Tony Fernandez Take Over MAS

Some people I was talking to yesterday say that Air Asia International (AAX) is facing serious problems on some of its international routes. And so they are cutting "unprofitable" routes. The latest being AAX axing its Christchurch run. Please read here.

"In January, AAX said it would stop flying to London, Paris, New Delhi and Mumbai. It is learnt that AAX is moving away from long-haul to medium-haul flights."

The first question that pops up now is what is Air Asia going to do with all those hundreds of Airbuses they have just placed on order at the Paris Air Show in June last year? Just how many planes did they order? Well read here. Air Asia ordered 200 planes plus an option for 100 more. Cost : RM54 billion. Whoever the Airbus salesman, agent, middleman was, he, she, they or it made some huge commissions.

AirAsia places largest ever order with 200 A320neo aircraft

Largest-ever order consolidates A320 Family’s market leading position

Blagnac, 23 June 2011

AirAsia, the largest low cost airline in the Asia-Pacific region, has placed a firm order with Airbus for 200 A320neo aircraft. The contract, announced at the Paris Air Show today, is the largest order ever placed for the A320 Family and makes AirAsia the biggest airline customer for the Airbus single aisle product line worldwide.

Airplane deals generate commissions between 1% to 5% for the middlemen. That is between RM540 million to RM2.7 billion for whoever was the salesman / middleman in Air Asia's 200 planes plus 100 planes deal !!

However, after buying 200 Airbus A320s plus options on another 100 planes, Air Asia is now cutting flights to the world's most busiest destinations like London, Paris, New Delhi, Mumbai and Christchurch. Haiyya then what about less busy destinations around the world like Timbuktu, Ulan Bator and the Falkland Islands?

What will they do with all those 200 new Airbuses? I think I know the answer. I think Air Asia's Sales Department will soon be calling the Purchasing Department at Malaysia Airlines. Here is the conversation. It is fictional ok.

AA : Hellooo Purchasing Dept, MAS. This is Sales Dept Air Asia calling.

MAS : Yes Air Asia how can we help you?

AA : We still have a few more Queen's Park Rangers T shirts to sell to you.

MAS : Oh just send them over. We'll take them.

Air Asia : OK. Thank you for shopping at Air Asia. We also have some Airbus 320 Neo planes to sell. Can you buy them?

MAS : How many do you have?

Air Asia : About 200.

MAS : How many are you selling?

Air Asia : About 200.

MAS : Ok. We'll ask our shareholder Khazanah Nasional. Please wait a couple of days. They will have to ask their con-sultans for the time. Their con-sultans will then call us - we have the watch. Is it ok if we call you too, ok? You know just to double check the time?

Air Asia : OK. We will wait for your call. By the way, we will be going to the Paris Airshow again next year.

MAS : Do you think you will have some free tickets ?

Well folks, excuse me for sounding so serious. Lets lighten up a bit shall we. Lets cut ourselves some slack. Here is some funny news that will make you feel like laughing. Its such a good joke.

Thursday March 1, 2012

MAS posts biggest-ever loss in its history

• MAS posted a shocking RM2.52bil net loss for its financial year ended Dec 31, 2011
• the biggest-ever loss in its corporate history ..
• The RM2.5bil figure for 2011 includes a RM1.09bil provision
• “The company is in crisis. group chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said
• The non-cash items include RM179mil of stock obsolescence (mostly spares for the B737 aircraft),
• RM602mil for re-delivery of aircraft (it will return 52 of its leased aircraft and will incur some cost in making sure they are in pre-delivery condition),
• and RM314mil impairment of freighter aircraft (adjusting the freighters to current market value).
• By stripping out the RM1.09bil provisioning from the net loss of RM2.52bil, the actual loss incurred by the airline for 2011 is RM1.43bil.
• MAS is in dire need of more cash.
• needs another 60 days to come up with a plan.
• “The plan includes, but not limited to, debt and/equity market options. Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Tune Air..
• deputy Mohammed Rashdan Yusof did not rule out the possibility of ..selling non-core assets to raise cash.
• Ahmad also disclosed that talks with Qantas were under way
• Ahmad remains positive, saying “if we follow our business plan, we should be in the black (this year).''

