Viva Roger Federer.... and play Tennis, not Badminton

The moment Roger Federer lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires as the new French Open Men Single Champion on the 7th of June 2009, I was beaming with joy in my seat, 10,000 kilometres away, in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

And millions of Federer or Fed-ex fans around the globe also cherished that moment of glory.

Hail to Roger Federer, you have just won your 14th Grand Slam titles and your very 1st French Open title.

Another title, your 15th, will come soon, perhaps at the Wimbledon in 2 weeks time.

Go home Rafael Nadal, Go home to Mallorca.

And Thank You Very Much Robin Soderling, Thanks for making Federer dreams a true reality.

Thank You Soderling for sending home Nadal early in the 4th round!!!

With that 6-1, 7-6 and 6-4 win over Soderling in 1 hour and 55 minutes, Federer has finally equalled the great Pete Sampras record of winning 14 Grand Slam Titles..!!!



Federer joins Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles.

"It was probably my greatest victory, I was under big pressure," said Federer. "I did it and it's phenomenal. It was great to be on the podium as a winner for a change." Federer said at the Cup presentation.

To me Federer is the greatest male Tennis player of all time with due respect to Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and co.



He beat Sampras – the 7 time Wimbledon champion in the 4th round of the 2001 Wimbledon Open.

Federer won the Wimbledon 5 consecutive times in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.







Federer won the US Open 5 consecutive times in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Federer won the Australian Open 3 times in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

And now Federer is the 2009 conqueror of the French Open.

He almost completed the Grand Slam – winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year in 2004, 2006 and 2007 (3 times!!!)

However on those 3 occasions, The French Open title eluded him..

And no thanks to Nadal too..





But now Federer is the best in the world.

During the recently concluded French Open, what puzzled me was the length of time taken for the 2 men singles semifinals match to finish.

The 1st semifinal won by Robin Soderling, dismantling Fernando Gonzales took exactly 3 hours and 28 minutes.

The 2nd semifinal won by Federer against Juan Martin Del Potro also took exactly 3 hours 28 minutes.

So you lottery freaks out there, no harm in investing a dime for a big win – Buy this number – 3280 or 0328!!! Who knows!!

And if you have to pick between these 3 racquet games – Tennis, Badminton and Squash - then pick Tennis as your choice.

First and foremost, Federer received 1.06 million Euro as Men Singles Champion.

Soderling pocketed 530,000 Euro as runners-up and finalist.

If you enter the French Open in the Men or Women single and you lost in the 1st round – you will still take home 15,000 Euro!!!

For the 2009 edition of the Wimbledon, It was announced that the prize money has been increased.

Men and Ladies Singles champion will each receive 850,000 pound sterlings!!! (more than 5 million Ringgit Malaysia)!!!

1st round losers in the Men and Ladies Singles will still get 10,750 pound sterlings!!!

But the 2009 All England Badminton reportedly only offered a total of USD 200,000 prize money!!!

Poor Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Taufik Hidayat, Peter Gade, Chen Jin, Tina Rasmussen, Julia Wong, Wong Mwe Choo, Koo Kien Kiat & Tan Boon Heong, Lee Young Dae, Park Sung Hwan and co..

Also in Badminton, the players need to judge for themselves wether the shuttle is out of court or not, during play !! They have no luxury enjoyed by Tennis players where 6 to 7 persons (the line judges) will tell them wether the ball has gone out or in.

And in badminton, you have to pick up the shuttles yourself, around the court.

In tennis, there is always 10 ball boys to help you!!

Still, badminton shuttle cocks can travel up to 200 km per hour, just like Tennis balls.

Plus, Professional tennis players get more media coverage than Professional Badminton Players!!

So, Morale of the story – Play Tennis… and Viva Roger Federer!!!

Champions of Europe 2009 - Barcelona or Manchester United??

Had it been a dry day on the 21st of May 2008 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, the 2008 UEFA Champions League Winner would have been Chelsea and not Manchester United.

But it was raining quite heavily on that day of the final between the 2 English giants.

The score after extra time was dead-locked at 1-1. Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier scored for Man U in the 26th minute before Frank Lampard equalised for Chelsea in the 45th. minute.

