The Palms

I made a post on Dubai. And I said to myself, it would be great to see this for myself. There is no words to describe it. I was just blown away when I looked out the window.


To be honest, we were still ascending to our flight level and no electronics should not be switched on and also the safety belt sign was still on. Ding dong of me to leave my camera up on top the overhead compartment, I said screw it, I definitely won't get this picture anytime soon.

The Palms and the Palms II is somewhere far up right.

Defying the restriction, I was quick as lighting though I felt I could just roll down the airplane because it was at about 30 degrees in angle. Anyway, I tried to snap as many as I could.

Downtown Dubai. The tallest building is somewhere down there.

It is just grand don't you think. Doing the impossible as most of them say.

p/s: I have to say that this is one of greatest pictures I ever taken. So proud of myself. :)

The F Word

Since yesterday I burst out with loads of F F F F, it reminded me about this metacafe video. It's very funny. But of course it shouldn't be used at all. :)

Jelly Belly

I have no idea about this jelly but it was cute. Apparently, we weren't suppose to take pictures but haiya my mom bought it so can la. :) Pandan flavour with santan.

Kawaii Turtle!!!

Not as fuzzy and furry. But, I think they are one of the most elegant and calm creatures around. They know how to chill.

We must need do our part to preserve and converse them for the future generation.

Help WWF in their projects and especially the Freedom Flipper Project. Thanks.

p/s: The turtle you see now is kept under a special project done by the Marine Department. The turtles will be release soon they are bigger enough to face the outside world.

Welcome ‘home’ - to an airplane

Here is another article by the Star Sunday by Andrew Sia. This is quite a long article but it's funny and true about our beloved Malaysian Airlines. Enjoy!

It’s nice to know that one of the best traits of Malaysia – warm hospitality – can be experienced all over the world, courtesy of the national airline.

MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) won the prestigious Skytrax World’s Best Cabin Staff Award from 2001 to 2004 and again in 2007.

And this year, the national flag carrier is making an all-out effort to rebrand its airline code, MH, as “Malaysian Hospitality”.

“Every time you see MH, remind yourself you are not dealing with passengers or colleagues. You are a host making people feel good in your own home,” Datuk Idris Jala, the CEO of MAS said in a circular to staff last year.

Inflight services controller Zurina Abdullah (second left) showing trainees how to prepare passenger seat tables in a mock aircraft interior at the MAS Training Academy. – Photos by NORAFIFI EHSAN / The Star

In an interview with StarMag, Idris added, “Hospitality is in our genes-lah. We are a naturally warm and friendly people.”

The reputation of MAS had been brought low in the past few years due to massive losses but that was due more to financial/corporate mismanagement rather than any deficiency in cabin service.

Now that the airline’s profits are soaring again, its service can shine without any distractions.

Rigorous training

This writer got a glimpse into what makes a world class air crew at the MAS training centre in Petaling Jaya recently.

First off, the quality of people applying to join has risen.

“Last time, maybe those who joined were those who didn’t do well in SPM. Nowadays, graduates are joining too. I myself have a Business degree,” revealed Nadzmeen Mohd, a steward with 12 years’ experience. “We get to see the world and the pay is good, up to RM6,000 after several years of service.”

“More than a thousand candidates go for interviews and only 50 or 60 are chosen each time.”

It’s not just about looking pretty. At the training centre, I got to see stewardess plunging into a huge pool in full sarong kebaya (no, not much is revealed!) and clambering onto life rafts.

Safety runs the whole gamut from firefighting to using defibrillators to revive heart attack victims.

“We are not just tea and coffee boys,” added Nadzmeen.

Stewardesses are taught to walk with feminine grace, poise and confidence.

Aziz Al Rahim Hussin, the Flight Operations Manager in charge of safety and training, underlined that all crew members must be tested on safety procedures every 13 months.

Since the events of 9/11 in 2001, air crews around the world have had to be extra vigilant about terrorist threats.

“Before, everybody was welcome to visit the cockpit,” he said.

“Nowadays, if someone approaches the cockpit, the air crew have code words to raise the alarm.

“Despite their nice kebayas and smiles, don’t try anything funny on board. Everybody has their soft spots,” added Aziz, referring to the self-defence courses that the crew go through.

Looking good

Of course, appearance is part of the job, too.

“Parents have told us that their children have been transformed from rough stones into diamonds,” quipped inflight services manager Gunalan Unni Nair.

