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RM623.3 billion… AND FALLING!

  
One look at the headline above and the untrained mind would scream in panic.

However…

According to a parliament answer by Deputy Finance Minister Johari, as at end Sept 30, 2015 our govt debt is now at RM623.3 billion, which is 50.7% of GDP – dropping from 52.8% (RM568,8 billion at June 30, 2014) and 54.7% (RM547.6 billion as at end 2013).

Our debt has increased but our country’s GDP (our national income) has increased much faster due to our steady GDP growth – hence the sizeable drop in the Debt to GDP ratio.
At 50.7% Debt to GDP ratio, according to the CIA fact-book, more than 70 other countries in the world will have to go bankrupt before it reaches our turn.
These countries include: Japan Zimbabwe Greece Lebanon Jamaica Italy Portugal Eritrea Cabo Verde Grenada Ireland Cyprus Belgium Singapore Barbados Spain Puerto Rico France Canada Egypt Bhutan Jordan Antigua And Barbuda United Kingdom Iceland Croatia Austria Saint Kitts And Nevis Belize Saint Lucia Hungary United States Germany Morocco Sudan Albania Sri Lanka Ghana Ukraine Dominica Serbia Sao Tome And Principe Netherlands Malta Aruba Saint Vincent And The Grenadines Israel Seychelles Pakistan Guyana Uruguay El Salvador Mauritius Slovenia Malawi Mozambique Montenegro Finland Brazil Bahamas, The Yemen Costa Rica Slovakia Senegal Vietnam Venezuela India Marshall Islands Syria 
The steady drop in our Debt-To-GDP ratio is due to our shrinking yearly budget deficits which have been reducing every year to only 3.2% this year and targeted at 3.1% next year.
—

The federal government debt as of Sept 30 this year was at RM623.3 billion, said Deputy Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani.

“Of this amount, 96.4 percent or RM601.1 billion was domestic debt, with the balance of RM22.2 billion or 3.6 percent being offshore loans in various denominations of currency.
“The government debt is manageable and categorised as a country with moderate indebtedness,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in response to a question from Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin) who asked for clarification from the finance minister on the federal government debt.
Johari said the level of the federal government debt for the stated period to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 50.7 percent.
—-
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/322001
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/hutang-negara-rm568.9-bilion-atau-52.8-daripada-kdnk

  

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Bat Journalism

“As blind as a bat.”

That is how I would describe most journalists today. They never understand not a scintilla of what they write but they write them anyway. Corrections can be made later no matter if the damage has been done and is irreversible.

The latest intentional or unintentional faux pas is about the PLUS highway concession, quoting Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Sirlin in her answer to a supplemental question from Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari (BN – Setiawangsa). One portal reported:

  
The report above is as if the decision for a toll hike every whatever the number of years set in the agreement. What the portals have not mentioned is that it is up to the government to allow any toll hike after all concerns have been weighed. 

Of course you have opportunistic baboons such as Tony Puaka to further add to the confusion:

  
The actual answer by the Deputy Minister is as follows:

1.​Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (PLUS) telah mula dibina pada tahun 1989 dan siap pada tahun 1994 dengan kos sebanyak RM5.9 bilion. Kos projek ini ditanggung sepenuhnya oleh syarikat konsesi PLUS, kecuali kos pengambilan tanah yang ditanggung oleh Kerajaan. Berdasarkan perjanjian konsesi tambahan terkini (2011), tempoh konsesi Lebuhraya PLUS akan tamat pada 31 Disember 2038. Setakat ini Kerajaan tidak ada perancangan untuk melanjutkan lagi tempoh konsesi tersebut.

 

2.​Dalam tahun 2011, PLUS telah melaksanakan pengstruktaran semula dimana PLUS terpaksa membuat pinjaman sejumlah RM30.6 billion melalui penerbitan bon. Bayaran balik faedah pinjaman telah mula pada tahun 2012 manakala bayaran pokok hanya akan bermula pada tahun 2017 sehingga 2038.

