Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by gruntz99

Mahathir to restore rule of law?

gruntz99 — Thu, 10 May 2018 04:37:18 +0800

Hope real law, not Mahathir's rule.

Tujuh belajar ilmu kebal masuk hospital

gruntz99 — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:22:58 +0800

7 hospitalised in Indonesia 'sorcery ritual'

Seven Indonesians were hospitalised after rinsing their hands in acid , police said Tuesday as they hunted for the self-styled sorcerer who promised the men it would make them invincible.

The bizarre ritual last week left the men, residents of the Rawa Kopi village just outside the capital Jakarta, with serious burns on their hands, authorities said.

A mystery man named Didi, who moved into the village several months ago, claimed he was a master of traditional magic -- known as Debus -- which is supposed to protect a person from physical injury.

The self-proclaimed magician offered free lessons and promised to make the unlucky men invincible.

"These men were trying to become invincible with a man who claimed to be a 'guru'," local police chief Harry Kurniawan told AFP on Tuesday.

To test that promise, Didi suggested that the men rinse their hands in a chemical that police believe was acid.

It was not long before the men were rushed to hospital with severe burns, Kurniawan added.

The self-styled guru fled shortly after the group was hospitalised. He could face five years in prison if convicted of negligence leading to injury.

Two men have since been discharged while the other five remain under treatment.

Sorcerers and faith healers are common in Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation in Southeast Asia, where many people remain deeply superstitious despite black magic being outlawed.

SOS LOL

>2017
>sorcery

Bought jeans, found 5000 won

gruntz99 — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:26:55 +0800

Yesterday I bought a jeans from budke and i found 5000 won from back pocket. I would keep it as lucky charm.

74 year old ninja thief caught

gruntz99 — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 15:08:26 +0800

Japanese police have finally nabbed a nimble "ninja" thief who dressed in black and scrambled over walls to commit scores of break-ins over an eight-year career -- and were astonished to find he was 74.

Police in the western Japanese city of Osaka had been stumped by a string of burglaries, their only lead being security camera footage showing an agile thief with a black neck-warmer pulled up to the nose and a parker hood down to the eyebrows.

"He was dressed all in black just like a ninja," a senior official at the Kawachi police station told AFP.

But the master thief made a mistake in May -- his neck-warmer slipped and his identity was revealed on camera.

Police recognised their man as Mitsuaki Tanigawa, 74, who had a previous record of thefts.

They then started watching the aged crook and tried to trap him.

"Investigators watched him doddering out from his house like any other old man during daytime. He then went to an abandoned apartment room where he changed and waited until it got dark," the official said.

"When he came out in the dark, he was all in black... He did not take ordinary streets, squeezing through tight spaces between houses and running on the tops of walls," he added.

As investigators were unable to pursue the agile thief to catch him in the act, they finally pounced when he came back to his hideout at 4am after robbing an electronics store.

Under arrest, Tanigawa said he "hated working and thought stealing is quicker," according to the police official.

He has been charged for over 254 break-ins for thefts totalling 30 million yen ($260,000) over the past eight years.

He later told the police that he needed only 10 minutes to sneak into a house, stealing mainly cash from people as they slept.

"He's a pro. He told us 'I have confidence in my job'," the police official said.

"If I were younger, I wouldn't have been caught. I'll quit now as I'm 74 and old enough," the thief was quoted as saying.

Source

The best instant noodle

gruntz99 — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 10:06:32 +0800

What is the best instant noodle you have ever eaten?
For me, I choose this.

Uber Faces Widespread Asia Bribery

gruntz99 — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 15:54:13 +0800

Uber Technologies Inc., facing a federal probe into whether it broke laws against overseas bribery, has embarked on a review of its Asia operations and notified U.S. officials about payments made by staff in Indonesia, people with knowledge of the matter said.

As the Justice Department looks into a possible criminal case, Uber is working with law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP to examine records of foreign payments and interview employees, raising questions about why some potentially problematic business dealings weren’t disclosed sooner, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are private.

Attorneys are focused on suspicious activity in at least five Asian countries: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. For instance, Uber’s law firm is reviewing a web of financial arrangements tied to the Malaysian government that may have influenced lawmakers there, the people said.

Uber said it’s cooperating with investigators but declined to comment further. Wyn Hornbuckle, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to comment.

Late last year, Uber had a run-in with Indonesia police over the location of an office in Jakarta providing support to local drivers, people with knowledge of the events said. Police officers said the space was outside city zoning for businesses, so an employee decided to dole out multiple, small payments to police in order to continue operating there, the people said. The transactions showed up on the employee’s expense reports, described as payments to local authorities.

