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 ‘Sabin Rai and the Pharaoh’ released their first studio album “Dhanyabad” this week at Tangalwood and the band’s fans can’t thank them enough for the music they’re distributing for free through Facebook and other digital music platforms.

The seven-track album is an ode to the band’s fans and supporters, the band says, and it has been made completely free to reach out more to their audience. “We do not want to reserve the album and wait for our listeners to buy it,” says Binod Lama Tamang, drummer and manager of Sabin Rai and the Pharaoh.

“We want our fans from all over the world to listen to it right now.” The band took over a year to complete the album amid their packed schedule of shows and tours, Binod informs, and all the recording, mixing and mastering was done locally in multiple studios.

In this album, Sabin Rai’s music has advanced technically and it completes his metamorphosis from a pop icon to a rock star. With accomplished musicians in the Pharaoh, Sabin’s style of singing and performing has evolved in virtuosity and the audience can feel the power he packs with the band in his recordings as well as live performances.

Comprising the Pharaoh are John Shrestha on guitars and Jeevan Lama on bass—both good students and educators of music—along with the versatile Nikesh KC on guitars, accompanied by Binod, who is one of the steadiest hands on the drums in the current music scene.

Just two and a half years of playing together as a band has brought them unprecedented success with the band already touring all over Nepal and extensively in India, UK, Bahrain and Australia. “This is the best lineup I have ever performed with,” Sabin tells APEX.

“The guys are extremely talented and supportive. We understand each other perfectly and hence have been able to give our very best in this album”.

Republic Weekend with Sugam Pokharel and Girish Khatiwada in Kathmandu

Celebrate this day at Trisara, Lazimpat listening to your favorite artists Sugam Pokharel and the band (Gaja Baja) along with Girish Khatiwada. The objective of the event is to promote music and culture as well as Nepali artists and talents. Celebrate this day with great music, food and delightful ambience. Entry ticket is Rs 1,000 per person. Contact 9807033809.

Fête de la Musique: Music Day 2019 in Kathmandu

The Alliance Française de Katmandou is presenting the 2019 Edition of the Fête de la Musique at Chhaya Center courtyard in Thamel. As with the previous years, get ready to sing along and dance to an amazing line-up of new as well as senior artists from 3 pm to 9 pm. There are even snacks and drinks to keep you energized. This will be followed by an after-party at House of Music from 9 pm, and DJ Ranzen will keep you dancing all night. Contact 01-5009221.

World Music Day Special: Flekke + KJC Folk Choir in Lalitpur

Flekke is an electronic experimental pop project comprising of Irina Giri, an Acer laptop, a hand me down Juno G, and a blind surrender to her instincts. The KJC Folk Choir is an acapella ensemble led by Maria Fajardo. They recreate and perform folk songs from around the world. Flekke and the KJC Folk Choir are presenting a new kind of performance where their two very different musical worlds come together. Be there at Base Camp: Outdoor Lifestyle from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Contact 9841226397.

Let the Good Times Roll–10 in Lalitpur

Celebrate 10th anniversary of the Midnight Riders as well as the World Music Day at Hardik Lounge in Jhamsikhel. There will be live Blues and Rock and Roll along with good food. To attend, you pay Rs 500 and also get a free drink coupon! So get ready for a night full of fun and be a part of the celebration. Contact 9803859320.

 Professor Wang Dehua wears many hats. He is presently the director of the Institute of South and Central Asia Studies, Shanghai Municipal Center for Inter­national Studies; the director of the Center for South Asia Studies, Tong­Ji University; an advisor to China Association for South-Asia Studies; and a senior fellow at the Center for International Energy Studies, Shang­hai Jiaotong University. The South Asia expert has authored 18 books including “Dragon and Elephant: A Comparative Study of Rising China and India in 21st Century”, “The Contending Powers and Securities in the Asia-Pacific Region”, and “Sov­ereignty Dispute over Islands and Water of the South China Sea”. Pro­fessor Wang has travelled extensive­ly, including to Nepal twice. Ajaya Aloukik of the Annapurna Media Network recently did this e-mail interview with him.

There have been no high-lev­el visits from China to Nepal in recent times, but there are always rumors about Chinese President Xi Jinping coming to Nepal soon. Why has President Xi visited almost all other South Asian countries except Nepal?

It is natural that Nepali people expect President Xi Jinping to visit Nepal as soon as possible. In the past year, Indian PM Modi visited China twice and President Xi met Pakistani PM three times in China or in other countries. Likewise, Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari vis­ited China in April this year. As per international diplomatic practices, President Xi will visit India or Paki­stan soon. He may in the process also visit Nepal, if your country sends an invite now.

