Written on 3/02/2009 10:25:00 pm by sikapitan
Manchester United has just added another trophy this season with last night’s League Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur. That’s two already, with the World Club Cup already won before the beginning of this year.
In fact, after a slow start to the season, the World Club Cup, instead of being a distraction many predicted it would be, has become the catalyst to an impressive run which saw United now poised to further progress in the Champions League and FA Cup while still maintaining a healthy lead over Liverpool and Chelsea in the BPL.
7 points ahead with one game in hand for a team that has lost only twice the whole season is a comfortable lead that seems insurmountable, as admitted by Rafa “Cracking Up” Benitez recently.
In other words, today’s generation of Man United fans may well remember this season as the “Golden Age” of domination where United is finally able to marry its attacking philosophy with the pragmatism that has become a staple of modern football.
However, in my opinion, this has not been a vintage season by United’s standard. United have been more effective than enthralling, more patient than gung-ho, and frankly, more boring than entertaining.
A familiar sight this season?If we were Chelsea, I wouldn’t have minded grinding out results week in week out. But this is United, where we live and breathe fast-paced high-energy attacking football. It’s in our culture to think that we don’t mind conceding 2 goals because we definitely will score 3 or 4 in reply.
I guess it’s another sign of compromise. Even Ferraris now comes in automatic.
Truly Cracked UpI’m surrounded by Liverpool fans. It must have hurt them to see me season after season smiling. I don’t wish to rub it in but the truth of the matter is, Liverpool has lost the plot.
As a friend pointed out early this season, don’t worry about Liverpool under Rafa – he’s bound to mess things up. And mess things up he did. Frankly, they’ve conspired to turn an interesting season into a boring one.
I wanted a title fight, and while it’s still too early, it seems like Liverpool is just about ready to get KO’d before Man U even broke sweat. My friends (of Liverpool faith),
I implore you to hate Rafa Benitez immensely as he is the sole reason you’ve turned from Champions-elect to potentially scraping for Champions League placing.Some may reminisce about the Champions League he won (fortuitously, IMHO), BUT the truth of the matter is Liverpool has not won the BPL since its inception! And in Rafa Benitez, they have a manager unsuited to the needs of the English game and most importantly, arrogant enough not to accept he is wrong.
He is the only manager I know who
hates his strikers from scoring too many goals. He buys defenders like we shop at Giant – buy in bulk, and hope there’s a bargain in there. He re-shuffles his team to defend against, hold your breath, the great Stewart Downing! Finally, he will never ever admit he’s crazy when every Brit reporter has termed him as “manic”.
I am a romantic when it comes to Football. I prefer Liverpool fans to Chelsea fans any time of the day as I believe we are intrinsically linked in the great tradition of English football. That’s why I will always root for Everton and not Manchester City, West Ham and not Portsmouth.
That is why I feel that the biggest challenge to Man United should come from Liverpool. I would love it if Liverpool could give a fight till the end.
I want to win, sure, but I want to win it in style, and it’s only in style if we beat a fighting Liverpool.But as long as Rafa Benitez is in charge of the club, despite his great Cup records, we will continue seeing the likes of Lucas, El Zhar and the atrocious Ryan Babel. And with these names and the other sorry misfits he has acquired (Robbie Keane was smart to move), I don’t think we’ll get that fight.
...
Written on 2/23/2009 12:20:00 pm by sikapitan
One business that is booming despite the recession is private security services. More and more streets around my neighborhood in USJ are turning into private roads manned by private security guards. I am still not convinced on the legality of this.
What if I still insist on passing through? Can the guard stop me? What if I refuse to identify myself? Can they force me? Would I be guilty of a crime if I don’t? Are they guilty of a crime when they force me to do things I have no obligation to do?
Anyway, this evening, there will be a community meeting for my street where I believe they will decide whether to hire mercenaries and guard our street. I am sure the answer would be a resounding yes. We cannot stop the tide. Soon, every community will be gated. Why?
Simple economics dictate that people act rationally to incentives and calculate cost-benefit subconsciously before arriving to decisions every day. In the case of privatized security, residents have increasingly accepted that the benefit of private security far outweigh the cost.
The cost of private security, in whatever form, has gone down dramatically. This is in part due to an increase in demand, leading to increase in recruitment of foreign guards. As the pool of quality guards (ex-police, gurkhas) decrease, more and more untrained guards are recruited from foreign countries, typically Nepal. These untrained guards are currently flooding our economy – cheaper price, lower quality.
Meanwhile, the cost of NOT having private security has increased dramatically. This is due to our population increasing at a rate far greater than the increase in the number of police officers. The “cost” for one resident to have police protection has increased simply because demand has outpaced supply. Less people can “afford” to have police protection; therefore more people are exposed to non-protection, leading to an increase in crime.
Criminals are also calculating the probability that they will get caught. As the police force spreads itself more thinly in the face of growing population, the probability decreases until the “benefit” of committing crime will outweigh the “cost” of getting caught.
Anyway, adept at we are at such calculations, I think we fail to realize the implication of this increase in demand for private security. Firstly, there will be an influx of foreign labor, not a problem in itself, but ironically this also increases the “cost” of police protection as the population increase.
Next, when we rely on private security from foreign workers to provide basic security in our community, we will further detach the police force from its responsibility. It creates a false impression of security, leading to the police not being able to forecast accurately the actual number of police needed to maintain peace and security.
All is well, but in the event of a mass exodus of these foreign workers, either through our own actions, or their own, there will be a sudden and massive breakdown in security. A breakdown that will not be anticipated simply because it was not forecasted.
Finally, there are the hidden social implications of a sudden and unnatural spike in foreign labor in Malaysia. The ratio of male-female will shift. The future composition of our society will also change in the future. More importantly, in the short term, there will be a problem of assimilation and acceptance. Without these, foreign workers will continue to be tied to their place of birth.
We are leaving the fate of our security ultimately in the hands of people who don’t have any affinity to our culture, people and nation. Is that worth the risk? Go figure…
...
Written on 2/18/2009 12:24:00 am by sikapitan
MCs = Necessary Evil
When you call in sick from work, you’re required to provide proof that you’re actually sick. This comes in the form of the ubiquitous MC. I don’t blame anyone for this, but it got me thinking what this requirement actually mean.
