All Things Malaysia – Page 6 – Peter Tan

Hidden Charges In Chinese Restaurants

Roasted and salted peanuts.

You have placed your order. You wait for the food to come. You have nothing else to do. The salted peanuts on the table look inviting. You pick one and pop into your mouth. You like the saltiness and the aroma. You pop a few more into your mouth. Soon, you finish the entire plate of peanuts. Fortunately, your food arrives just after that. You tuck into your food. Scrumptious is the word. You are full. You belch a little. You use the wet paper towel to wipe your hands. You feel refreshed. You ask for the bill, pay with your credit card and think nothing about it afterwards.

Many Chinese restaurants do not reveal that extra items like roasted and salted peanuts, braised peanuts, pickles and paper towels are not complimentary. They are charged into the final bill. The peanuts may cost RM2 to RM3 per plate, likewise the pickles, and individually packed wet paper towels from 50 sen to RM1. Apart from the food ordered, these extra items can cost up to RM20 for a family of ten dining in a restaurant on top of the mandatory 5% government tax and 10% service charge.

What I would like to see is for the servers to tell patrons upfront that peanuts, pickles and paper towels will be charged and not nonchalantly placing them on the table together with the cutleries and walk away after that. Most times, we realise too late only when we check the bill, after we have eaten the peanuts and used the paper towels. Other times, we know these are extras but are too embarassed to tell the server we do not want them. Either way, I am of the opinion that the servers should at least ask if patrons want these extras. The next time you are at a Chinese restaurant, be aware of what are complimentary and what are not. There is no point in paying for food and items that we do not want or need.

Tweeples Are Morons

This is a rehash of Bloggers Are Morons, an entry that I posted following the March 29, 2005 earthquake. It is still relevant now although the scenario has changed somewhat. Instead of blogging about it the conventional way, people stay put to broadcast information on the earthquake via Twitter and Facebook first before evacuating. Fear means very little to these people. It was more important to get the information out rather than worry about their own safety. The technology has changed but the stupidity has not. All hail the new media! Just in case if you are wondering, no, I did not tweet about it. That was probably because I did not feel the tremor.

Some Men Do Not Deserve To Have A Penis

Some men do not deserve to have a penis. Let me tell you why. Firstly, they hide inside accessible toilets to smoke, selfishly polluting it with the stench of cigarette fumes. Secondly, they simply do not bother to lift the toilet seat when peeing. Thirdly, they do not know how to aim properly. Hello! You are not dousing a fire. There is no need to swing it from left to right and up and down. Just shoot straight into the toilet bowl lar!

Inside one of the accessible toilets at Ikano Power Centre.

This photo was taken inside one of the accessible toilets at Ikano Power Centre. This must be the work of a man who did not know how to hold his penis to direct the stream of urine into the toilet bowl. There was urine all over the toilet seat and on the floor too. The room reeked of cigarette fumes. Imagine my consternation when I got into the toilet and was greeted by the unsettling sight and smell. Fortunately I did not need to sit on the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, I usually spend a little more time in the toilet as compared to other people and had to bear with the stench the entire duration I was inside.

Ikano Power Centre is one of the most accessible buildings. In fact it is a paradise for wheelchair users. There are ample accessible parking spaces. The entire building is almost 100% accessible except for the rather steep ramp connecting to Ikea at the ground floor and the pet shop at Level 2. Moreover, just across the road is The Curve where food outlets are aplenty.

There are so many reasons why I like to hang out there, only to be spoilt by idiots who mess up the accessible toilets. These are the handful of people who make other Malaysians look bad. When I was in Tokyo, all the public toilets that I used at train stations, shopping complexes and at the airport were spotlessly clean and, mostly importantly, dry. Malaysians should learn to be more civic conscious and discard that third world mentality. We should keep toilets clean for the next person just like we would like the person before us do the same.