People Power Saves Malaysia – Free book giveaway

People Power Saves Malaysia – Free book giveaway

MAY 9

PEOPLE POWER SAVES MALAYSIA

MAHATHIR LEADS THE WAY

 

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EXCLUSIVELY FOR MALAYSIAKINI

2-YEAR SUBSCRIBERS @RM360

PROMO PERIOD: DECEMBER 2018

About The Book

May 9 was a significant day for all Malaysians. It heralded a new landscape – economic, social and political – for the citizens.

This book is a fascinating read that is retold through the inner stirrings of a young boy, an unfortunate victim of a sick and corrupt system on the brink of economic collapse. In the face of rising costs and unemployment, the boy yearned for a change. Will tomorrow ever come?

By sharing glimpses from the innocent lenses of a child, the author has painted a stark contrast of childlike simplicity with the world of grown-ups that is consumed by greed and glittering gems. It captures the journey of a nation that has witnessed the most dramatic trajectories of greed and power.

As the journey unfolds through the pages, we blush at the shameful erosion of a political system and the painful departure of leaders entrenched in corrupt practices. We applaud the triumphant ushering of a new team who would pick up the pieces and lead the people to new beginnings. This is a heartwarming narrative where Malaysians came together as one, and with a singular voice, they ignited the historic shift.

Through a compelling compilation of observations from journalists, commentators and political activists, veteran journalist and academician Krishnamoorthy sheds penetrating insights into the events leading to the iconic moment when the country’s once longest ruling Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saw it as a call of duty to restore the nation’s glory. At age 93, he saved the country from the pits of kleptocracy.

May 9 People Power Saves Malaysia – Mahathir Leads the Way is a story of hurt and healing, abuse and forgiveness, of gloom and glory, and of tears and triumph. It is a tribute to Malaysians and Tun Dr Mahathir. Indeed, it celebrates the courage, hope and dignity of Malaysians — to create a brave, new Malaysia.

Surely, tomorrow will come, and it will be better than today.

About the Author

Krishnamoorthy Muthaly is a journalist who lives by his convictions. A veteran in media relations, Krishnamoorthy is passionate about providing readers with fast-paced stories, and adopts a decidedly different view to storytelling. His penchant for nothing but the truth has honed his investigative journalistic skills throughout his career, as he seeks to untangle the truth from a complex web of spins.

Self-motivated, resourceful and versatile, Krishnamoothy is one who goes beyond the superficial façade of life. One contributing factor that lends depth to his writing is his humble background. He started work as a junior officer in Tenaga Nasional from 1989 to 1979, and saved his earnings to pursue a degree in journalism at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Whilst at the university, he played a prominent role in the Knoxville festivals. Unprecedented in the history of the university, Krishnamoorthy organised a meeting for student leaders with former President Jimmy Carter in 1982.

As a senior reporter with The Straits Times and The Star for more than two decades, he has highlighted society’s concerns. He has gone undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, a physically challenged passenger, a salesman and a Member of Parliament. His exclusive scoops have not only brought timeless insights to readers but have also provoked our conscience, while unveiling the good and the bad about human nature.

With his crisp writing style and inquiring mind, he bagged several awards, including the Journalist of the Year 1987 from the Malaysian Press Institute and Consumer Journalist of the Year. Apart from writing, Krishnamoorthy is a media coach specialising in media writing and crisis management. He has also served as an academic with various universities, imparting his journalism knowledge to students. He is currently an Associate Professor at an internationally acclaimed university.

At almost 70 when most people would gladly retire, the author is not one to pause for the twilight. He continues to freelance with CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Time magazine, New York Times, The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, as well as German, American and Australian TV stations, where he conducts interviews with world leaders. Krishnamoothy’s stories and coaching embody his approach to life. Embracing the belief that people are uniquely different and are miracles in progress, Krishnamoorthy strives to add value to the lives of young people, and is committed to training and empowering the next generation for organisations. Essentially, he lives by the maxim of loving all and hurting none.

WHY THIS BOOK?

WHO

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad played a key role campaigning at 93 and brought Malaysians of all races together through the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto. GE14 is a historic event of how Mahathir saved Malaysia from corruption. This book is a reminder to act against those who stole people’s money.

