SELAMAT HARI GAWAI DAYAK READERS

("Original" picture found in RuaiKitai.Com)


I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Dayaks A Selamat Hari Gawai Dayak 2009. (Temporarily,) I will be away and I'll update this Blog when I return.

I hope our people will not forget those who are less fortunate than us especially to those living under the brink of poverty, under persecutions elsewhere in the world!

Also I would like all of us to close ranks, I know politics have divided us into many fractions but let us for once enjoy one another for company.

Please don't over do with the festivities, especially with the drinking binge bit.

Value your life, folks.

Aku arapke kitai majak mujur dalam taun 2009 tu. Begulai manah2 enggau sama diri, taja kitai mayuh penemu mayuh ulah, tang ba maya serta awak tu, arapke kitai Dayak tau majak begempung enggau pangan diri.

Selamat Ngintu Hari Gawai Dayak ke samua kita ti ngaku diri bansa Dayak, kelebih agi bansa Iban serata dunya tu ti macha post ditu.

O'hah!!

Posted by: Stephen Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

Over to the UEFA Champions Finals

The Final Result: BARCELONA 2:0 Manchester United



Brilliant Barca end Man Utd's Euro dream
Manchester United's attempt to make history and become the first club to defend the Champions League ended in failure against Barcelona in Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson's hopes of repeating last year's triumph against Chelsea barely got off the ground as they ended well beaten by a Barcelona side inspired by the genius of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

United started the final, played in stifling heat, as if retaining their crown would be little more than a formality, creating a host of early chances against the nervous-looking Catalans, with Cristiano Ronaldo a constant threat.

But once Samuel Eto'o scored at Edwin van der Sar's near post in the 10th minute after escaping Nemanja Vidic, the credits were rolling on their bid to add the Champions League to the Premier League for the second successive season.


Barcelona's peerless midfield pair of Andres Iniesta and Xavi ruled midfield with a display of passing perfection, starving United of further opportunities to strike at a defence weakened by injuries and suspension.

Xavi hit the post with a free-kick and Thierry Henry was denied by Van der Sar before Messi crowned a glorious personal performance with a stunning header to clinch victory with 20 minutes remaining.

He made a mockery of his tiny stature to rise and head home Xavi's cross - and in that magical moment any hopes United harboured of a recovery were snuffed out.

If the showdown between Messi and Ronaldo was billed as the spectacular sub-plot within this showpiece, there was only one winner as Barcelona's playmaker terrorised United throughout.

Ronaldo, for all his obvious frustrations that ended almost inevitably in a yellow card for a late barge on Carles Puyol, never stopped running but this was not to be his night or United's.

Ferguson warned in the build-up that Iniesta - arguably the game's most influential performer - and Xavi could put opponents "on a carousel" with their passing, and his prediction proved ominously correct as United were on a rough ride after the optimism of those opening 10 minutes.

Once Barcelona had settled after the early goal, there was no way back for United as several changes in formation failed to produce a spark and Wayne Rooney was unable to exert any influence on events, first from the left flank and then from the centre.

And as Barcelona's name was carved on the giant trophy at the final whistle, with the celebrations of the Catalan fans a sharp contrast to the subdued Manchester United supporters, there was no doubting their right to claim Europe's elite trophy for the third time.

Ryan Giggs took the place of the suspended Darren Fletcher in the United line-up - and for the first 10 minutes they penned a nervous Barcelona back in their own territory.

The game was only two minutes old when Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes fumbled Ronaldo's free-kick, and only the crucial intervention of former United defender Gerard Pique prevented Ji-Sung Park turning in the rebound.

Ronaldo was then twice narrowly off target before Barcelona made their first serious incursion into United territory. And it was to devastating effect as they turned the opening exchanges upside down to take the lead.

Barcelona will credit the brilliance of Eto'o, but it was a cheap shot from United's viewpoint as the Cameroon striker was allowed to escape by Vidic and keeper Van der Sar's effort to block the effort at his near post was flimsy, to put it kindly.

It was against the run of play, but gave Barcelona a visible injection of confidence and adrenalin, allowing Messi to pull the strings up front and Xavi and Iniesta to take control of midfield.

Iniesta may have been an injury doubt prior to this final, but there was little evidence of fitness problems as he produced a virtuoso demonstration of the modern midfield arts, leaving United to chase in vain in an attempt to regain possession for the latter stages of the opening half.

