Volume of Interactions

The first evidence i've seen of a Malaysian company using email to reach out to its customers to explain a controversial issue. Interesting.

Dear Valued Guest,

We at AirAsia and AirAsia X appreciate your patronage in choosing us for your travel. As a regular user of the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang, we have heard your concerns and complaints about the cramped facilities at the LCCT. Many of you may not be aware that the terminal is owned, operated and managed NOT by AirAsia but by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd., a government-linked company.

To help serve you even better, AirAsia - together with Sime Darby Bhd. - proposed to the government that we be allowed to construct and operate a new terminal to cater to the airline's exponential growth. The Cabinet approved our request for the new terminal - KLIA-East, or as we like to call it, The Rakyat's Terminal - to be located just a short distance from the KLIA Main Terminal. The new terminal in Labu, Negeri Sembilan, is scheduled to be in operation early 2011.

In recent days, the proposed KLIA-East terminal has generated a lot of debates and discussions in the media - print, broadcast and online. We appreciate the fact that almost everyone who has voiced their view agrees that AirAsia needs a new terminal. For us, the staff of the airline, the new terminal is very much a matter of the company's survival given the number of new aircraft joining our ranks - at least two are being delivered every month - and the growth in passengers, estimated to reach 60 million in 2013.

We would like to appeal for your support in helping us deliver on our promises to you and in making The Rakyat's Terminal a reality. We have set up a designated web site where we will try and clear misconceptions regarding the project and provide answers to questions you may have regarding KLIA-East. Do drop by and have a look. We would also like to appeal to you to voice out your support for the project - and for lower fares, convenience and a comfortable environment - by writing to the print media, appearing on broadcast media, responding in the online media, especially blogs, and contacting your elected representatives.

For more facts and enquiries on KLIA-East, please log on to www.airasia.com or head on over to the blog.

Here in the Menara Maybank lobby, there are two counters open for the convenience of the staff. One counter is Metrojaya -- all sorts of sale items; the ladies are swarming over bedsheets, linen and perfumes like maggots over a carcass.

The other counter, is a donations counter for the Gaza victims. The only people there are those who are manning it, presumably to watch over the donations box and encourage people to add to it. The donations box looks decidedly forlorn.

Just a few feet away, thousands of ringgit are being poured into Metrojaya's coffers.

People say they care about Gaza. They are outraged. Poor Palestinian babies!

Looks like they care about a Metrojaya sale more.

Received several SMSs over the last few days, all calling for a boycott of popular American brands. Allegedly, these US companies supply funds to the Israelis, therefore, if we stop buying those products, this will mean less money for the Israelis, therefore less funds to buy weapons to wage war on the Palestinians. A boycott for "MUSLIM UNITY", the SMSs said.

Sounds straightforward enough, but another example of good intentions backed up by foolish intelligence. No wonder the Muslim world is in such disarray.

I replied to each SMS with the following:

"Do you realize that a boycott of the type you're asking for will only serve to hurt the thousands of Malaysian MUSLIMS who work for these companies and/or are part of these companies' supply chain? If your boycott is successful, it'll mean lost jobs, fewer hiring opportunities, wage losses, no bonuses, etc. In a climate of such economic uncertainty, your actions will potentially condemn our brothers and sisters to financial hardship. If you really care about the plight of Muslims, forward this SMS to your Muslim friends and family. Let us show some MUSLIM INTELLIGENCE, for once. Wassalam."

Brothers and sisters, the violence in Palestine saddens us all. But think with your head, not your heart.

ps. Just to further prove how twisted some minds are, i actually received a reply to my SMS from one person. It said (paraphrased):

"Yes, they may lose their jobs and livelihood, but thats the sacrifice they are making for Islam."

I rest my case. Muslim Unity indeed. 

Try this some day.

Early morning rush hour. People going up an escalator to get to their office. Take the same escalator up, breathe deeply.

Enjoy the wonderful scent of fresh people. All ready to meet the challenges of the new day.

Discovered a new radion station this morning, 89.9 BFM - a business-centric radio station. Actually saw a bumper sticker on a cab in front of me this morning that prompted me to tune in, and was very interested to hear that an interview with the DAP economist, Tony Pua, was going on.

As i drove from home to the office, i spent 35 minutes listening to a very good interview with a surprisingly honest and frank Tony Pua answering some difficult questions. He stumbled and fumbled a bit, but overall, his answers on a range of issue from life as a new MP, the 2009 Malaysian Budget, coalition politics between DAP and PAS and his passion for education in Malaysia, were well thought out. I was impressed, though i wouldn't agree with him on many of his opinions.

