Tudor Gold Chocolate from Malaysia

Christmas season is a time for shopping and it is also a good time to buy chocolate as it is always on promotion and on sale. I can see that there are many brands of chocolate in the market nowadays - so the chocolate candy market must be quite competitive. I remember the time when I was just a kid, the popular brands of chocolate was Van Houten, Mars, Kit Kat, Cadbury and some other unknown brands. Nowadays you have well known brands like Hersey, Toblerone, Delafee, Godiva, Ferrero Rocher, etc which are virtually unheard when I was a young kid.

There is one brand of chocolate that is made in Malaysia - Tudor Gold Chocolate which I think is quite good. If you are not willing to spend too much money, nor willing to pay a high price of a premium Swiss chocolate, then try this Tudor Gold Chocolate. I was surprised that it has a very smooth chocolate taste, the almonds were very crunchy and fresh. More importantly it only cost less than US$3 ( sale price ) for one pack. The weight of one pack is 180gm.

The Tudor Gold chocolate is a delicious chocolate snack and is very affordable in price.  I understand that chocolate can help in lowering cholesterol levels and it is good for the heart too. But try not to eat too much of it as it is perceived as a heaty food and relatively high sugar content.

Christmas Shopping 2011 in Singapore

Christmas is just around the corner and many people are busy doing their shopping for this festive season. Even for people who are non christian, they are also in the mood of shopping for the coming New Year 2012. December is also the time where many employees are getting their year end bonuses. So with more cash on hand - it is a time to buy the things that we want and pamper ourselves.

Beautiful Christmas Decoration in Shopping Mall

I prefer to do my year end shopping in Singapore rather than in Johor Bahru. In Singapore,there are definitely more variety of merchandise available and with better price discounts. Besides, the spirit of Christmas is better felt in Singapore; especially in Orchard Road where the Christmas lights-up are really beautiful. I would buy clothes, electronic stuff and chocolates during this time.

Ferrero Rocher Christmas Tree

Let me share with you some photos that I have taken along Orchard Road while doing my shopping over there. Happy Shopping....

Figurine of Santa 

Elephant is the Christmas Theme for Christmas in Singapore 2011

Colorful Elephant on Display in Orchard Road Singapore

Another Colorful Elephant

Beautiful Light Up Paragon Shopping Mall in Orchard Road

Tall Blue Christmas Tree inside a Mall

Beautiful Lights Up in Orchard Road Mall

Saito Fish Balls with Bean Sprouts

Recently tried out this Saito fish balls with Bean sprouts in a restaurant in Malaysia. Back in the old days, most fish balls are made from Saito fish - 西刀魚 ( Ikan Parang); and these fish balls are not the perfect round and shining fishballs that you buy from the supermarket - but the fish balls back then were crunchy and delicious. You can actually taste generous portion of fish that were used to make the fish balls.

There are still food stalls/outlets in Malaysia selling Saito fish balls. Some are good and many are just average in taste. Anyway I always make a point to try them out if I see a hawker or restaurant selling Saito Fish balls soup. There is no harming eating more fish than chicken meat; as it is healthier for us.

I liked to eat Saito fish balls with bean sprouts or green vegetables. The fish balls soup should be clear and not oily. If you are wondering where you can eat the Saito fishballs with bean sprouts as shown in this blog; just click the link below to my blog -

Saito Fish Balls Soup with Bean Sprouts

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Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru

I have tried a few Bak Kut teh food outlets in Johor Bahru and most of them served the herbal type of Bak Kut teh. For those who does not know what is Bak kut teh, it is pork rib soup that is normally served with rice and youtiao ( fried dough). My preference of pork rib soup is the spicy type and it is hard to find this version in Johor Bahru. The photos shown here is the Johor Bahru's herbal version of Bak Kut teh that I have tried in one of the so called famous outlet - which is very crowded with people. But my personal view is that is it not that great - just average in quality and taste.