How did you evaluate the China trip of Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari back in April?

Nepali President Bhandari paid a very successful visit to China in April. She was in Beijing to attend the Sec­ond Belt and Road Forum for Inter­national Cooperation. This is the first visit of the Nepali head of state to China since she was re-elected as the country’s president. I think it was a landmark visit, which will strength­en Sino-Nepal friendship, especially Nepal’s engagement under the BRI framework. Participation in the sum­mit will help fulfill Nepali people’s longing for development. In other words, it will expedite the extension of the Tibet railway to Nepal, as part of the Sino-Nepal Trans Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity net­work. China will also benefit a great deal from this connectivity.

Separately, what do you think accounts for India’s reluctance to join the BRI?

India has been concerned about China’s growing influence in what New Delhi considers its neigh­borhood. It sees the BRI funding schemes in Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka as problematic. India refused an invitation to be a part of the initia­tive. But in my personal view, India has emerged as the biggest benefi­ciary of the Chinese-led Asian Infra­structure Investment Bank, soaking up a quarter of its investment com­mitments to date, despite continuing tension between the two countries. Some friends of mine believe India’s participation in the AIIB is a precur­sor to its acceptance of the BRI. I had told a correspondent of Global Times last year: “China simply needs to be patient. I am sure India will eventu­ally participate in it, with some con­ditions to be addressed later through dialogue.”

In your books you refer to Chi­na as a dragon and India as an elephant. How would you char­acterize Nepal? Is it a bridge between these two powers or just a region for their geopolitical competition?

I am cautiously optimistic about the future of China-India relations, judging by the recent Xi-Modi meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It is a landmark move to sustain the good momentum in the significant yet fragile bilateral relations. President Xi mentioned that China and India should not look at each other as threats. He said the two countries should rather work together to speed up the Bangla­desh-China-India-Myanmar Forum. With regard to what role Nepal can play between the dragon and the elephant, Nepal can be like a cattle that goes to and fro on the bridge between India and China.

India has traditionally been the predominant foreign actor in Nepal. But China seems to be catching up, be it in terms of FDI, people-to-people exchanges, or the number of Nepalis learning Chinese. How do you see this development?

I think China and India can coop­erate to develop harmonious rela­tions on all fronts. In Nepal’s case, there is great potential to develop tourism as many Chinese Buddhists dream of visiting Lumbini, the birth­place of the Buddha, as well other beautiful places in Nepal.

Even while there is India-China geopolitical competition in Nepal, they also cooperate, sometimes to Nepal’s detriment. In 2015 for example, India and China agreed to develop their tri-junction point with Nepal at Lipulekh, with­out even consulting Nepal. How does Nepal deal with and balance these two rising powers?

It is unnecessary to fear the rise of China and India. Of course, Nepal is coping with these rising powers with its non-alignment policy. Lipulekh as a trade and transit point is ideal for China-India-Nepal trilateral trade. Other contradictions can be solved through negotiations.

How do you see the involvement of other powers like the US, Japan and the EU in Nepal?

China is paying close attention to this. We hope they don’t start inter­fering in Nepal’s internal affairs.

 Monsoon is coming. The moment you pass your SLC, you lose all urge to travel on public transport. Even the idea of stepping into a micro bus repulses you. And you come to realize that the only mode of transport that will get you anywhere will run on two wheels and NOT one that you’re going to have to pedal. That’s when you courageously ask your father to buy you the motorcy­cle you’ve been obsessing over, prob­ably the RC 390 or the CBR 250R. Then, your father will laugh at the proposition. Let’s face it, the chances of him agreeing to get you anything that’s expensive, looks good, and is fast is a long shot. Your proposition will be repealed and a new one will be put in front of you: to find some­thing that’s under 200cc and won’t rip a searing hole in your father’s wallet.

Then you begin to look for some­thing you both agree on. Something that’s under 200ccs but not too underpowered, something that isn’t too aggressively designed but still stylish, something that will get you around town without guzzling too much fuel, and something that will impress both you and your father.

That was what Yamaha had in mind when they designed and launched the FZ16 in 2008. It helped revolutionize the commuter motor­cycle segment from something only your dad could enjoy to something young people could appreciate. With its aggressive street naked styling, fat rear tire and a fatter fuel tank, the bike raised the bar for other manu­facturers.

The Fz16 styling was inspired from the global FZ series and a decent amount of grunt to go with the mean, naked streetfighter looks. But it also had a balance of features that appealed to the mature crowd.

