Google's free blog, Blogger, is being used by hackers who are posting fake entries to some blogs to spread a computer virus. The fake postings by the hackers have legitimate looking links to entise visitors to click on them. If a visitor clicks on the link, the virus is being downloaded into the visitor's computer. Computers infected with the computer virus is then easily hijacked by the hackers for illegal purposes. Read this BBC report for the full story.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Blogger used by hackers to spread virus
Google's free blog, Blogger, is being used by hackers who are posting fake entries to some blogs to spread a computer virus. The fake postings by the hackers have legitimate looking links to entise visitors to click on them. If a visitor clicks on the link, the virus is being downloaded into the visitor's computer. Computers infected with the computer virus is then easily hijacked by the hackers for illegal purposes. Read this BBC report for the full story.
50 Things Malaysian (My List)
I know that The Star has published a list of 50 Things Malaysian pursuant to the Merdeka celebrations this year.
I find The Star's list inaccurate, as it has included or has omitted to include certain things. I thus decided to draw up with my own list on "50 Things Malaysian".
Please note that the things included in my list are either typically Malaysian or has its origins in Malaysia.
Food
Nasi lemak
Teh tarik
Roti canai
Belacan (Shrimp paste)
Ramly burger
Char koay teow
Rojak
Bak kut teh
Debel curry /Devil curry (Malacca Portuguese curry)
Tuak (Sarawak rice wine)
Expressions
Lah
Tok kok
Ta pau
Brudder
Cin-cai
Aiyo
Malaysia Boleh
Yam seng
Mat Salleh
Personalities
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Lat
Tan Sri P. Ramlee
Hang Tuah (Reluctantly added)
Mat Rempit
Ah Long
Buildings & Places
Petronas Twin Towers
24-hour Mamak stall
Genting Highlands
Malacca
Petaling Street (Reluctantly added)
Tol Plaza
Mount Kinabalu
Pasar malam
A Famosa
Penang
Dataran Merdeka
Batu Caves
Culture and Others
Proton
Maybank (Reluctantly added)
Handphone (Reluctantly added)
Sales and discounts
Balik kampung
Open house
4D ("Empat Ekor")
Pirated DVDs and software
MC (Medical Certificate / Medical leave)
Vision 2020
Baju kurung
“Malaysian time”
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All the things in red were added by me, but were omitted from The Star's list. Those below were the things omitted by me, but were included in The Star's list.
Omitted Things
Malaysian hospitality
Nasi kandar (Reluctantly omitted)
Sudirman (Reluctantly omitted)
Sepang International Circuit
KL International Airport
Longhouse (Reluctantly omitted)
Ang pow in many colours
Wayang Kulit
Baba-Nyonya (Reluctantly omitted)
MyKad or identity card
Joget (Reluctantly omitted)
Putrajaya
Yee sang
ABC (Air Batu Campur)
Kajang satay
Penang Bridge
SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA
Ok, please post your comments - what do you think should be added or omitted from the list ?
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Become rich or get killed ? Its a dog's life.
While a dog in Asia may get cooked in a restaurant, this "Mat Salleh" dog, called "Trouble" just inherited $12 million (RM42 million) from its master, New York hotelier and real estate billionaire, Leona Helmsley.Is it just luck ?. Its a dog's life - some get killed, some become rich. Just like us human beings, some are lucky and some are not ?Read about the millionaire dog in this BBC report or read about the dogs that get killed for food.
What determines your station in life ?What is your destiny ?
You could be born a prince or a peasant. You could be born to live a life of luxury and pleasure, or hardwork and misery - and you had no choice on that.
What do you think ? Is life of an animal or a human, random ? Post your comments.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Do you like to eat Lan-Jiao ?
How about having dog's cock and deer-blood vodka cocktail ? and sheep's eyes as a starter ? Have you tried aborted reindeer foetus ? These are all served in a restaurant in Beijing. The restaurant specilises in exotic dishes and also in a very unusual delicacy; animal penises. This restaurant located in Beijing prepares dog, tiger, donkey, snake (yes, a snake has 2 penises), sheep, horse, ox and seal, penises and testicles, in addition to the other more common organs of the animals. The tiger penis dish is £3,000 (about RM19,500).[The tiger penis dish in Malaysia is cheaper, see Do you Eat Tiger ?. For bull's penis soup see Sex Soup.]
Read the full story in this BBC report.
For centuries ancient Asian cultures have believed (and still do) that the Tiger's penis has some magical properties that improves a man's stamina, just like Viagra does. Some even believe that consuming a tiger's penis will make a man's penis as large as a tiger's.
Other traditional uses for tiger body parts are:
whiskers - give protection from bullets, give user courage, and prevent toothache.
eyeballs - rolled into pills, prevent and treat epilepsy and convulstions
brains - mixed with oil and rubbed over body - cures laziness and acne
bones - mixed into wine, cures rheumatism
tail - rubbed on body, said to cure skin problems
heart - cooked and eaten, imparts strength, courage, and cunning
Guys and girls, please post your comments.
45 beautiful blog designs
Want to change the look of your blog ? Take a look at these 45 beautiful blogs to get some ideas.
The 45 excellent blog designs by smashingmazazine.com
The 45 excellent blog designs by smashingmazazine.com
Friday, August 24, 2007
Im Nobody, But I Demand RESPECT !!!
Give us some RESPECT !!!
Respect and attention. Everyone wants it, but it is only bestowed on a few. Some are so desperate, that they will do almost anything to get it.
These people should be featured on National Geographic.
Namewee, our very own Malaysian rapper - The Malaysian Tupac Shakur.
He sang a mediocre rap song using the National Anthem and posted it on YouTube, so everyone can know who is NAMEWEE.
He's obviously a marketing wiz - "make it controversial". He would've made some money if he hosted some Google Adsense in his post.
"Kan nee nar !!' "Sam pat"
"Lan-jiao bin"
This Mat Rempit is risking his life to show everyone that he also has some kind of skill that is worthy of respect.
He also wants to be a somebody, even with his humble "kap cai".
"Tengok siapa ada telur !!!"
"Ko' siapa ?" "Puki mak ko' !"
This Ah Beng modified his Proton Satria to look like a homemade Ferrari.
Even he wants to be a somebody. He wants to be a Hong Kong "Ku Wak Chai" (Young & Dangerous - a movie about triads in Hong Kong)
"Thai pin-kor fai !....lei mo chun-toi, ah ?
"Tiew lei..., chow-hai !!!"
"Sor hai"
This is Kala Kawai, from Hawaii. He has 67 piercings and 75 % of his body is tattooed.
This guy wants to be an alien. He always wanted to be in Star Wars - the one that eventually kills Luke Skywalker.
Kala Kwai, wants respect, he wants attention. He wants your LOVE.
"What yo' lookin' at, motha' fucker !, eat my shit !"
Tom Leppard aka the Leopard Man
In a rare BBC television interview, Leppard remarked, “As far as I’m concerned, if there is a paradise on Earth, I’m in it. You’re welcome to what you’ve got. I’ll keep this.”
This guy wants to be a leopard - a human being who wants to be an animal.
"Grrreeeeahhhh !!!"
Hahaha. I have no comments about this one. Hahaha. Pathetic !
Stop laughing.....you bitches and bastards ! Its not meant to be funny.
Ok, I know I've left out a few others that should be included here. Maybe I will include those, if I change my mind later.
Okie, as usual, post your comments.
Respect and attention. Everyone wants it, but it is only bestowed on a few. Some are so desperate, that they will do almost anything to get it.
These people should be featured on National Geographic.
Namewee, our very own Malaysian rapper - The Malaysian Tupac Shakur.He sang a mediocre rap song using the National Anthem and posted it on YouTube, so everyone can know who is NAMEWEE.
He's obviously a marketing wiz - "make it controversial". He would've made some money if he hosted some Google Adsense in his post.
"Kan nee nar !!' "Sam pat"
"Lan-jiao bin"
This Mat Rempit is risking his life to show everyone that he also has some kind of skill that is worthy of respect.He also wants to be a somebody, even with his humble "kap cai".
"Tengok siapa ada telur !!!"
"Ko' siapa ?" "Puki mak ko' !"
This Ah Beng modified his Proton Satria to look like a homemade Ferrari.Even he wants to be a somebody. He wants to be a Hong Kong "Ku Wak Chai" (Young & Dangerous - a movie about triads in Hong Kong)
"Thai pin-kor fai !....lei mo chun-toi, ah ?
"Tiew lei..., chow-hai !!!"
"Sor hai"
This is Kala Kawai, from Hawaii. He has 67 piercings and 75 % of his body is tattooed.This guy wants to be an alien. He always wanted to be in Star Wars - the one that eventually kills Luke Skywalker.
Kala Kwai, wants respect, he wants attention. He wants your LOVE.
"What yo' lookin' at, motha' fucker !, eat my shit !"
Tom Leppard aka the Leopard ManIn a rare BBC television interview, Leppard remarked, “As far as I’m concerned, if there is a paradise on Earth, I’m in it. You’re welcome to what you’ve got. I’ll keep this.”
This guy wants to be a leopard - a human being who wants to be an animal.
"Grrreeeeahhhh !!!"
Hahaha. I have no comments about this one. Hahaha. Pathetic !
Stop laughing.....you bitches and bastards ! Its not meant to be funny.
Ok, I know I've left out a few others that should be included here. Maybe I will include those, if I change my mind later.
Okie, as usual, post your comments.
Britney Spears Of The Spirit World
In the NST today 25 August 2007, 19 year old Pinky Loo talks about her career as a spirit entertainer. She earns Rm150 per night although she has heard that some singers get up to RM1000."The stage shows were traditionally meant to entertain both the believers and the spirits. As long as there is entertainment, I doubt it would offend anyone, especially the spirits" Pinky was quoted saying
"The songs are mostly in Mandarin, although, occasionally I do sing a Britney Spears number" Pinky Said
NST
Meet Pinky, the Britney Spears of the Spirit World.
Yeah, Im sure the ghosts can relate to the Britney song, Baby One More Time -
"My loneliness is killin' me (and I)
I must confess I still believe (still believe)
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
give me a sign,
hit me baby one more time"
Not a bad way to earn a living. I wonder if the spirits also have China made DVD players, so they can watch some porn when they are bored (for the other 11 months of the year) or go on the internet... - shit ! I hope that the spirits are not reading this.
related post - humsup hungry ghosts
Comments please, you voyeurs !
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Free Talisman For 500 people
In the Sun newspaper today 24 August 2007 on pg 36 (The Classified Section), "famous clairvoyant" Marie Callas offers 500 talisman for free. This offer is made through an advertisement approximately half a page large.
According to the advertisement, all you have to do to obtain this talisman is to fill up a form with personal details and answer a list of questions, then send the completed form to a PO Box addressed in Singapore.
Wait ! Before you rush out and get the Sun newspaper, please read what the Western Australian Government for Consumer and Employment Protection has to say about her -
Read about Marie Callas
Please submit your comments about this.
"I am offering you a genuine talisman which could change your life"
(And it won't cost you a cent) she was quoted saying.
According to the advertisement, all you have to do to obtain this talisman is to fill up a form with personal details and answer a list of questions, then send the completed form to a PO Box addressed in Singapore.
Wait ! Before you rush out and get the Sun newspaper, please read what the Western Australian Government for Consumer and Employment Protection has to say about her -
Read about Marie Callas
Please submit your comments about this.
