tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154869252024-03-07T11:01:17.781-08:00If Action Speaks Louder Than Words, Than Why Is The Pen Mightier Than The Sword ??A Lost cause that may not be so lost after allSherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-15706132125593927802010-10-28T00:57:00.001-07:002010-10-28T00:57:49.532-07:00English 101<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 100%;">Dearest creature in creation,<br />
Study English pronunciation.<br />
I will teach you in my verse<br />
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.<br />
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,<br />
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.<br />
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.<br />
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.<br />
<br />
Just compare heart, beard, and heard,<br />
Dies and diet, lord and word,<br />
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.<br />
(Mind the latter, how it's written.)<br />
Now I surely will not plague you<br />
With such words as plaque and ague.<br />
But be careful how you speak:<br />
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;<br />
Cloven, oven, how and low,<br />
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.<br />
<br />
Hear me say, devoid of trickery,<br />
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,<br />
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,<br />
Exiles, similes, and reviles;<br />
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,<br />
Solar, mica, war and far;<br />
One, anemone, Balmoral,<br />
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;<br />
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,<br />
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.<br />
<br />
Billet does not rhyme with ballet,<br />
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.<br />
Blood and flood are not like food,<br />
Nor is mould like should and would.<br />
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,<br />
Toward, to forward, to reward.<br />
And your pronunciation's OK<br />
When you correctly say croquet,<br />
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,<br />
Friend and fiend, alive and live.<br />
<br />
Ivy, privy, famous; clamour<br />
And enamour rhyme with hammer.<br />
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,<br />
Doll and roll and some and home.<br />
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,<br />
Neither does devour with clangour.<br />
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,<br />
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,<br />
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,<br />
And then singer, ginger, linger,<br />
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,<br />
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.<br />
<br />
Query does not rhyme with very,<br />
Nor does fury sound like bury.<br />
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.<br />
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.<br />
Though the differences seem little,<br />
We say actual but victual.<br />
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.<br />
Foeffer does, and zephyr, heifer.<br />
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;<br />
Dull, bull, and George ate late.<br />
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,<br />
Science, conscience, scientific.<br />
<br />
Liberty, library, heave and heaven,<br />
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.<br />
We say hallowed, but allowed,<br />
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.<br />
Mark the differences, moreover,<br />
Between mover, cover, clover;<br />
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,<br />
Chalice, but police and lice;<br />
Camel, constable, unstable,<br />
Principle, disciple, label.<br />
<br />
Petal, panel, and canal,<br />
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.<br />
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,<br />
Senator, spectator, mayor.<br />
Tour, but our and succour, four.<br />
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.<br />
Sea, idea, Korea, area,<br />
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.<br />
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.<br />
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.<br />
<br />
Compare alien with Italian,<br />
Dandelion and battalion.<br />
Sally with ally, yea, ye,<br />
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.<br />
Say aver, but ever, fever,<br />
Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.<br />
Heron, granary, canary.<br />
Crevice and device and aerie.<br />
<br />
Face, but preface, not efface.<br />
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.<br />
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,<br />
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.<br />
Ear, but earn and wear and tear<br />
Do not rhyme with here but ere.<br />
Seven is right, but so is even,<br />
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,<br />
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,<br />
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.<br />
<br />
Pronunciation -- think of Psyche!<br />
Is a paling stout and spikey?<br />
Won't it make you lose your wits,<br />
Writing groats and saying grits?<br />
It's a dark abyss or tunnel:<br />
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,<br />
Islington and Isle of Wight,<br />
Housewife, verdict and indict.<br />
<br />
Finally, which rhymes with enough --<br />
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?<br />
Hiccough has the sound of cup.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 100%;">My advice is to give up!!!</span>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-41101699621947055142010-10-27T03:32:00.000-07:002010-10-27T03:32:56.813-07:00Teenhood 101When you first become a parent, nobody tells you that the tiny, cute, little baby in your arms will someday grow up to be a teenager. Oh sure, we all expect it to happen, but seriously, are any of us fully prepared for the teen years?<br />
<br />
One of the first things you notice as your child morphs into a teenager is sleep. They do it all the time. I swear some days my teen sits at the breakfast table, eyes fully open, shoveling food in his mouth and all the while he’s totally asleep. Turns out teens need lots and lots of sleep. Which isn’t the problem.<br />
But waking them up? That’s the problem. Seriously. I’d rather wake up a bear two days before hibernation ends than wake up a teenager in the morning.<br />
<br />
Waking a teen is dangerous. It requires you to go into the teen’s native habitat (his room) and tell him to stop sleeping. Really. Once you’ve tried this, I swear to you, the bear thing looks better and better.<span> </span> Anyway, through extensive personal research and at great risk to life and limb, I have come up with a way to awaken a typical teenager without having my head ripped off.<br />
<br />
First, understand that the teenager’s bedroom must be approached with extreme caution. The teenage species has laid many traps to deter waking. These traps include piles of clothing, shoes and textbooks on the floor.<br />
Once you have approached the teenager and gotten through the hidden traps, you should stop and assess the situation before proceeding further. If there are animals in the room (other than the teen), use treats and/or your best happy voice to lure the animals from the bed.<br />
<br />
Congratulations! Now the teenager is defenseless, except for his smart mouth.<br />
At this point, you will need to locate the teen. Like many of his species, the teen will be wrapped in a cocoon of blankets with pillows stacked on his head. Due to the mess associated with their habitat, finding the teen in all the piles can be difficult.<span> </span> However, if you simply locate the cords to his ear buds and carefully follow them, you will discover the teen’s head. Note: If you locate his iPod, you are on the wrong end. Just follow the cords the opposite direction.<br />
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Now that you have located the elusive teen, you can wake his butt up. My favorite way to do so is the “let the sunshine in” method. By simply opening all the shutters and turning on the lights, the room is flooded with intense light that even the most buried teen cannot bear.<span> </span> If they yell or scream, “it’s too bright” you can be certain the method worked and that they are awake.<br />
<br />
Once the teen is awake, his primitive response system will send him into “fight or flight mode” which means he will curl up into a tiny ball, pull all the blankets over his head, stack some pillows on top and ignore you (some teens will also whimper and cry; don’t fall for this, it’s just a ploy to let them sleep for 5 more minutes).<span> </span> At this point in the teen wake up process it is critical that you do not leave the room. To do so will enable the teen to sleep even longer, ensuring the teen misses his 0 period class.<br />
Your only choice now is to scream “get your butt out of bed now” and then steal his iPod. <span> </span>Really. That whole bear thing is looking better, isn’t it?<br />
<br />
Now there are other methods, such as allowing the teen to set his alarm clock. In my personal experience, this method doesn’t work well. Once the teen hits the snooze button, he will immediately fall back into a deep sleep. I also know of parents who have tried increasingly desperate methods such as allowing siblings to jump on the bed, playing a bugle or pouring water on the teen, but I don’t support those methods. Frankly, the siblings could lose an eye, I don’t play the bugle and the water just gets the mattress all wet and makes the teen even more smart-mouthed than usual.<br />
<br />
Of course, once you wake up the bear, you could send him into the teen’s room. That could work.Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-73472710594566585882010-07-21T23:06:00.000-07:002010-07-21T23:06:55.771-07:00Proton Exora: The Cool Fat Kid With An Attitude<div style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4580" height="378" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280119-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280119-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="504" />The Proton Exora was one of the nations most anticipated model from the national car maker Proton. Right from day one, when the project was in the drawing board, Proton’s latest baby was expected to perform a very large task for its maker. It not only had the distinction of being the nation’s 1st localized MPV, something that the Kia derived Ria and Citra models were never going to achieve since they were essentially re-badged versions of the Korean version with a few bits of local content to make it affordable for the Malaysian buyers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Exora had a lot riding in it for Proton as well. Battered by Perodua for large parts of 2009 , the Exora was expected to help Proton gain back the position it once held as the undisputed market leader in the Malaysian auto industry.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280121-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-4815 alignleft" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280121-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280121-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>With the Saga BLM and Persona taking the fight to Perodua’s Myvi and Viva, the highly anticipated Exora was certainly going to be the manufacturers wingman of sorts to help it claw back and attempt to be Malaysia’s top automaker once again. The mammoth task that was expected of it became even harder when Perodua announced the production of the Alza, which was basically an elongated version of the Myvi variant.</div><br />
