Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by hksgmy

Songs that make you emotional?

hksgmy — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 15:51:05 +0800

Here are some that I find touching…

[YOUTUBE]DTFbGcnl0po[/YOUTUBE]

Question about Touch N Go

hksgmy — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 23:06:02 +0800

This is a very niche question but I was hoping for some insight from ex Malaysians here who may have some experience with this… eg [@gnc88]… do we have to reapply for a new TnG if we lose our MyKad?

Or can we even do that? I mean, hold TnG as a future Singaporean?

TIA

Voluntary donation to help fellow ktard jack2

hksgmy — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:21:40 +0800

FINAL UPDATE:

QUOTE(munkeyflo @ Jun 14 2024, 12:25 PM)

Dr, please help add his main thread link into your first post too.
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/5460389

This thread will naturally die off after some time and will be closed so all discussion will be directed to jack2's main thread where he will be updating there.
[right][snapback]109919883[/snapback][/right]

Dear fellow ktards,

It's not very often we can come together as a community and unite behind a worthy cause, but I thought I'd take the initiative and start the ball rolling.

The original post (in serious kopitiam) is HERE

This is my original response to him: HERE (see screenshot below):

But he declined my offer, saying that he doesn't want to take something for nothing. I feel [@jack2] is genuine, and this only makes our help even more worthwhile.

For /k's consideration.

Hopefully, [@jack2] will change his mind and allow willing donors to help.

UPDATE 1:

As requested by [@jack2], I've removed his QR Code

UPDATE 2:

For those who want to support him by buying his cashew nuts, the link is below as confirmed by [@grape sunset] and myself:

QUOTE(grape sunset @ Jun 13 2024, 09:07 PM)
https://www.lazada.com.my/-i4010314689.html

He said he's gonna restock on Sat (15 June). Definitely gonna order to support a good cause
[right][snapback]109916831[/snapback][/right]

Yes. Confirm this is the link

here

UPDATE 3:

Personally, I’ve completed all 4 tranches of what I said I would set out to donate and thank you also to all the other fellow /k users who’ve done the same and also to those who would support [@jack2] by ordering his cashew nuts from Lazada and hopefully Shopee once they are restocked.

UPDATE 4 FROM [@jack2]:

QUOTE(jack2 @ Jun 14 2024, 07:48 AM)

Dear fellow ktards,

In view that many forumers suggested not to show the contributors and amount list, here is the total amount received
RM4,328 as of 14/06/2024, inclusive of RM500 which is reserved for the medical bill of the injury dog.

Best way to convert cash USD10,000

hksgmy — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:25:08 +0800

Dear sifus,

I’ve a stash of about USD10,000 in cash that’s kept in a safe at home, just waiting for moths to eat them into oblivion. In the past, the rationale was to keep a stash of USD just in case war breaks out and I need to secure an urgent seat on a boat outta Singapore (kidding)… actually, these are the USD that my patients from Vietnam or Myanmar or Saudi Arabia used to pay me for my services (I don’t ask, I don’t want to know) in the past, before I insisted that I would no longer accept foreign currencies.

Anyway, I’m thinking of getting rid of the USD and converting them into SGD.

Obviously using the services of a money changer is one option, but are there any other realistic options available?

Thanks in advance

New Porsche 911 992.2 discussion

hksgmy — Wed, 29 May 2024 20:58:33 +0800

[YOUTUBE]GTqS8hEMs9U[/YOUTUBE]

So the 992.2 is out... and to say the least, it's quite divisive, if the comments and posts over at the Porsche forums (eg Rennlist) are to be believed.

Coming from a 992.1 GTS owner, I am actually very happy that I pulled the trigger and didn't wait for the new face lift.

I'd take my car's looks over the new one any day.

And, yes, while the facelift is faster and more powerful (every facelift will be), I already have enough trouble finding places where I can fully unleash the 480hp on tap without losing my licence, so I can't imagine what an extra string (yes, that's actually the correct collective noun in use here) of ponies in the stable would do to my attempts to hang on to my driver's.

What do you guys think? Do you like the new vertical flaps on the front valance/apron? And do you prefer the centrally placed exhausts or the wider spaced items?

