Thursday, July 3, 2008

Chic Nailspa Keeps Ai Ling Busy - NST

Jul 2, 2008 By SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN

Soong Ai Ling has traded her celebrity days for a business venture. She tells SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN why every challenge is a thrill.

SHE wakes up every morning at 7.45 — 8.30 at the latest — and heads off to the gym before breakfast.

Then, she drives to Chic Nailspa to start her day: training her staff, buying supplies, balancing accounts, and calculating loss and profit.

She takes her lunch at Banquet, two floors down from her manicure place. She likes noodle soup because it’s light and healthy.

When Chic Nailspa is shorthanded, she will do her customers’ nails herself. She leaves home after 10pm and goes to bed an hour later.
Doesn’t sound like a celebrity life, does it?

No, and Soong Ai Ling will tell you that these days, she’s a businesswoman more than anything else and that suits her perfectly.

“Celebrity life is interesting. It’s nice to be in the limelight. That’s a great confidence boost. But where does one go from there?”

When she was 19, Ai Ling (as she is known) did big-name commercials including Peter Stuyvesant Travel, Pantene and Colgate.

Stardom soon ensued. She became a VJ for the RIM Chart Show.

Later, she produced her show, E-Life with Ai Ling, for three years.

Around that time, she decided that if she were to achieve her dreams, she would have to pursue them.

Being in the film and modelling industry can mean long waits and unsuitable roles just to make ends meet. And it means putting your dreams in someone else’s hands.

She would have none of that. So in 2005, she ventured into Chic Nailspa in Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur (“a wrong location but one that gave me a good foundation and lessons on business”) and last year, it moved to Bangsar Village II.

“There’s a huge difference between being a model and a businesswoman. If I’m not satisfied with my performance now, I can work harder and achieve more. I’m in control. My shop is now my life. I spend 12 hours in it. My customers are my friends,” Ai Ling says.

She speaks fast and speaks her mind.

Still a beauty at 35, she walked into this interview with no make-up and a little red pimple on her nose bridge that she didn’t bother to cover up. That’s how real she is.

She wore a trapeze-shaped navy blue blouse and white shorts. She pulled her hair back with a turquoise elastic hair band and carried a plastic file filled with work-related papers.

When it comes to fashion, she says she’s not good at it.

“But I know what works for me. My favourite colours are black and white. To me, fashion is being tidy, simple and clean.”

She doesn’t play favourites with her clothes. “I like them all, that’s why I buy them!”.

She bears no distinction between the cheap and the expensive. “I buy anything that I think looks good on me.”

She’s looking into expanding Chic Nailspa because the current space is too small. She may venture into other businesses in the future, but she has her hands full now.

“I will start a new business when Chic Nailspa can run by itself. Right now, it still needs me,” she says, occasionally waving her hands and those French-manicured fingers.

Looking back at herself 10 years ago, she says she liked the time when she was young but she wasn’t focused on her future then because she thought she could survive in showbiz.

“Now, I know better. I’m stronger and more determined. Nothing is easy but my business in fulfilling. That feeling of getting something expensive from someone and getting something that you’ve worked hard for is totally different.

“Life means more than money, but experience teaches you to be a better person. And I have learned that no one will give you security but yourself.

“A boyfriend or a husband is for companionship, not security.”

She loves the thrill of working and raising the bar of her service, or seeing happy faces admiring their freshly manicured nails.

“I love it. It drives me.”

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Three ladies set up firm to offer unique creative service - The Star

Jun 22, 2008


THREE ladies came together to share notes on gifts they had been receiving over the years and found that most of the conventional gifts bored them.

Their discussion led to some critical evaluation of the local gift market and sparked a constructive idea to start a business of meaningful creative gifts.

RedRibbon Days was born to offer people a unique way to give meaningful and significant experiences as gifts to their loved ones and friends.

According to Sherin Wong, one of the three plucky company founders, an experience can be anything from a day of pampering in the spa and massages to something more adventurous such as tandem paragliding.

“Gifting is not about the gift on its own. It is also the intent of the gift that matters,” Wong said during the launch of RebRibbon Days by Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

Wong, who is styled with, what else, the creative title of “chief experiences officer” of the company, started the business with good friends Nik Hidayati and Tan Ming Nu.

Wong said that the company offered hundreds of experiences in Malaysia to suit every taste, occasion and budget, from RM30 to RM8,000.

These gifts of experiences can be bought in the form of Experience Vou-chers or Range Vouchers, and they can be purchased online or via the phone.

Wong said that they planned to expand the business to Singapore and China within the next six months.

Shafie said in his speech that the company’s creative service would encourage people to cultivate the habit of saying “thank you” in a more meaningful way.

For more information, check out www.redribbondays.com.my or call 03-2283 1969.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Edit your precious moments online - The Star

Jun 20, 2008 By ZAM KARIM

Don't want to spend good money on an advanced photo-editing software that will only be used sparingly? We look at some free online alternatives

Off on a holiday and need to touch up some holiday shots before you send them off to make your mates in the office or family members at home jealous?

Even if you did not bring your laptop along with you, it is not a problem nowadays there are plenty of web-based image-editing software available to help you finetune those images. All you need is an Internet café.

A crop of photo-editing programs has sprouted on the Web over the past year, mostly based on Ajax or Flash programming.

In case you missed its arrival, Ajax stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a development technique for creating interactive web applications.
Adobe's Flash will, of course, need no further introduction as the de facto program to develop rich Internet apps.

Back to the online image editors, what you get are applications that offer simple editing that you can then save on your local hard drive (or thumbdrive) as well as upload to photo-sharing websites such as Flickr and MySpace.

Bear in mind that these applications are no Photoshop or Gimp but they do come in quite handy when it comes to simple editing. Based on our experience during the course of this roundup, most are pretty good at what they can do.

Best of all, these applications are all free!

However, before reading further, do check out the editing functions that come with your digital camera as most manufacturers like Nikon, Canon and Samsung include basic image editing functions on the camera itself.

If all you need are simple editing tools to crop, adjust brightness or remove red-eye, there is no need for you to waste time going online to edit your pictures when your camera can do it.