Proton also had a point to prove to the general public’s perception of the company’s once iconic image. Years of shoddy build quality, botched and rubbish OEM equipment as well as dated designs sent Proton on a downward spiral throughout the early parts of the new millennium.<br />
<br />
With the market now boasting the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Kia with their attractively priced cars, Proton was pushed into a corner and starting with the Saga BLM and Persona have decided on an all almighty fightback. Hence, it was fitting that the Exora was going to be the new Gold standard in which all future Proton cars were going to be judged on.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280160-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4737" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280160-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280160-Medium.jpg" width="302" /></a><br />
The Exora, with all the weight on its shoulders, certainly does not flatter to deceive. It cuts it close in certain key areas, but in all is a very passionate and genuine attempt by the management and engineers of Proton in coming up with something that could have been truly brilliant. The equipment level, the spacious design, the attention to detail, the Euro Ncap safety ratings and the brilliant handling are just some of the aspects Proton has championed on this time.<br />
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With all the hype over the Exora finally reaching calming levels, Proton finally was able to finally let me have the H-line edition for a week’s worth of thrashing around.<br />
<br />
<b>Ride & Handling</b><br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280140-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4739" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280140-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280140-Medium.jpg" width="302" /></a>For a vehicle this size, the ride quality was rather good. The one thing Proton’s engineers tend to get right almost all the time is that oh-so-sweet handling. Its great to know that all the input by Lotus has not gone to waste and I am brave enough to say that Proton makes among the best handling cars in Asia, one that is easily comparable to other powerhouses like Honda and Nissan.<br />
<br />
The steering feels absolutely solid and has a nice balance of heft and assistance, which is also very linear and consistent, regardless of the load in question.<br />
<br />
Another positive feature is the tight and crisp turning circle of the Exora. This is mainly due to the compactness of the engine, which means the front wheels of the Exora can be turned so much that anyone can execute a neat turn in any tight spot.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Interior</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The flexibility of the cabin is also a trump card for the Exora. The 2nd and 3rd row seats can be folded down individually to offer various kinds of combinations to carry passengers, luggage or over-sized merchandise. The best feature was indeed the the simplicity of the of the mechanism that operates the 2nd row of seats. All it takes is a mere 2 or so seconds to fold and move it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280205-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-4725 alignright" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280205-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280205-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>Best of all is the ease of doing it. It was basically a 1 hand 1 lever mechanism. The last row of seats are also equally easy to operate. You pull 2 straps and a lever and hey presto the seats are down or up. When fully folded, you can see the sheer size of the the Exora’s carnivorous body. The seats fold flat on the floor and thus offer great access and ease to load and unload odd-sized or heavy objects.</div><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280203-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4728" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280203-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280203-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280200-Medium1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4752" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280200-Medium1.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280200-Medium1.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>All three rows are comfortable, and a large sized person can easily fit into the third row comfortably. When seated in the rear, I found it quite comfortable and spacious with my knees barely touching the second row. Another point to consider is that the third row is quite wide and its not an overstatement to say that two large persons are actually able to fit without rubbing shoulders. On the negative side, there are no ISOFIX points for the seats and there was only a lap belt for the middle seat in the second row instead of a full 3-point system.<br />
<br />
The air conditioning in the Exora, like all other Protons, was superb, thanks mainly to the inclusion of two blowers, one for the front and the other for the rear rows. There are air conditioning vents for all 3 rows, with the vents for the 2nd and 3rd row located above the windows.<br />
<br />
The Proton Exora H-Line comes with cruise control, a roof mounted LCD screen and a DVD player. The DVD player is a separate roof-mounted unit which is not integrated with the in-car entertainment system. It allows you to stream the audio from the DVD to the head unit installed up front via FM transmission or alternatively, the kids /passengers at the back can actually plug in headphones to the DVD player via the two 3.5mm headphone jacks.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290130-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4731" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290130-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290130-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280207-Medium1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-4756 alignright" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280207-Medium1.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280207-Medium1.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>Compared to the M-Line version, the H- Line edition Exora has slightly different trim on the outside. There is chrome for the grille and rear, as well as blacked out B and C pillars using black stickers. It’s good to know that the Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming functionality of the 2-DIN head unit has been retained in the M-Line.<br />
<br />
Another interesting feature were the leather seats in the H-Line version which has a combination of materials. The leather seats are also pretty adequate if not average looking. The engineers have incorporated a type of suede-like material at the sides of the leather seats, which they say was intentionally left there so that the leather would be allowed to expand and contract in a certain way under the hot Malaysian climate and thus reduce the chances of them cracking. This, in my opinion, was an act of pure genius and hats off to the Proton engineer / interior designer who came up with the idea.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> Extras</b></div><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/3314319129_526dc89cbf_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4767" height="237" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/3314319129_526dc89cbf_o.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/3314319129_526dc89cbf_o.jpg" style="display: block;" width="315" /></a>The Exora also comes equipped with a Body Control Module that was supplied by Continental Siemens AG. Some of the interesting features I found while driving were the battery saver for room lamps, luggage and key ring illumination. These automatically turn off after 30 seconds to ensure battery life is maintained, should for any reason they are left switched on for an extended period of time. The Exora also has follow-me-home headlamps, which stay on for a short period of time to help illuminate the driver’s path for a short period after parking. There is a door opened indicator on the instrument panel that indicates exactly which door, bonnet or rear hatch is not securely fastened. If that eludes you, there is also a door opened warning beep when you exceed 7km/h.<br />
<br />
The signal indicator stalk was something quite interesting. You just have to tap the indicator stalk for the signal to flash 3 times, to indicate a quick lane change, which means you don’t need to fully engage the indicator stalk to turn on and reach for it again to deactivate it. The dim-in and dim-out feature for the cabin adds a slight touch of luxury to the Exora . The cabin lamps turn off automatically after you lock the car, staying on for 30 seconds and then takes 3 seconds to fade out. When unlocking the car, the cabin light fades-in in 4 seconds.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290134-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4769" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290134-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1290134-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>Front and rear wiper washer drip wiping is perhaps the feature i thought was so Un-Proton-ish. The wipers automatically remove excess water when you operate the front washer, it will wipe 4 times and then pause for around 5 or so seconds and then wipe one more time, to remove all the excess water effectively. This is because some of the washer liquid from the top of the windscreen will slowly drip down after the initial wiping, so the last wipe completely removes the washer water. This is a rather neat trick that not many cars I know have.<br />
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The doors will also lock automatically once you reach 20km/h but its long been a feature in most cars today and I am glad Proton did not forget that. The doors will also unlock automatically once you remove the key from the key barrel. If you perform any sudden braking at speeds of at least 96 ++km/h, the hazard lights will flash automatically.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
<b>Engine</b><br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dscn1160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4723" height="240" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dscn1160.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dscn1160.jpg" style="display: block;" width="320" /></a> I have deliberately left the engine review at the end because that probably is the Exora’s biggest flaw. The engine on the Exora has got to be the biggest disappointment in this otherwise decent package by Proton. The one dimensional 1.6 Campro CPS engine that powers the Exora as well as the Waja, Gen 2, and Satria Neo kicks out a decent 125hp with a respectable 150Nm of torque.<br />
<br />
