Malaysia Airlines cuts 6,000 jobs as new

CEO rolls up sleeves

AFP News Tue, Jun 2, 2015

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Analysts have long blamed Malaysia Airlines' failure to compete on poor
management,

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Beside job cuts, Malaysia Airlines is widely expected to pull back drastically from

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Aviation analysts have long blamed the airline's failure to compete on poor
management,

Malaysia Airlines is "technically bankrupt", its new German CEO said Monday as the carrier
slashed 6,000 jobs as part of plans to recover from deadly disasters and a long run of red ink.

Christoph Mueller made public his plans for the troubled flag carrier for the first time since the
aviation turnaround specialist was brought in on May 1 to save it from collapse.
They include the thousands of job cuts -- expected but made official on Monday -- a trimmed
route network, a revamped brand image and an overhaul of the company's organisation and
operations.
Mueller, whose job-cutting stints at Ireland's Aer Lingus and Belgium's Sabena earned him the
nickname "The Terminator", said Malaysia Airlines' desperate situation made drastic action
unavoidable.
"We are technically bankrupt and that decline of performance started long before the tragic
events of 2014," Mueller told reporters, referring to a pair of disasters that rocked the already
loss-making airline last year.
"The restructuring process will start today with a hard reset."
Beset by poor management, Malaysia Airlines had struggled for years to remain competitive,
posting losses for most of the past five years.
But its two shocking disasters in 2014 were the final straw, pushing the carrier to the brink of
collapse.
In March of last year Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard and
remains missing. Four months later Flight MH17 was blown out of the sky, killing all 298
aboard, by a suspected ground-to-air missile over Ukraine.
A Malaysian state investment fund took the reeling airline over late last year, later tapping
Mueller to take the helm. He is the company's first non-Malaysian CEO.
On Monday the airline said it had issued termination letters to all of its roughly 20,000
employees, followed by new contracts offered to 14,000 of them as it aims to slim down.
Mueller said the 6,000 job losses were necessary as the company suffered from cost burdens 20
percent higher than those sustained by its rivals.
- 'Darkest moment' for employees Under Mueller, 52, the carrier plans to "re-invent" itself beginning from September 1 with a
yet-to-be-revealed new brand image and livery as it seeks to shed the stigma of disaster.
Mueller indicated a name change was possible.
"We will test that very diligently with test groups because we have to achieve a perception of a
completely new start in certain markets where our brand is particularly tarnished," he said.
But the plans were attacked by the carrier's flight attendants union, which said employees were
paying the price for the company's poor management over the years.
"Today is the darkest moment for employees of Malaysia Airlines. I am having a tough time
dealing with the emotions of those who have been terminated," said Ismail Nasaruddin, the
union's head.

"It is very distressing. I have crew members crying all over the phone, saying they had been
terminated despite having a sterling performance record."
Ismail said the union would decide this week whether to take action.
Other major unions at the airline have been quiet about the brewing plans, with Malaysian
media reports suggesting they would go along with them.
Mueller said there would be no turning back as he focuses on "stopping the bleeding" this year,
stabilising the company next year and starting to grow again by 2017.
Mueller indicated the company would also reassess its route system. He gave no details but
rejected suggestions it pull back to become merely a regional carrier.
Aviation analysts have long blamed the airline's failure to compete on poor management, overreaching on routes, government meddling and unfavourable service and supplier contracts
stemming from Malaysia's crony capitalist system.
Mueller said all of the carrier's service and supplier contracts would be reassessed and brought
in line with industry norms.
The airline also would embark on a major revitalisation of technology, training and in-flight
entertainment and service, he said.

