Coupon Domino's Malaysia, 9 - 22 May 2016

Sokong Jangan Boikot Proton, Petronas

Korang nak sokong, bangkang, boikot parti mana pun, itu korang punya masalah.

Tetapi Proton dan Petronas bukan parti politik. Jurutera, akauntan, pemandu, pengguna, jurujual, agen insurans, jurukimpal, jurugali, geologis, jurupam minyak, pelanggan, jenama, bank yang beri pinjam, industri sokongan di hulu dan hilir semuanya adalah rakyat Malaysia. Ada ahli Umno, ada ahli PAS, ahli PKR, ahli MCA, ahli MIC, ahli DAP, ahli PBB dan ahli parti-parti kerajaan dan pembangkang.

Kalau korang rasa harga korang bayar tu mahal, korang fikirlah bahawa duit korang tu semuanya pergi ke tangan orang Malaysia.

Jadi kalau korang nak boikot Proton dan Petronas, aku TAK SETUJU!

#akupemilikkeretaprotongunaminyakpetronas #belilahbaranganbuatanMalaysia

4 Lessons From Ex-CIA and FBI Agents on Detecting Lies

By Chris Haroun

Ten years ago, when I worked at a large investment company, management hired 25-year ex-CIA and FBI veterans to teach me how to tell when a CEO is lying to us. This helped me tremendously to avoid investing in companies that had misleading or unethical CEOs.

The former CIA and FBI employees who taught me were sharp and personable, and they actually made the whole exercise a lot of fun. They showed me many videos of CEOs and taught me how to look for body language indicating that the CEO is most likely not telling the truth. Since then, I can almost always spot when a CEO or executive is lying in a television or in-person interview.

Here are four things liars often do.

1. They have long-winded answers to simple yes-or-no questions.

If a business contact of yours rambles on and on when answering a relatively straight-forward question, then there is a high probability that this contact is lying to you. You need to make sure that the person you are speaking to doesn't usually ramble on and on in conversations with you. If he or she rambles when answering a simplistic question, the odds are they are not telling the truth.

2. They often don't make eye contact when answering a question.

If a business contact breaks eye contact when answering a question, then there is an extremely high probability that this person is lying to you. Try asking someone selling you a product if he or she has disclosed all of the most important risks to you. If the seller break eye contact for literally a fraction of a second, they are probably lying to you (unless this is their normal demeanor).

3. They put their hand on their mouth when answering a question.

This one works exceptionally well. If you notice that the person you are speaking with does not usually cover his or her mouth but does so when answering your question, the odds are this person is not being fully transparent.

4. They shake their foot when answering a question.

People often get very nervous when they are lying, which is what a lie detector machine senses. If you see someone who is seated moving/shaking his or her foot, the odds are you are being lied to (unless he or she drank too much coffee).

If you witness one of the aforementioned clues in a conversation, ask additional questions. If you then see a second or third of the aforementioned behaviors, then there is an extremely high probability that you should never do business with this person.

Celcom First GOLD Voice and Internet Plan

I just discovered a telco plan which I consider the best plan for mobile phone calls and mobile internet availabe in the market. It worth as good as gold that desires a serious attention by all Malaysians. As for me, I just subscribed to this plan migrating from a less attractive plan which I previously paid more than RM100.00 per month

If your monthly telephone bill including mobile internet plan meets the criteria below:

- exceeding RM85.00 per month;

- allways making domestic calls (virtually unlimited calls to all telcos networks);

- still sending and receiving many text messages through conventional SMS;

- data usage 5GB;

- poor internet connection (intermittent & slow); 

- drop calls or weak signals.

Then you should give this plan a serious consideration. The plan that has just been introduced by the best, widest and most stable telco Celcom. The plan is called Celcom First Gold (Voice and Internet Plan). What makes the plan so irresistible? Because....

- your monthly bill is only RM80.00;

- unlimited calls and SMS to all telcos networks;

- internet data quota 5GB;

- additional free 5GB data quota on weeked (Saturday & Sunday). Or 1.25GB every week;

- free Celcom WifiPlus;

- widest, strongest, broadest and 'bestest' coverage telco in Malaysia.

The plan only sucks your monthly pocket for a mere RM80.00. After GST, it will be RM84.80!!!

For further information about the plan, your may jump to Celcom's official promotion plan page Celcom First GOLD Plan.

The promotion starts from 2 February until 31 March 2016.

Enjoy your calls and mobile internet browsing!!!. Be smart when choosing the best plan according to your financial capability and personal needs.

Foreign Workers: The HoooHaaa About Them By Locals (Malaysians)

Kuala Lumpur - Last month January 2016, I was a speaker at a conference organised by the association representing manufacturers. 

One participant stood up to disagree with my analogy that foreign workers are like drugs. I said "...once you are into it, you will be addicted to it forever."

The participant was an HR officer of a manufacturing company. He said he tried his utmost best to recruit locals as factory workers. There was no major issue in offering jobs to locals. If he could, he would ensure all the workers were locals.

