Jakarta, INDONESIA- Indonesia’s growth slid in the second quarter to levels unseen since 2009, government data showed Wednesday, highlighting the uphill battle for President Joko Widodo in expanding Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

The economy grew at 4.67 percent year-on-year in the three months to the end of June, from 4.72 percent in the previous quarter, Indonesia’s statistics agency said. First quarter growth was revised up from 4.71 percent.

OCBC Bank economist Wellian Wiranto told AFP the result was “largely disappointing”.

“There’s no engine to support growth at this point,” he said.

India’s composite output Purchasing Managers’ Indices (PMI) is 52 for July, which is better than that of some large Asian economies



India’s economy may not be in the best shape, but the Purchasing Managers’ Indices (PMIs) prove once again that it’s better off than most others in Asia.

India’s composite output PMI is 52 for July, which is better than that of some large Asian economies. The composite output index is a combined measure of manufacturing and services activity in the private sector.

Among manufacturing PMIs, the Indonesian, Malaysian, South Korean and Taiwanese indices all showed a contraction in July, and only Vietnam’s manufacturing expansion was comparable to India’s.

Malaysia says matches prove wing part is from missing flight MH370



KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia said on Thursday paint color and maintenance-record matches proved that a piece of wing found on the shore of an Indian Ocean island was part of the wreckage of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which vanished without trace last year.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said investigators on the French island of Reunion had collected more aircraft debris, including a plane window and aluminum foil, but there was no confirmation they also belonged to the missing plane.

With the first trace of the plane now confirmed, Malaysia has asked the governments of neighboring Mauritius and Madagascar to help widen the search area, he told reporters.

Earlier, Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed that the piece of debris was from the Boeing 777 airliner that was bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 passengers and crew on board when it went missing.

“Today, 515 days since the plane disappeared, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts have conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370,” Najib said in a televised address.

The airline described the find as “a major breakthrough”.

Shootings on Jakarta city’s roads



Keep a cool head. And try not to shoot each other.

Jakarta Police chief Inspector-General Tito Karnavian gave this advice to drivers yesterday after two shooting incidents in Jakarta recently, reported the Jakarta Post.

The shootings happened on toll roads in the Indonesian capital.

Jakarta has the worst traffic in the world with the average driver having to stop 33,240 times a year – more than twice the number in New York.

Last week, a driver in a Kia Picanto shot at a Daihatsu Xenia in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

His beef? That he had suddenly been overtaken.

Even though there were no casualties, police are looking into the case.

On Sunday, a similar incident occurred involving the drivers of a Honda Jazz and a Toyota Avanza on a toll road in Depok.

The Honda driver made a police report that the Toyota driver shot at his car.

The case is under investigation with the military police because the shooter, who is still on the run, is believed to be a military officer.

Powerful storm hits Taiwan, millions without power, six dead



TAIPEI/YILAN, Taiwan – A powerful typhoon battered Taiwan on Saturday with strong wind and torrential rain, cutting power to 3.62 million households as the death toll rose to six.

Four people were missing and 101 were injured, authorities said. Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled and more than 9,900 people were evacuated from their homes.

Television footage trees uprooted and power poles toppled over, a moped being swept into the air by wind and shipping containers piled on top of each other at a port.

“The storm will weaken but we expect more rain, particularly in southern Taiwan,” said Wang Shih-chien, an official with the island’s Central Weather Bureau.

China jails teacher for life over student sex abuse



Shanghai: A Chinese court has sentenced a kindergarten teacher to life in jail for sexually abusing 12 of his students, the official Xinhua news agency reported today.

A court in the northern region of Ningxia sentenced Huang Zhenxin, a teacher at a rural school, for “raping or molesting” his female students, the report said.

Police said he offered to tutor them on their homework before assaulting them.

In May, China executed a former primary school teacher for raping and sexually abusing 26 children at his school, state media previously reported.

Leading Chinese businessman Jack Ma visits Tyva Republic



Internet magnate and philanthropist Jack Ma – mainland China’s richest man – visited Siberia’s Tyva Republic as he admitted that his dreams for his business empire Alibaba Group is not yet realised.

