27 June, 2011

BERUBAH NUJU REALITI


The struggle for “Change Reality”

The only thing constant in life is Change. Our mother earth is revolving Day and Night.

Night turns to day. Day turns to night. Everything is ever moving, ever changing.

Try as we might, we can't capture the moment. But we can live in the moment by being here now and focused on the task at hand.

Most of us grow up with the belief that in order to succeed we must study hard, work hard, try hard and only then will we get the rewards and financial return for all that effort.
  • Where did we learn that it must be so difficult?
  • Was life really meant to be this constant struggle from the cradle to the grave?
I believe not, but the struggle to survive is programmed into each individual, each race, each community, each country, alongside the belief that there will never be enough to go round.

No lasting peace at another's expense

Therefore we spend all our lives chasing the things that there will never be enough of, defeating any opposition along the way, defeating any pro-government along the way, defeating any party who against your ideology, defeating one another to become the best and so on.

We play out this experience every day as Natives and as individuals and/or as States and as races.

We, Dayak, and even alliance with others to encroach/assimilate/systematically acquire other peoples’ assets/resources/lands and mash the pro-opposition and/or pro-government along the way because we are full of fear about our own survival.

We haven't yet learned that lasting peace and/or harmony will never come at the expense of another.

These predominantly fear based energies needs to come into balance with a more compassionate energy in order to ensure a peaceful existence for us all.

How?
  • By finding levels of tolerance and acceptance as multi-ethnic Dayaks, as multi-races, as multi-cultures, as multi-adats, as multi-customs, as multi-religions, as multi-parties, as multi-organizations, multi-states and as individuals that we have never found before.
  • By celebrating peoples differences and beliefs.
  • By understanding that our way is not the best way.
  • By understanding that our way is not the only way.
  • By understanding that their way is just another way.
  • By letting go of fear and anger and opening channels of real communication and mutual understanding.
Thought affects Belief

When we hold anger in our energy field, we send out waves of energy that create turbulence in the atmosphere. This anger gathers momentum as it hits all the other anger that's held in the planet and ensures that the cycle continues.

So the Natives hate the Malays. The Ibans hate the Ibans. The non-Bumiputrass hate the Bumiputras and vise-versa. The Bidayuhs hate the Ibans and vise-versa, and the much hatred.

Where are all these getting us?
  • Well nowhere!
  • Well no end!
  • Well no lasting!
  • Well no nothing!
When we continue to hold onto anger, envy, ‘kapapas’, egocentrism and blame, it prevents us from taking responsibility for our part in the drama.

When we all have the same beliefs, the same energy, the same focus, the same common cause, we create waves that make up the belief system of our own dream world or even the whole planet.

Every thought we think has an effect on that belief system. Each negative thought(s) ensures that things remain the same and nothing ever changes.

Technically, Change doesn't happen overnight. It happens over time and some times. One small step is all it takes.

If enough of us take one small step to change, then this turns into one big step in the planet. These new thought forms will be sent into the planetary belief system and hey presto real change begins to happen.

In time, we all begin to see life differently and behave in a more loving way as individuals and as countries. We might even give our aid to other countries compassionately, as opposed to acting out of self-interest.

A Nation of chaos – Native of chaos
  • Most of us don’t like transformation.
  • Most of us don’t like reformation.
  • Most of us don’t like adaptation.
  • Most of us don’t like politics of development.
  • Most of us don’t like politics of change.
  • Most of us don’t like Change because it’s “New” and/or “Opposition Ideology”
  • Most of us don’t like Transformation because it’s “Assimilation” and/or “Pro-Government Ideology”.
  • Most of us don’t like cronyism and/or nepotism.
  • Most of us don’t like corruption and/or injustice or double standard policy or even “business kantau” or “big business” or “brokering kick-back” or “business/political bribes”.
  • Most of us don’t like politics and/or economics.
  • Most of us don’t like privatization and/or ‘parameterizism’ concept of development.
  • Most of us don’t like bumiputraism and/or capitalism.
  • Most of us don’t like Malayanism and/or Colonialism.
  • Most of us don’t like Unity and/or Division or even “Status Quo”.
  • Most of us don’t like Dayakism and/or racism.
  • Most of us don’t like each other....Ooop!
We fear it and resist it. We are content with the familiar and wear it like an old coat that we have kept for years. We are so programmed to resist.

Ask us to do something new and automatically we think of 10 good reasons why we can't do it, as opposed to 10 good reasons why we can.

Ehhh....anang ka ngereja nya nuan Buyau.....sigi nadai ulih nya Buyau.....


The trouble is, like it or not, things are changing at breakneck speed right now. We are living in a world in chaos. Our resistance to Change is being severely challenged as all our previously safe structures are crumbling.

Organizations’ nationwide and worldwide are restructuring and people are losing their jobs, become landless and homeless as never before. We must prepare for this Change and Transformation because there maybe more to come!

Remember that all life goes in a constant cycle of death and rebirth, and while some do belief in reincarnation. What seems like death right now is really an opportunity for rebirth.

Sometimes we are given opportunities for growth and sometimes we are given possibilities and/or authorities for betterment that may not have happened had things remained the same.

The universe has ways of making us notice what we previously refused to look at.
  1. Why have our elders (Sarawakians/Sabans) decided to join the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia?
  2. Why have we and our Native leaders agreed to be accepted into “Bumiputras Status”?
  3. Why have we and our Native leaders agreed to drop out the word “Dayak” instead of being call as Native or Dayak?
  4. Why have we and our Native leaders plausibly denial the roles of our “Adat System”?
  5. Why have we and our Native leaders support the “New Sarawak Land Ordinance” and limit our rights and privileges over any Native Communal Reserve?
  6. Why have we and our Native leaders ignore our “Native Court” power, legislation and jurisdiction?
  7. Why have we and our Native leaders failed to incorporate our “Native Rights, Adat Law, /Policy, Privileges and Bumiputra Equity/Quota” in the governmental constitutions and policies?
  8. Why we and our Native leaders keeping silence on our Unity, advantages and disadvantages?
And the many “Why”?

Expand your awareness

Our outer world is merely a reflection of our inner world. We cannot love or hate something about anybody else without loving or hating it in ourselves.

This applies to us as countries as well as individuals. Anything negative that comes our way is always a reflection of our own thoughts, attitudes and beliefs, individually or collectively.

