Jalan Pasar - A trip down memory lane

It's the Aidiladha holidays.

I decided to visit a part of Kuala Lumpur that I haven't been for donkey's years - Jalan Pasar. It's a predominantly Chinese area with a Chinese temple, a bustling wet market and a myriad of Chinese eateries.

I wanted to visit an old shop that sells haberdashery - things used for making clothes. It's situated in a cluster of very old shops. I lost my way and had to circle the area a few times. Eventually, I found it on foot.

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When I spotted it, a wondrous and incredulous feeling stirred in me. The shop looks the same despite the passage of time. The same old furniture. The same old cabinets. The same old layout.

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The wall cabinets contain endless rows of haberdashery - buttons, lace, ribbons, threads, wool etc of every conceivable colour, shape and size. You're spoilt for choice. Amazingly, the prices are as low as ever. And, the customer service is as impeccable as ever.

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I was attended to with great traditional courtesy. I was surprised to hear the owners speaking English to their customers. Years ago, they spoke only Chinese, their mother tongue. Now, they also speak Malay to their workers. So, I ended up speaking Chinese, English and Malay.

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It's a worthy trip down memory lane.

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If you want to buy haberdashery at great low prices and get treated like a VIP, you may want to give it a shot at this shop:

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HUP LEE

No. 45 Jalan Pasar Bahru

Pudu

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603-9221 9221

Moon Raya Diwali

The FSTEP Batch 4 participants in Team Bristol undertake an English Communication project called "Organizing an Event". They call the function "Moon Raya Diwali" to celebrate the three festivals, namely Chinese Mid-Autumn festival, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Deepavali.

In this project, the participants enhance their English communication skills in these areas:

• Holding a business meeting
• Putting proposals to the vote
• Electing committee members
• Working in cooperation and collaboration
• Performing as the Master of Ceremonies or emcee

The proceedings of the Moon Raya Diwali function are captured in these videos.

The emcee, Shima, starts the function with the salutations.
Then, she introduces her co-emcee, Chin VS, the leader of Team Bristol.


The Organizing Chairperson, Puteri Muna, giving the welcome speech.

Kim Chow, English facilitator of Team Bristol.

Shima and Chin VS giving an introduction to the Bristol Movie before it is shown on the screen.

Teams Manchester, Southampton and Milton Keynes displaying their showbiz skills.

Teams Manchester, Southampton and Milton Keynes displaying their showbiz skills.

Shima and Chin VS thank the guests and invite them to the foyer for lunch.

Click to view photo album "Moon Raya Diwali"

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Pink Party

Mr Wong Chin Cheong, organizing chairman (2nd from left) and committee members

The modern art of teaching brings the real world into the classroom.

One of my English simulation projects is “Organizing an Event”. In this simulation, the participants learn how to use English communication in holding meetings, proposing new ideas, putting proposals to the vote, forming committees and conducting the proceedings in a dignified manner.

In their project, the FSTEP Batch 3 participants in the Team Franc proposed a colour theme. They were split on the choice of colour so a vote was taken. I voted for blue but the majority was in favour of PINK.

PINK? I had my doubts initially. I thought that PINK was unsuitable for the guys. My misgivings were finally laid to rest. When the entire Team Franc appeared in PINK, they created a sensation!

I soon realized that PINK was more than just a colour theme. It was the colour of unity and solidarity for Team Franc. The reason? The participants were placed in different classes after a recent reshuffle but were reunited for the English class. So, on the day of the event, PINK represented a special bond of friendship.



May PINK keep the Franc friendship alive no matter where they are or who they become. May God bless them in their internship and also in their career prospects.

Click here to view the Pink Party photos

In this video, the participants ask Kim Chow to give an impromptu performance.



The following video shows the Pink Party warming-up.

To 'Poh Poh' with love

The 'golden girls' of the old folks' home

The Selangor King George V Silver Jubilee Home looks after 27 elderly women whom we call 'Poh Poh' in Chinese. It is run by a vibrant supervisor called Mdm Linda.

On 24 June 2009, the old folks at the home were showered with the gift of love. About 60 young men and women descended on the home, bearing gifts and carrying buckets of paint and an assortment of paint brushes. They were the participants from FSTEP who selected the home as their CSR project.

