British Airways

This scene took place on a British Airways flight between Johannesburg, South Africa & London. ..

A white woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a black man. Very disturbed by this, she called the air hostess. 'You obviously do not see it then?' she asked. 'You placed me next to a Black man. I did not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant Group. Give me an alternative seat.'

'Be calm please,' the hostess replied. 'Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another place is available.'

The hostess went away & then came back a few minutes later. 'Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in ! Economy Class. I spoke to the captain & he informed me that there is also no seat in Business Class. All the same, we still have one place in First Class.'

Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued , 'It is unusual for our company to permit someone from Economy Class to sit in First Class. However, given the circumstances, the captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting. She turned to the black guy & said, 'Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First Class.' At that moment, the other passengers, who'd been shocked by what they had just witnessed, stood up & applauded.

This is a true story. Say NO to racism...

Taken from here

Letters from PETRONAS

Letter 1
Dear all,
After reading all the chain mails and blogs, I feel called to reply, because of the relentless attacks and allegations -- most of which are inaccurate or baseless -- against PETRONAS.

PETRONAS' STAFF SALARY & BONUS

1) The salaries paid to PETRONAS' employees are not as high as people think. At best, they are just industry average. And these are not attractive enough for some who left PETRONAS to find work at other companies (mainly from the Middle East) which are willing to pay more. Why do they pay more? The oil and gas industry worldwide has been facing acute shortage of qualified or experienced personnel, so most companies are willing to pay lots of money to entice and pinch staff from their competitors.

Bonus? There has NEVER been a bonus amounting to 6 months or 12 months throughout the 33 years. On average, it is 2 months. But don't ever think we don't deserve it. We more than deserve it. A lot of us work really hard, some in the most extreme of conditions. Those who have been to and worked in northern Sudan, for example, would testify that it's like working in a huge blower oven. Southern Sudan, on the other hand, is almost all swamps and mud. Imagine having to go through that kind of heat, or waddling in muddy swamps, day in and day out.

QUALITY OF CRUDE & REFINED PRODUCTS

2) Malaysia produces about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day (and about 100,000 barrels condensate). Of this crude volume, 339,000 barrels are refined locally for local consumption. The rest is exported (and yes, because it has lower sulphur content it fetches higher prices).

Malaysia also imports about 230,000 barrels of crude oil per day, mainly from the Middle East, to be refined here. This crude oil contains higher sulphur and is less expensive (so the country gains more by exporting our crudes). In Malaysia, this crude is processed by PETRONAS at its second refinery in Melaka, and also by Shell at its Port Dickson refinery.

Different refineries are built and configurated to refine different types of crude. And each crude type yields different percentage of products (diesel, gasoline, kerosene, cooking gas etc) per barrel.

But most importantly, products that come out at the end of the refining process have the same good quality regardless of the crude types. That's why PETRONAS, Shell and Exxon Mobil share the same pipeline to transport the finished products from their refineries to a distribution centre in the Klang Valley. The three companies collect the products at this centre accordingly to be distributed to their respective distribution networks. What makes PETRONAS' petrol different from Shell's, for example, is the additive that each company adds.

PETRONAS' ROLE, FUNCTION & CONTRIBUTION

3) A lot of people also do not understand the role and function of PETRONAS, which is essentially a company, a business entity, which operates on a commercial manner, to mainly generate income and value for its shareholder. In this case, PETRONAS' shareholder is the Government.

In 1974, when PETRONAS was set up, the Government gave PETRONAS RM10 million (peanuts, right?) as seed capital. From 1974 to 2007, PETRONAS made RM570 billion in accumulated profits, and returned to the Government a total of RM335.7 billion. That is about 65% of the profits. That means for every RM1 that PETRONAS makes, 65 sen goes back to the Government.

Last year, PETRONAS made a pre-tax profit of RM86.8 billion. The amount given back to the Government (in royalty, dividends, corporate income tax, petroleum products income tax and export duty) was RM52.3 billion. The rest of the profit was used to pay off minority interests and taxes in foreign countries (about RM7.8 billion - PETRONAS now operates in more than 30 countries), and the remaining RM26.7 billion was reinvested. The amount reinvested seems a lot, but the oil and gas industry is technology- and capital-intensive. Costs have gone up exponentially in the last couple of years. Previously, to drill a well, it cost about US$3 million; now it costs US$7 million. The use of rigs was US$200,000 a day a couple of years ago; now it costs US$600,000 a day.

A lot of people also do not realise that the amount returned by PETRONAS to the Government makes up 35% of the Government's total annual income, to be used by the Government for expenditures, development, operations, and yes, for the various subsidies. That means for every RM1 the Government makes, 35 sen is contributed by PETRONAS.

