What's in a name?

Typically in Terengganu, if your name was...

Abdullah (like the Prime Minister), then you would be called Dolloh, or Pok Loh.

Idris (like MB of Terengganu), then you will be Derih.

Abdul Rahman (like the Tunku), then you will be Deramang.

Sulaiman, becomes Slemang.


I was in Kemaman last week. In a meeting, I was introduced to a government officer...

"Encik M, this is Encik Alwi who will be responsible to evaluate your application."

I look at his name tag carefully, just to make sure.

It's spelled:

A . L . U . I .

Now, that's the first!

♥ @ 1st sight - 01

A casual Sunday drive to JK’s apartment turned out to be a love affair. Planned for Sunday lunch to discuss trips and holidays. I was humming to the music from my Ipod. Album selection: “INTERNATIONAL”. Ramazzotti with Bocelli singing Nel Cuore Lei – an excellent duet I can listen to them forever.

Before turning right to JK’s apartment, I saw…. in white…..

“Cantik nye!”

Didn't' want to be late, I didn't stop.

May be another day....

Cute Like SHEMEQ

I caught this little doggie walking along the beach. She reminded me of Shemeq with her dress that I bought from Chaktuchak a couple of years back. The “dress” is too small for Shemeq now. She’s grown big (not fat!)



She is one of Ao Nang beach happy residence.

Cute isn’t it?

I dedicate this post to Dr. G and LTK who have been contributing to animal welfare in Singapore and Malaysia and of course to all animal lovers out there.

Tsunami? He was there.

The guide who took us island hopping was there at Ao Nang beach when Tsunami hit the coast of Thailand on boxing day of 2004. I remember I was in Istanbul at that time only learned about the catastrophy when I returned to my room.

The boatman, who is also a guide told me his first hand tsunami experience. He actually saw the 8 meter wave approaching Ao Nang beach and ran for his life. When the wave returned to the see, he saw about 3 long tail boats and 1 big dive boat struggling their way to shore. Unfortunately the current was too strong all the boats disappeared together with their passangers and divers. I can tell from his expression that he was so affected by the huge wave. He is very lucky to be alive.

To the guide, Ao Nang beach is a lucky beach compared to Phuket and others, which were totally destroyed.




"I will always operate in Krabi. I believe Ao Nang beach is a lucky beach. It was mildly hit by tsunami compared to other beaches. The most damage we had only flood in the office about knee level. It's lucky here. I do not see myself to live else where"

The Andaman

The wind was blowing fresh breeze from the Andaman sea.....

Nice.

A leader should sound like this.

Not like those dull speechces without intonation and clearly lack of spirit to make people think. Those we have been listening to for the past 4 years.

The youtube on ZAM (Minster of Information) still bugs me. A leader yet not even close to being articulate. Besides, he answered Al Jazeera's questions so badly, it appeared (or may be it was in actual fact) rather personal and emotional.

I normally just browse through morning papers, not that I agree with all Lee Kuan Yew's policies but this is to me an example of a good leader addressing the rakyat. Apparently, it was a 35-minute off-the-cuff speech in English and then Mandarin.


Using the same timeframe, he then spoke at length on Singapore’s growth in the global economy as he issued a warning.

“We are doing fine, we’re likely to do well, but there are dangerous market signals,” he said.

He cited especially oil prices, now nearing US$100 (RM334) a barrel, which he finds unbelievable.

In response, the United States is looking to turn corn into ethanol, an alternative source of fuel. This has a domino effect on food prices.

“When you turn food into energy, food prices go up. When you have grain turned into something else, (prices of) chickens go up, pigs go up.

“So there’s a real possibility that a year down the road, prices go out of control, America goes into recession, stop buying so much, China stops exporting so much, India stops exporting, we also stop exporting so much ...

“Please remember don’t just believe that everything is just going to go up and never come down,” he said.

“I won’t be here for very long, I’m already 84, I’m giving you disinterested advice. In 10 years’ time, you may go up, you may go down, I’m not likely to be able to address you, I’ll be 94. If I’m around, I’ll be in a wheelchair.”

However, Lee is confident Singapore will come through the turbulence in top form.

He pointed to several major investments already snagged: the integrated resorts, a S$6.3bil Norwegian project to build the world’s largest integrated solar plant, ExxonMobil’s US$4bil (RM13.4bil) petrochemical plant and Formula One racing.

“So ... even if the world economy goes slowly down, the construction work that goes on with these investments and the two Integrated Resorts and Formula One and the hotels, you will not starve,” he said.

picked from THE STAR today.

