Gold Is Money

Gold is money because it is liquid and easily tradable, with a narrow spread between the prices to buy and sell. Also, gold is easily transportable, because it has a high value for its weight. This makes gold an excellent medium of exchange.

Gold is money because it is divisible, you can divide it into coins, or re-melt it into bars, without destroying it. Also, gold is fungible, where each unit of .999 fine gold (99.9% pure) is similar enough to another unit so as to be easily interchangeable. Gold is also nearly impossible to counterfeit, as genuine gold is easily recognizable. When measured by weight, gold is easily countable, and verifiable. These properties make gold an excellent unit of account.

Gold is money because it is a great store of value. Gold is not subject to decay, rot, or rust. Gold has an intrinsic value, because it is rare, highly coveted the world over, and is a luxury item. Gold has also become more and more important as an industrial metal especially for technology applications. Because of its rarity and its durability, gold has been almost universally acceptable as money for thousands of years. As an example, in ancient Rome for an ounce of gold you would be able to purchase a very fine toga, a hand crafted belt and a pair of sandals. Today that same ounce of gold would buy us a fine suit, a hand crafted belt and a pair of shoes. Comparatively the US dollar in recent years has lost about 40% of its purchasing power.

Gold remains the only world currency not open to debasement, competitive devaluation, or the excessive promises of overspent governments.

As an investment, gold typically is viewed as a financial asset that will maintain its value during times of political, social, or economic distress. As such, gold can provide individual and institutional investors alike with a portfolio safety net against sharp downward spikes in complementary assets such as stocks and bonds


A DIFFERENT CLASS OF ASSET:

Most investment portfolios are invested primarily in traditional financial assets such as stocks and bonds. The reason for holding diverse investments is to protect the portfolio against fluctuations in the value of any single asset class.

In building an investment portfolio, investors should avoid unnecessary risk through wise diversification. Diversification is the allocation of investable funds to a variety of investments. By diversifying, investors can reduce the risk that they would otherwise bear. Also, the risk reduction benefits of diversification can be achieved without reducing the overall return on your portfolio.
The Power of Diversification

The key to diversification is finding investments that are not closely correlated with one another. Other things being equal, the less the correlation between two investments, the better suited they are for effective diversification. This gives rise to a problem for most investors because most stocks are relatively closely correlated with one another and most bonds are relatively closely correlated with each other. In addition, there is also a close correlation between stocks and bonds. Investors need to find investments that are not closely correlated to stocks and bonds and include them as additional elements in their portfolios.
Diversification Reduces Risk

Many investors combine tangible assets with their stock and bond portfolios to reduce risk. This is due to the fact that tangible assets have historically had a very low, even negative, correlation with stocks and bonds. This means that they are useful to hold in conjunction with paper investments in order to reduce total risk. Not only is the risk reduced due to negative correlation between tangible and paper assets, but tangible assets have produced exceptional investment returns on their own. Every sign today points to increasing importance for diversification; that also means increasing importance for tangible assets.

I. GOLD – STORE OF VALUE

One major reason investors look to gold as an asset class is because it will always maintain an intrinsic value. Gold will not get lost in an accounting scandal or a market collapse. Economist Stephen Harmston of Bannock Consulting had this to say in a 1998 report for the World Gold Council,

“…although the gold price may fluctuate, over the very long run gold has consistently reverted to its historic purchasing power parity against other commodities and intermediate products. Historically, gold has proved to be an effective preserver of wealth. It has also proved to be a safe haven in times of economic and social instability. In a period of a long bull run in equities, with low inflation and relative stability in foreign exchange markets, it is tempting for investors to expect continual high rates of return on investments. It sometimes takes a period of falling stock prices and market turmoil to focus the mind on the fact that it may be important to invest part of one’s portfolio in an asset that will, at least, hold its value.”

Today is the scenario that the World Gold Council report was referring to in 1998.

II. GOLD - PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFIER

The most effective way to diversify your portfolio and protect the wealth created in the stock and financial markets is to invest in assets that are negatively correlated with those markets. Gold is the ideal diversifier for a stock portfolio, simply because it is among the most negatively correlated assets to stocks.

Diversification: The Key to Gold Investing

One of the most important aspects of investing is the control of risk in your portfolio, relative to the expected return. Tangible assets are an extremely useful tool for investors in that regard.

Portfolios that contain gold are generally more robust and better able to cope with market uncertainties than those that don’t.

Adding gold to a portfolio introduces an entirely different class of asset. Gold is unusual because it is both a commodity and a monetary asset. It is an ‘effective diversifier’ because its performance tends to move independently of other investments and key economic indicators.

Recent independent studies have shown that traditional diversifiers (such as bonds and alternative assets) often fail during times of market stress or instability. Even a small allocation of gold has been proven to significantly improve the consistency of portfolio performance during both stable and unstable financial periods.

There are six primary reasons why investors own gold:

1. As a hedge against inflation.
2. As a hedge against a declining dollar.
3. As a safe haven in times of geopolitical and financial market instability.
4. As a commodity, based on gold’s supply and demand fundamentals.
5. As a store of value.
6. As a portfolio diversifier.

III. HEDGE AGAINST INFLATION

Gold is renowned as a hedge against inflation. The most consistent factor determining the price of gold has been inflation - as inflation goes up, the price of gold goes up along with it. Since the end of World War II, the five years in which U.S. inflation was at its highest were 1946, 1974, 1975, 1979, and 1980. During those five years, the average real return on stocks, as measured by the Dow, was -12.33%; the average real return on gold was 130.4%.

Today, a number of factors are conspiring to create the perfect inflationary storm: extremely stimulative monetary policy, a major tax cut, a long term decline in the dollar, a spike in oil prices, a mammoth trade deficit, and America’s status as the world’s biggest debtor nation. Almost across the board, commodity prices up despite the short-term absence of a weakening dollar which is often viewed as the principal reason for stronger commodity prices.

Oil, Inflation and Gold
Although the prices of gold and oil don’t exactly mirror one another, there is no question that oil prices do affect gold prices. If oil prices rise or fall sharply, investors can expect a corresponding reaction in gold prices, often with a lag. There have been two major upward moves in the price of gold since it was freed to float in 1968. The first occurred between 1972 and 1974 when oil prices climbed 325%, from US$2.44 to US$10.36. During the same period, gold prices rose 268% (on a quarterly average basis) from US$47.45 to US$174.76. The second major price move occurred between 1978 and 1980, when oil prices increased 105%, from US$12.70 to US$26.00. Over the same period, quarterly average gold prices rose 254% from US$178.33 to US$631.40.

IV. GOLD - HEDGE AGAINST A DECLINING DOLLAR

Gold is bought and sold in U.S. dollars, so any decline in the value of the dollar causes the price of gold to rise. The U.S. dollar is the world’s reserve currency - the primary medium for international transactions, the principal store of value for savings, the currency in which the worth of commodities and equities are calculated, and the currency primarily held as reserves by the world’s central banks. However, now that it has been stripped of its gold backing international banks and Countries are reviewing there currency reserve options

V. GOLD AS A SAFE HAVEN

Despite the fact that the United States is the world’s only remaining superpower, there are a myriad of problems festering around the world, any one of which could erupt with little warning. Gold has often been called the “crisis commodity” because it tends to outperform other investments during periods of world tensions. The very same factors that cause other investments to suffer cause the price of gold to rise. A bad economy can sink poorly run banks. Bad banks can sink an entire economy. And, perhaps most importantly to the rest of the world, the integration of the global economy has made it possible for banking and economic failures to destabilise the world economyAs banking crises occur, the public begins to distrust paper assets and turns to gold for a safe haven.

