Tuesday, April 29, 2008

国油收入丰厚,国家却没有钱

难怪首相认为补贴燃油是一项重担,因为国油收入丰厚,却不知去向。

《独立新闻在线》报道如下 http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=6631

【本刊陈子莹撰述】国际透明组织属下“推动透明收入计划”的调查显示,马来西亚国家石油公司(Petronas)呈报收入透明度只属“中等”评级,而其海外业务的收入呈报更是属于“低”级别。这也意味着,国油在呈报开销及符合反贪污活动的资料方面,都相对地少。

国际透明组织(Transparency International)的“推动透明收入计划”(Promoting Revenue Transparency Project)调查全球42家石油与天然气公司的现有政策、管理系统及收入呈报透明度,马来西亚国家石油(国油)也参加了这项调查,调查结果显示,无论是在本地或海外业务的收入呈报透明度,国油都无法达到“高”的级别。

这项调查将石油与天然气公司的收入呈报透明度分为“高”、“中”、“低”三个级别,业务范围则分为在祖国的业务及海外业务,侦查这些公司在本土与海外业务的透明度。

国油只获中低等评级

国油的本土业务获得“中等”的级别,落在同一组的有俄罗斯天然气公司Gazprom、哈萨克斯坦国有石油和天然气公司KazMunaiGaz、伊朗国家石油公司(NIOC)、尼日利亚国家石油公司、卡塔尔石油、俄罗斯石油公司Rosneft、阿尔及利亚油气公司Sonatrach 。

这也意味着,国油在呈报开销及符合反贪污活动的资料方面,都相对地少。报告书也称,落在这个组别的公司,尤其是非上市公司,可在加强政策与管理、提高呈报收入的透明度方面多加努力。

国油在海外业务的呈报透明度,落在最低评级的一组。报告书指出,这些公司通常只呈报海外业务的地点,几乎就没有任何相关的资讯;因此,主催单位希望这些公司未来可以提升透明度。

国油在印尼透明度超低

至于在马来西亚投资的国际石油公司当中,加拿大塔利斯曼能源公司(Talisman Energy)表现最好,其透明度远高于我国的平均水平。美国的Hess石油公司以及蚬壳(Shell)的透明度高于我国的平均水平,埃克森美孚(Exxonmobil)低于我国平均水平,而科威特石油机构则远低于我国的平均水平。

值得一提的是,我国的国油在印尼的海外业务,也被编入远低于该国透明度平均水平的组别;与国油同组的还有中国石油天然气集团(CNPC)以及科威特石油机构。

贪污滥权削弱人民福利

国际透明组织是应着“资源诅咒”(resouce curse)这一句咒语,而圈定石油与天然气公司作为他们的调查对象。世界许多石油天然气公司每年都赚取丰厚回酬,如果没有好好管理所得回酬,就削弱了国家经济成长、为投机分子占便宜,甚至加剧贪污的情况。

如此一来,这些原本资源丰富的国家人民,却无法公平享用国家的资源、无法走出贫困。

然而,这份调查普遍发现,收入透明化仍然没有在石油天然气领域里建立起来;最弱一环就是这些石油公司在海外投资,呈报给当地国家的付款。

此外,调查也发现,这些石油公司在透明度方面,表现参差不齐。有些公司已证明,即使在恶劣的环境下,也能表现高透明度。

Allah court case commenced

Court case on "Allah" has commenced officially. The following was taken from http://www.mysinchew.com/node/10666:

