Petroleum Nasional Berhad (Petronas) vs the Government of Sarawak

Earlier today, Petronas announced that they have filed an application with the Federal Court seeking to declare that Petronas is the exclusive owner of petroleum resources throughout Malaysia (click here for the media statement from Petronas) based on an Act called the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (click here for a copy of the Act).

In response to the announcement, the Sarawak state government have announced that they are willing to go to court to defend their rights to petroleum resources that are found within the jurisdiction of the state (click here for the response by the Sarawak state).

In the PDA 1974, it is mentioned under Section 2 (1) that "... the exclusive rights, powers, liberties and privileges of exploring, exploiting, winning and obtaining petroleum whether onshore or offshore of Malaysia shall be vested in a Corporation to be incorporated under the Companies Act 1965...".

Based on the Act under Section 3(1), the company is Petroleum Nasional Berhad or Petronas.

Also in the same Act under Section 3(2), "The Corporation shall be subject to the control and direction of the Prime Minister who may from time to time issue such direction as he may deem fit."

Under Section 3(3), the direction issued by the Prime Minister is binding on Petronas.

However, I am not a legal expert so I will not go into legal technicalities in this post.

I have no doubt that the current state government under Barisan Nasional will fight for the right of Sarawak over petroleum resources found within the state's jurisdiction.

However, that is not enough.

The people of Sarawak also have to push their representatives under Pakatan Harapan to also fight for their rights. Under Pakatan Harapan's manifesto (click here for a copy of the manifesto), Promise 41 (page 91) states that "The 1974 Petroleum Development Act will be scrutinised to review Petronas's monopoly on national gas and oil products, especially from Sabah and Sarawak. This is to enable Sabah and Sarawak to set up their own oil and gas companies, and not limiting their role as a contractor to Petronas only."

Based on the recent election results, there are 12  parliament seats (10 from Pakatan + 2 independent who later joined Pakatan) in Sarawak held by Pakatan Harapan representatives (click here for the election results). Therefore, the people of Sarawak should demand Pakatan representatives to fulfil the manifesto as mentioned under Promise 41 which is to ensure the prosperity of the people of Sabah and Sarawak by enhancing the states' economic growth.

The campaign and election period is over.

For Sarawak to be able to protect their rights over petroleum resources found within the state, all leaders (from whichever party they may be) should work towards defending the state's rights.

And because the current Malaysian government is held by Pakatan Harapan, now is the time for the 'wakil rakyat' or representative from Pakatan Harapan to work and uphold the promise made in Pakatan's manifesto.

To the state government held by Barisan Nasional, hire the best legal team to fight for the rights of the state and do not let your people down.

To the people of Sarawak, this is not the time for you to be a spectator (or keyboard warrior). Demand proof that your representative is working in the best interest of the state and their people. And to those with legal expertise, you can also contribute your knowledge and experience by assisting those who are directly involved in the case.

This is Malaysia Baru.

But... Is it really?

Let's prove it really is Malaysia Baru by being informed, well-read and intelligent citizens - proactive Malaysians.


xoxo Fareiny

Ps: Some have mentioned that the Malaysian Agreement 1963 may be relevant to this case. I have not read the agreement (as I said, I am not a legal expert) but you can read the agreement if you like (click here for a copy of MA63).

Fashionista's Hotel Review: Memoire Hornbill Hotel

Holla!

My internet connection has gone a bit bonkers the past few weeks (I had limited internet connectivity but wasn't able to upload photos due to the line disconnecting every 10 minutes or so), so am only able to complete and upload this blog now that I've settled things with my internet provider. My humble apologies on the late posting of this blogpost.

Anyway, a few weeks ago we had the opportunity to tour around one of Kuching's boutique hotels, the Memoire Hornbill Hotel located at Jalan Keretapi (3rd Mile, next to McDonalds), and here's a photoblog of the visit:

Hotel lobby. We were warmly received by Mr Chanthy and Mr Rock.

Rattan swings and lounges at the lobby. Such a relaxing ambience. I could hang out here all day!