 

3.​Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, syarikat PLUS merupakan pemegang konsesi bagi 6 lebuh raya iaitu:

 

• Lebuhraya Utara Selatan

• Lebuhraya Lingkaran Tengah ELITE

• Lebuhraya LINKEDUA

• Jambatan Pulau Pinang

• Lebuhraya Butterworth Kulim

• Lebuhraya Seremban Port Dickson

 

4.​Melalui penstrukturan semula pada tahun 2011, hasil keuntungan terkumpul pemegang konsesi Lebuhraya PLUS sehingga 2014 adalah RM26 juta. Secara puratanya, 50% daripada hasil keuntungan adalah digunakan untuk membayar balik faedah pinjaman. Syarikat PLUS telah membuat pinjaman melalui penerbitan bon berjumlah RM30.6 bilion. Pinjaman ini dibuat pada tahun 2011 semasa penstrukuturan PLUS Berhad.

 

5.​20-25% digunakan untuk membiayai kos operasi dan penyenggaraan, ini termasuk lebih kurang 25% jajaran yang tidak dikenakan tol.

 

6.​15-20% adalah untuk kerja-kerja upgrading, termasuk pembinaan persimpangan bertingkat Sungai Buaya, Bukit Gambir, Kuala Kangsar, Ainsdale dan kerja-kerja naiktaraf Lorong Keempat Lebuhraya Utara Selatan.

 

7.​Baki 10% adalah untuk bayaran balik kepada pemegang saham yang terdiri daripada KWSP (49%) dan Khazanah (51%).

 

8.​Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat juga, perjanjian konsesi PLUS telah mengalami penstrukutran semula kadar tol sebanyak 4 kali iaitu pada tahun 1999, 2002, 2005 dan 2011 di mana kadar tolnya telah mengalami beberapa perubahan daripada penggunaan Consumer Price Index (CPI), 26% setiap 5 tahun pada tahun 1999 dan kepada 10% setiap 3 tahun pada tahun 2005 dan akhir sekali pada tahun 2011 di mana kenaikan kadar tol diselaraskan kepada 5% setiap 3 tahun.

 

9.​Kadar tol PLUS tidak dinaikkan sejak tahun 2005. Dalam penstrukturan semula kadar tol tahun 2011, tiada kenaikan tol sehingga 2015. Manifesto PRU 13 BN menetapkan pengurangan kadar tol secara berperingkat lebuh raya Antara Bandar. Sehubungan dengan itu, Kerajaan akan berunding dengan syarikat konsesi bagi memenuhi akujanji manifesto tersebut.

 

10.​Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat juga, jajaran Lebuhraya Utara Selatan bermula dari Bukit Kayu Hitam hingga ke Johor adalah sepanjang 848km. Lain-lain lebuhraya ELITE (63km), BKE (17km), SPDH (23km), JPP (13.5km).

 

11.​Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, jumlah keuntungan selepas cukai PLUS Berhad bagi tahun kewangan berakhir 31 Disember 2014 ialah sebanyak RM8.4 juta, iaitu mengambikira PLUS Berhad sebagai entiti korporat tunggal yang mengendalikan 5 lebuhraya selepas pengstrukturan semula PLUS mulai bulan November 2011

PLUS operates six highways with a total distance of 964.5km. PLUS has not had a toll increase since 2005. As a result of a restructuring exercise in 2011, PLUS has had to raise RM30.6 billion through bonds issuance. 50 percent of its profit since then has gone to the payment of loan interest while 20 to 25 percent has been allocated for the operations and maintenance of the highways, 15 to 20 percent to upgrading works, while the balance of 10 percent has gone to the payments to the shareholders i.e KWSP and Khazanah.

The above profit was at RM26 million (2014).

What we must also remember, because the toll concession agreements are all legacies of a certain former Prime Minister, the original agreement allowed for a hike of 10 percent every three years. The current Prime Minister initiated for the takeover and has had the agreement renegotiated in 2011 to a hike of 5 percent every three years. However, there has been no hike since 2005.

And if I understand the statement correctly there will not be any automatic hike and that the government is committed in reducing intercity toll rates until 2018.