KUALA LUMPUR: The government wants the High Court of Kuala Lumpur to throw out the suit by the Roman Catholic Church here to defend its right to use the word “Allah” in its weekly publication on grounds that it is irregular, misconceived, and an abuse of the process of the court.
However, Federal Counsels representing the government have no objection to the church’s application to get the court to declare the government’s prohibition over the Allah word null and void.
In the continuation of hearing of the church’s efforts to present its case to the court, the church’s lawyers; Porres Royan, Leonard Teoh, S. Selvarajah, and Annou Xavier are asking for three areas of reliefs.
Senior Federal Counsel Azizah Haji Nawawi and Suzanna Atan representing the Internal Security Minister (previously Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and now Syed Hamid Albar) and the government before Madam Justice Lau Bee Lan here today said they have no objections to the church’s bid to declare the respondents’ decision prohibiting the use of the word in Herald-The Catholic Weekly-as illegal and null and void.
However, they objected to the application for leave filed by the Titular Roman Catholic Church of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Murphy Pakiam who is the publisher of the Herald, that the Herald is entitled to use the Allah word and that the word is not exclusive to Islam.
They further argued that the applicant cannot apply its private rights to use the word “Allah” in an application for judicial review and that the claim over the use of the word can only be decided by the court after hearing expert evidence.
The church’s lawyers pointed out that the hearing is just at the preliminary stage and this will be argued at the substantive stage subsequently.
Federal Counsel also argued that the Archbishop’s application for leave to seek an Order of Certiorari is irregular as it should have been the main application and not subsequently to other reliefs sought.
Counsel for the church argued that the sequencing of the application is inconsequential and has no effect on their application.
On the third relief sought to stay the order of the respondents, Federal Counsel argued that Justice Lau had previously declined to make such stay orders and therefore, should not award it in this case. The applicant’s lawyers decided not to ask for this order but maintained that they are not withdrawing the application for a stay and may re-apply for it whenever needed. Judgment is reserved for Monday (5 May).

Monday, April 28, 2008

Will Christians see the "Allah" court case vindicated?

Well, let us pray for a fair treatment to all religions by our government. We want to see the "Allah" court case vindicated.

The following was taken from http://www.mysinchew.com/node/10459:
KUALA LUMPUR: The government Friday (25 Apr) opposed the suit filed by the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur regarding the use of the word “Allah” but has asked for the case to be adjourned to next Tuesday (29 Apr) to give its reasons. However, it is not objecting to the Archbishop’s application for leave to pursue the matter. The court allowed the postponement.
In his application before Madam Justice Lau Bee Lan, Archbishop Datuk Murphy Pakiam contends that the Minister of Internal Security and the Federal Government are wrong in law for not allowing the Bahasa section of Herald-The Catholic Weekly to use the word “Allah.” He is represented by Porres Royan, Leonard Teoh, S. Selvarajah, and Annou Xavier while the respondents are represented by senior Federal Counsel Suzanna Atan. The current minister is Syed Hamid Albar who has taken over this portfolio from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recently.
In his affidavit, Pakiam said, “ I am advised by my solicitors that I have a legal right to use the word “Allah” in the Herald-The Catholic Weekly- (published by him) and this legal right stems from the right to freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and from the right to profess and practice the Christian faith as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which includes and is not limited to propagating the faith amongst the non-English speaking faithful in Malaysia especially the Indonesians and the Arabic-speaking of the Christian faith.”
He said the word “Allah” is the correct Bahasa Malaysia word for “God” and in the Bahasa Malaysia translation of the Bible, “God” is translated as “Allah” and “Lord” is translated as “Tuhan”.
He added that for fifteen centuries, Christians and Muslims in Arabic-speaking countries have been using the word “Allah” in reference to the One God. The Catholic Church in Malaysia and Indonesia and the great majority of other Christian denominations hold that “Allah” is the legitimate word for “God” in Bahasa Malaysia.
“Therefore state that it has now been universally accepted that the word ‘Allah’ is not exclusive to the religion of Islam both as a matter of faith and as a matter of the use of language,” he said.
Pakiam also complained that he is constantly harassed by the minister and government to cease to use the word “Allah” in the Herald and the numerous threats to him to either suspend or revoke the Herald’s publication permit over the use of the word “Allah” has infringed his legal right and has caused him much apprehension, anxiety and uneasiness.
He added that it is unfair, unreasonable and irrational for the respondents to classify and to continue to classify the use of the word “Allah” as a security issue which is purportedly causing much confusion and which threatens and endangers peace, public order and security when in fact in the thirteen years of the Herald’s publication, there has never been any untoward incident arising as a result of the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald.
The Herald’s publishing permit for this year was subject to a condition dated 12 Feb 2008 which prohibits the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald.
“I am advised by my solicitors and verily believe that the Respondents in making the decision dated 12.2.2008 acted in breach of the rules of natural justice, procedural and substantive fairness and the duty to act fairly,’ he said.
He added that they had acted irrationally and unreasonably by prohibiting the Applicant from using the word “Allah” or directly quoting the word “Allah” from the Al-Kitab.”
In doing so, they have created a state of affairs which endangers his right to publish the Herald which serves to disseminate news and information weekly on the Catholic Church in Malaysia and elsewhere to a wide readership, Pakiam said. Hearing continues 29 April. (MySinchew)
MySinchew 2008.04.25

Touching down at Penang

As my firefly plane touching down at Penang International Airport on 26th morning, I immediately sensed an atmosphere of ease.

