Helping out with RVGSC

RVGSC (see their business card at right) is a Voluntary Welfare Organisation committed to improving the lives of women, girls and children in crisis.

The centre is one of the many houses run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Malaysia. This is a charity I fully support. After the 2006 Tsunami, the local house was collecting funds to send to their sister house in Ceylon, and I gladly chipped in - something I would not do for any government organised fund collection. (Not that government itself cannot be trusted, but that one can never be sure all the people involved are on the level).

We were in Petaling Jaya today - 1Utama shopping centre. We were helping RVGSC setup their booth at the community counter. They will be there today (19Feb2009) till Sunday (22Feb2009).

As you can see, its a cheerful counter, and it's selling delicious cookies and ikan-bilis sambal. There's also handicraft made by members in East Malaysia.

Prices are resonable (not cheap, but well within the range of what you'd pay for stuff at 1-Utama) and the staff are shy but friendly. They all dashed away the moment I said "lets take a picture".

Here is a picture of their sambal (in the bottles), special mixed nuts (with just a dash of spice to make your mouth water) and cookies. Their London biscuits are amazing - I literally sucked the chocolate off the wrapper after eating the biscuit.

Below this is a picture of their handicraft. mostly cute little stuff, but one thing to look out for, for those with an eye for the unique and beautiful, is the hand painted river stones.

I picked out the one with the tiger face on it. You can see it in this picture, a little left of centre. Truly amazing. The price, however, was a little over my budget, so I reluctantly put it down. Someone else will get luck and take it home with them.

I hope all of you reading this (yes, both of you) stop by and give them your custom. (That's good Engrish for 'buy their stuff' lah). After all, if we personally can not help people in trouble, the least we can do is sponsor someone we can trust to do it on our behalf.
The RVGSC booth is located at the first floor of the OVAL, New Wing, 1-U. They are directly across the Oval from the escalators.
Update on Tue 24Feb.: Thanks to all my friends and relatives for showing up and giving the sisters your custom (i.e. you were their customers - thats there the word comes from I think). I was told that She-Ra and friends even ordered several bottles of salt-fish pickle (which is pretty good too, so I dont know why they didn't stock any to start with) which will have to be imported from Ipoh. Good show. Maybe I can convince She-Ra to invite me over to her place for chicken curry and salt-fish pickle one day... ha ha ha.

MELAMINE: Raising agent from China banned

The news is in the Sun and the Star. (Wouldn't know about the "Crooked Times" and "Beri Cerita Harian" as I don't read those rags).

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=26685
X snip X
The decision to ban the raising agent, which takes effect immediately, was made after analysis made on samples from two biscuit factories -- Khong Guan in Johor and Khian Guan in Penang -- found that 18 of 47 samples had excessive melamine levels.
X end snip X
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/17/nation/2305367&sec=nation
X snip X
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said...... "Results from our tests found that the melamine level in the ammonium carbonate used for Khong Guan and Khian Guan biscuits is 33.4ppm and 508ppm respectively,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
etc... etc...
Khong Guan Sdn Bhd and Khian Guan Biscuit Manufacturing Company Sdn Bhd, in a joint statement, said they would fully cooperate with the ministry and would ensure that the products were recalled quickly.
The two companies said they have ceased using ammonium bicarbonate from China and had switched to those sourced from other countries.
X end snip X

Looks like I have to add biscuits and baking power to my list in my blog on things Made in China.
Oh - and I think I need to correct something: In 2007, when pets were dying because of Melamine in their food in the US, I think the food was not made in China - one of the ingredients was.

Have they tested Lap Cheong and Waxed Duck yet? And Ma Ling luncheon Meat?
Bwahahahahahahahaha....

Made in China

Update: read this report in CNN - more information than local newspapers.
China's tainted milk scare spreads globally
-----------------------------
The email I got today was almost exactly like the SMS last night:
FYI, the following items have been recalled due to China's milk scandal.
* M&M's
* Snickers
* Mento' yoghurt bottle
* Dove choc
* Oreo wafer sticks
* Monmilk
* Dutchlady sterilised milk
* Wall's all natural mango
* Mini Poppers ice cream
* Magnum ice cream
* Moosandwich ice cream
* Mini Cornetto
* Youcan ice cream
Stores in Singapore have been asked by AVA Singapore to remove them. If you have any of these items at home, don't eat them. Please forward to loved one.

NO, I won't forward it... I think this is just a tad hysterical. I think it is better to just check the labels.

A lot of the ice cream in Malaysia is made from palm oil, and not milk. Also, 1 Dutchlady product in Singapore was found contaminated with melamine, but Dutchlady in Malaysia declared that they do not use any milk from China. So it may be wrong to follow guidelines from different countries too.

If you want to be ultra conservative, then avoid all milk, and anything containing milk. But I think checking labels gives you more options. I have already been avoiding buying China made foods for months – and that includes US brands that are manufactured in China. Wherever possible, I go for foods manufactured outside China. For example, I think Fernleaf is safe because it is from NewZ, and I buy peanut butter made in Australia. Better to have less to eat (because it is expensive) than to have enough and kill yourself.

I started avoiding China-made foods long ago - i think it was last year when the US found a lot of animals falling sick or dying from pet food made in China. The pet food was contaminated with - wait for it - Melamine. Obviously, since they could not put it in US pet food any more, the businessmen thought of a new use for the melamine: milk - since the quality controls were not complete in that area. Now that milk is no longer an option, what will the businessmen do with all that melamine?

Next you will find lap-cheong (preserved sausages) made with real plastic skin, and stuffed with recycled engine oil. Of course, it will be high in protein – from the melamine additives. I wonder if it (melamine) could be used to make tawfoo (tofoo) and soya-bean milk? Do you think I am being too cynical?