Langkawi to be GST-exempt

In line with it's status as a Tax-free Haven, Langkawi has been exempted from Malaysia GST come April 1..

This is wonderfully good news because it can spur local tourism, and the last time I was in Langkawi was in 2002.. A visit is thus due..

This includes all of the goods and services consumed entirely in Langkawi and Langkawi island proper only.. In short, nobody in Langkawi can charge GST, and holiday-makers and tourist to Langkawi must be aware of the GST-exempted status and report if they are charged GST..

However, transport services into Langkawi (such as ferry from Penang, Kedah or Perlis) or flights into the island, are still subjected to GST at the rate of 6%.. If Langkawi is part of a tour that also includes other cities/towns/areas, only the Langkawi portion consumption is GST-exempt, all other areas are still GST-taxable..

If we were to buy things from Langkawi, say back to Kuala Lumpur, there should not be GST because the existing law applies, as Langkawi is a duty-free island, things bought in Langkawi are to be duty-free, anyway..

The GST-exempt status also applies to Labuan and Tioman.

Note: The above is based on preliminary unofficial answers from Royal Malaysian Customs - GST Division, and is at no point to be taken as official unless otherwise an official announcement is issued by the Customs Dept. 


How is this news to you? Would it make you want to visit Langkawi more, when other resorts and places in the country begins charging you GST?

What would you do with your angpow money?

We sure get angpow, but what is more important is what you do with it?

Save it? Invest it?

... or spend it?


Whichever it is, make sure you know how to use the money wisely..

When are you getting married?

Most people I know came back to work sick, or on MC.. It's not entirely the fault of the eating, but blame it on the super hot weather that turned even hotter on CNY Day 1. It was raining cats and dogs through and through all along the journey back home the other day and rained through the night.!

I myself is down with a very bad dry cough since Thursday.. Been coughing my abs out, and it's sore now..

Before I left KL that day, I managed to stop by Jinjang market and grab a bar of firecrackers for RM25 (KL price so to speak).. When I got home, my dad surprised me by asking me, "Hah? Only one? Why never buy more?"

LOL..

Lighting up the firecracker!

When we were kids before the age of videogames, we would buy cartons of fireworks and firecrackers and pitted against one another (the cousins) to see who has more.. So every year, our loot would be bigger than the year before..

All until it got banned by the stupid gomen..

Then the age of videogames took over.. We stayed in and play tetris, super mario bros and what nots.. and of course in between gambling on the floor while the adults gamble on the table..

Then the age of iPads.. thereafter we stopped visiting already.. god knows what these days kids do..

So back to my dad, I replied, "okok next year I buy more lah okay"..

Dad is at a age of stubbornness now, almost 70, he's refusing to listen to a lot of people, particularly in the health dept.. even my mom gave up nagging him and instead ask my sister to do the nagging cos he adores my sister the most so we thought he would listen to her..

It was all food and travelled around for most of the time.. On Thursday I drove my family back to Penang to visit relatives..

Gosh - I tell you, they have new tactics now!! Old tactics doesn't seem to work!!

"Why haven't married? Still wait what"
"I want to focus in my work first"
"Married already also can focus work mah!"
"I want to travel around the world by myself"
"Le siao ah. Travel alone mana wu song! Chua bo first then go together lah!" **(you crazy, what fun travelling alone, get married first then go together)

"How old already still dowan married?"
"Not yet lah, still young. Enjoy first!"
"Enjoy simi lah. Tang lao kok kok bo lang ai cham ah lu" **(Enjoy what. Wait till old later nobody want, then worse!)

"Wu gerfren liao bo, mami approve bo" ** (Got girlfriend? Mum approved?)
"Bo gerfren la, still looking"
"Haiyoo, look what look! Lu siang ka lu jin hao seh ah. Wa ai chiak lu eh teh zai bo!" ** (Haiyoo, look what look, you think you're still young ah. I want to drink tea you know!)

In Chinese customs, "drink tea" means the tea ceremony where newly-weds serve tea to elders as respect. 


