Are we grasses between bull fighting ?

US is trying to create new policy at their parliament. The unfair trade surplus and jobless rate prompt them urgently create new law. US citizens blamed their government for failing to create enough job domestic. The US government pointed China's undervalued yuan as a reason of their crisis. US constantly urged China to appreciate their currency to match their development. However Beijing was so cautious to follow US's concern and only marginally appreciate its currency. I'm not trained as economist and I really don't understand how does it related. Being layman, it's macro and hard to understand such worldwide issue.

China's export sector got competitive edge from the advantage of undervalued yuan because yuan depreciation make their products considerably cheap against their rival products from worldwide. On the same time, they make all imported things become expensive and effectively block the consumer spending power. By this way, they became upper hand in any bilateral trade world against any country. No other country able to compete the China product in term of manufacturing and market price if the quality of the products is same. At some point, China could sell the better quality product at low price due to their advanced mass production as well as low labour wages. No wonder, China overcome Germany and Japan to gain world's 2nd biggest economy in the world. Only US is sitting on the top spot and this place also now shaken by China's rapid progress in all area.

US feel it's totally unfair China government subsidy its currency stay at lowest possible to generate their products remain competitive. Being layman, I couldn't understand why China are so refused to appreciate their currency. I thought every government would happy to see their currency appreciate against world currencies. I was definitely wrong when I try to understand the trend a bit. Finally the circumstance forced US to come out with double standard policy which need to take more import tax to products from China and similar country if any. This news make China angry and China are quick to respond the unwanted news. Some economist guess it can lead to trade war between US and China if the parliament pass the draft law to reality. Last week Upper house already passed and only lower house vote is needed to pass the law now. At the same time, US secretary Hillary urged other countries to join US in the mission to force China take necessary measure to appreciate yuan. She was so confident that devalued yuan is not only American problems but other countries. It contributed all exporting countries become loser in the long run.

At the moment, Europe is struggling to cope their own problem in saving the euro. US is also facing their problem with the own version. The middle east is uprising and going to increase fuel price at the market which make things expensive. Then what China is doing while other are struggling? China is trying to take advantage from troublesome countries around the world. China is investing almost every country across 5 continents. Of course, my country is another core target by big boy since my country rich natural resources. In real life, we are still relying on Chinese cheap products since we are one of the poorest countries. China export their almost rejected things to our country and import the best natural resources from us. However, they still enjoying trade surplus from doing business with us. It seems we are exchanging our best with their worst. It's disgusting to understand the real things as we seem being semi-colonial by China. It's arguably truth that China has a big influence on our leaders.

Let me get back on the track of this post. US is urging China to appreciate yuan. What if China follow US's demand. For sure, China products will no longer cheap and our people will suffer from that change. Then, is it good for most countries if China remain depreciate? Probably yes for poorer countries like us. May be Europe and US won't like to see China currency remain unchanged. Anyway, we are more likely to bear the consequence of fighting between those two giants.

May the world able to find win-win situation to save our world's economy and prevent from potentially falling into new recession.

Where are we looking?

IT's always truth that coastal cities are most developed cities in any given country. Look history, also the same since we can find world's ancient cities are situated on the banks of their rivers or next to the sea if any. It's obvious that coastal cities have advantage from the easy access of trading with their counterparts from other countries in macro or cities in micro. Thus, it's undeniable that coastal region become first and most developed zone once a country starts its developing process. After that, the attention of governments would be shifted to less developed regions which are most likely to be landlord area.

In view of above, China has transformed its coastal cities to world class metropolitan cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, etc. Now, World's second biggest economy has changed its focus on inward land provinces which are left far behind. So China began to change policies to pull their less developing provinces from western part. Since its western provinces are bordered with Myanmar & India, they have been land lock area and less developing. So China's now famous policy is "Look West" in which China is trying to give its aforesaid provinces access to ocean via neighbour Myanmar. They see us transit nation to get their dream come true and now we are witnessing several projects such as deep port, natural gas pipeline and rail net work, etc. These all are China's afford to unlock its inward land provinces with the expense of Myanmar.

