MelorK goes Crazy!!

More than half a year....

2007-02-10T23:36:00.000+08:00

More than half a year have passed without yours truly realizing that I have not been blogging. A lot of things have happened. Attended several weddings, birthday parties and other social gathering - all happy occasion. Nevertheless, at the moment I am quite depressed. Sigh.

There's nothing specific that I am truly dissatisfied. More like that it is the accumulation of all the things that have happened for the past half year.

Sometimes the event around me seems like a blurry images. At times I felt that I do not want to wake up and face the world. Times like this, I told myself that there are a lot more people that is in worse position than me. AND that is the problem. I know I should be more grateful with my life. I have a good job. It pays quite reasonable in comparison with my peers. Sure, the hours sucks and the pressure is maddening but you can't have it all - right? I am surrounded by family and friends. I get to buy things that I want.

BUT I still feel depressed.. Wondering what's wrong with me. I just hope that my blue mood would cease...as soon as possible. Although if a friend read this, he/she might be wondering why am I depressed. Or am I actually depressed as I do look happy to most people. Maybe my standard of happiness is higher than most. Something to ponder on.

World Cup Fever: Japan broke my heart

2006-06-18T22:49:00.000+08:00

Gosh!!! I wish I do not need to work during World Cup. However life needs to go on. I need to earn a bit of $$$$. Therefore with the sense of responsibility, I tried to restrain myself by not watching all of the matches.

Besides my love for the game, I have resolve not to watch the Japanese team in this World Cup. They really broke my heart when they lost to the Aussies. No offense to the Aussies, but I have supported Japan for so long. For them to lose it at almost the end of the game made me so dissappointed. Not to mention the traumatic experience that it garner.

My only hope.. please let Japan go through the second round. I think they deserve it. Sigh............

At the moment I am consoling myself by watching Argentina and Spain. I think that Argentina vs Spain would be a match made in heaven!!!

MAVERICK MINDS: Happy

2006-06-13T21:31:00.000+08:00

MAVERICK MINDS: Happy

Check out the above...

Presentation

2006-03-23T23:04:00.000+08:00

Gosh... Finally a presentation!!! After leaving the uni days I have not had any opportunities to do any presentations (with the exception of the interviews) yet. At least a proper one. I did not realize how I truly miss it until recently where I was part of a group presentation.

I was great!! At least I would like to think so : )....

I wish I would have more opportunities in the future to do more presentations and/or public speaking. I never truly appreciates my experience in uni days until recently.

As for other things... basically the same thing all over again. Work, work n work : ). At the moment, I did not even have any spare time to devote to current topics. Arghh.. I do hate to be behind time in respect to the ongoings around the world. Can't be help though since I only have enough spare time to eat n sleep. This can be observe through how infrequent are blog's post are recently.

Anyway, gotta go now. Got to catch with my beauty sleep. Tommorrow is another day...

Salute to PDRM

2006-02-01T00:10:00.000+08:00

The establishment of a permanent panel to monitor the conduct of the police force sounds very ideal. Everyone lauds the move by the government; especially after the case of the nude squat makes it big into the headlines, never mind that these police officers are just following their regulations.

In reality, it could also leads to serious harm to the nation’s enforcement system while at the same time being an instrument for abuse. Without proper thought being put into the drafting of the structures and basis of the panel, it could hinders the police in doing its job, solving crimes and apprehend the criminals involved. While everyone stated they were happy at the move, there were no concerns raised at the biggest weakness of the existence of the panel.

That would be the abuse of the system by the public in general and the criminals themselves specifically. There was only statement pleading the public to make complaints based on fact and not baseless accusations. If mere words can control the public and even the police force, then the establishment of the panel itself would be redundant.

It doesn’t take too much of imagination how the panel could be an instrument of obstruction to justice. After all, a smart criminal might use the opportunity to lodge a report to prevent further or initial investigations. A jilted lover could be bent on revenge and take advantage of the system. When and if a panel is being set, first and foremost it is not to protect the public from the police!!! That’s the police force job. Sure, the question on who will guards the guardian remains. However if the police is being kept with tight leash it will seriously hampers the true purpose of the police force. The police would have to tip toe around the ice in order not to draw negative attention on themselves. Then, who would solve the crimes?