It boasted of a high torque engine that was good for aggressive city riding but a monocross suspension also ensured it handled well and provided a stable and decent experi­ence for the pillion. It could get you around town safely, but it could also do well on the highways. Because of these, and many other factors, the Yamaha FZ gained massive populari­ty. And it still remains one of the best products in the Yamaha roster.

Which brings us to the third gener­ation of the macho streetfighter, the Yamaha FZ-S FI V3. Does it still have what it takes to call itself the Lord of the Streets?

The looks

It maintains what the first FZ start­ed out with. The designs are still macho and rugged. Very streetfight­er. The muscular tank is sculpted like the Greek gods and they carry out the design language throughout the body. You can see that plenty of inspiration has been taken from the FZ 250, from the headlights to the switchgears.

We like the stubby exhaust. How­ever, the chrome finish on the air intakes is a little tacky for our taste.

While it does not get split seats, it is designed to be comfortable. The pillion seat has a 16 percent larger seating surface area with an added 5mm of thickness for more comfort. There is a new LCD cluster which has a black background with white let­tering for better visibility in daylight and at night.

Visually, it looks great and it does have the street fighter appeal. It’s wider, taller, and more muscular.

The experience

But does it live up to expectations when you turn on the ignition?

It does not disappoint. Although there is an increase in weight, you don’t really feel it affects perfor­mance. In fact, it is light and spirited with plenty of low end grunt and a lively midrange. You might not be breaking any speed limits, but you’re definitely not going to be bored with it as well.

The 150cc engine churns out a healthy 13bhp at 800rpm and the torque peaks at 600RPM with an output of 12.8NM. This is more than decent for city riding and supple­ments overtaking duties sufficiently. On the highways, the power is suffi­cient. However, you will have to pre­meditate your overtaking maneuver.

The suspension is supple and soaks up the tattered roads in Nepal with ease. The 5mm increase in ground clearance is a welcome addi­tion too. But what really takes the cake in terms of upgrades is the single channel ABS and the rear disc brake that comes as standard. It takes your stopping abilities to the next level and that is what really inspires the confidence to make it feel like you’re not just riding a com­muter motorcycle.

But JUST a commuter bike?

Not by a long shot. While it is per­fectly fit for city riding and can take you around town the entire day, it is also very capable of navigating out of the city limits. It is comfortable to ride, has decent power delivery, and the ABS gives you the ability to tackle the highways and city jaunts more confidently.

In terms of competition, the FZ takes on the likes of the Honda CB Hornet 160R, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Suzuki Gixxer, and Bajaj Pulsar NS160. And it does put up a good fight.

The FZ is one of Yamaha’s most successful motorcycles and the update makes it fresher and safer as well. We feel like the tank is a little too large and bulky, and the chrome intakes could have been skipper. Yet it is still a great motor­cycle and one which should rein­vigorate the segment. Overall, the Yamaha FZS-FI V3 is an above aver­age commuter motorcycle for the average guy.

1) What are the two things you love about being a vlogger?

Ability to capture beautiful memories with my loved ones that I can always come back to relive. Second is being able to show my fans the raw side of me to connect with them more.

2) What is your pet peeve?

People who procrastinate. Everyone is entitled to it. However, it grinds my gears when their procrastination gets in the way of me getting my work done on time. I like to do my work first and then relax.

3) A Nepali celebrity you admire, and why?

I loved the old days when Hari Bamsha-Madan Shrestha duo was untouchable. Every skit they put together had a beautiful life lesson.
 

4) Your favorite getaway?

A quiet place devoid of city noise but where the nature’s sound is loud enough to wake me up from my sleep. If I have to name one, that would be Pokhara.

5) What are the three things that are important for a good video?

Originality, a video that evokes humor, and at the same time portrays the seriousness of the subject at hand.

6) Most special thing a fan has ever done for you?

A sweet guy at my meet-and-greet in Kathmandu had made me and my loved ones Soltisquad t-shirts with our names on the back of them. I still wear that t-shirt.

8) What is the craziest thing a fan has done for you?

During my meet-and-greet in Kathmandu, a fan from Butwal made plans with her friends to come all the way from Butwal to meet me despite the fact that her parents were against it and she might have gotten into trouble at school. So much love!

7) How do you deal with negativity on social media?

By ignoring it. I’m pretty good at it. Only opinions of your loved ones should matter. I welcome positive vibes from everyone. I tend to stay away from negativity.

9) Who would make it to your dream team?

