Posted: 17 July 2006 at 8:51am | IP Logged

ParamJC wrote: Arifin - One thing I can tell you for a fact is that - Although we are Malaysians & living in the US, & the dunggus here or anywhere can say or write anything, we will take our own decsions! You know-lah sini, all our tax mony is spent on the war & other nonsencical things! But at least my hubby & I are well versant with whats going on around the world. I read the Star Online everyday before going to bed & am therefore well equiped with knowledge about the happenings back home. Moreover my whole family is back home! And I am on the phone or online almost everyday! You see, many people - especially the orang putih accept everything that is dished out to them, but let me tell you most of the educated class of people here, do Question & want answers! Although I  have lived here here for 6 years now, my heart & soul is very much with Malaysia. My hubby & I do very much want to balik kampong once the kids are done with their education. I appreciate your honesty to my Question - yes, we all also mati here daily with the heavy taxes & inflation thats going around. When you open your eyes the next morning, there is another bill/ law being debated & finally we as tax-payers take the brunt of it!! You know-lah sini, ada banyak orang yang malas, & who pays for them to sit at home?? Kita!!!!!!!

Hi Param,

Eh? All along I thought your hubby's from India?

My perception of Americans (and I stress that this is merely my own perception) is that there are generally (1) the urban, critical, more worldly folks who voted for Kerry (2) the "katak di bawah tempurung" bible-spewing easily-led lambs who voted for Bush

Bush comes across as one of the dumbest presidents ever. And yet he managed to get voted 2nd time?! Politics is crazy, kan?

Posted: 16 July 2006 at 10:38pm | IP Logged

Arifin - One thing I can tell you for a fact is that - Although we are Malaysians & living in the US, & the dunggus here or anywhere can say or write anything, we will take our own decsions!

You know-lah sini, all our tax mony is spent on the war & other nonsencical things! But at least my hubby & I are well versant with whats going on around the world. I read the Star Online everyday before going to bed & am therefore well equiped with knowledge about the happenings back home.

Moreover my whole family is back home! And I am on the phone or online almost everyday!

You see, many people - especially the orang putih accept everything that is dished out to them, but let me tell you most of the educated class of people here, do Question & want answers!

Although I  have lived here here for 6 years now, my heart & soul is very much with Malaysia. My hubby & I do very much want to balik kampong once the kids are done with their education.

I appreciate your honesty to my Question - yes, we all also mati here daily with the heavy taxes & inflation thats going around. When you open your eyes the next morning, there is another bill/ law being debated & finally we as tax-payers take the brunt of it!!

You know-lah sini, ada banyak orang yang malas, & who pays for them to sit at home?? Kita!!!!!!!

Anywayz Arifin, it is a pleasure knowing you!

Posted: 16 July 2006 at 2:30pm | IP Logged

Dear ParamJC,

Its RM1.92/litre - the last time the Govt upped the price was a couple of months back. They promised not to increase it again this year (after that 30% or so increase). Now the inflation (CPI) is in the vicinity of 4% - a big percentage for a small economy like Malaysia's, furthermore we are not used to that kind of inflation numbers!

By the way, are you all settling in the US, as US citizens or PR? If you are perhaps you should join with the 'other half' of Americans who supported the other guy. Letting the Israelis to flex her muscles over poor Lebanon is not going to do any good to the average American consumer like you. And there's still the Iraqi and Iranian impasse to contend with. Its all about oil mate!

I know the mainstream media over there have had their own agenda. Hence the average Americans are in the dark actually to world events... except of what they wants you all to know. Sorry to say this.

Anyway, all the best, take care. Regards from me.

Posted: 16 July 2006 at 1:16pm | IP Logged

Arifin/ Nik - Guyz, what is the gas ( petrol) price per gallon in Malaysia now?? 

They just announced here that it will reach $4.00 a gallon in a few days time - its summer here - in LA & with my hubby & I constantly on the road & the kids beginning to drive, I don't know-lah apa bolih jadi like this here!!!   

Already our electricity bill is touching $130/ per month - inflation is hitting us at a rapidly progressive rate in the US - are you folks feeling the same back home???