When all else fails, governments rescue themselves with the printing press, making their currency worth less and gold worth more. Gold has always risen the most when confidence in government is at its lowest.

VI. GOLD - SUPPLY AND DEMAND

First, demand is out pacing supply across the board. Gold production is declining; Copper production is declining; the production of lead and other metals is declining. It is very difficult to open new mines when the whole process takes about seven years on average, making it hard to address the supply issue quickly. Gold output in South Africa, the world’s largest gold producer, fell to its lowest level since 1931 this past year as the rand’s gains prompted Harmony Gold Mining Co. and rivals to close mines despite 16 year highs in the gold price.

Growing Demand - China, India and Gold India is the largest gold-consuming nation in the world. China, on the other hand, has the fastest-growing economy in modern history. Both India and China are in the process of liberalizing laws relating to the import and sale of gold in ways that will facilitate gold purchases on a mammoth scale.

China is teaching the West something new. Its economy, growing at 9 percent per year, is expected to become the second largest in the world by 2020, behind only the United States. Last year Americans spent $162 billion more on Chinese goods than the Chinese spent on U.S. products. That gap has been growing by more than 25 percent per year. China’s consumer class, meanwhile, is spending on everything from bagels to Bentleys – and will soon outnumber the entire U.S. population. China’s explosive growth “could be the dominant event of this century,” says Stapleton Roy, former U.S. Ambassador to China. “Never before has a country risen as fast as China is doing.”

Integrity: What option for Malaysia? — Tunku Abdul Aziz

The upsurge of interest in integrity and ethics is not without a good reason. People all over the world have realized that human progress is unlikely to be sustainable without all of us adopting and embracing universal human values — values that transcend cultural, religious and political barriers.

In Malaysia we have the best legal framework, rules, regulations and procedures, but corrupt practices continue unchecked because those entrusted to serve the community are themselves morally and ethically deficient and devoid of ethical values and high standards of personal and public behaviour.

If we lose our competitive position because we are corrupt and lack integrity, we are putting our future as a nation at risk. Corruption kills competition, breeds inefficiency, distorts our decision making processes and promotes social and political instability in the long run.

I believe that in societies where integrity is firmly entrenched, corruption can be kept firmly under control.

We have to refocus our vision and reshape our views and ideas on what can be done to fight unethical public behaviour, not only on our own turf, but equally important, on the international front because cross-border corruption represents a major source of social, economic and political instability and distortion, if not dealt with decisively.

In the globalised world in which we operate with its own set of demanding rules of engagement, with emphasis on transparency and accountability, we have to learn quickly to be adaptable or we will be marginalised.

However described, corruption exacts a heavy toll on a nation's social, political, and economic development. Anyone trying to persuade you that corruption is a victimless crime is just being cynical.

There are victims out there all right, if only we care to open our eyes.

As always, they represent the underclass, and are among the poorest, and the least informed and educated members of our society. They are men and women who because of their economic status do not even know their rights as citizens.

The recent Malaysian Indian demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur could well have been a manifestation of a sense of being excluded from mainstream economic and social development. There are large numbers of people in Peninsular, Sarawak and Sabah who are in the same boat, and the government must ensure that its service delivery meets their expectations.

I very much hope that we are not fighting corruption for its own sake, or just to feel good for that would be tantamount to abandoning a large part of mankind to perpetual misery and degradation in the face of the relentless onslaught of human greed. We fight corruption not only to be globally competitive, but more to the point, to bring about social justice and to make a difference to the lives of the poor, the real victims of corruption.

The long term, sustainable prosperity of any country depends entirely on good governance, a comprehensive, overarching system for managing the often complex social, economic and political needs of a modern state, underpinned by strong ethical principles.

The current financial crisis has many lessons for us. One is that there is really no substitute for international standards of business conduct; standards that are firmly grounded in transparency, accountability and integrity. Bad governance, whether private sector or government, contributes directly to inefficiency and corruption. Every financial crisis that has hit our nation has had elements of inefficiency, greed

and corruption in the final equation. An absence of integrity is not good for business, especially international business.

Corruption in Malaysia is alive and well as revealed in survey after survey. The latest to confirm this is a report released by the World Bank. The economic strength and prosperity of our nation must begin with confronting and resolving our internal structural weaknesses, of which corruption is a serious impediment to global competitiveness.

We have to keep ourselves abreast of best international practices if there is to be a return of public confidence in the way we conduct our business affairs. We have to raise the ethical bar by putting ethics in the driving seat.

The international punishment for breaches of business ethics meted out to a country perceived to be corrupt such as ours can be swift and damaging in real terms.

Ethical behaviour is no longer the luxury of the virtuous; it has become a business necessity. Malaysia's capacity to prosper must be predicated on the highest international ethical standards. The way forward for Malaysia is to embrace integrity and put it to good use in our fight for a place at the global top table of clean nations. Is the government up to the task?

M'sia among corrupt nations where bribes total US$40bil

Corruption remains a top scourge in Malaysia, where nearly half of the corporate respondents in a survey admitting to having paid bribes or knowing someone who had done so.

The South-East Asian nation is not alone in this dilemma, where precious funds are being bled and siphoned away from the system, helping to perpetuate a vicious cycle of poverty where the rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer.

According to the Global Corruption Report 2009 published by Transparency International, corruption is most rampant in developing and transition countries.

And companies there have supplied bribes estimated at up to US$40 billion annually to corrupt politicians and government officials.

“The government has recognised the problem and promised to curb corruption, but results have so far not met the expectations,” Paul Low, president of Transparency International Malaysia, told a press conference unveiling GCR.

“Ultimately, it is citizens who has to bear the brunt. Consumers around the world were overcharged approximately US$300 billion through almost 300 private international cartels discovered from 1990 to 2005,” he said.

Corruption the No 2 obstacle in Malaysia

In Malaysia, business leaders rank corruption as the second most problematic factor for doing business in the country, with 47% of corporate respondents in the Transparency International Malaysia Transparency Perception Survey 2007 admitting to having bribed someone or knowing someone who had done so, mainly to avoid inconvenience.

Revolving doors between public office and the private sector, another practice documented in the report, provide a smooth path to deceitful public procurement deals where non-competitive bidding and opaque processes lead to immense waste and unreliable services or goods, Paul said.

Many of the countries found at the bottom of TI’s yearly Corruption Perceptions Index – which measures perceived levels of public-sector corruption in over 170 countries – are not only victim to unscrupulous governments but to major firms that are more than willing to enter into corrupt deals with these governments.

These intricate webs, involving more than simple bribes, are possible because companies believe that they can get away with such criminal practices.

"Society believes that nothing can be done. There is a sense of hopelessness and the people entrusted with the authority and power to change things are not committed or are unable to do so," said Paul.

"It also does not help that the anti-graft body have time and again failed to catch the 'big fish' who are said to be the real culprits behind graft cases."

Understated, ambitious and preparing to be wealthy

SINGAPORE, Sept 24 — The next generation of wealthy individuals will likely defy cultural and social stereotypes of the wealthy of an older, less globalised age, says a study conducted by wealth management consultancy Scorpio Partnership and The Standard Chartered Private Bank.

