Digerati50: Bridging the language gap |
- Digerati50: Bridging the language gap
- Peugeot’s planned Dongfeng deal risks board bottlenecks for cash
- Dollar holds loss as traders weigh fed taper pace
- Shame or wake-up call? — Sin Chew Daily
- Japan growth trails forecasts as sales-tax increase looms
- Are we heading for emergency rule? — P Ramakrishnan
| Digerati50: Bridging the language gap Posted: 16 Feb 2014 05:05 PM PST
The University of Selangor graduate, who holds a bachelor's degree in Business Management, started Amanz in 2004 as a way of sharing knowledge on technology with other Malay-speaking users. "Back then, there was very little information or tutorials available in the Malay language. I found it hard when I was searching for tutorials on how to start hosting on your own and transferring stuff from Geocities," he says. So he created his own blog and shared his own experiences of doing so via trial and error, registering with a .net domain in 2005 as .my was not yet opened to individuals by domain registrar MyNIC. The site was migrated to a .my domain in 2008 and Aman notes that his was among the first blogs to do so. As more people came across Aman's tutorials, he received requests for tutorials on specific topics. He complied, publishing them on the site. From there, he and his team of fellow writers and tech enthusiasts began to expand their editorial focus to other interesting tech news and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Amanz.my has become the main destination for Malay-language readers in the country to get updated and share knowledge about technology, an achievement its founder is understandably most proud of. "We have also helped many people choose the right gadgets, and solve their tech problems. There was one time, when a reader asked about what would be the right apps for his grandmother, and ended up buying an iPad for her several hours after we shared that information with him," says Aman. The website has also been featured in other media publications and the Amanz team has been invited to cover several major tech events, such as the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Another way Amanz has made an impact has been via its coverage of local startups, with Aman reporting that after being featured, all received a significant boost in terms of users and visits, especially those focusing on the consumer market. Amanz was also a partner for the 2013 Pikom PC Fair, organised by national ICT association Pikom, and has played an advisory role for MyNIC for the domain registrar's events. Today, Aman spends most of his time as a writer and editor for the Amanz website, and is also involved in making future plans for the company, now known as Amanz Media, exploring other verticals and projects. He admits that his biggest weakness lies in public speaking and handling discussions with interested companies. To compensate for that, and allow room for him to focus on editorial work, in 2011 the team welcomed Ikhwan Nazri Asran as chief executive officer. Ikhwan was previously involved with Flavert Media Lab, Weddingkami (WK Wedding Solutions), and previously a community project named Officekami.com, which profiled co-working locations in the Klang Valley. When asked why he decided to take up a role with Amanz, Ikhwan says that it was the passion and dedication he saw from Aman himself which convinced him. "He has deep understanding of new media and technologies, and I was motivated by his passion to grow Amanz to be on par with big names like The Verge, Engadget and Mashable," Ikhwan adds. Since joining the team, Ikhwan has been focused on helping accelerate the company's growth trajectory. With Amanz having established itself as one of the de facto destinations for Malay-language technology content, the team is now looking at expanding to other niches. "For 2014, we have several things planned, and will start out by launching a dedicated site which will focus on science and innovation in Malay," shares Aman. We have no doubt that the new portal would be a fitting addition to the Amanz brand. This story was first published here. — Digital News Asia * Digerati50 is a weekly series that profiles the top 50 influencers, movers and shakers who are helping shape Malaysia's Digital Economy.  |
| Peugeot’s planned Dongfeng deal risks board bottlenecks for cash Posted: 16 Feb 2014 05:03 PM PST PARIS, Feb 17 — PSA Peugeot Citroen's deal to sell stakes to France and China's Dongfeng Motor Corp. may end up trading a cash influx for a shareholder structure that threatens to hobble the manufacturer's decision-making, analysts said. The board of Europe's second-largest carmaker will meet tomorrow to vote on the agreement. Under the outline of the plan, which Peugeot has said would raise €3 billion (RM13.6 billion), the French government, Dongfeng and the Peugeot family would end up with roughly equal stakes. Chairman Thierry Peugeot said in a letter last month to his cousin Robert that the plan will create a "three-headed governance" structure, making the Paris-based company difficult to run. Still, he was overruled and the family's holding companies, which currently control 38 per cent of Peugeot's voting rights, supported going ahead with the deal. "We see a risk of a Pyrrhic victory," Max Warburton, an analyst with Bernstein Research, said in an open letter to Thierry. "The Dongfeng deal will close out strategic options," and the involvement of France and the state-backed Chinese company "is hardly likely to lead to improved efficiency, competitiveness and growth."
