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Hong Kong government apologises to evicted tourists

Hong Kong's government has apologised to tourists who were kicked out of a hotel that was taken over by a city bank due to an unpaid loan.

Dozens of bewildered visitors from across Asia, Australia and Europe were ordered to leave the hotel after Bank of East Asia (BEA) took possession of the property on Wednesday.

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and unhappiness caused to the tourists," Au King-chi, Hong Kong commissioner for tourism, told reporters.

"We should have set up a counter at the hotel two or three hours after the incident took place to provide information to tourists on the prices and availability of hotel rooms nearby and arrange for transfer."

The guests were evicted following a prolonged battle between BEA and Labour Buildings, the company that runs the hotel, over an unpaid 80 million Hong Kong dollar ($A10.79 million) loan.

Labour Buildings, a former investment arm of the Taiwan's Kuomintang political party, said it had been originally granted the loan to curry favour with the party 10 years ago, the South China Morning Post reported.

The company issued a statement condemning BEA, saying the bank's actions were harmful to the tourism industry of the south Chinese city.

"Under no circumstances can the Bank of East Asia and the bailiffs drive hotel guests away. The bank's right to possession does not mean it can cold-bloodedly drive away hotel guests," it said.

The hotel would offer refund to guests who had already paid for their bookings, the statement added.

A spokeswoman for Bank of East Asia told AFP it had no comment to make.

"How could something like this happen in Hong Kong?" said a woman from mainland China who identified herself as Li, according to the Post.

She only discovered the problem when she arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday evening with her three teenage daughters and was told she could not stay in the Tatami Hampton Hotel, situated in the bustling Mongkok area of the city.

A notice posted in the hotel lobby said that it had been taken over by lawyers representing the bank and the bailiff pursuing a court order, the report said. TV images showed the doors to the hotel bolted closed.

Hong Kong, which styles itself as "Asia's World City", spends millions of dollars every year attracting tourists from the mainland and across the world.

However, it was hit by a string of tourism scandals last year, when visitors on cheap package deals, often from mainland China, were forced to visit certain stores and strongly encouraged to buy goods before being allowed to leave.

Source: Yahoo! News, AsiaOne

Check related post: Tatami Hampton Hotel closed down on 18 June 2008

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50 guests ejected as hotel closes

A three-star Mong Kok hotel suddenly shut its doors last night throwing 50 guests onto the street.

Bailiffs served a closure order on the 108-room Tatami-Hampton Hotel in Changsha Street after the owner lost a court battle with Bank of East Asia, which was granted HK$82 million in damages.

Police were called to keep order as angry guests were forced to leave.

Fifty visitors were affected but by last night only 37 could be contacted.

Most guests booked through the internet.

Many were from the mainland but there were others from Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Italy, Singapore and Argentina. One was from Hong Kong.

One mainland visitor, who checked in just hours before he was thrown out, said he was surprised when he could not get into his room when he returned in the evening.

He said he knew no one in Hong Kong and his first concern was to find a place to spend the night.

Two sisters from Shanghai paid HK$3,000 for three nights. One said it was irresponsible of management to accept guests when they were fighting a lawsuit.

The 18-story hotel is close to tourist attractions including Tung Choi Street, Garden Street and Temple Street.

Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners executive director Michael Li Hon-shing said the incident underlined deficiencies in hotel grading. A budget establishment with some decoration and very simple facilities inside can easily call itself a hotel it gives tourists a wrong impression that hotels in Hong Kong are like that, he said.

A legal definition of different hotel gradings is important in guaranteeing the type and quality of services and facilities.

He said the only check on hotels is the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance, which only monitors fire prevention in hotels.

But he said the way the hotel closed down is unacceptable and will affect Hong Kongs image.

Source: Diana Lee and Carol Chung

Check related post: Tatami Hampton Hotel closed down on 18 June 2008

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Tatami Hampton Hotel closed down on 18 June 2008

With great surprise that after the a day of travelling within Hong Kong Island, I saw there are so many people carrying camera at the front doors of Tatami Hampton Hotel, Mongkok, Hong Kong.

At the beginning we were so excited that there might have some superstars in the mist of filming, but when we got closer, we discovered that were wrong, they are reporters.

Doors that going up to the hotel rooms were locked and only a small door to the reception area were left opened. I got to know from one senior uncle that this hotel has been handed over to the court and all guest have to leave the hotel immediately.

I was like "What?, the hotel that I stayed last night close shop?" I had a feeling at that time that we are going to find some place to stay on that night, and that was at about 10.00PM.

We know time is ticking, suddenly I saw a guest came out from the small doors, immediately more than 10 reporters were go near to him to ask questions.

I know that is a great timing, we walk straight into the hotel lobby.

I saw policemen all around; one guy came over to ask if I am guest of this hotel, and explain to me what was happened today.

The policemen were so helpful, and they speak in nice tone. I recorded my room number, contact information and I went up to pack my stuffs.

I made a call to one of my friend in Hong Kong, and he was so surprise. He is then helped me to look for any budget hotel room available nearby.

One of the policemen volunteers to lend me his personal mobile phone to make phone call when I requested to use phone at the front desk. He was then spoke to my friend and helped to take down the address of a hotel (Y.W.C.A.) nearby.

We took taxi to Y.W.C.A., check in and sigh!! We have a shelter now…

We were told to contact the following council for complaints.

Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
Address: Rm. 1706, 250 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong.
Telephone: 2969 8188
Visitor Hotline: 2807 0707

Consumer Council
Address: G/F,3 Ashlet Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
Telephone: 2929 2222

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以目前消費能力, 更多人變窮

（吉隆坡15日訊）多名經濟學家認為，燃油持續調漲，將會影響政府在2010年達零度貧窮的目標。

他們認為，根據人民目前的消費能力，已有更多人民，其實已被歸類“貧窮”一群。

多名經濟學家是反駁首相署部長丹斯里阿米爾桑日前指出，雖然國際原油價格繼續漲價，政府仍會成功達致零度貧窮目標的言論。

大馬回教銀行高級經濟人員阿茲魯阿茲瓦對《馬新社》指出，人民目前的消費能力，已有明顯的降低。

“燃油漲價，導致其他物價如食用品、必需品與服務領域，也隨著提高。”

他說，對于貧窮一群，燃油漲價將嚴重打擊他們的生活，一年前，他們被迫承擔食品價格的壓力，他們如今再次承受燃油飆漲帶來的衝擊，實際上，他們的收入卻未增加。

協助低收入群

他補充，以前家庭收入少過1500令吉的貧窮家庭，需花費約40至50%收入充當生活費，目前他們更需勒緊褲帶過活。

他說，目前的貧窮線措施，需重新探討，因未真正反映實況。

他建議，政府應從撙節措施省下的20億令吉，協助低收入群，但並非金錢協助而已，政府需確認該低收入群者，並給予其他方面協助。

此外，安聯投資銀行銷售機構副主席助理沙魯卡瑪說，隨著燃油漲價，更多人民將被歸類低收入群，人民應通過政聯企業（GLC），共同享有富裕機會。

他認為，政聯企業如國油與國能應分發現金紅利給人民，如新加坡政府于去年曾分發紅利給其人民，每人獲得約1800令吉。

前馬大人文與科學院院長拿督再納認為，政府應專注三方面，即食物、交通與服務，以及衛生，關注低收入群。


世界各國燃油價格比較
國家 每公升 （令吉）
荷蘭 8.87
丹麥 7.77
德國 7.73
芬蘭 7.61
意大利 7.50
比利時 7.30
英國 7.27
香港 7.19
法國 6.98
冰島 6.55
匈牙利 6.43
新加坡 5.65
紐西蘭 5.23
巴西 5.21
斯里蘭卡 5.17
日本 4.85
澳洲 4.74
加拿大 4.62
印度 4.47
智利 4.16
泰國 3.96
菲律賓 3.93
哥倫比亞 3.51
美國 3.51
巴基斯坦 3.40
馬來西亞 2.70
中國 2.44
墨西哥 2.15
印尼 2.09
汶萊 1.28
阿拉伯聯合酋長國 1.21
埃及 1.05
巴林 0.87
科威特 0.80
卡塔爾 0.68
沙地阿拉伯 0.59
伊朗 0.36
尼日利亞 0.33
土庫曼 0.26
委內瑞拉 0.15

Source: chinapress.com.my

Here In My HOME... Malaysia Rakyat Unity !!

