分享投资资讯部落格

有看到我在follow的部落格 “夜月空间”吗？他是我在大学所认识的朋友。他毕业过后除了进修他所兴趣的经济学（之前是读工程系）还有业余搞一些小投资。他这一个部落格主要分享他的投资经验和讯息， 还包括一些个人生活的启发。这部落格是推荐给那些对投资有兴趣的人和很想跟有相同兴趣的人交流。我在他的部落格学到不少东西。希望大家也多多收益 ^^.

这是那个网子：http://moonitez89.blogspot.com/

P.S: 我写华语是因为他的部落格主要是华语，所以只是写给会看华语的朋友。

Kuala Lumpur–Singapore High Speed Rail : A game change?

In 2010, Malaysia government announced economic transformation programme, one of the key entry point projects was the high speed rail between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore(For more information, you can go to SPAD Website). This project is said to be game changing for the two countries where it trim the travel time between the two cities to just 90 minute. Recently the Malaysia government had confirms the station namely Kuala Lumpur( Near Sungai Besi), Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and Nusajaya. While Singapore counterpart have yet to finalise the stop but already identifies 3 potential location : Tuas West, Jurong east and Singapore City Center. Kuala Lumpur and Singapore corridor mainly serve by car, bus and airplane. Conventional rail share model is quite negligible. Currently this corridor account for 7.45 million passenger-km in 2011 and the number still growing. But the question now is will this project game changing for the both countries as stated by our prime minister, Dato Seri Najib Razak? 

The most important factor to make the HSR project success is there are enough people using the transportation. As we all know learning from other HSR system around the world, while Malaysia conventional rail is poorly in service, only air transport will be badly hit when the HSR kick in. Base on data from CAPA, KLIA to Changi Airport weekly capacity (seats) is 101248 and sum up to be around just 10 million a year. While the end terminal will be locate not near to KLIA and Changi Airport, competition will be lesser and annual ridership of the HSR for the 1st year may even lesser than 8 million. It may take some time for this project to turn profit.

Another factor influence the success of the project is the connection of end terminal to downtown area. As we already know, Kuala Lumpur end terminal will be locate at current Sungai Besi TUDM air base which will redevelopment into Bandar Malaysia. Due to the HSR station not at the core of the downtown area, there is a need to change to other transit to reach KL city center. I have do some study on the area, there are three stations located near the Kuala Lumpur HSR station which are KTM Seputeh station, Ampang Line Cheras station and KTM & Ampang Line Salak Selatan Station. The nearest is the Cheras station which is 1km away.  Even there is a pedestrian path build between the two station, it still take 15 minute to reach Cheras station and another 30 to reach the city center. This show there is a serious lack of connection to HSR station. Although it is just 5km away from downtown, the lack of connectivity will make HSR less attractive to use and even KLIA have ERL to link airport with KL central with just 30 min ride compare to 45 min by HSR. While in Singapore end terminal which haven't finalise yet, I predict Singapore government most likely will set the station in Jurong East because it is not too costly to build compare to city center and not too far from downtown if it is in Tuas West. Beside that they want avoid competitive advantage over Changi Airport if set the station in core of downtown and Jurong district is becoming the next CBD. I assume the station will be integrate into Jurong East Interchange mean not connectivity issue on Singapore side and it take another 30 minute to travel from Jurong East to city center which is much attractive to use compare from Changi airport.

Now the problem lie on how Malaysia government to connect station in Bandar Malaysia to heart of the city center. Besides that, other HSR station also need a good public transport system to support the HSR like feeder bus for connection to their city center, example Nusajaya to Johor Bahru Central. Malaysia need to learn from other HSR system around the world as they always overestimated the popularity in initial year. Most of the HSR end terminal station is very close to downtown and if it not, a good integration with other transportation system. Malaysia have very poorly developed public transport system which discourage people to use and conventional rail only have more development until recently but still limit to city at the north like Ipoh and Butterworth. I hope it will not become another white elephant and really become game changing to Malaysia like how HSR transform Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Working in Singapore