Local Pimp Exploiting News Report
In a BBC news report (23 August 2007): Old age 'no barrier' to sex life
"Old age is apparently not preventing US citizens from enjoying active sex lives, researchers there say"
BBC
A local pimp, seeing the opportunity to earn the tourist dollar, have installed a special sign at his premises to attract potential elderly customers:
Ok....This is a lame Joke !Comments please !
Humsup Hungry Ghosts ?
In Penang, "ko tai girls" will have to abide by a new dress code for thier performance during the hungry ghosts month.
The Star
Meanwhile in KL, Gwen Stefani became a "ko tai girl" at Bukit Jalil. She performed for thousands of "horny Malaysian ghosts".
At her perfomance, Gwen probably realised that the Malaysian ghosts were not that innocent after all. In fact, they were way too immoral for her... so she "modified" her normal dressing for her own safety - she overdid the covering up.
Gwen...be warned ! "This Is Malaysia" - famous for sex crimes: old men raping their own daughters, even toddlers get raped, bomohs raping their customers, religious teachers molesting their students etc. Don't play play, Gwen.... Hahahaha.
The Star
related post - Britney Spears Of The Spirit World
"In the past, there were cases where ko tai girls who wore see-through outfits without undergarments to spice up their acts. Although we have not received complaints on scantily dressed female singers for the past three years, I have instructed all members to monitor the performances, especially on the dress code" said Penang Teong Guan Association chairman Lim Yam KoiOf course you will not receive complaints on the "scantily dressed singers" ! Are the ghosts going to make a complain ?
"Singers and dancers will be advised not to wear tube-tops, bare-backs and bikini-like outfits on stage. Hot pants are okay" he said
The Star
Meanwhile in KL, Gwen Stefani became a "ko tai girl" at Bukit Jalil. She performed for thousands of "horny Malaysian ghosts".
“I am not a bad girl" said Stefani.
“Of course, I have certain moral values that I uphold. In America, they see me as a good role model,” added Stefani
At her perfomance, Gwen probably realised that the Malaysian ghosts were not that innocent after all. In fact, they were way too immoral for her... so she "modified" her normal dressing for her own safety - she overdid the covering up.
Gwen...be warned ! "This Is Malaysia" - famous for sex crimes: old men raping their own daughters, even toddlers get raped, bomohs raping their customers, religious teachers molesting their students etc. Don't play play, Gwen.... Hahahaha.
The Star
related post - Britney Spears Of The Spirit World
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Your Boyfriend Has No Balls !
This is not about beef balls, pork balls or fish balls - it is about a guy's balls. A 24 year old woman ripped off her ex bf's balls with her bare hands. Once you grab his balls...his heart and mind will follow ?
There is an urban legend that about 20 years ago, in Ampang, a woman cut her lovers balls while he was sleeping, and fed it to the family dog because he was cheating on her. The lover, not the dog. :)
Anyway, read the story from the BBC.
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A woman who ripped off her ex-boyfriend's testicle with her bare hands has been sent to prison.
Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage when Geoffrey Jones, 37, rejected her advances at the end of a house party, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
She pulled off his left testicle and tried to swallow it, before spitting it out. A friend handed it back to Mr Jones saying: "That's yours."
Monti admitted wounding and was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
'Pulled hard'
Sentencing Monti, Judge Charles James said it was "a very serious injury" and that Monti was not acting in self-defence.
The court heard that Mr Jones had ended his long-term but "open relationship" with Monti towards the end of May last year.
The pair remained on good terms and on 30 May she picked him up from a party in Crosby and went back for drinks with friends at Mr Jones's house.
An argument ensued and Mr Jones said there was a struggle between them.
In his statement, Mr Jones said she grabbed his genitals and "pulled hard".
I am in no way a violent person
Amanda Monti
He added: "That caused my underpants to come off and I found I was completely naked and in excruciating pain."
The court heard that a friend saw Monti put Mr Jones's testicle into her mouth and try to swallow it.
She choked and spat it back into her hand before the friend grabbed it and gave it back to Mr Jones. Doctors were unable to re-attach the organ.
In a letter to the court, Monti said she was sorry for what she had done.
She said: "It was never my intention to cause harm to Geoff and the fact that I have caused him injury will live with me forever. I am in no way a violent person."
The letter added: "I have challenged myself to explain what has happened but still I just cannot remember. This has caused much anguish to me and will do for the rest of my life."
BBC
There is an urban legend that about 20 years ago, in Ampang, a woman cut her lovers balls while he was sleeping, and fed it to the family dog because he was cheating on her. The lover, not the dog. :)
Anyway, read the story from the BBC.
-------------
A woman who ripped off her ex-boyfriend's testicle with her bare hands has been sent to prison.
Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage when Geoffrey Jones, 37, rejected her advances at the end of a house party, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
She pulled off his left testicle and tried to swallow it, before spitting it out. A friend handed it back to Mr Jones saying: "That's yours."
Monti admitted wounding and was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
'Pulled hard'
Sentencing Monti, Judge Charles James said it was "a very serious injury" and that Monti was not acting in self-defence.
The court heard that Mr Jones had ended his long-term but "open relationship" with Monti towards the end of May last year.
The pair remained on good terms and on 30 May she picked him up from a party in Crosby and went back for drinks with friends at Mr Jones's house.
An argument ensued and Mr Jones said there was a struggle between them.
In his statement, Mr Jones said she grabbed his genitals and "pulled hard".
I am in no way a violent person
Amanda Monti
He added: "That caused my underpants to come off and I found I was completely naked and in excruciating pain."
The court heard that a friend saw Monti put Mr Jones's testicle into her mouth and try to swallow it.
She choked and spat it back into her hand before the friend grabbed it and gave it back to Mr Jones. Doctors were unable to re-attach the organ.
In a letter to the court, Monti said she was sorry for what she had done.
She said: "It was never my intention to cause harm to Geoff and the fact that I have caused him injury will live with me forever. I am in no way a violent person."
The letter added: "I have challenged myself to explain what has happened but still I just cannot remember. This has caused much anguish to me and will do for the rest of my life."
BBC
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Goodfellas
My Ratings: Very GoodRelease Date: 1990
Lessons: This movies tells us not to underestimate a man's greed. It also shows that when someone is desperate he will betray his closest friends and even his family. Not everyone can be a successful gangster; you must like being a gangster in addition to having the right personality and intelligence. Just like any other profession, to be successful, you must like what you do in addition to having the right personality and intelligence for the job. Most people only have the intelligence to do the job but do not like, nor have the personality for the job.
Based on Nicholas Pileggi's book WISEGUY, Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS is a wry, violent, and exhilarating film about the life of Henry Hill, an aspiring criminal who ends up in the FBI's witness protection program after testifying against his former partners. As a poor Irish-Italian growing up in 1950s New York City, Hill (Ray Liotta) rises through the ranks of his Brooklyn neighborhood's organized crime branch, and with money from the mob he begins living the good life, complete with a beautiful bride, Karen (Lorraine Bracco), a fancy house, and the best seats at the most exclusive restaurants. A botched robbery lands Henry in prison for a brief period of time, and when he gets released, his reckless infidelities and drug abuse damage his association with his adopted family.
Scorsese's film is a visual and sonic onslaught, featuring a brilliant pop-music soundtrack and stunning camera work--including the infamous Steadicam one-take that introduces the audience to the Copacabana's patrons. He uses the songs to infuse a breathtaking, invigorating rhythm into every scene. As the psychopathic Tommy DeVito, Joe Pesci delivers an unforgettable performance that is alarming in its cold-blooded callousness, helping to cement GOODFELLAS' place as a classic portrait of life in the mob.
Earning RM5,000 pm in KL, without a job. A Street Boy Talks Part 2
This is Part 2 of yesterdays post Earning RM5,000 pm in KL, without a job. A Street Boy Talks
This is a story about Steven, a 24 year old guy, how he earns money and his lifestyle.
In this second post, Steven tells about his studies, his previous jobs, his current lifestyle – how he works and how he plays, and how he earns more than RM5,000 per month in his trade, without a boss.
----------------
Steven said that as he does not come from a rich family, he had to learn about real life, fast.
Steven said that he attended a private college in KL to study business administration. He studied up to the diploma level and did not continue to pursue it at degree level. "In college, I didn’t learn anything practical for doing business" he said.
"I always wanted to do business. But I look at my lecturers, they are earning very little – and they have got bachelors and masters degrees", Steven observes.
His first "real jobs" were helping his parents to do "odd jobs" at their stalls since he was 6 years old.
He learnt early that, in business, you must know what your customers want, how much they are willing to pay for it and where to source for the products at a cheaper price than your competitors.
"In college, I had to learn so many theories that were simply useless for my business". Steven complained, "I couldn’t ask the lecturer how to apply all these in real life, because he himself doesn’t know…if he did know, he wouldn’t be working for people".
Steven however feels that higher formal education is essential today for people who want to get a job working in a company earning a steady monthly income. "Its ok, if you just want to get a job and ‘makan gaji’ – without a degree these days, it is very difficult to get a decent job" he said.
He came to KL when he was 18 years old. He shared a small rented room in SS2 PJ with a friend each paying RM150 per month. "I didn’t have a car then, I only had an old ‘kap chai’; that was our mode of transport" Steven recalled.
When he first came to KL, he started working part time at a stationery shop while he was studying. "In my second year here, I started giving private tuition" Steven said.
After obtaining his diploma, he got a job working for a telemarketing company full time, selling "holiday, hotel and dining packages". Steven said that "although there was a basic salary and commission each month, I could only earn about RM1,800 per month. I had to call 100s of people per week".
He claimed that he couldn’t earn more money at the telemarketing company because he "didn’t have control over the products" – he had to sell whatever "package" his company was promoting. He couldn’t sell what the customers wanted.
"I have always tried to think of other ways to earn more money." Steven said.
He also got involved in a multi-leval marketing company selling "vitamins, shampoo and other household stuff" on a part time basis. He found that it was very difficult for him to earn very much in multi-level marketing, as competition is very stiff and the products offered are quite generic and relatively expensive. "It is very difficult to convince someone to buy a bottle of vitamins for RM90, when similar generic brands are sold at about RM25 in the pharmacies." he said.
Steven quit the multi-level marketing business after a year. "I know of people who have made it big in the multi-level marketing business, but that business is not for me…I want to have control over the price and demand of the products I sell" he explained.
He admitted, however, that the multi-level marketing company exposed him to many new ideas on entrepreneurship, "I learnt a lot from doing multi-level marketing. I was introduced to books and cassette tapes that motivated me to succeed. I learnt how to approach people, how to be professional, manage my time, how to network, etc".
Steven explained that he got into his current direct sales business by accident, "one day while eating at a ‘Bangsar mamak’, there was this guy who came to my table trying to sell me a chess set for RM30. I talked to him for a while and he then introduced me to his team leader".
After discussing with the team leader, he realised that he faced a problem should he decide to join that company Рit does not give its sales representatives a basic salary. The arrangement was purely on a commission basis. "I was thinking, how was I going to pay my basic monthly expenses, if I quit my job ?" he said. Then, he came upon an idea, "I resigned from my telemarketing job and took a job with a cyber caf̩ doing night shift, my basic salary was less, but I knew I could earn more with the direct sales company in the morning".
The following month he started his new adventure Рcyber caf̩ personnel at night and direct salesman in the morning. The first two months was tough, he said "I had to work from 7pm in the evening to 2am in the morning at the cyber caf̩, then at 8am I have report to work at the direct sales company and work until 5pm".