One of the bedroom suites at the hotel. Each room depicts the warm Cambodian hospitality, with earth and natural hues decorating its interior.

Facilities and basic amenities available in the bedroom. 

Twin-sharing room. Plush comfortable pillows and snuggly blankets, what more could a traveler ask for?

Another bedroom suite, this time decorated in blue and yellow. I am sure kids (and adults too) would love the rattan swing =).

They have two bedrooms which can accommodate those with special needs. The room and bathroom is comfortable enough to fit a wheelchair. 

Bedroom suite. 

Food stalls in front of the hotel. 

Various choices await (they even have ice-cream!). 

Big screen, perfect for football matches and other sporting events. 

So what do I think about Memoire Hornbill Hotel?

For one thing, I love the fact that it's so convenient to get food. The availability of various food stalls within a few steps of the front door of the hotel. There's also a large screen tv within the compound which is perfect for football matches, the world cup or even the Olympic games. If you came to Kuching in a car, or if you have a rented car with you, there's plenty of parking spaces within the hotel's vicinity. What I found to be impressive about the hotel is the availability of rooms for those with special needs. There are not many hotels who are able to cater to their needs and provide specially designed bathrooms so that a wheelchair can comfortably navigate in and out of the bathroom. This makes it very, very convenient for those with special needs to attend to their needs. Other than the lobby, there's also waiting areas on different floors complete with rattan chairs for guests to hang out and chill.

Alexa trying out the swing. Don't worry dear, I don't think you're that heavy =P.

The hotel has other facilities such as a function room which is perfect for small and intimate functions, weddings and gatherings so do give them a call at 082-413551 if you want to check their other facilities.

One for the photo album! Thank you Tressa for inviting me, I absolutely loved the hotel and how it caters not only for the usual travellers, but also to those with special needs as well. 

Would I recommend the hotel? Obviously! A comfortable boutique hotel, with a huge selection of food (and McDonalds if you love the fast-food chain), charming and attentive staff and a very economical price, you can be sure that you're trip to Kuching will be a great one. Do check out the hotel's website [here] and Facebook page [here] for more info.


Happy holidays!



xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: Grill Wine Cafe (GWC)

The other night we were invited by our friends at Memoire Hornbill Hotel to try out their new eatery, Grill Wine Cafe (GWC) at Jalan Keretapi, Kuching. Obviously we were excited, as the cafe does not only serve western food, but Cambodian cuisine as well. Having visited Siem Reap a couple of years ago and Phnom Penh about four years ago, I absolutely love Cambodian food. The Cambodian beef are tender and juicy and their dishes are simply scrumptious!

Here's a photoblog of our visit:

The exterior of the cafe. It has a very distinctive masculine design, the whole ambience was quiet and very private. The setting is great for a quiet and romantic dinner for two.

The interior of the cafe. The chairs and tables were very comfortable, the servers were absolutely polite and they catered to our every need. 

The interior of the cafe. Love, love, love the decor and ceiling of this cafe. As Cambodian food is one of their specialty, we asked for Cambodian food and these are what we had...

Cambodian Beef Lok Lak. 

A famous Cambodian dish, it is served with steamed rice, salad and sunny side up fried egg. What I love about this dish is that, it's not too spicy (because Alexa had some as well), the beef was tender and juicy and I love the gravy. Yummy!

Cambodian Red Chicken Curry. 

I unfortunately had a sore throat, thus was not able to fully enjoy this dish. Hubs loved it, by the way. The curry was fabulous, it has just the right amount of consistency, wasn't too thick and slightly spicy with just the right amount of curry. 

Cambodian Amok Fish. 

I also wasn't able to enjoy this dish due to the sore throat unfortunately. Hubs however, proclaimed this as his favourite dish in the cafe. The dish is has a slightly spicy taste, with a rich and creamy consistency.

 Us with Mr Chanthy, Operations Manager of Memoire Hornbill Hotel. 

So, what can I say about the restaurant?

