Friday, April 28, 2006

Dare to quit job ? - Part V





OSK Securities vs Pacific Bank

Intro
After a hectic working life with ACS (Aeon) Credit Service, I was offered to enrol on Bumiputra Remisier Trainee Program with OSK Securities (M) Sdn Bhd, Jalan Ampang. Basically they'll train and help us to be a remisier. As we know, remisier need to have a capital of RM 50K to trade. OSK will help us to fulfill this requirement slowly and help u to get the trading license. In order to get the license, one have to sit for 2 papers - module6 and module7. While undergo training with them, you are entitled for RM 1,200-00 monthly allowances. Upon passing the exams we need to submit the application to SC (security commission) for their approval. Mmmmm not so easy to be remisier then :) !. I sat for both exams but purposely fail the module 7.....

The "Pacific Call"
While under training with OSK. I keep on looking for a job, a secured one. As you know, remisier is like having an own business. You have to look for your own client and advice them on market condition. To tell you the truth, i'm not ready for this and the timing is not right. The market still haven't recovered from the 1997 crisis and I don't want to commit suicide. Pacific Bank called me for an interview at their HQ in Glenmarie and I was offered a job as a Management Associate (MA). MA is similar to Management Trainee. FYI, Pacific Bank is no longer exists as it has merged with Malayan Berhad Berhad. I'd accepted the offer and my first branch was Wisma Hangsam, just opposite Central Market (CM).

Thursday, April 27, 2006

I want to be successful !!

The most important things is changing/alter your daily habit. Always remember PEPSI. It's the only way to be successful.....

Daily Habit


P - Physical Exercise
E _ Energigize ur body and Soul
P - Plan Daily, Weekly & Monthly
S - Smile, Shower and Sing Daily
I _ Infuse urself positively

and please remember how to set a smart goals as well !!

Smart Goals

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achieveable
R - Realistic
T - Time bound

"Dont think 'bout money but think 'bout what u want"

"Always get a date to accomplish goals"

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Dare to quit job ? - Part IV


Financial World Intro

Just a month working with Metrojaya I had decided to quit again. This time I had joined ACS (AEON) Credit Service (M) Sdn Bhd. It is a Japanese own company. I was employed there together with my friend Suhaimi @ Wai (Where are u bro?) who also lose money on commodity trading @ Maxiview Resources Sdn. Bhd. We were employed as a contract staff and salary are paid by hour’s basis. Basically, it is a hire purchase company whereas they provide loan financing to buy electrical items, furniture and household items. I was assigned to judgment department on contract basis where my day to day job is to process loan application. The section head Mr. Fawzy is still attached with them (still use as my referees until now). There are 3 main departments LAD, Judgment and the biggest one collection. Their collection is so strong and NPL ratio is very low. I think this is the CSF for a hire purchase company. Our task is to call customer, their employer, verify home address, verify work address, verify references, check income ratio and other credit checking. From 9am to 9pm we were on the phones even during Ramadan! It’s very tiring as we were tracked by hours on how many applications completed. That’s why the turnaround time is very fast if compares to local financial institution. Although the working time stipulated is 9 am to 6pm but the reality is everybody is going back at 9pm! Welcome to Japanese work culture. The moment you come to the office they already signed in and when u left they’re still there. No wonders this company grows rapidly. Just imagine I’m working there in 2000 and now- 2006 they have motor financing, personal loan, credit cards and even own Jaya Jusco. That’s only 6 years. From just one office in KL Plaza but now they’re scattered all over Malaysia. Bravo and I’m happy to be a part of them although they didn’t employ me on permanent basis. Normally this financing is known as Easy Payment Scheme. When you go to Seng Heng, Jusco or Carrefour you can buy the items by installment which is around 0.8% - 1.5% per month. This flexibility is suitable for people who don’t have a credit card and people who theirs credit cards are approaching limits. This experience really gives me exposure to financial world and Japanese working culture. With the right system and working hard they really proves us why they’re categorized as a developed nation. Hiroshima bombing really taught them a lesson!! And we shouldn’t wait our country to be bombed for us to wake.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Firefox Vs Internet Explorer

Seductive
This is the first time I write my blogs using firefox browser. Mmmm very impressive. Normally I'm using IE as my browser and had an experienced with nestcape communicator before. IE is pre installed and communicator is quite heavy. This firefox look very light but still have to use it for few days and only then I can give full review. Btw, if u wanna give a try do download them form my sidebar --------------->


A Better Web Experience
Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers Web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better.

