NEM Opening Up More Opportunities For Private Sector Investors

March 30, 2010 18:07 PM

NEM Opening Up More Opportunities For Private Sector Investors

By: Ramjit

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KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) -- As anticipated, the New Economic Model, (NEM) unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday morning, will open up more opportunities for private sector investments with the plans to divest stakes in several government-linked companies.

Bursa Malaysia Bhd'S chief executive officer, Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff, said the announcement of further divestment of the government's non-core assets and allowing the Employees Provident Fund to increase its investment overseas to create more room for new investors in the domestic market was in line with what had been proposed to the government.

He said Bursa Malaysia hoped to see the free float of listed companies increase by more than 50 per cent in the future but it would not make it mandatory as the current level 25 per cent was adequate.

There should also be more good strategic investors who can add value to businesses to come into the market, not just portfolio business, he said.

The EPF which invested six per cent of its assets offshore, will be allowed to increase significantly its investment overseas to diversify its portfolio and create more room domestically for new participants, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said when he unveiled the NEM at the Invest Malaysia 2010 conference, here Tuesday.

Khazanah alone in the last nine months divested significant stakes in Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd and PLUS Expressway Bhd for the purpose of increasing the liquidity of these counters, Najib said, adding that more progress in such divestments must be made.

Yusli said the stock exchange was also keen to see the transformation under NEM taking place quickly.

"The economic model is very relevant for Malaysia. I don't see why anyone would not want to participate in it because who does not want high income. So I don't see how anyone would not agree to it," he said when asked to comment on NEM at Invest Malaysia 2010.

He said the new environment would create new businesses and expand existing ones for Bursa Malaysia.

The exchange's current framework is very adequate now but if there is room for improvement it would be done, he said.

On the issue of Bumiputera equity in public listed companies, he said the Prime Minister was aiming for a more inclusive society which would gain from the NEM.

"All Malaysians have roles in participating in investment opportunities. That's the principle proposed," Yusli said, adding that no one will be marginalised.

He said more investment opportunities would raise the wealth of all Malaysians and the Bumiputera community being the majority, would also certainly benefit.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Institute Of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), Datuk Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin, said the NEM had been specially formulated to take care of the interest of the country and its people.

She said foreign investors will be more confident with the transparency and approach the government has taken in the NEM and therefore find Malaysia more attractive as an investment destination.

On the corporatisation of Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA), Dr Mahani said it should have been done earlier as it had the role of promoting Malaysia as an investment destination and it had to compete with other agencies.

Corporatisation would enable MIDA to promote Malaysia from a better platform and the authority to compete better with other foreign agencies, she said.

It will help MIDA make decisions faster, she added.

On the move to allow EPF to increase its investment overseas, Dr Mahani said it was a good move as the Malaysian stock market was very small.

However, investment overseas must be made in a cautious manner to safeguard the country's interest, she said, adding that EPF can look into countries such as China, India, as well as emerging markets and developed countries.

Meanwhile, MIDA's former director-general Datuk R Karunakaran, said the corporatisation of MIDA was something that it had sought for years.

This empowerment will enable MIDA to deliver faster approvals and decisions on foreign direct investments (FDIs), he said.

"It will go a long way to attracting FDI and promoting domestic investment. Hopefully, the implementation of it is also hastened," he said.

As for revitalising the private sector, he said not enough had been done in this direction as government-linked companies (GLCs) were competing with private companies.

"It is better to allow the private sector to thrive and contribute to the development rather than the GLCs and agencies cramping the style of the private sector," he added.

Datuk Nicholas S. Zefferys, President of American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, said the changes under NEM were not only for the present time but also for the future.

"It's an excellent change in the Malaysian government, which I believe would attract more confident foreign investors to Malaysia. It's a successful framework," he said.

There had been too much government intervention in the past which had created barriers for further development of Malaysia.

"It (barriers) basically just held Malaysia back. But now, opening the economy to more foreign investment is a fundamental change that I believe investors would welcome," he said.

Proton Holdings Bhd's Managing Director, Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohd Tahir, expressed hope that under the National Key Economic Activities (NKEA) the automotive and transportation sector will be given some focus.

He said Proton was more interested in the green technology as it was developing new initiatives such as the hybrid cars.

"We have to work with the government closely to value add," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, said the basic principle of NEM was for Malaysia to move forward and become competitive to attract more investments and generate growth.

The approach is a balanced one as it is inclusive, he added.

As for revitalising the private sector, the difference now would be the transformation programme which has initiated a different way of delivering things, he said.

"We are beginning to see some results with the Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) and Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PEMANDU)," he said.

He said the standard of education was also a primary concern and the government was going all out to attract talents locally and overseas.

"But the real test will be executing the transformation plans," he added.

Malaysian Investors Association President Datuk Dr P.H.S. Lim meanwhile said Malaysia should put its resources into higher productivity, reduce corruptions, strengthen the ringgit value, aim for better job distribution among all its people, and provide better opportunities for higher education and scholarships.

He said the government should also help local manufacturers achieve higher automation, while cutting down foreign workers and creating a more harmonious environment for co-living.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based)  news coverage in our Newswire service.

A closer look at the limited edition Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing

Tuesday was a seriously busy day for our team as there was a few events about town that we had to go to, including one of our company’s own, which we will write about shortly After going back and forth between the Golden Triangle area and Bandar Utama we decided to have dinner at the Pavilion.

After dinner we took the opportunity to take a closer look at the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing that was still on exhibit there. There were actually two cars at Pavilion – one located at the Concourse area next to the Lotus Racing T127 while the other was located outdoors. By this time it was around 10PM so it was much easier to get some photos that we missed earlier during the crowded launch event.

So here’s are some more ‘close-up’ photos of the car…

This is the engine bay, where a few upgraded parts can be found. I personally think the red Campro CPS engine cover should have been painted yellow or green or perhaps both to match the rest of the car.

Here’s a close up of the exhaust extractors.

And this is the carbon fiber air box.

The top of the Ohlins fully adjustable suspension system – this is where you’re able to adjust the settings for the front suspension.

