Why Croatia? The decision to go to Croatia was taken way before they fared so well in the World Cup, for a population of just 4.5m. If you look at the map of Croatia, its made up a narrowish mainland and then loads of beautiful small islands. 

I agreed to go to Croatia/Prague because a friend of a friend has visited Croatia a few times and would be leading the group to a few wineries.

Tip number one: check where you will be landing going to Croatia. Their airports are smallish, hence not all airlines will land in all their airports. I took Qatar Airways, which lands in Zagreb. The key is to make it to Split as a meeting point.

Zagreb is mainly made up of a huge Main Square, where only modern trams and bicycles are allowed. Most tourists will stay inside the square. Be warned, inside the square are mostly cobblestones, if your luggage is a 4 wheeler, it will likely kaput very soon. 

It is not just Zagreb only, even in Split, Hvar, and Dubrovnik, you need super high duty wheels on your luggage to navigate. Two wheelies are better than 4 wheelies. Ask for super reinforced two wheelies. Surprisingly, it is not that easy to buy new pieces of luggage in Croatia, go figure.

Zagreb was a two-dayer for me. Tried four different local food places, none were impressive. Somehow, Zagreb left me with the “worst food” place title for my entire trip in Croatia. 

The drinking and smoking culture was good. Almost every other small street and alleyway were filled with open-air restaurants and bars. The beers were very good and not expensive.

Food was so unimpressive that I had to have McDonald’s late into the night. It was good.

 
Zagreb is good to spend one or two days max. Considering where you should be spending most of your time in Croatia (i.e. Hvar, Split and the smaller islands)… it is best to fly into Split or Dubrovnik.

Best thing about Zagreb is that you can book a car and drive down to Split, which will take 3-4 hours. On the way take a detour (another hour or two) to go to Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO heritage site. Absolutely mesmerising.

You need 3-5 hours to get the full benefit of hiking around the lakes, and also to take their boat ride to bring you closer to the waterfalls.

BOTH HAVE ENRICHED THEMSELVES WHILE ANWAR WAS IN PRISON.
TODAY THEY HAVE SOLD THEIR SOUL TO MAHATHIR AND DAIM.
AZMIN ALI AND ZURAIDA ARE GOING ALL OUT TO CONTROL PKR SO THAT THE PREMIERSHIP GOES TO THE FORMER.
FREE FLOWING OF MONEY AND PROJECTS ARE USED AS BAIT.
BOTH ARE ALSO DETERMINE TO DO MURDER.
IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ANWAR AND KAK WAN IN THE COMING DAYS, PDRM SHOULD IMMEDIATELY TAKE ACTION TO ARREST AZMIN ALI AND ZURAIDA.
MAHATHIR AND DAIM ARE PREPARED TO PROTECT THEM.
AS CONCERN MALAYSIANS, WILL YOU DO NOTHING?

THE OFFICER CONCERN SHOULD BE SACK IMMEDIATELY.
IGP SHOULD TAKE ACTION.
MAHATHIR SHOULD NOT COVER SUCH ACT.

ttps://www.malaysiakini.com/news/434706
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/442431
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/442333

When the Devil enters your home, one is no longer safe.

RM66 billion was officially declared as a Forex loss when Mahathir became the Prime Minister the second time.
http://malaysiaflipflop.blogspot.com/2018/07/perfect-timing-to-steal.html
Yet the media, bloggers and others remain dumb or were they paid off to keep quiet?

Now how will the stolen money be spend”

First indication was Azmin going to Turkey to ask Anwar not to go for the president post in PKR since he is not well. But Anwar is not stupid knowing that the President post is important if he is to succeed in taking over from Mahathir the Prime Minister post.

Second – Azmin promised a token sum of RM100 million to Anwar for retirement.

Third – Azmin and Zuraida have given an assurance to 800 PKR members they will be given RM1 million each if he (Azmin) wins against Rafizi.

Fourth – Azmin had given his words to certain Senior PKR members to make them Minister, Deputy Minister and Senators  next year when a reshuffle in the cabinet is schedule.

