KL girl now in Ipoh

First Day of Standard One, First day of Standard Five

2012-01-04T14:13:00.000+08:00

Phew! It's now 1.56pm. I just sat my behind down after a morning of running around since 6.45am. That's when we left the house...to send my son to his first day back at school as a Standard Fiver, and to send my baby girl to her first day as a Standard One-er. How time flies!

Well, the school area around the prime schools - Sam Tet, Yuk Choy and Ave Maria - near the roundabout where Jalan Gopeng and Jalan Tambun converge was alive with the bright red and yellow of car and bus lights at 6.55am. Even this early, the nearest and best parking lots were filled!

After first dropping off my boy, I sent my girl to her school. Being her first day, I went down with her of course. She was pretty calm and said I could go. But I stayed (look who's scared?). I finally left around 730am when the school urged parents to stop haunting the school corridors.

Went home and had some coffee, then my maid fried some vermicelli for the little girl. We both went to deliver her recess snack to her at 915am. When we got there, I found that many parents of the Standard One children had not even left! We accompanied her during recess, then left to do some marketing in town. We had meant to go home after that, but looking at the time, almost 11am, we decided to just go back to the school, because Std. Ones are dismissed at 1215 during the first week, and parking, that is good, near and shaded parking is an extremely rare commodity at this school. Thankfully, I managed to secure a prime spot under a grand old tree that provided lots of shade. My maid and I waited for about an hour, during which time the parking lots swiftly filled up.

1215 came, we waited in the sun for the kids to troop out to the gate, then made our way to fetch my boy. While waiting for him, we had our lunch of steamed chicken and hor-fun soup. I downed mine quickly and walked the short distance to the school to get my boy, who then had his lunch.

Well....day one of school in 2012 is over....it's been hot, sunny, sweaty and fine. I pray that all through this year, everything else will go fine, for my family and me, and for you my friends.

Old Andersonian Club Cafeteria

2011-12-19T16:07:00.000+08:00

We, or rather I've, been meaning to eat here. Hubby beat me to it and sampled lunch here 2 weeks ago. So the whole family went there for lunch last Thursday, I think it was.

It's of course next to the Anderson school and very close to the D. R. Park roundabout. On a tangent, I only recently learned some history about D. R. Seenivasagam, after whom the park is named, from a book entitled "The Chinese Schools of Malaysia". He was a political activist and among those who championed the cause of preserving the teaching of the mother tongue of the ethnic minorities that make up the colourful fabric of Malaysia.

Back to food.............the cafe serves Indian banana leaf rice, altho blogger Motormouth said that it is Moghul food and banana leaf rice. He is probably more discerning than I.

It is a small little building located on a small little road that turns off from the not-so-small D.R. roundabout. There is ample parking space for about 20 cars, and grand old majestic rain trees provide wonderful shade. The ambience inside the cafeteria is relaxed and quiet. I like it! No fighting for car parking space, no fighting for tables, and it isn't hot and crowded. You can tell that the clientele here are the regulars.

We ordered 5 sets of banana leaf rice. Their dal (lentil) curry was a hit with my kids, their fish curry was alright but not sour enough for me. Their rasam (sourish soup) was nice and warm, and also slightly less sour than what I am used to (see, I love sour). Perhaps it's because it's Moghul?

They served an interesting tomoto vege dish that was tangy and sweet at the same time, a raw cucumber and onion salad, and fried cabbage. For the meats, we had their mutton, fried chicken, fish patty and sambal prawns. All went down well. I always have the cold yoghurt (tairu) to go with my rice and my kids have learned to eat it too. The tairu here is fantastic! Cold, thick, sour and rich - yummmeeee!

(picture courtesy from http://www.j2kfm.com/banana-leaf-rice-old-andersonian-cafeteria-ipoh/)

Kellie's Castle

2011-12-19T14:02:00.000+08:00

We finally brought the kids to visit Kellie's Castle this school holidays.

It was also somewhere to bring our Singaporean friends who had made the drive up to see and stay with us.

It's real easy to get to Kellie's Castle from Ipoh. We took Jalan Gopeng heading out towards KL/ Simpang Pulai and just keep going. Well, I was driving behind my hubby's car so I didn't really take that much notice of the way, to be honest....

It was a nice sunny day, so we had our umbrellas and hats. We paid for the tickets (RM4 for adults, RM3 for kids) and made our way across the bridge towards the castle. The castle looks suitably old and crumbly so it makes for an impressive background shot. As we crossed the brown swift flowing river, my hubby told the group about his days as a scout when he and his scout mates had to wade across the river! The bigger and stronger scouts would be the first ones to cross and bring a rope along with them. Once safely across, they would hold out the life-line for the rest of the "tender-foots" to cross. Wow! My hubby did that? Sounds like fun. I wouldn't mind doing that too. But the water does seem rather fast flowing.

Not much by way of restoration or conservation really. The castle is empty, not many signs around, just a few hand rails at certain staircases. The Perak State government should allocate some $$$ to conserve Kellie's Castle and provide more supporting facilities if it is serious in making it a tourist attraction. The singular cafe in the grounds has been abandoned and is an eyesore.

The greenery around the castle is pleasant but again more could be done.

Despite all that, the kids still had a good time walking around the castle and reading some ghostly stories on the wall, and some history here and there. We went down into the wine cellar, which was only scary at the top because it looked so dark, but it wasn't very deep. The many rooms are large, airy with high ceilings. We spied a bat sleeping hanging from the ceiling in one of the rooms. I guess because the castle was never completed, it is not as impressive a structure as castles you might find in Europe. Nevertheless, it's not a bad short sight seeing trip.

Under Zambry, Perak’s debt hits record billion-ringgit high

2011-11-25T13:54:00.002+08:00

(Reproduced from http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=23452%3Aunder-zambry-perak%E2%80%99s-debt-hits-record-billion-ringgit-high&Itemid=2&fb_source=message )

Perak’s state debt has sky-rocketed some 535 percent from RM182 million in 2000 to RM975 million currently, with a RM72 million increase in the past 12 months.

Reacting to this, Taiping member of parliament Nga Kor Ming said the state’s debt for last year was greater than the budget for all state projects such as the micro scheme credit, housing aid, food aid, festival aid, Tabaruk scheme and family economic cluster scheme.

“All those programmes for the people only amount to RM19 million,” he was quoted as saying by DAP's Malay language website Roketkini, at the state’s Budget 2012 debate yesterday.

On the recently tabled RM50.14 million deficit budget, the Pantai Remis state assemblyman questioned the allocation of RM915 million for expenditure.

“The amount is just too huge for Perak," he said, adding that the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department reported that Perak has the highest number of families in the poverty brackets.

Nga said some 192,000 families in the state earned less than RM2,300 a month, representing 12.2 percent of all families in the country under the poverty group.

“This clearly proves that after 54 years under BN, not only has the coalition failed to bring up the state to a respectable income earning status, many of our people still live in poverty, especially the Malays,” he added.

Nga described the state budget as wasteful and aimed to enrich the cronies while using debts to fish for votes by giving out goodies.

"This is just an election budget. But the people see through all this. It may just help PR to win,” he quipped.

-Harakahdaily

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Perak is one of the largest states in Malaysia with vast tracts of land and natural resources, yet the statistics for poverty in the state are appalling.

Where are the logistics (port related) and manufacturing sectors to drive growth and generate jobs? One can see those "jaga kereta" boys aplenty in the town area, a sight long since missing from PJ and KL.

Even with Ipoh's well known food, agri produce and cave systems, the State Govt cannot be said to be doing a stellar job in promoting tourism. It is very much left to the private sector. Development and redevelopment in the town areas are haphazard and look largely unplanned. (see comments and views in the Ipoh Echo http://ipohecho.com.my/v2/)

The Star newspaper reported on 22 Nov 2011 that "Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir tabled a RM50.14mil deficit budget for next year." How does a leader table a budget with such a deficit with a smile??

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RM100 handout from the government

2011-11-17T17:03:00.001+08:00

I guess I really shouldn't be complaining, not that I am complaining. After all, when the government gives monetary handouts to the people, hey, who should complain?

In fact, we should be whooping for joy and say, "What a great government we have!"

Of course, all the above is written tongue in cheek.

It's very hard not to be cynical about this whole "the government is cognizant of the people's burden at the time when a new school year begins, therefore, being sensitive to the people's needs, we the ruling government have in our grand Budget 2012, allocated RM100 for each schoolgoing child from Standard 1 to Form 5. And all hail the government." (this statement is of course fictional, and not attributed to anyone or anything)

Why distribute money now? With EVERY schoolgoing child being eligible?

Elections are definitely around the corner, and the people are being prepped for it through such historic generosity of the government. Is Budget 2012 sustainable? How healthy and wealthy are our country's finances? Will Malaysia's economy be affected in 2012 in light of all the woes assailing Europe and USA?

Well, thank you for the RM100, Prime Minister. I have NEVER received any such benefit from the government before and it is indeed historic, for better or for worse.

MACC's quick peep into RM56,000 binoculars finds 'nothing wrong'

2011-11-04T11:59:00.000+08:00

Nov 3 2011 - Would you pay RM56,350 for a product which costs only 3% of that price, RM1,940 to be exact?

And would anyone accept without fuss a product of lower quality, which would have actually cost 50 percent less?

While the answer to both is not in the affirmative, these questions are far from hypothetical. They are being raised following revelations in the Auditor-General's latest report about purchases made by the Marine Park Department.

Yet, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's deputy chief Shukri Abdul said that the commission had found nothing wrong in the purchase.

At the centre of the issue are two pairs of night vision binoculars bought at RM56,350 each. A check by the Auditor General found that they could have been purchased at only RM1,940 each.

As if that is not enough, it was also found that the supplied binoculars - no, they are not plated with gold - were not the ones ordered, but are non-night vision binoculars that are worth only RM1,069 each in the market.

MACC is known to be a tough graft-fighting department. Critics have even questioned its no-nonsense approach, particularly in the manner it handled the late DAP officer Teoh Beng Hock, who according to a Royal Commission of Inquiry into his mysterious death, could have been forced to commit suicide due to the interrogation tactics.

However, a case as clear as the one pointed out in the Audit report involving the Marine Park Department needs no further investigation nor tough interrogation, only action. So what is the graft-busting body's next course of action?

"We have suggested that the department take strict disciplinary action against the officer involved," said Shukri.

Not surprising. After all, the MACC itself has been named by the Auditor General as one of the nine government departments which overspent by a total of RM3.73 billion.

- Harakah Daily
(Reproduced from the Malaysia Chronicle at http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=22339:maccs-quick-peep-into-rm56000-binoculars-finds-nothing-wrong&Itemid=2)

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Well, well, with the next General Elections clearly on the way real soon and PM Najib having annnounced a seemingly election-and-rakyat-friendly Budget 2012 (whether it is financially sound for the nation has been questioned) the shortcomings of the BN Coalition and dire need for them to clean up their act on many fronts are painfully obvious.

Going down to the ground, dressing young, having teh tarik with your constituents do not substitute the need for a strong leader with integrity and one who truly has the interest of the nation and all its rakyat at heart. No selective prosecution, no selective handouts, no selective scholarships please.......free. fair, transparent and accountable are the pillars of government today, as Queen E said, govts must move forward to meet the challenges and needs of the future.

Hard Rock Hotel, Penang

2011-10-23T19:45:00.001+08:00

We spent a lovely weekend in Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, and indeed an insland Malaysia is very lucky indeed to have.

(and word on the street is that the Federal Govt under the ruling BN coalition should treat Penang with more respect/ wisdom and give them a larger funding allocation, and not penalise them financially just because they are presently under Opposition rule!)
Anyway, back to happier non-political topics (ie. hopeless despairing topics).

We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel this trip, our first time there. It doesn't disappoint. HRH rocks with lively music, serves good food, lots of activities, comfortable rooms, friendly and energetic hotel staffers. There are lots of music memorabilia everywhere.The kids enjoyed the hotel pool with its 3 slides, and made lots of sand castles. We had a faulty basin plug which needed to be fixed and we found the maintenance staff to be efficient and pleasant.

In my mind, one outstanding encounter was with a HRH staffer who came to deliver the keys to our 2 other rooms. After I took the key cards from him and thanked him, he looked me straight in the eye and with a very straight face uttered these very memorable words (well to me, at least, they were memorable!), "Have a rocking day!" Is that Hard Rock or what?!?

The rooms are comfortable and clean with cosy lighting that isn't too dim. Some hotels are hell-bent on not wanting you to see very well at night in your room, but the lighting in HRH was just right.

Of course there were the foam parties that are on every weekend. We didn't join in the foaming fun. I told hubby that it was free for ladies, as one staffer approached me at the pool, urging me to join the foam party. Hubby didn't think it was free as it was not stated anywhere in the hotel. "Maybe HRH lets the nice-looking women into the foam party for free to drum up attendance," hubs said. That's the kind of understated compliment one gets from the husband after 12 years of marriage!

Of couse we ate and ate! A Leng Char Koay Teow (not very nice I thought), assam laksa and char kwoay teow (Gurney Drive and Joo Hooi Cafe), chee cheong fun with prawn paste and koay teow theng (Gurney Drive, no 88 for koay teow theng which had excellent soup), chendol (lane outside Joo Hooi Cafe), O-chien and wan tan mee (Yi Garden), nyonya food at Mama's (Lorong Abu Siti), Hokkien Food at Ang Hoay Lor (Jalan Perak). Buuurrpp!

Banned or Restricted Breeds of Dogs - Perak

2011-10-23T18:36:00.000+08:00

We have read of tragic incidents where people have been injured or killed in dog attacks. 2 prominent incidents come to mind this year: a pitbull attack in Penang and a Rottweiler attack in Selangor. Fortunately, the latter incident was not fatal.

My family recently acquired a Rottweiler, and father-in-law was the one who gave it to us. The pup is lovely so far, just like any other pup, she is playful and cute. But of course, there is some concern regarding our safety vis-a-vis the Rottweiler. The latest Rottweiler incident does not help.

I have never owned a Rottweiler before, or any other (reputedly) ferocious breeds, and I am no dog expert. So I am not prepared to pass judgment on any breed of dog. Still, one must always be careful when dealing with animals, after all, they are animals - with their own quirks and moods, which they cannot always communicate to us, the owners.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick search on the net and found that Rotties are a breed that does cause some concern. As always, Wikipedia supplies a quick snapshot of information and Rottweilers are either outright banned or listed as a controlled type of dog in places such as Ecuador, Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore and the US. Perhaps Malaysia may follow suit in banning or restricting the ownership of Rottweilers in the country.

The Perak Veterinary Services Department has the following listing:

Breeds of Dogs banned from importation

Pit Bull Terrier/Pit Bull (also known as American Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier)

American Bulldog

Neapolitan Mastiff

Japanese Tosa

Akita
Dogo Argentino

Fila Braziliero

Restricted Breeds of Dogs (Importation subject to special conditions)

Doberman
German Shepard/Alsatian
including Belgian Shepard and East European Shepard
Bull Mastiff
Bull Terrier
Perro de Presa Canario (also known as Canary Dog)

The new "cool" Najib is not what matters

2011-09-22T14:46:00.001+08:00

So our PM has engaged a team of new media makeover artists to refresh and repair his image, and transform him into Mr. COOL, the moderate reformer.

The Star in its 22 Sep 2011 article wrote that our PM Najib wants "to project a cool or sempoi image of himself and the Barisan Nasional coalition he heads. The battle to win the hearts and minds of the young voters has started in earnest and Najib aims to win over a big slice with his young and cool campaign."

So our PM has appeared over our radio stations, showing off that he has some general knowledge about singers, football and music. But then of course! Which VIP goes on air without first having the list of questions given to his personal aides so that the correct answers can be prepared in advance? It's a no-brainer. I've prepared enough information briefs, summary responses, fact sheets, whatever you wanna call it, for bosses who go for such interviews.

So, please, don't be too impressed with Najib or any of our government leaders when they seem so intelligent and savvy and give the right answers in live interviews. They have been prepped and double prepped before hand.

I don't believe there are many Malaysian leaders who can handle a live interview without loads of coaching before hand. Do you think our PM candidates can handle a live debate like the US Presidential debates? That would be a day to wait for! (if you would like to see how our leaders handle questions under pressure without preparation, you should watch the recording of our Foreign Minister responding to a foreign journalist's questions regarding the BERSIH walk)

That aside, one certainly hopes that swapping a casual T-Shirt for his usual shirt and tie, cracking a few jokes over a radio interview and attending concerts, are not ploys that could so easily cause a significant voter swing.

The fundamental issues crucial to the rakyat remains, and the leader and party that best addresses these issues should be the ones voted into power:

free and fair elections
eradication of corruption
a mature democracy
freedom of the media
freedom of expression
a transparent and accountable government
independent judiciary
an efficient civil service

Combination Skin care

2011-08-23T15:08:00.006+08:00

I'm always lamenting about my sensitive combination skin-type.

And I haven't been able to go for my usual facial as I have been troubled by a nagging cough this whole month, since coming back from vacation. It won't do to have my beautician applying mask on me or massaging my face when I am suddenly seized by a violent fit of coughing!

So I have had to do home facial therapy. I recently started using Pangea Organic's Japanese Matcha Tea Facial Mask and I like it. Before applying the mask I cleanse twice, once with BWC Vitamin C facial cleansing gel and then with Earth Science's Apricot Facial Scrub.
I am also happier because I may have finally found a suitable night cream for my combination skin, from a German brand, Anne Marie Borlind. No breakouts, no oily bumps, and enough pampering to moisturise the skin. I initially tried Anne Marie Borlind's LL Regeneration range for age 30+, but found the cream to be too rich. Ahhh....so my skin acts younger than it is!

I think I'll try the combination skin day essence next.

Nyonya Kueh

2011-08-23T14:34:00.004+08:00

Mmmmm, I love nyonya kueh - delicious tasting ang koo, kuih ketayap, 9-layer kueh, rice with coconut sambal, mua chee, kueh ko chee .... and so many more.

My brother-in-law's wife mentioned over dinner one night that there is a shop selling nyonya kueh in Pasir Pinji. Apparently most of the other vendors get their supply from this shop.

I managed to locate it. It's called Pusat Kueh & Kek Khoo Eng Chee, diagonally opposite the sundry shop Ee Chan. The shop makes a large variety of nyonya pastry, and they sell out very quickly. By 1030 in the morning, most stuff are gone. But, not too worry, they make more! So you are assured that their wares are fresh indeed.

I bought the pastries in the picture last Saturday:

ang koo - 70 sen
egg custard - 90sen
kueh ketayap - 50 sen
rice with coconut sambal - 60 sen

Working Lives: Malaysia - from BBC

2011-08-21T11:04:00.006+08:00

Working Lives Malaysia will be shown in full on BBC World News on Saturday 27th August 2011 at 0030, 0730, 1930 GMT and on Sunday 28th August at 1230 GMT. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-14576686

Six very different characters talk to BBC about their working lives in Malaysia.
1. Mohd Nasir Isa, 54, has been driving a taxi for the last four years.

He counts himself as part of the "urban poor" because he makes about $500 (£307) a month. Mr Nasir says it is not enough to survive on in Kuala Lumpur as a single parent, especially with the price of food going up.

As a Malay, Mr Nasir is entitled to benefits like cheaper housing, and priority in scholarships and government jobs over ethnic Chinese and Indians. This is part of an affirmative action policy to redistribute wealth to the Malay majority but Mr Nasir says he has not benefited from this plan.

After four decades of affirmative action Malay families like Mr Nasir's still earn less than the average Chinese household.

The government acknowledges that some people have manipulated the policy but they have pledged to revamp the system to target the Malays who need it most.

2. Ravindran Devagunam has worked for multinational companies in Singapore and India for 16 years.

He had worked in Malaysia as an aerospace engineer, but felt his opportunities there were limited and left.

This is a pattern that hundreds of thousands educated ethnic Chinese and Indians follow. The World Bank says many of them are being driven away because of an affirmative action policy favouring the Malay-majority.

Without this talent, analysts warn that Malaysia may not reach its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2020, which is why the government is trying to attract them back.

Mr Ravindran is one of the few who have returned. He has been recruited to ensure Prime Minister Najib Razak's economic reforms are carried out, focussing on anti-corruption and the retail sector.

Mr Ravindran says he never dreamed he would return to Malaysia, much less work for the government, but says his new job feels rewarding because he is helping to change the country for the better.

3. Santhosam Palanisamy runs a small shop with his wife in an urban slum just a 30-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Together they make $765 (£470) a month - not enough to live on with three children to raise.
Mr Santhosam says he lives in a rough neighbourhood where young people do not hold steady jobs and fights break out at Hindu temples.