Rake mai brekkie

hksgmy — Thu, 16 May 2024 08:10:06 +0800

Starters…

What are your preferred alternate currency stores?

hksgmy — Wed, 08 May 2024 07:02:20 +0800

This was copied over from another topic/thread in kopitiam. In it, posters were complaining about how the political situation in Malaysia (the latest being possible sanctions by the US against us for facilitating movement of money to Iran) under the leadership of a PM who appears to be more Palestinian than Malaysian has adversely affected the value of the MYR.

I posted the following response:

Fret not what you cannot control. Fuss over what you can.

Whoever becomes PM isn’t within your ability to influence.

What currency alternatives to the MYR you wish to keep as stores of your value is.

Mine are in SGD, AUD, NZD and USD in order of size of reserves.

What’s yours?

Notwithstanding our personal, private political beliefs or leanings, for those that do, what foreign currency (to simplify matters, let’s include stocks, bonds, other financial instruments and properties) do you hold and where do you keep them?

I’ll start the ball rolling - in order of decreasing size of reserves:

SGD - held with MBB, DBS, UOB, OCBC, HSBC Singapore, SCB and Citibank
AUD - held with HSBC Australia, NAB, CBA, DBS, UOB and MBB
NZD - held with WPA NZ
USD - held with DBS and Citibank
HKD - held with NCB HK
MYR - held with MBB Malaysia
GBP - held with Barclays, a throwback to when I was doing my advanced specialist training in the UK

And a bunch of cash in the above currencies kept in a safe at home haha.

Would love to read about the preferred choices of my fellow forum users…

Just renewed my passport recently...

hksgmy — Wed, 01 May 2024 10:13:21 +0800

I know, this is not my blog. But, when I hold this precious document in my hand and realise that, with my impending retirement and plans to move over to Australia from Singapore to enjoy it, and this may be the last time I'll be renewing the Pasport Malaysia... I'm suddenly all melancholic and all sorts of memories are fighting for synapsal firing space in my brain at the moment...

Ah well. All good things must come to an end.

Are there any ex Malaysians here, or Malaysians contemplating a similar possibility? Can you share your thoughts and experiences and feelings?

It’s a bit useless trying to get my wife to give an objective opinion. She’s more Singaporean than local born Singkies, after having been one for more than 20 years…

Happy Labour Day everyone.

Activate Secure2U to replace TAC for Maybank

hksgmy — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 11:08:58 +0800

Hello experts and fellow Maybank Malaysia users.

I am a slowfag and I finally went to activate my Secure2U on my Maybank Malaysia app... keyed in my Singapore mobile number, keyed in my MyKAD IC number and ... promptly got ¢0ck-blocked by the message "please complete the activation at the nearest ATM"....

Now I'm stuck because I'm based in Singapore and won't be visiting Malaysia anytime soon...

Is there a time limit to how long before the 2nd activation requirement expires?

And, if it expires, can we simply start the process again?

Thanks in advance!

Things you collected in the past

hksgmy — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:01:34 +0800

As per topic.

I’ll start:

The inner linings of bottle caps and erasers that looked like flags of countries.

How do I UN-STAR a forum please?

hksgmy — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:51:20 +0800

I would like to remove the "STAR" to a forum (eg. RWI), and I can't seem to "unclick" the star. Please help, thank you!

Rake my free breakfast

hksgmy — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:18:45 +0800

Fresh after I collected 2 free iPong 15 Pro and Pro Max (tapi low spec poorfag 256Gb aje, jgn kecoh), I’m now having free breakfast while waiting for my car to be serviced.

Also free WiFi so tarak manyak komprain…

Cukur masih ade brg gratis aka percuma

Sekian, terima kasih.

Excellent Singapore Straits Times Reporting

hksgmy — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 08:51:56 +0800

PhD level news report

Tells so much but yet still anonymous.

iPhones for Poorfags ... 128Gb, 256Gb only

hksgmy — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:46:16 +0800

I am not afraid to admit that I'm a poorfag when it comes to iPhones. I finally gave into temptation and placed the orders for my iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, but both are poorfag models with only 256Gb. This is part of KrisFlyer's promotion - nearly 20% discount if you're taking home delivery (because 9% GST is added to the purchase price), and 30% discount if you're ordering for inflight pick up.

Late last year, I already ordered a 256Gb iPhone 15 (not pro) for waifu, and a 128Gb iPhone 15 (again, not pro) for my goddaughter - the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max were not on offer yet.

