State of Preparedness

Immediately, I shall be paying an extra RM10.00 for Rachel's busfare in view of the petrol increase (it is an awful increase, considering the distance from Chung Hua School No. 3 to Padungan Kindergarten is just less than 2km...if inclusive of 1 big round about).

Over in business, my CEO has already issued a statement on extra care in business travelling expenses, electricity comsumption and etc as if these factors are not controlled at hand, we may suffer average 20% increase to our operating structure. However, he has fell short of saying an adjustment of salary to curb the increase (hai...a, that would probably be the last or never action...till year end this year).

It seems that many transportation associations have openly issued statement to increase their charges with immediate effect and they are not concern about the Government's warning as they said..it is due to survival situation. This could be true, when business operators has been competing for pricing over the years and the increase of an important factor in their operation model has cause deep distortion intheir business. Well, we cannot deny, few may just want to take the opportunity to adjust their business structure although they have been profiting a lot.

I have read a news urging the Government to increase the royalty percentage to Sarawak, an oil producing state especially when our public transportation in the state are well underdeveloped. Instead of increasing the royalty percentage, Federal Government can increase the development fund commensurate with the contribution from our fertile state (I wonder who has the figure in hand ? whether we have already received the fair share from Federal Government...if we have, why we are still much behind other states like Penang, Selangor, Johor - non-oil producing state). How far is our Government particularly the State had planned for our future and what we can really see beyond 2014 (the year, Malaysia expected to become a net importer country)? We need to ask serius questions to our elected Government on their future thinking and from their answers, we will decide their future in 2011 !

Privately, this situation that we are in now...is sooner or later and the question is whether what is our own's the state of preparedness in embracing the future...not only having increase petrol price but the rippling effects of inflation and with growing kids soon we need an big education fund to support through their graduation ?

As Malaysian particularly Sarawakian, we need to contribute on our development thinking on how best to contribute to our country. Many bright brains may have chosen abroad to contribute but as to preserve our Malaysian existence, we (those still around slogging on) need to work in unison to ensure we have brighter future for our new Malaysian generation especially our kids and grandies.

Petrol Price Increase Again as Expected !

Alamak ! It is a RM0.78 increase...the worst in Malaysia history and further it shall be on a monthly adjustment depeding on the actual world prices. Government advises that it shall only give RM0.30 subsidy per litre against the market price. So, my friends, hold on to your senses and prepare for the worst....it may just cross RM3.50 per litre in near future !

To cushion the shock, our good government has highlighted that we are still cheaper to Singapore ??? but higher than Indonesia ??? (remember Singapore is non-oil producing country). From the feedbacks, unfortunately, we are not earning the Singapore salary income structure ???

Government keep advising us to change our lifestyle to suit the increase of petrol and also expecting the rippling effect to cause other commodities orservices to increase.

What are the choices that we can have ? (beside voting for right party to manage the good governance)

Harden Muscles

Can you believe... ? Today is the 3rd day, I have played squash in a row...over 12 games...a record for the last 5 years since the last time I have played so that often. Thanks to the long holiday since Saturday and also playing partners...Mr. Tee, Mr. Too & Mr Rich.

Though my muscles seems has tighten up and just nice for 120 minutes massage but then, I felt great ! Hooha !

Hey, tomorrow...I shall play again at 3.00pm and seriously, I hope to make this a habit of playing at least twice a week...not so much of weight issue but more towards mental detox...plus need to recall back my strokes... (aioy...can't believe myself thay I could not even win over young kids...Form 1 boy).

Mr. Tee has already preparing Bryan for his dream by sending him to squash clinics (he is only 8 years old) and he is encouraging me to do the same for Rachel. It is very tempting and I do really hope this could happen soon...at least that will also drive me to be discipline enough to meet my twice a week playing sessions(splitting myself with corporate duties..mind boggling). Well, accordingly to Andy (the coach), young chap will normally pick up the skills within 2 years. Through his tutelage, he has brought up few state players and they are also good in their academic (if one is concern about their child's education).

Hey, what do you think ?

*****

This is also my 98th post on this blog....yes ! I had started the blog since 17th March 2007 and it has attracted a traffic from 43 countries with 2267 entries (minus about 10% of my own surfing), hey...still have 2000 entries (in deep contrast...imagine Tun Dr. M's blog has attracted 1m traffic just within 1 month !..I am impressed !)...looking forward for the 100th ! soon...

Hard To Have Nice Dinner

Yesterday, I had a hard time to find place for nice dinner as every good place seems to be mob by diners. Every year during this time, I know it is always hard to get a place especially if you want to have special dining experience, we cannot have the best place, the 2nd best is good enough.

So, I managed to get a table at the 2nd favourite stall at top spot seafood centre and it was at the very corner. To order, it took me 10 minutes as there are a lot of people cramping at the small place. Well, managed to have my order done but was nicely warned by the waitress that I need to be patience and may have to wait quite a long while. Looking at the sea of people, I said I could understand but try to be faster...and so, I quickly order side dishes from satay stall just to fill up my crounching stomach (grrrhhh sound).