When I first listen to this song, I was at the same reaction as huayphing, hmm... this song not bad, I wonder what the title is.

I the found the youtube video clip address, I paste it here so that I could share with you guys and ladies.

I love the way it describes Malaysia RAKYAT !!

Cheers


Here In My Home - Malaysian Artistes For Unity



        




Lyrics

Hold on brother hold on
The road is long, we're on stony ground
But I'm strong, and you ain't heavy
Oh there's a misspoken truth that lies
Colors don't bind, oh no
What do they know? They speak falsely

Here in my home
I'll tell you what it's all about
There's just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
That's what it's all about
Please won't you fall in one by one by one with me?
(Fall in~ Fall in~)
Fall in with me
(hmm ... fall in~)
Fall in fall in fall in with me

Push back sister won't you push back?
Love won't wait, just keep pushing on
Yes I'm strong, you ain't heavy
Oh don't you worry about that ...
What we have shadows can't deny
Don't you know it's now or never?

Here in my home
I'll tell you what it's all about
There's just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
That's what it's all about
Please won't you fall in one by one?

(dududu lululu ... alot of dululu until i micount them)

(Bahasa Malaysia)
Bertubi asakan berkurun lamanya
Hati ke depan mencari yang sayang
[Years of fears and years of tribulation
The heart keeps searching for that endless devotion]

(Bahasa Mandarin)
手牵手大家一起走，我们代表国人开口未来就没有丢走
shou qian shou da jia yi qi zou, wo men dai biao guo ren kai kou wei lai jiu mei you diu zou
[Hand in hand we'll march like blood brothers
I speak for my people, hope we'll find peace forever]

(Bahasa Tamil)
இந்த பயணம் பயணம்.. என் வெற்றி தாகம்,
அந்த கனா காலம்.. நம் வெற்றி ராகம்,
நண்பா.. நண்பா..
inthe payanam payanamm yen vettri thaagam
anthee kaana kaalam naam vetri raagam...nanba nanba
[May the road ahead quench my thirst for success
May the road behind echo a song of the blessed]

(Bahasa English)
Yes I feel it in my bones, so I will let it be known
No matter where I roam this is home sweet home

Sing!

Here in my home
I'll tell you what it's all about
There's just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
That's what it's all about
Please won't you fall in one by one by one with me?
(yeah~ Yeah~)

Here in my home
(Here in my home)
I'll tell you what it's all about
(I'll tell you ...)
There's just one hope here in my heart
(one hope! one hope yo!)
One love undivided
(aa~ one~)
That's what it's all about
(That's what it's all about~)
Please won't you fall in one by one by one with me?

Here in my home
(Here in my home~)
I'll tell you what it's all about
There's just one hope here in my heart
(one love one love one love ^^)
One love undivided
That's what it's all about
Please won't you fall in one by one by one with me?
(clap clap clap woo~ i love you man)

Increase Petrol Price mean More $aving per Year for NGV users!

The petrol price increase from Rm1.92/litre to RM2.70/litre today (6 June 2008) which increase about 40% .

By referring to Petrol price for the past 18 years since 1990

before 1990 - RM 0.89
Year 1990 - RM 1.10 (increase RM 0.21)
01/10/2000- RM 1.20 (increase RM 0.10)
20/10/2001- RM 1.30 (increase RM 0.10)
01/05/2002- RM 1.32 (increase RM 0.02)
31/10/2002- RM 1.33 (increase RM 0.01)
01/03/2003- RM 1.35 (increase RM 0.02)
01/05/2004- RM 1.37 (increase RM 0.02)
01/10/2004- RM 1.42 (increase RM 0.05)
05/05/2005- RM 1.52 (increase RM 0.10)
31/07/2005- RM 1.62 (increase RM 0.10)
28/02/2006- RM 1.92 (increase RM 0.30)
04/06/2008- RM 2.70 (increase RM 0.78)

This is the worst increase in history.

