Why Can't Female Teachers in Malaysia Wear Pants to Work?

Work pants or Long skirts for work?

One question I used to ask when I was still a school girl was Why can't female teachers in Malaysia wear pants to work?

I think it is some sort of a code of dressing left behind and still being practiced since the Colonial times. It has been more than 50 years since Independence, Malaysia. Time to relook and reconsider this dress code?

I remember fondly of the two years I spent as a Sixth Former in my pre-U days at St Joseph Secondary School in Kuching, Sarawak... The pride of La Salle in Borneo.  The female teachers are allowed to wear pants.

The term who wears the pants also mean who is in control and have a say in deciding stuff so I guess not being allowed to wear pants may stem from a lack of gender equality as well. That is a whole different topic altogether so I won't delve into that.

But hello it is 2016 already ... Mengapa guru wanita tidak boleh memakai seluar panjang sebagai pakaian rasmi semasa bertugas?

With the fiasco on social media last year concerning our national Gold Medalist Gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi who won six medals including two gold at the SEA games focusing on the V-line of her leotard instead of her gold victory speaks volumes about just how petty and archaic-thinking SOME of my fellow countrymen are. So I rest my case.

All opinions are expressed from my own personal view which you may agree or not agree but each to their own. I would like to clarify that I come from a family of Teachers and headmistress and principals. My baby sister is still a teacher in a government national school. So I do know what I am talking about. You don't have to agree. #peace

How to Get Cheaper Insurance Premium for Cars Over 10 years old

My car is over the 10-year-mark and with all the extra loading charges it just isn't feasible for me to keep paying a high insurance premium for my car which has depreciated in value. 

Last year when my greenie (my car) was 13 years old my dad suggested I change to a third party insurance as my car value is already below RM10k. National car loses value fast. If your car is an imported brand please don't switch to third party coverage so fast, check the value of your car first.

MMIP (Malaysian Motor Insurance Pool) administered by MMIP Services Sdn Bhd is actually a pool of different insurance companies who 'share' the insurance of people opting for insurance for their older cars. It is for people whose car could not get the coverage from the usual insurance anymore or the premium is too high and not worth paying for a first party coverage anymore.

I had it done at the post office without a hassle in 2012 along with my vehicle road tax renewal. However in August 2013 it is a different story. 

I went to two different post offices for many times in a week and only to be told my NCD (non claim bonus) is zero whereas my last year's printed NCD is 55%, the maximum. 

I was baffled and I was told to come back another day when the system is online as it appears to be offline. I got this 'offline' excuse for a whole week from Aug 20-26, including on Saturday where the lady on Friday asked me to come early Sat morning to try my luck as 'the system may be open by then'. No such luck.

With my road tax and insurance expiring on Aug 26, I panicked when I was told again that MMIP is still offline and I decided to use the next lowest premium insurance, Multipurpose Insurans... Which is 2.5 times MORE in premium. 

However when they checked my NCD it is still zero. I was like 'No Way I am gonna lose my NCD for something I never claimed!' They said I need to wait for the email if post office is to email them to enquire as they do not entertain phone calls. My road tax would have expired long by then and I will have a perfectly working car with no legal right to drive it as it has no road tax. 

I had long known Uni Asia agents nearby is of no use to renew MMIP motor insurance. In Setapak Wangsa Maju area, there is one opposite KL Festival City on the same row as the new branch of Public Bank, about two blocks away, the post office lady told me about it on Aug 23 me asked me to renew my MMIP insurance at Uni Asia agent office opposite KL Festival City Shopping Mall. I parked legally by a busy road and walked up to the quiet shop lot and had to be doubly sure and walked back out to check out the signboard... There is no indication of Uni Asia at the steps. I knocked on the glass door or a very bare office and a young girl was hesitant to open the door for me. She was all alone and here isn't any signs of Uni Asia logo in that office. I asked if it was Uni Asia and she asked who specifically I was looking for. I said I wanted to renew my insurance and the post office asked me to do it here. They don't do general insurance so no renewal of motor insurance there, they only do life insurance and investment savings plans.

Then I drove to the Land Transport Authority (JPJ) and sought out the Uni Asia agent there. I was told they have no access to online system for MMiP and they need to do it manually by fax and it will take hours. That's it. HQ it is, since I am in the capital city anyway.

Hence I checked out the address for MMIP and got my dad to drive me there (thanks Pa) as my car is legally unmovable now.

Parking costs RM3 at Bangunan Malaysian RE for the first hour and RM3 for subsequent hours. Don't ask me why it is called Malaysian RE. It shares the building with MNRB and should come just before PNB building. Go up to 6th floor. 

The map captured on my phone is as below: 

HOWEVER NOTE THAT YOU CANNOT RENEW YOUR INSURANCE AT THEIR HQ. It is only a bodily claim department. You still need to travel to Uni Asia HQ or Multipurpose Insurance HQ to do it or at their respective agents nationwide. Sometimes due to the hassle people ended up paying double or more to save the hassle. Your call.

They could check my NCD though and it is still 55%. Pos Malaysia couldn't check the system after they upgraded their system with JPJ or something hence it always appear as zero for them.

The nice Malay personnel there said my Insurance is under Multipurpose Insurans and not Uni Asia. And they gave me a slip of the insurance HQ (I think many people must have thronged the MMIP HQ) they already cut out slips of printed papers of Uni Asia and Multipurpose Insurans HQ address. They even told me how to get there with specific landmarks and directions. Bless them.

So my dad and I went down to the city

and passed by Kompleks Wilayah, Oriental Daily HQ and got to CapSquare. I was told to go to 8th floor but when they saw it was third party I was directed to 10th floor. Got there by 4pm. All was done by 4.30pm.

Effective this year all insured need to fill up and sign a proposal form like this. 

The lady at the payment counter told me to only renew my insurance a day after as due to the system upgrading by JPJ, it doesn't seem to link well with the insurance companies. She said: "We already update here on our system but it is slow to appear on their side and they point the finger at us and customers call us up to scold us". So since it would be 5pm after I leave the area I decided to go straight to JPJ the next day. I won't even try Pos Malaysia anymore, not with their masalah sistem and system offline issues the past week.