Seventh (online) heaven

There are many picture editing software available online. In this roundup, we look at seven of them – Fauxto, Picnik, Picture2Life, Pixenate, Snipshot, Preloadr and Webtoolpic. All offer a myriad of functions from simple touch-ups to adding special effects.

Another three programs that we think users would do well to check out are Wiredness (
www.wiredness.com), Phixr (
www.phixr.com) and Pixer.us (
www.pixer.us). Unfortunately we couldn't include them in this focus due to time and space constraints.

Back to the seven – most of them are still in beta and are free to use – although some require registration.

As expected some of the advanced tools available in Photoshop or Gimp such as lasso, clone stamp or magic wand are not available in these online applications.

Mostly, what users get are resize, crop, rotate, red-eye removal, brightness adjustment and contrast tools. Surprisingly though, some do offer a few impressive extra options, ranging from layers, graduation curves and histogram to cool fun effects, such as borders and collages.

You will also find that the menu interface varies a lot, from sleek and simple to totally confusing. They all seem to work with both Internet Explorer and Firefox with one exception – Webpictool.

Since all the applications require that you upload your image onto their server for editing, the actual time it takes to process just one picture may take a lot longer compared to doing it on your own PC.

Depending on your bandwidth and the current load of the server, this may take several minutes to complete. And this is just for one picture – imagine if you have several images that you need to upload as well.

So, in other words, use these online applications just for casual editing.

Also take note that some programs have limits on the file sizes while others will automatically resize the picture when you upload them for editing.

Final words

As digital photography grows, the need for a good photo editor also increases. Not everyone wants to pay for commercial software when all want they want to do is simple editing.

Thus a free online photo editor seems a good alternative. Sure, it is not a replacement for a full-fledged software like Photoshop but hey, if you're stuck using someone else's PC (without any editing software installed) or want to do stuff on the fly, such an application can be a godsend.

Best of all, there is no sharp learning curve usually involved with many other commercial graphics programs.

As a sign to show how important these types of applications will be in the future, industry heavyweight Adobe recently announced that it is going to launch a free (with ads), online version of its hugely popular Photoshop in second half of this year.

As to how much "free" tools that we are going to get, it remains to be seen.

In meantime, here's what we think of the current crop of online photo editing software. Each program provides something unique so it's difficult for us to recommend one over the other.

However, if we were pressed to make a choice, Fauxto and Picnik would be the two that we would go for thanks to their sleek user interface, advanced tools and ease-of-use.

Watching TV on the Web - The Star

Jun 20, 2008 By TAN KIT HOONG

If regular TV doesn't float your boat and you don't have satellite TV, don't despair. You can turn to Internet TV.

Internet television is nothing new, but it's only now with faster broadband connections that it's becoming quite viable for the average home viewer to get some of this content on their PCs.

However, what we've discovered in the process of writing this article is that despite being around for a few years now, the technology for streaming TV content on the Net is still very much in its infancy.

There is generally no particular standard, the videos are pretty low quality, and not to mention a distinct lack of support from the big television networks of the world in providing content.

Nevertheless, using our home broadband Internet connection, we went online and had a look at the world of IP-based television (i.e. television available on the Net).

AZUREUS VUZE

AZUREUS is one of the most popular front-ends for BitTorrent, which, while not in itself illegal, is usually the gateway to a lot of illegal content.

However, the makers of Azureus have recently been trying to clean up the idea of so-called torrenting, trying to turn it into a viable and speedy way to distribute legitimate high-definition content with the introduction of VUZE, the updated Azureus client.

VUZE still runs the internals of the open-source Azureus client, but the interface has been updated with a search feature that lets you browse and download legitimate and free HD content.

VUZE distributes content the same way you get BitTorrent content – click on a link on the browser and download the small torrent file, and wait for the file to download.

Currently, VUZE has a lot of free content, but is quite short on real TV shows – most are HD trailers and independently-created videos although there are a few shows that have been licensed to VUZE to show, such as BBC HD and Showtime!

Unfortunately, not all the content is available to users outside of the United States and the system still has a few bugs.

Plus, you can't immediately watch a show – you have to wait for the download to be fully completed before you can start watching and this could be hours or days from the moment you click on the link.

Nevertheless you can get VUZE at
www.vuze.com.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Trapping the grease monster - The Star

Jun 17, 2008

A GREASE trap tank invented by a local company can help check pollution of waterways, said Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai.

He said the invention was timely, as the state needed such gadgets to control kitchen discharges that are not environmentally friendly.

The grease trap tank is tested and certified by Sirim Bhd and can be fixed at homes and food outlets.

The tank can prevent kitchen wastes including oil and grease from clogging pipes including sewers.

“The gadget will help filter waste water to make sure grease is not released into waterways and ultimately into the sea,” he said.

He said this after presenting a grease trap tank to the Penang Cheshire Home recently.

He advised food outlet operators to utilise such gadgets to prevent pollution.

“Penang is a well-known hawker food paradise. It has helped contribute to the growth of the tourism industry. But our rivers are polluted, we need to make a concerted effort to keep our rivers clean,” he added.

The tank was received by Penang Cheshire Home vice-president Datin Seri Daisy Yeoh and secretary Ong Ghee Thuan.

GT Compact Technology managing director Ooi Boon Hock said they managed to create the grease trap tank with the help of Penang Municipal Council officers.

The lightweight, durable and portable fiber glass tank is a result of ongoing research that started 17 years ago, he said.

“It has the cutting edge technology that meets municipal engineering specifications and can be easily installed,” he said.

Making of a digital entrepreneur - NST

March 7, 2008 By PRASANNA RAMAN

Music entrepreneur Ben Drury is one of the brains behind 7digital, a company specialising in music downloads. PRASANNA RAMAN traces his route to winning an award for leading entrepreneurs under 35.

THERE’S more to music today than there has ever been and Ben Drury would know this best.

As the founder and chief executive officer of UK’s highly successful 7digital, a company specialising in, chiefly legal music downloads, Drury has not only seen the changes in the industry but also played a major role in shaping the landscape in his country’s music industry.

Touted as a rival to Apple’s iTunes online music store, 7digital not only offers music downloads but also video, audiobooks, games, documents, streaming video on demand and pretty much anything else that can be delivered digitally. It presently has over 1.2 million registered customers.

