Injustice! Is this how we treat humans?

When I started this blog, I thought this was a good avenue to chronicle my "journey" through life, a place where I write my memories, thoughts, and feelings. Of course, I can write all the happy memories which I acquire, such as my travels, the food that I eat, places that I go,etc...........But I realize that is not the reason I started writing, I wanted to share my thoughts, sentiments, feelings, be it good or bad with people because they are all under the term "memories" right?

The reason I am writing this post today is the fact that I read in the Star(Malaysian English newspaper) about how the foreign workers employed to build the new Istana Negara was treated. These foreign workes employed from other countries,i.e., Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc. are literally treated(or what I called tortured) like SLAVES. I was astonished that we as a developing country, working towards the status of a "first world country" is sometimes so backward in our thinking when protecting human rights. Many of these workers do not get paid for months which leaves them NO MONEY TO EAT!!!!!! They work seven days a week, and I am sure more than 8 hours a day, and they can barely eat one meal a day, and some even have babies to feed. I just wonder sometimes......Who are these inhumane 130 SUB-CONTRACTORS?????? Do they have no heart, compassion or even the decency to rationalize that these workers are also humans?? They have rights too, just like everyone of us................

The sad part of this true story/report is that our country has no proper laws/unions to protect the rights of these workers! To tell you the truth, I was surprise when I was in the U.S., that almost every profession has a union, from doctors to a hotel concierge, they have someone to voice out their woes for them. Quoting this from the Star " The Star, responding to an SOS call, visited the site in Jalan Duta and found workers living in frustration and fear as many do not have work permits or cannot afford to renew their permits which have expired". Can you imagine working hard in a foreign country because you have to make money to send back to their families, and yet feeling afraid at the same time, and frustrated because they cannot voice out the injustice dealt on them????? It's like putting a mice in a box without food, water, or a way out.

The story gets even better, the policemen actually raid these makeshift houses(with poor living conditions), and confiscate what little they have...cellphones, cigarrettes, and even canned drinks? Shouldn't the policemen go and raid these 130 subcontractors instead? And throw them in jail for treating other humans like that???? I've thought long and hard before I actually wrote this post, but I realized that if these foreign workers do not have a voice..the least i can do as a FELLOW HUMAN BEING is to voice my frustrations on how they are treated! I regretted previously how I read in the Star about a year ago on how maids are treated in Malaysia, them being abused by their employers,etc. and did not write about it. Untill now, I cringe when I see people bringing their maids out to restaurants and eating by themselves and NOT GIVING FOOD TO THEIR MAIDS! How can they do that???? If you don't intend to have dinner with your maid, then don't bring them out, why bring them out and torture them by letting them look at you eat your "GOOD" food?? To me, that is pure insensitive and selfish! Untill these people's mentality changes, can Malaysia, as a country progress towards being a first world nation.

If I have my way, I wish I can find these 130 sub-contractors and give them a taste of their own medicine, so they would know how torturing it feels, not getting paid, living in fear, working endless hours, and starving! But, I can't do that as I am just one person. All I can do is write this and hope to create awareness by spreading the message across to other people, and hope that other employers will not do this, and also ultimately, the sub-contractors involved in this project can read this...........

If you agree with me, please leave a comment, post this link on your facebook/msn, and help spread the word on the injustice that is happening in Jalan Duta, Malaysia.

The link to the original article is: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/27/nation/6557795&sec=nation

Thanks!!!
Meiz

Taste of Bangkok-Day 1(High drama!)

Before I begin explaining the details of my ever exciting journey to the "Land of smiles", I have to put forth that "There is no protest going on in Thailand", especially when I was there! And....I seriously did not see anyone holding signs or anything like that, I think it is all the media hype! So...if you want to go, just go!!!! It was fun as ever:)

The first day was of our trip was a highly strung one already, many memorable and "funny" infused moments which could last us days and days ensued......And the journey begins...

The early birds....(no, I am serious, that was 6am in the morning btw!!!)

Of course, breakfast before we head out! Er.....and almost missed our flight!Can you believe we were still walking slowly, taking pictures, when they were announcing the final call??!!??

