Karaoke Night in Khartoum

On Friday weekend night, we dropped by at Petronas Sudan's headquarters where it houses the main office and also staff quarters. We were told there would be Malaysian food and a karaoke session would be held in the open air.

When you are here, anything is interesting. The event started at 9pm.

There was a food stall opened up to sell food cooked in Malaysian style of course. You won't feel 'food sick' over here.
It was a relaxing night and there was a karaoke sing-a-long session. A stage was put up for guys to belt their favourite songs. Yeah, as long as I was there only the guys went up on stage.

Later, a group of kids performed a fast dance. Can't recognise that English song of theirs. It took them only one week to practise.

Soon, a group of men went up on stage to act as back-up singers to support a senior management guy who will be singing his favourite song. Didn't that long and went off for our late late dinner at 10pm.

Tags: Petronas Sudan, Karaoke Session, Malaysian Food

Perodua Cars Being Ridiculed in UK

Top Gear has not only done a review on the Proton cars from Malaysia but also on the second national car manufacturer, Perodua. It didn't escape Top Gear's melancholic eyes.

What was Top Gear's verdict on the Perodua brands? Here goes nothing again (the following write-ups and pictures were sourced from Top Gear's website):-

It may be true that you get what you pay for, but it doesn’t follow that the cheapest cars are the best value. These appallingly under-developed, outdated and plain ugly offerings come from Malaysia’s least desirable brand. Think about it – that means even if you’re doggedly pro-Malaysia, you don’t have to buy one of these.

Perodua Kelisa
‘The cheapest car Malaysia’s cheaper manufacturer produces. Doesn’t fill you with confidence does it?’

The Perodua Kelisa may be the cheapest supermini on sale in the UK, but it will never feel like a bargain. A wheezy little engine, cramped interior, crappy plastics and truly rubbish styling leave you wondering who on earth actually buys this stuff.

An astonishing feat – Britain’s cheapest car is so humblingly bad it’s not even worth the pocket money it costs. So poor it deserves to benefit from the next Comic Relief.

Perodua Kenari
‘As much as we all want to cheer on the underdog, the Kenari deserves all the abuse it gets. An utter shambles.’

A deeply embarrassing car to be seen in, or near for that matter, but in truth the weird looking and weirdly named Perodua Kenari is actually quite capable and an undeniable bargain to boot.

Looks like it ought to have plenty of room inside but is actually pitifully cramped – like the Tardis in reverse. Except that the Tardis looks more like a car than this.

Perodua MYVI
‘A compelling argument for never learning to drive. Concerned fathers take note.’

Although they have made a far better fist of styling the Perodua Myvi than they did with the ridiculous Kelisa and Kenari, it still feels staggeringly cheap and lacks any trace of desirability.

Named after a classic ice lolly, but not as sweet, desirable or long lasting. Costs about the same though. There’s an old Toyota Yaris underneath. Get one of those instead.
Tags: Top Gear, Perodua, Perodua Kelisa, Perodua Kenari, Perodua MYVI, Car Review

Proton Cars Being Ridiculed in UK

Before a car is being put into the market, car reviewers will usually give their expert verdict on how good a car is.

One of them is Top Gear, a famous United Kingdom TV show that has its car review magazines being published worldwide and their website being read by potential car buyers internationally.

Malaysia's national car, the Proton brand, is being sold in UK and therefore they are being reviewed as well. Want to know what was Top Gear's verdict? Here goes nothing (the following write-ups and pictures were sourced from Top Gear's website):-

We don’t know what Malaysian motorists did to upset the gods, but it must have been something pretty serious, judging by the punishment they seem to be getting. Still, at least the domestic audience thinks this stuff is the norm – what on earth do they think they’re doing bringing it to the UK? Walk away.

Proton Gen-2
That sounds like an illegal muscle-building milkshake. Should we call the IOC?

The Proton Gen-2 was the first indication that Proton might be capable of building a car that wasn’t completely dreadful. But it’s out of date now, and still wasn’t much cop way back when.