Fifth – Anwar is being monitor closely by the special intelligent.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/442422

Sixth is the deadly one.  Zuraida with the budget of US$2 million is given the task of finding a KILLER to purge Anwar and Kak Wan before the year ends.

OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER WILL BE TWO MONTHS OF BLOODY FIGHTING WITHIN PKR, IF RAFIZI WINS.

MONEY IS NOT THE PROBLEM.

AZMIN AND ZURAIDA ARE GIVEN A FREE HAND TO RUIN PKR IF THEY FAIL TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE PARTY.

THE DEVIL INVOLVED IN PUTTING ANWAR TO JAIL TWICE WILL NEVER ALLOW OR WISH TO FULFILL THEIR PROMISE TO MAKE HIM AS PRIME MINISTER.

FOR THE SAKE OF THIS NATION, MALAYSIANS SHOULD NOT  HERO WORSHIP MAHATHIR.

ANWAR HAS NEVER SAT ON THE PREMIERSHIP YET CERTAIN PAID BLOGGERS, MEDIA AND HIDDEN HANDS ARE FINDING FAULT WITH HIS MOVEMENT AND ACCUSING HIM OF THIS AND THAT.

MAHATHIR MASTER MINDED ALL THE CORRUPTION, ISLAMISM, RACISM AND KILLING, YET IS ADORED BY THE PRESENT GENERATION OF FOOLS.

I AM NOT A MEMBER OF PKR BUT FEEL THE PARTY MEMBERS MUST WAKE UP AND STOP AZMIN AND ZURAIDA NOW.

WHEN ONE IS IN POWER, GREED CREEPS IN.

Pick Those With Power, Not The Jobless, Azmin Tells PKR Members

The prime minister’s bizarre appointments

COMMENT | Since his assumption to the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s appointments to various posts have been bizarre to say the least.

The “virgin ministers” – as the new Cabinet has been dubbed – have been so thankful to the prime minister for their respective appointments to the Cabinet that they have been at pains not to question his “wisdom”.

The prime minister’s “wise” choices have included the appointment of a fresh graduate, from his own party – with hardly any work experience – as the Youth and Sports Minister. Other appointments have been even more curious and smell of political mischief rather than finding the best person for the job.

His latest appointment of the former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor as the special envoy for Malaysia to mediate the peace process in southern Thailand, is the most curious of all.

Considering the fact that the prime minister is supposed to be working closely with the prime minister-designate Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysians must be wondering whether he consulted Anwar about this appointment, out of basic courtesy.

Dr Mahathir is prone to bouts of amnesia, or rather, selective amnesia, as we have observed in the recent past, so he might have forgotten the former IGP’s rather blemished record.

To remind Malaysians of the crime committed by the former IGP: Rahim Noor slapped, punched and karate-kicked the former deputy prime minister Anwar, causing him to pass out on the floor. Anwar was handcuffed and blindfolded during the attack, which took place on the night he was arrested in 1998. Malaysia’s former police chief received a two-month jail sentence for assaulting the former deputy prime minister.

Anwar’s lawyer, the late Karpal Singh said: “I don’t think the public will be satisfied with the sentence imposed … This was an assault on a defenceless man who was blindfolded, handcuffed at the back and assaulted, not just anywhere, but in the inner sanctum, the headquarters of the police force.”

Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah, described the two-month term for Rahim as “minimal”, pointing out that many Malaysians have been sent to jail for longer periods just for taking part in opposition demonstrations.

This atrocity has happened during the first term of the current prime minister. Back then, Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action party, said that comparisons between the treatment of Anwar and his attacker “leave Malaysians with a sense that something is very wrong in their system of justice”.

Firstly, one wonders how such a former criminal with a record of uncontrollable violence is qualified to represent the government of “New Malaysia” as our “special envoy”? Is the PM serious when he claims that there is no one else in the country who is capable of doing this job? Should we be celebrating 61 years of independence when our country has failed to produce a single qualified diplomat – other than the former 

IGP – who can perform the diplomatic task that is needed in the south of Thailand?

