Archives:
October 1999
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)
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Kuala Lumpur: Friday 29th October 1999 |
 Welcome to Malaysia.. a land of heroes of independence! | Transparency International's latest Corruptions Perception Index confirms Denmark as the "fairest of them all". Best goodie-goodies in the Asia Pacific are New Zealand (Rank 3), Singapore (7), Australia (12), Hong Kong (15). On the down side Japan (25), Taiwan (28), Malaysia (32), South Korea (50) Philippines (54), China (58), Thailand (68), India (72), Vietnam (75) Pakistan (87) and Indonesia (96). See the search box on left for other references to this index on the forum. | Indonesia's new Attorney-General, Marzuki Darusman announced yesterday that the probe into Soeharto, closed by Habibie 3 weeks ago, would be re-opened, this time with terms of reference that may go beyond the diversion of funds to charity. The most obvious term of reference should be diversion of funds to his family, a route not favoured by the previous adminstration as it was likely he would lose. Modest advice... Try him quickly.... then forget him.. | Some light (and illustrative) relief from the Seoharto years includes a reported conversation between Mrs Soeharto and a friend who urged her to consider sending her son Tommy to university. Her response? "...Heavens No!.. he's too stupid for that.. I think he should go into business..." | We arrived into Malaysia today with the news of the government's new election campaign. According to the New Straits Times, Mahathir "...paid tribute to Malaysians at large describing them as heroes & protectors of the nation's independence..." Guess those who are not "at large" are anything but heroes. Page 2 featured a pic of the good Doctor sticking a Syabus Malaysia (Congratulations Malaysia) on a taxi which again according to the NST "...is a project to foster unity among taxi drivers and combat slanderous allegations against the government...". | Another soft day for Asian stocks today | Expect Malaysian polls next month, according to just about all including our taxi driver Mohamad (no relation - a fact he always bemoans..) ... and Mohamad's always right... BN's great trumpcard is that an election date needs only 2 weeks notice, and keeping the opposition guessing is a great way to decrease motivation. Prediction - Barisan Nasional in a canter... | Good news for Malaysian drivers - Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik has asked all traffic cops to be more caring towards the public. Maybe even the coppers sitting behind the tree in Jalan Ampang right now ready to pounce on wayward cars using the taxi/bus lane may even smile as they write out your ticket. Better still, displaying a "Syabus Malaysia" sticker to proclaim your hero status on your Proton may well assist in delicate negotiations. Making small chat re Malaysia's Corruption Perceptions Index score and tucking a 50 Ringitt note into your license is not advised... These coppers never reflect out loud with heart-felt sorrow that "We have a problem", as they fiddle with their pens... So let's be fair, Malaysia is making great efforts to stamp out corruption at most levels... | Finally for culture buffs, a site about Chinese opera.
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Jakarta: Wednesday 27th October 1999 |
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APMF Editorial advisors and old mates of the forum George and Usha Haley have started up their own Web site with an Asian strategic management focus featuring their books and research work. Extra bonus is the section entitled "Ask The Experts" where you can actually see what they look like.. So go there and serve up some curly ones! | It would be churlish for us to advertise in bold letters that We were right in yesterday's prediction of Gus Dur's cabinet. Suffice to say that economists and investors are not so happy with the make-up of Indonesia's new cabinet. Panning out as we predicted yesterday, it does seem to have a weak Finance minister and a few too many "scholars". A lot of army too, though Wiranto has been replaced as Indonesian Military Commander by an Admiral Widodo, confirming a priority of the new adminstration on things maritime. The new foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab had good news for Australia, saying that OZ is a neighbour and we should look after our neighbours first. OK maybe he has been watching too much television, but it does give some hope to an Australia who were concerned after Gus Dur acceeded the Presidency after very negative statements on Australia lately re East Timor and national sovereignty. In fact it would be gila for Australia and Indonesia not to repair the wounds; Australia and Indonesia have always had great synergy and they offer major advantages to each other. We think the cabinet is not as bad as made out.. Expect quick changes when appointees don't work out and remember Indonesia Baru will not be built in a day, ...or even a year. | Bad day yesterday for Asian stocks, with Jakarta indicies reflecting investors discomfort with Gus Dur's "compromise cabinet". ...Just what do you think he is .. a MIRACLE WORKER? | You-were-warned department: Malaysia told teachers who refuse to remember which political party pays their salaries to keep politics out of the classroom or be transferred "to a remote area" as the Malaysians say it or "beyond the bloody black stump", as Australians would say with considerably less decorum. An individualistic teacher in Kedah (Mahathir's constituency no less...) "used the names of Mahathir's sons Mirzan and Mokhzani in maths problems where students had to calculate a ratio of money distributed among several people" (AP), and true to their word, he has already been transferred. Seeing Kedah is about as remote as you can get already, we hate to contemplate the recalcitrant one's new posting. But seeing the food gets better the further you are from KL, we can only advise he looks on the bright side and eats a lot of real kampung Nasi Lemak under his palm tree as he contemplates his sins against the state. | Well it's goodbye to Indonesia Baru today and hello to Mahathir's Malaysia for a few days. The Chao Phraya River Rat couldn't have chosen a worse time to review Malaysian media. We can only hope our mates in immigration aren't Web surfers or at the very least stuck to more entertaining sites... or well'd be sharing a coconut with our mate up Kedah way... | Thanks to all our old and new friends, the satay seller on Jln Thamrin, and everyone who served up those wonderful Indonesian smiles who only go to prove that Indonesians are God's chosen people. Thanks also to the Mandarin Oriental and the Hotel Astoria for putting up with our curious tastes and hours yet again and even allowing us to return. And as for the assorted mix of bulés, locals and tourists who insisted in involving us in a "Mega-celebration" at the HRC last Thursday night, our condition on Friday reminded us while we usually decline such offers & why the Islam religion has a far smarter attitude to alcohol...