In one magical moment, all three of Vidic, Michael Carrick and Rooney were foiled in an attempt to take the ball away from Messi, with the Argentine eventually forcing a foul.

Rooney was a peripheral figure, pushed to the margins of the game on the left flank. He was too important a figure to be starved of possession and influence in this system, and it was no surprise when Ferguson pushed him inside as half-time approached.

Ferguson made another switch during the interval, sending on Carlos Tevez for the ineffective Anderson, a positive move that reflected United's failure to build on their early domination.

It was not a quick fix as Barcelona simply continued in their imperious stride after the break, Thierry Henry tricking his way inside Rio Ferdinand only to be denied by the legs of Van der Sar.

Xavi then almost doubled Barcelona's lead with a 20-yard free-kick following Vidic's foul on Messi. He beat Van der Sar with his curling effort, but it rebounded off an upright to safety.

United were struggling to get a clear sight of Barcelona's goal, and in a bid to remedy this problem Ferguson sent on Dimitar Berbatov for Park with 25 minutes remaining.

The change had no chance to take effect before Barcelona deservedly went two up five minutes later. Xavi was the creator with a cross that looked too high for Messi, but he expertly soared to send a header over Van der Sar.

United looked to mount an instant response, with Valdes blocking crucially from Ronaldo, but there was no way back and it was Barcelona who looked more likely to add to their lead.

Van der Sar saved well from Puyol as Barcelona dominated until the final whistle - and not even the most partisan Manchester United follower can doubt that Pep Guardiola deserved to round off a dream first season in charge by adding the Champions League to the La Liga title and the Spanish Cup.


Barcelona: Valdes, Puyol, Toure Yaya, Pique, Sylvinho, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta (Pedrito 90), Messi, Eto'o, Henry (Keita 72).
Subs Not Used: Pinto, Caceres, Muniesa, Gudjohnsen, Bojan.

Booked: Pique.

Goals: Eto'o 10, Messi 70.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Anderson (Tevez 46), Carrick, Giggs (Scholes 75), Park (Berbatov 66), Ronaldo, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Nani.

Booked: Ronaldo, Scholes, Vidic.

Att: 72,700

Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).


Losing at the final hurdle can give you so much pain. I felt it.
Another Season means more hurdles to jump over and it's never easy as others will be trying to outdo one another. It will always be a closed battle and those bigger teams with big resources will be in the forefront yet again.

Next Season UEFA's watchout for Clubs representing Italy. This year they were made to eat dust. Clubs representing Germany I think won't be a great threat, sorry to fans of German football.

Now, will Ferguson be scouting around for more quality big name players, people such as Messi maybe Kaka, who "destroyed" United's dream ride in the Grand Finale?

Is Tevez staying put or Ronaldo finally parting company with United?

So many Questions are being asked and yet so little answers being given to us except those we read in in the papers or over the internet!

The campaign for this Season is still considered as a great Success story, and winning the Premier League Championship is still the sweetest of many victories.

Next Season of the English Premier League, United's precious scalp is on everyone's minds.

We shall see.

So folks, till next Season,

CHEERIO!


Comment By: Stephen Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

Mobil's latest Engine Oils

May 25, 2009 Author: Chips

Automotive engine oils don’t change as often as car models although over time, they do constantly get upgraded in terms of formulations and meeting new service standards, typically those set by the American Petroleum Institute (API). So you don’t hear much about new oils being launched every year and for the marketing people in the oil companies, the effort is pretty much on getting more customers to buy the oils.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Mobil (which is part of the ExxonMobil group of subsidiaries) with regard to new oils. Their flagship Mobil 1 product remains prominent and is available today in more variants than ever to suit all kinds of applications but in the range catering to the mass market, there has apparently been a global update which began in 2007.

The previous Super S Plus and Super XHP oils have been replaced by a new family which is designated Mobil Super 1000 and 2000. The new product designation is said to be more consumer-friendly as motorists can easily understand that the attributes of Super 1000 would be logically lower than those of Super 2000. This allows them to make a choice as to which level of protection and performance they want.

Both are certified to the API 'SM’ service classification, the highest classification at the moment. The oils can also be used in older engines which specified earlier API classifications like 'SL’ and 'SJ’ (there was no 'SK’ because a Korean company had been using it and there would have been confusion). They have also been certified by ACEA in Europe and meet the tough tests established by VW and Mercedes-Benz.