True enough, my first dish (Butter prawn) was only out after 30 minutes and by the time the 5th dish it was already 90 minutes gone. By that time, my friends and I decided that we need to go and shall just have the last dish cancelled (manicai egg). As expected, when I try to pay the bill, it took me another 10 minutes waiting and further need to recall the same waitress to retrieve my order as there were just too many order sheets.

Hey, even the drinks operator have to collect our cups back when we order the 2nd glass as she nicely tell us that they are running out of cups.

Hmmm...The taukeh must be very happy that night....at least business increased by 100% as the really top stall was close for business due to Gawai Festive Holiday.

(You must be curious...with whom I was having this dinner....my wife was away on business trip and my kids are happily at my in-law's house...I am sure it is not too hard for you to find the answer in my blog...yeahahaha..)

West Malaysian Visitors

Today, I have two lady visitors who specially flew down to survey the tourist attraction sites in Kuching. I was only to meet them at lunch as their programme has been carefully lined by the tour agent from the touch down at the airport and back to departure hall to KL the next day.

They are expert as they are entrusted to evaluate and report back to the committee of what is the best place for makan, play and visiting. It seems as local, I am ignorant to their questions as probably I am not particular of the places of tourist locally. Lunch at Mango Tree (my 3rd time I think) is superb as of course no. 1, it is free and secondly they presented grand dishes (don't know how much).

To be host to 2 person is easy but when to a group of 100 people (yup..we are going to have 110 people coming...pumping in RM200k into Kuching economy), it really needs expert to carefully plan out the programme, if not...there will be chaotic situation. When they asked me about..the best place for laksa..my answer would be at kopi hui but definitely it cannot cater more than 20 people at one time...so, I have to agree with them to go for Mdm Tang's place, which could cater at least 50 people at one time and needed to spread over to neighbouring food cafe.

For seafood dinner...we can have it at carpark but need to book half of the place as normally it is pack with customers at evening.

For spa, it is also headache as limited places especially when quality is a must.

Frankly, in my observation, tourism quality in Kuching is still lagging behind other cities in Malaysia although our State government has done a lot to it but still when comparing to the information centre and places of attractions, we are still much behind, dont you think so ? or we are just being ignorant local.

Coming back to my visitors, I am supposed to join them tasting food at ABC but I could not make it as I need to visit a newly baptised brother as my Legion's weekly assignment. Tomorrow, they will be at Damai Puri surveying the latest offer by the new management. I have not been there since the last old management by Holiday Inn. Market feedback is very good and hot with new spa facililty and so forth....

Mmm..will keep all posted when I am there soon !

Increasing Cost of Dining Out

Do you realise the cost of eating out is getting more expensive ? Yes...definitely.

My usual "kaya balls" favourites is now costing extra 20 cents. Kampua is now all across RM2.50 per plate. Fried mee is at RM3.50.

Yesterday, I bought 2 packets of 1 litre soya bean drinks from Ta Kiong Emporium at The Spring, Kuching. The price is cheap at only RM1.80 per packet as I compared to my usual kopitiam drink (Teh-C peng) which costs RM1.60, if 5 layers special it will be RM2.00. In term of quantity ratio is 4 soya bean to 1 teh-C peng.

Mathematically, I am spending RM4.80 for usual drink per day...and for a 30 days period, I have to pay RM144.00 and plus 50% for treating friends..I would need to fork up RM216.00 just for drinks. So, if I drink at home more often, I could save RM1.15 per glass and RM103.50 per month !

Recently, I read an article in the Strait Times (of course many of you didn't read as it is a main stream media...) whereby it said about cutting down eating out which will definitely cut down our expenses in the light of fuel rising costs. It is very true as eating at home definitely is cheaper as when we buy and cook at home, we have already cut down 30% profit taking by the food operators. In addition, we will be able to ensure quality and quantity at our will.

Hey, just the last weekend alone, I have been spending about RM30 per dining out with my family of four...that will consitute to RM150 (as we do not have lunch on Sunday). If eating in, I could have save at least RM45.00 and a month, I will save RM180.00 just for the weekends.

"Sikit sikit lama lama jadi bukit"...rightly will give us the motivation of such savings. One year will lead to RM2,160.00 and ten years...it is RM21,600.00. Mind us, this is just a linear saving of the monetary value. If we work it out on exponentially...the amount is huge !

If we planned our eating places and take note of the prices, I am sure we will be able to at least save extra for another dining out...

However, if your earnings is more than "segunung tinggi"...forget about what I shared just now...it does not matter at all ! Hhehehe

A Very Hot Week

After weeks of receiving afternoon rains, it has been dry week since Monday. It is very hot out in the open, the sky is very clear and though I do not measure it with a termometer, I believe it is around 33-34 degree C. Staying in the office is a real luxury, having to enjoy the cooling airconditioning but for my nature of work, I have to move around even if it is melting outside.

I was hoping it very much to rain this afternoon as I would not need to water my newly planted pearl grass costing RM2,500.00 (at least not as much as somebody's German shepherd...but it is fluke). But it didn't, so I have to water them just now in the dark. I had overheard in the cafe that the haze is coming back..very soon but I do not have the feel,...may be it will but hopefully it will not be like the one we had in 1997/98.

Hey, I do noticed that my car porch has a lot of dust though I just wash it last Sunday afternoon (exceptionally lot)...a sign of hazy days ahead ?...