Zass!!: World's first mobile hair saloon

Enterprising Fara La'jam has founded Zass!!, what I believe to be the world's first mobile hair saloon. Fara has fitted out a red bus with hair styling equipment enough to offer dry-cut and blowing for RM8 (USD2.29) to 4 clients at a time.

The red bus will be plying its services to college, university and worker hostels, office car parks, housing estate, etc. within the Klang Valley. Its first batch of hair stylists are children of Felda settlers who have graduated from hair styling schools. Zass!! is aiming for expansion and this first batch are also trained to manage business expansion.

Zass!! also aim to employ single mothers, the disabled and out of RM8 from each haircut received, will donate RM1 to a student welfare fund for the various Universities hosting the mobile hair saloon.

More details from
Handphone: 012-2162 500
Website: http://myzass.com/main.html

Chinese New Year Open Houses in Malaysia

In Malaysia, it is a tradition to open one's house to anyone on the major festivals - the Chinese Lunar New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali. Chinese New Year is celebrated over a period of 15 days in ancient time, but now in Malaysia, the public holidays for the Chinese New Year is limited to 2 days. However, many Chinese companies are closed for more than 2 days - one week is the norm.

Here are the Chinese New Year open houses hosted by various Chinese ministers and others:

18th February 2007

9.30am
MCA (Malaysia Chinese Association) open house at Wisma MCA at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

9.30am
Open house at Taman Gunung View hosted by Perak MCA chief Datuk Ong Ka Chuan.

10am to 1pm
Gerakan Open House at Dewan Wawasan, 4th Floor, Menara PGRM, Kuala Lumpur

10.30am to 12.30pm
Perak Gerakan Open House at SK Chung Tack hall at Kampung Simee.

8pm to 12pm
Open House hosted by Johore Tourism and Environmental Committee Chairman Freddie Long at No. 72 Jalan Aneka, Serene Park, Johor Baru.

19th February 2007

11am and 1pm.
Open House at Manjung Districk Kutien Association Hall hosted by Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik

7pm to 10pm
Open House at Dewan Jubli Intan, Batu Pahat hosted jointly by Johor MCA Chief Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek and Penggaram Assemblyman Koh Chee Chai.

20th February 2007

11am.
Open House at Balai Raya Bekok, Bekok, Johore, hosted jointly by Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek with State International Trade and Industry, Energy Water and Communication Committee Chairman Tan Kok Hong

28th February 2007

7.30pm
Open House at Restoran Guan Sin, Jalan Putri 1, Taman Putrimas, Simpang Renggam hosted by Johore MCA Youth

1st March 2007

12 noon
Open House at No. 106 Jalan Utama 3, Taman Utama, Pekan Nenas hosted jointly by MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting with Pekan Nenas Assemblyman Wee Jeck Seng.

8th March 2007

8pm.
Open House at SJKC Seg Hwa, Segamat, Johore hosted by Johore MCA Liaison Committee.

Chinese New Year in Malaysia

Today is the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and it is a tradition for a family reunion dinner, and that is what we are having - my daughter, my 2 sons, myself and the Cambodian maid. My other two daughters will be following their husbands to their respective family reunion as is the practice, leaving the 4 of us.

Here is what my daughter have bought for the reunion dinner - yee sang (translated literally as raw fish). This is a Malaysian invention and has become the tradition for Chinese celebrating the Lunar New Year to "lou sang" (literally mix (raw) fish) where everyone uses their chopstick to mix the ingredients of the yee sang to stir up good fortune for the new year. Here are photos of the yee sang and of us stirring the dish:

yee sang

lou sang

And here is what we have prepared for the Chinese Family Reunion dinner:

Chinese New Year Ever Reunion Dinner

And here is a photo of a basket of Mandarin oranges - "kam" in Cantonese which has the same pronunciation as gold, and is a must for the Chinese New Year.

Mandarin oranges or "kam"

Do not attempt to bribe Police Officers

Malaysia is not free of corruption. It used to be a not rare practice to bribe a police officers because of traffic offences, either because the offender hopes to get away with monetary loss less than the compound fine or do not want the hassle of going to the police station to pay the compound or to go to court. It may also be because some corrupt Police Officer wants to make some income on the side.

If there is any truth in the message that my daughter sent to me, do not attempt to bribe a Police Officer. Why. The message says that there is a RM100 reward to any Police Officer who arrest a person who offers a bribe. There is economic sense to it. Where traffic offences are concerned, any bribe offered or asked for are usually less than RM100, so by arresting those who offer such bribes, a Police Officer stand to get more than what he can get by accepting the bribe.

Is it true or not? I do not know. In any case, it is not a good idea to bribe any Government officers.

Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park

The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park consists of five islands lying just off Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah, Malaysia. The five islands are Pulau Gaya, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik, Pulau Sapi and Pulau Sulug. They can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes by speedboat from Kota Kinabalu.

