For the benefit of indo maid employer, here list down on what it takes to renew indonesia maid passport at their embassy for future reference.
To get to the embassy, here the location at Jalan Tun Razak:
http://www.kbrikl.org.my/main_chancery.html
operating hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm, friday 9-12:30pm and 2:30pm-5pm. Closed on public holidays.
The only parking place nearby is the India restaurant next door, space is limited and parking fee is RM5.
One of the requirement is that maid and employer must go, however since agent can renew on behalf so I guess there must be loophole or leeway to this rule right? Bring your IC because employer will be checked at guardhouse, but bear in mind that wearing shorts will not be allowed to enter the embassy, but all is not lost yet because maid can still enter on their own to fill up the form and go to processing area. But you have to loitering outside the premise for the whole duration then. Hints: shopping time.
what you need to get ready with?
i)3 passport size photos with red background (can take inside embassy or at the car park at Rm15)
ii)photocopy of employer IC and maid old passport(can be done at car park at rm0.50 per copy or inside embassy)
iii)passport renewal fee is rm22 for 3 years.
Once everything verified by security guard, your maid will be send into processing and you can only roam the Embassy ground. Bring along reading material definitely make you feel like not wasting your life away, because the waiting period can be up to 4 hours(improve from what used to be 3 weeks to now within a day). Since there will be a lot of ppl, it's advisable to provide your maid with handphone so you don't need to turn part time security guard checking on everyone coming out.
In summary the overall cost barring inflation is about = RM22(renewal fee) + RM5(parking) + RM17(photocopy and photo). Hope this info can help you calculate your opportunity cost hence make a better judgement on what you are charged.
Come to think of it, actually if the mood is right, this author don't mind to be your part-time maid permit or passport renewal agent, with 50% discount of what your maid agent charging you :)
30 June 2010
Fast forward two years later ... I found the process already changed quite a bit.
What's new?
1) You don't need to take photos from outside anymore, because both photo shooting and photocopy are provided free in the embassy. Good move, get rid of those irritating service providers.
Detail of what to bring can be found here:
http://www.kbrikualalumpur.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=57
Note that their website address also change to a new one, at time of writing I can only browsed using IE, crashed on Mozilla Firefox.
2) Now they make you sign an employment contract with maid (3 copies) which stated minimum salary is RM600.
3) Passport renewal fee for 3 years reduce to RM18 (when will this ever happen to Malaysia passport?).
4) Next door parking charges now RM4 for first hour and subsequent hour at RM2, maximum per day is RM10.
procedures:
i)collect form
ii)get queue number, then only fill up all the forms and get your document photocopied while waiting
iii)after all documents are ready, go to take photo directly
iv)wait for your queue number to be called, expect 3 calls in total
v)first call mainly to verify the contract, and check on minimum RM600 monthly salary requirement fulfilled
vi)second call is to make payment and verify passport and picture
vii)third call is to collect the new passport, passport 3 years validity start from renewal date and not from old passport expiration date.
Prepare to spend an average 4 hours to get the job done, so bring along some good reading materials to feel less stupid.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
20080412 Serdang Hakka Village
After viewing the following 8TV Ho Chiak! 7: Episode 9 - part 1, we decided to make a trip to Serdang new village to seek the truth via our own taste buds.
Hmm hmm, did the truth hurt? Following is summary of the verdict:
1)With much anticipation, we ordered their so call famous dishes: Crab claypot rice and Prawn claypot rice. Both almost similar taste just that one buried with prawn & the other hide and seek with crab, from positive point of view, it's good that they are able to maintain same taste for both, but blame it on our luck may be!?, we still feel that the taste is not as good as advertised. Overated? eating claypot chicken rice may be more worth it.
2)Surprise finding for the night was the steamy Sotong dish, aroma and taste wise both were delicious! The vege dish is normal, nothing to shout and cry about.
3)However, for their another self-proclaim branded dish --- bone bun, which actually just a disguise name for curry chicken in bread. So to follow their disguise way of naming the dish to put through our comment, we will not say we were disappointed but it's not really up to expectation. Personally the curry was a bit salty to my liking, nevertheless generally felt that the one sold in PD can beat this pant down :)
Lastly, enclosed the bill for your own
calculator to draw conclusion whether it's value for money or water fish in the making.
Friday, March 28, 2008
20080319 Pantai Seafood Restaurant
Evidents of how the RM600++ was spend at Pantai Seafood Restaurant on 2008 March 19 to feed the under privilege, once a blues moon dog also have it's day? Make no mistake it's not a sign of economy booming but mainly courtesy from ........ -- some sort of water fish(2nd pic) .. and accompany with some sort of shell (3rd pic). But is that all the crab (5th pic) we were served? NO, a few more i.e. we also have some type of grasses and distant relative of snails because they really traveled from a distance ...