A budget five-door hatchback intended to make you think twice about buying a Focus. Frankly, we think a medium-size cabbage makes a more sensible alternative.

Proton Satria Neo
‘How do you tell your mates you drive that without getting a slap? And that’s before they even know how bad it is.’

Proton’s concerted bid to attract a younger audience starts here, and it could have been a lot worse. The oddly named Proton Satria Neo both looks good and drives pretty well. But it is still just a Proton…

Not half-bad hatch with decent Lotus-aided chassis, but lack of space inside, awful badge and ridiculous name make it a must-not-have for the youth it’s aimed at.

Proton Savvy
‘What the hell happened here? It looks like someone cracked the designer over the head half way through the job.’

The Proton Savvy is a new-ish and sharply styled offering, both of which facts might lead you to believe that it was half decent. But you’d be very wrong. The Proton Savvy is a stark reminder of just how good cars like the Aygo and Panda really are.

Truly awful, but we are grateful to Proton for reminding us of how good every other small car on sale in the UK is. We suggest you try buying one of those instead.

I wonder how will Top Gear rate Proton Exora, the first home-grown MPV model that had just rolled out of the car factory.
Tags: Top Gear, Proton, Proton Gen-2, Proton Satria Neo, Proton Savvy, Proton Exora, Car Review

My Blog Was Given Warning by Blogspot

When I opened up my email inbox this morning, I saw an email coming in from Blogger. Noticed that my blog was given a warning having been identified as a spam blog.

There are people out there who's trying to kick my blog out of the virtual world to ensure that others don't get to read my articles. Are my articles really that good till my blog has to be deleted / removed?

If you don't like what I have written, please leave. Do not read any further / anymore and do not key in my blog's name again and again just to check on me and flag my blog all the time. My advise to you, please go do something more useful / meaningful with your time / life.

What I have posted are my personal opinions only, gathered from what I have read from all over the internet world. I have written / will write stuff that won't cause / trigger any commotions / misunderstandings / anger / hatred / fights / wars unless it was you who wants to take it out of context and not wanting to read / understanding the article as a whole in a proper manner.

From now onwards, I will be even stricter with unnecessary / irrelevant comments written by blog readers to safeguard against spamming.


--- On Wed, 4/15/09, Blogger no-reply@google.com wrote:

From: Blogger no-reply@google.com
Subject: http://johnny-ong.blogspot.com/ - ACTION REQUIRED
To: xxxxxxx@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 12:59 AM

Hello,

Your blog at: http://johnny-ong.blogspot.com has been identified as a potential spam blog. To correct this, please request a review by filling out the form at http://www.blogger.com/unlock-blog.g?lockedBlogID=xxxxxxxx

Your blog will be deleted in 20 days if it isn't reviewed, and your readers will see a warning page during this time. After we receive your request, we'll review your blog and unlock it within two business days. Once we have reviewed and determined your blog is not spam, the blog will be unlocked and the message in your Blogger dashboard will no longer be displayed. If this blog doesn't belong to you, you don't have to do anything, and any other blogs you may have won't be affected.

We find spam by using an automated classifier. Automatic spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and occasionally a blog like yours is flagged incorrectly. We sincerely apologize for this error. By using this kind of system, however, we can dedicate more storage, bandwidth, and engineering resources to bloggers like you instead of to spammers. For more information, please see Blogger Help: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42577

Thank you for your understanding and for your help with our spam-fighting efforts.