Employers start with the premise that you’re lying, because if it’s the opposite, they have to prove you’re not sick. And the reason why they start with that premise is because they assumed you don’t enjoy work enough to come up with a fake reason not to go to work. And the reason they assumed as such is because they believe you’re not doing something you like. This belief comes from the logic that all the work they have available is so bad that no one would actually want to do it honestly and enthusiastically.
So in conclusion, employers actually believe that they’re giving you a shitty job. Can’t they just solve this by not giving shitty jobs? Go figure.
Machiavellian Politics to the Fore
A lot has been going on in Malaysian politics that Buletin Utama has more drama than Samarinda (if you don’t get the reference, imagine Teri Hatcher in a nurse outfit...it’s got nothing to do with that but at least you have a nice image).
Today another PKR rep has decided to resign. Eli Wong is a prominent activist turned politician now embroiled in a nude photo controversy. After the Perak debacle, Pakatan Rakyat again fall victim to politics that could best be described as Machiavellian in nature. Observers have pinned this down to Najib solidifying his support base before the UMNO election in March.
But I’ve got a sneaky feeling that behind this grand scheme (I might think it’s a bit dirty, but neutral observers could not help but feel a tinge of fascination how this game is being played out) is one true believer of Machiavellian politic in Malaysia – Tun Mahathir.
I was once told that Mahathir could “eat” not only Pak Lah (as he has done) but also Anwar, Khairy or whoever else he feels like having for breakfast. In any case, Anwar’s losing the plot, but isn’t he STILL only the “adviser” to PKR? Why so? Is there another sub-plot emerging? His silence thus far is deafening...
Shameful Breach of Privacy
On that note, I wish to express my utter disgust to the guy who secretly captured Eli Wong’s nude body while she was sleeping. Its one thing to record a consensual partner, but to do it this way is just plain shameful.
Chua Soi Lek is one of the few who managed to escape a sex video scandal in Malaysia with their reputation "enhanced"Speaking of which, why do people consensually allow recording of their sexual activities? The increase in hand phone-made home videos have shown how disturbed young kids are nowadays. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them are Malays = Muslims. Go figure.
...
Written on 2/13/2009 06:07:00 pm by sikapitan
We were just sitting around when a friend mentioned that his friend just came back from work at 5 am this morning and was up for work at 8.30 am. That’s crazy, but auditors usually are. Anyway, we got around to discussing on success measurement, on a more micro level.
My friend is a bit stressed out from his current job scope, understandably as he has around $20 million revenue target to meet and a whole lot of back-end mess to clean up. He’s staying on a bit too long every day, and he is seldom left alone on weekends.
The problem is that there’s no correlation at this moment with the work he’s doing and the amount he’s getting paid. Logic dictates that the harder you work, the more you should be paid, but management is seldom logical.
So we started calculating our effective wage, which means wage/number of hours working. We don’t care about your output, as no matter how productive you are, it doesn’t matter shit if you’re paid the same.
My friend got more depressed. Let’s say our effective monthly compensation is RM4000, and we work for 20 days. That means it’s RM200 a day. On this, we are both equal. But I spend an average of 6 hours a day at work, while he goes on close to 8 hours a day. So my effective pay is RM33 per hour while his is only RM25 per hour. I haven’t added in the complexity of his task yet…
There is a potential pay-off for all the hard-work, and that is called promotion. Promotion usually corresponds with a pay raise, though more often than not, a one-step promotion seldom result in more than 10% increase in wage. Isn’t that depressing?
But there is still another potential pay-off. The faster you get your promotion, the faster it is you get to another step for promotion. And the cycle goes on and on, until one fine day, because of your hard work, you managed to earn what you should be earning 3 promotions ago. Sad but true.
You want more sad news? Well, promotion depends on rating and assessment by your boss. Most of the time, through no fault of your assessor, you get rated the same as your colleagues. I know some of you would be saying, “You’re not effective” but trust me; sometimes it’s just the nature of the job.
Well, imagine that A and B were hired to cut and serve fruits. A was assigned to serve oranges, while B was assigned to serve durians. Customer demanded 10 oranges and 10 durians. A and B both served the customer’s demand on time and as requested. Both met their boss’ expectation, but we all know that peeling durian is harder than oranges.
And the boss can’t favor B simply because his job is harder and more complex. A can simply turn around and demand the same treatment because he’s doing what is being asked by the boss just as well as B. So the boss compromises by giving both the same ratings, or at most, give B a bit more than A.
Now, imagine that the durian portfolio is a messy one, filled with blunt tools and haphazard organization. My friend is handling the “durian” while I’m the one with “oranges” to take care of. Life’s not fair, and we BOTH know it.
My friend is slowly turning into a DurianNot only do I have a higher effective wage than him, and much less stress, but we are both on the same path towards promotion. He might get there sooner than me, by a few months, but with less stress and more free time, I will not get old as soon as him either!
Another way to measure wage is to calculate your profit. Another friend of mine, who is earning less than us in Maxis can afford to buy a new car with his own money. How?
Treat yourself as a company. Your total wage is your revenue. Minus all the work-related expenses (transportation, parking, food) and you get what you’d call your useable income. This is the true measurement of your profit, not total revenue. There’s no point earning RM4000 when you spend RM2000 every month for work while another person earns RM3000 but only spends RM800 for work.
Anyway, have sympathy for my intelligent, hard-working and all-around nice-guy friend at Maxis.
Luck, as Malcolm Gladwell pointed out in Outliers, plays a more important role than good old-fashioned effort in success.Go figure.
Written on 2/07/2009 12:21:00 am by sikapitan
My colleagues and I had a deal for the past few weeks not to talk about politics. Frankly, I’ve felt liberated since, as I am invariably asked to represent a certain political party, which gets tiring. The fact that I quite like Justin Timberlake does not mean I think he’s a great actor...if you catch my drift.
Anyway, it’s a bit hard not to say a few words regarding the situation in Perak. I had lunch with a friend of mine, who has become something of an Opposition fanatic. Sometimes, you can get a bit too attached to an ideal that you’ll lose your common sense and logic.
Of course, he was pissed with the cross-over in Perak. A few others were also moaning the fact that BN has taken over the state government. I’ve just got a few comments on this:
One:
My principle, which I have stated before vocally and through my party channels, is that I am against elected representative changing or leaving their party without first stepping down as a rep. I don’t care if it’s called a defection, cross-over or hopping. All I know is that in Malaysia, we vote based on party line first (unfortunately), and it is not fair to the constituents to vote for one government, only to be ruled by another. It is undemocratic.
