A smartphone and car manufacturer company recently published the specs for a digital key that could work across devices and car models. The group is called Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) and its stakeholders include Apple, LG, Samsung, Volkswagen, Audi, GM and many more.
That means with the backing of Apple and Samsung, you could use either your iPhone or your Galaxy to unlock a variation of car models.
This digital key would lock, unlock, start the ignition and share access to the car. The CCC is utilising existing technologies, like Near-Filed Communication (NFC) and Trusted Service Manager (TSM) for the universal digital key to happen. The CCC intends to bring everyone together to standardise how these existing technologies can be integrated even with different devices and car models.
So, is the keyless future on its way? Perhaps. But don’t throw away that fluffy keychain just yet!
Bubble tea fans will know the struggle when you’re having cravings at midnight but can’t get them because the stores are closed… well, you can worry no more!
But before you get too excited, there are
only three types of drinks being sold and they are “Signature Milk Tea with
Konjac Jelly”, “Original Milk Tea with Konjac Jelly” and “Superior Coco”!
And there are only 10 outlets that are
selling them… Here is the list:
So there’s the good and bad news! At least
now you can avoid the long queues and buy them anytime of the day (that’s if
someone else doesn’t buy them all before you do…)
Books are becoming more and more obsolete. It is so rare to see a child holding a book nowadays, compared to seeing one holding a tablet! But it looks like McDonalds Malaysia are trying their best to keep books relevant to our youngsters!
Today, they launched Happy Meal Readers, a programme aimed
to create a passion for reading among young Malaysians.
Now, when you buy a happy meal, you get to choose between
getting a free toy, or a free brand new dinosaur-themed children’s storybook.
What’s more amazing is that these books are by the world-renowned author and
illustrator Cressida Cowell, known best for her bestselling How To Train Your Dragon series.
The book, titled Treetop
Twins Adventures, will feature 12 standalone stories with one book released
each month throughout the year. BTW,
the 12 books were curated exclusively for McDonalds Malaysia by Cowell herself!
To make the reading experience of the books more
interactive, digital versions of the books are also available through the Happy
Studio mobile app which is free to download on the App Store and Play Store.
The app will make the books more interactive through it’s
scan feature which is able to bring the book’s illustrations to life. You know lah, with all these smartphone and TV
screens, it might take a bit of effort to keep kids engaged with pictures in a
book.
The physical and e-books will be available in both English
and Bahasa Malaysia versions, specifically for the Malaysian market.
McDonald’s Malaysia marketing director Eugene Lee said that
the programme to promote reading culture supports the company’s efforts to
bring families closer together and the government’s aspirations to make
Malaysia a reading nation under the 10-year National Reading Decade Programme
by the Education Ministry.
“We want to encourage families to spend more time together. The Happy Meal Readers programme encourages parents to enjoy quality time with their children through reading.
We hope that the initiative will instill a lifelong love of reading among children by making it a fun activity for the whole family.”
He added that over 300,000 copies of the book’s first
edition was released in January and has been distributed nationwide. Meanwhile,
about 300,00 mobile users logged into its Happy Studios App last month.
You can gain real value for money by being strategic, not only when you book a flight, but what day you choose to start your journey. This is according to the folks at the Airlines Reporting Corporation and Expedia, who actually did a study on this.
2. Buy your flight tickets on SUNDAYS! It’s a myth that flights tickets are priced higher on weekends! By booking on a Sunday, you can save up to 20% on your flight ticket!
PEAK PRICES: Flight tickets are more expensive on Thursdays and Fridays.
So, if you’re currently planning for your next holiday, be sure to check for the best time to go for a holiday by referring to our Instagram post above!
Valentine’s Day is regarded as the day we show our significant others that we love them and they matter to us. And this 14th February, we believe that regardless of whether you have a significant other or not, you’d probably still find these 14 Valentine’s Day facts interesting anyway.
1. Over 50% of Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the day itself. Looks like most people who celebrate Valentine’s Day are clearly procrastinators!
2. About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every year, making it the second-largest seasonal card sending time of the year, behind Christmas, of course.
9. Young people in the Middle Ages drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would then pin the name they picked to their sleeve for a whole week for everyone to see. And thus came the expression, “to wear your heart on your sleeve”.
14. And, if you’re single, don’t worry about it! You can look forward to celebrating Singles Awareness Day tomorrow! No, really. It’s celebrated on 15th February every year, as if singles need a day to remind them about their single-ness.
There you have it! 14 Valentine’s Day facts whether you wanted them or not. Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovebirds celebrating today!