And this knob in the boot is where you adjust the rear suspension’s settings – there’s one on each side of the boot.

The dashboard has green in it – looks kinda weird if you ask me. The only car with a green dash I’ve seen is a friend’s Mercedes-Benz W123.

The seats are wrapped with Nappa leather.

Here’s the engine start button. It has a green glow to it. You have to twist the key in and then only can you press this button to start up the car. It only cranks, it doesn’t shut off the car.

And so that’s pretty much it. You can look after the jump for a full hi-res photo gallery of all the close-up photos we snapped of the car. You’ll also find a video of the car’s exhaust note when being revved at idle. This was the car located outside so no, we didn’t pollute the interior of the Pavilion with exhaust smoke!

Classic Formula 1 cars on display at Pavilion KL!

We were at Pavilion KL yesterday for the launch of the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing (what a mouthful!) and saw some very interesting displays at the glitzy shopping mall – classic Formula 1 cars!

Unlike in many of today’s Formula 1 roadshows, these alive and revving classics are the actual cars piloted by drivers who some of them have since gone on to be legends. An initiative of Sepang International Circuit and supported by Malaysia Airlines (the latter flew in the cars and their guardians), the display is of course in conjunction with this weekend’s 2010 F1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.

We spotted the Ford powered Benetton B192, the car that brought together the talents of technical director Ross Brawn, designer Rory Byrne and one rookie German driver called Michael Schumacher. Schumi won two drivers’ championships with Benetton before the trio moved to Ferrari and dominated an era.

Back then, tobacco money was swirling in the sport, and we saw another Camel branded car inside the building. This Lotus 99T chassis no.4 of 1987 is the exact car driven by the late legend Ayrton Senna to victory in that year’s Monaco and Detroit Grand Prix. The Monaco win was the first of Senna’s six wins in Monte Carlo, and the following Detroit GP was the last time a Lotus won a Formula 1 race. Did you know that the 99T’s turbocharged 1.5-litre Honda V6 engine produced about 1,000 bhp and pushed the 580 kg car to 100 km/h from rest in only 2.5 seconds?

Also on display at Pavilion is the Ensign N180, March 811, Tyrell 012/3, Dallara F191 and Benetton B190. The cartoonish looking B190 was driven by three-time world champion Nelson Piquet and the Tyrell was Martin Brundle’s car. Brundle is now the “voice of F1″ as commentator for BBC, and previously ITV.

Tomorrow (1st April) will be the last day you can catch the cars in Pavilion, before they are moved to Sepang International Circuit for the race weekend. Gallery is after the jump!

Bangkok Motor Show Report

Today saw the public opening of the 31st Bangkok International Motor Show, a show that traditionally attracts 1,500,000 visitors and directly sells 20,000 cars. It also saw the launch of the new Thai built Nissan March/Micra, Mazda 2 4-door saloon and several other newcomers unfamiliar to British eyes.

Key to the Bangkok Show is its unique mix of unembarrassed glamour, entertainment and the very serious business of selling cars. A combination repeated every November at the Bangkok Motor Expo.

Too much of a good thing? 

For a start, you only pay 100baht (£2) to get through the doors. Come by public transport (highly advisable) and there is very little queuing, even on opening day. (Come by car and you could be sitting in it for hours while you try to find a space, then find yourself blocked in when you want to leave.)

Car of the Show is the new Nissan Micra, now built in Thailand to free up production lines at Sunderland to build the eagerly awaited and much more profitable Juke. 

The new Micra undercuts the traditional competition of Jazz, Yaris, Swift and Mazda 2 by by around 150,000 baht (£3,000), and does this by coming in with a starter engine of just 1,200cc and only three cylinders. It nevertheless manages to pump out a respectable 79PS, and it's decently roomy inside. Just a bit undistinguished to look at. Prices from 375,000 baht to 537,000 baht and, like the old 1990s 'Mr Blobby' Micra, the automatic is once again a CVT.

So completely new it isn't even being built yet is Honda's concept for a new small car to be manufactured in India. That won't go on sale until the end of 2011.

However, already on sale in Thailand is the Honda Freed, a 6 seat MPV version of the Jazz with twin electric sliding side doors and very easy entry to and egress from the back seats. It also has the lowest rear load sill I have seen on anything since the Old Toyota Yaris. A bit expensive in Thailand at well over 1,000,000 baht (£20k +), it would have a limited market at around £15,000 in the UK because it would mean disabled people would no longer be confined to Berlingos, Partners, Kangoos and Doblos in that sort of price range. But I don;t see it as a fashion icon.

Another newcomer, matching the Ford Fiesta saloon seen at Bangkok last year, is the Mazda2 4-door saloon. Small saloons like the Toyota Vios and Honda City are very popular in Thailand and testers already rate the Mazda2 saloon's handling, though not its gearing for 600 kilometre slogs across the country.

The Chinese firm Chery showed its new 1.3 litre A1 hatchback, an apparent competitor to the Micra, but to my mind it had already lost the race with an old fashioned belt cam engine, tacky interior trim, indifferent styling and ot enough room either in passenger compartment or boot.

Proton was in with a shout (well, loud music, anyway) with its Exora 7 seater MPV in which the rearmost seats all fold flat, and which comes with a low price tag of 719,000 baht (about £14,400).

Toyota showed off its CNG powered Corolla Altis (the most common Bangkok taxi) which now has a chain cam engine. Though, as anyone who has ever landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport will know, the CNG tank takes as much space as an LPG tank and doesn't leave a lot for excess baggage.

I saw my first campers and caravans in Thailand, which had previously been an alien concept. Carryboy, the pick-up canopy people, even had one mounted on a HiLux Vigo pick-up.

There were some cute new retro motorbikes on display, especially the Tiger range that even included what looked like a 125cc combination.

Outside there was a huge tent for accessory manufacturers, displays (depending on the day) by motor clubs, radio controlled model racing, and what sounded (by the screaming) to be a teenybopper's pop concert.

And as always if you're in Bangkok the show is a great way to spend a coupe of hours getting as much fun from the behaviour of the crowd as from the exhibits and the shows.

