Saturday, June 30, 2007

50 years of eating outlets :More than a place for tasty food

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Jai Hind’s owner Bhoopendar Singh says he finds it hard to let go of the shop despite the competition and rising rentals.
Jai Hind’s owner Bhoopendar Singh says he finds it hard to let go of the shop despite the competition and rising rentals.

Looking for a long-lost Punjabi friend? Chances are you will find him at the Jai Hind restaurant in Jalan Melayu, a popular meeting place for the community since the 1950s. RINA DE SILVA speaks to some regulars in between mouthfuls of the restaurant’s famous chappati and tea with cow’s milk

Paguman Singh’s favourite drink at Jai Hind is the cow’s milk.
Paguman Singh’s favourite drink at Jai Hind is the cow’s milk.
THE Jai Hind restaurant in Jalan Melayu has been drawing in the crowds as far back as the 1950s.

And it was not just the scrumptious chappati, the refreshing cup of tea with fresh cow’s milk, or the finely-made barfi (a sweet delicacy) which has kept the customers going back for more.

The authentic Punjabi cuisine, which in those days was a plate of chappati, a vegetable dish and dhall for 30 sen, brought the community together.

Jai Hind soon became a well-known meeting place for the Punjabis and though the chappati costs RM1.20 today, it is still teeming with regulars who have been frequenting it for decades.
Ranjit Singh, 77, is one of Jai Hind’s loyal customers. He claimed the chappati tasted as good as it did 30 years ago.

Another regular, consultant Pa- guman Singh, 58, fondly recalled how during his university days, he would have his dinner at Jai Hind before rushing to catch the latest Hindi movie at Coliseum cinema.

Lawyer Harcharanjit Singh, 41, was another satisfied customer who had been patronising the restaurant for 20 years.

Although the clientele now includes migrant workers from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, there are still many familiar faces there, including businessmen with their clients and Punjabi parents handing out their children’s wedding invitation cards.

Even the tradesmen hang out here, peddling bottles of fresh cow’s milk.

The present owner of Jai Hind, Bhoopendar Singh, 56, said it was not uncommon to bump into old friends at the restaurant.

Bhoopendar’s father and his friends had bought the place from the previous owner in 1946.

Immigrants of different religions from Punjab state in India would congregate at the restaurant and find solace in its home-cooked food.

Bhoopendar said he was only 11 when his father, Dalip Singh, made him the restaurant’s cashier.

Although there was much to see and learn in the busy restaurant, young Bhoopendar yearned to be at the football field with his friends.

His fondest memory was during Deepavali when he and his sister, Jasbir, would serve sweets laid out on pretty trays to their customers.

When their father died in 1970, Bhoopendar’s younger siblings ran the restaurant. However, in 1983, Bhoopendar gave up his job as a chemical engineer and took over the running of the restaurant.

Jai Hind was originally located at 15, Jalan Melayu. In 2001, Bhoopendar expanded the restaurant. The original shoplot is now the restaurant’s candy-making store.

Bhoopendar’s initial reluctance to take over the restaurant has turned into a labour of love. He said it would be hard to give up the business now despite the stiff competition and rising rental.

NST

Foreign syndicate using students

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KUALA LUMPUR: A foreign syndicate is using Malaysians, including students, to open several bank accounts each and use the accounts to enrich the syndicate members by ripping off victims’ money.

When they first open an account, the account holders will get a “commission” of RM300.

Thereafter, every time a deposit is made, the account holder will receive a RM150 “commission”.

The syndicate has various tactics at its disposal.

One is the SMS scam in which the syndicate informs a third party that he has won thousands of ringgit. But in order to get that money, he has to bank in a certain amount into the account as “deposit”.

Another method is to tell the unsuspecting person that he has failed to attend a court hearing. The victim will have to deposit a certain amount into the account so that his money “will not be confiscated by the court”.

In order to convince him of the veracity of its demand, the syndicate will name an actual court official as a reference, although that court official does not know that his name is being used.

The syndicate will keep all the passbooks and the ATM cards of the account holders. It will then withdraw an amount below RM5,000 at a time, the maximum one can withdraw using an ATM card.

For amounts above RM5,000, the syndicate will ask the account holder to withdraw the money in person, giving RM100 as a reward for each transaction of that nature.

“The syndicate will lobby Malaysians, including students, to open accounts and to invite their friends to also do so to make quick money,” said MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong.

The syndicate has also been advertising in local newspapers for trainee remisiers in their get-rich-quick scam.

“We have received 11 complaints in less than six months, of which five are from college students as young as 18. Two of these students are in police custody.

“This matter is serious and has involved many innocent students,” said Chong, who felt sorry that some of them wanted money to cover their school fees.

Chong appealed to those involved in the scam to surrender to police and lodge a report so that the police can investigate the matter case by case.

The Star

Monday, June 25, 2007

A unique culinary melting pot

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Since the halcyon days of the Malacca Sultanate, Malaysia has remained a gastronomic paradise with the local cuisine acquiring additional flavours and colours.

WHEN it comes to food, Malaysians don’t need a milestone celebration like the upcoming 50th Merdeka Day to indulge. After all, this is possibly the only country in the world where one can literally eat 24/7, 365 days of the year. A feat surely that will qualify us for a world record?

Although Malaysia is generally perceived as a unique culinary melting pot of sorts, in reality it is more akin to a giant rojak bowl. This is because even though the different cuisines appear as a multi-cultural creation, each ‘ingredient’ remains distinct enough to hold its own.

Early food trends indicate that many Malay dishes were greatly influenced by Thailand and Indonesia due to these countries’ proximity and historical ties with ours. During the halcyon days of the Malacca Sultanate (1403-1511), local cuisine acquired additional flavours and colours due to the priceless spice and tea trade which attracted sea merchants from Burma, India, China and the Middle East.

When diplomatic relations were forged between Malacca and the Chinese kingdom, they soon resulted in the birth of Babas-Nyonyas when some of the pioneer Chinese settlers married local Malay ladies. Consequently, the Baba-Nyonyas’ artful blend of Chinese culinary traits with their prevalent use of local spices, herbs and coconut milk left a lasting impression on the Malaysian foodscape until today.

The first Eurasian dishes such as Devil’s Curry, Grilled Fish and Beef Smore appeared post-1511 after the Portuguese invasion of Malacca. But it was the British colonials who were ultimately responsible for the diversification of our culinary make-up, not only with their mat salleh specialities but also Chinese and Indian food when hordes of migrant workers were brought in to work in British-owned tin mines and rubber plantations.

Nancy Huang, who will be celebrating her 40th year of employment with Malaysia’s first hotel, the Federal Hotel Kuala Lumpur, recalled English-style dishes were all the rage back in the 1950s. “During its heydays, our hotel was the most sought-after place in town for Western food. Even our first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj who enjoyed spicy Malay delicacies, often brought his guests here to savour his favourite dishes such as lamb chops, roast prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and cream of mushroom soup.”

Director of Marketing, Regional Sales & Business Development of Federal Hotels International, Ooi Lee Ping, said efforts are being made to trace and possibly replicate the inaugural celebratory menu served to VVIPs for the 50th Merdeka Day celebrations. “The cookbook on our first premier’s favourite recipes, produced in collaboration with his niece, Tunku Dato’ Hajah Mukminah Tunku Mohd Jiwa has continued to generate great interest amongst cuisine lovers everywhere since its launch two years ago,” she said proudly.

The post-Merdeka years saw greater inter-racial interest towards the different communities’ culinary specialities. Known for their adventurous palate, the Chinese soon acquired a liking for Malay and Indian food such as nasi lemak, satay, curry puffs, prata or roti canai, puttu mayam and curries. Chicken rice, chee cheong fun and yong tau foo as well as Indian poori, chappati and thosai also grew in appeal to the Malays.

