Kenapa harga minyak jatuh mendadak

Akhbar The Washington Post dalam satu analisisnya menyifatkan kejatuhan harga minyak mentah itu sebagai "berita ekonomi penting pada 2014".

KUALA LUMPUR: Harga minyak mentah dunia jatuh sehingga di bawah AS$70 setong - kejatuhan harga yang cukup dramatik sejak ia berada pada paras lebih AS$100 setong pada Jun.

Apakah faktor penyebab kejatuhan harga yang begitu mendadak ini?

Akhbar The Washington Post dalam satu analisisnya menyifatkan kejatuhan harga minyak mentah ini sebagai "berita ekonomi penting pada 2014".

Ia kemudian menyenaraikan sebab-sebab berikut yang mempengaruhi pergerakan harga komoditi berkenaan:

1. OPEC tidak buat apa-apa

Pertubuhan Negara-Negara Pengeksport Petroleum (OPEC) dalam mesyuaratnya pada Khamis memutuskan untuk tidak mengurangkan pengeluaran minyak.

Mesyuarat itu menjadi perhatian kerana ia adalah pertemuan yang dibuat ketika dunia mahu tahu langkah yang akan diambil oleh OPEC untuk menghentikan kejatuhan harga itu.

"Ia (OPEC) tidak berbuat apa-apa -- dan harga minyak mentah menjunam serta-merta," kata akhbar itu.

Ia kemudian menyenaraikan tiga faktor lain kenapa trend kejatuhan itu berterusan.

2. Pengeluaran minyak Amerika Syarikat dan dunia meningkat.

Biarpun OPEC mengawal pengeluaran minyaknya, pengeluaran oleh negara-negara lain meningkat.

Amerika Syarikat sendiri menyaksikan peningkatan pengeluaran minyaknya. Data yang dikeluarkan oleh Pentabdiran Maklumat Tenaga menunjukkan peningkatan hampir dua kali ganda tong minyak mentah dalam masa sehari dikeluarkan di Amerika Syarikat berbanding pada 2005.

The Washington Post juga mencatatkan bahawa Kanada turut meningkatkan pengeluaran minyaknya daripada hanya lebih kurang 3,300 tong sehari pada 2009 kepada lebih 4,000 pada tahun lalu.

Rusia juga meningkatkan pengeluarannya daripada 9,900 tong sehari pada 2009 kepada 10,500 tong dalam tempoh yang sama.

Sementara itu, Libya kembali mengeluarkan minyak selepas operasi terhenti pada 2011 kerana krisis perang saudara.

"Ringkasnya, ada lebih banyak minyak di luar sana untuk dibeli, yang memberikan kesan boleh jangka kepada harga iaitu menurun," kata analisis akhbar itu.

3. Permintaan yang menurun di Jepun dan Eropah

Menurut The Washington lagi, biarpun Amerika Syarikat sudah mulai pulih daripada kemerosotan ekonomi yang dialaminya beberapa tahun lalu, banyak negara lain belum berjaya keluar daripada krisis yang sama.

"Mereka sedang bergelut dan itu mengurangkan permintaan terhadap minyak," kata akhbar itu.

Ia menyebut bagaimana di Eropah, purata penggunaan petroleum sehari pada 2010 dan 2011 ialah lebih daripada 14,000 tong.

Jumlah itu menurun kepada 13,000 setong sehari pada suku pertama tahun ini dan hampir sama pada suku kedua.

Pentadbiran Maklumat Tenaga juga mengatakan permintaan di Jepun juga sedang menurun.

4. Kecenderungan mengeluarkan kenderaan cekap tenaga

Ini satu lagi faktor yang dikemukakan oleh The Washington Post - kenderaan cekap tenaga yang mengurangkan penggunaan minyak.