It seems like a cuti is always around the corner of every month in Malaysia. From
New Year to Chinese New Year, Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Wesak, Christmas and even some
we’re not too sure about like Malaysia Day (what do you mean it’s not the same
as Independence Day?)
So this got us pondering, is Malaysia really the country with the most holidays
in the world?
If you guessed yes, you are absolutely CORRECT! With a whopping 50 days of holidays, we can safely confirm that Malaysia is the best place to be an employee and the worst place to be a business owner! Jokes aside, out of the 50 days only 20 are at the national level while the other 30 are at the state level. So, it’s not like a holiday holiday.
What about the rest of the world? Cambodia comes in close at second place with 31 days, followed by Thailand with 26 days & Myanmar with 25 days. So now you must be wondering which countries have the least holidays right? Germany ties with Serbia & Hungary with only nine public holidays.
This is followed by the UK, Spain & Canada with only eight days. And the country with the least holidays? Ola Mr Potato, none other than Mexico! Seven days is all they are offering señor and señoritas. Think wisely before immigrating there.
Oddly enough the countries with the most holidays appear to be in South East Asia while European countries are not very fond of giving away too many holidays. Oh well, that’s another thing to ponder about. The next question is what are we going to do with so many days off? The typical Malaysian thing, of course. MAKAN!
Do you ever look at the ingredient labels on your makeup and
skincare products? Your pores will absorb anything you put on your skin. So, maybe
it’s vital to start seriously thinking about what your beauty products contain.
Beauty brands will always market their products as safe and effective, whether they really are or not because they want to make money. Unfortunately, your health and the quality of your skin is very often a secondary issue.
Thankfully for us, we have agencies such as the National
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), to
help test and warn us about harmful chemicals and products.
But sometimes, companies sell products without getting approval from NPRA and MOH, or they sell their products despite being banned. So, before you use or buy skin care products, you need to check the label for these three toxic and dangerous ingredients.
Mercury.
Unless you weren’t paying attention in science class when you were in high school, mercury is super harmful to human health. Exposure to mercury can damage your kidneys and nervous system. Mercury can also interfere with the development of the brain in unborn and very young children.
When you use skin cream containing mercury, it gets absorbed into your body through your skin, it gets on your hands and you’ll end up accidentally eating it at some point too. On top of that, mercury poisoning can also happen from just breathing in the vapours. So you AND anyone around you are at risk. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include tremors, memory problems, irritability, and changes in vision or hearing.
Cosmetic products containing mercury are commonly marketed as skin lightening and anti-aging treatments. If you’ve been using a lightening skin cream, check the label for mercury. The ingredient might also be listed as “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” or “mercurio.” If the product doesn’t have an ingredients list, don’t use it.
So far, the NPRA and MOH have found mercury in these five local beauty products.
1. Tati Ultra Night Cream
2. Deeja Wrinkle Cream
3. ROBISIS Anti-acne Whitening Day & Night Cream
4. Asdanne Whitening Freckle Day Cream
5. Fulenze Whitening Freckle Day Cream
Hydroquinone.
The beauty world is somewhat divided about the harmful nature of this chemical. On the one hand, hydroquinone is able to decrease the formation of melanin (the pigment in skin that gives it a brown colour). But on the other hand, it’s depigmentation qualities also reduces the skin’s ability to protect itself from harmful UV rays, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
Due to this, hydroquinone is classified as a pharmaceutical product that requires registration with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) and can only be used under the advice of healthcare professionals. Unsupervised usage of hydroquinone can leave you vulnerable to many of its side effects, such as severe skin redness, discomforts such as a burning or stinging, blue or black skin discolouration (ironically) and hypersensitivity.
Skin products with hydroquinone are typically marketed as
skin lightening and as a treatment for blemishes and uneven skin tone.
The NPRA and MOH found two local beauty products that have uncontrolled use of hydroquinone.
1. Tati Ultra Treatment
2. Deeja Dream Cream
Tretinoin.
Most dermatologists agree that tretinoin or retinol helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol, a form of vitamin A, has been used for years to treat acne and undoubtedly makes the skin smoother. The benefits or rather short-term effects of using topical tretinoin products have been widely documented and encouraged by beauty influencers, editors, and celebrities too.
However, overuse of retinol can affect how well your skin cells can function. This is because the chemical causes your skin cells to rapidly produce which in turn makes your skin oversensitive and causes it to peel, become flaky and irritated. Tretinoin, similar to hydroquinone, also causes your skin to become sensitive to UV rays from sunlight.