While seemingly sufficient in a normal passenger car, the same engine on a “fat” MPV means the performance is critically affected. Proton of course couldn’t do much about this since the CPS is the only engine series it now makes. The aging Perdana’s Japanese sourced 2.0L V6′s were too old and suffered from poor fuel consumption while outsourcing the engines from a different partner would have sent costs up, which would have meant a higher retail price for the Exora. A joint-venture project with a “certain” German automaker would have at least temporarily offset the problem but unfortunately it never did take off.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280189-Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4822" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280189-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280189-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="302" /></a>Another crucial point the people considering to utilize the Exora as a full 7-seater is its fuel consumption. After covering over 400km’s of city driving, highway cruises, hill climbs and coastal runs on the Exora, the Auto returned a figure of 11.2L/100km on average driving speeds (90km/h – 110km/h). The worst figure indicated by the trip computer was 16.2 L/100km when pushed hard with a full load along the back roads of the PD-Alor Gajah coastal route. My Mazda Lantis does the exact route with a rate of 9.7L/ 100km/h while a another trial in a rival MPV with an 1.8 engine got me around 14.8L / 100km. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The 1.6L engine does require some high revving, hence the slightly high fuel burn rate, but you also take into account the characteristics of the CAMPRO CPS engine as well as the sheer weight of the Exora. On the bright side, with the 55L tank, I estimate a that a range of 550-600 km could be attained on a full tank.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Verdict</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4820" height="360" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280146-Medium.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P1280146-Medium.jpg" style="display: block;" width="480" />The Exora is almost certainly never going to win any standing start races, or fuel economy runs or hill-climbs. An excellent vehicle mated to a very 1 dimensional powerplant and with a slightly unbalanced gear ratio is never going to win many fans in any market. Proton does thou, somehow manage to pull it off thanks to its attention to other details that bring it up to mark against its other rivals. Boasting a very affordable price tag for a ton of features that comes as standard on the H-Line , the Exora certainly has to be in my opinion the best Proton yet. If you have the urge to get an MPV in the near future, I'd suggest you hold onto your horses till Proton releases its turbocharged version of the CPS engine, hopefully by the end of this year or early next year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Exora will always be the last kid that arrives at the party, but when it arrives it tends to be the main attraction of the party since it probably ferried half the crowd there along with all the items for the party. With a price tag of just over RM 75,000.00, Proton just may have among the best budget MPV’s for the road today. Lets all hope the guys from Quality Control are in tune with Proton’s new vision on building quality national cars for the new decade</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #339966;"><span style="color: #339966;"><b>Pros</b></span> </span>: Maxed out with features, looks good, does the job adequately, Best value for money MPV in the market now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Cons</b></span> : Doesn’t have a turbo, build quality still not perfect, did i mention it needs a turbo?</div>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-2194996631394758662010-07-21T22:45:00.000-07:002010-07-21T22:47:35.674-07:00Will The Real Proton Please Stand Up!Proton manufactured close to 120,000 vehicles this year but only a dismal 20% of it was built for the export market. In the lightning pace of the automotive industry today, it is a small wonder why Proton is finding it hard to keep up overseas and increasingly in Malaysia as well. Product life cycles from other automakers are getting ever shorter to the extent that it feels as though carmakers are introducing a new model line-up virtually every year. <br />
Compare this to Proton, whom only unveil on average 1 new model or model variant a year with great fanfare during the Merdeka period. This replacement rate simply won’t do for consumers who have grown accustomed to seeing fresh models in the forecourts of its competitors.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ru_02.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Saga Launch" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3552" height="325" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ru_02.11.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ru_02.11.jpg" style="display: block;" width="375" /></a>In fact, many of Proton’s own Middle Eastern distributors lamented the same when they gave up the business. While Toyota, Honda and the rest were springing models left and right, Proton’s languid pace with its boring facelifts and average replacement models fail to hold the buyers’ interest whom for now are prepared to stick with them thanks to the government’s absurd tax rate on non-Malaysian makes and not to mention its Pro-Proton NAP policies which Proton certainly had a hand in its implementation.<br />
The dire situation of this slowdown is because Proton cannot afford to have it any faster. Not when its rate of returns is so low.Then there is the matter of price. In Malaysia, Proton prices are kept comparatively lower to foreign manufacturers through protectionism. This, unfortunately, is an advantage the company cannot count on in foreign markets.The Savvy, for instance, starts at RM 44,000 in the UK, which is one of the few markets that Proton exports its cars to. For that kind of money in the UK ,you can actually get a much better Kia Picanto and still be left wit a change of RM 12,000 to blow. Or if 1 decided to push it, they can even opt for the basic VW Polo which certainly is almost 4 times the car that the Savvy is.<br />
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With manufacturers pushing well into seven-figure production territory, Proton’s 108,405 does it no favours at all. Unable to generate the kind of volumes that any mass-market manufacturer needs to be viable, Proton cannot hope to match the scale that its competitors compete on<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="saga" border="0" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3553" height="240" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saga.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saga.jpg" style="display: block;" width="325" /></a>To have Proton address its dismal exports with urgency is to have it treat a symptom and not the problem. Exports are poor because the fundamentals of the company are poor. Its product replacement cycles are far too long for today’s market and it simply doesn’t have the kind of numbers to be able to match the prices the Koreans offer.<br />
Before Proton can hope to get its exports up to where it needs to be, it will need to solve these problems first. And it is very unlikely that it will be able to do it alone. There may have been a time when it once was flushed with cash but this is no longer the case. A fiercely competitive market at home has made sure of that. All this thanks to the geniuses in Toyota and Honda whom came up with the City and the Vios and which has taken Proton and its substandard cars to the clothesline and hung them to dry.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lungs_493x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Campro CPS" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-3554 alignleft" height="197" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lungs_493x300.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lungs_493x300.jpg" style="display: block;" width="323" /></a>No, to do this Proton will need a partner that can help shoulder the exorbitant costs of keeping up with the rest of the pack or to give it access to technology that’s already been developed. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel each and every time.<br />
The Volkswagen tie-up seemed its best bet at the time but it chose to rebuff the protracted flirtations. Now, Volkswagen is busy with its own marriage to Porsche. And the rest of the big players in the world are also busy licking their own wounds.<br />
Fresh from the economic crisis, Proton will have fewer healthy partners to choose from and it is itself no longer the jewel it once was. But the situation remains unchanged, then as now.<br />
Without outside assistance, exports will be the least of Proton’s concerns.Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-26838329234102393002010-07-21T22:28:00.000-07:002010-07-21T22:47:15.731-07:00My Date With The Alza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250405-Custom2.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4005" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250405-Custom2.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250405-Custom2.jpg" /></a> The Perodua Alza was indeed the most anticipated car in 2009 for the Malaysian public and to an extent was even more over rated in its publicity than its rival from Proton which was the Exora. With so much riding on it, we decided to give the Alza a run for its money and we have to admit the Alza ticks almost all the boxes. Yes,almost all but not ALL. With its sibling, the Perodua Myvi still topping sales charts month after month, much was expected of this car or what they call as, Car 1 moment, MPV the next.<br />
For some weird reason as Perodua puts it, the Myvi is turning out to be a cult car among Malaysians. Its only a matter of time before everyother car we see on the road turns out to be a Myvi. Perodua wisely used the same platform for their newest baby and are certain to have created another winner in the making based on strong interest even before 1<sup>st</sup> model rolled off the production line.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alza-dash3-300x180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4007" height="180" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alza-dash3-300x180.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alza-dash3-300x180.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250394-Custom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4037" height="240" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250394-Custom.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250394-Custom.jpg" style="display: block;" width="320" /></a> So we decided to take it out on spin and see what the “epic” Perodua Alza is all about. For starters, almost 90% of the design is based from the Myvi and when you see it in person it might actually strike you as just another Myvi but with a bigger booth. The similiarites just doesnt end there thou as the rest of the cabin also has borrowed large chunks of the Myvi for its interior design. The car does look very pretty in very Malaysian sense thou judging by the amount of looks we got when we took this car out for a proper spin around town and the coastal roads of Morib and Tanjung Karang.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250352-Custom-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4010" height="225" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250352-Custom-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250352-Custom-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a>The Alza we sampled is an SXi, which means it’s the Premium spec manual transmission variant priced at RM61,000 OTR. What you get over the Standard model includes ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, dual airbags, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, leather wrapped steering with audio controls, driver seat height adjuster, fog lamps, rear spoiler, higher grade seat fabric and a silver trimmed cabin. That certainly is a lot of added equipment for an extra RM5,000.<br />
