Petronas PR in Pengerang must learn from Iskandar

Petronas PR in Pengerang must learn from Iskandar

Sometimes I don't understand why people need to be so arrogant just because they are working for some big organisations.

This is especially true among those who are from KL, placed in "small towns" like JB.

Several years back, a friend who is a journalist told me about his constant struggles with PR people of Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) and Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB).

He told me of how these PR people do not seem to really care to engage the local Press nor do they seem to care about the Iskandar Malaysia's main stakeholders - the local people.

My friend said these PR people rather deal with the "higher class" media people such as big time editors and top journalists in KL. They also hardly care to meet the local stakeholders among the orang-orang kampung. They always feel that if they want something done, they can always get their friends among the Press bosses in KL to squeeze their subordinates in JB to do it.

At that time, I thought my friend was exaggerating. Well. this friend of mine is a bit of a diva and has a knack of being over dramatic from time to time.

But later on, I found out that he was actually telling the truth (eerrr, with slight kuah tambah la, of course). The ding dong battle between the JB Press and these PR people went on for quite sometime until things started to improve after direct intervention from none other than Khazanah boss Azman Mokhtar and Johor MB themselves.

My friend had then stopped bitching about the Irda and IIB PR people for quite awhile.  In fact, he became good friends with some of them and started writing glowing reports about the two organisations. The Irda and IIB PR people also improved a lot by making lots of engagements not only with the local Press but more importantly with the local people through their CSR programme and development briefings.

The honeymoon  lasted for quite a while until around the end of 2010 when Irda and IIB overhauled their PR teams. My friend said things are now back to square one. The new PR boys and girls are mostly from KL and quite snotty, he said. They simply refuse to learn from their predecessors.

Looks like they have to learn it the hard way.

The new IIB Comms team recently made a major blunder by getting the Star's "top editor" BK Shiddhu to interview their boss instead of giving such a privilege to the newspaper's highly experienced JB-based business writer Zazali Musa. The outcome of the disastrous interview I heard could be quite severe for the IIB CEO.

You cannot offend the Arabs like that la. That's what happen if you get a 'top editor' who are out of touch with sensitive issues to write for you.

Well, I don't even want to bitch about the even worse new Irda Comms team, as I may end up not addressing the real issue I want to bring up, which is the attitude of the Petronas PR team handling the petroleum hub project in Pengerang.

I heard they are even worse than their peers in Irda and IIB.

Well, they better change their attitude, and they better do so NOW.

GET OFF YOUR KL HIGH HORSES AND ENGAGE THE LOCALS.

The Pengerang project will come under attack as the general election draws near. I had written about it here
Cooking Lynas-style nonsense for Pengerang 

These Petronas PR people better have a plan not only to counter but also pre-empt the coming attacks. Win over the locals. Get down and dirty. You all are no longer high up in the cloud at the glittering twin towers in KL, ok?

And don't send some lowly lackeys, who can talk endlessly but can't decide without management say so, to do the work down here. Decisions on what needs to be done must be made fast, so if your decision making process takes days if not weeks, die la for sure.

Johor BN battle ready

Johor BN battle ready

Johor BN's preparations for the coming general election are going smoothly. This was acknowledged by both PM and DPM when they were in the State last week.

Najib seems to be satisfied with Johor's BN efforts after briefed on the situation on the ground during his meeting with the State Umno leaders at Tanjong Puteri Resort, Pasir Gudang on Saturday.

Muhyiddin had several days earlier said Johor BN chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman is doing the right   thing with his overall strategy and personal visits to the peti-peti undi areas. Such an endorsement from his old Muar High School classmate should mean a lot to Ghani. Muhyiddin made the statement while visiting Kulai is black area.

Kulai Umno division chief Datuk Adam Hamid, who is a close ally of Muhyiddin, should get the message, I guess. From what I heard, Adam does not think too highly of Ghani's strategy. Hopefully, he will change his mind after what Muhyiddin said that day.

As it is should be with everyone else in the party, the main thing now is for BN to win the election. The internal struggle and huge egos should be set aside for now. All the ships must sail in the same direction. Otherwise they will be picked off one by one by the enemies.

