Seminar Unclaimed Money Act 1965

Sometimes it is good to get out of the office to learn something new like attending a seminar.  Being in the Accounts Department, 95% of the time I have to face the computer to get my job done, that requires me to sit down most of the time in the office.  

We hardly got the chance to attend seminars except those attendance are compulsory and free ones. Me and my other other colleague went for a seminar organised by the Jabatan Akauntan Negara last week at their office situated at 9th Floor of Wisma Perindustrian along Tanjung Lipat, Likas.  It was a half day seminar without charge, most of the time they provide light refreshment, which is good.

 

It was the first time I went to Wisma Perindustrian.  Before driving there, I asked my SIL who works at the same building at where I should park.  I arrived there early, I took the opportunity to take the view of Tanjung Lipat from the 9th floor. This is the coastline leading to Yayasan Sabah.

 

a view away from the coastline

 

and the parking lot where I parked my car, it is in front of the Sabah Trade Centre

 

A leaflet from a developer promoting their apartments project at the lift in Wisma Perindustrian  

 

This seminar is very useful for businesses and also individuals, a lot of us thought that the monies that we placed in the bank which has became inactive and dormant are gone forever, in fact we could  claim our money back from Jabatan Akauntan Negara, we just have to get confirmation from the bank that our money has been submitted to Jabatan Akauntan Negara.

 

of course, there are certain documents that we have to submit to make our claims.

This is guide book that we received from the seminar, I have yet to read more in detail. 

Grumbling away

Back to work after a public holiday break in between the week.  Everyone should have recharged with full batteries for the remaining working days ahead.

Our work life have been made difficult with the implementation of GST.  It is another quarter due for submission and payment of GST.  We are in the job that forcing ourselves to get it done before the due date with our minds and mouths grumbling and cursing away to... you know who.  Our accounting software we thought to be reliable and friendly has becoming unusable because the modules meant for GST have so much restrictions.  

But still, I am grateful that I have a job that fill our rice bowls, my commitments and our daily needs.  Grumbling aside, I need a cup of coffee to start the day.  Just a cup of Indocafe Coffeemix will do which I bought a few weeks ago that came with a free container.

2015 Year of Sheep / Goat

Don't you think these golden sheep / goat stuffed toys are cute? It's a gift from my colleague Cindy.  She never fails to bring back gifts for us whenever she goes travelling.  She didn't  travel far this time, merely had a short trip to KL.  Little gifts bring joy to all of us.  Perfect gifts for 2015.

GST Seminars

The whole country is preparing for GST which is due to be implemented on 1st April 2015. 
As an accounts staff, it's  inevitable for me to know what's GST is all about.  After attended 2 separate briefings on  GST, I am still on a blur blur state.

The 2 brefings I attended were organised by UBS Sage and  Telekom in collaboration with  Kastam.  I have captured some slides just to recap.

Borneo Golf & Country Club

Despite my repeated refusals to get involve, I know the day will come I am asked to go for a field trip to Borneo Golf and Country Club. A golf club which my boss took over recently.

As an employee, we are not in the position to say no to the bosses for the work that are assigned to us.  My workloads will be increased this year after this "you just go look look see see" field trip.  

At the front office of Borneo Golf & Country Club, Bongawan, Sabah.

Nice collections of Golf Balls from various Golf Clubs

Passion fruit juice and Ice water at the buffet Counter

They serve Korean Food as majority of the guests and golfers are Koreans.

Kimchi is the must in Korean cuisine

the view of the golf course which much care are needed to get the green back again.  It is one of the professionally designed 18 holes golf course.

my lunch, less meat more vegetable with seaweed soup which is pretty healthy.

Stress in the office

Stress...when I have to handle my own jobs and other's job tasks at the same time.

My colleague has gone on leave for a week..asking me for a favour to help in her job tasks during her absence.  For the last time I agreed to help her as I will be transferred to the other company effective this month, by right I do not have to handle her job task..but I agreed so to allow her to have a good holiday.

The stress set in when I have to contact one of the government bodies which the answering machine will do the talking, asking me to press buttons, telling me again and again that their operators are busy and still busy, please hold and finally the machine operator informs that the holding period has ended, please call back again.   I have redialed many times trying to contact the officer until I gave up.  Waste of my time and increase my stress level tremendously...I guess this is one of the Malaysia Boleh situations..

 Enough..I don't want to think more...it's lunch time.  Simple snacks in the office to cool my stress down a little and TGIF.

Singer Sewing Machine

My mind was thinking of getting a sewing machine a few weeks ago for the convenience of "repairing" the minor wear and tear clothing, and also for sewing up loose threads on the new clothing. 

Without mentioning to each other, Clet also has in mind to get me a sewing machine so that I can help him to  do alterations and repair on his jeans and clothing.  