Mobile hawkers abound as they moved from house to house, shouldering a kandar, a long pole with a huge basket hung in balanced at each end or on bicycles strapped with baskets or iron cases containing delicious gems such as mee curry, pasembur rojak, kuihs, satay, bread, puttu mayam and ice lollies. Local kopitiams (coffee shops) offering freshly brewed kopi ‘O’, soft-boiled eggs and charcoal-toasted bread became popular social gathering points.

In 1963, A&W became the first fast food outlet to be set up in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) and Western-style snack bars and later coffee houses became fashionable amongst the younger set. This was followed by Western grill rooms, modern supermarkets and hotels in the late 60s to mid 70s. The Weld Supermarket was known for its soft serve ice-cream, flaky puff pastry curry puffs and meat pies while the Copper Grill upstairs dished out chicken in a basket, steaks, banana split and bombe Alaska. The Kuala Lumpur Hilton, Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur and Merlin Hotel drew the upper crust to their hallowed fine-dining outlets. When Bangles became the first Indian restaurant to open in Jalan TAR, it drew a sizeable multi-racial patronage.

In the 70s, independent restaurants such as Tai Thong and Chan Kee were the bastions of Cantonese food whilst dim sum became a major draw on weekends at the Federal’s Mandarin Palace, the Equatorial’s Golden Phoenix and the Merlin. The Ship carved a name for itself as the best steak house in town.

Modern shopping complexes (Ampang Park, Sungai Wang Plaza) and Japanese supermarkets like Kimisawa and Chujitsu emerged in the late 70s to early 80s, giving Malaysians their first taste of Japanese dorayaki, a moulded pancake with red bean filling and other imported delights. However, the latter folded when the economy hit a skid after that.

Buoyed by a vibrant economy in the 1990s, the local dining scene saw a slew of Japanese, French and Nyonya restaurants opening up in hotels and independently. Music and films buffs celebrated the debut of Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood, making Tex-Mex dishes the hottest eats in town.

Malay food was actively promoted by restaurants like Yazmin, Rasa Utara and Sate Malaysia while Hong Kong chefs continued to dominate almost every other hotel Chinese restaurants, albeit tweaking their repertoire to include Sichuanese and Hunanese food. Fine-dining restaurants kept diners enthralled with showy tableside preparations – Caesar salad, French-style gueridon specialities like pressed duck, flambĂ© and sabayon.

Malay cuisine gained renewed lustre thanks to Chef Wan Ismail who at one point dominated local TV airwaves. Indian specialities went upmarket thanks to refined outlets like The Taj and Bombay Palace. High tea and afternoon teas with fashion show were trendy then. Thai, Mediterranean and Italian led the wave of foreign invasion.

The past few years have seen the rise of Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean eateries. Sushi kaiten or conveyor belt sushi outlets helped to popularise the cuisine amongst Malaysians while the allure of Korean drama serials extended to the country’s cuisine. Dining out has become such a norm that almost every other special occasions were celebrated on a grand scale at hotels and free-standing restaurants. In addition, Middle Eastern cuisine gained prominence as the country saw increased visitor arrivals from the Arab continent in recent years.

Giant coffee chains such as Starbucks brewed up unprecedented success in the last five years but now, a whole generation of young Malaysians have rediscovered the joys of hanging out at retro kopitiams just like their parents had in the good old days.

The Chinese restaurant scene looked to China for inspiration with cosmopolitan Shanghai’s famous xiao loong pau (steamed dragon dumplings) and la mien (hand-pulled noodles) emerging as choice morsels amongst foodies. Hong Kong fought back with its char charn teng (tea diners) while savvy Indian-Muslim or Mamak eateries became a showcase for Malaysia being truly Asia.

The West and East truly did meet as thanks to the advent of the Internet and telecommunications, Continental and Oriental chefs began imbuing classical dishes with trans-ethnic ingredients.

While ‘fusion’ is a much derided word, traditional culinary boundaries are blurring as foie gras and balsamic vinegar, wasabi and miso, fresh herbs and dried spices from different continents find their way into an assortment of cuisines.

On the homefront, yong tau foo and pau have conquered the Malay palate just as the Chinese and Indians find it unthinkable to forgo nasi lemak and teh tarik. Seems like the old adage, “The family that eats together stays together” still holds true and may it continue to be so for the next 50 years and more.

The Star

Friendster mania lights up cyberworld

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By : CHOK SUAT LING

The highest traffic volume to one of the world’s top social networking sites Friendster is from Malaysia, says a recent report.

The website has 44 million registered profiles worldwide which can be accessed by anyone.
The website has 44 million registered profiles worldwide which can be accessed by anyone.
CHOK SUAT LING finds out why Malaysians are so enamoured with such sites

Friendster public relations director Jeff Roberto says it is a good way to keep in touch with friends.

The website has 44 million registered profiles worldwide which can be accessed by anyone.

EVERYONE’S at it these days.
That housewife, businessman, trendy executive, teenage student, his teacher, that accountant, singer and model may all be in different age groups, professions and social backgrounds but they share a common preoccupation virtually unheard of just several years ago — online social networking.

They are logged on several times a week, or even a day, to social networking sites.

So bewitching are these sites that it has been said their only rival is "real life".

Called SNS for short, they have sprung up seemingly overnight and given the word interaction an entirely new dimension.

When just five years ago, social networking would suggest meeting friends, acquaintances or business contacts over a drink or delectable meal, it now carries a whole new meaning.

There are thousands of SNS sites, among them Friendster, MySpace, Yahoo! 360°, Hi5, Multiply, Facebook and iShoals. But in Malaysia, Friendster at http://www.friendster.com is the most popular.

The highest traffic volume to this site, the 17th largest in the world, comes from Malaysia, it was recently revealed.

It is also the second most visited site next to Yahoo.com. The majority of users, at 55 per cent, are women.

Active users of the site are not at all surprised that Malaysia has surpassed all other nations, even the United States where Friendster originated, in terms of traffic.

Malaysians are enraptured by Friendster for many reasons.

For some, it is to make new friends, for others it is to locate long-lost ones.

But the main reason why they are flocking to the site is because of the large database — 3.1 million — of profiles from Malaysia. They are there because all their friends are.

Founded by Jonathan Abrams in 2002 in California, Friendster, which has 44 million registered profiles worldwide, allows users to set up their personal profiles which can either be accessed by the public, or a select group of friends.

They can email each other over the site, which also allows them to share photos, post bulletins and videos, and blog.

It is like the pen-pal column of yesteryears, only it allows users to do much more.

And contrary to popular perception that SNS sites are only for single young people, there is also a large population of members who are married 30 and 40-somethings.

Jana Ponnudurai, a public relations consultant at Emerald Communications, registered to search for her old friends in Sekolah Menengah Convent Taiping.

Having moved to Kuala Lumpur to work after school, Jana, who is married and in her 30s, thought it would be interesting to see what her old classmates were up to.

"I am in touch with a few schoolmates. We set up a webpage to enable all of us, who are in different parts of the world, to keep in touch. However, I have lost contact with many others," she says.

"I was pleasantly surprised when I logged on to Friendster and saw a link to my alma mater.

"I never expected an American-based site to have a school all the way in Taiping, Perak, on their search list."

While SNS sites are not meant to be used to look for dates, it sometimes ends up doing just that. Some have emailed Friendster thank-you notes for pairing them up.

Friendster Inc marketing and public relations director Jeff Roberto shares one anecdote from Malaysia.

"This guy met his girlfriend through Friendster.

"He had been admiring her from college but did not have the guts to make a move. One day, when he was already working, he chanced upon her profile in Friendster and decided to email her."

An excerpt from that member’s email: "She replied on the same day and confirmed my uncertainties.

"She was the girl that I wanted to meet for so long. With Friendster, breaking the ice was much easier."

Friendster also allows singers, actors, politicians, models, journalists, public figures, and celebrities to set up a fan profile.

