Shoulder to Shoulder Flood Fundraiser Organising Committee

It's just one more week until the Shoulder to Shoulder Flood Fundraiser event, to be held on Saturday 5th March at the Queensland Police Academy, Oxley.  The event will start at 4pm and finish at 7pm and will feature television and radio personality Bree Amer as the MC, Jessica Watson, Young Australian of the Year as our special guest, and a charity auction conducted by the ever entertaining Cr Graham Quirk, Deputy Lord Mayor of Brisbane.  We are also expecting Minister Annastascia Palaszcuk, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Transport, John-Paul Langbroek, Opposition Leader and AMBCQ member, Rob Messenger MLA, also an AMBCQ member and MP for Burnett, Mayor Paul Pisasale, the Ipswich City Mayor, Senators Claire Moore and Mark Furner, Brisbane City Council Councilers Julian Simmonds, Angela Owen-Taylor, Matthew Bourke, Milton Dick, Helen Abrahams and Nicole Johnstone, and Federal Member for Brisbane, Teresa Gambaro. 

Tickets are $50 per person and kids are free. The event will feature entertainment from the South Pacific Island Dance Group, the Brisbane Babas Band, indigenous performer Getano Bann, and singers Marie Jackson and Bing Hu.  A vast array of people have contributed to the event from different community groups, business groups, businesses through to many individuals. 

A number of AMBCQ members have been helping out at the organising committee besides Kiong and myself.  We would like to thank Sue and Bryan Davies, Tamara Foong and Clem Grehan who have all stepped forward to help the organising committee with many of the essential preparations for the event. Anthony Lin is also on the organising committee, but although he is an AMBCQ member, he is representing the Taiwanese Friendship Association of Queensland in this role.  Thanks also must go to Debra Jarvis who has offered a Feng Shui consultation as an auction prize, and also to Kumaran Sentheyval and Paamini Senthil Kumaran who have made a donation to the event.

The event was featured in the Satellite, the local paper which covers the Centenary and wider Ipswich area.  I haven't seen the article myself, but Dr Nava kindly forwarded the photo below.

Article from Business Week: Malaysian Growth at Decade High

A recent article from Bloomberg Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-18/malaysian-growth-at-decade-high-puts-pressure-to-tighten-policy.html

Malaysian Growth at Decade High Puts Pressure to Tighten Policy
February 18, 2011, 6:51 PM EST
By Shamim Adam and Barry Porter



Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s economy expanded 4.8 percent last quarter, spurring full-year growth to the quickest pace in a decade and putting pressure on the central bank to take more steps to curb inflation.


Gross domestic product expanded for a fifth consecutive quarter even as exports eased, the central bank said in a statement yesterday. The gain was more than the 4.6 percent median estimate of 14 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The economy grew 7.2 percent last year, the most since 2000.

Malaysia’s government expects growth this year to hold near the 2010 level, an expansion that may prompt the central bank to tighten its monetary policy. Nations from Indonesia to China have boosted interest rates this year, and the International Monetary Fund says the region may need to raise borrowing costs further to limit the risk of overheating.

“Despite the orderly deceleration in growth, the solid contribution from investment and consumption should continue to buoy domestic demand,” Chandara Lim, an economist at Moody’s Analytics in Sydney, said before the report. “Though interest rates have remained on hold, the central bank could raise rates at its next policy meeting to curb rising inflation pressures.”

Asia’s recovery from the 2009 global recession eased toward the end of last year as the European sovereign-debt crisis and U.S. unemployment damped the outlook for exports.

“This performance is better than expected and should carry through into the first quarter of this year,” said Wan Suhaimi Saidi, an economist at Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. “It’s leaning toward the top-end of my growth forecast.”

‘Commodity Bonanza’

Prime Minister Najib Razak, who plans to boost growth by attracting investment, forecasts the economy will expand as much as 6 percent this year. Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer behind Indonesia, is also benefiting from higher commodity prices.

Surging palm oil and rubber prices may create a “commodity bonanza” that will benefit Malaysian banks, builders and property stocks, according to Credit Suisse Group AG analyst Stephen Hagger. Malaysia’s growth has lured funds and investment and pushed the ringgit up more than 11 percent against the dollar in the past year.

The ringgit, the best performing currency in Asia in the past year, was at 3.0340 per dollar as of 5:20 p.m. local time yesterday. The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index closed 0.6 percent higher ahead of the growth announcement.

Financial Imbalances

Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz increased the benchmark overnight policy rate by 0.75 percentage point from March to July last year to reduce what the central bank said was the risk of financial imbalances that may be caused by keeping borrowing costs too low for too long.

Vietnam on Feb. 17 joined countries from China to India and Indonesia in raising rates this year as the region’s growth and rising global commodity prices boost inflationary pressures. Stocks and bonds across Asia have declined this year amid concern that accelerating price gains will erode purchasing power and spur further tightening.

