Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by vanbrah

[WTS] Lego Star Wars 10188 Death Star MISB

vanbrah — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 15:06:15 +0800

Item(s): Lego Star Wars 10188 Death Star MISB

Package includes: Complete box

Price: RM1.6K

Dealing method: COD from Midvalley, Old Klang Road, Taman Desa

Location of seller: KL

Contact method/details: PM

Age of item: MISB

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Item(s) conditions: Brand new

Reason for Sale : Need cash for marriage

PS4 Dobe Multifunctional Cooling Stand - RM70!

vanbrah — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 16:22:27 +0800

Item(s):
PS4 Dobe Multi-functional Cooling Stand

Package includes:

Provides efficient cooling for enhance PS4 console service life
Charging 2 PS4 wireless controller at the same time
Fast charging time about 2.5-3 hours
Disk bracket shell design for best game card arrangement
Suitable for Playstation 4, PS4 Pro, PS4 Slim Console

Price: RM70

Location: COD in Midvalley Megamall or areas nearby

Contact method/details: PM me!

Item(s) conditions: Brand new in Box

Reason for sale: Bought an extra unit by mistake - letting go at discounted price now.

HR refusing to offer the job without pay slip

vanbrah — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:34:54 +0800

I have been interviewing with this big company (MNC) - already pass 3 stages of interview with hiring manager, head of department and now final stage with HR.

Hiring manager and head of department all liked me a lot but HR now is refusing to proceed with my application without my pay slip.

I just kept telling them to pay me as per the value of the job - they said they cant do that, its against their process.

Can only proceed with pay slip.

I ended by not giving it - and of course, I lost the job opportunity.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

[WTS] Lego Parisian Restaurant 10243 MISB - RM700!

vanbrah — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 00:01:48 +0800

Item(s): Lego Parisian Restaurant 10243 MISB

Package includes: Complete box

Price: RM700

Dealing method: COD from Midvalley, KLCC

Location of seller: KL

Contact method/details: PM

Age of item: MISB

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Item(s) conditions: Brand new

<WTS>PS4 Pro 1TB Marvel Spider-Man Edition

vanbrah — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 18:33:24 +0800

Item(s): PS4 Pro 1TB Marvel’s Spider-Man Limited Edition

Package includes:
- PlayStation 4 Pro with 1TB HDD (CUH-7100 series) x 1 *Original Design
- DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller x 1 *Original Design
- PS4 title “Marvel's Spider-Man” Blu-ray Disc™ x 1
- Voucher code for digital contents Marvel's Spider-Man:
- PlayStation Plus membership voucher card (3 months subscription) x 1

Price: RM1850 (Nego)

Warranty: 2 year Sony Malaysia warranty

Dealing method: COD

Location: Midvalley Megamall or KLCC

Contact method/details: PM

Item(s) conditions: Brand new

Picture :

Bumiputera Congress bursts ‘New Malaysia’ bubble

vanbrah — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 11:03:21 +0800

The shocking pronouncements from the Bumiputera Congress that convened last weekend constitute the biggest let down to date since the Malaysian people voted for a “new Malaysia” with real reforms after 61 years of BN rule.

Pakatan Harapan leaders had promised that affirmative action would be needs-based rather than race-based and concerned rights activists, economists and investors alike have called for the termination of the never-ending New Economic Policy.

Alas, we have all been disappointed. There now seems to be no likelihood that we will see the end of bumiputera populism under the Harapan government.

What is worse is that the prime minister is in denial about the scourge of crony capitalism during his previous 22-year term from 1981 to 2003. Instead of apologising for his past actions and showing that he has reformed into a born-again democrat, Dr Mahathir Mohamad repeatedly tries to defend himself against charges of cronyism.

In his keynote address at the congress, he questioned critics of affirmative action policies aimed at helping bumiputera businessmen and tried to justify his past actions by saying that those labelled as cronies were actually those who were successful.

Cronies = Successful Bumiputeras?