Sincerely,

The Blogger Team

P.S. Just one more reminder: Unless you request a review, your blog will be deleted in 20 days. Click this link to request the review: http://www.blogger.com/unlock-blog.g?lockedBlogID=xxxxxxxx

Tags: Blogger, Blogspot, The Blogger Team, Blogger Dashboard, Spam Blog, Automated Classifier, Automatic Spam Detection, Spammers

Bank Negara Warning on SMS and Phone Calls

Ref No: 04/09/01

Embargo: For immediate release

Beware of Fraudulent SMS and Telephone Calls Requesting Confirmation on Credit Card Transactions

Bank Negara Malaysia would like to caution members of the public to be vigilant when receiving any calls or SMS claiming that it is from Bank Negara Malaysia or any commercial banks. The facts are:

• There is no department called "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu" in Bank Negara Malaysia
• 8659-XXXX is not a Bank Negara Malaysia telephone line
• Bank Negara Malaysia will NEVER request for personal banking information through SMS or telephone calls.

Based on recent complaints received by Bank Negara Malaysia , there has been an increase in incidents of fraudsters making such calls and sending SMS to unknowing members of the public in order to fraudulently obtain their personal banking information, with the aim of siphoning monies from one's account.

From Bank Negara Malaysia 's investigations, the modus operandi of the scam is as follows:

1. Victim receives SMS or telephone call: Requesting victim to confirm a credit card transaction
for the purchase of goods or services purportedly charged to the victim's credit card.
2. When victim calls the telephone number provided in the SMS, the fraudsters identify
themselves as agents of a commercial bank, and again, ask the victim to confirm whether the
credit card transaction had taken place.
3. When victim informs the fraudster that he has no such credit card or transaction, the
fraudster will start to sound concerned and will advise victim to lodge a report with Bank
Negara Malaysia 's "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu", or with the commercial bank's "credit card
management department". The fraudster will provide the victim with the telephone number
for the "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu".
4. When victim calls the telephone number provided, they are greeted by a automated voice
message which identifies the company as Bank Negara Malaysia, and the call will then be
answered by someone claiming to be a Bank Negara Malaysia officer. This officer will request
for information relating to the victim's banking and credit card accounts under the pretense of
lodging a complaint on behalf of the victim.
5. The fraudsters now have sufficient information to illegally transfer funds out of the victim's
bank account.

Members of the public are reminded not to disclose their personal banking information to any unknown party without verification.

For further information, enquiries or complaints, members of the public may contact or visit:

BNMTELELINK (Customer Contact Centre)
Tel: 1-300-88-5465
Fax: (03)2174 1515
Email: bnmtelelink@bnm.gov.my

BNMLINK (Walk-in Customer Service Centre)
Block D, Bank Negara Malaysia
Jalan Dato' Onn
50480 Kuala Lumpur
(Business hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm)

ABMConnect (Hotline to Association of Banks in Malaysia)
Tel: 1-300-88-9980

Bank Negara Malaysia
7 April 2009

Extracted from Bank Negara Malaysia website.
Tags: Bank Negara Malaysia, Fraudulent SMS, Unit Kad Kredit Palsu, Association of Banks in Malaysia, Confirmation on Credit Card Transactions

Life @ 47 Degree Celcius

What is life at 47 degree celcius during noon time? Was going out for lunch and we noticed that our car's thermometer was showing us a reading of 47 degree celcius.

No wonder we could feel our skin burning as we walked out of our office to the car.

The car's air cond which was blowing at 18 degree celcius just couldn't make any difference. Only thing is that the car is not stuffy with the air cond switched on.

Once in a while, we do pamper ourselves by going to a better place for relaxation. This is one place that we like, Barista cafe. The drinks here are on the high end side. The menu is almost similar as those of Starbucks or Coffee Bean.

We were here last Tuesday night to watch the Man Utd vs. Porto Champions League match.

We were able to occupy a good corner of the cafe where we have a 32 inch LCD TV all to ourselves.

Unfortunately when the second half of the match began, the channel was changed and the Villareal vs. Arsenal was shown. We spoke to a waitress and she changed it and in the next few seconds, it was changed again. What happened here?

We waited patiently and got hold of another waitress who told us that they can't change as it was requested by customers ................ what???? We told her we were here first. She couldn't say anything.

We didn't go and see which customer requested for the change. All we know is that there were no other customers at the other end which has another TV screen when the match started and I did notice that these customers came during half time. They were local Sudanese people.