WHAT

The Malaysian Tsunami of voters wanted the change. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we ourselves have thought, said and done. Malaysians are determined to be resilient, resourceful, and open minded to face the challenges and realities of the 21st century. Malaysia was engulfed in darkness and we finally saw the light on May 9.

WHEN

May 9 was a significant date. Malaysia made history when opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan ousted the 61-year-old ruling Barisan Nasional through its campaign against kleptocracy.

WHERE

Nationwide, the Malaysian psyche changed. In Malaysia, we took the responsibility to vote for a brighter future for our children and a better tomorrow.

WHY

My passion for writing. Why gossip? It is better to put my thoughts in writing. Journalists are known for writing the first draft of history. Not me alone, but others too have a chance to express their thoughts in this book. News, views, comments and statements by leaders are often forgotten. I am just documenting as events unfold for the record.

HOW

People Power defeated an unfair, unjust and authoritarian government. Everything that happened was the reflection of our thoughts and can be changed by our thinking process. I tried my best to chronicle this book as a story from darkness to light in Dr Mahathir’s last battle to rule Malaysia.

AMBIGA TELLS IT LIKE IT IS

(Foreword — extract)

Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy

Together, we can create a wave of change for a better future for Malaysians. We succeeded in ousting a kleptocratic government. In most of my public talks, I said Malaysia could have been branded as the “Switzerland of the East” if not for corruption that plagued the Barisan Nasional government. Enough is enough. Barisan has ruled the country for 61 years and how could RM2.6 billion be deposited into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal accounts?

Malaysia was blessed with a wealth of natural resources and talent, but corruption had become part and parcel of daily life. As the saying goes, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Fortunately, Malaysians have voted out a kleptocratic government. Before GE14, Malaysia faced a bleak prospect of the collapse of the rule of law, the creation of an absolute dictator and the establishing of kleptocracy as a norm. The leaders then infringed the law and continued to hold the reins of power, consolidating their positions.

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EXCLUSIVELY FOR MALAYSIAKINI

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PROMO PERIOD: DECEMBER 2018

RELATED

DAYS OF HOPE:
REAL REFORMS FOR ‘NEW’ MALAYSIA

Joo Tiang’s Penang curry mee has no right to be this good

Joo Tiang’s Penang curry mee has no right to be this good

Fancy this: a bowl of Penang curry mee for just RM4 – and not in a small town, but in the Klang Valley!

There’s only one catch. Because it’s so good, you have to get to the Lim Sisters coffee shop before 10.30am, or all of Khaw Joo Tiang’s Penang prawn mee and curry mee may be sold out.

Khaw, who goes by the nickname “Leng Ma” (pretty mother), serves the Penang curry mee with a spoonful of chilli sambal mixed into white coconut broth. It also comes with brown squid, blood cubes and cockles.

Portions aren’t the biggest, but it’s enough to give most people a hearty breakfast. Or if you’re craving for more, you could opt to add additional noodles, only for an additional 50 sen.

According to Khaw’s son, Vincent Ng, they have maintained the low prices for a long time.

“The stall has been operating even before I was born. We have tried to maintain the prices for some time now. It is the volume that helps to sustain the business.”

Even better is the fact that unlike some hawkers, Khaw still does the cooking herself, waking up at 4am in the morning to prepare the special broth.

Hailing from Butterworth, Khaw and her husband started selling Penang curry mee in the 1970s. They made the trip to Petaling Jaya in the 1980s, selling only prawn mee, before setting up shop in Subang Jaya.

Now, her stall is located in Lim Sisters, Taman Sri Bintang, right next to SJK (C) Kepong 3. But have your GPS at the ready, because finding the shop would be difficult otherwise.

Ng, who also goes by “Ah Hong,” helps his mother at the stall six days a week. And it looks like the help is appreciated, because the stall appears to be the busiest in Lim Sisters, with waiting times of up to 20 minutes on busier days.

“Despite the prices, my Mom still tries to maintain the quality of the curry mee to satisfy the taste buds of her regular customers.”

Some may be put off by the general ambience of Lim Sisters, which tends to become as crowded as any other famous coffee shop in the Klang Valley. But just one taste of the curry mee will drown out the din of the crowd.

Besides curry mee and prawn mee, Khaw’s stall also serves Penang loh mee.

