Beware of your belongings!

【Citizen Provided】

Beware of your belongings!

Keep your awareness on your belongings especially your handbag, laptop bag, wallet, and valuable items when you are dining in a restaurant or cafe.

Video below shows the incident happened in a restaurant which located in one of PJ shopping malls.

Credit to: James

Big news for small wallets

The issue is unavoidable. Everybody is talking about the various price hikes. And the joke is that the only thing that is not going up is our salary.

SIX days into the new year and it is obvious that the newsmaker for 2014 will be ...(drum roll, please)... price hikes!

Barring any major sex video scandal or street protests, price hike stories will top the news this year.

The issue is unavoidable. Everybody is talking about electricity tariff hike, sugar subsidy withdrawal, lower fuel subsidy, higher toll rates, GST and higher prices, water tariff hike and transport hike.

The joke is that the only thing that is not going up is our salary.

I welcomed the new year with the worrisome thought that my purchasing power has shrunk. Whenever I think about it, I’m reminded of what my mum used to complain about in the 1980s.

“Nokonini noh limo nohopod ringgit (RM50 has shrunk),” she would complain after her weekly shopping at the Donggongon tamu near Kota Kinabalu.

“I use to be able to buy everything (a week’s shopping budget for a family of six) for RM50 in the tamu (weekly farmers’ market in Sabah) but now RM50 can’t buy you anything.”

Whenever she complained, I would roll my eyes.

Now, 30 years later, I’ve become my mother. Lately, I’ve been complaining that RM100 can’t buy you anything.

Actually, RM100 can buy me a tankful of RON95 for my Proton Exora. But that would probably last me for four or five days of driving from home to office and back, and weekend drives.

For sure, RM100 can’t buy me much when I go for grocery shopping for a family of four. The other day, I was in an upmarket supermarket in Subang Jaya. My wife bought our normal weekly supplies and the bill came up to RM470.

Shocking, as our weekly grocery bill in that supermarket was usually around RM300.

“Must be the (three packets of) imported tortilla chips,” my wife told me.

The grocery bill shocker made me think that I should stop my middle-class thinking. In this tough year, I need a working class mindset.

That means goodbye Australian beef, hello beef from India.

Where can you find beef from India that is cheaper than the beef imported from Australia?

The hypermarket.

“I might change where I go for my grocery shopping,” I told a colleague of mine.

“I do my grocery shopping at a hypermart in Kuchai Lama (in Kuala Lumpur). This place is even cheaper than the branded hypermart. It sells things at wholesale prices. The vegetables and fish are affordable,” said my middle-class colleague.

“If you want even cheaper prices, go to this hypermarket in Sri Sentosa (in Kuala Lumpur). This is where the hawkers go for their shopping.”

“But how is the place? Comfortable kah to go shopping there?” I asked.

“If you want ‘glamour’ (If you want some place fancier), then you don’t go. The hypermart in Sri Sentosa doesn’t have air-conditioning. But it is bearable, especially when you are in the frozen food section,” he said.

“I might go,” I said.

But at the back of my mind, I knew that times are not that bad and at the most, I’ll shop at hypermarts like Giant and Tesco.

I also thought, “OMG, Kuchai Lama and Sri Sentosa really sound working-class. I want to shop in Bangsar and Subang Jaya.”

Actually, I grew up in a middle-class family that spent money like a working-class one, so it should not be a problem for me to switch my mindset. (That’s in theory.)

Growing up in a frugal family should have taught me a thing or two about saving.

My late dad cut my hair to save money. Wonder what he would think if he knew I paid RM58 (plus shampoo) for my five-year-old daughter Apsara’s back-to-school bob hairstyle.

When I was a student, it was “first to Bata then to school” but for Apsara’s school shoes, I bought her a pair of RM159 Stride Rites (children’s footwear from the United States).

Eating out was a big event for the family. We ate at a Chinese restaurant once a month. Back then, ordering a Coca Cola was a special treat for me. Now, it is Japanese dinner once or twice a week.

My parents (and some families in my middle-class neighbourhood at Taman Kinamount in Kota Kinabalu) raised chicken in their backyards. It was traumatic for me to eat the family pet, especially after witnessing how daddy slaughtered it with a kitchen knife.

I, however, don’t think I’ll ever rear my own chicken and slaughter them just to save a few ringgit.

With the electricity tariff hike, I’ve noticed I’ve become my mother. She nagged us to switch off electrical appliances when we were not using it. Again, I would roll my eyes, thinking what was the big deal; it was only electricity.

Now karma has struck back. I get nervous when the two air-conditioners are switched on. I also try to cut unnecessary electricity usage.

(Oops! as I’m writing this article, I just noticed that the 42-inch television is on and nobody is watching. I’ll go and switch it off.)

If I – a middle-class person – feel the price hikes, I wonder how the working-class is coping.

Perhaps, my Malaysians of the Year 2014 will be the working class who survive the price hikes.

Thieves fit four cows into modified car

KULIM: Two men had to abandon their Proton Wira that had been modified for cattle rustling after it broke down in Kampung Siam, Sungai Seluang, Lunas, near here.

The car with the back seat removed was loaded with four cows rustled from a cattle farm in Sungai Lembu, Bukit Mertajam.

Kulim deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Chin Soo Song said the farm owner lodged a report on the missing cattle at the Lunas police station at 5am yesterday.

The thieves had taken the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway in making their escape. But after the Lunas toll plaza, they came across members of the public who were helping the owner to find the animals.

“They then accelerated but their car broke down a short distance away, forcing them to abandon the vehicle,” he told reporters here.

DSP Chin added that the public and a team from Pertubuhan Perihatin Kemasyarakatan Daerah Kulim found the animals at 7am in Kampung Siam, about 15km from where they were stolen.