Two:
People can be so hypocritical that it becomes annoying, even causing me anger. Barisan leaders are hypocrites when they welcome these defectors, because they were SO into passing an “anti-hopping” law previously when there was a threat of mass defection to Pakatan. Pakatan leaders are also hypocrites for now condemning defections, as just 10 days ago they were smiling when a Barisan rep joined them in Perak. Same goes with all supporters.
Three:
Hypocrisy is one thing, but outright blatant disregard for respect is another. The Perak monarchy is noted for having two of the brightest Rulers in Malaysia. Everyone, including the Opposition, was so into Raja Nazrin, with some even claiming openly that HE should be leading this country. And yet, just when things don’t go their way, they turned around and say that these very same people are evil and against democracy. Think!
Four:
I find it funny when my friend claimed that Malaysiakini is not biased. I personally think, as objectively as possible, that Malaysiakini is as biased to the Opposition as the Star is biased to the Government. I won’t even mention Utusan because that’s a gone case. Not openly biased, but as you read you do get a feeling that both sets of editors have their own agenda. I don’t have a problem with that. In fact, I quite like it. But at least I realize and admit it, which many find hard to do.
Five:
My boss summarized the whole episode well. This is like a football game. It has its own set of rules, one which we might not wholly agree with, but we have decided to play it this way. One team lost, due to their own miscalculation or mistake and another team won, whether it’s because of their tactics and skills or they cheated the referee. And just like in football, decisions are made which decides the outcome of the game. If a person dived and got a penalty, it is still a valid goal.
This is not to say that cheating is encouraged or should be supported. It is just that players in the game must be aware of the rules and the loopholes. They should know NOT to stick a foot out when Ronaldo’s in the penalty box. In other words, they must be smart players with the right tactics to deal with opposition who would resort to these measures to win, if any.
In conclusion, here is a team that lost a game that they decided to play wholeheartedly. They tried their own version of cheating, and were then sucker punched when the other team was found to be better at it than them.
It sucks, of course, but being a loser always makes you feel that way, right?
Written on 2/04/2009 12:21:00 am by sikapitan
A lot has been said about our economy and the problems we are facing. Datuk Nazir Razak today mentioned that throwing out race-based policies would help. I am particularly impressed by Tengku Razaleigh’s recent speech (published in The Edge and Off The Edge) where he clearly and specifically state what needs to be done.
There’s no such thing as a quick fix. I can see where this might be true. Some of the long-standing issues like accountability and transparency require fundamental changes in the system, which will not, I’m afraid, be quick. Most of the solutions given thus far will take 2-3 years of preparation, of political willingness, of public buy-in, before it could even be implemented.
But we NEED a quick fix, a band-aid solution that will stop the bleeding, and a bandage to hold up the ever-widening wound, before something gets infected so bad that we have to amputate it. Phew...that’s another way to describe our economic crisis.
That’s where the stimulus package comes in. 7 billion before, and another 10 billion declared today. Before people say that it’s not enough (and a lot of experts are), we have to remember the issues we have with execution. I was reliably informed that some of the mega corridor projects still has HUNDREDS of MILLION of allocated money not yet spent, so giving them more is not the answer.
A lot has been said about using the stimulus package for high-impact projects and hopefully, the market will efficiently distribute the wealth to as many people as possible. Somehow, though I’m a believer in the free market, I think it does have its weaknesses.
Think about it - companies and basically individuals in a free market want to earn profit. So the bigger the project is, the more likely it is to be awarded to a few companies only. These companies, in turn, are supposed to distribute the project to sub-contractors. However, they would have made their profit cut in the first instance, thus reducing the amount to be distributed when sub-contracting.
The bigger the project, the bigger the company, thus the more profit they need to reap in. Thus, although in theory giving a RM 1 billion project to a company seems like a great way to stimulate the economy, in reality, the wealth would only be distributed to a few companies and ultimately, a few individuals.
Not only that, the execution period of bigger projects is much longer, and what happens is that these companies would continue to receive money years after the economy has recovered. Is that fair and equal distribution of wealth?
I prefer using a substantial amount of whatever stimulus package we have to provide opportunity to as many people as possible. It might mean that no one earns profit in the millions, but it would definitely ensure a lot more people would survive and earn good income which hopefully they would spend on a lot of little things.
For example, giving a mega project would allow someone, who is already more than wealthy, to purchase another BMW or Merc. Identifying smaller, lower-cost, projects to be distributed over a larger base, would allow 10 people to buy Protons or even Peroduas.
Another quick-fix that I think would help is easy credit. It is an extension to my belief that economic stimulus must be distributed directly to as many people as possible. And we can start with just utilising RM1 billion of the stimulus package.
1 billion might not be a lot. I might be wrong, but if we were to given 25 million Malaysians a share of the pie, each would only get RM40. Clearly not enough to stimulate the economy. But if we talk about a RM100, 000 low-interest quick loans for small businesses like restaurants and services, then it will directly benefit 10,000 businesses. Split it further to RM 50,000 (enough perhaps for 10 months rental at RM 5000 a month), then you’d help 20,000 businesses.
Execution is a bane; therefore, leave it out of the hands of the government. Distribute it through conventional banks, and ensure it is distributed within a certain time frame. The banks will be in charge of vetting the requests, and doing their normal due diligence test, assign the necessary amount to the necessary people.
People say that it is difficult to ensure that these businesses will use the money for business sake or will they waste and spend it. In my mind, using the money to spend, although it is not ideal, is not the worst case scenario. Spending is ultimately what we want to achieve, either through the mega projects or my proposed “wide, direct distribution” model. So if these people waste the loans by buying a new bike or whatever, it still creates demand, thus driving up the whole economic cycle.
I mean, I could discuss this further, but I’m just a bit tired of writing. Hahaha...plus, Jimmy Kimmel is on. I’ll explore this issue further, if I feel like it. Go figure.
Written on 1/29/2009 11:29:00 am by sikapitan
We don’t need this…
It’s never a nice thing to hear about police brutality. It’s never a good time to know someone died in police custody. But the whole Kugan incident couldn’t come at a worse time for the government already battling cross-over members and getting whooped in by-elections. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for those fighting for his cause too, as a lot of people are just too worried sick about the economy to rally on his behalf. There’s never a good time for this sort of thing, but there’s always the worst time…
So maybe Mahathir is right after all…
You know, I was never one to truly believe in this World Order conspiracy theory whereby the whole world is under the masterful control of a select few – usually it’s the Jews who bear the brunt of this theory. But when I think about it, the Gaza offensive couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Palestinians and at a better time for the Israelis. The whole world is busy handling the mess created by the Jewish-dominated banking industry to be able to effectively render assistance to the Palestinians. It’s hard to help others when you’re saddled with unemployment and deficit budgets. If I were a strategist, it seems like a perfect plan, doesn’t it? The Quran didn’t declare the Jews to be the smartest people in the world, ever, for nothing.