It been a year since I work in Singapore. Before I graduate, I never thought of I will working here. I always pursuit by my brother who already work in Singapore for about a year at that time. He keep saying higher salary there compare to our home country Malaysia. In Malaysia a normal fresh graduate can earn around RM2500~ 3000 while work in Singapore is having the same number too but the difference is the exchange rate between the two countries currency. This make huge income different when you convert salary in Singapore Dollar SGD2500-3000 to Malaysia Ringgit which bring around RM6500-7800 (Current exchange rate ~ SGD1=RM2.6). Mostly due to this reason, there are around 500,000 Malaysian currently working in Singapore which is around 16% of total Singapore workforce and this doesn't include those Malaysian who change their citizenship to Singapore.  

When we talk about Singapore, what come out in our mind are a clean, rich and modern country. This tiny island, just a developed point inside Southeast Asia but attracting thousand of foreigner not only Malaysia but other people from Asia region and even small amount of westerner. It has efficient public transport, the least corruption country among the regional and located strategically in major sea route. Besides that, this lion city is one of the major financial center and busiest port. All this lead to flood of foreign workers into this gold mine. 

This was the 1st developed country I ever visit. I feel very amazed by the clean environment, very organised building and road, MRT and skyscrapers even today. However, this excitement slowly become fade after work . For me, this city start to become what other foreigners perceive : it is just a place for working nothing else. Singapore is a wealthy nation in eye of the world and envy by many but once this thinking strike me, I started to feel how the local feel. 

Small nation mean lack of land, fully integrated public transport system but expensive car, cheap public housing but not fully owned it and etc. The Singaporean can't really enjoying the benefit of wealthy nation. While birth rate is decreasing, lack of workforce, therefore more foreign labours will be bring in to support the ageing population so it can maintain the wealthy and the cycle keep repeating.

One thing I certain, their government is doing what best for the city to keep it roaring but not their citizens. 

Myth: High car ownership due to bad public transport in Malaysia?

Poor public transport system is long haunted Malaysian road user many years ago. I not sure since when it started to get worst until it reaches the all time low where 12% of road user use public transport in KL(now is better). This is generally unusual for major city like KL which is the capital of Malaysia. When comparing to other major city like Bangkok or Manila, i think KL has one of the lowest usage of public transport between ASEAN country. According to a statistic, the number of vehicle registered including motorcycle is up to total of 22 million compare to the 28 million of population. This show how serious the situation had become.

Let not discuss about the reason Malaysia have bad public transport system. Anyway, I can list a few reason such as poor urban planning, national car protection, low investment, giving bus and taxi permit out of control, unhealthy competition among bus company, focus on car user, etc. All this factors will lead to bad public transport system. So what the problem cause by this issue? Traffic jam.

Traffic jam mean there are overwhelming of vehicle on the road and roads are not enough to accommodate the increase of number of cars.  This lead to loss of time in road where many people stuck in the traffic jam, pollution to the environment and more money needed to spend on expansion of road. 

However, is it poor public transport lead to increase in car ownership? The answer is NOT the only reason. In the past, i'm sure that poor public transport system is the main cause. After receiving information about traffic condition from other city where public transport is fully integrated, i have different view about this issue. Cities that have good public transport system such as Beijing, Taipei and Seoul are all facing the same problem as KL: traffic jam.  

So from here, i can summarize that increase number of car in the road mainly due to people are afford to own a car rather than the public transport is bad. I can see no reason for me to use public transport where it take time more than 30 min to reach when i can drive to my office just less than 30 min. In addition, the bus ticket is higher than the petrol used (Malaysia petrol price still very cheap). Nevertheless, I hope the authorities put more effort in increase the service of public transport and make more convenience for the people  because most of the people i think seldom use the system. I can see a very simple solution just build a bus station with information of the bus route on it. 

One day i will see public transport is the main choice for people to commuter daily. 

A different blogging

Starting from now on, I will post various issues relating mostly in Malaysia and maybe include some comment on other country (usually if I once step to the country). I hope I can blogging toward that direction and avoid being so self center because this is where i can express something where people normally feel boring as a chatting topic. In future, this blog can become the platform for discussion and any constructive comments are welcome. It will become a little different.