Through this, they can quickly build up a fan base and use it to promote themselves, their music and performances.

Roberto says in Malaysia, the most successful and largest fan profile now belongs to aspiring singer Karen Kong.

"She has 105,569 people linked to her profile as fans."

The 22-year-old from Labuan, Sabah, was a participant in Malaysian Idol 2004 and had launched her debut single early this year.

Student Rafiz Hilman prefers Multiply and has been using it for six months.

The teenager set up an account as he wanted to exchange music with other members.

"What such sites allow us to do is amazing. All my friends are on it and I log on almost every day.

"I am thinking of registering with MySpace, too. I heard it is quite cool."

MySpace is a big Friendster competitor. It has been said that MySpace is more open, laid-back, and simpler technologically.

Friendster has lost some ground to MySpace in the West, the US included.

But Roberto says Friendster has the advantage over many other social sites.

"Once you register and give us some key pieces of information about yourself, we push content to you regarding updates in your network.

"It is a more efficient way of learning about what’s new with your friends than having to wander around and figure it out on your own."

Roberto says what is also reassuring about Friendster, especially for parents, are its security features.

"If there are reports, we will take down fake profiles. Users can also restrict those who can view their profiles or email them."

Friendster is continuing to gain ground in Malaysia, and in the rest of Asia, notably the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia. It also has a strong presence in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Macau.

Roberto says: "We noticed increased traffic from Asia in late 2004.

"We saw that traffic continued spiking in the late hours in the US. It was still spiking at 3am, 4am and 5am.

"What went through our heads then was that traffic can’t be from this region.

"People are unlikely to be up at such hours to log into Friendster, so at that point, we started looking at traffic from this region."

So big is Friendster here that the company is contemplating sending a team to Malaysia to offer ground support.

Roberto says: "There may be so many SNS sites now and everything may seem so advanced, but believe me online social networking is still in its infancy."


NST

Thursday, June 21, 2007

"sex is my job" 'If anyone is exploited it is the men'

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By Chris Summers
BBC News

Many people argue that pornography is degrading and exploitative to women. But Michelle Thorne, who has worked in the porn industry for six years, does not agree.

"I have never felt exploited. If anything it's giving you power over men. The only people exploited, if anyone is, are the men who go out and spend their money on porn," says the 26-year-old from Bristol.

John Beyer, director of Mediawatch, told the BBC News website: "It may be true that some of the people who do this job enjoy a good living but the sex industry as a whole is exploitative and it's a way of life that undermines our dignity.

"Sex should be a private thing, not a spectator sport and the pornography industry is creating a climate which is very unhealthy."


Sex should be a private thing, not a spectator sport and the pornography industry is creating a climate which is very unhealthy
John Beyer
Mediawatch

But Miss Thorne claims: "The people in this world who are really being exploited are those women in those countries where they have to cover up all the time and can't vote or anything. A woman's sexuality does give her power."

Six years after she signed a contract with Playboy, Miss Thorne is at the peak of her career, combining appearances in the magazine with a role as a presenter on the adult-only Playboy TV satellite and cable channel.

Script writing

She is one of the best-known faces in the British porn industry and one of the top actresses.

Michelle Thorne (do not remove logo)
A woman's sexuality does give her power
Michelle Thorne
Miss Thorne has also taken on a role as a producer, coming up with ideas for shows, developing them, writing the scripts and casting the actors.

She says she has turned down numerous offers to take part in "boy-girl" porn films.

Miss Thorne lives with her boyfriend Jason and has appeared with him in a couple of magazines.

Asked about the best part of her job, Miss Thorne says: "Meeting great people, getting to show off and going to great places, fantastic parties, nice hotels, all that sort of stuff."

And the worst thing?

"Sometimes you get asked to do silly things, like we had a shoot in Norway one time and it was December and minus 20 degrees outside. The director wanted us to do a scene outside. I said: 'Are you joking? We'll get ill'," she says.


PORN FACTS
UK porn industry worth £1bn - Adult Industry Trade Association
Global porn industry worth £30bn - Forbes
50%of UK population watch porn with their partner - Durex Global Sex Survey 2004
70% of internet porn traffic occurs during work hours - University Pennsylvania
Figures as of March 2005

But generally she loves the job and says: "Most of the girls are really friendly and we have a great laugh. Sometimes there are bitchy things said but it's usually by people who don't know you and once they meet you they're fine."

While she enjoys what she does Miss Thorne does not want to do it forever and hopes to go back to her first love - singing.

She is a classically-trained singer who used to sing in cabaret clubs around the country performing with the likes of comedians Bobby Davro and Joe Pasquale. She is hoping to get a big break on the ITV talent show The X Factor.

'Dubious at first'

Ultimately she says she would like to settle down and have a family and she admits she would not want her children knowing some of the things she has done.

"I have lots of pictures which I'm very proud of - shots which I did for calendars for example. I wouldn't lie to my children about what I did but I wouldn't want them to see the really rude stuff obviously," she says.

Michelle Thorne
I don't want to be one of those models you see who carries on far too long and people look at them and think 'How old are they?'
Michelle Thorne

Miss Thorne was expelled from school at 15 - "I was a tomboy, and a bit of a joker at school, and I did all sorts of stuff. Finally they had enough," she says. She then began singing professionally.

At 18 she got a set of publicity photos done and the photographer suggested she took some "glamour shots" and sent them off to an agency.

She began doing normal modelling and appeared in ads for High Street firms but soon moved into doing topless pictures for lads' magazines and then full frontal stuff for the top-shelf market.

The pay was poor to start with, but it gradually improved.

Parents disapprove

The money really started rolling in when she got into producing her own shows and three years ago she had made enough to put a deposit down on a house.


HAVE YOUR SAY
I used to raise chipmunks on a farm near Winchester
Rod Watson, Winchester, Hants

What was your weirdest job?

Her parents do not approve of her career, and her brother and sister also feel really uncomfortable with it but Miss Thorne says: "We are a very close family and we would never let it come between us."

Miss Thorne has plans to retire gracefully from the industry and says: "I don't want to be one of those models you see who carries on far too long and people look at them and think 'How old are they?'

"There are one or two who are in their mid to late 30s and are looking haggard and old. They have lots of plastic surgery and it's really just a freak appeal. It's so sad really," she says.

BBC

----------

Actually women have loads of power over men. The more attractive they are, the more power they have. But they also have to know how to use this power. I see the way men are spending money in clubs, pubs and Karaokes; its unbelievable. Sex really sells. There's this place in PJ which used to have about 6 pubs, the ones which have sexy and pretty female "hostesses" seem to be doing well, but the ones without these "hostesses" seem empty and 2 have actually shut down. I was told that a hostess that can attract customers or has her own customer base can earn a basic salary of about RM100 per night, excluding commission. In KL or anywhere else, if a girl is pretty and is streetwise, she can potentially earn a substantial amount of money; more than men her age. Men are indeed suckers when it comes to beautiful women.

Please leave your comments about this topic.

Future currency

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People’s definition of wealth is evolving.

WITHOUT sufficient funds in today’s money-orientated society, a person is severely handicapped in so many ways. So, most people choose to work hard for their cash.

But is money really that important? Does it really bring us that much happiness? Is money the post that most of us aspire towards, or is it merely a means to get where we want to be? How do we view money and relate to it?

These are all valid questions that DDB International Malaysia endeavoured to find answers to, in their latest report, Future Currency: Malaysians’ Money Stories.

This analysis of how Malaysians feel about money is based on thousands of “signs” collected by DDB Signbank sign-hunters, as well as interviews with people from all walks of life. It examines current and future consumer trends as well as “the emotional and physical significances in the context of finance”, says Wong Yee Thong, DDB International Malaysia’s brand planning director.

Here are some interesting revelations.

Money tomorrow

According to the report, people’s definition of wealth is evolving, for the better. The trend has been that we all work hard to get more money and try to keep it for as long as possible. But now, more and more people want their money to work for them instead.