Seeking to profile potential high net worth individuals, the global study polled 1,414 persons with an average wealth of US$2 million (RM7 million) each, on their lifestyles, financial motivations, goals and attitudes towards wealth.

Confidence levels among this group of “future wealthy” remain high, the survey, conducted online over May and June, found. Four in 10 managed to make money through the recent economic crisis, and, on average, have ambitions to quadruple their current levels of wealth within five to 10 years.

The study said 78 per cent also expect their personal wealth to grow over the next 12 months.

Those in emerging markets seemed especially confident — over 80 per cent of respondents from Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, as well as the Indian sub-continent, Middle East and Africa, expect to make money in the coming year.

Posting the highest wealth targets in the longer-term were respondents from Continental Europe, Asia and the Indian sub-continent.

But, the future wealthy's attitudes towards wealth creation, saving and spending will likely differ from the present generation of wealthy, the report said.

Debunking the marketing myth that increased wealth raises demand for high-profile labels, the report found that this group of potential wealthy would rather “focus on brands that deliver a quality experience with perhaps just a hint of understated luxury” — choosing a car with “sleek design and driving excellence” over one “that is a trifle more loud”, for instance.

Interestingly, the future wealthy also wish to be known for their generosity and hospitality, more than for their financial acumen.

But regional variations abound. While 23 per cent of those in the Indian sub-continent and 22 per cent of those in Asia wanted to be “remembered for making money”, only 6 per cent of North American respondents did.

Instead, 61 per cent of North American respondents want to be remembered “for being a good person”.

Salary remains the most important source of wealth for 96 per cent of the “future wealthy”. Listed investments rank second, with 61 per cent considering these an important wealth generator despite the financial crisis.

Given that 80 per cent of Asian respondents cited listed investments as a key source of wealth for them, Asia's reputation as an investor's hub may strengthen in time, the report said.

Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is mostly likely to be a source of wealth in the UK and the Indian sub-continent, where one quarter and one fifth of respondents respectively expect the sale of a business to generate significant wealth for them in future. — Business Times Singapore

My 5 Biggest Trading Mistakes in Stock & Future Market

All stock traders had their good and bad days. In my years of trading in stocks, index futures, commodities, and options, I would say that I made a lot of mistakes and therefore lose money or make profits lesser than what I am supposed to earn. The worst of all these was that I kept repeating my same mistakes again and again. I knew where I had gone wrong in my trading strategies. I would like to put up this blog post to share with you of my trading mistakes as well as to serve as a reminder to myself so that I will not repeat it. I look at financial speculation as a serious business and I am adamantly committed to this course to unlock the secrets of the stock markets. It is one thing to know the workings of the stock markets, and another to get rid of our natural habits that are not built for financial investment and speculation profession. We must work hard to improve our trading skills and accuracy as well as getting rid of the bad habits that is in-built in us that cause us to lose money in the long run.

5 Big Lessons that You Can Learn from my Trading Mistakes

1. Exit stocks position and take profits too early.
2. Too focused in short term market fluctuation rather than the longer term market outlook.
3. Too much trading activities.
4. Committing too much percentage of my trading capital in my initial trade entry.
5. Allowing myself to lose money in a streak by refusing to walk away from the stock markets.

Stock Market Principle #1: Cut your Losses Quick and Let your Profits Run

In my attempts to maximize profits, I became too smart. I try to outsmart the market by thinking that I can temporarily exit my profitable position during market correction or retracement. I said that I would buy back the shares when it reaches the market bottom. It sounds good and sounds wise too. But far from the truth of the matter, the stock market corrections usually seem to be very brief and suddenly the stocks prices gap up and shoot higher and higher. In my attempt to bring in more profits, I actually paid more trading commissions and also the loss of profit opportunity. It also increases my risks level because I have to buy back the shares at higher prices. On one occasion, I exited too early and see the stocks soars higher up to 10x of my entry level. Argghhh…..
Stock Market Principle #2: Power of Multiple Time Frames and Strength of Longer Term Market Trends

Basically I always based my market outlook on the longer term stock market trends. I often look at stock charts using monthly, weekly and daily multiple time frames. Weekly and monthly candlesticks chart shows the primary direction of the stock market. It is also less susceptible to market noises. If you and I were to base purely of monthly and weekly stock chart prices, we could profit much from the longer term market trend. However, I do use hourly intraday chart for quicker action on fast moving markets like commodities and index futures. Nothing wrong with using hourly chart. It is just that most of the time, the longer term market trend based on the monthly chart or weekly chart takes precedence over the stock movement. The problem that I faced is that I am too focusing on market fluctuations rather than stock market trends. Instead of looking up to the stock market primary trend and riding the market waves, I constantly clear my profitable portfolio too early. I discovered that I was wrong but it was too late. Damaging to my wallet, it is. So, by not using longer term market outlook and combining it with multiple time frames as a confirmation indicator, I lose money and cut my profits away quickly. Argghhh…..
Stock Market Principle #3: Active Trading in Stock Market Kills

The following concept or advice is one of the most important pieces of stock market wisdom you might hear before. Do nothing but sit on your position. Yes. Idling can be the best action that you take. My problem is that I trade too often. It is my bad habit to get in and out of the market so frequently. That shows how immature I am. Most the money that I made was just doing nothing but holding on to my winning position. I have to tell myself repeatedly "Hold! Hold! Hold! Don’t exit your winning position yet." Again, and again, making the same mistake. I have to change my bad trading habits. Argghhh…..
Stock Market Principle #4: Never Over Trade.

Greed kills the fishes. That is why fishing works all the time. Decades after decades, fishes would bite the bait. The fishes never seem to learn. So are we in the world of financial markets. We are always the fool, the meal, and the dumb fishes. Oh, I forgot to tell you, no matter how many generations had passed, the fishes never learn from their parents on how to feed wisely without getting killed. I can’t blame the fishes because it is just an instinct. So are we. I often commit more than I should in my initial trade only to find out that the confirmation has not been given after a trading signal had triggered. As long as there is no confirmation, the trading signal can be void and the prevailing trend resumes its course. "Ben, you better remember not to over trade. Wait for confirmation for the chart patterns. How many times it catches you just like the fishes?" Argghhh…..
Stock Market Principle #5: Understand your Personal Ebb and Flow Cycles

Sometimes, personal cycles of ebb and flow set in. Like it or not, someday isn’t made to be your day. You can use all the techniques you know and proven before, it just doesn’t want to work. The same goes for the stock market. As in the case of Mercury retrograde from the geocentric perspective, sometimes technical analysis signal just fails outright. So, whenever I had a string of continuous losses, I told myself to stop trading for a day or two. This is the technique I devised to cut down the effect of personal ebbs and flows that surround us. Some other people called this luck factor. Whatever you call it, just remember to stop trading when you have a streak of losses. Break the pattern of losing in stock market just as what Anthony Robbins teaches about habits and breaking disempowering belief system. My failure to walk away from the stock market always causes me more than what I am willing to pay. Argghhh…..