There was a touch of irony in the fact that the congress coincided with the 20th anniversary of the dramatic sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as the deputy prime minister on the back of his allegations of cronyism and nepotism against Mahathir’s government. In 1998, Anwar alleged that Mahathir had a penchant for awarding huge state contracts to his cronies.

As recently as Feb 12, 2015, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said that it was during Mahathir’s 22-year tenure as prime minister that Malaysia first began to “rot”, thanks to corruption and rampant power abuse. He pointed out that it was during the Mahathir administration that “he single-handedly destroyed the independence, impartiality and professionalism not only of the judiciary, but also of other important national institutions like the police, the Election Commission, the anti-corruption agency, and the civil service”.

Apart from these two politicians, the academic Barry Wain wrote in his biography of the Malaysian Maverick that during the Mahathir administration, there was wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in Bursa Malaysia under guise of NEP to cronies. So, it is patently untrue what the Prime Minister claimed, that those labelled as cronies were actually those who were successful.

Favoured cronies

In 1989, Mahathir made his justification clear for transferring state capital to private Malay capitalist hands, a move that apparently needed no accountability:

“The best way to keep the shares in Bumiputera hands is to hand them over to the Bumiputeras most capable of retaining them, which means the well-to-do.” (Far Eastern Economic Review, April 13, 1979)

Thus, in the mid-1980s, Tajudin Ramli’s Technology Resources Industries was given an effective monopoly of the mobile phone market. Then Tajudin was allowed to buy state-owned carrier Malaysia Airlines for RM1.8 billion in borrowed funds. Invariably, Umno-linked corporate entities would get the benefit of the mandatory 30 percent of share allocation for bumiputeras during any corporate public listing or restructuring:

“With privatisation, too, Umno was used as a vehicle to transfer government holdings to private or semi-private ownership, mostly for the benefit of the same clique.” (Barry Wain 2012:114)

During Mahathir’s tenure as prime minister, three main Umno officials focused their attention on building “bumiputera capitalists”. This was facilitated after Umno was declared illegal in 1988 and its assets were required to be sold off. The three were Mahathir himself, Daim Zainuddin (who was finance minister during two phases of Mahathir’s term) and Anwar Ibrahim, who, before his downfall in September 1998, was second in power after Mahathir. All three had their respective corporate connections.

The periodic power struggles within Umno often produced unexpected revelations of great interest to the people. Thus, in November 1994, it was revealed that relatives of prominent Umno politicians had been profiting from the preferential share-allocation scheme originally designed to help ordinary Malays under the NEP. Among these were Mirzan Mahathir, son of the prime minister; Marzuki Ibrahim, brother of then deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, and Fazrin Azwar, son-in-law of then International Trade and Industry minister Rafidah Aziz, who happened to chair the allocation committee. This information was only leaked to the public by Rafidah Aziz because she wanted to show that it was not just her son-in-law who had gained from the allocations. (Asiaweek, Nov 30, 1994)

When Anwar Ibrahim had met his fate at the hands of Mahathir in 1998, the firms linked to the former deputy prime minister were either taken over by pro-Mahathir management or those who had switched allegiance to Mahathir. Likewise, after the Mahathir-Daim split in 2001, Halim Saad lost control of Renong. This has typified the vagaries of power struggles in Umno and the economic consequences for these bumiputera capitalists. Thus, the fortunes of bumiputera capitalists did not rest on their “success” as entrepreneurs as the prime minister claims.

Serious historians have not forgotten the time how, after Anwar Ibrahim had been arrested, the Umno-owned New Straits Times began to spill the beans regarding his cronyism. The newspaper revealed that one of Anwar’s allies, former Penang Umno youth chief, Abdul Rahim Ghouse was a director and/or shareholder of 44 companies.