BUT he lamented that there was a serious problem with the locals. He said "the company appoint them today, they resign tomorrow, next week, next month!" and followed by a big round of applause from the floor. "....unlike the foreign workers, they worked for 2-3 years!" as he continued. He further went on saying "we cannot afford to shut down the production line, retrain the new comers every time there is a resignation/absenteeism by the local employee."

Business must go on but apparently our very own people are not keen to do these kind of jobs. There is a huge vacuum that must be filled. Who should fill in the 'blank'?

In Response to AMANAH Leader's Question on Tabung Haji Dividend

The Malaysian Insider’s article on “Is Tabung Haji paying dividends with profit or reserves, asks Amanah” written by Nabihah Hamid, 4 February 2016 has attracted my attention and makes me feels obliged to speak my mind.

I don't know whether the dividend (actually hibah in Tabung Haji context) that Tabung Haji is paying derives from profit or reserves. What I know is, a good business entity pays dividend to investors using profits from business activities. It will not borrow or sell assets for the purpose of paying dividend. The profit can be from current year profit and/or retained profits (which is the accumulated portion of unutilised profits brought forward from previous years).

As in the case of Tabung Haji, it was reported that the dividend is paid using the combination of the current year profit and the accumulated reserves (say it again as Retained Profit). From the financial perspective, it is not abnormal and allowed by Islamic Finance scholars.

One more thing, do not get carried away or confused by AMANAH about the negative value of assets versus liability. It has nothing to do with the ability of a company to pay dividends!

Please read more books on financial and accounting. This call is for the dear leaders of AMANAH. You are not short of highly educated followers from the PhD holders to the so called "progressive" leaders to refer.

Don't wait until the people of Kelate say to you "Belake pare la mu kecek weh!"

My Core Values

Caring about people

Sensitive to surroundings

Knowledge hungry & knowledge sharing

Perfectionist - error free

Striving for something beyond and above the expectation result

If you work hard, don't be worry about success. It will eventually be rewarded for what you have done.

Team work

Apparently, I love the above average standard results

I want to produce "once you fit better at the current workplace, you will be the same best person at other workplace, no matter what!"

Every good deeds you do, you don't need to expect people to thank you for what you did because somehow, somewhere, someone will notice it and they appreciate that without you knowing it. 

Overcoming Obstacles at Work

By Chrissy Scivicque

On a coaching I call awhile back, I heard from a loyal blog reader who was feeling distraught. In a nutshell, her situation was this: after interviewing for almost six months, she thought "it was a sure thing" she would be offered a new position in her department. Then, as if from nowhere, an external candidate was selected for the role. After all the time and energy she had committed to this, she was left feeling frustrated, demotivated and betrayed. This forward thinking professional was looking for a new creative ways to overcome negative feelings as she tried to determine what her next career step should be.

It is never easy to be passed over for a job, more so when it is at your current place for employment. For those of you who are in similar situations, here is what I suggest you:

1. Remove the emotion

I know it is easy to get down on yourself, down on your own company, and down on this person who snagged the role from beneath you, but do not get wrapped up in those emotions. Take a little time to went and wallow in the disappointment, and move on. It is a new day.

This is business, after all. Things can change in a blink of an eye. The situation might look bleak today, but new opportunities are just around the corner. Do not beat yourself, or anyone else up.

2. Get the scoop

Politely and professionally address the situation with the hiring manager. Ask if he or she can share some of the reasons you were not selected. It is perfectly fine to tell this person that you are disappointed; you felt your skills and experience were a match for this role.

However, make sure they understand that you respect the final decision and you are only looking to grow from the experience.

Ask what you can do to be better prepared the next time an opportunity like this comes around. Try to get specifics here; Are you lacking certain skills required for this kind of role? Do you need more education or more hands-on experience? The more you know, the more proactive you can be.

3. Create a plan

Once you know what you need to be better positioned for future growth, create a plan. Outline specific goals and the dates by which you will complete them.

Focusing your attention on this will also help you release any of that negativity that still remains. Nothing feels more satisfying and rewarding than progress.

4. Shift you mindset

Have you ever had an experience where something appeared on the surface to be horrible, negative thing but then after some time passed, you suddenly realised it was a blessing in disguise? What if that is what is happening here? What blessing might be hiding underneath this bad situation?

Look for the opportunity here. Remember, you always find what you are looking for, so focus on the positive potential.

5. Find an advocate

Whether we like it or not, the workplace is full of politics. People trade favours and help make things happen for people they like. It is not always a bad thing, it is just the way the world works. Why not use that to your advantage? Find someone who really believes in you and supports your efforts to grow. As for their help making it happen.

They might not be able to do anything specific now; but perhaps in the future, they will have the ear of a decision-maker. Maybe just knowing they are on your side will help you stay positive.

Having an ally always feels good. Find those people who know your worth and keep them close. Continually reinforce your value and remember to give them support as well. This is two-way street.