Those with information on the thieves are urged to contact Kulim CID chief Asst Supt C. Tharmalingham at 04-490 6222 or the nearest police station. — Bernama

Malaysia's New Year fireworks display dazzles Britons

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians have always looked forward to the glorious New Year countdown fireworks display at the Petronas Twin To­­wers.

But this year, the dazzling show made headlines not only in Malaysia, but in Britain as well when daily newspaper The Times featured a front-page photograph of the fireworks yesterday.

Captioned “In with a bang”, the photograph noted how Malaysia rang in the new year eight hours before London with a fireworks display at the iconic twin skyscrapers.

The photograph is of large pink and red fireworks against the backdrop of the partially-lit Twin Towers.

Nikesh Mehta, a British diplomat stationed in Malaysia, tweeted a picture of the newspaper’s front page and added “happy New Year to all and congrats KL for making the front cover of The Times. Great pic of the fireworks and the Towers!”

Another shot of the brilliant fireworks near the Twin Towers also made it to the BBC, which collected photographs of New Year celebrations from across the globe.

Social media abuzz over Guan Eng's new ride

GEORGE TOWN: The new official car of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng — a Mercedes-Benz S300L — continues to draw attention on social media.

Netizens have widely shared a news article by a Chinese daily in 2008, which reported Lim’s criticism of the Terengganu government’s decision then to get a fleet of Mercedes-Benz as official cars.

While some commented that Lim had not walked his talk, others accepted his explanation that he had gotten the car at a much cheaper price.

According to the Facebook posting, Lim had told a press conference in July 2008 that Terengganu’s decision to get Mercedes-Benz as official cars was not thoughtful.

The cost of living is high and the people are suffering but the Terengganu government is spending RM3.43mil to get Mercedes-Benz as official cars.

“This shows that when the people are suffering, Umno leaders are enjoying themselves,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

He had also said Terengganu should have considered cars manufactured by Japan, which were cheaper.

Asked about the Facebook posting, Lim said he was not sure if the Terengganu state government had applied for tax exemption for their cars.

“Anyway, I am willing to accept criticism from any party,” he said.

The original price for a Mercedes-Benz S300L is RM657,218 but Lim obtained his new official car for RM298,263.75 after tax exemption and a special discount of RM100,000.

The purchase of the new car had been criticised by Barisan Nasional politicians and even DAP’s Pakatan Rakyat partners.

Thousands revel in world fiesta party in downtown KL

KUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of tourists and shoppers flooded Jalan Bukit Bintang here to witness the BBKLCC Tourism Association’s World Fiesta party.

The street party featured processions of vibrant floats and a parade of hundreds of costumed dancers representing the diverse colours and culture of the world’s different regions.

BBKLCC is a trade association which represents nine malls here, and it is partnering with the Tourism and Culture Ministry to organise the street party.

The street party is part of the activities leading up to Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

The Mardi Gras-like festival started its pre-show at 5pm on Saturday.

A spectacular fireworks display then lit up the Kuala Lumpur sky and revellers danced to the music of deejays Joey G and Jesse Voorn.

Those staying late were not left in a lurch as Prasarana extended its LRT services until 1am yesterday.

BBKLCC’s members such as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Suria KLCC, Fahrenheit88, Starhill Gallery and Lot 10 also organised promotions and giveaways throughout the day, with RM120,000 worth of prizes.

Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, who officiated the event, revealed that the Prime Minister himself will declare Visit Malaysia Year open on Jan 4.

Schumacher 'critical' after skiing fall

LYON, France (Reuters) - Retired seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher was in 'critical' condition with head injuries after an off-piste skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel, his agent said on Sunday.

The 44-year-old German was in hospital in Grenoble and under the care of Professor Gerard Saillant, a brain and spinal injury expert who is also president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Institute.

"He suffered head trauma with coma that needed prompt neurosurgical treatment," Schumacher's agent Sabine Kehm said in a statement late in the evening, which a hospital official read to reporters.

"He remains in a critical condition."

A hospital official declined to give more details but said more information would be given on Monday.

Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte, the director of the Meribel ski resort where Schumacher has a vacation home, said earlier that the former champion was wearing a helmet when he fell and hit his head on a rock at around 11 a.m. local time.

He added that the German had been conscious while being transported first to a local hospital in Moutiers before then being transferred to Grenoble.

"He was conscious but very agitated while being taken to hospital," said the director.

In Germany, Schumacher's accident topped news bulletins, with the bestselling tabloid newspaper Bild reporting on its website: "Schumi fighting for his life".

Bild reporters also said that Ross Brawn, the Briton who worked with Schumacher at Ferrari and Mercedes as technical director and team principal respectively, had arrived in Grenoble.

SHOCK AND PRAYERS

The Formula One community, and the wider world of motorsport, reacted with shock and prayers on social network Twitter for the champion to win his biggest battle.

"If anyone can pull through, it's him," said Britain's triple Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, who is still walking on crutches after a huge crash in October that ended his racing career.

"Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it," said Schumacher's former Benetton team mate Martin Brundle.

Former Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa, who suffered a near fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, said he was praying for his friend.

Schumacher is the most successful Formula One driver of all time with a record 91 race victories in an extraordinary - and frequently controversial - career spanning more than two decades.

He won his first two titles with Benetton in 1994, the year when Brazilian triple champion Ayrton Senna died in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix, and 1995.

The German then took five in a row with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004 in what now seems a golden age for the Italian team who named a square after him at their Fiorano test track.

Schumacher left the sport last year after a less successful three-year comeback with Mercedes following an earlier retirement from Ferrari at the end of 2006. He lives in Switzerland with his wife and two children.