This was followed a few days later by revelations of other aides and allies of the former deputy prime minister with links to some 300 firms, including Anwar’s former private secretary Nasaruddin Jalil (112 companies); former political secretary Sarit Yusoh (80 companies); another Anwar ally Ahmad Saad (53 companies); then senator Ghazi Ramli (43 companies); former Negri Sembilan Umno youth chairman Ruslan Kassim (50 companies) and then Umno MP Ruhanie Ahmad (42 companies). Anwar’s own father, Ibrahim Abdul Rahman was reportedly on the board of more than 50 companies. (New Straits Times, Dec 8, 1998)

Mahathir’s favoured “bumiputera entrepreneurs” included Tajudin Ramli, Yahaya Ahmad, Halim Saad, Samsudin Abu Hassan, Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah, among others. All these nominees were presumably Umno’s nominees who were holding all these business interests on behalf of Umno. Mahathir’s own children didn’t do too badly either. In 2011, Forbes named Mokhzani Mahathir (photo) the 15th richest Malaysian, worth US$560 million.

Privatisation of public services included multi-billion projects such as the North-South Highway, water and sewerage, the Bakun dam, Light Rail Transit System and the National Train Service (KTM). The negotiated tenders mainly benefited companies linked to these favoured bumiputera capitalists. Some, for example, Renong in the LRT Phase 2 project, were also given “soft loans” paid for by taxpayers. The public pension fund, the Employees Provident Fund became a convenient source of capital for private companies such as STAR, the operator of LRT Phase 1, as well as the independent power producers.

During the financial crisis of 1997, the state provided support for favoured firms linked to the “bumiputera capitalists” after the imposition of capital controls, such as reflationary measures which included cutting interest rates and making credit more readily available to these fledgling firms. Banks were also encouraged to lend more, and to bail out troubled firms and a new expansionary budget was introduced in October 1998.

Mahathir’s son, Mirzan (photo) had shipping interests that had to be bailed out in 1998 with RM1.7 billion of Malaysian taxpayers’ money. In December 2000, the government bought back the 29% stake held by Tajudin Ramli in Malaysian Airline System (MAS), the operator of Malaysia Airlines. The price was reported to be about twice the market price, thus effectively bailing out Tajudin. The government also effected a process of consolidation, instructing 58 financial institutions to merge, creating 10 “superbanks”. At the same time, large companies, such as Renong and the Lion group were allowed to repeatedly roll over their debts with government help.

When Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over from Mahathir in 2003, he had to deal with a railway privatisation deal that had been negotiated privately without open bidding and public disclosure. It had gone to a businessman who had no less than RM22 billion in government contracts in the previous six months, including 60 percent interest in the RM6.4 billion Bakun Dam project. (See more examples in Racism & Racial Discrimination in Malaysia.)

Thus, after last weekend’s Bumiputera Congress, we can only wait with grave concern how the prime minister intends to privatise our national asset, Khazanah, to “bumiputera entrepreneurs” as he has announced. In the first place, this national asset of ours should not be privatised – it belongs to all of us irrespective of ethnicity and all Malaysians who care about developing our national assets should defend it against any privatisation.

Top reform agenda: End race-based policies

In Malaysia, given that it is now almost 30 years since the NEP deadline in 1990, it makes developmental sense to implement a new socially just affirmative action policy based on need, class or sector. Thus, if Malays are predominantly in the rural agricultural sector, the poor Malay farmers would be eligible to benefit from such a needs-based policy while the rich Malay land-owning class would not. Only such a race-free policy can convince the people that the government is socially just, fair and democratic.

The cost and consequences of the racially discriminatory policy in Malaysia have been immense especially since the NEP in 1971. It has caused a crippling polarisation of the Malaysian society and a costly brain drain. Any policy based on “race” is seriously flawed and questionable since every ethnic community has its rich elite and its poorer majority. Every scholar worth his or her salt knew back in the 70s what the outcome of the NEP would be – and we’ve seen how the “corrective” measures have mainly benefited the well-placed Umnoputras. Separating the control of funds by NEP “trustees” from nominal ownership by bumiputeras has led to the flouting of public accountability. As a result, without effective checks and balances, Malaysia has been beset by massive scandals like Bank Rakyat, BMF, 1MDB and others since 1971.