Wahlao! I didn't see this coming.. new tactic!!
This year I am totally speechless.. Because I didn't prepare my ammunition for them to turnaround like this..

unlike last time..

Selfie at my parents' in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. 

I have older cousins who are still single, but more like they have dodged the bullet.. now eyes are turned on me and my younger brother (who's 27 this year) since my sis has a kid..

Oh well..

I was driving a lot throughout CNY.. but first let me take a selfie!

How did you respond? Share with me and fellow readers so that we can take cue! Thank you kiamsiah!!

Homecoming

It's the time of the year again, where the children will return to the family home for Chinese New Year..

And because of the long weekend, many will take the opportunity to jam up the roads in smaller towns and cities and void the nation's capital city of any traffic..

I was at work still today on the eve of CNY (as with previous years) because I don't want to be caught in the 200 kilometres jam on the North South Expressway.. It was too much to bear.. I find that travelling in the late afternoon on the eve of CNY is quite okay.. There was a year when I was caught in the jam so bad it took 8 hours to travel 200km, but over the years, despite the increasing traffic, things has gotten better, to 6 hours and of recent memory, 4 hours..

I was born in Ipoh and I grew up in Ipoh as well.. As a kid in the sleepy town of Ipoh in the 80s and 90s, traffic jam was not something I was familiar with..

Up until 2003, my family would go back to my grandmother's place in Paloh, Johor for CNY until she passed.. From 2004 onwards, it became then my duty to go back to the family home in Ipoh instead.. While my parents don't live in Ipoh anymore, we still keep our Ipoh family home..

This year is a little special - there's a grandchild in the family! Despite not married, I am duty-bound as the uncle to also give my nephew angpow..

I made it home today in 2 and half hours!

And oh... all the familiar faces in my Jack'D and Grindr in the Klang Valley, is also in Ipoh lol.. that goes to show how many of us Ipoh boys have since moved/migrated to KL and elsewhere around the world (like Singapore, for eg) for better prospects..

You can take me out of Ipoh, but you can't take Ipoh out of me..


Have a very happy and prosperous New Year! 

Gong Xi Fa Chai! 

My Valentine's Date & An Unexpected Lunch

My Valentine's weekend was truly indeed a remarkable one, if not totally surprising..

It wasn't a guy who asked me out.. it's my bestie galfriend whom I known from in the gym.. for more than half a year (since the breakup) she is whom I see on a weekly basis - the crazy stuffs we did in classes and gossips and bitch about men and all.. She's straight, for the record..

On Friday, she asked if I have any plans for Saturday, I said no, so she asked me to be her date! Here's the story.. her boss gave her a present and it's a dinner for two at Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur.. and of all dates, her boss has cheekily reserved for on 14 Feb 2015, since she have no one to go with, she asked me hahahaa.. we were expecting to be surrounded by lovey-dovey couples, apparently not! LOL...

It was actually also a "work assignment" as she has to write about it (she works for Malaysia Airlines), so I've been told our dinner are to be published somewhere in the Enrich magazine.. While we were dining, the banquet managers of Majestic Hotel told us that they will feature us..

*gasp*

As gentlemanly as I could be, I dressed up in decent casual outfit of jeans and long-sleeve checked shirt with a tie, and picked her up from her home.. When we arrived at the hotel, we were still very early as the banquet staff are still busy setting up the tables - not in the main restaurant or Colonial Cafe but in the Orchid Conservatory!

Apparently.. it costs RM1,160 for a table in Orchid Conservatory that night..

Looking gorgeous.. wefie while waiting for our table

It was lovely.. I mean the setup and the flowers and we had a personal waiter and waitress at our disposal! I would have come to such a place with my (non-existent yet) boyfriend/hubby.. but I think dining with bff sometimes is better than the lover, thanks to the things that we bitched about the whole night...

In all the food that came, there's hint of hearts all around and both of us were giggling non-stop.. we could have hashtag #wearenotcouple everywhere :)

One of the tables set-up

Our table..
Utensils = outside to inside, finally can put to good use what knowledge we have

I was looking at the orchids... and she snapped my photo.. 

