3 Important Lessons in Life

Looks like Miss AP is alive and well despite her long absence from the media spotlight! Article below.

Maybe we all can learn 3 important lessons from this AP scandal.

1. It's OK to mislead your boss, as long as you make sure that when he finds out he has no power over you.

2. It's OK to preach others about upholding the good virtues in life, but when it comes to you, you can always say you have your own style.

3. It's OK to apply delay tactic, as long as you figure others will eventually forget about it and won't hold you accountable.

Slow implementation of NAP affects auto FDIs
By Alfean Hardy

The slow implementation of the national automotive policy (NAP) has caused two multinational corporations (MNCs) to set up assembly operations in a neighbouring country, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

The NAP, which was widely anticipated to have been released last September, is now slated for implementation early this year. The government announced the NAP framework last October.

"Unfortunately for us, because we delayed in our decision to put into place the mechanisms that would make Malaysia attractive to the big players, they (MNCs) have gone off to a neighbouring country," she said.

"We lost one big partnership earlier on in the mid-90s and I know of one very big multinational (corporation) also, because we couldn't decide on the arrangements, they went to a neighbouring country. So I know of two in the last decade," she told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 17.

However, Rafidah said despite the delay in the implementation of such mechanisms, Malaysia was still an attractive destination for foreign direct investments (FDIs) keen on making the country an assembly hub in the region.

She said the NAP would make Malaysia an attractive destination for automotive investors. "I know of several (companies) who are interested and who have approached me and my ministry and Proton (Holdings Bhd)."

Rafidah said MNCs knew the government was serious about making Malaysia an automotive manufacturing and assembly hub because of support facilities and incentives that have already been put in place.

"Whether or not they want to latch up with Proton does not matter. What matters is that they look at Malaysia as a base from which they can operate to cover the region to take advantage of Afta (Asean Free Trade Area) and to cover the world as well. It's not too late for us," she said.

Commenting on Volkswagen's (VW) announcement last week that it had scrapped plans to cooperate with Proton to build and sell VW brand cars for the local market, Rafidah said: "We do not look after Proton. Proton is under Khazanah (Nasional Bhd), PM's (Prime Minister's) department. Don't ask me. You should ask the chairman (of Proton)."

The minister said there would continue to be negotiations on possible Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other countries and trading blocs this year.

"We have given ourselves until the end of the year to do studies and evaluations and, for some FTAs, we hope to begin negotiations this year."

She said the cabinet has agreed in principal that MITI could start FTA talks with the US when both sides were ready but did not say when negotiations would actually begin.

She hinted, though, that a new FTA would be announced by the end of the week. "Tomorrow or Thursday, there will be a news release on a new FTA, so you wait for that. I won't tell you."

On whether the stronger ringgit was affecting trade and FDIs, Rafidah said recent figures showed that the impact was "very marginal".