Our VIP van...it's like a party van! Full stereo system, a karaoke set, flatscreen tv..the works!

You can see...they are enjoying themselves already:)

Our hotel(Somerset residence) was definitely a sight to behold for art lovers. When we walked in, all of us were wondering why there were so many art pieces plastered all around the walls of the hotel.....and guess what???!!?? The hotel itself is an art gallery, so everything on the walls are for sale which was really amazing! I was sooo tempted to buy a few pieces......

Look at the cocoon chandelier..I am sure that is for sale too!

Matches my outfit

Kendra replicating the artwork??

Before we head out for a day of SHOPPING!(that was what we did for four whole days!)

The Garden outside, a masterpiece too

Drama started happening at Platinum mall......Look at these two girls carefully....May and I had to page them like two small girls to report themselves at the information counter...because me being the "worry wart" was so anxious that they were lost because both of them did not have cell phones on them(and they both thought one another did btw).  It was a rather hillarious moment when the page went out "Jenvinne Ong and Kendra Hanagami from Malaysia, please come to the information counter immediately". All the guys who were separated from us called both May  and I immediately...asking us whether WE got lost...Uh-uh...it was these two gals!kekekeke

Foot massage, a must after a busy day of shopping till we dropped....and something interesting happened here which all of us will remember for a long looooong time.....

The restaurant where we ate dinner, how cute?? They had live Thai performances:)

Pye designed "Club Sze" t-shirts for the whole group...... All of us loved the design!!! He used my name for the "Club" because he said I linked everyone together....so cute!!!! *blush*

This is where our "interesting story" begin. Do you see Kendra holding up a pair of slippers?? and the woman behind??? WEll...... So Kendra due to jet lagged and a loong, nice, nap in the foot reflexology center accidentally took someone else's slippers on the way out. This poor woman and her worker was looking all over the place for the "missing slippers" because the owners was causing a racous in the massage center...... When they came looking for us, we were thinking "who would not be able to recognize their own slippers right?" Untill....Kendra looked at me and asked "Are these my slippers??" I instantly said NO!! And everyone cracked up... So we thought the story was over.....since the masseuse took the slippers back to it's rightful owner... ERM...nope! there is more to that!

When Kendra got back her slippers which looks very different, the masseuse told us that the owner of the slippers wanted to speak with us. Can you imagine what happen after??? This "ANGRY MAMA" came in with her husband and two children, and started yelling at us...literally causing a scene in the restaurant...she kept saying we were playing pranks and being deceitful even after we have apologized profusely... Poor Kendra! The whole restaurant was silent, just staring at us and her... well...maybe that lady has menopause or something..but she was scolding everyone of us for taking her daughter's slippers....which actually looked worn out! But I have to hand it to her though...she has great imagination, she thought we took it out of spite and liked playing jokes...I mean... "Who does that??"

Other than the two eventful stories we had that day.....everything went smoothly, and all I can say is...how can clothes, shoes, and bags cost so little???????? I am astounded!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

Meiz

P.S.: I was there for four days, will update the rest in the next few days:)

Sex and the city launch by Skyy Vodka!!!! GIrls, Go Crazy!!!

Last Tuesday was a much anticipated day for me, my girlfriends and I am sure many women around the world!!! It was the preview of the SEX AND THE CITY movie at GSC-Pavilion! When girls think of the theme "sex and the city", everyone automatically thinks a bunch of beautiful girls, all dressed up, and styled to the nines....am I right? Before I get to the nitty gritty of the event, I have to say, Sex and the ciTy is not just about beautiful women and fashion, it's about empowered women, standing up for their rights, having voices and minds of their own, besides being beautiful and stylish:)

Given the enthusiasm, girl bonding session we will be getting, and tickets from a generous friend, we attended the launch of the limited edition Skyy Vodka sex and the city bottle! Although every one from our group was suppose to "dress up", very few of us did due to work circumstances and erm..some laziness(on my part!).......but who said we still couldn't look good and be confident from the inside right????

The exclusive invites, nicely done:)

Cheng May and I posing with the ladies in blue. Aren't the blue wigs cool???