The tycoon was hosted by the president of Tyva Republic Sholban Kara-ool, who met him at the airport in Kyzyl. He visited the National Museum and saw priceless artifacts – including finds of gold – from the ‘Arzhaan-2′ burial mound.

‘This is absolutely amazing,’ he said. ‘I imagined what kind of people lived here, worked, guided … I am sure that everyone who is living in this land must feel the energy of their ancestors, and through it, to strive forward into the future.’

Visit China’s Great Wall before it comes tumbling down

Around 30% of China’s Ming-era Great Wall has disappeared over time as adverse natural conditions and reckless human activities – including stealing the bricks to build houses – erode the Unesco World Heritage site, state media reported.



The Great Wall is not a single unbroken structure but stretches for thousands of kilometres in sections, from Shanhaiguan on the east coast to Jiayuguan in the windswept sands on the edge of the Gobi desert.

In places, it is so dilapidated that estimates of its total length vary from 9,000km to 21,000km , depending on whether missing sections are included. Despite its length it is not, as is sometimes claimed, visible from space.

Construction first begun in the third century BCE, but nearly 6,300km were built in the Ming Dynasty of 1368-1644, including the much-visited sectors north of the capital Beijing. Of that, 1,962km has melted away over the centuries, the Beijing Times reported.

Some of the construction weathered away, while plants growing in the walls have accelerated the decay, said the report, citing a survey last year by the Great Wall of China Society.

“Even though some of the walls are built of bricks and stones, they cannot withstand the perennial exposure to wind and rain,” the paper quoted Dong Yaohui, a vice president of the society, as saying.

“Many towers are becoming increasingly shaky and may collapse in a single rain storm in summer”.

All-you-can-eat durian fest collects RM180,000 for children’s wish society



A TOTAL 2,500 people feasted for charity during the recent Jom Durian 8, simultaneously fulfilling their cravings and helping make the wishes of terminally-ill children come true.

Making their way through seven tonnes of durian, the guests managed to raise RM180,000 for the Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS), a homegrown Subang Jaya initiative.

Guests bought tickets at RM20 each to participate in the hour-long sessions that catered to 500 people each time.

For one durian fan, it was a feast to the finish.

Jom Durian regular Lee Siew Chow, 78, found himself in a wheelchair being nursed by St John Ambulance volunteer Kenneth Fernandez after consuming more than he ought to.

“I overate lah. I forgot how much I ate. Maybe 10 pieces, I think.

“But I will definitely come back next year. I won’t miss it!” he said in good spirits, as his wife Loh Yit Siew fanned him lovingly.

We owe agency a debt of gratitude



IT is astounding that more than 350,000 people were on the brink of bankruptcy with an accumulated debt of RM337 million, until they were saved by the Counselling and Credit Management Agency.

The agency was a saviour to these people, who had no way out and were contemplating suicide. The agency counselled and helped them to manage their finances. It also recommended jobs for those with no jobs. Fresh graduates and young professionals are not able to make ends meet because bank loans and debts take up a sizeable chunk of their income.

The two biggest items are housing and car loans. The rising rate of household debt, due to rising prices of goods and services, and credit card bills, has put many households in the red. Bank Negara has introduced measures to prevent excessive household debt by reducing housing loan and personal loan repayment tenure. Young people will find it more difficult to buy homes as banks reduce the housing loan period.

More young people are getting into debt because of inflation and rising cost of living. Some are living beyond their means and struggling to make ends meet. Their lack of financial knowledge and education, coupled with expensive lifestyle choices, put the younger generation in financial difficulties.

What to do when you’re fired



Quick action can help you get back in the game

YOU’VE just been fired. Getting back in the game is never easy. On the bright side, it’s not the end of the world and it happens to the best of us.

The following are some tips on what you should do to get back on your feet as quickly as possible.

Financial implications

When we lose our jobs, we lose our income stream and a major lifestyle adjustment is needed, says licensed financial adviser and syariah financial advisory for Excellentte Consultancy Jeremy Tan.

“During your working years, you should always set aside savings that can cover your expenses or lifestyle for between six to 12 months, in case you lose your job.