The two new oils also have a API 'CF’ certification which means they can be used for diesel engines although it’s a good idea to use dedicated diesel engine oils which will have additional additives to cope with the specific conditions of a diesel engine.

A significant difference between Super 1000 and Super 2000 is that the former is a mineral-based oil whereas the latter is a semi-synthetic (also known as synthetic blend). Mineral oils are fine for everyday driving and even cruising on the highways but if the driving conditions are occasionally more severe – eg weekend trips up into the mountains with the whole family on board – then a semi-synthetic would be better.

A semi-synthetic oil can cope with extremes well but unlike a full synthetic like Mobil 1, its ability to cope is limited. But it is unlikely that the average motorist will need a high-performance oil to cope with extreme operating conditions for a very long period and so a semi-synthetic, which costs a lot less than a full synthetic, is an ideal oil. It gives that extra degree of protection when it may be needed.


For the Malaysian market, Super 1000 is available in SAE 10W30 and 15W40 viscosities which should suit most of the popular models, while Super 2000 is available only in 10W40 viscosity. The pack sizes are in 1 litre and 4 litres so if your engine requires 4.5 litres, you don’t have to buy two 4-litre packs (which some oil companies force you to do because they don’t want to offer 1-litre packs). Prices range from RM19 for the 1-litre Super 1000 to RM98 for 4 litres of Super 2000.

As experts from the oil company were present at today’s media briefing, questions were also raised on some frequently asked issues and the answers should be of interest to readers:

1. How long can a full synthetic oil like Mobil 1 be used before being drained?
The recommendation is to follow whatever the vehicle’s manufacturer stipulates. Though Mobil 1 is known to be long-lasting, the oil company does not make recommendations which relate to the engine as they do not wish to be liable for any issues that may occur as a result of them recommending a specific and longer oil change interval that differs from what the vehicle manufacturer recommends.

2. Should after-market additive products claimed to enhance performance be used?

Mobil has spent millions on R&D to find the right formulation that offers optimum performance and benefits to motorists so they do not recommend adding anything else to their oil.

3. Is it okay to use a full synthetic oil in a brand new engine? Won’t it affect the running-in process because it is so slippery and prevents the parts from being run-in?

All Porsche engines get Mobil 1 as their first oil fill in the factory in Germany

In the past, manufacturing processes were such that tolerances between parts and the manufacturing quality of the parts was not like it is today. The engines in today’s cars are much more finely machined and finished that even the traditional running-in process is no longer required with brand new engines. Therefore it is okay to use a full synthetic oil and in fact, Porsches come out of the factory with Mobil 1 in their engines.

Source: Motor Trader

MF on the just concluded UB-Iban Karaoke Singing Competition

(The 3 Winners of the night. My favorite to win is Jesper Nimoy, the beautiful guy on your lefthand corner of your screen)

( Claudia being accompanied on guitars by YB Snowdan & friend )

( Childhood buddy, Mervyn Tajem. Now popularly known as Vynne, the Administrator for RadioKitai.Com He is the Event Manager for this Competition. I didn't notice he is that tall or maybe I'm the pendek one here? )

(Our friend & fellow blogger Reynold Sabai AKA rino)

( Roslina, one of the invited guest singers, who is also a friend of MF )

( WOW! I asked Reynolds Gregory for this one pose "specially for my Blog" I told him. Also known in the local entertainment arena as "Elray" one of the late Elvis Presley's impersonators. Also in the picture. Jimmy Geres, Claudia's dad. He composes most of Claudia's tunes and plays the lead guitar. Wish I was as good as Sama' Yen)

(Roslina with Stef AKA adMF. The last time adMF met Roslina was when she was about 5 years old)

(MF's partner for life, my pillar of strength, Jennifer AKA LadyJenn with daughter Stephanie Dindu. Ada rupa macam mak kah?)

( Rino will remember this moment in a long time being a great fan and supporter since AF 7 He is one of those in RuaiKitai who "gerakan" AFUNDI CLAUDIA during the last AF Season 7)

( At the end of the night well into the wee hours of the morning, as we were about to enter our Kancil when we "crashed" into them, Jesper Nimoy's Dancers, y'all!)

( One of the many dishes that night. MF can cook also... same same like that! )


"Unity Through Songs" is the Theme chosen by the Organisers for 2009.