It is not the techniques of analyzing the stock markets that I lacked but the good trading habits that are lacking in most if not all traders and investors. That is why 80% to 95% of the investors and speculators are losing money in the stock markets. People like fishes aren’t built to trade in the financial markets. Greed is like baits that draw the fishes to the hook. Nevertheless, losses are good for traders because it shapes them to be a better one. Just like what was said in the Bible, that it was easy to take the Israel out of Egypt but it was hard to take Egypt out of Israel. Think about this. You might be focusing on the wrong learning path. Many people focus on the stock picking techniques and market timing methods but only few are focusing on money management and the habits of a better stock trader. I promised myself to be a better and wiser investor and speculator. See you at the top.

Rx for money woes: Doctors quit medicine

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Some 5,000 patients suddenly found themselves without an ob/gyn last November when Dr. Tara Wah closed her practice in Tallahassee, Fla.

Wah, 55, informed her patients in a letter that she could "no longer afford to make ends meet."

After 24 years, "I'm working longer hours than ever," she wrote. "Insurance payments for patient care have stayed virtually the same for the last 15 years, while the cost of doing business, including health insurance, staff salaries and supplies have risen."

The rising cost of malpractice insurance, particularly for her specialty, was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"My malpractice insurance was $125,000 a year, and going up," said Wah. "The only way to get the extra money was to cut back on my salary."

But it wasn't always like that. Being a doctor was once thought to be a path to a cushy lifestyle. Six years after she started practicing, Wah hit her "peak" income year in 1990. Then she took a pay cut every year from 1993 onward, to eventually take no salary for two months prior to permanently shutting her office.
Wasted skills

Wah no longer practices medicine. Instead, she designs and repairs jewelry. "I feel guilty. I dream about [medicine]," she said. "[But] I am so angry. I think, 'What a waste of my training.' "

Wah's situation sheds light on a troubling trend of physicians leaving medicine for a career outside of health care, said Kurt Mosley, a staffing expert with Merritt Hawkins & Associates, a physician search and consulting firm.
0:00 /5:27Health care's whistle-blower

A first-ever survey of 12,000 primary care physicians conducted last October by Merritt Hawkins and the Physicians' Foundation, an organization that represent the interests of physicians, showed that 10.1% of respondents planned to seek a job outside of health care in the next one to three years.

"That is a big number. It's just very sad," said Mosley, especially in light of the shortage of primary care doctors in the United States today.

The American Medical Association said it is aware of this trend, citing the survey, but said it does not have data to show how many doctors have already prematurely exited the profession.

Regardless, Mosley said it's a waste of training, skill, talent and money when a doctor leaves the profession in mid-career.

It takes a minimum of 10 to 12 years of training to become a doctor. In Wah's case, she underwent 10 years of training, including medical school and residency, before she entered the workforce.

While some enter medicine because they believe it pays well, most choose it as a career because they feel it's their calling.

"For many it's not about the money. They have a passion for it, to take care of people," said Mosley. "It's not easy to feel that passionately for another career after medicine."
Waste of taxpayer money

It's also a waste of taxpayer money when a physician opts out. "We are all paying out of our pockets to produce doctors," said Mosley.

That's because medical residency programs are mostly funded by Medicare to the tune of $9 billion to train about 100,000 residents annually, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

"It's Medicare that funds hospital costs to house residency programs, pay salaries of residents and sometimes pay faculties' salaries," said Mosley.

Dr. Patricia Perry, 44, a dermatologist based in Burbank, Calif., operates a solo practice. She mostly performs medical procedures such as skin biopsies.

Perry said she's "seeking to get out" of her profession because she's fed up with insurance reimbursement challenges while struggling to cover other costs associated with being a doctor.

"When you get to a point where you feel unappreciated and you're arguing with people about being paid, it takes away the passion for what you do," Perry said.

Daryl Richard, a spokesman for insurer UnitedHealthcare (UHC), said his company is taking steps to address some of providers' concerns.

"We agree 100% that there is too much paperwork" tied to reimbursement claims, he said.

Richard said UnitedHealthcare offers a Web-based application to all of its providers that will enable the company to adjudicate claims to determine a reimbursement and a patient's out-of-pocket expense "by the time the patient makes it to the (doctor's) front desk."

"This takes away some of the unknown for both providers and consumers," he added.

Perry pays $2,500 a year in malpractice insurance. "I am licensed in three states. To maintain my license I have to pay a fee every one to two years in each state," she said. She also pays a considerable amount of money every year to attend annual trade conferences required by her specialty to update and hone her skills.
0:00 /2:26Health care disagreements

She said many physicians are scared to speak out about their money woes because they don't want to be perceived as "greedy."

"I have news for you. You are already being perceived that way," she said.

Dr. Kenneth Cohn, a general surgeon with an MBA who tours the country advising doctors on non-clinical job options, says there's a high-level of angst among U.S. physicians. "There's absolutely a greater number who are looking for other job opportunities," he said.

It's a reality that we have to deal with, Cohn said. The implication of it on the health care system, he said, is that doctors may have to increasingly use nurse practitioners and physicians assistants to fill in the gaps. They may also need to look to newer delivery concepts such as medical homes, in which doctor take more of a managerial role in a patient's health care.
'Insurance company is dictating what I do'

Dr. Douglas Evans, 50, a pediatrician based in St. Joseph, Mo., said he's considering a mid-career change if insurer-provider relations aren't reformed.

"I had a young football player in my office [this week]. His symptoms indicate a problem with his neck," he said in an example. "But I have to get authorization from his insurance company first to get an X-ray or an MRI. It's an example of how insurance companies dictate to me what I have to do."

Evans is frustrated that this process will delay treatment by several days.

"My first concern is that he's young and has his career in front of him," he said. "My second concern is that there's a predatory lawyer out there," meaning that if his patient's condition worsens while he waits to get authorization, it could expose him to a malpractice suit.

And Evans said insufficient reimbursement from insurers is posing a heavy financial burden on his practice.

"You can't go to Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) and pay half the price for a loaf of bread and take the whole bread," he said. Still, he said many doctors have a hard time turning away patients for this reason alone, and end up absorbing the costs.

He warns that unless things improve, only those providers who can't afford to do something else will be left in the system. "I am looking for something that's still science related, like teaching biology at a university," said Evans.

Wah is disillusioned and disappointed, but maybe not completely bitter.

"For the young doctors who are just getting started, I want to say don't give up," she said.

"After taking some time off , I might be able to do some volunteer work," she said. "I do love medicine, but I'm not [mentally] in a place right now to come back." To top of page

Temasek gains $30bn from market rally

The global market rally had added S$42bn (US$29.7bn) to the market value of Temasek’s investment portfolio since the end of March, Singapore’s state investment company said on Thursday.

The mark-to-market value of the portfolio fell to S$130bn at the end of the financial year in March, but recovered to S$172bn by the end of July — just 7 per cent below its peak of S$185bn in March last year.

Temasek said the recovery reflected its efforts to “continue to reshape our portfolio mix actively”. However, it also said the recovery since March was “broadly in line with the markets”.

In its annual review, the group said net profit fell to S$6bn for the financial year, compared with S$18bn in the previous year. Its total shareholder returns for the year fell by 30 per cent, measured by market value, but remained at 16 per cent over the 35 years since the group was founded.

The sharp fall in profits means that some Temasek executives will suffer cuts in remuneration as bonuses are clawed back for the first time in the company’s history.

However, S. Dhanabalan, chairman, said the worst of the global crisis was over, thanks to extraordinary fiscal and monetary measures set in place by the US and other governments. “These moves have averted extreme meltdown risks, but added the risks of inflation and asset misallocations in the medium term,” he said.