“Though six to 12 months might be considered long, it provides the individual with ample time to hunt around for another job. Also during the unemployment period, one could also use the time to take on new skills to improve oneself,” he adds.

Tan notes that it’s harder on a person who has dependents such as children or elderly parents.

“Here you might be forced to take on a lower-paying job just to make ends meet – at least until you can find your ideal paying job again.

Getting over the mental anguish

Losing your job can be mentally challenging to get over. Accept it and move on, says Heera Training and Management Consultancy principal consultant Heera Singh.

“It is normal to be shocked and upset over a firing. The critical thing here is to be able to manage your negative emotions effectively and get over it as soon as possible.

“After a firing, many people start to feel resentful about their old company, their boss and fellow employees. None of this will change the situation. Accept the reality that you have been fired and that no amount of moaning or groaning will get you back your job. The quicker you get over the firing and look towards the future, the better it will be.”



Leaderonomics chief executive officer Roshan Thiran shares the same sentiment.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang, Malaysia



MITSUI OUTLET PARK KLIA SEPANG Opening on May 30, 2015
First Major Shareholding Overseas Development of a Mitsui Outlet Park, Taking Abroad Know-How Cultivated Over 20 Years of the Outlet Business in Japan

MITSUI OUTLET PARK KLIA SEPANG , Kuala Lumpur’s outlet mall are joint venture (JV) of Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (MFMA Development Sdn. Bhd) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.

Store Composition Features



A collection of various genres, including leading luxury brands, international designer brands, popular local Malaysian brands and Japanese brands.
A wide variety of restaurants offering cuisine from around the world, including Malaysian, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and Thai cuisines. Many restaurants also cater for halal needs.
In “JAPAN AVENUE”, a zone where visitors can experience authentic Japanese culture, Japanese sushi restaurant “sushi maru” will open its first restaurant in Malaysia, “Wa Café” will offer customers a chance to experience Japanese tea, and “fun Japan” will comprise a traditional craft store, an event space, and other attractions .





Building Design and Design Features



Based on Paradise Village, a concept with a tropical resort theme
The two story construction is designed to facilitate overall ease of movement, with an ambience like an outdoor space as natural light from stylish skylights enriched with greenery throughout the building create the atmosphere of a relaxing, bright resort.
The enclosed mall design is entirely air-conditioned on account of the tropical climate, creating a comfortable shopping space.


This post has been edited by 2msia: Aug 12 2015, 09:29 AM

Risks, benefits of high-speed rail link need further scrutiny



More clarity is needed on the economic and social justifications for such a project.

While travel time on the high-speed rail (HSR) would probably be reduced to 90 minutes a trip, the time taken for embarking, disembarking and clearing immigration is unknown. It could well take an hour.

The project is estimated to cost S$15 billion, assuming there is zero cost overrun — which Malaysia has experienced in other public projects.

To break even — just to finance annual borrowing costs (not the principal sum) — the HSR may need ridership of eight million, with tickets priced at around S$90 to S$110 per trip, to be economically feasible.

Malaysia’s Public Transport Commission chairman Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal has said that a round trip from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on the HSR link will cost users less than RM400 (S$142).

All it takes is RM120 to unlock cars with Rolljam



As reported on Tech Insider, a hacker named Samy Kamkar recently made a US$30 (RM120) device called Rolljam which can unlock cars by exploiting a weakness in keyless entry. According to the publication, Kamkar also built a device recently which is able to hack into GM’s OnStar system wirelessly (OnStar/GM has reportedly resolved the issue).

His latest hack exploits a basic vulnerability in the car and garage key that has been prevalent for quite a while. Essentially, car key remotes, just like garage remotes, use rolling codes to authenticate access.

Back to the future: Nokia prepares for mobile comeback



HELSINKI, Aug 10 — Nokia is hiring software experts, testing new products and seeking sales partners as it plots its return to the mobile phone and consumer tech arena it abandoned with the sale of its handset business.

Once the world’s biggest maker of mobile phones, the Finnish firm was wrongfooted by the rise of smartphones and eclipsed by Apple and Samsung. It sold its handset business to Microsoft in late 2013 and has since focused squarely on making telecoms network equipment.