Uber fired the employee, the people said. Alan Jiang, the company’s head of Indonesia business who approved the expense report, was placed on a leave of absence and has since left the company. Jiang didn’t respond to requests for comment.

At least one senior member of the legal team at Uber initially decided not to report the incident to U.S. officials when he learned of it late last year, the people said. After the Justice Department approached Uber about possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Uber informed officials about what happened in Indonesia. The Justice Department can be more lenient when a company voluntarily discloses information.

Uber’s law firm is also investigating a corporate donation, announced in August 2016, of tens of thousands of dollars to the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre, a government-backed entrepreneur hub. Around that time, a Malaysian pension fund, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan), invested $30 million in Uber, said people familiar with the deal. Less than a year later, the Malaysian government passed national ride-hailing laws that were favorable to Uber and its peers. Lawyers are trying to determine whether there was any form of quid pro quo.

Emil Michael and Eric Alexander, two former business executives at Uber, played key roles in negotiating those deals, the people said.

“We strongly refute our involvement in any quid-pro-quo arrangements,” a spokeswoman at Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre said via email.

Uber’s law firm is also asking questions about how Alexander came into possession of an India rape victim’s medical records, a document he regularly carried around with him for several months in 2015. Michael and former Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick were aware that Alexander had the medical report, and they discussed it with colleagues. Alexander and Kalanick declined to comment through spokespeople, and Michael didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dealings in China and South Korea are also under review, though the details are unclear. The bribery inquiry is one of at least three federal probes the San Francisco-based company faces -- the other two involve software developed by Uber to gather data on competitors and deceive law enforcement officials conducting stings on Uber drivers.

Before the probe into foreign payments, O’Melveny & Myers advised self-driving car startup Otto on its sale to Uber. Alphabet Inc. is now suing Uber over trade secret claims related to that deal. In June, Uber asked O’Melveny & Myers to focus on the India probe, and the scope expanded.

More

Norway pension fund now worth $1 trillion

gruntz99 — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 23:31:00 +0800

Norway's giant pension fund is now worth over $1 trillion. Yes, 1 followed by 12 zeros.
The fund's managers announced Tuesday that currency shifts had helped push its value above $1 trillion for the first time.
"The growth in the fund's market value has been stunning," fund chief Yngve Slyngstad said in a statement. "I don't think anyone expected the fund to ever reach $1 trillion when the first transfer of oil revenue was made in May 1996."
For comparison: $1 trillion is roughly the size of Mexico's economy.
Norway is a major oil producer, and it has plowed its energy earnings into the fund in order to fund pensions and other government expenses.
The fund is among the world's biggest investors in stocks, owning $667 billion worth of shares in over 9,000 companies globally. It owns on average 1.3% of all listed companies worldwide.
The fund also owns large real estate portfolio, including stakes in buildings at the world's most desirable addresses, such as Times Square in New York, Regent Street in London, and Champs Elysees in Paris.
Returns have been impressive.
The fund has generated an annual return of 5.9 % since January 1998, a figure that is reduced to 4% when management costs and inflation are included. In 2016, it clocked a 6.9% return worth 447 billion Norwegian kroner ($57 billion).
This year is shaping to be even more prosperous. The fund made 499 billion kroner ($63 billion) in just the first two quarters of 2017.
The fund's value works out to over $190,000 for each of Norway's 5.2 million citizens.

CNN

Marcos a hero: Duterte

gruntz99 — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 17:31:05 +0800

Batac (Philippines) (AFP) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Sunday hailed late dictator Ferdinand Marcos as a "hero" to many Filipinos, brushing aside a history of corruption and rights abuses under the former strongman.

Duterte is stepping up efforts to rehabilitate the image of Marcos, who was ousted in an army-back popular revolt in 1986 and died in exile, as the Marcos family and their allies prepare to hold celebrations Monday marking a hundred years since his birth.

The outspoken Duterte, who has previously hailed Marcos as the country's best-ever president, has declared the anniversary a holiday in Marcos' home province of Ilocos Norte where his family still wields political power.

"He was a president. To the Ilocanos, he was the greatest president. Why do we have to debate on that?" Duterte said late Saturday.

"As far as the Ilocanos (are) concerned, Marcos is a hero," he added, calling criticisms of the former leader "hogwash" and "garbage".

Duterte, who has himself faced accusations of major human rights abuses, is a friend of the Marcos family and has played a key role in bolstering their efforts to regain the top echelons of political power.