One of the authorities was quoted that as a government servant that the police have to be loyal to the country and the government. I do think that it is noble indeed that these officers continue to serve regardless of the country’s opinion on them. It is indeed hard to lay down your life for your nation when you are viewed slightly better than the criminals that you put behind bar.

The police force is certainly has its fault. The fact that it accepts recommendations reflects well on this institution. However, there are no reasons to start a so called witch hunt which have been sparked by the incident of the nude squat case; especially the motive of bringing up the matter to the press is quite questionable.

Peak period to Super Peak!!

2006-01-21T22:30:00.000+08:00

As an auditor, there is always a period defined as peak period which usually would be the first 3 months of the year as the companies usually have Dec year end. As for me, in my department we had a brief informal briefing for all the new staff (those who were fresh grads and had less than a year experience) with our department directors regarding the peak period. Basically how to survive it in one piece. It is taken for granted that we will survive it, it just in what form that we come out after the period end. In fact they even mentioned that nowadays there are no so called off peak period. thus the original peak period could be deemed as a super peak period!! Gosh... these ppl!! However, because of these kind of things (i.e team working and hands on approach by the top management) that I love (ok... that might be putting it a bit too thick!!!) my work.. most of the time. Sure it can be a bit sucky at times, but I learnt to take it all in one at a time. It also helps that most of my colleagues and superiors (i.e seniors and managers) are nice. Even the not so nice ones are tolerable which thankfully very few. Hopefully this current trend will continue in the future. Haha.. I felt as if I am bragging about my good fortunes!! Can't help it though!

Anyway, being an auditor also allows me to explore my adventurous side!! Finally gotten to know n drive around KL!! Only certain roads though. Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Sultan Ismail... I have yet to explore other roads but I am sure there would be plenty of opportunity in the future!!! You may ask why am I so happy to just get to know the roads in KL?? The obvious reason would be because I have the lousiest sense of direction ever and prior to audit life I have been relying on the mercy of public transportation as well as friends and families to get around KL which doesn't happen too often since I am content to go places nearer to home.

Oh, well. Gotta go. Those AWPs (Audit Working Papers) are waiting for me. No rest for the wicked.

Dissappointment

2005-12-03T21:06:00.000+08:00

Damn!!! November ends and I only managed some pathetic attempt at writing the novel for Nanowrimo. I lacked the discipline I think. Especially when work has been quite stressful lately with the long hours and heavier responsibility. Oh, well. It is for my continous development for the future so I am going to bear with it.

Talking about dissappointment, I bought a nice necklace today. Quite cheap. However when I get back home, I found that one of the clasp strings was broken. Sigh. If I go to a shop in order to fix it, it will still quite expensive. Sigh.

Nanowrimo

2005-10-28T12:32:00.000+08:00

Heehee, I just signed up for the Nanowrimo thingy that is going to starts from 1st Nov. Basically it is where you try to write a 50,000 word of novel within one month. Not good at explaining it. Do try to go to its websites then. Found out about it from the local newspaper and I suddenly told myself, why not? It would be fun to see whether I am up to the challenge... I am thinking of a plot already. It might be a cross breed between romance and mystery with a bit of tragedy. That's if I decided to stick to the plot : ). Most probably I would put the output (if it is not too hideous to read) at this site.

On the other hand, some of you might find that their comments have been deleted. This would most probably only affect those who knew me personally. Nothing against you guys. It's just sometimes there are personal elements in your comments that I would rather not published for the public. Some of it is for security reasons and also due to my cautious nature to avoid possible future problems/backlashes such as stalking/litigations/slander/etc. Haha. I know some of you thinks i am too damn conservative but it pays to be safe than sorry. Usually I do not do this since most of the things are harmless. So do keep posting comments. I really appreciates the comments and enjoy reading them : ).

New Machine

2005-10-13T22:10:00.000+08:00

Gotten a new laptop last week. A HP. A very big and heavy one that comes with a back pack. It is kinda nice to have a new machine since the keyboards is very nice to type with and the screen is pretty clear. The dark blue and black back pack is quite cool too with nice and comfortable straps. That’s the saving grace.

