Tag: malaysians

I Don’t Like My Cabinet

It is so difficult to find a good cabinet nowadays.

The cabinet I now have is full of termites. Apparently it is made of plywood.. Despite looking stylish and sharp, when knocked, it sounds hollow. It sounds like a tin kosong.

I tried getting them renovated and visited a store called GE13. They offered various custom made compartments and were made of different types of wood. There were many options for the cabinet doors ─ metal, composite, laminate, and thermofoil. All good options, to be honest. I decided to give it a try and placed my order.

But for some reason, the order never came through. Maybe someone offered a better price for it. Sigh.

The truth is, they don’t make cabinets like they used to anymore like the cabinets we had back in my kampong. They were all made by my dad. He singlehandedly picked and chose every part of the cabinet. The workmanship was rough since dad was merely a hobby carpenter but he knew how to pick the woods and make the edges meet.

We’ve had those cabinets for more than 40 years now. The red meranti still stands firmly on my mom’s kitchen walls – slightly worn, but well kept. Even the paint is in good condition. And no matter how hard my crazy rough brother bangs the doors shut, not a single splinter comes off. The only thing that gets broken every now and then are the made in china door hinges.

But then again, the cabinets were made by a mamak – which explains its durability.

The truth is, when it comes to kitchen cabinets, you get what you pay for. There is the cheap plywood kind teeming with insects (like the one I have in my kitchen) of low durability but surprisingly sturdy and good looking.

Then you have laminates which are basically a thin layer of solid wood over an inner core of chipboard. The wood covering is deceiving, misleading and in the end the chipboard doesn’t last that long.

I don’t want that type of cabinets anymore. I need something solid. Something durable. Something with quality.

Seriously, I need to change the cabinets in my home. The IKEA ones look nice – quite pricey though, but nice nevertheless. However, I wonder if it can fulfil the real purpose of a cabinet.

You see, what I do know is that peddlers at furniture malls who want to sell me cabinets, try to distract me so that I forget the real function of a cabinet. Cabinets must serve a purpose and I know getting the wrong one means that the purpose is not achieved. On top of that you are left with a heck of a lot of trouble.

And I also know that a homeowner who keeps changing cabinets just for show should not be trusted completely. I mean, why would a homeowner change his/her cabinet(s) around Syawal? What is he/she trying to accomplish? Is he/she hiding some deep rot by refurbishing it with some good looking chipboard cabinet with an oak overlay?

Like I said, I hate my cabinet. Besides the termites eating away at the wood I paid for, I hate the fact that some of the doors which are made of dark shaded wood keep dark secrets. And I also hate that the old drawers in the cabinets don’t slide in easily. I think drawers should never fight with their master.

To be honest, I don’t think any amount of renovation or refurbishing or reshuffling can cover the unpleasantness of having this cabinet in my kitchen. It just needs to go. All of it.

I would really like to replace it with a nice, new, gleaming cabinet. Maybe one with transparent sides or a transparent glass door. One that will let some sun in so that everyone can see that it is not messy on the inside.

I want a cabinet with doors that don’t creak loudly every time they’re opened or shut.

I want a cabinet that doesn’t store candies and cookies in its’ recesses….hidden away from the kids.

And I want a cabinet with classy, durable, functional containers – not one screaming with red Tupperware and cheap plastic containers in pastel colours.

I guess I should start shopping for a good cabinet before it’s too late. As of now, one side of my cabinet is full of termites and the other side is also corrupted from absorbing too much water and dampness that didn’t belong in the cabinet in the first place.

Hopefully by 2018, I will get my cabinet replaced. Maybe with a meranti, maybe a jati. But definitely never a plywood or a chipboard ever again. I know it won’t be easy – good wood is hard to come by despite living in a tropical climate.

But then again, we must be willing to put in the effort if we want to enjoy having a good quality cabinet in the house.

Source: www.freemalaysiatoday.

July 29, 2015
Despite 1MDB Woes, Najib Now Unassailable After The Cabinet Purge

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 ― With the strategic removal of potential challengers from within his Cabinet, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is likely to remain prime minister until the next election despite his troubles with debt-riddled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), political observers said.

With a specific reference to his deputy in government as well as in Umno, Tan Sri Muhyiddin, the analysts said the prime minister has effectively neutralised dissent within his party at the risk of enlarging the rift between the camps of both leaders.