Posted: 15 July 2006 at 12:02pm | IP Logged

Here's the latest numbers from ADVFN III  World Daily Markets Bulletin (as of 14 Jul 2006 15:33:37)....

Crude futures reached a record $78.40 a barrel as Israel intensified its attacks on Lebanon, raising concerns about potential supply disruptions. A barrel of light crude recently was up $1 at $77.70 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Ain't that scary? Now market players on NYMEX are talking of a US$80/barrel.... back to the days of The Gulf War I?

And the immediate impact?

U.S. Stocks at a Glance

Stocks drop as oil prices soar NEW YORK - Surging oil prices pulled stocks lower for a third straight  session                                                Friday, with bland earnings at General Electric Co. and weak retail sales                                                             dampening the economic outlook. The Dow Jones industrial average has lost                                                   more than 300 points this week.

Posted: 14 July 2006 at 2:10pm | IP Logged

I think this topic needs a revision: I would recall it  "Is US$70+ a barrel here to stay?"

Here's the latest on Rigzone:

Brent Crude Oil : $76.70/BBL 4.17% Light Crude Oil : $78.15/BBL 4.09% Natural Gas : $6.13/MMBtu 5.71% Unleaded Gasoline : $2.30/gal 1.74% prices from: 7/13/2006 change since: 7/12/2006

more financial information

Posted: 07 July 2006 at 7:17pm | IP Logged

Now.....this is interesting...

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/7/business/14733368&sec=business

The Star Business-Friday, July 7, 2006

Demand for vessels to rise in tandem with fuel output

By Suraj Raj

PETALING JAYA: Demand for tankers has been picking up since refineries in Asia are nearing the end of their maintenance programmes.  Tanker demand is also expected to rise over the next month as refineries produce more fuel to meet the demands of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer driving season. 

International Shipowners' Association of Malaysia (ISOA) vice-chairman Ooi Lean Hin told StarBiz via email that freight rates for shipments to Europe were expected to be firmer in the second half of 2006 whereas freight rates to West Asia were expected to grow due to strong demand from booming oil economies in the region. 

“Cargo volumes have remained relatively strong. In the Transpacific trade, volumes grew by more than 15% in the first quarter,” he said, adding that freight rates in the East-West trade routes did soften during the first half. 

Ooi said the softening was due to some carriers' over-reacting to a perceived over-supply of ships, which did not happen, as industry load factors remained relatively high at above 90%.  He said charter hire for container vessels, depending on size, had dropped by 20% to 25%, with larger vessels of 3,000 to 4,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) taking a bigger dip in charter rates for spot and long-term charter. 

Overall, the ISOA believes freight rates in the Transpacific trade and intra-Asia main trades will remain stable for the rest of the year.  Foreign brokerage firm R.S. Platou Economic Research a.s. highlighted that the tanker market was surprisingly strong in the first half, especially in June.  It attributed the use of tankers for floating storage as the main reason for the strong very large crude carrier market in June. 

“The highest OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) crude stocks, driven by higher futures prices than spot prices in the crude market, have led oil companies to use the floating storage option,” it said, adding that the intense refinery maintenance cycle had resulted in extra waiting days for unloading tankers. 

Bloomberg reported on July 3 that shipping rates for Asian routes had gone up amid delays in unloading ships, forcing charterers to hire more expensive replacement vessels. 

OSK Securities pointed out that clean tanker rates might have a better outlook as more refineries were being built in the Middle East and China, suggesting that clean tanker rates might climb to record highs this year from increased demand from these refineries. 

It believed that by 2008, tanker rates should recover to recent highs when older, single hull ships were phased out. 

Posted: 02 July 2006 at 4:53pm | IP Logged

So, my friend Ariffin, have you read the exclusive interview with Petronas president and CEO Tan Sri Hassan Marican?

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/1/business/14715088&sec=business

and have you seen this as well?

http://www.petronas.com.my/internet/corp/centralrep2.nsf/Src/WebDoc*Investor+Relations+Default/?Open

Well I would say that President/CEO is telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...I must say that I'm impressed!

So what do you think?