Travelling Malaysians != sign of economic recovery

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Headlines in the NST today: travel tsunami. It seems lots of people fly away during the Lunar New Year period. And they equate this to a sign of good economic times. A few thoughts:
1. A lot of families take trips during CNY. Schools are off for a week. Closing down the house and taking a much needed vacation is what people do. 2. Airline tickets are virtually free now that we have budget airlines like AirAsia. And with MAS realising they need to compete, their prices have dropped too. With some early planning, truly, everyone can fly ;)

3. Malaysia is expensive. Did it not occur to many, that prices of local holidays can cost a lot more than holidays in the rest of Asia? (Save maybe for Singapore). Going overseas makes economic sense. Anyway, have a good Chinese New Year, may you get many more angpows. P/S: giving away too many angpows? Go overseas next time! They'll believe its a sign of a roaring economy :)

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Colin Charles | Mobile: +6-012-204-3201
http://bytebot.net/blog/

The Sun...

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Not slagging off The Sun newspaper, which I myself read, on very rare occassion, but how do they claim that their audience is all that?

Most tech savvy & connected folk I know gave up reading dead tree media a long time ago. For years, if I wanted a Malaysian newspaper, I'd read The Star Online. Big spenders/investors pick up free papers?

Seems kinda ballsy. But I hear 300k is better than the 100k that the now free Malay Mail can boast. Why do you read The Sun? Where do you read it? Do you fit in their demographic?


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Colin Charles | Mobile: +6-012-204-3201
http://bytebot.net/blog/

Many apply for RM100 two-year passport (frequent traveller galore lah!)

Malaysians can apply for the 32-page passport valid for two years at RM100.

A 32-page passport valid for five years costs RM300 while a 64-page one (also valid for five years) costs RM600.

As a frequent traveller, this makes perfect economic sense. My 32-page passport that's valid for 5 years, gives me about 2.5 years of validity at most, and costs me RM300. I would use 64 pages in a 5 year period, but why shell out RM600, when I can renew a passport every 2 years, for a total of RM300, and get a bonus 1 year validity?

Malaysians just see economic sense in this :)

Beginning to think @NajibRazak is learning to use Twitter

Twitter_mohd_najib_tun_razak_i

Use of hashtag - check

Use of sending it to Facebook - check

Pretty good message (even if it was later than we expected) - check

Use of UberTwitter on (presumably) his BlackBerry - check

Maybe its no longer PR hacks that are maintaining it. Maybe its in collaboration with him (PR hacks use the web, he uses his BB).

Either way, it looks like a genuine message. And he's been known to reply to tweets too... So go @NajibRazak

Ad.ly analytics - when will ChurpChurp do this?

Ad

People know I dislike in-stream Twitter advertising.

But if companies are buying into the whole idea (and they are), why go on "word of mouth", when you can get nice shiny graphs and make sure your campaigns are actually getting the reach that it should be getting?

http://analytics.ad.ly/

Check out ad.ly's analytics. Its quite interesting that they've built a model around charging for analytics - they upsell you for $9.99/mo, to get sentiment analysis, who is engaging with you, most influential followers, and more. For those that Twitter seriously, this might be useful. Of course, how does it compare with the numerous free services out there, say like Klout, etc?

SM sentiment analysis... JamIQ, Brandtology (Singaporean startups). Hot space? Or when will the fad pass...

Dr M: Forsaking English is the nation’s folly

Dr M: Forsaking English is the nation’s folly

Dr M: I am not an Englishman but I speak English. — File pic

By Neville Spykerman

SHAH ALAM, Dec 14 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the government was exposing Malaysia to peril by reversing the policy of teaching maths and science in English.

“English is the language of the Knowledge Age. Countries which do not master English will not only be left behind but risk being colonised either directly or indirectly.”

Without knowledge, countries will be oppressed and even invaded, he said.

The former premier, who has not hidden his disapproval over the shift of policy which he introduced, added that it was a folly to equate patriotism to speaking the national language.

“English is not only for English people but a universal language. I am not an Englishman but I speak English.”

“Are you an Englishman?” he asked a reporter during a press conference after he delivered the keynote address at the 17th Islamic World Academy of Science conference which is being held here.

He pointed out in the past, Western scholars were unafraid to learn Arabic in order to acquire knowledge, which was only available in that language and likewise the Arabs had to learn Greek for the same purpose.

But today, Dr Mahathir said the government was “ignoring success.”

“New discoveries are coming out in torrents in English,” he said adding that it would take an army, fully fluent in both English and Malay, to translate all the latest development.

The 2003 policy of teaching mathematics and science in English or PPSMI was reversed by the Cabinet on July 8 due to objections from various pressure groups who argued that rural students could not cope and were being left behind.

The policy was introduced to increase English proficiency and to expose students to technical science and mathematics terms from a younger age so they could excel in these fields at tertiary levels.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who also holds the education portfolio, has maintained the government will not return to the policy of teaching and learning science and mathematics in English despite appeals from mainly urban parents.

The government is moving ahead on the new policy of dignifying Bahasa Malaysia usage while raising English proficiency.

"English is not only for English people but a universal language"

Yes, for once I agree with Dr. M. English is important. Be brave. Forsake BM and teach English entirely for all subjects. Teach BM and the pupils own language. But please, an English medium is a wise medium to be teaching in today.