Peugeot spokesman Jonathan Goodman declined to comment on the deal prior to the board meeting. Divergent interests While Dongfeng seeks access to Western markets and technology, France is looking to protect local jobs and ensure the country's largest auto manufacturer remains French. The descendants of founder Armand Peugeot have in turn struggled to find a common position, leaving the company adrift as Volkswagen AG pushes to become the world's largest carmaker. "I still don't understand why they're doing this deal," said Florent Couvreur, an analyst with CM-CIC Securities in Paris. "The three main shareholders will have completely divergent concerns, with a high risk of conflict." Given the potential tension, some argue Peugeot would be better off on its own. As Europe's auto market starts a gradual recovery this year, Bernstein's Warburton said Carlos Tavares, Renault SA's former chief operating officer who was hired to succeed Philippe Varin as chief executive officer this year, should be given a chance to streamline operations. Funding alternatives There are alternatives to a share sale, said Philippe Houchois, a London-based analyst with UBS. Peugeot could divest its 51.7 per cent stake in auto-parts maker Faurecia, which is worth about €1.9 billion at current market prices. It could also sell part of financing unit Banque PSA Finance SA, he said. Peugeot's "preferred" scenario is to sell stakes to Dongfeng and the French state and then raise additional funds by selling stock to current investors. The company is also close to a deal for a joint venture with Banco Santander SA to strengthen its Banque PSA unit. The agreement would include cash in exchange for a loan portfolio, people familiar said last week. The capital-increase discussions centre on selling 14 per cent holdings apiece to Dongfeng and France, which would each pay at least €750 million, according to people familiar with the matter. The Peugeot founding family would have their stock holding diluted to about 14 per cent under the plan, the people said. Peugeot hasn't commented on details. Offer trigger? The deal could also trigger a larger shakeup. French minority shareholders' association ADAM said in a letter to Thierry Peugeot this month that Dongfeng, the French state and the family may be considered as acting together in their proposal. That could force them to make an offer to buy out other stockholders under French law. The French company's shares have tumbled more than 50 per cent over the past three years as the effects of the sovereign-debt crisis eroded demand for mid-market European cars. Peugeot, which will report 2013 results on Feb. 19, probably lost money for the second year in a row, according to analyst estimates. The capital increase, equivalent to about 70 per cent of Peugeot's market value, would follow a 2012 share sale to raise €1 billion. That deal was part of a previous effort to reorganize, underpinned by an alliance with General Motors Co. That partnership failed to produce the targeted cost savings, and GM sold its entire 7 per cent stake in Peugeot in December. Expansion aid The new money would help Peugeot develop models and expand abroad. Dongfeng and Peugeot already operate three factories together in China, the world's largest auto market, and plan to increase capacity by two-thirds by the end of 2015. Wuhan-based Dongfeng is one of China's top four automakers. It builds passenger cars and commercial vehicles under its own brands as well Peugeot, Nissan, Kia and Honda models as part of joint ventures. The Chinese company is investing 30 billion yuan (RM16.4 billion) in its own auto operations to reduce its dependence on foreign carmakers. Thierry Peugeot has favoured raising capital by selling new stock on the market without investments by Dongfeng or France, according to people familiar with the situation. Some are hoping he can still thwart the deal. "Before you give up, isn't it worth one last try as an independent?," Bernstein's Warburton said in his appeal to Thierry Peugeot. "It's not too late to turn back." — Bloomberg |
| Dollar holds loss as traders weigh fed taper pace Posted: 16 Feb 2014 04:57 PM PST
The Australian dollar rose against all major counterparts before the country's central bank releases minutes of its last meeting, at which policy makers signalled an end to two years of easing. The US currency slid against most major peers before the Fed on February 19 discloses minutes of its last gathering. The yen gained versus the greenback after a report showed Japan's economic growth unexpectedly slowed last quarter. "There's a feeling in the market that the Fed might slow the pace of tapering, or even pause," amid worsening US economic data, said Toshiya Yamauchi, a senior analyst in Tokyo at Ueda Harlow Ltd, which provides margin-trading services. "Dollar weakness is set to continue." The dollar fell 0.1 per cent to US$1.3706 per euro as of 9:22am in Tokyo, extending a two-week, 1.5 per cent decline. It traded at ¥101.46, after closing at 101.80 last week. Japan's yen was at 139.10 per euro, from 