♥@ 1st sight - 19

I went to have a peek at the Fiat after work today and quite happy with the progress. It was a surprise visit and Lawrence was there to explain to me what he has done so far.

The new cover of the rear seat. White color with perforated material on both sides of the seat. The material was specially ordered from Singapore. It is no leather, but it looks and feel like it. The closest I could get to luxury.

Floor carper has been installed, Currently they are fixing the details like the edges as well as the details to accommodate gear stick, handbrake and seats.

The roof has been upholstered with cream color special carpet for sound and heat insulation purposes.

Lawrence, as usual, recalculating the cost of my demand and delivered me the bad news that hit my wallet, hard. Sigh!

He will try his best to get the whole things done by Saturday....

What's new?

The rakyats of Malaysia have been SODOMIZED since the last General Election.

♥@ 1st sight - 18

I revisited the Fiat again on Saturday just to put a pressure to Lawrence (the owner) so that he can start working on Saturday as he promised - and he did start on Saturday.

The name of the shop is Y TWO K located in Bandar Tun Razak (Boy his son is under a lot of trouble now!).

I had the feeling Y TWO K started business during the late 90s when Y2K was such a big thing of NOTHING when the year 2000 arrived.



Lawrence explained to me in detail what needed to be done and also the cost involved. He always (I mean ALWAYS) emphasizes the fact that there are a lot of work need to be done, this and that. I think he purposely did that just to justify his price - to avoind me from squeezing his price quotation further.

I am quite a tough nut to break when it comes to negotiations (or so I think?). I didn't really give him a hard time to ensure he doesn't cut corners at the expense of the quality of job done.

One thing for sure, I will not pay him a single cent, until I am happy with the job done - he has been warned from day 1.

The original upholstery. Two toned cream color. I quite like the color.

The condition of the seats are very severe. Springs need to be fixed as there are some broken ones. The fillers like sponge etc needed to be replaced to ensure its firmness and comfort.

The previous owner then has this cover (red) to cover the original upholstery. It's quite ugly. Perhaps it was hip in the 70s.

This is the material (3rd cover) that covered the car when I bought it. Ugly too.

All the work will be done here.

Meanwhile, the car will be there for a week. Hopefully it will be ready by the weekend, Can't wait to do detail touch ups and drive it around.

Boys and their toys in Taman Fatahillah, Jakarta.

It's nice to take a stroll on Sunday afternoon. I totally forgot about the other chaotic parts of Jakarta. People are more relax in Taman Fatahillah. I could see happy souls with their own toys - be it a BMX bicycles or Vespas or DSLRs - They were passionate about it. I really like this part of Jakarta.

Both, spotted in Jakarta...

A shop at Plaza Indonesia

At RAN's apartment parking lot

Which one is more DIVA?

♥@ 1st sight - 17

Drove the Fiat to the upholstery workshop yesterday from Ulu Kelang to Cheras through MRR2.

It was a smooth 20 minutes ride.

The traffic was flowing and that was about 11am on Monday. Perhaps more people opted to use public transportation due to the fuel price.

It was fun driving the Fiat.

I can't wait to drive it on weekends for breakfast and lunch.. or going out? May be not going out clubbing as i have not installed the air-conditioning yet.

I got several honks other motorist and thumb-ups too. The car is such an attention grabber especially at the traffic light when I can see everybody was looking at the car (and me?).

I had my big pair of sunglasses and baseball cap on.

Shy wor!

DYMM Sultan Perak Sultan Azlan Shah:

"Baginda turut mengingatkan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Perak supaya memelihara kemuliaan dewan menerusi perkataan, perbuatan serta tingkah laku selain cara dan adab berpakaian bagi menghormati adat dan resam yang melambangkan kemurniaan budaya dan ketinggian tamadun."

Exactly my (songkok) point!

Words highlighted are for the attention of that Johor assemblyman.... please go and look for Kamus Dewan Bahasa and learn!

♥@ 1st sight - 16

I am quite happy with the progress of the FIAT. Yeah, it takes longer than I thought it would be but so far I am very happy with the work done and dedication shown by David the resourceful mechanic.

Since I want to get the car to be restored closest possible to its original form, I just gave him another challenge: To get me a set of FIAT 600D original rims.

He accepted the challenge, and I really home he can get them.