I felt that the herbal version of Bak Kut Teh served in Johor Bahru is rather sweet ( did they add too much sugar? ) as compared to the those that I have eaten in Singapore. The portion of pork ribs served was sufficient for someone liked me who don't fancy eating too much meat. But if you enjoy eating pork ribs, then you need to order the large size version. There were some mushrooms added in the Bak kut teh soup - most of the time it is the button mushrooms that you can buy from the supermarkets.

The cost of eating Bak Kut teh in Johor Bahru is around RM$25 for serving of two persons. It would consists of one medium size Bak Kut teh or pork rib soup, 2 small bowl of rice, a bowl of youtiao or fried dough and 2 cans of coke drinks. It is definitely cheaper eating Bak kut teh in Johor Bahru as compared to eating it in Singapore. But I prefer the Singapore version of Bak kut teh - it definitely taste nicer and more delicious; and of course you have to pay more to enjoy it.

Events and Update at KSL City Mall

I went to KSL City mall again recently on a Saturday afternoon. I noticed that the mall was now more crowded as compared to my previous visits. At that time there was a promotion going on at the atrium. I felt the bus service from Johor Bahru CIQ to KSL City Mall should be more frequent - 15 minutes interval, instead of half an hour interval on Saturday, weekends and public holidays. Anyway, here are a couple of photos which I took when I was there.

This is the Adonis promotion that was held at the atrium on a Saturday afternoon. I saw that the promotion had attracted only a small crowd. Perhaps the organizer should publicized this event more aggressively in Johor Bahru and Singapore. One way of doing it is to give small token gifts to public coming to this event. There are lots of beauty salons in KSL City mall and Adonis is one of them. For ladies who intend to go for facial, body or slimming treatments, it is definitely cheaper here.

Also at the atrium, there is a small promotion held for selling cars. Cars in Malaysia are relatively cheap as compared to Singapore. That is the reason why many households in Malaysia owned cars. If I am staying in Malaysia, I would definitely want to buy a Jeep. After all, the road tax, petrol, maintenance and the cost of buying a Jeep is cheaper than in Singapore.

There is a shop that sells lots of toys relating to Japanese cartoon characters. Japanese cartoons are popular nowadays among the young and teens. This shop sells all kinds of toys, from figurines to plush, etc. If you are wondering where is the shop located. Let me just give you a hint. Look out for this large size figurine display outside the shop - you cannot missed it.

 

Getting Paid for Online Surveys.

I think many of us have come across online surveys while surfing the internet. Some of these survey companies promise you big bucks when you joined them for a fee. There are legitimate companies that offer genuine surveys and pay you for your time in completing the surveys. However, there are also too many scam companies and websites out there; so you do have to alert, otherwise it would just a sheer waste of time and money.

I have participated with some legitimate online survey companies and I do get paid for it. Please note that you cannot depend on doing online surveys to feed your family or even yourself. The money is not much and sometimes they give lucky draws instead of cash. But if you have time to spare and see it as a recreational activity, then you would find it enjoyable.

If you are interested in knowing which online survey companies which I have joined, just follow the link to my blog below:-

Getting Paid for Online Surveys

KFC Malaysia on Successful Crisis Management

My friend shared a video to me about a staff in KFC Malaysia tampering with the food that he was preparing it in the kitchen restaurant. I think this employee was having fun by lifting the chicken with his foot. Of course anyone who view this video would be disgusted with this act and may stopped patronizing KFC in Malaysia. After all, there are many restaurants in Malaysia serving fried chickens. If you have not watch the video, here is the video from Youtube.

KFC Malaysia immediately took action to mitigate the damage to its reputation by conducting its own internal investigation, filing a police report, using Youtube video and Facebook to explain and engage its customers and the public on the actions that KFC Malaysia took to address this problem; and steps taken to prevent such incidents from happening again. The KFC Malaysia video is below:-

KFC Malaysia had demonstrated successfully its ability to handle this crisis in a professional manner; and more importantly took positive steps to regain customers' confidence in their restaurants and brand. I think this case should be included as a case study in the curriculum of those studying business course either in polytechnics or university.

