Kembalikan Sinar Pulau Mutiara

Travelings and vacations can be very very addictive sometimes. Last year, I booked for few trips straight ... of course, my transfer to Penang was quite unexpected nor it part of the plan. Nevertheless, it didn't stop me from looking forward to many other oversea trips. I wonder, lepas tak cuti bulan 6 ni huhuhu. Bangkok and Chiengmai dah melambai Sabbai, Sabbai ...

So Mr Energy Savings (Lim) and I decided to checkout the great offers and packages at the 2010 MATTA Fair at Putra World Trade Centre last Saturday. The place was really jam-packed with visitors and almost every booth people were seen inquiring and bargaining. Lim and myself were looking for great deals for Korea and Japan, particularly during the Sakura season between end of March and early April. Lim lived and studied in Japan for 6 years and was looking forward to return to Japan again. And of course I don't want to miss the chance traveling with a "free tourist guide". Furthermore, I can go free and easy ... taste the local cuisines, take great photos and shopping!

By comparison, Korean trip is way much cheaper than Japan but I save Korea for something else (hints: Winter Sonata) ... Aigooo ... next week is Super Junior concert and I just can't wait to meet them. Saranghaee ... Oppsss ... Lim had been telling me to learn basic Japanese online but I ended up watching KBS latest drama ... The Slave Hunter. Hahaha

So while checking out the booths, I saw Sarawak and Sabah Tourism Board booths. They were side by side and Sabah's booth nampak jauh lebih menarik dari Sarawak! :( My friend who worked in Sarawak Tourism Board posted on Facebook that they collected about RM 1.4 mililon worth of sale from the MATTA Fair. Wonder how much Sabah collected?

Actually I malas nak admit but I was anticipating Penang Tourism booth somewhere in the Fair. At least I get a glimpse of what they are promoting. I think I saw a Penang Tourism booth but why is the participants macam wakil from prominent hotels in Penang. Hmm ... this doesn't look good. Is Penang too famous to be promoted? Huhuhu ...

In fact today while checking out on development plan approval process in Singapore and digging more infos about Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority and URA Masterplan 2008, I find myself wandering away at the Uniquely Singapore website. Singapore and Penang shared a lot of similarities - historical background, the Strait Chinese culture, China town, Little India, heritage buildings to a point ... Singapore has Pulau Sentosa, Penang has Pulau Jerjak hahahahaa.

Suddenly I remember one BIG Billboard near the Ayer Itam market many, many years ago that said "Kembalikan Sinar Pulau Mutiara".

How???? Now I feel pressured!

Social Networking ...

Actually I am suppose to complete a report on "benchmarking" our proposed "transformational" ideas on property plans approval processes with other cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Gold Coast, North Sidney and Dubai. Tapi tiba-tiba ada "brainfreeze". Lagipun hari ini tiba2 WIFI kat PICC nie excellent pulak ... I LIKE ... Hebat sekali untuk bersosial melalui talian telekomunikasi dan alam maya...

Social networking nie has been a BIG issue lately in KPKT. Some people feel that it should be allowed during office hours on Ministry's internet connection, some suggested that it should be allowed on certain hours like lunch time, some are against the idea of social networking in the office at all. For me personally, as an active network socialite in a form of Facebook and a team leader/manager myself, I think we should allow it on certain hours.

Pertama sekali, it is the best way to CONNECT with your friends and peers. I discussed a lot of things with my friends on Facebook like PTK (ethical), latest GOSSIPs within and outside KPKT (non-ethical), getting information on studying abroad overseas especially with friends who got the HLP scholarship (ethical), checking-out old friends whereabout and making fun at friend's latest photos (non-ethical) hehehe

Kedua, it is the best way to DESTRESS. There are lots of game and video uploaded/links that we can check out. Other than that, tgk jer latest pics of our secret admirers kita dulu-dulu ... sure ketawa gila punya. Dulu macam Luke Perry in 90210, sekarang ada yang dah boroi, botak, jongang hehehe. Bila I rasa stress gila nak siapkan reports to Taskforce yang tak mudah-mudah itew, I turn to my Sorority Girls AVATAR ... Misz Donna ... Caya tak, in the Sorority world, I am a DIVA, ada 6 boyfriends (which I bought), own a private jet, 2 hummer (and berderet kereta mewah), wardrobe I semua designer brands mcm Gucci, Christian Dior, Manolo Blahnik, Carolina Heirera hehehe. Selain itu kita boleh chat dengan friends.