For those who wants so much to become the next Johor Menteri Besar, there is no need to be over enthusiastic about it. Work to win the election first. Rest assured that Ghani is retiring. He had repeatedly made his intention known to everyone, including Najib himself. I personally wish that he gets to retire.

The MB's job is definitely not easy if it is to be done properly with integrity and sincerity. It is not a lubok of riches where one and one's cronies could use the power to get what ever they want. It's a job where the rakyat's interests need to be protected from all those hungry wolves who don't care about anything but their own tembolok. I pray that the next Johor MB is not one of those wolves himself.

 BTW, Ghani's visits to the peti undi areas is at its final lap. Of all the critical areas, Tanjong Piai is the only one to be completed. Nonetheless, I heard a lot more works were to be done such as follow-ups of those visits and continous monitoring and adjustments on the ground.

Whatever it is, I think Johor BN will be ready once Najib set the date of the general election.

My perdiction of the outcome is that except for DAP which may win a few seats in areas such as the Chinese-majority Kulai, the rest of the Pakatan people in Johor will be wiped out....that is if everyone in Johor BN could from now on concentrate their energy on winning the election instead of trying to kill each other off to further their personal interests.

One last thing, feedbacks from the ground indicate that BN stands a good chance to get back the only parliamentary seat in Johor currently in Pakatan/DAP's hand - Bakri.

Cooking Lynas-style nonsense for Pengerang

Cooking Lynas-style nonsense for Pengerang

Pahang MB DS Adnan Yaakob had cheekily described the anti-Lynas demo in Kuantan today as a tourism demo. Beautiful Kuantan is after-all a tourist town.

Well, Tok Nan seems to be a different kind of man than Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman. He likes to be funny sometimes, even on serious issues.

Can't really blame the man. The Lynas demo was indeed funny - complete with a khalwat drama and everything.

I don't think if it's Ghani, he will even dignify the demo people with any comment, colourful or otherwise. All those khalwat elements would not interest him that much. He would instead let the demo people tire themselves by being stupid and continue with his work

We will probably see Ghani do exactly that now that the Pakatan gang are apparently planning to spark something similar to the Lynas thing in Johor.

The latest report that I got was that the Pakatan people are now laying the groundwork to do so in Pengerang, Kota Tinggi.

When I did this posting , A little pig oinking at our police , I was not sure where it was heading, except that it's the usual Pakatan's police bashing exercise. Only later on that I realise it's a start of a new campaign to undermine the BN government, especially in Johor.

On Friday last week, it was discovered that the Pakatan people had recruited 18 locals of Pengerang to be agents tasked with instigating the residents of Pengerang to protest against the planned Petronas RAPID pateroleum hub project. The project was expected to involve an investment of up to RM200 billion.

This Pakatan efforts is being helmed by PKR, Pas and of all people, the Johor Bar Council.

I don't know la how stupid the lawyers are, but this time they are clearly playing an open card by declaring that they are indeed pro-Pakatan.

What is also noticeable is unlike Lynas, the DAP this time is not among the Pakatan front liners on this particular issue. Quite smart of them. Pengerang is a Malay area, so, they just push their Malay balachis to do most of the dirty work. See. who said manipulation of racial sentiments is not a consideration among the Pakatan people?

I am not yet sure how they are going to angle their attack. It could be on environment or land matters. Either way, they will try to cook it up to be another national issue like Lynas.

Of course, just like Lynas, they can't stop the project but this is simply to stir up something. Johor has no real big issue, so this probably will do, so that they can have something to say during their ceramah or an excuse to initiate another publicity-attracting demo like the Lynas one. They know there is really nothing wrong with the project, but it's creating the negetive perception that matter to them.

They would never care that the RM200 billion investment of the project will generate economic growth of more than trillions of ringgit within 15 years.

They would never tell the villagers in Pengerang that by that time, their children will have lots of employment opportunities from the economic growth, and that their children would not have to go far from their hometown to get a good job.

These Pakatan people who wanted the Pengerang folks to protest against the project are almost entirely made up of outsiders. They never care that all these while, the place has been a Johor backwater, and that it is currently only famous for being the departing and arrival points of illegal immigrants via the so-called laluan tikus.

