Alex Ferguson and TM Ceo Datuk Zamzam

The deal will make TM the official integrated telecommunications partner of the English Premier League in Malaysia, with rights to produce and distribute Manchester United merchandizes. This partnership with allow TM to broadcast and spread its brand image to 4.2 million MU fans in Malaysia and hundreds of millions football fans around the world.

Though the financial details of the sponsorship have yet to be disclosed, being accustomed to the culture of Boleh-land, I have a strong feeling that the sponsorship amount for this deal is not going to be small.

After all, we everything also Boleh, everything also want to be number 1 :

1 Malaysia also 1.

1 Utama also 1.

1 Borneo also 1.

1 Tan Mee also 1.

And guess who’s the actual sponsors? You. Me. The tax and bill payers.

Congratulations people!

So I’m guessing that beginning next EPL season, we should be seeing some dynamic and innovative changes to the Manchester United image. Here are my speculations :

First, the TM logo will be emblazoned on the beautiful jersey of Manchester United.

This is the old design. So boring, right?

AIG is Boring.

Unlike the new design, way much COOLER!

TM is Cool!

This is to signify the strength of a Malaysian conglomerate taking over from AIG, one of the largest insurance companies in the world.

So what? AIG only mah. They also now facing financial problems what. Not like TM, very the strong! Got government to back them!

To help further propagate and market the 1 Malaysia agenda, all Manchester United Stores will be selling this jersey at 53% discount.

53% off!

The discount is to commemorate our 53 years of merdeka from the British! 47% will be subsidized by the Malaysian government.

For those who hate the 1 Malaysia logo, they will have a more neutral design to cater for people with different tastes

This one not so Geli.

Lastly, to further promote our Malaysia culture and heritage, they will be also coming out with a special edition jersey, only to be worn during the Champions League Final.

The Special Edition of MU jersey. Must BUY!

THE BATIK MU JERSEY.

If Endon (ex PM’s wife) were still alive, she will SO HAPPY to see this!

Even Sir Alex Ferguson will be a big supporter of our traditional fabric.

He will be wearing this at the training grounds and no one will take him seriously!

I think I’ll become an Arsenal fan for the next 5 years.

Arsenal, got any openings in your Fan Club?

I’m sure everyone, at some point in life, will inevitably experience Grief.

Grief is a complicated emotion in one’s self as a result of Loss. In order to heal completely, one has to technically experience the following 5 emotional stages and if one is stuck in one stage or another, the healing process is deemed incomplete.

Note that the pace of this healing process through this 5 stages will differ from one individual to another, and there’s no way it can be forced onto a person going through them. One may take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back again and forth in this process, but it must be stressed that for thorough healing to take place, this 5 stages must be completed.

So just in case you didn’t know about this, try relating these 5 stages of Grief to what you’re going through now and see whether you’ll agree with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross :

1. DENIAL

“I’m fine. This can’t be happening to me…”

The refusal to accept or to acknowledge the loss of a loved one or an end to a relationship. It is a defense mechanism one puts up temporarily for oneself to avoid reality.

2. ANGER

“Why me? This is not fair! How can this happen to me? Who can I blame for this?”

The recognition that denial cannot proceed any further. Projected rage, envy, resentment, jealousy sets in. This is the most difficult stage for the individual.

3. BARGAINING

“Please let me live to see my son gets married. I’ll give up anything to get my gf/bf back. I will give up all my money if…”

The harboring of hope that one can postpone or delay the inevitable loss. It is usually a negotiation between the individual and a higher being in exchange for a reformed way of life, where the individual will say “I understand that I will die / this relationship will eventually end, but if You could just give me a little bit more time…”

4. DEPRESSION

“I’ve already lost my wife, what’s the point striving on with life? I’m going to die anyway… Why bother? Why do I need to sacrifice so much for my job anymore, since my girl friend has already left me?”

The person facing the loss begins to understand the certainty of the loss/death. He/She may suddenly become anti-social, quiet, and spend a lot of time grieving. This series of actions allows the dying person / person facing the loss to abruptly disconnect himself/herself from the outside world, love, and affection, feeling a high sense of hopelessness, frustration, bitterness, self pity, as well as the hopes, dreams and plans for the future. Feeling lack of control, feeling numb. Perhaps feeling suicidal.