“Najib will stay as PM, what he has done is standard textbook on political survival, a carrot-and-stick approach where you get rid of your detractors and reward your loyalists,” Universiti Malaysia Sarawak political scientist Dr Faisal Hazis told Malay Mail Online when contacted yesterday.

“Najib is flexing his muscles, this move will consolidate and strengthen his position.

“I don’t see how Muhyiddin can unseat Najib, or anyone else. Najib’s actions are in line with Umno’s culture of patronage (and) sends a strong message to critics to not mess with him,” Faizal added.

Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian said Muhyiddin could have challenged Najib while he was still deputy prime minister, but likely did not have enough backing to make a move.

“I am not sure that Muhyiddin has the support to muster a serious challenge towards Najib. If he did, he would have already made his move,” he told Malay Mail Online.

Such an overt move by Najib, however, will likely lead to a clash between Najib and Muhyiddin, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia political analyst Prof Shamsul Adabi Mamat said.

Shamsul stressed that what Najib did was necessary to keep his ministers in line and to send a strong message that they should not criticise him publicly.

“But the controntation between Najib and Muhyiddin will be unavoidable. It depends on Muhyiddin’s next move on whether he wants to challenge Najib.

“But I predict camps from both sides will clash,” he said.

Professor Shaharuddin Badaruddin of Universiti Selangor believes that Muhyiddin does not have enough influence or support within Umno to mount a credible challenge against Najib.

“As for what can Muhyiddin do, I think he does not have any strength since he’s only a regular MP.

“He can move a motion of no confidence against the Cabinet but he would need the support of all Umno MPs first. Given the culture of political patronage in the party, I do not see this happening,” he told Malay Mail Online.

“Remember that the culling is meant as a warning to all Umno leaders at all levels to tow the line or face the consequences,” the academic added.

In a hastily called news conference held in Putrajaya yesterday, Najib announced that Muhyiddin was dropped from all Cabinet posts ostensibly for publicly questioning the prime minister’s alleged links to the 1MDB financial scandal.

Muhyiddin had during the weekend urged Najib to satisfactorily explain the 1MDB controversy, claiming that he and other ministers were unaware of the “real facts”.

This resulted in a rare public rebuke from the Prime Minister’s Office Monday, which urged Muhyiddin and other members of the administration not to pre-judge the ongoing investigations on 1MDB.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

July 29, 2015
She Called Him A Cina Babi. His Reply Was Pure Gold

One of our team members here at Greater Malaysia stumbled upon this story where an old lady and her daughter was cutting the queue at the express counter in a supermarket. When this happens, the usual response would either be silence or the people in the queue would tell the queue-cutter off and the matter would be resolved. Not this time.

After being told off, she called the netizen who posted this story “Cina b***…” and the story below ensued. We at Greater Malaysia would hope that one day, things like this will be relics of the past and we can all live without prejudice.

Note: The italicised words in the status update below are comments from the editorial team

Here’s The First Status (With Some Minor Censorship)

See below the photo for the short non-extended status

I told off a 40 plus year old malay lady and her daughter (probably in high school) for trying to cut the queue at the express counter in a supermarket. I said “tolong jangan potong queue. Orang lain pun beratur juga.”

Her response:

Cina b***…

Fuhhh! Cari pasal… Soh*****!

Pendek cerita, Abang Shuq kasi settle dan tepukan dari pembeli lain kedengaran sewaktu Abang Shuq meninggalkan cashier. Sekian terima kasih.

P/S: teruk sangat ke my Malay that she thought I was Chinese?

This was the short version of the story, before he added the extended version below due to overwhelming response.

Here’s The Extended Version Of His Status

Due to overwhelming response, here is the

EXTENDED VERSION:

I was the third person from the cashier with at least 10 people in line and this woman and her kid had been standing in the sidelines talking about how the supermarket should have more cashiers open. I was just observing cos I had a feeling that she was gonna cut the line cos she kept creeping closer to the line. True enough by the time I was the at the counter, she made her move.

I politely said to her:

Tolong jangan potong queue, orang lain pun beratur juga.

She gave me a cock stare, took a step back and said those two magical words…

Cina B***!

I was like, “oh no you didn’t b****!” Its on now m***********. You brought this on yourself. Abang Shuq is gonna tear you a new one!

