Air Asia - Success Story in the Making

Now Everyone Can Fly

Air Asia is the upstart company headed by ex-music industry executive Tony fernandez. Formed in 2002, its business model was initially greeted with scepticism and people said, "Oh its not safe, they use old planes, the low cost terminal is not convenient" and other excuses.

Come 2009 and even I am now a convert, I took the first low cost flight to K.L. return and it cost me only S$ 114; I made the final booking about 3 days beforehand. Boarding passes are just printouts,the checkin counters to KL and Bangkok are usually very fast moving, and the check-in staff very friendly.


Refurbished Airbuses A 320 for Air Asia

My reservations were that Air Asia were compromising on safety by using old planes and inexperienced pilots, but all these were wiped away when I took my first flight to KL. The plane looks to be about 15 years old but refurbished interior and was able to carry about 240 passengers,about 6 per aisle, 3 on each side. The cabin crew and stewardesses were very friendly and ever smiling and the experience I had was as good as SIA's which says alot about Air Asia.


Departing flights from Changi Terminal 1

Air Asia departs from Changi's Terminal 1, where we use the aerobridge.On arrival in K.L., we disembark at the Low Cost carrier Terminal LCCT in Sepang,about 10 minutes drive from KLIA. The only downside is that you have to walk down the airramp steps as used in the past by airlines onto the tarmac, and walk through the long walk-way to the Terminal, typically about 10 minutes or less.It is a good idea that this mode of disembarking allows both the front and rear exits of the plane to be used, thus ensuring a speedy getting off.


Passengers alighting from the plane at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur

The plane cruises at 23,000 feet, therby using more fuel and taking about 10 minutes longer than if it were SIA or MAS.However, this time lag is not notiecable for such a short trip and everything else of this trip was first class.
I intend to use Air Asia again. The airline recently voted by Sky Trax Magazine as the Best Low Cost Carrier in the World for 2008.

SIA, the challenge has been thrown down. In these uncertain economic times, business people and travellers are scaling down on travel costs and low costs carriers still get the job done. You have been warned !!

KSK victories

Esther as our only participant in the International Shitoryu Youth Championship 2009

This year, our member Esther Tan received the rare honour of winning the Kumite or free sparring Gold for the age group 17-21 Ladies in the International Shitoryu Championship held in Singapore. Renowned for her tenacity and aggressiveness, she totally overwhelmed her opponent in 3 rounds.


Esther Tan wins the Gold Medal for Kumite at the International Shitoryu Youth Championship 2009

A friendly and humble member, she is easily our most decorated member of the Club with immense potential to go very far in this sport.She has brought alot of recognition to herself and to the Club. I wish her the very best for the coming years !

Ken Shin Kai Karate Club

Ken Shin Kai Dojo (school) July 2009

I have been a member of Ken Shin Kai Karate dojo since 2002, or roughly 7 years. The sensei is Mr. Chia Kwek Fah,7th Dan Shitoryu karate instructor who trained under the legendary Shitoryu master Mabuni from Japan. Mr. Chia's experience in the sport this martial art in particular spans more than 40 years.His life experiences can be accessed online at www.ckf567.blogspot.com. Mr. Chia is also a certified sports fitness coach from Australia as well as an accomplished artist in Chinese caligraphy and photographer.

Ken Shin Kai has been in existence for 12 years. Since its humble beginnings, it has grown to almost 100 members in Singapore, but over the past few years has shrunk to approximately 40 members. Its base is at the Tanglin Community Club in Whitley Road. Our most accomplished karate-ka is Esther Tan, who has done our club proud by winning gold medals in recent inter-country club competitions in kumite (free sparring) and kata. Only 20 years old, she is very enthusiastic about her training,combining weight training with endurance runs and of course our weekly training sessions.



Shiko dachi (horse-riding stance) with gedan barai (low downward block)

Recently during the Annual General Meeting, the committee voted in Mr. Roland Teo, an experienced multi-disciplinary martial artist, who holds a second dan in Akhido, and a 1st dan in Shitoryu karate as its President. We have high hopes that with the new Executive-Committee, of whom I am part of, we will be able to galvanise our members and raise the awareness of this centuries old martial art as a means to acquire grace,flexibility,endurance as well as a very efficient way to protect oneself from attackers.Karate promotes fitness, toughness,grace and agility all at the same time.

Karate is not only a martial art, but also a way of life. Through my many years of association with this art, I have discovered that it is ultimately (as Bruce Lee so eloquently put it) "the highest form of self expression". Its objective is not to destroy or decimate but to express oneself through positive actions and poses.Through karate, I have higher self-esteem, better self discipline, confidence and a well toned body.


Roland Teo doing the Ina Shi Gi or Movement Drill

I have set myself a personal objective to increase membership by 2 times, in total, to try to enlist and motivate about 20 individuals of all creed, ages and sex to join. It will be a major challenge but it is a worthy one.