More potentially dangerous and insidious is the effect this widespread racial discrimination has had on ethnic relations in this country. Real unity can only be promoted through an affirmative action policy based on need, sector or class – never on race. Only then will Malaysian voters feel they have voted for a truly new Malaysia.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/441514

Good read!

Honda replace airbag on August. What to do?

vanbrah — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 21:32:24 +0800

Called many Honda centres, all appointment fully booked till August and no stock for airbag.

Can only replace airbag on early August - what to do till then? Drive around with the risk of airbag can burst?

My work requires me to drive around.

For the record, never got sms/mail, serviced car every 3 months but nothing was said by SC

Finding Honda very irresponsible especially considering this is a safety issue

Clean bulk - eating out

vanbrah — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 20:16:20 +0800

While it's easy to make clean bulk food at home.. What does one eat when outside?

My body fat is 25% but I have skinny arms and legs, need to bulk..

All chicken chop and chillis kinda food is expensive in Malaysia..

How do u find clean bulk food in Malaysia?

Asking for higher salary in current company

vanbrah — Sun, 22 May 2016 23:18:25 +0800

The company I work in is good company - though my workload is very high (basically I am doing the job of 3 people)

What I can't get over though is my pay - I found out one of my colleague is earning 40% more than me while doing the same job and I am among the lowest earners in the team.

While my boss is happy about my performance - there has been no talk of matching my salary to my colleagues (he probably thinks I am not aware of this)

I need atleast 30% salary increment to continue working here - how do I go about demanding this while not creating a bad name for myself with my boss and not seem over demanding?

How do you shut off from work after office-hours?

vanbrah — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:01:00 +0800

Been very stress recently.. whenever i come back from office, all my office problems and works lingers in my head. Recently it has been impacting my sleep and health.

My question is - how do you folks shut off from work? I want to work purely 9-6 and shut off from work completely after that, but cant seem to do that.

[WTS] PS VITA 1K + All Games (complete set)

vanbrah — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 23:48:14 +0800

Hello,

Selling off my whole PS Vita set along with games/memory card/US PSN account.

This is what is in

1) PS Vita 1K (hardly played in good condition) + Vita Card Case + Charger + Hori Vita Game Pouch
2) 64Gb + 32Gb + 32Gb Memory Card
3) US PSN account : PS+ till July 2017 and USD 135 in credit left

3) Games :

Physical Copy
i) Uncharted : Golden Abyss (R3)
ii) Rayman Origins (R1)
iii) Persona 4 (R1)
iv) Final Fantasy X/X-2 (R1)

Soft copy in memory card - all R1 :
1) Little Big Planet
2) Freedom Wars
3) Danganronpa
4) Batman Arkham Origins
5) Tearaway
6) Child of Light
7) Football Manager 2014
9) Chrono Trigger
10) Chrono Cross
11) Grim Fandango Remastered
12) Dragonball Z
13) Hell Divers
14) Bastion
14) Injustice : Gods among us
15) Rayman Legends
16) Borderlands 2
17) Soul Sacrifice Delta
18) Nihilumbra
19) Entwined
20) Tearaway Soundtrack
12) Kick and Fennick
22) Mouse craft
23) Geometry war of Dimension
24) Castlestorm
25) Lemmings Touch
26) History - Legends of War
27) Pinball Arcade
28) Germinator
29) God of War - Sparta
30) Kyntt Underground
31) Muramasa Rebirth
32) Guacemelee
33) DOA5 Plus
34) Urban Trial Freestyle
35) Ragnarok Odysey
36) Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed
37) The Walking Dead
38) Oddworld stranger's wrath
39) Killzone Mercenary
40) SineMora
41) Street Fighter vs Tekken
42) Disney Epic Mickey 2
43) Smart As
44) Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker
45) Starwars Pinball
46) Chaos Rings
47) Darkstalkers Chronicle
48) God Eater Burst
49) Machinirium
50) Limbo
51) GTA Liberty City
52) Hotline Miami
53) Worms
54) Monster Hunter
55) Wipeout 2048
56) NInja Gaiden Plus
57) Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom
58) Disgaea 3
59) Gravity Rush
60) Metal Gear Solid HD
61) Danganronpa 2
62) Sly Cooper - Thieves of Time
63) Zero escape : Virtue Last
64) AC liberation
65) Unit 13
66) Foosball 2012
67) Retrocity Rampage
68) Plant vs Zombie
69) Zombie Tycoon
70) Dokuro
71) Blazblue EX
72) Sounds Shapes
73) Lone Survivor
74) Thomas was alone
75) Soul-caliber : broken destiny
76) Stelath inc
77) Metal Slug XX
78) Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
79) Tekken 6
80) Nova-111
81) Code of Guardian Realize
82) Unchartered : Golden Abyss
83) Flame Over
84) Reality Fighters