I believe it's time to expand our awareness on this. We must always question how we have created the circumstances of our lives. Only when we question, do we open our heads to seeing it another way.

Then we are on the path to true self- awareness, self- empowerment, self-esteem, self-confidence and self-determination, changing our words, our thoughts our actions.

True empowerment comes from within, not from an outer source at the expense of another.
  1. Respect for self.
  2. Respect for others.
  3. Responsibility for all our actions.
These 3x Rs will bring us to levels of achievement, previously thought impossible. Think it isn't easy? It is!

Conclusion

It's as easy as we want it to be. We can have it all. As we think, so we can create. One by one we can change our world and our own dream becomes a reality.

So let us begin together. It's a new day for every one!

Thank you.

26 June, 2011

NADAI SEMOA UTAI TANYA NYA PALOI?

Enti bansa kitai ka minta anang nganti bansa Cina tauka bansa bukai minta ka kitai, kitai empu meh dulu.

Enti ka nanya, anang malu-anang takut-anang jugau.....lepas tangan bau tai.

Enti ka betanya anang nganti Ketuai nyau udah pulai-nyau udah nadai-nyau nadai kuasa.....berubah meh ari saritu, nadai nya salah enti kitai betanya tauka minta Ketuai kitai nerangka utai ka dipinta kitai.

Enti bansa kitai enda minta, belajar meh betanya.....Ohang enda nemu nama deka pinta nuan dalam ati… ‘No one, can’t really read your heart’.

Badu agi ngemuan “Prinsip Ngelak Ka Ohang Dulu”, “Prinsip Ngarap Ka Ohang Dulu”, “Prinsip Enda Ulih”, “Prinsip Nganti Ohang Ngatur”,.....

STUPID QUESTION??

For your info there are no such things as “stupid question” and/or “dumb question” but some questions are ‘tactical questions’ and are more important than others!
There’s no such thing as “Enda patut ditanya”; questions can be provocative or even cynical, it is still a piece of ‘intellectual inquiry’ and/or ‘interrogation’.

A “question” is about seeking clue that one needs to know the answer and/or something that people want to discuss in detail/out loud or endeavor clarification and solution to ‘doubts’.

People wouldn’t be asking “question” when there is nothing to ask. People ask questions to gather pertinent information and intelligence (of course by being careful not to prejudge or predetermine the facts including analyzing the status, SWOT/PRESTILE, etc).

Does it hurt to ask? Does it hurt to answer? Does it hurt not to ask? Does it hurt not to answer?

  • Asking meaningful questions is never stupid!
  • Asking probing questions is never stupid!
  • Asking questions to have something one does not fully understand is never stupid!
  • Asking questions to seek information is never stupid!
  • Asking questions to inquire status of development and plan is never stupid!
  • Asking questions to endeavor accountability and commitment is never stupid!
  • Asking questions what one deserves to know is never stupid!
  • Asking questions for humanitarian assistance is never stupid!
  • Asking questions for betterment program is never stupid!

Effective people listens more than they speak and/or jumping into ‘conservative answer’; they always analyze situations.

When you answer the ‘question’ halfheartedly and feeling “disturb” or with prejudice opinion (s), one can access the reflection of your thoughts and even the characters of a person.

When someone emotionally come up with frustrating answers with “excuses” and/or ‘plausible deniability’ it simply mean they have ‘doubts’, ‘unsure of’, ‘not ready’, ‘perception’, ‘ignorance’, ‘alibi’ and the many self-justification.

ISSUES:

1. FUNDS & ASSISTANCE

Both BN and/or PR conglomerates can mobilize their “SPVs” if they want to. Some have even goes into using “unconventional method” to achieve their goals. “They” need not necessary flagging their “symbol” that they’re working and/or implementing it.

“Funds” and/or “Assistance” can come from many sources and/or resources (domestic, regional and/or from abroad) through their networking. Do Dayak lack of effective leadership? Do Dayak lack of initiative(s)?

2. SARAWAK NATIVE COURT

Dayak already have their “Native Court” (ad hoc ‘Native Community Court’ by nature) in every longhouse and/or district but it is not well structured and functional effectively. When “Adat” is established in these locations it can enforced the native laws.

NOTES:

A. This “Longhouse Community Court” is not an actual court, but it is the commonly referred to designation of the court when dealing with Native offenders accused of crime. This is to show its distinctiveness from the usual procedures involved in that criminal court, but also to demonstrate that the same court structure deals with both Native and non-Native offenders. The Native Court is an important institution as it serves as administrative machinery for the Sarawak State Customary Laws.

B. Sabah Government has allocated a total of RM17.68 million for this purpose; in Sabah! Apart from payment of salaries and allowances, the allocation also includes organizing conferences and courses for District Chiefs, Native Chiefs, Heads of Chinese Communities and Village Chiefs in order to enhance their efficiency in executing their duties in line with procedures and legal provisions or regulations and the State Native Affairs Enactments.

***Truthfully both BNs and PRs (or joint-force for sake of democracy) can assist the Natives (particularly the Tuai Rumah, Penghulu, Pemancha,Temenggong, etc) by providing the ‘blueprints’ such as “Native Court Manual”, “Native Chief and Council Manual”, “Native Governance Manual”, “Native Adat Manual” and the relevant.

3. NCR LAND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

There’re many ways to develop NCR land if PR really want to assist.

“They” can use “SPV” and/or ‘proxies’ or ‘nominees’ and need not necessary in ‘Big Scale’ or ‘Big Business’; “Kooperasi Peladang”, mini-estate or small farming or integrated farming with the Native landowners will definitely an advantage to them. Why having ‘excuses’? “Enti Ka Sigi Ulih, Enti Enggai Alu Nadai”.

4. WELFARE & DISASTER FUNDS

“Welfare and Disaster Funds” and/or “Native Trust Fund”, any person and/or organization can setup these funds it is for humanitarian programs. If BN can do it via their many “SPVs” and “Nominees” and others then why can’t PR?

5. LACK OF RAPPORT

What PR lacking now is they failed to empower their “rapport”, “public relation” and “art of influence” with the general public (urban, sub-urban, rural and remote) and if they are arrogance, self-centered and lack of courtesy not everyone would liken them.

There were several reasons why a person and/or organization were unable to establish rapport: Stress, lack of time, prejudice, lack of faith, hopeless, helpless and other negative influences.

