Daily commentary on Asian business strategy, management, market research, marketing tips, business prospects, economic and culture news. Market prospects. Economic prospects. Short reviews, links, advice, satire and topical coverage for international and Asian managers doing business in Asia.

The Hari Ini column is available daily on the Asian Business Strategy & Street Intelligence Ezine home page. Sure.. go there now for more of the same. At least it's fresher...

This page contains one month of the archives.

The Hari Ini column documents off-the cuff comments, very odd spots, unsubstantiated rumours, misinterpretations, cruel innuendo, limp jokes, dodgy links, tips lacking in credibility, and other material very roughly related to Asian business, marketing, management, culture, politics, economics and why the earth is round.

Some of the items emerge into sections later on; some are contributed by email or word of mouth by friends of the forum, columnists, editorial advisors, and the Chao Phraya River Rat. ..Most of it just ends up here...

Basically it means we can at least comment on happenings that we wouldn't otherwise have the time to.

"Hari Ini" means "Today" in both Malaysian and Indonesian.

..Which means that everything on this page is already outta date...

As the masthead suggests, this column also includes all the news that doesn't fit..

It also means we can add some lightheartedness and CNN type shallowness to our otherwise more serious content. As CNN proves, such content sells...

Mostly the column just reflects the mood of the editors on the day, and gives a potted summary of key issues in the region. If you want it to reflect your mood as well, email us contributions at chiyo@apmforum.com.

Chiyo Hyiuiki (Webmaster, and on behalf of the editors)

Bangkok Thailand: Thursday March 29th 2001

Chinese Spirits Spook Richard: Marketers and advertisers in Asia are constantly urged to pay heed to the many superstitions relating to numbers and colors in particular when creating their spins. And black is one of the colors deemed unlucky - the color of death - right around the region. Chuppies (Chinese yuppies) ignore what they see as the superstition of their parents, flaunting their new found independence from family with black dresses and black jeans and coats still the trendy garb from Studebakers in Singapore to the Hard Rock in Beijing and the Avenue in Bangkok.

One such chuppie who may be wishing he listened closer to the old man is Hong Kong's Richard Li. His Pacific Century Cyberworks, according to the South China Morning Post, "...has reported a loss of US$886 million (HK$6.9 billion), one of the largest in Hong Kong corporate history...". Six months ago, his website sported a dark foreboding black background throughout. Now it's a nice blue color. Hopefully its not too late and Richard has at last listened to his Dad, rather than his yuppie drinking mates from Lan Kwai Fong.

One industry in Indonesia sees continued health, amidst the general local political and economic disaster. And that is media spending.. Since Habibbie's and Wahid's relaxation of media censorship, old banned print publications like Tempo have re-emerged, with advertisers falling over themselves buying ad space. And continued entertainment from following the pathetic parliamentary power plays, keeps Indonesians glued to the idiot box and devouring newspapers. Last year saw 50% growth in media spending and this year industry watchers are saying they expect more. Some TV stations are positioning themselves for IPOs, and there is some optimism that the government may allow foreign ownership of Indonesian media firms, which could see the media leading a recovery generally. Two more TV stations are expected to open shortly, bringing the total number to 7. Malaysians look on jealously from across the strait. Dr Mahathir rejected calls for new tellie stations and extended broadcasting hours a few years back, stating that good Malaysians should be in bed by the witching hour, and more stations would make it more difficult for the government to get their messages across. Despite a lukewarm reaction to Malaysia's last stimulus package this week (the stock market just kept on going down), we somehow doubt that liberalising the media would be one of the alternative stimulus methods being discussed down PutraJaya way today...

And speaking of Malaysia, even PM Mahathir is scratching his head on the weird goings-on at the KL Stock Market. Anybody following the Malaysian Stock Exchange on an hourly basis during the past few months would have seen a curious behaviour exhibited of fast surges in the KLCI (Kuala Lumpur Composite Index) a few minutes before the lunch break and closing time, often in a few minutes wiping out several hours of declines. Smarty pants investors, with hindsight, could theoretically make thousands by plumping their Ringitt's in half an hour before each close and selling on the close.

