Several of these petrol dealers are not owner operators at all. They claim to be owner operator, but in fact they act as proxies and fronts for politicians, heads of government ministries, businessmen, heads of political parties, oil company bosses etc.

You see, it is not easy for these bumiputera businessmen to cough up at least half a million ringgit for a Petronas petrol dealer license. So in exchange for a legit "license", these so-called owner operator have to give a fixed amount of fees to the real owners of the license each month. And these are not small sums.

Previously, under the APM, the proxies are guaranteed their profits each month, after deducting all those funny expenses. Now with the float, these proxies are in trouble because not only do they need to operate with lower pump prices, but the fees to pay up remain unchanged.

Which is why you have people like Hashim Othman jumping up and down, and using rural pump operators as the poor, disadvantaged victim.

No, no, no...people like Hashim are now faced with massive losses because lower pump prices are now burning both ends of the candle.

The idea of issuing petrol dealer license to genuine bumi and non-bumi entrepreneurs in the early years was a well thought-out strategy. But as things always happen in Malaysia, someone decided to abuse the system and now every one is doing it.

How to stop the rot? Let's wait and see how Hashim Othman refutes this, and then I shall share more.

Mr Esa_Adam
How about we put it this way.

Too many times, the Islamic faith has been disparaged and abused by many people who should know better. In Malaysia. In the Middle East. In Europe. And I am sure there will be more.

I was brought up in a household of 2 Abrahamaic faiths and my parents showed me the beauty and challenges of each of those faiths. I must admit there are serious questions for both religions, but in the end I chose one which I am proud to profess and bellieve in.

But to address your concerns that sermons are not about extremism. Why do you say that? Surely the written and spoken words can be made in a manner that can encourage love and compassion for people...or it can cause hatred, disharmony and anger to people too. Dont you think s?

As followers of the faith, we have to a choice: to do good or to do evil.

What I witness happening in Malaysia and around the world today demonstrates the manifestation of evil by people who should know better. I see people using the name of God in a manner that he would be ashamed and disgusted. I see acts and deeds done in God's name that would make people with no religion turn their backs to religion.

People in positions of leadership, authority and power have a responsibility to become a good example to their adherents. Failure to do that would bring disrepute and shame to the faith.

So why would Mr Poulsen say what he allegedly tweeted unless he knew that words and speeches have been abused to further the agenda and intentions of people who intends ill will?

If it is any indication about the state of affairs in Malaysia today, it appears that the ruling government and their related agencies are caught in a time wrap of an old, feudal era - an era of "I know best", "Listen to what I say", "I am the head", "Obey and don't ask questions" and many others.

How else can rational, opinionated and highly-intelligent Malaysians view what is happening with these endless arrests and threats coming from the DPM and the IGP, to lawyers, social activists, lecturers, students, MPs, corporate leaders and soon, the ordinary man/ woman/child in the street who happen to have a different point of view?

It appears that the leadership of this country is utterly clueless about how to manage and run this country efficiently and effectively. Since when did a DPM opinion became an instruction to arrest? Since when did an IGP's tweet became a precedent to harrass an individual?

Why is it that the DPM, who failed drastically in managing the recent flood disaster, now see it fit to talk about an inconsequent opinion of a mere rakyat? The DPM is nothing but a walking and breathing MP of mismanagement, incompetence and sometimes outright buffoonery!

The fact is that Malaysians like to mouth off. The weather, the economy, the politicians, the neighbors, the food...you name it, every Malaysian has an opinion on anything. Since when have you come across a Malaysian who does not have an opinion?

But by advocating Eric Poulsen's arrest, the DPM has torn apart the social fabric of this country. By his remarks, the DPM has demonstrated his inability to become a respected, reliable and trusted MP in government. By instructing the IGP to arrest a common citizen with a distasteful opinion, the DPM has shown his incompetence to think rationally, act competently and lead compassionately.

So what options are there for Malaysians?

I call upon the members of the public, the NGOs and any remaining sensible MPs to demand that the DPM be removed from government. The time has come for this dead-wood to be put to pasture, to live out his remaining days in quiet retirement and to avoid causing further damage to Malaysian society.

The feudal era gave way to the industrial revolution which transformed society into modern democracies.

Malaysia needs to get rid of feudal MPs, such as this DPM, to that you can experience a social transformation to create a society where harmony, mutual respect, compassion, peace and happiness are the foundational bedrock of a modern country that you truly deserve. The DPM has done nothing other than contribute to the downfall of Malaysia.

Earlier today, we read that Major Zaidi Ahmad was accused of breaching military regulations by reporting the indelible ink fiasco. As a true Muslim, he knew he had to abide by the truth and he did that. But his superiors and political masters refused to have none of that. Political expediency to win the election at any cost, at any price, by any means was paramount.