In the deciding penalty shoot out - John Terry stepped out as Chelsea's 5th and last penalty taker. The penalty score at that moment was 4-4 and in favour of Chelsea after Cristiano Ronaldo shot as 3rd penalty taker for Man U was saved by Peter Cech. Man U had taken all the penalty kicks.

Had John Terry converted the penalty, Chelsea would have been crowned Champion of Europe for the 1st ever time. But John Terry slipped due to the slippery condition of the pitch after the downpour. He sliiped at the very crucial moment, just before he unleashed a right foot shot. Man U goalkeeper - Erwin Van Der Sar dived at the wrong way to his right. but he ball went wide to the left.



It was devastating for Terry and Chelsea. Manchester United went on to convert the extra 2 penalty kicks and won the 2008 Champions League after Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka shot was saved by Peter Cech.

John Terry, his Chelsea team-mates, manager Avram Grant, and millions of Chelsea fans around the globe had at least 1 month of sleepless nights.

While Manchester United fans are still jubilating until now.

At the 2008 final, it was not only historic because an English side versus an English side but also because there were 3 Michaels playing - Michael Ballack and Michael Essien for Chelsea and Michael Carrick for Man U.

There were many England internationals playing against each other such as Man U's Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Phil Neville, Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown, Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick against Chelsea's John Terry, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.

And Didier Drogba was sent off after an altercation with several Manchester United players which was started by Carlos Tevez.

Now, who will win the final tonight in Rome. Barcelona or the defending champion - Manchester United..?

Both teams had been crowned as champions of the domestic league, this year.

Man U become the English Champion for a record 18th time while Barcelona was also crowned champion of the La Liga, the Spanish League for a record 19 times!!!!

Man U won the Champions League 3 times in 1968, 1999 and 2008 while Barcelona did it in 1992 and 2006.

If Man U win tonight, they will create history as the first Club to win back to back title in 19 years.

The last time was in 1989 and 1990 when the great AC Milan side, powered by the fearsome Dutch Trio - Ruud Gullit, Frank Rikjard and Marco Van Basten won the title twice in a row.

Apart from AC Milan, 4 other teams achieved the unique double champion feat.

Liverpool in 1977 and 1978, Benfica in 1961 and 1962, Inter Milan in 1964 and 1965 and another former English Giants - Nottingham Forest in 1979 and 1980 - but now Nottingham Forest is doomed and seems lost in oblivion.

But 2 teams managed to win the title as Champions of Europe - 3 times in a row - Ajax Amsterdam and Bayern Munich.


Dutch Maestro - Johan Cruyff

The great Ajax Amsterdam in the 1970s, marshalled by the legendary Dutch maestro, Johan Cruyff won the title in 1971, 1972 and 1973.

After Cruyff left Ajax for Barcelona in the end of the 1973 season, Ajax waited 22 more years before once again winning the Champions League in 1995.

Apart from helping Holland reached 2 successive World Cup Finals in 1972 and 1978 where they lost to Germany and Argentina respectively, Crufyy, during his time at FC Barcelona, scored one of his most famous goals, The 'Phantom' Goal.



In a game against Atlético Madrid Cruyff leapt into the air, (the goal at 2 min 44 secs in this video) twisted his body so he was facing away from the goal and kicked the ball past Miguel Reina in the Atlético Madrid goal with his right heel (the ball was at about neck height and had already traveled past the far post), the goal was featured in the documentary En un momento dado in which fans of Cruyff attempted to recreate that moment, the goal has been dubbed Le but d'Imposible de Cruyff (Cruyff's impossible goal).



Gerd Muller "Der Bomber"

Bayern Munich, spearheaded by the greatest German striker of all time, Gerd Muller nicknamed Der Bomber, won the European Cup 3 times in a row in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

But none can beat Real Madrid phenomenal and beyond comparison 5 successive Champions League / European Cup titles in a row in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1960.


Alfredo D'Stefano

Argentina's legendary Alfredo D'Stefano, Spain's Rial and Marquitos and Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas combined to form the world's greatest football club of all time.

Real Madrid demolished every single team in that era and won the domestic league and the European titles easily.

The highlight was their 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup Final at Hampden Park, a game many consider to be the finest exhibition of club football ever witnessed in Europe.

With 10 goals scored, it was the highest scoring ever in a European Cup final. Puskas scoring 4 goals and D'Stefano scoring a hattrick..!!!