He is working hard to send his eldest daughter to university so she can live a better life, but is struggling to save up $50,000 (£30,700) for the tuition. In the last few months Mr Santhosam has kept his shop open until three in the morning so he can earn more money.

It is a sacrifice he is willing to make, as Mr Santhosam says the opportunities in Malaysia are limited for Indians.

Despite being the third largest ethnic group in Malaysia, Indians make up less than 10 per cent of the population. Many say their concerns are often ignored by the government and they are paid less than the Malays or Chinese.

4. Wardina Safiyyah is a TV host, actress and model.

She used to sashay down the runways across Asia in short skirts and revealing tops.
Then 15 years ago she decided to 'cover up' and expose only her wrists and face as a way to profess her Islamic faith. She, like many Muslim women in Malaysia, began to wear the headscarf or 'tudong' as it is called it in Malay.

The headscarf is the most visible sign of the islamisation of Malaysia, which has been gathering pace since the Iranian revolution of 1979. While some non-Muslims are concerned about this trend, Ms Wardina says her ability to choose what she wants to wear is proof that Malaysia is still a moderate Islamic nation.

Today, Ms Wardina has become a fashion icon for Muslim women in the country and she hopes to redefine the concept of beauty. Ms Wardina feels empowered by her new Islamic attire - forcing people to judge her on her talent rather than her cleavage, she says.

5. Hannah Yeoh, 32, is a first-time politician with the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in Selangor state.

Before she was elected into office Ms Yeoh says she was the typical working Malaysian, disillusioned with the country's politics and griping about wages not keeping up with inflation.

A friend encouraged Ms Yeoh to stop complaining and register to vote. A few months later she was asked to run for a seat in the General Elections of 2008.

Ms Yeoh's first election turned out to be a historic one. The opposition coalition of which the DAP is a member ended up taking power in a few states and denied the governing party its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in nearly four decades.

Suddenly change was in the air. As an ethnic Chinese, Ms Yeoh says she wants to work against race-based politics that she says is entrenched in the national psyche.

This affects even civic basics like birth certificates, which now require the race of a child to be declared. Ms Yeoh and her husband, an ethnic Indian, are trying to challenge that by registering their newborn baby's race as "Malaysian."

Their application was rejected but Ms Yeoh says she will continue to appeal.

6. Hafizal Islam, 22, is one of millions of migrant workers who come to Malaysia in search of a better-paying job.

He earns $470 (£285) a month - three times more than he would earn working as an electrician in his village in Bangladesh, he says - doing odd jobs on a construction site outside of Kuala Lumpur.

Migrant workers like Mr Islam form the backbone of the construction and plantation industries. The government says this reliance on cheap labour has delayed investment from these industries in creating more knowledge-based jobs.

The migrant population has also become the scapegoat for the country's crime rate and other social problems, which is why authorities are restricting the number of foreign workers allowed into the country.

Mr Islam says it is unfair since they are only taking up jobs that Malaysians are not willing to do anymore.

He sends over half of his income back home to help pay for his mother's diabetes medicine and to build a house for his parents.

In an effort to save more money Mr Islam lives on the construction site and rarely leaves it. Not much of a life for a young man - but Mr Islam says it is the only way to save up enough to have a family of his own in Bangladesh.

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I am sure many Malaysians can identify with what is being said by these people interviewed by BBC. And a lot more could be said, could be expressed, could be shared - if we have a truly caring and honest government, who puts the people first.

Breakfast at Jen Jen coffee shop.....second time

2011-08-20T23:26:00.006+08:00

This time round, the second time at Jen Jen, everything tasted better!

When we arrived at about 930 this morning, we managed to get the last available table. It was that packed on a Saturday morning.

My daughter likes Kai See Hor Fun, so I ordered that for her. The first time we tried Jen Jen, I wrote that I found the Kai See Hor Fun here not as nice as that in Kong Heng and that I thought the soup here had a rather strong sweet hint to it, perhaps too much MSG. Today's soup was much better, so perhaps I might grow to like the Kai See Hor Fun here after all.

The last time we were here, we forgot to order the blanched jellyfish that is also sold by the Kai See Hor Fun stall. I ordered it this morning, and the stall owner asked if I wanted it mixed with baby octopus too since they had it in stock today. Why not? My hubby loves octopus and squid. The dish of blanced jellyfish and baby octopus on a bed of bean sprouts, with a light soya and chilly sauce, was appealing to the eye, and super crunchy. It costs RM8, and was very enjoyable.

My hubby and I had the char kuey teow, fried hot with chilly. Ermmmm......yeah, it was nice. And the lady who takes the order for char kuey teow is pleasant and polite.

Actually, I found all the vendors in Jen Jen very pleasant and polite this morning!

I didn't realize the price of drinks has gone up so much!

We ordered one iced Milo, one hot Milo and one hot coffee. Total price for that was RM5.50. I thought I heard wrongly. I was so surprised that I had to check the price with the old uncle in charge of drinks. He is a pleasant old fellow and willingly explained the price breakdown to us: RM1.50 for the hot coffee, RM2.10 for the iced Milo and RM1.90 for the hot Milo. "No mistake", he said. Wow! Is that steep or what, for drinks!

Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea Face Mask

2011-08-19T14:12:00.003+08:00

That elusive facial product that is just right for my skin is still elusive.

I so envy women who have normal skin that can cope with almost any brand of cosmetics, that does not break out if a new or wrong facial product is used, that can recover quickly from too much sun exposure.

I guess to each its own....my combination skin is sensitive and picky. If the moisturizer is too rich, my skin breaks out. If it is too light, my skin dries out. Too much sun, and the freckles pop out.

Right now, I am using Pangea Organics' Italian Red Mandarin Facial Cream, which seems to be getting along with my skin. Enough moisture and not too rich, doesn't aggravate my skin. I took it with me to Scotland and it still provided my skin with enough moisture.

Hubby then showed me this video that heaps lavish praise on Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea Facial Mask. I know, when you watch it, the presenter really does seem too OTT. But.......I asked hubby to buy the mask anyway.

The mask is really quite pleasant to use. It smells very natural and your skin instantly feels cool when you apply the mask on. You have to slap it on quite thick, as demonstrated in the video. Although I don't slap it on as thick as what the model does. I think the model in the video has got fantastic skin to begin with.

Well, after using this mask for about 4 times, I find that it does cleanse quite well, and gives your face a matte and an even glowing appearance.

Kinderland

2011-08-19T09:39:00.002+08:00

It's been 2 years since we began our new life here in Ipoh.

When we first arrived in Ipoh, my daughter was only 4, not yet attending kindergarten. So along with all the other settling in issues, I did the rounds to find a suitable kindy for her.

These days parents agonise over which kindergarten, which primary school, which secondary school. Back when I was a child, the search for the suitable school was not such an intense, research-based and discussed topic! Sure, my parents sent my brother and me to the reputable schools of the day, but as for kindergarten, the one closest to home was the priority.

I finally decided on Kinderland behind Heritage Hotel for my daughter, not too far from home. And some good feedback I obtained from a past student's mother. Of course, I did get a very negative feedback from someone else too. There is always the dark side to the "force"!

My review of Kinderland?

Now in her second year in Kinderland, my daughter is happy there. She did not have an easy settling-in time. Many children begin their kindy years from the age of 4 or younger. My girl joined when she was 5, so she was the new kid on the block. You remember how hard it is to break into established social circles, don't you?

Kinderland runs 2 streams - English (for those going to Kebangsaan or private schools with no Mandarin component) and Chinese (gearing for the Chinese medium schools). I enrolled her into the Chinese stream, and she did not speak Mandarin when she started. So it was a double whammy for her. She cried for 3 months! And I had to be there. I almost broke and considered changing her kindergarten. But there is no guarantee she would be happier some place else. So I hung on.

Today, my girl converses easily in Mandarin, English and a smattering of Bahasa Malaysia. She has built her social confidence and her own circle of friends. Some of the children who did not accept her into their circle at first, still do not do so today, but she doesn't mind as she has other friends. And I tell my daughter that you can't be friends with everyone, and indeed, some people are not worth the effort. I noticed that my girl is rather popular with the boys, and it is cute to see the boys bringing her shoes and water tumbler to her at dismissal time!

Kinderland gives the children homework everyday, with spelling tests of 5 words and one sentence for each of the 3 languages weekly. And of course, the term assessments. Academically, I hear that Kinderland is not as tough as, say, Mariaville off Jalan Tambun or "Wai Lei" near Jalan Yang Kalsom in town. Apparently those 2 kindies give tons of homework, and teach Standard 1 material, with 20 words for spelling each time! 20 words? Phew!

If you are the sort of parent who wants your child to super excel academically and shine in Standard 1, you might want to go for Mariaville or "Wai Lei". You will find Kinderland too laid back, as Kinderland strives to provide a balanced and rounded education experience. Kinderland arranges excursions each term to, for example, the pet shop, stud farm, parks and the state library. There is also plenty of arts and crafts. And their annual concert is a really big deal. The principal and teachers put in a tremendous amount of effort into the concert, and the kids get to sing, dance, deliver speeches, play instruments. Quite good fun, as is their annual sports day.

My daughter is not overly burdened with homework until she detests doing it, and she is happy to practise for her spelling tests. I find the teachers at Kinderland caring, contrary to the negative remark I heard early on. If your child is absent for more than 2 days, Kinderland will give you a call to find out if everything is ok.

I believe Kinderland receives more children under its daycare wing rather than its kindergarten arm. The sleeping facility in Kinderland is excellent, with each child provided with his/ her own sleeping cot in a large dorm-like room (not sleeping on the floor like some kindies or daycare I have seen). Kinderland provides breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack for those under daycare. Their young charges range in age from infants to primary school children.

Overall, I am quite happy with Kinderland.

Nyonya Laksa at Yum Yum, Ipoh

2011-08-12T22:35:00.005+08:00

There are 2 Yum Yum restaurants that I know of in Ipoh.

One is in Ipoh Garden South, which is styled as a coffee shop without air conditioning. It serves up rice and dishes, and is well known for its crab and other seafood preparations.

This Yum Yum we went to today is in town, a comfortable air conditioned restaurant that has been around for many years. A family-run place, it is very popular and well patronised.

I didn't feel like lunching at home today, so after picking up my son and daughter, we went to get Daddy from the office and together we went off to Yum Yum. He said Yum Yum has a special Nyonya Laksa set for lunch on Fridays which is very popular.

And indeed it is. When we got there the place was full and we had to wait, fortunately not for long.

While waiting, the children had fun with the little poodle who sits obediently behind its owner who mans the reception/ cashier table at the front of the restaurant.

The Nyonya Laksa is very rich, really lemak with lots of coconut milk and heaped with crushed fish pieces. It isn't very chilly-hot so most people would be able to enjoy it. My girl just wanted the noodles, which is the slippery white lai fun. Our Nyonya Laksa set also comes with water and a bowl of cold leong fun/cincau (Chinese black jelly). The set only costs RM6 per person - very very reasonable! My girl and her brother shared the Yeong Chow Fried Rice, which was also very delicious and fragrant - not many places can make their Yeong Chow Fried Rice with that unmistakable fragrance these days.

Well, looks like Fridays will see us at Yum Yum more often.

El Cerdo Restaurant, KL

2011-08-12T22:08:00.007+08:00

Went for a romantic dinner with hubby last weekend to El Cerdo. We had the whole evening to ourselves, with the children entertained and looked after by their grandparents and uncle and aunt and cousins. It's been a long, long time since we did this.

So, naturally I looked forward to the evening.
And El Cerdo did not disappoint.

The restaurant has a cozy and romantic ambience, with soft lighting (perhaps too soft. One elderly patron used his flashlight to read the menu!). The waiting staff are pleasant and well-trained.

The skewered chicken meat balls were tasty, well marinated, soft but not spectacular. The squid with parsley sauce was nicely chewy and tangy to the palate. We also had grilled prawns that were twisted and wrapped around in bacon, which is a nice twist. Our last tapas dish was the roasted vegetables, which was a delicious and healthy conclusion to the start of our dinner.

Perhaps best known for their roasted suckling pig (which the Chinese love), this specialty dish of theirs, as you might know from reading other food reviews, involves the wait staff "cutting" the meat with a plate, to prove how crispy the skin of the pig is and how tender the meat under the skin is. Then there is the rather loud and frightening ritual of breaking the plates, which the diner is invited to do. A rather noisy dish. Interesting.

The pork spare ribs were cooked drier than I am used to, but not overly so. As the wait staff gave us 2 bowls of water with a slice of lemon inside to wash our hands, we abandoned fork and knife and enjoyed the ribs with our fingers. Finger licking good (no infringement intended to KFC's slogan!)

As we intended to while away the night along the extremely active Changkat Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor, sampling the various bars and hawker stalls, we decided to skip dessert. It was an enjoyable and delicious dinner at "the pig".

Your right to vote

2011-08-11T17:47:00.008+08:00

It is the basic right of every citizen in a democratic country.

Your right to vote.

Your right to choose the party whose representatives will form the ruling government of the day. The ruling government that will pass laws, make policies which will affect the progress of your country and the way you live your lives.

Therefore, it is surprising to me that so many Malaysians have never voted in their lives. Never even thought to register to vote. But yet these same people complain about the way things are done, about the way the country is run, about this politician and that, about the unfairness and stupidity of certain government policies.

And the reasons given for not voting:

- I never thought about it
- It's too much trouble to register and to go to the polling station
- What difference does one vote make?
- All political parties are equally bad

Have you heard that one vote makes all the difference? Just like one mark in your school exam makes the difference between a pass and a fail.

I just found a blog recounting the general election of 2008, written by a blogger who decided to be a polling and counting agent on 8 March 2008 (http://johnny-ong.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-experience-being-polling-counting.html). He wrote that on that day at his polling station, there was a bride who came in her bridal gown, together with all her bridesmaids to vote! Imagine that. Now that is one responsible Malaysian who understands the importance of the one vote. So, please, no more excuses not to vote.

If you care about Malaysia, care about the future direction of Malaysia, care to be part of the free democratic process that will gradually shape a more mature and responsbile political landscape in Malaysia, then I hope all Malaysians of the age of majority will exercise their constitutional right as a citizen of Malaysia to vote in the next general election and every election thereafter.

Undi itu adalah rahsia - Your vote is confidential

Election can happen at any time.
It is your responsibility to vote
The website of the Election Commission Malaysia/ Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya can be found at http://www.spr.gov.my/

(Picture courtesy of http://capricornsoapco.blogspot.com/2010/11/exercise-your-right-to-vote-election.html)

A pet owner's worry

2011-08-09T20:22:00.007+08:00

I have had dogs since I was a child, with a break of about 20 years in between without.
A wife and a mother now, I am blessed with the opportunity to once again have dogs as part of our lives. I see it as an enriching experience - my children learn to respect and love animals, be loved in return by their dogs, and our family gains the benefit of our dogs' companionship and protection.

I have never had any of my dogs fall ill. That's because most of my dogs are of mixed breeds, the typical Malaysian dogs, which are extremely hardy yet wonderful. Even my 3 adult dogs who have some Labrador blood in them, are as tough as the mixed breeds.

Along comes our 9 week old Rottweiler, a bundle of fun and cuteness. Hardly 2 weeks with us, and having had her 1st vaccination, and she is ill! Quite ill at that, most probably with parvovirus, the vet says. Any responsible pet owner would be worried, as a pup with this virus could easily die as the illness causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and therefore, rapid dehydration.

Our pup has been put on the drip twice, and that has helped tremendously. We also withdrew her water intake, limiting her to 2 spoonfuls of water if she eats at least 1 spoon of food, every 2 hours. No food, no water. It seems cruel and it is hard to do, but allowing her to drink more than that contributes to more vomiting which can be fatal.

I have also been feeding her, on the vet's prescription, antibiotics and anti-vomit and anti-diarrhea pills. It is a struggle! She pushes all the pills out with her tongue. She has completely lost her appetite and now resembles a scraggly little stray with her ribs sticking out! Poor poor puppy.

But there looks to be light at the end of the tunnel. Her energy level is better today, and she won the tug of war with my daughter, refusing to give up her raw hide-treats-bone.

My first pure bred Rottweiler - it has been tiring and a steep learning curve. I certainly hope our pup makes a full recovery. Thank you to Dr Ranjit, our vet from JR Veterinary Centre.

Holiday in KL - stay in Swiss Garden Residences

2011-08-06T17:41:00.009+08:00

This weekend, we spent it in KL. Usually we stay at my parents' place but this time we decided to stay in the city centre at Swiss Garden Residences, a newly built twin block of serviced apartments attached to Swiss Garden Hotel on Jalan Pudu.

Having a young family, we found that serviced apartments, rather than hotel rooms, provide us with more entertainment space for the children. And the kitchenette always comes in handy. We got a 2-bedroom unit at a rate of RM539++ per night.

Clean, comfortable and modern, Swiss Garden Residences comes with the usual facilities one would expect these days such as wifi, pool, sauna and gym. The restaurants and bars are located in the main Swiss Garden Hotel block which is conveniently connected by a sky bridge to the Residences.

Location-wise, it's not bad as it is merely a 10-minute walk to Lot 10 and Pavillion. Although in our weather, my son and daughter were complaining that they were tired!

I found the unit to my liking but hubby didn't like the bed, too hard! But he is becoming very finicky with the quality of beds these days. Only thing is, Swiss Garden didn't provide any cutlery or crockery for the kitchenette. I shall put that in my comments to them. So, if you'd like to try out a nice convenient place to stay in KL, why not Swiss Garden Residences?

Me - You = Blue

2011-08-04T23:36:00.008+08:00

Strangers + Physical Attraction = Relationship = Love = Marriage

Friends + Physical Attraction = Relationship = Love = Marriage

Friends + Personality Attraction - Physical Attraction = ?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If only life were that simple, huh?

I happened to catch Zak and Sara's program on Lite FM where they invite listeners to call in with their problems, and together with other callers' input, they would try to impart some helpful advice to the caller with the problem.

Zak and Sara are a funny, energetic and entertaining duo. I quite enjoy their programs, and yes I like Lite FM too!

Well, this week a gentleman called in. His problem in a nutshell: he has a really great lady friend, they get along famously and he thinks she is a wonderful person. He has known her for 5 years and one thing led to another, and they started dating. Then his parents ask him when he's getting married. With things getting serious, he says he is not sure he wants to marry this great gal he is dating because she is beautiful on the inside but doesn't have great looks on the outside.

Hmmmm....tough one huh?

We would all love to say, beauty is only skin deep and what matters is the person on the inside because that remains for always. At one time or another, I (maybe you too?) thought that too, and I also thought that once you fall in love, that's it. You never fall out of love. Then came life and its lessons. Ohhhh.......people do fall out of love, that's why couples (married or dating) break up, and uh, a great friend sometimes just can't be your romantic other half.

Back to the caller's issue.

Zak says: If you don't find her attractive, you can't marry her because sooner or later, you will resent her, or worse, cheat on her. Be fair to both you and her, and walk away.
Sara says: If you really like her for who she is, it doesn't matter that she's not gorgeous because who she is, how you get along and how she treats you are more important.

I have 2 real life examples that I think come pretty close to this situation.

Example 1:
A close guy friend once confided that he didn't find his wife attractive. I asked him if this was a new development. He must have found his wife attractive to have dated and then married her. He replied that when he was dating his wife, he knew she was no beauty, even in his eyes, but at that time, with age catching up and the pressure to settle down building, he settled for his wife. After marriage, the lack of physical attraction proved to be a real problem. Ultimately, they divorced.

Example 2:
Another guy friend has only ever had one girlfriend whom he married. They carried on a long distance relationship for some 5 years during their courtship before getting married. He is friendly, sociable, well-mannered and good-looking. His wife is reserved to the point of being unfriendly if you don't know her, heavy-set and plain. Yet this friend has only eyes for her.

So, is there really a solution for this caller? Could example 1 be an indicator of a doomed marriage if the caller is already now expressing reservations about the looks of his girlfriend? Or will he learn to accept her as she is and love her inner qualities?

(images courtesy of layoutsforlove.com and wallpapersonweb.com)

Respect and Sensibility during Ramadan and Beyond

2011-08-04T21:34:00.008+08:00

I am a Malaysian Chinese. Fact is, Malaysia is my home. I have no other. I was born and raised here. So were my parents. So if I am told I am a pendatang, and that I should go home, where would I go?

I have a blue IC, a Malaysian passport and I am a registered voter. I just changed my address and am STILL waiting for my voting constituency to be updated. It has been more than 2 weeks now and a check on the Election Commission's website indicates that my change of voting constituency sedang diproses (being processed). I think I read somewhere that someone was granted voter status and then a Malaysian citizenship in a matter of hours. Perhaps I am mistaken?