“When passengers board the flight, our crew should present the correct poise, politeness and confidence. It’s about how they stand, smell and speak,” said Carol Chang, an inflight service controller (trainer).

At the grooming and deportment training room, there were mirrors all around a catwalk. A trainee walked up some steps, coyly holding onto the front slit in her sarong while a flash of lower leg appeared.

“The ladies have to walk with the proper posture, gracefully and lady-like, with the nose pointed neither upwards nor downwards,” explained Faridah Abdul Rahman, a senior crew trainer.

Training in using makeup is part of the course for stewardesses.

Chang added that hair could only be coloured in certain approved shades of brown and certainly not a shocking blonde or blue. .

“The uniform is very traditional and the hairstyle should also reflect that,” she said.

As for the men, another inflight service controller, Zurina Abdullah, pointed out,
“They should not drag their feet or hunch. Hair can be spiked, but it can't be longer than 4cm.”

There are rules even for facial hair.

Saga Devan, an inflight supervisor clarified, “We men are allowed to have a moustache only if it doesn’t look too fierce. Like mine, it’s considered okay. And even then, we must carry an authorising letter around with us!”

Hourglass figure?

Are stewardesses required to have an hourglass figure?

“It would not do justice to the sarong kebaya if they put on weight,” said Chang. “During recruitment, those who look too heavy, or even too thin and anorexic, will not be selected.”

Air crew trainees take the plunge, literally, in training to deal with emergencies such as an aircraft ditching at sea.

Crew members are measured against a body mass index (BMI) chart correlated with height and age. If supervisors feel that certain air crew are overweight , they will be given three months to trim down .

Chang explained, “ We will advise them on diet and exercise. We also don’t want them to go on unhealthy crash diets. If they still don’t lose weight after three months, they will be grounded with desk jobs. ”

Real life test

Theory can only take you so far. And so, I was invited on an actual flight to Bali to experience this Malaysian Hospitality for myself.

First off, there was the plush MAS Business Class lounge at KLIA, complete with a golf putting green, massage chairs and even a spa!

Upon boarding the plane, there was the customary warm welcome which I have come to like about MAS.

After some two decades of air travel, I have had my share ofairlines (especially European ones) where there is a certain “frostiness” behind the “professional” politeness.

But on MAS flights, whenever I have been overseas for some time, I always feel like I have arrived “home” upon boarding due to the easy-going warmth of the Malaysian air crew. Maybe it's just their innate Asian affability. And oh, that smell of nasi lemak wafting through the cabin....

Flight Operations Manager Aziz Al Rahim Hussin ensures the cabin crew can maintain air safety.

Our take-off to Bali was delayed by some 15 minutes as they had to trace a missing bag. It was nice of the captain to apologise, even though his voice was barely audible over the plane’s public address (PA) speakers.

The economy class service was excellent on the flight to Bali. After take off, I wandered to the galley and saw how tricky it was for the crew to pour welcome drinks as the plane rocked and rolled in mild turbulence.

“We’re used to the work,” said stewardess Christy Lee.

On my return flight from Bali on Business Class, the service was also warm and gracious.

“On Business Class, we address all passengers by name,” said Baljit Kaur, the stewardess serving me.

However, when I switched on the overhead light to read, the top half of my copy of The Star was dark as the light was misaligned. My grilled chicken in thyme was adequate, but certainly not scintillating. Neverthe-less, the bread and butter pudding, as well as the wines, were more up to Business Class standards.

When I asked several people about their experience of flying MAS, most were quite happy.

“The service, especially on the long haul flights, was excellent,” said one.

Mat Salleh factor

However, Anixi (not her real name) had a bad experience, “ Once, after I boarded the aircraft and had already put away two bags, I was made to move to accommodate two American women who were travelling together and had arrived much later.

“I questioned why I was being inconvenienced and the steward insisted that I move, saying I would be holding up the entire flight. I refused and he went away only to return and say ‘The captain orders you to move!’”

Inflight services controller Carol Chang turns young women into world class stewardesses.

Indeed, I have heard complaints that MAS air crew seemed “extra nice” to Mat Sallehs (Westerners) while speaking rather plainly to Malaysians.

Kee Thuan Chye, Associate Editor at The Star commented, “Sure, they talk different to Mat Sallehs but that’s a national malaise.”