So, instead of asking what happens to PETRIONAS' money or profits, people should be questioning how the money paid by PETRONAS to the Government is allocated.

CRUDE EXPORTS & FUEL PRICES

4) A lot of people also ask, why Malaysia exports its crude oil. Shouldn't we just stop exporting and sell at cheaper prices to local refiners? If Malaysia is an oil exporting country, why can't we sell petrol or diesel at cheaper prices like other oil producing countries in the Middle East?

I guess I don't have to answer the first couple of questions. It's simple economics, and crude oil is a global commodity.

Why can't we sell petrol and diesel at lower prices like in the Middle East? Well, comparing Saudi Arabia and other big producers to Malaysia is like comparing kurma to durian, because these Middle Eastern countries have much, much, much bigger oil and gas reserves.

Malaysia has only 5.4 billion barrels of oil reserves, and about 89 trillion cubic feet of gas. Compare that to Saudi Arabia's 260 billion barrels of oil and 240 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Malaysia only produces 600,000 barrels per day of oil. Saudi Arabia produces 9 million barrels per day. At this rate, Saudi Arabia's crude oil sales revenue could amount to US$1.2 billion per day! At this rate, it can practically afford almost everything -- free education, healthcare, etc, and subsidies -- for its people.

But if we look at these countries closely, they have in the past few years started to come up with policies and strategies designed to prolong their reserves and diversify their income bases. In this sense, Malaysia (and PETRONAS) has had a good head start, as we have been doing this a long time.

Fuel prices in Malaysia is controlled by the Government based on a formula under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism introduced more than a couple of decades ago. It is under this mechanism that the complex calculation of prices is made, based on the actual cost of petrol or diesel, the operating costs, margin for dealers, margin for retail oil companies (including PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd) and the balancing number of duty or subsidy. No retail oil companies or dealers actually make money from the hike of the fuel prices. Oil companies pay for the products at market prices, but have to sell low, so the Government reimburses the difference -- thus subsidy.

Subsidy as a concept is OK as long as it benefits the really deserving segment of the population. But there has to be a limit to how much and how long the Government should bear and sustain subsidy. An environment where prices are kept artificially low indefinitely will not do anyone any good. That's why countries like Indonesia are more pro-active in removing subsidies. Even Vietnam (which is a socialist country, by the way) is selling fuel at market prices.

PETRONAS & TRANSPARENCY

5) I feel I also need to say something on the allegation that PETRONAS is not transparent in terms of its accounts, business transactions etc.

PETRONAS is first and foremost a company, operating under the rules and regulations of the authorities including the Registrar of Companies, and the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia for its listed four subsidiaries (PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd, PETRONAS Gas Bhd, MISC Bhd and KLCC Property Holdings Bhd.

PETRONAS the holding company produces annual reports which are made to whomever wants them, and are distributed to many parties and places; including to the library at the Parliament House for perusal and reading pleasure of all Yang Berhormat MPs (if they care to read). PETRONAS also makes the annual report available on its website, for those who bother to look. The accounts are duly audited.

The website also contains a lot of useful information, if people really care to find out. Although PETRONAS is not listed on Bursa Malaysia, for all intents and purposes, it could be considered a listed entity as its bonds and financial papers are traded overseas. This requires scrutiny from investors, and from rating agencies such as Standard & Poor and Moody's.

BOYCOTT PETRONAS?

6) The last time I checked, this is still a democratic country, where people are free to spend their money wherever they like.

For those who like to see more of the money that they spend go back to the local economy and benefiting their fellow Malaysians, perhaps they should consider sticking to local products or companies.

For those who like to see that the money they spend go back to foreign shareholders of the foreign companies overseas, they should continue buying foreign products.

FINAL WORD (FOR TODAY)

I'm sorry this is rather long, but I just have to convey it. I hope this would help some of you out there understand something. The oil and gas industry, apart from being very capital intensive, is also very complex and volatile. I'm learning new things almost every single day.

Appreciate if you could help to forward this response to as many contacts as possible to counter the subversive proposal out there.

Thank you.

Wilson Lee Gain Loon (CAU_MEDIARELATIONS/PETH)

Letter 2

Do what you like.

The price of gasoline at the petrol station is set by the Government, not PETRONAS. PETRONAS has done its patriotic duty by paying the dividends, royalties, corporate tax, petroleum tax etc to the Government for YOUR benefit (rakyat lah).

And bear in mind that 30% of its revenue comes from overseas operations, thus bringing in foreign exchange to the country.