So what’s the problem? Its heavy!!... and the back pack does not contribute anything to the fashion statement. I wonder how could I ever bring a hand bag with a laptop?? For the moment, I am doing without a hand bag. I look like a schoolkid or at the very least a college girl : ).

What else is new with my life?? Nothing much. Except the nomadic life that I am leading as a result of my occupation. For the past two months, I have been to offices at Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Jalan Tun Perak and Twin Towers. Soon I might go to Jalan Raja Chulan and hopefully Damasara Utama.

Dengue

2005-10-08T18:11:00.000+08:00

Haven't been keeping up with the local news. Been too busy with work that the only section of the newspapers that I read is the comics/cartoons and the headlines. Have no idea whatsoever with the current news with the exception of rising petroleum prices and dengue.

Speaking of dengue, a lecturer from my former university/faculty passed away due to dengue. The funny thing is he went to a medical centre near his home and the doctor there could not determine the sickness for about a week. When theyfound out he had dengue it was a bit too late even though he was admitted to ICU at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital (HKL). Complications arise. He died just a couple of weeks ago.

I am so sad that such a nice person died. Especially when it could be prevented with early detection. I wonder what are the doctors are thinking when he could not determine the sickness. Why would he let a man suffer for a week without giving some diagnosis?? Doctors out there are invited to enlightened me. (Others too are welcome)

My friend went to a clinic bringing her toddler after the kid had a fever for several days and requested a blood test. Unfortunately the doctor refused and told her that babies do not get dengue!!! What kind of logic is that?? Some immunity that babies had?? Hmmm...

Anyway, something must be done for an early detection and preventive measures. The government should not wait until the body count increases to have the campaigns and foggings. It is a shame that some people are already starting to declare some cities or states as developed when this kind of diseases still exist and could be prevented.

Happy Birthday Malaysia!!

2005-08-31T18:00:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Malaysia.....

Traffic jams, haze, snatch thieves, overpriced and lousy national cars (certain particular models), overdue for retirements politicians, declining educational standards and many more. Despite all these warts, I still love you Malaysia. Not just for the nasi lemak, teh tarik and 24 hours mamak stalls/restaurants. I am forever eternally grateful that the normal closing time for shops are 10 p.m or at least they stay open until 8 p.m when I discover to my horrors that shops in certain countries closed at 5.00 p.m!!!

I do love you because of the reasons above. However its your people that inspire pride in my heart.. To achieve so much in such a short time, truly something to be proud of. There is no need to mention of the achievements for they are in front of our eyes.

Nevertheless, the hard work does not stops here. There are enormous potentials to be mined within the heart of Malaysia.A great deal of improvements to ensure the continuity of your achievements.

I am grateful to those who before us fought for the independence. I would like to express my appreciation to our former prime minister Dr. Mahathir for setting the foundation for future Malaysian greatness...

At the moment, I plead with the younger generations not to waste or take for granted all the determination that our forefathers put into the building of the nation. Younger generations do not necessarily means the youth or the teens.... The adults that are leading this country and have taken the mantle of the nations former great leaders, there are big challenges that lay ahead. It is not enough to maintain the development. To do so meant the nation to be in a stagnant situation. Without growth, it is hard or impossible to maintain the greatness in Malaysia.

Happy Birthday Malaysia. Let's hope that your children knows what they are doing and you will continue to celebrate your birthdays with pride.

Haze

2005-08-09T22:22:00.000+08:00

Today I am working in the city centre itself. In fact it is quite near to KLCC. As I walk towards the building where my colleagues had decided to go for lunch, it was quite difficult for me to breath properly. The haze is still there... Not to mention the normal heavy smoke that comes out of the vehicles.

Sigh... It is not a win win situation for us. You can't stay indoors too long since the air conditioner is not that good for you. You need the (at least) occasional fresh air. However when you go out, what do you get?... Anything but fresh air.

Sigh.. I truly hope that the situation would improve soon.

London Blast.

2005-07-10T00:49:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I felt like screaming at the idiocy of the so called Muslims... Particularly those who bomb people, innocent people who had done nothing to them except by existing. These so called terrorist who claimed to fight for Islam are not doing Islam any good. In fact their actions has misrepresented Islam in unfavourable way.