Is this a case of our natural Asian affability (towards foreigners especially) going too far? Is that why MAS used to have those annoying announcements – “Thuan-thuan and phuan-phuan... kameee akan mendharatt di... sila ikat taleee pinggang...” – where Malay is spoken in a fake, almost breathless, Western accent?

Gunalan acknowledged the problem.

“Discrimination is discussed at length during training. There are case studies, role playing and constant reminders. Misconceptions may also arise because we always serve ladies or the person at the window seat first.”

Chang added, “Well, it's just that Mat Sallehs are also more extroverted, chatty and curious to find out about our culture. So when crew indulge in conversation, it appears like preferential treatment.

“We remind our crew, for instance, if the Mat Sallehs ask for a drink, please ask the locals seated next to them if they'd like one as well.”

I myself have never experienced such discrimination in my many MAS flights over the years. And on the flipside, air crew also have to contend with certain Asian routes renowned for “difficult and demanding” passengers.

Nadzmeen replied, “Maybe it's their culture. We have to deal with them firmly without being rude.”

Stewardess Shazly Bashah related, “Sometimes they will pull our kebaya and tease, ‘Oh sister, sister’. I have to tell them ‘Please don’t touch’ yet try to joke a bit.”

Over the years, stewardesses have also occasionally had to contend with snide and salacious male chauvinist comments. For instance, Idris Haron, the Member of Parliament for Tangga Batu, Malacca, told the august Dewan Rakyat in 2005 that the “sexy dress, make-up and voice” of MAS stewardesses might arouse the desires of male passengers – especially during long, boring flights – and “cause them to release their frustration” onto those ladies.

“You can’t just pick on the stewardesses. It’s all up to one’s upbringing and values. It can happen in any job or nightclub,” said Alice Nazareth, a trainer and former stewardess.

Rewards

Have many stewardesses married millionaires?

“Oh, you mean lucky draw?” laughed Norhana and Baljit. “It’s a personal choice.”

Inflight supervisor Saga Devan and his approved ‘not too fierce’ moustache.

Chang said many stewardesses have indeed married Datuks or rich businessmen.

“Many also married their colleagues. I married a ‘bus driver’. That’s what I call my husband, who pilots an Airbus,” she smiled.

Such are the real life pressures and concerns of air crew.

Nevertheless, MAS training standards are well recognised.

“Our instructors are well regarded internationally. Some have joined other airlines, especially in the Middle East,” said Saga.

And, surely, standards can only improve with the current MH campaign.

As one of the slogans go, “We believe a smile is the shortest distance between different cultures.”

As we landed at KLIA after the pleasant flight from Bali, I heard over the PA, “To our visitors, selamat datang, and to all Malaysians, selamat pulang.”

Yes, it's all about feeling “at home”.

Day 12 Offline

Okay dokie. I'm off for 12 days now. You all better take care and have fun of course. Don't stress. Makan banyak-banyak and we all okay. Hahaha. Will reveal my location soon enough. :)

Funny Address

Just a funny thought. We also headed off to Putrajaya to do something for my sister and they had an email. It was like medical_development_division@yahoo.com.

Huh? YAHOO.COM!!! Isn't it suppose to be like gov.my or something like that. Funny la this country!!! LOL!!!

Akatsuki Gundam

Tadda my lovely new gundam set. All gold. Yay. So happy. But I still haven't started on my Saviour la. Hmmmmmmmm. I should start soon. My new project.

The box.

And the model I'm suppose to produce.

Bleak prospects for UK job market

Sorry peeps. I knew this was going to happen. I wish you all the best in getting your jobs. This is from the BBC.

The outlook for the UK job market is at its worst for a decade, according to a report from an employment organisation.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development forecasts a net rise in employment of 75,000 in 2008, a third of the rise forecast in 2006 and 2007.

The institute estimates unemployment will rise by around 150,000 to 1.8 million, or 5.8% of the workforce.

Next year would be "easily the worst since the Labour Government came to power in 1997", the institute said.

John Philpott, chief economist at the CIPD, said that in the previous two years a downward trend in public sector employment "has in turn been more than offset by rising numbers of private sector jobs".

"But 2008 will be the first year for a decade that the engine of job creation will be spluttering right across the economy," he forecast.

Slowdown

Mr Philpott warned that the slowdown in the job market could prompt "bigger cuts in interest rates than currently anticipated" and prolong the effects of the economic downturn into 2009.

