Bye Bye 2010

Bye bye 2010....thnx for the memories!!!

Hello 2011......many challenges ahead!!!

Enjoy your holidays!!

Yes!!! We did it...

Yeap...

The Young Tigers won the AFF Suzuki Cup for the first time since 1996!!

Congratulations boys!!

Proud of you boys!!

It's been awhile since the nation last saw their national team win a cup.........

Now we are the ASEAN champions!!!

The victory was made sweeter when it was won at Indonesia...........

Now go and qualify for the Asia Cup 2015 on merit!!!

What the ...........??

I can't believe my eyes when I saw this article earlier today:

''Insiden Laser Bisa Ganggu Hubungan Indonesia-Malaysia

Jakarta - Insiden penembakan laser oleh suporter Malaysia ke arah pemain Timnas Indonesia bisa membuat retak hubungan kedua negara. Untuk itu harus ada penyelesaian yang baik menyikapi insiden itu. Indonesia harus tetap sportif.

"Tindakan suporter Malaysia menembakkan sinar laser ke arah pemain Indonesia, bila tidak dikelola dengan baik berpotensi untuk menjadi sumber ketegangan hubungan Indonesia-Malaysia ketika pertandingan leg kedua digelar 29 Desember nanti," kata Guru Besar Hukum Internasional UI, Hikmahanto Juwana, dalam siaran pers, Senin (27/12/2010).

Pemerintah dan para tokoh harus terus mengimbau para suporter Indonesia hingga menjelang pertandingan, agar tidak melakukan tindakan tidak terpuji seperti suporter Malaysia.

"Pelatih dan para pemain pun bila perlu melakukan imbauan yang sama. Mereka bisa menyampaikan tidak membutuhkan suport yang dilakukan oleh pendukung Malaysia. Pendukung Indonesia diminta untuk percaya pada kemampuan para pemain dan pelatih untuk mengalahkan Timnas Malaysia," jelasnya.

Presiden SBY, menurutnya, sudah melakukan tindakan tepat dengan meminta Menpora untuk melakukan protes atas tindakan Malaysia, agar masyarakat tidak bertindak liar dan mempercayai pemerintah dalam mengatasi masalah yang dihadapi.

"Pendukung Timnas Indonesia diharapkan agar benar-benar menghayati sportivitas. Menang atau kalah Timnas Indonesia tidak diciderai dengan kecurangan ataupun tindakan memalukan," urainya.

Indonesia, harus bisa menunjukkan pada Malaysia bahwa permainan sepakbola cukup diselesaikan di lapangan. "Dan tidak perlu merambah pada ketegangan hubungan diplomatik, bahkan hubungan antar masyarakat," tutup Hikmahanto.

Ramadhian Fadillah - detikNews''

What a bunch of sore losers they are....just because of bloody lasers??

Kasihan dehh kamu!!!

85,000 smiles

Last night....I was at the stadium witnessing a history...

An historical event indeed...

Who would expect that the young national team would beat the Indonesians by 3-0...

Yep....3-0....

Beating a team that consist of an Uruguayan and a half baked dutch descent, is not an easy task...Funny, a country of almost 270 million people, they need to import some dude from Uruguay to lead the line for them..

Our boys last night played rather well.....To be honest, it's been a long time since I last seen a Malaysian team that can pass and move the ball so well....

Totally different from the Vietnam second leg semi final in Hanoi....

It seems that the Indonesian people, including their President, and some of the Indonesian players blamed the lasers for their loss, but I would think that reason is so lame.....Don't forget, it was them who started all those lasers pointing in their first match at Jakarta.....

I enjoyed watching the team played at the match to be frank....Made some new friends....few seats away from us, there was a group who came all the way from Kuala Ketil, Kedah......On our right side, was a group of fans from Muar, Johor. At least, from what I saw last night, no matter where we came from, all of us were there for the country.....Saw some flags from Terengganu, Kelantan and as far as Sabah.....

I do wonder, why must we give 15,000 seats to the visiting team....just give 'em 5000 tickets would be enough....after all, I'm pretty sure we can fill in the stadium quite easily!!!

