is the past, we cannot go back to correct our mistakes. Boy, don't we all wish we could do that? I'm sure all of us have our favourite "if only" story. "If only I hadn't done this" or "if only I had done that" and our lives would be so radically different now. The critical thing is for us to learn from our mistakes or else we are be eternally doomed to repeat them.

There were clues in her "stories" that tripped her up. The most obvious was her address, or rather, where she purportedly lived. She told me that she lived with her parents in Damansara Heights. Although she has declined to give the street address, that was simple enough to ascertain. After all, I lived in Damansara Heights for a quarter of a century and regularly take my dogs for walks in the neighbourhood, making a mental note of people, places and parked cars. A quick phone call to the house got her mother on the line who all but said "Why are you calling this number, she doesn't live here!"

So where does she actually live, then? A search on her car registration number gave an address in Shah Alam; and sure enough a drive pass the house confirmed the car in the porch. But the car wasn't registered in her name, but in a man's name. And it wasn't her ex-husband's name, either. An sms asking her if the registered owner was her ex brought such a deluge of threats, that I knew I was on to something. There was something big hiding behind all those threats.

Was he her sugar daddy? Did he give her the car to use while paying for it? Then it becomes known that the house is her mother's. But the intriguing thing is, she hardly spends time at this Shah Alam house either, only "a few days a month," according to an informant. The car is often seen at a condo behind Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya. What is it doing there? Does she have a love nest there? All these are things we can only speculate upon unless she is prepared to tell us the truth. For now, they remain nothing but unanswered questions.

She had admitted that she had a lover for five years until they broke up in November 2006, when he had pointedly asked her to pack her bags and leave, over some disagreement. From this, it is self-evident that she was living with him. But she had categorically denied ever living with him ~ that had just met occasionally. Another inconsistency.

She had also let on that she has been divorced for at least five years, from before she got involved with this lover. But the public records show that the divorce was only granted last year. No wonder she had so much to hide.

She has just broken up with yet another lover when I had met her that fateful Sunday evening. She showed me an sms from him ~ he had refused to be treated the way she had treated him. He explained that a relationship was a partnership, but that she was not committed, or, at least, not as committed as he was. He had given her the handphone as a birthday present ~ together with a camera and a Sony Vaio notebook computer. She said he had spent almost RM200,000 on her birthday party alone, turning a whole floor of a hotel into a spa, with free flow of champagne and whatever alcoholic beverage you care to name. She said he had lavished RM400,000 in total on courting her.

And to summarily dump him at the drop of a hat beggars disbelief. Apparently, they had planned to get married in London in December, or so that was what she had told all her friends and relations.

I suppose she wasn't prepared to tell him the whole truth about herself. Like how she had all but disowned her autistic son soon after birth, who is now, aged ten, being cared for by her maternal aunt at her parent's house in Damansara Heights. Looking back, this rejection of her first-borne son reflects her own birth and childhood. She had told me that she was the second of three siblings, with an elder sister and a younger brother. Her mother was so much expecting a boy that when she was born, and turned out to be a girl, her mother rejected her ~ and she was then brought up by her grandparents in another state. She even has a given name that is a boy's name.

Another unsavoury skeleton in her cupboard is what was probably a long string of extra-marital affairs she had while her husband was working abroad. To be fair, on his part, he had secretly married a foreign wife whilst away.

They say a leopard doesn't change its spots. But don't you think people deserve the chance to start on a clean slate? To be able to turn over a new leaf?

She can tell the truth to the next man in her life and say "that's me, warts and all. You make the choice, despite all that about me and my past, if you can accept me, I'm yours."

"If you can't, no matter how much I want you; I can forsake my feelings for you and move on."

But what she had chosen, instead, was to paint a different story of her past ~ as George Kelly would say ~ create an Alternative Construct, one more palatable, more acceptable to her suitor. But this means that the whole basis of their relationship, the whole foundation of their intimacy, is based on a lie.

And what kind of marriage would that make?

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

15,000 receiving dialysis treatment

MORE than 15,000 kidney patients are undergoing dialysis treatment in the country now and it is increasing at a rate of 2,500 a year.

More than 60% of kidney failure cases were brought about by diabetes and high blood pressure, according to a press release from National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF).

Those with kidney stones, who were obese and above 50 years were prone to kidney disease.

The NKF had embarked on a nationwide health screening campaign for early detection and prevention of kidney since 2006.

Copyright 2003-2007 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice