Bank Islam chief economist suspended after predicting opposition win in upcoming election

Bank Islam chief economist suspended after predicting opposition
win in upcoming election
Business & Markets 2013
Written by Ho Wah Foon of theedgemalaysia.com
Tuesday, 15 January 2013 16:42

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 15): Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd has suspended itschief economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin from his duties after he predicted the opposition would win in the upcoming general election.

In a text message to theedgemalaysia.com, Azrul Azwar confirmed a report by Political Studies for Change (KPRU – Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan) that he had been suspended from his job and risked losing his position at Bank Islam after predicting the outcome of the next general election in favour of Pakatan Rakyat.

In a statement on Tuesday, KPRU -- an independent think tank -- urged Bank Islam to lift the suspension "to protect the right to freedom of speech of its employees".

Bank Islam, in response to telephone calls from theedgemalaysia.com, said in a brief statement: "Based on the current policy of Bank Islam Malaysia, any staff irrespective of their position, including the management level, whom the bank has reasonable grounds to believe has breached the bank’s internal policy, will be suspended with full pay, to facilitate investigation."

The 13th general election must be called by April this year. Azrul Azwar recently said "there is a high possibility" that the opposition would win the general election at a public forum.

KPRU said in its statement: "Given that Bank Islam has moved away from the opinion expressed by Bank Islam’s chief economist Azrul Azwar, thus the suspension of Azrul is indeed an extreme action." It added that losing Azrul Azwar "will potentially affect the reputation and credibility of Bank Islam as one of the nation's financial institutions."

Azrul Azwar is said to have served as an analyst at Meridian Asset Management, RHB Bank, Malaysia Industrial Development Finance and Islamic Financial Services Board.

醫院真實的寫真 【沒時間也要看】

醫院真實的寫真 【沒時間也要看】   向這位醫生致敬   
持守真理得付出代價     
所以怎能沒有上帝

 年輕醫師講真話！再怎麼忙,也請抽空看一下！

一位年輕醫生自述: 一個金錢化社會的殘酷現實！ 這是真的嗎？   一位年輕醫生自述：有多少癌症病人成了唐僧肉出於求生的本能，每一個癌症患者都不甘心坐以待斃。  殊不知，他們的求生欲望與求治要求，竟讓自己成為某些不良醫院各科室之間搶奪的 “唐僧肉”..... 一位年輕醫生的自述，讓我們看到了其中的秘密。 2009年，我從XX醫科大學腫瘤專業研究生畢業後，幸運地成為XX醫院腫瘤科的醫生。  工作第一天，我穿上白大褂，和主任一起查房。  查房一上午，共有40多個癌症病人，他們病情各不大相同，相同的是，對我們的話都言聽計從。  第二天上午，我接診了一個肝癌晚期的老人。  看他的影像片子，癌細胞已經全身轉移，沒有治療價值了。  再說，從老人的穿著來看，家境並不太好，更沒有必要白花錢了。  出於好心，我把老人的女兒叫到辦公室，建議她放棄治療。  老人的女兒放聲大哭，傷心地把老人帶走了。  不料，一個星期之後，我意外地發現老人竟然被收住院了！  護士長告訴我老人回家後不甘心“等死”，  把自己的房子賣了30萬，又掛了腫瘤科的一個專家號求治，當即就被專家收住院了。護士長還悄悄告訴我：  老人還在病房裡說你醫德不行，自己沒本事治他的病，就讓他回家等死！ 2009年11月底，我們腫瘤科發獎金時，平均一個人才多少！  主任關上門 給我們開了個秘密會議： “咱們醫院實行的是績效考核，收人減去成本再乘以提成的百分比，才是科室的獎金。  ”他故意頓了頓，說：“不需要我多解釋了吧？  你們用幾元錢的便宜藥，那是你們的自由，不過，你不能把自己當成菩薩下凡，讓大家陪你喝西北風“  主任的話音一落，大家的目光就齊刷刷地投向我，我臉上立即火辣辣的......”  這件事沒過幾天，病房就住進一個患前列腺癌的退休人士，癌細胞也已經轉移腹腔了。  有了前面的教訓，我試探性地找他的妻子談話：  “我建議用相對好一點的藥物，因為這樣可以提高病人的生存品質.....”  我的話音未落，他的妻子就雞啄米似點頭：“什麼藥好就用什麼藥，我捨得給我們家老張花錢！”  有了這句話，我放開了手腳，什麼藥貴上什麼藥。  最後，老人在病房裡住了兩個月，共花費了40萬元，最總還是死了。 我心裡有鬼，自覺愧對老人。 可令我哭笑不得的是，家屬辦完後事，經專門給我送來一面錦旗，說我把病人當親人，努力提高了癌症晚期病人的生活品質。 2010年2月，我接診了一個早期肺癌病人，覺得有手術必要，就介紹給了胸外科一個醫生。  沒想到，病人手術之後，胸外科醫生專門請我吃了頓飯，並給了我一個大紅包。  我不要，他卻說：“這是你應該得的。 以後我那邊有要做化療的病人，也介紹給你。我們倆長期合作！” 然後，他還以過來人的身份“教育”我： “你是剛畢業不久的學生，現在摸清楚腫瘤科的工作流程沒有？ 簡單來說就是這樣：來個癌症病人，先介紹到外科給他們做手術，讓外科把手術的錢賺到了，再把病人轉到化療科化療，然後再轉到放療科放療，等著些科室的錢都賺到了，再把病人扔到中醫科喝中藥。” 接下來的一件事，讓我終於驗證了這位外科醫生的話。  有一個胃癌晚期病人，癌細胞已經腹膜轉移。  可還是被轉到普外科做了手術，術後又轉到腫瘤科化療，放療科放療，中藥科喝中藥，如此折騰3個月，病人就死了。  我曾偷偷調出病人的影像資料，一看就發現沒有手術必要。  更加可笑的是， 有一回，有過一次合作經歷的那位胸外科醫生給我轉來一個肺癌術後病人。  病人70多歲，早期肺癌，即使不做化療也可以長期生存。  不料，我好心告訴他可以 保守治療的時候，他卻質問我：“癌症手術後化療放療 是常規治療，如果聽你的保守治療，我的癌症復發了你負責？” 其實，化療有很大的副作用，尤其是對這種年老體弱的癌症病人來說，副作用更是致命的。  勉強挺過4個月療程的化療，老人的免疫力就急劇下降，肺癌也隨之復發，並出現了腦轉移。  在家屬的強烈要求下，我們又給老人做了伽馬刀手術，結果導致了更大範圍的腫瘤轉移......如此折騰了一年多，老人終於在痛苦中死去了！ 醫院不扶傷，醫生改經商。 患者求活命，錢財被套光。 這就是現代化醫院真實的寫真…