WELCOME TO KRABI - SAWASDEE

After waiting for some friends to decide where to go for a birthday (not mine!) getaway, ended with no conclusion, I decided not to let Deepavali long weekend to pass by uneventful.

Indecisiveness leads to disappointment. I have learned.



But hey, I can make my own plans hence the hard to come by free long weekend does no go to waste.

After contemplating over a couple of affordable destinations, I ended up in Krabi. And I am glad I did.

TRAVEL TIP: Check out Air Asia holiday packages, they have good deals. And of course – BOOK EARLY!

I was a skeptic for a moment upon arrival at the newly completed Krabi International Airport as it was raining. I thought the monsoon on this side of the coast has just ended? But, after being greeted by typical warm and polite Thai hospitality, I know my 3 days / 4 nights beach holiday was going to be great.

TRAVEL TIP: 3D/4N is a good span. Not too long, not too short either.



Before I realized it, I was already in a brand new Honda Civic airport limo with soft English songs in the background and a copy of FLYER (free Krabi megazine / guide) in my hand. A very handy monthly publication - informative background info and planning materials in your hand while enjoying the 20 minutes taxi ride from the airport to the hotel.

























Since I got a good deal from Air Asia holiday package, I decided to splurge a bit by requesting for a room upgrade. A room with the swimming pool and a private jaccuzi (you can even skinny deep if you want to!) right at he edge of the balcony. Even the towels are folded, origami style, into elephants.
























TRAVEL TIP: Add a few more holiday dollars per night and you can get a fantastic room with a view and a pool!

After unpacking, I hit the street straight away to browse through local scenes, with rich colorful handicrafts, shops and of course the restaurants along Ao Nang beach overlooking the Andaman sea with fantastic view of rock formation islands which are uniquely Krabi.





Just like my Bangkok trips, I had the Tom Kagai for lunch – after the first spoonful of the coconut base soup… ahhhhh I am in Thailand again.

Despite the wet welcome at the airport, the weather throughout the trip was perfect. It was quite fun to browse along Ao Nang beach people watching while sipping a cup of coffee or enjoying sugar-free banana split.

Along the street there were people carving soaps into fine colorful sweet smelling flowers and other crafts and arts. Trust me, he prices are very reasonable as long as you know how to use your negotiation skill.






TRAVEL TIP: Compare prices first and then chop the price by 50% and slowly work your way up. You will get a good deal. Control yourselves. Don’t make it too obvious you are crazy about the t-shirts, or sandals, handicraft etc. You can always go to the next shops.





Typical Thai and their food, they are just delicious. The Thais are very adventurous. You can get endless way of seafood dishes cooked in different style. They are fresh and CHEAP! An equivalent of RM20 per person, you can have a sumptuous dinner for 2.



TRAVEL TIP: Before ordering your seafood, bargain first. The stall next door can be 20% cheaper. Trust me! Negotiate before they grill that succulent red snapper!




















After a nice dinner and a series of bargaining and haggling, we went for a nice nightcap before we ended the day… a 60 minutes foot massage. So good, I dozed off. I was informed later that I was snoring.

THAT YELLOW TSHIRT

I just came back from Krabi, Thailand. I almost bought their yellow t-shirt which the Thais wear very religously every Mondays to mark their support to their beloved King. Baby blue on Fridays, for the Queen. I have always wanted to get it but when I tried they always don't have the size I wanted.

Before Krabi, I promised myself not to switch on my handphone. But on Sunday morning I reluctantly switched it to check if I have missed important messages / calls.

I received a couple of sms about BERSIH protest. I had a feeling something was brewing. I ignored.

Today when I boarded the aircraft, checked out The Star and the headline confirmed it. I did not believe what the paper is trying to project or protect.

KW (Lim Kit Seang supporter) asked me to check out jeffooi.com.

KW also said: Eh, Chinese people say ah, you cannot cover fire with papers you know!

I just checked out the website.

Let us share this interview between Al Jazeera ad YB Minister of Information of Malaysia:

What follows is a transcript of the telephone interview that Malaysia's Minister of Information Zainuddin Maidin (ZAM) gave to the Doha-based TV Network Al-Jazeera (AJ) over the 5.00pm bulletin yesterday, moments after the BERSIH memo was delivered to Royal Palace at the close of the biggest anti-government protest in Malaysia in ten years.

ZAM: ....I commend your journalists trying to project, to exaggerate more than what actually happened. That, that, that, that's it. We, we are not, the, the -- and I, I congratulate your journalists behaving like an actor, that, that's ---

AJ: As you say that, sir, we're watching scenes of protesters being sprayed by chemical-filled water ...

