Queensland to Penang in 14 days

I purchased some music compact discs from Australia recently. I couldn't find what I wanted from my regular source, Amazon.com, so I had to search for an alternative supplier. Eventually, I found the music CDs from an online store in Queensland.

I placed the order on 23 Jun 2011 and the merchandise was shipped out five days later. After a six-day journey by first class international airmail (why, why, why must it take so long even by airmail?), the package arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 4 July 2011 and was then diverted to the Customs Department.

The sharp-eyed Customs boys immediately tore open my package, obviously alerted by the description of the contents on the sticker that said "CD/DVD" to check that the contents were innocuous music CDs or some contraband dirty porno DVDs. Pure disappointment for them. Nothing to confiscate. Sorry, lah, boys, I don't buy such stuff, okay?

Then they resealed the envelope and were good enough to secure the flap with one of their "Dibuka Untuk Pemeriksaan KDN" or "Opened For KDN Checking" tapes before hammering it with their "Dilepaskan oleh Kastam" rubber stamp which must have contributed to breaking off some of the plastic parts in the CD case's middle spindle. Damn. That's one of the hazards of ordering goods from overseas. Not the first time it has happened to me. Why can't they handle people's goods with more care?

Anyway, from the Customs office at Sepang, my package finally made its way to my house this morning, courtesy of the General Post Office delivery system. That, by the way, took eight days to arrive: from 4 July to 12 July. Gosh, what on earth had been happening on the ground? Why couldn't the Malaysian Postal Services be more efficient and deliver the package to me more quickly? Why eight days for my package to travel from Sepang to Bukit Mertajam? They have have asked their postmen to cycle all the way. This, I really don't understand....

But I'm glad that my package arrived intact except for the damage to the CD case. Nothing's wrong with the compact discs themselves. So excuse me while I go tend to my music now...