Faster Browsing
Enjoy quick page loading as you navigate back and forward in a browsing session. Improvements to the engine that powers Firefox deliver more accurate display of complex Web sites, support for new Web standards, and better overall performance.
Automatic Updates
The new Software Update feature makes it easy to get the latest security and feature updates to Firefox. Firefox automatically downloads these small updates in the background and prompts you when they are ready to be installed.

Tabbed Browsing
Use tabbed browsing to open multiple Web pages in a single browser window, and quickly flip back and forth. Drag and drop open tabs to keep related pages together.
Improved Pop-up Blocking
Firefox’s built-in pop-up blocker has been enhanced to block more unwanted pop-up and pop-under ads.

Integrated Search
Tap into the power of the Web’s most popular search engines with the built-in Search bar, and easily add new engines.
Stronger Security
Firefox keeps you more secure when you’re browsing the Web, closing the door on spyware, worms, and viruses. The Firefox community of developers and security experts works around the clock to monitor security issues and release updates to better protect you.

Clear Private Data
Protect your privacy with the new Clear Private Data tool. With a single click, you can delete all personal data, including browsing history, cookies, Web form entries and passwords.

Live Bookmarks
Stay up to date with your favorite Web sites and blogs. Use Live Bookmarks that update themselves automatically with the latest content from the Web.

Accessibility
Firefox 1.5 delivers easier navigation for everyone, including those who are visually or motor-impaired. Firefox is the first browser to support DHTML accessibility, which, when enabled by Web authors, allows rich Web applications to be read aloud. Users may navigate with keystrokes rather than mouse clicks, reducing the tabbing required to navigate documents such as spreadsheets. Firefox 1.5 (Windows version) is also the first browser to meet US federal government requirements that software be easily accessible to users with physical impairments.

Customize Firefox
Select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes - the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.

Next Generation Web Support
Innovative new Web applications and services deliver a richer Web experience. Support for open Web standards in Firefox ensures you can get the most out of this emerging class of Web-based tools.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Dare to quit job ? - Part III

Aftermath
After the disastrous tragedy of losing RM 60K of my auntie’s money, I was left stranded and my rented room. The room was situated at Jalan Walter Greenier, KL just behind Lot 10. Staying alone for five months and have to go through one of most difficult times in my life is really bad. I think for people who used to be around their loved ones and family couldn’t survive for another 5 months. There was no one to talk to and no one to listen to your problems. It really can make you going crazy. I can’t imagine what Robinson Crusoe feels. I’m ending up crying by myself in that cubicle. Its only one single bed without bed frame, a self made wardrobe, an old armchair and my beloved PC (can’t live without it) which I bought from a banglas and Indons couple who plan to runaway from their room. Luckily that time my girlfriend is around and she lives at government quarters, Jalan Chan Ah Tong, Brickfields. But the problem is she’s still studying at UUM. She’s the one who don’t let me go back but keep on looking for another job since I’m already at KL. So the solution now is I have to find a job, immediate job. I went to Metrojaya, BB bringing my SPM and apply for a sales assistant position. Thank god they took me in although questioning my SPM result. Just told them I don’t have the money to further my studies. I was attached to shoes department whereas I have to make sure the display is good and clean. Polished the shoes and check the available stocks when customers ask for different size. Sometimes I have to help customer fit the shoes and it’s a value added services offered. A lot of customers were happy with that treatment and few ask me why I worked there? Those compliments simply raise my motivation back and I barely know anybody there. Just do my job and go home. Maybe it’s nothing to talk about and my working colleague don’t have any interest talking to me (I’m a talkative person in fact). The salary is RM 700 and it’s sufficient for me to pay the RM 300 room rental plus some pocket money for my expenditure and some money to print my resumeJ. Jobstreet.com is still unavailable that time.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

