Malaysian Passport Renewal @ Kelana Jaya

Hey all,
I've just gotten back from renewing my passport that expired mid last year as I'm planning to take a trip out of the country soon.
Hearing horror stories and people waiting for hours to obtain their passports made me a little jittery as I'm not really keen on waiting too long doing almost nothing. However, this is also not without success stories that people got their passport's done quite quickly.
As for me today, I thank God everything went smoothly.

Here's just a run through of what I went through and how the recent passport renewal system is like.

First and foremost, the preparation.
The new system is way better than the previous one as you need not bring a lot of things.
Please bear in mind that this is for passport renewal and might be different if you're applying for a passport.

1. Sleep early cos you will need to be up super early if you want to get it done quick.
2. Things to bring along include : your IC, your old passport, and a pen (you could bring along some hand sanitizer if you would like to so you could clean the stamp pad ink from your thumb later on) These are the essentials. Optionally, you could bring along a book or a power bank or just anything to privately keep yourself busy while waiting, maybe a fan as well.
3. Dress appropriately, especially for your top as your photo will be taken at the counter instead (that is why you no longer need to bring along passport sized photographs.

Now, let's move on to the procedures that was carried out in the office that I went to today (in Kelana Jaya)
I left my house in Rawang at about 5.45am and got there at 6.30am.
I suggest you just park at the basement parking nearby (it's pretty near actually) as all the parking space near the shoplots are reserved for their respective tenants. The fee is RM1.50 an hour (however, mine came up to just RM4.20 today)
Initially, I thought those spaces are specially for the office people and took a big turn and last, ended up going into the parking lots. I guess it's because of that, initially when I arrived and glanced at the office, there were already about 5 people waiting but when I parked my car and got to the waiting line, there were already about 10 or 15 people in front of me. And that was around 6.30am, an hour before the office opens.
Therefore, remember to go there as early as you can (well, not at midnight though, that would be too extreme, but if you want to, i guess there's no one stopping you).
People began to crowd the place at about 7 and by 7.25am, the officers begin to open the doors.

One of the guards/officers will hand out a sheet where you are to write your details on it. That is when I realized I should have brought a pen along. Thankfully, there was a pen inside and the people behind me were gracious enough to let me back into the line.
Hold on to that sheet of paper and to make matters easier, take out your IC and passport from your bags and hold them in your hand to ensure the line go by quickly (please don't be that inconsiderate bum who holds the line by digging through his bag at the numbering counter itself)
I think the most important part to fill in on the sheet is the type of passport you are applying for renewal be it a 2 year passport (RM100) or a 5 year passport (RM300) [prices are for citizens 12 years old and above. Children below 12, Seniors and Handicapped will have a special rate]

Looking at the numbers and peeping at other peoples' sheets, I can conclude that the numbers are given out according to whether you are renewing for 2 or 5 years where if you are renewing for 2 years, the number will begin from 1001 onward and 2001 onward for a 5 year passport.
The counters are also divided into the passport renewal type where about 3 counters were operating for each type. I was fortunate enough to get number 1008 and my turn came quite quickly (probably due to the 3 numbers in front of me are from the same family and they all requested to be done at one counter itself). I guess I only waited for say 15 to 20 minutes and my turn is up. Hand your passport and your IC to the officer at the counter and await instructions where you are to have your thumb scanned and photo taken).
After that, you will have another round of waiting where you "submission" will have to go through some other officers before you can make your payment.
I didn't have to wait long and got my number called in about 15 to 20 minutes.




At that counter, you pay and you will get a receipt. Simple as that.

They will ask you to return an hour later to collect your passport.
Once you got your receipt, now, you can relax a little and go have your breakfast.




There are 3 shops open nearby where you can have either Malay, Chinese, or Indian food. I went to the Malay restaurant (cos I'm thinking of just getting something relatively cheap, plus, i need to break my notes for parking later.)
Got myself a plate of Nasi Lemak and a sausage rolled in a bread for only RM3.70.
After finishing, I took a stroll but decided to just hang in the office as I heard of people getting their passports without waiting too long.
I headed back to the office and saw that a couple handed in their receipts to the collection counter.
So, I followed in his steps and the officer said that my turn is not up yet as it was only about half and hour past my payment. However, she said she will take my receipt and call my name once my passport is ready.
Lo and behold, I got my passport by 8.55 am and I'm ready to leave.
So, all in all, the whole process took me about 1 1/2 hours where at first, I thought of going to Paradigm for a while just to get out of the house but decided against it as it was too early.









So, a simple break down of my passport renewal process

0635 - arrival and waiting in line
0730 - obtain sheet and number
0750 - passport renewal application process at the counter
0815 - payment at the counter and receipt retrieval
0855 - collection of passport

This is how the new passports look

Front and Details Page (black and white photo this time, so, no need to bother wearing clothes with beautiful colours)

Details of the office I went to is as below:

Pejabat Imigresen Kelana Jaya
(Kelana Jaya Immigration Office)
Blok A, Plaza Glomac Jalan SS7/19, Kelana Jaya
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor,
Malaysia.