Anyway, I ramble. I meant to write about sense and sensibility during this holy fasting month of Ramadan. It's a hot topic, what with 8TV making fools of themselves and Malaysians with their crass community message ads teaching people to behave appropriately during Ramadan. Perhaps the COO of 8TV himself needs some personal coaching on behaviour.

I think on the whole non-Muslims are very respectful and sensitive towards our fellow Malaysian Muslims who choose to fast during this time of the year. It has been drilled into us. How can we not be? Our parents remind us about it, we learn about it in school, we learn about it from our Muslim friends, and oh yes, we learn about it from community ads by 8TV.

I remember back when I was a wee primary school student, I studied in a kampung school and was the only Chinese girl in my class (the other 2 Chinese students were boys). There were a few Indians. So, most of my friends were Malays and we spoke BM in school. There were no Chinese teachers in my school at that time. During the fasting month, the non-Muslim students had to eat our food during recess in an inconspicous manner and place. I can't remember how we did it, but we did it.

When I grew up and started work, I continued to be mindful not to eat in front of my Muslim colleagues. During regular days, I might snack at my working area, but I didn't do so during the fasting month.

Moving on, I changed jobs and served my country by working for a government agency. During regular days, bottled water is provided during meetings that are anticipated to stretch for a long while. During the fasting month, no water is provided regardless of the length of the meeting. So the non-Muslims too learn to empathise with our fellow Malaysian Muslims as our throats burn dry. Nary a word of complaint.

And when we happen to be eating in the pantry/ rest & refresh area, and a Muslim colleague walks in to sit a while for a break, the non-Muslim staff usually quickly say something along the lines of, "Hope you don't mind us eating/ drinking." Never mind that the pantry IS supposed to be the place to eat, but we were nevertheless polite and respectful to the Muslim colleague who entered. Overly so, I might add.

Therefore, I really don't think there is a need for such insulting ads such as that run by 8TV. And Malaysian Muslims who have encountered such polite and respectful treatment from their fellow non-Muslim Malaysians, should really spread the good word around.

(picture courtesy of nutcrakerz.blogspot.com)

The Ugly Muslim: Racist ads dishonour Ramadan, not just the Chinese

2011-08-04T14:55:00.006+08:00

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 08:46
Written by Iskandar Dzulkarnain, Malaysia Chronicle

Media Prima Bhd was forced to axe a controversial series of Ramadan commercials on its 8TV channel following heavy public criticism and claims that the advertisements were racist in nature.
Media Prima chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar announced the decision after coming under heavy fire from the public. He also tried to deflect criticism by asking people to “chill” and not to “overanalyse” the commercial, which advises non-Muslims how to behave during Ramadan.

Released as a public service announcement on 8TV, the three commercials depict a socially-inept “Chinese” girl eating in public, wearing revealing clothing and being loud and obnoxious during the Muslim fasting month.

The advertisements then suggest that non-Muslims refrain from such behaviour while in public, urging them to “please understand and respect the significance of Ramadan”.

What went through the head of Media Prima when they decided to produce and air the Ramadan ads is beyond everyone’s imagination. Criticized for being totally tasteless and insulting, the public looked on in disbelief at such an insensitive piece of advertising. And then to ask the public to "chill" and not overanalyze", Ahmad shows he is not a fit corporate captain, he should be sacked immediately.

One wonders how such a piece of crap could escape the censors of Media Prima’s editorial team? The question begs, were they playing the role of someone's political poodle? Media Prima should be more sensitive and do their homework before considering airing such a controversial ad. Not only is it a gross insult to the Chinese but it is also a gross disservice to Muslims in this country.

Weak Muslim community unable to resist temptation
Such tasteless ads seek to portray a weak Muslim community unable to resist temptation, and resorting to implore others to respect their sensitivities during the Holy Month. Ramadan is our holy month, not theirs. Asking them to observe our fasting tradition and be sensitive is not going to work. They will not comprehend and we have no right to impose on them.

Just like us, non-Muslims will not understand and do not have to try to understand. Muslims too will not try to understand why the non-Muslims believe in what they believe. If anything, we should chide our fellow Muslims instead to observe our own sensitivities, as they should as good and sincere Muslims who gain God's favour on their own merit. But please leave the innocent non-Muslims alone.

We must take into consideration that the Chinese Buddhists, the Indian Hinduists and the Christians fast as well, during their holy days or special occasions, but not once have they asked us to be considerate for their sake. They set up their own chain of vegetarian eateries, they make do and often go hungry when they attend functions organised by Muslims who think nothing of serving huge chunky beef curry to the Hindus and the Buddghists. How sensitive is this?

So, eating a cheese burger with beef maybe an insult to the Hindus, but they show fortitude. What if the Chinese or Indians start to air such tasteless ads asking the Muslims to be sensitive towards their religious ceremonies and beliefs? I am deeply shocked that some Muslims are prepared to start World War 3 over such a silly issue that only shows up their own weaknesses.

True Muslims don't need others to practise their faith for them
Malaysians live in a great country, multicultural and multiracial and all of us have to learn to live together in peace and harmony, and not try to infringe on basic human rights. For that matter Muslims should not demand that others must honour their beliefs. For sure the true Muslims are not petty about such displays of insensitivity during the Holy Month, but then there are clowns everywhere and ever ready to impose their warped beliefs on others.

If Muslims want their non-Muslim brethren to respect them, they should first give the other faiths their respect. There are no two ways about it.

But then 8TV is not immune to such controversies as prior to that, 8TV was fined RM50,000 by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing an advertisement by Danish beer-maker Carlsberg during the Euro 3 Comments.

The outpouring of criticism by the public has been tremendous with some calling us small-minded and holier-than-thou hypocrites and deflecting attention to other sins affecting Muslims in this country. Can we really blame them for their outburst if we continue to be insensitive to them?

Others call the Ramadan Ads stupid and inappropriate for insulting their intelligence, as being inconsiderate and an embarrassment to the Malay Muslims. They also directed their anger at Media Prima calling them shameless and brainless, retards and imbeciles for coming up with such a silly concept.

Election ploy or not, it dishonours Ramadan
Some even think its a BN election ploy to create disharmony. Media Prima’s stereotyping of Chinese women is also in bad taste with some questioning whether the actress was a Chinese or a lookalike. The advert also portrayed the Chinese as greedy, uncouth, insensitive, rude and inflexible.

While others have questioned whether Muslims were fasting or feasting with the lavish spreads offered by the hotels and fine restaurants, when Ramadan is actually a time to reflect on the less fortunate? Some have even asked for a boycott of TV8.

One Muslim felt that it was deeply unjustified and irrational to send such a message to our fellow citizens of other ethnicities and creeds. How can we persistently ill-treat others and expect to have their affections or respect in return? Media Prima owes all Malaysians an unreserved public apology for belittling the Chinese and for offending Muslim sensitivities.

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(Reproduced from the Malaysia Chronicle at http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16987%3Athe-ugly-muslim-racist-ads-dishonour-ramadan-and-muslims&Itemid=2)

-no copyright infringement intended-

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It is refreshing, comforting and encouraging to read this article written by a Malaysian Muslim.

There is no denying that Malaysia is truly a multi-racial and multi-religious country, drawing its strength and uniqueness from this heritage. It is critical that today, with Malaysia turning 54 this year, all Malaysians learn to respect each other and live together in harmony. Does any Malaysian not wish for peace in our daily lives, and economic prosperity where each one of us can honestly earn our living without fear of oppression or corruption?

Let us have our nasi lemak for breakfast, banana leaf rice with myriad curries for lunch and chicken rice for dinner. Then let's sup together with ABC, chendol, nyonya kueh, ice creams and kopi-o.

Media Prima pulls out ‘racist’ Ramadan ads

2011-08-03T16:35:00.003+08:00

UPDATED @ 08:24:51 PM 02-08-2011

By Yow Hong Chieh

August 02, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Media Prima Bhd was forced today to axe a controversial series of Ramadan commercials on its 8TV channel after heavy public criticism and claims that the advertisements were racist in nature.

Media Prima chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar announced the decision on micro-blogging site Twitter after coming under fire for the allegedly condescending tone of the public service announcements.

“Ok guys. We’re pulling out the ads. Thank you very much for your concern,” he wrote at 3.40pm today.

Ahmad Izham then appeared to make light of the matter by changing the topic just seven minutes later.

“And now to more important things... Does a horn section sound better with 4 trombones? Or would just 3 trombones be enough?” he wrote.

The former 8TV chief executive had earlier tried to deflect growing criticism by asking people to “chill” and not to “overanalyse” the commercial, which advises non-Muslims how to behave during Ramadan.

The advertisements then suggest that non-Muslims refrain from such behaviour while in public, urging them to “please understand and respect the significance of Ramadan”.

Media Prima previously attracted flak from Muslims last year for airing a Hari Raya commercial with alleged Christmas overtones on TV3, another channel in its stable which also includes ntv7 and TV9.

Like 8TV’s Ramadan commercials, the Hari Raya advertisement was taken off the air after it stirred a storm of protests online.

Prior to that, 8TV was fined RM50,000 by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing an advertisement by Danish beermaker Carlsberg during the Euro 2004 championships.

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Reproduced from The Malaysian Insider http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/media-prima-pulls-out-racist-ramadan-ads/ - no copyright infringement intended

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8TV, does ANYONE behave like this in Malaysia or anywhere else in the world? Your ad is unbelievably ill conceived, tasteless, humourless, insulting and obviously made with ill intent.

Encik Ahmad Izham Omar, an official and very public apology is due from your office.

Looking for a good GP doctor in Ipoh

2011-08-03T10:41:00.003+08:00

A reliable and friendly clinic is vey important for a young family such as mine.

I had posted in a previous article that I have now settled for Tang Children's Clinic for my children. The children take to him, and he is willing to answer questions and discuss my concerns. Not all doctors are willing to do that. Some doctors won't even give you the name of the medication they are prescribing.

But as for GP doctors for adults, I have only just recently found an acceptable clinic, Poliklinik Keluarga. It is near Ipoh Garden East at Taman Ipoh Permai. I have been there twice and was seen to by one Dr Ng. I found Dr Ng to be friendly to questions. His examination is also more thorough than some doctors. He takes your temperature, looks at your throat and takes his time to listen with his stethoscope (very slowly, in fact), and measures your blood pressure. The clinic is clean and neat, the receptionist alert. This clinic opens in the mornings and nights, which makes it very convenient for night time visits.

I have tried the Kilink Keluarga in Fair Park. I will not go there again, if I can help it. The doctors there look bored, examine you in less than 3 minutes, speak to you for about 3 minutes too and you are out of there! One particular lady doctor at this clinic should retire. She is doing a disservice to her profession. On one occasion when I was there, she actually had the nerve to ask me to move closer to her and then she asked me to lean forward toward her so that she could place her stethoscope on my chest without her having to budge an inch from her own chair! Suffice to say, she isn't the sort you imagine would break a sweat in the gym or even take a brisk walk.

I have also seen Dr Su near Jalan Kampar (same row as JJ's swiss rolls). He is an elderly doctor who is kindly, but he is prone to closing his clinic without notice as he takes frequent holidays.

Of course there is Dr. Esther Kong in town. I think most Ipohans would know her. She is elderly now, and her hours are shortened to 9am to 2pm. From her years of experience, her diagnosis is usually spot on. Only drawback is, you better be the first patient to see her, because if there is even just one person ahead of you, be prepared to wait and wait. Dr. Kong likes to take her time.

Ding Fung Shabu Shabu

2011-08-01T14:19:00.004+08:00

One of the newer eating-cum-shopping places in Ipoh is De Gardens, opposite Kinta City.

Its design and decor are modern, spacious and airy. The owner of De Gardens did not cramp up the place with shops and restaurants, instead allowing for more open passageways, walkways and some fountain areas. The result is something quite pleasant and breezy.

Our children particularly like Tutti Frutti there, which is tucked away in a little open-air corner. We tried the steam boat fare at Ding Fung Shabu Shabu last night. The children were attracted to its individual-pots-style of steam boat, just like another steam boat restaurant in KL, Uncle Duck.

Ding Fung offers all you-can-eat steam boat. Plenty of greens to choose from, seaweed, clams, mussels, mushrooms, all manner of fish cakes and fish balls, fish and chicken slices, as well as slices of pork, beef and lamb.

You have a choice of clear soup or spicy soup. A word of caution on the spicy soup - hubby said apart from the chilly-hot taste of the soup, it is pretty tasteless. And too oily, to the point of making one gag when you drink too much of it. Ding Fung needs to improve on its spicy soup stock.

Free-flow drinks are provided from a dispenser, and there' s a fridge filled with ice cream and jellies for the kiddies to raid. I had red bean soup for dessert, which wasn't half bad.

Dinner is priced at RM30.90 for adults and RM15.90 for kids. Overall, food quality was average, nothing outstanding.

(picture from http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1506961)

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails

2011-08-01T12:38:00.009+08:00

The newest addition to our family is a female rottweiler pup. A bundle of black and tan, energy and cuteness rolled into one. Well, cute for now. I hope as she grows she will remain playful and loving.

I've always had misgivings about large aggressive dogs such as rotties, alsations and dobermans. But a friend who has 2 rotties says they are fine with the family, even as grown dogs. So along came our pup, originally bought by a relative whose wife then said she didn't want it on account of it being a rottie, and her fear that it would be difficult to control.

Her first visit to the vet in Ipoh Garden South for her vaccination, was quite eventful. For us, not for her. It was our first time at the vet's too, JR Veterinary Center.

It was very crowded, with canine and feline and winged animal patients. Our little pup was not scared, not one bit. She bounded in on her leash and eagerly surveyed the place, sniffing away. There was an old and sick dachshund, who looked tiredly at her. Then there was a very beautiful, large but cowardly labrador who was trembling and shivering - she had obviously had an unpleasant run in with the vet! The cats were safely in their cages.

Our pup's vaccination went smoothly, and she dutifully swallowed her deworming tablet. Then the excitement started.

The old dachshund just collapsed with a thud onto the floor right next to her elderly female owner as she was paying for her treatment. The poor lady let out a terrified shriek. The vet came to examine the poor dog, who appeared lifeless. The vet lifted the dog slightly from the floor and released her, the dog fell limply. The lady owner was almost hysterical. The vet carried the dog into the examination room, and according to my son and maid who peeked in (I was too distressed to watch), the vet administered CPR. Miraculously the dog came back to life! The old dachshund had to stay in the clinic and its owner left, sniffling and red-eyed. Throughout, the vet was extremely calm and comforted the lady owner.

Next came an elderly lady with a bird cage, holding a little bird (black and white) that appeared to me, dead. It was lying slumped against the side of the cage with its wings spread open, its eyes closed. The owner was obviously in a panic, and ignored the queue of patients, walking into the examination room, saying "Doctor, my bird is very weak. She hasn't eaten in days. Please, look at her!" The vet very calmly told the lady she would examine the bird but she would have to wait her turn. My kids whispered to me, "Mommy, that bird looks dead!"

I don't know what happened to the bird. We left after our pup's vaccination was done, and as we were getting into our car, I saw the lady leaving with her bird. Phew! Dead dog, revived. Status of dead-looking bird, unknown.

Now with 3 dogs and 1 pup, we visit our pet store more frequently for dog biscuits, deworming tablets, treats, leashes, bowls and dog shampoo. We patronise Hup Fatt, which is on Jalan Raja Musa Aziz. It is a family-run store and the family is very friendly and helpful. My girl loves going there to check out the pups they have on sale. Their supplies are generally cheaper than what you would get at the supermarket, but I have not compared their prices to other pet stores. I am quite happy with Hup Fatt.

(picture from http://superpages.com.my/listings/my170176)

Revisiting Chee Wah

2011-07-28T21:45:00.003+08:00

Time really flies!

We had just moved to Ipoh when I ate in Chee Wah in 2009. And tonight's dinner is only my second time here!

But glad to say that the food in this very non-descript restaurant/ coffee shop is still very good.

We got there around 7.30pm and had to wait for our table to be unfolded and placed outside the shop at the side of the road. It was cool and breezy tonight, so sitting out is much better than sitting in the very cramped and not-very-clean-looking shop! Business was brisk and tonight Chee Wah was shorthanded.

Still, the wait for the food was not too long. Their signature dish of claypot loh shu fun (white and short slippery rice noodles aka rat tail noodles) cooked in tasty soup came piping hot. The server cracks the eggs into the bubbling clay pot at your table. Brother in law said he ate here 2 weeks ago and that time, the cook was not in top form as the loh shu fun's soup was not what it should be. Luckily, tonight, it was back in good form. My girl gobbled 3 bowls!

Their fried kuew teow/ hor fun (another form of rice noodles, this one is flat) deserves only a pass. Chee Wah does its fried mee hoon much better.
The last dish to arrive was the fried chicken wings, which was just off the fryer, nicely marinated and great as a finger food.

As we finished up, more customers arrived. Obviously, people don't mind the lack of presentation of the shop, having to sit outside on plastic stools with old cracked wooden tables. And to top it off, the food here doesn't come cheap!

The bill for tonight's meal for 4 adults and 2 children came up to about RM85! The large clay pot loh shu fun is estimated at about RM18, while the chicken wings come at RM2.40 a piece (estimated price because we didn't ask how much each item costs and of course, these Chinese shops never give you an itemised bill!). Wow, for that price, one could dine in comfort in a nice air-cond restaurant.

But, the food is really quite good.

(picture courtesy of motormouth http://www.j2kfm.com/tag/chee-wah/)

Looking for "Yau Char Kwai" in Ipoh

2011-07-26T11:54:00.004+08:00

"Mommy, we are the yau char kwai hunters!" my boy said to me in the car.

There we were, myself, my son, my daughter and my maid, driving around Ipoh at about 1730, looking for yau char kwai. We had prepared bak kut teh (pork ribs in herbal soup) for dinner, and as you might know, it goes great with yau char kwai (yiu char kwei, or yau tiu, depending on your dialect - deep fried pieces of bread-like sticks).

But alas, we found nothing in Ipoh Garden, Canning Garden or Ipoh Garden South. I remember well how easy it was to get freshly fried yau char kwai, hum chin peng, chin-dui etc in PJ in the evenings - there is a stall selling it in the Sentosa town centre of Section 17, PJ.

After a fruitless search, we ended up buying keropok lekor from one of the multitude of hawkers at the Polo Grounds (Taman Rekreasi Sultan Abdul Aziz). Not quite the right accompaniment for bak kut teh, but at least we enjoyed it!

Now I really need to find a yau char kwai vendor in Ipoh who sells fresh yau char kwai in the evenings.

Picture courtesy of http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/2010/07/chinese-crullersyau-char-kwai.html

Rule of law, rule by law — Ambiga Sreenevasan

2011-07-26T11:45:00.002+08:00

July 23, 2011

Good Morning! Chancellor, vice chancellor and graduating students.

It is so good to be back!

I am deeply moved by the conferment of this honour upon me. That it comes from my alma mater is especially significant for me. That it comes at this time is almost providential, for it allows me and all lawyers to reflect on our roles in the societies we live in.

For this honour and this moment of reflection, I extend my grateful thanks to the Council and Senate of the University of Exeter.

Tired of injustice and oppression, people the world over are crying out for truth, goodness, justice and universal love and understanding.

The events in Malaysia over the past six weeks culminating in the rally for free and fair elections on the 9th of July, has taught me so much more than I could have ever learned in the last 30 years as a practising lawyer.

My team and I faced first-hand the full force of the unleashed power of the state, and I realised then the importance of the independence of the Institutions of government, particularly the judiciary, to check such abuses of power.

I also realised how real and present the absence of the Rule of Law can be.

In countries where the Rule of Law reigns strong and true one probably does not even talk about it. But in countries that veer towards Rule by Law, talking about getting back to the basics is crucial.

In many countries, Rule by Law is reflected in the existence of repressive laws that violate the fundamental rights of its citizens. One example of this is preventive detention laws that lock people away without affording them the basic right to a trial. There are many examples of such oppressive laws worldwide and they are not confined to underdeveloped or developing countries.

As lawyers, we are in a unique position. Our years of legal study and practice teach us to see and appreciate the fundamental role that the Rule of Law plays in guaranteeing that the state governs its citizens in a just and democratic manner.

Who better to remind those in power of their responsibilities to their citizens than lawyers trained in understanding the difference between “Rule of Law” and “Rule by Law”?

Our role as lawyers must therefore extend far beyond traditional legal practice.

Here, I make no reference to rules, guidelines, documents, or declarations. My only reference point is our conscience. Can we as lawyers, ever sit back and watch the erosion of fundamental liberties of the people around us and do nothing? Clearly, silence in these circumstances, is not an option.