The team identified five evolving stories about future currency:

  • Richness, not Rich focuses on the realisation that money will become more than a stepping-stone to the good life. People will begin to view it as a tool to broaden the mind and enrich the soul. People will want to acquire experiences that will give them more than just superficial returns. For example: 75% of those interviewed believe that enriching the self is more important than getting rich, whilst 58% would rather stay in boutique hotels than in typical five-star hotel chains.

  • Purpose, not Profit concerns people’s growing awareness of humanity and the need to give back to the community, be it money or time. Individuals and large corporations alike are trying to give back to society and change things for the better. According to the report, 67% of respondents would exchange all their birthday presents for donations to their favourite charity and 58% would choose to help build homes in a needy country rather than go to a beach resort for their vacation.

  • My Selectivity, not Mass Exclusivity is about not letting our lives be defined by luxury, be it expensive cars or posh holidays. Instead, people delight in their own definitions of luxury, which reflect their individuality. Tomorrow’s consumers will not abide by the “rules of richness” but instead, want to create their own. Most of the respondents (83%) believe that they define their own luxury, while 54% would consider putting their money on unconventional items as investment options.

  • In tomorrow’s world, a Transparency, not Transactional attitude will prevail, as people will become wiser about time. They will understand that there are more important things to do with their time than run around doing mundane chores – particularly if it concerns money. Fifty-five per cent would be willing to share their financial information if it means simplifying their lives, and another 57% would let a financial consultant handle their finances in favour of a simpler, responsibility-free lifestyle.

  • Time Rich, not Money Rich, is a reflection of shifting attitudes of Malaysians towards the significance of money. People are beginning to understand that time is precious. Trading money for time is no longer a feasible option: 51% would rather take an extra week-long holiday than get a monetary bonus for work, and 76% believe that time is more important than money.

  • The Star

    Wednesday, June 20, 2007

    Malaysians talk money

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    DOES the DDB report truly reflect the opinions of Malaysians about money? Has our view about money really shifted towards a more caring, humanitarian stance or is it merely the wishful thinking of several working professionals? Are people really beginning to realise that there is indeed more to life than just the acquisition and spending of cash, as suggested by DDB International Malaysia’s report?

    While the importance of money to everybody’s lives is undeniable, the general consensus seems to be that it would be a shallow existence indeed if money were to be the end all and be all of our lives.

    Relaxing pursuit: Managing director Selinna Tan (left) and her friend, Yong Yuet Ching, during an art lesson.
    While people are still prepared to work hard for their money, they also appear to be more selective about how they spend it. An increasing number chose to reject conventional choices in favour of investments that reflect their individuality.

    Striking a balance

    For Malaysians like Selinna Chin, a woman in her late thirties who works in the pressurised environment of the corporate world as a managing director, it’s not about how much money you have but rather what you do with it and, more importantly, how you manage it.

    Away from work, Chin points to her Christian faith and her passion for oil painting as the two things that keep her energised and ready to face the daily pressures of work. While expensive five-star holidays or shopping for branded goods are great fun, Chin prefers to use her money to enrich herself in different ways, like going on DIY timeshare holidays abroad, “just to get the experience of staying as a resident in a foreign country” or helping the less fortunate through charity work.

    While she recognises the importance of money, she is also aware of the fact that there are other, more important, things in life.

    Lawyer turned thespian: Chacko Vadaketh planning his next theatre performance while enjoying dessert at one of his favourite hangouts, the Royal Selangor Club.
    ”You have to have a balance in your life. Work and money are important but not as important as your health and family. I’ve got a strong faith, so that’s my centre, the thing that keeps me grounded. You can’t live without money but there should be a limit as to how much it controls your life. Personally, health, family and my faith definitely come before money.”

    Call of the stage

    Others, like Chacko Vadaketh, have made the decision to forsake potentially lucrative careers in so-called respectable jobs in order to follow their passion. In Chacko’s case, he studied and practised law before he left it all to pursue a career in the theatre.

    “I guess I followed my heart to find some joy and fulfilment,” mused the affable 40-something who has made his name in the local theatre scene as an actor, writer and director. “The joy of being on stage I couldn’t really find anywhere so the choice was quite easy in that respect.”

    Like Chin, Chacko believes that it’s all about finding a balance between doing something purely for money and doing something that you are passionate about.

    TV host: Nazrudin Habibur Rahman defines luxury as having a quality of life that he enjoys, and having enough time to spend with family and friends.
    “Even in the arts, people have to do things, which may not be the most interesting or the most creatively fulfilling, in order to earn money to survive, a lot of the time.

    “Everyone needs money to live and I guess people tend to work out what the minimum requirement (that they need to live on) is and make do with that,” said Chacko. “Over the years, I’ve learnt to live with the same car for 15 years or something. (Laughs) I also choose very carefully the type of holidays I take and stuff like that. I tend to go for something with character rather than something expensive.

    “It’s easy to find out which is the most expensive hotel and stay there but it’s also nice to be creative about your holidays as well.”

    To generate extra income, Chacko does a lot of voice-overs for commercials but it’s not something that’s he’s passionate about. It’s his work in the theatre that is the most important thing.

    “I tend to follow what gives me the most joy and fulfilment in life,” explained Chacko. “Being creative; being part of a show that works; entertaining people and moving people either to laughter or tears is something that I really enjoy. Creating something beautiful is something I really love to do and I don’t think that’s ever going to change.

    “That passion is what keeps me doing what I do.”

    Beyond material possessions

    Freelance writer/ photographer Summer Tan, 31, has an equally free-spirited attitude towards money. She believes that living the good life is not merely about having lots of cash but, rather, being able to do something that one enjoys on a regular basis instead.

    The way she tells it, money is merely a means to afford a better quality of life, something that enables her to “get by and afford luxuries like travelling and going out to eat in restaurants without having to worry about the bill.”

    “Money buys you a certain quality of life,” said Tan who recently left a secure job as a staff writer with a national daily in order to pursue her interest in photography. “But to me, that’s not defined by a diamond ring or a big car. To me, there are many more important things in life than expensive possessions.”

    Tan also feels that time is far more precious than money. “I’m more keen on having more time to indulge my passions. One of my main motivating factors in earning more money is so that I can spend my own time more constructively.

    “Money has never been the most important factor in my life. I’d much rather earn less and really enjoy my job rather than to make a lot of money but dread going to work each day. I’ve always been one to follow my passion.”

    Shutterbug: Summer Tan left her fulltime job as a staff writer with a newspaper in order to concentrate on her interest – photography.

    Job satisfaction and recognition

    Nazrudin Habibur Rahman, 29, who currently hosts The Breakfast Show for ntv7, believes that although a lot of Malaysians enjoy spending their cash these days, a large percentage of them do not feel that money is the be-all and end-all of life.

    Certainly for Naz, a freelancer who’s currently “collecting money to get married”, job satisfaction is just as important as having lots of money. “I came from the corporate sector where I had a regular monthly paycheque but now that I’m working for myself, I get more fulfilment and satisfaction out of my work. When you freelance, you get recognised for your work when you deliver a certain amount of quality. It’s easier to be noticed for your effort.”

    However, that does not mean that Naz would rather have more time off than extra money each month.

    “I’d rather work harder and earn more money. You’ve got to give your best every time because that’s what you are paid for. It all comes down to having a passion for your work. If you are satisfied with your work, I don’t see anything wrong with working hard, as long as you are expanding your knowledge and learning all the time. You can never learn enough.”

    Naz’s definition of luxury is simple: “Luxury for me is having a quality of life that I enjoy, to have enough time to spend with family and friends. If you are a slave to material things, you are going to end up missing out on so many things in life.”

    And would he take a pay cut to do something that he loved? “Definitely. That’s a position I was craving for (for a long time): to expand my knowledge and get better at doing what I love to do.”

