When engineers make Ketupat

Ahh...don't you just love the details engineers put into things you thought were plain simple.


Malaysia's Ketupat

The Ketupat - type of rice dumpling or rice cake - is one of the popular Malay delicacies that have been listed as heritage food in Malaysia. The Ketupat, when translated in English, is literally a made from glutinous rice.

It’s usually wrapped in a triangular shape using the leaves of the fan palm Licuala. Wrapped in a pouch of woven palm leaves, is then boiled for hours. As the rice cooks, the grains expand to fill the pouch and the rice becomes compressed into soft cakes.

In Malaysia, Ketupat is also traditionally served by Malays at open houses on festive occasions such as Idul Fitri (Hari Raya Aidilfitri).

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri from The Green Mechanics
Kota Kinabalu,
25 June 2017

Credit to: (i)Hollidays in malaysia - click for more info

(ii)Anonymous - for the image/drawing (via whatsap)

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The copyright owner of the image may come forward to identify that this image is theirs and that in no circumstances should be publish unless otherwise stated, to which the administrator  shall be obliged to remove such image from the website.

Are our ministers salaries too high?

Last week, the media - mainstream and online portals - were filled with mixed views of Selangor leaders salary hikes. Some said they were justified, but many disagree and they heavily criticised the move by the opposition-led richest state in Malaysia.


How much will Selangor ministers and assemblymen get after the adjustment. Source: The Star


While not interested in politics, let me draw your attention to another move by oil-rich, biggest state in Malaysia, Sarawak. You can read about it here.


In May 2013, the Sarawak ministers and assemblymen approved a whopping three-fold (Selangor increased theirs by two-fold) raise for themselves and administrators of the state assembly. The Star Graphics


To compare, our nearest neighbour, Singapore pays its Prime Minister a whopping SGD$2.2 million annually, that's SGD$183,000 per month or about RM471,000 monthly. Then again, Singapore pays it ministers  and leaders top money and the city state is in a league of its own when comes to country leaders salary.

In no way we should emulate Singapore's remuneration system.

I'm just saying I'm bemused by how people react to Selangor ministers pay hikes.


HAPPY MONDAY!

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

To all Muslim friends, relatives and readers, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Wishing all of you nothing but the best of time with your loved ones, and lets pray for a peaceful Malaysia.


Eid Mubarak. Picture of Universiti Malaysia Sabah mosque, in Kota Kinabalu.
Photo by de engineur


Let's keep the 1Malaysia spirit alive.


Yours sincerely,
de engineur, for The Green Mechanics,
Kota Kinabalu.

Selamat Hari Pahlawan: to all Heroes of Malaysia and the unsung ones, too

Hari Pahlawan (Heroes' Day) is the day we remember the sacrifices that our military men has made to make our nation what it is today. The Malaysian armed forces fought against the guerrilla communist in the early years of independence, together with many others - we remember today as unsung heroes - in our struggle against the communist terrorist.

In conjunction with the Heroes' Day on July 31, 2013, I have some pictures of one of the war memorials (taken sometime back) located in Petagas, Sabah, where Sabah government and the descendants of the fallen heroes hold a memorial ceremony every year.

 Petagas, Kota Kinabalu

 Petagas War Memorial was built in 1946 and the first memorial service started in 1948

 Mausoleoum containing the plaque that tells the story

One of the plaques. Make a visit and read for yourself.

You can also read about Petagas War Memorial, and other memorials in Sabah here.

"Selamat Hari Pahlawan"

Companies with highest revenue in 2012

For your/my info: All top firms in Malaysia posted positive return last year. Exception, of course, is Malaysia Airlines System - but no one should be surprised anymore about this particular company.

Many of the firms in the top 20 are government-linked companies. Those ranked 21 to 200 are also a mixture of privately owned and GLCs, with GLCs taking the lead. It is time these companies look seriously at improving their remuneration package in view of the several revisions already carried out in the public sector.

While the government has no say on the privately owned entities, it has moderate to strong influence in the administration of policy of the GLCs. I say, start here with these companies. And other big private firms will feel the 'heat' too. The longer we wait, the bigger the salary gap will be between public and private sector.

                                              Source: The Malay Mail


RM1.36 trillion revenue for top 200 firms
Feb 5, 2013

MALAYSIA’S top 200 companies earned a total of RM1.36 trillion in revenue last year and net profit amounted to RM163 billion, said credit management company DP Information Group managing director Chen Yew Nah yesterday. Of the 14 sectors considered, she said the four strongest sectors of petroleum and gas, holding firms, manufacturing, financial and insurance generated more than two thirds of the combined revenue.

“In the top 10 positions alone, nine home-grown companies like Petronas, Malayan Banking Bhd, YTL Corporation Bhd and the Axiata Group Bhd are in the lead,” she said during a briefing on Asian Corporate Giants.

Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute chief executive officer Tan Sri Michael Yeoh said amidst the positive prospects, corporate could face a few worrying challenges this year onwards.

“The biggest challenge will be talent shortage. Companies have to strategise ways to attract and retain talents, as well as sustaining business growth.

There’s no point of being successful now if you are only going to fall back after two or three years.”

Chen added that companies which have ventured globally also need to have an exit strategy should the venture collapse and ensure they secure the right level of financial support.

She said companies should now focus on 11 growing markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. -- The Malay Mail

Malaysia tops bribery table.

This is an article I'm not proud to post/share at all.

Getting the front page coverage for the wrong reason, Malaysia sits on top in the bribery table. How I wish this is FIFA ranking for 2012 instead!

Malaysia called the most corrupt country for business? Source: WSJ

Wall Street Journal reported that Malaysia scored worst in the 2012 Bribe Payers Survey. It asked about 3,000 executives from 30 countries whether they had lost a contract in the past year because competitors paid a bribe—and in Malaysia, 50% said yes. Second on the dubious honor roll was Mexico, at 48%.

Since taking office in 2009, Prime Minister Najib Razak has pledged to eradicate corruption and regain public confidence. Hundreds of cases have been investigated. Yet Malaysia’s overall scores in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index have deteriorated for three consecutive years since 2010.

Malaysia's score for the past 4 years declining: (out of possible 10)

2008 : 5.1
2009 : 4.5
2010 : 4.4
2011 : 4.3   (By comparison, Singapore's score is 9.2)


It's sad, that:

Foreign companies looking to supply to the government have to be aware that they’re likely to be asked for a bribe. - Paul Low, TI-Malaysia president.