Malaysia has more religious freedom than

US, Singapore, Christian group says
By By Mayuri Mei Lin | The Malay Mail Online 10 hours ago

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Rev Wong Kim Kong speaks to the media at the Christians for Peace and Harmony
in

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 There is more

freedom of religion in Malaysia compared to Singapore and the United States, both of which
imposes stricter laws against various faiths, a prominent Christian preacher said today.
President of a new non-governmental organisation Christians for Peace and Harmony Malaysia
(CPHM), Reverend Wong Kim Kong said that an individual preaching a different religion can
be prosecuted in Singapore but not in Malaysia.
In Singapore, if you preach other religions in a sermon, or you pray to a god made of wood,
theyll report to the police under the Singapore Religious Harmony Act, youll (be) prosecuted.
In Malaysia, even if you talk bad about a different religion, not that we want to, they wont
disturb you, he said during a press conference ahead of CPHMs official launch.
He claimed Malaysians are also allowed to freely practice their religions at any location while
Americans face difficulty even when wanting to pray.
For the Christians, the Buddhist, the Hindus, you can build a shrine anywhere, you can open a
church in any shop lot.
You can even form a church without registration because the constitution allows you to
practice your religion.
Even in America, you cant pray. So it just depends on which angle you look at, he said.
He also noted that the debacle over the usage if the word Allah, an Arabic word that means
god, in Bibles using Bahasa Malaysia has also been misinterpreted as an attempt to convert
Muslims into Christianity, which it is not.
I want to assure you that the accusation is actually not true. The church, as far as I know,
never use the word Allah to preach the gospel, he said.
But the word Allah is used by our Bahasa Malaysia-speaking congregation to denote the god
that they believe. So its not a tool for evangelism, he added.
He further explained that the usage of the term was in no way an attempt to coerce others into
Christianity.
But I cannot deny the reality that sometimes overzealous Christians share the good news,
every religion has this type of people, but by and large the Malaysian Christians are not
extremists.

We dont coerce, some may out of enthusiasm, but generally they are peace-making, he said.
This comes amid religious tensions silently brewing in Malaysia, with right-wing Muslim
groups like Perkasa and the Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) pitting themselves against
various interfaith groups.
The countrys minority groups have repeatedly lashed out at the authorities allegedly
nonchalant responses to remarks issued by Muslim fundamentalists against the sensitivities of
the non-Muslims here, insisting that their inaction have only emboldened these groups and
others into inciting more violence and hatred.
Earlier this year, influential UK paper Financial Times columnist David Pilling had written that
growing religious intolerance in Asian countries could turn into a disaster for the region.
He cited Malaysia as an example of yet another country with hardening ideology but did not
elaborate on the disaster this might cause.
Malaysia also made international headlines when it banned a Catholic Church publication from
using the word Allah, which is deemed here as exclusive to Muslims, as well as the seizure
of Malay and Iban medium Bibles from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) last year.
In April this year, a group of Muslims protested against a churchs hanging of a cross on its
facade, claiming the symbol was a threat to them and their religious beliefs.

Club Asia International - Liaison Committee Survey

People
SWVB KUCHING MEMBER SERVICE
To
johnlye2003@yahoo.com ailianv@yahoo.com
May 8
Dear Valued Members,

Warmest Greetings from Sara Worldwide Vacations Berhad!

The Clubs liaison committee members 2014/2015 would like to get your feedback on the
following survey questions from them:
Survey questions:

1. Do you always use up your points before the end of the current year? (Y/N) Why?
2. Do you spend more vacations locally in Malaysia or Overseas? (Malaysia/Overseas)
3. Name not more than three (3) hotels under CAI of your choice.

4. Name not more than three (3) hotels which were under CAI and you would want it/them
to be re-listed.
5. Are you a Malaysian, if yes which state of Malaysia are you from?

If you would like to answer the above survey questions, please email or fax back your reply to
any of our Member Service Centres by 30th June 2015.