It costs just 100baht to get in (£2) and runs from today, 26th March, to 6th April, when everyone starts getting ready for Songhran.

And I didn't see a single red shirt, so no need to worry about that.

(If you have 10 minutes to spare, it's all on the video.)

HJ

 

Toyota Recall Might Be Caused by Cosmic Rays

More sensitive electronics

Federal regulators were prompted to look into the possible role that cosmic rays played in Toyota's product recall fiasco after an anonymous tipster suggested the design of Toyota’s microprocessors, software and memory chips could make them more vulnerable to interference from radiation compared with other automakers. This is because Toyota has led the auto industry in its widespread inclusion of electronic controls in the manufacture of their various car models.

As electronic devices are made to perform more and more functions on smaller circuit chips, the systems become more sensitive and vulnerable to corruption, and thus more prone to interference from radiation, said Ewart Blackmore, a senior researcher at TRIUMF, a cyclotron facility in Vancouver, Canada, that works with companies to test and analyze the effects of radiation on products.

"Radiation is certainly a potential cause of Toyota's problems," Blackmore told LiveScience. "What's not known is what direction Toyota and other automakers are taking in terms of finding and correcting these issues."

What are cosmic rays?

As a start, automakers and regulators need to understand the complex and sometimes mysterious ways cosmic rays affect electronics on Earth.

Cosmic rays are high-energy protons that originate in shock waves from the remnants of supernovas – the death heaves of giant exploded stars. Cosmic rays constantly rain down on Earth. And while the high-energy "primary" rays collide with atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere and rarely make it through to the ground, "secondary" particles are ejected from these collisions and do reach ground level.

The effect is similar to a cue ball striking a rack of balls in the game of pool, said Robert Rauk, a consultant at Creative Power Resources, Inc., a Philadelphia-based electrical and mechanical engineering consulting company.

"These secondary particles bathe the Earth in energetic showers that can disrupt electronics," Rauk said in an e-mail interview. "The effect depends on how sensitive the spot is that was struck."

High-energy particles and electronics

Electronic chips record, store and process information in the form of "bits." High-energy particles that pass through these chips can alter or "flip" a bit, resulting in a Single Event Upset (SEU).

This event can be anything from data loss or altered programming, to much more serious corruptions of circuitry functions.

The risks are especially high for circuits that are "field programmable," explained Lloyd W. Massengill, director of engineering at the Vanderbilt Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University. Field-programmable circuits are systems in which the circuit's function can be electrically altered while it is still in use.

"These circuit families store not just data, but their basic function electrically," Massengill said. "In the unfortunate event of a particle flipping just the right bit, a circuit configured to carry out a benign action may be reprogrammed to carry out some unintended action."

Testing cosmic-ray effects

Massengill and his colleagues have been studying Single Event Upsets in commercial, space and military systems since 1987. SEUs were first observed in the late 1970s, and since then, extensive research and testing has been done in the military, space and avionics industries. But the effects of radiation have received very little attention among automakers and their regulatory bodies, Massengill said.

Given the rapid pace of technological innovation, and the nature of our increasingly pervasive digital world, researchers like Blackmore and Massengill believe it is becoming even more important for manufacturers to test their products and develop software and microelectronics that are impervious to such cosmic corruption.

"Mechanical controls are disappearing," Massengill said. "Most everything we do is becoming reliant on digital information processing. We are approaching the case where a single bit of critical information may be stored with just a thousand electrons; a single particle can easily overcome such small charge quantities, leading to a bit corruption.

He added that "control by wire" systems in which electronic circuits replace cables and gears, are becoming commonplace in automobiles, aircrafts and defense systems.

To conduct radiation tests, facilities like TRIUMF shoot proton and neutron beams at the circuits and microelectronic components in order to observe any errors. The beams can simulate years of operation in a matter of minutes and are used to interrogate the systems to ensure they function properly in spite of exposure to radiation.

Still, it is difficult to know exactly how much radiation testing is already being done within the auto industry. According to Blackmore, none of the companies that utilize the TRIUMF facility are building components specifically for automobiles, although TRIUMF does conduct testing on software and memory chips that are manufactured and sold to a variety of clients, which could include automakers.

In the wake of Toyota's recall, Blackmore recommends that radiation testing be far more widespread in the auto industry, in order to continue to protect vehicle software against the potential negative effects of radiation.

"There is enough processing power in the memory devices in automobiles to attract errors," Blackmore said. "What is still unclear is whether the industry has put in place the right mitigation techniques to prevent errors in their systems."

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INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 3.25

Hello open wheel types and thanks for all your questions. I intend to answer your questions every week during the season, so just . Don’t feel left out if I didn’t directly respond. I appreciate your interest and passion.

~Robin Miller

Q: Great news about Graham Rahal being full-time again in the ICS! What happened that he is going back to NHL and not the rumored deal with Chip Ganassi? Do you think NHL can get back to the point where they are giving TCGR & Team Penske a challenge? Great interview with Randy Bernard on Wind Tunnel. I hope this guy is what the IRL needs. I like the fact that he brought in an outsider with some brains & balls to chair the new car committee. Do you think retired AF General William Looney will figure out rather quickly that Barnhart needs to go and Cotman needs to be in charge? Lastly, any chance Cleveland gets back on the schedule next year (its not too soon to be thinking 2011)?

Scott St. Clair, Erie, PA

RM: I know that Ganassi was in the picture for Graham but this new sponsor evidently had some previous history with PLN and Carl so that might have swayed the decision. If Martin Pare returns to engineer Rahal's car, hell yes I expect him to take up where he left off in 2009. The General is going to help analyze cars, engines, proposals and rules so I doubt he has any time for personnel. As for Cleveland, it sounds like Mike Lanigan prefers getting Houston back first.