Lets forget about MAS for a while ok. After all Ahmad says, "we should be in the black (this year). So relax everyone. Chill.

Lets get back to Air Asia. Air Asia's shareholders include that Slumberjack crony, who is partners with the SIL in that EPF company they hijacked before. Of course the Advisor to MAS is none other than Slumberjack himself. Cosy isnt it.

Has anyone heard of Jack The Ripper?

How can they say that only 7 or 8 persons objected to Lynas?

Only 3%objected to Lynas and that was just 7 or 8 persons - this is so hard to believe noting that just in Kuantan protest, there were about 15,000...

One of the members of the public consultative committee, Prof Abu Hassan Abdullah (right) said only seven or eight out of 334 feedback forms received stated that they did not want the project to continue, and that too without any specific reason.

Was the time and place to see the documents and submit the protest forms really made public? I wonder who are this 334 who came and said 'Yes' to Lynas - did they give a reason. Something is very fishy...

In either event, this process in this ICT age should have also been done online....

Given the amount of protest with regard this Lynas project, the best thing to do will be to have a REFERENDUM - at the very least in the area covering maybe 50Km from the project site...

And did he say this??

The anti-Lynas groups also claimed that the half-life of the thorium waste is 14 billion years and the duration of the facility used to store it, cannot last as long as thorium.

Raja Abdul Aziz (right) saidthat the waste will remain stable and won't emit any radiation before it reaches its half life, so there was no need to worry about it.

 How can this man even say such things? No radiation until after 14 billion years....

Thorium-232 has a half-life of 14 billion (14x109) years, and decays by alpha emission, with accompanying gamma radiation. Thorium-232 is the top of a long decay series that contains key radionuclides such as radium-228, its direct decay product, and radon-220. Two other isotopes of thorium, which can be significant in the environment, are thorium-230 and thorium-228. Both belong to other decay series. They also decay by alpha emission, with accompanying gamma radiation, and have half-lives of 75,400 years and 1.9 years, respectively. 

What is thorium used for?

Thorium has coloring properties that has made it useful in ceramic glazes. But, it has been most widely used in lantern mantles for the brightness it imparts (though alternatives are replacing it), and in welding rods, which burn better with small amounts of added thorium. Thorium improves the properties of ophthalmic lenses, and is an alloying agent in certain metals used in the aerospace industry. More than 30 years ago, thorium oxides were used in hospitals to make certain kinds of diagnostic X-ray photographs. But, this practice has been discontinued.

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Exposure to Thorium

How does thorium get into the environment?

Natural thorium is present in very small quantities in virtually all rock, soil, water, plants and animals. Where high concentrations occur in rock, thorium may be mined and refined, producing waste products such as mill tailings. If not properly controlled, wind and water can introduce the tailings into the wider environment. Commercial and federal facilities that have processed thorium may also have released thorium to the air, water, or soil. Man-made thorium isotopes are rare, and almost never enter the environment.

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How does thorium change in the environment?

As thorium-232 undergoes radioactive decay, it emits an alpha particle, with accompanying gamma radiation, and forms radium-228. This process of releasing radiation and forming a new radionuclide continues until stable lead-208 is formed. The half-life of thorium-232 is about 14 billion years. Two other isotopes of thorium, which can be significant in the environment, are thorium-230 and thorium-228. Both decay by alpha emission, with accompanying gamma radiation, in 75,400 years and 1.9 years, respectively.

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How are people exposed to thorium?

Since thorium is naturally present in the environment, people are exposed to tiny amounts in air, food and water. The amounts are usually very small and pose little health hazard. Thorium is also present in many consumer products such as ceramic glazes, lantern mantles, and welding rods.
People who live near a facility that mines or mills thorium, or manufactures products with thorium, may receive higher exposures. Also, people who work with thorium in various industries may receive higher exposures.

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How does thorium get into the body?

People may inhale contaminated dust, or swallow thorium with food or water. Living near a thorium contaminated site, or working in an industry where thorium is used, increases your chance of exposure to thorium.

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What does thorium do once it gets into the body?

