Giving a good fight because.. hmm I’m a big fan of Fight Club? :P

Another rambling post.

This is to answer few questions by friends especially after I posted my ordeal with the customs yesterday. Many friends commented in my Facebook Notes and asked me in Yahoo Messenger, Gtalk, MSN, Twitter these few questions:

“All these trouble for WHAT again?”

“Why do so much since its just a trial unit? Send it back la. Wasting money only.”

“Aiyoh.. is it worth all that trouble just to test the product?”

Well you get the idea. My friends were asking me why would I want to do ’so much’ and why I need to ‘trouble’ myself to such extent just to get a trial device which I need to return back later. And also, why I need to waste my money paying for this and that just to get the clearance.

Money. Well, WOMWorld Nokia has agreed to pay for all the related charges so I don’t have to pay any, but that is beside the point.

The point is, you guys are asking the wrong question. The question should be;

‘Why this particular customs officer makes it hard for me just to get a trial device?’

‘Why he created so much troubles and unnecessary problems just for ONE TRIAL device?’

My dear friends seemed to suggest that the best solution is to give in. Sorry but I have to disagree. If by giving in to such ridiculous request is a solution, then indirectly I am helping to keep this kind vicious cycle in perpetual. We always blame the system every now and then but we choose to do nothing when given the chance to do so.

And why is the tendency to blame the victim eh? Just like how some people blame rape victim for walking alone, dressing sexily or provocatively etc, snatch victims for bringing the handbag, walking on the wrong side of the road or just being ‘careless’?

Well I may not be exactly a victim here, more like a disgruntled customer/citizen wanting to be treated fairly but you get my point on ‘blaming the victim/helpless’ mentality prevalent among some Malaysians.

Allow me to sidetrack a bit and touch on a favourite topic among Malaysians. Corruption. Since I have so many comments directly or indirectly hinting the possible element of corruption in my dealing with the customs, I think it is only fair for me to write a little bit on that.

Malaysians love to paint the many enforcement units as a corrupted bunch of scums. To be fair, Malaysians also play a big part in making them as such. We are guilty if we bitch about the system and do nothing when given the chance but keep feeding the system, indirectly or directly.

The analogy is simple. If I ask and you don’t give, there is no deal, right? Morality is relative here, who is more guilty – the giver or the taker – is up for debate the point is both are guilty of the act. It is a vicious cycle and people are making their decision to keep it in existence with every actions they would take without them realising it or not.

Back to the complicated, troublesome customs procedures I need to go through to get my N900. Did I ask for, or want to have such complicated procedures, troubles and problems to go through just for a trial device? Who creates the problems and troubles in the 1st place? Did I not comply to the necessary requests and yet was given a hard time by the officer?

Of course, given choice I would just sleep at home and let it go. Hell I would not go to work if I am given the absolute freedom and liberty to choose. But, I need to. I am fighter, I would like to think as such. It is a waste of my good education *cough cough* if I don’t put it to good use. We should do our little bit of fights and not letting bullies trampling us with no resistance at all. Keeping silence, is not always the best option. It is only apt for me to share these wise words to decribe political apathy;

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me–

and there was no one left to speak out for me.

(A popular poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemoller)

To be honest, it is actually not so much a trouble for me to make few calls, surfing some websites, checking up the related acts and procedures and then explaining things in a understandable language so that the relevant people can weigh in my side of the story and judge things as it is.

Thank you my good friends for the concern. I love you people and I also expect more of myself. And I think I just killed more people with the length of this post. Reading is good for you, people~!

ps: With my awesome negotiation skills *grins*, who knows I may get the device after I trial it?

Posted in 2 cents, People, Personal, Politics, Quote, Rants, Thoughts | 2 Comments »

N900, almost there!

A very long rambling post.

So if you are  following me on Twitter or reading my Facebook status updates for the past few days, you must have noticed my ramblings about getting customs clearance for my N900.

9 days have passed since I wrote my previous post and I haven’t get a chance to hold the sexy beast in my hands. When I wrote my previous post, the device was already in Singapore. It reached Kuching on the next day – 30th November 2009 which is also *cough cough* my 27th birthday. *throws confetti*

I received a call from DHL Express in the afternoon informing me that the N900 was denied clearance because of the lack of necessary documents. So for anyone out there who needs to know;

1. For any telecommunication device to be imported into Malaysia, the importer/recipient must first apply for the permit of import/license as specified in the Customs Act. This is apart from the usual customs duties, taxes etc. And for telecommunication devices, the license/permit application is made to the Statutory Body called SIRIM Berhad.