Thank you & Regards,

Member Relation Department

Club Asia International

Sara Worldwide Vacations Berhad

NOTE: If you have any questions or queries regarding your membership kindly contact our Member
Service Centre at:
Kuching
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tel: (6)082-238 007
Fax: (6)082-248 007/ 424 007
email: kch_memberservice@saraworldwide.com.my
_________________________________________
Miri
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Lunch Break: 1 - 2 p.m./ 11:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. (Fri)
Tel: (6)085-653 817
Fax: (6)085-653 819
email: miri_memberservice@saraworldwide.com.my
___________________________________________
Kota Kinabalu
Operating Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tel: (6)088-213 007

Fax: (6)088-221 007

email: kk_memberservice@saraworldwide.com.my
___________________________________________
Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tel: (6)03-2282 5431
Fax: (6)03-2283 5437
email: kl_memberservice@saraworldwide.com.my

-----------------------------------------------------------

Everything you need to know about

Windows 10
AFP Relax 14 hours ago

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Microsoft Windows 10
It's official, the next release of what is still the world's most popular computer operating
system, will be available for download, starting July 29. So should you get ready to install it or
give it a miss?
How much will it cost?
Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for millions of consumers. However, there are some
catches. To qualify, your computer will have to be running Windows 7, Windows 8 or
Windows 8.1.

Microsoft is yet to confirm the reports, but the new operating system is expected to cost $119
for the basic home user package for a machine not running one of the aforementioned versions
of Windows. What's more, Windows 10 is only going to be a free download until July 2016.
How do I know if my computer's compatible?
Microsoft has a Get Windows 10' app, which should have installed itself on your PC if it's
running Windows 8.1 or should be offered as a recommended download for those running
Windows 7. When launched, it will check your machine to see if it can handle the upgrade and
hopefully highlight any potential conflicts.
How do I download it?
Like the Get Windows 10' app, consumers running the last two releases of Windows should be
able to reserve a copy of the operating system from the desktop. Click on the small Windows
icon in the taskbar and there'll be a menu for reserving a copy for download, at a time that suits
you, on launch day.
Should I download it?
From a cyber-security standpoint alone, it's always best to run the latest, most up-to-date
version of the operating system. Windows 10 is also bringing a host of genuinely useful
features and fixes.
The Start menu is coming back (for users on desktops without a touch screen) and that will
simplify everything. The company's voice-operated virtual assistant Cortana (initially a feature
on its phones) will also be coming to the desktop for carrying out tasks and answering
questions.
Another huge improvement will be compatibility and continuity across the Microsoft
ecosystem of devices -- phones, Xboxes, tablets and desktops. Then there's the introduction of
virtual' desktops that will be welcomed by power users and those that like a multi-monitor set
up. This will make it simple to toggle between applications and apps and to push different
content to different screens.
Furthermore, Microsoft intends to continually roll out new features and fixes over Windows
10's lifetime.

Russians weigh Gorbachev reforms that

sank USSR 30 years on
By Marina Lapenkova | AFP News 15 hours ago

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Former Soviet supremo Mikhail Gorbachev gives a speech in Moscow in February
198

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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (right) talks with late US president Ronald

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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev pictured at a presentation of his new book

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Soldiers march under a giant portrait of Lenin in Moscow's Red Square in 1989

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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev waves during the 11th Congress of the
Socialist

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of curbing the freedoms that
glasnost

A few months after the politburo chose him as Soviet supremo in early 1985, Mikhail
Gorbachev halted his cortege in downtown Leningrad for an impromptu walkabout that
signalled change was in the air.
Emerging from his government limousine, the then 54-year-old Communist party boss from
southern Russia strode over to talk to a crowd of shocked passers-by -- shattering protocol that
kept Kremlin bigwigs away from average people.
But Gorbachev was doing more than just distancing himself from his older and more aloof
predecessors -- he was gearing up to launch a process of change that would, unintentionally,
open the floodgates that led to the collapse of the USSR.
"Comrades, it seems that we really do need reforms," Gorbachev told the crowd that day.
"Are you going to be closer to the people?" one woman asked.
"How much closer can I get?" Gorbachev replied to laughter.

