Felix Ker's blog

THIS POST IS NO LONGER VALID.

This post is a response to: Gift of Hope (Donate $10, I’ll contribute $2)

I was just random mentioning my own tiny efforts to make the world a better place to my friend, Audrey and I’ve now got my first donor. She’s paid up RM$50 and I’ll be topping up RM$10 for a bag of mushroom spores (at RM$60.

Also, I’ve received emails regarding this and people are interested in donating too!

So, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m very sure your dollar will make a difference.

I thought the new Contactless ePurse Applications (CEPAS) compliant EZ-Link was almost the same as the previous (SONY?) card. I’m very wrong.

“Please Top Up”

With $1.48 of value inside my card, I didn’t know I would be prompted to top up my card and I wouldn’t be able to take the MRT. Oh well, I was able to get onto a bus few days back. Whatever.

I discovered that the new card requires you to have at least $3 inside your card to get on a MRT. Why? Because the $3 deposit from your previous card was deducted for the new card. That means you’re paying for their upgrades. (Correct me if I’m wrong)

New Features

• You can (now/soon) pay for your meals, shop at 7-Eleven, Buy 4D/Toto/buy soccer bets, pay for government services, improve your own health, etc etc with your new card. Means you got no cash or if you maxed your credit cards, you can still do shopping provided your EZ-Link card got money.
• Can pay ERP with this card? They’re making your life so good. If you forgotten to top up your cash card, you still can go through the gantry without getting fined.  (Am I right?)
• You can now top-up your card at more places. (Ofcourse got charge you small fee at some places!) EZ-Online top up service. Let me review it when I’ve tried.
• Higher e-Purse capacity. So you can now store up to $500 inside your card. This can be your next pre-paid current account!

Got Free Gift Somemore!

Wow. EZ-Link is offering you free 6 months insurance (Provided you’re not older than 81 and you’re at least 18! Click here to register. But after 6 months, we won’t know they’ll do (with ACE Insurance). Maybe bug you to get another policy at a fee?

Have you replaced?

This card so good, you haven’t replaced? From now till 30th September 2009, you can do a 1-for-1 exchange (at selected MRT stations/Post Office Branches/TransitLink Offices). Go replace it during working hours. Use your boss’ time, not your own. It’s ok to return back to office late sometimes. More info here.

Got something to share with me regarding the new EZ-Link card?

DO NOTE that I should’ve removed everything below as a request from World Vision, but I’m keeping this for my own records. What you see below is all invalid.

The event ended and I sent RM$430 (approx US$120), according to World Vision (I totally forgot how much I donated until they told me). I’m looking forward to the next Gift Of Hope. Hopefully you’ll all support the event along with me.

I’m a sponsor for a child with World Vision since 2008. Quite proud of myself since I do not have much time for community service.

Speaking about this, sometime mid-March, I going to send in my orders for World Vision’s Gift of Hope programme.

What’s Gift of Hope? How it works?

You’ll buy something for yourself or your loved ones and they’ll be sent to the needy over at the different countries depending on the item you bought.

What am I considering to send? (NOTE: 1.00 USD = 3.59790 MYR)

I don’t know how much funds I’ve got, but I’m considering the following items:

Education

• Children’s Workbooks (Sarawak, Malaysoa; RM$20)
• School Uniforms (Sarawak, Malaysia; RM$20)
• Library Books (Lebanon; RM$35 per set)

Community Development

• Seed Funds (Laos; RM$250 per set)

Agriculture

• Mushroom Spores (Thailand; RM$60 per set)
• Vegetable Seeds (Thailand; RM140 per 3kg bag of mixed seeds)
• Organic Fertilizer (Thailand; RM15 per 10kg bag)
• Farming tools (Thailand; RM130 per set of tools)

Recreation & Self-Development

• Educational Toys (Thailand; RM50 (minimum contribution))

I don’t believe in providing food actually since it doesn’t support them long-term. The gifts I listed above are the lower priced gifts that I can somehow afford, but still checking my budget and thinking which I should contribute.

Count me in!! And how do I go about doing it?

Since I’m going to send in my own orders, you can donate along with me. I’ve got a donate button below for you to tag along. Exchange rates are be below too. You can specify what you’d like to contribute, provided you donated the right amount. If you’d like the gift card, I’m also able to mail it to you after I receive them.

For every $10 you donate, I’m going to donate an extra of at least $2 (Thats 20% additional!). I can’t promise much since I don’t know how much will come along. However, I don’t expect much to come from the public actually since my blog doesn’t get much readers and the recession has hit people badly.

Otherwise, you can send in your own orders.

1. Click here to download the form.
2. Print it.
3. Fill it in.
4. Mail the filled form back to World Vision Malaysia’s Address. (Address is on the form)

How to donate?

Donate button is above. If you’ve got no Paypal, you can use a credit/debit card too. For a $10 donation, Paypal takes $0.59 off as transaction fees (I think). Please send at least $2 so at least when it reaches me, I’ll see something there.

We can work it out through Internet Banking (POSB/DBS/UOB) if you’re in Singapore. I can also accept funds through Malaysian Banks (I’ve got Public Bank). Drop me an email ( felix@ker.sg ) or Comment below.

According to XE.com, 1.00 USD = 3.59790 MYR (at time of writing; 2009.02.21 02:42:33 UTC)

I’m have to be very transparent with regards to donations received. I’m going to do a post after I send out my form.

This is a new layout you see, almost 12 hours up and running, smooth so far. I need decent feedback about how this blog appeals to you so appropriate changes can be made.

The last time this blog got a new makeover was more than a year ago! I’ve always wanted to do up something new but time was my biggest enemy.