When I graduated from this university about 30 years ago, things were of course very different. Today the Internet and social media has empowered people with a continual flow of unfiltered and up-to-date information. No longer can the manipulation and control of information be effectively used by those in power to suppress either thought or action.

You are in a world where you know instantly of injustices taking place in any part of it. In this global village drawn together by so many factors, we are one. We can reach out to each other using these new means of communication and we owe it to each other to stand together for what is right.

You may say, “But I studied law to be a solicitor or barrister and to earn money for a decent standard of living”. There is nothing wrong with that, I assure you. I run a commercial litigation practice in a partnership of four where we also do public interest litigation. The two can co-exist quite comfortably.

The point I make is this.

You are graduating from one of the best universities in the country if not on the planet! You are special. And you are now a proud member of an army of people that is equipped with all that is necessary to both practise law and to fight injustice.

I urge you to use this arsenal of knowledge and your passion for justice to fight for those who are downtrodden.

You have already heard of the events of July 9th in Malaysia. Whilst it brought out the worst in some, it brought out the best in others and this is where our hope lies.

There were some in government who opposed the methods used to shut us down. Even doctors left their comfort zones to speak up against injustices. And of course there were the lawyers and the independent media who stood on the side of truth and justice.

However, the real heroes of that day are our friend and supporter Allahyarham Baharuddin Ahmad who paid the ultimate price in fighting a noble cause, the six members of the Socialist Party of Malaysia who, as we speak, sit in solitary confinement under preventive detention laws and finally the brave people of Malaysia who overcame their fear of intimidation and harassment to uphold their fundamental rights.

With all my heart I dedicate this honour you have bestowed upon me to them.

* This was the acceptance speech delivered by Datuk Dr Ambiga Sreenevasan upon her conferment with the Honorary Doctorate Of Laws, University of Exeter.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
(reproduced from the Malaysian Insider http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/rule-of-law-rule-by-law-ambiga-sreenevasan)

Legend of The Condor Heroes 1983

2011-07-22T18:18:00.003+08:00

This was, and is, one of my favourite Hong Kong TVB martial arts series. I was still in primary school when I first watched this with my mom.

I still watch it today, thanks to hubs who downloaded it for me.

I found a nice music video with scenes involving this couple from the series, my favourite pairing of this actor and actress.
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/q9d9DYCU6d8/#
http://www.tudou.com/playlist/p/l492962i4602567.html

This series was best remembered because the lead actress Barbara Yung, who played the role of Wong Yung, captured the hearts and minds of the Hong Kong audience with her performance. She was a rising star but tragically she died under mysterious circumstances only a few short years after this series was made.

But for me, the roles of Yeung Hong and his love interest Muk Lim Chi, were more significant and memorable.

(Picture courtesy of YuMe's blog at http://blog.yume.vn/xem-blog/nhan-xem-may-tap-dau-cua-ahxd-1983.afgreki_acm.35D0223E.html)

Ipoh Kai See Hor Fun at Yat Yat Seng, Ipoh Garden

2011-07-22T08:26:00.002+08:00

We are still loyal to the famous Kai See Hor Fun (flat rice noodles in chicken soup) in Kong Heng, but it's a bit of a drive to old town when we feel like having a quick take-away eat-home lunch.

So when my friend suggested we eat at Yat Yat Seng in Ipoh Garden, opposite the post office, I was thrilled to find that the quality and taste of the kai see hor fun here are great! Ipoh Garden is so much nearer to home.

The soup was tasty and had the rich orange prawn-oil colour. There were generous strips of chicken and a reasonable amount of prawns. The "kau choy" vegetable that accompanies the noodles could have been more, though.

Well, at least in a pinch, I know where to zip off to for my kai see hor fun.

Clean Sense of Humour

2011-07-20T10:30:00.005+08:00

The power of technology behind the internet that powers the freedom of expression and communication of opinions, ideas and information.

Information, from all angles, educates and opens people's eyes. Today, people are not bound to obtain information only from controlled media reporting.

And it is wonderful to see people contributing their creative ideas and humour on current issues of common concern to all. Patrick Teoh's dialouge competition is a great light hearted way to get people to share their thoughts and feelings - it also shows the pulse on the ground.

Drop by Patrick's blog and have a laugh, you might even win dinner with him.

http://www.niamah.com/2011/07/najib-and-queen-of-england.html

Of blue skies, grey haze and white clouds

2011-07-19T15:00:00.002+08:00

Last week was a bad week for Ipoh as we were badly hit by the haze. Our API was 136, at the worst. Unusual, as the haze does not normally travel so far up north. And with the air quality that bad, with the DOE having announced a ban on open burning, I was sad to see people disregarding the environment and the health of others by continuing to burn big piles of garden refuse.

I don't take our beautiful blue skies and fluffy white clouds for granted anymore.

Once, long ago, our clear blue skies were a daily gift - always present and sometimes, unnoticed.

But since 1997, when the annual regional forest fires/ open burning during the dry season started giving rise to heavy smoke and haze, obscuring our blue skies and suffocating our air, I now take special note and pause with gratitude for each day that I see that the skies above our country are clear and blue.

Today is one such day.

There is a gentle wind, and the tree branches are nodding in the breeze. The clouds are puffing white, suspended in a light blue expanse. The sunlight is strong and a pale yellow, casting dappled light wherever it shines through trees and shrubs.

Malaysia is a blessed country, a lucky land. May she be ruled by a government chosen by the people, of the people and for the people, fairly and justly.

Tung Shin Hospital - caught in the crossfire

2011-07-14T10:51:00.004+08:00

Reproduced from the Malaysian Insider http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/doctors-say-cops-fired-tear-gas-into-tung-shin-compound/

Doctors say cops fired tear gas into Tung Shin compound

July 13, 2011

Police in the Chinese Maternity Hospital car park on Saturday. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — A group of doctors said today they were prepared to provide sworn affidavits to say that police had fired tear gas and chemical-laced water into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals during the Bersih rally last Saturday.

In a statement tonight, 11 doctors, including some who were at the scene, said they were outraged at the actions of the police in firing tear gas and water cannons without scant regard for the safety of patients and doctors.

“We, the undersigned doctors, wish not to enter into the polemics of the Bersih 2.0 march on 9th July 2011 but would like to clarify the inconvenient truth.

“We are outraged at the incidents, and the subsequent responses from the authorities, to the events where tear gas and chemical-laced water were shot into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals, two adjacent buildings along Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, with scant regard for the safety of patients, staff and the general public who were at the buildings that afternoon,” the doctors said.

Their statement contradicts that of Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai who had denied the police had shot into the hospital compounds, claiming instead that the wind had blown the gas in.

Liow also said that shots from the water cannons had only brushed the edges of the hospital walls.

The police have also denied shooting directly into the hospital compounds after protesters had sought refuge there.

Protestors seek refuge in the compound of Tung Shin hospital after the police fired water cannons and tear gas on Saturday. — file pic

The statement tonight by the senior doctors is likely to embarrass the authorities who have claimed minimal force was used.

“Hospitals are considered as safe sanctuaries for all, even during wartime, but these consecrated places of refuge and protection were violated by the defence forces that afternoon. Police even entered the buildings in search of some of these peaceful marchers.

“What was most frightening and witnessed by many was the unprovoked violent assault within the hospital compounds and the apprehension of several protesters who had merely run into the hospitals to seek shelter from the tear gas and the water cannons.

“It is repulsive that the authorities entrusted with policing the nation and protecting the weak and needy, have shamelessly denied publicly, the occurrence of these incidents in spite of countless photo/video and eyewitness accounts of what was evident to all independent observers,” they said.

Yesterday, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, a former health minister, said the police had to fire tear gas near Tung Shin Hospital to protect its patients from Bersih 2.0 protesters who had sought refuge there.

The MCA president said the situation should be viewed “in totality”, pointing out that the police would be accused of not doing their job had they decided against dispersing the crowd of protesters that had run into the hospital.

Dr Chua also said it was difficult to determine what exactly transpired at the hospital on Saturday as it was hard to tell the whole story from the photos and videos that have emerged online since then.

The doctors who signed the statement refuting claims by Dr Chua, Liow and the police are:

Dr Ng Kwee Boon — Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Datin Dr Low Paik See — Consultant Paediatrician

Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin — Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist

Dr Mazeni Alwi — Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist

Dr David Quek — Consultant Cardiologist

Dr Sheikh Johari Bux — Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Dr Steve Wong — Consultant Plastic Surgeon

Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa — Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Dr Ng Swee Choon — Consultant Cardiologist

Dr Mary Cardosa — Consultant Anaesthesiologist

Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan — Consultant Chest Physician

***********************

It is completely damning for the current Minister of Health Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and President of the MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, himself a former Health Minister and a doctor, to continue with the charade of denial and lies regarding the firing of tear gas and chemical-laced water into the compound of the hospital.

Are these the leaders and government that Malaysians desire to continue leading Malaysia into the future? Leaders must have the courage to speak the truth or to admit mistakes, humility to offer an apology, integrity to honour their word.

Doctors - educated and respected members of society - are willing to provide sworn affidavits recounting their own eye witness accounts of what transpired on 9 July 2011 in the vicinity of their hospital. In the face of such courageous and direct evidence, one would hope our leaders would act like true leaders.

JPJ Ipoh - a pleasant breeze through

2011-07-13T11:31:00.002+08:00

I guess the advantages of living in a smaller city like Ipoh is the smaller population base, hence the lack of vehicular congestion and human congestion.

I had to renew my driving licence as it expires today, and although my car is not yellow in colour, still, I do not want to risk being stopped by an overzealous cop and have my licence checked. A good citizen we all must attempt to be, and of course fill our chosen government's coffers with taxpayer money, no? (which money also goes towards other govt agencies such as the police force, whose role is to protect the likes of you and me.....well, I digress. It's too soon after BERSIH 2.0)

Still nursing a very bad cough that has kept me up nights, I applied makeup so I wouldn't look like a wreck for my driving licence photos. That little errand took me 10 minutes once I arrived at the photo shop. Then it was off to JPJ, another 5 mins drive away.

I got a parking spot right away. I went into Block F of the JPJ, told the lady at the counter "Lesen memandu Puan" and she politely replied "Block A, that side". Oh, I see. So I trotted off with my strawberry umbrella from Cameron Highlands (my daughter's actually) and climbed up the stairs of Block A.

The lady at the information desk printed out my waiting number for me, but I was up next anyway. Gave the attending personnel my old driving licence, new IC and a photo (which looked quite good despite me feeling haggard from the cough) and got it renewed for 3 years, RM90.

I was out of JPJ in 10 minutes. As I walked back to my car I thought to myself that this was indeed a pleasant change from the long queues and wait I encountered in the Petaling Jaya JPJ office. Such is the price/ consolation for living in Ipoh now.

Thoughts after BERSIH 2.0 walk

2011-07-11T11:45:00.004+08:00

The historic BERSIH 2.0 rally on 9 July 2011 has set into motion debate, thought, action and reaction to footage of what went on that day. All that the honorable PM Najib did not want to happen. After all, a thinking electorate can't be good, can it??

The lies, the half-truths, the shameful promise made and then broken by the PM for BERSIH to hold its rally in a stadium; the unnecessary use of the police as a tool to suppress and abuse a largely peaceful walk for free and fair elections by unarmed and non-violent civilians.

And for our PM to praise the police force in handling the walk with minimum use of force and professionalism is truly unbelievable. Video footage is everywhere - very clearly showing the police force firing tear gas horizontally and directly into the crowd of unarmed and calm citizens. From the videos, there did not appear to be any provocation from the crowd whatsoever.

It was the use of water canons and tear gas that caused the calm walk to disintegrate into chaos, understandably.

And the statement that there was no physical contact by the armed forces with the people? Such a blatant lie! Again just look at the video footage. The police can be seen kicking people seated on the ground. The press secretary, speech writer, personal assistant, whoever it is that writes the PM's responses should be fired! You can't deny the obvious, at least cushion Najib's answers to achieve some manner of damage control. Show some empathy, some concern, some pretense of feeling for the rakyat, PM.

True, in an ideal situation, street demonstrations are not desirable. Negotiations should always be the first choice. But that route has been shown to be utterly wasted upon our ruling government who have not the integrity nor the courage to mean what they say, to say what they mean, nor to listen to the people. They have shown themselves to be arrogant, paranoid and untrustworthy.

The PM and the ruling government say that Malaysia is a democracy. I do believe it is.

BERSIH 2.0, 9 July 2011

2011-07-09T11:13:00.002+08:00

The government of my country is going against its own people, its rakyat, the very ones who vote and who pay taxes. How today turns out will go down in history, forever.

Reproduced from the blog of Lim Kit Siang, http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2011/07/08/2pm-july-9th-stadium-merdeka-malaysia%e2%80%99s-moment-of-truth/

By BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee

Malaysians from all walks of life have travelled a very long road to reach this defining point in our nation’s history. With less than 24 hours to our intended peaceful gathering, our resolve to walk the last, most difficult mile as one united people in pursuit of clean and fair elections and a better Malaysia for all is firmer than ever.

Our reason for gathering is pure and simple – to demand the electoral roll be cleaned, that the postal voting system be reformed, that indelible ink be used, a minimum 21 day campaign period be instated, free and fair access to media for all be provided, public institutions be strengthened, and for corruption as well as dirty politics to be stopped.

The authorities have put obstacle after obstacle where they only needed to provide sincere cooperation to win the trust and confidence of the people. Having faced half hearted offers of stadiums, arrogance regarding meetings as well as denials of permits, arrests, detentions and so much more, we feel that we have done all that is humanly possible to demonstrate sincerity and good faith in dealing with the government – but we have only been met with reversed decisions and stone walls.There are no walls however, that will arrest the advance of the cause of peace and justice. Come the 9th of July, we will uphold our constitutional right to converge peacefully on Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

No government agency has any right whatsoever to prevent Malaysians from exercising their freedom of movement and access to our capital city. No threat or intimidation can overturn this fundamental truth.

Malaysians have now seen for themselves the degree of paranoia and lack of principled leadership that seems to have gripped the government. It is thus all the more imperative that patriotic Malaysians rise now and take this stand together to save Malaysia from slipping further into this insane darkness.

Since the beginning of Bersih 2.0, we have witnessed nothing but the utmost bravery and commitment to peace and justice demonstrated by ordinary Malaysians from every walk of life. Inspired by this example, the Bersih 2.0 leadership reiterates our own unyielding commitment to our shared cause, and to being at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm tomorrow. We will meet at the carpark, and trust that the doors will be opened for us.

This is Malaysia’s single most important defining moment in recent history, and we are fully confident that the rakyat will heed the call to safeguard the principles Malaysia was founded on and together ensure that we pass down to our children a nation that is just, democratic and united in love for one another.

Released by,
Steering Committee
Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0)

The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0 comprises:
Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (Chairperson), Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Dr Farouk Musa, Haris Ibrahim, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh and Zaid Kamaruddin.

Rising Cost of Living in Malaysia

2011-06-15T14:34:00.003+08:00

Having just returned home from our holiday, I caught up with my friends at our usual waiting spot just outside our sons' school.

And the almost immediate topic of conversation was the rapidly spiralling cost of living in Malaysia. The government had just announced cuts in subsidies in fuel, the price of RON 97 petrol has gone up yet again, transporters (like school buses) will hike their fares etc. etc. I was away for 2 weeks and not quite up to speed with the recent announcements.

But the chimes of complaint are clear - why is our cost of living running wild? My friends say that their husbands had asked them why the household budget seems to stretch less, and lasts for a shorter time? Why were they asking for more money so soon? Their answer is simply that things are getting really expensive.

My friend said that fish prices have really jumped, since the government announced that they would no longer subsidise fuel for fishing boats of a certain size. With fuel going up, food prices at stalls and restaurants will certainly increase. Sugar prices have just gone up, as have flour.

You know, dollar for dollar (don't convert) living overseas is really more affordable. We had McD's at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam during our transit. 3 burger meals that cost us 15 Euros. Can you buy 3 burger meals in Malaysia for RM15? NO WAY.

What is the Malaysian government doing about the cost of living, increasing per capita income and stamping out corruption??

Jen Jen Restaurant

2011-05-25T15:38:00.002+08:00

Having read the Ipoh Echo's food section, delightfully written by See Foon, we decided to seek out Jen Jen for breakfast one Sunday morning. With my daughter's finicky apetite, we were fast running out of places to eat.

As See Foon had enjoyed the char kway teow at Jen Jen, at least I could be sure my daughter would eat something!

We arrrived at 930am to a well patronised Jen Jen (if you are coming from the direction of the Store, take 12 o'clock at the MGS roundabout and turn left into a smallish road just before the Tow Boo Keong temple).

After a brief wait, we managed to secure a table and placed our orders.

The char kway teow was served in quite a large portion with lots of bean sprouts, prawns and pieces of lard. It was fragrant and definitely better than a lot of mediocre char kway teow out there. But I have to say, that we still like the char kway teow at the Hollywood coffee shop in Canning Garden, just a touch more than this one.

The kai see hor fun was a "pass". Somehow, I found the soup just a little too sweet. My kids' favourite kai see hor fun is still the one sold at Kong Heng in old town.

But my husband and I both enjoyed the mee yoke (har mee). The soup was bursting with the flavour of prawns and had just the right reddish colour. It could have done with a little more kangkung and slices of hard boiled egg. Still, it was good enough.

Well, this is certainly a coffee shop we would go back to for breakfast in future. Will sample the other fare next time.

Inconsiderate parents at Sam Tet Primary

2011-02-21T20:33:00.002+08:00

I wonder if it's a Malaysian mentality or Asian mentality. Whatever it is , it's plain selfish and inconsiderate.

Everyday I have to endure the traffic congestion at my son's primary school when I send him to and then fetch him home from school. After school, I tend to go 20 minutes earlier to find a parking spot to wait for him.

Therein lies the demonstration of the inconsiderate behaviour of some Malaysian drivers.

Parking space is a rare commodity around the school. Being ingenious (by necessity), most parents picking up their sons will squeeze their cars into multiple rows along the narrow road in front of the school, still allowing one narrow lane for vehicles to drive through. Now, there is a tiny rectangular parking lot right in front of the school and abandoned cinema (which only heaven knows why such a building at such a prime location has been allowed to fall into such a decrepit state - only the Ipoh Town Council would know) which can accommodate 3 rows of carefully parked cars (about 20 cars in total).

I just cannot comprehend why some parents parking in this rectangular area would deliberately place their cars at an odd angle, thus preventing the formation of 3 rows needed to optimize the use of space. Sometimes, instead of accommodating 20 cars, only 12 cars or so can fit into the area.

Today was a prime example. A car entered the rectangular area just before me, and 2 rows had already been formed on the right and left, with 2 spaces left in the right-most row. I expected the lady to move straight through the empty middle space to form the last row. Instead, she placed her car midway between the right row and the empty middle row, obstructing my passage and laying waste to a good 10 parking spots in the middle row. I sounded my horn when she alighted from her car and spoke to her to move her car into the middle. She was reluctant but fortunately there was another parent standing nearby who immediately supported my suggestion and asked the lady to move her car. Faced with such objection, she got back into her car and formed the 3rd row, but was only willing to move forward a few spaces, when she could have driven right to the end of the rectangle. She would not budge further. I was not in the mood for further fight today, as I had to see my son's teacher.

How do our children learn good ethics and civic mindedness from their parents when the very parents tasked with this important duty themselves lack the necessary social manners?

Baking Fun

2011-01-25T22:18:00.006+08:00

To be honest, I'm not much of a cook. I am very very blessed to have a good maid who has worked for my family for almost 6 years now. She came young and inexperienced about all things Chinese and Malaysia, but today she is an experienced maid with good cooking skills.

(who says Malaysian employers don't treat their Indonesian maids well??)

Anyway, that's another topic.

With CNY just round the corner, I did my usual shopping for biscuits and cookies. My my! Everything has gone up in price by RM1-3 compared to last year, and the cookies are loosely packed to top it off. No value for money anymore.

(Eh, government - you have to do something to tackle inflation. Your rakyat is saying this loud and clear)

So I determined to do some home-baking. Uncharacteristically gungho and tireless, my maid and I have successfully baked several batches of butter cookies, pineapple tarts, peanut cookies and kuih bangkit (alas, for the kuih bangkit, the results were not so satisfactory). Overall, we are pleased with our efforts. Homemade, quality assured, much more economical and very fulfilling.

I am so glad I found an excellent baking-goods supplier. It is called Intrico and is located in Ipoh Garden, along the same row as Wagner Piano (the row of shops is perpendicular to Wooley Food Court. ) Intrico faces a row of link houses, and if you come in from the main road, there should be a 7Eleven at the corner. Just drive straight on and it is on your left.