Do those people such as the suited up smarter than anyone else pricks from the Bar Cuncil really care about the mostly poor fishermen and farmers of Pengerang? I don't think so. They are just there to reap political benefit and use those whom they think could be manipulated for their ends.

The Pakatan people know they can't win in Pengerang as it is a BN stronghold, yet they will proceed trying to make an issue over the planned construction of the petroleum hub.

All that they want by creating the issue is not to protect the interests of the Pengerang folks but instead to have it to play with in projecting themselves as being people and environment friendly with the general election around the corner.

An aspiring MB and his merry men

An aspiring MB and his merry men

What la this latest thing I heard about people of a certain aspiring MB behaving so unashamedly as if their boss is already certain to get the job.

Cannot wait until Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman step down first ka? Cannot wait until after the general election ka? Cheyyy....

Hey, malu you know behaving like that.

I hear this from the JCS people, ok? Not Ghani people. Ghani people had already been told not to make noise about this nonsense as they need to focus on the coming general election.

These JCS people told me that this bunch of people are already touring Kota Iskandar, telling the people there which rooms they are going to occupy when their boss become menteri besar.

They were said to have even asked for the list of JCS people so that they can determine in advance who are to go to what post to suit their "needs".

Let's not even let me begin on how these bunch of people use filthy tactics to make sure Ghani vacate the MB post so that their boss can take over. Eh, Ghani don't want the post anymore la. No need to be so gelojoh, ok?

This is the old sickness of Umno. Party members who think they are so powerful just because they are from Umno. Lebih sudu dari kuah (more spoon than gravy). These are the sorts of people who are the curse of Umno.

These are the sorts of nonsense behavior which make people who are pro-Umno but not party members got sick of Umno. Lets not even talk about the fence sitters let alone those on the other side.

I don't know whether their boss know about their behaviour but if he does, he better tell them to stop it.

I know, the PM is going to spend quite a lot of time in their area when he visit Johor next month. But they should get it in their thick skull that he is going there not to endorse their boss as the next Johor MB. He is going there because their area is classified as "grey". That means their area are in danger and the PM need to be there to bolster support for BN. Got it or not? Sheeessshhh....   

Talks on the ground among Johor contractors at the moment are that, if this aspiring MB really get the job, they need to hike up the cost of their projects by as high as 100 per cent  to accommodate the demands of his machais.

I tell you....if this happened, Johor will definitely go into the longkang.  This is what I have feared all the while.

My prayers now is for PM DS Najib Razak to be strong and wise in his decision.

Please Datuk Najib,   appoint someone who can really take care of Johor after Ghani retires.

I guarantee you, if a wrong choice was made, that's the end of Johor as we know it.

Kulai is black area

Kulai is black area

If there is going to be a place where Johor BN will lose in the next general election, it should be in Kulai.

Kulai has  about 34,000 voters. It is the parliamentary constituency in Johor with the biggest percentage of Chinese voters.

The current MP of Kulai is former MCA president Ong Ka Ting.

The Kulai parliamentary constituency comprise 31 per cent Malay voters, 59 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indians.

There are three State constituencies within the Kulai parliamentary area.
1. Bukit Permai - 52 per cent Malays, 36 per cent Chinese and 11 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to Umno.
2. Bukit Batu - 30 per cent Malays, 63 per cent Chinese and 7 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to Gerakan.
3. Senai -  22 per cent Malays, 67 per cent Chinese and 11 per cent Indians. The seat currently belongs to DAP.

The situation in Kulai is not good at all for BN. The leadership of Umno and MCA there are in disarray while their machinery in a state of paralysis. Only Gerakan, led by its Bukit Batu assemblyman Cheong Chin Liang seems to be doing some serious work. Kulai Wanita Umno also seems to be trying their best but they were hampered by a lackasadical attitude among division leaders.

It is understood that Kulai Umno leaders are currently jockeying for the single state seat allocated to them in Bukit Permai. Up to four leaders from the division were said to be lobbying the party leadership in Kuala Lumpur to be the Umno candidate there for the coming election.

