Taken from THE STAR

September 18, 2007

Petronas not able to sustain subsidies and wants to raise prices

GEMAS: Having paid out subsidies close to RM50bil in the last 10 years for gas and with global oil prices hitting US$80 (RM280) per barrel last week, Petronas is now pushing for an increase in gas charges.

If the Government gives Petronas the green light to raise rates, consumers would have to brace themselves for higher costs since gas is required for generating electricity, industrial/household use and for NGV-powered automobiles.

The minister said Petronas had provided gas subsidies close to RM50bil since 1997, and last year alone, it paid out RM14bil in subsidy.

“Petronas is screaming for an increase.”

He said that for example, Petronas sold subsidised gas at RM6.40 per mmBtu (Million British Thermal Units) to local industries, whereas unsubsidised gas cost about RM40 per mmBtu.
He explained that if the gas was sourced locally, Petronas would be able to absorb the costs.

However, its gas fields in Terengganu could not meet the demand in the peninsula. As such, Petronas was forced to pay three times more to import the gas from Indonesia and Thailand.
Lim said when the Cabinet committee would decide on Monday the next gas policy as well as gas prices for TNB and IPPs.

“This is necessary as 60% of the country’s electricity is generated by gas,” he told pressmen after opening Heaveaboard Bhd’s second particleboard line here yesterday. The minister was asked to comment on the escalating global oil prices.

Lim said the people should understand Petronas’ position and not criticise it for asking an increase.


September 19, 2007

Najib: Petrol prices to stay

PUTRAJAYA: The Government will honour its promise not to increase petrol prices this year, assures Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“Whatever we have promised (about not rising the petrol price), we will honour our commitment.

“But that is for the price of petrol. (Prices of) gas, it is another issue,” he told reporters after chairing the 21st National Forestry Council meeting yesterday. He was asked to comment whether consumers would be affected by the recent hike in oil prices.

On Petronas' request for an increase in gas charges, Najib said the Government’s willingness to look into the matter did not mean the national oil company would be given the green light to charge more.

Najib said the Government had taken steps to protect consumers from escalating prices of commodities and daily necessities by providing subsidies and fixing prices of certain goods.

He said the bulk of the subsidy went to petroleum and gas, amounting to a whopping RM27bil this year, of which RM14bil was borne by the Government and RM13bil by Petronas as gas subsidy.

“This is how much the Government and Petronas are spending on subsidy. If there are parties accusing the Government of not protecting consumers’ interests, they are sorely wrong.”

He said the increase in prices of goods, food and daily necessities, did not only affect the country but was also of global concern.

In Kuala Lumpur, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik urged people not to speculate on a price increase for gas.

He said that at a Cabinet committee meeting on Monday on the next gas policy, his ministry, Petronas and the Economic Planning Unit would present a proposal on the issue.

Rudum

Kalau disuruh memilih nombor, tentu nombor paling popular di Malaysia sekarang adalah 5. Masakan tidak, dengan semangat Malaysia boleh, kita mampu melakukannya. Setiap bibir2 yang menghirup teh di pagi dan petang tentu sekali akan meletakkan topik ini di front page.

Aku yang kaki bangku ini mudah mendapat kawan dan taulan pabila singgah mengeteh. Lontarkan topik ini, aku berani jamin, korang akan mendapat kawan. Kaki bangku paling handal pun bisa melakukan komentar terhadap anak didik Cikgu Jan.

Kini, satu2 nya jalan paling realistik untuk Malaysia pergi ke peringkat antarabangsa adalah menjadi tuan rumah atau paling mesra-kos adalah membuat filem2 tentang bola bersulamkan cinta 3 segi arahan Prof Razak. Ini sedikit sebanyak dapat memeriahkan lambakan filem Melayu Cinta di Malaysia di samping dapat mencungkil bakat2 seni para pemain Malaysia yang rata2 nya sungguh stylo sekali penampilannya.

Aku berharap jika cadangan2 ini direalisasikan , maka terubatlah sedikit 'luka dalaman' para pemain yang sekarang ini terguris akibat serangan media arus perdana dan subversif. Kita patut memberikan peluang kepada stylo2 ini menceburi bidang2 lain selain karier primary mereka.

Sekarang kita patut fikirkan tajuk filem Cinta itu ?

Oh tidak2, gol dan gincu terasa mual sedikit mendengarnya.....

LAUGHING OUT LOUD !!!!!!!!!

Japanese use robotic Lassie to pull victims from fires

Ok, so that big hulking autonomous vehicle pictured above looks nothing like little Timmy's bestest bud (except maybe in the later years, when he let the fame get to his head), but Lassie and this yellow Japanese firefighting bot do have one thing in common: no fear of charging into a burning building and pulling out the victims with their jaws or claws, respectively. From the looks of things, these humanitarian-tank-cum-playground-slides are controlled by a remote operator looking through that camera above the headlights -- which is definitely a good thing, because we don't really want robots pinching at us with their hydraulic fingers until machine vision has significantly improved. And of course, team this up with a hosebot, snakebot, or fire-snuffing flower, and you've just obviated the need for millions of firefighters worldwide, as well as crushed the hopes and dreams of countless small, career-minded children.

[Via Uber-Review]

Bling Stationery,oh yeah!

Bling up all the stationary at your desk, look different from your colleague’s one. Get one set of this Neiman Marcus Jeweled Desk Set. Pricing here, optical mouse for 80 bucks, tape dispenser for 89 bucks and staples for another 80 bucks. Ready to get a set?

[via Redferret]

BLiNG Player

Check out this MP3 player called the Bling Player. Yeah, it’s a Bling Bling MP3 player. It comes along with chain and dogtag. This digital audio player support MP3 and MPEG-4 formats and it’s compatible with Vista, Windows 2000, XP or ME. It has 1.5″ screen with 65K color display and a 2GB memory that can store up to 30+ hours of music or 16+ hours of video. Other features include a built-in mic, USB 2.0 connectivity, 7 user chosen Equalizer settings, built-in voice recorder and Telbook portable address book function. The Bling Player will be available next month for 200 bucks.

[via New Launches]

$53 million in cash : The Most Beautiful Sight

Confiscated from a house in Mexico City. Presumably a drug lord's. What kind of sickos would want to keep $53 millions in cash?

Link to more pictures