Temasek said the lower returns reflected the generally weaker operating performances of its portfolio companies as a result of the global slowdown, as well as gains and losses from S$16bn of divestments.

These included the sale of stakes in Bank of America and Barclays, the UK bank, as well as positions in Bank Internasional Indonesia and China Minsheng Bank, but not the proposed sale of a 62 per cent stake in Singapore’s loss making Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, which has yet to be completed.

Temasek defended its sale of the 3.8 per cent holding in BofA, which is estimated by analysts to have incurred a loss of between US$2.3bn and US$4.6bn and attracted unusual public criticism in Singapore.

The group said it decided to sell in spite of incurring a loss because the risk-return profile of its initial US$5.9bn holding in Merrill Lynch “shifted substantially” after the investment bank was acquired by BofA in January.

It made no comment on the sale of a stake of almost 2 per cent in Barclays, which is also thought by analysts to have incurred a loss. Other divestments included two power generating companies in Singapore, completing a divestment programme involving three generators that raised more than S$11bn.

The improvement in the value of the portfolio includes the impact of investments of nearly S$5bn in the nine months to the end of July as the group took up its share of rights issues in companies including Standard Chartered, the UK bank, Singapore’s DBS banking group and CapitaLand, the Singapore property group.

Temasek said it had invested a total of S$9bn during the financial year, including about S$700m for a stake of less than 5 per cent in Hong Kong-based Li & Fung, one of the world’s biggest supply chain managers.

The group did not directly address claims by critics that its portfolio losses last year reflected over-investment in western assets, including holdings in financial groups acquired as the global financial crisis was beginning.

However, it said its underlying exposure to Singapore and the 30 developed economies of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development had been reduced from more than 80 per cent to just over 50 per cent. OECD exposure now accounts for about 20 per cent of investments, mostly in Australia.

The group also said that returns from investments made since March 2002, when it began to invest widely in Asia following the appointment of Ho Ching as chief executive, had been significantly greater than returns on earlier investments, which were mostly in Singapore.

It said the annualised return on investments for the past seven years was 19 per cent, compared to 9 per cent for those made before the change in strategy. “We have increased our exposure to Asia since 2002, riding with its deep and long wave of growth and transformation,” it said.

The group said it was “optimistic” about Asia’s long term potential and would target exposure to the region at about 40 per cent of investments, including 20 per cent in China, with Singapore remaining steady at about 30 per cent, OECD countries at 20 per cent and other regions at 10 per cent.

It made no comment on possible listings for major holdings such as Singapore Power and PSA, the Singapore ports operator, which were last month identified by Ms Ho as possible candidates for public offerings.

Officials have said that decisions on when and whether to list will be left to the operating companies’ boards. Bankers in Singapore say any listing of PSA is unlikely for two to three years.

Welcome to millionaire country!

SINGAPORE, Sept 17 — Thanks to the global economic crisis, wealth destruction has slashed the net worth of the rich all over. Singapore, however, has managed to stay on top with the highest concentration of millionaires.

According to a report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 8.5 per cent of Singapore households had more than US$1 million (RM3.5 million) in assets under management (AUM) in 2008.

The global economic crisis has, however, eroded some wealth here. According to earlier reports, BCG found that Singapore had the highest concentration of millionaires in 2007 too, but the percentage then was higher: 10.6 per cent.

Switzerland has the second highest concentration of millionaires at 6.6 per cent followed by Kuwait with 5.1 per cent.

Globally, the picture was not as rosy.

The number of millionaire households worldwide fell from 11 million to about 9 million, representing a drop of 17.8 per cent. The decline was steepest in North America and Europe, at 22 per cent in both regions, although the US continued to have the most millionaire households at nearly four million.

Interestingly, the BCG report found that the crisis narrowed the gap between the wealthy and non-wealthy. Wealth owned by households with less than US$100,000 in AUM increased 2 per cent in 2008; it declined in all other segments. Among households with more than US$5 million in AUM, wealth fell 21.5 per cent.

This was attributed to the number of non-wealthy households rising 4 per cent and the number of wealthy households declining 12 per cent.

Things could start looking up next year.

“Wealth will begin a slow recovery in 2010 but may not reach its pre-crisis level until 2013,” said Ranu Dayal, a BCG senior partner and managing director based in Singapore. “We expect wealth to grow at an average annual rate of about 4 per cent from year-end 2008 through 2013.”

Dayal also believes wealth will grow fastest in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) at 9.5 per cent per year over the same period.

Still, Europe is currently the richest region in the world, after nudging out North America.

Europe had US$32.7 trillion in AUM in 2008, down 5.8 per cent from the previous year, followed by North America, with US$29.3 trillion.

Offshore wealth fell to US$6.7 trillion in 2008, down from US$7.3 trillion in 2007. Switzerland remained the largest offshore centre; it accounted for US$1.8 trillion, or 28 per cent of offshore wealth last year. Together, the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Dublin accounted for US$1.5 trillion while the US accounted for US$0.4 trillion.

Singapore accounted for US$0.5 trillion of offshore wealth while Hong Kong accounted for US$0.2 trillion.

BCG said that increased regulatory scrutiny is changing the landscape of cross-border wealth management, with pressure mounting on offshore centres that have based their edge primarily on tax avoidance. “Once their tax and legal advantages evaporate, so too will their appeal,” Dayal said. “Being inconspicuous is a tenuous value proposition in an era of increasing oversight,” he added.

BCG does, however, believe that Singapore and Hong Kong will continue to benefit from their proximity to other Asian countries, where wealth is expected to stage a faster recovery. — Business Times Singapore

Facebook finally make money

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 16 — Facebook is making enough money to cover its costs and now has 300 million users, the world’s largest social networking site said yesterday, proving the Internet’s newest star industry can be a viable business.

Facebook is now generating enough cash to cover its operating expenses, as well as the capital spending needed to maintain its fast-growing service.

Analysts said this shows the financial viability of Facebook, which has faced questions about its underlying business model, despite its popularity, and was a good sign for a potential initial public offering.

“It’s certainly meaningful to show that this is absolutely the real deal,” said Broadpoint Amtech analyst Ben Schachter. “They are executing. People are spending money on the site.”

Since its creation in a Harvard dorm room five years ago, Facebook has emerged as one of the Internet’s most popular destinations and is increasingly challenging the Web’s established powerhouses like Yahoo Inc and Google Inc.

Facebook unveiled a revamped search engine last month and is currently testing an online payment system. Facebook users have tripled from about 100 million a year ago.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post on the company site yesterday that Facebook reached its goal of being free cash flow positive in its most recently ended quarter. The company had previously projected reaching the target sometime in 2010.

“This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term,” said Zuckerberg in the blog post.

Facebook spokesperson Larry Yu said the free cash flow metric does not include any cash from private investment.

In May, Facebook announced a US$200 million (RM700 million) investment from Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies in a deal that valued the company’s preferred shares at US$10 billion.

DST valued Facebook’s common shares at US$6.5 billion in a subsequent deal to purchase shares from Facebook employees.

Facebook’s becoming cash flow positive ahead of schedule provides another nugget of data to back up the lofty valuations, and according to one analyst, makes Facebook a more attractive candidate for a potential public offering.

“They can command higher confidence from investors now,” said Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal, who noted that he believes Facebook could go public in the second half of 2010, or in 2011.

