Volunteering as a helper at the Relay For Life Melaka 2017

Some time at the end of last month, my old highschool friend, EF, contacted me  to ask if I'd like to help out as a volunteer for the then-upcoming Relay for Life Melaka event. Now, to be honest, I believe I had never heard of such a thing before, but as long as it did not clash with any of my other plans (and did not require me to actually do any running), I was otherwise more than happy to help out.

For those of you who (like me) are new to this, briefly, the Relay for Life was an overnight charity event aimed as raising funds, awareness, supporting and remembering those who have themselves or know someone who has had an encounter with Cancer. Organized by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, the event generally involves a continuous relay of participants around a track. This year, the event was held at the Dataran Pahlawan field in Melaka Raya. Participants need not run - walking was fine. The goal is to ensure at least someone is still going round the track at any given time. This is to symbolize the continuous battle against cancer, which never sleeps (hence the event taking place over night). You can read more about it on their web page : http://www.relayforlifemalaysia.com/about-relay/

I arrived relatively early (nearly 7pm), considering my official shift duty was from 12pm to 4am. Again, this was to help out EF who was tasked as one of the main co-coordinators for the event. Already, there was no parking as all available bays were full (even with so-called VIP access - reminds me of my company parking....). So, I just temporarily double parked long enough to unload the stuff from my car before driving off in search of parking. In the end I had to park in front of the TNB, Banda Kaba, which was some 15 minutes walk away from Dataran Pahlawan. Was going to be for some exercise that night....

There were lots of people there, a mixture of volunteers and walk-in participants. There were food stalls set up with some game booths as well. There was a small stage set up at the entrance of the shopping mall, where there were some stage acts (singing, dancing, etc.).

Though generally stationed at the volunteer tent, I was there as a general helper, after all, so in principle this means looking out for whatever needs to be done and help out as best as possible. Thus, I was involved in carrying stuff, registration of volunteers, distribution of water / t-shirt to allocated volunteers, making rounds / spot checks, cleaning up, sorting of waste for recycling, etc..

At 8pm (or some time shortly after, as it was hard to keep things punctual with so much going on), it was time for the Luminaria event, which was when people lit up candles inside paper bags with messages written on them. Each was uniquely hand-decorated.

To ensure that there were sufficient people going around the track through the night, there were many participants who camped in the middle of the field, and took turns going round and round. Most of them appeared to be secondary school children, though I'm not sure from which school they were from. Participants could register themselves in teams of 10 (RM450 per team), Adults (RM50 per person) or Kid (RM20 per person). Registration for cancer survivors (both adults and kids) is free. Each Luminaria was sold at RM5 each, and F&B coupons sold in strips of RM10 (in denominations of RM1 and RM2). For over-night participants, tents were sold at RM70 (for those who did not have their own tent), while the space to pitch their tents was for RM30 per tent.

Helping out too were some RELA members, which were tasked with ensuring only people who registered and paid at the counter were admitted to the field (everyone was given a wrist band upon registration, including us volunteers). Also, later, to ensure that the said school children were kept in check. As there were limited bottles of water and t-shirts, it was a challenge to keep the distribution in control only to those who were identified. This entails having to deal with the occasional volunteer coming over and "insisting" they deserve to get a t-shirt, a box of mineral water, some other free-bies, etc..

It was quite "happening" before midnight, with all the activity going on, but after 12pm, the stage shows ended, the crowd dwindled, and it was down to just the volunteer group and the over-night participants. From there on, keeping awake while seated at the volunteer tent was rather challenging. Especially since they did not have any coffee available.... :(

As it turned out, some of the volunteers did not turn up on time (some did not turn up at all), so I was glad I was prepared to stay longer than planned. And stay longer than planned I did - in the end, leaving only around 9am, to send the paper carton boxes and plastic bottles to the Tzu Chi recycling facility at Air Keroh before finally heading home to catch up on sleep lost over the night before.

Do check out their Facebook page for many photos / videos covering this event : https://www.facebook.com/RelayforLifeMelaka/

Well, now that it's over, looking back I found it was a new experience for me - I've volunteered as a helper before, but not for an all-night event such as this. Due to a busy day prior to the event, I did not manage to get an afternoon nap to shift myself into the right timezone. Fortunately, the following day (Monday) was a public holiday in conjunction with the installation of Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, so by Tuesday, I was back to normal just in time for work.