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Jakarta: Tuesday 26th October 1999 |
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None so blind as those who will not see department: The irony of Indonesia Baru of course is that it will take a blind man to clean up Indonesian business and politics. Previous Indonesian elite notables with the gift of 100% vision were blind when it suited them. | Expect Gus Dur/Mega's cabinet to include a top ethnic Chinese PDIP official in the economics portfolio with a charge to return the lost Chinese investment, but also expect some old guard Golkar officials to remain. News from the street is that close Gus Dur confidant Alwi Shihab is a no-risk bet for Foreign minister. Pres. Wahid needs to acknowledge Golkar's and Rais' PAN in the cabinet make-up and return favours. Regardless of the make up it will be a compromise cabinet, though not in any way the legendary camel designed by a committee. Pragmatism rules. 30 years of power by privilege means that very few of the new incoming parliamentarians have the political and administrative experience to qualify. As cleverly as Gus Dur edged himself in as President and Mega as his deputy, his is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach where there is a staged, though not necessarily slow, changeover to the new guard. | Fun and games in Malaysia again as Anwar accuses old foe and Mahathir's right-hand-man Daim as being a "womaniser" and "corrupt". Mahathir also admitted late last week that Anwar was sacked because he was "a homosexual". Curious label given Anwar's marital status. There are very few pollies in the whole Asia-Pacific who don't have playthings in the closet of course.. and it's the fear of these being exposed that keeps sworn enemies well... quite chummy... ..and our respresentatives in power for reasons other than competence... | And further on Daim, rumours from KL are that relationships with Mahathir are going through a rough patch. The seven month itch?.. | Two Pages of the day today. Strategic Forum's Profile of President Wahid and the Asia Societies tracking page on the Coup in Pakistan. | Mitshubiti sacks thousands in Japan. Restructuring can be painful for sure...
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Jakarta: Friday 23rd October 1999 |
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The outsiders are now the insiders... The first stage of Reform in both Indonesian politics and business took on a symbolic resolution yesterday as the three most high profile Indonesian reformers of recent years stood on the podium together in the hall that symbolises Indonesian political power. Speaker of the Assembly, Amien Rais, the father figure of the student uprisings following the Tritskati massacre and a symbol of middle class reform, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, the populist leader of the broad masses and the leader who spooked Soeharto enough to send his own spies to oust her as leader from her own party, and President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur or "elder brother" as he is popularly known) as leader of the world's largest Muslim organization and a master of consensus, moderation and re-conciliation. The blue of the middle class, the red of the people, and the green of the Muslim faith. The yellow of Golkar, supreme ruler for 3 decades was taking a back seat, and so also the military, whose leader Wiranto withdrew dramatically for the VP race a few hours before the count. It was a back seat, at least for yesterday... "The last one will surely be the first" as Bob Dylan waxed lyrically many years back in "The times they are a changin'" | Gus Dur and Mega start choosing their cabinet today. It will be a miracle of faction-appeasing led by the smartest and now certainly most powerful man in Indonesia. The presidency is now no longer as powerful a position per se as in the Soeharto era, but Gus Dur will earn legitimate power based on his knowledge and respect built up over years of traveling the breadth of this great land talking to and sharing with the Rakyat. His health is of secondary importance. Gus Dur's example has already been instilled in many, and continues to influence.. and not only Indonesians but his many friends, great and small, internationally. The President's example will outlive himself. And one who has benefited most from this is now his Vice President | Those who are worried about Indonesia becoming an insular Islam state need not be concerned. Gus Dur could most possibly be one of the world's most religious men, but he is also a leading exponent of a strong but tolerant Muslim religion opening up to both the world and multi-cultural Indonesia. | Indonesia stock market up 3% and Rupea rising fast as of 11 am today - it's all initial optimism out in the financial markets | Heh..ignore our more cautious advice yesterday... take the risk now and invest now for the middle-long term. Share the risk, the obvious upcoming hard hurdles and the long-term returns with the new Indonesia. Indonesians do have long memories and know who helped when the risks were high | Mega-lady in waiting? Mega supporters celebrating on the streets last night and today. Mega may well become, now at the right time, the fifth President of Indonesia after proving herself in office and maybe proving also that a woman can indeed lead the world's fourth most populous nation. | In Australia 2 decades ago, another son of a cleric became a nation's leader. Bob Hawke, with consensus as his key word, the working people as his mates together with the middle class who thought he wasnt such a bad bloke after all, transformed the nature of OZ politics from rewarding via privilege to rewarding via achievement. Indonesia isnt quite there yet, all 3 heroes of yesterday didn't exactly emerge from humble origins. Then again they can't be blamed also for their lucky births also.. And as Sandy Shaw once advised... "the only one who could ever teach me... was the Son of a Preacher Man.." | Sorry .. so much going on in Indonesia today it's an an Indonesia-only Hari Ini today.. Will become more outward looking tomorrow..|
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Jakarta: Thursday 21st October 1999 |