The home needed a new coat of paint but it was costly to hire a painter. When the FSTEP participants knew about this, they decided to paint the building for free.



Well, you need manpower to move furniture around before you can even start painting. 60 people are a formidable force. They pushed all the beds and other furniture to the middle of the building. Then, they picked up the paint brushes and painted every wall, every beam and every plank. When the job was done, the participants had also painted their faces, hands and clothes. Then, huffing and puffing, they moved all the furniture back to their original positions.



The army of participants did more than just painting the building. They also cleaned and scrubbed the building, the bathrooms, the kitchen and the drains around the home.

One of the elderly ladies said to me, “These young people sang to us, entertained us, fed us and painted our home. Where else can you get this kind of treatment?”

When it was time to leave, many of the elderly ladies reached out to grasp the participants’ hands and said, “Thanks! Please come and see us again.”

Mdm Linda walked the participants to the gate. Tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. She never thought that these white-collar graduates would dirty their hands, drag heavy furniture around and speak kindly to the old folks. She said the old folks would treasure this unforgettable day.

Well done, FSTEP participants! Every drop of paint has etched happiness on the faces and in the hearts of the ‘Poh Poh’ of the Selangor King Geoge V Silver Jubilee Home.

Kim Chow presenting a gift on behalf of FSTEP. 
The home supervisor Mdm Linda receives the gift.

Thanks so much, SONY Malaysia!

Mr Allan Law, videocam trainer from Sony Malaysia

I thank Sony Malaysia and their videocam trainer, Mr Allan Law, for their invaluable help.

When Sony Malaysia invited me to their headquarters in Mid Valley City, I thought it was for a brief Q&A session on video recording. Little did I realize that they had arranged for me to meet their videocam trainer, Mr Allan Law.

I take my hat off to Allan. He’s knowledgeable and articulate. You ask him any questions on video recording and he answers with flair and clarity. He knows the videocam like the back of his hand. He demonstrates the art of video recording with admirable ease.

Allan answers all my questions to my great satisfaction. He readily shares his knowledge drawn from his personal experience. In particular, I appreciate his tricks of the trade.

Thanks again, Allan! Thanks, Sony Malaysia!

Allan Law surrounded by Sony equipment in the training room

Red Franc

Frankly speaking, I love the Red Franc surprise package! Who wouldn't? The surprise package comes with lunch, plaque, roses and card.

The meaningful plaque that has a touching message (click to enlarge)

Red roses from Red Franc (click to enlarge)

Franc in Red Attire (click to enlarge)

The FSTEP Batch 3 participants in Team Franc wore red on this special day to signify the successful completion of their English communication course. They dipped into their pockets generously to pay for a well-organized farewell celebration which ended with a special ceremony in the auditorium.

The celebration started with lunch in the cafeteria. An emcee started the proceedings and invited me to speak. Then, we savoured the various dishes and devoured the red hot chilli pepper chicken!

Mr Lee Khee Joo (right) , Head of FSTEP

During the tea break, we had a birthday party. We were honoured to have Mr Lee Khee Joo, the head of FSTEP, joining us in the merriment. Mr Lee spoke to the participants and advised them on their forthcoming internship in local financial institutions.

The emcee surprised the birthday boys and girls by asking them to speak. Although they were taken by surprise, they rose to the occasion and spoke articulately. They thanked Mr Lee and FSTEP for giving them the opportunity to enhance themselves.

After the tea break, we adjourned to the auditorium for the farewell ceremony. The emcee started the proceedings and invited me to present mementos to each and every participant. Then, the lights were switched off and I was asked to close my eyes. The moment the lights came on, the flowers and plaque popped out. I gasped in sheer surprise and then screamed with delight. Some of the participants broke into tears. Oh ... it was emotional!

I thank Team Franc for their kindness, thoughtfulness, generosity, hugs and tears. I love you all!

View Red Franc photo album (click here)

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Practice Makes Perfect

The FSTEP Batch 3 participants in the Franc Class will soon start their internship in local financial institutions. They are polishing up their English communication skills at the workplace.

Practice makes perfect is what the young graduates believe in. They practise repeatedly until they get the sounds rights, the format right and the rhythm right. I salute their passion and drive.