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The Alza is powered by the 3SZ-VE 1.5-litre engine which is the same cast iron block that powers the Toyota Avanza 1.5 and Rush. The unit on the Perodua is reported to produce close to 103 hp with 136 nm’s of torque on tap for the driver. This figure is only slightly lower than that of the Avanza’s suggesting Perodua might have re-tuned to the engine for marginally better economy. The test unit we got was equipped with a 5 speed manual transmission but the auto box is expected to be the more appealing and preferred option among the buyers.<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Performance</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250402-Custom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4015" height="336" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250402-Custom.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250402-Custom.jpg" style="display: block;" width="447" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span>The engine was surprisingly rev happy and since it was a manual, the Alza peeled away from traffic lights during standing starts amazingly fast. In fact many of the Wira’s and Waja’s we encountered while waiting in traffic seemed like small dots on the rear view mirrors (for a few seconds). Shame the manual box wasn’t a willing partner in this pursuit thou. The gears felt very sticky and rubbery to an extent and not to mention required abit of extra effort especially when shifting down from Gear 2 to Gear 1. The compactness or tightness of the gearbox also meant that we were constantly shifting to 5th instead of 3rd and is something that Perodua might want to look at in the later models. Nevertheless the Alza scores alot of points for being able to sustain its pace with minimal effort as well being rev happy. This means you’d be more than happy to floor the throttle at the expense of the fuel economy but be rewarded with a rather powerful surge from the 1.5litre 4pot engine. The engine does get a tad noisy after 3500 rpm’s which in the Alza should translate to about 105km/h at 5th gear.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DSC_0067b2.jpg_7702-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4017" height="200" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DSC_0067b2.jpg_7702-300x200.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DSC_0067b2.jpg_7702-300x200.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a> Throw in the another 3 passengers in the back seat and the performance starts to dip. A lot more effort is required to move the machine but it does manage to rake up the miles once its on the go. The key factor here being momentum. Overtaking is not much of problem as well as the manual transmission copes rather well in 3rd and 4th and would rarely require you to drop to a gear lower than that.<br />
But if you throw in another 2 or 3 passengers in the back and choose to utilize it as a people carrier, that is when your problems might start to suffice. While the car manages to still respectably peel away from standing starts, you will find your right foot going deeper and deeper in order to get moving. This means fuel economy will be rather average but for most mpv owners this isn’t too much of a problem since it is compensated with the extra weight carried.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Handling</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250397-Custom1-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-medium wp-image-4028 alignleft" height="227" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250397-Custom1-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250397-Custom1-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="285" /></a>The driving experience in the Alza is also rather pleasant. The ride is prettydecent and the suspension soaks up bumps rather well. Grip during cornering and high speed cornering is rather good for a fact and the car seems very stable as well during cornering. Body roll is at a minimum but we suspect the rear passengers especially those in the 3rd row might have a bit more complaints regarding the ride comfort but we figure the Alza will be more frequently used as 5 passenger car so this may have been an area Perodua might have chosen to ignore so it could keep the ride firm and car like. The 15inch wheels look good and are perhaps the best compromise between price and handling ability but we feel 16 or 17 inch wheels would be a much better option for more grip on the road.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Space</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250358-Custom1-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4034" height="225" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250358-Custom1-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250358-Custom1-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a>Space wise, the Alza feels much smaller than the Exora inside, and should be about the size of a Grand Livina. Like most Perodua’s the car is rather skinny meaning the 3 passengers in the back would have to cramp up slightly in order to fit. The head room thou is pretty high and should be more than adequate for the average Malaysian. Stepping into the Alza is rather easy. The doors open rather widely and the height is just perfect which means 1 does not have to “climb into the car.<br />
Access to the third row is trickier. The Alza lacks a tumble fold system for the second row, which means you’ll need to fold down the seat back and pull the base which is a two-step operation that’s less convenient. Once that’s done, the opening is small and those who are less nimble might have slight difficulties entering.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250368-Custom-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4033" height="225" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250368-Custom-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250368-Custom-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a><br />
When put side by side to the Grand Livina, the Alza seems to measure almost the same. The Exora thou is certainly both longer and wider than the Alza suggesting a more comfortable enviroment for 7 seated adults. The key factor here being that the Exora and Grand Livina being fully fledged MPV’s while the Perodua is more of an elongated car.<br />
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Having fully foldable seats also meant you can easily configure the mpv to any sort of set up to ferry your goods. This makes shopping fun as you could get abit more creative with your purchases and not have to worry about shipping fees.When on 7 seater mode thou, the rear space is absolutely limited. At most you could get away with a few backpacks stacked vertically.<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250383-Custom-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4036" height="225" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250383-Custom-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250383-Custom-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250385-Custom1-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4035" height="225" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250385-Custom1-300x225.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250385-Custom1-300x225.jpg" style="display: block;" width="300" /></a><br />
The 1 thing we liked about the ALZA was its numerous cubby holes, cup holders and rather pleasant looking dashboard. The only shame was the rather plain and cheap looking air cond controls. The audio system is bluetooth compatible and has a USB slot as well which we think is a rather novel touch. The standard OEM speakers looked up for the job but had a slight buzz when playing tracks with a lot of bass in it.<br />
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CONCLUSION<br />
<a href="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250365-Custom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4032" height="336" original="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250365-Custom.jpg" src="http://www.wemotor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PC250365-Custom.jpg" style="display: block;" width="447" /></a>As an MPV, it’s far from perfect. But to its credit, Perodua doesn’t call the Alza a full-sized MPV, preferring the “5+2″ occasional seven seater status. And if viewed as a bigger Myvi with much better legroom, a huge boot and two “emergency seats” the Alza becomes a brilliant proposition. We can see how popular the Myvi is with Malaysians, and if given more of the same with the abovementioned benefits at a small premium, there’s no reason why the Alza won’t be a runaway success. As a bonus, the Alza has adequate performance and is entirely decent to drive.Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-58420877164497067202010-07-21T21:54:00.001-07:002010-07-21T21:57:50.848-07:00The Kancil's Curtain call15 years ago, a car for the Malaysian masses was created. A small compact car that was aimed at 1st time buyers,or the lower income group as well as for career upstarts who needed a small nippy car that was both fuel efficient and compact to be zipped around town. The car that built a company and moved a nation. What am I speaking about? Well, its the PERODUA KANCIL. The car that made Perodua, PERODUA.<br />
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As I witnessed the final rollout of the 722 223rd Kancil to be rolled out of the company’s vast assembly plant in Rawang, the sense of nostalgia was evident upon the hierachy of the upper management,the workers,the suppliers and from us the media representatives. That the Kancil was a rousing succes was not the primary issue, the fact was, this is the car, 2nd only to our very own Proton Saga which is a Malaysian Dream by it self in the 80′s, to have moved so many Malaysians of every age group,gender,race and income.<br />
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Youths would fondly remember this car as the main reason they have their licensces. Urbanites were awed with the small zappy characteristics of this car as they zipped in and out the traffic jams that plague our cities. Housewives would know the extent of being able to park in the tightest of spots as they make a run to the market or a beeline to the sale at the notoriusly packed and shopping unfriendly shopping districts of Malaysia. Village folk appreciated the Kancil for its no nonsense styling and for the simple fact that it gave them a proper reason to upgrade from their kapchai’s to a proper 4 wheeled runabout and I could just go on rambling about this because 1 thing for sure, this 4 wheeled compact was the only car at that point of time to have basically played a part in many a Malaysian’s life.<br />
