URBAN:TE | penang

here comes a video to cheer up your day. pretty funny! Guys, please watch it till the end! that was the funniest part. unbelievable asian. I bet he got to be a chinese.

sign off - cv

I pick this letter up from a desperate mother, via her post thru letter to Malaysia-Today website. Just want to say, i can feel for her thru her writing, how angry she is; i means come on..1300myr with our current living standard is next near to impossible. Single mom with kids.!! damn it. do something you stupid goment.

Chicken price has gone up (I'm not even going to talk about the rice price!), eggs, milk, vegetables, fish, all up! Even if I sell this old car I still will not be able to cover my expenses for food! How much and how long do you think that RM625 cash will help me?? I'm so sick and tired of hearing them say change your lifestyle! There is nothing more for me to change!
Dear Editor,

I have read so many times about the price increases but so far I feel that nobody actually knows or cares about how much we, the general just below-average and under-average income earners live!

In your papers you had an article on how people manage their income but most of them earned RM3000 on average!

What about me? And those in my shoes??

I am a single parent! I am not a charity case (though it looks like I'm being pushed into that), I have one kid 3 yrs going on 4. My ex-husband doesn't support me with anything! I work in a factory as an assistant officer. My net income is RM1300 per month!

To get to work 7 km away and to send my kid to the babysitter, i have to drive because the public transport only decides to turn up when they feel like it!!!!!!!!! Moreover, to get from my house to my job of only 7 km away, i have to travel on 2 buses that will take me 20 km in all different directions before getting me to work. (What great public transportation we have here!) Just for your information, I live in Seremban; not too far off in the rural area but just about 1 hour's drive to KL. But, we have very crappy public transport services. And I imagine most towns have this same crappy service too!

The 13 year old Wira I drive actually belongs to my brother-in-law. God Bless him, he let me use this car when he bought a new one late last year (an Iswara) so that I can get to work on time.

I live in a rented house of which I pay RM280 a month and my babysitter costs me RM270 a month. My utility bills come up to RM100 and my phone bill around RM80. I had to cancel my credit card which I had from my single and carefree days and now I'm paying for it monthly until the year 2010! RM160 every month! Then, I put money aside for my kid's milk, diapers, food, gas, rice, (all these used to be around RM250 a month) and of course, petrol! I used to spend RM120 for petrol a month. And that would leave me RM40 a month for doctor's fees, and maybe getting a new pair of slippers for my kid or whatever is needed for her. (How I've change my lifestyle! I have not had a hair cut in 2 years! Let me just say I've made changes to my lifestyle, drastic changes from 2 years ago when my ex-husband left!) However, still, I used to get by.

But then came the petrol price increase!

Chicken price has gone up (I'm not even going to talk about the rice price!), eggs, milk, vegetables, fish, all up! Even if I sell this old car I still will not be able to cover my expenses for food! How much and how long do you think that RM625 cash will help me?? I'm so sick and tired of hearing them say change your lifestyle! There is nothing more for me to change!

Unless I skip some meals, maybe my breakfast and my lunch?? But then, what if I get sick? Who will care for my daughter? How do I pay for the doctor? And if I don't go to work (because I'm sick), maybe I may not even have work anymore?? Then who will pay all the expenses? Where will I live? Can the Government give me a house?

Now, when I'm struggling with my income, what about my other friends in this factory whose salaries are RM550 a month. Then, there are 2 women here who are widows with school-going kids! Who have worked as operators for 5 - 8 years here and their salary NET only reaches RM650 a month! Lucky for them, they have their own houses and do not pay rent! Lucky for them too, they either walk or cycle to work. But don't think the price of petrol has not affected them! Because they still have to buy food and clothes and pay for their kids' school bus fares as all have increased! But their income remains the same! So tell me, how can they get the RM625 subsidy??? What is the government going to do for them??