On the other hand, India government has similar policy with China. What they said is "Look East policy". It's the attempt of India government in making its land lock province getting access to sea of Myanmar. Now we all are witnessing the development of sea port at Sittway township by India investment. Again, India is trying to improve their province at the expense of Myanmar. May be Myanmar can gain some development in trade and get commission from transit trade done by those two Asia giants. Our leaders should have review all existing and incoming agreements whether they will bring in much needed technologies as well as jobs.

Since our nation is located geopolitically well in the world map, world's super powers are starring at us with huge interest. No other nation is more promising than Myanmar within ASEAN. In this circumstance, our leaders may have variety of choice in partnering new nations in the wake of some political openness. It's not necessarily need to deal just only China, India & Thailand today. We are swiftly becoming recognized nation by world society and plenty of MNCs are already making the survey on potential trading and investment. No past time has been better than current one. So I want to urge our leaders to make fruitful decision that favor our people's interest when they are being approached by several developed nations. If China is looking west & India is looking east with the interest of their own people, there is no reason to make our policy to generate our people's benefit. Perhaps our policy would be "Looking Up".

Life'll never ever be constant

THIS week, I'm busy with shifting to the new office and failed to pose new ones. I needed to shift my belongings from the old office to new one which is just one level up. The common office belongings were being shifted by some Indian site workers. Seeing immigrant workers shifting office things make me recall my nightmare days of previous job. I was working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between early 2005 and early 2008. Fortunately I was assigned to do quantity surveying job at the head quarter. There are some fellow citizen working together with me at the office. I don't know it's proud thing or not that only Myanmar workers are selected to work at the office. Thus, we are the sole immigrant workers at the vicinity of head office. All other colleagues are locals.

In Malaysia, all employment pass to foreign workers are the same called work permit which is deemed for low skill workers imported from less developing and poorer countries of the region. I reached there by the help of agent as a site engineer. However, the formal document suggest that we were employed as a construction worker. We didn't understand what the government's IPA letter show because they all are written by Malay language. Let it be. As a result, we all are treated as the same class regardless of our post assigned. No matter where we came from. No matter what are we doing at work. We are deemed underdogs and we are not suppose to complain anything to our colleagues who are sometime less educated locals.

Since we are the only foreign worker group at the office, we were automatically assigned for those work which need to be carried or shifted around the office. Everyday, we need to carry construction materials supplied by supplier from ground floor to 3rd story store. Also we need to bring down those materials from the shafts of store to ground floor every morning. Even local drivers of lorry cars considered those carrying jobs are not theirs. What they need to do is just parking and inform to HR only. Then HR staffs will inform to all Burmese staffs to help them carrying things. They won't carry anything while we all are sweating out by carrying those heavy things. They just supervise us to ensure right things are placed in the right place only. In fact, those supervising staff are just office staff. We all are Engineers and working engineering jobs at the office. No matter, what post we are doing, we have to follow their instruction. It's very obvious we were bullied by locals. The problem is we were forced to sign employment contract as soon as we land KLIA and we were not allowed to go back home before fully entertaining those unfair and unlawful contract.

Sometime, we are fully concentration in the work we do while we received calls from those office staffs. We are suppose to act swiftly to all instructions. Otherwise we would be fined by those supervisor who will inform lady boss secretly. What a bitter experience is it? But we have to swallow those stupid things everyday. We sometime protest for early release by citing unhappiness at the work. We know that they won't agree with us and won't return our passport such easy. Despite we continue to show our unhappiness, they have no intention to change our relationship. The keep bully us and press by time. Sometime we even think that we were brainwashed by the horrible lady boss. She is so sweet in appearance, but so fox in her mind. We got life time lesson from the work of KL and it make us feel more comfortable in the workplace of city state.