Coincidentally, 22 April also happened to be Earth Day 2017, but that's another topic for another blog post.... :)

Smurfs : The Lost Village - IFX Movie Day

It was the Melaka Historical City day last Saturday. A fine weekend with family and friends (who work at the same Great Place as I do) at the GSC Aeon Bandaraya Melaka, for another Movie Day organized by the IFX executive recreation club, Club81. This time round, the movie of choice - Smurfs : The Lost Village.

As mentioned in my previous post (http://marvinchong.blogspot.com/2017/04/beauty-beast-outing-to-gsc-aeon.html), originally I had in plan to watch the slightly-controversial-awhile-ago Beauty and the Beast. With the rest of the movies offered being somewhat unsuitable for kids, this was basically the only feasible choice left. I try to keep the rest of this post spoiler-free.... :)

Where Beauty and the Beast was a live-action remake of the cartoon, Smurfs : The Lost Village is a fully animated show. Seems to be a reboot of the movie series, as the earlier 2 movies from Sony Entertainment Pictures was a live-action + CGI combo. While there was no practical way to make a Smurf any other way than through CGI, I found that in the previous 2 movies, the lead antagonist portrayed by actor Hank Azaria did not port well into real-life. So, the decision to revert back to a "real" cartoon is IMHO all for the better.

Now, this being the company movie day, it's always necessary to register early to get a good seat. This is the reason for the large crowd of people outside the entrance of Aeon Bandaraya Melaka well before the official opening time of 10am. The only other time you'll see this is during the occasional J-card member  day sale. To be honest, not many chose to watch this show, so in the end the cinema hall appeared to be only 80% full.

After registering, there was enough time for breakfast before the show started at 11am (another advantage to coming early). We sat down at Hailam Kopitiam on the ground floor (opposite Old Town white coffee) and basically went with the breakfast sets as we expected that to be the fastest option, given that we had 5 adults and 5 children at the table. Well, that's true for the most part, with the exception of the half-boiled eggs which came with some of the selected sets. How late, you might ask? Well, let's just say, our decision to split the group and collect the complimentary popcorn / drinks while the others finished breakfast was a wise decision, as we just barely made it in as the pre-show ads were about to end.

For the company movie day, there did not seem to be a differentiation in tickets - all of them were "adult tickets" and priced accordingly. Cost is as follows:-

Adult ticket:
Ticket price - RM11.07
GST (6%) - 0.66
Entertainment tax (25% of ticket price before GST) - RM2.77
Total - RM14.50

This was for the normal ticket, which was RM1.50 cheaper than one with enhanced Dolby Atmos.

As for the movie itself, without giving too much away, I can say that all the "mandatory" Smurf elements are there - Smurfs individual behavior / characteristics according to their names (which makes you wonder how one would name a new-born Smurf), Gargamel + Azrael  as the complementary pair of villains. As one might guess for shows of this type, there's a fair amount of songs and singing, though none of the tunes stick to your head like those typically found in Disney movies (yes, you know I'm comparing to THAT recent show again).

Well, in the end, I see my kids were entertained. The U-rated family show was watchable for me (not quite the death-by-boredom experience that I feared).

Demerit Points System (Kejara) goes online in Malaysia

Photo from TheSTAR online (http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/11/16/parliament-contract-aes/).

Significant news for all drivers in Malaysia. Some say good, some say not, depending on what kind of road user you are. From 15 April 2017, the Kejara Demerit Points System goes online nationwide, and ushers in a new era of traffic law enforcement. Ultimately, aimed at increasing road safety by taking action (by means of suspension and even revoking the driving license) of frequent traffic offenders.

Now, for those new to the topic (or need a refresher), Kejara is short for KEsalahan JAlan RAya (or traffic offences, in English). Under this Demerit Point System, each driver will be "awarded" points for each traffic offense under the Road Transport Act 1987. For the initial phase, the main focus will be on (but not limited to) speeding and running through red lights. More will be added in due course. 23 in total, to be exact, planned by the end of the year.

A quick search on the JPJ website reveals the following information on how various offenses are "scored":

6 points for drivers of cargo-carrying vehicles (lorries, vans, etc.) and buses. 4 points for drivers of all other vehicle types.