Personally, I will continue to patronize KFC restaurants in Malaysia. By the way, many of my friends and myself included love the KFC chicken rice. The chicken rice is really delicious, even better than some of the so called famous chicken rice stalls in Malaysia. I have also written a blog previously comparing KFC Malaysia and KFC Singapore - which is better in terms of food and ambiance?  If you want to find out, just follow the link below -


Comparing KFC Malaysia and KFC Singapore


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My View on Portable Air conditioner for Homes

My friend called me up last evening. He told me that he was contemplating on buying a portable air conditioner unit for his small room in his home. This room is mainly for guests who dropped by and stay for one or two days in his home. He was asking for my opinion on this issue, as I have bought a portable air condition unit before.

Indeed I had bought a portable air conditioner unit also for the purpose of cooling a small room in my home.After using it for a few days, I exchanged it for a casement air conditioner unit. If you liked to read my review on the portable air conditioner unit, just follow the link below -


My Review on Portable Air Conditioner


And then if you liked to know why I am happy with the casement air conditioner unit which was recently installed in my small room, my review on the casement air conditioner is just below, just follow the link -


Happy with the Performance of Casement Air conditioner


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Getting the Best Home Insurance Policy

Our home is one of our most expensive asset that we owned in our lifetime, perhaps that is the reason why many of us are proud of our homes. We invest heavily in making our home beautiful, comfortable and secured. In order to secure our homes against perils such as fire, flood, theft, malicious acts, earthquake, etc, it is important for us to buy a home insurance policy.

So what makes a good home insurance policy? Is the criteria based on the strength of the insurance company, the amount of premium that we pay, or the type of coverage included in the policy? I have written a blog on what I see are important factors that will determine the best home insurance policy for my home. If you are keen to read, just follow the link below:-


Getting the Best Home Insurance Policy


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The Loaf - Advice from Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on Starting and Running a Business

I read the news on the advice given by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia to participants of a SME seminar held in Kuala Lumpur. Dr. Mahathir is the owner of The Loaf - which is a gourment bakery and pastry restaurant with 5 outlets in Malaysia. I will normally visit The Loaf whenever I am in Kuala Lumpur to buy some buns and pastries.There is one pastry that I enjoy eating and that is called The Moon. This bun is covered with almond and with crust of orange peel in it - very special taste. In my view the bread and pastry are expensive as compared to other bakery stores in Kuala Lumpur. But The Loaf produces good quality buns and pastry - this is one of their strength.

Dr. Mahathir had given some very good advice to the particpants of the SME; and they are as follows:-

1) don't assume that you know about business - there are many things that you may not be aware of on the business that you intend to set up or run.

2) when you start your business, it is better to start small.

3) expect to inject more capital into your business that what you thought it required. An example he gave was a business that initially requires RM1 million capital may quickly snowballed into RM3 million.

4) he will consider franchising his business only when it is profitable.

5) he does not like to borrow money from the bank for his business.

I think these are very sound advice for those entrepreneurs who intend to start a business. Maybe Dr. Mahathir could write a book on his experience in the setting up and running of The Loaf. If he does, then I would definitely want to buy his book with his signature (autograph) on it if possible.


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Money Changers in Johor Bahru

I noticed that the money changers in Johor Bahru and even in Kuala Lumpur have common rates unlike in other countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. For example when I visited Johor Bahru yesterday, the currency rate for Ringgit to Singapore dollars was quoted at RM241 to $100 Singapore dollars. All  the money changers there would followed the same rate. Whereas in Singapore, I would normally go to the Arcade Building in Raffles Place to change my money. Over there you will see different rates quoted by different money changers.

