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
First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim friends:
“Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir Batin.”
Me wishing 1Malaysia -- Selamat 1HariRaya, Ketupat Didahulukan, Rendang Diutamakan. Erk, stammered a bit at the first part because, I’m a bit allergic to this ‘1′ thing *chuckles*
I’m sorry I didn’t extend my Raya greeting earlier but Raya is for the whole month of Syawal and today is only the 4th day of Raya, right? I just came back from a long weekend at my hometown, Sarikei. I went back on Thursday morning with Goolooloo tagging along. She was dropping by Sibu to see her beloved boyfriend.
We started our ‘balik kampung’ journey at 6am, reached Sibu around 11am. The road was pretty clear so I had the road all for myself, all the way up. That explained the 5 hours drive from Miri-Sibu. I stopped for lunch in Sibu before continuing my journey to Sarikei.
I spent my time in Sarikei like how I normally do it when I’m back home. Pigging on food, (my puasa effort during the fasting month went down the drain), watching tv and meeting some friends.
Oh, I met up with Alice’s bro in Sarikei. It was kinda funny. I was having my kampua at Hiek Lik Cafe when I saw a familiar looking guy came in with a red helmet on his hand, sat down across me and ordered what else but kampua.
Infamous kampua at Hiek Lik Cafe. Arguable the best kampua in Sarikei No, kampua is not kolo mee. Kampua > Kolo Mee. HAHA! (Image source: S-blog)
I didn’t go and greet the guy because I was unsure and there wasn’t any telling sign that the guy would know me. So, I gobbled down my tasty kampua and went back home. When I checked my Facebook status:
“Bongkersz Bong is having kampua at Hiek Lik cafe. Yum Yum.” 19 September at 11:31 via Selective Twitter Status
I saw a comment:
“Jimmy Ling oi taukeh!!!!!i think i saw u this morning but i wasn’t sure if it was u! are u still in sarikei? pergi lim teh?” 19 September at 12:05
He gave me his phone number and we met for breakfast cum lunch at Glory Cafe the next day. Hey nice meeting you mate! All the best for your future undertakings! *wink!*
I’ll just end this post with some photos of food only available in Sarikei!
Roti Kahwin at Aik Seng Cafe. Your tiny puny Roti Kahwin is a no match against our awesome Roti Kahwin *smugs* Even our burgers are bigger than yours! Bwahahahahahahaha! (image source: S-blog)
ps: I just realised that, instead of putting up ketupat or rendang photos, I put up a photo of kampua with char siew (barbecued pork meat). *sweats*. Please don’t get offended. Photos are for illustration purpose only hehe.
pss: I was busy visiting houses with my partners in crime. Let’s see if there are awesome photos for me to put up on this blog later.
Much have been said about the ‘cawat’ (loincloth) remark. It’s getting really annoying reading the recycled, repeated craps in the paper nowadays. Our papers especially love to quote some stupid politicians moronic comments, I wonder if that helps them selling the papers. It’s downright insulting to read the spins by these idiots and with the rubbish journalism we have in Malaysia, it’s hard to find alternative or opposing views in our mainstream medias anymore. Everyone is parroting the same shits, treating us like dumbs.
First thing, nowadays you can’t see any Dayak wearing cawat (loincloth) anymore except perhaps on ceremonial or festive occasions. Not forgetting when posing for Tourism Malaysia posters, which is somehow fine and not insulting for the Dayaks to be portrayed that way, I wonder.
Long long time ago, our ancestors were wandering around naked, wearing nothing. Then somehow they found it embarassing not to cover their jewels so they scavenged anything they could think of to cover those parts. It evolved from wearing leaves, then to loincloth and now we can have brief or boxer and jeans, shorts, khakis over to double cover, triple cover our precious-yet-embarassing-to-be-let-free-for-view parts.
Yes, Dayak tribes did wear cawats back then (probably my earliest ancestors back then did as well) and that was so fashionable at that time, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of the fact, even today. No thanks to idiots from Barisan Nasional, the so called Dayak-fighters like Alfred Jabu ak Numpang and James Jemut Masing who jumped on this issue and fanned it to stir emotional angst among the Dayaks.
They interpreted the loincloth remark literally, knowing it would cause discontent among Sarawakians especially the Dayaks. They are hoping all Sarawakians would be so dumb and illiterate to take the meaning literally.
Listen to James Masing -
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing said Hadi’s comments suggested that the Batang Ai voters, the majority of whom are Dayaks, were uncivilised.
Now Alfred Jabu -
Irked by Hadi’s comments which was made in the run-up to the Manek Urai by-election which was won by PAS, Jabu said anyone who had offended any community should apologise if he was a sensible person.
“I have covered Lubok Antu very extensively, well before the by-election, during and after it and under normal circumstances, you don’t see anyone wearng ‘cawat’, except during traditional dances when traditional costumes are displayed,” he said, adding it had been demonstrated that Barisan was very strong in Sarawak.
Trust James Jemut Masing and Alfred Jabu ak Numpang to spin the loincloth remark to their own benefits. James Masing is only partially correct in his statement. Yes Hadi’s comments suggest the Batang Ai voters, the majority of whom are Dayaks were uncivilised, but it was a reference to the ‘uncivilised, backward mentality’ of Dayak voters for keep voting the government that neglects them all this years.
In the case of Batang Ai, under the guise of ‘political development’, BN offered instant goodies for the voters and they were easily appeased and contented with such ‘political bribery’. Little that they remember, ALL governments exist for the purpose of assisting ALL their citizens and there is nothing to be thankful or grateful for what’s rightfully belong to them. I wrote something along this line before – Should we be thankful for what’s rightfully ours?