Now back to the 21st century, so who will win the 2009 Champions league final? My bet is Barcelona.

They have more fire power both in the domestic league and the Champions League.

In the La Liga, Barcelona scored more than 100 goals on their way to winning their 19th Spanish league champion titles.

By contrast, their nearest title challenger - 2nd place Real Madrid only managed 82 goals.

In of the most memorable Spanish league match of all time, Real Madrid was humiliated 2-6 by Barcelona in their own turf, this season!!!

In total, Barcelona scored 104 goals in 37 La Liga matches, an average of 2.8 goals per match.


Lionel Messi

Their fearsome strike force of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Etoo and Andres Iniesta contributed to that overwhelming number of goals.



This season in the La Liga, Samuel Etoo, Barceona's Cameroonian striker scored 29 goals, Lionel Messi, the Argentinian prodigy and successor of Diego Maraddona scored 23 goals while French great - Thiery Henry scored 19 goals.

So Etoo, Messi and Henry, altogether scored 71 goals this season..!!!!! And that is a big headache for Sir Alex Ferguson, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and co..!!!!

The number of goals might as well further increase as Barcelona has a final Spanish league match against Deportivo La Caruna on 31st May 2009.



Like Maraddona, Lionel Messi had scored many fantastic solo goals for his country and his club. This is a solo goal by him in an international match, Argentina vs Colombia.



This was among Lionel Messi best ever goal, against Getafe. The goal is being compared to Diego Maradonna's great solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup Quarterfinal.


Diego Maradonna's goal of the century, Argentina 2-1 England, World Cup quarterfinal 1986 in Mexico.

Even without the influential Ronaldinho and Deco who were sold to AC Milan and Chelsea respectively last season, Barcelona still looks like Barcelona, lethargic and dangerous and hungry for goals.

In Defence, Barcelona only let in 34 goals or 0.9 goal per match.

Hail to Carlos Puyol and the gang for the solid defence.

In their road to the final of 2009 Champions League - Barcelona scored 30 goals, including the 5-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich.

Manchester United by contrast only scored 68 goals in the 38 matches played in the English Premier League, or on average 1.8 goals per match.


Cristiano Ronaldo remains their top goal poacher this season in the league with 18 goals, followed by Wayne Rooney with 12 goals and Dimitar Berbatov - 9 goals.

Man U Argentinian striker, Carlos Tevez only managed a modest 5 goals.

In Defence, Rio Ferdinand and co, had a better record than Puyol and co, having only leaked 24 goals or 0.6 goal per match.



Man U scored a total of 18 goals on their way to the 2009 Champions League final.



It is interesting to see Barca's Lionel Messi against Man U's World and European Footballer of the Year - Cristiano Ronaldo.



Both are gifted and both are very skillful.

But My Say - Barca will prevail.... Barcelona deserved to be crowned King of Europe!!

Sorry Man U fans, but i am a Liverpool hardcore grass root die hard fan..!!

Kris Allen - 2009 American Idol winner - Season 8

KRIS ALLEN - AMERICAN IDOL CHAMPION 2009


FROM LEFT - ADAM LAMBERT, PAULA ABDUL & KRIS ALLEN


ADAM LAMBERT


KRIS ALLEN PERFORMING "HEARTLESS"


A VERY SHORT VIDEO OF KRIS ALLEN AUDITION ON AMERICAN IDOL


ADAM LAMBERT AUDITION RIGHT UP TO SEMIFINAL IN AMERICAN IDOL 2009

AMERICAN IDOL LIST OF WINNERS - SEASON 1 - SEASON 8

2002 - SEASON 1 WINNER - KELLY CLARKSON
2003 - SEASON 2 WINNER - RUBEN STUDDARD
2004 - SEASON 3 WINNER - FANTASIA BARRINO
2005 - SEASON 4 WINNER - CARRIE UNDERWOOD
2006 - SEASON 5 WINNER - TAYLOR HICKS
2007 - SEASON 6 WINNER - JORDIN SPARKS
2008 - SEASON 7 WINNER - DAVID COOK
2009 - SEASON 8 WINNER - KRIS ALLEN (RUNNERS UP - ADAM LAMBERT)

By LYNN ELBER, AP Television

Kris Allen beamed with disbelief, shook his head as if to reject that this was really happening and doubled over in shock.