RAPPORT is an essential component of work life. Interaction and relating to others is inevitable and unavoidable. If PR is for “Public Relationship” then they should show their good ethics, good behavior and kindness including responding to ‘questions’.

How well an individual creates rapport not only influences the overtone of his/her/their professional interaction, it also directly contributes to success and the desired outcome. Like it or not, the successful outcome of many activities (politics, business, philanthropic, social) depends on rapport.

Since we can NOT communicate why not ensure the presence of rapport during each interaction to make the conversation, discussion, negotiation or partnership more fruitful and meaningful every time we speak and/or responding to a comment.

LASTLY:

Be genuinely interested in the person you are talking to and they will become comfortable with you and find you to be an interesting person. The best way to do this is to share your thoughts and/or opinions.

Good questions (yes there is such a thing as a stupid question). Good answer (yes there is such a thing as stupid or dumb answer). Ask them because you are interested in the answer, not because you want to fool them into thinking you care.

People can sense it when you are not genuine. If you can’t care about someone enough to be genuine.....

Candid question:

If one still dependable on the current government for assistance and the relevant need what is there to challenge? Start supporting the government, right?

*Politicians come and go but government stay!

IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMON SENSE; “MAHU SERIBU DAYA. TAK MAHU SERIBU DALIH”

24 June, 2011

"OTAN" VERSUS "NATO"

WHAT IS “OTAN”? WHY “OTAN” IS IMPORTANT?

My personal terminology: “OTAN” a revisal synonyms for “NATO” herein referring to as “Opportunity Talk – Action Next”.

Do you know words taken from “Talking” can only trigger “Action”? “Thunder is faster than lightning”....Oooop!! Of course "Light Travel Faster Than Sound!!!

Action is not necessary seen, it act emotionally. Without talk there is no emotion; no reaction and no one can stop anyone from talking and/or react to action!

TALKING IS GOOD – TALK SENSE IS EVEN BETTER


1. Why some people seem to be frustrated with “NATO” (No Action – Talk Only)?

2. Why blaming our feelings on others for “NATO”?

3. Why can’t you lead and take your own action?

4. Why have you wait for others to react to put things into action?

5. Why lawyers and judge talk before they conclude and/or decide their action for judgment?

6. Why do “Generals” talk to command before actions can be implemented and/or before they say; “FIRE” or “ATTACK” or “CHARGE” or “DESTROY”?

7. Why do “Leaders” and/or “Politicians” need to talk before policy actions are taken?

8. Why do “Thunder” blast enormously earlier than “Lightning”? Ooop! Why do Light travel faster than sound?

9. Can “Action” react before talking and who gave the command to react?

10. Why wait for the talking to react for Action? Who to blame?

11. Why ‘rural’ and/or ‘poor’ or underprivileged’ peoples don’t react to take their own “Personal Action”?
  • How have they survived all these whiles?
  • Are you programmed to make them “rich” or at par like yourself?
  • Are you better than them and/or at par or better than others?
  • Do you always regard the “underserved rural folks” as ‘naïve’ and ‘ignorance’ or ‘childish’?
  • Why educated peoples do returned to rural and what motivate them to do so?
  • Have you over and/or under estimate the rural peoples?
  • Can you hunt and/or fishing better than the rural peoples?
  • Why are you so passionate of the rural peoples?
  • Do you term “rural” as poverty and/or over-sighted land?
12. Why do some peoples blog in DayakBaru?
  • Are they passionate people?
  • Are they sympathizers?
  • Are they Pro-Opposition?
  • Are they varieties or opportunists or passersby?
  • Who are they?
13. How are we going to “Communicate” if we don’t talk?

14. Have “NATO” complainers walked their talk?

15. Why does God give Human mouth to talk?

WHY PEOPLE TALK? WHY PEOPLE NEED TO TALK? WHY TALK-TALK?

TALK technically open-up “OPPORTUNITY”;
  • To promote peace, counseling, opportunity, possibility, ideologies, innovation, ideation and motives
  • To motivate and inspire others, and to advise and empower others
  • To pray and seek God’s forgiveness, guidance, love, peace and righteousness
  • To create awareness and keep track of the situational environments
  • To educate, seek and exchange information
  • To negotiate and/or resolve misunderstanding, conflict, misconduct, etc
  • To identify problem and seek solution
  • To plan and strategize before implement their action
  • To broadcast news and programs, and dialogue
  • To create words impact, command and interactivity for action
  • To give people something to talk about and keeping you accompany
  • To discover the needs, wants, desires, ideas and findings solutions
  • To enhance their intellectual knowledge and gathering of intelligence data
  • To open our minds and keep the conversation rolling
  • To find clues and zeroing the evidence for action
  • To stimulate and consider opinion/decision before action is taken
  • To propagandize and persuade others with purpose
  • To assimilate others into their grouping
  • To pass their leisure times and/or releasing their self-tensions or inner-feelings
  • To promote services, networking and marketing, and speculate markets
  • To command, communicate, coordinate and cooperate for action
  • To listen and seek input from other people’s reflection of thoughts or opinions
If you're talking to the wrong group or if your talk doesn't address the needs/wants of that group then you can waste a lot of time trying to share your “talks” in this way.

When talking to people there should always be an element of listening and two ways conversations, but it should be emphasized at the beginning that the discussion element is only to clarify points or overcome confusion not to change the decision.

Talking is about conversation "with" and listening "to" people in equal measure. It recognizes that during the talking session everyone's opinion is equally valid and everyone should be given equal time.

The discussion should be open, with each person talking in turn, and keeping to the point, and this goes the same in blogging and/or chatting in weblog, facebook and other interactive media.

It is very important that the person managing the "talking" including “moderator” ensures that the ground rules are defined, understood and complied with by all.

A “Talk” and/or “Foruming” or “Conversation” and effective drawing together of the conclusions will increase ownership of the ultimate decision, because people believe they have been heard and can understand the valid business reasons if an alternative decision has been reached.

ARE YOU TALKING THE TALK?