My Bubbly and I ordered a white wine to go with my main course

Appetiser: Confit of Duck

Starter: Blue River prawn with avocado salad

I have no idea what this is.. it wasn't on the menu

Soup: Cream of Wild Mushroom 

Main Course: Roast Barramundi
(actually it's For Her, but since I cannot have beef, we switched)

Dessert: Soft Chocolate Mousse with Melting Heart Spice Cake

I can't help it but to destroy the heart..
and let it all oozzeeeee out..
DIE YOU DIE...

Before dinner, I was still pretty much a good boy.. but once all the giggling and the alcohol, then yeah.. started to do funny things :)

Before dinner service, I was all-good boy...

Selfie with food...

But first let me take a selfie!

Poor iPhone4S front camera quality!

Can you resist such perfect lips?

Kissing the bowl

Love me love me say that you'll love me...

Before we call it a night, I visited the washroom... oh my oh my...

Note: The quote was automatically added by PhotoGrid, the app that I use to do the photo collage for my Instagram.. very apt I know.. LOL!!!!

So yea... Good things are going to happen. I know. =)


On Sunday morning as I was lazing in bed facebooking, a friend texted me and ask me to wake up at once and go for lunch.. knowing that I will sleep in, I was like.. nuaaaaa...

but I said ok and immediately jumped out of bed and get ready.. cos he's someone I rarely see thanks to his oh-so-busy schedule (he's a well known musician btw) and in the 3 years friends with him, he has never asked me out like personally for meals or even drinks.. lol.. we only go out like in big group of friends... so I thought, if he asked means he's free! And it's so hard to see him also..

So we went out for lunch in Publika and while we ate, we caught up with our lives and all the while he's complaining he's fat, he was eating a huge ass big bowl of noodles! I gave him the roll-eyes look.. then he says he'll start going to the gym and ask me about gym stuffs and all - so much for someone who hates gym (but he's athletic and play other sports)..

After lunch, I ended up in the gym.. LOL..


So how was your Valentine's Day? 

Next holiday

Next holiday confirmed - Club Med!

I've never been to a Club Med resort before despite been selling it for the last 4 Matta Fairs.. so when opportunity knocks - I grabbed it.. Even it's just Cherating, it's better than nothing.. besides, I am not the one paying :)

So here's to another beach holiday!

Being Single

Someone shoved this below article up my ass earlier today, I couldn't help it but to agree, not wholly, but rather, amusingly mostly..

Do you find yourself too comfortable being single, so much so that the thought of being in a relationship scares you? Let me shed some light on what I think..

Truth be told, ever since my last relationship broke apart almost a year ago, I have not recovered fully.. Perhaps, there's this thing they say, when you loved someone with all you have the way only you know how (and despite not being understood by everyone), it is when you know it was for real..

Till today, I feel I am still a wreck somehow - I am not emotionally ready for a relationship.. I am not capable of committing myself into one, not in the near future at least.. There is still something in me that tells me not to get involved, and I trust my gut feelings very much - I shouldn't get involved, knowing that I will hurt the person more than anything.. It will be very unfair to everyone else if I just jump into one without considering the many repercussions of my actions.. I know what I am saying..

Having said that, I know what you guys are thinking - NO..it's not for the (availability of) freedom of sleeping around.. I am not ashamed to say that I have not had sex in a very long time (saved for that one time in Sydney).. No, shower encounters and quickies do not count..

But being single allows me to be with peace with myself and find happiness within and in things that makes me happy - like friends and travel..

While I do yearn for some intimate moments and for someone to hold me in his arms and hug me, it has to come from someone I truly want to be with with all my heart completely - and not because of convenience, desperation for company sake, hunger for bodily contact etc..

It's big words here, but I know what I feel..

People say, you won't know what you're missing if you don't give it a try.. I say "Bitch please, if spending my last 15 years and my youth in 5 relationships have not taught me anything, I might be as well dead!"

I am 32 now and I am not young anymore.. Playing around, sleeping around, fooling around is not something I can identify with anymore.. It's all or nothing.. I can't afford to spend more years in relationships that will only end in all brutality to the heart, it's not something I can handle..

