Language tips for traveling in Malaysia

When traveling around Malaysia, if you stick to the most populated large cities of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru, you could probably get around speaking only in English (or Mandarin/Cantonese if you only approach Chinese locals) . However, should you wish to venture further afield, or gain the good favor of a local, it is always good to know a few familiar phrases in the national language of Bahasa Malayu (also known as Malay and later referred to as BM in this article).

Usually, when in Malaysia, some shopping is definitely in order. Although bargaining is definitely encouraged (never pay sticker price, always ask the salesperson), I would not advise bargaining for large ticket items or even touristy trinkets in Bahasa Melayu since usually those kind of places have English speaking staff who will whip out a calculator and type in various numbers as the bargaining process ensues.

However, it is useful to know a little BM should you find yourself wanting to get items such as gum or bottled water in small shops or towns where people are less likely to speak English.

A typical exchange may be as follows (BM stands for Bahasa Melayu, E stands for English)

Tourist – pointing at item

BM: Berapa?

E: How much?

Storekeeper

BM: Lima Ringgit

E: Five Ringgit

(Ringgit is the national currency of Malaysia, you may sometimes hear and see it termed as RM which stands for Ringgit Malaysia)

Tourist – After buying item

BM: Terima Kasih

E: Thank you

Of course, the price of an item will not always be 5 RM, so below is how you count in BM

1 Satu

2 Dua

3 Tiga

4 Empat

5 Lima

6 Enam

7 Tujuh

8 Lapan

9 Sembilan

10 Sepuluh

11 Se-belas

12 Dua-belas

For numbers in the teens, just say the -belas (ie: 13 is tiga-belas)

I could give you all the numbers up to 100 but I think the numbers above are sufficient, if in doubt, just look questioningly at the store keeper and give him a pen and paper or calculator.

Incidentally, 0 in BM is Kosong. Kosong also means empty or nothing.

Some other phrases you may also find useful are listed below

Tandas – Toilet

Boleh – Can (as in can do) or Yes/No Problem

Tak Boleh (shortened form of Tidak Boleh) – Cannot do or No

Polis – Police

Kiri – Left

Kanan – Right

Minum – Drinks

When sitting down at a local food store often people will come up to you and say minum, they are NOT telling you there is a minimum amount you have to buy, they are asking you what you want to drink. If you want to order a soft drink, then no translation is needed, just mention the brand such as Coke, Pepsi, etc; however if you wish to be more adventurous and order other beverages please see examples of some common drinks below.

Teh – Tea (Local tea sweetened with condensed milk)

Teh Ais – Tea with Ice

Kopi – Coffee (Local coffee sweetened with condensed milk)

Kopi Ais – Coffee with Ice

Milo – Chocolatey drink common in South East Asia and the Carribean

Milo Ais – Milo with Ice

Teh Cina – Chinese Tea

Another few words which are useful when in a restaurant are the following

Makan – Eat

Lagi – More (Point at something and say “Satu Lagi” which will mean I want one more)

Panas – Hot (Waiters/Waitresses may say this to warn you to get out of the way)

Ayam – Chicken

Ikan – Fish

Kambing – Goat or Mutton

Daging Lembu – Beef

Nasi – Rice

Mee – Noodles

Saya Tidak Makan (Ayam/Ikan/Kambing/Daging Lembu) – I don’t eat (Chicken/Fish/Goat/Beef)

Apa Ini? – What is this?

Of course, there is much more to the Malay language than this article, but it should give you a pretty good start to some common phrases which you are likely to use or hear in Malaysia as a tourist.

What to know about traveling in Singapore

There are 5 basics think to know when you traveling to Singapore which is How to get here, Where to stay, Where to eat, How to go around and What to do.

How to Get Here

Singapore is a small country between Malaysia and Indonesia. You can be here by air via Changi Airport, sea via HabourFront terminal, and by road via Woodland checkpoint if you come in from Malaysia.

Where to Stay

There are plenty accommodation across the island, from backpacker room to luxurious hotel, coming soon Singapore will have integrated resort.

Budget room normally located around Bugis, chinatown or Geyland area.

What to Eat

Singapore is one of food paradise in Asia, any type of variety food easily found around the island. Start of the cheapest one, Hawker Center/KopiTiam – one food center with many stall selling different food and drink in non-air condition place, the food sold here can be very authentic with a very cheap price, example chicken rice at $2, one of most famous hawker center is Newton circus near Newton MRT station, Lau Pa Sat between TanjongPagar and Raffles Place MRT station.