Mission half accomplished.

Next day, I went to JPJ. Got a legal parking space after 5 minutes of hovering. Got a number. Squeeze through the standing crowd and got a nice seat and waited for about 30 minutes while I read my book. My number was called and it was all done within 60 seconds. Yup, that fast.  From red last year it is blue this year, the road tax sticker I mean.

Replaced my road tax on my wind screen and I am good for another year!

Premium has gone up by RM10 this year compared to the RM90plus last year but I don't mind. My car doesn't go further than 25km of my area anyway. I am a blissful housewife/mother again. :) 

Note: They kept saying on their websites to only opt for MMIP when you could no longer get any company to insure your car. It is 'high risk' insurance so to speak. So please do your research and decide for yourself if it is for you.

Becoming a WWF Donor

I was walking into a supermarket in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, to buy something for my kitchen/pantry when I was stopped by a lady wearing a WWF badge. I have heard of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since I was a little girl more than 20 years ago.

Within five minutes, I signed up for a monthly contribution/donation to WWF Malaysia at RM58/month. There is another option which is RM38/month but I figured if I can already contribute more than that for kids from other countries (under World Vision), I might as well save the environment and wildlife in my own country.

I signed up in good faith and to skeptics who are reading this, please reserve your skepticism and keep your doubts to yourself. I feel good doing good and I am truly glad to play my part for the nature.

Quote from the WWF booklet:
"We shan't save all we should like to, but we shall save a great deal more than if we never tried!" ~Sir Peter Scott (1909-1989), WWF Founder.

Simply Siti New Perfume - Memoire

I was traveling in Air Asia flight and an elegant packaging I knew was a perfume box caught my attention as the steward and stewardess pushed the merchandise cart past me.

It was the new Simply Siti range of perfume - EDP (Eau De Parfum). Retailing for over RM70-RM80, the three scents were only retailing for RM59 EACH only on Air Asia flights

Being an ardent perfume lover, especially EDP, I asked them which is the best seller among the three and was recommended Memoire, 50ml. I took the chance and bought it. Hubby got himself 'Aura' perfume which is only RM17 on board for 100ml.

Here are the pix of the EDP. I love the scent, it is light and 'flowery', sweet and pleasant, not too heavy and just nice for day wear yet subtle enough for dinner functions. I will definitely try it again if the price is right!

P/s- Simply Siti is a brand founded by Malaysia songbird Siti Nurhaliza.

Do money and success change people? No.

RT “@gr8benj: Money and success don't change people they merely amplify what is already there.- #JustSaying”

I came across this quote today and I totally agree. By the way, do follow @gr8benj as his tweets are simply awesome!

So Do money and success change people? No. They only amplify what is already there.

If the person is already greedy, then with more money, the more the greed will grow.

If the person is already a miser, then with more money, the more miserly that person will be.

If that person is already so full of himself/herself, in other words, egoistic, then with success, he will only feel even bigger and be filled to the brim with over inflated ego, like a balloon that can never finish expanding, never popping.

This reminds me of the Malay proverb/peribahasa Melayu: "Bagai resmi Padi, makin berisi, makin menunduk".

Literal Translation: Like the rice grain in the field, the more it is filled, the more bent it is.

In Asian countries, rice is the staple food just like wheat, bread and potatoes are to the West.

The meaning of the proverb is to remind humans that in our daily life, we must emulate the staple food, the rice, by being humble regardless of how much you are filled, be it money, knowledge or fame.

Traditionally when I was a little girl, we learned this proverb in class and the teacher taught us it is to keep highly educated people grounded. Now I'd like to reinterpret it according to my own interpretation - this applies to wealth and success as well as knowledge.

This reminds me of another saying in Chinese: The bigger the tree, the more it will attract stronger wind (and fall).

It is not wrong to feel proud and motivated once in awhile but over inflated ego and a lack of humble nature are a lethal combination as a human. Think about it.

My birthday is in 3 days on Oct 2, hence writing a more philosophical blog post to commemorate an additional year to my age. Oh I feel so wise already, lol, haha just kidding. Happy birthday to me!

P/S: Random pix of hubby's pet goldfish. Goldie, Blackie, Goldfish 1, Goldfish 3, Goldfish 3 and Goldfish 4. I only named two of them. :) Blackie is that black mass in the background, zoom in to see that strong black fish. We call them our babies that we can never cuddle. :)

What It Means to be Malaysian to Me

I promise this will be a shorter post compared to the long posts in my blog.

Happy Independence Day, Malaysia! Technically, it is Malaya who is 55 years old, Malaysia as a country is only 49 years old, formed by Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo, Singapore (who then left about two years later) and Malaya (now referred to as Peninsula Malaysia). Malaysia Day is celebrated on 16th September. :-)

I guess I need to write an essay on what it means to be Malaysian in my opinion.

Here goes.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MALAYSIAN...

TO MY FAMILY: My late grandpa (who passed away at the age of 95 in 2007 a week before my weddding) always said: "Malaysia is a peaceful place. You can earn a living as long as you are hardworking." He came from China in the 1930s, when times are hard after the 1911 Chinese Revolution. He travelled with valid travel documents and settled down in Kuching, Sarawak, a state in Borneo, where he started his family and became part of the newly formed nation in 1963 through naturalisation - he was official "British" before 1963.

Same goes to my mom's parents, my parents' birth certificates showed "British" as their nationality as both my parents were born before 1963. British or no British, we are all Malaysians now. We are not even that state-centric anymore, we have relocated from Borneo to Peninsular Malaysia, my siblings and I have found non-Sarawakian
partners, we cannot afford to be state-centric anymore anyway!

TO FELLOW MALAYSIANS: Generally we young people (sweeping statement here, pardon me please) does not really bother about National's Day after we left mainstream education, where we had to line up and sing patriotic songs as well as the National anthem on a day before or after the actual public holiday in the spirit of Merdeka - in Bahasa Malaysia, the national language, Merdeka means - Independence (Free from Colonialism).