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The Rakyat from all over this vast archipelago were glued to TV sets and radios yesterday from 2:30pm as the votes were counted. It was political theater at its finest. They saw for the first time an Indonesian President elected by popular vote in the Assembly. They saw Gus Dur hold Megawati's hand as he accepted "our victory .. for democracy", and on behalf of founding father Soekarno. They saw the paradoxial figure of newly elected Assembly speaker Amien Rais, break into a spontaneous leading of a reprise of the Indonesian national anthem. ..And at least around our TV set in the lobby of a hotel barely 100 yards from a seething mass of Mega supporters outside, the Rakyat burst into applause. | We were wrong (along with just about everybody else!) in predicting Megawati to be the next Indonesian president but the Rat was right... The man the Chao Phraya River Rat called the "smartest man in Indonesia" in our election preview and review 6 months back was voted President of Indonesia yesterday. The Vice President is to be voted in today, so the political intrigue is still not over. Gus Dur's victory was a timely reminder of the power of moderation, consensus and re-conciliation in a country which has verged precipitously towards extremism and emotionalism at times over the past 2 years. But let us not get too misty eyed.. He won because he was the least risky option for the greatest number of the existing élite. ...and the swinging factions that forced his election represented conservatism more than reform. If Asian political culture hasn't performed a 180 degree turnaround in a very short time, he has some favours to repay that will become more obvious, like, "any time soon...". Habibie and other Golkar challengers withdrew right up to the starting bell, meaning these votes went almost automatically to Gus Dur. The implications for business? Wait a few days to assess how much damage Mega supporters cause, another few weeks for local business to decide who the new informal power players are so they know where to invest your "contributions", and it may well be the best time ever to invest in the new Indonesia. Follow the breaking "mainstream news" from here. | Mega supporters of course found it hard to understand why the leader of the winning party in the general elections could not become president. As usual, Western media are sensationalising the violent reaction (as well as some Asian media) though a bomb outside the assembly killed one to four people and injured several others, the exact number depending on who you listen to. Burning of buildings and riots in Solo and Singaraja (the latter town in Balinese "Mega-country") did occur though street action is relatively subdued compared to the period leading up the Soeharto's resignation. | Asia's supreme pragmatist SM Lee Kuan Yew during a speech to the East Asia Economic Summit noted "We are one capital market, one commodity market and whether we like it or not, we will have to play by the same rules. And the rules are set primarily by the Americans". Pragmatism ruling over rigid belief, is one reason why Singapore is way ahead in their recovery compared to certain other Asian countries. | Site of the Day is Gallup Polls 1997 Chinese consumer survey report Good material, though a bit dated. They find "impressive growth in living standards" from a stratified sample of 3,700 households across the PRC. |
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Jakarta: Wednesday 20th October 1999 |
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The count is on for the Indonesian presidency. It will take a while as these guys are smart enough to reject any hi-tech voting system, which may just leave the system open for manipulation (or more importantly unwelcome prying...). So it's the traditional pen and paper and slips in the wooden voting box. Just another example in this high tech world where the pen is mightier than the mouse click | We've always known that Jakarta is a late-night town. Businessmen tend to start later and finish very late and the entertainment really doesn't start kicking in until 10 or 11 at night. Indonesian pollies obviously are no exception, who voted early this morning to reject Habibie's "accountability speech" and effectively kill any chance he has in the presidential vote timed for a few hours from now. Following the vote Golkar cheif Akbhar Tandjung delivered the bad news to Habibie's residence at 1:30 this morning, presumably to say that Golkar were withdrawing their candidacy of Habibie for the the elections later that day. Now there are only two candidates for president... Mega and Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), with Golkar putting their support behind the more conservative Wahid. In Indonesia significant good and bad news is usually reserved for after midnight or even later. Perhaps a good thing considering the slogan emblazoned over waitresses t-shirts from Oskars in downtown Block M. ..."Nobody's ugly after 2 am"... | As suggested in yesterday's Hari Ini, protesters are ignoring or haven't heard that demos have been banned at the Welcome monument area opposite the Hotel Indonesia. At 11pm last night, demonstrators from Jakarta and falling out of trains at Gambir from provincial areas were starting to mill around. In fact, the situation at the Welcome monument is resembling the scene from the Monty Python classic Life of Brian, where around 5 or 6 revolutionary groups bump into each other in a subterranean tunnel and can't work out who they should be aligned with and who they should be fighting against. With pro-Habibie, -Gus Dur and -Mega supporters plus even more marginal groups fighting for attention to Selamat Datang it's hard to tell who are Messiah's and who are just very naughty boys... | With just two candidates left, would it be smart for either Gus Dur or Mega who are actually good mates with some differences on policy to come to a deal with one withdrawing? ...Bit of a dream really with Golkar now supporting Wahid. Though they are good mates, their power bases are diametrically opposed. | For more background on Indonesian politics and business try today's suggested searches on the APMF home page left side bar or the Asia Business Portal focus box on Indonesian elections. | Hari Ini will be updated again tonight in around 4 hours. We've got a birds eye view of the Welcome monument but no way we are telling anybody the exact location, given that a foreigner, sunning himself in his swimming trunks at the Mandarin Oriental pool yesterday arvo excited various protesters who tried to storm the hotel complaining about the anti-Indonesian behaviour of this hapless and naive soul. Thankfully, security at the Mandarin were up to the task, and the hotel guest survived. Somehow we think the pool will not be open for sun lovers "...any time soon..."