This month, SQ decided to be generous, so I pulled the trigger.

My miles were getting no where (and I have more than a million of them), since we usually buy our Business or First Class tickets by cash (to avoid being put on waitlist), so I might as well put them to good use.

So, yeah, I'm a poorfag when it comes to iPhones, unlike some splurger that we all know, love and respect here.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Ever been served by cabin crew who's your friend?

hksgmy — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:52:36 +0800

Sorry for the weird topic. This has happened to me on more than one occasion, and I dunno whether I'm just lucky (and if so, how come I never encounter such luck with 4D .... oh, because I never ever buy that stuff, that's why), or because we fly so often (on a monthly basis)....

Anyway, has this ever happened to any of you guys? Was it awkward, or was it memorable?

In my case, I've met friends, patients, children of patients (that tells you how old I am) or even children of friends in their duty as an SQ (male and female) cabin crew.

Patients can be a bit awkward, because I usually interact with them in a professional capacity, and now, it's a much more personal space, friends are the best because we know they are cabin crew, and it's great that we meet in a unique setting, but I've always found that in either case, the interaction is always positive - because we end up getting extra goodies like pyjamas and amenity kits, and even the collectible teddy bears

I've also started a small collection of photographs with those chance encounters - so far, I've documented about half a dozen of them, and I wish I had the presence of mind to snap the very first and subsequent ones ... that would have made a complete collection haha.

Would love to hear your experiences, if any.

What personalisations have you made to your car?

hksgmy — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 02:08:20 +0800

So I’m on holidays back in Sydney over the past couple of months (since that’s why semi-retired people do, apparently) and I decided to take some photos of the modifications I’ve done for my car so far.

I had the door light LED projectors installed. These are factory specs but a cost optional extra

Porsche crests on the headrests - again, factory specs but optional extra (obviously the case with Porsche)

Extended interior in leather with double stitching in crayon. The car is swathed in full leather inside. Every touch surface feels so soft hehe.

Original branded mats in velour - and I also got a spare set of all weather mats custom fitted for the 992 variant:

Perhaps the most useless optional extra (AUD280 extra) - key painted in exterior colour of GT Silver metallic. But the colour matching is so cool haha:

LED Matrix headlights with extended functions:

Red coloured tyre valve covers in Aluminium - these were after market items ordered from Taobao, since Porsche doesn’t make colored valve covers. I bought them to match the brake calipers.

The second most useless factory spec optional extra (I think this was an additional AUD300 or something) - fuel cap cover in Aluminium look…

Custom made from the UK: after market side blade decals in two colours - again the red is to match my brake calipers.

Taobao after market red 911 Carrera GTS badging for the rear. Straight away 5 extra hp and 50Nm of extra torque.

The photos don’t show it well, so I don’t have a picture of it - but, I also did a full PPF for the car.

The other personalized addition is my number plates (for both the Cayenne and the 911) - that one I obviously can’t share on the forum

What have you guys done for or to your cars?

Passive income question

hksgmy — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:22:53 +0800

Dear friends.

We are all sojourners on this great financial journey towards ultimate financial independence & abundance. As I'm about to retire in the next couple of years, I am looking to securing my passive income post retirement, and I'd like to humbly solicit some wisdom and opinions from people who've been far more successful and wise than me.

Let me put some facts into perspective for the purpose of this discussion.

1. My wife and I used to have an outsized combined income, and without children (by choice), the "war chest" so to speak, rapidly accumulated.
2. My wife retired last year, leaving me as the sole breadwinner of the household, and in all humility, the income, although reduced naturally, is still significant enough that we've not had to make any belt-tightening changes to our admittedly comfortable lifestyles - this will change when I retire from full time work in Singapore in 2 years' time.
3. We are 100% debt free and have been for the past decade
4. We are not leveraged
5. Our main passive incomes (I employ the use of the pronouns "our" or "we" as our investments and properties are in joint names, despite her no longer working) are derived in SGD, AUD and our secondary passive incomes are denoted in USD & NZD (we have a fixed exposure to RM which I have not increased in any significant manner, so there's limited downside to that).

