A thrilling decision by the government

I am blessed to be a government servant. I was thrilled when I heard that all of us will have the incredible increase in our salary commencing in July this year. It's not very often that we could get to that point in any discussion between Cuepacs and the government. Good job Cuepacs.

However, in my contentment of pleasure, I am still afraid of the impact of this decision. The salary increment is just for the 1.02 million government servants, while the other 23 milions of workers will just have to bear the grudge. Hopefully the price of goods in the markets will not follow the same pattern as the salary. If not, the private workers will have a rage.

There were times when everybody doesn't fancy to be a government servant because of the low paycheck. Now everybody is racing to get hold of the SPA8 examination forms in order to secure a job in the government offices. It's not that I am not thankful with the increment, but as an inside person, I know how government servants do their jobs. They are of course not the most dilligent workers on earth, not even close. I hope with this increment, they will double up, or even tripple up their effort to serve the people of Malaysia better. As for me, I will still do what I usually do, serve the nation by moulding up our national assets...the university students.

In order to make all the people of Malaysia happy, I hope the private sectors will also take the same step and give appropriate salary increment to their workers. Let's just make it equal for everybody and continue having a peaceful life in our country.

The colours of your friends

I received a call from one of my good friends last night. It has been a while since we last had a conversation through the phone. Both of us are kinda busy managing our own lives and trying our best to excell in our career. It was such a pleasant surprise and we talked for quite a tremendous amount of time, trying to catch up on what's happening in each other's life. She seems to notice that I have not posted to this blog for quite some time already, that's why the call.

At times, I do miss my life and my friends when I was single. I had a wonderful time back then, together with my friends in England. How I wish that we can have a gathering and meet, talk and have fun together, regardless of our status.

I learnt a lot from my friends. All of them have their own colours. Each colour have their own meaning. Each colour have their own admirer. But of course you cannot satisfy everyone. No matter how hard you try, there will be people around you who can't accept what you do. So, don't worry, just be yourself and let them choose what colour they like.

It's time to bring your memeories back. Remember all your friends. Maybe me and my husband should held a gathering at our house. One of these days I will have to contact all of them and drag them to JB. Have a holiday here in JB and leave your hectic lives in KL for a while guys.....

Adiossss....

A whole new world

I have tonnes and tonnes of pending job-to-be-done now that I have just joint an environmental consultancy group here in my faculty. Currently, I'm suppose to handle the editting part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on a development of a thermal treatment plant in Kamunting, Perak, which is already at its final stage. Of course I am suppose to be packed with my Phd activity but I couldn't resist the offer from the consultant group leader. People say 'when opportunity knocks, the least you can do is open your door'. Well that's more or less what I am trying to do.

My phd seems to move in a very slow pace nowadays but of course the last thing I would do is to neglect it, although they're quite a handful to juggle. I have to really restrict myself and manage my time in the office carefully and the victim might be this blog. I may not have much time updating it but I'll try my best to still do whenever I am able to.

Next monday, we will be having a meeting with our next client, TNB, who's planning to develop a hydroelectric plant in Ulu Jelai, Cameron Highlands. This particular EIA will cost me a headache and a tremendous time to be spent and it's just kicking off (Terms of Reference approval) at this particular meeting I am attending in KL. I think I'll be incharged of it's project description and editting the whole report as well as the excecutive summary. I am more than excited to be able to join this group but I know I have to work like a horse to meet deadlines as we are dealing with gigantic corporate clients. Hopefully this will be a wonderful and fruitful experience for me as consultation will be a very important criteria in applying for a promotion in my university.

It's a whole new experience for me and hopefully I am now heading towards the right direction on my way of climbing the career ladder in the university. Wish me luck.

Tax time..

It's April again and all of us, the human resources of Malaysia has to go through the mental exhausting task of filling up our tax form. This is a task that I have to carry out every year, mine and my husband's. He's never bothered about it and always says that he trusted me for this excruciating task that he doesn't want to do. How clever huh...

This year, I opt for e-filing. Instead of filling up the BE form in hard copies, I'm filling it up online. Hopefully this method would be easier than the previous manual hard copy tax calculation and the application can do an automatic calculation instead of us punching on the calculator. I haven't completed it yet so I wouldn't know how efficient the system is. Fingers crossed.

What a day..

Before we knew it, it has already been nearly a year that bibik (my maid) came into Malaysia and work for us (she’s an Indonesian). It was a blessing to have her around. She’s genuinely very loving towards my kids and my kids adore her. Maybe there are some chores that she can’t do perfectly here and there, but I believe we have to be grateful to have someone that really loves our kids working for us. Maybe God was testing us when He fated that we have to go through an excruciating agony to find one good maid. We’ve tried 10 maids before her and all of them had their own issues. This post would be way too long if I want to cover all those issues.

So today I have to go to Fomema in order to carry out bibik’s medical check up to renew her work permit. I wish I can go with my husband, but you know, he’s always busy. It seems so hard nowadays for him to get off once in a while to cater to my needs, especially during weekdays. But it’s okay. I think I have to understand his job and his strict boss, and also thankful for the time he always spends with us during the weekends. I enjoyed the movie you took me to last weekend, dear.

Anyway, luck was not on my side when there were a series of mishaps occurred to me today on the way to Fomema. It begins with my bad luck at the ATM machine for the cash I need to make a money order to pay for it. Out of all the four ATM machines available, only one was working and the lines was unacceptably long. I have to go to another bank but that ATM machine won’t accept my bankcard. What a bummer!! I had to take some of my savings from another account then. I was lucky that nothing really cause a delay in making the money order I needed though.

