Another Fuel Price Deduction?

Sounds like a good news from our "caring" government again! I think most of you know this already, starting tomorrow, 12am 1st November 2008, fuel price in the country will be deducted by 15 cents respectively.

As usual, I will put a record here to keep track on the price changes from time to time.

Fuel Category	Old Price(RM)	New Price(RM)	Drop(RM)
RON97 Petrol	2.30	2.15	0.15
RON92 Petrol	2.20	2.05	0.15
Diesel	2.20	2.05	0.15

[Fuel price effective on 1st November 2008]

I just wonder when the price can drop to RM1.92 or lower as international crude oil price already dropped below USD70 per barrel which is even cheaper than when our country sold the fuel at RM1.92 per litre.

Will the government also announce reduction of houses or properties price? HAHA... maybe I am dreaming..

Long Live Jalan Alor!

About a week ago I was talking about the street name Jalan Alor had been changed to Jalan Kejora because some people from the authority concern came out with this "brilliant" idea to give area around Bukit Bintang a galactic theme. Then I felt that was a very stupid move as the name Jalan Alor already become synonym to eateries paradise not only in local but also in tourists eyes. Therefore, I wish DBKL to leave Jalan Alor alone!

Just now, I saw a good news in tv about Jalan Alor! Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan officially announced that the name Jalan Alor will be remained as it is! Although I am not staying in KL, but I felt please with this decision. It is a right move and it will save a lot of troubles brought to locals, businesses and also tourists from improper planning of street name renaming.

Long live Jalan Alor!!!

Buah Dabai

Sarawak Olive is a kind of fruit which can only be found in Sarawak. It is called Buah Dabai in local Iban Dialect.

[Buah Dabai]

Dabai is a seasonal fruit, just like Engkalak. Therefore, you can only taste this fruit in certain period of a year and normally it is around durian season (Ya! same as Engkalak!). Now it is the season of durian thus season of Dabai as well. When you happen to go to native market, you can easily see natives selling this fruit everywhere.

[Dabai selling in native market]

The older generation native hawkers are still using "Kong" (cupak), a hollow cylindrical object, usually tin of can food as a measurement when selling Dabai. Meaning saying "I want to buy 1kg of Dabai" is not really appropriate. The more appropriate way should be "I want to buy 1 Kong of Dabai". Anyway, the newer generation started to use typical scaling method (Kilograms) for measurement .

Each "kong" will price at RM3 or higher depends on quantity of Dabai available on the market and also the quality of the fruit sold. The fruit quality will depend on the thickness of the skin and also creaminess of the fruit. Thinner the skin and more creamy the fruit will make it more tasty.

[Tin is used as measurement to sell Dabai]

Dabai cannot be eaten instantly because it is hard. To eat the fruits, first of all you need to soak them in warm water for about 15 to 20 minutes to soften them. Don't use hot water to speed up the process of soaking! This will spoil the fruits.

[Soak the hard Dabai fruit in warm water to soften it]

If you are worry if the fruits are enough soaked, you can take one and press it with your fingers. If it's soft meaning the fruits are ready to be eaten. So, pour away the soaking water.

The fruit itself not really tasty. Therefore, in order to eat them, you need to add some flavor. There are 2 types of flavor people usually add in:

1. Salt - just soak the fruits in salty warm water instead of plain warm water as explained just now. The fruits will taste salty and ready to be eaten when they are soften.
2. Soy source + sugar. This method is recommended and tastier. After the soaked fruits soften, mix with soy source and sugar then eat it.
   

[Dabai mixed with soy source and sugar]

Dabai has yellowish flesh and it tastes very creamy.

[Creamy yellowish flesh of Dabai]

A Day of Charity

Sarawak Society For The Blind Sibu Division Branch organized their annual open house event today. In conjunction with the open house, a charity sales was being held within the blind center compound.

As always, my company's recreational club was given the responsibility to sell off the charity sales coupon to company staffs as well as outsiders. As I am one of the committee member this year, I had to take up this responsibility tried to sell off as many coupons as I can. I felt very lucky one of my colleague who is really supportive willing to buy 10 books of coupon from me without much hesitation and that costs him a hundred bucks. He stated in his blog that he used the fuel rebate money taken from the government to do this as a way to help the government doing more good thing. I really salute him for this.

As for myself, I only bought 2 books of coupon worth RM20. I know that's not much, but I think that's all I can afford at this moment. Charity is not all about the amount you can give, but the sincerity of your heart to help the needs, isn't it?