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Jakarta: Tuesday 19th October 1999 |
 Advice from just about all in downtown Jakarta - Megawati will be elected Indonesian President on Wednesday, hopefully ending the mass power-faction fights/influencing from all key players such as Gus Dur, Habibbie, Amien Rais and Mega herself over the past few months. The deals have all been done, Wiranto has rejected Habibbie's invitation to be Vice President, (in fact he will be Mega's vice, as was his preference all along), and Habibie's "justification speech" last week on why he should be elected elicited as much excitement as a Visit Iraq tourism campaign. Habibie is as popular as an Australian in East Timor for reasons ranging from his appointment by Soeharto and reluctance to force charges, to his lack of charisma and most importantly Bank Bali. A vote for anyone other than Megawati will not only replay the ugly scenes of May 1998 but also expose a legislature that are far out of touch with their real constitutuency and an Indonesian elite that hasn't learned much during two painful years... | Reports from the heart of the action in Jakarta of the vote and aftermath in this place daily. | Vietnam investment down 48.4% in last nine months. Vietnam is fast becoming a disaster area for Viets and investors alike | Sally Chopping suggests a useful site, at
http://www.brandfutures.com which promises "...research on the issues, trends, and events that are shaping various consumer markets worldwide. It includes reports about Asia.." | Indonesia has banned demonstrations at the heart of recent street action on the intersection overlooked by Hotel Indonesia, the Mandarin Oriental and the Hyatt. Interesting to see whether anybody takes any notice | Indonesian Rupea is up, and so is the stock market... Investors have already decided Indonesia will return to some semblance of political and business stability "...any time soon...", to coin a popular CNN phrase used whenever the newscopy writer runs out of ideas for smart-ass sign offs... |
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Kuala Lumpur: Saturday 16th October 1999 |
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Asian stocks took a beating today after Greenspan suggested that that the US economy could turn any day. Not only that, but with escalating riots in Jakarta against the Australian embassy, Habibbie and the exonerated Soehartoes, a Pakistan looking squarely at military rule for the immediate future and a military not only able to fire the bombs but also to order themselves to, what did you expect? | Don't try to get a drink or even a late night Nasi Lemak in KL tonight.. the watering holes are full of Euro visitors here for the Formula One rort, and the "all-you-can-eat" restaurants are bulging at the seams. Thankfully were outta here tomorrow for the relative peace of Jakarta... | Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur won the "Best Hotel in the Asia-Pacific" award announced today by Business Traveller Asia Pacific magazine. We're sticking with the wisdom of the smarter though fewer respondants in our own survey that the Oriental Bangkok still leads by a long way |
Dont' think that only the UK has eccentrics. Friend of the Rat reports that during a recent meeting with Malaysian corporate giant Vincent Tan, he spent the entire meeting with his feet on the table getting his pinkies manicured. ...Well we do boast that you wont read our stuff anywhere else.... | The APMF hero of the day award goes to General Wiranto for his suggestion that a joint force of Australian-led US peacekeepers and Indonesian military patrol the West/East Timor boundary. Would preclude any arguments over who has got the best map. A very smart suggestion amid the negative and gilla karma hanging over the whole operation. How about a little teamwork?.. is what Wiranto seems to be saying... We'll drink to that! | The policy of non-interference - ASEAN's greatest internal strength, and also its greatest external weakness as evidenced by ASEAN's impotence in being able to exert any influence on either Indonesia nor the "international community" over East Timor, is being challenged again. Thai deputy PM, Sukhumbhand, the hero of the Burma embassy seige in Bangkok earlier this month, is suggesting that Thai's need to interfere more in the Burma/Mynamar situation as the siege showed that political problems spanned borders. Interesting stuff.. Burma/Mynamar's key motive in joining ASEAN a couple of years back was that there would then be at least 10 countries that couldn't criticise them... |
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Kuala Lumpur: Thursday 14th October 1999 |