Intrico sells everything I need - the right kind of flour, butter, cheese, chocolate, molds, baking tins etc. Even if you are an amateur baker like me, their products can make you seem like a pro!

Leow Ah Ham's popiah

2011-01-23T20:08:00.004+08:00

Ahh, this is an old timer indeed.

I remember eating his popiah with my parents when I was in Standard Six! Then we moved to KL where I grew up. Now I am living in Ipoh - funny how life takes a circle sometimes.

Anyway, this old timer has really aged. His hair is almost gone, leaving him with white wispy threads. Apparently he hasn't peddled his famous wares for some time, but he has now reappeared and sells his popiah in a lane behind some link houses. There is a bright yellow kindergarten there and the lane he has chosen also faces a T-junction (Jalan Keliling if I am not mistaken, intersecting with the road that will lead you to the Mobil Petrol Station and Pizza Hut traffic lights in Ipoh Garden South).

After dinner tonight, we finally stopped to buy Mr Leow's popiah. Unlike other popiah, his contains a myriad ingredients, the most unique being crab meat. Mr Leow operates from late afternoon until about 8pm.

Choy Kee, Ipoh Garden

2011-01-23T19:58:00.002+08:00

We've driven past 2 old-style non-air cond eateries in Ipoh Garden many times at night. And we've marveled at how packed they were. And we commented that we should try eating there. And, we finally did tonight.

At first, we said we would try Yeh Lai Ong, which is located on the row of shops facing Ipoh Garden's Post Office, and on the same row as AmBank and our favourite mamak shop, Bukit Merah. But after checking out some blog reviews, we decided to go for its neighbour, Choy Kee instead.

We arrived at about 6.30pm, not wanting to fight with the crowd. Our dishes were foo-yi yau mak (cos lettuce fried with fermented bean curd), chicken steamed with salted fish, pork ribs, fish slices fried in black pepper sauce and salted-vege with bean curd soup.

Everything was well done and the taste went down well with us. The price was also very reasonable - RM54.

Chritmas roast turkey from Maria's

2010-12-26T12:29:00.004+08:00

Our 3rd Christmas in Ipoh, and this year Christmas dinner was held at our house instead of at my inlaws' place.

The menu consisted of the traditional roast turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, fried broccoli and cauliflower, grilled lamb shoulders and fried rice (a bit weird I know, but it was on request).

Father-in-law bought the roast turkey from Maria's Cafe, which has quite a good reputation. And indeed the main dish of Christmas dinner did not disappoint. The turkey was tender and moist while the stuffing was the best I have ever had (I usually detest turkey stuffing). The bird that FIL ordered was about 4.9kg, small if you compare it to the larger sizes Maria's has - the turkeys go up until about 8kg.

Lost World of Tambun - surprisingly good fun

2010-12-26T11:34:00.003+08:00

It's been a great year-end vacation. And I managed to bring the kids to the Lost World of Tambun, almost 2 years after moving to Ipoh!

We went with 3 other moms and their kids so we had very good company for the day. I went with extremely low expectations, so when we got there, I was rather impressed with the Lost World, finding it way above my expectations.

While it is smaller than its big brother Sunway Lagoon in KL, its smallness lent it its own charm, cosiness and ease of getting around. I like that. And its location is far, far superior to that of Sunway Lagoon as the Lost World is cradled by lush green mountains on all sides, giving it a very tranquil, picture-perfect setting. Wonderful.

The kids had their squealing fun on the dry rides (very few, but enough for me), the wave pool, building sand castles on the artificial beach, bobbing along the canal in our rented rubber tubes, and of course swooshing down the 2 large water slides. I went with my 5-year old girl on one of the big slides and I admit that I was scared! Yiikkess!!

The train ride around the perimeter of the Lost World is a great way for you to see what else you would like to do there. We got off at the Petting Zoo and the kids enjoyed some close contact with the furry and scaly kind. We didn't have time to visit the cave or paddle boats. Next visit.

We ended the day with a dip in the famed hot spring pools of Ipoh. Something that Sunway Lagoon does not have. Highly recommended for a day of family fun.

(picture from http://www.dromoz.com/community/place/?id=986)

Teaching by example.....

2010-12-14T14:56:00.002+08:00

.... is really more powerful and effective.

On our recent holiday to Australia, I had the chance to demonstrate kindness and consideration.

My family and I were on a tram which was rather packed. There was only standing room left. Not a problem for most people used to commuting and for the young. After several people got off and others got on at a stop, there were spaces enough for my kids and I to sit. But just then, an elderly Australian lady came on board.

Naturally, I got up and offered her my seat. She was carrying a large handbag which I offered to hold for her while she made her way slowly to my seat. I noticed a middle-aged but still-fit Australian man who was seated (he should have been the one to get up!) eyeing the exchange, and several other commuters in the tram smiling at me. When it was time for us to alight from the tram, the elderly lady thanked me again and wished us a lovely day.

As were walking the streets of the city, my 5-year old daughter said, "Mommy, you were kind to that old lady. She was old. People thought you were nice. Next time I will be kind too".

My heart warmed. Lesson taught and learned.

Sun Hup Kee (Sin Hup Kee)

2010-09-28T11:42:00.004+08:00

Having read so many good reviews by bloggers about this place, as well as personal recommendations from family, we finally had dinner there. As recommended by blogger Motormouth, we called to book in advance for an early dinner at 6.30pm.

Still, when we got there the place was packed out! And we had no table! With the advance booking we only had to wait a couple of minutes, in which time the waitress took our order. We ordered the classic dishes - pan fried chicken, kangkung belachan, sengkong taufu and the 3-yolk steamed egg.

My review - the pan fried chicken (kon chin kai), which is the most raved about dish, was fair but not outstanding. Small pieces of chicken, dry with thick sticky (and yes, tasty) sauce on them. I was rather disappointed since most of the Ipohan bloggers are practically in love with this dish. Guess my KL taste buds are different from those in Ipoh.

The sengkong taufu was actually quite bland and dry. The kangkung belachan was not as fragrant as some other restaurants' while the steamed egg was acceptable. But what is outstanding was the price - only RM33 for our family of 3 adults and 2 kids! Extremely reasonable. Maybe that's why people like to go there, perhaps?

Malay Food in Ipoh - Restoran Tasik Raban

2010-09-25T15:17:00.006+08:00

We finally tried out the well-known Restoran Tasik Raban near the Balai Bomba HQ close to the Stadium Sultan Azlan Shah for lunch today. The restaurant started out somewhere near Sauk (near Kuala Kangsar) at Lake Raban. The story goes that some VIP in Ipoh loved the food so much that the restaurant owner was made on offer too good to refuse to open up in Ipoh.

Well, the food was really tasty. I am not that well acquainted with Malay food, and this restaurant is famed for homestyle Perak-Malay cuisine - but I certainly enjoyed all the dishes that we ordered.

I used to be repulsed by "tempoyak" (a durian paste that is fermented and mixed with chillies and spices to be eaten as a sambal/ sauce) but on trying tempoyak here, it was fabulous! The traditional sambal that goes with "ulam" was also great.

While I was picking out my ulam, a Malay gentleman asked me "Orang Cina tahu makan ulam juga? " (The Chinese know how to eat ulam too?) I smiled and replied, "Tahu, sebenarnya saya sangat suka. Lagipun sekarang kan 1Malaysia?" (Of course, actually I love ulam. We are all 1Malaysia now.) Wouldn't our PM Najib be proud of my response??

The place is supposed to be famous for its grilled fish (ikan bakar), but we didn't order any today. Well, reason enough to go back again! We had ulam, "urap" (salad-like dish with coconut and chillies and "pucuk paku"), sambal sotong, tempe cooked in sambal, rendang and french beans fried with tumeric and egg. All were eaten with hearty appetites and I finshed my big plate of rice. (the kids had their take-away KFC snack plates there, though!) I bought some home for our maid's lunch - she said it was delicious and reminded her of her mother's cooking at home!

Well, looks like everyone agrees that the food at Tasik Raban is good.

Parks in Ipoh

2010-08-24T15:21:00.002+08:00

The park most familiar to us is the Polo Grounds (Taman Rekreasi Sultan Abdul Aziz) along Jalan Tambun. It has a large-sized field, stately old trees, some playground and exercise equipment, and a newly added pond.

The Polo Grounds is extremely popular with the people in Ipoh, with families taking their kids there in the evenings and weekends, and people of all ages exercising, walking and jogging on the tracks. The Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh has done a good job, I must say, in promoting exercise as they organise weekend morning aerobics routines for the public, which is a great success. A rare "well done" to you, MBI!

Other than the Polo Grounds, another park of note would be Taman DR Seenivasagam. But Taman DR has lost much of its charm and atttraction, according to my husband. He remembers that as a child he used to ride his bicycle with his family there, but today, Taman DR is not attractive at all. MBI should do more to upgrade and revitalise this large and well located green lung.

Today, I discovered another gem of a park. A very large, well landscaped park with a huge lake as its central feature - Eco Park in Taman Botani. I gather it is part of the township of Taman Botani (developed by KLK Group) and it appears that the developer has not stinged in sprucing up this recreational area. The lake teems with large fish, and one complete circuit around the lake would give me more than enough exercise for the day!

I hear that another township in Ipoh - Tiara Lake Park in Pengkalan - is set to provide a serene and beautiful lakeside park for Tiara Lake Park residents, and of course the general public, to enjoy. Will have to check that out.

It's fasting month in Malaysia, but let's all chill

2010-08-21T12:03:00.003+08:00

It is that time of the year when Muslims in Malaysia observe "bulan Ramadhan", a month of fasting which precedes the joyous celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

But alas, it seems that each year this holy month is marred by incidents of misunderstandings, badly checked emotions, insensitive remarks and the like.

Just when it has been alleged that a school principal in Johor had uttered unsettling remarks calling non-Malays "penumpang" (visitors), yet another principal in Kedah has behaved in an unbecoming manner by scolding non-Malays students for eating outside the canteen.

It was reported in the Star on 21 August 2010 that "In the incident, the principal had allegedly scolded 10 Form Three students for eating outside the school canteen at about 7am before classes began. The students were eating outside because the lights in the canteen were not switched on. The principal had purportedly told them off for “not respecting” their Muslim friends and that they “should return to their country of origin if they did not show such respect”.

If the principal did utter such remarks, one wonders why such words are being increasingly used these days? Perhaps, there have been too many people in authority/ politicians who have been using such words of late. And therefore, some simple-minded emotional citizens just follow such bad examples.

Asking non-Malays to return to their country of origin? Where would you ask citizens of Malaysia who were born and raised here, for maybe 2 or 3 generations, and who have contributed to nation-building, to return to? Where would be their country of origin? One would have thought that school principals were more educated, enlightened and rational. Sigh......the quality of the people in charge of our schools these days.

And isn't the point of Ramadhan for people to be more patient, compassionate, kind and to resist the body's usual demands? And surely by seeing other people eat - which is their right, since they are not fasting - should not weaken one's resolve to fast or make a person observing the fast to become furious beyond reason? Be assured that non-Malays would not be so arrogant or stupid or rude as to deliberately eat a scrumptious meal in front of our fellow Malays. But if the students in that school in Kedah were eating around the canteen area, then why should the principal be so upset? Shouldn't the principal respect the right of those students to eat their breakfast in peace? (By the way, why weren't the lights in the canteen turned on? Because it is fasting month, so nobody else needs to eat in the canteen?)

Let's all just chill, and may the noble spirit of Ramadhan prevail this month and for all Ramadhans to come.

Why is "saman ekor" still around?

2010-08-10T12:05:00.003+08:00

I had thought that the issue of "saman ekor" was settled a long time ago.

A number of years ago, much unhappiness was highlighted regarding the practice of the police issuing summonses to the public for various traffic offences - such summonses either arrived very late or never at all. And people could not remember whether they had indeed committed such an offence. The authorities, if I recall correctly, had said that they would put an end to "saman ekor" and that traffic violations would be penalised on the spot.

Hey, but "saman ekor" is very much alive. And now our DPM says he will "consider" public unhappiness about it.

I recently had to renew my road tax in July, and lo and behold the Transport Dept's system noted that my car registration number had a "block" on it, indicating that I had one or more unsettled police summonses. A first for me!

So off I trotted, like a good citizen, to the main police HQ opposite Ipoh's majestic old train station. Indeed, I had 2 summonses to my car - one on 26 Dec 2008 (just one day after I moved to Ipoh!!??) and another in May 2009. I was renewing my road tax for July 2010.

So, I only discover after almost 1 1/2 years from my first ever police traffic summons, that I had apparently ran a red light. How am I to remember that, to challenge that? How is the police to prove that I did? But you see, the govt and the police see to it that my arms are twisted and I HAVE to pay the fine if I am to renew my road tax. Otherwise, I will be fined for driving around without a valid road tax sticker displayed on my windscreen.

Where is the equity and logic behind the "saman ekor"?? DPM Muhyiddin, please do something useful for the people of Malaysia and do away with the "saman ekor".

Yin Fai Kee - Redeemed

2010-08-04T10:14:00.002+08:00

I try to be fair.

I had an earlier blog posting where I wrote that Yin Fai Kee kept my family waiting for over an hour, and we walked out without eating. Well, we gave the place another try - this time for supper. My son had just finished his martial arts class and was hungry, so we went to get the black Hokkien mee and some chilly la-la (mussels fried in garlic and chilly).

We were at first reluctant to go back to Yin Fai Kee, and first stopped at Sun Seng Fatt on the same Jalan Leong Sin Nam (also famed for noodles). But the proprietor told us it would be a long wait - credit to her for telling us in advance. So we had no choice but to go to Yin Fai Kee.

This time we waited no more than 10 minutes and the food arrived. The Hokkien mee still could not match KL standards but for Ipoh, I guess it is one of the better ones. The fried la-la, though, was great. My son really liked it.

And last night, I had a craving for Hokkien mee. I nipped out at 2130 to "ta pau" the black fat noodles and got home with it one minute shy of 2200. Not bad.

So, Yin Fai Kee has redeemed itself in my eyes.

Outrageous pricing at Nasi Kandar Pelita

2010-08-03T20:05:00.002+08:00

OK - so the effects of the reduction in subsidies for sugar and chicken must be kicking in.

But I remember reading that the Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners’ Association (Primas) and the Malaysian Indian Muslim Restaurant Operators’ Association (Presma) saying in the papers that they would maintain their prices. Perhaps Pelita Nasi Kandar is not a member of either Primas or Presma.

While we were out at the Tesco in Ipoh, my maid had lunch at Pelita. She had, to be exact, half a serving of white rice, one curried chicken wing and some bean sprouts. Oh, and some curry sauce on her rice. No drink, mind you. Her bill? RM8.70

Tell me that isn't exorbitant. Beware next time you eat at Nasi Kandar Pelita.

Can you trust your school bus driver?

2010-08-02T16:01:00.002+08:00

Malaysians are shocked and outraged at the recent case of a 10 year old who was raped by her school bus driver - that he was so brazen to rape the helpless child in broad day light in his bus while parked close to a kindergarten is even more unforgiveable. Thank goodness for the responsible kindergarten teacher who witnessed this terrible crime.

Now the idea being tossed about is to require all school buses to have a conductor on board. Aside from the issue of cost (which will inevitably be passed onto parents), will having a conductor on board the school bus make it safer for our children?

Maybe and maybe not.

The crime of rape may be conducted singularly or in gangs. If the conductor and bus driver are both males I, for one, would not feel any safer. If the conductor is a lady, the odds I think are better. But you might argue that the bus driver could intimidate or threaten his female conductor into being his accomplice.

The crime of rape is unacceptable in any circumstance, more so when the sick rapists target helpless young children. Karpal Singh has proposed the death penalty for convicted rapists. Certainly, they deserve severe punishment - there are many forms to choose from.

Dry curry mee - Yee Fatt

2010-08-01T11:29:00.002+08:00

As my parents are here visiting over the weekend, we have been eating out quite a bit. This morning we decided to have curry noodles for breakfast. My husband remembered that his grandmother used to love going to Yee Fatt at the Jalan Kampar roundabout opposite Methodist Girls' School for the dry curry mee there.

We got to Yee Fatt around 9.15am. The place was about a quarter full. We quickly found a table and placed our order - 4 dry curry with mee hoon and mee (mix of vermicelli and yellow noodles) with added roast pork, and 2 meehoon in plain soup for the kids. By now, the coffee shop was quickly filling up.

And hubby said his grandma also likes the "mo yee cha" there - a black sweet tea with a hardboiled egg - so we ordered 3 bowls.

The dry curry noodles were smothered in rich, reddish curry, topped with mint leaves. Very tasty. It also comes with pieces of charsiu and chicken, and of course, bean sprouts. The kids were happy enough with their soup noodles. I liked my breakfast this morning, but hubby thinks that the dry curry noodles in Nam Chau is better.

Well you can try out Yee Fatt and Nam Chau and decide for yourself, too!

Etiquette when visiting friends

2010-07-14T15:05:00.001+08:00

I recently had a friend who came to my home. We were actually going to visit another friend together, and since she didn't know the way there, she would hop into my car.

When my friend arrived, I was rushing to send my boy to school. So I told my friend to wait for me at home. At that time, my daughter was still having her lunch supervised by my maid. Before my friend arrived, I had closed the doors to our study and guest room downstairs.

Later, at our mutual friend's music centre opening (Allegretto in Panorama Lapangan Perdana), my friend who was at my home earlier, mentioned how handsome my son looked in his kindy graduation picture. Now, this picture is placed in the guest room downstairs, whose door I closed.

Back home, I asked my maid if she knew whether my friend had gone into the guest room. My maid replied, exasperated, that indeed my friend had gone into all the rooms downstairs, including the ones where I had closed the doors.

I was rather upset at my friend's behaviour as she had violated the privacy of my home. A closed door means "no entry", don't you agree? It is very unbecoming to explore, uninvited and unchaperoned, someone else's home, especially by opening doors.

I don't know if I should tell my friend my feelings, or just let it go. Well, I won't be having her in my home anytime soon.

Sun Marpoh Restaurant, Ipoh Garden

2010-07-14T14:42:00.002+08:00

Reading other bloggers rave about this place, I am surprised my inlaws never seem to have tried it, despite living in Ipoh for ages and ages and ages.....

I heard about Sun Marpoh from my maid agency back in PJ! The lady at the agency is an Ipohan too. Well, I am glad to report that my family and I are happy with the food at Sun Marpoh.

The second time we dined there, on a Saturday evening around 1830, the place was packed! We managed to secure a table but worried about a long wait (a-la Yin Fai Kee's bad experience). Ha! I was suitably impressed that despite the crowd, our food arrived in 9 minutes flat. (hubby was timing it) So far, the quickest and most efficient kitchens in Ipoh have got to be 1919 and Sun Marpoh!

We love the butter-cream prawns (actually it's lai-liu har - no clue what it's called in English) - Sun Marpoh gives a generous heap of the crispy fried buttery strands - and my kids polished off the sizzling-bean curd in a jiffy. The black pepper venison was delicious too, though the belacan kangkung could be better - but still, it was good.

This restaurant will surely be a family regular from now on.

Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra - inaugural concert

2010-07-06T11:44:00.003+08:00

I did not have high expectations when I went for the Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra (KVWO) inaugural concert on the 4th of July 2010. It was to be held in the Syuen Hotel - not the best place with the best acoustics. I told my husband that I would stay until 930pm max, regardless whether the concert was over or not.

But the night turned out to be extremely enjoyable, with the orchestra members enthusiastic and full of promise, and with tremendous local support as the Syuen ballroom was packed out. So there is room and demand for orchestral music and the arts in Ipoh! We stayed till the end of the concert at well past 10pm.

The 50 member-strong wind orchestra comprised musicians of all ages, mainly novice and amateur players supplemented by the presence and service of professional musicians from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra who gave of their service freely. Such is their commitment to music.

The KVWO was formed in January 2010 under the auspices of the Kinta Valley Symphonic Society, founded by the generous grant given by Dato' KK Lim. Eugene Pook was brought on board to be the first artistic director and conductor of the orchestra. At the same time, Eugene is also music director of the Perak Society of Performing Arts and advisor to the Youth Circle of Arts Malaysia.

Given the short time with which the musicians had to prepare for the concert, their performance that night was commendable. Conductor Eugene Pook shared with the audience that when he auditioned the musicians, he was heartened that so many turned up for the audition - that was the good news. The bad news, as Eugene put it, "They cannot play! Oh man, I've got a lot of work to do" - to the amusement of the audience. Well the hard work put in by all has certainly paid off. Well done!

I look forward to the growing orchestral and arts scene in Ipoh, never really expecting it to be vibrant here at all. Pleasant surprises to living in Ipoh .....

