pelf-ism is contagious

The biggest Mydin Hypermarket on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia was officially opened two days ago. It is located right behind the HUGE KWSP building, opposite the HUGE State Library, and it took a little more than a year to materialize. Well, this itself is an accomplishment, compared to the yet-to-be-opened KT Mall which was built more than half a decade ago.

The interior of Mydin Mall looks very similar to Tesco Melaka, at least one part of it. It has about 22 cashier counters, lots and lots of racks filled with stuff a few storeys high. They have more varieties compared to the smaller and older Mydin. The whole Mall is very brightly lit, which is something very different because in Terengganu, none of the shopping centres are brightly lit. People here seem to like to cut down on the usage of electricity and in return, make customers like me feel very uncomfortable. Either that, or the old buildings can no longer take more lights..

Mydin Mall itself has two floors too. The ground floor is where the supermarket is. There is also a bakery at one corner and right behind the bakery are the fresh foods - prawns, crabs, fish etc.

Surprisingly, there’s an OGAWA in Mydin Mall, the only brand name I’m familiar with in the entire Mall. Oh yea, and KFC. There are about 20 kiosks selling computer- and handphone-related stuff on the left wing of the Mall, and the area looks more like a PC Fair than a mall, seriously. The food court looks clean though the choice of food was really limited. There’s a double-storey KFC but the upstairs was just too stuffy (did the air-cond break down or something?)

Err.. Why am I “reviewing” it in the first place?!

Anyway, all in all, the mall is satisfactory, and so is the experience. And it gives me the feeling of “being home”. In my almost-six years of staying in Terengganu, the 1.5 hours I spent in Mydin Mall yesterday felt like I was back in Melaka. Never experienced such great feeling while shopping in Terengganu.

Goodbye The Store. Goodbye Astaka. Goodbye Sabasun.

Hello Mydin Mall

The “Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group” went to Setiu this morning to meet up with the teachers of SK Penarik to discuss some matters concerning the river terrapin project scheduled to take off later this month.

The location of the school is simply strategic, which is just across the road from the South China Sea. But of course the downside to this is that tables and chairs (any everything metal) needed to be replaced once too often as they become rusty very soon.

Right behind the school are a couple of traditional Malay houses that, despite being built with wood, still look as sturdy as ever.

And just behind the Malay houses is the Setiu river, one of the two river systems in Terengganu in which we conduct the river terrapin conservation project.

SK Penarik is quite a small school, with a student population of a little more than 100. There are 17 teachers, including the headmistress, three security guards and a couple of cleaning ladies and gardeners.

Despite being located just an hour from Kuala Terengganu, surprisingly, the villagers in Setiu do not have the luxury of owning a house phone. Apparently, the teachers said that the school is supplied with an electric generator to generate electricity to power the phone but the generator very often breaks down whenever electricity supply is interrupted. So needless to say, the school lacks a functional phone, a fax machine and obviously, internet connection.

In spite of this, SK Penarik is a proud school because its students represent the state of Terengganu in sailing. These students are good at something! Not bad for a humble little rural school, huh?

Do you know how famous and important keropok lekor is in Terengganu?

You would think that the keropok lekor is as famous as the other local products such as batik and kain songket. You’re wrong. And if you think that turtles eggs are more well-known compared to keropok lekor, you’re also wrong.

Keropok lekor has been placed a rank higher than all other local products, but how do we tell?

By this (see picture below):

Sooo famous and important, huh? That the State Government decided to put it up on roadsigns, huh? *scratches head*

Oh, by the way.. Speaking of local products.. The State Government has also recently started the construction of a new market to house small businesses selling local products.. OPPOSITE the old building..

The old market, also known as Pasar Payang.

The spanking new market has got very elaborate architecture and definitely costs the government a bomb. Or maybe two. And it’s got a basement carpark too!

Oh, and I just remembered that there’s a mall right smack in the town centre that was scheduled to be completed and opened in January 2006 after construction was put off for 5 years when the state fell into the hands of the greens, but it seems that January 2007 is just two days away and the mall is still NOT OPENED. And I heard there’d be a McD! AAARRRGGHH!

Talk about jokes that the government pull..