I basically have every proper game in Vita - Selling the whole set together now because working shift - no time to play.

Everything goes for RM1.8K

COD in KL. Please PM me your best offer - Thanks!

[WTS] Lego Star Wars 10188 Death Star - SOLD!

vanbrah — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 18:33:25 +0800

SOLD!

[WTS] PS VITA 4GB Memory Card

vanbrah — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 00:45:06 +0800

Hello,

Selling off my extra PS Vita Memory Card 4GB (used)

Price : SOLD!

COD : Taman Desa, Old Klang Road or Mid Valley... PM if interested

[WTB] Rayman Legends PS Vita (R1)

vanbrah — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 21:18:47 +0800

Interested in Rayman Legends for PS Vita (R1)

PM if have it..

MAS airlines plane does a u-turn halfway?

vanbrah — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:05:34 +0800

Today was on a MAS airline flight, 1.5 hours into the flight, captain informs that there is a technical failure with the plane and have to do a u-turn back to KLIA to do emergency landing.

Once return, they said they will prepare a new flight in a few hours, but i was pissed, not taking my chances again, demanded a refund and refuse to wait.

They never gave an explanation on what happened but it has to be extremely serious because the destination was just 2 hours away but they flew back to KL.

The only compensation they gave once landed is a lunch voucher while waiting till they prepare their new flight??

How often does this happen to MAS airlines? What can i possibly do?

Is GSC Maxx Times Square 2d or 3d?

vanbrah — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 01:12:15 +0800

Hi folks, just bought tics for Jurassic World in GSC Maxx Times Square.

No freaking idea if its in 2d or 3d though, anyone know?

I dont like 3d lioww

Sold!

vanbrah — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 21:48:49 +0800

Sold!

[WTS] Lego Halloween Minifigures for sale!

vanbrah — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 00:10:24 +0800

Item(s): Lego Halloween Minifigures for sale

Package includes: Lego Witch and Lego Ghost

Dealing method: COD only

Location of seller: Midvalley

Contact method/details: PM me or post here

Age of item: Brand new

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Item(s) conditions: Brand new, sealed in plastic.

Picture:

[attachmentid=3844078]

Ghost
RM 20

[attachmentid=3844079]

Witch
RM 20

Or take both for just RM 35! Perfect for decorating your Monster Fighter sets!

SOLD!

vanbrah — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 22:37:59 +0800

SOLD!

[WTS] LEGO 8833 Minifigures Series 8 Vampire Bat

vanbrah — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 22:21:57 +0800

Item(s): Lego 8833 - Minifigures Series 8 - Vampire Bat

Package includes: Lego Minifigures Series 8 - Vampire Bat

Price: RM19

Dealing method: COD in Midvalley or KLCC

Location of seller: Midvalley

Contact method/details: PM me here

Age of item: Brand new

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Item(s) conditions: New item. Package had been opened to confirm the character. It had been sealed back

Reason for sale: Selling off extra sets at cost price. Perfect minifigure to decorate your Monster fighter sets or Haunted house

[attachmentid=3827550]