10/07/2012

Malaysian hospitality





I literally enjoyed a day of Malaysian hospitality yesterday. That’s the reason why I did not post anything. Woke up at 5.30am to have golf at Horizon Hills. The new maze of flyovers and viaducts still posed a serious problem to unwary drivers. My partner driver has driven in many many times and still can get lost quite easily.

I was aiming for Jalan Tun Razak, that means trying to get back to town instead of heading to KL. We missed a lane and the next familiar turn was Permas Jaya. We took it and fortunately I am quite familiar with that area, made a U turn towards the coastal road along Bukit Serene and was on our way to the Club.

Fine day for golf with bright sunny sun. On the 6th hole after making a decent drive I was tripped by the tee box marker. Some jokers thought it was a great idea to carve the alphabet H to be unique, HH equal Horizon Hills. Nice. But it was too big and high, and being blue did not stand out from the green grass.

I stumbled, couldn’t control myself and smashed my face against the hard buggy track. There was a 5cm deep cut on my forehead and that was the end of my game. I ended at a nearby hospital, brand new, medium size and with the name of Columbia Hospital. Nice thought, sounding very American in bumi country. Indeed it was an American chain of hospitals.

What surprised me was the staff. All Malaysians, no pinoys, PRCs, Indians or Myanmese. There was a Dr Soh, a senior nurse Ms Lim, a staff nurse by name of Jawady or something like that, another Indian staff nurse and many local female Malays nurses. The uniform was smart and probably by a good designer. And they were first class in their attentiveness, politeness and very professional. And they work very well as a team, very friendly among themselves and to the patients.

There were quite a number of patients but they don’t seem to be queuing for several hours like here. And the number of hospital staff, especially the nurses, was clearly sufficient to do an efficient task.

The hospital is entering its third year and the equipment was brand new and modern. I was taken into the surgery theatre, spanking clean and modern. And that was after all the checks and X-ray, and everything was over in about 3 hours with 14 stitches to close my wounds.

With this kind of service, the club is paying for the bills and I never ask, they will pose a serious alternative to the atrociously expensive hospitals we have here. The service quality is as good and you can feel that they are looking after you with tender care.

The other big surprise, far away from the politicians, is that the people work harmoniously despite all the hype about racism in the country. Get rid of politics and the politicians, the people will not be spending time bickering against each other on stupid political issues. There was not the slightest tension arising from race related staff.

The politicians should stay far far away from the economy and industries and let the people run their own businesses and live their own lives in peace, harmony and prosperity. The only thing they need to do is to make the infrastructure efficient and easy for the people, and make sure the place is crime free.

The Sinkies will have a good alternative in JB and not be robbed in our hospitals.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The Sinkies will have a good alternative in JB and not be robbed in our hospitals. "

But first we need to get back our money.
Right now.
We even pay interest for borrowing from our own money (CPF).
Uniquely Singapore.
Actually, Uniquely PAP.

Veritas said...

10 years ago, I did lasik in JB, costing less than 2k for both eyes. The cost doing it in Singapore is 5k. The doctor was good. I left home and got back my vision.

One of my friend who did it in Singapore, still need to wear spectacle.

Malaysian UMNO despite all her vices make sure very few FT doctor population. And basic healthcare is generally free in Malaysia. In SG, healthcare is a means to extract wealth from citizen.

I believe the best way to solve our medical cartel problem is for Malaysian to open 100 hospital in JB.

Anonymous said...

"The future is driven by people who are young enough that they still want to change the world. They have the ideas, the venture financing, the technical acumen and the creativity to push us forward.
Based on what I have seen, the old regime will still be arguing while the new one steamrolls over it. Sure, the old order has the money and the power, but it has run out of time, vision and drive. That edge goes to the youth."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/on-investing-the-future-isnt-grim-and-it-belongs-to-young-entrepreneurs/2012/04/19/gIQAKcIFaT_story_1.html

Anonymous said...

Hi Chin Leng,

I am sorry to hear abt your gash. The problem as I see it is really like this. The govt seems to expect the best out of workers. Hence faster, fasterer and fasterest.

But when it comes to employers - the govt doesn't seem to be very demanding of them to be model employers.

Instead you have half past six businessmen like that Pinnochio Green Frog boss that only seems to be able to sustain his business model with massive inputs of cheap and nasty labor.

Frankly, it is time for all of us to shift the onus of creating a better working environment in Singapore from workers to firms.