The Guest 0f Honour was YB Snowdan Lawan, who did his part by contributing some songs before the Results was announced by DJ Francis Linggie AKA Ambai Kumang. He did an impromptu act along with Claudia and a friend of the YB's. As always, singing is one of his many loves, now being a full time politician. ( Our friendship, goes back to many, many years ago, when I joined our late "brother" Stanley Jemat & Roy Lawan for our jam sessions on our Kapok guitars. Of course, yours truly is not as good as them. Rest in peace, Stan mah man! )

Coming back to the UB-Iban Karaoke, it was sponsored by many big time Corporate players which I'll not mention names here.

I, salute you guys. You've all done a wonderful & fantastic job!

There were 10 Finalists all in all, including surprisingly, two Malay participants.

It started a bit late (after 7:30pm) though Vynne of RadioKitai assured me the Show will start at 6:45pm, and ( if you're reading this Yynne, "nat ke perut lapar tudah kaban" I had to skip my dinner because I don't want to miss a minute of the action ....

After the Welcoming Speech by the Organisers, the Sponsors, finally the Show start-off with Claudia AF7 taking the center stage with two numbers. She sang confidently. I guess as a former student of Akademi Fantasia helps her a lot and the crowd really enjoyed her Special Guest Appearance on that night. Before the Show started, Fay, (her "other" name known to most family members)shook hands with the diners that came and took plenty of pictures with them.

Music soothes your soul. Music unites all walks of life, the rich and the poor, the famous and the not so popular. Politicians, news people, businessmen, "pengampu" included here too!

The Iban Music Industry is still young as compared to others. It was a notable effort by SADIA especially its President "uncle" Sidi Munan for his tireless effort to promote it and judging by those who are not Ibans singing in the Iban dialect effortlessly is rather encouraging and interesting.

Is that our answer towards our PM Najib's Call for ONE MALAYSIA ???

I saw many local Iban celebrities. But what caught my eye that night after stealing a glance at the "older" Iban beauties, and since Gawai Dayak Festival is about a week's away, the FIRST THING I can't help noticing is their "golden hair, golden mane" almost everyone of them wears them blonde! Maybe that's is IN THING in Fashion to welcome the Gawai mood? I dunno guys ....(anang nganu aku sida ibu ti tebacha ke blog tu, au? Tundi aku aja nya, ney.)

I invited Reynold Sabai AKA Rino, as he is a great fan of Claudia's during the AF 7.

My family shared ours (Table No.40) with Claudia's family and her aunt. (My in-laws, wai! Kati ke enda dih?)

The Winner at the end of the Competition is a lass from Simunjan, Leezuizita Ripin. 2nd place went to Mary Lika Sumbang but I personally like the performance from Jesper Nimoy, who won 3rd place. He really got the crowd going like crazy! His dancers, not bad.(mischievious grin*) His vocal control, his pitching is good.Even a great guitarist like Jimmy Geres acknowledges that. And he still sings even today. But my views is not shared by the three appointed judges for the night. What can I say?

I hope the Organisers will do this sort of Competition at least once a year to look for new talents. I talked to Maxwell Rojis after the Show ended and offered to help organise an event such as this in the future. No kiddin' you jaku nya, unggal Max.

The Show was finally over after 12am.

We reached home before 12:15am, no traffic jam, ma!


PS I think its not to early to wish each one of the Blog walkers, readers,well wishers A Selamat Hari Gawai Dayak 2009. May your harvest be bountiful always.

Posted By Stephen KU Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

UB Iban Karaoke Singing Competition Grand Final cum Dinner Sun 24th May 2009

(On your lefthand corner Merekah Fajar, Tedewin Ngumbang of Borneo Warrior Blog, Maxwell Rojis, DJ Ambai Kumang & Vynne of RadioKitai.Com having our drinks this morning 22nd May at Top 10 Jalan Song, KG)

We were there to collect our Tickets from Vynne. It was nice once in a while to get together for a cuppa! Claudia Fay Geres will sing on the night along with invited guest singers Felicia Gek & Roslina, along with the 10 Finalists.

The KG Civic Centre is expected to be packed with people on the night to witness this event, and YB Snowdan Lawan will also sing a tune or two on the night.
That should be worth watching, as YB Snowdan is an accomplished musician in his own right. I won't want to miss any of those acts.

