Are Muslim converts a discriminated/disadvantaged lot?

YES!!! If you asked me! And why you may want to know, right?

I've never thought of if this way, although at times certain transactions may be less convenient, until I experienced it the hard way, TWICE and that's enough!

Be warned - extra long post!

Case 1

Pregnant and close to due date, (last year) went into a bank (CIMB) to withdraw some moolah. Not convenient for an ATM transaction, so I went to the counter. Knowing that the name on the account is that of my previous name, I provided the officer with my IC and my convert card. (And just in case you don't know, my previous name, the whole name, still exists in my new name, so if you compare, there's no reason to think that it may be 2 different people at all.) Few seconds later, she tells me that my name in the system is not the same as on my IC and she is unable to proceed with my transaction. I have to go to my 'home branch' (which is like 40km away) to change my name before she can do anything.

My question to her:
1. I have given you my convert card which states both my old n new name, with my IC number, so why can't you use that? (short of saying - you blind kah?!!)
2. My home branch is far away, can't u change it for me? (you think I got nothing better to do? In the IT-age, you trying to bluff me that you can't do it for me?

Guess what she said?
1. Nope, it doesn't match in the system so I can't allow it.
2. I can't. Its easier if you go there and do it yourself, anyway. (if my branch was in JB/Kedah/Kelantan and not 40km away??)

At that point of time, i was fuming and called hubby who was waiting in the car. Immediately he came up. But while he looked for parking, I demanded to see her manager and this other lady was as 'lazy' and unhelpful as she is.

I told her, an internationally recognized bank, HSBC has no qualms allowing me to do transactions like this. RHB too allows me to do transactions like this. And what is so wrong with another local bank? She says that's the rule. But haven't I showed them enough proof?

When hubby came in, he reiterrated the same. After some heated exchange of words among the 3 of us, she relented, saying ok go ahead. Can allow. And right after that, hubby asked her 'Is that the way you treat or discrimate converts, while you yourself is a Muslim? What kind of image are you trying to project? More so you're doing that to a pregnant lady??' She kept quiet.

Immediately I told that officer, 'Please take out ALL my money and leave on the minimal amount necessary (RM10, I think) for me to keep the account alive, after which I will ensure its dormant. No point wasting my time with people who treat others like less than human. It's as though I was trying to cheat them.' And its not like I've got millions in the bank to begin with. The officer then asked me - should I change the name for you? I told her, do what you feel like doing, and give me the money I asked for. The rest, I'm not bothered as I'm not going to do another transaction with this bank, so I don't need to know which name its under! (couple of weeks after, I received a letter notifying me of the name change)

When we got the money, the manager passed it to us and apologized, with tears in her eyes. We looked at her and told her, 'its too late. It's ok, don't have to apologize. You should've thought about your actions/words in the begining.'

(May I also add that we told her that we'd write to the press. Maybe this was what worried her, as we got all their names down.)

Case 2

Few days back, after finding out that I may need to go out of the country for work, I went to renew my passport which had expired in 2009. Wasn't prepared, so I went to the Subang branch immigration office and asked the info counter what I needed. I also told the office that my name on the old passport is that of my previous name and he told me to hold on while he checked again.

He came back n told me that I only needed to get a letter from JPN to confirm my name change and the other docs were the same as normal renewal, i.e. form, photo and copy of IC and the old passport. I went home to get my old passport and got the letter from JPN.

Went back to the same office 3 hours later (yes, kelana jaya to petaling jaya to cheras and back to KJ), sat infront of a young lady and she looks through my documents. Gave her the JPN letter and then suddenly she says I need your birthcert. At that instant, I exploded (controlled, slightly). I blurted out 'excuse me, I came here 3 hrs earlier and that officer, yes that guy there (pointing), told me this is all I needed, so I went home to get my passport only. If I'd knew I needed the BC, I'd have brought. Why can't you guys be firm and standarize?' She claims this is standard and dunno why that guy didn't mention. Seeing I was angry, she went to her superior and this slightly older man came to tell me that they will process my application first and then when they call me, I bring my BC. Did you notice that now it's an application? Not a renewal?

MY question is, do you think I'm illegal that I needed to show proof of my BC? Isn't my IC proof enough that I'm Malaysian with both my names stored there, and my convert card too? I actually asked JPN what's the name on the IC and she told me both names are in the chip. So what's the problem, immigration people?