Rafa’s cracking up…
On a lighter note, we’re on top of the league, and that’s a fact (in tribute to Rafa’s “Keegan-like” meltdown). Another 1-1 draw, against Wigan, has condemned Liverpool to 3rd place, with United still having a game in hand. Rafa’s probably distracted with the boardroom battles, and his own ambition to go back to Spain to head Real Madrid.
He’s probably pissed off that Juande “Hotspur” Ramos got the nod as interim coach, and definitely seething to see President-nominee Perez promising to bring in Arsene Wenger, of all people, if he wins. He’s probably thinking, “Haven’t I done enough?” But to truly understand why people are wary of Rafa, just see this convoluted piece of logic:
When he’s on top of the league, unbeaten, he says that Liverpool cannot win the league. When he’s second in the league, and United on a fine run, he says that Liverpool can win it.
Flash your boobs, Gerrard!You just have to love football...
...
Written on 1/20/2009 05:13:00 pm by sikapitan
Curious racial profiling
Why is there no Chinese working at toll booths as toll collectors? I’ve been told by my friend that he has seen an Indian doing this, but till today that cannot be verified with supporting evidence. Just drive through our highways and tell me if you find any.
Weird coincidence
Sime Darby’s recent aborted move to privatize IJN (after much public outcry, even though Pak Lah kind of gave his blessing) was linked to Khairy’s cronies’ last attempt to milk the cow before Pak Lah leaves.
Now, Sime Darby wants to undertake a massive private initiative to build a new airport for Air Asia Berhad. Now, Air Asia Berhad is partially owned by the Tune group of companies, famously led by Tony Fernandes. His close associates include Datuk Kalimullah, the former NSTP man most famously linked to Khairy in the whole ECM-Libra deal, and Jason Lo, the former rock star turned CEO who is a close friend of Khairy through their MyTeam for TV3 project.
And where is this KLIA-East project going to be located? Labu, Negeri Sembilan. Khairy is probably the most famous MP from Negeri Sembilan.
Long live the conspiracy theorists! At the end of the day, the people get screwed as all these GLCs (yes, even Air Asia, in a way) compete on politics.
...
Written on 1/14/2009 10:59:00 pm by sikapitan
I’m reading this book called the 4-Hour Work Week. In it, the author espouses a lean yet fulfilling lifestyle where wasted time on menial work is reduced. His mantra is “minimum effort for maximum result”.
His measurement of success is based on profit per effort. You could be earning RM 8,000 a month, and I’m earning RM 4,000, BUT if I only work an hour a day instead of your typical 9 hours a day, my profit per hour is more than yours many times over.
It’s a continuation of the Pareto Law (or better known as the 80/20 rule). This is usually associated with wealth where it has been observed that 80% of wealth goes to 20% of the population or a higher ratio than that. This can be applied to other aspects of life.
80% of your work output comes from 20% of your input. The other 80% of input you’re doing only contributes 20% of your total output. So the book practically explains how you can minimize all the unnecessary work consuming 80% of your time and focus on the 20% that actually leads to the majority of your profit/wage/output.
I won’t get into the whole wealth generation idea that he proposes. It’s mind-blowingly simple, but I’m just going to talk about handling e-mails, because I managed to try it for a few days (only, as we’re still a pretty top-heavy, hours-dependent organization).
In today’s age, everyone works through e-mail, especially in an organization like Maxis. However, this may lead to e-mail overload with unnecessary messages all coming in trying to gain our attention.
The solution? Never check your e-mails in the morning, because you’ll never get to the end of it. As soon as you reply in the morning, the response, even though it’s not important, will come soon after. So it’ll be a never-ending loop of e-mails over an issue that isn’t event .
Set your auto-responder to the following message: I am away and will only be answering e-mails from 12 – 1 PM and 5 – 6 PM. If it’s important and requires urgent response, please contact my mobile at *******.
I tried it for two days while I was away for site-surveys. Although it’s not really what the author meant (he probably wanted me to try it while I’m actually IN THE OFFICE), I realized that a lot of things get filtered through.
People don’t rush for a response, and nothing gets broken along the way. Sometimes a lot of people get all messed up over little things. I’m experiencing a lot of these unnecessary worry because of the top-down nature of the organization. “I want this done by yada yada yada” when the effect of the done deal is not going to manifest itself anytime this year or the next.
Why must everything be so tied to deadlines?
In truth, a lot of people are afraid to admit that their power is derived from their ability to turn every unimportant task into something so profoundly important that its non-completion would cause the whole world to collapse. It does not. The world keeps on revolving, and we have to decide whether we want to be a part of it and live our dreams, or worry about meeting that deadline.
...
Written on 1/12/2009 04:39:00 pm by sikapitan
It has been a long while since I managed to catch a football game with my friends. This season has been a lonely one in terms of viewing a game as everyone’s getting caught up with work and other commitments.
I was determined to watch yesterday’s game between United (Manchester, of course... “There’s only one United!”). There’s nothing like the pleasure of watching a good game of football with a crowd of passionate football fans.
Especially if United wins. Me and my mate have been trying to avoid this supposed curse of United losing every time we watch a game this season. We only looked on in horror as the team sheet showed 35-year old Ryan Giggs against the likes of Ballack, Lampard, and Obi Mikel.
But what is it about United and unheralded players becoming heroes in important fixtures? I remember Alan Smith playing a blinder in central midfield against Chelsea or Darren Fletcher (who also started yesterday’s game, naturally, considering the luck he has against Chelsea) who has popped up with a couple of masterful displays against higher rated opponents.
The legend with the thinning hair proved he's still got it...Last night, it was all about the forgotten 35-year old. Yes, Berbatov played a big part in the game, but both he and Ronaldo were on form only after United took the lead. Giggsy showed that, despite his slowing pace and dodgy touch, he could still be counted on for his passion and commitment to the cause.