Jilake betul.

Apa akak kata tadi? Cina b***? Cina b*** ya? Memandangkan akak ni tak reti nak beradab, saya harap akak reti baca…

…and I pulled out my IC. (Yes I did. How else was I to prove I wasn’t a b***) Note that the author explains his comments below if you misunderstood his comment about proving he wasn’t a ‘b***’ below.

Reti baca tak? Nama Melayu ke nama Cina?! Tapi pasal orang macam akak yang serupa takde agama, adab macam puaka lah saya nak mengaku orang Melayu pun malu!

Then I turned my attention to the people in the queue:

Perempuan biadap ni nak cuba potong queue, bila saya tegur, dia panggil saya cina b***! Patut buat apa dengan orang macam ni?

I then told the cashier:

Selagi dia tak ke belakang queue awak jangan kira barang dia!

I asked the crowd,

..fair tak?

Then they started to sound her. She didn’t know what to do and proceeds to say:

Pergi mampos laa korang!

Drops her basket and leaves with her kid. Throughout the whole thing, her kid just kept quiet and kept her head down.

The guy in front of me high-fived me and the queue clapped after me. Abang Shuq dropped the mic and left the building.

Here’s A Note From The Author Of The Status

NOTE: A friend brought to my attention that some have misunderstood when I said “How else was I to prove I wasn’t a b***” when I pulled out my IC to prove I wasn’t Chinese. Its not about race which I’m glad most people understood.

However this does raise a concern. Some of my fellow Chinese Malaysians feel that when the word b*** is mentioned, its referring to the Chinese race. Please don’t feel that way my friends. Its something you shouldn’t associate yourselves with. Only small minded people think this way. I know you’re better than that.

It raises a concern indeed, we are definitely better than that.

Source: http://greatermalaysia.com

July 25, 2015
Malaysia’s Underground Prostitution Industry

Malaysia is one of the most conservative countries in Southeast Asia. This is very overt when you wander around the cities and see most Malaysian wearing tudungs, or head scarves. However, student prostitution, even by the Government’s own admission, is rampant.

Prostitution by students occurs in many forms across the country. In truth, it has been happening for years. Even as far back as 2003, the Malaysian government set up a committee to monitor foreign students who could be tempted to enter the sex trade. This andother initiatives to curb the problem have had little impact, with student prostitution now a major underground industry involving both foreign and Malay students.

Local Malay girls who take up study in Kuala Lumpur usually come from “outstation” or towns outside Klang Valley, where the nation’s capital Kuala Lumpur is situated, and suddenly find themselves in the middle of a vibrant city after a sheltered life at home. They meet other outgoing people at the college they study at, and enjoy the new freedoms they have. This excitement lures them into experimentation with this newly found lifestyle of going out to various ‘night spots’, and restaurants.

These girls are often introduced to a businessman by a friend who needs an extra girl for a double date, for dinner. This may end up with a stay at one of the many small hotels around KL. Many girls find the experience of having sex with strangers after a dinner exciting. They are gratified by the tips usually given to them afterwards, and soon find out this is a very easy way of making money.

In this regard, many Malay girls don’t see themselves as prostitutes. Going out with strangers is a way of having fun and getting some extra money to buy the luxuries they want. They may undertake this activity spasmodically with a select group of men they get to know, or begin do this on a regular basis to make more money.

The girls very quickly build up a ‘social circle of men’ through recommendations given by satisfied clients. Much of Malay girls’ clientele is developed through this method.

Local Malay girls usually stick to Malay businessmen, hoping to get in with a rich and generous “Datuk” who can look after them. However many are also interested in expats. For some, this is an opportunity to experiment with sex before they get married and settle down.

Although the money is often seen just as a bonus, girls tend to seek generous types who look after them financially. They are selective. The young women can make up to RM500 (US$140) per encounter, and also get the opportunity to go away on weekends where they can earn up to RM1,500, plus the presents like iPhones they may be given.

(READ MORE: Prostitution: Thailand’s worst kept secret)

Some Chinese and Indian girls may follow the above pattern and have a couple of businessmen friends for the fun and extra money. Chinese girls like their own, preferring Chinese businessmen, particularly those girls who are Chinese educated.