Marcos was accused of embezzling billions of dollars from state coffers, with anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in 2004 naming him the second most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto.

The dictator also oversaw widespread human rights abuses to maintain his control of the country and enable his plundering, with thousands of people killed or tortured, previous Philippine governments said.

This culminated in a popular revolt that toppled Marcos, sending him and his family fleeing into exile in Hawaii in 1986. He died in 1989.

No member of the Marcos clan has ever gone to prison and the family has made a stunning political comeback in recent years.

They have hosted various events in Ilocos in recent days showcasing the rule of their patriarch, including a Catholic mass and an event to unveil a plaque on Sunday at the family's ancestral home in the city of Batac. The Star

Isteri PM didakwa salah guna dana awam

gruntz99 — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:49:23 +0800

Isteri PM Israel bakal didakwa salah guna dana awam

BAITULMAQDIS: Isteri Perdana Menteri Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara Netanyahu akan didakwa atas penipuan barangan bernilai AS$115,000, lapor agensi berita China Xinhua.
Memetik laporan Channel 2 TV News, Peguam Negara Israel, Avichai Mandleblit dijangka mengumumkan perkara itu hari ini.
Sara disiasat kerana membuat pesanan serta tempahan barangan yang menimbulkan kesangsian, apabila melaporkannya sebagai perbelanjaan awam dan tidak membayar secara peribadi.
Beliau menempah hidangan istimewa serta membeli perabot taman untuk vila keluarga Netanyahu di Caesarea, sebuah bandar di tengah Israel dan mengisytiharkannya perbelanjaan awam.
Di samping itu, beliau turut disiasat kerana menggunakan seorang pegawai kediaman rasmi perdana menteri di Baitulmaqdis sebagai penjaga bapanya.
Pejabat Perdana Menteri bagaimanapun menafikan laporan itu.
Benjamin juga sedang disiasat atas 2 kesalahan rasuah.

Sumber

Red chip stocks on bursa

gruntz99 — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 23:54:38 +0800

Has anyone here had experience or has information with red chip stocks listed on Bursa? Could you share your view if anyone personally handled or traded them before?

XingQuan International Sport Holdings Ltd

The first China-based company to list on Bursa Malaysia, XingQuan completed a one-for-two rights issue with free warrants in April last year, raising RM44.1 million for business expansion. The cash call was undersubscribed by 13%. Investors questioned the company’s rationale as it was sitting on a huge cash pile.

XingQuan’s factory in the South China Industrial Zone in Huian, Fujian, started operating in February 2011. Its production capacity is about five million pairs of shoes per annum. The company’s factory in Chendai, Fujian, has the capacity to produce more than 30 million pairs of shoe soles per annum.

Multi Sports Holdings Ltd

Trading in the shares of sports shoes and apparel manufacturer, Multi Sports, has been suspended for more than a year as the company was unable to submit its 2015 annual report.

Last April, Multi Sports said there was a delay in the release of the company’s 2015 annual report due to additional work to be performed by external auditor RT LLP to verify expenditure incurred and bank balances.

Apart from that, Deloitte & Touche, the external auditor from Taiwan, was unable to carry out its review in line with Taiwan Accounting Standard Requirements. Multi Sports had taken part in the Taiwan Depository Receipts Programme to seek a secondary listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2011.

Trading in Multi Sports’ shares was suspended on May 10 last year.

Bursa Malaysia has served show-cause letters on the company to explain by July 10 why it should not be delisted.

XiDeLang Holdings Ltd

The company’s beginnings can be traced back to 1993 when HongPeng Footwear was founded in Jinjiang City, Fujian, to manufacture sports shoes.

In view of the rapid growth in e-commerce in recent years, the group embarked on an online-to-offline marketing strategy after communication and coordination with the authorised distributors.

Like its peers XingQuan International Sport Holdings Ltd and Multi Sports Holdings Ltd, XiDeLang made cash calls despite sitting on large cash reserves. Under scrutiny, these companies often said the rationale for their rights issues was to raise fresh capital for business expansion while maintaining a healthy cash balance at all times.

XiDeLang is negotiating two orders worth RMB200 million (RM125.6 million) each for the next 24 months. One of the original design manufacturer orders is related to Spanish fashion brand Zara.

The company has the capacity to make 6.6 million pairs of shoes per annum and according to its managing director and CEO Ding PengPeng, it has allocated up to RM30 million to expand its production line.

China Automobile Parts Holdings Ltd

THE company was established in 2004 as a manufacturer of steel pins and chassis bolt and nut components. It was listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia in January 2013.