Anyways, there's another 90 minutes to play in Jakarta. The young tigers need to be mentally strong to overcome the fanatical Indonesian supporters....

It can be done I believe....but whatever the result in Jakarta, be it win or lose, at least, the boys showed that they can play....

Focus....focus...focus boys.....


The Malaysian Nike polo shirt that I bought for RM119


At 5.30pm outside the stadium....



At 7pm in the stand....



At 7,45pm.......


Another view taken from a friend from the other side of the stadia...


Ultras???


Taken from Ajaque: The indonesian fans.....


Taken by ajaque: I was seated to the left of the score board........!!


Yeap.....3-0!!!

ASB..........FD

Since it's already known to many that we can no longer use ASB to pledge for overdraft purposes, I was thinking of using Fixed Deposit instead....

I was at the bank the other day signing some document for my ASB loan, and I took the opportunity to enquire about pledging the FD for O/D purposes.

First and foremost, we all know that the FD return is low. Seriously low. About 3% if I'm not mistaken.

Secondly, the bank will give you 1:1 for the overdraft. So if you have RM30k in your FD, you can pledge the amount for your od.

Third, why would anyone wanna do that? Well...for some and for me, OD has helped me a lot in 'enhancing' my financial being. It has helped me in diversifying my investment. So, I was just thinking, if I have some cash to 'spare', I'll put it in FD and then pledge it for OD.

To be honest, my OD account is not ''big'' but it is enough for me to use to spread my investments and my risk in different baskets.....

Hence, I believe, by 'expanding' my OD, I could have some 'ready' cash with me at any one time.

I've yet to determine whether to go ahead with this small 'project' of mine or not.....

Let's see how it goes lah....

2011.....

In a few days time,......we'll 'celebrate' a new year....

New aim....new purpose....new resolution.....bla bla bla....

Just like anyone else in this world......I got my own resolutions.....

Some of it will be...........

1. To add another property that values RM400k
2. To boost wifey's personal savings to six figures....
3. To enhance my diving skills and maybe take up the PADI rescue diver course. Once I got my rescue license, I might go for the intensive 2 weeks Dive Master Program...
4. Play golf consistently as a 10 handicapper.
5. To boost our 'Haji'' trip account.
6. Change a new car.......:p
7. To start buying 'Gold' as investment....

There you go.....some of it though.....not all.....

Achieveable?.....I think so.....obviously it'll take time....

I've decided the target date for achieving each of those aims but anything can happen......Usaha sahaja....yang lain I leave it to the Almighty....

Have a nice day!!

Negaraku...

Never been so proud singing 'Negaraku' last night...

Almost bringing tears to my eyes.....

Almost 50,000 fans turn up at the stadium...(funny though...when Manyoos came over last year, the stadium was full to the brim)

Imagine...almost 50,000 peeps singing Negaraku....it's been a long, long time since I last heard the national anthem was sung with such passion by the fans....

Perhaps, the next time the national team plays at the National Stadium, we could see a full house....100,000 united Malaysians....Now, that would be some 'scene' eh....

Anyways.......we won!! Yey!!!

The first half was.....errrrr.....bad.....I mean really bad. The team just couldn't pass, couldn't hold the ball....It was like watching my school's Under-15 playing in the inter-zone. Vietnam, on the other hand, played like real pros. Pass and move. Crosses. Nice little touches......So i guess, we were lucky that they left their shooting boots at Hanoi!!

Our midfields were non-existent. Our rightback (Number 18),....... how he managed to get into the national squad is beyond me. Hehehehe...

During the 2nd half, the coach changed the rightback. It was a bloody good move. At least the subsitute showed some passion in his play. Their play was much more intense and pressure further up the field.

That resulted the vietnamese to make mistakes which the team then scored. To be honest, the first goal was a 'given' goal by the Vietnamese keeper. A schoolboy error....hehehehe

The second goal was a result of constant pressue play by the team. You gotta pressure them to make mistakes....hehehe....

Anyways.....up till the 85th minute....we can see that the boys has run out of steam. Basically, not fit lah....but a least they tried and not afraid of pressuring the opposition. That's the most important thing. I wouldn't mind if we go down fighting but I'd be angry if we lost without a fight!!