You can help yourself and/or trying to help others at best effort but you can’t help someone else by ‘sliver-spoon’ his/her mouth with food or water everyday and/or making someone rich simply because you too need to feed yourself with food and water to energize your body.
  • To be rich, one needs to possess rich mindset.
  • To be at par with successful people, one needs to learn from successful people.
  • I can ‘bottle’ and ‘feed’ my little baby with food but one day he/she has to feed his/her own baby too!
  • I can teach my boy to ride his bicycle but I can’t ‘bicycle’ him if he want to ride on his own!
  • I can teach my child to walk but I can’t help my child to walk his legs.
  • I can teach my son to crawl but I can’t stop him from crawling under the bed.
  • I can teach and/or guide a soldier on how to fire a weapon but I can’t fire his gun if I will to shoot his target!
  • I can joint-blogging with you here and/or providing you with some ‘politico input’ but I can’t help you winning your own election.
  • I can coach a group of people but I can’t coach a million of peoples in a single room it wouldn’t be very effective.
  • I can add value to your topic with some intellectual ‘know-how’ here but I can’t read your passionate feelings for others.
  • I can coach and/or give some tips to my ‘students’ on how to trade online but I can’t help them to ‘stop-lose’ if they’re greedy, selfish and go burst later.
  • We can warn others ‘tsunami’ is coming but we can’t stop people from swimming and ignoring the warning.
  • We can talk all day and all night but we can’t stop someone from going to sleep.
  • I can tell a diabetic patience to reduce his/her sugar intake but I can’t stop him/her from enjoying his/her favorite ‘sweetening goodies’.
  • I can fill the whole swimming pool alone but I can’t fill the whole ocean alone.
  • I can take action independently but I can’t take action what others want.
  • I am passionate of myself, my family and closed group of people but I can’t read others feelings.
In conclusion: Until we learn to own our own feelings, we will continue to bring conflict and suffering into the world. We will continue to create our own loneliness and unhappiness. The enemy is not our neighbor; it is our own false beliefs.

My apology, it’s my personal opinion. Thank you.

22 June, 2011

DB BLOGGER BEING LABEL AS “NARROW MINDED”

Is DayakBaru not Dayak and/or Dayak based weblog?

I think it is unfair to label some blogger’s opinion as ‘narrow minded’ when they are focused on promoting “Dayakism” or “Dayak-Specific”.

I think it’s not about being ‘narrow minded” but being able to narrow down your choice and focus on the primary issue(s) and core Vision, Mission, Objective & Success (VMOS).

We can talk about DAP/PKR/PAS/BN and others but we should talk more about “Dayak-Focus”; only then we can alliance ourselves with others.

We are supposed to cooperate, collaborate, compromise and unite with one primary cause and struggle that’s for Dayak!

By narrowing your focus on the Dayak real issue(s), you also narrow your competitiveness, possibility and opportunity or even choice to lay your ‘terms and conditions’ when negotiating your rights and interests.

What you focus on creates what is real for you in your world, whether it is true or not is immaterial. It's true for you in your reality!

Recall: Jesus was the most “narrow minded” man who ever lived. Wrong is wrong. Period. He never compromised with sin. Never. He exposed sin every time he came up against it and the world refused to hear him. They attacked him.

The world hates the truth. It really hates it. That's one reason the truth of “DAP-Dayak Think Tank” topic is being lambasted by blogger(s).

And worst, the misinterpretation of “Think Tank” and “Brain Trust” which carry a different meaning; “Think Tank” is a policy institute or organizational executive committee while “Brain Trust” is an advisory unit (advisory group) of a political interest group.

Positive blogging culture is the way forward

In promoting positive blogging, one should not be bias over individualistic opinion. It’s just an opinion; it is all about personal view and freedom of expression via democratic thinking.

And it is just oneself reflection of thought. Even in analyzing your SWOT, you need to learn and understand your ‘threat’, “risk” and/or “disadvantage” factors too. “Know your enemy; you will win a thousand battles”.

It’s about the same situation when others maybe thinking of another person for being so “narrow minded pro-opposition” (terlalu taksub kepada ideologi pembankang). This situation also happened within “pro-government” leaders too!

We have to be reasonable to believe and disbelieve. Dayak particularly the Ibans, must learn how to communicate with positive culture. We may have difference ideologies but for Dayak, we must stand as ONE!

We must Communicate well and encourage ourselves to accept different views (that every person has different opinions and it's OK to have disagreements but not to promote confrontation, hatred and division). “Masam-Masam Manis” munyi ko cherita P.Ramlee.....

We must know how to mirror ourselves through other and/or our people's opinions too.

When there is an ‘Opinion’ and/or ‘Proposal’ or an ‘Idea’ or “Topic”, always be cautious about it; do your own due-diligence first and work out your own plan/strategy, but not suspicious all the time, some people deserve a decent or even a second chance.

We must also learn how to accept different opinions than yours as a challenge towards yourself, don't demand agreement.

Live the present now is what matters and what's real. Have no regrets, live in the present instead of the past.

IS “DAYAK THINK TANK” BY DAYAK, WITH DAYAK AND FOR DAYAK?

Truthfully, I am for “Dayak Think Tank” (DTT) and/or for “Dayak Brain Trust” (DBT). It must be mooted, promoted, stimulated, spearhead and undertake by Dayak themselves because I am Dayak Iban!

You can work on trust by trusting yourself first. You can think-tank about others by thinking about yourself first. It is not ‘selfish’ and/or ‘narrow-minded’ because ‘YOU” herein mean “Dayak”.

I cannot be talking about Chinese and/or Malay or Indian rights first when I am a Dayak because I have my rights too!

You (Dayak) should stop appointing others as your ‘Trustee’ but You! Yes You! Period. This was the greatest mistake we have ever made by believing/depending too much on others, and to blindly appointing others as our ‘trustee’ to take care of our Native lands instead of setting up our own ‘Trustee Company”?

Would you want to give ‘DAP’ (Chinese party) a chance as your Trustee to brain drain all your ideas and intelligence including exposing every Dayaks’ SWOT, etc?

Notes: 'Trustee' and 'Alliance' have two difference meaning. You can alliance beneficially with others but not to trust others fully. Use your brain and only trust yourself first!

It's my freedom of expression sharing my thoughts in this forum. You may agree or disagree with me, we all have a choice.

My apology, it’s my opinion. Thank you

TRUST YOUR BRAINY IDEAS – TRUST YOURSELF FIRST!

21 June, 2011

DAYAK FINANCIAL EDUCATION?


My thought of the day

Dayak may need Financial Education if they want a better future and wish to be at par with others financially and/or economically.


