EUROCOPTER EC 725 COUGAR

Eurocopter deal suspended
Giam Say Khoon 

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 28, 2008): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced the suspension of the RM1.7 billion Eurocopter helicopter deal with the allocation to be redistributed to projects that directly benefit the people.

"We had decided during the National Economic Council meeting on Oct 13 not to purchase the helicopters at the moment because we need the allocation

for other projects and saving is very important for us now, to face an economic situation caused by the world economic crisis," he told reporters after attending a Hari Raya celebration at the Defence Ministry.

"We need to relocate the allocation for certain projects… because we cannot just borrow the money when we need it. The best thing to do is to relocate, we will do the projects that can be implemented now."

Abdullah, who is also Defence Minister, said the government had decided that only projects that will benefit the people will be given the allocation and that all ministries are required to lower their expenditure by deferring some of their projects.

"Suspending the purchase (of the helicopters) does not mean that we will stop buying any helicopters, as we will do it when the financial status allows us to do so. The Nuri (military) helicopters we have now are old and they often involved in accidents that killed not only the soldiers but also civilians. Therefore the old helicopters must be replaced," he said.

Abdullah added that a decision to replace the 28 Nuris must be made by 2011 and the government would want to make the purchase earlier if possible as new helicopters will need three years to be delivered.

He said as a result, the ministry had studied the models of helicopters to be purchased and Eurocopter was chosen in the open tender as it fulfilled the requirements and specifications set by the ministry.

He denied the helicopter deal will cost RM2.3 billion as claimed by the Opposition, saying that the price for 12 Cougar EC725 helicopters from the European firm is only around RM1.67 billion.

Asked when the government will resume the deal, Abdullah said the government will first access its financial situation.

On the scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which will be conducted today (Wednesday), he said since the deputy prime minister had agreed to a scrutiny by the committee, it will go on as it will also give the committee the opportunity to examine the deal with the officers involved in the purchase.

"It is a good thing for them (the PAC) to learn about the procedure used by the ministry and why the deal cost so much.

"The helicopters (are expensive as they) come with high specifications for combat, search and rescue as well as troop lifting purposes," he said.

Abdullah also explained that the Brazilian deal with Eurocopter was cheaper, which involved the purchase of 50 Super Cougar helicopters at a price

consideration of US$1.2 billion, because the helicopters bought by that country were ordinary helicopters and they did not have the same specifications like those Malaysia intended to buy.

On the allegations that the deal lacked transparency, Abdullah said it was done through tender and he did not believe that there were any irregularities.

To a question, he said the government will decide whether Eurocopter will still be given the deal when the situation allows the purchase or whether another open tender will be called. He also said the government has yet to inform Eurocopter formally of the decision to suspend the deal.

SOURCE:  THE SUN ONLINE

E-MAIL MARKETING

How to Make Email Marketing Works for Your Business

by: Mr JH Saw


Topic 1

~ Your Email Subject Lines ~

How To Write A Good E-mail Subject Lines That Works?

Here are the 5 tips:

1. Ask a question. One of the best ways to get a reader's attention is to ask a question. But like a trial lawyer questioning a witness on the stand, make sure it'll get you the response you're looking for. "What's the best way to grow your business?" is a great subject line for business owners. After all, what business owner wouldn't want to grow his or her business? Or let's say you run a health club. An e-mail with the subject line, "How can you lose 5 pounds in one month?" would certainly be compelling. It's important your question be relevant to your audience.

2. Be a tease. A clever subject line can be enticing. When it's done right, reader curiosity is piqued. They want to know more--and they'll open your e-mail. Writing a teaser-style subject line requires some creativity, and your content needs to deliver. A company that sells high-definition TVs could use the subject line, "You're not going to believe your eyes" as a teaser to introduce a new addition to their product line.

3. Tell it like it is. Often, what works best is to say exactly what you want your reader to know. Examples of this straightforward approach are, "Sale on all sweaters this weekend," "Master jazz pianist plays live this Friday" and "The seven secrets of a profitable business." This just-the-facts approach works especially well when you can appeal directly to your audience's interests. It's also the best approach to use when you send a newsletter.

4. Remember "WIIFM". When a person gets your e-mail, the first thing they consider is "what's in it for me?" They have a decision to make. Do they open your e-mail, leave it for later or delete it? If there isn't something about the subject line that lets them know why it's worth their precious time to see what's inside, then the choice will be clear. Keep WIIFM in mind when creating every aspect of your e-mails, including the offer, content, images--and most definitely the subject line. It's all about them. They know that; just make sure you know it, too.

5. Get personal. The more you can make each contact feel you're speaking directly to them, the more effective your communication will be. Whatever style of subject line you use, you can make it personal by using the word "you." Professional copywriters know the secret of using this powerful little word. Just look at the advertisements, mail and e-mail you receive. A few examples are, "Find the right swimsuit for you," "You can save 50 percent on travel," and "You'd look phenomenal in a custom-tailored suit." "You" is ideal, but "your" works too.

articles source: http://www.articlecity.com

WRITE E-BOOKS

Write E-Books, it's easier than you think

by Francisco Segura

People love e-books and are willing to pay good money for them and strangely, they are not that hard to write! There is no longer any need for delaying with the simple process detailed below. The process detailed here can be used for a person carrying out the whole project on their own or with one or more additional writers to help them.


The topic for your e-book should come from research carried out in articles you have written, possibly on a subject you have knowledge about. Articles are less intimidating to write than a book, and you can use some of the articles as promotional tools to create demand for your forthcoming book. The articles can then be distributed to the popular article directories which will provide a good indication how successful the book could be by the number of people that read your work.


Once this is complete you can start writing the content of the e-book and work out how you want it to look. Books generally follow a familiar structure of: introduction, main subject content and a conclusion but it is becoming very common to see an additional section on resources. You can also increase the value of the book by adding some bonus material or sections.


As you complete your articles, insert them into your e-Book, the number of articles you require will depend on the overall length. E-Books are shorter than print books with the optimum length being around 50 pages so stick to the topic, and offer good, useful information. If you stay close to the subject it will be easier for readers because computer screens are not the best medium for reading on.


Most e-books provide bonus material so if you can find some include this as it will be welcomed. This is not too difficult if you already have this extra information in the form Although one word of warning; make this content relevant to what the e-book is about.


ARTICLES SOURCE: http://www.goarticles.com