Very soon the slogans of "perestroika" (restructuring) and "glasnost" (openness) were on the
lips of people across the vast empire.
Perestroika was a programme of reforms aimed at fixing the malfunctioning Soviet system,
while glasnost was aimed at creating a new atmosphere of openness.
"Glasnost was one of the main factors that shook the foundations of the Soviet empire and
caused its demise," independent analyst Masha Lipman told AFP.
- Winds of change The change breathed life into civil society: freedom of expression slowly expanded, hundreds
of political prisoners and dissidents were freed, and the crimes of the Stalin era were made
public for all to see.
The results outstripped Gorbachev's original intention to shore up the Soviet Union by
introducing a more humane form of socialism, and by the end of the 1980s the atmosphere in
the USSR had changed radically.
As censorship softened, new media mushroomed, putting pressure on staid state outlets such as
leading dailies Pravda and Izvestiya.
Even though they received funding from the state, the new publications delved into topics
previously considered off-limits, including poverty and food shortages.
The weekly "Argumenty i Fakty" (Arguments and Facts) entered the Guinness Book of
Records with a circulation of more than 33 million copies.
Fresh debates continued to spiral as people argued in the street, on public transport and in food
queues.
In May 1988, the monthly magazine Novy Mir revealed that it was Lenin, until then the
untouchable idol of the Soviet Union, who had initiated the system of prison camps for
opponents that would later swell into the infamous Gulag.
The Soviet regime also stopped blocking foreign radio broadcasts and 40 million people tuned
in, according to estimates from the KGB secret police, as the pace of change meant there was
less and less to hide.
Transparency also crept into the working of the state as the formulaic speeches of party bosses
were swapped for debates between new deputies that became more popular on television than
films or concerts.
By June 1990, society was abuzz with the changes and a new liberal media law was adopted.
18 months later, after a failed coup against Gorbachev attempted to turn back the tide, the
Soviet Union ceased to exist.
- Legacy of disapproval Now, 30 years after the start of the reforms, attitudes to Gorbachev and his programme of
change are deeply divided in Russia.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia plunged into economic and political chaos
that led many to yearn for the stability of the past and curse those who had sparked the
upheaval.
In a recent opinion poll conducted by the independent Levada centre 55 percent of respondents
said that they disapproved of Gorbachev's reforms.
"We were wrong at the time to just concentrate on the fact that the old regime was being
denounced. We idealised Gorbachev too much," Leonid Nikitinsky, a journalist from
independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, told AFP.
"Perestroika quickly exhausted itself."
For some, however, the lessons of the period are relevant for modern Russia under the firm
grip of former KGB agent Vladimir Putin.
Putin -- who has lamented the chaos caused by the collapse of the USSR -- has been accused of
curbing the freedoms that glasnost began and reinstating the sort of control, especially over the
media, that was seen during Soviet times.
"We are not talking about Soviet-style censorship, since certain media keeps an independent
voice," said analyst Lipman, pointing to the independent outlets like Novaya Gazeta, business
daily Vedomosti and Dozhd TV.
These few remaining independent voices are seen by many as the remnants of the openness
that perestroika and glasnost engendered and are tolerated by the authorities.
"They serve as a pressure valve for the Kremlin to release the anger felt by the critical sections
of Russian society," Lipman said.

Shrimp Farming
PublicResourceOrg
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Shrimp Farming - Southern Regional Aquaculture Center - Product 297 - The life history of
saltwater shrimp is presented with illustrations of how aquaculturists have adapted these for
intensive production. Hatchery and growout methods are presented which indicate the most
important aspects of the industry. The work reported in this publication was supported in part
by the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center through Grant No. 2006 38500 16977 from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
(CSREES)

Celtic Woman - You raise me up HQ Lyrics

(Best Version Ever)

Kris Allam
3,156
1,100,003
Uploaded on Jul 24, 2008
A Wonderful version of "You raise me up" By Celtic Woman
Original: Rolf Lvland
Lyrics: Brendan Gaham
Lyrics:
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Music
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"You Raise Me Up" by Celtic Woman (iTunes)

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