Name for the dishes not in any particular favourite order:Pic1) Canada Geoduck, nothing to do with Peking duck, but it's better looking when it's cooked than alive
Pic2) Sea Garoupa
Pic3) Scotland Clam, no skirt for sure
Pic4) Kailan dual styles, backstroke & butterfly ??
Pic5) Boston Lobster say cheese n smile
Pic6) Japan Snail
and last but not least -- Rice
bon appetit, blurrrt .. amen.
Taste good or not? blooom bloooom blooooom, after detox you can't tell a different ... but it's expensive crap for sure.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Phuket for novice
Sawaadee ka, I landed on the island for the first time on 27-30/9/2007, so before my memory faded I would like to note down a few points for peer referencing, or in another word how will I plan differently if going there again ....
Barring tsunami, October to January are peak season for Phuket, so traveling cost generally inflated during that time .. First thing you need to know when arrive at the airport is -- taxi charges from airport to hotel is 700 baht per trip, same charges from Hotel back to airport. Bus is cheaper if you are willing to explore. Driving a rental bike and become mat rempit wannabe I would not recommend unless you are tired of paying your life insurance premium or seeking police attention.
Donate 1300 baht per person then you entitle to visit Fantasea Theme park(open from 530pm-1130pm except thursday) located on kamala beach 9kms north of patong.
I felt that the entrance fee was overpriced, luckily we didn't pay 1800baht which include buffet dinner, no ride no nothing, other attraction basically are asking you to spend on souvenir or paying to play funfair games, the main show is the cultural performance, I can only say that the stage was grand other than that can barely understand or appreciate the show. If you are on tight budget can give it a miss :) Browsing www.phuket-fantasea.com may offer you the same consolation ooomph.
Phi-Phi island tour program 1400 baht per person
Pickup from hotel to pier(Rassada port), the ferry will bring you passing by Maya bay(where movie The beach was filming), viking cave where birdnest are harvest, getting wet and snorkelling at monkey bay but coral and fish are nothing to shout about, lunch at Phi-Phi don included with the program, as well as transportation from pier back to hotel. IMHO, this activity is worth trying. If possible next time should plan a trip to Krabi island and stay overnight there.
Attention: with the many rugged cliff surface rocks and caves that island is heaven for rock climbing enthusiasts, probably bliss business for chiropractic as well :P .
For accommodation, Kata beach area is generally more peaceful, fyi Phuket ClubMed is also situated here. For the stretch of Karon beach you can see more established hotel along the road but the wave there definitely looks stronger to my naked eyes.
To experience the busy night life and shopping you should not miss Patong. Very happening and busy place, do look up for Bang-La Road at night(also look up the electric poles on that street, the messy cables sure make TNB looks very elegant), frankly I cannot see any sign of Tsunami visited here before. For me, to stay here the location of the hotel is more important than their star rating as long as they are clean and safe, hotel facilities are what you can do without, because most of the time you will be outdoor experience Patong anyway. Those with active brain cells would rather save the money for shopping and food in this area, amen.
I deciphered from taxi driver broken english that in comparison Phuket actually is the most expensive place to shop in Thailand, I would not disagree. For your shopping spree Patong and Phuket city are the two places you should concentrate your limited time with. We was told Phuket city (i.e. Robinsons and Ocean mall surrounding) can offer you a better bargain than Patong but the place looks older though, whereas Jungceylon is a new shopping mall in Patong for 'puteri lilin' aka those opt to shop under aircond.
Tip1: if you didn't bring enough Thai currency, it's a good idea charging using your credit card because the conversion rate is not that bad, furthermore international spending gain double points leh ..
Tip2: If your partner is muscular enough to carry the bag for you, according to survey, fast moving consumer goods i.e. shampoo, toilette cream, skincare dan lain-lain of the same brand here, can be cheaper there. *hints* Octopus and Cow will feel the same way too :P
Tip3: If you shop at the store displaying VAT refund sign, ask for form PP10 with original invoice if you purchase with at least 2000 baht in same store. But total purchase have to be 5000 baht per person(VAT included) or more, to qualify for the VAT refund. You can get the refund minus 100 bath processing fee at the airport.
Other attractions to boast and my amateur rating as follow:
****Thai massage (supposely 350-400 baht an hour, but normally massager spend less than 60 minutes on you, probably Thai's clock 50 minutes = 1 hour?? :D )
***Promthep cape to watch sunset
**Shooting range (try once is enough, around 900 baht per 10 bullets)
*Elephant, monkey or snake show (give them a break so we give them a miss)
*Chalong temple (I have seen a better one b4 :)
Simon cabaret show (not enough time to watch this shemale performing but no regret)
Be more adventurous, try their hawker food, worry not toilets is abundant.