139.39 on February 14. The Australian dollar added 0.2 per cent to 90.49 US cents. US markets will be closed for a holiday today. Japan's GDP expanded at an annualised 1 per cent pace in the final three months of 2013, up from a 1.1 per cent expansion in the prior quarter, the Cabinet Office said today. The median estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a 2.8 per cent expansion. Factory production in the US unexpectedly declined in January by the most since May 2009, according to a report released on February 14, adding to evidence severe winter weather is weighing on the economy. The Federal Open Market Committee said in January it will cut monthly bond purchases by US$10 billion (RM33 billion) to US$65 billion, citing labour-market indicators that "were mixed but on balance showed further improvement." It bought US$85 billion a month last year. — Bloomberg |
| Shame or wake-up call? — Sin Chew Daily Posted: 16 Feb 2014 04:49 PM PST
Everyone knows that Myanmar has only implemented democratic reforms less than three years ago. Although the government repealed the 48-year-old pre-publication censorship in 2012, which does not mean media censorship has become a thing of the past. Press reports, literature and even artistic works will still need to go through government censorship while news of newspaper closure and reporters thrown into prison are still heard on a regular basis. Nevertheless, Myanmar's ranking has improved from 170th in 2008 to 151st last year and 145th this year, showing that the country is indeed making steady progress. As for Malaysia which has been practicing democracy for more than half a century, a ranking below even Mynamar's is seen as a crying shame. However, if this poor showing could awaken our government to the reality that we need to do something about press freedom, it is not so much a bad thing after all. To be frank, we are not literally going downhill where press freedom is concerned. Compared to Mahathir's time when media organisations were constantly smothered or even ordered to cease operation, restrictions applied on the press have been visibly reduced in recent years. At least, the authorities do not call up so often to intervene how we should run the news or issue warnings over what they don't like to read on the papers. The abolition of the Internal Security Act and Emergency Ordinance in 2011 has to some extent reflected the government's will to further liberalise the press. The poorer ranking instead of improvements made on press freedom could be attributed to several factors: Other countries have made more pronounced improvements than we, and the obviously pro-government stand of local media, in particular some English and BM newspapers under the government's control. If we really care about how the international community looks at us, we should accord more freedom to the press and allow the public to have full access to information. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
| Japan growth trails forecasts as sales-tax increase looms Posted: 16 Feb 2014 04:48 PM PST
Gross domestic product expanded an annualized 1.0 per cent from the previous quarter, the Cabinet Office said today in Tokyo, below the lowest estimate of 1.1 per cent in a survey of 37 economists by Bloomberg News that generated a median projection of 2.8 per cent. While capital spending rose by the most in two years and consumption growth picked up, external demand dragged on the expansion as the nation's shuttered nuclear industry forced a rise in energy imports. Recent declines in consumer confidence and limited gains in exports have highlighted the risk that Japan's recovery under Abenomics could fade after the levy increase. "It's unavoidable that the economy will slump in the April-June period due to a backlash from the front-loaded demand," said Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief economist at Itochu Economic Research Institute. Business investment rose 1.3 per cent from the previous quarter and consumer spending gained 0.5 per cent, underscoring a rush in domestic demand ahead of the sales-tax increase. Exports rose 0.4 per cent, rebounding from a decline in the prior quarter, while imports surged 3.5 per cent, resulting in a net drag on growth from external demand. The fourth straight quarterly expansion in the economy follows annualized growth of 1.1 per cent in the previous three months. The economy is forecast to contract in the April-June period, when the sales tax will rise to 8 per cent from 5 per cent. — Bloomberg |
| Are we heading for emergency rule? — P Ramakrishnan Posted: 16 Feb 2014 04:43 PM PST