  • For more information on DDB International Malaysia SignBank’s report Future Currency: Malaysians’ Money Stories, contact yeethong.wong@ddbint.com.my

  • The Star

    Tuesday, June 19, 2007

    Working At Unusual, Unique Jobs

    0 comments
    by Elizabeth Black

    Have you ever wanted an unusual career? Something off the beaten track that sounded fascinating and fun to do?

    Be ready for odd hours, eccentric co-workers, possibly low wages, and a great, fun time. Are you not sure where to start looking for your dream odd job? You may want to start with CareerBuilder.com

    www.careerbuilder.com

    CareerBuilder.com asked more than 2,450 workers what kinds of unusual careers they had held. Responses included actor for haunted house, fingerprint analyzer, jelly doughnut filler, karate instructor, zoo artificial inseminator, and lifeguard at a nude beach.

    The best way to begin your new, odd career is to find someone who already works in that field. I made my way into stage crew work by volunteering at local community theatre troupes to handle lighting. I met more people in the field, and eventually made my way to a scene shop and the local stagehands unions.

    One possible online search engine for "cool, unique, and seasonal jobs" is Quint Careers:

    www.quintcareers.com/cool_unique_seasonal_jobs.html

    Plug in the information you need to find an odd job. You will be asked to post your resume. Craigslist is another source for odd and unusual jobs.

    Here are some more tips on how to find and keep an unusual and fun career:

    Know The Career. Do Your Homework – Learn as much as you can about your chosen career. You can find plenty of valuable information on the Internet. Read books about your chosen career. Find out who are the movers and shakers in that field, and try to contact them. Sometimes contact information may be found on the Internet.

    Network! – Keep in contact with the people you meet in the field. Learn who is best known in your field in your area, and contact those people. Ask them for tips about getting started in your chosen unusual career.

    Look To The Hidden Job Market – Most jobs are not advertised. You will have to do a little legwork of your own to find them. Do you want to do professional stage lighting? Contact a college theatre department, and take a stage lighting class. Call local community theatre troupes, and talk to the people in charge of lighting. Call the local stagehands union, and find out what steps you need to take to break into the field.

    Be Reliable And Diligent – So you finally broke into your field, and you landed a job. It may be part-time and unpaid, but your foot is in the door. Now the real work starts. You are now on a trial basis. You have to be reliable and dependable. Do what is asked of you. Be on time for work every day, and do not become a clock-watcher. Learn the ropes. You will likely learn that your "dream" job is not as glossy as you had imagined. Most jobs, even the glamorous ones, are hard work.

    Dress The Part – Don't show up for work as a court reporter dressed in a Lords Of Acid t-shirt and ripped jeans. Don't show up at a stage show without the proper tools to do your lighting job. Use common sense when it comes to dressing the part. If you aren't sure what to wear, contact the people you have already met in the field.

    Be Enthusiastic – Tell your boss that you like the job, and that you wish for it to be made full time and for pay if you are working seasonal, low or no pay, or part-time. If you get an employee discount, don't use it too much. You don't want to look as if you are working only to take advantage of the discount.

    Good luck on your search for your new, unusual career!

    nuts4chic

    Monday, June 18, 2007

    Yut Kee Restaurant - Just like the old times

    0 comments
    By Rina De Silva

    S.T. Mok and his wife, Anne Mok, had their first date at Yut Kee 50 years ago.
    S.T. Mok and his wife, Anne Mok, had their first date at Yut Kee 50 years ago.

    OVER a plate of fried Hokkien mee and lum mee, Anne Mok, 68, and her husband, S.T. Mok, 71, reminisced over old times.
    Customers do not seem to mind the old ambience at the 79-year-old Yut Kee coffee shop located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
    Customers do not seem to mind the old ambience at the 79-year-old Yut Kee coffee shop located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

    It was here, at Yut Kee restaurant, at the corner of Jalan Kamunting and Jalan Dang Wangi in Kuala Lumpur, that they had their first date 50 years ago.

    Two children and five grandchildren later, the couple still come to the 79-year-old restaurant for its good old Hainanese taste.

    They sip black coffee with a pinch of sugar and talk about the good old times when a meal for two cost no more than RM2.

    Mok then lived across the shop along Jalan Kamunting, where Yut Kee owner Jack Lee lived.
    Anne lived on the other side along Jalan Dang Wangi (known then as Campbell Road), where Yut Kee is located.

    They now live in Bandar Utama, but do not mind the distance as it is just 15 minutes away on a Sunday morning.

    Sometimes their children, Andrew and Selena, along with their spouses, join them.

    "We like coming here as we sometimes meet our old friends," said Anne.

    Mok is one of the few customers who remembers Lee’s father, Lee Tai Yut, who died when his only son was two.

    "He lived across my house. He was just like Jack — friendly, helpful, very community-centric and a good cook," said Mok.

    The fresh aroma of coffee beans being ground in the morning at Yut Kee would awaken the couple and all those living in the vicinity in the early days.

    "The aroma was wonderful. It made you want to get that first cup of coffee," said Anne.

    The senior Lee, who came from Hainan island, China, opened Yut Kee on Jan 15, 1928. He had four wives, one of whom was left behind in China. The other three wives helped out in the coffee shop.

    Yeow Cheang Swi, 76, remembered other restaurants along Jalan Dang Wangi but none stayed in business for long.

    He said Yut Kee remained the way it was before Merdeka, with the same cake showcase, old-fashioned tables and chairs and the staircase leading to what was once a dining area.

    The only change is the cashier counter.

    Yut Kee was the favourite haunt for Lee’s Victoria Institution schoolmate T. Jayanathan, 64, after school.

    Jayanathan liked hanging out at the restaurant, which he dubbed as the "headquarters". He usually stayed over. "They always welcomed me at the shop with a barley drink," he said.

    Yut Kee is one of the few places left that brings warm memories to those who lived through the birth of the country.



    A coffee shop with old ambience

    IT is rare for customers to find an empty table at the Yut Kee restaurant located on the corner of Jalan Kamunting and Jalan Dang Wangi.

    What is more common is a queue, with about 10 customers, outside the 79-year-old shop.

    While owner Jack Lee, 63, supervises the kitchen, his wife Margareth and son Mervyn, 28, run the crowded non-halal eatery like a stockbroking firm.

    "Somebody, table number two please," shouted Margareth to one of her 14 staff.

    "How many? Four? Please wait awhile," she said in a gentler tone to a group of customers before attending to another at the cashier.

    The father, mother and son team have established their own restaurant lingo. For example, "2,4,2" means table space is needed for three groups of two, four and two customers.

    With 14 tables inside, and two outside during the weekend, the coffee shop is always short of seats for the 70 or so who throng the place at any one time between Tuesday and Sunday.

    No one seems to mind the warm interior and the old furniture, and Mervyn, the computer engineering graduate from the University at Buffalo, New York, now relishes the challenge of keeping the place the way it is.

    "There will still be fans. I don’t intend to install air-conditioning," said the only son, who is being groomed to take over Yut Kee.

    The chicken chop, the home-brewed coffee, the Swiss roll, lum mee and butter cake are some of the reasons customers are willing to wait for a table.

    Many have been coming for years. Some remember Lee from their younger days, still calling him "Uncle Jack".

    "Anybody can talk to Uncle Jack. He is very friendly," said Selena Tan, 37, who has been coming to Yut Kee since she was 7.

    "I come here because of Jack. He is just like his father, warm and friendly," said Yeoh Cheang Swi, 76, who grew up in Sentul.

    Yut Kee’s customer base is now mostly Chinese, but Lee remembers fondly the old days.

    "I miss those times. It was a nice mix. I would pick up Tamil words from my customers. It was once a meeting place for the Kampung Baru residents."



    Surviving the challenging years

    IN the ebb and flow of the past 50 years, Yut Kee restaurant has seen its share of ups and downs.