OK. Assuming that you buy this idea proposed by whomever it was.

So PETRONAS will have reduced revenues. Bear in mind that the costs of operations are also increasing. So the profits are reduced. Then PETRONAS and other oil companies pay less tax.

Then the Government will have less revenue. (Note: at least 40% of Government revenue for 2007 came from the oil industry). With less revenue, there will be less Government projects (you can then forget about bridges and highways, and rail tracks, and smart schools and not-so-smart universities, and hospitals, etc). So contractors and consultants, and con-sultans and con-cronies will cry and scream. Makan batu lah..

The Government has already announced freezing of recruitment. So, many new graduates will be unemployed. Makan batu lagi. Maggi mee pun tak mampu dah. Later, all sorts of allowances for civil servants will have to be withdrawn. Treasury tak cukup duit.

On top of that the oil industry may have to scale back many of its new investments, totaling about 45 billion ringgit over the next few years. Contractors, service providers, steel fabricators, maritime service providers etc will join the ratapan tangisan – no jobs.

Don’t forget that PETRONAS is sponsoring thousands of students in universities and even high schools – at any one time there are more than 4,500 university students being sponsored by PETRONAS in Malaysian universities and overseas. Also more than 2,000 high school children receive minor scholarships – children of poor families.

Kalau PERTRONAS tak ada duit, kesian lah mereka di atas tu. Shall I ask them to see the proposer of this idea (to boycott PETRONAS) and seek help from them instead?

So, it is to YOUR benefit that you make sure PETRONAS keeps making enough money to support YOUR Government so that your children can continue to go to school without paying for fees and books, and to go to universities at peanuts rates.

CONCLUSION: Help yourself and your family and your country by making sure that PETRONAS keeps making profits. Go to the nearest PETRONAS station and fill up now!! Don’t forget that if you go to non-Petronas station, the profits that these companies get will go their shareholders OVERSEAS.

So, be patriotic. Do your duty. Go to PETRONAS!!

(I hope you guys will help to send this response to as many contacts as possible to counter this subversive proposal).

Rosti B Saruwono - Datuk Dr (VP_Edu/PETH)

Taken from here.

Kebenaran? Wallhua'lam. Cuma isi-isi yang disampaikan boleh dipercayai.

Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Selamat menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri pada tahun 2008. Maaf sekiranya saya ada buat salah ataupun terkasar bahasa. Semoga tahun ini membawa lebih manfaat daripada tahun-tahun lepas. InsyaAllah.

Amalan Baik Tapi Terbalik.

• Amalan kenduri arwah beberapa hari selepas kematian. mengikut amalan masyarakat kita, keluarga si mati akan buat kenduri dan masak untuk tetamu yang hadir ke majlis itu. sepatutnya orang lainlah yang tolong masak dan adakan kenduri untuk keluarga si mati. keluarga si mati kan masih berada dalam kesedihan. lagi pula dikhuatiri kalau2 tetamu itu makan harta anak yatim yang ditinggalkan oleh si mati untuk anak2nya.
  

• Amalan menghadiri walimatul urus, tetamu yang datang membawa wang untuk disedekahkan kepada keluarga pengantin. malu rasanya kalau pergi tanpa membawa wang. kalau tak ada wang, rela untuk tidak pergi, takut malu. tetapi bila menghadiri kenduri arwah, tidak pula dihulurkan wang sebagi sedekah mungkin untuk meringankan sedikit beban keluarga si mati. tidak malu pula menghadiri kenduri arwah tanpa membawa wang.
  

• Apabila menghadiri majlis keraian, majlis pemimpin besar2, pakai cantik2. bergaya. baju mewah. tapi bila solat, pakaian pun comot, tak bersih. tak wangi. terbalik kan?
  

• Kalau kita jadi tetamu, segan nak makan makanan yang dihidangkan sampai habis. entah apa yang dimalukan. sedangkan yang sepatutnya adalah sebaliknya. apabila tetamu makan makanan yang dihidangkan, tuan rumah pasti akan gembira.
  

• Kalau bersolat sunat (atau apa2 amalan sunat lain) kat masjid bukan main rajin lagi. tapi kat rumah, nak solat sunat sekali pun susah. sepatutnya amalan sunat diperbanyakkan di rumah supaya kita tidak riak. yelah, kalau kat masjid, bila orang nampak kita rajin solat sunat, khuatir pula kalau jadi riak. bukankah amalan yang kita lakukan tidak boleh riak.
  

