Tongkat Ali of Life

I am currently in Bangalore, India..

~ Coming soon ~

January 1, 2008 - History in the making..

Before you wake up in the morning and regret what you have not done yesterday..

1. You’re alive

2. You can have a normal meal everyday

3. You don’t have to worry where you going to stay tonight because you got a home

4. You don’t have to feel cold because you got clothes to wear

5.

1. Thailand

2. India

3. China - Hong Kong

4. Japan

5. UK - Scotland

6. USA

7. Singapore

8. Indonesia

9. Australia

10. New Zealand

I miss you..

Government officials pointed to the success of Proton’s most recent models, and said the firm was committed to increasing exports and to lifting its domestic market share from the current level of 31%.

However, analysts remain far from convinced that Proton can succeed in the long-term on its own.

They point to Malaysia’s recent lowering of duties on foreign cars following a regional trade agreement, and that as a result more Malaysians were buying imported vehicles.

“We cannot hide our disappointment of the outcome of the talks,” said TA Securities analyst Ikmal Hafizi.

“We were hopeful that this white knight (VW) could be the one.”

Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) — Proton Holdings Bhd., Malaysia’s state-owned carmaker, posted a record one-day decline in Kuala Lumpur trading after the government ended alliance talks with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Corp.

Proton slumped 19 percent after Malaysia’s state investment unit yesterday said it scrapped a year of talks to give the carmaker more time to reverse five quarters of losses. A strategic alliance can be considered later “if necessary,” the agency said in a statement.

“They don’t have the resources to make it on their own,” said Raymond Tang, who oversees $5.4 billion at CIMB-Principal Asset Management Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. “The company needs new technology from a partner.”

A turnaround now hinges on Proton’s ability to develop models and increase sales in overseas markets including China, Iran and Thailand. While sales in Malaysia for a new car rolled out in August beat company forecasts, that won’t be sufficient for the 24-year-old automaker to go it alone, analysts said.

“Although management has done a commendable job at turning around the company, it probably won’t be enough,” said Vincent Khoo, head of research at Aseambankers Malaysia Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. Proton still needs a partner, he said.

Proton today fell 92 sen to 4.02 ringgit, the biggest daily decline since it sold shares for the first time in March 1992. The stock has slumped 39 percent this year, giving the company a market value of 2.21 billion ringgit ($653 million).

`Poor Brand’

Proton lost 589.5 million ringgit last fiscal year. The search for a partner followed the end of an alliance with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in 2004, and the loss of half of Proton’s market share to rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp.

“Proton lacks global competitiveness as it has a poor brand image, has no real global presence to speak of and lacks the necessary technology to compete,” Sharifah Farah, an analyst at CIMB Investment Bank Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur with an “underperform” rating on the stock, wrote in a report today.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today the government isn’t considering a bailout of Proton because the company is showing signs of recovery.

“There is no question of bailing out,” he told reporters. “Proton is doing well today.”

The new Persona sedan, introduced in August, notched up 22,000 bookings by the end of October, Malaysian Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop told reporters late yesterday. Proton, which planned to sell 4,000 of the vehicles a month, may report a profit in 2009, Nor said.

Manufacturing Emblem

“We must give Proton management the flexibility to move on and carry out its turnaround plan,” Nor said. “We are not saying there will be no strategic partnership. It’s a very attractive idea, but we also have to look at the interest of the country.”

Protons, driven by taxi drivers across Malaysia, are among the cheapest cars on offer in the Southeast Asian nation. The carmaker was set up in 1983 by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad as a manufacturing emblem. The Saga saloon is still on sale more than two decades after the first model was produced.

General Motors is still interested in Proton, Rob Leggat, a spokesman for the Detroit-based carmaker, said yesterday in an e-mailed response to questions.

Proton’s turnaround plan includes offering all its models in Thailand by the end of November, Nor said yesterday. Proton aims to sell cars in India and to double exports this year and next, it said in September. The company in July agreed with Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing Co. to sell cars in China.

Old Talks

“Proton respects the decision made by the government,” Zainal Abidin Syed Mohd Tahir, managing director of the Shah Alam, Malaysia-based company, said in a statement. “We will continue to work harder and introduce new models.”

