Simon Says

  I read this story ( https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics-makes-people-rethink-taste-101232531.html ) this morning and thought why would anyone want to rethink their chocolate preferences because of politicians and politics. It is interesting to know that research has found links between people's preference for certain chocolate brands and their political stances. But why rethink your choice of chocolates just because some politicians from parties you don't like enjoy the same chocolates? Why sacrifice your preferences? Will it hurt the politician you dislike? Take away his/her support? As a chocolate lover, I say to hell with politicians. I love my chocolates and if the politicians I dislike happen to like my favourite chocolates, so be it. They have good taste.   All I have to do is not vote for any candidate from their parties in the elections. 

With Penang anticipating the start of its long-awaited LRT construction ( yeah, still waiting ), I think it’s not too early or too late to remind my fellow Penangites and myself that LRT stations cannot be built where we want them to be. They can’t be built in front of, next door to, or behind our homes, offices, schools, restaurants, preferred shopping malls, or wherever we want. However, they can be built close by at locations that allow their construction to suit the alignment of the train network.  I recently flew to Kuala Lumpur for a construction-related exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. I was told I could hop onto the KLIA Express to KL Sentral and from there, take the Kelana Jaya LRT line to get to the KLCC station. The LRT ride would cost just a little over RM2 – cheaper than ordering a Grab ride.  A quiet morning at the KLIA Express platform after landing at 7am! I love this train. The Kelana Jaya Line LRT before 9am. Not as crowded as I thought. So, ...

It's heartening to read stories of how people live harmoniously in a world, where the far-right is getting louder and louder, thinking only they are right. Why can't we get along regardless of our skin colour, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity? We are just human, made of flesh and blood. And, none of us are perfect. https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2024/08/13/muslims-christians-on-senegal-island-preach-brotherly-love-in-life-and-death/146870

I first visited Hong Kong in 2008 as a budget traveller. My ex-college mate and I only used the MTR to get from our hotel in Jordon to all the must-see tourist sites on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. It was only to Stanley – the Hong Kong version of Balik Pulau - that we needed to take the bus. I can’t remember how much we spent but we had credits left in our Octopus cards on our last day and could get refunds. I returned to Hong Kong again a few years later for a family trip, and everyone was happy taking the MTR to enjoy Hong Kong’s sights, including my parents who had very little experience using trains. Almost every place we wanted to see was within walking distance from a station. The routes were easy to understand, and the trains and stations were clean (to Mom's delight). The Octopus card was particularly handy because we used it for the MTR fare and to buy necessities at convenience stores. I'm a fan of the Hong Kong MTR. Anyone who has been to Hong Kong will praise th...

Today, I read the horrible news that Pulau Kapas has sunk at the Butterworth Wharf. What a sorry sight! https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/07/24/retired-since-2018-penang-ferry-pulau-kapas-sinks-at-butterworth-wharf/144799 The news opened old wounds. I am reminded of how crushed I was when I found out the ferries were no longer in operation and were replaced by "un-iconic" modern boats.  During a trip back to Penang in early 2022, my first after COVID-19, I was so crushed when Dad told me "No more ferries, just take the bridge ". It turned out I missed the local news of the ferries ceasing operations at the end of 2020. I had wanted to take the old ferry to meet a friend at China House that day. I had it all planned out in my head. I would ask Dad to drop me off at Penang Sentral, take the ferry to the island, enjoy the sea breeze and smell of salt water, reminisce on the trips my parents took me and my siblings on the car-carrying ferries when we were sma...

I have developed a new pet peeve – people telling Penang it doesn’t need an LRT system because it’s expensive, ugly, outdated, bad for the environment, and will not get enough passengers. Penang only needs buses. If buses were the solution, we wouldn’t be in this state of congestion every day. Here’s another letter I wrote that was published in two newspapers. https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2024/07/03/hoping-for-mutiara-lrt-to-be-operational-by-2030 https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2024/07/1072400/penang-people-want-lrt