Applying a New Car Number

Went to JPJ in Padang Jawa to apply a new car number for my father. There were not many people at the counter. Beside the counter there is a notice board showing the latest numbers available from 1 to 7000. However, the list showing the numbers from 7001 to 9999 are kept in the counter.

If anyone wants to choose the number within 7001 to 9999, they must write it on a piece of paper and ask the officer in the counter to check. If the number is taken, then the person must write another number and ask the officer to check again. I was told that a person can only submit 3 numbers at a time and if all the numbers have been taken, he must queue up again for a new set of numbers.

I submitted a few numbers to the officer and was told that the numbers was already taken. Luckily there was not many people at the counter, so I submitted another set of numbers quickly to the officer. Unfortunately, the numbers were also taken. I asked the officer why don't she let me look at the list so that I can just choose a number from there. She refused and ask me to submit another set of numbers. I finally made her read a few available numbers from the list so that I could choose a number from there.

To register a chosen number we have to pay RM310. You pay the same amount of money if you choose the number from the list on the notice board or from the list in the counter. I wonder why they have to make us going round and round checking the numbers. Why can't they just show us the list for us to choose the number. It is a waste of precious time for us and for the officer too.

Sometimes we just can not understand the logic behind.

Good Policemen

Awards for cops who said ‘tak nak’ to RM500,000 bribe

"Detective Corporal Mohd Surani Sarbini, 44, and Lance Corporal Mohd Tarmazi Arbayee, 25, the two policemen who rejected a RM500,000 bribe by drug traffickers caught with syabu worth RM280mil in May have each been given the Integrity Award. They were also promoted to Detective Sergeant and Corporal, respectively, for their part in the largest drug seizure by Malaysian police."

I salute to the two policemen, just imagine how many young Malaysian lives they have saved. They are the fine example of how a good policeman should be.

Spam Calls

My handphone rang while I was playing golf yesterday. I quickly took out my phone from the pouch to answer the call. A female voice is on the other side of the line. She said “Are you Mr. Lim, I am from XXX bank. We know that you have a credit card from our bank and we would like to offer you a cash of RM30,000.” Before she could finish, I just said no thank you and cut off the line.

Tele marketing is becoming very aggressive these days. I receive calls almost everyday regarding all kind of products. Among the marketing of genuine products there are also many marketing gimmick to cheat your money.

I have a list of calls that I have received

• Ask to apply for a credit card
• Ask to get cash using the credit card
• Ask to do credit card balance transfer
• Ask to go for free medical check up
• Ask to attending talk regarding their holiday scheme then receive a free holiday vouchers
• Ask to attend products exhibition and give comment then receive a free gift(I think is a con job)
• Ask to do marketing survey thru phone then will send a free gift by post (never receive mine)
• Ask to collect gift for lucky draw (I gave the gift to the caller but she doesn’t sound excited)

I have also received the much talk about child crying sound. Since I did not sound panic when I heard a child is crying, the caller quickly cut off the line.

I have also received many calls from China (noticed from the number) regarding all sorts of con products. Now they are smarter by making the number private. The first thing they will ask in Chinese if you understand Chinese and I will said in Chinese that I don’t understand. They will quickly cut off the line knowing I am more cunning than them ;)

Other than receiving voice call, I also received many SMSs. Many are similar to the voice call massages. Then there are also the Con SMSs informing that I have strike lottery. I even received a SMS saying that I won RM30,000 lucky draw from Shell. I don’t use Shell petrol and the SMS is from a Maxis number which I don’t bother to reply.

Since there are control for spam e-mail, I think it is about time the telephone companies come out with control for spam SMS.

Foreign Workers

Went to lunch at one of the hawkers center near my office. I was surprised to see no foreign workers at the hawker stores. The hawkers are preparing and serving food themselves.

After asking one of the “lobak” store owner, I was told that the government do not allow them to hire foreign workers and furthermore if they were to hire, the fee is more than 10k per worker.

It is about time that hawkers not to rely on foreign workers and work for their own earnings. Before the foreign workers were ban, some of the hawkers just leave all their works to the foreign workers and they just sit around chatting, gambling, and drinking. Some of the hawkers who are more entrepreneurial open a few stores and ask the foreign workers to manage it.

Haze Again

The haze is back again.

Haze problem happens very year, almost the around the same time every year. The Indonesian in Sumatra started open burning to clear their crops for their next planting season and we in Malaysia have to suffer again.

The worst haze problem that I can remember was in 1997. Due to the very dry weather and the open burning in Sumatra, the haze was horrible. Everyone have to stay indoor and air filters was selling like hotcake. I bought an air filter which is not very good (no brand) for more than 2k because everyone was rushing to buy air filters and pushed the price up.

The haze problem lasted more than a month. At that time, many outdoor activities were canceled and the sky is gloomy the whole day. People were very down and felt like living in the dark. The worst was that you don't know when the haze will go away.

I hope the Indonesian in Sumatra will change their way to clear their crops with a more modern technology. Don't let us suffer like this again.

Ah Longs' Posters

The government is going hard on to the Ah Long in the country. They are looking for the 4 Ah Long kingpins since the news of people been chained up like dog for failing to pay their debts.

Ah Long problems have been an issue for a long time but nothing was done by the authorities. The government are using the money laundering act to catch the Ah Long. Why don't the government make a new Ah Long act? The Act should include not only preventing Ah Long for what they are doing but should also stop the Ah Long from sticking the posters everywhere.

When foreign tourists come to Malaysia, they will not forget the sight of most creative Ah Long stickers all around the town. The posters are very where on everything they can find including the traffic road signs. I don't know why the authorities are unable to do something about the posters after so many years. They should sit down and think of a way to put a stop on the posters madness.

Silicon Wiper

It's raining again this morning. I have to drive to work in the rain. I always feel very happy whenever I use my car wiper. The silicon wiper that I installed 3 years ago always impress me. I told myself that I have to write to tell everyone in my blog regarding this wonderful product.

This silicon wiper has a lifetime warranty. My wife's car has been using it for 5 years already and the wiper is still very good. The silicon wiper do not require any added screen cleaning detergent. After using the silicon wiper for the first few times, you will notice that the car screen become very smooth and the rain water will form into small droplets on the screen.

The wiper will accumulate a lot of dust on the blade after using and you need to use a cloth or paper to wipe the blade clean once a month.

While most drivers have to turn their wipers to high speed during heavy rain, I could still turn to low speed and the vision is great.