Zuckerberg said in May that any IPO is “a few years out.”

Facebook did not provide any other financial details yesterday. The company has previously said its revenue was on track to grow 70 per cent this year.

Facebook board member Mark Andreesen told Reuters earlier this year that the company will surpass US$500 million in revenue this year.

Zuckerberg said in his post that the company is exploring ways to make the service perform faster and more efficiently as the number of Facebook users continues to grow. — Reuters

Catitan Ziarah Ramadan Ke Aceh Darusalam

Flight firefly fy3401 berlepas pkl 1030 pagi ke Banda Aceh dan sampai pada pkl 11.20 pagi waktu Aceh. Waktu Aceh mengikut waktu Indonesia barat yakni 1 jam lebih lewat dari waktu Malaysia. Penerbangan yang mengambil masa lebih kurang 1 jam 45 minit berjalan lancer, cuaca baik, pemandangan cantik pada ketinggian 20 ribu kaki. Lepas pemeriksaan imegresen dan kastam, saya naik teksi ke pusat bandar menuju hotel lading. Sampai kat situ dalam pkl 12 tgh tetapi malang semua bilik telah penuh, driver teksi bagi cadangan hotel lain berdekatan yang bernama wisma darulsalam . kos tambang teksi 60k rupiah. Kadar sewa bilik hotel 200k rupiah. Hotel yang agak kecil dan tidak menarik ini memang kurang memuaskan hati saya. Dah lama tuala pun kena pi minta, kain selimut pun tidak disediakan. Bantal pun tak ikut standard, dan macam2 lagi ketidakpuasan hati saya. Cuma yang jadi kelebihan utamanya lokasi yang berdekatan mesjid raya baitulrahman . Jadi saya bersabar untuk stay 1 malam sebelumberpindah ke hotel lain yang lebih bagus. Lepas check in sy keluar jalan2 sekitar kota Aceh sambil ambil gambar2 mesjid raya baitullrahman dan kawasan sekitar. Mesjid raya baitulrahman yang agak besar dan terkenal di seluruh dunia selepas bencana tsunami 2004 yang telah meragut nyawa lebih 150 ribu orang.
Pada sebelah petang sy kluar melawat gerai2 jualan makanan dan minuman sekitar mesjid raya baitulrahman. Kedai2 dan gerai2 makanan hanya dibuka selepas pkl 3 petang waktu tempatan. Sebenarnya wilayah Aceh telah mendapat hak autonomi khas yang membezakan dengan wilayah2 lain di Indonesia. Aceh yang digelar serambi mekah dan aceh darul salam memang terkenal dengan keagungan islam dimana lebih 90 peratus penduduknya beragama islam. Mengikut sejarah Aceh memang berpengaruh dan mempunyai kekuatan ketenteraan yang disegani di rantau asia tenggara. Semasa pemerintahan sultan iskandar thani, wilayah pemerintahannya mencapai seluruh sumetera dan melewati semenanjung tanah melayu hingga ke kedah dan perak. Wilayah aceh juga mempunyai simpanan sumber asli seperti gas dan minyak petroleum yang agak banyak. Selepas hampir 5 tahun dilanda tsunami, kota banda aceh telah dibina semula dengan lebih besar dan luas.
Untuk juadah berbuka puasa sy beli nasi campur aceh yg berlauk ikan kerapu goring, sayuran2, kuah kari serta sambal dengan harga 30k rupiah. Waktu berbuka puasa di aceh adalah pada pkl 650 waktu tempatan. Selepas berbuka kat bilik hotel sy bergerak ke mesjid baitul rahman untuk solat magrib, sementara menunggu solat isyak dan trawih sy kluar jalan2 sekitar gerai2 berhampiran mesjid. Ada macam2 jenis barang2 dijual disitu seperti kepiah, seluar, baju, makanan, rokok dan lain2. Dan yang paling unik ialah ada banyak gerai yg menjual sireh serta buah pinang muda. Nampaknya budaya makan sireh pinang masih wujud lagi di sini. Juga terdapat ramai pengemis yg bertapak sekitar mesjid . Selepas solat isyak ada ceramah Ramadan dalam 10 minit sebelum solat sunat trawih. Selepas solat sunat trawih sy balik ke bilik hotel, tengok tv dan rileks2. Dalam pkl 11 malam sy kluar makan kat café berhampiran hotel, order mee goring Indonesia dan teo o ais limau. Café yg agak moden dan selesa itu ada free wifi, sy bawa laptop skali untuk surfing internet kat situ sambil check email, update twitter dan blog serta tengok perkembangan pasaran saham global. Lepas 1 jam kat café tu sy balik ke bilik hotel utk tidor. Kos makanan dan minuman kat café tu sebanyak 27 ribu rupiah, boleh tahan juga dengan kualiti makanan serta suasana rilex dan santai kat situ.
Pada hari ke-2 kat banda aceh sy bangun lewat sikit iaitu lebih kurang pkl 10 waktu tempatan. Tidor kurang memuaskan disebabkan oleh nyamuk banyak kat situ. Lepas mandi sy kluar menuju ke cyber café berhampiran mesjid baitulrahman. Lepak sejam kat cc tu, check email serta tengok berita2 terkini kat Malaysia dan seluruh dunia disamping update twitter dan blog. Pkl 12 tgh balik ke bilik untuk persiap check out menuju hotel lain yang lebih bagus. Sy dapat maklumat kat wikitravel.org yg rekomen hotel sultan . Lepas check out sy naik bechak (teksi motor) menuju ke hotel sultan yang sebenarnya berjarak tak sampai 100 meter dari hotel yg sy stay semalam. Tambang bechak 10 ribu rupiah, sampai kat hotel sultan terus tengok bilik dulu sebelum check in. Bilik yg agak besar dan cantik kat hotel ni dgn kadar 300 ribu rupiah, ada tv 21”, air panas, bath tab dan lantai kayu serta sejadah. Memang ternyata 3x lebih baik dari hotel yg sy stay semalam. Kat lobi hotel ada free wifi. Lepas byr guna kredit kad sy check in masuk hotel, tengok tv ada channel HBO, star movie serta banyak lagi channel Indonesia yang mempunyai cerita drama yang menarik seperti Manohara, Dewi Sandra dan Bunga Lestari. Pkl 130 tgh sy bergerak menuju ke mesjid baitulrahman untuk solat jumaat. Mesjid yang paling besar di aceh ini mampu memuatkan lebih 10 ribu jemaah. Ramai betol orang yg datang solat jumaat, ruang solat didalam sudah penuh, ada yang solat kat luar sahaja. Saya nampak ada sekumpulan jemaah perempuan lebih kurang 30 orang yang datang solat jumaat termasuk kanak2. Khutbah yg disampaikan agak menarik dan bersemangat berkaitan isu local dan semasa, tak seperti dikebanyakan mesjid kat Malaysia yg khutbahnya agak membosankan serta boleh membuatkan kita terlelap.
Lepas solat jumaat sy singgah kat cc berhampiran mesjid, saja online 30 minit untuk test kelajuan internet kat situ. Kelajuan boleh tahan juga dengan 1 mbs, 1 jam 4 ribu rupiah, pc p4 ke atas, ram 512 mb , monitor lcd 17” acer. Kemudian sy balik ke hotel tengok tv sekejap kemudian tidor smpai pkl 5 ptg waktu aceh. Pada sebelah petang sy keluar jalan2 sekitar hotel untuk mencari juadah berbuka, sy beli nasi padang lauk daging sapi, sayur pucuk ubi rebus dan kuah kari special. Kemudian sy beli air es campur special, kuih2 tradisional aceh. Sy berbuka kat bilik hotel, sedap juga nasi padang dgn es campur. Lepas solat terawih sy kluar cari makanan untuk sahur, jumpa satay sapi padang dengan kuah kacang special, memang sedap, lain dari satay kat Malaysia. Kuahnya memang sedap giler.