In the private sector, the institute said job losses will be felt most in financial services, which in recent years has "been a substantial driver of employment growth" but is now "facing a direct hit from the credit crunch".

Many financial firms and banks have been hit by exposure to problems in the US housing market.

This has made banks reluctant to lend to consumers and each other, creating conditions known as a credit crunch.

In October, the Centre for Economics and Business Research said that it expected 6,500 jobs to be lost in the City of London financial district during 2008, with cutbacks most pronounced in investment banking.

The CIPD said that jobs were also likely to be lost in the public sector as the government attempts to improve public service efficiency.

A survey earlier this month by recruitment firm Manpower found that UK employers are set to take on new workers at their slowest rate in six years in the wake of the credit crisis.

Limited options

Many analysts are warning that consumers may rein in spending when faced with deteriorating economic and job conditions.

"Any excessive spending over Christmas and at the New Year sales, especially where goods are paid for on credit, risks tipping even more consumers over the edge," said Mark Sands, director of insolvency at KPMG.

"The credit crunch is resulting in increased rejections of credit card applications and a reduction in the availability of loans secured by a second charge on the family home.

"Those in difficulty will find that their options are becoming limited."

Orchids and More Orchids

So here are some side pictures I took going around. Well, just one place to be exact. The Orchid Farm. Hehehe. Can or not camera sifu? :P

Enjoy!

Oh yea, have to pay for these pictures you know. Like 10 photos for RM5!!! But of course I didn't pay because my Mom bought like RM240 worth of orchids. Hehehe.

Pavilion

Here is the latest shopping complex in KL, The Pavilion. This is currently on the old land of BBGS. Oh well.

The entrance. I think it's too over-exposed.

Deepavali time. :)

And the stupid doughnuts I waited for 25 minutes.

I believe this is much nicer than KLCC. So, hmmmmmmm, my new hangout place. :P

KL Skyline

Just some random skyline of Kuala Lumpur.

New Mouse

Since I gave my mouse to my sister since hers was dying quite badly, I decided to get a new mouse. It's the Razor mouse. I know it's for gaming but it looked cool. I didn't want to get the super canggih like Diamondback, DeathAdder, and Copperhead where it can go up to RM199. This one ermmmmm Krait is more than enough for me. Does anyone have it?

Outside.

Inside. It fits well with my hand. Hehe.

And it glows.

New Look

Our National Library has a new look. Thank goodness after 20 years of those dilapidated blue tiles. I still remember going there when I was in Standard 6 for a school trip.



p/s: This is new for me as I haven't been back for a year remember!

Joke from Singapore Airlines

Hahahahaha. You gotta be kidding me. I suppose they say having sex in the air is great but this is to the extreme now. Talking about glitches in having beds in airplanes. Oh well, have fun reading. From the BBC.

Singapore Airlines has taken the unusual step of publicly asking passengers on its new Airbus A380 plane not to engage in any sexual activities.

The potential problem has arisen because the first class area of its giant superjumbo contains 12 private suites complete with double beds.

Singapore, which is the first airline to start flying the A380, said the suites were not sound-proofed.

It said it did not want anyone to offend other travellers or crew.

The plane has 12 private first class suites.

Singapore added that while the suites were private, they were also not completely sealed.

'Observing standards'

"All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offence to other customers and crew," the airline said in a statement.

"Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers."

The suite offers privacy but not that much privacy.

Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first A380 earlier this month, with the first services between Singapore and Sydney starting on 25 October.

It is now set to take delivery of a further five A380s in 2008, out of its order of 19.

October and November Rules!!!

This month October has a number of people having their birthdays. It's just great to celebrate it in 1 go at times just like my family. However, this keeps me thinking that hmmmm they were conceived during Valentine's Day. The day of love hor. Kakaka. Same with the November babies like me.

This goes the same for Sweden. They have a national drinking day where everyone just get drunk and pooooooof, 9 months later they have a baby. Hahaha.

Selamat Hari Raya

Selamat Hari Raya to all my Muslim friends. I know I'm a bit late with this. But you all celebrate it for satu bulan kan.

Dual Gender Now

First Mr & Mrs. Now Mr or Ms. Wah lau wehhhhhhh. Why my title is going everywhere one. These people ah.

It seems that I'm married

Look what I got in the mail box. It could be for my other male cousins but don't think so since none of them are leaving in England. :P