One would think that this entertainment-minded Englishman (or lad, back in mid 1990s) would have had some form of formal education in the music field but you would be surprised to know that he holds a degree in Physics with Philosophy of Science from King’s College London.

“I studied Physics and Philosophy at King’s College London mainly because I wanted to be in the City for the music scene. I was playing guitar in a band and you had to be in the city to play gigs! I quickly realised that I was not the academic type and although I loved certain aspects of studying Physics, I think music and technology were bigger passions,” he said in a recent e-mail interview.

That is how he jumped at the chance to join a publishing company involved with music. His new vocation at United News and Media saw the birth of dotmusic.com in 1996, as a sister online publication to Music Week magazine. Dotmusic grew quickly to become a leading online music destination attracting over 1.8 million users per month by 1999.

In 2000, when he was just 24, Drury was headhunted by BT Group to head up the broadband music efforts at its Internet Service Provider, BT Openworld (that would be like our Streamyx or Jaring which offers Internet connection). As head of music at BT, Drury successfully launched a major music channel before leading the acquisition of his old company dotmusic in 2002. At BT, Drury pioneered music and video downloads on dotmusic with the UK’s first unlimited subscription offer.

Following the partnership between BT and Yahoo! to form BT Yahoo! in 2003, the young man engineered the sale of dotmusic to Yahoo! for approximately STG3.3 million (RM21.45 million). The entrepreneur within starting emerging and soon after Drury decided to start a business of his own in 2004.

Pairing up with co-founder James Kane, they started a business involving digital media and specifically legal downloads.

“We established 7digital because we wanted to have a constant revenue stream– from sales of downloads – which was something dotmusic never really achieved. Furthermore, dotmusic wasn’t an e-commerce site as it was more an online magazine,” he said, explaining how digital7 came into being.

When asked why the name 7digital, Drury responded, “We’re not really sure – we have come up with reasons after the event but no one really remembers why. Is the number seven lucky in Malaysia?” he queries with hope.

Just two years later, Drury was named by Growing Business magazine as a Young Gun 2006 – the award for leading entrepreneurs under 35.

And last year, 7digital was awarded the prestigious Red Herring award Top 100 Europe Award as one of the most promising technology companies in Europe.

Drury is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and deputy chairman and director of the Entertainment Retailers Association as well as a board director of the Official UK Charts Company.

As for the company’s future plans, Drury said it has just closed a large investment round of US$8.5 million (RM29.75 million). “We’re really looking to expand internationally and onto platforms such as mobile and other connected devices as well as to move beyond music into movies, TV and even games,” he said.

Touching on the direction of music and music entrepreneurs Drury said people in the music industry today have to do more themselves.

“Whether it’s management, recording, marketing or the sort. With the Internet, the tools are readily available. The only difference is that you have to use them creatively and innovatively,” he advised music entrepreneurs.

And if one wonders how studying Physics has helped him in this line, this is what Drury had to say: “Studying Physics teaches you to think in different and abstract ways and that is very helpful in technology and business!”

Although digital music is in his blood, Drury is also passionate about the future of nuclear fusion as a clean energy source in the years to come.

Malaysians, especially music and digital entrepreneurs, will get an opportunity to learn all about Drury’s experiences when he speaks at the British Council’s Creative Entrepreneurs programme on March 10 at PNB Darby Park, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur from 9am to 12.30pm. The talk is also in line with British Council’s call for nominations for the International Young Music Entrepreneur Award 2008.

Those interested to know more about Drury and the recipe for his success can register for his talk via e-mail to arts@britishcouncil.org.my or call 03-2723-7988.

Alternatively, for more information, visit www.britishcouncil.org.my.

There's money in worm waste - NST

PASIR MAS: March 13, 2008 By harifah Mahsinah Abdullah

Agro Bio-Tani (Kelantan) Sdn Bhd proprietor Zakaria Adam holding the worms that produce vermicompost, which he sells for RM3 a kilogramme.

There's money to be made in worms and one savvy businessman is having the last laugh over those who doubted it.

Zakaria Adam, a 48-year-old entrepreneur from Kota Baru, has hit the jackpot producing vermicompost.

Vermicompost is a natural fertiliser formed by the breakdown of organic matter by a species of earthworm, also known as composting worms.

Zakaria first came across the commercial potential of vermicompost when he was sourcing for business opportunities overseas.

"I went to India, Australia and the Philippines and found that it was a thriving business in those countries. I decided to try it here as it is something new for Malaysians," he said.

Zakaria started Agro Bio-Tani (Kelantan) Sdn Bhd in 2006 with a capital of RM300,000 and has not looked back.

His 1.2ha Vermicompost farm in Kampung Bukit Tuku here, the biggest in the country, has seven workers and is capable of producing 40 tonnes of fertiliser a month.

The father of five said he started the business by importing 100kg of the "African nightcrawler" worms from the three countries he had visited.

To produce the fertiliser, a windrow comprising bedding material is used for the earthworms to live.

Organic matter, including animal dung and padi husks, is then added.

"When I first started the venture, not many people thought that it was a viable idea but it has been growing very well," he said.

So well indeed that today, Zakaria's earthworms have multiplied to 400kg.

His clients now include government departments, farmers' organisations and agricultural companies.

The compost, packed in packets of 2kg to 50kg, is sold at RM3 per kg.

He also sells the worms, which measures about 25cm to 30cm in length, for RM450 to RM500 per kg.

There was also demand from neighbouring countries like Singapore and Brunei.

He regularly conducts courses for those interested in following in his footsteps

Awards for 8 craft entrepreneurs - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: 29 March, 2008

Canadian tourist Bretta Rundhammer, 13, trying her hand at colouring a batik print during the National Craft Day yesterday. With her is her sister, Callie, 18.

Eight craft entrepreneurs received a certificate and RM10,000 each at the National Craft Day event.

The Craft Entrepreneur Awards were presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to acknowledge the entrepreneurs' contributions in developing the national craft industry.

They were Wan Mohd Ariffin Wan Long for batik, Habibah Zikri for looming, Abdul Latif Long for wood-carving, Nor Aziah Awang for rattan, Hamiah Zahid for weaving and plaiting, Wan Mahadi Wan Ismail for brassware, Abdul Manan Yaacob for silver craft and Florence Skim Sujang for ceramics.

