USING A GRAB CAR (E-HAILING)TO TRAVEL TO YOUR DESIRED DESTINATION

 

Using Grab for travel offers superior convenience with upfront, fixed pricing, enhanced safety via driver tracking/sharing features, and wide availability across Southeast Asia. It is generally cheaper than traditional taxis, allows for cashless payments, and simplifies navigating unfamiliar cities

Key Benefits of Using Grab (based on user experiences):

• Convenience & Speed: The app allows for easy booking, with drivers usually arriving quickly. It eliminates the need to haggle over prices, as the fare is fixed before you book.
• Safety Features: Rides can be tracked in real-time, and trip details can be shared with loved ones. Drivers are vetted (often with ratings over 4.5 stars).
• Cost-Effective: Often cheaper than local taxis, especially with options like GrabCar Saver.
• Cashless Convenience: Supports digital payment methods (via GrabPay), reducing the need to carry local currency.
• Versatility: Beyond cars, Grab offers food delivery, grocery shopping, and parcel services. 

Tips for Using Grab:

• Connectivity: Ensure you have internet access to book, though the ride can proceed without it once started.
• Locations: It is highly reliable in major Southeast Asian cities (e.g., Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok).
• Options: Choose from various service types, including standard, premium, and, for more budget-conscious travelers, GrabCar Saver.- quora

As usual, we remind you to take your Memo Plus Gold daily. It will help to keep you alert and mentally sharp. For more information or to order for Memo Plus Gold, please visit : https://oze.my

Prof James Chin chides deluded Prof Soleha for Islamising “Buddhist Srivijaya Empire”

 

SHE was earlier mocked on the SEA Heritage & History Facebook forum for claiming that Malaysia was submerged during the Great Flood of Prophet Noah and that the Malay civilisation existed before the flood of Prophet Noah.

However, the Jakarta-based digital platform/community brushed aside her statement as reflecting a religious interpretation and personal viewpoint as there is currently no clear scientific or historical evidence confirming that Malaysia was submerged during the flood associated with Prophet Noah.

This is given scholars generally link the ancient flood narratives to regions around the Mesopotamian civilisation in the Middle East.

But prior to that SEA Heritage & History red-flagged as to how the Malaysian Higher Education Ministry can condone someone to make unfounded statements while presenting themselves as a “Professor” with regard to International Islamic University’s (IIUM) linguistic expert Prof Solehah Yaacob claiming that “Srivijaya was an Islamic Empire”.

“If she had expressed such views without invoking her academic credentials, I would not have considered it a concern,” jibed the Facebooker.

This led to fellow academician/political commentator Prof James Chin chipping in with his two sen worth.

“Here we go again. What has happened to IIUM’s investigation?  Looks like nothing happened and she is re-writing history again,” mocked the inaugural director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania in a FB post.

“It’s truly incredible that Malaysia allows such craziness in its higher learning institutions.  Then again, is promoting KMI (Ketuanan Melayu Islam/Malay Muslim supremacy) one of the pillars of the country’s tertiary  education?”

Unfounded claims

In its review of Prof Soleha’s claim of Srivijaya being an Islamic empire, SEA Heritage & History contended that is not supported by credible historical evidence.

Primary inscriptions from the seventh century – including those of Kedukan Bukit (683 CE) and Talang Tuwo (684 CE) – clearly show Buddhist terminology and Sanskrit religious expressions. These inscriptions reflect Mahayana Buddhist concepts, not Islamic doctrine.

Below is the official historical account on Srivijaya courtesy of SEA Heritage & History:

Chinese monk Yijing who stayed in Srivijaya in 671 CE (Common/Current Era) described Srivijaya as a major centre of Buddhist learning with more than 1,000 monks studying Buddhist scriptures before traveling to India.

His records provide direct contemporary testimony.

Archaeological findings in Palembang, Jambi and surrounding areas include Buddhist statues, stupas and Vajrayana artifacts – not mosques, Islamic royal titles or Islamic inscriptions from the Srivijaya period.

Historically, Islam began spreading significantly in the Indonesian archipelago around the 12th-13th centuries.

 

By that time, Srivijaya had already declined after the 1025 attack by the South Indian Chola kingdom. The earliest clearly documented Islamic kingdom in the region was Samudera Pasai in the 13th century – not Srivijaya.

Mainstream historians such as George Cœdès, O.W. Wolters, Anthony Reid and M.C. Ricklefs consistently identify Srivijaya as a Buddhist maritime empire.

Historical discussion should be grounded in inscriptions, archaeology and credible scholarship, not retrospective reinterpretation without evidence. – Focus Malaysia

Lawyer schools MACC: “Only official notice matters, WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS don’t count”

 

ANY attempt by the authorities to reach out to any individual must be made via ‘hand-served’ official notice and NOT via phone call or social media platforms such as WhatsApp text/Telegram or SMS (short message service),

Such is the view of civil and criminal lawyer Faizal Rahman after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) claimed that Chai Jin Shern a.k.a. James Chai – the ex-aide to former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli – had blocked the mobile number of its investigating officer (IO) on Feb 26 after several futile attempts to contact him.