Blind dingbats who call themselves journalists should act more responsibly when reporting. Sensationalism sells, but that only goes to prove that you are just another opportunistic baboon like Tony Puaka.

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Withering Heights 

There was a time when Anwar Ibrahim and ADIL (later KEADILAN, and then Parti Keadilan Rakyat) enjoyed the massive support of the rakyat no matter the program. That was the time when those who hated his guts such as the DAP and PAS treated him and his party as a political mules. The jockeys rode to victory in many places in 2008 while PKR only got the MB seat in Selangor by virtue of PKR being able to provide a Malay candidate as the MB.

As time goes by, the rakyat can finally see that other than Rafizi, Wan Azizah, N Surendran, Nurul Izzah and Tian Chua, PKR has nonother candidates qualified to become anything, and that PKR is nothing but a vehicle to promote Anwar Ibrahim as the next Prime Minister, and stops at only that.

The above is evident in the latest cow-dung shat by PKR in the case of the Tian Chua-arranged meeting between Nurul Izzah and Jacel Kiram, discarding the sensitivities causedby the Lahad Datu intrusion.

  
So how much support does PKR and its loose coalition have nowadays?

  
The above Pakatan-organised (PKR) forum was held in Opposition-held Shah Alam, its own safe seat. Using the favourite opposition-leaning media’s words, “tens of thousands” attended. Here is a photo of the forum.

   
My guess is we will have a new Menteri Besar in Selangor – a DAP stooge.  DAP as usual will have the most seats in Selangor and Mat Sabu-led Amananah will contest. Pseudo-religious voters will support Mat Sabu and his massacre of cartoons and among these DAP-friendly candidates, one will become the Menteri Besar-designate.
DAP will eventually have its way in Selangor.

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Jacking Shiite

While JAKIM could improve more than just being a body to justify what is Halal or Haram, I feel that it is a very much needed organisation to help regulate the understanding of Islam according to Mazhab Shafie of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah teachings.

Not Wahabbi, not Shiah. Not ISIS.

I don’t agree with some of JAKIM’s findings, but I don’t agree with calls to disband JAKIM. By NOT having JAKIM, however, only allows unwanted elements attack the foundation of those who do not have a good grasp of basic Islam – Fiqh and Tauhid. We see from time to time attempts are being made to proselytise Muslims; and we see how some have adopted very liberal interpretation of Fiqh to the point of mocking those conservative Muslims. We see how extremists have also taken advantage of the weak and those who do not practice by promising them paradise and so on so they would commit terrorism to “atone” for their sins as seen by the many number of Malaysians who suddenly think they can go to paradise by joining ISIS.

Today, another person has joined in the fray by mocking JAKIM.

  

Perhaps, this person who is always mudah lupa especially during the PKFZ hearings, has also lupa that he wants Malaysians to accept another version of Islam:

  
Before you begin thinking about what he has said, I would like you to ask yourselves if you would go down with him to Anwar’s favourite backyard?

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Paradise Won

A flight of B-52 bombers from the USAF flew around Second Thomas Shoal and Mischief Reef in the Spratlys and were quickly challenged by Chinese Air Traffic Controller during the weekend of the 8th and 9th November 2015.

US PACAF released the transcript of the exchange between the bombers and the Chinese ATC and was reproduced by Alert 5 and are as follows:

Chinese ATC: “You have violated my reef. Change your course to avoid misjudgement.”

Chinese ATC: “You have violated the security of my reef. Change course to avoid misjudgment.”

Reply from the B-52: “I’m a United States military aircraft conducting lawful activities in international waters, and exercising these rights as guaranteed by international law. In exercising these rights as guaranteed by international law, I am operating with due regard to the right and duties of all states.”

China has been making de facto claims on the Spratlys by doing reclamation works on reefs that include the construction of airfields and enforcing its “Nine-Dash Line” policy all the way into Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zone. Being the sole regional Big Brother China has been flexing its muscle against its smaller neighbours economically and militarily. China’s runway at Fiery Cross reef has a runway that could land a H-6G bomber that could operate 5,700 kilometres from a home base, not to mention Shenyang J-11 fighters that could operate within a radius of 1,400 kilometres. Malaysia is now within a 45-minute strike distance.