MY OWN TAKE:
The first time I was part of a National Day countdown was on August 30, 2005. I was still a reporter back then, I sat very close to the grand stand (main stage) where all the VIPs were at. By the time the countdown of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and MERDEKA! was shouted by everyone at Dataran Merdeka - the place where Malaya's Independence was first declared and shouted by the first Premier, Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj - I tell you, I actually felt a lump threatening to choke my throat, I was moved. The feeling was surreal. Here I was, at the same venue where our forefathers fought for independence and with everyone shouting "Merdeka", and I joined in as well, it beats watching a game at the Stadium or shouting for your idol anytime, the feeling is totally different! I blogged about it on Friendster but sadly, it has died a natural death, so I lost all data and pics of that night.

TO THE WORLD:
The people globally usually refer to Malaysia as only Peninsular Malaysia and shorten our citizens' name to the MALAYS. That is from the olden pre-Independent days where Malaya was called Tanah Melayu, the Land of Malays. Paintings of South East Asia map labelled Peninsular Malaysia as Malay. Even when I went to Hong Kong and mainland China, they referred to us as Malays. Fine.

RACES/SOCIETY IN MALAYSIA
For the record, Malaysia is a multi-racial country with Muslim as the official religion while non-Malays can profess any religion of their choice. Malay is the majority, with about 60% of the population, the rest are the Chinese (Chinese descent, not China-Chinese), Indian (Indian descent from India, but not India-Indian), the indegenious people in Peninsular Malaysia like Sakai, Jakun, and also 26 ethnic groups in the state of Sarawak in Borneo (Iban is the majority) and 27 ethnic groups in the state of Sabah in Borneo (Kadazan is the majority) - the two states in Borneo comprises East Malaysia, separated by South China Sea from Peninsular Malaysia.

Inter-racial marriages, and even inter-religious marriages had turned Malaysians into a colourful potpourri. I promised a short blog post, so for more information, feel free to google up Malaysia.

One thing synonymous with Malaysians are its food.

FOOD, FOOD, oh glorious food.

It doesn't matter what style of cooking it is, the Malays will cook Halal (ALMOST equivalent of 'kosher') food, but in Chinese or Indian style, we will have Malay style Chinese Fried Rice, or Indian style Fried noodles, and even the uniquely 'Mamak' or 'peranakan' cooking which is the result of racial integration of mixed marriages. Oh, don't get me started on the food for rest of the ethnicities in Sabah and Sarawak, my homeland of Borneo.

Pix shows some traditional cooking (meat in bamboo over the fire) by my friend's mom during Gawai Harvest Festival in mid-year in Sarawak.


I will not be telling the whole truth if I say we are truly tolerant with each other. However, let me remind you that even in a close-knit family, there will be squabbles and disagreements, what more to say in such a diverse community like what we have in Malaysia? Whoever we vote for, be it pro-Government or pro-Opposition, we are all just Malaysian voters exercising our rights. At the end of the day, we eat the same food, breathe in the same air, stay in the same country.

We are far from Utopia but generally, Malaysians are peace-loving people and once you get to know us and we overcome our initial 'shyness', we are always ready with a smile and will render any help we can. Just don't provoke us or call us names as we pride ourselves in our rich heritage and languages.

Selamat Hari Merdeka to all Malaysians! *Peace be unto all of us*

You may be interested to read more: http://suesanctuary.blogspot.com/search/label/1Malaysia

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Happy Eid) to all Muslims!

Malaysia is a multi-racial & multi-religious country despite its Constitution stating that it is a Muslim country with Islam as the official religion. We are free to believe and adopt any faith we choose.

I love the practice of asking for forgiveness on a New Year for the Muslims (the first day of the Muslim Calendar Month of Syawal). Happy Eid and I apologise for all my wrongdoings and trespassings in the past one year.

Kepada sahabat Muslim sekalian, Selamat Hari Raya Puasa, Maaf Zahir dan Batin!

I will make up for the food when I return from my China trip. Been scheduling my posts for the past few days as I am away till after the first two days of Raya (Eid!). My Muslim friends told me the celebration lasts the whole 30 days, a whole month, so I will feast on the delicious food when I return!!! Ketupat, Rendang, ayam masak merah, soto, etc... you can google them up for the mouth-watering images. *craving mode*

Some cute pix of a sales brochure of a hypermarket. They illustrations are just so adorable! Have a great celebration!!!

Traveling in and out or within Malaysia during festivities

Hubby and I are sitting at the departure lounge waiting for our flight to depart Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, a country in between Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

We are leaving for China, and are prepared to give up Facebook and other sites we are accustomed to while we are there. Heck, it won't be called true getaway unless you can get away from the online world as well, right? Will post up pix and blog about our trip upon our return next week!

Some pix of how crowded transportation hubs in Malaysia is be it airports, train or bus stations! It is advisable to check with Malaysian public holidays in the calendar when planning your travel. One word to describe the wait line at ticket and check in counters, including at the customs and immigrations - LONG!

Do check my blog daily while I'm away though as I've scheduled daily posts to keep my blog active and staying true to my mid-year resolution in June 2012 to blog once a day. ;)

Oh, it will be Eid or in Malaysia we call it Aidilfitri. It is the biggest celebration in a Muslim majority populated country like Malaysia. Happy Eid and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all my Muslim friends! (I am non-Muslim but am a Malaysian Chinese) - do check out my posts under the label 1Malaysia

Signing off from online world into the beautiful nature and relaxation.

Hantu Gangster (movie) - A Light Take on a Dark Subject

I actually felt really moved when I listened to this song and pondered on its meaning, and thinking back of how far Namewee has come, from his student days (google up: Negarakuku) to his accomplishments today with many movies and accolades.

I know he is not popular with some sects of the society due to his vocal opinions, and I don't 100% condone his speech (can be futher filtered) but I actually feel proud our country has someone like him who dare to say, dare to do and dare to be himself.