Two of the workers were washing the FIAT when I arrive. I wasn’t happy when I saw they were spraying the car with a strong water-jet. I told them after – hey have to be gentle when giving their tender loving care to such an old car. It might just ruin the newly done bodywork and paintjob!


I am very impressed with the re-chroming done on the rear bumper. It looks brand new and I am very satisfied with the result. So happy with the bumper, I asked David to re-chrome some other parts too.



I also pickup up the upholstery material from RS who kindly enough sourced the material and some ideas about the color chosen from his (as a designer) point of view. I totally trust his taste and creativity.

Hopefully I can send the car for re-upholstery tomorrow so that the car will be ready before the end of next week. I have ensure the upholstery shop to strengthen all the seats in the car and add more fillers in the seat after being sat on since 1960s.

I am irritated with the songkok issue in Johor recenly.

This assemblyman refused to wear the songkok.

It is simple, songkok is part of the official Dress Code of the Johor assembly and formal events:

“…….events involving the Sultan, Muslim men should wear the Malay traditional attire with songkok, while the Muslim women wear "baju kurung" and head scarves.

For non-Muslim, the men should wear a coat and songkok, while the women also wear baju kurung.

If events are held at the palace and it involves the Sultan, non-Muslim women must also wear the head scarves….”

I think the assemblyman is just plain rude, disrespect, insensitive, lacking of refinement and do not understand and perhaps do not have the capacity to understand protocol.

Or, is he trying to prove a point?

If you do, Mr Yang Berkhidmat, why don’t you make it clear why did you act in such an uncouth manner?

If you have something against songkok, then bring the matter up in the Dewan. After all you have the avenue to do so since you are a member of the Dewan. Do it the professional way!

And by the way, there is nothing religious about songkok. It is just a traditional head gear. Songkok is worn throughout the region, including the non Muslims in Indonesia.

Mr. Yang Berkhidmat need to do a bit of homework on the constitution, history, heritage, culture and the manual for Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri. You have other more pertinent issues in your hands and the people has given you the mandate to represent them.

Try to understand what culture and values really mean - subjects you seem to be lacking of...

BOSAN!

Naik Gaji

I totally agree if the salary of the CEOs of GLC such as TNB be increased for their responsibility, accountability and to a certain extend – liability that he shoulders.

For a company like Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the CEO is running a PLC with market capitalization of billions of Ringgit.

If you look at another PLCs with the same range of market capitalization, I am sure these non-GLC CEO’s get more in terms of salary, bonus and other perks which is nothing compared the what TNB CEO is getting.



A friend said to me over a glass of teh tarik and apom underneath a big tree in Bangsar yesterday that the CEO of TNB deserves it. This could be one of the ways to avoid brain drain. Wihtout which the GLC will end up being managed not by the cream de la cream of Malaysia corporate because non GLC PLCs give far more lucrative / competitive packages.

I totally agree.

BUT

A
The timing sucks. People are talking about cost cutting due to price of fuel.

B
Why only the CEO and the CFO? Why not across the board? After all, it takes more than just a CEO and a CFO to run an organization like TNB.

EQUALLY UNPREDICTABLE


stock market

politics

EURO 2008




I can't seem to sleep

The power of Information Technology…. And blogs

I am NOT very surprised, in fact I am quite disgusted with leaders who do not understand or aware how information can fly to borderless cyberspace literally by fingertips.



I just got home from half-a-day drive just to kowtow to a politician who I hope will help me, by merit, to win a project. I can’t disclose anymore about the project as it could be detrimental to my little business.

I seldom watch TV news nowadays because I think they are all worse than communist propaganda, except the communists do a better job to get their comrades to work toward the same national interests and goals.



After feeling a bit nausea watching the national news highlighting (grossly undertoned) the shortage of flour in Perak, (I seriously think this is one of the multiplying effects of the new price of fuel!), I check out my favorite blogs. Yes, you have to read these blogs (political ones, especially!) with a pinch of salt, if not more. But hey, these bloggers are not fly-by-nighters! They justified their points with facts and figures, they have been around for a while and one of them even won the recent election and now a member of Parliament of Jelutong – through blogging!



There is a big danger to live in the world today if the power the information technology is underestimated. I am saying this to myself too! I still remember Bill Gates once gave an anology when he was in KL years ago during the infant days of the Multimedia Super Corridor: If the aerospace technology develops as fast as the IT industry, everybody now can afford a Boeing 747!