Purata kecekapan minyak sebuah kenderaan ringan yang baharu di Amerika Syarikat pada 2013 ialah 58 kilometer bagi setiap gelen. Pada tahun 1980-an, jumlah yang sama hanya boleh digunakan untuk perjalanan sejauh hampir 40 kilometer.

"Jadi kesimpulannya, trend harga minyak ini pada dasarnya disebabkan oleh faktor ekonomi yang paling asas: penawaran dan permintaan," kata The Washington Post.

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

Hishamuddin sends letter of demand to Najib

HISHAMUDDIN: "The letter of demand is intended to warn him to stop the dissemination of this video clip related to me."

KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Hishamuddin Rais has sent a letter of demand to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, through his lawyer, asking the Umno President not to broadcast videos of him at the party’s General Assembly.

The video depicted Hishamuddin together with Datuk S. Ambiga and Adam Adli allegedly involved in seditious activities.

"I have contacted and discussed with my lawyers. We have agreed to send a letter of demand to Najib.

"The letter of demand is intended to warn him to stop the dissemination of this video clip related to me which was aired at the Umno General Assembly in PWTC," said the 63-year old social activist at a press conference today.

According to his legal team, Daim and Gamany, as stated in the letter of demand, the video was aired during the announcement to retain the Sedition Act 1948. It also implied that Hishamuddin was guilty under the act.

They added, the airing of the video could influence the court's decision on his ongoing trial where Hishamuddin is being charged under the same act.

In addition to that, the screening as well as the mass dissemination of the video through the media is considered subjudice and can be seen as contempt of court.

"We demand you (Najib) to stop screening, displaying, distributing or disseminating the video related to the ongoing trial in which Hishamuddin is being charged, at the general assembly.

"Should you fail to comply, we have instructions to commence committal proceedings against you," the letter stated.

Hishamudding is being charged under the Sedition Act 1948 after calls to topple the government during a forum he attended last year.

On Thursday, Najib announced that the Sedition Act 1948 will not be abolished but strengthened with additional provisions in place. Among them was a provision to protect the sanctity of Islam and make insulting any religion a criminal act. 

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

Lima tempat di KL untuk orang ramai menjamu selera

Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib berkata pihaknya telah menyediakan panduan perjalanan ke tempat itu iaitu Brickfields, Old Kuala Lumpur (Chinatown of KL), Jalan Alor, Pudu dan Kampung Baru.

KUALA LUMPUR: Lima tempat popular di bandar raya ini telah dipilih untuk pelancong dan orang ramai mencuba pelbagai jenis makanan tempatan bersempena program 'KL Food Trails' yang pertama kali diadakan.

Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib berkata pihaknya bersama Unit Pelancongan VisitKL dan majalah Time Out KL telah menyediakan panduan perjalanan dan pakej untuk tempat itu iaitu Brickfields, Old Kuala Lumpur (Chinatown of KL), Jalan Alor, Pudu dan Kampung Baru.

"Kelima-lima kawasan berkenaan telah dijaga dengan baik bagi mengekalkan budaya dan makanannya," katanya ketika merasmikan KL Food Trails di ibu negara, Jumaat.

Beliau berkata terdapat kira-kira 5,000 restoran di ibu negara dan berharap lebih banyak pengusaha restoran dan kedai makan terlibat untuk menjayakan program itu.

Katanya, pihaknya sedang mengatasi masalah kewujudan pekerja restoran warga asing bagi menjamin keaslian budaya dan identiti tempat makan di Kuala Lumpur.

Sementara itu Chef Norman Musa yang dilantik sebagai Duta Makanan Kuala Lumpur berkata selain mempromosi keunikan makanan tempatan di televisyen, radio dan media sosial, beliau juga akan menjelajah Eropah bagi memperkenalkan menu makanan Malaysia..

"Menerusi lawatan ini, saya akan menunjukkan demonstrasi masakan Malaysia kepada chef-chef di sana supaya mereka boleh memasak masakan Malaysia dan memasukkan nama Malaysia dalam menu mereka," katanya.