If inhaled as dust, some thorium may remain in the lungs for long periods of time, depending on the chemical form. If ingested, thorium typically leaves the body through feces and urine within several days. The small amount of thorium left in the body will enter the bloodstream and be deposited in the bones where it may remain for many years. There is some evidence that the body may absorb thorium through the skin, but that would not likely be the primary means of entry. 

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Health Effects of Thorium

How can thorium affect people's health?

The principal concern from low to moderate level exposure to ionizing radiation is increased risk of cancer. Studies have shown that inhaling thorium dust causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer, and cancer of the pancreas. Bone cancer risk is also increased because thorium may be stored in bone.

Only 3% said 'No' to Lynas during display period

Lee Long Hui 5:36PM Mar 1, 2012

Only three percent of the feedback received by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) during the public display of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant's application documents for a temporary operating licence (TOL) opposed the project.

One of the members of the public consultative committee, Prof Abu Hassan Abdullah (right) said only seven or eight out of 334 feedback forms received stated that they did not want the project to continue, and that too without any specific reason.

“They just wrote like ‘I don’t want Lynas’ but without any reason given,” he said at a media briefing held by the AELB today.

Abu Hassan said 97 percent of the people who submitted the feedback form “were okay” with the project, but most of them expressed deep concern over the permanent disposal facility (PDF) for the radioactive wastes.

He said that was why the committee had pressured the AELB to settle the PDF issue before issuing the TOL to Lynas.

Public display

The AELB had displayed the documents to the public from Jan 3-26 at four places - the AELB headquarters in Dengkil, Selangor, the Pahang state secretariat, the AELB temporary office at the Lynas project site and at the AELB east coast branch office in Kemaman, Terengganu.

However, the public, especially anti-Lynas groups, were unhappy, claiming that the authorities had placed restrictions on time and people to inspect those documents.

According to the presentation by Abu Hassan, there were 334 people who inspected the documents but at the same time, there were 1,122 people who submitted feedback forms to the AELB.

He said that most of the comments were unsubstantiated and repeated.

AELB director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, who also presented, pointed out the huge difference between the number of people who inspected the documents and those who gave comments.

"A very large number of people did not read the documents but gave comments, so you have to ask yourself; are the comments based on what they read, or these comments just emotional or political in nature?" he questioned.
Worst case scenario

Meanwhile, Raja Abdul Aziz said that the worst case scenario for the LAMP was the explosion of the pressurised boilers and leakages from the pipes supplying the acids.

He said that the radiation could be easily detected if there were emissions.

"The least of my worry is radioactivity. It is the easiest thing to detect, so you can remove it as it is found," he said.

The anti-Lynas groups also claimed that the half-life of the thorium waste is 14 billion years and the duration of the facility used to store it, cannot last as long as thorium.

Raja Abdul Aziz (right) said that the waste will remain stable and won't emit any radiation before it reaches its half life, so there was no need to worry about it.

When asked about the cabinet decision to ask Lynas to ship the radioactive waste back to Australia before any license is given, he said that won't affect the decision taken by the board.

He said that the AELB had already asked Lynas to provide an letter of undertaking to send the waste back to Australia in order to obtain the TOL even before the cabinet made its decision yesterday.

Speaking to Malaysiakini later, he said that based on his understanding, the cabinet fully endorsed the decision made by the board - to ask Lynas to send the waste back to Australia.

Leaking pipe

Raja Abdul Aziz also responded to the PKR allegations recently that a pipe at Lamp was leaking.

He confirmed that that was true after conducting an inspection and added that Lynas had already taken the necessary steps to repair it.

He said that the pipe is part of the fire protection system of the plant, and if Lynas failed to fix it, it would not get the relevant certificate regarding safety from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.

Two weeks ago, PKR Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne revealed a leaked email purportedly from a Lynas contractor, which says that out of 19 ‘packages' of fibre-glass pipes, only five passed muster. - Malaysiakini, 1/3/2011, Only 3% said 'No' to Lynas during display period

- Charles Hector 

The Felda FGV listing

The question we should ask all thought leaders of FELDA is this. Why should a loss making business entity, be allowed to do a reverse takeover of FELDA holdings? 

