The dust has not even settled yet (on the proposal that Asas Serba had purportedly sent to the Govenrment) we already have another player.
SMASH PLUS? So who is this SM?
Pun intended, this writer seems to think that Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary Serba Highway might just smash PLUS!
Let’s recap;
Asas Serba’s proposal:
RM50B to take over all assets of highway concessions
20% toll reduction across the board
And this is Syed Mokhtar’s purported proposal:
RM45B to take over all assets of highway concessions
10% toll reduction across the board
NO toll increases ever on the remaining years of concession
Looking at the recent emergence of this ‘mirror’ proposal (and it’s no wonder how certain details of proposals can just find their way to rival bids…), I will bet that Syed Mokhtar will see himself as the front runner given his seemingly magical hands in making a living of privatisation of government assets.
Funny how this seems to me like ‘Die Hard part 4′!
Is it just me or did someone just say ‘please Mr.Tycoon, we NEED you now!’ First Halim Saad’s very possible link with Asas Serba and now Syed Mokhtar.
Are we really that short of ideas and home grown saviours?
Word has it that the SM proposal was submitted to EPU some two weeks back…..Hmmmm! EPU is that Yackob guy! Hmmmmm.
Watch this site closely though, because we know something is gonna happen, and given the ‘I’m in’ ante, I won’t discount any other players too!
Could it be that Syed Mokhtar and Halim Saad are bed mates? Maybe it’s Syed Mokhtar Asas Serba Highway!
Or maybe its just Syed Mokhtar’s way of getting back at his lost opportunity in the double tracking censure of his company.
Whichever way you look at it, we have two cronies coming back to take a bigger bite at the cake!
HD
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
BESIDES LOOKING AT THE POSSIBLE ABOLITION OF THE UPSR AND PMR
Nowadays, people all around the region are seriously talking about abolition of UPSR and PMR Examination system for our future generation betterment. I would like to look also at other areas such as the subjects taught.
Please do not hesitate to consider the quantity of homework our poor kids have to do. They have to carry many heavy books for each subject and their teachers also want them to bring the hardcover log books.
Most students were not specifically informed on their subject syllabus and schedule ; so they have to carry all the books for that subject.
There are just too many sub-theme and too much homework for every single subject which entails copying from the textbook, cutting pictures and drawings.
A few subject such as History, Civics, Moral and few other subjects can be taught in interactive or story-telling sessions or using dialogue rather than doing homework.
I hope we can bring back the fun days for students and relieve them of this heavy load.
This will improve their behaviour as well. At present, they don't have time for anything else.
Normally, evening session students goes to school at 8.00 a.m.; and they stays back in school in the afternoon. When they arrived back home at 7.30 P.M. They rushes for tuition. When they captured home at 10.00 p.m. they have to do their homework.
There is hardly time to spend with the family. They even have activities in Saturdays. These days it is no longer enjoyable to be a child and when kids become frustrated, they may turn to negative influences activities.
Learning should be fun and not just about homework and curriculum characteristics.
In Develop Country such as Japan, Korea, Australia, etc the children look forward to going to school and once they are home, there is a lot of time spent with their families. Also, there were no such things likes tuition, etc.
Dedication to: All Concerned Parents.
MKR
Please do not hesitate to consider the quantity of homework our poor kids have to do. They have to carry many heavy books for each subject and their teachers also want them to bring the hardcover log books.
Most students were not specifically informed on their subject syllabus and schedule ; so they have to carry all the books for that subject.
There are just too many sub-theme and too much homework for every single subject which entails copying from the textbook, cutting pictures and drawings.
A few subject such as History, Civics, Moral and few other subjects can be taught in interactive or story-telling sessions or using dialogue rather than doing homework.
I hope we can bring back the fun days for students and relieve them of this heavy load.
This will improve their behaviour as well. At present, they don't have time for anything else.
Normally, evening session students goes to school at 8.00 a.m.; and they stays back in school in the afternoon. When they arrived back home at 7.30 P.M. They rushes for tuition. When they captured home at 10.00 p.m. they have to do their homework.
There is hardly time to spend with the family. They even have activities in Saturdays. These days it is no longer enjoyable to be a child and when kids become frustrated, they may turn to negative influences activities.
Learning should be fun and not just about homework and curriculum characteristics.
In Develop Country such as Japan, Korea, Australia, etc the children look forward to going to school and once they are home, there is a lot of time spent with their families. Also, there were no such things likes tuition, etc.
Dedication to: All Concerned Parents.
MKR
Thursday, July 8, 2010
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
CLEAR and adequate project management systems, good risk management and measurements of project success aligned with corporate goals are some of the keys to effective project management identified in a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The study, sponsored by Oracle and titled Closing the Gap: The link between project management excellence and long-term success, surveyed 213 senior executives and project management experts worldwide in September 2009. The report is also supplemented by in-depth interviews and desk research and focuses on six project-intensive industries— industrial manufacturing; architecture, engineering and construction; utilities, oil and gas; chemicals; aerospace and defence; and mining and metals.
