Happy Deepavali/Diwali

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur had left a bad taste in my mouth after what had occurred on the 25th October 2008 when it was supposed to be a joyous day to celebrate cousin Melvin and Shi Ket's wedding. After the dinner which ended at approximately 11.25 p.m. we headed to find our car at the parking bay. We walked accompanying my grandma till we reach an exit of the complex to wait for my aunt's brother who was at that time, went to take the car from the parking bay because my grandma can't walk that far. But before that we paid our parking ticket which cost RM8. We waited quite sometime, until finally he arrived and bid farewell to my grandma. Than we head straight to our parking lot alongside Uncle Frankie, Aunty Esther and Joshua. They parked at level B1 (First level of the underground parking bay) while we parked at B2 (Second level of the underground parking bay). We went to B2 using the lift, then we came out of the lift to find the two (2) doors located right and left were shut. So we went to B3 (Third level of the underground parking bay) to find the same t hing, both doors left and right locked. Next we went to B1 again to find the doors locked, so we wondered how Uncle Frankie previously went to find his car. Then we went to level 2 again (the place we waited with my grandma previously), exit the complex to find a car entrance that leads to the parking bay. We walked manually into the car passageway which leads to B1 of the parking bay. We find a lift which was functioning, saw a man also searching for his car (He complained the same thing - doors are locked everywhere). Finally we reached level B2, found our car, drove out to the exit barrier only to find the ticket previously paid was not accepted because we lapsed the 15 minute time period to exit the parking bay. WHAT THE FUCK!!! My dad was yelling and cursing to the operator at the ticket machine. Then an attendant finally arrived to ask us to repay again because of the reason which I just wrote. My dad yelled at him , asking him to bring his manager to see us. He told us that i wasn't necessary to do it and pointed at me to pay the Rm3 instead of the RM8. Perhaps the reduction was to compensate us. I just shrugg off at him. What the hell am I supposed to go find another ticket machine to pay again. There was no apparent reason for us to pay again because it wasn't our fault for failing to exit the parking bay withing 15 minutes after paying the ticket. Doors were locked when we came out of the lift and we tried going through 3 floors (B1, B2 & B3) searching for a way to enter B2 parking bay. This attendant finally brought us to the office, but we didn't enter we waited and saw his manager coming to see us. We tried explaining but he didn't get which door we said was closed, and he explained that it is the shopping complex's policy to penalise any car owner who parks in the parking bay and not leaving withing the 15 minutes time period. My dad lambasted him back with all the valid reason. First the doors are not opened when we came out of the lift and we tried on 3 levels, therefore it was physically impossible to exit the parking bay within 15 minutes. Secondly, WHO THE HELL would want to stay in the shopping complex when everything was closed (It was 11.45 p.m. at that moment). The manager keeps on telling we have to pay to exit, and my dad treatens to break that barrier down because we are not going to pay either the RM8 or Rm3 preciously ask from us. My dad told him to bring his superior either the general manager or who ever more senior than him. He obliged; not long after Edmond and Alex was there so we told them our scenario and he too confessed that they can't find the car just now (But now they found it- Alex was driving it). Thirdly, there was certainly a breach of contract in this case. We had honoured our payment of RM8 in the beginning before we attempted to exit and now where is their honour of offering an exit for us. The matter of policy does not come into discussion here because in our circumstances, it is totally absurd and physically impossible to exit the bloody building in less than 15 minutes. We're no superman (...superpeople) here; we're just an ordinary 4 people in a family trying very hard to escape this horrific place. During the incident, present were the manager and other attendants (approx. 15-17 of them). Finally he allowed us to exit after hearing Edmond would pay the RM3 penalty. My dad continuously lambasted at them even in the car. This is precarious to their image as a 'rich and famous shopping complex' when simple problem which requires simple justification was not in motion. I understand their position that requires to uphold their instructed policy but looking at the current situation, in limited circumstances we have but of no choice to protect out rights as consumers. We are patronising the complex and it is their duty and prerogative to announce or position any signage to tell us where to go after the doors were closed. However there wasn't even a single signage available or spotted that was supposed to guide us and no any attendants that were located IN the shopping mall for us to ask. They had failed the reasonable bystander test, ultimately misleading us with utter silence on where to go to find our car. Therefore we as consumers are protected from paying that penalty charges. This is ridiculous to charge us by refering to Anonymous Shopping Complex v Anonymous where Anonymous CJ barred anonymous to claim penalty charges from anonymous due to the failure of anonymous to show valid signage to lead anonymous to locate their car at the Anonymous Shopping Complex...was just joking with business law...hahaha!! Where got case such as Anonymous v Anonymous and Anonymous CJ. Btw 'CJ' refer to chief judge. I don't dare to say that Anonymous Shopping Complex is inexistence because who knows it might be a complex in somewhere near Azerbaijan or Kazakstan or mayby located at the all famous Wall Street in the US.

Anonymous v Anonymous Shopping Complex [2008] RC BAC 123 High Court of Australia
Aplicant : Anonymous
Respondent : Anonymous Shopping Complex

Sorry about the limited type of court, deye studying Australian syllabus la.