Preparing for the future is essential, today and always, but especially in times of crisis or not. The truth is that when I think of my future, I can only be certain I will face crisis; current or future.

Perhaps you've heard of people who survived a financial/economic crisis because they were well prepared for it. However, it is likely that we have heard otherwise. You might have heard of or met people who lost everything due to such crisis.

The economic failure is not a symptom of lack of intelligence, but it is a lack of financial education. Financial education is a knowledge that is not taught at school, but it should.

Never again can we return to a time when a professional career was good enough to maintain a good lifestyle. That no longer happens.

To expect a good future as the result of long years at school and hard work in a large company is more dangerous than ever.

In times of crisis, to have a profession and a job are not a guarantee of success, and even less of financial freedom.

Fortunately, there are signs that Financial Education need to be included from basic primary education and on. However, this Change will not benefit people who are economically active, and already concluded our basic education.

We must learn and get this education on our own... and we need to do so immediately, right now. Our Dayak future depends on it.

Financial education order and dedication

First of all, we need to know where we are heading and what we want. Only then can we go for it. Once we know this, we need an extra source of money, apart from our jobs.

With sufficient financial education, this extra activity can become our main source of income. But it all starts at the beginning.

We must first be clear about what is our current situation and then be clear what we want. Our future depends on this essential clarification.

An excellent exercise to start this clarification is to consider and answer these questions:
  1. What are my goals in life? Have I written them down?
  2. What are my family, spiritual, professional, and economic goals? Have I written them down? Do I have a date to complete them?
  3. Do I know how to create a budget and stick to it?
  4. Do I know what amount will give me my financial freedom? That is, do I know how much I need to live on my investments, my interests or my residual income?
  5. Do I know how to create an extra income? If you do not have the skills you need, do you know how to get them?
Of course, this is introductory information, but it is a good start.

Thank you.

20 June, 2011

3 KEY CONCEPTS FOR SUCCESSFUL TRADING

Recalling the days of my many experiences in private trading online, herein I would like to share my thoughts with you today.

There are three (3) things that a share trader needs to understand if he is going to make money on a consistent basis in the market. These are the concepts of prosperity, survival and mentoring.

The three (3) concept of prosperity is a mindset:
  1. You will not prosper if you have a poverty mindset.
  2. You need to believe that you have the right to prosper.
  3. You need to believe that you have the right to be a winner.
You need to understand the principles of money management from a prosperity mindset and not from a poverty mindset. This may sound strange to you, but it is crucial to being a successful trader.

The reason it is necessary for you as a trader to have a prosperity mindset is unless you know how to handle large sums of money you will find yourself making decisions which will cause you to lose more money than necessary.

A prosperity mindset will prevent you from entering into a losing spiral that causes you to lose everything you have made. You might think that this does not happen, but when people go from being just an average player to becoming very wealthy, not being able to function from a prosperity mindset often becomes their downfall.

One person I knew went from being broke to a multi-millionaire in just a couple of years. However, his new found wealth got the better of him and he started making decisions from a poverty mindset rather than a prosperity mindset and was not able to break out of his downward spiral back to poverty.

The idea of survival may not seem worth taking on board, because you want to prosper not just survive. Yet if you cannot survive when things are tough, there is no way you are going to prosper.

If fact, one young man told me that he did not need to learn how to survive, he just wanted to know how to prosper. In the good times, things just came easy for him. But when things got too difficult, he could not cope with the effort that was required in learning how to survive.

It just seemed so futile to working so hard just to keep his head above the water, when beforehand he was accumulating wealth without doing anything really.

When you are in a bull market and shares are going up, you will congratulate yourself of your excellent trading simply because you were buying shares and they were going up in value, just like the rest of the market.

The difficulty is when the high tide goes out. If you haven't learn how to survive at low tide in a bear market, you are not going to be trading very long. The same applies if you have not learnt to trade in a choppy sidewards market.

If you have learn how to survive in bear markets and markets trading sidewards, then you will be able to prosper. Learning how to survive is the key to being a winner.

One of the problems many novice private traders face does not know how to survive in the markets during the tough times. This can be rectified by either doing an apprenticeship or finding a mentor, which is effectively the same as doing the apprenticeship.

When people do apprenticeships, they have a mentor. Apprentices are usually assigned to a tradesman or a master, which is the same as a mentor. The apprentice's mentor not only demonstrates how to do the job but also can cover up any mistakes made.

This luxury is not afforded to you as a private trader, even if you have a mentor. However, having a mentor to guide you and show you how to make money on the markets, so you can survive the tough times, and help you keep the right mindset during the heady times, will ensure that you become a successful trader.

Do you Iban/Dayak interested to earn from an alternative source of income? Have you ever wonder how "Orang Putih"/ "Chinese"/ "Japanese" have so much of free times/holidays to travel the world, buying expensive yacht, expensive properties, etc. Have you ever wonder about that?

Thank you.

HEDGE & PROFIT FROM THE COMING MONETARY COLLAPSE

As the history of the 1929 Great Depression repeats itself and the resultant predictable yet foolish scramble by Central Bankers around the world to print money into oblivion in their erroneous belief that it will avert the eventual monetary collapse, we must prepare ourselves for the eventuality. Because of the unpredictability of human nature, that eventuality is impossible to forecast, hence we must be prepared way before the the proverbial "#@*&" hit the fan.


We are already witnessing history in the making, one that our current generation has not experienced, the collapse of western nations, one after another, under the weight of their own debt as a result of their consumption binge over the last twenty years, starting with the collapse of Iceland which then spread to Greece and Ireland, and now Portugal which should then be followed closely by Italy, Spain, Britain and then eventually the United States of America.


We must be proactive in out preparation for the eventuality. When countries are not able to pay off their debt they always resort to printing money out of thin air hence debasing their currency. This is not a new phenomena as the great Roman Empire did it just before it collapse. The endgame is always the same, monetary collapse and hyperinflation.

Fortunately, for those with great foresight, there are many ways to protect our wealth from the collapsing paper money. One of the easiest ways is to convert their paper currency into real assets such as gold and silver. Gold and silver is the asset class that has been tested throughout human history.

For a general guideline as to the "Timing" of the various dynamically interconnecting unfolding events, the visual diagrammatic presentation below by Gordon T Long is a good one.