I am a harsh critic of Giggs, but I must stand up and applaud his control of the game from the centre of midfield. His calm presence was the perfect foil for the ever energetic and combative Darren Fletcher. Last night, Ferguson’s tinkering with the team worked like a charm.
It probably helped that Chelsea were, to be kind here, below their best. To be quite honest, they were horrible. Too narrow in midfield, and with oversized egos not on the same wavelength, they offered an easy challenge for United’s defence.
Rooney through Ashley's back...now if that doesn't make Arsenal fans laugh...Despite the threat of their midfield overrunning United’s relatively weak centre, it never really materialized as Van Der Sar was a mere passenger.
On a bad note, I don’t think Cristiano Ronaldo is as effective this season trying to be an out-and-out winger with Ferguson preferring a traditional 4-4-2 since Berbatov arrived. With his freedom curtailed, he cuts a despondent figure on the wing. With the arrival of two young Serbians, one an out and out winger, is this the beginning of the end for one of United’s most explosive forward ever?
...
Written on 1/10/2009 12:51:00 am by sikapitan
People like to share. It creates a bond, apparently. Unfortunately, wives don’t really want to share their husbands.
Another thing that we value as personal more than sharing is our workspace. In the right company, a shared workspace can be a magnet for you to come to work. However, what is the probability of you getting a workmate that would match your personality? I suspect 1 out of 100.
It doesn’t help that workspace now has been reduced so as to increase the number of people companies can fit per floor. In the interest of increasing profit per square, they’ve tried to reduce whatever trace of individuality and privacy one can have in the office.
In exchange they promote “wide, open spaces” that has “no barriers between you and your colleagues” so that you can “improve relationship” and “increase productivity”. Yeah, it’s pure management bullshit.
I work on an open-concept floor where there’s no partition. Each island has about 4 individual seats and the islands are separated to each other by an arm’s length. It’s not really a bad environment to work with; other than the lack of privacy I pretty much find the arrangement quite comfortable...
This, hypothetically, could be spoiled by the existence of an obnoxious colleague. I can only imagine the horror of working in such an open space beside a colleague that talk loudly on the phone. I can only imagine cringing every time I hear another “hey, lookS...”. I can only imagine trying to filter out the annoying way that colleague is faking politeness in trying to close a deal. I can only imagine putting on a headphone as a colleague shouts about “you have to buy me lunch...” over the phone the 500th time of the day. I can only imagine shooting a colleague who wants to be my boss just to cover his/her own insecurities.
Don't lose your mind...Alas, I can only imagine because I work in such a perfect, pristine office environment where everyone is intelligent, respectful, and most importantly, genuine. Go figure.
...
People always say that talking, or writing, is good for therapy. Just the act of sharing their thoughts will fulfil human kind inner desire to connect with people. But is that really true? Do we want to share just for the sake of sharing, or do we actually look for understanding?
I mean, I’ve been accused of clamming up on what I actually think/feel. In my defence, I don’t see why I should bother with working myself up to tell something, to get the emotion aspect of it right, to share what I think is important, only to be disappointed when no one understands my point.
Do you get the entry above? If you don’t, or your feed-back doesn’t respond to my expectations, would I not be disappointed? Why SHOULDN’T I be disappointed? So why put yourself up for disappointment, just for the sake of sharing...
...
Written on 1/07/2009 10:38:00 pm by sikapitan
I had dinner at Sushi King, Subang Parade with my wife and in-laws. She loves sushi, but I must warn her to avoid the really raw ones.
We frequent the outlet quite often previously. But tonight I found that the service level has dropped significantly. They couldn’t get the orders right, it was hard to get their attention, and they even served something that was wrongly described in the menu.
There was a point when I felt it was like at the mamaks, when I had to wave my arms frantically trying to get their attention while they were busy chit-chatting. The fact that there was only 6 other customers made it worse.
Since we’re on the topic of lousy customer service from food outlets, has anyone noticed how bad McDonald’s service level is nowadays?
I usually go to the outlet in Taipan. Despite the horrible traffic situation, I had fond memories of that restaurant. I used to go there for snacks after my guitar lessons at the now-defunct Yamaha. It was a vibrant, fun environment, and fast food really meant fast food.
But nowadays, the queue to order is so bad that I just couldn’t be bothered. Only ONE counter would be opened, and this is despite there being a significant queue. The rest of the crew would be busy making jokes and chit-chatting with the Home-Delivery riders.
In fact, the whole environment has deteriorated with the increase in the number of these riders. They would congregate outside, talking loudly, and then when they come to pick up orders, they would usually create a big scene that is so unprofessional and unruly.
I think McDonald’s has lost focus of the “ambience” of their outlets when they concentrate on the Home Delivery business model. Even then, it is not perfect.
Last Saturday, we wanted to order-in as it was raining. Gave the damn McD’s number a call, waited for a few minutes, then was told nonchalantly that they would NOT be delivering because it’s raining. Go figure.
All day, all night as long as the weather's perfect, there's no traffic jam
and I'm well enough to eat outside...which defeats the purpose of home delivery, duhI called Domino’s and two hot regular thin crust pizzas reached my place in 30 minutes. Now, they’ve got my vote.
2009’s resolution: Reduce unnecessary anger by venting frustration out as soon as possible...
Written on 1/06/2009 10:27:00 pm by sikapitan
I’m watching Grey’s Anatomy right now with my wife. She doesn’t like the fact that I comment a lot when I watch TV. But I only comment when it doesn’t make sense.
For example, we tuned in to Keeping Up With Kardashians over at E! and it just doesn’t make sense. Reality TV, in this format, never made any sense to me. This guy was walking along the hotel’s corridor when he suddenly proposed to Kim’s sister (the less ugly, but not the ugliest).
No, it wasn't him or her but I thought this would be a better photo, don't you?It would have been kind of romantic if it weren’t for the fact that there’s a whole TV crew RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM! How anyone could be natural in that environment is beyond me.
Reality TV in its purest form is when one party or both is unaware of the existence, or the location of the camera(s). So I don’t consider Kardiashians, Run’s House (which is the most unreal reality TV I’ve seen) or whatever it is with Paris Hilton in it as reality TV.
Now, those players hitting the club in Keys to the VIP, they’re true reality TV guys. I love that freaking show...raise your glass!
2009 Resolution : One of my resolutions is to write shorter entries on a more regular basis in my blog.
Written on 12/27/2008 10:54:00 am by sikapitan
Treasure Seekers...