Malaysia’s benchmark rate of 2.75 percent has been left unchanged at the past three meetings, most recently in January when the central bank signaled it may use other monetary policy tools to manage excess cash that’s building up in the financial system.

The policy stance is “appropriate and consistent” with the current assessment of growth and inflation prospects, the central bank said last month. While the inflation rate rose to a 19-month high of 2.2 percent in December after the government reduced subsidies on fuel and sugar, price gains are still among the slowest in Asia.

Commodities Inflation

“Inflation will creep higher on higher food and fuel- related prices in early 2011 but still remain manageable,” said Chua Hak Bin, a Singapore-based economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “The last round of fuel and sugar subsidy cuts in December was relatively small. The next round of subsidy cuts may have to be larger and occur before mid-2011 given soaring global oil prices.”

Malaysia’s manufacturing industry grew 6.2 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, and exports of goods and services gained 1.5 percent, according to yesterday’s report.

Najib’s government unveiled an economic transformation program in September aimed at attracting investment, including $444 billion of projects from mass rail to nuclear power involving companies such as Dialog Group Bhd. and IOI Corp.

Factory Investment

Approved factory investment surged 44.8 percent in 2010 as a recovery in the global economy prompted companies to announce new projects and spurred a 13.5 percent expansion in the country’s manufacturing industry, the government said last month.

Investment as measured by gross fixed capital formation advanced 9.2 percent last quarter, while the construction industry grew 5.6 percent, the central bank said yesterday.

“Growth is a tad higher than expected, indicating how the economy has recovered well cyclically from the global slowdown,” Wellian Wiranto, an economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Singapore, said in a note yesterday. The data may not prompt an interest-rate increase, though “they might start to normalize reserve requirement ratios soon as they have guided previously,” he said.

--With assistance from Michael Munoz in Hong Kong, and Sunil Jagtiani and David Yong in Singapore. Editors: Stephanie Phang, Cherian Thomas

%MYR

To contact the reporter on this story: Shamim Adam in Singapore at sadam2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net

Shoulder to Shoulder Event Organising Committee

As many of you know, we have been busy among all the Chinese New Year events and other various activities, helping to organise a fundraiser for the Qld Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal along with the Tamil Assoc, the Singapore Business Council, the Singapore Club, the Taiwanese Friendship Association, and many other groups.  The event is coming up on the 5th March and all your support would be greatly appreciated.

Umesh Chandra from GOPIO is also on the committee and he is also the publisher of the Brisbane Indian Times.  He put the following photo on the front page of his paper and the story in his paper and on his website:

http://www.indiantimes.com.au/index.php?mid=1&ssid=1&page=1

Multicultural communities and businesses unite to support Queenslanders


By Janeth Deen

BRISBANE: Multicultural Communities and business houses in Queensland have joined forces in an effort to raise $100,000 for the Queensland Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal. This committee, is aware of the fact that many fund-raising events are in progress and many have already taken place.

Mother nature has unleased destructive forces which have disrupted the lives of Queenslanders in many ways, sparing little of Queensland. Out of the destruction and despair has risen a fighting spirit which has amazed the world. Queenslanders have united to show they are “ True Aussie Battlers” and willing to join in to help those who have faced bushfires, cyclones, drought and flooding rains.

Each of these Multicultural Communities who have joined in this venture have already had fund raising events and donated to the Queensland Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal. However, mother nature has struck another blow, in the form of Cyclone Yasi which has spread the destruction of infrastructure, homes and industry even further. Queensland has also lost most of its fruit and vegetables production due to the floods and cyclone.

Jessica Watson, our Young Queenslander of the year, is the patron of “ Shoulder to Shoulder event,” This united group is organising this event under the leadership of Dr K. K. Nava. Jessica had the spirit to conquer the elements, and now will support her fellow Queenslanders by joining in with the Multicultural Communities in this event.

The economic climate is a challenge at the moment for fund raising, but Queenslanders have always managed to support those who have suffered from natural disasters. This time, it is their own fellow Queenslanders, and real charity begins at home.

The Multicultural Communities need to be supported in this event to make it a success. The ticket prices are $50 per person, Funds for which can be deposited into the bank account of GOPIO Queensland Inc, Flood Relief account BSB 124-077 Account Number 21560856. This is a special account created for this project separate from GOPIO Queensland’s main account. Please include the name of the ticket buyer. Donations of any amount however small, may also be deposited into this account. A list of all donors and ticket buyers will be forwarded to premiers office.

The event will be held on 5th March between 4pm to 7pm at Queensland Police Academy, Rudd Street, Oxley. Entertainment by multicultural performers will include Brisbane Babas Band, South Pacific Island Dance Group and Getano Bann. Finger foods (including Halal) and drinks will be provided, however it will be an alcohol free event. A fundraising auction will be run by Councillor Graham Quirk.

We encourage all community organisations, business houses, community leaders and individuals to join in this united effort for a deserving cause.