Well done boys....you make me & the rest of 49,999 fans last night proud.....All the best in Hanoi!!

Malaysia vs Vietnam

It's been awhile since I last saw the national football team play at the National Stadium

It's Malaysia vs Vietnam tonight.

A semi-final match for the AFF Suzuki Cup...

After being walloped by the Indonesians in the opening game, I thought the team did well to be in the semis. Too bad Singapore and Thailand is not in the semi final....

My thoughts....considering the fact the national team at this moment consist of 'young' players, they have surprassed their target. Hehehehe.

Maybe....just maybe...they could bring more suprises to the country by going to the final...If we can win tonight....then we have a big chance.....

Anyways....hope i'm gonna enjoy the outing tonight with some friends....

Have a nice day...

2010................

Another 2 weeks plus, 2010 will come to a close...

Perhaps, it's a good time to reflect what we've done for the past year..

Be it good or bad....I realised that there are things that I should've done earlier and there are also things that I shouldn't have done...

2010 has taught me a lot of things...emotionally, mentally & spiritually....

I'm currently in the midst of planning for 2011....

Most of it will obviously include my finances....This is an area that I would like to improve by reading more finance related stuff....Need to be more aware of what's happening around me lahh...

I do hope to purchase another property in 2011 though....

Later on today, I'm signing up for the PRU BSN thingy...which gonna 'costs' me RM50 per month. Perhaps, wifey would also join me in this thing...

I've yet to open up that education plan by PM as yet.....Perhaps, later in the week lah...

Let's see lah how it goes......

Have a nice day...

hrrmmmmmmm..........investment lagi?

Spoke to a friend about gold investment earlier today....

She introduced me to Public Dinar....& PRU BSN sUmmah

Spoke at length about the advantages of investing in gold & the PRU BSN thingy

Haven't decided anything as yet.....

Need to do some calculation first...& of course some thinking....

Obviously need to choose the right 'instrument' at the right time.....

The Barcodes...

The barcodes won 3-1 against Liverpool

No passion, no heart, no grit & no soul seen from the performance last Saturday...

The team is fast becoming a mid table team managed by a mid-table manager...

From competing in the Champions League to not qualifying in the League having lost to Northampton...

Dear Mr Manager...please do the needful and just leave....


Anyways....I found an 'open-letter' written by a Liverpool fan dedicated specifically at Mr Roy Hodgson....

Here goes....

Dear Mr Hodgson,

Let me begin by saying that I think you are a very nice and decent man. I have nothing against you personally, and have the utmost respect for what you have done in football over the last 30 years. I’d give my right arm to have been involved in football at the level that you have for so many years.

But having said that, this is not the point of this note so let’s get to the point. Mr Hodgson, sir, you are out of your depth. Not just a little. You are so far out of your depth that you are drowning. Your record managing teams in the premier league reads 7 wins in 55 premier league away games. That is a success rate that ranks with the worst managers in premier league history.

Today, you sent out a team that had dismantled Aston Villa a week ago. With only one change, replacing Babel with the ‘world class’ Torres there was a sense of optimism, playing against a team in turmoil. Not only had they sacked their highly popular manger, they were also 5 games without a win. The general consensus was that they were there for the taking.

But, Mr Hodgson, with your approach to away games, Newcastle ladies under-12s aren’t there for the taking, never mind their first team. Your approach to EVERY away game is absolutely shocking. You send a team out so fearful of losing, they have no idea how to win. How do you explain a team so powerful at home, being so dismal away, unless it’s approach, tactics and mindset?

In your last 55 premier league games (17 this season and 38 last season) your teams have won 16 out of 27 at home, and 2 out of 28 away. A 59% success rate at home, a 7% success rate away from home. It is why your team last season finished 12th, and your current team is languishing in 9th. It is why, in your last 28 away games, your teams have scored a total of 18 goals, conceded 47 and thus have a goal difference of -29.

Of the 84 points on offer in those 28 away games, you sir, have racked up a grand total of 15 points.