Ketiga, it is one of the best ways to get latest NEWS and INFORMATION if you subscribe to specific social group or fan clubs. Like me I am a fan of Malaysia Airlines System ... so latest news and promotions I akan tau lah. Selain itu, we also can get latest news melalui friends shout out or profile status.

Keempat, it is also the best to PROMOTE your blogs, products, services ... for those yang involved in small business lah. I jarang lah promote my insurance consultancy services on FB. Not the type yang agresif cari clients. Latest blog entry adalah sekali dua. Just to draw more viewers supaya boleh dapat income from NuffNangg hehehe. I pun suka promote my photo-taking skills in my FB. Sekali ... ada member pun minat fotografi. Wow, dapat bertukar2 fikiran and ideas ...

Whatever it is, I feel that the management of an organisation be it government and private sectors jangan lah tolak the idea of social networking in the office nie. It is a small "carrot" or reward kepada staff pun. The important thing is ketua unit or jabatan kena play a role untuk control and avoid misuse of the facility.

As I was typing this entry ... I tersenyum bila teringat incident yang berlaku pagi tadi. This morning we had a discussion with local authorities on planning approval process. My team dah siap report kitaorang so we sat behind ... semua facing laptop ... actively typing. So our team leader checked what we were typing and said...

"Wah ... kiri Facebook, kanan Facebook ... Encik Ghani sorang jer buat flowchart" . Encik Ghani ni Penguasa Bomba Kanan yang dah nak bersara.

Encik Ghani dengan selamba menjawab," I takder Facebook sebab ramai kawan dah meninggal atau buta IT. Nak Facebook apa ..."

At least tau lah apa itu Facebook yer Encik Ghani. Hahahaha

Akhirnya ... Kini Pasti!

"Akhirnya ............ Kini Pasti, Kumerasai Cinta Yang Suci ....."

Hahaha ... this tune had been playing in my head eversince I got that "fax" from JPA this afternoon. Complete with the Bossa Nova at my Director's office who was on Emergency Leave ... terasa very the "Akak" Nita Sarawak yang Divalicious itew... Kalau Meli ada sekarang kat Tingkat 5, Blok K ... sure I dengan penuh kedivaan "flash" the surat pertukaran depan dia.

Been quite a while kan since I last guna bahasa yang ala-ala Diva nie. The last few entries penuh dengan mesej "kesedaran", "kesedihan", "kestressan", "kekalutan", "kemarahan", "kegeraman" dan hehehe "kesunyian" yang tidak ingin diakui hahaha.

Mungkin betullah kata Auntie Lilian Too ... my feng shui this year is fabulous and also rewarding for those who had been working hard. Semalam Dato' Seri Idris Jala praised our team for our "transformational" idea ... urging us to benchmark our idea with 5 other countries. Aiyooo ... very bold step you!

BTW, I already did my pre-report for duty last Saturday at MATIC Jalan Ampang. Rasa macam hebat sangat being introduce as the D* for State Tourism Ministry Office in Penang to future bosses and stakeholders. Actually, I am quite nervous meeting my Dato' KSU cause he thought that I speak Chinese. Aiyooo, now I have to train myself to be a Penang "lang" lo!

Anyway, I will have to convince him that I have fulfilled all the Tourism Ministry Officers requirements with flying colours. I can sing, I can dance and I was INSTRUCTOR tarian Poco-Poco during my BTN hehehe. Tarian Cuti-Cuti Malaysia ... piece of cake! Do you know that all senior officers in MOTOUR must know how to dance Tarian Cuti-Cuti Malaysia?

Hmm ... feel nervous pulak now. Dunno how it would be on the 17th huhuhu

In Search of The Best Carbonara

This is the second week of my Lab and already I am missing office ... nampak sangat the Lab so relax nyer. Actually, the lab usage of my "brain capacity" is like 80% but because I don't have to deal with "certain" human behaviours I can pull my hair down and enjoy the academic experience of the Lab. However, I couldn't bear leaving the office to my 4 heroes ... sorang hero Tamil, sorang hero Cina and 2 hero Melayu. So 1Malaysia kan my staff?

As I was enjoying the many cups of caffeine in between breaks, I wondered some of my unfinished business in KL. I miss the Eye On Malaysia ... I haven't been to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. Oh yea .... I haven't found the best pasta carbonara yet! Untuk makluman misi mencari the best carbonara tak dapat diteruskan sebab faktor usia. Muak you!