5. ACCEPTANCE

“It’s not the end of the world. It’s going to be okay. I can overcome this. I can’t change reality, I might as well be prepared for it… I will be better off than him/her.”

Peace and understanding sets in and the individual slowly accepts that death is fast approaching/the loss is real and over. At this stage, the emotional and physical pain will cease and usually the individual will want to be left alone for sometime before the individual picks himself/herself up again and be normal. This experience is also known to many as “the end of the dying struggle”.

***

According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the stages mentioned above do not necessarily need to come in the order of 1 to 5. You also may not be experiencing all 5 stages, but you will go through at least 2. It is normal for people to experience several stages in what we call a “roller coaster effect”; switching between 2 or more stages, returning several times to one stage or another before fully recovering from the tragedy.

So what do you think?

P/S: V, this post is specially written for you Hope you’ll understand wat you’re going through after reading this!

Remember, that you’re not alone.

There are so many others our there. Stranded. Oppressed. Tortured. Marginalized.

Be strong, my friend…

And never Give Up…

Be Pure in Heart…

Righteous in Spirit…

Be Bent but not Broken…

Attacked but not Defeated…

Divided but still United…

Keep Striving, even if you’re Alone…

Because the Calm will always come after the Storm…

And by then you will Stand Out among the Rest…

Skies will Clear and Flowers will Bloom…

And the Underlying reason for the adversity will become crystal Clear.

So just Hang in There…

The World is not going to End…

Because when you need somebody to be there to support you…

Mother Nature will be your Friend.

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When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed a stray dog, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favourite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, ‘Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking’.

Live Simply. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly.

Happy Chinese New Year 2010

Except, only, that I manage to take a break from work, and spend some time with family and friends.

Perhaps it’s due to the fact that we are all grown ups now and the excitement for the celebration we once had as children have seemed to fade in time.

It’s odd. Because this is the first time in my generation, Chinese New Year coincides with Valentine’s Day this year. It’s supposed to not only be full of excitement and fire crackers, it’s supposed to be also full of Love.

Where is the Love ???

Even this Ah Pek doesn’t look like he’s excited.

Maybe he got less ang pau this year because his children’s bonuses all kena potong. Hmmm… Speaking of bonuses

Perhaps it could also be due to the economy. Despite government claims that we are out of the financial crisis, a chat with the local business owners will give you pretty much a conviction that what the government say is far from true.

This chinese druggy looks like he’s pek chek-ing with his ledgers.

And this stall owner shared with me how quiet the market is.

Anyhow, as an optimists, I believe the year of the Tiger will be better, and even if it’s going to turn out to be otherwise, well, we’ll just continue hoping that the year ahead will be, erm, better

So I wish each and every one of my readers and friends :

1. May this Chinese New Year brings harmony, peace to you and your family members. 团团圆圆！Just like this Furball flower.

2. May you be prosperous not only in health, but also in wealth. All year round.

3. May the God of Wealth accompany you everywhere, even to sleep!

4. May you be lucky and ong all year round!

5. And may you be surrounded by best of friends, relatives and “expensive people” (贵人)! Just like how this photo is packed with Lanterns!

Happy Chinese New Year!

P.S : Photos from Jalan Bunga Raya and Kee Ann Road, Malacca, Malaysia.

The owner of this Confection company must be a busy-body. A big Kepoh.

It is not my first time in Singapore, but it was my first time going into Singapore mainly for the purpose of leisure photography, besides meeting up with a few friends of course.

The objective was simple. I was going to drive into Singapore, park my car somewhere (and pay off-the-roof parking fares), start walking and shoot anything that I find interesting.

It’s actually really a pleasure driving within Singapore. First, everyone is driving according to the speed limit. So you don’t need to worry someone flashing at you from the back or tailgating you if you’re on the fast lane (unless you’re driving really slow of course). Second, road conditions there is fantastic. Potholes and bumpy roads are rarely found there. And traffic is acceptable. Not as jammed up as Kuala Lumpur.