Setting aside the bad images for Islam and how Muslims particularly those who are living in London and also internationally are going to be perceived and treated after this latest of terrorist attack, I am questioning the judgement, the knowledge of the religion and the faith of the so called liberators of Islam.

I am a Muslim. I am proud to be a Muslim. I don't claim I have a very strong faith.However I think I have a reasonably strong one. I try to follow the teachings of my religion as best as I could but I am not perfect. I am not a Muslim scholar but I do know certain things especially when it is the basic principle of the religion... Correct me if I am wrong but let's see the basic teachings of Islam.

Islam=peace

Never did Islam equates itself with violence or senseless killings. Islam does stated that we need to defend our religion. However, bear in mind (for the Muslims who does have certain knowledge of Islam's history) even in the time of the prophet's that the prisoner of war receives fair treatment. They could ransomed themselves. If they could not afford it, they were offered their freedom when they taught certain numbers of the children on how to read and write. If these prisoners who just before that were at war with the Muslim fighters could be treated fairly, shouldn't we accorded a better treatment to the innocents... Men, women and children. All are innocents. Especially children.

I do admit that in certain parts of the world that the Muslims are being oppressed. Perhaps this helplessness could be attributed to the actions of these terrorist. However the ends certainly do not justify the means. If Muslims started to act like their oppressors, wouldn't that meant that we are lowering themselves to their level? Think about it. Jihad does not mean dying for Islam. It meant to fight for Islam. Studying and gaining knowledge are considered Jihad too. Peaceful negotiations is part of Jihad. Anything for the betterment of Islam is Jihad.

Therefore does the act of terrorism is Jihad? Does it brings any benefits to Islam?
Not only does it violates the basic priciple of the religion but it only makes Islam being perceives negatively.

I certainly hope the budding terrorist among the Muslim youth wherever they are try to understand the religion better before blindly follows the dictates of others who merely manipulates and twisted the religion for their own purposes.....

My heart goes out to the London Blast's victims and the people that they leave behind. I know condemnation of the act is not enough. We have to start to educate the Muslims to be aware that this act is not the way to go...

I Love You

2005-07-07T23:05:00.000+08:00

Got this from an e-mail while at work. It is very interesting and could be useful to someone out there : ). After all the heavy discussions, I figure it is time for something funny or sweet. It depends on how you look at it : )

How to say Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) in 100 Languages !!!