Due to this, tretinoin is also classified as a pharmaceutical product with hydroquinone and should only be used under advice from healthcare professionals. If you’ve been using skin products that are anti-aging or for acne treatment, check the label for tretinoin. Tretinoin may also be listed as “retinol,” “retinal,” “retinyl palmitate” or “retinoic acid.”
The NPRA and MOH found one local beauty product with uncontrolled use of tretinoin.
1. Tati Ultra Treatment
We’re not here to scare you! We don’t want you to have nightmares that your future offspring will be jeopardized all because you wanted to sport a red lip. But we want to remind you that you have options when it comes to what you put on your face and body.
If the makeup industry isn’t going to make transparency a priority, we have to take it upon ourselves to do our research so we can make healthy choices!
Chinese New Year – officially the time of the year where humans migrate by the billions. Also officially the worst time of the year to hit the highways in Malaysia because of the traffic. So what’s the best thing to do when you get stuck in a jam? You guessed it, MAKAN!
Since we’re in the spirit of Chinese New Year we thought of recommending some Chinese joints for a change instead of your same old “boar-ring” restaurants. (it’s the year of the boar, get it?)
These places are certified Halal so you can “pig” out guilt free! And as a bonus, these restaurants are situated quite near the highway so you don’t have to tahan your hunger for that long.
1. YIK MUN, TANJUNG MALIM (HAINANESE)
Image via VKeong
First on the list is Yik Mun. It was established in 1926, so they’ve been serving mouth-watering Hainanese cuisine even before your mama was born. Besides the bouncy and soft kaya paus, you have to try their chicken chop! Smothered in their signature sauce and fried to perfection, this will take your balik kampong jam blues away.
Other must-try foods:
Beef noodle soup, Mee hailam, Kaya Pau & Nasi ayam
Image via VKeongImage via VKeong
LOCATION: 6043, Persiaran Slim Permai 8, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Negeri Perak
2. RESTORAN YUT LOY, KUALA KANGSAR
So you’ve heard of beef steak & chicken steak, but how about Egg Steak? Legend has it that Yut Loy was the hangout for the students of MCKK (Malay College Kuala Kangsar). Not being able to afford a chicken or beef steak, a hungry Old Boy (that’s the nickname for MCKK students, ya. Not an actual old boy) requested for a fried egg with the usual sauce and serving of fries. The item has stuck ever since. But don’t just go for the egg steak, try everything else on the menu!
Image via Halalish Noms
Other must-try foods:
Beef steak and Paus
Image via Halalish Noms
LOCATION: 51, Jalan Kangsar, Bandar Baru, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Negeri Perak (10 min drive from the Kuala Kangsar exit)
3. NEW HOLLYWOOD (COFFEE SHOP DELICACIES)
Do you have a craving for Char Kuey Teow or Chee Cheong Fan? If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to eat at a Chinese coffee shop without worrying about the halal factor, this is the place. But the food is so good that even the Non-Muslims flock here all the time. And here’s a little trivia for you foodies out there; just behind New Hollywood is another eatery called Vegas Restaurant!
This photo of Restoran New Hollywood is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Other must-try foods:
Roti Telur Goyang
Image via @WanEmirAstar/Twitter
LOCATION: Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
4. MEE TARIK WARISAN ASLI (A TASTE OF XINJIANG)
Image via My Small World
For those of you who have never had the opportunity to visit the province of Xinjiang, worry not. Because the nice people of Northern China decided to open up shop right here in Sungai Besi! Savour the hot and spicy pulled mee, have some lamb on a stick, and wash it all down with Chinese Tea! Now you’re all set to hit the highway with a full tummy and happy feet.
LOCATION: 51, Jalan Tasik Utama 3, Sungai Besi, 57100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
5. CHICKEN RICE BALL (Ee Ji Ban, Melaka)
Image via TripAdvisor
There are so many reasons why you should visit the historical city of Melaka but if you need another reason to visit this beautiful place, it should be for the chicken rice ball. Ee Ji Ban, about a 30 min drive from the Ayer Keroh exit is a must-go if you’re looking for a place to have lunch en route to Johor, or simply just for fun. A slew of celebrities have been here so you know the food has definitely gone viral, in a good way. So, make the stop and let a ball of pulut rice slide down your throat and take you to food heaven!
Image via VKeongImage via VKeong
LOCATION: 275, Jalan Melaka Raya 3, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka
So that’s our list! We’re sure you have a lot of other places to suggest and we are all ears (and mouth)… so keep those recommendations coming! Last but not least, Happy Chinese New Year and drive safe. We hope these places will give you something for you to look forward to on your drive!
