US President blasted Wall Street bonuses handed out amid the financial crisis.
Taking on one of the most politically explosive issues of the economic downturn, Obama expressed outrage over a report that Wall Street fiems gave out more than US$18 billion in bonuses last year.
" That is the height of irresponsibility. It is shamful," the president said, calling on US financial firms to "show some restraint and some discipline and sense of responsibility."
Well, readers, what's your take on this. My company gave us a token of appreciation for the CNY. Is this a sense of irresponsibility on the part of the management? I strongly disagree. In fact, i lauded their wise decision.
Very soon, i confidence this company would achieve the status of a behemoth organization.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Back To Work
Back To Work
On our way back to Sibu on 30/01/09, we were welcomed by continuous torrential rain since a few days before CNY. Hardly a day passed without heavy rain and landslides news hitting headlines; Heavy downpour takes toll on roads, Water level still high, Evacuation centre closed but on standby and more…..
The project site is in a deplorable condition and manpower is yet to reach the anticipated maximum requirements and would only be back to normal by 2/02/09, hopefully.
Lots of catching up to do; in terms of paper work and chasing site progress, especially. We hope to complete the project by this August or at least by December 2009. And move on to another project base in Kuching. Nearer to home and family.
While having a small talk with my MD, I was given the assurance that no retrenchment and the organization would function as usual. However, site management need to be beefed up to prevent chronic waste of resources during the present economic meltdown. My management support is highly commendable.
Let’s hope things would go well and complete the project ASAP.
On our way back to Sibu on 30/01/09, we were welcomed by continuous torrential rain since a few days before CNY. Hardly a day passed without heavy rain and landslides news hitting headlines; Heavy downpour takes toll on roads, Water level still high, Evacuation centre closed but on standby and more…..
The project site is in a deplorable condition and manpower is yet to reach the anticipated maximum requirements and would only be back to normal by 2/02/09, hopefully.
Lots of catching up to do; in terms of paper work and chasing site progress, especially. We hope to complete the project by this August or at least by December 2009. And move on to another project base in Kuching. Nearer to home and family.
While having a small talk with my MD, I was given the assurance that no retrenchment and the organization would function as usual. However, site management need to be beefed up to prevent chronic waste of resources during the present economic meltdown. My management support is highly commendable.
Let’s hope things would go well and complete the project ASAP.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Govt to pay RM1 bln VOP to contractors
The government is expected to pay around RM 1 billion as Variation of Price ( VOP) to contractors of over 1,000 9MP projects by 2010, said Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad.
` The Minstry of Works has identified 1,311 government projects which are eligible for the payment under VOP. The gov’t has paid out RM44.2 million to contractors of 270 gov’t projects as at Nov 17, 2008.’ he said.
He added that VOP is an effort undertaken by the gov’t to help contractors minimize losses caused by the drastic price increase of building material such as steel, particularly last year.
` On Aug 6 , 2008, the gov’t decided to implement a new method to calculate VOP in order to minimize the losses of contractors due to the increase in construction cost.’ said Zin.
He explained that under the new method, 11 types of building materials were considered under VOP for civil engineering projects compared to five in the past.
For projects under building construction, VOP is based on changes in the cost index for 14 materials and steel prices.
The gov’t has also agreed to implement VOP for mechanical and electrical ( M & E ) projects with the condition that they are under civil engineering or building construction.
` Meanwhile the gov’t also considering backdating the implementation date for the steel VOP to Jan 1, 2008 from May 12, 2008 previously. The gov’t will maintain its 50:50 risk sharing with the contractors,’ he said.
Besides steel, Zin said the VOP is also applied to copper and iron for M & E projects which were implemented from July 1, 2008.
Source: The Borneo Post
Dated 23 January 2009
` The Minstry of Works has identified 1,311 government projects which are eligible for the payment under VOP. The gov’t has paid out RM44.2 million to contractors of 270 gov’t projects as at Nov 17, 2008.’ he said.
He added that VOP is an effort undertaken by the gov’t to help contractors minimize losses caused by the drastic price increase of building material such as steel, particularly last year.
` On Aug 6 , 2008, the gov’t decided to implement a new method to calculate VOP in order to minimize the losses of contractors due to the increase in construction cost.’ said Zin.