FGV owns 49% of FELDA Holdings which has been making money all the time. FGV hasn’t got a track record and has no standing at all to come out with this proposal in the first place.

Can FELDA tell everyone, how much did FGV lose really? We were only told of losses amounting to RM 500 million. One thing we do know is, FGV is consistent. It has CONSISTENTLY lost money for 5 consecutive years. Perhaps Dato Sabri Ahmad can disclose fully and honestly, how much FGV lost during those 5 years. Maybe he has gone to the PM and reported everything is OK sir. Najib is pleased to hear that kind of story.

If FGV lost money over 5 consecutive years that would strongly suggest that it is incompetent. Two, it would also suggest, just as in most GLC’s subsidiary companies, some people got very rich while the companies they helmed suffers financial hemorrhage. Before FGV comes along and wishes to take FELDA Holdings, it must come clean about itself.

What is the purpose of this listing? Is it an attempt to save a losing business concern (FGV) itself? Is it done to raise money for FELDA? but FELDA has a lot of money. It has the mother lode of financial resource which is provided by their palm oil plantations. Unless you are a super moron, all plantations make money.

Remember...MAS was making money and doing fine, when suddenly some smart alec suggested that it was good to privatize MAS. So Tajuddin Ramli in the name of service to the nation agreed to take 32% of MAS provided he was given a guarantee over his purchase of the share. Mahathir gave him that because he considers Tajudin as a captain that can pilot the NEP objectives. 

So, can we ask FELDA how much they paid Ethos to come out with the listing proposal? It must be a large amount, sufficiently large to allow a leading member of Ethos to buy a RM 15 million penthouse unit in an upscale condominium.

So, we ask Dato Sabri(right,below), lets asked him 2 questions. (1) How much did FGV lose really and (2) How much did FELDA pay Ethos?
 
Because the PM guarantees it says Chairman Isa(right). Coming from someone who has made a mess of Negri Sembilan- now that’s something. Isa is the man of Mahathir’s heart. The captain of the NEP.The government is bent in seeing the listing.

Maslan said the listing exercise will raise RM 21 billion.

How much will FELDA get? I was told that Dato Sabri told the PM, the bulk of the money raised will be channeled to the PM’s department.

The PM is elated at the prospects of getting RM 13 billion or so. He can go back to Pekan and replace all the dilapidated hoses of the rakyat in Pekan. His generosity will be ululated by the ladies and wanita UMNO Pekan for generations to come.

FELDA will probably get RM 8 billion. That will mean PM department will get around RM 13 billion to allow the PM to play Santa Claus for a long time like in the above example we gave.
 
What will FELDA do with the RM 8 billion? Since it has borrowed money from EPF, it must now pay EPF. The outstanding is about RM 3 billion. If FELDA pays RM 3 billion, it is left with 5 billion. From this 5 billion, it must pay the windfall to FELDA settlers- 112,000 of them. That will probably mean another RM 2 billion gone.

Yes, my FELDA brothers-It’s not FGV or the government that will pay the windfall. That money comes from FELDA itself out of the profit share it gets from the listing. The biggest beneficiary is the PM’s department which will get some 13 billion from the listing exercise. That is why the PM supports the listing of an otherwise loss making concern. 

With RM 3 billion left, Felda can operate at its current level of providing benefits to the 112,000 settlers in the various FLEDA schemes for only one year. After that, it will be reduced to a beggar.

With the listing, what will the settlers lose? It will lose the bulk of revenue. How come? It will immediately lose the 350,000 hectares of oil palm plantations managed by FELDA Plantations. The 350,000 hectares of land will be leased to FGV for 99 years. 

FELDA needs around RM 3 billion each year. From its plantation business, it gets about RM 2 billion a year and the balance it gets from its other investments. With the cessation of 350,000 hectares, FELDA is left with about RM 400 million a year.With the 400 million, how will FELDA provide welfare to the 112,000 FELDA settlers and to FELDA schemes?

What about the terms of the lease? We have not seen the terms of the 99 year lease. How will FELDA get paid? It’s said that FELDA will get paid every quarter? Why every quarter when FGV makes monthly profits? Why is the lease to FGV revisable only at 20 year intervals?