Won't spoil the storyline for anyone but be assured the movie has a strong cast of heavyweight (famous) celebrities in Malaysia represented by the three main races in Malaysia (sorry Sabahans and my fellow Sarawakians, we are again, Dan Lain Lain - Others), for his second attempt after his first movie Nasi Lemak 2.0, Namewee has 'come of age' and I am sure he will only keep improving himself from this point on, provided he doesn't lose his focus along the way. Way to go, Namewee!

*For the record, Sarawak and Sabah are separated physically from Peninsular Malaysia by the South China Sea - Sarawak has 26 ethnicities and Sabah has 27 ethnicities, or maybe I miss one or two ethnicities there - Malaysia has more than 50 ethnicities, Peninsular Malaysia (Semenanjung) has THREE main major races. That's my only point of contention.*

Just in case you wish to view the review after the premier on Aug 9th, 2012, which included members of the public and some Malaysian celebrities:



You may be interested to check out this post on my take of 1Malaysia: http://suesanctuary.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-do-i-get-called-auntie-instead-of.html

To fellow Malaysians, do watch Hantu Gangster in the cinema, awesome movie! I admit I am BIASED. For a more neutral take on this movie, check out this review: http://poinkbox.blogspot.com/2012/08/hantu-gangster-polished-but-artificial.html

3M - Membaca, Mengira Dan Menulis (Bahasa Malaysia post) - Bagaimanajika anak anda lambat bercakap?

Sistem persekolahan di Malaysia berteraskan satu misi - iaitu murid-murid sekolah rendah (7 sehingga 12 tahun) seharusnya menghabiskan 6 tahun yang diwajibkan oleh undang-undang kerajaan Malaysia di sekolah dan kanak-kanak tersebut sepatutnya mencapai kemahiran asas dalam 3M, iaitu Membaca, Menulis dan Mengira.

Sebenarnya saya tidak begitu pasti sama ada mengira atau menulis yang ditulis dahulu selepas membaca, oleh itu saya menulis kedua-duanya sekali - sekali di tajuk dan sekali di perenggan ini.

Setahu saya, konsep 3M telah pun diterapkan dalam sistem pendidikan Malaysia sejak zaman 'Pelajaran' dahulu, sebelum semuanya diseragamkan kepada 'Pendidikan'.

Saya ingin berkongsi pengalaman dan beberapa anekdot (ringkasan kisah benar) berkenaan sistem pelajaran Malaysia, terutamanya sistem pendidikan sekolah rendah di Malaysia.

Bukan setiap pelajar yang berumur 7 tahun (pada 31 Disember tahun itu atau 1 Jan tahun seterusnya) yang melangkah masuk ke Tahap 1, iaitu Tahun 1 (Darjah 1) tahu membaca atau menulis. Walaupun rata-rata kanak-kanak dihantar ke prasekolah, masih terdapat segelintir keluarga yang tidak mampu menghantar anak-anak ke sekolah sebelum mereka diwajibkan untuk ke sekolah semasa berumur 7 tahun. Oleh itu, di sesetengah kawasan, para guru terpaksa menangani masalah jurang Tahap kemahiran 3M di kalangan para pelajar.

Saya masih ingat lagi, para guru menunjukkan rasa bangga apabila murid-murid 'pandai' menunjukkan kemahiran mereka menulis 26 abjad/huruf dan melafazkan semua suku kata tanpa cacat cela. Apabila murid membisukan diri, mereka disindir dan dikatakan 'bodoh' dan banyak lagi kata-kata yang seumpamanya. Apabila difikirkan balik, saya gerun merenungkan trauma/kesan psikologi ke atas murid-murid yang diketawakan oleh seluruh kelas kerana 'bodoh'. Para guru (bukan semua, segelintir sahaja) menunjukkan kepada kanak-kanak bimbingan mereka yang tidak mengapa sekiranya kita mentertawakan orang yang tidak dapat memenuhi kehendak masyarakat iaitu Tahap pembelajaran yang asas. Sekiranya lambat sedikit dalam penguasaan akademik, terus ditertawakan dan dikatakan 'bodoh'.

Mengapa tiba-tiba jer tergerak hati menulis artikel ni?

Sahabat baik saya, panggillah dia Puan A, berkongsi luahan hati tidak lama dulu. Anak lelakinya, N, masih tidak dapat bercakap dengan normal walaupun usianya sudah menjangkau 6 tahun. Puan A sangat risau bagaimana N akan menyesuaikan diri dengan persekitaran semasa melangkah masuk ke Darjah 1 tahun depan (2013). Beliau takut anaknya akan dihina hanya kerana anaknya lambat bercakap daripada kanak-kanak lain yang 'normal'.

"Percayalah, Sue, kami telah menghantar N ke klinik pakar kerajaan, macam-macam ujian dah dijalankan, anak kami normal, bukan autistik (autisme), hanya lambat bercakap jer. Ramai orang mengata yang kami suami isteri tidak menjalankan tanggungjawab sebaiknya sebagai ibu bapa. Kami pun tidak ingin N menjadi begini! Kakak N tiada masalah bercakap pun. Paling menyakitkan hati apabila orang menjeling anak kami yang mengeluarkan kata-kata yang tidak difahami seperti 'ya ya ta ta' sambil menunjuk sesuatu yang menarik perhatiannya. Lebih-lebih lagi salah seorang doktor pakar yang pernah kami jumpa seolah-olah menganggap yang anak kami, N, itu gila," keluh Puan A.

Puan A takut anaknya digelar 'bodoh' tahun depan di sekolah rendah. Sekarang, N bersekolah di tadika berdekatan rumah yang mempunyai cikgu-cikgu yang memahami keadaan kanak-kanak ini dan tidak menunjukkan rasa tidak sabar atau marah-marah terhadap kekurangan kemahiran bercakap N.

Saya rasa, walaupun minoriti, mesti ada kanak-kanak yang sebegitu rata-rata di seluruh dunia, dan ibu bapa mereka sudah tentunya berasa 'terperangkap' oleh keadaan yang di luar kawalan mereka.