In April this year, China Automobile announced to the stock exchange that it was unable to release its annual report together with the audited financial statements for its financial year ended Dec 31, 2016 (FY2016), because additional work had to be done by its external auditor PKF Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

The company also failed to submit its quarterly report for the financial period ended March 31, 2017 (1QFY2017) to Bursa for public release within the stipulated time frame.

As a result, trading in China Automobile shares was suspended until further notice effective June 8.

A week later, Bursa directed China Automobile to have its financial results for 1QFY2017 reviewed by its external auditor as it felt that the quarterly report may not be accurate or reliable.

China Ouhua Winery Holdings Ltd

Incorporated in Singapore in January 2009 as a private limited company, China Ouhua Winery was registered in Malaysia as a foreign company in October that year.

The group produces and distributes international wines sourced from various wine-growing regions in France, Australia, Spain, Chile and Germany through wine traders in China.

In 2013, two new members of China Ouhua Winery’s audit committee left and the company changed its auditor to Helmi Talib & Co, which expressed a qualified opinion on the 2013 accounts.

Specifically, the auditor was unable to determine the collectability of trade receivables amounting to RMB44.9 million. It also could not determine the recoverability of deposits of RMB118.8 million, representing 90% of the purchase price of a factory. The issue of the deposits remains unresolved.

In April, Helmi Talib & Co expressed a qualified opinion on China Ouhua Winery’s accounts for a fourth straight financial year.

XingHe Holdings Bhd

Founded in 2002 and based in the Chinese province of Henan, XingHe is one of the top six edible oils companies in China. The company made its debut on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia in April 2014 after completing a reverse takeover of Key West Global Telecommunications Bhd.

Back in September 2014, XingHe managing director and substantial shareholder Ma Guo Liang said the group planned to build its second plant in China to produce peanut protein powder in the first half of 2015.

Estimated to cost RMB400 million, the proposed plant was part of the peanut oil producer’s plan to venture into the nutritional food industry. The investment included land acquisition, buying machinery and marketing expenses.

Ma also said XingHe planned to set up a palm oil refinery in Malaysia with an annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes as it saw potential in the country becoming a hub for its business expansion in Southeast Asia. However, there have been no updates on these expansion plans.

Maxwell International Holdings Bhd

Early last year, audit firm Baker Tilly Monteiro Heng (BTMH) dropped a bombshell on Maxwell International when it questioned the authenticity of the cash held by the China-based sportswear manufacturer.

It was revealed on Feb 17 that BTMH, Maxwell’s statutory auditor, had yet to obtain any documentary evidence of the placement of RM103.7 million as short-term deposits in Jinjiang Jin Chuang Private Capital Management Co Ltd.

To recap, Maxwell reported a significant net loss of RM46.25 million in its third quarter ended Sept 30, 2015 (3QFY2015), mainly due to a jump in advertising expenditure. It had made a net profit of RM12.18 million in the previous corresponding period.

In 3QFY2015, it incurred selling and distribution expenses of RM42.59 million, which was a sharp jump from RM1.09 million previously. In an audit of the company’s financials, BTMH highlighted the surging advertisement expenditure for the quarter.

1QFY2017 reviewed by its external auditor as it felt that the quarterly report may not be accurate or reliable.

Sino Hua-An International

Sino Hua-An International through its subsidiary, is principally involved in the production and sale of metallurgical coke and its by-products, namely coal gas, tar, crude benzene, and ammonia sulfate. The Company's main product metallurgical coke is a raw material used in the manufacture of steel.

The stock jumped 5.5 sen or 35.5% to 21 sen, with a volume of 249.89 million shares traded, exceeding its 200-day average volume of 1.66 million shares.

In its filing with Bursa Malaysia last week, the company recorded RM21.99 million profit after tax for the second quarter of this year (2QFY17), due to its coke manufacturing operations’ resumption following the expiry of the leasing tenure.

In 2QFY16, the red chip company recorded a net loss of RM9.62 million, mainly due to inactive coking ovens and depreciation of assets. As at yesterday, Sino Hua-An is trading at 0.75 times its book value.

HB Global Ltd

Previously known as Sozo Global Bhd, the company is a gourmet convenience food maker that specialises in ready-to-serve duck meat products.

HB Global was classified as a Practice Note 17 company in May 2013 after its auditor issued a disclaimer opinion on its 2012 accounts. The auditor was not able to satisfactorily substantiate the bank balance of the company’s subsidiary and receive reliable confirmation on 56% of its trade receivables and 48% of its trade payables.