Actually it is best for you check with customs beforehand if you want to import anything from the oversea or anyone is going to send you anything from oversea on the paperwork required. I admit my mistake for not doing the necessary paperwork even though I clearly aware that WOMWorld Nokia is sending me a trial device which in this case needs a permit to bring in.

My excuse? I was not quite sure whether WOMWorld Nokia would send it for real at that time. (And also hoping for some sort divine interventions for the shipping to be smooth all the way hehehe)

Back to the story,  so I applied and paid RM100 for the permit. It was all done within one and a half day, thanks to the very efficient SIRIM Berhad officer. Originally the permit amount is RM200 but I stressed that the device is not belong to me and it is only for trial purpose so I was given the RM100 discount. SIRIM Berhad is so generous. *weak smile*

2. Now, if you bring in things (intentionally or unintentionally – ignorance is not an excuse under the law) without permit, that is considered as an offence. You’re violating the Customs Act 1967 (revised 1980) and can be penalised for that.

So I was informed beforehand by a DHL Express agent when the N900 was stuck in customs that I would need to apply for SIRIM permit and pay a certain amount of penalty, minimum RM100. Imagine my horror when I was told I need to pay RM1200 for the penalty. Niaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaah!

DHL Express asked me to liase directly with the customs officer after they failed to explain my situation to him – it’s a temporary export, trial device etc. So I called up the officer, which I shall not name for now (yet) and talked to him.

We had a very long chat and even though I explained my side of the story and everything, he refused to change his decision. When confronted with such ridiculous amount to be paid when it’s only a temporary import, he brushed it off and quoted the ‘Section 135 – Penalties for smuggling offences’ to maybe intimidate me. He said customs has the right to penalise me up to 10 times or even 20 times of the custom duties amount based on the declared package value.

The N900 package was declared at 400 GBP – roughly RM2240 and the custom duties is about 10-15% = RM224 to RM336. He told me he was being generous to compound me only about 5 times the custom duties.

I perfectly understand I have committed an offense and I should be penalised for that but RM1200 compound is just ridiculous especially when it is just a trial device, which I can only play for few weeks before sending it back to WOMWorld Nokia.

I then asked the officer to provide me the necessary ‘black and white’ for me to inform WOMWorld Nokia and ask whether the company will bear the costs on my behalf. But he told me if he issues the compound, I would need to settle it within 3 days or customs would seize the item. WTF?! He was not being helpful at all and I was quite disheartened at that time so I just thanked him for everything and I would see what I could do to solve this problem.

By then I already decided I would reject the shipment and ask it to be sent back to WOMWorld. Maybe do it properly when given another chance at it in the future. So I wrote a long letter to WOMWorld explaning the situation and thought that awas it, end of the story.

Somehow, I was really annoyed and angry being treated that way so yesterday afternoon I looked up Royal Malaysian Customs Department website and found some contact numbers and call them up. I managed to talk to a very senior customs officer in charge of the import/export department and asked for his opinions and advices. He seems to understand my predicament and ensured me this can be settled in a more pleasant way and gave me a personal number of one customs officer to call.

I asked him, “This customs officer is in charge of Kuching?” which he replied “Not only Kuching, he is in charge of Sarawak”. So I called up this high ranking officer and found out he was on vacation but still answered my call anyway and told him my story.

To cut the story short, he promised to talk to his subordinate and clear this matter for me. He even called me in the evening around 7pm to tell me he already clarified the matter with the previous ‘not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer and said I can go and collect my package anytime.

Then this morning, I called up the ”not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer again. He didn’t sound very happy obviously because for each questions I asked, he answered in a short one liner – Ah. Okay. Hmm. Umm. He didn’t say no to my request and only ‘aye aye’ when I told him I that DHL would go and collect on my behalf. Then I called up DHL and asked them to make the necessary arrangements for me.

So I thought, finally I can get my N900 to play with and even tweeted about it. Then I received a call from DHL saying the officer still refused to clear my package and tried to call me but couldn’t get me. I was in a meeting and I didn’t get any missed call so I told DHL to tell the officer to call me again.

The ”not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer called me up and then said he will only release the item if I go to see him personally. This is because, the ‘instructions’ from his boss is to hand it to me personally so that he can explain to me on ‘how things work’.

So I have no choice, I have to make a quick stop at his office this Thurday on my short trip to Kuching. I hope I can get my N900 by then. N900, almost there!

Thank you for reading. I bet most of you drop dead after the 3rd or 4th paragraph

Posted in Me, People, Rants | 7 Comments »

Sarah is back!