 

It is better to change your Singapore dollars into Ringgit in Singapore before visiting Malaysia. In Johor Bahru yesterday, the rate of exchange was RM241 to S$100. In Singapore the rate of exchange is RM243/4 to S$100.  So I would get more value for my Singapore dollars when I changed it in Singapore. I just wonder why is it that the money changers in Malaysia are unable to offer attractive rates of exchange unlike in Singapore? Is is because they conspired to squeeze higher profit margins from travelers especially those from Singapore?

Many of my friends had already advised me to change my money in Singapore than in Malaysia - you get more Ringgit for your money here. I will follow their good advice.

Tesco at KSL City Mall in Johor Bahru

I went to KSL City mall today and took the opportunity to see the new Tesco store over there. Frankly I am slightly disappointed with this Tesco store at KSL City Mall. The supermarket is relatively small in size and the range of merchandise were rather limited. The store simply looked liked many of the ordinary supermarkets that I have visited in Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur.

 

When the size of the store is limited, I felt that Tesco should try to be more specialized on its product mixed and focus on a niche market. I saw a small electrical section, a small clothing section, a small bread counter, etc. Why not simply focus its business in KSL City mall on food - be it fresh meat and seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits, dry food, canned food, a quality bakery counter, etc. Another section that should be expanded should be on non food items such as toiletries, detergents, tissue/toilet rolls, and other household essential items.

Anyway, I liked the vegetables that are sold there. There are many variety of local vegetables that seems to be very fresh; and certain types of vegetables are not even available at Cold Storage in Malaysia. I liked the Tesco house brand items, because the prices are very reasonable.

For more information on shopping at KSL City mall; and my reviews of hotels surrounding this mall, please visit my website by clicking the link below -

ImageSingapore.com

Seba Med Liquid Face & Body Wash sold in Johor Bahru

My friend told me that she just bought Seba Med Liquid Face & Body Wash in a pharmacy in Johor Bahru. She told me that the price is lower than which she could have paid in Singapore. She said that it is because there is a twin pack offer promotion of this product in Johor Bahru. Personally I do not use this product but I know it is quite popular among ladies.

I took a look at the box packaging of Seba Med Liquid Face & Body Wash and it is made in Germany. It states that it is formulated for people with sensitive and problematic skins; contains vitamins and protects the skin from dehyderation. No wonder so many ladies are buying this product. Anyway if this product is a value buy during promotion at Johor Bahru, just pick one up if you are using it.

Almond Powder Beverage in Malaysia

I bought a tin of almond powder beverage from a shop in Johor Bahru. The name of this beverage is called BKC Almond Powder. It is suitable for those who are vegetarians. Almonds are known to be good for lowering cholesterol and reduce heart attacks. It contains lots of nutrients that such as calcium and magnesium which are required for strong bones.

This BKC Almond Powder does contained added sugar and non diary creamer. I have also bought Almond powder that contains 100% pure almond. The reason why I buy BKC Almond powder is because it is easy to prepare and serve to my friends when they are in my home. All you need to do is to scoop up 3 or 4 spoonful of almond powder from the tin, add hot water and it is ready to drink. Another reason is that not every one can accustomed to drinking 100% pure almond drink - because the smell of almond is really strong.

The taste of BKC Almond powder is nice. The smell and taste of almond is there when you drink it but it is not strong - so it is suitable for most people. By the way, one of my friend told me that she drinks almond beverage every day when she is down with flu. According to her, the Chinese physician told her that almond drink helps to reduce phlegm and cough. Anyway, it is a nutritious beverage to me, so I normally drink it daily.

Closure of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

Some people told me that they wouldl missed the Tanjong Pagar Railway station after its closure this month. I have been to this railway station a few times now and I felt that this railway station has not keep up with the time at all. Everything in the Tanjong Pagar Railway station is so old and worn out. Even the seats at the common hall is totally worn out. So how can KTM Malaysia continue to serve travelers and its customers in such pathetic environment. So I would not missed this railway station if I going to take a train to Malaysia.