Well the fertilizer really hit the rattan fan last Wednesday however, when the KLCI upticked almost 2% in the last 30 seconds of trade. The stocks mainly involved were the government controlled stocks of Telekom Malaysia, Maybank and Tenaga Nasional, making up a substantial weightage of the whole index, and also the same stocks subject to upticks during the past months. Known by local stock market bulletin board posters as the "Invisible hand", this one was just too dramatic to ignore. Calls to investigate possible stock market manipulation are being taken seriously. In the meantime, the KLCI is showing all signs of being a nasty trap for new (and old) players... See Reports from Malaysiakini - Index manipulated to shore up Index, say experts....

Its nice to see the Forum mentioned by other sites, but this one really caught our eye. We featured in Slathered dot Com (World's leading gossips and kooks), in their Cash Dish and Foreign Gum Flappers section. Wait.. it gets worse.. Their review reads...

Sounds like another lame think tank for horny Australian "economists"? ... Well, besides that they've got some of the most sophisticated and funny insight, lively discussion and pure gossip. A blast of fresh air for whispers-only Asia.

Well, er... um.. thanks guys.... But with all deference, only a couple of us are economists, and somehow a horny economist seems a contradiction in terms...

India has broken through the one billion population mark according to a March 2nd survey. Only China has an over one billion population, leaving all countries in between feeling a little bit... well... squeezed...

Bangkok Thailand: March 26th 2001

Malaysia has changed their immigration forms required for all those departing and arriving. Previously three forms were required - an immigration form, currency form and quarantine form. Now they are merged into one. Hopefully it will save scribbling time in the plane.

And still on Malaysia, conflicting statements last week from officials on the reasons for the delayed release of several of the March issues of Asia Week and Far Eastern Economic Review. To old Malaysia hands it is very obvious, - officials are handing out an unofficial economic penalty to the recalcitrant rags for less than rosy reporting on Malaysia and their favourite sons. Malaysians, as reported regularly in these pages are - with a few obvious exceptions - a polite mob. Rather than telling you No, they "go blur" - Malaysian slang for experiencing a temporary loss of mental function... Basically you have to figure out yourself that you've been virtually rapped on the knuckles by the proverbial rattan...

Indonesian Pres Abdurrahman Wahid faces a difficult week in parliament as political opportunists seek to depose him and lever themselves into power. Real alternatives are poor however. A return to the Golkar party of Soeharto, Amien Rais - still rambling on interminably about the communist threat, and Megawati, who despite majority support, is uncomfortable with several of the requirements of being President. Unless anything dramatic occurs, Wahid will remain President for now. He remains, despite his reported shortcomings, the best choice as interim and transitional Pres., and must remain in power till a permanent statesman arises from the ashes.

The Raoul Report: Our on the street correspondent from the Philippines, Raoul, got on the blower from Manila yesterday, reporting that recently deposed President Estrada is still hoping for a Counter-Peasant's Revolution of his own... ...Direct from his report...

Erap is making heavy threats that the masa will rise up if he is arrested. He has been campaigning all over the place for Loi (his wife the doctor, billed as Doctora ng Masa (doctor of the masses).

This is actual rabble-rousing, as he keeps trying to incite anger against GMA (new Philippines president Gloria Arroyo), etc. However, folks are still mostly bused in.

GMA was embarrassed when she went to a garbage dump settlement and started knocking on doors. Poor advance team. She started knocking on doors and accidentally got a family that Erap had once befriended. They lambasted her in front of reporters. The opposition (the cronies) made political hay from that.

Erap must never say die or he will die. He is a dead duck and desperately stalling.

Right now the polls are showing an 8-5 win for the administration in the May 14 elections. (There are 13 Senate seats up for grabs), about 9-4 in Metro Manila, 7-6 in the provinces.

Metaphor: Juan Peron. However, Peron had real and enthusiastic peasants and workers rooting for him to get back in power. Erap's are bused in.