Then I cooled down a little and spoke to the lady nicely, telling her that perhaps there should be a standard doc or info for all of them to refer to so they won't cause such inconvenience. YOu know what she replied? Typical lazy gov staff - 'Oh we already have this, and I dunno why that other person didn't tell you. We also have a checklist already.' I asked 'so if the checklist exists, why didn't he give me?' Now my voice raised, she kept quiet.

And prior to this, she actually asked me why I converted. I asked her, what's the relevance of this? Why do you need to know? For fun, can or not? she say she wants proof, so I say for fun, got proof? She kept quite and asked my for my kad nikah. Because she saw I ticked 'married'. The guy at the next counter already noticed that I was one angry customer. Any angrier, the whole office would've heard me.

Conclusion
1. Is the IC not good enough for any official transactions? IF not good enough then what's the point of carrying it around? Waste time and resourced putting up the JPN office to make IC for people.
2. IS there a reason there's so many red tapes for a muslim convert (mualaf) in this country? And you call yourself an Islamic nation?
3. Is this the way you are trying to show other religion that Islam is a very compromising religion? When the very people who are making life difficult for us are also Muslims themselves.
4. Don't ever give the excuse that this is the law/rule, because in Case 1, you could bend the rules. Rules are created by human, and if required, it can be changed. No? Then why at last in Case 1, I got my moolah and the officer could change my name without me going to my home branch?

I assure you, this will be sent to the press.

21 weeks and balding

AIR2 is now 5months and 1 week old. Time flies.

About 2 weeks or so ago, I started experiencing significant hair fall. Then I recalled that during this similar period, with AIR1, I also had this same experience and I got really worried then. I thought it was due to b/feeding (I was then but not now) but I guess its mainly due to hormonal changes.

It's really scarry. Comb my hair and I'll see large quantities stuck to the hairbrush. It's even worse after washing my hair. When I dry my hair, I seem to be 'sweeping' off hair from my head. And it's kinda significant cos 'hair thinning spots' can now be noticed.

Somehow I'm not as panicky as I was the last time, knowing the fact that it would one day just return to normal. HOwever I am not taking it fogranted. Vitamins should not be neglected.

Any of you have the same experience after child birth?

When women rise to the top

I thought this was a really interesting piece.

Check out this article from The Star, here.

Clinic encounter...

In my many years of visiting GPs and specialists in hospitals, I've never seen an overly concerned Dr about such a small thing. Even when my usual Dr (specialist) first met me, he wasn't sooooo overly cautious (though I was probably the 'greenest' and most yellow-looking person (imagine kunyit on my face) in the hospital). Now that I mentioned that, I think its because that lady GP is too scared to treat me because she does not have enough knowledge. Betul tak? Or else she won't be that way.

Not for me to judge.

But this is what happened. Wait, let me warn you...long long post!

Bad sore throat this morning. Slight fever which got worse when I reached office (air cond contributed). Went to a panel clinic nearby and while waiting outside, can hear this lady Dr babbling non-stop to all 3 patients before me. I thought to myself, they must have some complicated ailment.

My turn, got in, told her my pre-exsiting medical condition (cause I look really jaundiced), and then what I was there for. She looked at me and went yadda yadda yadda bout maybe it was more than just sore throat. Maybe my liver function not good (indication is the jaundice) etc etc. I told her, when I'm unwell, not enough rest, over-strained, I will look jaundiced. After that I'll be fine. Once in a while I'll look pale, yahla, women, kan? That's part of my Thallasaemia hbH disease. I've grown with it. Other GPs don't seem to think three times after I've given them a tour of my medical history.

But this lady just won't let go. She's young. Maybe not enough experience? She suggested going for a blood test to check my liver function before treating me, citing all antibiotics (most medicine for that matter) will have an effect on the liver and she doesn't want suddenly i get acute liver-failure or something. ;p She was talking non-stop. (now I know why the other patients too so long)

She insisted on not even giving me anything. She then said she'll refer me to UH ER for a blood test and ask me to take it from there. Oh well, she wasn't about to give up and I had enough of her 'lecture', so I said OK. (she was going on and on about not wanting to give wrong medication, the risks for me and her etc etc) MC also given.

I took the letter and MC and drove to another clinic.

I'm was not about to sit for hours waiting for a blood test and the results (ER will treat based on priority, not first come first served!) and my last full blood count didn't indicate anything abnormal (in August). I wasn't going to ask her for some strange drugs, cos another branch of the same panel has given me antibiotic before and I'm still alive and kicking.

