Banking in Malaysia

I am aware of the CLOB incident where many fellow Sporeans lost their hard-earned monies. I don't believe for a moment that my monies will be safe in Malaysia, esp when I don't have a Msian citizen as a joint account holder (that option which was once open to me, no longer is).

However, after an evaluation of the pros and cons, as well as weighing the likelihood of losing everything, I decided to open a bank account with one of their most (if not, the most) established banks starting with the letter M. Actually, I was a bit more ambitious than that and decided to open an account with another of their banks starting with the letter R.

I checked the websites most carefully on the requirements before going down to the branch and prepared the necessary - passport, NRIC and even, my utilities bill. The lady at the counter that day told me I could not open a savings account but only a current account which had a charge of RM5 a month. Only after I'd asked if there were any other options which weren't quite so expensive did she offer the alternative of an account (current) with a charge of RM10 every 6 months. However, she required RM1000 for that account and thankfully I had that amount. However, my CEB had some doubts and the long-short was that we agreed to check out other options available such as R bank before commiting. We even went to another branch of M bank to ask about opening the account there but was told that "system is down - come back another day".

So last weekend, after a couple of emails from R bank informing me I could not open any account whatsoever with them, I went back to M bank and there was a different lady at the counter. She informed me that I was only eligible to open the account with a RM5 monthly charge. It was only when I firmly insisted that the lady the week before had processed the forms half way for me for the other account that she finally conceded that I could open this other type of account. BUT BUT, she wanted to make it tough - not only did she want my NRIC, Passport, copy of my utilities bill, the RM 1000 and also evidence of where I worked, something which wasn't required before. Anyway, to get the account open, rather than argue with her, I gave her my namecard which apparently was good enough.

She told me to wait for the girl at the next counter to process the forms and sat there we did. For a full one hour. Now, the girl was doing nothing, attending to no one else but her colleagues who came over to slouch in the chairs opposite and joke with her. At the end of one hour, when the other lady asked her if she was done, she just said "System problem". The other lady took over and immediately used the same computer which had a "system problem" to complete the processing in all of the next 15mins. When I groused about to my CEB, he said that if this country was as efficient as ours, we would be in serious trouble and therefore if I insisted on banking here in Msia, I would have to put up with stuff like this. Fine.

So, after the processing was completed, the lady gave my a Visa Debit card and a paper card which stated just my name and my account number. Except that it stated Savings Account instead of Current Account above my account number. When I questioned her, she said it didn't matter. And when I asked her for a copy of the forms which I'd signed on for the account opening, she said that these were not available to customers. I even asked her for a pamplet on this current account which states the rates/charges/interest and she told me the bank had none to give as all the information is on the website. Great. Just great.

And so to top it all off, when I "login-ed" to internet banking this morning, I found that RM8 had been deducted as bankard annual fees payment. I called the head office in KL to check and they told me it was because I'd applied for unlimited withdrawals. I told them I most definitely hadn't and they told me to call the JB branch. I asked if there was a possibility of reversal of the charge and she said I should just accept the fees paid for this one year. Fantastic Eh.

It gets even better - when I asked her if payment of petrol using the visa debit cards = withdrawals, she said no. She asked if anyone told me that there would be a deduction of RM 200 each time I used the card for petrol withdrawal which would subsequently be credited back to the account after 5 days and the correct amount charged then. I said no. Well, apparently it is something that wasn't mentioned to me despite me telling the lady at the branch my primary purpose of opening the freaking account.

Msia banking boleh indeed.

Off to Melaka

I'm driving to Melaka later today for the weekend - this is the pic that, IMHO best represents the city. I took this pic from my car but as I am the sole driver this time, I doubt I would have the opportunity to take a similar pic this trip. And in my car, will be my boss and 2 colleagues . That scares me more than anything else - to be responsible for the life and safety of someone that is so important to me. Of course, I wouldn't drive at the speed I drove at the last time I went to Melaka - safety first this time and not wild reckless happy abandon :D And this time it's going to be a trip focused on food, and not historical attractions like St Peter's church at Melaka which was 1 of the places I had visited the last time per the pic below. It is possible though that we may end up visiting the famous "red buildings" once again given how almost all tourists end up there. But what is certain is that we won't have a chance to go on the "Eye on Melaka" ferris wheel which was there in Nov 08 (which was when I went there and took the pic below from a bridge). It is quite a pity because the view from the ferris wheel was rather paranomic and I would really have liked to show my travel companions this time, the view of Melaka from the top. Well, at least I'll be able to bring them for the famous Ho Kee chicken rice balls and assam fish head that I had the last time. And I also made reservations at that famous teochew seafood restaurant - nothing but the best effort on my part to make this a successful trip. My travel companions are likewise determined to make this trip a fun and good one and I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about when I'm back but I do say I'm praying really hard that everything will be smooth because so much rides on me this time. I have been responsible for the lifes of others before when I drive the 5 hours up the winding one-lane roads which are barely, if at all lit, to and fro Rompin, Pekan etc, but never have I been so stressed about a road trip before.

I want it to go perfect, not because I'm afraid that I'll be thought of less if the trip went badly but because that's the way things should be if you feel for someone enough that her/his happiness is the thing that matters most. Wish me all the best! :)

Lucky by Jason Mr@z

I was at Timbre late last night knocking back a couple of drinks with friends when the live band belted out the song "Lucky" by Jason Mr@z. Everyone at the table, no, the whole place started swaying, humming, nodding their heads or mouthing the words to the song.