Pada hari ke-3 kat Aceh, sy check out pkl 11 pagi dan bergerak ke pelabuhan Ulee Olee menaiki labi-labi dengan tambang 30 ribu rupiah. Pelabuhan ataupun jeti Ulee Olee dibinakan dengan bantuan kerajaan Australia selepas bencanan tsunami 2004 yg telah membenamkan pelabuhan lama. Semasa dalam perjalanan ke pelabuhan saya singgah melihat kapal nelayan tsunami, kapal api tsunami, monument tsunami dan tempat2 bersejarah kat aceh. Sampai kat pelabuhan sy beli tiket kapal atau feri laju dengan harga 65 ribu rupiah utk 2nd class ada aircond. Pada pkl 3.30 ptg kapal bertolak ke pelabuhan balohan kat pulau weh, selepas hampir 1 jam , kapal berlabuh kat pulau weh. Belum sempat sy kluar dari kapal, telah ada pemandu angkut yang datang tanya nak ke mana, sy pun bg tau nak ke kota cabang, saya tanya brapa ribu, dia bg tau 20 ribu saja. Perjalanan dari jeti atau pelabuhan menuju kota cabang mengambil masa 15 minit, jalan agak berbukit bukau dan bengkang bengkok. Patut la pulau weh terselamat dari bencana tsunami 2004 kerana kedudukan yang tinggi atas bukit. Sampai kat kota cabang pkl 5 ptg, driver angkut htr kat hotel PJ yg terletak di tengah2 kota cabang yang agak kecil dan ketinggalan. Kadar harga 180 ribu rupiah, bilik hotel agak biasa , ada aircond dan tv sesuai dgn harga yg murah. Lepas check in sy kluar ronda2 sekitar kota cabang sambil mencari makanan untuk berbuka. Saya beli nasi bebeh lauk ikan goreng. Nasi bebeh dgn nasi gurih adalah makanan tradisi terkenal rakyat aceh. Air pula sy pilih air kepala muda, dan es campur pulau weh, kemudian murtabak telur cabang. Semua skali 50 ribu rupiah. Sy berbuka kat bilik saja, sedap juga nasi bebeh dgn air2 tu. Lepas solat magrib kat bilik, sy kluar menuju ke mesjid berdekatan utk solat isyak dgn terawih. Berdekatan hotel ada mesjid kecil bernama nurul huda, jemaah tak berapa ramai. Lepas solat sy jalan2 sekitar kota cabang sambil mencari makanan untuk sahur.
Pada hari ke-2 kat pulau weh sy gerak ke Iboih, sebuah kawasan tumpuan pelancong luar negeri dengan menaiki angkut dgn tambang 40 ribu rupiah. Perjalanan dari kota cabang ke iboih mengambil masa hampir 1 jam. Sampai kat Iboih dalam pkl 12 tgh , kemudian jalan2 cari chalet yg sesuai, akhir sekali sy pilih iboih inn yang baru beroperasi, chaletnya agak luas dan terletak betol2 mengadap lautan hindi, di depannya ada sebuah pulau yg bernama rubiah. Kadar sewanya 250 ribu rupiah, ada bilik air kat dalam, kipas angin, tiada aircon dgn tv. Airnya agak sedikit masin dan payau kerana menggunakan air telaga yg digali berdekatan chalet. Secara keseluruhannya pantai iboih kurang menarik dan cantik jika disbandingkan dgn pantai kat pulau perhentian dan sipadan. Air lautnya agak jernih, coralnya biasa saja, ikan2 pun tak berapa banyak. Bagaimanapun lautan sekeliling pulau weh telah menjadi tumpuan penyelam scuba seluruh dunia pada musim tertentu. Dalam bulan puasa ni tak ramai pelancong yang datang ke sini, yg ada hanya mat salleh 20-30 orang. Kedai2, restoran pun tak banyak. Diving shop ada 1 saja yg menawarkan kursus scuba diving , sewaan diving gear dan anjuran diving trip.
Lepas check in sy kluar jalan2 sekitar pantai iboih sampai ambil gambar yg menarik. Pada sebelah petang sy melakukan snorkeling berdekatan chalet, apa yg dapat sy lihat ada banyak landak laut, tapak sulaiman, beberapa ekor ikan nemo berwarna merah dan biru. Yang lainnya kadang2 jumpa ikan panjang, ikan bilis, ikan kerapu, jelly fish dan lain2. Corelnya juga tidak banyak dan cantik seperti kat pulau perhentian. Mungkin telah dibantai oleh ombak tsunami pada tahun 2004. Sy snorkeling lebih 2 jam, air agak sejuk, arus dan ombak agak kuat. Selepas masuk magrib sy balik chalet untuk mandi dan kemudian keluar mencari makanan untuk buka puasa. Malangnya hanya ada 2 biji saja café yg dibuka, tu pun kena order tunggu lama sebab banyak mat salleh tengah order makanan kat situ. Jadi saya minum coke dulu untuk buka puasa, lepas 45 minit baru la makanan siap. Sy order nasi koseng dgn ayam goreng. Inilah kali pertama sy buka puasa paling lewat, kalau nak ikutkan waktu Malaysia pada pkl 830 malam.
Lepas makan sy balik ke chalet rilek2. Suasan malam kat situ agak sunyi dan gelap. Lampu tak banyak, nak jalan balik chalet kena pakai lampu handphone. Sebelah malamnya tiada apa yg blh dilakukan kecuali lepak kat hammock kat luar sambil dengar mp3 sambil dilibas oleh angin lautan hindi. Keadaan pemandang kat lautan gelap gelita, yang dapat dengar hanyalah bunyi desiran angin dan ombak yg menghempas pantai. Pkl 11 malam sy terus tidor lepas puas makan angin dianjung chalet.
Pada hari ke-3 kat pulau weh, saya bangun awal pkl 630 waktu aceh, bersiap sedia untuk ke pelabuhan kerana feri akan bertolak pada pkl 830 pagi. Tengah malam tadi hujan turun agak lebat sepanjang malam, sedapnya tidor. Perjalanan dari pantai iboih ke pelabuhan menaiki taksi Toyota unser mengambil masa hampir 1 jam, dengan tambang 50 ribu rupiah, sampai kat pelabuhan pada pkl 8 pagi , terus beli tiket kapal laju berharga 60 ribu rupiah untuk kelas executive. Pada pkl 830 kapal bertolak ke banda aceh , perjalanan mengambil masa hampir 1 jam. Dari pelabuhan Olee Uleng sy menaiki labi-labi ke kota banda aceh dengan tambang 30 ribu rupiah. Saya memilih untuk menginap kat hotel kartika yg terletak di jalan kartini, hotel ini disyorkan oleh pemandu labi-labi yang membawa saya ke kota banda aceh. Biliknya biasa saja, ada tv, aircond, towel dan blanket dengan harga 165 ribu semalam. Lepas check in sy keluar ronda2 sekitar hotel sampai mengambil gambar2 menarik. Pada sebelah petang lepas bangun tidor sy kluar mencari makanan untuk berbuka puasa, sy beli ais campur, kuih2 tradisional aceh, dan satay sapi kuah kacang. Pada pkl 10 mlm sy kluar menuju ke café pp untuk guna internet wifi sambil makan mee ayam dgn fresh oren.
Pada hari terakhir kat Aceh sy bangun awal untuk ke Bandara (airport), gerak pkl 9 waktu tempatan menaiki bechak dan singgah melawat universitas aceh di darulsalam, beli rokok kretek 4 kotak untuk dijadikan cenderahati melawat Indonesia. Sampai kat airport pkl 10.30 pg, terus check-in utk flight pkl 11.30 pg. Penerbangan antarabangsa di airport sultan iskandar muda aceh mengenakan airport tax sebanyak 100 ribu rupiah. Semasa hendak membayar airport tax baru sy sedar yg tersilap bg kat driver bechak 150 ribu rupiah, sepatutnya sy bg 60 ribu sahaja, ini disebabkan oleh duit Indonesia 10 ribu dgn 100 ribu hampir sama warna, jadi sy tersilap. Jadi sy kekurangan duit utk byr airport tax, baki duit indo nada 30 ribu rupiah saja, maka terpaksalah bayar guna rm 50 (rugi rm 15) kerana kat airport tu tak ada money changer. Penerbangan ke penang berlepas pkl 11.30 pg dan sampai ke penang pada pkl 1.45 ptg waktu Malaysia. Selamat…