Oh well...lesson learnt, I'll now have to avoid that clinic if I see her name as 'dr on duty'. Convenient but not really at the same time.

What are you doing on 10.10.10?

October is my favourite month!

And its going to be 10.10.10 this Sunday! So, what have I planned? Join this run!

C'mon lets all go! It's just a fun run, 5.5km and I guess it's going to be my longest distance to date, running with AIR in his stroller. Keeping my fingers crossed that he WILL sit and enjoy the run! Let's run right through KL city (now, when else will you have the chance to do that?)

Everything about this event sums up to the number ten!
Distance - 5.5km (5+5=10)
Start time - 8.20am (8+2=10)
Start point - Lot 10

I'm excited. Though hubby won't be around, I guess it's ok. I'll drag him along for Terry Fox next!

Noooooo!! Injections!

My 'funny injection'

How does a child normally react to injections?

1. Small cry due to slight shock in the beginning, then no more cries after
2. Small cry in the beginning and for a short while later
3. Cry incessantly as it hurts very badly, normally in newborns
4. Tensed up limb suddenly relaxes once jab is done

Now, have u ever heard of a case where the child laughs out loud? Hahahaha

Took both AIRs for their jab (3 months for AIR2 and the booster for AIR1). Since the older is wiser, so he took the jab first. Sat him on my lap and held him. (dunno why that night the Dr didn’t have her assistant) but anyway, he saw the needle and he tensed his body. Dr already sprayed some anesthetic on him and he loved the cold feeling. Then suddenly after the needle went in, he relaxed a little and as the Dr injected the fluid, he started to laugh. Oh boy, the Dr and I was surprised. I guess the sensation of the liquid going through the leg /thigh is kinda ticklish, but we never expected him to laugh. Daddy in the other side was wondering what was happening. And AIR kept on laughing as is it was something very funny.

We had a good laugh at the whole incident.

Sinari Lebaran - TV3 Raya Ad

It was finally aired on Friday on TV3 but my short-lived fame lasted only 2 days.

What am I referring too? The very much talked about (only if you watch TV3) Raya Advert by TV3. When I was asked to attend the shoot, I was told it was themed ‘Fantasy Raya’, i.e. a boy’s fantasy of Raya sparked off when he saw a picture of a trishaw. The shoot (especially for the kids) took 2 days, but I was there for my portion for only 1 day. End product – I had no idea.
So after all the waiting, I was told that it was going to be aired on Friday ( 3rd sept) and after waiting and waiting, I finally caught a glimpse of it before breaking of fast (can’t really rmbr what time, but I think it was before 7pm), that too, I missed the beginning.

Then when I saw the clip online, it was on You Tube and TV3’s FB page, it didn’t appear like how I imagined it to be. And to top it off, it sparked a lot of controversial comments especially from the Muslims in the country. It is said to have elements of Christianity (flying trishaw i.e. Santa Claus), Buddhism (flying lotus flowers) and Hinduism (a lot of lights, portraying Deepavali the festival of lights). I guess these comments were right in their own way because when I showed the clip to my mum and aunts (all non-Muslims) the first comment was ‘Why is that Santa?’ then it was ‘What exactly is it trying to portray? It’s not like a Raya Ad’.

Well, yeah it doesn’t look like a Raya Ad at all. Anyway, check it out here. (Not sure if it'll stay here forever due to the controversy)

So there goes my short-lived fame! Hahaha the other advert, which is supposed to be a 1Malaysia-concept advert, well I’ve not seen it yet. Now just not my luck I guess. 1 scrapped even before airing, 1 taken off air and now the other – dunno where it is. Hehe but the most important of all, I’m paid! :D

On a lighter note – although it lasted for about 2 days , I’m surprised that there were people who recognized me from that short 2s of close up shot. Few other shots were in a group and not so clear. :)

Happy 53rd Merdeka!

There's lots of fireworks tonight and its only 9pm+. It made me wonder why - Raya's not till 2 more weeks, so what could it be? Yes, I was that blur. Haha and suddenly it struck me, tomorrow is our 53rd independence day!

It's just another public holiday for me! :) Yes, this time around, I need and want more holidays! Tired la, the 430 am till 11+pm daily routine. Thank God another 2 weeks left, and I hope by then, AIR2 would've adjusted to 530am instead (my regular time).