The specialty skyy vodka cocktails in conjunction with the sex and the city theme...one word...colorful!

The special bottle, I actually did not see the difference untill Cheng may pointed it out...kekekek...I am quite blur as you can see...or maybe it is just because I don't drink...(trying to save myself from the obvious differences!)

The city gals were all smiles :)

Event in full swing...there were small high tables scattered outside two cinema's for the preview, and to top it off, they had delicious finger food going around!

Last picture before we head in for the movie!!

My review on Sex and the city 2:

Given that all of us were really hyped up about the movie from the event , many people including us cheered when they started playing the theme song.....Throughout the movie, there were many funny moments that would crack people up(including guys!). However, the style and fashion in this movie was not as good as the previous one and the movie got a little corny towards the end. The main thing I did not like was how the movie was NOT subtle in bashing arabic culture. Although many people might not agree on certain rules and laws imposed by the Arabic government, I believe that the movie was a blatant take on how women are treated in that part of the world and how the society views sex. There were some cringeworthy moments in that sense. Personally, I think sex and the city one was better than the second one but if you are a fan.......you must still catch the show because it gives a good finale on how the four women ended up. My expectations could be higher due to all the hype, so ladies and gentleman, go watch it for yourself and be the judge!!!!

xoxo

Meiz

P.S. Will be updating on Bangkok soon! And yes, I came back in one piece:)

A day with my gal pals:)- From pedi's to attempts at cooking!!!

The buzz word for me the past week.......is basically.............BUSY! A few of my friends asked me...so what have you been doing since you came back? I can promise you that I probably will not remember alot of the things I have done this past week if not for the pictures that I have taken and probably friendly reminders from my friends in the future....:) So to answer that particular question: This trip home is basically not a holiday for me....sadly...I have to do research(e.g., collect data, write papers,etc.), working from Malaysia if I am not having appointments with friends and family. I know...what a buzz kill right????? But, that's the life of a graduate student I must say..... Besides the "ho-hum" part of the week, I have of course been attending fabulous birthday parties, eating my heart out, and just yesterday...spending a full day doing girly things!!!!

When I was in Hawaii, I would be in front of my computer in the lab or at home, doing work...and I would look at my toe nails and go...."sigh...wish I can get a pedi here".....Never happens because it is really expensive in the U.S.(you also have to pay tips on top of your total amount!), and the ambience of reasonably priced nail spas in the U.S. are not that great....actually sometimes, it reminds me of strip clubs because they have neon signs outside the shop! Therefore, everytime I come back, I would have to do my nails because the service is amazing and ambience is super chilled out, particularly the one in Aman Suria called Amante.......

The opulent entrance

Amazing range of OPI colors which you select before you walk into the hidden nail spa behind

You will basically be looking at beuatiful star chandeliers, and soothing draperies while gettting your nails painted

Many massage chairs side by side and manicurists are available if you want to go with a bunch of friends:)

My gal pal which I always do my nails with, lovely Yee Ming:)Drying our nails!!!

End result! Rita(the pedicurist) was so accomodating to draw fruits as my nail art because I wanted a "food" theme!! Creative!!

After another fantastic experience at Amante, I head to the grocery store with with Claudia and Cheng May for our eventful "girls night" in which we agreed to cook at my place and watch a movie after! When you think about it, how often in Malaysia do people actually cook with friends, because there are many options for people to choose from to eat outside and of course, some of us are very LAZY! This time, we decided to switch things up and actually go hands on from scratch...here is our little journey into a possible "restaurant"????

Picking out the food at Giant! Some people only ate a certain vegetable(ahem), so it was a little difficult to pick the vegetable dish, but it turned out well in the end:)

Aiks!! May and I did not know we had to weigh the vegie's before paying for them because in the U.S., they can weigh it for you while you pay, so the poor cashier had to run in and weigh and bring it back! But they were really sweet about it:P

Claudia marinating her pork!yum!!

Cheng May made a really tasty chicken dish with potatoes, chicken and mushrooms! She practially put her life and soul into it, literally.....spent about an hour plus...and of course, my mom voted her dish the best!