The fact that he'd just beaten rollicking vocal powerhouse Adam Lambert for the "American Idol" title wasn't going to sink in quickly for the unassuming underdog from Arkansas. The only downside to this stunning victory: He was going to have to sing "No Boundaries" one more time.

"I'm sorry, I don't even know what to feel right now. This is crazy," said the 23-year-old from Conway, Arkansas, as he leaned on host Ryan Seacrest to keep from staggering.

Allen's smooth vocals and boy-next-door image gave him the edge after nearly 100 million viewer votes were cast, turning the theatrical Lambert into the most unlikely of also-rans. When the season started, Allen seemed unsure he had a right to take center stage, let alone stand there and snatch victory from such a formidable rival.

During his "Idol" audition last summer, Allen, hands in his pockets and a newsboy cap pulled down around his eyes, was asked by the judges if he was the best singer around.

"You know, there's probably people who are better than me," was Allen's response, offered in the quiet, low-key spirit he retained despite his growing profile.

Conversely, Lambert's commanding vocal range and stage presence -- and the judges' lavish adoration -- at times turned "Idol" into "The Adam Lambert Show," with the other contestants mere guests. But it turned out that "Idol" viewers could embrace a gifted performer like Lambert, one who sported black nail polish and bold self-assurance, only to a point.

Cowell tipped his hat to both contestants Wednesday night, who shared a moment of musical camaraderie when they joined with Queen on the rock anthem "We Are the Champions."

"To both of you, and I don't normally mean this, I thought you were both brilliant ... the future's all yours," the judge said.

"Adam did win. So did Kris. Nobody lost tonight. These are two champions," said Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley from backstage.

The comments from Cowell and Stanley aren't necessarily empty platitudes. Past contestants can testify that losing the title doesn't mean you're a loser, nor does winning mean you're a shoo-in for superstardom.

Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, who finished fourth and seventh in their respective seasons, have gone on to huge success. As for "Idol" winners, they range from blockbuster artists like Carrie Underwood to the mostly under-the-radar Taylor Hicks.

Wednesday's outcome echoed last year's contest, which also looked at the outset like it was going the other way. Cowell all but crowned David Archuleta after the performance finale, calling his a "knockout performance" -- but the victory went to David Cook.

Lambert was such a powerful, unique performer that his fans were allowed a sense of entitlement on his behalf. But his triumph wasn't inevitable. When Allen and Lambert were declared the finalists last week, just 1 million viewer votes separated the pair out of 88 million cast.

Allen bloomed during the season, gaining more assurance onstage and winning viewers over with his heartfelt vocals, modest demeanor and well-scrubbed good looks.

New Malaysian Cabinet line up 9 April 2009

Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak

6 days after being sworn in as Malaysia's 6th Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul today announced the new cabinet lineup.

It consists of 28 Full Ministers and 40 Deputy Ministers.

8 ministers were dropped and 7 new faces appointed.

Najib himself is in charge of the powerful Finance Ministry.

UMNO Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is the new Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia as well as Education Minister.

The cabinet comprises of new and old faces from 13 Barisan Nasional. BN component parties, with the majority of them from UMNO, the largest party in the Barisan Nasional, BN coalition.

2 new Ministries are being created - Energy, Green Technology and Water headed by Sarawakian Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui and Information, Communication, Arts and Culture headed by Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim - formerly Foreign Minister.

The new cabinet also includes 2 totally unknown and non political figures, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin as Federal Territory Minister and Mejar General (retired) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom as Minister in the Prime Minister Department in charge of Islamic Affairs.

GERAKAN President and former Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is also in the lineup as Minister in the Prime Minister Department in charge of Unity and Performance Monitoring Management.

Also making a comeback - newly elected UMNO Women Chief, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil - appointed to her old Ministry - the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

However 2 BN Components Party Presidents - MIC President and veteran politician Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu as well as People Progressive Party President, Datuk M. Kayveas are not in the cabinet list.

Controversial Minister - Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz also kept his post as Minister in the Prime Minister Department in charge of Parliament.

3 Newly elected UMNO Vice Presidents are promoted to 3 powerful Ministries.

They are Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein (son of Malaysia's 3rd Prime Minister the late Tun Hussein Onn) as Home Minister and Datuk Shafie Afdal as Minister of Rural and Regional Development.

