MYDIN

I do my grocery shopping at Giant Supermarket. I had a issue with Giant previously and I decided to boycott them. But I have no choice to go back to them due to the proximity and choice of goods.

MYDIN USJ
Image courtesy of http://www.wahdi.blogspot.com/

Today, I found a better place to shop, its MYDIN Hypermarket USJ. The stuff there is really cheap! Some by more than RM 1 in difference than Giant. The parking is a bit of hassle but you don't have to queue at the counter, even on Saturdays. Counter people seems to be friendly as well. This will be my new place to shop for grocery. Screw you Giant!

The amazing part was since Giant USJ and MYDIN is side by side, I notice MYDIN parking is full and Giant parking was virtually empty. Buawahahahha!

Lesson to learn here :- Don't think that just because you're big and rich, thus you are high and mighty and can ignore the small people. Don't be a rent seeker either, because once someone else comes in with a better product, service and cheaper pricing, you are so screwed!

Look here for another review by an ex-Giant customer now a satisfied MYDIN customer.

Rent Seekers

What is a rent seeker in Malaysia's context. Read this. The past week I had my first experience with such a company. Sadly it was a Bumi company. Typical? You tell me.

I don't usually blog about work, but I have to this time.

I was awarded a project. I was forced to work with a rent seeking company who is buddy buddy with the client. Honestly, I am OK with all this cronyism as long you are able to deliver with spectacular result. I am perfectionist, so they say in the office. I expect quality in work. Of course I am paying for the service, don't I deserve the best in return?

Well, back to the story. I sent an email to confirm on certain task to be taken up. After 2 emails, no reply. As a prime contractor, I have to beg to a subcontractor company to get task done. Who is paying who here? After I threaten to give the project to another party if he doesn't comply, guess what? He actually sent a nasty email to me and blasting me! AH!? Got ah such thing? Only in Malaysia, man. The rent seeking mentality.

A Malay engineer who is a friend of mine, commented that these days those who do not deserve to get projects are getting it, simply because they know people. Even the deserving Malays are feeling marganlized with such corruptions.

In the email, along the lines, he claims he is the expert and deserves to be in the project. In the first place, I never wanted to work with them because in my past experience they sux! Documents are standard of a 5 year old. Slow and incompetent, hardly attends meeting or bother to reply emails. But I was forced to work with them. Understand the term Rent Seekers now?

Being in anger management therapy now, I just decided to ignore the dumb email from a very dumb person. Only in Malaysia, the rent seekers can thrive. How can MSC or Malaysia progress to the standards of international quality. If this co. were to go overseas, the Mat Salleh would have spit at his face and throw him out if they ever saw the type of documents produced.

All in all, I just kept quiet knowing, in 5 -10 years time, my company will go global due to the emphasis I make on quality and merit. This company, it will be where it was yesterday. How far can you go by being a crony rent seeker?