All Singaporean

Sim Wong Hoo

This blog entry is to highlight the fact that even in this worldwide economic downturn, which has been described by economists as the worst wold recession in 70+ years, Singapore has quietly gone about to attract the top talent be they in the entertainment,film,money or whatever industries from all over the world. The first I like to highligh is Sim Wong Hoo, who is a Singapore citizen by birth. He started a small company with BIG, HAIRY AND AMBITIOUS GOALS OR BHAG. By his choice alone, he went to the USA in the late 1980s to mass produce and sell the Creative Sound Blaster which became a household name the world over. With the money from the Initial Public Offering, and a subsequent listing on the NASDAQ or second stock exchange board in the USA, he is worth easily US$ 500 to 1 Billion.

With all this money, he could have made his home anywhere in Europe, USA or even in China but he chose to live in Singapore.A true blue Singaporean and proud of his country.


Jim Rogers

The partner of Quantum Fund headed by George Soros, Jim Rogers, decided to make Singapore his home 5 years ago. He studied the worldwide trends and decided that the 21st century would 'belong to China'. Rather than live in China, he decided to base himself and his entire family in Singapore where it is very liveable, providing his 2 girls with ample opportunity to speak Mandarin. He and his wife are offering there services to the prestigious Nanyang Primary School, an elite primary school in Bukit Timah area in the hope of getting his girls entry into a (get this) Government school in Singapore. This man is worth easily hundreds or millions of dollars and can well afford to pay for his daughters to study Chinese by private tutor or attend the Chinese International School. It speaks volumes about the Singapore school system which by any international measure, among the best in the world.

Mr. Rogers himself has started several hedge funds based out of Singapore.


Jet Li

This kung fu action star had a 'defining moment' during the 2004 tsunami, he was with his family in Maldives, in an exclusive resort, when the tsunami struck. He rushed his family back to the hotel and as the waters were getting higher and higher, he thought to himself. I am a well known person who can get things done by just a phone call, and I am only concerned about making movies and money ? God does not recognise any of this. He is non-discriminating. In the end everyone, rich, poor,powerful or pwoerless, dies.

He decided there and then to devote his life to the less privileged and set up over the course of the next years, The One Foundation. It is based in Singapore, it donates and creates opportunities to the disadvantaged and less fortunate. Jet Li himself has stopped acting entirely to devote himself to his charity.

He recently became a Singapore citizen.

Gong Li

The most famous and popular actress in China (till recently) Gong Li, married cigarette magnate, Mr. Ooi. She became a Singaporean in 2008.

In this globalised world, competitve advantage of nations lies in any nation's ability to attract the best and the brightest talents to their shores which will ultimately improve the overall opportunities of all its people. Singapore, with its open door immigration policy to qualified people, low personal income and corporate tax rates, cleanliness,transparency of an honest Government, liveability and overall quality of life is showing the world that being small is not a disadvantage, having no natural resources is also not a disadvantage, but the collective abilities and will of its people and the ever raising of its standards will ultimately be the winning formula. I AM SURE OF IT.

Thanks friends

May, Alex and Zucsa

The 4 days in Hungary zipped by and it was time for us to go, we had the loveliest of times, although I caught a bad cold on day 2 and had my voice changed to hoarse and was spewing phlegm in the mornings (and various times of day !). Little did I know that this bug took me almost 3 weeks to kick - thankfully it was not the Influenza A H1N1 which is spreading like wildfire the world over. As I write this, I have fully recovered and am training for a year end marathon.


Looks like Capsicum - Paprika

On the last day, Alex brought us to the main market in Budapest where we bought some souvenirs like T shirts, and it is the same the world over ; a market is still a market selling fresh produce like vegetables,meat,fish and of course the Paprika, which can be eaten like a salad or dried like sundried tomatoes and served as part of the goulash soup.


Ripe Paprika sold at the Market

Our memories of Hungary will always be tinged with the fine hospitality shown to us by Tibor and Tunde as well as Alex and Zucsa, who took time off from their busy work schedules to show us around. We are most grateful for that.


Tibor, Tunde and May at Buda Castle

Friends, lets meet again sometime soon, in Europe, Asia wherever and in parting, "Egeszsegedre !" - Cheers !

Balaton Arts and Craft

Lovely Flowers in Summer


Pottery all going for a song


Outside the Pottery House


Buy your Paprika and make your own Goulash soup

Balaton Lake with Alex and Zusa

Alex, dining on cake and coffee

During our final 2 days in Hungary, Alex Draculis and his wife Zuscsa, came to meet with us at Balaton.He and I met about 3 years ago in Germany and our meetings have been always very enjoyable.He is originally from Slovenia as is his wife. They live in Budapest city and he was formerly an advertising creative director in Slovenia till about 3 years ago.


Lovely House with Reed Roof

We went around the lake, and stopped to buy some souvenirs from the shops. We realised that pottery, porcelain and paprika are like the national handicrafts of Hungary and Lake Balaton is a very popular destination for tourists who would nornally come in summer from Austria (Vienna is 2 hours dirve away), Germany,Russia and the UK. The lakeside houses look lovely with their reed roofs and white facades leading one to think of a fairy tale type of town.We had stayed the night in Kesthely and discovered that it was very quiet in the evenings, almost like a ghost town and we could practically hear our footsteps !


Pottery House overlooking Lake Balaton

The summer months where the tourists do come are normally in July and August so when we visited, it was presummer. It however, did stike me that very few Asian tourists visit Hungary which is a pity as it is very beautiful in Budapest and in the Lake districts.


Pretty Loo

We left Balaton with lots of good memories, good food and great company.