2011 - EURO ZONE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

My Economic Theme for the first 6 month of 2011 is the "Euro Zone Economic Collapse", followed by the United States Economics and Currency Collapse in the second half of 2011.

The above economic events is extremely bullish for Gold and Silver.

Herein is the picture of European Sovereign Debt yield from Mish's Blog:


DAYAK NEED TO PRIORITIZE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND VALUES

In my opinion

NO MATTER WHAT: Dayak can have many-many organizations (politics, NGO, corporate, DTT or whatever) but if they and/or their leaders can’t organize their own “organizational culture and values” it will remain cultureless and valueless!

Emerson quotes:

“Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The sin is limitations. As soon as you once come up to a man's limitations, it is all over with him”.

In many situations, the primary problem for Dayak leaders is not competition but a lack of understanding their own organizational culture.

Few organizations spend any time understanding their culture. Organizational culture relates to the underlying set of key values, beliefs, and norms shared by the workforce.

Organizational Values co-exist on two planes: personal and governance (ministration of policy and corporate structuring).

Core organizational values guide an organization while an individual operates on a set of core values that dictate his/her actions.

Therefore, creating good culture in an organization is complicated due to the fact that different people have varying values, different habits, different mindsets, different ideologies, different lifestyles, and so on.

Since culture is a crucial factor in long-term success, Dayak leaders should study and measure key dimensions of culture.

This cultural awareness will help Dayak organizations develop more effective strategies be it politics, social, humanitarian program or business.

Unfortunately, many organization initiatives fail due to the lack of cultural understanding.

Why is it so? In my view, "The failure occurs in most cases because the culture of the organization remained the same”.

Unless a 'CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION', there is little hope of any long lasting improvement in Dayak organizational culture.

Therefore, 21st organizations ought to recognize the important of understand their own leadership and corporate/ministration culture.

If Dayak still insist in maintaining their “status quo”, then “success, advancement and prosperity” will never become a reality.

“Status-Quo” simply mean to keep the things the way they presently are or used to be and/or the state of affairs that existed previously!

Nadai berubah lalu baka selama; nguan menoa baka selama nadai pemansang....

Thank you

MINDSET ENTREPRENEURS CAN LEARN FROM BANKERS

The global financial crisis has a money-making silver lining for entrepreneurs.

The idea of a "silver lining" comes from the old proverb, "Every cloud has a silver lining". The proverb looks for some unexpected good outcome following some bad event.

For many entrepreneurs, business owners, real estate investors, and wage earners, the financial crisis is all too real, leaving millions with devastating losses.

What is the silver lining in all of this?

The good outcome following the bad event of the near-collapse of the banking system is that most of us know more about banks and banking than we ever did before.

Why does this knowledge help people in business?

Bankers know the difference between "making" and "earning" money. In common speech, people often treat these terms as equivalent.

Yet, the most basic meaning of "earn" is to receive payment in return for effort. In contrast, the basic meaning of "make" is to "bring something into existence". This means that "make" is equivalent to "create".

According to this distinction, when you "earn", you receive payment for your efforts, in the form of wages or salaries.

You receive compensation, but you do nothing to increase the amount of capital in existence. In contrast, when you "make money", you also increase the amount of money in the economic system.

The most important financial insight business entrepreneurs can learn from bankers is that bankers know that they are in the money-creation business.

And this is where many non-bankers get off track. Every business is in the money-creation business but not all entrepreneurs and business owners understand this.

Businesses get off track when they think that they are in the carpet cleaning business, or the real estate business, or the publishing business or any other type of business you can imagine. You are not in business to clean carpets, or buy and sell real estate, or to publish books.

The carpets and the real estate and/or the books are means to make the business profits, but they are not the real objective of the business.

Business is all about targeting your cash-flow and projected earning/profits (short-term, medium term and long-term).

The real objective of any business is to "make" money (referred to as profit)

This is where business owners get distracted. They get so involved in the means to accomplish this financial objective; the carpets, the real estate, and the books that they forget that they are in business to "make" money by providing something of value to potential buyers.

As financial guides, the bankers also got distracted. They knew that they were in business to manufacture money, but they ignored the critical element of value.

Business is not about telling the whole that you're a businessman; it's all about making alternative income and generate as much profits as possible.

How the banks ignored value in their relentless quest to increase profits is another story and doesn't change the most important lesson entrepreneurs can learn from bankers?

Business do not necessarily landed at the pub and/or karaoke all night long or every night; it's about public relation or when it's truly necessary and a mission to secure a contract.

For entrepreneurs, the most powerful silver lining behind the devastating financial losses of the banking meltdown is to think about your business with the money-making mindset of a banker. Business is not about spending lavishly but compounding your profits.

Thank you

BUSINESS IS NO CHARITY - SO IS PROJECT FINANCE!

Thinking of doing a business and ‘Project Finance’

Many people at one time or another have a project that they want to turn into a reality in mind. It important that should you decides to go ahead with your intended venture, that you have a solid strategy of how to carry it out.

Even with a great idea and organization in place, the most essential bit of the project always lies in the funding. Project finance has been used to fund large scale ventures. It is advisable that you understand the basis and aspects of this type of funding.

What you need to understand?

You need to understand how to prepare a financial plan, assess the risks involved, and raise the money. It is also vital to assess analysis of why some plans have succeeded while others have not. Without proper funding, it is hard to get something off the ground.

There are many sources of financing available if you just take the time to look and do proper research. It is also advisable that you create time to gather accurate information on your project especially if it is new. This will tell you if your idea is viable and whether it will appeal to your target market.

What is Project Finance?

Project finance is funding that is used for a particular project like railways, power stations, hospitals, etc which is then reimbursed from the cash flow of the project.

It works differently from other forms of finance because the lender looks at the assets, the security and the revenue of the venture in order to service the loan. The risk associated with borrower is not important as compared to an ordinary loan transaction.

The vital elements with this type of funding are:

  • Identification,
  • Analysis,
  • Allocation and
  • Management of every risk associated with the project.
As you go along with your project it is important that you continually review your progress.

How can you obtain Project Financing?

Every business starter complains about the lack of project financing in order to implement their creative ideas. The problems are generally not the lack of brilliant concepts to start a business but often finding someone that believes in your ideas as much as you do, and enough to give you the necessary project funding.