English - I love you
Afrikaans - Ek het jou lief
Albanian - Te dua
Arabic - Ana behibak (to male)
Arabic - Ana behibek (to female)
Armenian - Yes kez sirumen
Bambara - M'bi fe
Bangla - Aamee tuma ke bhalo aashi
Belarusian - Ya tabe kahayu
Bisaya - Nahigugma ako kanimo
Bulgarian - Obicham te
Cambodian - Soro lahn nhee ah
Cantonese Chinese - Ngo oiy ney a
Catalan - T'estimo
Cheyenne - Ne mohotatse
Chichewa - Ndimakukonda
Corsican - Ti tengu caru (to male)
Creol - Mi aime jou
Croatian - Volim te
Czech - Miluji te
Danish - Jeg Elsker Dig
Dutch - Ik hou van jou
Esperanto - Mi amas vin
Estonian - Ma armastan sind
Ethiopian - Afgreki'
Faroese - Eg elski teg
Farsi - Doset daram
Filipi no - Mahal kita
Finnish - Mina rakastan sinua
French - Je t'aime, Je t'adore
Gaelic - Ta gra agam ort
Georgian - Mikvarhar
German - Ich liebe dich
Greek - S'agapo
Gujarati - Hoo thunay prem karoo choo
Hiligaynon - Palangga ko ikaw
Hawaiian - Aloha wau ia oi
Hebrew - Ani ohev otah (to female)
Hebrew - Ani ohev et otha (to male)
Hiligaynon - Guina higugma ko ikaw
Hindi - Hum Tumhe Pyar Karte hae
Hmong - Kuv hlub koj
Hopi - Nu' umi unangwa'ta
Hungarian - Szeretlek
Icelandic - Eg elska tig
Ilonggo - Palangga ko ikaw
Indonesian - Saya cinta padamu
Inuit - Negligevapse
Irish - Taim i' ngra leat
Italian - Ti amo
Japanese - Aishiteru
Kannada - Naanu ninna preetisuttene
Kapampangan - Kaluguran daka
Kiswahili - Nakupenda
Konkani - Tu magel moga cho
Korean - Sarang Heyo
Latin - Te amo
Latvian - Es tevi miilu
Lebanese - Bahibak
Lithuanian - Tave myliu
Malay - Saya cintakan mu / Aku ci nta padamu
Malayalam - Njan Ninne Premikunnu
Mandarin Chinese - Wo ai ni
Marathi - Me tula prem karto
Mohawk - Kanbhik
Moroccan - Ana moajaba bik
Nahuatl - Ni mits neki
Navaho - Ayor anosh'ni
Norwegian - Jeg Elsker Deg
Pandacan - Syota na kita!!
Pangasinan - Inaru Taka
Papiamento - Mi ta stimabo
Persian - Doo-set daaram
Pig Latin - Iay ovlay ouyay
Polish - Kocham Ciebie
Portuguese - Eu te amo
Romanian - Te ubesk
Russian - Ya tebya liubliu
Scot Gaelic - Tha gra\dh agam ort
Serbian - Volim te
Setswana - Ke a go rata
Sign Language - ,\,,/ (represents position of fingers when signing'I Love You')
Sindhi - Maa tokhe pyar kendo ahyan
Sioux - Techihhila
Slovak - Lu`bim ta
Slovenian - Ljubim te
Spanish - Te quiero / Te amo
Swahili - Ninapenda wewe
Swedish - Jag alskar dig
Swiss-German - Ich lieb Di
Tagalog - Mahal kita
Taiwanese - Wa ga ei li
Tahitian - Ua Here Vau Ia Oe
Tamil - Nan unnai kathalikaraen
Telugu - Nenu ninnu premistunnanu
Thai - Chan rak khun (to male)
Thai - Phom rak khun (to female)
Turkish - Seni Seviyorum
Ukrainian - Ya tebe kahayu
Urdu - mai aap say pyaar karta hoo
Vietnamese - Anh ye^u em (to female)
Vietnamese - Em ye^u anh (to male)
Welsh - 'Rwy'n dy garu
Yiddish - Ikh hob dikh
Yoruba - Mo ni fe

SPM: What are the values of scholarship??

2005-07-06T17:15:00.000+08:00

I have given a lot of thought regarding this matter. Do correct me if it seems weird or factually incorrect.

It is about these straight A's SPM scorers whom seems to think that they deserve the scholarship to go overseas just because you scored 13 or 14 A's or perhaps even 15 A's. First of all, those A's should help a lot when u are trying to secure those scholarship or to help you gain an entry for the scholarships interview. Never ever it is stated in the scholarships requirements that if you gain so and so A's then you are entitle to the money and the overseas education. If that is the case, then what the hell are the interviews are for?? Might as well skipped the process, save a lot money and send the first 250 students that scored the highest A's.

You might have 15 A's, but are your spoken english good enough?? You could speak in English, but is it mere ramblings or perhaps utterly rubbish. There is more to communications rather than good language skills. Are your thoughts insightful or does your essays reveals your immature side which could not been establish from the A's that you have gotten.

Yeah... You are great to get those A's. It is something to be applauded for. However, if you do not get the government scholarship, there are many other alternatives for you to find especially if you are clever as the A's have stated. Private and Multinational Company do offers scholarships. So does other universities. If you have the will and the determination as well the brain then it should not be a problem.

There are so many variables to consider. It does not stop with communication skills or even body language. Your background does play a part. Obviously if you are poor or come from rural areas, there are different considerations.

My feelings would be.. grow up kids. It is not the end of life if you could not get the scholarship that you wanted. A's do not secure you the overseas education that you dreamt. It merely helps you to get into the first step of securing it. If you really want the scholarship then prove why you deserves it. It is a different matter if you are the top student in the country and nobody has the same number of A's that you do. However if it is only 13 or 14 A's, get ready for some tough competition because there has been an increasing numbers of A's being given out..Opppss, did I say something bad??