This video proves that the Triple P Rule can deliver commendable results. Triple P stands for patience, persistence & perseverance. It also simply means practice, practice, practice.

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Young People, Great Example (3)

Noel at the customer service counter in MPH Subang Parade

I've been tearing my hair out trying to order some books from MPH. I visited MPH Mid Valley but they couldn't confirm if the books were available. They assured me they'd ring me the next day.

The ‘next day’ stretched into a week. I rang MPH Mid Valley again. A gentleman assured me that somebody would ring me later that day. I waited in vain for more than 24 hours.

I decided to drop in at MPH Subang Parade to unravel the mystery. At first, I couldn't get anybody to help me. Either they were busy or they couldn't follow my drift. I was about to breathe fire.

Then, a petite young lady came over to see me. She introduced herself as Noel. She listened to my problem patiently and then assured me that she'd look into the matter immediately. She rang MPH Mid Valley and was on the line for a long while. The result was no better.

Finally, Noel decided to order the books for me. I was very grateful to her and asked, “You’re very professional. How long have you worked here?”

She replied, “Oh, just a few months.”

“Where did you work before you came here?”

“This is my first job. I’m a fresh graduate.” My jaws dropped.

Many thanks, Noel, for getting me the books against all the odds. I’m very impressed with your customer service skills. May you be blessed with a rewarding future.

Practice Makes Perfect

The FSTEP Batch 3 participants in the Franc Class will soon start their internship in the financial institutions. They are polishing up their English communication skills at the workplace.

SELECTING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE is one of their English Communication projects. The trainees are divided into 3 teams with each team creating their own scripts and bringing their scripts to life.

This methodology helps the trainees to think in English, speak in English and write in English. They improve their pronunciation by installing correct English sound files. They enhance their communication skills by reformatting their sentence construction. They bring their lines to life by following the rhythm of the English language.

The energetic graduates' passion for learning English is shown in these videos.

TEAM 1
In order of appearance: Tasha, Hidayah, Syarah, Chin Cheong, Xiao Jun, Alif


TEAM 2
In order of appearance: Dalila, Syarah, Bavaani, Zalila, Suriati, Lavania, Rashidah


TEAM 3
In order of appearance: Suarrdy, Norliza, Mira, Norbaizura, Yin Yin, Nawar, Sarmila

Young People, Great Example (2)

The super duo Nick and Jerry

When my mobile phone conked out, I was wondering if I should buy a new phone through my credit card company. It offered a good discount but zero customer service. Finally, I decided against the risk.

I went to a shop in Giant Mall, Kelana Jaya. I got to know two young sales executives, Nick and Jerry.

Jerry sold me a new Nokia phone. He patiently taught me how to use the phone and its multimedia functions. I was very pleased with the crash course. Next, I wanted to transfer all the data from my old Samsung phone to the new phone. After a few attempts, Jerry said that the two phones were incompatible so he could not transfer the data. When I heard that, I was upset and made a lot of noise.

Jerry responded swiftly to pacify me. He said something positive, “Let me check with the computer guy. Let me see what I can do.” He got me what I wanted, by hook or by crook. He deserves praise for his ability to handle an irate customer.

Nick sold me a Bluetooth hands-free gadget. One day, the gadget stopped working at around 8pm. Feeling frustrated, I rang Nick for help. Nick answered the phone and spoke in a low voice. I could hear sounds in the background – like he was in a cinema. He told me it was his day off. Oh dear, I felt so bad for disturbing him. But I was impressed that he still takes calls from customers on his day off. Others would have switched off their phones and left their customers in the lurch. Nick deserves praise for his dedication.

Well done, Nick and Jerry! You are excellent role models for top quality, high standard, world-class customer service! I have met your boss and commended the both of you. I hope he awards you with a pay rise (chuckle!).

That's the lucky boss who is blessed with two super sales execs

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Practice Makes Perfect

The FSTEP Batch 3 participants in Team Franc will soon start their internship in local financial institutions. They are polishing up their English communication skills at the workplace.

RESOLVING CONFLICT is one of their English Communication projects. The trainees are divided into 3 teams with each team creating their own scripts and bringing their scripts to life.

Here are their actions captured on film.