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Must be bloody-well-built department - According to Menteri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid quoted by the offical Malaysian newsagency Bernama, "..The KLCC Twin Towers, KL International Airport and the Sepang F1 Circuit will remain even after 500 years... ...All the completed mega projects and those ... to be built by the government... will become permanent historical features which will be admired in future, just like the Great Wall of China...". Book my ticket for the year 2,500, I just havta see the Great Wall of China and the KL airport once in my life before I die.... ...(and just on the side the KL airport is the second best in the region according to our "Best of the Asia-Pacific survey) | Excellent site on China for news portals and just about everything else is Inside China | Not in any way co-incidental as "just call me Rudy" Habibbie had made his decision well before the Pakistan coup, but yesterday he announced that Indonesian Army Chief General "Feelings" Wiranto would be his running mate for President. Given events top left, seems like a very smart idea... | And talking of smart people, as the world passed the 6 Billion mark, Singapore PM Goh warned of Singapore's shrinking population.. "The statistics show clearly that we are not replacing ourselves", he said... "..This is a serious problem..." According to Goh the problem is that "highly educated" women are not getting married. This despite Singapore's "social development initiatives" (to put it nicely) started by ex PM Lee to get smart people marrying smart people and squiring even smarter people. Seems now that the smarties are too smart to get hitched. The Chao Phraya River Rat says he has some suggestions for Goh of his own... but unfortunately these are just not printable... and fairly obvious... | Malaysian chief honchos were pissed off with Yankee US Vice Pres Gore's comments hailing the "brave supporters of Reformasi" during a pollie confest in KL last year. Foreign minister Rafidah even went so far to say it was "..the most digusting speech (she) had ever heard..". The Malaysian government and corporate élite followed with a massive domestic campaign which suggested that only by supporting the existing system could one be a patriotic Malaysian, and that to offer alternatives as the Reform movement was doing was automatically to become "anti-Malaysia". Gore's comments were scorned as an insult to Malaysians by daring to suggest that Reform was even necessary. Why use the word "Reform" when there was nothing to re-form? went the argument, and the term "Reformasi" is not even in the Bahasa Melayu dictionary... ...Now Malaysians can get their own back! A Reform party has emerged in the US, with such luminaries as gabblers-anonymous ringleader Oprah Winfrey and gizillionaire Donald Trump who reckon that the US itself is in need of reform. (No argument there from yours truly and Malaysia) Trump is best known in Malaysia for his appearance on the edited version of the Dave Letterman show on the local idiot box where the audio track suddenly went dead as Trump was taking about the world's tallest building - the KL Petronas Twin Towers. A local radio program at the same time broadcast Trump's comments again which came across as "...at the moment the world's tallest building is in Asia, ...in Malaysia where thgozzamoddahfirudahter.. and I think we will...". And unfortunately he seems to have as much trouble keeping his pecker under control as his President. So it's Reformasi time in the US too... though the trouble-makers and "Malaysian-influenced foreign lackeys" there may get a better hearing..
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Kuala Lumpur: Wednesday 13th October 1999 |
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Insufficient evidence to continue the corruption probe into Soeharto? Absolutely no comment from your erstwhile correspondant.. | World's population to hit six billion before the millenium... and two thirds live in the Asia Pacific ..no wonder we are so busy.. | Habibie under pressure this week as he reponds to corruption probe results.. and then of course his own corruption problems in the Bank Bali scandal, and then East Timor. .. Habibie is finding it increasingly lonely at the top.. | The celebs are arriving at KLIA every day in the lead up to the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday. Of course it's the "Petronas" Grand Prix, in appreciation of the massive amounts of Malaysian petrol these jokers will consume. When the celebs get sick of the petrol heads they can research side trips and more refined pursuits at the Visit Malaysia government site. | Singapore's economy is booming - Official estimates deliberately understate the real extent of the good figures to come | To see what the Chinese government is so worried about visit the Falong Gong official web site and that of their Singapore fellow travellers.. |
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Kuala Lumpur: Monday 11th October 1999 |
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The Indonesian army is backing Megawati over Gus Dur for Pres... a smart choice for stability, and a smarter choice for Wiranto given Gus Dur's tough independence of spirit |
Australian author Morris West died in Sydney on Saturday, while sitting at his desk churning out his latest tome. A catholic continually struggling with his faith, West embodied the principle that real faith comes from testing, not from protecting... Pollies please take note.. | Burma's junta leaders starting to export flak re the Thai Burmese embassy siege, after initially thanking Thailand for the fast resolution of the event. Too soft on these terrorists is the message... Myanmar troops are building up on the Thai/Burmese border ready to retaliate on the Burmese refugee camps in the Northern Thai Mae Hong Son province | Mother of Malaysian pop star crooner Sheila, told a lawyer questioning her in a court case.. "...You should respect your elders, not accuse them of lying.." ...A case of traditional Malay culture taking on the smartie-pants lawyers. Good on yer Mom.. | Kia Motor's, symbol of Korea's business malaise in a time past and almost forgotten, is forecasting record profits to end it's two year court receivership... What a difference a year (or 3) ..