Maklumat lanjut mengenai program itu boleh dilayari di www.simplyenak.com/klfoodtrails.

- Sumber: Bernama 

Absurdity at its best

Can we get serious about tackling the real problems faced by the rakyat?

You know it’s the time of the year again where a big political gathering is taking place (aside from the general elections) when there is an intensified slew of ‘announcements’ and racist remarks, made by a certain party as part of its efforts to ‘protect’ the rights of a group of people living under constant ‘threat’ – a threat perpetrated by the rest of the people in the country, apparently.

Yes, I am wording my sentences very ambiguously because our Prime Minister had just made a u-turn on a promise he made in 2012 to repeal the Sedition Act.

If a journalist can be hauled up under the act just for doing her job, what more if it’s an opinion article, right?

Nonetheless, in this small space that I have in this column today, I’d like to raise a few things of which I am very concerned about.

Things, which I hope, might warrant a mention or two during this important meeting of the most influential leaders in the country.

Here you go:

1. Malaysia's household debt has risen to 86.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) at-end of 2013. We now hold the record of having one of the highest household-debt-to-GDP level in Asia. Meanwhile, the average Malaysia household debt servicing ratio is 43.5 percent and 60 percent for government servants.

What it means is, on average, more than half of a Malaysian's salary goes to paying debts (housing, vehicle and credit card loans.)

2. Which probably also explains why majority of Malaysians have zero savings. The Malaysia Human Development Report 2013 this week revealed that nearly 90 percent rural and 86 percent urban households, had no savings. Meanwhile, 53 percent of households have no financial assets.

What it means that roughly one in every two Malaysians are vulnerable in the event of loss of income. It also means that if a breadwinner falls sick and loses his/her job, the family will find it very difficult to make ends meet. Loans will be at high risk of being defaulted.

3. So, it will probably come as no surprise that bankruptcy cases in Malaysia are on the rise too. 

4. And this leads me to what most Malaysians want (or need) but are finding it increasingly difficult to afford – property. The average residential property prices in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor had jumped more than 30 percent last year.

So, let’s say with a monthly salary of about RM4,000, you may be able to get a 600 square feet apartment located roughly half an hour from the city centre for about RM400,000.

What it means is you will be paying some RM1,500 month for the next 35 years for this property. But first, you must come up with least RM40,000 for the 10 percent down payment (If would take over three years of saving up RM1,000 a month to afford the down payment.)

5. Meanwhile, salaries have not kept up with the soaring property prices. Salary increases remains in single digits. Also, inflation is set to increase next year too with rising living costs triggered by the implementation of GST and the roll back subsidies on fuel, electricity and sugar.

Inflation is set to increase next year too with rising living costs. - File Photo

Moving away from bread and butter issues, there’s also the worry about safety. Crime rates in Malaysia have been on the rise.

My mother was recently a victim to a snatch theft. Within the last few years, I was robbed twice and almost car-jacked once. (I shudder to think what could have happened had I not escaped.)

Walking on the street is no longer safe. Once, I was groped while standing on a main street in front of a popular shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. This happened in broad daylight, in front of mall-goers and tourists. Not forgetting the many horrifying encounters I have had with perverts and flashers in public.

So when the authorities come up with figures saying the crime rates are not serious, I am baffled.

How about education?

According to the 10th Malaysia Plan, 77 percent of our workforce only have SPM-level education. That means, only 23 percent of students go on to tertiary level. For the majority of Malaysians, their academic journey ends at secondary school.

What does that mean for our nation, which is aspiring to be high income nation, when only a quarter of the workforce have the capacity to go for ‘higher-skilled’ jobs?

My lists of worries can go on and on, and those mentioned above are supported by hard facts.

Instead of bringing current social and politics conditions to a new level of absurdity every day, I hope that such big political gatherings could spend some time revisiting these issues during their important party meetings and maybe, get serious about protecting the people (all 30 million of them, not just people of certain races).