Q: So when now that Rahal found a sponsor to race with NHL, if IZOD or someone else extends RHR to the full season, or if Monster steps up and supports PT to more races, are they Pay drivers? If not why are Milka, Hideki, Morales.... considered pay drivers? I am not equating the skills of the latter to the former, and everyone would agree IndyCar is a better place with PT, RHR and Rahal contesting all year in a competitive ride, yet I think it is time to acknowledge that the economics of Motorsport has changed. When you look at F1 40-50% of the drivers are "sponsored" / Pay drivers, In NASCAR there is a 25-30%+ range who are either sponsored (Menard, Papis, Speed or start and park), it seems to me we need to recognize the new economic realities of motorsport. I hypothesize that marketing savvy, sponsorship relationships are just as critical as on course skills, and that drivers need to be doing both. I too long for the day where the best drivers have the best rides, but that is not the reality anymore.

Jamie, Denver

RM: Yes, technically, those three are all pay drivers because without sponsorship, they're likely on the sidelines (except Graham was hired by Sarah Fisher for two races) and it's a sad commentary on what's happened to racing, especially open wheel. But, unlike IndyCar, the best drivers in F1 and NASCAR don't have to find money and that's a serious flaw.

Q: I think Mr. Bernard is on the right track. But I don't think IndyCar racing is going to grow much without support from the fans that it turned away because of the split. Just my basic observations from being involved on various boards and forums and knowing a bit about business tell me that one thing has to change for many of us former fans to fully accept this sport again. It's a basic business move that happens in many industries when a product is not doing so well: name and logo change. I have sent a letter (attached) to IndyCar and to the IRL marketing department regarding this issue. I have attached a copy to see what you think. Will it ever happen? I don't know. Should it? I think that if the term IRL were done away with, many former fans would accept it as some sort of "mea culpa" from the speedway. I believe that Indy Racing League just stands for way too many bad things for any of us former fans to embrace anything coming out of 16th and Georgetown. I can see that they want to change directions - the hiring of Mr. Bernard shows that much is obvious; but to really move past the Tony George era and win back many fans they have to be willing to dump the last prominent lingering idea of his and that is the name IRL. Ditch that and give us at least some chassis competition and I believe people will start looking at IndyCar racing again.

Erik C., San Antonio, TX

RM: I think you make a good point because I've heard the same thing from a lot of former fans. But, in fairness to the series, it's been using IndyCar the past two years and is not calling itself the IRL or Indy Racing League in press releases. It's the IZOD IndyCar series, as it should be.

Q: "Air Force General to Lead IRL 2012 Car Commissions." No Robin! Tell me this ain't so! What, Dan Gurney or Jackie Stewart weren't available? IRL goes and hires a new leader and his first decision is to act like a Washington politician - when a decision is needed, appoint a commission. Worse he selects a retired Air Force general. Let's look at their track record for a minute. The USAF selected Lockheed-Martin to build the multi-role F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) in 2000. Ten years later it's at least three years behind schedule (meaning it won't be operational until at least 2015) and according to GAO costs twice as much. So here's the IRL's press release on 1 May 2012. The IRL is pleased to announce today that the Next-Generation Car will be ready for the 2015 Indianapolis 500. "We think we have made great progress," said IRL Maximum Leader and former Secretary of Defense Colin Powell, "By applying time-tested Dept. of Defense cost-containment strategies we think the 10 cars Northrop/Lockheed/Boeing Inc. is building should come in at less than $70 million each. They will have some of the features of the DeltaWing cars that are currently running in the competing CART-Now! series but will be somewhat slower for safety reasons," he continued. Gen. Powell also pointed out the advantages of the IRL cars to series sponsor Abu Dhabi. "Our older generation of Honda power not only provides us with well tested reliability but also requires 2 times the amount of Arabian fuel which shows our on-going commitment to our primary sponsor." "In the meantime we feel our dedicated fan base will be happy to see the IRL "Classic" design first introduced in 2003 continue until 2015."

Bob Kozak, Frederick, MD

RM: Great letter Bob but the General isn't going to make any final decisions on which cars or engines are chosen, he's more of a referee and sounding board for lack of better terms.

Q: I feel a lot better about the future of IndyCar after watching your interview of Randy Bernard. I'm not sure how much he's had a hand in it, but getting a long-term title sponsor and getting the races back on DirecTV is a great start to the season. What I was definitely impressed with was that he has a PLAN (plan? IndyCar?) for evaluating the future equipment package direction.

Craig Phillips, Suwanee, GA.

RM: He didn't have anything to do with IZOD or DIRECTV/VERSUS but he does have a lot of really good ideas for the future, which he will probably announce in the next few months, provided things come together as he envisions.

Q: You gotta be kidding me.....General Looney???? Or did I miss April Fools Day??? Hope he doesn't live up to his name.

Mike in Green Bay

RM: I had dinner with the General and I can assure you he's not looney nor is he expected to make any major decisions about the future of IndyCar racing. And I think he's developed some thick skin about his name.

Q: I have been an Indy car fan as long as I can remember, 35years, and spend a lot of my time defending the sport that LOVE to the redneck fans of the Taxi Cab 500's that I know. A wise man once said " Life is much clearer from Mt. Perspective. So if I may please allow me to shed my Perspective on the number of American Drivers in the ICS. For many, many years I have heard from you Mr. Miller, and countless others the frustration of the number of American Drivers in Open Wheel Racing, and honestly I don't get it. I am pretty sure that I have never read a story on the lack of Americans in Major league Baseball, while most teams are loaded with foreign players from places like Japan, Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela. The NBA embraces it's foreign players, The NHL needs it's foreign players, and even pro golf doesn't go around sulking because talented athletes want to come to this great country and try and realize the American Dream. I hate to burst everyone's bubbles that thinks that just because it's an American sport we need mostly Americans to Thrive. COME ON....... GET OVER IT ALREADY!!!! America was established, settled and built by people that were not native to this soil. I know that Baseball needs the Derek Jeters, NBA the Michael Jordan's and golf the Tiger Woods. But they also have made stars out of Mariano Rivera, Yao Ming, Sydney Crosby, Stuart Applebee. How about celebrate the Americans we do have, but then we welcome and promote those that are trying to realize the American Dream instead of wishing we were NASCAR a mostly segregated sport who's ego outweighs it's cars.