DISCLAIMER: 1. Yik Mun is certified Halal, while the other restaurants have been featured in halal blogs 2. All Muslims should exercise caution when dining out, and make the necessary checks to ensure the place is halal
Recently, Bukit Aman advised Malaysians to refrain from using agents to pay their traffic summons. According to PDRM, some people have been cheated by third parties they had hired to help pay their summons. On top of losing their money, these people were still in the cops’ bad books for having outstanding traffic summonses.
So, now you must be thinking “if we can’t hire people to settle our samans for us, then, how do we settle the samans,” right? Well, first you have to check if you have any summons. And thanks to the internet, it’s really easy to do these days as you don’t have to physically go to your local police station and ask anymore. Even crime fighters must keep up with the times, ma.
1) Apps
Yes, there are apps for this too!
There are a number of apps out there, but the ones we found to be most reliable are Malaysia Police Summons by Maxim and the MyEg app.
Malaysia Police
Summons by Maxsim
To check your summons by using this app, all you have to do is key in your IC number and it will display any offences that you have. Click on them and details, such as time and date of the offence, amount payable and whether or not your vehicle has been blacklisted, will appear.
The downsides of this app is that you can’t pay your summons on it, and this app is only available for Apple devices. But Samsung-ians need not fret. This is why we provided two options!
MyEG
You’ll first need to register an account with MyEg before you proceed. Once you’ve registered, simply log in and click “Check and Pay PDRM Summons.” Then, key in your details and your outstanding summons will be displayed. The best thing about the MyEg app is that you can pay your summons directly through the app too!
But this app also has it’s downside… it isn’t available for iPhones 😔
2. SMS
Yes, there are apps but crime fighters don’t have WhatsApp yet.
SMS to POLIS<space>SAMAN<space>IC number OR
vehicle number to 15888. So example: POLIS
SAMAN 991122013344
The response will look something like this:
If you want a more canggih option, they can send you more details to your email if you text POLIS<space>SAMAN<space>IC number OR vehicle number<space>email address. Example: POLIS SAMAN 991122013344 yourname@whatever.com
But of course, you can’t pay your summons through SMS just yet. Plus, by SMSing, you’ll incur telco charges (RM0.20 cent per text message) and we know how cheap we Malaysians are. So the third option:
3. Online
Everything, including checking AND paying your summons, can be done online these days. The sites recommended by PDRM are MyEG (myeg.com.my) and the government-linked portal RILEK (rilek.com.my).
To check your summons on these websites, you’ll have to
register first. Once you’ve registered, log in and check your summons by
clicking the “PDRM enquiry & payment” tile for MyEg or the Royal Malaysian
Police (PDRM) tile for RILEK.
Then, simply pick which identifier you’d like to use and enter the relevant details.
If you have outstanding summons, they’ll be shown at the bottom of the page, together with the fine amount, details and a button prompting for payment. Unfortunately, we don’t have screenshots 😝, but both sites display this information similarly.
Once you’ve paid, you can print out the receipt for future
reference. And you’re done!
So easy right? So, no more excuses for not paying your
summonses!
Chinese New Year is one of the most celebrated festivals in the world, with more than a billion Chinese people partaking in the annual celebrations. How much do you think you know about the upcoming festive season? Read more to find out!
1. It is a day for fighting monsters and praying to the Gods
According to one legend, a ferocious man-eating beast named Nian (年) would come about every New Year’s Eve. Nian represented bad luck and hence, needed to be warded off. Acting on the advice of a wise sage, villagers used firecrackers to scare the monster off, which was how the tradition of welcoming each year by lighting up firecrackers was born.
Apart from that, it is also a ceremonial day to pray to the Gods for good luck and an abundance of wealth throughout the year. Believers also prayed to their ancestors, for they were also treated as heavenly beings. For instance, families would burn fake paper money and printed gold bars to honour their departed loved ones. They believe that their offerings will bring good fortune and luck to their ancestors in the afterlife.
2. China once banned fireworks due to air pollution
However, the extensive use of fireworks during the festival led to
safety reasons and concerns for air pollution. Many Chinese cities have banned
fireworks with more than 500 cities having restrictions. For instance, Beijing
once prohibited fireworks for 13 years, however the ban was lifted in 2006 due
to protests from the public. In 2016, Shanghai banned the lighting of fireworks
within the metropolitan area.
3. No significant other to show off to your relatives? No problem!
In the traditional Chinese culture, it is of great importance to pass down the family name across generations to come. It is common for singles to feel immense pressure to tie the knot and have children to appease the minds of their parents. As we all know, finding a partner for life isn’t an easy task, hence some desperate singles have resorted to hiring a fake boyfriend or girlfriend to take home.