Not many people can disagree with him!



After going through several blogs I decided to verify certain corporate issues with someone who has inside information and very much involved in something hotly discussed in Malaysian corporate community. I will not reveal the insider’s insights on the issue as that could jeopardize my informant, me and my beloved choratchoret - Shemeq will be very upset!



I realize now, more than ever, how recklessly some people with authority and power, corporate leaders or politicians, issued statements to the press without realizing the repercussions of their action – mainly because they fail to comprehend the power of information technology – blogs included.



For weeks now, www.chedet.com has been my No 1 favorite!

pics:
Children of Sunda Kelapa - an old port of Jakarta located in North Jakarta the origin of Jakarta - where it all started.

MIMOSA FAMILY @ JAKARTA

In the midst of Jakarta chaotic traffic, slums and high-rises that sprawl uncontrollably, wild nightlife and political demonstrations, there is an organized bunch of interesting people who belong to Mimosa family. The original group originates from Jalan Mimosa in Jakarta, a common residence to its brothers and sisters. They are RAN’s “extended family”, a special bunch with deep embedded spirit of friendship.


A part from the typical hello, we discover each other through exchanging ideas and opinions and experience. In at least 3 solid hours we talked about politics, religion, sexuality, friendship, family, travel, work, economy and other things. It was just very stimulating exchanging ideas with interval jokes and wits yet with a lot of substance. (trust me, we only had countless cups of Javanese tea with is served with gula batu.) I enjoy exploring people and their personality this way. It’s fun, and it’s frank and definitely one of the best ways to get to know each other and naturally develop friendship.



I for once realize, despite claims this originated from Indonesia and that originated from Malaysia, there are a lot of similarities in our culture (surprise, surprise) as I constantly remind myself and my friends that we are from Satu Rumpun – the same root.


On the other hand, their values and mindset are quite different than ours, especially when we talk about politics and religion. I am not going to elaborate here, and definitely I am not in the position to judge as I respect people for who they are and I am very open about it. But I do express my point of view about things and they certainly do not have to agree with me. Most importantly, we had stimulating time exchanging our thoughts and that was quite an exceptional observation about new things and about other people who live in totally different cities.


I bought 2 books (Jakarta, Jayakarta, Batavia by Bali Purnati and Belantara Jakarta by Herve Dangla) both books have got great photography work on Jakarta and also a brief history of the city. Skimming through the books when I was on the plane makes me think about my newly found friends who I left behind in ONE city which occupied by almost the whole Malaysian population (in terms of numbers) and to them, Singapore is just a little Red Dot, I began to understand further where they’re coming from – so to speak.


We, Malaysians (yes, kill me for saying this, but I strongly stand by my opinion) are rather – relatively – narrow minded when it comes to the way we look at others – our views on different ethnic backgrounds, faiths, political alliances, customs and heritage.



I cherish and can certainly relate to them as I also have my very own “Mimosa Family @ Kuala Lumpur".

Like my Mimosa Family @ Kuala Lumpur, typical close knit group of people would have their own group dramas with facebook and mikrolet, repectively!

Like me, RAN is blessed with a bunch of great people he calls friends.

pics:

Jakarta's colonial past in this 19th-century restored building Café Batavia, Taman Fatahillah offers one of Jakarta's best dining experiences in an unequaled historic setting - open 24 hours.

You should stop and at least have a cup of tea upstairs overlooking the vibrant and photographers swamped- Fatahillah Square and the old Stadhuis or City Hall.
Go check out the kamar kecil and then have a cuppa while talking about LIFE!

Yesterday is a history

Tomorrow is a mystery

Today is a gift - that's why it's callled "present"

Not sure whether I want to take this seriously or not.....


Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday that there won't be any fuel price increase for the rest of the year. He said the Government would think of ways to prevent pump prices from rising further - The Star

Colors of JAKARTA

I had a great time over the weekend in Jakarta recently. This time, RAN introduced me to a lot of history, culture and colors. Really hope I have time to update more content soon!

I managed to capture some colors around Jakarta:

Nasi Uduk - Jakarta's own version of Nasi Lemak - shot near Kuningan

Along the road while looking for the sweet smelling Sedap Malam - Malaysians call it Sundal Malam

Typical food cart all over Jakarta

Bajaj - an important transportation mode besides buses, taxis and mikrolets

Plaza Indonesia