Catch me on TV3, NTV7, 8TV and maybe TV9 throughout Sept, in 3 different installments of commercial and public sevice announcement (PSA). RIght now, I don't know the dates yet, but it's scheduled to be sometime this week.

Oh yes, Moi will be on TV again, but this time in a different context. phaiseh-phaiseh (Shy in Hokkien) cos I've not seen the end product myself. 2 of it (1 raya and 1 merdeka PSA) has no dialogue and another themed 'Faces of Malaysia' has a dialogue to it. mmmm I'll try to post some pics of it soon, in another post!

Quiet

Dunno if I should be sad or otherwise cos offically as of today, mum will return to Penang.

It's been 5 weeks (4 weeks full time and another week was on and off) of her helping me recover and get used to having to lil kids now. The last two weeks were filled with emotional turmoils. Hence, dunno if it was sad or otherwise.

However, whatever it was, she meant well and I guess the stress from handling at times two kids with both can be very demanding emotionally and physically. Not to mention mentally too....

It's already 6 weeks into my maternity leave...gosh, time really flies and another week plus to Ramadhan!

It will be quiet throughout the day now, cos it will be just baby and me and the TV. No nagging at me anymore ;p Oh well....and no fighting for the TV at night either :)

THanks Mum for all your hardwork and patience....don't worry, this will be the last 'call of duty' for you! :)

Merdeka 2010

It's very early to talk about this but there are already many adverts on TV highlighting the upcoming independence day which always is themed around the 1Malaysia concept.

Now this year, I'll be looking forward to it too...kinda strange, right? All of a sudden, I'm looking forward to a Merdeka Celebration? Well, that's because I'm gonna be featured in 2 promo ads :) Look out for it ok? I'm not sure which TV channel it will be and when exactly yet, but it will be TV channels within the Media Prima Berhad family :)

Peeping-toms??

My office sits in a new building. Only our office has taken up this floor and the other floors are not fully occupied either. Building owner (KLK) occupies few of the other floors while many are still empty.

Received an email yesterday saying that there were incidences where the rubbish bins were rummaged through and rubbish strewn about, sounds of things falling from the ceiling to the sink and sounds on the ceiling of the women’s toilet. All these were seen/experienced by my other colleagues. Eeee…that’s so terrible. If there peeing-toms, why would they want to rummage through the toilet rubbish bin? But some say they ‘saw’ things of the other dimension….but in broad-daylight? Am thinking it’s more likely to be peeing-toms…

But whatever it was, we were encouraged to go to the ladies in pairs, at least….that was in the email and it reminded me of primary school days. I think it was during Std 1-3 when we were encouraged to go to the toilet in pairs.

Now that we’re in the workforce also the same? But I hate it when I know there’s someone I know also in the toilet . Thank God I’ve not encountered these things yet, so I shall keep my fingers crossed and still go solo ;p

Weak

Call it coincidence or just sheer bad timing.

Hubby says he wasn't feeling too good yesterday before going home. Iwas fine. Unfortunately, on the way driving back, munching on roast chicken while stuck in a jam on Kerinchi Link, suddenly I realised I wasn't feeling too great either.

Quite normal to have the occasional tired-legs-sensation (it started about week 25 and now I'm week 28+) so I just didn't bother. Told hub to help carry already-sleeping AIR and my bag which was rather heavy when we get back home.

Cooked dinner, but legs were not feeling too great. Achy feeling in the body too. Ahhh crap. Perhaps after a good night's sleep I'll be rejuvenated. But no!

Heck NO! Woke up with that strange feeling (I get that when am about to have fever or something) and suddenly diarrohea. OMG! What's happening??

Weak to very weak. Thoughts of not coming to work flashed by. But I still had to send AIR to bbsitter cos with him around, there was no way we could have any rest. That's why am at work now and contemplating going back early.

Feel better after a hot bowl of soupy noodle and bubur ayam McD tapau-ed to spare ;p Think I'll just spend the rest of the day here...my legs are still weary and I don't want to be driving back alone.

Ouch, my lips!

Urrrgh! I've bitten my lips twice yesterday and three times today, all in the span of perhaps the first minute of eating my lunch!

What is happening?? mmmmm

And now it's uncomfortable.

Friendship

It’s amazing how you can differentiate your real friends or perhaps just friends (or people who claim they are your friends) and friends who actually care. Well, colleagues are of a different league as some of them can be aloof and know very little about you, but yet they are concerned about you. Others are there just to make the office merrier or make your life more difficult.