• Apabila bulan puasa tiba, sepatutnya kita mengawal nafsu kita. bukan sahaja mengawal nafsu dari makan atau minum sahaja. tapi dari segala sudut. tapi bila bulan puasa, tahap perbelanjaan semakin meningkat dan tidak terkawal. terdorong untuk berbelanja apabila inginkan sesuatu. sepatutnyakan bulan puasa la nak berjimat cermat.
  

• Amalan membuat kenduri sebelum pergi menunaikan haji. sepatutnya, kenduri doa selamat diadakan selepas orang itu selamat pulang dari bermusafir. doa selamat tanda kesyukuran kerana orang itu telah selamat pulang setelah sekian lama bermusafir dan berjaya mengharungi segala ujian yang melanda semasa bermusafir.
  

• Ibu bapa risau apabila anak2 tidak lulus peperiksaan, tidak pandai membaca atau tidak tahu menulis. sibuk hantar anak ke kelas tambahan untuk memantapkan lagi otak anak2. tapi bila anak tak tahu mengaji Quran, tak tahu solat, tidak pulak sibuk suruh anak belajar sedangkan mengaji Quran dan solat itu wajib dipelajari.
  

• Kalau hujan lebat, ribut petir, penat atau sakit sekalipun, kerja kena pergi. kalau tak pergi, nanti gaji sikit. kena marah dekat bos dan lain2. tapi kalau ke rumah Allah, malas pula nak pergi. berbagai alasan diberi. tidak pula rasa malu pada Yang Maha Pencipta.
  

• Si isteri, bila nak keluar rumah, melawa. pakai cantik2. mesti nak wangi2. berhias dan segala macam lagi. tapi bila kat rumah depan suami, tidak pula melawa. yelah, dekat rumah sahaja. buat apa nak melawa. sedangkan yang dituntut adalah berpakaian cantik dan berhias adalah untuk pandangan suami. bukannya orang luar. kadang2 sebab2 macam ni la buat rumahtangga tu goyah.

*diambil daripada blog Aimi Nadia (sila rujuk pada ruangan di bahagian kanan skrin anda)

Si dia yang memakai baju Billabong

Sekali imbas, ataupun diteliti sekalipun, tiada apa-apa yang istimewa mengenai pemuda ini. Gayanya seperti aussies yang lain. Memakai baju Billabong dan seluar jeans seperti pemuda-pemuda aussies yang lain. Cuma yang membezakan si dia dengan aussies yang lain ialah :

Dia pergi ke Musolla.

"Weh, siapa tuh?", tanya seorang sahabat.

"Entahla, aku familiar dengan diorang 2. but tak pernah nak berkenalan plak"

Ketika itu, Amira, hafiz yang ditugaskan untuk mengimamkan tarawikh di UWA Musolla sedikit lambat kerana atas sebab-sebab tertentu (memandangkan beliau merupakan seorang student medic di UWA)

Pergh. Dahla hafiz, student medic plak tuh. TEE die dapat 99.8. Plus, keadaan fizikal yang baik dan elok paras rupa lagi. Boleh dikatakan hampir perfect bagi orang-orang macam aku ni.

[Sambung kembali] Kemudian, pemuda seperti Aussie ini (saya lebih suka menggelarnya si A), berbual dengan brother Salim (President UWA Muslim Society). Sedang mereka-mereka yang lain sibuk mencari kerahmatan bulan Ramadhan, si A ini lalu di celah-celah jemaah dan berdiri di tempat imam.

Ketika itu, barulah sedar yang dia merupakan hafiz Al-Quran. Mukanya masih muda. Entah-entah lagi muda daripada saya, tetapi sudah menghafaz al-Quran.

MasyaAllah.

Tak sangka seorang yang saya lihat (nilai) yang gaya lagaknya seperti kami yang lain, merupakan seorang hafiz. Kagum dan sedikit kecewa juga. Kagum kerana pada usia yang muda, beliau sudah menghafaz al-Quran. Kecewa kerana saya yang mungkin lagi tua daripada dia pun banyak lagi surah-surah tak hafal.

Reflect pada diri aku juga. yela. suruh menghafal malas. ni hafal cam tak serious jerk

p/s : ini yang membuatkan semangat semakin berkobar-kobar untuk menghantar anak (insyaAllah) pergi menghafaz al-Quran (aka hafiz)

Salam

Mesti lihat!

Salam

Saya amat-amat menggalakkan sahabat-sahabat untuk meluangkan sedikit masa untuk menonton video-video di bawah.

Part 1

Part 2

JazakAllah khair

Salam Ramadhan

Alhamdulillah.