4. No cleaning – including yourself
Sweeping and throwing out the garbage before the New Year day is highly frowned upon, as it represents pushing away good luck. Furthermore, showering and cutting hair isn’t allowed either. Instead, families are advised to clean their houses (and themselves) thoroughly on New Year’s Eve. This is to signify sweeping away negative energy and to make room for good luck.
5. Red is an invaluable weapon, while black is a bad omen
During the festival, it’s important to get your colour scheme right. Family homes will be decorated in shades of red, for it is believed that the mythical monster, Nian, will also be chased away upon seeing the bright colour. Some homes will even go as far as hanging up red lanterns and strings of chilli peppers, as well as pasting red papers onto doors and windows. New clothes are bought in red colours to match the overall décor too. On the contrary, black apparel should be avoided during the festive season, as it is traditionally associated with funerals.
6. The festival causes the largest human migration in the world
Family reunion on Chinese New Year’s Eve is an important tradition each year. Children living in bustling cities will travel across long distances to their hometowns to reunite with their loved ones. The migration back home is referred to as chunyun (春运), or Spring Migration. In China, it is estimated that more than 200 million Chinese undertake long journeys to return home for the celebrations each year.
7. Your zodiac year is your year of bad luck
Your zodiac year (本命年—běn mìng nián) is your zodiac animal. There are a total of 12 Chinese zodiacs, and the year of the zodiac that you fall under is believed to be the unluckiest for you. There are multiple explanations for this – for one, the Chinese believe that children can easily be abducted by demons. During this year, your weapon of defense is the colour red. Hence, some superstitious believers opt to wear red apparel as often as possible, even to the extent of wearing red undergarments every day of the year!
8. There hidden meanings behind Chinese New Year desserts
The Chinese community is big on symbolic foods, and having them named after special meanings. Some popular desserts during the festive season include:
Tang Yuan means ‘soup balls’.
It also sounds like tuanyuan (团圆) which means reunion.
Fa Gao (发糕) is
the hybrid of sponge cakes and muffins, usually dyed in festive colours. The
‘Fa’ is the same as in Fa Cai (发财) which means ‘to get rich’.
Watch our video on hidden meanings behind Chinese New Year desserts for more fun facts!
9. Tread with caution
There are many interesting superstitions
during the festival. For instance:
Do not give clocks as presents as they symbolize time running out
Avoid the use of sharp objects as they ‘cut off’ good fortune
Do not tell ghost stories that bring about negative energy
Do not buy shoes, as in Cantonese, the word ‘shoes’ is a homonym for ‘rough’ and hence, will give one a rough ride for the rest of the year
Do not throw away broken glass as that welcomes bad luck
10. Lantern Festival marks the end of Chinese New Year
The first full moon of the lunar year appears during the Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival (元宵节—yuán xiāo jié). Back in the day, girls weren’t allowed to venture out themselves during the night. However, a special exception is granted during the Lantern Festival, as they were able to enjoy the bright moon and the beautiful lanterns. As a result, it is also known as Valentine’s Day in China.
If you’re planning to hit the road this Chinese New Year,
there’s a right and wrong time to get behind the wheel. Waze just released
their suggestions for when the best and worst travel times will be during the Chinese
New Year week in 10 Malaysian towns as well as around Kuala Lumpur.
This festive season, the company also stepped up their game
by looking at popular places where Malaysians like to celebrate the Lunar New
Year, in case you’re planning some catch-up sessions away from your parents’
house.
The Best and Worst
Times To Drive During Chinese New Year
Batu Pahat, Johor
Image via Waze
Johor Bahru, Johor
Image via Waze
Kuala Muda, Kedah
Image via Waze
Kota Bahru, Kelantan
Image via Waze
Kuantan, Pahang
Image via Waze
Central Malacca
Image via Waze
Larut & Matang, Perak
Image via Waze
Kinta, Perak
Image via Waze
Kuching, Sarawak
Kuala Terengganu, Terenganu
Image via Waze
Kuala Lumpur
Image via Waze
Meanwhile, dodging throngs of people when you’re out and
about is a little trickier. Luckily for you, Waze has figured out where
Malaysians love to celebrate their Lunar New Year. In case you’re planning your
reunion dinner somewhere other than at home, here’s a guide for you.
Image via Waze
As always, it pays to plan ahead. The best tips we can give
you to have a pleasant drive this festive season is to make sure you get plenty
of rest before you hit the road and plan your drive to avoid peak travel
periods.