As if that is not enough, the threat if asymmetric warfare from Sulu in the southern Philippines is also a clear and present danger. On the 15th November 2015, the Abu Sayyaf was reported to have met with elements from the IS to conduct terrorist attacks in Malaysia. The Abu Sayyaf is also notorious fir the kidnappings of westerners and Malaysians alike.

 

RMAF assets involved in Ex Paradise 2/15 – photo by Marhalim Abas
 
With the above in mind, the Royal Malaysian Air Force conducted and concluded Exercise Paradise 2/15 from the 9th until the 20th November 2015. With the objective to test its combat readiness and capabilities in the Second Air Region, the RMAF deployed assets such as the F/A-18D Hornet, Su-30MKM Flanker, BAe Hawk, 108/208, C-130H-30 transport aircraft, KC-130 tankers, CN-235 transport aircraft, helos such as the Sikorsky S61A4 Nuri and the Eurocopter EC725 and also involved the RMAF Special Forces regiment. The Malaysian Army’s 10th Brigade (Para) provided a team of air despatchers.

 

A RMAF F/A-18D Hornet from No.18 Squadron – pic by Capt Rahmat
 
Up until the 18th November 2015, a total of 198 air sorties had been flown. During the Field Training Exercise (FTX) RMAF assets successfully conducted Air to Ground firing exercises as well as Air Drop operations and insertion of special forces elements to support ground operations.

During the War Exercise (WAREX), the assets were then combined for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), High-Value Air Asset Protection (HVAAP), Combined Air Operations (COMAO), Mixed Fighter Force Operation (MFFO) and Large Force Employment (LFE).

According to Exercise Chairman, Major General Dato’ Mohd Shabre bin Haji Hussein RMAF, the exercise achieved more than 90 percent of its objectives in accordance with the Scenarios of Exercise (SOE) and was a success.

The media was also invited to witness the exercise in a bid by the Ministry of Defence as well as the RMAF in educating the media, and in turn the public, on the capabilities of the RMAF and the importance of public support towards the Malaysian Armed Forces in general.

Members of media had the privilege to take part in a Aircraft Force Down exercise involving fighter and transport assets.

 

Members of the media experiencing aircraft force down procedures in a side-exercise – photo by Fadzli Hafiz
 
In an observation by this writer, the Ministry of Defence has to seriously look at beefing up the assets of both the Royal Malaysian Air Force as well as the Royal Malaysian Navy. The Chinese government gets away with murder in the South China Sea simply because Malaysia lacks effective deterrence. The RMAF for example should be equipped with AWACS aircraft as well as the still-elusive MRCA.

 

A KC-130 tanker leading a formation of F/A-18Ds, Su-30MKMs and Bae Hawks – photo by MINDEF
 
This writer opines that in line with the principles of force projection, MRCAs should also be based in Labuan in sufficient numbers to deter the advance of PLAAF and PLAN assets, while the Hawks concentrate especially in providing air support for the ESSZONE by having forward operating bases in Tawau and Lahad Datu or Sandakan. Without strong deterrence, Malaysia will never be able to have diplomatic bargainjng power against any larger forces in the region.

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Endorsing The Enemy

Almost three years ago the nation witnessed the slaughter of several police officers and men by a bunch of low-life thugs from the Southern Philippines, men of the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III landed in Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu and demanded for the return of Sabah to the Sultanate.

 
The women above lost their husband and their children have lost forever a normal life.

Anwar Ibrahim, too, lent support to the thugs. He met up with Nur Misuari before the incursion and Jamalul Kiram III openly announced his support for Anwar as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia should BN fall during the 13th General Elections.

   
 
Treachery must run deep in Anwar’s family. On the 9th November 2015, his daughter and MP for Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah, went to lend her support to Jacel Kiram, daughter if the now rotting Jamalul Kiram III. Talk about insensitivity! Jacel Kiram still claims that Sabah belongs to Sulu.