However, there is one thing that is revered and feared among Singaporean drivers… Behold…

The Every Road Pay Gantry.

Well actually it stands for Electronic Road Pricing, and to the fortune of Malaysian vehicles, once you pass through one of these, a flat fee of S$5 dollars will be charged to your Autopass per day. So Malaysian vehicles need not pay extra no matter how many of these ERP gantry they pass through in a day.

So coincidentally, a friend of mine, Li Wei, was also in Singapore at that time. She was also on a short visit. We decided to meet up and hang out, which was good, because she could be my model on the go.

And I also managed to catch Kian Onn, my “brother”, who was so happy I came down because if I didn’t, he wouldn’t have had any excuse to drink any beers due to strict and tight anti-alcoholic regulations from the “Minister of Home Affairs” (I’m not referring to the Singapore government)

We even managed to catch up with a couple of old friends we got to know in uni, had a great pork + beer feast, and startled each other with our new looks after all these years.

Some became extraordinarily beautiful (with a S$2 million face)…

And some became extraordinarily “slim” (with a Nikon D90 from which he claimed can make people look thinner)…

Well anyway

Despite time constraints, I managed to visit a couple of great places in Singapore. One particular place that I like is Clarke Quay (it’s pronounced as “key”, not “kuey” ya).

This was where the legendary Ministry of Sound was located. Turns out even a “Ministry” can close down.

Here you’ll see very nicely decorated and plush bistros, cafes, and restaurants. One in particular that really caught my attention is Indochine.

According to Howe, a good friend of mine, this place serves the best Fish and Chips in Singapore, JB and some say Batam.

You’ll also see couples hanging out…

Image from Benny.

And Breaking Up…

In the evening at Clarke Quay, one place I find really interesting to hang out is this place called the Clinic.

Instead of giving you dosages of Antibiotics and Steroids, they give you Syringes filled with Alcoholiotics and Sterocktails. Each will cost S$50 per dose.

Everything around you will look like this after a couple of dosages.

And like this.

A great place to catch dinner will be the Lau Pa Sat (Stands for Old Market in Mandarin).

Obviously a market once upon a time, it is now being established as a food court, with plenty of varieties and live band performances.

Looking up at the architecture of the building, one will find that it looks more like a church than a market or a food court.

It’s nice to walk around Robinson Road at night especially after dinner. There’s this lane just next to the Ogilvy Center that is home to a few Malay stalls selling Satay, and BBQ Chicken Wings.

I also managed to discover a nicely preserved Vespa motorcycle at the side of this road.

Apparently motorcycles are also not exempted from ERPs (Notice the Card Reader installed on the bike).

After strolling for a while, I hit me that even though I came from the jungle, I was actually walking around a “jungle” too, except that it’s made of concrete.

The area around Orchard is undoubtedly the best shopping haven in Singapore.

Head on to Funan Digital Mall for the latest gadget and gizmos.

Or to the Orchard Central for shopping. I personally like the escalators a lot.

If you’re into branded stuff, remember to drop by ION Orchard, the latest addition to the high end shopping centre segment.

Or if you prefer more choices, then you can wait for these stores to open.

It’s a shame that I went after Christmas time, because if I had come a month earlier, I will see this everywhere I go.

The final day in Singapore I managed to catch up with a person I had knew since university days, but have never met (Don’t bother figure that out). Her name is Burberry.

She went back to work 20 minutes late. Sakae Sushi’s fault. Who asked them to make sushi this delicious?

After that I managed to drop by a temple nearby, Tian Fu Gong (translates as the Prosperous Palace of the Sky). The architecture of this place captivated me. It was like fusion. The ancient and the traditional surrounded by the modern, contemporary sky scrappers.

And I wasn’t the only one captivated by it.

On the way back to my car, I bumped into Benson from Bunge Singapore, a client of our company, and he brought me for a short visit up his office.

Indeed, it is a very small world.

All in all it was a great trip, and I really enjoyed myself hanging out with buddies and taking photos. Singapore is indeed a fantastic place to visit, and I’m definitely coming back for more.