Mark Van Voorst, Iowa's Biggest Indy Car Fan

RM: We don't only need Americans but we damn sure need more than a couple. When CART was on top, it was a melting pot of nationalities but we still had 10-12 Yanks among the 28 cars. Alex Zanardi, Juan Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Gil de Ferran, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves all made their fame over here and we embraced them. But without American stars, the crowds, TV ratings and media coverage will remain in the dumpster, I can promise you that.

Q: In your last week's mailbag I liked Canadian Randy Shanklin's idea, that proposed a common chassis for use in the IRL starting in 2012. Knowledgeable race teams, like Penske and Ganassi, or formula car builders would then add suspensions, bodywork, and approved aero packages to finish them out. To keep costs down and maintain driver safety, the IRL could develop this chassis or safety capsule several ways: 1. A coalition of manufacturers, i.e. a Mfrs'. Co-op would fabricate the chassis/safety capsule, enabling everyone to have a stake in the car.....and an on-going revenue stream, or. 2. The IRL chassis/safety capsule's specifications are available to anyone, for a fee of $$XXX, to cover upfront development costs, and insure (thru thorough/extensive examination) that each completed chassis/capsule meets all (100%) of the IRL's required chassis specs. Aside from the chassis/safety capsule, teams and manufacturers would be free to build out the cars as they see fit. For cost containment purposes, I'd strictly limit what could be altered or changed, parts-wise, for a road course vs. a speedway car. Who knows...certain teams might create a wicked car for St. Pete, 'Bama, Long Beach, Watkins Glen, etc., but find they have a lead sled for Indy, Texas, and some of the other circle tracks.

David Huff

RM: I think somehow we've been conned into this thinking that everything is better if it's the same and that's never been true of Indy car racing. Sometimes, a Lola was quicker than a Penske or an Eagle or a Reynard on an oval but they kicked butt on road courses. Same with the engines and tires. I keep hearing people say, "well what if car X is slower than car Y?" Gee, I don't know, try and make it faster?

Q: Randy Shanklin’s (Miller’s Mailbag 3/17/10) idea about having one manufacturer provide the rolling chassis and allowing the teams to provide their own bodywork, etc. was brilliant! You would probably have to place some restrictions on the dimensions of both the chassis and bodywork, but it’s doable. Imagine talented engineers thinking outside the box and creating forward-thinking aero packages. Sure, Penske and Ganassi will still have advantages due to overwhelming coffers, but money doesn’t always equate with innovation. I get giddy just thinking about it.

Tony Parsons, Johns Creek, GA

RM: I'm not smart enough to know if Randy's idea would work but it sure sounds like something IndyCar should look at. Anything to restore creativity is welcome, in my mind.

Q: The first race of the 2010 season was an interesting one. It is a shame that one of the Brazilians didn't get the home win. Having spent the better part of the last year working in Sao Paulo though, I was curious why they chose to create a temporary road course rather than racing at Interlagos. When I heard they had chosen Sao Paulo over Rio de Janerio for the venue, I assumed it was to use Interlagos. Obviously by using the existing track, the drivers would have been able to run their normal weekend schedule. Was it an issue that F1 runs the Brazilian Grand Prix on the circuit? I know that F1 and Champ Cars both ran Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in the same year.

Debbie, Littleton, Colo.

RM: The plan, to my knowledge, was always going to be a street race, regardless of the city, so Interlagos was never considered, not that Bernie would have allowed it. I still think the only reason he let CART/Champ Car into Montreal the first year was because he thought F1's crowd would embarrass what CART drew (and it didn't).

Q: Drinking my fourth cup of coffee Monday morning staring at the TV not really paying attention to it because obviously dreading another week of work and also was fighting off a bachelor party sickness. There it was on ESPN -- the IZOD IndyCar series logo. They were talking about the race. So I turned the volume up. Obviously they showed the big wreck with Marco at the start. Then you would think they would show some race highlights like Briscoe crashing into the tire wall or the pass for the lead. Nope Danica spinning out, a interview talking about her spinning out, a nice graphic of how bad she has been doing this year in all of her races, and very briefly a pic of Power coming to the line. WTF. Now I read that JR is gonna run the 7 car in the Nationwide series so she has guaranteed starting spots for her NASCAR races. What a joke. Maybe instead of going and making another Go Daddy commercial she should go back to racing school and figure out how to drive a car again. I used to be a supporter but it has got beyond ridiculous when a major network celebrates your lack of success. If I was Andretti I would send some of that big Danica money over to RHRs car cause once again he proves my point that he is the best American driver on the grid.

Justin Lindemann, Ixonia Wis.

RM: I guess my response is don't be mad at Danica because ESPN chooses to glorify anything and everything she does in a race car, regardless of whether it's news. She can't control that and ESPN is the guilty party. The worldwide leader in sports can't be bothered to show a couple racing highlights from a series that its parent company pays big money to televise every May? You should be mad, but at ESPN, not DP.

Q: With Lotus/Cosworth joining KV Racing I am left wondering if they know something about future engine/chassis regs or are they just hedging their bets in hopes of becoming a chassis and engine supplier when the new specs are finally announced regarding the formula for the future car?

Paul S., Arizona

RM: Lotus' parent company, Proton, from Malaysia, is trying to grow their performance image here in the States with Lotus. It's a tangled web, as far as I can see. How Sato carries Cosworth stickers on the car while using Honda engines is a puzzle no one can figure out. If he's getting his engines for free as everyone suspects, things could get ugly.

Q: So when Kalkhoven and Forsythe bought Cosworth, they were in the process of being pushed out of F1. Now they're back supplying four teams, how good does this business decision look now? Any chance of seeing the Cosworth name back in IndyCar?

Peter S., Lynnwood, Wash.

RM: Depending on what rules are chosen for 2012 and beyond, I imagine Cosworth could be a last resort or stop gap if suddenly there are no engine manufacturers interested anymore. Would it bid on the Indy engine of the future? I doubt it.

Q: Is there a way the Atlantic cars can race with the Indy Lights cars? Are they similar enough in size and shape where it wouldn't be too much work to get them on the track with each other? It would be pretty cool to see an open wheel race where all the racers aren't in spec cars.