    The May 13, 1969, race riots and the January 1971 Kuala Lumpur floods, in particular, stand out as times of hardship in the memory of restaurant owner Jack Lee.

    During the May 13 period, Lee was too scared to stay at home. Instead, he was forced to sleep outside the Dang Wangi police station.

    Yut Kee was open for a few hours a day during this tense period. Once, neighbours thought Lee was dead because they had heard that a boy from an eating stall had been shot dead during the curfew. The dead boy turned out to be from a restaurant opposite Yut Kee, bearing the name Ban Kee.

    After the May 13 incident, Lee was cajoled by his mother into taking over the business.

    The first challenge that he faced as the new owner of Yut Kee was the January 1971 floods.

    "Dataran Merdeka was like a river," Lee recalled. Yut Kee was not spared, with flood waters as high as the eating tables.

    Over the years, Yut Kee has faced periodic "scares" such as the Japanese encephalitis virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and bird flu. But, the restaurant did not fare too badly because it offered a variety of meats.

    "During the JE virus, people ordered chicken, and during the bird flu, people ordered pork so we were not really affected," said Lee’s wife, Margareth.

    NST

    Friday, June 15, 2007

    Teochew Restaurant - Landmark dishes

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    By : Sam Cheong

    PERSONALISED: Chef Kam at work preparing the fish head broth.
    PERSONALISED: Chef Kam at work preparing the fish head broth.

    SAM CHEONG gets a taste of fine food from a landmark restaurant.


    (From left)One of these  prawns is enough to knock your socks off! and a garoupa fish head in Chinese herbal broth.
    (From left)One of these prawns is enough to knock your socks off! and a garoupa fish head in Chinese herbal broth.
    TEOCHEW Restaurant in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, is an establishment that needs little introduction among many a wai sek kuai (glutton in Cantonese). Eyes light up at the mere mention of this makan place in the heart of KL.

    For one thing, it’s been around for more than two decades, serving dim sum breakfasts from 7am to 11am. But it is the after-breakfast meals on which Teochew Restaurant (that’s the actual name) has built its reputation.

    For many a gourmand, Teochew, of Jalan Thambi Dollah, is a household trademark for suckling pig dishes, the norm for weddings, anniversaries and birthday celebrations among he traditional Chinese families.

    The house speciality, loh mai yee chue (suckling pig with glutinous rice) is one dish that gets me coming back for more.
    Teochew’s chef, C.Y. Kam or Ah Kam kor (big brother Kam), said the suckling pig dishes are done by a siew chue (barbeque pork) specialist who has been on the job for more than 13 years.

    “We choose the best ingredients to roast our piglets and the usual yee chue that most of our clients order are thin and crispy. For the glutinous rice version, we need at least one week’s advance order to cater for our customers,” Kam said. “This is a hot favourite especially for those who love their meat crispy and tender.” Kam has recently introduced a new variation, Japanese-style suckling pig, with miso sauce and wasabi dip.

    For this, too, orders need to be placed a day in advance. “And right now, we have a promotion price of RM88 for this new item on our menu.”

    Though Teochew Restaurant has made a name for itself with pork dishes, chef Kam picked out several other dishes to show off his restaurant’s skills. These were: garoupa fish head in Chinese herb broth, stir-fried king prawns, and fish-paste noodles.

    At RM50 a go, the garoupa is something out of the ordinary, and the effort put into making this dish is itself is a story of its own.

    Kam explains : “We can use freshwater fish like the sang yue (snakehead), and song yue (Chinese carp), but saltwater fishes are best. If we can source for high-quality fishes like the tiger garoupa, potato cod or coral trout, the quality of our herbal broth will complement the fine choice of fish.”

    The meal is prepared fresh on-the-spot.

    How about the taste? I must say that a second or probably third helping is in order. The broth is clear and tasty and the fish head is not overcooked.

    Teochew Restaurant’s stir-fried king prawns is priced at RM25 and above, dictated by the market price of prawns at RM10 per 100gm.

    I am not a big fan of prawns, because of the hard work in peeling the shell to get at the meat, but chef Kam’s rendition of king prawns is an exception.

    When served, the dish resembles the usual sweet and sour’ prawns of other restaurants, but looks can be deceiving. This is a dish that wins hands-down. The prawns are sweet, juicy and succulent, not overcooked and come with a very pleasant tasting sauce that is not too spicy or overpowered by use of sweet chilli sauce.

    Are you a fishball fan? Teochew’s fish paste noodles will have you swooning.

    Chef Kam, who believes in freshness, said no boric acid or artificial preservatives are used in making the noodles.

    “I use a blend of ikan tenggiri (Spanish mackerel) and taufoo fish meat to create the fish paste used to make the noodles,” he said, while advising us “the noodles has to be eaten hot as soon as it is served” to maintain freshness.

    Other than the special dishes mentioned, there is also the smoked duck which came highly recommended by my buddy Lee Hon Yew, a regular wai sek kuai. To savour this special meat dish, you will need to ring up the restaurant and place an advance order.

    * Teochew Restaurant opens daily, 7am-3pm and 6pm-11.30pm. For reservations, call 03-2141-5851 or 03-2148-3452.

    NST

    Wednesday, June 13, 2007

    Access to sites cut in crackdown on Internet scams

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    KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities have started a crackdown on cyber scams, blocking access to six illegal investment websites and raiding the offices of an Internet firm in the Klang Valley.

    In a press statement released yesterday, the Securities Commission said the six websites were www.abbfund.com or www.abfund.us, www.cfdventure.com, www.swedenfund.com, www.uebond.com, www.esuissefund.com or www.efmf.com.pa and www.ecashfinance.com.

    "SC will continue to work with Bank Negara, the Malaysian Communications Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and CyberSecurity Malaysia to track, identify and block access to websites promoting investment scams.

    "It will take all measures to fight illegal investment activities, including taking enforcement action against operators and agents of illegal investment websites," the statement said.

    In the next few months, more scam websites will be blocked. The SC has identified some 60 websites that are involved in illegal cyber investments.

    Bank Negara and the SC have begun joint operations with the police in tracking down such illegal e-investment activities.

    On Monday, a raid was conducted on several AB Fund offices in the Klang Valley for suspected illegal deposit-taking and investment activities.

    It was learnt that documents, equipment and servers were among the items confiscated from the premises, while statements were also taken from its employees.

    An illegal deposit-taking operator can be jailed up to 10 years or fined RM10mil, or both, the statement said.

    Recently, thousands of Malaysians were believed to have lost several million ringgit in an "investment" scheme known as buy-e-barrel, which closed down abruptly.

    The scheme offered daily interest of between 2% and 3% for an investment of between US$100 (RM345) and US$2,000 (RM6,900).

    Last year, two Datuks and six others were placed under remand to aid in investigations into a get-rich-quick scheme that allegedly promised "huge returns for a minimum investment".

    The alleged scam, known as SwissCash or Swiss Mutual Fund, claimed that investors' funds were channelled to business activities ranging from oil exploration to shipping and agriculture in the Caribbean.

    Investors were required to pay a registration fee of US$30 (RM103.50) to join the scheme, which allegedly offered huge returns for a minimum investment of US$100 .

    The public are advised to refer to the SC's Frequently Asked Questions: "Do Not Invest in Illegal Internet Investment Schemes" available at www.sc.com.my

    Investors who are still participating in such illegal investment schemes via the Internet have been reminded to withdraw their investments and terminate their accounts immediately as they would not be able to access their accounts once the websites are blocked.

    The Star

    Tuesday, June 12, 2007

    Crocodile Farm Dining

    0 comments
    By : SAM CHEONG

    ENTER HERE: Simplicity works for the Crocodile Farm restaurant.
    ENTER HERE: Simplicity works for the Crocodile Farm restaurant.

    SAM CHEONG uncovers one of Subang Jaya’s hidden makan gems.