Now Nokia boss Rajeev Suri is planning a comeback. He must wait until late 2016 before he can consider re-entering the handset business — after a non-compete deal with Microsoft expires — but preparations are underway.

The company has already dipped its toe into the consumer market; it has launched an Android tablet, the N1, which went on sale in January in China and days ago unveiled a “virtual-reality camera” — heralding it as the “rebirth of Nokia”.

It has also launched an Android app called Z Launcher, which organises content on smartphones.

Meanwhile, its technologies division has advertised on LinkedIn dozens of jobs in California, many in product development, including Android engineers specialising in the operating software Nokia mobile devices will use.

Gun murder rate in Thailand on a par with United States



KOH SAMUI, THAILAND – Rungrat Rungsuwan was manning her small shop selling trinkets on a main tourist drag on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui when she heard a series of loud bangs.

“At first I thought they were firecrackers,” she said, as tourists in flip-flops and singlets filed past her storefront in the island’s Fisherman’s Village district.

“Once people realized it was gunfire everyone panicked and started running. Some people came into my shop to hide.”

It was early March and just meters away influential local businessmen Panas Khao-uthai lay dead, six bullets fired into his body at close range by two assassins who calmly unloaded their pistols in broad daylight.

For the holiday-makers forced to dive for cover that evening, the murder — which police say was over a commercial dispute — was a glimpse into a reality familiar to locals: the country’s deadly enthusiasm for guns.

Renowned to outsiders for its laid-back, welcoming vibe, Thailand is also a country awash with firearms where disputes are all too frequently settled with a bullet and a body.

KL City GP caused businesses to incur losses



The recent Kuala Lumpur City GP has not gone down well with businesses situated within the vicinity of the 3.2 km track. The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has claimed that affected businesses have had to incur as much as three to four days’ worth of losses over the event period.

Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, MEF executive director told The Sun that it was not fair to businesses that were affected by the event, adding that “they had to suffer in silence, there was nothing they could do about it.”

“When people are not able to come in to the area, of course their incomes were affected,” he said, referring to the closure of five major roads within the golden triangle. He stressed that should the KL City GP take place annually, this would be worrying as it would be difficult for companies to operate on such basis.

Shamsuddin then questioned the necessity of organising the race in the city, when there is a first class track readily available, referring to the Sepang International Circuit. “The track in Sepang has all the necessary safety features that are required. They should have just used that circuit,” he highlighted.

Betong, Thailand



Betong (Thai: เบตง) (Chinese: 勿洞) is a town (thesaban mueang) in southern Thailand, near the boundary to Malaysia. It is the capital of Betong district, the southernmost district of Yala Province. As of 2005, the town has a population of 24,688.

Betong is the southernmost town of Thailand. Across the Malaysia–Thailand border by the Keroh pass is the state of Perak. Betong is popular with tourists from nearby Malaysia.

This post has been edited by 2msia: Aug 21 2015, 01:05 AM

Watch a ‘Sky Ladder’ Made of Fireworks Reach to the Heavens

Gov’t still “not ready” to enforce mandatory child seat usage, will only do so in 2019



It looks like the future of widespread child seat use is still some ways away from becoming a reality, as Bernama reports that the government is still not ready to make compulsory the usage of this vital safety equipment, citing cost, economy and public awareness issues.

According to the national news agency, transport minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai stated that because parents still held a lackadaisical attitude towards child seat usage, public awareness must be prioritised and improved before any sort of enforcement can commence.

“We must educate them [parents] about the importance of using child seats in cars when travelling with children or infants,” he said. “They must really understand why infants need their own special seats.

“If you have children in the car, we advocate the usage of child seats and seat belts to secure them. The DUKE highway accident – where a child was thrown out of the car and passed away – shows the cost when we don’t belt up our children.”

Liow added that the relatively high prices of child seats have contributed to the government’s decision into the matter, as it wanted to avoid socio-economic repercussions, especially among low-income earners and the “less fortunate.” He also denied reports that the government will begin enforcement by 2017, saying that it still only plans to do so by 2019.