Quite simply Mr Hodgson, your approach to games away from home is shambolic. There isn’t a team in the premier league who does not believe they can defeat any team managed by you in their own stadium. In your last 4 away games – against perennial strugglers Wigan and Stoke, newly promoted Newcastle, and Harry’s Spurs, you have collected 1 point out of a possible 12. You have achieved 5 points in 9 away games so far this season. Your team has scored 6 goals. Only the bottom 3 have scored less.

In all of my years watching my beloved Liverpool Football Club, this is the first time I can claim to feel embarrassed and humiliated by the shocking displays on offer week in, week out, away from home. I watch my team bullied off the park by teams and players who are still pinching themselves that they are even playing at this level. I see a mass of millionaire Red shirts hanging on in desperation hoping against hope they can hang on to a draw against players I’ve hardly heard of. As the clock ticks ominously towards 90 minutes, I watch my team retreat deeper and deeper, hanging on in desperation, hoping against hope they can snatch a point. Inevitably, in what is now a theme, the opposition twist the knife with 10 minutes or so to go. Today, at 75 minutes, I texted a friend. My text read this: ‘best we can hope for is 1-1. Worst is 2-1 or even 3-1.’ Now I’m no Nostradamus or fortune teller. It’s just so BLOODY obvious what is going to happen. If it’s obvious to me, why isn’t it to you? WHY do you not use your substitutes to freshen things up and offer alternatives? WHY? I sometimes think that you’re so wrapped up in your own sulk, you forget you have a job to do.

Your tactics are abject. Your mindset breeds mediocrity. Your body language is cringe worthy. Forgive me, but what was that face-rubbing thing today? What do you hope to achieve by being slumped in your chair while your team is being battered in to eventual submission? You have no plan B, and you have no idea when and how to make substitutions. You continue to play an abject performer called Paul Konchesky, simply because you signed him from your previous team. You are slumped in your chair, radiating negativity. Rubbing your chin and your face, with a dazed “what the hell do I do next” look which is being observed by a watching world is the body language of desperate man. A man who does not even understand the questions being posed, never mind the answers.

It is highly unlikely you will ever see this message, but if you do, I urge you to resign. Please relinquish the position for a man more suited to manage a club of the stature of Liverpool. It is in everyone’s best interests that you ply your trade back at a club more suited to your tactics and methods. A team where mediocrity is considered a form of success.

Let me finish by reminding you of a basic fact. You are managing the most successful team in the history of English Football – ever. You are managing a team supported by the greatest fans in the world – ever. With that comes immense expectation, responsibility and pressure. It is my opinion, and the opinion of many Liverpool fans worldwide, that you are incapable of living up to the expectations required of a Liverpool manager.

Please, I implore you. Do the dignified thing and resign your post. Let Liverpool rebuild with a manager of the stature required for club of this size. You won’t have any trouble regaining employment. Wolves, West Ham, Wigan and Fulham will all be looking for a manager soon.

You’ll do fine there.

Regards, Alex

Alex Malone is exiled to Southern California having been brought up in Huyton. He represented TIA in Istanbul on national breakfast television show GM:TV.

Pulau 9

Went to Pulau Sembilan during the weekend.

It was a 'short' diving trip with some friends...

TO be honest, I don't even know that Pulau Sembilan existed before..shame on me eh?

Not much info can be gathered from net, but you may browse here about it.

The thing that I dread most about diving trips is the journey to the jety. It took us about 3 hours to reach Lumut town from KL on Saturday.

Decided to sleep over in a cheap hotel in Lumut called Orchard Inn or something. OK lh for RM20 per person.

From Lumut jety to the Island, it took us about 45 mins. Not the best of journey I have to admit though. The sea was choppy. I really thought that I would throw up during the 'ride'

Reached the first dive spot called White Rock. Descended till 10 meters and the visibility was so bad. Maybe about 1m-2m. There was no guide for us during the trip and were left on our own.

Intially when I checked my dive comp, my depth was at 12meters. Barely 2 minutes later when I checked, we were at 19 meters. I thought to myself that this is not good, so made a hand signal to my friends that we should level at 10 meters. Can actually feel the current is pushing us away to the open sea.