Balik kepada kenangan zaman persekolahan saya dahulu, saya ingat ada seorang budak lelaki yang berpindah ke sekolah kami semasa Darjah 4, ini saya gunakan nama sebenarnya, Larry namanya. Larry berpindah dari kampung dan kami terkejut yang dia tidak tahu membaca atau menulis dan kami mentertawakannya. Hasil kelas pemulihan sehingga ke Darjah 6, Larry mampu menulis A-Z tetapi terpaksa menyebut suku kata secara berasingan sebelum menggabungkan dua suku kata menjadi satu perkataan, contoh ya "S-A sa Y-A ya, saya".

Menurut kawan-kawan sekelas, Larry balik ke kampung selepas tamat Darjah 6 dan tiada berita mengenainya selepas itu.

Sekiranya kita mementingkan hak yang setara untuk semua kanak-kanak dalam pendidikan supaya menjadi insan yang berguna dalam masyarakat, dalam kes-kes istimewa bagi kanak-kanak normal yang hanya 'lambat' tetapi tidak cukup lambat untuk dikelaskan sebagai 'slow-learner' yakni tidak dapat menyertai kelas PKBP (bagi kanak-kanak yang bermasalah pembelajaran), sesuatu haruslah dilakukan untuk kumpulan kanak-kanak 'perantaraan' seperti N dan Larry.

Sekadar berkongsi, bukannya untuk mentohmah sesiapa ataupun mana-mana pihak.

Anda mungkin tertarik untuk membaca hasil nukilan seterusnya:

I plan to translate this blogpost into English soon.

US VISA INTERVIEW - SHARING MY EXPERIENCE (2012)

Disclaimer: This is a post based on a personal experience solely for the purpose of sharing and NOT meant to replace official statements and is NOT in any way representative of the US Embassy or the country of USA.

Hubby asked me to join him this time round for a work trip to the United States of America (US), and having given it a miss last year (2011) when he went alone without me, I jumped at the offer and started planning our trip, etc, etc.. and the inevitable has to be done - the US Visa for Malaysians.

I checked out the website and found that I needed a soft copy of my visa photo (as well as the hard copy), hence I paused filling up the online form and went for my photoshoot, I look horrid in the photo but oh well, it is only the visa, better I look horrid in photo, than beautiful in photo but horrid in person, right? (self-consolation). Please ensure the background is white and it is 2" by 2" (please check for exact measurement of photo).

This website is quite comprehensive, it is their official website so it'd better be! http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/niv.html
Just follow the instructions (there are MANY) and you should be fine.

After the photo (and get the soft copy of the hard copy as well!), upload your photo (it should be resized to the correct dimension) and you shall get another form receipt, two pages to proof you have submitted the DS-160 form, there is NO NEED to print out your entire application form unless for own safekeeping.

That ends the preliminary steps.

Next, let's talk about money. The cheapest visa are the usual tourist/business (including for reporters) which costs RM448 in year 2012, payable only at Standard Chartered Banks (any branch). Get the visa deposit form, fill it up, and REMEMBER your passport number or bring your passport with you as you need to fill up your passport number when you pay. I made the MISTAKE of not taking note of my passport number and needed to visit Standard Chartered twice. Don't repeat my mistake! KEEP THE RECEIPT!!! You need it when you go back online and during the interview, so keep the receipt safe and with you at all times!

SETTING AN APPOINTMENT

Upon payment, there is no set window period, but just don't wait too long ya? I waited till CNY was over before I set my interview (and I submitted my DS-160 form online on Jan 17, my interview was on Feb 21, just because I chose to). One month is okay, I think. Did not read anywhere if there is a time limit to submit - pay - set interview - and finally attend interview.

Go to : www.ustraveldocs.com/my

Log in, set up an account first, of course, it is NOT linked directly to the DS-160 form that you submitted online, I entered my name as Sue Tiong and it was accepted even though it isn't my full name, I guess for interview setting it isn't too important as the application form?

You need to enter the receipt number, you SHOULD NOT include your passport number - the less-than-intelligent bank teller (Standard Chartered Bank) whom I ask said it is all the digits all the way including my passport number - NOT!!! And that effiminate (soft) guy of the bank teller dare to scoff at me as if I should not be asking that question. If you don't know, say so, and don't give wrong information!

Upon inserting the receipt number, you should be able to open the page where you may select your preferred choice from the many slots/dates for interview. In Malaysia, there is only one place for the interview regardless of where you are in Malaysia, you need to travel to Kuala Lumpur at the US EMBASSY at Jalan Tun Razak for the interview and it is only on weekday mornings. I chose a Tuesday, 10am interview as it is the 'latest' time slot available at that time (scared of traffic jam during morning rush hour). Then all you have to do is to wait patiently for your interview day to arrive.

UPDATES
*UPDATE 2013: THANKS TO FAY (refer to comments below), THE CURRENT VISA FEE IS RM512*

*UPDATE 2015: THANKS TO KRISH K (refer to comments below), the CURRENT VISA FEE is RM688*

ON THE DAY OF INTERVIEW

On the interview day, it goes without saying that you need all the documents ready the night before, and preferably with a good night's sleep, and you should arrive at least 20 minutes before your interview time.

Modes of Transportation to US Embassy? (The interview is at the US Embassy at Jalan Ampang)

Take a taxi straight to the door steps, or if you don't mind 10 minutes of walking, take the Kelana Jaya LRT line up to Ampang Park and exit and walk all the way towards the white PNB building, just walk on the opposite site, you should pass all the car showrooms, Micasa Hotel and Suites and the See Hoy Chan building before you arrive at the Embassy, you cannot miss it, with its grey concrete walls that gives you no view of what transpired inside.

I usually don't opt for public transportation, hence I contributed to the thinning ozone layer by driving and parked some 7-min-walk away from the embassy at RM4 per entry open space parking lot, or we Malaysians say, open-spaced carpark. The nearer you park, the more expensive the parking fees are, but it won't go more than RM10 maximum, depending on where you park. Had to double park and surrender the keys to the Indian guy, and I don't really mind as my car is already 13 years old, and bears many 'battle' scars, hence I paid RM4 and surrendered the keys (with a proper number stub to reclaim the keys later), and off I walked towards the embassy.