There was nobody brave enough to stand up to the mayhem they created. There was no Sheriff, no Deputy and no hero to take on these hooligans. That was what happened last Thursday, 6 February 2014, when troublemakers took to the streets in a frenzy of hatred to incite and provoke Malay extremists to partake in acts that would threaten our peace and harmony. It was no ordinary gathering; it was a gathering of racists and bigots out to create mischief. In blatant defiance of the law, these members of several Muslim NGOs gathered in the afternoon near the busy Puduraya bus terminal and government offices at Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur. Some participants stomped on the banner bearing the faces of DAP and PKR representatives. They then slaughtered four chickens and smeared their blood on the faces of Teresa Kok, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Machang Bubok assembly member Lee Khai Loon (PKR) in a ritual intended to cause calamity in the country. This bloody act was committed by these trouble-makers claiming to belong to the Council of Islamic NGOs as proclaimed in the banner to "Protest against insults of Malay leadership, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam and Malay dignity by a splinter of politicians, leaders and Chinese chauvinists". These claims are clearly far-fetched without any justification. Who in their right minds would want to insult the Yang di-Pertuan Agong? He is the national symbol of our unity. He is respected and held in high esteem. But these mischief-makers blatantly claimed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agung was insulted. Can they provide concrete evidence when this insult was perpetrated and by whom? Who would want to insult Islam? Malaysians are peaceful people and are sensitive to the ethos of the different communities and traditions. Who would want to court trouble consciously and disturb our harmony by being disrespectful? What Malay leadership was insulted? Please don't lie if you are truly a believer in the true sense of your religion. Disagreeing with the policies and criticising leaders of the government doesn't constitute an insult to the Malay leadership. In any case, the government may be dominated by Umno but essentially it is a coalition government albeit without MCA representation. But there are Chinese ministers and others from various communities in the cabinet which would suggest that the disagreement and criticism is not aimed solely at the Malay leadership but against the Barisan Nasional. But these trouble-makers deliberately twisted the facts to give a racial angle to arouse the emotions of unthinking people who can be easily misled. What was said was clearly and deliberately provocative and inciting. Zulkifly Sharif from Pertubuhan Permuafakatan Majlis Ayahanda Malaysia (Permas) told Malaysiakini that "the chicken slaughter and blood smearing ritual was a hark back to the 'bloody' May 13, 1969 racial riots". "The blood represents the May 13 incident…It should be easily understood," he said. In other words, he is actually threatening a repeat of the May 13 incident. This is clearly seditious; it is an incitement; it is definitely a provocation. It had the potential to spark chaos and disturb our harmony. Things could go out of hand to the detriment of the nation. It should have been nipped in the bud. The full force of the law should have landed on them so that it would not encourage similar provocative demonstrations and protests elsewhere. But that was not the case. Where was the AG? Where were the police, the guardians of law and order? Above all, where was the Prime Minister, the supreme leader of the nation? Why did none of them criticise this act of lawlessness? Why were these racists and bigots not condemned for their reckless irresponsibility? It is this lack of response from the keepers of the law that encourages this unbecoming behaviour. For it can be construed with justification that they will not face the wrath of the law and that they have the implicit backing of the law enforcement agencies. This demonstration was held apparently as a reaction to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok's New Year video entitled 'OnederfulMalaysia CNY 2014'. Various claims and accusations were made in connection with this video. But what was it all about? Was there any disrespect shown to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong? Was Islam insulted in this video? It is very disturbing for Zulkifly to state with reference to the slaughtering of the chicken, "It is symbolic of the bloody incident, – meaning May 13 – this means we are sending a serious warning to Teresa Kok not to provoke and create something that threatens the peace and feelings of the Malays." Was he correct in what he stated? Did Teresa "provoke and create something that threatens the peace and feelings of the Malays"? It seems that the video was in Mandarin. Do these rabble-rousers understand Mandarin? Could it be possible that while translating misrepresentation could have occurred? Why not broadcast this video over TV so that the truth can be unveiled and facts revealed to the entire nation before things get out of hand through misunderstanding and misrepresentation? This is what should be done if we are really interested in the truth. But would the BN dare to do this? Or will it take advantage of this mindless reaction for its own political purposes? These mischief-makers went beyond threatening. They even offered a bounty to anyone