Right after the Smokey Mountain incident (that's the trash mountain), Erap went to the same squatter settlement and 600 "urban poor" met him there. Big TV coverage. But Erap's advance guys had spent two days arranging things, putting Loi posters all over, taking lunch to people, coaching children to cheer, etc.

As soon as Erap is arrested (or if?), the trial can proceed gangbusters. Prosecutors are licking their chops; the case is ironclad (to the extent that anything is ironclad in Manila)

Boulder Colorado: March 15th 2001

Apologies to all for the limited updates early this week as the APMF editor traveled to Boulder, Colorado, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in the US.

In the meantime, the early few days saw major falls in the US NASDAQ and DOW on Monday, followed by falls in Europe and home, a substantial recovery on Tuesday, another return to pessimism in the US on Wednesday, and a Wednesday in Asia which saw sharp falls early followed by even sharper recoveries in last trade. At one time, the Japanese NIKKEI 225 was down around 3%, only to finish up 3%, suggesting that European and US markets may start on the up on Thursday. Such confusion in the markets is unprecedented, as investors teeter on the decision of whether the world is heading into an international slowdown, or hitting bottom.

There is one upside for Asian markets, at least at this time, that investors may come to see more value in developed economies of Asia such as Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, who have already experienced a significant shakedown several years back. Now if only we had reformed faster, that scenario would have been mich more likely now.

It has been a few years since my last visit to the US and consequently the first time the APMF has based itself outside the Asia Pacific region for a whole week for a while, which gives us an opportunity to explore some culture shock observations on working in this exotic place. It is known to many of us in Asia Pacific as the most successful economy of contemporary and modern times, self proclaimed example of the free world, and if you listen to some of our political leaders long enough, the place that is seeking to colonise us surreptitiously by inculcating American values as international values on the rest of the world.

The most obvious culture shock is the cost of living here. Tipping is institutionalised, based on the view that service workers are underpaid and therefore need to supplement their income with tips. The price of a tip in a restaurant here is usually more than the cost of a whole meal in many Asian capital cities. Somehow, methinks that the argument that Asian middle management incomes are lower than US service staff incomes and therefore visitors should be releived of the tipping requirement without a sneer, would be as popular as the Anwar family dropping into the Mahathir's for a spot of lunch.

On the other hand, the quantities served up seem relatively enormous. The quantity of one meal course exceeds the amount for example that a Bangkok based Thai may eat in 5 or 6 small portions throughout a day. Perhaps as a result, the local TV advertisements seem 90% comprised of health advertising, advising you to ask your doctor about the latest drug, slimming treatments and health foods. So now we get it... things are so expensive in the US because people spend so much money eating copious quntities, only to spend even more in recovering from the consequences. Thankfully, Thai cuisine, including the ubiquitous and relatively healthier Tom Yam Koong is still trendy, though no where close to the original at most places. The wonderfully healthy Yow Tow Foo, (Chinese stuffed steamed vegetables), is yet to make an impact.

Culture Shock #2 is the curious tendency of Americans to give themselves the clap. TV contestants clap themselves when they get a question right to any old inane question, rather than our custom of just sitting back and looking self satisfied when someone claps us. Could this be something to do with the American emphasis on individuality we keep on being told about? Kids here also seem precocious and spoiled. Questioning your elders seems to be encouraged rather than being kept in place...

And back to work: Met Michael Marquardt, President of Global Learning Associates in Virginia, a leading exponent of Action Learning as a form of integrating Organization Development with Management Development. A speaker at a University of Action Learning - International Management Centers seminar held this week, and a consultant for Singapore Airlines and the Indonesian government. Two gems from his presentation follow, but look out for more from Michael on the forum on the next couple of weeks...

• 80% of Hewlett Packard's revenue comes from products launched in the last 18 months.

• The only difference between rats and humans is that rats learn from experience! Humans have a problem in learning that when you run into a brick wall, you should try an alternative turn in the maze. Action Learning teaches humans how to learn from experience by reflection and asking creative and useful questions.