I told you my hubby went to the US the year before right? Since it is only a one-off-thing for the next 10 years, he forgot most details about the visa application process despite it being not even exactly a year since it passed. Okay, human memories fail us sometimes. Hence, to NOT repeat the same mistake of forgetting, lest you become not-so-much-of-a-help to future friends or family members who needed to apply for a US visa, I am writing this blog post, so that it will come in handy, if not my personal social circle, if it shows up in a google search for Malaysians who are looking for more info to apply for a US visa, I hope this blogpost will be of some help!

BE PREPARED TO PHYSICALLY WAIT (and go to the toilet before starting your wait)

The rule of thumb is you should arrive 20 minutes earlier, and you should also be prepared to wait in line (with some benches over a 50m or less stretch) for about an hour. My wait time OUTSIDE the gates was about ONE HOUR and 40 minutes. Arrived at about 9.40am in front of the gates, got into the Q, found a seat, by the time I was called inside and got a number, it was 11.32am, embassy clock. My interview was set at 10am. Since at 9.50am, even those whose interview was set at 8.50am hadn't been called in yet, I walked away for some seven minutes to locate a 'safe' toilet. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO visit the washroom before reporting to the front gate of the embassy as you never know how long you need to wait outside (there are washrooms INSIDE in the waiting area but we were stuck outside for so long).

DOUBLE CHECK YOUR DOCUMENTS

You will need to provide ANOTHER form of photo identification BESIDES YOUR PASSPORT, such as driver's license or your identification card for Malaysians OR a photocopy of your passport if you are non-Malaysian, for you to exchange for a pass to enter the embassy grounds, they will clip your identification with a tag, which you should get back the moment you surrender your visitor pass upon exit.

The first stage of 'reporting' is at the front gate counter (which took about over an hour for me to reach in Q) - where the guy will tick off your name and this is where you show your interview appointment letter, which I forgot to bring, but he asked me what time was my appointment and I told him and he crossed off my name/or was it tick it off, anyway, I was kinda relieved I was on the list as I have nothing to proof my interview time as I didn't print out that piece of DOC!!!

SECURITY CHECK

Only two persons (or ONE family with small children) are allowed to be in the security check point at any one time, it was all tinted glass, so no one knows from the outside what is happening inside. Be prepared to surrender your electronic devices (hand phone, iPad/tablets, laptops, camera, thumb/pen drive included) upon entering the security check/scan room. Also be prepared for a bag search. Water bottles are allowed provided you take a sip in front of the security officer and in front of the CCTV. Keys are supposed to be kept at the security together with your mobile phones, and you will be given a tag with a number for you to reclaim your stuff upon exit.
ALWAYS wait for instructions and don't be in haste and the security officers will talk to you nicely, the guy in front of me was too hurried to reclaim his backpack after the scan that he was told off by the guard. The same guard used a softer tone with me, so be patient, stand there and wait and let them do their job.

MORE WAITING

The building itself reminds me of the US government offices they portray in the movies depicting the US gov. A walk up a flight of steps and you will enter a lobby area with another guard and a reception/enquiries counter. The guard would point a blur person (like me) to the left to press A for tourist/non immigrant visa. Then I was told to wait at the waiting lounge on the right - this is where the restrooms are! Go while you can as you have about 5-10 minutes with about 8 people in front of you (as indicated on the ticket for the number).

There are two screens at the lounge - one had an 8TV show of an exchange students-programme in the US involving Malaysian students which I think was pre-recorded and showed again and again for the visa applicants and the other one was showing a video of US national parks and also instructions of how to take the hand and finger prints and also instructions of visa collection in three languages, English, Chinese and Malay, I tried to read my book and finished about 20 pages.

You will be called by number, electronic display board will display your number, with A and C as the prefix, A for the 'cheaper tourist visa' and C for the more expensive one (you can check the proper names on the website I provided above).

First, your number will be called and you proceed to counter 1 or 2 for the 'registration', where you surrender your print-outs and your passport and your receipt.

1. Passport
2. Interview Appointment Confirmation Letter
3. The confirmation that you have submitted the DS-160 form (two-pages)
4. If you already submitted the soft copy of your photo, then only ONE piece of the required TWO visa photos (then why asked us to bring TWO, I printed FOUR to be safe, lol).

I think that's all.

The Malay lady was quite nice and did not scold me or anything when I failed to produce my interview appointment confirmation letter, I just smiled sheepishly and said "lupa bawak". Then she asked me what time was my appointment and I told her 10am, and she just ticked my name off the list, I got through! I thought my RM448 is gonna go down the drain at the moment! Phew! SO PLEASE bring all the four items above!

ACTUAL INTERVIEW
After that Counter 1 or 2 'checking', you would have surrenderred your passport and return to the waiting lounge on the right again. This time, you wait for another 5-15 minutes until your number is called again.

Then you proceed to Counters 3/4/5. This is where your hand print (four fingers on each hand) and thumb prints are taken. Then there is no need for you to return to the waiting lounge and just wait at that area - it reminds me of a bank with counters and long waiting chairs, some people prefer to stand while I just took at seat next to a complaining Malay lady and waited. The lady beside me was complaining to another guy that her appointment time was BEFORE 10am, but her friend, a guy, whose time was 10am, had his interview over and done with and she was still waiting. Oh well, must be some delay in the process, I guess.

Less than 5 minutes later, my number was called, don't expect to sit down during the interview as it is just like a over-the-counter-bank transaction (old style), you are standing up the whole time. My interview was over and done with in about three minutes. The guy before me was saying to a lady that he only got THREE questions, I got more though. My interviewer is a dark-haired Caucasian man.

My questions: 1. What is the purpose of your visit to the US?
I replied to follow my husband who is on a conference.

2. Does your husband hold a US Visa?
Yes

3. What is the name of the company (of your husband)?
I mentioned the name and he knew the name, obviously judging by the next question.