Themed "Kraf ke Persada Dunia", the sixth crafts exhibition in Jalan Conlay houses 400 entrepreneurs nationwide with their products.

Nine countries participated in the exhibition to support Kraftangan Malaysia as the World Craft Council Asia Pacific Region president for 2005-2008 session.

There is also a buyers' meeting with 20 foreign companies to enable local entrepreneurs to market their products internationally.

Among the activities to be held until April 7 are craft sales, an embroidery collection exhibition, cultural performances and folk games.

The National Craft Day, organised by the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry with Kraftangan Malaysia, is open to the public from 10am to 10pm

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Survivor Par Excellence


Talking to Skali Group CEO Tengku Farith Rithaudeen is like a cross between an MBA class and a textbook on how to start you own business. It's Entrepreneur 101 with lashings of how-to and how-we should.

He is of course, well qualified to discuss the subject at length. The Skali Group, along with Tengku Farith and his fellow founders have been long-time players of 'Survivor', the Technopreneur Edition.

Despite several close shaves over the last few years, including the Asian Financial Crisis, the dotcom bust and at one point, even having to hide his car from being repossessed by financial institutions - neither he nor his company have yet to be 'voted off'.

From Merchant Banker to Making Your Own Coffee

What makes an ex-merchant banker and former corporate man (having previously been with the management of public-listed infrastructure developer Road Builder) decide to go down the bumpy and rocky road of being a technopreneur?

Perhaps it has something to do with the overwhelming urge to "build something" and "make a contribution". He charmingly sums it up as follows: "I would rather put 1 million into Skali, work my butt off, and hope to turn it in to 4 million than dump 1 million into a counter on the KLSE and contribute nothing to that company!"

Besides, dumping money in the stock market is riskier, he argues. A staggering thought to some of us perhaps - just hang on to the stock and wait for the market to go up surely? "What if it never goes back up? And what if you bought an Enron?" he counters. "I will put money into something that I can control - in that way, the risk is reduced. I know the market, I know the situation - I know how I can make money. Quite unlike a counter on the KLSE. I don't know the company that well, I don't know the management."

The Human Side to Entrepreneurialism

Then there's the reasons of 'self actualisation', 'self-enrichment' and 'getting our hands dirty'. A little hard to imagine those words coming from the mouth of an entrepreneur - after all, isn't the objective of entrepreneurial endeavours to make an obscene amount of money and preferably as quickly as possible?

Tengku Farith likes to trot out his favourite catchphrase for the New Economy - to borrow a phrase from Bill Clinton: It's an Ecosystem, Stupid. Today's New Economy is about balancing humanist entrepreneurial desires (create a better product, make society a better place) with the lucre-loving-greed-driven-me-first attitude of raw entrepreneurship. A good organisation and technopreneur strives to balance this in its business practices, he asserts.

Once you understand you're part of an eco-system, then you've taken the first step towards sustainability and longevity as a business, he stresses. "At Skali, we do go for profitability - we don't do projects that are not profitable. But that isn't greed, it's sustainability, getting ROI for our investment. But, there's the other side of us which says we can have shoddy products and make a lot of money or we can have good products and bend over backwards to service our customers properly - less profits but more sustainable in terms of building a brand name and a longer term survival."

Simplified, this means that "I don't sell you a Rolls Royce when all you need is a Kancil," he explains.

A TeAM Player

His fellow co-founders handle more of the day-to-day operations at the company, while he works on the overall vision of the company and as all CEOs do, keeping the ship on course. This gives him the time and opportunity to get more involved with technopreneur development, a subject that he is extremely passionate about.

He is extremely involved in the activities of the newly formed Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia (TeAM), serving on its executive committee and participating in its Mentoring program. Thus, he has plenty to say about what needs to be done to realise the country's ambition of becoming a knowledge-based economy.

The first salvo is fired in the direction of education. "Our education system requires some adjustments. Maybe in the 80s, where we had a particular target for achieving industrial and manufacturing strength, skilled workers were what we needed. We have a pretty big skilled workforce now - we need more knowledge workers."

The population needs to understand the difference between the two: "Being able to do something from A to B to C to D is skill - asking why, how where and why should I - that's knowledge."

Funding is another area in which Tengku Farith feels improvement should be forthcoming. "Funding is not going down to the grassroots - early stage companies," he states, point blank, although he adds that moves to allow funds like Mavcap to invest in early-stage companies is a good start towards improving the situation.

Finally, he'd like to see government and local organisations being more supportive of the local technology industry and technopreneurs. "A lot of the industries and government departments should be buying Malaysia first. When entrepreneurs do a project, they are developing themselves and building expertise. That's the way to develop world-class entrepreneurs."

The Making of An Entrepreneur - Wei Chuan Beng - RedTone

Ask RedTone International CEO Wei Chuan Beng what he wanted to be when he was a child and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the answer. The man at the helm of one of the earliest companies to gain MSC status wanted to become a policeman.

“I guess it was out of a wish to help the weak and do some good deeds,” he says with a sheepish smile.

The policeman dream soon changed. The model presented by Bill Hewlett and David Packard, founders Hewlett-Packard or HP, became Wei’s motivator. Wei cites them as the type of ‘inspirational examples’ that he believes are critical to jump-starting the entrepreneur within us all. “I relate to the two gentlemen who started Hewlett-Packard. 60 years ago, these two Stanford classmates started a company which became the birthplace of Silicon Valley. It is a very inspiring example.”

The choice of HP perhaps has something to do with the roots of RedTone, which has its origins in VMS Technology, a company founded by Wei and his classmate at University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Peter Yeow. Like Hewlett and Packard, who started their business from the now famous garage, Wei remembers their two-man team labouring in a 120 square foot office as they worked to get their first product off the ground.

The Road To RedTone

In the quest to understand what it is that makes an entrepreneur, the question of motivation is perhaps the most important.

For Wei, money was not the true motivator of his decision to leave his well-paying job at HP to venture out on his own. “I’d been working in technical support, sales and marketing and I’d finished my management studies so I could understand the entire suite of functions within a business. I always wanted to have the chance to learn about business.”

Yet surely, starting one’s own company and venturing into business is a rather expensive way of learning about the business world?