Lim Sisters coffee shop is located at 1 & 3, Jalan 3/36, Taman Sri Bintang, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +6012-663 1319
Business hours: 7am – 5pm (every day except Mondays)
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/GYTupVhhrro
Waze location: https://www.waze.com/livemap?zoom=17&lat=3.18869&lon=101.64125

Simply irresistible green curry at Yum Yum Thai

Simply irresistible green curry at Yum Yum Thai

Thai green curry to me is what Penang curry mee or beef rendang are to some people. I need not say anything else – I simply love it!

And as it is not too spicy, even children get to enjoy it. I almost regret not listening to a piece of advice I received long ago: when you find something delicious, tell no one about it, so you can quietly enjoy it yourself!

I recalled these words as my nine-year-old son and I had to compete for the bowl of green curry the moment it was served in Yum Yum Thai, as if we had starved for weeks, if not months. We are both in love with the taste of the green curry they serve in this restaurant, which is located in Casa Tropicana, Petaling Jaya.

My romance with green curry goes back a long way. I always order it anytime I walk into a Thai restaurant; therefore, when restaurant owner, Marcia Lau Saunders suggested that I gave it a try, I was delighted.

Even when we were living in Maputo, Mozambique, the green curry we found there was something that brought us some sanity, being among only a handful of Asians in a country where almost everyone speaks Portuguese.

When we were there, green curry was always something we looked forward to, being the closest thing we could get to satisfy our Asian taste buds.

And so, after a lifetime of eating green curry, I have to admit that to date, I haven’t tasted anything better than Yum Yum Thai’s irresistible green curry.

The ingredients, according to Lau, are all imported from Thailand. Even the chefs, Ying and Mee, are from Chiang Rai.

“We import basil leaves, aubergines and coconut milk from Thailand. This may bring up the cost a bit, but for the authentic Thai taste, it is worth it.”

“The style of cooking is Northern Thai. The food we serve here is therefore authentic Northern Thai cuisine.”

As soon as you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the waitress Mila, who will greet you with the customary “Sawasdee Kap” (for men) and “Sawasdee kah” (if you are a woman).

Besides the green curry, I also recommend to try their signature dish, moo ping (grilled pork skewers) and pineapple fried rice. Both aren’t very spicy, and are very suitable for children.

My only regret is that we came with only one adult and two children, meaning that we could hardly run down Yum Yum Thai’s menu.

If you are planning to go Thai this weekend, try Yum Yum Thai where you can also enjoy the soothing Thai music playing in the background.

Restoran YumYum Real Thai Food is located at B-0-3A, Block B, Casa Tropicana, No. 5, Jalan Persiaran Tropicana, PJU 3, 47410 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 011-3386 9417
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM (Mon and Wed)
11am – 10pm (Thurs-Sun)
Closed: Tuesdays
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yumyumrealthai/
Video: https://www.facebook.com/yumyumrealthai/videos/533961483619397/

The kids will have a blast at Laser Warzone

The kids will have a blast at Laser Warzone

‘Colonel’ Matthew steps out of the Laser Warzone a victor after battling it out with his friends. He lays his weapon down and feels exhilarated.

“Wow! That was a great fun game for me and my friends! Being able to battle it out using the world’s latest war technology makes my birthday all the more fun. This is the most memorable birthday party I have had with my friends. Thank you, mummy and daddy for making it possible!”

The 10-year-old, then takes off his vest and goes on to celebrate his birthday party with his fellow classmates at the Laser Warzone, eCurve Damansara.

For Matthew’s birthday, 24 boys and girls were divided into two teams. The Green Team led the way with a 3-1 victory against the Blue Team, after a two-hour war involving four major battles.

Though not the birthday boy, Matthew’s classmate, Kyle was the big hero of the day, collecting over 3,000 points in the four battles.

They each wore a jacket with either green or blue targets, and had to move about in the dark, simulating an actual battleground, each carrying a hand-held infrared-emitting targeting devices. The moment a laser is shot at it, the target turns white.

Laser Tag is the high tech big brother of paintball – without any of the pain! Children and adults alike can experience what it is like to be involved in a futuristic war.

No one was injured, and both winners and losers were later reconciled over a sumptuous meal at the virtual reality arena.

That was where Matthew’s birthday cake was cut, and when the birthday song was sung by both his teammates and ‘enemy troops,’ there was the camaraderie of being classmates again.