In 2014, HB Global restated its 2012 accounts with a net loss of RMB27.3 million due to a RMB59.8 million impairment on fixed and intangible assets. Two years later, it said it was considering ceasing its loss-making duck farming business and procure suitable investors to inject assets into the company to address its PN17 status.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia on July 3, HB Global said it was, together with its advisers, still in the midst of procuring and assessing suitable investors to inject new capital or businesses into the group, which may involve a reverse takeover or rights issue.

China Stationery Ltd

Established in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, China Stationery Ltd (CSL) is an integrated plastic stationery manufacturer with its own brands and proprietary products.

It is noteworthy that the net cash held by CSL is significantly higher than its market capitalisation. Unfortunately, the company has not paid any dividends since 2013.

To illustrate, if companies were compelled to pay dividends of at least 30% of profit after tax of the financial year, CSL would have to pay out RM5.55 million based on its net profit of RM18.5 million in its financial year ended Dec 31, 2016.

Recall that China Stationery applied to Bursa Malaysia to extend the due date to submit its audited accounts for 2013 by two months to June 30 due to a fire at its facility in China that destroyed its financial records and legal stamps.

The fire reduced its cash pile to RMB1.8 billion in 2014 from RMB2.4 billion the year before as it had to spend RMB408.5 million on property, plant and equipment, and advance RMB187 million to its suppliers.

Kanger International Bhd

Listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia in December 2013, Kanger International is one of the few China-based companies here that have avoided negative publicity.

The company, whose business operations are based in the coastal Chinese province of Guangdong, started out in the trading of bamboo flooring and related products in 2004. It ventured upstream into manufacturing in 2008.

In February this year, Kanger International entered into a memorandum of understanding with Forest Research Institute Malaysia to jointly cooperate in developing bamboo into building materials in Malaysia. The MoU is in line with its objective of diversifying its earnings base and exploring fresh markets by developing new bamboo-related products and plantations.

In its financial year ended Dec 31, 2016, Kanger International’s net profit almost halved to RM5.07 million from RM9.75 million in FY2015 mainly due to the recognition of an unrealised foreign exchange gain of RM5.1 million in 4QFY2015.

K-Star Sports Ltd

The loss-making sports footwear manufacturer’s target to return to profitability by its financial year ended Dec 31, 2017 (FY2017), looks a long way off.

In January 2015, K-Star’s executive chairman and CEO, Ding JianPing, said the group would turn around in 2017 as it expanded its sales points and distributorship to raise market share. He also said the rejuvenation of K-Star would hinge on China’s manufacturing dynamics.

The company saw its net loss widen to RM59.47 million in FY2016 from RM49.67 million the year before mainly due to higher finance costs and sales rebates incurred.

Established in 1992, K-Star is principally engaged in the design, manufacture and distribution of sports footwear, sports apparel and accessories under proprietary brands Dixing and K-Star. It is also an original equipment manufacturer and original design manufacturer for international sports brands, including Umbro, Diadora and Kappa.

Sinotop Holdings Bhd

Formerly known as John Master Industries Bhd, Sinotop is a fabric manufacturer that primarily produces customised woven loom-state fabrics from cotton, synthetic and mixed yarn.

Last October, the group diversified into project management and infrastructure/construction-related businesses in the light of the declining fabric industry in China.

Local media reported that Sinotop is bidding for RM3 billion worth of infrastructure jobs in the hope that securing such jobs would strengthen its earnings.

It is noteworthy that Sinotop’s external auditor, Crowe Horwath, has been closely monitoring the group’s portfolio of trade receivables while undertaking procedures to obtain sufficient evidence in the course of auditing the group’s accounts.

In its 2016 annual report, Sinotop said its board of directors oversees and urges management to manage the trade receivables in a more stringent, effective and efficient manner to ensure healthy cash flow at all times.

source

Note: Report dated July 20. Information may change.