Bangkok: March 9th 2001

Your erstwhile editor jetted into Bangkok this week, and the charred burnt out body of the 737 remains on the tarmac.

It's been a gossip and conspiracy theorist's paradise in Thailand this week as the enquiry into the bomb that blew up the Thai Airways 737 on the tarmac, and for the sake of a 30 minutes boarding delay - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - stumbled on. It's all been juicy stuff. Possible motives aired so far range the gamut of Thai corporate, criminal, and just plain party politics. Authorities are still undecided whether the target was the PM. Juiciest theories include:

• A non-interference penultimate or ultimate "warning" to Thaksin from drug trade figures in Northern Thailand
• Organizational political differences in Thai Airways
• Rivalries between cargo handling contractors
• Rivalries between maintenance contractors

A report on Transition Dynamics in Vintage Capital Models: Explaining the Postwar Catch-Up of Germany and Japan from the US Federal Reserve. Well, as they say, those who learn from history, can do it better next time....

It's official - Kuala Lumpur Airport can make you go mad: We suspected it for a while, but finally there is real evidence. The latest victim of the propensity of KLIA to drive you amok is a Pakistani who spent 4 weeks evading airport security, living it up full time in the terminal building, until he was shot and arrested after he reportedly "ran amok". Theories vary on the actual cause... credible ones are the muzak, unsuccessfully trying to find a smoking area, the airport restaurant food he lived on, or that he got sick of trying to find the departure gate.

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have had bumper years for 2000, but both expect real challenges in 2001, due to various factors including a worls economic slowdown, declining regional travel with local spending power decreasing, increasing competition, high landing fees with new mega airports hungry to fund the debt from their construction, and fuel price instability. For second tier regional airlines, life will even be harder.. and getting your Boeings blown up is not a great start...

Japan's fiscal crisis will have a major effect on other Asian economies, according to the Chao Phraya River Rat.

Did the Malaysian Capital Controls Work? - The US National Bureau of Economic Research has a stab at answering this one...

Have a great weekend all from the staff and friends of the Asia Pacific Management Forum and Ezine..

Bangkok: March 7th 2001

Taiwan's Taipex stock market, with around two thirds of stocks technology related, is tending to follow the ups and downs of the US NASDAQ, this week, thankfully, on the up. A similar pattern, though less pronounced can be seen on the Singapore STI and Korean KOSPI index. Despite the NASDAQ woes of late, the fate of Asian economies are highly dependent on the so-called new economy, not the least factor being the existance of major manufacturing bases for computer components. As NASDAQ recovers so do the high tech centres of Asia. Interestingly, and a pause for concern, is that non tech heavy economies remain in the doldrums...

Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Being a good guy in Malaysia precludes accepting funding from foreigners, especially moronic Jewish currency manipulators like George Soros, and acting "like traitors". After a month of Malaysian government propaganda merchants slinging mud at one of the few independent Malaysian news sources - Malaysia Kini, through items in newspapers and newsreel type treatment on the idiot box, the Information Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Zainuddin Maidun said he has agreed to meet Malaysia Kini Editor in Chief Steven Gan, and that he "...hoped Gan could persuade him that the newspaper has no links whatever with Soros...". Yes, the onus of proving innocence comes before the onus of proving guilt in modern day Malaysia. Meanwhile Malaysian censors were still holding up approval of the latest two issues of Asia Week, which Mahathir accused a couple of weeks back of printing a front page photo of himself which made him "..look like an idiot..".