I’m here in Penang for the second time in a week. The first was with my mates the Actuarist (there’s no such word, but it sounds cool) and the Coverliner for Maxis’ Sports and Recreation Club Treasure Hunt.
We were virgin treasure hunters, and thought that it would be better for us just to drive straight to Penang, enjoy the food there, and forget about the hunt. But as soon as the first puzzle came up, we were hooked, and the competitive nature of these high-performing individuals *insert laughter here* would not let the hunt die by itself.
We didn’t win, of course, but we had loads of fun, and I think we’ve the raw talent to make this work the next time. Yes, there should be a next time, and I count on the Actuarist to make this happen (I lack the motivation to help others...sigh).
Now, if only they had made it MILF hunting, then I’d definitely be super-motivated....
Graduating...again?
As you may or may not know, I was part of the Maxis Graduate Trainee Program. Now, every time I mention this, it becomes a source of confusion. Are you an intern? Are you training? Are you on contract basis? The answer to all is NO.
We are permanent employees, doing real work (or pretending to) and get paid with real money, not Monopoly-cash. It’s basically a management associate program, and I’m glad that they’ve just announced changing the name to Maxis Management Associate Program for the sake of future batches.
We are supposed to be high-performing graduates from reputable universities with an extra drive to succeed in the corporate world. Which just makes me wonder why and how I got into this in the first place? Suffice to say that there wouldn’t be any more UiTM candidate after me...*insert sigh of relief*.
Just to make it even more comical, we had to have a proper graduation ceremony, marking the end of our one-year program. This is despite all of us already fully integrated into the various business units within Maxis. With full graduation robes for us and the Management, we couldn’t look more intern-like doe-eyed virgins of the working life.
It was a bit surreal to give a speech on behalf of the graduating batch of 12 & 13. First, giving a graduation speech, in robes and that pointy thing on your head, for something that you can’t really call an education program is weird. Secondly, there were graduates from all these top universities of the world, and this kid from UiTM got the call to speak on their behalf.
I think it might just be an affirmative action program *insert sly grin here*. But whatever it was, I hope that it was good enough for them. At least I made a few people laugh (I can’t stand staid, serious speeches).
When I went up to take my scroll (can you believe this? Am I going to include this in my CV? Do I need a CV?), the CEO (Mr. Sandip Das, and not Ananda Krishnan like many assumed. AK is head of the company that owns Maxis) whispered, “You shouldn’t give a better speech than the CEO...”.
That felt good, a source of validation from the highest level. But it made me wonder, should I then be my own CEO?
Foodie Galore
As mentioned above, I’m here in Penang. I left on Christmas Day, which happens to be our 1st year anniversary (Happy Anniversary to my mom and dad as they share the same anniversary). Just to note that I couldn’t wish for a better Anniversary gift than the fact that my wife is doing well coming to 7 months of her pregnancy.
Anyway, I brought my in-laws along for this trip. I mean, with my brother-in-law and his family (which includes Radhi and Fey, two of the cutest kid around IMHO) off to New Zealand for his PhD and everyone else going here, there and everywhere, I thought it would be nice just to take them out and let them think about something else.
My goal is to be rich enough to be able to bring them, and my own family, for a nice trip overseas. So maybe this year it’s Penang, but I hope that next year I can take all of them to one of our neighbours, and with God’s grace, maybe the year after I can afford to take everyone off to Europe or whatever.
Back to Penang. I’m useless when it comes to navigating in Penang. Not because I’m not a good driver, it’s just that I don’t know much about Penang and its attractions, despite hailing from Penang and spending at least a week every year there (usually for Hari Raya).
So I deserve a bit of brick-bats from the pop-in-law for not really knowing my way around Penang. But I had a goal, and that goal is to bring Led and Ibu to all the pretty famous food experience here in Penang.
We started with Nasi Kandar Kayu (beside Hotel Vistana). A lot of people say that it’s not authentic if it’s not dingy, dirty and the food not held by the mamak’s bare hands, but a lot of people also thought that Mawi is a great singer...Anyway, Led was pleasantly surprised with the taste, and I think it pretty much covers up the whole Nasi Kandar thing.
For dinner, my parents (who also drove up to Penang) brought all of us to Hainan, a pretty expensive restaurant that serves unique Hainanese dishes that always leaves me wanting for more. Between lunch and dinner, they (wife, Led & Ibu) had Muar Chee and Sotong Bakar from Gurney Drive.
Yesterday, our second day, my wife spent 3 hours going over Queensbay Mall. I can’t understand the logic of coming to Penang and spending time in a carbon-copy of MidValley, but never deny a pregnant lady her wishes. Then we had lunch at this place (I forgot the name) at Batu Maung, beside the LKIM station. The whole Kari Kepala Ikan experience was wonderful, and pretty affordable too. This is definitely recommended.
On the way back to the hotel, I had to stop along Penang Road and buy those sumptuous Apam Manis from Apam Guan. This guy has been around for 40 years at the same spot and the crowd waiting just showed that he’s still got the touch.
Today, on our way back to KL, I plan to buy these famous goreng pisang at Tanjung Bungah, and then have the famous Sg. Dua prawn mee for lunch.
Man, it truly is a Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan experience. And people ask why I’ve gained weight...
Written on 12/16/2008 02:08:00 pm by sikapitan
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Written on 12/15/2008 12:03:00 am by sikapitan
The doctor said its suspected stretched ligament. Sounds great, but it doesn’t feel so good honestly. Football injuries sounds cool, but only if you’re a pro. If you’re an average player (by the standard of your local kampong circuit), then it ain’t so hot.
So I’m out of playing anything for the next few weeks which probably will turn me into a TV slob all over again. You see, I was never a sportsman by any stretch of the imagination. When I was in primary, I did play a bit of badminton and football, but I was known to be rather...fat.
Even in secondary school, I never did get into sports as much as I’d like to. You cannot beat natural talent, and natural talent is one thing that I didn’t really have. My arms and legs are freakishly weak, and losing weight didn’t help me with gaining natural pace.
But I kept on playing, and got a bit better that it didn’t become an embarrassment. Football in high-school was a lost cause, simply because there were too many good players out there. It didn’t help that there’s a gang-like feeling with footballers, which I totally understand.
It kind of changed at University though, just like a lot of things in life. It was an opportunity to show what I can really do, and I’m not just talking about football. Freed from the shackles of impression gained pre-pubescent, I turned into a confident man, and this translated into my performance on the football pitch.
