不知行什么衰运，病了两个星期，天天见红，到今天依然还没痊愈。那就算了，我竟然还衰到连MSN都被人盗线，搞到我MSN里近500位联系人都不见了。

原本想重新设定新密码，可惜的是我的密码暗号也被更换了，出现的是土耳其文，唉….

不过也好啦，至少我的MSN少了不必要的飞仔飞女及废人。

I don’t know why I’m having bad luck lately. I have been ill for 2 weeks; nose was bleeding everyday, until today I’m yet fully recovered. Recently, my MSN was being hacked. About 500 people in my contact list are gone!

I’m trying to reset the password, unfortunately my password hint was changed too, and it displayed Turkish!

But it’s not so bad; at least I can clear those unknown fellows in my MSN.

How many of you know the definition of staycation?

You must have heard of vacation. Both in fact have similarity. Vacation meaning a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation, while staycation is a vacation spent at your home, or in your hometown. If done right, a staycation can be just as relaxing as a traditional vacation. And in some ways, it can be even more stress-relieving because it typically involves less planning and expense.

However, certain measures need to be taken to maximize the benefits of a staycation such as turning off your phone and computer (at least most of the time). Otherwise, your staycation is little more than a stressful extension of your regular life, offering no change of scenery, escape or other features that make vacations so refreshing.

I was having staycation too after I came back from Krabi. I was very sick, having bad sore throat, cough, fever, bodyache, flu and nose was bleeding for about 2 weeks. All are the signs of Influenza A (well known as H1N1 or swine flu) and I have got it all. I was afraid at first but logically I know I am not carrying the virus. We went to Krabi in a group of 10 and why I was the only one who fell sick? Although there are increasing in number of H1N1 cases in Malaysia especially local transmissions are higher than imported, but there are no reports saying that there is imported H1N1 via AirAsia AK805, because the flight was 95% seated.

Thus, for the sake of safety and being a responsible Malaysian (hahaha!!!), I had excuse myself to stay at home for approximately 10 days. However, I do not consider these 10 days of resting as quarantine or house arrest; I’m learning a new word – Staycation.

So don’t feel down for being quarantined, because you are having staycation. I’m loving it.


Definition from Wikipedia
A staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation,or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the financial crisis of 2007–2009 in which unemployment levels and gas prices are high. The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.

So far I have been dealing with several banks in Malaysia but I would say that their services are truly disappointing me. But out of 10 anchor banks in Malaysia, I would rate Hong Leong Bank Berhad as the lowest and most useless and inefficient bank in Malaysia.

I have been using Hong Leong Credit Cards, from MTV Card to Classic Card, then being upgraded to Gold Card. I even used to have Hong Leong Junior Savings Account and Fixed Deposit since 1998, Hong Leong Al-Wadiah Savings Account since 1999, Hong Leong Islamic Bank Multi-Tier Account in 2006, and Hong Leong Assurance Heritage Plan in 2008, but now all no longer available!

Back in 2006, when I was opening a Hong Leong Islamic Bank Multi-Tier Account at TESCO Penang, the teller was sooooo busy chit chatting and smiling with her colleagues but when comes to serving me, the face was sour and black like charcoal, it’s like I owe her million dollars.

And then I found that on the “New Account Application Card”, there was a “CTOS checked” chop. I still remember, many NGOs and citizen has complaining that due to CTOS only recording bad history, though they have fully settled the debts, but CTOS never amend their history. Also, CTOS is only an third party agency, thus any party that would like to check the credit background of customer, CTOS would reveal it. In this case, it is a BREACH OF PRIVACY. Due to objection from Malaysian, Government has announced to stop using CTOS as credit background checking, but HLB still using it.

After account opened, when I got home, I found out that the teller opened a wrong account for me. “Savings Account” was printed on my Savings Passbook though I already wrote “Multi-Tier Savings Account” on the Application Form. I called the branch and request for a change, and I would say that the BRANCH MANAGER that handle my request is extremely NOT FRIENDLY!

I got exploded when I made a call to Hong Leong Bank Customer Services Department (CS) on 09 May 2008. The call was attended by a lady named Kelly. Obviously, she is quite new and not being well-trained and exactly not suitable to be on floor.

I never ever had seen a CS that always changing her mind and never stick to her earlier decisions. I know that she was too afraid to attend a customer like me but please I gave her chances, I even request to speak to her senior or manager after the 20 minutes conversation of nothing, but I can feel that her senior is refusing to attend the call through their whispering when she did not properly mute the call.