Now we have LfL's Eric Paulsen being investigated under the Sedition Act for certain allegations, the context of which we are uncertain yet.

But one thing is clear: irrespectective of whether they be Islamic Affiars Minister Jamil Khir Baharom or the judges who condemned Major Zaidi, speaking the truth is a dangerous proposition in Malaysia today. The fact that JKB and the Military Judges were so quick to use the Sedition Act or to force Major Zaidi to shut up showed that hey had no qualms to use any means to silent alternative points of view.

In my opinion, both JKB and the judges were no different from the 4 French terrorists who shot and killed 17 innocent civilians in cold blood.

JKB and these judges are slowing killing the spirit of democracy and human rights in Malaysia.

So now, when the public and the Bar Council put very hard questions to recent decisions in court cases, the CJ cannot deny that the Malaysian public had enough of "biased judgements". Or would CJ Arifin conveniently declare that military cases are outside his purview?

Justice must certainly be seen to be done, and for Major Zaidi, justice was certainly denied to him.

Major Zaidi Ahmad is a true Muslim.
The judges who condemned him for speaking the truth are no different from the 4 French terrorists who shot and killed 17 innocent civilians in cold blood. These judges killed the spirit of democracy and human rights in Malaysia.

So what does the CJ have to say about the biased judgements of these military judges? Or would CJ Arifin conveniently declare that they are outside his purview? ABU!

Major Zaidi Ahmad is a true Muslim.

The judges who condemned him for speaking the truth are no different from the 4 French terrorists who shot and killed 17 innocent civilians in cold blood.

These judges killed the spirit of democracy and human rights in Malaysia.

So what does the CJ have to say about the biased judgements of these military judges? Or would CJ Arifin conveniently declare that they are outside his

purview?

ABU!

I read with concern the allegations that TNB might have released water from the Pergau Dam. It could be because they feared the dam's collapse under the millions of tonnes of water in the lake. It could be the fear that the dam was not fully engineered to withstand the force of water building up.

But in any case, as a corporate entity, TNB needs to explain away these allegations. TNB needs to clarify that it was not a party to acts that jeopardized the lives of people downstream from the dam. TNB needs to show what actions it took that prevented build-up water from gushing down the slipway.

As Investigations Editor, I urge you to use your full investigative powers to determine what actually caused the deadsly floods. I urge you to remain steadfast in your research and enquiries.

Your report could open the floodgates to explain why PM Najib refused to call this disaster an emergency.

In many countries, the pump prices are open and transparent, to the extent that pump retailers publicly put up big signages at entrances to announce how much is a gallon (or litre) of gas.

Consumers will shop for the lowest price, often driving around. These retailers will make money because not only do they have a loyal pool of regular customers but because the service stations offer more than just gas sales, such as retail (groceries), banking (ATM, loans), office (photocopying, printing, courier, post) and even laundry.

I noticed that Malaysian gas retailers are a pampered lot. They dont bother to be nice, polite and courteous to customers. They rely on imported labour to do the menial tasks. They dont have clean, sanitary toilet facilities. And very often, the clerk at the counter has a "take it or leave it" attitude.

And it is not their fault. It is the fault of the gas station owners who want to provide this service at the lowest possible cost, at the least inconvenience to the owners and to maximise the squeeze to customers (see the long queues at gas stations just prior to gas price hikes).

These gas station owners have been pampered, fed and lavished upon so much that they have no idea how to do business anymore. So perhaps it is good that economics has come into fore, so that demand and supply will finally cull the hardworking retailers from the lazy.

So what if a few gas station owners go bankrupt? So what if there are shuttered gas stations? So what if they raise hue and cry over loss of business? These gas stations owners have had their fill from a cartel for many years.

It is time to wean them from the feeding trough, so that the benefit of lower pump prices can benefit those who are genuinely hardworking, pleasant and determined to succeed.

It is not just the RM800million. Earlier, I commented that Khazanah in Dec 2013 gave RM10million for flood mitigation activities. What has happened to that money? Has it been disbursed? Who were the recipients? What was it disbursed for? When was it disbursed?

It is commendable that PAC is keen to audit the RM800 million disbursement, but if PAC cannot keep track of RM10million, what assurance do we Malaysians, in our generous and kind hearted ways, know that our hard-earned monies will be utilised and disbursed wisely and carefully?

And why is it that I mostly see ordinary faceless Malaysians from all walks of life donating to the flood victims?

Why is it that I do not see pictures in social media of the rich, UMNO elites, the ones who ride in fancy vehicles and live in big homes, donating to flood victims? Why dont I see the likes of the CEOs and Chairmen of GLC and Bursa-listed companies putting on gum-boots and going to clean up houses or helping to deliver goods to the flood victims?

Will Sarawakians and Sabahans living in Malaya be given an opportunity to do the survey?