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From the time you use to sit with your big sedans on the road and watch in horror as the Kancil nipped past you in heavy traffic and found a way out of the jam, the times you thought there was an empty slot in the car park only to your frustration to find a neatly parked sly looking Kancil sitting there harmlessly, neatly hidden by plain view from the towering twin cab on the right and the equally menacing Japanese family car on the left.<br />
For many of us, the end of the production of this model from Perodua brought a deep sense of nostalgia. At the assembly plant, there was an eerie silence as the Managing Director announced the end of its production. There were some workers who seemed like they had indeed lost a family member.<br />
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Sadness and nostalgia aside, the Kancil was indeed due for replacement. In a world littered by technological acronyms like VVTI,VTEC,DURATEC,SOHC, Fuel- Injection and many more, the Kancil for one, was certainly lost in the sea of its more fuel efficient and good looking rivals. Despite having launched the Viva to replace the good ol Mousedeer sometime back, the sales volume remained highly impressive for the Kancil.<br />
Fast forward to the present thou and the bankers induced global financial crisis seems to have whetted the Malaysian appetite for small cars.<br />
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The name of the game now was Fuel Economy and despite being a small car with a small engine, the fuel savings offered by a new generation Vios and City were suddenly a more attractive option. Not like the Malaysian car buyers needed another reason to plonk their savings on a Japanese car thou. The Little Kancil with its modest old tech engine with its carburetor engine had indeed reached the end of a cycle.<br />
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The Perodua Kancil, or Nippa in the UK and the Daihatsu Ceria in Indonesia rolled out for its final appearance in front of a packed assembly plant and despite being surrounded by the vast amount of machinery and people present, it held its own for its final public appearance.<br />
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Perodua Kancil. The Car That Built a Company and Moved a NationSherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-60499770349459279562010-07-21T21:29:00.000-07:002010-07-21T21:44:38.304-07:00The Sad Sad Saab Story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiferRfPlsyB7O_H8L_BcmaYkxZPA5baoykHtWVkDwD5F6mPeqmn37g0KwqIgfaSxS0Z5qd_IJTk_Xm1BhMWkT1AGgPwZ-Y1VDa7wSP0BhA4Jn9fV7YaPHUFucpikqTciId-kD6nQ/s1600/3685251776_1b4e0ee17c.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiferRfPlsyB7O_H8L_BcmaYkxZPA5baoykHtWVkDwD5F6mPeqmn37g0KwqIgfaSxS0Z5qd_IJTk_Xm1BhMWkT1AGgPwZ-Y1VDa7wSP0BhA4Jn9fV7YaPHUFucpikqTciId-kD6nQ/s320/3685251776_1b4e0ee17c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496583929998076754" border="0" /></a>As we all know , the Saab brand which is owned by GM has been on the chopping board for the good part of this whole year. It seems the financial fiasco of 2009 has been the final nail in the coffin for this Swedish manufacturer of aeroplanes and automotive masterpieces. The Saab brand has a love hate relationship with many car enthusiasts out there. From its quirky looks to its insane turbocharged engines, the Saab brand has made many instrumental innovations in the creation of the everyday cars we see on the road this days. The Saab division has attracted many suitors but GM seems to pretty much want to shut it down despite multiple offers from both <strong><em></em></strong><a href="http://www.google.com.my/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&hs=sD1&ei=R4wwS_iAN8uLkAXYvrzsCA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAYQBSgA&q=Koenigsegg&spell=1" rel="nofollow"><strong><em></em></strong></a><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><em></em></strong></span> </strong>Spyker and Koenigsegg as well Geely from China. <p>The Saab automobile operation was started as sub operation of an airplane company in the late 1940s. SAAB actually stands for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, or Swedish Aircraft Co. Despite having no experience designing cars, its talented aeronautical engineers decided to build a car their way . This was basically transformed into a lightweight, rigid, aerodynamic and ergonomic automobile.<br /></p><p>Being Swedish, they were also very practical and the cars were pretty well engineered and planned<br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBHjBFlzEDy3wK5NImgIN65gTOdf-xgOa9kel22Zmj4KJ6BFjDWBA6CdzhwZdKGt72N7G071jHo-OUOriTbKBp0HQLT2wfceC58L7KZy63lNTao8cGE8MIDTMvClmtrcxZrcyxg/s1600/saab_m_m.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBHjBFlzEDy3wK5NImgIN65gTOdf-xgOa9kel22Zmj4KJ6BFjDWBA6CdzhwZdKGt72N7G071jHo-OUOriTbKBp0HQLT2wfceC58L7KZy63lNTao8cGE8MIDTMvClmtrcxZrcyxg/s320/saab_m_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496584722351554130" border="0" /></a></p><p>“Form follows function” has long been the mantra at Saab, along with safety and intelligent design. Saab’s early cars had lightweight, high-revving two-stroke engines coupled to a neutral chassis that allowed the cars to be flung around the rally circuits of Europe with great success.</p> <p>Being front-wheel-drive, which was a rarity in those early days, they were also perfectly suited to winter driving conditions and won themselves a cult following in the Balkan countries as well as in the northern states of the US. They looked just a little strange compared to your average car, and they were certainly configured differently, but it was these differences that made people appreciate them.</p> <p>n the 1970s, Saab unveiled their Combi-Coupe body design which has become the single most identifiable Saab shape. This versatile hatchback gave Saabs a sleek, sporting profile, and the folding rear seats opened up a cavernous luggage area</p> <p>Later that same decade, Saab pioneered <strong>turbocharging</strong> for the everyday car. Whilst a few manufacturers had experimented with turbos before this, Saab was one of the first to get the formula right and make it available in what was essentially a Swedish family car . This was the day the world saw the Saab 99 Turbo.</p> <p>Turbocharged engines became a common feature of the Saab lineup and remain so today. The Saab 900 Turbo was sold from 1979 to 1993 and is still considered by enthusiasts to be the “Saabiest” Saab ever made. It combined a luxurious, well-appointed interior with cutting-edge turbo technology and the Combi Coupe’s trademark load capacity. It really was a car that you could take to Home Depot in the morning and then give a good thrashing to on the racetrack in the afternoon.</p> <p>The 1980s also saw the birth of the Saab Convertible, an icon conceived wh<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXFrW0GnD92l5NodQRzwhwCVIBa9fkNTvOimfjPPsXiM90kF0KZWZSPtcVfrXtZ42auMB04h5QrQNlv6bPZZkDp5mVhYM2KdLcOPYYrI71UKJZyszFCKwOPhpqnkML6IcDtKP6g/s1600/104-saab-99-turbo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXFrW0GnD92l5NodQRzwhwCVIBa9fkNTvOimfjPPsXiM90kF0KZWZSPtcVfrXtZ42auMB04h5QrQNlv6bPZZkDp5mVhYM2KdLcOPYYrI71UKJZyszFCKwOPhpqnkML6IcDtKP6g/s320/104-saab-99-turbo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496586689053127970" border="0" /></a>en Saab USA’s legendary chief, the late Robert J Sinclair, was forced by his bosses in Sweden to take a quantity of unpopular two-door Saab 900s to sell in the U.S. Bob agreed to take the vehicles so long as he could name his desired specification, which included power windows and other modern amenities of the time, and no roof.</p> <p>Bob commissioned a prototype from the American Sunroof Co. (for a mere $30,000), and this vehicle was an immediate showstopper. When the vehicle was finally released for sale in 1986, dealers didn’t have books big enough to contain the orders they received. Such stories are common in history books about Saab. The little company that could. Saab enthusiasts refer to this as the Spirit of Saab.</p> <p>The 1990s saw the beginning of the GM era for Saab. General Motors owned a 50 percent share of Saab through this decade, buying the remaining 50 percent share in 2000. Saab had some fantastic vehicles in this period, but GM never saw the value of what they had in Saab.</p> <p> They never really invested in the company to build on what was a cult following with enormous goodwill.</p> <p>When GM announced in early 2009 that it planned to sell Saab, the enthusiast community was abuzz. Finally, it seemed Saab might get a chance to spread its wings once again.GM was reported to have 27 interested buyers for the company early in the year and despite detailed negotiations with several of them, the right deal has failed to materialize.</p> <p>If there is no last-minute miracle in the next few days, Sweden will lose a large portion of its industrial base, many enthusiasts around the world will lose their favorite mar</p><p>que and the generic car company overlords with their everyday transportation appliances will have won another battle in the war of automotive mediocrity.</p><p><br /></p>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-30108994577045578512008-01-04T04:01:00.000-08:002008-01-04T04:08:14.105-08:00Farking a Break-Up UP<em style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;" class="subhead"></em><div class="yperContentPara"><em>After the last box of tissues is emptied</em>, the tears have dried up, and the remaining pint of ice cream inhaled, you wonder: Now what? You're still not over the breakup, but you're finally ready to move on.</div><div class="yperContentPara">Everyone's heard the rule: Getting over the relationship takes half as long as the relationship itself. But sometimes you don't have months -- or even years -- to muddle through the getting-over process. Here are the top 5 ways to speed up the healing process:<br /><br /></div><em class="subhead"> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Toss the Evidence</span><br /><br /></em><div class="yperContentPara">Whether it's a designer watch or one of those box rings your ex found, your first order of business is to discard every little item that he/she ever gave you. <div class="contentPullQuoteRight"> <!--Start module --> <div class="vwmod" id="yperContentPullQuoteRight_18"> <div class="bd"> <div class="content"> <br /> </div> </div> <div class="ft"> <div class="rft"> </div></div> </div> <!--End module--> </div> Photos, letters, sweet post-its that say "I love you" -- all of this must be trashed. And that also goes for items you have hidden away. Even if no one else knows what's in your arsenal of romantic keepsakes, you'll know you're holding on to the past and it will take that you much longer to get over the breakup.<br /><br /></div><em class="subhead"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-weight: bold;"> Don't Discuss It, Ever!</span><br /><br /></em><div class="yperContentPara">We've all been around people who can't stop talking about their exes. But don't be surprised to find out that more you talk about them, the harder it will to be to move on. The same goes for other people bringing up the topic. If someone asks how your ex is, refrain from ranting and politely tell them you haven't spoken in a while.