But his plan worked Рhe earned more. "In my second month, doing two jobs I earned a total of RM3,000" he said proudly. In the third month, he was confident of earning a steady income from only his direct sales job, so he quit his cyber caf̩ job. "I worked for the direct sales company full time for about eight months, every month earning from RM2,000 to RM3,000 depending on the products, price and timing", he explains.
With his new found ‘success’, he bought himself his first car – a Proton Iswara.
"I know it is not a big deal lah, but for someone my age at that time, it is. I bought it with my own money" he said proudly.
"These days, if you’ve got no car, you can’t get any ‘chicks’" he said, while grinning.
However, he wasn’t satisfied with his current job earning a max of RM3,000 per month. "I know, RM3,000 is a lot for most diploma holders my age, at that time. Most of my ex college mates were either still studying, unemployed, or were earning much less than I was, but I still was not happy", he said.
To look for alternatives of earning more money, he contacted his ex-supervisor of the stationery shop he used to work for part time when he was still studying. "My ex- supervisor suggested that I sell stationery products to small companies and also do retail sales to customers on my own" he said.
With this idea, he contacted various stationery suppliers for quotes and met with them to discuss business possibilities. "Once, I got the ‘jalan’ I knew I could sell these stuff to small companies along the LRT routes".
He quit his job at the direct sales company and became his own boss – getting supplies directly from suppliers and selling it directly to small companies along the LRT route. "I just park my car near the Kelana Jaya LRT station, and take the LRT. I service the small offices in the buildings near the LRT stations. I made friends with the secretaries and receptionists…when they need small and odd stationery supplies, they will call me and I will go to their offices. It is a very convenient arrangement for them, although the price can sometimes be a little bit higher." he explains
"Sometimes, the bosses ask me to go into their rooms and privately ask if I can supply to them ‘blue movies’, they are willing to pay up to RM50 per DVD - they are too embarrassed to buy it themselves at the ‘pasar malam’ or DVD shop. I don’t want to get involved in this kind of business, so I politely decline", he said.
During lunch hour he walks the food stalls selling pens, calculators etc to office workers. He also gets new ‘contacts’ this way. "These are things people need. You don’t have to explain to them why they need it" he explains.
He admits that whilst the work itself isn't very difficult, not everyone can be successful at this trade. "This work is not hard. But not everyone can do well in this kind of work. You must be very 'thick skinned' and have the guts. You must not care what stangers will say when you approach them. You must also be very street wise" he said.
He said in a good month he can earn up to RM7,000. In an average month he earns about RM5,000. "The worst month so far was when I earned only RM3,500" he admits.
"I meet a lot of people in this line of work, some people ask me to join their company as sales rep, some ask me to join their insurance agency…each month I get two to five job offers, but I politely decline. I will never work for anyone again", he said.
He said he loves his current business and lifestyle, "I am my own boss, if I want to work, I work. If I don’t feel like working that day, I stay at home and watch Astro or go ‘kacau’ my friends working" he said with a mischievous laugh.
"I start work at 10am and finish at 4pm. I don’t work weekends." He said with a smile.
He goes clubbing at least twice a week and "have bottles" in 3 clubs in KL. "I am still young…only 24 years old, I work hard and enjoy lah", he said.
He doesn’t have a steady girlfriend but has many temporary "lovers". "A steady girlfriend takes up a lot of time, anyway, I’m still young. I prefer ‘no strings attached’ type relationships. I can meet ‘chicks’ anywhere…in clubs mostly. Just buy a bottle and you are set to make friends with the ‘chicks’.
Although he has experienced some financial ‘success’ compared to his peers, he is embarrassed to tell girls he meets in clubs what he does for a living. "You tell ‘chicks’ you sell office supplies door to door, they will look down on you lah." He said. He usually tells the girls he meets at clubs that he is the marketing manager for a foreign company. "Aiyah…just throw some money and they will believe whatever you tell them lah’, he said with a laugh.
He is currently working on expending his business with a friend. He also intends to buy his own condo and a new Satria. "I have so many things on my mind now, but I hope things work out well with my new business partner, it is possible that I can earn more than RM10,000 per month. At the mean time, I want to buy my own condo and change my car lah" he said.
I asked him if I could publish his phone number so he could get more business. "Not yet lah, I’m just a small fry now. Maybe next time, when I have my own office" he declined humbly.
By the way, I asked him how much profit he made from the gel pens he sold my friend and I - at RM10 per packet of 5 pens. "Small profit only…my cost is less than RM5 per pack", he said, laughing. What a pleasant bastard ! Anyway, he paid for two rounds of coffee and cakes, so I laughed too.
As usual, please post your comments about this story, so others can learn from you, and you can learn from others.
This is a story about Steven, a 24 year old guy, how he earns money and his lifestyle.
In this second post, Steven tells about his studies, his previous jobs, his current lifestyle – how he works and how he plays, and how he earns more than RM5,000 per month in his trade, without a boss.
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Steven said that as he does not come from a rich family, he had to learn about real life, fast.
Steven said that he attended a private college in KL to study business administration. He studied up to the diploma level and did not continue to pursue it at degree level. "In college, I didn’t learn anything practical for doing business" he said.
"I always wanted to do business. But I look at my lecturers, they are earning very little – and they have got bachelors and masters degrees", Steven observes.
His first "real jobs" were helping his parents to do "odd jobs" at their stalls since he was 6 years old.
He learnt early that, in business, you must know what your customers want, how much they are willing to pay for it and where to source for the products at a cheaper price than your competitors.
"In college, I had to learn so many theories that were simply useless for my business". Steven complained, "I couldn’t ask the lecturer how to apply all these in real life, because he himself doesn’t know…if he did know, he wouldn’t be working for people".
Steven however feels that higher formal education is essential today for people who want to get a job working in a company earning a steady monthly income. "Its ok, if you just want to get a job and ‘makan gaji’ – without a degree these days, it is very difficult to get a decent job" he said.
He came to KL when he was 18 years old. He shared a small rented room in SS2 PJ with a friend each paying RM150 per month. "I didn’t have a car then, I only had an old ‘kap chai’; that was our mode of transport" Steven recalled.
When he first came to KL, he started working part time at a stationery shop while he was studying. "In my second year here, I started giving private tuition" Steven said.
After obtaining his diploma, he got a job working for a telemarketing company full time, selling "holiday, hotel and dining packages". Steven said that "although there was a basic salary and commission each month, I could only earn about RM1,800 per month. I had to call 100s of people per week".
He claimed that he couldn’t earn more money at the telemarketing company because he "didn’t have control over the products" – he had to sell whatever "package" his company was promoting. He couldn’t sell what the customers wanted.
"I have always tried to think of other ways to earn more money." Steven said.
He also got involved in a multi-leval marketing company selling "vitamins, shampoo and other household stuff" on a part time basis. He found that it was very difficult for him to earn very much in multi-level marketing, as competition is very stiff and the products offered are quite generic and relatively expensive. "It is very difficult to convince someone to buy a bottle of vitamins for RM90, when similar generic brands are sold at about RM25 in the pharmacies." he said.
Steven quit the multi-level marketing business after a year. "I know of people who have made it big in the multi-level marketing business, but that business is not for me…I want to have control over the price and demand of the products I sell" he explained.
He admitted, however, that the multi-level marketing company exposed him to many new ideas on entrepreneurship, "I learnt a lot from doing multi-level marketing. I was introduced to books and cassette tapes that motivated me to succeed. I learnt how to approach people, how to be professional, manage my time, how to network, etc".
Steven explained that he got into his current direct sales business by accident, "one day while eating at a ‘Bangsar mamak’, there was this guy who came to my table trying to sell me a chess set for RM30. I talked to him for a while and he then introduced me to his team leader".
After discussing with the team leader, he realised that he faced a problem should he decide to join that company Рit does not give its sales representatives a basic salary. The arrangement was purely on a commission basis. "I was thinking, how was I going to pay my basic monthly expenses, if I quit my job ?" he said. Then, he came upon an idea, "I resigned from my telemarketing job and took a job with a cyber caf̩ doing night shift, my basic salary was less, but I knew I could earn more with the direct sales company in the morning".
The following month he started his new adventure Рcyber caf̩ personnel at night and direct salesman in the morning. The first two months was tough, he said "I had to work from 7pm in the evening to 2am in the morning at the cyber caf̩, then at 8am I have report to work at the direct sales company and work until 5pm".
But his plan worked Рhe earned more. "In my second month, doing two jobs I earned a total of RM3,000" he said proudly. In the third month, he was confident of earning a steady income from only his direct sales job, so he quit his cyber caf̩ job. "I worked for the direct sales company full time for about eight months, every month earning from RM2,000 to RM3,000 depending on the products, price and timing", he explains.
With his new found ‘success’, he bought himself his first car – a Proton Iswara.
"I know it is not a big deal lah, but for someone my age at that time, it is. I bought it with my own money" he said proudly.
"These days, if you’ve got no car, you can’t get any ‘chicks’" he said, while grinning.
However, he wasn’t satisfied with his current job earning a max of RM3,000 per month. "I know, RM3,000 is a lot for most diploma holders my age, at that time. Most of my ex college mates were either still studying, unemployed, or were earning much less than I was, but I still was not happy", he said.
To look for alternatives of earning more money, he contacted his ex-supervisor of the stationery shop he used to work for part time when he was still studying. "My ex- supervisor suggested that I sell stationery products to small companies and also do retail sales to customers on my own" he said.
With this idea, he contacted various stationery suppliers for quotes and met with them to discuss business possibilities. "Once, I got the ‘jalan’ I knew I could sell these stuff to small companies along the LRT routes".
He quit his job at the direct sales company and became his own boss – getting supplies directly from suppliers and selling it directly to small companies along the LRT route. "I just park my car near the Kelana Jaya LRT station, and take the LRT. I service the small offices in the buildings near the LRT stations. I made friends with the secretaries and receptionists…when they need small and odd stationery supplies, they will call me and I will go to their offices. It is a very convenient arrangement for them, although the price can sometimes be a little bit higher." he explains
"Sometimes, the bosses ask me to go into their rooms and privately ask if I can supply to them ‘blue movies’, they are willing to pay up to RM50 per DVD - they are too embarrassed to buy it themselves at the ‘pasar malam’ or DVD shop. I don’t want to get involved in this kind of business, so I politely decline", he said.
During lunch hour he walks the food stalls selling pens, calculators etc to office workers. He also gets new ‘contacts’ this way. "These are things people need. You don’t have to explain to them why they need it" he explains.
He admits that whilst the work itself isn't very difficult, not everyone can be successful at this trade. "This work is not hard. But not everyone can do well in this kind of work. You must be very 'thick skinned' and have the guts. You must not care what stangers will say when you approach them. You must also be very street wise" he said.
He said in a good month he can earn up to RM7,000. In an average month he earns about RM5,000. "The worst month so far was when I earned only RM3,500" he admits.
"I meet a lot of people in this line of work, some people ask me to join their company as sales rep, some ask me to join their insurance agency…each month I get two to five job offers, but I politely decline. I will never work for anyone again", he said.
He said he loves his current business and lifestyle, "I am my own boss, if I want to work, I work. If I don’t feel like working that day, I stay at home and watch Astro or go ‘kacau’ my friends working" he said with a mischievous laugh.
"I start work at 10am and finish at 4pm. I don’t work weekends." He said with a smile.
He goes clubbing at least twice a week and "have bottles" in 3 clubs in KL. "I am still young…only 24 years old, I work hard and enjoy lah", he said.