It’s not the first time I’ve noticed it, but this time it opened my eyes wider.

Lunch buddies can be genuine friends too....

Home away from Home....

Home away from home?

Well, technically am in Seberang Jaya, and am approx 1km away from where I used to live, the first 12 years of my life, in Chai Leng Park. Mum and Dad would be about 15km away now, across the Penang Bridge. hmmmm so close....

So many things have changed. The Seberang Jaya Public Pool looks so much nicer from the outside and I'm not sure if it still is a public pool. hmmm it looked closed when I passed by. Seberang Jaya has changed so much. I've still not driven through CLP and my previous house which is being tenanted. Let's see what happens later. I wanna go get a glimpse of it. I miss the large garden at the side and space out in front of the house between the house and the road. Unlike houses now, where just barely 5 feet outside the gate is already the road.

mmmm I also miss the 4 mango trees and 2 coconut tress in the garden and outside the house. Oh, those were the days. Every mango season (I can't remember how many months it would stretch to), there will be harvests of up too 300 mangoes per tree. So much so, that after giving to neighbours, relatives and friends, we'll still have tons (literally) and we actually sell them to the fruit seller at the market (who also happens to be a neighbour 3 streets' away). I miss that house and all the memories that come with it.

The neighbours, the huge playground and the places my neighbour and I used to cycle to. Those were the days we could roam free (and just be back by the time we were required to). It was safe out there. We would ride through the whole of CLP and sometimes be so tempted to 'cross over' to Seberang Jaya.

The kindy I used to go to is STILL there and it seemed to have more playthings in the garden than before.

Oh, those were the fun times....

(hope I get to put some pics)

Quake, Tsunami, Dizzy, Sleepy...

I’ve meant to post something about Raya, but I’ve only managed half way drafting it and then it’s been left since 4 days’ ago. I don’t have the luxury of time to write a long post though that’s what I want to. Anyway, will post that up soon, promise. At home, I just want to chill…hehehe cos now lil’ AIR no longer sleeps from his ride home through. He wakes up when we reach the house. So have to entertain him for a while, usually up to approx 1 hr, before he’s ready for bed again. Then only we get to relax and watch some TV.

First it was the quake and tsunami in the Samoa and American Samoa, then later in the evening, the quake in Padang, Sumatra. Right after I heard that, it brought one thought to me. Is that a sign? Earlier it was the Typhoon in Hong Kong. Then Typhoon in Philippines and now Vietnam….hmmmm makes me wonder….

I didn’t feel the tremor this time around though at that time, I was on the 9th floor….back in Pg, mum felt it. The way she described it seemed like it was stronger than the one I felt sometime circa 12 yrs ago when I was still studying, and home alone at that time. Anyway….funny that KL felt it so bad but in Uptown we didn’t feel anything. Apparently there were people in Uptown who felt it and ran out…guess I was already ‘dizzy’ to begin with and starring at this lappy made no difference. Just added to the dizziness. Haha

I guess that contributed to the traffic jam on Kerinchi Link? Cos on traffic was smooth on Federal highway so it definitely wasn’t the usual congestion…perhaps people running out of the Menara TM and its nearby towers contributed to the havoc on the road.

T.i.r.e.d.

Mind my incoherent train of thoughts. I keep getting interrupted and its not good. hence lousy blogpost...

I was complaining towards the end of Ramadhan that I was constantly feeling sleepy and lethargic. After fasting completed, I was back to normal. But then again, I assumed it was the toll from the whole 4 week duration and not a short few days incidents. But today when I fasted, the same happened on the way to work. Maybe it was lack of sleep, I dunno. Can’t tell but I’ll have to see if it happens again next week.

C.r.a.p…….

Mummy, Mummy!!

Gosh I think now I know the feeling of going home and having your child greet you.

It’s been sometime since Daddy fetches AIR home and they reach home first. So yesterday, after many weeks was its first. When I got home, after many unforeseen incidences (I’ll get to that later), he was hidden behind the sofa with Daddy but from his squeals of delight I knew where he was. So I tip-toed up to him and surprised him. He was delighted. He squealed even more. And continued laughing. Played/entertained him for a while before telling him I’ve gotta put the meat in the oven. Left him and he cried. I walked away and before I knew it, he was crawling after me and baby-talking (I presume asking me to slow down or not to go). Awwww….my heart just melted. So I waited for him to come and picked him up.