How Bill Gates @ Office


I'm a big fan of this guy. This is the true opportunist. Just see how he turns Microsoft to "Untouchable" entity and how much he's making every second. Almost everybody depends on him and my blogs maybe remains in my mind without him. Thank you Gates and don't forget to read my blogs :). Simply adorable !!


"I'm not big on to-do lists. Instead, I use e-mail and desktop folders and my online calendar. So when I walk up to my desk, I can focus on the e-mails I've flagged and check the folders that are monitoring particular projects and particular blogs" - Bill Gates

Click here for full text

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Dare to quit job ? - Part II

The Disaster

Anyone remember commodity trading? Or u have come across anybody approaching you to invest in coffee/cocoa/cotton/pork belly etc which traded in US and the company is in Malaysia (register somewhere else - British virgin island for instance)? Beware this is a con job. Ok this is the story. If you are looking for job in April 99, the only available for fresh grads was as business executive dealing with commodity trading. This company normally trading commodity products at US Market namely; Boston. It's a 2 way market whereas u can buy first and sell afterwards if u think market is bullish or in a bearish market u can sell first and buy back when the price is low. Simple mechanism. So after going to a few interviews normally this kind of companies located at KL "Golden Triangle" - Central Plaza, Menara Keck Seng, Empire Tower and etc. I decided to join Maxiview Resources (M) Sdn Bhd. The first month they teach you how to read price fluctuation, determining the support line. When the support line break it's time to sell/buy until the price going to next support line and then u buy/sell back. Yes this is one of the methods but this is the only method they teach u! We have to call dealers' room to get a price and they'll quote u one price. Normally u won't get the best price and guess what they're using modems to connect to internet and orders are recorded manually! I was so stupid not to see this as leased line are easily available at that time and if your company are quoting price from US over the internet, it's a stupid action to be wired via 56K modem. They are a few of us and mostly are fresh grads. The first month they'll pay your allowance of RM 1200. The second month u has to close one account of minimum of RM 30K. Yeahhh !! I managed to close one account which is my closest auntie in Seremban. That time I started dreaming becoming rich. After a while all my buying/selling positions were locked inside. Means that all the buying I couldn’t sell it and higher price and all the selling I couldn't buy back at lower price. So no more margin to play !!!. To make the matters worse, they charged you USD 5-00 everyday for all your trading positions. Almost all of us were stucked. No one is making money. Then the company staff asks us to explain to the investor and ask them to top up to get out from that position. I was so convinced with them and at the same time wanted to save my auntie's money. So together with Joshua (Where are you Mr. DJ) we went to Seremban and explaining the situation to my auntie's and she topped out another 30K. My auntie's is not a rich people, she's just a homemaker who has some savings. So we went back to KL with 30K to save my trading positions. They're very happy to see all of us managed to get some additional margin to play and they play us back. (Andrew, Radhi - I hope you'll rot in hell). After 2 weeks with their consultation, we were conned. All of us lost the additional margin. Some is their future father's in law money, some with their parent's money, and some with "orang kampung's money". U just imagines how I'm supposed to tell my auntie's. I remembered on my way back to rental rooms behind Lot 10 , a crow landing on my head. It's a bad luck !!!! Very bad !!!. I'm speechless and the world seems lost its colors. I can only see things in black and white. Nothing I can do. So I went to Seremban, explaining the situation. She was so shocked. I can imagine the way she feels if I put myself into her shoes. Speechless that's the only words. Furthermore the additional RM 3oK is borrowed from her friend. I don’t know how to help and that was the last time we talk . We went to Bank Negara to make report but nothing they can do. They ask us why we believe the company taking deposits from people without any license. So this is a very good lessons and learning curve for us- a very painful one. To everybody out there just beware when u wants to make any investments. Do check the background of the company, license and with relevant authority. Don’t be greedy.To suhaimi, shatar, haz, abang nazri, Ina, kak Ina, cammy where are you guys ???