ZAM (interrupts): Ya, I am watching, I hear, [?] .... trying to do it everywhere but in Malaysia people are allowed, to, you know [?] ... Police have allowed the procession to go to the Istana Negara, you know, do police, first police, like, they handle them, they [?] them, they ... the police don't, don't, don't fire anybody ...

AJ: Our correspondent came back to the office, sir, with chemicals in his eyes!

ZAM (speaking over her): ... You, you, you, you are here with the idea, you are trying to project, what is your mind, you think that we are Pakistan, we are Burma, we are Myanmar, everything you, you are thinking ...

AJ: Well unfortunately when you refuse to let people protest, it does appear so.

ZAM (speaking over her): ...Ya, ya, we are not like you, you have early perception, you come here, you want to project us like undemocratic country. This a democratic country!

AJ: So why can't people protest then, if it's a democratic country?

ZAM (interjects at "protest then"): Ya, people protest, people then -- first they protest, we are allowing protests, and they have demonstrated. But we just trying to disperse them and then later they, you know, disperse, but later our police compromise. They have compromised and allowed them to proceed to Negara. Police, our police have succeeded in handling them gently, right? Why do you report that and you take the opposition, someone from opposition party you ask him to speak, you don't take from the government, right?

AJ: Why did you not break up these protesters --

ZAM (interrupting): Pardon? Pardon? Pardon?

AJ: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

ZAM: I can't hear you. I can't hear you.

AJ: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

ZAM: No we, we are, we, this protest is illegal. We don't want, this, the, normally ... (slight pause, then continues to talk while she interjects)

AJ (interjecting): OK, so let me return to my former question. Why is this protest illegal?

ZAM (babbling on): Ya it's illegal protest because (AJ: Why?) we have the election in Malaysia. It's no, no point on having the protest, we are allowing to have every, an election every five years, never fail. We not our like, are not like Myanmar, not like other country. And, and you are helping this. You Al-Jazeera also is helping this, this forces, the, you know, these forces who are not [?], who don't believe in [?] ...

AJ (seems to want to say something, but decides not to): I don't ... many thanks for joining us.

ZAM: I don't, ya, you, Jazeera, this is, is Al-Jazeera attitude. Right?

(she doesn't reply. In the background, the chants of the protesters fill the silence)

Transcription by me, and I take responsibility for errors -- in fact, if anyone can help me fill in the [?]'s, that would be helpful (email).

Points to Note, Objectively

ZAM is right that the journalist in question was being overdramatic, if that's what he means by "behaving like an actor". For those who haven't seen the footage, the reporter is ducking ludicrously (and mostly unnecessarily) about the screen with the crowd scattering in the background under water-cannonfire from the police, acting as though he's being attacked by a swarm of invisible mosquitoes.
This is, of course, not the point.
ZAM made the connection to Pakistan and Myanmar/Burma himself. Paranoia, methinks.
Inconsistencies regarding his claims about democracy and the legality of the protests are manifold. "This is a democratic country," he insists. "We are allowing protests," he goes on to say, emphasizing that the police have "allowed" the protesters through to the Istana (Palace), and that this is an indication of their "gentle" handling of the situation. Not half a minute later, he says, "This protest is illegal," and cannot answer why.
Essentially, what he ends up saying is that the protest is illegal because we have elections. This is a very strange claim to make for a protest about elections.
With all these inconsistencies, it's no wonder that he has to fall back finally on the one justified claim he has made, which is that the journalist played up the drama. Note, though, that he goes much further and lambasts the entire Al-Jazeera network for this "attitude", and for acting in cahoots with the opposition, which is not justified.
Finally, his accusation that Al-Jazeera has not interviewed any government official's side of the story is just too rich. This, from a government that controls all mainstream media and bolsters its authority by only providing its side of the story, is too much. Also, Al-Jazeera is interviewing him, are they not? I don't see RTM putting Anwar or Lim Kit Siang on air anytime soon.

Cut from http://www.idlethink.com/bersih/ and pasted on choratchoret.

That was only an interview by Al Jazeera. I wonder what would it be if the Minister was to be grilled in HARDTALK in BBC.

Dang!!!!! Should have bought that Thai Yellow T Shirt.

I want a fair election too!

Declined

My credit card was declined when I wanted to pay for lunch.

I called the bank they said my cheque had been returned.

I asked why, they did know unless I gave the cheque number which is not quite legible in the Cheque Deposit Advise.

I was very upset.

When I look at the Cheque Deposit Advise carefully I found out.....

I DID NOT SIGN THE DAMN CHEQUE.

Duh!!!!!

How to make Chee Cheong Fun