Team members (in order of appearance): Lavania, Xiao Jun, Tasha, Chin Cheong, Hidayah, Norbaizura
Conflict: Sales Executive Olivier cannot work with Todd the Manager


Team members (in order of appearance): Alif, Dalila, Suriati, Syarah, Bavaani, Zalila, Nawar
Conflict: Staff are protesting against the management for restricting their telephone facilities



Team members (in order of appearance): Norliza, Suarddy, Sarmila, Mira, Yin Yin, Sarah, Rashidah
Conflict: The Workers Union is confronting the Management about unfair company policies
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Practice Makes Perfect

The FSTEP Batch 3 participants in the Team Franc will soon start their internship in local financial institutions. They are polishing up their English communication skills at the workplace.

SOCIAL SKILLS is one of their English Communication projects. The trainees are divided into 3 teams with each team creating their own scripts and bringing their scripts to life.

Here are their actions captured on film.

Team members: Nawar, Xiao Jun, Syarah, Hidayah, Mira, Tasha, Zalila


Team members: Chin Cheong, Yin Yin, Lavania, Norbaizura, Sarmila, Suriati, Alif


Team members: Suarrdy, Bavaani, Sarah, Dalila, Rashidah, Norliza
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Michael Jackson, Timeless Thriller

Michael Jackson's influence reaches far and wide.

In 2007, a prison consultant in The Philippines, Byron Garcia, introduced a morning exercise routine in the Cebu provincial jail. He taught the prisoners the dance movements shown in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. The "Prison Thriller" video became an internet sensation with over 23 million hits.

According to AFP, tourists flocked to the Cebu jail to watch 1,500 inmates perform a special dance tribute to Michael Jackson who died yesterday at age 50.

To these prisoners and countless people around the world, Michael Jackson is a music legend, a pop sensation and a global icon.

He is a timeless thriller.

Thanks, Fara. You've made my day!

With some tricks of the trade, Fara got both of us on this billboard.

Can somebody tell me the location?

One of my FSTEP Batch 2 graduates, Ms Fara Izwa, sent me an email with some glamorous attachments.

Dear Miss Kim

How are you doing, Miss Kim? I drop you an email because I miss you so much. You are my best English teacher ever.

Attached here are our pics taken during our last day at INTEC. I've edited these pics especially for you. Hope you like them.

Regards,
Fara

(Fara Izwa)

Fara and Kim Chow showing off their traditional wear.

Hand in Hand

This dance called “Hand in Hand” is performed by two physically-challenged dancers, Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei. Both lost their limbs in car accidents. Ma Li lost her right arm and Zhai Xiaowei his left leg.

Watch their spectacular dance and splendid choreography - a breathtaking interpretation of how people overcome life’s frustrations and reap the joy of love.

Watch it on full screen to enjoy the full impact of the dance. It's okay if your eyes are misty. We cry not for broken bones but cry in celebration of the unbroken human spirit.

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Young People, Great Example (1)

Zahrin at the Thunder Match Technology outlet in Carrefour Subang Parade

This young man surprised me as an excellent example in customer service. His name is Zahrin and he works as a technician for Thunder Match Technology at the outlet in Carrefour Subang Parade.

I bought a certain brand of antivirus software that ran into installation problems. At 6.15pm I rang the service centre and spoke to Zahrin. He told me he finished work at 7pm that night and advised me to see him the next day. However, I was desperate to get the antivirus installed so that I could use my laptop without any virus wiping off my data.

Zahrin told me to reach his office by 6.30pm but there was no way the traffic could allow me to perform this feat. I demanded to speak to another technician. Unfortunately, Zahrin was the only technician on duty that day, and of all days he had to leave early that day. I raised my voice indignantly. Zahrin did not react to my outburst. He remained calm, cool and composed. He told me to drive over to his office immediately. I grabbed two laptops and raced to Subang Parade.

I reached at 7pm. Zahrin began to install the software on my personal laptop. Then, I quietly pulled out another laptop and asked him if he could remove an old antivirus program. Although I had uninstalled the program, the antivirus was still lurking around in the computer, and prevented me from installing a new program. Zahrin was very knowledgeable. He knew exactly what the problem was and had the perfect solution.

