Microsoft is BACK

Microsoft is scheduled to make a major announcement today in the US. The software giant is poised to make a mark in the tablet market and has been long awaited. Finally, the day is here. With the all new Windows RT for the ARM-based tablet, Microsoft will be shipping the Surface Tablet with Windows RT by tomorrow. The Surface tablet with Windows 8 will be shipping sometime in January, as speculated.

This is a game changer and a serious challenger to Apple’s iPad as well as the Android-based tablets by various manufacturers. Don’t miss this and don’t blink an eye. Microsoft is back and clamoring for a lion share of the tablet market.

Auditor General 2011 Report – A Far Cry from the 2010 Report Standard

Finally, the Auditor General 2011 Report has been released. And it is disappointing. Everything is watered down and summarized with minimal details so that nobody can make too much sense out of them. No wonder there was little hue and cry by interested parties. In fact, it has been particularly quiet on comments from any party.

To show you what we mean by a disappointing report standard, we suggest to use the infamous National Feedlot Project as an example. There has been a lot of public interest and awareness on this project and the NFCorp which Shahrizat’s husband and children were responsible for.

In the AG 2010 Report, there were 12 pages of details with tables and photos highlighting the shortcomings of this project. You can read more here.

This year in the AG 2011 Report, there is less than 1 page in summary form with little details to make much sense with. Here is the portion of the report on NFC.

GE13 date in November 2013 – 24th/25th?

With the recent rush of the Budget 2013 and visits to Sabah and Sarawak, coupled with witnessing the peace accord in Southern Philippines, PM Najib may be feeling rather upbeat and confident to call for GE13. The Auditor General Report 2011 was finally released with the AG himself saying some nice things about the Government agencies and less stellar words of praises to the Pakatan states. Not that these states did not perform well. On the contrary, Penang and Selangor remains at the top of financial management standing. But perhaps there are less earth shattering things for the Opposition to harp on gives Najib a really good feel.

Now, Najib has hinted way too many times of failed GE dates and public speculation is all but nonsense given that Najib himself is not ready to do so. Najib needs to win spectacularly and win back what Badawi lost in 2008 – the 2/3 majority. If not, he may be in dire straits not because of the public but because of Umno. Look at what happened to Badawi when he lost the 2/3 majority as well as 4 other states (3 after Perak was “taken” back by BN).

Word has it that November may still be a real date, particularly towards end of November during the school holidays. Perhaps the week around the weekend of 24th or 25th November may seem very plausible this time.

Why? Because:

Malaysian Assessment: A Budget 2013 Critique

PM Najib presented his 2013 Budget last Friday. As widely expected, it was a so-called people centric budget filled with one-off handouts to practically all voter groups in anticipation of an imminent General Election. Najib is still waiting for what many people say is a pivotal electoral feel good spirit to spur his election fortunes and this budget is his last shot to attain this feel.

Also as expected, BN leadership comments will show unequivocal support and the opposition Pakatan Rakyat will be on the other end of the spectrum. Certainly, there are the independent commentators who try to steer the middle ground.

Let us put forth our views from a totally fresh viewpoint and you can weigh them out for yourselves.

1. Everybody Gets Some Money

Yes, everybody gets some.