 My friends told me that some of the food sold there are delicious. During lunch time, the railway food station and the adjacent canteen are always packed with people. Yes, I agree that there are some very nice food there; but the canteen environment there is cramped, hot and stuffy during lunch hour. Hopefully the existing food stalls wouldl also moved to the new railway station complex at Woodlands.

I have written a blog, video and photos of the Tanjong Pagar Railway station in my other blog, just follow the link below:-

Tanjong Pagar Railway Station


For those who are keen to view more photos of this railway station, just go to my main website and visit the photo gallery -

ImageSingapore.com

Clean Care Toilet Pro Cleaner

Just bought and test out a Toilet bowl cleaner from New Life Malaysia. The name of this cleaner is Clean Care Toilet Pro Cleaner. Stated on the label of the product that it is biodegrable and contained no harmful chemicals or petroleum distillates. It is anti bacterial and have a pleasant fragrance smell.

I poured it on the toilet bowl, the liquid is white in color unlike most other toilet bowl cleaner where the liquid is blue or green. I still prefer the blue or green color liquid because at least I know how much liquid cleaner I have squeeze on the toilet bowl. The smell is not that pleasant but not awfully strong like Clorox. After pouring the liquid on the inside of the toilet bowl, I leave it to work for about 1 hour. I did not use the toilet brush to scrub the toilet bowl in order to see how effective is Clean Care Toilet Pro cleaner.

My view is that it did clean the toilet bowl reasonably well without scrubbing. However if I compare it with the Clorox brand toilet bowl cleaner, the Clean Care Toilet Pro Cleaner lose out in terms of strength and effectiveness on cleaning.

The Clorox brand really cleans the toilet bowl very well without brushing. However the smell of this liquid cleaner is much stronger. I even used Clorox on the floor trap of the bathroom. It keeps the floor trap clean and get rid of those small little flies as well.

Kluang Rail Coffee in Johor Bahru

There is a nice place to sit back, relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with crispy toasted butter bread. The small cafe is called the Kluang Rail Coffee in Kotaraya mall in Johor Bahru. This is really one of my favorite place to enjoy tea and butter toast bread. If you are planning to go there on a weekend, be prepared to wait for a empty table; because most of the time it is very crowded.

I normally visit Kluang Rail Coffee store on weekdays so that I can find a nice place to sit, do nothing and just enjoy my cup of tea. I seldom drink coffee, so I am not able to assess the quality of the coffee sold at this place. But I can tell you that the tea is nice and the butter toast bread is super. Also there are many coffee drinkers there enjoying their fresh brewed coffee.  This place also sell other food such as rice and noodles. If I can remember correctly it also sell peanut butter toast bread - I have not try it yet.

Kotaraya mall is about 15 minutes walk away from the Johor Bahru Immigration and Customs checkpoint. The Kluang Rail Coffee is located at the annex of the Kotaraya Mall. If you are not sure, just ask the security guard or anyone in the building for assistance. I do not liked going to those branded coffee outlets commonly found in the malls, these coffee joints simply cannot made delicious and crispy butter or kaya toast bread.

I do hope that the Kluang Rail Coffee could expand this current outlet. There is too little tables and seats available. If you want to try other food, there are also a few food outlets in this mall and the Puteri Pacific Hotel is just nearby, if you are keen in having buffet lunch.

Kids Safety on Escalators

Recently it was reported in the news that a 2 year old boy lost 4 of his fingers when he felled off an escalator at a shopping mall in Tanjong Agas at Ledang, Johor Bahru. The boy was on the descending escalator and he lost his balance, felled on the steps and got his fingers caught between the steps of the escalators which crushed his fingers.

Parents of young kids should always hold the hands of their kids when taking an escalators. Most parents forget or are ignorant that escalators are machines, it is just liked a conveyor belts to get people moving. I have seen parents letting their kids play with escalators all the time in the malls. They let their kids run, sit, jump and race down an ascending escalators. I have also seen young parents holding their prams while taking an escalators. If you are holding a pram or a kid in your arms, it would be advisable to take the lift instead.
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Here are some safety tips to take note when riding on an escalator -

1) never ride barefoot. When wearing shoes, make sure that the shoe laces are firmly tied on your shoes and not loose.