It all begins with your ability to negotiate and to present your project in an impressive way to your potential investors and then to your clients once the project has been implemented.

There are people looking for viable project financing. The key is figuring out how to present in way that will get the investors eager to believe in it. Two important things: your idea needs to be original, and you have to know how to present it.

If you do not know how much you need, it will be hard to find Project Financing:

  • Project Financing is a matter of numbers.
  • You need to be able to concretely say what you will need in order to set up your business and manufacture your product.
  • Think about what your needs will be and put a name and number to what you will need to buy.
  • Think about every detail. Will you need to patent you idea? Will you need to acquire a license? What do you think your cash flow will be?

You can use your funds or get project funding from family or friends. If you do this, explain every item in your projections to your investors.

Borrowing for Project Funding:

You can use your own money and property to use as collateral to get a loan from a financial institution.

You may as well be able to attract the attention of venture capitalists. There are many available options, try to think big but be realistic about what you need and what you can afford.

Put together a presentation for your investors:

Most funder(s) will ask to see a Business Plan that includes a summary of your academic and professional background, your financial history and other specific documents that will create a strong profile.

Conclusion

In your Business Plan/ Business Proposal, you will give relevant information regarding the nature of the business you will start, the target market, the customers, the current and future competitors, the market you are positioned in, and the strategy you intend to use to achieve your goals.

Always include your financial statement for the first 3 to 5 years and your implementation plans.

Thank you.

7 “CULTURAL VALUES” TO PROPEL DAYAK ORGANIZATION FORWARD

My thought of the day.

The following values followed by an accompanying value statement are offered as suggested starting points can consider using for Dayak organization.

The Values and value statements can be modified to best fit your desired culture.

1. We Value - People Service, People Satisfaction, People Focus, Organizational Focus

Energy must be focused on serving “People First” (both internal and external) in a way that creates the kind of value where they will view our organization as fundamental to their success.

Every member of the organization must understand the important contribution they make in this partnership with the Rakyat.

2. We Value - Personal Responsibility, Personal Effectiveness, Personal Learning, Personal Growth, Intellectual Capital, Personal Talent

Every member is vital to organizational success. Accordingly, each member of the organization must dedicate themselves to creating and supporting a work environment based on personal responsibility and continuously increasing individual as well as collective intellectual capital.

3. We Value - Challenging the Status Quo, Change Acceptance, Risk Taking, Innovation, Creative Thinking

Rakyat operate in an environment where rapid change occurs at an accelerating pace. Because of this continuous change, the organization must be committed to understanding Rakyat like no one else. The organization must value change and see it as an ally.

Members must understand that it is through their individual contributions to the change process that their grassroots and/or voters succeed in a world of constantly evolving organizational needs.

Challenging the status quo and risk taking, helps the organization shape both its own future as well as that of their Rakyat.

4. We Value - Inspired Leadership, Personal Leadership, Shared Leadership, Distributed Leadership, Responsible Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Coaching Leadership

  • We encourage every member at every level to adopt a leadership spirit in all that they do.
  • We believe that in order to excel everyone must be aligned with a clearly expressed vision and organizational direction.
  • We must be absolutely clear about holding ourselves to the highest standards of ethics and integrity.
  • We accept responsibility for our peoples, our members and their families, and to the communities in which we live and work.
  • We believe our fullest potential is based in our dedication to developing those who will lead in the future.

5. We Value - Fairness, Inclusiveness, Diversity, Adaptability, Belonging

A fundamental tenet of our core values is the belief that every member adds unique value to the organization.

  • We embrace the idea that diversity is a competitive advantage we must promote and protect.
  • We will actively invite and include ideas from across the organization to better serve our peoples.
  • We will always strive to show respect for the dignity of every individual. Inclusiveness and diversity of thought expands our personal and collective knowledge.

6. Value - Quality and Excellence Everywhere, Delivering Results, Attaining Best-in-class, Exceeding Expectations

  • We will be unrelenting and uncompromising in our pursuit of quality and reliability in our governance, welfare and services.
  • Our overarching goal is to be the unsurpassed standard of excellence for others to use as the yardstick by which they measure themselves.
  • We will not accept less than our honest best efforts to meet our obligations to our Rakyat and to each other.
  • We will not accept shortcuts to meeting the high standards we profess, nor will we shrink from the goals we have set for ourselves.

7. We Value – Unity in Principle, Responding as a Team, Supporting Each Other as a Team, Team Achievement

We believe our success requires a commitment to Unity via teamwork at all levels of the organization.

Unity involves teamwork combining the skills, talent, knowledge, and experience of all members in a coordinated manner, realizing that narrow definitions of self-interest serve neither our peoples, nor us.

We embrace Unity in principle and in practice through mutual support, encouragement and accountability, believing that by working together as a team, as One big family and sharing knowledge, we can achieve much greater results than by only working as individuals.

Now is the time to take a moment to analyze the alignment of our cultural values with the Vision, Mission, Objective and Strategies (VMOS) of our Dayak organization.

Notes:

Start with the process of documenting in (three to eight words) your six to eight organizational values. Feel free to use the examples provided here, modifying them so they best describe your "desired" culture.

Develop value statements (twenty to sixty words) that are a best fit for your organization. Then assemble small teams/protem to further discuss and refine the statements to get both buy-in and best fit statements. The goal is to develop {values and statements tailored for your organization - Statements that will become the way you act both as individuals and as an organization.

Thank you.

19 June, 2011

DAYAK THINK TANK

First-Thing-First, (I remember Unggal Anthony Belon asked me to buy this book some times ago...), we need to answer these questions:

  • What is Dayak Think Tank? (Hopefully not “Think Kosong” or “Tin-Tong”).
  • Why it has to be linked with DAP and why not with other Dayak organizations and/or setup independently?
  • What keys areas, roles and responsibility does this Dayak Think Tank (DTT) play?
  • Why shouldn't DTT works with the current government? Why has to be with Pro-Opposition? Does Pro-Opposition has budget and agenda for Dayak?
  • If the DTT is setup purely for the interest of the general Dayaks, would the government be able to provide it with mobilization funds?
  • Is DAP-Dayak Think Tank main objective is to challenge the current government ministration or for promoting a joint Chinese-Dayak special interests?
  • How would DTT able to boost Dayaks’ development?
  • Is DAP-Dayak Think Tank exclusively for DAP members?
  • Should PKR-DTT, SNAP-DTT, PAS-DTT, PBDS-DTT, SDNU-DTT, SGDA-DTT, DBNA-DTT, OUNA-DTT, FORUM-DTT, UBF-DTT, DCCI-DTT, MCA-DTT, MIC-DTT, Gerakan-DTT, PPP-DTT, UMNO-DTT, etc and/or other Pro-Government DTT be established? Will there be any conflict of interests?
If Dayaks want to pursue and advocate their own "Dayakism Agenda" then they have to stand-up on their own two feet. Is it not enough to shadow behind “others” for the last 48 years?

