Cheaper Cars in Malaysia

Folks,

The topic of the price of cars in Malaysia has turned from a personal issue, to political issue and now, the national issue.

It is sensational, and you can hear this topic discussed among the pak cik-s, mak cik-s, uncles and aunties at your local kopitiam.

Even school-going children have started to take keen interest in this issue. This topic is especially sensational!

The fact of the matter is, cars in Malaysia are highly priced. To me, having a car is not a luxury anymore; it is a necessity, given the current condition of our public transportation system.

In this week's issue in The Edge Weekly, Monday, June 6th, 2013; the subject of a car price is hotly debated and presented by the collective voice of the editorial team.

This issue is not easy to deal with as there are many parties involved, for example: Proton, Perodua, Foreign Car Brands, Customs etc.

Any deal harping on this issue must be done with great consideration and cautions. We need to protect many interests, and most crucial of all, the interest of the rakyat, who voted for the creation of the government of the day.

I personally think that the car price should be gradually reduced, for the benefit of the citizens of Malaysia.

And, there is a greater need for transparency in determining the price of the car. The citizens have the right to be informed of how much tax (excise etc.) is being imposed on them.

And let us see how Najib's administration is going tackle and deal with this sensitive issue in this 5 years (2013 - 2018).

Large Banks in South East Asian

People,

Here are the Top 5 largest banks in the South East Asian region for your own record. This information was taken from The Edge Weekly, Monday, June 6th, 2013.

As a Malaysian, I am proud to see two of our local banks emerging in the league among large banks in the SEA region, in terms of market capitalisation. Maybank is in the second spot, while CIMB is in the fifth.

Under the leadership of its CEO,  Dato' Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Maybank continue to propser even bigger; while the ranking of CIMB in the fifth spot is under the supervision of its CEO,  Dato' Seri Nazir Razak.

Sadly, Dato' Seri Abdul Wahid Omar is leaving Maybank to take up a ministerial post in charge of the Malaysian economy come this month.

I wish you all the best, sir!

Talking Edge with Kam Raslan

Peeps,

Every weekend when I bought The Edge Weekly, one of the many business newspapers in Malaysia, I actually look forward to readingw commentaries and analysis by Kam Raslan, a Malaysian guru.

He is a guru and an expert on Malaysian lifestyles, Malaysian politics, Malaysian jokes and Malaysian quirks and behaviours. He is the guru of all things Malaysians; never mind that he grew up in the Great Britain.

There is actually a special page dedicated for him every week in this weekly newspaper, called "Talking Edge" where he answers all sorts of queries, from politics to social etiquette.

And the truth is this: I enjoy reading all the questions thrown at him, and the responses that he throws back at you.

Some of his responses are witty, cynical, comical, sarcastic and at times, it can be plain silly. It can also be sadistic too, you know.

At other edition of the newspapers, his responses are right-to-the-point, sharp, critical and simply excellent.

Oh, his comments can also be mysterious: for example, in this week's edition of the newspaper (The Edge Weekly, Issue 964, May 27th, 2013), he was asked "why everything is so political these days"; and his response was:-

"It's as if everybody has been awakened and there's no turning back".

To me, such a response would conjure that he is pro-Pakatan Rakyat (People's Pact); but of course that is too much an accusation. I mean, I wouldn't know for a fact which political side is he inclined to. He can be the all-out and die-hard BN fan; or the staunch and loyal Pakatan supporters; and that peeps, is his person choice.

Reading through his responses, it then show us that he can be mysterious -- concealed behind those words that can only be deciphered by those see-through minds.

Regardless of his political inclination, I enjoy reading the specially dedicated section for him in this newspaper; and I look forward to reading many more of his responses in the coming edition.

Keep up the good work, Kam Raslan. We Malaysians (at least, I do) enjoy reading your piece!