The worst is whenever she is putting me on hold and getting solutions from senior, she will amend her first decision made. Then again and again, until I got frustrated and raise my voice at her till I get my final solutions.

But the problem did not solve. Almost every month I am calling HLB CS to make a complaint on following issues:-


CASH DEPOSIT MACHINES (CDM)

When one Cash Deposit Machine (CDM) is out of services, CDM in all branches, nationwide are OUT OF SERVICES
(CDM are sooooo cooperative and focus on TEAMWORK)

One branch, one CDM, no extra
(Just like One House, One PC program, but it would be useless to have extra CDM since ALL ARE SOOOOO TEAMWORKING)

CDM punctually OUT OF SERVICES at 10:40PM nationwide until 1:00AM
(Will you prefer to bank in cash by or after 12:00AM?)

CDM are always out of services from Friday to Monday. When called to customer services, they told me a lot of people deposited the cash during weekend, when the CDM is FULL; it will be out of services.
(But how would you explain why CDM is still out of services on Monday when the branch is OPEN for business)


CUSTOMER SERVICES (CS)

When you called Customer Services to request for waiver on certain amount such as interest charge or late payment, sometimes they will tell you it will be handled by Credit and Collection Department (CC) and they are not supposed to do so THOUGH they can waive it for up to 3 months or more ( for Team Leader)!

When you request to speak to Credit and Collection Department, CS will ask you to call during CC’s office hours.

When you called during CC’s hours, CS refused to transfer your call to CC and tell you they are not supposed to transfer the call.
(So what is the point to call in during office hours?)

If you request for CC’s contact, CS will tell you they are not allowed to reveal the number.
(So make sure you save the number of CC’s agent when they called you for payment)


RETENTION SALES DEPARTMENT (RS)

My payment was totally sucks, Reason I did not make payment is due to the case happened in May 2008. It has been a year and it has not been settled. Furthermore, I did not use this card for almost 3 years.

In May 2009, I decided to cancel my card. The next day, RS called me and asking me to keep the card. She will issue a new card for me with waiver on annual fees until 2012.

The most blinded thing that she said is “Refer to your credit history, your payment is GOOD”.

I am a bad paymaster (I have my reasons) and did not use the card for years, and you still saying I am a good paymaster?! In Cantonese, we called this “Tell lies with your eyes wide opened”.

When you owe them money, they will hunt you like a hungry ghost. When they need you, they will praise you though you insult them!


Credit and Collection Department (CC)

CC is the loan shark department collecting due payments, also, evaluating customers.

Keep calling in asking for payment, but never realized the AUTOMATED BANKING SERVICES (CDM/ATM) is extremely lousiest in the region.
(How am I going to make the payment when I work from morning till night? And when I’m ready to bank in, your stupid CDM is OUT OF SERVICES)

No one is permanently handling your account as I was told the system will allocate your account randomly to different agent every month.

Even your account is in RED FLAG (VIP or URGENT), the manager will never handled your account. In other words, the agent who handle your account will be responsible for all the mistakes that done by others earlier.


Besides, as what I know, as long as you are in the Operations Department (such as Personal Banker, teller, officer, and etc.), you will be given a sales target regardless whether it is unit trust, investment or insurance. Can you imagine that a teller in a bank is forcing to do sales? Ridiculous!

When I make a complaint to Hong Leong Bank in TESCO Penang and CC Department regarding the CDM and CS problems, they told me “I understand as well, but they (there) are like that!”

Maybank is investing millions ringgit to improve their CS system and they really improve a lot, in terms of all systems and performance of the agents. Hong Leong? Way too far behind others…

Check out other complaints from bloggers and forumers

Hong Leong Bank’s Cheque Deposit
http://www.meshio.com/2008/01/hong-leong-banks-cheque-deposit/

Hong Leong Bank (AGAIN)
http://www.shannonchong.com/?p=314

Hong Leong Bank = Worst service
http://www.sripetaling.com.my/forum/func,view/catid,4/id,362/

Which Bank the lousiest Service?
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?s=e32a5b11c0430754b69b9164e7ffcb29&showtopic=856509&view=findpost&p=21858681

看看日历，原本离开甲米之旅还有四个月，但转眼间却是我们即将启程的时刻。我们一行十人从吉隆坡飞往甲米，飞行时间大约一小时十五分。刚好适逢A流感袭击，我们只好戴口罩。
Time flies, it was supposed to have 4 months leaving for Krabi, but now we are prepared to fly. A group of 10 of us departing from KLIA LCC-T, flight takes approximately one and a quarter to reach the destination. All of us were wearing mask due to the Influenza A.