Interview Zairil says DAP is trying to “right a wrong”

Interview Zairil says DAP is trying to “right a wrong”
Politics & Government 2013
Written by Stephanie Sta Maria of fz.com
Tuesday, 08 January 2013 11:39

Zairil, DAP's "token Malay", says the incident has given him faith in DAP
as it puts integrity first

PETALING JAYA (Jan 8): Zairil Khir Johari has taken a stoic stand against the barrage of stinging remarks that have followed his recent - and unexpected - election into the DAP's Central Executive Committee(CEC).

DAP made headlines last week after it revealed that an error in the vote tabulation during last month's party election had placed the wrong person in the top 20 posts.

A vote recount found that Zairil, who was originally placed in 39th position, had in fact garnered enough votes to be elected to the 20th position.

The twist of events led to Zairil replacing Vincent Wu in a move that DAP chairman, Karpal Singh, admitted to be an "embarrassing mistake that should not have happened".

DAP's detractors meanwhile accused the party of staging a political ploy to win back Malay support by including a "token Malay" into the CEC.

A mainstream daily yesterday quoted former DAP vice-chairman, Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim, as saying that the blunder was an "obvious attempt" by DAP to position itself as a Malay-friendly party.

Zairil, who currently holds the post of Assistant National Publicity Chief, said that DAP had anticipated this response but proceeded with the announcement nevertheless.

"We knew we would be ridiculed if we announced the error but we had no other choice," he told fz.com.. "There was no question about hiding it."

"It's very unfortunate that this has happened and we are trying to right a wrong. But this has also given me faith in the party leadership because although they knew it would make them look bad, they put integrity first."

The fact that Zairil, 30, is the youngest member of DAP's new CEC lineup and a two-year-old party member has made him both "glad and thankful" that he raked in enough votes to sit among the top 20.
"It is an honour," he said.

As to remarks that he is merely a "token Malay" in DAP, Zairil pointed out that if that were true then he wouldn't have been given the powers that he holds including that of press secretary to DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng.

"I have been given so many tasks and responsibilities, and you don't give that to people who are just token lah," he said.

"You give that to people who can work and I think I have proven myself in my work through the Penang Institute and party."

In the same manner that he brushed off the "token Malay" jibe, Zairil also refused to be provoked by the insinuation that he is not Malay by birth.

Two local dailies today referred to him as "Zairil Abdullah" in reference to old speculation that he is the stepson of former Education Minister, Tan Sri Mohd. Khir Johari.

"That is obviously not my name," he stated. "They are trying to malign me. That's all that I have to say about it."

Lim Guan Eng: We cannot have 'one country, two tax systems'

Lim: We cannot have 'one country, two tax systems'
Business & Markets 2013

Written by Chittesh Shukla of theedgemalaysia.com
Monday, 07 January 2013 15:11

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 7): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is urging the federal government to avoid practising double standards by implementing a flat tax rate of 15% under the Returning Experts
Programme (REP) and in Iskandar Malaysia, but not for local experts with similar skill sets.

"BN is showcasing a double standard by discriminating against local experts who choose to remain in Malaysia rather than seek greener pastures overseas. The important question raised is why local experts
working in Malaysia are not accorded similar recognition for their commitment to their country," DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said on Monday.

The objective of the REP was to encourage Malaysian experts working overseas to return to Malaysia by offering various incentives, including a flat income tax rate of 15% for five years.

According to Lim, similar double standards apply for experts and professionals working in Iskandar Malaysia, who enjoy the same flat income tax rate of 15%.

"Justice, fair play and a level playing field demands that this income tax rate be applied equally to all experts and professionals throughout Malaysia. We cannot have 'one country, two tax systems' which will make a mockery of the 1Malaysia concept!" he added.

"Should BN refuse to do so, Pakatan Raykat (PR) will implement this fair measure when PR wins Putrajaya to attract and retain human talent by adopting a flat 15% personal income tax rate for all experts whether returning to or already in Malaysia," Lim concluded.