And I couldn't get the song out of my head so here I am at 2am listening to it on youtube.

"As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been"

How romantic is that!

As good-looking as Brad...

Last year, my Fishing Shifu had recommended this spinning reel to me as a value for money spinning reel - he who owns S@ltigas and Stell@rs. *sniffs. And since Feb this year, there had been a sale on this model at 1 of the tackle shops ((15% discount) but I put off going down because I was reluctant to spend $ on a spinning reel when I already had a Made In USA 2500 Penn Spinning Reel, courtesy of my father.

However, after due consideration of the age of the Penn reel (more than 10 years) and my skills with my Shimano Calais Baitcasting Reel, I decided to shell out the few hundred bucks and buy my first spinning reel. I had my mind fixed on the 2500 model which would be perfect for luring but that model was sold out by the time (2 months after the sale started) so I bought the 3000 model instead which is bigger and heavier.

And here it is, the beauty from Japan loaded with 30lbs Berkeley Crystal Translucent Braided Line...

Oh, and did I mention I bought the perfect companion for Mr Brad? She didn't come cheap - about SGD 10 more than Mr Brad in fact but she's as important as he is and he cannot co-exist without her so tada...presenting Ms G-Loomis!

I think the rod is a she because it requires so much more maintenance and storage space than Mr Brad! Let's see how the two work together given their cross cultures - he is made in Japan while she is made in America.

Me, Mr Brad and Ms G-Loomis are going to have some bashing good times ahead! Watch out, fishes of the deep! :D

Afternote: Click here to read what the Bradmis (combination of Mr Brad and Ms G-Loomis) has conquered.

Eve of Chinese New Year (Reunion Dinner Lo Hei and other traditions)

Happy Lunar New Year! It's the Year of the White/Metal Tiger now. In accordance with Chinese tradition/customs/practices for the Lunar Chinese New Year, I (a) bought new clothes to wear on the first day (b) have new red undergarments (c) spring-cleaned my office (d) spring-cleaned my bedroom (d) made sure that I had a full tank of petrol in the car entering the New Year (e) sent my car for a good wash (f) did my utmost to clear as much work as possible (wasn't possible to clear my inbox tho'); and (g) tried to clear my "debts" (whatever owed to others); That's My Precious after the car wash at Caltex at 5pm today. There was a horribly long queue and the 3 mins carwash cost SGD 8. After I got home, I had to clean the inside of the car myself and also, apply rainact solution on the windscreen. Unlike my previous car, a charming little Daihatsu Sirion which I nicknamed The Toad because it was green, I have never, until today, cleaned the car myself. It was always easier and cheaper to send it to a car wash for just RM8 when I go to JB (and that car wash vacuums and cleans the inside of the car too!). Maybe I should start cleaning the car myself as a weekly workout - I do so like the gleam after the wash. I would have pumped petrol in JB and washed the car there too this week if not for the horrible massive jams I've been hearing about- A lot of Chinese Malaysians are beginning to start the journey back to their hometowns for Chinese New Year.

Of course, per tradition, we had the reunion dinner this evening followed by rummy-o. My mother cooked curry chicken, chap chye, braised shitake mushrooms and scallops, sharkfin soup, cod fish and stewed pork. Frankly, I don't think losing weight is a very real possibility, given how much of her good food I've eaten and given that I have two buffets scheduled for tomorrow's lunch and dinner respectively! Argh! The pic below is of the second Lo Hei I've done this CNY and at home at that (the first was at the department's lunch)! My mum usually frowns upon having Lo Hei at all because of the mess - one uses the chopsticks to lift the ingredients as high as possible while uttering auspicious Chinese phrases and the end result is that the ingredients are strewn all over the table or the floor. It's fun, but there is a lot of cleaning up to do! I've heard that this Lo Hei tradition started in, and is unique to Singapore (but has since spread to Malaysia). Each ingredient in the dish is suppsoed to symbolise something - for eg, the sweet sauce is supposed to be mixed in when one is uttering a phrase to do with sweetness in one's life, and the crackers are supposed to symbolise wealth ie the Chinese traditional gold nugget.

Pocketful of Sunshine :D

The song Pocketful of Sunshine describes perfectly how I'm feeling today - definitely upbeat, cheerful, optimstic and just a tad hyper.



Maybe it's to do with the fact that I'm going on a holiday tomorrow.

Ooooo....(per the chorus of the song)

"Take me away
A secret place
A sweet escape
Take me away
Take me away
To better days
Take me away
A hiding place"

Introduction

Thare are five important things that should be borne in mind when reading this blog. (1) The Slog is more than the sum of her parts. Not all these posts put together will put together a complete picture of The Slog. (2) This blog is merely a record of the Slog's experiences throughout the years. Of course, The Slog has her views and her comments should be taken with a pinch of salt as they are colored by her beliefs and experiences. As we all know, everything is relative. (3) The Slog disclaims all liability to the fullest extent permissible by law and makes no warranties whatsoever, express or implied, in relation to or arising from or in connection with her posts. Her views on this blog are fair comments which are aired and shared without malice with a view of assisting those reading to be in a better position to make informed decisions. (4) The Slog and her CEB have two little mini ones who will henceforth be known as The Bug and The Bird. (5) This blog has been silent for six years (set to private) and hence, the information in this blog for earlier posts may be outdated. For example, certain places may have ceased to exist or may have changed their addresses/menus/way of doing things. Again, as we all should know, the only constant in life is change. Read on at your own peril.