With the increase of petrol price by 40%, see the below comparisons tawards NGV:

Price per Kilometer comparision
Petrol RM0.22 / km (at RM1.92/litre)
Petrol RM0.31 / km (at RM2.70/litre)
NGV RM0.06 / km (at RM0.68/litre)

Saving of RM0.16 /km (at RM1.92/litre)
Saving of RM0.25 /km (at RM2.70/litre)

that is about 73% saving (at RM1.92/litre)
that is about 80% saving (at RM2.70/litre)


Take an average of drive of 60km daily for 30 days per month.

Total distance 60 x 30 = 1800km
Total fuel price consume per month:Petrol RM0.22 x 1800 = RM396 (at RM1.92/litre)
Total fuel price consume per month:Petrol RM0.31 x 1800 = RM558 (at RM2.70/litre)
Natural Gas(CNG) RM0.06 x 2100 = RM108 (at RM0.68/litre)

Saving per month is RM288 (at RM1.92/litre)
Saving per month is RM450 (at RM2.70/litre)

Yearly Saving RM288 x 12 = Rm3456
Yearly Saving RM450 x 12 = Rm5400


Investment Point of View
If you were to get RM457 per month from bank for Fixed Deposit at 3.7% per year, you have to deposit RM148,243 in bank.


Price around RM2900 to RM3200 for Carburetor Car
Price around Rm5500 to RM6500 for Fuel Injection Car


Installment available for credit card user.
Use the saving for installment. Probably you got extra $ after paying the installment .

Worries?

1)Stop worry about queue ?

You can always find the right time to pump NGV. Furthermore, more and more has been built lately which mean less queue. The best about converting to NGV, you still have the option to use petrol, just in case run out of gas.

2) Worry no power?

Visit our forum. http://www.ngvcommunity.com on ways to increase power.

Is time to convert to NGV today!

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我命由我，不由天！！！

人常说命运天注定，我从来就没这么认为过，我觉的那不过是失败者的自我解嘲，懦弱者的自我安慰。经历了这么多年的风风雨雨、困难和挫折。让我深深的体会到在这个世界上没有任何人能够改变你，只有你自己。也没有任何人能够打败你，只有你自己。

其实命运就掌握在我们自己手里，你才是命运的主宰者。 上天对于我们每一个人都是公平的，机会是留给有准备的人的，无论遭遇什么，都要坚定自己心中的信念，坚强的走下去，成功往往就出现在失败后的再坚持一下。

也许我们走在自己人生奋斗的道路上，会遇到被人的嘲笑和不解，就让它们都随风而去吧，走自己的路让别人去说吧，我们没有必要把自己宝贵的时间和精力浪费在这上面，时间会证明一切的。还有不要忘记感谢他们，是他们让你更加坚定了走向成功的信念。人要怀有感恩之心，只有这样我们才会不断的走向成功。

无论什么样的经历对于我们短暂的人生来说都是一笔财富，是他们让我们学会了坚强，让我们变的更加成熟。因为我始终坚信：只有经历地狱般的磨练才能炼出创造天堂的力量，只有流过血的手指才能弹出世间的绝唱！

没有做不到，只有想不到

所以我要大声的告诉世界： 我命由我，不由天！！！

杨磊写于2008年3月30日


我的后语：
只有做好准备的人，才能取得真正的胜利

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油價漲．6月5日生效 汽油漲78仙 柴油漲RM1

June 5, 2008 02:44

油價漲．6月5日生效 汽油漲78仙 柴油漲RM1

（布城4日訊）首相拿督斯里阿都拉宣布，汽油于明日起價78仙，每公升無鉛汽油從1.92漲至2.70。有鉛汽油從1.88令吉漲至2.66令吉，兩者的漲幅皆是78仙。柴油從1.58漲至2.58，漲幅1令吉。