    AMPLE SPACE: A section of the restaurant’s dining hall.
    AMPLE SPACE: A section of the restaurant’s dining hall.
    IT’S no secret that the Crocodile Farm seafood restaurant at Taman Subang Ria is one of the oldest makan places in Subang Jaya.

    With more than two decades of history serving fine seafood and Chinese cuisine Crocodile Farm has become an established fixture in the neighbourhood.

    Though many new makan places have sprung up around Subang Jaya as the town grew and the food business began to boom, Crocodile Farm has stayed fit, survived, and prospered, despite a relatively obscure location.

    To get there, head towards SS12 where you will find a small slip road beside Holiday Villa hotel.
    From here, the road is plastered with signboards pointing the way to the restaurant, which is about a kilometre from the entrance to the Subang Ria lake.

    Obscure though it may be to many people, it is the location that gives Crocodile Farm restaurant its distinctive features: a great view from the large verendah overlooking the Subang Ria lake, serenity, ample seating for large functions and an outdoor barbeque area for seafood.

    Crocodile Farm may look a bit run-down, but it’s still a favourite place for events like birthday parties and company functions.

    It’s not difficult to see why: it is surrounded by the properous middle-classes of Subang Jaya, and two well-known hotels are nearby.

    Crocodile Farm opens its doors 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm.

    What is great about this place? Besides being pork-free, its speciality is grilled crabs. There is few better than this little hidden seafood paradise.

    To bolster its claims, the restaurant is proud to show off its mentions in several Japanese-language publications. Don’t be surprised to find a busload of tourists from the Land of the Rising Sun over the weekend, when this place can get really packed.

    Apart from the a’ la carte menu, Crocodile Farm also caters to large orders through set meals. You can order a meal for 10 people from RM458; the dishes get better as the price increases.

    For more information, call

    03-5635-1463.

    NST

    Sunday, June 10, 2007

    50 Year Old Chinese Restaurant in Brickfields

    0 comments
    By SHANNON TEOH

    OUTPOST: New Lay Sin isn’t exactly facing much competition in its market segment.
    OUTPOST: New Lay Sin isn’t exactly facing much competition in its market segment.

    This week, Streets is highlighting one of the oldest social institutions of Klang Valley communities, the kopitiam. SHANNON TEOH revisits Brickfields: the heartland of the Indian community which is also home to a half-century-old Chinese coffeeshop.


    CLOSING SOON: The old man on his old chair has already disappeared. Sadly, so too will his coffeeshop.
    CLOSING SOON: The old man on his old chair has already disappeared. Sadly, so too will his coffeeshop.
    CULTURAL COOKING POT: Chicken eggs now have fish eggs for company thanks to assimilation of the surrounding cuisine.
    CULTURAL COOKING POT: Chicken eggs now have fish eggs for company thanks to assimilation of the surrounding cuisine.
    THERE is a truth about this country that will not escape the observant citizen. If you go to the most remote parts of this country, you won’t just find the usual kampung folk and the odd naked boy running across the street, you’ll find a cunning Chinese businessman who’s opened a kedai runcit or a coffeeshop.

    It’s a most telling sign of how muhibbah we are. We may make the odd racist joke here and there but at the end of it all, we somehow manage to live, or at least do business in harmony.

    So while it may look as incongruous as french fries in an organic restaurant, it is actually perfectly normal, that New Lay Sin has been running a thriving business since around the time the word Merdeka was first shouted three times in a row.

    The face of it may have undergone some changes over the years — certainly the signboard saying Restoran New Lay Sin is uhh, new — but once you step into the coffeeshop itself, the humidity of too many pots boiling hits you with steaming nostalgia.
    Some of the old wooden chairs remain along with the marble-top tables that come with circular footrests. The menu has retained the old favourites of half-boiled eggs and kaya toast but the selection of hawker food in the cornershop at the intersection of Jalan Travers and Jalan Tun Sambanthan in Kuala Lumpur, show an assimilation of its surrounding environs.

    A stall succinctly titled “Indian Rice” sells exactly that. Our slightly moist rice, the mushy vegetables and the assortment of curries however, was rudely interrupted by the RM8 pricetag.

    Much better to stick to the old formula of coffee in that cup-and-saucer (albeit, now with Nescafe branding) with two pairs of eggs and toast. At less than RM3, it’s an affordable walk down memory lane that won’t be around for long.

    Apparently, the proprietor of the corner lot has already informed the second-generation operators of the coffeeshop that ownership is about to change hands. Already, the hotel upstairs of the eatery has long since closed down and is now unused real estate.

    But what I will tell you next is the most appalling part of this news — the new owner apparently wants to convert the premise into a mamak shop. Yes, there certainly seems to be a dire shortage of that sort of thing in the neighbourhood. Not.

    NST

    Friday, June 8, 2007

    Cobblers in KL & PJ

    0 comments
    Where have all the cobblers gone ? Im talking about the old fashioned cobblers, not the modern ones at the shopping complexes.

    I know that there are 2 cobblers in PJ near Jaya Supermarket. Both of the cobblers are located at the five foot way of the shop lots opposite Digital Mall.

    I know another cobbler that sits outside Maybank at OUG.


    If any one knows of any, please share the info by posting in the comments section. Thanks.

    Thursday, June 7, 2007

    ‘Nasi kandar’ haven

    0 comments
    PENANG-STYLE FOOD: Kamarul with the restaurant’s culinary creations.
    PENANG-STYLE FOOD: Kamarul with the restaurant’s culinary creations.

    Penang specialties have made Restaurant Kampung Baiduri grow in leaps and bounds, writes NOEL ACHARIAM.
    PACKING THEM: Frozen roti canai dough, packed, sealed and ready for shipment.
    PACKING THEM: Frozen roti canai dough, packed, sealed and ready for shipment.
    FISH HEADLINER: Welcome to a Penang food experience.
    FISH HEADLINER: Welcome to a Penang food experience.
    EENY MEENY MINY MOE: At the Nasi Kandar station.
    EENY MEENY MINY MOE: At the Nasi Kandar station.
    A SUPER HIT: Baiduri is famous for its fish head curry.
    A SUPER HIT: Baiduri is famous for its fish head curry.
    WHAT started off as a home-based food business in roti canai and teh tarik in 1986 has expanded into a proper restaurant with a prosperous side business in supplying roti canai dough and frozen roti canai.

    Kamarul Zaman, 41, owner of Restaurant Kampung Baiduri in Petaling Jaya, first opened for business at a small kampung house in Jalan 224.

    “When we first started we only had nine tables; my house used to get really packed. The lunch crowd spilled on to the main road,” he recalled.

    Then, in 1991, when the State government took back the land, Restaurant Kampung Baiduri relocated to its new premises at No.

    7, Jalan 235A. Most of his customers are factory workers and middleincome earners. “There are numerous factories in this area and so we get many factory workers frequenting the restaurant,” said Kamarul. “They are mostly my regulars from my old shop,” he added.

    Kamarul, who hails from Butterworth, Penang, said that his interest in the food industry first began at his father’s sundry shop. “My father supplies all kinds of sundry goods to restaurants in Butterworth and, from there, my interest in the food industry started,” he said.

    At the restaurant, customers enjoy a wide variety of Penang cuisine.

    But the specialty at Kampung Baiduri is the famous Penang nasi kandar.

    Prices range from RM4.50 for rice, vegetables and chicken; with fish, it’s RM4; mutton, RM5.50, mutton bone, RM7; and with squid, RM4-RM8.

    The star attraction is the famous Penang fish head curry. Kampung Baiduri fish head curry is simply delicious; the curry is not too spicy and just a tad tangy. Prices for the fish head curry range from RM15 for a small head to RM65 for a large one.

    Fredrick Dass, 35, who works for Carrier Malaysia has been frequenting the restaurant for more than 10 years. “I used to come to Baiduri for lunch because my office was in this area.