He doesn’t have a steady girlfriend but has many temporary "lovers". "A steady girlfriend takes up a lot of time, anyway, I’m still young. I prefer ‘no strings attached’ type relationships. I can meet ‘chicks’ anywhere…in clubs mostly. Just buy a bottle and you are set to make friends with the ‘chicks’.
Although he has experienced some financial ‘success’ compared to his peers, he is embarrassed to tell girls he meets in clubs what he does for a living. "You tell ‘chicks’ you sell office supplies door to door, they will look down on you lah." He said. He usually tells the girls he meets at clubs that he is the marketing manager for a foreign company. "Aiyah…just throw some money and they will believe whatever you tell them lah’, he said with a laugh.
He is currently working on expending his business with a friend. He also intends to buy his own condo and a new Satria. "I have so many things on my mind now, but I hope things work out well with my new business partner, it is possible that I can earn more than RM10,000 per month. At the mean time, I want to buy my own condo and change my car lah" he said.
I asked him if I could publish his phone number so he could get more business. "Not yet lah, I’m just a small fry now. Maybe next time, when I have my own office" he declined humbly.
By the way, I asked him how much profit he made from the gel pens he sold my friend and I - at RM10 per packet of 5 pens. "Small profit only…my cost is less than RM5 per pack", he said, laughing. What a pleasant bastard ! Anyway, he paid for two rounds of coffee and cakes, so I laughed too.
As usual, please post your comments about this story, so others can learn from you, and you can learn from others.
The Batu Ajaib Speaks - Week 1
Thank you for all questions sent. These are the questions picked randomly for the Batu Ajaib to answer. Here are the selected questions and answers:
Q: Why doesn’t my girlfriend like to swallow my sperm ?
From: Pete (no location given)
The Batu Ajaib:
Maybe yours taste awful. Why don’t you swallow your own sperm and set a good example for her.
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Q: I read the article about ghosts in Malaysia. What kind of ghosts can live here ?
From: Bulu5 - Kajang, Selangor
The Batu Ajaib:
There are 3 main kinds of ghosts who live in Malaysia:
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Q: I work very hard but never get noticed at work by management. How do I get noticed and be placed in a more appropriate position ?
From: Shirley - Singapore
The Batu Ajaib:
For 3 consecutive days, go to work late wearing a playboy bunny costume. You will immediately be noticed by management and placed in an appropriate position in the company or somewhere else.
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Q: Do hungry ghosts only eat Chinese food ? Do they eat any other food ?
From: K.C. - Ipoh, Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib:
Hungry ghosts only eat Chinese food. Sometimes when they are very hungry, they also eat KFC and McDonalds, but they don’t eat the French fries.
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Q: How do I come up with new stuff to blog about every day? Some days I am as dry as trying to squeeze water out of a batu :(
From: Yozoranitesky (no location given)
The Batu Ajaib:
You can come up with new stuff to blog about everyday by knowing your audience. For instance, if your audience is mainly horny Ah Bengs, then write about things that will interest horny Ah Bengs. Keep updated with Ah Beng culture by reading Ah Beng blogs and websites. Speak with Ah Bengs to get their views.
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Q: Who is going to win the EPL match tonight, Chelsea or Liverpool ?
From: Mr. Potato- Penang, Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib Speaks:
The team that will win the EPL match tonight is the team whose manager did not masturbate 24 hours before the match. If the game ends with a draw, that means both team managers masturbated 24 hours before the match.
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Q: What is the winning 4D number today ?
From: Ricky - Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib Speaks:
The winning number is 7, I will give you the other three numbers next week.
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Ok folks, thats all for this week. Have a good week ahead.
Remember, read the instructions for The Batu Ajaib Speaks posted earlier, if you want your questions answered here.
Q: Why doesn’t my girlfriend like to swallow my sperm ?
From: Pete (no location given)
The Batu Ajaib:
Maybe yours taste awful. Why don’t you swallow your own sperm and set a good example for her.
----------
Q: I read the article about ghosts in Malaysia. What kind of ghosts can live here ?
From: Bulu5 - Kajang, Selangor
The Batu Ajaib:
There are 3 main kinds of ghosts who live in Malaysia:
- Malaysian Ghosts
- "Kwai Lo" – foreign devils / ghosts, in Cantonese
- Red Devils – also called "Huntu Manchester United"
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Q: I work very hard but never get noticed at work by management. How do I get noticed and be placed in a more appropriate position ?
From: Shirley - Singapore
The Batu Ajaib:
For 3 consecutive days, go to work late wearing a playboy bunny costume. You will immediately be noticed by management and placed in an appropriate position in the company or somewhere else.
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Q: Do hungry ghosts only eat Chinese food ? Do they eat any other food ?
From: K.C. - Ipoh, Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib:
Hungry ghosts only eat Chinese food. Sometimes when they are very hungry, they also eat KFC and McDonalds, but they don’t eat the French fries.
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Q: How do I come up with new stuff to blog about every day? Some days I am as dry as trying to squeeze water out of a batu :(
From: Yozoranitesky (no location given)
The Batu Ajaib:
You can come up with new stuff to blog about everyday by knowing your audience. For instance, if your audience is mainly horny Ah Bengs, then write about things that will interest horny Ah Bengs. Keep updated with Ah Beng culture by reading Ah Beng blogs and websites. Speak with Ah Bengs to get their views.
--------------
Q: Who is going to win the EPL match tonight, Chelsea or Liverpool ?
From: Mr. Potato- Penang, Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib Speaks:
The team that will win the EPL match tonight is the team whose manager did not masturbate 24 hours before the match. If the game ends with a draw, that means both team managers masturbated 24 hours before the match.
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Q: What is the winning 4D number today ?
From: Ricky - Malaysia
The Batu Ajaib Speaks:
The winning number is 7, I will give you the other three numbers next week.
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Ok folks, thats all for this week. Have a good week ahead.
Remember, read the instructions for The Batu Ajaib Speaks posted earlier, if you want your questions answered here.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Earning RM5,000 pm in KL, without a job. A Street Boy Talks.
Im looking back at an incident that happened early last month. It was an otherwise regular Tuesday afternoon at a corner Chinese coffee shop (a "kopi tiam") during lunch hour. I had just ordered a plate of chicken rice and my friend ordered a bowl of laksa.We were chatting about how expensive the price of things had become in KL. We were calculating how much a single early 20s to mid 30s white-collar worker needs to earn per month, to live comfortably in KL.
Having factored in the basic necessities for "a comfortable living" and debated how "an average single (unmarried) male and female white-collar worker" is defined, we rather arbitrarily come to agree that a net income of RM5,000 per month is the ideal figure.
Yes, RM5,000 is the net take home pay, after deducting tax, EPF and Socso. This should be sufficient for an unmarried white-collar worker to live comfortably in KL. Without boring you with details, but just to give you an idea about what we consider an "average white collar worker" and "a comfortable living", this is what we had decided upon:
An average white-collar worker is someone with basic tertiary education (eg. a bachelor’s degree), able to communicate reasonably well in English and Malay, uses his or her "knowledge" (brains – some don’t have even that !) rather than muscles, to earn a living. A comfortable living would mean living at least in a medium cost rented / own apartment (whether shared or not) of approximately RM800 per month, owning at least a Proton Wira, going for a holiday yearly, going for movies, drinks and eating at restaurants during weekends, buying clothes and accessories, having some money to save and invest etc. I must emphasise that although this criteria is purely arbitrary, it is not far from the ideal.
Given this case, then, looking at the salary scale today, a person who earns a net income of RM5,000 per month is someone at a managerial level with an average of 5-8 years working experience, post graduation. This is pathetic !
What we realise was that the majority of white-collar workers in Klang Valley are only earning anything from RM1,600 to RM3,500 net per month.
While we were discussing this, we looked around the coffee shop and played a game of guessing "how much do you think that guy earns ?", "do you think he is the boss or subordinate ?" etc etc – purely based on appearance and demeanour.
Suddenly, a pleasant but urgent voice interrupted our "game". "Hello, sorry to interrupt your conversation…". WTF ! I looked up and there was this guy grinning at my friend and I.
WTF ! …you £%$*fu%ker ! Hello ??? can’t you see I’m having a private conversation ! (I didn’t say this aloud, of course).He held up a packet of pens and said, "gel pens…going for RM10 a pack". I gave him this very irritated WTF look and crossed my arms. But then, looking at the packet of 5 gel pens, I asked "how much, again ?". He said, "RM10, only for today". I was thinking to myself, "don’t bullshit lah, tomorrow it will also be RM10’.
Anyway, my friend was already holding a pack of pens and testing one. So, I forgot about being irritated with this £%$*fu%ker and proceeded to also test one pen…signing my name, then cancelling it – I did this 3 times, hahaha – bad habit. Testing, testing !. Don’t laugh…I know you guys do it too. Peasants !
My friend then asked, "got discount ah ?" The £%$*fu%ker said, "Sorry miss, this is very cheap and usually it is sold at bla bla bla….bla..bla". I could see that my friend wasn’t listening and proceeded to take RM10 from her wallet and gave it to the £%$*fu%ker. I also took RM10 out and gave it to him but asked him for a new packet (hahaha, kiasu).
Then he said, "do you want to buy a packet for your friends at the office ?". I looked at my friend and we both decided through some kind of "telepathy" to buy another packet each for our "friends". So there, RM40 sales from the two of us, for 10 minutes easy work – not bad at all.
After the £%$*fu%ker left (with a huge grin on his face…of course) – he made RM40 easy money, I asked my friend, "I wonder how much this guy earns per month ?". We speculated with different figures for a while, then decided to ask the £%$*fu%ker, personally – get it from the horse’ mouth. Such "kay-poh" people we are !. We looked around and saw him at the other corner of the shop, pitching his gel pens to a group of girls.
I told my friend that after he is done, we will get him to come over to speak to us. I looked at my watch and it was already almost 2pm and the office crowd at the coffee shop were dispersing – have to get back to work. My friend and I being "the bosses" can go back to work fashionably late (or not at all) – "meeting outside, with clients".
At last, the £%$*fu%ker finished with his last customers. We called him over to our table. He came over our table, grinning again - thinking we wanted to buy some more of his pens. I said, "you speak and present yourself very well" (he did actually, despite his fake grin). I continued, "we wonder if you have some time to chat with us…about your type of job…err…I got a friend who wants to join…" (such a liar, I am). He looked at his watch and said "sorry, but I have to go off somewhere else". To that, I said, "just for a while…I will buy another packet of your pens if you sit down and chat with us for, awhile". Hearing this, he sat down – greedy fu%ker !.
We introduced ourselves. He said his name was Steven and is 24 years old. Steven is about 5’7" tall, slim, has short hair, doesn’t wear glasses, dresses in office attire but doesn’t wear a tie, and carries a medium sized black pvc / leather bag. He does not prefer that we take his photo with our handphones, neither is he comfortable to reveal his full name (the full story will reveal why).
I asked Steven about his background, his previous work and of course, how much he earns per month doing his current "business". When Steven said that he was from small town called Menglembu in Perak, my friend gave me that "where the f&ck is that ?" look. I ignored her – bitch !. Steven said that his father is a hawker and his mom runs a stall in the pasar malam.
Steven’s story was so interesting that we decided to leave the Chinese coffee shop and continue listening to his story at a nearby café – I bought the first round of coffee and Steven bought us the subsequent two rounds and cakes (he was very generous – read on and you will learn why). We chatted until about 4pm - he seemed to have cancelled his "prior appointment" he had told us about earlier.