“That is stated in the MACC Act 2009. Except that the MACC is working according to the Akta Cokia Cap Ayam Madani (slang phrase to describe a half-hearted or very low-quality effort),” jibed the owner of legal practice Faizal Rahman & Co in reaction to MACC having attempted to reach out to Chai via two phone numbers known to belong to him.

“Hmmm … If you want to learn more about how to serve an OFFICIAL NOTICE, call me for a course but must pay me. OK? ”

In refuting Chai’s claim that “a few simple phone calls to former colleagues or even a LinkedIn search would have ascertained his whereabouts” instead of publicly expose his personal details such as his family address, MACC said its IO had attempted to contact Chai “who had been traced to be in the UK” beginning Feb 24.

“Therefore, the claim that MACC didn’t attempt to contact him before issuing the notice (to assist in investigation) is completely untrue,” clarified the anti-graft agency in a media statement.

“Attempts to portray normal investigative procedures as acts of persecution against an individual are unwarranted and made in bad faith.

“Such narratives not only mislead the public but may also undermine public confidence in legitimate law enforcement processes, particularly while investigations are still on-going.”

Falling prey to scammers

Delving further, Faizal chided the MACC for having recycled the long standing “cokia cap ayam” work system well into the Madani era.

“The so-called institutional reform that is being shouted about is just rubbish level rhetoric. In fact, that’s how things (government functions) worked out in the past till now,” berated the Madani critic who surprisingly is a PKR member.

“Why do you have to serve an OFFICIAL NOTICE? Because Malaysians have the right to fundamental freedoms and those rights are to be freely enjoyed by everyone, UNTIL the OFFICIAL NOTICE is issued and SERVED, only then is an individual subject to the MACC Act 2009.”

“For cybertroopers (who wish to attack Faizal on his view), I don’t expect you to be smart. This is because the MOST COURAGEOUS officer of PMX also produces “cokia cap ayam” quality work.”

As expected, a pro-Madani/MACC netizen called out to Chai to “come out and clear your name instead of hiding if you’ve done nothing wrong for we also need an answer” to which Faizal reiterated that “as long as no OFFICIAL NOTICE is served, Malaysians are FREE to go anywhere”.

“That is a RIGHT guaranteed under the Federal Constitution,” he stressed.

Over on the MACC’s FB page, one commenter defended Chai’s right “to block unknown numbers given there’re many scammers out there”.

Perhaps former PKR deputy president Rafizi is right that instead of ‘clamping down” on Chai who used to be his intern at think tank Invoke Malaysia, the first person MACC should be looking for if indeed there were irregularities in the RM1.11 bil mega agreement between the government and UK-based Arm Holdings plc, “it’s the Prime Minister himself”.

This came about as the Pandan MP alleged that MACC’s head honcho Tan Sri Azam Baki was instead focusing on locating his former aide who had “merely prepared presentation slides and is currently working in Cambridge (UK)”. 

- focus malaysia

KTM's luxury train coach goes viral ahead of Hari Raya [WATCH]

 

A premium chartered train coach operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTM) has drawn attention on social media for its luxurious interior, sparking interest ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri travel period. - Pix courtesy of @ziafmihar threads page

KUALA LUMPUR: A premium chartered train coach operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTM) has drawn attention on social media for its luxurious interior, sparking interest ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri travel period.

The coach, part of KTM's special charter service, was highlighted in a post on Threads by user @ziafmihar, who shared images showing a modern interior with hotel-style amenities, including three rooms, two bathrooms and a dining area. The post noted that the coach was not part of regular train services and must be booked in advance.

The post quickly drew reactions from other netizens. User @rroyxls said: "That's awesome. The dining area reminds me of a scene from Hunger Games."

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Another user, @syhrhzmn, recounted her experience more than a decade ago: "I took this coach around 2011 or 2012. There was a technical problem and the train had to stop for quite some time. It was the first time in my life I was happy the train broke down because I could spend longer in the coach. The journey took almost 15 hours."

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Another user @ahmadfaiqmyusoff joked: "Such a comfortable coach might make even a 17-hour train ride to Kelantan feel enjoyable."

Responding to queries, KTM confirmed the coach was available through its chartered train service, which can be booked by individuals or organisations.

"Popular routes for charter services include journeys from KL Sentral to Ipoh, Butterworth, Padang Besar, Tumpat, Johor Bahru Sentral and Hat Yai," a KTM spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that charter costs depended on several factors, including distance travelled, type and number of coaches, journey duration, and any additional services requested.

"Passengers interested in chartering the train can contact KTM directly via email for further inquiries," he said. - NST