Too much pressure in Malaysian school system

2010-06-22T07:59:00.005+08:00

So, that's what the Education Man is saying now.

There's the UPSR for Year 6, PMR for year 9 and SPM for year 11. And most everyone takes these exams oh so seriously! Even though when you think about it, who cares what you scored when you were 12 or 15 years old? Yet the amount of expectation and pressure piled onto our kids to excel in these exams are tremendous.

While our Education Ministry is now mulling the possibility of abolishing the UPSR and PMR, let me tell you about an interesting development in Perak in the public education system.

The Perak Education Department, or I am told it is the District Education Department for Kinta Utara, has in its exam-oriented wisdom decided to implement a "controlled-school" system. 17 primary schools in Ipoh have been given the privilege to be called controlled-schools, and with it the power from 2011 to demand that all students entering year 1 must possess satisfactiory mastery of the 3Ms (reading, writing and math). These controlled schools will require kindergartens to provide "report cards" for children wishing to enter the schools.

After entering the controlled school, the pressure cooker saga continues. The controlled school is empowered to remove students from the school if in Year 3, Year 4 or Year 5 the student does not achieve a Grae C (50% and above) for the core examinable subjects. This means that there is no certainty that a student can remain in his/ her chosen school after Year 3, as each year the controlled school will review the year-end exams, and the student may be asked to leave the school if his/ her results are not up to scratch.

Imagine the uncertainty, the pressure on primary school students to perform academically just to stay on in the school. Imagine the disruption to the child's education, not to mention his/ her social development and connection to friendships already developed from Year 1 to 3 should the student be compelled to leave the school. And not to forget, the label of being a "failure" and having to leave a controlled school to go to a "school for failures"!

So the Perak Education Department wants to segregate Ipoh schools into "brilliant schools" and "for the dumb ones"? I just don't see the rationale. And I sure hope the Perak Education Department did its homework, research, focus group discussions, invite feedback and opinion before it embarked on this insane education policy.

I also spoke to an officer in the Ministry of Education in Putrajaya about this matter, and guess what? Hey! It's ok, each state can do as it pleases with its education system. That's real united, uniformed and 1Malaysia, isn't it?

Loooong wait at Yin Fai Kee

2010-05-23T21:56:00.003+08:00

In our quest for the KL-equivalent Hokkien Mee (black fat fried noodles) in Ipoh, my family and I went to Yin Fai Kee on Jalan Leong Sin Nam on the recommendation of an uncle. The shop is diagonally opposite the paeditrician Dr. Tang.

The shop has a big banner advertising its famous lard-fried Hokkien Mee. With anticipation, we arrived at the shop around 7.20pm. The elderly waiter told us we could sit on the ground floor section or upstairs. It didn't look too packed downstairs, so we went in and found ourselves a table. We ordered the Hokkien Mee, braised yee mee, fried la-la (mussels) and a green vege. We were given the number 8 - and we sat back to wait.

And wait, and wait, and wait ...... table no. 5 was a big family who ordered multiple dishes. By 8pm (more than half an hour after we arrived) the restaurant had just finished serving them. I noticed that they kept sending dishes up via the dumb-waiter. At about 8.10 pm, they served table no. 6, and continued sending dishes upstairs.

I went to talk to the waiter and assistant to the cook, asking why they were not cooking dishes for the customers downstairs. They said they were following the queue numbers - I said all the numbers downstairs were from 5 to 10. They must be jumping queue for the people upstairs! Just then, table no. 10 got up and left without waiting any longer for their food.

Our kids were starting to whine and complain. Finally, at 8.25 pm, one hour after we arrived, we too got up and left. On our way out, we told the waiter that they somehow screwed up the wait system tonight. Well, it was only our first time there and sadly, it was not a pleasant experience.

The place seems quite well patronised, so if you would like to try it out, I suggest you get there way before 7pm.

Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh

2010-05-21T11:33:00.005+08:00

Of all the "new" things we would have to adjust to in Ipoh, one of the unexpected ones is the rubbish disposal and collection by the Ipoh Municipal Council (Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh; DBI).

The way our house is located, DBI will not come to our gate to collect the house refuse. Instead, we have to walk out to the main road and place our bags of garbage on the road shoulder.

I notice that a DBI worker would pull a large trolley - it looks more like a black, round tub on wheels - along the roads and put all the bags of garbage into his trolley. Then he would deposit everything into piles at designated spots along his route. The DBI garbage truck would then come round to pick them up.

It seems like double work to me. Back in PJ, MBPJ's truck would just move around slowly and the team of MBPJ workers would walk ahead of the truck, pick up the bags of garbage and throw them into the back of the truck. Here in Ipoh, the poor guy has to place the bags into his trolley and then unload them onto the ground, after which the truck would pick them up. That's 3 steps compared to just 1 practised in PJ. (creating more employment?)

But that's not the problem I have. My problem is with one particular DBI worker whose job, it appears, is to ride around on his motorcycle in my area and pick up random rubbish strewn on the road or the side of it with a long pincher. He doesn't have anything to do with the residential garbage bags.

But somehow, he has taken a keen interest in our garbage bags. We use various types of plastic bags - the big black ones and the ones I recycle from the supermarkets. More of the supermarket bags because we don't generate enough waste to warrant using the big black plastic bags. But the DBI guy insists that we must use the big black bags and has waited for my maid several times in the morning, to admonish her for not using the black bags.

Admonishment bordering on harassment. He even says things like "tauke awak tak ada wang nak beli bag hitam, ah?" (your employer can't afford to buy the black plastic bags?) My maid became increasingly irritated with him and they exchanged words more than once.

So I called DBI and asked if Ipoh specifically insists on black plastic bags. The DBI refuse department officer said it was not necessary, as long as the bags were neatly tied. So, there.

Have you been harassed by your friendly neighbourhood DBI worker?

Facial at Clarins, Ipoh

2010-04-28T09:47:00.003+08:00

It was my first time getting a facial at a "branded" cosmetics counter.

I understand that Clarins has "institutes" in the bigger malls like OneUtama, but here in Ipoh Parade, they have their counter and a room. As I am still hunting for a good place to get my facials, I decided to try out Clarins since I had received a birthday voucher for a facial costing RM145, for which I would only have to pay RM68.

So off I trooped to Ipoh Parade. It's quite difficult to get a park on the ground level under the shady trees but I spied one last empty space - only that it was blocked by a large SUV with its driver inside, obviously waiting. Should I just park in the basement? No, I like the ground level parking. So I drew up abreast of the waiting SUV, got out of my car and indicated that I wanted to park in the spot that was being blocked. The driver obliged and reversed her SUV to clear the way - good lady.

Now, the facial. The Clarins representative first gave me an "examination" - gently pressing on my face and pinching softly. She announced that my skin was "fair" and "not dry, not oily". A pretty good assessment, I thought. Then she went on to explain that at Clarins, they provide a facial treatment with cleansing and facial massage with Clarins' pure plant oil. Ok with me....but at the end of the facial, I feel that at the price of RM145, Clarins' facial is grossly inadequate. There was no steaming (to soften the skin and open up the pores), no extraction of oil heads, and no multiple times of cleansing and scrub. Just a very cursory cleanse, scrub and massage with the plant oil. I am not sure if there was even a mask at the end - everything was done so quickly and with so little of the creams, lotion etc. applied on.

For the price that Clarins is charging, I was very disappointed with Clarins. Perhaps the Clarins Institutes do a better facial.

Feet care - see a podiatrist

2010-04-12T10:31:00.008+08:00

Have you ever had a corn on your foot? You know, it's really uncomfortable as the corn gets larger. Each step you take, you feel something poking into your sole.

I never had a corn until about 4 years ago. I went to the little park near our house in BU and played some impromptu badminton, without the proper shoes - and taa daa, I had the first corn in my life. And the sad thing about corns is, once you've had one, chances are that they tend to recur, at exactly the same spot. It's so true that we have to keep our body well and in good condition - one little breakdown, and your parts are never as good as they were before.

The first time I had that nasty little thing removed, I didn't know better. I went to my company's panel clinic, Klinik Famili at Taman Tun Dr Ismail. The doc there said sure she could remove it. But she performed a mini surgery! Went for my little corn with swords drawn, needles piercing, blood letting and bandages rolling - youch! I couldn't walk properly for a day after.

When my corn reappeared, I thought there's got to be a better way. I researched about podiatrists and whether there were any in Malaysia. Very few, but I found one in Sunway Medical Centre. I had to get a referral and that same Klinik Famili was very offended and reluctant to refer me to a "podiatrist" because a GP could do it for me (I don't think the GP even knew what a podiatrist is!)

Ah, professional feet care at last! The podiatrist removed my corn in about 10 minutes, with a scalpel BUT there was no blood, no pain, no anaesthetic, no needles, no bandages - it was marvellous. And I could walk and run normally immediately after that. The podiatrist said GPs do not know how to treat feet problems like corns etc but there is not much awareness about that here in Malaysia. In hindsight, I should have sued Klinik Famili for their negligent treatment of a very minor foot problem. And Klink Famili is on the panel of so many government bodies - hmmph!

Now that we are here in Ipoh, I had to find a podiatrist. I had very low hopes of locating one here (Ipoh being a small city and all) but to my amazement and delight, my husband found a British podiatrist practising here in Ipoh! We visited her last weekend and she removed my corn using the same painless method as the podiatrist in KL. Even better, she massages the feet briefly and she is able to do reflexology too. We were informed that she will soon be providing her services to Kinta Medical Centre.

So, the next time you have a foot problem - corn, ingrown toe nail, fungus on your foot - do check out a podiatrist.

Qing Ming Festival

2010-04-03T18:29:00.002+08:00

Today, we went to pay our respects to the deceased parents of my father-in-law - a yearly ritual observed by the family. In all, usually about 7 families would turn up for this occasion. The elders in the family would be my parents-in-law and and my father-in-law's brother.

The whole group would arrive at the cemetery around 10am, and tend to the grave and begin laying out offerings of food and drink, as well as lighting candles, joss sticks and joss paper (spirit money). Every family member would step up and offer to the ancestors joss sticks, and pour some tea and wine onto the ground. The finale would be the lighting of fire crackers. We also do not forget the graves neighbouring those of our ancestors, as we also walk around and offer joss sticks to the other graves.

The entire family would then adjourn to the nearest relative's place to enjoy the food that was offered to the ancestors - the menu for the day usually consists of generous portions of roast pork, roast chicken, roast duck, char siu pau (steamed pork buns), chung (rice dumplings), cake, colourful steamed buns (fatt ko) and fried noodles (always cooked courtesy of Eldest Aunty thank you Tai So!) And so the event would conclude by lunch time.

Some believe that Qing Ming originated in the Tang Dynasty, with Emperor Xuanzong. Yet others associate Qing Ming with Jie Zi Zhui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Qing means "pure" or "clean", and Ming means "brightness". Whatever practice is observed, the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors.

Luxury health holiday in Ipoh?

2010-03-31T14:38:00.005+08:00

Are you well heeled, or at least willing to splurge on a luxury holiday that is meant to restore your well being or to reduce your stress? Then perhaps the Banjaran Hot Springs Retreat, owned by Sunway Group, in Ipoh is something you would like to try out. (http://www.thebanjaran.com)

The Banjaran opened its doors to guests this year, with lots of advertising over the radio. I also noticed new signs on the major roads in Ipoh directing you to the Banjaran.

Well, last weekend we decided to check it out. True to its desire to be exclusive, the Banjaran does not permit casual visitors to enter the retreat. You need an "appointment". The guard at the entrance turned away several cars, including ours. He also handed us an information sheet quoting Banjaran's opening special of a 2 nights/3 days package which includes accommodation, aromatherapy, spa cuisine menu etc. at RM1,990 per person for a twin package.

Sound attractive to you? Let me know all about your experience there!

Rolling in something smelly

2010-03-29T21:23:00.003+08:00

No, I'm not referring to the recent MCA election results.

My white, gentle female lab-mix who is usually very obedient, clean and docile came home yesterday after a jaunt out smelling like s*&@! I thought I had stepped on some poop or perhaps some animal had died on my car porch. But I could not find the source of the offending smell until my maid yelled that Bonnie (the dog) was a walking smelly-bin!

Yucks! She smelled like poop and a dead animal combined. Really, really disgusting. It reminded me of a dog I had when I was a child. I caught it nosing and pawing at something excitedly. Upon checking, I found that it was a dead rodent of some sort. Before I could do anything, my dog madly and joyfully leapt onto the carcass and rolled vigorously onto it. Then my dog regained her senses and started bounding towards me for a pat. I, of course, ran away from my dog, screaming!

So back to my Bonnie in the present time. The only explanation for her bad smell is that she must have found a carcass outside the house and rolled in it. This is such a weird behaviour of dogs. The general thinking out there is that dogs roll around in a carcass to mask its own scent in order to hunt effectively - in other words, it's instinctive so there's no point punishing your dog for it. The joy of having pets .......

MCA is LOST

2010-03-29T11:02:00.003+08:00

I read in disbelief and great disappointment the results of the MCA elections.

The "wisdom" of the MCA central delegates has put Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek aka "the one in the DVD" in the post of party president, while Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai aka "I will stand by my President- maybe I'll try and push him out- I'll stand by my President again - maybe not" was chosen as deputy president.

With such people helming MCA, and the central delegates supporting them, it is clear that MCA can no longer, and does not want to, serve or be relevant to the general voters.

On the side, it is admirable that Datin Seri Wong, Datuk Seri Chua's wife, was able to stand by her husband's side and demonstrated her affection publicly with 2 congratulatory kisses. Great is her forgiveness and tolerance.

Hunting for a good dentist in Ipoh

2010-03-25T10:52:00.002+08:00

Now that my family is settled in Ipoh, I need to locate services such as dental, facial, medical etc. here.

For paediatricians, I have tried Dr. Lim in Fair Park, Dr. David in Ipoh Specialist and Dr Tang in town. My children don't really take to Dr. Lim as he appears rather grouchy. Dr. David is thorough and caring, but he is extremely popular and there is always a long wait for him. Dr. Tang is now our regular paed.

My hunt for a good beautician is still ongoing.

As is the hunt for a good dentist. We still go back to KL for that. But just this week, my maid's molar tooth flared up again, causing her pain and discomfort. It definitely has to go. The nearest dentist to us is Kuan Dental Clinic in Ipoh Garden South. It is close by, and you don't have to wait long.

I guess the reason is because Kuan Dental is very pricey, and as for its quality, I am not very impressed. I was charged RM 90 for my maid's cleaning, scaling and antibiotics. The dentist on duty said that the molar was impacted and infected. It can only be removed once the infection clears. My maid's feedback to me was that the dentist (a middle aged lady) was quite rough and she felt quite a bit of pain during the scaling. Also, my maid said there was spray all over her face! Not to mention quite a lot of bleeding. Sounds like a bad job to me.

Scaling done by a good dentist should not feel too uncomfortable and there should be little bleeding. My dentist in Desa Sri Hartamas always cleans thoroughly yet gently.

As for surgical removal of the molar, Kuan Dental told me it would cost RM650. I checked with another dentist - Dr. Teh on Hume Street - and I was told it would cost RM350. That's a huge difference! But we haven't tried out Dr Teh yet, so the search continues......

Facial at Casa Mia

2010-03-19T19:08:00.003+08:00

I've relocated to Ipoh for just over a year now, and I still haven't found a place to have a facial. Not that there aren't any beauty centres here - there's plenty. But I just don't have the confidence to go to any particular one here yet, as the few that have been recommended to me seem, well, below average. Even my friends who recommended them to me said it's just so-so.

What's left to do? Return to my usual beautician in Desa Sri Hartamas everytime we go back to KL and I can squeeze in the time during our trips.

I just had a badly needed facial 2 days ago. Casa Mia has been having a body massage and facial combo offering at RM138 - one hour of massage and another hour of facial. It's great! I rarely fall asleep during facials but after an hour of soothing body massage, I actually dozed off.

I sure hope I can find a good beautician here in Ipoh....soon.

Children - kindness & cruelty

2010-02-20T11:57:00.005+08:00

It has been a good, family oriented Chinese New Year celebration. As usual, lots of eating and meeting up with relatives we don't see very often. Keeps the ties connected.

We were at a friend's open house last night. And what I saw of children's behaviour concerned me.

After the food was served and tummies filled, some of the kids ran into the house to play together. Most of the adults sat outside chatting and eating. As is my usual practice, I would go check on the kids after a little while.

I found my kids in the TV area, playing. Most of the kids were around my son's age while my daughter was the youngest one there, just following whatever the older kids were doing. When I got to the TV room, there was one other mom sitting there. I sat down to watch - the TV as well as the kids.

At this time, the kids were already into what they were doing - and that was having a pillow fight. But the pillow fight was not a random pillow fight with unspecified targets. The kids had somehow targetted a boy and they were all hitting him with pillows. The girls were particularly vicious and persistent. I saw my son enjoying the spectacle, and joining in as well as encouraging his sister to do the same. My little girl hit the boy once with her pillow, then stopped. The victim was not a small boy, and if he retalliated, I am sure some of the girls would end up in tears. He was however, restrained (I like to believe it is because of his good upbringing) and merely shouted his warnings to his tormentors to stop. But at breaking point, he pushed one girl and swiped another with a pillow.

On my part, I signalled my son to stop participating in the "bullying". He complied, a little reluctantly. And I said to the group in general to stop the pillow fight. The other mom sitting with me said nothing. The mom of the victim arrived shortly and told her son to behave himself and not make trouble. Of course, the boy was aghast and protested that he was being attacked. But his mom did not reprimand the other kids, and merely repeated her request to her son to behave. An older sister of one particularly vicious girl came round and led her away.

Now, in such situations, what would you as a mom have done? Many would feel that until and unless things got really dicey, they would say nothing. They may instruct their own chidren to stop playing or lead them away from the area. But I am certain no mom would reprimand other people's children. The "mind your own business" mentality, or "the other mom would not like it" kinda thinking. So we just stand by and allow the kids to bully? The kids there were all about 9 years of age.

When we got home that night, I sat my boy and girl down for a talk. I told them that what they did was bullying. Targetting someone and attacking that person as a group. I asked the reason for the attack, and my son couldn't say. I asked if it was fun. He didn't deny it. I asked him to place himself in the boy's position and to feel whether he would like it. I explained to my kids about compassion and doing to others what you would like others to do to you. I told them in any bullying situtation to walk away and to report it.

Chidren can be cruel. Don't fool yourself into thinking they are innocent and kind and know right from wrong. They need our guidance so much.

Some Malaysians still do care

2010-02-05T14:22:00.003+08:00

As I approached the large round-about with the fountain on my way home after dropping my son off at school, I noticed that a lady on a motorbike had somehow lost her balance and had tipped over on the left lane. Fortunately, she must have been going slow as her bike was leaning against the raised pedestrian footpath on the left lane, and her school going child was already sitting down on the footpath. The mother had some difficulty uprighting her bike.

I was driving on the left lane, approaching the distressed motorcyclist. I slowed down and turned on my hazard signal, and was wondering how I could assist. Well I didn't have to, as an Indian man and another Chinese guy on their respective bikes were stopping to help the lady.

My heart was so glad to see this today, and the lady on the fallen bike was smiling - so all was well.

Ong Kee chicken & bean sprouts

2010-02-05T14:13:00.002+08:00

Too tired to go to the market, I decided to eat out with the kids and maid after school. I had planned to go straight from school to the chicken and bean sprout shops in town but an unexpected downpour left my son and me soaked. So home we went to dry off and change, before heading to town again.

We had tried Onn Kee with hubby before but the taste didn't quite sit with me. So I wanted to try Lo Wong tonight, but alas, it was closed! So we walked across to Ong Kee instead.

Maybe it was the weather, as everyone was voraciously hungry. The food came quickly. I thought the chicken was nicely tender and the sauce tasty and not too oily. The bean sprouts were the usual Ipoh best - fat, short, crispy and white.

Thumbs up for Ong Kee.

Weng Kee Restaurant

2010-02-05T13:59:00.003+08:00

It feels like it's been a long time since we tried a new place to eat. The December school holidays just flew by in a blink of an eye and before I knew it, it was January and back to school for the kids.

Well last weekend we decided to eat at Weng Kee in Ipoh Garden South, just next to Scotch Pub. I'd been looking at it for a while now, and hubby said the last time he tried it, it was quite ok. And the speciality there is "lai yau yu" , that is buttered fish.

We had a very large dish of buttered fish - it was crispy and buttery alright, with lots of little butter crisps and deep fried curry leaves to put on top of your rice! The taufoo dish was saucy and tender, good for kids. Sweet and sour pork tasted fine, but was just a touch dry. Perennial favourite sambal kangkung turned out alright too. The pricing at Weng Kee was also reasonable, coming to Rm78 for the 5 of us - much more reasonble than Yum Yum Seafood Restaurant in Ipoh Garden South which I maintain is overpriced!

