Contradicting policies

Our government is good at contradicting itself.

Exhibit 1: The Transport Ministry is taking measures to have 40% of the people use public transportation by 2012.

Exhibit 2: 20pc toll rebate to take effect Sept 1

Exhibit 3: Bus, taxi fares up 30%

So, you want more people to take public transport, but at the same time you are making it cheaper for people to drive, and much more expensive for people to take buses and taxis.

Hmphh... Where's the logic?

Champions League 2009 Final

Later tonight, Barcelona will play Manchester United for the European Cup.

I'm hoping for Barcelona to win the game, as I don't want to endure a day of gloating by Manchester United's fans on Facebook.

Come Messi and Iniesta, make Ronaldo cry!

Giro d'Italia!

It's a new season in the Grand Tours! For the past two weeks, I've been following the Giro closely, through the live telecast on Eurosports.

This year's Giro is particularly interesting as it is Lance Armstrong's first major race since coming back from retirement.

While the strong Italian contingent (Di Luca, Cunego, Garzelli) turn up for their home race, some of the big names are missing. Among them are Contador (the defending champion) and Valverde.

As the race enter its 18th stage tomorrow, Armstrong looks far from his best. He has been struggling in the mountains, while his time trial performances are average.

His Astana teammates have not been helping him as much as he would like them to. People like Leipheimer and Popovych are not controlling the race as how they did under the Discovery Channel / US Postal Service team.

Armstrong needs to improve a lot more if he is going to challenge for the yellow jersey in France. In fact, his job might complicate further as there are doubts on whether Armstrong will continue as the team leader once Contador joins the team for the Tour de France.

Carlos Sastre, last year's Tour de France winner was having a quiet Giro until he attacked the two race leaders, Menchov and Di Luca on the last climb in the 17th stage.

However, it might be too late for him to catch the two leaders in general classification as they currently have about two minutes advantage on him.

Meanwhile, riders from Team Columbia High Road looks certain to win most of the sprints in the remaining two Grand Tours. Their tactics have been spot on during this Giro, with Mark Cavendish coming out winners in three sprints so far.

Their intention for Tour de France is laid out in the open when they pull Cavendish out of the Giro straight after his third stage win. While the rest of his competitors are struggling on Italian Alps, Cavendish is already preparing for the 'Big Tour'.

As for now, all eyes are focussed on the Giro's finale. There are another two mountain top finishes before the racers head into a time trial in Rome.

Menchov, with his 40 seconds advantage over Di Luca, remains as the favourite to win this year's Giro.

However, I am not writing off Sastre's chance. If he could narrow the gap between him and Menchov to under one minute before the race go into Rome, it could be his second Grand Tour win in two years!

Time to go in?

I'm attending a market outlook presentation by one of the local brokerage company.

The presenter pointed out: "Even though the recent data are pointing towards a gloomy picture, the general sentiment is positive. A lot of the uncertainties are gone."

He believes that the market is already at its low point. He advised, "Buy stocks that have value rather than focussing on certain sector."

In short, it is the start of a bull run!!

Hmm... Should I go directly into the market? Or should i buy into a fund?

Time goes by..

Another 52 days to the CFA exam. I felt as if it was yesterday that I had another 100 days to go.

Today is the 106th day of the year 2009. Almost a third of the year is gone. I'm nowhere near in fulfilling my KPI.

On a brighter note, I'm already into my 33rd month with the company. Slowly, I'm edging my way towards finishing my 96-month contract with them.

Oo.. Blogging through the phone!

I'm excited! There have been times when I wanted to post my thoughts on this blog, but I couldn't because I was not connected to the internet.

Surprise surprise! Now, even my 'phone buruk' Nokia N70 can be used to update my blog. So, do visit this page from time to time, because I'll be blogging on the move.

From Singapore... I heard.

The LRT expansion project is finally taking off!

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The first upgrade of Kuala Lumpur's urban transport network is set to take off, with two firms hired to come up with designs to extend the city's two light rail systems by 16km.

The government has set the firms an August deadline, after which construction work is expected to begin.

Sources said that two months ago, Syarikat Prasarana Negara, a government agency that oversees national urban transport, awarded design contracts to HSS Integrated and Minconsult, two of Malaysia's largest civil engineering consultancies.

The management side of the project is said to have been awarded to Opus, a state owned company in the United Engineers group.

The contracts will kick-start Malaysia's largest infrastructure project in recent years - a RM6 billion job that should help reflate the country's shrinking economy.

In addition, another RM1 billion will be needed to buy additional rolling stock from Bombardier of France.The funds are not part of the recently announced stimulus package — they are expected to be raised through a bond offer by Syarikat Prasarana.

The project stops short of an original plan that called for a new 40km line connecting the new suburb of Kota Damansara with Cheras, one of KL's oldest and most populated suburbs.Sources said that this was probably due to budget constraints, as the new line was estimated to cost RM11-12 billion.

Each extension will, instead, cost about RM3 billion.HSS Integrated will do the design work on extending the Star line, which runs from Sentul in downturn KL to Desa Petaling to the south.

The extension will enlarge the network almost to Puchong, west of the city, where it will meet the Putra line, the extension of which is being designed by Minconsult.

Putra runs from Ampang in KL to Petaling Jaya to the west. The extension will take it to Subang Jaya and then around to Puchong. Each extension is expected to benefit more than a million people. — Business Times Singapore

McDonald's are suffering.

They wouldn't lower their McValue meals' prices if they are not suffering.

On page 7 of today's The Sun:

"Drop by McDonald's for the best value lunch deal in town.
From now on, every weekday 12noon - 3 pm, your favorite
McChicken, Double Cheeseburger, Chicken McNuggets and
Fillet-O-Fish McValue Meals are just RM 5.96!
Why wait? Make a lunch date with McDonald's"

The boycott is working? Or is it the worsening economic condition?

It may be both.