Pas' presence there may be small and Umno likely to retain the seat, but the probability of Malay votes going to the opposition for the parliamentary seat from Bukit Permai will be quite significant in the overall scheme of things.

Even in Bukit Batu, the hardworking Cheong is struggling to keep things together for BN, especially among his Chinese constituents. It is going to be a 50-50 chance for BN in Bukit Batu as DAP is expected to field a strong candidate there.

It will be even more difficult for BN in Senai with its 67 per cent Chinese voters. MCA, which was supposed to field a candidate there are really handicapped with Ong Ka Ting hardly bothered to be in his area now that he knows he is already out of power in MCA and not going to defend his Kulai seat.

As for the Kulai parliamentary seat, DAP is expected to field their biggest gun, State opposition leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau who will also be defending his Skudai state seat. Any MCA candidate fielded there is expected to be blown out of the water by Dr Boo if Kulai BN do not get their act together.

The situation was made even worse by the refusal of the Kulai Umno division leaders to work with the party's State liaison committee which were trying hard to coordinate with the grass-root leaders in defending, especially the Kulai parliamentary seat. As far as Umno leaders in Kulai are concerned, all that matter to them is the single Umno seat of Bukit Permai.

It was quite sad, especially for grass-root members who are worried over the situation yet were hopeless to do anything because their leaders are only interested to further their own agenda.

It is understood that BN number two man Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is coming to Kulai at the end of this month to see for himself the situation there. Hopefully he will talk some sense into the ears of Kulai BN leaders, especially those from Umno. 

Guan Eng's little mischief on Dr Boo and Jui Meng

Guan Eng's little mischief on Dr Boo and Jui Meng

When appeal by MCA-reject-turned-PKR Johor chief Chua Jui Meng to contest his former constituency Bakri was snubbed by DAP handsome poster boy Lim Guan Eng, everyone seems to think that Guan Eng got something serious against Jui Meng.

I believe most of you had already read an article in the MCA's pro-DAP The Star on the matter several days ago which pointed towards that conclusion.

The truth is, except for Jui Meng being formerly an old enemy, Guan Eng actually doesn't think much of the man. When Anwar Ibrahim put Jui Meng as PKR chief in Johor, Guan Eng probably had a very good laugh.

It just confirmed the fact that PKR have no one else to lead them in the State and that Johor PKR will have to kow tow to Johor DAP if they want to achieve anything. The same way that Johor Pas is now beholden to Johor DAP.

Case in point was the Tenang by-election where the Pas lady candidate received less than 3,000 votes of which more than half of them were from pro-DAP voters in the Labis Tengah ballot area which were made of about 93 per cent Chinese.

It is not a secret that in Johor, the only real problem faced by BN is the perceived dissatisfaction of the Chinese community.

All BN's black or grey areas are those with over 45 per cent Chinese voters. This was largely due to the constant harping about the Chinese community being victimised in this country by none other than DAP leaders.

In all honesty, there are no real big local grass-root issues in Johor which had not been handled by the State government.

Ok, there are questions about Lim Kang Hoo, JCorp, Medini, Kulim and such, but those are not what will swing votes to BN or Pakatan in large number. In the first place, were the allegations true? How many of the ordinary reasonable men and women out there really care about those corporate wheeling and dealings? How many seats in Johor will BN lose because of those question marks?

What? In Pakatan's states got no such question is it?

For those who don't believe me, please try to walk around in down-town JB and befriend a Chinese guy. Then ask him what is his main grouse against BN. I bet he will not say it's KPRJ doing business with Lim Kang Hoo. He will instead most likely say that he is not happy because last night some DAP people told him that Malay enforcement officers (who are likely members of that evil Malay Umno) have this very bad habit of throwing innocent Chinaman out of window of tall buildings.

Never mind, lets get back to Guan Eng and Jui Meng. Let me repeat this - Jui Meng and Johor PKR are NOTHING without the support of Johor DAP. They do not even have a proper election machinery in Johor.