<br /><br /></div><em class="subhead"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> List Their Flaws</span><br /><br /></em><div class="yperContentPara">When we're in love, it's not uncommon to gloss over each other's flaws and inadequacies for the sake of keeping the peace. Of course, once you're out of the union, all bets are off. You're fully entitled to list of all their annoying qualities that drove you crazy. If they snored at night, ate with their mouths open, were rude to your friends, or laughed like a hyena, make sure you write everything down. The longer the list, the shorter your post-breakup recovery.</div><em class="subhead"><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-weight: bold;">Be More Selective</span><br /><br /></em><div class="yperContentPara">There are two schools of thought: some people believe that the best way to get over someone is to get out and circulate, while others will tell you that dating too soon is a bad idea. The truth is if you go out and start dating every person who asks you, you're bound to end up on some disastrous dates and your ex will seem so much better in comparison. <div class="contentPullQuoteRight"> <!--Start module --> <div class="vwmod" id="yperContentPullQuoteRight_42"> <div class="bd"> <div class="content"> <br /> </div> </div> <div class="ft"> <div class="rft"> </div></div> </div> <!--End module--> </div> If you don't date at all, you'll risk sitting around and wallowing in a sea of boredom and despair. The key is to be very selective about your dates and only go out with singles who inspire you or, at the very least, won't send you running back into the arms of your ex.<br /><br /></div><em class="subhead"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Make Up for Lost Time</span><br /><br /></em><div class="yperContentPara">Even the best relationships require compromise, which is why you should make the first month out of the relationship all about YOU! Make a list of all the things you postponed or avoided doing because your ex hated it. Whether it's going to see a foreign film, watching ESPN, or planning a night out with your best buds, this is a great opportunity to get back in touch with those parts of your personality you may have left by the wayside.</div>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-10135551520652979262007-10-02T07:25:00.000-07:002007-10-02T07:26:00.617-07:00IF Love Is A Game...I Jus Got an Ass Fark...<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">F**K Love.</span> Harsh yet that’s reality… Love is a language spoken by everyone, but understood only by a heart. Love … a mystical 4 letter word that has the same effect a certain 4 lettered vulgar word has….in my opinion, love… well…love for our parents differs from that of the love that we have for our friends, the opposite sex, the same sex, an animal or basically for anything that is rather important in our lives….</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">The current generation thou, upon hearing the word love are automatically connected to feelings for the opposite sex, and flash images of the opposite sex in various cute and cheeky poses. Well as a base I shall start from here (I do have a life partner now thou, it’s just that I don’t know whether we are in love) …Love is the equivalent what I would say… hmm… BREAKFAST…. And by that I do mean a real healthy breakfast… Imagine waking up in the morning, the 1<sup>st</sup> thing that we feel is hunger... not even the musky smell of our body odor or the darn smell that is basically emitted from our mouths the moment we go Aaahhhh… can affect that… That feeling of hunger we feel 1<sup>st</sup> thing in the morning is what I define my version of love as…my day every day for this past few months has been getting up to the voice of the love of my life. That good morning wish, 1st thing in the day, basically shapes up how my day will be… well that’s basically what every couple in love tends to say.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">Back to what I was saying, so why breakfast, why not lunch or dinner or even tea snacks. Well for 1, lunch n dinner is usually associated with many choices of food, of which many are really unhealthy. We can’t be unhealthy in love cant we. Breakfast thou, has always been associated with healthy food, and I shall use that to start the pot rolling. I would say love for my parents is like eating Corn Flakes and love for my special sum one as the equivalent of Honey Stars or Koko Crunch. Why you might ask? As we head to the kitchen all scrubbed and smelling full of perfumed talc and hair cream (grooming here I shall compare to passion), the 1<sup>st</sup> thing we see is 1 very important member of the family. MUM or maybe both of em parents might be there to. Corn Flakes as we all know are basically rather plain. We have to add in the milk, the sugar, the fruits than heavy heartedly sink our spoon in it and lift up a spoonful of that wet brown flakes. What more do we need to use to compare our parents to. Many of us now in the present generation hardly appreciate what our parents do for us. Their lectures, annoyed reactions, grievances and constant advices are certainly no music to the ears, but deep down in our hearts we do love them. It’s just that we don’t actually feel and see it because all that goodness is completely blanketed by the plainness of our love for them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">Honey Stars, that crispy yellow star shaped cereal. Sweet and pleasant smelling its nature, tastes great too. A small helping of it and you might be on your knees asking for more. It’s tasty at first, but as we increase the helpings, bitterness sweeps in. Too much sweetness is a cause for diabetics and with that many other health fiascos.For many of us guys, well that just about describes how we sweet talk and stoop as low as possible too win the heart of the girl whom we thrive for. A man in love is a fool, a famous French philosopher once said. That tends to be true many a time thou. Most importantly thou, it remains unexplained why love for the opposite sex is so deep and sensual that many of us at times take our lives or become depressed and suffer mental disorders when we fail in it. Come to think of it, why does this feeling of dejectedness due to our failure in a relationship drive us to doing things beyond the point of sanity? It’s a question that will remain unanswered because this matter runs so deep and feelings are so subjective it is basically a black hole where many an assumption can made and yet no one particular solution can be pinpointed as the best remedy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">Do we commit suicide when our parents pass away and leave us with a mountain of debts? Do we spend hours on the phone with our mom jus because she scolded us for something? Do we buy our dads presents because he is upset with us? Why do we not sacrifice our lives for our parents who risked heaven and hell to give us a proper upbringing?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">A girl who we have been in a relationship for well over a year with says she can’t stand you, and after you fail trying to persuade her, what tempts you jump of a cliff. Our parents openly admit they can’t stand us, yet we continue to drive them up the wall. None of us commit suicide because our mum or dad dies. But there many of us who are supposedly more mature and ripe and who have failed in love, with a person we barely knew long enough, a total stranger with no blood connection that have suddenly lost or fell out of love with us, being lovable individuals only days or even minutes ago. Moving on is so hard and painful to us, that like a tempting mistress we tend to get rid of our problems the easy way. Even if it means bringing your stupidity to the lowest of all levels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;">I don’t actually know where I am getting with this but all I can say is love is like heaven, but it can hurt like hell. Love is sophisticated for the rugged, love is simple to those introverts yet so challenging to the extrovert. Love is well.. so undefined.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><br /></p>Winner, Academic Level, MMU DramaFest 2007<br />2nd Runners Up Overall Category MMU DramaFest 2007Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1141841827288508592006-03-08T10:11:00.000-08:002006-03-08T10:17:07.300-08:00FIne Fine Fine....It has been eons since i last blogged...and i reli mean eons...sigh....even the last time i blogged i had friggin power failure and my pc almost kantoi...newayz as usual wen Rachel starts to blog ..than all hell breaks loose. I dunno why but whenever she Blogs i actually feel like to doin the same...hmm....... mus be because of her wakakaka attitude laa...hehe<br /><br />KK....lame as it may sound i wanna go do some maths and b4 i i forget i wud like to wish Good Luck 2 all of u ppl who like me think that STATISTICS is a Bitch...<br /><br />Adieu...Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1136693824334873942006-01-07T20:16:00.000-08:002006-01-07T20:17:04.346-08:00Its True...<table width="350" align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tr><td bg align="center" style="color:#F0FFF0;"><span style="'color:black;font-family:Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><b>You Are 16 Years Old</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#F8FFF8"><center><img src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatagequiz/cake.jpg" height="100" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;">Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.<br />13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.<br />20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.<br />30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!<br />40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.</span></td></tr></table><div align="center"><a href="<a href=">What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatagequiz/">What</a> Age Do You Act?</a></div>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1128599930704543542005-10-06T04:49:00.000-07:002005-10-06T04:58:50.706-07:00What R ur Views In A Diffrent Approach to Hikayat Hang TuahA culture cannot aspire for greatness if it treats its thinkers and intellectuals with callous disregard. In any other culture, a talent like Kassim Ahmad would be amply rewarded, his achievements widely acknowledged. Yet, the best that Malaysia could offer him shining star was a high school teaching position. This was at a time when the number of Malays pursuing graduate work was miniscule. Kassim had taught at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Worse, he was once detained under the ISA for daring to espouse his political views.<br /><br />I first came to know of Kassim Ahmad through his writings while in secondary school thanks 2 my BM teacher MR Om . His novel and radical interpretation of the Malay classic, Hikayat Hang Tuah, shook the way I and most of Malays generally looked at our traditions and culture.<br /><br />The traditional thinking was that the hero was Hang Tuah, hence the title. He personified the ideals of a Malay hero, someone loyal to the sultan. Even his name portends great things. Tuah means exceptional; a worthy name for a hero.