If it's a dull day for you on the ride, take note of all the pirated Shell petrol stations logo along the road.
If you are following city tour, these are the itineraries I dislike most:
i)visit gem/pearl factory
ii)cashew nut factory/birdnest shop
iii)chinese restaurant(as if we don't have enough back home) expect you to eat shark fin or birdnest
needless to say what the tour agent motive are, but it's purely waste of my time. If it's within your control, just chartered a taxi whole day then tell them where you want to go.
In summary, for a 4D3N trip, I will suggest staying 1 night at Krabi, 1 night at Kata beach and another night at Patong, then you can cover all the different lifestyle that Phuket got to offer :D.
p/s: For those who have been to Redang, then please lower your expectation about the beach, it's not too bad but more to please those have never seen a nicer beach before, but the offering of tourist activities in Thailand leave us much to learn from.
ok got enough information for you oledi? Huh, 4D3N you think you have a lot of time meh ... to subsidize my future trip feel free to click on the google ad lah ... btw photos available for those with high karma or accumulated enough credits kekekekekek... La kon.
Barring tsunami, October to January are peak season for Phuket, so traveling cost generally inflated during that time .. First thing you need to know when arrive at the airport is -- taxi charges from airport to hotel is 700 baht per trip, same charges from Hotel back to airport. Bus is cheaper if you are willing to explore. Driving a rental bike and become mat rempit wannabe I would not recommend unless you are tired of paying your life insurance premium or seeking police attention.
Donate 1300 baht per person then you entitle to visit Fantasea Theme park(open from 530pm-1130pm except thursday) located on kamala beach 9kms north of patong.
I felt that the entrance fee was overpriced, luckily we didn't pay 1800baht which include buffet dinner, no ride no nothing, other attraction basically are asking you to spend on souvenir or paying to play funfair games, the main show is the cultural performance, I can only say that the stage was grand other than that can barely understand or appreciate the show. If you are on tight budget can give it a miss :) Browsing www.phuket-fantasea.com may offer you the same consolation ooomph.
Phi-Phi island tour program 1400 baht per person
Pickup from hotel to pier(Rassada port), the ferry will bring you passing by Maya bay(where movie The beach was filming), viking cave where birdnest are harvest, getting wet and snorkelling at monkey bay but coral and fish are nothing to shout about, lunch at Phi-Phi don included with the program, as well as transportation from pier back to hotel. IMHO, this activity is worth trying. If possible next time should plan a trip to Krabi island and stay overnight there.
Attention: with the many rugged cliff surface rocks and caves that island is heaven for rock climbing enthusiasts, probably bliss business for chiropractic as well :P .
For accommodation, Kata beach area is generally more peaceful, fyi Phuket ClubMed is also situated here. For the stretch of Karon beach you can see more established hotel along the road but the wave there definitely looks stronger to my naked eyes.
To experience the busy night life and shopping you should not miss Patong. Very happening and busy place, do look up for Bang-La Road at night(also look up the electric poles on that street, the messy cables sure make TNB looks very elegant), frankly I cannot see any sign of Tsunami visited here before. For me, to stay here the location of the hotel is more important than their star rating as long as they are clean and safe, hotel facilities are what you can do without, because most of the time you will be outdoor experience Patong anyway. Those with active brain cells would rather save the money for shopping and food in this area, amen.
I deciphered from taxi driver broken english that in comparison Phuket actually is the most expensive place to shop in Thailand, I would not disagree. For your shopping spree Patong and Phuket city are the two places you should concentrate your limited time with. We was told Phuket city (i.e. Robinsons and Ocean mall surrounding) can offer you a better bargain than Patong but the place looks older though, whereas Jungceylon is a new shopping mall in Patong for 'puteri lilin' aka those opt to shop under aircond.
Tip1: if you didn't bring enough Thai currency, it's a good idea charging using your credit card because the conversion rate is not that bad, furthermore international spending gain double points leh ..
Tip2: If your partner is muscular enough to carry the bag for you, according to survey, fast moving consumer goods i.e. shampoo, toilette cream, skincare dan lain-lain of the same brand here, can be cheaper there. *hints* Octopus and Cow will feel the same way too :P
Tip3: If you shop at the store displaying VAT refund sign, ask for form PP10 with original invoice if you purchase with at least 2000 baht in same store. But total purchase have to be 5000 baht per person(VAT included) or more, to qualify for the VAT refund. You can get the refund minus 100 bath processing fee at the airport.
Other attractions to boast and my amateur rating as follow:
****Thai massage (supposely 350-400 baht an hour, but normally massager spend less than 60 minutes on you, probably Thai's clock 50 minutes = 1 hour?? :D )
***Promthep cape to watch sunset
**Shooting range (try once is enough, around 900 baht per 10 bullets)
*Elephant, monkey or snake show (give them a break so we give them a miss)
*Chalong temple (I have seen a better one b4 :)
Simon cabaret show (not enough time to watch this shemale performing but no regret)
Be more adventurous, try their hawker food, worry not toilets is abundant.