I asked my friend N to accompany me there so we have to send her girl to the nursery first. Driving a car that’s not really my car is something that I don’t really like to do though. The workshop where our Kancil is in lends me a Satria. I should be happy but the Satria is too lowered that it gives me trouble at bumpers and hill. The road to the nursery is quite hilly so I ran into a curb at one of its corner because I can’t really see the curb while climbing and cornering. Ahh…I wonder why do they have to cut the spring shorter had it lowered. Despite the stability, it’s a nuisance going on bumpers and rocky roads.

The car felt really funny but we just ignored it, thinking that the lowered thing makes it feel that way. All the roads felt really bumpy and it made funny sounds. We kept ignoring it until a guy in a lorry point a finger to my back right tyre and said that it’s flat. Alamak..why does it has to happen to me!! We had to drive quite a few kilometres until we reach a petrol station to find help (it smells funny already because of the friction of the flat tyre rubber with the road – hangit). I’ve never changed a tyre a before and I can try but we don’t have a jack in the car. The petrol station also didn’t have one. Suddenly a Bread Truck stopped and offered us to use theirs but it can’t fit under it because the car is too low. Damn it, again I wonder why do they want to have it lowered. There was no solution and I have to hurry before Fomema closes down and I have no choice but to drive to the nearest workshop in a flat-tyred car. It’s not something I was very happy to do but I had to. Luckily it was not that far and they changed it just in a matter of minutes. And it cost me just a few ringgit for the trouble, RM5 actually.

So off we go..hoping that no trouble will be on our way anymore and we reached there safely. I was elated to find out that the process at Fomema took me not more that half an hour. We drove back and not far from out office gate, while we chat, a car simply crossed the road (at a crossing) just inches in front of my car and I have to sway my car to the left to avoid us from crashing into it. The weird thing is the lady driving the car doesn’t even realise that she has done a stupid move and nearly cost us our lives. I was thankful that I managed to avoid the collision even if my tyres were already screeching in order to make us stop. It was scary. Anyway, we reached our office safely and I’m thankful that I’m okay and my friend is okay and we are still alive and kicking, breathing the air. What a day….

A glimpse of Oprah

Today I had lunch with my close friend in the office at her home. She said she cooked 'sambal sotong' (squid) last night and she has plenty of leftover. She also said she cooked good 'sambal sotong' and I decided to give it try.

While waiting for the rice to cook, I watched the TV while crunching on some of her biscuits to shut my tummy from announcing to the world that it's empty. There was nothing really interesting on except for Diari Akademi Fantasia (one of the hottest reality shows in Malaysia) with some coverage on what the students do during their classes. It was a bit boring and I didn't really watch it. Before I knew it, the rice was ready and lunch was on the way with some pan fried vegetables and an ommelete. It was nice, thanks to my friend, N.

It was already half past 1 and N has to get her daughter ready for nursery. She hace to race against time for she has to attend the department meeting at 2.30. While waiting for her to give the little girl a quick bath and for herself to perform her Zuhur prayer (I am temporarily unable to), I once again turned to the TV set for some entertainment. After browsing on every channel available, I finally came to channel 70 (Star World) and I was elated to see Oprah Winfrey on her show. It was already halfway through but can still serve the purpose of feeding me with information and entainment.

In the show, there was a pretty faced man, quite handsome and not ugly at all. The weird thing is, whenever he looked into the mirror, he cannot help but think that he's an ugly monster. I personally think he's handsome. Who wouldn't if he is this tall guy with quite an attractive built plus straight silky smooth hair (a little less than shoulder length).

Apparently, he has a mental/psikology problem called Body Dysmorphic Disorder. According to the doctor, Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder, which involves a disturbed body image. It is generally diagnosed in those who are extremely critical of their physique or self image, despite the fact there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.

It was sad seeing this guy trying to cope with his disorder and the world and it was heartbreaking to see his family struggle with him to make the world understands. He's lucky because he has such a supportive family.

Another case of BDD shown today was a lady addicted to plastic surgery. She was a beautiful young girl at the age of 28. Unfortunately, the surgeries she put herself through in the end make her look like a monster. She looks like a distorted, mutated Pamela Anderson with lips that is noticeable from a mile. That's how bad she looks. I pity her for doing this to herself and I pity her for not seeking help while she can. Like Oprah, I also curse the doctor who performed the surgeries for not telling her really that she has a disorder that she has to take care off. It's sad that somethimes money is more important to the doctors than their etiquette.

This is new to me. I've never heard of such a disorder before and that's why I like to watch Oprah. Despite of the entertainment she provides with all her glamorous hot shot celebrities and the makeover shows that she loves to do, she does care for her country and the world in her own way. She likes to highlight issues that is sometimes totally remote to most of us and alerted the whole nation.

Before I can finish my Oprah, N was ready to go out and I have to be pulled way from the TV. We have to hurry to make it on time back to our office. Bye bye Oprah....

It has been a long time...

It seems like I have abandoned this blog isn't it. No...I would never do that. It has been quite a long time since I last posted anything here. . I was just busy attending to my daily job and settling problems rooted from my husband's accident. All his documents has to be replaced and we have to find another car for him to commute to his workplace. Luckily the workshop that's repairing the car lend us a Satria to be used temporarily. So that problem solved.

Anyway, I have promised to share the picture of the accident, haven't I? We got it already and they can be seen in my husband's blog. It is all there.