Two of the five island, Gaya Island and Pulau Sapi was gazetted as the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park 1974 to protect the natural enviroment, including the coral reefs, marine life, the fauna and flora. It was named after the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. The other 3 nearby islands, Manukan Island, Mamutik Island and Sulug Island was included in 1979.

Pulau Gaya

Pulau Gaya is the largest island at 15 square kilometre, and is closest to Kota Kinabalu. It is covered by dense tropical forest with trials that can be utilized by nature lovers and bird watchers. The main draw of this island is the Police Bay with its beautiful beach. This is an ideal place to picnic and to do a bit of snorkelling.

Pulau Manukan

This is the second largest island, which is frequented by locals as well as tourists because it has stretches of sandy, clean beach. The coral reefs here are well worth having a look. It is also the most developed with chalets, clubhouses and restaurants as well as a diving center with water, electricity and telephone services.

Pulau Mamutik

This is the smallest island at just 15 acres, but has good beaches and coral reefs, a jetty, changing rooms, toilets, picnic shelters, tables, barbecue pits, fresh water and electricity.

Pulau Sapi

Its name translated literally is Cow Island. It has one of the best beaches in the park, and is a popular place for snorkling and scuba diving. On the island are picnic shelters, barbeque pits, tables, changing rooms and toilets. The forest is inhabited by macaque monkeys.

Pulau Sulug

Pulau Sulug is the farthest island from Kota Kinabalu, so if tranquility is what you are seeking, this is the island to visit. The island also has patches of good coral reefs and can be an ideal place to snorkel.

Getting there

There are daily boat services to the islands from Kota Kinabalu main center jetty.
Departures are at 9.00, 10.00, and 11.00 in the morning.
Pick-ups are in the afternoon at 1.30, 2.30, and 3.30.
During weekdays, boats must be chartered.
Most boats accommodate up to 12 passengers.

@mosphere restaurant at Menara Tun Mustapha

Menara Tun Mustapha

The Menara Tun Mustapha (Tun Mustapha Tower), formerly called the Sabah Foundation Building, is a 72 glass walled sides tower rising 30 storeys to 122 metres at the Likas Bay, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. It is about 10 minutes drive from the center of Kota Kinabalu.

At the 18th floor is the high end revolving bar and restaurant @mosphere which provides a sweeping views of Kota Kinabalu, the South China Sea and Crocker Mountain Range. It is a nice place to watch the sunset and to enjoy a delicious meal. Its opening hours are 11am to 1am (Sunday to Thursday) and 11am to 2am (Friday to Saturday). Last food order is at 10.30pm. For reservations, call 088-249276.

Entrance to @mosphere

If you don't want to drive or take a taxi, Touchdown Helicopter Charters can fly you there at RM599 (USD170.28) per person (minimum 2, maximum 4). Alternatively, you can get there by super-sized speedboat at RM299 (USD85) per person (minimum 2, maximum 6). On the way there, you can cruise the coral-fringed Tun Abdul Rahman island. The trip includes a 3 course meal and a glass of wine plus a ride home in a chauffeur driven vehicle.

Touchdown Helicopter Charter can be contacted at
Tel: 088-249 278
Fax: 088-256-408
eMail: kk@touchdownhelicopters.com
http://www.touchdownhelicopters.com

A Broom Award!

Ha! The Selangor Menteri Besar (literally "Big Minister") Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd. Khir Toyo recently announced a Broom Award to land offices and local authorities in Selangor for not performing up to mark. The winner will bring home a broom! for that "distinction". "Yes, it is not a prestigious prize, but meanful. The broom is symbollic of the department head or local council chief having to clean up their act and sweep away unproductive work habits," said Dr. Khir.

The Datuk Seri himself was embroiled in some controversy over the Bukit Cahaya debacle for pronouncing "semua OK" (all OK) when things were not exactly allright (see post Environmentally friendly Prime Minister). Recently, because of the more open environment under the new Prime Minister, there were a couple of exposes of matters which would probaby not have seen the print in the previous administration. The MPPJ (now MBPJ or Majlis Bandaran Petaling Jaya, that is Petaling Jaya City Council) was exposed by Citizen Nades in his column Irrefutable proof: Concession linked to money as having some unsavoury dealings regarding funnelling funds meant for billboard approval to the MPPJ football team and double dealing.

The case of the wife of Klang Municipal Councillor Datuk Zakaria being awarded a large plot of land meant for the poor and builing a "palace" on it without approval was also exposed by Citizen Nades. The outcome - a paltry fine rather than the building being torn down for building without approval. Datuk Zakaria was also exposed as operating an illegal restaurant without any license and approval from the Council and on State land.

With all this going on, there should be plenty of cleaning up, otherwise there should be many candidates for the Broom award.

Credit should be given where credit is due. And in this case, credit should be given to the Chief Minister for coming up with a creative idea to push his subordinates into cleaning up their act. Let us hope that things will improve from now on and Selangor will live up to its status as the first "developed State".