Inflation rate has gained, what are you going to do?

Inflation rate has gone up and is going up further in the future. What is your preferred way of handling higher inflation rate?

Reliable broadband service with minimum 200kbps download speed from international servers in Malaysia?

As I have mentioned before, to have broadband connection uptime of 99% and above, 2 ISPs are required. However more than one Malaysia-based ISP does not solve excessive slow connection for international servers, e.g. below 100kps. To solve this problem, a Singapore-based proxy server is required. The reason is most international links are connected to other cities via Singapore. See Asia Pacific map of network operator, REACH. Since most Malaysia ISPs have no problem maintaining 200kbps connection to Singapore servers, therefore 200kps download speed for international servers via a Singapore proxy is almost guaranteed.


REACH Asia Pacific network


22/6/08 Singapore web proxy - free trial

More information about Maxis wireless broadband and Celcom wireless broadband

On 15/11/07 afternoon, I was in Maxis centre at KLCC and Celcom centre along Jalan Ampang. The objective is to test out wireless broadband services. Below is information that I have discovered.

	Celcom wireless broadband	Maxis wireless broadband
ping newmediaexpress.com(1)	150-250ms	250-350ms
mimimum subscription period	0 month	18 months
modem cost(2)	RM 1300++	RM 0
max usage	unlimited(3)	3G
384k plan(4)	RM 68 per month	RM 68 per month

(1) For TIME dotNet broadband, ping time for newmediaexpress.com(hosted in Singapore) is between 20ms and 150ms.
(2) Conclusion: wireless modem is not free for both wireless broadband providers.
(3) If the network is slow, it is the same as usage cap.
(4) If you subscribe to 384k plan for 18 months, Maxis plan is cheaper. You can get cheaper 3G card from independent sources. However you are free to switch for Celcom plan. Consider Digi/TIME dotNet may introduce 3G services next year.

My opinion is at the moment wireless broadband is still too slow for the additional cost of modem(RM 1300++).

16/11/07 Just found out I can get a reasonable 3G card at RM500. So I am tempted.... :)

12 ways to tackle fuel hike

One of the inevitables in Malaysia is fuel hike. Below is ways an individual can do to tackle fuel price hike by reducing transportation costs

• Travel less




• 1. If you go out for lunch during weekday, share a car with your colleages.


• 2. Consider car pool. If you drive for more than 30 minutes to office on a working day with minimum traffic jam, consider sharing a car with a colleague on a large part of the journey. For example if your office is in Sungai Buloh and your home is in Bukit Jalil, share a car with colleagues in Puchong, Serdang, Seri Kembangan or Sungai Besi.


• 3. Reduce shopping frequency. If you shop once a week, consider shopping once every two weeks or even once a month. By buying less frequently, you can also buy in bulk.


• 4. Shop in nearby areas. Add transportation costs into shopping bills. If you drive to a shopping mall, not only you have to consider fuel cost, you have to consider depeciation and maintenance cost.


• 5. Stay in an area closer to your working place. If you stay in your own property that is too far from your working place, rent out your property and rent another place closer to your working place.


• 6. Telecommuting. Ask your company to allow your to work from home for at least one day in a week, specially Saturday.


• 7. Use self-service technologies as much as possible, e.g. phone banking, websites.




• Use more efficient vehicles




• 1. Use vehicle with more mileage per liter.


• 2. Use vehicle with smaller engine. If you drive a 1500cc car, consider 1000cc car.


• 3. Empty car boot.





• Use substitute




• 1. Use natural gas for your car


• 2. Use LRT. If you stay near a LRT station or travel in small group(two members or fewer), consider LRT

If you have other ideas in handling of fuel hike or cutting transportation costs, please share with us in the comment section. Of course you can 'subsidise' fuel hike by using money saving tips in other areas or increasing your income :)

Wireless broadband for Vista Komanwel?

As you know Nasioncom has stopped broadband service in Vista Komanwel, therefore to have 99% broadband uptime in Vista Komanwel, you need another broadband provider. A few days ago, a salesperson from Maxis told me Maxis wireless broadband is available in Vista Komanwel unofficially. So, if you have wireless broadband account from Maxis or Celcom, let us know which wireless broadband provider can be used in which area(s) in Vista Komanwel, e.g. block C2, 8th floor for Maxis. You can leave the information in the comment section. Thanks.

10Mbps broadband for Vista Komanwel?

Based on TIME dotCom press release and a short discussion with a marketing guy of TIME dotCom on 14/9/07, 10Mbps broadband may be available to residents of Vista Komanwel. The not-so-good news is I may have to wait for at least 6 months. However that is still something to be excited about. My worry is TIME dotCom international gateway capacity which the company is trying to improve. After all, I do not want another intranet because I already have one :)

Price of properties could go up by 10%

According to Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association chairman, price of properties could go up by another 10% due to increase in steel price. Cost of condominiums could go up by more than 10% due to higher use of steel. We will see whether the property developers can absorb another cost increase and/or the property buyers have the appetite to pay more.

Live Earth event in Malaysia

Sorry, there is no Live Earth concert in Malaysia. But you can listen to the concerts live at hitz.fm or watch them online at MSN. You can pledge here.

Malaysia could become oil net importer by 2010

According to Petronas Chief Executive and President Hassan Marican , Malaysia could become oil net importer by 2010 if demand is growing at 4% per annum. This is not really 'shocking' news since Indonesia is already net oil importer since 2005. A related news is petrol ration program is implemented in Iran from June 2007. These prove that global oil consumption is growing faster than global oil production. How do we 'fix' this problem? That depends what do you think are the cause(s) of imbalance, e.g. consumption, supply?

LRT-friendly shopping malls for Vista Komanwel residents

You can reach the following shopping malls from Vista Komanwel within 35 minutes

• Mid Valley Megamall - Take LRT to Bandar Tasik Selatan station and then take KTM Komuter to MidValley station.


• Suria KLCC - Take LRT to Masjid Jamek station and then take KL Monorail to KLCC station.

99% combined broadband uptime in Vista Komanwel?

Do you need 99% uptime for your broadband connection in your home, e.g. total downtime of not more than 7 hours in a month? Then consider subscribing to two broadband providers in your area. Vista Komanwel residents are 'lucky' since end of 2006 when TIME dotNet realises there is broadband demand in Vista Komanwel. Therefore TIME dotNet is now providing broadband service at Vista Komanwel even though Vista Komanwel is not listed as covered area in TIME dotNet website. The other broadband provider is NasionCom. I am a broadband subscriber of NasionCom and TIME dotNet since May 2005 and November 2006 respectively. Based only on my own experience of these two providers, if you can only have one broadband service, then I would recommend TIME dotNet. Vista Komanwel is connected to TIME dotNet via cable which is not affected by bad weather.