Sarawak to set up own oil company

gruntz99 — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 12:14:40 +0800

PETALING JAYA: The Sarawak state government is going ahead with plans to set up its own oil exploration company called Petroleum Sarawak (Petros), which will be wholly owned by the state, despite the low oil price environment.
However, it is unclear how this will impact the activities of national oil company, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), which has long operated in Sarawak, where it garners the bulk of its Malaysian revenue from gas fields there.
Petronas president and group chief executive officer Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin had said recently that he welcomes any involvement by state government entities in the oil and gas (O&G) business, but it has to be within the Petroleum Development Act (PDA).
“We have a strong relationship with the Sarawak government, as such, we welcome its participation in the O&G industry.
“But we also have regulations in place, of which under the PDA, Petronas is the custodian and manager of the O&G resources in Malaysia,” he told reporters at a briefing on Petronas’ mid-year results recently.
Wan Zulkiflee added that the partnership with Petros could be similar to other Petronas partnerships, either as service providers or as a partner under the production sharing contract (PSC).
“Discussions are ongoing with the Sarawak state government,” he said when asked about the potential partnership between Petronas and Petros.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg officially announced last month the formation of Petros, with a target for the company to be operational in the first quarter of next year.
“The formation of Petros is an unprecedented step taken by the state government to enable Sarawak to actively participate in the extraction of oil and gas in Sarawak while still pursuing its request for a 20% royalty from Petronas,” he said.
However, there has been no clear indication on whether Petros is going to be a partnering with Petronas or carry its own oil extraction activities.

read more here

MH370: Death of Malaysian consul fueled conspiracy

gruntz99 — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 21:54:12 +0800

REVELATIONS that a Malaysian diplomat murdered in Madagascar last week was tasked with transporting pieces of suspected MH370 wreckage to investigators in Malaysia has fuelled more dark conspiracy theories about the missing plane.

Honorary Consul of Malaysia Zahid Raza was gunned down in the centre of the island nation’s capital Antananarivo in an apparent assassination on August 24.

American adventurer-detective Blaine Gibson, who has been gathering suspected MH370 debris as it washes up on Madagascar and Mozambique, said Mr Raza had been due to deliver new items to Malaysian investigators in Kuala Lumpur when he was unexpectedly slain.

The timing has rattled Mr Gibson, who says he has been receiving death threats because of his self-financed mission to solve the baffling aviation mystery.

He had planned to keep details of his latest finds — which included two items he considered particularly promising — under wraps until they had been safely transported off the island but changed his mind after Mr Raza was killed.

“For the protection of those involved we decided not to make this report public until the debris was safely delivered to Malaysia,” Mr Gibson reported in his blog.

“However tragic events have intervened. Under the agreement between the two countries, debris is supposed to be collected by Hon. Zahid Raza, the Honorary Malaysian Consul in Madagascar, and delivered by private courier to Malaysia.

“On August 24, the Hon. Zahid Raza was assassinated in Antananarivo.”

Dr Victor Iannello, who was an original member of the independent group of specialists that helped Australian investigators try to pinpoint MH370’s crash site in the southern Indian Ocean off WA, said Mr Gibson had good reason to be concerned.

“Last December, Reuters reported that Mr Raza assisted Blaine Gibson in transferring the custody of pieces believed to be from MH370 from Madagascar to Malaysia,” Dr Iannello wrote in his blog about the disturbing chain of events.

“At that time, six pieces were transferred. This has raised questions as to whether there was a link between those MH370 parts and Mr Raza’s death.

“What makes a possible link to MH370 even more suspicious is that in the time period surrounding his death, Mr Raza was expected to visit the Malagasy Ministry of Transport, retrieve additional recovered pieces, and deliver those pieces to Malaysia.”

Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 vanished on August 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 crew and passengers, including six Australians, on board.

Multiple pieces of wreckage, including a barnacle entrusted flaperon, the iconic “No Step” piece and at least one section of interior cabin, have been confirmed as having come from the missing Boeing 777 after washing up on islands off Africa’s south-east coast.

The fuselage and black box have never been found, leading to countless conspiracy theories about how, where and why the plane went down and whether authorities and associated companies such as Boeing orchestrated a cover up to protect their interests.

So it should come as no surprise that Mr Raza’s assassination is being viewed by some as a warning to anyone getting close to the truth.

However, local reports suggest Mr Raza was a marked man long before Mr Gibson came along.

The French-language news website ZINFOS 974 speculated Mr Raza was killed as payback for his alleged involvement in the 2009 abduction of several residents of Indo-Pakistani descent known collectively as Karens.

“Zahid Raza was the manager of an office supply business, Z & Z Center, in the Malagasy capital. He lived a few years in La Reunion before returning to Madagascar about three years ago to take up the post of consul in Antananarivo,” the article, published the day after the slaying, said.

“In Madagascar, his name is associated with the kidnapping of members of the Karen community in Fianarantsoa in 2009. Suspected of having participated, he is imprisoned in Tsiafahy and then in Antanimora prison. He was able to return to his country freely in December 2010, provoking indignation within the Karen community.”

But Dr Iannello said it appeared Mr Raza had not been convicted of any such crime.