But true entrepreneurs cannot be driven by money alone. “One must understand that being an entrepreneur is not all that rosy. A person must be prepared to go through a lot of hardship” points out Wei.

Anyways, starting your own business is never a guarantee of millions – on the contrary, it entails a significant degree of risk with no assurance of success.

Adds Wei: “Motivation need not come from monetary gain – it is a factor but then again, in business there is no certainty; there is a lot of risk. Learning about the business world and the financial world – that gives me a lot of energy. Until today, I continue to learn many things.”

A Little Help

Succeeding at a business isn’t just about having a good product although Wei is the first to point out that a strong, well-positioned technology product is instrumental to any entrepreneur’s success.

In RedTone’s case, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) has been helpful in more ways than one. “Without an R and D grant from the MSC, we would not have committed to such an extensive R and D plan for our product. With the grant, we were able to develop a product that I like to believe, stands out in the world market” Wei states frankly.

Having MSC status has also helped confer a certain pedigree on the company that has helped to build customer confidence. RedTone’s own experience of this came when the company brought senior management executives from Australian telco Telstra to the MSC so they could see for themselves the scope and breath of the initiative, the infrastructure and the level of commitment from the Malaysian government.

“Their confidence in MSC status companies and us increased multiple-fold, giving rise to much business opportunities” points out Wei.

Around the Corner

With the technology market, both locally and abroad, already feeling the pinch of the economic crunch, tech companies need to be well-prepared to face the tough times ahead. RedTone’s CEO has a ready reply to the question of how his company will face the hard times.

Leveraging on a channel-centric business model, managing costs and resource bases through the use of channel partners and making changes necessary to ensure that the company continues to have a healthy revenue stream are amongst the ‘weapons’ RedTone will deploy to face the economic slowdown. The company is also constantly looking into new ways of meeting the short-term needs of the customer, such as flexible payment schemes or promotions.

Finally, Wei points out that surviving in the bad times all comes down to the nitty-gritty of money: “It is also no secret that the accounts receivables must be properly managed – whatever is sold one must be capable of collecting. It is also essential for technology companies to have sufficient funding. Funding does not mean spending uncontrollably – it’s about having enough money to stay competitive throughout the bad times.”

Pembiayaan Tekun


PEMBIAYAAN TEKUN

Kelayakan Asas

Semua individu yang memenuhi kelayakan asas pemohon adalah layak memohon:

* Bumiputera berumur 18-60 tahun
* Mempunyai lesen/permit/daftar perniagaan yang sah
* Mempunyai tempat perniagaan yang khusus
* Terlibat secara langsung dan sepenuh masa dalam perniagaan
* Tidak mempunyai rekod pembiayaan yang tidak baik dengan mana-mana Institusi Kewangan atau Agensi Kerajaan
* Pembiayaan perniagaan sedia ada tidak melebihi RM20,000.00
* Telah berniaga sekurang-kurangnya 6 bulan
* Satu pembiayaan untuk satu isi rumah

Premis/Aktiviti Perniagaan Yang Diberi Pertimbangan

Antara jenis premis/aktiviti perniagaan yang diberi keutamaan adalah seperti berikut :-

* Gerai Tetap Seperti gerai pasar, gerai menjual makanan, minuman dan gerai menjual barang-barang keperluan harian.
* Gerai Bergerak Seperti pasar malam, pasar tani, pekan sehari, pasar tamu dan lori / van bergerak.
* Kedai Tetap Seperti restoran dan kedai-kedai yang menjual barang-barang runcit, pakaian, pinggan mangkuk, keperluan harian dan perkakasan dapur, kraftangan, perhiasan, ubat-ubatan tradisional, buku/majalah/akhbar dan alat telekomunikasi.
* Perniagaan Perkhidmatan Seperti jahitan, salun rambut / kecantikan, studio gambar, kerja kimpalan, pendawaian, bengkel/mekanik/membaiki alat-alat elektronik, membuat papantanda dan pengiklanan, membaiki kasut, tuisyen dan pusat bimbingan kanak-kanak.
* Perkhidmatan Pengangkutan Seperti pengusaha lori kecil, bas sekolah dan bas kilang.
* Pembuatan Seperti industri kecil memproses makanan ringan/basah/kering, pembuatan sos cili/tomato/tiram/kicap dan kuih muih.

Nilai Pembiayaan

Nilai pembiayaan yang ditawarkan adalah dari RM500.00 hingga RM50,000.00.

Skim Pembiayaan TEKUN

Tempoh bayaran balik pembiayaan adalah di antara 6 bulan hingga 5 tahun.

Cara Memohon

1. Hubungi Pegawai TEKUN Kawasan yang terdekat untuk mendapatkan maklumat dan Borang Permohonan (YTN-1)

2. Kemukakan borang permohonan yang telah dilengkapkan kepada Pegawai TEKUN Kawasan bersama-sama dengan dokumen berikut :-

i. Gambar Pemohon (2 keping)

ii. Salinan Kad Pengenalan Pemohon (dan suami/isteri).

iii. Salinan lesen/permit/pendaftaran Perniagaan.

iv. Gambar premis/tempat perniagaan (3 keping).

v. Salinan buku simpanan/penyata bank.

vi. Sebut harga cadangan pembelian perkakas/peralatan/ubahsuai (sekiranya pembiayaan digunakan untuk pembelian aset).

vii. Salinan salah satu bil utiliti (elektrik/air/telefon) bagi premis perniagaan/rumah.

viii. Salinan perjanjian sewa premis (sekiranya premis di sewa)

3. TN tidak melantik agen/wakil/orang tengah dalam urusan pembiayaan TEKUN. Borang permohonan adalah percuma dan tidak dikenakan sebarang bayaran semasa membuat permohonan.

4. Sila hubungi Pejabat TEKUN Kawasan sekiranya tiada maklumbalas selepas 14 hari dari tarikh penyerahan permohonan.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Gadget to curb m-cycle thefts - The Star

Jun 13, 2008 By AHMAD YUSRI YUSOFF

MOTORCYCLISTS can soon look forward to fewer motorcycle thefts following a new safety throttle lock system in-vented by researchers at Universiti Sains Ma-laysia (USM) in Penang.