It was the first time I visited Penang since the change of government. We will pray that Lim Guan Eng would be able to lead the state into harmony.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Tamil paper gets its license

Makkal Osai will resume business tomorrow. Thanks to "Makkal Sakthi" - People Power.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Najib has never learnt from the electoral outcome

One of the reasons for people to reject Barisan Nasional was DPM Najib's space mission. Sheikh Muszaphar was sent to space last year on 10th Oct. Though Najib claimed that it was a package of purchasing fighter jets from Russia.

Nothing was free! The cost was added into the deal. To send Sheikh into the space, it cost RM100million. Based on RM35,000 per low-cost housing unit, RM100million could provide about 3000 poor folks with a unit.

Now Najib intends to send the second man Faiz Khaleed into space. It shows that Najib has never learnt from the electoral outcome. People were saying to BN to be practical in spending the treasury money. If Najib insists his plan, we will see the demise of BN in the next Gen. Election. Good-bye to BN.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

太陽下山,回頭看

太陽下山,回頭看
李家同∕暨南大學資工系教授 【聯合報∕李家同∕暨南大學資工系教授(投縣埔里)】 2007.12.22 01:32 am

前些日子,我去了敘利亞南部,因為那裡有一個小村落,村落裡仍然講阿拉美語,這是耶穌在世時所用的語言,我相信這裡一定可以找到一些與耶穌有關的事蹟。 果真,我在一座小教堂裡發現他們的彌撒用阿拉美語。

我雖然不懂阿拉美語,但我知道彌撒是怎麼一回事,所以我可以知道現在在念什麼經文。當神父念《天主經》的時候,我幾乎感動得流下淚來,因為我知道耶穌當年就是這樣念的。 我望彌撒的教堂非常小,石頭砌起來的,在一個偏遠的山谷裡,四周只有幾戶人家,但是他們自稱這是歷史上最古的基督教堂。

這座教堂有一個很好聽的名字,叫作「小燈教堂」。為什麼叫作小燈教堂呢?神父說不出來,但是二千年來,這座教堂晚上必定點一盞燈,現在是用電燈了,過去用的是油燈,可以想見這座教堂必須有人過幾小時就要去加油,因為燈是要亮一整夜的。為什麼要整夜點一盞小燈,神父又不知道,他說這是世世代代傳下來的傳統。 我在教堂裡四處張望,發現了一幅壁畫,這幅壁畫中,耶穌背著十字架往前走,有一個小男孩淚流滿面地拉著耶穌的衣服,他們好像在對話。畫下面有兩行字,我當然看不懂這些字的意義。 神父替我翻譯,原來這兩行字是小男孩和耶穌的對話。

小男孩說:「耶穌不要走,你走了以後,誰會照顧我們窮小孩子?」
耶穌說:「太陽下山的時候,回頭看!」
小男孩的問句,我可以明瞭,但耶穌的回答卻使我困惑不已。我當時的感覺是耶穌答非所問。 我問神父,這是什麼意思? 他也不懂,但是他相信這一定是有意義的,所以這幅壁畫就永遠地被保存了下來。過幾年,他們總要修補一下。 我走出教堂,仍然想著這句話的意義。想來想去,想不通。

天色已經昏暗,太陽快下山了。教堂建在一座小山上,山的一邊面對著海,一邊是一個很美,但很荒涼的山谷。我有了一個衝動,要到山頂上去看日落,因為山不高,我一下子就走到了。也看到了太陽在海平面上慢慢消失的景象,當時我忽然有點害怕,因為我發現我是在一個非常荒涼的地方,天黑了,我會不會完全迷路呢? 我想起了耶穌的話,「太陽下山的時候,回頭看。」我回過頭去,發現山谷中雖然沒有很多人家,但是家家戶戶都點起了燈,那所小燈教堂的燈也亮了。 我不害怕了。雖然太陽已經下山,但有這些人點燈,我就安全了。