I rather be off being single than to have two persons getting their hearts hurt.. That is not what I want..



15 Signs You're Too Comfortable Being Single
http://thoughtcatalog.com/lux-ganzon/2014/08/15-signs-youre-comfortable-being-single/

1. You don’t mind staying in on a beautiful weekend. You don’t call random people to hang out on a sunny Saturday. You’d rather catch up on your reading or watch your favorite re-runs.
I have downloaded plenty of movies to keep myself occupied.. There's so many movies I've missed because I was so busy with somebody's else's lives, that I didn't have time for myself.. 

2. You are sincerely happy for your friends’ milestones; engagements, weddings and new babies.
With an adorable nephew to play with and watch him grow, friends getting married and having kids who call me "Uncle Eric/Jin" and that I am a great help with the kids while their parents take a breather and let me run after their youngs for a change, and with parents getting older by the day, family and close friends means more to me now..

3. You don’t feel uncomfortable when you go out with other couples.
In fact, I enjoy seeing others being happy.. Because when others are happy, I am happy (for them).. Seriously, I have come to such a stage whereby I can be truly happy for others.. That's different from faking happiness for others - which I can fake quite well too, it's a learnt skill.. 

4. When someone asks about your relationship status, you answer honestly without batting an eye, because you don’t see anything embarrassing about being alone in a couple-filled world.
Being single - happily unattached is my standard reply.. alone is when you learn to love yourself in a way nobody else can.. 

5. You can dine out, watch a movie, or travel all by yourself.
I rather enjoy and CAN eat alone and travel alone.. It opens up my mind and eyes to things that were once unseen.. I also get to find friends without getting the "jealous" feel from the other half.. Admittedly, like it or not, even if you say you're not jealous, deep down, yes, everyone is to a certain extend, jealous or a sense of insecurity when their other half is away with someone else.. But I can never bring myself to watch a movie alone, I've tried but it isn't me.. I can't do it.. 

6. When people think something’s wrong with you because you’re still single, you conclude that there’s something wrong with them.
*blink* *blink* what's wrong with being single again? 

7. Your calendar is always full: vacations, breakfast/lunch/dinner with old friends, movie date with your siblings or friends, seminars and other important activities outside work/school.
Having the time to do the things I have always wanted to do, and now I can, there's no stopping me..

8. You forgot how it is to be dating or to be in a relationship. How many times do you need to send them messages? Which decisions do you need to consult with them? Do they need to know where you’re going for lunch and what you’re having?
*beep* What are you doing.
*beep* Where are you going.
*beep* Who are you with.
*beep* What time will you be home.
*beep* Do you miss me.
*beep* Why no message me. 

*click* roll eyes.

Ignore. 

Come on, it's too suffocating! 
COUPLES: Dare you say you're not guilty? 

9. You ignore the sweet nothings you receive in your inbox or phone because you don’t have time for someone you know is not serious or is not showing “potential” for a partner.
Because it gets overwhelming sometimes.. I am a true-blood Aquarius, I need my space, LOTS OF IT!!! Sometimes that can be misunderstood as bochup (tidak apa/lackadaisical) but that's just me.. I don't need to be in constant touch and I don't want to be in constant touch.. 

I am one CAN put down my phone for a while.. but I like to take pictures with it..  

10. You are genuinely happy with where you are right now.
Yep.
I think....

11. Your plans may involve settling down, but you’re not pressured on doing it any time soon.
That's what I am saying.. I want to settle down, perhaps be married in a legalised civil partnership, one day.. but for now, I am good by myself.. I want a man, mentally and emotionally stable, who can take care of himself and also of me, and us, and to this man worthy to be called a hubby, is worth waiting.. 

12. You hate the idea of asking someone’s permission if you need to buy something or go somewhere. You come and you go as you please.
It has come to that, you know.. That I have develop a phobia on reporting.. 

13. You enjoy your own company that you don’t feel like you’re missing out on something.
What am I missing? 

14. You heart goes out to those who are afraid to be alone and wish they’ll someday see the light and embrace singleness.
Now I see why some single people out there are happier than most who are in relationships (after the honeymoon periods' over)..