So, our match was changed and forced to watch another. A colleague picked up a book from the counter which was entitled "The City Trail Guide to Khartoum and the rest of Sudan".












In reading it, he showed us the fourth paragraph of a particular page .............. can you read it?

This is another spot for dining. It's not those high end restaurants but a local restaurant where tables are set by the roadside with lots of vehicles passing by which created mini sandstorm hehehe.
These are the three steel chimneys with smoke coming out from the top of the chimneys. I just took my bath before coming out for dinner and my colleagues decided to dine here. Forced to have a second shower after we have reached home later on.

What's behind those steel chimneys? This two guys were grilling chickens or goat meat away.









This restaurant is frequented by many locals or I can say we were the only foreigners.















This is what we have ordered. Five of us finished off everything at sight ............... grilled chicken, grilled goat's meat, goat's soup with a big piece of meat in it, long bread ........ except for one particular dish.












A colleague ordered this dish.

A fear factor dish.

It's the goat's head meat. I told my colleague that we can't proof to people that we have tried a goat's head meat with it being chopped into pieces.

Then I found this one piece that was still intact hehehe

The EAR!!!!

The ear was left alone but my colleague Peter brought every other remaining pieces, including the tongue that was chopped into pieces, back for his supper.

The ear was left alone.

Why was it named Monaliza Restaurant? We have no idea. The menu has that name and there are three Monaliza pictures put high up at their big signboard just by the roadside (seen in this picture).

That's life ......... and we are more active at night as heat would be down to 37 degree celcius by 7pm plus. Believe it or not!
Tags: Dining, Barista, Monaliza Restaurant

Expensive Meals in Al Salam Rotana Hotel

One of those nights where we went to Al Salam Rotana Hotel to celebrate two colleagues' birthday, one on that same night with the other one at 12am midnight.

For me, this is the first time I went into this hotel. Really nice set up at their reception desk area.

Upon reaching the restaurant, we told them that we needed a table(s) for eight of us. The restaurant staff told us to proceed outside of the hotel.

What? No air-conditioned comfort. The air-conditioned area was reserved for customers who are willing to part with at least 100 Sudanese Dinar (2.30 Sudanese Dinar = US$1.00). For others who are spending less, please proceed to sit outside and feel the Khartoum heat. That's what it meant to me.

We had the external dining area all to ourselves with a giant spotlight shining its light down on us.

The menu has lot of choices for us to choose but for a famous hotel I reckon that the menu should have more choices. I saw the Two Eggs any Style served with hash brown potatoes at 19 Sudanese Dinar. Eyes went big hehehe.

Eyeballs dropped out when I saw Nasi Goreng at 42 Sudanese Dinar.

We were served with some fresh breads together with some butters. Next question came, "Who ordered this?". Nobody said yes and the next question came up, "How much will this cost us?" Didn't take a look at the bill at the end of the day.

They were willing to when you I said that I would tell them to hold the food until you all agree to pose.

The hotel's signature sandwich.

Three colleagues ordered the Cheeseburger that came without cheese hahahahaha. Upon voicing it to the waiter, he brought three slices of those cheese where you could get it from the supermarket shelves.

My Grilled Beef which came quite naked without much sauce. I think it was about 36 Sudanese Dinar and it's quality and taste was way far off those food served at the famous western dining outlets in Malaysia. The portion is so little.

One of my colleagues' Grilled Chicken.











This is a Mutton Curry served with white rice. Quite a big serving and this dish did went through my brain to process but didn't receive the green light to order.













This was a Salmon fish.












This is the cheesecake topped up with blackberries. Do you call this a blackberry cheesecake?

Our total bill at the end of the day was more than 700 Sudanese Dinar. Shocking indeed!











The night scenery where the shot was taken from the car park area.
Tags: Al Salam Rotana Hotel, Khartoum, Mutton Curry, Cheeseburger, Grilled Beef, Grilled Chicken, Blackberry Cheesecake, Nasi Goreng