BN even had the audacity to declare East Malaysia states as its ‘fixed deposit’, clearly insulting and at the expense of ignoramus East Malaysian voters when it comes to exercising their votes wisely.
KOTA KINABALU, May 4 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants Sabah to remain as the ‘fixed deposit’ for the Barisan Nasional (BN).
He said that this was to ensure the BN would continue to be at the helm of the country’s administration.
As if it is something to be proud of, we have an idiot in the name of Abang Johari quickly making a bold statement declared that “Sarawak also BN’s fixed deposit”. WTF? Is this worth fighting for? Something to be jealous of when Najib ‘praised’ Sabah? This is an insult! Not praise and glory, you blinking idiot!
So, why nobody kick a fuss when this guy daringly made a statement insinuating the votes of Sarawakians are taken for granted? Where were you Alfred Jabu? James Masing? Obviously, BN all this while treat Sarawakian voters as idiots. Their votes worth shit and are easily bought with instant goodies? Isn’t this affirming the ‘cawat’ mentality among the voters in Sarawak?
What line did Hadi cross? Was he telling a lie? Did he say it to insult anyone? Is the truth insulting? If any Dayaks really felt insulted, perhaps they should mend the error of their ways and stop supporting oppression of their own people by Taib and his regime.
Did Hadi really want to make the people of Lubok Antu and the Dayaks as a whole look uncivilised? Was that his point? Again, why should anyone feel sensitive above Hadi’s remarks unless they were true?
All sadly but typically missing the point, perhaps purposely. Why should the opposition deliberately want to hurt the feelings of the very people whose support they need?
Everyone, including Hadi, knows very well that the Dayaks no longer “run around” in cawats. But that doesn’t mean that the Dayaks have yet managed to outgrow their ‘cawat’ mentality, just like many Malays (read “UMNO Malays”) have still not managed to outgrow their feudal mentality.
Obviously Hadi knows that the people don’t literally wear cawats any more. Anyway, don’t Dayaks wearing cawats still appear in official BN government tourist brouchures and cultural performances?
What Hadi meant, Sarawak Headhunter thinks, is the cawat or backward mentality of the Dayaks, who in spite of being the victims of Taib’s regime, still supported their oppressors and victimizers.
Dayaks are marginalised because of their ignorance of Taib’s regime’s manipulation and oppression of their own people and other Sarawakians, or if they are not ignorant of this, then because of their own stupidity.
Yes, Hadi was right about Sarawakians still wearing ‘cawat‘ on their heads covering their eyes and ears. Let go of this invisible ‘cawat’ and start doing the right thing. Be critical and not submissive. Be skeptical when necessary.
Being critical means you care about our nation and want to improve things and correct what you think is wrong and it doesn’t necessary means anti-establisment. Being sceptical means you are not naive and do not accept everything you read or hear.
That said, if the opposition wants to woo the voters in East Malaysia especially in Sarawak, it needs to do more research to understand the voters mentality, especially why they are still trapped in this ‘cawat’ mentality. Making such remarks without finding solutions to address the issue do no good to all and already many Sarawakians find West Malaysian politicians are ridiculously ignorant about this part of the world. Not mentioning some arrogant and patronising statements.
Remember, for any side to form a federal government in Malaysia, winning some of the minimum 25% of the seats allocated to East Malaysia states is paramount, so buck up and get wise.
ps: “Nadai gi kami ngena cawat deh!” – We are wearing loincloths no more!
pss: Seriously, if the Dayaks feel insulted by this ‘cawat’ remark, they should sue Tourism Ministry for using posters of ‘cawat‘ wearing dude’ to promote Sarawak. Heck, if I am a horny, dumb blonde tourist and I want to make a trip to Sarawak just to meet some good looking ‘cawat’ wearing dudes because of the posters, how? What? I didn’t see any disclaimer saying ”The product images are for illustration purposes only” so it must be real!
Dr Chan advises public to put off events that pull crowds to confined spaces
KUCHING: Organisers of events that draw large number of people to confined spaces were yesterday urged to postpone their events for the time being due to an increase in Influenza A (H1N1) cases.
“To minimise the risk (of spreading the flu) as much as possible, please defer big events,” Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan told a press conference here.
However, Dr Chan, who is the State Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) scheduled this weekend would go on as scheduled.
“We decided to hold it and the Health Department is deploying staff from the other divisions to have added precautions imposed during the Rainforest (RWMF).
“We will provide festival goers with face masks, clinic facilities and thermal scanner at the venue,” he said.
Last week, Dr Chan said public gatherings and functions in the state could be banned by the government if there was a case of local transmission of H1N1.
He said the ban would be necessary to contain the spread of the disease.
Mastering the art of ‘talking using your backside’ is a must for anyone who inspires to be a politician like George Chan. So, learn from the best!
If you think partying with one hand holding your drink, face covered with mask, thermal thermometer stuck in your ass is fun, then Rainforest World Music Festival 2009 is definitely something to look for this weekend! (July 10 – 12). See you there!
I can’t wait to see photos and videos of the mask wearing crowd dancing to the tune. What an orgy fest!
ps: IMO, I think the threat of H1N1 is overated, exaggerated and blown out of proportion. But, who I am to say so when WHO claimed otherwise?
pss: Sorry Ladybird, I cannot join you for this RWMF. Thank you very much for the invitation and offer anyway. Have fun!
Cyril: Congrats man.. Baru sampai Kuhing dah masuk paper… Imaging when u’ve resided(in Kuching) here for over a year? TV3 maybe… and... on Pimped by The Star!
( pushing chest out with pride 
)