I guess that’s why, till today, when I play with my high-school friends or people that I know from high-school, I’m a bit clumsy. I guess they’d be surprised to know that I can play as a striker in tournaments, and I’m pretty good at it too.
People don’t believe if I tell them this, but it’s true. You want proof? Just join (or watch) me play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and see the difference. Thursday’s a new crowd, and they’re pretty good but even then I can be proud of how I’m playing with them. Saturday’s a pretty relaxed bunch of new friends whom I’ve had the pleasure of being acquainted after high-school, and it’s safe to say with them, I’m a brash, loud, over-confident, dribbling-manic player.
Friday’s crowd consist of ex-SMSU students. This is where I get all quiet, and stick to the basics. I don’t venture forward as much, and most of the time I just sweep and pass the ball. And even then I tend to make mistakes I don’t normally make.
It’s a bit too inconsistent for my liking, and what’s weird is that the very next day I could be galloping up and down against international high-schoolers and scoring goals left, right and centre.
I know some friends who have managed to totally transform themselves from the image imposed in high-school. One even managed to be something of a “hot-stuff” amongst the ladies even though he was nothing more than an annoying twat in high-school. It doesn’t have to be one-way only.
Bad boys who were too cool to be bothered with school have turned out straighter and nerdier than the nerds in high-school. Hot girls turned fat and ‘makcik-like’ while previously unknown entities turned out to be smart, sophisticated and totally desirable women.
Do you guys notice this amongst your friends, or even yourself?
Written on 12/01/2008 01:55:00 pm by sikapitan
Sometimes I think us Malaysians, as a lot, are busy-bodies, always trying to meddle in the affairs of our neighbors. Seriously, whether guys or girls, one of our favorite pastimes seems to be trying to know what our friends are doing, who they are dating, how much they’re earning.
I mean, well, it’s a bit hypocritical if I don’t admit that I do enjoy a bit of gossiping. But I think as a nation, we have gone a bit too far with this whole Yoga Fatwa issue.
First of all, a Fatwa affects only Muslims. Duh. So imagine my surprise when the non-Muslims kick up such a big fuss over it. Right. Some went on to claim that the fatwa is an insult to their religion.
Why? It clearly states that I can’t eat pork, but is that insulting to Chinese? More importantly, other religions also have rules against their believers from following Islamic practices. When my Chinese friend says that to baca doa and praise Allah is against his religion, is it an insult to my religion?
I completely understand it because obviously his religion would not allow him to follow Islamic practices. If it did, then there’s no point to having different religions. So why can’t they understand that the fatwa is not an insult? Could it be because they’re thick-headed, ignorant racists?
I am not angry because I am a strong, principled, pious Muslim. Far from it. But my anger is based on principle. Don’t mess with other people’s issue, especially if it doesn’t affect, and will not affect, you. Perioud.
On that note, I don’t understand why Muslims are so worked-up over the whole fatwa either. I can accept dissent and discussion, because I think discourse within the Muslim community is a healthy development.
But I take it with a pinch of salt when some Muslims starts to criticize the fatwa and get emotional over it when well…they’ve not really shown they are in a position to be religious experts.
For example, take Ninie Ahmad, one of Malaysia’s leading personalities on yoga. In the Star, she said that her faith in Islam was strong although she had been practising and teaching yoga for eight years.
Shhh...don't tell JAKIM I'm dressed like this...Right. Look at the picture above. Ironic. I think I agree with her. Yoga definitely did not erode her faith and obedience to Islamic principles. Just kidding, Ninie, if you're reading this...(which I highly doubt...)
Look, I am no moral police. But it’s kind of funny when I hang out with Malays at bars (I don’t drink, but they do) and they get all worked up whenever the issue of religion is discussed. There they were espousing that JAIS shouldn’t conduct raids because it is against personal privacy, while having a cold Heineken.
I might agree with their opinion (hey, I’m not saying they are idiots) but it’s a bit weird to criticize something or be morally righteous about one aspect of Islam while at the same time neglecting to abide by the more important ones.
I have to admit that sometimes I too get these mixed up. I sometimes have to catch myself before launching into a tirade against “oppression” by Muslim fundamentalists.
Now, I want to train my sight on the fatwa. I would not like to comment on the merit of it, because I actually do think they have a valid reason for declaring the traditional practice of Yoga (please note they are not prohibiting the physical “stretching” parts etc.2) as potentially eroding one’s faith. I understand their job, their role to lead fellow Muslims on a righteous path.
But it has to be admitted it would be impossible to monitor yoga practices that crosses the boundary and turned into a mystical Hindu practice. Therefore, I can conclude that this Fatwa, just like the Fatwa against smoking, would have trouble in being gazzetted as a law.
If you ask me, I don’t really care. Because I bet a lot of Muslims have enough problems trying to pray 5 times a day, and not doing Yoga will not compensate for this anytime soon. The Koran prohibits drinking, yet bars are filled with Malays drinking. The Koran prohibits "free sex" (even though you pay for it...), yet 3GP videos are full of Malays romping about from as young as Form 1 (that's sick...). So do we have a deeper problem here to be worked up about?
Heck, if there’s something I want to get worked up about, it would be the fatwa prohibiting Malay girls from taking part in beauty pageants...what a waste.
...
Written on 11/24/2008 11:53:00 pm by sikapitan
Last weekend I managed to catch the much-talked about (I’ll get to that later) latest James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace. Surprisingly, it was pretty empty at Pyramid (relatively speaking – I still had to park at the upper-most level) for a Saturday afternoon. See, since I got married, every free time is just a moment for me to catch my breath. It’s not that easy balancing all our needs. So a movie on a weekend is something of a rarity these days (comparatively, of course).
Anyway, I just had to get this out of my chest – who the hell planned the number of parking bays in Shopping Malls? It pisses me off every time I see these big developers raking in profits while we circle around for ½ hour trying to find an empty spot.
Back to Bond, James Bond. I guess after the brilliant Casino Royale, a lot of people had higher expectations from QOS and especially Daniel Craig. I’ve been hearing a lot of grouses from people who, while not exactly disappointed, complained that this is not a James Bond film.
I’m not a Bond aficionado, but I can differentiate Goldfinger and Goldeneye, so I’m not a complete idiot. I was exposed to Bond films when I was just a little kid, through videos of Sean Connery’s From Russia With Love and my personal favourite (of him) so far, Goldfinger. Who could forget one of the funniest Bond-girl names ever created – Pussy Galore?