Anyway, this might sound harsh..... nobody says the world is fair. You might deserve it but it does not mean you will get it. If you want it do not rely merely on the government. Go get it yourself. If you are that clever or determined, then it shouldn't be a problem, right??

Feel Good Movies at GSC

2005-06-20T23:40:00.000+08:00

GSC just opened at One Utama and they had a free showing!!! Kinda cool. Just got back from OU after watching Coach Carter. Always had a weakness at these kind of feel good theme movies. U know, where the script involves good kids but bad students, fierce coach, using sports in order to change one's life for the better yadda yadda.. One wonders why I keep going back for this kind of movies if it is so predictable down to the ending. It is because of the feel good factor. Once in a while I would like to remind of myself of hope and the goodness within mankind even though at times it seems that we are only good for destructions...Pollution, backstabing, murder, drugs, road rage, bullying. It seems these kinds of ugly attitude has been rearing it's ugly head. It is kind of sad when we read this thing in our newspaper. Very bleak isn't it??? I just wish things could be better.

It is up to every individual to make a change and be a better person. Then perhaps we might live in a better world. Would a person really make the society change. One might said that one's power or the ability to affect the consequences could be insignificant particularly if you are not part of the authority or at least someone who could affect the drawing of policies or its implementation. However, every acts counts. As a parent, it is your duty to teach and lead by examples. Teachers should enhance the life education these children had received through their parents or in some unfortunate cases through their guardians. Most importantly we have to be nice to each other in our daily interactions. Among friends, colleagues, strangers, children and many others. Perhaps then, the mankind might have some hope of progressing further than the so called civilization where we are at the moment.

Sounds preachy right??? Don't worry. I am not always in this kind of mood most of the time. Just bear with me for the moment : )

Teaching Doctors are no good??? Really?

2005-05-30T15:07:00.000+08:00

Recently it came to my attention on certain opinions regarding teaching doctors. That means doctors who are teaching at higher institutions which produces doctors and other graduates which are sorely needed in the medical world such as nurses and pharmacist.

A friend of mine injured himself with a deep cut at the forehead and there blood gushing out non stop for a couple of minutes. Thankfully we have a doctor at hand and she was asked to take a look at it. In my opinion it was not that serious as it was not life threatening therefore it is not even a real emergency. (Sorry, if it seems that I sound a cold blooded person) The dear doctor disinfect the wound with the medical kit that is available to her and bandage the wound. She told my friend that it would need a couple of stitches but since it was almost three at the time she did not think he would get the treatment he needed at Emergency Room immediately. So we went ahead on our journey and decided to get treatment at our destination. This would take us around 4 to 5 hours of travelling.

This is where it gets interesting. As the dear doctor depart from the scene to allow my good friend to rest and wallow in misery : ), another friend came over and asked whether we should stop at a hospital or not. As we explain to him that it is not necessary and explained what the doctor told us, he was looking at us in disbelief. He is in the opinion that ER will always treat patients regardless what the time is and the doctor is not good at all since she is teaching rather than practicing. It seems to him that the doctor must have been unable to cope with emergency situations hence the career in teaching.

This is what baffles me. First of all, the injury is not that serious especially when it has been disinfected properly. It must have hurt like hell but if you stitch it at that moment it will still hurt. Second, the opinion that if you are teaching then you are not good especially dealing with emergency situations. Never mind the fact that you might prefer it over practice because of the work schedules and better time with your families.I find it is kind of weird with this kind of thinking because if we have incompetent doctors teaching, would not that mean we would be churning out sub stardard doctors?? If so, then it would be truly alarming since then the lowest level of the sub standards doctors would be the one to train the future doctors and the circle continues.

I admit there are possibilities that there are certain doctors who do not deal very well with emergencies. It really takes a talent on certain level to be able to handle the situations where patients who are injured badly coming in droves or where time is essentially critical. However, to label someone because he or she choose to be in academic line as incompetent is a bit too much and unreasonable. Call me old fashioned, but teachers or those who impart knowledge to us needed to be accorded with at least a certain degree of respect unless they have prove to you that they are assholes and do not know anything about their subjects.

At the end of the day, I am sad that this shallow observation comes from a friend that I thought should have known better.

The Bigger Deal!!??? Really??