I really don’t foresee any problem for SDNU, SGDA, SADIA, PGBS and other Dayak NGOs to setup their respective DTT if it’s for Dayak special interest or "Dayak-Specific", right?

Faced with a complex domestic and international situation, Dayaks have to make and undertake great efforts to boost the development of their Think Tanks; for the Dayak, with the Dayak and to the Dayak if they want to be at par with others and internationally!

When we talk of "Dayak Think Tank (DTT)" it has a vast roles and responsibility, not just political interest! Technically a Think Tank is an established organization consisting of a group of experts who provide advice and ideas on various issues, especially in politics regional, economics, social, technology, international, law and environmental fields (PRESTILE).

According to Wikipedia;

A Think Tank (or policy institute) is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military or technology issues. Most Think Tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax exempt status. Other Think Tanks are funded by governments, advocacy groups, or businesses, or derive revenue from consulting or research work related to their projects

THE WAY FORWARD

Given the complex politics, social and varied economic situations, it would be impractical to expect a few top Dayak leaders or a single Apai to always make right decisions. Therefore, Dayak themselves must collectively working closer together with their subordinates and/or grassroots, and the need to seek advice from their experts in order to make the decision-making process more prudent, scientific and democratic.

Compared to their counterparts (Malays, Chinese and the Indians), Dayak's Think Tank(s) is seen none existing. If there is an established one, it has also failed to analyze the Native society and traditional culture as well as today's grassroots situation.

In my view and hope, it is about time that all Dayaks (current or retired government officials, business leaders, public intellectuals and returnees) must not just leave it all to their politicians to seize their historical/current opportunity or to absorb outstanding talent at home and abroad and/or to make full use of domestic resources but to maximize their own advantages to better serve Dayak's special interests; politics, economic, law, cultural and social developments.

Dayak Think Tank (DTT) must work proactively and played significant roles in not only offering suggestions to the “5 years Dayak Action Plan” for it members and/or to the government, but also in other government affairs, particularly in a number of issues related to Natives livelihood.

If DTT wants to see Dayaks’ success then it must increasingly active in promoting their personal influence, institutional interests, and policy initiatives through these semi-governmental organizations and/or directly working in hands with the government ie as a “Dayak-Specific Advisory Committee/Commission” or as “Native Affairs Research Center”.

Dayaks need not necessary used 'political vehicles' to pursue their intimate goals and/or agendas. They can use any platform; NGOs, Corporate Vehicles, INGOs, Clubs, Associations and even Cooperatives. But when one is just talking of working with a political party, it's merely a political special interest!

Example: Malaysia has a few numbers of Think Tanks, most which are government or political party related. Their focuses have been on defense, politics and policies. Notable ones include the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), Malaysian Strategic Research Centre (MSRC) and Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). IDEAS is Malaysia's first classical liberal Think Tank which is policy oriented. These also include a corporate “Perak Institut Darul Ridzuan Berhad (IDR)”, a Malay NGO “Malay College Old Boys Association (MACOBA)” and many others.

DTT must also actively playing a part in helping the state to achieve its vision under the current leadership, but it is a sad surprise to note that few know about the actual role of IDR and many people in the state are under the notion that it is a think tank which was formed to physically develop the state.

If this new “Dayak Think Tank (DTT)” is to be established then it should at least comprised five (5) academic divisions:

1. Philosophy, Literature and History studies

2. Economics, Equity, Equality, Education and Employment (E5) studies

3. Native Rights, Treaties (Aum) & Laws, Social studies and Political studies

4. Native Governance, Regional & International studies

5. Adat, Cultural & Native Intellectual Property studies

My personal observation working together with my China/HK affiliates/partners abroad

In present-day China, Think Tanks have become not only an important venue for retired government officials to pursue a new phase in their careers, but also a crucial institutional meeting ground where officials, entrepreneurs, and scholars can interact.

Their three (3) trends that deserve my attention;

First, a growing number of government and Party leaders now seek positions in prominent Think Tanks and Universities both during and after their tenure in office.

Second, business leaders from both major state-owned companies and domestic (or Hong Kong-based) private companies now play a crucial role in China’s Think Tanks, gained through the financial contributions these companies make to the Think Tanks in a natural reaction to government policies that strongly affect their businesses.

Third, public intellectuals, especially well-known economists who received Ph.D./ DBS and other degrees in the West, have now become almost equal partners in this tripartite group of Think Tank elites. Indeed, to a certain extent the once-clear distinction between officials and scholars is now blurring as foreign-educated returnees become government leaders.

I hope and I wish to become a team/protem of our Dayak Think Tank (if DTT materialized and not via political platform) that could help to explicate and/or adopt the above three trends for “Dayak Specific”, and thus provide a better understanding of important dynamics in the Dayak political system and policymaking including peacemaking process.

“Dayak Specific” Think Tank herein is technically a focus group of intellectuals/expertise exclusively on Dayakism issues and centers their activities on Dayakism policymaking, peacemaking, humanitarian and development programs.

DTT key areas could focus on/to improve the Dayak’s socioeconomic policies and development programs and plans, helping on the transformation of Dayak corporate companies with the GLCs or State Link Cooperation’s and agencies, seeking ideas and answers for an investor friendly environment that would take into account a people centric public delivery system.

My apology, it’s my personal thought and expression. Thank you.

Notes: If this is a democratic country then everyone shall have their own “Right of Expression” and such democratic expressions utilize academically with ethics and need to be constructive and productive bundle with good ideas, innovations, creativity and solutions. Both good and/or bad opinions are merely our individualistic reflection of thoughts. Good criticism, skepticism and perception are acceptable but need not have to slander others. Negativeness never brings in positivity or productivity.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG TO WORK WITH ANYONE IF YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM IT LEGITIMATELY.