He has a diploma in Business Adminstration from a private college. He said he starts work at 10am in the morning and stops work at about 4pm. After work, he usually heads for his regular massage joint. "For real massage lah, no hanky panky", he said. As he has no paperwork to do, no responsibilities, no deadlines, no overtime etc, he has plenty of free time after 4pm. He also has no boss and doesn’t work on weekends.
He drives a Proton Iswara (which is moderately modified) and he was thinking of buying a new Satria. He lives in a fully furnished rented apartment in Kelana Jaya with housemates – He is the chief tenant. He goes clubbing at least 2 twice a week and "have bottles" in 3 clubs in KL. He has been to Bali twice and Phuket once, for holiday. He doesn’t have a steady girlfriend but has many temporary "lovers". Bastard !
He admits that, normally, someone doing this kind of business – direct sales, does not earn as much as he does and has to work so much harder. He said the reason is, "they don’t know the ‘tricks’ lah…everything also got the ‘right jalan’…"
Ok folks, to be continued tomorrow…in Part 2 - Steven reveals about his studies, his previous jobs, his current lifestyle – how he works and how he plays, and how he earns more than RM5,000 per month in his trade, without a boss.
Meanwhile, please post your comments about your ideal job and earnings per month, or tell us about people you know who are earning a comfortable living with a job.
Read Part 2 here
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Powerful Wealth Amulet
Can this amulet make you rich ? Millions of people believe so.The Jatukham Rammathep amulet is believed by millions Thais and to some extent Malaysians and Singaporeans, to bring wealth to its possessor.
It is reported in the Thai press that during the unprecedented Jatukarm amulet craze just a few months ago, the temple where the talismans originated, had been fully booked for rituals. Now, only a few amulet makers made requests for the temple to perform rites for new models of the talisman. Previously, the temple received nearly a thousand requests a month but now it seems very quiet.
With the craze now being over and the oversupply of amulets for the last few months, including the sale of the fake ones, has caused prices to drop sharply.
Thailand is known as the largest market for amulets. Each year several classes and types of amulets are produced and commercialised by numerous producers and investors, most of whom have links with famous monks and masters of meditation.
Whenever there is a demand for something, even if it is something considered "spiritual", there will always be willing suppliers. First, demand will exceed supply and the price will be high. Then eventually supply will exceed demand and the price will start to drop.
As with anything in life, the law of supply and demand reigns supreme. Remember the Flower Horn fish craze a few years ago ? Mature fish had an average selling price of RM250 each. After the craze, people were releasing their Flower Horns into public lakes or giving them away, for free.
Read the story about the Jatukham Rammathep amulet featured in The Star early last month.
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By KEE HUA CHEEAside from ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the other hot topic on the Thai people’s lips is Jatukarm, a highly sought-after talisman said to be driving the Thai economy.
I had never heard of the Jatukarm until I visited Thailand last month. Immediately I was bombarded with newspaper articles and TV stories of the Jatukarm craze. It seems all of Thailand is in its grip.
I’m told even academics in universities are writing theses on it.
So who or what is this Jatukarm?
Jatukarm Ramathep is a god associated with wealth, success and happiness. People who wear a Jatukarm talisman believe the deity will help grant their wishes. According to a friend, Krichsakol Khemamnat from Finansa Securities, Jatukarm was an 8th century king.
“He ruled over Nakorn Si Thammarat. When he died, many who worshipped him had their wishes granted. But he was only a secondary deity and not particularly revered. Even I had not really heard of Jatukarm. Jatukarm was not famous until last year when the craze started.
“We believe this is the era of Jatukarm, as he has entered the charts. As this is his golden period, he is now very, very powerful so we are all trying to grab some of his power!” Khemamnat explained.
He likened the ascendancy of Jatukarm to the Chinese animal cycle.
“We are now in the Year of the Pig, so the Boar has more power than the Dog or Horse. Likewise, this is the Year of Jatukarm! Er, actually we don’t know how long this will last but it usually lasts a few years before interest wanes.”
Most Buddhists see no harm in improving their odds in life with a Jatukarm charm, since the cheapest, “entry-level” clay amulet only costs RM3. All the popular malls sell them. Just keep an eye out for any place with heightened activity. If there is a small crowd huddling around a counter, chances are Jatukarm amulets are being sold!
Having succumbed to the craze, I bought not one, not two, but five talismans.
I paid RM200 for my jade Jatukarm at Chatuchak Market. My two flashiest Jatukarms are embellished with Swarovski crystals and cost RM350 each. They have been mistaken for rapper’s medallions or a piece of hip-hop accessory. A particularly lovely golden-hued version set me back only RM40.
The most expensive is from the original Jatukarm Temple in Nakon Si Thammarat. It came in a plastic box with the name of the temple: Wat Phra Mahatat. I was told not to throw the plastic container away for it was proof the amulet was from the temple.
I paid RM550 for this amulet at the Areewan Jewellery Shop in MBK (Mah Bung Krung) Shopping Centre. When I protested that it was scandalously expensive, owner Areewan said indignantly: “We cannot make a profit from the gods. Your Jatukarm comes from the original Jatukarm temple in Nakorn Si Thammarat, and I only make a little money from the gold and ruby locket. I sell you the pendant for the same price I paid the temple. I not make money from Jatukarm!”
Every Thai I met had a Jatukarm – from taxi drivers to the immigration officer who whipped one out of his shirt pocket when he saw mine. The bellboy at swanky Legua Hotel told me his tips had increased dramatically after he started praying to the deity!
Nakorn Veerapravati, president of the Bangkok Critics Assembly and a wealthy businessman, was kind enough to fill me in on Jatukarm Ramathep’s background.
Nakorn Veerapravati believes that the Jatukarm does bring luck.
The guardian angel(s)
“As far as I know,” Veerapravati began, “Jatukarm is the name of a guardian angel, and Ramathep is the name of another. This pair protected the stupa of Wat Phra Mahatat. I don’t know why Ramathep is not worshipped like Jatukarm, but since the name includes both, I guess we are paying homage to both.”
The story has it that 30 years ago, a policeman (or general or monk or layman, depending on who you ask) commissioned the temple to make 300 Jatukarm amulets, and these he gave away as thanksgiving presents for a wish fulfilled. Made of clay, each cost him just a few ringgit but is now worth a small fortune.
“These 300 original amulets are the most sought after! People go mad searching for them. These originals have the most power, and it is said they grant one’s wish within the hour.
“Last year, the newspapers reported that each one costs 500,000 baht (RM50,000). One was sold two weeks ago for 1.2mil baht (RM120,000). A millionaire bought one from the family who gave the originals away for 2mil baht (RM200,000).”
Last year, when his mother fell ill, Veerapravati rang a friend in Nakorn Si Thammarat to buy a Jatukarm amulet and have it delivered to him in Bangkok.
“My friend then told me something which almost gave me a heart attack: he said why should he bother doing that when I already had an original Jatukarm from the temple! He reminded me that he gave me one of the original 300 Jatukarms 17 years ago as a good luck gift when I left Nakorn Si Thammarat for Bangkok.
“Of course, back then it probably cost him only 80 baht (RM8)!
“I dropped my handphone in shock and joy. I rushed home and dust flew as I searched the cupboards and drawers for it. We Thais never throw amulets away, so I knew it was somewhere although I only wore it during my first year in Bangkok and hadn’t seen it in 17 years.
“Finally, to my relief, I found it in a drawer!”
Like David Copperfield, Veerapravati slowly and tantalisingly pulled out the precious Jatukarm from under his shirt to show me. His Jatukarm looked ordinary enough, being made from earth and clay with the embossed image of Jatukarm.
As with all collectibles, there are specialists in Bangkok who say they can verify the authenticity of such 30-year-old amulets.
“I had mine checked and the specialist said he didn’t even need a loupe, magnifying glass or scientific instrument to know that it was in perfect condition. It was hardly worn and never exposed to the sun.”
Alas, Veerapravati’s mother died anyway, though she regained her health briefly and was coherent enough to enjoy her last few months. She told her son she dreamt an angel told her that it was time for her to go since she was meant to be reborn soon.
At her funeral in Nakorn Si Thammarat, Veerapravati commissioned 1,000 Jatukarm talismans to be given away free. Word spread and there was a veritable stampede as 5,000 people queued up for his gift. The police had to be called in to restore order. He was told never to attempt this again.
According to some, this overnight craze started last year when King Bhumibol Adulyadej emerged from hospital following a successful treatment. On His Majesty’s neck, it was said, was a Jatukarm pendant.
The small pendant was assumed to be that of the Buddha but when a picture of it was magnified, it proved to be a Jatukarm. The Jatukarm juggernaut snowballed after that. Stories of its miraculous powers abound. Tales have been told of car crashes where people who wore the pendants survived whereas those who didn’t, died.
So far, sales of the amulets have topped a staggering 20bil baht (RM2bil) from an estimated 600,000 amulets produced so far. Jatukarm sales are said to have pushed up the Thai economy by nearly 0.5%!
Factories producing Jatukarms normally approach the temple in Nakorn Si Thammarat and pay anything from RM1mil to RM2mil for the rights to use the temple’s name.
Does the Jatukarm work?
Armed with my five Jatukarm, I managed to get an airport limousine for 1,000 baht, instead of the usual 2,000 baht. Upon reaching Suvanabhumi Airport, I discovered the airport tax had been done away with, thus saving me RM50! At KLIA, somebody gave me a ride home, thus saving me RM70.
In my letterbox, I found a cheque for RM980. Then out of the blue, a friend rang to offer me a 6ft tall, wooden Buddha statue I was admiring at his home two months back! He even delivered it to my condo the next day! A few days later, a friend sent over a juicer I was so taken with at her home?
Hmmm, maybe there really is something to this Jatukarm craze.
The Star
The Batu Ajaib Speaks
THE BATU AJAIB SPEAKS"Batu Ajaib" in Malay literally means Magic Rock or Magic Stone or Mystical Rock / Stone . Some batu ajaib are small and are thus called stones, whilst the larger ones are called rocks - I got to point this out just in case some readers get confused.
In Malaysian mythology, a "Batu Ajaib" invariably refers to a stone or a rock (depending on its size) that serves as an oracle of sorts.
Just to digress a little, please note that this has nothing to do with Harry Potter's philosopher's stone (in the US film it is called the sorcerer's stone).
The correct term is actually the philosopher's stone; which in ancient alchemical text is the essential ingredient necessary to change base metal into gold. And that is a stone, not a rock.
Anyway, the batu ajaib I'm referring to is a large stone - something like what the picture above illustrates, thus, it is a magic rock.
The point of all this is that I'm going to start a new category called The Batu Ajaib Speaks - "the magic rock speaks". Here, you will have the opportunity to ask the batu ajaib questions and receive its answers. Feel free to ask anything.
Send in your questions via email to thebatuajaibspeaks@yahoo.com and I will pose your questions to the batu ajaib. Your questions will be randomly selected and the answers will be posted here weekly.
P/s: please type in the title of your email The Malaysian Life, so I'll know it is not some spam. Also include your name or nick, and where you are from, eg. KL Malaysia, Sydney Australia, Bongkok Thailand etc, just to identify you.
Format
Title: The Malaysian Life
Hi Batu Ajaib,
Q: How do I have an affair with my boss ?