And so Daddy had to put the meat in the oven instead….:)

And to the incidences – as I was going to leave the office, it was raining cats and dogs(yes, incident #1), but thank God I had an umbrella. The worse part was, the moment I reached the car park, the rain stopped. Aiyo…imagine the nightmare walking in such heavy rain.

Got to the car and was greeted by the car not-starting (incident #2). Hmmm in the morning, the battery-check indicated ‘green’=good..and when I tried to start and it couldn’t, I checked and it showed ‘red’=dead! Darn….called colleague in the office to see if any of them were going to leave already. Thank God there was. So he came and helped me jump-start my car….and so after that, off I went to get the battery replaced. After 2 yrs 3 months….thank goodness no jam on the way back!!

What time is it?

I’m in a good mood….YAY! erm, for the whole week so far, but the weird part is somehow I seem to be less focused the whole of yesterday. Weird betul!! Hmmmm I wonder why.

I was just so distracted. Had some reports to prepare but everytime I try to do it, after few minutes, I’m already attempting to ‘tab’ to other pages or the internet to view something else. Adoi. Not to mention at times there were some interruptions la. But the rest of the day after that, was totally out!! Just couldn’t concentrate.

Hah, it was worse after lunch. I had light lunch and well ,1 hour later I found myself trying hard to keep those heavy eyelids propped up. Dang!

Well, Friday’s here and I’m looking forward to the weekend! Though not much planned out, but I guess I do miss spending real quality time with AIR. Barely have time during weekdays cos now with the new babysitter, she’s just a block away from our place, so we will fetch AIR before we reach home. Last time, we will fetch him after work, and during the 30min-1.5hrs journey back, we could still spend some time together. :D (Yeah, it varies depending on traffic condition and the route we take)

This week especially, I think AIR feels rather neglected. We’ve been fetching him late cos of work commitments.

And yesterday, guess what the babysitter said? She told me that by maghrib, AIR will always look towards the door, often, looking and waiting for our arrival. Awwww….. cos at the old place, latest would be by 7.30pm and we would already pick him up….I guess babies can ‘tell time’…..

A New Beginning

I’m very happy that my friend finally did it. She finally decided what was good for her. Right or not, I think its God’s will and only time will tell, but the decision has been made, the commitment done and she’ll always be in my prayers for the best to come.

When she told me she cried silently to herself, somehow I cried too. I realize that what she went through was similar to what I went through almost 2 years plus ago. But I guess my ‘route’ was slightly rougher and tougher but thank God we all went through it and came out of it stronger (I suppose...).

It’s always a child’s duty to listen and at least follow what their parents want best for them. But somehow sometimes there are things where they may not agree. It’s difficult to open the eyes of the people whom have taken care of us for soooooo many years and let them see and allow us to do something out of the norm.

It’s always been my belief that there is only so much human can control and the rest is up to the greater force up there.

Fong, may this be a start of a new beginning for you out there....God Bless both of you!

Headache, neckache, bikeache?

OUch!!

I've got this weird headache cum neckache since yesterday evening. Goodness knows how I got it and I thought I could sleep the neckache off after some light massage (Erm more like pressing at the pressure points) by myself.

How wrong was I! I woke up to the ever existing neck ache again this morning....and now at about lunch time, my headache is back. Its on my right temple area. Yesterday I thought it was due to my contact lenses so went home, I immediately removed it. Alamak, still there....tido, wake up this morning...gone, for a while, but came back when I was getting ready....aiyoooooo wats this la??

hmmmmmmmmmm

hope it goes off later today....or maybe I could run it off? kekekekek I'd love that!!

And when I was reaching my place last night, I bumped into a cyclist....rupe2nya, this guy lives in my area!! hmmm now i need to find out which block - ya la, cycle up the slope sure slower than my car ma...how to wait n see....kekeke so looks like I found some 'kakis' ....just that he looked fast...(slim, trim and got the whole outfir going)....tunggu la till I start and gain my stamina and speed then baru can join other people. hehehe

The approach to my place has got 1 steep hill....there are two ways, which we call it the front route or the rear route, and both, 1 steep slope...only difference is 1 is longer and the other shorter but slightly more inclined. Now I'm beginning to imagine what would happen if I take the bike out and I need to ride up that slope. Arrrrgh!!