Hungry Ghost Festive Mood

OMG. Hungry ghost festival celebration in broad-daylight?

Like, Kuai Cheong Chai

No, this was the scene at tea break during the 3rd Penang Cardiovascular Conference 2006 on Coronary Artery Disease.

On the first day, the event started with a preliminary talks on "Managing LDL-C & Beyond in Diabetes Dyslipidaemia- From 4S to FIELD", brought by Solvay Pharma.

Next, the Mr. Organising Chairman started his speech with a surprise note, that, there was a huge turn-out on this 3rd annual event, organized by the Penang Medical Practitioners' Society & Malaysian Medical Association (Penang Branch). He quoted there were about 380 delegates and the organising committee had even stopped more people from registering a week earlier.

He also expressed his gratitude to all the sponsors, mainly the drug companies for their contributions, reminding us, without them, we wouldn't be enjoying our "6th star" meal. Mind you, the buffet meals cost about RM60 per head, according to him.

By the way, I must congratulate the organising committee for having this wonderful short conference with lots of updates on CVS disease and the current management, not forgetting, the speakers were outstanding too.

However, the whole event was marred by the bad venue and the food. Looked like, the organising committee had not learned from the disasterous event experienced in the last conference, at the same place!!.

This place obviously could not hold such a big crowd. Can anyone imagine, having tea break at the side-way under the direct hot sun?!

What's more irritating was this stingy hotel management, providing minimal food, which vanished within minutes before I could get near the serving table. The scene was exactly like "Kuai Cheong Chai", translations: "Hungry ghosts snatching over vegetarian dishes".

Worst was the lunch.

The whole serving area was in total chaos, congested with long queues and all the tables were fully occupied.

I was turning around and around looking for a godamn seat.

In the end, I found a wonderful seat, yes beside the sea, "enjoying" the beautiful scenes of Penang Island and the food under the burning hot sun!

Here was what I had then, fried rice+fried kuey teow+fried mee+fried chicken wing+fried prawns+fried nuggets+fried Japanese Tofu+turkey meat+long bean+various beans+mushroom, yes, for a godamn RM60 buffet lunch.

Real sucks

My only hope and advice to the organising committee in future, please find a better venue and I am sure in Penang you'd never short of choices and most importantly food!!

My friend complained to me, he was chased out from some table apparently reserved for the hotel's guests. He was very embarrased. He contemplated of making a complaint to the hotel management. Then someone said, we should not be complaining too much cause our meals were FOC.

Yes, I must thank Pfizer for sponsoring me to this event.