"Twas the Night before Aidil Adha, and right through the Rakyat, not a creature was stirring, not even a Rat.", besides of course the Malaysian coppers who collared Keadilan Youth chief Ezam Mohd Noor on sedition charges relating to statements to a pro-government newspaper on a planned series of demonstrations for April. Ezam, expected to be charged today insists that he did not say that the demonstrations were planned to overthrow the government, and that he was misquoted in the report. We do wonder why Malaysian authorities insist on meeting provaction with provacation while it is remains highly unlikely, given recent history, that street protests will amount to much at all. Malaysians have proven that all it takes is a little bit of discouragement from government media in the form of threats of violence, and unneighbourly continued comparisons to Indonesia to dissuade any significant turnout. On one hand the government reinforces that Malaysia is nothing like Indonesia (of course they have it right there), and then refer to "Indonesian-style riots". The government knows that the Malaysian "man-in-the-street" views Indonesians as second class, and panders to that sentiment. Surpisingly, no mentions of Philippines-style riots, though perhaps not. Excellence in Propaganda Management relies on repeating the same thing again and again, so it is ingrained in conciousness. And yet again, world attention will focus on Malaysian politics, rather than the enormous potential of Malaysian business and investment, not to mention South East Asian potential as a whole. It's not only the Indonesians that are wringing their hands in exasparation with Malaysia's emotional rather than pragmatic reaction to confrontation and criticism.

The excellently designed governemnt controlled New Straits Times Website offers one of those ubiquitous Web polls at present, asking in their "Surfer's Poll"...

Keadilan Youth chief Ezam Mohd. Nor claims his party will stage daily demonstrations until it reaches its goal - toppling the Barisan Government. Do you think this is irresponsible? Yes: Use the ballot box! No: Exercise your rights! Don't know: I'd rather watch Bollywood movies

Besides from being a double negative, the results indicate that even readers NSTi are divided on whether Ezam's action is irresponsible, with the majority saying that people should "Exercise their rights" (60%) rather than Use the Ballot Box (36%) (Results at 1pm Weds HK time) . NSTi editors seem to be fairly selective in republishing actual comments, with 90%, despite the poll standings, reflecting the pro-government, anti-opposition view. We wonder whether the NSTi is underestimating the intelligence of their readers... or whether Keadilan has got their members to vote No incessantly!

Bangkok: March 4th 2001

Though Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has appealed for calm on speculation on the causes of Saturday's fire that gutted a Thai Airways jet while it was parked at Bangkok Airport just 30 minutes before departure, it is hard not to come to some good guesses of the cause.

The damage to the jet was extensive, leaving just the tail section intact, and centred in the starboard first/business class section, just about where Thaksin would be seated. Boarding had been held up 30 minutes. The fire took hold so fast and with such ferocity that causes relating to electrical faults must be ruled out. One Thai Airways cabin staff was killed and several were injured.

Draw your own conclusions. Though Thaksin promises a new way in Thailand politics and business, the old, trusted, and true way of doing business in Thailand lives on. (See our news feeds for continuing coverage...)

Japan's stock market reached its lowest levels for many months on Friday and is heading towards 10 year old levels. Japan sets the lead for many Asian countries and is a major investor in East Asia as well as South East Asian markets from Thailand and Indo China to Singapore. What happens in Japan has a major impact on business throughout Asia.

Watch this week for leadership developments in Indonesia as Megawati Soekarnoputri gets eased into the leadership, buying more time for Amien Rais and Golkar figures to fight over their own ultimate ascendancy plans. Indonesia still has far too many problems for political carrerists to risk their own neck. Still the third hardest job in the region after Estrada's spiritual adviser and Pauline Hanson's elocution coach.

As of Friday, Malaysian authorities were still holding up distribution of the first March issues of Asia Week and the Far Eastern Economic Review. Spokesmen confirmed that content was still under review, but added that not to worry - you can still get it on the Internet...! Economic penalties against news magazines perceived to report unfairly against a particular country are not unusual in South East Asia. Your erstwhile editor used to receive his Far Eastern Economic Review in Singapore eight years ago minus all the ads, which a clerk had blacked over before distribution.

Over in the digital publishing arena, Malaysian Internet newspaper Malaysiakini continues to be embroiled in controversy over allegations in the Far Eastern Economic Review early this year that they were funded in part by Mahathir nemesis George Soros. So what? - you may ask. Government control over the media is a key part of Malaysian political strategy. As Mahathir Mohomad said when he turned down an application for an extra television station and extended broadcasting hours in Malaysia several well before the Anwar sacking - people should be in bed by then, and an extra channel would make it more difficult to "put the government's policies across". During the Anwar trial, short TV editorial pieces featuring old footage of Anwar voiced over with sarcastic commentary were common. To this day, TV news viewers are treated to juvenile editorial items on the downside of democracy and foreign culture - more reminiscent of a children's show.