A lot of us grew up in the era of Pierce Brosnan – charming, witty, tough but not scary and dashingly handsome. All that changed since Daniel Craig took on the mantle.
QOS didn't even bother with the customary "Bond, James Bond" introductionI guess what they meant was that QOS totally dismisses most of the identifiers we commonly see in Bond films. There was no fancy gadget, the wit was kept to the minimal, and Craig’s Bond, well, he didn’t even bother being charming.
Frankly, I don’t know why people are complaining. Things change. People change. This is a different era. Most importantly, this new direction reflects who we are as a society – cold, calculating, brutal and effective. Even the courtship reflects this mood – invite into room, have sex, encore, and then leave for a mission. If that’s not the 21st century, I don’t know what is.
Despite the obviously flawed action scenes (too disjointed), I like QOS. It’s edgy, it’s realistic (as realistic as Bond could ever be) and it clearly shows that the world is not just black and white. Time and time again the script kind of apologetically reminds us that governments don’t just “work with good people”. It’s the kind of subtle ode to the current political climate that I enjoy.
Do I miss the funny names and clever one-liners? Of course. Do I wish for the customary “gadget-showing scene”? Yes. But as we keep on comparing the present to the past, we tend to forget that we’ve changed too. If you open your eyes to the new possibilities out there, and still find it unattractive, then I’m cool with that.
But don’t dismiss the present simply because it doesn’t conform to your idea from the past.
Interesting question: Now that the new James Bond is more and more akin to super-CIA-agent Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), who do you prefer more? Honestly, although a lot of people don’t like the whole Bourne series, I quite like it simply because it feels real (and the hand-to-hand combat scenes are a joy to watch).
What about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) of Mission Impossible series? Or was his antics in Oprah disqualify him from this contest? Go figure.
Written on 11/04/2008 05:59:00 pm by sikapitan
You’ve all experienced it before, that moment when as a customer you get this “What the hell is going on here” feeling. We Malaysians are a bit more tolerant than others I guess, because ever since I started being reasonably conscious of customer experience, the level of service have not improved one-bit.
This list of things that pisses me off about our customer service experience is not exhaustive, but after one too many bad experiences, I really need to take this down, in random order of “annoying-ness”:
- “Sir, let me just connect you to him,” then…Tut-tut-tut. Nothing. What the hell?
- Waiters that hang around talking while obviously ignoring your call for service. This is most common in mamaks. What the hell?
- Store assistants that follow you 3 meters away. Maybe I missed this during Sales training but I guess its essential – Treat All Customers Like Potential Thieves 101. What the hell?
- Assistants that try to tell you what size you should get. Most of the time it’ll be off-the-mark because they’re from a different generation where wearing shirts one-size too big is the trend. Screw them, I wear mine fitted. What the hell?
- Store assistants that assume they’re smarter than you or you’re ignorant. This happen sometimes when you’re purchasing high-end products like TV sets, radio…it’s great if they offer advice, but please don’t patronize. What the hell?
- People that offer unwanted and unsolicited advice. “Eh, if you’re getting married, you should go to Bukit Merah Laketown for your honeymoon…,” Thanks, piss off. What the hell?
- Foreign workers that can’t understand what I’m trying to say. “Teh O Limau Suam satu” Nods. Then returns with Sirap Bandung Ais with Extra Red Beans. What the hell?
- “Ada duit kecik tak?” I feel like smacking these guys sometimes. I understand if you do it out of necessity, but I can see that small change in your teller, you jackass. What the hell?
Sigh. Love this world.
Written on 10/30/2008 07:19:00 pm by sikapitan
Despite what our Government is trying to portray, Malaysia is not immune from the global financial crisis. This is evident by the battering our KLSE has taken since the turn of this month. However, I believe there is some truth in the statement that Malaysia will be relatively stable economically.
Again, just take a look at the stock market. Despite reaching lows not seen in years, you don’t see en masse retrenchment or excessive decline in consumer spending. Heck, every day at KLCC I see people trying out goods like there’s no tomorrow.
Unlike the last big drop in the mid-90s, where scores of individuals turn bankrupt, this time most Malaysians are not actively and directly involved in the stock market. Retail investors (meaning you and me) make up only a small percentage of holdings in our equity market.
Strict lending rules imposed by the banks have also restricted individuals from excessively borrowing money to finance stock purchases. Therefore, the losses in the stock market, in general, will not impact individuals like you and me directly.
Another plus factor is our own conservatism in relation to our savings. Malaysians in general tend to be conservatives and keep the majority of their money in fixed-deposit or open-ended government trust fund (eg. ASB). The more adventurous would venture into mutual funds, and even then I see reluctance to throw away their savings.
At this moment, most of us are suffering from paper losses with regards to Mutual Funds. But as the investment horizon clearly states between 3-5 years, perhaps we shouldn’t be unduly worried.
The last form of savings/investment for most Malaysians is Real Estate Investment. This is becoming increasingly popular as historically here in Malaysia, Real Estate is almost equivalent to capital guaranteed fixed deposit. At the very least, you’ll lose a few thousand from your purchase price. Not too bad considering the potential yearly yield of 7 – 10% or capital appreciation of 20% - 40% from purchase price.
This is especially true if the property is purchased from reputable developers.
However, as I’ve been surveying some properties, I noticed that sometimes there are a lot of investors as opposed to actual purchasers. This means that properties are being picked up at inflated prices based on inaccurate demand. The demand from investors does not necessarily correspond to demand from people who actually want to live there.
It’s a chicken and egg situation. The investor would go to the sales gallery, and then realized that units are being snapped up quickly. The investor equates this to demand from purchasers. They will then put in money without realizing that no one wants to stay there upon completion. In fact, even if there were, upon completion, there will be a glut of investors ready to rent out their units, which makes it harder for you to set the price you wanted.
In any case, I predict that in 3 months time the property market will follow the path of the stock market. Once the stock market bottoms out, and start its recovery upwards, start tracking the property market as it will lag a few months from the stock market. But if there’s no real recession (increase in unemployment, negative growth y-o-y etc.), then perhaps there will only be a slowdown in demand, but it will not adversely impact prices.
Especially as developers are also slowing down with new launches. The shortage in supply will balance out the decrease in demand.
Next year will be a great year for those willing to take risks. Go figure!
A familiar sight this season?
Posts