All I hear on the government focused news are how they are trying to find ways to help the civil servants. I'm not saying they do not need help, but, WHAT ABOUT US??? Is anyone doing anything for us or would you all prefer we just die off quietly?? Our income will not be increased, and you can bet because of everything, the company will not increase the salaries for next year as well because they need to cut costs or close shop! Then what will we do??

Do you know that you can get welfare help if your family's income is RM350 and below only? This was what my friends were told and because they have work, they are not entitled to welfare help!

So, can someone explain to US, THE REAL PEOPLE, WHAT THE HELL IS THERE FOR US TO CHANGE??? AND DO NOT TELL US TO GET ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME!!!

I really do want a reply from someone who can really give me good, clear answers. Not some "merry-go-round the bush" answer!

Thank you,
A desperate mother!


sign off - cv

heading to jln burmah telecom center to pay my bill the other day. since they have the new drive-thru counter, so i decided that would be much more convenient since the area have difficulty of parking your car. its a busy road leh.

manacai, i saw this uncle on bicycle infront of me. waiting in line. wah lao! i cannot tahan ter-laugh-out. sorry uncle. just curious why you use that counter since u can easily drop your bicycle and go inside the air conditioning room with 10 counter to pay your bill leh.

but this uncle very nice, he actually help me to make sure others didn't cut my q, cos there is some BLIND idiot who walks to the counter try to pay the bill. Dude! it's drive thru. not walk-to counter. at east put some effort like this uncle, use a vehicle then you'll be eligible to use it.

I present to you, the nice uncle. *bergaya sia*

Last friday is exactly 2 years of my non-bachelor life le. We head on to QEII for some fine dining.. skipped 32 Mansion this time.

it was a great night. We had a lot fun and a lot of food to begin with. lol. Let me see, some prawn salad.. then a lobster soup, yum yum.. trio set of everything. not forgetting..! the new HOT amazing beef in the menu. "Wagyu beef cheek" if i'm not mistaken. It's as soft as compare to a kobe beef. unbelievably yummy.

the next great thing, it's all free! Dave "the owner" said... everything on him. go max with the orders and all for free. bingo! so here i go.. alcohol and alcohol.. back home with a full and BIG belly. hahaha. Uncle already.. what to do.

only took one quick photo... too busy with my drink :P

oh ya, Sam (dave son) told me the Wagyu beef is a part from the cheek, well of cos, the menu name make it pretty clear it all doesn't it? then i receive a sms the day after and Sam said, damn it! "you didn't get the joke, wagyu beef cheek is the butt!!, not cheek" so name doesn't mean the origin sometimes after all.

Dave, Sam . thanks for the meal and the great night. I'LL BE BACK! hahaha.

Happy anniversary HONEY! love ya.

sign off - cv

kids nowsaday! and when the fuel increases; lucas is holding a Dior milk bottle. impressive anti-inflation mindset! lol.

now it get me thinking! it's an accesories for him or for MY WIFE leh? hmm, honey! what you think?

First, everybody is angry about the increase of fuel in Malaysia, but i'm more angry becos they have to announce it hours before off working hour. why do they have to do this everytime? can't you announce it during the morning or early afternoon? im stuck for 2 hours becos everybody rushing to fill up their tank. I can understand why this time (last increase was just a mere 20cents), but this time it's almost 40% increased. So you can't blame ppl rushing to bombak the station.

next, why at this time? when Malaysia politic have the worst stability over..? as in the government have no idea the dissatisfaction of the rakyat toward them? the result is obvious during the March 12th election no? or it's merely a punishment? well, the answer lie within them. we wouldn't know for sure.

Let's go back to the fuel increase, remove the subsidy and let it flows by itself. smart decision, now, when i used to fill it up at 120myr full. i think it would cost me 160myr today onward. so lets do a simple calculation. I spend around 800-1000myr on fuel itself. so means im looking at 400myr a month increases. That could be a month installment for a decent car for fuck sake.

Thank god i cut down on booze now :)