2) don't ride with prams, walkers, shopping carts and wheel chairs.

3) always hold your kid's hand firmly. Kids at young age have not fully developed their motor and development skills. They can lose their balance easily and fall.

4) don't put your handbag, article and any objects on the handrail of the escalators. I have actually seen some parents putting their kids on the handrail for a couple of seconds - letting them sit on the handrails. These are idiotic parents.

5) don't allow your kids to loiter around the escalators. Move away from the escalator quickly after you have step off because there may be people behind you.

6) keep your feet away from the sides of the escalator steps. This is where your shoelaces, pants bottom or any object may be trapped and entangled.

7) If you are carrying shopping bags and handling a child at the same time, don't use the escalator, just take the lift.

8) if the escalator is faulty, don't use it - take the stairs or lift.

Parents must understand that it is their sole responsibility to ensure that their kids ride the escalator safely. It is useless to start blaming others when their kids are injured because of their carelessness or "could not be bothered" attitude.

Keep Slim By Walking

I have found a simple and very effective way of reducing my weight and staying slim. All I did was to walk about 4 km everyday. Sometimes I do my walking in the Park and at times it is on treadmill. I have put on considerable amount of weight for the past few months due to bad eating habits.

My immediate task is to reduce weight and remove the tummy fat on my body. I have started brisk walking for about one month now and found that it is very effective, no stress at all and I have gain stamina too.

I have written my methods of keeping slim by walking in my other website; and if you can interested to read it, just follow the link below:-


Loss Weight By Walking


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Shopping for Window Curtains in Johor Bahru

My friend told me that she will be going to Johor Bahru to shop for window curtains for her new home. I told her that there are plenty of shops selling curtains in Singapore. Why bother to go to Johor Bahru especially when long traffic jams is a norm during weekends. Anyway she said that she will be going on a weekday and there are more fabrics and design to choose over there. Besides, the price of window curtains will be cheaper in Johor Bahru than in Singapore. So buying curtains for her whole house would means a considerable amount of savings.

I am not someone who is interested in window curtains. Occasionally I do browse at curtains when I happened to see a shop selling curtains in Johor Bahru. I think the reason why you can see more designs and fabrics of curtains in Johor Bahru, is that the shops over there are much bigger than in Singapore. Rental of shops in Johor Bahru is definitely cheaper than in Singapore. So a bigger retail floor space means that you can maximize the display of all your products.

Many of these window curtain shops will display the selling prices on the products itself. This is what I liked. I don't see the need of a sales staff following me around the shop just to quote the prices of curtains or any other products. In the photos which I took, there are so many designs of curtains to choose.  So now I know why people buy curtains from Johor Bahru.

Fitness Club & Gym in Malaysia

Some of my friends have asked me to join them in the Fitness club or Gym that they are currently members. I have been doing daily exercise on my own. Basically it is just a brisk walk around a Park for about 4 km every day. This walking exercise has help me to stay trim and healthy. I liked walking in the Park as it is very therapeutic and I get to see lots of trees and water ( reservoir) as well.
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I have been to a couple of Gym and Fitness center when I stayed in various hotels in Malaysia. I wouldn't want to join a Fitness club which is surrounded by walls. I do not liked to exercise on a equipment facing a wall - very boring. One of the best Gym that I have been to is in Kuala Lumpur. When I exercise on a treadmill, I could have a clear view of Kuala Lumpur city itself. All the walls are made of glass and the Gym is located at the highest floor of this hotel.

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I am not a exercise fanatic. Whenever I am in a Gym, I would leave the place in 1 hour and then proceed to the swimming pool. So I guess I won't be joining my friends in their fitness club as many of the equipments are facing the walls.