石油氣 天然氣 不受影響

液化石油氣和德士天然氣不受影響。

他說，政府將在每個月檢討油價，無論起落，但會比市價低30仙。

至于長期獲政府補貼，以1令吉打柴油的漁民和以1.20令吉一公升添柴油的船主，這類柴油價格將劃一成1.4令吉。

首相今午約5時35仙在首相署召開記者會，發佈新燃油機制時如此宣布。首相的宣佈，也意味明天起全國油站價格將自由浮動，上述新價格將維持至少1個月。

政府上次公布汽油和柴油每公升起30仙，是2006年2月28日。

有關油價漲至各種價格的謠言和手機短訊，早在首相正式宣布前在全國傳透透。通過口傳、手機短訊及電郵，自今午開始四處流傳。其實，早在上週六，有關油價漲手機短訊已四傳，貿消部長拿督沙里爾受詢時否認此事。

在政府同意讓油價自由浮動后，很多人預測油價可能漲至4令吉一公升。今天的國際原油價是124美元一桶。



更新: June 4, 2008 20:21

政府提供現金回扣

（吉隆坡4日訊）首相阿都拉宣佈，國內半島引擎容量少于2公升的私家車車主，及引擎容量少于2.5公升的卡車與小型貨車車主、將享有每年625令吉的添油現金回扣。
引擎容量少于250CC的摩哆車主，則享有每年150令吉的添油現金回扣。

那些引擎容量多于2公升的房車車主，與引擎容量高于250CC的摩哆車主，則可從今年6月1日開始，在更新路稅時，享有分別200令吉與50令吉的現金回扣。

雖然如此，那些回扣50令吉后的摩哆車主，仍需繳付最低2令吉的路稅。

他說，政府將通過郵政匯票（Postal Orders），回扣現金給合格車主。

他指出，所有在今年4月1日至明年3月31日期間更新路稅的車主，可在今年7月1日起，前往郵政局領取有關現金回扣的郵政匯票。

Source: chinapress.com.my

Don’t subsidise fuel, don’t tax cars

I AGREE with Dzof Azmi’s argument in Fueling trouble with petrol subsidies, (Contradictheory, StarMag, March 30) that the Government cannot afford to subsidies petrol and keep prices artificially low forever.

However, I want to point out that when you talk about the price of petrol, you have to also talk about the price of cars in Malaysia. These two items go hand in hand, something that Dzof failed to mention.

If one expects the rakyat to pay the real price of petrol (say, RM3 per litre) in the future when the petrol subsidy is zero, then the price of cars must also be real, ie. be tax free.

If one expects the people to pay the full, real-world price of petrol – and I must say it is a perfectly reasonable expectation – then the rakyat expects, also reasonably, to buy cars at real-world prices, without the exorbitant taxes currently imposed.

For example, a Toyota Corolla at the real price of US$19,000 (RM60,500) instead of artificially high at RM117,000.

Now, when the average consumer buys a car, he has already paid (in the form of import duties, excise duties, and sale tax) to the Government, in advance, a sum greater than the petrol subsidy he can expect to enjoy over the time he owns the car.

Let me give you an example. If a consumer buys a Toyota Corolla at RM117,000, the tax he pays, up front, to the Government is more than RM50,000.

Then, he enjoys the fuel subsidy each time he fills up with petrol. To benefit from the RM50,000 that he has paid, in advance, it will take approximately 16 years (assuming he uses 60 litres of petrol a week and the subsidy is RM1 per litre)!

So, it is not fair to say that the subsidy of petrol has to be reduced or removed when the commodity price goes up, without reducing or abolishing the hefty taxes on cars.

You can’t use the “cheapest petrol in South-East Asia” and “price of crude oil has skyrocketed” excuses to justify the reduction in petrol subsidy as long as the ridiculously high tax is imposed on cars.

The rakyat won’t buy your story because we know that we, as motorists, have already paid for the petrol “subsidy”, in advance!

Source: Jimmy Wah, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Two men in a hospital room

A story starts here...

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you..."



Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

"Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present."

The origin of this letter is unknown, but it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.

Please forward this link to your friends to whom you wish blessings.
http://jlim16.blogspot.com/2008/06/two-men-in-hospital-room.html

Thank you for reading.