by Rauf Fadzilla

Read Part 1 right here.


Pix credit: www.duniakami.com/ding-dang

The plot to expose the conspiracy continues as we examine the actual cheap, plastic toys found inside the boxes and compare them against the propaganda machine's (TV commercial's) created perception.

Previously, we analysed the connection between the social media generation's/ Generation Y's obsession with trinkets. The result of the cheap toy manufacturer's dastardly and ingenious plot to create a generation obsessed with the small things.


We find that he was assisted (perhaps unknowingly) by the Roti man (bread delivery guy) who lulled the half formed minds of children with his siren song and mirage of trickery and sweet treats.

The result?

A generation, most of whom grew up in the 80s and early 90s who seem to be obsessed with trivial things (we’re looking at you, cat videos!) which we perpetually share and link to and forward into oblivion until the novelty subsides until the next fad emerges.

But that’s just  the side effect. Why did they do this? And how?

This conspiracy was hatched in order to secure a steady pool of customers for their wares. And just to keep the atrocity interesting enough, the accursed villains endeavoured to vary their payload for each week (or was it every month, I forget).

One day they promised a strong, bold and strapping brigadier (or a grenadier) toy that the TV had convincingly assured you could crawl up walls, around corners and into any conceivable spot known to man, unflinchingly blazing his trail to glory.

Not to mention, the sticky worms that once thrown at a wall had the ability to miraculously crawl back down again as if possessed by the spirit of a thousand spidermen.

Pix credit: www.tnpsc.com/spiderman.htm
The evil twin I never had

Then there was the helicopter which they proudly proclaimed possessed the ability to hover at precarious heights and then zoom up into the sky, much to the delight of the grinning children in the TV commercial (God were they good actors!).

Unfortunately, as expected, the toy soldier would stop crawling in mid action (or not even move at all), the helicopter would come crashing to the ground and the sticky worm would fall head (or was it tail?) first to the floor once thrown at the wall.

And you know what the best part of it all was?

We kept right on buying them!

Why? Well, maybe because this generation - my generation - is a generation that believes in hope. No matter what we face, we always hope for the best in things and in people. I mean, look at Barack Obama’s campaign - it was all about hope and belief in change - for today's society and the world.

So, it doesn’t matter if we face disappointment or rejection at almost every turn. With each unwrapping of every colourful package we rekindled our faith in the brightness of humanity - and our hope for something better.

And then we get cheap toys that break. Oh well.

As I go about gathering evidence, I have also excavated accounts from several bloggers. Interestingly, little has changed. Apparently,  according to several sources, the price for these babies has gone up but the products remain exactly the same.

Pix credit: www.myindo.com/story/179.asp

Testimonies of other bloggers

Taken from the post:
Ding Dang & Tora: Cheap Chocolate with Mysterious Toy by Farah 'Fairy' Mahdzan  (3-Jul-2003)
"Who cared if the chocolates were indigestible pieces of balled up paper coated in thin chocolate, we were in it for the toys, man, from the corn-shaped pens that would run out of ink in just two days, faulty water pistols, to the little toy cars with slimy tires and colorful plastic gasing (tops) that whistled annoyingly every time you spun them."

"Back when I was growing up, a box would cost 50 sen but through the inevitable tests of time and of our ever volatile economy, today's Ding Dang costs 60 sen."
Read more at: http://www.myindo.com/story/179.asp

A Blogger from Sarawak
Favorite toys when I was in primary school. Ding dang RM1 while Tora RM2. Hmm the chocolate is a lot smaller than last time, or is it I'm getting bigger. Hehe.

Read more at: http://www.jonathanliew.com/2010/12/tora-ding-dang.html

Look! Here's a collectible sticker (Right click to save). Collect them all! Or not... up to you.