4. Are you going to California (the HQ)?
No, we are going to Florida, where the conference is going to be held.

5. How long are you going to be in the US?
Two weeks

6. So you are teaching?
Yes

7. What are you teaching?
Public Relations

8. Which university are you teaching at?
I answered

Then he returned the receipt to me (he actually returned it before the questions above) and said - there is no problem with processing your visa... thank you.

I said thank you and left the counter with a card with a serial number (to be surrendered upon visa collection), walked out of the building towards the security check point kiosk (no need go in), collected my stuff, returned the tags, turned on my phone and called my hubby and said, "I got the visa".

VISA COLLECTION
You can collect the visa yourself at Wisma MCA, or you can opt to have it delivered, if you enter your office address, make sure that the card/stub with the serial number is given to the person who receives parcels/mails. Approved visa can be collected on the next working day at 3pm (check the exact time on their website) and if via delivery, within a few days after interview.

US here I come!!!

p/s- This serves also as a reminder just in case I wish to renew my visa in 2022, 10 years from now. :-)


UPDATES
*UPDATE 2013: THANKS TO FAY (refer to comments below), THE CURRENT VISA FEE IS RM512*

*UPDATE 2015: THANKS TO KRISH K (refer to comments below), the CURRENT VISA FEE is RM688*

Why do I get called Auntie instead of "kakak" by a 20-year-old? 1Malaysia Dapat ke Tak direalisasikan?

I don't know why but a Malay woman my age (early 30s) would be called "kakak", which is the equivalent of "sister" by a young 20-year-old Malay but the moment they see this Chinese-descent-me of the same age as the earlier "sister", 9 out of 10 times, they will address me as "auntie" instead. That would be the equivalent of "makcik" in the Malay language - usually we reserve this for people who are at least 20 or more years older than the person who say it out of respect.

I understand that calling me "Auntie" is like bestowing me the respect that is much better than "Oy" or "eh" but I cannot stand it after some time and yes, I am irked!

BM (Bahasa Malaysia - Malaysian national language) post ahead.

Mengapakah saya dinaikkan 'pangkat' dan sekaligus, ditambahkan 'umur' saya hanya kerana saya seorang Cina dan bukan Melayu?

Memang betul nama saya Cina, ibu bapa dan seluruh keluarga saya Cina, bahasa ibunda saya di rumah Cina dan darah saya memang Cina, tapi darah saya berwarna merah juga, saya dilahirkan di Malaysia, tanah air semua rakyat Malaysia, malah, saya TIDAK PERNAH menghadiri sekolah Cina - ibu saya menghantar saya ke sekolah kebangsaan dan Bahasa Melayu merupakan bahasa formal pertama saya sementara Bahasa Inggeris bahasa kedua saya sejak kecil lagi. 

Saya membesar dengan memori mencuit hati selama ENAM TAHUN di sekolah rendah dengan kawan-kawan bumiputera di Sarawak, termasuk dua orang kawan Melayu dan seorang lagi lelaki Cina di dalam kelas saya. Saya masih ingat lagi, cara kami menyebut sukukata adalah dengan begitu bakunya sekali. Sa - Saaaaa Ya - Yaaaaa. Semua itu berubah dengan asimilasi masyarakat apabila kami masing-masing membawa diri ke sekolah menengah yang berlainan, dan percaya atau tidak, saya hanya mula bertutur Bahasa Melayu Sarawak, dialek unik negeri Kenyalang dalam Tingkatan Satu.

Bahasa Melayu saya adalah lebih 'mantap' berbanding bahasa ibunda saya kerana saya sekadar pandai bertutur Cina tetapi sebenarnya hanya mengenali beberapa patah perkataan setaraf budak Tadika kerana tidak pernah menerima pendidikan formal Bahasa Cina. Cina celuplah saya ni. 

Oleh itu, sila bercakap dengan saya dalam Bahasa Kebangsaan. Saya amat selesa bertutur dalam Bahasa Kebangsaan kita. Janganlah hairan jika anda mendengar pertuturan petahku, memang Bahasa Melayu bahasa pertama saya sejak kecil lagi, teman sepermainan saya semuanya bertutur dalam Bahasa Melayu, sehingga sekarang.

Tidak payahlah anda tergamam apabila ingin memasukkan saya ke dalam 'kategori kaum stereotaip' tetapi anda ragu-ragu sebab saya suka mengenakan pakaian tradisional Melayu seperti baju kurung dan baju kebaya labuh.

Apabila anda memulakan sapaan dengan Bahasa Inggeris, saya menyapa dengan "Apa Khabar?" "terima kasih" dengan tiada pelat langsung, tidak payahlah anda bertanya, "Eh, Cina ke Melayu?"

Selalunya, saya menjawab soalan itu dengan senyuman, sekadar bertanya balik "Mengapa? Penting ke? Saya orang Malaysia," selalunya mereka akan kebingungan.


Entahlah. Rasanya semangat 1Malaysia masih tidak dapat betul-betul dihayati sepenuhnya sekiranya kita masih di takuk lama. 

Malaysia bukan semata-mata hanya ada TIGA kaum utama! Bagaimana dengan kaum-kaum/etnik lain di Malaysia Timur?

Seperti mana kami di Bumi Kenyalang dan Negeri di Bawah Bayu mengenali yang Pulau Pinang dan Melaka pernah menjadi Negeri-Negeri Selat dengan Singapura, serta sangat jelas yang Adat Perpatih diamalkan di Negeri Sembilan, mengetahui yang Rantau Panjang terletak di Kelantan, adalah adil dan TIDAK KETERLALUAN untuk anda mengetahui yang Iban adalah kaum majoriti di Sarawak dan BUKANNYA Sabah, begitu juga satu lagi pengetahuan am yang kaum Kadazan berasal dari Sarawak, BUKANLAH, dari Sabah ba!