Perhaps the best 35 minutes i've spent in some time. I've always wanted a good talk-show radio station in Malaysia, so that i can spend the mindless hours in traffic listening to something mindful. I'll be tuning again this evening, and certainly tomorrow morning.

Saw the most interesting bumper sticker just now:

"God allows u-Turns"

A great reminder to end 2008, and start those new year resolutions ticking for 2009.

Happy New Year 2009.

Over the radio this morning, i cringed as the word "love" was used again and again, haphazardly slung about like a cheap 4-letter whore. Everyone was in the Christmas mood, DJs were trying to get their listeners in the swing of things, "i love you", "love you, love you, love you" -- the "L" word being abuzz like a faint hum of bees in the distance.

Its taken me a long time to truly appreciate what love really means, and thought i think i still don't have the firmest grasp on it yet, i would like to believe my understanding of it today is a much truer reflection of what it really is than what i believed before.

I've come to realize that we end up really loving very few people in this lifetime. While we may think there are many, if you sit down and consider the facts, the list of true loves is actually quite short.

Distilling the list is about asking yourself what matters most in your relationship with the person whom you love. What are you willing to do, what are you willing to sacrifice, what lengths are you willing to go for him or her. Then, the most important question test of all: actually doing it.

Its easy to say to a new lover, i'll die for you, i'll walk hot coals to be in your arms, i'll move heaven and earth to be with you. But the doing is not so easy.

Its easy to say to a new husband or wife, i'll be there for you through thick or thin, i'll hold your hand and mop your brow when you're sick and in pain, i'll be your perfect partner and be strong where you are weak. Then, the test of the doing will present itself. What matters most when that moment arrives is whether you do or do not. I think real love is not even tolerant of a try.

So the next time you tell a person you love them, think of what it means. Think of the things you've promised, and the lengths you've said you'd go for that love.

Ask yourself, have i been tested? Has my love been proven? Until you've walked the talk, AND still want to love afterwards, you can't really say that you've really loved. Or even known what it means.

Its easy to tend to wonder why things happen when they do. Providence? Fate? Coincidence? Statistical quirk? The Hand of God?

As i sat there listening to them speak today, it occurred to me that while everything that was being said was absolutely true, it just didn't seem real. Could it be because i didn't believe? Or perhaps just because it was them, and i was me, the listener.

If real life was like the movies, all of us who enjoyed Sleepless in Seattle as their staple go-to feel-good romantic comedy, would be happy forever and ever. Unfortunately, the only escape movies provide last but a few hours. Then its back to the real world, and life that doesn't come with an instruction manual.

Still got a lot to learn. In the meantime, i have to get some doors fixed. Baby steps. Walk before i run.

I bear witness to the future. It is now.

I have access to iTunes Australia with some help from an overseas credit card i use. Recently, they began selling downloads of some of the latest movies (the same ones you would find at your local Blockbuster or local video store), and also, more interestingly for me, TV series shows.

Of particular interest is their experiment with the wildly popular House. They are releasing the episodes at the same time as they are being aired on Australian TV, thus there is little or no lag with a user's ability to keep up with the latest episodes.

The concept is simple -- their strategy with House is the first real opportunity i've had to personally experience TV on demand. And i'm lovin' it.

The possibilities are fantastic:

- can download my favourite series to watch anytime, anywhere.
- no longer beholden to the strict timetables of normal TV time -- if i want to catch the latest episode of House i don't have to be in front of the TV at exactly 8pm, every wednesday night. I can choose to watch it on the way to work or during my lunch break the next day.
- eventually, i can terminate my subscription to Astro (satellite tv provider) -- and just turn to the Internet to download the content (and pay for it) that i'm really interested in. Astro provides thousands of tv content... 99.99% of which i'm not interested in and don't watch. To be able to pay for the 0.01% of available content that i do want to watch, and nothing else -- thats an awesome option to have as a consumer.
- as video devices become more sophisticated, i can imagine interactivity with my favourite episodes of tv shows like House could become available -- how would i rate the latest episode? a pop-up screen at the end of the episode appears, and my rating is submitted (with my permission) during my next synchronization with my PC. Or i can choose to view some commercials at the start and end of each show, and this will give me a 10% discount on the next episode download. Literally, a thousand new opportunities open up for the savvy marketeer.

I'm hooked on the concept. Let the good times roll. Back to House now. Bye.