I also hope to meet up with our fellow Bloggers, especially those associated with radioKitai.Com and RuaiKitai.

Let us enjoy the night and make it a memorable one.

Posted by: Stephen Dass

(The New) Nissan NV200 Vanette

FIRST LOOKS - Nissan NV200 Vanette
May 20, 2009 Author: Chips

The Vanette (also known to Malaysians as 'C22’) is a Nissan model which has been around a long time and in fact, Tan Chong Motor Assemblers was assigned by Nissan as a global supplier for the model as far back as the late 1980s. It’s a low-priced robust and simple van which has served in various roles, from family transport to pasar malam cargo carrier.


Now comes a new generation of the Vanette which gets a new model designation of NV200 ('N’ for 'New’, 'V’ for 'Van’ and '200’ being the model classification) and though it is a light commercial vehicle, this new model has innovations that are noteworthy with packaging that is said to be the largest in its class. For example, even with an overall length of under 4.4 metres, its cargo floor area is more than 2 metres long.

Cost of ownership is also projected to be the lowest in class, thanks in part to the low running costs and high efficiency of the engines and drivetrains, plus the safety structure which helps to minimise crash damage to vulnerable under bonnet parts such as the radiator.

Concept model of the NV200 which was shown in Tokyo in 2007. Slide-out module was a clever idea but probably too expensive to commercialise


It sits on a modified and extended variant of the Nissan B platform which is also used for the Micra and Note (and also distantly related to the Renault Clio platform). This means an independent strut-type front suspension mounted on a separate subframe and a compact and lightweight wide leafspring rear axle to cope with heavy loads. Anti-roll cars are fitted front and rear and like the Nissan Latio, the shock absorbers have an anti-ripple feature which gives increased stiffness for reducing high-frequency vibrations.



The NV200 has front-wheel drive with power coming from either a petrol or diesel engine. The petrol unit is the all-aluminium 1.6-litre HR16 engine, a 16-valver which develops 79 kW/108 bhp and is mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic transmission. The diesel engine is a Renault 8-valve 1.5 dCi (K9K) unit developing 200 Nm of torque and 63 kW/86 bhp.

As part of its functionality supporting eco-driving by owners, standard on all models is a vehicle operating information display that shows real-time and average fuel consumption readouts. In addition, manual transmission-equipped models come with an indicator that shows when the next higher gear should be engaged to optimise fuel economy.



From the outset, the designers planned for the NV200 to be a multi-role vehicle, unlike the original Vanette which was conceived as a commercial van. Thus the new Vanette has a variety of equipment and trim options depending on the usage. It can be ordered as a panel van purely for carrying cargo or it can be a 5-seater combi for both cargo and people. In some markets, especially Europe, it will also be available as a 7-seater Family van which would function like a MPV.

The NV200 Vanette's low waistline gives the cabin an open, airy ambience. A commanding viewpoint gives the driver very good forward visibility while the steering wheel is tilted at an angle to allow a car-like driving position. The two-level instrument panel aesthetically blends a variety of surfaces, lines and materials to project a rich, high-quality feeling. Numerous storage compartments ensure ample capacity for easily and conveniently storing various small items.

The cargo area of the 2-seater panel van models is large enough to accommodate ''metre module materials'' (2000 x 100 x 44 mm) that are used for construction. Moreover, using the space under the front passenger's seat makes it possible to carry items up to 3 metres in length.


Needless to say, the NV200 will have top-notch safety standards and be equipped with items like front and side airbags and ABS. Also available in some markets will be a rearview camera to aid reversing.

The model recently began sales in Japan where it is priced at between 1,572,900 yen and 1,899,450 yen (RM57,400 – RM69,300). It is to be progressively introduced in many other markets worldwide as it is intended to be a global model. Later in the year, production of the model will also begin in Spain for the European market and a larger version, the NV2500, is likely to be introduced for the North American market in future.

As for Malaysia, ETCM is not saying much about whether it will be offered though it seems very likely as it has the size and functionality which is suited for this market. The question will be whether it is going to be assembled locally or imported. If it is assembled locally, then the old C22 Vanette will either be sold alongside as a very cheap alternative or it will be phased out. The C22 still sells pretty well (over 1,300 units of thw window van version in 2008) and ETCM may be reluctant to retire it, just as it was reluctant to stop selling the 130Y Sunny until 1996, 13 years after it was launched. If the C22 continues, it would be the longest running model in Malaysia now that the original Saga has entered the history books.