I was very amazed by our young officers willingness to spend just to "treat" themselves. Maybe that's the uniqueness about Gen-Ysters. Had a sister who is a Gen-Y ... a lot of "ME" factors. Masa I M41 ... I guess nak makan mewah kena pikir 100 kali lah. However time tu pun Pusat Bandar Damansara memang vibrant dengan foodie attractions ... unfortunately banyak dah tutup bila banyak Kementerian berpindah ke Putrajaya.

Anyway we started our search by trying out the pasta carbonara at DOME cafe (at The Curve) on Guy Next Door recommendation.


Unanimous Verdict: The seafood is heaven but they were too stingy with their cream sauce. Cair and sikit sangat. Can be better however.

Our second search saw us found old hidden treasure in Pusat Bandar Damansara. Bayangkan 8 years kat PBD, I didn't know there is a San Francisco Coffee. Nampak sangat asyik bagi Pak Ali Maju makin maju hehehe. Huhuhu .. I am gonna miss all my "caffeine fix" session with Syu ... especially after facing stressful moments at work. Mostly after working group meetings, pengurusan meetings, where we had the pleasure of "bitching" about our bosses.

We decided to try out the Pasta Carbonara there when I treated Guy Next Door, Mr Energy Saving and En Mokhtar to a lunch sempena menyambut keberangkatan En Mokhtar menunai fardhu haji di Mekah last year. I have to say En Mokhtar is like a father figure to all of us, always listen to my problems and my "pillar of strength" masa zaman our office tak cukup staff and pengurusan atasan semua nak cepat and backlogs were in thousands!

This is turkey ham fettucine carbonara.

This is meatball fettucine carbonara.

Verdict: The carbonara sauce was very thick, and the staff was very generous with the sauce. Anyway .. I still prefer seafood carbonara DOME lah ... meatball and turkey ham memang tak sesuai lah dengan carbonara sauce.

Buat masa nie... tak mampu lah nak melantak pasta carbonara lagi. Even the sight of the cream sauce made want to "vomit". Dah overdose! Unfortunately too, both pastas fail to ignite the WOW factor that will make us willing to travel around the world just for the taste of it.

Anyway, yang penting that I want to highlight in this entry ... I am really gonna miss the companionship of those 3 guys ... what's the point of a having a nice meal without the right companion(s) kan?

Nasi Lemak Tanglin

Most already know that I am leaving Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Kuala Lumpur and will start another new chapter in my civil service with Ministry of Tourism Malaysia State Office in Penang most probably beginning of April 2010. A 360 degree change in term of scope of works and logistic.

Suddenly I felt like missing KL and a lot of routine, "culture" and "practices" instilled deep inside me since 2002. One of it is hitting the foodie scenes whenever I went for my work travelling. Coincidently my team members memang kaki makan. So everytime we had to go outstation or doing on-site investigations, we will "oh-som" which foodie scene to hit.

For this entry, I want to start with the Nasi Lemak breakfast at Tanglin Community Clinic at Jalan Cenderasari. To get there, just follow the same route to Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Garden), follow the signboard to Bukit Aman Police Station and shortly you will see the signboard to the community Clinic.

Civil servants based in KL must know this place. I first discovered this place when my ex boss, Madam Yong instructed me to get treatment at the community clinic after weeks of running nose, sore throat and slight fever but never bother to go to the clinic. So our office driver had to drive me there as I didn't own a car then. But before leaving, my ex boss said "Don't forget to try the Nasi Lemak there".

So when I become the boss, I pass down the "knowledge" and "wisdom" about this eating place to my new officers. Especially if we are doing routine checking around Kuala Lumpur developers' offices and premises. As the boss, I normally don't have to join them but sometimes I feel like I need to get out once in a while. Plus putting the "elaun keraian" to a good and "proper" use.

I think what makes the Nasi Lemak here special is the rice. Steam to perfection with coconut milk, so it's not sticky or starchy. The choice of accompaniments also boleh tahan. Fried chicken, fried "paru" (cow's lung), beef rendang, bull's eyes eggs, cuttlefish sambal, crispy fried anchovies and peanuts.

Featured above is my normal order. I love fried "paru" and sambal sotong with my nasi lemak. Wash down with teh tarik or teh ais ... marvelous! Pricewise ... boleh tahan. Between RM 4-RM 7, depend on the accompaniment.

Nevertheless, I still wonder why the community clinic is called Tanglin. The area is not known as Tanglin. My search on the Internet only show that the clinic was formerly a Hospital Tanglin. Is Tanglin just a name?