Reunited with my Sarah last Saturday after a month of her solitary confinement inside the workshop. I have been hounding their asses to finish the repair works fast. Insurance company already approved the claim, I need the car to shuttle my ass around town, especially going to work.

Life is no fun without own transport, especially when you’re staying at place where is a 20 mins drive from your working place, 10-15 mins from town, where all the fun is. So how I survived my one month period without Sarah?

Initially I made an arrangement with a friend, where I would send her to work in the morning before I go to work then pick her up on my way back home in the evening. Probably I thought it’s not so convenient for me (and her) to do that so I leased a motorcycle from another friend, used that for a while and found out the bike was performing pathetically to carry my heavy ass around. The sad grunts from its engine almost like pleading me to stop riding it further, so I did.

I went back to the first arrangement for few more days and then on the last week I asked another colleague whether he would kindly let me follow his chopper to-and-fro from office to my house, since he’s staying not very far from my place. Night outings were minimised during the period. I only went out when there were friends kind enough to come and fetch me hehe.

The insurance claim for the repair work is around RM8k+ and since I took back Sarah last Saturday, I’ve been visiting the workshop twice. Not happy. 1st visit was due to the annoying noise coming from the left tyre or bottom of the car I wasn’t sure, then the screeching sound from the timing belt area and the alarm lights on the front and rear not working. Turns out, some metal pipings under the car were too close and hitting each other, creating the annoying noise, the noise from the timing belt area was solved by putting more lubricant oil at the motor and well, the alarm lights was not installed properly.

Then this morning, the engine was overheated. I was driving to work when I felt hot air coming from the air conditioner vent and I looked at the temperature gauge, holy shiet it’s at MAX temperature. Twice while slowing down the car was about to die on me. Not again. When I stopped to check the water in the radiator, it was none. Evaporated into thin air, must be. Filled back the water, then brought the car to the workshop for the 2nd time of the week. Already twice this week I took some time off to visit the workshop.

Needless to say, my attendance and punctuality at work sucks. It’s not like I want it that way. Who wants to take emergency leave for fun? Who wants to take unpaid leave and get salary deduction and on top of that hearing remarks from your superior that you’re not giving enough commitment to your work.

I find it funny and quite unreasonable that even though in the past that I managed to complete the given tasks within allocated time with the limited information and resources, my KPI would be based more on my punctuality to arrive at work and my attendance. I always try stay back a little longer to top up the time whenever I am late to work.

Like I said, it would look bad on my record to come in late (5-10 mins late, come on! I never bitch about the time I stay back more than 5-10 mins) but not that I intended to do that. My absence from work was with reason, and hey I got my salary deductions for the unpaid leave, so it’s quite fair no? Need not to rub it it, implying I’m incompetent and all that. Show me my delivered works, not just focusing on trivial matters. End of the day, you just want the assigned work to be done no? And I did exactly that, so only that matters to me. It’s not like you’re paying top dollar. Ehe! Anyway when you’re a modern slave, boss is always right. *weak smile*

Sorry, I digress. After inspection and me showing not very happy face, found out the rubber hose connecting the radiator and the engine was loose, water was leaking from the joint. Fixed that and Sarah is all well for now. I hope. Please don’t make my life miserable again. I’ve had enough.

I would like to express my gratitude for the help that I received from my friends. I’m glad to have many good and caring friends and I wouldn’t trade anything for that. Hmm, on a second thought, well maybe I will. Make your offer. *grin* You guys rock my smelly socks!

ps: Why Sarah? Thet two of you with the name Sarah in my friends list, don’t perasan lah! I just love the sound of it. Say it. Say-rah. Num num num yum yum.

Posted in Me, Miri, Personal, Slavism | 5 Comments »

Ego massage, anyone?

It is been a while since I post anything narcissistic. Once in a while, I need to be assured that I am the ultimate sex god, smartest pant on earth, most suave, good looking chunk hunk around, well you get the idea - flattering self reassurance or ‘ego massage’. It is comforting to read something good about yourself, to be told you are the best shit and depending on how you react to such compliments, it can motivate you to do better in life or it can stroke your grotesquely inflated ego until it burst as a result of self complacency.

This behaviour of self indulgence is quite disgusting if overdone. Excessive feeling of self-satisfaction is bad as some wise goats put it – ‘too much of a good thing is bad for you’. Good things must be taken in moderation for example red wine, taken in moderation reduces risk of prostrate cancer. (Guys take note!)

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Posted in 2 cents, Fun, Personal, Rants | 37 Comments »