Weekly Round Up, Sunday March 19, 2006

I’m back home in Bolehland folks, on my sabbatical and it sure is “nice” to savor Malaysia for a change; even the expensive petrol and teh tarik. Because home is where the heart lies, eh?

Pak Lah’s Hadhari, Podium and Mumms Champagne

Don’t know ‘bout you folks, but I noticed something different in this year’s edition of Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix 2006. Flanking the victorious threesome with Pak Lah on the left of the screen and Hassan Merican on the right with the female Minister of Dubious Sexuality, and prominently emblazoned on the podium is the name of a famous brand of champagne: Mumms.

Now in years’ past, if I recall correctly nowhere was this brand of champagne displayed with such wanton abandon. They were more discreete, even in Mahathir’s time. It seems to me that with Pak Lah’s Hadhari the secular floodgates have opened. And opened they did.

Why can’t Petronas be a little more sensitive, after all Mumms’ not such a big sponsor, and Petronas can refuse their money. They don’t openly display Mumms in Bahrain do they? Surely they can substitute with some non-alcoholic sparkling wine or something. It will gall me to no end that Mumms might not even be a corporate sponsor. It’s just that they are premium brand of champagne that is normally associated with prestigious events. But that Mumms logo on the podium just irks me.

And how about you?

Go ahead somebody out there go complain to Petronas about this Mumms thing on top of the alleged squandering of between RM500 – RM800 billion ringgits, depending on who you talk to.


Carta Baik Bangat: the continuing Indonesization of matsalo

I just can’t help myself. Saturday mornings I can’t help but tune to the Star’s Red 104.9 radio station. It sorts of remind me of “home”, much to the chagrin of my better half. She just can’t stand it. If any self-respecting citizen of Bolehland were to tune in, they can’t help but think we’re being invaded by Indonesians!

It’s a true bona fide “Indo” station complete with Bahasa Indonesia accents folks! To me, that’s what makes it cool. Everything, even the ads by Bumiputra Commerce Bank touting its “Western You-neon” service for TKI’s to send money home. Anybody know if that DJ KC Ismail is actually Indonesian or just a local Bolehlander out to cari makan? Anyway, he does a credible job that would put a lot of the Indonesian stations to shame.

Speaking of which, a dear friend of mine (and ours), Sue Launcher aka Suhaimi Sulaiman also has his own show on that very station on Friday mornings. I heard it’s a popular show but I’ve not had the pleasure of tuning in yet.

I will make it a point next Friday then, on top of Saturday’s Carta Baik Bangat.