Floor Cleaner From Malaysia

Just bought a floor cleaner from Malaysia a few days ago. The name of the floor cleaner is Floor Pro from New Life company. Looking at the green sticker on the bottle, it states that it is biodegradable and contains no harmful chemicals. Also it is anti-bacterial and does not contain petroleum.

This Floor Pro floor cleaner is suitable for nearly all types of tiles such as marble, granite, ceramics and even parquet. I have tried it on my floor; and there is no sticky feeling when the floor is dry after mopping it. It is also stated that this floor cleaner contains lemon grass and tea tree oil which repels insects such as cockroaches, mosquitoes and ants. No sure whether this is true or not but it does have a natural herbal smell.

I think you can also buy it in Singapore, as there is a Singapore office information printed on the bottle. Overall my opinion is that the Floor Pro floor cleaner performs well as far as general cleaning of the floor is concerned.

Groundnuts from Malaysia

My friend has given me a packet of groundnuts that is made in Malaysia. She told me that this packet of groundnuts came from Sungei Siput in Perak and it is a well known brand over there. Normally during Chinese New Year, her family members will buy about 30 packets of this groundnuts to serve their guests.

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I looked at the packet and the brand is Mee Hiong Yuen and there is a picture of an old fisherman carrying a fishing rod and basket. The packaging itself looks rather old fashioned and boring. Anyway, I opened up the packet of groundnuts and eat them. The groundnuts tasted delicious and it was not too salty. The groundnuts are quite small in size but it has a great taste and very crispy too.
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The Mee Hiong Yuen brand of groundnuts are not selling in Singapore. Even in the local supermarkets in Malaysia, it is rarely found. That is why my friend will always buy them whenever she goes back to her home in Perak.

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Obedient Wives Club Not Welcome in Johor Bahru

The Johor Bahru's Women, Family, Health and Community Development Committee Chairman Dr Robia Kosai have slammed the Obedient Wives Club ( OWC ) calling it an insult to women and family institution. The OWC Vice President Dr. Rohaya Mohamed said that "Women must served their husbands like first class prostitutes." This is prevent their husbands from engaging in extra marital affairs and engaging in commercial sex. The OWC is also proposing sex lessons for women - I guess it is to teach women to become better or first class prostitutes.

I find the OWC and its agenda very amusing indeed. So husbands strayed because their wives are not first class prostitutes. When women strayed and engaged in extra marital affairs, does it mean that their husbands are not first class gigolo or stud? If it is really that simple, then there is no need for marriage counselling; because the reason is mainly sex or the lack of it. Everyone of us who are married just have to be a first class prostitute or gigolo and their marriage will be fine.

I adopt a neutral stand on OWC and its agenda. If this club becomes more popular with Muslim women in Malaysia, so be it. Each of us have different views towards marriage, the roles of spouses and sex. For women in Malaysia who are strongly against the views of the OWC, I suggest that they form their own Clubs; set out its own agenda and start attracting women to their clubs.
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Delay at Johor Bahru Customs and Immigration

I saw on the news that many people are complaining on the delays and long waiting time for their passports to be stamped at the Johor Bahru Customs and Immigration ( CIQ ). This is due to the new Biometric Fingerprint System that the government has implemented. Yes the delays are unavoidable due to the weekend crowd and the time needed to get the fingerprints to be scanned.

On the last weekend which I was there, the queue at the Johor Bahru's CIQ was long at all the counters. I waited for about 1.5 hours before it was my turn to get my passport stamped. The Immigration Officer stamped my passport and pasted a sticker on it and that was it. Subsequently I went to Malaysia again on a Wednesday late morning, the time it took to clear the immigration was about 30 minutes. There is no need to scan your fingerprints again once you have done it previously.