[Charity Sales Coupon]

It stated in the coupons that the open house and charity sales will be started at 9am till 12.30pm. However, when I arrived at the venue before 9am, the road around the blind center already being jammed by the cars. People attending the charity event parked their cars along the roadside to the left and right of blind center. Kutian Memorial Park opposite the center was also full with cars. This was really out of my expectation. I never expect the public respond was so good.

[Cars parking opposite the blind center and along the roadside]

[Cars parking along the roadside]

When I just about to stepped into the blind center where the charity sales was held, some people already came out from there with full handed.

[Entrance to the charity sales]

The crowds inside the building even shocked me! Every corner inside the building was flooded by poeple who were busy looking for suitable item to purchase with their coupons.

[The tremendous crowds out of my expectation]

As for me, I just walked around by my own. This is the first time I attended such charity sales so I tried to adapt myself to the environment. I was looking at the crowds, the environment and also looking for suitable items to spend my RM20 coupons. I just discovered RM20 coupons really couldn't do much as most of the items were sold in quite high price. Hey, brother! This is a charity sales ok? You can't expect the selling items were at market price, can you? Oh ya, I met my colleague who bought 10 books of coupon from me I mentioned just now. He was busy shopping and snapping photos like I did!

[Stall that selling raw chicken and eggs]

There were quite a number of stalls set up by social organizations and corporates for this charity sales. The items sold are various. There were stalls selling raw foods like eggs and chicken. Some stalls were selling local delights like lemang, curry chicken, roasted ducks, Nasi Lemak, Pau and so on and some selling snacks and cookies. There were also stalls selling fruits.

[Stall selling cookies and snacks]

[Various stalls]

There were 2 stalls which caught my attention because the items sold are more unique. One was selling decorative plants and another selling cute soft toys.

[Decorative plants for sale]

[Soft toys including Snoopy and Winnie The Pooh were on sale too!]

[Best decorated stall in my opinion]

When I was walking around, I discovered there was a staircase leading to the upper floor but it was not written what was going on up there. However, I saw the crowds moving up and down the staircase so I decided to take a look.

[Staircase leading to upper floor]

Actually, there was a room upstair selling cane products made by the blind people staying in this center. There were various shapes of cane basket to choose from.



I was quite amazed with their handcraft skills. These people can't see yet they can come out with such complicated handcraft. So, I decided to find myself a basket to show my appreciation on their hard works.

After some searching, I found this basket. It costs RM20, exactly the value of the coupon I had. So I decided to buy it. It is suitable to be fruits container.

[I bought this cane made basket for RM20]

[The handcraft is nice and good to be fruits container]

Ok, now I had go around all the stalls available and I had spent all the coupons I had on hand, so I guessed it is the end of my journey to Blind Center for charity purposes. Before went back, I stopped at free-flow MILO corner to get myself a cup of delicious MILO to drink.

[Free-flow MILO corner]

[Yummy! A cup of MILO drink for myself!]

The experience of doing charity is good although it is just a small one!


++++++ p/s: ++++++

On my way back, I stopped at Union of Chinese Association building which is not far from Sibu Blind Center because I discovered that there were some events going on at the place. Didn't actually know what the event was, I just stopped by to snap some photos before I continued my journey back home.

From Notebook HD to Notebook Cooling Pad

Initially I planned to buy myself a notebook hard disk today. So as a friend of mine who wanted to buy himself a first external hard drive (HD). He had been waiting for me for almost a month since I told him I have such planning to buy a hard drive to replace the one inside my laptop which was spoiled about 2 months ago. So, we went to a shopping complex together to hunt for the hard drive.

When we were looking at the 2.5" hard drive, I suddenly changed my mind. I didn't know why this happened, but in a split second, I suddenly felt that maybe it's not the suitable time for me to spend on another hard drive as I actually have a spare 80GB 2.5" hard drive which I can use it on my laptop, just that I need to put some efforts to move the data in it to other storage. So I canceled my initial plan but not my friend.

[HD hunting]

Therefore, my friend continued on his HD hunting. As for me, I just busy around helping on eyes and giving him some opinion. HD itself is not hard to find but external enclosure of the HD that do. We spent more time choosing a suitable and eyes pleasing enclosure. After some thought and consideration, my friend finally found one which met his taste. He also got a 320GB notebook HD which costs around RM240.