<br /><br />His protagonist, Hang Jebat, was the traitor who dared challenge the sultan. Even his name rhymes with jahat (rascal), an apt name for a purported villain.Then came Kassim's Perwatakan Hikayat Hang Tuah (the Characters in Hang Tuah). It would have remained an obscure academic exercise except for the fact that Dewan Bahasa was desperate to publish works in Malay. It had to resort to publishing student's theses!<br /><br />Kassim frontally challenged the orthodox Malay thinking on authority, and royalty in particular. According to Kassim, the real hero is not Hang Tuah, rather the hitherto presumed renegade, Hang Jebat. To Kassim, Tuah is the typical palace sycophant who willingly sells his body and soul to the sultan, a loyalty conveniently reinforced by whatever largesse the sultan could bestow.Jebat is the rugged individualist, not awed by those who wield power. His loyalty is to institutions, not individuals. To Kassim, Jebat is the true hero, not the prodigal son, Tuah.It is a conflict of commitment to principles and institutions represented by Jebat, versus personal loyalty as presented by Tuah. It is this universal conflict, concretized in the setting of a traditional feudal society, which makes Hikayat Hang Tuah such a powerful and enduring piece of literature.<br /><br />The account of his incarceration, Universiti Kedua (Second University), makes painful reading. A poignant passage describes the guards, under the guise of friendship, taking away for "safekeeping" Kassim's painfully written manuscript for a new novel. They then proceeded to destroy it in front of his eyes. Such cruelty! The spite of the guards was exceeded only by their ignorance. At a time when published works in Malay literature were sparse, this was an unbelievable act of utter stupidity, if not a crime against our culture.When reading Universiti Kedua, I could hardly contain my rage against the authorities for their cruelty to this man. I felt great sorrow for Kassim, but far greater sorrow for my fellow thoughtless countrymen.<br />A culture that treats its intellectuals with such cruelty cannot aspire for greatness.The Indonesian writer Parmoedya Ananta Toer suffered through the same humiliation while in prison, but he was unfazed. He committed his novel to memory by retelling it repeatedly to his fellow inmates. When freed, he quickly published his Pulau Buru quartet, as well as his memoirs, Nyanyian Sunyi Seorang Bisu (The Mute's Soliloquy) to international acclaim. Kassim, however, never quite recovered, and the world of Malay literature lost forever Zaman Pencaroba (Era of Crisis).Kassim's ability to shake the collective Malay psyche remains undiminished. In 1986, he released his Hadis: Satu Penilian Semula (Hadith: A Re-evaluation). This Book Was Banned In Malaysia but the English transalation is available in the library of the University of ArkanasasSherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1128599179738131622005-10-06T04:33:00.000-07:002005-10-06T04:46:19.750-07:00Believe ME.....We r FOoLs..!!!!Kassim Baba's novel interpretation of our literary classic, Hikayat Hang Tuah, forced me (and I hope also others) to look differently at our culture and world. I felt a sense of grand wonderment after reading his work, as if a thick veil had been lifted off me. Kassim whetted my youthful rebellious spirit. It fortified me to challenge the certitudes forced upon me by my culture. In the process, I saw the beauty and elegance of the world and of my culture. At the same time, I also became painfully aware of the ugliness of that world and my culture.Today, decades later and presumably much wiser as well as more accepting, I am still filled with wonderment on reading Kassim’s masterpieces, but for different reasons.Here I am in the Mecca of capitalism and fully embracing as well as benefiting from free enterprise, full of admiration and respect for this man who is an ardent and committed socialist.I believe firmly that free enterprise is the best avenue for achieving individual and as well as society’s fulfilment, while Kassim is fully committed to the egalitarian ideals of socialism. Our utopia is the same: a just, caring and prosperous society where citizens are free to pursue their personal ideals and dreams.While I am separated from Kassim by the vast knowlegde that he has, and philosophically even further away from him, yet I feel intellectually close to him. I greatly appreciate his works and welcome his views and ideas. I admire the man for his courage, talent and commitment. I respect him even more for such qualities are rare, and even rarer is the combination.In Malaysia, today, specifically in Malay culture, we remain deeply divided over trivial differences. We do not hesitate labelling each other as traitors for inconsequential political differences. With impunity, we denigrate each other as infidels for simply daring to express minor differences in interpretation of our faith. Our leaders disparage our young as being ungrateful for boldly asking uncomfortable questions.It is as if we expect Malays to be clones of one another.<br /><br />In our culture, we are told to loathe and ostracise the black sheep. In doing this we implicitly compare ourselves to a flock of sheep, mindlessly following the shepherd. Indeed leaders especially those with a dictatorial bent would like their followers to be like sheep.It is well to remember that while a benevolent shepherd would lead his flock to greener pastures, a blind one could just as easily lead them off the cliff, and a deaf one to the wolf’s den.I have been exchanging views and letters with Kassim Ahmad for quite some time. The medium of the Internet brings us closer together as if we were in nearby villages. If a core capitalist like me and a staunch socialist like Kassim can be respectful of each other’s views and be welcoming of each other’s contributions, I fail to see why our larger community remains unnecessarily divided into liberal and fundamentalist Muslims, UMNO and PAS politicians, or monarchist and republican Malays. It pains me immensely, and I am certain Kassim too, to see our country thus polarised. Our diversity is our strength, not our weakness. It is our prized asset, not a cursed liability. We are humans, not sheep; we should expect and indeed welcome differences in taste, views and choices.<br /><br />In the classic epic, the two heroes Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat could not resolve their differences. Their conflict consumed their friendship, and ultimately their honour and lives. It also divided and destroyed their community. There is no reason why modern day Hang Tuahs and Hang Jebats have to follow suit and allow that to happen to themselves and their community. If we must battle it out, let it be in the battlefield of ideas, and only there.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ffff33;">Anak Yang Soleh (The Prodigal Son)</span><br /><br />When growing up, my Bahasa Malaysia teacher Mr Om Kumar(the Best BM teacher i had ...i was his Murid Kesayangan in SMk St Paul) used to tell me stories of Anak Yang Soleh (The Prodigal Son),knowing how much i loved politics in my school goin days.As the individual who would do society good. His reasons for relating such stories were obvious, as expressions of teaching duty as well as hope.Living in an alien world away from my familiar culture, these three provide my anchoring stability that bonds me to my traditions and values.In my view, Kassim Ahmad is one anak yang soleh. It pains me greatly that our society has chosen to ignore this man. Kassim however would prefer this state of affair. The last time the authorities paid heed to Kassim, he ended up in jail under the Internal Security Act! When members of the Islamic establishment read or claimed to have read Kassim’s works, they labelled him anti-hadith.In time, those establishment ulama will disappear with their pension, but Kassim and his ideas will endure. Thanks to insight of Kassim, our grandchildren and their grandchildren will still be debating Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat, and learning useful lessons from the discourse.I am always amused when my friends sarcasticly compliment me for my “courage” in expressing my views in a topic nodody gives a damm of.My response; I live in a society that prizes individual freedom; besides, I am beyond the reach of the ISA(harap harap laa). In truth, it is individuals like Kassim Ahmad who are truly courageous. They have felt the wrath of the authorities and yet continue to speak out against injustices and tyranny.Kassim Ahmad rejoined UMNO in 1986. He is a severe and persistent critic of the Malaysian brand of “politics as usual”, in particular political shenanigans and blatant corruptions. Nonetheless, he can be generous in his praises. In this interview as well in his earlier essays, he spoke warmly and favourably of Tun Mahathir. This led many to the mistaken belief that the man had “gone soft” or worse, become an apologist for the status quo.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">An original narration i had from Mr Om when I was in Form 5 Basilian,yr 2005..Thank u Sir..for enlightening me...</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;">Rewritten for Humanity and the New Breed of Young Malaysians by Kavinash</span>...Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1128598262556212842005-10-06T04:27:00.000-07:002005-10-06T04:31:02.556-07:00The Cracks Have Been Covered...Lets Hope It StayZ That Way...!!DATUK Seri Rafidah Aziz vehemently defended herself and her family against allegations that she had abused her position to issue approved permits (APs) to her relatives and certain individuals. <br />The International Trade and Industry Minister, who was challenged by Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang to explain claims that she had given APs to her son-in-law and that she was being investigated by the Attorney-General for corruption, was clearly miffed when she replied: <br />“I will not put up with slander against myself and my family. Don’t play with me. If I am a queen, you are the court jester. I will sue you!” <br />She was referring to Lim’s recent remark comparing her to a queen for her rare appearance in the Dewan. <br />Rafidah, who came to Parliament to answer two questions, demanded that Lim retract his statement and told him not to touch on her personal affairs. <br />“I am proud of my integrity in discharging my duties. Jangan <span style="color:#000000;">seronok cakap celupar di sini</span> (Don’t simply shoot off your mouth here). <br />“Your accusations touched on my personal affairs. I don’t want my integrity to be challenged. Don’t doubt my integrity. I don’t have any relation to any AP holders,” she said in a raised voice. <br />It was the Cabinet’s decision to give APs to MPs in 1997 after they had requested it, she said. <br />Rafidah had regained her composure by the time she replied to a supplementary question by Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN – Bintulu) on the rationale she had called for the abolishment of APs. <br />“Whether or not it would be abolished depends on whether it had achieved the objective of developing bumiputra entrepreneurs in the industry.” <br />Lim then stood up and cited the Standing Order to propose a motion that the House refer him to the Privileges Committee for slandering Rafidah, as she had claimed. <br />“I’m willing to do this as I did not slander her. The minister must reply to the corruption issue. I propose that the Dewan refer Ipoh Timur to the committee,” said Lim. <br />Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Yusuf Yaacob, who allocated about 45 minutes for Rafidah’s reply during question time, disallowed the motion. <br />Earlier, when Rafidah stood to reply to a query by Datuk Wan Hashim Wan Teh (BN – Gerik) on the national automotive industry, he remarked that the MPs were honoured by her presence in the House to personally answer the questions. <br />Rafidah started by explaining that she was unable to attend sittings for the first three days to reply to questions on her ministry as she had been away. <br />To a question by Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN – Larut) who wanted to know why the ministry claimed that Proton was making profits while the information given to MPs stated that the national car company was recording losses, she said the ministry had never mentioned Proton’s losses or gains. <br />“It is up to the company to announce this. We’ve not ever stated that Proton was making profits or losses as we don’t control Proton. I’d like to put this on record,” she said.Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1127531147606146092005-09-23T19:59:00.000-07:002005-10-06T04:24:59.810-07:00The End Is Near!!! R the Cracks Visible?ONE of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s favourite TV shows is the popular 1980s British sitcom, Yes Minister, about a thick-eared Tory politician Jim Hacker, who by the miracles of the democratic process became the Minister for Administrative Affairs.In one episode, the politician, played by Paul Eddington, told his wife that he was not worried about what his constituents were complaining about.Hacker said he only had to face the people once every five years but he was scared of his fellow MPs, who would query and grill him in Parliament.“It’s the question time I am worried. The public can vote you out every five years but the backbenchers can get you out by the end of the week,” said the panicky politician to his wife Annie in one episode.Like Pak Lah, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other Malaysian leaders also watched the long-running political satire.International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz had obviously not taken seriously the one-hour allocation for questions and answers when the Dewan Rakyat sat from Monday to Thursday.On Thursday, there were resentment and anger from fellow Cabinet members and Barisan Nasional backbenchers when she did not attend the sitting to reply to the MPs on the controversial Approved Permit (AP) issue to import cars.It did not help that she decided to reveal the names of MPs who had received APs, with the elected representatives saying it was a move to arm-twist them into not speaking up on the issue.As far as the MPs were concerned, she should have been there to face them but rightly or wrongly, she chose to snub them.They told the press in no uncertain terms how they felt, and certainly did not care if she was away on a trade mission.Her absence could well be a turning point in her political career, with many now saying that her Cabinet position was untenable and that her holding to her position stubbornly would only hurt the Government.Just a few months ago, she was heckled and booed by Umno members at the party general assembly over the AP controversy.If that was not enough, she also ended up having an exchange of words, to put it mildly, with some of her fellow Cabinet members.One news report had it that she sniped at a minister who was smiling when the hot topic was brought up while another colleague was reportedly told to take care of his ministry first.Her colleagues described her as “combative”, “confrontational” and “abrasive” and one minister reportedly said the longest serving Miti minister was dismissive of anyone who disagreed with her.At the core of the controversy are the unanswered questions on the huge allocation ofAPs to a few individuals.Of the 67,000 APs issued this year, more than 28,000 went to Tan Sri Nasimuddin SM Amin, Datuk Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, Datuk Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz and Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad.The ministers felt Rafidah had not replied to several crucial issues on which they wanted answers.To put it bluntly, her integrity as a minister has been questioned at all levels and now, MPs from both sides of the benches, have spoken up openly against her with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz slamming her for not turning up to field questions on the AP issue.On Thursday, the Opposition attempted to refer her to the parliamentary privileges committee but what was astounding was the silence of government backbenchers when the DAP motion was rejected by Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib.The usual table thumping to signify approval was missing, a point certainly noted by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who attended the morning session on Thursday.They were obviously incensed that the names of MPs who received APs were revealed without an explanation.MPs and senators are entitled to an AP once in their lifetime as part of their perks.An irate Nazri told reporters that the AP issued to each MP and senator was not meant for them to resell for financial gain but for their own individual use.He said what probably raised the hackles of the MPs most was that Rafidah’s name was not on the list.In fairness to Rafidah, it was a question from Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang and she was merely providing a written reply.The public are actually interested in knowing which MPs have enjoyed such a perk but it would mean a lot to these elected representatives if her ministry took the trouble to explain it was only a one-off thing.But there is now a new dimension to the issue – Rafidah has stayed away from two Cabinet meetings chaired by Najib, although the Deputy Prime Minister has downplayed this sportingly.In August, she did not turn up for a Cabinet meeting where she was supposed to explain the AP issue, saying she was sick and needed treatment for a knee problem.On Wednesday, Rafidah was again absent from the Cabinet meeting chaired by Najib, This time, she is away in the United States on a trade mission.She should have turned up at the Dewan Rakyat to face the MPs, who are the people’s representatives, and to clear whatever doubts they might have.While the minister could have been on an important mission for Malaysia but the Dewan Rakyat is the most important forum.The perception now is that she had run away from the MPs or she had decided to ignore them. Either way, it’s bad for her image and reputation. The Government needs to move away from the AP issue.Despite the setting up of a committee, headed by the Prime Minister, to review and decide on all issues related to APs, the issue has not gone away.It has taken up too much of government time and attention.Rafidah has got herself into a corner because of her own doing. Worse, while she has put the Government in a tight spot she may have put her Cabinet job on the line now.Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1127241528394069932005-09-20T10:33:00.000-07:002005-09-20T11:38:48.426-07:00<strong>Lonely...Lonely...I am so lonely..I have nobody for my own...this dreaded lyrics of the most annoying song i've heard..Full of meaningfull words and hidden messages in the lyrics yet so damning in truth and hurtfull in reality.As i sit here in my room..this dreaded song finaly takes its effect on me...Staring at my computer screen blankly,my mind wanders off to all to the start of a day which in reality had a BAD start the moment the digital alarm clock in my room showed 12.00 a.m.</strong><br /><p><strong>Its been real fast the way time flies and this fact reli hit me hard on the head real bad today.It jus seemed like weeks ago i was enrolling in to this Uni.But infact its been about 3 months since i set foot in the grounds of this campus and it reli hurts me because i know i din make the best of use my time.....watever it is,with the finals looming large the fear factor has kicked my my brain into an overdrive frenzy and to make matters worse i din sleep the whole night because of 2 of my troubled frens Kevin Isaac and Syikin.</strong></p><p><strong>I actually covered my whole HD study guide inside 3 hours,back to back,Non-Stop and i did almost all the T/F questions that were given....All this while being accompanied by the mesmerizing beats of Dj Tiesto's synthesizers pumping away the best rave and trance music around.Damm..that was so relieving..my brain is waiting to switch on the GET UR ASS ON THE BED mode button while my Self Conciousness jus wants to keep me up while filling my soul with all kindda sentimental crap.Why u might ask?</strong></p><p><strong>Am i a troubled soul or a soul that is in trouble?Truth is,Even i cant answer that because i always refer to myself as a very very special person,Smart,talented,yet i still find myself in all kinds of shit holes that NOW i feel So shitty and dumb!!!!(Wat the Fuck did i jus type)...</strong></p><p><strong>Damm .....My brains jus needs to have an overdose of oxygen so i am gonna go hang out in the scenic and cool atmosphere of Bukit Beruang( i am jokin rite?) So i am jus go out for a while....</strong></p><p><strong>Well....Whats the point of this POST?? Damm..i Still Dunno</strong></p><p><strong> </p><br /><br /></strong>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1125944847322765052005-09-05T11:04:00.000-07:002005-09-05T11:27:28.420-07:00Better Late Than Never!!!!Hey ppl....sorry laa..lama d i din update...had sum crap to settle and this damm financial Eng crap is a taking a toll me...newayz since most of this blogs have ppl showing of their skills in poetry and watever English Crap..i jus wanna go against the normal flow laa....(laa..sumtin i learned from Rach) hehe....This is a piece of ....ermm.....well....Masterpiece laa...Thanks Mr Om and Ms Noraini.....and yea to my malay fren Syikin 2.....This is sumtin i Did in Form 4 laa...Won the Pesta Bahasa Melayu organised by JPNS....Here goes<br /><br /><br /><br />Aku menulis syair ini<br />kerana ku ada pengalaman Bercinta.<br />Namamu adalah seni yang paling indah<br />pernahku dengar.<br />Wajahmu, kecantikan paling indah pernahku saksikan.<br />Daku merinduimu setiap kali melihat barang cantik.<br />Tiada madah yang boleh gambarkan kecantikanmu.<br />Berikanlah biola supaya bolehku mainkan muzik<br />yang dapat mengambarkan Kecantikan mu<br /><br /><br />Hey Its My own effort k....Real tear jerker wen i completed it....this was wat i used for my lisan test aso..hehe...My malay boleh tahanlaa..maybe not as hi tech n boombastic like razin's but i am sure it will still pass..hehe...newayz got to go...got quiz tom....<br /><br />Sayonara...<br /><br />P/s: Razin U dumb ASCHLO !!...Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486925.post-1124220585438578932005-08-16T12:21:00.000-07:002005-08-16T12:29:45.443-07:00A New Dawn IS Born......Back In Bizness, Finaly!!!!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>heya there............welcome to myself.after weeks of thinking of sum crap to do to pass my my free time..i finally decided to Blog.....ermmm well........the idea was mooted by Rachel laa...the mischievous Brat in my class....so here I am........ermmm......dunnolaa.....No Idea Redi .Well..., oh yep Man Utd won their 1st game..so hopefully lady luck keeps on Smiling on them...Hell Yeah.........Blue IS the New Black!!!</strong></span>Sherrif OF BallsVillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631553915661700398noreply@blogger.com4