Here's how we derived our passive income streams:

1. Investment grade bonds (whole bonds, not via bond funds or bond linked indices): denoted in SGD & AUD - the returns are tax free, as coupons are tax-exempt in Singapore
2. Investment residential and commercial units/properties: positive cash flow, but subject to taxes (these are based in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand) - approximately the same value as the bonds. Post taxes, the returns are only about half of that which I derive from the bond coupons
3. A modest selection of US dividend stocks (mainly in Banking & Pharmaceutical companies) and Singapore banking stocks
4. About a combined total of SGD/AUD 6 million in cash - but I'm not complaining too much as the interest rates have been very attractive over the past few years, although that will be changing very soon
5. Annuity plans that will deliver around SGD10,000 per month per person when it kicks in at 65y of age.
6. CPF payouts (I take that as pocket money - estimated to be around SGD3,000 per person when that kicks in at 65y old).

Given the list above, as well as my profile of a soon-to-be retiree, do you see any glaring holes I should concentrate on plugging, or would you suggest anything else to balance or beef up my admittedly ultra-conservative portfolio?

Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

My first “rake mah dinrar” post

hksgmy — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 20:24:46 +0800

Today is 元宵 Chinese Valentines Day. Took waifu out for omakase at Chef Tetsuya’s Wakuda at Marina Bay Sands (again) - it’s her current favourite Japanese joint. 10 courses. I’m posting live as we’re enjoying the meal.

Starters - Chawanmushi with Hokkaido sweet corn

Wakuda signature: Kyoto bean curd skin with caviar and fresh uni umami bomb

Poached lobster with asparagus in yuzu dressing:

Sashimi platter with the all important chutoro and otoro…

Sushi platter - chutoro, uni and aburi flounder fin sushi

Cold soba with botan shrimp and more caviar!

Next is freshly made tempura. The batter is lighter than air!

Kagoshima A5 Wagyu is served!

Phew. Ok. Finally, dessert… the first of 2 desserts. Fresh Japanese strawberries with cream.

And the absolute last dish - Hokkaido milk ice cream with pink salt. Simple but our absolute perennial favourite:

Sigh. The bill is coming next…

MX5 or 86 or M2 or 718?

hksgmy — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 22:29:42 +0800

Hello fellow petrolheads of the forum,

At the moment, all my cars are Continental makes (3 Porsches and 1 W223 S450L) and all of them are automatic.

I’m thinking of getting a weekend toy for myself in Sydney that’s lightweight (in the modern era context), manual and imminently tossable around corners, country and backroads.

Initially, I thought of completing my Porsche collection with a 718 GTS 4.0 in manual, but I I know I won’t have the heart to chuck it around corners and drive it like it’s meant to be driven (case in point, my 911 only has 300km on the clock and is a veritable garage queen, hooked up to a trickle charger in my garage)

So, I’ve put the 718 down at the bottom of my wish list and come up with the Mazda MX5, Toyota 86 and BMW M2 (F87, the first generation - the present generation looks hideous and I really cannot accept its looks) as alternatives.

Does anyone here have any real life experience regarding these 3 options? Anything to look out for? Are the Mazda and Toyota built like tanks, as per Japanese standards that we’ve all come to admire?

I previously drove the F13 version of the M6 so I’m half expecting the F87 to spend a considerable amount of time of its life in a workshop… but, I included a BMW in the list because there’s a strong BMW club presence in Sydney and it’ll give me opportunities to go on convoys and long trips.

Comments and suggestions are welcome as always.

Thanks in advance!

Share your dream retirement plan

hksgmy — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 12:33:54 +0800

Edited: I’ve amended the title as I would love to hear your thoughts on your own experiences and plans for your (future) retirement.

As many of you know, I'm about 2 years away from hanging up my stethoscope for good, and finally joining my wife in the slow lane (she hung up her calculator for good last year).

As a long overdue retirement present for the both of us, we intend to do a round the world trip on First Class travel. I have a rough idea of what I want to do, but I was hoping to solicit some wisdom from the upper crust of society that /k likes to identify themselves as (aka the min RM20k/month standard), so as to refine my itinerary.

Here are some rough sketches of the details:

First Class/Suite Class with Singapore Airlines & Star Alliance partners, departing Singapore.