He explained that under the new method, 11 types of building materials were considered under VOP for civil engineering projects compared to five in the past.
For projects under building construction, VOP is based on changes in the cost index for 14 materials and steel prices.
The gov’t has also agreed to implement VOP for mechanical and electrical ( M & E ) projects with the condition that they are under civil engineering or building construction.
` Meanwhile the gov’t also considering backdating the implementation date for the steel VOP to Jan 1, 2008 from May 12, 2008 previously. The gov’t will maintain its 50:50 risk sharing with the contractors,’ he said.
Besides steel, Zin said the VOP is also applied to copper and iron for M & E projects which were implemented from July 1, 2008.
Source: The Borneo Post
Dated 23 January 2009
The Missing Brick
Once, when I and my wife were traveling, I received a fax from my secretary.
`There’s one glass brick missing for the work on the kitchen renovation,’ she said. `I’m sending you the original plan as well as the plan the builder has come up with to compensate for it.’
On the other hand, there was the design my wife had made: harmonious lines of bricks with an opening for ventilation. On the other, there was the plan drawn up to resolve the problem of the missing brick: a real jigsaw puzzle in which the glass squares were arranged in a higgledy-piggledy fashion that defied aesthetics.
`Just buy another brick,’ wrote my wife. And so they did, and thus stuck to the original design.
That afternoon, I thought for a long time about what had happened, how often, for the lack of one brick, we completely distort the original plan our lives.
Source:
Paulo Coelho; Like the Flowing River Pg 89
Moral of the story:
Don’t sweat the small stuff
`There’s one glass brick missing for the work on the kitchen renovation,’ she said. `I’m sending you the original plan as well as the plan the builder has come up with to compensate for it.’
On the other hand, there was the design my wife had made: harmonious lines of bricks with an opening for ventilation. On the other, there was the plan drawn up to resolve the problem of the missing brick: a real jigsaw puzzle in which the glass squares were arranged in a higgledy-piggledy fashion that defied aesthetics.
`Just buy another brick,’ wrote my wife. And so they did, and thus stuck to the original design.
That afternoon, I thought for a long time about what had happened, how often, for the lack of one brick, we completely distort the original plan our lives.
Source:
Paulo Coelho; Like the Flowing River Pg 89
Moral of the story:
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Transform your outlook on life
Don't sweat the Small Stuff......OMNIBUS by Richard Carlson;
Let me share the excerpt from the book.
So many of us would like to live our lives in a calmer and less stressful way, and be able to let go of our problems. In this phenomenal bestseller Don't Sweet the Small Stuff...and it's all Small Stuff Carlson shows us how to stop letting the little things in life drive us crazy.
The book also show us how to interact more peacefully and joyfully with colleagues, clients and bosses. He reveals how to shine in meetings, how to react to criticism from colleagues, and how to ask for a pay rise in the most effective way possible.
Moreover, you will learn brilliant strategies for achieving financial success by giving up stress, worry, anger and fear. Carlson's basic philosophy for life is the more you give, the more you get back- and that you can make money or make excuses, but you can't do both.
The book are sure to transform your outlook in life.
Enjoy reading, fellow bloggers.
Let me share the excerpt from the book.
So many of us would like to live our lives in a calmer and less stressful way, and be able to let go of our problems. In this phenomenal bestseller Don't Sweet the Small Stuff...and it's all Small Stuff Carlson shows us how to stop letting the little things in life drive us crazy.
The book also show us how to interact more peacefully and joyfully with colleagues, clients and bosses. He reveals how to shine in meetings, how to react to criticism from colleagues, and how to ask for a pay rise in the most effective way possible.
Moreover, you will learn brilliant strategies for achieving financial success by giving up stress, worry, anger and fear. Carlson's basic philosophy for life is the more you give, the more you get back- and that you can make money or make excuses, but you can't do both.
The book are sure to transform your outlook in life.
Enjoy reading, fellow bloggers.