That's why I said before that seeing Indian workers shifting office common things make me recall my past days. I was in the same position of them. I tried to escape from that prison alike workplace and seek a job in city state. Now I can enjoy fairer work environment in Singapore without being treated terrific. I am now able to feel that republic make me feel more security in term of lawful. I thank to my previous employer making me stronger man by setting a workplace of hell. I understood from this experience that life is ever changing as long as we do not stop moving forward. We have to believe that every single trouble is temporary and solvable. May all my fellow citizen able to find a comfort zone at their workplace.

Change is in the air

TODAY our president has issued the statement of amnesty for 6359 prisoners which will be affected from tomorrow. It is coincidence with the end of 3 months holy period of Buddhist people. This amnesty make this year thadingyut celebration more meaningful and bring happiness to the people of Burma. Since this is exactly reflect to the will of international community, I have no doubt on lifting sanction against us soonest possible. The only unfinished task the current civilian government need to tackle is reconciliation of our ethnic races. I believe, we'll find the best solution on the table through meetings. We all have seen several very good changes recently which are strongly recognized by both local and international society. The government is gradually building people's trust by showing their meaningful steps which were impossible in the past year.

I personally hope the media censorship also would be freed sooner than later so that our people can know the activities of government on time. Also guess, those prisoners will fully understand the will of current government and will not pose any threats against government's interest in building nation's development. Even they'll happily participate in the role they are profession. If seeing is believing, then we have to believe in the ability of our civilian government, at least on our beloved president. He's making big big decision which people never expected before. He keep making people wow almost everyday. I am sure he'll be remembered in the history of new civilization of Burma. Thanks Mr. President, for transforming our sky from the cloudy to sunshine. We all are getting smell of changes and feeling some comfortably due to your big decision. We all will remember you for at least by generation.

Relocation Story

OUR office is suppose to shift to bigger office tomorrow. Unfortunately, it is the same building and just different level. Following the gradually increase of man power, the company was needed to search an office with wider floor area. In the new renovation office, there are some extra rooms created for future employees. We're expected to start work in new office from tomorrow. Thus, we all are informed our new workstation by HR today and also urged to take responsibility in shifting our own computer and its accessories by this evening. The seating layout plan was needed to revise repeatedly by several senior staffs. Eventually we know the confirm workstation just hour away from actual shifting things. I don't know how our management is handling this matter. For me it's just a simple task.

As usual, I feel there are some unfair in the seating plan which is strongly linked to personal. The account personnel take full back row seats by citing they are handling top secret matter in office. I am not agree with that reason because it's not compact work environment. People from the same department should be placed together in order to generate better productivity. The person who need to use most system files should be given workstation next to file cabinet. Likewise, the person who print most should be placed next to printer. I don't know what is the real idea behind the sitting plan. I wonder as if it was based on service in which most senior are being placed behind rows while junior in front.

With regard to the seat plan, I heard some noisy complain from my colleagues. Some are vocal while some are silently disappointing. I might be latter group. Wonder why I'm not being put behind row which is next to cabinets. I need to use most files among fellow QS since I handle most projects both in running and unclosed past ones. Moreover I am only one QS who involve in the tender processing. It need me to use variety of files and my current workstation is being over loaded by colorful files both on and under table. I have limited place to work and it sometime make me work improperly position which lead me wrist pain at night. I wanted to complain with this but keep silent because I am always first to response senior management in the office. I felt we are treated differently. Perhaps I have been pessimist against my colleagues.

But I do believe it doesn't matter where to work for those who work hard. In this perspective, I console myself by trying to silent in this case. But it's long journey and once we are placed, it's going to be affected till we finally resign from company. In view of it, everybody should have been treated fair way. In brief, it is small matter and I just trying to record my feeling through the process of our office relocation. May all my colleague enjoy with the place they are being offered by management.