Tel: 03-7883 0975 / 7885 0149 / 7885 0301
Fax: 03-7885 0243
Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 7.30 a.m - 1.00 p.m and 2.00 p.m - 5.30 p.m
Saturday - Sunday: 8.00 a.m - 1.00 p.m (Passport Processing Only)

(photo taken from Google Maps Street View cos I forgot to take a photo of the office)

Below is a link on another post on Malaysian passport renewal
What's the process for renewing your Malaysian passport in Penang? by Diana Tan

2014 : A Reflection

Happy New Year all
2014 had gone by and it's already 2015 as the clock struck 12am a few minutes ago
not much has changed other than the year indicator on my laptop time
I don't think I've changed much this past few minutes,
or maybe I just got a little bit caught up in the moment and do a little reflection

2014 was a year that taught me a lot of lessons
Lesson numero uno, i am NOT a leader that could lead a big group

I've discovered that I work better as an action commander
tell me what needs to be done and it'll all be safe in my hands
don't count on me to handle paper work cos lord knows I'm bad at that
as a stark contrast, I (think) I did well leading the team during the English Camp in Gopeng cos the other nitty gritty were all settled and I just need to lead the team
in comparison, let's just all admit it,
I failed miserably as the society president
I seriously did and no, I'm not expecting a pity party cos I know for myself that I sucked big time
I had let a lot of people down (no surprise there) and could not do the things I was supposed to
I am honestly glad that that era is over and I don't have to deal with those things any more
along the process, I'm not sure if I've gained friends but I guess maybe I did lose some (and yes, I was to be blamed)
through it all, my "presidency" is a traumatic experience and it's kinda true that not much good has come of it

lesson 2, if you've tried your best to fix it and you've put in your effort, you don't owe anyone anything anymore
this is a thing I'm still trying to work on
I think it might be due to my people-pleaser character,
you see, in 2014, I lost a friend
well, I had my faults
I've apologized
tried to patch things up
but it didn't work out in the end cos said person just ignored any of my texts
to be honest, it's eating me in the inside and I guess if you're happy to see me torn and being all down out of luck, then, i guess lucky you then
however, I have to continuously tell myself that I've done all I could and gave it enough time, I do not owe anyone anything any more
I have got to move on from this and get on with life, with people who choose to stay despite my shitty assehole-ness of an attitude
i guess people come and go and there's nothing you can do about it
if they choose to leave, you can't make them stay

lesson 3, you just have to do your best and give your all and (normally) people will respond and appreciate it
it's a pleasant surprise when my students chose to stay for extra classes that I gave them when some around me thought that the students would not be bothered and I'm pretty pleased to announce that we only cancelled once due to them having a school activity and was way too tired...
throughout my teaching practice, I tried my best to give my all and I guess the kids did appreciate what I did for them (at least I think they do)
so, for 2 Abu Bakar and 4 Ali (if you guys even read this), thank you for your time and I do appreciate you guys as well
I wish I could do more for you guys
I will miss you guys and all the best for your exams next, I mean, this year

I guess those are the few things I could think of that I've learnt in 2014
I honestly do not know what to expect from 2015 and that is half the surprise
I don't know if I'll be better of if I'll be worse
We'll just have to wait and find out

Nike Shoes and How to Wear Them

hey y'all,
how's the holidays so far?
how's Christmas?

so, i woke up this morning and decided to just check up on the blog (well, since this blog is pretty low in traffic, i guess i need not check up on it too often or at all but i did)
i found a comment left on my OOTD post and decided to take a read...
turns out, well, Zalora approached me to have a collab with them and to write up on Nike Shoes...
as we all know, Zalora is a online fashion shopping site and when it comes to fashion, i'll be interested (albeit not having a lot of chances to be)
(wah, like big time blogger where people approach you to write)
My mission, if i were to accept it, is to write up on Nike shoes...
if you know me in person, or if i've told you before, Nike is one of my favourite brands of shoes
heck, my first branded pair of sport shoes were Nike's and i've been wearing Nike's for years since then until one fateful day where i did some spring cleaning and had to donate my shoes away leaving me with no Nike shoes... :(
but, oh well, i guess i'll get a pair when i have the chance...

now, guys,
i sometimes blog on fashion tips and today is one of those days
well, Aaron Marino from Alpha M says that you attire should start from the shoes and today, let's put that into action...
here are some suggestions on how to complement your Nike's

everyone knows that Nike's are well known for their sports line

if you're going to the gym or just shooting some hoops, you could pair your Nike's with some gym shorts or even sweat pants.
heck, if you're feeling a bit lazy but you need to go out, just slip on some Nike's and well, let's just say that your fashion points will rise

if you're going for a more casual look, one that is suited for out hot weather, you could even pair your Nike's with shorts. Bear in mind though that if you're wearing your Nike's with shorts, they should not be from the basketball shoes line. it's just not right and it doesn't fit well... trust me, i've been there... and now, Nike even has some casual looks that is comfortable to walk around with but more importantly, fashionable. pair you tan Nike's with bermudas. you could match the colors or let it be different, just play with it at your own accord... there's no biggie, just experiment and see...

you could even take your Nike's indoors. wear them to class or even in the office for casual Fridays. pair them with dark jeans or even chinos... as for your top, you could go a little less casual by putting on a polo t-shirt, a button up, sweaters or just any type of top you would wear in the office... however, Nike's walk a fine line between casual and formal and you need to be fashion savvy to be able to walk that line and not cross over...



below is a quick guide on what to pair which type of shoes with provided by Business Insider

so, with that in mind, head on to Zalora and check out their Nike Shoes Collection and expand your wardrobe for the coming year...