My futile attempts at marinating mince pork????

When I called home, I asked my kakak, how many eggs we had to make an omelette, she said 3! Fine....how would we know it was 3 miniature "kampung" eggs????? I bet you Claudia ws pretty exasperated with me by then! Turned out well, because we bought two extra large ones, and voila..an omelette!

Our meal for the night...my friend saw the pic, and he said...."which restaurant was that from"????hahahah....I guess we do make convincing cooks right?

Great job girls!!!!!! Another night coming up???

This Girls night(particularly the cooking) was a great event for me because this was the first time I actually cooked for my mom in Malaysia and I got to catch up with the girls. This proves to you that you do not need to go out to a restaurant to enjoy the company of your friends. With cooking at home, you not only get to enjoy each other's "specialty" dishes but there are many added laughter filled moments which is priceless! Love you girls:)

xoxo

Meiz

Skewers- The only place I have been at since I came back!

First up, I have to apologize for my delayed posts! I just arrived back in Malaysia a few days ago, and my schedule has been super packed!!!! Plus, the horrible part is that I am extremely jet lagged! Try being in four different time zones in the past two weeks: From Hawaii- Atlanta- Japan- Malaysia, and the flying is not something fun too.....boo! BUttttttttttttttttttttttt....I am glad to be back:)

The first three days since I have been back, the only place I have been too besides my house is the newly opened restaurant Skewers! The first two days, which was June 5th and 6th was the grand opening of the restaurant, and I was there on both days to give my support!!! Many friends and family came too, so I got to kill two birds with one stone which was to see everyone and at the same time, be at Skewers. Yay!!!!Well......enough said...I am sure you are guessing where this place is, how it looks like, and most importantly, what it serves right???????????????????????

It is really easy to find because it fronts Subang Avenue, love the location!

The exterior and the friendly staff

The "everything is transparent concept" ...You basically get to see what your chef cooks for you, and make sure he is not adding a "lil something" if you do piss him off! hehehehehe

The bar, they serve drinks all day long for the thirsty!

The interior, warm lighting, very calm theme and they have plush cushions to the very end of the restaurant for a romantic feel:) Great for dates!

There is running water surrounding the exterior of the restaurant...gives a very cool vibe

Now....on to the a few snapshots of the food! Be tantalized....

Mash potatoes with your platter meal

Meat and seafood platters!! For meat lovers, you will love the platter up top because there are different types of skewered meat! For seafood lovers, I suggest the seafood platter, the picture below. I personally liked the seafood platter because it was a tasty blend of Asian mixed with Western spices on the shrimps, prawns and chicken! Both of these platters come with sides of mash potatoes and salad...

The bomb! Chocolate trifle cake! Great finish to your meal:) For a person that loves her desserts, this is definitely an A+

Mom enjoying the delicious Fish sambal burger!

The unique concept about the food is that, it consists of a delectable mix of all kinds of influences, from the West, East, and even Brazilian tastes. They have different selections of burgers, skewers, appetizers, desserts and healthy juices. You will be spoilt for choice when you look at their menu, that was basically how it was for me........so, don't be too greedy!heheheh

With Kar Kien, the manager! All smiles..keep up the good work:)

Friends who were there to support!!! Thank you guys:)

Pretty grandma:)

My grandparents came even when they only ate "rice"! Cute!!!! And my grandfather loved the pasta!!!!

If you have been following my blog, you know that I love my food and of course the ambience is a must for me! What I truly liked about this place, was the amazing location, and decor! When you are sitting outside, there is constant wind that makes me feel like I am in Hawaii and the water surrounding the exterior of the restaurant makes me feel serene and calm. Then, when you move inside, it's a whole new concept, which practically takes you to a whole new restaurant. I feel like I can have quiet girl bonding time with my friends, or for guys, bring dates there because of the dim lightings and look of the place! Furthermore, the transparency in which you can view the chef cooking was refreshing for me because I like to watch and am fascinated at how people cook my food:)

For those planning to try it or have done so, please give me your verdict and comments of Skewers once you have been there!!!!

xoxo

Meiz