Next level is Food-court, similar with hawker centre but food-court normally located in shopping mall, because equip with air-con the food price is slightly more expensive but still affordable. Next level will restaurant, which you can find easily every where depend on your budget.

How to go Around

Singapore transportation is one of the best in the world, you can travel by MRT, bus or taxi. From Changi airport or HabourFront terminal, all already linked by MRT. The MRT route is consist of East-West Line, North-South Line, and North-South line. Almost all of Singapore public bus are with air-con, in each of the bus stop there is a bus route for each of the bus no. Taxi is the most convenience way to travel, taxi fare is quite cheap in also.

What to Do

Singapore is a tropical country, the weather is consider hot all year. People who like nature can visit places like Singapore Botanical garden, Singapore Zoo, Singapore Bird Park. Beach will be in Sentosa island, East Coast and West Coast. Shopping will be Orchard Road, Little India, Bugis, Suntec City, Marina Square.

More detail you can visit www.visitsingapore.com

Using the power of passion to advance

When something gets done with passion, it means that the person does it with the greatest dedication and commitment. It also means that the person gives more than one hundred percent and makes it appear that he/she was/is the benchmark for all others to follow, at any given point in time.

Passion has a great reason to be celebrated in business too. It all takes the will to understand the exact needs of customers, get the chemistry right, and then deliver. When this happens, the organization prospers and the entire society stands up and takes notice.

This can possibly be illustrated with a number of examples from India, where I work and live. We can also draw a number of lessons, and extrapolate such lessons to form a sort of a baseline for all to adopt and advance.

Chennai is India’s fourth largest metropolis. It is often called the Gateway of South India. Some fifteen years ago, there was no single good vegetarian restaurant in this city. This gave birth to one Mr. Rajagopal, who came from a small village from the Southern tip of the Tamil Nadu State (Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu. He understood that if he brought in the best quality raw materials, and the best cooks from his own native place, he can simply make money.

The passion with which he made money in those days, is still discussed. He scouted for specific places where he could get the best quality raw material, and all the South Indian dishes were prepared under close supervision. Since the quality was so good, his small restaurant started bringing him record profits. He opened a few more in different parts of the city, and today, there are more than sixteen of them in Chennai city alone. Not content with being confined to Tamil Nadu, he has gone as far as New Delhi, the capital of India, and hs made history there too. Yes, the food sold in Saravana Bhavan is very costly, but one can always rest assured that he/she would never fall sick at any point in time. The customer service is good, the quality is excellent, and the most important point is the passion with which the entire chain makes money.

Today, Saravana Bhavan has a presence in New York, Canada, Malaysia,Singapore and a few other countries as well. Though there are franchises that run these restaurants,the same quality is maintained in each one of the outlets, and the standard of business excellence has attracted many a B-school graduate to understand the nitty-gritty of understanding what it takes to operate

How to save money when travelling

Frugal traveling takes more than common sense though having that is useful.

When I was eleven when my grandma sent me on my first European tour and she wasn’t rich. What some people who THOUGHT we were rich then didn’t know is that as long as one is below twelve years old, you get fifty percent off the plane rates.

To travel cheap but classy is possible even today though. First, one has to determine ones vacation budget and where one wishes to take a vacation.Planning for a vacation a month or two in advance is prudent. The planning stage is when you are to choose your destination, determine your budget, take vaccine shots (depending on your chosen destination) like anti-rabies, anti-tetanus,anti-TB- plus other shots your doctor may recommend. Taking these shots actually may save you money because most of those who travel to “exotic destinations” pay a higher price when they get sick.

After deciding where you’re going, go online and do a research about that place.I do not personally recommend the “cheap hotel” ads, but I’d go for something like a “The Vacation Home Exchange” particularly if you plan to take your family along. This will cut you ALL your hotel budget and give you the choice of looking at houses/flats you want.If you intend to travel within the USA, it even gets better- because they do ensure that you get into a vacation home that has all the modern facilities you need. And the cost is 39.00 too join it!