Happy New Year and May 2015 Be Awesome

Product Review: Daiso's Menthol Scalp Conditioner for Men

so, from my last post, i've told you guys that i've just dyed my hair
and this time, i used hydrogen peroxide that got my hair kinda dry...
it gets all tangled when i wash my hair and has a rough and coarse texture to it when wet and clean (after i shampoo my hair)
so, normally, i would not use conditioner but because of all the coarse texture that i'm so not used to, i decided to get myself a bottle of conditioner

i was in Daiso to get a lamp shade and decided to walk around and found myself a bottle of Daiso's Menthol Scalp Conditioner
I have to say, i was a bit skeptical but hey, Daiso is from Japan and these Japanese take their beauty products really seriously
taking a leap of faith, i decided to purchase the Scalp Conditioner
it's a plus cos it's written 'for Men' (hmmmm....)

went home, washed my hair and tried out the conditioner
as i applied and massaged my hair with the conditioner, the fragrant menthol smell fills my nostrils...
however, i did not feel the tingling sensation that i expect on my head but i felt it in my eyes...
hmmm... is it weird that the smell alone can give that light tingling sensation to your eyes?
i was not too bothered by it and washed the conditioner off, and lo and behold, the tingling sensation that i desire is there...
i was almost in ecstasy...(not really but yeah)
it was great...

my stylist once told me that it's good to wash or massage my hair with menthol hair products cos it will unclog and clean those follicles that are filled and probably clogged with sweat and dust residue...

after drying my hair, it did feel soft and light and i could run my fingers through my hair, so, it does what a conditioner suppose to do (at least that's what i feel conditioners are supposed to do)

the product is white in color with the texture you would expect from a conventional hair conditioner

so, overall, i give it a 5/5 for a fulfilling product at a good price (everything in Daiso is RM5, duh... well, except for premium items, but well, this is RM5) (though i don't know how much a bottle of conditioner cost)







while we're at it, let me also show you the new lamp shade i got for my wall lamp

From brown to blue

Hey guys,
So, it's been a month since i last dyed my hair...
not that i don't like it,
in fact, i actually do kinda like it...
but i guess i'm just a little bored and wanted to try stuff i won't usually do

my sister told me of this powder hair highlight dye that is fairly cheap from MagicBoo and so, i guess i wanted to try it out... from the list, i saw that they have blue and thus began my search for it but to my disappointment, they do not have it anymore. i called up a few other MagicBoos that is near my place or where i could access and all of them ran out of the blue hair highlighter dye. however, the one from Damansara Utama told me that there is another option of trying out Kelter hair color cream. well, long story short, i said DU is not really along the way and called KD where they have those in stock and got mine from them.

so, i got myself the Kelter Spirulina Permanent Color Cream in blue and the developer (hydrogen peroxide)
they cost RM15 for the dye and RM5 for the hydrogen peroxide (i'm using the 9% one)

so, let's try this out...

things ready

Review : the mixing is easy and you will get a grey goo

before hair

still brownish

after hair

the color didn't turn out very obvious which i guess is evident by how the camera could not pick up the color...

but in real life, the color is like a dark green-blueish color...

not exactly the color i was looking for but i guess i don't really mind

well, i guess i'm back to having dark hair then

The worst part of dyeing your hair if you're not careful is this...

the staining... i guess they'll come off in 2-3 days...

Review: 

Kelter Spirulina Permanent Color Cream is affordable (1 tube of 100ml cost RM15), but the smell is pretty strong, so, make sure you have a good air way passage. The color payoff is not as i expected but that could be because i did not bleach my hair first. The blue turned out greenish instead. They did mention that it should be used by professionals, so, i guess maybe you could ask your hairstylist friends or your own hairstylist what they think about it. The instructions are in Chinese which i can't read but maybe you could ask how to properly do it from the MagicBoo staff. I just mixed it with the developer, slabbed them into my hair and leaf it for 40 minutes, covered with a shower cap and using my blow dryer to heat it occasionally. The washing off it fairly easy, though, you will definitely need conditioner to make it smooth as my hair was a bit tangled from the dyeing. Overall, i think i give it a 4/5 cos the color does come out, but not as i expected. The stinging is there but it's bearable, so, it you have sensitive scalp, well, i guess it's better if you just keep it natural or go for other alternative.