MCA President, Datuk Ong Tee Keat retained the traditional MCA portfolio as Transport Minister.

MCA also gets its 2 other traditional ministries - Datuk Liow Tiong Lai as Health Minister and Datuk Kong Cho Ha as Minister of Local Government and Housing.

MCA women leader Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen is appointed Tourism Minister.

6 full ministers, are from Sabah and Sarawak - the so called "the last bastion of Barisan Nasional".

One of them is a brand new face, Kimanis Member of Parliament, Datuk Anifah Aman as Foreign Affairs Minister.

In last year's cabinet line-up announced by the then Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anifah created controversy when he shockingly refused his appointment as Deputy Transport Minister.

However the biggest surprise is the exclusion of Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy - the Member of Parliament for Rembau and also the newly elected UMNO Youth Chief is not in the cabinet list.

Traditionally, the UMNO Youth Chief is automatically appointed a Full Minister or a Deputy Minister.

Instead, Khairy's no 2, the UMNO Youth Deputy Chief, Datuk Razali Ibrahim is appointed Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports.

To add salt to the wound, Khairy's challenger who lost for the post of UMNO Youth Chief in the recent UMNO General Assembly, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir gets himself appointed as Deputy Minister of International Trade & Industry.

For the record, Khairy is the son in law of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down recently on 3rd April 2009.

Datuk Mukhriz is the son of the longest serving Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who retired in 31st October 2003.

Local political observers believe Khairy's non inclusion in the Cabinet line-up is due to the factor that he was found guilty of money politics by the UMNO Disciplinary Board in the eve of the recent UMNO General Assembly.

Despite being found guilty, Khairy was allowed to contest and subsequently won the hotly contested 3 cornered fight for the post of UMNO Youth Head.

Therefore, his Public Relations Profile is dented for now.

And Najib was also seen as sending a strong signal to the people, that he want fresh and good public relations profile leaders in his cabinet lineup.

8 ministers in the old cabinet line-up were dropped.

They are Regional and Rural Development Minister, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Tourism Minister - Datuk Azalina Othman Said, Federal Territory Minister - Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique, Works Minister - Datuk Mohamed Zin Mohamed, Home Minister - Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Local Government and Housing Minister - Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad (one of the longest serving Member of Parliament)and Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz.

After Najib made the announcement on the new cabinet lineup which was carried live on National TV as well as every other local pivate TV stations, he invited the Malaysian Media Heads, as well as influential alternative medias for an hour long briefing.

President of the National Press Club cum Protem President of the National Alliance of Bloggers (All-Blogs) cum former Malay Mail editor cum Malaysia's no. 1 blogger, Rocky's Bru aka Ahirudin Attan - attended the briefing.

This is Rocky's Bru entry in his blog on that briefing.

Najib's Cabinet: "Amanah besar yang mesti digalas"

Blogger on the 5th Floor. I was invited to attend Najib Razak's hour-long briefing for the media after he'd announced his new Cabinet. The briefing took place on the 5th floor, which has been the office of the Prime Minister since Dr Mahathir Mohamad moved the Sri Perdana from KL to Putrajaya in 2003. The last time I was there was late 03 for a briefing by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who had just succeeded Dr M. I was then the editor of the Malay Mail. This afternoon at 3.30 I was at the PM's briefing as a blogger.

Hanafiah Man represented Agenda Daily, the news portal. The rest were MSM: The Star editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai, Sin Chew Daily editor-in-chief Pook Ah Lek, RTM director-general Ibrahim "Tiger", Berita Harian group editor Manja Ismail, Utusan Malaysia, editor-in-chief Aziz Ishak, TV3 chief news editor Wee Yo Lee, Bernama deputy editor-in-chief Zulkefli Salleh, NSTP group editor-in-chief Hishamudin Aun, and Nanyang editor-in-chief Ching Tien Siong.

"People's Cabinet". Najib stressed that his Cabinet was a "People's Cabinet", a Cabinet of ministers and deputy ministers if integrity who can work and produce results. To get the desired outcome, there will be a Key Performance Index (KPI) for the ministers and they will be assessed every six months. Najib said those who do not perform could be flashed the "yellow" card (in football, yellow means a stern warning; a second "yellow" card means expulsion from the field).