Keep your chin up and look to the future. -- The Star, 21 December 2015

Challenges As A Civil Servant

Kala Lupur, 20 December 2015 - Good morning mek, tok we, abe, adik, kakok, pok cik & mok cik and readers. Happy Reading.

What would you do when you are asked to implement a political decision that you consider may anger public and people as a whole?

As a civil servant you just have to do it. You serve the rakyat based on orders, instructions and policies made by the politicians. The politicians, in this context refer to the government of the day elected by the people such as the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Chief Ministers and Excos. They decide what the government plan to do for the country. 

Under the democracy system which our country has been adopting since Independence, lawmakers who won the election and command the majority, form the government. The Parliament, is an institution of highest authority debates, votes and decides laws governing the country and it is part of the democracy system. The Parliament also approves money for the government to spend within the parameters set in the laws. 

There are two sides of group in the parliament. The group that form the government and the other one is the group who are not part of the government. Both members of the groups have won the constituency seats in the general election. It means, the members are the elected representative of the people. The democracy system practically recognises, only the group that forms the government able to carry out responsibilities for and on behalf of the people because the rule "majority wins" is the essence of democracy.

Okeh, merapu banyok pulok aku pasal sistem demokrasi nih. Let's continue...

The civil service is the machinery exists to serve the government which has a mandate from the parliament. The government decides and approves policies, programs, implements projects, activities and renders services for the people because they are chosen and elected to do it. That is the government's responsibilities. Who will execute these things? The civil servants!!!

Back to the question "what would you do when you are asked to implement a political decision that you consider may anger public and people as a whole?

As a civil servant, the above question should not arise at all. The execution of a political decision by the government is the absolute responsibilities of the civil servants. Failing to fulfil its responsibilities will make them deserve for a strongest condemnation by the government. On the other side, the Opposition has no authority rights to call upon the government's civil servants not to obey, comply or follow the governments instructions.

Jeng jeng jeng.....dilema dilema nih....pah nok wat gano nih?

To join the civil service requires certain quality. Among the pre-requites are ability to analyse, critical thinking, decisive and most importantly is the ability to advise the government. Civil servant is the pulse and brain of the government. They are located in villages, districts, states and federal administration capital. Some are posted overseas in the neigbouring countries, the near region and far away of the globe. A significant number of personel are also embedded in the society, community and economy as the government representatives in NGO organisations, universities, institutions, corporations and world bodies. 

Information is in the hands of the civil servants because of their mammoth spread and variety of service they are doing. This is the power that no body should take for granted even the political masters. That is why a civil servant plays important roles in developing and preserving the prosperity of the country. Formulating policies, drafting and enforcing laws, executing programs, fulfilling the needs of the people upon orders by the government, are all placed on the shoulder of the civil servants. Thereafter, they are the ones who monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the outcome post-implementation. How well the people receive, react, respond and determine the future fate of the government.

Should an officer feels that a political decision may cause negative effects to the people or country, he or she must has a sense of responsibility to properly advise the consequence from the implementation of the decision. Do not stop there. The concerned officer should be ready with alternatives to offer to the politicians who give the command. There are many ways and means to complement the politicians make a decision. The officer of course needs to be knowledgeable and experienced on the government's policies, rules, regulations, procedures, contraints and capable to anticipate of the future. Again, it is all about information plus the qualities that have been mentioned in the above paragraphs.

What about if the politicians do not budge? The words "just do it" come out from that politicians. Then, there is no more "multiple" choices like A, B, C, etc. Just Do It. But of cource, it has to follow proper procedures, processes and go through the righful approval authority. At this stage, a civil servant has to fulfill its pledge and responsibility to serve the government of the day.

Consequences? If it turns out that the people get angry, protest and suffer from the implementation of a decision by the politicians, the civil service should not be put in the trial chamber of the people's court. The judge and the prosecutor is only one, The People who determines the future fate of the government and its politicians.

Meanwhile, a civil servant will continue to do their jobs serving the people. Your politics? Just leave it at home. 

-- Ripin Niknah

Should Parliament Sits More Days In A Year?

The above title is a question in respond to a suggestion made by one of the MPs from an opposition party.

My answer is....

I DISAGREE!!! The current sitting days are long enough already. You may have reasons. But I also have excuses that seriously demand your attention. I know the more days the Parliament sits, the more questions you can ask to Ministers. 

But do you know that it also claims more time of productive working hours of the civil servants!!! The civil servant's true job is to carry out the government program for rakyat. Not to preoccupy themselves with too much time, I repeat "too much time" preparing answer to all questions from the MPs. Which, it is a great loss to the rakyat to enjoy benefits from the programs that have been planned for implementation but will be severely affected should their focus shifted to other unproductive jobs. In financial term, I call it an expensive opportunity cost for the rakyat.

Do you get it? Probably the MPs should maximise the opportunity to ask during the break. Over coffee session?

Author

-- saupee 

18 November 2015, Kuala Lumpur