Source: MotorTrader

Obama takes aim at climate-warming car emissions

By John Whitesides – Tue May 19, 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama took aim at climate-warming greenhouse gases on Tuesday and ordered the struggling auto industry to make more fuel-efficient cars under tough new national standards to cut emissions and increase gas mileage.

Obama said the standards, announced at a White House ceremony attended by auto industry and union leaders, would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and give five years of cost certainty to an industry battling to survive.

"The status quo is no longer acceptable," Obama said in an announcement that will pressure carmakers to transform and modernize the industry to produce more efficient vehicles.

"We have done little to increase fuel efficiency of America's cars and trucks for decades," he said, calling the standards the start of a transition to a clean energy economy.

Obama has made fighting climate change a priority, and lawmakers in Congress have begun wrangling over a historic bill many hope will provide broader guidelines for controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

Growing public support for efforts to battle climate change and the weakened state of the U.S. auto industry, which is staying afloat through federal bailouts and restructuring at the government's direction, gave Obama a window of opportunity to impose the rules.

Criticism of Obama's announcement was limited, and focused on the higher production costs, the safety concerns created by producing lighter cars and fears from some observers about increasing government involvement in the industry.

"The government is now designing our cars. It's out of the hands of vehicle manufacturers," said auto industry consultant Larry Rinek.

Under the new standards, U.S. passenger vehicles and light trucks must average 35.5 miles per gallon (6.62 litres/100km) by 2016. The current law, approved by the Bush administration, requires a similar gain by 2020.

Obama said the new standards would save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the program -- the equivalent of taking 58 million cars off the road for a year.

The Environmental Protection Agency would regulate and reduce tailpipe emissions for the first time under the standards.

The U.S. Congress does not have to approve the standards, which will be implemented through rules developed by the Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency, which could take more than a year to complete.

HIGHER PRICE TAGS FOR CONSUMERS

The plan was praised by automakers, environmentalists and an array of politicians, but it will mean higher price tags for consumers. The new program will add about $1,300 to the price of producing a vehicle.

Obama said car buyers would recoup the money with the lower fuel costs realized under more efficient mileage standards.

"Over the life of a vehicle, the typical driver would save about $2,800 by getting better gas mileage," he said.

The plan could cut deeply into voracious U.S. gasoline demand, dealing another blow to a refining sector hard hit by recession and bracing for more climate legislation.

The program resolves a long-running dispute between the government and California, which sought a waiver from federal law to impose its own tough standards on emissions. That could have led to a patchwork of different state regulations.

California's top climate change official said America's most populous state was already planning the next stage of clean car standards.

"California will be immediately getting to work on what the standards should be for beyond 2016," Mary Nichols, who chairs the California Air Resources Board, said in a telephone interview. She expects "a much more stringent standard." [nN19441776]

Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, whose state includes the capital of the beleaguered auto industry, Detroit, said the plan would give the industry cost certainty by setting a uniform national standard.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also attended the announcement, told reporters the weekend negotiations on the plan were "very intense."

"Then all of a sudden it all clicked and it came together," he said. "It really was a huge battle and the president has brought everyone together and now we're marching forward in the same direction."

The proposal is aimed at cutting climate-warming carbon emissions, which would fall by 900 million metric tons or more than 30 percent over the life of the program.

Source: yahoo!news

An evening with FUTURIST

Futurist was in town doing some research work at Unimas when he called us.
We met at Noni Chix Rice Desa Ilmu as it is located the next block to Merekah Fajar Sdn.Bhd. We spent over an hour chatting and catching up on the latest development regarding RuaiKitai.Com in which Futurist is one of its Moderators. LadyJenn and I have met quite a number of its members since we joined them almost 6 months ago, and we enjoyed their company greatly.

Both of us are looking forward to more meetings like these when our fellow members are in town. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us, guys.

Posted By: Stephen Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

Perodua MyVi 1.3 Auto

The Perodua Myvi is a supermini/subcompact hatchback manufactured by Malaysian car maker Perodua since 2005. Based on the second generation Daihatsu Sirion/Boon and Toyota Passo, the Myvi is the result of Perodua's collaboration with both Toyota and Daihatsu. The Myvi is the best selling car for 2006, 2007 and 2008 in Malaysia.