USM’s School of Mechanical Engineering lecturer Prof Ahmad Yusoff Hassan, who is lea-ding the research and development team, said the breakthrough was made by the univer-sity’s engineering campus.

He said the new system differed from an ordinary motorcycle lock in that it had a dual locking mechanism.

“This system immobilises a mo-torcycle by locking both the throttle and brake handle during parking,” he said.

Compact and portable:Prof Ahmad holding two prototypes of the throttle lock.

Safety mechanism:A motorcyclist can immobilise his machine by using the throttle lock

Fruits of their research:Prof Dr Peh(right) and USM researcher Hesham Hasan Hussein Abdul Aziz showing some of the applications derived from their research.

He said the new lock was water re-sistant, relatively compact and portable.

“We have been approached by a few companies that are interested in producing and distributing the throttle lock. We hope to re-lease this product by next year,” he told a press conference at Dewan Persidangan USM in Pe-nang on Tuesday.

The invention was also awarded the JIPA Award for Best Invention and Industrial Design at the 19th International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition ITEX 2008 in Kuala Lumpur in May.

USM also discovered a way to reduce the yellow staining caused by cur cumin pigment found in turmeric.

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences’ Assoc Prof Dr Peh Kok Khiang said cur cumin was widely used for the treatment of disea- ses such as in-flammation, skin wound and tumour.

He said that based on this, a team of resear-chers from the school found a way to reduce the staining and improve its flow ability and stability by encapsulating the cur cumin and tur-meric oil ex-tract.

He also said the encapsula-ted cur cumin and turmeric oil microcapsule could be formulated in dermatological preparations such as cream, lotion, ointment and shampoo.

Malaysia is number one in a connectivity study - The Star

PETALING JAYA: Jun 12, 2008 By STEVEN PATRICK

Malaysia is number one in a connectivity study, beating economic powerhouses China and India, in the efficiency-driven market segment of the Connectivity Scorecard study.

The study (www.connectivityscorecard.org) was done by the London Business School and US-based economic consulting firm LECG.

It studied two segments — efficiency-driven markets, such as Malaysia, and innovation-driven economies, like the United States and Japan.

The Connectivity Scorecard measures the extent to which governments, businesses and consumers make use of connectivity technologies — the copper wires, fibre-optic lines, mobile phones and personal computers.

The study was commissioned by Nokia Siemens Networks and published last month. Malaysia was the highest scorer in the emerging economies segment of the study, with a score of 7.59 out of 10, beating China (4.45) and India (1.83) in the process.

According to the study, Malaysia may soon be “knocking at the door” of the “innovation-driven” economies.

Malaysia leads the efficiency-driven segment with high broadband subscription levels, high mobile network coverage and subscriptions, and scores very highly on business usage of mobile e-mail and Internet too, the study said.

Malaysia also did well as it has high ICT (Information and Communications Technology) literacy rates and usage scores, comparable in some cases to innovation driven economies, said the survey.

The Connectivity Scorecard could help governments in assessing how ICT policy can be advanced.

In Malaysia’s case, the study states that the country needs to improve connectivity by further expanding broadband penetration.

Bill Chang, country manager of Nokia Siemens Networks said that perhaps the Government could subsidise broadband Internet.

“It all boils down to high-speed broadband for the masses. When this is achieved, there will be a need for broadband applications and this will generate more economic activity,” he said.

Currently, Malaysia has a broadband penetration rate of 3.5 per 100 people, said the survey.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Super Door Stop Alarm

Super Door Stop Alarm
SKU: C-SDS85



Simply place the alarm behind any door. If an intruder attempts to open the door, the wedge-shaped design will prevent it from opening and activate a 120 dB alarm. The alarm will scare off the would-be intruder and alert you to the attempted entry. An adjustable sensitivity switch prevents tampering.

When traveling, just toss this lightweight unit in your luggage. The on/off switch will prevent the unit from accidentally sounding.

Requires one 9 volt battery. Cutting Edge Products

Hidden Wall Outlet Mini Wall Safe

Hidden Wall Outlet Mini Wall Safe
SKU: SDHWS

What looks like an ordinary socket is actually a mini-wall safe!

An unlikely place for thieves to look. Keep your money, jewelry, and other valuables in the compartment behind the socket.

Easy to install.

Electronic Ultrasonic Clothing Stain Remover

Electronic Ultrasonic Clothing Stain Remover
SKU: A-TK248

World's best stain-removing device can now be yours. Remove spaghetti sauce, coffee spills, blood, and blacktop dirt with the Sonic Stain Remover.

This amazing new device will remove virtually any clothing stain, no matter how stubborn. We tried it ourselves, putting it through the most rigorous tests, and it passed them all. The Sonic Stain Remover is one of our most impressive products and looks to be a sure-fire hit with consumers.

Try it on all types of stains. You won't be disappointed. All it takes is a few drops of water and some rubbing and the stain will be gone.

It utilizes ultrasonic technology-120 vibrations per second. Not a trace will be visible. It'll work better than any laundry detergent like Tide or Cheer.

And don't be concerned about the Electric Stain Remover fading color. It won't harm your clothing's color integrity at all. This ingenious gadget utilizes ultrasonic technology and a "sprayer."

Bendable Clock



E-Ink and Citizen Watch announced their bendable clock yesterday. The thing is just 3.0 mm thick, and 1.5 kg in weight. The battery life is also reportedly 20 times that of convential digital clocks. Due to the use of electronic ink, the clock is also viewable at almost 180 degrees.

Tengku Arman and his wife Azizah have big plans in batik - The Star

KUALA TERENGGANU: Jun 12, 2008 By TUAN AZAM JOHAN



Being deaf was no obstacle for 36-year-old Tengku Arman Harris Tengku Ismail to succeed as an entrepreneur.

He is among Terengganu’s rare breed of disabled (OKU) entrepreneurs in the batik industry.

Looking back at his experiences, Tengku Arman, the eldest of six siblings, said he ventured into the batik industry 10 years ago.

He started work as a welder at a workshop in Kuala Lumpur in 1990, after completing his education at Sekolah Menengah Pendidikan Khas in Pulau Pinang and Sekolah Menengah Vokasional in Shah Alam, Selangor.