Thanks,
Susan, from PJ Selangor
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Don't send me any spam - you know what I mean:
- internet marketing newsletters
- free ebooks
- affiliate links
- product info
- sales letters
- financial planning stuff
- scams - "Im a Nigerian prince....bla bla bla..."
- anything MLM
- any other fucking crap !
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
How loyal are employers to their employees ?
How loyal are you to your employer ? How loyal is your employer to you ? In todays fast pace world, where stiff competition is the order of the day, how do you know how long your company or industry will remain competitive (and survive) and thus keep you as an employee ? How do you know your skills will remain relevant to your industry ? In short, employment security does not exist any longer. Peter Cappelli, professor of management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania speaks about the fallacy of job longevity. Read the article by the Star below. Read also a related post in this blog of how Peter Drucker would approach this new employee predicament.
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“The issue of loyalty started in the US because American companies began laying off people. All the while, there was this belief that the employer will look after the staff, and the staff in turn should remain loyal and act in the interest of the company.”
He says lest the participants think staff retention is difficult today, he says it is no different than from before.
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LOYALTY and the notion of a secure, long-term career are becoming increasingly difficult to grasp in today’s fast pace world, says a professor of management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Peter Cappelli was speaking at the Wharton Executive Series The New Deal at Work: Managing the Market Driven Workforce at PJ Hilton on Monday organised by KDU Management Development Centre Sdn Bhd.
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Cappelli: Investing in employees is like investing in the organisation |
Today, this lack of loyalty is found everywhere – at the office, in the hospital, at the CEO level and among young entrants into the job market. It cut across all sectors of the economy,” he says.
Cappelli says that in the 1950s, the tenure of the president or CEO was about 10 years. This was reduced to five in the 1960s. Now it is a mere three years with Japan having the highest CEO turnover today.
“US brags about it, Japan hides it. So you think it is happening only in the US.”
Since 1995, CEO and executive team turnover is up 53%. Cappelli says this is rising twice as fast in Britain and Europe as in the US. Firing for non-performance is the biggest cause, twice that of retirement. He asks: “If the situation is such at the top, what about those below?”
Restructuring, mergers and acquisitions add to the challenges taking place around the world, at a non-stop pace.
“At one end, employers have to deal with the issue of loyalty. At the other end of the spectrum, they have to deal with the uncertainties and manage changes and challenges.
“With such a scenario, is there little wonder that companies and corporations around the world have issue with investing in their employees?”
Cappelli was speaking to about 80 participants comprising vice-presidents, directors, CEOs and managers from industries from across the board.
He says the US used to invest 2% of their payroll in their employees but this has dropped. It is a bigger problem there than over this part of the world. Here, companies are continuing to invest in their employees and they must.
“When a company invests in its employees, it is ultimately and essentially investing in the organisation,” he says.
 |
“Staying on for years and years on the job is a fairly new phenomenon. In the 1910 and 1920, people go from job to job. Companies grew too fast, like today. And then came the 1930s and the Great Depression. The men went to war and the ladies and older men remain behind to work. After the World War Two, companies started to become more complex and the need for company specific knowledge became greater.”
The situation is pretty much the same today.
“The product cycle is becoming shorter. New products require new skills. Most companies have a one- to two-year business plan. Added to the short product cycle is variety.
“Added to this is the impatience of employees in their 20s. Young people act different from older people. They may be impatient, but they are also adaptable. With this scenario, companies cannot afford not to train.
“It is something beyond one’s control, it is driven by something out there, in the economy. As an employer, spot talent early and give opportunities before they can get it elsewhere. People thrive in challenges and opportunities. They want to know right at the beginning how far they can go with you.”
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
How to get ahead in Malaysia
It appears from my experience that in order to get ahead in Malaysia you must:
1. be able to speak at least english and malay
2. be sociable with excellent "PR skills"
3. behave like the crowd - individualist are not preferred
4. have "contacts" and continue making "contacts"
5. be good at "ampu bodek"
6. just follow instructions - do not "think" and ask too many questions
7. not show how smart you are - do not be perceived as a threat to your superiors or potential superiors
8. not be an intellectual or behave like one
9. speak broken english; to fit into the crowd
10. be an expert in image management - be cleaver at manipulating people's perception of you.
Dina Zaman whose article in the Star below addresses this interesting Malaysian phenomenon.
It doesn’t matter any more where graduates and professionals attended school, what they all want is a short cut to fame and glory.
THERE’S a sense of deja vu as I write this because I think I wrote about this particular issue a few years back – for which publication I can’t remember – but here we go again: getting a job in this town will be the death of a good number of us.
In April itself, I witnessed the departure of a few friends and their families as they moved lock, stock and barrel to pastures far away from home, simply because there were no opportunities for them here.
These individuals are highly educated, professionals and be they Malay, Chinese, Indian, they can’t seem to get the lives they envisioned for themselves here. I also had a new function: I acted as career-postman for friends looking for middle to senior management positions.
I don’t know about you but I really do think that something is not right here. For people in their late 30s with family to up and leave a country they say they love and to see friends with the skills, experience and yes, the emotional intelligence, not getting the positions they so desire – what is Malaysia Inc looking for?
Obviously everyone would point out that to succeed in Malaysia, he or she would need contacts. The network. It’s not just your education and fantastic organisational skills; you need to be on first name basis with VIPs and the young turks that rule corporate Malaysia.
D went for an interview a while back and was asked if he knew any Datuks. Being the rather gullible and exuberant fresh graduate, he blithely replied that the only datuk he knew was his late grandfather.
His interviewer pointed out that if he wanted a job with them, he’d need to know bona fide Datuks, not paternal or maternal ones. And since it was obvious the young man hadn’t any connections with VIPs, he was not fit for the position.
Likewise with A. Thinking that with her biomedicine degree she’d be up a GLC, she was surprised to be told by an acquaintance who worked there that she was not what they were looking for; they only accepted bluebloods from Oxbridge or MIT. A is a local graduate, you see.
On the other hand, I also have friends who have attended illustrious overseas universities and have friends who belong on KL’s social register, but because they don’t play ball, they’re put in cold storage or assigned to a “lateral position,” which really means a demotion.
I have a friend who’s a genius and attended all the best schools locally and abroad but because she wears the hijab, she’s persona non grata. Go figure. This country is weird.
What is corporate Malaysia looking for, apart from the obvious? I met with my old CBN friends over the long holidays we had, and these are women who can be considered high-fliers, influencers and personalities who hire and fire.
SC, an old friend, observed that it didn’t matter anymore where graduates and professionals attended school; what they all wanted was a short cut to fame and glory. And in her industry, it wasn’t just business and people smarts that got one ahead in the race; it was also sheer drive.
“None of them wants to work hard! It’s so different from our time, when we spent the first year of working stuck at the Xerox machine, doing dogsbody work,” she lamented.
Other successful friends echoed similar sentiments. They weren’t where they were because of their connections and degrees – the two would have been redundant if they had not battled it out at work.
Surely, young graduates are not such sloths? I have met with a number of young professionals who are very inspiring and work very hard. D, who’s now working for a foreign bank, is one, and thrives on pressure. I met a young man who’s farming cili padi and selling it to supermarkets – he lives and breathes cili padi!
And what of mid-range professionals like you and me, who are at a professional crossroads?
As a friend who’s based in Europe said to me over an email, she would not be accepted for work in Malaysia, simply because she “knew too much, she was too smart.” And potential employers back home have hinted as much that her presence would mean that she would want to change things, which would not be “healthy” for the organisation.
I can only think that what a person would need to get a job in Malaysia are the following: high proficiency in English and Bahasa Melayu, written and verbal (and already many recruiters that I know have pointed out that many Malaysians lack these skills; yes, even young Malays who are supposed to be more fluent in their language); relevant degrees and activities; enthusiasm, initiative and having innovative ideas for the organisation; the list is endless.
I do note another criterion that a Malaysian professional may have to look into: is he or she viewed as part of the gang?
Because just like how it is socially in KL, it’s high school all over again for the professional. If he or she is seen as too much of an individual with personality, that very fact can be his or her professional liability.
In this town, there are rules to be played.
Dina Zaman’s father wants her to be in the corporate sector. Her mother wants her to remarry. The writer wants to save the world. Help.
A good blog that illustrates work life in Malaysia is - Strategi Bina Kerjaya
Please post your comments.
Do you pay for sex ? Read this.
It is well known that the middle-income sex market in KL is very mobile, innovative & hidden. The girls are viewed & transported in cars. Venues of viewing & actual sex acts move frequently & are coordinated by 'agents' who handle the logistics of each transaction. Each agent has access to 15-20 girls. Charges ranges from Rm150 - to RM500 depending on the "quality" and nationality. The trade is hidden from public view as sex acts take place in venues that include bars, clubs, massage parlours, hotels & apartments. An increasing number of sex workers (full time & part time) operate in this lucrative middle-income range.However, there is a recent report in the NST (see below) on the lives of sex workers at the lower economic end of the market and the serious threats of STDs to their customers.
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Most sex workers have a story of woe to tell about why they entered the oldest profession in the world. Many are unable to leave due to the stigma of the ‘job’ with some forced to stay after being infected with HIV.
Not only do they have to contend with the threat of HIV infection, the pain of being ostracised by family and the fact that they have to sell their bodies to earn a living, but today, there is also a far greater challenge in terms of competition from Chinese, Taiwanese and Indonesians who use their looks to attract clients and charge less to keep them.
This has led to people like Minah (not her real name) being forced to charge as little as RM15 to RM20 per customer when the rate was usually between RM20 and RM40 10 years ago.
Minah, who has been in the trade for 10 years, said she had to work longer hours to make the same amount of money she did earlier.
"Now, we have to work double the hours and charge a lot less."
Minah said many men preferred sex workers from China and Taiwan who were also younger and better groomed.
"Men say they are also polite and treat their clients like kings," she said.
Minah is a perfect example of a Malaysian sex worker — a school dropout driven to the streets by poverty.
"Those on the streets are uneducated, school dropouts and illiterate. We have encounters with the worst type of men," she said.
Some are exploited by their boyfriends and willingly "sell" their bodies every night to raise money to support the latter’s drug habit or to support their own.
"I try not to rationalise the things we do for a living. I try to stay high on drugs as much as I can so that my senses stay numb," she said.
Due to that, dadah abuse is also high among sex workers.
The New Straits Times visited a small shoplot that houses some of the sex workers in the Chow Kit area.
There were between 20 and 30 "off-duty" sex workers resting there.
Some of them had just returned from "work" while others were resting for the night ahead.
Most had scars due to abuse by clients, boyfriends or others linked to the profession.
The majority of sex workers were not attractive and looked haggard because of the hours they kept.
Another sex worker was eating lunch but had difficulty chewing her food as she had lost most of her teeth due to years of dadah abuse.
Most of them were at first reluctant to speak to reporters, especially on their background and why they got into the trade.
They said society looked at them as "pariah" who were not worthy of respect.
Because of a lack of self-esteem, the women also felt useless.
Many did not even try to leave the industry as they believed they could not do anything else.
"But believe me, no one wants to do what we are doing. We are doing it for a living.
"We do not know what else to do. This is the only thing we know," said Alice (not her real name).
Mary (not her real name), another sex worker at the centre, said most of them took drugs to forget their misery.
"Some of us service up to 60 men a night during weekends. To forget our sorrow, we take drugs."
She added that most of them continued in the trade until they were too old to work.
"Most of us have children due to unprotected sex. There are a lot of social problems as the children are either left with our parents or left to beg on the streets."