If it's a dull day for you on the ride, take note of all the pirated Shell petrol stations logo along the road.
If you are following city tour, these are the itineraries I dislike most:
i)visit gem/pearl factory
ii)cashew nut factory/birdnest shop
iii)chinese restaurant(as if we don't have enough back home) expect you to eat shark fin or birdnest
needless to say what the tour agent motive are, but it's purely waste of my time. If it's within your control, just chartered a taxi whole day then tell them where you want to go.
In summary, for a 4D3N trip, I will suggest staying 1 night at Krabi, 1 night at Kata beach and another night at Patong, then you can cover all the different lifestyle that Phuket got to offer :D.
p/s: For those who have been to Redang, then please lower your expectation about the beach, it's not too bad but more to please those have never seen a nicer beach before, but the offering of tourist activities in Thailand leave us much to learn from.
ok got enough information for you oledi? Huh, 4D3N you think you have a lot of time meh ... to subsidize my future trip feel free to click on the google ad lah ... btw photos available for those with high karma or accumulated enough credits kekekekekek... La kon.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
LCD or Plasma?
From time to time, you may come across people or you yourself asking this question: To choose a Plasma or LCD TV?
Below are summary of my finding, saving you some searching time:
Traditionally Plasma should have better picture quality than LCD TV, but the gap now is marginal at best. Major difference is the viewing angle, which plasma have an edge because they offer same viewing quality wherever you stand, and this translate to wider viewing angle.
However, LCD are:
Gamer choice, brighter, high screen resolution(on same price range comparison).
Fast motion picture is better on plasma because of high-contrast level(better black and shadow details) and also better response time(LCD is improving). Plasma used to have image ghosting problem but now seldom happening.
Last but not least, LCD would come cheaper in comparison so as the power consumption.
New additional info updated on 11/12/2008
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/179/lcd-or-plasma-hdtvs-which-to-choose/
Below are summary of my finding, saving you some searching time:
Traditionally Plasma should have better picture quality than LCD TV, but the gap now is marginal at best. Major difference is the viewing angle, which plasma have an edge because they offer same viewing quality wherever you stand, and this translate to wider viewing angle.
However, LCD are:
Gamer choice, brighter, high screen resolution(on same price range comparison).
Fast motion picture is better on plasma because of high-contrast level(better black and shadow details) and also better response time(LCD is improving). Plasma used to have image ghosting problem but now seldom happening.
Last but not least, LCD would come cheaper in comparison so as the power consumption.
New additional info updated on 11/12/2008
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/179/lcd-or-plasma-hdtvs-which-to-choose/
prelude
as many of you would have guessed, this is suppose to be my space writing about food only , that was my intention actually, but again there are so many thing for me to write, i can't be creating so many blogs to cater for all, so come to think of it ROJAK is also a type of food, so I will just pen down whatever I feel like writing or good to share, be it food for stomach, food for thought, food for mind, food for soul and etc.... Like that also can arr? ........ CAN :)
《陋室铭》 -- 刘禹锡
山不在高，有仙则名。
水不在深，有龙则灵。
斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。
苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。
谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。
可以调素琴，阅金经。
无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形
南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。
孔子云：何陋之有?
[译 文]
山不一定要高，有了仙人就著名了。水不一定要深，有了龙就灵异了。这虽是简陋的房子，只是我的品德美好（就不感到简陋了）。青苔碧绿，长到台阶上，草色青葱，映入帘子中。与我谈笑的是博学的人，往来的没有不懂学问的人。可以弹奏朴素的古琴，阅读珍贵的佛经。没有嘈杂的音乐扰乱两耳，没有官府公文劳累身心。它好比南阳诸葛亮的茅庐，西蜀扬子云的玄亭。孔子说：“有什么简陋的呢？”
《陋室铭》 -- 刘禹锡
山不在高，有仙则名。
水不在深，有龙则灵。
斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。
苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。
谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。
可以调素琴，阅金经。
无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形
南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。
孔子云：何陋之有?
[译 文]
山不一定要高，有了仙人就著名了。水不一定要深，有了龙就灵异了。这虽是简陋的房子，只是我的品德美好（就不感到简陋了）。青苔碧绿，长到台阶上，草色青葱，映入帘子中。与我谈笑的是博学的人，往来的没有不懂学问的人。可以弹奏朴素的古琴，阅读珍贵的佛经。没有嘈杂的音乐扰乱两耳，没有官府公文劳累身心。它好比南阳诸葛亮的茅庐，西蜀扬子云的玄亭。孔子说：“有什么简陋的呢？”
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