I think I thrive when I do things alone. Although I love collaborations and working with others, I am a loner in certain things. YouTubing is one of them.

10) What would be your superpower?

I don’t know what people will think but majority of gut instincts I have of new people I come across is true. I’m 99 percent of the time accurate about being able to tell how he/she is doing.

 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli returned home on June 16 from a nine-day visit to a number of European capitals. Both Oli and his office claimed the visit was a success. The PMO issued a long statement recounting his successful engage­ments, which looked more like a detailed itinerary. Surely the prime minister and his entou­rage had a busy schedule, yet the visit raised more questions than it answered.Let’s start with his trip to the United Kingdom. While one could argue about the wisdom of meet­ing outgoing Prime Minister The­resa May, what sticks out as a sore point is Oli’s failure to meet the British monarch. Our mandarins should have pressed their Brit­ish counterparts for a meeting with the Queen. The inability to ensure diplomatic reciprocity is a serious failure—particularly when even low-ranking British officials routinely meet our PM and the President.

Despite all the hype about marking 203 years of diplomatic relations, Oli had to settle for a meeting with Prince Harry, who is sixth in line to the British throne. By our prime minister’s own admission, the UK also cold-shoul­dered Nepal’s proposal to review the 1947 tripartite agreement gov­erning the recruitment of Nepalis into the British Army.

The interview with the BBC was ill-advised too. Why would Prime Minister Oli agree to an interview that focused on the issue of traffic jam on the Everest? It would have been more fitting for the Tourism Department’s spokesperson.

Oli’s trip to France was also anything but memorable. He did not meet French President Emmanuel Macron and failed to sign the two agreements his minister for Information and Communications had pushed for.

Lapses during the Europe vis­it are a result of poor planning, lack of accountability and par­ty functionaries prevailing over career officials. Overall, these are symptoms of a severe weakening of state capability and an absence of adequately-trained human resources in the public sector.

Post 1990 mess

There is a convergence of opin­ion on the erosion of the Nepali state’s capability post-1990. Anecdotal evidence suggests that seems to be the case in many areas. That process picked up pace in the post-2006 arrange­ment—as political accommoda­tion and expediency took priority over state principles, expertise and experience.

Many argue that despite its flaws, and the uneven play­ing-field the Panchayat regime created, it did promote a certain level of meritocracy. They point to high-profile diplomats and plan­ners the system nurtured; despite its authoritarian structure, it fos­tered a learning culture and even tolerated dissent within certain confines—while making long-term strategic investments that the regime considered important. I am no apologist for the Panchayat era, but there is no harm in pick­ing good lessons from the past.

Broadly speaking, a state’s capa­bility is its ability to govern inter­nally while projecting strength externally—reflected in the nature and level of engagements abroad. Internal governance encompasses the abilities to deliver results for citizens, bureaucratic processes, and maintenance of social cohe­sion, ideally through democratic processes.

While the government’s abili­ty to collect taxes and increase development spending in terms of sheer volume has increased since the 1990s, anecdotal evidence suggests a waning of state capa­bility to deliver. Having a bigger revenue base and the ability to earmark an increasing amount of money for different projects is not enough; being able to spend it meaningfully is a better indicator of state capacity.

Even though this government projects bold ambitions, it has not made steady efforts to build state capacity to deliver on its prom­ises. Again, some of us might be confused with the government trying to legislate on internal affairs better—as reflected in the rush to introduce different laws. But that’s not the same as having the capacity to turn those intents into reality.

Short-termism

The point being that there are inadequate human resources within the government system to follow through on the high-pitched rhetoric around pros­perity and good governance—and the government is doing little to generate skilled human resources. For instance, rail­way connectivity seems to be our national priority, yet what has the government done in the past year to create skilled human resources to maintain and run a railway network?

Bureaucratic processes are in a shambles with neither upward nor downward accountability. And a massive increase in the number of political appointees continues to promote ad-hocism and short-term thinking. This has been further aggravated by a constitutional restructuring of the state—without the de-facto devolution of power to the prov­inces and local bodies. The state restructuring should have been followed by an informed push toward revamping the structure, size and work culture of the civil service. Ideally, this should have started with an honest organiza­tion and management survey by an independent third party—nei­ther connected to the politicians nor to the civil service.

The net result of all these are systematic weaknesses in the state’s delivery mechanism even when there is a strong govern­ment at the helm. To be fair, the government inherited much of the problem and should not be blamed for the accumulated mess. But the tragedy is that it is continuing down the same path of short-term thinking that the previous short-lived governments were driven by.