我们入住的是刚营业十一个月的四星级度假村Aree Tara Resort。可能是淡季吧，每间客房的四天三夜住宿只花费了MYR340，平均每夜RM113.33。我订的客房只是Superior，而登记时服务员却告知我们的客房已升级至Deluxe，而且还可以看到泳池。
We were checking in at a Four-star resort named Aree Tara Resort, it was opened for business for only 11 months. It could possibly due to low season, we only paid RM340 for 4 days 3 nights stay, average per night is only RM113.33. The rooms the I reserved are Superior, however, the front desk officer told me that all rooms has been upgraded to Deluxe room with pool view.










甲米市镇（Krabi Town）离开我们的于Ao Nang住宿蛮远，而且大家的都饿了，我们唯有包车四个小时到处走，每人只需140 Baht。
Krabi Town in fact is quite far away from our accommodation in Ao nang, furthermore we all were starved, and we decided to rent a van for about 4 hours to go around the town, it cost 140 Baht per person.

司机带我们到一家餐馆用餐
Driver brought us to a restaurant

有点像槟城的新关仔角
Lookalike Penang's Gurney Drive










小型夜市卖的食物各式各样
Variety of foods










在夜市附近的人猿交通灯
Gorillas traffic light nearby the market



其余的地方有Vogue Shopping Centre及类似特易购的Big C。除了饮料外，我还在Vogue买了两件短裤。
Other places that we have been to are Vogue Shopping Centre and similiar to Tesco Mall named Big C. Other than drinks, I only bought 2 shorts from Vogue.


今天的开销还好，并不多。
Today's expenditure is still alright.

Shuttle Bus .......... 100.00
Van ....................... 140.00
Meal ...................... 195.00
Drinks ..................... 18.00
Shorts .................... 798.00
Snacks/Beer ........... 59.00

Total ................... 1309.00

将近一年了，等到大家的颈都长了。自称是大马其中一家最具规模的建筑发展商- 怡保置地 IJM LAND 终于成功取得我新家的入伙证。

我当然是第一时间回槟城领钥匙，然后再规划装修工程。而这一次的设计重任，我决定杠起。这将是我第二次任室内设计师。

P/S: 我最不满的是我的房间。虽然是望海，可是小到超级可怜。。。

Everyone has been long awaited for the Cetificate of Occupation from the local renowned developer - IJM LAND.

Certainly I would get the keys as soonest possible, and start planning for the renovataion. ID would never be my expertise but I take part and make it to be one of of my responsibilities. This would be the second time being an Interior Designer.

P/S : Although my room is sea view but it would also be the layout I dissatisfied most. It's too "TINY"!

是升职了，不过一点都不快乐

我确实和多人说过我会搬下来KL, 从一月拖延到二月, 再由四月延迟到六月。其实并不完全是我的错，而是我在KL的办公室，屋主迟迟都不能交出单位。但是这次我还是决定搬下来了, 所以我并没食言, 只是迟了些。

这家其实租来不易，前前后后从槟城下来KL两次，只为了想租位于安邦的单位，可是却需通过另外三名经纪，才成功租得此屋。原因在于第一名经纪的个性和为人，还有她不专业的解释，惹来不少的误会。

除了我和三名相识的室友外，还有“同居密友”（不多说大家也懂吧？！）。虽然这个家只是租借暂住，可是以我的性格，就算不是自己真正的家，大家也有责任维持自家清洁。我希望每个家庭成员都能记住“不太计较、自动自发、和睦相处”。而我最低的要求则是“合作、整齐、清洁”。

三年前，我曾经离开家人到吉隆坡工作，随后因为遇到某些挫折，才下决定回槟城。而这次重回吉隆坡的怀抱，对我来说，这地方并不陌生，反而更具挑战性。我懂我将面对的问题，会是我从没遇过的问题。而在别人眼中，我的生活看似很好，可是有苦自己知，因为这社会原本就是“你看我好，我看你好”。Director，并不好当！

我心想，就算再不一样，至少我可以自己照顾自己，烹饪更难不倒我啦。。。