If you decide to use the plane, schedule your flight on a Tuesday. For some reason, most airlines drop their rates considerably on Tuesdays. Or you can do what Laura Bauman did and stay online to track the cheapest fares of every airline :

Laura Bauman can testify to that. She went online every hour on the hour on the Spirit Airlines website one Wednesday looking for flights to Orlando, until “about 1:30 p.m., when I noticed they had their fares for $8 each way,” she says. “I punched in the days that they had available for tickets, and I was so excited to see that I was able to get my airfare.” 2008, Detroit Free Press.

Travel light and make sure that you bring clothing fit for the climate of the place. More important, wear the right comfortable shoes because you probably will do a lot of walking, hiking or climbing.If you’re going to Arizona or New Mexico or Orlando during the summer for instance, thin cotton tops and jeans would suffice.If you’re taking a vacation outside the USA, choose “cheap countries”. These are countries like Bangkok, Vietnam, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines where you can probably live on 15 dollars a day.

Use cabs only when you must while on vacation. Public transportation is the cheapest so use the bus, rail lines, subway system, or tram (if you’re in Europe).You cut about 25 percent of your vacation cost by learning to travel using public transportation plus you see more of the environs.

Shop at flea markets, malls and the marketplace. When possible (if you’re on a vacation exchange or home swap) cook you own food. Or eat at a huge meal at a restaurant during lunch and buy your fast food or snacks to get you through the day. If that doesn’t work for you, find a worker and ask them where they eat- workers usually know where the best and cheapest meals are served. If you’re in Europe do not miss the “traveling market” where they sell the best quality food at cheap prices and can be stocked and eaten.

Decide to enjoy your vacation even before you get there. There will always be petty annoyances but keep a positive spirit and make a DECISION to enjoy your vacation. You will.

The beauty of multicultural marriage

Multicultural marriages aren’t really the norm in Malaysia, at least not if you walk around in the streets. Growing up though, I never noticed it, mainly because my family and cousins were mainly products of multicultural marriages. My family designation was “Lain-Lain” with our status being “pra-bumiputra.” In layman’s terms, this meant that we weren’t really part of the trinity of main races in Malaysia: we were neither Malay, Chinese nor Indian. It also meant that we were considered to be part of the people who had been here a long time: “bumiputra” means sons of the soils and the “pra” in our status indicated that we enjoyed some of the privileges of being a bumiputra (but not all).

For a child, the biggest beauty of a multicultural marriage is the many holidays they’ll get to celebrate. My mother was a Hokkien Chinese, while my father was a Portugese Eurasian, so that meant we celebrated Chinese New Year and Christmas. The best part was that we never really had to worry about pleasing both sides of the family during the holidays because each had their own special holidays.

Then there was all the presents: We’d get money during Chinese New Year and presents during Christmas. Shopping for new clothes was easy as the holidays were close to one another, so one shopping spree could take care of a few festivals, which suited me just fine. There was also a wide variety of food to try and enjoy; my family never knew want for lack of food. Unlike other places, we’d never worry about running out of restaurants to try: We could always eat Malay when it was Chinese New Year, Indian food during Hari Raya and Chinese during Deepavali.

The best thing about it though, is that you grow up colour blind. I never really thought about race until I entered college. Before, race was simply something that ensured your placement in classes. I was proud to have friends of many different colours and beliefs. It’s always fun to debate and talk about matters close to the heart with friends who understand, even though they may not be the same race as you.

My best friends are Bangladeshi, Chinese and Indians. My boyfriend, whom I hope to marry, is a Muslim. My cousins are a mix of various races, just as I am. The only differences we have, are religious rather than race. We may worship different Gods, but we believe in the same thing.

Don’t tell my mom though: She thinks everyone should be in a religion.

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Internet Services by maroon-online.com

Maroon-online.com  is a platform that created in Malaysia that used to advertise any kinds of sell and buy concept. Maroon-online.com used an Internet based on the highest population platform in Malaysia at this time. More than ever, critical business applications, such as SAP, PeopleSoft, Siebel, Citrix and custom applications, have taken on a new connotation within the business as IT operations and line-of-business functions become more interwoven.

Service providers offer Internet access or hosted applications. Online retailers sell everything imaginable to the home shopper. Banks and brokerages provide remote account access.Maroon-online.com is the best example that can be used to use it. Manufacturers automatically order inventory from suppliers. Corporate IT departments develop web based applications and provide infrastructure services such as DNS and DHCP. Monitoring these services from the customer or end-user viewpoint, as well as the components behind the scenes, has become critical to business success.