Michael Niemczyk

RM: Considering there are only 14 Lights entries for St. Pete, I'm sure Roger Bailey would love to add 10-12 Atlantics and the horsepower is similar enough. But those cars were all built for road racing and I don't know if they pass the crash tests for ovals. That would likely be the big hang-up.

Q: Just wondering if you've got any insight into whether or not there's any fire to go with the smoke that's come up over the past couple of weeks about a possible return of the USGP to Indy? After a long time with not so much as a mention, suddenly it's been mentioned by both Bernie and the Speedway. Do I dare cross my fingers?

Mike McCue, St. Louis

RM: I think somebody at IMS mis-spoke about on-going dialogue with Bernie and, to be honest, unless the Speedway could find a big, title sponsor, it was a financial loser those last few years. It was also TGeorge's baby and I don't see anybody in the Hulman-George family clamoring to spend more money on that ungrateful little dweeb. Bernie, I mean.

Q: Seeing that you live in Indy maybe you can answer these questions: Did you ever attend the formula one race at Indy...what did you think of the race course itself...was the city really behind the race...were you surprised it left Indy and do you think it will be back?

Ron, San Francisco, Calif.

RM: I went to the first few but the track was terrible for F1 (way too tight) and it was a huge deal the first couple years with Indy and downtown was packed, just like the grandstands. But, as I explained above, by the time you figure in what TG spent to tear up IMS to accommodate F1, the money he had to pay Bernie every year and the dwindling crowds, it was a loser.

Q: While not a road or street race fan the IRL did pretty good considering the weather and the poor track. They have made progress in getting rid of Tony. Barnhart should be the next on the agenda to go. If they want to really get back it needs more oval races. Americans love oval races. Most American drivers don't like street or road racing. Get rid of the pay to drive people. Americans love American drivers. Get rid of the bean counters that don't know squat about racing. Find some old style promoters , like "Aggie" , they knew what the Hot Dog, Potato Salad, and Beer crowd liked. The Wine, Cheese, Straw Hat sit in the grass people usually don't care what is running. To most of them it's just an outing.

Don Betsworth, Torrance, Calif.

RM: Americans do love oval races, provided they're sanctioned by NASCAR. Other than Texas and Iowa, the attendance for IndyCar ovals isn't much to shout about. Maybe if we could restore Milwaukee and Phoenix, in time they could regain a following but road racing is just as popular with American open wheel fans as ovals (and that's not saying much except for Long Beach, Mid-Ohio).

Q: If some people thought Brazil was too bumpy, wait until they get to Baltimore City. I grew up there, I don't think those streets have ever been smooth. Race on I-83 then maybe.

KMort

RM: Bumps can add character to a street course, provided they're not jumps like the one in Vegas in 2007.

Q: I've been watching TV and at track open wheel racing for 40 years. Why are the races getting boring? 1. lack of passing
2. lack of close racing 3. every race is a parade Cause------too much downforce. That's right - too much downforce. The cars don't slow down in the corners enough for any other driver to use racing skill to gain ground. Take away the down force and there will be good racing. Put the drivers back into the game.

Jim E.

RM: No argument here Jim, I'd love to see drivers have to back off for the corners, use their brakes and pick up the throttle with the ass end hanging out. Maybe the new 2012 car will do away with downforce. But don't bet on it.

Q: When did they announce Jonathan Summerton was racing this weekend for Walker Racing in the IPS ranks. He's a pretty good driver. Is this just for this race or a whole season deal?

BSU Darren

RM: Not sure there was an announcement but Jonathan has joined Derrick Walker Racing for the Indy Lights race at St Pete. Jonathan is being sponsored for the race by SiM1GP.com who are launching their new hi tech Digital Racing Service that prepares the driver for high speed wheel to wheel action. Press releases to follow He's also trying to work on an Indy 500 deal.

Q: Glad to hear that Joe Leonard is recovering nicely. I remember him driving the yellow Samsonite car teamed up with the Parnelli Jones Super Team. It seams that his racing career ended early. I remember someone telling me that he never fully recovered from feet and leg injuries he sustained in a racing accident. Can you shed some light on it?

Joe from Muncie

RM: Pelican Joe was a bad ass on two wheels (3-time AMA champ) before becoming a 2-time USAC national champ in Indy cars. He got seriously injured at Ontario in 1974 when a tire blew and his recovery from leg, foot and ankle injuries was long and agonizing. He never drove again.

Q: A few years ago, after watching the 500 on TV, I had not had my fill, so I went to the Internet and listened to Donald Davidson's post-500 radio show. In answering some question, he remarked, "Remember, the 500 used to be pretty much an enduro." That stuck with me. I'm not old enough to remember four- and five- and six-hour 500s, but THOSE were RACES. If you won a 500 in those days, you had DONE something. You NEEDED a bottle of milk. So, the IMS has been casting about for some way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 500. The new car is going to be a year late. What can they do? I'll tell you what they can do -- they can double the length of the race. Make it 1000 miles. Make it a feat of endurance again. If ABC doesn't like it, they can shunt laps 50 through 300 to ESPN. Okay, so the thought of watching spec Dallaras, or even spec Delta Wings, circle the track for six-and-a-half hours doesn't appeal to you. Let's take it up a notch, and go to Plan B: Go back to the roots of the 500, before there were any series or "racing leagues" or season championships. Leave the 500 alone, and add a second race, 1000 miles, with qualifying open to any vehicle that has a footprint not to exceed 175 inches by 75 inches. That'd be the only rule. A one-off enduro, not part of any series. If the car fits in the box, it can have a shot. You'd have diesels with giant fuel tanks that wouldn't make a pit stop, and electric cars that'd come into the pits to swap out the battery pack for a fully-charged one, and methanol-powered tricycles, and who knows what-all. It might attract some manufacturers, and it might attract a lot of dreamer engineers. Sponsors (if any) would be signing up for one race, not a season's campaign. The most important thing, it'd be fun, and interesting. And they'd only have to do it once, and see how it went; nobody would be making any commitments. But if folks liked it, they could hold it every year. Ideas developed for the Indy 1000 could be transferred to the IRL for incorporation into the cars running in that series. This is similar to your "ten feet of wire" idea, except I would not change the IRL to the new open formula, I'd just hold the one race. Probably, the IMS would not want to do it for fear of overshadowing the existing 500, which would suddenly look as exciting as the Lafayette Senior Dartball League. And you probably couldn't hold it at the same time as the 500, anyway, because you'd need twice the garage space. Okay, then, hold it on Labor Day, or Columbus Day, or some other Day.