Catitan Ziarah Ramadan Ke SP & Penang

Mengikut perancangan awal , saya akan berbuka puasa di masjid Kubang Semang di kawasan parlimen Permatang Pauh. Bagaimanapun semasa dalam perjalanan dari Alor Star ke Permatang Pauh menaiki motor, saya berasa agak mengantuk maka perancangan ditukar ke Sungai Petani. Saya menginap kat hotel Northern Logde dekat hotel Park Avenue. Sampai kat hotel dah dekat pkl 5 petang, check in dan terus keluar beli juadah berbuka kat gerai2 berdekatan hotel. Saya beli char keow teow, nasi campur dan kuih-muih serba sedikit. Pada hari ini saya berbuka sorang2 kat bilik hotel. Sebenarnya berdekatan dengan hotel itu ada sebuah surau pas yang juga ada majlis berbuka puasa, saya rasa segan pula nak pi berbuka kat situ sebab tak kenal sapa dan juga tak masuk dalam perancangan. Lepas berbuka puasa dan solat magrib saya surf internet guna laptop kat dalam bilik tengok perkembangan pasaran saham global. Itulah kelebihan utama hotel ni ada sambungan wi-fi kat bilik secara percuma .
Lagipun tv pun ada astro –cinemax, lepas tengok cerita berkaitan askar2 jerman semasa perang dunia kedua, saya terus makan nasi sebagai supper yg mengantikan sahur. Dok sorang2 memang susah la nak bangun sahur. Pada keesokan harinya saya check out pkl 12 dan terus bergerak ke Kepala Batas. Kat Kepala Batas sy singgah kat Maybank ada urusan bank in check dan kemudiannya singgah kat sebuah kedai pc recon yg sy jumpa kat lelong.com.my . Saya melihat stok2 pc recon dan spare part sambil bertanya harga yang boleh dapat. Pkl 330 saya bergerak ke lapangan terbang antarabangsa kepala batas untuk menyimpan bag untuk trip ke Aceh pada keesokan harinya. Lepas ronda2 1 jam kat airport t uterus saya bergerak ke Georgetown, objektifnya ialah masjid Kapitan Keling untuk berbuka puasa dan solat sunat terawih. Ini kali pertama saya berbuka kat masjid ni, sebelum ni pernah datang 2-3 kali untuk solat jumaat. Apa yang menarik kat masjid ini khutbahnya dibaca dalam bahasa tamil seperti kat masjid india kat KL dan juga kebanyakan masjid kat India. Sampai kat masjid Kapitan Keling dalam pkl 6 petang, terus solat sunat , lepas tu ronda2 sekitar masjid sambil ambil gambar2 yang menarik.
Saya lihat kat keliling masjid tu dipenuhi oleh ramai peminta sedekah yang kemungkinannya orang rohingya dari Myanmar yang beragama islam. Ada juga orang melayu 4-5 orang. Masjid ini menjadi tumpuan pengemis pada bulan Ramadan kerana mereka mendapat makanan berbuka secara percuma dan juga orang ramai lebih banyak memberikan derma pada bulan Ramadan berbanding bulan2 yang lain. Lebih kurang pkl 720 mlm azan berkumandang menandakan masuknya waktu berbuka puasa. Ramai juga orang yang datang berbuka puasa , dalam anggaran 100 orang menurut seorang staf masjid yang juga berasal dari India. Makanan yang agak simple dan steady – bubuk lambuk, kurma, kuih2 muih dan air tea halia. Kat situ saya berkenalan dengan sorang anak muda yang juga anak jati Georgetown yang bernama Firdaus yang agak peramah, dia yg menegur saya sambil mempelawa murtabak yg dibawa olehnya. Dia bekerja di syarikat pelancongan, masih muda lagi, umur baru 19 tahun.
Lepas habis solat magrib sementara menunggu masuk waktu solat isyak, saya sambung bersembang dengan Firdaus berkaitan dengan pengalaman saya travel ke luar Negara. Dia juga minat travel, tapi hanya baru pernah travel ke Thailand dan India sahaja. Lepas solat trawih saya gerak balik ke airport. Dalam perjalanan sempat ronda2 sekitar Georgetown untuk lihat suasana malam di bandar itu. Malam ni saya nak stay kat airport saja, saja tak tidor hotel, nak tengok suasana kat airport malam2. Kalau kat LCCT airport malam2 memang meriah, setiap saat ramai orang, hidup 24 jam. Ini disebabkan oleh penerbangan Airasia yang menjadikan LCCT sebagai hub penerbangan tempatan dan rantau Asia serta seluruh dunia. Tetapi malangnya airport bayan lepas menjadi sunyi selepas pkl 12 malam. Flight last skali pkl 1130 malam, semua kedai2, restoran macdonald pun di tutup lepas pkl 11 malam. Maka saya pun kluar ronda2 kat gerai2 makan berdekatan sambil minum2, makan kulat goring serta tengok movie astro cerita Rambo 4 , Best juga filem ni, ni dah kali ke-2 saya tengok, kali pertama saya tengok kat panggung di jitra mall. Lepas lepak 2-3 jam kat gerai tu, saya balik ke airport menuju ke surau . Tak seperti surau kat KL Sentral yang dikunci lepas pkl 11 malam, surau kat airport bayan lepas tidak dikunci. Kat surau tu saya jumpa sorang student uum sintok yg tunggu flight pagi esok utk balik ke sabah. Dia nak tidor kat situ, lepas berkenalan dan sembang2 dia terus tidor. Saya pun rasa mengantok dan tidor dalam pkl 3 pagi. Pkl 6 bangun untuk solat subuh berjamaah dan sambung tidor sampai pkl 8 pagi dan bersiap sedia untuk flight ke Aceh.