For the example, someone that need to buy something such as hand phone prepaid, or need an emergency for food from some restaurant or some catering services even need to clear up the electrical bill at the last period time, they don’t need to go some specific places where they can used an internet to make an order or make a payment based on the online system or also can directly used Maroon-online.com. Poor availability or performance of these services can dramatically affect your business through lost customers and revenues, damaged brand reputation, shortages of required inventory and supplies, or lost employee productivity. Businesses now expect their service providers and internal IT departments to provide clear service level guarantees on the availability and response time of the services they provide, along with notifications and resolutions of outages and slowdowns. When things go wrong, your application and IT operations staff members need to be able to isolate and solve problems quickly and communicate with impacted customers and end users in a timely manner.  Maroon-online.com is the latest platform that can used for any kind of trade and buy something likes sports stuff,  books,  rent or sale property or event a transport likes a motorbikes or cars.

These are needs met by HP Internet Services (OVIS) software.  It offers end-user emulation of major business-critical applications as well as a single integrated view of the complete Internet infrastructure. It is designed to help your IT staff efficiently predict, isolate, diagnose and troubleshoot problem occurrences, anticipate capacity shortfalls, and manage and report upon service level agreements. One of the reason why Maroon-online.com is to give a benefits and  time saving based on the properties that already created on it.

For more information, you can login to Maroon-online.com where you can find any kind of services that can be used just by using an internet.

SH/BI2/AMOL/0109

Penang – Multicultural And So Diversified!

It has been said that the true character of a place is defined by its people. If that is true, then Penang’s myriad cultural identity must be her most fascinating aspect. Despite the growing pains that accompany modern development, Penang’s multi-ethnic communities have managed to preserve to a remarkable degree their traditional way of life, particularly with respect to the observance of cultural and religious festivities, among other things.

Penangites are among the most hospitable people in the world – there is always an excuse for a smile, time for a welcome, and willingness to lend a helping hand. Enriched by various ethnic communities co-existing in harmony, Penang is blessed with a multi-faceted culture brought about by the integration of the many races which form its population, with each community making its unique contribution.

Penang’s multi-cultural composition ensures a succession of colourful, exciting festivals and celebrations that are unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Considering the number of special events, festivals, celebrations, gods and deities’ birthdays and religious occasions among the three main race groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians) when one big celebration is finished, another is just about to begin.

Penangites are always game for an excuse to celebrate and feast, and there is much enthusiasm, painstaking preparation and merry-making all year round. Thus, Penang sees a kaleidoscope of festivals and celebrations which seems to last the entire year. Possibly nowhere else in the world is there an open-door policy like Malaysia’s for religious festivals. Friends of other faiths, whether they be from across the street or across the world, are welcomed into the homes and cultures of celebrants for a short time as their respective religious event is observed. As these festivals are religious in nature, visitors should always remember to accord them the proper respect, in terms of dressing and behaviour. Despite the distinct ethnic and cultural differences among the various communities, Penangites have developed a sensitivity for, and an understanding of each other. Born of mutual respect for traditions, the high level of culutral and religious tolerance which abounds, never fails to astound visitors. In many ways, the cultural wealth of Penang can be found in the rich festivals of its people.

One of the rare belives of most Penangites is in the Hungry Ghosts festival It is believed that the Hungry Ghosts must be appeased in order to get good fortune and luck in their lives so they set out food and entertain them. An Array of food is offered, puppet shows and street operas are performed on many makeshift altars and stages along the roads in George Town.

Prayers are offered to the dead and offerings of food such as chicken, vegetables, fruits, bean curd, white rice, bowls of noodles, sweetmeats, cakes and other treats are placed at street corners and along roadsides to appease the spirits. You will find food offerings on street corners all over Penang during the Hungry Ghosts Month.

The Chinese leave these offerings to discourage the Ghosts from entering their homes and causing trouble or bringing bad luck.

The characteristics of mangoes

Mango trees mostly grow in a warm climate, such as Southern Asia, Africa and South America. In the United States mango trees are grown in Florida and California. There are more than five hundred different varieties of mangoe trees, some of which grow to be about 90 feet tall. It is an evergreen tree, which means that it does not lose its leaves in the fall. Mango trees are beautiful. It has shiny leaves, with clusters of pink flowers. The tree has a soft, gray wood that is used to build canoes and other light boats. There are mangoes that are oval-shaped and there are those that are also round. The fruit can either be small or large. The skin is thick, with a yellowish red color. The flesh of the mango is yellow in color and very juicy and succulent. It has a large seed. It tastes either sour or sweet and is delicious.