(and a strong Yen) makes... Korea Inc. is rising again.... | Canadian journalist Murray Hiebert was released from the Malaysian big house this morning. Looking haggard, Hiebert declined to make a comment, and said that it would be made later. He's learned his lesson.. If he's smart, the statement will be made a long, long way from Malaysian shores. | And on a related note, the Malaysian Attorney General has re-iterated that Malaysians who accuse the judiciary of "selective prosecution" would be subject to prosecution for sedition. | Still in Malaysia, the government has decided to include religion on the new Identity cards (IC's) that all Malaysians must carry. The deputy PM today said there was no hidden motives. Hidden motives suggested by others include discriminatory practices against certain races and making it easier to identify Muslims who flout religious laws. It seems that a person's name does not always give away the religion | Big boss Mahathir Mohamad announced that UMNO, the dominant Muslim party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition of which he is leader, are launching "an immediate large-scale campaign to counter lies and slander by the opposition which have left people confused" Fun and games in Malaysia for sure in the immediate future, and its not just at the Malaysian Grand Prix next Sunday... All in the lead-up to an election that Mahathir has already suggested will be the "dirtiest ever"... Gentlemen... start your engines! | ..And start your engines, (or at least your browsers) for this week's free article review. This week's selection available from around 6 pm tonight Asia Time for one week - the full text of two MCB University Press journals on libraries and Information Management. (Each week features a different theme or topic and access to two journals free). If you get in, like, real quick, you can still access last week's free journals on hospitality and tourism | India's Atal Behari Vajpayee to be sworn in as PM for his third term on Wednesday, after his Hindu nationalist BJP party leading the National Democratic Alliance voted him in again after their electoral win last week |
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Kuala Lumpur: Thursday 7th October 1999 |
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Our travel insider tells us that Hilton International has given their two lessees in Indonesia - Bali and Jakarta - two months to clear their delinquent status or be a Hilton no more... If you take the advice of the glossy Hilton posters and say "Take me to the Hilton" at the airport in Jakarta in a couple of months you may get even blanker stares than normal... (You will still be quoted 120,000 Rp for the teksi nonetheless...) | The long count in India's election has started. Hopefully it will be faster than in Indonesia | Surprising news for those of us who have always referred to the Malaysian language as "Bahasa Malaysia". According to a Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (PDB) spokesman, the correct term for the national language of Malaysia is "Bahasa Melayu". One scribe was told that the term "Bahasa Malaysia" is "political" and should not be used. Common usage for the national Malaysian language in peninsular Malaysia at least and to this correspondant has always been "Bahasa Malaysia", while in Indonesia the term "Bahasa Melayu" seems to be the most popular in refering to their neighbour's lingo. So the Indonesians were right after all! | Author of Branding in Asia and Branding Asia dot Com editor Paul Temporal is featured in this week's Asia-Inc in a fascinating article on branding. Not quite as good as our own new site, but at least it has spiffy glossy pictures... | APMF Editorial Board member George Haley has been appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing's new column, "Executive Solutions". According to George, "it is a column written by business executives and consultants who have faced particular problems and generated interesting solutions to meet them. It consists of a short article of 2 to 3 pages, but has to be about business-to-business products and markets." If you would like to contribute email George on gthaley@attglobal.net | Anwar definately not poisoned according to Malaysian Deputy PM Abdullah's reading of 4 independent tests, one conducted in Perth Australia; the whole thing was a publicity stunt to destabilize Malaysia in the run up to the elections he says. Some suggestions around town are that the cyanide-loaded blood sample initially sent to Melbourne was not even Anwar's... | Murray Heibert, the Canadian FEER journalist jailed for 6 weeks for "scandalising the court" with his report on the Kuala Lumpur International School will be released 2 weeks early on Monday for "good behaviour". Americans are "obsessed" with the case says Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad | The "anti-Megawati for president" lobby is increasing in Indonesia with several groups including Amien Rais' NAP, (a disappointing performer in the recent elections) now pushing for Gus Dur to be the president and pressuring Golkar to accept that nomination. The idea of a woman president is spooking traditional Muslims, as well as her supposed Hindu sympathies. A move that courts trouble among the substantial majority who voted for her party in the elections, and likely to bring the Rakyat on to the streets yet again.