Service at Weng Kee was efficient though the "si tau poh" at first was rather surly, but improved her mood later on. The restaurant's menu has other dishes that we will return to try another time.

Acts of desecreation unacceptable

2010-01-28T10:28:00.002+08:00

All Malaysians condemn acts of desecration carried out against places of worship, all places of worship, in the country.

Whether it is stomping on a severed cow head or leaving severed wild boar heads at a surau; these acts are unacceptable to all right-thinking and peace-loving Malaysians who love their country and have seen Malaysia grow to celebrate 52 years of independence.

We can only hope that the government and police force are able to quickly, effecitvely and fairly conduct their investigations to bring those responsible to book and to expose their malicious agendas.

May cool heads, rational thinking and the spirit of unity prevail.

Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

2010-01-16T22:31:00.006+08:00

While homeschooling is more widespread overseas, it is also beginning to take root in Malaysia. Given the state of our national education, it is not difficult to see why. Parents are just exploring options.

Just today over breakfast, a friend informed us that a mutual friend had decided to homeschool their chidren. I also know of friends who send their kids to homeschool centres (which I think defeats the purpose of homeschooling as it more resembles private schooling).

I have, off and on, given thought to homeschooling. This afternoon, I had a brief talk with my 8-year old and he decided he didn't want to be homeschooled by Mommy and risk being scolded even more fiercely than his teachers at school! A short stint of teaching phonics to my 4-year old was already a test of my patience.

I looked up what some people said about the pros and cons of homeschooling. Some of the comments seemed very naive to me. Perhaps putting down the list might be helpful:

Pro
Children are taught according to their learning styles and interests. Parents have more control over how, what and for how long their children are taught.
Con
Parents must help children improve upon their weaknesses and not just cater or pander to their strengths. Parents take on sole and total responsibility for their children's education.
My take: There is a risk of restricting teaching to certain preferred areas or topics that the parent/child is comfortable with.

Pro
Children can progress slowly or quickly, according to their abilities.
Con
Parents may feel inadequate to address the needs of gifted and special needs students.

Pro
Schedules revolve around family and allow time to bond with parents and siblings. Flexible schedules allow time for breaks, field trips and off-season vacations.
My take: It would take a tremendous amount of discipline on the part of the teaching parent not to give in to the temptation of a day off here, a movie day there, let's bake together instead of study day etc.
Con
Extended time with family can strain relationships or lead to burnout on the part of the teaching parent. Family crises, illness and lax supervision by parents can interfere with learning.
My take: Too much time spent together may not be a good thing. When will the independence and separation for the children come?

Pro
Children spend time in a diverse, real world environment.
My take: I find this reasoning laughable - is a homeshooling parent actually saying that kids who attend public schools in the mainstream system living in an unreal world? I would say the reverse is true!
Con
Parents must search for activities such as sports and music that are easily accessible at public schools.

Pro
Parents can transmit their values to children and shelter them from negative influence.
Con
Parents must give children increasing independence and a chance to learn to stand for their values.
My take: Will homeschooled children be able to function in a real world that is imperfect where not everybody will treat you as well as your family?

Pro
Sadly peer pressure, competition and bullies are all part of a typical school day. Homeschooled kids are free from these kinds of pressure and can act and dress the way they want without fear or a need to "fit in". They live in the real world.
My take: Again, I wonder just how well homeschooled kids face up to real life pressures.

Pro
For families who feel their religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of their lives, homeshooling provides the opportunity for parents to incorporate their beliefs into their daliy lives.
My take: This can just as easily be achieved even if the child attends regular school. The risk for homeschoolers is that they are exposed only to the religious and cultural practices of their family and close relations, without the chance to mix with and learn from other peoples in the world. How is tolerance to grow and bigotry eliminated? The homeschooling parent must make special effort to expose their children to the existence of other races, religions, cultures, languages and ways of life. Your way is not the only way.

Pro
Homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover. In a recent interview, John Taylor Gatto, New York City Teacher of the Year and a 26-year teaching veteran, said that in many classrooms less than one hour out of each school day is spent on "on task" learning. No wonder these kids have so much homework. And that brings us to a major "pro" of homeschooling: No more homework!
My take: Well, if this is true, then I am all for homeschooling!

Secret Recipe's price increase

2010-01-13T22:39:00.003+08:00

Do you like Secret Recipe's food? I know some people say it's real bad, but we quite like some of its cakes. And my kids love their black pepper lamb pie - moist filling with peppery chunks of lamb and onions. If you haven't tried it, you should. And we always thought its pricing was very reasonable at RM6 per pie.

That is, until tonight.

When I went to get some black pepper lamb pie, I was surprised that the price tag said RM6.80. I asked the staff and they said "Sudah naik harga, dari hari Isnin" (all prices have increased as of Monday). Well, that's a rather steep price hike of almost 15%.

Is Secret Recipe raising its prices on account of the 20sen increase in one kilo of sugar?

I am certain that you don't need one kilo of sugar to make one black pepper lamb pie, neither do you need one kilo of sugar to make a cake. So what's the rationale behind the 80sen increase in the price of Secret Recipe's pie (I can't be certain of the price hike for its other products as I am not as familiar with their prices)

I am disappointed with Secret Recipe's new year resolution of increasing its price by almost 15% for its lamb pie, and as much as my kids like it, well........maybe I just have to learn to make it.

Malaysian churches fire-bombed ahead of demonstrations

2010-01-08T16:51:00.003+08:00

This headline was carried on BBC's online news.

Well done, to whoever and whichever party is behind these attacks on churches in the Klang Valley today.

You have successfully portrayed Malaysia as a dangerous country full of extreme and violent religious fanatics who do not and will not respect the rule of law. You show Malaysia as a country that does not honour or value its peace, prosperity and multi-racial (multi-religious) gift.

You do not improve international perception of terrorism that sprouts from this part of the world.

May all the Gods of all religions bless this country, for we need it now more than ever.

Exes and friends

2009-12-30T10:25:00.006+08:00

Some people believe that ex-boyfriends/girlfriends can never be friends after the event. There is just too much baggage to deal with, especially if one side still harbours any feelings or hopes for rekindling the relationship. It also depends on how bad the breakup was.

I think as adults, ex partners can still be friends, have the occasional chat or email exchange, even look each other up. Just like any other friend from college.

For me, I have no difficulty being friends with an ex. I am secure in my own position as a married person, a mother and the past is history, though sometimes a little murky and unclear!

Time, of course, is a great healer. No matter how bad misunderstandings were, over time, people can arrive at a time and place where things can be viewed in a different and calmer perspective, with the wisdom of hindsight and experience.

My sister-in-law just had a visit from an ex-boyfriend, and he stayed over at the family home. She graciously showed him around town and the rest of the family also joined them over dinners and lunches. Hmm......any more embers glowing? Who knows, maybe .........

Be proactive - it makes a difference

2009-12-25T19:01:00.005+08:00

My little baby girl will to go kindergarten for the first time next year, and I already have butterflies in my stomach!

When my son was in kinder back in KL, he had 3 hours of classes. Here in Ipoh, it seems that kinders tend to go for a bit longer - 3.5 hours. So, I was quite distressed when informed by my daughter's kinder that they would extend the hours to 4 hours next year. Apparently it is required by the Ministry of Education.

I tried to obtain a confirmation on this matter from the Ministry of Education. Of course, true to form, I spent a whole morning calling MoE in Putrajaya, with either nobody picking up the phone, the line being busy or the person who eventually did pick up the phone directing me to another number! Well, guess I have to trust the kindergarten....why else would they want to voluntarily want to extend their hours anyway?

So, the new hours are 0830-1230. Such long hours for my poor little baby girl. I quickly called the principal to ask what the extra half hour would be for. She told me not to worry; 0830-0845 would be assembly while 0845-0900 would be snack time. Then classes all the way until 1230.

I feel that schedule could be improved. It is too much to expect young children to sit down for classes for 3.5 hours at a stretch without a snack break. The snack time at 0845 is redundant as the children would have been fed breakfast at home before going to kinder. It makes much more sense to move the snack time midway to about 10am. That would re-energise the kids and rejuvenate their attention. I expressed as much to the principal but of course she politely said the schedule would be fine.

Using an email the principal had sent to parents, I initiated contact with the parents on the email list and explained my concerns, inviting their feedback. I was pleased to receive many replies - all of them saying that they were not aware of the change in snack time and that they too agreed with me that it was inappropriate. I suggested that we should speak to the principal together on this matter. I am glad I was proactive in approaching other parents with my concern, and equally happy that the other parents were responsive.

It cuts across all matters - educational issues, politics, cultural interaction, bad government administration - we need to be proactive and responsive, otherwise who is to make the difference? The old habit of "let others do it" or "why bother" must go!

flymas.mobi – as Easy as 1, 2, 3

2009-12-25T05:09:00.003+08:00

Global competition's getting tougher for the airline industry, and they are responding with innovative and better customer service.

Malaysia Airlines recently launched their mobile site at flymas.mobi, a site built for you to book your flight, check flight schedules, check in - all through your mobile phone!

Check out the site, which makes travel arrangements that much easier.

Root canal treatment

2009-12-22T17:33:00.005+08:00

Do you like going to the dentist, or are you one of those who shudder at the very thought? My husband just hates going to the dentist. But I love it. I like having my teeth cleaned and polished....yummy, my mouth feels so fresh and clean after.

How about root canal treatment? That's what you need to do under a specialised dentist called an endodontist (GP dentists do it too, to earn more money, but they can really botch up the job). I had one done when I was in university. My one and only tooth with a filling started to ache really badly and it turned out that the filling over time, had eroded and my tooth had become infected to the point that it was dying. The options were either to extract it or to save the tooth via a root canal treatment. These days, people try not to unnecessarily lose their teeth as it impedes chewing and well, it doesn't look good either.

So I had the root canal treatment done by an endodontist - in Australia! That costs a bomb.

This year when my little girl was nipped on the face by our dog Bonnie, her top frontal baby tooth was chipped at an angle, exposing the veins. The dentist who examined her said that she could extract it (my girl is only 4) or we could try to save the baby tooth by doing a root canal treatment. The cons for extracting it so early is that her permanent teeth won't start coming in until after she's 6, and with a gap in her front row, the other teeth might start to move and crowd out the space, making it difficult for her permanent tooth to eventually appear.

So, we opted for a root canal for my girl. Poor darling....only 4 and doing a root canal treatment. But she is a very brave and cooperatve little girl, and the endodontist we used, Jac Lam Endodontics at Wisma Perintis in Damansara Heights, is an excellent endodontist. Light and sure handed, reassuring and patient, Dr. Lam said my little girl is his youngest and most cooperative patient yet. All went well, and her little chipped tooth is still held in place after the treatment.

Renewing and making new ties

2009-12-21T22:27:00.007+08:00

My family's first year-end school holidays in Ipoh is flying by. It is going by so much faster than I expected.

It has been a wonderful time of renewing ties - both friendship and family.

Old friends had come to visit and stay with us. Our kids were introduced to each other and enjoyed playing together. The house was filled with happy shrieks and adult chatter.

Then there were catch-ups over Ipoh white coffee - at the old style coffee shops, not those expensive franchised cafes - with ex colleagues and former classmates who were either passing through Ipoh or here to visit relatives.

And just over the weekend, the wedding of my first cousin's daughter - that is, my first cousin once removed - presented another wonderful opportunity for the entire extended family to come together to celebrate the event. There were grand aunts and grand uncles, aunts and uncles, siblings, first cousins, first cousins once removed, second cousins.....

The wedding was a first of its kind for our large family, as the nuptial saw my Chinese first-cousin-once-removed wed a Malay husband. They had been dating for 8 years. What's the big deal, some of you might say? Well, I guess in this day and age, inter-racial marriages have become more common. But that does not mean, it makes them any easier.

There are the huge differences in cultural practices as well as religious beliefs to contend with. With respect to these practices, for my first-cousin-once-removed, that would mean a conversion to Islam, adopting "Abdullah" behind her name, eliminating certain foods from her diet, perhaps even a change in the way she dresses. Her new husband is fortunate that he need not change any of the lifestyle habits he has known all his life. Still, the choice is theirs and they married for love, aspiring to spend their lives together and raise their own family.

The wedding dinner was a "halal" Chinese banquet - respecting the Muslim faith - and the fathers of the groom and bride, respectively, presented their eloquent speeches. I must congratulate my cousin on his speech regarding his daughter's inter-racial marriage, which I roughly quote: "We share more in common than we do differences. We are all Malaysians. Let's make 1Malaysia a success." A noble giving-away speech.

I wish my first-cousin-once-removed all the happiness and success in her marriage.

Christmas feelings

2009-11-26T14:01:00.003+08:00

Christmas may be commercialised these days, but it sure is lovely to walk into the shopping mall and be greeted by Christmas music and decorations. It just brings on a lovely, merry and peaceful feeling.

After all, may good tidings come to all this Christmas season and always!

I am going Christmas tree hunting for our new house. We gave our old tree to my parents when we moved to Ipoh, so it would be really special putting up a new tree in our house in Ipoh this year.

(picture from www.funquizzesclub.com/blogs/)

Malaysia can help make a better world

2009-11-26T10:01:00.002+08:00

Our PM said this, "Malaysia, with its background of multiculturalism and tolerance, can play an effective part in promoting deeper understanding between the Muslim world and the West."

Can it?

Once upon a time, I believe Malaysia could have been a true model of multicultural and multiracial success. But today, even under PM Najib's leadership, Malaysia is fast regressing and sliding backwards and in great risk of becoming an extreme, paranoid nation led by leaders who use religion shamelessly to keep things in check.

Where is the tolearance and understanding that Najib is talking about? Was it the cow head incident where a group of protestors against the relocation of a Hindu temple to a section of their housing area paraded a cow head through the streets, stepping and spitting on it? (the cow is a sacred animal to the Hindus)

Where is the tolerance? During the holy fasting month, the non-Muslims in Malaysia are careful not to eat or drink in front of their Muslim colleagues. All meetings are conducted without the usual serving of water or other refreshments. Is this reciprocal? An Indian colleague of mine once remarked, how about Muslims eating beef in front of a Hindu? The Indians don't complain about this. In fact, the other races (we are tolerant, you see) don't complain much. But we all walk on egg shells to ensure that our fellow Muslim Malaysians are not offended in whatsoever, tiny, miniscule manner. Oh no, that is a big NO NO.

So, honourable PM Najib, where is the tolerance and understanding you speak about, without even a flinch of guilt or regret, since it is the leadership that has systematically led Malaysia down the path of intolerance, fear, race politics, Ketuanan concept? An adept politician with showmanship and manufactured conviction, speaking of things he doesn't believe in and that don't exist, or at least, that will soon cease to exist.

Hoi Seng Restaurant, Ipoh Garden

2009-11-22T20:37:00.003+08:00

Hubby suggested that we invite his brother and wife out to dinner tonight. We decided to try the relatively new Hoi Seng restaurant in Ipoh Garden, just next to the post office.

I had seen the place come up next to the post office on my trips sending out packages and also when the kids and I have roti canai for breakfast. Seemed like a pretty big building for a restaurant. Fellow blogger Motormouth had already tried out the place and posted his review on his blog. So tonight I took some pointers from his blog and ordered 3 of the dishes he had tried - the Shanghai Pork Ribs, Deep-Fried Lotus Roots with Salted Egg and the Hoi Seng Bean Curd.

We got to Hoi Seng pretty early as the restaurant said we couldn't reserve a table for 6 as they had run out of tables that size and only had large tables. We were told to "walk in" preferably before 7pm. Actually, we needn't have worried. There were plenty of tables available. True, there weren't many small tables but no matter, we had our pick of any of the tables for 8. But the place filled up quite quickly after 7.15pm.

The Shanghai Ribs were tender, meaty with plenty of sauce to dunk the plain buns in. Funny thing was, the waitress called it "Wuxi Pork Ribs" in Cantonese. Now, we had been to Wuxi in China last year, where they serve their famed Wuxi Pork Ribs, and Hoi Seng's ribs is nothing like that. Well....maybe the restaurant just wanted it to be mysterious. The deep fried lotus roots were quite nice, but tonight, not as crispy as it could have been. The bean curd was good, and managed to actually suit my fussy 4-year old's palate.

We ordered bean sprouts (good) and black pepper fish slices (not peppery enough). Overall, the food was above average, and we would return to sample the other dishes on the menu. My kids had no problem with the ambience too, which is a plus point.

1 Malaysia - at the market

2009-11-21T19:38:00.003+08:00

It was wet and dreary this morning, but the marketing had to be done. I had already postponed it by 2 days, stretching the creativity limits of both my maid and myself, as we whip up meals for the family from my dwindling supplies at home.

So off to the market I trudged. To be honest, I hate marketing. I dislike the crowd, the narrow paths between the stalls, the wet floor, the myriad smells, having to haul the week's worth of fresh ingredients to my car. Despite the weight of my purchases, I'd rather buy for the whole week, than have to make multiple trips to the market. That's why I have 2 fridges. (I can't imagine why my SIL goes to the market daily - she must find it therapeutic, or, is it possible, pleasureable??)

Still, the market plays a vital role in supplying fresh ingredients. On days that I just don't want to go to the market, I buy my fresh produce from Tesco or Jusco, but it's not the same. The veges are definitely not as fresh; the fish are touch and go; the chicken, well they're all broiler right?

Anyway, I digress. I usually zoom through the market, having established a pattern after being in Ipoh for 10 months now. First I place my usual order with the chicken stall; buy the dry stuff like potatoes, onions and the like; then I buy my pork; followed by the bean sprouts and bean curds. By this time, my basket is laden and I have to return to my car to deposit my load. When I return I head to my usual vege stall; then I buy my fishy stuff which is just next to the chicken stall; and last, I pick up my chicken which would be all chopped and cut. I'm out of there!

But today, when I went to my last stop, the chicken stall, alas my order was not ready. The vendor was inundated and she asked me to go walk about and come back a few minutes later. Groan!

So I shuffled around miserably and came to an elderly gentleman selling Malay breakfast favourites - nasi lemak (rice steamed with coconut milk and accompanied by anchovies, chillies, peanuts and cucumber) and lemang (glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and salt, wrapped up in leaf and stuffed into a stick of bamboo, and cooked over a fire). For some reason, I assumed he was Chinese (as this is a Chinese market and I have not seen Malay customers shopping here) so I told him, in Chinese, that I would buy up the last of his lemang. He replied "Seringgit setengah"(RM1.50). Still it didn't occur to me that he was Malay, and I asked if I could have it for a lower price. He replied, "Sudah murah" (it's cheap). Only then did I realize my mistake. I quickly said, "Maaf Pak Cik, saya ingat Pak Cik orang Cina". (I'm sorry Uncle, I thought you were Chinese). He smiled and said "Tak apa, Melayu Cina semua sama. Kita 1Malaysia" (That's alright. Malay or Chinese, it doesn't matter. We are 1 Malaysia).

I continued the rest of my conversation with the Pak Cik in Malay and ended up buying the rest of his nasi lemak too. He said he's in the market every Satuday. I'll remember that.

If all Malaysians think like the Pak Cik, and we take the time to truly be fellow Malaysians, be courteous and respectful to one another, there might be hope for 1Malaysia.

No plastic bags - what's the alternative?

2009-11-21T19:29:00.003+08:00

Penang's "Go Green" campaign is to be commended. The state has a "No Plastic Monday" campaign running, which it plans to make permanent next year. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said “According to the data provided by 45 supermarkets, hypermarkets and other retailers, it is estimated that Penangites had saved over one million plastic bags in four months".

Sounds good.

But I've always been pondering this point. What do people really do with all the plastic bags they get from their grocery-shopping trips to the supermarkets? Do they just discard and throw them out? I don't think so, really.

I always reuse the plastic bags, mainly as garbage bags.

Now, shopping bags can be made of recyclable material like paper or cloth, but what would be the alternative to plastic garbage bags? Is it really true that 1 million plastic bags were saved in the Penang no-plastic campaign? Or did people just have to go out and buy 1 million new plastic bags to use as their garbage bags instead of the ones given out by the supermarkets?

Did it really make a difference?

School's out!

2009-11-20T18:48:00.002+08:00

The cool and rainy weather did not dampen my son's or my gleeful mood as today is the last day of school for the year. Hooray!

No more worrying about homework or exams until next year. Now for the next 6 weeks, I think all school-going children in Malaysia deserve a relaxing, unstructured and fun break after the academic year filled with school days, tuition days, exams and the like.