太陽將光和熱帶給了世界,但是太陽下山以後,仍然有一些小燈,用它們微弱的力量,帶給世界光和熱。 我終於懂了,耶穌在安慰這個窮小孩子,他可以放心, 世界上一定會有一些善良的人,繼續做耶穌在世時所做的事:
使這個世界有一些光明,有一些熱。

那位壁畫中的小男孩一定也有同樣的頓悟的,雖然他是一個沒有受過什麼教育的人,但他一定做了一個好人,盡量地幫助周遭的人。 他也一定四處勸告朋友,大家都要像一盞燈,無論燈光如何微弱,很多人都會靠這一盞小燈生活的。也許這一座小燈教堂就是他造的。 我離開了敘利亞,我不會忘記小燈教堂的。

我們都應該扮演小燈的角色,至少要使我們周遭的人不再害怕黑暗,不再感到寒冷。

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Ng Yen Yen's mother-in-law

Dr. Ng Yen Yen's (Minister of Women, Family and Community Development) mum-in-law, Wan Yoke Chan, was called home to be with the Lord on 12th Apr. The funeral took place this morning.

Being Wan's former pastor, I praised God for her life. She was a simple lady. Whenever I visited her at home, her daughter Mrs. Low always exercised hospitality and treated me with plenty of delicious food. Wan was afraid that I did not eat much. And subsequently I ended up over-eating.

She put faith in the Lord. Now she is a healthy person in the presence of the Lord Jesus.

Tamil Paper banned


The Home Ministry did not renew the license for the Tamil Paper Makkal Osai. There was no reason given. People suspected it has to do with the paper's extensive report on news of the Oppositions during the 12th Gen. Election.

After the defeat in election, PM Pak Lah claimed that he wanted to listen to people more. Maybe he has not learnt from the defeat. If freedom of speech is restrained, how could he ever listen?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

RAHMAN prophecy

I referred to Haris Ibrahim's blog at http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/the-rahman-prophecy/#comment-13263.

Haris said "A thought occurred to me. What if the RAHMAN Prophesy is indeed true. What if the completion of the Sequence signals its fulfillment?

What if Najib will indeed be the N, the final Nail in the UMNO coffin? And the prophesy is fulfilled with the end of the UMNO-led race-based politics.

Would we then see the beginning of the ANWAR sequence? Anwar, Nurul (revolutionary? nepotist?)… and then W,A,R… are left to be seen."

No. I think Pakatan Rakyat wanted to do away with racial politics. Every race is a rakyat Malaysia. And since the Constitution did not state that a PM must be from a particular race, therefore, any race should have an equal chance to be a PM.

PR should embrace Meritocracy. This is for the good of the country. When the country prospers, every citizen will benefit. So the Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadasans also can become a PM.

Anwar Ibrahim is free to stand for political elections

Anwar, the de facto leader of PKR as well as Pakatan Rakyat, is a free man on 15th Apr. On 14th Apr night he gave an inspiring message at Kuala Lumpur Kampung Baru rally to a crowd of 20,000.

He is fighting for a democratic society. No race is more superior than others. We will wait and see what will happen in the next 2 weeks. 222 Members of Parliament are scheduled to swear in on 28th Apr.

Anwar claimed that he has enough MPs from Barisan Nasional to cross over and form a government. PR which has 82 seats just needs another 30 seats to do so. But Anwar was not satisfied to just have a weak government. He wanted a big majority government.

Christians are praying hard. It is important that God makes the change and not men.

You can view the talk of Anwar at: http://youtube.com/view_play_list?p=ABF19FC550688870

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Lim Guan Eng in turban

Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng was attending a Sikh Fesival Gurdwara Sahib. Well he could attend functions of all races and religions, but to dress up like them is not necessary. He should not feel obligated.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Should I join the Anwar Ibrahim countdown tonight? I think it is not easy to find a parking there. Taking LRT? It will not run after midnight.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Yesterday was Qing Ming. It was ranning cats and dogs. My younger brother came from Singapore. My brothers will visit the graveyards. This is how Chinese showed filial piety.

Friday, April 4, 2008

First message

Today I joined the bloggers' camp.