Mary hopes the government will create greater awareness about the importance of safe sex.
"It will definitely save a lot of lives," she said.
How other countries are coping with the spread of HIV/AIDS
Thailand
The government launched a "100 per cent condom programme" in the mid-1990s. The focus was to ensure that sex workers practised safe sex. The use of condoms in "commercial" sex has jumped to 90 per cent. The programme instructs sex workers to refuse intercourse without condoms, monitoring health clinic statistics to locate brothels that allowed sex without protection.
Singapore
Soon after the first reported case of AIDS, the government set up an action plan to protect and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS among sex workers.
Rina's Story
'I tell them I have HIV and that they should wear a condom, but they refuse.'
RINA (not her real name) delivers a death sentence every night to at least five men.
This translates into an average of 35 men a week or 140 men a month who may contract the deadly disease because they refused to use condoms.
In a year, this adds up to 1,700 men, who could be walking time bombs, unaware or uncaring that they are infected.
Add to the equation is the fact that Rina was infected at 15 and has been a sex worker for the past 21 years.
Work in Health Ministry figures that 13.6 per cent of the HIV-positive cases diagnosed in Malaysia are through heterosexual transmission, which includes sex workers infecting their clients or vice versa, boyfriends infecting girlfriends, and husbands infecting wives.
Do the math.
In short, almost everyone is a potential victim.
Despite the fact that Rina carries condoms with her all the time, she says half of her customers refuse to use them.
"I tell them I have HIV and that they should wear a condom, but they refuse.
"I tell them the disease is infectious, but still they refuse safe sex," she said.
The men insist that the condoms are too "uncomfortable".
A former sex worker, Aini (not her real name) said that more sex workers were carrying condoms these days but clients still choose not to use them.
"If one sex worker insists on using a condom, the client will move on until they find one willing to have sex without protection," she said.
Minah (not her real name), another sex worker, agreed.
She said only 20 per cent of her clients chose to wear condoms. If she refused unsafe sex, they would look for someone who agreed.
Minah services about 20 men on weekdays, the number increasing to 60 on weekends.
It is not surprising then that the number of HIV cases in the country has risen from 73,429 in June last year to about 80,000 cases today.
"We are facing a crisis," said Pink Triangle chairman Hisham Hussein.
The estimated infection rate daily is between 18 and 20 people.
Hisham said it was high time that the existence of sex workers was acknowledged and regulated.
"You cannot stop people from having sex with sex workers. If you close brothels, sex workers will go underground," he said. By acknowledging the fact that brothels exist and knowing where they operate, the government can go to the ground and educate sex workers, clients and the public about HIV/AIDS, he said.
This has been done in Thailand and Singapore.
Health Ministry officials in Thailand distribute condoms to sex workers at brothels.
"At the end of the day, they check rubbish bins to see if there are used condoms. This ensures that the condoms are being used," said Hisham.
"All sex workers should be made to use condoms."
Hisham said there was a need for a concerted effort between the Health Ministry, the police, non-governmental organisations and sex workers to prevent the spread of the disease.
The threat of HIV is made worse in Asia, with the trend of men, mainly Malays and Indians, being closet bisexuals.
"They have unprotected sex with other men and then they go home and have unprotected sex with their wives."
Southeast Asia is the hottest region for HIV/AIDS infection in the world after the sub-Saharan countries in Africa.
HIV is largely transmitted by exposure to bodily fluids containing the virus through unprotected sexual contact, blood transfusions, re-use of contaminated needles and syringes and from mother to child during childbirth.
Mary's Story
'Their wives don’t treat them well. So their next choice is to pay someone for sex.'
MARY (not her real name) was 17 when she was raped by her boyfriend.
After that, she had no option but to stay with him. She bore him five children — all out of wedlock.
But the large family led to her boyfriend pushing her into prostitution to support him and the children.
Coming from a poor family and a Form Three dropout, she became a sex worker at 26 after her boyfriend introduced her to a pimp in the Chow Kit area.
"He told me to charge RM20 per customer. He took half my earnings," says the veteran sex worker, now in her 40s.
She usually waits for customers in the back alleys of the Chow Kit area between the early hours of the evening and midnight.
On weekdays, she attends to about 20 men and up to 60 on weekends.
Her price ranged from RM15 to RM30 per client, most of whom are Bangladeshis and Indonesians, who return home once every year or two.
She also gets professionals, including doctors and lawyers, and others down the social ladder like contract workers and mechanics.
She said most refused to use condoms despite knowing the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.
"I tell them to use condoms. But they refuse. If I insist on condoms, they will go to other sex workers," she said.
After more than 10 years in the business and serving thousands, Mary is grateful that she is still free of HIV.
"About 80 per cent of my clients are married. I sometimes have a small chat with them on why they come to sex workers.
"They tell me their wives don’t treat them well. So their next choice is to pay someone for sex without having to dig deep into their pockets."
Mary has also entertained the newly-married who were unhappy with their wife’s "performance" on their first night.
"They are influenced by what they see in pornographic movies and want to try out some of the methods on us.
"Most of us try to fulfil their desires.
"If we do not follow their instructions, we will be physically abused," said Mary, who is now married to a former customer.
Her husband, a cleaner, has stopped visiting other prostitutes after marriage. However, he allows her to continue "working".
"We are happily married now."
She said most prostitutes did not like doing what they did but were forced into the trade by circumstances.
"Most of us are from broken homes with poverty driving us to the streets."
Lily's story
'How else am I going to make a living doing anything else? Nobody will hire a sick woman.'
LILY (not her real name) is the unlikely sex worker.
She is skinny with protruding joints, crooked and rotten teeth, and a limp in one leg.
Her wrinkled face tells a story of long hours and insufficient rest. Lily has asthma, a lung infection and an apparent mental disability.
"Otak saya ini slow sikit (my brain is a bit slow)," she said.
Lily has been a sex worker for 20 years, attending to five men a day on average.
Her journey into the world of prostitution began when, as a teenager, she was raped by her father.
At 15, she dropped out of school to get married to a youth she met while loitering behind Central Market.
He was a dadah addict with no money and who slept under a cardboard shelter in a Chinese temple in the city.
One month into marriage, Lily decided to leave him after she realised that she was getting nowhere with him.
Unfortunately, it was a little too late — he had infected her with HIV.
Her family refused to take her back, and with nowhere else to go and needing to survive, she became a sex worker in the Chow Kit area.
Her ex-husband is now dead, a victim of the disease.
But she does not harbour any anger towards him for giving her the disease.
Apparently, being HIV positive is common in her family. An uncle and a couple of cousins have the problem.
"It’s nothing new," she said with studied nonchalance, betraying the fact that she knew the disease would take her to an early grave.
Having been counselled by NGOs about sexually transmitted diseases, Lily carries condoms with her wherever she goes, even though her clients do not always use them.
When asked if she realised what she was doing, she shrugs hopelessly.
When asked why she did not refuse to attend to men who did not want to use condoms, she replied: "How am I going to find money to eat if they refuse?"
She cannot comprehend the notion that she has other options of making a living.
"How else am I going to make a living doing anything else? Nobody will hire a sick woman," she said.
Lily carries scars from self-inflicted wounds from her wrist to her elbow on both arms.
"Dengan pisau kecil 20 sen tu (I did it with the 20 sen penknife)," she said.
When asked why, she shrugged and said she wanted to feel pain after being numbed by her "job".
NST
Monday, August 13, 2007
Clubbing Scene Kuala Lumpur
Absolute Chemistry
3 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2282 7242
Type: Bar, Dance Club, Genre: House
Aloha Club
http://www.alohakl.com/
924 Jalan PRamlee, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2711 7266, 03 2711 7277
Type: Dance Club, Genre: Retro
Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy
Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Bar Savanh, CoChine, Vanilla Box, The Wine Room, Kristao, Senja Bistro, The Rupee Room, Bar Blonde, Bar Club & Ivy Bar, Mojo, The Loft, Tokyo Tei, Ye Chine, Cynna, Palacio, Bed, Atrium, Mesquite 52, Buharry, Maison, Heritage Mansion
http://www.asianheritagerow.com/
Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Atrium
http://www.atrium.com.my/
Asian Heritage Row, 21 Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2694 1318, Fax: 03 2694 8318
Type: Dance Club, Genre: Mixed
Attic, The
http://www.attickl.com/
61-2 Jalan Bangkung, Bukit Bandaraya, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2093 8842
Type: Diner Bar, Genre: Live Music
Backyard Pub & Grill
http://www.backyardpub.com/
28 Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6201 0318, Fax: 03 6203 1031
Type: Pub, Genre: Live Music
Bangsar Avenue - C18
18 Jalan Liku, Off Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2282 2018, Fax: 03 2287 1028
Type: Fun Pub, Karaoke, Restaurant Bistro, Genre: Mixed
Barcode
113 Block E Phileo Damansara 1, 46350 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7660 1606
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Jazz, Mixed
Bar Amber
http://baramber.com/
14 Jln 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6201 5534
Type: Dance Bar, Genre: House
Bar Blonde
http://www.barblonde.com.my/
50 Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Asian Heritage Row, corner of Sultan Ismail - Sheraton Imperial Hotel)
Tel: 03 2691 1088
Type: Fun Bar, Genre: Contemporary, Jazz
Bar Club & The Ivy
Asian Heritage Row, 48 Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2693 2260
Type: Dance Club, Genre: Contemporary
Bar Flam
http://www.flams.com/
16 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 6721 Fax: 03 2287 3007
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mixed
Bar Ibiza
924 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2713 2333
Type: Dance Club, Genre: R&B, House
Bar Med
PT 4512, Jalan 23/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6201 3778
Type: Dance Bar, Genre: House
Bar Savanh - CoChine
Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2697 1180
Type: Dance Club, Restaurant, Genre: House, R&B
Bar Uno
924 & 926 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2713 2333
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mix
Beach Club
97 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2166 9919
Type: Fun Pub, Dance Club, Genre: Retro, Contemporary
Bilique
34 & 36A, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2287 3436
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Bintang Walk
http://www.bintangwalk.com/
Bliss
12 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel 03 2145 9198
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Blue Planet
1st Floor, Rohas Perkasa, Jalan Perak, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2711 3000
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Bojangles
Jalan 22A/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6203 3353
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Retro
Bond Martini Bar
Lobby Avenue K, 156 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
http://www.bond-lounge.com/
Tel: 03 2161 2888, Fax: 03 2161 4888
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Borneo Baruk Club - BBC
http://www.bbc.net.my/
1 Jalan Kia Peng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2148 0015
Type: Fun Pub with Dining, Genre: Live Band, Retro
Brewball - Pool Club & Pub
http://www.piazza.com.my/brewball.htm
B.8.8, Megan Phileo Promenade, 189 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 460 7008 Fax: 03 460 3313