...And Malaysiakini got the same treatment through February.

TV1 devoted a week of special reports to Malaysiakini, attempting to smear the independent newspaper as best they could. The best they could do however was trashy journalism of which the National Enquirer would be proud. (See Editor Steven Gan's comment).

Malaysia feels that views contrary to government policy should not be available to Malaysians and Mahathir blames Soros for the Asian crisis, calling him a moron. Association with a figure vilified by the PM sets up an easy target, as evidenced by the spectacle of former Anwar followers falling over themselves to dis-associate themselves from their former colleague. In this case, Malaysiakini, sensibly, was quick to deny the relationship with Soros. Indeed the closest Malaysiakini would have got to funding was indirectly through the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) based in Bangkok, which received funding from Soros through his Open Society Project. However, SEAPA's funding of Malaysiakini has been well publicised since Malaysiakini was established, and SEAPA insist that the funding to Malaysiakini came from a separate fund.

Just when we thought censorship was getting better in Malaysia, the ruling élite continues to demonstrate that they believe Malaysians cannot be trusted to decide for themselves.

Bangkok: March 1st 2001

Those of you who like following the ongoing machinations of the World Economic Forum both between and during Davos gabfests may find the Magazine of the World Economic Forum an interesting read. Frequently updated with daily links and comments. Get there quick before a hacker splashes tomatoes all over the pages.

Off with their heads!: There is much very high quality management talent in Malaysia, but it's effectiveness and visibility is limited by the head of Malaysia Inc. himself, Mahathir Mohamad, whose public statements continue to reflect a curious rojak of bitterness, paranoia, self delusion and desperation.

However, smart local and international business is looking beyond the PM's rhetoric, manufactured mainly for domestic propaganda to counter problems for the ruling government and UMNO such as the continuing drift of the Malay vote to UMNO alternatives, and Chinese disaffection that their support for the coalition in the last election has not been rewarded as UMNO tries to paint itself as being "more Islam than thou".

At the same time that Mahathir is demanding that rich (Western) nations fund with "infrastructural development" in emerging countries so they can catch up and states that he may appoint a foreigner as CEO of Malaysia Airlines, he continues to preach the gospel of the evils of global business. Along the way he picks up support from the Chinese, Fidel Castro, a handful of African nations, and few others. The paradox however, is that much of what Mahathir says has some legitimacy. The trend towads mega-mergers and a new world where massive corporations can dictate the world economy and concentrate power in very few hands is a concern for many. But Mahathir's determination to become unofficial spokesman for the argument does little for the argument while his oubursts seem more driven by emotion rather than rational analysis. Consider Mahathir's military analogies in a recent Q&A session in Kuala Lumpur...

"...I'm watching how the companies are merging. It looks like they are massing up beyond our borders. ...Then they will march in and take over everything. If the East Asian countries refuse to speak up, then few others will speak up.... Powerful people do not respond to ideas from less powerful people..."

In a final riposte that should send shudders down the spine of the possible next Malaysian Airlines head and foreigh managers of MNC's in Malaysia, if they take him seriously his most quotable line...

"...I would like to cut off their heads.. but I'm not in the position..."

Rumours that Malaysian work permit application forms now include a question on "neck size" are unfounded.

Thailand bank industry figures have been impressed with new Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's meeting facilitation skills. According to APMF Thailand Tales columnist Kriengsak Niratapanasai and other banking industry figures in Bangkok, Thaksin's action oriented approach to meetings comes as a breath of fresh air. Rather than leaving things up in the air and letting discussion meader on, Thaksin's style is to insist on action outcomes from all meetings with definate deadlines and performance targets. Bringing a private sector CEO style to the Thailand public sector, may well be one of Thaksin's greatest contributions to re-invigorating Thai management in general.