Till then wishing all Malaysians, not only the Indians but all MALAYSIANs a very Happy Deepavali/Diwali. Remember to light your deepa(s) and avali(s) to celebrate the victory of good against evil. Expected to hear fireworks man, but it doesn't bother me studying just reminding me how great we are with diverse cultures but unified voice.

I like Doraemon

New version
Old version

When people ask me what anime/manga (whichever they call it) I watch. I'll say Doraemon. Yea man, thats my favourite comic/movie/manga (whatever it is). Since young I've been reading Doraemon, till now. No joke, the story is so fully valued with humour and morality. Friendship was the main criteria. Nobita, Sizuka, Giant and Sinyu plus Doraemon. Besides, its so bloody funny la, every time read also would not get bored of it. What can I say man, everyone has childhood memories, just that mine is still alive. Wakaka!

Benjamin Thum Chun Hon's 19th Birthday

Its 3.44 a.m. on the 19th October 2008. Can't sleep yet! Why? Was overwhelmed by the surprises given by my super, cool, awesome buddies. They crash into my house to give me a surprise birthday celebration. Thats right they crash into my house at 12.00 a.m. on the 19th October 2008!! That would be the last thing I'll ever thought off at 12.00 a.m. How wonderful they are? Too wonderful!! Don't know what really need to write yet, this simple short post is dedicated to all those who had participated to organise this special celebration whether directly or indirectly, well wishes from msn, handphone messages, etc. THANK YOU ALL!!! If I were to be transfered to Australia next year, definitely there would be a permanent big place in my mind for all of you guys. Wei Liang, Melisa Seo, Esther Ng, Nicholas Lam, Andrew Lee, Jerry Yap, Chen Siang, Tom Yam, Daniel Lau, Chieh Ai, Jo Wee, Yong Hao, Kar Kien, James Chai, Logananth, Alexander Tan, Carryn Tan, Lesley Tan, Nick Chew, Pei Chern, Chou Xie, Adrian Lim, Sze Luan, Kumar, Gun Wei Chye and others. Appreciate all of it!

Now though its my B'day, as how Melisa put it, me last birthday as a teen with a number one in the front (next would be 20 adi), I'll still criticise this MCA (Used to be referred as Malaysian Chinese Assosiation), but now I've no idea what they're are called. The election just ended,we knew who won. Was expected but then again; "What can a few useless guys winning a useless organisation achieve?"

--N.O.T.H.I.N.G--

Exactly!! NOTHING!!!

With all the published news in The Star newspaper, how many people actually took the time to read, i skipped all those useless news. Financial news or other relevant news should be put forth before this immaterial election. But they'll never do it cause MCA owned a huge stake in The Star Newspaper mah.

Recession came knocking at the door.

Based on my last post, so the USD$700 billion injection bill was passed after observing a near total collapse of the global financial system, but there was a catch there; the remedy did not HALT THE MOMENTUM of the crisis! Great so the "man made disaster" was so terrible that stocks and indices across the globe felt to their knees at the lowest benchmark they could be in over a decade or so. Eight (8) national central banks made a coordinated rate cut (50bps = 0.5%) that was spurred by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). An unprecedented move I would say in this context. However the market did not felt comfortable with the move and it went on a free fall continuously. Spurring the first Japanese insurance company to go bust, Yamato Life Insurance Co. This is so serious. As of the time of writing, the market seems to be reacting positively now with Dow Jones scoring up a couple of hundred points (*Figure unsure*), hopefully it will sooner or later subside the invasion of one of the worst financial crisis since The Great Depression of 1929.

I personally classify this invasion into three (3) waves of attack. The first wave was the fallout of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. The greed of banks to stimulate quick revenue had overlooked the potential disastrous risk looming around the corner since early of 2000s. Alan Greenspan, former president of the Federal Reserve like it or not, did contribute to this disaster. His continuous ambitious plan of cutting rates to stimulate growth, and by hedging those risk by derivatives is uplifting the whole disaster into the reality region. George Soros and Warren Buffet had once stated the destructive nature of derivatives to the financial market long before but this was strongly opposed by Greenspan even till today. The cooperation between banks, mortgage institution and rating agency (Standard & Poor's and Moody's) contributed to the overall downfall.

Second wave, hit the financial institutions across the European continent and starting to infest into the Asian markets with the first casualty of the Japanese Yamato Life Insurance Co. At the current moment although central banks and governments had injected billions of USD$ into the money market to reliquidify it after weeks of being frozen up due to the loss of confidence, the scenario remains the same (free fall). Therefore I would have to agree with other commentators that this is not a financial crisis because even though funds are injected, the financial landscape remain motionless to the injection and it can be conclude it is a confidence crisis. Whereby investors, depositors, policyholder, and et cetera are all loosing confidence to the financial system. They've been fooled once and not wanting twice. The continuous distrust would halt the entire economy form correcting itself. That's what the fearful scenario is happening.

The third wave is when it starts to hit the non-financial institution, such as the manufacturing, agriculture, servicing , etc industries. Giant corporation such as GM, GE, Toyota, Honda and etc are already expecting the deep cut in their yearly revenue. Which would ultimately slash the employment rate, creating unrest, social problems and the lists goes on and on.

Malaysia is still pretty much safe as a result of de-coupling from the US's economy, well maybe at the moment but definitely not for long. Singapore, our very own neighbour had fallen to a recession mid of last week. Should we strike the panic button? I really think we should.