The Persona, which was Proton’s first new car in more than a year, may help the automaker return to profit as early as 2009, analysts at Hwang-DBS Vickers Research Sdn. said in August.

The Malaysian government controls Proton though a 43 percent stake held by Khazanah Nasional Bhd., Malaysia’s state- owned investment unit.

Proton and Volkswagen jointly ended the talks, the Wolfsburg, Germany-based company said yesterday. Initial negotiations between the two companies collapsed in January last year after the parties failed to agree on terms, including control of the maker of Waja and Wira sedans.

The German automaker will now expand its sales and service network in Southeast Asia, in particular within Malaysia, it said in a statement. A partnership with Proton offered Volkswagen access to a regional manufacturing site.

Malaysian Angkasawan Mej Dr Faiz Khaleed sustained injuries in a robbery after two parang-wielding men attacked him and a friend outside his house in Taman Mawar, Cheras, here early Wednesday. Dr Faiz was slashed on his left hand in the 2am incident. He did not lose anything, but the robbers snatched a gold chain from his friend. 

He has been admitted to the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Jalan Ampang here and his condition was reported as stable. 

At the hospital, his mother Mazenah Mohamad said Dr Faiz had gone to have supper with two other friends at about 11pm on Tuesday, and returned home later. 

”One of the robbers pushed my son and he fell while the other robber placed a parang on the neck of my son’s friend,” she said.  

Mazenah said her son got up and tried to fight with the two men and was slashed.  

“At this point, he pressed the auto gate remote and when the door started to open, the two suspects fled,” she added.  

While fleeing , one of the suspects managed to snatch the friend’s chain. 

A team of policemen arrived at the hospital around 6pm and took a statement from Dr Faiz. 

Dr Faiz, who is a military dentist, was shortlisted along with orthopaedic surgeon Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor to be the first Malaysian in space. On Oct 10, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar made history by becoming the first Malaysian to fly to space.  

I am currently in Bangalore, India. The temperature here is 21 degree Celsius. It is cold and windy. It is winter here.

The time is 3-hours different from Malaysia (Malaysia is faster).

Day 1 & 2

Arrived at Bangalore about 1am Malaysian time (4am India time).

Passing the customs were the best part in India airport. It is all about the money.

While waiting for your luggage’s to arrive, you will see some guys in the brownish uniform waiting there.

These guys were supposed to help the customs to pick up your luggage’s if it was mark ‘X’ on it. By the way, the custom officers are wearing white uniform.

If your luggage is mark with ‘X’, then you will surely have to go through custom x-ray inspections.

The custom officer will ask you to open up your luggage and they will ask all sort of questions.

If you answer correctly, they will asked you to close your luggage and go. Then out of no where, you will see the guy in brown uniform which took your luggage to the custom officer appeared. 

He will helped you to close up your luggage and assist you out from the airport. After assisting you out from the airport, they will ask for tips.

If the items that you brought have to pay taxes, the custom officers will tell you that it needs to pay taxes and ask you to come back tomorrow to declare your items.

This is where you need to make your offer by asking “How much?”. If you need your items urgently.

As usual Pradip, our company driver was there waiting for me to take me to the hotel.

I am staying in a hotel called “Bangalore International Hotel”.

Previously when It was here, I was staying at 37Th Crescent hotel which it is better.

I am here for a business trip. Waiting for my colleague to send me the work site.

Just found out that the talks between Proton & VW failed.

Day 3.

 Third day in India, the item should be in have not yet arrived. didn’t do much.  Mr. S asked me to come over after lunch due to check if the items came in or not.

Last night was watching con-air on TV. This morning woke up at 9am, India time. Went for breakfast. After finished breakfast, wanted to go back to the room but the the elevator was out.

It has been second times out since yesterday, the failure rate is like 1 time per day. Hopefully I won’t get stuck in the elevator!!!

Too lazy to walk up to the 4Th floor again. This time I went snooping around the barber shop. Out of curiosity how does an India barber cut hair in India.

I went in to the barber shop and asked them what do they have here beside cutting hair.

Lastly, I decided to go for facial, manicure & hair wash.

After 1 1/2 hours, the time were just right to go the office.

I went to the office and found out that the items were not in yet.

My next flight back to Malaysia supposed to be on the 26th November but due to the items delay, I have to stay here until 4th December.