After a year in Kuala Lumpur, he returned home due to his father’s demise in a road crash.

Tengku Arman, who communicated via sign language through his 59-year-old mother Wan Zaitun Wan Mansur, said he started work at the Romi Batik production facility in Chendering here in 1991, and later at a batik house in Batu Burok for several years before setting up his own enterprise.

He learnt batik-making until 1996 before setting up the Arman Batik business at his house in Kampung Tebauk here.

Initially, he operated from a hut near his family home and produced batik on a small scale.

Later, the Social Welfare Department provided him a grant of RM2,000 to expand his business.

Realising he was on his way to success, Tengku Arman applied for RM20,000 loan from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) and the returns from his venture allowed him make full repayment within a short period.

“I was happy when Tengku Arman settled his loan quickly, and this gave Mara the confidence to assist people like him,” said Wan Zaitun.

Tengku Arman is assisted by his wife Azizah Md Yassin, 32, who also suffers from impaired hearing.

They have three workers who draw designs on fabric with the canting.

Tengku Arman has two silk batik shops named Anas Butik in Subang Jaya managed by his siblings.

His silk batik is priced from RM200 to RM400 a piece.

“During festive seasons, I run a kiosk at Subang Parade,” he said.

Tengku Arman and his wife commute to Kuala Lumpur regularly to deliver their merchandise.

They have plans to set up a boutique in Kuala Lumpur.

Tengku Arman’s determination earned him recognition as he bacame the first president of the Terengganu Welfare Association for People with Hearing Disability (PKOCPT).

PKOCPT was named the state’s best association for the handicapped in 2003.

Tengku Arman was also named the 2007 OKU Personality (Business) and the OKU Personality (Overall) for 2005. – Bernama

Solar-powered parking meters - The Star

Solar-powered parking meters

Jun12, 2008 By FAZLEENA AZIZ

THE Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will replace the present parking meters with the new electronic parking system SLKE in the city by next week.

The new Pay and Display scheme will see electronic machines placed at strategic locations to allow motorists to pay parking fees using cash or on credit via the Mykad.

Cash or credit: The new Electronic Parking System (SLKE) machine that will be installed at strategic locations in the city.

According to KL mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan, the solar-powered system is user friendly.

The operation period is from 7.30am to 10pm and the hourly parking rate is maintained at 80 sen in the city centre and 50 sen outside the city centre.

The first phase for the new system covers Bukit Bintang, Masjid India, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kampung Baru, Chow Kit, Pudu, Kompleks Damai and Loke Yew, which will be operational from next Monday.

The second phase and following phases will be implemented progressively according to areas by August.

“There is no cost on the part of the DBKL part but we have an installer and operators for the parking system,” Hakim said during a meet-the-press session yesterday.

Hakim also said that the system would be helpful in areas where they were illegal operators and jockeys.

The machines will be stationed at every 20 parking spaces and 50 enforcement officers will be on duty at four main zones, where the parking meters are installed.

The DBKL will pay RM1.50 a day to the system installer company for each parking space. An operator will be hired to handle collection and maintenance at every parking zones.

Asked about his recent “study trip” to Europe and Canada organised by the Federal Territories Ministry, the DBKL and Putrajaya Corporation, Hakim said the ministry would submit a report to the cabinet.

On the current government belt-tightening measures, Hakim said the DBKL would adhere to the cost-cutting and cost-saving agenda.

“We will save electricity by minimising the use of lights and air conditioners.

“The use of stationeries, events and the use of office vehicles will be minimised,” Hakim said.

“We will evaluate the need for having courses, overseas and local trips as well as other programmes,” he said.

Thingamajiggy: A toast to radio - NST

Jun 11, 2008 By RIDZWAN A. RAHIM


The icons on the radio toaster are not very user-friendly.

RIDZWAN A. RAHIM found a radio that also makes toast.

WHAT: Ariete radio toaster
IT’S LIKE: A toaster that uses radio waves to toast your bread.
PRICE: RM349
AVAILABILITY: Courts Mammoth

Q: Wow, that’s a very retro-looking radio you have.

A: Cool huh? And get this: it’s not just a radio. It also makes toast.
Q: Really?

A: Yes. In fact, it uses radio waves to make toast!

Q: All right, now you’re scaring me.

A: Kidding! This appliance is actually a toaster with a built-in FM radio — two things commonly found in the kitchen. So with this combo product, there is no need for two separate appliances anymore in the kitchen.

Q: Cool. Is it easy to use?

A: Yes, it’s pretty straightforward as there are not that many buttons to push.

Q: Let me guess: this huge knob in front is for volume control?

A: Err, no. That’s actually the browning control for the toast.

Q: Oh my, I could’ve burnt my toast while attempting to increase the volume of the radio.

A: I forgot to tell you: you need to read the manual the first time you use it. The controls may not be what you think they are. The radio toaster has confusing icons. See the button labelled with what looks like a burnt toast?

Q: Yeah.

A: It’s actually for heating. The other button on the left, the one with a snowflake icon, is the button for making toast.

Q: Strange.

A: And the button in the centre is for ejecting the toast manually.

Q: So, which are the buttons for radio then?

A: They’re all located on the lower part of appliance. The small knob is for volume control and to its left is the station search button. You have to keep pushing the button until you can hear what sounds like your favourite station. There’s no other way.

Q: This is such a funny-looking contraption but in a good way. Ariete should’ve included another knob.

A: What?

Q: One that doesn’t really do anything. You can play with it while waiting for your toast.

A: Yeah, and label it with a picture of an alien so you can pretend as though you’re trying to make contact with Mars.

Plan for mangosteen processing plant - The Star

Jun 11, 2008

MANGOSTEEN, referred as the Queen of Fruits, has gained the attention of international and local investors. Its trees are found in abundance in Perak.

State Industry Development and Information Committee chairman Tai Sing Ng said investors were keen to open a plant to process the fruit for local and global consumption.

Villager Hussiain Ariffin showing two ripe mangosteens in Simpang.

“Its edible flesh can be canned but its deep reddish purple skin, which was normally discarded, can be processed into tonic drink,” said Tai at a gathering in Simpang to welcome Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, on his one day visit to Taiping recently.