Those who have the urge for more regular encounters use one or more of the many ‘dating’ sites like Tagged, Cupid, and Adult Friend Finder. Some even advertise in the classified pages of the local newspapers. The good thing about the Internet is that they can pick and choose who they want.

Taking on dates with businessmen on the side is usually enough to cover school fees and buy the luxurious things they want. There are actually very few work alternatives available, as wages in fast-food outlets or department stores are extremely low and require many hours work commitment, which would interfere with study. Prostitution is most often the best money making option to them.

Some work as guest relations officers (GROs) in the various karaoke bars or pubs around Kuala Lumpur, but this is very rare, and left more to foreign students. The karaoke bars are inhabited by the Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipinas, Thais, and some Cambodian and Lao girls. Indonesians tend to be found in one of the many Dangdut Clubs around town, catering for the Malay speaking customers. Some of these girls are just working to supplement their funds and pay their school fees, while others work full-time for as long as they can before returning home.

Some work out of escort agencies, while a few, who are not genuine students may end up in some of the massage parlors around Klang Valley. Many of these come to Malaysia to undertake short English courses end up in brothels.

Foreign students tend to rely more on others to organize their customers than locals, who operate much more on a freelance basis. Businesses matching foreign students with customers are now flourishing in Malaysia.

Another group of foreign students from African countries like Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Botswana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, prefer to stand outside the popular night spots in KL. They can be seen around Jalan P Ramlee and KLCC area each night. They tend to target the expatriate population.

Many students in private colleges, particularly from the East Coast and East Malaysia struggle to pay fees, so need to work to pay for their studies. At the same time there is a heavy demand for student prostitutes around Klang Valley.

Student prostitution is not limited to Malaysia, its common in many other places, even in places like Budapest in Hungary. However its probably more rampant in Malaysia due to the limited choices of work opportunities available to students to pay for their education, and the limited number of student loans and scholarships available in Malaysia to poor and needy families.

What was a decade ago just a discreet practice of liaisons by local students with local businessmen has grown due to the influx of foreign students into a massive underground industry.

Source: http://asiancorrespondent.com

July 25, 2015
‘Automatic’ Divorce From Wife For PAS Lawmakers Who Exit Party

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 ― Any male Kelantan PAS lawmaker who quits the party will be considered to have divorced his wife “automatically”, the state Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob has said in the wake of the controversial set-up of a new political outfit by splinter group Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB).

Several Malay dailies reported Ahmad insisting that the divorce was legit under an oath called the “third talaq bai’ah”, sworn by all its assemblymen and MPs dating back to at least 2004.

“The oath is true… When it happens, in Islam, even if we utter it once, the effect will be long-lasting,” the PAS deputy spiritual leader was quoted telling reporters in Kelantan yesterday.

“Like what have been said by Kelantan Chief Shariah Judge Datuk Daud Muhammad, don’t take light of this because the effect is lasting… Don’t play around with this,” he added.

The oath has since resurfaced on social media after PAS’ progressives were ousted at the party elections last month and went on to set up GHB as a precursor to the new Islamist political party they hope to register on September 14.

The oath is allegedly a must for Kelantan PAS lawmakers before accepting their posts and requires them to swear to divorce their wives with the “third talaq” the moment they join a new party.

Talaq ― or talak as it is spelled locally ― is a type of divorce in Islam which provides the man an avenue to initiate a divorce through simply pronouncing the word; if the man pronounces a “third talaq”, he is then prohibited from getting back with his wife again, unless he takes another woman as his wife and then divorces her afterwards before remarrying the first woman.

Malay Mail Online cannot yet verify if a similar oath exists for Kelantan PAS’ women lawmakers too, such as Demit assemblyman Mumtaz Md Nawi and Tanjong Mas assemblyman Rohani Ibrahim.

Kelatan’s chief Shariah judge had reportedly warned PAS members that such talaq was considered valid although it was recited in an oath or in jest, and breaking the oath would require them to proceed to the Shariah Court to verify the divorce.

There are at least six Kelantan PAS lawmakers who are expected to join GHB’s new party: Tumpat MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar, Kuala Krai MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Pasir Puteh MP Datuk Dr Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad, Kelaboran assemblyman Mohamad Zaki Ibrahim, and Tendong assemblyman Rozi Mohamad.

Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

July 25, 2015