For drivers of cargo-carrying vehicles : exceeding speed limit by 1~25kph = 4 points, 25~40kph = 5 points, above 40kph = 6 points
For drivers of all other vehicle types : exceeding speed limit by 1~25kph = 2 points, 25~40kph = 3 points, above 40kph = 4 points

Looks like the emphasis on compliance is higher on drivers of buses, lorries and other cargo-carrying vehicles.

Playing a big role in this will undoubtedly be the AES (Automated Enforcement System) network of cameras scattered throughout the country, as well as those traffic light cameras at most intersections. Ah well, since we are in to acronyms, the integrated system of AES and Kejara is known as AWAS (Automated AWAreness Safety System).

Upon racking up a total of 20 points, a warning will be issued to the said driver. Subsequently, upon reaching the next 20 points (40 points cumulatively), the driver's license will be temporarily suspended for 6 - 12 months. The driver will have the option of undergoing a "rehabilitation course" in order to reduce the duration of the suspension. I'm not able to find any details on such courses (duration / cost) for now, though the system just started, so it's not likely anyone will have to seriously consider this option yet....

The other option is to avoid being awarded additional points for 12 months, which will result in a 50% reduction in points. 

Since the automated system will rely on vehicle identification, if you are not the driver of the car (example, your teenager is driving the family car bought under your name), then you have 30 days to clarify the matter with JPJ.

The process flow chart : guilty or not guilty

The second and third set of 20 points will also result in a suspension, though it's not clear what the min-max duration. There are 2 conflicting sets of information from the http://www.jpj.gov.my website. One thing consistent, though, is that the 3rd suspension within a period of 5 years will result in the driver's license being revoked. If you are still on probation (driving with a "P" sticker), the 1st 20 points will be sufficient to get your license revoked. Once revoked, you can only re-apply for a new license after 12 months from the date of revocation. Here's an infomercial taken from the JPJ website:

Of course, better not to test the limits in the table above....

An example on how to lose your driving license under the Kejara Demerit Points System

Points are award and effective upon paying the compound or summons in court. If, say, the driver does not settle the speeding ticket (which is quite commonplace based on what the general impression all this while), JPJ will blacklist the driver's license and block renewal of road tax / license.

Stock image from Pixelbay

You can check online if you have any outstanding summons : http://www.jpj.gov.my/pertanyaan-saman-notis or are on the blacklist : http://www.jpj.gov.my/pertanyaan-senarai-hitam ( note these are http and not https sites )

You can read about it more on the JPJ page : http://www.jpj.gov.my/sistem-kejara or write to them for clarification at kejara@jpj.gov.my

Well, there you have it. Of course, it's quite natural human behavior to be resistant to change, but taking a step back and looking at the big picture, the end-in-mind is to make the roads safe for everyone by keeping errant and bad drivers off the road. Regardless, do not drive safely only because you fear the law, but because it is the right thing to do. Feel free to drop your comments or experiences with the new system (hopefully none) in the comments below.


Disclaimer : All information contained in this post is as per what I've found on the JPJ website. Do check there for latest updates, in case there are any changes from time to time. Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law....

Event - 3D 2N Camping @ Berkelah Waterfalls, Gambang (off Kuantan, Pahang)

Fresh from the recent hardcore 4x4 adventure to Selancar (http://marvinchong.blogspot.com/2017/03/upcoming-event-hardcore-off-road.html) and Blood donation campaign (http://marvinchong.blogspot.com/2017/03/upcoming-event-blood-donation-april-2017.html), the Puma 4x4 Club is organizing the next camping off-road event to Gambang (off Kuantan, Pahang).

This trip will take place during the 3 day weekend at the end of April 2017 (as Monday, 1st May is a public holiday due to Labour Day). Actually, the plan is to assemble at the Puma 4x4 Office / Club House @ Malim Jaya at 2.00am on Saturday, 29 April 2017. Yes, you read it correctly - 2.00am. So, it' essential to get everything prepared and catch some sleep early the night before.

Entry fees are RM150 per non-member and RM100 per member. If there's any one of you who would like to join, more information can be found at the Puma 4x4 event page : https://www.facebook.com/events/606312219648551

Unfortunately, this trip also clashes with the company trip organized by the Infineon Recreation Club, Club81, so I had to make a tough choice to give up my place (which I got after spending some time on the waiting list). It's been some time since I've been on a camping trip, so hopefully this trip will not be too much for me to handle! :)

Will definitely post a detailed write up of the trip and post a link here once done - stay tuned for updates!

