islandhippy » Uncategorized

Malaysia tak boleh … snatch thieves in KL

islandhippy — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:05:37 +0000

Last week Sandy's sister Ngae lost her handbag to a motorcycle snatch thief in KL. She was with friends, about to get into her car in Pudu, when a Malay guy on a motorbike drove up, snatched her bag and sped off. The bag's strap broke and Ngae took a tumble after trying in vain to give chase. Ngae's mobile was in her handbag so half an hour later she used a friend's phone to call her number. The thief picked up and said hello! He'd already returned home and there was a baby crying in the background. This being Malaysia the thief offered to return Ngae's credit cards and identity card ... he may be a thief but even he knows what a pain in the butt it is to renew your identity card in Malaysia! ... so he drove to a nearby petrol station, called Ngae on her friend's phone and told her which petrol kiosk to look for. Ten minutes later Ngae had her identity card and credit cards back.

This happens so often in Malaysia that in Ngae's employment contract there's even a clause which gives victims of snatch theft two days emergency leave! Unbelievable. When Ngae finally made it back to work she found out her colleague's bag had also been snatched and worse, her face slashed.

Ngae did make a police report but there wasn't much point doing so. At least she didn't have to offer sexual favours. Another friend went to the police in KL to report a stolen bag and was told by the policeman that if she "had dinner" with him, he would help her. She declined the invitation.

Snatch theft happens on a daily basis in Malaysia. I've seen it happen twice, right in front of me. Last week a pregnant woman was killed in Malaysia when snatch thieves took her bag while she was riding her motorbike. She fell off and was run over by a car. A month earlier another pregnant woman was killed in exactly the same fashion.

Malaysia boleh? Yeah, right.

don’t walk on the grass

islandhippy — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:32:44 +0000

Just in case this Sunday's Paris Open men's final and Montreal F1 grand prix aren't exciting enough for you, you could always head down to Willoughby on the Wolds for Mum & Dad's open garden! I hear there's free flow of Earl Grey.

The Railway Children

islandhippy — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:33:05 +0000

Walking to Malaysia ...

Zombies

islandhippy — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:21:26 +0000

Sandy and I are both walking around like zombies. It's Night of the Living Dead here in Jalan Hang Jebat! We're finding it difficult to put Olive down to sleep. Carry her and she's out like a light; put her in the cot and she wakes up and screams. Naturally we've had plenty of suggestions from the bar, ranging from placing a vibrating prosthetic arm in the cot to inflating Dolly, Sri's blow-up doll. I haven't found either method mentioned in any of our baby books. In fact no two baby books say the same thing anyway. If one book says let the baby cry, the other will suggest picking up and cuddling baby. It's poor old Sandy who has deal with it most of the time as I'm working during the day and I can't help with the feeding anyway. We were rather too successful with our breastfeeding attempts ... now Olive doesn't like the bottle at all. Also, Olive hasn't fallen into a routine yet, which makes it tough for Sandy. We'll have to take lessons from Holly and Oscar next week when they come to visit from London, Oscar sleeps twelve hours a night!

At least there's one thing we know Olive loves: a good soak in the tub ... or plastic bucket.

Two weeks old

islandhippy — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:47:33 +0000

Two weeks old, two centimetres taller

islandhippy — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:15:29 +0000

Sandy and ah ma (granny) did a superb job today of taking Olive into town to shoot her passport photos, then on to KK Hospital to visit the paediatrician to check on Olive's cold (which I gave her ... sorry kid, if you didn't have 47 relatives staying over I would have slept in the spare bedroom!). The paediatrician took the opportunity to measure and weigh Olive and it seems we've stretched her two centimetres from 52 cm to 54 cm and we've obviously force-fed her enough milk as she now weighs 4.2 kg, almost 400 g more than when she was born (and babies usually lose weight straight after birth).

In fact, Olive was not due to be born until today. God help Sandy if she had to push this wriggly monster out now.

Expat Interviews

islandhippy — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:07:35 +0000

Phil was interviewed recently for the website Expat Interviews:

Phil is a UK expat who's been living in Southeast Asia for more than a decade; the past eight years have seen him set up his residence and business in Singapore. Take a peek into his expat life in Singapore: his description of the area in which he lives, the cost of living, and his thoughts on the locals and pet-eating wildlife! Read more ...

If you are an expatriate living and working outside your country of birth and would like to share your experiences with others, please email Lizza to request an interview.

three generations

islandhippy — Sat, 03 May 2008 06:47:00 +0000

Here we have ah ma (Hokkien for grandmother) teaching daughter how to bathe granddaughter.

Sandy's whole family are down from Malaysia (plus brother over from UK), spending the long May Day weekend in Singapore to see grandchild #1. There are eight of us camped out in a two-bedroom flat. As I sleep at about 8pm these days I have no idea where the rest of them are bunking ... I suspect they're sleeping in shifts.

I'm trying to work out the new Hokkien kinship terms for everybody (grandpa, aunty, etc) from the point of view of the baby. As far as I can tell:

grandpa = ah gong
grandma = ah ma
aunty on maternal side (Hueh and Ngae) = ah yi
aunty on paternal side (Holly) = ah ko
uncle on maternal side (Tiam) = ah ku

But do we teach Olive Hokkien or Mandarin?

"Give her a break, she's only 11 days old!" Sandy.

like father, like daughter

islandhippy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:06:11 +0000

OMG, all these two ever do is eat, sleep and poo!

I’m here! I arrived 4 mins ago.

islandhippy — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:28:15 +0000

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