Untuk mengatakan Sabah dan Sarawak adalah tempat dan negeri yang sama, dan apabila dibetulkan, anda mengata "TIDAK MENGAPA" kerana anda salah anggap, Tidak Boleh dimaafkan! Adakah Johor dan Perlis negeri yang sama? Kerana itulah perbandingan jarak secara kasarnya di antara Tip of Borneo di Sabah sehingga ke selatan Sarawak.

Cukuplah leteran saya yang panjang ini. Nanti dikatakan saya ingin mencetuskan isu perkauman pula. Ini hanya rintihan hati dan keluhan naluri yang terpendam selama ini. Saya cintakan tanah air ini, kita sebenarnya tidak banyak berbeza, mengapakah perlu terus membezakan sesama sendiri dan mengkategorikan semua insan ke dalam acuan lama?

Majulah Malaysia mengikut peredaran zaman. Semoga doa ikhlas ini untuk mencapai Bangsa Malaysia yang aman dan betul-betul harmoni dan muhibah, termakbul juga suatu hari nanti.

Anda mungkin tertarik untuk membaca hasil nukilan seterusnya: http://suesanctuary.blogspot.com/2012/08/3m-membaca-mengira-dan-menulis-bahasa.html

A note on Sarawak 2011 State Election

In Malaysia, we have State Elections to elect assemblymen and Federal Elections (nationwide) to elect Members of Parliament.

The EC has announced the nomination of the state of Sarawak's State Elections on Apr 6th and the polling day on Apr 16th, 2011.

This is hardly a reflection, more like a personal note on Sarawak 2011 State Election from someone who is a nobody like me.

Anyway, let me give you a brief introduction on my voting experience from 2001 when I was 21 up till today.

When I was 21 (the minimum age of registered voters), and I could vote, the state election was held too near to my birthday in October and I could not make it in time to be in the voters list due to something that is out of my control - the creation of Sue by my parents, hence I missed 2001 state election.
- quote on 2001 State Election from wikipedia - The Eighth Sarawak state election was held on 27 September 2001 with nomination date on 18 September 2001. The state assembly was supposed to be expired on 18 November 2001 but it was dissolved by the governor of Sarawak 2 months earlier on 3 September 2001. - so it's so unfair they had to dissolve it earlier by two months and I would have missed it anyway, as at the tortoise rate they update the list, two months is still too little time for them to include my name in the voters' list, so never mind then, I still would have missed the 2001 election.

Then in 2004, I was already a registered voter (the patriot in me made sure I registered as soon as I turned 21), and just as fate would have it, I had to fly to Kuala Lumpur to take up a new reporting job and had to be uprooted and 'stationed' on polling day as it was the Federal Election (nationwide), with candidates contesting for Parliamentary seats. I couldn't abandon my reporting job in Kuala Lumpur back then to fly back to Kuching, cos I was attached to a beat of another constituency in Kuala Lumpur, so there goes my second chance to vote. So much for patriotism, huh? But the candidate I was rooting for in my constituency won. No prizes for guessing who (for those of you who knows I'm a patriot as much of a hopeless romantic).

Then in the last State Election that was in 2006, my mum and I flew back just to vote, and I felt I kinda 'jinx'ed it cos the candidate I voted for lost, no prizes for who I voted for. I vomited immediately after I voted, outside the compound of the school which is my polling station, I remember vividly like it was yesterday, I was down with food poisoning -- and call it coincidence if you like, out came all the Kuching laksa and kolo mee I had upon touch-down the day before and that morning -- and down went my candidate of choice.

Okay, so I'm staying in Kuala Lumpur, you may ask me why don't I change my voting constituency? I just don't fancy changing my voting constituency. The last time a friend and his wife did that, their name disappeared from their old constituency and never appeared in the new constituency so they are no longer registered voters as far as anyone is concerned!

So this time around, I'm gonna pass. Not gonna fly back just to vote, cos judging from the responses on fb among my friends who purposely wanna fly back just to vote, I think that will stir things up enough for us to watch the drama unfold through the mass media. Moreover, during that weekend, I'm going to be up to my neck with work and deadlines (this time around, I'm a lecturer, nope, not in political science but in Public Relations), and to give a very politically-correct response to the election this time around, let me gear up my Public Relations skills to give an acceptable answer:

Someone on facebook, a friend from my childhood years in Bau (a former goldmine town in Sarawak) asked about my comments on the impending election based on my past reporting experience - I kinda like what I typed in the comment box and it came from me, so I'm sharing it here:

"We have to remember not all politicians are bad, they are just different by their levels of commitment towards their 'fight' for the people. Once you join politics, you are bound to have some degree of 'taint', cos it's the same dirty pond we're talking about." -- Sue Tiong, 2011

I rest my case. :-)

A Trip Into the Past

I had a trip into the past - in the sense that I revisited the places of interest in my current city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a trip down memory lane - only this time, I played tour guide.

I met up with a Filipina girl I befriended via a facebook application I am currently addicted to - (fluff)friends and she brought along a Thai guy she befriended via facebook (not the same application or rather, not any other application) - they are studying the same field - archeology.

She recently had to fly to Indonesia in some archipelago off Yogjakarta and her flight schedule is in such a way that she has to transit in Kuala Lumpur for a night before flying off. As her flight arrived just after noon at around 3-4pm, we made plans to meet up.

With only photos I've seen of her and she of me on facebook, I welcomed her at the KL Sentral station along with that guy, of course, whom she introduced to me. So started my 3-hour fully packed role as their tour guide around the metropolitan city.

I brought them on the LRT (train) ride to Petaling Street, or Chinatown. There they feasted their eyes on unconventional products on display and cheap bargains.

On the way back to the LRT station, we dropped by Central Market (arts and crafts complex) and took a peek into the arts and crafts there.

Then it was the ultimate visit of the night - the Petronas Twin Towers. It was already 8.30pm when we reached KLCC station, the stop where you get off if you wish to visit the Twin Towers.

There are four different entrances/exits of Suria KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre - shopping complex) and I brought them to all four to snap away the night view of the towers, leaving of course, the best angle for last.

Both of them were in awe of the magnificent architecture and the lights accentuated the majestic structure. Pix for your eyes' viewing pleasure. ;-)