As someone who loves eating out, I love both the food and ambience of the restaurant. In terms of Cambodian food, we were hoping to try Lembu Naik Bukit (a Cambodian dish that we had in Siem Reap) but unfortunately they didn't have it on the menu. Although we were told, you can try to ask the chef nicely if he can accommodate your request, and you might just be lucky! Anyway, the food was awesome, ambience, even more so. The place is a perfect setting I suppose for either a date night with hubs or even a catching up session with my girlfriends (can't wait to bring them there!).

Do take note that, all food are sourced from halal sources, but, they do serve wine and alcohol.

The restaurant is located in the same building as McDonalds (3rd Mile), just walk along the pathway from McDonalds and you'll find the restaurant to your left.

To know more, do visit their website [here] or their Facebook page [here]. For reservations, you can call them at +6082-413551.

Will definitely be back to try their steaks. Bon Appetit!

Did I mention that they have a hotel too? I'm going to blog about the hotel next. Wait for my next post!


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: Kuehpedia, Bringing the Groove Back to Old School Kopitiams

I had meant to write this post sooner but unfortunately Alexa had gotten sick right after we landed in KL and when she had left for Kuching last Sunday, I was swamped with deadlines and had to complete some errands before I leave for my Eid break. Alhamdulillah I had finally completed my work earlier today and now I am (almost) on Eid mode. I'll be singing Eid songs all the way to Kuching this Sunday, woot! woot!

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of breaking fast at Kuehpedia with my pal, Farhah. I've heard of Kuehpedia before (believe me, Kuehpedia has been trending on my Facebook timeline), but unfortunately, as I haven't been back to Kuching for a while, I had not had the chance to visit and try out the cafe. Luckily Farhah called us up for their breaking fast session and let me just say that it was absolutely awesome.

Don't believe me? Let me show you some photos just to show you how awesome Kuehpedia is:

They had a Ramadhan buffet promotion when I was there. I had all the traditional Malay food such as ulam, ikan tahai, sayur nangka, midin belacan and sayur keladi along with some of the modern Malay food such as butter chicken and daging masak kicap. Let me just say, they were all scrumptious. I loved every bit of them and I especially love their sambal belacan. It was the perfect iftar for me!

Some of the traditional cakes that we had. We actually had more but they made it to the tummy first before I managed to take a photo of them. And by the way, the fried fritters next to that Kueh Perahu is actually kurma goreng. Yummy!

Ended my dinner with a cup of teh tarik =).

Buffet spread.

Some of their buffet spread.

Buffet spread for the cakes. I loved the fact that they had loads of traditional cakes. 

Let me just add a few comments about their buffet spread before I show you some photos of the interior of the cafe. Firstly, I love the fact that they cook fabulous traditional Sarawakian food. Some of the food are not easily available in Kuching, such as ikan tahai, thus Kuehpedia definitely offers something unique to their customers. I also loved their traditional cakes. They are delicious and those such as kueh bongkol and kueh perahu were absolutely scrumptious!

The Ramadhan buffet were priced at RM30 per person (for adults) and RM15 (for children) which I think is an absolute steal with the array of food that they are serving. The place was filled to the brim with customers and they even had to reject walk-in customers because there was no more space, masha Allah.

Unfortunately, the buffet promotion is only available in Ramadhan (I imagine there will be a long queue for next year's Ramadhan) but after Eid they will be open for business as usual. I actually would love to try out their breakfast spread. Soon, Fareiny, soon =).

Here are some photos of the cafe:

Food and drinks counter.

Cafe interior. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page.

Trinkets and cakes.

The Iban warrior. I absolutely adore this mural.

The set up at the first floor. Photo taken by Farhah. 

Kuehpedia has a private room available for private bookings and functions on their first floor. On the day that I came for iftar, they had a private booking where the guests requested to eat and sit on the floor (traditional style). Uber cool!

The first floor set up. Photo taken by Farhah.

Decor in the private room. Photo taken by Farhah.

Thank you Farhah for inviting me over and Kuehpedia is such a gem. I can't wait to come over again. 

Kuehpedia exterior. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page. 

Kek Lapis Citrawarna. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page. 