Happy holidays to all school-going kids in Malaysia, and have a good break too, Moms!

Penang...still charming

2009-11-17T20:00:00.005+08:00

We just came home from a 3days-2 nights family trip to Penang. The kids have been to Penang before, but then, my little girl was only 1. So her memory of that trip is hazy. But they will remember this trip much better.

It was quite fun. We stayed at the Park Royal Hotel, situated along the Batu Feringgi stretch of beach. Our family room was sizeable and comfortable. Room service was prompt, tasty and surprisingly reasonable in terms of pricing. This time around, I set aside my fear of the sun and accompanied the kids to the pool and beach each day of our 3 days stay. They loved it, especially my little girl.

The only thing that scared her was her ride down the water slide at the pool. She took her maiden attempt on the water slide with her father, held securely in his arms, or so it seemed. My husband, however, went down the slide too fast which resulted in both of them going under water for probably about 2 seconds, as he did not hold her above water. But that short time was sufficient to cause her to have ingested some water, and she was sputtering and tearful when they emerged from the water. Nope, she didn't want to go on the waterslide again.

Until the next day, when I persuaded her to try it again, and this time Mommy would hold her and no going under water, I promised. She bravely agreed, and as promised, I went slow and held her high when we went into the water. Still, that was all she wanted of the water slide.

We didn't have much time to sample Penang hawker fare. For lunch on the first day, we ate at Joo Hooi Cafe, which my husband remembered was quite good. We were disappointed with the assam laksa - Kong Heng in Ipoh does a far better assam laksa! The char kway teow, so famed in Penang, also came in as average.

We bumped into cousins who were also staying at the Park Royal. They too have a little girl, who is the same age as ours. The 2 little girls had a ball of a time playing together, and seemed fascinated with the fact that they too, are cousins. Well, our cousins suggested we eat in Ferringi Cafe, a mere 5 minute walk from the hotel, for dinner one night. The food served, Asian-fusion, was rather creative and everyone enjoyed their orders. Except for me, unfortunately - my Nasi Briyani was not too well done; perhaps that was not their forte. For lunch, our cousins took us to Sweet Cherry, a Thai restaurant. The food there was excellent and reasonably priced. We would go back there next time we are in Penang.

We managed to squeeze in Penang Hill (once is enough, for me) and the Toy Museum (in need of maintenance and upgrading). All in all, it was a very enjoyable trip and Penang still has its charm.....indeed, the Pearl of the Orient.

(picture from Park Royal hotel website)

Not wrong to go on a sponsored Haj pilgrimage?

2009-11-13T19:42:00.004+08:00

Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nikmat had said that it was not wrong, not corrupted of him, to accept an RM65,000 sponsorship to perform the Haj in Mecca from Nov 18. His son-in-law supported him in this matter and attempted to explain the issue: "It's like this, he (Nik Abdul Aziz) is like other Tok Gurus and many people want to go to the Holy Land with people like him because his knowledge of Islam is inspiring. Naturally many would want to perform Haj with him."

Herein lies the glaring and sad, sad fact that Malaysian politicians are ill-informed, misinformed, uneducated perhaps, ill-advised, unsophisticated .....(the list goes on).

Yes, yes, we understand what the son-in-law - Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman and also CEO of Kelantan Mentri Besar Incorporated (PMBK) - is trying to say. In fact, it would be alright and acceptable if the Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz were any ordinary Tok Guru, Ulama, religious teacher - but he is not.

He happens to be the Kelantan Mentri Besar and the spiritual adviser of the political party PAS. This whole thing of accepting paid/ sponsored trips/ items/ gifts/ whatever raises CONFLICT OF INTEREST issues, and naturally questions of impropriety. Datuk Nik Aziz has since decided to cancel his Haj pilgrimage.

Please hire better legal advisors.

You think swearing is normal?

2009-11-13T16:28:00.004+08:00

There is an Australian, a former soldier, who has been detained in Dubai awaiting trial on charges of insulting and using inappropriate language to a police officer at the Dubai International Airport (the Age, Nov 13, 2009). Mr. Sun McKay said that he was grabbed on the wrist and yanked by a stranger at Dubai International Airport, and instinctively said: "What the f---?". The stranger turned out to be a plain clothes airport policeman.

Ok, perhaps it was the shock and surprise at the unexpected encounter with the police officer that caused Mr. McKay to say what he said. But it is troubling to note the reporting which says that McKay "instinctively" swore.

Has the usage of swear words become so common, to the point it is instinctive? Is it to be recognised as acceptable behaviour? Perhaps to a large number of Australians, Americans etc. etc. (I may be generalising here) it is accepted behaviour, but for a large part of Asia and definitely the Middle East, as Mr. McKay has painfully learned, it is not regarded as acceptable behaviour. It is rude, crude, barbaric, demeaning and just plain awful behaviour.

It made, and still makes, me cringe during the days when I was in university in Australia and exposed to daily colourful language by my peers. We would be cuffed if we spoke like that back home.

Mr. McKay says he is "astounded by the situation". Well, I am equally astounded at how liberal swearing has become. He further believes he has been treated unfairly, and wants the Australian Government to formally complain to the United Arab Emirates about his treatment. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs however, has rightly said it is limited in what it can do to help Mr McKay, as travellers were bound by the laws of the countries they visited.

And Mr. McKay is chanting the usual mantra, "They don't have the best record of human rights here". ....predictable.

Anti-terrorism and ISA

2009-11-11T20:31:00.005+08:00

At today's round table discussion organised by the Foreign Ministry’s South-East Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT) in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, the Australian Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, William Paterson, said , “Malaysia chooses to use the preventive detention approach under the ISA ... has it been effective? Without doubt, yes, it’s been very effective".

This is a very dangerous statement for Ambassador Paterson to have made, for even though he said every country had to come out with its own initiatives in dealing with terrorism, I am certain that some ignorant or twisted Malaysian politician will seize upon this endorsement to unravel whatever positive progress has been made to recognise that the ISA is an archaic, outdated, abused piece of legislation that stifles democracy in Malaysia.

Even the wording of the article by the Star, Aussie anti-terrorist expert backs ISA, may give the impression that the ISA was praised in its entirety, which it was not. It also smacks of hypocrisy for an Australian Ambassador to praise the ISA when Australia is so big on human rights, something the ISA completely violates. (Incidentally, Ambassador Paterson was awarded the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in 2005) Or perhaps when the ends justify the means; when the threat of international terrorism is reduced for Australia; Australia would support whatever measures that were taken to achieve that measure of security, despite the collateral costs those measures may have incurred.

Certainaly no legislation like the ISA would ever be adopted in Australia.

It must have stung Australia when Indonesia used "human rights" as their basis for refusing to use force to make the Sri Lankan asylum seekers disembark.

Have you heard, "Penatlah saya"

2009-11-08T17:45:00.008+08:00

For readers not schooled in Bahasa Malaysia, "penatlah saya" means "that would make me so tired".

Where did I hear this?

At the post office, Pos Malaysia Berhad. The story behind this goes like this.....I use Pos Laju, Pos Malaysia's express courier service quite a bit. And to be honest, Pos Laju is reliable and more cost efficient than the other private courier services. I send out between 3 to 8 packages each time.

Is that too much to handle for the Pos Malaysia counter servers? Well, apparently so. Because each time I approach the post office counter with my transaction, the attending counter officer's demeanour sours (it's not a very big post office and they recognise me by now). That already puts me off. Hey, I'm giving Pos Malaysia business am I not? Once, the post office counter staff insisted on weighing all my packages, tallying the cost and getting my payment first. Then after I had gone, she said she would stick the respective Pos Laju forms onto the packages later at her leisure (the packages have been separately labelled, so she would only have to match the names on the packages with the correct Pos Laju form). I was uneasy with this method as it leaves a big error for margin. True enough, for that batch of packages, the post office mismatched the forms to the packages, resulting in people receiving someone else's stuff.

The post office did not apologise for this error, nor did they offer to reroute the packages to the correct recipients for free. We had to pay again for the second delivery.

When I went to the post office to make another delivery following that erroneous transaction, I specifically told the counter staff at the post office to individually weigh, and to individually label the form onto, the packages. This is when the counter server said "Penatlah saya!" I was truly taken aback - this is the post office's service and her job, in particular. Well, I told her to weigh the packages and I would stick the forms onto them myself - she was only too pleased to allow me to do that!

If possible, I try not to use Pos Malaysia Ipoh Garden.

This led me to search for other better staffed post offices in Ipoh. Do you know that there are Pos Mini (mini post offices) - these are actually privately owned agents of Pos Malaysia i.e. the operator of the Pos Mini would be the proprietor and business owner. With a business ownership mentality, the service level is definitely many notches better than the normal Pos Malaysia post offices. Fortunately I found an excellent Pos Mini in Taman Cempaka. The counter server (only 1 person) is efficient, courteous, patient, diligent and professional. And no matter how busy she is, she never utters a complaint and does not scowl at customers.

One day in Jaya Jusco (One U or Mid Valley), I happened to walk past their comments board. Pasted onto the board were all the customer feedback, the good and the bad. One particularly struck me. The complainant said that she had asked the Jusco salesperson to unlock a chained handbag for her to try out. While waiting for the slow-moving salesperson to do so, she had walked a few steps away to browse at other merchandise. When she returned to the handbag, she found it still chained and locked. She summoned the same salesperson who said that since the customer had walked away, she had assumed she was no longer interested. Well, the customer asked her to unlock the bag for her to inspect, to which the salesperson whined "Penatlah saya!"

Now, where have I heard that before?

'Friendly visits' to check on maids' welfare

2009-11-08T17:00:00.005+08:00

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam announced that from Dec. 1, 2009, the Manpower Department and Home Ministry will launch a program to conduct random visits on homes to check on the maids’ welfare and working conditions as well as get feedback from the employers on the maids’ well-being. The HR Minister said that the visits would be friendly in nature, “a public relations exercise”, with no specific questions asked.

Several concerns arise, immediately.

First and foremost, security and the right to enter. The HR Minister already accedes that the officers would have no power to conduct the random visits at the employers’ premises if they are denied entry. And given Malaysia's stellar record of crime and creative imposters as well as robbers in disguise, you can be sure that many homes will refuse entry to the officers. How can the public be certain that the officers are genuine and not criminals in disguise? And dropping in unannounced - that would be extremely rude, invasive and unwelcome.

What is the exercise expected to achieve? A PR exercise? Usually PR exercises are to improve and entrench businesss relationships with customers, so using this jargon for such an exercise is inappropriate. What relationship do we have with the Manpower Department and Home Ministry - other than the fact we pay a heck of a lot of money to maid agencies; we pay an annual levy to the govt for employing our maids; we get fined when the maids decide to run away and live as an illegal in Malaysia with their new-found boyfriends (a practice the govt has done little to curb). What service do we employers receive from these govt agencies? Now, you want to enter my home to "look around" - I don't think so.

Would there be enough manpower from the departments to deploy? Would the officers involved be adequately trained in "PR"? Will they be polite and professional? Will they, err, expect "something"? Malaysians already put up with a lot of "attitude" from govt officers whose job it is to serve the public, but instead of doing so professionally and expeditiously, they make the public wait, grovel, beg and worse.

Is this whole farce an attempt to placate the Indonesian government? Please. Show some strength, some backbone, some pride. Otherwise, our government will be very busy launching "PR programs" each time another country complains about their nationals' welfare, whether they are here for work or leisure.

Of valid tickets and faulty machines

2009-11-05T16:39:00.004+08:00

I read with the feeling "it happens everywhere" an article describing the outrage of the Melbourne public over a case, one of many, where a commuter's valid multiple-trip ticket failed to work on a tram despite his repeated attempts to validate it on the tram's ticket machine.

And when the ticket inspector came a-checking, the commuter was fined for not having a validated ticket for his tram ride. Despite his explanation that the machine simply refused to validate his ticket. The official response was "he should have either got off the tram or bought a new ticket". The commuter in question intends to fight the fine in court.

And so he should. Because ticket inspectors should really apply some common sense. It is daylight robbery to require a commuter to buy another ticket because of a faulty (or selectively faulty) machine.

Back home in Malaysia, we get fined for not having valid parking tickets displayed on our dashboards. Several times in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL, after they replaced the parking meters (now why did they have to do that? The existing parking meters were working fine...ohhhh, silly me, of course it is to create a "job" for "someone"), I simply could not get a ticket out of them. I was not alone.

One morning, I followed the instructions on the dastardly machine and it simply refused to work. A gentleman came along and offered to try. I said, sure thing, go ahead. He too, failed. A second gentleman came along, thinking we were idiots for not being able to work the machine. Hah, he was equally foiled by the wicked machine. I can't remember how many people ultimately milled around us waiting to get their tickets, but I do remember having to ditch the idea of getting a parking ticket and just dash off to do my marketing. If a council officer had come around, I am positive I would return to find a compound notice on my windscreen, and would the local council entertain my explanation that their ticket machine didn't work?

It happens everywhere.....lack of common sense by council enforcers, dodgy ticket machines installed by dodgy means for dodgy purposes.

Malaysia has lost its way, says Ku Li

2009-11-02T15:39:00.007+08:00

And Tengku Razaliegh is so right, frank and honest about it.

How many of our corrupt politicians and leaders would admit this?

The veteran Umno man told the British Graduates Association at a dinner in KL on Nov. 1 that it was a fact that those Malaysians who “can stay away and settle overseas do so with the encouragement of their parents. Their parents tell them to remain where they are, there is nothing for them here. The illusion of nostalgia does not explain why parents fight to send their children to private and international schools rather than the national schools they themselves went to." (Malaysian Insider)

Tengku Razaleigh said that the very same politicians who recite nationalist slogans about our national schools and turn the curriculum into an ideological hammer send their own children to international schools here or in Australia and Britain.

Indeed, I have Malay friends - highly educated, from connected familes, affluent - who send their children to international schools. And these same Malay friends hold PRs in other countries, namely Australia and Britain. Why? Do they not feel secure in Malaysia, where their position and priveleges are protected, and where they are accorded so many "goodies"? Do these Malays feel, too, that the BN leadership and stranglehold on the country would only lead to the enrichment of BN politicians and the ultimate ruin of Malaysia and its people?

So these Malays are "preparing" their children for ultimate flight out of Malaysia with well laid paths of foreign education and PRs in a number of countries. Well then, at least, if and when their children leave Malaysia, they will live in the "real world" where they will compete on merits with others.

The esteemed Tengku also said that Malaysians felt a sense of loss not because they did not love the country, or were ungrateful. “It is because they feel the erosion of the institutional infrastructure of our society. Institutional intangibles such as the rule of law, accountability and transparency are the basis of a people’s confidence in their society."

Tengku is right again. Our government has gone down a windy, slippery, dangerous road that has seen the judiciary, police force and other government agencies lose their independence, professionalism, accountability and therefore, the trust of the people. How can one trust a public institution where a citizen died there under unexplainable circumstances? How do we not lose faith when selective corruption raids are mounted, yet at the same time it is plain for all to see the blatant corruption of (former) Menteri Besars etc living in palaces in prime locations, but with not a twitter of rebuke let alone punitive action from the government.

Our schools are in a mess. Why else would ministers be sending their children to international schools? The "crude nationalism" as Tengku calls it, blindly sidelines English, stupidly denying its value and importance to all Malaysians, and the country. Always the same old "Bahasa Malaysia is the country's language and the key to our unity". Really??

Our leaders are not connected to the realities of the challenges of the world today, only to their disgusting priority of getting rich through their station as politicians, leaders and high ranking government officials.

Aussie (another one) rescued from Canadian mountain

2009-10-30T15:00:00.006+08:00

It was reported in today's Age (Australia) that an Australian bushwalker has been found cold and wet but otherwise fine after spending the night in the snow and rain on North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain.

The person in question, Frederick Hayes, 24, wore only light trackpants and a hoodie jacket, with no torch or any other gear, and became separated from friends on the bushwalk at about 5pm the previous day.

Now, this is a mountain trail, in Canada, not some tropical paradise where daylight hours are long, the temperature warm and humid. One must know that it snows on mountains, in Canada. Mr. Hayes is very lucky to have been found alive by the North Shore Rescue volunteers. The rescue leader said "There's three inches (75mm) of snow on the ground, so we really want to appeal to the commonsense of the people who do hike these trails," he said. "I have to be very upfront and honest with you, these kind of (emergency) calls strain search and rescue (crews) because we are a volunteer organisation and all of us have to be at work in the morning."

I couldn't agree more with the resue leader.

Australians seem to be an adventurous bunch. I have nothing against Australians nor against adventurers hikers, but they should be appropriately geared with, among others, maps and compasses (I think - I'm not a hiker), as well as properly attired. Because when they get into trouble, they then cause a whole rescue mission to be activated, which in this case was made up of volunteers. Otherwise, it would be official search and rescue missions costing tax payer dollars. And more than that, rescue personnel also take on risks in any recue mission.

Not too long ago, another Australian, no less than the Victorian state Minister Tim Holding was lost on Mount Feathertop in Victoria's Alpine National Park. His rescue involved the use of "aerial support", all in all costing a pretty penny, no doubt.

And the lesson here? Think a little about your own safety and that of others when you attempt that hike or walk for your pure leisure and hunger for adventure.

How much does your maid eat?

2009-10-28T16:44:00.005+08:00

Over the recent Deepavali weekend, my parents came to visit and stay over. They came with my brother, his wife and theiry baby boy. My parents had to bring along their maid of 6 months as they did not want to leave her alone in the house - who knows what she might do?

Anway, my Mom has been regaling me with stories of how much her new maid eats. I have seen her in action, whenever I visit KL. She eats about 2 cups of raw rice a day, for lunch and dinner (wait, wait, she cooks the rice of course. Phew! Had to clarify that lest we be accused of maid abuse, given the sensitivities of the time) Maybe a bit of perspective will help here. My family consisting of myself, husband, 2 kids and our maid cook about 2 cups of rice for lunch/ dinner, and we usually don't finish the rice. There is always a bit leftover. So that's about 4 cups of rice a day for 3 adults and 2 kids, compared to my Mom's one maid who gobbles up 2 cups of rice a day.

Oh, and she loves sugar too. She eats (drinks?) 1 kilogram of sugar in about 2 weeks, give or take a couple of days. And of course chillies! My Mom lets her blend a whole kilo of dried chillies with onions, garlic and ginger to make her "sambal" which she can't live without, and she eats all of that in a matter of days. Then she complains of a stomach ache! I wonder why she gets a stomach ache, don't you? Then she has the cheek to let us know that back home in Indonesia, she doesn't get to use onions and garlic for her sambal, so it is extra delicious here! (that's why she can't help stuffing herself!)

My Mom's maid has also told my maid, "Saya mari kerja di Malaysia mesti makan banyak banyak!" (When I come to work in Malaysia, I must eat a lot!)

I asked my maid if they were short of food back home in Indonesia. My maid says no. Back home, they may not have much money, but food is abundant as they grow a lot of their own food and raise livestock. The volcanic soil ensures abundant crops and the Indonesian govt also has a food aid program that distributes rice and cooking oil to needy families every month. My maid says that while they may not eat as much meat as we do, they have plenty in terms of vegetables, potatoes, soya bean products and local fruits. So where does this gluttony come from?

My Mom's maid is obsessed with food and her weight, complaining that she has lost weight since she came here. So when they were all here, I took the maid to my bathroom and weighed her on my digital scale. The scale registered 43.3 kg. She was 41kg when she came - she's put on 2.3 kg in 6 months. Nobody can say she's not been fed well! She is also very short, well under 5 feet.

My former colleague had a maid who also ate a lot. She went through 1kg of sugar a week, mountains of rice and stole condensed milk, as she just loved to eat it. My colleague found empty cans of condensed milk under her bed.

I wonder if the contract should stipulate how much the maid should eat? It wouldn't matter, as the maids break their contract anyway. And there is nothing the Malaysian and Indonesian govts can do about it, despite their countless meetings and MOUs. The fact is, there are very few maids from Indonesia who have a sense of honour, obligation, loyalty or gratitude despite earning more money than they ever could dream of working back home in Indonesia.

Teoh inquest: 80pc chance of homicide, says Thai expert (the Star)

2009-10-21T12:10:00.004+08:00

I think the general public feeling and perception is that there is no way that Teoh would have committed suicide. The whole affair very much spanks of foul play and the MACC and the government have a lot to answer for.

It has been very unprofessional of the MACC personnel to say that he did not want to care or to know about what happened to Teoh, when he was alerted that a body had been found on the ground as it was not inside the MACC office.

Hitting and beating suspects or even volunteers under interrogation? Very well known, no matter how much the authorities may deny it.

Homicide at or in or very near to a government premise to a person who was just interrogated?? You draw your own conclusions...