Mangoes are as important a food for the people that live in tropical parts of the world as apples are to those that live in colder climates. Most people eat mangoes while it is fresh. Mangoes can be canned and dried and made into sauces and jellies.

Mangoes are also imported to the United States from Mexico and many parts of South America.

There is a particular kind of mangoe that grows abundantly in the Phillipines. The fruit is small and is generally available in supermarkets, but mostly in Oriental markets. When fully ripe, it is sweet and satisfying. The fruit is much sought after, and generally costs more than the usual varieties of mangoes. Many Indian restaurants include mango juice on their menu. It has a wholesome flavor and is particularly popular among orientals. Mangoes are generally stringy, but the juiciness and succulence of the fruit more than compensates for its messy characteristic.

Pickles and preserves can be made from green, unripe mangoes. Hot or mild pickled mangoes, treated with chillies and special spices can be purchased from Indian stores. It is easily available and particularly popular among Indians and other Oriental people. Although mango trees grow in certain parts of the United States, the fruit is mostly imported from South America and Mexico. When easily available, the cost is reasonable and cheaper when purchased in boxes. It may sometimes be available in all seasons, though the cost may be higher than otherwise.

The fruit is well-regarded in India, China, Malaysia and many other Asian countries and since mango trees abound in such countries, the fruit also serves as a source of delicacy for the people.

Is it your duty to support your elderly parents financially when the need arises?

Chinese tradition states that the children must take care of the elderly parents as it is shameful not to do so, usually it is the sons who must take care, as the daughters marry out of the house, and so are expected to take care of their in laws. While this has been going on for centuries, to this day it still continues in most Asian countries. In this I agree that children should take care of the elderly parents. As a parent myself I have sacrificed and given everything to my children. Even though there is not much money I make sure they get a good education in order to get a good job. In Malaysia without that piece of paper you are doomed to working in low paying jobs. While they were studying they all lived at home and I fed them, cooked for them and cleaned for them. If they needed transport I was there to drive them or lend them the car.

Once they started working they continued to live at home and I continued to do their laundry and iron their clothes even though I had to work to support the younger ones. To this day, my eldest son lives at home and its fine with me, I will not be asking him to leave or kicking him out of the house. He is slowly climbing up the corporate ladder and saving money so that someday he can get married and buy his own house. Many times I go without so that my children do not have to go without. Once my children have children I will be there to take care of them so that they can go to work peacefully and not have to worry about their children as I had to do.

Selfless parents breed selfless children where the question does not arise “Do I have to take care of mom?” or “Who’s going to take care of mom?” For the people you love you make sacrifices, and continue to do so for the rest of your life. When my children need to take care of me all I’ll need is a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in and to be fed and I do not expect my grandchildren to suffer because of it. Things don’t always go the way we want in life stuff happens and I sure do not want to think that I will have to live on the street eating dog food because my children won’t take care of me.

As a good parent the thought of not taking care of the kids or abandoning them does not arise and so it should not arise for the children. We give you life we give you love we care for you and ultimately all we ask for is a little love and understanding in return and to know that when the day comes that we cannot take care of our selves, that you will be there as we have always been there for you. Now that I am not working my children do give me money to help out as I have done for them in the past.

The importance of money

Money is important but it is not the most important thing in the world.

Money is an asset which can be used to access better living, better education and more power. Everyone needs some money, but not a lot, to survive. A lot of what we want isn’t necessary. I could live on half my salary if I had to, but I don’t have to.

I work because I need money. I need money to:

1. pay my rent

2. buy food

3. pay for my car

4. buy petrol

5. buy insurance

I like having money because I want to:

1. go to a nice restaurant for dinner

2. buy a book

3. see a play

4. go to the Christina Aguilera concert in July

5. return to Malaysia every year

Money is very important to me.

Having said that, money isn’t everything to me. There are things I wouldn’t do for money. I wouldn’t sell my soul. The most important thing for me is my family. I would not trade them for the world. On my deathbed, I would want my family to be there, not dollar bills and coins. I would remember shared occasions and time spent with them, not the bags, shoes, perfumes or books that my money bought.

So yes money is important, but family and relationships are the most important things of all.

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