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Bangkok: Tuesday 5th October 1999 |
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The death of Aiko Morita, co-founder of Sony Corp, in Japan on Sunday, reminds us of his great legacy to Asian management. Despite rule bound and conservative cultures it is still possible to innovate and bring change to organizations within them. Morita brought us the "Walkman", a boon to non-Walkman users who prefer peace and quiet, just when the US "Boom-Box" was threatening to deafen all of us. Sony introduced stereo into Japan and invented the Trinitron picture tube and Betamax video (the latter still the superior technology of the time but out-marketed by Matsushita's VHS.) Aiko Morita is an example to all of us | Yes the Burmese embassy siege was handled in the "Thai way" with Deputy Foreign minister Sukhumbhand offering himself as exchange for the embassy hostages in the helicopter escape featured in yesterday's Hari Ini. According to a Dusit Poll quoted by Thailand's Nation newspaper, a majority of a sample poll (42%) were happy with the way the crisis was solved. ...Since when was 42% a majority....? The Nation forgot to mention the number of "Don't know's" (or any other demographics whch would have made the survey results easier to evaluate) though they did mention the sample size (1,370). In any case, Sukhumbhand and helicopter pilot Pol Maj Somyot Buaman must be heroes in our own modest opinion, and in their own Thai way, beat the crap out of the Hollywood-glamourised US hostage negotiators. ...and at about one hundredth of the cost.. | Absolutely nothing to do with our focus but we respect people that challenge common wisdom with smart analysis and their own money. Conrad Classen penned us a nice email mentioning the Hollow Planets site last week. It promotes a big book which suggests that the earth and several other planets may well boast a hole in the middle rather than a fiery core. The synopsis suggests to this non-geologist (and several professionals as well who have actually read the massive tome) that this is certainly not a hollow argument. At the very least it reminds us that the science is NOT the holy grail of objectivity it sets itself out to be. We know that holds for the "sciences" of economics and psychology.. maybe it extends to the physical sciences as well. See the spirited discussion there as well as the boffins fight it out. |
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Bangkok: Sunday 3rd October 1999 |
If you ever get the urge to storm a foreign embassy, take a few hostages, and fire off a few shots, we recommend Bangkok Thailand. Not only did Friday's "Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors" who occupied the Burmese embassy in Bangkok get off free, but they were also given a helicoptor escort back to the Thai/Burmese border. In scenes perhaps reminiscent of all those movies where the hostage-takers win over the minds of their captors, hostages were seen chatting gaily with their captors and wearing Burmese revolutionary garb in the aftermath. We would expect the Myanmar ruling junta to be somewhat pissed off by the soft treatment. Alternatively, Thailand may well have just been putting an original spin on the ASEAN doctrine of "non-interference". | Malaysian chief honcho Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a medical doctor by professor, is behind calls for lawyers to be barred from politics in Malaysia. "Numerous complaints have been received", according to government officials, that lawyers have been ignoring their profession while they sat on parliament or state assemblies. The good Doctor and the legal profession in Malaysia are not the best of mates. Asked whether he thought the Malaysian judiciary was biased by an Economist reporter around 6 months ago, Mahathir agreed strongly, saying the judiciary were far to soft on opposition politicians, handing out shorter sentences to help these pollies avoid the consequences of a law banning ex-convicts from political representation. The judiciary were not as lenient however on Far Eastern Economic Review scribe Murray Heibert, who was turfed into the big house for six weeks last week for "scandalising the court" after a report on how a judge's son's case against the Kuala Lumpur International School was rushed through a judicial system that usually moves as slow as a pregnant elephant on valium. | The manager of the Changmai factory that exploded last week has returned from hiding ready to face the enquiries. Meanwhile in Taiwan, scores of engineers and construction industry officers have been barred from leaving the country after a mass of evidence of illegal and sub-standard construction work on buildings worst affected by last week's earthquake. | Dont forget only two days left to access for free current and past articles from Marketing Intelligence & Planning and the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research at MCB University Press' Journals of the week page.
