If you’ve been reading the headlines recently, the government is once again cracking down on illegal workers in our country, now that the amnesty period for voluntary repatriation has come to an end. And so the authorities will be making their checks in construction sites around the country, since it is widespread knowledge that the building industry hires the most illegal aliens. In all the years of dirtying my hands and clothes in the mud of our construction industry, I have worked alongside many, many foreign workers and seen the human face behind what the public calls a menace and a social threat. What I have seen is nothing shocking,…

Here are some questions that really annoy or get on my nerves. I call them cringe-question, because every time I hear them, it makes me squirm like hearing fingernails on the blackboard. Most of the time I refuse to answer, and the rare few times I answer, you’ll probably would not like my answer. 1. When are getting married / Still not married aah?The ultimate cringe-question. I am already married, but I really cringe whenever I hear someone asked this one. Let’s get this straight, for those unclear of the concept: If someone does not have a boyfriend or girlfriend, they’re probably looking for one. If they have one already,…

These few years must really be good years in property development. Everyday in the Metro pullouts of the local newspapers are filled with advertisements for housing launch parties and sales promotions. Come Saturday’s paper, the number doubles. Even the Edge has a special pullout for real estate. Everyday you here about Amanputra, Amansuria, Amanseri, Damaiputra, Damansara Damai, Kota Permai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai…Is the economy really that good? Where are people getting all these money from? Deductively speaking, there is no supply without demand. And speaking from within the industry, I can say that most of these launches that are marketed well by experienced companies sell very well. Some sell…

I knew I had it coming. The first (and supposedly last) time I went to Berjaya Times Square (BTS) when it first opened, I swore I wouldn’t go there again. Well, I had to break my promise last weekend. On my first visit, I was stunned. Other than Debenhams (which is pretty small, and too overpriced for me), the whole place was so Ah-Beng, man. I was as if Sungei Wang Plaza transplanted itself and moved there. Hundreds and hundreds of shops selling Hong Kong fashion rejects, ladies shoes, DVD/VCD pirates, it was just too much for me. Even Sungei Wang had its redeeming qualities, BTS had none. There was…

Well, it isn’t really a horror story, but it won’t be something the manager of credit card sales would want to read. Here’s what happened actually. I’ve been a card customer of this international bank, which I shall not name (but some of my pals call it Sillybank… oops, did I say too much?) for many, many years. I must emphasize here that I’ve mostly been a one-credit-card guy, no matter how many sales people approach me at shopping centres thrusting free cards in my face. (That’s another rant for an upcoming blog). OK, so about 6 months ago this bank sends me this additional card with 3 years free…

Here’s a list of magazines I read on a regular basis. Please note, I don’t buy all the mags here, most of them I read at the library or mooch off my philanthropic friends. If I did buy all of ‘em, I’ll probably be living off biscuits everyday. Empire: It’s a British international movie mag. I used to read every single word of this rag (including the spine quote) but I’ve gone off it a bit since they changed the format and streamlined it (puh-leez…). ‘Too commercialized, now’, I would say, with a hint of arrogance.FourFourTwo: A must read. I love Sam Allardyce’s coaching tips and David Platt’s tactical analysis.…

And so another chapter closes in Malaysia’s social history. The murder case of 29-year old Canny Ong has finally concluded. The accused, an aircraft cabin cleaner, has been sentenced to caning, 20 years jail and death. The media has carried this case with their usual fanfare, sometimes not without the sensationalism. While life and death are mere phases in the great passage of the spiritual form, I cannot help but stop to reflect each I read about a murder case in the Malaysia. Somehow, for a brief moment in time, we are reminded of our own mortality, of how our nation has descended into such levels of moral depravity, of…

Circulation nos. obtained in the press today (no. in brackets show previous survey):The Star – 1,109,000 (1,045,000)Malay Mail – 132,000 (137,000)New Straits Times – 322,000 (323,000)The Sun – 173,000 (165,000)Sunday Star – 987,000 (1,003,000)New Sunday Times – 303,000, (282,000)Sunday Mail – 153,000 (134,000)Harian Metro – 1,218,000 (1,275,000)Berita Harian – 1,473,000 (1,491,000)Utusan Malaysia – 1,510,000 (1,010,000)Kwong Wah – 271,000 (261,000)China Press – 741,000 (730,000)Sin Chew Jit Poh – 1,109,000 (1,099,000)Guang Ming Daily – 381,000 (347,000)Tamil Nesan – 144,000 (140,000)Tamil Namban – 247,000 (242,000) Some observations: totaling up the weekday papers for all languages (excluding the Sun), we get 4.725 million rags sold daily. Assuming the population of Malaysia is 30 million,…

In line with the reality shows craze on TV these days (as opposed to fake or make-believe TV that we’ve been watching all this while), I’m compiling a list of things that might feature if Malaysia were to make our own show. For ease of thought, I’ve broken down the listing into 3 groups: Do Physical/Frustrating challenge: Like Amazing Race’s Roadblock. Designed to test the contestants physical & mental strength to the limit. Eat Disgusting Stuff: Like on Fear Factor and MTV’s I Bet You Will every week. Do Scary Thing: Like on Fear Factor also. Fight crocodile, stay underwater, play with scorpions, the usual thing. OK, this is what…

My daughter loves to watch the cartoon ‘Bob the Builder’ on cable TV. Its quite entertaining, kinda reminds me of the stop motion claymation of the old days, although this one probably uses far more advanced techniques. If you’re not familiar with this show, it’s about a construction guy called Bob with his blue cat, talking machinery (cement mixer, forklift, excavator, you get the picture) and a young girl named Wendy. Each episode usually features the gang facing a ‘construction’ problem and how they work together to solve it. Together with the talking and moving machinery. Having worked in the construction line for many years, I would like to point…