David Nelson, Seattle

RM: The Indy 500 crowd may a nice little comeback last year so I really don't think we need to add another 500 miles or another race (three is plenty). Not sure our attention span could take it.

Q: I enjoy reading your weekly mailbag even though I always feel down after reading all the doom and gloom. Now I know the Indy Racing League is not up to level of CART prior to 1995, but you know, the IRL is only major Open Wheel Series we have in this country. We should support it. I think the majority of your readers do and write with great passion for open wheel racing and want to see the IRL succeed. I am one of them. I think we do have legitimate complaints with the IRL leadership for some of the ridiculous decisions that have been made over the years and maybe with the new leadership in Mr. Bernard, things will change for the better. Hopefully he will find a good successor for Barnhart once he learns the IRL better. I don’t think trashing the series as some write is a good thing. It is like jumping on a bandwagon hoping for failure. It is unfortunate that the two series came together just as the recession hit. Give it a chance to work., Instead of just venting to you, the fan base should do a CC: to Mr. Bernard as well and express the passions we have for the IRL, maybe he will act on some of our ideas or better yet, we could echo your thoughts since you have been spot on in your rants. NASCAR’s leaders apparently started listening to their fan base when they became vocal. I also think the fans should open their minds a little more when it comes to the new car designs being presented. It is not necessary for the new car to have 700 or more horsepower. Sure we all liked the sounds of the old CART turbos, but I can also remember that the old 4 cyl Offies sounded pretty darn good. I imagine the new engines would be tuned to sound pretty neat. If the Delta Wing can produce 230 MPH with 300 horsepower we should not dismiss it. People say they want something new and different than what is out there now. Don’t just say no because of a picture and a short marketing video. In my opinion; there aren’t many different ways to design a new open wheel car. For open wheel cars, the BAT and the Delta Wing are about as radical as they can get. The other entries look good, but seem like they are similar to what the IRL runs now. I think they should build a couple of each of the ones presented and let them run for the public to see as a prerace event for one or two IRL races down the road. Perhaps the doubters might think differently seeing them in action.

Richard Tornquist

RM: No rants of the week but this is a well written essay on our beloved sport.

~Robin

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.

Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.

Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.

In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.

Time to smash things up

They're about to start smashing things up at the Large Hadron Collider, the huge particle accelerator outside Geneva. Just to play it safe, I'm going to remain over here in North America, keeping a large chunk of the planet between me and this experiment.

No, I'm not worried that they're going to blow up up Europe. That's impossible! I'm just worried they'll create a time warp and I'll go back 6 months and be forced to relive the health care debate.

[Or worse: Back 35 years and I'm once again The Human Oddity of Hogtown.]

Seriously, although there are some hand-wringers out there who prophesy the end of the world, there's nothing to worry about. I've been to the LHC. I've been down in the tunnel. I've studied the beam line, the huge magnets, the detectors the size of small apartment buildings. What I can tell you with confidence is that it merely LOOKS like a doomsday machine.

The simple fact is that high-energy physics is already happening all around us all the time -- naturally. Particles are smashing into our atmosphere at the same kind of energy levels as will be created in the LHC. The universe is a big collider of sorts, and it likes to smash things up.

The most likely outcome of the experiment will be a lot of excited physicists and a general public that wonders if it was all worth the money. For example, as readers of this blog know, they're going to try to create a particle called the Higgs boson. But it's not like they're going to make a lot of Higgses and then sell them to tourists at the gift shop. It's not like you can take a Higgs and play racquet sports with it. As I understand it, under the best of scenarios the LHC experiments will merely detect suggestive signs of a Higgs. There will be patterns of particle decay that will hint that the Higgs had been momentarily present on the scene.

Moreover, if we do find evidence of the Higgs, it's not like we can necessarily do anything with this knowledge. This is basic research, not applied research. Which is important. You don't know when a piece of knowledge will pay off in some practical fashion. Someday, maybe, our knowledge of the Higgs will allow us to figure out where we left the remote. But don't expect anything practical to come out of this in the short run, such as a black hole swallowing half of Europe. This is a 10-billion-dollar experiment in search of ephemeral particles that have zero utility and will come and go like a sneeze in a hurricane.

What we should really fear is that scientists won't discover anything they don't fully expect to discover. No one wants the LHC to come up with all the predicted particles. Sparking up a Higgs would be nice, but better yet would be making a Higgs that had green hair and weird facial piercings. The scientists want to find things that catch them by surprise, and which inspire new theories -- "new physics." No one wants to come to the conclusion that we've found out everything that we're ever going to find out. Because then we'd have to fold up shop.

As always, what's really interesting is the unknown, and the journey into mystery.

By Joel Achenbach  |  March 25, 2010; 9:53 AM ET

Vroom for vintage

The Sultan of Selangor�s Harley Davidson motorcycles

�Nah, it�s too glamorous for me,� shrugs Yong. �I prefer British-made cars like the Healey, because they�re less bulky. It�s just too bad that they are designed for British weather.�

Believe it or not, the Healey was an abandoned restoration project when Yong first found it in Penang in 1990.

�Actually, it was what I call a basket case,� explains Yong. �I found its body in Penang. Other components like the engine were contained in baskets scattered all over the state. I had to track it down, bit by bit.�

After reassembling the Healey, Yong and his father gave it a fresh coat of creamy white paint, and installed a modern fuel pump, cooling fan and carburettor valves for practical reasons. But like many purists, Yong likes to keep his car looking as authentic as possible. He prefers to skip on modern amenities such as wing-mirrors, seat-belts and air-conditioning, and sniggers at any over-the-top modifications.