While survey respondents are almost unanimous in recognising a need for good project management, many admit that more than a quarter of their projects are late or over budget. One reason identified in the study is that only 40% of the organisations surveyed follow formal project management practices for all projects — regardless of size and scope.
Furthermore, only a fifth use a standardised set of project management tools.
Tom Bourgeois, chief project engineer for Shell International, who was interviewed for the study, warned that a lack of standardised tools can “lead to trouble” as in his experience, project managers using multiple tools that don’t integrate can be overwhelmed. “You are just begging for errors, and the bigger the project, the harder it is to find the mistakes,” he said in the report.
Confusing risk management with contingency planning is another problem identified by the study. While 48% of respondents say that adhering to project management practices helps them manage risk, only 26% evaluate how effectively they have identified and managed risk as part of the project review process. According to the report, the risk process is often looked at only when problems occur.
Equipping project managers with the tools they need and promoting good management skills and behaviour is an ongoing process for many project-focused companies. More than half are continually working to improve their methods while 82% offer some level of project management training. The report added that training, mentoring and other development activities for project management professionals should be tied to specific skills gaps and career planning — this reinforces the necessary skills.
How a project’s success is measured is also essential. According to the report, projects should not be measured purely on meeting time and budget goals. But more than half the respondents surveyed don’t measure a project’s return on investment and three-quarter of them fail to ask clients if they are satisfied with project outcomes.
These companies are missing out on a valuable part of the project management process, observed Ajay Malhan, senior vice-president of project and development services for Jones Lang LaSalle, India in the report. The global real estate services firm conducts project reviews with the team, clients and contractors to evaluate problems that arose and discuss if they could have been better handled. “This process is considered a huge value-add by our clients, and it wins us a lot of repeat business,” said Malhan.
The report also found that project management skills have helped companies remain competitive during the worldwide economic crisis. For companies who are looking to improve, many admit the downturn underscored their shortcomings and is forcing them to “do better”.
Many companies are changing how they manage projects, with 40% investing more time in project planning and due diligence, 39% measuring project outcomes more frequently and 37% conducting more frequent project reviews to assess risks and overall value.
The report concluded that to make the most of the lessons learnt during the downturn, leaders need to “take a hard look at the methods their organisations use to select, manage and measure project outcomes, and align those methods with their long-term strategic objectives”.
“Leaders who continue to do so when economy rebounds will garner the greatest long-term success,” it said.
MKR
The study, sponsored by Oracle and titled Closing the Gap: The link between project management excellence and long-term success, surveyed 213 senior executives and project management experts worldwide in September 2009. The report is also supplemented by in-depth interviews and desk research and focuses on six project-intensive industries— industrial manufacturing; architecture, engineering and construction; utilities, oil and gas; chemicals; aerospace and defence; and mining and metals.
While survey respondents are almost unanimous in recognising a need for good project management, many admit that more than a quarter of their projects are late or over budget. One reason identified in the study is that only 40% of the organisations surveyed follow formal project management practices for all projects — regardless of size and scope.
Furthermore, only a fifth use a standardised set of project management tools.
Tom Bourgeois, chief project engineer for Shell International, who was interviewed for the study, warned that a lack of standardised tools can “lead to trouble” as in his experience, project managers using multiple tools that don’t integrate can be overwhelmed. “You are just begging for errors, and the bigger the project, the harder it is to find the mistakes,” he said in the report.
Confusing risk management with contingency planning is another problem identified by the study. While 48% of respondents say that adhering to project management practices helps them manage risk, only 26% evaluate how effectively they have identified and managed risk as part of the project review process. According to the report, the risk process is often looked at only when problems occur.
Equipping project managers with the tools they need and promoting good management skills and behaviour is an ongoing process for many project-focused companies. More than half are continually working to improve their methods while 82% offer some level of project management training. The report added that training, mentoring and other development activities for project management professionals should be tied to specific skills gaps and career planning — this reinforces the necessary skills.
How a project’s success is measured is also essential. According to the report, projects should not be measured purely on meeting time and budget goals. But more than half the respondents surveyed don’t measure a project’s return on investment and three-quarter of them fail to ask clients if they are satisfied with project outcomes.
These companies are missing out on a valuable part of the project management process, observed Ajay Malhan, senior vice-president of project and development services for Jones Lang LaSalle, India in the report. The global real estate services firm conducts project reviews with the team, clients and contractors to evaluate problems that arose and discuss if they could have been better handled. “This process is considered a huge value-add by our clients, and it wins us a lot of repeat business,” said Malhan.
The report also found that project management skills have helped companies remain competitive during the worldwide economic crisis. For companies who are looking to improve, many admit the downturn underscored their shortcomings and is forcing them to “do better”.
Many companies are changing how they manage projects, with 40% investing more time in project planning and due diligence, 39% measuring project outcomes more frequently and 37% conducting more frequent project reviews to assess risks and overall value.
The report concluded that to make the most of the lessons learnt during the downturn, leaders need to “take a hard look at the methods their organisations use to select, manage and measure project outcomes, and align those methods with their long-term strategic objectives”.
“Leaders who continue to do so when economy rebounds will garner the greatest long-term success,” it said.
MKR
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