[18 April 2017] Event updated, with the specific location being the Berkelah Waterfalls, as well as some minor details. For full information, do check out the Facebook event page in the link above.

[2 May 2017] Event successfully completed! Do stay tuned for my first hand account of the experience! Meanwhile, check out a short video montage I've managed to put together:

Beauty & the Beast - an outing to GSC, Aeon Bandaraya Melaka

I was tied up for the past two weeks engaged with my European counterparts, who were here for business trips. Thus, before the next wave of visitors arrived, I took some time off on an uneventful 2nd half day to bring my family to the movies. This time, it was to watch the live action Disney remake of the classic Beauty and the Beast. Clarification / disclaimer : this is not a movie review post.

The original plan was to watch the show for the Infineon Melaka Club81 Movie Day. However, due to some complications last month that resulted in a temporary ban of this movie, the show was no longer offered, even after the reversal of the ban by the Malaysian Authorities. This incident postponed the release from 16 Mar 2017 to 30 Mar 2017. Quite a storm in a tea cup, as you can search the Internet for news on credible sites such as : https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/world/asia/disney-malaysia-beauty-beast-gay.html

Not wanting to disappoint my kids, especially my daughter, I planned a family outing on my own (as soon as possible, in case the Malaysian Authorities have a sudden change of heart). In Melaka, there are now quite a number of cinemas, but this time I chose the Golden Screen Cinemas @ Aeon Bandaraya Melaka. That's the "New Jusco" to some of us local folks.

In my recent movie going experiences here, I found the staff friendly (from the ticketing counter to the food/drinks counter to the ushers). The hall and seats are also kept in good working order. No stale or smoky smell in the air.

As this show was basically a musical, I chose to go for the show which features DOLBY ATMOS. This was offered in the hall with an enhanced sound system. Only 3 shows per day, perhaps due to lower number of movie goers (as the ticket prices were more expensive). Speaking of movie ticket prices, here's the breakdown:-

Adult ticket:
Ticket price - RM12.22
GST (6%) - 0.73
Entertainment tax (25% of ticket price before GST) - RM3.05
Total - RM16.00

Children ticket:
Ticket price - RM6.49
GST (6%) - RM0.39
Entertainment tax - RM1.62
Total - RM8.50

As you can see, Malaysian businesses have become quite mathematically competent, as the customer is presented with a nice "round" figure while leaving the fractions to the tax breakdown structure. While the GST was fairly new to Malaysia (implemented since 1st April 2015), the entertainment tax has been around since Oct 2011.

The seats were made of PVC / faux leather which was a step up from the usual cloth / cushion seats. Sound was clear and powerful (when needed) without buzzing or distortion. Great for musicals (where this show seems to fall into the category) or action movies where there are lots of sound-effects. Now I'm wishing I had come here watch Les Miserables (you can read about my experience in another cinema over here : Les Miserables Midnight Show at MBO).

As we were just from lunch, we only got a Large Popcorn + 2x Mineral Water (500ml) which comes up to RM12.10 (as you might have guessed by now, a GST of RM0.69 is already inside as part of the price). From these prices alone, you can get a rough idea of what it costs for a typical family outing....

Well, as for the movie, hopefully not giving away any spoilers, it's practically the same story as the 1991 animation (also released by Disney). With some additional songs (which fit seamlessly in with the rest of the original soundtrack). Can't help but compare to the original cartoon from 16 years ago (wah, has it really been that long ago?). Emma Watson (the girl from Harry Potter) really nails the role as the beautiful Belle, and can also sing! :)

As for the Beast and Gaston, the live-action movies have stuck to more "realistic" renditions for these two characters (if you can call a horned, hairy beast realistic). The beast is no longer a towering, um, beast, and Gaston is built more "proportionally" and not like, say, Johnny Bravo. Still, I feel it's a bit of a pity that Luke Evans does not have as powerful and deep a voice as the original voice actor from the animation. Ah, well. At least they didn't replace it with another voice actor (like Darth Vader). Then of course, the rendition of the title theme soundtrack by Ariana Grande and John Legend, the two of which are accomplished singers in this time, but could never displace duet by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.