Secondly, did the prime minister at least confer with the former IGP’s victim, Anwar, since Anwar is going to be the prime minister-designate very soon? I would be very surprised if Anwar had agreed with this appointment of his former abuser as Malaysia’s special envoy. Do I sense mischief (Thou art afoot…) in all these shenanigans?

This principle of reputation and integrity of our public officials is everything to do with our attempts to create a “new Malaysia”. As the philosopher Christina Turner reminded us: “What’s love (and forgiveness) got to do with it?”
 

---

KUA KIA SOONG is Suaram advisor.

**********************************************************

MANY CONTRACTS ARE GIVEN TO MAHATHIR’S FAMILY AND CRONIES LIKE VINCENT TAN HAS TAKEN OVER PROJECTS WORTH RM100 BILLIONS ALL WITHIN 120 DAYS AFTER TAKING OVER THE GOVERNMENT FROM UMNO.

MAHATHIR HAS APPOINTED CROOKS AFTER CROOKS TO RUN THE COUNTRY YET NOT A MURMUR FROM THE PARTNERS IN PH.

LGE HAS BEEN GIVEN THE FINANCE POST BUT HAS TO SHARE HIS POSITION WITH AZMIN ALI WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN A HIGHER AUTHORITY.  PAST RECORD HAS SHOWN THAT LGE IS CAPABLE  OF BRINGING IN FOREIGN INVESTORS  WORTH BILLIONS. WHILE AZMIN ALI AS MB OF SELANGOR HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THE SAME. NOT MANY PEOPLE REALISED THAT AZMIN ALI HAD FAILED MANY TIMES TO BRING IN FOREIGN INVESTORS TO SELANGOR AND HAD TO RELY ON EX MB KHALID AND DAIM’S CONNECTION.

I AM CURIOUS WHETHER MAHATHIR AND DAIM ARE SQUEEZING DAP BECAUSE OF LGE’S COURT CASE AND ANTHONY LOKE CAUGHT SELLING OUR TRANSPORT DATA TO CHINA.  THE YOUNG TIGER IN DAP, GOBIND SINGH HAS KEPT QUIET ABOUT THE TELEKOM CONTRACT TO MOKHZANI MAHATHIR TOO.

IT IS FANTASTIC THAT THE EX OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE NOW TURNING TO BE LIKE MCA, MIC AND UMNO PARIAH DOGS.

PH NOW STAND FOR PARIAH HOOKWINKERS.

Within 100 days of taking over the government, Mahathir, Daim, Zeti and Shamsiah transferred RM66 billlion to their Swiss Account.

Within 100 days Mahathir make his son Mukhriz the MB of Kedah even though another candidate has been appointed by the Sultan of Kedah.

Within 100 days Mahathir gave his son Mokhzani, Telekom Malaysia contract.

After 100 days Mahathir gave his son Mirzan the right to supply fuel to government vehicles.

Before the end of 2019 Mahathir will change the Malaysian ringgit to Mokhzani cryptocurrency.

Meanwhile Mahathir is going back on his words by employing back all the dirty crooks to ensure that Anwar cannot be the next Prime Minister and also Pribumi will be the King Maker in the GE15.

I want to ask those within PH, WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?
MALAYSIANS DID NOT VOTE FOR A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT SO THAT MAHATHIR AND DAIM CAN CONTINUE THEIR HABIT OF STEALING, CHEATING AND GIVING CONTRACTS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND CRONIES AND CHEATING IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

SOLAT HAJAT FOR MAHATHIR TO DIE THIS YEAR.

Thanks to Alibaba and Tencent, the Chinese markets are headed for “something big”. I cannot determine just what it will be but it will be big and probably disastrous. This all stem from the might and size of both companies. 

Just how powerful are they? They are like the genie who can determine who will get rich. Both companies have invested liberally and sporadically into almost everything internet in China.