Tai said the mangosteen processing plant would help create more jobs for the people and offer better income to villagers who owned such trees.

Speaking to reporters, Tai said the proposed mangosteen processing plant would likely be built at Trong, about 25km from Taiping.

He said they have received several proposals on setting up the plants but nothing firm was established yet.

Queen of fruits: A boy gazing at a bunch of mangosteens at a roadside stall in Bendang Siam, Taiping.

At the gathering, Mohammad Nizar said the state would welcome more investments, especially those related to high-tech industries.

Fish-rearing project to be expanded - The Star

Jun 11, 2008 By EMBUN MAJID

THE modern fish-rearing project to be introduced in Naka, Kuala Nerang, will be expanded to Kubang Pasu, Sik and Baling to help the hardcore poor earn extra money.

State Federal Action Council chairman Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom said the project, using new technology, would be conducted by the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) and Fish Protect Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

“I have discussed with LKIM to set up the facilities in the three districts.

First-hand look: Mohd Johari (left) listening to a briefing by LKIM chairman Datuk Adam Abdul Hamid (right) during his visit to the proposed fish breeding project site.

“We hope to work with Kedah Development Authority (Keda) concerning the land to conduct the project,” he told newsmen after visiting the fish-rearing project in Naka.

The aquaculture technology from Australia involved the rearing of barramundi fish (siakap) in indoor ponds under controlled environment.

The fish will not be exposed to climate changes and also natural disasters compared with conventional cage and pond methods.

Johari, who is also a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said 300 hardcore poor people in the Padang Terap district have been chosen to receive monthly cash aid derived from the project starting from the first harvest in Naka, while their children would also be trained to work in the project.

He said the same benefits would also be extended to participants in the other three districts.

The RM10mil project in Naka on a 1.6ha land will have 20 indoor tanks.

Mohd Johari said the first harvest was expected in July next year.

Big money from little suckers - NST


Mohd Lena Embong with some of the leeches that he breeds at home in Bachok.


BACHOK: Jun 11, 2008 By Sulaiman Jaafar

Mohd Lena Embong used to loath leeches that stuck to his feet when he played in the fields years ago.

Today, he is smiling, despite being bitten ever so often.

Lena's sunny temperament is due to the fact that while he still detests them, there is money to be made from the creatures.

He has been breeding lintah kerbau or buffalo leech for a living since January.

With RM5,000 seed money, Lena, 43, bought 1,000 breeding leeches which he fed with eels, and is waiting to sell his first harvest to local buyers.

He expects to sell the leeches at between RM50-RM60 per kg to those producing cosmetics such as lotions, creams and massage oils.

The younger leeches can be sold at RM1.50 each to other leech farmers.

Lena said the task of looking after the leeches was solely his, as his 40-year-old teacher-wife and five children were not too keen to go near the tanks.

"I understand their fear as I too was like them initially. But I got over the fear of being bitten. Being bitten is one of the hazards of the job."

He said many bitten by leeches pulled them off, but ended up with with marks that could turn itchy.

He said the leech had sharp teeth which it used to prick the skin to get at blood vessels.

"Instead of pulling it away, which can cause the skin to break, use the fingernail to push its head gently down so that the leech will let go.

"Tobacco juice or salt are effective too, but I don't use them as they can kill the leech."

A single leech can yield 100 young in six months.

"Breeding leeches is quite easy and needs only a small capital. They can be bred in ponds and plastic water tanks.

"I chose water tanks as they are cheaper and take up less space as the tanks can be put in the compound of the house.

"The important thing is to ensure that the water is not acidic. A medium-sized eel has enough blood to feed about 200 leeches and it can last them a week."

Lena said eels were ideal for feeding leeches as they had more blood than other fish.

He is currently on a mission to popularise leech farming in his village.

On his plans, Mohd Lena hoped to buy the Chinese variety as they are more hardy and fetch a better price in the international market.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Pendaftaran Perniagaan


Pendaftaran Perniagaan

Sebelum memulakan perniagaan, anda perlulah memastikan bahawa perniagaan anda itu didaftarkan di samping memastikan segala lesen dan permit berkaitan diperolehi.

Perniagaan ditakrifkan sebagai setiap bentuk perdagangan, pertukangan, pekerjaan, profesion atau aktiviti-aktiviti lain yang dijalankan bagi maksud mendapatkan keuntungan.

Anda boleh layar ke laman-laman ini untuk mendapat maklumat lanjut mengenai pendaftaran syarikat dan lain-lain:

Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia
http://www.ssm.com.my/perkhidmatan_pendaftaran.php

Pusat Khidmat Kontraktor
http://pkk.mecd.gov.my/panduan/syarat.asp

Jabatan Pembangunan Koperasi
http://www.jpk.gov.my/jpk/main.php?Content=sections&SectionID=74

ePerolehan
http://home.eperolehan.com.my/bm/panduan/default.aspx

Perbendaharaan Malaysia
http://www.treasury.gov.my/

PERKESO
http://www.perkeso.gov.my/pendaftaran.asp

ePerkhidmatan Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri
http://www.hasil.org.my/melayu/bm_index.asp

Sumber: http://www.mecd.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=35&id=62&Itemid=132

Projek Tanaman Vanila

Ternakan Ikan Keli Dalam Sangkar Kanvas

MECD tetapkan sasaran lahirkan 150,000 usahawan dalam RMK-9 - Utusan

Oleh S.Anand Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR 3 Jun, 2008

Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi (MECD) menetapkan sasaran untuk melahirkan 150,000 usahawan baru dalam Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9).

Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah berkata, dalam mencapai sasaran itu, kementeriannya telah melaksanakan beberapa program termasuk Program Usahasama Tulen.

Menurut beliau, sepanjang tempoh program itu dijalankan sejak tahun 1995, sebanyak 56 syarikat usahasama telah wujudkan.

``Syarikat usahasama ini terdiri dari pelbagai sektor di mana sebanyak 62 peratus terlibat dalam bidang pembuatan, pembinaan dan pemajuan hartanah (19 peratus), perkhidmatan (11 peratus) dan lain-lain bidang (11 peratus),'' katanya.

Saiffuddin berkata demikian ketika menjawab soalan Senator Datuk Wong Siong Hwee pada sidang Dewan Negara hari ini. -Utusan

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