- Source: Astro Awani 

Bila 'fitnah' bermaharajalela, satu 'kampung' huru-hara

Bila fitnah bermaharajalela, satu 'kampung' huru-hara

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukan sesuatu yang baharu apabila bangsa Melayu menjadi subjek dalam sesebuah filem. Baik secara tersurat mahu pun tersirat, subjek itu menjadi sesuatu yang taboo sekiranya tidak ditangani dengan baik.

Filem Lelaki Harapan Dunia menggunakan alasan satira dengan genre komedi gelap yang penuh simbolik. Filem ini kukuh pada jalan cerita bersandar satira politiknya dengan kritikan sosial yang cukup mencuit.

Tidak keterlaluan banyak hati yang kecil cepat terasa dengan apa yang dipersembahkan oleh Liew Seng Tat, sang sutradara filem terbarunya, Lelaki Harapan Dunia.

Pengarah Mamat Khalid pernah bercakap mengenai angan-angan orang Melayu dalam Man Laksa dan Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang juga bercakap mengenai Melayu. Subjek teras Abang, Matinya Seorang Patriot dan Tsu Feh Sofia arahan Datuk Rahim Razali masih mengenai Melayu.

Ringgit Kasorgga mendedahkan kerakusan politikus Melayu digarap secara berhati-hati oleh Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba dan Jogho juga mengenai Melayu yang bersimbolik dalam konflik laga lembu oleh pengarah ikonik U-Wei Hajisaari.

Cuma kali ini filem yang bercerita mengenai Melayu diarahkan oleh seorang pengarah berbangsa Cina, Liew Seng Tat, sekaligus menjadi taboo kepada sesetengah karyawan Melayu.

Lapisan demi lapisan dikupas, adegan demi adegan dibaca tentang bagaimana satu tradisi angkat rumah yang pernah popular satu ketika dahulu menjadi cerita yang lebih besar skopnya dalam filem tersebut.

Di dalam imaginasi pengarahnya, semangat muafakat penduduk kampung boleh bertukar kacau-bilau apabila fitnah, penyalahgunaan kuasa, bodek pemimpin dan tahyul semakin bermaharajalela.

“Semangat kekitaan inilah yang boleh buat kita bersatu. Bila tenaga ini bersatu, ia jadi kuat. Semangat inilah yang akan buat kita bergerak lebih jauh lagi. Malangnya, semangat ini juga boleh memberikan sesuatu yang lebih buruk. Inilah yang ingin saya sampaikan pada lapisan lain dalam filem ini.” ulas Seng Tat mengenai filem terbarunya.

Sindiran sinis yang disampaikan dalam filem tersebut bukanlah tidak pernah berlaku dalam negara ini. Ada bukti nyata yang sering kita baca di dada akhbar dan ada angka nyata yang terpapar dalam Laporan Audit Negara dan laporan box-office FINAS.

Rasa tertampar dengan sindiran sinis itu sudah dijangkakan.

Antara bintang popular yang membintangi filem ini termasuk Wan Hanafi Su, Azhan Rani, Jalil Hamid dan Sofi Jikan.

Membawakan watak sebagai Wan dalam filem itu, Sofi berkata keunikan semangat gotong royong yang menjadi teras filem ini menjadikan bangsa Melayu bersatu.

“Masa pertama kali saya membaca skrip filem ini rasa seronok macam Hantu Kak Limah. Penuh salah sangka, satira, kritik sosial, pemasalahan masyarakat, pemikiran ortodoks, pemikiran konvensional dan pertembungan generasi. Kita mahu berkongsi, bersatunya masyarakat dahulu adalah kerana semangat gotong royong. Dengan gotong-royong itu Melayu bersatu. Bangsa kita memang itu tunjangnya. Semua ada fungsi masing-masing," tambah Sofi Jikan.