Tencent is a bit faster in investing in viable startups, probably as an extension of monetising its 1 billion over WeChat users.

There are about 77 private Chinese internet companies valued at $1bn or more that are owned by Tencent and Alibaba. Together they have a cash hoard of over $60bn.

Here are just some of these billion dollar startups, which should be listing in the near future (within the next 2 years) that have been partially or substantially funded by the two giants:
China Literature $6.2bn (Tencent)
Didi $56bn (T & A)
Ele.me $9.5bn (Alibaba)
Meituan $30bn (T & A)
Meizu $4.8bn (Tencent)
VIPKid $3bn (Tencent)
Sense Time $4.5bn (Alibaba)
Pinduoduo $21bn (Tencent)
Guahao Tech/WeDoctor $6bn (Tencent)
Zhongan Insurance $6.5bn (Alibaba)


Its The Platform, Stupid

The root of the problem is the platforms that Alibaba and Tencent would afford to its investee companies. Almost immediately, the startups will get recognition, leverage, a more than critical mass market for their products, inter connected marketing push, etc.

Startups really have little choice but to take money from the two giants. The big guys’ sales pitch is always (uttered or non-verbalised) that if they don’t take their money, they are going to invest an even bigger amount in their competitor. What choice do they have but to say yes.


The U.S. Experience

The same could almost be said for Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet (Google Ventures). However, the US experience showed that most of them are more likely to buy them 100% outright and then assimilate them under one company.

It seems that Tencent and Alibaba are more interested to punt and play the finance/market game, whereby a listing can bring forth speculative riches to their coffers. To assimilate startups would be more difficult and work-ladened in that they will then have to work out the synergies and efficiencies.

To be fair, Alibaba is more inclined to assimilate some of the startups, but not Tencent. Their respective business models may explain that: one relies on monetising the 1 billion WeChat accounts while the other is a genuine internet commerce transactions business model.

A 20%-50% stake would allow them to exit gloriously but “business builders” they are not really in the true terms of the words.


Over Reliance

Already there have been 24 companies (over the last 2 years) which have indicated or flagged in their IPOs that Tencent or Alibaba are risk factors. Tencent or Alibaba could adversely affect the business of these 24 companies if there happens to be a fallout between the companies and the two giants (who are usually substantial shareholders as well).

To get a sense of how ridiculous the situation is. A startup will no longer say “we are going to list on Shanghai Exchange or Shenzhen Exchange”…, it would be closer to the truth if they said “we are going to be listed via Tencent/Alibaba”.


Danger

Danger is the “interlocking relationships” which already give rise to collusions and manipulations. If you control enough listed companies, say 20 or 40, on one exchange, who is to say you do not “MANAGE” earnings between one or the other??!!

Another is that both Tencent and Alibaba can and will get so big with its array of 50-100 listed companies that they may end up controlling 20% of the total market capitalisation of an exchange. What if that figure goes to 30%? What if its 40%? Left unabated, its the recipe for the biggest bubble ever.


Governance

The US has a stronger regulatory regime. China needs a strong Anti-Monopolies unit to make specific recommendations. You may not be able to stop Alibaba or Tencent in investing in startups, but may could include rules that forces both of them to hold less than 5% upon listing.

That will make it more realistic for investors to view the company being listed. Or determine that if more than 50% of earnings were derived from ONE FACTOR or CLIENT, that these startups cannot get listed. 

If more than 50% of your earnings depended on being on Tencent’s platform, there’s really no reason for you to be listed because you cannot do without Tencent. Its more meaningful and fairer to absorb the whole unit under Tencent.


Beijing’s Balance Beam

Beijing better start muscling in to regulate and govern the rise and rise of tech giants in China for its own sake. The flip side to the current trade wars is the inherently unfair practices by China over global patents and its royalties. To a large extent, that is to help Chinese tech firms grow without much baggage. The time has come to rebalance the two. Rein in your top few tech giants, and be more forthcoming and pliable with respect to global patents and royalty payments.