For now (until Eid), Kuehpedia will be focusing on their Kek Lapis business and those who are looking for cakes and other delicacies to be served to guests this Eid, do drop by and check out their selection of scrumptious cakes.

If you're wondering where Kuehpedia is, it's located at Wayang Street (not far from Medan Pelita, some locals used to call the building Star Cineplex). If you're unsure of where it is, feel free to call them at 010-9710606. 

For more info on Kuehpedia (and to be updated on their promotions) do follow their Facebook page [here]. Let's support the local industry (especially the yummy ones) *wink*.

xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Escapades: Climbing Mulu Pinnacles

One of my personal aim this year is to tick off one or two items off my bucket list. Mulu, or more specifically climbing the Mulu Pinnacles is one of them. I made arrangements to climb the Pinnacles last November and since then have begun my training in preparation for the hike. For those of you who know me, you might have noticed my sudden interest in sporting activities such as hiking and running. All those are just my preparation for this single hike. 

Anyway, here's a photoblog of the trip:

Before climbing the Pinnacles, first we need to reach Camp 5, the base camp for the Pinnacles. To get there, we have to take a long boat for about an hour from Mulu to Kuala Litut.

Long boat. As the river is very shallow, the long boat used for transportation is also small and narrow. 

Some parts of the river may be quite shallow that your guide may have to push the boat either with a stick, or push it himself by getting down into the river.

Kuala Litut. I was expecting a proper jetty of some sort but no, this is Kuala Litut. It's as remote as it gets.

From Kuala Litut, you have to trek for 9 km to Camp 5. It took us almost 4 hours to get there.

Me, Nihal and my Mum with our two guides, El and J.

You have to carry your clothes and whatever gear that you'll be using yourself to Camp 5. So make sure to travel light!

Luckily the trek to Camp 5 was pretty easy. Except for the distance and the backpack, it was a good trek. The pathway is mainly flat, except for two small hills which you need to climb as you get closer to Camp 5.

You need to cross two hanging bridges as well. One is after the first kilometre and another is halfway i.e. 4.5 km to Camp 5.

Camp 5. We arrived at Kuala Litut at 12.40 noon, trekked for about 4 hours and arrived at Camp 5 at 4.30 pm. Accommodation is mixed (i.e. men and women in the same room), there's only a flat mattress (and no pillows) provided for each camper and there's separate washrooms for the men and women. The room is open, no doors or windows, and there's a small space (about 3 feet) between the ceiling and the wall. So, you might have some bugs and creepy crawlies climb over you when you sleep but they are pretty harmless.

The next morning we left for the Pinnacles at 7 am. Honestly, it's a tough climb. Elevation is about 75 degrees almost all the way and the path is covered with either roots or rocks.

Plenty of markers along the way.

Rocky terrain. 

On some parts, there are ropes for you to hold on to.

And some parts may have footholds as well.

The motivation that kept me going was the view. Nothing but the view.

Me and my amazing super strong mum made it! Alhamdulillah.

What comes up, must come down...

The last 400 meters climb had 16 ladders for you to climb on before reaching to the peak.

Me and the Mulu Pinnacles. Mulu Pinnacles bucket list, checked!

So if you're wondering about whether you should climb the pinnacles or not, I'd say, go for it! It's a great climb, extremely challenging and definitely not for the faint hearted. It helped me to realise that I am stronger that I thought I was, and also helped build my determination and character. But before you go, make sure you prepare for the climb. It took me 5 hours to climb up and 6 hours to climb down, a total 11 hours of climbing is not easy and especially with terrain such as these. On average, most climbers would complete the climb within 7 hours. 

The distance from Camp 5 to the Pinnacles is only 2.4 km but the elevation and terrain is what makes it difficult for most climbers. Some do not complete the climb to the summit. A word of caution, the terrain can be extremely slippery if it rains (it rained for a bit while we were climbing down) so your guide may stop the climb (due to safety reasons) and ask you to climb down instead of proceeding to the summit. 

But seriously, go for it! If my 63 year old mum (who has never hiked in her life) can make it to the summit, I am sure you would too. 

To more challenges in the future and an interesting 2016.

xoxo Mrs Fashionista