IMHO if firms such as the Pinnochio Green frog cannot make $ in SG without having the imagination and enterprenuerial skill sets to prosper while creating a better future for their employees.

Then maybe they should all go to Africa and turn the wheel of life there.

We have to say NO! to half baked businessmen who only know how to set up sweat shops. Otherwise although our GDP goes up. Our quality of life will definitely go down hill.

Darkness 2012

agongkia said...

5 mm or 5cm deep?Or 5 cm width?I always thought 5 cm can kenna the brain.Can discharge on same day?

If not because of injury on one's forehead outside SINgapore,one would not have a chance to see how competent is our neighbour and probably still think that they cannot compare to us .
Sinkies should get some injuries oversea especially on their head in neighbouring countries to realise how competency is our neighbours and not think too highly of ourselves.
Uncle,I wish you a speedy recovery.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Darkness, just some external injury and a panda eye.

The distortion in our economy is getting serious. We are attracting foreign companies here that think this is a cheap labour country. Maybe they have no choice since land/rental is so high as are other business cost. The local SMEs too are facing same problem and will find going forward difficult.

At the top everyone is acting like robbers. And the people other than being robbed, must contend with the high cost of living and very expensive housing.

Many cannot afford the high cost of living without high pay. It is like a rubber band being stretched at both ends.

Anonymous said...

ILLUSTRATIVE PAP-MIW JOKE
--------------------------

Q: How do you know when an MIW is sexually aroused?
A: His wallet is bulging.

Anonymous said...

Next time when you come over to Malaysia or Burma why dont you let me know first. We can tee off with many Singaporeans who are over here. Spend a few days even a plantation. We can talk abt photography.

Well the government is seriously running out of ideas how to grow the economy - smart governments grow industries to create jobs. Stupid governments just bring in alot of people and derive indirect taxes from them to fatten their coffers.

You have to decide which category the Singapore govt falls under. As for me, I have already voted with my slippers.

I dont see a future for even Singaporeans in Singapore any longer. If you are smart, get out now before its too late.

Last week a teenager asked me whether it was a good idea for him to apply for a government scholarship. I told him quite frankly, if all you want in life is an iron rice bowl, then go ahead. But if u really want to be your own man, then dont take anything from them - it aint worth it in the long run.

I am not being malicious. I have a right to my opinion.

Anonymous said...

"I don't see a future even for Singaporeans in Singapore...." unquote

You are abolutely right. The future in Singapore is for the rich, where everything is within their reach, not for the average working Singaporeans, who must toil for their whole miserable life without respite, to pay for the basic necessities like housing, education and healthcare.

The housing policy in itself is going to come crashing down like a pack of cards one day, and Singaporeans will be left dumbstruck, holding all their retirement savings in the form of bricks and mortars, with their CPF savings really turned into dust.

There is no way to reverse this policy at this stage, without creating a disaster of bibilical proportions, so they are just letting it fester. The ones who commit the criminal acts will long be gone and will not live to see the damage done to our children and grandchildren.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

It used to be the rich that are taking big loans to invest or whatever. We are now seeing every average Sinkies taking loans, and very big amount of loans just to have a roof over their heads. And this is all being designed by the govt. What prudence?

Many or if not all these debtors are wage earners. Taking a few hundred thousands or millions in loans, when the property crash comes, you can imagine how shocking it would be to them. And the numbers affected will make people go bonkers and the banks will go kaput.

Today we are seeing a little inklings of such scenarios happening when the main income earner loses his job or dies. The other half or the rest of the members of the families would just not be able to pay for the big debt.

Everyone is living precarious but in a delusionary mood of affluence.

Darkness, will take up the invite when I next make a trip. Cheers.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi agongkia, it is 5cm wide, and deep cut. With the bones on the forehead, unless it went through the bones, cannot be 5cm.

Anonymous said...

Malaysia better or Sg better??

Anonymous said...

What is Sg compare to Malaysia.

Nothing at all, when nature is kind,
folks will be lucky and naturally happy.

When nature provides just sufficient but
the people are greedy, lustful and vice, it
will be man make destiny. No escape.

Anonymous said...

Man proposes.
Nature disposes.
So, smart ass
will remain smart ass.

Anonymous said...

Even with most expensive car and public housing in the world, sinkies still stay put in sink. Thats something I do not understand.

Bethdqvn said...

"The Sinkies will have a good alternative in JB and not be robbed in our hospitals. " But first we need to get back our money. Right now. We even pay interest for borrowing from our own money (CPF). Uniquely Singapore. Actually, Uniquely PAP.