At first we thought of getting a basic one without knowing the technology has advanced to providing many sewing functions which impress us very much.   After seeing the demonstrations on a couple of machines at the Singer outlet,  we decided on 988 model.  This has become my early birthday and Christmas present for this year.  A present is never come too early and I am very happy with it.  But this is not a heavy duty machine, materials as thick and as hard as jeans are not advisable to be sewed with this machine.  Clet is a bit disappointed on that.  

it comes with a cover

this model has got a digital screen and 156 patterns

these are some of the patterns that this sewing machine can produce including the button holes

these are the accessories which I will have to figure out how to use some of them

the pedal and a casing for the accessories.  

I have attended basic sewing classes years back, now I will have to rely heavily on the internet to guide me should I want to make a skirt and a dress.  Will tell you my first sewing project on my next post.

Saturday is a work day too..

Though I am having Saturdays off from my full time employer, it is still a working Saturday for me at times. There are ever so much works on my hands, just hope that my health can cope with them.

I plan to meet up with my part time employer tomorrow to finalise their accounts so that we can hand it over to the tax agent, we are really short of time to submit the taxes by the end of this month. I kind of feeling the pressure myself that I have to pressure them to sit down and look at their accounts urgently. I have been staying up late and have put so many hours compiling them. I need to get the job done. Clet is also after my tail for his business accounts. I always wish to have 48 hours in a day, with that I will have more time to get things done and time for a rest.

School starts again next Monday, it will be all the rushing again, I am glad that Clet is slowing down with his outstation assignment and put more time on his new venture located just a few minutes drive from our home. Less stressful for him and better for his health too..

Time to resign?

It is always the time of the year where staff are having the resigning spree after the Chinese New Year shopping spree :D.

The turnover of staff seems to be high after the Chinese New Year season because most of them are waiting for their bonus payout before resigning from their jobs. Most of us were very hopeful that the companies that we work for will distribute bonuses, one of them is me. However with much disappointment that I did not get any bonus but instead receiving a small sum of Angpow as appreciation. Well, it's still better than none, right?

Due to heavy workloads and others reasons, 2 of my colleagues resigned at the same time on the 1st of March, leaving me alone in the department soon. 1 of them has found another job while the other couldn't stand the work pressure anymore, hence decided to resign.

Hopefully our new colleagues will be able to start work as soon as possible to take over the workloads. If not me too will hand in the brown envelope to my boss as well!

Are you happy with your job?

Are you happy with your job? Glad that you do but I am not. The company that I work for has taken over 4 other food and bakery outlets in just 3 months, hoping that the outlets will turn around and make money with the change of management with the same owners.

Our workloads have since doubled. They have taken things for granted that it is perfectly ok with the additional workloads assigned to us without properly planning on the human resourcing and financing, with only 1 clerical added to the workforce , with a ratio of 1:1. We realise that they did not even put any consideration now that with all these added responsibilities, they still push us for deadlines and expect us to perform like before, don't they realise that the quality of work will drop when one is overloaded with work?

The worst thing is the boss could just call in speak very harshly if she did not get what she wanted, the working environment has becoming so tense and with very low morale. Like a number of times which I came home with very disturbing and disappointing evening after harsh words that I received from the other side of the phone, I can not stand anymore but ease out my frustrations in words.

They should be gladful that they are able to push over the workloads of 4 food and bakery outlets to us with no additional allowances given. I pray things will change to the better soon.

Company's Annual Dinner

We had our company's annual dinner at Kasih Sayang Health Resort & Spa last night, with plenty of food, lucky draws, and an opportunity to meet up with other colleagues from West Malaysia, Kuching and Singapore whom most of the time we only communcate with each other through the wire and the net. The company fly them (whoever wants to come) over here with everything paid for. They are going to spend 4 days 3 nights in KK from 7 December to 10 December, a staff trip filled with outings, eating, and funs.

A group photo taken after the dinner

A welcoming snowman at the entrance

A view of Kota Kinabalu City, and Sapi, Manukan and Gaya islands are clearly visible from the deck of the resort just before dark.

Managed to take photo of the fruits half ways through our buffet dinner

The salad section

Resort's house banana fritters

BBQ fish (I had one piece only)

Mixed vegetable (I definitely go for this in any functions)

Fried chicken wings

Local crabs (I did not take this as it is too troublesome and nothing much to eat)

Fried Squid

Sphagetti with mushroom

Pineapple rice with tomatos and raisins

Satays

BBQ lamb

Besides having a nice buffet dinner, every staff has got the chance to win themselves a lucky draw, including those who can not attend this function. I am sure you would like to know what I got right? :) I have got a 3 in 1 prize comprising 1 hair dryer, a Tesco cash voucher worth RM80.00 (don't know what to do with it cos we do not have any Tesco here in KK), and a 2 nights stay deluxe room at Kasih Sayang Health Resort & Spa with breakfast for 2. the total prize worth up to RM600.00 in terms of cash (how I wish is in cash, LOL). Actually I am aiming for a water distiller or a bread maker or a juicer, but neither one of them is meant for me this time round.