“The association of Mr Raza with the kidnappers has not been confirmed, and could be disinformation,” he said.

“Hopefully, the facts surrounding this will surface. Surprisingly, the assassination of Mr Raza has been met with stony silence from both Malaysia and France, despite his ties to both countries.”

Meanwhile, as the investigation into Mr Raza’s murder continues, Mr Gibson’s new possible MH370 debris remains with Madagascar authorities until new arrangements can be made to send them to Malaysia.

Source

Interesting facts about everest

gruntz99 — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 09:47:21 +0800

1. Everest grows 4mm higher every year due to geologic uplift.

2. 1 in 10 successful summits ends in death.

3. Over 4,000 people have attempted to climb Everest.

4. George Everest, Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843, discovered Everest in 1841.

5. Mount Everest is also home to a very minute black jumping spider. These spiders hide in crevices and feed on frozen insects. Their food depends largely upon what is blown by the wind into the specific area. They live as high as 22,000 feet.

6. In 2014, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake triggered an avalanche that base camp killed 16 Sherpa and climbers and injured 61. This is the greatest tragedy ever seen on Everest.

In 2014, an avalanche killed 16 Sherpa above the Khumbu icefall. At the time this was the worst accident in Everest history.

During 1996, around 15 people lost their lives while trying to descend from the summit of Mount Everest (the 3rd most in one year). In 2012, 11 people perished on Everest (the 4th most).

7. Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to summit Everest, on May 19 1953.

8. Over 2000 people have reached the top of Everest.

9. 10. There are around 120 dead bodies of climbers on the mountain.

10. Avalanches are the greatest cause of death for climbers scaling Everest (Avalanches at about a 2:1 ratio over falls).

11. The summit is just below the cruising height of a jet.

12. The youngest person to reach summit was 13 and the oldest was 80 (same guy who skied Everest in 1971).

13. In Nepal the mountain is called Sagarmatha, meaning ‘forehead of the sky’.

14. In Tibet the mountain is known as Chomolangma for ‘mother of the universe’

15. It is the highest mountain in the world at 29,035 feet, although its exact height is often disputed.

16. Everest was created about 60 million years ago.

Source

Today my friend admits his mistake to me

gruntz99 — Wed, 24 May 2017 13:13:57 +0800

I told him several time but just didn't listen to me.
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=4177862&hl=
It was about the so-called investment schemes he's involved late last year. Though he didn't reveal what company, what he explained to me, it was closer to scam, pyramid shit. I believed he is losing more than 10k, which half the money from personal loan, half from his wife saving.
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=4216544&hl=
The second time he was looking for my advice, he even claimed this scheme trusted than ASB.
Now, he comes to me with gloomy face and ask me what should he do, I don't feel sympathy for him, instead want to slap his face. He asked me any legal way to get hos money out I said not sure.
The thing is, half of the money were from his wife, a cousin of mine. This idiot fuels my anger even more, why did you involved other people for his moronic action?
My advice to him, move on, give up the money, do not for fall the same trick again. If that comes again then he just moronic, greedy motherfooker.

Kerana pegangan agama, Wiliams dapat lampu hijau

gruntz99 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 18:07:56 +0800

(AFP) - All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams was given permission Wednesday to wear a special Auckland Blues jersey with no bank advertisements in line with his religious beliefs, after he covered a sponsor's logo at the weekend.

Williams, a devout Muslim, appeared for the Blues during Saturday's loss to the Otago Highlanders with the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) logo on his collar blocked out by tape.

His action took New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Blues by surprise, prompting discussions this week with Williams and his management.

NZR said it was accommodating Williams' "conscientious objection" by allowing him to wear a Blues jersey with no branding from BNZ or Investec, Super Rugby's main sponsor.

"Williams has now clarified his preference is not to wear logos from banks, alcohol brands and gambling sponsors on his team uniform," it said in a statement.

Williams' logo cover up was prompted by Islam's objection to usury -- earning high interest from loans.

NZR said Williams had no concerns about AIG, the All Blacks' shirt sponsor, because it is an insurance company.

However, the US giant's latest financial accounts show it has a commercial mortgage portfolio of US$25 billion, upon which it levies market interest rates in the same manner as BNZ or Investec.

Williams said his stance was "nothing personal" against the finance firms, but reflected a wish to feel comfortable as he developed a deeper understanding of his religion.

"So while a logo on a jersey might seem like a small thing to some people, it is important to me that I do the right thing with regards to my faith and hope that people respect that," he said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English questioned Williams' behaviour this week, saying he did not understand why one player should be treated differently to his teammates.