  
To add insult to injury, DAP’s Teresa Kok had this to say to reporters about Nurul Izzah’s visit:

  
The visit is not serious, she said, and the events that took place at Kampung Tanduo is a bit of an old story.

I hope she could tell China to now stop asking for an apology from the Japanese, and that the Jews should forget the Holocaust ever happened.

Whoever votes for these MOs again ought to be castrated and raw iodine poured on their wound.

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Allah Nak Letak Di Mana?

Sebelum saya meneruskan penulisan saya ini saya ingin mengajak anda menonton klip video ini:

Ahli Parlimen DAP dari Kuching enggan berucap dalam Bahasa Malaysia
Ahli Parlimen tersebut telah membaca Artikel 161(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang berbunyi:

Tiada Akta Parlimen yang menamatkan atau menyekat penggunaan bahasa Inggeris bagi apa-apa maksid yang disebut dalam Fasal (2) hingga (5) Artikel 152 boleh mula berkuatkuasa berkenaan dengan penggunaan bahasa Inggeris dalam Fasal (2) Perkara ini sehingga sepuluh tahun selepas Hari Malaysia.

Malangnya, dalam video yang kita saksikan sebentar tadi, Ahli Parlimen DAP tersebut tidak menyebut mengenai had sepuluh tahun selepas Hari Malaysia, iaitu pada 16 haribulan September 1973. Sebaliknya, bekiau berkeras menyatakan bahawa ianya menjadi hak beliau sebagai orang Sarawak untuk terus menggunakan bahasa Inggeris di dalam sidang Parlimen.

Setelah Hari Malaysia 1973, iaitu tamatnya perlindungan hak sepuluh tahun berbahasa Inggeris, Akta Bahasa Kebangsaan 1963/67 (semakan 1971) secara automatik berkuatkuasa di seluruh Persekutuan Malaysia. Ini bermakna bahasa penghantar rasmi bagi Sabah dan Sarawak juga adalah Bahasa Malaysia. Walau bagaimanapun, Seksyen 5 Akta tersebut memberi kelonggaran untuk seseorang Ahli Parlimen mahupun Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri dari Sabah dan Sarawak untuk berucap dalam bahasa Inggeris di dalam majlis Parlimen tetapi dengan izin Speaker Dewan. Ianya bukan lagi suatu hak mutlak. Sekiranya tidak diizinkan oleh Speaker Dewan maka setiap Ahli Parlimen mahupun Dewan Undangan Negeri hendaklah menggunakan Bahasa Kebangsaan. Malah Akta tersebut dipinda semula pada tahun 1983 dan diperluaskan lagi.

Saya berasa hairan akan kedegilan pihak DAP yang terus menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sedangkan tidak berapa lama dahulu mereka memperjuangkan penggunaan Bahasa Kebangsaan dalam Kitab Injil malah tetap dengan pendirian mereka bahawa penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam kitab Injil adalah sebahagian dari ajaran Kristian yang tidak boleh diabaikan.

Oleh kerana mereka kini berkeras ingin gunakan bahasa Inggeris di dalam Parlimen, adakah ini juga bermaksud kalimah Allah tiada lagi kepentingan dalam perjuangan DAP?

  

Ini bukan kali pertama Ahli Parlimen Kuching daripada parti DAP ini mempersenda dan mempertikai apa yang termaktub dalam perlembagaan dan bersuara bagai menanam kebencian terhadap Malaysia.

Pada 17 September tahun lalu, Chong menganggap lagu kebangsaan Negaraku sebagai memalukan dan mengarut sebelum meminta maaf.

  

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When M&Ms Aren’t Nice

  
M&Ms are nice. They melt in your mouth, not in your hands. Easy to swallow. Not so the M&M that are being referred to in this latest article posted by Sin Chew .