I honestly enjoyed this movie. Now just trying to figure out if it was because of re-living memories of the original Disney animation, or was this truly a successful stand-alone. Nonetheless, a great movie experience, enhanced by GSC's fine and complete cinema. I'm not really into the 3D movie hype (My 2 Cents on 3D TV and Movies), but I'm fully supportive of the ATMOS sound system especially when watching the right kind of movies. I'm looking for the right movie to come, to try out ATMOS D-BOX to see if it really is the next level up.

In spite of being rather pricey, will definitely chose to come here for an unforgettable and enjoyable movie-going experience in future!

Staying Healthy at the Bukit Serindit Recreational Park, Melaka

 

While there's no denying that Melaka is a relatively small state on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, there are some popular exercise spots which are always bustling with activity, especially on weekends or holidays. One such location is the Bukit Serindit Recreational Park, which is situated close to the heart of Melaka Town. Among the various activities here include : jogging, group exercise (aerobics, etc.), cycling, skating, playground.

Like many others, I personally feel that regular outdoor activity is an essential ingredient to maintain a health, balanced lifestyle. Especially important to start developing the habit in my kids from an early age. The Bukit Serindit Recreational Park is an old time favourite, as it's located within 15 minutes drive (depending on traffic conditions). The authorities have done their job here, as the park is quite well maintained. Park cleaners keep the walkways and landscape presentable, and the facilities are maintained and repaired as needed.

There are lots of trees and greenery everywhere, though not enough to provide shade around the park, so you'll want to go early in the morning or in the evening in order to avoid getting sunburn under the typical Malaysian sunshine.

Below is a satellite map I got from Google Maps, with some key features mapped out:

GPS Co-ordinates : 2.202430, 102.268709 (roughly in the center of the irregular shaped park)

You can jog along the outer perimeter of the park. I've marked the path in the map above, which comes to roughly 1.5km. Of course, you can also choose to run through the many foot paths criss-crossing through the park itself....

There ample parking space at both the main entrance (North side) and also on the West side next to the hall. There's a really small parking lot next to the Hockey fields - I guess they are intended for players.

There are many exercise groups scattered through the park. They are spaced far enough so that the accompanying music from each group will not overlap and cause great confusion. Most of them are basically aerobic style work outs, though there are some slower groups (one based on Buddhist Meditation, for non-Muslims only).

Right in the middle of the park is a small lake. Not sure of the origins, whether it's natural or man-made. There are a few iguanas / monitor lizards in the park, which you can occasionally spot having a swim in the lake. So far, have not come into close encounter with one, and never heard anyone being attacked or bitten before. There are possibly fish in the lake too, as though it's strictly prohibited, you can see people fishing illegally here quite often. Hope the law enforcers can take some action.

Next to the lake is a small flat area with smooth tiles suitable for roller skates / in-line skates. Though it's a bit small and too open, if you ask me. Not a place you would come to LEARN how to skate, unless you have no qualms about falling down in full public view. Just across the lake from here is a small amphitheater. No scheduled performances or shows here, though.

There's a children's playground with the usual playhouses, swings and see-saws. Usually the kids head straight for this place, and we end up spending quite a while over here. Next to this is are bars and facilities suitable for adults to practice (pull ups, chin ups, etc.). You can see some calisthenics aficionados working out here from time to time.


Always important to know where the rest-rooms are located. Updated my map based as I missed out the one near the North car park. I believe the cleaners are regularly cleaning the rest-rooms, so it's not a lost cause if you have to answer Nature's call.

There's a Hall on the mid-Western side of the park. I recall attending an indoor basketball tournament here a few years ago. Not sure if the hall is used for this or perhaps for other indoor games like badminton. Need to take a closer look the next time I'm there.

Over at the South East corner is a small area which has some skate park facilities. Quite small, but then I guess not many people here are into skating.
Not far away is a rather a peculiar sight, with many poles suitable for hanging bird cages. They have not been in use for as long as I can remember, so I don't know if this was a popular hobby many, many, many years ago. But nonetheless, the poles are still there.

Well, that roughly covers what you can find here. As mentioned, on weekends / public holidays, the Bukit Serindit Recreational Park is usually packed (until the sun is high in the sky). It's good thing though, as this shows that the general public is quite health-conscious and actively participating in outdoor exercise. Highly recommended to bring your family and introduce to friends. I do hope that the authorities and users (that's the public like you and me) can keep the park in good condition for everyone to enjoy!

Do you already come here regularly? What do you think of the park?