Wan lakonan Sofi menjadi punca salah sangka yang merobohkan kesatuan yang telah dibina pada awalnya. Rumah usang Pak Awang dituduh berhantu. Tanpa bukti, penduduk kampung berusaha untuk memusnahkannya.

Menariknya Lelaki Harapan Dunia apabila penonton sedaya upaya menterjemah dialog yang disampaikan dengan kisah-kisah yang dekat dengan mereka.

Namun sebagai pembikin, saya merasakan Seng Tat wajar untuk memperkemaskan lakonlayarnya agar lapisan lain dalam cerita yang mahu disampaikan tidak terlalu senang untuk dibaca.

Sebagai sebuah filem, inilah antara filem yang terbaik dari aspek pembikinannya, baik dari segi sinematografi mahu pun pengarahan seni. Setiap satu pasukan telah melaksanakan tanggungjawab mereka dengan cemerlang untuk menjadikan Lelaki Harapan Dunia cukup sifatnya.

Sebelum bertandang ke Malaysia, filem yang menerima pelbagai dana antarabangsa ini telah menjelajah ke serata dunia antaranya Toronto, Vancouver, Torino, Locarno, Taipei, Kolkata dan yang terbaru Singapura.

Kata Seng Tat, walaupun filem itu telah menjelajah festival filem antarabangsa di seluruh dunia, baginya filem itu masih dibikin untuk penonton tempatan yang lebih memahami budaya dan resam masyarakat di sini.

“Penonton luar negara ada yang tidak pernah datang ke negara kita dan kenal budaya kita. Mereka masih terhibur dengan apa yang dipersembahkan. Namun, saya rasa penonton tempatan akan dapat lebih menikmati filem ini. Memang saya buat filem ini untuk penonton kita. Ada banyak perkara di dalamnya yang relevan dengan masyarakat kita," cerita Seng Tat berkongsi pengalamannya di sana.

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

Kebocoran gas klorin di Kamunting

IPOH: Pasukan Unit Bahan Berbahaya (Hazmat) Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Pasir Puteh berjaya mengawal kebocoran gas klorin di sebuah kilang dekat Kamunting, Taiping hari ini.

Penolong Pegarah Bahagian Operasi Kebombaan dan Penyelamat Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Perak, Hasrin Hasbi berkata pihaknya menerima aduan kejadian itu pada pukul 10.34 pagi tadi dan memengambil masa kira-kira lima jam untuk mengawal kebocoran gas tersebut dengan menutup saluran paip yang bocor.

"Namun kebocoran hanya melibatkan satu tabung berkapasiti 930 kilogram. Anggota kita telah mengeluarkan kesemua 71 pekerja di dalam kilang,"katanya.

Beliau berkata Hazmat turut mengasingkan 20 tabung bagi memastikan tidak berlaku kebocoran.

- Sumber: Bernama 

Archaeologists unearth tomb of Genghis Khan

Öndörkhaan| Construction workers employed in road building near the Onon River in the Khentii province of Mongolia, have discovered a mass grave containing the remains of many dozens of human corpses lying upon a large rudimentary stone structure. Forensic experts and archaeologists were called on the site, which was revealed to be a Mongolian royal tomb from the 13th century that the scientists believe to be Genghis Khan’s.

The team of scientists affiliated with the University of Beijing, has concluded that the numerous skeletons buried on top of the structure were most likely the slaves who built it and who were then massacred to keep the secret of the location. The remains of twelve horses were also found on the site, certainly sacrificed to accompany the Great Khan in death.

A total of 68 skeletons were found buried together, almost directly over the top of a rather crude stone structure.

The content of the tomb was scattered and badly deteriorated, presumably due to the fact that the site was located beneath the river bed for hundreds of years, until the course of the Onon river changed in the 18th century. The remains of a tall male and sixteen female skeletons were identified among hundreds of gold and silver artefacts and thousands of coins. The women are presumed to have been wives and concubines of the leader, who were killed to accompany the warlord in the afterlife.