In the end, Zahrin could only go home at 8pm - an hour late. His dedication as a customer service provider has made me a very satisfied and thrilled customer. The service centre charged me RM10 for each laptop. For all the trouble I have caused them, I would be pleased to pay more.

Dear Zahrin, you are the best! You have shown excellent performance in customer service! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Zahrin with a colleague at the customer service centre

"Don't Tell My Mother"

This is Diego Buñuel standing at the wall built by Israel to keep out Gaza Strip. He is the host and director of the NAT GEO series "Don't Tell My Mother".

Last night, I watched the episode "Don't Tell My Mother I'm In the Balkans." I found it most enlightening. I appreciate how the story was told, how the scenes were filmed, and how the interviews were done. I am heartened that certain people were introduced in recognition of their selfless contributions to the people around them. The show has helped me to gain new insights into the tragedies and atrocities of the Balkan War.

I hope more people will watch the episodes of "Don't Tell My Mother" and reflect on the ongoing and never-ending human strifes and conflicts.

Diego Buñuel's Profile

My name is Diego Buñuel, host and director of the series, "Don’t Tell My Mother", on the National Geographic Channel. I am a French foreign news correspondent, and the grandson of the renowned Spanish film director, Luis Buñuel. I was born in Paris, and have bachelor degrees in journalism and political science from Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. After graduating, I did an internship at the Chicago Tribune before moving to Florida to handle the police beat for the Sun-Sentinel in Miami. The French military drafted me to serve in Sarajevo. I worked for NATO’s weekly armed forces newspaper and travelled all over the war-torn Balkans. My 10-month experience in the service inspired me to become a war correspondent. In 2001, I joined the Capa Television Agency where I produced and reported for French television. My assignments focused on international affairs from Afghanistan, Congo, Iraq, Indonesia, Israel, China and North Korea.

Sacrificing money for love

A young Indian lady who cleans my home office told me this incredible story. A married couple who are her relatives adopted an orphan girl when she was a toddler. Since the time of adoption, the couple knows that the girl is entitled to an inheritance when she reaches the age of 21.

Five years ago, the girl’s adopted parents persuaded my Indian friend to introduce a boy to the girl. My friend duly introduced a respectable young man and sparks of romance began. The young couple became inseparable. Last year, the girl was 20. The adopted parents encouraged them to tie the knot. They wanted the wedding to be held before the girl’s 21st birthday.

After all the wedding plans have been made, the adopted parents dropped a bombshell – they wanted the girl to transfer her inheritance to them. The girl was angry. The boy was furious. My Indian friend was outraged. The adopted parents were adamant. If the girl refused to accede to their demands, they would cancel the wedding and marry her off to another man.

After months of bitter wrangle, the girl and her future husband became enlightened. They became aware that the inheritance was the cause of their pain and suffering. It was the cause of the evil that tortured them. The desire to get hold of the money has driven everybody insane.

The young couple made a startling decision. They decided to sacrifice the inheritance for their happiness. The girl is convinced that she loves her man more than her money. The young man is convinced that he has the ability to support his wife and raise a family without any inheritance. My friend is convinced that the young couple has chosen wisely.

I rang my friend, “Have they signed the papers?”

“Yes. It’s all done. The girl has transferred her inheritance to the people who brought her up. It’s okay. She doesn’t have to worry about the future. God will always be there.”

Greed can turn us into zombies. Perhaps, God has to destroy all our material possessions so that we learn to treat each other with love, kindness and compassion.

Susan Boyle - from charity to celebrity

Susan Boyle appeared on the TV reality show Britain’s Got Talent on 11 April 2009 and sang ‘I Dreamed A Dream’. She is a 47 year-old heavy-set woman with thick eyebrows and unkempt hair. She walked up to the stage wearing a frumpy dress and looking more like a comedian than a singer. Everybody in the audience was certain that she would massacre the song and turned herself into a laughing stock.

When Susan Boyle began to sing, the sceptical and sniggering audience was stunned. Her mesmerising voice resonated through the theatre. The audience started to applaud thunderously. Finally, they rose to their feet, cheering wildly.

Susan is unemployed, unmarried, and lives alone with her cat in a small town which she described as a collection of villages.