The birthday party package priced at RM50 per pax includes four games, food and drinks and a two-hour usage of a private room. There is however, a minimum of 15 pax.

Guests can also get food catered from the in-house cafeteria or bring their own. They are even allowed to bring their own audio system to keep the party alive.

On normal days, prices for adults are RM20 per battle, RM32 (battles), and an additional RM10 for each game, while students who can produce their identity cards get a discount (RM17 per battle, RM27 for two battles, RM37 for three battles and so on).

There are also unlimited battles that one can participate in for just RM60 per pax (adults) and RM55 (children).

So, kids, the next time you have school holidays, remember to drag your whole army of cousins along to the Laser Warzone! And for the adults, Laser Tag is the perfect way to build team spirit with your colleagues, without having to brave the elements.

Laser Warzone is an intense and immersive multi-interactive Laser Tag arena located at Lot 113A-120, 1st Floor Ecurve Damansara, 2A, Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, as well as on the 4th Floor, Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Tel: 03-7733 1335 (Ecurve), 03-4131 0006, 04-229 9973 (Gurney Plaza)
Business hours: 10am – 10pm (7 days a week).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laserwarzone
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/pDUJWbmLv3K2
Waze location: https://www.waze.com/livemap?zoom=17&lat=3.157&lon=101.60977

No hiding from Yi Yan if you’re seeking chee chap chuk

No hiding from Yi Yan if you’re seeking chee chap chuk

When a customer called up to ask for the direction to Restoran Yi Yan, 61-year-old Fan Kin Lin responded in Cantonese that his restaurant is Chuk Yi Yan.

The customer answered, “No, I am bringing my wife to try out your porridge, not to play hide-and-seek.”

The customer had a good laugh when he and his family finally arrived at the restaurant and learned how the name “Chuk Yi Yan” came about from Fan.

“In Chinese, Chuk Yi Yan means playing Hide and Seek, and the name Yi Yan was picked because Chuk is the closest sound to the word, ‘porridge’ in Cantonese. Apart from that, there is no other special meaning to it. It was meant to help customers remember our name better.”

The restaurant has been in business since 2010. In the past eight years, we have eaten in the restaurant on numerous occasions, as we find it is convenient for the children to spend their time reading books in the Mini Oasis library located just above the restaurant.

Kin Lin, or “Auntie” as we are fond of calling her, is friendly enough to have a good chat with occasionally. This is something to which a friend of mine, James Pang can also testify, having travelled all the way from Petaling Jaya to taste the food here.

Although she wakes up as early as 4am to prepare the porridge, Kin Lin is still energetic even by 9pm at night. When James flatters her by saying that she still looks young for her age, Kin Lin smiles sheepishly.

On top of her friendliness, James also agrees with me that Yi Yan’s minced pork porridge “stands out from the rest.”

“Although it is common, I strongly recommend it. Really sedap!”

Kin Lin, who hails from Rahang, Negeri Sembilan, has a long history in the food business, having sold noodles from as young as 12 years old.

Their specialty here is a wide variety of porridges, with the chee chap chuk being a bestseller.

According to James, the porridge is neither too watery nor too thick. “It’s just nice and really silky smooth,” he said, adding that these days, there are not many people who can still cook such good porridge anymore.

James, who hardly eats duck meat anywhere else, even recommends Yi Yan’s smoked duck, calling it exceptional.

His wife Priscilla Lee also enjoyed all the food she was served. Besides the chee chap chuk and the smoked duck, she listed her third favourite dish as the lor pan mee.

I couldn’t agree more. The lor pan mee is a unique dish that would be hard to seek anywhere else.

We’ve all heard of Ulu Yam lor mee, but this one uses pan mee, which gets my thumbs-up. It tastes even better when you add in some vinegar.

Their kids, Jayden and Jonathan, also fell in love with the fried pan mee, and the many kinds of porridge on offer.

Yi Yan also makes lovely vinegar pork trotters, which has a little taste of Bentong ginger.

Restoran Yi Yan is located at Jalan Medan Putra 1, Bandar Sri Menjalara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6279 0186
Business hours: 9am – 10.30pm
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/4iTaVwzLug32
Waze location: https://www.waze.com/livemap?zoom=17&lat=3.19376&lon=101.62571