Yesterday, we finished at 8:05pm. This morning to finalise the loan arrangement with AM Bank for Mr Bong & Family from Jalan Stephen Yong, with some help from our friend, Moses.

Toyota Wish 2005 ( a re-conditioned unit)

( Pictures shown above only for Illustrative purposes )

Although today, a Sunday and being a Sabbath Day for most people we know in Christendom, as for us, we still have to entertain our clients. We caught up with them after 5:00pm to show them their (Black colored) Toyota Wish, a re-conditioned unit Year of Make 2005.

The couple managed to take it out for a spin around the block and came back very contented. At the present moment, they are driving a Honda CRV Year '96 model and MFSB has agreed to take it in as trade-in.

So the choice is theirs. They have yet to test drive the Toyota Ipsum, and requested that I bring over that unit as soon as possible.

Toyota Wish is of course, "lower" than Ipsum but "higher" than Spacio in terms of the pricing in the market!

The Selling Price for a Toyota Wish starts at RM 104k excluding Insurance.

Posted: Stephen Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

The Elektrobay electric car charging station!

One main issue with electric cars is charging on the go, where can you charge your vehicle and be properly billed for it if you want to charge it away from your home? This problem also applies to people who live in condos. A British company called Elektromotive hopes to solve this with their EBConnect system, together with their Elektrobay prototype.

The Elektrobay is a fully operational charging station that is said to be compatible with all plug-in electric and hybrid cars. The Elektrobay’s power sockets are located under a secure weatherproof door. While charging is in progress the door is locked shut with only a small hole for the power cord to hang out of it, to prevent interference. It puts out 240V and 13A in the UK or 230V and 16A in Europe, but tere is also a 3-phase “fast charge” prototype in the works which supplies 32A in effort to reduce charging times.

The charging bay then communicates with a billing server with EBConnect, which manages 2-way data exchange of electricity usage and billing data via GSM networks. The system allows the user to pay via various methods such as a prepaid Elektrobay keyfob, or automatically added to the user’s household electricity bill, or even via SMS messaging, and automatic registration number recognition.

The first Elektrobay was installed back in 2006 in London, and the total amount of Elektrobay stations now stands at 100 around the city. Another 40 will be added in cities and shopping malls around UK. Elektromotive also supplies the Elektrobay to Holland, Sweden, Germany and Ireland.

Source: paultan.org

2010 Aston Martin V-12 Vantage

Aston Martin unveiled the production version of its most potent and focused car at Geneva. This new car combines the V-8 Vantage's compact 2-seat dimensions with the power of the company's 5.9-liter V-12—to the tune of 510 bhp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. Aston is predicting a 190 mph top speed, along with 0–62 mph (100 km/h) dispatched in a scant 4.2 seconds.


Designed for the focused driver, every component of the V-12 Vantage has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. Benefiting from race-developed materials and components, and featuring lightweight carbon fiber, this latest Vantage has been tuned to perfection.


Although the V-12 engine weighs 220 lb. more than the standard car's V-8, carbon-ceramic brakes, lighter forged aluminium wheels, lightweight inner rear quarter panels and optional lightweight seats have resulted in the overall curb weight that's only 110 lb. heavier than its V-8 sibling's. And the weight distribution is near perfect, at 51/49 front/rear.


Aston Martin chief executive officer, Dr. Ulrich Bez, said: "This is the ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range, combining our most agile model with our most powerful engine. It represents the definitive driving package; providing spectacular performance to ensure a dynamically thrilling and everyday useable driving experience." Bez went on to say that the V-12 Vantage has "a unique character, unlike our other cars. This will appeal to different people with different tastes, allowing more people to enjoy the Aston Martin experience."


"More" has to be taken with a pinch of salt, as Aston only expects to build 300–500 examples a year at its Gaydon factory. Deliveries will begin this fall.

By Ian Adcock • Photos by John Lamm

The VERY FIRST Proton EXORA delivered by Utama Motors

( Proton Exora H-Line, the VERY 1st unit delivered by Utama Motors )


( Uncle Bolhi, when we dropped by at his residence to hand over the roadtax disc this afternoon )

Today, finally Jen & myself got the Proton Exora registered. We managed to get the number 303 as requested earlier by Tuan Haji Bolhi Bin Haji Sudin.