�If I were to get a radio, it would have to be from the 50s,� he says. �Same goes for the wheels and trip meter.�

It took his dad and him three painstaking years to restore the car to its former glory. He admits that the lack of safety features means that there is no margin for error when you�re on the road.

�You need to be more observant because these cars are not built like new ones. Modern drivers are well insulated. They�ve got all these distractions to make them oblivious to you,� he says.

Nonetheless, nothing � and I mean nothing � can thwart Yong�s love for old cars. (He is the reluctant driver of a VW on most days.)

�It�s become a pastime of mine,� he says. �It�s not just about driving, but the close involvement I get with vintage cars. I wash, polish and maintain the car all by myself, you know? We have a garage with a four-post hoist for that.�

Aside from the Healey, Yong and his father own two other vintage models made by Triumph: the TR4A and its predecessor the TR3A. These sports cars were manufactured sometime in the 50s and 60s, and were considered �a revolution in sports cars design.�

However, Triumph�s success was short-lived. The company floundered when its designers decided to get creative and produced what the New York Times called cars that were �boxy and wedgelike�.

It eventually kicked the can in 1984. It�s estimated that only 9,500 of the original 58,000 TR3A that were built survive in the world today. The ones that remain are often seen in vintage auto races.

�I�ve seen people race their Mercedes 190s and their MGAs. It�s crazy,� he says, before something catches his eye. �Oh sh*t, I hope he hasn�t broken down.�

The car in question is a vintage gray Bentley. The engine sputters and dies on the highway, leaving its poor driver bewildered.

�Man, I know how that feels. This Austin packed up on me recently, and I was on the fast-lane of a highway,� he reveals, much to my anxiety. �But I suppose breakdowns are something that we have to put up with.�

I am to learn later that two other cars would suffer the same ill fate, bringing up the total number of casualties to three. Thankfully, the Healey doesn�t contribute to this statistic.

A rich man�s sport

A few months ago, a rare 1925 Bugatti fetched �260,500 (RM1,169,362.27) at an auction � an incredible amount of money for a car that had spent more than 70 years at the bottom of a Swiss lake. So what makes a vintage car desirable? And will Malaysia�s first car, the Proton Saga, ever become vintage material?

�You never know,� Yong answers, straight-faced. �It could go the way of the Volkswagon, which was supposed to be the people�s car, but unexpectedly captured the hearts of so many collectors. However, keep in mind that while there are people who only collect Ford Model Ts, that doesn�t necessarily make the car highly sought after among collectors.�

The only other thing which is more mysterious than a car�s potential in becoming a collectible in the near future is its value as a vintage.

�That�s the intimidating part,� says Yong. �It�s more of a �willing buyer, willing seller� type of scenario so you don�t know how much to spend.�

There are, however, a few exceptions to the rule. Get your hands on a coveted brand like a Rolls Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo or Hispano Suiza, and you�re all set for the future.

�Rarity and originality count, too,� he says. �If you�ve got these bases covered, then chances are your car will appreciate in value.�

Although many enthusiasts are willing to splash a lot of cash to acquire their dream car, a majority don�t plan to resell, even for a tidy sum. Participant Johnny Chandnani, a businessman, tells me that there is no way he would peddle his 1972 Panther, a handsome aluminium-bodied model that was first fashioned for British royalty and later driven by Elizabeth Taylor.

�There�s only one in the country,� says Chandnani, who, despite owning a couple of other new-fangled models like the Ferarri, Maserati and Mercedes, claims that the Panther takes the No 1 spot on his favourites list.

�I bought it in Johor more than a decade ago for approximately RM300,000 but I think it is worth more than RM500,000 now. A few Europeans actually offered me a lot of money for the car, but I turned them down.�

We are in Kuala Selangor seeking an hour�s respite from the heat and humidity. Just as Yong had predicted at the start of our journey, I am beginning to feel lightheaded from all the exhaust fumes. That�s the problem with vintage cars � many still run on leaded petrol and rely on additives as a substitute. They�re not at all eco-friendly.

But no matter, the rally must go on.

The end point of the rally is Istana Alam Shah, and Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has promised to give a private tour of his two-storey, air-conditioned car gallery. No one is missing that for the world. Two hours later, our convoy sweeps past the tall, imposing gates of the istana.

The Sultan, boyish and effervescent in his red polo shirt and black pants, welcomes participants with afternoon tea and an awards presentation.

It is then that I discover that only one of the 70 participants is a woman! Entrepreneur Jaqueline Lim, 32, bags the first prize for the Modern Classic category (for cars that were manufactured from 1970 to 1984) with her 1982 BMW Bauer.

�I�ve always been the only woman at any race or rally,� she says. �My husband was the one who introduced me to vintage cars. He�s a classic car restorer, so he assembles these cars himself. We�ve also got an Opal GT and a Triumph TR3, which we take to the streets sometimes for a bit of racing,� Lim says.

The Sultan seems to have a penchant for fast cars as well. His Royal Gallery includes a handful of Rolls Royces, a Ferarri, a Bentley, a classic Mini Cooper, a BMW and even a McLaughlin Buick owned by the former Prince of Wales, King Edward, but his favourite car is still the jaw-droppingly fierce Porsche Twin Turbo.

�I take all my cars out for a drive, but I really like this one best,� says the Sultan, gesturing to it. �I�m very impressed with German technology.�

Beaming, he goes on to tell us that he drives to Singapore every week, although he makes it a point to do it only in the wee hours of the morning because �there�s less traffic and you can save on petrol�.

If driving ever becomes a chore, the Sultan has seven full-time drivers who are ready to chauffeur him around and keep a close eye on the garage, which also houses Harley bikes and various Harley collectibles such as jackets and helmets.

Jostling for space among these knick-knacks are miniature cars, bicycles, antique petrol pumps, go-karts, the royal golf cart and a scooter or two.

At that instant, I wonder how the Proton fits in among all this grandness, this luxury? And then I see it. It is sitting in the Sultan�s other garage � solitary, proud, unassuming and a little beaten up, just waiting to be spotted.