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Bangkok: Friday 1st October 1999 |
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Fifty years of Communism in China and what have we learned? Why is CNN/Time/Warner putting on such a show? The Rat takes a guess in today's column | Nuclear accident near Tokyo - Japan says all under control - Several factories surrounding the site including Hitachi have closed down | Indonesian students again splay the poor Aussie High Commission in Jakarta with rocks and molotov cocktails | China bans the Time special issue on the 50 years celebration from distribution in China.. The state is still not secure enough to allow open debate | ASEAN agrees to reduce tarrifs to a maximum of 5% for most products However Malaysia is reluctant to decrease the 20% import tax for foreign automobiles. Seems the Proton, Malaysia's national car, still needs protection. Meanwhile in Indonesia the Korean/Tommy Soeharto national car "Timor" is just one of those things that everybody would prefer to forget, already a victim of the Asian crisis. At least Indonesia is saved the indignity of a national car named after a breakaway province.. well half of it anyway.. | Indonesian recovery at a standstill with presidential elections on the horizon and East Timor to the right, to say nothing of Bank Bali - investment cools off again | ..And why is Megawati so quiet over East Timor? Can we expect a lame duck president from November with the army really in control? | |
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Bangkok: Wednesday 29th September 1999 |
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Titles very relevant to interests of APMF friends this week on MCB's free Journals of the week page. Marketing Intelligence & Planning and the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research have full free access for current and past articles for this week only. Both journals have featured regularly in our Article of the month and other features over many years. Get there before next Monday or you will have lost your annual chance! |
We were a little bit unfair on OZ PM Howard in yesterday's Hari Ini as the OZ Ambassador to Thailand pointed out to us. Find out what Howard really said in today's Chao Phraya River Rat in around 3 hours. We still think that if the Japanese PM is a cold pizza, Howard must at least qualify as a limp Chiko Roll | America On-Line is getting into the Hong Kong market yes? We surely must not be the only ones who can't take AOL seriously as a global company till they change that name ..Hmm.. how about Asia-OnLine (AOL) guys.. though it's highly likely some bright spark may have got in before you.. You can probably buy the name for a small % of annual profits | Things looking grimmer for Anwar as trial postponed again due to bad health | Despite declining by 7.5% last year Malaysia is set for 1% growth this year, and 5% the next according to PM Mahathir, and the APMF is predicting even better. It's a massive turnaround and proof again that far from the death of the Asian miracle, the Asian crisis was a correction, (though a bloody big one), as predicted in our first report in June 1997. | The Chinese government continues to clamp down on the China Internet business, causing previously gung-ho investors to have second thoughts, especially for the short term. | Most Asian currencies down yesterday though stock markets are recovering. | It had to happen -- Malaysian hotel rates on the increase after a year of being an incredible bargain for business travellers. Check the APMF Asian Travel Explorer for all the details you need about almost any hotel in the world | The oil price increase is offering some respite to Indonesia's stock woes as gas prices increase region wide. | Effect on chip production in the wake of last week's Taiwanese earthquake not as bad as first feared ..the cost in human collateral and loss of loved ones endures for a life time | Cheers! San Miguel records its first profit for years. It's not a bad drop, though we still give Tiger, CUB's Vic Bitter, Papua SP Lager and Thai Kloster the best beers in Asia title. To say nothing of Emu Bitter.. does it still exist? Don't agree? Email us and we will post your comment here.
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Bangkok: Tuesday 28th September 1999 |
More and more friends of the forum are warning of an imminent secondary collapse of the Thai economy soon. We are unconvinced at this time, but tread warily in Siam at least for the moment. | Quite rightly, South East Asian leaders have reacted swiftly and strongly to Oz PM Howard's gila comments on OZ as the "deputy of the US" in Asia as reported in yesterday's Hari Ini. | Malaysia's stock market has been consistently falling for around a week, correction or substantive? | More and more evidence of crimes against humanity and our fellow Indonesians/Timorese by militias in East Timor, and more obvious that sectors of the Indonesian military have aided and abetted. | Bank of Thailand to cut 1,800 jobs and increase accountability.. About time really... | ...Wanted! Mugshots of over 30 Anwar supporters splashed over Malaysian government newspapers and TV (accounting for over 90% of the local media on readershop). they are wanted for inciting crowds during recent demos. Turn these anti-Malaysian trouble makers into the polici! is the message. | It's enuff to give you the blues.. And Yes you CAN get yer mojo working, at least in downtown Manila, and there is now a website reporting on the blues scene Asia wide. No doubt the Bangkok Saxaphone will be up there very soon. APMF columnist Clarence Henderson of Pearl of the Orient Seas fame reports..
Not much of a night owl/bar crawler anymore, but have recently
discovered an absolutely amazing blues band right here in Manila.
They've been paying dues for year and are overdue for big things. Tomcat Colvin, the harp player and ex-ADB consultant (he much prefers playing da blues) has put up a web site at www.bluesasia.com
Congratulations to North Melbourne Roos on a great victory in the AFL Grand final on Saturday. ..Maybe next year Saints?
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Bangkok: Sunday 26th September 1999 |
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Australian Prime Minister John Howard says Australia is US's "deputy" in Asia. "All the way with LBJ" again?. OK Johnnie.. is Australia part of Asia or part of the US? ..Or is it just confused? Or is it still too immature to stand on its own feet? OZ businessmen in Asia and the military forces in East Timor require more enlightened leadership than that.. Meanwhile the Baht is weakening to more than 41 Baht to the greenback. Doubtful whether interest rates will continue their fall if this continues... Taiwan earthquake expected to slow economic growth in Taiwan and lead to a rise in the price of computer components world wide. Journo's disappearing fast in East Timor.. In Asia of 1999, the truth is becoming a casualty, both of Asian governments and Western media.... Malaysia's jailing of Far Eastern Economic Review journo last week again reinforces the power of the informasi polici in Malaysia. It's a policy that may work for the short term.. but not for the long term. Car sales up in Thailand and Malaysia. .. And the Kip is up.. ..Don't know what a kip is? It's Laos' currency..Malaysian government hospital says no arsenic poisoning evident after medical tests on Anwar. Then again, PM Mahathir said Anwar beat himself up too...
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