For further information contact any of the following Dr K. K. Nava 0400 820 013. Dr C T Bui 0414 738 093, Umesh Chandra 0421 388 465, Grace Tan 0408 418 833, Shona Leppanen – 0419 088 378, Janeth Deen 0435 086 796, Christine Gomes 0408 721 052.

Premier's Chinese New Year Event, 8th February 2011

Every year the Premier puts on a reception at Parliament House for Chinese New Year, inviting many business councils, community groups and business representatives.  This year the event was held at the Convention Centre, I think possibly because the Parliament House carpark was flooded recently and is still being repaired (although the Convention Centre carpark is in a bit of disarray as well).

As with every year AMBCQ was invited along to enjoy the evening, and we are asked to nominate some of our members to come along too.  We try to circulate this somewhat every year so that everyone gets an opportunity to come along - the Premier also has an Indian Community reception in November to coincide with Deepavali and AMBCQ is also invited along to that event.  The Chinese New Year event sees members of many communities, including the Taiwanese, Malaysian, Singaporean, mainland Chinese, ABCs (Australian born Chinese), PNG Chinese, and many other communities represented.

The Premier spoke as did Mr Ren Gongping, the Consul-General for the People's Republic of China, and there was also a lion dance.  The Chinese Historical Association, which includes our former President, Leong Teoh, also had a display of Chinese-Australian history housed in the venue for invitees to peruse.  Other Members of Parliament present included the Hon John Mickel MLA, Speaker of the House, the Hon Michael Choi MLA, Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, Mines and Energy, and Natural Resources, the Hon Andrew Fraser MLA, Treasurer, and the Hon Julie Attwood MLA, Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs. 

It was a good evening to catch up with our members, representatives from other communities, MPs, and friends, and also meet new contacts. 

Kicking off the New Year - Recent trip to KL

Gong hei fatt choi! 

Happy Chinese New Year, Year of the Rabbit!

On Australia Day we left for a very sudden and rushed trip to Malaysia. We were there to support our Malaysian counterpart the Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) fundraiser for the Queensland Flood Relief Appeal. The MABC fundraiser was supported by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, the Malaysia Australia New Zealand Association, AirAsia X and the KL Convention Centre.

We were not able to attend the function officially as we had our children with us and at the last minute MABC decided that they did not want children to be present. However, we went to the front desk to pay for our tickets and register our official attendance and to present the MABC with a letter from the Queensland Premier the Hon Anna Bligh MLA, a letter from the Queensland Opposition Leader (and AMBCQ member) John-Paul Langbroek MLA, books on Queensland donated by Julie Attwood MLA, Member for Mt Ommaney, and cricket bats signed by John-Paul Langbroek. The event was a success and raised more than RM170,000 (close to or approximately AUD $60,000).

On Monday the 31st January, Kiong and I were interviewed on Malaysia’s top morning talk show “Malaysia Hari Ini” (“Malaysia Today”) by anchors Ally Iskandar and Abby Fana. We appeared on the programme with our daughter Ilmi (Ilkka was asleep in the pram, it was an early start), and spoke about the Queensland floods, the impact on the community, and the fundraising efforts in Malaysia and in Brisbane. The hosts were particularly interested to hear about how the floods had impacted on children, and we also spoke particularly about the impact on Ilmi (she’s still quite traumatised by the whole thing, especially as her childcare centre went under). The interview was conducted in both Malay and English.


Meeting with Chris and Sharon from MABC secretariat.

We actually had a lot of meetings for this very quick time frame (especially considering it was the lead up to Chinese New Year, and many people were going back to kampung).  It is quite a different experience dragging children along to meetings, but in typical Malaysian style, our Malaysian hosts were very understanding and receptive towards the kids, and by and large, our kids were pretty well behaved considering the number of (for them, boring) meetings they had to attend.  On the whole, Malaysians are so very accepting of children, and the kids had a very positive experience.  It was a welcome change for them too, given the stress and uncertainity of the last few weeks, with their normal routine interrupted by the floods and the scary images from television fresh in their minds. 


With Zul, co-host of MHI on TV3 and GM of Alt Media

Kiong speaking to Terrence Fernandez, deputy editor TheSun


Article in theSun Daily, Malaysia’s top newspaper

We were also interviewed by theSun Daily, Malaysia’s best known independent newspaper and largest circulated daily, again about the Queensland floods, the impact on the community, particularly the Malaysian community, and the AMBCQ’s involvement in the recovery efforts and fundraising efforts. I’ve attached a link to the article – a few of the comments attributed to Kiong are not entirely accurate ( e.g. thousands of Malaysians affected – Kiong estimates the number of Malaysian-born plus their family members who were directly affected to be perhaps in the hundreds ), but it but these things do happen in interviews and reporting when a young journalist is busy jotting things down in her notepad. However, it was invaluable to get high quality publicity for AMBCQ and Queensland in arguably Malaysia’s most read newspaper (see http://203.115.192.117/wednesday/wed_page4.html). We were especially pleased that AirAsia also received a mention, as it is a great airline that has helped generously in many non-profit and charitable activities.