Quickie - 18/5/2009

What gives? Just heard the radio on the way to the office this morning and was shocked to hear that the authorities will want to negotiate and 'assist' cabbies (that's taxi drivers lah~) that wants to apply for PSV (or their licensing or whatever) that isn't competent in the Bahasa Melayu. I'm sorry, but this is all another stupid move from our very 'clever' people who thinks that by this method, they're 'helping' everyone.

Why? Look at it this way. We've been an independent country for quite some time now and, although i'm writing this blog in English (coz i want to share with everyone around the world about whatever), i'm quite sure that all Malaysians should at least know to communicate and use the Bahasa Melayu (One Malaysia anyone???). Second, which for me is much2 more important, if the cabbies are only fluent in their mother tounge (English? Forget it... if they don't know the Bahasa, do you think they'll know this?), it'll affect the nation in terms of both efficiency of the public transportation system and of course the tourism industry. Picture this, a cabbie who's not competent in the Bahasa or English will go straight past a potential passenger who isn't their race for reasons that they can't communicate with them. So now people will miss their ride to work and the economy of the nation is crippled... along with the cabbies as well (it affects them in the long run you know...). The same can be said with the foreign tourist. "Can you bring us to the #### (place)?", the tourist said, " No understand, no understand!", the errant cabbie said and left the tourist in the dust.

Helping 'everyone' out? I don't think so.

Quickie - 14/5/2009

Mat Rempit.... illegal street racers on modified 'kapcai' bikes. What are we going to do with them...? I don't want to comment much but as the saying goes; Prevention is better than cure. For me, i wouldn't put the blame on the authorities. But i'd rather point my fingers to the parents and the individual themselves. Why them? Parents: Don;t bluff me by saying that it's because you care for your kids that you provide them with a motorcycle. You just aren't. One; you risk them by putting them on a bike instead of a car (if you can't afford the latter, what's wrong with the public transport?). Two; If you love them, you won;t lend them yours if they're underage. Three; .... this could go on and on...
Let's just leave it there and move on. I know that everyone knows how to get over this. But as usual, we just couldn't care.

On the brighter side, now that RON92 is going to be replaced with RON95, i'd like to say to all motorist that we should go for it. RON is actually the octane number for petrol (diesel has their own rating number). The higher, the better but not in terms of performance but in terms of overall. You can read more about RON and how it works at wikipedia or sumthing but as far as i'm concerned, with RON95 selling at almost RON92 price and having the option to shift to it from RON97... i'd say that's a bargain on the long run~

Aoi-chan~~~ It's RON95 for you from now on~~~ (unless if the price difference isn't that big. Then i'll just stick to RON97. Huhuhu)

Quickie - 4/5/2009

My dad just came back from NY this morning and Al-hamdulillah~ he hasn't been infected with the pig flu virus thingy.
Gotta meet him tonite in any case. Got loads to discuss with him, especially on the preparation of purchasing the current house i'm renting (i told you guys rite?) and a few other things. Speaking of which, expect some good and really unexpected news from me within the next month or so. Gotta admit that it'll be more shocking than me selling off my precious collection. Ahahaha~!
All things said, i'm currently happier than before. Hope this clue will help~~~

Quickie - 28/4/2009

Didn't include this one yesterday, but what the....

It seems that i made a hash of this, but as per usual... it's nobody's and everybody's fault. It's now the Income Tax season and the best bit is the deadline is tomorrow. Nice.

Since this is my first time, i didn't know of this very very VERY short deadline. I just had my EA a few weeks ago (not months, so there), and didn't know what to do with it next. Had done my registration earlier, but didn't do the so called e-filing. Now, as we Malaysians love to do (yes, me included), there's this mad dash to meet the deadline as we are all afraid of the consequences if we didn't (which again... i don't know of). Anyhow, i'd just like to comment that the system is rather flawed (got an idea on improving it, will put it up here later) and the worst bit is that although the e-filing can be done from home or work via the internet, these poeple seem to forget that during these times (the mad dash), their servers need to be able to perform (or at least work properly). Which it doesn't...

Oh well, i could just fret on and on. But i think i'd better get it done.... Hey presto! It's done! Wahahaha~~~! I beat everyone.... not

Quickie - 28/4/2009

Heard on the radio this morning that only 15% of the Bumis and the rest the non-Bumis have a Halal certificate for the products. Now, i dunno about the others but for me this whole Halal thing is important. Especially when it comes to food.

Now, correct me if i'm wrong but the Halal certification process is divided into 3 portions, of which all 3 must be passed before considered as Halal. Focusing on food it is the material (raw ingredients), preparation (place, tools, etc.) and personnel (cook, baker, mixer, etc.). Anyhow, seeing that the above isn't that hard to do since all of the items are easily obtained in Malaysia, i wonder how this situation occured in the first place. And by the way, especially to my Muslim friends out there, not all things in Malaysia is Halal... and that includes some of your popular eating outlets/restaurants.

Speaking of outlets, Krispy Kreme opened their first outlet at Berjaya Times Square yesterday (or was it on Sunday?). Looks tempting, but from the various ads i've seen in the newspapers so far, i can't seem to find one with the Halal logo as a proof to their Halal-ness... and that also includes Dunkin Donuts.

I wonder if all the mainstream donuts makers are actually producing non-Halal products? Hmmm...