Muhyiddin isn’t new in the arena of backstabbing. He was rescued by Mahathir in 1995 after he fell out of favour with the then-Sultan of Johor when he was the Menteri Besar of Johor. Mahathir had him switch posts with Ghani Othman who was then the Minister for Culture, Youth and Sports.

He quickly aligned himself with Anwar Ibrahim whose meteoric rise to the Deputy Premier’s post was orchestrated by none other than Mahathir himself. So confident was Muhyiddin then that he announced to several reporters that “when Anwar becomes the PM, I will be his deputy.”

When Anwar fell out of favour with Mahathir, Muhyiddin immediately abandons Anwar and pledged allegiance to Mahathir while another close ally of Anwar then, Zahid Hamidi, languished in a cell of the Kamunting detention center under the ISA courtesy of Mahathir.

Therefore, it is no surprise that when he saw the chance to oust Najib as Mahathir stepped up his attacks, Muhyiddin backstabbed Najib. He went around claiming ignorance of the 1MDB issue when he, as the DPM, had sat in the briefings by Arul Kanda.

In a recent exposé by Tawfik Ismail of the G25 movement Muhyiddin and Mahathir had approached the group for support to oust Najib. Tawfik had also told Muhyiddin bluntly that the latter has so many skeletons in the closet to be the Prime Minister of choice. Apparently those in the 20s too young to remember anything can read about some of Muhyiddin’s sins here.

The Master of Backstabbing however isn’t Muhyiddin. He should remember, he is not the second person who thinks that the MM thing stands for Mahathir-Muhyiddin. Mahathir’s one-time deputy, Musa Hitam found that out the hard way.

Mahathir and Musa was thought to have forged a concrete partnership that made UMNO formidable. MM, people thought meant Mahathir-Musa. Both once were presented with a motorcycle each bearing the plate number MM1 and MM2 respectively. But a journalist once asked Mahathir what MM meant and he replied, “Mahathir Mohamad.”

Anwar too was almost certain of becoming the PM. Before he became DPM, Anwar used to go horseback riding with Mahathir,something the elder politician still does even when he is abroad in Argentina. When Anwar ousted Ghafar Baba, Mahathir said to his younger apprentice, “No more horseback riding, Anwar. It would be a security risk for us to be together.” Of course, in private Mahathir said something to the effect that “we might have a Brutus in the party.”

Mahathir ousted Musa, blocked Razaleigh, did nothing to help Ghafar Baba, ousted Anwar, and finally ousted Abdullah Badawi as the Prime Minister, reportedly with the help of Muhyiddin. Abdullah was too nice a man. Now he tries to get rid of Najib come what may.

  
Mahathir would oust anyone who disagrees with him as the puppet-master. Muhyiddin would likely face the same fate if he had become the PM. And when he doesn’t get things to go his way, he plucks stories from the sky and feeds them to thr masses, creating panic and distrust of the Najib administration. The universe, he thinks, must revolve around him. 

3,228 years ago, someone with that similar thinking, that the world revolves around him, ruled Egypt with an iron fist, and lived as long as Mahathir is now.

And for someone who “gate-crashed” the “Nothing To Hide” program a few months ago because he was interested to speak out on behalf of the “oppressed” rakyat, I find it amusing that Mahathir did not take the opportunity to question Arul Kanda at this morning’s event where Arul explained and took questions on the 1MDB issue.

It is true then that he never had any evidence on 1MDB. And he is only interested in hoodwinking the rakyat to serve his interests, and those of his cronies.

And where was Muhyiddin?

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Alvin Taik

Nothing new with his antics, again he is provoking the Muslims from wherever he is in the United States of America.

This time he uses the Holy Quran to wipe his ass.

  

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Zombies On My Timeline

After two days, I still see people share this:

  
I am not defending the minister but I would like these people to not behave like zombies, inattentive to their surroundings.

  
Don’t be like this man who blabs aimlessly and as admitted, without a scintilla of evidence to back his claims, yet zombies still believe him:

  
Let me point you to a video of the press conference and see for yourself if the minister had asked you zombies to wake up early if you don’t want to pay tolls – clique ici please.