However, it is also a Fine country. If you’ve never been to Singapore, here are a few do’s and don’ts that you MUST abide to the next time you plan a visit there:

Do’s

1. If you’re driving in, please make sure your Autopass has sufficient credit. Insufficient credit in your Autopass will result in an “Administration Fee” of S$10 dollars on your way out.

2. Also make sure after you get your passport stamped, INSERT the Autopass into the machine and ENSURE that it registers your vehicle’s entry into Singapore. Even if it’s a technical fault and the machine failed to read your card, you will be required to also pay “Administration Fee” of S$10 dollars.

3. Make sure you’ve got a parking booklet ready, obtainable from all 7-Eleven outlets, if you plan to park in the public car park. Unlike Malaysia, S$1 dollar per couple can only last 30 minutes in the city center. So make sure you DO NOT assume that S$1 dollar allows you to park for 1 hour, as in the case in most Malaysian cities. If not, Fine S$50 dollars onwards.

There's another one in Orange color. S$1.00 per coupon.

Don’ts

1. Do Not eat or attempt to eat, bring or attempt to bring, Chewing Gum, into Singapore. It’s banned.

2. Do Not smoke or attempt to smoke in areas without the smoking sign, or at a rubbish bin without ash trays.

3. Do Not smoke or attempt to smoke cigarettes brought in from foreign countries. Only smoke cigarettes with SDPC (Singapore Duty Paid Cigarettes) printed above the cigarette filter. If the NEA guys (National Environmental Agency) catches you red handed, you will be given a Fine of S$500 dollars.

4. Do Not Forget to flush the toilet bowl after you finish your business in the Public Toilet.

5. Do Not spit, or litter in Singapore. Not even spitting on the grass along walkways. You may say you’re “watering” the plants and giving them organic nutrients, but the authorities will thank you by asking you for a donation in the form of a Fine.

6. And Do Not mess with the Chao Ah Bengs. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get.

That’s about it I guess. Singaporeans reading this, care to comment and add any tips?

Happy Visiting Uniquely Singapore!

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A peaceful weekday in Jonker Street.

A location with a few of the oldest houses in Malaysia (dating right back to the 17th century), one will notice that besides the string of famous, always-packed Chicken Rice Ball restaurants, it also houses many antique shops offering collectibles from the colonial times of the Portuguese, Dutch, British and even the Japanese.

Antique Collectors' Heaven.

It is also host to many Chinese Clans and Associations. For example, the Hainanese Association.

Caution. Very Strong Head Winds Here.

And also the Hokkien Association.

A lot of Malaccan Chinese are Hokkiens.

Along this street one can also come across some of the most happening cafes and bistros. One of my favourites is Geographer Cafe.

There's life band performances and loads and loads of foreigners.

And if you like coffee and prefer a quieter environment, may I recommend the 13 States Coffee Cafe.

The front entrance of the 13 States Coffee Cafe

The special thing about this place is that they serve coffee originating from the 13 different states in Malaysia.

13 types of coffee in one box from 13 different states in Malaysia.

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll be happy to discover this place. It’s got a very nice interior too.

The owner decorated the whole cafe himself with a mixture of old and new furnishings.

And interesting wall decorations.

Anyone knows what crustacean is this?

But one thing that captivated me the most is an old bird cage quietly being displayed in one corner, waiting for time to consume itself.

The Bird Cage that caught my attention.

Jonker Street is a great place for photography, really. Stroll around this area and you’ll find yourself coming across a lot of unexpected stuff.

A modern aircraft flying over an ancient building.

I even found my chinese name engraved onto one of the doors of an old, long house. I bet it’s already decades old.

My chinese name. Pronounced as Lin.

It also boasts an array of vibrant colors when nightfall arrives.

Jonker at Nightfall.

And a relaxing place for old folks to hang out and kill time when they have nothing to do.

An old Malaccan folk hanging out in one of the kopitiams.

If you’d like to see more photos of Malacca, click Here.

Remember to make Jonker Street a must-go place the next time you visit Malacca You won’t regret it. It’s best to listen to a local, right?