 The federal government and its head can learn many things from the recent Guthi bill fiasco. One is that decisions with far-reaching conse­quences should be made only after extensive consultations with key stakeholders. Frankly, in its year and a half in office, the federal government, and Prime Minister KP Oli in particular, have acted like a law onto themselves. PM Oli makes vital decisions without informing senior leaders of his own party, much less the opposition parties. The advice of a small coterie of party hacks seems enough.

Broad consultations are at the heart of the democrat­ic process. But for the self-described democrat who fought autocracy half his life, Oli seems to have inter­nalized some authoritarian tendencies himself. Again, seldom does he consult other experts and seek a sec­ond opinion. Take his recent Europe trip, which turned out to be a disaster. The prime minister was keen on visiting Europe and shoring up his international image even as there had been no preparations. The expected agreements with France and the UK could not mate­rialize; the heads of the state of these two European powers did not even bother to see him.

Had the prime minister consulted some foreign pol­icy experts, or even read an oped or two on the topic on the eve of his Europe trip, he could have figured out that instead of buttressing his international image, the meaningless tour would have just the opposite effect. More important, it would harm the standing of the country he represents. But just like he did not bother to consult the Guthiyars—the age-old custodians of the country’s precious heritage—before introducing the Guthi bill, the self-assured prime minister did not see the need to seek expert advice on his foreign travel.

The forced withdrawal of the Guthi bill is possibly the biggest blow to the prime minister’s seemingly unassailable image. He perhaps does not realize that if he continues on his unilateral course, the press, the opposition parties, the intellectuals, and hundreds of thousands of his voters—could all be alienated. It is a reminder that in a democracy you can rule only by a broad consensus and trying to ram through unpopu­lar measures invariably backfires. Perhaps the retreat on the Guthi bill will make PM Oli realize the power of the collective.

By Ranjan Hari Koirala | Kathmandu

 As part of its plan to expand broadband networks across the country, Nepal Telecom has called applications for build­ing such networks and pro­viding internet services in 14 additional districts. With this, Nepal Telecom expects all rural municipalities of Nepal to have broadband internet access within a year.Nepal Telecom plans to make use of the Rural Tele­communications Develop­ment Fund (RTDF) to expand broadband connection to the 14 districts via optical net­works. Under the plan, broad­band hybrid networks will be built and internet/data access connectivity provided in all municipalities, rural munici­palities, ward offices, health centers, health posts and pub­lic educational institutions (secondary and higher sec­ondary schools). The call for application states that com­panies interested in apply­ing should have contributed a minimum of Rs 1 million to the RTDF in the past three years. They should also have a minimum of 1,000 km trans­mission networks in operation and 25,000 (fixed) internet or data subscribers.

The project is expected to cost Rs 2.8 billion for the four districts in Province 1 (Ilam, Jhapa, Morang and Udayapur), Rs 600 million for the four districts in Province 5 (Gulmi, Palpa, Argakhachi, Pyuthan) and Rs 1.2 billion for the six other districts. Two years ago, NT had signed contracts with various companies for similar work in 60 districts. Purush­ottam Khanal, chairman of Nepal Telecom, claims 60 percent of the work has been completed.

Internet connection is now available in 15 earthquake-af­flicted districts under Broad­band Access Network, accord­ing to NT data. But there have been complaints that some of these districts remain uncon­nected.

Under the project, the first contract was with World­link Communications Pvt Ltd. Among the projects that Worldlink bagged, one is com­plete. NT informs more than 85 percent of the work has been completed in the north-east­ern districts of Dolpa, Mugu, Jumla and Humla.

Subisu Cablenet Pvt Ltd is supposed to start providing internet services in 1,205 loca­tions in 8 Tarai districts (Dha­nusha, Siraha, Saptari, Mahot­tari, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Sarlahi) from July 16. As only 55 percent work is complete, the company has extended its deadline by 6 months.

Vianet Communications Pvt Ltd also has been unable to finish work on time. By the deadline day last December, only 50 percent work had been completed.

Mercantile Communications Pvt Ltd had bagged two proj­ects, under which it would make internet access avail­able in 1,183 locations in six districts (Achham, Bajhang and Bajura in the west and Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu in the east). While one project has been completed, work on the sec­ond one is still ongoing.

Similarly, Techminds Net­work Pvt Ltd had bagged the contract to provide broadband services in three mid-western districts (Surkhet, Dailekh and Salyan). Work was stalled in the initial phase due to a court case. Although the case has been settled for a while now, Nepal Telecom informs that the company has only recently submitted ‘Network Diagrams’ for approval.