Why is the lease to FGV revisable only at 20 year intervals?  Sabri Ahmad and Isa Samad must come out with full disclosure about the listing.-Mohd.Ariff Sabri bin Hj. Abdul Aziz.aka sakmongkol.blogspot.com

(Catatan di atas adalah sedutan daripada artikal terbaru Datuk Mohd.Ariff Sabri yang dimuatkan dalam blognya.) Baca artikal penuhnya di sini.

cheers.

Is ABU yours? Yes? Then don’t just stand on the sides and cheer. Take ownership of it

Well?

Is it?

ABU is your cause too?

Will you take ownership of it, then?

Take responsibility for it?

Defend it?

Many of us are traveling round the country to speak at ceramah to take the ASALKAN BUKAN UMNO message to the folk who most need to hear this.

This, we do on your behalf.

In Klang, they sent thugs to disrupt the ceramah.

Undaunted, we have pushed forward with our ceramah.

On 23rd February, we held a ceramah at Beranang, Semenyih.

Amongst others, YB Khalid and Arul of PSM spoke.

Both have now been summoned by the police to attend at IPD Kajang later today at 3pm to give their statements in furtherance of police investigations into statements made by the 2 of them at the ceramah in Beranang which are said to be seditious.

You know what that means, right?

The thugs failed.

So its police harassment now.

Arul and Khalid must have laid bare the truth that has hurt someone in high office.

I’m off to Terengganu on Saturday to speak at 2 ABU ceramah there.

Before that, I will be at IPD Kajang tomorrow to lend support to my fellow ABUites.

Arul and Khalid could use your support too.

Please be there.

- The People's Parliament

Get rid of the pariahs

Whispers were heard stating that the outgoing councilors’ tenure were not extended because they refused to play ball and that the minority that remained were those who remained silent and ignorant when certain questions were asked of the Selangor PKR Chief and his faithful sidekick’s involvement in a few corruption cases. 

TAKDENAMA NEWS REPORT. MMXII.

Breaking news. Selangor.

It has been reported today that the list that contains the names of Selangor’s new municipal councilors were distributed amongst the few who walks in the Selangor’s corridors of power earlier this week. Unlike previous years where this list emanated from the Selangor MB’s office, this year the list was specially prepared by the new Selangor PKR Chief and his faithful sidekick, the PKR Wanita Chief.

Informers from deep within the Selangor PKR Chief’s office have indicated that unlike the preceding four years where the originally selected councilors’ tenure were routinely extended, this year witnesses a change in regime where a phalanx of new faces were hastily selected to replace the majority of the previous PKR-selected municipal councilors.

No reasons were given as to why the PKR State Exco has chosen to do so in an election year but whispers were heard stating that the outgoing councilors’ tenure were not extended because they refused to play ball and that the minority that remained were those who remained silent and ignorant when certain questions were asked of the Selangor PKR Chief and his faithful sidekick’s involvement in a few corruption cases.

When questioned further, a few of these informers indicated that one of the main reasons why there is a change now is due to the fact that Azmin and Zuraida needs the time between now and the next state elections to do a bit of housekeeping in the event that Pakatan loses Selangor to BN.

Others point out that a few so-called troublemakers were summarily dismissed as these councilors were suspected of questioning several accounting practices too extensively. Cases in hand include the illegal sand mining debacle, the missing funds from the Pasar Larut Malam @Jelatek, the illegal construction of Ampang Walk without council approval, preferences given to certain contractors and the alteration of certain council meeting minutes.

In other unrelated news, both Azmin and Zuraida were seen together purchasing over a dozen large A3-sized high power paper shredders at Low Yat Plaza. RR was also seen booking slots at the Kuala Lumpur Crematorium near Cheras.

When confronted with these accusations in an interview at her posh office in Ampang, the PKR Wanita Chief denied everything stating that the councilors’ tenure was not extended because these people were just “not right” and not because these people were suspected of leaking incidents of corrupt practices to MT contributors. When further questioned as to why Khalid never felt so, Zuraida said that it is one of the reasons why the Selangor MB was replaced as the Selangor PKR Chief himself.