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Dare to quit job ? - Part I

Preview
I've been working since 1999. So it's been 7 years now. I had tendered 24hrs resignation on Friday 24th February 2006 and I'm no longer employed now. Graduated in 99' from Universiti Utara Malaysia (www.uum.edu.my) - Business Admin and majoring in Marketing. Since the beginning it always my dream to become rich...very rich...because I’m from a "not so rich" family. My father is a headmaster and my mum is a homemaker which runs a stall selling Nasi Lemak at Pekan Sehari Temerloh every sunday (www.pahang.gov.my/mptemerloh/PEKAN%20SEHARI.htm) (www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/cuti-cutimalaysia/3fp.htm).

The beginning
Quickly after graduated I was very eager looking for a job. Have a brief experience after SPM by working for Kotashah Family Restaurant (doesn't exist anymore, located in front of old Temerloh bus stand, the same row with Happy Fried Chicken) a rebranding of Marrybrown by this guy name Shah (En Shah where r u ?). I guess everyone out there have the experienced sweating like hell mopping the floor. So tiring but it's a good learning curve and preparations if I don't get a good grade for SPM. This is the first time I’m able to buy my own clothes. Still remember the "loose cut" Edwin Jeans and Dr Martini boots (looking for Dr Martens actually). RM 700 is good money !!. To Oulu - "Do u remember Azah ?"


The intern’s
Practical training sounds fun. In 1997 , I had undergone 2 months training with BMG Music (M) SB as a trainee. Yes its fun, being able to mingle with artist but the truth is Malaysian showbiz is very small. Everybody knows everybody. My job function was as PRO - Public Relation Officer not GRO !!. I remembered went to Studio C, Jalan Liku Bangsar with Wings (Minus Awie) and Radio ERA still haven't started the transmissions. If u really like listening to radio then there is one job listening to radio from 9-6 but all channels. I'll get u the details :).

The disaster
The first month after completed my Degree, I was aimless and restless. Don’t know what to do. I remembered it was March but convo was in August. So it was like 6 months to go. I don't want going to convocation jobless !! Still remembers listening to Sudirman songs "Aku hanya penganggur" during the last 2 weeks at UUM. Due to boredom, I packed my bags and heading to Seremban to my auntie's house. Toured around Seremban but still couldn't find a job. Nobody wants to give job without experience although u has a degree. It was 97' Asia Financial Crisis aftermath and the job market is very bad (until now ?). No choice has to "naik" KL and the disaster waiting......To be continuing in Part II

Introduction

Hi everyone.

This is my first day "blogging" - 19th April 2006 (hopefully we'll be celebrating the anniversary next April). I've heard bout this "blog" term a few years ago but nothing "pull" me in until I read some good reviews from bicarajutawan.com (Thanks guys u really change my perception towards blogging). Initially I thought blogging is just a waste of time for a person who doesn’t have anything to do but now I'm ready to waste my time........

Just call me Zalee. I'm just a normal working class guy who has a dream to be financially freedom. I've been searching for a residual income for quite some time now and even quit my job as a Relationship Manager with a respectable local financial institution just to be the one.

Make money through blogging ? At first it sounds ridiculous to me before I read bout this guy who really make money and teach bloggers how to achieve that http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/04/04/how-much-do-i-earn-from-blogging/ . Seriously I don't know whether it’s true or not. To me, why not give a try since it's free and at least I have my own site to express my views, my angers and my thoughts. Basically I don't want to teach people how to make money but just want to share my thoughts and opinions towards everything and anything. Happy reading.

Sincerely,
Zalee