I asked him what would be his message to his ministers and deputy ministers. "I want people to have faith and confidence in the new Cabinet". He will remind them that Cabinet posts are a responsibility, a huge burden on their shoulders. "Ini amanah besar yang mesti digalas".

Those who were dropped (Syed Hamid Albar, Azalina Osman, Mike Tyson and Zulhasnan Rafique), does it mean they lacked integrity? "No, it does not mean that. There are other factors. Every one of them accepted (the decision) in good faith. Shahril, especially, was very sporting".

Mukhriz in, Khairy out? "We will help Khairy reorganize Umno Youth," Najib said.

He explained why Information Ministry has been expanded ("to give more teeth to the ministry, otherwise the Information Minister is, with all due respect, not more than a Minister of RTM"). Rais Yatim is the new minister and Najib said he's the right man, especially to deal with the New Media, "which like someone frank, someone with his own mind, and who is open to dissenting views".

Media freedom? "I will give latitude to the media. You can criticize but with responsibility. I'd rather be criticized by the media than be rejected by the people."

Sports and Youth will be stressed. "That's why I put (those) who can approach out youths in that ministry.". New Foreign Minister Anifah Aman "can sell Malaysia well overseas". Najib said he has seen Anifah in action and is impressed with the Sabahan.

Blogging ministers. I could not resist asking the PM if he's going to make everyone in the new Cabinet start a blog. After all, he was bragging earlier on about the hits his blog has been getting (1.5 million hits for the Chinese edition, with "visitors" coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan, even). I said most of the Pakatan politicians are blogging but very few from the BN are doing so.

"Oh, yes, I will encourage them to have blogs," he said.

And the word is out: No red carpets, minimise rituals, less formality. No pictures of the PM, DPM and ministers on billboards.

Ends.

FULL LIST OF MALAYSIA'S NEW CABINET LINE-UP (ANNOUNCED 9 APRIL 2009)

Prime Minister and Finance Minister 1: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak


Deputy PM and Education Minister: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin


Ministers in Prime Minister’s Department
Unity and Performance Management: Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon
Law and Parliament: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz
Religious Affairs: Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharum
Economic Planning Unit: Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop

Deputies: Datuk Liew Vui Keong, Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Datuk SK Devamany, Ahmad Maslan, Senator T. Murugiah


Finance
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Finance Minister II: Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah
Deputies: Datuk Chor Chee Heung, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein


Education
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputies: Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Puad Zarkashi


Transport
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat
Deputies: Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Datuk Robert Lau


Home
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Deputies: Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, Jelaing Mersat


Information, Communications, Arts and Culture
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Deputies: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Senator Heng Seai Kie


Energy, Green Technology & Water
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy: Noriah Kasnon


Plantation Industries and Commodities
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy: Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin


Rural and Regional Development
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputies: Datuk Hassan Malek, Datuk Joseph Entulu


Higher Education
Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin
Deputies: Dr Hou Kok Chung, Saifuddin Abdullah


International Trade and Industry
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputies: Datuk Muhkriz Mahathir, Datuk Jacob Dungau


Science, Technology and Innovation
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy: Fadillah Yusof


Natural Resources and Environment
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Deputy: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Tourism
Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen
Deputy: Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib


Agriculture and Agro-based Industries
Datuk Noh Omar
Deputies: Johari Baharum, Rohani Abdul Karim


Defence
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy: Datuk Dr Abdul Latif


Works
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng


Health
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy: Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shilin


Youth and Sports
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputies: Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Wee Jeck Seng


Human Resources
Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam
Deputy: Datuk Maznah Mazlan


Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
Deputy: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe


Housing and Local Government
Datuk Kong Cho Ha
Deputy: Lajim Ukin


Women, Family and Community Development
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Deputy: Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun


Foreign Affairs
Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputies: Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Senator A. Kohilan Pillai


Federal Territories
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin
Deputy: Datuk M. Saravanan

Happy new year folks

Dear readers...

A very Happy new year to you all...

May 2009 brings about more that we all wishes for - be it peace, prosperity, harmony or world order...

In 2009, will we finally see a stop to the Gaza assault by Israel, or will the world economy and global financial woes improve....

or we may finally witness a more peaceful Iraq, Afghanistan and some African countries???

As for me, i wish each and every one of you - a fairer and better New Year.... Bye and regards..

p/s - i really hope Liverpool will be crowned champion of English Premier Leauge!!!!!
You will never walk alone......