Flooding in Sarawak
Floods wreak havoc in Sarawak – Day 2
Today it’s a much better day although experiencing drizzling weather condition. We were able to travel to & from work in our FORD vehicle and onto a new top up layer of stone and gravel on existing roads as a temporary road base (or rather sub base) spread, leveled, & rolled & well consolidated for residents to go to school and work. I suppose it’s an initiative by local councils and JKR while begging for funds from the federal gov’t. Well, It’s a good election gimmick for some aspiring MPs and future WORKS Minister! Currently, we have a Deputy Minister of Housing in Sibu and would be timely to have a Foochow Works Minister!
Malaysian MPs seems to be singing the same old tune again and again every time a disaster struck. Landslide at Bukit Antarabangsa, Highlands Towers just to name a few. Developers are issued with STOP WORK order by relevant authorities BUT not for long. After a few months, bulldozers & excavators start to roll again. Short memories, Malaysian isn’t it?
Flooding in Sarawak is an old issue esp. in Sibu. Flood mitigation Plan would surface every time an election comes near. It’s again a forum for candidates to lies , lies…lies..an get elected. Can’t blame them. It is all part and parcel of the pathetic attempt to win votes at any cost. Of course, it will lead to that fateful days when the electorate says’ ` Now that you have won, where are the things you promised us?’ It’s axiomatic that they can’t deliver the Flood Mitigation Plan budget even after surveyed & research by so-called Chinese expert. Sign……….Nightmare scenario……..
Well, so much about politics. Yeh Politics! Flooding would be the main political issue in the coming election and give the opposition an advantage and claim political mileage.
It’s time for sarawakian Mps to get it’s act together and insist on the budget from the federal Gov’t to ease the suffering of the people. Ya, they do have the people at heart, don’t they?
In view of the present weather condition, we are skeptical about the road condition from Sibu to Kuching. We are heading home next week to celebrate CNY. Hope the condition would improve and safely home.
Happy Chinese New Year & lots & lots of Angpow
Today it’s a much better day although experiencing drizzling weather condition. We were able to travel to & from work in our FORD vehicle and onto a new top up layer of stone and gravel on existing roads as a temporary road base (or rather sub base) spread, leveled, & rolled & well consolidated for residents to go to school and work. I suppose it’s an initiative by local councils and JKR while begging for funds from the federal gov’t. Well, It’s a good election gimmick for some aspiring MPs and future WORKS Minister! Currently, we have a Deputy Minister of Housing in Sibu and would be timely to have a Foochow Works Minister!
Malaysian MPs seems to be singing the same old tune again and again every time a disaster struck. Landslide at Bukit Antarabangsa, Highlands Towers just to name a few. Developers are issued with STOP WORK order by relevant authorities BUT not for long. After a few months, bulldozers & excavators start to roll again. Short memories, Malaysian isn’t it?
Flooding in Sarawak is an old issue esp. in Sibu. Flood mitigation Plan would surface every time an election comes near. It’s again a forum for candidates to lies , lies…lies..an get elected. Can’t blame them. It is all part and parcel of the pathetic attempt to win votes at any cost. Of course, it will lead to that fateful days when the electorate says’ ` Now that you have won, where are the things you promised us?’ It’s axiomatic that they can’t deliver the Flood Mitigation Plan budget even after surveyed & research by so-called Chinese expert. Sign……….Nightmare scenario……..
Well, so much about politics. Yeh Politics! Flooding would be the main political issue in the coming election and give the opposition an advantage and claim political mileage.
It’s time for sarawakian Mps to get it’s act together and insist on the budget from the federal Gov’t to ease the suffering of the people. Ya, they do have the people at heart, don’t they?
In view of the present weather condition, we are skeptical about the road condition from Sibu to Kuching. We are heading home next week to celebrate CNY. Hope the condition would improve and safely home.
Happy Chinese New Year & lots & lots of Angpow
Famous Quote
`In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge’- Ikujiro Nonaka, leading authority in knowledge mgmt
`Everybody has the opportunity to succeed. If you haven’t accomplished it, it is only because you haven’t worked hard enough.’ – Andrew Carnegie.
`It is better late than never.’ – famous rock group band , Bon Jovi
`Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm’. – Sir Winston Churchill
`Everybody has the opportunity to succeed. If you haven’t accomplished it, it is only because you haven’t worked hard enough.’ – Andrew Carnegie.
`It is better late than never.’ – famous rock group band , Bon Jovi
`Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm’. – Sir Winston Churchill
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