[External HD enclosure that met my friend's taste]

Maybe I didn't want to go back home with empty hands, I suddenly think of wanted to buy a notebook cooling pad for my laptop. The reason why I felt to get one is because I suspected one of the reason my laptop HD spoiled was the heat generated by my laptop. Weak cooling fan on my laptop caused the laptop always functioning in high temperature condition and this might shorten the HD lifetime.

There were various kind of cooling pad for selection. Some pads were made by plastic and some by aluminum. Aluminum pad is more expensive than plastic one. I finally decided to go with this one which cost me RM69, no more no less.

[This cooling pad cost me RM69]

The main reason I chose this cooling pad was because it has a full aluminum heat sink pad. As you all know, metal is a better heat conductor than plastic. So, with aluminum pad, the heat from the laptop can be passed to the cooling pad more effectively thus giving better cooling effects to the laptop.

[Features printed on the box]

After paying the amount, we went for a tea-time before went back home. Well, at least I didn't go back with empty handed after my previous planning to get a 2.5" HD had being canceled in no reason.


++++++ More pics ++++++

[4-port USB 2.0 hub on the right side of the cooling pad]

[Left side look of the cooling pad]

[I guess it is made in China, what do you think? ;p]

[China English?]

[Bottom side of the cooling pad]

From Jalan Alor To Jalan Kejora

Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur (KL) is not a strange name for most Malaysian as well as tourists from foreign countries. It had been labeled as foods heaven or foods paradise within KL area as one can find various kind of foods and local delights along the road.


Although I had being to KL many times, but I never being to Jalan Alor before. Yet, i knew Jalan Alor as I heard too many people around me talking about it. When people are discussing about good places to eat around KL, the first place of recommendation will be Jalan Alor.

However, how many of you realized that the name "Jalan Alor" in KL already become a history?? Ya! It already disappear from this planet because Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) changed its name from Jalan Alor to Jalan Kejora few days ago!


++++++ FAQs section ++++++

1. The reason?
UNKNOWN! DBKL didn't give any reason for that.

2.Why "Kejora"?
Kejora is Malay term of planet Venus.


3. Then why planet name?
I think those being to KL before realized that there is a place called Bukit Bintang (Star Hill), right? So someone from the authority concern came out with this brilliant idea to design and name the area around Bukit Bintang after planets/stars name or maybe the whole concept behind it is to create a galactic theme for the area.

++++++ ++++++

How about that?? Sounds good? Galactic theme... how advanced!

But that is not the way! If you rename Jalan Ah Beng, Jalan Ah Kaw, Jalan Ah Ngiao and Jalan Ah Tu which have no significant meaning, then it is fine... but if Jalan Ah Beng attracted thousands of local and foreign tourists to the place, then just leave it alone! People already remember the place from generation to generation by the street name, then why you still want to kacau-kacau (disturb)? After all, the street name itself doesn't serve any bad meaning, so why you so worry till have to change it silently?

The name Jalan Alor already being carved into local's as well as tourists mind as a eateries hotspot. So just let it be. People won't care how creative you are neither what kind of concept or theme you trying to adapt to the area. In fact, people won't even care what "Alor" actually means. For them "Jalan Alor" only means a eating heaven, a tourists attraction and nothing else. So, just let Jalan Alor be itself.

The Most Expensive Toll in the Country?

If you are driving from north to the south of Sarawak, before you exit Sibu through Lanang Bridge and proceed your journey to town like Bintangor, Sarikei, Sri Aman or Kuching, you will have to pass through a toll - Lanang Bridge toll.

[Lanang Bridge Toll]

Yes! Who said Sarawak doesn't have toll? At least Sibu has one and I guess it is among the most expensive toll in the country!!

Not trusting me? Let me ask you... how much you need to pay for using Penang Bridge which has about 13.5km in length? It's RM7 for 2 ways, to and fro trip right? Meaning you pay RM7 for around 27km of Penang Bridge usage. I am referring to normal passenger's car and MPV.

But you need to pay RM3 one trip for normal car or MPV to use the around 1.22km Sibu Lanang Bridge. So if to and fro, you need to spend RM6 for just about 2.5km of bridge usage.

[Toll and the payments which vary for different categories of cars]

RM7 for 27km of Penang Bridge and RM6 for 2.5km of Lanang Bridge... do you still need a calculator to count which one is more expensive? Lanang Bridge is a construction across the river whereas Penang Bridge is across the ocean! We don't need rocket science to know which construction is bigger and consume more costs, do we?