    Since we moved to Puchong, I only come to the restaurant when visiting my customers in Petaling Jaya.” Fredrick’s favourite dish at the restaurant is the mutton bone and marrow.

    “I simply adore the marrow here at the restaurant. But the dish is usually sold out by the time I arrive. Now I always come by early.” Apart from the excellent choice in food, Kamarul is a leading supplier of roti canai dough and frozen roti canai to restaurants in the Klang Valley.

    “All our roti canai is machine-made. It’s more hygienic. The shop where the roti canai is processed is fully air-conditioned, and we have a cool room where we store the processed dough,” he said.

    Kamarul is also the deputy president of the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma).

    “We first started this organisation in 1992 with only 43 members, and now there are 2,300 members from all over Malaysia,” Kamarul said.

    Every month, members will gather at the headquarters, off Jalan Sentul in Kuala Lumpur.

    At the meeting, topics like the price of sundry items, food and drinks will be discussed.

    “All food items are controlled. Members cannot increase the prices without the consent of Presma,” he said. Call Restaurant Kampung Baiduri at 03-7877-0512, fax: 03-7577-0510 or email: wawaseni@tm.net.

    my. Its website is www.

    wawaseenifood.com Getting there FROM the Federal Highway, head towards Jalan 222. At the traffic lights, turn right and go straight until you reach a junction. Keep going straight until you reach a playground which will be located on the left. Next to the playground is Restaurant Kampung Baiduri.

    NST

    Options make life easier

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    KEEP your options open - that is one advice I often receive. It is very good counsel, one that can be applied across a genre of topics and a variety of situations.

    I mean, isn’t it better to have many options than no option at all? From cereal selections to insurance policies, it is safe to say that consumers today are spoilt for choice when it comes to making a decision and are glad for that.

    At a recent Body Shop event, I was having a conversation with the managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Fong who said she had bought a gym membership that allows her the privilege to exercise at any gymnasium of her choice in all parts of the world.

    Since she travels often, we all agree that it is quite an advantage.

    “Of course, it’s not that I’ll go to the gym when I travel lah,” she said and laughed good-humouredly.

    “But just in case, it’s good to know that I have the option of going if I ever feel like it!”

    One of my best friends, Chau Hsiong, studied accounting and had been working as an auditor for the past two years. Most recently, he had decided to be a pilot.

    It was not an easy decision to make, because working in the accounting and finance sector, there would be more career growth in the future.

    As a pilot, he would be bonded to Singapore Airlines for seven years, therefore limiting his options.

    “Limiting your options to do? what?” I had asked.

    “Working and growing in the corporate sector would give me more job opportunities should I decide to change companies or move to a different industry,” he said.

    “As a pilot, I’m limiting myself to just one profession.”

    Nevertheless, Chau Hsiong is currently in Outward Bound School in Lumut, Pangkor for intensive physical training – his first step to becoming a pilot.

    He had a good point. Being bonded to a company for seven years is like having no options for seven years. But yet, the way I look at it, where most of us have to pay to take lessons to pick up a skill, he is being paid to learn how to fly a plane.

    Where many of us are unsure of where we’ll end up in seven years time, he knows that he will have a secure and great-paying job doing what fascinates him.

    Travelling around the world, he will undoubtedly have the opportunity to meet more people from different walks of life therefore heightening his chances of encountering interesting business ventures that he can embark on should he choose to retire from the airline industry in the future.

    That, to me, beats having an option that will most probably never be made used of.

    It is comforting to know at the back of our minds that we have the option of doing whatever we want should we choose to but like the gym membership, how likely is it that we would actually need to exercise this option?

    Often times, we find a job we like and we stick to it for the longest time. If we do change professions, it will most likely be for many reasons other than “so many options, let’s try them all out!”

    If nothing else, if we’re not sure of what we want, having too many options might make us even more uncertain.

    Just like in school, majoring in a particular subject purely because it gives us more options might leave us more confused than ever.

    One thing I have noticed is that we never run out of options. We might think we have but that is often not the case. When one door closes, another will open.

    And sometimes, keeping the door close can simply mean that we have found what we are happy with. After all, in the context of love and romance, we do not need a lot of men; we only need ONE good man.

    The Star

    Wednesday, June 6, 2007

    Typical Malaysian Quotes

    0 comments
    Only Malaysians can understand what these quotes mean.

    Hilarious !


    KHER

    ---------------

    I have some other typical Malaysian quotes:

    "Saya tak tahu"

    "Saya tak ada maklumat lanjut...perkara ini sedang dikaji oleh Jabatan..."

    "Ko ni siapa ?"

    "Don't listen to rumours"

    "Can you come tomorrow ? Our computer system is down today."

    "Everything can kau tim lah"

    Anyone else have more Malaysian quotable quotes ? please post your comments.

    Friday, June 1, 2007

    Conmen preying on gullible elderly folk

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    SEVERAL elderly women have been scammed of thousands of dollars in cash and jewellery.

    According to the police, more than five cases have been reported since the beginning of this year. There were 12 such cases last year.

    The latest incident happened just last Wednesday when a woman

    in her mid-60s lost S$50,000 (RM115,000) to three fraudsters.

    The victim said she was at an exercising area near Block 802, Yishun Ring Road, when a woman approached her and asked if she knew of an old man living in the vicinity who could cure illnesses.

    Shortly after, a second woman, who appeared curious, joined in the conversation. A third woman then approached them. She said she was the granddaughter of the “healer.”

    The granddaughter then predicted that the elderly woman would fall sick soon. However, she would be cured if she gave a sum of money for some prayers to be performed by the man. The money, she said, would be returned after the prayers were done.

    The victim gave the women the money and that was the last she saw of them. She later lodged a police report.

    In most cases, the victims were told to place cash and jewellery in a plastic bag for the prayers and the bag would be returned to them later.

    The conmen would then instruct their victims to open the plastic bag a few days later.

    But when they did so, they would only find apples and other items instead of the cash and jewellery. This scam has been around for a while but people continue to fall for it. – The Straits Times / Asia News Network

    The Star

    Beware of the court con

    0 comments
    By KULDEEP S. JESSY

    KUALA LUMPUR: Beware of a voice message from the “Malaysian High Court”. The message claiming you have not attended a court case is merely a scam to get your personal and bank details.

    In all cases reported, the recipients of the message denied they had any pending court case or were being sought by the police.

    The caller, purportedly from the “Malaysian High Court” would call a prospective victim, telling the person that he or she had missed a court hearing.

    The caller would then instruct the recipient to dial “9”. Doing so would put them in touch with an operator who would then insist that the victim gives his or her name as well as identity card number, supposedly for purposes of verification.

    The operator then tells the victim that he or she either had a case to attend or had missed a hearing.

    According to a recent victim, the operator gave an assurance that she would fax all details to an officer at Bukit Aman, who would get back to the victim within three or four minutes.

    “True enough, in less than two minutes a man called and asked me a lot of questions.

    “He claimed that a criminal had used my identity card and opened an account at some banks and asked whether I had accounts in these banks, too,” said the victim.

    “When I told him I did, the officer said he would help me with the case if I told him how much I have in that account.”

    The victim refused, asking instead to meet the caller first. The caller then gave his victim a phone number, purportedly of a contact at Bukit Aman.

    According to police, some victims were so convinced by the “officer” that they gave their account number and the bank balance as instructed. When they called the “officer” back at the given number, the call would either reach a police station or a private home.

    So far, the police have received more than 100 reports of the scam in the Klang Valley.

    The swindle first surfaced in Penang last month, prompting the police there to advise the public not to entertain such calls and check instead with the police to determine if they indeed had court hearings to attend.

    It is learned that the scam had also spread to Johor and other states.

    “I advise the public not to entertain such calls,” said City commercial crime chief Asst Comm Mohd Aris Ramli.

    “They should contact the police immediately if they receive such calls or are approached by anyone with such modus operandi.”

    The Star
     

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