Managed to get to the 10 meter level and still the visibility was bad. We then decided to end the dive. We surfaced after the normal 3 mins safety stop. And yes...we surfaced quite far a way from the spot we descended.

Once on the boat, some of my friends threw up. Don't know whether it was the choppy seas or the not-so-interesting dive we had, but yeah...I felt sick too....hehehe

The boatman the decided that we should head to one of the island for a break and some lunch. The crew were good enough to cook us some delicious tom yam and friend fish. Ohhh...by the way, they 'caught' the fishes when we were diving at White Rock. To be honest, they can actually dive alone and spear those fishes for us.

After lunch, it was back on the boat for us, but I aborted the 2nd dive as the boatman told me that the vis was more or less the same like the 1st dive.

So nothing interesting happen there. We then went to our 3rd and last dive for the day. I decided to join the dive and was a bit regreted with my decision. My max depth during that dive was only 3meters. Vis was again very bad. It was like diving in a sea of air tebu. Hahahahaha

We went up after only 25 mins of diving. Was a bit disappointed as there was nothing much to see. Anyways, right after the dive, we head straight back to mainland.

Reached mainland about half past six in the evening. After washing our gears and mandi2, we head the road. Stopped at not-so-sedap nasi beriyani ayam madu somewhere after lumut town.

COntinued the journey and reached home at 1230 this morning!!. Hahahah

Anyways...would I go there again?....Maybe Not in the near future.

hehehehehe....

Interesting dive trip with a difference indeed....



The pics above were taken from: Ajaque

Hari bersejarah.........Part Duex

After several nights of thinking...and some calculating....

I finally decided (after my visit to Maybank earlier today) that I wanna maximise my ASB account to RM200k.

I took up the ASB loan of RM100k for 25 years. Monthly payment is slightly less then RM600.

Since ASB is 'closing' tomorrow, the money (if all goes well) will only be disbursed next year.

Let's see how it goes....

I read somewhere about this ASB loan thingy. Lots of comments about it to be frank. Some said that it's good...and some said it's not wise...

For me though....it's another 'vehicle' that I can use to enhance my 'wealth' and boost my financial planning....Who knows, when the time comes, I might sell the loan amount back to Maybank....hehehe

I think...i've mentioned somewhere in my previous entries that I've yet to make any savings to my ASB account since the start of the year. So I guess, with this...I'm somewhat 'forced' to make the monthly payments...

After all....that RM600 is taken from the income from my rental properties. It's a good start for 2011 eh?

Alright then...one by one things are start to look clearer to me....

Next one is setting up the trust fund in Public Mutual (I know...I mentioned this earlier) and of course...my Haji Trip fund....hehehehe

Have a good day....

Hari bersejarah.........

Hehehe...

ya ke bersejarah?

Well...to be honest...it's not a big deal at all....

What I did today was I went to Maybank and open up the new Amanah Hartanah Berhad (AHB) account for my daughter.

'Entry' fee was RM500 (500 units)

Maximum Investment is RM200,000 (200,000 units).

I'm planning to save RM100 (100 units) per month and save that amount into AHB account monthly.

During the brief conversation I had with the rather cute bank officer, I was made to understand that the dividend is given twice in a year. The dividend is projected to be at 6% per annum. So it means, 3% for 6 months.

I like what I saw in the AHB brochure. It states:

''The fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in the beneficial ownership of real estate in Malaysia from the Sponsor in particular commercial properties including but not limited to office buildings, shopping complexes, commercial centers, logistics and industrial complexes. The fund will also invest in Syariah-compliant money market instruments and equivalent and hold cast to meet its liquidity requirements''

TO be honest, I'm not expecting any mega returns as it is a new fund and a new investment. What I do hope is I can be discipline enough to constantly save some money into this account....Where there is no doubt that kecik do have her own education fund with Prudential, I think it's not wrong to save into something else....

I guess...it's not a sin when you are putting your 'eggs' in different baskets kan??

Maybe...the next step before the end of the year will be...setting up another Trust fund with public mutual....

God's Gifts

Sometimes, there are people out there who are born stupid.....

There are people who likes to belittle others....

People who doesn't care about anything else except for him or herself....

Presumably...it's a god's gifts eh?

Hhehehe