Jui Meng will lose if he contest in any area without DAP's help. That's a fact. The only place he stands a chance to stand on his own two feet is in his old constituency of Bakri in Muar where some of his old MCA supporters are still loyal to him.

Guan Eng know this and when Jui Meng made his intention known that he wants to go back to his now DAP-held Bakri, he seized the opportunity to teach the Johor Pakatan people two lessons -
1. DAP is the supreme leader of Pakatan in Johor
2. The Lim family are the ones who calls the final shots in DAP, even in Johor.

Everyone should by now know about the lesson number one.

But lesson number two is what is even more important to Guan Eng this time.

He need to tell off the hugely popular but independent-minded Johor DAP chief  Dr Boo Cheng Hau that not being a Lim disqualifies him from being a real major player in the party.

It is known by everyone that Dr Boo has had his run-ins with Guan Eng and his Johor-based proxies. So far Dr Boo seems to hold his ground against Guan Eng as far as Johor-related matters were concerned.

However, it so happened that Dr Boo and Jui Meng are not the best of friends either.

Initially, Jui Meng had wanted the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat which in 2008 was contested by PKR.

This spectacularly pissed off Dr Boo as his Skudai constituency is within that parliamentary area and he had worked hard to increase DAP's support there. Gelang Patah which has 54 per cent Chinese voters is a prime target as Kota Iskandar, the state administrative capital is located there.

It was said that Dr Boo would definitely win if he contest either his current Skudai state seat or Gelang Patah parliament seat or BOTH.

Dr Boo was so angry at the prospect of Jui Meng contesting in Gelang Patah that in September last year he refused to attend a major Pakatan dinner function near Sutera Mall in his Skudai constituency which was attended by Anwar and other Pakatan bigwigs. He repeated the snub, again at the same place last week during Johor PKR CNY gathering which was again attended by Anwar.

Jui Meng has now realised that Dr Boo may sabotage him if he press on wanting to contest in Gelang Patah. He knows that the DAP people loyal to Dr Boo are willing to do that. They would rather let BN win in Gelang Patah in order to spite Jui Meng. That was why he decided to approach Guan Eng and his people in KL to get their blessing for him to go back to Bakri.

Now, Guan Eng being Guan Eng, he decided to rebuff Jui Meng, knowing this will hugely embarrass the hapless man, who suddenly has no where to go. I can just imagine Guan Eng breaking into his trademark childish sniggering after pulling that fast one on Jui Meng.

Brilliantly, this also put Dr Boo in a rather tight spot. He is now forced to give way to Jui Meng. As Johor DAP chief , Dr Boo could not be seen as bullying a weaker PKR ally.

By right, Gelang Patah should be PKR's but most of the Pakatan's hard work there were done by DAP. Even if Dr Boo decides that he do not want to sabotage Jui Meng if he is to be the Pakatan candidate there, his people may still go ahead and sink the man, with or without Dr Boo's instruction.

Guan Eng may emerge the victor in this personal one-upmanship with Jui Meng and Dr Boo, but  what he may not realise is that Johor Pakatan may lose in both Gelang Patah and Bakri due to this little game he played.

Jui Meng may lose in Gelang Patah because of the Dr Boo's unhappiness factor while DAP may lose their Bakri parliament seat because of the unhappiness of Jui Meng supporters there.

Well, guess some people rather keep their big ego rather than using their brain. In this case good also lah, Now BN stands a better chance in Bakri and Gelang Patah. Thanks Guan Eng.

The weird EDL toll

The weird EDL toll

Today there is going to be a small demo by JB MCA and Gerakan youths over the toll charges at the newly completed Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) of MRCB.



This is a hot issue here....eerrr, among those who frequently travel to Singapore. The Pakatan people have been going to town about it. Make it as if the evil BN government is sucking the rakyat's blood again.

Now MCA and Gerakan also joined the fray. Well, never mind lah. The more the merrier.

These people said they don't like the toll charges as they are imposed at the CIQ of the Causeway. Meaning that those coming in and out of Singapore will have to pay it even if they do not use the EDL after leaving the CIQ, such as going to the Inner Ring Road or Stulang.

What they want is for the toll charges to be imposed only on those who use the EDL, and not on those going in and out of Singapore but choose to use other routes.