Type: Bar & Pool Club, Genre: Background, Mixed
Cafe Flam
OB2-G-U1 & U2, Oasis Blvd. Sunway Pyramid, 3 Jln. PJS11/15, Bdr. Sunway , PJ. T: 7492 0068
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mix
Carnegies
http://www.carnegies.net/
Ground Floor, Central Plaza, 34 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 7888, Fax: 03 2141 5888
Type: Fun Pub, Bistro, Genre: Retro
Castle, The (formerly The Roof)
2 Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 9895
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mix
Centro
G-5 & OD-1, Lot 77, Sooka Sentral, KL Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2785 1811
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mix
Chakrawatty
14 Lower Ground Floor, Kompleks Wilayah, Jalan Dang Wangi, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2692 5742
Type: Fun Pub & Live Band, Genre: Indian, Bollywood, Tamil Rock
Cherry Blossom KTV Lounge
http://www.cherryblossom.com.my/
Basement, Sun Kompleks, Off Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2144 4895, Fax: 03 2144 4892
Type: Night Club, Genre: Karaoke
Club 11:15 - Pharmacy
11 & 15 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 1310
Type: Bistro, Dance Bar, Genre: R&B, House
Club De Macau
Lower ground floor, Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2163 2632
Type: GRO Lounge, Genre: Karaoke
Club De Vegas
http://www.vegas.com.my/
3 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 3888, Fax: 03 2145 3888
Type: GRO Lounge, Genre: Karaoke
CoCo Club
7th Floor Menara MAA, 12 Jalan Dewan Bahasa, 50460 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 9222 1418
Type: Karaoke, Genre: Mixed
Conlay Club
http://www.conlayclub.com.my/
6 Jalan Conlay, Off Jalan Raja Chulan, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2144 3198, Fax: 03 2144 6182
Type: Fun Pub, Karaoke, Slots, Genre: Retro
Cotton Club, The
G-11, Maju Junction Mall, 1001 Jalan Sultan Isamil, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2772 8588
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House (no more jazz)
Cream
Lower Lobby, Renaissance Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2168 8680, Fax: 03 2168 8881
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Cynna
Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Asian Heritage Row)
Tel: 03 2694 2888
Type: Lounge Club, Genre: House
Delaney's KL
Parkroyal Hotel, Lower Ground Floor, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 5195
Type: Irish-Themed Fun Pub, Genre: Mixed
Deluxe Nite Club
Rooftop, Ampang Park Shopping Centre, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2162 1399
Type: GRO Lounge, Genre: Karaoke
Deutches Bierhaus
Courtyard, Plaza Mont Kiara, Jalan 1/70C, Mont' Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6201 3268
Type: Pub & German Grub, Genre: Mixed
Dinty's
34 Jalan Telawi 2 Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 1272
Type: Pub, Restaurant, Genre: Mixed
Disco, The
1st Floor, 304, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2026 5039
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Divino The Wine Bistro
One Bangsar, Jalan Ara, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2287 9968
Type: Wine Bar, Genre: Light & Easy
Espanda Club (formerly Emporium Disco)
http://www.espandaclub.com/
97 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2142 6666
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Finnegan's Irish Pubs
http://www.finneganspubs.com/
70 Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2300 0538 Fax: 03 2300 0528
Finnegan's Irish Pubs
6 Jalan Telawi Lima, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
http://www.finneganspubs.com/
Tel: 03 2284 9024
Finnegan's Irish Pubs
http://www.finneganspubs.com/
51 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2145 1930
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mixed
Frangipani Bar
25 Changkat Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2144 3001
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Mixed
Grand Modesto's
http://www.modestos.com.my/
924 & 926 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2713 2333
Type: Fun Pub & Restaurant, Genre: R&B
Hard Rock Cafe Kuala Lumpur
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes/cafesasp?lc=KUAL
Ground Floor, Wisma Concorde, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2715 5555
Type: Fun Pub, Live Band & Restaurant, Genre: Dance, Rock
Heineken Champions Planet
http://www.championsplanet.com.my/
Heritage Mansion
8-26 Jalan Kamunting, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Adjacent to Asian Heritage Row)
Tel: 03 2694 6460
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Kelab Westcourt
Wisma Westcourt, Lot G1-G3, 16 Jalan Klang Lama, 58000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 7987 3520, Fax: 03 7987 3593
Type: Fun Pub, Karaoke Rooms, Genre: Retro
Laundry Bar
http://www.laundrybar.net/
Corner of The Curve, Grd Flr, 6 Jln PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya
Type: Fun Pub, Bistro, Genre: Mixed, Live Acts
Liquid Bar - The Disco
http://www.liquidbar.com.my/
Mezzanine 2-04, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2078 5909, Fax: 03 2070 0706
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Loft, The
Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2691 5668
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House, R&B
Luna Bar
Level 34, Pacific Regency Hotel Apartments
Menara Pan Global, Jalan Punchak, off Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2026 2211
Type: Poolside Bar, Genre: Jazz
M Bar
http://www.piazza.com.my/mbar.htm
B.8.8, Megan Phileo Promenade, 189 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 460 7008, Fax: 03 460 3313
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Retro, MIxed
Maison
http://www.maison.com.my/
8 Jalan Yap Ah Shak, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (next to Asian Heritage Row)
Tel: 03 2698 3328, Fax: 03 2692 1328
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House, Contemporary
Matrix Pool & Pub
http://www.matrixpool.com.my/
109 - 112, Block E, 9, Phileo Damansara 1, Jln 16/1, 46350 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7665 3890, 03 7665 3893 E-mail: enquiry@matrixpool.com.my
Type: Bar, Outdoor Karaoke & Pool Club, Genre: Background, Mixed
Mojo Restaurant & Bar
42, Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Asian Heritage Row, corner of Sultan Ismail - Sheraton Imperial Hotel)
Tel: 03 2697 7999, Fax: 03 2697 7998
Type: Fun Bar & Bistro, Genre: Contemporary
Monkey Bar
Legend Hotel, 100 Jalan Putra, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 4042 9888
Type: Fun Bar & Live Band, Genre: Contemporary
Nihonkan Club
http://www.nihonkanclub.com.my/
347 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 4251 3019, Fax: 03 4256 2334
Type: Fun Pub, Live Band Karaoke, Slots, Genre: Retro
No Black Tie
17 Jalan Mesui, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2142 3737
Type: Restaurant Bar, Live Bands, Genre: Jazz
Nouvo & Sangria Bar
http://www.nouvoclub.com/
16 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2161 6666
Type: Dance Club & Fun Bar, Genre: House (Nouvo), Mixed (Sangria)
Orange, The
22-1 Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2300 8385
Type: Club & Restaurant , Genre: R&B, Jazz
Orange Club (closed)
1 Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 4929
Type: Dance Club, Genre: R&B
Palm Beach Bistro & Fun Pub - Jupiter Club
239 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2142 7228
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Retro, Live Band
Passion - Poppy
18-3 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 8888
Type: Dance Club, Genre: R&B, House
Planet Hollywood Kuala Lumpur
http://www.planethollywood.com/restaurants/kualalumpurs.htm
G003, KL Plaza, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 244 6602, Fax: 03 244 6632
Type: Fun Pub, Live Band & Restaurant, Genre: Dance, Rock
Piazza, The
http://www.piazza.com.my/
B88, Megan Phileo Promenade, 189 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 460 7008 Fax: 03 460 3313
Type: Bar, Genre: Mixed
Q Bar
K6 - K9 Sunway Pyramid, 3 Jalan. PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7491 3668
Type: Dance Bar , Genre: House
Red Box Karaoke
http://www.redbox.com.my/
Basement 1, Plaza Low Yat, Off Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
(various other outlets - see website for listings)
Tel: 03 2710 1883, Fax: 03 2710 9383
Type: Karaoke Rooms, Genre: Mixed
Reggae Bar
158 Jalan Tun HS Lee, Kuala Lumpur (around the corner of Petaling Street)
Type: Backpackers' Fun Pub, Genre: Reggae, Rock
Ritz Bistro & Fun Pub - Spice Garden
G-1, Jaya Square, 7343 Jalan SS17/2, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor
Tel: 03 5637 8400, Fax: 03 5637 8587
Type: Bistro Restaurant, Genre: Light
Ronnie Q
32 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2282 0722
Type: Pub, Genre: Retro, Mixed
Rum Jungle
1 Jalan Pinang (Corner of Jalan P Ramlee & Jalan Pinang), Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2148 0282
Type: Dance Pub, Genre: Contemporary, Mixed
Rupee Room, The (formerly That Indian Thing Restaurant)
Asian Heritage Row, 52 Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kulala Lumpur
Tel: 03 4142 4044, Fax: 03 4142 2717
Type: Indian Dance Club, Genre: Bollywood, Punjabi
Rush (formerly Viva Dance Club)
Ballroom Level, Eastin Hotel, 13 Jalan 16/11, Jln Damansara, 46350 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7665 5123
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House, R&B
Ruums
http://www.ruumsclub.com/
1st & 2nd Floor, Bangunan Life Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2162 8163, Fax: 03 2162 8162
Type: Bar & Club, Genre: House, R&B, Hip-Hop, Retro
Sanctuary, The - Bar Cacoon, Sutra, Papillon, The Ice Bar
Lot 151 & 151A, The Curve, 6 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7710 5033, Fax: 03 7710 5032
Type: Bar & Club, Genre: Mixed
Songbird KTV
http://www.songbirdstar.com.my/
Lot 205, 2nd Floor Podium Block, Plaza Berjaya, 12 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2145 3262, Fax: 03 2148 0177
Type: Karaoke Rooms, Genre: Mixed
Star KTV
http://www.songbirdstar.com.my/
3rd Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 284 4482, Fax: 03 289 9284
Type: Karaoke Rooms, Genre: Mixed
Star KTV
http://www.songbirdstar.com.my/
1st Floor, Life Centre Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2162 6263, Fax: 03 2162 7262
Type: Karaoke Rooms, Genre: Mixed
Sugar Club
Lower Lobby, Crowne Plaza Mutiara, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2143 0020
Type: Disco, Genre: Retro
Superstar Night Club
Lot 4.01-4.02, 4th Floor, KL Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2143 2300, Fax: 03 2143 4288
Type: GRO Lounge, Genre: Karaoke
Tapas Bistro
Micasa Hotel Apartments, 368B Jln Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2161 8833
Type: Hotel Bar, Genre: Background
Talk, The
22 Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 3242
Type: Bistro & Sushi Bar, Genre: Background
Telawi Street Bistro
http://www.telawi.com.my/
1 Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, 59000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 3168
Type: Bistro, Genre: Mixed
Thai Club
http://www.thaiclubkl.com.my/
Ground Floor, Wisma Tong Ah, 1 Jln Perak, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2163 8388
Type: Fun Pub & Live Bands, Genre: Retro, Rock
Titanium Super Dance Club
http://www.mxm.com.my/
101 Block A, Phileo Damansara 2, Off Jalan Damansara, 46350 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7721 2868
Type: Dance Club with Dining, Genre: Dance, Contemporary
Titus (closed)
7 Jalan Balai Polis, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2070 8191
Type: Fun Pub & Live Bands, Genre: Blues, Rock
Top Room, The
http://thetoproom.blogspot.com/
7 Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur
Type: Jazz Club, Live Music, Genre: Jazz
Twelve SI - Barfly, Bliss, Atmosphere, Gerai Cafe (closed)
http://www.twelvesi.com.my/
12 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2145 9198, Fax: 03 2148 2477
Type: Dance Club (Atmosphere), Genre: House
Viper Room
D5, KL Plaza, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2148 8471
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Waikiki Bar
1st Floor (above DV8), Kelab Syabas, Lorong Sultan, Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7957 3040
Type: Fun Pub, Genre: Retro, Rock, Contemporary
Zeta Bar
5th Floor, Hilton KL, 3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2264 2264
Type: Live Music Bar, Genre: World, Eclectic
Zouk Club KL - Velvet Underground, Mambo Jambo
http://www.zoukclub.com.my/
113 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2171 1997
Type: Dance Club, Genre: House
Anyone else I've miss out, guy ? Please update me on the latest by posting your comments. Thanks.
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