Here are my continents:

East Asia:

1. Japan (Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka - but maybe also to Hokkaido, Toyama and return to Hakone)
2. Some nicer areas of China (I've never been to Mainland China per se, apart from visiting my other uncles in Shenzhen and Zhuhai) - especially a visit to my ancestors' village where my grandfather purported still has a house somewhere in Guangdong
3. Hong Kong (family visit - but I intend to do more than just yumcha for a week with my favourite uncle: wanna see Kowloon, go out to some of the smaller islands & visit the New Territories)
4. May or may not do South Korea (we're not big fans, but it may be a case of so near yet so far, so that may be on the cards)
5. Taiwan (never been to Namewee's adopted hometown, so might see what inspired him to write Negarakuku)

South East Asia:

1. Malaysia. This will be a super long overdue homecoming & goodbye of sorts. We intend to spend at least 1 month, visiting all my cousins and family members in Peninsula Malaysia, and catch up on my old classmates. No couch surfing or bunking in with family though, so we'll be living it up and finally putting all the RM we've saved up to good use - afterall, I don't think I'll keep my Malaysian citizenship after retirement, as I intend to ensure I keep Singapore as my base, even as I relocate permanently to Sydney. We might do a visit to East Malaysia as well, as we've never been there either.
2. Thailand - just to a resort somewhere nice & quiet for a week or so, to unwind after that whirlwind tour of Malaysia
3. Vietnam - I hear the barber shops are a must visit experience, and again, we've never been.

Middle East:

1. (removed Turkey - as a forumer pointed out, it's actually in Europe, silly me)
2. Dubai - a good place for me to use up my USD, and also to see what a modern, progressive Muslim country can do that Malaysia couldn't.

Europe:

1. Turkey - this will be likely via one of our journey legs to Europe. I want to visit the Istanbul Turkish Airways (part of the Star Alliance network) lounge again. Then, do the usual hot air balloon, Turkish baths, Salt lake & formation, bazaar
2 Germany (just so I can drive a Porsche on the autobahn as fast as my balls will allow me) - Stuttgart, Munich, Zuffenhausen ... yeah, you get the picture - and get a trackday pass for the Nordschleife!
3. Switzerland in style. This will be a second visit of Switzerland, and we want to do it in far better style than what we did 30 years ago as young travellers on a budget. Grab a couple of matching Rolexes (back when we did our first trip there 30 years ago, all we could afford was to get matching Swiss Army Knives)...
4. Hope over to the Netherlands to visit old friends (they were our neighbours in Singapore and we've kept in touch all these years) & Belgium to visit more old friends (old neighbours) & the retired Belgian ambassador to Singapore (who was my patient in Singapore before he retired)
5. Head over to France - may not skip (thanks to [@mesothelium]) Paris, try to chase down a couple of Michelin star restaurants (since wife and I are into that at the moment) and to do the vinyard tours in Bordeaux. Visit the 5 First Growth Chateaux and catch up with an old Professor colleague of mine who's retired and returned to France with his Neuroscientist wife.
6. Spain - thanks to [@icemanfx] for the tip: San Sebastián for more Michelin Star restaurants.
7. End up in the UK - this will also be a second homecoming of sorts for me, after all, my early specialization studies were done in the UK hospitals, and I'll revisit the Royal Colleges where I received my Fellowships & see if my signatures on their deed rolls is still anywhere to be found (yes, yes, small things make me happy), before spending some time south in Cornwall & retracing the steps of Doc Martin. Before that, I'll try to convince my wife to visit Anfield for an EPL match - or, she can spend time with her niece while I shout myself hoarse at the stadium.
8. Possible one or two Eastern European destinations as someone suggested - but, I think the Nordic countries are also an interesting option... so this will need a little bit more research.

America: Still not interested

1. From Europe, fly back into Australasia - but I'll try to land in New Zealand first, to spend a month there. We have a spare unit that we've always meant to live in as a vacation home, and this will be the best time to do so. Gotta drain the bank account in NZ as well, because once I'm a tax resident in Australia, that'll also be taxed by the ATO (I don't have enough money in there to warrant ring-fencing it with creative accounting, but more than enough money to know it'll hurt when the taxman comes collecting)
2. Fly back into Australia to begin our next phase of life there.

What does /k think? What would you do differently?

Edited: thank you for the helpful comments. I've amended the list (added some attractions, removed some destinations) as per some of the forum members' invaluable insights!