The PKR Wanita Chief a few days later denied saying anything, stating that she could not had possibly be in the interview as she was actually in Paris purchasing a Berkin bag after being told by the vendor that someone from Malaysia already had the same color and therefore canceling the order. The Selangor PKR Chief later confirmed it as he stated that he was also in Paris at the same time and had met the PKR Wanita Chief for halal drinks during the exact time when the interview in Malaysia was alleged to had happened.

The editor of this news agency then decided to imitate the Selangor PKR by deciding not to extend the tenure of the interviewer stating that the latter was dismissed not because he was not in Paris to do the interview but owing to the fact that he was “not right”.

***************************************************************************

Obvious happenings inside PKR cannot be ignore if the desire to kill off UMNO for this coming 13th General Election is serious.  Many people are undecided whether replacing UMNO with PKR (a carbon copy of UMNO) is the right thing to do.

The people are fed-up with UMNO's corruption, they want an END to it.  By replacing them and putting  PKR is like going from one fire into another.

The people want to make a decent living, be friends with their neighbours, have a proper running system for transport, reasonable utilities charges, their income safe, decent education system etc...........where politicians are interested and care for the welfare of the community.

People do not want Anwar or Najib to lead because these two have dark secrets that people like the man with a tail behind his name can make use of to blackmail them. Even foreigners like Lee Kuan Yew and Obama can squeeze  their balls.

Today we have one good example how a leader can be blackmail and been led like a pariah dog here and there.  And that person is Najib.  We can see and hear how Najib talk A in front, B at the back and then flip flop to C, D and E within a day.  In the case of Tajuddin, Taib and Shahrizat, tons of evidence leading to their crime is still on K.I.V.  Two word best describe Najib - DEAD CHICKEN.  

PKR has three pariahs.  

Number 1 - Khalid may not be a good politician but he did make money for the State.  But that is all.  Khalid is weak and can be led like a pariah dog too.  As an MB he closes his eyes to Selangor Islamic Council, PKR and UMNO members to grab land and sell them to the Chinese.  The Chinese are not our Chinese but Chinese from China. The Sultan of Selangor is aware of it but since he too gets a cut, he is keeping mum.

The continuation of asking for money from businesses is on the rise even worse and has never stop since there was a change in State Government. The State Government policies are nicely package for publicity and are mismanage from top to bottom.  Khalid only takes care of his surrounding and does not bother about anything else. 

The RM1.2 billion Khalid helped make for Selangor could have been used to help Selangorians to ease their businesses or create mini projects in each housing estate,  where the people can work and feed themselves without giving them money.  If only the State Government think outside the box and care for the people.

I understand Khalid is holding onto the money and refuses to spend it because he wants to use that as a bargaining card to hold on to his post.  But if UMNO were to win in the coming election, then RM1.2 billion will be distributed into private pockets.  Again Selangorians will lose out.  So why not use it wisely and let the people remember your good work.

Number 2 - Azmin is not a millionaire but a billionaire.  And if you think he is decent, you are wrong.  Azmin is a double agent.  He plays both sides.  UMNO and PKR.  Whatever is discuss Inside PKR is known to Mahathir Kutty and Special Squad within the Army and Police.  Azmin loyalty is with Mahathir.  Anwar is just an alternative, in case something happens to Mahathir.  The sand mining, land transfer, bribes and prostitution are linked to Azmin. It is an open secret that outside the State Government Building, Azmin is the BOSS IN SELANGOR. And words has it  that Azmin has given strict instructions not to work with PAS and DAP but to grab as many seats possible from them.

Number 3 - Zuraida. Many people are cursing and swearing at this pariah for making them bankrupt.  Yes the golden Ampang Walkway.  This pariah uses people like toilet paper.  When she needs you she calls thousand and one time but when not needed she even refuses to answer your calls or sms.

These three pariahs has done nothing for their people.  So what is the difference between UMNO and PKR? NONE.

The people in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur have decided not to come out to vote for Khalid, Azmin and Zuraida. But they will fully support other PKR members especially Nurul, DAP and PAS.

So you want a change.  Make SURE THAT THE NEXT LEADER IS CLEAN.

MY CHOICE WOULD BE TONY PUA AND NURUL even though she lacks in strategic and focus.