who is willing to slap Teresa. Just like in the Wild West when rewards were offered to bring in the outlaws "dead or alive," and bounty hunters would take up the offer and go after their quarry. Similarly, in this instance, a reward of RM500 was offered which was later increased to RM1,200. Imagine if one stupid hothead goes up to Teresa and slaps her, what would happen? Perhaps those with her may react and assault him which could in turn lead to a racial conflict. Is this what they want to happen? Is it a ploy to create unrest and unleash an ethnic clash that would benefit the BN? The situation was so serious and yet there was no urgency to address it. Even Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi foolishly and flippantly trivialised the whole episode by claiming that it was not a threat to Teresa and unbelievably stated that it would have amounted to nothing except if a death threat had been issued against Teresa. For a Home Minister not to see the danger in this emotionally-charged affair is mind-boggling. Not to be outdone in foolishness, the Housing and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan also criticised Kok, saying that she should not play victim when threatened by Muslim groups as the DAP had "relentlessly attacked the position of Malays and Muslims…The DAP had also insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam". If that was the case, how did the DAP garner so many Malay votes, make a break-through in the Umno fortress of Johor, and get its Malay members elected as members of parliament? Without Malay votes, this could not have been possible. How ridiculous they are can be seen when Zulkifly accused the politicians whose faces adorned the banner of manipulating the price hike issue. According to him, "The increase of prices of goods has been turned into a kind of propaganda to bring down Malay leadership. They are trying to provoke hatred and belittle Malay leadership." The lives of Malaysians have become a nightmare because of price hikes which have made life very difficult for people. It is felt by everyone on a daily basis and their sufferings are nation-wide. It is not confined to any ethnic community. To blame these four leaders as manipulating the price hike to bring down the Malay leadership is grossly unfair and wrong. It is utter nonsense! The price hike demonstration organised by various NGOs in Penang effectively debunked the atrocious statements and the sweeping claims made by the trouble-makers. More than 1,000 turned up to oppose the price hikes and the implementation of the GST. The crowd was largely Malay with good support from the Chinese and the Indians. What transpired was heart-warming and encouraging. It showed that whatever ploy that is used by Umno and its henchmen to drive a wedge between the Malays and non-Malays will not work. The Seberang Jaya Municipal Councillor Zulkifli Saad said the gathering was a show of solidarity among Malays, Chinese and Indians."We are not racists, this is a gathering of people." Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) spokesperson Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, asked who were the Malays who felt insulted by Lee's act of stuffing kangkung into a replica of Najib. "Hello! Who says Malays are insulted? We are insulted because we have a PM who cannot manage the country," he said. He also warned groups who threatened violence and racial riots, saying that their non-Malay brothers and sisters would be protected even if "one hair of yours is disturbed". Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said that anti-price hikes groups would protest in all the states, culminating in a massive protest in Kuala Lumpur on 1 May, themed Gasak Sampai Tumbang (GST). Rafizi emphatically said, "There is also no link between race and price hikes." "It is just their way of putting fear in us as they are racists," he claimed. "If there is one Chinese youth among us who is threatened, 10 Malays among us will be there to protect him," he assured, followed by shouts of support. Afif Bahardin, the Seberang Jaya representative, drove home a valid point rather forcefully, "The price hike is suffered by not only DAP, PKR or Pas but by Umno members as well." It is this kind of solidarity building up that is worrying Umno. Their usual divide-and-rule policy is no longer working. Race and religion can no longer be an effective campaign strategy to retain power. So, it seems, an unrest is necessary for emergency rule and is that why no action is taken against these trouble-makers? — Aliran This story was first published here: http://aliran.com/media-statements/heading-emergency-rule/ P Ramakrishan, the long-serving former president of Aliran, has been granted a respite and now happily serves as an Aliran executive committee member. He has carried the flag for human rights and democracy for Aliran since its inception in 1977, when the term 'human rights' was considered something of a dirty word. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
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