2005-05-19T19:02:00.000+08:00

When the price of petrol goes up everything goes up....It is bad when a trader tried to take advantage of the situation by hiking up the prices more than 20 cents for each products even if the are no connections to the increases in the petroleum price. However the efforts by the authorities, (in this case the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry) to curb errant traders not only did not address the problem but could be detrimental to the economy and also the livelihood of most small time traders.

The authorities recently launched Smart Consumers Campaign and would help to identify outlets offering goods at bargain prices. Among it would be Tesco, the venue where the campaign was launched. How dumb could it be??? Why??

Basically most consumers have already identifies with the outlet identities which has already been to offer lower prices than most. These kind of outlets such as Tesco, Giant and Carrefour do no need the government endorsement. In fact it acts as a free advertisement for their outlets. Despite the Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal saying that the ministry would identify the supermarkets that offer low prices and gave publicity in the media, after several days none of the small or medium size supermarkets have been feature in the media. How hard could it be to identify these supermarkets??? Let's see how hard it is especially the Ministry did not specify in what terms they are going to choose the outlets or supermarkets.

What the Minister did not take into considerations, these big stores; hypermarkets can afford to offer the low prices. They can absorb more of the increasing cost and their profit have always been bigger than some small traders. It is simple theory of ecomomics of scale. The more you buy, the less the cost would be. As a hypermarkets, they amount that they are buying from the suppliers would be massive. Therefore they would entitle to discounts or the cost of transportations etc would be able to be spread out to more things. Therefore it is unfair to expect the other traders to compete at the same level with these giants especially they were already outclass in terms of selections and prices prior to the price increase in petroleum.

It is fine if Malaysians choose to shop at these places themselves. However to give an endorsement and encouragement for people to abandon small time traders and small supermarkets are plain wrong especially considering the adverse effect it will brought to the economy. In fact these small supermartkets or grocery shops might end up closing due to shift of trends by consumers. The numbers of these hypermarkets has already been mushrooming like mad recently. Add in these additional pressure from the government, one can only imagine the effects.

Some people might said so what if these shops closed?? However bear in mind that a lot of these traders are dependent on their shops as their source of income. We would be creating more unemployment cases and it is quite illogical for the government to encourage the unemployed graduates to become entrepreneurs while at the same time working to destroy these small shops. Furthermore, since most of the hypermarkets are not locally own, the profit gain in Malaysia would be going out of the country. Therefore it is bad for our current exchange. Simple stuff. Perhaps it is too simple that our 'geniuses' at the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry failed to comprehend. So... What is your opinion regarding these?

Starting Over

2005-05-11T15:01:00.000+08:00

In case anyone wondering of the time lapse between my first and second posting, it is due to my own forgetfulness. I totally forgot about the existence of my blog : ), until when I decided to sign in recently. Suprise! Suprise! I already have a blog : ). Being absent minded surely makes life interesting.

Anyway, the interest in blogging was sparked again due to a couple of reasons:

a) a number of my friends is into blogging and I really like to put my two cents in at their side. Unfortunately the way to do that is to sign as a user since most of them didn't allow anonymous comments.

b) Lots of available time due to my transition as a student to employment : ). If u did not catch the subtle hint yet, it means at the moment I am unemployed. Nothing to worry since I already got a job. I have not started it yet since I want to take a break from the hectic pace of studying (that's a riot) and the perpetually busy life as an auditor . (that's what my future job is)

I haven't decided yet what kind of direction my blog would take. Most likely it would be a reflection of my image and personal thoughts on various thing. Expect more things or should I say postings in the near future as MelorK get comfortable with this blogging thing.

Newbie

2004-07-24T16:19:00.000+08:00

This is my first time as a blogger (is that a correct word?) Not so sure what is my intention when I started clicking the create a blog button. I am quite a busy person. Tonnes of assignment waiting to be touch ( I am a student by the way ) and books to be read. Not even an internet savvy person. However blogging seems interesting and intriguing. I always wonder what kind of individuals that actually read blogs and write blogs. Is it merely to express opinion or to share experiences. At times I am quite a private person. Thus sharing a very personal experience would be something new to me. Hmmm.. Not so sure what kind of material I should put in. Perhaps the second time I post something, I would have something very interesting to share.