Most of their vehicles registered are with the number "303" on them.

Tuan Haji was very happy and even "tip" us RM20/- for doing him "a great favor and for providing such an excellent service."

Co-incidentally, Tuan Haji will be celebrating his 72nd Birthday on the 17th of June, and it's the same day as...you guessed it right mate, mine!

We both have the same birth dates, a small world isn't it.

Our job is not over yet after this. I have been given a double "assignment" by Tuan Haji, to help him dispose off his 1) a Isuzu D-Max & 2) a Perodua Kancil.

And his grandson Irwan is also considering getting a Second Car for himself, with the Exora in mind, after driving around town in Grandad's Exora!

So far, Merekah Fajar received good response from the public, the Exora is indeed value for your money.

Posted By: Stephen KU Dass & Jennifer S. Sejet

Another satisfied Customer!

It took longer than expected, but it was worth the wait.

Yusrin Yusof is the proud owner of this car, who collected it today Sun 10th of May.
He is attached to the Maritime Department, and MFSB is fortunate to have many friends from this department, having sold quite a number of cars to its staff since 2005!

I hope adik Yus is happy with it.

Posted by: Stephen Dass AKA Merekah Fajar

Congratulations, to everyone associated with Manchester United!

Manchester United reached the Finals of this UEFA Champions League after beating Arsenal 1:3 on Wed night (on aggregate 1:4)

Ronaldo got 2 and Park Ji Sung contributed 1 goal.

Elections Held to choose a New Ketua Kampung

Sun.3rd May, 2009 Venue: Balai Raya Kampung Emperoh Jambu, Puncak Borneo

(The ever smiling Mr.Daniel Jita, the New Ketua Kampung of Emperoh Jambu)

(Mr.Stephen Juleng & his supporters)




(Confirming the number of votes before making the important Announcement)

We were there to witness this Elections along with hundreds of KPG EMPEROH JAMBU's villagers. This village is located somewhere along the Jalan Puncak Borneo, to your left hand side if you're from the 10th Mile Bazaar, passing Kpg.Bayur first before reaching Kpg.Emperoh Jambu, the same road that leads to the Borneo Highlands Resort. From the 10th Mile Bazaar, its less than 20 minutes' ride to get to the Kpg.

This weekend, the village folks went to the poll, to pick a NEW Ketua Kampung or Village Head to replace the existing KK.

Only two persons contested for the post as Village Head, Candidate #1 is Mr.Daniel Jita, #2 is Mr.Stephen Juleng, both Gov't pensioners.

There are 123 number of houses and only those whom they (the Committees) considered as "head of each household" are eligible to cast their votes.

Out of the total 123 votes, 10 "house owners" didnt turn up to exercise their rights, there was 1 Spoilt vote, and Mr.Daniel Jita won the post as the NEW KETUA KAMPUNG, convincingly!

The whole process took about 4 hours.

Amongst those present were the Penghulu and the assistant to the SAO Padawan.

Merekah Fajar & Family, would like to take this opportunity to "Congratulate"
Sama' Rado as the New Ketua Kampung of Emperoh Jambu, and trust he'll continue carrying the heavy responsibility and bring further development to the village folks there.

How WE celebrated Labor Day Holiday (1st May '09)

** On the lefthand corner of yr picture DJ Mathew Abu, Stephen AKA Igat_Stidi, Johnny Chuat, Pauline AKA Sawa Nelan, Denis Musis & Merekah Fajar (members of RuaiKitai.Dot.Net) Picture taken at Top Spot, Taman Kereta KG **

** On the lefthand corner of the picture Peter John, Johnny Chuat, Sawa Nelan, Merekah Fajar, igat_stidy & Denis Musis. Picture taken at D'Harrisons Jalan Keretapi KG **


It started out as a "tame" dinner affair before we adjourned to De'Harrisons, a karaoke located at Jalan Keretapi. There, we met DJ MA who is doing a part time job deejay-ing for De'Harrisons. We started quite late after 10pm and finished around 2pm. I had a great time though I have to watch my alchohol intake these days. Must be the age catching up so fast as time flies. I'll be 46 come June. And I feel "young." Both of my kids are growing up and in school. I hate growing old but I have to accept it gradually. Growing older gracefully? Its a Fact, everyone will have to go through this motion as a part of our ageing process, whether you like it or not.