However, NZR general manager of rugby Neil Sorensen said it was an issue of faith.

"Sonny holds clear religious beliefs in relation to this matter and we respect those," he said.

"Conscientious objections need to be genuine, and we believe this is."

Source

Tindakan tumbuk buaya gagal pikat seorang wanita

gruntz99 — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 16:17:18 +0800

SYDNEY (AFP): A British backpacker who inspired a drunk Australian teenager to swim in crocodile-infested waters, narrowly avoiding death, said Tuesday she was not impressed by the fraught romantic gesture.

In a bid to woo Sophie Paterson, Lee de Paauw jumped into Johnstone River at Innisfail in Queensland state early Sunday morning.
Within moments of hitting the water, a saltwater crocodile latched onto his arm.

De Paauw, 18, was lucky to escape with only two broken bones and stitches after the reptile released its grip when he landed punches on its head.
He said the stunt was to impress "that beautiful backpacker".

"She's really good looking and (had) been kind to me the night before," he said.

But Paterson, 24, told Channel Seven television the lovestruck youngster had failed to win her over.

"I would have to be quite twisted to be impressed by that," she said.

"I think risking your life -- there is nothing funny about that. In all honesty it was a really horrific experience."

Despite the brazen act, Paterson said she would visit de Paauw if work demands allowed, but she added that there were no plans for the two to date, telling reporters he was "too young for me".

My friend believe pyramid scheme more than ASB

gruntz99 — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 22:40:09 +0800

Today my friend talked about his gold investment and kindly asked me if I interested in joining him. I kindly declined by saying my priority are saving money for emergency funds, ASB, TH before engaging in any investment scheme. Then what he said was: "What? ASB? Did you know ASB is not a safe place anymore! The money will be used to cover govt shit debts."
I was like ...... to his level of stupidity for believing that. Of course it is not 100% guaranteed safe but 100 times better than in his potential scam investment.

By the way, the same person as this
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=4177862&hl=

The origin of putar Halim

gruntz99 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 14:17:20 +0800

Sometimes the phrase has been used and I understand what it means. So putar Halim means an action which retracting back earlier statements, twisting comments prior or emphasis of misquoted statements, right?
But what is the origin of the phrase? Who is Halim though?

My friend bakal kena scam

gruntz99 — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 01:44:50 +0800

My friend invested a small sum of money to a so-called investment scheme. This scheme founded by a Dato', that was well-known with her MLM, pyramid scheme. I believe most k/tards know of her.
My friend's intention was to invite me to invest money, I politely declined. He talked about how his money will be guaranteed to grow several times in 3 years time.
I asked him what business are the program involved, he said stock markets, real estate, retail, f&b among others.
I was like
For sure his money will lost gradually. I just said to be careful to to him and wish him luck. Hope he will pull out his money once they distribute profits.
I didn't give him any advice just so he could learn a lesson oe two.

From black metal frontman to professor

gruntz99 — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 18:26:50 +0800

Today I was listening to this album I.N.R.I by Sarcofago, a metal band from Brazil. I already listened to this stuff years ago, but dig it up back on my computer.

I was into black/thrash metal at the time, wanted to find their recent works, or if the still exist. What I found instead, was this.

Wagner Moura Lamounier is a Brazilian economist and musician who achieved fame for having been original vocalist of Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, and for having created and led the first-wave black/thrash metal band Sarcófago from 1985 until it disbanded in 2000. wikipedia

Lamounier, was also a vocalist of Sepultura for brief spell before left and founded Sarfago. Sarcofago's works influenced much of Norwegian black metal scene in early 90's. Regarded by many as first wave black metal as bands like Immortal, Mayhem, Beherit, Satyricon, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Gorgoroth would agree.

Sarcofago

Usually, when you are associated with black metal bands, nasty things would come to ones mind and even most of them retire from playing music, they probably would still involve in music business related.

How about Lamounier then? He was ambitious, being a member of extreme music band wasn't stopping him to pursue a carrier. What career? Economic professor. What was more satanic than become an economic professor, at least for him.

Lamounier is currently a professor of economic science and applied statistics at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
But he still retain his taste of extreme music and heard he has project band in his spare time.

Lamounir before and after

Well, usually death/black metal musicians usually has their interest towards history, art, literature. I know several musicians with career in art, literature, linguistics but not economics, least of all has PhD in economics. Quite unusual, especially for a legend of his own right that used a moniker "Antichrist".

From black metal frontman to economic professor, that is one hell of a change of jobs.