My Article Came Out in Newspaper (SJ Echo paper)

http://www.sjecho.com.my/article.php?id=224

Autobots! Transform...and Roll Out

by SJECHO

DO you still remember those days when as a kid you would never miss watching Transformers on TV?

Now as an adult, do you still find yourself glued to the TV whenever the show pops up?

Well, don't be embarrassed to admit it. Many of us grew up watching Transformers and still do watch them despite our busy hectic lives at work and at home.

Subang Jaya resident, Casey Goh, who works as a project manager with a network services company, is one of those who openly and proudly admits that he has not outgrown this cartoon series which has recently been brought to the silver screen.

His bedroom is filled with Transformers collectibles to the point where he admits his mother doesn't allow him to let any of these toys leave his room.

“My interest started with a toy museum in Penang which my girlfriend Gloria and I visited some years back.”

“I was intrigued by the toys and one thing led to another. I was personally intrigued with the character Optimus Prime and started with a small piece of him,” he said.

Since that day, Casey has not looked back and probably doesn't hesitate to purchase any Transformers collectibles he can get his hands on either in shops, overseas or online.

“I don't only keep the toys. I also have a wide range of books and a CD collection as well. The books are purchased all the way from the United States.”

“I don't play with the toys. I collect them in my cabinet (pointing to the three tier cabinet in his room which is filled to the brim) and look at them all the time,” he said, while Gloria smiles at every word he says.

According to Casey, some of these toys are no longer produced. His collection of Sun Streaker costs more than RM200 a piece.

“E-bay is the source for many of the Transformers which are available in the market. In Petaling Jaya, collectors meet at Amcorp Mall to exchange ideas and also to buy and sell.”

“For me, collecting these toys is a hobby although I also admit this is a boy's toy. Robots are always about war between good and evil,” he adds.

To make it worthwhile and self-financing, Casey normally orders five units of the same model, keeps one and sells the rest to the hobbyist in the country who share his passion.

“Selling the sets more or less covers the cost of the unit I want to keep. I give Gloria a list of toys to buy whenever she travels to Penang, Singapore or Hong Kong, where the toys can be found,” he said.

According to Casey, Transformers toys are like the stock market. They are very sought after and the price fluctuates.

“The masterpieces are very detailed. Some items can cost USD400 a piece.”

“Many of these sets come in back-in box, loose, mint in box or mint in sealed box. The Japanese models command an even higher price because of their detailed pieces,” he said, adding that some collectors would buy two sets of the same model – one for play and the other for display.

Casey says most parents buy the toys on the pretext of buying for their children but in actual fact, they (the parents) want it themselves.

“One father once bought one Transformers toy for his son and another one for himself, making his son promise not to tell his mother,” he said.

So who says playing toys is a waste of time? In Casey's case, it's paid off.

For those who wish to enquire or buy Transformers toys, Casey can be contacted by email at kayseegoh@hotmail.com or 012-3796533.