15. You’re not bitter about your failed relationships anymore. You are actually grateful that it ended. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t be this happy right now.
It's just that I am glad it ended because otherwise I would not have learn from it, and being a better person myself..

My past has certainly taught me a lot of things, each one about myself more and about the people around me..  




For everyone (single and in relationships), ask yourself: Are you truly happy?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Preparing for Retirement

At 20s, retirement is a something very distant that even your parents aren't retired..

At 30s, you begin (hopefully!) to even think about money for the future, with parents perhaps retired or doing odd-jobs..

At 40s, you better have something set aside already..

At 50s, if you don't have anything for retirement, please continue to work till you die..

====

I have been thinking about my own retirement piggy bank for quite sometime now, and this week I finally set down to do it..

With my current lifestyle and at a projected inflation rate of 6% p.a. despite whatever fuck the government tells you, I have a reality check that EPF money will not last me beyond a few years.. I told myself I have to do something, and took risks on my own..

I signed the papers to progressively dump RM30k this year into a fund that hopefully in the long run will return healthy gains.. The risks are quite high nevertheless..

Later this year, I will begin another fund purely for retirement scheme for the next 30 years..

Both funds combined should bear apples and pears and oranges in 30 years.. At least that the time frame I am looking at with my money..

In the short term, there's always the highly volatile stock market that I am playing.. With an appreciating property and a depreciating car and no money left in the bank - this is as much as I can do, provided I do indeed live that long lol... Otherwise, someone solely is getting all my money..


Have you begun to plan for your retirement?

Things I need to buy for CNY

Here are the list of things I need to buy for CNY when I go home next week, although I don't really like CNY actually (more like, urggh.. relatives.. but with the prospects of money, I have no choice but to be thick-skinned and reach out for the angpow)

• good quality mandarin oranges ponkam (not the cheepo lokam)
• canned desserts like longan & lychee
• mushrooms 
• dried BBQ meat

Don't ask me why, but it's been a tradition in the family for the sons to buy these back to the family home for CNY..  It's one tradition that I keep apart from buying and wearing new clothes.. And I try to make as less trips as possible to get them so I guess it will be this week that I want to settle all the shopping..

Speaking of which, I haven't really buy new clothes yet.. Been trying on some clothes on my catwalkabout but didn't buy any.. HAHA.. I know what I want so I didn't waste time going to malls aimlessly.. It's just finding the right fit and the right cut that is giving me the headache.. 

Have you done your CNY shopping?

Me In Legoland/Hilton Johor Bahru

All photos of my team and I in Legoland Legorace Teambuilding taken by the official photographers..

Nobody help me pin my number...
Sexy legs muahahah

Team Captain holding the Team Number and let's take a wefie!!

Oh damn.. I can still pose for pictures while the team is busy strategizing

Team game

Team game

One for all, all for one
Company picture

Oh no!! What happened in Negeri Sembilan!! 

KLIA

Harbourfront

Harbourfront

Singapore Flyer

Taj Mahal

Legoland words ala Hollywood style..

Go go go!

Ish ish ish.. poser!!!!

Some town I missed the name

Bangkok?

Angkor Wat

Mummy

Errr.. what is mario doing???

Is he cute?

24 drummers... hot!

Drummers

Saaaaa... hot!!!

Moment of truth.. the embarassment.. haha

Only managed to finish half....

Top Management dancing on chairs on the stage.. Never seen before...

That's all the pictures from the company annual dinner and teambuilding in Legoland and in Hilton Johor Bahru 3 weeks ago..


I didn't win any lucky draw prizes, only door gifts (RM40 Jusco voucher and RM50 Isetan voucher), and for leading my team to finish in 3rd place (out of 22 teams) with a total of 135 points (despite being the first time to check-in at the finishing line in 3 hours..), we won a Lego Nanobrick photo frame sponsored by Legoland..

2nd place totalled 136 points while the winner 137 points!! So it really wasn't that bad..