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I read in the newspapers and forums that people are complaining and swearing that they wouldl not want to step into Malaysia again due to this long queue and waiting time. I say, please be patient. Like any new system that are implemented, there will be a learning process, an adjustment and trouble shooting period needed for the system to work properly. In my view, Singapore should adopt this system as well; so that no foreigners who are barred from entering the country can come in again using a different name and passport. It is a good security system to safeguard the country against criminals and undesirable people from entering by fraudulent ways.

If you hate the long queue at the CIQ, go to Malaysia on a weekday as the queue is definitely shorter. If you still want to go there on a weekend or a public holiday, the best option is to reach the CIQ in the early morning before 7 am. Even if there is a long queue, you have already made adjustment for the time needed to clear the immigration.

Not Buying Food From China

For the past one year, I have been systematically not buying food products that are made in China. This is because China safety food record has really gone down so badly that whenever I see food coming from China, I have this uneasy feeling that I am eating poison or toxic. It is so common to read the news about poisonous food made in China. Recently, there was a case of thousands of water melons exploding in the China's farm; as too much chemicals were added to it to made it grow faster and bigger. Can you imagine if you have consumed such water melons? If the water melon can explode, it sure can do lots of damage to your stomach and body if you eat such chemical tainted water melons.

Other examples of poisonous food from China are 1) the famous poisonous infant milk and diary milk where thousands of children became ill after drinking it. 2) instant noodles containing high level of chemicals 3) farm eggs that are fake  4) fruits containing harmful pesticide 5) pet dog food that actually kills your dog. 5) non food product - toys that contains so much lead that it makes your children sick.

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So whenever I go to the supermarket, I will avoid buying any food products from China - such as apples, oranges, fruits, vegetables, mushroom, meat, beverages, biscuits, candies and so on . Some of my friends says that my action may be too extreme. But I tell them that there are so many variety of food products that you can choose even if you don't buy China's food products. My health is paramount and I will avoid any products from China as far as it is possible.

Does it mean that I will avoid eating food from China indefinitely? Of course not. The responsibility falls entirely on China to ensure the safety of the food that it produce. Recently it was reported in the state-run Xinhua news agency that the government may imposed death penalty for these criminals who produce/make poisonous food; in cases where people die from food safety violations. There will also be harsher punishment for government officials found protecting food safety violators or accepting bribes from them. That is the way to go. Criminals that produce poisonous food should be shot - let there be no mercy. Otherwise they will be continue with the act of producing more poisonous food that kills thousand of people or making them sick.

Cheaper Shopping in Johor Bahru

Many of my friends think that prices of products is generally cheaper in Johor Bahru than in Singapore. Well, it is true to a certain extent but it depends on what products you are buying. For example, I wouldn't want to buy branded sports shoes in Johor Bahru; as you can also get it at the same price or even lower in Singapore. And the styles of shoes are more updated in Singapore. In fact during the Great Singapore Sale, many items such as clothes, digital products, shoes, watches, jewellery and even food items are a great buy in Singapore.

Some of my friends will go to Johor Bahru to buy daily necessities such as cooking oil, sugar, milk, detergent, toiletries, food products etc. I think these products are generally cheaper in Johor Bahru. I know that prices of medicine is cheaper in Johor Bahru; and you don't even need a doctor prescription for many medicines sold at the Pharmacies over there. That is why Singaporeans especially the old folks who need to take daily medicine to control their ailments such as cholesterol or blood pressure will buy medicine in Johor Bahru.

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Take for example the commonly used Eye drop from Eye Mo. The retail price for this product in Singapore is about S$5/- onwards. In Johor Bahru the retail price for this item is approx. RM7. If you convert it to Singapore dollars, this item is sold for $3/- only. There is a saving of $2 if you buy this item in Johor Bahru.

So be a smart shopper by listing down the brand, item, price and the packaging size of the products that you what to buy in Johor Bahru. Do a comparison while you are in Johor Bahru and determined the savings. If the savings is nominal, then just buy it in Singapore. Anyway, Johor Bahru is a great place to eat delicious food at much lower cost than in Singapore; so enjoy the food while you are there.