Within the first 24 hours, her YouTube video has been viewed over 5 million times. As of 18 April 2009, it has been viewed nearly 30 million times. Within the span of a week, she has been interviewed by Good Morning America and Larry King Live show. She has also been invited to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Susan sang ‘I Dreamed A Dream’, and her dream to sing like Elaine Paige shows that nothing is impossible.

Susan Boyle website

FRANC-ly speaking, they love to sing

Singing on stage gets the adrenalin flowing and gives our self-esteem a welcome boost.

Two members from Team Franc in FSTEP brushed up on their diction, overcame their stage fright and added a feather in their cap.

This video shows Suarddy Parman aka AWESOME ADY in action. He sings “Hero” and works the girls up into a frenzy.

Here is vibrant emcee, Liza, introducing the singer, Nur Dalila Zainudin aka SIZZLING DALILA who sings “My heart will go on”. Dalila practised hard on her diction, voice control and body language. A commendable effort!

The FRANC drama

I salute Team Franc in FSTEP who plucked up the courage to perform an English drama on stage. They could have opted for a mime performance, but they decided to do something more challenging. They put their heads together and came up with the script. Then, all the performers had to practise their lines frantically. Finally, they stepped up to the stage and put their communication skills to the test. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

PART 1 - THE ABSENT-MINDED PARENTS

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PART 2 - AT THE CLINIC

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PART 3 - IN THE TAXI

PART 4 - SAY NO TO OLD FOLKS HOME


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The cast:
Father: ALIF
Mother: NAWAR
Daughter: SHIDAH
Doctor: TASHA
Nurse: SYARAH
Taxi Driver: SARAH

They beat me flat

I am their English teacher but when we play a game of Charades, they become my teacher. In fact, they are so good that I have to raise the white flag in defeat. They simply beat me flat!

Goodness gracious, these at FSTEP who underwent the INTEC programme (Intensive English Course) amaze me. Their reservoir of English song titles and movie titles is stupendous. I guess they must have listened to every song and watched every movie.

They call me their English sifu. After the Charades, I humbly relinquish my sifuship!

God's great love will keep us together

As Team Tulip in FSTEP are approaching the end of the INTEC programme (Intensive English Course), they are asked to do the final team project – organizing the farewell brunch.

It is a project that encourages English communication in planning, holding meetings, putting various proposals to the vote, forming working committees (logistics, food, entertainment, invitations, etc), reinforcing teamwork and stimulating creativity.

I am absolutely amazed by the results. Every part of the programme is organized with a touch of class. Every task is executed with a high standard of excellence. Every member fulfils their duties with enthusiasm.

I am confident that this group will bring value to the financial sector and serve their organizations with pride and passion.

In my farewell speech, I dedicate this song to them:

Smile an everlasting smile
A smile will bring my tulips to me
And we’ll never say goodbye
We’re near though we are far apart

You think that I don’t even mean a single word I say
It’s only words and God’s great love that keeps us together

To all my beloved members of Team Tulip, I wish you all the best in your future endeavours. I love you all.

Kindness is reciprocated with kindness

After shopping at a supermarket, I walked towards the open car park where I parked my car. I noticed a Chinese couple having a row with two Malay youths on a motorbike. As I approached, the youths rode off angrily.

I talked to the Chinese couple. They told me that they spotted a vacant parking space when a motorbike ridden by the two Malay youths overtook them and occupied the space. They got off their car and scolded the youths. The Malay youths got angry and they traded insults.

After telling me what happened, the couple ended by saying, “Useless Mat Rempit. Their kind of people behave like that.”

I decided to have a few words with them, and asked them very politely:

• Did the boys know that you wanted the parking space?
• Why did you not park at another place instead of quarreling with them and risking high blood pressure?
• If the boys were Chinese, would you be as hostile to them?

I left the couple and walked towards my car. 4 or 5 motorbikes have gathered at a spot near my car. The young Malay riders seemed to be in a discussion. Upon seeing me, they stopped talking and eyed me warily. Without any hesitation, I flashed them a sincere smile. They looked awkward at first, but soon they smiled back. I told them politely that I wanted to drive my car out. They nodded politely and moved their bikes away from my car.

Before I drove off, I waved to them and said in English, “Happy New Year!” They waved back. Some of them even found their voices to say “Happy New Year!”

Kindness begets kindness.