Allahumma balighna Ramadhan! (Sampaikanlah kami kepada Ramadhan)

Doa telah dimakbulkan. Saya masih hidup untuk menjalani kehidupan dalam bulan yang mempunyai seribu satu kelebihan. Sebelum itu, saya ingin memohon maaf kepada rakan-rakan sekiranya ada salah dan silap, sengaja ataupun tidak sengaja.

Tahun ini seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Ada resolusi-resolusi yang perlu dicapai. Jika ketika zaman hingusan dulu, resolusinya cukup mudah, hendak puasa penuh. Ataupun tidak mahu meninggalkan solat tarawikh. Tetapi, tika umur sudah mencecah puluhan (20 tahun je baru. =p), resolusi-resolusi tersebut telah berganjak ke tahap yang lain. Alhamdulillah, tidak berganjak ke bawah, tetapi ke atas.

Antara resolusi-resolusi yang dipersetujui oleh rakan-rakan :
1. Tidak meninggalkan solat sunat Tarawikh. (sekurang-kurangnya 8 rakaat)
2. Tadarus Al-Quran (rumah kami perlu menghabiskan juzuk 19-25)
3. Qiamullail (sekurang-kurangnya seminggu sekali)
4. Membuat jamuan berbuka puasa di rumah masing-masing (walaupun boleh berbuka di musolla)
5. Membaca Al-Mathurat pagi dan petang.
6. Menginfakkan sejumlah harta (sekurang-kurangnya $0.50 setiap hari)
7. Tidak meninggalkan sahur (digalakkan melewatkan sahur)
8. Membanyakkan amalan-amalan sunat seharian (Baca Al-Quran, solat sunat etc)

Rasa-rasanya itu sahaja resolusi-resolusi saya pada tahun ini. Sebelum saya mengakhiri post ini, suka saya sertakan antara hadis-hadis yang membuatkan saya bertambah semangat untuk melaksanakan resolusi-resolusi di atas,

Rasulullah bersabda, maksudnya: “Seandainya umatku mengetahui keistimewaan Ramadan, pasti mereka mengharapkan semua bulan menjadi Ramadan.” (Riwayat Ibnu Hiban)

“Apabila masuk bulan Ramadan, maka dibukakan pintu-pintu langit dan ditutupkan pintu-pintu neraka dan diikat semua syaitan.” (Riwayat Bukhari dan Muslim).

“Pada malam pertama bulan Ramadan diikatlah semua syaitan dan jin dan ditutuplah semua pintu neraka dan tidak dibuka satu pintu pun darinya. Dan dibukakanlah pintu-pintu syurga dan tidaklah ditutup pun satu daripadanya. Maka berserulah penyeru, wahai orang yang melakukan kebaikan hampirlah kamu, wahai orang yang melakukan kejahatan undurlah kamu. Dan sesungguhnya Allah mempunyai ahli neraka yang dibebaskan dan yang demikian itu berlaku pada setiap malam (Ramadan).” (Riwayat at-Tirmidzi dan Ibnu Majah daripada Abu Hurairah)

"Sesiapa yang menunaikan satu perkara fardhu padanya iaitu pada bulan Ramadhan,seolah-olah dia telah melakukan 70 perkara fardhu pada bulan yang lain"

"Sesiapa yang mendekatkan diri kepada Allah SWT dengan melakukan kebaikan pada bulan Ramadhan, seolah-olah dia telah melakukan perkara fardhu pada bulan yang lain".

"Sesiapa yang memberi makan kepada orang yang berpuasa (sewaktu berbuka), maka baginya keampunan terhadap dosa-dosanya, diselamatkan tengkuknya daripada api neraka dan baginya ganjaran pahala yang sama seperti orang yang berpuasa itu tanpa mengurangkan sedikitpun." Kami bertanya "Wahai Rasulullah, tidak semua dari kalangan kami memiliki sesuatu untuk diberikan kepada orang yang berpuasa". Lalu Baginda menjawab "Allah akan memberi ganjaran pahala tersebut kepada sesiapa yang memberi makan kepada orang yang berpuasa walau dengan seteguk susu, tamar atau air. Barangsiapa yang memberi makan sehingga kenyang orang yang berpuasa, maka Allah akan memberi minum dengan air telagaku di mana orang yang meminumnya tidak akan merasa dahaga sehinggalah dia masuk ke syurga".

Oh ya. Hampir terlupa. Satu lagi resolusi iaitu ; tidak akan memasang lagu raya sehinggalah malam raya kerana ianya seolah-olah menunjukkan yang saya tidak sabar-sabar meninggalkan bulan Ramadhan.

Sekian.

Selamat mencari keredhaan dan kemuliaan bulan Ramadhan