Then, why the toll fare is so expensive? Well, I heard it's actually related to some local politician involvement which is really complicated to explain.

Anyway, the toll doesn't really affect those travel once in a while but it is a burden for the people staying after the toll plaza who needs to travel to and fro Sibu daily for specific purposes like study, doing small businesses and so on.

[Lanang Bridge Toll - one of the most expensive toll in Malaysia]

++++++ Just a statistic ++++++

Type	Penang Bridge Fare(RM)	Lanang Bridge Fare(RM)
Motorcycles	1.40 (RM0.05/km)	0.50 (RM0.41/km)
Cars/Taxi/MPV	7.00 (RM0.27/km)	3.00 (RM2.46/km)

*Penang Bridge Length: 13.5km || Payment Method: 1 trip
*Lanang Bridge Length: 1.22km || Payment Method: 2 trips

1/2 Day Trip to Sarikei

It's Saturday again but is not a ordinary Saturday for me. Usually I would wake up late, then lazy around or walk around shopping centers to do some window shopping or "eyes-washing", but this morning I had a date with company social club committee members to take a half day trip to Sarikei, a town which is not too far from Sibu, just about one hour of driving distance.

So we started our journey at about 9 in the morning. There were 7 people joining the trip and we separated into 2 cars.

We reached Sarikei town at about 10am. Actually, we didn't really come here to look at the place as a lot of us being here before.

[One of the scenery at sarikei - the Wharf]

Instead once we reached, we directly went to this kopitiam - Glory Cafe. This was the main purpose for this trip actually!

[Glory Cafe at Sarikei]

So what is so special about this kopitiam actually? From its look, it's just a normal kopitiam which can be found everywhere around the town. But you never know.. it's actually famous for its "cheap yet delicious" big prawn tom yam noodles!

So most of us order this noodles. Otherwise, no point we came all the way from Sibu yet not trying the most famous food at this kopitiam. We waited for more than 15 minutes for the food to arrive. But I think nice foods worth some waiting! ;)

When the noodles first arrived, my first reaction was... WOW!! It is quite a big portion and really made me drooling! I couldn't wait to taste it but of course I needed to snap some photo first otherwise, you can't see these photos now.

[Big Prawn Tom Yam Noodles]

There were actually one big prawn only in the noodles and being cut into half for easy consumption. Emmmm~~ it tastes nice! Hot, spicy and sour! That's what "Tom Yam" foods should taste, isn't it? However, there were too many prawn chela/pincer in the noodles which made the eating process harder.

[Big prawn meat in the noodles]

The tom yam soup was delicious and appetizing, yet some complained that it was too sweet. I agree.. in fact, it was a bit too salty and oily too! That's why I didn't finish the soup although I am a soup lover and usually I will drink till the last drop!

The price? RM14 per bowl. Consider cheap? But if you compare to the big prawn noodle in Sibu which sells at RM20/RM25 per bowl, this one is consider very cheap. Eat once in a long while just to reward myself for being working so hard should be okla...

[It costs RM14 per bowl]

So, after finished eating... this was what I found on most of our tables - a mess, full of prawn shells and used tissues! Ya, you really need a lot of tissues as you will keep sweating while you are eating the noodles, not because the weather is hot, but the strong spicy taste that will make your head sweating while eating.

[A big mess on the table after eating]

After the meal, we went to a drug store in town which is very famous for its chinese traditional herb called "Bet Ding Yio". "Bet Ding Yio" is in Foochow slang which means "8 types of valuable drugs" and it is the main ingredient for a very famous Foochow soup cooking.

[The drug store in Sarikei famous for its "Bet Ding Yio"]

[Packets of "Bet Ding Yio" - Chinese traditional herb]

After visiting the drug store, it was about 11.30pm, we have no place to go anymore. Therefore, we decided to go back home to Sibu. We used an alternative route which require ferry service. It was a bit troublesome, yet it shorten the driving distance between Sarikei-Bintangor-Sibu.

[Scenery from ferry which shows another ferry crossing to the other side of the river]

We reached Sibu at about 12.50pm. The whole trip was nice and I enjoyed it. I am looking forward if there is a chance for the next trip.


++++++ Just a note ++++++

To whom it may concern:

For those who is going to be elected for the coming committee members, don't worry about it. Life in the committee is actually not that bad. It is a good chance to know more people and you will enjoy it most of the time.