As it is today, the EDL is free for those who use it, unless they go to or coming in from Singapore.

Personally, I prefer the way it is now. I know, not seems to be fair to those who drives to Singapore and of course Singaporeans coming here la...but, aiya, those who drives to Singapore are rich la, and the Singaporeans are even richer. A bit a bit leeching on them cannot ka?

Hmmm...if cannot, never mind lah. MCA is going all out on this issue. Dr Chua Soi Lek, their president said the other day that the government had agreed to review the matter....so, actually no need to demo demo. Bising kacau orang saja la itu.

BTW, most Malaysians working in Singapore and living in JB go there by motorcycle or bus. No need to pay toll. Bus fare probably a few sen more expensive. That's all.

Here is a bit on EDL, courtesy of Wikipedia -

JB Eastern Dispersal Link (also known as Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Scheme) is a new expressway in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The 8.1 km (5.0 mi) expressway will connect the end of North-South Expressway Southern Route at Pandan to the new Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ Complex in the city centre. It will act as bypass to CIQ complex without using Tebrau Highway (Federal Route Jkr-ft3.png) to the city centre.

What Johor DAP really want

What Johor DAP really want

Last night MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek told Chinese Johoreans that they should not vote for Pakatan because if the State falls to those people, they will have a Pas MB.

He said a State government in Johor led by Pas will be disastrous to Chinese interests, particularly their businesses as Pas is only interested in their Islamic agenda.

He was attending the Gelang Patah MCA CNY celebration at a Chinese School in Skudai, a hotbed of DAP.

Hmmm.... fine, but I think Dr Chua need to be more "deep" than that in convincing the Chinese not to fall for DAP tricks.

First of all, Pakatan will never be able to win in Johor in the next general election.

Even the most fanatical Johor DAP people know this.

They know that their Malay allies in Pas and PKR would not make that much impact on the Malay Johoreans (unless of course if the Umno people sabotage each others like what they did in Sungai Abong and Maharani in 2008 la).

Therefore, what Johor DAP really want are more parliamentary seats. State seats are just bonus to them.

They themselves do not want a Pas MB as they know that Johor Pas are led by not so bright Malays. Really, can you name a bright Pas fella in Johor?  Mazlan Aliman? Please don't make me laugh.

Ok, now they are talking about Salahudin Ayub. Come on lah, if the guy is so good, why the hell he went all the way to Kelantan in the first place? Remember arr, he was the Pas campaign director during the Tenang by-election. See, what happened? The husband of the Pas candidate went and faked his MC also he cannot handle. Like that also cannot handle, how to become MB lah? The most he can be is something like that stupid dum dum Nizar of Perak whose balls are in the pockets of cousins Ngah and Ngeh.

Honestly la, DAP knows Johor will not survive a Pas MB. They know the Chinese in Johor do not want that to happen too.

All they want from Pas is for them to break up the Malay votes so that they can win parliamentary seats such as in Gelang Patah and Kulai. That is all.

Johor DAP will try to tell the fence sitters among the Chinese not to worry about Pas. They will stress on them to just give them their votes for parliamentary seats. They will still have the BN wakil rakyat in the State to do the donkey works while having a Chinese DAP rep in parliament to bolster the DAP strength in the event Pakatan takes over Putrajaya.

This will exactly happened in places like Tebrau. Halim Sulaiman of Puteri Wangsa need to buck up. DAP have been pumping more than 3,000 new Chinese voters who are their supporters into his area since early last year. Stop kacau-ing Maulizan and MB and do your work lah? You don't want to be wakil rakyat tell early lah. Can put someone else there to do the work. Save the crap until after the election, can or not?

Errr, ok lah, back to Soi Lek....please uncle arrr, tell Jason of Gelang Patah to be more handsome handsome. Maybe he can takes on Dr Boo in Skudai. The boy got great potentials but everyone thinks he is a bit of a gangster. Need to be refined a bit eh. The rest you know what to do lah. Push a bit la uncle, don't wait until the Umno guys having to go to all the temples and Chinese schools before you all like in Bakri. Can arrr?