The amount of treasure and the number of sacrificed animals and people, have immediately led the archaeologists to consider that the site was certainly the burial site of a really powerful Mongol warlord. After realizing an extensive set of tests and analysis, they were able to confirm that the body belonged to a man aged between 60 and 75, who died between 1215 and 1235 AD. Both the age, the date, the location and the opulence of the site seem to confirm that the tomb does indeed belong to Genghis Khan.

The incontestable historical importance of Genghis Khan makes this new discovery one of the most important in the history of archaeology. Born Temüjin (which means “of iron”), he was the founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his demise. He is known for uniting the warring tribes of Mongolia and merging them into one before launching a series of military campaigns in China, Central Asia, the Middle East and even Eastern Europe. He conquered more than 31 million square kilometers of land during his lifetime.

His legacy has taken many forms besides his conquest and can still be found today, making him one of the most influential men in the history of mankind. He connected the East and the West through the creation of the Silk Route, a trade route that would become and remain for centuries, the main network of trade and cultural transmission in Eurasia, opening long-distance, political and economic interactions between the civilizations.

Genghis Khan also has an incredible number of descendants, as some genetic studies have shown that he could be the direct ancestor of 1 human out every 200 who are alive today. In Mongolia alone as many as 200,000 of the country’s 2 million people could be Genghis Khan descendants.

- Source : http://worldnewsdailyreport.com

Ford is hot-hatching away with the Fiesta ST

The ST is here, after much teasing and adverts. We were close to screaming our protest to just let us have the car already! But here it is, the grand Fiesta ST that we can’t wait to get our hands on after we’ve tried and tested the EcoBoost.

Fiesta’s ST model was developed with Ford’s core DNA attributes for global performance cars. It is further refined for an aggressive and sporty look, with features such as a unique honeycomb grille and chin spoiler with rear diffuser and fascia extensions. Yes, that is known as a chin spoiler, apt name yes?

It’s powerful, no doubt about that, they are calling it the hot hatch contender from Ford. The Fiesta ST is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, delivering 180bhp and 240Nm of torque, a top speed of 220kph and achieving 0-100kph in 6.9 seconds. While the 1.6-litre 1-4 EcoBoost engines with the belt-driven dual camshafts offer us extreme durability.

The interior is fitted out with Ford SYNC that is found in all their latest models though the ST is fitted with one extra feature known as the sound symposer which accentuates sound quality. This module is connected to the charge air inlet duct which separates high and low pressure sides allowing the symposer to transmit engine noise directly into the cabin.

The ST weighs less than 1200kg to work with the precision-tuned and driver-focused powertrain to provide the driver with an exhilarating driving experience. The rear axle gets increased roll stiffness to improve stability through fast and narrow corners, while the body sits 15mm closer to the ground than other Fiesta variants.

It has increased mechanical grip provided by suspension improvements and is enhanced with electronic Torque Vectoring Control to reduce understeer, rotating well during hard cornering manoeuvres. 

With three levels of electronic stability control (ESC) to choose from – Off, Standard, Sport, the Standard mode is suited for street driving; Sport mode for higher slip threshold for a sporty drive; or simply turned off for race track driving, giving the driver full control of the vehicle.

Of course being a Ford the usual safety ABCs including the seven airbags that comes with the EcoBoost. For increased safety, more than 50 percent of the ST’s body structure is made from ultra-high-strength steel, helping to protect critical occupant safety zones. The side doors are also fitted with intrusion beams to further decrease chances of injuries upon impact.

This new addition to the Fiesta nameplate is one that everybody has been waiting for. The hot-hatch ST retails for RM149,888 on the road with insurance in Peninsular Malaysia and RM154,688 in East Malaysia, the Fiesta ST is available in three exclusive colours – Molten Orange, Panther Black and Spirit Blue and comes with Ford’s Extended Service Plan.

- Source: Astro Publication